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The State Department argues that under the Treaty on Treaties, the US is obligated to act as if the Senate had in fact ratified the accords, until such time as the Senate actually votes down ratification.

Which, the Senate cannot do, since Obama refused to submit it to the Senate.

Here’s what that means- federal agencies would then impose regulations to effect the US standards required by the Paris accords, which would have the force of law, even to include civil and criminal penalties, and, as an added bonus, beyond the review of Congress.

You think Democrat infested bureaucracies weren’t hard at work finding ways to stick it to unfavored groups, while finding creative ways to support pet causes? It’s not at all difficult to imagine industries that make generous contributions to the Clinton Global Initiative or Organizing For America somehow receiving exemptions and waivers to onerous regulations.

Whether or not one believes climate change is an important issue that calls for important policies to address, the Paris Climate Accord was not serious policy. Indeed, China and India essentially do nothing under it. Mind you, China is bringing a new coal fired power plant online every 10 days or so, and their plants are just a touch less environmentally fastidious than ours. Under the PCA, China would not even begin to  set a target until 2030. And even then, there’s no enforcement mechanism or punishment for failure to achieve a target.

But what PCA would do is bypass Congress and put enormous domestic power into the hands of unelected bureaucrats, even beyond that they possess today.

Surely this would be unconstitutional you say?

The Treaty of Treaties (which itself has never been submitted for ratification to the Senate) hasn’t been struck down by SCOTUS yet. Given the composition of the Court over the years, there’s always been a risk that SCOTUS would essentially kill the Constitution and hold that the State Department’s theory was valid.

See also this excellent piece.

And then, there’s this:

WASHINGTON (NNS) — The Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) aircraft carrier in Newport News, Virginia, May 31.

Delivery followed the ship's successful completion of acceptance trials May 26.

"Congratulations to everyone who has helped bring CVN 78 to this historic milestone," said Rear Adm. Brian Antonio, program executive officer for aircraft carriers. "Over the last several years, thousands of people have had a hand in delivering Ford to the Navy — designing, building and testing the Navy's newest, most capable, most advanced warship. Without a doubt, we would not be here without the hard work and dedication of those from the program office, our engineering teams and those who performed and oversaw construction of this incredible warship. It is because of them that Ford performed so well during acceptance trials, as noted by the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey."

"Well done to our shipbuilding partners, Ford's crew and everyone who supported them," said Vice Adm. Tom Moore, commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, who also embarked for acceptance trials.

via www.navy.mil

Next up, commissioning this summer, then shakedown, then another yard period, and finally, first deployment around 2020.

The Pentagon was pretty quick to release footage of the intercept from yesterday’s missile defense test.

The Pentagon just released this footage of Tuesday’s intercept of an intercontinental ballistic missile target. Pretty intense. pic.twitter.com/jLuNpsAeAV

— Andrew deGrandpre (@adegrandpre) May 31, 2017

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BREAKING NEWS: Pentagon says it has shot down mock warhead over the Pacific in key success for US missile defense program.

— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) May 30, 2017

No video of the intercept (yet) but people on the ground did take video of the interceptor launch at Vandenberg.

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Kitwar and Grump are earning Kraken’s faster than I can post videos.

Being a cruiser captain is a tough gig in World of Warships. But Kitwar does a spectacular job of staying alive, and dealing damage to the enemy.

In the early 1970s, the US Army had a serious problem with its brand. It was stuck in an unpopular and bloody war. Morale stank; even President Richard Nixon conceded to West Point cadets that "it is no secret that the discipline, integrity, patriotism, self-sacrifice, which are the very lifeblood of an effective armed force…can no longer be taken for granted in the Army." Plus, Nixon had promised to stop the draft and the Pentagon had agreed to reintroduce an all-volunteer force in 1973. That meant military brass could no longer rely on a steady stream of warm bodies to fill the ranks—they would have go out and convince new recruits that Army life wasn't a drag.

via www.motherjones.com

We don't usually link Mother Jones, but this was an interesting look at some of the challenges the Army faced with recruiting at the end of the draft.

On May 19, 1967, a Grumman A-6A Intruder of VA-35 launched from the USS Enterprise as a part of a strike against a truck repair facility near Van Dien, North Vietnam. LCDR Eugene “Red” McDaniel was the pilot, and LT James K. “Kelly” Patterson was the Bombadier/Navigator.

An SA-2 Surface to Air Missile damaged the Intruder, and the crew both successfully ejected, still deep in North Vietnam.

Radio communications were soon established with both crewmembers, while rescue attempts were being organized.

The crew’s location deep inside North Vietnam made any rescue attempt extremely risky. Further, Patterson had badly broken his leg upon landing.

LDCR McDaniel would be captured by the North Vietnamese, and held a prisoner until March of 1973, enduring the most vile deprivations and torture.

In spite being in radio contact with friendly aircraft in the area for four days, Patterson was never recovered. He was never listed as a prisoner. Nor have his remains ever been recovered.

There is speculation that he was captured and remanded to  the Soviet Union. Others speculate that he was killed by North Vietnamese forces as they attempted to capture him. Or he may simply have succumbed to his injuries.

Shortly before he was shot down, Kelly had the opportunity to visit his brother,  George “Luck” Patterson, who was serving as a Marine Rifle Platoon leader. Kelly actually went out on a patrol with the Marines, on his R&R.

George has never stopped working to learn the fate of his brother. When my father passed away, George reached out to send his condolences. But he also asked if, perhaps, Dad had passed on any information on Kelly. Sadly, no. But you can’t blame the man for asking.

It’s Memorial Day, today.

We remember those who gave the last, full measure of devotion.

As you barbecue and play today, live your lives with love, and joy, and live well, as those fallen cannot.

Make their sacrifice worthwhile, by being worthy of them.

The LVT, or Amtrac, was originally conceived as a rescue vehicle for use in the Everglades. The lives it saved ended up being Marines in the Pacific.

Less well known is that the Army also operated several thousand LVTs both in the Pacific and some on Europe.