Venezuela’s So Poor Soldiers Steal Goats To Survive

May 5th, 2016

For all the depression over an ascendant Donald Trump, let’s remember remember that a lot of other countries, much further down the road to serfdom than we are, have it much worse.

Take, for example, Venezuela, where The Magic Power of Socialism™ has so wrecked the economy that soldiers are stealing goats to survive:

Over the weekend, six members of the Venezuelan military were detained by local authorities for stealing goats, the Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional reported Sunday. It said the soldiers confessed to stealing the goats and said they did it to feed themselves, since they had no food left in their barracks.

“It’s not a good sign when your military doesn’t have enough food, and when the military has been relegated to guarding and protecting food lines,” said Jason Marczak, director of the Latin America Economic Growth Initiative at the Atlantic Council. “This is endemic of the problems going on across the country.”

A military without enough food to eat. Boy, that’s a swell recipe for happiness in Latin America. (Hat tip: Instapundit.) As the Washington Post‘s Wonkblog put it: “It’s a grim race between anarchy and civil war.”

Venezuela’s opposition evidently has enough votes to recall idiot socialist President Nicolas Maduro:

Venezuela’s right-wing opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), turned over 1.8 million signatures in support of a recall referendum against President Nicolas Maduro to the National Electoral Council (CNE) on Monday.

As part of the initial requirement to solicit a recall, the MUD was given 30 days to collect signatures from 1 percent of the electorate in each of the 23 states– 197,721 total signatures nationwide– a target which the coalition managed to surpass in a matter of days, accruing as many as 2.5 million overall.

There are still considerable barriers to a recall election even if the government doesn’t cheat (and what are the odds of that?).

Also, beer production has stopped. Just an all-around recipe for for happiness.

So cheer up, America! We have to face the horror of a Clinton-Trump presidential race, but at least we’ll do so with food, water, electricity and beer…

John Kasich Finally Abandons The Delusion He’s a Presidential Candidate

May 4th, 2016

John Kasich finally acknowledged reality that he’s not a serious Presidential candidate, something that’s been apparent to objective observers for months.

Maybe he had a bet with someone he could stay in the race longer than Ted Cruz…

Warren Zevon: “I Was in the House When the House Burned Down”

May 4th, 2016

Seems like a good day for a musical interlude, and this seems like a good choice for today…

Everybody Take a Deep Breath

May 4th, 2016

If you’re a conservative, today is probably going to be rough.

We’re certainly living through interesting times, but today is not the day to apply for Australian citizenship, burn down the nearest Republican Party headquarters, or climb up on a high ledge.

Ted Cruz is still a Senator, the Constitution hasn’t been nullified overnight (as much as the Supreme Court is working on it), and Republicans still hold majorities in the House, Senate and Governor’s mansions that owe no allegiance to Donald Trump.

America survived a revolution, a civil war, two World Wars, the Cold War, disco, and Barack Obama. It will survive Donald Trump.

Now’s a good day to take a deep breath, hug your kids, kiss your wife, pet your dog, and put off thinking about politics until you’re less angry and depressed.

Ted Cruz Suspends His Campaign

May 3rd, 2016

“We left it all on the field in Indiana. We gave it everything we’ve got but the voters chose another path,” Cruz said. “So with a heavy heart but with boundless optimism for the long-term future of our nation, we are suspending our campaign.”

He ran a great campaign in a year it just wasn’t enough.

Cruz is still a senator and a conservative leader. I doubt we’ve heard the last of him.

So: Trump

May 3rd, 2016

Both Decision Desk and CNN are both projecting Donald Trump to win Indiana with over 50% of the vote. At this point, it makes Trump a prohibitive favorite to clench the GOP nomination before the convention over Ted Cruz.

This is not an outcome I would have foreseen when the race started, nor is it one I desire.

But it is what it is.

Presidential Race Update for May 3, 2016

May 3rd, 2016

Today voters go to the polls in Indiana. If Cruz wins, we’re likely headed to a floor fight at the Republican convention. If not…

  • Ted Cruz: “A sterling Reagan conservative. A classical liberal. A believer in limited government, the rule of law, free enterprise, peace through strength, the right to life. A smart man, a decent man. A bold man, a persistent man. My friend (incidentally). The kind of person who ought to be president of the United States.”
  • “Donald Trump, who has run as the immigration scourge, is actually the amnesty candidate.” (Hat tip: Ed Driscoll at Instapundit.)
  • The media created this Trump phenomenon and then they don’t hold him accountable.”
  • Democratic campaign consultants are salivating at the thought of tying Trump around the necks of other Republican candidates. (Hat tip: Director Blue.)
  • Protestors carrying Mexican flags try to block Donald Trump from speaking, destroy police car.
  • LinkSwarm for May 2, 2016

    May 2nd, 2016

    I expected to spend the weekend at the Levitation Music Festival here in Austin, but it got cancelled when it looked like t was going to be rained out. However, I did see a makeup show by Slowdive, which was the biggest reason I was attending anyway.

  • Scott Adams: “I give Clinton a 50% chance of making it to November with sufficiently good health to be considered a viable president.”
  • Hillary wants to make it illegal to criticize her.
  • Indiana governor Mike Pence endorses Ted Cruz.
  • Once again, Team Cruz wins the delegate selection fight, this time in Arizona, Missouri and Virginia.
  • Latest poll has Trump and Clinton tied.
  • Trump isn’t fighting the establishment, he’s part of it. (Hat tip: Director Blue.)
  • It’s good for the sake of the world that Islamic State fighters are no-talent assclowns. Maybe they should have drilled them more on military tactics than reciting the Koran. See how many basic military squad function mistakes you can count them making in this video.
  • Obama releases Islamic terrorist who helped attack the USS Cole. (Hat tip: Director Blue.)
  • How progressives embraced eugenics with the same fervor they embrace global warming today. (Hat tip: Ed Driscoll at Instapundit.)
  • Waco biker fight update, including various (inconclusive) videos.
  • “More than two decades ago, we heard the ‘misplaced fears’ and predictions of shootouts in the streets of Texas because of the CHL law. It didn’t happen — and it won’t happen because of SB 11, either.”
  • Abortion clinics are closing in blue states as well.
  • Rabid Puppies dominate the Hugo nominations again. The science fiction establishment was given the opportunity to address Sad Puppies concerns, but instead they continued to doubled down by backing the Social Justice Warriors at every turn. This has turned Sad Puppy voters into Rabid Puppy voters. The 2015 Hugos: “There are problems, but Vox Day is an odious troll.” The 2016 Hugos: “You know what? Fuck them. They deserve Vox Day.”
  • Microsoft gonna Microsoft.
  • Dyson launches a new hairdryer. I really like their vacuum cleaner, which is wonderful for picking up golden retriever hair…
  • For a brief, shining moment, something interesting actually happened at a soccer game.
  • This time of year there’s just so much pollen in the air.
  • Reminder: Today is Victims of Communism Day

    May 1st, 2016

    Today is May 1st, which means that it is once again Victims of Communism Day, the day when we remember the over 100 million people killed by communism.

    There is also an effort underway to build a memorial to the victims of communism in the Garden of the Provinces and Territories in Ottawa. Plans are to have the memorial finished and dedicated in 2017.

    Supreme Court Refuses to Suspend Texas Voter ID Law

    April 30th, 2016

    The Texas voter ID law will remain in the books, at least for the November election, after the Supreme Court refused to issue an “emergency” request to suspend the law while the court case against it is being considered.

    What this means in the short term: Democrats won’t be able to steal some down-ballot Texas races with illegal alien votes this year.

    No wonder Democrats hate voter ID…