Zika Outbreak Caused by Genetically Modified Mosquitoes?

The Zika virus is spreading explosively. Zerohedge wonders if that isn’t due to genetically engineered mosquitoes. Oops.

Halting immigration would help thwart some diseases, but I don’t expect the mosquitoes to cross borders through a customs area.

Zika is feared to cause Guillain–Barré syndrome in adults and microcephaly in newborns. Hopefully, both fears prove false. A concern is that vaccines for expecting mothers will be difficult to develop (risk of vaccine causing damage to fetus; need for trials on pregnant women nevertheless).

Zika is obtained by humans from mosquitoes, not from infected humans.

JPost’s Israeli View of America’s Presidential Candidates

JPost has an odd compendium of Israel-related commentary on each candidate.

Trump’s intern including bizarre WWII art in a tweet is included as “bad”, as well as Trump’s retweet of someone warning against white genocide. I’m curious why Jews who fear Jewish genocide also fear white Gentiles who fear their own genocide… Isn’t genocide generally a bad thing?

What’s also interesting is how Bernie might be anti-Israel, despite his being Jewish.

To be honest, while I dislike the Likud strategy of creating chaos in the ME, I hadn’t otherwise considered Israel in this election. It’s interesting though how Cruz, Rubio, and Jeb are devoted to Israel.

I don’t myself mind Greater Israel. I simply would want those Muslims and Christians who are removed from their homes by Israel to be humanely resettled elsewhere – but not to Europe. This would not be so difficult as it sounds, because citizenship can be purchased. Resettlement would be cheaper than unending war.

I myself very much want an end to the ME wars however. Perhaps I’m being naive, but I refuse to believe perpetual war between Israel and Muslims is inevitable.

If we ask why the US and Europe must take in so many refugees, why the US is perpetually at war, the answer is always Israel. Oil is partly responsible, but we wouldn’t have gone into Iraq if not for Israel. The Saudis might even come to accept Iran as the dominant regional power if not goaded.

So, I say give the green light to Israel to resettle whom they will and end this mess once and for all. Allow the Iraqis to split into 3 states, allow Kurdistan to break from Turkey, allow Christians to return to some part of the ME, and have all parties get along.

When we look at the many causes of America’s destruction, tiny Israel is always one of the primary factors for our expensive wars and refugee acceptance.

The way this all ends seems to be the US and Europe collapse, Israel expands in the vacuum, Asia then meddles in Israeli affairs, Israel falls to Islam. And everything that was European is then diminished and declining. Surely there’s a way to prevent such an outcome.

Two Articles: Raimondo and Buchanan on Trumpism

Nationalism and Its Discontents: The Meaning of Trump by Raimondo

The meaning of Trumpism is that Americans want to rid themselves of the burden of empire: Wright is right about that. Trump’s rise augurs a seismic shift in the foreign policy debate in this country, marking the end of the interventionist consensus that dominates both parties. And it certainly means the final defeat and humiliation of the neoconservatives, who are busy spewing vitriol at him and his “plebeian” supporters. And that alone is worth whatever price we have to pay for the triumph of Trump. For the neocons are the very core of the War Party: their demise as a politically effective force inside the GOP is an event that every person who wants a more peaceful world has been longing for and should celebrate.

Raimondo mentions Kristol wanting a new third party. Hilarious.

Pat Buchanan Says Donald Trump is the Future of the Republican Party By Chris Cillizza at The Washington Post

In both parties, people are coming to recognize that the interests of transnational corporations collide and conflict with U.S. national interest and the interests of working Americans. What is good for General Motors is not good for America if General Motors is moving production out of the United States.

…

Americans did not want to get involved in Georgia, Crimea or Ukraine. They do not want to send an army back to Iraq or into Syria. And Trump, in his emphasis on building up America, and letting these folks solve their problems, is in line with national thinking. The hour of the liberal interventionists like Hillary Clinton in Libya, like the neocons’ hour of power in the GOP, is over.

…

The party base does not forgive or forget desertions under fire.

How closely should Ayotte campaign with Trump? She should wait until after the nomination to decide, if Trump were nominated. But if she has national ambitions, Ayotte will endorse the nominee.

Chris Matthews: National Review Dislikes Trump’s Foreign Policy

From RealClearPolitics:

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Rich Lowry supported the Iraq War. Kristol, he did too. These guys are all war hawks.

That’s why they don’t like Trump, because he’s the only guy on the right wing who said it was a stupid war, we never should have fought it, and those peoples’ hearts and souls was with that kind of war.

They want to go from Iraq, they want to go to Libya, which they’ve already done, and what’s next?

Syria they want to go next. Regime change is in their bloodstream, and Trump is saying it is stupid for us to play that role. Isn’t that what unites these people? Podhoertez, Kristol, Erickson? All these guys are hawks. And Donald Trump says no.

Rather than “Neocons”, the latest label seems to be “Americans for WWIII”. And let it be known, “Neocons” created their own label of “Neocon”… But since that’s now offensive, “Americans for WWIII” should replace it.

National Black Republican Association Endorses Donald J. Trump

National Black Republican Association Endorses Donald J. Trump

We urge our fellow black Americans to seize control over their own destiny and leverage their vote the way other groups do. It is way past time black Americans stop having their vote taken for granted by Democrats, hold politicians accountable for the content of their policies and not vote merely based on the label of their party.

Powerful stuff!!

Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson Endorses Trump

​Trump endorsed by Willie Robertson

Quote:

Willie Robertson added, “Mr. Trump is a real leader. He represents success and strength, two attributes our country needs. Like me, he is a successful businessman and family man and I endorse his candidacy for President of the United States.”

Only Trump Could Save Flint, Michigan

The children of Flint, Michigan, are suffering from lead poisoning. Americans are furious. Democrats are wanting to use the race card to declare this a case of racism.

However, while the white Republican governor should fix this problem, it is Trump who could fix the underlying cause: Poverty.

Flint, Michigan, was once known as “Vehicle City”. It is today impoverished by the free trade policies of Clinton, and soon perhaps Obama, that send US jobs to Asia, Mexico, and Canada.

Freed from poverty, there would be more money to clean the water supply.

In the near term, the water source should be switched; but longer term, only Trump can save Flint, Michigan. Democrats talking about racism are opportunists seeking to exploit this incident for their own gain.

Update: Democrats to blame for Flint, Michigan.

Donald Trump: Unpatriotic Conservative?

In 2003, David Frum famously condemned real conservatives and libertarians as “unpatriotic” for their failure to support the Iraq War. Today, we know the war has turned out just as the true conservatives warned: Iran has gained influence, and chaos (ISIS) has risen in the absence of strongman Saddam. You could have read such prediction at most any conservative and libertarian publication: antiwar.com, Chronicles, LewRockwell, among others.

Now in 2016, Donald Trump is condemned by a group from National Review who insist on being called Cuckservatives rather than Neoconservatives (a name they themselves created; Irvin Kristol has a book on the movement). They falsely claim to uphold the Goldwater, Reagan tradition; but the only tradition they seem to desire is invade-the-world; invite-the-world.

National Review likely has a lower readership than this blog. The only time I’ve ever in my life read a recent article from their website is in response to some new outrage of theirs.

This is the Age of the Internet; National Review no longer wields power and should be mocked and ignored. With luck, maybe Jeff Bezos will buy and support them.

Sarah Palin Endorses Donald Trump

Some of us in the paleosphere recognized a paleo/populist streak in Palin before becoming the VP nominee for McCain neutered her. She endorsed Pat Buchanan in ’96. I suspect this Trump endorsement is a return to her roots.

Falwell Jr. All But Endorses Trump

Trump calls for Christians to unite, promises to protect Christianity, recommends home schooling, praises 2nd Amendment. And that is amazing.

But the best part is Falwell’s introductory speech which deserves some type of award.

Trump also brings up the insane US debt, shocking trade deficit, decaying infrastructure, dominance of Super PACs, and wasteful foreign policy. And he promises to “bring back Merry Christmas”. I can’t imagine any election video topping this video.

The primary quibble is Trump promises to replace (not merely repeal) Obamacare (near the end). I fear that would be expensive, but maybe it’s too popular to stop. Healthcare costs could be lowered in other ways instead, but one can’t have everything.