Tag Archives: mark caserta

Mark Caserta: Let’s celebrate Jesus’ birth, life this Christmas

23 Dec
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Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor

  • 12.23.16

jesus

Throughout history, no event has ever influenced mankind like the birth of our savior, Jesus.

And just as wise men sought Him long ago, may we all use this Christmas season to reflect upon His life and seek understanding of His purpose for leaving the “comfort and joy” of His Heavenly Father to live on earth as a man.

The most astounding revelation of His life for me, is that as the Son of God, Jesus had immediate access to all the powers of heaven. Yet He chose to live his life in humility, serving His fellow man. What an example for us all!

 Born in humble circumstances, of the virgin Mary, Jesus was raised a carpenter’s son. Now, carpentry, at the time was a rough job and demanded a great deal of strength, endurance and skill.

I’ve often wished I could have witnessed some of the work of Jesus’ hands! I believe everything he crafted was of the finest quality. In fact, I picture Him as probably being one of the finest finish carpenters of that time!

No doubt, He spent much of his time fabricating the necessities of the day, like plows, animal yokes, furniture and building materials, like doors, windows and flooring. The tools of His time were crude and certainly required much time and effort to use.

Now, I don’t claim to be a theologian, but I personally believe every experience in Jesus’ life was purposeful for His ministry.

As a carpenter and builder, Jesus would have a unique understanding of the importance of building a solid foundation. The stronger the foundation, the more stable the structure.

I believe Jesus had an affinity for water. He spent a great deal of time with fishermen and seemed to have a superb understanding of the trade. He may have even helped construct some of the fishermen’s boats.

Jesus also had to have effective leadership skills. Remember, during a period when it sometimes took months for information to travel the globe, Jesus took 12 men and shook the world!

But Jesus’ most redeeming quality was His incomprehensible love for others.

It was this love and understanding of His purpose that prompted Him to leave His family (albeit earthly) for a “second time” and devote His final years on earth to His Heavenly Father’s business.

 Jesus was born into this world to serve and gain understanding of mankind’s frailties. And while He committed no sin, he surely understood it.

He loved us so much, he chose to freely give His life to become the atoning sacrifice for our sins and our advocate before His Father. Those who’ve accepted God’s simple plan of salvation are now “sons” and “daughters” and part of God’s family.

So, while Christmas is the time we celebrate Jesus’ birth, let’s not forget to celebrate His sacrifice and the eternal hope we have because of Him.

May 2017 see many more people joining God’s family and gaining a deeper understanding of why we celebrate this season.

Merry Christmas everyone! May God’s blessings overtake you!

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

Mark Caserta: Obama leaving behind wounds that require healing

17 Dec

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Mark Caserta: FSP editor

  • Dec 16, 2016

 

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God breathed the same breath of life into all human beings. And certainly we have the right to be outraged over the shedding of innocent blood.

All life matters.

But where is the outrage over the murders of innocent police officers sworn to uphold standards of integrity, bravery and honor to the community and the law?

Any law enforcement officer will attest to the fact that answering a domestic dispute call is arguably one of the most dangerous and unpredictable calls a police officer can face.

But it’s getting worse.

In what appears to be an increasing number of incidents, police officers are being premeditatively attacked.

One such incident happened last week when two police officers were fatally shot while answering a call about a domestic dispute in southwest Georgia.

Twenty-five-year-old Nicholas Smarr, an Americus, Georgia, police officer, along with Southwestern State University campus policeman Jody Smith were shot while responding to a domestic disturbance in a nearby apartment complex, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Upon arriving at the complex, Minguell Lembrick opened fire on the officers, killing Smarr and critically wounding Smith, who later died.

Lembrick was later found dead, from a self-inflicted gunshot, following a standoff outside his home, authorities said at a press conference.

 

Data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund show these attacks are on the rise. Statistics show 63 law enforcement officers in the United States were fatally shot while on duty in 2016, 66 percent higher than the year before.

So why the increase in attacks?

A little over two years ago, Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson fatally shot unarmed teenager Michael Brown. Video and witness testimony clearly revealed Brown had unlawfully assaulted a store clerk while robbing a convenient store and attempted to wrest Wilson’s gun away while being taken into custody.

But, despite the facts, the Obama administration demonstrated an incredulous lack of support for law enforcement, even sending representatives to the Brown funeral.

Officer Wilson was eventually found innocent of any wrongdoing, but birthed from the ordeal was the “Black Lives Matter” (BLM) movement against police.

Chants from BLM activists like “What do we want? Dead cops! When do we want ’em? Now!” were heard at protests and riots, invigorating enmity throughout cities across the nation.

To this day, activists erroneously honor Brown’s memory by holding up two hands in a “don’t shoot” manner despite this portion of witnesses’ testimony being proven false.

Now, our nation has endured racial animosity before, but it’s never resulted in this type of radical, sustained retaliation against police.

I believe one of history’s greatest tragedy’s will be President Obama’s failure to seize the opportunity to be the most racially unifying president in our nation’s history.

Frankly, I believe the hope that our first black president would champion this cause helped get him elected.

But rather than becoming a unifying voice of reason, his administration’s actions amplified racial dissent. And people are dying.

And now our nation has all new wounds that require healing.

Let the healing begin with the new administration.

 

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

Mark Caserta: The Trump factor is starting to take effect

10 Dec

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Mark Caserta: FSP editor

  • Dec 9, 2016

I’ve heard it said more than once that it took the devitalizing policies of Jimmy Carter to give us Ronald Reagan. Perhaps it took the socialistic policies of Barack Obama to give us Donald Trump.

Throughout history, “hopelessness” seems to have been an unfortunate catalyst for change.

But to the delight of millions, while Donald J. Trump hasn’t even taken the presidential oath of office, he’s already putting his empathy and understanding of business to work for the American people.

Despite naysayers attempting to depreciate the probability that President-elect Trump will indeed live up to his campaign promises, the successful businessman is already leveraging his candor and forthrightness that served him so well during his candidacy toward keeping businesses in the United States.

As expected, business leaders responsible for a healthy bottom-line are proactively assessing Trump’s plan to remove strangling taxation and debilitating regulation imposed by previous administrations and adjusting their business plans accordingly.

I find it amusing how quickly liberal Democrats attempted to downplay Trump’s influence in Carrier’s announcement last Tuesday it was reversing plans to close an Indiana factory and keep close to 1,000 jobs in Indianapolis after telling workers earlier this year it would be moving production to Mexico.

But a few hundred Carrier employees are quite thankful.

“I would like to tell (Trump), ‘Thank you for going out of your way and taking your holiday away from your family and working on Carrier employees and sticking to your word and going to bat for all of us and keeping our jobs here,” Robin Maynard, a tenured 24-year Carrier employee, told “Fox and Friends” last Wednesday.

I predict this trend in businesses re-thinking their strategies will heighten. Frankly business leaders have been “starving” for an administration that understood their challenges and placed American jobs over progressive ideology.

Shortly after Trump’s historic victory, Ford Motor Co. Chairman Bill Ford called Trump to announce the auto maker would not be moving production of Lincolns out of Kentucky, indicating he planned to work with the new administration on protecting American manufacturing jobs.

In a statement, Ford said the company “confirmed with the president-elect” that it would continue producing Lincoln MKCs at the Louisville plant and added it was “encouraged that President-elect Trump and the new Congress will pursue policies that will improve U.S. competitiveness and make it possible to keep production of this vehicle here in the United States.”

Now, you can call it “trickle-down” or “voo-doo” economics all you want. It’s Economics 101.

A sound business model, when executed properly, results in increased sales activity. This increase in activity results in an increase in demand for product and/or services. And even a liberal should be able to understand that an increase in demand for product or services results in more jobs!

The “Trump factor” is beginning to take effect. Business leaders now see light at the end of this eight-year-long tunnel. The entrepreneurial spirit is being rekindled and projected profitability is being revised to the black.

Folks, it’s going to be an exciting four years.

 

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

 

Doug Smith: “A Day which will live in infamy”

7 Dec

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Doug Smith:  Author, historian, lead contributor to FSP and a Navy Chief Electronics Technician Submarine Qualified.

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75 years ago, right now, it was a Saturday evening, in early December. It is 14 years before my birth. An idyllic American outpost crammed with sailors is enjoying their liberty with little drinks full of fruit, pretty Hawaiian girls, and a pleasant tropical sunset. Aboard the USS Oklahoma, and USS West Virginia, and USS Arizona, the duty section was on watch, grumbling no doubt, about having the duty on such a promising night. But at least, they would get relieved in the morning and hit the beach Sunday, December 7, 1941.

Except, of course, they never would be relieved. Many of them would go ashore, later, burned, disfigured, torn to pieces, and gently carried by their shipmates to rest covered by American Flags in a temporary morgue. Many more would begin the painful journey of recovering from battle wounds. Yet for many, their final journey had begun when they took the duty Saturday morning, December 6, 1941. The last day of peace. And for sailors aboard Arizona and Oklahoma, their last day of life.

While most of America slept, a tiger crept toward their beds. Thousands of sailors kept watch; unwarned, unprotected, unready for what few knew, but most disbelieved, was about to happen. American sailors stood watch to keep their homes and loved ones safe, not knowing the hammer blow was about to fall on them. Halsey’s carriers patrolled and watched, but in the wrong direction.

Hundreds of miles to the Northeast, the Japanese carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, Hiryu, Zuikaku, and Shokaku positioned themselves for a predawn attack against our sleeping Navy.

24 hours from now, over 2000 would be dead. Arizona would take her place on the bottom of the harbor, blown 20 feet in the air and sinking in just 9 minutes. There she remains to this day. Oklahoma would capsize, trapping sailors who would die off one by one over the next days and weeks. America would be drawn into a war that would leave half a million Americans dead before it ended, and 10s of millions worldwide.

The world would suffer, bleed, and burn for 4 more years.

But it began with a sneak attack. And it began with American sailors shot, burned, blown up, drowned.

33 years later, on Dec 7, 1974, I would be an American sailor. Those images, and these words: Never forget, were drummed into me.

I never will. I took it personally, what was done to my brothers. I still do. I take any attack on Americans, but in particular on American sailors, very personally.

They were and are my brothers. They will never forget. Nor will I.

Watch. Be alert. Be prepared. Be strong. Those are the lessons of that awful, awful morning 75 years ago.

Get over it? I don’t think so.

Mark Caserta: Isn’t it time to unite against domestic terrorism?

2 Dec

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Mark Caserta: FSP editor

12.2.16

 

It could be a tragic mistake to allow political clutter and post-election discourse to lower our guard to a very real and growing threat within the United States – domestic terrorism. And all the “walls” and “extreme vetting” we can muster won’t protect us from attackers already in the U.S.

Based on a recent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “Terror Threat Snapshot,” we could be facing one of the “worst years on record for homegrown Islamist extremism.” So far in 2016, 26 individuals in 13 states have been arrested for domestic terrorist-related activity, per the DHS.

In the snapshot, FBI Director James Comey estimates around 80 percent of his Bureau’s 1,000-plus active homegrown terrorist investigations can be traced to ISIS. Comey called the acts that account for that statistic “the greatest threat to the physical safety of Americans today.”

You may recall, just under a year ago, Comey revealed his agency had ongoing ISIS related investigations in every state of the union.

“We have investigations of people in various stages of radicalizing in all 50 states,” Comey told a winter meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General. “This isn’t a New York phenomenon or a Washington phenomenon. This is all 50 states and in ways that are very hard to see,” he added.

Some of the major arrests listed in the snapshot are simply too close for comfort.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, a 35-year old U.S. citizen was arrested after attempting to hire a cell of terror operatives with a goal to ultimately launch attacks within the United States.

In Fairfax, Virginia, a 36-year old U.S. citizen and a police officer for the Washington Metro Transit Police was arrested for undisclosed, ISIS-related charges.

In Detroit, Michigan, a citizen who recently converted to Islam was arrested for “possessing a destructive device and acquiring explosive materials without a license.”

And, of course, just this week in Columbus, Ohio, a student who had complained about how Muslims were portrayed in the media injured 11 people with a car and knife attack in what police believe may have been an act of terror.The “takeaways” from the DHS report are no less alarming.

ISIS’ message continues to resonate with American citizens as more extremists plot attacks on American soil and attempt to travel overseas to join the terror group.

ISIS has targeted the West at an alarming rate, marked by a recent surge in ISIS-linked plots to attack U.S. and allied interests abroad.

ISIS and al Qaeda continue to take advantage of safe havens to consolidate their power and territory, as well as plan attacks.

Guantanamo Bay detainees are continuing to return to the fight to replenish the ranks of jihadist organizations.

Please understand, I’m not advocating we live our lives in constant fear. The ultimate purpose of terrorism, beyond obvious destruction and mayhem, is to rattle our lifestyle, widening the path for an insurgence of the Islamic Caliphate and Sharia law within our Western culture.

But, I believe it’s a reasonable assumption domestic terrorist attacks will escalate as the new administration and our allies begin to heighten the attacks on ISIS abroad. We must remain vigilant and in a perpetual state of preparedness. See something, say something.

It’s paramount that we unite against the threat of domestic terrorism.

ISIS isn’t concerned with our political affiliation.

 

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger and a Cabell County resident.

Mark Caserta: Trump prepares his team to make America great again

25 Nov

And conservatives are pleased with the choices!

 

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Mark Caserta: FSP editor

  • 11.25.16

For the first time in a very long time, Americans are going to witness how conservative ideology “trumps” liberal progressivism in our country.

There is little doubt the 2016 election was a referendum on Barack Obama’s failed liberal policies. In fact, Democrat losses over the past few election cycles have been very telling per the Pew Research Center. Liberal Democrats understand this trend could be detrimental to their party for years to come, not to mention Obama’s legacy.

Hence President Obama’s recent international “exit interview” tour designed to sanction his reign as the most liberal president in U.S. history and hopefully create some headwinds for the incoming Trump administration.

Senator Jeff Sessions is the perfect pick for the 48th attorney general of the United States. Sessions has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to the U.S. Constitution and served as the former U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of Alabama under President Reagan. He certainly has the experience to enforce the rule of law in our country.

Lt. General Mike Flynn is a top choice for national security advisor. Flynn ran the Defense Intelligence Agency from 2012 to 2014 and served as top intelligence advisor to General Stanley McChrystal in Iraq. Flynn is reported to be “less than politically correct” and was, in fact, fired by the Obama administration for reportedly “pushing back” against “censors” displeased with his public declaration the U.S. was losing ground in the war on terror.

Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo is a sound choice to become the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Pompeo graduated number one in his class at West Point and has been very outspoken against Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran. Those who know him say he will be an “unrelenting leader for our intelligence community to ensure the safety of Americans.”

Retired Marine General James “Mad dog” Mattis is emerging as a leading candidate for the position of Secretary of Defense. A seasoned, “no nonsense” combat commander, Mattis is heralded for his leadership as head of U.S. Central Command having responsibility for all U.S. forces in the Middle East.

President-elect Trump also has placed concern for the nation above his pride by reaching across party lines and even to those who have openly criticized him during his campaign. Despite the national left-wing media’s attempt to portray Donald Trump as erratic and unqualified to be commander-in-chief, he’s brilliantly putting together a high-performing team.

I expect this team will hit the ground running in 2017 and work diligently at repairing eight years of damage by the Obama administration.

And millions of Americans will see conservatism make America great again.

 

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

Mark Caserta: Trump’s leadership will bridge the divide in the U.S.

18 Nov

And we finally have a president who understands managing people.

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Mark Caserta: FSP editor

The morning following Donald Trump’s victory in last week’s presidential election, my wife looked at me, grinned and said, “We did it.”

Weary-eyed from a long night of election returns, coffee in hand, I smiled and responded, “Yes, yes we did. Thank God.”

As we watched the news, it was obvious our entire nation was stricken with emotion that frankly was difficult to describe and often culminated in tears (albeit for different reasons). But watching our great nation decline over the past eight years has simply been heart-wrenching for conservatives.

For many people, it’s been a long time since we’ve looked to tomorrow with hope and optimism about our future.

President-elect Donald J. Trump will no doubt have his hands full “righting the ship” that conservatives feel has been on a wayward course for some time. Currently, the Trump “Ironclad” has a full head of steam as he begins the process of choosing members of his administration.

I fully expect to see Trump surrogates such as Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani, Jeff Sessions and Kellyanne Conway to be asked to join the team and submitted for Senate confirmation in the 115th U.S. Congress.

Certainly, Trump is no stranger to identifying talent.

But beyond the rhetoric, allow me to explain why Americans should have additional confidence heading into the Trump presidency.

Besides tremendous business acumen, Trump understands managing people.

We’ve all experienced a boss or a department leader who simply “did not get it” when it came to managing people. They had knowledge, but lacked the competencies necessary to lead.

The skill to effectively manage people has been dreadfully lacking on Capitol Hill. It’s my opinion this void in leadership has caused Washington’s gridlock.

But nothing short of tyranny will ever take the place of effective leadership!

Frankly, Donald J. Trump may be the most qualified management individual our nation has ever elected to the office of president. His proven leadership instincts, along with his energy and perseverance, will not allow him to fail.

Trump understands he doesn’t need to possess the aggregate skills of his cabinet members. He also understands the concept of collaboration to achieve a common goal, laser-specific delegation and the art of performance management.

As the new leader of the free world, Trump will spend plenty of time building a high-performing team of individuals, highly qualified in their respective areas, who will also possess strong management skills.

And Americans will be very surprised at how quickly we’ll begin seeing results. Corporate leaders around the world will find themselves aligning with Trump’s strategies, which will involve the crucial negotiating tool of “win-win” scenarios.

So, prepare to get back in the game. And prepare to work hard and win. We must all work together in our nation’s resurgence and return to greatness.

Trump’s leadership will bridge the divide in America.

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

Mark Caserta: Americans begin a new journey with President Trump!

14 Nov

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Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor

WE THE PEOPLE 1

The word “Republic” is a special word and quite different from a “Democracy.”

A Republic is a form of government in which the powers of sovereignty are vested in and exercised by the people, either directly or through representatives chosen by the people. Democracy is simply “majority rule.”

Our founding fathers had a vision for a republic, one in which every individual controlled their own destiny without interference from government or any oppressive entity.

The first time I ever heard the word and gained a real grasp of its meaning was from the 1960 epic war film “The Alamo,” starring screen giants like John Wayne as Davy Crockett, Richard Boone as Sam Houston and Richard Widmark as Jim Bowie.

The film depicts the “Battle of the Alamo” and the events leading up to it. Facing the insurmountable odds of defeating the Mexican forces, led by General Santa Anna, Sam Houston challenges Col. William B. Travis, played by Laurence Harvey, to buy him time by holding a position at the Alamo mission while he prepared an army capable of fighting for Texas’ independence.

In an early scene, Travis attempts a conversation with Crockett to convince him of the nobility of the fight and to persuade his Tennesseans to join the battle in pursuit of a Republic.

In the movie, Crockett quickly sets aside his “country-bumpkin” demeanor and speaks eloquently about the term “republic.”

“Republic is one of those words that makes me tight in the throat – the same tightness a man gets when his baby takes his first step or his first baby shaves and makes his first sound as a man,” Crockett said. “Some words can give you a feeling that makes your heart warm. Republic is one of those words.”

While Travis, Crockett and Bowie were badly defeated at the Alamo in 1836, Houston’s army won against the Mexican forces and gained independence for Texas. The phrase “Remember the Alamo” aptly immortalizes this brave sacrifice as well as our nation’s fervor for freedom.

Following the founding of our U.S. Constitution at convention in 1787, it’s recorded that a bystander inquired of Ben Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a Republic or a Monarchy?” Franklin replied, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”

Since then, there have been a total of 27 constitutional amendments designed to further the premise of having three distinct branches of government, along with a system of checks and balances, to ensure no single branch would have too much power and that voters have the final word.

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, Americans once again had the final word. Americans once again arose above the fray and persevered against tyranny and oppression.

I submit, Donald Trump’s decisive victory is best described by a posthumous response to Dr. Franklin’s challenge he posed following that immortal day in Philadelphia over 200 years ago.

“We shall, Mr. Franklin. We shall protect our Republic.”

May God bless America as we begin this new journey.  And may God bless Donald Trump as he takes the helm during tumultuous seas in the U.S.

 

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

 

Mark Caserta: Christians, stand up and be heard!

8 Nov

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There was a very anointed prayer vigil for our country last night at churches all across America.

Tears were being shed out of concern for our nation and our children’s future as people cried out to God for HIs direction.

My prayer is that Christians turn out as never before.

I pray that they will have an unrest in their spirits and a conviction in their hearts that will not allow them to stay home, but do the right thing, the Christian thing, and vote for Godly values.

Mark Caserta: Hillary’s October surprises may cost her the election

4 Nov

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Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor

Last week may well have been the “perfect political storm” that will be credited for costing Hillary Clinton the presidency.

While presumptuous reporting from multiple news sources seemingly had Hillary picking out drapes for the White House East Wing and speech writers preparing her inaugural address, the last act in this political theater had not yet closed.

There would be two final October surprises.

“I will sign a universal health care bill into law by the end of my first term as president that will cover every American and cut the cost of a typical family’s premium by up to $2,500 a year.”

But this was just more Obama hyperbole about his signature healthcare plan simply to get elected.

As enrollment is set to begin Nov. 1, the Obama administration announced last Monday that premiums are expected to rise an average of 25 percent across 39 states served by the federal exchanges. Some states, such as Arizona, will see premiums jump by as much as 116 percent!

Now, it doesn’t matter how the administration and the liberal media attempt to spin this revelation, this is a far cry from what we were promised. And while progressive pundits claim government subsidies will help ease the pain, the taxpayer will surely be left holding the tab.

And then there’s the never-ending-story of Hillary’s “emailgate.”

Also, last week, much to the chagrin of the Clinton campaign, the liberal media and even Attorney General Loretta Lynch, FBI Director James Comey announced he was reopening the investigation into Hillary’s jaded tenure as Secretary of State and her apparent misuse of classified information.

Apparently, as the FBI was conducting what they thought was an unrelated investigation, they uncovered more Clinton emails.

While investigating the 2013 “sexting” scandal of disgraced New York Congressman, Anthony Weiner, the department discovered emails “tethered” to Hillary Clinton’s private email server via Weiner’s wife, Huma Abedin, one of Clinton’s top aides, with whom he is separated.

You may recall the scandal in which Weiner, aka “Carlos Danger,” allegedly sent lewd pictures to women, ruining his political career. Apparently during the FBI probe, investigators discovered Weiner’s wife had used the same laptop to send emails to her boss, Hillary.

In the wake of Director Comey’s prior decision not to recommend criminal charges against Hillary for her mishandling of classified information, one can only speculate as to what the FBI uncovered in these emails. But it must have been enough for Comey to eat “humble pie” and reopen the investigation.

So, with just four days to go before the election, one must wonder if voters are willing to take a chance on a candidate who may be spending her first term under investigation, or worse, under indictment.

Or if they’re prepared to “Make America Great Again.”

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.