Monthly Archives: April 2025

The First 100 Days

Posted on by
Reply

On Monday, Breitbart posted an interview of Hugh Hewitt on the subject of President Trump’s first 100 days. Hugh Hewitt is a Salem Radio Network host. He is also a lawyer a former official in the Reagan administration, the former president and CEO of the Richard Nixon Foundation, a law professor at Chapman University School of Law, a former columnist for The Washington Post, and a regular political commentator on Fox News.

The article reports:

As April 30 approaches — the date that marks President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office — establishment media conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt sat down with PragerU CEO Marissa Streit to examine the start of the president’s second term, noting that he is “amused by the people who say [Trump] is reckless,” given that in reality, the president is “determined” to reestablish basic concepts of the U.S. Constitution that have been “abandoned” by the left.

“I am amused by the people who say he’s reckless,” Hewitt said told Streit, adding, “He is determined to force through the courts challenges to the basic structure of the constitution that were abandoned in the progressive era and then left far behind during the New Deal.”

“The three great expansions of the government occurs with Woodrow Wilson, FDR, and LBJ,” Hewitt explained. “That’s 100 years of growth, and 100 years of abusing the original design of the constitution, which is small, limited, enumerated powers.”

“To get that back, [President Trump]’s launched a thousand ships,” he added. “Even if ten of them make it to the other side, we’ll be in a much better position.”

“Right now, we’re in the trifecta: a Republican president who’s aligned with the House and the Senate,” Hewitt noted. “And when you’re in the trifecta, you can get two — and some people argue, three — reconciliations through.”

Hewitt elaborated:

The first reconciliation, which is moving its way through, is the extension of the Trump tax cuts, and their refinement: no tax on tips and a couple other things. Energy production relief, defense buildup of $150 billion, and the fourth part is the border wall — border security. That, we’ll eventually get through.

Then there will be more opportunities. If they are smart, they will focus on empowering the executive to take control of the executive branch, meaning that independent agencies are no longer “independent.” They can move fast, they can break things, they can change regulations.

Please follow the link above to read the entire article. Hugh Hewitt’s assessment of the current situation and the things to come is very insightful.

Lady Justice Just Took Her Blindfold Off

Posted on by
Reply

On Monday, KMSP Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul posted an article about some recent vandalism of a number of Tesla cars. The Trump administration has filed federal charges against some of the people who have vandalized Tesla cars. It will be interesting to see what happens on this particular case.

The article reports:

The Brief

    • The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says it will not seek criminal charges against a 33-year-old Minneapolis man accused of damaging at least six Tesla vehicles, causing thousands of dollars in damage.
    • Minneapolis police say Dylan Adams was arrested last week. Rather than criminal consequences, Mary Moriarty’s office will seek “diversion.”
    • Adams is a state employee, a data analyst for the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

I think the statement by Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara sums up my feelings on the subject:

“The Minneapolis Police Department did its job. It identified and investigated a crime trend, identified, and arrested a suspect, and presented a case file to the Hennepin County Attorney Office for consideration of charges. This case impacted at least six different victims and totaled over $20,000 in damages. Any frustration related to the charging decision of the Hennepin County Attorney should be directed solely at her office. Our investigators are always frustrated when the cases they poured their hearts into are declined. In my experience, the victims in these cases often feel the same.”

When crimes are not prosecuted, they continue. We need to consider the attacks on Tesla dealerships and cars hate crimes and prosecute them as such. If this attack had been at a Planned Parenthood facility or the cars of the employees there, I suspect the City Attorney would have handled it very differently. Unfortunately there is no guarantee of fairness on the part of any local county attorney.

Iran and Nuclear Weapons

Posted on by
Reply

Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.   

The issue of whether we will allow Iran to have nuclear weapons is at the point of no return. For years, America has taken the position that Iran, the primary sponsor of terrorist activities in the world, should not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. The time has come to put up or shut up.

Iran, an Islamist state ruled by a religious leader since their overthrow of the Shah in January 1979 (during the weak Carter administration), has vowed the destruction of Israel and death to America. Are they just saying these things or do they really mean it? Hitler, in his book “Mein Kampf,” written before he assumed power in Germany, stated his intention to eliminate the Jews. His actions while in power showed that he meant it. We should take the Iranian regime leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, at his word when he advocates the death of Israel and America. We would be fools not to. This is especially true because the Ayatollah has the backing of his religious beliefs. A few years ago, I had a conversation with a neighbor who did not believe that the Koran (the Muslim equivalent of the Bible) advocated the killing of infidels (anyone who does not believe in the Muslim religion) if they did not convert. With a brief review, I was able to identify ten quotations from the Koran than not only justify, but in some cases advocate, the killing of non-Muslims. I am sure that all of you have heard of the reward in their heaven of 30 virgins for killing non-Muslims. Clearly, Islam is not a religion of peace; it is quite the opposite.

So here we are at a decision point. Iran is determined to acquire a nuclear weapon capability and has already produced missiles that can strike Europe and soon our country. Why would any peace-loving country pursue this objective? Also, we know without a doubt that Iran has been providing weapons to their terrorist affiliates like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, who have been shutting down the shipping lanes to Europe from the far East. Iran has also violated all previous and current agreements to restrict their uranium production that would allow them to produce nuclear warheads. Instead of pursuing a policy to stop Iran from producing nuclear weapons, Presidents Obama and Biden have facilitated their uranium enrichment by sending billions of dollars to their government without restrictions. So much, for a clear and definitive policy.

Looking back in history, we can clearly see that evil leaders do evil things, including starting wars that result in the killing of millions of innocent people. Sadly, technology has made war started by these evil people more and more destructive and deadly. Nuclear weapons in the hands of evil extremists threaten the existence of civilization as we have known it.  The risk of nuclear destruction is a direct function of the number of countries that have nuclear capability. The more countries with nuclear weapons, the more likely some evil person in one of those countries will find a reason to use them. Then all hell will break loose and the destruction of civilization will occur.   We have to have the courage not to let this happen.

As we have seen in many wars, including Putin fighting with Ukraine, the leaders who start these wars do not care how many of their own people are killed; to say the least their enemies. Hitler, Stalin, or Mao Zedong could have cared less about military and civilian deaths. The only possible hope is to limit the war-making ability of countries who have demonstrated evil intentions. It is time for America to stand up to the reality that Iran’s nuclear ambitions must be stopped. The fact that President Trump has increased our military presence near Iran with aircraft carriers and B 52 bombers shows a serious intention to stop Iran, one way or the other. Let’s hope that their nuclear program can be stopped without military action. Personally, I doubt it. If not, a joint attach by Israeli and U.S. forces should be initiated to remove the nuclear threat from Iran.

CAREGIVING AND EVERYONE’S FAVORITE SUBJECT: INCONTINENCE

Posted on by
Reply

Author:  Jerry Schill

This is the fifth article I have written about our ten-year journey with dementia/Alzheimer’s. If you have missed the others, I suggest you look for them beginning with December as it makes more sense to read the history in a somewhat chronological fashion.

Last month I covered the shopping experience and the difficulty in dealing with dementia while remaining “jolly” in the Christmas season.

This month’s article involves that of care-giving. I am Pam’s primary caregiver, but at times I rely on family, friends, or paid caregivers when I need to shop, work or just need a break. It’s made a little more challenging in my case as I’m still working, which requires trips to Raleigh when the General Assembly is in session and also meetings at various locations. In the past, Pam could accompany me as I attended those meetings but it’s almost impossible to do so now.

It has been about 6 years since we have depended upon a paid caregiver. She is not a health professional but is a person who genuinely wants to help. She typically is here 18 to 20 hours per week. When she has medical issues, I have a challenge scheduling someone else. A few years ago, when my job required my presence in Raleigh Tuesday through Thursday, the caregiver stayed overnight for 2 nights. That was a difficult period for all of us. Two years ago, I hired a caregiver in the Raleigh area to stay with Pam during the day. I had our camper near Raleigh so the caregiver would come at 7:00am and stayed with Pam in the camper till I returned about 3:00 or so. That worked out very well, but we only did that for a year.

When medical issues come up with the caregiver, it can be quite a challenge to find someone to fill because others have prior commitments. Of course, there are many companies that specialize in this area but are more costly. There is also the issue of them being unfamiliar to Pam.

So that brings up family and friends as caregivers. How do I discuss the subject of incontinence with dignity? And how does it relate to the topic of caregivers?

Let me start with our children helping out staying with their Mom while I do “whatever.” If it was just about “babysitting” or just making sure she doesn’t grab the car keys and take off or wander off somewhere or helping with a meal, well that’s easy. But when it starts with their Mom not remembering their name or even who they are, that can be traumatic for adult children.

There comes a point in this journey when one realizes that it just makes life easier to wear “Depends” 24/7. Until you get to that point life can be a crap shoot. (Pun intended). But even then, that’s a lot to expect from your young’uns to change their Mom’s diaper! We have 4 children, and they all help as much as they can. They all have families and jobs but try to be here every weekend on a rotating basis.

It is also a lot to ask of friends and neighbors, so at this stage I try to limit those requests for relative short segments.  It changes the whole dynamic of who you call to help out.

The incontinence issue is twofold: First, some folks are pansies and can’t deal with getting their hands dirty. Quite frankly, growing up on a farm, this is hard for me to understand. Second, and probably more important, is the dignity aspect of cleaning up. It’s a very humbling experience for the caregiver and the loved one. I think it’s even harder for my wife because she knows having someone else helping you in the bathroom isn’t the way it’s supposed to be. She frequently tells me that she loves me when I’m helping, because “she knows.” I hate it when she’s not happy. I can take her occasional anger and name-calling, but the crying and the sadness is tough.

Bottom line for me is this: Pam is my wife, and I am her primary caregiver. It is my responsibility, indeed my privilege to do so. If at all possible, I want to make sure her needs are met. I am rather good at doing it, but pray that I can do so with more patience at times.

And finally, the cost. I’m still working, so the costs associated with caregiving are higher because of it. Generally speaking, half of my pay goes toward the costs of caregiving. If it wasn’t for our kids and volunteers to help out, having a job wouldn’t make sense from a financial standpoint.

Till next month…

May 15th

Posted on by
Reply

On Saturday, PJ Media posted an article about a case that will be argued before the Supreme Court on May 15th. Generally, the Supreme Court does not hear cases in May.

The article reports:

The U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to weigh in on one of the most significant legal power plays in recent memory: whether individual federal trial judges can continue issuing nationwide injunctions that derail national policy. The high court’s move could mark a turning point in the Trump administration’s effort to rein in what it sees as activist judges stifling the will of the elected government.

John Yoo, a law professor at UC Berkeley and former Justice Department official, broke down the issue during an appearance on Fox News, where he explained the gravity of the situation and why the Supreme Court is now stepping in.

“This is about who controls all those… and there’s about 675 federal trial judges spread out all over the country,” Yoo said. “And some of them have been bringing the federal government, bringing President Trump’s agenda to a screeching halt, even though they don’t have anybody, say, who works for the government or any of the illegal aliens or any of the spending in their own courtrooms.”

In recent years, liberal activists have filed lawsuits in strategically chosen jurisdictions where they know they’ll find a sympathetic judge. The result? Leftist district judges, with no direct connection to the underlying policy or parties involved, have been able to issue injunctions blocking Trump administration directives nationwide—from immigration enforcement to federal spending priorities.

The important quote in the article:

“Whether you agree or disagree with President Trump’s order on birthright citizenship,” Yoo said, “they may not even get to the question, because the key thing here is for the Supreme Court to put an end to the 675 trial judges who all think they can run foreign policy, spending and hiring throughout the federal government.”

Stay tuned.

You Have The Right To Defend Yourself

Posted on by
Reply

On April 16th, Bearing Arms posted an article about a recent incident in Butts County, Georgia.

The article reports:

A sheriff in Georgia is praising the actions of an armed homeowner who stopped a would-be intruder from gaining access to a child’s bedroom, while also issuing a warning to other criminals in the county.

Butts County Sheriff Gary Long says a man named Abdul Aquil is in custody in connection with the break-in, and is lucky to be alive after his encounter with the armed citizen. Aquil allegedly first tried to gain entry to the home through a bedroom window with a child on the other side, but the child’s father heard the commotion and interrupted the burglar as he was crawling inside. 

Long said the father of the child “challenged the intruder and the suspect exited the window.”

According to Long, the father then went to his room and got a gun as Aquil busted the living room window, trying to get inside.

The father fired his gun, missing the suspect, but causing the suspect to run away.

Long said in a Facebook post, “The shot fired by the homeowner was UNFORTUNATELY about 8 inches too high, missing the intruder, which would have resulted in his death.”

…Long, meanwhile, has two messages for residents of Butts County. In that Facebook post he “strongly” encouraged citizens who can legally possess a firearm to get their hands on one and attend a gun safety class hosted by the sheriff’s office, adding that “if the homeowner last night was not a gun owner, I am afraid the outcome could have been much different.

The Sheriff issued the following message:

“To the criminals, listen up and pay close attention, if you decide to break into a home in Butts County, make sure you are ready to meet your maker. My staff and I will spend as much time as it takes to make sure the citizens of this County are well-trained, educated and capable of making great shots to protect their family and homes. So, unless you are prepared to die, I would highly recommend you to find a home in another County to burglarize, because this is not the one.”

Gun safety classes are a really good idea. There are also non-lethal ways of defending yourself and your home.

Why We Need To Secure All Points Of Entry Into Our Country

Posted on by

On Thursday, The Epoch Times posted an article about a drug seizure at a Chicago air cargo facility.

The article reports:

Federal agents at a Chicago air cargo facility have seized shipments from China containing 18 pounds of xylazine, which is increasingly found in the U.S. illicit drug market.

The three shipments arrived on April 12 and were headed to residences in Cleveland and Philadelphia, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced in a statement on April 16.

“Drug traffickers are persistent in their attempts to smuggle sedatives such as xylazine into the United States, however, through our hard work and vigilance we will continue to intercept these dangerous substances at our port of entry before they can harm our communities,” LaFonda Sutton-Burke, director of field operation at the Chicago field office, said in a statement.

Xylazine, also known as “tranq” and the “zombie drug,” is a veterinary medication that acts as a sedative when administered to animals such as cattle, sheep, and horses during diagnostic and surgical procedures. Xylazine is not a controlled substance in the United States, but it is not approved for use on people, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Because of increased border security at America’s southern border, cartels and other drug smugglers are having to look for other ways to bring illegal drugs into America. We need to have drug-sniffing dogs at all points of entry.

The article notes:

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has warned that xylazine is making the deadly fentanyl crisis in the United States “even deadlier,” as fentanyl adulterated with xylazine has a longer-lasting psychoactive effect than fentanyl alone, increasing the risk of overdose death.

The Mexico-based Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels are known to be sourcing chemical precursors from China before these chemicals are manufactured into fentanyl. Last year, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party warned in a report that China-produced xylazines “are rapidly proliferating across the United States.”

The article concludes:

In recent years, some states have enacted laws to regulate the use of xylazine, including South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act in both the House and the Senate in February. The legislation would make xylazine a Schedule III controlled substance while enabling the DEA to track its manufacturing to prevent any diversion to the illegal market.

“Illicit xylazine is contributing to the national drug epidemic and driving up overdose deaths in communities across the country,” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who led the Senate bill with Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), said in a statement at the time.

“This bipartisan bill recognizes the lethal threat of xylazine and provides law enforcement new tools to combat its spread, while ensuring veterinarians, ranchers and cattlemen can continue to access the drug for legitimate animal treatment,” Grassley said.

Guarding The Taxpayers’ Purse

Posted on by

On Friday, The Daily Wire posted an article about Congressional trips to El Salvador.

The article reports:

Republican leaders in the House have denied requests by Democrats to approve congressional trips to check on deportees at a mega prison in El Salvador.

With a post to X on Friday, House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) revealed a letter in which he told a pair of Democrats that he was rejecting their demand for authorization of a Congressional Member Delegation (CODEL) to visit the Terrorism Confinement Center or CECOT.

“If Democrats wish to travel to El Salvador and meet with a foreign illegal MS-13 gang member, they can spend their own money to do so,” Comer said in his social media post that showed a screenshot of the letter. “I will not approve a single dime of Oversight Committee taxpayer funds for use on the excursion Democrats have requested.”

The article concludes:

The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Mark Green (R-TN), similarly rebuffed multiple Democrats pushing for a visit with Abrego Garcia.

“There is no excuse for Democrats to waste taxpayer dollars visiting and defending a transnational gang member and reported domestic abuser,” Green said in a statement on Thursday. “If Democrats care so much about defending this individual, they can use their own personal credit cards — not taxpayers’ money — to virtue-signal to their radical base.”

Yet another committee leader, House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO), recently shared photos of a trip he took to CECOT.

“Thanks to President Trump, the CECOT prison in El Salvador, which is home to some of the country’s most vicious criminals, now includes illegal immigrants who broke into our country and committed violent acts against Americans,” Smith said. “It is unconscionable that Democrats in Congress are urging the release of more foreign criminals back into our country.”

The people in this prison are NOT American citizens. They are people who came into our country and committed crimes. Why haven’t I seen this amount of concern for the American hostages held by Hamas?

This Is A Really BAD Idea

Posted on by

Eastern North Carolina gets a lot of its revenue from tourist traffic. It is a place where you can go to the beach, see history, take a ferry ride to relax, or enjoy shopping in one of the multiple small towns or cities. Summer traffic is very different than winter traffic. The free ferry rides are a significant part of the charm of the area.

On Wednesday, The Raleigh News & Observer reported:

The budget proposed by the state Senate this week would end free rides on North Carolina’s coastal ferries, charging tolls to board boats that have been free for decades. The N.C. Department of Transportation collects tolls on three of the seven car ferries on the coast — across the Cape Fear River between Southport and Fort Fisher and over Pamlico Sound between Ocracoke and both Swan Quarter and Cedar Island. It also charges people to ride a seasonal passenger-only ferry between Ocracoke and Hatteras.

But four car ferries remain free, including two river ferries heavily used by commuters and the busiest car ferry, between Ocracoke and Hatteras islands. Senate budget writers want that to end. The revenue those tolls would generate is badly needed by the N.C. Department of Transportation and its Ferry Division, says Sen. Vickie Sawyer, a Republican from Mooresville who co-chairs the Senate appropriations committee for transportation. Rising costs have forced NCDOT to delay projects across the state, Sawyer says, even as it must rebuild roads and bridges in Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.

The tolls on these ferries might generate some revenue, but they would also be a hardship for those who use the ferries to commute. They would also increase the education budgets of some towns as some school busses use the ferries to bring children to school. I think they would also have a negative impact on tourism in the area.

We need the representatives and senators from eastern North Carolina to stand strong against this idea. North Carolina has a rainy day fund that can be used to rebuild western North Carolina. There is also money set aside to deal with the damage from previous hurricanes that needs to be sent to the people it was intended for. Putting tolls on the ferries is not the answer and will only lead to higher tolls.

This is a really bad idea that shows up every few years.

The Picture The Media Is Painting Is Somewhat Inaccurate

Posted on by

The media is painting a very sympathetic picture of Kilmar Abrego Garcia who was recently sent to prison in El Salvador. They have chosen to overlook the fact that there is significant evidence that he was (or is) a member of MS-13. But there is other evidence against him that has been somewhat under-reported.

On April 17th, Red State reported:

The FBI ordered the Tennessee Highway Patrol in 2022 to release Kilmar Abrego Garcia after a traffic stop yielded proof that he was operating a vehicle without a valid license, and despite concerns from officers that he was engaged in human trafficking.

Abrego Garcia is the man portrayed in the media as little more than a ‘Maryland father’ who was recently deported to El Salvador under President Donald Trump. Democrats have latched onto his case after it was discovered his removal was the result of a clerical error.

But a new report by The Tennessee Star shows there are layers of complexity to the man’s case.

According to the outlet, Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) stopped Abrego Garcia in December 2022, and an officer who filed the report on the incident confirmed that he was transporting seven other individuals in the vehicle from Texas to Maryland.

Abrego Garcia was discovered to be operating the vehicle without a valid driver’s license, prompting a more thorough background check. The lack of a valid license alone is a misdemeanor offense that could have lead to jail time.

More ominously, the officer at the scene indicated he had suspicions that Abrego Garcia was “engaged in human trafficking.”

The article also notes:

Abrego Garcia, the man Democrats and the media have latched onto to portray President Trump’s deportation operation as heartless, according to an immigration judge in 2019, had evidence of an association with the violent MS-13 gang.

In fact, two judges have determined he is likely to be a member of MS-13.

RedState Managing Editor Jennifer Van Laar reported Wednesday evening that Abrego Garcia was detained by Prince George’s County, Maryland officials in 2019. During that interaction with law enforcement, he was determined to be loitering outside a Home Depot with several other men with either known or suspected MS-13 ties.

Details of the incident indicate extensive ties between the ‘Maryland father’ and his gang affiliates, including one man with a comprehensive and violent criminal history, and a revelation that Abrego-Garcia and others at the scene were “detained in connection to a murder investigation.”

Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has made this case a major cause–even visiting El Salvador in an attempt to meet with Abrego-Garcia. I wish he were as concerned with the American prisoners Hamas is holding.

Fluoride Controversy is Back

Posted on by

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

Some of you may remember the controversy that occurred decades ago when the decision to place fluoride in municipal water systems occurred. The issue of fluoride in drinking water has been brought up again by the new Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources, Robert Kennedy, Jr. He has long been an advocate of ensuring that toxic chemicals should be eliminated, to whatever extent possible, from our food and drinking water. In fact, being placed in a position where he could influence this long-time major concern of his is part of the reason he may have decided to support President Trump’s campaign in 2024. Certainly, sounds like a reasonable concern and something we should care about.

Apparently, the primary concern about fluoride in drinking water is the suspicion that it may be causing the increase in childhood autism which has been reported over several years. Autism is a neurological developmental disorder that shows deficits in social communication and interaction with others, and restrictive, repetitive behavior and activities. Ability to relate to others is compromised. The symptoms of autism are usually observed in young children between two and three years of age. The symptoms may continue indefinitely. This can lead to difficult social adjustment and learning. Although autistic symptoms in children were reported in the 1920s and 1930s, the diagnosis of autism as a mental/behavioral disorder did not occur until 1980, when it was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMIII) by the American Psychiatric Association. The incidence of diagnosed autism was reported to be 1 in 88 children in the year 2000 and has risen to 1 in 31 children by 2024, obviously, a large increase. It should also be noted that autism diagnoses are approximately four times higher in boys than girls. An interesting side note is that another childhood diagnosed condition, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), has also shown a significant increase from 6% of children in 1998 to over 10% in 2024.

Issue number one in the discussion of whether fluoride in drinking water is causing an increase in autism is the accuracy and reliability of diagnosing autism. Unlike most physical illnesses that are verifiable with reliable laboratory tests, the diagnosis of autism, like most mental illnesses, relies on considerable judgement on the part of the diagnostician either through direct observation or reported information by parents, teachers, and others. Consequently, reliability is less definitive. Also, importantly, one only finds something when you are looking for it. Whereas now a child’s behavior may be justification for a diagnosis of autism, years earlier, the child’s odd behavior might have been attributed to being a loner or introvert or “that’s just Johnny.” For example, years ago a child who was hyperactive and unruly may have just been considered undisciplined.

The second issue that must be addressed is whether any incidence of increased autism is directly caused by the fluoride levels. Fluoride is a naturally occurring element in nature and is frequently found in surface and well water. In fact, it is the 13th most abundant element and can be found in oceans, soil, and plants. The fact that two things increase together does not prove that the increase in one causes the increase in the other. This is the difference between correlation and causation; the latter being more difficult to prove but critical to actual science and must not be forgotten when dealing with this enquiry.

A third issue is the overwhelming evidence that fluoridation has dramatically reduced the occurrence of dental cavities, especially in children. The original study of 300,000 children, conducted in 1945 in Grand Rapids, Michigan showed a dramatic decrease of 60% of children’s dental cavities. In fact, the American Dental Association, which supports widespread water fluoridation, states that stopping water fluoridation would “ …take away the most effective, efficient, and equitable way for dental disease prevention.” Currently, about two thirds of the American population consumes fluoridated drinking water. On the other side, there has been a recent study that showed that fluoridated water may be negatively impacting children’s IQ, although that study used levels of fluoride twice the level allowed in drinking water. There is also concern about suspected thyroid and arthritis impacts. Assessing what levels may be safe certainly appears warranted.

The final issue, is one of control and freedom of choice, which are always important. Who gets to decide whether you consume fluoride in your water? In most places it is the state or local government. Secretary Kennedy appears to be of the opinion that fluoride should be treated like any medication to the extent that the individual ( or child’s parent) should make that decision. Not sure how that would be instituted, but it seems to make sense.

Secretary Kennedy, along with the Environmental Protection Agency head Lee Zeldin, announced that they would refer this matter to the Community Services Community Task Force, an independent panel composed of public health and prevention experts, to study this matter and develop recommendations. Sounds like a reasonable action to take. Let’s hope they do not throw out the baby with the proverbial bath water!

Re-Evaluating Coastal Wind Energy

Posted on by

On Wednesday, The Washington Free Beacon posted an article about President Trump’s halting construction of a massive offshore wind project being built in federal waters off the coast of New York and ordering a sprawling review of existing offshore wind permits.

The re-evaluation of coastal wind energy is a good idea. One of the blades in the wind farm off of New England broke apart and contaminated oysters and mussels with hazardous fiberglass particles that can cause harm to humans (article here). Another windmill was hit by lightning, also causing damage to the environment.

The article at The Washington Free Beacon reports:

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on Wednesday to order foreign energy developer Equinor to cease all construction activities on its Empire Wind project, according to a memorandum obtained by the Free Beacon. Burgum said the Biden administration green-lit permits for the project and ultimately approved it without conducting proper analysis.

“Approval for the project was rushed through by the prior administration without sufficient analysis or consultation among the relevant agencies as relates to the potential effects from the project,” Burgum wrote. He said the halt on Empire Wind will be in effect indefinitely until further review is completed to “address these serious deficiencies.”

Burgum additionally ordered Interior Department staff to continue a review of federal wind permitting practices related to both existing and pending permits and approvals.

…But the memorandum Wednesday is a significant victory for the fishing industry, wildlife advocates, and local grassroots groups that have vociferously opposed offshore wind development. Critics argue the planned industrialization of American oceans will devastate marine-based industries, harm wildlife like whales, interfere with military operations, and disrupt scenic beach views that are critical for tourism revenue in coastal communities.

Heeding those arguments and following through on a central campaign promise, President Donald Trump paused new approvals, permits, leases, and loans for wind projects until the Department of the Interior completes a full assessment of how such projects were approved under the Biden administration. Burgum’s halt of the Empire Wind project represents the first action of its kind since Trump ordered that review three months ago.

There may come a day in the future when offshore wind energy is a good idea, but we are not there yet. The number of dead whales who washed ashore during the construction of wind farms should have been enough to stop their construction.

Good News About The American Economy

Posted on by

On Wednesday, CNBC reported that retail sales were up during the month of March.

The article reports:

Points
  • The advanced estimate of retail sales showed an increase of 1.4% on the month, better than the 1.2% Dow Jones estimate and higher than the 0.2% increase in February.
  • Excluding autos, the numbers also were stronger than expected, with sales up 0.5% compared with the 0.3% forecast.

Consumer spending was stronger than expected in March as demand remained high despite declining sentiment, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.

The advanced estimate of retail sales showed an increase of 1.4% on the month, better than the 1.2% Dow Jones estimate and higher than the 0.2% increase in February. The year-over-year rise was 4.6%, according to numbers adjusted for seasonality but not prices, while the monthly increase was the biggest since January 2023.

Excluding autos, the numbers also were stronger than expected, with sales up 0.5% compared with the 0.3% forecast. Economists expected the auto sales number to jump as buyers tried to get ahead of President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariffs.

Motor vehicle and parts dealers reported a surge of 5.3% in sales.

The reading points to spending holding strong despite the crosscurrents of looming tariffs and expectations that the economy is weakening.

Obviously, part of the increase is due to the fear that as the tariffs kick in, prices will increase. However, it does indicate that Americans have enough trust in the future to buy things.

The article concludes:

The retail report counters multiple recent sentiment readings that show widespread fear that Trump’s tariffs will sink the economy into recession and spike prices. Last week, the closely watched University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey posted its second-lowest reading ever and expectations for one-year inflation were the highest since 1981.

Aside from the big move in auto-related sales, sporting goods, hobby and music stores saw a 2.4% increase, while building material and garden stores rose 3.3%. Food service and drinking places were up 1.8%, while gasoline stations reported a 2.5% decline as prices fell during the month.

As gas prices go down, consumers have more money to spend. That also may be part of the increase in retail sales.

Moving Left While The Voters Move Toward The Center

Posted on by

There is a political divide in America. There is also a political divide in the Democrat party. There are some Democrats who quietly support ending government waste and ending open borders, and there are some Democrats that want to continue to failed policies of President Biden and President Obama. Unfortunately, the party seems to have chosen to move further left, away from its base, rather than moving toward the center. The Democrats are no longer the party of the working man. They are the party of people traveling in private jets railing at the oligarchy and wanting to ‘tax the rich.’

On Wednesday, PJ Media reported:

…There’s been a slow-moving coup… but nobody’s noticed!

It’s tied to the larger political realignment nationally: Under the MAGA banner, the GOP has evolved into the party of the working man. The Bush-era days of country club conservatives has come and gone (assuming the club isn’t Mar-a-Lago, of course). We’ve gone from Wall Street to Main Street.

But the Democratic Party is realigning, too.

Liberals are frothing in furious rage — and not only at Republicans. A record number have lost faith in the Democratic Party. Its favorability has never been this dismal. Liberals are begging — pleading — for new leaders and a new direction. Even in New York, 53% of Democrats want to fire the Democrats’ Senate leader… who is FROM New York. (Sorry, Chuck Schumer.) This isn’t normal behavior.

There’s never been a better time for an outsider to seize control.

Our first big story is the Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) whistlestop tour with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). (In honor of Bernie Sanders, I hereby dub it the B.S. tour.) Although they’ve been generating headlines for the size of their enormous crowds — even in ruby-red districts — that’s not the most meaningful part.

There’s a consensus forming amongst their supporters: They want to go to war.

Liberals are demanding to be represented by a fighter. Among Democratic voters, an overwhelming majority — 72% — want someone “more aggressive” to battle Trump. Less than a third (28%) sought a “moderate” approach.

The liberal base will choose the most aggressive, fiery liberal candidate. Moderates need not apply.

The article notes that David Hogg, the current Vice-Chairman of the Democrat party, is planning to primary any moderate Democrat currently in office. The goal is a radical Democrat party with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as its leader. It will be interesting to see how the voters react to this.

Changes To Social Security

Posted on by

Don’t freak out over that headline. The changes I am talking about are good news for everyone who is currently collecting or plans to collect social security in the future.

On Tuesday (updated Wednesday) The Epoch Times reported:

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on April 15 directing several federal agencies to take measures to prevent Social Security payments from going to ineligible people such as illegal immigrants and fraudsters.

The memorandum was directed at the Social Security Administration inspector general, the Social Security commissioner, the attorney general, and the secretaries of labor, health and human services, and homeland security.

Meanwhile, the commissioner is directed to cooperate with the attorney general to expand the SSA’s full-time fraud prosecutor program specifically targeting identity theft and beneficiary-side fraud to at least 50 U.S. Attorney Offices by Oct. 1.

The memo also “establishes a Medicare and Medicaid fraud prosecution program in 15 U.S. Attorney offices,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press briefing.

Department heads are ordered to prioritize the placement of prosecutors in both programs to the offices whose jurisdiction has been determined by Homeland Security to cover the top 10 largest known populations of illegal immigrants.

The memo also directs the inspector general of the Social Security Administration (SSA) to investigate earnings reports for individuals over the age of 100. Earlier this year the Department of Government Efficiency reported that hundreds of eligible Social Security recipients were found to be well over a century old.

In another article posted Tuesday (updated Wednesday), The Epoch Times reported another change to Social Security:

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has rolled out “enhanced technology” to detect suspicious activity in telephone claims or banking changes. The new technology will strengthen identification verification, preventing fraud.

The SSA had initially planned to roll out new identity proofing policies in March, but pushback from beneficiaries and advocates delayed it. The policies have gone through two changes so far. So, what are these ID proofing policy changes, and how will they affect you?

The second article concludes:

Social Security benefits are often a target of thieves. And diverting benefits from a recipient’s account to a fraudulent one has been going on for many years.

The SSA is making an effort to stop the fraud by modernizing its phone system with enhanced technology. Using the new technology allows the agency to identify anomalies in the claimant’s account.

In addition, the use of the AVS will not only prevent fraudulent banking changes but also expedite processing. Overall, Social Security beneficiaries and new claimants will still have the convenience of phoning while still preventing fraud.

As someone who is married to a person in Information Technology (IT), I am suspicious of any change to a computer program. There are almost always glitches. I am hoping that the new fraud detection protocols have been thoroughly tested. If these new protocols are successful in eliminating the majority of fraud in the Social Security program, they will extend the lifespan of the program for years.

Dealing With The Leaks

Posted on by

The first Trump administration had a major problem with people in the administration leaking to the press. Generally these were not leaks that in any way helped the administration. Many of them were quite damaging. It seems as if the second Trump administration has learned some lessons from the first Trump administration.

On Tuesday, The Daily Wire reported:

Dan Caldwell, adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has been placed on leave pending an ongoing investigation into leaks in the Defense Department, The Daily Wire has confirmed.

An official within the Defense Department confirmed the report to Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan on Tuesday.

…Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has employed polygraph testing in her efforts to root out suspected leakers within the DHS. Tricia McLaughlin, DHS’ assistant secretary for public affairs, issued a statement to Fox News Digital on that initiative, saying, “Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS is unapologetic about its efforts to root out leakers that undermine national security. We are agnostic about your standing, tenure, political appointment or status as a career civil servant – we will track down leakers and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has also taken a hardline stance on potential leakers in the intelligence community, saying in a statement, “Politically motivated leaks undermine our national security and the trust of the American people and will not be tolerated. Unfortunately, such leaks have become commonplace with no investigation or accountability. That ends now. We know of and are aggressively pursuing recent leakers from within the Intelligence Community and will hold them accountable.”

If you hold an important position in the government, you should not be leaking to the press. It is unprofessional and undermines the administration. There should be a more severe penalty than just losing your job.

There’s No Place Like Home

Posted on by

Author:  Michael Speciale

If you have been alive recently, you have seen the chaos emanating from the left–riots when they do not get their way, protests when they do not get their way, and civil disobedience all around when they do not get their way.

According to Collinsdictionary.com, chaos is defined as a ‘state of complete disorder and confusion.

The Democrat Party is in chaos. They are discombobulated, confused, incoherent, and disordered with no clear positions on anything that matters to the bulk of the American people. They are leaderless and defiant, as well as uninformed and intolerant. The Democrat Party is full of racism, sexism, and other isms that are not in harmony with what Americans want from their government.

They protest without knowing what they are protesting, they disagree with anything that President Trump supports, and they have no plan or vision for the future of America. Hating Trump is not a plan, and working against everything that Trump is working for is not a vision.

In short, Democrats are in a quandary. What do they do to prepare for the mid-term elections in 2026, and how do they become competitive in the 2028 Presidential elections?

All indicators are that they will continue to pursue the far-left agenda, ignoring the wishes of the American people, and they will run candidates that are beholden to the woke policies that the left has espoused and implemented for the last four years under former President Biden (former President Biden is a phrase that I couldn’t wait to use).

America has given much to the world in the last 250 years, and our economy and military strength have emboldened other countries to stand up over the last two and a half centuries, set their economies in order, and supplement their military establishments.

Under the right leadership, America and our allies have made the world a better place to live. Things are not perfect, but Utopian societies do not exist, and will never exist until the second coming of Christ. However, technologically and otherwise, human beings around the world live better than they did a couple of centuries ago.

Those of us who have been to other countries and have seen what lies beneath the surface understand that we have it made here in America and that we all need to do our part to make life better for ourselves and for our neighbors. We need to remember that we, in the United States, are Americans, and our heritage is one of pride, achievement, and honor; and we cannot let that devolve into chaos and anarchy. We live free because of 600,000 American lives lost in the cause of ending slavery. We have saved the world from communism, put a man on the moon, found the cure for polio, and built a country along the way.

There are some things worth fighting for, and freedom and liberty will always be worth the fight, but freedom will also remain fragile and will require our support, our vigilance, and our dedication to upholding it, regardless of what the left believes, or how much they try to destroy it.

We need to consider all that America represents and all the problems we have overcome in the past. We will continue to overcome those problems in the future if we stand together and remember what freedom is and what liberty allows us to do to bring about prosperity and a better life for everyone.

In the end, there is no place like home!

The Dangers Of Unlimited Immigration

Posted on by

The main reason for limiting immigration is to provide an opportunity for new citizens to assimilate. When large ethnic groups immigrate at the same time, they tend to group together and may have trouble assimilating. I once met a group of people from another country who had settled a particular area of an American city. Because they had not learned English (in their enclave it was not needed), the group included doctors and physicists working as factory workers. That is a serious waste of talent. Almost all European countries have been negatively impacted by the number of immigrants from Muslim countries that have arrived in their countries in recent years and do not share western values.

On Monday, The Gateway Pundit reported:

Once a land shaped by Viking lore and later defined by its austere Protestant ethos, Sweden is now undergoing a dramatic cultural shift, with the number of mosques soaring by 4,200% in less than 25 years—a transformation few could have imagined just a generation ago.

It’s worth noting that the definition of what constitutes a mosque remains unclear—implying the true number could be considerably higher than reported, according to a report by the Swedish news portal Samnytt.

The staggering rise of Muslim houses of worship in Sweden reflects not only shifting religious dynamics but also significant demographic changes. Once a predominantly Lutheran nation, Sweden now sees fewer than half of its population identifying with the Swedish Lutheran Church.

As churches close their doors and the native Swedish birthrate continues to decline, Sweden has seen the number of mosques rise precipitously, from just seven in 2000 to around 300 by 2025.

Another result of the influx of men from the Islamic culture is noted at stastica:

Number of sexual offenses in Sweden 2013-2023, by type

Published by Statista Research Department, Jul 4, 2024

In Sweden, the total number of reported cases of sexual offences increased from 2012 to 2021, before falling somewhat again in 2022. Whereas a total number of over 16,000 sexual offenses were reported in 2013, this had increased to nearly 24,000 by 2023. The highest number of these were cases of sexual harassment, followed by rape. Especially the number of reported cases of rape increased over the period, from 6,000 in 2012 to 9,300 in 2023. This is probably down to an increased awareness about reporting.

The article also notes:

The mosque boom has also reignited debates over national security and integration. The Gothenburg mosque, backed by Saudi funds, has come under fire for promoting misogynistic content. Even more troubling, the Imam Ali mosque in Stockholm has hosted speakers who advocate martyrdom.

National-conservative politicians have seized on the issue. Jimmie Åkesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats, has called for mosques that promote anti-Swedish or anti-democratic messages to be swiftly shut down.

It will be interesting to see where Sweden is in five years.

More Lies From The Mainstream Media

Posted on by

Reading the headline on a recent article in The New York Times is not only misleading, it’s inaccurate.

On Monday, The Federalist reported:

The New York Times continues to cover up government corruption, on April 11 hitting FBI Director Kash Patel for suspending analyst Brian Auten nearly a decade after Auten helped Democrats frame Donald Trump as a Russian asset. The NYT headline reads, “F.B.I. Suspends Employee on Patel’s So-Called Enemies List,” not something accurate such as “FBI Suspends Employee Who Illegally Abused Government Power To Protect Democrat Presidential Candidates.”

Predictably, other corporate media outlets took the same corrupt angle, notably an April 12 NBC article by “Fusion Ken” Dilanian and Alexandra Marquez.

Actually, that is not what actually happened. Evidently Brian Auten pushed the use of the Steel dossier as a justification for surveillance of the Trump campaign despite being aware that the dossier was verified. The spying and inappropriate behavior by the Justice Department that surrounded the Trump campaign, Trump transition team, and Trump administration makes Watergate look like child’s play. Those responsible for the illegal surveillance need to be held accountable.

The article concludes:

Yet the same NYT that helped the FBI and other intelligence agencies lie to Americans about Spygate, Biden corruption, and numerous other items of public importance clownishly claims in its April 11 article that “The reasons for the suspension [of Brian Auten] remain unclear.” It further alleges Auten’s suspension is political retaliation rather than the potential beginnings of bringing justice to those who dangerously sought to turn the United States into an intelligence dictatorship.

The reporter bylining this article, Adam Goldman, is a Times national security reporter who “has been a journalist for more than two decades.” He cannot not know all of this background or he wouldn’t have this job, and he still wrote a ridiculously idiotic story claiming Auten’s firing is only explainable by political retribution.

This means Goldman is a paid shill for the world’s worst people, not a reporter of any kind. He’s not just a hack; he has no morals at all. New York Times, delenda est.

Hopefully the firing of Auten is only the beginning of holding people accountable for their misdeeds.

Time To Settle J6 Lies Once and For All (Part 2)

Posted on by

Author:  Pastor Daimon – CCTA Chairman

I will begin with a correction to the last paragraph from part one last week, I changed the word “unlocked” to “locked” regarding Congressional chamber doors.

Now let us hear the conclusion of the matter.

My family and I first visited the US Capitol Building in 1972 during a school field trip. There was no special clearance to enter, no locked doors, no controlled entry. Visits years later did not have to be a guided tour, but you freely entered just like entering an art museum, no guided tour necessary unless requested.

The fact that the exterior doors were even locked that day spells set up for the “fake,” planned insurrection. It appears that all visits are currently guided tours, whereas that was not always the case. Nevertheless, you can still arrive without reservations by 2:30 and receive a pass to tour the building. Therefore, since it was a normal business day, it appears that Ms. Pelosi may have been correct in her statement caught on video that it was all her responsibility. But what was she talking about? The failure to tell the regular security staff of the Capitol that they were not supposed to open the doors at any time because she had a goon squad to stage a break-in? Or, was it her rejection of the thousands of National Guard to be present in the event of any upheaval?

The security officers on one side of the building heard the knocking, wondered why the doors were locked during business hours, and kindly let the people in and guided them through the building. This, of course, was the opposite side of the building away from the staged “insurrection.” Oh, you didn’t know? Yes…the staged violence was on one side, and most of the real Trump supporters and protester were on the other side. There is also video footage to prove this fact. Of course, I spoke to eyewitnesses and those who were there on J-6. Remember, as our friends were still marching from Mr. Trump’s speech, they were getting those calls of deep concern from family members watching the “insurrection” on television before they even arrived.

Remember this, a real insurrection is usually an armed uprising or revolt against civil authority or government with the purposeful intent of overthrowing that entity. How, may I ask, does one intend to overthrow any government or civil authority without weapons? Hmmm…Some reports say that no weapons were found. Others say that there were possibly 3 weapons found. What??? Three weapons out of tens of thousands of people does not constitute enough to claim that the visitors were armed for a resurrection. Let us be reminded of the 2nd Amendment of our Constitution. Therefore, it is not unusual to find a few guns among thousands of people. But, only 3 guns? The left should be ashamed to say that any weapons were found. Question: Was Ashley Babbit armed–the only individual shot at the Capitol building that day? There were “possibly” other deaths that occurred that day. One by way of heart-attack, another of a drug over-dose, and a few days later, some other heart issues. But no officers died that day as a result of the events at the Capitol building. Maybe we should just do our research, and stop believing the lies until all truth has been unfolded.

Visit:  visitthecapital.gov and start your own investigation. You will be surprised.