Glenn's Daily Prep: 12/6/2012

December 06, 2012

Writer

Every morning, Glenn’s producers put together stories and research for Glenn to review before he discusses the plan for the radio and television shows. Below, you can see the stories that the producers put together for him this morning. Some of these stories will end up on radio and television, some will not – but now you can get more insight into what shapes Glenn’s show each and every day:

#1 'Men don't have to worry about being caught': Sex mobs target Egypt's women

#2 Clashes erupt in Egypt despite proposal to end crisis

#3 Wisconsin Judge Orders Deadbeat Dad Of Nine (With Six Women) To Stop Procreating

#4 Change on veterans’ gun rights lights fire

#5 High-income Californians may pay nation's highest tax rate

#6 U.S.-Approved Arms for Libya Rebels Fell Into Jihadis’ Hands

#7 Women’s group: Obama’s cabinet ‘clearly’ needs to be 50-percent female

#8 Syria loads chemical weapons into bombs; military awaits Assad's order

#9 Racial divide

#10 WH 'Absolutely' Willing To Go Off 'Fiscal Cliff'

#11 Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal to visit Gaza

From the Mercury One Soapbox:

Former NSA Code Breaker Says Everyone in the U.S. is Under Surveillance. It’s probably too late to tell you not to send those embarrassing emails now, but from here on out you might want to think about what you send in your emails. At least, that’s if we’re to believe what one former NSA (National Security Agency) employee has to say about it. Hopefully this won’t make you too paranoid or anything, but in an interview with Russia Today, former NSA code breaker William Binney warns that everyone in the United States is under constant virtual surveillance by the NSA, and not even members of Congress are exempt. We would encourage you to forward this to a friend, but if what Binney says is true, maybe that’s not the best advice.

Once Again, Government Saves the Day – With Citations for Sandy Victims with Downed Trees. Nobody likes cleaning up somebody else’s mess. And we’re not aware of anyone who’s particularly fond of being given a legal citation for not cleaning up a mess that wasn’t theirs, either. Yet New York residents are being asked to put up with precisely that. After superstorm Sandy left downed trees littering their lawns, Queens, New York residents have received citations from the city for “failure to maintain” their properties. The only problem: the trees in question are from city property (not private property), so the residents expected the city to clean up its own trees. Of course, the city insists there are no fines or fees associated with the citations, but angry residents are being rebuffed as they make requests to have the citations removed. One frustrated resident’s terse comment seemed to sum up the situation rather succinctly: “It makes me angry, but it’s also ridiculous!”

Wait a Second: Have We Already Gone Over the Fiscal Cliff and Nobody Told Us? Well, sort of. One analyst yesterday said “We’re already over the fiscal cliff plan cliff.” Yes, you read that right. But to put the matter in the simplest of terms: It doesn’t look like either side of this debate has a feasible plan to solve the fiscal problem that is going to be passing either house of Congress anytime soon. No wonder both sides seem so nonchalant about going over the cliff. We’ve already gone over the fiscal cliff plan cliff and nobody told us. Nice.

Are Gold’s Days as a Reliable Investment Numbered? Goldman commodity analysts certainly seem to think so. Writing in a company report, Goldman’s Jan Hatzius says he believes the long economic doldrums may come to an end during the second half of 2013, allowing gold prices to stay strong through at least the first half of next year before dropping significantly as higher interest rates, more easing from the Fed and stronger economic growth resume. “Our expanded modeling suggests that the improving U.S. growth outlook will outweigh further Fed balance sheet expansion and that the cycle in gold prices will likely turn in 2013,” he said. Hatzius cautioned, however, that the results of the looming “fiscal cliff” negotiations complicate the forecasted downward trend for gold. Of course, expecting significantly positive economic growth in the face of the growing government behemoth’s regulations seems to require some rather complicated mental gymnastics, so there’s at least a decent chance that Hatzius is wrong.

House Approves Resolution Aimed at Preventing U.N. Control of the Internet. Amid concerns that this week’s U.N. International Telecommunications Union (ITU) conference could lead to U.N. regulations of the internet, the House of Representatives on Wednesday unanimously approved a Senate resolution calling on the U.S. to oppose the regulations. In a rare show of bipartisan unity, members of both political parties and the White House all agreed on the need to stop potential U.N. aggression aimed at regulating the internet. Democratic California Representative Anna Eshoo said that “the United States of America is totally unified on this issue of an open structure, a multi-stakeholder approach that has guided the Internet over the last two decades." And for once that’s not just political windbaggery. Tennessee Representative Marsha Blackburn, a Republican, added, “We need to send a strong message to the world that the Internet has thrived under a decentralized, bottom-up, multi-stakeholder governance model.” Admittedly, it sure seems weird to see so many politically-polarized people agreeing on the importance of deregulating a major driver of economic growth.

Well, it Turns Out That Maybe Those Muslim Brotherhood Guys Are Actually Bad After All. President Obama seems to think that Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi – he of the anti-semitic, violent rhetoric Muslim Brotherhood – is a significant force for peace in the Middle East. But it appears that Egyptian residents are essentially urging the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize winner to rethink what it means to be a force for peace. After the Arab Spring, which brought Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood to power in Egypt, the country’s citizens complain that an “extremist” interpretation of Islam is being “forced down their throats.” In the wake of Morsi’s attempt to quash protests by gaining sweeping powers that would essentially make him a king, Egyptians are complaining that he has become a tyrant and “a terrorist.” Sounds like that much-lauded Arab Spring is working out nicely.

Atheist Opposition Prompts Cancellation of Field Trip to see “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown.” If you think a school field trip to see a rendition of “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown” sounds innocuous enough, you probably ought to hear this story. A Little Rock, Arkansas church has been forced to cancel a matinee production of its play after opposition from atheist parents convinced school officials the trip violated the church-state separation principle. The elementary school claims they had consulted their legal team before scheduling the trip and believed it was appropriate, but when letters were sent to parents advising of the trip, at least one of them disagreed. The church says that interested students can still attend a weekend production of the show. Good grief! Is no one unoffended by Christmas anymore?

Thanks to Family Walks, Obese Girl Drops a Stunning 65 Pounds. Sure, everyone is tired of hearing all about the First Lady’s plans to get rid of child obesity, but how often do you hear good stories about parents helping their children tackle the problem? One California girl’s family is an inspiring example of just such a story. The girl, who at age 9 weighed a shocking 186 pounds, left doctors and family fretting with worry about her health. Before too long, her parents took action and involved the entire family in changing their diet and participating in regular family exercise, like family walks. As a result, the girl lost 65 pounds and appears to be well on her way to a healthier lifestyle, but her mother says those family walks were a key to success. No government mandate necessary.

What happens if Trump wins from prison?

Rob Kim / Contributor | Getty Images

If Donald Trump is sentenced to prison time, it will be the first time in American history that a former president and active presidential candidate is thrown behind bars. Nobody knows for sure what exactly will happen.

With the election only a few months away, the left is working overtime to come up with any means of beating Trump, including tying him up in court or even throwing him in jail. Glenn recently had former U.S. DoJ Assistant Attorney General and Center for Renewing America senior fellow Jeff Clark on his show to discuss the recent resurrection of the classified documents case against Trump and what that could mean for the upcoming election. Clark explains that despite the immunity ruling from the Supreme Court this summer, he thinks there is a decent chance of a prison sentence.

What would that even look like if it happened? This is a completely unprecedented series of events and virtually every step is filled with potential unknowns. Would the Secret Service protect him in prison? What if he won from his jail cell? How would the American people respond? While no one can be certain for sure, here's what Glenn and Jeff Clark speculate might happen:

Jail time

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / Contributor | Getty Images

Can they even put a former president in prison? Jeff Clark seemed to think they can, and he brought up that New York County District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, had been talking with the New York jail system about making accommodations for Trump and the Secret Service assigned to protect him. Clark said he believes that if they sentence him before the election, Trump could be made to serve out his sentence until his inauguration, assuming he wins. After his inauguration, Clark said Trump's imprisonment would have to be suspended or canceled, as his constitutional duty as president would preempt the conviction by New York State.

House arrest

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / Contributor | Getty Images

Another possibility is that Trump could be placed under house arrest instead of imprisoned. This would make more sense from a security standpoint—it would be easier to protect Trump in his own home versus in prison. But, this would deny the Left the satisfaction of actually locking Trump behind bars, so it seems less likely. Either in prison or under house arrest, the effect is the same, Trump would be kept off the campaign trail during the most crucial leg of the election. It doesn't matter which way you spin it—this seems like election interference. Glenn even floated the idea of campaigning on behalf of Trump to help combat the injustice.

Public outrage

Jon Cherry / Stringer | Getty Images

It is clear to many Americans that this whole charade is little more than a thinly-veiled attempt to keep Trump out of office by any means necessary. If this attempt at lawfare succeeds, and Trump is thrown in jail, the American people likely will not have it. Any doubt that America has become a Banana Republic will be put to rest. How will anyone trust in any sort of official proceedings or elections ever again? One can only imagine what the reaction will be. If the past is any indication, it's unlikely to be peaceful.

POLL: What topics do YOU want Trump and Harris to debate?

Montinique Monroe / Stringer, Win McNamee / Staff | Getty Images

Does Kamala Harris stand a chance against Donald Trump in a debate?

Next week, during the second presidential debate, we will find out. The debate is scheduled for September 10th and will be hosted by ABC anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis. This will be the second presidential debate, but the first for VP Kamala Harris, and will feature the same rules as the first debate. The rules are: no notes, no chairs, no live audience, and the debater's microphone will only be turned on when it is his or her turn to speak.

This will be the first time Trump and Harris clash face-to-face, and the outcome could have a massive effect on the outcome of the election. Trump has been preparing by ramping up his campaign schedule. He plans to hold multiple rallies and speak at several events across the next several days. He wants to be prepared to face any question that might come his way, and meeting and interacting with both voters and the press seems to be Trump's preferred preparation approach.

With the multitude of issues plaguing our nation, there are a lot of potential topics that could be brought up. From the economy to the ongoing "lawfare" being waged against the former president, what topics do YOU want Harris and Trump to debate?

The economy (and why the Biden-Harris administration hasn't fixed it yet)

The Southern Border crisis (and Kamala's performance as border czar)

Climate change (and how Trump pulled out of the Paris Agreement)

The "lawfare" being waged against Trump (and what Trump would do if he were thrown in prison)

Voting and election security (and how to deal with the possibility that illegal immigrants are voting)

3 ways the Constitution foils progressive authoritarianism

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / Contributor, Kevin Dietsch / Staff, Pool / Pool | Getty Images

This is why it is important to understand our history.

Over the weekend, the New York Times published a controversial article claiming the Constitution is a danger to the country and a threat to democracy. To those who have taken a high school American government class or have followed Glenn for a while, this claim might seem incongruent with reality. That's because Jennifer Szalai, the author the piece, isn't thinking of the Constitution as it was intended to be—a restraint on government to protect individual rights—but instead as a roadblock that is hindering the installation of a progressive oligarchy.

Glenn recently covered this unbelievable article during his show and revealed the telling critiques Szalai made of our founding document. She called it an "anti-democratic" document and argued it is flawed because Donald Trump used it to become president (sort of like how every other president achieved their office). From here, Szalai went off the deep end and made some suggestions to "fix" the Constitution, including breaking California and other blue states away from the union to create a coastal progressive utopia.

Here are three of the "flaws" Szalai pointed out in the Constitution that interfere with the Left's authoritarian dreams:

1. The Electoral College

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

The New York Times article brought up the fact that in 2016 President Trump lost the popular vote but won the Electoral College, and thus won the election. This, as Szalai pointed out, is not democratic. Strictly speaking, she is right. But as Glenn has pointed out time and time again, America is not a democracy! The Founding Fathers did not want the president to be decided by a simple majority of 51 percent of the population. The Electoral College is designed to provide minority groups with a voice, giving them a say in the presidential election. Without the Electoral College, a simple majority would dominate elections and America would fall under the tyranny of the masses.

2. The Supreme Court

OLIVIER DOULIERY / Contributor | Getty Images

President Biden and other progressives have thrown around the idea of reforming the Supreme Court simply because it has made a few rulings they disagree with. Glenn points out that when a country decides to start monkeying around with their high courts, it is usually a sign they are becoming a banana republic. Szalai complained that Trump was allowed to appoint three justices. Two of them were confirmed by senators representing just 44 percent of the population, and they overturned Roe v. Wade. All of this is Constitutional by Szalai's admission, and because she disagreed with it, she argued the whole document should be scrapped.

3. Republicanism

Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

To clarify, were not talking about the Republican Party Republicanism, but instead the form of government made up of a collection of elected representatives who govern on the behalf of their constituents. This seems to be a repeat sticking point for liberals, who insist conservatives and Donald Trump are out to destroy "democracy" (a system of government that never existed in America). This mix-up explains Szalai's nonsensical interpretation of how the Constitution functions. She criticized the Constitution as "anti-democratic" and a threat to American democracy. If the Constitution is the nation's framework, and if it is "anti-democratic" then how is it a threat to American democracy? This paradox is easily avoided with the understanding that America isn't a democracy, and it never has been.

Kamala Harris' first interview as nominee: Three SHOCKING policy flips

Anadolu / Contributor | Getty Images

On Thursday, Kamala Harris gave her first interview since Joe Biden stepped down from the race, and it quickly becameclear why she waited so long.

Harris struggled to keep her story straight as CNN's Dana Bash questioned her about recent comments she had made that contradicted her previous policy statements. She kept on repeating that her "values haven't changed," but it is difficult to see how that can be true alongside her radical shift in policy. Either her values have changed or she is lying about her change in policy to win votes. You decide which seems more likely.

During the interview, Harris doubled down on her policy flip on fracking, the border, and even her use of the race card. Here are her top three flip-flops from the interview:

Fracking

Citizens of the Planet / Contributor | Getty Images

In 2019, during the 2020 presidential election, Harris pledged her full support behind a federal ban on fracking during a town hall event. But, during the DNC and again in this recent interview, Harris insisted that she is now opposed to the idea. The idea of banning fracking has been floated for a while now due to environmental concerns surrounding the controversial oil drilling method. Bans on fracking are opposed by many conservatives as it would greatly limit the production of oil in America, thus driving up gas prices across the nation. It seems Harris took this stance to win over moderates and to keep gas prices down, but who knows how she will behave once in office?

Border

PATRICK T. FALLON / Contributor | Getty Images

In her 2020 presidential bid, Harris was all for decriminalizing the border, but now she is singing a different tune. Harris claimed she is determined to secure the border—as if like she had always been a stalwart defender of the southern states. Despite this policy reversal, Harris claimed her values have not changed, which is hard to reconcile. The interviewer even offered Kamala a graceful out by suggesting she had learned more about the situation during her VP tenure, but Kamala insisted she had not changed.

Race

Tasos Katopodis / Stringer | Getty Images

When asked to respond to Trump's comments regarding the sudden emergence of Kamala's black ancestry Kamala simply answered "Same old tired playbook, next question" instead of jumping on the opportunity to play the race card as one might expect. While skipping the critical race theory lecture was refreshing, it came as a shock coming from the candidate representing the "everything is racist" party. Was this just a way to deflect the question back on Trump, or have the Democrats decided the race card isn't working anymore?

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