Objective vs Subjective Truth | WRETCHED TV Episode 3365
It’s Witness Wednesday! Todd discuss with a couple of students about morality, truth, and the Gospel.
OBJECTIVE VS. SUBJECTIVE TRUTH
OBJECTIVE VS. SUBJECTIVE TRUTH
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Daily Archives: March 20, 2024
A Closer Look at the Death of the Messiah | THINKAPOLOGETICS.COM
In this clip, we look at the historical, political, and theological background behind the death of Jesus.
This Is the Judgment: That Light Has Come into the World – John 3:17-21 – Denny Burk
Last Saturday morning, I Googled the following question: “What happens to us after we die?” Before I finished typing the sentence, Google autocompleted the words. I assume that means the question has been asked so many times that Google “knows” what’s coming. It occurred to me that this fact all by itself is sad. Can you imagine someone being gripped by such a question and then resorting to a Google search?
After I entered the question, the top result was this paragraph from Quora.com:
Your consciousness ends (we know this because all detectable signs of it stop) and your cells cease to function. Your body begins to decay until there’s nothing left of you. The process of decay can be relatively quick or can take decades depending whether or not your body is embalmed after you die.
Here is another answer from the same website:
Can people come back to life after death? I don’t think they can. My husband died at the age of 32 from a tragic 4-Wheeler accident and I have never experienced anything like that, even after pleading and begging God for something, anything to let me know he was looking out for us. He left behind a 5 year old son and 2 step daughters who worship the ground he walked on. He was my soul mate and after 12 years I still miss him and cry over him being gone. Although I feel I have gotten unexplained things that happened that wasn’t really a coincidence, that is all. I would love to see his sweet face and his contagious smile I miss so much. My life has been a mess since his death and it took me 6 years before I was somewhat back to myself. I will never be the same. I have never remarried, I guess because I look for him in everyone.
Here was another answer from the same website:
You stop existing. Your body decomposes. The people who loved you remember you for a while. Then, they, too, die, and people mostly forget about you. Your grandfather had two grandfathers. If you’re like most people, you will know very little, if anything at all, about those men. They are dead. The people who knew them are dead. That’s what will happen to you. That’s what will happen to me. Is it sad? Maybe. But I’ll be too dead to notice.
So this is some of what you get if you Google “What happens to us after we die?” You get utter bewilderment and hopelessness. If you keep looking down the list of Google results, the second hit after Quora.com is the website for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and there is even more depressing error there. You have to go way down the list before you come upon a link to Ligonier’s website, where someone might actually find something useful.
This is what it looks like when a once great civilization descends into post-Christian darkness. People don’t know the big story of the world anymore—where we came from, where we are going, what went wrong, and how do we get back on track? Those are the big questions, but many people spend their whole lives focused on their own lives and problems in such a way that crowds out the big questions.
They wonder how they are going to pay the bills, how they are going to raise their kids so that they are alright, how they are going to be happy in a workaday world that doesn’t leave them much margin to even contemplate what happiness might even mean. As far as religion is concerned, they treat it like a choose your own adventure story. They just sort of make up nice platitudes about “the man upstairs” or “going to a better place.” But they don’t really know what they are talking about. They are just making stuff up out of their own head.
In short, they are lost and are very much in the predicament that Job describes in Job 12:25, “They grope in darkness with no light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.” They know something’s wrong, but they don’t know what it is. And therefore they cannot conceive of a solution because they cannot correctly diagnose the problem. So they grope in the darkness making things up as they go along in order to cope but never really drilling down on the big questions, much less the answers to those questions.
John 3:17-21 drills down on all the big questions while also giving the answers. Are we really left to grope around in darkness to figure things out for ourselves? This passage says no. In our last message on John 3:16, we discovered that God doesn’t leave us to grope. Rather, He gives his only-begotten Son to us. That is, he gave himself to us in the person of His Son who was crucified and raised for us so that anyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life.
Verses 17-21 are an elaboration of that fundamental point about God’s love for the world, and they explain how God’s judgement relates to the mission of Jesus as the true light of the world.
I. Judgment and the Son’s Mission (17-18)
II. Judgment and the True Light (19-21)
[You can listen to the rest of the sermon at the iTunes and Spotify links above.]
— Read on www.dennyburk.com/this-is-the-judgment-that-light-has-come-into-the-world-john-317-21/
Replay – Frank Sherwin: Origins – Creation, Corruption, Curse, and Catastrophe | Stand Up For The Truth Podcast
[Original airdate 12/19/23] Mary Danielsen chats with Frank Sherwin of Institute for Creation Research on the origins of everything as laid out in Scripture. Author and in-demand speaker, Frank has a degree in zoology and is an expert in parasitology. Where we came from is easily as important as where we are going. Did Darwin actually talk about origins in his book on origins? Are there human fossils in any record? In this fast moving podcast we will talk about Young Earth beliefs, fossils, genealogy, the flood, and – so why do sunflowers follow the sun? Macro and micro thoughts on creation can only point to an amazing Creator who loves His creation.
His short creation articles, which are each around 2 pages, are well worth the time. They can be found here.
Watch Stand Up For The Truth on YouTube !
The post Replay – Frank Sherwin: Origins – Creation, Corruption, Curse, and Catastrophe appeared first on Stand Up For The Truth Podcast.
The Ascension of Jesus | The Log College
MARCH 2024 by Eric Watkins; TABLETALK MAGAZINE
J. Gresham Machen, in his prescient and potent little book Christianity and Liberalism, argued that Christianity is “an event-centered religion.” Christianity is based on historical events. Something happened in history, and all that man is, believes, and does is based on these events—events that occurred in history. Chief among these historical events is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the Apostle Paul so aptly put it, if Jesus Christ was not raised from the dead, we are the world’s most pitiable fools, and rather than following Christ, we ought to “eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Cor. 15:32). But because Christ has been raised from the dead, Christians frame their entire lives in the light of the resurrection. In short, we live resurrection lives—lives that reflect our hope in the resurrected Christ.
As central as the resurrection is to the Christian life, however, it is not the end of the work of Christ. After Christ was raised from the dead, He “ascended up into heaven,” as is affirmed by both the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed. The particular nuance of the ascension is that after the resurrection and the postresurrection appearances, Christ ascended up into heaven to be “seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty” (Apostles’ Creed). The resurrection was Christ’s triumph over sin and death, while the ascension seated Him upon the throne of David (2 Sam. 7), the throne that was promised to Jesus by His Father before the world began.
Jesus told His disciples multiple times that not only would He rise from the dead but that He would also ascend up into heaven in glory (e.g., John 20:17). His ascending into heaven was the necessary precursor to the sending of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49–52). Acts 1 not only records the ascension, but it also anticipates the coming of the Spirit just as Jesus promised in Acts 2. In order for the Spirit to descend upon the church, Jesus must first ascend up into heaven. Once the ascension occurs in history as promised, then comes the promised Holy Spirit within us as well. In short, without the ascension, there would be no abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. But because of the ascension of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is with us, and because Christ is united to us by His Spirit, we are truly able to say and believe that Christ is “with [us] always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).
There is another angle to the ascension—a rather practical one—that is worth considering as well. It is the idea of rescue. Psalm 68 describes God as a conquering warrior. The chapter opens with a promise: “God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him!” (v. 1). But the righteous, we are told, shall rejoice (v. 3). Why? Because God has come to rescue His people. He has come out of His holy temple as a man of war—a king who has left His castle in order to do battle with His enemies. Further, in Psalm 68, God has arrayed Himself for battle not simply for the purpose of crushing His enemies, but also for the purpose of rescuing His captive, forlorn people. He is the Father of the fatherless and protector of the orphan and the widow (v. 5), and He is also the God of the covenant who has come to rescue His covenant people from their foes. The war imagery in Psalm 68 is stunning and threatening. The earth quakes under God’s feet (v. 8); He scatters kings (v. 12), and then, triumphantly, He ascends once again into His holy hill and sanctuary, leading a host of captives and receiving gifts from the rescued (v. 18).
The ascension of Jesus Christ is much more than just a postscript to the resurrection; it is the return of the King to His rightful throne.
Some suggest that the language of “captives” refers to enemies of God who have been taken against their will—a sort of subjugated death march. A better and more likely understanding is that the “captives” in view are those who were taken captive by the enemies of God, and it is these whom God has come to rescue. That would certainly fit the theme and flow of the psalm more closely, and it would carry the idea of God as not only divine warrior but also divine rescuer. More importantly, this view also seems to accord with what Paul says in Ephesians 4, where he quotes and expounds upon Psalm 68:18. There, Paul explains how Christ fulfills Psalm 68 not simply in His resurrection, but particularly through His ascension (Eph. 4:8–10). Christ conquered sin and death (our great enemies) and led out rescued captives, whom He has not only freed but furnished with gifts. Many have stumbled over the fact that in Psalm 68:18 it says that God “received” gifts from men, but in Ephesians 4:8 Paul says God “gave” gifts to men. Which is it? Both. Those whom God liberated not only gave gifts (themselves being the gifts), but they were also furnished by the Spirit of God with gifts for service in the church and thus became the “gifts” that the resurrected and ascended Christ would give to His church for its building up. When Jesus rescued us, He re-created us for good works (Eph. 2:10), renewed us in His image (Eph. 4:23–24), and thus makes us not only recipients of the work of the Spirit but also gifts to the church as we have been gifted for service.
Thus, the ascension of Jesus Christ is much more than just a postscript to the resurrection; it is the return of the King to His rightful throne from which He furnishes His rescued people with gifts of service for use in His kingdom. The chief gift that Christ continues to give, however, is Himself. In this connection, the Westminster Shorter Catechism rather brilliantly relates the threefold offices of Christ (prophet, priest, and king) as being ministries that Christ performs “both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation” (question 23, emphasis added). In His ascended state of exaltation, Christ our Prophet continues to reveal to us “by his Word and Spirit the will of God for our salvation” (Q&A 24). As our Priest, Christ makes “continual intercession for us” (Q&A 25). And as our King, Christ is continually “subduing us to himself, ruling and defending us, and restraining and conquering all his and our enemies” (Q&A 26).
If the resurrection is the main event of history and the climax of the Christian story, the ascension is the crowning of our King as He sits upon His throne in glory. From there, He bestows many fine gifts upon us, the chief of which is union with Him through the Holy Spirit. In Christ, we find life and fitness for service to the King of kings and Lord of lords who is our divine Rescuer and the Lover of our souls. Christ’s resurrection and ascension are historical events that we not only base our faith upon but also frame our lives by. Without them, as Machen rightly argued, there is nothing left to Christianity. Yet, because these events occurred in history, the Christian faith, like the Christian life, has a sure and steadfast anchor. The ascended Christ is in heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
This post was originally published on March 30, 2018.
Dr. Eric B. Watkins is senior pastor of Harvest Orthodox Presbyterian Church in San Marcos, Calif., and director of the Center for Missions and Evangelism at Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, Ind. He is author of The Drama of Preaching.
The Problem With Answering the Problem of Evil (Podcast) first | Cold Case Christianity
In this podcast, J. Warner examines the difficulty involved in responding to rhetorically powerful objections based on the problem of evil. Jim talks about the need for a cumulative evidential response, and then provides six considerations to help you prepare a defense. Jim also plays a recent related interview with radio show host, Paul Ridgeway.
Subscribe to the Cold-Case Christianity Weekly Podcast on iTunes, or add the podcast from our RSS Feed.
For more information about the scientific and philosophical evidence pointing to a Divine Creator, please read God’s Crime Scene: A Cold-Case Detective Examines the Evidence for a Divinely Created Universe. This book employs a simple crime scene strategy to investigate eight pieces of evidence in the universe to determine the most reasonable explanation. The book is accompanied by an eight-session God’s Crime Scene DVD Set (and Participant’s Guide) to help individuals or small groups examine the evidence and make the case.
The post The Problem With Answering the Problem of Evil (Podcast) first appeared on Cold Case Christianity.
March 22 – Moral Authority for Warfare | VCY
TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
Numbers 33:40-35:34
Luke 5:12-28
Psalm 65:1-13
Proverbs 11:23
Numbers 33:52 — Why do the Israelites have the moral authority to engage in offensive warfare? Verse 53 gives the reason: because the Creator of the land, people, and law has given it to Israel. He made (and therefore has the right to possess, use, and dispose of) the place they dwell, the inhabitants that dwell there, and the rules of the game. If the LORD is not the Creator of the earth, man, and law, there is no moral authority to displace another people group under norms of reciprocity. But if the LORD is the Creator of earth, He can give land to whomever He desires. If He is the Creator of man, He can give orders to whomever He desires. If He is the Creator of law, He can give judgment whenever He desires. And if He’s the Creator of moral authority, how can you argue that the Creator of moral authority is immoral?
Numbers 34:2 — The same Creator who owns the entire earth set borders for His people. This is an interesting concept to ponder.
Numbers 35:30 — While this may seem dry, this is actually the “Criminal Procedure” of Israel. Today’s criminal procedure is much more complex.
Luke 5:16 — Interesting contrast to the “televangelists” of today.
Psalm 65:7 — This is an interesting prophecy of David. A few hundred years later God would calm the Mediterranean, and a thousand years later Jesus would calm the Sea of Galilee (Jonah 1:15 and Matthew 8:26).
Proverbs 11:23 — An interesting parallel to Job 23:10.
Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.
Cure for Envy | VCY
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cast off. (Proverbs 23:17-18)
When we see the wicked prosper we are apt to envy them. When we hear the noise of their mirth and our own spirit is heavy, we half think that they have the best of it. This is foolish and sinful. If we knew them better, and specially if we remembered their end, we should pity them.
The cure for envy lies in living under a constant sense of the divine presence, worshiping God and communing with Him all the day long, however long the day may seem. True religion lifts the soul into a higher region, where the judgment becomes more clear and the desires are more elevated. The more of heaven there is in our lives, the less of earth we shall covet. The fear of God casts out envy of men.
The deathblow of envy is a calm consideration of the future. The wealth and glory of the ungodly are a vain show. This pompous appearance flashes out for an hour and then is extinguished. What is the prosperous sinner the better for his prosperity when judgment overtakes him? As for the godly man, his end is peace and blessedness, and none can rob him of his joy; wherefore, let him forgo envy and be filled with sweet content.
Do You Spend Time Under the Broom Tree? | Daily Thoughts about God
Elijah! What a mighty life he led!
In just a couple of chapters, it went like this…
*He promised no rain for years because Ahab was such an evil king. Then, the Lord told him to leave there and hide by the Brook Cherith, where He would command the ravens to feed him.
*The brook eventually dried up from lack of rain and the Lord led him to Zarephath to help a widow woman and her son, to perform the miracle of unending flour and oil until the rain returned and bring her dead son back to life.
*Then, the Lord sent him to Samaria, where Elijah ordered all of Israel and the prophets to gather at Mount Carmel. He admonished them for following both God and Baal and to make up their minds. He then prepared a test for the prophets to see whose god was real. God showed up and proved He was the one and only true God. Elijah then slew all the prophets of Baal and Asherah.
*Elijah went to Mount Carmel and “bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees” (1 Kings 18:42b-43 NKJV), asking his servant to look toward the sea for evidence. In expectation and not looking at his surroundings, he trusted God to bring the rain back. On the seventh try, the rain cloud appeared!
*Jezebel sent him a message saying he would be just as dead as the prophets by the next day. Not trusting God, Elijah “ran for his life” (1 Kings 19:3 NKJV) in fear of Jezebel. He ran to the wilderness, sat under a broom tree, and prayed. Did he pray for strength? No! He prayed, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life!” (1 Kings 19:4a NKJV)
Twice, the Lord sent an angel to take care of him, bringing food and water to refresh him. Then, the angel told him once more to eat and drink “because the journey is too great for you.” (1 Kings 19:7 NKJV)
Fortified for 40 days and 40 nights, he went to Horeb and hid in a cave. Twice, the Lord asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:9 NKJV) And twice, Elijah replied, “I have worked very hard for the Lord God of the heavens.”
(1 Kings 19:10 TLB) And he lamented over the waywardness of God’s people.
The Lord then sent him back the way he came, back on the “path of practical duty. His mission is not yet over, there is still work for him to do.” (Barnes’ Notes) The Lord restored Elijah, recommissioning him for his work.
Do you see anything of your own life in all that?
When something great happens in our lives, when we have a good day, or when we have accomplished some good in the world for the Lord, many times, discouragement follows. The enemy tosses fear or discouragement at us. Bad news comes or some trial or heartache arises.
When trials press sore against us and the knees of our faith begin to collapse, when we’re about to faint physically and spiritually, when we feel like running away, David reminds us, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed.” (Psalm 27:13 NKJV)
The Lord is gracious. He is our Defender, our Deliverer, our Refresher. He replenishes us for another long journey. For the work ahead. For our mission is never over.
Paul exhorts us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6 NKJV) And always in expectation!
“I am expecting the Lord to rescue me again, so that once again I will see his goodness to me here in the land of the living.”( Psalm 27:14 NKJV)
Come out from under your broom tree!
Keep your faith on Mount Carmel!
By Lynn Mosher
Used by Permission
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The post Do You Spend Time Under the Broom Tree? can be found online at Daily Thoughts about God.
God Our Great Deliverer | Daily Thoughts about God
“From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.” — Psalm 3:8
God is The Great Deliverer! That’s his chosen expertise.
Whether it was delivering the Israelites from Egypt through the Red Sea from Pharaoh’s army ages ago or rescuing a sinner from sin and death through Christ today, our God is The Great Deliverer! So, repeatedly pray today for people who need God’s deliverance from sin, death, disease, family conflict, addiction, financial concerns, legal matters, mental illness, abuse, sexual confusion, and temptation. We, his people, need God’s blessing, and we believe that our deliverance comes from the Lord. But even more, those who don’t know Jesus need God’s deliverance, and their deliverance comes from the Lord, too.
Prayer
Holy and Righteous Father, please deliver the friends I have on my heart today. Please release them from their bondage and bring them into a time of blessing, comfort, and assurance of your abiding presence. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
By Phil Ware
Used by Permission
FURTHER READING
• How to Turn Tangled Thoughts into Trust – by Bethany Hayes
• Refuge – A Devotional by Alec Niemi
• Run To Jesus – Thoughts by Roy Lessin
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The post God Our Great Deliverer can be found online at Daily Thoughts about God.
20 Mar 2024 News Briefing
Alabama senator attacks Democrats, opponents as ‘satanic cult’
Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville likened his political opponents to members of a satanic cult and said no Democrat supports God. Speaking at a campaign stop on behalf of a senate hopeful in Utah, Tuberville delivered a scathing rebuke of political opposition and called it a fight against good and evil, . “I’ve traveled all over the country — all 50 states — I’ve been in good places and bad places. The one thing I saw, we are losing our kids to a satanic cult,” he said according to the Salt Lake Tribune. “There’s not one Democrat that can tell you they stand up for God,”
Putin warns Russia won’t be stopped after record election win
Vladimir Putin said Russia won’t be stopped from pursuing its goals after he swept to a record victory in a presidential election whose outcome was pre-determined. “No matter how much anybody wanted to suppress us, our will, our consciousness, nobody in history has ever succeeded, they have not succeeded now and they will never succeed,” Putin told supporters in Moscow late Sunday.
Plot to assassinate fmr. US president exposed
Court documents show that an Iraqi national who entered the United States in 2020 on a visitor visa plotted to smuggle “at least four Iraqi nationals” across the southern border between the United States and Mexico to assassinate former president George W. Bush.
Boycott Slams Planet Fitness Shares As Americans Fight Back Against Wokeism
Approaching the one-year mark since Bud Light’s controversial partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney on TikTok, a nationwide boycott of the light beer Last week, Americans began to boycott Tyson Foods for planning to fire at least a thousand hard-working Americans in which the company even said it was planning to hire tens of thousands of illegals through a shadowy non-government organization. Fast forward to this week, Americans are boycotting Planet Fitness for its move to defend its decision to ban the membership of a customer in Alaska who spoke out about a “man in women’s locker room shaving.” Planet Fitness stock down over 12% in 5 days.
Billionaire Investor To Back Donald Trump 2024
Billionaire activist investor Nelson Peltz plans to vote for former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race, citing President Joe Biden’s mental condition and immigration policies.
FBI Has To Face Lawsuit Over ‘No-Fly List:’ Supreme Court
The FBI must face a lawsuit filed by a Muslim man who has since been removed from the bureau’s “no-fly list,” the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on March 19. “The government has failed to demonstrate that this case is moot,” Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in a unanimous ruling.
In Blow To Biden, Supreme Court Allows Texas To Start Arresting And Deporting Illegal Aliens
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dealt a blow to the Biden administration’s attempts to keep the US border open – allowing Texas to enforce a new law giving local police the power to arrest migrants.
Today’s Assault On Bible Prophecy Takes Aim At Jesus’ Future Glory
Over the past few years, I have noticed an underlying current in teachings that deny what the Bible says about the Rapture, the seven-year Tribulation, and Jesus’ thousand-year reign. They greatly diminish the magnificence of Jesus’ role in end time events. I believe that today’s assault on Bible prophecy tarnishes Jesus’ future glory by: Focusing Our Hope On An End Of Days Event Rather Than Jesus
Netanyahu’s secret plan for post-war Gaza
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a plan for Gaza after the war. He is keeping it to himself for now, out of concern about the reaction of the international community as well as members of his far-right coalition government. Netanyahu wants to see Gaza develop into an independent entity separated from Israel and the West Bank, its development funded by moderate Sunni nations, ultimately transforming it to a Middle Eastern Singapore.
‘US taps Hamas ally Qatar to build port in Gaza’
At America’s request, Hamas ally Qatar has agreed to take charge of operating and financing the temporary pier on its way from the United States to the Gaza coast, Israel’s Channel 14 reported on Tuesday. Qatar consented to run the port on condition that the construction work go to the Al-Hisi firm, “a company controlled and sponsored by Hamas,”
US confirms Hamas No. 3 Marwan Issa killed in Israeli strike
The United States on Monday confirmed that an Israeli airstrike in Gaza last week killed senior Hamas commander Marwan Issa. “Hamas’s number three, Marwan Issa, was killed in an Israeli operation last week,” U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said during a White House press briefing. “The rest of the top leaders are in hiding, likely deep in the Hamas tunnel network, and justice will come for them too. We are helping to ensure that,” he added.
Navigating Israel’s Nuclear ‘Samson Option’
In any rationality-based strategic calculus, the “Samson Option” — which refers to an Israeli nuclear strike — would refer not to a last-resort act of national vengeance, but to a persuasive limit on existential threats. Israeli strategists will need to consider factors beyond what is taking place right now between Israel and its jihadist adversaries.
US Congress deal bars US funds to UNRWA until March 2025,
An agreement reached by US congressional leaders and the White House on a massive bill funding military, State Department and a range of other government programs will continue a ban on US funding for UNRWA, the main UN agency for Palestinians, until March 2025, two sources said on Tuesday.
As Eastern U.S. Shakes, Mysterious Earthquake Swarm Returns to South Carolina
While the eastern U.S. saw multiple earthquakes over the last week, it appears a mysterious swarm has returned to central South Carolina near the town of Elgin. Over the last 7 days, USGS reported earthquakes in New York, Maine, New Jersey, Tennessee, and North Carolina. And now they’re reporting that another earthquake rocked the Elgin, South Carolina area, the third such quake to hit the small town east of Columbia in the last 30 days.
Arab reports: Commanders in pro-Iranian militias killed in strike in eastern Syria
The Saudi Al-Hadath channel reported on Tuesday night on an attack that took place in the city of Al Mayadin in eastern Syria, near the border with Iraq. According to the report, five commanders in the pro-Iranian militias, including a commander belonging to Hezbollah, were killed in the attack. The report did not say who was responsible for the strike.
For the first time: Cruise missile from Yemen fell near Eilat
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed on Tuesday that a cruise missile that was fired from Yemen on Sunday night fell near the city of Eilat. “Following the incident on Sunday night regarding a suspicious aerial target that fell north of the city of Eilat, a cruise missile approached the area from the direction of the Red Sea and fell in open terrain,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.
Oy Canada! Trudeau administration to stop arms shipments to Israel
On Monday, Canada’s House of Commons approved a non-binding measure to halt all arms sales to Israel. The proposal is one of many put forward by the New Democratic Party (NDP) to end the war between Israel and Hamas. Three members of the Canadian Prime Minister’s party, the Liberal Party, voted against the measure.
Redemption is near
When I wrote last week how the Lord was trying to encourage Israel through a particular verse of Scripture, I wasn’t to know that he was about to add emphasis to the word by repeating himself. Saying again, that “when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him and put him to flight.” (Isaiah 59:19) I subsequently learnt (from Sgt-Major Chaim Malespin on his daily YouTube reports from the frontline) that Islamic Jihad had called for a ‘Ramadan flood’ of violence against the Jews. Yes, a flood of evil is being unleashed, but the Lord will make his presence felt in no uncertain terms.
Army aims to equip a division with hand-held counter-drone gear
The Army’s 2025 budget request includes $13.5 million for hand-held anti-drone devices to equip a division and $54.2 million for backpack-size jammers, an Army spokesperson said Thursday. The $13.5 million will buy 20 Modi devices, 10 Smart Shooter devices, 10 Bal Chatri devices, and 20 Dronebuster devices.
Israel must assemble a massive new arms stockpile
The path to reducing Israel’s reliance on the United States for munitions doesn’t necessarily involve ramping up domestic production, expert tells JNS.
Herzog honors Samaria reservist who killed Palestinian terrorist
Aviad Gizbar, who owns a hummus joint at the Eli gas station, shot and killed the attacker, preventing further bloodshed. Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday visited Eli in Samaria, where he honored an Israel Defense Forces reservist who killed a terrorist who murdered two civilians at the town’s gas station on Feb. 29.
Israel to welcome more Indian workers amid burgeoning Indian-Israeli ties
Israel’s construction sector is expected to welcome thousands of Indian workers in the coming weeks in an effort by the Israeli government to address the labor shortage amid the ongoing war between the terrorist organization Hamas and Israel.
Netanyahu after Biden phone call: ‘No way to eliminate Hamas without Rafah incursion’
“We have a debate with the Americans over the need to enter Rafah, not over the need to eliminate Hamas, but the need to enter Rafah,” Netanyahu said at a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday.
Category 3 Tropical Cyclone “Megan” hits Gulf of Carpentaria, stranding residents of Borroloola
Category 3 Tropical Cyclone “Megan” made landfall near Borroloola, the southwestern Gulf of Carpentaria coast, at approximately 06:00 UTC on March 18, 2024. At the time of the landfall, the system had a minimum pressure of 976.1 hPa and 1-minute sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph). Megan is the 5th named storm of the 2023/24 Australian region cyclone season.
Extreme flooding in Duhok, Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Heavy rainfall affecting the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on March 19, 2024, caused extreme flooding in the Duhok Governorate, leading to the deaths of at least two people and damage to dozens of homes.
Saudi Aramco CEO: ‘The Energy Transition Is Failing. Policymakers Should Abandon the Fantasy of Phasing Out Oil and Gas’
The climate alarmist cult is in planetary disarray, with their once-unquestionable ‘scientific theories’ and ‘environmental policies’ getting rejected at a rapid pace in many parts of the world.
In Blow to Biden, Supreme Court Allows Texas to Start Arresting and Deporting Illegal Aliens
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dealt a blow to the Biden administration’s attempts to keep the US border open – allowing Texas to enforce a new law giving local police the power to arrest migrants.
Obama-Appointed Judge Rules Illegal Immigrants Can Carry Guns in the U.S.
U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, appointed by Barack Obama, ruled that an illegal immigrant has the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Nearly 1,000 Americans in Haiti plea for help, State Department says | Fox News
The State Department revealed Monday that nearly 1,000 Americans have filled out a “crisis intake form” seeking assistance in Haiti – a country it is now calling “one of the most dire humanitarian situations in the world.”
DNA Tests Are Uncovering the True Prevalence of Incest
.,..In the 1980s, feminist scholars argued, based on the testimonies of victims, that incest was far more common than recognized, and in recent years, DNA has offered a new kind of biological proof. Widespread genetic testing is uncovering case after secret case of children born to close biological relatives—providing an unprecedented accounting of incest in modern society.
What Does This Mean? Benjamin Netanyahu And Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei Were Both Born During Eclipses
The war in the Middle East continues to heat up, and many believe that we will soon see a major escalation. On the Israeli side, Benjamin Netanyahu is the one calling the shots, and as you will see below he is absolutely determined to conduct a military operation in Rafah. On the other side, the guy at the top of the food chain is Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Hezbollah and every other Iranian-backed terror group in the region ultimately answer to him. The decisions that these two men make during the months ahead will literally be felt all over the globe.
Oxford University, CDC & UK Gov. confirm COVID Vaccination DOES NOT WORK & has Lethal & Fatal Consequences
Several scientific studies have emerged that call into question the safety and effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines, raising alarm bells about the potential harm they may cause and their ability to prevent infection and transmission.
Russian Forces Move Closer to the Mountains of Israel
…various media outlets in the region, in particular, Syrian State media run by Bashar al-Assad and also Israel’s Channel 11 broadcaster, report that Russian forces are moving closer to the Israel-Syria border.
U.S. Consumers Have Reached a Breaking Point
Over the past several years, the cost of living has been rising significantly faster than paychecks have. As a result, U.S. consumers have reached a breaking point. Delinquency rates are spiking and bankruptcies have risen to a very dangerous level.
Conservative Star Marion Maréchal Fights Against Islamization: ‘I Don’t Want Ramadan to Become a French Holiday, Like Christmas or Easter’
Marion Maréchal and her party, the Reconquête party, are fighting to ban the display of Ramadan-related advertisements in public spaces.
Japanese researchers warn about the risks of blood transfusions from covid vaccinated people
…Japanese researchers published a pre-print paper that warned about the risks associated with using blood from covid vaccinated people for blood transfusions and are calling on medical professionals to be aware of these risks. Additionally…they are calling for the covid vaccination programmes to be suspended.
Jeff Bezos demonizes farming and invests £1 billion in fake food production
At the Aspen Ideas Climate, Bezos Earth Fund vice chair Lauren Sánchez announced an initial $60 million commitment to establish Bezos Centers for Sustainable Protein as part of the Bezos Earth Fund’s $1 billion commitment to food transformation. The food transformation Sánchez dreams of is “plant-based lab-grown meats.” For anyone who has any logic or common sense, no such food exists nor can it ever.
Chinese Illegal Immigrants Are Being Fast-Tracked into Country [VIDEO]
…questions asked to Chinese immigrants entering the US have gone from 40 to 5.
Headlines – 3/20/2024
Canada drops recognition of Palestinian statehood after Trudeau-Gantz phone call
Canada’s parliament urges 2-state solution, but not recognition of Palestinian state
Schumer meets US Jewish leaders to defend his call for Israel to replace Netanyahu
Mark Levin Calls Schumer a ‘Disgrace,’ Says ‘Vast Majority’ of Americans Support Israel
Dem Rep. Auchincloss: U.S. Should Focus on Toppling Hamas, Not Netanyahu
US to pitch Israel on securing Egypt-Gaza border as alternative to ‘smashing into Rafah’
Netanyahu sending top officials Dermer and Hanegbi to Washington to discuss Rafah operation
Biden said to reassure Netanyahu he’s not trying to push him out amid deepening rift
Biden Shifts the Goalposts: ‘Degrading,’ Not ‘Defeating,’ Hamas
Netanyahu says he made clear to Biden Rafah ground op crucial to destroying Hamas
Netanyahu after Biden phone call: ‘No way to eliminate Hamas without Rafah incursion’
Netanyahu slams ‘some in Israel’ cooperating with US over Rafah
Jake Sullivan Makes Antisemitic Claim Israel Interferes in American Politics
Report: Biden to Consider Cutting Arms to Israel over ‘Human Rights’
Canada to stop arms exports to Israel
Netanyahu: Victory Over Hamas Will Deliver Blow to Iran Terror Axis
IDF troops kill over 50 Hamas gunmen during ongoing raid in Gaza’s Shifa Hospital
IDF says more than 300 terror suspects detained in Shifa hospital
Drone footage raises questions about Israeli justification for deadly strike on Gaza journalists
Al Jazeera says Gaza journalist beaten, detained by Israeli forces
Gaza Reporter Says Israel Stripped, Blindfolded Journalists During Al-Shifa Raid
UN human rights chief: Israel’s ‘extensive restrictions’ on Gaza aid may be war crime
South Africa: Israel undermining World Court with campaign of ‘starvation’ in Gaza
Headed to north Gaza, aid trucks face gauntlet of armed looters and starving civilians
Incoming PA prime minister lays out plan to end corruption, reconstruct Gaza
Macron Pledges ‘Uncompromising’ Fight Against Antisemitism in Address to French Jewish Leaders
Two Shin Bet officers hurt, one seriously, in West Bank shooting; attacker shot
Israeli Strikes Reported Near Syrian Capital
2 soldiers wounded in Hezbollah rocket attack; IDF strikes terror group’s sites
In first, IDF confirms Houthi cruise missile hit open area near Eilat on Monday
Armenia’s PM warns Azerbaijan could start war over disputed border villages
Armenian PM: We’ll hand Azerbaijan some territory to avoid a new war
German Police Detain Two Afghans Accused of Plotting Quran Burning Revenge Attack
Congress Grills Gen. Mark Milley over Biden’s Disastrous Afghanistan Withdrawal
Pakistan Bombs Afghanistan, Claiming Taliban Is ‘Actively Patronizing’ Terror Across Border
Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum: Continent Must Prepare For War, Says European Council
Top Polish General: ‘Ukrainian Losses Must Be Counted in the Millions, Not Hundreds of Thousands’
Defense Sec. Austin: US ‘Will Not Let Ukraine Fail’
Russia says it will evacuate 9,000 children from a border region being targeted by Ukraine
White House says there was ‘nothing free or fair’ about Putin reelection
Marlow: Media Is ‘Lying,’ Trump’s Bloodbath Comments Were About the Auto Industry
Hunter Biden’s Business Partner Confirms Joe Biden’s Email Alias
Judiciary Republicans Drop Damning Impeachment Video of Biden Associates Night Before Hearing
Donald Trump Says $454M Bond Could Force Real Estate Fire Sale: ‘Foreign Interference’
Unlikely Ally Ruth Bader Ginsburg Could Save Trump $355M
Biden Jokes About Trump Struggling to Pay Massive New York Fine
Ex-Trump adviser Peter Navarro reports to prison on contempt of Congress conviction
Supreme Court denies Peter Navarro’s bid to stay out of prison on appeal, must report TODAY
NYT: Democrats Are Meddling in Republican Primaries
Elon Musk reveals Twitter had FBI ‘portal that auto-deleted all comms’ after 2 weeks
Unreal: NYT Article Praises ‘Deep State,’ Blasts Trump for Trying to Take it Down
RFK Jr. Backs GOP Lawsuits Against Biden Administration over Social Media Censorship
Keith Olbermann Suggests ‘Hope’ for Trump’s Assassination on Social Media
TikTok ban could upend global app economy
Saudi Arabia Plans $40 Billion Push Into Artificial Intelligence
DHS to test AI for immigration officer training, disaster planning
Warnings as cellphone services could cut out during upcoming total solar eclipse
5.4 magnitude earthquake hits near Nushki, Pakistan
Popocateptl volcano in Mexico erupts to 21,000ft
Ruiz volcano in Colombia erupts to 20,000ft
Sangay volcano in Ecuador erupts to 19,000ft
Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 16,000ft
Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupts to 15,000ft
Santa Maria volcano in Guatemala erupts to 14,000ft
Semeru volcano in Indonesia erupts to 14,000ft
Marapi volcano in Indonesia erupts to 14,000ft
Ibu volcano in Indonesia erupts to 10,000ft
Category 3 Tropical Cyclone “Megan” hits Gulf of Carpentaria, stranding residents of Borroloola
Extreme flooding in Duhok, Kurdistan Region of Iraq
UN warns planet ‘on the brink’ after data confirms 2023 was hottest year on record
Texas pulls $8.5B from BlackRock in stunning blow to ESG movement
Iran may attack US water supplies, warns Biden administration
Cyberattacks are hitting water systems throughout US, Biden officials warn governors
San Jose exorcism death: Detective testimony about child ritual opens preliminary hearing
Buddhists use karmic healing against California city’s anti-Asian past
Council to nominate new Haitian leader forms as gang violence consumes nation
Haiti Descends into Street Warfare Between Barbecue’s Militias and What Is Left of Police
Undocumented Immigrants Have Right to Own Guns, Judge Rules
Arizona county faces ‘homelessness on steroids’ as migrant shelter funds run out
Rolling Stone: White House ‘Drag Queen’ Star Allegedly Raped Men
Planet Fitness Stock Drops After Making Women Share Restrooms with Men
Woke Planet Fitness Has ‘Lunk Alarm’ to Combat Toxic Masculinity, But Man in Women’s Room Is Fine
Caitlyn Jenner Backs Ban on Trans Athletes Competing in Women’s Sports
Intimacy Bans Lifted, 300k Condoms Distributed Ahead of Paris Olympics
More than 60% of US abortions in 2023 were done by pill, study shows
WSJ: Abortion Is President Biden’s ‘Top Issue’ for Reelection Campaign
Brazil’s Bolsonaro indicted for allegedly falsifying his own vaccination data
Mid-Day Snapshot · March 20, 2024
“From The Patriot Post (patriotpost.us)”.
THE FOUNDATION
“The Constitution … is a mere thing of wax in the hands of the judiciary which they may twist and shape into any form they please.” —Thomas Jefferson (1819)
| Fellow Patriots, on this day in 1922, the U.S. Navy commissioned its first aircraft carrier — the USS Langley, which had been converted from the USS Jupiter. Today, 11 nuclear-powered fleet carriers form the backbone of the U.S. Navy. —Mark Alexander |
IN TODAY’S DIGEST
- Whiplash in Texas
- Big Tech, Biden, and Free Speech at the Supreme Court
- Executive News Summary
- The Democrats’ Real Problem: Kamala Harris
- The Lawfare Scorecard
- Tax Cuts: A Reappraisal
- DAILY FEATURES: Videos, Best of Right Opinion, Short Cuts, Memes, and Cartoons.
ON THE WEB
- John Stossel: ‘15 Days to Slow the Spread’
- Linda Moss Mines: ‘Strengthen the Southwestern Frontier’
- In Brief: Duty, Honor, Country
FEATURED ANALYSIS
Whiplash in Texas
Numerous court rulings and stays have Texas and the federal government at loggerheads.
Nate Jackson
Texas passed a law in December making illegal border crossing a state crime, thus allowing state and local law enforcement to arrest illegal aliens and granting state judges authority to deport those aliens. Evidently not wanting any immigration laws enforced by anyone, Joe Biden’s Social Justice Department sued. U.S. District Court Judge David Ezra ruled in February that the Texas law, Senate Bill 4 or SB4, ran counter to federal law and the Constitution and put a stay on enforcement. The Fifth Circuit Court suspended that ruling while hearing the case. The Supreme Court initially reversed that, freezing enforcement, before lifting that freeze yesterday. The Fifth Circuit Court responded by reinstating its block last night so it could hear further arguments today.
And you thought the migrants chased by mounted Border Patrol agents were the only ones with whiplash.
What does all that mean? For now, Texas must sit by and watch as a flood of illegal aliens continues to pour across the border at Biden’s invitation while litigation continues.
Texas already lost its bid to install razor wire along popular crossing areas, though Republican Governor Greg Abbott continues to assert that his state has the legal right and obligation to its own citizens to stop the invasion at the border.
Enforcing the nation’s border is indeed the purview of the federal government. Yet what is a border state like Texas to do when the federal government, under the derelict “leadership” of Joe Biden and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, refuses to enforce that law?
As NBC News notes, “The Biden administration has argued that the law conflicts with federal immigration law and that states have no authority to legislate on the issue.” Indeed, Team Biden called it an “unprecedented intrusion into federal immigration enforcement.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor agreed, writing in her dissent that the federal government has “exclusive authority over entry and removal of noncitizens.”
Sotomayor added that the Supreme Court “invites further chaos and crisis,” so at least she admits there’s chaos and crisis at the border. Progress!
Kidding aside, we’re unpersuaded by the Left’s legal contortions. Texas did not, as numerous Democrat-dominated jurisdictions have, undermine federal law by making “sanctuaries.” Those cities and states thwart federal enforcement, albeit passively, by refusing to help enforce the law. Sometimes, that results in murdered Americans.
By contrast, Texas basically copied federal law and made it state law. There would be no conflict if the Biden administration were enforcing the law.
Bank robbery and kidnapping, for example, are against both federal and state law and may be prosecuted at either or both levels. Is the Biden administration really going to argue that a state prosecuting a robber or kidnapper is conflicting with the federal government? Of course not, though that’s because the administration doesn’t advocate robbery and kidnapping the way it does illegal entry.
Meanwhile, Mexican officials announced yesterday that no immigrants deported by Texas would be accepted there “under any circumstances,” including Mexican nationals. The cartels that traffic people and run Mexico can’t abide deportations that would discourage business. Since Mexico can’t admit that, officials couched it in terms of — wait for it — racism. They said the Texas law encouraged “the separation of families,” as well as “discrimination and racial profiling that violate the human rights of the migrant community.”
Marisa Limón Garza, executive director of Las Americas, which bills itself as an “immigration advocacy” group, concurs. “It’s painful to know that your own state is so afraid of the multi-racial democracy that is the majority of Texas,” she complained. “It’s already caused a great deal of psychological damage.”
Oh please. If nine million Scandinavians had illegally crossed the U.S. border in the last three years, Texas would seek to do something about that, too. The border crisis is not about race; it’s about the Rule of Law. We need a change of administration to fix that, but it would also help if the courts would stop aiding the Biden administration.
Big Tech, Biden, and Free Speech at the Supreme Court
The Court will have to decide whether the Biden administration coerced social media companies to censor speech in violation of the First Amendment.
Thomas Gallatin
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals certainly believed that the Biden administration’s pressure campaign on social media companies violated the First Amendment. That’s why the appellate court essentially barred the administration from continuing to communicate with and thereby coerce those companies to censor users on their platforms.
The case before the U.S. Supreme Court is Murthy v. Missouri, and the question is whether the federal government — in this case, the Biden administration — can pressure social media companies into removing posts from their platforms if said posts are deemed problematic by the government.
On its face, this would seem to be an easy open-and-shut case, with the Biden administration on the losing end, reprimanded for its blatant violation of Americans’ First Amendment free speech protections. However, the oral arguments and the questions posed by the justices seem to suggest a more complicated ruling.
The comment that has dominated the headlines is that of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who seems eager to ensure the government’s power to control information. “My biggest concern,” she said, “is that your view has the First Amendment hamstringing the government in significant ways in the most important time periods.”
Uh, yeah. Maybe Jackson is vying to overtake Sonia Sotomayor as the Court’s intellectual lightweight, but the entire Bill of Rights is meant to “hamstring” the government from trampling our God-given rights, even if what we do with those rights is distasteful to coastal elites.
Louisiana Solicitor General Benjamin Aguinaga, a self-declared “purist on the First Amendment,” was challenged by Justice Amy Coney Barrett when she asked if the FBI could push social media companies to remove posts such as those that doxed public officials. “So the FBI can’t make — do you know how often the FBI makes those kinds of calls?”
Aguinaga’s response was to observe that the government had full freedom to voice its concerns publicly and to provide its own views and information. However, the Biden administration sought to silence information and authoritative opinions specifically regarding COVID — about vaccines, social distancing, masking, and the like — that did not follow the administration’s preferred narrative. The Biden administration justified its effort to censor this speech by claiming that it was protecting the public from “misinformation.” But the federal government has no such mandate or constitutional power.
As it turns out, much of the misinformation came from the Biden administration’s government-sanctioned sources, not from the medical experts who voiced their educated objections.
Justice Samuel Alito pressed the Biden administration’s Principal Deputy Solicitor General, Brian Fletcher, by asking how pressuring social media companies to censor is different from pressuring print media companies.
The case seems to hinge on what constitutes “coercion.” While the government may contact social media companies to warn them regarding a disinformation campaign or other nefarious efforts aimed at misleading the public, it can’t force these companies to censor on its behalf.
Again, as Justice Jackson unintentionally but accurately noted, the First Amendment is “hamstringing” the federal government’s effort to control Americans’ free speech. Sadly, Jackson views this as a problem rather than a feature of the Bill of Rights, which protects Americans from government tyranny, even during a pandemic. Her originalist colleagues are unlikely to agree.
How will the Court come down? Given its conservative makeup, we can reasonably expect it to uphold the Fifth Circuit’s ruling. But stranger things have happened.
Executive News Summary
Trump turns the lawfare tables, panicky Dems call for Sotomayor to step down, 2024 Senate races, and more.
Douglas Andrews, Thomas Gallatin, & Jordan Candler
Cross-Examination
- Trump turns the lawfare tables: Donald Trump is well known for having introduced the term “fake news” into the political lexicon, but there’s another term that, while perhaps less catchy, is equally important to the future of American Liberty. The word is “lawfare,” and it refers to the Democrats’ despicable practice of siccing their deep state actors and their legions of lawyers on whomever they deem to be politically inconvenient. Chief among their targets, of course, has been Trump, as evidenced by the four indictments and the 91 criminal charges and the mountain of legal work that a suitable defense requires. But now Trump is turning the tables. As the New York Post reports: “Former President Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos, claiming his reputation was tarnished by the anchor saying multiple times on-air that Trump had been found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll. Trump filed the lawsuit in federal court in Miami on Monday over a viral interview between US Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) and Stephanopoulos on ‘This Week’ on March 10.” Stephanopoulos should certainly know better. He claimed Trump had been found “liable for rape,” but in a dubiously brought civil case, a Manhattan jury only found Trump liable for “sexual abuse.” The smarmy Stephanopoulos once defended Bill Clinton amidst rape accusations. Maybe he’ll now be held to account for the smear.
- More panicky Dems call for Sotomayor to step down: Last month, we called attention to the dimmest bulb on the Supreme Court, Barack Obama quota-hire Sonia Sotomayor, a 69-year-old leftist who has had Type 1 diabetes since childhood and is in poor health. We also noted that newly released U.S. Marshals Service records reveal that she’s the only sitting justice to request medical assistance during travel in recent years. All this has only amplified the calls from the Left for her to step down most ricky-tick lest she become RBG v 2.0. We’re referring, of course, to the once-iconic and now-reviled old-school lefty Ruth Bader Ginsberg, a longtime pancreatic cancer sufferer who simply refused to retire while Obama was president. Her stubbornness allowed Donald Trump to replace her by fast-tracking the nomination and confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett upon Ginsberg’s death late in his term, and that accounts for the High Court’s 5-3-1 conservative makeup. Exhibit A of the Left’s growing alarm would be a new column at The Atlantic by Josh Barrow. Its five-alarm title? “Sonia Sotomayor Should Retire Now.” So much for subtlety. As Hot Air’s Jazz Shaw writes: “I’m not going to call out Josh Barrow for stating the obvious because he’s at least being transparent about his motives. But it’s also worth asking a very obvious question of him. Who or what is he really hoping to benefit by offering this unsolicited career advice to a member of the highest court? Is this what’s best for Sotomayor’s personal career and legacy? Is it what’s best for the country? Or is it what’s best for the Democratic Party? The answer seems rather obvious.”
- Dems are on defense in 2024 Senate races: If Donald Trump regains the White House in November, and if Republicans retain their razor-thin majority in the House, they’ll still have a confounding obstacle to effective Republican governance: the Democrats’ equally tenuous control of the Senate. This makes it imperative that the GOP flip a couple of Senate seats, one of which took center stage yesterday in Ohio, where upstart Bernie Moreno pulled off something of a stunner over the Republican establishment’s favored candidate, State Senator Matt Dolan. Moreno, a Colombian immigrant and car dealership executive, parlayed endorsements from Trump and Ohio’s junior senator, J.D. Vance, into just over 50% of the vote to Dolan’s 33%, while Secretary of State Frank LaRose took 18%. Moreno thanked his fellow Ohioans for their support, and he credited the historically “powerful” Trump endorsement for the resounding win. This sets up what should be a winnable contest with three-term incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown, who’s managed to hang onto his Senate seat since 2007 despite Ohio’s increasingly red hue. Ohio isn’t the only opportunity for a Republican flip, however. In October, CNN published a list of the 10 seats most likely to flip in 2024, and the list looks really promising for Republicans. In order, the eight most vulnerable seats are West Virginia, Montana, the aforementioned Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, and Michigan. All of these seats are being defended by the Democrats. Only the bottom two on the list, Texas and Florida, belong to Republican incumbents, Ted Cruz and Rick Scott, respectively, and flipping even one of them would be difficult for Democrats, especially with Joe Biden appearing to be such a drag on the ticket.
- Kamala’s “pride” goeth before a faceplant: It’s unclear whether the Biden administration will pay a political price for its unbending and often embarrassing allegiance to the Rainbow Mafia, but a litany of charges against a member of the protected class won’t help matters any. As The Daily Wire reports: “Former ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ contestant and actor ‘Shangela’ has reportedly been accused of multiple sexual assaults after recently settling a civil lawsuit accusing the star of rape. Rolling Stone detailed the accusations against 42-year-old Darius Jeremy Pierce from five individuals, including allegations that the drag performer attempted to get them inebriated beyond the ability to give consent.” Classy dude, this Shangela guy. Somewhat buried in this story, however, is the fact that this particular drag queen was invited by VP Kamala Harris to her home in order to help celebrate Pride Month. We’re sure there’s nothing to the charges, however. And we’ll be expected to move along.
- Economic disconnect and interest rates: The Biden administration and its Leftmedia cohorts keep insisting that the economy is going gangbusters and yet seem mystified as to why the vast majority of the American public sees the exact opposite. Well, according to Larry Summers, former treasury secretary under Bill Clinton, economic adviser to Barack Obama, and former president of Harvard, it’s because they are missing a very significant data metric: the cost of money. Years ago, economists jettisoned accounting for the impact of the cost of money on consumers. Beyond the headline interest rate is the cost associated with borrowing money, which economic calculations today are failing to account for. Thus, Summers argues that applying the metrics of the 1970s and 1980s for the “Misery Index” suddenly reveals the “missing” data point and shows why Americans see the economy as bad. It’s a matter of measuring the right data and not just the preferred data. This certainly makes a whole lot more sense than what the Biden administration and Leftmedia pundits have effectively been claiming: that Americans are being duped by conservatives into believing the economy is bad when it’s really not.
- Intel better served by cross-dressing? In a recently obtained internal newsletter shared across the U.S. intelligence community, including the CIA and FBI, it was claimed that cross-dressing makes for better intelligence officers. The newsletter, named “The Dive,” featured an article titled “My Gender Identity and Expression Make Me a Better Intelligence Officer.” In the article, the author writes, “I am an intelligence officer, and I am a man who likes to wear women’s clothes sometimes.” He further claims that his cross-dressing “merits attention given the climate of discussion around the topic and where it sits in the larger conversation about gender identity and expression and professional appearance.” He then argues, “I think my experiences as someone who crossdresses have sharpened the skills I use as an intelligence officer,” making him “more aware of, and hopefully more supportive of, my women colleagues.” How so? Well, he says it has given him a “better appreciation for how it can be uncomfortable to wear women’s clothes sometimes.” Was this intended as a joke, a bit of humor to share with those working within the clandestine community, an Operation Mrs. Doubtfire? Sadly, no. This article is a result of DEI infiltration of the federal government. It was justified by the Intelligence Community Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Office to “enlighten readers.”
- Lloyd Austin commits the U.S. to support Ukraine: On Tuesday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin committed the U.S. to ensure that Ukraine will not fall to the Russians. Austin made his pledge while preparing to head off to the 20th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contract Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. “We remain determined to provide Ukraine with the resources that it needs to resist the Kremlin’s aggression,” Austin stated. “The United States will not let Ukraine fail. This coalition will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail.” Last week, the Pentagon announced that it was sending another $300 million security assistance package to Ukraine following “some unanticipated contract savings.” Austin’s comments are getting ahead of Congress, as lawmakers have yet to agree upon another multibillion-dollar military aid package for Ukraine. The $60 billion figure in Ukraine aid that the Biden administration wants may not come anytime soon.
- Another Hamas hospital base: On Monday, Israeli Defense Forces raided the largest hospital in Gaza City, known as Al-Shifa Hospital. The IDF captured some 300 Hamas terrorists hiding within the building, killing several Hamas fighters in the process. The IDF uncovered a weapons cache in the hospital and killed Hamas’s head of internal security. “Faiq Mabhouh was eliminated in an encounter with the troops while armed and hiding in a compound at the Shifa hospital, from which he operated and advanced terrorist activity,” the IDF said. While Hamas has denied that it is using Gaza’s few functioning hospitals as bases, this is now the second time IDF forces have proven otherwise. Hamas has repeatedly demonstrated that it will use innocent Palestinians as human shields, a war crime under international law. Meanwhile, Hamas continues to spin narratives of Israel being guilty of indiscriminately killing Palestinians, a false claim that far too many Leftmedia outlets in the West believe and perpetuate.
Headlines
- Illegal immigrant arrested for stabbing two at Missouri laundromat (National Review)
- Obama-appointed judge dismisses gun charges, says illegal immigrant should not “be deprived of his Second Amendment right” (Daily Wire)
- Charges dropped against Gold Star father arrested during State of the Union address (National Review)
- As electric vehicle sales slow, U.S. relaxes plans for stricter auto emissions standards for a while (AP)
- Former Google insiders: Woke AI was no mistake — it was intentional (Hot Air)
- Woke Davidson College redefines racism: Minorities can be bigots, but all whites are racist (PJ Media)
- New Guttmacher data purportedly show increasing abortion rates in 2023 (National Review)
- Humor: Kate Middleton tweets out selfie of her and her kids on the moon; crazy conspiracy theorists doubt its legitimacy (Genesius Times)
For more editors’ choice headlines, click here.
The Democrats’ Real Problem: Kamala Harris
Joe Biden might be wildly unpopular, but his next-in-command is even more so, making any effort to remove him from the ticket even more complicated.
Douglas Andrews
It’s no secret that Kamala Harris isn’t ready for prime time. Nor was she ever. Indeed, her existence just a heartbeat away from the presidency is itself a powerful insurance policy against Crooked Joe Biden’s impeachment. And yet no one could have foreseen the thorny problem that she now poses to the Democrats’ hopes for holding onto power.
Hook any Democrat up to a sodium pentothal drip, and he’ll tell you that he’d love nothing more than for Biden to bow out of his bid for reelection. Already the oldest president in American history, Biden will be 82 by the time of the 2024 election and 86 by the end of a second term. Does anyone really think he’s mentally or physically equipped for five more years of this? Robert Hur doesn’t.
In the RealClearPolitics average of polls, the “sympathetic [sic], well-meaning [sic] elderly man with a poor memory” now trails Donald Trump by 1.7 points nationally, by 2.7 points in a five-way race, and by 3.8 points in the election-deciding battleground states. For comparison, Trump trailed Biden by 4.5 points in RCP’s final 2020 battleground poll. That’s a shift of more than eight points, which is massive in electoral politics.
These, then, are frightening numbers for the Democrats. Unfortunately for them, Biden isn’t going anywhere — at least not voluntarily. Eighteen months ago, our Mark Alexander speculated that Biden won’t be the Democrat nominee. Alexander expected that he’ll “withdraw his candidacy citing his age and obvious health issues, leaving the selection of the November Demo ticket in the hands of the delegates at the Democrat National Convention in Chicago” in August. Since then, however, Biden has locked up the Democrat nomination, and he and his wife and his handlers and his surrogates have given us every outward intention that he intends to see this thing through Election Day.
Here, we’re reminded of what longtime Democrat strategist Jim Messina said one afternoon on Fox News many months back when talk of Biden bowing out rather than running for reelection had reached a fever pitch. Messina, who ran Barack Obama’s reelection campaign in 2012, was adamant that Biden would run again, and he suggested a personality attribute that those who seek the presidency all have in common: Once they obtain it, they’re not inclined to give it up voluntarily.
Messina didn’t say it in so many words, but he implied that Biden’s Democrat detractors would have to pry the presidency out of his cold, dead hands.
But let’s say Messina is wrong. Let’s say First Lady Herr Doktor Jill Biden, Ed.D, were to somehow convince her husband that enough is enough. Then what? Even if Biden were to bow out before Election Day, if he were somehow convinced to medically “resign,” or even if a cabinet-level coup invoked the 25th Amendment on him, where would it leave the Democrats?
With President Kamala Harris, that’s where. And she’d be facing an immediate presidential election campaign while carrying the baggage of an awful first term along with her status as perhaps the least popular vice president in American history. Yikes.
By the way, we conservatives have one person to thank above all others for the poison pill named Kamala Harris: Democrat Senator Amy Klobuchar. Recall that Biden vowed during the 2020 campaign to nominate a woman as his vice presidential running mate. And recall that when Klobuchar bowed out of that race in June, she said, “I think the right thing to do right now, and I told this to Vice President Biden, is to put a woman of color on the ticket as the next vice president of our country.”
The rest is history.
Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker surely knows this history, and she also understands the Democrats’ predicament. She recognizes that Harris severely limits the Democrats’ options for getting rid of Biden before the November election, and she offered Harris some unsolicited advice in her most recent column: quit. Yep, Parker is calling on Harris to “step away from the ticket,” arguing that she’s a drag on Biden’s reelection fortunes. She writes:
The Kamala conundrum comes down to this: She was picked because she was Black and female, a combo tantamount to job security. Now that she has become a burden to the Democratic ticket, Biden can’t fire her. He can’t risk alienating his base. … Biden’s diminishing faculties, notwithstanding his relatively successful State of the Union address, and his increasing physical frailty are concerning. …
Harris could provide her own reasons for moving on. Perhaps she and Biden could a cut a deal for her to become the next attorney general — if he’s reelected. Biden then could tap someone else with executive experience who could reassure voters that the next vice president would be ready to take the reins should events require it. Democrats and Republicans alike would be relieved.
Good luck getting this to happen. If Joe Biden is being driven by his place in history, then so is Kamala Harris. After all, she’s the first Bay Area progressive woman of Jamaican-Indian descent who grew up in Canada and whose ancestors were slaveowners to be elected vice president. And if she can hold out a while longer, she just might become president herself.
In the words of Biden Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Harris would be a “historic figure.”
And who are we to deny her that — especially if it ruins the Democrats’ chances for hanging on to the presidency?
The Lawfare Scorecard
It’s election interference on a grand scale. We must not reward it.
Jack DeVine
We’re now well past the point that any cogent American voter could believe that the barrage of legal actions against former president and 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump is actually about justice. The blitz targeting Trump includes six separate civil and criminal cases, charges of 91 felonies, the potential for hundreds of years of prison sentences, and crippling financial penalties.
Trump’s alleged offenses vary widely and happened years (and, in one case, decades) ago. The legal actions have all been timed to hit the airwaves and TV screens during the heart of the 2024 presidential election season, with the obvious intent to derail his prospects for return to the White House.
No doubt some consider that a noble objective — except for the sticky detail that it’s the job of the electorate to make that call, not political incumbents trying to stay in power. Remind me, please: Which party is being accused of threatening American democracy?
Is it working? So far, the civil suits are exceeding the expectations of the Trump destroyers.
Columnist E. Jean Carroll convinced a Manhattan jury that Trump sexually assaulted her decades ago. She couldn’t remember the date or even the year, but she was sure it happened in the Bergdorf-Goodman dressing room. She won $5 million in defamation damages. When Trump squawked publicly, she sued again for defamation of character, for which a different Manhattan jury awarded her an additional $83 million.
A month later, New York State Attorney General Letitia James, who’d run for that office on the promise that she would “get Trump,” hit the real jackpot. Her civil suit accused Trump of fraud in overstating his wealth in loan applications. The ultra-receptive liberal judge hearing the case (no jury required) issued a summary judgment confirming that the fraud happened — effectively finding Trump guilty of fraud without his defrauding anyone — and decided on a staggering penalty of nearly half a billion dollars and imposing major constraints on the operation of the Trump family business.
It gets uglier. As of this writing, Trump is finding it impossible to post the bond required for appeal (where does one go to borrow $464 million?), and now James is threatening to seize his assets.
Meanwhile, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg dredged up an eight-year-old allegation that Trump’s acknowledged hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels was improperly treated as a business expense rather than a 2016 campaign contribution — a charge that was examined and dropped years ago by federal prosecutors in NYC. For what would normally be a misdemeanor bookkeeping offense, the indictment won by Bragg ratchets up to 34 felonies.
There is also Trump’s pending case of mishandling classified documents. While the allegations seem well founded, the case is now notable because Trump’s actions, as charged, were substantially less egregious than those of Joe Biden, whom DOJ Special Counsel Robert Hur chose not to charge because of Biden’s reduced cognitive capability. Let that sink in: Biden skates while his attorney general prosecutes his election opponent for essentially the same offense.
Among all the legal salvos fired at Donald Trump, only two relate to his disruptive challenges to behavior following the 2020 election: the Georgia and federal election interference cases. In Georgia, Fulton County DA Fani Willis — another self-styled Trump pursuer — has watched her case unravel because of her own misconduct. But its larger weakness is that her indictment characterizes Trump’s and his co-defendants’ efforts to challenge the Georgia election results as a mob-style racketeering enterprise, subject to Georgia’s RICO statutes. Really?
DOJ Special Counsel Jack Smith’s election interference case seems more substantial. It attempts to nail Trump for his role in obstructing the 2020 election certification and the peaceful post-election transfer of power. Notably, the overused — and wildly incorrect — term “insurrection” appears nowhere in his charge.
In my view, if that were the only case against Trump, and if it had been pursued by the DOJ in a timely manner (it took Congress only one day to decide to impeach Trump for the same offense), the voting public might take the Democrats’ “lawfare” at face value. But as part of an orchestrated bombardment, it gets lost in the noise.
The Lawfare Scorecard, in summary:
The civil suits, particularly the bizarre New York State victimless fraud case, have had devastating financial effects on Donald Trump, his sons, and their family business. Unless reversed or greatly diminished on appeal, a single ruling may destroy their family business and affect thousands of New Yorkers — an extraordinary injustice.
On the criminal matters, Trump is again displaying his boundless energy and resilience. The cases are complex and are proving difficult to resolve, but some may make it to the finish line before the November 5 election. Without question, and regardless of the outcome, they are affecting the election.
So far, the obviously politically motivated lawfare seems to be working to Trump’s advantage. However, conviction on even a single charge could throw the election to Biden. And if elected, Trump will surely be deeply engaged in appeals and additional legal proceedings — all of which will unnecessarily get in the way of the nation’s business.
The inescapable reality is that the current administration and its political allies are using the full force of government to destroy Donald Trump politically, financially, and personally. Doing so constitutes unprecedented interference in an American election. If successful, it is likely to open the floodgates of similar improper action by both parties in the future.
Readers, please note: This column is not an endorsement of the Trump candidacy. I’ve made clear in numerous columns that I do not believe he is the right GOP candidate for 2024. But regardless of your views on Trump, no American voter should reward election interference on this scale.
It may be that no one is above the law. But some are intentionally crushed by it.
Tax Cuts: A Reappraisal
It is time for conservative dogma surrounding long-celebrated tax-cut policy to be reassessed.
Caleb Nunes
“I am in favor of cutting taxes under any circumstances and for any excuse, for any reason, whenever it’s possible.” —Milton Friedman
These words by the sagacious Milton Friedman were once my guiding light when thinking about fiscal policy. Having studied the impacts of Calvin Coolidge’s tax cuts and Ronald Reagan’s tax cuts, I had been sold on a policy prescription that appeared to only have benefits and no harm. But as I have matured politically and come to understand that the 2020s are not the 1920s or the 1980s, I believe it is time for conservative dogma surrounding this long-celebrated policy to be reassessed.
A Success Story
In the 1920s and 1980s, before conservative stalwarts like Coolidge and Reagan took the presidency, the highest marginal tax rates were 70% and higher. Success was met with a punitive tax policy that embodied a pernicious kind of class warfare. When Coolidge and Reagan slashed tax rates to below 30%, markets soared, standards of living rose, and cash filled the government’s coffers. With such glowing results from these tax cuts, one might believe they are a policy fit for any time, anywhere. I for sure thought this. However, as I have gained a deeper sense of the United States’s problems, I have noticed that burdensome tax rates are no longer in the top 10, and they should not be the first thing a conservative tackles when taking control of Congress or the presidency.
The Trump Tax Cuts
A great place to start when understanding the futility of tax cuts today is with the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) passed by Donald Trump in 2017. This policy was sold to the American people as a “middle class tax cut,” but this was not quite the truth.
First, over 40% of Americans do not even pay federal income taxes. This means that a sizable portion of the electorate has very little stake in the reduction of top tax bracket rates. A common retort to this is that the increase in the child tax credit that came with the TCJA served as a tax cut for low-income families. However, increases in the child tax credit do not serve the pro-growth end of tax cuts. To put it in crude terms, the child tax credit is essentially a new welfare program that has unfortunately garnered bipartisan support.
For a tax cut to truly be pro-growth, it must slash rates for the highest income earners and/or corporations. This is why the reduction in the corporate tax rate from the TCJA was the centerpiece of Trump’s tax reform. This reform led to over $1 trillion being repatriated from overseas and stimulated investment. While this reform certainly had positive economic impacts, it did little to give the little guy a leg up in the globalized economy. This is why nationwide polls revealed the TCJA to be incredibly unpopular with the American people, bringing me to my second point — the political legweights that tax cuts have become.
Political Ignorance
When Ronald Reagan swept the nation with two landslide victories, it was clear that tax cuts were a political winner. But the electorate’s embrace of this policy was a product of the 1970s and 1980s political climate. The economically ignorant policies of what Arthur Laffer calls the Three Stooges — Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter — combined with a uniting spirit of anti-communism cultivated an environment where pro-growth tax policies were a political winner.
The Reagan Democrats understood that the anti-capitalist policies of the past were hurting them and that only through a revitalization of the free market could their well-being increase. Fast-forward 40 years, and the cultural and economic landscape is completely different: income inequality is at an all-time high, 50 years of relentless immigration has held down wages, and wealthy corporations hold Middle American traditional values in contempt.
Now, I am not one who claims wealth inequality is the root of all evils, but this reality of discontent should not be ignored.
Rather than being seen as a policy that creates a tide that lifts all boats, cutting taxes is now viewed as a giveaway to wealthy individuals and corporations that despise the lower classes. This can be seen in the polling of the TCJA — less than 30% of Americans thought it was a good idea. Aside from their political unpopularity, tax cuts are also no longer prudent, given the massive debt our nation has accumulated.
Gambling Our Children’s Future
Every time a tax cut is pushed, our leaders tell us it will pay for itself through economic growth that increases the tax base and consequently offsets any potential decreases in revenue. The idea that a tax cut will pay for itself comes from the great economist Arthur Laffer. The Laffer Curve puts in a graphical form what is easily intuited: that a tax rate of 100% and one of 0% would both collect $0 in revenue and that the revenue-optimizing point is the maximum point of a parabolic curve defined between a rate of 0% and 100%.
Laffer was not wrong when he postulated that decreasing marginal tax rates would increase revenue by increasing the incentive to produce and decreasing the incentive to store wealth in unproductive assets like tax-exempt municipal bonds. But the Laffer Curve is called a curve for a reason: Once the peak of the curve has been reached, subsequent tax cuts will not increase revenue but rather decrease it. Laffer’s analysis was correct when assessing the tax cuts of Coolidge, Kennedy, and Reagan, but that was when taxes were being cut from the revenue-prohibitive range of 70% — now, the top marginal rate is 37%. While we do not know the precise rate at which revenue is maximized, it is more likely than not that it has already been reached, and future tax cuts are sure to increase the deficit.
The deficit-increasing consequence of future tax cuts actually means that tax cuts are not truly tax cuts. Rather, they are a redistribution of taxation today to the taxation of our children and grandchildren. A Hoover Institute economist described this quite succinctly, saying, “Unless spending is altered, borrowing today is just implying future taxation.” When one looks at the issue this way, spending reductions today are the real way to cut taxes.
Furthermore, the increased borrowing resulting from tax cuts puts proponents of such cuts in the camp of the Keynesians, whom conservatives have spent decades rebuking. It is a Keynesian idea that borrowing today stimulates economic growth tomorrow. Such a position is not one that any self-proclaimed conservative should take — leave it to the leftists to make fiscally unsound policies.
Looking Ahead
The 21st century brings new challenges for conservatives to tackle. American Patriots look around and see the spread of toxic racialist ideas, the hypersexualization of society, the decline of the family, mass immigration, and rampant materialism. Tackling each of these issues is of greater importance than cutting marginal tax rates for the wealthy — a group of people that has collectively stood by and cheered on the moral rot that consumes America.
If Milton Friedman were around today, I think he would agree with me.
How can we undo the Great Society, the New Deal, or ObamaCare when so many of our countrymen no longer understand the Constitution or cherish the ideas that made America so great? Reviving civic values and replacing our culture of instant gratification with one of restraint and discipline is the challenge of our day, and it is time to meet it.
VIDEOS
- What Might Happen to Fani Willis Next? — Ashleigh Merchant, partner at The Merchant Law Firm, talks about whether there will be investigations into Fani Willis by the Georgia attorney general or others.
- Gaza City Pier Revue — Joe Biden has given orders that the U.S. military must now do what Hamas has refused to do — namely, build something useful for the Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip.
- Arabs and Israelis: Finding Common Ground — Growing up in Bahrain, Fatema Al Harbi was taught that Jews hated her because she’s Muslim and, in turn, she should hate them because they’re Jews. What changed her mind?
- This Is What Femininity Looks Like — Contrary to the teachings of our materialistic society, femininity is not simply a costume that can be worn but a spiritual aspect of humanity that cannot be imitated.
- The Disturbing Truth About Recycling — Patrick Bet-David explains the disturbing truth about recycling and the impact it has on our environment.
- Inside Biden’s Head: The Inside-Out Parody — What goes on inside Joe Biden’s head, exactly? Take a deep dive into the master inner workings of our president’s brain.
BEST OF RIGHT OPINION
- STEPHEN MOOREBiden’s Tax Plan That Puts America Last
- BYRON YORKBiden’s ‘Lawfare’ Joke
- TIM GRAHAMCNN Rips Elon Musk, Sinking Into the ‘Right-Wing Fever Swamps’
- BETSY MCCAUGHEYNew York Doomed to Be Migrant Central — Other Cities Take Note
- STAR PARKERAbortion Is a Winning Issue for Republicans
For more of today’s columns, visit Right Opinion.
SHORT CUTS
Intellectual Lightweight
“My biggest concern is that your view has the First Amendment hamstringing the government in significant ways.” —Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (“The entire Bill of Rights is meant to ‘hamstring’ the government from trampling our God-given rights, even if what we do with those rights is distasteful to coastal elites.” —Thomas Gallatin)
Dezinformatsiya
“[Trump is] predicting a ‘bloodbath.’ What does that mean? He’s going to exact a bloodbath?” —Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
“Since when does anybody use the term ‘bloodbath’ related to economic problems? Especially someone who already incited a ‘bloodbath’ after he lost the last election. We all know what he meant.” —Congressman Dan Goldman (D-NY)
“He was talking about a bloodbath. Sometimes a bloodbath means a bloodbath.” —MSBNC’s Joe Scarborough
“Trump Says Some Migrants Are ‘Not People’ and Predicts a ‘Blood Bath’ if He Loses.” —The New York Times
“Trump says there will be a ‘bloodbath’ if he loses the election.” —NBC News
“‘A bloodbath.’ What would you say if you saw this in another country?” —Hillary Clinton
“That’s how fascism and totalitarianism and … the Holocaust came to Germany. … A major party candidate is saying, ‘You elect me, there’s going to be dictatorship, bloodbath, violence, retribution against my political enemies that equals what we saw in Italy and Germany and other places.” —NBC News presidential historian Michael Beschloss
“Trump is not Hitler or Stalin or Mussolini. But they share a rhetorical style, experts say.” —Politico’s Michael Kruse
“’Bloodbath’ aside, Trump’s violent rhetoric is unambiguous.” —The Washington Post’s Aaron Blake
“It’s clear this guy wants another January 6.” —Joe Biden
For the Record
“Trump is talking about the automotive industry. He mentions cars before and after the ‘bloodbath’ comment. … If Democrats had any kind of coherent message beyond blurting out ‘Jan. 6’ every few minutes, they would argue about trade with Trump rather than concocting nonexistent threats.” —David Harsanyi
“However much you hate the media, it’s not enough. And no matter how much you can bring yourself to hate them, it will never be as much as they hate you. These despicable creatures divide Americans by skin color, sexual orientation, income and any other way possible, while whining about how it’s Republicans dividing people. It’s how a President can give a speech calling everyone who disagrees with him a Nazi, then call for people to unite with him. When you have zero chance of being called out for your hypocrisy, why not be a hypocrite?” —political strategist Derek Hunter
The BIG Lies
“The president has done everything that he can to deal with oil. … The actions that he took led to lowering gas prices.” —White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
“We’re going to keep making the case for a second term by lowering the costs and creating more jobs.” —Joe Biden
Belly Laugh of the Day
“I think she’s the brightest person on the Court.” —Joe Biden regarding Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
Insight
“After having thus successively taken each member of the community in its powerful grasp and fashioned him at will, the supreme power then extends its arm over the whole community. It covers the surface of society with a network of small complicated rules, minute and uniform, through which the most original minds and the most energetic characters cannot penetrate, to rise above the crowd. The will of man is not shattered, but softened, bent, and guided; men are seldom forced by it to act, but they are constantly restrained from acting. Such a power does not destroy, but it prevents existence; it does not tyrannize, but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd.” —French historian Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859)
TODAY’S MEME
For more of today’s memes, visit the Memesters Union.
TODAY’S CARTOON
For more of today’s cartoons, visit the Cartoons archive.
“From The Patriot Post (patriotpost.us)”.
After Fleeting SCOTUS Victory, Appeals Court Pauses Texas Border Security Law Again
State enforcement of immigration laws is tantamount to ‘chaos,’ according to the three dissenting liberals on the Supreme Court.
Court Flips Coin To See If Texas Allowed To Enforce Laws Today | Babylon Bee
U.S. — Leaders in the Lone Star State awoke this morning eager to learn how they would be able to address the border crisis as a federal court once again flipped a coin to see if Texas would be allowed to enforce laws today.
The daily routine, consisting of finding out whether law enforcement officers would have the power to enforce laws depending on the whims of different federal judges, has swung wildly from one day to the next, leaving Texas officials wondering which side of the argument currently had the advantage.
“Step right up for the daily coin flip to determine if laws can be enforced!” shouted the bailiff as the court session began. “Place your bets on whether or not the court will rule that laws actually exist for a specific purpose or if they’re just arbitrary statements written mindlessly in a book somewhere for no reason.”
With thousands of migrants crossing the border illegally each day and the federal government refusing to take action, Texas sought to create its own solutions before hitting legal roadblocks. “It’s actually become a fun game,” one Texas official said. “We make bets. Steve over there had made a killing. It’s a toss-up every day as to whether we can enforce laws or not.”
At publishing time, the federal court was reportedly preparing to install a large game show-style wheel in the courthouse to generate even more excitement and suspense for the daily decision on whether Texas was allowed to keep itself from being invaded by foreign countries.
https://babylonbee.com/news/federal-court-flips-coin-to-see-if-texas-allowed-to-enforce-laws-today
Tony Bobulinski calls out Biden corruption, influence peddling – YouTube
Former associate Tony Bobulinski reveals all he knows about the corruption and influence peddling of the Biden family. Businessman Lev Parnas provides an opposing account.
— Read on www.youtube.com/watch
Why Is The West Suddenly Revealing Its Troop Presence In Ukraine? | ZeroHedge
They have provided Ukraine with everything but the bodies. President Joe Biden has long insisted that American troops “are not and will not be engaged in a conflict with Russia in Ukraine.” The West has long denied that it is directly involved in the war or that they have troops in Ukraine.
And that is mostly true. It is Ukrainian soldiers that are being injured and killed in the hundreds of thousands. But it is not entirely true. After two years of steadfast denial, there has been, over just a couple of weeks in February and March, a flurry of admissions and revelations that there are NATO troops in Ukraine. The question is, why? What is the motivation behind this sudden trove of revelations?
The flurry was kicked off by the release of a transcript of an intercepted February 19 conversation between senior German air force officials that revealed that the United Kingdom has people on the ground in Ukraine. Discussing how German Taurus long-range missiles could be operated in Ukraine, one official says that the Germans “know how the English do it…They have several people on-site.” The conversation between the German officials also appears to implicate the United States. One official says, “It’s known that there are numerous people there in civilian attire who speak with an American accent.”
On February 26, a New York Times report revealed who those civilians may be. More than 200 current and former officials leaked to the Times that “scores” of CIA officers are in Ukraine where they “help the Ukrainians” by providing “intelligence for targeted missile strikes” and “intelligence support for lethal operations against Russian forces on Ukrainian soil.”
On February 26, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz broadened the list to include France. Scholz defended his decision not to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine by saying that it would require the presence of Germans in Ukraine to match their British and French counterparts. He explained, “What is being done in the way of target control and accompanying target control on the part of the British and the French can’t be done in Germany.”
— Read on www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/why-west-suddenly-revealing-its-troop-presence-ukraine
Courts Continue Texas Border Battle | The NEWSMAX Daily (03/20/2024) – YouTube
Today’s 20-min top headline news brief from NEWSMAX includes:
[2:42] -Former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and former CBP chief Mark Morgan on the Supreme Court’s Texas border ruling. [Wake Up America]
[6:24] -Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton: “Feds are not taking down our razor wire and we’re putting more up.” [Eric Bolling The Balance]
[7:26] -Newsmax Congressional Correspondent Kilmeny Duchardt: Many Republicans are skeptical about the agreement to fund the government. [Newsmax Breaking]
[9:47] -Newsmax host and former Navy SEAL Carl Higbie reacts to Gen. Mark Milley’s Afghanistan exit testimony in Congress. [Carl Higbie Frontline]
[14:38] -The Biden Administration warns that Iran is poised to attack our drinking water systems.
[16:31] -Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio): Peter Navarro is in prison for doing the same thing Hunter Biden is doing. [Greg Kelly Reports]https://youtu.be/8mfGXoS_U6o
— Read on www.youtube.com/watch
Joe Biden is the Biden family’s ‘closer,’ GOP rep. warns – YouTube
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., joined ‘Fox & Friends First’ to discuss his reaction to Hunter Biden’s refusal and where Republicans are at with proving policy stages stemming from alleged Biden family influence peddling. #FoxNews
— Read on www.youtube.com/watch
Ron Paul Warns Public to Prepare for Unpredictable ‘Black Swan’ Event During Tucker Carlson Interview (VIDEO) | The Gateway Pundit
In a thought-provoking interview with Tucker Carlson, former Texas Representative Ron Paul advised the public to brace themselves for a potential “Black Swan” event, a rare event with severe consequences that cannot be predicted.
During a detailed discussion on the Tucker Carlson Show, Paul reflected on the current geopolitical tensions and how he had foreseen the potential for conflict in regions like Ukraine in 2014, long before mainstream recognition.
Ron Paul, recognized for his consistent principles and foresight into economic and foreign policy, used the platform to express his concerns about unexpected, significant events that could catch the world by surprise.
“I think we’re reaching this point where some sudden thing is going to happen. I believe in that theory of the black swan. Yes, it’s going to pop up, and it’s not going to be controllable,” Paul said.
Paul stressed the importance of education in understanding and preparing for these challenges. He touted his homeschooling program, which aims to teach these principles early.
“But people you ask, what can they do? I think the most important thing is understanding what’s going on, which is education. That’s why I happen to have a homeschooling program. And I try to teach this stuff early because you can’t change it. You can’t just demand, for example, $50 an hour. That’s not how it works… You have to know what actions to take. One is to protect your money. Another is to protect your wealth,” Paul added.
The former Congressman elaborated that beyond accumulating resources and wealth, it is crucial to have a deep understanding of the underlying causes that lead to societal and economic shifts.
“It’s very, very dangerous,” he warned, advocating for a more decentralized approach to governance where states act more independently.
WATCH:
You can watch the full interview below:
Catherine Herridge said the same on CBS last year. The Gateway Pundit previously reported that during the year-end CBS News correspondents roundtable, Catherine Herridge, the network’s senior investigative correspondent, made a grim prediction for 2024, referring to a potential ‘Black Swan event’ – a national security crisis with unpredictable high impact.
A “black swan event” refers to an unpredictable or unforeseen event, typically one with extreme consequences. This term was popularized by Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his 2007 book “The Black Swan”.
Margaret Brennan, moderating the discussion, asked Herridge about her prediction.
Catherine Herridge, a seasoned reporter who has covered national security and intelligence for years, had an unsettling message regarding what the future might hold, especially under the Biden regime.
“Well, mine’s a little dark,” she began. “I just feel a lot of concern that 2024 may be the year of a black swan event. This is a national security event with high impact that’s very hard to predict.”
She outlined several factors contributing to her prediction. “There are a number of concerns- concerns, I have that factor into that. Not only this sort of enduring, heightened threat level that we’re facing, the wars in Israel, also Ukraine.”
Herridge emphasized the internal divisions within the United States, which she believes could create opportunities for adversaries like North Korea, China, and Iran.
“And we’re so divided in this country in ways that we haven’t seen before. And I think that just creates fertile ground for our adversaries like North Korea, China and Iran. And that’s what concerns me most,” she added.
Responding to Herridge’s comments, Brennan noted the widespread anxiety such predictions could cause. “A lot of people are up at night with that concern, Catherine. At least in this town,” Brennan said, highlighting the gravity of Herridge’s warning.
The post Ron Paul Warns Public to Prepare for Unpredictable ‘Black Swan’ Event During Tucker Carlson Interview (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Hunter and James Biden accused of lying by House GOP impeachment witnesses
First son Hunter Biden and first brother James Biden will be accused of lying by House Republican impeachment inquiry witnesses during a Wednesday congressional hearing, according to a copy of their prepared remarks obtained by The Post. Tony Bobulinski will accuse his former business partners Hunter and James of “perjury” during depositions they gave last…
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