Just One Thing: Tonight's debate's real message
There have been plenty of presidential debates that didn’t matter much. The last one, between Joe Biden and Donald Trump was not one of them. While it’s possible that tonight’s debate between Trump and Kamala Harris will be a nothing-burger, the odds are that some news will be made and that it will move the needle at least a little. And with an election that’s looking like the closest election in recent history – and that’s saying something – moving the needle even a little is a big deal. Trump is good at counterpunching, not great at telling the truth. Harris is good at obfuscating and using lots of words to say nothing, and not great at telling the truth. My only prediction is that the debate will remind us that this country deserves better.
Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump: How They Will Try to Win the Debate - WSJ
A lot of people talking about the candidates' debate strategies. Here's one: Donald Trump-Kamala Harris Debate: Candidates Battle Onstage for First Time | National Review
This is a fine message from Trump:
One More Thing: JD Vance should apologize
In the past day or two, Republican Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance and Senator Ted Cruz tweeted out that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating people’s cats. This seems like the sort of claim for which one would want to have evidence before making it. I've seen anecdotes from Trump supporters but no evidence yet. (Not ruling it out.) There was a story a couple weeks ago of a woman being charged by police with animal cruelty for killing and eating a cat. In Canton, Ohio, not Springfield, and her name is Allexis Telia Ferrell, as far as I can tell, NOT an immigrant but clearly a very troubled person. (More below on the potentially serious aspect of the discussion that's somewhat derailed by the "eating cats" stuff, at least until there's proof.)
You really should have evidence for this claim...does he have any?
Springfield, Ohio Police Reportedly Deny Viral Claims Of Haitian Immigrants Eating Pets (forbes.com)
Ohio woman facing charges after allegedly killing cat, eating in front of witnesses | Fox News
BUT: That doesn't mean there isn't a serious problem with immigrants in Springfield, OH...which makes the distraction of the ridiculous claim even more unforgiveable; it makes it very difficult to turn the conversation to the real disaster being caused by the Biden-Harris administration: Haitian migrants eating pets? Here's the even more serious story about immigrants in Springfield, Ohio (nypost.com)
Today's Guest
Kristi Burton Brown is Executive VP of Advance Colorado. We'll discuss their ballot measure (which did make the ballot) that purports to enshrine school choice in the state constitution. I note that not all people who are strong supporters of school choice think this measure is not drafted as well as it could be; I still think those folks, like Jon Caldara (you can read his thoughts below), would say that it's better if 138 passes than if it loses. .
Initiative 138: Colorado voters to decide on enshrining school choice - Chalkbeat
138OriginalFinal.pdf (coloradosos.gov)
Jon Caldara expresses his hesitation about Initiative 138 here: Lemonade out of lemons! (campaign-archive.com)
Other Stuff
Let's start with nerdy stuff: Saturn’s iconic rings will disappear in a few months — here’s why (nypost.com)
OK, more nerdy stuff...isn't it weird that people were allowed to catch "the Carrot"? World's BIGGEST goldfish dies: Tributes flood in for ginormous orange carp nicknamed 'the Carrot' after her death aged '20' | Daily Mail Online
Wow, this is really really bad: Covid Deaths: Andrew Cuomo Accused of Personally Editing State Report to Hide Nursing-Home Covid Deaths | National Review
Can Flavor Flav save Red Lobster? Flavor Flav Celebrates After Red Lobster Says It's Exiting Bankruptcy (people.com)
Red Lobster Receives Court Approval of Chapter 11 Plan; Nears Exit of Bankruptcy (prnewswire.com)
So the business Kamala decides to visit is...Penzey's Spices? (The place famous for publicly hating Republicans.) What a brain-dead choice...
Kamala Harris’s choice: Divisiveness, spiced up - Washington Examiner
A reminder of Penzey's political history: Penzeys Spices calls Republicans 'racists' in email to customers | FOX6 Milwaukee (fox6now.com)
America’s Wokest Company | City Journal (city-journal.org)
Merlin's grave? Evidence of Merlin's grave unearthed in Scotland (nypost.com)
Europe has been on a slow, and now somewhat faster, slide into economic oblivion and arguably the most influential person in Europe in terms of economics, Mario Draghi, doesn't seem to realize that the cause is massive overregulation and overtaxation. So he wants to solve the problem by apparently doing more of what got them here, namely massive government spending that is inevitably funded by massive innovation-killing taxation: Draghi's Report: A force for reform - Groupe d'études géopolitiques (geopolitique.eu)
Econ stuff I owe you from yesterday:
Not surprising but worth mentioning: Amateur Hour: Majority of Biden/Harris Appointees have Zero Years of Business Experience - Unleash Prosperity (committeetounleashprosperity.com)
Biden, Harris, Trump, Vance and the Dumbest Economic Idea - WSJ
And a new one...Kamala has an additional stupid idea: Kamala Harris Corporate Tax Hike Plan Would Hurt All Americans | National Review
Trump's pushing of tariffs is every bit as stupid. Trump is more locked in on tariffs than ever before (axios.com)
Imagine figuring this out after 180 days: Colorado Powerball ticket worth $500,000 still remains unclaimed | 9news.com
The Miami Dolphins are NOT happy with the Miami Police Dept. Seems to me that that the officer who dragged Hill out of the car and slightly later put Hill (briefly) in a choke hold needs punishment. The rest of them also seem to have power issues...and I say that while understanding (as best a non-cop can) that they have to deal with difficult characters and real risks all day long.
Video shows officers dragged Tyreek Hill out of his car after he put his window back up | AP News
Paul Mauro is much more sympathetic to the police officers: The Tyreek Hill Incident (OpsDesk.substack.com)
Tyreek Hill spoke to CNN (start around 1:20 in):
Hmmmm...do you believe them?: Police are questioning Florida voters about signing an abortion rights ballot petition | AP News
Trump remains schizophrenic, alternating statements that can help him win with statements that do just the opposite. Here's one of each, in that order:
Today's Videos
Impressive work
I feel bad for the dude, but the song really makes the video
I just want to give you a sense of how stupid our world is. TikTok is utterly full of videos indistinguishable from this one with an insane number of views. I guess I know why they have a lot of views, e.g. moderately attractive young women apparently being viewed by a combination of socially awkward young men who wouldn't know to talk to a girl if they met one face to face, and other young women who are made to feel ugly and hopeless by seeing this stuff. I'm not saying it should be banned but I am saying that the existence of so much of this utter junk and the waste of literally billions of hours of people's lives watching it is a sad commentary on this part of the Internet Age.
By the way, this video has almost a million views