Economics

Feb122026

Episode 1159 – More Bad News for California Drivers!

More bad news for California drivers will be coming on Saturday.

Nike has some explaining to do.

And Virginia Democrats have decided to go after a hundred and fifty year old institution. The Trump administration is looking to save it.

The News

  • The Washington Post is laying off 300 employees, about 1/3 of its staff. This comes on the heels of Amazon laying off 16,000 employees due to restructuring.
  • Valero is closing an oil refinery in California four months ahead of schedule.
    • Refineries are fleeing the Golden State as regulations drive operating costs 26 to 37% higher than the national average. Chevron moved its operations from the Bay Area to Texas, while Phillips 66 powered down its 140,000-barrel-per-day Los Angeles refinery in October.
    • California has the second highest gas prices in the country at $4.37. We’re going for number 1!
    • This comes before California is set to raise gas taxes by $.03 in July.
    • Get ready for $7 dollar gas.
    • The national average is $2.88 a gallon. It is Lefty states like Hawaii, California, Illinois, and New York that are keeping the average gas prices that high.
  • Embattled Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass secretly altered the official Palisades Fire response report to downplay the failures made by the city and fire department when the deadly blaze erupted, a new report said.
    • Bass, after seeing an early draft of the after-action report, wanted key findings of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s shortcomings scrubbed or watered down — and even warned then-interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva the unedited conclusions could expose the city to legal liability, sources close to the Democrat’s staff told the Los Angeles Times.
  • The federal agency that enforces U.S. workplace discrimination laws said Wednesday it is investigating Nike over allegations that its diversity initiatives unlawfully discriminated against White employees and job applicants, according to a court filing.
    • Reuters reported that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said Nike has refused to comply with a subpoena seeking information, including data on the racial and ethnic makeup of the global athletic apparel and footwear company based in Beaverton, Oregon.
    • The commission said the investigation centers on claims that Nike deliberately treated White employees and job applicants unfairly, including allegations that they were disproportionately targeted for layoffs.
    • The agency said it is seeking the records to determine whether Nike violated federal anti-discrimination law.

https://twitter.com/peterbakernyt/status/2019069689582723333?s=20

https://nypost.com/2026/02/04/us-news/la-mayor-karen-bass-secretly-altered-palisades-fire-analysis-to-downplay-las-failures-report/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=nypost&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter#Echobox=1770242914
https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/nikes-diversity-initiatives-under-eeoc-scrutiny-alleged-discrimination-against-white-workers
https://nypost.com/2026/02/04/us-news/valero-shuts-california-refinery-early-as-gas-prices-poised-to-spike/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=nypost&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter#Echobox=1770232527

They Only Destroy

According to the Daily Wire:

The War Department is monitoring efforts by Virginia Democrats to potentially cripple the Virginia Military Institute, The Daily Wire can first report.

Cadets at VMI, the nation’s first state-sponsored and supported military college, have grown increasingly anxious about the fate of their institution since Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger entered office and appointed former Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam to VMI’s Board of Visitors.

Northam had ordered an audit into alleged racism and sexism at VMI in 2021, amid the Democrat-led wave of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion measures in universities across the nation — measures supported by then-President Joe Biden and his administration.

Now, Virginia Democrats suggest that the military institution is still rife with racism, sexism, and cultural barriers. They proposed two measures taking aim at the school: their proposed House Bill 1377 establishes a task force evaluating whether VMI should still be funded by the state, and House Bill 1374 would end VMI’s Board of Visitors and give the state full oversight of the institution.

Revoking VMI’s state funding would likely lead to the school’s demise.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told The Daily Wire on Tuesday that the War Department “reserves the right to take extraordinary measures to protect the integrity of VMI.”

So why do these people hate VMI?

Some state representatives who support the measures, like Democrat Michael Feggans of Virginia Beach, point to VMI’s roots in the Civil War, arguing that the institution has buildings on campus named for Confederate military figures.

Democrat state Rep. Dan Helmer of Fairfax, frustrated that VMI did not renew the contract of VMI’s first black superintendent, told one local outlet: “For those of us, like me, who care deeply about service and care deeply about producing leaders of character, we need to ensure that VMI has turned the page.”

https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-says-it-will-fight-virginia-dems-to-save-historic-military-college?topStoryPosition=undefined&author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&category=Exclusive&elementPosition=1&row=1&rowHeadline=Top+Stories&rowType=Top+Stories&title=Trump+Admin+Says+It+Will+Fight+Virginia+Dems+To+Save+Historic+Military+College

That’s Going to Fix the Prison System

According to the Post Millennial:

Socialist NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani has appointed ex-convict Stanley Richards as the city’s newest Department of Correction commissioner. Per Gothamist, Richards spent two-and-a-half years on Rikers Island on robbery charges in the 1980s and spent an additional four-and-a-half years in state prison before being released in 1991. This marks the first time an ex-convict has held the role.

Mamdani said in a news conference, “Stanley will make history in this role as the first ever formerly incarcerated person to serve as commissioner. That achievement is not merely symbolic. It is a testament to the thought and leadership he will bring to every member of correction staff and incarcerated New Yorkers underneath his purview.”

After his release, Richards began working as a counselor with the Fortune Society, which provides housing and re-entry services for ex-convicts leaving jail. He served as the society’s president until his appointment, as well as a deputy correction commissioner under former Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city’s Board of Correction.

Richards said, “The future of Rikers is not endless confinement, scapegoating or demonizing. It is safety, transformation and rehabilitation.”

Benny Boscio, the president of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association union said in a statement, “Despite the many false narratives that have portrayed COBA as an ‘obstacle to reform,’ we have been ready, willing and able to meet and work with anyone, as long as they respect the rights of our Correction Officers and understand that their safety and security matter. The jails cannot and will not operate as safely as possible if the concerns of our members are brushed aside. It is our hope that Mr. Richards understands that dynamic as he takes on this new role and demonstrates a commitment to putting safety and security before any political ideology.”

Richards said in a statement, “I am deeply honored and grateful to Mayor Mamdani for this appointment. This role represents the culmination of my lifelong commitment to criminal justice reform, drawing directly from my own experience of incarceration on Rikers, which fueled my decades of work at The Fortune Society and with the Department of Correction, helping thousands rebuild their lives through reentry programs, leadership roles, and advocacy.”

“This appointment is an opportunity to lead from the top, advocating for both incarcerated individuals and correction officers to create safer jails and real pathways to rehabilitation. This is a chance to drive upstream change, connecting people to services like those at Fortune Society that transformed my own life. I will work tirelessly with this administration to ensure that we prioritize humane and safe conditions and ensure justice for all New Yorkers.”

So, what is the Fortune Society?

Mission and Purpose

The organization’s core mission is to support successful reentry from incarceration and promote alternatives to incarceration, with the goal of strengthening communities. It emphasizes belief in individuals’ capacity to change and works to create a more fair, humane, and rehabilitative justice system.

What They Do

The Fortune Society provides a “one-stop-shop” of services for people with justice involvement, including help with housing, employment, education, health, mental health, substance use treatment, and family support. Each year, it serves thousands of people—over 8,000 to 13,000 annually in recent descriptions—through both direct services and advocacy.​

Key Programs and Services

Major service areas include supportive and transitional housing (such as its residences The Castle and Castle Gardens), job readiness and placement, educational programs (literacy, GED, and college prep), and counseling. The organization also helps with benefits enrollment, health and mental health care connections, substance use treatment, and creative arts programming.

Advocacy and Systems Change

Beyond direct services, The Fortune Society engages in policy and advocacy work aimed at reducing barriers to housing, employment, and education for people with records. It works to advance reforms that make the criminal justice system more rehabilitative and less reliant on incarceration.

https://thepostmillennial.com/mamdani-appoints-ex-con-as-nyc-department-of-corrections-head
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/what-is-the-fortune-society-onhlxeSjTw2fZgucFc5EDQ

I’ve Got a Weird Take

According to Fox News:

A string of recent incidents in which ICE agents and Department of Homeland Security leadership have been refused service at corporate gas stations and hotel chains has raised questions about whether private businesses can lawfully deny service to federal law enforcement officers.

The incidents — including ICE agents who were turned away from hotels and a Border Patrol commander being denied service at a gas station — have prompted debate over whether such refusals amount to lawful private discretion or illegal discrimination against federal law enforcement carrying out official duties.

The most recent flashpoint unfolded at a Speedway gas station, where video captured by conservative activist Cam Higby showed U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino being followed out of the store by a man identifying himself as a manager.

Bovino himself was silent on the matter when asked by Higby among the crowd outside Speedway, while Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said similar situations had transpired at several different gas stations where agitators stalked agents.

When Higby asked the man why he refused Bovino service, he replied: “Because I wanted to. I don’t support ICE and nobody here does.”

The man remained silent when asked if he thought it was legal to deny service to federal agents based on their role, while the employee could be heard saying, “If it is [illegal] I personally don’t care.”

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/i-dont-support-ice-gas-station-refusal-ignites-debate-over-denying-service-federal-agents

They Have a Big Opinion of Themselves

According to the Post Millennial:

A few leftist men out in Minnesota decided to make a parody of the Iwo Jima flag raising, only instead lifting up the Minnesota flag, which was recently scrutinized for looking somewhat similar to the flag of Somalia.

Video of the “flag raising” was posted by Anton Treuer, who is a professor at Bemidji State University and claims to be an “Indigenous language warrior” on X.

Treuer, although it is unclear if he was pictured in the video, said in the caption, “We stand for justice and a future worth fighting for! #MNStrong #iceout #Minnesota #peace #solidarity.” The clip, which has not gone viral on social media, depicts six people holding up the Minnesota flag in the position from the famous Iwo Jima flag raising photo from World War II.

Many reacted to the post online, slamming the group of leftist as people wanting to cosplay as soldiers as the Trump administration has been surging ICE into the region to detain illegal immigrant criminals.

Human Events Daily host Jack Posobiec said of the video, “Leftists in Minneapolis are now staging the flag-raising of Iwo Jima with their fake Somali flag Good Lord, we’re reaching levels of cringe that have never been seen.”

https://thepostmillennial.com/leftists-mock-classic-iwo-jima-photo-by-raising-new-somali-inspired-minnesota-flag

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Feb122026

Episode 1157 – Bill and Hillary Are Back!

Yay! We get to hear from Bill and Hillary again!

The Los Angeles Police Department shows there is some sanity in California.

And, speaking of California, they think they may have a solution when it comes to dealing with their budget deficits.

News

Here is some news:

  • Bill and Hillary Clinton have dropped their opposition and agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee, which is investigating the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
  • Every federal immigration officer on the ground in Minneapolis will now have a body camera following two recent fatal shootings of anti-ICE agitators.
  • Christopher Nolan is doing a movie about “The Odyssey,” Homer’s epic poem, and he has cast Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy — the face that launched a thousand ships, the most beautiful woman in the Greek world.

Uh, Yeah!

According to the New York Post:

Federal agents who defy California’s new mask ban won’t face enforcement from the LAPD, the police chief said.

“It wasn’t well thought out,” Chief Jim McDonnell said in a press conference Friday.

“The reality of one armed agency approaching another armed agency to create conflict over something that would be a misdemeanor at best or an infraction, it doesn’t make any sense,” McDonnell added.

The law, known as the “No Secret Police Act,” mandates visible identification and permits violations to be cited as misdemeanors. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law, it took effect January 1st. The Trump administration has challenged the statute, arguing it interferes with federal operations.

The Department of Justice is challenging the “No Secret Police Act” saying it’s unconstitutional, and creates risks for agents, including harassment.

Exceptions to the law include masks permitted for undercover operations, medical reasons, or specific protective gear, such as tactical helmets. 

https://nypost.com/2026/02/01/us-news/lapd-wont-enforce-federal-agent-mask-ban-it-wasnt-well-thought-out-chief-mcdonnell/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=nypost&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter#Echobox=1769993474

You’ve Got to be Kidding?!

According to the New York Post:

California drivers and Republican legislators are furious over a Democrat-led proposal that could see motorists taxed for each mile they drive.

With the state staring down a budget deficit in the billions and more Californians switching to electric vehicles, Democratic lawmakers are searching for new ways to shore up declining gas tax revenue.

Californians pay the second-highest gas price in the nation behind only Hawaii. In January, the average price was $4.23 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association.

On Thursday, state legislators advanced Democrat Lori Wilson’s bill, AB 1421, which would direct the California Transportation Commission and the state Transportation Agency to continue studying options for a mileage-based tax, rather than implementing one.

Opponents of the proposal were out in force Saturday, with activists gathering at Cal Expo in Sacramento to collect signatures opposing a raft of new Democratic tax measures, including a potential mileage charge.

Under concepts outlined in the study, the tax could range from two to nine cents per mile. With California drivers logging roughly 11,400 miles a year on average, a mileage charge could cost motorists between $228 and $1,026 annually.

Beyond the price tag, critics warn that tracking drivers’ mileage could be both logistically complex and deeply invasive.

In its current form, the bill would commission a report examining equity concerns for low-income drivers who often travel longer distances in less fuel-efficient vehicles, analyze the potential impact of a weight-per-mile fee on commercial and electric vehicles, and outline regional and statewide options for implementing a road usage charge.

California has a $73 billion deficit according to the Hoover Institute.

(a) State funding for transportation comes mainly from six different fuel taxes and vehicle fees dedicated to specific purposes. These sources generated about $14,000,000,000 in the 2023–24 fiscal year.

(b) The gasoline excise tax is by far the largest of these charges. The tax is 57.9 cents per gallon and generated about $7,800,000,000 in fiscal year 2023–24.

(c) California relies on gasoline and diesel tax revenue to build and maintain its highways, public transit, and other transportation infrastructure, which is a problem in a state aggressively pushing a transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

(d) Since the passage of Senate Bill 1 (Chapter 5, Statutes of 2017), gas taxes have begun to lag, in large part due to Californians adopting lower emission vehicles. The state’s climate goals, including the switch to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and reductions in statewide per capita vehicle miles traveled for light-duty vehicles, are projected to reduce fuel tax revenues in the coming years.

(e) California’s gas revenues have steadily increased over the last decade as lawmakers hike tax rates, but that curve is projected to turn downwards as more drivers switch to EVs.

(f) Californians have purchased more than a million EVs in the last four years, according to the California Energy Commission. Those numbers will continue to increase as a result of the state’s mandate for all new car sales to be ZEVs by 2035.

(g) The Legislative Analyst’s Office projects revenues will decline by as much as $2,000,000,000 annually by 2030 and up to $4,000,000,000 annually by 2035. A study by the Mineta Transportation Institute estimated a reduction in revenues of between $4,800,000,000 and $12,100,000,000 by 2040.

(h) The California Transportation Commission projects that the state will collect $31,300,000,000 less in fuel excise tax revenue due to increased fuel efficiency and the proliferation of ZEVs over the next decade.

(i) Collectively, various states and the federal government have undertaken research and exploration of possible revenue mechanisms to supplement or replace the fuel excise tax.

(j) In 2014, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 1077 (Chapter 835, Statutes of 2014) which created the Road Usage Charge Technical Advisory Committee (RUC TAC). The RUC TAC was charged with the development and evaluation of an authorized pilot program to assess the potential for a mileage-based financing mechanism for California’s roads and highways as an alternative to the fuel excise tax system.

(k) In 2017, California completed the SB 1077 pilot program, which enrolled more than 5,000 vehicles that reported more than 37,000,000 miles over a nine-month period. Importantly, the collection of revenue was simulated in the pilot program through mock invoices and payments.

(l) The final pilot program report found further testing of the revenue collection processes should be the next step to undertake in order for California to evaluate revenue flows and identify challenges, efficiencies, and synergies for possible road user charge implementation.

(m) Presently, the state is analyzing the financial impacts of a road user charge on supercommuters, as well as additional engagement with rural communities and tribal nations to better inform constituencies on a road charge concept.

(n) The benefit of a road use charge is that it could be structured to provide gas tax relief to low-income drivers.

(o) Implementing a road use charge in a way that appeals to both low- and moderate-income households and urban and rural communities across the state’s diverse geography will require significant education, negotiation, and compromise.

https://nypost.com/2026/01/31/us-news/california-drivers-are-a-step-closer-to-paying-per-mile-tax/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=capost&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter#Echobox=1769911977
https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1421/id/3137105

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Jan012026

Episode 1138 – A Big Surprise from SCOTUS!

The Supreme Court make a surprise announcement!

The economy a getting better, slowly but Shirley.

And the jury of the drive-by sandwiching against ICE agents speak out about how they let the lady boy off for assault. And it is a problem.

This is a Surprise

According to the Daily Wire:

The Supreme Court agreed Friday to decide whether President Donald Trump’s push to end birthright citizenship is legal, according to reports.

Upon re-entering the White House, Trump signed an executive order to prevent the children of illegal immigrants or foreigners with temporary visas from receiving citizenship upon birth.

It quickly faced a slew of lawsuits arguing that the order violated the 14th Amendment, which affords citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil regardless of their parents’ immigration status.

The high court is now expected to decide in late June or early July on the longtime interpretation of the 14th Amendment, according to The New York Times.

The ruling, however, did not address the question of birthright citizenship itself, which is the practice of granting automatic citizenship rights for babies born on United States soil, regardless of their parents’ citizenship status.

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court in September to take up the case after several lower courts paused the order.

“The lower court’s decisions invalidated a policy of prime importance to the President and his Administration in a manner that undermines our border security. Those decisions confer, without lawful justification, the privilege of American citizenship on hundreds of thousands of unqualified people,” the Justice Department wrote in the appeals at the time.

In June, the high court justices ruled 6-3 along ideological lines to allow Trump to try to end birthright citizenship in some parts of the country.

The 14th Amendment states:

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-to-rule-on-trumps-push-to-end-birthright-citizenship

Still At $3.00?!

According to the Daily Wire:

This holiday season, there’s a little extra cheer at the gas pump. For the first time in four years, the average price of gas has dipped below $3 a gallon.

According to AAA, the last time gas averaged $3 or below was May 2021. It was a different world: Joe Biden was president, California was still in COVID hibernation, and every junk drawer in America was 80% face masks.

Today, the average gas price per gallon is $2.978.

Of course, the prices should be lower, but, thanks to blue states, the average is still at $3.

  • California – about mid‑$4.60s per gallon on average.​
  • Hawaii – mid‑$4.40s per gallon.​
  • Washington – just above $4.10–$4.20 per gallon.​
  • Nevada – upper‑$3.80s to just under $3.90 per gallon.​
  • Oregon – upper‑$3.70s to around $3.80 per gallon.​
  • Alaska – mid‑$3.70s per gallon.
  • Oklahoma ($2.40)
  • Texas ($2.53)
  • Arkansas ($2.55)
  • Colorado ($2.56)
  • Mississippi ($2.57)
  • Tennessee ($2.58)

California ($4.51) and Hawaii have the highest gas prices in the country. The states with the lowest gas prices are Oklahoma ($2.40), Texas ($2.53), Arkansas ($2.55), Colorado ($2.56), Mississippi ($2.57), Tennessee ($2.58), Louisiana ($2.60), Iowa ($2.63), Wisconsin ($2.63), and Missouri ($2.64), per AAA.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/cha-ching-trump-delivers-relief-at-the-pump-driving-gas-prices-down-to-lowest-point-in-4-years
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/what-states-have-the-highest-g-809QtIgyT7S9Xv5qds2Wyg

It’s Not Funny

According to Fox News:

Jurors who deliberated on the case of a man who threw a sub sandwich at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer in Washington, D.C., said the courtroom was often filled with giggles as witnesses testified and lawyers bantered.

One juror told CBS News that many in the packed courtroom struggled to keep a “straight face” during the proceedings. The accused, Sean Dunn, was ultimately acquitted on his misdemeanor charge of simple assault.

“I mean,” the juror said, “it was a thrown sandwich.”

“I thought we’d be out of there quickly. This case had no ‘grounding.’ He threw a sandwich at the agent because he knew it wouldn’t hurt,” another juror said. “A reasonable person wouldn’t think a sandwich is a weapon.”

“It seemed to me like an open and closed type of thing,” a third juror told the outlet.  “It was kind of ridiculous.” 

“We asked each other: If we only look at this case, can someone really do harm to someone wearing a ballistic vest by throwing a sandwich?”

The trial lasted three days, and jurors deliberated for seven hours before handing down a verdict on Nov. 6. After it was read, Dunn hugged his lawyers in the courtroom.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dc-sandwich-throwing-case-laughingstock-court-jurors-reveal

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Dec032025

Episode 1136 – No, Pete Hegseth Isn’t Going Anywhere

Let’s talk about Pete Hegseth and the deaths of Narco terrorists. We shouldn’t have to do this, but the Democrats are making a big deal about it.

Republicans give a sigh of relief by winning a big election yesterday.

And the Left wing violence continues. And it will continue until we do something about it.

The Pete Hegseth Thing

According to Perplexity:

A growing number of lawmakers, legal experts, and commentators are saying that senior Trump administration officials may have ordered conduct that, if proven, would qualify as a war crime under U.S. and international law, but no court has yet made that determination.​

What is being alleged

Reports allege that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a verbal order to “kill everybody” on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean, and that after an initial U.S. strike left two men alive in the water, a second strike was ordered that killed the survivors. Members of Congress from both parties, former military lawyers, and outside legal experts say that intentionally targeting survivors who are hors de combat (out of the fight) would violate the laws of armed conflict and could constitute a war crime if the facts are confirmed and if the administration’s own claim that this is an “armed conflict” is accepted.​

Where the secretary of state comes in

The official currently serving as secretary of state is Marco Rubio, who is not reported to have ordered the strike but is part of the national security team overseeing the broader campaign and has strongly supported an aggressive posture toward the International Criminal Court and war‑crimes investigations. Rubio’s State Department has sanctioned Palestinian human rights groups and ICC‑linked actors who pushed for investigations of alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza, which critics argue undermines accountability mechanisms even as questions mount about U.S. conduct in the Caribbean operation.​

So far, what exists are serious public allegations and preliminary political and legal assessments, not formal war‑crime charges against any cabinet official. Congressional committees have opened inquiries into the boat strikes, former JAG officers have issued a memo outlining potential law‑of‑war violations, and outside commentators have called for investigations or prosecutions, but any actual war‑crime case would require a full evidentiary record and a competent court willing to assert jurisdiction over U.S. officials.

Some things:

  • Hegseth, the White House, and the generals say this story is not true.
  • Who cares if this is true? These were narco terrorists.
  • What was the purpose of a Hellfire at this boat? To kill the terrorists. If terrorists did live, why would killing them mean anything later.
  • Alyssa Slotkin is a CIA analyst. This sounds like a psyop.
  • Rules of war are stupid.

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/secretary-of-state-might-have-OvJ5cOqBST.HszX_VKntjA

Breathing a Sigh of Relief

According to the Daily Wire:

Republican Matt Van Epps fended off a challenge from far-Left Democrat Aftyn Behn on Tuesday during a special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District.

With 95% of the vote in, DecisionDeskHQ has called the race for Van Epps 53.9% to 45%. Other outlets followed shortly after.

Van Epps’ victory allows Republicans to breathe a sigh of relief after Democrats surged money and resources into the race, hoping to capitalize on typically low Republican turnout in special elections. A win for Behn in the deep red district would have sent shockwaves throughout the nation. The self-described “radical” community organizer had previously voiced support for burning down police stations and supported transgender surgeries on young children.

The race was scheduled after former Rep. Mark Green announced his resignation earlier this year. Green won the district, which stretches from Tennessee’s borders with Kentucky and Alabama and includes parts of Nashville, by over 20 points.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/no-dem-upset-aftyn-all-van-epps-defeats-radical-leftist-aftyn-behn-in-tennessee-special-election?topStoryPosition=undefined&author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&category=News&elementPosition=0&row=1&rowHeadline=Top+Stories&rowType=Top+Stories&title=No+Dem+Upset+Aftyn+All%3A+Van+Epps+Defeats+Radical+Leftist+Aftyn+Behn+In+Tennessee+Special+Election

The Left Wing Violence Continues

According to the Daily Wire:

A 54-year-old man has been arrested after carrying out a self-described “terrorist attack” by throwing Molotov cocktails at security officers outside of a federal building in California that houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices, the Justice Department said Tuesday. 

Jose Francisco Jovel was accused by federal investigators of carrying out the attack on Monday at a building in Los Angeles that houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices. Investigators say that the attack was motivated by opposition to the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. 

“This case exemplifies how misleading and hateful rhetoric against federal law enforcement can and does result in violence,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Irresponsible rhetoric by politicians and activists have real-world consequences. It must stop.”

https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-arrested-for-carrying-out-terrorist-attack-in-california-targeting-ice-fbi?topStoryPosition=undefined&author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&category=News&elementPosition=1&row=1&rowHeadline=Top+Stories&rowType=Top+Stories&title=Man+Arrested+For+Carrying+Out+%E2%80%98Terrorist+Attack%E2%80%99+In+California+Targeting+ICE%3A+FBI

Dumbass of the Day

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Dec032025

Episode 1133 – What A Yellow-Bellied, Spinless Coward!

We get some good news about the economy, but I wouldn’t shoot off fireworks yet.

Marjorie Taylor Greene is out.

And Zorhan Mamdani looks like a frightened puppy while in front of Donald Trump.

Not Bad News

Here is some news concerning the economy:

  • 119,000 jobs were added in September.
  • The unemployment rate rose to 4.4%.
  • Nvidia’s latest reported results (fiscal Q3 2026, quarter ended October 26, 2025) show record revenue, margins, and profits driven by AI data‑center chips, with guidance implying continued very high growth into the next quarter.
    • Revenue: 57.057.0 billion USD, up 22% sequentially and 62% year over year, exceeding prior guidance of about 5454 billion USD.

This is important. Right now, the Republicans are looking to get trounced in 2026, losing the House of Representatives.

Enough is Enough!

According to Fox News:

President Donald Trump on Saturday said Chicagoans are asking to “bring in Trump” amid a recent crime wave in the Democrat-run city.

At least eight teens were shot, one fatally, and multiple police officers were attacked Friday after a riot broke out in the Chicago Loop, the city’s downtown central business district.

The riot, which followed a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, broke out near State and Randolph streets at about 10 p.m. Friday, FOX 32 Chicago reported.

City Alderman Brian Hopkins of Chicago’s 2nd Ward said 300 juveniles were rioting and attacking officers with mace and stun guns.

Donald Trump released a statement in Truth Social:

“Massive crime and rioting in the Chicago Loop area. Multiple Police Officers attacked and badly injured. 300 people rioting, 6 victims shot, one critical and one DEAD. In the meantime, Governor Pritzker and the Low IQ Mayor of Chicago are refusing Federal Government help for a situation that could be quickly remedied,” he added. “The people are chanting, BRING IN TRUMP!!!”

Brandon Johnson also had a statement. He decided the people to blame were the families that went to the tree lighting ceremony.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/president-chicagoans-chanting-bring-trump-after-violent-downtown-riot-8-shot-1-dead

Trump Wins Again

According to Fox News:

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., announced late Friday she will resign her seat in Congress, one week after President Donald Trump publicly pulled his endorsement of the outspoken Georgia lawmaker.

In a lengthy statement posted to X, Greene cited her growing disillusionment with Washington politics, blasting what she called a corrupt “Political Industrial Complex” that she said uses Americans as “pawns in an endless game of division.”

“Americans are used by the Political Industrial Complex of both political parties, election cycle after election cycle, in order to elect whichever side can convince Americans to hate the other side more,” Greene wrote. “And the results are always the same — nothing ever gets better for the common American man or woman.”

Greene said she had “never fit in” in Washington and was leaving Congress to “fight for the people of this country in a different way.”

“I believe in term limits and do not think Congress should be a lifelong career or an assisted living facility,” Greene wrote. “My only goal and desire has ever been to hold the Republican Party accountable for the promises it makes to the American people and put America First, and I have fought against Democrat’s damaging policies like the Green New Deal, wide open deadly unsafe border policies, and the trans agenda on children and against women.”

Greene criticized her own party’s leadership for what she called a “sidelined” majority more focused on “safe campaign re-election mode” than governing.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-announces-resignation-from-congress-after-president-trump-withdraws-endorsement

Dumbass of the Day

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Nov182025

Episode 1130 – Drudging Up the Same Garbage!

The Jeffry Epstein-thing keeps rearing its ugly head.

Once again, Trump proves to be a pragmatist when it comes to dealing with the cost of food.

And the one thing the government shutdown has shown us is how corrupt it is. The Trump administration has decided to do something about it.

We Are Missing the Real Criminal

According to the Wall Street Journal:

The trove of Jeffrey Epstein emails released this week shed light on the relationship between the sex offender and his onetime friend Donald Trump.

Yet one of the more striking revelations from the thousands of pages of correspondence, the latest tranche of documents made public by a House committee, concerns the relationship between Epstein and another man: writer and reporter Michael Wolff.

A leading chronicler of Epstein, Wolff features prominently in the much-awaited email dump, appearing to serve as a kind of unofficial consigliere to him—and seeming to fulfill some people’s worst impression of the entangled worlds of power players and the press. 

The two exchanged dozens of emails, illustrating a notably symbiotic connection between a writer and a source. At times Wolff comes across as a shrewd image-consultant, a canny crisis-communications manager and supportive friend to a scandal-plagued tycoon.

After the Epstein email cache was released, Wolff appeared on the Daily Beast’s “Inside Trump’s Head” podcast, where a top topic was what was inside Wolff’s head when he was writing these now-regrettable emails. In hindsight, he acknowledged, some passages were “embarrassing” and he would have worded them differently.

https://www.wsj.com/us-news/the-story-of-michael-wolffs-embarrassing-emails-to-jeffrey-epstein-5242344d?st=jd8ex2

This Is What I Voted For

According to the Wall Street Journal:

President Trump on Friday moved to lower tariffs on beef, coffee and dozens of agricultural and food goods, marking a significant rollback of his so-called reciprocal levies as he looks for ways to address Americans’ concerns about the cost of living.

Trump issued an executive order modifying the reciprocal tariffs he imposed on virtually every trading partner in August, exempting more than a hundred common food items including fruits, nuts and spices.

The move continues a shift away from Trump’s maximalist tariff policy. When the president announced his reciprocal tariffs this spring, his economic team insisted there would be no exemptions to the levies. They later relented, removing duties on certain items not produced in the U.S., or available in sufficient quantities from domestic suppliers to meet demand. 

The newly exempted products on Friday, however, include many products commonly produced in the U.S.—such as beef, which has risen to record prices in recent months. The tariff reductions are retroactive to 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13, according to the order.

The move is part of a shift from the administration to water down some of its so-called reciprocal tariffs in the face of both price increases for consumers and legal uncertainty following a high-stakes Supreme Court hearing this month. In their place, the administration has expanded other tariffs on individual industries like steel, aluminum and automobiles based on more established national security law—Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

https://www.wsj.com/economy/trade/trump-implements-major-rollback-of-food-tariffs-f575c75d?st=R8u3aM

A Good Start

According to the Daily Wire:

The Trump administration is preparing to implement a sweeping and controversial overhaul of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps — an action officials describe as part of a broader effort to increase program integrity and eliminate what they characterize as widespread abuse.

At the center of this initiative is a major requirement announced by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins: millions of low-income Americans will be required to reapply for food-stamp benefits, regardless of whether they are already enrolled, have been long-term recipients, or have recently completed eligibility reviews at the state level.

Rollins outlined the plan during an interview on Newsmax, framing it as a necessary step to restore confidence in how federal taxpayer dollars are used. She said she plans plans to “have everyone reapply for their benefits, make sure that everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through … food stamps, that they literally are vulnerable and they can’t survive without it.”

Rollins has recalled that on the day she took office, she sent a letter to all 50 states saying that the federal government had never asked for the data before, but that it now needed the personal data, including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and addresses, of SNAP recipients. She said on X that she sent the letter “so we could make sure illegal immigrants aren’t getting benefits meant for American families,” adding, “The Democrat Party has turned its back on working Americans and built its entire strategy around protecting illegal aliens. They know if the handouts stop, those illegals will go back home, and Democrats will lose 20+ seats after the next census.”

“29 states — mostly the red states — responded with their data sets, February, March, April; so the numbers that you’re talking through, those are numbers that we have been collecting and analyzing since early summer/late spring,” she said. “The fact that this spotlight shined on SNAP has allowed us to talk about it. But here’s the most unbelievable news I have [learned] really just over the last few days: That 5,000 dead people, that was just one month; the number is closer to 186,000 deceased men and women and children in this country are receiving a check.”

The administration argues that this mass reapplication process is essential to combating what it calls systemic fraud and error in SNAP. By reprocessing the entire recipient population, officials say they hope to remove ineligible participants, strengthen data accuracy, and reduce government spending.

By placing the mandatory reapplication requirement at the center of the reforms, the administration seeks to redefine SNAP as a program reserved only for those who can clearly demonstrate acute need, reflecting a broader shift toward stricter eligibility enforcement.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/rooting-out-fraud-trump-admin-to-make-food-stamp-recipients-reapply-for-benefits?topStoryPosition=undefined&author=Hank+Berrien&category=News&elementPosition=1&row=1&rowHeadline=Top+Stories&rowType=Top+Stories&title=Rooting+Out+Fraud%3A+Trump+Admin+To+Make+Food+Stamp+Recipients+Reapply+For+Benefits

Weirdo on a Plane

According to the Daily Wire:

Photos posted online show Democrat Congressman Brad Sherman (CA) looking at what appears to be pornographic images of women on his tablet during a recent flight.

Sherman, who is fiercely anti-Trump, has denied that he was looking at pornography, while admitting to looking at the suggestive photos and blaming the X algorithm.

“If I see a picture of a woman, might I look at it longer than a sunset? Yeah,” Sherman told reporter John Bresnahan in the aftermath of the scandal. He also said what he was doing was “inappropriate.”

The images went viral after they were posted by an X account called @dearwhitestaff. With his mouth agape, Sherman is seen viewing four to five sexually suggestive photos.

“Why did California Congressman Brad Sherman feel it was appropriate to look at porn on his iPad during a flight today?” the post was captioned. “His district deserves better representation than this!!”

When interviewed about the images, Sherman “denied repeatedly that he was looking or pornography or has a problem with pornography,” Bresnahan said. “Sherman said these photos came up in ‘Twitter feed’ under the ‘For You’ heading.”

“This was on Twitter,” Sherman said. “These pictures came up on ‘For You.’ … I must’ve looked at more than 1,000 posts.”

https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-congressman-denies-looking-at-porn-mid-flight-with-bizarre-defense?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&category=undefined&elementPosition=8&row=3&rowHeadline=Latest+News&rowType=Vertical+Carousel&title=Dem+Congressman+Denies+Looking+At+Porn+Mid-Flight+With+Bizarre+Defense

A Song Feminists Should Listen To

Kelsea Ballerini – I Sit in Parks

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/kelsea-ballerinis-haunting-new-song-exposes-loneliness-feminism-forgot

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Jul312025

Episode 1097 – When Should Race Be The Story?

Donald Trump continues winning and the media has no idea how to handle it.

Kamala Harris paves the way for a 2028 presidential run.

And when should we and shouldn’t we bring race up as a subject of a story.

News

Here is some news:

  • Kamala Harris will not run for governor of California.
  • The Commerce Department said U.S. gross domestic product—the value of all goods and services produced across the economy—rose at a seasonally and inflation adjusted 3% annual rate in the second quarter. That is up from a 0.5% contraction in the first quarter.
    • Consumer spending, the main engine of the U.S. economy, increased at a 1.4% pace in the second quarter, picking up from the first quarter as a steady labor market underpinned households’ spending power.
    • But that growth was offset by weaker business spending on buildings and equipment.
    • Trade alone boosted the second-quarter headline GDP number by nearly 5 percentage points, the most on record going back to 1947, as imports plunged after businesses front-loaded purchases in the first quarter.
  • US private sector employment rebounded strongly in July with companies adding 104,000 jobs, marking the largest increase since March and far exceeding forecasts of around 75,000 positions
    • The hiring surge comes after a revised loss of 23,000 jobs in June, reversing what had been the first decline since March 2023.
    • Annual pay growth remained stable at 4.4% for workers who stayed in their jobs and 7% for those who changed positions.
  • The Federal Reserve held rates steady for a fifth straight meeting Wednesday but faced rare dissents from two officials seeking an immediate cut.
    • Trump is pissed. He believes the tariffs will take care of inflation and keeping the interest rates high is unnecessary and interfering with job growth.
    • Trump wants to replace income taxes with tariffs.
  • The U.S. and South Korea agreed to a trade pact that will see the U.S. apply 15% tariffs to Korean goods in return for duty-free treatment on many American products, President Trump said Wednesday.
    • U.S. products won’t be charged a tariff in Korea, the president posted on Truth Social. South Korea would contribute $350 billion for investments “owned and controlled” by the U.S. and a further $100 billion in energy purchases.
  • President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he will impose a 25% tariff on Indian goods starting August 1, plus additional unspecified penalties for India’s purchases of Russian oil and military equipment, citing India’s high tariffs on U.S. goods and its role as Russia’s largest energy buyer alongside China.
    • The move comes after failed trade negotiations and could significantly disadvantage Indian exporters in sectors like electronics, pharmaceuticals, and textiles compared to competitors from Vietnam, Bangladesh, and potentially China.
  • France, the United Kingdom and Canada have decided to recognize Palestine as a real state.
    • They are doing it because of the continued war between Hamas and Israel.
    • Israel has condemned the action.
    • All other countries, including the United States, have yet to comment.
  • The Trump administration announced a sweeping proposal Tuesday to rescind the Obama-era “endangerment finding” that has served as the legal foundation for federal climate regulations, marking what EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin called the “biggest deregulatory action in U.S. history”.
    • The move would eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles, including the last remaining tailpipe rules targeting carbon pollution from cars and trucks.
    • The proposal centers on repealing the 2009 endangerment finding, which declared that greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane endanger public health and welfare.

https://nypost.com/2025/07/30/us-news/kamala-harris-wont-run-for-california-governor-clearing-way-for-possible-2028-white-house-bid/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=nypost
https://www.wsj.com/economy/us-gdp-q2-2025-359c022b?st=3WGoPi
https://www.perplexity.ai/discover/you/canada-joins-uk-and-france-in-opwwInMGS_isjwiOeGfnsg
https://www.perplexity.ai/discover/you/trump-epa-moves-to-roll-back-o-pEUWTDtiSAWf4Ge4jJEWNg

Here We Go Again!

A mass shooting occurred in Midtown Manhattan on the evening of July 28, 2025, at a high-rise office building located at 345 Park Avenue, which houses businesses including Blackstone and the NFL headquarters. The attack resulted in the deaths of four people, including an NYPD officer, with the gunman also dying by suicide. Several others were injured, at least one critically.

Key details:

  • The shooter has been identified as 27-year-old Shane Devon Tamura from Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • Tamura arrived in a black BMW and entered the building armed with an M-4 rifle, opening fire in the lobby, immediately killing an off-duty NYPD officer, Didarul Islam, and a woman.
  • He proceeded to the 33rd floor, firing more shots and killing another person before fatally shooting himself.
  • In total, four people (two men and two women, including the officer) were killed, and a fifth was critically wounded; four others sustained minor injuries while fleeing.
  • Tamura left behind a suicide note mentioning grievances with the NFL and claiming to suffer from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), though an exact motive has not been formally established.
  • He had a documented mental health history, and authorities are investigating why he chose this location.
  • There is no indication of accomplices; the shooter acted alone.

The incident caused widespread panic in Midtown Manhattan, leading to a massive police response, lockdown procedures, and temporary traffic and transit disruptions. The crime is one of the city’s deadliest shootings in years and remains under active investigation, with authorities combing through evidence from the suspect’s vehicle and background.

No credible link has been found to external organizations or terrorism; although two people were briefly detained during the chaos, they were determined to be unrelated to the shooting.

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nyc-gunman-appeared-have-grievance-against-nfl-went-wrong-elevator-bank-deadly-rampage-mayor-says
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/mass-shooting-in-manhatten-5IzHT.nTSU2JnwFy__vbvQ

This IS Actually an Issue

Reports of an attack involving two people in downtown Cincinnati over the weekend are accurate, but Cincinnati Police have clarified that the incident was not related to the Cincinnati Music Festival. The violent brawl occurred at around 3 a.m. in the downtown area, during which a man was assaulted by several people—suffering kicks and stomps—while two other men associated with him were also attacked. A woman who attempted to intervene was violently struck and left unconscious.

Authorities have charged five individuals in connection with the assault and are continuing their investigation, with the potential for additional arrests. Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge emphasized that the fight did not stem from or have ties to the music festival or other major events held the same night. The brawl was described as an isolated, sudden dispute between individuals, not connected to the festival venue or its attendees.

Key Points:

  • Not linked to Cincinnati Music Festival: The attack occurred in downtown Cincinnati but was unrelated to the festival.
  • Five people charged: Police have not released names or detailed charges yet, and more arrests may follow.
  • Victims: A man and a woman (the latter knocked unconscious) were notably harmed during the incident.
  • Wider context: The event garnered significant online attention; some political figures, including Vice President JD Vance, publicly commented on the violence.

If seeking updates on safety regarding the Cincinnati Music Festival, authorities have reiterated that the festival itself was undisturbed and the isolated street fight should not be considered representative of festival safety or atmosphere.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/cincinnati-mayoral-candidate-vp-vances-half-brother-slams-city-leadership-after-brutal-beatdown
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/two-people-attacked-at-cincinn-y5bnYB7HTeyKpSGjUNMLyg

https://www.foxnews.com/us/two-arrested-brutal-cincinnati-mob-attack-one-freed-bail-despite-serious-charges

Idiocy

France has announced it will formally recognize the State of Palestine during the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025, making it the first major Western and G7 country, as well as the largest EU member, to do so. President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the decision publicly and communicated it directly to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Key details and context:

  • Timing and Forum: The formal declaration is planned for September 2025 at the UN General Assembly in New York.
  • Policy Rationale: Macron framed the step as consistent with France’s historic commitment to a negotiated two-state solution and as a means to keep diplomatic hope alive, despite the ongoing Gaza conflict and deteriorating conditions for Palestinians.
  • International Standing: Over 140 countries already recognize Palestinian statehood, but France will be unique as the first among the G7 and a permanent UN Security Council member, joining China and Russia in recognition. The US and UK remain opposed, which may further isolate them diplomatically on this issue.
  • Reaction: Palestinian officials welcomed the decision, regarding it as support for their right to self-determination. Israel strongly condemned the move, with Prime Minister Netanyahu arguing it “rewards terror” after Hamas’s October 2023 attack.
  • Domestic Implications: France, which has Europe’s largest Jewish and Muslim communities, has long supported a two-state solution, but previous French governments deferred formal recognition.
  • Potential Impact: Analysts note the decision could generate momentum, encouraging other Western nations to follow suit, but caution it will not alone transform circumstances on the ground for Palestinians in the near-term.

France’s recognition marks a significant diplomatic shift and could move a broader international debate, but the practical impact on peace negotiations and daily realities for Palestinians remains uncertain.

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/france-recognizes-palestinian-quv5v2HoQ2yryHEKr5Lx5w

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the United Kingdom will recognize the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025—unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza, allows humanitarian aid, and commits to a renewed peace process based on a two-state solution.

Key points:

  • Recognition Deadline: The UK government plans to officially recognize Palestine in September, aligned with the UN General Assembly, unless substantive changes occur.
  • Conditions on Israel: Recognition can be delayed if Israel takes “substantive steps” to end the crisis in Gaza, including agreeing to a ceasefire, allowing sustained humanitarian access, and committing to no annexations in the West Bank as part of a long-term path toward a two-state solution.
  • Conditions on Hamas: Starmer also said Hamas must release all hostages, accept disarmament, and agree to play no role in Gaza’s future government.
  • International Context: This follows a similar declaration from France, and if both the UK and France proceed, the US would become the only permanent UN Security Council member not recognizing Palestine. Currently, roughly three-quarters of UN member states recognize Palestinian statehood.
  • Political Pressure: The move comes amid increased pressure from within the Labour Party, as well as international shifts—especially after France’s stated intention to recognize Palestine in September.

Starmer emphasizes that no party (neither Israel nor Palestinian factions) will have a veto over the UK’s decision, which is being driven by the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the perceived dwindling prospects for a negotiated two-state solution.

The British government will reassess the situation and its conditions ahead of the September UN gathering, and the final decision will depend on the extent to which these conditions have been met.

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/starmer-says-country-will-reco-yN_r3sRTRI6BRuI6f37sqA

Israel’s Reactions

Israel has reacted with strong condemnation to both England (the UK) and France moving toward recognizing the State of Palestine. Israeli officials have characterized these actions as rewarding terrorism and undermining peace, warning of potentially destabilizing consequences for the Middle East.

  • Reaction to England (the UK):
    • High-level Israeli officials have denounced the UK’s planned recognition of Palestine, with statements warning it could undermine regional stability and complicate any negotiated two-state solution. The recognition is broadly seen by Israel as applying international pressure in a way that benefits adversaries and emboldens Palestinian factions, particularly amid ongoing conflict in Gaza.
  • Reaction to France:
    • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials have strongly condemned France’s announcement, saying it “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became.” Netanyahu went so far as to say that recognizing a Palestinian state under the current conditions would make it “a launch pad to annihilate Israel—not to live in peace beside it.” Other Israeli officials have criticized the move as “absurd and unserious,” and warned of possible retaliatory measures, including revisiting intelligence-sharing and other aspects of bilateral cooperation.
    • Israel’s Foreign Minister stated that “a Palestinian state would be a Hamas state,” underscoring deep mistrust of the current Palestinian leadership and process.
    • Some senior Israeli politicians have even argued that such unilateral recognition by countries like France could force Israel to take actions such as expanding sovereignty or annexing parts of the West Bank.

Summary of Israel’s Position:

  • Israel sees Western recognition of Palestinian statehood—especially by major powers like England and France—as a dangerous precedent.
  • Israeli leaders argue it will increase instability, serve as a reward to groups like Hamas, harm the prospects for direct negotiations, and may prompt harsh countermeasures by the Israeli government.
  • The moves by the UK and France have intensified already strained diplomatic relations, with Israel warning of negative consequences for bilateral ties.

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/starmer-says-country-will-reco-yN_r3sRTRI6BRuI6f37sqA

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Jul292025

Episode 1096 – Rest in Peace, Ryno!

Major League Baseball loses a legend and a really good guy.

Donald Trump is in Scotland and gets some major wins.

And a judge makes an insane ruling about the defunding of Planned Parenthood.

News

Here is some news:

  • A federal judge has blocked enforcement of a key provision in President Donald Trump’s recently enacted “One Big Beautiful Bill” that sought to strip Planned Parenthood and its affiliates of Medicaid funding. The provision, though not mentioning Planned Parenthood by name, was written to bar Medicaid dollars for one year to healthcare providers performing abortions and receiving more than $800,000 in annual Medicaid reimbursements—a description that, in practice, applied almost exclusively to Planned Parenthood.
    • Judge Indira Talwani, based in Boston, ruled that the law likely violated the Constitution on multiple grounds:
      • Bill of Attainder: The judge held that Congress unconstitutionally singled out Planned Parenthood for punitive treatment without a judicial trial, effectively targeting the organization vicariously through legislative language.
      • Equal Protection & First Amendment: The ruling also found that the law infringed on the equal protection rights of Planned Parenthood members and may have violated their freedom of association, since it penalized clinics merely associated with Planned Parenthood—even those not performing abortions themselves.
      • Judge Talwani issued a nationwide preliminary injunction, ensuring that all Planned Parenthood clinics can continue to bill Medicaid for services while the litigation works through the courts
  • Donald Trump was in Scotland this weekend and things went pretty well.
    • The trade deal with the European Union will “provide Americans with unprecedented levels of market access to the European Union,” the White House said Monday afternoon, noting that it rebalances the economic relationship between the two countries, “marks a generational modernization of the transatlantic alliance.”
      • Under the terms of the deal, the United States and European Union reached a Cooperation Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair and Balanced Trade, enabling American farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and manufacturers to increase their exports and expand their opportunities as well as reduce the goods trade deficit with the European Union.
      • The European Union will purchase $750 billion of United States energy exports during the duration of the president’s time in office, strengthening American energy dominance and reducing Europe’s reliance on Russia. The EU will also invest $600 billion in the United States throughout the president’s term, in addition to over $100 billion invested in the United States every year by EU companies.
    • Also, during his British travels, the president negotiated a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia.
      • “Just spoke to the Acting Prime Minister of Thailand and Prime Minister of Cambodia. I am pleased to announce that, after the involvement of President Donald J. Trump, both Countries have reached a CEASEFIRE and PEACE,” Trump said on Truth Social Monday.
      • “Congratulations to all! By ending this War, we have saved thousands of lives. I have instructed my Trade Team to restart negotiations on Trade. I have now ended many Wars in just six months — I am proud to be the President of PEACE!”
    • He threatened Russia with more economic penalties if they don’t end the fighting with Ukraine.
      • “We thought we had that settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city, like Kyiv, and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever,” Trump said Monday. “You have bodies lying all over the street. And I said, ‘That’s not the way to do it.’”
      • “I’m going to make the new deadline of about 10 or 12 days from today. There’s no reason in waiting,” he added. “We just don’t see any progress being made.”
    • He also addressed the rumors of starvation in Gaza and Bibi’s denial that there is starvation.
      • “We’re gonna be getting some good, strong food,” the president noted. “We can save a lot of people. Those kids — that’s real starvation. I see it. You can’t fake that.”
      • “We’re gonna be even more involved,” he added. “We did some airlifts, airdrops. And the people are running for it. And, the PM is gonna help us, they’re very effective with that. It’s not very hard to do.”
  • Ryne Sandberg, Hall of Fame second baseman and Chicago Cubs legend, died on July 28, 2025, at the age of 65 after a long battle with metastatic prostate cancer.
    • Sandberg was first diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer in January 2024 and underwent intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
    • He was initially declared cancer-free in August 2024, but in December the cancer returned and spread to other organs.
    • Sandberg passed away at his home in Illinois, surrounded by family.
    • Sandberg was celebrated as one of the greatest second basemen in baseball history, renowned for his combination of power, speed, and defensive excellence during his 16-season MLB career, most notably with the Chicago Cubs.
    • He was a 10-time All-Star, the 1984 National League MVP, and won nine consecutive Gold Glove awards.
    • Sandberg was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005 and is remembered as an icon both for his athletic achievements and his sportsmanship.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/president-trumps-scotland-trip-yields-peace-deals-and-trade-deals?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&category=undefined&elementPosition=3&row=3&rowHeadline=Latest+News&rowType=Vertical+Carousel&title=President+Trump%E2%80%99s+Scotland+Trip+Yields+%E2%80%98Peace+Deals+And+Trade+Deals%E2%80%99
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/mass-stabbing-at-a-walmart-ZJzUg4YlT064vJI_.xFDGw
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/death-of-ryan-sandberg-HoWLYBgMQ.OqidlIoAWq6Q
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/judge-rules-big-beautiful-bill-o5hXFXGxRNGCMhim88NSjQ

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Jul222025

Episode 1093 – It’s Time to Make Some Arrests!

Donald Trump signs a couple of big bills into laws. More wins.

Late night television loses a “celebrated icon.” At least that’s what the media is calling him.

And another conspiracy theory sounds like it is true. I have some ideas on what we need to do.

News

Here is some news:

  • President Trump is suing The Wall Street Journal for libel following a report on his alleged relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and has now called for the release of related grand jury testimony.
  • The House passed the GENIUS Act Thursday in a 308-122 vote, with more than 100 Democrats joining most Republicans to advance the legislation. The bill, which establishes the first federal regulatory framework for stablecoins, is expected to be signed into law as early as today at a White House ceremony.
    • A stablecoin is a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value by pegging its price to an external reference asset, such as a fiat currency (like the U.S. dollar), a commodity (such as gold), or another financial instrument.
  • President Donald Trump has signed a bill enacting $9 billion in federal spending cuts, primarily targeting public broadcasting (including PBS and NPR) and foreign aid initiatives.
    • About $1.1 billion is eliminated for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which includes funding for PBS, NPR, and their affiliates.
    • Nearly $8 billion is cut from a range of foreign aid programs, primarily those operated by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
    • Vote margins: The House approved the bill 216–213, with all Democrats and two Republicans voting against it. The Senate passed its version 51–48, largely along party lines.
    • The Senate removed a proposed $400 million cut to the global PEPFAR AIDS program, softening the total from Trump’s original $9.4 billion proposal to $9 billion.

Yeah, It Was Trump

According to the Daily Wire:

CBS will pull the plug on late-night comedian Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” next year in a “purely financial decision,” the network announced on Thursday.

Colbert’s late-night comedy news show will air its final episode in May 2026, according to a statement released by CBS. The announcement marked the end of a nearly 11-year run Colbert has had hosting “The Late Show,” which first began in 1993 under former host David Letterman.

The network said that it is scrapping “The Late Show” franchise and will not move on to another host after Colbert.

“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire ‘THE LATE SHOW’ franchise at that time. We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television,” CBS said in a statement.

“This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount,” it continued.

Colbert announced the news from his host chair at the top of his Thursday episode.

Then, he did three segments with Adam Schiff. Yeah, I wonder why he got cancelled.

Year/SeasonAvg. Nightly Viewers
2015–2016~2.5–3 million
2016–20173.2+ million
2017–20183.1 million
20183.81 million
2019~3.0 million
2020~2.9 million
2021~2.8 million
2022~2.7 million
2023~2.6 million
2024 (Q1)2.59 million
2025 (Q2)2.42 million

Along with the rating cratering, the show is losing $40 million a year (might have to do with 200 people working on it).

The Gutfeld! show, which the media doesn’t consider late night, is averaging a million more viewers.

That doesn’t matter. The media knows who to blame. How we blame Trump.

So boring.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftists-lash-out-after-cbs-cancels-colbert-kimmel-tells-network-f-you-and-your-sitcoms?author=Amanda+Harding&category=undefined&elementPosition=24&row=3&rowHeadline=Latest+News&rowType=Vertical+Carousel&title=Leftists+Lash+Out+After+CBS+Cancels+Colbert%2C+Kimmel+Tells+Network+%E2%80%98F+You%E2%80%99+And+Your+Sitcoms
https://www.dailywire.com/news/cbs-cans-ultra-leftist-stephen-colberts-late-show-all-just-going-away?author=Tim+Pearce&category=undefined&elementPosition=39&row=3&rowHeadline=Latest+News&rowType=Vertical+Carousel&title=CBS+Cans+Ultra-Leftist+Stephen+Colbert%E2%80%99s+%E2%80%98Late+Show%E2%80%99%3A+%E2%80%98All+Just+Going+Away%E2%80%99
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/what-were-stephen-colbert-s-ra-EMYhzNdrTXimQSXnZQmQwg

Someone Needs to Go to Prison

This was last week during questioning about who knew Joe Biden was senile:

All these people should be given immunity so they have to testify.

But the corruption goes much deeper. According to the Daily Wire:

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified documents Friday revealing that the Obama administration changed intelligence assessments after the 2016 election to create a narrative of Russian interference, despite earlier intelligence community findings that Russia “did not impact” the election through cyber activities.

The intelligence community concluded before the election that Russia was “probably not trying … to influence the election by using cyber means,” according to the declassified records obtained by Fox News. However, following Trump’s unexpected victory over Hillary Clinton, their tone appeared to have changed.

“On Dec 8, 2016, IC officials prepared an assessment for the President’s Daily Brief, finding that Russia ‘did not impact recent U.S. election results’ by conducting cyber attacks on infrastructure,” Gabbard wrote in a thread on X. “Before it could reach the President, it was abruptly pulled ‘based on new guidance.’ This key intelligence assessment was never published.”

The presidential brief prepared for President Obama on December 8, 2016, stated: “We assess that Russian and criminal actors did not impact recent US election results by conducting malicious cyber activities against election infrastructure,” noting that any Russian activities “probably were intended to cause psychological effects, such as undermining the credibility of the election process and candidates.”

The brief concluded that it was “highly unlikely” Russian interference “would have resulted in altering any state’s official vote result.”

“Criminal activity also failed to reach the scale and sophistication necessary to change election outcomes,” it stated.

The FBI raised immediate objections to the brief and requested that its publication be delayed until the bureau could address its concerns. Under then-Director James Comey, the FBI drafted a formal “dissent” to the original briefing.

Subsequently, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence postponed internal publication of the Presidential Daily Brief, citing “new guidance” as the reason for the delay.

Just one day later, on December 9, a meeting was called in the White House Situation Room to discuss Russian election interference with top officials, including then-CIA Director John Brennan, then-National Security Advisor Susan Rice, then-Secretary of State John Kerry, and then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

Following this meeting, then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper threw out the old analysis and tasked intelligence leaders with crafting a new assessment “per the president’s request,” detailing “tools Moscow used and actions it took to influence the 2016 election.”

Gabbard revealed: “According to whistleblower emails shared with us today, we know Clapper and Brennan used the baseless discredited Steele Dossier as a source to push this false narrative in the intelligence assessment.”

Intelligence sources told Fox News the new report “was based on information that was known by those involved to be manufactured i.e. the Steele Dossier or deemed as not credible,” and the CIA had previously dismissed it as filled with “internet rumor[s].”

By January 6, 2017, a new Intelligence Community Assessment was released that “directly contradicted the IC assessments that were made throughout the previous six months,” the ODNI office told Fox News.

Intelligence officials told Fox News they consider the assessment to have been blatantly “politicized” after it “suppressed intelligence from before and after the election showing Russia lacked intent and capability to hack the 2016 election.”

“The information we are releasing today clearly shows there was a treasonous conspiracy in 2016 committed by officials at the highest level of our government,” Gabbard told Fox News. “Their goal was to subvert the will of the American people and enact what was essentially a years-long coup with the objective of trying to usurp the President from fulfilling the mandate bestowed upon him by the American people.”

“No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, to ensure nothing like this ever happens again,” Gabbard said. “The American people’s faith and trust in our democratic republic and therefore the future of our nation depends on it.”

Gabbard concluded: “As such, I am providing all documents to the Department of Justice to deliver the accountability that President Trump, his family, and the American people deserve.”

Someone over the last 15 years needs to be arrested, perp-walked, tried, convicted, and serve the rest of their lives in prison.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/obama-admin-suppressed-intel-showing-russia-didnt-impact-2016-election-tulsi-reveals?author=Nathan+Gay&category=undefined&elementPosition=15&row=3&rowHeadline=Latest+News&rowType=Vertical+Carousel&title=Obama+Admin+Suppressed+Intel+Showing+Russia+Didn%E2%80%99t+Impact+2016+Election%2C+Tulsi+Reveals

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Jul202025

Episode 1090 – If You Don’t Like It, Stop Doing It!

Tariffs are finally hitting the economy. What will be the next step by the Trump administration.

Gavin Newsom keeps telling us that illegal aliens are the backbone of the Californian economy. I argue that is the primary reason California needs to deport illegal aliens.

And Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, feels real bad for illegal aliens too afraid to go to work in her city. That’s means there’s going to be a tax hike.

News

Here is some news:

  • The Trump Administration has stated that illegal aliens will no longer be able to bond out by a judge.
  • The Supreme Court ruled that Trump can proceed to gut the Department of Education.
    • This comes after Linda McMahon fired half the people in the department.
    • Completely shutting down the department may require congressional approval.
  • Donald Trump announced an arms deal where Ukraine will get weapons purchased from the United States by NATO.
    • NATO will foot the bill.
    • NATO is thrilled by the deal.
    • Trump has also put more tariffs on Russia and has threatened tighter sanctions.
  • The inflation rate has jumped to 2.7%
    • This was expected.
    • A lot of this has to do with the tariffs.
    • It is a good thing that the Fed did not lower interest rates.

He Doesn’t Get It

In summary:

  • Direct state government debt: about $158 billion
  • Combined state and local government long-term debt: over $510 billion
  • Total debt including all unfunded obligations: about $1.6 trillion

California also faces significant annual budget deficits, with projections of a $12 billion–$70 billion shortfall for the 2024–25 fiscal year.

Based on the most recent and reputable estimates, California spends between $22.8 billion and $30.9 billion annually on benefits and services for undocumented immigrants (often referred to as “illegal aliens”). The costs include health care, education, public assistance, and law enforcement:

  • Health Care: California’s expansion of Medi-Cal to cover undocumented immigrants is projected to cost over $8.4 billion per year for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
  • Education: Education is historically the largest cost driver. Earlier detailed breakdowns estimate that K-12 education for children of undocumented immigrants and related services (like English language instruction) reaches $12.3 billion per year.
  • Law Enforcement and Justice: Costs for policing, incarceration, and courts attributable to undocumented immigrants are over $4.4 billion annually.
  • Other Services: Additional expenses include public assistance programs and general government services, adding over $2 billion more.

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/how-much-does-california-spend-6CMDv5AcTT6TODSmUvlBZg
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/how-much-in-debt-is-the-state-7Vd.jLT.THuCp.HXKyse_g

It Just Gets Better:

According to L.A. Times:

Mayor Karen Bass announced a plan Friday to provide direct cash assistance to people who have been affected by the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration raids.

The aid will be distributed using cash cards with a “couple hundred” dollars on them, which should be available in about a week, Bass said at a news conference.

“You have people who don’t want to leave their homes, who are not going to work, and they are in need of cash,” she said.

Bass spoke about a family she met who needed two incomes to afford their rent. After one of the breadwinners was detained in an immigration raid, she said, the family is concerned they may face eviction.

It was not immediately clear what the qualifications will be needed to receive the cards.

The mayor emphasized that the money will not come from city coffers but from philanthropic partners. The cards will be distributed by immigrants rights groups such as the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.

The city will coordinate between philanthropists and organizations distributing the cards, according to the mayor’s office.

https://www.newsmax.com/us/los-angeles-karen-bass-immigration/2025/07/11/id/1218496
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-07-11/l-a-will-provide-cash-assistance-to-immigrants

What? Again?

According to Fox News:

A federal judge in Los Angeles late Friday issued a sweeping temporary restraining order (TRO) against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), ruling that the agency likely violated constitutional protections through its immigration enforcement practices in California.

In a 53-page order issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, a Biden appointee, barred ICE from conducting detentive stops in the Central District of California unless agents have “reasonable suspicion” that a person is in the country unlawfully. 

Frimpong’s ruling explicitly prohibits ICE from relying solely on race or ethnicity, speaking Spanish or English with an accent, location, or type of work when forming suspicion, citing the Fourth Amendment.

The order also requires ICE to keep and turn over detailed records of each stop and agents’ reasoning for them, develop official guidance for determining “reasonable suspicion,” and implement mandatory training for agents.

A couple of things:

  • This judge is overstepping her bounds. She can’t tell law enforcement how to practice their craft.
  • This is a blanket TRO. If there is evidence of wrong-doing of an individual, fine. But you can’t just say no to it all.
  • The Supreme Court has ruled on this when it came to stop and frisk.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/federal-judge-issues-temporary-restraining-order-curtailing-trumps-immigration-enforcement-california

This Is How to End Illegal Immigration

According to the New York Post:

The Trump administration moved Thursday to block illegal immigrants from accessing taxpayer-funded aid to enroll in educational programs and receive health care benefits.

The departments of Education, Agriculture, Labor, Justice and Health and Human Services made separate announcements Thursday, touting savings of around $40 billion.

HHS called the change a “significant policy shift” that will “ensure that taxpayer-funded program benefits intended for the American people are not diverted to subsidize illegal aliens.”

“Under President Trump’s leadership, hardworking American taxpayers will no longer foot the bill for illegal aliens to participate in our career, technical, or adult education programs or activities,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon also said in a statement. 

“The Department will ensure that taxpayer funds are reserved for citizens and individuals who have entered our country through legal means who meet federal eligibility criteria.”

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that states should also be preventing migrants from accessing benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

https://nypost.com/2025/07/10/us-news/trump-moves-to-bar-illegal-immigrants-from-aid-for-education-health-programs?utm_source=nypost&utm_campaign=android_nyp&utm_medium=social

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