Senate takes lead on spending package as House remains without a Speaker: https://thehill.com/homenews/4267953-house-chaos-forces-senate-to-take-the-wheel-on-spending/ . Any American who is not disgusted with Matt Gaetz and the House GOP is not paying attention. Meanwhile, a House GOP member pours sarcasm on Matt Gaetz: https://www.mediaite.com/news/read-house-republican-mocks-the-daylights-out-of-matt-gaetz-and-mccarthy-rebels-in-all-timer-of-a-sarcastic-letter/ .
WSJ: Illegal immigration problem in 5 charts: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/illegal-immigration-record-border-6db29cad .
WSJ: “Reasoning” power of AI: https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/how-does-ai-think-95f6381b . My sense is that AI has been taught to mimic human behavior. There will be continuous improvement in its mimicry. Additionally, as it gains access to large data bases, it will outperform humans on data-driven functions. However, creative thought is something else entirely. We just don’t know how or when AI will demonstrate creativity.
Second aid convoy arrives in Gaza: https://news.yahoo.com/israel-strikes-gaza-syria-west-064807480.html . WSJ: More on first delivery: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/gaza-receives-first-aid-trucks-since-hamas-attack-as-egypt-border-opens-briefly-d8830643 .
WSJ: US deployments of troops and missile systems to Israel: https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/u-s-deploys-missile-defenses-to-middle-east-following-recent-attacks-1cee9391 . A part of this is to try to discourage Iran and its terrorist allies from expanding the war.
Will Israel defeat Hamas in Gaza?: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/taking-gaza-would-be-possible-sieges-from-mosul-to-mariupol-showbut-at-a-steep-cost-45072b4b . Yes, for the reasons Col. Rayburn states. However, that is not the same as annihilating Hamas. I do expect Israel will reoccupy Gaza at least temporarily after its ground invasion, but even still this is unlikely to be the end of Hamas. The residents of Gaza must turn on Hamas for that organization to truly come to an end. More: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-intensifies-gaza-bombing-targets-west-bank-militants-with-airstrike-79660cf1 .
Will Hezbollah commence a second front against Israel?: https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-gaza-clashes-c279d38d6b67cac526ac95e63f9cca73. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/northern-israel-prepares-for-possible-war-with-hezbollah-524b5f32 . Hezbollah is vastly better armed than Hamas. However, Israel’s air superiority would likely inflict heavy losses on Hezbollah, so it does not seem in their best interests to attack.
WSJ: China investigates Apple supplier Foxconn: https://www.wsj.com/world/china/apple-supplier-foxconn-faces-chinese-investigations-c73880ce . As the article notes, Foxconn’s founder is running for president of Taiwan. The current leader in the race, Lai Ching-te, favors stronger ties with the US.
WSJ: The Speaker mess: https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/republican-hopefuls-crowd-into-speaker-race-after-jordans-exit-7b0682fb . There is an obvious way for these GOP fools to solve their problem. There are 9 candidates. Schedule 8 rounds of voting. After each round of voting, the person or persons getting the lowest vote totals is or are dropped. When you get down to 2 or 3, let the remaining candidates address the conference again, but then resume voting. This can be accomplished in one day. Oh, and if anyone says it’s three-dimensional chess again, shoot them. We don’t need them in Congress anyway.
Will Orange Julius be the GOP nominee?: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-wont-be-gop-nominee/ . Yes. With the flips in Georgia, the next criminal trial is scheduled for March 4, 2024, the day before Super Tuesday. Every fact stated in this article is accurate. However, we have seen time and again that the GOP base does not process facts. OJ will go to the convention with the majority of delegates. As far as I know, this assures him the nomination.
OJ is likely to lose some civil lawsuits before that time, most notably the NY fraud trial before Judge Engoron. The more interesting scenario involves more flippers in Georgia over the next few months, because it will become more apparent to everyone that OJ headed a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy. But again, that may not matter to a majority of GOP voters.
Who will be the next flipper?: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-georgia-2666040689/ . Jenna Ellis is a reasonable prediction. However, Willis has requested a trial start date of March 4, so there is no immediate pressure for anyone to flip: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/georgia-prosecutor-seeks-march-2024-trial-date-for-trump-and-18-others-in-election-case . The January 6 trial before Judge Chutkan is also scheduled to start March 4, and Judge Chutkan has indicated she will hold to that date: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/16/judge-imposes-gag-order-on-donald-trump-in-d-c-trial-00121743 . Jenna Ellis is a small fish, and she and other small fish may flip in the coming months. I still believe the most consequential remaining potential flipper is Mark Meadows. What deal can he get?
At some point, Fani Willis will step away from the no-jail-time deals, because that is not her overall objective. But what if OJ accepts a plea deal in which he agrees not to run for future political office? If this was the only trial facing him, that possibility would at least be on the table. However, with the special prosecutor’s two actions, I don’t see OJ accepting what in essence would be a partial deal in Georgia.
Meanwhile, OJ’s public commentary indicates he is losing the few remaining cards in his deck: https://nypost.com/2023/10/22/trump-distances-himself-from-sidney-powell-not-my-attorney-and-never-was/ . Okay. What about Rudy Giuliani?
The Tim Scott presidential “campaign”: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/22/tim-scott-disappointed-campaign-00122896 . “On the ropes”? Are you freaking kidding me? From the start, Tim Scott would finish (at best) fourth in his home state of South Carolina behind OJ, Ron DeMentis and Nikki Haley (former SC governor). Tim never had any chance of winning anything, even a vice-presidential slot. The fact that he’s polling below 2% nationally shows the complete absurdity of this campaign.
Michigan State apologizes for posting picture of Hitler on their pre-game scoreboard: https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/michigan-state-issues-apology-photo-hitler-scoreboard/story?id=104201830 . As we know, stupidity has no limits. MSU says the pre-game trivia content same from a third-party company, which it has fired. They will also screen trivia content in the future. However, the damage has already occurred.
AP Top 25: No changes in the top 5 this week: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll . The Pac-12 continues to have 6 teams in the Top 25, but Washington remains No. 5 despite beating Oregon. Apparently, Washington needs to go undefeated in order to get into the playoffs. They should move up after the Michigan-Ohio State game, which obviously one team must lose.