On the Steve Gruber Show to discuss Democrats delaying Kevin Hassett's confirmation vote to chair the Council of Economic Advisers

I was on the Steve Gruber show to discuss how Democrats are obstructing even non-controversial confirmations by President Trump.  In particular, they talked about  Kevin Hassett's confirmation to be President Trump's chair of the Council of Economic Advisers.  The show is broadcast on the Michigan Talk Network. (Tuesday, August 1, 2017, from 6:45 to 6:53 AM)

The audio is available here.

On Fox Business to talk about tax cuts and the impact that they will have on investment in the US

Appearing on Fox Business.  Dr. John Lott says optimism over tax reform is boosting the markets.  He explains how money will US flood markets if we get tax cuts.

California: Criminal penalties and arrests down, crime up

From The DailyWire:

California's latest attempt to handle one of the perpetual subjects of progressive complaint, jail and prison overpopulation supposedly caused by "over-incarceration," has proven once again what should not need re-proving: going easy on criminals results in more crime. 

Back in 2014, nearly 60% of Californians voted in favor of Proposition 47, which sought to thin out jails and prisons by downgrading many "nonviolent, nonserious" felonies to misdemeanors and allowing some prisoners to be eligible for re-sentencing for more lenient terms (see summary below). The measure ostensibly saved the state millions in incarceration costs, but while that particular budget line might look better, the state and its residents have suffered as a result.  

Since Prop 47 went into effect, arrests are down 30% while violent crime in Los Angeles is up a devastating 40%. And it's not just L.A. — Southern California as a whole is feeling the deleterious effects of the law's "lighter" touch.  

A major reason for the stunning increase in violent crime is the reckless way Prop 47 downgraded some offenses, including theft of a firearm, which used to be a felony but which is now treated as a misdemeanor, along with several other serious property theft offenses. . . .

Canada: What happens when a crime victim takes a gun from a criminal and shoots him? The victim goes to jail

Canadian man takes gun from home invaders and shoots on of them; he is now charged with attempted murder and nine other firearms charges. From the Herald News in Nova Scotia, Canada:

A man is charged with attempted murder and a raft of firearms offences after helping fend off home invaders, one of whom he’s now charged with shooting. 

Kyle Earl Munroe was arrested on July 12 after RCMP and Halifax Regional Police responded to a report of a home invasion involving firearms at a home in Porters Lake.
Police said that three men entered the residence with guns and a struggle took place with two men inside. 

The two in the home seized a firearm from one of the suspects and several shots were fired as the suspects fled. Police later located one of the suspects, who had non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. 

Munroe faces charges of attempted murder, intent to discharge a firearm, intent to discharge a firearm when being reckless, careless use of a firearm, improper storage of a firearm, pointing a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, 

unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm knowing that possession is unauthorized, and possession for the purpose of trafficking. . . .

At Fox News: Trump needs a chairman for his Council of Economic Advisers. When will Democrats let him be confirmed?

I have a new piece at Fox News on the incredibly slow confirmation process for Trump's nominees.  Because of the delays created by the Democrats, even if Trump had nominated people as quickly as past administrations, it wouldn't have made any difference in the number of people confirmed.

It’s the middle of July, and President Trump still doesn’t have a chairman for his Council of Economic Advisers. His nominee, Kevin Hassett, is a world-recognized expert on taxation, but he has been stuck on the sidelines despite tax reform being one of the administration’s big goals this year.  He is the one person who could explain how the different parts of the tax bill fit together. 

White House advisor Gary Cohn has reportedly told associates that time is running out for tax reform.  He worries that if tax reform doesn't get done by the end of the year, it likely won’t happen at all.  Missing key players such as Hassett doesn’t help. 

The delay reflects only Democrat’s unwillingness to confirm any Trump nominee.  Hassett is not a controversial pick.  

The Senate Banking Committee very easily advanced Hassett’s nomination last month, with only Elizabeth Warren opposing.  Other liberal Democrats such as Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Jack Reed (R.I.), Robert Menedez (N.J.), and Brian Schatz (Hawaii) all voted in Hassett’s favor.  

According to organizations such as the AFL-CIO, the League of Conservation Voters, and Americans for Democratic Action, these Senators have perfect or near-perfect liberal voting records. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) was the only committee member who opposed Hassett. 

The economists who know Hassett best also support him. Forty-four prominent economists, liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans alike, signed a letter supporting Hassett’s confirmation.  

It read, in part, as follows: “While the signers of this letter hold a range of views on President Trump’s policies, we all believe that the formulation of economic policy would be advanced by the analysis and advice that Dr. Hassett would bring to the table.”  They also noted Hassett’s “record of serious scholarship.”  The signers included all of President Obama’s Council Chairmen (Jason Furman, Alan Krueger, Christina Romer, Austan Goolsbee), President Clinton’s chairs (Laura Tyson, Martin Baily), Vice President Joe Biden’s chief economist Jared Bernstein, and Obama economic advisor Mark Zandi. 

Going back to 1980, the average time to confirm a Council Chairman was 25 days. For incoming administrations such as Trump’s, which are already short-handed, the average confirmation period is 13 days, with the longest lasting 25 days. 

Hassett’s confirmation stands at 76 days and counting.  For past incoming administrations, the chairman would have officially started his job by around February 26.   

Not a single nomination to this position has ever taken anywhere near as long as Hassett’s. Some of the responsibility lies with the administration, but Democrats have done everything they can to slow down all of President Trump’s nominees.  Demanding cloture filings for every single nominee, no matter how uncontroversial, means two days of debate before cloture can even be voted on, and then an additional 30 hours after that. . . .

The rest of the piece is available here.