Sunday, November 17, 2019

WHAT HAPPENED IN LOUISIANA?

Louisiana, Plantation, America, Historically, Tree

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 Louisiana , one of the reddest of red states elected a majority Republican legislature AND a democratic governor yesterday. Contrary to the assertions of the MSM this morning the loss by the Republican candidate for governor had nothing to do with Donald Trump's repeated visits to Louisiana. The visits by the President in favor of Republican candidate is what made the governor's race so very close. The victory of Democrat John Bel Edwards would not have been possible without some Republican cross over. For once Louisiana had a choice between two good candidates.  John Bel Edwards is a different kind  democrat from anything seen in Washington today, a far cry from the AOC crowd or Pelosi et al. 

 Edwards went into office with a Republican legislature and a state budget deficit in the billions of dollars. By working with both sides of the state house he managed in four years to reverse that deficit and turn it into a 500 million dollar surplus while restoring services and programs that Louisiana's people liked. Edwards is an openly practicing Catholic who prayed in public, including for his opponent and President Trump in his victory speech. Edwards unlike the current crop of Democrats in DC is openly pro life . Edwards uses fire arms and supports the second amendment. He supports freedom of religion and does not equate it with freedom FROM religion. Edwards seems to have no problem with conservative judges or legislators. Yet Edwards is proactive on social justice. expanding Medicaid in Louisiana, reinstating the state's college scholarship program, etc. Basically Edwards hearkens back to a different time in the Democratic Party . He's from the time when the Democrats had a CENTER. He knows the difference between a liberal and a lefty socialists. He was elected to his first term due to a split in the Republican candidates that couldn't possibly give a Republican more than half of the vote. He kept his campaign promises and delivered on working with his legislature regardless of party. 
Alligator, American Alligator, Gator, Dangerous, Attack
  

Eddie Rispone, the Republican candidate is a business man who ran for public office for the first time and came within 1+ percent of the vote from being seated in office. Like John Bel Edwards, Rispone  is an openly practicing Catholic who prays at public gatherings. He is pro life and pro second amendment. He backs President Trump on the border wall , immigration reform, and a strong defense.

He campaigned on the fact that Edwards is a democrat and does not back the President fully on these issues which are of concern to Louisiana citizens. But Edwards has never been very public about his opposition to the border wall etc. and has visibly concentrated on Louisiana's issues. These national  issues are of importance to Louisiana citizens and the populations of the "Great Flyover States."   But in the end all politics are local. If there was one issue that probably drove the Republican just short of his goal it was taxes. Rispone was critical of Edwards for raising Louisiana's sales taxes to the highest in the nation (10%). Rispone promised not to raise taxes. BUT he articulated a policy of leaving homestead exemptions to the individual parishes vice continuing the state wide program. A decrease in the homestead exemption even if just a failure to adjust for inflation could be more expensive for Louisiana home owners than the 10% sales tax. Having the highest sales tax in the nation most voters felt that Edwards would dare not to go higher. Edwards stands behind the state wide homestead exemption. Most of the state's homeowners are Republican but home owners first. 


 As we wrote earlier John Bel Edwards , a West Point graduate and former Army air borne officer knows the difference between a liberal and a lefty collectivists. But he may be the last of his kind. The collectivists  radicals now running the impeachment circus are no where near the middle. The middle is  deserting the party in droves. All those collectivists fools tweeting all over that Trump has lost touch with his base because of narrow democratic wins in Kentucky and Louisiana are just fools. Either the collectivists and radicals go or the Democratic party collapses.


 Would John Bel Edwards ever run for national office? We think if he did, the Squad and the rest of the collectivists radicals would probably only treat him slightly better than they have treated Trump. Make no mistake lefties, Louisiana will be coming out for Trump in 2020 and he will carry all of the "Great Fly Over States". He is not the least bit damaged because of a couple of losses to democrats in certain governor's races. These were narrow races settled over local issues. Was this the final hurrah of the democratic middle? If they continue to field only collectivist lefties for Presidential candidacy it is. 


When they lose big time in 2020 will they clean out the party of collectivists, re-conquistas,  and Islamofacists?  We predict that if the Democratic party doesn't stop being delusional and radical it will fall apart in 2020. Liberals, vice radical lefties will probably develop what would be now a third party. Eventually that would become the second party but there will be many lost elections along the way, especially if they let any of the current crop of DC democrats in. To all those pundits out in Twitterville predicting the down fall of Donald Trump because of yesterday's election in Louisiana you don't live here and you don't know Jack. This was a narrow decision by an intelligent and interested electorate based on the man , and his record and platform and not his party . Unfortunately it boiled down to a choice of who will tax us less and get things done. 

Alligator, American Alligator, Gator, Amphibian

Saturday, July 20, 2019

IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS SEIZE BRITISH TANKER
Stena Impero
The British Tanker STENA IMPERO Image courtesy owners Stena Bulk

Word came in today of another Iranian Revolutionary Guard provocative incident. They seized a British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. This time the "Guard"seized a "British Tanker"  the STENA IMPERO claiming that the tanker "violated international law" and entered Iranian territorial waters. Actually ships my enter the territorial sea of a nation that they don't intend to visit for such mundane reasons as to utilize an aid to navigation. Passage must be innocent but there is no automatic right to seize a ship simply because it has entered your territorial waters which now extend to 12 miles offshore.  (See THE ENDURING PRINCIPALS OF MARITIME INTERNATIONAL LAW in our Admiralty and Maritime Law Section , scroll down to find) 
 Publicly available vessel tracking information indicates that the ship "veered" off course ( see "Vessel Traffic and Tracking Services" ) . This could be a navigational or conning error, mechanical error, or the ship may have wanted to utilize an aid to navigation. What is highly unlikely is that the ship in any way intended harm to Iran. The STENA IMPERO was bound for Saudi Arabia , the port of Al Jubali. Saudi Arabia is of course embroiled in disputes with Iran at this time. There has been recent bad blood between Great Britain and Iran as well. On July 4, 2019 Royal Marines seized the Iranian Tanker GRACE 1 off Gibraltar for illegally transporting oil to Syria
 According to a company statement the ship was "approached by unidentified small craft and a helicopter during a transit of the Strait of Hormuz, while the vessel was in International waters.
If the ship actually was in International waters at the time the Guard took it, there is not even an argument that can be made that the seizure was legal. At this time the ship is headed under escort into Iranian waters and the owners and Western naval forces have no communications with the ship or any of the 23 crew members aboard. 
 We will post more as information develops.

Update 7/19/2019 1520 CST:  President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House today that he will be “working with the U.K.” on the incident. “This only goes to show what I’m saying about Iran: trouble, nothing but trouble.” Note Great Britain could call on the US for assistance via the NATO treaty if armed conflict breaks out. gCaptain rewports that despite British registry the tanker owner is Swedish see: https://gcaptain.com/trump-stena-impero-iran/?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter

Update 7/19 2019 1530 CST: Statement by the 200 member UK Shipping Organization   https://twitter.com/ukshipping?lang=en calling for a "measure response" but noting the action represents an escalation in tensions and calling for more security for merchant shipping in the area.

Update 7/19/2019  2200 CST: Russia has publicly taken note of the situation and is warning that the situation is close to war. By contrast  former US National Security Advisor Susan Rice has stated “These incidents in isolation are not especially alarming,”  But, she added, “In the aggregate they are, given that we’re dealing with players that have little interest in deescalating.”

Update 7/19/2019  2220 CST: It is now reported by CNN that the Revoluntary Guard comfirmed the capture of a second tanker today the Liberian flagged M/V MESDAR. It is not known at this writing if the MESDAR was captured before or after the British STENA IMPERO. Libera maintains an open registry with few if any ships having any ownership in Liberia. Liberia doesn't have a navy of any note , nor do they have any history of stern measures to avenge insult to their rent a flag.  The seizure of a Liberian registered ship simply doesn't draw the media attention that the seizure of a NATO member ship does. At this writing we have no idea which ship was taken first. 

 We are now signing off for thew night. for an excellent "backgrounder" on this incident see DAILY BEAST post "Tanker War 2.0 at https://www.thedailybeast.com/iran-seizes-british-oil-tanker-stena-impero-escalating-tensions-with-western-powers

For continuing coverage of events we suggest gCaptain https://gcaptain.com/trump-stena-impero-iran/?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter
Update: 7/20/2019  0900 CST: New Rules of Engagement for U.S. Naval vessels in  the Strait of Hormuz: As of last night U.S. naval vessels in the Strait of Hormuz may fire upon small craft and other vessels if fired upon or threatened. They may also fire upon vessels attacking American Vessels only. There is no pre existing permissive authority for American warship commanders to come to the aid of non U.S. merchant shipping.
American Commanders have been advised by command authorities to avoid confrontation, but to defend themselves.