RUTHFULLY YOURS

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/a-bizarre-contradictory-state-of-the-union

Joe Biden’s first official State of the Union address started strong; he spent the first twelve minutes talking about Ukraine, on which there is a surprising amount of bipartisan consensus. The Ukrainian ambassador was present, and many members of Congress from both parties were wearing blue and yellow or otherwise adorned with Ukrainian flags and symbols. Probably the most memorable line was Biden’s vow to defend “every single inch” of NATO territory.

It went downhill once he got to the state of our union, on which Biden rambled on for another hour. He hectored Congress to pass a bunch of bills that it has already rejected. He proposed to lower the costs of various things by just calling for them to cost less. He called the infrastructure bill “the single biggest investment in history” and declared, “We’re done talking about infrastructure weeks. We’re going to have an infrastructure decade.” You could tell the pandemic is really and truly over when we saw a return to Democrats demonizing the pharma companies that gave us life-saving vaccines.

Biden offered some gestures — too little, too late — to the center. “The answer is not to defund the police. The answer is to FUND the police with the resources and training they need to protect our communities. Fund them!” But he immediately tacked back to bashing gun rights.

At times, Biden failed to recognize the inherent contradictions of his own postures.

https://issuesinsights.com/2022/03/02/biden-basically-admits-that-his-2-trillion-rescue-plan-was-a-colossal-failure/

“Biden wants the public to believe that today’s hard times aren’t his fault. He’s counting on the public being more mentally decrepit than he is.”

“Few pieces of legislation have done more in a critical moment in our history to lift us out of a crisis.” That was how President Joe Biden, early in his State of the Union address, described the $2 trillion “American Rescue Plan.” It’s hard to know where to begin in unpacking why this is so incredibly wrong.

But Biden himself provided one answer by spending much of his speech talking about how he’s going to fight rising inflation.

Put another way, what Biden said is that Americans need relief from Biden’s “rescue.”

How about his claim that this bill did “more in a critical moment in our history”? Let’s review.

First, the country wasn’t in an economic crisis. Not by a long shot. When Biden signed his deficit-financed spending spree into law, he did so more than a year after the recession had ended, and almost at the exact moment that GDP had regained all the ground it lost during the pointless COVID lockdowns.

Unemployment was plunging — much faster than expected — and prices were steady. And even some prominent liberals warned at the time that dumping $2 trillion in borrowed cash onto a fast-growing economy would spark a surge in inflation.

https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/596263-reality-check-state-of-union-under-biden-is-dismal?rl=1

Pity the creative writing team at the White House franticly preparing President Biden’s State of the Union address. With Europe at war, inflation soaring, crime rampant, illegal immigration at historic levels and parents irate over their kids’ education, how can they portray Biden’s presidency as a success?

Especially in light of a new Harvard-Harris poll showing that 62 percent of Americans think Russian President Vladimir Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if Donald Trump were still president. A poll, moreover, that shows only 38 percent of respondents approve of Biden’s job performance.

Biden will begin with the tragic events in Ukraine. Here is what he’ll say:

1) Through strenuous diplomacy, he has brought NATO together as never before;

2) Because he has led the European Union (EU) in imposing severe sanctions, Putin has agreed to negotiations;

3) The United States will continue its aggressive pursuit of carbon neutrality and renewable fuels, thus reducing our dependence on Russian oil.

4) Oh, and he’s sorry gasoline prices are so high, but it’s all Putin’s fault.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/joe-biden-misses-the-moment-in-his-state-of-the-union-address-white-house-congress-putin-russia-energy-11646193813?mod=opinion_lead_pos1

President Biden is no Olaf Scholz. The new Chancellor upended decades of center-left German defense and energy policy this week after Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, and Mr. Biden had a similar opportunity in his State of the Union address Tuesday. He missed the moment. The President remained on the same policy course of his first year, albeit dressed up in new anti-inflation packaging.

More defense spending to meet the threats from autocrats? No. A new appreciation for the contribution of fossil fuels to American and European security? Not a word. A note that government spending contributed to the highest inflation in 40 years? Nope. A word of praise for the private Pharma innovation that developed Covid therapies and vaccines? He proposed government price controls instead.

Mr. Biden did offer stirring support for Ukraine and its fight for freedom, which received bipartisan applause. His Administration deserves credit for helping to rally Europe and other nations to impose sanctions and provide more military aid. He was properly condemning of Mr. Putin.

But his self-congratulation ignored the failure to deter the Russian autocrat. “We were ready” if Mr. Putin invaded, Mr. Biden said. But if the U.S. had been ready, Mr. Putin wouldn’t have invaded. The Russian invaded because he thought the West would do little. And Mr. Putin finds himself in a struggle now because of the bravery of 41 million Ukrainians, not the strength of Europe or the United States.

What we also didn’t hear was a vow that Russia will not be allowed to conquer and hold Ukraine. There was no warning to Mr. Putin not to launch missiles into residential neighborhoods or surround and starve cities into submission like a medieval siege. This was not Harry Truman at the dawn of the Cold War calling the world to meet a new danger.

http://www.swtotd.blogspot.com

Right after President Obama’s inauguration in 2009, Rahm Emanuel, who served as White House Chief of Staff, famously said to never let a crisis go to waste. This evening, President Biden, facing the crisis that is Ukraine, should heed that advice when he speaks to the nation.

In a flurry of woke progressivism, the Administration has lost its way. The southern border is inundated by unvetted, unvaccinated illegal immigrants. Inflation is at 40-year highs. Schools that teach Critical Race Theory and encourage students to question their genders are upsetting parents. Crime rates have soared, especially in low-income areas of inner cities. People have grown weary of mask and vaccine mandates. School test scores, already low, have declined further.

Democrats, to survive in November, should go back to their roots of being the Party for working people – the middle class, small business owners, people who do not have the luxury to work remotely or send their children to private schools. They should abandon their left-wing, authoritarian over-reach. Despite being well-funded, the far-left, as defined by Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the rest of “the Quad,” is represented by only nine percent of voters, according to an op-ed in Saturday’s The Wall Street Journal, an op-ed written by Elaine Kamarck and William Galston, both Democrats.

https://amgreatness.com/2022/02/28/who-is-responsible-for-the-death-of-matthew-perna/

Matthew Perna’s heartbroken family will say goodbye to him this week.

After more than a year of enduring nonstop torment by the U.S. Justice Department, the D.C. District Court, and the news media over his minor involvement in January 6, Perna, 37, hanged himself in his garage on Friday night.

His funeral is scheduled for Wednesday.

In a loving yet raw obituary, his family minced no words about who they hold responsible for his suicide:

Matthew Lawrence Perna died on February 25, 2022 of a broken heart. His community (which he loved), his country, and the justice system killed his spirit and his zest for life. He attended the rally on January 6, 2021 to peacefully stand up for his beliefs. He entered the Capitol through a previously opened door (he did not break in as was reported) where he was ushered in by police. He didn’t break, touch, or steal anything. He did not harm anyone, as he stayed within the velvet ropes taking pictures. For this act he has been persecuted by many members of his community, friends, relatives, and people who had never met him. Many people were quietly supportive, and Matt was truly grateful for them. The constant delays in hearings, and postponements dragged out for over a year. Because of this, Matt’s heart broke and his spirit died, and many people are responsible for the pain he endured.

As I explained in my column Sunday, Matthew Perna did nothing wrong on January 6. He entered an open door manned by two Capitol police officers who did not attempt to stop him or hundreds of other innocent Americans from going inside the building. Matthew did not carry a weapon, assault a police officer, or damage any property. His family said he stayed within the rope lines and took photos that afternoon.