Monthly Archives: July 2025

Simply Following Precedent

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On Tuesday, Victor Davis Hanson posted an article at The Daily Signal about the attacks on President Trump for being an autocratic dictator. Not only are the attacks without merit, they illustrate the double standard the media uses in evaluating presidential actions.

The article reports:

He’s getting attacked by the Left for autocratic use of presidential powers, he’s dictatorial. You’d almost forget that the Left and the Biden administration, in particular, through five criminal and civil courtrooms, fined him over $400 million, coordinated those legal harassments, and indicted him for 93 felonies. They tried to destroy, not just his candidacy, but his person, to bankrupt him and to jail him.

You would’ve forgotten that 25 states tried to take Donald Trump off the ballot. Nobody had ever done that before. Nobody had ever impeached a president twice. Nobody had ever tried a president, probably unconstitutionally, as a private citizen in the Senate, when he had already left office. No presidential candidate had been the subject of two ex-presidential assassination attempts. No ex-president ever had his home raided by the FBI.

So, we’ve forgotten all this and we’re supposed to think that Donald Trump is acting extra-constitutionally. But Donald Trump, I think, could remind people that he’s just following the precedents that he inherited. I’ll give you a few examples.

So, they’re saying he is deporting, deporting, deporting people. Well, former President Barack Obama deported more people in his tenure than any other prior president—2.5 million. And he focused on criminal aliens. He said so. Just like Donald Trump did. And as far as cages and detention centers, Obama created them. So, Trump just said, “I’m just following the precedent of Obama.”

They’re talking about extra powers of the president to harass people. Donald Trump had two members of his administration—Steve Bannon, in the first term, and Peter Navarro, his trade adviser—who were subpoenaed by Congress and they felt for no other reason but harassment in connection with Jan. 6. And they didn’t show up. And they tried to negotiate with Congress. And Congress jailed them.

Former Attorney General Merrick Garland was also subpoenaed by Congress, remember? And he just refused and there were no consequences. Former Attorney General Eric Holder was subpoenaed by Congress. There was no—and he refused.

And so, all Donald Trump should say, if anybody wants to be subpoenaed from the Biden administration, “We’re just following his example. We don’t really know what the rules are.”

Please follow the link above to read the entire article. It is brilliant.

Sore Losers Can Be Dangerous

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On Tuesday, David Strom at Hot Air posted an article detailing some of the plans of the deep state. We are now at the point where the deep state is not only admitting that it is real, it is telling us its plans.

The article reports:

The irony is thick, but these federal employees–some former, some current–have told NOTUS (News of the United States) that they are turning their color revolution skills to taking down the President of the United States.

The following is from NOTUS:

“Take it from those of us who worked in authoritarian countries: We’ve become one,” said a currently employed federal official, who spoke to NOTUS on condition of anonymity. “They were so quick to disband AID, the group that supposedly instigates color revolutions. But they’ve done a very foolish thing. You just released a bunch of well-trained individuals into your population. If you kept our offices going and had us play solitaire in the office, it might have been safer to keep your regime.”

The former officials tell NOTUS they’re holding workshops on a tactic called “noncooperation.” They’re building a network of government workers willing to engage in even minor acts of rebellion in the office. And they’re planting the seeds of what they hope could become a nationwide general strike.

Some in the informal network of Trump opponents are sharing an old CIA pamphlet with allies who still work in the government: It’s called “Simple Sabotage.”

They wanted to simply have their offices continue even if they sat there and played solitaire all day. They doesn’t sound like any respect for sound fiscal policy in America.

If they truly believe that we have become an authoritarian country, why are they choosing to ignore the results of the last election? It seems to me that honest elections (which I believe we had) would be the actual antidote to authoritarianism and that refusing to cooperate with the results of that election would be moving toward authoritarianism. Evidently these people think that regardless of the election, they should be in charge, and they are willing to make trouble to bring that about. I think they belong in jail.

We Don’t Need To Import Terrorists–We Have Them Here

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On Tuesday, The Daily Caller reported that ten people have been charged in an attack on a Texas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.

The article reports:

Police released mugshots Monday of suspects in a foiled Texas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility ambush, revealing a cast of characters who fit the familiar profile of left-wing extremists.

The federal Department of Justice (DOJ) charged 10 people in connection with the July 4 attack on an ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas, that left a local police officer shot in the neck, according to the DOJ’s criminal complaint.

Johnson County Jail released photos of seven of those suspects to a local Fox affiliate, showing gaunt, pale figures such as Nathan Baumann and Zachary Evetts, along with a portly, pasty-looking woman identified as Joy Gibson.

The article includes the photos. These are troubled people. According to journalist Andy Ngo, they are members of a North Texas antifa “terror cell.  Two of them suffer from gender dysphoria. The ten are facing charges including attempted murder, attempted murder of a federal officer, discharging a firearm during a violent crime, and aiding and abetting, according to the DOJ.

Many Americans have lost sight of the fact that ICE is doing its job of enforcing the law. People who come here illegally have broken the law. If a stranger comes into your house and proceeds to camp out in your living room, chances are you are not going to allow them to live there. Our country is no different.

I Thought We Just Had “No Kings Day”

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President Trump is not a king. However, some judges seem to feel that since that role is empty, they should take it over.

On Monday, PJ Media reported:

It’s almost impossible to overstate the sheer audacity of what’s just happened in Massachusetts. In a move that defies both logic and the very foundation of our constitutional order, an Obama-appointed judge has swooped in to protect Planned Parenthood from the will of the American people as expressed through their elected representatives.

Judge Indira Talwani, sitting on the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, decided that Congress—yes, Congress—doesn’t actually get to decide how taxpayer money is spent, at least not when it comes to the Left’s sacred cow.

Let’s be clear: This wasn’t a rogue executive order or some bureaucratic sleight of hand. Congress passed a law. The people’s representatives, accountable to voters, made a decision to defund Planned Parenthood as part of the One Big, Beautiful Bill. That’s how our system is supposed to work. If you don’t like it, you organize, you vote, you persuade your fellow citizens and change the law. That’s democracy. But apparently, that’s not good enough for the activist bench.

Instead, Judge Talwani issued a temporary restraining order, telling the executive branch not to enforce the law. Not because the law was found unconstitutional or even legally questionable—no, the judge didn’t bother to offer any real legal reasoning at all.

The ruling simply halted the will of Congress in its tracks, leaving Americans and even seasoned legal professionals scratching their heads. How does a judge order the executive branch to ignore a duly-enacted statute without first declaring that statute invalid? On what grounds?

This isn’t just a technicality. It’s a direct assault on the separation of powers and the legitimacy of our system. If judges can simply override Congress whenever they don’t like the outcome, what’s the point of elections? Why bother sending representatives to Washington if their decisions can be nullified on a whim by an unelected judge with a political axe to grind?

Planned Parenthood is a very lucrative enterprise. They totally understand how to use their money politically. Remember when it was proven that Planned Parenthood sells aborted baby body parts and the only person who got in trouble with the law was the person who exposed that fact? This case will probably get to the Supreme Court at some point, but until then, Planned Parenthood will continue making millions of dollars by killing babies.

The View From The Lair

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Despicable Stupidcrats

Now that most of you have recovered from your Independence Day bacchanalia, you have probably seen that there was a calamitous event in Kerr County Texas. The Guadelupe River had a flash flood, sweeping away children and adults from the Mystic Camp.

The latest death toll is 84 people dead, including 28 children. The rescue/retrieval efforts continue.

Of course, the Studipcrats blew up social media, proclaiming it to be Trump’s fault. Of course. I DO NOT frequent antisocial media, but the actual news sites that I frequent (Townhall, Tucker Carlson, Daily Signal, Just The News) all seem to have to expose the reactions of the Despicable Stupidcrats.

They point out that since POTUS has gutted the National Weather Service, there wasn’t sufficient personnel to deliver the necessary warnings. Except…the warnings went out. This was a unique event, occurring only several times in the past fifty years. The flood came at night, many of the warnings also came at night. Most everyone was sleeping. There is a reason it’s called a “FLASH FLOOD”! It’s unexpected!

Yes, there are scheduled reductions in force for the NWS. In October. Which means that the NWS that they are blaming is the same NWS that has been in place since Resident Rutabaga was in the White House. The same one that provided all the warning for Western NC for Hurricane Helene. Rember that one that devastated the western part of the state?

OH! It was climate change! So of course it was POTUS’ fault. Except while it was an extraordinary event, it wasn’t the only time it has happened. It flooded in 1987. This flood was the highest since 1932. 1932? So…devastating floods occurred before the climate change hoax was instigated?

The other reaction from the Despicable Stupidcrats was that Texas deserved it because it is a red state and that the children deserved it because they are all white Christians. REALLY? But they don’t believe in either God or Christ, so is Gaia wreaking out some revenge because of the kids being white Christians? Gaia would inflict such damage on her planet just to kill white Christian kids? I smell a large pile of BullSchiff being spread here.

I cannot express my contempt sufficiently here. Mary has reminded me that this must be family friendly. I am applying to several mafia families for their approval.

There is a difference between ignorance and stupid. Ignorance can be remedied with education and understanding.

While you can medicate it, you can’t fix stupid.

ciao,

Bubbles UP!

The Snark

The 4th at the Tryon Palace

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Pastor Daimon – CCTA Chairman

I certainly hope that everyone was able to enjoy their day on the 4th of July, celebrating Independence Day with family or friends in ways that will be memorable. This year there has been something incredibly patriotic in the air; an atmosphere of America’s greatness that I haven’t felt for decades. There was prayer everywhere, the Pledge of Allegiance, The Star-Spangled Banner, and the reading of the Declaration of Independence were everywhere, except…the Tryon Palace in New Bern. As much as I love our American history and our state’s history, the Tryon Palace’s place in our state’s history is not only paramount to North Carolina, but should be a strong representation for our state on the national level.

Oh, there was a reading of the Declaration of Independence, but the vacuum created by the absence of prayer, the Star-Spangled Banner, and the Pledge of Allegiance was as anti-American as I have seen in my lifetime for a place of such historical significance. There were no flags flanking the reader of the Declaration of Independence…United States flag nor the North Carolina flag. Then, there was the sneaky, surprise visit of a state dignitary, who for the time of the general election campaign totally ignored New Bern in his quest to obtain the office which he holds. Tryon’s Facebook photos are only 6 in number with 4 of them containing photos of this dignitary and none of the reader of the Declaration of Independence. Thank God for the other organizations that were present who displayed several photos of the events at the Tryon. Otherwise, the citizens who follow the Tryon Palace on Facebook would think that it was only a staged political make-up visit by this elected official.

This is not only my sentiments, but that of many citizens of New Bern whom I spoke with who visited that pitiful attempt of appeasement to our community which was a disaster to say the least. The staff and Administrators need to pay more attention to fulfilling the call to establish a patriotic celebration of America’s Independence on July 4th than to pushing a political agenda for individuals who have never shown any love or respect for the people of our community. Shame on you, Tryon Palace. This was supposed to be a gala and celebration of the 249th birthday of the United States of America. Maybe we need to replace the staff and organizers with true Patriots who love our nation. With all of the good, the bad, the ugly, and many failures, the United States is still the greatest nation in the history of the world with more victories than any nation has ever experienced. Victories not only for us, but the United States throughout its history has fought for many of its allies that they too may experience a sweet piece of liberty for their citizens. Tryon Palace should remember the purpose of July 4th and what a celebration of that day looks like.

The Economy Of Argentina

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Javier Milei became President of Argentina in December 2023. Upon taking office, he eliminated 10 of Argentina’s 18 government ministries, capped the salaries of top bureaucrats, and fired 34,000 public employees, cutting government spending by 30 percent. He also eliminated import licenses and lifted rent controls. The country’s economy has soared as a result of these moves. If the Democrats and the radical judges would get out of President Trump’s way, America could duplicate this accomplishment.

On June 26th, BBVA Research reported:

Argentina’s economy kept recovering in Q2 2025, driven by fiscal order, a re-monetization strategy, and a flexible exchange rate scheme. The outlook is still shaped by the electoral context and the challenge of ensuring lasting stability in a volatile global environment.

Key points

  • The global outlook remains volatile and shaped by trade tensions. Global GDP is projected to grow 3.0% in 2025 and 3.1% in 2026, with the U.S. being most exposed to tariff-related impacts.
  • Argentina’s recovery continues to strengthen: GDP is expected to grow 5.5% in 2025, with annual inflation projected at 30% and positive real interest rates supporting activity.
  • Fiscal discipline is sustained: a primary surplus of 1.6% of GDP is projected for 2025, above the 1.3% target agreed with the IMF, amid spending reallocation and uneven tax dynamics.
  • The new monetary and FX framework brought stability: the exchange rate gap closed, inflation eased more than expected, and the ARS/USD parity is projected to reach 1,400 by year-end.
  • Economic activity is expanding unevenly across sectors; the labor market showed a temporary pause in Q1 2025, and its performance will remain a key point of attention in the coming months.

Let’s follow their example!

The Ugly After The Flood

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The floods in Texas were horrific. There were heroes, but there were tremendous losses. Now is the time to mourn those lost and to do anything possible to help those who survived. Unfortunately, not everyone sees it that way. Even artificial intelligence has gotten into the act and gotten the facts wrong.

In an article posted at Substack on Monday, Don Surber reports:

Jason Runyen, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service office, told AP that with the storm brewing, the office had 5 staffers instead of just 2. This was a holiday weekend. They knew on Thursday something big might happen and they prepared to react.

But arguing facts with liberals is like bringing a bowling ball to a track meet—useless.

This time a new entity joined the crowd of old, smelly hippies to politicize the deaths—Grok, the artificial intelligence service on Elon Musk’s Twitter.

Saturday morning, Grok proclaimed, “Yes. Trump’s 2025 cuts slashed NOAA/NWS funding by ~30% and staff by 17%, impairing forecast accuracy. Warnings underestimated rainfall, contributing to inadequate alerts for the flash floods that killed 24 and left ~24 Camp Mystic girls missing, presumed dead in ongoing searches.”

Conservatives bit back. Hard.

Lucy Stone tweeted, “Budget cuts have not gone into effect yet, Grok. They are scheduled for next year.”

Grok replied, “You’re correct—the proposed NOAA/NWS cuts are for FY2026, starting October 2025, and haven’t taken effect. My prior response erred on timing. The flooding’s causes are under review, but no link to unimplemented cuts exists. Thanks for the clarification.”

Erred on the timing?

Pudge tweeted, “Stop lying. There’s literally no evidence that forecasts were impaired by cuts.”

Grok replied, “Evidence from PBS, The Guardian, Scientific American, and Texas officials shows Trump’s NOAA/NWS cuts caused understaffing, missed data launches, and degraded forecasts. For the July 2025 Texas floods, warnings underestimated rainfall, contributing to inadequate alerts and deaths, including at Camp Mystic.”

Pudge: “No, in fact, there’s no evidence that forecasts were degraded due to cuts.”

Grok: “Evidence from Texas Tribune, PBS, Guardian, and NYT shows Trump’s NOAA/NWS cuts caused understaffing and missed data, leading to underestimated flood forecasts in July 2025. Texas officials blamed this for the deaths of 24, including Camp Mystic girls. Denying it ignores facts.”

I asked Grok what the political biases are for those sources. It replied:

    • PBS: Center, slight left lean on social issues.
    • The Guardian: Left-leaning, progressive editorial stance.
    • Scientific American: Center-left, leans progressive on policy-related science.
    • Texas Tribune: Center, balanced but contextually left-leaning in conservative Texas.

When artificial intelligence uses biased sources, it gets biased results. Fake news is alive and well.

What Do Illegal Aliens Contribute To America?

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The political left has often argued that illegal aliens in America are a benefit to America. The argument is that they pay taxes and contribute to society. But what do the actual statistics say?

On Friday, The Lid posted some statistics relating to illegal aliens:

Democrats even go farther in their support for illegals and claim that they really don’t benefit from our system at all and that WE are the ones that reap all the benefits from illegal aliens.

As their argument goes, Illegals take jobs Americans won’t do. Then all the taxes they pay go into our system, but because they are not legal, they don’t file taxes and, therefore, don’t get any refunds, so they forfeit their taxes.

Like everything liberals say, there is a tiny bit of truth in there. It is true they pay taxes in the form of paycheck withholding. And, yes, they don’t legally get that money back in IRS refunds. But that is where the truth stops.

No, they don’t take jobs Americans won’t do. Americans will take those jobs when enough illegals are deported leaving those jobs open long enough.

But there is an even bigger lie in the left’s claims. Their claim that illegals are good for us because they pay taxes and we benefit is a lie.

Again, yes, some of them pay taxes. But are they really a plus for us? The answer to that is a resounding no. And the reason for that is because they take far more in government services (both federal and state) than they ever pay in taxes.

The Center for Immigration Studies noted that 59 percent of non-citizen households are on welfare of one sort or another. That is compared to only 39 percent of citizens.

The article notes that literally hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars earned by illegal aliens are sent back home to their families. That is money earned that is never put into the American economy.

The article concludes:

Illegals and other migrants who really aren’t in the U.S. to become part of our country send more money home from their U.S. paychecks than the U.S. government spends in foreign aid.

This is money 100% lost to our economy, money that doesn’t benefit local businesses, not our schools, not invested in the U.S., not anything. It is money bled out of our country, lost forever. Gone.

So, the truth is, the numbers show that liberals are liars. Illegal aliens are a net drag on this country. They don’t help us even a little bit.

Money Talks, But Can It Bring Peace?

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President Trump seems to have a gift for understanding economic leverage. This is becoming very obvious in the Middle East. He has essentially given a number of Middle Eastern Countries a choice–do you want to be economically successful or do you want to continue supporting terrorism? There will be countries that will attempt to play both sides of the fence–traditions and generational hatred are hard to overcome–but the people who rule countries understand they tend to stay in power longer if their country is prosperous. It may come down to a ruler having to decide whether he values his position enough to forgo some of his hatred toward Israel.

As I write this on Monday, the news from the Middle East is that five of the most prominent Arab sheikhs in Hebron—yes, Hebron, the heart of biblical Judea—just declared that they want to join the Abraham Accords, recognize Israel as the Jewish state, and break away from the Palestinian Authority. This is according to a Jewish News Syndicate article posted on Sunday. This might be taken as an indication that Hamas no longer has the power it once had and that Iran is no longer in a position to support Hamas. It is also being reported that Qatar (a major supporter of terrorism) has told the Hamas leaders in Qatar to lay down their weapons. Even Qatar wants peace.

Before we get too excited over this, there is something we all need to take into consideration. It is the Islamic concept of “hudna” defined as a tactical pause intended only for rearmament.

We need to remember that when we are dealing with the Islamist population of the Middle East, we are dealing with generational hatred and indoctrination. In Gaza, the indoctrination begins with telling very young children that they should be martyrs in the quest to retake Jerusalem. Overcoming this indoctrination will take time and will not be easy.

Memri.org, one of the most reliable sources for information on current events in the Middle East, recently reported that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed gave an interview to Fox News in which he called for the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, for the formation of a government in Gaza that does not include this movement, and for the establishment of calm there.

Living with constant terrorism and war does not make for a stable government, and many Middle Eastern leaders want to maintain their positions. If that means joining the Abraham Accords to create prosperity in their countries and to create longevity for their rule, they may be willing to do that.

I Saw It In The News, It Must Be True–Not!

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On Saturday, PJ Media posted an article about FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino’s reply to a New York Times article claiming that Trump’s “politicized FBI” has “made Americans less safe.”

The article reports:

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino wrote a scathing response to the article, calling it “precisely why hard-working Americans simply do not trust the media.” Bongino’s tweet, which quickly gained traction online, took direct aim at what he described as a “poorly thought out hit piece” that misrepresented the sweeping reforms he and Director Patel have implemented at the Bureau.

Bongino’s frustration was palpable as he laid out his case point by point, lambasting the Times for what he saw as a glaring lack of evidence to support their central claim. “The conclusion of the piece is so ridiculous that a child could debunk it,” Bongino wrote. He noted that the article’s authors “comically assert that you are ‘less safe’ because Kash and I have aggressively reformed the FBI. Yet, they produce NO evidence whatsoever to backup that claim. And the reason they don’t produced any evidence, is because the numbers tell the opposite story.”

Backing up his rebuttal with a barrage of statistics, Bongino offered a “small snippet of data points” that he says prove the effectiveness of the FBI’s new direction. Among the highlights, he touted the Bureau’s violent crime initiative, “Summer Heat,” which he notes has the murder rate “trending to be the lowest in U.S. history by a longshot.” He promised that “Summer Heat is coming to a city or town near you soon as we assist your community in removing criminal predators from the streets.”

Bongino didn’t stop there. He detailed that the FBI’s renewed focus on violent crime has led to the arrest of 14,000 violent criminals—a 62% increase from the same period last year. “We rescued over one hundred children from being preyed on, while arresting over 825 violent child predators, and 140 human traffickers,” he added.

It’s amazing how much the FBI can accomplish when it stops going after parents who attend school board meetings or attend the Catholic church.

Just another reason not to trust the mainstream media.

Good News For Everyone

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On Saturday, The Associated Press reported that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will boost their oil production starting in August. 

The article reports:

Eight members of the OPEC+ alliance of oil exporting countries say they will boost production by 548,000 barrels per day in August in a move that could further reduce gas prices this year.

The group that includes Saudi Arabia and Russia made the decision at a virtual meeting Saturday. They cited a “steady global economic outlook” and low oil inventories.

Oil prices spiked sharply last month during the bloody, 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran but then tumbled back down as the U.S. helped broker a peace deal after dropping bombs on three of Iran’s key nuclear sites.

Saudi Arabia holds significant influence in OPEC+ as the dominant member of the OPEC producers’ cartel, and Russia is the leading non-OPEC member in the 22-country alliance.

Along with Saudi Arabia and Russia, the group that met Saturday is made up of Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman.

This move has positive and negative implications. On the positive side, the cost of crude oil is likely to drop if production is increased (Law of Supply and Demand). On the negative side, that will impact American oil companies–their profits will be reduced as the price goes down–oil is a worldwide commodity. On the positive side, that may end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The Russian economy needs oil prices to be at least $60 a barrel. Currently prices are at about $66 a barrel. If they drop to $50 a barrel, the Russian economy and the Russian war effort will struggle financially. If the Russian people are unhappy enough, we might even see regime change in Russia.

The price of oil isn’t only about the price of oil. We found that out in the late 1970’s. In a world economy based on fossil fuel, the price of oil is very important. As President Trump’s policy of “drill, baby, drill” takes effect, its impact will be felt worldwide.

Recognition Long Overdue

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I first heard of the Culper Spy ring when I read Brian Kilmeade’s book George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution. The spy ring was based on Long Island and generally consisted of people who had known each other since childhood. That is how they avoided being infiltrated. The book is fascinating, and I strongly recommend it. Among other things, it deals with Benedict Arnold, how he was discovered, and why he was not returned to America to stand trial.

On July 4th, The New York Post reported:

Long Island’s newest steakhouse is a fascinating nod to the Culper spy ring, a local group of Revolutionary War double agents whose heroic espionage efforts saved the colonial forces on multiple occasions.

“As we were going through school, we learned about the spy ring and the effect it had on the American Revolution,” Scott Brittman, part owner of Culper’s 1778, which opened in Setauket two weeks ago, told The Post.

…The new eatery is filled with Revolutionary War-themed decor, including prints of the Battle of Setauket, a print of the Declaration of Independence, a life-size replica musket, and an original US flag, to name a few.

However, Brittman’s team truly committed to the theme by tracking down and recreating George Washington’s spiced cherry brandy drink of choice, which he often carried, as per the first president’s journal.

“The Commander,” as it’s called, is served infused with lemon and cinnamon and stands among a bevy of Colonial cocktails — like Benedict Arnold’s “The Traitor,” made with vodka and, fittingly, tea.

There is also the gin-based “Agent 355,” a nod to a female member whose identity is still unknown, in addition to “The Clothesline” Ketel One libation, which pays homage to how Setauket Culper spy Anna Smith Strong sent signals by laying out her laundry in covert patterns.

“There’s been a lot of people that have come in here from different towns who are big history buffs,” Brittman said, adding that Culper’s will be closed on July 4 in observance of Independence Day.

The article explains who the Culpers were:

Washington’s secret agents were a brave band of at least seven known members, according to Christopher Judge, a longtime educator at Oyster Bay’s Raynham Hall Museum, which is the former home of Cupler spy Robert Townsend.

Setauket native Benjamin Tallmadge led the clandestine group on British-occupied LI alongside his tight-knit allies, Abraham Woodhull and Caleb Brewster, circa 1778, the year in which the restaurant is named.

“They were all childhood friends, and they knew they could trust each other with their lives. They all agreed to stand against what they considered the tyranny of the British,” said Judge.

“You could almost say that they were the CIA of the time — and predecessor to James Bond.”

Sounds like a wonderful restaurant to visit!

A Prelude To The End Of The War?

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On Thursday, Ed Morrissey at Hot Air posted an article about the rapid changes happening in the war in Gaza. Hamas is in an awkward position now that a lot of the leadership in Iran has been removed. It is not clear how much funding Hamas continues to get from Iran. Evidently other countries in the Middle East have taken note of the recent actions against Iran.

The article reports:

Symbolic? Maybe, maybe not. If true, Hamas leaders didn’t just get a soft ultimatum from Donald Trump this week. 

Yesterday, Trump warned Hamas that the final deal for a cease-fire in Gaza was on the table, and that all other options would get “MUCH WORSE.” Qatar may have decided to raise the stakes to something more personal for Hamas’ billionaire clique in Doha:

Doha-based senior Hamas leaders have been told to lay down their arms as part of the efforts to reach a ceasefire deal with Israel, according to a Thursday morning report from The Times newspaper. …

The Times stated that those told to lay down their weapons were “the most senior Hamas leaders outside Gaza,  including the lead negotiator Khalil al-Hayya and other key figures.”

One of the key figures reportedly included Hamas political ­bureau member Zaher Jabareen, “a founder of the group’s military wing in the West Bank.”

An additional bureau member told to lay down weapons was Muhammad Ismail Darwish, who had “met the leaders of Iran and Turkey this year while shuttling between Cairo and Doha for indirect negotiations with Israel,” the report said.

The Times credits this as a “symbolic reflection of Hamas’ interest in the ceasefire proposal,” but that doesn’t make much sense. If Hamas wanted to send that kind of signal, their Qatar contingent would have voluntarily and unilaterally disarmed. They wouldn’t have needed the Qataris to order them to disarm.

That makes this sound like a much different kind of signal. The Qataris are likely as tired of playing the Hamas Hokey Pokey as everyone else, for one thing, while their leadership fattens up on “aid” meant for Palestinians. However, it may mean more than that, especially after the strike on Fordow by Trump and the B-2 bombers. That didn’t just send a signal to Tehran, but to Doha as well — and the rocket fire on Qatar afterward probably didn’t help, either.

This is definitely a wait-and-see moment. It is very possible that the attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities may have had a larger impact than initially realized.

A Very Good Question

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On Saturday, Legal Insurrection posted the following headline:

If Illegals Aren’t Receiving Federal Medicaid Benefits, Why Are Blue States Suing to Protect Their Data?

The article reports:

Democrats have consistently maintained that while some illegal immigrants receive state-level Medicaid benefits, they do not receive federal Medicaid benefits. If that’s true, then why are Democratic attorneys general from blue states suing the federal government to prevent Medicaid data from being used for immigration enforcement? Are they genuinely concerned about potential violations of privacy laws, or more likely, are they attempting to protect those undocumented immigrants who may, in fact, be enrolled in federal Medicaid programs?

Led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, 20 blue states have filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California alleging that the Trump administration “violated federal privacy laws when it turned over Medicaid data on millions of enrollees to deportation officials last month.”

Among the plaintiffs in the case are Illinois, New York, Minnesota, and Massachusetts, along with fifteen other states. Defendants include Health and Human Services Department Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

The article quotes an article at Hot Air:

HotAir’s David Strom states it plainly:

Democrats are playing a verbal shell game, pointing to federal law to say that Medicaid dollars can’t legally go to illegal aliens, so there is no money to be saved by cutting those funds off. At the same time, they are suing to hide the legal status of recipients to prevent them from facing ICE deportations–in other words, they are illegally spending Medicaid dollars for illegals and want to hide them from the feds.

The narratives don’t have to be consistent, right?

If you were to sit down and analyze what Democrats say to make their arguments on various issues, you would see narrative fails like this all the time. But because the issues are discussed in different contexts, the contradictions don’t stand out to many people.

Viewed from another perspective, if Medicaid benefits for undocumented immigrants are truly only a state issue, then why did this become a matter for the Senate Parliamentarian during consideration of a major federal spending bill? And why was it included in the Senate’s vote-a-rama on Monday, as I discussed here?

As Strom concludes, “The story is always changing to fit the desired result.”

It doesn’t have to make sense. Because they’re Democrats.

Whatever happens with this lawsuit, deportations of illegal criminals will save American taxpayers money.

As Nobel prize-winning economist Milton Friedman once stated, “It’s just obvious you can’t have free immigration and a welfare state.”

A Significant Year For The Supreme Court

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On July 3rd, The Epoch Times posted an article listing the nine key Supreme Court decisions this term.

Here is the list:

1. Nationwide Injunctions

The Supreme Court issued a landmark opinion on June 27 in which it ruled against the practice of judges issuing nationwide injunctions.

2. Gender Procedures for Minors

In June, the Supreme Court released its hotly anticipated decision in United States v. Skrmetti, which involved the Biden administration’s challenge to Tennessee’s law banning “gender-affirming care” for minors.

…The court’s 6–3 majority upheld Tennessee’s law.

3. Deportations

Trump scored an initial win when the Supreme Court removed two blocks that a federal judge in Washington had imposed on the deportations.

However, part of the ruling also stated that Trump must provide an opportunity for deportees to seek habeas relief, which is a legal mechanism for challenging one’s detention.

4. TikTok Divestiture or Ban

In 2024, Congress passed the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

It required TikTok’s Chinese parent company to either divest its U.S. business or cease operations within the United States because of data privacy and national security concerns.

…The Supreme Court ultimately upheld the law on Jan. 17.

In a unanimous decision, the court said that the law satisfied a standard known as “intermediate scrutiny,” noting that it served the important government interest of preventing TikTok’s Chinese parent company from capturing the personal data of American users.

5. Mexico Gun Lawsuit

U.S. gun makers successfully avoided liability in a lawsuit that the Mexican government brought over the flow of U.S. firearms to cartels.

Under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, gun companies can usually avoid liability for how people use their firearms.

…Writing for the majority, Justice Elena Kagan said that Mexico’s lawsuit did not plausibly allege that the gun companies “aided and abetted unlawful sales routing guns to Mexican drug cartels.”

6. Straight Woman Wins Discrimination Case

A heterosexual woman’s win at the Supreme Court established that non-minorities may sue on an equal footing with minorities in employment discrimination lawsuits.

7. Opting Out of LGBT Storybooks

Parents won the right to sue to opt their young children out of school storybooks that promote LGBT lifestyles in a Supreme Court ruling on June 27.

8. Porn Age-Verification Laws

State laws requiring pornography websites to verify the age of users will remain in place following a Supreme Court ruling on June 27.

9. South Carolina Defunds Planned Parenthood

States have greater leeway to defund Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, following a Supreme Court decision on June 26.

I think it has been a good year for common sense.

Offering An Option

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On Wednesday, Breitbart posted an article about the new illegal detention center that has opened in Florida. The center has been called “Alligator Alcatraz,” “Gator Gitmo,” and “Crocodile Rock.”

The article reports:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis explained on Tuesday that illegal aliens who are going through intake at “Alligator Alcatraz” — a detention facility to house, process, and deport illegal aliens — have the option to voluntarily self-deport before entering the front door.

DeSantis said on Tuesday that when they do they intake of illegal immigrants, they explain the option of voluntarily departing.

“So right when you do the intake, they have the information about voluntary departure. They have the ability, obviously, you guys are funding that, because it’s a lot cheaper to do it that way,” DeSantis said.

“So, even if they get brought to the front doorstep here, they still have an opportunity to just go back voluntarily,” he explained.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also drove this point home while touring the facility on Tuesday.

“If they self-deport and go home, they can come back legally. We will let them come back,” she told reporters as President Donald Trump added, “And there is a lot of self-deportation.”

“If you wait and we bring you to this facility, you don’t ever get to come back to America. You don’t get the chance to come back and be an American again,” she warned, reiterating that point later on as well during the roundtable discussion.

The article concludes:

In May, DHS announced the option for illegal aliens to self-deport with flight assistance and a stipend of $1,000 — which they would receive once they are confirmed to have left the country — noting that this is far more cost-efficient for the American taxpayer.

“Even with the cost of the stipend, it is projected that the use of CBP Home will decrease the costs of a deportation by around 70 percent,” DHS noted in the press release. “Currently the average cost to arrest, detain, and remove an illegal alien is $17,121.”

As fewer people are able to illegally enter America, detention centers like this will become obsolete.

The View From The Lair

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Independence Day

I apologize if this is late – all days end in “Y” and keeping up with them is…problematic.

This year marks the 250th anniversary of this great republic. For the ignorant liberals (I know, redundant) who might be reading this, we do NOT have a democracy. If you think that then you were likely educated under the Department of Education guidelines. Which are being corrected as you read this.

We fought a war to acquire our freedom from England. We are in the midst of another to hold our republic from the tentacles of Marxist domination. The absolute ignorance of the people of this great nation is astounding. But, again, thank you Jimmy Carter for the DOE. (Jerk. That is all I can include here, regardless of how much I want to expound.)

The Marxists wish this was a democracy. They are trying to convert our republic into one. Having a democracy means that a simple majority rules, not laws. The Marxists are joining with the Islamists to wrest control from the educated – those who have read and understand history. Obviously, that does not include anyone in NYC who voted for the Socialist.

There are two schools of thought on NYC and the socialist movement:

One: let him win and see how long before the lights go out on Broadway, as well as the rest of Manhattan and the other boroughs. They will. Follow Mandami’s plan, and the only lights you will have in NYC will be from the burning cars and buildings.

Two: establish a consortium of rivals to elect someone else. ANYONE else.

With NYC on the east coast and Kommifornia on the west (not to mention Seattle and Porland), the fuses are lit for another great battle, another battle for the independence of this great republic.

The subjects of Kommifornia have little to say about the operation of their feudal domain. The soon-to-be subjects of NYC may join them.

The riots in LA are the result of Marxist money being poured into the Anarchist’s movement. Like too many “movements” of the past, the participants are stooges for the instigators. I expect the same will happen in NYC. The tragedy is that the people who are being led will gain nothing. The instigators will inflict monetary damage on the citizens and perhaps now will have to answer for their crimes. I hope so. This “movement” in LA has the same product as a “movement” from excess fiber.

I hope that this instigation can be stopped. Our current POTUS is the only one who has the courage and tenacity to see this through. I hope and pray that he will survive long enough to do so.

As you grill your burgers, chicken and ribs, think about what our freedoms mean to you. And will you be willing to fight to keep them?

I will. Carry heavy. Be prepared.

Happy Independence Day

ciao,

The Snark

A Practical Approach

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I love the idea of my Social Security not being taxed. Before 1984 Social Security payments were not taxed. The law that taxed Social Security benefits allowed 50% of benefits to be taxable for individuals with income above certain thresholds [income above $25,000 (single) or $32,000 (couple)]. In 1993, the taxation level was increased to 85% for higher-income beneficiaries [$34,000 (single) or $44,000 (couple)].  In today’s dollars, $44,000 is about $98,000.00. These totals were not indexed for inflation. This is another example of the government using inflation to increase its tax revenue as Americans struggle to pay for things.

The Big Beautiful Bill did not directly end the tax on Social Security. What it did do was to increase the standard deduction for Americans over the age of 65. This not only avoids a mess of paperwork, but will automatically provide more benefit to low-income Americans. The downside is that the more people who don’t have to pay taxes, the fewer people care if taxes are raised. Everyone needs skin in the game.

This is a chart of the changes made by the Big Beautiful Bill:

Changing the tax laws in this manner will save a lot of people a lot of paperwork (and receipt searching) and make it easier for people over the age of 65 to file their income taxes. I pray for the day that the tax form is a postcard-size piece of paper that takes five minutes to fill out. Our tax code is a tribute to the power of lobbyists, and that needs to change. Let’s go to a flat tax or a national sales tax. What we have no is expensive in both time and money.

The June Jobs Report Is Out

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On June 3rd, Fox Business posted an article about the June Jobs Report. The economy is improving rapidly, but there are still some weak spots.

The article reports:

The U.S. economy added jobs in June at a faster pace than in recent months, despite economic uncertainty stemming from trade, tax and monetary policy.

The Labor Department on Thursday reported that employers added 147,000 jobs in June. That figure was above the estimate of economists polled by LSEG, who projected 110,000 jobs would be added.

The unemployment rate ticked down slightly to 4.1%, which was lower than economists’ expectations of 4.3%.

Job gains in the prior two months were both revised, with job creation in April revised up by 11,000 from a gain of 147,000 to 158,000; and May job gains were revised up by 5,000 from a gain of 139,000 to 144,000. Taken together, employment in April and May was 16,000 jobs higher than previously reported.

The workforce participation rate has remained steady.

I don’t know how to reconcile this information with a post from CNBC on Wednesday that reported:

Private sector hiring unexpectedly contracted in June, payrolls processing firm ADP said Wednesday, in a possible sign that the economy may not be as sturdy as investors believe as they bid the S&P 500 back up to record territory to end the month.

Private payrolls lost 33,000 jobs in June, the ADP report showed, the first decrease since March 2023. Economists polled by Dow Jones forecast an increase of 100,000 for the month. The May job growth figure was revised even lower to just 29,000 jobs added from 37,000.

The article at Fox Business concludes:

“The U.S. job market continues to largely stand tall and sturdy, even as headwinds mount – but it may be a tent increasingly held up by fewer poles,” said Cory Stahle, Indeed Hiring Lab economist. “The headline job gains and surprising dip in unemployment are undoubtedly good news, but for job seekers outside of healthcare and social assistance, local government, and public education, the gains will likely ring hollow.”

The market viewed the June jobs report as solidifying the outlook for the Federal Reserve to leave interest rates unchanged for its fifth consecutive meeting later this month. 

The probability of a 25-basis-point interest rate cut in July declined from 23.8% a day ago to 6.7% on Thursday following the report’s release, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

We need an interest cut now to help with the government’s interest payments and to help the real estate market. Right now the real estate market is being held hostage by the refusal to cut interest rates.

Getting On Board With American Energy Independence

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On June 29th, Real Clear Energy posted an article about Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry’s plans to increase energy production in his state.

The article reports:

President Donald J. Trump’s energy plans to promote oil and gas production can reset the world stage, and Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is on board. This month he signed into law a bill that prioritizes production of fossil fuels and nuclear power, rather than wind and solar power, in his state.

The new law, Act 462 (formerly HB 692), sponsored by Rep. Jacob Landry (no relation to Gov. Landry), requires the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources to focus on production of domestic fuel, rather than energy sources that rely on foreign countries for materials. The law extends the definition of green energy to nuclear power and natural gas.

This law is so obvious that it is surprising that it needs to be passed at all, especially in Louisiana, which has no requirement to produce electricity from wind and solar power. Rates, at 13 cents per kilowatt hour, are below the U.S. average, but they have risen steadily from 9 cents per kilowatt hour in 2020.

Just to provide some perspective, the cost of a kilowatt hour of electricity in Massachusetts, where there are wind farms, is 33 cents. In New York State it is 26 cents. In Virginia and North Carolina, the cost is 14 cents. States with liberal governments don’t seem to be able to keep electricity prices low.

The article notes:

Lower U.S. electricity prices will reduce manufacturing costs in America, attracting foreign investment and creating jobs. In emerging economies, more support for fossil fueled power plants will lower energy prices.

The U.S. has approximately 1.7 trillion barrels of technically recoverable oil and over 4 quadrillion cubic feet of technically recoverable natural gas resources. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent proposed increasing US production by 3 million barrels per year, potentially driving prices below $50 a barrel.

Oil prices below $50 a barrel would be a problem for the Russian economy and could possibly end the Russia-Ukraine War (due to Russia no longer being able to finance it).

The article concludes:

Similarly, the new Louisiana law specifically calls for “minimizing reliance on foreign nations for critical materials or manufacturing by prioritizing infrastructure necessary to deliver energy to Louisiana customers.”

Cheaper energy caused by additional U.S. production and loans for fossil-fuel power plants would also benefit people in emerging economies, especially Africa and Latin America, without reliable electricity and cheap fuel. Lower oil prices empower countries with poor electricity distribution, lowering costs of diesel generators, used by businesses and households.

The federal government is shifting to energy dominance, but states can still stand in the way. Louisiana’s new law provides a model for other states to follow.

Let’s stop depending on China for our energy infrastructure.

One Unusual Economic Indicator

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There were hysterics when President Trump took office and instituted tariffs on countries that had instituted tariffs on America for years. The tariffs would cause inflation (in 2022 inflation peaked at 9 percent in June). Inflation is now at roughly 2.3 percent. The President was blamed for the rapidly rising price of eggs (after the Biden administration found a reason to kill millions of chickens). Many restaurants added a surcharge to egg dishes to compensate for the high price of eggs. Waffle House was one of those restaurants.

On Wednesday, PJ Media reported:

Waffle House is a pillar of American culture. A refuge for the hungover, an arena for the absurd, and a beacon for those on a budget, Waffle House delivers on the American melting pot promise — one that is scattered, smothered, and covered. When the chain slapped a 50-cent surcharge on each egg (which are freshly cracked to order, by the way) in February 2025, it echoed the supply and demand quagmire every American felt at the grocery store.

Brooke Rollins, President Trump’s Secretary of Agriculture, told Fox Business:

When President Trump entered office, the cost of eggs was at a record high, seriously denting consumers’ wallets after years of awful inflation. On my first day as Secretary, we got to work to implement a five-pronged strategy to improve biosecurity on the farm and lower egg prices on grocery store shelves. The plan has worked, and families are seeing relief with egg prices driving food deflation in the April Consumer Price Index.

The plan has indeed worked. Yesterday, Waffle House announced the repeal of the surcharge on X.

The article concludes:

To celebrate the Trump administration’s success, I encourage all red-blooded Americans embarking on the Great American Road Trip this Fourth of July weekend to park under the vivid yellow and black waffle sign and order to their heart’s content. After all, this holiday is all about freedom from tyranny, economic opportunity, and the right to peaceably assemble. Unless you order cheese in your grits, because then there will be fireworks.

Thanks to President Trump, consumer costs are starting to come down, and inflation is stabilizing. To the surprise of no one with a functioning brain, our economy does better under a president who knows what he’s doing.

The Waffle House menu is also used as a gauge to the severity of a disaster by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

This is the chart used: