One Of Those Daze

Yes, this is one of those days (Thursday, at the time of this writing) when a LOT is going to be newsworthy on Friday...but none of it has actually happened yet. Which makes it pretty difficult to write anything like cogent commentary, even when we're cold sober.

On Thursday night, Barack Obama was scheduled to do a town hall meeting on race relations and policing in America, and there's no way he could say anything in the least bit helpful. Seriously, do we need to hear him again claim (as he did at the memorial service for five murdered officers in Dallas) that it's easier for inner city black kids to get glocks than books?!  Now, if he'd said "thanks to the dead end inner city educational system institutionalized by Democrats and teachers unions, it's easier for black kids to understand glocks than books," he might have had a valid point.

But no, we expect him to simply harangue white people again, leaning especially hard on an invisible "implicit racism" which is the Left's only explanation for why things have gotten so much worse for black Americans after 8 years of a black president.




Taking another look in the "hasn't quite happened yet" news category, we're on the very cusp of the Republican convention - which we're betting will be anything other than "conventional" this time around - especially after Barry puts his stamp of approval on (ahem) "peaceful" demonstrations at his racial town hall meeting. And even now, we expect that George Soros is bussing in a small army of protesters, agitators, arsonists, ne'er do wells, scofflaws, rock flingers, socialists, and sociopaths along with truckloads of professionally union-printed signs to make it appear that there are many independent groups rioting instead of just one huge, very well-funded group.

Also in the news on Friday will be exhaustive (and exhausting) discussion of Donald Trump's selection of running mate, currently expected to be Indiana Governor Mike Pence.  This isn't exactly a shock, owing to the fact that pretty much all of the other VP finalists had at one time or another called Trump an idiot, faker, or racist on video - which would make for pretty easy and damning campaign ads for Hillary. Not that she's exactly hurting for material as it is.

Frankly, we would have liked to see Trump name Ruth Bader Ginsburg as his surprise running mate simply because the shock might have been more than her withered old heart could stand. One can always dream.

But because we've been reduced to largely speculative commentary today, we'd like to leave you with at least a little something more tangible. Specifically, a repeat of last year's recipe for the official Hope n' Change Summer Cooler:


Seriously, these are good. And all things considered, probably necessary.

ADDENDUM: BASTILLE DAY TERROR

Long after the page above was finished, we started getting news about the horrible carnage in Nice, France where scores of innocents have been killed in the streets.  At the time of this writing, not many specifics are known and the body count is rising.

Today's commentary was deliberately intended to be lighthearted and funny after a really rough run of recent domestic news. Which forced us to make a choice: scrub the commentary because of the seriousness of the attack, or leave it up because we desperately need a few chuckles?

Eventually, we chose the latter...but it was a coin flip. With the deepest of sympathy and sincerity our hearts go out to the many victims and grieving families in France.

Endorse You Rode In On

Tis the season for endorsements, as Bernie Sanders proved yesterday when he finally gave his presidential endorsement to Goldman Sach's pin-up girl and multi-millionaire Hillary Clinton, saying that she would carry on his fight against big banks and income inequality. Bernie's supporters are, of course, confused - more so even than usual - since Hillary represents everything Bernie claimed to despise before he recently received an anonymous note pointing out that his withered old windpipe probably couldn't support a set of barbells very long.

Meanwhile, Barack Obama traveled to Dallas, Texas to speak at the memorial service for the fallen police officers who were murdered by an angry black man who believed - for some inexplicable reason entirely unrelated to 8 years of the president's racially inflammatory rhetoric - that white police officers have "acted stupidly," that "a deep distrust exists between law enforcement and communities of color (who) aren't just making these problems up," and that "power concedes nothing without a fight" of the sort seen in the Ferguson and Baltimore riots.

In any event, Mr. Obama used the occasion of the memorial service to morally equate the deaths of five Dallas officers with those of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile (and throw in charges of institutional racism for good measure) - even though the facts aren't in on those latter deaths. Through direct implication the president was actually siding with the monster who assassinated the police in Dallas.

On his return to Washington on Wednesday, the president will be convening a summit of sorts at the White House today in which (ahem) civil rights leaders and police representatives will discuss the institutional racism of robots, and how they can be stopped from blowing up young black men with promising futures.

Hillary Clinton has also endorsed Black Votes Matter - oops - Black Lives Matter, by declaring that she's going to be talking to (gasp) white people about how they need to do a better job of listening to the concerns of our nation's oppressed, even if it requires learning ebonics. Granted, Hillary herself may not be listening closely enough either...



Which brings Hope n' Change to the important matter of making our coveted endorsement of "Old Crofter" scotch and citing its critical role in helping us survive the daily news.

While not a "top shelf" brand (it's perhaps more of a "prop the basement door open with that bottle" brand), it's actually more drinkable - and only slightly more expensive - than our previous rotgut "Clan MacGregor" (slogan: "It's kilt better men than you")

Mind you, we have the kind of sophisticated, highly-trained palate that can fully appreciate the subtle nuances and characteristics of a really fine, lovingly-aged scotch. Which is how we can tell that "Old Crofter" isn't one by a longshot. Still, it's affordable in these tough economic times and, unlike anyone in Washington, actually does the job.

AND FROM THE VAULT...

 

No kid in America could tell you what this story is anymore.

SIRENS SONG

The cartoon above isn't so much targeted at readers of Hope n' Change (a singularly well-informed, logical, and compassionate group of people) so much as an expression of our sense that the American people are being very actively manipulated into division and confrontation by those who actually hate our nation, desire power, or simply want ratings or celebrity - even purchased with the blood of innocents.

Sadly, it's become a sick tradition that as a presidential election nears, myriad forces try to kindle hatred and fear in the voting population - no matter what the damage to our national morale. It's a special kind of treason and a despicable betrayal of the public trust.

Hope n' Change isn't suggesting that anyone should tune out either real problems or sincere discussions about possible solutions. We can't - and must never - turn our backs on tragedies or social injustice.

But there is an appalling and perhaps unprecedented amount of ugly political manipulation assaulting our senses right now, and to be entirely truthful it scares us.

We wish we had great insights and wisdom to share, but we don't. Rather, we present a handful of common sense suggestions:

• Don't believe that things are as bad as we're being told.
• Don't ever forget to factor in the political goals of those who are giving us bad news.
• Don't help spread half-truths or "adding fuel to the fire" speculations via social media.
• Let's continue to believe in the overwhelming goodness and decency of our fellow Americans even as we decry the loss of those virtues in our media and political leadership.

ADDITIONAL: DONATE TO THE FAMILIES

If you want to make a donation to the families of the police officers killed in Dallas, we're recommending Glenn Beck's Mercury One Fund for Fallen Police Officers. They promise to distribute 100% of every donation directly to the families affected.