Op-ed:
Standing
By Stephen K. Bannon...For Now
By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots on American
Political Radio
bit.ly/2cpXuRd
Donald J. Trump is the president-elect, thankfully, and now
with his transition team in place...a good team I might add...Trump is starting
to fill key cabinet positions in his administration. And he’s picking good
people all around so far what with his original choice of Mike Pence as his
Vice-President, and his having Newt Gingrich, Rudi Giuliani, and Dr. Ben
Carson on the transition team. But while Trump has every right to fill his
cabinet and key advisory positions as he sees fit sometimes one must learn from
the mistakes of the past that others have made.
Mistakes and controversies over people picked...remember
Obama’s top adviser and puppet master is Iranian operative Valerie Jarrett and
Hillary’s top adviser, confident, and BFF is Muslim Brotherhood operative Huma
Abedin...both deeply shrouded in controversies...both whose true allegiances
remain questionable to this day. And while Trump has solid voices from the past
in the running for top cabinet positions, his choice of Stephen K. Bannon as the
White House Senior Council and Chief Strategist falls right into the
controversial pit...a pit we had hoped with Trump’s election would have been
filled-in if you will.
Now don’t you die-hard riders of the ‘Trump train’ from the
beginning think I am turning on Donald J. Trump... know that I most assuredly am
not...but I did say from day one that once Trump locked up the nomination I
would support him (which I have done) and if elected that I would hold his feet
to the fire but in a way to help him not to criticize or condemn him.
But before I focus on Trump’s controversial pick for the
above said positions...and before I propose what I consider an alternative not
to replace Bannon but to be an adjunct to Bannon and why I do so...let’s digest
exactly what Bannon’s duties as White House Senior Counsel and Chief Strategist
will be. First, and know that at times these positions do go hand-in-hand, both
appointments afford Bannon unlimited and unhindered access to the president
where in his role as chief strategist, Bannon would offer strategy advice on both
domestic and foreign policy issues to President Trump. Also, as part of his
duties, Bannon would advise Trump on what legislation to focus on, when it
would be advantageous to negotiate with Congress over a possibly contentious
bill, and when to stand strong against Congress...as in when Trump should use the presidential power of the veto.
And while Bannon would also serve as a bridge of sorts between
the Trump administration and those wanting updates on legislation, judicial
nominations, and strategy decisions, Bannon would not serve as the Chief of
Staff... that position has now been filled by Reince Preibus... which mean that in
the Trump administration Steven K. Bannon would not control hiring and
administrative decisions, Preibus would.
As for Bannon being chief counsel, this position simply
means that he would advise President Trump on all legal issues concerning both
the president and his administration while he would actually have no statutory powers
and would produce almost no public documents under his name.
Now as for Stephen Bannon’s peccadilloes, if you will, and why
he is a raising red flags amongst some not only in the establishment but even
by some in Trump’s extended circle, and of course by those on the kumbaya left.
But before I get into those specifics let’s get rid of the always pops up at
election time and immediately thereafter trash...and in this case trash that
Bannon is a racist or an anti-Semite. And why get rid of it...simply because there
is no proof positive of either...just hearsay, innuendos, and the words of his
ex-wife said in nasty divorce proceedings.
Instead listen to facts...documented facts like Stephen K. Brannon
was both a friend and business partner of Jewish
Andrew Breitbart and partnered with Jewish
Larry Solov after Breitbart died. When Bannon was Chairman of Breitbart News,
Breitbart News stood strong with the pro-Israel community against Obama’s very
bad nuclear deal; Breitbart News defended Israel against the anti-Semitic BDS
movement whose ultimate goal is the economic destruction of the Jewish State of Israel; and Breitbart News gave
avowed Zionist Aaron Klein a platform to speak and advance the cause of the
Jewish people. In fact, Yossi Dagan, chair of Israel’s Shomron Regional Council
and a major player in Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party, published an open
letter confirming Israeli support for Stephen K. Bannon’s appointment.
Need more proof of what Bannon is not...how about what my
hero and friend Pamela Geller had to say about Stephen K. Bannon,
“I am fortunate to say that I have known and
worked with Steve Bannon ever since the tragic passing of Andrew Breitbart.
While he was at Breitbart, he would ask me to write articles on pressing issues
— usually several times each week. Longtime readers who are deeply familiar
with my work know that I am a fiercely proud Jew and unapologetic Zionist. As
long as I have known Steve, he has been an unabashed supporter of Israel, and
of those of us who fight against Jew-hatred and racism. Unequivocally.”
If
Pamela Geller, someone I have the utmost respect for...supports and has confidence in Bannon then so do I.
And while the uber liberal Southern Poverty Law Center claims that
Stephen K. Bannon is a racist on the
“extremist
fringe,” they have absolutely nothing to back that up with except their own
words which describe Bannon and his followers in the so-called 'alt-right' as
“a loose set of far-right ideologies at the
core of which is a belief that ‘white identity’ is under attack through
policies prioritizing multiculturalism, political correctness and social
justice and must be preserved, usually through white-identified online
communities and physical ethno-states.” Well without proof...and know they
have none...they are doing nothing but blowing hot air and spewing the
rhetoric of those who cannot accept the fact that Donald J. Trump will be the
45th president of these United States.
So let’s put the nonsense that Stephen K. Bannon is a racist
and anti-Semite to rest, and let’s deal with some of the believed to be legitimate
issues concerning this appointment, including that Bannon only became part of Trump’s
presidential campaign this past August, and only worked directly hands on with
Trump during the waning weeks of the campaign. Others who previously held those
positions in question were long-time friends and/or advisers to the president
they served, but what people forget is that some people just ‘click’ with
another person and this seems to be the case between Bannon and Trump. What is
the true concern here should not be the length of time Bannon was on the
campaign trail or part of the Trump campaign hierarchy, but should be if Bannon
becomes a mere sycophant... yessing Trump on everything instead of advising
Trump on proper courses of action.
Another concern is that Bannon...also a movie producer behind the
hit ‘American Sniper’...was a Harvard Business School graduate (actually a plus
when dealing with economics) who worked as an investment banker at Goldman
Sachs before he co-founded the ‘Government Accountability Institute’...whose mission
statement is to "investigate and
expose crony capitalism, misuse of taxpayer monies, and other governmental
corruption or malfeasance" and then to partner with mainstream media
outlets to disseminate those findings to the “broadest audience.” But really folks, the truth about those
leading or wanting to lead our country should be told... skeletons and all...and
let ‘We the People’ decide if it’s relevant or not to the position they want to hold.
And immediately upon Bannon's appointment, CAIR (the Council on
American-Islamic Relations) chimed in with its executive director Nihad Awad saying of Trump’s appointment of Bannon, "the
appointment of Stephen Bannon as a top Trump administration strategist sends
the disturbing message that anti-Muslim conspiracy theories and White
nationalist ideology will be welcome in the White House." To that I
say to CAIR...as politely as I can...too damn bad as the American people have
had quite enough of your muslim whining, terrorist supporting, and oh so
anti-American actions. Case closed on that one.
And the above concerns are it folks...some of the main
reasons why some are whining and stamping their feet...especially those on the
left...about Bannon’s appointment as senior council and chief strategist to
President-elect Donald J. Trump. To all this I say give me something of true
substance... bet you can’t...and maybe then I’d join in the Bannon-bashing party
but until then I, too, stand by Trump’s appointment of Stephen K. Bannon to the
above stated positions.
However, I do have a bit of advice for Donald J. Trump... constructive
advice that might actually work to both his and America’s benefit and it concerns
the positions itself not the person chosen. Simply, as the chief strategist, Bannon
would offer strategy advice to President Trump on both domestic and foreign
policy issues, so wouldn’t it be best to split that position into two or
possibly three positions having Bannon be chief strategist on domestic issues
concerning the economy (after all he is a Harvard Business School graduate)... having
let’s say Sheriff David Clarke as chief strategist on domestic security issues
and policing matters...and having a military man, say Lt. Col Allen West, as
chief strategist on foreign policy as most foreign policy involves military
decisions to some degree.
This allows the chief strategist position to be more focused
and detailed on specific areas of concern instead of it being too broadly all-encompassing
which I believe does not serve the president nor the American people well as
solutions to problems or concerns are usually found in the details...details
that might be too much for one individual to weigh through and handle as
undoing the damage Barack HUSSEIN Obama has done to this country will surely
take a unified team effort.
Now as to the position of senior counsel...a position that means
advising the president on all legal issues concerning him and his administration
ranging from policy questions, to legal issues regarding signing or vetoing
legislation, to ethical questions and financial disclosures, amongst other
things. The senior counsel also oversees judicial selection, handles
presidential pardons as well as lawsuits against the president in his role as president,
and is the White House contact for the Department of Justice.
Now with Bannon not being an attorney and really having no
experience with the above stated duties, and while I know being an attorney is
not a prerequisite for this position, I do believe it would be best if
the position was at least shared with one, possibly with the president’s
personal attorney. And why...because this pairing would avoid any and all
concerns that might arise over not just attorney/client privilege but with
appearances of impropriety as well that might arise between the counsel and the
president.
So while I personally believe that the positions Stephen K.
Bannon was appointed to would be better served with others more experienced at
least working alongside him, and while Bannon will surely shake up the traditional
roles of senior counsel and chief strategist, we owe it to President-elect
Donald J. Trump to at least trust his judgment on this appointment for if
proves to not work out Bannon can always be replaced. And I also know that if
the liberals, the muslims, the haters, and the media are against him then
Stephen K. Bannon might indeed very well be the right man for the job.
************************************************************
RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...LIVE!
Today, Friday, November 18th from 7 to 9pm EST on American Political Radio, RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori discuss Trump's controversial appointment of Stephen K. Bannon, Craig takes college students to school, and the latest on Hillary's election night meltdown.
