My Guess? The SPLC Is Sheltering Assets Overseas

So why does the SPLC have so much of its endowment in offshore accounts, unlike other major charities? My two cents - the people who used civil suits to bankrupt the KKK (giving lawfare a good name!) don't want to be on the receiving end of that treatment as their "hate lists" become increasingly politicized, ludicrous and dangerous. [Yes, lawsuits like this.]

Or maybe they're not worried about, for example, the Family Research Council, which was targeted by a shooter after appearing on an SPLC hate map. Maybe they just want protection from donors who might wonder where all their money is going.

As to whether offshore trust arrangements can accomplish that, my quick reading is that offshore investments can slow or stop a typical creditor or debt collector. But a highly motivated, well-bankrolled one? Over to the lawyers.

LEST YOU NOT READ ON: At the "become increasingly politicized" link to Politico we get several passages describing the arc of the SPLC. The early one (paragraphs five to seven) includes this:

In October, the SPLC faced explosive blowback when it included British Muslim activist Maajid Nawaz on a list of “anti-Muslim extremists.” The targeting of Nawaz—a former Islamist turned anti-extremism campaigner who is considered a human rights leader by many in the mainstream—even sparked critical coverage in the Atlantic, creating the unusual spectacle of a publication founded by abolitionists going after a group founded to fight the KKK. In December, after the SPLC urged Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer not to attend a dinner hosted by anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist Frank Gaffney, Dermer used his speech at the dinner to condemn the SPLC as “defamers and blacklisters.” In February, the group again raised eyebrows by adding to its list of hate groups the hard-line Center for Immigration Studies—an anti-immigration think tank criticized for pushing bogus claims about the dangers of immigrants, but which has also been invited to testify before Congress more than 100 times.

Politico is bonding with their liberal readership there, since who can hate a Muslim and how can a Muslim be a hater? The SPLC offenses remembered by conservatives are buried much later:

The complaints have trailed the SPLC as the group has expanded beyond its crusade against racial discrimination in the South, increasingly taking up the left flank of the culture wars on issues like LGBT rights, church-state division, Islam and immigration. The new approach has prompted accusations of overreach: The SPLC has included Senator Rand Paul and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson among the neo-Nazis and white supremacists on its extremists lists (Paul for suggesting private businesses shouldn’t have to adhere to the Civil Rights Act and criticizing the Fair Housing Act; Carson for his views opposing same-sex marriage). The group did back down after it put Carson on the 2014 “extremist watch” list—removing his name and issuing an apology that earned a lot of coverage in the conservative media. “This week, as we’ve come under intense criticism for doing so, we’ve reviewed our profile and have concluded that it did not meet our standards,” the organization’s statement said, “so we have taken it down and apologize to Dr. Carson for having posted it.”

But the SPLC did not back down after it labeled Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council—one of the country’s largest and most established Christian conservative advocacy groups—a “hate group” for its positions on homosexuality, and even after an unhinged gay-rights supporter named Floyd Corkins subsequently shot up the FRC’s lobby in an attempt to murder its staff, in 2012. Corkins said he had read on the SPLC’s website that the FRC was an anti-gay group. The episode prompted fierce condemnation of the SPLC from social conservatives, who view FRC’s stances on homosexuality as legitimate and consistent with Christian teachings. But the FRC remains on the SPLC’s list of hate groups, along with a blurb explaining, “The FRC often makes false claims about the LGBT community based on discredited research and junk science.”

And props to Wild Bill Jacobson of Legal Insurrection:

William Jacobson, a law professor at Cornell and critic of the SPLC, says the group has wrapped itself in the mantle of the civil rights struggle to engage in partisan political crusading. “Time and again, I see the SPLC using the reputation it gained decades ago fighting the Klan as a tool to bludgeon mainstream politically conservative opponents,” he says. “For groups that do not threaten violence, the use of SPLC ‘hate group’ or ‘extremist’ designations frequently are exploited as an excuse to silence speech and speakers,” Jacobson adds. “It taints not only the group or person, but others who associate with them.”

Comments

[henry]

Easier to launder Russian funding that way.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

I agree with henry.

Once again I would like to say that 501c3 groups should be required to list all donors, just like political parties do.

[Jim Eagle]

MM,

Double edged sword. SPLC donors will be protected by the MFM, not the Conservative 501 (C's) - they will get the USA Today treatment of Trump golf club members.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

From Chitown lurker:

http://www.bizpacreview.com/2017/09/07/watch-huckabee-sanders-enter-lions-den-demolish-joy-behars-claims-president-trump-533530

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Jack,

True. Well, we are back to figuring out how to destroy the mainstream media.

[Extraneus]

Clinton Angering Democrats With Fixation on 2016 Election: ‘I Wish She’d Just Shut the F*** Up and Go Away’

Since her defeat, Clinton has insisted she takes responsibility for losing but has also laid blame on a variety of other factors, such as former FBI Director James Comey, Russian meddling in the election, coverage of her private email scandal, fake news, poor Democratic National Committee data operations, and sexism.

In interviews with The Hill, former Clinton allies lashed out at her for score-settling when the Democratic Party is trying to move forward.

"The best thing she could do is disappear," said one former Clinton fundraiser and surrogate described as having an active role at the party's convention. "She’s doing harm to all of us because of her own selfishness. Honestly, I wish she’d just shut the fuck up and go away."

[Momto2]

I probably missed this in previous threads. The wife has struck a deal to return. Could get interesting...

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/democratic-it-staffer-who-fled-the-country-strikes-deal-to-return-face-charges/article/2633528

[Momto2]

Mark Steyn‏Verified account @MarkSteynOnline 34m34 minutes ago

"The democrats have a base, Trump has a base...it's not clear to me that Ryan & McConnell have a base...

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Momto2,

This 3-month time period should be very interesting to see what gets accomplished.

It was fascinating to read Twitter and The Conservative Treehouse yesterday and see how many people understood what Trump was doing, while others started the usual "Betrayed! He's working with democrats!" line.

[pagar, a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

"when the Democratic Party is trying to move forward." One can use Democrats and move forward in the same sentence, Who knew?

[Threadkiller]

From MM's Chitown link:

At that point, Whoopi Goldberg interjected with the suggestion of getting “somebody in the office who recognizes what the truth is,” referring to the ‘birther’ issue.

:-)

It still stings them. As I explained in 2012 to the afterbirthers, embracing the birthers is a good thing for a Presidential aspirant to do.

[henry]

WI has a budget, world ends per Madison newspaper. Items which upset them? no more working families tax credits; no more alternate minimum tax (the hurt the poor / giveaway to the rich daily double). A business property tax also got removed.

[Jim Eagle]

A little early morning ecumenical humor:

At the regular Saturday morning service, the rabbi announced that he was planning to leave for a larger congregation that would pay him more. There is a hush within the congregation. No one wants him to leave because he is so popular.

Fred Shapiro, who owns several car dealerships in Newton and Brookline, stands up and proclaims "If the rabbi stays, I will provide him with a new Cadillac every year, and his wife with a Honda mini-van, to transport their children!"

The congregation sighs in appreciation and applauds.
Saul Cohen, a successful businessman and lawyer, stands up and says, "If the rabbi will stay on here, I’ll personally double his salary, and establish a foundation to guarantee a free college education for his children!”
More sighs and loud applause.

Estelle Rubin, age 88, stands and announces with a smile, "If the rabbi stays, I will give him sex!" There is total silence.

The rabbi, blushing, asks her: "Mrs. Rubin, you're a wonderful and holy lady. Whatever possessed you to say that?"

Estelle's 90-year old husband, Abe, is now trying to hide, holding his forehead with the palm of his hand, and shaking his head from side to side, while his wife replies:

Well, I just asked my husband how we could help, and Abe said: "Fuck him."

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--The best thing she could do is disappear," said one former Clinton fundraiser and surrogate described as having an active role at the party's convention. "She’s doing harm to all of us because of her own selfishness. Honestly, I wish she’d just shut the fuck up and go away."--

What did they think was going to happen?

I tell ya it's the all purpose answer.

[henry]

Fun, the budget also requires an audit of Planned Parenthood. hehehehe

[TK]

Part of the answer to the introductory question (So why does the SPLC have so much of its endowment in offshore accounts, unlike other major charities?) lies in the tax code. Offshore investments shelter tax-exempt entities ("TEEs") from unrelated business taxable income, or UBTI. UBTI is any income that a TEE earns through business that is unrelated to its tax-exempt purpose. It can subject TEEs to taxation on that income or even threaten their tax-exempt status entirely if there is too much UBTI. Investing offshore is standard industry practice common for TEEs.

Please note this is only an explanation of SPLC's investment implementation and not a defense of its otherwise odious behavior.

[rse]

When Brookings and clintonhack and commnitarian illiam Galston write this, you know there is Uniparty. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2017/08/30/base-to-trump-start-listening-to-experienced-republicans/

ralph-saw you mention the jonah goldberg visit, but please take the time to read that new Reformed Tradition report our alma mater also just published. That's precisely what the marxist Humanist vision reads like. Not a surprise since carol brought angela davis to rice for a feminism conference she headed.

[Old Lurker]

A must read:

http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2017/09/1913_the_turning_point.html

[henry]

Bastardi on twitter is predicting doom for Miami.

[jimmyk]

What did they think was going to happen?

The DNC should have offered to fund her therapy sessions in exchange for her not writing a book.

[rse]

By the way there is a new book out called Pope francis and he Caring Society

http://www.independent.org/store/book.asp?id=125&s=IBD1719

I have warned we are in trouble when politicians like paul ryan believe they should use legislation to force this MH vision with its new name. Yet that is precisley what the Ethics and Public Policy Center wishes to do and they feature ryan almost as prominently as Moneyball for govt does.

[Jim Eagle]

OL,

History is scary at times and Curry does a good job telling a horror story.

[rse]

One last comment, there is apparently not a hotel room to be had in atlanta this weekend as we are the go to place to flee to.

[Old Lurker]

Thought so too, Jack.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

The Clintons should not be allowed anywhere around money, and that includes book tours and charity.

I had a friend text me that the Mayor of Houston announced that they would be working with the Clinton Foundation on hurricane relief. Trouble brewing, if you ask me.

And how much of an advance did she get for that book and who paid it? And why is she charging huge amounts for her book-signing tours? I never heard of an author doing that before.

[Momto2]

I also heard the Atlanta hotels are all full. There is this option for campers and it's free!

http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/media/news/ams-opens-camping-facilities-for-hurricane-irma-evacuees.html

[Jim Eagle]

I knew this would not take long; Academia and science step in to show how climate change is causing Harvey and Irma.

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/608800/our-hurricane-risk-models-are-dangerously-out-of-date/?utm_source=MIT+Technology+Review&utm_campaign=a8ea6b5aab-The_Download&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_997ed6f472-a8ea6b5aab-156267881

[JimNorCal]

From David Horowitz, using "hate" to choke off law abiding conservatives.

"The Left is trying to put the Freedom Center on a blacklist of "hate groups" and run it out of business.

The leftists masterminding the blacklist get results by convincing sites like PayPal to stop taking donations for mainstream conservative organizations like the Freedom Center as a way of "stopping hate."

It convinced Guidestar, the premier rating site for non-profits, to designate us a "hate group" to scare off donors.

And last week, a leftist site called bloodmoney.org announced a campaign to force Visa and MasterCard to stop processing funds for 100 conservative groups – including the Freedom Center."

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

10 years virtually no hurricanes while prog "scientists" say "hottest years ever! and hot makes hurricanes!" = models not invalidated.

One and a half hurricanes = models proven, science settled.

Which again raises 1780. Perhaps prog "scientists" new theory: slavery also causes hurricanes.

[henry]

Minitrue erased everything before 1980, Ig.

[narciso.]

One more question sir:

http://bbc.com/news/world-europe-41185913

[Threadkiller]

Senator Ben Sasse ✔
@SenSasse

The Pelosi-Schumer-Trump deal is bad.
11:37 AM - Sep 6, 2017

[Threadkiller]

Does this mean Sassehole voted against it? When was the vote? Where is the text of what he says is bad?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--"The Left is trying to put the Freedom Center on a blacklist of "hate groups" and run it out of business.--

Bout time for another Holywoodier-than-thou movie about the heroic commie scum who made up the majority of blacklisted screenwriters and directors.

Same creeps who assert their moral superiority over a Robert E Lee while joking about millions of dead babies, an inordinate number of whom are black.

[narciso.]

There hasn't been one, strikingly in the last eight months they've been focused on the grishenko busibess

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Miss Marple:

Senator Ben Sasse is bad.

[henry]

Next up in WI asset forfeiture. The Sessions bit is described as money laundering by the Feds. (This by R legislators).

[jimmyk]

Bastardi on twitter is predicting doom for Miami.Bastardi on twitter is predicting doom for Miami.

Apparently St Martin is devastated. We were just there two years ago in August. Hard to imagine. Of course the media tend to exaggerate.

[Neo]

“We flew into Barbuda only to see total carnage. It was easily one of the most emotionally painful experiences that I have had,” Browne said in an interview on BBC Radio Four.

Browne said one person was killed on Barbuda. A surfer was also reported killed on Barbados.

car·nage
[ˈkärnij]
NOUN

the killing of a large number of people.

[Neo]

jimmyk, I left St Martin on Saturday.
I always seem to leave just before the worst.
Left the Saturday before Luis in 95.

[narciso.]

Those are sadlynpremimary calculations, but the casyakties were probably understated.

[narciso.]

Pleminary calculations, casualties, I was meaning to ask rise about atlanta

[narciso.]

If this true, citizens insurance will float belly up, like a beached whale.

[rse]

ask me what about atlanta?

about to go write so it may take m awhile to ge back.

momto2-I have a name if you are still looking for representation.

[rse]

narciso-citizens was always going to go belly up when another major hit Fla. I remember going to a presentation in 207 and being horrified. hat was not who we used.

[rse]

citizens is wind coverage in case narciso and are leaving out a key point. I had 4 different poliies on beach house to fully close the loop but may neighbors did not have flood insurance despite being less than 50 yards from the beach dunes. The mistakenly believed 30 foot dunes (highest elevation in Fla) protected them.

[Clarice Feldman]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/09/06/conservatives-sign-letter-warning-media-against-southern-poverty-law-center.html

[Jim Eagle]

Looks like we got the new doors and windows installed and sealed just in time.

Matthew hung pretty much to the coast which wiped out our dunes and A1A in Flagler Beach. Looks like current NHC/NOAA model is showing Irma going offshore on its way to GA/SC. But this 'Cane is as big as France, so I am not that optimistic that our part of the First Coast will not get just rain and wind.

[narciso.]

And it will whipping up wind and rain, when its over Miami, long before its off our shore.

[Jim Eagle]

Over at Outhouse they are discussing this article in Politico (be careful, pigs are flying):

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/09/06/verrit-hillary-clinton-peter-daou-215582

Here is a link to verrit.com Put down any hot beverages and breathe slowly.

https://verrit.com/

[narciso.]

Yes o tend to talk inside baseball, even on this point.

[henry]

Interesting: a href="https://twitter.com/lukerosiak/status/905803878947545089">DWS laptop found with note to US attorney attached.

[Clarice Feldman]

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/09/renowned_climate_scientist_jailed_for_fraud.html

[Barbara]

This Comment by TM from the last thread:

this isn't clearing the decks - this is increasing the complexity, hopefully to create more bargaining chips.

That works as well. One thing is certain, for the short term Congress will not be bogged down with the endless debate over the debt ceiling. Think back over the last two decades. Every time that this issue comes up the same arguments are raised, the threat of a government shutdown occurs, sometimes the government actually does shut down, the Republicans get a black eye and the debt ceiling eventually gets raised. Meanwhile the Congress gets nothing done.

Why go through all of that when you have a squishy Republican majority? They will have to face the issue eventually, but there are more important things to do right now.

When DACA comes around, I expect that President Trump will do some more horse trading. The bridge has already been approached, if not built, and the President has established a foothold by working in a bipartisan manner.

President Reagan used to say that if you can't get 100% of what you want, take the 80% and come back for the rest later. I believe that is a sound strategy. Get things moving along toward your goals rather than staying mired in a losing proposition.

I really like Marlene's description of the group picture in the Oval as a hostage photo! That's exactly what it was.

[narciso.]

Note that piece last night, about the rohingya

https://althouse.blogspot.com/2017/09/this-pro-hillary-website-looks-like.html

[Jim Eagle]

A better link to Henry's 11:04 post

https://twitter.com/search?q=Luke%20Erosiak&src=typd

[Jim Eagle]

narc,

I posted that at 11:03:)

[Jim Eagle]

Need to read the DCNF story in the 11:20 above.

Things are beginning to get very interesting.

[Clarice Feldman]

I first pooh poohed the idea that Awan wanted the laptop found. Reading the dC article--if true, I've changed my mind.

[narciso.]

You laugh, but we thought that vox wee a joke, but some take it seriously and this is full of vox
https://pjmedia.com/trending/2017/09/06/report-fusion-gps-boss-refused-answer-basic-questions-anti-trump-dossier/

[henry]

A good challenger for Tammy Baldwin, Leah Vukmir makes it official.

[Momto2]

Thanks ever so much, Robin. I would appreciate a recommendation. I sent you an email at the reformforgrowth address.

[narciso.]

So steadman miniluv spokesman flacks for fusion,

[narciso.]

How is thevadr, mom2to,

[narciso.]

Cast, winning the future.

[Janeprobably about 10 minutes after getting there]

Back in the US. On Amtrak headed for philly. Everyone has evacuated, drove 20 hours to Alabama to find hotel rooms. Great trip with way too much diversion, but you will be thrilled to know thatCleta Mitchell demolished both David French and Jay.

[Barbara]

From henry's link:

Comment by Mumzie -

Clearly, *somebody* wanted stuff to be found, but I can't see why Imran would. Was he trying to implicate DWS? Does he want full story out?

Maybe Mrs. Imran doesn't want to live in Pakistan and raise her kids there. Alone. While her husband faces jail time or worse here in the U.S. Does anyone really think Hillgula will let him/them turn states evidence and live to talk about it? Witness Protection might be the only way for them to survive.

[Barbara]

henry,

I hope your family is safe and well in this storm.

[henry]

thanks Barbara. they should be.

[anonamom]

MM, my cousin would be happy to speak with you. As I suspected, it's easier to go for for child support, and likely for US non-citizens, but she thinks there is a path for you. She offered--specifically about self-representation.

So you can minimize the cost of this endeavor if you decide to go for it.

OL and Jane have my email. Hit does too, but he doesn't check the one I have for him too often.

Hoping you and Goodwill position are a good fit.

[Momto2]

How is thevadr, mom2to,

The vascular doctor? I am still waiting for an appointment to be scheduled. I am taking this as good news (they don't consider me an emergency) so it's helping my anxiety if nothing else!

Today's insight - it's amazing how little you can do when you cannot pick up 5 lbs. Even our cats weigh more than 5 lbs. BUT not Darby - she is still between 2-3lbs. She is the best - keeps me laughing.

[Ralph L]

rse, I did read all about the Reformed Tradition yesterday, which sounds like a new euphemism for the same disease. Took them a long time to mention Christianity in passing, and then the diversities and full prog poked out.

[narciso.]

Really she looks bigger than that.

[Jim Eagle]

What I find interesting about he DCNF story on finding the computer is that it was found by AOC according to police report. AOC is Architect of the Capital, and that includes all the janitorial staff and contractors.

It was left in a "bag" like a valise? How long had it been there? I would suspect if the AOC janitorial staff found it then it was in the last few hours, if the room is checked and cleaned regulary. But how could that be unless Awan is still using his access ID.

[Barbara]

Momto2,

Darby is a little angel 😇

I'm so glad to read that things are progressing in a positive direction for you.

[Extraneus]

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-09-07/trump-reportedly-wants-end-debt-ceiling

[Old Lurker]

Regarding insurance mentioned above. As RSE, Narc, Jack and I are all to aware there are several real obstacles in getting the coverage regualr people hope to have.

First is the battle of whether the damage was a flood, or was it wind, or was it wind blown water...The basic policy will cover wind but not floods because you are expected to have bought that coverage from the Feds. Two problems right there: flood policies have pretty low caps on the amount you can recover, and limits within about which floor got what damage. Second problem is that the Flood guy will say it was wind damage, and the Wind guy will say it was flood damage so you get sucked into that storm.

Next area of issue is that at certain levels, homeowner policies will say "we will cover regular losses s/t a deductible of $X (whatever you decided to buy) EXCEPT in the case of damage from a "Named Storm" in which we require the homeowner to pay the first X% (usually 10%, sometimes 20%) of all damage before the insurance pays anything.

When Matthew hit Hilton Head, hundreds of houses had damage of $100-150,000 and everyone I know had to pay all of that out of pocket. (I have always thought this is why all of a sudden every little depression gets a name assigned to it.)

I know, I know. "1% Problems".

[Captain Hate]

it's not clear to me that Ryan & McConnell have a base...

The Gas Chamber, fake conservative stink tanks, Egg McMuffin and his cult and Jen Rubin's cats. Good luck winning with that team.

[pagar, a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

I thought Clarice's 11:12 Link was going to be about Al Gore, but not today. But definitely a fraud. Thanks Clarice for the link.

[Barbara]

Extraneus,

I like the comments on that ZeroHedge article.

City_Of_Champyinz's picture
City_Of_Champyinz Perimetr Sep 7, 2017 12:05 PM
It is a 'ceiling' in name only as the idiot politicians on each side continually vote to raise the limit over and over again.

Got The Wrong No's picture
Got The Wrong No Perimetr Sep 7, 2017 12:07 PM
Exactly, why go through this charade every year. Trump is being honest.

Then of course there's this.

Ghost of PartysOver's picture
Ghost of PartysOver Stuck on Zero Sep 7, 2017 11:52 AM
Politico has about as much credibility as the NY Times. Not buying it until I here it from The Donald.

[Old Lurker]

I said this badly "homeowner to pay the first X% (usually 10%, sometimes 20%) of all damage before the insurance pays anything."

I meant that the homeowner has to pay all damages up to x% of the total value of the policy before insurance pays a dime. So if a named storm does $101,000 of damage on a $1M house, the homeowner pays $100,000 and insurance pays $1,000.

[Sonny]

Thank God the US can continue its path of all forms of energy with new technologies used to reduce pollution and protect the environment. The sham Paris accords would have done nothing to improve our path but it would have tranferred hundreds of billions is U S tacpayer dollars to corrupt foreign goverments who would have lined their politicians anf frindes pockets. Those are funds we now have to protect and rebuild places like Houston and Florida. The economic benefit will be a by product.

[Jim Eagle]

Another thing I don't understand about people preparing for 'Canes: Water. Watching TWC about "liquid gold" aka water and how the Publix markets are being overrun by people looking for water.

Do what we do. 1) fill up every container you have including lined garbage cans if necessay with the water you have now at home (it is potable and has to be), 2) Fill up bathtubs if you think water distribution will interrupted. Plenty of time before Irma hits.

If you're not evacuating and are staying put understand that if you don't have running water you won't have sanitary working either and that is the real water problem.

95 and 75 are bumper to bumper leaving South Florida.

[Extraneus]

‘You Have Nothing to Worry About’ — Nancy Pelosi Prompts Donald Trump Tweet to DACA Illegals

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed to White House reporters that Trump did speak with Pelosi as well as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan.

“The President is committed to working across the aisle and doing what is needed to best serve the American people,” Sanders continued. “The President is also having dinner with Speaker Ryan later tonight.”

[Jim Eagle]

Atlanta is now in the 5 day cone.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Home early! Nice brunch with my sisters and brothers.

My youngest sister just sold her 30's Cape Cod (full price cash) and luckily found a 60's ranch with beautiful trees and fenced back yard (dogs). She has knees as bad as mine and wanted to avoid steps. House has been completely redone so is in move-in condition and empty.

She will be moving at the beginning of October. She will sell most of her current furniture and has decided to go Mid Century in her new home, which fits more with the architectural style. She has a resale shop coming to look at her stuff next week.

My brother is looking at property over in Cincinnati where both of his daughters and their families live. He wants to build something for retirement and have it to his specifications. So it looks like he will be moving as well, probably next summer.

That means we are going to have to figure out what to do about Thanksgiving, because he was the one with the biggest house. For sure this one won't accomodate 20 people, and everyone else has a small house, too. Maybe we will start going to Thanksgiving buffets or something.

It's very fall-like here. I got to wondering with the hurricanes if there was a correlation between the number of severe hurricanes and colder winters. (My theory being that the heat converts to energy which is dissipated by the storms, hence little heat left for winter.)

Of course, there is no easy way to search for that because global warming, so we will see if I am right. I am drawing on childhood memories of hurricanes and cold winters, so I might be all wet.

[Marlene]

I just read the comments on our Next Door site and someone posted that they left Venice at 1AM this morning. I-75 was okay until Ocala,then it was a parking lot. This person eventually took I-10 W and it was clear. So,as rse mentioned, everyone is headed north to Atlanta and points beyond.

[Ralph L]

Not sure I want to fill up my tub with water, as I may have to fill it with me. I've got a half cellar/half crawlspace, but if the house is knocked off its flimsy 1940 foundation, I might be trapped.

[RattlerGator]

As to Trump's strategy: I dispute York's "clear the decks" strategy. Instead of "decks" I would use a hostage metaphor - now EVERYTHING can get pushed into reconciliation or debt ceiling, or at tied to it. Maybe Trump trades wall funding for a different tax rate.

That strategy can work - some brilliant negotiator (I am getting a dim glow saying it was James Baker) used to say that if a problem is intractable, make it bigger. More moving parts means more chances to find a winning combination. So maybe tax reform by itself is undoable but coupled with DACA or the wall, something can give.

But no, this isn't clearing the decks - this is increasing the complexity, hopefully to create more bargaining chips.
Posted by: Tom Maguire | September 07, 2017 at 09:26 AM

TM, Byron York says clearing the decks. You say taking the process hostage by increasing the complexity. If you’ve worked within a legislative process, you’re familiar with legislative trains. To me, both of you are saying the same thing. Which is: the possibility for action has been increased by the effort undertaken by our President.

It was a masterful stroke and Trump was the very clear winner.

The train is getting ready to roll, fellas. To hell with the bullshit, it's now time for making deals.

On that note, I think Ben Domenech is one of the people sounding another correct note:

http://thefederalist.com/2017/09/07/trumps-potential-triangulation/

What this amounts to is a triangulation from a position of strength over your own party (technically). It comes from a recognition that the country largely hates the GOP. A combative, populist non-ideological president not hung up on small government budget principles who infuriates the left and says anti-politically correct things and delivers on judges is, as it turns out, what “his own party” wants. The assumption that Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell represent some large constituency of Republican voters turns out not to be true.

The fact is that the Republican Party has been the party of Trump for a lot longer than Washington thinks.

* * *

Yes!

Yes, yes, yes.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Joe Bastardi‏Verified account @BigJoeBastardi 8m8 minutes ago

GFS on Jose sounds like the opening line of the National Anthem in long range:
Jose's out to sea, it has turned to the right......

[Captain Hate]

It's very fall-like here. I got to wondering with the hurricanes if there was a correlation between the number of severe hurricanes and colder winters. (My theory being that the heat converts to energy which is dissipated by the storms, hence little heat left for winter.)

It's unusually cool here for this time of year, as it generally has been since mid June give or take a few isolated bursts of heat. Apparently it's been cool everywhere except the far west. Regarding the hurricanes I don't think it works like that; hurricanes get over 99% of their energy from the Atlantic Ocean (that was a local coffee quiz question this morning) and even if they drained the ocean of energy, fronts move west to east.

Trying to explain weather eludes almost everybody, particularly the insane clown warmist cultists.

[Old Lurker]

How's that One World Government looking now, Chumps?

"The top EU court, European Court of Justice (ECJ), has dismiss the lawsuit filed by Hungary and Slovakia challenging Brussels’ forced migrant redistribution plan. According to the court’s ruling, individual member states had ‘no grounds to refuse to take in migrants,’ media reports suggest. The judgment opens the way for the EU to start relocating 160,000 migrants currently in Greece and Italy. The governments of Hungary and Slovakia, backed by Poland and the Czech Republic, had filed a case against the EU’s centralized ‘refugee’ distribution plan."

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Captain Hate,

I see what you mean. I was just thinking out loud because I dimply remember a year when I was in junior high where we got the leftovers of a hurricane and then a blizzard the following winter.

I am not locked into my theory, of course, unlike the cultists.

I did notice Antarctic ice was way up this year, so that may be a precursor to our hemisphere also being cooler this winter.

Or not. I will wait for the Farmers' Almanac in order to get serious weather science. HA!

[Captain Hate]

Welp there goes the EU; no way do the Eastern Countries knuckle under on this.

[Old Lurker]

Cap'n, we should all start up a large scale wall building company and hire Jack to run it for us...

[Captain Hate]

Oh things are definitely cooling, Miss Marple, despite the nutjobs daft hypotheses that the warming is hiding in the deep ocean like a sentient entity with more sense than they possess

[RattlerGator]

As for the Southern Poverty Law Center, I go back to something I said yesterday and expand on it: the SPLC is something of a perfect sadistic marriage of black guilt and white guilt utilized to co-opt an ostensibly civil rights movement organization into something it was not originally concerned with at all. This has also been done to the NAACP, the Urban League, the political approaches of our alumni fraternity and sorority chapters, etc.

Black people used to be incredibly pissed off by this sort of thing; forever doing something in “our” name that doesn’t have a damn thing to do with us or what we’re truly concerned with. In this sense, the SPLC is the perfect representation of how the ProgressiveRegressives have completely bastardized things. They need to be exposed.

[Momto2]

Another tip someone posted about water was to fill up zip-lock bags and freeze them. It serves two purposes. They can be melted down later for water. If the power goes out, having them may prolong your frozen and/or refrigerated food.

This is why there is a water "shortage" in Florida. (Posted by a friend in Jacksonville)

[Captain Hate]

I'm in for that, OL. I'm not doing anything better with my time.

Speaking of which, I regret to say that I won't be making it out to the Manhattan meet up with a truly all star cast. My avatar's energetic tendency to try and chase squirrels, those disgusting rats with fuzzy tails that deserve to be converted to red and brown mist by Dr 12 gauge, has me visiting a physical therapist AGAIN including an appointment on the meet up date. I really really wanted to be there.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

We were discussing the hurricanes at brunch, and my middle sister reminded me of friends of hers who were stuck somewhere in the Caribbean on their honeymoon and ended up spending 18 hours in their hotel bathroom with water coming up through the bathtub and toilet. By the time the storm ended they were neck deep in sewage water!

They live in South Carolina now and have two children. They have already evacuated to her mother's home in Ohio.