Lynn's Hip Surgery/My Sabbatical. Random Comments. Time Will Tell.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Sent to me by a dear friend, brilliant lawyer and fellow memo reader:

+++

to me

This is scary.  All Harvard needs to do to stop this is to state clearly that anyone engaging in violence or destruction of property will be expelled.  The fact that the leaders of Harvard do not prevent this conduct proves that they favor it.  M---
<https://www.wsj.com/articles/notable-quotable-hiding-harvards-menorah-antisemitism-higher-education-545feb69?st=lf1ejdjrt58h6m0&reflink=article_email_share>

And:

HOOVER DAILY

The Treason of Intellectuals
By Niall Ferguson via the Free Press

Niall Ferguson compares the tepid responses by Ivy League university administrators to acts of anti-Semitism on their campuses to the ways in which German academic elites collaborated with and encouraged fascism in 1930s Germany. He argues that universities through history haven’t automatically instilled morality in their students and faculty members. He maintains that it doesn’t matter that today’s university leaders appear sympathetic to far-left causes versus their predecessors’ than far-right ones, as “totalitarianism comes in two flavors, though the ingredients are the same.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Lynn is scheduled for hip surgery Dec. 20 and I will be taking care of her along with our daughter, Amy. Her surgery was moved from Dec. 4. Charlie Hope is the surgeon and he operated on me twice for new hips. 

During her recovery, I am probably going to take a memo sabbatical. I have already written  memos to be posted through Jan. 2.

My New Year prediction is a "thumping" win by Bama over Michigan.

It is too early to make this a prediction so I will call it a "hope"  that the 2020 election will be a "deserved" wash out for Democrats. 

+++

The beginning of the end?

+++

A massive shift is happening in the American Media. The corporate elite news media has lost the trust of the American people.

New York Times huge layoffs...

BuzzFeed News out of business...

CNN closing divisions and selling off parts...

CBS downsizing...

Vice News out of business...

MSNBC off the rails...

Washington Post sacking staff...

Half the American people believe national news organizations intend to mislead, misinform, and push their bias and opinions on you and the American public.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Random comments:

1) Biden-omics is totally political when it comes to reporting inflation.

Today, you pay more and get less items/pkg , say, at the grocery store.  Packages contain 4 now instead of 5 items and yet, you pay more.  That is very inflationary so the true inflation figure  is higher than reported. Furthermore, you have to return more often to pay more and your gas costs more as well.  Also many essentials are left out of the index etc. This, too,  is the politician's method of avoiding reality.

+++

2) I understand what Truman meant when he said "the buck stops here."  

With respect to Bibi, Oct 7 occurred on his watch so that "buck" stops with him. 

However,, Israel would not be the economic and military power it is today were it not for Bibi. Why? Because, when he was Finance Minister, during Sharon's reign, he modernized the nation's economic policies and investors began to pour money into the country as they awakened to the fact Israel had become the "Start Up Nation."

Bibi reduced Israel's dependence on socialism, modernized their economy more in keeping with a capitalistic free market approach.  He lessened Israel's dependence on the labor party.

There are those who believe Bibi has changed, has become more of a politician than statesman and is more interested in staying in office and taking advantage of the benefits etc. Therefore, they believe it is time to remove him.

I make no comment other than to try and put his entire career in perspective than  limit judgement more narrowly to recent events.

Another positive Bibi accomplished is his ability to establish a broader array of contacts with and Israel's relationship with other nations resulting in increased trade and acceptance of Israel as a positive resource nation. He saw to it Israel was there when tragedy struck sending special abilities as rescue, medical teams  etc. 

It would be tragic and counter productive if Bibi haters threw the baby out with the bath water as America did with Trump because  " Maga Haters" focused more on Trump's negative  personality than positive accomplishments.

What is wrong with "Make America Great Again?" Actually nothing.  The slogan was a clever one but the D.C elite felt Trump threatened  their power and position of exclusivity and they had to find  ways of emasculating him. He was a brash, crude outsider.

In many ways, Israel's liberal elites are a carbon copy of America's. The mass media in Israel is indistinguishable from America's and  both slant news in a similarly effective manner in order to appease readership. 

+++

3) Bibi must walk a tight rope when it comes to Israel's small list of friends yet, critical in terms of Israel's existential threat.

Furthermore, Israel is a significant friend of America and also  an important intelligence source.  Much of the aid we receive from America is largely spent in America and Israeli technology is readily available to our own military and exceedingly beneficial.

The current issue between Biden and Bibi is Biden's weakness and ineffectualness has impacted his re-election. Thus, anything Israel does that contributes to Biden's own self-induced plight creates angst. Furthermore, Obama's displeasure with Bibi  penetrates Biden's attitude as well and shapes the strength of their mutual relationship.

That said, Israel cannot afford too much micro management of its military decision-making simply because Biden's dire political position demands abeyance. Israel has it's own independent issues that demand resolution and, Bibi , I am sure, wants to retain his own governance power.

If Biden is sincere about his willingness to "have Israel's back" then eventually he will back off from throwing stones but I seriously doubt he is that type.

Time is not Israel's ally.  Time will also tell.

+++