Defending Americanism
 
Yesterday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addressed the American Legion's 101st National Convention.  He spoke about what it means to promote America's interests in today's world. 
 
Pompeo began his remarks by noting that the American Legion is dedicated to fostering "one hundred percent Americanism."  Undoubtedly many progressives were "triggered" by his remarks!  Below are some excerpts.
 
"Americanism means recognizing that America is an exceptional nation.  We're the first nation founded on an idea that government's proper purpose is to protect unalienable rights for each and every human being. . . Americanism, too, means confidence in America's unique role in the world. . .  
 
"And when it comes to Americanism in our foreign policy, for decades, frankly we just plain ignored it.  We didn't lead.  We let the bureaucrats in international organizations lead us.
 
"We let our allies shun their responsibilities.  We pretended our enemies were our friends, and sometimes, sadly, we even appeased them. 
 
"But those days are over. . .  we're not going to apologize for America anymore.  No, Americanism is something that we must be proud of.  We're putting it at the center of our foreign policy. . .  
 
"Americanism means telling the truth about the challenges we face.  Look, this administration didn't pretend that the Islamic Republic of Iran was a responsible actor in the Middle East.  We called out China's bad behavior on trade and on national security.  We recognized that North Korea's rogue behavior could not be ignored. . .
 
"As I wrap up, I want to emphasize one more thing:  We need to keep telling people this story, this great story about Americanism.  It's something the whole world and every American must be proud of."
 
If you missed Secretary Pompeo's address, you can watch it here.
 
 
 
Selling Recession
 
For months now, many media outlets have been warning the American people that we may be going into a recession.  If you were a candidate running for office and bought an ad campaign with as many hits as the media has mentioned "recession," you'd be guaranteed to win.  This is the kind of saturation coverage that changes perceptions and influences behavior. 
 
Then again, maybe not.  After months of this non-stop gloom and doom propaganda, consumer confidence remains at a 19-year high. 
 
Now there will be another recession, and we may not know it until we're well into it.  But left-wing reporters don't seem to understand economics anyway, and the idea that they know more about the economy than the collective judgment of the American consumer is absurd. 
 
For now, it seems that most Americans aren't buying what the left-wing media are selling.
 
 
 
Build That Wall!
 
The border wall is being built.  The Border Patrol recently posted a video showing parts of a 60-mile stretch of new steel bollard wall.  In a tweet, the Border Patrol added that it expects to have 450 miles completed by the end of 2020.
 
By the way, a student group in Hong Kong has come up with an astonishing idea.  They want Hong Kong to build a wall to keep the Chinese out!
 
Meanwhile, Unirule, one of the last think tanks in Beijing committed to free markets and the rule of law, announced this week that it is shutting down.  Or, more accurately, as Unirule's executive director put it, "We have no choice but to shut down" due to pressure from communist bureaucrats. 
 
As I have noted many times before, trade with China has not changed China.  It has changed us, and not for the better.
 
 
 
Taxpayer Abuse
 
Left-wing judges on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals are attempting to force the taxpayers of Idaho to pay for sex change operations for -- you might want to sit down for this -- convicted sex offenders. 
 
Adree Edmo, a transgender inmate, contends it is "cruel and unusual punishment" for the state of Idaho to deny "gender reassignment surgery."  Lawyers for Edmo insist that it is akin to denying medical treatment to a cancer patient or someone with diabetes.  Unfortunately, the court agreed.
 
It is unfortunate because medical research strongly indicates that rates of depression and suicide are no better and, in fact, may be worse, for those who undergo such operations.
 
Governor Brad Little is vowing to appeal to the Supreme Court, declaring:
 
"The court's decision is extremely disappointing.  The hardworking taxpayers of Idaho should not be forced to pay for a convicted sex offender's gender reassignment surgery when it is contrary to the medical opinions of the treating physician and multiple mental health professionals."