Rightwinggranny is adding some guest writers to the website this year. The opinions expressed by these writers are not necessarily the opinions of rightwinggranny.
Re-examining The 501(c)(3) Status
Reply
I belong to a number of organizations that have 501(c)(3) status. These organizations are very careful to support issues–not political parties and not candidates. As individual members, we are free to support whatever party or individual we choose, but as an organization we focus on providing information and education on issues. Donating to a political party or a candidate is not permissible for a 501(c)(3). Not all 501(c)(3) organization are willing to stay within those boundaries.
On Friday, Townhall posted an article about some increase scrutiny into some 501(c)(3) who have not necessarily been willing to follow the rules.
The article reports:
According to the New York Post, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the IRS are preparing to review the tax-exempt status of several prominent progressive organizations, including George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). The reviews could lead to the revocation of their 501(c)(3) status and face substantial back-tax payments, civil penalties, and potentially the standard 21 percent federal corporate tax rate moving forward.
The article notes:
As for the three major nonprofits reportedly in Treasury’s sights, Open Society Foundations has faced allegations that its money has reached groups tied to violent protests and Antifa-aligned activism. CAIR has long faced more serious questions as the FBI suspended formal outreach to the organization after citing evidence of a relationship with Hamas, while critics have accused the group of operating as a terrorist-aligned organization. The SPLC, meanwhile, was federally indicted just months ago on allegations that it secretly funneled more than $3 million in donor money to people associated with the KKK, neo-Nazi organizations, and other violent extremist groups. Prosecutors say some of that money ultimately supported criminal conduct.
Whether any of that will meet the legal threshold for revocation is ultimately for the IRS to determine. But the Treasury appears ready to find out whether these organizations are charitable institutions or simply left-wing political machines.
…”Where the evidence leads, we will not hesitate to follow,” he (Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent) added. “And of course, we will hold these organizations, officers, directors, accountable. And just as financial institutions must know their clients, they must know their grantees. That work is well underway.”
Stay tuned.
Ending An Idea That Simply Did Not Work
Since man has walked the earth, he has been in search of a perpetual motion machine. The laws of physics make the possibility of him finding that machine non-existent. Reaching a goal of net zero carbon emissions probably falls in the same category as the perpetual motion machine.
On Saturday, John Stossel at Hot Air posted an article about the end of net zero.
The article reports:
What a difference a few years make.
Not long ago, politicians said climate change was going to kill us, so we must move to “net zero” emissions.
This is theoretically possible. Since vegetation removes carbon, we could get to net zero by burning fewer fossil fuels.
Governments everywhere pledged to do just that.
President Joe Biden and European leaders promised “net zero by 2050.”
For a while, it seemed like it might happen. Spain invested billions into its solar power grid. Germany and Spain claimed to get most of their power from renewables.
But now they realize that they made a mistake.
European businesses closed as electricity costs rose, and last year, Spain’s electricity supply shut down for 16 hours.
It was a wakeup call for the green dream.
The article notes that as a result of banning air conditioning in several European countries, according to Reuters there were 10,000 excess deaths during a heatwave in June.
The article reports:
A majority of Americans have air conditioning, but only about 20% of European homes have it.
In Britain, some homeowners were even ordered to tear out air conditioners under climate laws.
“This is just the pure religious nature of the climate catastrophist movement,” says Epstein. “It has one commandment: ‘thou shalt not impact nature.’ They just think that everything good is a happy climate god and everything bad is a vengeful climate god.”
The article notes:
“Why aren’t wind and solar enough?” I ask. “The solar panels keep getting cheaper. Batteries last longer.”
“Because the electricity grid has to be built around the worst day,” he replies.
When there’s no wind or the sun doesn’t shine, countries need reliable, steady power to back up renewable power.
Now, countries like Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom are walking back their net-zero push.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz now says rules must “better align climate targets, market realities, companies and jobs.”
Common sense has entered the climate change debate.
It’s Good To Have A Businessman In The White House
On Friday, Just the News posted an article about an oil deal with Venezuela that impacts the global energy market in a major way. I have no illusions that Venezuela has become a thriving democracy, but I do believe that the Trump administration has enough leverage over the current leadership of the country to move the country slowly toward freedom.
The article reports:
President Donald Trump’s historic deal to secure rights to 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil not only doubles America’s energy reserves but also puts pressure on OPEC and Canada in the race for energy supremacy.
Trump announced the deal Friday night, saying it would not cost American taxpayers any money, and experts immediately predicted the move substantially realigns global energy in the favor of the United States.
“What I think you’re seeing is really, truly a long-term vision for how our country, the United States of America, wants to be the leader in the oil markets — American energy dominance. And this means getting out of this OPEC cartel. It means trying to free the world from the the craziness in the Middle East,” said Sam Romain, the chairman of Americans for Energy Dominance.
Romain said Trump’s announcement also exposed the silliness of a recent threat by Canada to stop sending crude oil to the United States over a trade dispute.
The article concludes:
Trump said the deal, which will be overseen by War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, secures majority U.S. control of more than 65 billion barrels of oil reserves in Venezuela.
“This Historic Transaction more than doubles American Oil Reserves, greatly increases our Oil Supply, and will substantially lower Gas Prices for all Americans, long into the future, while helping to continue to set Venezuela on a course toward Tremendous Success and Great Prosperity,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“This Transaction will greatly strengthen the already growing relationship between Venezuela and the United States,” he continued. “Thank you for your attention to this groundbreaking matter.”
American Oil Reserves were depleted during the Biden administration in an effort to keep gasoline prices down before the election. There has been some question as to the condition of the storage facilities and our ability to refill them. I am looking forward to getting back to lower gasoline prices at the pump!
From my friends at Power Line Blog:
Playing Cards You Don’t Have
Iran is not in a good place right now. It is suffering economically under a blockade, its supposed leader has not been seen for months, inflation is out of control, and it has alienated some of its past allies by attacking them. Things are not going well for the current Iranian regime. That does not mean, however, that the current regime is in danger of being replaced. Iran’s best hope is to somehow make a deal to end the blockade and allow money to flow back into the country. Unfortunately, they have very little leverage.
On Thursday, CNBC posted an article about Iran’s latest diplomatic move.
The article reports:
- Iran urged countries to reject U.S. sanctions as Tehran sets conditions for the Strait of Hormuz reopening.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said renewed talks with Washington remain possible if U.S. pressure eases.
- Oil prices dipped on Friday as market participants closely monitored crude flows through Hormuz.
…Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Friday called on “all countries” not to implement U.S. sanctions against Tehran, warning that doing so would represent “complicity” in imposing the “illegal will” of the United States.
The comments were laid out in a two-page letter published via Telegram, as the country set its conditions for reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz and touted the prospect of a return to diplomatic negotiations.
The White House announced an “economic D-Day” campaign against Tehran earlier in the week, threatening countries that do business with the Islamic Republic and shifting its focus from military action to economic pressure after six months of war.
U.S. President Donald Trump made clear on Thursday that Washington is not talking with Iran, telling reporters in the Oval Office: “We don’t want to speak to them. We’re not looking to meet or anything.”
There are conflicting reports as to whether or not the Strait of Hormuz is actually open. However, as I write this on Friday, the price of oil is dropping slightly, generally holding steady at about $82 a barrel. Ideally for the American economy, the price of oil should be between $50 and $60 a barrel.
There Are Many Ways To Control Congress
A lot of the problems we currently have in getting President Trump’s policies through Congress can be traced back to the 2020 census. The census determines how many representatives each state gets, and it also determines the number of Electoral College votes a state will have. The numbers from the 2020 census have been shown (by the people responsible for the census) to be questionable in many areas.
On Friday, Amuseonx reported the following:
The Census Bureau’s own Post-Enumeration Survey, the internal audit that checks the official count against a sample of households, found that Tennessee was undercounted by 4.78%, Florida by 3.48%, and Texas by 1.92%. On the other side of the ledger, Delaware was overcounted by 5.45%, Rhode Island by 5.05%, and New York by 3.44%, with Hawaii and Minnesota padded as well. These figures are the Bureau’s own, and they are not rounding artifacts. A 3.48% miss in a state of 22 million people is roughly 750,000 residents who were never recorded. The Bureau published these figures, described them as regrettable, and then explained that nothing could be done about them until 2030. The agency confessed to the error and simultaneously declared the error permanent, which is a convenient combination for anyone who benefits from it, and the people who benefit from it are Democrats.
The 2020 count miscounted Americans in a pattern that ran in a single direction: toward the states Democrats dominate and away from the states Republicans dominate. The direction is the whole story, and a great deal of official commentary since 2022 has been devoted to persuading the public that the direction can be ignored. Democrats and the press that covers for them have talked as if a one-way miss were weather. An error that always lands on the same party’s states is the thing a serious country investigates, and this country has been asked to shrug instead.
The article explains that the 2020 census was not done entirely by the government–the Census Bureau partnered with more than 55 NGOs. Oddly enough, the majority of these NGOs were left-leaning.
The article concludes:
The census is the foundation on which the rest of the political structure rests, and a foundation poured out of truth does not fix itself as the building goes up. It transmits the flaw upward, into every seat, every electoral vote, and every dollar allocated for the next ten years. Americans of all parties should want this instrument to be trusted, because the alternative is a decade of citizens who reasonably believe the deck was stacked before the first card was turned. Secretary Lutnick has our attention, and the House Oversight and Accountability Committee has subpoena power; both should use what they have. Count the people, all of them, accurately and once. That is the entire job, and it is time somebody did it.
The Law Of Unintended Consequences
California has just created a black market for tires. They didn’t mean to, but they did.
On Wednesday, Issues & Insights posted an article on the new tire regulations in California.
The article reports:
Which state has the highest retail tire prices in the country? It’s not a data point that anyone, as far as we know, compiles, but artificial intelligence suggests that it’s California. What we can be sure about, though, is that in about three years, California drivers will be paying more for tires than they are today.
Significantly more.
It won’t happen because the tire makers and retailers will suddenly raise prices. It will happen because California’s hyperactive government launched yet another new rule last week. Beginning in 2029, all new replacement tires sold in the state will have to be “at least as energy efficient, on average, as tires sold on new vehicles,” according to the California Energy Commission, which bragged that it had “approved the nation’s first replacement tire efficiency standards.”
Supposedly the rule will help consumers pocket extra cash due to the tires’ low rolling resistance. The CEC estimates the savings will reach $1 billion a year in gasoline and electricity costs.
Companies that actually make tires and therefore might know what they are talking about say that the savings are a third-rate tall tale. The new compliant tires will cost far more than the few extra dollars each the CEC reckons. During the rule’s comments period, Goodyear said prices could spike by hundreds of dollars per tire while the rule will eventually eliminate about 70% of current replacement tire market.
The article concludes:
It’s painfully obvious that California will regulate anything, without conscience, without prudence, without remorse, with no regard for the consequences. It’s a single-party state where elected officials and unelected functionaries know no bounds.
There are state lines, though, and Californians will cross them to buy the tires they want and the tires they can afford. Enterprising off-the-books merchants will buy contraband tires in Nevada, Arizona, Oregon and elsewhere and sell them in California outside the normal channels to avoid the regulators.
Who knows, some might feel the rule is the straw that finally breaks their backs and sends them fleeing the state as so many others already have because policymakers continue to make living in California an intolerable burden.
The California legislature is giving residents another reason to leave the state.
An Organization Wandering A Dangerous Path
At some point, Americans need to understand the difference between a religion and a political movement. Our country was founded on a Judeo-Christian moral ethic. The Bible was part of early America, and our first colleges were founded in order to train American pastors. Christianity is the foundation of our culture and our laws. The Supreme Court on various occasions has called America “A Christian nation.” Our Constitution is based on the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God. All religions are welcome in America, but our foundation is Christianity. Christianity is not a political movement–it does not have a national dress code or regulations that limit the freedom of women to travel. It supports freedom for everyone within a basic moral code.
On Thursday, The Daily Wire posted an article about the Girl Scouts of America’s optional programs in the My Promise, My Faith pin.
The article reports:
The national organization Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) has responded to accusations that it is promoting Islam.
“Girl Scouts is proudly for every girl. Contrary to misinformation circulating online today, Girl Scouts is not a religious organization and does not teach religion,” a GSUSA spokesman told The Daily Wire in a statement.
“For more than a century, we’ve welcomed girls of every faith and background. Our national My Promise, My Faith pin invites girls to connect the Girl Scout Law with their own faith. Any other faith-based patches are developed by independent faith organizations, not GSUSA, and participation in these programs is always optional.”
The statement comes following a report by White House reporter Natalie Winters. In it, she accuses certain mosque-based troops of “embedding ‘Islamic values’ into girl scout programs across America.”
The article includes the following X Post:
The article concludes:
“Sadly, for us, this isn’t news. We watched the Girl Scouts move away from their Christian roots decades ago, removing references to God wherever they could. That’s why American Heritage Girls was founded in the first place, because since 1995, common-sense American families wanted a place where girls could be encouraged to live out their Christian faith,” she said.
“[Girl Scout founder] Juliette Gordon Low stood for something at the heart of the organization she founded: an abiding faith in Jesus Christ. Somewhere along the way, the Girl Scouts lost that core in an effort to stand for everything, or perhaps nothing at all,” Garibay added, urging current Girl Scout members to consider an alternative.
Has anyone explained to these girls what life is like for a girl or woman in an Islamic country? Islam is not only a religion–it is a political movement encouraging conquest of non-Islamic territory. The Quran is very clear on how Muslims should relate to non-Muslims and how a country should be run once Muslims reach a certain percentage of the population. For an example of this, look at many of the European Union countries.
The Fracture Points Make No Sense
On Tuesday, The Conservative Treehouse posted an article about the breakdown of the trade negotiations between the U.S. and Canada. The article explains exactly what the four points of disagreement were.
The article reports:
Trade Emissary LeBlanc outlined the major fracture points that drove Prime Minister Mark to reject the deal. I’ll put the full interview below which everyone should watch because what LeBlanc outlined is rather funny. Carney was obviously looking for a reason to walk away, because the fracture points were ridiculously small.
Essentially, it boils down to four issues. !1) Removal of tariffs on Canadian assembled Semi-Trucks. (2) U.S. streaming services writing code for “search engines” in the French language. (3) Canada demanding 5% of gross revenues from U.S. tech platforms, and the last one is silly because it already exists: (4) the U.S. having a right to reject a trade deal made by Canada with a non-market economy, ie. CHINA.
The article includes a video of Trade Emissary LeBlanc outlining the four points.
The article notes:
Taking the issues one by one we start with ♦U.S. tariffs on Canadian Semi Trucks. Canada wanted tariffs on Big Rigs removed. The U.S. said no.
The reason is simple. Big Rigs assembled/built in Canada are falling apart in the USA. Why? Because they are full of cheap Chinese component goods and parts that wear out quickly. The U.S. wants two things on this issue. Either: (1) Make them in the USA, or (2) stop using cheap Chinese component parts. The parts that Canada are using are not even available in the USA because we tariff and reject them, so why should we accept them when Canada installs them? Either quit using Chinese parts (hence, the trade alignment against Chinese imports), or accept a tariff equal to the rate we would apply if the product was coming directly from China.
The article then goes on to explain the other three items.
The article concludes:
Prime Minister Mark Carney blew up the trade discussion based on his demand that: Canada should be allowed to make any deal they want with China; that Chinese component parts be allowed in Canadian assembled Semi Trucks; that streaming services install a French language search engine; and that tech platforms pay him to censor information and subsidize official narratives.
In other words, Mark Carney was looking for an excuse/justification not to make a trade deal, and make a political statement that would appeal to the uber leftist French Québécois and his partners in Beijing.
Clear enough?
I can assure Mark Carney that making a deal with China is similar to the deal the lady made with the dying snake when she took him in. Canada’s largess will not be answered with reciprocal largess.
From my friends at The Patriot Post:
A Legend
On Tuesday, Dolly Parton died. The world lost a fantastic voice and a great example of the right way to handle success and wealth.
Tuesday night, The New York Post posted an article about the accomplishments and generosity of Dolly Parton.
The article reports:
God bless the superb Dolly Parton, who passed away Tuesday in Nashville, the Music City.
To call her the Queen of Country is both true and not.
The genius who wrote “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” on the same day was certainly a country music icon.
But Parton transcended genre, and a one-room cabin in Tennessee, to become an icon for all Americans.
In 1980, she starred in the hit comedy “9 to 5,” while her theme song for the film hit No. 1 simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100, adult contemporary and country charts.
We dare you to find anyone who didn’t like Dolly.
She never had a bad word to say about anyone, and her sly wit mostly took aim at her own flashy persona.
“It takes a lot of money to look this cheap,” she quipped, and later said that quote would likely go on her tombstone.
Parton’s genius as a self-created icon paved the way for generations of female artists.
Madonna, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus (her goddaughter) all plainly owe some performative debt to Dolly.
…Dolly grew up dirt poor, and never forgot where she came from: Her Dollywood Foundation may be the model for making a difference in a community — and through it, in the world, as the Imagination Library, inspired by her father’s illiteracy, has mailed out over 300 million books to children (one a month from birth until they start school) and also gone global via partnerships.
On Tuesday, The Yorkshire Post posted a few Dolly Parton quotes:
“You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try.”
“If I see something saggin’, baggin’ or draggin’, I’m gonna have it nipped, tucked or sucked!”
“I was the first woman to burn my bra – it took the fire department four days to put it out.”
“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”
“You gotta keep trying to find your niche and trying to fit into whatever slot that’s left for you or to make one of your own.”
“Leave something good in every day.”
She will be missed.
Is Transparency Coming?
Yesterday was the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, during the withdrawal of American troops from the country.
Yesterday, Townhall posted an article about the attack and the investigation into the attack. The troop withdrawal was not handled well, and American lives were lost as the result of the poor planning.
The article reports:
War Secretary Pete Hegseth upgraded the awards for three Marines who were at the Abbey Gate attack on August 26, 2021, during the Biden-era Afghanistan withdrawal, as it was five years ago on Wednesday.
Roughly 170 Afghans and 13 American service members died during the airport bombing, which was done by a member of ISIS-Khorasan, according to the Pentagon. The withdrawal ultimately led to the Taliban taking back control over the country, despite the United States having boots on the ground for roughly two decades. Hegseth revealed at a Pentagon ceremony that the report into what went wrong will be out by the end of the year.
“Marines, on this fifth anniversary, your valor is now officially, permanently, and properly recognized,” Hegseth said. “You are the vanguard of a lethal, proud, and undefeated force that secures and defends our Nation. You represent the very heart of Peace through Strength.”
The article notes:
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, who chairs the investigation, revealed earlier Wednesday that the examination into the botched withdrawal, including the deadly attack in Kabul, is still underway.
Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Cpl. Daegan W. Page, Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, Corpsman Maxton Soviak, Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, and Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum were killed during the bombing.
“Recently, my team recovered highly relevant classified documents — material that should have been disclosed — stashed and hidden away in safes where they would not be found,” Parnell said in a video, suggesting that the documents deliberately went under the radar.
Knowing the truth won’t bring those Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers back, but it may provide closure for their loved ones.
The Move To Clean Up The Voter Rolls
The majority of Americans want elections decided by citizens. Non-citizens voting makes no sense. If someone is not an American citizen, why should they be able to vote in American elections? Can you name any country in the world where people who are not citizens of that country are allowed to vote in the country’s elections? The Trump administration is attempting to make sure that only American citizens vote in American elections.
On Tuesday, The Daily Signal reported:
The Supreme Court’s Monday decision cleared the way for the Department of Homeland Security to establish a state-by-state list of eligible voters based on a crosscheck of citizenship data, the Social Security database, and other government information.
“The DHS can determine who is eligible to vote because the federal government does not want to be complicit in fraud through sending mail-in ballots to noncitizens,” Jason Snead, executive director of the Honest Elections Project, told the Daily Signal. “So it makes sense as to why the administration would want to prioritize this.”
The list would be shared with states, but states are not obligated to use the list to police voter rolls.
High-profile Democrat election lawyer Marc Elias expressed alarm over the high court’s ruling in a statement on his website, Democracy Docket.
Regarding the DHS list of eligible citizens, Elias said, “It orders the federal government to compile a list of Trump-approved eligible voters to be sent to the states.”
The above statement is spin. These voters are not Trump-approved–they are people confirmed as American citizens eligible to vote. By putting President Trump’s name into his statement, Elias hopes to distract from the validity of the idea of only citizens voting and appeal to the people who suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS).
The article at The Daily Signal concludes:
Though it was a decision on standing rather than the merits of the executive order, that is still significant in curbing what plaintiffs can do, and what national policy district court judges can block, said election lawyer Cleta Mitchell, chairman of the Election Integrity Network at the Conservative Partnership Institute.
“I obviously wish the Supreme Court had stepped up and stopped the challenge in its tracks,” Mitchell told the Daily Signal. “It may have been necessary to rule on standing to get the votes. At some point, the Supreme Court should step in with the tyrants in black robes and let them know they are not the president, they are not the legislature, and they are not the state election board.”
The tyrants in black robes need to stay in their own lane.
Doing The Job They Were Previously Prevented From Doing
On Monday, American Greatness posted an article the recent activities on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Maryland and Virginia.
The article reports:
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in August arrested over 1,300 illegal aliens in Virginia and Maryland in what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) called one of the agency’s most successful operations in history.
The 14-day operation, titled “Operation Safe Community—Washington, DC,” was conducted from August 1 to August 14, and specifically targeted sanctuary jurisdictions around the nation’s capital.
Of the 1,328 illegal aliens apprehended, 400 reportedly had prior criminal convictions or pending charges for offenses such as murder, attempted murder, rape, sexual battery, kidnapping, driving while intoxicated, hit-and-run, identity theft, and robbery.
ICE also targeted members of transnational criminal street gangs, including MS-13, 18th Street Gang, and Tren de Aragua. Notable arrests included a Salvadoran national wanted for murder in Richmond, Virginia, and an Haitian national arrested in Maryland for attempted murder and weapons possession.
While the operation focused heavily on the suburbs of Washington, D.C. within Virginia and Maryland, enforcement actions occurred throughout both states, DHS said.
The article concludes:
“Once again, our officers are out in the streets arresting and removing criminal alien offenders from American communities – this time in the Washington, D.C. area,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Acting Assistant Director Patricia Hyde. “Our officers are the best in the world at finding people who do not want to be located. That’s exactly what we did throughout the course of this operation. Removing these criminal alien offenders from Virginia and Maryland neighborhoods makes for much safer communities, and that is exactly what the men and women of ICE work to accomplish every day across our great nation.”
“Illegal aliens in Virginia and Maryland have NO sanctuary,” DHS stated on X. “By arresting and REMOVING these illegal aliens from our communities, we will make America SAFE again,” DHS added.
The operation in Maryland and Virginia comes on the heels of “Operation Safe Community – Atlanta” in July, where ICE officers arrested more than 1,200 illegal alien offenders throughout the state of Georgia.
People who broke the law to be here need to go back to square one and become legal immigrants if they want to stay. People who are criminals need to leave permanently.
An Economic War May Be More Effecting Than A Kinetic War
The war in Iran is dragging on. The Iranian people are still not free and the Revolutionary Guard is still in charge. However, things may be beginning to change.
On Monday, The New York Post reported:
A US ally in the Middle East has finally cut off Iran — and it could be one of the biggest threats to the regime yet.
The United Arab Emirates, which serves as Tehran’s largest supplier of goods, suspended all trade with the Iran over the weekend — nixing $6 billion in cash that went to the regime from exports, as well as access to vital supplies from the outside world.
Dubai — the UAE’s thriving commercial hub — is by far Iran’s largest supplier of goods. The Emirati government finally got fed up with Iran following repeated missile attacks that triggered evacuations for the first time during the war.
The move not only threatens the $21.3 billion trade relations between the two nations, it also leaves Iran without its primary way to collect US dollars, Mark Kimmitt, a retired US general and former assistant secretary of state, told The Post.
“If the Emirates cease trade and blocks dollar flows, it could have a crippling effect on the Iranian economy,” Kimmitt said.
Dubai essentially served as Iran’s window to the world after years of being slapped by Western sanctions, with traders buying and re-exporting consumer goods, food and industrial equipment to Iran.
Iran made a tactical error when it began attacking its Arab neighbors. The only hope to keep the Iranian economy afloat right now is China.
The article notes:
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has begun recovering despite Iran’s threats, even as the regime announces new penalties for vessels that refuse to play by its rules. Some ships are using routes Iran doesn’t recognize. Others are sailing with their transponders switched off, making the precise traffic picture difficult to measure. But the larger point is becoming harder for Tehran to hide: intimidation isn’t working the way it used to.
Iran, naturally, is handling this with all the composure you’d expect.
Mohsen Rezaei, the regime’s new security chief, warned that countries cooperating with America’s economic campaign could be treated as committing an “act of war.” Tehran is also threatening retaliation against neighboring countries and economic interests if they help Washington tighten the screws.
It’s hard to win the poker game when you don’t have the cards.
The Canadian Trade Debaucle
There are a few things to remember when evaluating what just happened in the trade discussions between America and Canada. Indications are that the dust-up really wasn’t about trade. The current government of Canada considers the country much more closely aligned with Europe than America. Generally speaking, the Canadian government suffers from Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS). The current leftist government of Canada would love to slow down the American economy and cause inflation if it would give the Democrats a victory in the midterm elections. The sentiments of the government are not necessarily the same as the sentiments of the Canadian people.
On Tuesday, Zero Hedge reported:
Reserve status is helpful, but another thing the US has that most countries do not is (greater) free market access, which generates economic momentum. In other words, even in blue states like California, the US does business more freely and has less socialist regulation than the vast majority of the world and this is why foreign exporters see America as a golden market for their goods.
It’s a bit ironic, but, there are many countries that could, over time, match or surpass the US as a coveted consumer market; “winning” a trade war by becoming more independent and successful. However, none of them will do it because this would mean giving more freedom to their citizens to purchase what they like and operate businesses without constant bureaucratic constraints.
This is why socialism and communism will always lose in an economic war with a country that has free markets. They cannot compete because they restrict their own population’s ability to compete. Without a healthy consumer market the only thing these nations can do is produce and export to more free economies willing to buy.
The article explains the double standard on tariffs:
Tariffs might be viewed as an anathema to this free market flow. They are, after all, a tax on corporations importing foreign goods. This assumes that corporate sourcing can’t adapt. This has proven false as Trump’s tariffs have not led to the inflationary spike that many critics predicted. Tariffs have only added around 0.5% to the CPI and companies are gradually shifting to domestic suppliers.
America is unique because for decades the country has been treated as an “open air market” by foreigners, and America has obliged them. Tariffs against US made goods are common; US tariffs against foreign goods? No so much.
It’s quite revealing that the very moment the Trump Administration took action to enforce even moderate protections on US trade, every other government jumped directly to accusing Trump of “attacking them” and “declaring war”. The double standard is obvious: Everyone else can use tariffs, the US can’t.
The article concludes:
The economic advantages Canada has enjoyed simply through proximity to the US cannot be denied. It seems foolish for Carney to scrap a deal with limited tariffs in favor of a 50% sledgehammer. It appears as if he believes Canada is entitled to limitless US access, as if Canada is another American state.
But let’s say that the socialists get everything they think they want, including the eventual downfall of the US economy. Let’s say they find some way, some Achilles Heal, that brings the US down. Canada and most of the world would only suffer further with the loss of 30% of global consumption. It would not be the grand victory they imagine. Instead of simply accepting moderate tariffs, they would rather blow themselves up.
Where Did The Money Go?
On Sunday, Just The News posted an article about some of the abuses that are being uncovered in the spending of taxpayer money in previous administrations. As the national debt continues to grow, how much of that is actually fraud?
The article reports:
A half billion dollar fraud and bribery scheme conducted by a USAID contract officer and three conspirators that went undetected for a decade. American-bought equipment stolen by a terror group. Millions of dollars in food that spoiled in warehouses. These are but a few of the wasteful — if not corrupt ways — millions of USAID dollars have been lost.
While President Donald Trump has sharply cut foreign aid from the auspices of USAID and shifted what remains to the State Department, the massive abuse of America’s generosity to foreign countries over a decade of Obama-Biden governance is coming into clearer focus.
A Just the News review of audits and investigations of the USAID and State Department inspectors general over the last year chronicles billions of dollars lost, stolen, defrauded, or wasted because of mismanagement or years of neglect.
The article lists some of the instances where taxpayer money was given to terrorists or their organizations:
For instance, the USAID inspector general recently revealed that the federal government kept funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) despite evidence that 101 of its employees or associates had ties to terror groups like Hamas, including:
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- A deputy school principal serving as an al-Qassam deputy company commander in the Ain Gallout/5th infantry battalion.
- A deputy school principal serving as squad leader for the Khan Younis Brigade/2nd infantry battalion.
- A teacher serving as squad leader in Hamas’ military security department/intelligence unit who tracked assignment of explosive devices.
- A teacher serving as a platoon commander of the Central Brigade/Al Quds 2nd Battalion.
- A math & computer teacher with ties to an al-Qassam intelligence squad.
- A teacher with expertise as a sniper for Hamas.
- A teacher and Hamas soldier with orders to bring two anti-tank missiles to a prescribed location during the October 7 terror attacks
- A school principal who served as an operative of the Hamas East Jabaliya Battalion, and coordinated communications with other suspected Hamas members during the October 7, 2023 atrocities committed against Israel
The article concludes:
In the scheme that dates to the Obama-era of foreign aid, a federal contracting officer and three businessmen pleaded guilty to bribes involving cash, NBA tickets, and a country club wedding to secure lucrative contracts that totaled about $550 million.
The defendants were about to score again in November 2023 under President Joe Biden’s open border policies, with one of their companies being awarded a contract worth up to $800 million to among other things address “a variety of issues affecting the root causes of irregular migration from Central America to the United States.”
USAID’s watchdog, however, prompted the cancellation of the contract based on “evidence of conduct of a lack of business honesty or integrity.”
We could balance the budget if we got rid of the fraud.
Fraud Makes A Difference
On Monday, Townhall posted an article about the impact of fraud on the lifespan of Medicare.
The article reports:
America has a serious entitlement-spending problem, and the scale of Medicare fraud is making it worse.
Over the weekend, Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, warned that Medicare’s trust fund is projected to become insolvent within the next six to seven years. But Oz argued that by eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse within the program, it could double the it’s lifespan, delivering twice as many years of benefits without asking taxpayers to pour even more money into the already broken system.
The article quotes Dr. Oz:
“I’ll just put it in the context of what you just gave me. The insolvency of the Medicare trust fund, which is gonna happen in six to seven years, it’ll last twice as long, think about that, twice as many years of benefits if we just take the fraud out of Medicare,” Dr. Oz said on CBS News’ Face the Nation. “Forget about everything else. Just this past year, we cut $42 billion of fraud from Medicare by never leaving the money out of the door. And those are the kinds of benefits. We’re seeing dramatic changes in durable medical equipment fraud by a nationwide moratorium. 42 billion, the federal government paid 1.2 trillion on Medicare benefits. That’s just the beginning. That was last year. We hadn’t even gotten to full speed.”
“But let me just point one reality out. This is important. The fraud doesn’t just steal money. It steals our trust. And we have states that are not working closely with us on these issues. And that’s because in some cases, what’s fraud to us, objectively, is actually a feature for the states,” he continued. “But you’re acknowledging that while important work is not sufficient to that massive financial problem. The even bigger benefit. More needs to be done.”
Eliminating the fraud is a wonderful idea. However, we also need to hold the people accountable who committed the fraud and also take measures to make sure the spending of taxpayer money is more carefully monitored. It’s hard to believe that those writing the checks didn’t see some questionable patterns in the payments being made.
It’s Not About The Guns
On Sunday, Breitbart posted an article about a recent incident at Brinell High School in Fagersta, Västmanland County Sweden. A teenager described as having a difficult upbringing attacked his fellow students with a sword. Swedish gun laws are restrictive, so this disturbed teen used a sword.
The article reports:
18-year-old Liam Nebel, a Swedish Swede has been officially detained by Västmanland District Court on Sunday on suspicion of murder and attempted murder after a sword attack at Brinell high school in Fagersta, Västmanland County Sweden on Friday. Authorities have now confirmed that there was one fatality in the attack, a 17-year-old girl. Three teenage boys were also injured, two seriously.
Police believe the slain girl was not a targeted victim but was rather killed at random, reports German newspaper Die Welt.
Suspect Nebel’s defence lawyer said that while their client had not confessed to police, he had nevertheless not contested the murder charge. He did, however, contest the additional charges of attempted murder. The teen, who is understood to have a difficult upbringing and who was placed into a foster home last year over “extensive” failings of the home environment was a current pupil at Brinell high school and consequently was able to access the site on the day of the attack with his student card.
The article notes that quick action by the police may have saved lives. The police had the situation under control within ten minutes of the initial telephone call. A School Resource Officer with a gun could have had the situation under control in less than two minutes.
Posted by my friends at Townhall:
Let’s Enjoy Our 250th Birthday Year
On Sunday, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix was held in Washington, D.C. As someone who enjoys car racing, I think it was amazing. The formula one cars are awesome to watch.
On Sunday, The Daily Caller posted an article detailing some of the planning that went into the race.
The article reports:
For the first time ever, some of the streets of downtown Washington were transformed, albeit temporarily, into a racetrack as it hosted the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, which included competitions for both IndyCar and the recently resurrected International Race of Champions (IROC). The races, organized by the Trump administration-linked Freedom 250, was the latest Washington-based celebration planned in honor of the 250th anniversary of American independence.
…Patriotism indeed appeared to be the theme of the weekend-long extravaganza which featured two ticketed — but at no cost — viewing areas on each side of the track aptly named “Stars” and “Stripes.” Concession stands — which did feature priced menu offerings — likewise bore names including “Red White & BBQ,” “Freedom Grill,” and “Checkered Faves,” with the latter being a nod to the flag race officials wave to signal a victor. Queueing guests also waited their turn to pose in front of the life-size “FREEDOM 250” and “USA 250” signs set up on the Mall.
“Freedom doesn’t ring, it revs,” declared a large sign visible on a building along the direction the drivers sped.
The article notes that the preparation was extensive:
D.C. officials had to weld more than 200 manhole covers shut in order to avoid any flying away with the traffic over them going nearly ten times its usual speed, Denker said, according to The Associated Press. Nearly one in four of these manholes also required silicone fittings so the road was not too bumpy for the drivers.
Even with all the extra preparation needed for the race to take place, at least one element could not be controlled: the weather. A light drizzle, however, did not stop fans from filling the bleachers at 9:00 a.m. Saturday just to see Palou, Newgarden, and company practice on the wet pavement.
Americans need to take the time to relax and enjoy the fact the we have existed as a free country for 250 years. I think this race was a wonderful idea.
Sunlight Is The Best Disinfectant, So Let’s Close The Shades!
On Sunday, The Gateway Pundit posted an article about a California law recently signed by Governor Gavin Newsom.
The article reports:
The formerly great state of California took a giant step toward becoming a complete leftist dictatorship with a new law that completely destroys the 1st Amendment.
As The New York Post reported, Governor Gavin Newsom officially signed the “Stop Nick Shirley Act” into law on Saturday. This comes just days after a leftist operative interrupted an interview the independent journalist was conducting at the State Capitol and launched a disgusting and bizarre personal attack against him.
The legislation, which officially takes effect on October 1, 2027, passed the Senate on Tuesday and cleared the state Assembly on Wednesday.
The “Stop Nick Shirley Act” was introduced by Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, who is married to California’s far-left Attorney General, Rob Bonta. AB 2624 claims to expand California’s “Safe at Home” confidentiality program to safeguard “immigration support service providers” from harassment.
But in reality, this is a disgusting Democrat power grab designed to silence brave conservative citizen journalists like Shirley who expose the rampant fraud bleeding American taxpayers dry in government-funded immigrant service centers.
For example, Shirley has exposed over $110 million in alleged Somali-run daycare fraud in Minnesota — empty “learning centers” billing taxpayers while no children were present.
He then followed up with a shocking exposé on California daycare and hospice fraud schemes. This included ghost operations in Los Angeles tied to massive looting of Medi-Cal and Medicare.
Nick Shirley has a lot of nerve uncovering Medi-Cal and Medicare fraud in California. This law is specifically designed to stop him for exposing any more fraud.
The article notes:
As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, this fascist law states that anyone who takes photos, records video, or posts information online revealing the faces or locations of workers at these mass-migration, non-profit entities faces catastrophic consequences:
• A minimum $4,000 to $10,000 fine per violation
• Imprisonment and criminal misdemeanor charges
• Forced content takedown orders
I hope Nick Shirley sues California and the case makes its way to the Supreme Court.
How Not To Hold An Election
As if ranked-choice voting were not confusing enough, Alaska has added a new wrinkle to its current primary election.
On August 24th, The Federalist reported:
If you want to know what a “rigged” election looks like, look no further than the U.S. Senate primary race still underway in Alaska. As of this writing, the Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan trails Mary Peltola, a Democrat and former member of the House, by about 5 points.
Some 30,000 votes are still uncounted, but it won’t change the fundamentals going into the November general election thanks to Alaska’s insane and fraudulent ranked-choice voting regime. In Alaska, the primary purpose of ranked-choice voting (or RCV) is to prevent conservative Republicans from winning statewide office and to keep Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Washington.
The article notes:
In this election cycle it has produced not just embarrassment but straightforward rigging in the form of the “Decoy Dan” spectacle. Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired teacher who has never before run for office and was not a registered Republican until two days before filing his candidate declaration, managed to get on the primary ballot and capture 2.4 percent of the vote, coming in third and guaranteeing him a place on the ballot in the general election.
Decoy Dan is a fraudster propped up by Democrat Party operatives and support. As The New York Times just reported, veteran Democrat consultant Amber Lee has been assisting the fake Sullivan in his bid to trick Alaskan voters into voting for the wrong candidate. Make no mistake, the entire purpose of this man’s candidacy is to siphon votes away from Sen. Sullivan by confusing voters. He even initially tried to register with the Alaska Division of Elections as “Dan S. Sullivan,” adopting the incumbent’s middle initial so that the two names would appear identical on the ballot. He then created a website that was markedly similar (in format, color scheme, etc.) to Sen. Sullivan’s reelection site.
Unless the voters do their research, the corruption in Alaska will continue. The cure for this is voters who understand which candidate is which and who only mark one name on the ranked-choice voting ballot.
Saving American Lives
The Trump administration has done a good job securing our southern border, but there is still much work to be done to keep dangerous drugs out of America. But there is good news.
On Friday, Breitbart reported:
Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) seized enough fentanyl to kill 8 million Americans during a bust last month in Newark, New Jersey, Breitbart News has learned. The drugs were in the possession of members of the Trinitarios gang, a violent gang made up of Dominican-Americans.
Agents with HSI Newark executed search warrants last month, leading to the arrest of two Trinitarios gang members who have been charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and maintaining a drug-involved premises.
In the search, federal officials told Breitbart News that agents seized 16 kilograms of fentanyl, over a kilogram of heroin laced with fentanyl, about 900 grams of cocaine, and a firearm with a large-capacity magazine that contained 51 rounds of ammunition.
For perspective, just one kilogram of fentanyl can kill up to 500,000 people.
Officials said that many of the drugs found in the bust were hidden in a trap cabinet that could only be opened using a remote key fob.
The article concludes:
“HSI special agents stand on the front lines of the fight against fentanyl, working tirelessly with our Homeland Security Task Force partners to disrupt the criminal networks that traffic this deadly poison into our communities,” HSI Executive Associate Director John Condon said. “Their dedication, skill, and courage are putting dangerous drug dealers behind bars while saving American lives. Every seizure, every arrest, and every investigation reflects HSI’s unwavering commitment to taking deadly drugs off our streets.”
Likewise, HSI agents, as well as agents with the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) and the U.S. Postal Inspector Service (USPIS), discovered that nearly 80 pounds of methamphetamine and one kilogram of fentanyl were purchased through undercover operations.
This month, federal agents and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement arrested those involved with the purchases, and a search resulted in the seizure of almost $1.4 million in drug profits.
We need to find a way to deal with the demand, but until then, getting dangerous drugs off the street is a good start.
Is The Response More Significant Than The Trial?
In Plymouth, Massachusetts the trial of Lindsay Clancy has been going on for about a month. Lindsay Clancy is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the 2023 deaths of her children. The defense is claiming that postpartum psychosis caused her to kill the children. I am not unsympathetic to postpartum mental issues, but three children are dead.
On Friday, Zero Hedge reported:
A mob of liberal women decked out in pink is taking to the streets in front of the Plymouth Superior Courthouse in Plymouth, Massachusetts for a rally in support of Lindsay Clancy during her ongoing murder trial. The group, which is often accused of being “terminally online”, has been invading social media discussions for weeks to inject arguments in defense of Clancy, who confessed to the murder of her three helpless children.
Now, these women (and a few beta husbands) are going offline and showing up en masse to explain why Lindsay Clancy should go free.
She has confessed to the murders. She was on numerous drugs that were supposed to help her with her mental issues. She had reached out to family members and the medical community screaming for help. She bears sole responsibility for the murders, but how many trained professionals and others failed her along the way?
I do not want to see Lindsay Clancy go free. I want her either in a mental institution or in jail. There are three dead children as a result of her decisions whether or not she was in her right mind when she made those decisions. Do we value the lives of those children?
Jail may not be the right place–a mental institution might be. I do not want Lindsay Clancy to be living a normal life after this crime.
The article notes:
The postpartum argument is held up as if it is proof of innocence, but in reality, it suggests that the person is even more dangerous than a typical criminal. If an otherwise unassuming woman has the ability to appear absolutely normal and insinuate herself into the lives of others, only to become a bloodthirsty murderer of children at the flip of a switch, then she can never be trusted to enter back into society ever again. She can never be trusted to have children or go near children again.
The punishment should be more severe, not less. This is why America used to have a large network of mental hospitals, to keep people like this locked away for good. Instead, liberal ideology has created an environment in which criminals with the right identity are treated with more empathy than their victims.
If this continues for much longer, it will mean the downfall of western civilization.
The Lindsay Clancy trial has also become another focal point for what many now call a “plague” on the internet: Amateur Detective Wine-Moms (ADWMs).
Conspiracy theories on social media, spread by these same women, assert that Lindsay Clancy is actually a “patsy” and that her husband is the killer. Even though numerous pieces of evidence including surveillance footage and cell phone tracking shows Clancy’s husband at a local CVS pharmacy at the time of the murder, these women have read hundreds of true crime novels and think they are better investigators than the authorities involved.
It will be interesting to see what the verdict on this trial is.