Schaper's Answers for McLaughlin's 2014 Year-End Awards

At the end of every year, the McLaughlin Group hosts a discussion of best and worst categories, similar to the Academy Awards, but with a focus on politics, culture, and world events.

If I were on the show for the last week of Year 2014, these would be my Year End Awards:

Destined for Political Stardom in 2015

Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage, the leader of the insurgent and rising United Kingdom Independence Party. They have a libertarian leaning platform, and they are poaching Tory and Labour votes. They will prove a force to be reckoned with in Westminster, and Farage has been pressing this relentless agenda for years to break the UK free of the EU, and restore free market trade relations, and nothing else.

Destined for Political Oblivion

US Senator Harry Reid, who has not only lost the Senate Majority Leader position, but will go down as the chief obstruction during the fraught 2013-2014 Congressional term. He  will either retire or lose his seat in 2016 to popular Republican Governor Brian Sandoval. (Incidentally enough, I agreed with John McLaughlin on his 2013 projection for 2014)

Best Political Theater

The Montana US Senate race, and the Democratic Party's terrible failure to keep the seat in the Democratic hands, with one candidate after another dropping out. Incumbent Max Baucus resigned to become ambassador to China, with no knowledge or prior experience in the Middle Kingdom. His replacement, John Walsh, was forced to suspend his campaign after revelations that he plagiarized his Masters Thesis, then shamefully attempted to blame this failing on PTSD. The final Democratic Nominee, ultra-leftist Amanda Curtis: female, Democratic Todd Akin ("Now, if it's a legitimate rape. . .) The whole affair was a like a political version of Lord Arthur Savile's crimes, fun for the GOP, good for the country, embarrassing for the Democrats.

Worst Political Theater

DCCC Chair Debbie Schultz comparing Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to a wife-beater. Immoral and stupid, along with Democratic War on Women rhetoric in general. . .

Under-reported story of 2014

Clive Bundy

 Nevada Rancher Clive Bundy standing up to the federal government with a nation-wide private militia. Whether the rancher was delinquent on paying land fees or not, followed by the New York Times' attempted racial smear.

Over-reported story of 2014



Donald Sterling

Los Angeles philanthropist Donald Sterling's heated, racist argument with mixed-race girlfriend, which prompted public pressure for him to step down as owner of the Clippers. This was a non-story, based on information illegally obtained. This dope opera of middling proportions took up front-page news in Los Angeles and nationally, even while scandal upon scandal cascaded out of the White House.

Biggest Government Waste

Welfare spending/foodstamps. There are 43 million (and growing) food stamp recipients in the USA. Indeed, President Obama is the Foodstamp President.

Best Government Spending

Foreign: Drones strikes against Al Qaeda and other Islamic terrorist fighters as well as other guerilla warfare groups in the Middle East.

Domestic: All the investigations and reports under House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa.

Boldest Political Tactic

Vladimir Putin seizing and annexing Crimea. Ouch! The Russian President took a risk, then advantage of a very weakened President.

Biggest Surprise



Larry Hogan

Republican Gubernatorial candidate Larry Hogan wins in Deep Blue Maryland, with possible overtones of the Old Line State turning purple in the next two years. Would Lord Baltimore be a Republican if he were alive today?

Biggest Disappointment

Rhode Island Republican gubernatorial nominee Allan Fung losing to uber-leftist Democratic Treasurer Gina Raimondo, because of a non-serious third-party spoiler. Hopes for a ruby red Republican Rhode Island delayed once again. (Hopefully, not for long).

Underrated Political Event

Hong Kong protests against autocratic Beijing Communist Regime, and the Chinese Communist crackdown. Student demands for local control and political freedom from Beijing deserved out attention, but instead the mainstream media and the American President chose to focus on upstart race-baiting and other progressive talking points: climate change, transgender rights (?), global equality.

Overrated Political Event



Michelle Nunn

Georgia Democrat Michelle Nunn's campaign for US Senate. Yes, she was the daughter of a political scion. She had worked with Republican President George Herbert Walker Bush. But no, she never had a chance, and I had predicted that the race was "much ado about nothing" from the outset.

Worst Political Scandal

The VA wait lists. Our serving men and women died, while Edward Snowden's fellow espionage traitor Bradley (now Chelsea) Manning got a sex-change. The fact that this scandal still has not received proper attention and redress only redoubles the shame of this scandal.

Best Idea

For my local readers: Los-Angeles area David Hadley's South Bay One Hundred, which united otherwise disparate political forces in the South Bay region of CA, uniting funding, removing costly primary challenges, and thus enabling a Republican to represent the South Bay for the first time in over two decades in the state legislature.

For national readers:  Republican (male and female) candidates (especially Michigan US Senate candidate Terri Lynn Land) mocking the Democratic War on Women meme.

Worst Idea

President Obama's Executive action on immigration. His move has only galvanized conservatives (in both parties) against his lawless Presidency. This illegal action will not only poison any bipartisan efforts with Congress, but will dampen the next Democratic Presidential nominee's chances.

Sorry to See You Go

Joan Rivers

Joan Rivers: From her acerbic wit against Hollywood and Washington DC hypocrisy, to her zest for living life to the fullest, to her bathetic complaints of Barack and Michelle, along with her epic rant against the world's growing cause of Palestinian agitators, her aggressive success was admired, and she will be missed.

15 Minutes of Fame

House Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Maryland):, who threw a last-minute hissy fit during the IRS investigations with: "I am tired of this!" The Democratic caucus then presented I-pads with Chairman Issa's cutting off discussion after Lerner taking the Fifth about her involvement in the targeting of conservative groups.

Best Spin of The Year

President Obama, after the 2014 Shellacknado :"I hear you, and for those of you who didn't vote. . ." In other words, I hear that there are not that many that I have to hear. (As if!)

Most Honest

Ben Shapiro: Punching Back Twice as Hard

Ben Shapiro, for knocking the hell out of media hyped lies and left-leaning bias in the mainstream media, with the help of New Media sites Breitbart.com and TruthRevolt.org

Macro-Prediction

The UK will leave the European Union, and a more autocratic state will replace the European Community as a result. Expect to see a fussy bureaucrat turn into a frenzied dictator.

Micro-Prediction

Hillary Clinton will not be the 2016 Democratic nominee for President: too old, too much baggage, light on ideas, heavy on over-exposure. Look for Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to secure the GOP nom, or at least come very close.

New Year's Resolution

Get a paid syndicated position as a political columnist, commentator, along with my own radio show.

Happy New Year!

 

Bye Bye!