This Was About Junior? Today's News for July 14th

(hat tip to Wikipedia for the pic)

So the entire Russian collusion investigation was about catching Donald Trump Jr.? Really?

Based on what is being said by the talking heads, one might assume as much. Consider the following from columnist David French:

National Review:

There Is Now Evidence That Senior Trump Officials Attempted to Collude With Russia

Donald Trump Jr.’s e-mails are damning.

Just hours ago, Donald Trump Jr. released one of the more astounding e-mail chains of the entire Russia controversy. The end result is that Americans may now be introduced to the term “attempted collusion.” Or, perhaps more accurately (based on present information), “failed collusion.”

In other words, there now exists evidence that senior members of the Trump campaign tried unsuccessfully to facilitate Russian government efforts to defeat Hillary Clinton.

In other words, this big massive search for collusion between the Russian government and Donald Trump's campaign has netted us one failed collusion attempt by Trump's idiot son? The media has spent months in an Ahab-like effort to catch the great orange whale, and managed to net a remora?

This is French's conclusion:

As of now, we should have zero confidence that we know all or even most material facts. We should have zero confidence that Trump’s frustration is entirely due to his feeling like an innocent man caught in the crosshairs of crazed conspiracy theorists. It now appears that his son, son-in-law, and campaign chair met with a lawyer who they were told was part of an official Russian government effort to impact the presidential election. The Russian investigation isn’t a witch hunt anymore, if it ever was. It’s a national necessity.

Leftist websites like Vox are even holding up David French to make themselves feel better about this.

The problem with the interpretation by French is it ignores a more plausible explanation: The actual hacking that was done of Hillary Clinton's campaign and the DNC never touched the Trump campaign. If the Russians were behind it, and wanted the Trump campaign to win the election, why would they ever get in touch with Trump or his people? They could easily release the information to the public without risking contact with Trump's campaign. Actual collusion between Trump and the Russians would do irreparable damage to U.S.-Russian relations, not to mention the damage to Russia's international reputation. In a risk-reward calculation, collusion would be a loser for Russia.

Needless to say, the Left and the Democrats have their hyperbole in overdrive, and incorrectly (as usual):

Washington Times:

Democrats claim ‘treason,’ but the law says otherwise

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), “This is moving into perjury, false statements and even into potentially treason.”

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), “If this isn’t treasonous, I’m not sure what is.”

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), “Trump Jr. was willing to betray US to cheat for his Dad’s campaign.”

The treason law says something else:

“Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.”

Look directly at what the law requires for someone’s actions to rise to the level of treason.

1- One must owe allegiance to the United States AND

2- Levy war against the United States OR

3- Adhere to enemies of the United States, giving them aid or comfort within the United States or elsewhere

Donald Trump Jr. did not levy war against the United States. He did not give aid or comfort within the United States or elsewhere to our countries enemies. There is absolutely no rational basis to claim that he committed treason against the United States of America, but Sen. Kaine and others continue to rattle off their baseless claims. 

To put it in the simplest terms possible, we are NOT at war with Russia. Junior might be an idiot, but he isn't a treasonous idiot.

Now let us look at some REAL news:

CNN:

Graham, Cassidy unveil details of alternative health care plan

With the prospects for passing the current Senate Republican health care bill still in jeopardy, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, are working with their GOP colleagues on an alternative approach to replacing Obamacare: keeping much of the federal taxes in place and sending that money to the states to control.

"Here is what will happen," Graham said in an exclusive interview with CNN's Kate Bolduan. "If you like Obamacare, you can re-impose the mandates at the state level. You can repair Obamacare if you think it needs to be repaired. You can replace it if you think it needs to be replaced. It'll be up to the governors. They've got a better handle on it than any bureaucrat in Washington."

Cassidy, who is a physician, explained that the plan would keep popular protections under Obamacare, including a ban on denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.

...Graham and Cassidy, who have been working closely with former Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Rick Santorum, argue that one of the main reasons that Republicans are having such a hard time agreeing is because they are working from the Obamacare template -- particularly federal control of health insurance.

"The reason we can't pass a bill is because we are trying to do it in Washington, so stop it," Santorum, a CNN contributor, told CNN. Both senators agree that the key to making their plan work, is giving states flexibility. "A blue state can do a blue thing, a red state a red thing," Cassidy said. "My state is going to repeal and replace Obamacare with something that gives power to the patient, but that starts with us giving power to the states."

My two cents: This is an improvement on Obamacare, although I don't see it as a perfect solution. Perhaps it is a mildly acceptable alternative? Until the government is removed from health care, and control is given to the free market, then health care costs will continue to go up. At least under this plan, it is possible that some states could model a good free market solution.

Finally, in other news...

Wall Street Journal:

Hawaii Judge Orders Loosening of Trump Travel Ban

A Hawaii judge late Thursday ordered a nationwide loosening of President Donald Trump’s temporary ban on U.S. entry for some travelers from six Muslim-majority countries, ruling the administration’s strict approach contradicted a recent Supreme Court ruling.

The decision is a fresh legal blow for the president just two weeks after a Supreme Court ruling allowed the administration to implement its travel ban against refugees and foreign nationals from six countries who have no connection to the U.S.

Begin sarcasm.

In another ruling, judges stated that Amish people immigrating from these Muslim countries must be allowed, but only if they enter the U.S. on a Tuesday during a full moon while Congress is in session.

End sarcasm.