There Are Only Two Stories

Anymore, it doesn’t matter,
Who’s right or wrong.
We’ve been injuring each other,
Much too long.
And it’s too late to try to save what might have been.
It’s over.
Nobody wins.

Nobody Wins  -  Frank Sinatra (1973 – ole blue eyes is back album)

…..

I wanted to talk about some encouraging news in the fight against the climate worship extremists. I also wanted to warn you about more truly unbelievable new laws from the crucible of all bad ideas – California. But there are two stories going on that eclipse all others in importance. And neither seems headed for a quick resolution.

Let me give you the caveat that I write these missives once a week. This is not X (formerly Twitter) where I can update you every 10 seconds. Events, it seems, are changing almost that fast. I am writing this Wednesday afternoon, October 18, 2023 with the information available at that time.

The House: Jim McGovern (D-MA) is a Member of Congress, with whom I served. We didn’t agree on much policy, but he is no dummy. Earlier today in reference to the Republican Conference’s inability to elect a speaker, he said “We’re Team Reasonable. We’re Team Normal. They’re Team out of their f—king minds.” I wish he were wrong.

In my opinion, Jim Jordan will not become Speaker. I like him and he is very smart and a great debater. But he will not win because it would reward the “moronic eight.” Also, he is Trump’s choice, and he is not a good fundraiser or candidate recruiter. Had I still been in Congress, I would have voted for McCarthy and Scalise but against Jordan.

From here I think there are three possibilities: (1) Four of the moronic eight are convinced they made a bad vote and restore McCarthy to the job (2) Someone “deeper” in the conference who doesn’t want the job is elevated because they haven’t pissed anybody off yet. This was how Paul Ryan attained the Speakership in 2015. (3) A deal is made with the Democrats for a consensus Speaker under a “power sharing” arrangement like McConnell and Schumer did when the Senate was 50-50. Number 3 would be a recognition that whereas Republicans have a numerical majority, they do not have a functioning majority.

There is one thing, however, that has already happened. Republicans’ chances of keeping the House majority in 2024 have been dramatically reduced. You need money, organization, and good candidates to win elections. It’s hard to raise all those things when people feel they are joining the Washington Generals, who many of you may not know was the team that routinely lost to the Harlem Globetrotters.

The election is over a year away and there is always hope that events and conditions favor even a team that has no coach. John McCain looked like he might pull out the presidential election in 2008 until the Great Financial Crisis hit , changed the issues to the economy and he was seen as out of his depth on economic matters. Republicans may need a similar turn of events to pull a rabbit out of this hat.

Don’t: President Biden is desperately trying to avoid an escalation of the war in and around Israel, as well he should. His admonition to Hezbollah and Iran about getting involved in the war is “don’t” which he has repeated quite gravely several times. But it only matters if he follows up those words with action.

I believe that Biden aspired to be a “peace president.” His chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan that resulted in so many deaths, was done so he could say that Americans were not engaged in any conflicts anywhere because of his policies. He has supported Ukraine with great reluctance, always delivering weaponry about six months or so later than the request and arguably the need. But fate rarely allows presidents their due in this regard. George W. Bush wanted to be the “education president” (remember No Child Left Behind?) but the attacks on 9/11 changed all that. He had to become a war president. Biden will likely have to do that too.

George H.W. Bush, a WWII naval pilot who was shot down over the Pacific was obviously not lacking in courage. But it took UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to tell him “George, this is no time to go wobbly” to get him to act after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. Who is there to stiffen Biden when the Islamic Nazis call his bluff?

By the way, I will call them Islamic Nazis because “terrorist” is not a harsh enough word. Post-1945, we have all been taught that being a Nazi is a bad as you can be. These people are arguable worse. Hitler hid the fact that he was exterminating the Jews from most everyone. These Islamic Nazi’s live stream it on Facebook. (which Facebook somehow does not take down as “hate speech.” That is reserved for people opposed to vaccines…)

Which makes the media performance here all the more shocking. Imagine this headline in 1944: “Jews and civilians being slaughtered by British and American soldiers in Europe reports German Ministry. Number 10 Downing and The White House issue denials. CBS news has not been able to independently confirm the denials by Mr. Churchill and Mr. Roosevelt.” 

It would not have happened. There is no moral equivalency in reports from the Nazi Ministry of Propaganda and the democratically elected governments in the US and the UK. Just as there is no moral equivalency today between Israel’s government and that of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. Yet the majority of the media in America reported the Gaza hospital attack as fact exactly as Hamas described it. Like Russia collusion, Hunter’s laptop and so many other things, we now know the press reported a bald-faced lie as truth. As I write this, they still can’t state the fact that a Hamas rocket fell short and blew up their own hospital. They simply say, “according to the White House.” I guess they need “independent verification.” Balderdash. The media is helping the enemy here and will continue to do so.

American universities are aiding the enemy as well. I realized a dozen years ago that my two alma maters (UCLA and USC) had become centers of leftist indoctrination. Parts of UCLA were trying to do that with me back in 1974 and they are much, much worse today. (UCLA gave class credit for attending pro-Hamas demonstrations this week) I stopped sending them money and I no longer cheered for or bought tickets to any of their sporting events. Now, many others are seeing many, many universities for what they are. Antisemitic, pro-Hamas Nazi demonstrations are fine. But if you are against gay marriage, as I am, you are full of “hate” and cannot appear on campus. Give me a break. Kill all the Jews, no hate in that. Many prominent people are now cutting off donations. That will speak loudly. I hope you all join me in dumping any universities that support The Islamist Nazis.

When I was in Congress, the “two-state solution” was all the rage. Israel continues and there is a separate independent Palestinian State. Makes perfect sense. Israel was all for it. The problem is that the Palestinian State would have to recognize Israel’s right to exist and have an Israeli Embassy, etc. They steadfastly refused to do that. I realized then that the two state solution was a nice tagline that can never happen. If you believe the place that was known as Judea for thousands of years should be a Jewish state, the Palestinians will have to go somewhere else. But no country in the Middle East will take them. The Israelis have tried.

Biden told Israel to “not be consumed by hate.” I get that. But the Israelis are fighting to not be exterminated. That is a different kind of motivation. They will do what they have to do. I hope we support them with more than just words.

I remain respectfully,
Congressman John Campbell
Drive Fast & Live Free