Rightwinggranny is adding some guest writers to the website in the coming year. The opinions expressed by these writers are not necessarily the opinions of rightwinggranny.
The Results Of Failing To Prepare
President Trump has been in office for about five months. He has cleaned up some of the mess he inherited, but there are going to be things that are going to take a while. Our government has not always done a good job of predicting and dealing with future problems. The problem of obtaining rare earth minerals is one that could be very serious in the coming months.
On Tuesday, Victor Davis Hanson posted an article in The Asia Times. The article reported:
America usually has other countries over a barrel. Not the other way around – unless you’re old enough to remember when the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) cracked the whip and Washington and the West usually fell in line.
But last week China forced President Trump to back down on tough tariffs that were hurting the PRC.
Rare earth minerals. They’re nearly all sourced from China and Beijing choked off exports.
Major American companies – car makers for example – warned Trump they’d have to curtail or shut down operations in a matter of weeks.
…The Trump administration reduced tariffs in exchange for Beijing’s sort-of agreement to allow rare earth exports to US customers.
How much and how fast is unknown – but expect the PRC to slow-roll this and squeeze all it can – such as sensitive business data – from its customers.
At best, this is a temporary reprieve.
The US side also agreed to drop plans to ban Chinese students from US universities.
It’s not that they are rare. The US has plenty of rare earths. It’s just much cheaper to source from China, and US environmental laws make domestic mining and processing difficult and expensive.
They are essential for commercial manufacturing – cars, electronics, computers, etc.
And more ominously they’re needed for military production – to include aircraft, ships, submarines, radars, missiles, lasers, satellites, guidance systems, night vision devices and more.
It’s not Trump’s fault. He got caught holding the hot potato.
China’s chokehold on rare earths was known a long time ago.
American business and the US military knew. And Congress knew as well.
And they knew the Chinese might use their dominant position to squeeze other countries.
In 2010 after Japan detained a Chinese fishing boat that rammed a Coast Guard ship near Japan’s Senkaku islands, China banned rare earth exports to Japan.
Japanese industry squirmed. The boat and its skipper were returned.
And Japan set about finding alternate sources of rare earths.
The United States?
Apparently it did nothing.
It was 15 years of idiocy by the business class, officialdom and the military’s perfumed princes.
Please follow the link for further information. We need to be mining our own rare earth elements.
Beware Of The Manipulative Press
I am not going to argue that Iran’s nuclear program needs to end abruptly. I am, however, going to point out some things the media is reporting that make me wonder exactly what is going on. This post will not be a conspiracy theory–it will simply be some information and some observations.
Yesterday, Just the News posted the following headline:
Bill Clinton’s once-secret cable to Iran a reminder Tehran’s terror killed hundreds of Americans
The article reminds us that “then-President Bill Clinton sent a cable that told Iran’s president a secret that the 42nd president wasn’t even willing to tell the American public: U.S. intelligence had ample evidence that Tehran was behind the deadly Khobar Towers terror attack.”
The article notes:
The communiqué, released decades later under the Freedom of Information Act, is a stark reminder of two realities that President Trump must review as he decides in the next few days whether to commit U.S. military action to Israel’s war on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
I am not arguing that this is fact–I am just questioning why it is being reported again now (I suspect it was reported at the time the communique was released.)
Yesterday, PJ Media reported:
In Tehran, Iranians are reportedly chanting enthusiastically about the anticipated fall of the “Islamic Republic” regime and the potential return of the Crown Prince, heir to the ancient throne of Persia.
While it is unclear exactly the extent of the damage Israel has inflicted on Iran and whether or not the current genocidal regime will fall because of it, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi confirmed that Iranian soldiers and officials have reached out to him, and he urged the Iranian people to rise up, announcing he already has a plan for renewing Iran should he come to power again.
Neither of these news sources is part of the mainstream media, although Just the News is not a conservative news source, PJ Media is. But I fear we are being manipulated into getting involved in the war between Israel and Iran. I have no problem supplying whatever is needed to Israel, but we need to work toward a quick solution–not another endless war.
I would like to remind you that the reign of the Shah of Iran was not all roses and sunshine. Iran was becoming westernized, but the excesses of the Shah laid the groundwork for the unrest that followed when he became ill. It is very possible that much of the current population of Iran does not remember those excesses. The median age of the Iranian population is 34 years. Remember that part of the reason for the takeover of the American Embassy was that the new government wanted the Shah returned so that they could kill him.
What is happening in Iran now is neither cut and dried or simple.
Getting To The Root Of The Problem
There are a number of problems with the current regime in Iran. If they had simply minded their own business instead of sponsoring worldwide terrorism, the world might not be particularly concerned about their weapons programs. However, continually shouting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” does not create an image of a peaceful country. Also, the intelligence gathered by Israel in recent years reveals that Iran is building a nuclear weapon. This is a problem for America, Israel, and the rest of the world. Radiation does not stay in one place.
On Tuesday, The New York Post posted an article detailing what it would take to destroy the Fordow fuel enrichment plant built some 300 feet inside a mountain near the city of Qom, two hours south of Tehran. The Iranians saw what Israel did to the Iraqi nuclear program, because of that they have protected their main nuclear reactor well.
The article reports:
Israel needs a 15-ton “bunker buster” bomb to destroy the last untouched nuclear facility in Iran, but only the US has one.
Such a powerful weapon — the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal — is needed because the target, the Fordow fuel enrichment plant, is built some 300 feet inside a mountain near the city of Qom, two hours south of Tehran.
The heavyweight explosive is known as a GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator and was designed by Boeing for the United States Air Force.
Its huge weight means it can only be delivered with a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber — a jet that Israel’s air force does not possess.
As much as I would hate to see America get involved in the war between Israel and Iran, I suspect that if America supplied the weapon and the reactor was taken out, most of the world would rejoice. However, I also suspect that Israel may have their own method of doing the job.
The article concludes:
US intelligence has long agreed that taking out Fordow is key to disabling the Iranian nuclear program.
“If you don’t get Fordow, you haven’t eliminated their ability to produce weapons-grade material,” Brett McGurk, who served as Middle East coordinator for several American presidents of both parties, recently told the New York Times.
In a less-than-ideal scenario, a state-of-the-art bunker buster is not the only solution.
It’s also possible, said Spencer, that, without help from the US, Israel could do a jerry-rigged attack on Fordow.
“Israel has cornered the market on what they call drilling,” said Spencer. “They drop one bomb that reaches a certain depth, then another and another, at different angles, within seconds, to get to where they want to go. But you put multiple people and multiple aircraft at risk. The GBU is one and done.”
Considering that option, Spencer concluded, “There are many ways to destroy the nuclear program in Iran. But this is the effective and efficient one. It gets to the objective quicker and is the perfect solution.”
The article has a picture explaining how the bunker buster works. It would be the most useful tool in this situation.
Things Have Changed At Our Southern Border
On Tuesday, Just the News posted some statistics on what was happening on our southern border in May.
The article reports:
The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Tuesday revealed it released no illegal migrants into the interior of the U.S. last month, down from 62,000 under the Biden administration in May of last year.
The CBP also announced that it only encountered 8,725 illegal migrants crossing the southwest border between ports of entry in May, down from nearly 118,000 in May 2024.
No new laws have been passed since President Trump took office–he is only enforcing the laws that were already on the books.
The article notes:
President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan also said that CBP encountered just 95 illegal migrants in the past 24 hours, marking the “lowest number ever recorded.”
“Compare that to the Biden Administration who surpassed more than 10,000 per day. On top of that, they released the vast majority into the US. How many were released under Trump for May? Zero,” Homan posted to X. “God bless the men and women of CBP and [Immigration and Customs Enforcement].”
President Trump’s policies have saved lives.
The article concludes:
When it comes to curbing the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, the CBP said it seized 718 pounds of fentanyl in May, down from 758 pounds in April, but cocaine seizures increased 19% and heroin seizures increased 191% from April to May.
This is what leadership looks like.
Interfering With America’s Food Supply
On June 10th, The New York Post reported:
Cityslicker state lawmakers from the Big Apple want to limit the number of cows on New York’s dairy farms – a green push that opponents argue would cripple an industry that needs to be beefed up.
The bill would prohibit dairy farms from reaching or exceeding 700 cows as a way to keep bovine farts from spewing the greenhouse gas methane into the atmosphere, as well as “billions of pounds of manure” from polluting waterways.
But Chris Noble, co-owner of the 1,800-cow Noblehurst Farms in Livingston County, argued the “arbitrary” cow cap would create an economic burden on dairy farms such as his.
The proposed moo-ve has also sparked an upstate-downstate beef between lawmakers from rural and urban districts — with even Gov. Kathy Hochul viewing the bill as “insane,” according to a source close to the Democratic leader.
“Let’s be clear: this bill makes no sense,” Sen. Mark Walczyk (R-Jefferson) said in a statement.
“By restricting dairy farm expansions, we are undermining successful farmers in an industry that is already incredibly challenging. Why are New York City lawmakers trying to create mandates for farmers in our rural communities? They have no business doing so.”
The bill’s sponsors are Democratic Socialists of America member state Sen. Jabari Brisport (D-Brooklyn) and Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan). Other supporters include fellow DSA member Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher (D-Brooklyn) and downstate Democrats, including Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D-Manhattan) and Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon (D-Brooklyn).
Notice that none of the sponsors of the bill are from areas that have dairy farms–they all represent areas of New York City.
The article concludes:
Critics claim Brisport and Rosenthal – the two sponsors of the bill – don’t understand how farming and upstate agriculture work.
“Our family-run, sometimes women-owned farms take great pride in caring for our land, animals, and communities,” said Jefferson County Agricultural Coordinator Jay Matteson in a statement provided by Walczyk’s office.
“Many of these farms provide important income to minorities and disadvantaged people.”
GOP House Rep. Elise Stefanik, who is eyeing a run for governor, called out the legislation as did a rival looking to pick up her congressional seat.
Stefanik called the proposal an “anti-farm bill” while Democrat Blake Gendebien, a St. Lawrence County farmer, complained “New York City Dems don’t get agriculture.”
Walczyk said state lawmakers from the city should focus on the five boroughs and “leave Upstate out of it.”
“Our farmers deserve support, not obstacles,” he stated. “This legislation will drive farms out of New York altogether.”
The farms the bill would impact provide the residents of New York City with milk, butter, and cheese. The legislators sponsoring this bill would do well to consider that.
If We Can Hide The Evidence, It Didn’t Happen
On Tuesday, PJ Media posted an article about China’s meddling in the 2020 election.
The article reports:
There’s been a new, disturbing development in the case of the Chinese plot to interfere in the 2020 election.
As PJ Media previously reported, on Monday, FBI Director Kash Patel handed Congress an intelligence report exposing a Chinese plot to interfere in the 2020 election. The report details how Chinese operatives mass-produced fake U.S. driver’s licenses to flood the system with fraudulent mail-in ballots, which helped Joe Biden in the process. However, the intel wasn’t investigated, corroborated, or acted on. In fact, it was quietly pulled from intelligence agencies even as then-FBI Director Chris Wray told Congress there were “no known plots” of foreign interference.
Why hasn’t former FBI Director Chris Wray arrested for lying to Congress? Where is the S.W.A.T. team that was used to arrest Roger Stone?
The article continues:
The report was sent out on Aug. 24, 2020, but was abruptly recalled by the FBI with a vague excuse about needing to “re-interview” the source. But it didn’t stop there. The bureau didn’t just recall the report; it ordered its destruction.
According to the recall notice, intelligence agencies weren’t just asked to disregard the report — they were ordered to “destroy all copies” and “remove the original report from all computer holdings.” This wasn’t routine bureaucratic cleanup. It was a deliberate effort to wipe damning evidence from existence. The FBI didn’t just bury credible intelligence about Chinese election interference; it tried to scrub it from history. And now, years later, the truth is finally surfacing: the fix was in, and so was the cover-up. Deliberate. Coordinated. And chilling.
The article concludes:
This wasn’t some careless screw-up. This was a deliberate, calculated cover-up. The FBI didn’t just drop the ball — it went out of its way to bury explosive evidence of a foreign power trying to rig a U.S. presidential election. Instead of doing its job and protecting America’s election integrity, it chose to protect Biden’s campaign by destroying the very documents that exposed the truth. It lied to Congress, scrubbed the report, and tried to erase one of the biggest national security threats of our time from the record.
This isn’t just a scandal — it’s a betrayal of the highest order. And everyone involved in this disgraceful cover-up needs to be held accountable. The American people were cheated, not just at the ballot box, but by the very FBI that swore to safeguard our democracy. It’s time to stop pretending that this was anything less than a full-blown political operation disguised as law enforcement.
Is anyone ever going to be held accountable for the scandals that are being uncovered?
Just the News posted a copy of the FBI memo about the investigation.
Who Actually Got Arrested?
On Monday, Breitbart posted an article about the people Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have arrested since President Trump took office.
The article reports:
The vast majority of the illegal aliens arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s presidency were criminal illegal aliens with convictions or pending charges, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) clarified on Monday.
DHS responded to a CNN report suggesting that a very small percentage of illegal aliens taken in by ICE had “serious criminal convictions,” citing internal data.
“FAKE NEWS. Secretary Noem has unleashed @ICEgov to target the worst of the worst—including gang members, murderers, and rapists,” DHS said in response.
“In President Trump’s first 100 days, 75% of ICE arrests were criminal illegal aliens with convictions or pending charges,” it added.
Regardless of what other crimes they committed, illegal aliens broke the law when they crossed the border illegally. Either we have a border or we don’t.
The article concludes:
However, despite the widespread outrage and protests, DHS kept a running list of some of the criminals it has arrested as part of its operation in L.A. DHS described these as some of the “worst” criminals, with criminal histories including but not limited to sexual battery, willful cruelty to child, assault with a deadly weapon, grand theft, child molestation, second degree murder, assault with intent to commit rape, and more:
Breitbart News reported:
One of the illegals arrested is Eswin Uriel Castro, who was previously deported. His convictions include “child molestation and being armed with a dangerous weapon,” per DHS, which also noted he has been arrested for robbery and domestic violence.
Anastacio Enrique Solis-Salinas, who hails from Nicaragua, has been arrested for willful cruelty to a child. Additionally, he has convictions for both domestic violence and hit and run.
Miguel Angel Palafox-Montes, who has “voluntarily” returned to Mexico twice, returned and was caught by ICE. He has “criminal convictions for grand theft, narcotics violations, and identity theft” with arrests for battery and burglary, per DHS.
A recent survey from the Economist/YouGov found that a plurality have a favorable view of ICE.
What Happens When You Enforce The Law
On Monday, The Federalist posted an article detailing what has happened since President Trump took office, enforced our laws, and tightened our southern boarder.
The article reports:
Murder rates are plummeting. While we still have more than half a year to go, Kash Patel, the FBI’s director, says that the U.S. is on track to have the lowest murder rate ever. The current record low occurred in 2014 when the FBI reported a murder rate of 4.45 per 100,000.
The question is: why? Law enforcement matters, but it is probably also that Trump is deporting criminal illegal aliens.
According to Patel, “Let good cops be cops,” is the answer. “I’m gonna let you, the agents, the police officers, the sheriffs, go out there and do the work you so badly want to do. And I’m gonna give you the resources you need to do it. And I’m gonna take away the politicization and weaponization … and that’s what we’ve done.”
Instead of placing a third of FBI agents in the D.C. area, Patel has moved them out across the country to where the crime is occurring. A recent Biden administration document that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified shows that law enforcement resources were being spent on “non-criminal” activities of conservative Catholics, people attending school board meetings, and flagging those who used symbols like “2A” and imagery referencing the Second Amendment. The FBI sent a memo to over 1,000 employees nationwide instructing them to target conservative Catholics.
The article concludes:
A word of caution is needed when discussing these numbers. The US tracks murder/homicide through two sources: FBI data from police departments and CDC data from medical examiners. Academics generally believe the medical examiner reports offer a more accurate final count, and these figures have diverged in recent years. The CDC’s latest data is for 2022, and it reveals the homicide rate minus justified police homicides peaked in 2021 and remained higher in 2022 than in 2020. Meanwhile, FBI murder rate data peaked in 2020 and has declined annually since. Still, the 2023 FBI murder rate, the most recent finalized data, exceeds the pre-Covid 2019 rate (5.75 vs. 5.16).
Reducing crime isn’t rocket science. If you make it riskier for criminals to commit crime, you will get less crime. Letting police focus on going after criminals matters. Getting serious about illegal aliens who are committing crimes can’t be ignored.
I wonder if the people currently suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) are aware that they are safer now (other than from ‘mostly peaceful protesters’).
The Statistics On The American Economy
On June 17th, CNBC posted an article on some of the latest economic numbers.
The highlights of the article are:
- Retail sales declined 0.9%, even more than the 0.6% drop expected from the Dow Jones consensus.
- However, excluding a series of items such as auto dealers, building materials suppliers, gas stations and others, sales increased 0.4%.
- The pullback in retail sales came despite surveys showing that consumer sentiment actually increased in May.
The article concludes:
The pullback in retail sales came despite surveys showing that consumer sentiment actually improved in May, though compared with levels that had been falling through the year. The ongoing trade war ignited by President Trump’s tariffs had dented consumer and business optimism, though an easing in some of the rhetoric amid a 90-day negotiating period has led to better readings.
GDP declined at a 0.2% annualized pace in the first quarter but is projected to rebound. Second-quarter growth heading into the retail sales release was pegged at 3.8%, according to the Atlanta Federal Reserve’s GDPNow tracker of rolling data. The gauge will be updated later Tuesday.
In other economic news Tuesday, import prices were flat against a forecast for a 0.1% decline, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Export prices fell 0.9%.
We are in an economic transition period right now. I am hopeful that when the smoke clears, income taxes will be lower, the amount of revenue going to the government because of tariffs and the fact that revenue increases when taxes are lower (see laffer curve), government spending will be down, and Americans will have higher wages and more buying power.
Providing Jobs For Americans
On July 16th, The Gateway Pundit posted an article about one of the consequences of President Trump’s policy of deporting people who are here illegally.
The article reports:
The mainstream media and Democrat politicians have long insisted that mass deportations would cripple the American economy.
But the reality unfolding in Nebraska tells a starkly different story—one that demolishes the Left’s open-border talking points and affirms what millions of Americans already know: Mass deportation works.
On Tuesday, federal immigration authorities executed a massive raid at Glenn Valley Foods, arresting 76 illegal workers who had no business being in our country, let alone our workforce.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the operation targeted a large-scale scheme of employing aliens without legal work authorization.
Well, it didn’t go according to the mainstream media narrative.
The article reports what actually happened:
After a major ICE raid at Glenn Valley Foods in Omaha, job-seeking U.S. citizens wasted no time filling the void.
According to NBC News, every seat in the plant’s waiting area was filled with prospective new hires, just 48 hours after federal agents cleared out the illegals.
…The scene gave the company’s president, Chad Hartmann, a glimmer of hope amid the chaos that ensued after Tuesday’s raid purged roughly half of his staff — many of whom had been longtime employees of the company, which has been processing boxed beef for more than 15 years.
Hartmann had never seen or experienced a raid before. He is finding out in real time that “there’s no playbook” on how to move forward after one, Hartmann told NBC News.
Sending people who are here illegally back to their home countries will open up employment opportunities for Americans. That’s a good thing.
Stating The Obvious
War is a horrible thing, but sometimes it is necessary. The Bible notes that there is, “A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” I am not sure that this is the time for peace in the Middle East, and evidently I am not the only person feeling that way.
On June 16th, John Hinderaker posted the following at Power Line Blog:
With respect to Israel and Iran, talk of peace is in the air. We are beset with calls from various quarters to “de-escalate” the situation there, lest wider war break out. President Trump, who partnered with Israel in deceiving Iran prior to Israel’s preemptive strike, is now talking about making another deal with Iran.
I hope he doesn’t mean it. The last thing Israel, or anyone else, should be thinking about is another agreement with the mullahs. Israel now controls the skies, has largely degraded Iran’s missile capability, and can do pretty much anything it wants, militarily. It was delightful to see that Israel wiped out the regime’s state broadcaster.
So this is a golden opportunity, almost certainly the best one Israel ever has had, or ever will have, to bring about regime change in Iran. The mullahocracy needs to go. Neither Israel nor the rest of the world will ever be safe, as long as Islamic extremists control Iran. Israel has already demolished Iran’s proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah, and, to a lesser extent, the Houthis. But if Iran’s regime is allowed to stay in place, it will readily rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, just as it will eventually rebuild its nuclear capability.
I agree with the idea of removing the Iranian theocracy, but I am concerned about what will replace it. First of all, America, covertly or openly, should not be involved in any regime change in Iran. Our track record there is not good–we installed the Shah, and that did not turn out well. I am not sure that we ever fomented a color revolution anywhere that actually turned out well. The Iranians need to be free to choose their own future without outside interference.
Sometimes Americans Are Not The Only Ones Making American Policy
On Sunday, Just the News posted an article about one of the non-profit environmental groups that influences America’s energy policy.
The article reports:
A national-security watchdog group is asking members of Congress to take a closer look at an energy transition advocacy nonprofit that has ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). According to State Armor, the watchdog group, nonprofits are coordinating with U.S. climate groups to influence climate policy, advance the interests of the CCP and undermine U.S. national security.
A new report by State Armor argues that the CCP is co-opting the American progressive climate change lobby to advance a transition away from fossil fuels. The alternative technologies being pushed by this lobby, according to the report, create significant economic and geopolitical advantages by undermining U.S. energy dominance and leaving it dependent on Chinese supply chains for its energy production.
“It creates a dependence on our side and deprives us of a natural strength, which is our energy independence that comes from other resources,” Michael Lucci, CEO of State Armor, told Just the News. State Armor is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for state solutions to global security threats.
The article concludes:
In a letter to the chairs of House and Senate committees — including Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chair of the House Oversight Committee and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee — Lucci explained that the group was formed to help the U.S. resist Chinese influence and maintain U.S. sovereignty. Lucci outlines the findings of the report and the risks it says Chinese influence poses to the U.S. The letter urges Congress to initiate investigations and provide oversight into what Lucci calls a “grave and ongoing threat to our national security.”
Lucci said in an interview that the Department of Justice should be investigating The Energy Foundation as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agent Registrations Act. The law would require the foundation to make disclosures of their relationship with China, as well as receipts and disbursements in support of activities in support of China.
The green energy movement has always been against fossil fuels, even natural gas. Because the American economy is based on fossil fuel, shutting down America’s oil industry would have a negative impact on America’s economy. That would provide an economic advantage to China. We need to be aware that China is continually working against American interests behind the scenes.
Sorting Through The Lies
On Friday, Breitbart posted an article about some of the current lies being told about the ‘Bid Beautiful Bill.’ The bill is not perfect, but considering the parameters the Republicans had to work with, it is generally a good bill.
The article reports:
Democrats opposing the bill have asserted that it benefits the rich, but they have done so by fudging the numbers, largely relying on the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) analysis to fuel their criticisms. But as Breitbart News reported, the CBO — created to act as a nonpartisan advisory body — has its performance as well as personnel’s political history bringing that into question:
But the CBO’s extensive history of overestimating benefits for Americans from public health care, underestimating costs of Democrat policies on taxpayers, and stacking the deck against Republican policies reveals a deeply partisan agency influencing lawmakers in order to further left-wing causes.
In addition to its history of unreliable projections propping up Democrats, according to FEC records, of the nearly $17,000 donated to candidates and committees from CBO employees since 1986, only $250 went to Republican candidates — a single donation to George W. Bush in 2000.
In some ways, Democrats are essentially equivocating taking away tax-funded benefits for illegal immigrants as taking benefits away from the poor. But that in itself is completely disingenuous.
The Ways and Means Committee is correcting the record, warning the American people not to fall for the same lies the Democrat touted to discredit the 2017 Trump tax cut’s benefits for the working class. All in all, the GOP says the numbers are clear, showing that the measure benefits working class Americans.
A fact sheet presented by the Ways and Means Committee shows that not only does the measure halt a $1,700 tax increase, but it provides an additional $1,300 in tax cuts for families of four taking in less than $100,000.
American can have either an economic safety net or open borders. We cannot do both.
The article concludes:
“The facts speak for themselves,” Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) said in a statement. “After passage of the 2017 Trump tax cuts, we saw a booming economy that raised wages by nearly five percent, with those in the bottom 10 percent seeing 50 percent more wage growth than those in the top ten percent.”
“The top one percent of earners paid more in taxes after its passage. The One, Big, Beautiful Bill builds on that success and delivers even greater tax relief, higher wages, and better economic growth – all of which will primarily benefit working families as will President Trump’s priorities of no tax on tips, overtime, and auto loan interest plus tax relief for seniors,” he said, adding, “The legislation doubles down on pro-growth, pro-family policies that directly benefit low- and middle-income families.”
Ultimately, he said the bill is a “win” for the working class.
Those of us in the working class appreciate the bill.
From my friends at Townhall:
When The Interview Does Not Go As Planned
Enforcing the rule of law can be messy. Maintaining control of a potentially dangerous situation can result in actions that are misunderstood. The media loves to misunderstand any action taken by a Republican or any individual associated with President Trump. If someone can make a scene, it can be promoted to media gold.
On Thursday, The Blaze posted an article illustrating what happens when the media misjudges its interviewee.
The article reports:
A security expert appeared to stun the CNN anchor who asked him to assess the incident where a Democrat politician was aggressively shoved out of DHS Sec. Kristi Noem’s press conference.
Democrats are outraged over the video footage of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla of California being dragged out of a briefing Thursday, but instead of justifying the outrage, Josh Campbell said the agents acted appropriately to the threat.
The security expert cited a number of actions which generally result in someone being removed from a press conference–interrupting the speaker before the question and answer period puts security guards on alert, and turning toward the agents escorting the person out is seen as indicating a lack of compliance.
A Fox News article posted Friday reports:
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Padilla did not initially identify himself as a senator, and was not wearing his Senate security pin.
However, footage captured by Fox News shows him saying, “I’m Senator Alex Padilla, I have questions for the secretary,” as he was escorted out of the room.
Noem told The Story’s Martha MacCallum that Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) personnel began handcuffing the senator in the hallway, at which point he identified himself, and they ceased action.
Considering the constant stream of threats made against President Trump and the people in his administration, I believe that the actions taken by the security staff. There is no reason for outrage.
The End Of Big Pharma Ads On Television?
On Thursday, Zero Hedge posted an article about a plan to adopt a bill in the Senate to ban pharmaceutical companies from promoting prescription drugs directly to consumers.
The article reports:
Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, both independents, on Thursday will introduce legislation that would ban pharmaceutical companies from promoting prescription drugs directly to consumers – including through television, radio, print, digital platforms, and social media, the WSJ reports.
The proposal would mark a sweeping shift in the U.S. advertising landscape, where pharmaceutical companies are among the largest spenders. Prescription drug brands accounted for roughly 13 percent of all ad spending on linear television in 2025, totaling approximately $2.18 billion so far this year, according to iSpot data. In 2024, the industry spent $3.4 billion on traditional TV ads between January and August alone, according to ad-tracking data.
“The American people don’t want to see misleading and deceptive prescription drug ads on television,” Sanders said in a statement. “They want us to take on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry and ban these bogus ads.”
The interesting part of this is that the current Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has repeatedly called for this ban. Both of the Senators introducing the bill voted against his confirmation as Secretary. So if they are in agreement with some of his most basic policies, why did they vote against his nomination? Is this simply another example of the Groucho Marx song:
I don’t know what they have to say
It makes no difference anyway
Whatever it is, I’m against it
No matter what it is or who commenced it
I’m against it
That sort of thinking does not move the country forward.
The Technology Behind The Success
Israel eliminated a lot of very important people in Iran recently. The head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami, was killed. Major General Mohammad Bagheri, who had served as the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, was killed. Ali Shamkhani, who was a close aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC’s Air Force, was killed.
These leaders were successfully targeted with as little damage to Iranian civilians as possible. The precise targeting was a result of the Mossad’s strategic use of drone technology.
On Friday, PJ Media reported:
According to an Israeli official today, Israel built a drone base deep inside Iran as part of their preparations — and then unleashed them to deadly effect.
This is where I remind you that it’s only in the last two years or so that the deadly efficacy of drone warfare was proven beyond a doubt. In that short time, the IDF not only embraced it but smuggled a drone base into Iran — a tightly controlled dictatorship and presumably on high alert — then, on cue, launched those drones to destroy ballistic missile launchers before they could be used against Israel.
…There must have been soldiers on the ground to set everything up and launch the strike. Prayers, please, that they are or soon will be safely evacuated home.
Israeli intelligence was so effective — and apparently the Trump administration played along to avoid alerting Iran’s leadership — that Israel killed nearly a dozen high-level military commanders.
The article notes:
You see, the thing about Israeli intelligence is that it’s either the best or there is no Israel.
Last night showed, once again, that Israeli intelligence is the best.
Israel is not simply engaged in a casual military exercise. Israel is very aware that if Iran gets a nuclear weapon, Israel will no longer exist. They are not playing games–they are fighting for their survival as a nation.
The Lawfare Continues
On Friday, Breitbart posted an article about President Trump’s calling up the National Guard to help keep the peace in Los Angeles.
The article reports:
A lower court judge’s order instructing President Donald Trump to return control of 4,000 California National Guard troops he had federalized to Gov. Gavin Newsom was temporarily blocked late Thursday in the federal appeals court.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision does not mean the court will ultimately agree with Trump, but Reuters reports it does leave command of the Guard with the president for now.
CNBC notes U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer had ruled Trump’s action was “illegal,” but stayed his order from taking effect until 3 p.m. ET on Friday to allow the Trump administration to appeal.
The article concludes:
The White House had called Breyer’s original order “unprecedented” and said it “puts our brave federal officials in danger.”
“The district court has no authority to usurp the President’s authority as Commander in Chief,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement.
“The President exercised his lawful authority to mobilize the National Guard to protect federal buildings and personnel in Gavin Newsom’s lawless Los Angeles. The Trump Administration will immediately appeal this abuse of power and looks forward to ultimate victory on the issue.”
What might be the motive of anyone to allow a city to burn?
You might consider the definition of a color revolution:
A color revolution, often referred to as a colored revolution, is a series of non-violent protests and demonstrations that often lead to regime change in a country. These revolutions are characterized by the adoption of specific colors as symbols of the movement, and they have been observed in various countries, particularly in post-Soviet states.
The American CIA has, unfortunately, used the technique of a color revolution overseas many times. Generally speaking, the people they have put in power have not turned out to be successful in any positive way.
Winning
On Wednesday, The New York Post reported that America had reached a trade agreement with China.
The article reports:
President Trump announced early Wednesday that the US had reached a trade agreement with China following two days of negotiations in London.
“Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me,” Trump revealed in an all-caps post on Truth Social. “Full magnets, and any necessary rare earths, will be supplied, up front, by China.”
“Likewise, we will provide to China what was agreed to, including Chinese students using our colleges and universities (which has always been good with me!). We are getting a total of 55% tariffs, China is getting 10%. The relationship is excellent! Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The article concludes:
The commerce secretary said the new arrangement would see China ease barriers on rare earth minerals “in a balanced way,” without elaborating on specifics.
Lutnick (Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick) claimed that the framework brokered in London put “meat on the bones” on the Geneva consensus and would allow China to ease barriers on rare earth minerals “in a balanced way,” without elaborating on specifics.
China’s Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang had similarly confirmed late Tuesday that an agreement in London had been reached, subject to Trump’s and Xi’s approval.
I really would like to see a limit on the number of Chinese students allowed in our universities, but overall I think this will turn out to be a good deal.
The FBI Is Doing What It Is Supposed To Do
On Tuesday, Red State posted an article about some recent activities by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),
The article reports:
FBI Director Kash Patel is proving to be one of President Trump’s better staffing choices. He’s focused, he’s determined, he’s always looking to do the right thing for the American people – and he gives every indication of being utterly fearless. Best of all, he’s racked up a few wins after only a couple of months in office.
Director Patel, on Tuesday, took to his X account to announce another win, this one the arrest of what looks to be a major child-abuse ring. There can be nothing more detestable than one who would hurt children.
These are some quotes from the post::
This afternoon our @FBIDallas team announced a huge takedown of child abusers in Texas.
109 child recuses
Almost 250 offenders arrested
Nearly 400 total charges at the federal and state level
Thanks to Operation Soteria Shield — a full scale effort of over 70 federal, state, and local public/private partners coming together to protect America’s kids from criminals. We’re taking them off the street and not stopping.
The article concludes:
In the interest of fairness, we must point out that this operation was already ongoing when Director Patel assumed his present role. Soteria Shield is carried out annually, based on tips and undercover investigations, but this year’s bag was a big one. 244 child abusers off the streets is a big deal by any measure.
My involvement in law enforcement consists of having been handed a few speeding tickets when I was a young man, but it seems obvious that being involved in an operation that rescues children would have to be one of the most satisfying things one could do in that line of work. We are – most of us – programmed to protect children, and even in prisons full of hardened criminals, child abusers tend to have a very difficult time.
The FBI and all the other agencies involved are the heroes of the day. 109 children are sleeping safely tonight, and 244 goblins are in jail and will be facing trial. And, if there’s any justice in the world, a lot of these heroes will be having people buy them drinks in the near future.
Anyone who has seen the movie “Sound of Freedom” understands how important this sort of operation is. Human trafficking is a horrendous crime that needs to end. People guilty of this crime need either to face the death penalty or to spend the rest of their lives in jail with no possibility of parole.
One Possible Source Of Funding
One of the nagging questions about the Los Angeles riots is the source of the money to pay the protesters, the bricks, the fact masks, etc. Well, one Senator seems to have a pretty good idea of what that source is,
On Wednesday, Townhall reported:
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, announced he is launching an investigation into one of the entities that possibly funded the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles.
The lawmaker posted a letter addressed to the executive director of the Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights on social media informing her of the probe.
“While peaceful protest is a cornerstone of American democracy, these demonstrations have escalated into lawless mob actions,” Hawley wrote. “They have obstructed federal law enforcement, endangered public safety, and disrupted the rule of law. This lawlessness is unacceptable. It must end.”
The senator further stated that “Credible reporting now suggests that your organization has provided logistical support and financial resources to individuals engaged in these disruptive action” and argued that “bankrolling civil unrest is not protected speech. It is aiding and abetting criminal conduct.”
The article concludes:
The riots kicked off over the past weekend in response to several ICE raids in Los Angeles. Rioters engaged in looting, vandalism, and targeting law enforcement officers. President Donald Trump responded by sending 2,000 National Guard troops to the area, along with Marines, to quell the unrest.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has filed a lawsuit against the administration, accusing it of trying to militarize the city. He filed an emergency motion on Tuesday to block Trump’s troop deployment. But a federal judge rejected the motion.
Why would the Governor or California not want the National Guard to help quell the riots? Why would the Mayor of Los Angeles step into the chain of command and delay help for the endangered police and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents? There are a lot of questions we need answers for, and I suspect that there are a lot of people who need to be held accountable for their actions,
Authoritarian?
On Tuesday, Ed Morrissey posted an article at Hot Air about some of the antics of the Biden administration that have been recently exposed. It seems that there were a lot of Americans whose privacy was invaded during the four years of President Biden.
The article reports:
Gavin Newsom and leading Democrats have spent the last few days fulminating about “authoritarianism” by Donald Trump for sending National Guard and Marine units to protect federal law enforcement agents and sites. What will they have to say when they discover that the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice spied on an industrialist supporter of the opposition party?
Oh, wait, Trump didn’t do that. Joe Biden did that. For two years, according to the Wall Street Journal, Merrick Garland and Alejandro Mayorkas surveilled Elon Musk and his contacts to check out “influence.” This seems to have started around the time that Musk bought Twitter and refused to participate in the Biden administration’s Big Tech-Big Government Censorship Complex:
Several U.S. government agencies in 2022 and 2023 tracked foreign nationals coming and going to Elon Musk’s properties, according to people familiar with the matter.
The investigation included the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department. It focused on people visiting the tech billionaire, from countries in Eastern Europe and elsewhere, who might have been trying to influence him. Until last week, Musk was one of President Trump’s closest advisers. …
The probe, predating the current Trump administration, highlights concerns about the number of foreign nationals in Musk’s orbit. Musk runs five companies, including SpaceX, with sensitive government contracts, and has had unprecedented access to top government officials.
Not to change the subject, but where was the surveillance (or the consequences under the Logan Act) when former President Obama visited 10 Downing Street in March 2024? (link here)
The article at Hot Air concludes:
This was nothing less than the weaponization of government against the political opponents of Biden Regency. Congress needs to issue subpoenas to everyone in that chain of command to explain the espionage directed at Musk, the timing of when it began, and what they were trying to do with it. House Oversight chair James Comer had better launch that ASAP, and demand testimony under oath from Garland, Mayorkas, and Becerra at the very least. It is an utter disgrace.
Finally, it might remind Elon Musk that while he may have differences with Trump at times, the two of them have far more in common than those differences. That includes political opponents who have no scruples at all about leveraging power to ruin those they see as enemies.
It would be nice to see some results from these investigations. I am very tired of accusations and proof of wrongdoing followed by no action.
Drones: The Great Equalizer?
Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.
When I heard about Ukraine’s recent successful drone attack inside Russia that reportedly destroyed considerable numbers of the Russian heavy bomber force, I thought about the biblical story of David and Goliath. The idea that small, inexpensive drones could destroy multimillion dollar aircraft was astonishing. It also serves as a warning to us, that our military arms are not safe from similar attacks.
Although the exact details of the attack are still uncertain, it appears that four Russian airbases were struck simultaneously, the furthest, the Belaya base, about 3000 miles from the border with Ukraine. The estimate seems to be that about 20 Russian Tu-95s and Tu-22s nuclear capable bombers, were either destroyed or considerably damaged. According to Ukrainian sources, a total of 117 drones were smuggled into Russia, concealed within retractable roofs of wooden sheds, and transported to sites near the four airbases. The drones were piloted remotely, in some cases using artificial intelligence. Previously, Ukraine has successfully used long range drones to strike oil refineries, military bases, and arms depots; however, due to their slow speed, many have been shot down. Launching these relatively small drones from shorter distances was unique and obviously caught the Russians by surprise.
This shows that the use of new drone technology is changing the nature of warfare. For example, tanks and armored vehicles may becoming obsolete. Last year alone, Russia reportedly lost 3,000 tanks, 9,000 armored vehicles, 13,000 pieces of artillery, and 400 air defense systems, many as the result of drone attacks. And while the size and carrying capacity of drones has increased, much of the damage is done by small drones similar in size and cost to commercial drones like those used by realtors and hobbyists. This reality has resulted in the expansion of drone manufacturing both in Ukraine and Russia. When the war started, Ukraine had seven drone manufacturing plants, whereas now they have eighty. The improved technology has made the drones less detectable and more difficult to shoot down. For instance, instead of being directed by radio control, most have internal controls less susceptible to interference. As noted above, artificial intelligence is providing greater self- direction capability. Instead of using a few very expensive manned attack aircraft, scores of attack drones are launched to overwhelm the air defense systems. The cost difference is astonishing. Using a multimillion-dollar missile to shoot down a drone costing a few thousand dollars is not sustainable.
What this unfortunate war is demonstrating must be taken into account if our country is to maintain an effective military defense system. There are lessons that need to be learned. As technology advances, military systems must adapt. For instance, in World War II, the utility of battleships was replaced by aircraft carriers that allowed control of the air space over the enemy positions. Are we about to see the use of small drone submarines as an attack force against large aircraft carriers? I would not be surprised. Defending against a flood of drones is like stepping on a wasp nest–a real challenge.
Hopefully, our military leaders will show the wisdom to profit from what is happening in the Ukraine/Russia war and ensure that we are up to date on these new realities. Similarly, we must ensure that or military bases are secure from drone attacks. Allowing adversarial countries like China to own any land in the United States, much less near any military base, must be stopped. Similarly, allowing an overwhelming 400,000 Chinese students to attend our universities is equally foolish. Thank goodness we have a President who recognizes the threat. Let’s hope the rogue justices that continually try to block President Trump from taking actions needed to secure our country can be reigned- in either by the Supreme Court or by Congress before it is too late.
The Impact Of The Tariffs
On Wednesday, The American Thinker posted an article about the tariffs President Trump has put in place since he took office.
The article reports:
Far from igniting the inflationary firestorm predicted by his critics, Trump’s sweeping tariffs — including a 10% universal import duty and targeted hikes on 90 nations — have coincided with the lowest inflation rate since early 2021.
In a striking reversal of the narrative pushed by many economists, The Economist—a publication not known for its support of Trump’s policies — published a June 5 article acknowledging the muted inflationary effect of the tariff wave. The magazine pointed to hard data: in April, year-over-year inflation cooled to just 2.3%, far below the 0.8-point spike predicted by a University of Chicago survey of 48 economists.
Instead of tariff-fueled price hikes, the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that prices for heavily impacted goods like clothing and new cars actually declined.
Car prices dropped by 0.5% from March to April, despite 25% tariffs on auto imports going into effect on April 3. Clothing prices remained flat through March — even as progressive economists sounded alarms. Far from passing on costs, many retailers and foreign producers appeared to absorb them, underscoring the competitive nature of global commerce in a post-pandemic landscape.
Even groceries — arguably the most politically sensitive prices of all — held steady through May, despite new duties on Canadian produce and other perishables. Consumers, in short, weren’t being punished at the checkout line.
Of course, none of this was supposed to happen.
The article concludes:
As the trade deficit narrows and the factory floors hum a little louder, it’s increasingly clear: this was no reckless gamble. It was strategy. And it’s working.
While some still mutter darkly about future price spikes, the facts on the ground are sobering — and for Trump’s critics, humbling. Inflation remains tame, shelves are stocked, and voters aren’t paying more to put dinner on the table. The tariffs are not only holding; they’re delivering.
This is what happens when a businessman instead of a politician becomes President. Can you imagine how much celebrating there would be in newsrooms if a Democrat had accomplished even half of what President Trump has accomplished? I am hoping that as Americans begin to realize the economic gifts they have received in the past six months, they will at least vote to keep control of Congress in the hands of the Republicans. That is the only way this success will continue.