In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel rounds up all of this week’s CR content on how the courts are destroying America. Despite the fact that judges have demonstrated they will stop at nothing to enact their social justice agenda through the Constitution, many conservative legal establishment figures are still in love with the courts. They believe they can still win in the courts and make them better simply by appointing better judges.
The reality is that we’ve crossed the point of no return with the courts a long time ago. Anything short of wholesale judicial reform will only raise the prominence of the courts and stifle our ability to save American democracy.
Key quote:
“[T]o the objection that a rejection of a court’s authority would be civil disobedience, the answer is that a court that issues orders without authority engages in an equally dangerous form of civil disobedience.” ~ Robert Bork
Show Links
ACLU getting ready to push judicial amnesty in the courts
Congress has the power to reform the courts…if they cared to pay attention
Is there any floor to the decadence of judicial supremacy that will finally get “conservatives” to respond with an appropriate degree of outrage and strategy?
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniels observes how so many conservatives are more concerned about Trump’s criticism of judicial tyranny than…the judicial tyranny itself. Moreover, that behavior seems to be embodied by Neil Gorsuch, which is another indicator that he might be more of a John Roberts than a Scalia – a man who is personally and intellectually conservative but has too much respect for the corrupt status quo to actually fight against it.
How dare these people say we need an “independent” judiciary and are “demoralized” by “criticism” of judges when they are not demoralized by the judiciary compromising the independence of states and the other two branches of the federal government. They are practically creating an 11th Commandment, “thou shalt not criticize a judge,” – except that the judges already got rid of the first ten commandments.
This speaks to the broader problem both in the pseudo conservative political and legal movements. They are all on the right side in theory but never in practice when the issue reaches the inflection point.
Daniel also goes through his latest assessment of Trump through the prism of a comatose conservative movement and a Republican Party that’s far to the left of Trump (and Trump is not conservative on many issues). Rather than backing Trump on the courts and immigration and then using that unity to pressure Trump to do the right things on social issues and Obamacare (and also building up clout to stop him from saying off message and harmful things), these thumb suckers criticize him when he does what’s right and lose all their capital to rein him in when it’s needed.
Show links:
15 Questions to vet whether Gorsuch really is an originalist
Ben Sasse’s account of Gorsuch conversation is very disturbing
The New England Patriots overcame a 25-point deficit to win the Super Bowl in spectacular fashion. Unfortunately, the American patriots are down by a lot more than 25 points to the forces of tyranny, particularly judicial tyranny, and time is running out for our republic.
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel explains why judicial tyranny and out-of-control immigration are the most important issues confronting this Republic and how the convergence of those two threaten the very foundation of our sovereignty. The thesis of Stolen Sovereignty and the nightmare of judges giving foreign nationals an affirmative right to immigrate is playing out before our very eyes. The left is trying to use the courts, and the misconception of the power they wield, to ensure that Congress and the president can’t take steps to prevent America from becoming like Europe and overrun by islamists.
Daniel breaks down some of his recent articles and delves into just how bad the opinion of Judge Robart was when he placed a nationwide injunction on what is essentially current law. On many levels, this case proves that the judiciary is beyond repair, will never be fixed through conventional means of appointing “better judges, and must be reformed wholesale by Congress.
Show links:
Impeach Judge James Robart for violating sovereignty and Constitution
How to tell the difference between Trump and Obama's refugee EOs? Trump actually follows the law
Rogue judges undermine our sovereignty. Here's how Congress can stop them
Will Trump defy pressure to betray promises on religious liberty?
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel spills his heart out on the state of the courts, what conservatives are looking for, and why Gorsuch, although a solid nominee, still doesn’t inspire full confidence that he is the best we could have done, given GOP control of the Senate. Then again, with a Senate full of RINOs, who could have scuttled the nomination of someone in the mold of Clarence Thomas, could you really blame Trump?
Moreover, the entire process demonstrate why we will never really fix the courts simply by “picking better judges.” “The capacity of a good judge to do good is nowhere near the capacity of a bad judge to harm our constitution, society, sovereignty, and security. Even if we had a Clarence Thomas for every Republican SCOTUS pick and for every lower court pick, an impossibility (they don’t exist), we could never combat the malfeasance of the left. The equivalent on the right of what the left does to advance their malevolent agenda through the courts would be to force people to own guns and to throw homosexuals and transgenders in jail. This is one of the many reasons why we will not fix the judiciary by picking “good judges” alone; we need wholesale judicial reform.
Finally, Daniel praises Trump for staying the course but expresses concern about his enthusiastic embrace of Obama’s discriminatory policy of cutting off government contracts with businesses that don’t promote the transgender agenda. The entire reason why we want to win back the courts is so they don’t promote social transformation without representation. Yet, Trump is now codifying it on his own. While we will continue to defend his courage on immigration, we must demand that social conservatives and even social libertarians are not sidelined by the Marxist cultural warriors.
Key Quotes:
“What it evidences is the deep and perhaps irremediable corruption of our legal culture’s conception of constitutional interpretation.” ~ Justice Alito
“On the evidence, we must conclude, I think, that this tendency of courts, including the Supreme Court, is the inevitable result of our written Constitution and the power of judicial review. Even in the depths of the Warren Court era some of us thought that the Court’s performance, though profoundly illegitimate, could be brought within the range of the minimally acceptable by logical persuasion or the appointment of more responsible judges, or both. We now know that was an illusion. A Court majority is impervious to arguments about its proper behavior. It seems safe to say that, as our institutional arrangements now stand, the Court can never be made a legitimate element of a basically democratic polity.”
“Republican Presidents have used the nomination process in an effort to change the direction of the Court with almost zero results on the major issues. After twelve years of Presidents Reagan and Bush, each of whom made a determined effort to appoint Justices who would abide by the Constitution as originally understood, we seem farther than ever from a restrained Court.” ~Robert Bork
Show links:
Rep. Ron Desantis’s excellent balanced statement on Gorsuch
7 reasons Neil Gorsuch’s nomination is only the beginning of taking back the judiciary
12 reasons why Federal Judiciary is irremediably broken
What conservatives want and need in a Supreme Court Justice
Fake judges violate 200 Years of Case law by staying Trump’s sovereignty order
Incontrovertible proof that a nation has the right to exclude or deport any foreign national
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel blows up every myth of the Left about an affirmative right to immigrate and violate our national sovereignty. Daniel goes through the history of immigration law and notes that it is at the core of our foundation that a sovereign nation can exclude anyone for any reason or place any conditions on those here who have not yet become citizens.
Daniel takes conservatives to task for cowering in the face of mob rule. If we have come to a point where we can’t even temporarily suspend immigration from a place like Somalia during a time of out of control terrorism, then we are destined to become Europe.
Moreover, the courts are setting a terrible precedent by violating 200 years of the most settled case law – that the political branches of government have full authority over immigration. Courts have absolutely no jurisdiction and aliens who are not on our soil (airports don’t count) have no right to judicial review. If we don’t rein in the courts, they will prevent us from dealing with illegal immigrants as well.
Key Quotes:
“It is an accepted maxim of international law that every sovereign nation has the power, as inherent in sovereignty, and essential to self-preservation, to forbid the entrance of foreigners within its dominions, or to admit them only in such cases and upon such conditions as it may see fit to prescribe.” Nishimura Ekiu v. United States, 142 US 651 (1892).
[“the right of a nation to expel or deport foreigners who have not been naturalized, or taken any steps towards becoming citizens of the country, rests upon the same grounds, and is as absolute and unqualified as the right to prohibit and prevent their entrance into the country.”] Fong Yue Ting v. United States, 149 US 707 (1893).
What better authority on this subject than Justice Robert Jackson, the famous Nuremberg prosecutor who was a champion of due process rights (he wrote the dissent in Korematsu v. United States, the Japanese internment case) and regarded as one of the greatest writers of his time? Here is what he had to say: “Due process does not invest any alien with a right to enter the United States, nor confer on those admitted the right to remain against the national will.” Shaughnessy v. Mezei, 345 US 222-223 (1953) (Jackson, J., dissenting).
Show Links:
Separating fact from fake news on Trump’s executive order
Just 14 years ago, Democrats supported cutting off visas from terror-supporting nations
The big day has arrived. Republicans now have possession of the ball. But does that mean we have already scored? Absolutely not! Now is when the work begins.
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel runs through some of the major issues that conservative must confront immediately and gives an update and an outlook on where each one stands. From repealing Obamacare and ending the Iran deal to rescinding Obama’s amnesty, reforming refugee resettlement, draining the Obama personnel from executive departments, and nominating the best SCOTUS pick, conservatives have many challenges. In some cases, the prognosis is pretty grim unless the grassroots rise up and demand adherence to the campaign promises.
The main job of conservative media and the grassroots is to ensure that we don’t get distracted with nonsensical issues in the media while liberals rack up real policy victories. Now is not the time to whine about the media or Democrats; now is the time to get our house in order and stand for what’s right.
Show Links:
Trump leaving Obama’s executive amnesty in place would be a colossal betrayal
With Republicans continuing to echo Democrat talking points and premises on health care and many other issues, Daniel asks an unsettling question in this episode of the Conservative Conscience: are there any conservatives left in politics? Rather than being emboldened by the electoral mandate, Republicans always move to the left when they are in power, and some early indications suggest that this time is no different.
In confirmation hearing after confirmation hearing, the cabinet nominees and GOP senators continuously echoed, accepted, and validated even the most extreme Democrat premise on major issues; from Iran and Obamacare to transgenderism and global warming. Additionally, Daniel talks about some of the disturbing things he’s hearing about the transition and why it portends more of the same failed tepid republicanism unless the grassroots rise up and demand more. Don’t hope for change, demand it and ensure it.
Key quotes:
“Liberals have successfully moved the entire political landscape and the contours of acceptable political discourse so far to the left that even when they lose they still win.”
“Democrats have become so extreme that it’s easy for Republicans to be one or two tranches to the right but still well within deep liberal and destructive territory.”
“The time for being “not Obama” or “at least better than Hillary” are over. Now is the time to stand up and be counted and declare what we affirmative believe in and strive for.”
Show links:
The $20 trillion debt question for Republicans
Are we really draining the swamp or is the swamp draining our resolve?
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel goes through a list of disturbing observations this week from Congress, Trump, and some of his cabinet picks, that demonstrates we might not move in a fundamentally different direction on some of the most critical issues. From social engineering in the military and the Iran deal to Obamacare and Israel policy, there are a lot of disturbing signs that Republicans are taking Obama-era policies as a legitimate baseline and will not fulfill their promises to wipe his presidency clean.
What is evident from these observations is that we don’t have a personnel problem. Even good people in this system will feel the pressure to never think outside the broken box. We need to systemically reform our entire system of government and we should not wait for Democrats to win back power to pursue some of the long-term reforms we need.
Show links:
The false narrative of “Repeal and Replace” is preserving Obamacare
In this passionate episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel lays out the source of the problem with GOP reluctance to fully repeal Obamacare. At its core, they are making up procedural excuses that don’t exist and have no understanding of free markets. Worse, their political barometer as to what the public wants on health care is completely broken.
Daniel blasts the entire premise of the mindless mantra: “repeal and replace” and demonstrates how it has morphed into bait-and-switch. Anyone who understands the source of the problem with health care and how Obamacare exacerbated that problem into complete insolvency would know that we don’t need to replace Obamacare at all. We need to repeal, reform, and restore the free market. There are a number of good free market ideas, a number of which are explained in this episode, but the premise that they must be in place before we repeal Obamacare or serve to supplement the core goals of Obamacare is false.
Republicans have fundamentally adopted the Democrat philosophy on health care – pursuing the elusive and utopian goal of universal coverage at the expense of lowering costs. In reality, the only political option that would actually lower costs is full and unconditional repeal of the insurance regulations. Repeal that is contingent on replace is not repeal at all. Only after the fire is put out can we go a step further and roll back some of the anti-market forces – both in health insurance and on the supply side of health care – that existed even before Obamacare. Daniel teases a number of these ideas at the end of the podcast.
Repeal, reform, and restore – not repeal and replace. Understanding that distinction is the lynchpin to this battle.
Key quotes:
“We need to "replace" Obamacare before repealing it the same way we need to replace the ancillary warmth some people derive from an arson before the fire is extinguished.”
“At its core, the problem with health care is that we regulate it into insolvency, drive up costs, then break the budget on subsidizing the higher prices, which in turn raises the prices even more and engenders and even greater need for subsidization – a complete circuitous death spiral of insolvency.”
“Obamacare stepped on the gas pedal in terms of the cycle of regulations/mandates and subsidies. When Republicans talk about “replacing” Obamacare, they intend to accept the basic premise of mandates and subsidies, albeit with a pale pastel distinction.”
“The word “actuarial” is mentioned 63 times in Obamacare. The law literally prohibits actuarially solvent plans. What is so hard and politically risky about Republicans simply repealing that prohibition – the heart and soul of Obamacare?”
Show links:
No, the Parliamentarian cannot stop Republicans from repealing all of Obamacare with 51 votes
How Obamacare 'repeal and replace' became a 'bait and switch' monstrosity
Why is it that Republicans can’t understand fully repealing Obamacare is a winning issue? Why are they too scared to even cut funding to the UN and the PLO?
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel uses this week’s legislative betrayals as examples to demonstrate why Republicans always betray their topline campaign promises. 1) they don’t understand or have knowledge of constitutional conservative principles and free market policies; 2) they often don’t believe in it; 3) even if they believe and understand them, their political barometer – the understanding of what is and is not a winning issue – is completely broken; 4) the legislative process is so complex and “inside baseball” that they can manipulate voters into thinking they are doing the opposite of what they are actually enacting.
This is the reason why Republicans are scared to repeal Obamacare in a meaningful way. And this is how they are able to fool us.
Also, Daniel explains how Republicans were too scared to go on offense even against the UN and the PLO this week, opting to pass a resolution that gave Democrats cover and essentially codified Kerry’s obsession with the illogical “two state solution” into U.S. policy. If we can’t defund the PLO, then what can we do? Yet, given their broken political barometer, Republicans plan to bring legislation to the floor punishing the countries that voted for the UN resolution (such as Senegal and New Zealand) but not the PLO itself!
This is why conservatives can’t hope for change this year or assume there will be change. They must fight for it and demand change.
Key Quotes:
“There are so many smart stupid people in politics because they can’t break free of the existing paradigm and are stuck in an intellectual ghetto.”
“You can’t fight if you don’t have a proper political barometer, you can’t have a proper political barometer if you don’t believe in the right things, and you can’t believe if you don’t understand the issue.”
Show links
How Obamacare 'repeal and replace' became a 'bait and switch' monstrosity
Repeal in name only: The Republican plans to embrace Obamacare 2.0
GOP to bail out duplicitous Dems with sham anti-UN resolution
20 incredibly popular conservative ideas to tackle national security and immigration in 2017
Donald Trump was on the money when he recognized that the ethics office House Republicans attempted to defang was unfair and unaccountable, but at the same time it was a dumb way to prioritize the expending of their political capital.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it</p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/816298944456232960">January 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In the first 2017 episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel explains why Republicans were right to gut the Pelosi-era, unaccountable ethics office, but at the same time the optics of the way they did it were cringe-worthy. Republicans must remember that they will need to employ legitimate strong-arm tactics to save the country by repealing Obamacare, reforming immigration and refugee resettlement, and reclaiming power from the unelected judiciary. Why expend it on an issue that is nearly impossible to message to their constituents? Ultimate, it would have been better for Republicans to make these changes more gradually and in broad daylight.
Nonetheless, on the substance of the Office of Congressional Ethics, the Republican majority was correct. As bad as corrupt members are, the corruption of falsely accusing people of corruption without due process is even worse. Ultimately, it is up to the FBI to investigate criminal charges and up to the members themselves – led by the standing Ethics Committee – to police violations of House rules and ethics. That is why we have elections.
The media is being very dishonest, evincing the notion that this office is somehow enshrined into our laws. It was in fact created not by statue but by the very same House rules process Republicans are using now. The unelected body stocked with progressives worked with left-wing groups to try people in the court of public opinion without the accuser having to divulge his name and without informing the member of the investigation. Even members of Congress deserve the right to defend themselves and be afforded due process when being investigated by their political enemies on the taxpayer dime. The existing structure of the Ethics Committee in the Senate and what used to be in place before Pelosi in the House afforded basic due process rights such as witnesses, right to counsel, etc. to members.
With that said, it would be one thing if Republicans took a principled stance on other more consequential policy issues. But if this turns out to be their only bold stance of the month – while shirking their responsibility to fully repeal Obamacare and defund the UN – this will prove once again that they have not changed from their modus operandi as the stupid party. Ultimately, Republicans were forced to retreat amidst backlash, as always.
Finally, Daniel discusses some of his upcoming articles detailing a positive conservative agenda that, unlike what Republican just did, is actually broadly popular with the public.
Show links
15 worst court decisions of 2016
Details of changes to Office of Congressional Ethics
“Independent” agencies are unaccountable and unconstitutional
Republicans must their capital to overrule parliamentarian and enable full repeal of Obamacare
In this final episode of the Conservative Conscience for 2016, Daniel lays bare the truth about the so-called Palestinian cause. The entire historical, legal, and geographical case for why there is no such thing as a distinct Arab “Palestinian” entity entitled to any land west of the Jordan River is recounted in this long episode.
It is incontrovertibly clear from a legal and historical standpoint that Israel has just as much of a right to exist in its so-called post-1967 borders as it does in its pre-’67 borders. It is also patently obvious that from a geographical, moral, and security standpoint that anyone advocating a two state solution is implicitly denying Israel’s right to exist in any capacity. Israel has already surrendered 94% of the land it acquired in a defensive war against its existence – The Sinai Peninsula and Gaza. Anyone promoting an Arab Muslim state in the remaining 6% that would gut the heart of the tiny Jewish state – especially in light of the fact that Muslims control a land mass 640 times greater than Israel – is either woefully ignorant or supports something much more sinister.
It's time to get the facts straight: there already is an Arab Palestinian state – Jordan. The two-state solution was carved out in 1922 in the last legally recognized agreement delineating boundaries of nation states. Arabs got 77% of the Mandate for Palestine, which was all the land east of the Jordan River, while Jews got the land to the west of the river. History doesn’t lie.
Key Quotes:
"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people." [PLO official Zahir Muhsein, interview with Dutch newspaper Trouw, March 31, 1977.
"The truth is that Jordan is Palestine and Palestine is Jordan." [King Hussein, December 1981 interview with A - Nahar Al – Arabi]
“What you call Jordan is actually Palestine.” [Yassir Arafat, 1974 interview with New Republic]
Show Links:
How Republicans can stop Obama’s jihad against Israel
Israel’s right to build homes is settled … under international law
UN Charter Article 80 recognizing Israel’s legal right to all the land west of Jordan River
Starting things off on this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel gives a rundown of examples showing the establishing winning more control in the nascent Trump administration. What was once a promise to drain the swamp is looking more and more like an exercise in making the worst elements of the swamp great again. While it’s important to fight for a few key conservative victories that are within reach, we must also voice our concerns early and often about harmful policies and personnel. We can’t afford to wait six years to pushback against “our own party” like we did during the Bush years.
Next, we move onto our latest update on judicial tyranny. There is no way to sugar-coat this. The federal courts pose an imminent threat to our republic. It’s worse than ever. The courts are destroying our culture, inclinable rights, Constitution, and system of government. They have already redefined marriage and now are redefining human sexuality. This is broadly consequential and is not just about bathrooms. And judicial tyranny is not going to change simply with the election of Trump – unless we get the administration to engage in battle with the courts. Simply appointing a few conservative judges, most of whom will uphold existing anti-constitutional “precedent” anyway, is like spitting in the wind.
In this episode, Daniel gives a background on Marbury v. Madison and shows how judicial review is very different from judicial supremacy or judicial exclusivity. All branches of government have a say in constitutional interpretation because, as John Marshall observed, they all swear an oath to uphold the supreme law of the land, which is the Constitution, not the courts.
Using the latest cases surrounding transgenderism, Daniel demonstrates how the other branches of government can cut the legs out from under bad court decisions by using their legitimate powers to counter the court’s abuse of its power. Unless the Trump Justice Department, Congress, and the states begin pushing back against the courts, they will nullify every common sense policy we enact on a federal and state level beginning in January, thereby rendering the election moot.
Key Quotes:
“Judicial supremacy/exclusivity + one directional stare decisis + unelected life tenures + living and breathing Constitution = an equation of tyranny King George himself never envisioned.”
“The several departments being perfectly co-ordinate by the terms of their common commission, neither of them, it is evident, can pretend to an exclusive or superior right of settling the boundaries between their respective powers.” ~ James Madison, Federalist #49
Show links
Courts hit rock bottom. Make transgenderism settled law
An inconvenient right: Ninth Circuit fails to protect 2nd Amendment
Judges mandate funding for Planned Parenthood
Gingrich: Trump doesn't want to "drain the swamp" anymore
Trump Jr. changed pick for Interior because he supports federal land grabs
Huckabee wants to make stimulus and Keynesian economics great again
Are we going to wait six years to hold Republicans accountable like we did during the Bush years? Are we going to lose our intellectual honesty and back everything a Republican administration does just because the Democrats are also hypocrites? Didn’t we swear to ourselves we wouldn’t repeat the mistakes of the Bush years?
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel reveals that he is getting bad vibes about many aspects of the transition. So many Bush “globalists” are being brought on board and the Reince Priebus establishment faction appears to be winning over Trump on many key decisions.
Consequently, now more than ever we must not get sucked into defending bad policies and choices just because Democrats did the same or worse. It’s time to pull this administration back towards the grassroots rebellion at every opportunity we get so we can have an administration that stands on its own veracity.
You will never find Democrat administrations with a single major player who harbors conservative views on a single issue. Yet, somehow we take it as a given that in a Republican administration the most powerful cabinet pick, Secretary of State, could be given to someone who is pro-common core, anti-sanctions, pro carbon tax, anti-energy independence, and a leader in the homosexual agenda. Now we hear that John Bolton might not be picked for Deputy Sec. of State, while liberals such as Elliot Abrams and Richard Haass are being considered instead. This is part of a pattern of choosing the path to least resistance. Kris Kobach was passed over as DHS Secretary and likely as Deputy as well for the same reason.
Finally, we show how Democrats never surrender their principles even when they lose power. Why do we surrender ours when we win? John Kasich won’t even fight for a pro-life bill because he refuses to stand up to the legal profession, yet liberals have no problem thwarting federal immigration law.
Quotes:
“When you lack an ideological rudder, you will choose the path to least resistance every day of the week. When you surround yourself with people who likewise lack a burning passion for conservatism, they will accentuate that reluctance to fight in every situation.”
Show links
Show links
Intellectual Dishonest: Republicans suddenly like Putin just because of Trump
Establishment winning out at Trump Tower
Bush people filling education transition team
Tillerson joins with Corker to oppose Bolton as Deputy
Trump has made his decision on the big cabinet post — secretary of State — and it’s ExxonMobil CEO, Rex Tillerson.
There is no way to sugar-coat this: Tillerson is a disastrous pick. Those who share the mentality of transnational corporate leaders like Tillerson are pre-conditioned to supporting the foreign policy establishment mindset on critical issues so as not to upset the applecart and what’s good for business.
While much of his issue portfolio is a blank slate, what we know about him and his past comments are disturbing. These concerns go beyond his ties to Russia, which in fact, should not even be the primary focus of his confirmation hearings. The real concern cuts to the core of what conservatives are looking for in any department head, especially the State Department.
Trump should have appointed a secretary of State who regards the current State Department with as much disdain as Scott Pruitt regards the EPA. The problem we have at the State Department is not a management crisis. We have a moral and intellectual problem with the State Department that has persisted for decades. It stems from a deep-rooted culture of moral relativism and an “America-last” mindset. As such, we needed a man with a strong ideological rudder who understands the issues, is on the right side of them, and willing to bust up the entire State Department structure and the global foreign policy apparatus.
Both sides of this debate are too consumed with Russia — pro and con. Some of the new pro-Russia “conservatives” are praising Tillerson just because he’s close to Putin. Opponents, such as Lindsey Graham and John McCain, are voicing concerns solely because of his ties to Russia. However, there are many other foreign policy issues that are important.
For example, is a man with his background really the type of person to oppose refugees, a Palestinian State, cooperation with Saudi Arabia, and the Muslim Brotherhood? Where does he stand on political Islam? Where does he stand on the Iran deal and reinstating sanctions? Does he support backing “Syrian rebels” in the Syrian civil war, helping Iran in Iraq, or our current involvement in Libya? What would he do about the 15-year disaster in Afghanistan?
To be fair, these are all questions that must be answered by any nominee, but traditionally we’ve had some sense of direction from the nominee before the Senate confirmation hearings, which don’t take place until the administration is already up and running.
And although we know nothing about where Tillerson stands on these issues, he is absolutely not the type of person who would fight the inveterate players and insufferable mentality within the system that stands opposed to America’s interests. That is why people like James Baker, Condi Rice, Bob Corker, and Robert Gates — the embodiment of the problem with foreign policy — are enthusiastically supporting him.
In that respect, nominees for secretary of State are much like Supreme Court picks. Given the one-directional gravitational pull and inertia towards liberalism within the legal profession, unless someone has absolutely demonstrated a record as a solid originalist willing to buck the system, he will wind up being a David Souter. There is no middle ground. Likewise, with foreign policy, if someone has not demonstrably opposed the Baker/Condi views on open borders, Palestinians, and political Islam, he will be part of the problem.
The most important quality in politics is a strong and fierce ideological conviction to fight the moral relativism in global affairs. Other qualities are important but useless if someone is lacking that ideological rudder to row upstream in this environment. Even someone who is inherently neutral on these issues will wind up downstream in the cesspool of the global foreign policy establishment, much less someone with the connections, mindset, and “pragmatism” of a major transnational CEO.
Tillerson’s past comments in support of Common Core, a carbon tax, the homosexual agenda at the Boy Scouts, and TPP are not mere distractions to his foreign policy views, as some might suggest.
First, we must remember that the State Department has been used as a conduit to support social liberalism for years. But more foundationally, they reveal an establishment mindset that would preclude him from bucking the trend on issues that are clearly within the scope of secretary of State, such as refugees, Syria, Palestinians, Saudi Arabia, and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Tillerson is likely the first nominee for secretary of State ever who has absolutely no political — much less foreign — policy experience. Some supporters laud this fact as a symbol of an “outsiders’” administration. However, these people don’t understand what it means to be a true outsider or insider. There is no greater outsider than one who worked in the system, understands the issues and the politics, and swam upstream to fight the ideology of the political establishment. Conversely, there is no greater insider than someone who never officially worked in the field but subscribes to and is connected to the very essence of the system.
There is nothing inherently wrong with having no official diplomatic experience, if he understands the issues and policies, and most importantly, subscribe to the right ideology and is willing to fight the global elites to change course on the critical issues.
I’d take a guy like Andy McCarthy as secretary of State any day of the week, even though he never worked in the State Department. But Tillerson is not exactly an Andy McCarthy.
As Mark Levin asked last week, if this is just about making deals across the world why not appoint the CEO of 7-Eleven? Indeed, we’ve come a long way from the days of John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, and Edmund Randolph as Secretaries of State.
Unless conservatives get positive answers on some of these critical questions, they should not vote to confirm Tillerson. We don’t need another Bob Corker, albeit with closer ties to Putin.
Important links
Tillerson promoting the homosexual agenda at Boy Scouts of America
Tillerson supports a Carbon tax
Tillerson big supporter of Common Core
Tillerson’s strong relationships with Saudi Arabia and Qatar
It’s exactly one month into the world of President-elect Donald Trump. In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel assesses the first month of policies, statements, and cabinet picks and tries to glean a sense of direction from the nascent administration. There appears to be a lot of promise as it relates to military, national security, terrorism, and immigration. On the other hand, there are challenges ahead for fiscal conservatism, with the notable exception of regulatory reform.
The task for conservatives is to come forward with an aggressive positive agenda that speaks to the strengths of Trump and channels some of the misdirection into good constitutional policies. As it relates to the bad economic policies, conservatives will have to stop him from doing further damage.
The key is to focus Trump on national security and the border and distract him from his other big government ideas. Take a page out of Madison:
“The operations of the federal government will be most extensive and important in times of war and danger; those of the State governments, in times of peace and security. As the former periods will probably bear a small proportion to the latter, the State governments will here enjoy another advantage over the federal government. The more adequate, indeed, the federal powers may be rendered to the national defense, the less frequent will be those scenes of danger which might favor their ascendancy over the governments of the particular States.” [James Madison, Federalist #45]
Show links:
Trump’s comments in support of stimulus
How the GOP establishment teamed up with Pelosi to block impeachment of IRS Commissioner
Did Trump help establishment derail conservatives on impeachment?
The importance of impeachment as an accountability tool for Congress
Trump’s Labor Sec., Andy Puzder, supported Gang of Eight amnesty
Pruitt will be game changer at EPA … if Congress protects him from courts
In middle of a national debate over Islamic refugees, a Somali refugee committed a terror attack in Columbus, Ohio, last week, thereby proving the veracity of those who are concerned by the current resettlement program. Meanwhile, the daughter of a top EU-official was brutally raped and murdered in Germany by an Afghani refugee. Yet, political leaders from both parties are awfully silent on the refugee issue. Even Trump has failed to mention it beyond a quick Facebook post.
In order to get the facts right on refugee resettlement, Daniel invited Leo Hohmann of WND to discuss his new book, Stealth Invasion: Muslim Conquest Through Immigration and the Resettlement Jihad, with the Conservative Conscience audience. Scheduled for release next month, this book chronicles all of the new information on refugee resettlement and how it is transforming some of our small communities, subverting our culture, and endangering our security. This is about more than just preventing the next terror attack, but slowing the growth of a subversive culture that will undermine our way of life – similar to what is happening in Europe today. If you want to be armed with the facts on the refugee issue, Leo Hohmann is the go-to man.
Key quote:
On Refugee Contractors: “As far back as 2000, David M. Robinson, a former acting director of the refugee bureau in the State Department, described the insidious power of the contractors as follows: The agencies form a single body [that] wields enormous influence over the Administration’s refugee admissions policy. It lobbies the hill effectively to increase the number of refugees admitted for permanent resettlement each year and at the same time provides overseas processing for admissions under contract to the State department. In fact, the federal government provides about ninety percent of its collective budget. If there is a conflict of interest, it is never mentioned.” [Chapter 8 of Stolen Sovereignty]
Show Links
Will Trump and Republicans finally shut down suicidal Somali immigration?
There are always a lot of policy initiatives, suggestions, and complaints offered to a new administration. Inevitably, conservatives will be disappointed with some of the Cabinet choices and some of the policies of any administration. But conservatives have an obligation to hold the Trump administration to two iron-clad campaign promises: stopping harmful immigration from the Middle East and repealing Obamacare.
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel expresses some concerns about the potential direction of this Administration, particularly on fiscal issues. In the long run, many of those issues will have to be solved through an Article V Convention of the States because Republicans – both in Congress and the Administration – will never deal with them properly. But in the short run, the issues of refugee resettlement and Obamacare must be dealt with on a federal level. Daniel explains how they can be addressed immediately, why they must be the first priorities for conservatives, and how Trump must make no excuses to shirk the mandate he has been given to act upon those issues.
There are some particular problems as it relates to repealing Obamacare. Many Republican leaders are signaling their intention to keep the coverage mandates and just repeal the funding mechanisms of the law (individual mandate, subsidies, taxes). This is a big mistake and will ensure that Obamacare is never repealed and premiums remain sky high.
There will be a number of other important issues bubbling to the surface with a new administration, but Obamacare and refugees are the issues for which conservatives must lay it all on the line.
Key Quote:
On Obamacare: “The coverage mandates of Obamacare are not the stuffing or cranberry sauce. The coverage mandates are reflective of the Turkey itself.”
On Immigration: “Under § 212(f) of Immigration and Nationality Act, “whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.” This power is universal, enforceable at the will of the president, and applies any time for any circumstance.”
Show links
Why Transportation should be left to the states
Will Trump and Republicans finally shut down suicidal Somali immigration?
Republicans must commit to complete and immediate repeal of Obamacare. Here’s how
What is the true meaning and origin of Thanksgiving? It’s the same true meaning and origin of our founding, Declaration and Constitution. As Ronald Reagan wrote in his 1986 Thanksgiving Day proclamation, “no custom reveals our character as a Nation so clearly as our celebration of Thanksgiving Day,” as it is “Rooted deeply in our Judeo-Christian heritage” and “underscores our unshakeable belief in God as the foundation of our Nation.”
Thanksgiving, perhaps more than any other day or custom, when one truly understands the meaning and origin of the day, reveals just how divorced this country has become from its foundation. In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel goes through the history of Thanksgiving as a day of fasting, prayer, repentance, and beseeching God for his blessings and how it is inextricably tied to our founding as a nation.
Yet, when reflecting upon the true meaning of Thanksgiving one can’t help but feel sorrow over the dramatic change in the character of our nation. Our most sacred heritage has been ruled unconstitutional by the unelected courts. Even conservatives misunderstand the role of the courts and are ignorant of the true imminent threat they pose to our society – from district level to Supreme Court. Daniel explains his opposition to one of the most highly touted conservative replacements for Justice Scalia because that individual clearly doesn’t understand the role of the federal judiciary or our heritage embodied through Thanksgiving.
"Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good." [Psalms, 107:1]
Key Quotes:
“Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them or by a power without them; either by the Word of God or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible or by the bayonet.” ~ Robert Winthrop, former Speaker of the House, 1849
“Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” ~ George Washington, Farewell Address
“[a] day of joyful thanksgiving to God for the bounties of His providence, for the peace in which we are permitted to enjoy them, and for the preservation of those institutions of civil and religious liberty which He gave our fathers the wisdom to devise and establish and us the courage to preserve. Among the appropriate observances of the day are rest from toil, worship in the public congregation, the renewal of family ties about our American firesides, and thoughtful helpfulness toward those who suffer lack of the body or of the spirit.” ~President Benjamin Harrison, 1891 Thanksgiving Proclamation
“I advise that on this day religious exercises shall be conducted in the churches or meeting places of all denominations, in order that in the social features of the day its real significance may not be lost sight of, but prayers may be offered to the Most High for a continuance of the divine guidance without which man’s efforts are vain, and for divine consolation to those whose kindred and friends have sacrificed their lives for country.” ~President William McKinley, 1899 Thanksgiving Proclamation
Show Links
What the latest, absurd, religious freedom case could mean for Thanksgiving
10th Circuit Sodom and Gomorrah Court’s Ruling (see page 9 for wickedly hilarious rules of standing)
List of Thanksgiving Proclamations from Continental Congress to the present
As excitement is building among conservatives over some of Trumps solid cabinet picks, especially as it relates to immigration and national security, the concerns over the size of the federal government and the abuse of our Constitution and inalienable rights is more potent than ever. We must focus on making state governments relevant again and one of the most systemic ways of achieving that goal is to promote the Convention of the States Project.
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel is joined by Mark Meckler, co-founder of the Convention of the States Project, to discuss Article V conventions, an idea long championed by CR’s Editor-in-Chief, Mark Levin. Have you been wondering how the process works, why it is so important, and the long term benefits we can secure from pursuing Article V? Mark Meckler breaks down the facts and swats down some of the misinformation concerning the process. He also updates us on the state of play in the states and how they can come pretty close to meeting the threshold for a Convention in the coming year.
Remember, if you think this problem can be solved in Washington, you haven’t been reading enough of Conservative Review. Meckler lets conservative activists know how they can get involved in a long term project that will actually secure enduring victories for the Constitution.
Show Links
There has never been a better time or need for a Convention of the States
Did you think congressional Republicans would be emboldened by the election results to change their tepid ways of doing business? Think again. They actually elected the same failed leadership and focused on a ridiculously banal agenda for their first week back after the election.
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel focuses on the opportunities that lie ahead for conservatives. What should conservatives focus on in the coming months and what should they leave for future administrations or to the states?
Daniel explains why tax reform is not something we should expend all of our capital on now because it is not a triage item and we usually wind up making things worse whenever we touch it with this crop of Republicans. It’s better to deal with that issue wholesale through a Convention of the States and repeal of the 17th Amendment.
Rather we should focus on 3 categories of issues: 1) immediate triage items that we have a mandate to change, such as Obamacare, religious liberty, refugees, and open borders (get your copy of Stolen Sovereignty for a blueprint) 2) systemic governmental reforms, such as judicial reform and term limits –issues that are easy to message and 3) devolving core functions, such as transportation, education, and welfare back to the states.
By empowering the states and focusing on systemic reforms, conservative can form a permanent firewall in state governments. We call them rainy day reforms, political victories that will last for us even when Democrats inevitably win back the federal government.
Meanwhile, there will be opportunities to work with the Trump administration on foreign policy, national security, and immigration while hopefully steering their focus away from some of their liberal domestic policy agenda.
Key Quotes:
“We must use this narrowing window of electoral viability to focus on rainy day reforms so that we are never one election away from losing our liberty.”
“Everyone talks about entitlements except for the one true entitlement – that we are all entitled to a republican form of government, irrespective of who wins an election. This is our Constitution and our inalienable rights. We shouldn’t have to be one Supreme Court justice or one court decision away from losing our Constitution. Time for wholesale judicial reform.”
Important Show Links
The election is over! House GOP celebrates by passing a new tax ... on concrete
The battle for the courts part 1: We still have a major problem that requires wholesale reform
At every turn, we must asses how we can best make lemonade with the lemons that God presents us with. In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel dissects the exit polls, returns, and down the ballot races to demonstrate why Republicans have a huge mandate on policy. At the same time, there is an imperative that they use it because there is also counter data to show that Democrats are still very much on their way to building their permanent demographic majority in presidential years, despite last night’s results.
Daniel delves into the false GOP narrative about the need to be liberal on immigration and how last night’s results vindicate our view both from a policy standpoint and from an electoral viability standpoint.
As always, Daniel continues to make the case for judicial reform and how we must use this win as an opportunity to create an enduring firewall in state government against future national wins for Democrats.
While everyone is focusing on the horse race and polling ahead of Tuesday’s election, Daniel takes the opportunity to discuss some foundational causes and righteous battles that must go on irrespective of who wins the election.
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel demonstrates why some conservatives are absolutely wrong to assert that the Supreme Court is deadlocked 4-4, suggesting that all we have to do is block Hillary from appointing a bad justice (or have Trump, if he wins, fill Scalia’s seat with a good justice). The court is in fact at least 5-3 liberal on most important issues. Between the lower courts being lost forever, Kennedy being with the Left on the most consequential societal issues, and Roberts being unreliable and also reluctant to overturn lower courts, we have long lost the judiciary. We need to make fight for wholesale judicial reform otherwise the Left will get what they want anyway.
Daniel also delves into Obamacare and how it could permanently destroy Democrats as long as we continue our movement outside the Republican Party to destroy the leviathan even if Hillary wins.
Remember, the Republic will not rise or fall on this election alone but on whether we acquiesce to the unpopular tyranny or commit to new strategies in fighting for the same principles.
Key Quotes
“The Constitution is the ultimate stare decisis.” Clarence Thomas
Show Links
This is how dishonest liberal Republicans become when they run against conservatives
Daniel’s personal Obamacare story
A demonstration why the courts are already gone
Early voting is unfair, unwise, and unconstitutional
So much of the “conservative” media is bankrupt and they have successfully dumbed down our voters by focusing on nonsense and ignoring what is important. In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel focuses on what is truly important, irrespective of who wins this election. There is an imperative to change directions within this movement, but fortunately, there is also an amazing opportunity.
If Hillary wins, she will, by far, be the most unpopular president to enter office from day one. Now is the time for state governments to fight back and permanently grab back power from the usurpations of the federal bureaucracies and courts. Daniel goes through the cases of Joe Arpaio in Arizona and Judge Roy Moore in Alabama to demonstrate how individuals are standing up to federal usurpation, but they can’t succeed because the pathetic Republicans in the state won’t stand with them. They are left out to dry. On the other hand, if we actually had a true Freedom Party in control of state governments with all its elected officials singing on the same tune, there is not much the federal government can do to enforce its usurpations. States are enforcing federal usurpations against their own people. That must end if we are to restore our republic, and a Hillary presidency will actually provide us with such an opportunity.
It’s time for our movement to think out of the box and think systemically or we will continue repeating the mistakes of the past.
Key Quotes:
"When you point at the moon, the idiot looks at the finger." - Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, Founder & President, American Islamic Forum for Democracy
“For as the sound of the thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool, and this too is vanity.” [Ecclesiastes, 7:6]
Show links:
Why ‘Republican’ control of the Senate is worthless and actually hurts conservatives
This episode’s sponsors:
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The political world is agog with buzz over Donald Trump’s refusal to affirmatively accept the outcome of the election results up front. Some have suggested this is a threat to the foundation of democracy and the peaceful transfer of power. Although Trump has a penchant for expressing valid points in the worst way imaginable, there is actually a very big problem of voter fraud, exacerbated by the courts, which is covered up by the media and the political class.
In this episode, Daniel demonstrates why it is, in fact, the courts that are a threat to the peaceful democratic transfer of power. They nullify everything the political branches enact, even when those laws are in accordance with the Constitution. It is the judiciary that does not respect the outcome of elections. Now, in the growing trend of courts mandating voting anomalies promoted by George Soros, they are undermining the integrity of the elections.
To be clear, voter fraud is not enough to account for landslide losses caused by terrible GOP candidates, but they absolutely do taint close elections and down-the-ballot races that are often decided by small vote margins. The courts are crushing the states and preventing them from protecting against voter fraud and are bastardizing the Constitution to create super rights for Democrat voters simply because they are deemed ethnic or racial minorities.
Daniel concludes by once again reiterating the only path forward to blocking judicial tyranny and voter fraud is to start a new party that is consistent and principled on federalism in a way that would gain the respect needed to push back against the current system.
Key Quotes:
“When people get used to preferential treatment, equal treatment seems like discrimination.” ~ Thomas Sowell
Important Links:
GOP judge paves road for thousands of potential non-citizens voting in Kansas
Courts reward those who thwart federal immigration law and punish those who uphold it