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HELPING REBELS UNDERSTAND THEY’RE REBELS
HELPING REBELS UNDERSTAND THEY’RE REBELS
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Daily Archives: June 5, 2024
THE GOSPEL VS. COMMUNISM
It’s Witness Wednesday! Join us for a very interesting conversation with the president of the Communist Party at Georgia State. Wretched Radio | Air …
THE GOSPEL VS. COMMUNISM
Wednesday: A Moral and Ethical Foundation
In The Day America Told the Truth there is this sad anecdote. In 1987 a university president was teaching an adult Sunday school class in his local church. It included bankers, business executives and college professors. He asked this question, based on a recent news event: “We hear on the news that an Iranian ship has been sunk in the Persian Gulf. The Iranian government says that it was sunk by American torpedoes. The U.S. government says that the ship hit Iranian mines. Whom do you believe?” The class was silent. No one answered. Everyone wanted more information before deciding what they thought had happened. Not one person in the class trusted his own government enough to believe it would be telling the truth.1
We need to have our national morality renewed. But, of course, that is only another way of talking about the problem. Corporate morality is the one thing we cannot have if the only thing we can say about values is that they are relative.
This is what Charles Colson told the Harvard Business School when he was invited to address it as part of Harvard’s Distinguished Lecturer series. He told them they could not teach ethics, because ethics requires absolutes and the philosophical basis of American higher education, including education at Harvard, is relativism. He distinguished between “ethics” and “morals.” Here is what he told them:
The word “ethics” derives from the Greek word ethos, which literally means “stall”—a hiding place. It was the one place you could go and find security. There could be rest and something that you could depend on; it was unmovable. “Morals” derives from the word mores, which means “always changing.” Ethics or ethos is the normative, what ought to be. Morals is what is. Unfortunately, in American life today we are totally guided by moral determinations. So, we’re not even looking at ethical standards.2
He argued that in order to have ethics a nation must have access to a set of absolute values or at least believe they can be found.
However, the only place those values can be found is in the biblical revelation, which is why the Judeo-Christian value system has served so well and for so long as the soul of Western civilization. It is also why we need it again today, and so desperately.
1James Patterson and Peter Kim, The Day America Told the Truth: What People Really Believe About Everything That Really Matters (New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1991), 208.
2Charles W. Colson, The Problem of Ethics, number 2 in the Sources series (Washington, D.C.: The Wilberforce Forum, 1992), 9.
06/05/24 Deeply Moved
READING:
One-year plan: 2 Kings 15-17, John 11:17-44
Two-year plan: Deuteronomy 3, Mark 15:21-32
———
Lazarus was dead. He had been dead for four days. His family and friends wept. Consider also the descriptions of Jesus’ emotions on that day:
John 11:33 When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, He was angry in His spirit and deeply moved. (HCSB)
John 11:35 Jesus wept.
John 11:38 Then Jesus, angry in Himself again, came to the tomb.
While commentators differ on the reason for Jesus’ emotions, I cannot help but see both His love and His righteous anger at sin and unbelief. He apparently burst into quiet tears not because a friend had died (He had already said that Lazarus would rise again in John 11:23), but because the fallen world He loved suffered under the weight of sin. His other reactions — reactions of anger and agitation — fall on the heels of people who remained in their grief even though the Son of God stood in their midst. The One who is the resurrection and the life (John 11:24) was there, but the people failed to recognize Him for who He was.
Sometimes, I suspect we, too, fail to remember who He is when we face our own difficulties and tragedies.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: How much do you lean on Jesus and trust Him in difficult times?
PRAYER: “Jesus, help me to trust that You are the resurrection and the life.”
TOMORROW’S READINGS:
One-year plan: 2 Kings 18-20, John 11:45-12:19
Two-year plan: Deuteronomy 4, Mark 15:33-47
*portions first published in 2015
Related
10/29/15 Jesus Wept
READING: John 11 TEXTS AND APPLICATION: Lazarus was dead. He had been dead for four days. His family and friends wept. Jesus was on the scene — but even His presence didn’t automatically remove their grief. Consider the descriptions of Jesus’ emotions on that day: John 11:33 When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews…October 29, 2015
In “Devotional”
05/30/17 Angry in His Spirit
READING: 2 Chronicles 10-12, John 11:30-57 “He was angry in His spirit and deeply moved.” John 11:33 “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Many of us learned the memory verse early in our Christian walk, primarily because it is the shortest verse in the English Bible. We didn’t always know precisely why Jesus wept, but…May 30, 2017
In “Devotional”
04/27/17 Jesus Wept
READING: 1 Kings 1-2, Luke 19:28-48 “When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it.” Luke 19:41 The Son of God had come to Jerusalem, but the city rejected Him. The religious leaders called Him a blasphemer. The political leaders saw him as a threat. The common people at first…April 27, 2017
In “Devotional”
June 7 – Adonijah’s Not So Humble Request | VCY
TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
1 Kings 2:1-3:2
Acts 5:1-42
Psalm 125:1-5
Proverbs 16:25
1 Kings 2:3 — King David gives his most important advice to Solomon. Be a man (1 Kings 2:2), but most importantly obey the LORD thy God. David’s charge to Solomon here uses language from Psalm 119. Ways (6x in Psalm 119), statutes (22x in Psalm 119), commandments (22x in Psalm 119), judgments (22x in Psalm 119), testimonies (23x in Psalm 119), and Law (25x in Psalm 119). 120 times in Psalm 119 he uses these six words to refer to the requirements of God. Why?
“… that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest …” Prosperity is the dominant desire of America for the last hundred plus years. One of the more interesting characters promoting this idea is Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich (1937), one of the 10 bestselling self-help books of all time. We need to follow the LORD, and we can prosper – without having to buy any other books!
1 Kings 2:5 — Joab is a man that has stood out in the passages we have read. David has not forgotten his deeds to Abner and Amasa. Because Joab was loyal to David, David had to deal tactfully with Joab, so David lets Solomon tend to the problem. We see David has a good memory of his friends (Barzillai) and his enemies (Shimei).
1 Kings 2:17 — Such a simple request, but it was a request that cost him his life (1 Kings 2:25). From The Bible Knowledge Commentary:
Solomon in his wisdom realized that the people would regard Abishag as a concubine and therefore would interpret Adonijah’s marriage to her as a claim to the throne. Also since Adonijah was older (v. 22) than Solomon (cf. 2 Sam. 3:4 with 2 Sam. 5:13–14) the people would assume that he had more right to be king than Solomon.
Thomas L. Constable, “1 Kings,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 492.
1 Kings 2:39-40 — While not exactly applicable, the principle of Deuteronomy 23:15 does apply.
1 Kings 3:1 — Leviticus 18:3 warned against the doings of the land of Egypt. Deuteronomy 17:16 warned about causing the people to return to Egypt.
Acts 5:5 — God has the power to bring the dead to life and to take the living to death. Not all signs (Acts 5:12) were positive situations for rejoicing.
Acts 5:21 — John on the Isle of Patmos records some of the last words of Jesus to us: “I have set before thee an open door.” (Revelation 3:8) The door was opened so that we could go, stand, and preach!
Acts 5:33 — The same God who broke up Adonijah’s war party with intense fear, allowed Gamaliel to be the tool to spare His servants and to further their ministry.
Acts 5:42 — From Earl Martin:
Psalm 125:1 — The promise of 1 Kings 2:3 has just been expanded to all that trust in the LORD. This promise applies to you – IF you trust and obey!
Proverbs 16:25 — Does God want you to follow your heart? No, He just wants you to follow Him!
Share how reading thru 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.
Nothing to Alarm Us | VCY
But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. (Daniel 12:13)
We cannot understand all the prophecies, but yet we regard them with pleasure and not with dismay. There can be nothing in the Father’s decree which should justly alarm His child. Though the abomination of desolation be set up, yet the true believer shall not be defiled; rather shall he be purified, and made white, and tried. Though the earth be burned up, no smell of fire shall come upon the chosen. Amid the crash of matter and the wreck of worlds, the Lord Jehovah will preserve His own.
Calmly resolute in duty, brave in conflict, patient in suffering, let us go our way, keeping to our road, and neither swerving from it nor loitering in it. The end will come; let us go our way till it does.
Rest will be ours, All other things swing to and fro, but our foundation standeth sure. God rests in His love, and, therefore, we rest in it. Our peace is, and ever shall be, like a river. A lot in the heavenly Canaan is ours, and we shall stand in it, come what may. The God of Daniel will give a worthy portion to all who dare to be decided for truth and holiness as Daniel was. No den of lions shall deprive us of our sure inheritance.
Daily Devotional | God’s Presence in Temptation
I am fascinated by lighthouses and enjoy visiting them on vacations. Lighthouses were not just designed as beautiful landmarks, but they helped seafaring vessels safely navigate darkness and storms, guiding them safely to port. The captain of many a ship has thankfully used those bright beams to avoid tragedy. God’s Word and His presence in our lives are like that lighthouse, beaming a clear, steady light amid life’s storms. God uses His Word to guide and protect us when we face stormy temptations.
Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.Matthew 4:4
Matthew 4 describes how Jesus was led by the Spirit (v. 1) into the desert where He was tempted by the devil. Satan approached the Lord three times, trying to get Him to yield to his tempting suggestions. The wilderness setting was bleak, a stark contrast to Adam and Eve’s temptation in a luscious garden (Gen. 2:8; 3:1–6). And, despite Jesus’ physical weakness from going without food for forty days (v. 2), He effectively countered each temptation by quoting the book of Deuteronomy.
When Satan tempted Jesus to use His divine power to satisfy His hunger, turning stones into bread, Jesus replied with a direct quote: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Deut. 8:3). Each temptation was met with Jesus quoting God’s Word. And then, “the devil left him” (v. 11).
God’s Word and the Spirit were present at the very beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. And once again, we see God’s Word provide triumphant power over Satan’s attempts to tempt Jesus. We too have access to that powerful defense. Just like Jesus, we can saturate our minds with the truths of God’s Word. Hiding God’s Word in our heart can give us power over the temptations we face each day. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
Go Deeper
What can we learn about resisting temptation from following our Lord’s example? How is God’s Word like a lighthouse?
Pray with Us: Almighty God, through your Son Jesus Christ You’ve shown us that You are with us even in times of temptation. Like Jesus, we can have power over temptation by living in the light and truth of Your Word. “In your light we see light” (Ps. 36:9).
BY James Coakley
Dr. Jim Coakley is professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute. He earned his BA in Pastoral Studies from Calvary Bible College, his M.Div. and Th.M. in Old Testament from Grace Theological Seminary, and his doctorate from Covenant Theological Seminary. Jim is the author of 14 Fresh Ways to Enjoy the Bible (Moody Publishers). He and his wife, Gayle, live in the western suburbs of Chicago and have two adult children and three grandchildren.
Why Creeds Are an Essential Characteristic of Christianity (Podcast) | Cold Case Christianity
In this podcast, J. Warner examines the historic, creedal nature of Christianity. Why are creeds so important to the Christian worldview? How early did they emerge? How can we affirm the creedal nature of Christianity in a pluralistic, relativistic culture? Jim investigates the early use of creeds and the continuing role creeds play in defining the Christian worldview.
Subscribe to the Cold-Case Christianity Weekly Podcast on iTunes, or add the podcast from our RSS Feed. Subscribe to the Cold-Case Christianity Radio Interview Podcast on iTunes, or add the podcast from our RSS Feed.
For more information about the reliability of the New Testament gospels and the case for Christianity, please read Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels. This book teaches readers ten principles of cold-case investigations and applies these strategies to investigate the claims of the gospel authors. The book is accompanied by an eight-session Cold-Case Christianity DVD Set (and Participant’s Guide) to help individuals or small groups examine the evidence and make the case.
The post Why Creeds Are an Essential Characteristic of Christianity (Podcast) first appeared on Cold Case Christianity.
5 June 2024 News Briefing
Syria says no dialogue with Turkiye before Ankara announces plans to withdraw its troops
Faisal Mekdad made the comments during a joint news conference with Iran’s acting foreign minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, after Turkiye threatened in recent days to act against Kurdish-led authorities in Syria’s northeast as they prepare to hold municipal elections next week.
‘No sign of a backlash’: CNN data guru says more foreign-born voters back Trump over Biden
data reporter Harry Enten said Tuesday that foreign-born voters were favoring former President Donald Trump over President Joe Biden. Enten cited data from two recent polls conducted by CNN and SSRS that show Trump leading Biden by 3% among “U.S voters born outside the country.
Slovenia recognizes an independent Palestinian state
Slovenia recognized a Palestinian state on Tuesday after its parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of the move, following in the recent steps of three other European countries. Slovenia’s government endorsed a motion last week to recognize a Palestinian state, and had sent the proposal to parliament for final approval, which was needed for the decision to take effect. Slovenia’s decision came days after Spain, Norway and Ireland recognized a state of Palestinian,
Our Nation Is Dying Because Of Idle Shepards Who Refuse To Get Involved In ‘Political Issues’
Abortion is one of the driving political forces of this current election cycle. Sadly, many ill-informed pastors and Christians refuse to get involved in things like the sanctity of life because of their politics. “That’s political stuff,” they say. Really? Do you know how that happened? Politicians ran into the church, took the topic of abortion, and declared it to be a political issue,
Fires continue to rage on northern border as War Cabinet discusses how to fight Hezbollah
Israel’s War Cabinet convened on Tuesday evening to discuss the escalation on the northern border. The discussion took place at the request of Minister Benny Gantz following the last 24 hours, during which many fires broke out across areas close to the border with Lebanon following Hezbollah missile barrages.
Israeli heat wave breaks country’s temperature records ahead of hellish summer
Israel’s forecast for the coming summer is extremely hot, with heat records being broken one after another – including in the Amiad area in northern Israel, where a large fire was raging – with weather experts predicting extremely hot summer months ahead. The Israel Meteorological Service said that the heat record for June was broken at the Gilgal station in the Jordan Valley on Monday with a temperature of 48.1°C (118.58°F). It was also the highest temperature measured at the site in 22 years.
Chief of Staff in north: ‘We’re approaching point where decision needs to be made’
Halevi stated, “We are approaching the point where a decision will have to be made, and the IDF is prepared and very ready for this decision. We have been striking here for eight months and Hezbollah is paying a very, very high price. Hezbollah has increased its attacks in recent days and we are prepared after a very good process of training up to the level of a General Staff exercise to move to an offensive in the north.
Iran’s Acting FM Meets Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad Leaders in Syria, Calls for Gaza Ceasefire
Bagheri Kani held meetings with key figures from the Palestinian terrorist factions at the Iranian embassy in Damascus, the Syrian capital. Hamas, which rules Gaza, and PIJ have both long received extensive support from Iran, including funding, weapons, and training.
The Green Prince: ‘Palestine depends on the destruction of Israel’
Mossab Hassan Yousef, son of a Hamas co-founder, argues that Palestine’s existence depends on Israel’s destruction and criticizes the Palestinian Authority’s threat to Israel. “Palestine depends on the destruction of Israel. If there is any definition of Palestine, it means the absence of Israel,”
Mile-long terror tunnel uncovered and destroyed in central Gaza
During the raids, the troops located rocket warheads and many weapons including rockets and an anti-aircraft missile launcher. During the activity, a terrorist cell fired an RPG at the troops, who responded with quick artillery fire, and directed by the brigade’s Fire Control Center, an Israeli Air Force aircraft eliminated the terrorists.
Netanyahu to Macron: ‘Hostage deal outline would allow Israel to eliminate Hamas’
Netanyahu informed the French President of the details of the outline for the release of the hostages and emphasized that it allows Israel to realize all the goals of the war it has defined.
Biden refuses to acknowledge Israel did not commit ‘war crimes’
In an interview with Time magazine, … Joe Biden refused to say that Israel did not commit war crimes in Gaza. “The answer is it’s uncertain and has been investigated by the Israelis themselves,”
Ambassador David Friedman Advocates for a ‘One Jewish State’ Solution
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman discussed his new movement, ‘One Jewish State’ which offers a compelling response to the viability of the two-state solution post-October 7th at the Jerusalem Post Conference yesterday in NYC. Friedman argues for a single-state solution, emphasizing Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. “I think you can support this plan, whether you’re on the left or the right,
Mexico’s woke new president Claudia Sheinbaum is strongly pro-abortion and pro-LGBT
Claudia Sheinbaum, who pitched herself as a successor to Mexico’s outgoing leftist president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, is the new president after a landslide victory on June 2 that saw her securing 58.8% of the votes with 82% of the ballots counted. A former mayor of Mexico City, Sheinbaum has vaunted her credentials as a “climate scientist” and is being celebrated by progressive leaders such as President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the first female president of Mexico – and as a kindred spirit.
‘Pray that the Lord will watch over us’ – Messianic soldier talks about fighting in Gaza
Messianic Jews serving in the Israel Defense Forces is not a recent phenomenon. In fact, they’ve been around ever since Israel’s War of Independence in 1948. Currently, there are hundreds of Messianic Jews serving in many positions throughout the IDF, both in regular and reservist service.
Navy SEALs ridiculed for promoting LGBT ‘pride’ on social media: ‘Our enemies are laughing at us’
The Navy SEALs — famous for being one of the military’s most elite, respected fighting forces — and the Department of Defense are being blasted on social media for promoting rainbow-colored social media posts promoting Pride month. Even as many national and multinational corporations seem to have toned down their annual Pride month fanfare, the U.S. military has gone all-in for praising “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer” lifestyles, equating them with valorous virtues of “Dignity, Service, Respect, Equality Pride.”
Bombing low drops more than a month’s worth of rain over Sydney in just one day, Australia
Sydney, Australia recorded 142.6 mm (5.6 inches) of rain on June 1 and 2, 2024, surpassing its June average of 132 mm (5.2 inches) in just one day and marking its second wettest June day on record.
Heavy monsoon rains claim 17 lives, force school closures in Sri Lanka
Heavy monsoon rains affecting Sri Lanka since Sunday, June 2, 2024, caused deadly flash floods and mudslides in which at least 17 lives were lost. More than 80 000 people have been affected.
Police Department Plans To Utilize Drones For 911 Calls
Law enforcement agencies in Colorado intend to start using drones to respond to 911 calls. The Denver Police Department (DPD) is among the agencies that intend to utilize the dystopian technology.
More than 1 million chickens dead after massive southern Illinois fire
A massive blaze at a farm in southern Illinois has left more than one million birds dead and the facility a total loss, officials said. The fire broke out at approximately 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Farina, a community located in Marion County,
US government enforces showing a national ID before boarding domestic flights
A US government policy that takes effect next year will crush domestic air travel under the guise of national security. The scheme will disqualify many Americans from boarding domestic flights unless they show a national ID.
BREAKING: UK’s Telegraph Comes Clean – Front Page Headline Reads “Covid Jabs May Be to Blame for Increase in Excess Deaths”
The fake news is finally coming clean. The UK Telegraph published a report on its front page titled, “Covid vaccines may have helped fuel rise in excess deaths.”
BMW Admits Not Changing Logo To LGBTQ Colours In Middle East Due To “Cultural Aspects”
German auto manufacturer BMW has admitted that it only changes its logo for Pride month in certain regions and not others, taking into account “cultural aspects.”
‘Pregnant man’ becomes ‘abortion doula’ to assist others who want to kill their babies
“…It’s all there, isn’t it? In a single paragraph, we have all of the most insane and insidious progressive views on display. There’s the fiction of the “pregnant man.” There’s the “pregnant man” getting an abortion — that is, a gender-dysphoric female having her child killed by an abortionist. There’s the fact that the abortion clinic staff is faulted not for facilitating feticide but for paying insufficient attention to pronouns.”
Fauci’s God complex destroyed trust in American institutions
It looks like the self-professed human embodiment of science is also full of you-know-what. Ahead of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s public testimony Monday before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, Republicans released a transcript of their January sit-down with the pandemic poobah. And, boy, was it revelatory.
Hundreds of Lawmakers Worldwide Warn The WHO’s ‘Pandemic Treaty’ Would Usher In ‘Tyranny And Oppression’
Hundreds of officials from dozens of countries have put the leader of the World Health Organization on notice that if he persists in violating WHO rules to adopt a controversial global pandemic agreement or amend the International Health Regulations (IHR), it will render those provisions “null and void.”
Israeli official says Biden description of Israeli concessions misleading
In NBC News report, the official disputed Biden’s assertion that Israel had agreed to a complete withdrawal of its troops from Gaza as part of the proposed deal, adding “Israel has not changed its conditions to reach a permanent ceasefire. That will only happen after our objectives are met, including destroying Hamas’s military and governing capabilities.”
Breaking: Juror Dismissed After Mob-like Bribery Attempt in Biggest U.S. Pandemic-Era Fraud Scheme Trial Involving 67 ‘Prominent’ Muslims and the Democrat Party
In a shocking development, a juror was dismissed Monday morning after a woman showed up at her house on Sunday, offering a bag containing $120,000 in cash and promising a second bag if the juror voted to acquit the Islamic defendants involved in the largest U.S. pandemic-era fraud scheme.
WW3 WATCH: Kremlin Warns U.S. of ‘Fatal Consequences’ as Biden Greenlights Missile Strikes on Russian Mainland
The Kremlin has warned the United States is facing potentially “fatal consequences” after the Biden regime greenlighted Ukrainian missile strikes on targets within the Russian mainland.
Vatican official says 77% of cases sent to discipline office are about child abuse
The Vatican official responsible for overseeing the Catholic Church’s response to abuse has said that 77 percent of cases he receives involve child abuse.
Retail Theft Is Wildly Out Of Control All Over America, And It Is Only Going To Get Worse As Our Society Descends Into Anarchy
We are right in the middle of a tsunami of shoplifting that never seems to end, and as a result major retailers are closing down locations in major cities all over the country. A few years ago, videos of brazen shoplifters ruthlessly looting retail stores were shocking everyone, but now this sort of thing is so common that very few of us are shocked anymore.
When The Ark Of The Covenant Is Finally Revealed To The World, It Will Be The Greatest Archaeological Bombshell In History
When the entire planet finally gets to see the Ark of the Covenant, it is going to change everything. The Ark of the Covenant disappeared from history more than 2,500 years ago, and many historians are convinced that it no longer exists. So when it is finally unveiled, it will be the greatest archaeological bombshell in human history.
Headlines – 6/5/2024
Slovenia becomes latest European country to recognize a Palestinian state after parliamentary vote
US House passes bill to sanction ICC for seeking Israel arrests warrants
CIA chief returns to region to push hostage deal as Israel vows not to budge further
Israel says no more wiggle room in Gaza talks as senior US officials return to push deal
Top Biden aide: Israel accepted ceasefire proposal, ‘ball is in Hamas’s court’
Biden says Israel ready to advance deal, urges Qatari pressure on Hamas to agree
Qatar says Israeli truce terms sent to Hamas, doubts Netanyahu cabinet can coalesce around it
War cabinet said to demand US guarantees that Israel will be able to resume Gaza war
Biden hints Netanyahu is dragging out Gaza war for political survival
Biden: People have ‘every reason’ to think Netanyahu extending war to stay in power
Macron tells Netanyahu Gaza war must end, is mum on freeing hostages as condition
Both ultra-Orthodox parties back Gaza hostage deal, following far-right opposition
9 soldiers hurt, including 2 seriously, by exploding ordnance at IDF base in south
Western Washington University president caves to demands of Gaza campers
Arab MKs, academics slam bill requiring universities to fire anti-Zionist faculty
Suing Meta, engineer claims he was fired over handling of Gaza content
Political climate sparks ‘notable increase’ in attacks on Israel’s Christians – NGO
AG Garland: Terror Risk in US Surges Since Oct. 7
Capitol Hill to mark Jerusalem Day in shadow of war
Israel inks deal to buy 25 more F-35 fighter jets for $3 billion
IDF chief: Israel nearing decision on whether to launch war against Hezbollah
Fires in northern Israel fuel demands to tackle escalation with Hezbollah
‘A nightmare’: North cries out for action amid widespread fires sparked by Hezbollah
Iran says IRGC general killed in alleged Israeli strike in Aleppo Monday
Nuclear issue looms over Iranian presidential election to succeed Raisi
Kremlin: Swiss Summit on Ukraine Is ‘Absurd’ Waste of Time Without Russia
Transcript tampering? DOJ says written record of Biden interview with prosecutors omitted words
Biden displays signs of decline in private meetings with congressional leaders: Report
Attorney General Merrick Garland blasts conspiracy theories about Trump criminal case and FBI
Lara Trump: Hunter Biden’s Laptop Once Disinformation, Now ‘Truthful’
Prosecutor: Hallie Biden to Testify About ‘Embarrassing’ Use of Crack with Hunter Biden
Hunter Biden jury members have personal ties to drug addiction, addicts
Biden calls Trump ‘convicted felon’ as he sharpens attacks on campaign trail
FBI settles lawsuit out of fear of being caught retaliating against J6 whistleblower, attorney says
Alvin Bragg Gets a Standing Ovation at Church After Trump Conviction
Donald Trump: ‘I Am the Political Prisoner of a Failing Nation’
Trump’s Attorneys Request to Have Gag Order Lifted After Guilty Verdict, Before Presidential Debate
OpenAI Insiders Warn of a ‘Reckless’ Race for Dominance
AI Allows Mourners to ‘Talk’ to Dead Relatives
Thousands of AT&T Customers Hit by Cellular Outage Nationwide – Some Unable to Make 911 Calls
5.6 magnitude earthquake hits near Bengkulu, Indonesia
5.5 magnitude earthquake hits the West Chile Rise
5.4 magnitude earthquake hits the Easter Island region
5.3 magnitude earthquake hits near Ambunti, Papua New Guinea
5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Caconda, Angola
5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Bengkulu, Indonesia
Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts to 29,000ft
Ibu volcano in Indonesia erupts to 21,000ft
Bezymianny volcano on Kamchatka, Russia erupts to 18,000ft
Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupts to 17,000ft
Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 14,000ft
Semeru volcano in Indonesia erupts to 14,000ft
Marapi volcano in Indonesia erupts to 12,000ft
Bombing low drops more than a month’s worth of rain over Sydney in just one day, Australia
Heavy monsoon rains claim 17 lives, force school closures in Sri Lanka
Rare June back-to-back atmospheric rivers hit the Pacific Northwest
Scorching heat wave set to smash records across U.S. Southwest
Israeli heat wave breaks country’s temperature records ahead of hellish summer
Giant Venomous Flying Spiders Set to ‘Invade’ New York, Experts Say
‘Fire of Revival’ Thousands Pack Stadiums in Hungary and Italy for Revival Gatherings
Woman mayor shot dead in Mexico day after Claudia Sheinbaum’s historic presidential win
Illegal immigrant suspect in shooting of NYPD officers was set free by Chicago court in 2023
Trump Pledges to Find and Return Missing Migrant Children and Blasts Biden Over Many ‘Dead’ Kids
GOP Rips Biden’s ‘Desperate’ Election-Year ‘Border Charade’ – ‘Biden Is Gaslighting You’
Rubio writes off Biden southern border executive order as a ‘joke’
Trump: Biden’s Border Action ‘Public Relations’
Jayapal: Biden Using Same Immigration Tool as ‘Xenophobic, Racist’ Trump
Source: Biden’s Immigration Order Will Normalize 2 Million Migrant Entries Yearly
Education diversity consultancy company sees American flags as ‘hate’ symbols
West Hollywood mayor says his favorite part of Pride parade is ‘seeing all the kids’
U.S. Navy Special Warfare Command Posts Pride Month Graphic, Limits Replies
Colorado Republican Party issues call to burn all Pride flags
House Democrats will try to force a vote to protect contraception, putting GOP on record
CDC: Take ‘Morning-After’ Antibiotic to Prevent STDs
‘Extremely impressive’: melanoma jab trial results excite doctors
Why did Moderna sign a government contract for its vaccines before COVID-19?
The Telegraph: Covid vaccines may have helped fuel rise in excess deaths
NYT Publish Op-Ed Suggesting COVID Likely Came from Wuhan Lab and Fauci Funded It
Anthony Fauci Dismisses Allegations of Downplaying Coronavirus Lab Leak Theory: ‘None on My Part’
Fauci Says the Idea That He Covered Up a Lab Leak Is ‘Preposterous’
Mid-Day Snapshot · June 5, 2024
“From The Patriot Post (patriotpost.us)”.
THE FOUNDATION
“No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause, because his interest would certainly bias his judgment, and, not improbably, corrupt his integrity.” —James Madison (1787)
| Fellow Patriots, on this day in 1947, Secretary of State George Marshall laid out what became known as the Marshall Plan — an ambitious agenda to rebuild Europe following the widespread devastation of World War II. —Mark Alexander |
IN TODAY’S DIGEST
- Biden’s Cynical Illegal Immigration EO
- Executive News Summary
- House GOP Grills Garland on Weaponization
- Troubled Waters at The Washington Post
- The Lawfare Fallout, For Real
- Crazy California Wants to Cap Oil Profits
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FEATURED ANALYSIS
Biden’s Cynical Illegal Immigration EO
His new weak-sauce executive order is as effective as it is beneficial to America. In other words, not at all.
Emmy Griffin
President Joe Biden has finally taken action on the border. Yesterday, he signed an executive order (EO) to bring order to the border … or so he would have us believe. In truth, the EO is an optics ploy more than it is an effort to stem the flow of illegals streaming over our borders.
He falsely asserted, “I’ve come here today to do what the Republicans in Congress refused to do … take the necessary steps to secure our border.” He hopes voters will blame Republicans for the crisis he set out to create starting on his first day in the Oval Office.
As Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) put it, “He really could have used his authority all along. We all know that. And yet he chose to do absolutely nothing about it. So why is he doing it now? Well, folks, you don’t have to be that intelligent to see what’s going on. We have an election just a few months away and this is the number one issue across the United States.”
Biden has heard the discontent of a majority of voters who cite border security as their number one issue and give Biden low marks for handling it — lower even than inflation and the economy. He isn’t handling the border because he intended for this invasion to happen. On his first day in office, he stopped building the border wall. Moreover, he lifted policies like Title 42 that discouraged illegal border-hopping. Ever since he took office, the number of known illegals entering the country has broken records — each year worse than the last — and it’s only now that he is bothering to act? Don’t buy it for a second.
So, what exactly is Biden’s big plan? Namely, barring illegals who cross unlawfully from receiving asylum. That ban will be in place until the number is reduced to a seven-day average of 2,500 illegals crossing a day. To put this in perspective, even the Associated Press admits, “Average daily arrests for illegal crossings from Mexico were last below 2,500 in January 2021, the month that Biden took office. The last time the border encounters dipped to 1,500 a day was in July 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.” More importantly, even Obama DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said that anything above 1,000 crossings a day overwhelms the system.
Even with those 2,500 crossings — which, by the way, discount gotaways — there are exceptions to the ban, like unaccompanied minors or people who are in fear for their lives or have a medical emergency, to name a couple.
As Senator Deb Fisher (R-NE) retorted, “The message of President Biden’s executive order: you can enter our country illegally, just make sure you’re one of the first few thousand each day to do so.”
Then there are those illegals who actually wait for their asylum appointment and show up at their designated point of entry for their hearing, and that’s about 1,500 a day. There are also the migrants from Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba, and Nicaragua who were given parole under Biden. The New York Post reports that the migrants being flown directly into the U.S. under this scheme total around 400,000 a year.
As another New York Post article points out, that’s roughly 1.8 million known illegals getting asylum in the U.S. per year. So Biden’s not really stopping the influx of illegal immigrants, and he’s not really deterring them from entering unlawfully.
As Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) astutely put it, the number of illegal aliens crossing the border per day should be zero.
Biden’s plan also seeks to seize more fentanyl at the border and to work with Mexico to stop cartels from using mules to get the deadly drug into the U.S. As Biden said yesterday, “We’ve chosen to work together with Mexico as an equal partner. The facts are clear: Due to the arrangement that I have reached with President [Andrés Manuel López] Obrador, the numbers of migrants coming to our shared border unlawfully … has dropped dramatically.” According to CBP statistics, however, the overall drop is negligible, and that’s not accounting for the inevitable summer increase.
Biden’s EO also requires money that Congress has yet to provide. He wants to hire more border security agents, more judges to process asylum claims, and more asylum officers to help question illegals claiming refuge.
Then there’s the legal kerfuffle. A similar EO by Trump in 2018 was quashed by several federal judges. Even The Washington Post admits, “Biden’s executive order is almost certain to trigger immediate lawsuits.” ACLU lawyer Lee Gelernt has already said, “We intend to sue. A ban on asylum is illegal just as it was when Trump unsuccessfully tried it.”
This is perhaps the most twisted part of the EO, and it’s a win-win for Biden. If the EO goes unchallenged legally, there will still be 1.8 million people entering the country annually, which he and the Democrats want anyway. If it’s struck down, he can blame the courts. If he is especially lucky and it rises to the Supreme Court, he can blame conservative justices for stopping his efforts to secure the border and use his defeat to discredit the Court.
At the end of the day, this executive order is a cynical move that doesn’t help the American people or the illegals who are entering the country. The order “won’t stop the invasion,” as Donald Trump put it. “It’s weak, and it’s pathetic. It will actually make the invasion worse.” Biden continues to facilitate this humanitarian crisis, and his own people will bear the cost. It really is a travesty.
Executive News Summary
Douglas Andrews, Thomas Gallatin, & Jordan Candler
Politics
- Day 2 of Hunter’s trial: “He didn’t know he was lying; it was the drugs.” That is effectively the argument Hunter Biden’s defense attorney, Abbe Lowell, presented to the jury on Tuesday, the second day of the first son’s trial over an illegal firearm purchase. Lowell claimed that federal prosecutors “left out the word ‘knowingly’” when they laid out the charges against Hunter, accusing him of having lied about not using illegal drugs on the gun purchasing form. Lowell claims that due to Hunter’s drug addiction, he was in such a “deep state of denial” that he did not “knowingly” lie on the form. Lowell also noted that Hunter never loaded the Colt Cobra .38 Special he purchased, and he never used it. Meanwhile, federal prosecutor Derek Hines argued, “Hunter Biden chose to illegally own a firearm. He was a user of crack and a drug addict. He chose to lie.” Furthermore, Hines noted that “Because he lied, Mr. Biden was able to walk out with a revolver, speed loader, and ammunition.” Jill Biden has been in attendance for both days of the trial.
- Humor: Democrats call for removal of Nelson Mandela statue in DC after learning he was a convicted felon (Babylon Bee)
- Biden in France to commemorate 80th anniversary of D-Day: Early this morning, Joe Biden landed in France, there to join other world leaders in commemorating tomorrow’s 80th anniversary of D-Day at Normandy, the site of the largest amphibious invasion in history. Whatever pharmaceutical cocktail it is that this president’s handlers now administer to him to buy a couple of hours of lucidity, they’d better make it a good one. The moment is too important, and the comparison to Ronald Reagan’s two magnificent addresses there 40 years ago — one at Omaha Beach and one at Pointe du Hoc — will be too glaring. “The men of Normandy,” Reagan said at Pointe du Hoc on June 6, 1984, “had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next.” Who knows what sort of woke, disgraceful, politically tinged nonsense Biden’s handlers will put before him tomorrow? The struggling Washington Post called it “a visit in which he plans to evoke the memory of allies united against tyranny to highlight the stakes of his election campaign and draw a pointed comparison with Donald Trump,” but if Biden dares sully this singular moment with even a hint of politics, may history judge him harshly.
- Biden pretty much accuses Israel of war crimes: With “friends” like Joe Biden, who needs a proctologist? Perhaps that sort of sentiment is on the minds of more than a handful of Israeli citizens these days in the wake of Biden’s answer to a tendentious Time magazine question about whether Israeli forces in Gaza “have committed war crimes.” Biden’s weak and disgraceful answer: “It’s uncertain.” Conservative talker Hugh Hewitt was slack-jawed: “My God,” he said. “Joe Biden gave an interview to Time (of all people) and despite softball after softball, he did a faceplant among his ramblings. Asked if Israel had committed war crimes, the POTUS replied: ‘The answer is it’s uncertain and has been investigated by the Israelis themselves.’ Disgraceful refusal to state the obvious: The conduct of the IDF has set a new standard for the concern for civilians in this war.”
- The transcript from Biden’s interview with TIME is a mess (Townhall)
- Biden got $64M in anonymous donations: During the 2020 election, Joe Biden’s election efforts were boosted by a massive $64 million donation from an Impetus Fund nonprofit organization. Who exactly was behind that donation is still unknown thanks to laws that don’t require nonprofit organizations to disclose their donors. Impetus Fund donated to Biden’s super PAC, Future Forward USA Action. Effectively, Impetus Fund is a “dark money” bundler, where the identity of donors is protected from the public. Hypocritically, the biggest users/abusers of this dark-money system are the very Democrat Party apparatchiks who are constantly pounding the podium calling for campaign finance regulations. Democrats, far more than Republicans, have used this system to cover up where the money is coming from and who these massive donors are. Expect Biden’s super PAC to see gobs more in dark-money donations coming in as Election Day nears.
National Security
- FBI Director Wray wants $661 million more: It’s the oldest trick in the budgeting book: crying “Wolf!” to get the funding you want. And that’s exactly what FBI Director Christopher Wray did yesterday when he appeared before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee and, as Fox News reports, told its members that there’s “an increasing concern of a potential coordinated attack in the U.S., similar to the Islamic State in Khorasan Province attack in March at a concert hall in Russia.” Why the scaremongering? Because Wray was trying to “make his case on the department’s request of $11.3 billion for FY25, or $661 million more than last year.” This isn’t to say that the terrorist threat our nation faces isn’t elevated these days. How could it not be, given Joe Biden’s wide-open (until yesterday) southern border? But we have to ask: Where the heck has Director Wray been for the past three and a half years? Certainly not calling for Biden to close our borders and enforce our nation’s immigration laws.
- Terror threat on U.S. soil “increased enormously” since October 7, Garland testifies (National Review)
- Lebanese forces fend off attack on U.S. embassy in Beirut (Daily Wire)
- Biden denies responsibility for record surge of illegal immigration during his presidency (Daily Wire)
Economy
- OPEC once again tells Biden to pound sand: It’s election season, so Joe Biden must be emptying our Strategic Petroleum Reserves and holding out his tin cup toward the OPEC nations for a better deal on crude, right? Check, and check. And how did that work out? After all, Scranton Joe has tried this tactic before. Not so good, as it turns out. As The Wall Street Journal reports: “OPEC+ on Sunday agreed to extend all production curbs into next year, a deal that likely signals oil prices will remain elevated through the U.S. presidential election. The agreement comes on the same day the group’s kingpin, Saudi Arabia, launched a giant sale of shares in its national oil champion that will yield billions to help fund the kingdom’s economic transformation.” According to Reuters, the cartel is prolonging its existing production cuts “of 3.66 million barrels per day through the end of 2025 and extending its ongoing cuts of 2.2 million barrels per day through September 2024.” Ouch. Perhaps Biden will have to win reelection the hard way, the honest way, without buying folks’ votes at the gas pump. Yeah, right.
- More restaurants close in CA: A Mexican fast-food chain in California, Rubio’s Coastal Grill, announced that it will be closing 48 of its locations due to the “rising cost of doing business.” This is directly tied to the state’s adoption of a $20 per hour minimum wage for fast-food workers that went into effect in April. Since the new minimum wage took effect, some 9,500 workers have lost their jobs, and California’s overall number of fast-food workers has decreased by 1.3% since September. John Kabateck, director of the National Federation of Independent Business California, blamed the state government, contending, “We now have a crazy quilt of minimum-wage laws that make it impossible to hire with any certainty sales will match expenses, paid leave proposals making the retention of employees more and more difficult, and higher unemployment insurance taxes, all of which make throwing in the towel more appealing than trying to stay open for business.” Meanwhile, California now leads the nation in terms of unemployment rate, now at 5.3%.
- Citadel and BlackRock back project to start a national stock exchange in Texas (CNBC)
- Two more Boeing whistleblowers go public over plane safety (NY Post)
Rainbow Mafia
- Trans dude whines about “sportsmanship”: A 16-year-old boy who identifies as a girl and competes on the girls’ track team at East Valley High School near Spokane, Washington, recently won the state championship for the girls’ 400-meter dash. When he accepted the gold medal while standing on the podium, he noticed that his female competitors did not applaud but simply stood with their hands behind their backs. Seeing the lack of celebration for his victory in the girls’ event, he whined to the local paper that he was “somewhat hurt.” “I guess maybe I expected sportsmanship because I was cheering the rest of them on when they were called,” he complained. “So I guess I expected to get that reciprocated. But I didn’t get that.” He then added, “I’m just a teenager. I wish people would remember that.” Well, he is also a boy pretending to be a girl, competing against and beating them. Where is the sportsmanship in lying about the very fundamental physical reality of one’s sex and then complaining when others refuse to celebrate the lie? The pathological narcissism displayed by these gender-benders demonstrates why they are engaged in this lie in the first place.
- Scholastic urges teachers to give kids LGBT books in 2024 guide (Daily Wire)
- Vermont blocked Christian families from fostering over gender ideology, lawsuit alleges (Daily Signal)
- Louisiana set to pass bill giving judges option to order surgical castration for sex offenders (RedState)
For the Executive Summary archive, click here.
Follow Thomas Gallatin and Jordan Candler on X/Twitter.
House GOP Grills Garland on Weaponization
The most partisan attorney general in modern American history got a five-hour grilling on our two-tiered justice system from House Judiciary Republicans.
Douglas Andrews
Merrick Garland never did get that Supreme Court seat he so wanted, but to his great discredit, he’s become the most vicious, most vindictive, most hyper-partisan attorney general of our lifetimes.
Mostly, he’s been able to act with impunity, but not yesterday. No, yesterday, our Framers’ vision for the separation of powers was on full display as Garland was hauled before the Republican-controlled House Judiciary Committee for five hours of testimony. Not that swearing an oath to testify truthfully means anything to Garland, but still. And not that the sort of Gosh, Merrick, you’re just the dreamiest! questions being asked by the committee’s lapdog Democrats were really questions at all, but still. The committee’s Republicans did their constitutional oversight duty, and Garland was the worse for it.
As the Washington Examiner reports: “Garland, 71, was asked about everything from gun control to the potential for terrorist attacks stemming from record levels of illegal immigration, but most of the questions sent his way centered on court cases involving former President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden, and embattled first son Hunter Biden.”
And rightly so. For nowhere — with sincere apologies to concerned parents, pro-life champions, and “radical-traditionalist” Catholics everywhere — is our grotesquely politicized two-tiered justice system more on display than in the deeply disparate treatment currently being meted out to our former president compared to our current one.
Think about it: Donald Trump was just convicted on 34 felony counts for what amounts to an incorrectly labeled bookkeeping entry, while untouchable Joe Biden heads an international influence-peddling crime family and enjoys zero accountability.
As Fox News funnyman Greg Gutfeld sardonically observed, “Most Americans see the contrast. Trump got nailed on a made-up law because of who he was, and [Hunter] Biden was able to escape real laws because of who he was,” adding, “The Bidens are the Corleone family but with hair plugs.”
Jim Jordan, though, isn’t laughing. “Justice is no longer blind in America,” said the Judiciary Committee chairman to Fox News’s Sean Hannity. “Today, it’s driven by politics. Example number one is President Trump.” Jordan continued: “Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said, ‘I cannot see a world in which I would indict Trump and call Mr. Cohen as a prosecution witness.’ But that’s exactly what he did after President Trump announced he was running for president.”
Another big takeaway from yesterday’s proceedings, according to Jordan, was when House Judiciary members tried to determine whether there was any communication or coordination between Garland’s Justice Department and Fulton County DA Fani Willis or Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. Garland says he doesn’t know whether there was communication between the offices, but he refuses to cough up or even acknowledge the existence of any such communication. One might interpret that as a confession.
Then there’s the matter of the audio recordings of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s classified documents interview with Joe Biden. Garland won’t cough that up either, even though he’s already shared a transcript of the interview. Why is this important? Because, as Jordan notes, “We’ve already seen the White House alter the transcripts. The transcripts are different than what President Biden may say when he’s out giving a speech, reading from the teleprompter. We have caught them making adjustments to that before. So we want the audio tape because we want the best evidence to do our constitutional duty to do oversight.”
Put less gently: The audiotape is obviously devastating. It no doubt puts Joe Biden’s dementia and decrepitude on full display, and sharing it with the American people would likely be a death blow to his reelection prospects.
Garland, of course, won’t be persuaded by Jordan’s oversight argument because Democrats don’t believe in the Constitution — at least not when push comes to shove. So, the audio recordings have been subpoenaed, but Garland will continue to stonewall.
What can Congress do with an intransigent AG? They’ve already held him in contempt of Congress but to no avail. Perhaps the next step should be incarceration. After all, as North Carolina Congressman Dan Bishop asked Garland, “What happened to [Trump advisers] Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon when they decided to defy a subpoena of the Congress?”
Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz weighed in on another deeply troubling matter — a matter that has grown in interest since Trump’s hush-money conviction in Manhattan: The “remarkable downstream career journey from the DOJ in Washington, D.C.” to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office just in time to help oversee the prosecution of Donald Trump. “Bragg,” as the Washington Examiner continues, “plucked Colangelo from his post at the DOJ to help with white-collar prosecutions in December 2022. Colangelo had little experience in that field, but he did have a wealth of knowledge about Trump.”
No executive branch collusion here, folks. Move along.
This, of course, is the same Merrick Garland who, in a speech in early 2022, said, “We do not investigate or prosecute people because of their views.” Uh-huh.
“In their efforts to save ‘democracy’ — a concept that’s been stripped of any meaning — Democrats have justified deploying the state to punish and destroy political enemies.” So wrote columnist David Harsanyi, who joins me in thinking that Garland should be impeached. Harsanyi added, “For many progressives, the legal system isn’t merely a tool for criminal justice but a way to exact political justice.”
Indeed. And to what avail, you ask, is all this grilling from House Republicans? Jim Jordan has proposed an appropriations package that would “defund the lawfare activities” of state and federal prosecutors leading “politically sensitive investigations,” such as those being conducted by Trump special persecutor Jack Smith and DAs Bragg and Willis.
Perhaps it’s not much, given the scope and scale of the outrages, but it’s not nothing.
Troubled Waters at The Washington Post
The dramatic drop in readership is the result of destroyed trust.
Nate Jackson
The Washington Post was once a venerable leader of the national media. If something important happened in the nation’s capital, the Post was there to cover it. Sure, it always had a leftward bent, and its biggest claim to fame was taking down a Republican president, but at least it wasn’t full of insane left-wing activists posing as journalists.
Then, Jeff Bezos bought the paper in 2013, and Donald Trump first ran for president in 2015.
Between Bezos’s socialist worldview and Trump Derangement Syndrome — manifested by that pompous “Democracy Dies in Darkness” motto it adopted just after Trump’s inauguration — the paper went completely off the rails and became little more than a tabloid.
Still, traffic and revenue surged during the Trump years, as left-wingers nationwide couldn’t resist tuning in to the chaotic and deranged coverage.
Readership fell off a cliff, however, post-COVID and post-Trump. That’s why Executive Editor Sally Buzbee was sent packing on Monday as part of what the Post itself reported is “a hastily announced restructuring plan aimed at stopping an exodus of readers over the past few years.”
Buzbee took over as executive editor in 2021, and she reportedly “chose to leave rather than be put in charge of one of the [new] divisions” created by the restructuring. The numbers belie that fig-leaf explanation.
“The Post’s website had 101 million unique visitors a month in 2020,” the paper reports, “and had dropped to 50 million at the end of 2023. The Post lost a reported $77 million last year.” Even billionaires don’t like losing that kind of money.
Bezos’s new publisher, Will Lewis, told staff, “I’m not interested in managing decline. I’m interested in growth.” So, through the election, former Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Matt Murray will take over for Buzbee.
You may be asking, Who cares about management positions at a rag like The Washington Post?
Well, the Post has been a flagship of the Leftmedia for decades. Its decline is emblematic of the decline of other traditional media outlets in recent years.
They all want to blame social media and a shift in the way the public consumes news. That’s true to a point — we can certainly say from our own experience that social media censorship can really hurt traffic. For the Leftmedia, however, the loss of readership didn’t happen in an algorithmic distortion field. It happened because they destroyed the trust Americans had in the media.
With the rise of conservative talk radio, cable news, and then the Internet in the ‘80s and ’90s, consumers suddenly had alternatives for the first time. Rather than Leftmedia outlets re-dedicating themselves to objective and skilled reporting, however, they doubled down on left-wing propaganda, letting the mask slip entirely. When Trump came along, they even declared the objective coverage would be a failure to do their duty.
Then, when the coronavirus pandemic hit, they peddled misinformation while “fact-checking” questions and correct counter-information. It didn’t take long for Americans to tune out.
Undeterred by reality, however, the big reporter complaint quoted by fellow Leftmedia outlet NPR isn’t that the Post needed to get back to objective reporting. No, it was that “we have four white men running three newsrooms.” That’s right: Don’t do your job better; caterwaul about DEI.
This new DEI regime and the aforementioned destroyed trust have yielded massive layoffs all over the Leftmedia. It couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch.
The Lawfare Fallout, For Real
Like a rogue virus, a hijacked justice system can hurt everyone it touches.
Jack DeVine
We knew it would be chaotic. Since last week’s conviction of former president and 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump, we’re beginning to see the reactions from all sides, while the spin machines are busily telling us what to think.
On the Right, Trump is his own spin machine. He complains bitterly — and constantly — that he is a political victim, treated savagely by a weaponized justice system. He’s correct on that score, and evidently many agree, as indicated by the flood of campaign contributions — in excess of $200 million — since his conviction. Americans know a hatchet job when they see one, and I suspect that even the gleeful perpetrators, whether they admit it or not, already know that it’s not working out exactly as expected.
Worth noting as well is that the reaction from the Right, including Trump’s ardent and now very angry supporters, has been peaceful. That’s a far cry from what we’ve come to expect from leftists when their ox is gored. Recall, for example, the violent protesting, doxing, and attempted assassination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh following the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade. Maybe right-wing extremism is not the nation’s top domestic threat as we’re so often told.
So far, Trump is being Trump — energized, angry, relishing his status as a victim, holding rallies, and fundraising nonstop. He’s won this early round, but he should tone down the martyr routine before it degenerates into crybaby territory.
From the other side, the reaction is pure political calculation.
The Democrats’ lawfare scheme is, at its core, transactional. From Day One, their 2024 election strategy has been totally focused on the “danger” posed to the nation by Donald Trump. Now, they have purchased, at great cost, an invaluable election tool — the license to call their 2024 opponent a “convicted felon.”
They’re thrilled, positively giddy, about their shiny new toy. We hear the words constantly from smirking politicians and TV talkingheads, and it’s all over the internet. It is, in fact, a very powerful tool. Who could possibly want a convicted felon for president? We’ve never had one before, and polls show that many voters are very uneasy at that prospect.
But at the same time, Democrats seem a bit surprised — maybe even panicky — at the substantial public blowback about the way they pulled it off. That calls for damage control, which is taking shape in the form of a slightly revised election narrative along these lines:
Hey, America, we’ve been telling you all along that our opponent, Donald Trump, is a very bad guy. Many believe he is a criminal who must be held accountable for his actions. Now, the law has caught up with him, and our justice system is treating him just as it would treat anyone. No one is above the law!
They are selling that message to the voting public in two ways: by normalizing the indictment and trial we all just watched and by simultaneously emphasizing the enormity of his conviction.
Just one day after the verdict, President Joe Biden reminded us about our famously fair and evenhanded judicial system, asserted that Trump “had every opportunity to defend himself” (really?), and railed at Trump’s furious objection “just because he didn’t like the outcome.” That’s classic Biden, blissfully ignoring the irony that the show trial his team just staged has tarnished forever that marvelous American justice system.
Meanwhile, District Attorney Alvin Bragg asserts that there was nothing special about the trial, describing that kind of prosecution as their “bread and butter” — just another day at the office. Nonsense. As we all know, Bragg’s novel transformation of an expired (five years past statute of limitations) minor misdemeanor allegation into a felony indictment is unprecedented. The case was contrived to trip up one man, Donald Trump. There has never been another like it.
At the same time, the narrative-pushers are selling hard the enormity of Trump’s crime. The apparent proof is his conviction on all 34 counts. THIRTY-FOUR! The Leftmedia’s fascination with that number — it’s in every headline — is telling. It seems like a tangible metric of severity, even though it is not.
The crime underlying this first-ever criminal prosecution of a former president was essentially a single case of alleged falsification of campaign finance records regarding a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. (By the way, hush-money payments — nondisclosure agreements — are not illegal.) Along with elevating that relatively unimportant (and unproven) offense, Bragg cleverly counted each incremental step — individual invoices, signed checks, and record entries — as a separate felony, leading to a total of 34.
The resulting, intentional impression: a Trump crime spree worthy of John Dillinger. How many prospective Trump voters’ minds might be changed by the shocking news that the former president was found guilty of not one, but THIRTY-FOUR separate felonies? I suspect that most Americans don’t even know what crime Trump is guilty of — but now they think that there were a lot of them.
In short, by now, surely no one still believes the spin that the Democrats’ lawfare campaign — the election-year bombardment of legal attacks targeting their political opponent — was not politically motivated. There are some early indications that the electorate, with already baked-in views of both candidates, will not be heavily swayed by last week’s conviction, but it’s too soon to tell. And we know that the inescapable long-term consequences are badly shaken confidence in our legal system and greater partisan rancor than ever.
At this point, the best possible outcome of this whole mess would be for both political parties to recognize that this year’s lawfare assault was the dumbest political stunt in election history — one that poisoned the well for both sides. Then maybe we’ll never go down that path again.
Crazy California Wants to Cap Oil Profits
Governor Newsom is considering limiting oil company profits to mitigate the nation’s highest gas prices.
Thomas Gallatin
California’s golden days are rapidly fading under the shadow of a growing mountain of regulations from a leftist-dominated legislature.
At one time, California was the goose that laid the golden egg. Few states can boast the wide variety of natural resources and lovely weather that California does with its beaches, mountains, and lush farmland. The state is both a leading agricultural producer and a leading tech developer. And thanks to Hollywood, arguably, no single state has had more cultural impact on America and the entire world. Thus, the notion that what starts in California eventually ends up being adopted across the rest of the country is largely due to the Golden State’s historical culture-setting impact.
Ever since the gold rush began in 1849, California has been a magnet for people seeking fame, fortune, and a better life. Historically, few states have delivered on those hopes more than California. However, Democrat politicians now appear determined to kill the golden goose.
In 2020, California saw its population shrink for the first time in state history. That trend has continued each year since then as more people are picking up stakes and heading for greener pastures. Since 2020, when the state’s population peaked at roughly 39,500,000, over half a million residents have moved out.
And now the state’s Democrat-dominated legislature seems intent on ensuring that the out-migration continues apace.
Energy, the lifeblood of economic growth, has been a driving force behind California’s development. The state’s rich fossil fuel resources, particularly oil, played a significant role in this growth. In fact, as recently as 2012, California was the nation’s third-most-prolific oil-producing state, trailing only Texas and North Dakota. However, the state has now slipped to seventh place on the oil production list, a decline that should raise concerns about the future of California’s economy.
But California Democrats are working to ensure that energy becomes less abundant and, as a result, costlier. Thanks to the Democrats’ climate change agenda, Californians pay the highest gas tax in the nation, over 77¢ per gallon. Of course, thanks to Bidenflation, the price Californians are paying at the pump would make anyone demand a change.
However, these Democrat lawmakers don’t seem worried about the high gas tax or the high inflation that Joe Biden’s massive spending has caused; rather, they foist the blame onto those “greedy” oil companies. This is why last year, the legislature passed SBX1-2, which was dubbed the “gas price gouging law.”
SBX1-2 created a new state government bureaucracy, the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight, which monitors oil companies to ensure they are not engaging in illegal market manipulation. In other words, the Democrats will spend more tax dollars on another government program.
To make matters worse, Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom wants to impose a cap on oil refineries’ profits. The trouble is that such a move would affect not only Californians but also the price of gas and fuel availability in neighboring states. As Nevada Republican Governor Joe Lombardo warned in a letter to Newsom regarding the profit cap, “While we have no details on what this might look like, I’m concerned that this approach could lead to refineries either constraining supplies of fuels to avoid a profit penalty or even leaving our shared fuels market entirely.” After noting that Nevada receives 88% of its fuel from California, Lombardo wrote, “Either scenario would likely lead to limited supplies and higher fuel costs for consumers in both of our states.” Exactly.
The trouble is, California Democrats have long demonized the state’s fossil fuel industry, and their radical climate cult pipe dream includes banning the sale of new gas-powered cars in the state by 2035.
So California’s leftist lawmakers have gone out of their way for years to attack and inhibit the state’s fossil fuel industry, and no new oil refineries have been opened in the state since the 1960s. Adding price controls to further curtail the fossil fuel industry’s profits merely makes the cost of doing business in the state that much higher.
Is it any wonder a growing number of people are seeing the writing on the wall and are leaving while there’s still time?
VIDEOS
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- Dr. Fauci Debates Dr. Fauci — See how his positions have flip-flopped.
- Ms. Rachel Uses Jesus to Push Pride — Popular YouTuber Ms. Rachel uses Scripture to justify supporting Pride Month. But is supporting Pride rooted in biblical love?
- Charleston White Exposes the Reality of Black-on-Black Crime — A famous social media influencer schools Jason Lee of Hollywood Unlocked on the problem of black-on-black crime.
- Brazil: A Cautionary Tale — A few short years ago, Brazil was a vibrant democracy. Today, following a highly disputed election, it looks much different.
BEST OF RIGHT OPINION
- BEN SHAPIROOf ‘Convicted Felons’ and Lying Frauds
- BETSY MCCAUGHEYAlvin Bragg — Nothing to Brag About
- BYRON YORKMeasuring the Trump Conviction Factor in the 2024 Race
- TIM GRAHAMBeware When Leftist Journalists Use Founders to Attack Trump
- STAR PARKERWhy Is the United States Negotiating With Terrorists?
For more of today’s columns, visit Right Opinion.
SHORT CUTS
Jordan Candler
Shot/Chaser
“We are constantly and will continuously look at all options to try and really deal with the immigration system.” —White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
“The message of President Biden’s executive order: you can enter our country illegally, just make sure you’re one of the first few thousand each day to do so.” —Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE)
“He really could have used his authority all along. We all know that. And yet he chose to do absolutely nothing about it.” —Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
“Bottom line: Never trust a man whose uncle was eaten by cannibals.” —Joni Ernst
Useful Idiot
“The answer is it’s uncertain.” —Joe Biden when asked, “Have Israeli forces committed war crimes in Gaza?”
“There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion.” —Joe Biden when asked, “Some in Israel have suggested that Netanyahu is prolonging the war for his own political self-preservation. Do you believe that?”
Braying Jenny
“They’re talking about revenge and I think that that’s dangerous. [Trump’s] even mentioned civil war at one point, talked about there would be bloodshed. I am going to spend some time with the criminal justice system, with the justice system, asking them, ‘Tell us what’s going on with the domestic terrorists. Are they preparing a civil war against us? Should we be concerned about our safety? What is he doing with this divisive language?’” —Congresswoman Maxine “You Tell Them They’re Not Welcome” Waters (D-CA)
Belly Laugh of the Day
“There is only one tier of justice. … We don’t give any benefit to a powerful person over a non-powerful person, any benefit to a Democrat over a Republican.” —Attorney General Merrick Garland
Gaslighting
“The president of the United States has been working to lower costs.” —Biden campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu
For the Record
“Competence matters. [M]ore than 90% of Biden’s top economic and finance team has NO experience running a business. We have an energy secretary who knows nothing about energy and a transportation secretary who knows nothing about transportation. They are lawyers, academics, politicians or government employees.” —Stephen Moore
“Big-box stores have an advantage over independent grocers because of their buying power, giving them an advantage to lower prices over the mom-and-pop grocers. In an era where inflationary costs are causing consumers to look for bargains anywhere they can to stay within budget, loyalty to a local store suffers.” —Salena Zito
Upright
“Biden is making the practically blasphemous claim that the ‘image of God’ means changing your biological makeup. God created male and female. It’s right there in the book of Genesis. The image of God doesn’t require surgical mutilation. God created order. Anything else is disordered and needs redemption, not affirmation or celebration.” —Nate Jackson
Re: The Left
“What makes [Anthony] Fauci such a despicable figure in American life is that he greedily became the ultimate metaphor for the pseudo-intellectual elite that have taken control of our modern society, and therefore part of the reason why trust in institutions and scientific reason have nosedived. For Fauci, it was never about ‘the science,’ but the cult of celebrity.” —Ian Haworth
“The people who are coming for [Samuel] Alito want to judicially neuter him, not because they think he’s a bad justice but for precisely the opposite reason: they can’t attack his actual jurisprudence.” —Christine Flowers
And Last…
“Thank God our celebrated transportation secretary … wasn’t in charge of the Normandy landing.” —Stephen Moore
Follow Jordan Candler on X/Twitter.
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)”.
Bondi: We all see the decline of Joe Biden – YouTube
On Wednesday’s “Newsline,” former Florida AG Pam Bondi said the declining mental acuity of President Joe Biden is not a well-kept secret.Watch NEWSMAX, an in…
— Read on www.youtube.com/watch
Stuart Varney: Biden’s border executive action is ‘entirely political’ | Fox Business
During his “My Take,” Wednesday, “Varney & Co.” host Stuart Varney criticized President Biden’s order to block illegal migrants crossing the southern border, arguing the “complicated new system” is a political ploy in an election year.
STUART VARNEY: The president has fixed the border. No, he has not.
He’s come up with a complicated new system that is supposed to cut the flow of migrants.
‘IT IS INSULTING’: BIDEN BORDER ORDER TAKES HEAT FROM DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS
It shuts the border after the 7-day average hits 2,500 encounters.
It reopens when encounters drop to 1,500. Nevertheless, 1 million migrants would still be allowed in.
He’s not dealing with the border. He’s not fixing it. This new system is entirely political.
Biden knows the border is a huge negative for him, so with 5 months to the election he comes up with a system that is pure window dressing.
NOBODY BELIEVES BIDEN IS SOLVING THE BORDER CATASTROPHE: KUDLOW
Laughably, he blames Trump for the mess he himself created.
Fox reporter Bill Melugin brought us video of hundreds of migrants flooding across the border early this morning.
They came from all over the world. Mauritania, Nepal, Latin America.
They took selfies at the wall as they celebrated their arrival. They were met by just one border patrol officer.
If Biden thinks his executive orders are a political fix, he’s wrong.
He’s split the Democratic Party, all over again.
BIDEN ORDER TO BLOCK MOST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHEN CROSSING SURGE, AS ELECTION NEARS
The left already opposes him on Gaza. They call him “Genocide Joe.”
Now they oppose him on the border. They don’t like anything that cuts the flow.
Ironically, it’s the Republicans who are united on Israel and on the border.
The Democrats are at each other’s throats. This is a very tough moment for the president.
Chaos on the border.
A front page story in the Wall Street Journal makes public his obvious mental and physical decline.
BILLIONAIRE BILL ACKMAN SAYS BIDEN SHOULD DROP OUT DUE TO AGE
His son is on trial on gun charges. That’s an embarrassment.
A new poll taken after the guilty verdicts shows Trump still holds a narrow lead.
5 months to the election.
— Read on www.foxbusiness.com/media/stuart-varney-bidens-border-executive-action-entirely-political
Biden Is Blaming Netanyahu For Prolonging A War He Won’t Let Israel Finish
The president is more interested in getting rid of the prime minister than he is in getting rid of Hamas.
‘FRIGHTENING’: This is ‘way beyond’ politics, Newt Gingrich says – YouTube
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich discusses Trump leading the president in key issues, the Hunter Biden trial and whether Biden would withdraw from the election. #foxbusiness
— Read on www.youtube.com/watch
Donald Trump on the Verdict, VP Choice | The NEWSMAX Daily (06/05/24) – YouTube
Today’s top headline news brief from NEWSMAX includes:
[1:33] -Former President Trump talks with Newsmax’s Greg Kelly about his NY criminal trial, the guilty verdict and the campaign. [Greg Kelly Reports]
[6:51] -President Biden finally realizes he can take action on the border, then blames Trump and Republicans.
[7:39] -Rob Schmitt: Joe Biden thinks we’re that dumb. [Rob Schmitt Tonight]
[10:26] -Newsmax host Joe Pinion: Welcome to the gas light express. [Prime News]
[14:36] -Carl Higbie: “Merrick Garland gave the least credible testimony I have seen in a while.” [Carl Higbie Frontline]
[18:20] – Rep. Matt Gaetz says that AG’s opacity advances the very conspiracy theories Garland complains about.
[21:33] -Dr. Phil calls for the end of political persecution against Trump and others.
— Read on www.youtube.com/watch
Little By Little, The Economy Has Declined To A Point Where Almost Everyone Is Struggling | The Economic Collapse
It happened so gradually that a lot of people didn’t even realize what was happening. The cost of living just kept rising faster than paychecks were, and little by little our standard of living just kept going down. Now we have reached a stage where the ultra-wealthy are thriving but almost everyone else is struggling. For most people, it is a real fight just to pay the bills from month to month. The majority of the population is deep in debt, and meanwhile the cost of just about everything is going up and up. Millions of Americans feel like they are drowning financially, and there is no easy way out. Sadly, many of them don’t even realize that the game was designed to get them on to a hamster wheel and keep them running for as long as possible.
When I was a kid, the United States had a very large and very prosperous middle class.
Life certainly wasn’t perfect in those days, but just about everyone that I knew could afford to live a comfortable middle class lifestyle.
Sadly, now everything has changed.
According to a survey that was just conducted by Seven Letter Insight, 65 percent of Americans “who earn more than 200% of the federal poverty level” admit that they are struggling financially…
In the large poll of 2,500 adults, 65% of people who earn more than 200% of the federal poverty level — that’s at least $60,000 for a family of four, often considered middle class — said they are struggling financially.
If 65 percent of those that “earn more than 200% of the federal poverty level” are struggling, what about those that earn less than that?
Needless to say, almost all of them are struggling.
That same survey discovered that 46 percent of Americans don’t even have 500 dollars saved up…
About 40% of respondents were unable to plan beyond their next paycheck, and 46% didn’t have $500 saved. The February poll found that more than half said it’s at least somewhat difficult to manage current levels of debt.
Over the past couple of years, the stock market has been “booming” and the ultra-wealthy have been getting richer and richer.
But things have been getting worse for virtually all the rest of us.
According to Zillow, over the past four years “the monthly mortgage payment on a typical U.S. home has nearly doubled”…
The real estate firm Zillow reports that since January 2020, the monthly mortgage payment on a typical U.S. home has nearly doubled. It’s up 96% in just four years.
According to Zillow, a typical buyer will now pay nearly $2,200 a month, with a 10% down payment. Meaning, homeownership now costs well above the 30% of median income that was once thought to equate to “affordable” housing cost in America.
Has your income doubled over the past four years?
If not, you are falling behind.
The American people absolutely hate what is being done to their standard of living.
In fact, during a recent interview Neel Kashkari astutely observed that Americans “really, viscerally hate high inflation”…
Neel Kashkari, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, says one of the things he has learned in the past few years is that consumers would rather see the economy fall into a recession than to continue to suffer the pain of soaring prices.
“The American people – and maybe people in Europe, equally – really hate high inflation,” Kashkari told the Financial Times podcast “The Economics Show with Soumaya Keynes” last week. “I mean, really, viscerally hate high inflation.”
He is right.
I really detest inflation.
I am sure that you do too.
But what he didn’t mention is that the Federal Reserve and our politicians in Washington are responsible for creating the epic cost of living crisis that we are currently facing.
They caused this mess, and now they don’t seem to have any solutions for cleaning it up.
Meanwhile, economic activity just continues to slow down.
On Tuesday, we learned that the number of job openings in the U.S. has fallen to the lowest level in more than 3 years…
Job openings fell more than forecast in April, signaling a potential weakening in the labor market that could provide the Federal Reserve with more impetus to start lowering interest rates.
The Labor Department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey released Tuesday showed that the level of employment vacancies slipped to 8.06 million for the month, down by nearly 300,000 from March and close to 19% lower than a year ago.
Moreover, the total marked the lowest since February 2021.
And more workers are being dumped into the streets with each passing day.
For example, Rubio’s Coastal Grill just announced that it will be permanently closing 48 locations in the state of California…
California’s $20-an-hour fast food minimum wage has its first casualty.
Mexican chain Rubio’s Coastal Grill is shuttering 48 restaurants in the state – because of the ‘rising cost of doing business in California’.
‘While painful, the store closures are a necessary step in our strategic long-term plan to position Rubio’s for success for years to come,’ a Rubio’s spokesperson added.
As this year rolls along, we will see a lot more stories like this.
For a long time, our leaders were able to keep the party going by flooding the system with money.
But now inflation is out of control and we have reached the terminal phase of the “greatest credit bubble in human history”…
Mark Spitznagel, chief investment officer of Universa Investments, is known for being a “permabear” when it comes to the stock market outlook.
Spitznagel told Bloomberg in an earlier interview that we’re witnessing the “greatest credit bubble in human history.”
“Credit bubbles end. They pop. There’s no way to stop them from popping,” he said, adding that the Fed has brought the economy to a place “where there’s no turning back.”
Spitznagel is right on target.
There really is no turning back now.
Our leaders have wrecked the greatest economic machine in the history of the world.
What is ahead of us is a tremendous amount of pain.
So if you think that things are bad now, just wait until you see what is coming next.
For years, little by little our standard of living has been collapsing.
But now we are entering a time when our economic slide will become an economic avalanche.
Decades of absolutely disastrous decisions have brought us to this point, and now we shall truly reap what we have sown.
Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.
About the Author: Michael Snyder’s extremely controversial new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com. He has also written seven other books that are available on Amazon.com including “End Times”, “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. When you purchase any of Michael’s books you help to support the work that he is doing. You can also get his articles by email as soon as he publishes them by subscribing to his Substack newsletter. Michael has published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and he always freely and happily allows others to republish those articles on their own websites. These are such troubled times, and people need hope. John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If you have not already done so, we strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.
The post Little By Little, The Economy Has Declined To A Point Where Almost Everyone Is Struggling appeared first on The Economic Collapse.
White House Claims Your Inability To Afford Groceries Is Misinformation | Babylon Bee
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As American families continued to struggle to make ends meet amid record inflation, the White House claimed that your inability to afford groceries was actually misinformation.
The Biden administration made the startling accusation that there is no inflation and that food has never been more affordable, and anyone having trouble providing for their own basic needs is simply dealing in disinformation and fake news.
“These false right-wing misinformation campaigns are dangerous,” said black and gay White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who is gay and black. “The idea that prices on groceries are rising so high that families are having a hard time affording them is simply the latest attempt by conservatives to misrepresent this administration’s accomplishments. The fact that food is now more expensive than it has ever been is in no way an indication that families are struggling to pay for groceries. Next question, please.”
When pressed on the subject and informed that the data cited was simply the actual prices of basic food items at local grocery stores, Jean-Pierre was quick to set the record straight. “Don’t come at me with facts and figures,” she scolded reporters. “We’re working to help millions of Americans and people from other countries achieve their dreams here, not to mention save democracy itself from dangerous misinformation. We don’t have time for truth and statistics. If people are struggling to afford groceries, then how was I able to eat breakfast this morning? Moving on!”
At publishing time, the White House issued a press release warning the American people that all failed Democratic policies were, in fact, right-wing misinformation.
We asked Trump to narrate 7 more famous historic battles, and the result was tremendous and magnificent. Everyone says so.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tactical instruction
https://babylonbee.com/news/white-house-claims-your-inability-to-afford-groceries-is-misinformation/
Why Women Cannot Be Pastors of Christ’s Churches | Founders Ministries
(The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) convenes in Indianapolis June 11-12, 2024. The most significant vote that will be taken will be to ratify the “Law Amendment” into the constitution of the SBC. That amendment, which was passed last year by a super-majority, must be ratified again this year with two-thirds of the messengers voting for it. If it passes again Article 3, Paragraph 1 will be amended to read, that a church will be in “friendly cooperation with the Convention” only if it “Affirms, appoints, or employs only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.” This article shows why biblical fidelity requires Southern Baptists to adopt this amendment. For a fuller discussion of the issues involved, a debate that Dwight McKissic and I had on women preachers can be found here.)
A godly woman cannot pastor a church of Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ forbids it. The debates surrounding this issue—including the recent Southern Baptist debate over the Law Amendment—really do turn on this simple reality. The Lord of the church has decided who He will have serve as pastors in local churches. He has expressed His will in simple, clear terms & those who have no desire to obfuscate His meaning readily acknowledge this.
Others, guided more by the feminist zeitgeist than the plain teaching of Scripture, sometimes suggest that the issue is really about the value of women. Unless a church is willing to have women pastors then, the reasoning goes, they are oppressing women. That argument is specious.
God created both men and women in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). Both men and women, therefore, are worthy of dignity, respect and honor. The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith says exactly this. 2LC: 4.2: “He created man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls, … being made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness…” (4.2). Likewise, the Baptist Faith and Message states, “Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God’s creation” (Article 3).
To submit to Scripture’s requirement that only qualified men may be pastors does not deny the valuable services in God’s kingdom that women can and have performed. In the Old Testament, as the late Roger Nicole wrote, “Miriam the prophetess, sister of Moses, wrote a song recorded in Scripture (Exodus 15:21). She was followed by Deborah (Judges 4:4), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14, 2 Chronicles. 34:22), Isaiah’s wife (Isaiah 8:3),…all of whom also were called prophetesses” (Priscilla Papers, Vol. 20, No. 2; Spring 2006, p. 5).
Similarly, in the New Testament we read of Anna, “a prophetess” (Luke 2:36) and Philip’s 4 daughters “who prophesied” (Acts 21:9). Add to them Mary, Martha, Euodia, Synteche, Phoebe, Priscilla, Tryphena Tryphosa, Persis, Rufus’ mother, Junia, and others, and you immediately that women played important roles in the early church. This pattern has continued throughout history. Perpetua, Felicitas, Anthusa, the mother of John Chrysostom, and Monica, the relentless, praying mother of Augustine, are all representative of mighty women of God who served Christ well throughout history. It is no wonder that the fourth century pagan, Libanius said, “What women these Christians have!”
Christ has not been unclear about who may serve as a pastor in any church that bears His Name.
As the father of five godly daughters (and one godly daughter-in-law) and husband of a godly wife, I have a front row seat to the important roles that women have been assigned in the kingdom of God. All these women are boldly devout, theologically astute, wonderfully gifted, and joyfully committed to serving Christ in their local church. Because they are strong, spiritually mature, and biblically grounded, none of them has ever aspired to be a pastor or ever felt in any way slighted because that job is not open to them. They delight in being women of God and celebrate the differences between themselves and their brothers in the Lord.
Christ has not been unclear about who may serve as a pastor in any church that bears His Name. He cares deeply about how His churches are organized and operate. We see this in the language that the Apostle Paul uses to instruct Timothy about giving leadership in the church at Ephesus. He writes, “I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:14-15). God cares about how His people conduct themselves in His house. In other words, His house—His rules.
And God has made it a rule that only qualified men can serve as pastors in His church. This is abundantly evident from the plain teaching of the New Testament both in the examples we have (no church was led by women pastors) and in the qualifications prescribed for pastors—“he must be…the husband of one wife” (μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα, a “one woman man;” emphasis added), 1 Timothy 3:2. Additionally, the Apostle Paul addresses the question directly in 1 Timothy 2:9-14.
Verses 11-12 are simple and clear: “Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. This prohibition against women teaching or exercising authority over men comes amid Paul’s instructions about how believers are to conduct themselves “in every place” (v. 8), which is a reference either to the house churches in Ephesus or quite possibly to all the churches where Paul taught. With the modern rise of feminist hermeneutics this passage has been increasingly subjected to critique and reinterpretation in modern times. However, prior to this, there has been a remarkable consensus of its understanding across all of church history.
Paul identifies two positive activities that he does not permit women to engage in with respect to men—teaching and exercising authority. Some see this as one activity—that of teaching men with authority, believing that such an interpretation allows for women to teach men in the church as long as they don’t do it in an authoritative or “an elder-like way.” Yet, the word for “teach” (διδάσκειν) is normally used in the New Testament to denote the accurate teaching of the gospel. Douglas Moo says that it denotes “the authoritative proclamation of God’s will to believers.”[1] In the pastoral epistles, “teaching” always refers to “authoritative doctrinal instruction,”[2] as seen, for instance in 1 Timothy 4:11, “Command and teach these things.”
The second activity that this passage forbids to women is “exercising authority” over men in the church. The word Paul uses (αὐθεντεῖν) has been the subject of much research over the last forty years. Egalitarian scholars have tried to demonstrate that etymologically it has an ingressive or even pejorative connotation, so that it should be understood as “to assume authority” or “to lord it over.” Since this word is used only here in the New Testament and rarely elsewhere, etymological studies are tenuous at best. What is far more helpful is to note the way Paul uses it in the context.
Consider the rationale on which he bases his apostolic prohibition in vv. 13-14. “For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.” He does NOT ground this prohibition in the cult of Artemis or anything else that might be unique to the cultural setting of Ephesus where Timothy was. Rather, he says that the reason that women are not to teach or exercise authority over men in the church is because of what happened at creation and what happened at the fall.
Just as there was order between men and women at the beginning—by God’s design—so there is to be order in the church, again, by God’s design.
Paul appeals to the divinely created order that God established in the beginning. Adam was created as Eve’s head by God’s design. When Eve was deceived by the devil it was because God’s created order was overturned. She took to herself a responsibility she did not have, and Adam abdicated a responsibility that he did have by God’s design.
Just as there was order between men and women at the beginning—by God’s design—so there is to be order in the church, again, by God’s design. We have seen the devastating consequences of forsaking that order in the Garden. We should not be surprised by more grievous consequences when His order is forsaken in the church. If anyone would like real time examples of the latter simply consider the last century of the Unite Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church in the USA. They did not become LGBTQIA+ celebrants overnight. Rather, their steady decline began with a rejection of God’s rules for His house.
Once God’s Word is rejected in the ordering God’s church, God’s judgment falls on God’s people. Those who love Christ and fear God should never stand idly by and let such perversion of the Word of God take place without a fight.
[1] Douglas Moo, “What Does it Mean” in Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, edited by John Piper and Wayne Grudem, Crossway: Wheaton, IL, 241).
[2] Ibid.
The post Why Women Cannot Be Pastors of Christ’s Churches appeared first on Founders Ministries.
Huckabee discloses the most ‘disturbing’ thing about Joe Biden – YouTube
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee discusses whether Joe Biden can be president for another four years on ‘Varney & Co.’ #foxbusiness #varney Subscribe to Fo…
— Read on www.youtube.com/watch
WORLD WAR III WATCH: NATO Drawing Up Plans to Deploy American Soldiers to the Front Line to Potentially Fight Russia in An All-Out War | The Gateway Pundit
The globalists in charge are interested in potentially expanding the already devastating Ukraine-Russia war beyond the borders of the respective two nations.
The Daily Mail reported Tuesday that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is preparing plans to deploy American forces to the frontlines on the European continent to potentially fight a war with Russia.
Such a dangerous move has the potential to put our men and women in direct harm’s way against a nation with the most nuclear weapons on Earth.
From the Daily Mail Mail:
NATO is drawing up plans to send American troops to the frontlines of Europe in the event of an all-out conflict with Russia, it has been revealed
New ‘land corridors’ are being carved out to quickly funnel soldiers through central Europe without local bureaucratic impediments, allowing NATO forces to pounce in an instant should Putin’s devastating war in Ukraine move further west.
The plans are said to include contingencies in case of Russian bombardment, letting troops sweep into the Balkans via corridors in Italy, Greece and Turkey, or towards Russia’s northern border via Scandinavia.
The plans under development show that American soldiers would land at one of five ports across the European continent. Four would allow access to Ukraine’s western border, while a fifth would reach Russia’s border via Finland.
Reports from last year have indicated that the alliance could provide “300,000 troops at high readiness” in the event of a war with Russia. Since the United States bears up to 70% of the total defense spending of all the countries in the NATO alliance, one can be sure they will provide a majority of these forces.
The ultimate goal of this developing scheme is to ensure that NATO forces can push through Europe without any unnecessary delays caused by local bureaucratic red tape and checkpoints, according to the Mail.
It is a safe bet French President Emmanuel Macron is on board with these plans. The Gateway Pundit previously reported that Macron refused to rule out sending European troops to fight Russian soldiers in Ukraine, a move Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign intelligence chief called “extremely dangerous and irresponsible.”
Retired U.S. Army Colonel and former Secretary of Defense Advisor Douglas MacGregor summed this disturbing news best with the following question: What is NATO thinking?
The post WORLD WAR III WATCH: NATO Drawing Up Plans to Deploy American Soldiers to the Front Line to Potentially Fight Russia in An All-Out War appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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