The Blob Wants You To Know That U.S. Border Security Is Contingent On Ukrainian Border Security

Editor's Note: The term Blob is borrowed from the esteemed James Howard Kunstler.

By Senator Mike Lee

Earlier today, a reporter standing outside the Senate chamber told me that, after four months of secrecy, The Firm™️ plans to release the text of the $106 billion supplemental aid / border-security package—possibly as soon as tomorrow.

Wasting no time, she then asked, “if you get the bill by tomorrow, will you be ready to vote on it by Tuesday?”

The words “hell no” escaped my mouth before I could stop them. Those are strong words where I come from. (Sorry, Mom).

The reporter immediately understood that my frustration was not directed at her.

Rather, it was directed at the Law Firm of Schumer & McConnell (“The Firm™️”), which is perpetually trying to normalize a corrupt approach to legislating—in which The Firm™️

(1) spends months drafting legislation in complete secrecy,

(2) aggressively markets that legislation based not on its details and practical implications (good and bad), but only on its broadest, least-controversial objectives,

(3) lets members see bill text for the first time only a few days (sometimes a few hours) before an arbitrary deadline imposed by The Firm™️ itself, always with a contrived sense of urgency, and then

(4) forces a vote on the legislation on or before that deadline, denying senators any real opportunity to read, digest, and debate the measure on its merits, much less introduce, consider, and vote on amendments to fix any perceived problems with the bill or otherwise improve it.

Whenever The Firm™️ engages in this practice, it largely excludes nearly every senator from the constitutionally prescribed process in which all senators are supposed to participate.

HUD'S DIABOLICAL NEW REGULATION: "Fair housing" will turn every city into the south side of Chicago

By Sen. Mike Lee. This article was originally published at NetRightDaily.com and is adapted from Senate floor remarks on May 18, 2016.

Mr. President, in a piece of legislation of this size, there is always much to praise — and, unfortunately, even more to criticize.

I rise today, specifically, to correct one major mistake in this bill. As currently written, it permits the Department of Housing and Urban Development to proceed in the implementation of its radical new regulation, the insultingly misnamed “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule,” or AFFH.

The original intent of the Fair Housing Act was to protect the God-given right of individuals and families — no matter their skin color or ethnicity — to buy and rent homes where they please.

Proponents of AFFH, including President Obama, claim that it fulfills the original purpose and promise of the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

But the truth is, HUD’s new housing rule isn’t the fulfillment — but a betrayal — of the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

All That’s Wrong With Washington in One Picture

By Against Crony Capitalism

I’ve gotten some criticism over the last couple of days for not being hard enough on the Republicans. Trust me: the crony Republicans are full on targets for sure. Long time readers know this. Saying that, here’s a good one from one of the generally good guys in Washington, who happens to be a Republican.

Just finished printing the highway bill. Received at 3:06 pm. 1,030 pages long. 1st vote on it at 4:00 pm. pic.twitter.com/sVUMSLV0XS

— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) July 21, 2015

On the other hand it could be worse.

With his "Executive Order on Amnesty", Obama throws Americans workers under the bus

By Sen. Jeff Sessions

The U.S. Department of Commerce informs us that “today’s typical 18- to 34-year-old earns about $2,000 less per year (adjusted for inflation) than their counterpart in 1980.” That is a sharp and painful wage decline for young Americans. What has happened in the labor market since 1980?

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau offers this insight: “From 1930 to 1950, the foreign-born population of the United States declined from 14.2 million to 10.3 million. . . . [but s]ince 1970, the foreign-born population of the United States has increased rapidly due to large-scale immigration.”

Census Bureau statistics report that in 1980, the foreign-born population stood at 14.1 million.

From 1980 through 2013, the immigrant population tripled from 14 million to more than 41 million.

This large increase in the size of the immigrant population is the direct product of policies in Washington.

Legal immigration during the ’80s averaged around 600,000 a year. But since 1990 through today it has averaged about 1 million annually — meaning the annual rate almost doubled. The sustained large-scale flow of legal immigration, overwhelmingly lower-wage and lower-skilled, has placed substantial downward pressure on wages.

We have, right now, a very slack labor market, with more jobseekers than jobs.

The White House has itself estimated that are three unemployed persons for each one job opening. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that, in the construction industry, there as seven unemployed persons for each available job opening.

This large-scale immigration flow, paired with the forces of globalization and automation, has made it ever more difficult for American workers to earn a wage that can support a family.

Consider this report just published in the New York Times:

Déjà vu: Corrupt, Senile GOP Leaders Viciously Attack Party's Statesmen, But Not a Rogue President

By Josh Withrow

The "CRomnibus" government funding bill passed handily last weekend, but not before Senators Lee and Cruz had their say. In a controversial move, the two senators managed to put their colleagues on record voting for or against funding President Obama's latest unconstitutional executive power grab. Many Republican senators, however, protest too much, claiming that Lee and Cruz may have allowed the Democrats to pass a number of executive nominees because of their insistence upon making their point.

As the story goes, Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had promised to adjourn the Senate after passing the CRomnibus and a couple of other bills, leaving these controversial nominees on the table. The Republicans lambasting Senators Lee and Cruz are making the argument that Reid was absolutely, totally going to keep his word and not advance these controversial nominees. As Senator Lee has pointed out this was not only unlikely, but it would be “political malpractice” for a departing Democrat majority leader to fail to cram through every one of his president’s nominees as possible. In Lee's words, "if you think… that [Reid] was going to leave town without confirming everybody that he wanted to confirm in the post-nuclear Senate, they’re crazy."

Even the same day that Lee and Cruz put forth their point of order, Reid and the Democrats were reportedly searching for ways to get their nominees through before the end of the session. Were Lee and Cruz really supposed to let Reid’s non-binding promises stop them from exercising their ability to get the Senate on the record against executive overreach?

The point that dissenting Republicans are covering up is that their party alone could and should have held up the bloated spending bill on account of its many flaws, but they chose not to. But apparently, they were more concerned with getting home for the holidays without controversy, since 77 Senators, including 28 Republicans, voted to let the bloated Cromnibus through without a contest.

In the end, the real story is that a few principled senators exercised their ability to force their colleagues to go on the record supporting a massive presidential breach of Constitutional authority. The fact that their fellow Republicans are upset about this speaks volumes.

Read more at FreedomWorks

SEN. MIKE LEE: The CRomnibus Was The Perfect Bill

By Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)

On Saturday night the Senate held a vote on a $1.1 trillion dollar spending bill that many referred to as the CRomnibus. I voted against this bill because I oppose the cynical substance of the legislation. I also could not support the un-republican and undemocratic process by which a small collection of political and economic insiders crafted it, to benefit each other at everyone else’s expense. I also oppose the signal this bill sends to political insiders on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue; the signal it sends to special interest cronies on Wall Street and K Street; and the signal it sends to working families struggling on Main Streets across this country who have been waiting for a decade for someone in this city to start putting them first. Above all, this bill failed to exercise Congress’ power of the purse to prevent the president’s lawless executive amnesty.

Since this bill was taken up in the House of Representatives, supporters of the CRomnibus have couched their support in the language of compromise. “This isn’t a perfect bill,” they say.

However, I believe it is perfect. As a representation of everything wrong with Washington, D.C, and as an example of exactly the kind of unfair, unrepresentative legislating that triggered successive electoral waves of bipartisan condemnation in 2006, 2008, 2010, and again in 2014 – the CRomnibus is perfect.

More and more today in America, the people who work hard, play by the rules, and live within their means are being forced to subsidize political and economic elites who don’t.

The miserable process we have witnessed last week represents the last gasping throes of a discredited Washington status quo. Ten years ago, this bill would not have been controversial. Five years ago, an easy majority would have been purchased with earmarks. This week, with the full weight of both party’s leaderships, it barely made it over the finish line.

Change comes slowly, as we know. And it comes slowest to those institutions that make the rules.

But change is coming. The era of passing 1600-page bills, written in secret, via a process that includes lobbyists but excludes the American people is coming to an end. The era of big government rigging the rules for big business and big special interests while leaving everyone else behind is coming to an end.

NO, REALLY, I'M SERIOUS: RNC Braintrust Actually Believes Jeb Bush is a Viable Presidential Candidate

What, Jon Huntsman wasn't available?

I know for a fact that the RNC is prepping the Jebster for a run because I happened to be at a corporate event a while back and The Smart Bush® made an appearance. Trailing him into the room at a discrete distance was ReiNCe Priebus, ostensible chair of the RNC.

I say "ostensible" because we all know that the RNC is actually run by Tom Donahue, president of the Chamber of Commerce. And Donahue, more than anything else, seeks cheap immigrant labor--the American economy, the American citizenry, and the Constitutional system be damned.

Which explains Jeb Bush's borderline-insane pleas for open borders, Amnesty, and the inevitable voting rights and citizenship for tens of millions of illegal aliens.

In contrast, Kurt Schlichter highlights the weakness of the Democrat's 2016 candidates, headlined by the ludicrously unqualified Hillary Clinton, who -- at best -- represents a third term for Valerie Jarrett Barack Obama.

GRIM, UNPATRIOTIC MILESTONE: National Debt Hits $18 Trillion

Remember when then-Senator Obama said that adding $4 trillion to the national debt was "irresponsible" and "unpatriotic"?

Good times, good times.

That was when the national debt was $9.5 trillion.

It recently hit $18 trillion.

According to CBS News, Obama has presided over "the largest increase" in the national debt "to date under any U.S. president."

The U.S. Department of the Treasury reports that the debt under President Obama has grown nearly $7.5 trillion -- and counting.

In 2012, the then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, characterized the debt as "single biggest threat to America's national security."

Here’s How Conservatives Aim to Stop Obama’s Action on Illegal Immigrants

By Josh Siegel

Aides to conservative members of the U.S. Senate say their bosses are rallying around a strategy to prevent President Obama from taking executive action to move illegal immigrants toward citizenship: Use government funding bills to withhold the money the president needs to implement his plan.

At the same time, some of the Senate’s most conservative members are worried that party leadership could try to strike a deal with Democrats in the lame duck session on a longer-term spending agreement that could limit lawmakers’ ability to defund whatever Obama decides to do.

In a series of interviews with The Daily Signal, conservative Senate staffers said their lawmakers firmly oppose Obama’s acting on his own to allow millions of illegal immigrants to stay in the country. However, they are open to supporting a piecemeal approach on immigration policy that would emphasize border security first.

The results of this week’s election — where Republicans took control of the Senate and picked up seats in the House with a platform opposed to unilateral immigration action by the president — only emboldened their will to fight it, the Senate staffers said.

“We know this issue motivates voters,” one aide said:

This election is validation for that. Voters don’t support amnesty and expanding DACA. It’s one of the only issues that is at the cross section of the economy and national security. We should not run from it. We should embrace it.

DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is the Obama administration program delaying deportation of illegal immigrants who were brought to America as children.

A GOP Majority in the Senate Ain't Enough for Mike Lee...

By Philip Wegmann

HILLSDALE, Mich.—Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn introduced him as “the best statesman I’ve ever known.” But on Tuesday night, Sen. Mike Lee seemed less politician and more political philosophy professor as he diagramed the underpinnings of his conservative reform agenda.

While Lee predicted that Republicans will “win at least seven or eight” new seats to gain a majority in the Senate, he underscored the importance of articulating an enduring conservative message.

“Exposing the emptiness and ugliness of the progressive vision won’t be enough to advance our cause,” the Utah Republican told students. Instead, “we need to demonstrate in word and deed the virtues and the humanity of our vision.”

After the event, The Daily Signal spoke with Lee about President Obama’s handling of the Ebola virus that is plaguing three West African countries and alarming Americans in recent weeks.

Lee described Obama’s presidency as “reckless,” with the Ebola outbreak representing another example of a haphazard administration.

One issue that continues to plague both parties: Obama’s unconfirmed nominee for surgeon general, Vivek Murthy. The Senate has not acted on the nominee since his selection on Nov. 14, 2013.

Liberals have placed blame on Republican “obstructionism,” but Lee said the delay is indicative of systemic Democrat irresponsibility. Pointing to numerous bills “that have passed the House of Representative but haven’t seen the light of day,” Lee argues that “under current Democrat leadership in the Senate, we’ve had nothing but obstruction.”

GOOD NEWS: Mexican Embassy Says That Mexicans "Illegally" Invading U.S. "Are Not Committing a Crime"

I guess they have a point, considering the fact that the President ignores the very immigration laws he swore to uphold.

Furthermore, with the likes of Obama, the Democrat Party, the unions, Jeb Bush, the RINO establishment, the Chamber of Crony Capitalism, vintage media, and the rest of the DC Ruling Class all agitating for open borders, I got to thinking.

Who in Washington stands with the American citizen?

That's a rhetorical question. No one but a few Constitutional conservatives like Ted Cruz and Mike Lee appear to be on our side. America's side.

MRCTV talks to protesters calling for the release of U.S. Marine Andrew Tahmooressi outside the Mexican Embassy - where a spokesperson for the Mexican Embassy tells them illegal border crossing is "not committing a crime."

"When a Mexican, or any other citizen, crosses a border, let's say illegally, they are not committing a crime. They are doing it illegally, but they are not committing a crime. No, they are not. Check your law," Public Affairs Minister Ariel Moutsatos-Morales says.

Well, I guess we can close the file on that particular issue.


Hat tip: BadBlue News

MARK LEVIN TRANSCRIPT: Here's What I'm gonna do, Mitt Romney and Orrin Hatch, if you go after Mike Lee

Transcript of Mark Levin, 6/10/2014


You know what I've heard? On good authority, that Mitt Romney and Orrin Hatch want one of Mitt Romney's sons to go after Mike Lee in the Republican fight -- should there be one -- because they want to get rid of Mike Lee.

Who are the purists, exactly?

Who are the "Big Tent" guys, exactly?

Now let me tell you what I'm gonna do if these fools pull that. Listen to me, Orrin, I'm talkin' to you.

I'm going to go into your state and expose you. For your lies on this show.

I'm going to go into Utah, Mitt Romney, and expose you for the incompetent campaign you ran. The fact of the matter is, Mitt, while you play Mr. Nice Guy, you were behind the scenes trashing Republicans all the way to your "victory".

Let me tell you something, Mitt: You cost us. You cost us four years of Obama with your feckless campaign. Attacking one Republican after another in the primary... and it's like you surrendered in the general election. You're no Mr. Nice Guy... and, I know, the Republicans listening to me... folks, behind the scenes, this guy is trying to crush the conservative movement.

This "severe conservative"... he's going around the country endorsing every single establishment Republican he can against citizen candidates. It's time to wake up!

But if they... and you know I barely travel for anything... but if they.. I will go into Utah myself --and bring everyone I can find -- we will expose these people -- and let's have it out!


Visit MarkLevinShow.com to download free podcasts every weeknight.

REMINDER FOR THE NEXT ELECTION: The Media Lies, Flashback to 1980 Edition

As we begin to consider possible presidential candidates for 2016, it's worth using the Internet Wayback Machine to venture back to 1980. Then, a truly conservative GOP candidate had battled the establishment to secure the nomination. The media immediately began to tar that candidate as unelectable, stupid, a know-nothing Hollywood actor, too conservative, too extreme, too prone to starting a war.

So let's venture back to March 23, 1980, where New York Times columnist E.J. Dionne demonstrated his uncanny ability to get every single aspect of the story wrong. It's a knack he continues to exercise even today.

The reason I bring this up: imagine that a truly popular conservative candidate like Ted Cruz, Mike Lee or Rand Paul is able to secure the GOP nomination.

Expect the same kind of ridiculous lies and predictions coming from the establishment, be it The New York Times or NBC News.

Record High Percentage of Americans Believe Big Government is the Country's Greatest Threat

The latest Gallup survey reports answers to a question it has been asking since the sixties: which is the biggest threat in the future -- big government, big business, or big labor? A record percentage of Americans, including a majority of every political stripe, fear big government most.

Seventy-two percent of Americans say big government is a greater threat to the U.S. in the future than is big business or big labor, a record high in the nearly 50-year history of this question. The prior high for big government was 65% in 1999 and 2000. Big government has always topped big business and big labor, including in the initial asking in 1965, but just 35% named it at that time...

...This pattern is largely driven by Republicans, who generally are more likely to be concerned about the size and power of government, and this concern is amplified when a Democrat is president. Democrats are more likely to see government as a threat when a Republican is in office; however, they tend to see government as less threatening than Republicans do, and their concern about big government topped out at 62% in 2005 under Bush...

...Americans have consistently viewed big government as a greater threat to the United States than either big business or big labor, but never more than they do now. That may be partly a reaction to an administration that favors the use of government to solve problems. Also, the revelation of widespread government monitoring of U.S. Internet activity may be a factor in raising Americans' concern about the government...

If we had a competent, eloquent and principled Republican leadership (i.e., not Johnny Boehner, Eric Cantor and Karl Rove, who appear to represent the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and not American citizens), this kind of information would offer a blueprint for unrivaled success.

The message of constraining government while empowering the individual was that of Ronald Reagan who swept to two massive landslides.

The free market, individual liberty and opportunity for all are concepts that transcend racial, ethnic or religious segmentation: they appeal to all Americans.

We need Republicans who can enunciate those concepts in clear and compelling terms. We need conservative leadership in the Republican Party. We need principled men and women who believe in the sovereignty of the individual.

That is the blueprint for winning elections. And the data proves it.


Hat tip: Mark Levin.

And now, a Special Message for Karl Rove from the Hobbit, Whacko-bird, and Visigoth Brigades

Dear Karl:

Say, @KarlRove, when you're next on TV, use the whiteboard to show us how much money you wasted in 2012 for a 1% victory rate on RINO mush

— Doug Ross (@directorblue) August 2, 2013

Hey, @KarlRove: please explain Rubio losing to Biden 60-28 among _Hispanics_! Or is just money over country for you? http://t.co/R5HNOIysKY

— Doug Ross (@directorblue) July 2, 2013

Say, @KarlRove - next time you're on @FoxNews please show us on your whiteboard how the @GOP wins without the conservative base. Schmuck.

— Doug Ross (@directorblue) August 1, 2013

Friends, I'd ask you to ignore the failed "architect" and support Constitutional Conservatives like Ted Cruz and Mike Lee: Sign their petition and tell your friends: Don't Fund It!.