tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31368456776051064702024-03-05T08:31:20.523-05:00The Splendid SpitterA very opinionated, but fact-based, blog about my passions -- politics, the law, and baseball. I'm a Democrat and a liberal but don't assume I was ever a Clinton fan. I am cynical but eternally hopeful. Why the homage to Ted Williams? Easy -- my boyhood hero, greatest hitter who ever lived, and smart, iconoclastic and opinionated. I could never hit like Ted Williams. But maybe I'm as opinionated and iconoclastic and almost as smart.The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-6900611131758093752021-07-19T16:26:00.000-04:002021-07-19T16:26:06.333-04:00Follow the Money: Condo Developers Should be Required to Post a Bond<p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Noticeably absent from the Miami Herald’s editorial “How can we avoid another collapse like Surfside? Florida can start with these reforms” (July 11, 2021) was any focus on the role of the developer. (Under Florida law, “developer” includes other than the originator of the condominium, but let’s assume it does not.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In the words of a 1999 law review article by a veteran New York real estate lawyer explaining the history of condominium development: “Developers recognized that they could take the concept of the apartment complex … and enhance that concept with modest recreational facilities (in most cases). They could then sell the units for a quick initial profit and take back a recreation lease with escalations to ensure a continuing long-term profit.<a name="co_fnRef_F24111852339_ID0EUEAE_1"></a>” As long as the real estate market stayed stable, it was all blue skies above: “Lenders and developers alike were raking in big profits and the condo purchasers were delighted with their new homes. Everyone was happy.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But what if, in the process of designing and building the condominium, the developer and the contractor cut corners? And what if the local building authorities, focused on getting the condominium on the tax rolls, did a superficial job of inspecting and reviewing the plans and the construction itself, turned a blind eye towards obvious problems, or worse, were induced to look away? And what if, after the turnover to the Condominium Association, the Board and the unit owners shirked their responsibility to put money away for the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>inevitable<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i>rainy day?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Anyone who ever professed to believe that none of these “what ifs” was not only possible but, in many cases, likely, is too naïve to be credited.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <br /></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">But there are<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>no</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>provisions in the Florida Condominium Act designed to keep developers on the hook for construction defects that are (or should be) known to the developers from the time of construction but may not become evident until long after the developer ceases to exist or the developer “turns over” control of the condominium to the other unit owners (in the form of a non-profit Association governed by volunteer Board members). Yes, there are some provisions designed to impose some responsibility on developers, but they are not long-term solutions and usually are limited in nature and riddled by loopholes, and are difficult and expensive to enforce.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>See</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>David G. Muller,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Transition Committee and Construction Defect Claims</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(2020).<br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: -0.75pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">If the Florida Legislature intends to get serious on “Surfside”—talk about naïve!—here is one way that they could tackle it. The developer would be required either to post a bond, to last for a defined period of time (say, 20 years), in a particular amount. The amount would be determined by an independent structural engineer observing and testing the design and construction of the structure. Until turnover, the amount of the bond or trust would be unchanged. Thereafter, the Association would be required to fund, within the remaining years of the bond or trust, a per-year pro rata contribution to the Association’s reserve account, and the amount of the bond would be reduced by each year’s Association payment. The funds in the bond or reserve account could be used solely to finance capital (i.e., non-operating) expenses, as determined by an independent structural engineer.<br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The idea is to go where the profits are located and the responsibility for shoddy construction originated. If such legislation were passed, the incentive of developers to cut corners would be sharply reduced. The bonding companies would, likewise, have every incentive to oversee the design and construction to avoid ever having to pay on the bond.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <br /></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The details can be worked out. Yes, the devil is in the details, but if the public’s attention remains focused on Surfside (too naïve to believe?), legislators would be less likely to remain in the pockets of the vested interests—developers and their dependent allies—who would fight to prevent the enactment of any such legislation. Or at least we can hope…naively or not.</span></span></p>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-34890145326034532032020-06-20T12:15:00.001-04:002020-06-20T12:15:43.760-04:00Bolton's Pyrrhic Victory<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">John R. Bolton is in for it, big time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes, he "won" when District Judge Lamberth denied the Government's request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the distribution of Bolton's book, <i>The Room Where it Happened. </i>But a review of the <a href="https://pacer-documents.s3.amazonaws.com/36/219024/04517891261.pdf">Memorandum Order</a> issued on June 20, 2020 shows that, for all intents and purposes, Bolton's is the classic <a href="https://www.history.com/news/5-famous-pyrrhic-victories">Pyrrhic victory</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As Judge Lamberth wrote, "[w]hile Bolton’s unilateral conduct raises grave national security concerns, the government has not established that an injunction is an appropriate remedy." This is because, as the court put it,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the looks of it, the horse is not just out of the barn—it is out of the country.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Counsel for the government still press for an injunction.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was because the publisher had printed and shipped over 200,000 copies of the book all over the world, release of the book was scheduled for Tuesday, June 23, 2020, and details of the book had been widely publicized.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why a Pyrrhic victory? Because the court found that Bolton committed two wrongs: first, he went ahead, "prematurely" and "unilaterally," with the publication of the book without receiving final approval from the Government that the book did not contain classified information, in violation of pre-hiring agreements he signed; second, the court, upon privately ("in camera") reviewing the Government's evidence, found that "Defendant Bolton likely jeopardized national security by disclosing classified information in violation of his nondisclosure agreement obligations."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The court nicely summed up what it believed Bolton's strategy to be:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bolton could have sued the government and sought relief in court. Instead, he opted out of the review process before its conclusion. Unilateral fast-tracking carried the benefit of publicity and sales, and the cost of substantial risk exposure. This was Bolton’s bet: If he is right and the book does not contain classified information, he keeps the upside mentioned above; but if he is wrong, he stands to lose his profits from the book deal, exposes himself to criminal liability, and imperils national security.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes, the court said it, boldly and simply: Bolton has exposed himself to <b>criminal liability</b>. And who would take this bet: that Trump and Barr won't get Bolton indicted, and fast?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So much for wretched Mr. Bolton. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What about the legal aspects of the denial of the TRO?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">F</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">irst, it is a win for free speech (or at least not a loss), unless one believes that the Government has <b>no</b> right to remedy the publication of cla</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ssified information. But even the amicus curiae briefs filed against the Government's motion did not argue that point, instead arguing, correctly, that governmental attempts at prior restraints are subject to exacting scrutiny and should be denied except in "exceptional cases." And the court cited caselaw that stated that "</span>First Amendment rights are preserved so long as restrictions protect a substantial government interest unrelated to the suppression of free speech, and the restriction [is] narrowly drawn to restrict speech no more than is necessary to protect the substantial government interest."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">Second, it clearly rebukes the Government. The issue on which the court decided not to grant the TRO was not that the book did not contain classified information, but that the Government could not show that the issuance of the TRO would "prevent irreparable injury" (one of the four tests the Government needed to satisfy to obtain the TRO) because, as the court put it, "</span>the “horse is already out of the barn.” The incompetent Trump Justice Department first sought a TRO less than a week before the public sale of the book in bookstores, virtual and physical, around the world, with well over 200,000 copies of the books printed and shipped, ready for release, and it had been widely reviewed and quoted. In other words, if there were, in fact, irreparable injury, it had already occurred when the Government sought the TRO, and so a TRO could not <b>prevent</b> injury that had already occurred.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Third, it is not the last word on the legality of a TRO in circumstances such as these, or even, one would think, in this case. This post is being written on Saturday, June 20. Will the Government seek an immediate appeal to the District of Columbia Circuit, and, if so, will that court issue a TRO, even for a matter of a day or two, and remand to the District Court to consider this or that legal issue? No mere lawyer can predict what The Trump and Bar Law Firm will do, or whether the appellate court would somehow be able to overcome the fact that the TBLF twiddled its thumbs for months before finally seeking a TRO. I would bet not, and that Trump will exact his revenge against the perfidious Mr. Bolton by getting him indicted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fourth, it is not the end of the case. The Government originally sued to enjoin Bolton from going forward without completing pre-publication review, and to impose a constructive trust on any profits received from publication. Three long days after filing the complaint, the Government amended its complaint to seek </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an Order directing Defendant to notify his publisher that he was not authorized to disclose <i>The Room Where It Happened</i> because he has not completed prepublication review and because it contains classified information; to instruct or request his publisher, insofar as he has the authority to do so, to further delay the release date of The Room Where it Happened until completion of the prepublication review process; and to instruct or request his publisher, insofar as he has the authority to do so, to take any and all available steps to retrieve and dispose of any copies of The Room Where it Happened that may be in the possession of any third party in a manner acceptable to the United States.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having, predictably, lost the TRO/preliminary injunction battle, the Government can still obtain a constructive trust against the profits Bolton earns from book sales, and there is no reason to see why it would not pursue that relief.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, there is always the prospect of a criminal case captioned <i>United States of America v. John R. Bolton</i>. Pyrrhus, move over. </span>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-80115643030309939542019-11-17T21:32:00.001-05:002019-11-17T21:44:59.805-05:00It's National Security, Stupid<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution says that the President can be impeached for "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Democrats seem to be stuck in legalisms. First it was whether there was a <i>quid pro quo</i>. Now it's whether Trump was bribing the Ukranian President. Both may be grounds for impeachment, but each requires a knowledge of basic legal principles to determine whether the grounds are valid. And each is inherently debatable, giving Republicans the basis for creating doubts where, really, none should exist. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is well established that impeachment is not a remedy for criminality alone. Nor is a crime sufficient. If the President was found to have violated a speed limit on federal property, would he be subject to impeachment? No, because even if this were a felony, it would not be a crime that threatens the national welfare, nor is it an act of such self-serving that it casts the most severe doubt on his fitness for office.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The politics of this are actually far simpler and subject to less genuine doubt (or, put differently, less susceptible to being made the subject of confusion among people who do not live, breathe and eat politics, <i>i.e.</i>, most people).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">President Trump is irritating and embarrassing. In their gut, the broad middle of this country know he is unqualified to be President. They are either looking for--or at least are open to--a rationale for getting rid of him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That rationale is staring the Democrats in the face but they seem oblivious to it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What is the most significant of a President's powers? National security. What is the most dangerous thing a President can do? Tilt his foreign policy in favor of the nation's enemies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The obvious basis for impeachment, one that is not debatable, is that Trump has been guilty of favoring Russia in the major approaches in his foreign policy:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He has weakened Ukraine in its war with Russia by interfering in Ukrainian political affairs and favoring the very corrupt interests he claims to oppose.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He has abandoned the Kurds, and thereby paved the way for Russia to gain the upper hand in Syria.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He has openly favored Brexit, which helps Russia's long-held desire to weaken the European Union.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He has weakened the NATO Alliance, helping to advance another perennial Russian goal.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He has openly sided with Putin and against our national security professionals, on the issue of Russian interference with the 2016 election, thereby weakening American political support for strengthening our political security.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He elevated the North Korean regime to equal status with the United States, in exchange for nothing but vague promises, thereby fulfilling yet another Russian objective. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whether or not this amounts to "treason," it transcends mere disagreements about foreign policy. When a President of the United States consistently supports the foreign policy objectives of a country like Russia, it threatens our national security. There is no question that Trump has done so. If this cannot be a basis for majority support for impeachment, there is more to be afraid of than Trump.</span></div>
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The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-50841700644703886862019-07-10T12:57:00.002-04:002019-07-10T13:13:07.712-04:00Putting AOC on an Equal Footing with Pelosi<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">News editors like conflict. No surprise in that. The Democrats, to their credit, disagree among themselves. So when fissures appear, editors (and journalists interested in hits and front-page appearances) do backflips. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Just so with the splits among younger and older Democrats, which, because the media generally abhor </span>subtlety because it's too much "in the weeds," they reduce to a personal conflict between Nancy Pelosi and </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So far, the press seems to be putting AOC, as she is known, on an equal footing with Pelosi, which is ridiculous. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Speaker has a long career of accomplishment in the U.S. House. AOC has been a Member of Congress for a few months, but, while garnering an amazing amount of <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/03/21/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-is-not-second-most-talked-about-politician-america/?utm_term=.3a4983717ffe">coverage</a></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in major newspapers, that relic of the 19th Century, and less, but still a lot, on cable TV and broadcast news and in online articles, has not demonstrated any clout in the Democratic caucus. Take the recent vote on the original House bill on one of the most highly-followed issue of recent years--the status of undocumented immigrants at the Southern border. The House <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2019/roll414.xml">passed</a> its version of the bill with 227 Democrats voting "yea" and <b>4</b> Democrats voting "nay." (4 Democrats were absent.) The four? Members Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley, and Tlaib. <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2019/07/never-forget-that-nancy-pelosi-is-very-smart/">That</a> was the bill Pelosi was talking about when she <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/06/opinion/sunday/nancy-pelosi-pride-parade.html">told</a> Maureen Dowd of The New York Times: </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“All these people have their public whatever and their Twitter world,” she said. “But they didn’t have any following. They’re four people and that’s how many votes they got.” Yes, a lot more Democrats <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2019/roll429.xml">voted</a> against the Senate bill, which became law, but that vote cost them nothing among the faction of the party that is to the left of the House caucus, and Pelosi did not need them to pass a bill that at least addressed the issue before Congress left town for a recess.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The whole thing causes me to worry about whether this fissure is going to lead the Democrats to a smashing defeat in 2020.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Who is more likely to lead the Democratic Party to a smashing defeat--Nancy Pelosi or "The Squad," as the afore-mentioned four have been </span><a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/House/416370-ocasio-cortez-shares-photo-of-her-new-squad-on-capitol-hill" style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">calling</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> themselves since right after their election? Let's do something very old-fashioned: look beyond Twitter for real evidence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">If it's fair to assume that people's voting choices are closely correlated to their views on what's important to them, then Democrats would be wise to focus on what's important to their voters. Where does the press come in? They do a basic disservice when they give more prominence to those with views not held by the majority than those views merit. <b>This is not to say that those with non-majority views should be shut out by the media.</b> It is a question of seeing the forest from the trees. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Take </span>a few moments to read the Pew Research Center's </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><i><a href="https://www.people-press.org/2019/01/24/publics-2019-priorities-economy-health-care-education-and-security-all-near-top-of-list/">Public’s 2019 Priorities: Economy, Health Care, Education and Security All Near Top of List.</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Democratic voters may be repelled by the likes of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, and they may be </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">sympathetic to the rights of minorities and women. But, being interested mostly in matters that affect them personally, they think that good government (and politics) are not just about </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the latest Twitter or other hashtag obsession. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rather, they are concerned mostly about "bread and butter" issues--like how they are going to be able to support themselves during retirement and how they and their children are going to be able to support themselves. They also show increasing concern about the state of the environment. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikspXr4OgUdupp50TT3aRSU3YCnbzAYQfm91TjpX4dD5mQFZfAz2yegh9CvGLSeUMMRdxrap5d-zSVzQsxsbCgu6oUDM33MNLZy9w7wb45UsW61vZMoolhTYPRWQRDVPP332x8dkpm1ohr/s1600/PP_2019.01.24_political-priorities_0-03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1061" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikspXr4OgUdupp50TT3aRSU3YCnbzAYQfm91TjpX4dD5mQFZfAz2yegh9CvGLSeUMMRdxrap5d-zSVzQsxsbCgu6oUDM33MNLZy9w7wb45UsW61vZMoolhTYPRWQRDVPP332x8dkpm1ohr/s640/PP_2019.01.24_political-priorities_0-03.png" width="424" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3136845677605106470" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3136845677605106470" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">And they are skeptical of "solutions" that are oblivious to political reality. So, by a fairly hefty margin, 53-40, more Democrats want the Party to go in a more moderate direction than in a more liberal direction:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqG69V8wgSQFtxbnccNP16vfPHwu_uglt65ZPo-Wcfj70QjFnzPAZ69rfa0-v5uZl4exjVAkHZuSV6RCpCMnEupiElpSXTG4tQIcySohPacep2gQEfSF043S2Cwk_hQepYWQn4UpbplRP/s1600/PP_2019.01.24_political-priorities_0-11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqG69V8wgSQFtxbnccNP16vfPHwu_uglt65ZPo-Wcfj70QjFnzPAZ69rfa0-v5uZl4exjVAkHZuSV6RCpCMnEupiElpSXTG4tQIcySohPacep2gQEfSF043S2Cwk_hQepYWQn4UpbplRP/s400/PP_2019.01.24_political-priorities_0-11.png" width="322" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">In other words, The Squad is right in there with Donald Trump, with a 40% rating. (Yes, it's a little bit apples and oranges, but the point is undeniable.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Ultimately, AOC and The Squad will achieve whatever they're going to achieve, but what evidence is there that they are going to be more successful than Occupy Wall Street?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">If the press could spend a few moments doing basic research rather than repeating Tweets, maybe the Republicans and <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2019/04/12/Six-weeks-of-Foxs-Alexandria-Ocasio-Cortez-obsession-Totalitarian-ignorant-scary-and-wagin/223386">Fox News</a> will have less basis to equate all Democrats with The Squad. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-3419830023736691212018-11-13T09:06:00.003-05:002018-11-13T09:06:42.751-05:00Shays's Rebellion Lives On<div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is there one factor that has the highest correlation to political leaning? Is it income level? gender? attitudinal factors? </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are already available data, from November 6, 2018 exit polls, showing both the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/election/2018/exit-polls">breakdowns</a> between the two major parties on a variety of characteristics, as well as <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-2018-gender-gap-was-huge/">stabs</a> at correlations. But surely only one election cannot reliably predict future trends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have not taken the time to review these data over the years and, despite a search on Google Scholar and the Pew website, I have been unable to find any. So, my stab is just that. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is that, over time, the split is largely based on the age-old cultural and political divisions between city dwellers (recently joined by more suburbanites) and country folk. Let's call it, loosely, metropolitan v. rural. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This has been a persistent theme throughout American history, perhaps most graphically expressed in the brief rebellion against the political status quo waged by residents of Massachusetts in 1786 and early 1787--colloquially known as "Shays's Rebellion." It may be worth studying these events to try to make sense of what is occurring now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Shays's Rebellion has typically been portrayed as an effort by dirt-poor farmers to avoid their debts and, along the way, overturn the established order (they did try to seize the federal armory in Springfield). In other words, there was supposedly a correlation between income level and participation in Shays's Rebellion. Indeed, most of the “Rebellion” consisted of semi-successful attempts at shutting down the operations of courts in various localities throughout Massachusetts, most in the western portion, and because, history being written by the victors, so casting the rebels was a propitious way for the victors (merchants from Boston, among them Samuel Adams, and their political allies) to characterize the rebels and their cause. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Professor Leonard L. Richards, in his 2002 book, <i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/Leonard%20L.%20Richards.%20%E2%80%9CShays's%20Rebellion.%E2%80%9D%20iBooks.%20https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shayss-rebellion/id946728154?mt=11">Shays's Rebellion</a></i>, found that this traditional portrait of Shays's Rebellion was wrong. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Based on the Richards book, </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I summarize his findings on two questions: what was the Rebellion about and who were its participants and sympathizers? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Take the concerns and demand Richards cites as being typical of the complaints addressed to the Massachusetts legislature by local governments in Western Massachusetts </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">since the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783: </span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">relief for farmers unable to obtain hard money to pay debts; </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">simplification and reform of court system; </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">elimination of upper chamber of state legislature; </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">redistricting of lower chamber; and </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">moving of state capital from Boston to a more central location. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These reforms stemmed from perceived defects in Massachusetts' 1780 constitution, which enshrined conservative principles aimed at preventing the poor or landless from exercising political power, including the creation of an upper legislative chamber based on tax payments and comparable provisions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the second question--who were the rebels?--Richards reveals that impoverished farmers were a minority. The vast majority were "yeomen" farmers--not "gentlemen," but not dirt-poor either. Meanwhile, most leaders of what became known as Shays's Rebellion were established, even wealthy, citizens in their local communities in Western Massachusetts. As can be expected, the vast majority, even in the most rebel-laden jurisdictions, were observers, but there was unmistakable </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">widespread sympathy with the central demands of the early protests, as illustrated by the refusal of local militias to put down attempts by semi-armed rebels to shut down a few courts. Importantly, the militia was made up of men who owned property--"men of substance with deep roots in the community since militia law rather systematically excluded the poor and the transient from service," according to Richards. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In all, from September to December 1786, courts in six towns, including the eastern towns of Taunton and Concord, were forced to be closed. Eventually, Shays's Rebellion was put down by a force of soldiers assembled for this purpose largely by the efforts--and funds--of wealthy Bostonians. Importantly, amidst active attempts of state-sponsored recrimination against the rebels, especially their leaders, Governor Bowdoin was defeated in a landslide by John Hancock. And the general who ordered his state troops to shoot to kill in the battle over the Springfield-based federal armory was vilified for the rest of his life and died a pauper. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The first political parties, under President John Adams, were roughly split on these lines. Divisions during the eras of Jacksonian democracy and prairie populism were, arguably, direct descendants of this split, and a quick look at a red-blue national map by counties show the concentration of Democrats in metropolitan areas, especially on the coasts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The key point is that just as participants in Shays's Rebellion were largely comfortable if not wealthy men from rural areas, Donald Trump's following is composed very substantially of member of the "establishment" of small town and rural America.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Realistically, I am not optimistic about the Democrats' ability to break down the barriers between metropolitans and country folks. Organized Democrats--or at least many of those who vote for Democratic candidates--seem to have a preternatural ability to offend their country cousins. This year, it was calls to "abolish" ICE, harassment of their political opponents at restaurants and homes, and unquestioned acceptance of women's accusations against men because they were made by women. These tactics play into the hands of Republicans like Trump (and have done so at least since the days of Richard Nixon) by enabling them to portray all opponents as discourteous mobs. They were taking a page from the playbook of opponents of Shays's Rebellion nearly 250 years ago.</span></div>
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The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-17977631824992485262018-11-09T11:32:00.002-05:002018-11-09T11:32:24.596-05:00The Senate: "Not Democracy," For Sure!<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Immediately after this year's mid-term elections, New York Times columnist Michael Tomasky <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/07/opinion/midterm-democrats-election-2020.html">lamented</a> that, in "<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Democratic Senate candidates garnered 45 million votes, and Republicans just 33 million (57 percent to 42 percent). Yet, the Republicans will gain perhaps three seats. <b><i>That is not democracy</i></b>." </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">No, it certainly is "not democracy." But how can one seriously suppose that the Constitution structured the government of the United States on principles of "democracy"? Go no further than <a href="https://www.congress.gov/resources/display/content/The+Federalist+Papers#TheFederalistPapers-10">Federalist 10</a> ("</span><a href="https://www.congress.gov/resources/display/content/The+Federalist+Papers#TheFederalistPapers-10" style="background-color: white; color: #551a8b; text-decoration-line: none;">The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection</a>"), in which James Madison examined the differences between a democracy ("<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person") and a "republic" ("</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">a government in which the scheme of representation takes place"). </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if Mr. Tomasky can be granted poetic license and be assumed to be using "democracy" as a reference to the power of numerical popular majorities, his comments are seriously mistaken. The Constitution intricately limits the power of the majority and preserves the power of individual States. Witness this discussion of "t</span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">he equality of representation in the Senate" </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">in <a href="https://www.congress.gov/resources/display/content/The+Federalist+Papers#TheFederalistPapers-62">Federalist 62</a> ("The Senate"):</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The equality of representation in the Senate is another point, which, being evidently the result of compromise between the opposite pretensions of the large and the small States, does not call for much discussion. If indeed it be right, that among a people thoroughly incorporated into one nation, every district ought to have a PROPORTIONAL share in the government, and that among independent and sovereign States, bound together by a simple league, the parties, however unequal in size, ought to have an EQUAL share in the common councils, it does not appear to be without some reason that in a compound republic, partaking both of the national and federal character, the government ought to be founded on a mixture of the principles of proportional and equal representation. But it is superfluous to try, by the standard of theory, a part of the Constitution which is allowed on all hands to be the result, not of theory, but ``of a spirit of amity, and that mutual deference and concession which the peculiarity of our political situation rendered indispensable.'' A common government, with powers equal to its objects, is called for by the voice, and still more loudly by the political situation, of America. A government founded on principles more consonant to the wishes of the larger States, is not likely to be obtained from the smaller States. The only option, then, for the former, lies between the proposed government and a government still more objectionable. Under this alternative, the advice of prudence must be to embrace the lesser evil; and, instead of indulging a fruitless anticipation of the possible mischiefs which may ensue, to contemplate rather the advantageous consequences which may qualify the sacrifice.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this spirit it may be remarked, that the equal vote allowed to each State is at once a constitutional recognition of the portion of sovereignty remaining in the individual States, and an instrument for preserving that residuary sovereignty. So far the equality ought to be no less acceptable to the large than to the small States; since they are not less solicitous to guard, by every possible expedient, against an improper consolidation of the States into one simple republic.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another advantage accruing from this ingredient in the constitution of the Senate is, the additional impediment it must prove against improper acts of legislation. No law or resolution can now be passed without the concurrence, first, of a majority of the people, and then, of a majority of the States. It must be acknowledged that this complicated check on legislation may in some instances be injurious as well as beneficial; and that the peculiar defense which it involves in favor of the smaller States, would be more rational, if any interests common to them, and distinct from those of the other States, would otherwise be exposed to peculiar danger. But as the larger States will always be able, by their power over the supplies, to defeat unreasonable exertions of this prerogative of the lesser States, and as the faculty and excess of law-making seem to be the diseases to which our governments are most liable, it is not impossible that this part of the Constitution may be more convenient in practice than it appears to many in contemplation.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In short, according to Madison or Hamilton (the authorship of Federalist 62 is assigned to one or the other), the Senate was constructed as it was on the basis of a compromise between small states and large states; it was expressly designed to prevent dissolution of the powers of the states and to provide a check against oppression of small states by the large, while vesting in the House the power to prevent oppression of large states by the small.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My fellow Democrats, a perfect example of the purpose of the Senate was the <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=115&session=1&vote=00179">defeat</a> of the GOP's American Health Care Act by one vote in the Senate. The fact that it was defeated is ascribed to one Senator--the late John McCain--but his vote carried no greater weight than those of 12 Senators from "small" states like Alaska, Delaware, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As Democrats, let's focus--as Mr. Tomasky does in his op-ed--on getting more votes from people who live in "red" states. Let's stop focusing on the side-effects of particular provisions of the Constitution. Let's live or die under that document.</span>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-83987163523362839162018-08-29T17:47:00.000-04:002018-09-06T11:44:47.706-04:00Were Cohen's Hush Payments Illegal Campaign Contributions: Who the Hell Knows?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "helvetica";">On August 21, 2018, Michael Cohen, Donald
Trump's former lawyer/fixer, pleaded guilty to violating 52 U.S.C. §§
30109(d)(1)(A), 30116(a)(1)(A), and 30118(a), and 18 U.S.C. § 2(b). <i>United States v. Cohen,</i> 18-cr-00602
(S.D.N.Y.). These are all provisions of federal law dealing with illegal
election campaign contributions. In particular, they had to do with Cohen's
making or arranging for separate payments to a porn star and a former Playboy
model to secure their silence, before the 2016 election, about their supposedly
having had sex (separately) with Trump.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br />
<span style="background: white;"><br />
Amidst the media firestorm that resulted, it was not seriously discussed whether, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica";">irrespective of the fact that Cohen pled guilty, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica";">these payments actually constituted violations of the federal
campaign finance law. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica";">Whether they were violative depends on whether the payments were
"contributions" to Trump's Presidential campaign. The Federal
Election Campaign Act, 52 U.S.C. § 30101(8), states, in pertinent part:
"The term 'contribution' includes--(i) any gift, subscription, loan,
advance, or deposit of money or anything of value made by any person </span><i style="font-family: helvetica;">f<b>or the purpose of </b></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica";">influencing any
election for Federal office..." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">
<span style="background: white;"><br />
What does "for the purpose of influencing any election for
Federal office" mean? That the <i><b>sole</b></i> purpose of the payment was to
influence a federal election? Or does it suffice that <i><b>one</b></i> of the purposes of the payment was to influence an election? Suppose, in the context of the
Cohen case, that the payments had two purposes--influencing the Presidential election and preventing the Trump's wife or family
from hearing about the candidate's possible sexcapades. Under one reading of the law, the payments would be contributions and, under the other, the they would not be contributions. Note that this hypothetical is based on the assumption that the fact-finder (judge or jury) can and does find, as a matter of fact, that the payments had two purposes: in other words, just because a defendant or the candidate claim that there were two purposes, that claim need be credited by the fact-finder. Here, it is assumed, for argument's sake, that it is.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Michael Mukasey, a former U.S. Attorney General under George W. Bush and, before that, a U.S. District Judge, appeared on PBS the day after the Cohen guilty plea and, without reservation, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/former-ag-mukasey-theres-not-really-an-election-law-problem-with-cohen">announced</a> that the law required that electioneering was the sole purpose of the payment: "<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "akkurat" , "arial" , "helvetica" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If there is a dual purpose, including protecting his reputation, then it’s not considered a campaign contribution." </span><span style="background-color: white;">Mr. Mukasey was not alone in making this argument. Months before
the Cohen guilty plea, Rudolph Giuliani, President Trump's personal lawyer,
made essentially the same argument in a </span><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-04/giuliani-says-trump-hush-money-payment-unrelated-to-campaign" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: purple;">statement</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> issued in May 2018.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">
<br />
Of course, Mr. Mukasey and Mr. Giuliani are entitled to their opinion--even to be
cocksure of their opinion--and it may turn out that they're right, but the fact
is there's no case law that confirms (or proves incorrect) their opinion.
Instead, the issue is up for grabs.That neither of them felt the need to caution the listener that theirs was only one view of the issue and that there was no case law on the subject is regrettable, but apparently this is not the season for such a high level of intellectual honesty, especially when you're aligned with Trump.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Did the U.S. Attorney's Office come up with their theory that the payments were illegal campaign contributions out of thin air? No. At least one previous case, not on "all fours" with the Cohen/Trump case, paved the way. It appears that the only time that the statute had been used in a criminal case was in the Government's June 3, 2011 indictment of former
Senator (and Presidential candidate) John Edwards. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">United States v.
Edwards</i>, 11-cr-161 (M.D.N.C.). In that case, while running for President in 2007,
Edwards coordinated the payment of nearly a million dollars to his mistress to
keep his fathering of her child a secret. His position was that the purpose of
the payment was not electioneering but personal--to keep the information from
his cancer-ridden wife--and thus did not constitute a violation of the campaign
finance statute.<br />
<br />
The Edwards trial <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/01/us/edwards-jury-returns-not-guilty-verdict-on-one-count.html"><span style="color: purple;">resulted</span></a> in an acquittal on one count and
a hung jury on the other five, and the Government chose not to retry him.
Before the case went to the jury, the defense moved to dismiss the indictment
on the basis, among other things, that the payments were not
"contributions" under the election law. The government opposed the
motion, and the trial judge denied the motion without writing an opinion. The
briefs filed by the defense and the prosecution are on PACER. Neither side was
able to cite any authority directly on point.<br />
<br />
The defense principally argued that a Fourth Circuit decision, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">N. Carolina Right to Life, Inc. v. Leake</i>,
525 F.3d 274, 286 (4th Cir. 2008), required dismissal. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leake</i> involved a challenge to a
state statute requiring registration of a committee "that has as a
major purpose to support or oppose the nomination or election of one or more
clearly identified candidates." The Fourth Circuit held that under
the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buckley v. Valeo</i>, 424 U.S.1
(1976), the First Amendment required that for a group to be regulated as a
political committee, the group must have "<b>the</b> major purpose” of
supporting or opposing a candidate, and that its being "<b>a </b>major
purpose" did not suffice (emphases added). The defense argued that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leake </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">required a narrow reading of
the term "contribution"--that the federal definition
of contribution referred solely to a payment whose <b>sole</b> purpose was electioneering.<br />
<br />
The Government responded that courts construing the term "for the purpose
of" in other statutory contexts (including, ironically, the Mann Act) have
rejected the argument that the term means "<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> for the purpose of." The Government also argued that
the First Amendment did not require otherwise. As a side note, following the
Supreme Court's decision in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Citizens
United v. Fed. Election Comm'n,</i> 558 U.S. 310 (2010), three circuits
have concluded that "the major purpose" test under <i>Valeo </i>is not a </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">constitutional </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">requirement, but rather is a statutory requirement. </span><i style="font-family: helvetica;">See Vermont Right to Life Comm., Inc.
v. Sorrell</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">, 758 F.3d 118, 135 (2d Cir. 2014) (disagreeing with <i>Leake </i>and citing two other such cases).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Without
denigrating either side in the <i>Edwards </i>case, my view is that neither side's brief did much beyond
scratch the surface of this issue. Certainly, District Judge Eagle's denial of the motion to dismiss without an opinion and her letting the case go to the jury would appear to be
an extremely slim reed on which might lean the conclusion that the term
"contribution" does not require that the sole purpose of the underlying payment be to influence an election. It remains to be seen whether any further
prosecutions or Federal Elections Commission rulings will provide some guidance
on this issue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Another issue is whether, if the law is as vague and uncertain
as it appears it may be, a potential defendant would have the requisite <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mens rea</i>--willfulness or specific
intent--required for any illegal act to be criminal. Not to mention how this
issue would play out in an impeachment context.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">In the
meantime, for partisans such as Messrs Mukasey or Giuliani who argue "no
crime"--and for people, including representatives of organizations as
disparate as the <a href="https://www.heritage.org/crime-and-justice/commentary/why-john-edwards-guilty"><span style="color: purple;">Heritage Foundation</span></a> and <a href="https://www.justsecurity.org/60415/prosecuting-trump-easier-prosecuting-john-edwards-campaign-finance-law-violations/"><span style="color: purple;">Common Cause</span></a>, who have taken the opposite
position--I humbly offer the suggestion that they temper their opinions, no
matter how heartfelt, with a healthy dose of "who the hell knows?".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
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</style>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-78164686324033622452018-06-12T18:29:00.000-04:002018-06-12T18:29:05.515-04:00Wishin' and hopin' and thinkin' and prayin'<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b>The Singapore Summit is over. Who won and who lost?</b></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">First, the all-important atmospherics: </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Most important for both, Trump and Kim got their photo op:</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcOkbpF64J6cshh3TfBR5q4X6Qr_lwwPI4-5cY1HyXja-n5vigl_8Qgb43ad6XcG7dEBOLyNTXbo2tVvVeXnStBXdpB6xuyPE6cVZ0t2UhwD97OAQkZA6bnfK82OGwCdh72To77h4jtXe/s1600/Document1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="1016" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcOkbpF64J6cshh3TfBR5q4X6Qr_lwwPI4-5cY1HyXja-n5vigl_8Qgb43ad6XcG7dEBOLyNTXbo2tVvVeXnStBXdpB6xuyPE6cVZ0t2UhwD97OAQkZA6bnfK82OGwCdh72To77h4jtXe/s400/Document1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Trump took care of his base, railing before the summit against the (always) unidentified "<a href="https://nypost.com/2018/06/11/trump-blasts-haters-losers-in-typo-filled-tweet-from-singapore/">haters and losers</a>." </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">And, after the summit, he managed to fawn all over Kim and even to <a href="https://www.vox.com/world/2018/6/12/17452624/trump-kim-summit-transcript-press-conference-full-text">call </a>Chinese dictator Xi "</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">a very special person."</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">But, atmospherics and premature-Nobel-Prizing aside, </span><br />
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>What did the United States get and what did North Korea get?</b></span></div>
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><u>What the U.S. Got</u></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">1. An agreement</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> to recover POW/MIA remains and repatriate those already identified.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">Comment: a worthy goal, but at what cost?</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"> 2. An agreement to "</span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">commit to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">Comment: a worthy goal, but:</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">a."work toward": at best, an unenforceable agreement to agree</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: yellow;"> b. no mention of "irreversibility."</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">c. removal of U.S. nuclear weapons from S. Korea?</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">3. An agreement to "join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula."</span><div>
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Comment: a worthy goal, but:</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>a. what does it mean?</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>b. how will it be achieved?</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>c. where does it leave South Korea?</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>d. where does it leave the North Korean people?</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b>e. "lasting and stable" are key words for the Kim family.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">4. An agreement to "commit to establish new U.S.–DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div>
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Comment: a worthy goal, but:</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>a. what does it mean?</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>b. how will it be achieved?</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>c. where does it leave South Korea?</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>d. do the North Koreans deserve <u>only</u> peace and prosperity?</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>d. no mention of "freedom" or "liberty"</b></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>What North Korea Got</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">1. The U.S. agreed to call off what Trump called "inappropriate," "very provocative" "war games"--joint military exercises with South Korea.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Comment: a "huge" concession by the U.S.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>a. These "war games" have </b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>served to remind </b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>North Korea of the U.S.' commitment </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">to defend South Korea, a </span><strike style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">major U.S. ally</strike><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>b. This has been a major North Korean goal for decades.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>c. where does it leave South Korea?</b></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. The U.S. gave North Korea--and the Kim family dynasty--important legitimatization:</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcOkbpF64J6cshh3TfBR5q4X6Qr_lwwPI4-5cY1HyXja-n5vigl_8Qgb43ad6XcG7dEBOLyNTXbo2tVvVeXnStBXdpB6xuyPE6cVZ0t2UhwD97OAQkZA6bnfK82OGwCdh72To77h4jtXe/s1600/Document1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="1016" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcOkbpF64J6cshh3TfBR5q4X6Qr_lwwPI4-5cY1HyXja-n5vigl_8Qgb43ad6XcG7dEBOLyNTXbo2tVvVeXnStBXdpB6xuyPE6cVZ0t2UhwD97OAQkZA6bnfK82OGwCdh72To77h4jtXe/s400/Document1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Bottom line: </span><br />
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The big winners: Kim and his clique.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The next big winners: </span><br />
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Russia, because Trump can't stop scratching <u>that</u> itch and it thrives when the U.S. creates disunity among its allies, </span><br />
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">and China (which can now return to trading with North Korea and whose Communist Party chief, Xi, got a nice plug).</span><br />
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The big loser: South Korea.</span><br />
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The third biggest winner: those who own the royalty rights to Dusty Springfield's 1964 hit, <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAdTsAKvVTU">Wishin' and Hopin'</a>. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Copyright 1969, Blue Seas Music, Inc. & KAC Music Co., Inc.</span></i></span><br />
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-1133662829377504752018-01-08T15:17:00.001-05:002018-01-09T12:02:52.449-05:00Marlins' Trades: Look in the Mirror<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">As dedicated Marlins fans—we
go to 20 games a year and watch almost every other game on TV—my wife and I are
surely disappointed that the new Marlins ownership has lowered player salaries
by jettisoning three starters—Dee Gordon, Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">But as realists, we are
not at all surprised. How could it be otherwise?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Anyone focused on
reality, as opposed to emotion-driven name-calling—in other words, anyone who
considers it necessary to base opinions on the facts as they are and not as one
wants them to be—knew that holding onto these high-priced stars made no
long-term sense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Why? Because of a few
undeniable facts, both of the baseball and financial variety. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">First, the baseball
facts:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .3in .8in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">The team was
a chronic loser <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">with</i> Stanton and
Gordon and Ozuna. Let’s look at their record since they moved into Marlins Park
in 2012:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-insideh-themecolor: text1; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid black; mso-border-insidev-themecolor: text1; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 191;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Year<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.0pt;" valign="top" width="63"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Record<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 94.5pt;" valign="top" width="95"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Games Out in NL East<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: .75in;" valign="top" width="54"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Games Stanton Played<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">…Ozuna<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">…Gordon<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.0pt;" valign="top" width="63"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">69-93<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 94.5pt;" valign="top" width="95"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">29<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: .75in;" valign="top" width="54"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">123<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.0pt;" valign="top" width="63"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">62-100<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 94.5pt;" valign="top" width="95"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">34<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: .75in;" valign="top" width="54"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">116<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.0pt;" valign="top" width="63"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">77-85<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 94.5pt;" valign="top" width="95"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: .75in;" valign="top" width="54"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">145<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">153<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2015<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.0pt;" valign="top" width="63"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">71-91<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 94.5pt;" valign="top" width="95"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: .75in;" valign="top" width="54"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">74<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">123<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">145<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.0pt;" valign="top" width="63"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">79-82<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 94.5pt;" valign="top" width="95"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">15.5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: .75in;" valign="top" width="54"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">119<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">148<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">79<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.0pt;" valign="top" width="63"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">77-85<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">159<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">159<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">158<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Their
starting pitching—even had Jose Fernandez not died—was mediocre or worse. You
need four starters to win. One does not do it. Aside from the young starter who came from nowhere, Jose Urena, starters the Marlins used in 2017 were over-the-hill or marginal—think Dan Straley, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adam Conley, Edinson Volquez, Tom
Koehler, and Vance Worley. Yes, Urena had a good 2017 (14-3 W/L, 3.82 E.R.A., 1.273
WHIP), but no one can say whether what he displayed last year is replicable.
But for every Urena there was a Justin Nicolino, an Odrisamer Despaigne, or, my
favorite, a Wei-Yin Chen, an oft-injured lefty who parlayed one decent year
(2014 at age 28) with the Orioles into a ludicrous 5-year, $80 million
backloaded contract (he’ll earn $24,600,000 in 2020). This, from the same
management team that lavished millions on John Buck, Jarrod Saltalamacchia,
Heath Bell, and similar busts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .3in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Their relief
pitching was equally suspect. Of the 5 Marlins pitchers with the most relief
appearances, they had WHIP of 1.200, 1.379, 1,339, 1.392, and 1.553. The The
Marlins dished out major dollars to a 37-year-old submariner, Brad Ziegler,
whose best years were long behind him: his cumulative ERA since debuting in
2008 (including 2017) was 2.61; in 2017, 4.79. His average WHIP, 1.252; 2017,
1.553.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .3in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Their depth
was non-existent. Compare the Astros’ 2017 top three non-starting position
players to the Marlins’:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 23.45pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 28.2pt;" width="28"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.85pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 31.65pt;" width="32"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 105.9pt;" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Marwin Gonzalez <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.3pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">134<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 36.05pt;" width="36"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">515<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 33.15pt;" width="33"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">455<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">67<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">138<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">34<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 22.5pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">23<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.4pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">90<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.1pt;" width="24"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 23.45pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 28.2pt;" width="28"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">49<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.85pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">99<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 31.65pt;" width="32"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.303<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 105.9pt;" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Evan Gattis<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.3pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">84<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 36.05pt;" width="36"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">325<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 33.15pt;" width="33"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">300<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">41<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">79<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">22<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 22.5pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.4pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">55<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.1pt;" width="24"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 23.45pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 28.2pt;" width="28"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.85pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">50<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 31.65pt;" width="32"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.263<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 105.9pt;" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Jake Marisnick</span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.3pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">106<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 36.05pt;" width="36"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">259<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 33.15pt;" width="33"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">230<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">50<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">56<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 22.5pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.4pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">35<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.1pt;" width="24"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 23.45pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 28.2pt;" width="28"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.85pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">90<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 31.65pt;" width="32"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.243<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.9pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 105.9pt;" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Marlins<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.3pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 36.05pt;" width="36"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 33.15pt;" width="33"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 22.5pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.4pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.1pt;" width="24"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 23.45pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 28.2pt;" width="28"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.85pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 31.65pt;" width="32"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 16.35pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 105.9pt;" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">JT Riddle<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.3pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">70<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 36.05pt;" width="36"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">247<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 33.15pt;" width="33"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">228<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">57<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">13<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 22.5pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.4pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">31<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.1pt;" width="24"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 23.45pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 28.2pt;" width="28"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.85pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">50<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.35pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 31.65pt;" width="32"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.250<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 105.9pt;" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ichiro Suzuki<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.3pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">136<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 36.05pt;" width="36"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">215<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 33.15pt;" width="33"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">196<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">50<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 22.5pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.4pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.1pt;" width="24"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 23.45pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 28.2pt;" width="28"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">17<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.85pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">35<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 31.65pt;" width="32"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.255<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td nowrap="" style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 105.9pt;" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tyler Moore<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.3pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">104<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 36.05pt;" width="36"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">203<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 33.15pt;" width="33"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">187<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">17<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">43<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 22.5pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 27.0pt;" width="27"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 25.4pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">30<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.1pt;" width="24"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 23.45pt;" width="23"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 28.2pt;" width="28"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 24.85pt;" width="25"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">56<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; width: 31.65pt;" width="32"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">.23</span>0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br />5.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; text-indent: 0in;">As usual, t<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>he Marlins’ minor league system was bare. At the end of the
2017, their minor league system was ranked 28<sup>th</sup> by Baseball America.
Even after the trades of Gordon, Stanton and Ozuna, not a <b><i>single</i></b> guy in their
farm system was rated in Baseball’s Top 100 by MLB Pipeline. Just look at their
2013-2017 top draft choices to get an idea why:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">2013 Colin
Moran, 3B (now with Astros, .206 BA, 34 AB); <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">2013 Matt
Krook, LHP (never signed by Marlins);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">2014 Tyler
Kolek, RHP (still in Rookie League);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">d.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">2014 Blake
Anderson, C (switched to pitcher, Gulf League);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">e.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">2015 Josh
Naylor, 1B (traded to Padres in 2016; low minor leagues)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">f.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">2016 Braxton
Garrett, LHP (yet to play: Tommy John surgery)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">g.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">2017 Trevor
Rogers (yet to play)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">How did the Marlins get
that way? Were all their front-office baseball people total dolts? Maybe they
were below-average talent evaluators, but is that the sole reason for the
Marlins’ sustained mediocrity? Not likely. More likely it’s at least largely,
if not exclusively, a lack of cash to spend on first-class scouts,
cross-checkers, data analysts and the other sources of baseball knowledge. Any question
why is there not enough cash?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">That leads to the
financial facts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">It has been
widely noted that the Marlins have been last or near to last in the National
League in attendance for years. But what is the effect of this lousy attendance
on team revenues? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">This is the Marlins’ reported
home attendance since 2012, when they moved to Marlins Park (still named
generically). The “Gap in Dollars” estimates that, as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fortune</i> reports, the average Marlins ticket-buyer spent $33 per
ticket plus concessions per game. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span>
<br />
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";">Year</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";">Marlins</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<td style="border-left: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 15.15pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 79.55pt;" valign="top" width="80"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";">ML
Average</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";">Marlins’</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";">Rank</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<td style="border-left: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 15.15pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.0in;" valign="top" width="72"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";">Difference</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<td style="border-left: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 15.15pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 105.8pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";">Gap
in Dollars</span></b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 16.6pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 45.1pt;" valign="top" width="45"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.6pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 79.5pt;" valign="top" width="80"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2,219,444<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.6pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 79.55pt;" valign="top" width="80"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2,495,309<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.6pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.6pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.0in;" valign="top" width="72"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">275,865<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 16.6pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 105.8pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">9,103,543<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 45.1pt;" valign="top" width="45"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 79.5pt;" valign="top" width="80"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">1,586,322<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 79.55pt;" valign="top" width="80"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2,467,563<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">29<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.0in;" valign="top" width="72"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">881,241<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 105.8pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">29,080,959<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 45.1pt;" valign="top" width="45"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 79.5pt;" valign="top" width="80"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">1,732,283<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 79.55pt;" valign="top" width="80"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2,457,987<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">27<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.0in;" valign="top" width="72"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">725,704<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 105.8pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">23,948,245</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 45.1pt;" valign="top" width="45"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2015<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 79.5pt;" valign="top" width="80"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">1,752,235<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 79.55pt;" valign="top" width="80"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2,458,668<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">28<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.0in;" valign="top" width="72"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">706,433<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 105.8pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">23,312,280<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 45.1pt;" valign="top" width="45"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 79.5pt;" valign="top" width="80"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">1,712,417<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 79.55pt;" valign="top" width="80"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2,438,636<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">28<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.0in;" valign="top" width="72"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">726,219<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 105.8pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">23,965,214<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 45.1pt;" valign="top" width="45"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 79.5pt;" valign="top" width="80"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">1,651,997<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 79.55pt;" valign="top" width="80"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2,422,347<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">28<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.0in;" valign="top" width="72"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">770,350<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 105.8pt;" valign="top" width="106"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">25,421,564<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">For nostalgia’s sake,
let’s look at 2003, the last year the Marlins made the playoffs and won the
World Series:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-insideh-themecolor: text1; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid black; mso-border-insidev-themecolor: text1; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 191;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 15.15pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.15pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 54.9pt;" valign="top" width="55"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Year<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.15pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Marlins<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.15pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.0pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">ML Average<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.15pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.0pt;" valign="top" width="63"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Marlins’<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Rank<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.15pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" valign="top" width="77"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Difference<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.15pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.9pt;" valign="top" width="100"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Gap in Dollars<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 54.9pt;" valign="top" width="55"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2003<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 67.5pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">1,303,214<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 81.0pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2,256,300<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.0pt;" valign="top" width="63"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">28<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 76.5pt;" valign="top" width="77"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">953,086<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 99.9pt;" valign="top" width="100"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">33,358,003</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list .3in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">But that’s
only attendance and concessions. How about local TV revenue. Figures from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fangraph </i>for 2016 show that Miami is
locked into a local TV contract through 2019 paying them $20 million a year;
the mean payment per team was $53.5 million, while the median was $46 million.
Split the difference, and the Marlins bank $30 million a year less than the
average team from local TV rights. Meanwhile, media reports claim that the
Marlins earn next to nothing from radio rights. So, between attendance and TV
revenues, they’re in the hole about $55 million a year (throwing out 2012
attendance, their first year in the new park). No wonder they had to lower
their payroll by $25 million a year—and, we can pray, put some of the
difference into a quality farm system and analytics group.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">Finally, let’s compare
the years at Marlins Park when Stanton was injured for a major portion of the
season and when he was not injured, to see if the fans turned out to see their
star when he was playing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-insideh-themecolor: text1; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid black; mso-border-insidev-themecolor: text1; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 191;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 15.15pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.15pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 54.9pt;" valign="top" width="55"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Year<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.15pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 103.5pt;" valign="top" width="104"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Games Stanton played<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.15pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.5pt;" valign="top" width="86"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">Marlins Attendance <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 54.9pt;" valign="top" width="55"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 103.5pt;" valign="top" width="104"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">123<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.5pt;" valign="top" width="86"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2,219,444<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 54.9pt;" valign="top" width="55"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 103.5pt;" valign="top" width="104"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">116<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.5pt;" valign="top" width="86"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">1,586,322<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 54.9pt;" valign="top" width="55"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 103.5pt;" valign="top" width="104"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">145<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.5pt;" valign="top" width="86"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">1,732,283<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 54.9pt;" valign="top" width="55"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2015<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 103.5pt;" valign="top" width="104"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">74<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.5pt;" valign="top" width="86"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">1,752,235<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1.0pt; border: solid black; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 54.9pt;" valign="top" width="55"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1.0pt; border-bottom: solid black; border-left: none; border-right: 1.0pt; border-right: solid black; border-top: none; height: 15.0pt; mso-border-alt: .5pt; mso-border-alt: solid black; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 103.5pt;" valign="top" width="104"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">119<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">1,712,417<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">159<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1,651,997</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">As you can see, there’s
no correlation. Indeed, in 2017, when he had the greatest year any Marlin has
ever had and likely will ever have, attendance dropped overall, even though he
played in 159 games.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">So, for all who seek to
cast blame for this situation, why blame the owners, capitalists all—from Wayne
Huizenga to John Henry to Jeffrey Loria to Bruce Sherman/Derek Jeter. Who can
blame them for either growing tired of losing money or not wanting to lose
money from the outset? Who would willingly buy a business to lose money? Yes,
business losses can be written off a tax return, but until people pay taxes at
a 100% rate, no one comes out ahead by incurring business losses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">The only solution to
this team’s financial woes will be increased attendance and TV viewership. But
what chance is there that, as the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Miami
Herald</i> has reported the Sherman/Jeter business plan reflected, attendance
revenue and local TV revenue are going to increase sharply? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">If you’re looking for
people to blame, look at the people who don’t go to Marlins games, don’t listen
to them on the radio, and don’t watch them on TV. No one is required to do any
of the three. But if people want to get angry and fulminate, but stay even
somewhat tethered to reality, they should start by looking in the mirror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">When you’re though
looking in the mirror, concede this: this is a lousy baseball town. Then ask
whether you’re willing to do anything about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</style>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-66506072657803990362018-01-07T16:41:00.000-05:002018-01-07T16:44:34.045-05:00Trump’s Threatening (?) Letter to Michael Wolff and Henry Holt<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">Just before the publication of
</span><i><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Fire and Fury:
Inside the Trump White House</span></i><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">,<i> </i></span><span style="font-family: "arial";">a lawyer claiming to represent Donald Trump wrote a
letter to Michael Wolff, the book’s author, and Henry Holt & Company, its publisher.
The letter claimed—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">without bothering to
lay out a single specific—</i>that the book was libelous and otherwise violated
Trump’s rights. The letter also demanded that Holt and Wolff preserve all
documents “that refer to or relate to in any way to the Book and any/all of its
contents, the Article and any/all of its contents, Mr. Trump, any/all of his
family members, and/all of their businesses, and/or the Donald J. Trump for
President campaign.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An
interesting legal question is whether Wolff and Holt are under any legal
obligation to preserve any documents just because Trump’s lawyer has demanded
that they do so. There is no uniform governing this issue. Let’s assume
that the issue is determined under New York law; that the courts of New York
have not yet determined applicable standards; and that they therefore would
look to the law as interpreted by federal and state courts over the last
fifteen years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">The
generally prevailing principle, as stated by, among many cases, the Georgia
Supreme Court in a 2015 case, is that a duty to preserve is “</span><span style="background: white;">triggered not only when
litigation is pending but when it is reasonably foreseeable.” The Florida
Supreme Court appears to have also recognized the principle. The question is
whether a reasonable person in the shoes of the potential defendant (here, the
author and the publisher) would reasonably expect a person in the shoes of the
potential (here, Trump) to sue. Some courts state that actual litigation must
be “probable”—more likely than not. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">Here,
Trump has stated, through a lawyer, that the book violated Trump’s rights, but
there was no actual threat to sue; there was no specification of what portions
of the book were defamatory, put Trump in a false light, or evidence inducement
of Steve Bannon’s alleged breach of his contractual duty of confidentiality to
the Trump campaign; and the letter did not even state that a lawsuit was
probable or imminent. It did say, however, that </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt;">“in the near future, you should expect to hear from
this office in greater detail on all of the foregoing issues.”</span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span><span style="background: white;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Is this enough to trigger a duty to preserve
documents? Probably not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
the Georgia case, the issue is described as very fact-specific, based on, among
other things, the type and extent of damages, the economics of litigation, and
“the frequency with which litigation occurs in similar circumstances.” Does a
letter from counsel for the supposedly aggrieved party trigger the duty? Some
courts seem to have said so, but at least one court has rejected the idea that
a lawyer’s letter necessarily triggers the duty of preserving the evidence,
ruling, instead, that such a letter must “provide … the requisite certainty or
specificity of impending litigation,” and “apprise [the potential defendant] of
the scope of the claims which would be filed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;">A
final relevant issue would appear to be whether a reasonable person in Wolff’s
and Holt’s shoes would expect this particular individual—Trump—to go so far as
to sue. There is ample public record Trump or his lawyers have regularly
threatened defamation actions but have seldom, if ever, actually initiated litigation. In this instance, there is ample reason for Trump not to do so. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;">By alleging the book falsely states that
people who know him have called him stupid, moronic and idiotic, Trump would be
opening himself up to detailed inquiry, under oath, of all who have interacted
with him to see if they have harbored, or uttered, these or similar comments.
Would Trump willingly open himself up to such exposure? More likely, it can be assumed that even Trump would listen to conservatives who have cautioned him not to sue: Bill O’Reilly says that filing an action in this
instance would be “ridiculous,” a column headlined “Mr. Trump, He Crazy” in a
conservative publication labeled a suit “pointless,” and Fox News anchor Tucker
Carlson said it was doubtful that Trump would sue.</span></span><br />
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</style>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-59434347030706248272018-01-05T16:35:00.002-05:002018-01-05T16:39:25.027-05:00Never interrupt an enemy when he's making a mistake!<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Who was it who said: "Never interrupt an enemy when he's making a mistake."?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1182-never-interrupt-your-enemy-when-he-is-making-a-mistake">web</a> says it was Napoleon Bonaparte. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIz4Zl8DHcLwxofsyyYqrve4Oz5xFAMw0lHd-newCwvk0dM0OfFIMa_bI07SsRuok8p5OB8oNlDerk2jFIHCN9r2YGYS0PPd83wfxYZBCOsB46QtE0iKFwFy0UmzkTrVzQwTPY6bT8uZEH/s1600/Nappy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIz4Zl8DHcLwxofsyyYqrve4Oz5xFAMw0lHd-newCwvk0dM0OfFIMa_bI07SsRuok8p5OB8oNlDerk2jFIHCN9r2YGYS0PPd83wfxYZBCOsB46QtE0iKFwFy0UmzkTrVzQwTPY6bT8uZEH/s1600/Nappy.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or maybe it was <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/napolda01.shtml">Danny Napoleon</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiB1hIOP37CJTL8mV5PHwlsbpc1YRzRwt7irfvHWtFrENG9bvAY0RsSOIA2kHDsteaV-4xupc8wxjycYZNvFGq_tOelOe3UVgAfFRosiOAAH7fZITwO8W0yhLrHZLqDy8-WY3oxbLSS430/s1600/Danny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiB1hIOP37CJTL8mV5PHwlsbpc1YRzRwt7irfvHWtFrENG9bvAY0RsSOIA2kHDsteaV-4xupc8wxjycYZNvFGq_tOelOe3UVgAfFRosiOAAH7fZITwO8W0yhLrHZLqDy8-WY3oxbLSS430/s1600/Danny.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or maybe it was <a href="https://baseballhall.org/hof/lajoie-nap">Napoleon Lajoie</a> ("Nap," to us Rhode Islanders).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYCMtXqAS959jN-0QjvRe_5ZXwMcwiXCTTQhs7eYz88qxepiZT_2ntTb-gY2lPXmcsFGL8_OxUeja3RK3rcv8W1E4jnVlPWXeraI4b8HDBrAZeG6xZy8zwSp5n0bHz_uukGJhYOZBpEEu/s1600/Lajoie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYCMtXqAS959jN-0QjvRe_5ZXwMcwiXCTTQhs7eYz88qxepiZT_2ntTb-gY2lPXmcsFGL8_OxUeja3RK3rcv8W1E4jnVlPWXeraI4b8HDBrAZeG6xZy8zwSp5n0bHz_uukGJhYOZBpEEu/s1600/Lajoie.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Who cares who said it? It's great advice. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And, in the current context, it means, as applied to </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Democrats in the House and Senate, and Democratic candidates for those offices, it means this: </span><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>DON'T PUSH FOR THE IMPEACHMENT OF TRUMP</i>.</b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sooner or later, the Republicans in the House will admit--they already know it if they have half of a half of a half a brain--that Trump is an <a href="http://www.bartleby.com/101/549.html">albatross around their neck</a>. They will start impeachment proceedings, or proceedings under the 25th Amendment. And, if they succeed, we'll be struck with President Michael Richard Pence, who is three times more conservative than Trump, can get along with Congressional conservatives of all stripes, and looks and sounds oh so reasonable. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHoIwULjRqR-PD96XpwtXXenaHYm_WgpAu3ofT11CwKfQGC6X5CQLRp15Hz8z6SYtIXe4ZPIiWiGP3y9iJaah8UFhKnd_11xKtQTgnylhMlPzbyjWGI0D3pT4oWEQLhuZapgzdB70Rf6F/s1600/Pence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHoIwULjRqR-PD96XpwtXXenaHYm_WgpAu3ofT11CwKfQGC6X5CQLRp15Hz8z6SYtIXe4ZPIiWiGP3y9iJaah8UFhKnd_11xKtQTgnylhMlPzbyjWGI0D3pT4oWEQLhuZapgzdB70Rf6F/s200/Pence.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whom would you trust, this guy</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoPVSrgtCOZR3dEsq8th_5xCPhreX44YVmj3XcTkoZDIaSjkl5tPB9pl6kpKy_wEU8LXRT2HMDxt2y8pYqajEb0ptk-KLjpKsW5zqIycCbY_IX8GQRH8RfQcW4zvvZSZ76K4JFm9fV0dY/s1600/dt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="278" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoPVSrgtCOZR3dEsq8th_5xCPhreX44YVmj3XcTkoZDIaSjkl5tPB9pl6kpKy_wEU8LXRT2HMDxt2y8pYqajEb0ptk-KLjpKsW5zqIycCbY_IX8GQRH8RfQcW4zvvZSZ76K4JFm9fV0dY/s320/dt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">or this guy?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes, Trump is </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">a</span></b>busive, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">b</span></b>oorish, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">c</span></b>ontemptuous, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">d</span></b>evious, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">e</span></b>gocentric, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>f</b></span>atuous, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">g</span></b>rasping, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>h</b></span>aughty, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>i</b></span>gnorant, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>j</b></span>uvenile, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>k</b></span>navish, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>l</b></span>aughable, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>m</b></span>ysogenistic, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>n</b></span>arcissistic, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>o</b></span>afish, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>p</b></span>hony, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">q</span></b>uarrelsome, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">r</span></b>acist, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>s</b></span>adistic, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>t</b></span>actless, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>u</b></span>ntrustworthy, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>v</b></span>indictive, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>w</b></span>arped, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>x</b></span>enophobic, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>y</b></span>okelish, and </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>z</b></span>any. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And, he is so incompetent he could walk us into a major war. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But he is not a long-term threat to the American people -- <b><i>if</i></b> Democrats get off their asses and vote in November for Democrats for the House and Senate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pence, however, is, just because he's not Trump. If, by some twist of fate, the House impeaches Trump and the Senate convicts him before November 6, the main argument that the Democrats can take to the nation--that they are needed to restrain Trump before he blows us all up--will be removed. Imagine a half-competent polished right-wing extremist like Pence, arm-in-arm with Ryan and McConnell.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thus, to my fellow Democrats: restrain yourselves and stop trying to get rid of The Donald.</span>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-33594378795898844082017-08-12T16:35:00.002-04:002017-08-28T10:22:38.120-04:00The Rich Higgins memo: If ever you doubted that Trump loyalists inhabit a different universe, read this. <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the <a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/08/10/heres-the-memo-that-blew-up-the-nsc/">memo</a> from Rich Higgins the National Security Counsel staff member who was recently fired. No comment need be made. I suggest you read it through the end.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">POTUS &
POLITICAL WARFARE <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">by Rich
Higgins<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">BACKGROUND.</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">The Trump
administration is suffering under withering information campaigns designed to
first undermine, then delegitimize and ultimately remove the President</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">. Possibly confusing these attacks with an elevated interplay of
otherwise normal D.C. partisan infighting and adversarial media relations, the
White House response to these campaigns reflects a political advocacy mindset
that it is intensely reactive, severely under-inclusive and dangerously inadequate
to the threat. If action is not taken to re-scope and respond to these hostile
campaigns very soon, the administration risks implosion and subsequent early
departure from the White House.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">This is not politics as usual but
rather </span><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">political warfare at an unprecedented level that is
openly engaged in the direct targeting of a seated president through
manipulation of the news cycle</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">. It must be
recognized on its own terms so that immediate action can be taken. At its core,
these campaigns run on multiple lines of effort, serve as the non-violent line
of effort of a wider movement, and execute political warfare agendas that
reflect cultural Marxist outcomes. The campaigns operate through narratives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Because </span><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">the hard left
is aligned with Islamist organizations</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> at local
(</span><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">ANTIFA
working with Muslim Brotherhood doing business as MSA and CAIR</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">), national (ACLU and BLM working with CAIR and MPAC) and international
levels (OIC working with OSCE and the UN), recognition must given to the fact
that they seamlessly interoperate at the narrative level as well. In candidate
Trump, the opposition saw a threat to the “politically correct” enforcement
narratives they’ve meticulously laid in over the past few decades. </span><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">In President Trump, they see a latent threat to continue
that effort to ruinous effect and their retaliatory response reflects this fear</span></i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">INTRODUCTION.</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> Responding
to relentless personal assaults on his character, candidate <a href="http://www.npr.org/2016/10/13/497857068/transcript-donald-trumps-speech-responding-to-assault-accusations">Trump</a> identified the players
and the strategy:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">“The establishment and their
media enablers will control over this nation through means that are very well
known. Anyone who challenges their control is deemed a sexist, a racist, a
xenophobe, and morally deformed.”</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">—</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">President Trump, Oct 2016<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Culturally conditioned to limit
responses to such attacks as yet another round in the on-going drone from
diversity and multicultural malcontents, these broadsides are discounted as
political correctness run amuck. However, political correctness is a weapon
against reason and critical thinking. This weapon functions as the enforcement
mechanism of diversity narratives that seek to implement cultural Marxism.
Candidate Trump’s rhetoric in the campaign not only cut through the Marxist
narrative, he did so in ways that were viscerally comprehensible to a voting
bloc that then made candidate Trump the president; making that bloc self-aware
in the process. President Trump is either the candidate he ran as, or he is
nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Recognizing in candidate Trump an existential threat to
cultural Marxist memes that dominate the prevailing cultural narrative</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">, those that benefit recognize the threat he poses and seek his
destruction. For this cabal, Trump must be destroyed. Far from politics as
usual, this is a political warfare effort that seeks the destruction of a
sitting president. Since Trump took office, the situation has intensified to
crisis level proportions. For those engaged in the effort, especially those
from within the “deep state” or permanent government apparatus, this raises
clear Title 18 (legal) concerns.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">DISCUSSION.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">The Opposition. </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">While
opposition to President Trump manifests itself through political warfare memes
centered on cultural Marxist narratives, this hardly means that opposition is
limited to Marxists as conventionally understood. Having become the dominant
cultural meme, some benefit from it while others are captured by it; including
“deep state” actors, globalists, bankers, Islamists, and establishment
Republicans. Through the campaign, candidate Trump tapped into a deep vein of
concern among many citizens that America is at risk and is slipping away.
Globalists and Islamists recognize that for their visions to succeed, America,
both as an ideal and as a national and political identity, must be destroyed.
Atomization of society must also occur at the individual level; with attacks
directed against all levels of group and personal identity. Hence the sexism,
racism and xenophobia memes. As a Judeo-Christian culture, forced inclusion of
post-modern notions of tolerance is designed to induce nihilistic
contradictions that reduce all thought, all faith, all loyalties to
meaninglessness. Group rights based on sex or ethnicity are a direct assault on
the very idea of individual human rights and natural law around which the
Constitution was framed. “Transgender acceptance” memes attack at the most
basic level by denying a person the right to declare the </span><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">biological fact</span></i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> of one’s
sex. When a population has 2 + 2 = 5 imposed on it, there are many that
benefit:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Mainstream Media</span></b><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">—</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">The principle mechanism for
implementing narratives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">The Academy</span></b><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">—</span></b><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Academia
has served as a principle counter-state node for some time and remains a key
conduit for creating future adherents to cultural Marxist narratives and their
derivative worldview.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">The Deep State</span></b><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">—</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">The successful outcome of cultural
Marxism is a bureaucratic state beholden to no one, certainly not the American
people. With no rule of law considerations outside those that further deep
state power, the deep state truly becomes, as Hegel advocated, god bestriding
the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Global Corporatists & Bankers</span></b><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">—</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Exploitation of populations, unfettered
by national protections and notions of personal morality and piety.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Democratic Leadership</span></b><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">—</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">The democratic leadership has been a
counter-state enabler that executes, sustains, and protects cultural Marxist
programs of action and facilitates the relentless expansion of the deep state.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Republican Leadership</span></b><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">—</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">More afraid of being accused of being
called a racist, sexist, homophobe or Islamophobe than of failing to enforce
their oaths to “support and defend the Constitution,” the Republican
Establishment accepts and enforces cultural Marxist memes within its own sphere
of operations. In doing so, knowingly or not, it becomes an agent of that.
These “conservatives” become increasingly indistinguishable from their
democratic counter-parts save that they misrepresent themselves to their
constituents. Lacking the discernment to recognize their situation, they will
work with globalists, corporatists, and the international financial interests
and will likewise service the deep state. These establishment Republicans are
the hard left’s designated defeat mechanism in the destruction of the old
regime as well as the American ideal. Because candidate Trump publicly exposed
them for their duplicitous activities, they are at risk as long as Trump can
turn on them and are, therefore, bitter foes. Candidate Trump’s success remains
an ongoing existential threat to establishment Republicans.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Islamists</span></b><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">—</span></b><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Islamists
ally with cultural Marxist because, as far back as the 1980s, they properly
assessed that the hard left has a strong chance of reducing Western
civilization to its benefit. Having co-opted post-modern narratives as critical
points, Islamists deploy these narrative to strategically blind and then
control US decision makers. This is by design and purposeful. “By their own
hands!” has been the declared strategy of the Muslim Brotherhood since 1991.
This strategy seeks to divide American society against itself with the forced
imposition of Islamist objectives on one half of American society by the other
half. Once a society has been effectively atomized, the population will have
lost its faith in the old order, detest those who reduced it, and divide along
the lines of narrative adherence. This is the intended outcome of hostile
information cum political warfare campaigns and today we see their effects on
American society.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Complicating the current situation,
many close to the president have pushed him off his message when he was
candidate Trump thus alienating him from his base thereby isolating him in the
process. When President Trump is not candidate Trump, he becomes dangerously
exposed. While the base that elected candidate Trump identified with his
vision, they are only Trump’s insofar as he holds to the vision that made him
president.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Political Warfare Attacks — A Primer.</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> As used here, “political warfare” does not concern activities
associated with the American political process but rather exclusively refers to
political warfare as understood by the Maoist Insurgency model. Political
warfare is one of the five components of a Maoist insurgency. Maoist
methodologies employ synchronized violent and non-violent actions that focus on
mobilization of individuals and groups to action. This approach envisions the
direct use of non-violent operational arts and tactics as elements of combat
power. In Maoist insurgencies, the formation of a counter-state is essential to
seizing state power. Functioning as a hostile competing state acting within an
existing state, it has an alternate infrastructure. Political warfare operates
as one of the activities of the “counter-state” and is primarily focused on the
resourcing and mobilization of the counter state or the exhaustion and
demobilization of the targeted political movement. Political warfare methods
can be implemented at strategic, operational, or tactical levels of operation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Political warfare is warfare. Strategic
information campaigns designed to delegitimize through disinformation arise out
of non-violent lines of effort in political warfare regimes. They principally
operate through narratives. Because the left is aligned with Islamist
organizations at local, national and international levels, recognition should
be given to the fact that they seamlessly interoperate through coordinated
synchronized interactive narratives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Cultural Marxism — A Primer. </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">While the attacks on President Trump arise out of political warfare
considerations based on non-kinetic lines of effort (as discussed below), they
operate in a battle-space prepared, informed and conditioned by cultural
Marxist drivers. In practical terms, the political warfare assault on President
Trump cannot be separated from the cultural Marxist narratives that drive them.
From an operational preparation of the environment perspective, President Trump
is operating in a battle-space that reflects the left’s vision.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">As used in this discussion, </span><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">cultural
Marxism relates to programs and activities that arise out of Gramsci Marxism,
Fabian Socialism and most directly from the Frankfurt School</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">. The Frankfurt strategy deconstructs societies through attacks on
culture by imposing a dialectic that forces unresolvable contradictions under
the rubric of critical theory. The result is induced nihilism, a belief in
everything that is actually the belief in nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">That post-modern
(diversity/multiculturalism) narratives seeks to implement cultural Marxist
objectives can be demonstrated by reference to founding Frankfurt School
theorist Herbert Marcuse’s repurposing of the term tolerance. In a 1965 <a href="http://www.marcuse.org/herbert/pubs/60spubs/65repressivetolerance.htm">paper</a>, Marcuse defined tolerance
as intolerance; said it can be implemented through undemocratic means to stop
chauvinism (xenophobia), racism, discrimination; and should be extended to the
left while denied to the right:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">“The realization of the
objective of tolerance would call for intolerance toward prevailing policies,
attitudes, opinions, and the extension of tolerance to policies, attitudes, and
opinions which are outlawed or suppressed.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">“Surely, no government can
be expected to foster its own subversion, but in a democracy such a right is
vested in the people (i.e. in the majority of the people). This means that the
ways should not be blocked on which a subversive majority could develop, and if
they are blocked by organized repression and indoctrination, their reopening
may require apparently undemocratic means. They would include the withdrawal of
toleration of speech and assembly from groups and movements which promote
aggressive policies, armament, chauvinism, discrimination on the grounds of
race and religion, or which oppose the extension of public services, social
security, medical care, etc.” (8–9)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">“Liberating tolerance, then,
would mean intolerance against movements from the Right and toleration of
movements from the Left. As to the scope of this tolerance and
intolerance: … it would extend to the stage of action as well as of
discussion and propaganda, of deed as well as of word.” (12)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">It is through such post-modern
constructs that interoperable narratives are established among various
left-wing groups as well as between them and Islamist groups at all levels. For
example, from the 2001 Conference of Foreign Ministers at Bamako, Mali, the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) declared its commitment to fight
racism and xenophobia and then declared Islamophobia a “contemporary form of
racism”:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">In this context, the World
Conference urges all states . . . take all necessary measures to
combat hatred, discrimination, intolerance and acts of violence, intimidation
and coercion motivated by racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance</span><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">particularly
against Islam<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance which display an increasing
trend, in their most subtle and contemporary forms, constitute a violation of
human rights. 3. Contemporary forms of racism are based on discrimination and
disparagement on a cultural, rather than biological basis. In this content, the
increasing trend of Islamophobia, as a distinct form of xenophobia in
non-Muslim societies is very alarming.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">That the OIC made these claims as part
of its planned inputs to the United Nation’s “<a href="http://www.un.org/WCAR/durban.pdf">Third
World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance</a>” further demonstrates the coordinated and interoperable
nature of these narratives at international levels in international forums.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">As cultural Marxist narratives
intensify, they are to be further operationalized in the form of hate speech
narratives. Hate speech narratives are non-random, coordinated, and fully
interoperable escalations of cultural Marxist memes. Key international players
include the European Union, the UN, and the OSCE, the OIC and the International
Muslim Brotherhood. Hate speech memes are structured, coordinated, and
implemented through these same international forums. They involve close
coordination with media and social media and include the Countering Violent
Extremism (CVE) narratives. David Shipler’s book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Speech-Mightier-Than-Sword/dp/0307947610/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1496080041&sr=8-2&keywords=david+shipler"><i><span style="text-decoration-line: none;">Freedom of Speech</span></i></a> provides
a road map for how hate speech narratives are to be structured, deployed and
enforced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Battlespace. </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">These attack
narratives are pervasive, full spectrum and institutionalized at all levels.
They operate in social media, television, the 24-hour news cycle in all media,
and are entrenched at the upper levels of the bureaucracies and within the
foreign policy establishment. They inform the entertainment industry from late
night monologues, to situation comedies, to television series memes, to movie
themes. The effort required to direct this capacity at President Trump is
little more than a programming decision to do so. The cultural Marxist
narrative is fully deployed, pervasive, full spectrum and ongoing. Regarding
the president, attacks have become a relentless 24/7 effort.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">While there is certainly a Marxist
agenda and even Islamist motivations that must be seriously addressed in their
own right, these motivations alone seem inadequate to explain the scope and
magnitude of the effort directed against the president. The economic drivers
behind the Marxist and Islamist ideologues are enormously influential and seek
to leverage these ideological movements for their own self interests. While
beyond the actual scope of this document, the benefactors of these political
movements include; Urban Real Estate who depend greatly on immigrant tenants,
International Banking who seeks to maintain US debtor status so as to control
the application of American power, and elements of the business sector that
depend upon immigrant labor or government infrastructure. The overall objective
of these economic forces is the forced urbanization of the populace, thereby
necessitating a larger, more powerful government. In summary, this is a form of
population control by certain business cartels in league with cultural
Marxists/corporatists/Islamists who will leverage Islamic terrorism threats to
justify the creation of a police state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Adversary Campaign Plan. </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Political Warfare has been described as “propaganda in battledress.”
The effort directed at President Trump is executed along one overt, as well as
two covert, lines of effort:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">The overt line of effort is</span><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> PUBLICITY.</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> Publicity</span><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">is the
straightforward projection of a case that builds a picture in the audience’s
mind designed to garner support. It is facts without context and information
the adversary wants the audience to possess that creates an impression and sets
conditions. It seeks to establish good will and receptiveness to additional
inputs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">There are two covert lines
of effort:</span><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> PROPOGANDA [sic] and INFILTRATION/SUBVERSION.</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Propaganda is the deliberate direction, even manipulation, of
information to secure a definite outcome</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">. It is an attempt to direct
the thinking of the recipient, without his conscious collaboration, into
predetermined channels that are established in the Publicity line of effort. It
is the unwitting conditioning of the recipient by devious methods with an
ulterior motive that seeks to move them incrementally over time into greater
belief and acceptance of message transmitted in the Publicity line of effort.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Infiltration and subversion </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">operate internal to the
targeted organization in order to inform, target, coordinate, and amplify the
effects of the publicity and propaganda. Both operate to gather
intelligence, </span><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">obstruct legitimate courses of action, provide inside information, and
leak sensitive information that undermines the leadership and suppresses the
morale of friendly elements</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_warfare"><b><span style="text-decoration-line: none;">Infiltration</span></b></a> of
political and social groups within a target state is done for the purpose of
extending counter-state influence and control. The endgame is concealed and may
involve illicit activities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_warfare"><b><span style="text-decoration-line: none;">Subversion</span></b></a> undermines
or detaches the loyalties of significant political and social groups within the
target state and transfers political and/or ideological loyalties to the
counter-state. As the counter-state forms, a counter-elite of influential
individual and key leaders within the target state will later facilitate the
legitimacy and permanency of the new regime.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Political warfare employs both publicity and propaganda</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">. It recognizes no intrinsic virtue in the news but rather envisions it
as a mechanism to exploit and build up support. From a political warfare
perspective, control of the news cycle is the most potent means of attracting
and building up a favorable audience. As it relates to the news cycle,
publicity and propaganda can be merged to form a “pseudo-publicity” that is presented
as news in furtherance of sustaining pseudo-realities maintained by cultural
Marxist memes. Pseudo-publicity treatment of President Trump dominates the news
cycle. The current campaign against President Trump operates in the following
manner:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">The Meta Narrative. </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Meta narratives</span><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">seeks to delegitimize
President Trump, his administration, and the vision of America he projected as
a candidate. With cultural Marxist memes serving as the backdrop, President
Trump is to be relentlessly characterized as unfit through the use of
supporting narratives acting to move unwitting populations to belief in the
meta narrative. Hence:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">“President Trump is
illegitimate”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.95pt; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">“President Trump is corrupt”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.95pt; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">“President Trump is
dishonest”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Note that the twitter accounts and
mainstream media personalities pushing this narrative have seen their audience
numbers rise greatly in the past 6 months. This is a direct result of the
supporting and backdrop narratives channeling individuals to this
meta-narrative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Supporting Narratives.</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> Meta-narratives
are supported by an ongoing series supporting-narratives that can be swapped
out as circumstances warrant. It is important to recognize that these stories
do not have to be true, valid or accurate to serve their purpose. Over time,
deserved or not, the cumulative effect of these supporting narratives will
result in a Trump fatigue. From a political warfare perspective, President
Trump’s inability to meet this challenge will cast him as a weak failed leader.
The current list of supporting narratives include:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">“Russia hacked the election”</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">—</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">illegitimate<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.95pt; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">“Obstruction of Justice”</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">—</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">corrupt<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.95pt; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">“Hiding Collusion”</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">—</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">dishonest<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.95pt; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">“Putin Puppet”</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">—</span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">treasonous<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Backdrop Narratives. </span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">The backdrop to the meta and supporting narratives are cultural Marxist
memes designed to sustain a general sense of loathing of President Trump and
the America that elected him. Hence:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.95pt; margin-top: 0.1pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">“[<i>meta</i>]</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> President
Trump is illegitimate, </span><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">[<i>supporting</i>]</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> he
was elected because of Russian hacking, </span><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">[<i>backdrop</i>]</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> and
besides, he a racist, sexist xenophobe.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Adversaries utilize these interlocking
narratives as a defensive political and information warfare screen that
silences critics and smears supporters of President Trump. When people in the
media question the behavior, actions and decisions of the Trump
Administration’s opponents, they are immediately said to be “working for the
Russians” or “supporting Russian propaganda.” Individual Americans who support
the President are deemed “deplorable” and “racist.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">End State</span><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">. </span></i><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Attacks on
President Trump are not just about destroying him, but also about destroying
the vision of America that lead to his election</span></b><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">. </span></i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Those individuals and groups seeking the destruction of President Trump
actually seek to suffocate the vision of America that made him president.
Hence, the end state is not just a delegitimized, destabilized, immobilized and
possibly destroyed presidency; but also </span><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">a </span></i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">demoralized movement composed of a large enough bloc to elect a
president that subsequently become self-aware of its own disenfranchisement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">CONCLUSION.</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">The recent turn of events give rise to
the observation that the defense of President Trump is the defense of America.
In the same way President Lincoln was surrounded by political opposition both
inside and outside of his wire, in both overt and covert forms, so too is
President Trump. Had Lincoln failed, so too would have the Republic. The
administration has been maneuvered into a constant back-pedal by relentless
political warfare attacks structured to force him to assume a reactive posture
that assures inadequate responses. The president can either drive or be driven
by events; it’s time for him to drive them.</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><!--EndFragment--></div>
The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-355795890503248912017-08-06T17:36:00.003-04:002017-08-28T10:31:09.556-04:00The Democrats' Bind on Immigration<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Democrats are in a serious bind on immigration and they'd better become adept at learning how to lessen its grip.</span></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thomas B. Edsall, a professor of journalism at Columbia University and an op-ed contributor to <i>The New York Times</i>, specializes in telling truth to Democrats. (I was going to say "telling truth to power," but I couldn't think of any Democrat who has any power.) </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a February 2017 op-ed piece, in <i>The New York Times</i>, </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/opinion/the-democrats-immigration-problem.html?_r=0">The Democrats’ Immigration Problem</a></i>, Mr. Edsall comprehensively demonstrates that Democrats are in a bind on immigration. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the July/August issue of <i>The Atlantic</i>, Peter Beinart, a liberal professor and writer, wrote much the same, in </span><i style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/07/the-democrats-immigration-mistake/528678/">How the Democrats Lost Their Way on Immigration</a>. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: white;"><br /></i>
<span style="background-color: white;">Both should be </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">required reading by Democratic candidates for the House and Senate, and their political backers, in 2018. But get ready: hordes of millennials won't like the message. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">While national polls show majority support for </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">granting eventual legal status or citizenship to undocumented immigrants, there are at least three structural problems facing Democrats: first, there is less support for this position among African-Americans than among other Democrats; second, the immigration issue is less important for those who support the Democratic position than for those in opposition; and third, white voters are much less likely than non-whites to oppose those policies. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then there is another problem: when Democrats talk about "immigration," they're typically talking about the effects of deportation of illegal (or "undocumented") aliens on families, children, etc., or of "discrimination" in immigration policies on Hispanics, but when Republicans talk about "immigration," they're typically talking about violations of law, an increase in the numbers of non-whites in their communities, and jobs taken from Americans by "illegals." Since voters tend to be more easily roused by fear than by humaneness, the Republican approach is more potent, even if, in the long run, they are being unrealistic in making believe that illegal/undocumented immigrants are going to disappear. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On its face, this analysis suggests that, in a general election, Democrats should not make "immigration" an important campaign issue unless the specific district in which they are running favors that approach. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The problem in 2018 will be that Democrats seeking to run in swing districts will likely be facing a primary. For example, in the race for the seat made open by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's retirement, FL-27, there are currently seven candidates, several of whom are likely to have enough money and name recognition to make a serious run. Whether a candidate can win that primary without emphasizing positions likely to incite turnout is problematic. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Republicans repeat their mantras--illegal immigration is just that--illegal--and nations must protect their borders. These slogans may seem noxious when they come from the mouths of Republican hypocrites who know damned well that real estate contractors and farmers and lawn care companies would suffer financially if they couldn't hire illegal immigrants, but the fact that Republicans have cynically exploited those slogans doesn't make them <i>wrong</i>. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Democratic establishment will say that they incorporate the need for border security into their "pitch" on immigration, but you have to look hard before you find that nugget. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Take the 2016 Democratic Platform: it said not a word about the need for border security and carefully avoided the word "illegal."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or tak</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's </span><a href="https://action.dccc.org/petition/immigration-action?sc=dccc-action-page" style="background-color: white;">position</a>: "<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Demand Comprehensive Immigration Reform! Donald Trump and his Republicans want to build a wall and deport millions of hardworking immigrants. Sign on to take a stand against their xenophobia now." </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Or take the Democratic National Committee's <a href="https://www.democrats.org/issues/immigration-reform">statement</a> on immigration: </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Democrats are fighting
for every immigrant who feels threatened by Donald Trump’s election. We will
not stand by and watch families be torn apart — Democrats in Congress and in
states and cities across the country are already standing up to Trump’s hatred
and bigotry to defend their immigrant neighbors." Yes, there's this pass
at covering all fronts--"Democrats will continue to work toward
comprehensive immigration reform that fixes our nation’s broken immigration
system, improves border security, prioritizes enforcement so we are targeting
criminals - not families, keeps families together, and strengthens our
economy."--but who's kidding whom? </span><br />
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<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In fact, some Democrats <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2017/04/26/sen-kamala-harriss-claim-that-an-undocumented-immigrant-is-not-a-criminal/?utm_term=.2431b09e38da">claim</a> that unauthorized entry into the U.S. is not a crime. But it is: entry by an alien other than as authorized by an immigration agent is a crime punishable, in the case of a first</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-time offense, by up to six months imprisonment. 8 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(1).</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes, it's a misdemeanor, but why deny that it's a crime? </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Yes, immigration is a complicated, heart-rending issue. But failing to recognize the compelling power of inconvenient facts is self-defeating. If Democratic voters are not capable of understanding the need to throw Republican rhetoric back at them, then they deserve to remain in their powerless state.</span></span>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-67416778411928642722017-08-05T17:13:00.000-04:002017-08-28T10:37:12.158-04:00Trump Made them Believe He Felt Their Pain; Democrats Propose Governmental Solutions<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="s1">An August 4, 2017 <i>New York Times</i> Op-Ed piece ("</span><span class="s2">Why Trump Supporters Distrust Immigration and Diversity,"</span><span class="s1">questions whether Trump supporters are racist, and states that “[Chuck] Schumer knows his party must quickly and candidly address the question of why the white working and middle classes — groups who were the foundation of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal coalition — often support Mr. Trump.” The Op-Ed also praises Schumer’s new "'Better Deal’ populist blueprint" because it “emphasiz[es] strategies that would help all American workers.”</span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The “Better Deal” is a list of conventional proposals that might chip away at some of the problems with the American economy, but its most prominent failing is that it gives no recognition whatsoever to the sense of profound hopelessness that is gripping average Americans and, for that matter, average citizens of the world. This hopelessness is what Trump recognized and pandered to. Until Democrats start recognizing that hopeless and its root causes, all the talk about infrastructure projects and hikes to the minimum wage will get them nowhere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="s1">That hopelessness is primarily caused by the structural unemployment that is being hastened by the relentless pace of automation. A recent study by PwC, </span><span class="s2"><i>Will robots steal our jobs? The potential impact of automation on the UK and other major economies</i>, </span><span class="s1">while focusing on the U.K., was portentous about the U.S.: in less than 15 years, up to 38% of U.S. jobs will be at high risk of loss through automation, with higher rates for transportation, storage, and wholesale and retail. Professors Acemoglu and Restrepo, in </span><span class="s2"><i>Robots and Jobs: Evidence from U.S. Labor Markets, </i>found large job losses from </span><span class="s1">robots alone and predicted “sizable” loss of jobs in the future. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is not enough for Democrats to criticize Trump for being insincere, uninformed, and cynical. People are not as stupid or undecipherable as so many of us liberals may think. Many who supported Trump knew damned well that the companies and the jobs that have been wiped out in their small towns and cities aren’t coming back, but at least someone had the brains to recognize their plight. The fact that Trump exploited their anger and gave them false hope does not eliminate the source of their fear: what are they and their children going to do to earn a living?</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can just hear the Democratic Party’s consultants telling their candidates not to start talking about shrinking job markets—too negative, too depressing, not optimistic! But why listen to the same operatives who have “advised” Democratic Congressional and Senate candidates right off the cliff? When was the last time you heard a Democrat say that the only issue that really counts is the need for a strong economy, based on good jobs, and that every other societal need depends on the strength of the economy? That’s not what the "Better Deal” is talking about—its focus, instead, is on government programs: "Our plan for <i>A Better Deal </i>starts by creating millions of good-paying, full-time jobs by directly investing in our crumbling infrastructure and prioritizing small business and entrepreneurs, instead of giving tax breaks to special interests. We will aggressively crack down on unfair foreign trade and fight back against corporations that outsource American jobs. We will fight to ensure a living wage for all Americans and keep our promise to millions of workers who earned a pension, Social Security and Medicare, so seniors can retire with dignity.” That’s a big difference from talking about the need for a strong economy, period. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="s2">In the August 4 <i>Times</i></span><span class="s2">, a letter writer remarks: "</span><span class="s1">Ever since the election I’ve been scratching my head over why Donald Trump got elected.” Look around. Take a drive through neighborhoods in Pittsburgh and Youngstown and Orange County, New York, and the thousands of small towns in every state that have been hollowed out. That’s why Donald Trump got elected. He made people believe he felt their pain.</span></span></div>
The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-70964568407355824072017-05-25T11:54:00.002-04:002017-05-25T15:12:42.154-04:00The Big Issue<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the biggest issue from now on is going to be how people will be able to earn a living in a world increasingly dominated by computers. But you would not know it from listening to politicians, especially Democrats, who claim to speak for the little guy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even though computers and the uses to which they are put--such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robots--will not likely displace <i>all</i> jobs, the number of jobs they will eliminate could very well plunge the whole world into a state of economic uncertainty, if not outright permanent depression.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Am I overstating the risk? Isn't it true that ever since the Industrial Revolution, jobs displaced by changing technology have been replaced by even more jobs in other lines of work? Won't retraining for jobs alongside the computer "maintain the equilibrium," <i>i.e.</i>, create as many or more jobs than are replaced?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Not necessarily, or even likely. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A recent <a href="http://www.nber.org/papers/w23285">report</a> by Professors </span>Daron Acemoglu and Pascual Restrepo, <i>Robots and Jobs: Evidence from U.S. Labor Markets</i>, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, analyzes the effect of the increase in industrial robot usage between 1990 and 2007 on US local labor markets. Note that this is not a study of the overall effect of automation and computerization on jobs; it is just the effect of robots, which the report defines as </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">fully autonomous machines that do not need a human operator and that can be </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">programmed to perform several manual tasks such as welding, painting, assembling, handling </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">materials, or packaging. Textile looms, elevators, cranes, transportation bands or coffee makers </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">are not industrial robots as they have a unique purpose, cannot be reprogrammed to perform </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">other tasks, and/or require a human operator.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The authors note that their report is only "a first step in a comprehensive evaluation of how robots will affect, and </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">are already affecting, the labor market equilibrium, . . . </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">because our </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">methodology directly estimates only the effect of robots on employment in a commuting zone </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">relative to other commuting zones that have become less exposed to robots." But the authors offer a convincing basis for believing that this is a necessary first step and has validity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The bottom line? Sizable net loss of jobs and more in the future:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Because there are relatively few robots in the US economy, the number of jobs lost due to </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">robots has been limited so far (ranging between 360,000 and 670,000 jobs, equivalent to a 0.18-</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">0.34 percentage point decline in the employment to population ratio). However, if the spread </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">of robots proceeds as expected by experts over the next two decades (e.g., Brynjolfsson and </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">McAfee, 2012, especially pp. 27-32, and Ford, 2016), the future aggregate implications of the </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">spread of robots could be much more sizable.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A recent UK-oriented <a href="https://www.pwc.co.uk/economic-services/ukeo/pwcukeo-section-4-automation-march-2017-v2.pdf">report</a> by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, <i>Will robots steal our jobs? The potential impact of automation on the UK and other major economies, </i>attempts a more ambitious task: measuring the effects on employment in major Western economies, principally that of the UK. The methodology is to analyze the effect of automation on specific tasks within jobs. These are the "Key Points":</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Our analysis suggests that up to 30% of UK jobs could potentially be at high risk of automation by the early 2030s, lower than the US (38%) or Germany (35%), but higher than Japan (21%).</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• The risks appear highest in sectors such as transportation and storage (56%), manufacturing (46%) </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and wholesale and retail (44%), but lower in sectors like health and social work (17%).</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• For individual workers, the key differentiating factor is education. For those with just GCSE-level education or lower, the estimated potential risk of automation is as high as 46% in the UK, but this falls to only around 12% for those with undergraduate degrees or higher.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• However, in practice, not all of these jobs may actually be automated for a variety of economic, legal and regulatory reasons.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Furthermore new automation technologies in areas like AI and robotics will both create some totally new jobs in the digital technology area and, through productivity gains, generate additional wealth and spending that will support additional jobs of existing kinds, primarily in services sectors that </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">are less easy to automate.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• The net impact of automation on total employment is therefore unclear. Average pre-tax incomes should rise due to the productivity gains, but these benefits may not be evenly spread across income groups.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• There is therefore a case for some form of government intervention to ensure that the potential gains from automation are shared more widely across society through policies like increased investment in vocational education and training. Universal basic income schemes may also be considered, though these suffer from potential problems in terms </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">of affordability and adverse effects on the incentives to work and generate wealth.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">These are just two of many reports and studies in the recent past. More research needs to be done, but it is extremely dangerous to fall back on the nostrum that all will be well because people will be retrained. The chances are substantial that, instead, we will end up with more and more income and wealth going to the most highly educated (which usually correlates with the accident of people's birth) and the great mass fighting among themselves for reduced income from fewer jobs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The question is, do politicians start talking about this or do they wait for the effects to be solidified? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From my experience in past Democratic Congressional campaigns, the consultants will solemnly state that candidates can't talk about issues this complicated. So, stick to yelling "Hands Off My Medicare!" while ignoring the long-term threat to Medicare and Social Security solvency. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Donald Trump taught us one thing: politicians who talk</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">--even (or especially, I fear) dishonestly or ignorantly--</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">about issues that people see and feel for themselves can attract voters. By contrast, when Hillary Clinton was asked at the debates what economic policies she advocated, she immediately started talking about infrastructure spending--a necessary program but not focused on the long-term problems of the process of hollowing out in small towns and cities throughout the U.S. In other words, uninspiring and tone deaf to people's feelings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The conclusion from the PwC report about the need for a societal response is a warning to politicians that sitting idly by and waiting for automation to wreck people's lives is bad policy and bad politics. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am waiting for Democratic candidates and think tanks to start talking about this issue openly and vigorously. It is a hell of a lot better way of demonstrating to people that "we care" and "we hear you" and "we feel your pain" than (a) emitting these hackneyed phrases or (b) talking only about infrastructure programs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Being a realist, I expect to have a long and lonely wait.</span><br />
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</style>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-48597186207038848072017-02-21T13:27:00.003-05:002017-02-21T18:31:11.822-05:00The Piwowar Kerfuffle<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-15/sec-weighs-curbing-investigators-powers-to-probe-wall-street">reports</a> that the acting Chair of the (at present, 2-member) SEC, Michael S. Piwowar, has requested an examination of delegated authority to the Staff. Delegated authority is authority nominally vested with the 5-member Commission that the Commission delegates to specific staff members.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> The SEC has the statutory authority to conduct investigations of possible violations of the federal securities laws or rules, by issuance of subpoenas for documents and testimony. That authority, under the law, can be exercised by "any member of the Commission or any officer designated by it." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> The staff (since 1972 in the centralized Division of Enforcement ) has long since been delegated the authority to conduct investigations, and to suggest otherwise would be scandalous. The issue is whether the Commission should decide what to investigate with subpoena power.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Under 17 CFR § 202.5(a), formal orders of investigation are issued on a case-by-case basis to authorize the issuance of subpoenas. Until 2009, formal orders were issued by the Commission. The Staff would have to submit a memorandum recommending the issuance of the formal order and detailing the evidence, and perhaps the legal theory, justifying the necessary conclusion that it is possible that the securities laws have been or about to be violated. Formal orders were usually obtained within 3 weeks. Rarely, if ever, was the request turned down. Emergency situations requiring immediate action resulted in approval on a "walk-around" (the Commissioners' offices) "seriatim" consideration. I was involved in SEC investigations, on its Enforcement Staff, from 1973 to 1981, and never found the extra effort required to obtain Commission approval of a formal order to be a deterrence to effective enforcement. It added an extra set of eyes to review this very formidable exercise of power--not, generally, a bad thing at all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> In 2009, the Commission was in the midst of the great financial crisis and, not coincidentally, the well-deserved scandal resulting from the abject failure of the Commission Staff to recognize the Madoff fraud. Undoubtedly looking for a way to divert attention from the Madoff (and Sanford) frauds and to make it appear the Commission was "tough," the Commission <a href="https://www.sec.gov/rules/final/2009/34-60448.pdf">issued an order</a> delegating, for a one-year trial period, to the Director of Enforcement the authority to approve formal orders of investigation. A year later, the delegation was made permanent. The SEC said that the purpose of this delegation to "expedite the investigative process by reducing the time and paperwork previously associated with obtaining Commission authorization prior to issuing subpoenas." Perhaps. Meanwhile, the Director "sub-delegated" the power to issue formal orders to a host of senior staff within the Division.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> In my opinion, as a former supervisor in the Enforcement Division (1973-1981), Acting Chairman Piwowar is doing no harm by inquiring into the issue of delegation, and there would be nothing wrong, assuming the good faith (and willingness to enforce the laws vigorously) of the Commissioners, with bringing back issuance of formal orders to the Commission. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A bigger and more important, if less sexy, question is whether the Acting Chairman wants to get to the bottom of what has been a chronic problem, at least in years past, with Enforcement: getting the facts right. Staff recommendations to sue someone have to be approved by the Commission itself. These recommendations are contained in a staff "action memorandum," which describe the factual and legal basis for bringing a particular case against a particular individual or entity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> The Commission frequently gets the facts wrong in its suits. Why? Because the factual assertions in action memoranda--the content of documents and witness statements--are not always carefully reviewed by supervisors before these action memoranda are sent to the Commission. I required my staff--including the later Director of the Division of Enforcement, Bill McLucas--to annotate their draft action memoranda to the evidence, and I checked the evidence. I do not believe that this is the uniform practice even today, in the age of electronic documentation. It positively should be required, and, if that change were effected, whoever got that done would deserve hearty praise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Getting the facts wrong is bad for the Commission and bad for the individual or entity that may be falsely accused. Getting it right is the moral thing to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Unfortunately, when I left a message with Acting Chairman Piwowar's office seeking to speak with his office and pass on this observation, I got a call back not from his staff but from the Commission's Public Affairs office (apparently because I had said on the phone message that I authored a blog). The flack, smarmily, said "no comment." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Too bad for Acting Chairman Piwowar. He was on the right track.</span>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-58834852175106024122017-01-31T10:39:00.001-05:002017-01-31T10:39:42.076-05:00To Marco Rubio: Oppose Nomination of David M. Friedman<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">January 30, 2017</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hon. Marco Rubio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">United States Senate</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Washington, D.C. 20510</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Re:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Nomination of David M. Friedman to be</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>U.S. Ambassador to the State of Israel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Senator Rubio:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I urge you to oppose the nomination of David M. Friedman to be the U.S. Ambassador to the State of Israel. You voted for Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State because you found him to be personally qualified and because you felt it appropriate to give the President the benefit of the doubt in that instance. This was not an unreasonable decision despite your openly expressed doubts about his nomination. I urge you to follow the same approach in considering the Friedman nomination. If you do, you will not be led to the same conclusion. This nominee does not deserve the benefit of the doubt. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Facebook, you cited Mr. Tillerson’s “impressive record of leadership” given his role at ExxonMobil. What is the comparable test for a diplomat? Robert D. Blackwell, deputy assistant to the President and deputy national security advisor for strategic planning under President George W. Bush, has <a href="http://www.belfercenter.org/publication/ideal-qualities-successful-diplomat.">written</a> the top two “ideal qualities of a successful diplomat” are to “possess an abiding interest in and passion for the art and craft of diplomacy and international relations” and to “demonstrate an analytical temperament” (which he defines as the opposite of “ideological predisposition and rigidity”). From what is known of Mr. Friedman, these are not his personal characteristics. They are important for an ambassador to a minor country in a placid region. They are extremely important for one appointed to be a diplomat in the most volatile region of the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being a successful diplomat in Israel requires more than loudly siding with one extreme or another within Israeli society. It requires an understanding and appreciation of the incredible diversity of opinion within Israeli society and an ability to inspire confidence among Arab nations of many different stripes. But there is nothing about Mr. Friedman that suggests that he any capacity to demonstrate the characteristics needed of a U.S. Ambassador to Israel. Indeed, rather than possessing the demeanor of a skilled diplomat, he is intemperate to the extreme. He has engaged in vile name-calling against fellow Jewish Americans who do not share his views on the current Israeli Government’s policies, <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/18828">calling them</a> “far worse than kapos—Jews who turned in their fellow Jews in the Nazi death camps” He has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/15/us/politics/%20Donald-trump-david-friedman-israel-ambassador.html">said</a> they are “not Jewish.” </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a Jewish American who loves Israel but thinks Mr. Friedman’s policies imperil its long-term security, I consider these to be offensive and disqualifying attacks, and so should anyone who believes in free and open discussion of important issues, not to mention common decency. Mr. Friedman has not limited his personal attacks to fellow Jews: he has attacked anyone in U.S. politics with whom he disagrees as <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/17419">Anti-Semites</a>, <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/18368.">including</a> one hundred years’ worth of U.S. diplomats. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whether one agrees or disagrees with this or that policy, it takes a special—and thoroughly unacceptable—individual to demonize all those with whom he disagrees. Perhaps one who operates through insult and unalloyed aggressiveness would be one’s choice as his or her own lawyer, but you and I both know that winning against such a lawyer is often far easier than against a quiet, reasonable opponent who picks his or her fights carefully and never engages in ad hominem. There is no question that such would be the overwhelmingly better makeup of a successful diplomat in a sensitive diplomatic post.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even aside from his disturbing rhetorical tendencies, Mr. Friedman’s strident <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/%20Articles/Article.aspx/18368">opposition</a> to the two-state solution </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and his <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/diplomat-david-friedman-not-article-1.2913545">support</a> for the most extreme elements within Israel’s settlement community disqualify him as a useful representative of the United States. We do not know the details of President Trump’s policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, although Mr. Tillerson, at his confirmation hearings, supported the two-state solution. We know for certain that Mr. Friedman’s mind is closed to that policy and to the concomitant need to stop expansion of Israeli settlements on the West Bank, which Ronald Reagan recognized was a prerequisite to the hope for peace in that land, based on a secure democratic Jewish state true to the Zionist vision. The alternative—maintenance of the status quo in the hope that Israelis can outlast Palestinians living under Israeli military command, or outright annexation, which will destroy both Israel as a secure democratic Jewish state—is the true illusion. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David M. Friedman stands in favor of open-ended settlement activity and possibly, annexation, which can lead only to anti-democratic measures and a permanent state of war. He relies, for example, on wholly <a href="https://www.sas.upenn.edu/polisci/sites/www.sas.upenn.edu.polisci/files/Lustick_%20MEJ_What%20Counts%20Is%20the%20Counting.pdf">discredited</a> claims </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that the number of Arabs in the West Bank is vastly overstated. This is an incredibly thin reed on which to lean Israeli security. Mr. Friedman also <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/18368">stresses</a> the need to build the Palestinian middle class and couples this with the claim that they don’t care whether they are ruled by Jews or Arabs. The belief that there is a non-political bloc of middle-class Palestinians around whom an entire One State policy can be built may be the ultimate in illusionistic thinking, because it would seemingly eliminate the need to be concerned about Palestinians who will kill Israelis for political reasons. Sadly, it is extremely unlikely that, no matter what, a core of Palestinians will be opposed to the recognition of a Jewish state. And it must be remembered that the Arabs can lose every war with Israel but the last one. Israel cannot afford to lose a single one. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The truth is that U.S. policy has been and continues to be in favor of a two-state solution not because of anti-Israeli or anti-Semitic prejudices. Rather, cold realism dictates this policy. The two-state solution is not an invention of liberals or Democrats. It reflects a basic reality that has long been recognized by fair-minded observers as the only method to provide for a secure, democratic Jewish state. It is <a href="http://en.cis.org.il/about/">supported</a> by hundreds of former Israeli security and military leaders. President George W. Bush explicitly <a href="http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/%20gwbushtwostatesolution.htm">supported</a> it. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> As you know, it was recently <a href="http://www.timesofisrael.com/%20trump-secretary-of-state-pick-two-state-solution-must-remain-the-aspiration/">supported</a> by Mr. Tillerson in his testimony before the Foreign Relations Committee. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indeed, its roots reach back at least as far as 1982, when Ronald W. Reagan was President.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thus, in a November 2016 paper, for example, <i>Repairing the U.S.-Israel Relationship</i>, Robert Blackwell <a href="http://www.belfercenter.org/node/89150">wrote</a> that one of the “core policy proposals to repair, redefine, and invigorate the partnership” between the U.S. and Israel is to</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">agree on a set of specific, meaningful measures that Israel will take unilaterally to improve Palestinian daily life and preserve prospects for a two-state solution, linking continued U.S. willingness to refrain from or oppose international action on Israeli settlements or the peace process to Israel’s implementation of such positive, concrete steps.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">45 years ago, In September 1982, President Reagan <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Israeli-Palestinian%20conflict.%20http://www.cfr.org/israel%20reagan-plan-us-policy-peace-middle-east/p14140">outlined</a> American policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, which was based on the recognition of a need for Palestinians’ “recognition of Israel’s right to a secure future” and steps leading to eventual Palestinian political independence. Importantly, Mr. Reagan stated unequivocally that “[f]urther settlement activity is in no way necessary for the security of Israel and only diminishes the confidence of the Arabs that a final outcome can be freely and fairly negotiated.” That statement is as true today as it was true then, and Mr. Friedman’s main belief is in the inviolability of further settlement expansion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr. Friedman’s unacceptable beliefs are not limited to his views on settlement policy: he is also harbors dangerous ideas about Russia and Vladimir Putin. He has <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/17964">written</a>: “Vladimir Putin gets it. He may be a ‘thug,’ as he was recently described by Senator Rubio, but he knows how to identify a national objective, execute a military plan, and ultimately prevail.” .</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, accepting Mr. Friedman because of a belief that he is broadly acceptable to the American Jewish population is not only an improper test—Jewish voters or donors should not have a hold on U.S. policy towards Israel—but is based on a belief that is completely out-of-date and out-of-touch with reality. Polling of Jewish Americans consistently shows that views such as those of Mr. Friedman are in the minority. Nevertheless, as I have stated, the issue should not come down to whether this appointment is popular or not; it should be decided on its merits. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You admirably stated in your Facebook post announcing your support of Mr. Tillerson: “Our foreign policy is at its best and most effective when it is grounded in the moral principles and values that have defined us since our founding,” including “democracy and human rights.” David M. Friedman’s views do not pass this fundamental test. He is an extremist being nominated for a position where extremism is the enemy of achievement. If President Trump can achieve the goal of a separate, secure Jewish State, he will deserve the praise of the world. He will not be able to do so through the ministrations of Mr. Friedman if the Senate confirms his nomination. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Senator, you have the opportunity to do something extremely constructive and courageous when considering the Friedman nomination. Most people understood why you voted in favor of Mr. Tillerson. Presidents do deserve the benefit of the doubt on their nominations, but that benefit stretches only so far. Please do not give the President of the doubt on his nomination. Mr. Friedman does not deserve it.</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sincerely yours,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>{Splendid Spitter}</span><br />
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</style>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-20672155220716180112016-12-01T18:40:00.004-05:002016-12-01T18:40:56.383-05:00When narrow-minded bullies succeed in determining whose voice gets heard<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Following is the text of an email sent today (12/1/16) to some of the Splendid Spitter's friends and associates</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My friend,</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is not a fund-raising message. It is a call to action to stand up to those in our community who work to inhibit your right to hear all sides of important issues.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>It's happened this week in Miami.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last August, Bet Shira Congregation, a Conservative synagogue in Pinecrest, agreed to cohost, with J Street, a speech on December 5, 2016 (next Monday) by the eminent New York Times columnist, Roger Cohen, on The New Administration: Prospects for Peace (in Israel). Mr. Cohen is speaking in temples across the country on this vital subject.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Tuesday, November 29—just six days before the speech—the lay leadership of Bet Shira Congregation rescinded the decision to host the Cohen speech at their synagogue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why? Apparently a small number of synagogue members made clear to Bet Shira’s leadership that “there would be consequences” for hosting a lecture by a noted New York Times columnist in association with J Street. One member apparently threatened to withdraw his financial contribution to the synagogue. In the face of these threats, the lay leadership of the synagogue decided not to host the event.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, the synagogue had the "right" to rescind the invitation--even at the last minute. But just because the synagogue had the right to give into this kind of pressure does not mean that this was a healthy thing for the community. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Far from it. Can we agree that hindering the free flow of ideas is bad for every member of any community?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Is the Roger Cohen speech off? No.</u></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have relocated the Cohen speech to Pinecrest Gardens, in the Hibiscus Room at 11000 S. Red Rd, Pinecrest, FL 33156, Monday, December 5, 2016, at 7:00 PM.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But relocating the speech is not enough if people of good faith do not show up to the speech. Absent a good-sized audience, we will not demonstrate the strength of belief that we as Jews should not be forced to suffer attempts to squelch or hinder free discussion of important subjects.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Why should you come to hear Mr. Cohen:</u></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if you do not have much interest in American policy to Israel, or even if you don’t agree with Roger Cohen--but listen closely to what he says, because you may discover that you agree with him!—you have a stake in preventing limitations of the freedom of people to decide for themselves whom they want to hear on an issue they care about.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">History tells us that people of good faith cannot sit back and let others dictate who can listen to what views. If people of good faith remain silent, they permit this kind of behavior to become accepted as “normal.” We see where it is leading in our national politics.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I therefore ask you to SHOW UP and STAND UP!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>This is what you can do to stand up for open debate, free speech and tolerance, and against efforts to squelch certain points of view:</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Go to the Roger Cohen speech at Pinecrest Gardens in the Hibiscus Room at 11000 S. Red Road, Pinecrest, FL 33156, Monday, Dec. 5, 2016 at 7:00 PM. Admission is free.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Bring your family and friends.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Let your other friends and acquaintances know about what has occurred and the importance of a strong attendance to demonstrate that people insist on the right to be exposed to all sides on important issues and to make up their own minds. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Please RSVP to http://act.jstreet.org/signup/rcohenmiami16/.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Forward this email to ten friends, family, and colleagues.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Why should you care? What is the significance of this decision?</u></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Narrow-minded bullies are shutting down debate, questioning the very legitimacy of those with other perspectives, and inventing "facts" to suit their purposes. They seek to win political arguments not by reasoned debate but by excluding other voices entirely. Sadly, we’ve seen this pattern before—earlier this year a Miami Jewish institution cancelled, in mid-run, its own presentation of a play, Crossing Jerusalem, concerning intra-Jewish and intra-Arab family disagreements about how to treat the "other." This came after claims from an out-of-town right-wing Jewish group that the play was “anti-Israel.” I read the script. It was not, in my view, anti-anything. It was, instead, pro-reality.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These actions are emblematic of a dangerous extremism and close-mindedness that is sadly on the rise not just in our community, but in the U.S., in Israel, and across the world. People of good faith have a vital interest in not allowing a few people to squelch free discussion of issues of interest to members of the community—even if it’s an issue that’s not high on everyone's own list of issues. The principle is as important as the message being squelched. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Does J Street deserve to be ostracized?</b></u></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">J Street is an 8-year-old national organization, with an associated PAC, that was formed to give a voice to American Jews who love Israel and back U.S. policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: support of a two-state solution and opposition to expansion of the settlements. In 2015, J Street played a major role in supporting the international agreement with Iran curtailing its ability to build nuclear weapons. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no question, however, that J Street is controversial among some supporters of Israel who apparently believe American Jews—even those who know and love Israel—should never criticize the Israeli government, at least in public. Sadly, opponents have put out false and misleading accusations about J Street's beliefs and its supporters. J Street has often been inaccurately caricatured as being anti-Israel, pro-BDS, and worse. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Q: <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What exactly is J Street “guilty" of? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A: <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Publicly and strongly supporting the official policies of the U.S. Government towards Israel and the Palestinians, and, through its PAC, contributing millions of dollars to pro-Israel, pro-peace candidates for Senate and Congress, and strongly opposing BDS.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact, over the course of eight years since its founding, J Street has built strong relationships with Israeli lawmakers and has assumed a leadership role in strong opposition to the BDS movement. Nevertheless, smears and threats have often succeeded in excluding J Street’s perspective from the Jewish space. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These facts mean nothing to those who go to great lengths to demonize and marginalize J Street—and with J Street, the large segment of the American Jewish community who agree with J Street. If facts mean nothing, we have lost something very important in our society.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Silencing or inhibiting the free flow of ideas is not the American way, it’s not the Jewish way, and it’s not the Israeli way. Free and open debate are hallmarks of these two countries and of the Jewish faith. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As someone who has devoted countless hours working to establish a J Street presence in Miami, I thank you so much for your careful consideration of this email. Whether or not you agree in full with Roger Cohen or J Street, I earnestly request that you attend this lecture on Monday. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It will be two hours out of your life. Not only will you likely learn a lot from Roger Cohen, but it will immeasurably help the cause of the free flow of ideas in our community. I hope you will agree that it will be well worth your expenditure of time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks,</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[The spitter]</span>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-52680825306226211952016-11-13T16:15:00.002-05:002016-11-13T16:15:22.857-05:00The Role of the Selective Service System in Donald Trump's Win<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Huh?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Selective Service System (SSS) is a small independent agency within the Executive Branch of the United States Government. One of its <a href="https://www.sss.gov/About">missions</a> is "<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">to be prepared to provide trained and untrained personnel to the DoD in the event of a national emergency." In other words, to run a draft of (so far only) young men to fill the ranks of the military.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">So what is the relevance of the SSS to Trump's victory? The draft has not been used since 1973!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">A bit of history: before December 1, 1969, during the height of the Vietnam War, which, from the American viewpoint, was fought by draftees, the system for determining eligibility for those 18 years old and above can best de defined in one word as "elitist." Individual <a href="http://davidcard.berkeley.edu/papers/vietnam-war-college.pdf">draft boards</a> in each locality were charged with drafting young men into the Armed Services. Each had different priorities and susceptibility to influence. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">American military involvement surged in 1965. The Johnson Administration decided to use the draft to fill the needs of the war effort. That meant that, until the lottery was instituted in 1969, boys in their 18th year became liable to be drafted. For each of the years 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969, this is the year that they were born their age today (if they managed to survive), and the number of draftees each year:</span></span><br />
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<td class="xl24" height="26" width="75">Year</td>
<td class="xl24" width="75">Birth year</td>
<td class="xl25" width="75">Age today</td>
<td class="xl27" width="75"><a href="https://www.sss.gov/About/History-And-Records/Induction-Statistics">Number</a> of draftees</td>
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<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="1965.0">1965</td>
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<td class="xl26" x:num="69.0">69</td>
<td class="xl28" x:num="230991.0">230,991</td>
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<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="1966.0">1966</td>
<td class="xl26" x:num="1948.0">1948</td>
<td class="xl26" x:num="68.0">68</td>
<td class="xl28" x:num="382010.0">382,010</td>
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<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="1967.0">1967</td>
<td class="xl26" x:num="1949.0">1949</td>
<td class="xl26" x:num="67.0">67</td>
<td class="xl28" x:num="228263.0">228,263</td>
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<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="1968.0">1968</td>
<td class="xl26" x:num="1950.0">1950</td>
<td class="xl26" x:num="66.0">66</td>
<td class="xl28" x:num="296406.0">296,406</td>
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<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="1969.0">1969</td>
<td class="xl26" x:num="1951.0">1951</td>
<td class="xl26" x:num="65.0">65</td>
<td class="xl28" x:num="283586.0">283,586</td>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">There were three big bases for <a href="http://davidcard.berkeley.edu/papers/vietnam-war-college.pdf">deferment</a>: school attendance, the presence of dependent children, or physical problems. You could also avoid becoming a grunt in Vietnam by being accepted into a Reserve unit of any of the branches of the military. That's how George W. Bush got out of the draft and active military service. Donald J. Trump <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/questions-linger-about-trumps-draft-deferments-during-vietnam-war/2015/07/21/257677bc-2fdd-11e5-8353-1215475949f4_story.html#comments & http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/deferments-helped-trump-dodge-vietnam">reportedly</a> had an educational deferment for years and then, when drafted upon graduation, received a classification of I-Y (a physical deferment that was a "pass" unless there was a dire need) because of bone spurs on his feet. Before he graduated, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/frenzy/clinton2.htm">Bill </a></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/frenzy/clinton2.htm">Clinton</a> agreed to join the R.O.T.C. as a way of avoiding being drafted into service during the Vietnam War and later reneged on that promise when his draft-lottery number ensured that he would not be selected. (I was promptly drafted on my graduation from college in June 1968 and received a 1-Y classification because I had <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001260.htm">spondylolisthesis</a>. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No kidding. I wore a back brace from when I was 14 and, to this day, cannot lift more than 40 pounds without severe pain and ensuing inability to stand up straight.)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The long and the short: boys who didn't go to college, or those who didn't have or fake an illness, or those whose parents had no local influence or those who wanted to serve were drafted and sent to Vietnam and put out in the front lines, such as they were in this guerrilla war. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was grist for the cultural war that began with the Vietnam War and continues to this day. Yes, as the sixties turned into the seventies, kids from small towns smoked dope, listened to rock music, and, extremely rarely, demonstrated against the war. But mostly they soldiered on and watched their fathers' and mothers' secure world begin disappearing with the first gas lines in 1973. These are the sons of the original Reagan Democrats. They were screwed from 1965 to 1969 by an elitist (and, to the extent large numbers of blacks were also drafted, racist) Selective Service System. Their justifiable resentment of what they perceived (correctly) as privileged liberals can only be expected to have grown over the last 50 years. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is it not very likely that there is a direct connection between the old SSS system and today's late-60s Donald J. Trump voter? Not that there are not other reasons, but every cluster of attitudes has its roots in some actual, and not imagined, cause.</span></span><br />
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</style>The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-60707461616802291422016-11-09T11:51:00.002-05:002016-11-09T15:59:47.678-05:00It wasn't a vast right-wing conspiracy<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It wasn't a vast right-wing or media conspiracy that caused:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bill Clinton to hand over health policy in 1993 to his (unelected) wife, who came down from the mountain after months of closed-door confabs with a complicated health-insurance-based plan that she refused to permit even loyal Democrats to amend.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bill and Hillary Clinton to prostrate themselves before bankers and other business groups to earn huge speaker fees.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bill and Hillary Clinton to accept huge amounts of money for their family foundation from foreign governments or foreign-government enterprises while she was Secretary of State and while she was running for President.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bill and Hillary Clinton to set up a home-based server to handle their emails while she was Secretary of State.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hillary Clinton to misrepresent the facts concerning her use of that server for her official emails.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hillary Clinton to be woefully oblivious of the security implications of doing so.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hillary Clinton to refer to half of Donald Trump's core supporters as "deplorables."</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A comparison of the margins between Obama and Trump (in 2012) and between Clinton and Trump (in 2016) in the most populated counties in the states that went from Blue to Red shows and in certain nearby counties shows that the only state that could have stayed blue had her margins in each state's selected counties been as large as Obama's was Michigan. In four of the six states, her margin was smaller than Obama's but the difference was dwarfed by the margin by which Trump beat her. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(I am not using any suburban counties around Miami or Des Moines because the usual model of urban city surrounded by suburban counties is not applicable in those states. Adding Broward County or substituting it for Miami-Dade does not materially change the analysis.) </span><div>
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The data show </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">that even if Wayne and surrounding counties had turned out for Clinton the way thy did for Obama, that would have led to a change of only 16 electoral votes, not enough to give the election to her.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPXX3rJdkg4VVwgw903WwULPRchGvlu5AnH7gqb9VxNDAJsLY-AgwT38tvaS7lq12m16jHuo3Fs-plOwkn9qIiUZ_KM08PatCrl-9hl8fIL4EB5n-JBgWaBXaMEK1m3w_ZQjcS_HK6SuG/s1600/election+stats.xlsx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPXX3rJdkg4VVwgw903WwULPRchGvlu5AnH7gqb9VxNDAJsLY-AgwT38tvaS7lq12m16jHuo3Fs-plOwkn9qIiUZ_KM08PatCrl-9hl8fIL4EB5n-JBgWaBXaMEK1m3w_ZQjcS_HK6SuG/s400/election+stats.xlsx.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>This disproves the notion, which we may well hear, that a relatively low turnout of Democrats' core constituencies of African-Americans, Hispanics living in big cities and people living in adjacent suburban counties cost Hillary Clinton the election. It was the white non-Hispanic vote in smaller cities and towns that killed her chances. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Can we blame all of whites' votes on racism? or sexism? or the media? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Isn't it as likely that an appreciable number of potential Democratic voters were turned off by the tone-deaf attitude of the Clintons, particularly Hillary--we're entitled, and I didn't break the law, and I really will stand up to the banks because, well, I worked for the Children's Defense Fund in the '70s--and either didn't vote, voted for Johnson, or, would you believe it, voted for Trump?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Clintons are a spent force. They have done some good for this country, but the times have finally passed them by. I am sick and tired of hoping that the messes she and he have created can be cleaned up without causing mortal damage to the people who are most vulnerable to the effects of GOP right-wing principles. I am resentful that their reign over the Democratic Party has produced such a miserably inadequate bench that the only politician who saw her weaknesses--and was willing to try to capitalize on them--in 2015 was an aged hipster Senator with no record and no credibility as a potential President who wasn't even a Democrat. It is undoubtedly the Clinton political fund raising machine in each state that was deaf and blind to Hillary Clinton's weaknesses. And the press, especially The New York Times in 2015, also paid no attention to those weaknesses, even though, on the same newspaper, Times reporters continued to dig deep for Clintonisms, as well they should have. This one is on the Democratic political class and pro-Clinton media types--you can't blame Hillary Clinton for running.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>I am a loyal Democrat who gave to Democratic candidates and worked the polls for Hillary Clinton, </b></span><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope they will leave politics, retire to their riches and their family get-togethers, and, if they want, they can speak to as many bankers who will pay them to pander to them.</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">See, there is a ray of hope amidst the devastation of November 8, 2016.</span></div>
The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-25443669086508764522016-11-03T15:27:00.003-04:002016-11-03T15:27:52.706-04:00There are only a few days to go before Election Day...<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">... and I want to puke my guts out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Republicans put up as their Presidential nominee someone who, in alphabetical order, is </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">a</span></b>busive, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">b</span></b>oorish, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">c</span></b>ontemptuous, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">d</span></b>evious, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">e</span></b>gocentric, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>f</b></span>atuous, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">g</span></b>rasping, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>h</b></span>aughty, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>i</b></span>gnorant, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>j</b></span>uvenile, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>k</b></span>navish, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>l</b></span>aughable, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>m</b></span>ysogenistic, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>n</b></span>arcissistic, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>o</b></span>afish, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>p</b></span>hony, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">q</span></b>uarrelsome, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">r</span></b>acist, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>s</b></span>adistic, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>t</b></span>actless, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>u</b></span>ntrustworthy, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>v</b></span>indictive, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>w</b></span>arped, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>x</b></span>enophobic, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>y</b></span>okelish, and </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>z</b></span>any. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, what did the Democrats do? They put up one of the weakest candidates in the last 75 years. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Who was weaker? George McGovern in 1972, with that grating Midwestern whiny voice, his refusal to campaign on the fact that he had been a bomber pilot in WW II while Nixon manned a desk in the Navy, and his obvious lack of leadership (can't even strong-arm Bella Abzug and others to stop fooling around with their Vice-Presidential-nomination-crap so that McGovern could accept the nomination on prime-time TV rather than at </span><a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/07/rnc-2016-worst-convention-historians-214091" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 in the morning</a>)<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. Not to mention the fact that at the last possible moment he selected Tom Eagleton, a Senator from Missouri who had had </span><a href="http://www.npr.org/2012/08/04/157670201/the-thomas-eagleton-affair-haunts-candidates-today" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">electroshock therapy</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, as his running mate, then got walked on when he kicked Eagleton off the ticket until he finally got Sargent Shriver, JFK's brother-in-law, to agree to be the nominee.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why is this year's Democratic nominee the weakest candidate since McGovern? First, her baggage is extremely heavy. Any realist among Democratic heavies could and should have predicted as long ago as March 2015, once her private email server was <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/03/us/politics/hillary-clintons-use-of-private-email-at-state-department-raises-flags.html?_r=0">revealed</a>, that that issue, together with the Clinton Foundation, would be seized upon by the GOP and would be potent arguments against her candidacy. Why? Because they fit, like a glove, with the long-held perception that the Clintons believed they are above the normal rules because they're so dedicated to the public interest (as in, "she worked with the Children's Defense Fund"). If they were not clear-eyed enough to see this danger, then the robust performance of an aging Senator who wasn't even a Democrat and had no credibility whatsoever as a potential President should have awakened them. But, even had they awakened, to whom were they going to turn? The incredibly weak "bench" of the Democratic Party nationwide meant that the only alternative to Clinton was an aging, grieving Joe Biden. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We loyal Democrats have been forced to scurry around cleaning up after the Clintons' personal and political messes since 1992. They've sucked all the oxygen out of the party. If it weren't that the GOP had nominated a Know-Nothing cretin...</span><br />
<br />The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-61759711366700033792016-08-22T22:02:00.001-04:002016-09-02T16:06:07.021-04:00RCP Addicts: Which Pollsters Are the Most and the Least Reliable?<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This will be my shortest post ever. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I went to Fivethirtyeight.com and copied the rating of various pollsters. Leaving out the data that led to the rating, here are the top-rated and bottom-rated. Go <a href="https://github.com/fivethirtyeight/data/blob/f2c6f781a6e5e8128ceafc6aef72192751305448/pollster-ratings/pollster-ratings.csv">here</a> to get the original data and the full listings. Generally, the ratings were based on the techniques used, the accuracy of the polls on a gross (batting average) basis, and what I interpret to be volatility.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have highlighted the pollsters with over 50 polls. Those that have been "banned" by Nate Silver & Friends are shown with an asterisk after the rating. (Others were banned but were not either A- or higher or C- and lower.)</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One observation: generally it appears that Real Clear Politics does not show bottom-of-the-barrel polls. </span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 534px;">
<!--StartFragment-->
<colgroup><col width="50"></col>
<col width="334"></col>
<col width="75"></col>
<col width="75"></col>
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<tr height="13">
<td class="xl24" height="13" width="50"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rank</span></td>
<td class="xl32" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pollster</span></td>
<td class="xl27" width="75"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No. of Polls</span></td>
<td class="xl24" width="75"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rating</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="1.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1</span></td>
<td class="xl33" width="334"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Monmouth University</span></span></td>
<td class="xl30" x:num="71.0"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">71</span></span></td>
<td class="xl31"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A+</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="2.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Field Research Corporation (Field Poll)</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="25.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">25</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A+</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="3.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Selzer & Company</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="37.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">37</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A+</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="4.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Elway Research</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="18.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">18</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A+</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="5.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ciruli Associates</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="17.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">17</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A+</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="6.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6</span></td>
<td class="xl33" width="334"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ABC News/Washington Post</span></span></td>
<td class="xl30" x:num="51.0"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">51</span></span></td>
<td class="xl31"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A+</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="7.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Grove Insight</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="29.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">29</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="8.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8</span></td>
<td class="xl33" width="334"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marist College</span></span></td>
<td class="xl30" x:num="146.0"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">146</span></span></td>
<td class="xl31"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="9.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">9</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Muhlenberg College</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="22.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">22</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="10.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">10</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">National Journal</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="12.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">12</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="11.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">11</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Public Policy Institute of California</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="12.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">12</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="12.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">12</span></td>
<td class="xl33" width="334"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Survey USA</span></span></td>
<td class="xl30" x:num="763.0"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">763</span></span></td>
<td class="xl31"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="13.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">13</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">University of Cincinnati (Ohio Poll)</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="38.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">38</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="14.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">14</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Siena College</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="42.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">42</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="15.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">15</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fairleigh Dickinson University (PublicMind)</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="18.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">18</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="16.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">16</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Research & Polling, Inc.</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="26.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">26</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="26">
<td class="xl25" height="26" x:num="17.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">17</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fox News/Anderson Robbins Research/Shaw &
Company Research</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="24.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">24</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="18.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">18</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marquette University</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="7.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="19.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">19</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Behavior Research Center (Rocky Mountain)</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="7.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="20.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">20</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Blum & Weprin Associates</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="18.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">18</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="21.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">21</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">NBC News/Wall Street Journal</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="25.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">25</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="22.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">22</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">University of Connecticut</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="7.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="23.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">23</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Time/Abt SRBI</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="7.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="24.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">24</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Angus Reid Global</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="29.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">29</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="25.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">25</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ipsos</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="49.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">49</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="26.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">26</span></td>
<td class="xl35" width="334"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Quinnipiac University</span></span></td>
<td class="xl28" x:num="169.0"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">169</span></span></td>
<td class="xl26"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="27.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">27</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">University of Arkansas</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="4.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="28.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">28</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">IBD/TIPP</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="17.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">17</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="29.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">29</span></td>
<td class="xl35" width="334"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">CBS News/New York Times</span></span></td>
<td class="xl28" x:num="55.0"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">55</span></span></td>
<td class="xl26"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="30.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">30</span></td>
<td class="xl35" width="334"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">CNN/Opinion Research Corp.</span></span></td>
<td class="xl28" x:num="89.0"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">89</span></span></td>
<td class="xl26"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="31.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">31</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Los Angeles Times</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="40.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">40</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="32.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">32</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">MassINC Polling Group</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="11.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">11</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="33.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">33</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">St. Norbert College</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="12.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">12</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="34.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">34</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">EPIC-MRA</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="43.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">43</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="35.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">35</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Western New England University</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="11.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">11</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="337.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">337</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Merriman River Group</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="21.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">21</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="338.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">338</span></td>
<td class="xl33" width="334"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Opinion Savvy/InsiderAdvantage</span></span></td>
<td class="xl30" x:num="105.0"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">105</span></span></td>
<td class="xl31"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="339.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">339</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rainmaker Media Group</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="1.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="340.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">340</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Consumer Logic</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="4.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="341.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">341</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">University of Alabama</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="2.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="342.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">342</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">McLaughlin & Associates</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="19.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">19</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="343.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">343</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Neighbor</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="1.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="344.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">344</span></td>
<td class="xl33" width="334"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Zogby Interactive/JZ Analytics</span></span></td>
<td class="xl30" x:num="465.0"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">465</span></span></td>
<td class="xl31"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13" style="page-break-before: always;">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="345.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">345</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Southeastern Louisiana University</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="8.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl26" height="13" x:num="346.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">346</span></td>
<td class="xl33" width="334"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Harris Interactive</span></span></td>
<td class="xl30" x:num="135.0"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">135</span></span></td>
<td class="xl31"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="347.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">347</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ohio University</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="2.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="348.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">348</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">20/20 Insight</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="5.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="349.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">349</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="3.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="350.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">350</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Opinion Research Associates</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="12.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">12</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="351.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">351</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Optimus</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="4.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="352.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">352</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SurveyMonkey</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="11.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">11</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="353.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">353</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Loyola University (New Orleans)</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="2.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="354.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">354</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Clout Research/Wenzel Strategies</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="9.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">9</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="355.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">355</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Data West Polling</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="3.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="356.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">356</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Baydoun Consulting</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="6.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="357.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">357</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fort Hays State University</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="4.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="358.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">358</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brown University</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="12.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">12</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="359.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">359</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nielson Brothers Polling</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="6.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="360.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">360</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">WCIA-TV</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="2.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">C-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="361.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">361</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">CPEC LLC</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="3.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">D+</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="362.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">362</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marketing Workshop</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="7.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">D+</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="363.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">363</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Riggs Research Services</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="1.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">D+</span></td>
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<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="364.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">364</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dane & Associates</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="2.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">D+</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="365.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">365</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brigham Young University</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="4.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">D+</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="366.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">366</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Massie & Associates</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="2.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">D+</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="367.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">367</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Valley Research</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="6.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">D+</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="368.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">368</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Millersville University</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="5.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">D</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="369.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">369</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jayhawk Consulting</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="1.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">D</span></td>
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<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="370.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">370</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mitchell Research & Communications</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="47.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">47</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">D</span></td>
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<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="371.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">371</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Humphrey Institute</span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="10.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">10</span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">D-</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="13">
<td class="xl25" height="13" x:num="372.0"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">372</span></td>
<td class="xl34" width="334"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">TCJ Research</span></span></td>
<td class="xl29" x:num="133.0"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">133</span></span></td>
<td class="xl25"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">F *</span></span></td>
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The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-87203668830583575162016-08-03T13:58:00.001-04:002016-08-03T14:24:08.266-04:00What if Ivanka Convinces Daddy to Come in Out of the Rain?<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The clamor among Democrats to embarrass "mainstream" Republicans to abandon Trump is getting louder. President Obama <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/04/us/politics/how-donald-trump-and-president-obama-put-republicans-in-a-bind.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0">chimed in</a> yesterday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As a life-long Democrat, I offer this advice: LEAVE IT ALONE. STOP ENCOURAGING THE ONE PERSON THIS FOOL MAY LISTEN TO, IVANKA, TO CONVINCE DADDY TO RESIGN HIS NOMINATION.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Donald is taking care of his problems quite well, thank you (for the Democrats, that is). Why increase the pressure on the GOP to dump Trump, and thereby encourage his family (Ivanka) to convince him to come out of the rain?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is a procedure in the GOP National Committee <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-static-ngop-pbl/docs/Rules_of_the_Republican+Party_FINAL_S14090314.pdf">Rules</a> to fill a vacancy "which may
occur by reason of death, declination, or otherwise of the Republican candidate for President of the United States or the
Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States." The Republican National Committee can do so either by itself or by reconvening the GOP Convention.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Rules do not expressly answer whether the nomination of a Presidential candidate can be amended or rescinded in the absence of a "declination" by the nominee. They do not even answer, whether a nominee, once nominated, can resign as nominee. (In the Democratic Party in 1972, Thomas Eagleton "resigned" as the Vice Presidential nominee after it was revealed that he had undergone shock treatment.) But let's assume a nominee can resign. Under the above Rule, there is every reason to believe that, once nominated, a nominee stays in that position unless there is a <i><b>vacancy</b>. </i>Maybe short of death or resignation, the nominee can be replaced, but it is very likely only in the case of a clear disability. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Rules provide that "[t]he current authorized edition of Robert's Rules of Order: Newly Revised ('Robert’s Rules of Order') shall govern
in all meetings of the Republican National Committee and its committees insofar as they are applicable and not inconsistent with
these rules." Does this cover the decisions of the Convention? Who knows? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let's assume Robert's at least will be consulted. <a href="http://www.rulesonline.com/rror-05.htm#33:12">Robert's says</a> that a motion to nominate a candidate for an "office" may not be amended. The listing of motions that may not be amended refers to the procedure to be followed while a meeting is going on. Does this include a motion, once passed? Who knows?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From the appearances, Trump won't take direction from anyone, least of all any other Republican. But there is a way to get to him: through his daughter, Ivanka.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The bottom line question is what if the Power That Be, i.e., Ivanka, convinces the Donald that his brand is getting trashed and he will look like a fool, and the fool actually resigns? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is what Hillary Clinton should fear more than anything. Here we are, 14 months after Trump has, day after day, revealed himself, and a full week after the Democratic National Convention, and the four national polls (admittedly, an imperfect measure, given that we elect through the Electoral College, but a very reliable one nevertheless) </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">conducted after the conclusion of that convention and </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">l</span><a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_clinton-5491.html" style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">isted in Real Clear Politics</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">have HRC up by a mere 5.5%, almost within the margin of error. (Yes, there are two other national candidates, and these are polls limited to these two major party candidates, but allow me to paint with a broad brush on this one, since neither of the other two is likely to win an electoral vote, and the four-way post-DNC polls show a 6% margin.) She is a weak candidate, whether she should be or not. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One can only imagine what a candidate like Kasich could do to Clinton. He has name recognition. He's a true conservative. And he is pure as the driven snow on the acid test--support of Trump--by reason of his having stayed in the race 'til the end <i>and</i> not only refusing to endorse him but boycotting the convention in his own State. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My fellow Democrats, stop pushing and stick to the issues. The Donald will take care of himself.</span><br />
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The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-8655072247683398892016-07-23T16:40:00.004-04:002016-07-23T16:40:49.993-04:00Trump: The Caudillo Carter?<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84XKWwQFFb5DmpxnlXRJshX7PieKeLof6EHjB2AkcxyGizBrIs60GsYX73zmTPYPDekU-BHzrZpTHtFw1IMTK-ERGhPbSc_ohk6dlrJHiI_CpuD4MzhyphenhyphenS3mHVPH_XqEnhfDrZWW7Rus1X/s1600/Document5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84XKWwQFFb5DmpxnlXRJshX7PieKeLof6EHjB2AkcxyGizBrIs60GsYX73zmTPYPDekU-BHzrZpTHtFw1IMTK-ERGhPbSc_ohk6dlrJHiI_CpuD4MzhyphenhyphenS3mHVPH_XqEnhfDrZWW7Rus1X/s640/Document5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Donald J. Trump, 7/21/16<br />RNC Acceptance Speech</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i style="background-color: white;">"Nobody knows the system better than me, </i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: red;">which is why I alone can fix it."</span></i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This excerpt from Donald Trump's <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/full-text-donald-trumps-2016-republican-national-convention/story?id=40786529">acceptance speech</a> is, in many ways, the central tenet of his candidacy. If he can convince enough Democrats and Independents to believe this, he has a serious chance. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is because it may sound perfectly logical to the gullible, particularly when Trump's opponent is the ultimate insider, in an era of unprecedented disillusionment with government.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But anybody who actually believes this crap deserves to be taken for a ride.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The decline of American manufacturing is perhaps the most visible symbol of the disappearance of the traditional American status quo of fifty years ago. It makes it virtually impossible for even a faint-hearted demagogue to avoid promising to bring manufacturing jobs back. But it is not simply the product of "bad trade deals." It has been going on for decades upon decades. Ask the millworkers in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the shoemakers in Massachusetts, and the steelworkers in Pennsylvania. Those jobs disappeared when Donald Trump was a little boy being chauffeured around New York City. American manufacturing has been decimated by automation, bigger and better ships, and changing economic conditions in third world countries. Trade deals have had an incidental effect on American job creation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The dirty secret is that, in the end, there is very little a single country's government can do to resist natural market forces of this kind.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The President of the United States has maximum power in foreign affairs and defense. But even given that power, history has shown that American military and diplomatic power cannot achieve its aims in places where they are least effective--like winning alien nations' "hearts and minds." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thus, the idea that this poseur and dilettante is going to "</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">defeat the barbarians of ISIS and ... defeat them fast," or do any of the other things in foreign affairs he promised to do "fast," is farcical. Getting Islamic nations, other than the few Shiite nations like Iran, to fight ISIS would be a phenomenal achievement, but who is going to convince Saudi Arabia to do it, Carl Icahn? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As far as domestic affairs, the President can propose laws and veto legislation he (or she) doesn't approve of. But even with a majority of both Houses of Congress controlled by the President's party, the power of vested interests to thwart a President's agenda is awesome.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if Donald Trump knows "the system" well enough to obtain political favors for his interests by giving over $</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1,000,000 to federal political candidates (some Democrats, mostly </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Republicans), the idea that this gives him enough knowledge of "the system" to enable him to push through his agenda in D.C. is simplistic and nonsensical. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The people who "know the system" are steeped in the art of working deals in the U.S. House and Senate and federal agencies. And anyone who actually knows the system knows that the President and his (or her) lobbyists are, most of the time, no match for the lobbyists for the major corporations who wield enormous power to keep Congress from messing with their privileges...from favorable tax treatment to serious regulation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember, after the greatest financial collapse since the Great Depression, Obama, with a Democratic majority in both Houses, was barely able to get through Dodd-Frank, which strengthened regulation in some respect but has barely made a dent in the extent to which major financial institutions engage in dangerous <a href="http://wallstreetonparade.com/2016/07/citigroup-has-more-derivatives-than-4701-u-s-banks-combined-after-blowing-itself-up-with-derivatives-in-2008/">derivatives speculation</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It takes enormous political sophistication and political capital to change things in Washington, D.C. This guy, knows how to turn a phrase and knows how to play on people's fears and fantasies, will have precious little of either.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For one thing, if the GOP once again has a majority in the House and Senate, President Trump will discover, very fast, <b>and I mean very, very fast,<span style="color: red;"> </span></b>that it is one thing to holler at campaign rallies about unfair trade deals and imposing huge tariffs on Chinese goods, and quite another thing running the gauntlet of rank-and-file Republican Senators and Congressmen to actually accomplish something. (And, of course, if the Republicans lose their majority in either House, President Trump--assuming he actually tries to do anything he says he wants to do--then his proposals will be DOA.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is because the very strength that the GOP has gained by rigging Congressional Districts to make it easier for Republican candidates to win makes it a lot easier for anyone with big bucks to run a primary opponent against any GOP representative who would dare stand up and vote against the interests of the major corporations that, directly and through "voluntary" contributions by their employees, fund Congressional campaigns. If the far right can do it, so can the major contributors. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With all of the encumbrances Trump brings to the table--the narcissism, the lack of respect for others, the absymal ignorance, the duplicity--how can anyone believe that he'll have the political ability to get anything done against the combined power of American business? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trump is the Caudillo Jimmy Carter. Carter, a political nobody, won the Presidency as a direct result of popular disgust with Watergate and Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon. Jimmy Carter was going to do things in a new way, ignoring traditional power centers in the Congress. And he got figuratively mugged within months of arriving at the White House. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine can't beat this guy, then Donald Trump's ascension will succeed in wrecking both political parties. Maybe, if you take the long view, that isn't too bad a result, but the damage this guy will do along the way is not worth the risk.</span><br />
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The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136845677605106470.post-12500022787244394602016-03-27T15:01:00.003-04:002016-04-07T06:06:15.376-04:00Why Trump's (or anyone else's) business experience is irrelevant<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How the press has treated Donald Trump is not only fascinating but important. If we elect Trump President, is it worthwhile to see the role of the press in making this happen? (Before I start, let me say that my use of the word "businessman" is meant to be a shorthand for business person.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nicholas Kristoff, the esteemed columnist for The New York Times, is the latest critic of the press' "empowerment" of Donald Trump. In <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/27/opinion/sunday/my-shared-shame-the-media-helped-make-trump.html?ref=opinion&_r=0"><i>My Shared Shame: The Media Helped Make Trump</i> </a>(Times, March 26, 2016), Mr. Kristoff's first indictment is that "television in particular handed Trump the microphone without adequately fact-checking him or rigorously examining his background, in a craven symbiosis that boosted audiences for both." The second charge is that the press "wrongly treated Trump as a farce."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let me digress a bit. The press is guilty of a lot of things this year, not least of which is The New York Times' coronation of Hillary Clinton as far back as 2014 and its ignoring Bernie Sanders until the elections started and, since, treating the possibility of his winning the nomination as a, for want of a better word, and to borrow from Mr. Kristoff, a farce. But the subject is Trump.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let's forget about the "farce" issue and focus on the first item: failure to fact-check.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Employing rigorous fact-checking is far better than merely quoting candidates or their supporters and never checking the accuracy of their assertions. Perhaps there has not been enough, but even the pathetic <i>Miami Herald</i> has an active fact-check operation. The problem is that while fact-checking has its place, and, yes, it is a necessity, it is not sufficient for political journalism to serve its purpose. Fact-checking is to wisdom as Google is to in-depth analysis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There's been a woeful lack of analysis of anything that requires a modicum of sophistication.The vapidity of the candidates' understanding of government and finance are matched only by that of the media. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Take the issue of whether Donald Trump's business successes, such as they are, qualify him to be President. Most "analyses" of this extremely important issue have attempted to dissect his up-and-down business career to see whether he has been the unalloyed success he claims to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: '"helvetica neue"', '"arial"', '"helvetica"', sans-serif;">There have been innumerable articles about Trump business bankruptcies, Trump business frauds, Trump business scams. They miss the point. There are lots of "Trump Towers"--and no "Cruz Towers"--to make it appear that Trump built those glittering buildings, rather than simply licensed his name, at no great financial risk. So, stories about Trump University or Trump Steaks have had no apparent effect on Trump's popularity, at least among those who are his core supporters. Why would they be? If you are inclined to be supportive of a swaggering self-promoter who has successfully thrown the finger at the media and all business and political elites, what difference does it make that Trump's business career is littered with failures, scams and outright embarrassments?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There have also been many articles about the undeniable fact that leading a business is infinitely less complicated than leading a nation. From <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-president-political-experience_us_55f33fafe4b063ecbfa467f1">The Huffington Post</a> to <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/05/14/is-business-experience-enough-to-be-president/">The Wall Street Journal,</a> writers have stated the obvious: that the skills needed to lead the nation are far more sophisticated than those needed to lead a corporation. The esteemed economist, twenty years ago published an <a href="https://hbr.org/1996/01/a-country-is-not-a-company&cm_sp=Article-_-Links-_-Top%20of%20Page%20Recirculation">article</a> in the Harvard Business Review, <i>A Country is Not a Company</i>, in which he covered essentially the same ground, albeit in far greater depth and sophistication. Maybe a good businessman does not have the experience or the wisdom to be a great President. But who knows? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/430137/donald-trump-conservative-movement-menace">Here's</a> what the conservative National Review, a serious journal, had so say in its January 21, 2016 issue, <i>Against Trump</i>, about this issue:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Trump’s record as a businessman is hardly a recommendation for the highest office in the land. For all his success, Trump inherited a real-estate fortune from his father. Few of us will ever have the experience, as Trump did, of having Daddy-O bail out our struggling enterprise with an illegal loan in the form of casino chips. Trump’s primary work long ago became less about building anything than about branding himself and tending to his celebrity through a variety of entertainment ventures, from WWE to his reality-TV show, The Apprentice. His business record reflects the often dubious norms of the milieu: using eminent domain to condemn the property of others; buying the good graces of politicians — including many Democrats — with donations.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">But these articles, as incisive as they are, miss the point. Start again with the hypothesis: that being a successful businessman is a valid predictor of a successful economy if that businessman became President. Rather than focusing on the issue of leadership, why not focus on the issue of what Presidents, no matter how successful they have been in business, can do to improve the economy?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The 2005 <a href="https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/ERP-2005/pdf/ERP-2005.pdf">Economic Report of the President</a>, written by George W. Bush's Council of Economic Advisors, admitted: "</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The tools available to policymakers to affect the economy over a short horizon (up to a few years) can be divided into fiscal policy and monetary policy."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It then went on to explain what these tools actually mean.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fiscal policy involves decisions about taxes, transfers (such as unemployment insurance, Social Security, or Medicare payments), and government purchases of goods and services. Changes in all of these affect aggregate demand. In the short run, lower taxes or higher transfer payments can lead to higher disposable incomes and thereby boost consumption spending. Government purchases directly affect spending and support aggregate demand.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Monetary policy in the United States is conducted by the Federal Reserve Board’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The FOMC targets a short-term interest rate, the Federal Funds rate, the rate at which banks make overnight loans to one another. This interest rate in turn influences other short-term and long-term nominal and real (inflation-adjusted) interest rates in the economy. In turn, these interest rates affect interest-sensitive components of aggregate demand, such as investment and consumption of durable goods (goods used for long periods, such as refrigerators and cars). </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As far as monetary policy is concerned, a President can use the bully pulpit, and his Treasury Department can seek to influence the Fed behind the scenes, but, basically, the Fed was designed to be independent of political influence. In reality, the only certain power the President has is to name the members of the 7-member Federal Reserve Board, if he can get the Senate to confirm them. And a position opens up, absent reservation or death, only every even-numbered year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> And, in formulating fiscal policy (such as tax policy or the federal budget), the President or his advisors will be faced with hundreds of thousands of choices, each of which will have not only "policy" but also "political" dimensions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And, sometimes the choice will be between two bad options. When a business has nowhere to go with a product, it can cease making it. See the Oldsmobile. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The '55 Olds 88--at the height of GM's power</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">But what about the decline of the coal industry? Market forces are making coal too expensive, but the question for a President is what to do about the side effects: what to do about the communities and the employees that will be devastated by closing coal mines, or the railroads that will lose the money they make moving coal around? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">What will Trump's ability to negotiate a higher price for lending his name to a real estate project have to do with figuring out how to solve that problem, particularly if he needs Coal States' electoral votes next election?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> It is clear that it is virtually impossible to show a connection between what a businessman does and what a President does with respect to influencing the economy. Therefore, even if Trump flunks the true-or-false test, there is a much simpler reason that his business successes are not a valid predictor of whether he could improve the economy if he ever gets to reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW: what he is supposedly good at will not prepare him for the decisions he'd have to make and influence.</span><br />
<br />The Splendid Spitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18226971934170774468noreply@blogger.com1