[guest post by Dana]

So when Barack Obama talked about wealth and said: “There’s only so much you can eat. There’s only so big a house you can have. There’s only so many nice trips you can take. I mean, it’s enough,” as well as “I mean, I do think at a certain point you’ve made enough money,” he was talking about all of you, not himself, right??

Barack and Michelle Obama Buying Mega-Mansion in Martha's Vineyard https://t.co/bLaNVaQsuW

— TMZ (@TMZ) August 22, 2019

The report lists the estate as having been on the market for close to $15 million, is 6,900 square feet with 29 beachfront acres, and has 7 bedrooms, a pool, an outdoor fireplace, a chef’s kitchen, 2 guest wings, and a second-floor balcony Jacuzzi. In other words, it’s got all the bells and whistles.

I don’t begrudge the Obama’s buying a beautiful home set in such a stunning location. Who wouldn’t want it? And they are certainly wealthy enough to afford a little vacation home. According to reports, the Obamas are worth 30 times more than when they entered the White House in 2008 and Barack Obama was estimated to have a net worth $40 million in 2018. The couple earned more than $20 million between 2005 and 2016 from two lucrative book deals, and the former President has made millions from speaking engagements as well. Additionally, both Michelle and Barack Obama have signed a production deal with Netflix. How much wealth is too much wealth? I dunno, but the Obama’s ever-increasing wealth tells us that they haven’t hit the ceiling yet. Anyway, the problem isn’t that they spent 8 years shaming wealthy Americans and they’re now swimming in extraordinary wealth themselves. That double-standard is just standard operating procedures for Democrats. The problem I have with it is a broader one: accruing wealth from politics. When individuals without any wealth enter politics and end up 30 times wealthier all is said and done, I have a bit of a problem with it. What do you think?

P.S. The Martha Vineyard’s home would be the second home owned by the Obamas. Still one shy of Bernie…

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

[guest post by Dana]

Heh. Because Democrats are just violent thugs at heart!

Remember when Nancy Pelosi deftly scolded Maxine Waters by pointing out the need for civility and unity after the California representative encouraged her supporters to harass Trump officials?

In the crucial months ahead, we must strive to make America beautiful again. Trump’s daily lack of civility has provoked responses that are predictable but unacceptable. As we go forward, we must conduct elections in a way that achieves unity from sea to shining sea. https://t.co/vlpqOBLK4R

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) June 25, 2018

Well, apparently Pelosi’s sanctimonious claptrap had a short shelf life because here is Rumble Doll Pelosi at a DNC meeting today, telling members that they had better be ready to take a punch, and be ready to throw a punch in this election cycle. For the children, of course:

At DNC summer meeting, Speaker Nancy Pelosi predicts 2020 will be a "tough election."

"You have to be ready to take a punch," she says. "And therefore you have to be ready to throw a punch—for the children." https://t.co/JsAo4rT8TM pic.twitter.com/kFlfDBNIsq

— ABC News (@ABC) August 23, 2019

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

[guest post by Dana]

[Ed. Pressed for time, just going to throw this blurb up…]

President Trump is on a wild bender today. After beginning his day by nastily questioning whether Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell a bigger enemy than President Xi of China, the President turned his focus on American companies and ordered them to find an alternative to China after Bejing slapped retaliatory tariffs on $75 billion of U.S. goods:

Our Country has lost, stupidly, Trillions of Dollars with China over many years. They have stolen our Intellectual Property at a rate of Hundreds of Billions of Dollars a year, & they want to continue. I won’t let that happen! We don’t need China and, frankly, would be far better off without them. The vast amounts of money made and stolen by China from the United States, year after year, for decades, will and must STOP. Our great American companies are hereby ordered to immediately start looking for an alternative to China, including bringing your companies HOME and making your products in the USA. I will be responding to China’s Tariffs this afternoon. This is a GREAT opportunity for the United States. Also, I am ordering all carriers, including Fed Ex, Amazon, UPS and the Post Office, to SEARCH FOR & REFUSE, all deliveries of Fentanyl from China (or anywhere else!). Fentanyl kills 100,000 Americans a year. President Xi said this would stop – it didn’t. Our Economy, because of our gains in the last 2 1/2 years, is MUCH larger than that of China. We will keep it that way!

This brings up the question whether Trump has the legal authority to impact U.S. companies in this way:

Mr. Trump did not say what steps his administration might take to deter companies from operating in China, and it is unclear what legal authority he has to do so. In theory, however, he could impose import and export restrictions that make commerce more difficult.

Also, the market has been impacted by the ongoing tit-for-tat strikes in the trade war:

Investors, jittery over the trade war’s impact on the global economy, sent U.S. markets sharply lower after Mr. Trump’s tweets. The Dow dropped more than 500 645 points, or 1.9%, to 25,742, while the broader S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq each fell more than 2%.

Trump appears to be unconcerned about the market drop. To the contrary:

Am I right that Trump sparked a market tanking, and now is making a stupid joke about it? Why would he do that? https://t.co/a9pjwCmC1i

— Tim Carney (@TPCarney) August 23, 2019

There’s just no telling what the Chosen One will do next…

UPDATE: So here is what the Chosen One decided to go with:

….Sadly, past Administrations have allowed China to get so far ahead of Fair and Balanced Trade that it has become a great burden to the American Taxpayer. As President, I can no longer allow this to happen! In the spirit of achieving Fair Trade, we must Balance this very….
…unfair Trading Relationship. China should not have put new Tariffs on 75 BILLION DOLLARS of United States product (politically motivated!). Starting on October 1st, the 250 BILLION DOLLARS of goods and products from China, currently being taxed at 25%, will be taxed at 30%…

…Additionally, the remaining 300 BILLION DOLLARS of goods and products from China, that was being taxed from September 1st at 10%, will now be taxed at 15%. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana