Thursday Morning Breakfast For The Brain

Good morning Deplorables!

‘Epstein Didn’t Kill Himself’ Explains Why Trump’s Impeachment Is A Sham

Via The Federalist

Our elites are incompetent and morally degenerate, producing a credibility crisis for our leaders and institutions.

There is a simple reason President Donald Trump should not have been impeached by the House, and the Senate should acquit him: Epstein didn’t kill himself.

In writing this, I don’t mean I am convinced that the billionaire child sex-abuser was murdered by one of his many wealthy and powerful acquaintances to keep him quiet — although I wouldn’t rule that out. Rather, I mean it in the sense in which “Epstein didn’t kill himself” has become a pervasive cultural meme, as a general assertion of cynicism regarding the incompetence and moral degeneracy of our elites, which has produced a crisis of credibility for our leaders and institutions.

The story of Jeffrey Epstein would seem over the top for most thrillers: The bad guy is a billionaire with an underage harem, he hung out with the richest and most powerful people on the planet, he got a sweetheart deal when he was charged for his crimes, he then continued his predations, and then he conveniently killed himself when finally facing real justice — but the guards were sleeping and video evidence has disappeared?

A ridiculous plot, even for Hollywood. But it’s all true, and getting weirder as more details are released.

Epstein Epitomizes Corruption Among America’s Elites

Sexual predators and their enablers are the most lurid examples of the corruption ordinary people see in our culture’s most powerful people. But of course, corruption isn’t limited to sex crime and its perpetrators. Plenty of grifters, hacks, cowards, and so on hold prominent positions in newsrooms, classrooms, boardrooms, and even churches.

Not even sports are safe from elites failing their basic duties, as seen in instances from Penn State’s child sex-abuse scandal to the NBA’s obsequiousness to communist China. As for government, even as the House pressed forward with impeachment, it was confirmed that the FBI acted as partisan bunglers in going after Trump, and the Pentagon has been lying for years about America’s chances of success in Afghanistan.

Unsurprisingly, trust in almost every authority and institution has declined. The popularity of the “Epstein didn’t kill himself” meme is, as Michael Brendan Dougherty notes, due to what it implicitly communicates, which is: “I think our leadership class and our institutions are capable of every corruption and depravity.” The Epstein case represents the epitome of the eerie concupiscence and incompetence of our elites; it is the obscene capstone on a pyramid of decadence.

Read the entire article HERE.

Russian Pranksters Dupe Maxine Waters with ‘Greta Thunberg’ Call

Via American Greatness

The California Democrat congresswoman Maxine Waters has become the latest US politician to be fooled by Russian pranksters Vladimir “Vovan” Kuznetsov and Alexey “Lexus” Stolyarov, according to Fox News.

The prank call, which lasted approximately 11 minutes, appeared to target Waters and trick her into believing Greta Thunberg the Swedish 17-year-old activist had political dirt on President Donald Trump.

The comedic duo, shared the recording to YouTube on Thursday as part of their newly launched international project called “Stars Save the Earth” – along with cartoon-like illustrations poking fun at Greta, Maxine, President Trump, and Greta’s father Svante Thunberg.

The conversation began with fake “Thunberg” telling the congresswoman that she was calling from a climate strike meeting in North Carolina where they were advocating for the protection of the fictitious “Chon-Go-Chango” islands. She asked Waters to make remarks to the meeting attendees, where she showered “Thunberg” with praise.

Fake “Thunberg” also claimed to have had a “terrible meeting” with President Trump at the United Nations last year.

“It was a really terrible meeting in the U.N. building in September with him. And I had nightmares afterwards. It’s terrible,” the Thunberg impersonator told Waters. “I saw him in the hallway. He was with security and I shouted at him, ‘Sign the Paris Climate Agreement again!’ He came over, he leaned in towards me, and said softly, ‘Listen carefully to me, little girl. You will never achieve your goal, like the congressional goal, trying to accuse me.’”

“He said you will never achieve your goal? Oh my goodness.” Waters said with shock. “Did you ask him if he would rethink signing the Paris Climate Agreement? Is that your question to him?”

“Yes, yes,” the impersonator said. “He added that … ‘You know what? I’ll tell you the truth. I really wanted to push the Ukraine president to put my competitor on trial.’”

Svante, her supposed “father” chimed in.

“He said to her, ‘You know, little girl, nobody believe you anyway, I will tell you the truth. I really pushed on Ukrainian president and you know that you will never achieve your goals like those congressional fools who accuse me,” the fictional parent told Waters. “So nobody will believe you. You will be on trial like my competitor.”

“Oh, my God! He mentioned Ukrainian president?” Waters asked.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5DpdWE9oKc&feature=emb_logo

Read the entire article HERE.

Chick-fil-A CEO Regrets ‘Inadvertently’ Discrediting ‘Oustanding’ Groups Like the Salvation Army

Via PJ Media

Late last year, Chick-fil-A announced it would change its charitable giving strategy, investing larger amounts in a few select charities as opposed to funding a wide array of organizations. This decision came after years of pressure on the fast-food chain from LGBT bullies who condemned groups like the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as “anti-gay” because of their orthodox Christian stances on sexuality.

In a letter sent last month but widely publicized on Wednesday, CEO Dan Cathy said he regretted “inadvertently” discrediting the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes by seeming to cave to LGBT activists when the company’s intention was merely to restructure its charitable giving.

“As you have seen, recently we announced changes to our giving strategy at the Chick-fil-A Foundation. These changes were made to better focus on hunger, homelessness and education,” Cathy wrote. “We understand how some thought we were abandoning our longstanding support of faith-based organizations. We inadvertently discredited several outstanding organizations that have effectively served communities for years.”

A person with knowledge of Cathy’s intentions told PJ Media the CEO was referring to the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. It seems particularly important to rebut the “anti-gay” smears against the Salvation Army, which has gone above and beyond to help … gay people.

Read the entire article HERE.

Man Defends Child Porn Collection, Claims To Be An 8-Year-Old Girl

Via KTLX

A convicted sex offender who says he identifies as an eight-year-old girl will spend at least a decade in prison for dozens of images of child pornography found on his home computer.

Joseph Gobrick, 45, claims the images were computer-animated and protected under the First Amendment.

“I’ve always been an 8-year-old girl,’’ Gobrick said at sentencing. “And even my drawings and fantasies, I am always an 8-year-old girl.’’

But police said eight child victims were identified in the pornography recovered from Gobrick’s computer.

Some of the images depicted children between the ages of infant and five years old being sexually assaulted, court records show.

Kent County Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Helmer called Gobrick “a danger to the public.’’

“Even during the trial, the defendant continued to draw, talking about raping babies in the Kent County Jail and making other statements about how this is his constitutional right to continue to do so,” Helmer said.

Kent County Circuit Court Judge Paul Denenfeld recently sentenced Gobrick to between 10 and 20 years in prison.

“Based on everything he’s said and done, including bragging about what he was drawing in his cell, he obviously doesn’t think child sexually abusive material is wrong,’’ Denenfeld said. “This isn’t just virtual stuff; this is also real people being harmed.’’

The case was bizarre, to be sure. At a bench trial, Gobrick fired his court-appointed attorney and opted to represent himself.

He argued the images found on his computer were created using an image manipulating program. He also said the images were protected under the First Amendment.

Read the entire article HERE.

In Historic Compromise, Border Wall To Be Built Around Hollywood

Via The Babylon Bee (Satire)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In a historic, bipartisan compromise, Congress has approved President Trump’s plans for a border wall, provided the large concrete barrier be built entirely around the city of Hollywood.

The 35-foot-high, two-foot thick concrete wall will deter perverts from attempting to climb, leap over, or burrow under the structure.

“Now this is something we can all get behind,” Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Thursday. “We’re in full support of securing the borders of this country from the dangerous criminals and ne’er-do-wells in Hollywood.”

Studies suggest the wall will be extraordinarily effective at keeping predators and perverts out of the rest of the country. Some experts believe citizens of Hollywood can make contributions to our country’s culture and economy, but most agree that there needs to be “extreme vetting” of any immigrants from Tinseltown to ensure no “bad apples” make it across the border.

The measure flew through Congress with unprecedented bipartisan support, and construction began almost immediately, according to sources.

Check out all of the Bee’s takes on politics and culture HERE.

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