Tea at Trianon: Walz: Kamala's Choice

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Saturday, August 10, 2024

Walz: Kamala's Choice

Did she pick him because of sympathy to violent demonstrators? From Christine Dolan at The Easton Gazette:

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, 60, as her vice-presidential running mate.

One republican strategist told CDM, “I have always said - pick someone safe with not a lot of skeletons. Walz is a safe candidate even though Hollywood wanted Shapiro - except for the Floyd demonstrations.”

Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is Jewish and if chosen may have pleased Hollywood, but angered the anti-Israel Pro-Hamas demonstrators.

On the surface though, Walz appears an ordinary citizen. He grew up in a small rural town in Nebraska and enlisted in the National Guard at 17 where he served for over two decades.

He taught geography to high school students. He also worked as a football coach, where he helped lead the team to a state championship. He was both a lunchroom supervisor and an adviser to the gay-straight alliance.

He served in the U.S. House of Representatives for six terms before running for governor.

In his 2006 political ad, while running for Congress, Walz emphasized his “everyday” persona.

“Tim Walz is one of those everyday people: Coach to the state champs. Teacher of the year. Command sergeant major, retiring four years late after a tour supporting the war in Afghanistan,” states the ad.

Walz first ran for Congress in 2006, defeating incumbent Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.) in the general election.

During his 12 years in Congress, Walz rose to become the top Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee and served on the Committee on Agriculture.

During his time in Congress, Governor Walz backed a minimum wage increase and stem cell research, as well as the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran, which may be an issue in the 2024 campaign considering what is on the horizon in the Mideast war.

While other Democrats fiercely defended ObamaCare, Walz acknowledged the “warts” in the health care law with his voters.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) has previously endorsed his congressional campaign and given Walz an “A” rating.

Walz has touted his appreciation for hunting, but in recent years, he has signed major legislation aimed at reducing gun violence.

Walz signed a public safety bill in 2023 that included expanded background checks for gun transfers and the establishment of a “red flag law” in Minnesota, which allows authorities to get court permission to take guns away from individuals deemed a threat to themselves or other parties.

Walz signed a bill in 2024 that included a ban on certain firearm triggers. (Read more.)

From the Minnesota Parents Alliance:

Over the past two days numerous national new outlets have reached out to our organization to learn more about Tim Walz from the perspective of Minnesota parents. While it's impossible to list the many ways Walz has harmed our children, our schools and our state, I did my best to provide the straight talk about Tim Walz on behalf of Minnesota parents that America needs to hear.
Some facts about K-12 education under Tim Walz:
He kept Minnesota kids out of school intermittently for over 2 years.
In 2021 only 4% of Minnesota students lived in districts that offered a high level of in-person instruction.
Minnesota has dropped by double digits in our national ranking and student proficiency.
Less than 50% of kids are proficient in reading and students have fallen entire grade levels behind.
He kept school resource officers (SROs) out of schools for months while violence and disruption reached all-time highs.
His education bill embeds regressive, dehumanizing DEI and critical social justice initiatives into K-12 curriculum and teaching practices
He spent OUR $18 billion dollar surplus and raised taxes another $10 billion dollars while slapping schools with over 65 unfunded mandates, forcing district leaders to make budget cuts that hurt OUR kids or go ask voters for even more money.
Truly, the list goes on and on....
Parents have begged Walz to lead differently and prioritize the safety and achievement of our kids. But he has refused time and time again. (Read more.)