Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Is Scherie Murray a Republican?


Update on Scherie Murray: An insider in the Queens, New York Republican scene has assured me that Murray has long-time Republican affiliations in the borough, and she has already run for City Council as a Republican.  My source says that she was in the past not knowledgeable about pro-freedom issues, but she has been willing to learn. The source speculates that she is being backed by Ted Cruz and concludes: "There are 4 or 5 Republicans in the race, and we'll see who leads in fundraising and publicity and who wins the primary." 


Scherie Murray just announced her Republican congressional  candidacy in AOC's district. A friend just forwarded this image of a tweet by Scherie Murray in which she heartily congratulates AOC for her victory. While not fatal to her credibility, the tweet raises questions that require investigation before Republicans can take Murray's bid seriously.  Might she be a plant, an empty suit, or just a left-leaning Democrat who is angry about the damage AOC has done to property values in Western Queens?  I co-own an apartment on 34th Avenue and 21st Street in Long Island City/Astoria, just a few blocks south of AOC's district, and I can attest to the serious damage AOC and her fellow left-wing Democrats did to property values when they rejected Amazon's proposed headquarters.  

Admittedly, if she is just an annoyed Democrat, she's probably still better than AOC, although AOC does serve some useful purposes for Republicans nationally.  Perhaps AOC can be viewed as a useful idiot...  


Monday, July 15, 2019

Investigate Google for Wire Fraud

PO Box 130
West Shokan, NY 12494
July 15, 2019

The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenu
Washington, DC

Dear Mr. President:

I urge that the Justice Department investigate the Google firm for wire fraud.

There is evidence that the Google firm has been lying to the public about the nature of its search engine.  In particular, it has represented that its search engine is an objective information source based on impartial algorithms and that it adheres to a philosophy of free speech. 

Recent revelations, specifically a Project Veritas video of Google employees discussing how they bias searches, reveals that Google has for some time been operating under the false pretense that its Web products are based on objective algorithms.  In other words, Google has lied to its users and its customers about the nature of its search engine and has received large financial benefits, at least over the past one to two years, in exchange.

According to LectLaw.com, Section 18 USC 1343 makes the use of interstate wires for carrying out a scheme to defraud a crime.  The requirements are that an individual knowingly devise a scheme to defraud for money by means of pretenses, representations, or promises.  The three essential elements are a scheme to defraud; intent to defraud; use of interstate wires.  A material misrepresentation must be related to the scheme, and the scheme must involve the intent to get money. 

The law frm of Crotty Saland points out that the crime of wire fraud includes all aspects of communication, including the Internet.

The facts are that (1) Google has never represented to the public that it ideologically slants search results; (2)  Google has lied in this representation for the last one to two years in order to indulge the beliefs and pleasures of its principals and employees; (3) Google has not divulged its change of policy to its customers or users, who include the Republican Party; and (4) Google has continued to receive large sums of money in exchange for its perpetuation of past representations that it knew to have changed and to be false.

There seems to be sufficient evidence of a fraud large in magnitude and of grievous harm to the public to pursue an investigation.  I urge that you ask the Justice Department to begin one.


                        Sincerely,


                        Mitchell Langbert, Ph.D.   

Cc: The Honorable William Barr, Attorney General

                                              
                                           

The Demon in Leftism

Daniel Pipes has written an excellent article, “The Demon in Liberalism.”  I wish commentators would use the term "leftism" or something equivalent in place of "liberalism," which is an inaccurate term, but otherwise Pipes's analysis is spot on. 

The problem is that, like Legutko, whose work Pipes discusses, Pipes doesn't offer convincing remedies.  The left has a tradition of sophisticated activism, which includes Alinsky and his many apostles, including Hillary and Barack, along with a host of others who have thought carefully about how to organize unions, take control of the media, take control of higher education, and take control of Web-search technology.  

Perhaps due to the Buckley-Kirk-Burke tradition, conservatives have often  eschewed ideology or purpose, yet without an agenda or ideology action is impossible. They have viewed conservatism as moderating change rather than achieving a liberal society governed by the rule of law and freedom.  The absence of an ideology is a recipe for repeated and long-term failure.  

Without a vision and a set of specific tactics, conservatives have for the past 60 years brought a typewriter to a gun fight.   I would like to see leading conservative thinkers begin to think about methods and tactics that will overturn the recent trend as well as to more specifically consider concerted action strategies to counteract the left’s monolithic strategy, which has integrated academics, tech employees, journalists, and violent students.