The Rod Martin Report: January 29, 2016
You can read about the world anywhere. You read The Rod Martin Report to understand it.
by Rod D. Martin
January 29, 2016
We have a lot to cover this week, so we'll get right to it. But there are a couple things I'd like to highlight.
With the Iowa caucuses upon us, Donald Trump's gamble -- skipping the final GOP debate -- seems to have paid off about as well as any of us predicted. Trump's counterprogramming -- a benefit for wounded veterans -- was co-headlined by the previous two Iowa winners (Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum) and broadcast live on at least two networks. Meanwhile, over at the debate itself, Trump dominated much of the discussion from beginning to end. Hmmm...three channels instead of one. Not bad.
More to the point, (1) Trump avoided the video attacks Fox News deployed against Cruz and Rubio, contrasting past positions with current (minor damage if any to Cruz, though uncomfortable; serious damage to "Gang of 8" Rubio), which would have been potentially devastating to Trump (and yes, he knew this was coming when he pulled out, whether or not he'd ever admit it). (2) Trump also sucked the air out of the room for a whole week (yet again), while (3) forcing the GOP field to go after each other (and primarily Ted Cruz) instead of him.
Elections are won at the margins. Trump lost nothing last night and gained a lot. Coming off a string of important Evangelical endorsements (Jeffress, Falwell and Palin in particular) and a growing consensus that the Establishment prefers him to Cruz (as I predicted weeks ago), the only question remaining is whether Cruz's much superior ground game will be enough to overcome this juggernaut.
As I've said repeatedly, I have enormous respect for Donald Trump. And as you well know, I told you to take him very seriously months before virtually anyone else. None of that is the same as being excited about this.
Don't think that story will hurt Trump next week. But it scares the dickens out of Hillary (whose own problems keep multiplying).
You can read about the world anywhere. You read The Rod Martin Report to understand it. Do your friends a favor and pass it along; and remember, there’s a lot more we publish each week that doesn’t make the newsletter.
For Freedom,
P.S. Starting next week, I'll be guest writing Dr. Jack Wheeler's "The Half-Full Report" at ToThePointNews.com for the month of February. Jack was the architect of the Reagan Doctrine (or so says The Washington Post), and he's also been credited as "the Republican Indiana Jones." If you're not reading his stuff, shame on you: it's some of the most insightful stuff around.
P.P.S. Also, if someone is forwarding you this email, please subscribe. It's free! Â
Maps! We have maps!
A month ago, we published "Russia's Strategy" Today, in eleven separate, wonderful maps, we teach you everything you need to know on that topic: why the Russians are the way they are, how they got that way, why they can't really help it, and what they must do from here.
Germany and Japan now have the lowest birth rates in the world. Both realize that this will destroy their wealth and their position in the world.
The former is replacing it's missing young people with Muslim immigrants. The latter is replacing them with robots.
Which do you think is working better?
As we enter the final days prior to the Iowa Caucuses -- which Evangelicals could easily dominate if they merely voted their numbers -- one has to ask: why do so many Christian pastors think the blessing of self-government is "dirty"? Why do they think it honors God for those who hate Christ to make all the laws?Â
Or to put that another way, if the Bible really "contains all the answers," doesn't loving one's neighbor require that we offer (or at least support) those answers at the ballot box?