By Casey Harper (The Center Square)
Gas prices continue to rise this week in the U.S., hitting the highest level in months.
Now, the concerns and political ramifications for the Biden administration are starting to rise as well.
“Gas prices are rising,” said economist Stephen Moore. “Joe Biden is doing nothing except push a crazy green agenda that will make prices even higher. “If America went back to Trump’s energy policies, we’d be producing 2 million barrels more a day.”
RELATED: Oil Prices Shoot Up After China’s New Ally Saudi Arabia, OPEC Make Major Cuts to Production
According to AAA, the average national price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.56, up from $3.49 a week ago and $3.41 a month ago.
Those energy price woes were exacerbated earlier this week when OPEC+ announced a significant cut in oil production, something likely to raise prices for American consumers.
“Saudis to cut oil production by 500,000 barrels per day,” said Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Texas. “This will definitely impact our economy and gas prices. This is why it’s so important to become and remain energy independent.”
Americans are already paying much more for energy than when Biden took office. Gas prices hit record highs last summer, surpassing $5 per gallon nationally. Those prices afterward dipped, in part because Biden relied heavily on the Strategic Petroleum Oil Reserves. Now, those reserves are at their lowest level since 1984, and Biden will have to use them more sparingly, if at all, to fend off future price increases.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also disrupted global oil markets. The war was expected to end by now, but it has continued with no sign of peace in the immediate future.
Biden’s defenders have pushed back, pointing to oil companies’ profits despite higher prices hurting Americans.
“While you were paying through the nose at the gas pump, Big Oil companies were using the cover of inflation to jack up prices and line their pockets,” said Robert Reich, a Berkeley professor and former Secretary of Labor. “BP’s CEO recently boasted that in 2022 his company had its ‘lowest production cost in 16 years.’”
RELATED: Japan Joins the Party, Ditching Pact With U.S.A. to Buy Russian Oil On the Cheap
Critics have hit the Biden administration’s role in rising energy prices, pointing to Biden’s discouragement of domestic oil and gas drilling and pipeline development. House Republicans recently passed the Lower Energy Costs Act, which would encourage domestic drilling to lower prices, but it is unlikely to get the Democratic support needed to succeed in the Senate.
“The Senate should pass H.R. 1 immediately and President Biden finally needs to put politics aside and unleash the power of American energy,” said Daniel Turner, who leads the energy workers advocacy group Power the Future. “Otherwise we are headed back to $4 dollar a gallon gasoline as the norm, among many other unpleasant factors.”
Some experts project the decision by OPEC+ could raise energy prices by 26 cents. Other experts say the decision by OPEC+ is a sign of the future.
“Given the transition the world is undergoing as it embraces ‘clean and green energy,’ OPEC+ understands all too well that its still highly valued ‘liquid gold’ will at some point begin to lose its shine,” said Quincy Krosby, Chief Global Strategist for LPL Financial. “Until then, as the countries dominating OPEC+ prepare for the future by spending trillions of dollars rebuilding infrastructure and refocusing away from crude oil as their primary source of income, managing the price of crude will be used more directly and aggressively than was anticipated.”
RELATED: Gas Prices Poised to Rise as Dems Block Energy Bill
Biden also recently took fire for lowering the nation’s oil reserves to what some consider dangerous levels. House Oversight Republicans said in a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm this week making that very point.
“By gutting vital fuel storage to lower short-term prices, the Biden Administration exposed the U.S. to future market volatility and increased supply dependence on adversarial nations instead of supporting an all-of-the-above energy approach to unleash American energy potential,” the letter said.
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
The post Biden Takes Fire as Gas Prices Head Back Skyward appeared first on The Political Insider.
Author: adler
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Biden Takes Fire as Gas Prices Head Back Skyward
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Indiana Teacher Fired for Refusing to Use Transgender Pronouns Receives Bad News from Federal Appeals Court
A federal appeals court ruled that an Indiana high school did not violate the law when it allegedly forced a music instructor to leave for refusing to accept the new names and pronouns of transgender students.
The 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals decided on Friday that the potential disturbance to the educational environment at Brownsburg High School outweighed John Kluge’s rights.
According to Kluge, the district’s policy of respecting pupils’ names and pronouns violated his religious convictions.Did an appeals court get it right? Indiana school trans policy upheld as court backs teacher sacking https://t.co/PGwxzokm9G #Brownsburg High School #John Kluge #trans #transgender pic.twitter.com/MdnP1zGXXk
— Scallywagandvagabond (@ScallywagNYC) April 10, 2023RELATED: Minnesota House Passes ‘Transgender Sanctuary State’ Bill
Fired for Truth
The district started directing high school teachers to use the names and pronouns indicated for students in the school’s official database from the beginning of the 2017–2018 academic year. Changes were only permitted with letters from a student’s parent and a doctor.
When Kluge expressed his uneasiness to the school principal on the first day of courses and mentioned his Christian faith, district officials agreed to let him use the pupils’ last names. But the endeavor to make room for Kluge had repercussions.
At least two transgender kids said the teacher singled them out in front of their peers by refusing to use their first names.
Other students, instructors, and counselors quickly criticized Kluge’s decision and told district administrators that Kluge’s classroom made them feel uneasy.
Following the accusations, the school apparently reversed course and pushed Kluge to resign.
According to court documents, Kluge resigned in 2018 after being threatened with termination if he didn’t address students correctly.
In 2019, Kluge filed a lawsuit against the district, alleging that it had broken a federal rule forbidding job discrimination based on religion. She asked for her reinstatement as well as unspecified monetary penalties.
Employers are only compelled by federal law to respect employees’ religious views if doing so won’t put an excessive burden on the business.
While Kluge maintained that using students’ last names wouldn’t burden the school, the 7th Circuit, which is based in Chicago, disagreed and upheld an Indiana federal judge’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit.John Kluge is my hero. Thank you, sir, for standing up for your Christian rights.
— Steve Lamb (@SteveLamb47834) April 9, 2023RELATED: Feds Create Race, Gender ‘Speech Codes’ for Scientists to Use
Generation Cupcake
The district made an effort to respect Kluge’s religious objection, the appeals court acknowledged, but it soon became clear that his use of last names “resulted in students feeling disrespected, targeted, and dehumanized, and in disruptions to the learning environment.”
The requested accommodation, according to the opinion, “worked an undue burden on the school’s educational mission by harming transgender students and negatively impacting the learning environment for transgender students, for other students in classes and in the school generally, and for faculty.”
Rory Gray, Kluge’s legal representative who represents the libertarian Alliance Defending Freedom, said the organization is debating its next course of action.
According to Gray in a statement, “Congress passed Title VII to prevent employers from forcing workers to renounce their beliefs in order to keep their jobs.” “In this instance, Mr. Kluge went above and above to make accommodations for his students and to treat them all respectfully. Before unjustly punishing Mr. Kluge for his religious convictions, the school district even granted this accommodation.
Reprinted with permission. View this story and more on WayneDupree.com.
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Democrats Own the Suburbs Because They’re Now the ‘Cool Kids’ Table’
By Guy Ciarrocchi for RealClearPolitics
“How come the suburbs used to be so Republican, and now they’re Democrat?”
I’ve lived in Chester County in suburban Philadelphia since 1995. I was raised in South Philly and started out in politics campaigning for President Ronald Reagan. If I had a dime for every time I’ve been asked this question, I could afford to buy one of those Teslas scattered across so many driveways of suburbia.
Today, the more relevant question is: “Can Republicans make a comeback in the suburbs?”
RELATED: School Superintendent Candidate Has Job Offer Yanked for Politely Calling Two Women ‘Ladies’ in Email
The answer involves both tactical and cultural elements. To improve tactics, the GOP needs volunteers, money, and a campaign plan. Republicans have control of what they do here, and they need to make good choices: nominating quality candidates, developing effective mail-in voting, building coalitions with first- and second-generation Americans, reaching out to people who don’t agree with the party on everything, and ensuring that elections are run transparently and accurately counted.
On the other hand, changes in culture – along with changes in voters’ priorities – present a major challenge. Republicans need to understand that the culture has shifted in the suburbs and learn how to navigate this new landscape. Then they must try to change local culture, a daunting task.
Though often overlooked, culture drives politics and voting. And the Democrats now sit at the “cool kids’ table.”
That wasn’t always the case. In 2000, almost every Philadelphia-area suburban civic and nonprofit leader was a Republican or sympathetic to Republicans. Almost every elected official in our suburbs was a Republican. Their relationships with one another were mutually beneficial. Republican elected officials helped secure government grants for local nonprofits and attended their events – concerning everything from the arts to history, from fire companies to “open space.”
Republican elected officials won praise, got their pictures in newspapers, newsletters, and web-pages, and won awards from the nonprofits. This helped incumbents stay in office, as it made it easier for them to raise money to recruit volunteers and attract voters.
Today, the politicians and civic leaders are Democrats, or sympathetic to them, as are most boards of directors. Now the interconnected cycle benefits the Democrats.
RELATED: Kid Rock Goes Ballistic Over Bud Light’s New Transgender Campaign – ‘F*** Bud Light!’
A disproportionate number of active and retired corporate executives and nonprofit board members live in the suburbs. While it’s often said that Democrats win political support from disadvantaged people through social programs, it’s often overlooked that, in the suburbs, they enjoy a similar relationship with boards of directors of nonprofits, including universities.
Many don’t realize that corporate executives will go to great lengths to schmooze politicians for a five- or six-figure grant for their favorite charities. Like the single parent who becomes dependent on aid for his children’s food, C-suite executives become addicted to government grants awarded by local Democrats.
Democratic politicians and Democratic-friendly civic leaders use their platforms to advance and fund their agendas, values, and priorities. And many people want to sit at the “cool kids’ table,” especially in the suburbs. So, they attend the events, listen to the messages, and pose for the photos. And many eventually donate to Democratic campaigns.
Those of us active in political campaigns often forget that most people don’t think about politics 24/7. Many don’t have deeply held policy positions. People who live in the suburbs and make a nice living, who work 50 hours a week and are busy getting their kids to school and involving themselves in whatever outside activities they have time for don’t spend much time thinking about the war in Ukraine or the national debt. And, if they don’t have kids in school, battles over critical race theory or the choice of titles on school bookshelves are just background noise.
It is understandable that these apolitical swing-voters vote for the people they see at charity events or who their pickle-ball partner is talking about. They vote Democratic because “everyone is a Democrat,” right? Belonging is especially important in the suburbs.
In extreme cases, as we have seen here in Chester County, even former Republican Party chairmen will “switch jerseys” from “red” to “blue” to secure aid for their charities or to maintain pinstripe-patronage contracts.
RELATED: Parents Need a Bill of Rights to Protect Children from Government
The overwhelming majority of incumbent officeholders are now Democrats. Civic leaders and corporate leaders are now Democrats, or supporters of same. Local institutions are intertwined with and financially dependent upon Democrats. Contributions flow overwhelmingly to Democrats. The passive voter hears, sees, and is surrounded by all this.
This is a lot to overcome for Republicans. To turn the tide in the suburbs, the GOP must first improve its tactics and build coalitions with first- and second-generation Americans. Doing so will help somewhat at the local level, and perhaps in school board elections. But it will make an even bigger impact at the statewide level, where even a three- or four-point shift in the suburbs could lift a Republican to victory.
To work toward success on this larger scale, however, Republicans must recognize that they need to address the culture centers in the suburbs. The goal isn’t to persuade left-wing Democrats but to win over undecided voters standing in the cafeteria line, wondering if it’s okay to sit at the Republican table. We need to prove that our table is cool, too.
Syndicated with permission from RealClearWire.
The post Democrats Own the Suburbs Because They’re Now the ‘Cool Kids’ Table’ appeared first on The Political Insider. -
‘Go Home’: DeSantis Aide Rips Gavin Newsom After CA Gov Visits Florida College to Fight ‘Authoritarian’ Leaders
Governor Gavin Newsom is doing what most people living in California do – leaving his home to spend some time in red states. This week he visited a college in Florida as part of his fight against “authoritarian leaders.”
Newsom met with students of New College of Florida, a small liberal arts school that his counterpart, Governor Ron DeSantis, has been using as a staging ground for his war on “woke” higher education.
In January, DeSantis changed the makeup of the college’s board of directors by placing six conservative allies on the 13-member panel, as the school has been accused of indoctrinating students with leftist ideology.
“He has one thing that is common with everything he’s doing — bullying and intimidating vulnerable communities,” Newsom told about two dozen students and faculty at a public library near the campus.
“You’re not only on the right side of history, you have something he’ll never have − moral authority.”Met with some librarians today while in Florida.
They shared with me the rich, diverse background of the town and what’s at stake if we ban our kids from learning our real history. pic.twitter.com/FjoLBmCKYX
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) April 5, 2023RELATED: DeSantis Says Gavin Newsom’s ‘Hair Gel’ is Affecting Brain Function After CA Governor Demands ‘Kidnapping’ Charges
Gavin Newsom Visits Florida
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s visit to the Florida college comes less than two years after he banned state-funded travel to the state due to alleged “discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.”
Does that mean he views them as insufficiently discriminatory to warrant such a continued ban today? Or is it simply that the Brylcreem spokesman wannabe is a raging hypocrite?
We’ll guess the latter.
Christina Pushaw, DeSantis’ Rapid Response Director, fired back in epic fashion.
“Go home,” she wrote. “You aren’t getting those Uhauls back.”GO HOME
YOU AREN’T GETTING THOSE U-HAULS BACK https://t.co/OrhTReuzpH
— Christina Pushaw (@ChristinaPushaw) April 6, 2023Why is that as funny as it is?
Because a fairly recent report indicates that so many people are trying to get the hell out of California that they’re running out of U-haul trucks. Not kidding.
The top destination for U-Haul’s trucks, according to the company, was Texas followed quickly by Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Arizona.
Texas and Florida have gained the most in Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) due to population migration while New York and California are hemorrhaging money.Blue State Gov: ‘Tax peeps more, what can they do?’
Blue State Peeps: ‘Move’
New 2020 IRS migration data shows Florida is the biggest winner, New York the biggest loser, in the competition for people and their wealth – All 50-states:https://t.co/Q77fhrwQhf
— Not Simo Häyhä (@h2av8tor) June 3, 2022RELATED: Massive Population Exodus Causing Financial Distress For Blue States
Is Newsom’s Red State Tour a Trial Run For 2024?
Townhall columnist Rebecca Downs is wondering why Gavin Newsom can’t seem to quit “his weird obsession with Florida.”
The Hill, though, covered the story and subtly pointed out that Newsom “is seen as a potential future Democratic White House hopeful.”
He claims he’s not going to run for President in 2024, regardless of whether or not Biden runs for re-election. But his word is about as valuable as a napkin from the French Laundry.Newsom says he won’t run for president in 2024, even if Biden doesn’t seek reelection https://t.co/QoS40fxHhf pic.twitter.com/9vyfnv5Zin
— The Hill (@thehill) November 26, 2022If he’s not running, why would Newsom be leaving behind a state in squalor and disrepair and instead touring red states under the mantra of the single issue Democrats on the national stage run on?
As The Hill writes, Newsom’s tour is about “travel to Republican states where he says democracy is under assault.”
Sounds like a 2024 campaign platform to me.
“The problem in our country right now: Authoritarian leaders who are so hellbent on gaining power and keeping it by whatever means necessary,” the man who locked down his state during an overblown pandemic while partying it up every chance he could, said.Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Political Insider ranks #3 on Feedspot’s “100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.”The post ‘Go Home’: DeSantis Aide Rips Gavin Newsom After CA Gov Visits Florida College to Fight ‘Authoritarian’ Leaders appeared first on The Political Insider.
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Trump Gets Massive Crowd Support at UFC Event, Jorge Masvidal Starts ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Chants
Donald Trump was on the receiving end of massive cheers at a UFC event held in Florida, while one fighter led the crowd in ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ chants during a post-fight interview.
UFC 287 was held in Miami, Florida on Saturday, just a little over a week after the Republican frontrunner for President was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury.
Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, low-level felonies in New York State but which carry a potential for a 4-year prison sentence each.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Trump, despite the chaos, made a surprise appearance at the UFC event, sitting in the front row with rock legend Kid Rock, boxing legend Mike Tyson, and Dana White, the president of UFC.
The crowd gave him an enthusiastic ovation and broke out in chants of “USA! USA! USA!”BREAKING: UFC crowd breaks out in USA! USA! USA! chant as Trump rises and waves at the area pic.twitter.com/UDB59bgZ7w
— Jack Poso (@JackPosobiec) April 9, 2023RELATED: Adam Kinzinger Picks A Fight With UFC Fighter, Gets Slapped By Tucker Carlson As ‘Mr. Tough Guy’
Trump Cheered Wildly at UFC Event
Aside from the crowd reaction, former President Donald Trump received a show of support from UFC star Jorge Masvidal.
Masvidal lost his welterweight fight against Gilbert Burns. After the match, the 38-year-old Masvidal announced his retirement in an interview with Joe Rogan.
He promptly heaped praise on the GOP nominee sitting at ringside.
“I wanted to say, greatest president in the history of the world sitting right there,” Masvidal said. “I love that guy.”
He then proceeded to lead the crowd in a “Let’s go, Brandon!” chant.Jorge Masvidal thanks Donald Trump, calls him “greatest President in the history of the world” and then starts a “Let’s go Brandon” chant.
pic.twitter.com/HCp3ckKIoB
— ALX (@alx) April 9, 2023“Let’s go Brandon” is a euphemism for the more vulgar phrase – “F*** Joe Biden.”
The inside joke is the result of an incident two years ago when NBC Sports reporter Kelli Stavast was interviewing NASCAR driver Brandon Brown, who was interrupted with a very clear and vociferous chant of “F*** Joe Biden.”
Stavast tried to tell viewers the crowd was chanting a much more palatable but very incorrect, ‘Let’s go, Brandon.’How it Started…Talladega Superspeedway: Brandon Brown had just won a NASCAR race. And sportscaster Kelli Stavast commented in an interview with Brown afterward how the crowd seemed to be chanting in his honor: ‘Let’s go, Brandon!” https://t.co/BlRcn7O4f1 pic.twitter.com/7GeRL1SiO2
— Zen Diamond Apartments Newslink (@apartments_zen) November 3, 2021RELATED: President of El Salvador Blasts Biden’s Hypocrisy on Trump Indictment: Imagine Any Other Country Arresting a Political Opponent
Masvidal Also Praises DeSantis
UFC star Jorge Masvidal also offered praise for Florida governor Ron DeSantis, a man typically found in second place in polling for the Republican nominee for president, despite not having announced his own campaign as of yet.
“We also got the greatest governor of all time here in Florida. Let’s keep Florida free, a red state,” he said. “And let’s take back – you know who, Let’s go, Brandon motherf***er … replace him.”Wow. Jorge Masvidal retires and leads a chant of “Let’s go Brandon!” pic.twitter.com/ftpeJ8IhTJ
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) April 9, 2023UFC fighter Kevin Holland also approached the former President and spoke with him following his victory over Santiago Ponzinibbio in the Welterweight division.
After Kevin Holland wins, he jumps right over the cage to greet and thank President Trump pic.twitter.com/CBjmMbcdCK
— Beard Vet (@Beard_Vet) April 9, 2023UFC fighter Bryce Mitchell last March caught the attention of Fox News host Tucker Carlson following an interview in which Mitchell voiced opposition against U.S. involvement in Ukraine.
His comments drew the ire of CNN contributor Adam Kinzinger, who mustered up every ounce of anger he could into his little frame and suggested the Greatest Generation would like to slap the “kid.”Oh my Lord. This is America. By the way “I’ll fight when the war comes to Arkansas…” WHAT??
The WW2 generation would love to slap him I’m sure.
Way to go @TuckerCarlson . This is a new way to support Putin without being so obvious https://t.co/wfhcnH3ZcT
— Adam Kinzinger #fella (@AdamKinzinger) March 9, 2022What makes this interesting is it marks an incident in which Carlson readily offered Kinzinger an opportunity to respond to the UFC fighter through an interview on his show.
For all his bravado on Twitter these days, Kinzinger was actually offered an opportunity to take on Tucker Carlson as opposed to being reduced to a glorified Twitter troll.
Kinzinger, of course, declined, stating that Carlson is too “hostile” and “interrupts and laughs” at his guests.You sound like you’re gonna cry… you gonna cry?
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) March 15, 2022Yea well, when you deserve to be laughed at the way Kinzinger does, it’s rather warranted.
Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Political Insider ranks #3 on Feedspot’s “100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.”The post Trump Gets Massive Crowd Support at UFC Event, Jorge Masvidal Starts ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Chants appeared first on The Political Insider.
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American Carnage: Trump Indictment Reflects Left’s Bottomless Cynicism
By J. Peder Zane for RealClearPolitics
The indictment of Donald Trump exposes the bottomless cynicism of progressive politics.
The goal is not to put Orange Man in an orange jumpsuit but to ensure he’s the Republican nominee in 2024. Democrats consider Trump the easiest candidate to defeat and by turning him into a martyr they hope GOP voters will rally around him. They are willing to roll the dice on a potential second term for a man they compare to Hitler, because they think it will improve their chances of victory.
RELATED: GOP Rep. Massie Calls on Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg to Be Disbarred and Removed From Office
The brazen cynicism is amplified by the naked politics of the case. New York City District Attorney Alvin Bragg – and, most assuredly, the party leaders advising him – have decided to make Trump the first former U.S. president ever indicted because of hush money to a porn actress. Crucial to the thumb-in-the-eye message being sent are two facts: that the payments occurred years ago, in 2016, and that both federal prosecutors and the Federal Election Commission declined to pursue them. Of course, we are targeting our political rival on nonsense, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
To compound the insult, Democrats and their Newspeak henchmen on cable TV proclaim that this political dirty trick reenforces the principle that no person is above the law. Is anyone surprised? Of course not. We expect progressives and deep state bureaucrats to use the levers of government to attack their enemies and protect themselves.
The examples are legion. Compare the aggressive pursuit of the Russiagate conspiracy hoax to the lack of interest in President Biden’s connection to his family’s influence peddling; the kid glove treatment of violent BLM protestors during the summer of 2020 riots versus the dogged pursuit of anyone near the Capitol on Jan. 6; the SWAT-team like arrest of an abortion clinic protestor (who was quickly acquitted of all charges); and the refusal to arrest, let alone prosecute, anyone still illegally protesting outside the home of Supreme Court justices before the ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
The double standard is obvious, and that is the point. Justice is a tool of the left. If you don’t like it, watch out.
A cynic might note that politicians have always done whatever they could to gain power. But their conduct has long been constrained by the American people, who have long believed in American institutions and American values.
Rank-and-file Democrats no longer provide such guardrails for their leaders. Instead of saying enough, most are cheering their party’s serial subversions of the system. Part of this response reflects the fear-and-loathing influence of those who tell them what to think: Terrified by cancel culture and desperate to appear virtuous and smart, Democrat voters have swallowed the propaganda of progressive activists in politics, media, entertainment, and academia who cast Republicans as fascistic Neanderthals. No decent person could support the GOP, so what choice do I have?
RELATED: Even Mexico’s President Thinks Democrat Persecution of Trump is Corrupt
That Manichean mindset, however, is relatively benign compared to more profound corruption of thought that the progressive elite have wrought among their followers through the normalization of cynicism.
The woke revolution they are leading is a force of destruction. It offers no vision of a promised land. Its main impulse is to expose, delegitimize, and dismantle American institutions and American values. Instead of a shining city on a hill, they present America’s past and present as a parade of horribles fueled by systemic racism, sexism, and homophobia. In their telling, slavery, rather than freedom, is our nation’s defining feature. Everyone except straight white men is part of an oppressed group trapped in a Sisyphean struggle to avoid being crushed by a system designed to keep them down. This ideological cynicism about the American project fuels destructive policies:The criminal justice system is rigged, so why prosecute people (other than our political enemies) for most crimes?
The education system is rigged, so why expect kids to study or behave themselves?
The economic system is rigged, so why work hard?
Other human beings are a bother, so why get married or have children?Is it any wonder that a recent Gallup Poll found a record-low number of respondents say they are extremely proud to be Americans?
The tragic fallout from this effort is obvious. Crime is rising, schools are failing, productivity has cratered, and loneliness abounds. The irony is that leftwing policies appear to do special harm to those who support them – as liberal men and women suffer the highest rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. As much as they hate Republicans, they loathe themselves and the world around them.
RELATED: Civil Rights Attorney Leo Terrell Pummels Al Sharpton for Calling Trump Indictment ‘Spiritual’ Payback: He’s a Professional Shakedown Artist!
The historic indictment of Trump on weak, politically motivated charges underscores how far Democrats have knocked our country off the rails. Their incessant attack on the pillars of our society is creating a nation of cynics who no longer believe in anything. When the rule of law is dead, everything is permitted.
J. Peder Zane is a RealClearInvestigations editor and columnist. He previously worked as a book review editor and book columnist for the News & Observer (Raleigh), where his writing won several national honors. Zane has also worked at the New York Times and taught writing at Duke University and Saint Augustine’s University.
Syndicated with permission from RealClearWire.
The post American Carnage: Trump Indictment Reflects Left’s Bottomless Cynicism appeared first on The Political Insider. -
GOP Drafts Articles of Impeachment Against Defense Secretary Austin for Afghan Disaster
By Bethany Blankley (The Center Square)
U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, R-Florida, told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last week that he was drafting articles of impeachment against him for “dereliction of duty.”
Mills cited the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan that put the Taliban back in power, led to the death of 13 service members, left thousands of Americans and Afghan allies behind, and left $83 billion worth of military training equipment, weapons and ammunition to U.S. enemies.
RELATED: Biden Admin Admits Over 100 Americans Still Left Behind in Afghanistan
At a House Armed Services Committee hearing held on March 29 on oversight of the U.S. Defense Department budget, Mills, an Army combat veteran and Bronze Star recipient, told Austin he’d already drafted articles of impeachment against him and planned “to hold him accountable.”
Mills asked Austin and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who were both called to testify before the committee, “If an officer has a dereliction of duty, there are many articles which could remove him for that reasoning, is that correct?” They both replied in the affirmative.
He said his understanding of the definition of dereliction of duty “is a person’s purposeful or accidental failure to perform his obligations. Would we agree with that?” Austin shook his head in the affirmative.
“There’s also willful dereliction of duty,” Mills continued, “which in my opinion is nothing more than a failure through negligence.”
Mills addressed Austin directly, stating, “We have seen where we have failed to secure a status of forces agreement during Iraq withdrawal, which has now allowed ISIS to retake key locations in Baghdad. We have Afghanistan in control of the Taliban … with billions of dollars in weapons, armament, defense articles, millions of dollars in cash, thereby actually creating probably one of the most well-funded and well-positioned terrorist organizations in the world. Even though our intent in going into Afghanistan was actually to stop it from being a safe haven of terrorism.”
Mills cited U.S. foreign policy failures in the Middle East, saying they were personal because of his combat service and because before he was elected to Congress he helped “conduct one of the very first successful overland rescues of Americans who were left behind in this botched withdrawal.”
He also cited an example of a sergeant who could have taken out a suicide bomber in Afghanistan and saved American lives but there were escalation of force or rules of engagement not allowing him to do so, Mills said. “The idea of being deployed and going down without an escalation of force or clear rules of engagement even after receiving a BOLO identifying the target is a failure in leadership,” Mills said, looking Austin directly in the eye.
RELATED: Afghan Reconstruction Inspector Believes US Destined to Repeat Mistakes in Ukraine
“In my opinion, this is willful,” he added. “That is why Secretary Austin not only do I believe that you should have resigned,” but his actions constituted “a dereliction of duty.”
“I take that very seriously, especially for our armed service members and those who are looking for accountability as a result of this botched withdrawal,” he continued. … “I’ve already drafted my articles of impeachment for dereliction of duty.”
U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, was next called to speak but first asked Austin if he wanted to respond to Mills’ comments. Austin replied by saying, “The congressman is certainly entitled to his opinion.” He then looked at Mills and said, “We all thank you for your service. I don’t take a back bench when it comes to patriotism, devotion to our cause here, protection to our troops.”
Appearing to be taken off guard, Austin began his response calmly but his tone escalated to appear to be combative, saying, “In the short 41 years that I spent in uniform, … almost six years of that was in a combat zone. So, I get it. I commanded Bagram Airforce Base so I know a little bit about Bagram Airforce Base. But again, you’re welcome to your opinion and so I’ll leave it at that.”
On the day of the hearing, Mills published a short statement, saying, “When we had the chance, our leadership blew it. Sergeant Major Vargas-Andrews had the bomber in his sight, and in my view, it was a failure of leadership that he was not given the OK to take him down. This is not about politics; this is about accountability. That is why I drafted articles of impeachment to hold Secretary Lloyd Austin accountable for his dereliction of duty.
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
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The Biggest Threat to America Isn’t Russia or China – It’s the Enemy Within
Depending on what 24/7 mainstream news channel you watch or political party you ascribe to, you are either fed that the biggest threat to America is Russia or China. No doubt worthy adversaries, particularly China, who I’ve long admired for their dedication to a cause and ‘long-game’ foreign policy.
However, much like great people, great nations tend to be their own worst enemies. Hard to argue that it’s a mad world we live in – after all, man buns are still all the rage, and Gwyneth Paltrow is now likable.
All kidding aside, if you’ve been paying any attention over the last decade, all signs point to an internal beast that is perhaps the biggest threat to our grand experiment. That threat is the rise of the American Marxist and their Victim Manifesto.The Left tries to convince us that the threat to the United States is Russia while the Right says it is CCP’s China.
No!!! The real clear and present danger to our country is the enemy within: the American Marxists & Globalists who are in control of all our institutions from…
— Xi Van Fleet (@XVanFleet) March 19, 2023It’s True; Walker, Texas Ranger Says So
Suppose you don’t believe me that there is a long-running, strong American Marxist movement in our country. In that case, you should at least listen to the master of the roundhouse kick, Chuck Norris. Last year Lone Wolf McQuade wrote a killer op-ed titled, ‘Karl Marx Would be proud of U.S. Progress.’
In his masterful essay, he explains how modern America has adopted and adapted the Ten Planks of Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto.
The updated ten points the man who played one of my favorites – Major Scott McCoy – laid out were the following:The defacing and destruction of national monuments
The dumping and disdain of American patriotism and exceptionalism
Support for cancel culture
The dismantling of the nuclear family
The dismantling of Constitutional rights
Defunding the police
The state’s control over mainstream media
Hostility toward God and religion
Redistribution of wealth
Growth of the entitlement generationALERT! Our military is under dangerous assault by Biden administration policies. Latest documents show Air Force Academy cadets being trained to enforce anti-American Marxism! https://t.co/uNydntUkx7 pic.twitter.com/me4ZyOBUc9
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) March 29, 2023If you think about it, you can easily name instances where all ten of these repackaged ten planks is in action in our country. But it’s not just Chuck who is sounding the alarm; it’s also our former President turned jailbird Donald Trump.
RELATED: Chuck Norris Issues Dire Warning: Biden And His Neo-Marxist Liberals Are Leading America ‘Down The Slippery Slope To Communism’
Which Country Is This Again?
As a fanatic of foreign affairs, this week has been irritating for me regarding the news. Thanks to the arraignment of former President Trump, the news has been a nonstop deluge of coverage of the historic event.
And while I think we’ve missed out on a lot of big international news, even I can’t deny that the fact that not just a former President but the leading opposition party candidate for the job has been indicted for essentially fuzzy bookkeeping in an attempt to meddle in the next Presidential election is worthy of copious coverage.
I’ve been deployed to countries that participate in this sort of activity; how far we have fallen.If the Dem Party had a time machine pic.twitter.com/a1QE7JcGLB
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 4, 2023While I rarely appreciate the lack of oratorical skills the former Commander-in-Chief expresses, he is often on the money regarding his insights.
For example, in a recent video released, President Trump said:
“…the greatest threat to Western civilization today is not Russia. It’s probably more than anything else ourselves and some of the horrible, USA-hating people that represent us.”
He went further to label these dark forces who hate our country so much, yet salivate at the need to control it:
“It’s the Marxists who would have us become a godless nation, worshipping at the altar of race and gender and environment. … it’s the globalist class that has made us totally dependent on China and other foreign countries that basically hate us.”
I think he’s onto something, even using such indistinct verbiage as “probably” and “basically.” But if you still aren’t convinced, you should take the word of those who have first-hand knowledge of what a Marxist nation is like.
RELATED: Musk’s Revenge: Twitter Slaps NPR With ‘State-Affiliated Media’ Label
Tell Me Lies, Tell Me Sweet Little Lies
While Marxism has made its way into every aspect of our government, working to spread its poison until we can’t recognize who we are anymore, perhaps the most significant indication of this threat came when parents were forced to see what their children were, or shall I say weren’t, learning.
As former U.S. Ambassador to Estonia, Aldona Wos, explains:
“The greatest danger of communism is that it is an ideology built on lies and you must have education to understand that it is a lie.”
And that is where the enemy roots itself, in the education or, better put, the miseducation of America’s youth. Thanks to revisionist history lessons that preach the evils of our founding, critical race theory that separates us into victims and oppressors, and now divisive gender ideology meant to confuse the mind and soul, the war against what America was is in full force.The DEI industry has become a bizarre synthesis of political Marxism, boutique genders, false compassion, and New Age spiritualism.
The University of Florida recently invited Sandra—”she/they”—to lead a workshop on dismantling “capitalism,” “patriarchy,” and “whiteness.” pic.twitter.com/DrbcejKl4N
— Christopher F. Rufo (@realchrisrufo) April 4, 2023Survivor of China’s cultural revolution and immigrant to the United States, Xi Van Fleet, made headlines when she engaged in a tit-for-tat with 1619 Project creator and Marxist extraordinaire Nikole Hannah-Jones.
Xi Van Fleet hit to the core with this truth bomb:
“I know very, very well what happened during the Cultural Revolution. …They rewrote history, and then they fed us, the young people, the fictional history, for the indoctrination for control of mind. She’s doing exactly the same thing.”
Have you chatted with a millennial like myself (albeit not as witty) or younger lately? Tell me they aren’t full on the lie that communism and socialism aren’t so bad or that children can choose their gender identities.
RELATED: Unbelievable Poll Shows American Values Are Dying, and Fast
Shame On Me? Shame On YOU
You may be wondering how we fight this threat from within. Or perhaps your beloved favorite political commentator might have gone off the deep end and is making too much out of ‘woke culture.’ Let me first tackle the second point.
I’ve been told by loved ones that I shouldn’t write so much and talk so much about things like gender ideology and critical race theory because it just gives credence to something that is obviously ridiculous. To that, I say you are part of the problem.
Staying silent on these issues isn’t really about you wanting to not bring attention to them; it’s about you not wanting to be shamed by the progressive left for daring to say that men are men and women are women, children shouldn’t be mutilated, and that white privilege and systemic racism is an excuse to shame the government and corporations into handouts, which leads me to my answer on how we fight back.
We refuse to be shamed for being right. The biggest threat to America isn’t the Marxists trying to tear us down; it’s those of you who are too scared to speak up.
Do not be bullied or shamed into remaining silent. Do not allow others to force you to hide your faith and beliefs because it makes them uncomfortable.
Life is meant to be uncomfortable, and the best speech is the speech that causes discomfort. Therefore, I will not be silenced, and I will not be shamed.
How about you?Marxism is a problem in modern society because there are people in prominent positions who are Marxists.
For example: 17.6% of professors in the Social Sciences were Marxists as of 2006.
That’s why teaching students the failures of Marxism in school is important. https://t.co/s5rQgewDrj pic.twitter.com/iaKn3zB6mI
— The Rabbit Hole (@TheRabbitHole84) April 5, 2023Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Political Insider ranks #3 on Feedspot’s “100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.”The post The Biggest Threat to America Isn’t Russia or China – It’s the Enemy Within appeared first on The Political Insider.
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Even Mexico’s President Thinks Democrat Persecution of Trump is Corrupt
By Dr. Derek Ellerman
I had held out hope that my country could stave off imperial decline until after my lifetime, or at least until I was an old man, too old to care.
Unfortunately, things aren’t turning out that way. We have found ourselves, tragically, living in interesting times.
So interesting, in fact, that history’s greatest hope is now getting lectures from some of the (formerly) most corrupt nations on the planet.
So congratulations, my fellow Americans; you have lived to see your country fall so far that even Mexico can’t bear to watch.
That’s the message Mexico’s president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) sent when he chastised the Democrats’ attack on our democracy with the political persecution of President Trump.Mexico President AMLO: President Donald Trump’s Arrest Is Politically Motivated
The World Is Watching.
The World Knows The Truth.
#BananaRepublic #TrumpArrest#TrumpIndicment pic.twitter.com/XtXKTq04Yz
— Salty IrishGirl (@IrishAmerican27) April 4, 2023RELATED: GOP Rep. Massie Calls on Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg to Be Disbarred and Removed From Office
AMLO Rips Democrats
Yes indeed, a country that is literally run by drug cartels must avert their eyes because the nakedly political legal harrassment of Trump is just too much to take.
In response to New York’s arrest of the former President for a supposed crime that was passed over by the Federal Elections Commission, AMLO said something that should have all Americans looking deep within their souls about who we are and what we will allow our politicians to do.
“Supposedly legal issues should not be used for electoral, political purposes. That’s why I don’t agree with what they are doing to ex-President Trump. It should be the people who decide.”
And of course, he’s right. But should means very little.
The war pigs who run the show don’t care about should. It is simply too dangerous to allow the democratic process with a madman like Trump roaming free.
After all, he could end up putting this country first, instead of the kleptocracy in Ukraine.
He could try removing our troops from the illegal war in Syria again – and we just can’t have that.
And so, the clown show continues.
Stunningly, Mexico’s president isn’t the only leader from the “global south” who is shocked and appalled at how corrupt this country has become.Think what you want about former President Trump and the reasons he’s being indicted.
But just imagine if this happened in any other country, where a government arrested the main opposition candidate.
The United States ability to use “democracy” as foreign policy is gone. https://t.co/svdFxtaf4q
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) April 4, 2023RELATED: President of El Salvador Blasts Biden’s Hypocrisy on Trump Indictment: Imagine Any Other Country Arresting a Political Opponent
El Salvador, Hungary Weigh In
As The Political Insider’s Rusty Weiss chronicled just a few hours ago, El Salvador’s president Nayib Bukele couldn’t help himself either.
Remember, El Salvador is one of the most dangerous and corrupt nations on the planet.
Bukele gets right to the main vein of the thing: “The United States ability to use ‘democracy’ as foreign policy is gone.”
And how long has our government gone galavanting around the globe bombing tiny countries into smithereens because of their alleged lack of democracy? How many people have been killed for that excuse?
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also joined the fray, saying, “Keep on fighting, Mr. President! We are with you.”
Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice for us powerless Americans to “be seen” by foreign leaders. Eventually, that’s going to matter more than you think.
Don’t be surprised when some day in the future, Chinese bombs are falling on whatever is left of American cities, while their leader – with a twinkle in his eye – says “Well, we just can’t allow authoritarian, undemocratic rogue states to do whatever they want!”Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Political Insider ranks #3 on Feedspot’s “100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.”The post Even Mexico’s President Thinks Democrat Persecution of Trump is Corrupt appeared first on The Political Insider.
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Civil Rights Attorney Leo Terrell Pummels Al Sharpton for Calling Trump Indictment ‘Spiritual’ Payback: He’s a Professional Shakedown Artist!
Former Democrat and civil rights attorney Leo Terrell blasted Al Sharpton as a “professional shakedown artist” after the ‘reverend’ declared the indictment of former President Donald Trump to be “spiritual” payback.
Sharpton, whose closest foray into spirituality comes when he thanks God for still being employed despite being a well-known race hustler, made the comments at a New York University forum on Tuesday.
“I’m always looking for the spiritual interpretation of something,” he told those in attendance.
“And I think it’s very ironic that on … the 55th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, that the president that tried to turn back a lot of what King did is going to be arraigned in Manhattan Supreme Court by a Black DA.” (Trump did exactly nothing to “turn back” anything King did.)
Sharpton added that while it’s nice to “celebrate this moment of justice,” it’s also important to note that “the work is not done.”“I’m thinking of Dr. King as the first Black Manhattan DA will deliver us justice and bring criminal charges against President Trump.”https://t.co/LyCiu4SYSe
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) April 6, 2023RELATED: Al Sharpton’s Own Charity Paid Him Over $1 Million Last Year
Terrell Buries Sharpton Over His ‘Spiritual’ Trump Comments
Appearing with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Terrell absolutely buried Al Sharpton over his comments suggesting the indictment of Donald Trump was a “spiritual” event.
“Al Sharpton does not speak for a single black person in America,” he said. “Al Sharpton speaks for his wallet.”
He further critiqued the good reverend as well as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“(Sharpton) is a professional shakedown artist,” Terrell seethed. “And for him to somehow analogize Alvin Bragg as some spiritual person for the black community. Alvin Bragg is a tool for white liberals going after Donald Trump.”
Terrell proceeded to reiterate his assertion that Sharpton is a shakedown artist with zero credibility.LEO TERRELL slams Rev. Al Sharpton after calling Trump’s indictment a sort of ‘spiritual’ payback: “He is a professional ‘shakedown’ artist and Alvin Bragg is a tool for white liberals going after Donald Trump.” pic.twitter.com/2UDFF1O2Cz
— Martin Golobic (@wpww14l88) April 6, 2023RELATED: Matt Gaetz Tears Into Al Sharpton By Repeating His Racist Comments During Hearing
Professional Shakedown Artist
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung issued his own reply to Al Sharpton’s comments in a statement to the Washington Times.
“Mr. Sharpton should get his own house in order before talking about something he has no clue about,” Cheung said.
Why would he have to get his house in order? Sharpton has never been held accountable for his controversial past, which besides the hustling also includes tax evasion.Al Sharpton says black DA indicting white Trump is ‘spiritual payback’ https://t.co/HYBDGDZVtm via @americanwire_ >><> What a disgusting remark. As if God plays the race card among the people that HE created. Disgusting.
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) April 6, 2023In 2019, The Political Insider reported that Sharpton’s charity, the National Action Network, paid him over $1 million. He hustled a charity for $1 million. A charity. He’s a ‘reverend.’
At a House Judiciary Committee hearing on law enforcement that same year, Rep. Matt Gaetz brought up Sharpton’s history of racism and anti-Semitism simply by quoting him.Matt Gaetz Unloads on Al Sharpton!
Watch Al try to explain away his racist and bigotted comments as Dem committee members try to rescue him.@RepMattGaetz pic.twitter.com/dFYPimRrX7
— TrumpSoldier (@DaveNYviii) September 19, 2019Sharpton has a rich and storied history of such rhetoric.
His entire career began when he raised his profile by completely fabricating a race crime, backing Tawana Brawley in falsely accusing four white men, including a state trooper and Steven Pagones, an Assistant District Attorney in Dutchess County, New York, of rape.
To be clear, there is no gray area here – Sharpton pushed the entire story, which was made up, destroying the lives of those accused.
Despite having been successfully sued by Pagones for defamation, Sharpton very recently doubled down on the Brawley hoax.
“I have no evidence that I was misled,” he told PBS host Margaret Hoover. Which is a lie.
A grand jury in 1988 concluded Brawley had not been abducted, assaulted, raped, or sodomized, as she and her advisers had claimed.Rev. Al Sharpton refused to apologize for allegations he made that a 15-year-old Black girl was raped by a group of White men in 1987; claims that were found to be false by a grand jury. pic.twitter.com/5XCxM1RPpa
— Zeno Calhoun (@zenoc_oshits) January 23, 2023Also included in Sharpton’s race-hustler, anti-Semitic rap sheet:
Inciting a three-day riot in Crown Heights that resulted in the death of an innocent Hasidic Jewish student visiting from Australia.
Telling an audience member on the Morton Downey Jr. Show that “you a punk f*****.”
Started a protest at Freddie’s Fashion Mart that led one protester to attack the store, shoot several customers, and start a fire that killed seven employees.Now he’s looked upon by MSNBC as a legitimate source of commentary on the day’s news.
Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Political Insider ranks #3 on Feedspot’s “100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.”The post Civil Rights Attorney Leo Terrell Pummels Al Sharpton for Calling Trump Indictment ‘Spiritual’ Payback: He’s a Professional Shakedown Artist! appeared first on The Political Insider.