Swamp Draining Must Include VA, FBI

Swamp Draining Must Include VA, FBI

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

January 24, 2017

During the 2016 presidential campaign GOP candidate and ultimate winner Donald Trump oft-repeated he would “drain the swamp,” meaning he would rid Washington, DC of the dead weight, hangers-on, and generally useless bureaucrats taking up time, space, and taxpayer dollars.

Two of the swamp denizens needing liberating from their government homes are within the Department of Veterans Affairs and the FBI. President Trump’s nominee to head the VA, David Shulkin, should not be confirmed by the US Senate, and Trump should rescind the vote of confidence given FBI Director James Comey and request his resignation.

Comey, 56, a Yonkers, NY native, earned his JD from the University of Chicago Law School and is a 2013 appointee of Barack Obama. Prior government experience includes his work as US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, followed by serving as US Deputy Attorney General.

Comey demonstrated a level of incompetence in the manner in which he handled Hillary Clinton’s e-mail scandal and server investigation. Despite having enough evidence to call for the indictment of the former Democrat candidate for president, Comey presented reasons why he could, but then pivoted by giving her a pass. Comey claimed  such an indictment would derail the 2016 presidential election. It seems if someone is indictable, he or she should actually be indicted, regardless of its impact. Comey should go.

Shulkin, currently the VA’s Undersecretary of Health, is a 57-year-old Bala Cynwyd, PA native, and another Obama appointee since 2015, has a strong background in hospital administration as the chief executive of numerous hospital systems, including the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. The board certified internist earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania (since merged with Drexel University). Were he to garner Senate confirmation, Shulkin would become the first non-veteran to head the VA.

On paper, Shulkin seems to be an acceptable nominee for this cabinet post. However, he is mired deep in the swamp to the point where he is more of the problem than the solution. It’s not even his fault as much as he is simply a cog in an old wheel rife with such bureaucratic chaos that in Congressional hearings Shulkin provided false information on issues he should have been more aware.

Testifying before a Congressional committee regarding the continuing employment of criminals at the VA, Shulkin claimed the miscreants had been fired, when in reality, they had not. Shulkin did not know this, yet an aide, who did, had to inform Shulkin of the truth. Later on that same day, Shulkin informed the House members that a particular chief of staff who had been doling out controlled substances to friends had been relieved of her authoritative position. This time Shulkin was not misinformed, but he simply lied, as this VA employee was not only still on the job, but had been promoted to oversee quality control. Talk about the fox guarding the hen house.

It’s time to hear President Trump utter those words he made so famous – “You’re fired!”

While Washington, DC may have been built on a swamp, it need not continue to be filled with creatures from the black lagoon. Although I don’t have a replacement to recommend in Comey’s stead, I would offer to President Trump the name of US Representative Tulsi Gabbard for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Gabbard, 35, is a native of American Samoa, currently representing Hawaii’s Second District. The Democrat is the first American Samoan and Hindu member of Congress and is serving in her second term after serving in the Hawaii state legislature, first elected at age 21, the youngest to serve in that body. Gabbard is a graduate of Hawaii Pacific University with a BS in Business Administration.

In addition to her business degree, Gabbard is more than qualified to serve as the head of the VA due to her military and medical backgrounds as well. An Army veteran since 2004, Gabbard has earned the rank of Major. She served in an Iraqi combat zone in a field medical unit as a specialist for a 12 month tour of duty. She continues her military service in the Hawaii Army National Guard. In fact, Gabbard opted out of a reelection campaign to her Hawaii legislative seat, choosing instead to continue her then full time military service.

Although Gabbard is a social liberal, she has solid armed forces bona fides, and serves on both the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees. Gabbard previously opposed an arms deal with Saudi Arabia calling for the US to hold that country accountable for its overt and covert involvement in global terrorism. Gabbard also opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, an agreement that Trump opposed and withdrew from on January 24.

US Rep. Gabbard would be a breath of fresh air at the helm of the VA and President Trump would do well to appoint her – not because he could “check some boxes” due to her demographics, but because of her clearly desirable qualifications. She understands the needs of veterans, has a military, medical, and business background as well as a desire to not just serve, but accomplish.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.

Lewis Leads Dem Boycott of Trump Inaugural

Lewis Leads Dem Boycott of Trump Inaugural

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

January 18, 2017

Congressman John L. Lewis (D-GA) is a civil rights icon. Of that there is no denying. He not only talked the talk, he walked the walk – literally from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 with the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., and he has the battle scars as proof.

All that said, Congressman Lewis is a mortal man. He does not walk on water. He is not immune to criticism, and leveeing criticism on Lewis does not make the critic a racist. Yet, a war of words has erupted between the Congressman and the President-elect.

“I do not see President-elect Trump as a legitimate president,” said Lewis, in declaring he will boycott the inauguration of Donald Trump as he is sworn in as the 45^th president of the United States on Friday, January 20. Lewis is of the belief that the Russians had a hand in Trump’s victory, yet not one scintilla of proof has been unearthed to support that claim.

Nevertheless, Trump fired back via Twitter saying Lewis is all talk and no action and that he should work on fixing his district in Georgia, which Trump says needs help. While it is true that Lewis’ district is poor – encompassing the City of Atlanta and surrounding counties – and does desperately need the help Trump recommended, Trump was wrong to say Lewis is all talk and no action. Trump explained that he was not referring to Lewis’ long history as a civil rights activist, but his mostly unremarkable Congressional career. Therein lies one of the downsides and limits of Twitter.

The battle waged on.

Calling Trump an illegitimate president is not just wrong it is false. By a margin of 306-232, Trump won the Electoral College vote over Hillary Clinton, which according to the 12^th Amendment to the United States Constitution is what declares a presidential winner. It is due to this claim of illegitimacy that Lewis has decided not to attend the inauguration of Trump and his Vice President-elect Mike Pence.

And that is Lewis’ right – just as it was his right to decline to attend the inauguration of the 2001 swearing in of President George W. Bush following a 37 day recount.

But Lewis is not alone in sitting out the inaugural. As of 4 PM on Wednesday, January 18, 64 Democrat members of Congress are boycotting the quadrennial event. And while that is their right, it is bad form, very petty, and makes those members look small. They are also declining to represent all their constituents – those who voted against and for Trump. More importantly, it is disrespectful of the office of the president.

Former 2012 GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain said on Fox News, the Democrats opting out of attending the inaugural “represent the voice of the black plantation. Yes, I said it. They want people to be kept uninformed.”

Unfortunately, vilifying Trump has managed to claim civilian victims. Marc Lamont Hill, a professor of African American Studies at Morehouse College in Atlanta and an analyst on CNN demonized black visitors to Trump Tower as well as Trump’s “Diversity Coalition.” Hill called Trump visitors such as Steve Harvey, Martin Luther King III, BET founder Robert Johnson, and NFL hall of famer Jim Brown “mediocre Negroes.”

This is precisely the brand of enmity that continues to divide America. Castigating people simply for visiting Trump, for merely keeping an open mind – not even an endorsement – about his future administration is yet another off-ramp on the low road. This black-on-black racial divisiveness serves no one but the race hustlers – people like Al Sharpton who makes a living fueling the fire of racial animus.

I am no fan of Barack Obama. However, were I invited to his inaugurals I would have attended – history was made. Had I the offer to meet with him and share my thoughts on key issues, I would readily have taken the opportunity. There were no mass boycotts of Obama’s inaugurals by a cadre of GOP lawmakers. Yes, debate was lively, as I expect it to be during the Trump administration, but in order for genuine progress to be accomplished, those lively debates must include those on all sides of the aisle – the pro, the con, and the uncommitted.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.

Ivan the Great, Bagwell, and Raines to Reign in Hall Balloting

“Baseball is a game you’d play for nothing. I am so happy the Lord gave me a little ability, because it allowed me to meet a lot of good people and see so many exciting places.” – 1973 Hall of Fame inductee Monte Irvin (02/25/19 – 01/11/16)

“Baseball is an endless drama with an ever-changing cast.” – 1991 Ford C. Frick Award Winner (broadcaster’s wing of the Hall of Fame) Joe Garagiola (02/12/26 – 03/23/16)

Ivan the Great, Bagwell, and Raines to Reign in Hall Balloting

Sanford D. Horn

January 16, 2017

We managed to survive the 2016 presidential campaign and election leading to the inevitable January links between baseball and politics – this week a new president will be inaugurated just two days after the Baseball Hall of Fame announces its new inductees on Wednesday. Hopefully, the bitter temperatures, a reminder that pitchers and catchers don’t report for duty for another month, will also serve notice that the Russians did not hack into the Hall of Fame voting process.

“Voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played.” (http://baseballhall.org/hall-famers/rules-election/bbwaa) This is the standard by which the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) is to do their jobs.

The crux is character and integrity – neither of which was exhibited by Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, or Sammy Sosa, each accused of using steroids during their playing careers. These players’ bad behavior should not be rewarded. They only way they should be allowed into Cooperstown is with a paid ticket for admission. For as many years as these miscreants have been on the ballot, I remain steadfastly opposed to their entry, and will continue to be so in the future until their eligibility is exhausted and beyond. And this year, the name of Manny Ramirez can be added to the naughty list.

Candidates are required to earn five percent of the vote in order to remain on the ballot for the next year. Should a few more voters shun Sosa, his seven percent from 2016 could drop enough to bounce him from future consideration. More BBWAA members would be needed to withhold votes from Clemens – 45.2 percent, and Bonds – 44.3 percent, to remove them from the ballot, if not from our collective memories. While the vote percentages increased for Clemens and Bonds, demonstrating a lack of character by those supporting their entry into Cooperstown, enough did the right thing by eliminating Mark McGwire from future consideration.

Were I privileged with casting votes to determine the Class of 2017 into the Baseball Hall of Fame, four retired players would appear on my ballot – one freshman candidate, and three holdovers from 2016.

Moving from the malevolent to the magnificent, Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez spent 21 years as a major league backstop catching pitchers for the Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, and Washington Nationals doing it right and avoiding scandal. Rodriguez should be a first ballot entrant into Cooperstown having caught 2,427 games – most ever for a backstop while batting .296 with 2,844 hits, 311 home runs, and 1,332 runs batted in. While a member of the 2003 Marlins World Series winning team, Rodriguez played mostly for average teams while often helping to tutor young pitchers.

Trevor Hoffman pitched his 18 years in the major leagues with the then Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, and Milwaukee Brewers racking up 601 saves while hurling mostly for mediocre teams where save opportunities were not as prevalent as for sure-fire Hall of Famer to be in 2019 Mariano Rivera. Known as a Padre the majority of his career, Hoffman represented the team as a six-time All Star, and one additional selection as a Brewer. The first pitcher to reach both the 500 and 600 save threshold, Hoffman was four times in the top 10 voting for the Cy Young award and five times received votes for MVP. In 1998 Hoffman converted 41 consecutive save opportunities – a record at the time.

Checking in with 270 career wins is four-time ballot occupant Mike Mussina, who spent 10 years with the Baltimore Orioles and eight with the New York Yankees. A big fan of “Moose,” an economics graduate from Stanford University as an Oriole, it hurt my eyes to see him donning the pinstripes. Mussina was selected to five All Star teams and won seven Gold Gloves. While he was overshadowed by Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, and John Smoltz in 2015, Mussina garnered more victories than Hall of Famers Carl Hubbell, Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal – with whom Mussina was compared, and Whitey Ford. Mussina ended his career at age 39, the oldest to record his lone 20-win season, going 20-9 with a 3.37 ERA. While a jump from his 2016 43 percent to the necessary 75 seems more than unlikely (up 18 from 2015), Mussina remains on my ballot.

Curt Schilling, bloody sock and all, is on my ballot. The six-time all-star pitched 20 seasons in the big leagues – three with the Orioles, one with the Astros, eight-plus with the Philadelphia Phillies, three-plus with the Arizona Diamondbacks, then calling it a career with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling tossed 83 complete games, appeared in three World Series, and had three 20-plus win seasons within a four year span at ages 36, 38, and 39. Schilling should have his ticket stamped this summer – was my mistaken prediction the last four years, and perhaps he may not be able to leap to 75 percent from his 52.3 percent from 2016 (up 13 from 2015), Schilling still belongs among those earning a plaque in Cooperstown.

Although they would not make my ballot, Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines seem to be assured of election this year. Bagwell fell 15 votes short in 2016 and Raines is in his 10^th and final year of eligibility having earned 67.3 percent of the vote last year.

While it is important to not sully the Baseball Hall of Fame with the likes of Bonds, Clemens, Ramirez, and Sosa, the focus must be on the greats who will be enshrined this July and how they will continue to be the true ambassadors to the community as so many before them have been. Ambassadors and class acts such as Monte Irvin and Joe Garagiola, who sadly left us in 2016 – Irvin at age 96, on January 11 and Garagiola at age 90, on March 23 – six months after his best friend Yogi Berra. May their memories always be for a Blessing.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN. He has been a Patron-level member of the Baseball Hall of Fame since 2007.

Players Should Suit Up for Bowls

Players Should Suit Up for Bowls

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

December 22, 2016

While there is no “I” in team, there most certainly is, in “selfish.”

Three running backs, Leonard Fournette from Louisiana State University, Shock Linwood from Baylor, and Christian McCaffrey of Stanford have each opted to forgo their teams’ postseason bowl games. Instead, they will prepare for the NFL draft and hope to raise their personal stock.

Were I an NFL team general manager, I would look upon these players, regardless of their individual talent, as demonstrating poor personal character in abandoning the team that helped make them an NFL prospect in the first place. One player does not a team make. A quarterback is only as good as his guards and a running back is only as good as his blockers.

Coaches should insist upon their teams operating at full strength – and that includes potential Sunday players. Those players should be obligated to play unless injured or suspended because the rest of the team deserves the same opportunity to win a bowl game as they did their regular season games. (Coaches who jump ship early when accepting a better job offer to coach elsewhere are no better than the players for whom they should be setting the example. Coaches should demonstrate the loyalty they expect their players to emulate.)

In fact, the athletic scholarship is akin to a contract, which should be enforced. Schools recruited those players to bring victories to the universities in exchange for tuition, room, board, and an actual education. Such an education should include lessons learned off the field and out of the classroom. Character is one such lesson, as is putting team above self.

For the same reason – putting team above self – the system of “one-and-done” should not exist. A student-athlete commits to a university and accepts a scholarship for the duration of their NCAA eligibility. Leaving school early is a breach of that contract and the student-athlete should be required to repay the value of the unused portion of the scholarship back to the university.

College football and basketball serve as de facto minor leagues, and as such, players who may not typically be found on a college campus will accept recruitment offers for lack of any other venues to put their talents on display. A minor league system should exist to nurture and grow the talents of players who, academically, should not be taking the spot on a campus of a more qualified student. Clearly this is a subject for a future column.

Perhaps another reason for players to skip their final college game is that bowl games are no longer special, but a money making scheme. (OK, they have always been about the money – I’m not that obtuse.) This is an indictment of the enormous number of bowl games being played – 40. Ten years ago, in 2006, there were 32 bowl games. In both 1996 and 1986 there were 18 bowl games, 12 in 1976 and a mere nine in 1966.

There are 128 schools in the BCS – Bowl Championship Series, of which, 80 or 62.5 percent, have “qualified” for a post-season invitation. Of this year’s 80 bowl invitees, 19 have records of 6-6 or worse – 14 at .500 and five sub-.500 records. Simple solution – ditch 10 bowl games and those 19 schools. This is as bad as the NHL and NBA playoffs that drag on through June. When the NCAA ran an 11 game season, and six wins qualified a school for a bowl, at least they would be over .500. Now, with a 12 game season, and conference tournaments, a school with six qualifying wins could “earn” a bowl at 6-7. An above .500 record, regardless of how many games played, should be the line of demarcation for bowl qualification. If there aren’t enough schools, start cancelling bowls from newest to oldest in terms of existence. Far too many of these games are played before thousands of empty seats masquerading as fans.

Receiving a bowl invitation meant something – a reward for a regular season well played. Today, a bowl invitation to a 6-6 team, or worse, is akin to a participation trophy, and that is wholly unacceptable. Want to earn a bowl game? Play better. (For the same reason any more than 64 schools participating in March Madness is too many.)

Jason Gay, in his December 23, 2016 Wall Street Journal column “Beware the Zombie Bowls!” wrote that “A playoff has rendered bowls near-irrelevant so it’s tough to chastise a player for opting out.”

I disagree with Gay on this one because for years, fans, students, players, and sponsors knew the mid-December bowls were not going to determine the national championship. These games are played with and for pride by the participants and will remain lasting memories long after the applause fades and the clocks strike zero. All the players should suit up for these bowls as they are team events that will speak well of their character – character that their fans will notice and emulate.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.

Teach the Constitution TO Carmel High Admin

Teach the Constitution TO Carmel High Admin

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

December 18, 2016

When thinking of the administrators at Carmel High School in the heart of ultra-red Hamilton County, Indiana one of my favorite scenes from Mel Brooks’ classic comedy Blazing Saddles immediately springs to mind.

The late Gene Wilder is attempting to console the late Cleavon Little following a vicious racial slur aimed at Little. Wilder to Little: “These are people of the land; the common clay of the new West – you know – morons!”

That is the appropriate adjective for the administrators of Carmel High School following their very short-sighted decision to remove an anti-abortion, pro-adoption sign posted, with permission, by Carmel Teens for Life. This act of censorship came at the heels of one, a singular, student’s complaint that the sign was offensive.

Picture this hand drawn sign reading “3,000 Lives Are Ended Each Day…,” in rainbow colors at the top, with about 300 multi-colored hearts filling the poster, and the word abortion at the bottom with the letters “b” and “r” crossed out, replaced by “d” and “p,” to turn abortion into adoption. A great message.

How is this offensive? To whom is this offensive? Is it offensive to people who support the murder of the unborn? Is it offensive to those opposing adoption? What reason could there be to find this sign offensive? Apparently a reason for the complaint is unnecessary, just the mere objection, and the censors are quick to act – the First Amendment be damned.

Does the Constitution cease to exist at the front door of Carmel High School? Or at any school for that matter?

Enter the Liberty Council, a non-profit, legal organization in Florida willing to take action against the school district following the singling out of the conservative student group. After all this is the same school that has permitted posters supporting the homosexual community as well as political groups. Fair and balanced – certainly not. Schools should not be picking and choosing which opinions to favor and support, yet the conservatives seem to be more under fire than the liberals.

“Schools can limit speech or other forms of expression if it is disruptive and would disrupt the school’s education mission,” said David Schuman, a professor at the University of Oregon’s school of law. How is a sign promoting life and adoption adorned with hearts disruptive to the school’s mission? One would think a sign promoting the murder of the unborn to be more disruptive and disconcerting to people. Schuman also said the reason for removing the poster would play a role, but Carmel High administrators have not been forthcoming with one.

Schuman suggested that disallowing “posters that generate complaints from students who have been emotionally upset and unable to study, or prohibiting speech considered lewd,” could be acceptable reasons.

Those would be enormously broad based and vague reasons as to prevent any sign of any subject from being hung at Carmel High and set a dangerous precedent for schools nationwide. Consider a poster hung advertising baseball tryouts and based upon the above criteria, should one student complain that the poster is making that singular student emotionally upset and unable to study, that sign would have to be removed. Perhaps the student had a bad experience at a baseball game when younger or was rejected from the team in a previous year. For that matter a student lacking the talent to sing could lodge a similar complaint about a poster advertising auditions for the school’s annual musical and that poster, again, based upon the above criteria would need to be removed.

It’s a slippery slope to the point where no communication would be allowable because of the possibility that a singular student could be emotionally impacted negatively. This is not what the Founding Fathers had in mind when writing the Constitution. We the people do not have the right not to be offended. As Iowa State Representative Bobby Kaufmann (R) said recently about some group of whiners, “suck it up, buttercup!”

Speech that one finds distasteful or offensive should not be silenced. Instead, it should be challenged with even more speech. Open the lines of communications – argue, debate, challenge – albeit respectfully, and perhaps everyone can learn something. The Carmel Teens for Life’s anti-abortion, pro-adoption poster should absolutely be returned to the walls of Carmel High School thus supporting the life of the Constitution and the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.

Hamilton Lecture and other Liberal Hypocrisy

Hamilton Lecture and other Liberal Hypocrisy

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

November 20, 2016

Hamilton actor Brandon Victor Dixon broke from character to demonstrate a complete lack of character immediately following the Broadway performance Friday in an attempt to embarrass Vice President-elect Mike Pence.

In a preaching lecture from the stage read from notes, Dixon, who portrays the third Vice President of the United States, Aaron Burr, delivered a diatribe with low expectations of the incoming administration. “We, sir, are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights.” While Pence was mostly booed by the audience, Dixon’s invective was largely applauded.

The treatment of Pence was malevolent and unconscionable, but to no surprise, the Vice President-elect took the entire episode in stride politely listening to Dixon. Having spoken with Pence on several occasions, he is nothing short of a mensch. President-elect Donald Trump was not as generous, tweeting that Pence was “harassed,” and “the cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!”

Dixon responded to Trump that “conversation is not harassment sir. And I appreciate @Mike_Pence for stopping to listen.” Pence didn’t stop to listen, he was basically a captive audience at the Richard Rodgers Theatre where people went to see and hear a Broadway performance of singing and dancing, not lecturing.

As for Dixon’s calling his lecturing a conversation and not harassment, he needs to consult his dictionary to learn that a conversation involves two or more parties freely engaging in ideas, not the monologue to which Pence was subjected sans rebuttal.

Naturally, the American Civil Liberties Union weighed in supporting Dixon. “The First Amendment is a cornerstone of America even if it makes our leaders uncomfortable.” Apparently that concept endorsed by the ACLU does not apply to liberals on the receiving end as they have been running for cover in safe spaces and cry rooms on college campuses all across the nation even calling Trump campaign signs offensive and signs of “micro-aggression.”

On campus after campus prior to Trump’s victory, liberals were in celebratory moods openly supporting their candidate, Hillary Clinton, where G-d forbid anyone should utter an opposing word. On my daughter’s campus at Denison University, during debate-watch events, she told me how uncomfortable it was to sit quietly while all the Clinton supporters either cheered their candidate of booed Trump. She felt so threatened she left the event to watch alone, and she is no wallflower. Yet, following what liberals considered inconceivable, a Trump victory, their behavior transformed from ebullient to apoplectic, as they took to berating those supporting the winning candidate.

Campus liberals, calling for no judgments, do exactly that – judge. Once again, on my daughter’s campus the day after Election Day, a student wearing a Make America Great Again hat was cornered by a group of liberals demanding an explanation as to why he voted for Trump and why he supports racism and bigotry giving him virtually no chance to speak. They were passing judgment and putting him on the defensive when he had every right to vote for the candidate of his choice sans reprisals. Hypocrisy.

Campus liberals called Trump campaign signs offensive and threatening, yet following the writing of Hillary Clinton’s political obituary, these same campus leftists paraded around with signs and banners degrading President-elect Trump, comparing him to Hitler and that he’s “not my president.” More hypocrisy.

Liberal hypocrisy running rampant is nothing new – in fact, it has become the norm and rather dependable, and not just on college campuses. Take Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers NFL team who continues to refuse to stand for the National Anthem as some moral stance, as it were, against the government. He didn’t even bother to vote on Election Day. Sheer hypocrisy.

Liberals, quite frankly, anarchists is closer to reality, protesting in places like Portland, OR denigrated what should have been a peaceful march into a chaotic riot resulting in numerous arrests. Turns out the majority of those arrested never even bothered to vote, yet they found time to protest an election result with which they did not participate. Even more hypocrisy.

Thanks to soon to be retired Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), filibusters are limited when pertaining to nominees. This “nuclear option” was established in 2013. Now that the Democrats are in the minority, they not only want to reverse their own ruling, but are making demands regarding Trump’s cabinet appointments. Soon to be Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), even before the first nominee has sat before the Senate, has threatened to fight Trump on appointments his party finds objectionable. Schumer and the rest of his Democrats need to be reminded of Barack Obama’s post-2008 election words. “Elections have consequences, and at the end of the day, I won.” Still, more hypocrisy.

At the end of the day, Senator Schumer, Donald Trump won the election, and to the victor go the spoils. But, as I noted in a previous column, “Congratulations, President-elect Trump – We’re Watching,” with great power comes great responsibility. (http://sanfordspeaksout.blogspot.com/2016/11/congratulations-president-elect-trump.html)

Believe it or not, the way to end the hypocrisy is for the liberals to emulate their party leaders – Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Both Obama and Clinton, especially Clinton the day after Election Day, called for unity around the nation and giving Trump the opportunity to lead – to lead the whole country. Clinton gave a fine concession/transition speech and her fawning sycophantic acolytes should heed its message.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer living in Westfield, IN.

Congratulations, President-Elect Trump - We're Watching

Congratulations, President-Elect Trump – We’re Watching

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

November 17, 2016

Brimming with a cadre of riches, the Republican Party has won the White House, controls both houses of Congress and more than two-thirds of governors’ mansions. But with great power undeniably comes great responsibility.

The time is now to shift from politicking to governing – to don, as it were, the big-boy pants and make the campaign promises reality – and sooner rather than later. President-Elect Donald Trump has but two years to accomplish what just about any other president would have four years to accomplish.

Trump doesn’t need to complete all projects in two years, but he must start them while he has the majorities he will undoubtedly enjoy before the midterm election of 2018, which will spring up rather than creep up on him and the GOP. Should Trump’s ambitious agenda fall flat, 2018 will be a harsh reality of payback, retribution, and lost opportunities.

And make no mistake, the media, as they have already proven, will hound Trump’s every move. The media will do their level worst to distract Trump, demean his every decision, and fault his every selection and appointment. Trump must rise above the muck and mire of the media’s overt bias and disdain to focus on what is most important – draining the swamp and making America great again, via the plan he has put before the American people.

The press has already criticized Trump for not having cabinet picks ready for Senate confirmation a mere eight days after writing the political obituary of Hillary Clinton. Yet, the past three presidents, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Barack Obama did not have cabinet announcements until mid-December at the earliest, some as late as after the first of the year. (Obama named one pick in the third week following his 2008 election.) Trump needs to construct the best team of players to fill his cabinet at his own pace, not the media’s. Once again, it behooves me to remind the media it is their job to report the news, not make the news, something they have failed to remember for decades.

Aside from the cabinet concerns, the media went fully apoplectic when they “lost” Trump who managed to slip away for dinner with his family. Then they doubled down on the criticism when they learned how expensive the Trumps’ meal cost. As long as Trump’s Secret Service detail is with him, it should be inconsequential to the media where Trump dines or the cost of the meal. It’s still his money and how he legally filters it into the local economy is his business.

Trump needs to ignore the press and focus on repealing the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare. Government needs to be less involved in Americans’ health care. Choices should be numerous and cross state lines – the greater the competition, the greater the service and care. What should be retained from the current ACA are covering pre-existing conditions and allowing children to remain on their parent’s plans until age 26. The rest of the ACA must be flushed.

Trump needs to ignore the press and focus on stimulating the economy via lowering of tax rates – both corporate and personal. More companies will remain in the United States and many who fled the US in search of lower rates overseas will return. At present, the United States has the third highest corporate tax rates in the world. With the lowering of corporate taxes and the repeal of the ACA smaller businesses will hire more people to fulltime positions as confidence in the economy will help return it to its former robust self. A reduction in personal tax rates will put more money in the pockets of the citizenry, who in turn will spend and invest more. We the people can better spend our own money than can government with its failed boondoggles.

Confidence seems to have begun to return just by the recent rise in the stock market since the election of Trump. Typically the election of a president from the party not in the White House creates a sense of uncertainty and a precipitous drop in market averages, but thus far, since November 8, the market has reached a new high.

Trump needs to ignore the press and focus on cancelling the myriad executive orders penned by Obama. Checks and balances exist for a reason – be the administration that follows the Constitution. Also, no czars or earmarks.

Trump needs to ignore the press and focus on building the wall and strengthening the southern border. Border security leads to greater confidence in a safer America. The United States is a nation of laws and that includes borders. It is not racist or bigoted to expect all people within the borders of the United States to obey the laws of the land. People who are here illegally have broken the law and should have no rights while in the country other than the right to return to their country of origin – after being fingerprinted and photographed for a data base to track illegals.

This includes a severe crackdown on sanctuary cities – those locales around the United States whose mayors have brazenly flipped the bird at the federal government by announcing they will not follow federal law. They are already, and will continue harboring illegals in their cities. The federal government must cut off all federal funding to those cities at once. The ranks of sanctuary cities includes, but is not limited to, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Jersey City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Newark, New Haven, New York, Oakland, Philadelphia, Portland (OR), Providence, Santa Fe, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC.

The 14^th Amendment to the US Constitution either needs amending itself, or reinterpreting. A person born on American soil should not be rewarded with citizenship if they are born to a mother in this country illegally. Those already in this country illegally should not be entitled to any rights – no food stamps, no welfare, no jobs, no schooling, no medical care. This may sound harsh, but the bottom line is that all of those resources are for American citizens and legal residents. While millions of veterans are suffering from poor or no medical care, substandard housing, unemployment, mental and physical trauma, millions of illegals are stealing from Americans by way of government largesse.

Trump needs to ignore the press and take care of American veterans. Veterans need to be placed at the front of the line for medical care. See the previous paragraph on the restructuring of resources.

Trump needs to ignore the press and begin fixing the inner cities by making school choice more available as well as increasing the ease at which charter schools can be created. (In reality this would best be handled at the various state levels.) He opposes Common Core; that along with teaching to the test, are starting points to lift inner cities out of the sewer and sludge of ignorance and remaining beholden to a government for generations.

Trump needs to ignore the press and focus on becoming more energy independent. Keystone XL Pipeline and others need to be constructed as well as fracking, drilling for shale, drilling offshore, as well as in ANWR. Done properly and safely, the United States can diminish its dependence on foreign nations – many of which have a strong animus toward the US, which is patently unsafe.

Trump needs to ignore the press and focus on appointing originalist jurists to the United States Supreme Court as well as to the lower courts. Trump should start by naming Texas Senator Ted Cruz to the High Court to replace the late, brilliant Antonin Scalia who passed away in February. Cruz should have no problem winning confirmation from the US Senate because, quite frankly, they can’t stand him and they can make him the problem of his future eight colleagues. (Should Cruz fail to earn confirmation he would no doubt make his fellow senator’s lives a living hell remaining in that body.)

While I am calling for the appointment of Cruz to the Supreme Court, I have other picks Trump should consider. Bear in mind, some of these picks are already moot based upon the work the transition team has already conducted. Call it my fantasy cabinet – this is what political dorks do after baseball season is over.

Department of…

State – John Bolton

Treasury – Steve Mnuchin

Defense – KT McFarland

Justice – Rudy Giuliani

Interior – Bobby Jindal

Agriculture – Mike Huckabee

Commerce – Ben Stein – yes, THAT Ben Stein

Labor – Carly Fiorina

Health & Human Services – Dr. Ben Carson (prior to declining any Trump offer)

Housing & Urban Development – Rick Perry

Transportation – Mary T. Barra

Energy – Sen. Joe Manchin or Sarah Palin

Education – Eva Moskowitz or Mitch Daniels

Veterans Affairs – Col. Allen West

Homeland Security – Sherriff David Clarke or Jim Gilmore

Okay, boys and girls, time to roll up the sleeves and get to work! We are watching!

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.