It’s been said you can tell a lot about a man by his friends and the company he keeps. There’s also a school of thought that you can tell a man by who his enemies are.
No doubt, all of those apply to Donald Trump, as we are reminded constantly by the media in one form or another.
Recently a name from the past has been a critic: James Clapper, the former Director of National intelligence.
Clapper has jumped into the fray to bring down Trump by stepping to the tune that Trump is mentally unfit for the presidency. It’s been floated before, but now it’s repetitive as a talking point, and undoubtedly it’s the next in line as the Russian investigations of 10 months have yielded nothing.
Clapper hasn’t been around since resigning in late December 2016. It could be said he’s speaking out now as his name has come up in the investigations into the matters of the Clintons, James Comey and Loretta Lynch.
Considering Clapper’s known history of lying to a congressional body, he should be quiet.
In 2013, Clapper was asked if intelligence authorities collected data on Americans. He answered, “No, Sir, not willingly.” He may have gotten by with that lie but for the antics of Edward Snowden and WikiLeaks that showed the agency had not only gathered phone records of millions of Americans but also had them stored.
The explanations for the lies changed over a short span of time. Clapper initially said he didn’t lie. He then offered that he meant to say they didn’t look at Americans’ emails. Next, he admitted his response was “the least untruthful” he could give to Congress. Lastly, in his letter to Congress he admitted his words were “clearly erroneous.”
After all of this, Clapper spoke to a group of government officials and contractors at a summit for two major industry groups and complained: “It has been very disappointing to have my integrity questioned because of a mistake.”
In the speech, he went on to complain about the leaks to the news media (where have we heard that lately)?
Profoundly, Clapper said such intelligence could be gathered on Americans without risk of embarrassment or any threat to civil liberties, saying with a reported chuckle, “We call this immaculate collection.”
Secondly is Mitch McConnell, who has spoken out with his latest friction with Trump over the failure of the healthcare bill in the Senate.
He spoke to a Kentucky Rotary Club recently and said: “Our new president, of course, has not been in this line of work before. … I think he had excessive expectations about how quickly things happen in the democratic process” (per CNN affiliate WCPO, which covered the event).
Reportedly, McConnell claimed: “Congress is working as it should, and that voters should allow the process to play itself out before passing judgment.” He continued: “The reason I think people think we’re under-performing is because of too many artificial deadlines unrelated to the reality of the Legislature which may have not been understood.”
What nonsense of artificial deadlines and expecting too much too soon? McConnell’s herd was among the Republicans who have been yelling about repealing an replacing Obamacare for over seven years, and now Trump is expecting a change too soon?
Last but not least, Hillary Clinton is back with her newest book this week of “What Happened.” Naturally, the tantalizing audio book is repeatedly being played with the excerpt where she accuses Trump of getting into her space at the debate and presents a picture of him stalking her.
Hopefully for Hillary, writing this book and getting out her venom was cathartic, because it appears she still doesn’t get it.
There is a myriad of reasons, not to be detailed here, why Hillary Clinton isn’t president, and none has anything to do with a debate stage.
In Jon Rappoport’s blog entitled “Hillary’s new book: Its Never My Fault,” July 31, 2017, he lists a lot of the reasons Hillary’s 2016 run failed.
Yes, identifying enemies is as important as friends when it comes to judgment.
Betty Arenson is a Valencia resident who believes in the Constitution in its entirety and that laws should be upheld and apply to everyone equally.
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It’s interesting that you failed to comment on the most prevalent issue of the week: The “fine” people on both sides at the Charlottesville demonstration.
It is interesting that you can comment on Hillary’s book but not the most prevalent issue of the week: The “fine” people on both sides at the Charlottesville protest.
Betty, isn’t it funny what happens when dems see facts and actual quotes, words…used by their leaders… that threaten the very stability of their sanity? I mean, we have seen “head in the sand thinking” …and talking…for more than 8 years from the far left..and they still think…I’m sorry, no thinking actually happens in this deep,state of denial…their president is no longer…his last words were…well…it’s up to you all now…meaning time to ramp up the denial that the country doesn’t all agree with your ideas and (quietly sobing)..dare I say it..your dreams (more quiet sobs), so….you all leftists that feel this country belongs to Just You…Wake the F Up…Bloody Wankers…you all vote….but your vote didn’t win…hello???
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Santa Clarita regularly tops lists as one of the safest cities in the country. This reputation is well-earned thanks to the hardworking men and women of our Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station and the vigilance of our residents.
As I look back on 2022 and reflect on the progress we have made in our community, I could not be prouder. Last year we cut the ribbon on the city’s 36th park, Vista Canyon, which offers residents pickleball courts, a new playground and the historic Mitchell River House.
Anyone who has lived in another city will tell you that the events we put on in Santa Clarita are second to none. As we look ahead to the warm weather and sunshine afforded by the arrival of spring, now is a wonderful time to add some of the marquee city of Santa Clarita events to your 2023 calendar.
After a three-year hiatus, the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society will commemorate the 95th anniversary of the second-worst disaster in California history by bringing back its renowned St. Francis Dam lecture and bus tour/hike at the dam site in San Francisquito Canyon on Saturday, March 11, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ethan Igbanugo's basket with 34 seconds remaining would prove to be the game winner as CSUN Men's Basketball knocked off first-place UC Santa Barbara 72-67 on Saturday at Premier America Credit Union Arena.
The College of the Canyons football program is hosting its first Super Bowl Saturday Football Camp for youth players on Saturday, Feb. 11, at Cougar Stadium.
College of the Canyons student-athletes Allyson Melgar (softball) and Ryan Camacho (baseball) have been named the COC Athletic Department's Women's & Men's Student-Athletes of the Week for the period running Jan. 30 to Feb. 4.
Blue Star Ranch, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting post-combat veterans with post traumatic stress disorder, is looking for another therapy team to join its ranks.
California Credit Union invites all Santa Clarita Valley teachers who have a dream class project idea to apply for a credit union grant through its bi-annual Teacher Grant program.
The city of Santa Clarita’s Film Office released the 12 productions currently filming in the Santa Clarita Valley for the week of Monday, Feb. 6 – Sunday, Feb. 12.
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a business meeting Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 5 p.m., in the University Center, Room 301 on the Valencia campus of College of the Canyons.
The Los Angeles County health officer issued a Cold Weather Alert in the Santa Clarita Valley Monday through Tuesday due to the National Weather Service’s forecast for low temperatures.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed Monday no additional deaths and 62 new cases in the Santa Clarita Valley over the weekend, with 30 additional deaths and 2,201 new cases countywide.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed 19 new deaths throughout L.A. County, 1,417 new cases countywide and 25 new cases in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Carousel Ranch, a place where children with special needs discover and experience some of their greatest achievements through equestrian therapy and vocational training programs will celebrate its 26th anniversary this year.
The city of Santa Clarita has announced that as part of the median modification work taking place at Orchard Village Road and Wiley Canyon Road, additional lane closures are required on Saturday, Feb. 4 for street grinding and paving.
The California Public Utilities Commission has voted to accelerate the timeframe in which residential energy customers will receive a Climate Credit on their bills in order to provide much needed support to customers experiencing unusually high natural gas bills this winter.
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5 Comments
It’s interesting that you failed to comment on the most prevalent issue of the week: The “fine” people on both sides at the Charlottesville demonstration.
It is interesting that you can comment on Hillary’s book but not the most prevalent issue of the week: The “fine” people on both sides at the Charlottesville protest.
You really get it, Betty!
Betty, isn’t it funny what happens when dems see facts and actual quotes, words…used by their leaders… that threaten the very stability of their sanity? I mean, we have seen “head in the sand thinking” …and talking…for more than 8 years from the far left..and they still think…I’m sorry, no thinking actually happens in this deep,state of denial…their president is no longer…his last words were…well…it’s up to you all now…meaning time to ramp up the denial that the country doesn’t all agree with your ideas and (quietly sobing)..dare I say it..your dreams (more quiet sobs), so….you all leftists that feel this country belongs to Just You…Wake the F Up…Bloody Wankers…you all vote….but your vote didn’t win…hello???
Very well placed …s for dramatic effect there… Michael… Reads like you were really thinking it through. You weren’t.