From my friends at Power Line Blog:
Monthly Archives: February 2026
Israel And America Are At War With Iran
That really isn’t news–Iran has been at war with Israel and America since 1979. However, last night America and Israel turned the war into a kinetic war.
The National Pulse has the transcript and video of President Trump’s 3am speech informing Americans about what was happening (does that man ever sleep?).
Here is the transcript:
A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran.
Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people.
Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world.
For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted “Death to America and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops, and the innocent people in many, many countries.
Among the regime’s very first acts was to back a violent takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, holding dozens of American hostages for 444 days.
In 1983, Iran’s proxies carried out the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut that killed 241 American military personnel.
In 2000, they knew and were probably involved with the attack on the USS Cole.
Many died.
Iranian forces killed and maimed hundreds of American service members in Iraq.
The regime’s proxies have continued to launch countless attacks against American forces stationed in the Middle East in recent years, as well as U.S. Naval and commercial vessels in international shipping lanes.
It’s been mass terror, and we’re not going to put up with it any longer.
From Lebanon to Yemen and Syria to Iraq, the regime has armed, trained, and funded terrorist militias that have soaked the earth with blood and guts.
And it was a ranch proxy, Hamas, that launched the monstrous October 7th attacks on Israel, slaughtering more than 1,000 innocent people, including 46 Americans, while taking 12 of our citizens hostage.
It was brutal.
Something like the world has never seen before.
Iran is the world’s number one state sponsor of terror, and just recently killed tens of thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested.
It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular, my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon.
I’ll say it again.
They can never have a nuclear weapon.
That is why in Operation Midnight Hammer last June, we obliterated the regime’s nuclear program at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
After that attack, we warned them never to resume their malicious pursuit of nuclear weapons, and we sought repeatedly to make a deal.
We tried, they wanted to do it, they didn’t want to do it.
Again, they wanted to do it, they didn’t want to do it, they didn’t know what was happening.
They just wanted to practice evil.
But Iran refused, just as it has for decades and decades; they’ve rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions, and we can’t take it anymore.
Instead, they attempted to rebuild their nuclear program and to continue developing long-range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas, and could soon reach the American homeland.
Just imagine how emboldened this regime would be if they ever had and actually were armed with nuclear weapons as a means to deliver their message.
For these reasons, the United States military has undertaken a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical, dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests.
We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground.
It will be totally, again, obliterated.
We’re going to annihilate their Navy.
We are going to ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces and no longer use their IEDs or roadside bombs, as they are sometimes called, to so gravely wound and kill thousands and thousands of people, including many Americans, and we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
It’s a very simple message.
They will never have a nuclear weapon.
This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States armed forces.
I built and rebuilt our military and my first administration, and there is no military on Earth, even close to its power, strength, or sophistication.
My administration has taken every possible step to minimize the risk to U.S. Personnel in the region.
Even so, and I do not make this statement lightly, the Iranian regime seeks to kill.
The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war, but we’re doing this, not for now.
We’re doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission.
We pray for every service member, as they selflessly risk their lives to ensure that Americans and our children will never be threatened by a nuclear-armed Iran.
We ask God to protect all of our heroes in harm’s way, and we trust that, with his help, the men and women of the armed forces will prevail.
We have the greatest in the world, and they will prevail.
To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces, and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity, or in the alternative, face certain death.
So, lay down your arms, you will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death.
Finally, to the great proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand.
Stay sheltered, don’t leave your home.
It’s very dangerous outside.
Bombs will be dropping everywhere.
When we are finished, take over your government.
It will be yours to take.
This will be probably your only chance for generations.
For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it.
No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight.
Now you have a president who is giving you what you want.
So let’s see how you respond.
America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force.
Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach.
This is the moment for action.
Do not let it pass.
May God bless the brave men and women of America’s armed forces. May God bless the United States of America.
May God bless you all.
Thank you.
We need to pray for American, Israel, and the people of Iran at this time.
UPDATE: It has been announced that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been killed.
The Danger Of Epstein
I apologize for the fact that this is going to be a very cynical post. It is not all original information, but has been taken from various sources I follow.
So far the release of the Epstein files has had more impact in England and Europe than it has in America. I expect that trend to continue.
The people on the international state have not had any charges brought against them or proven–they have simply stepped down from their positions because of their association with Epstein. In America, everyone on the flight logs or memos has stayed put.
It is very obvious that Epstein had some very powerful connections. It is also very obvious to me that because of the corruption in both political parties in America, no American leader or politician will be held accountable for actions or connections to Jeffrey Epstein, regardless of what he/she did. So ignore the depositions of the Clintons, the cries of the Democrats that bringing the Clintons before Congress was unfair. Relax, nothing will come of it.
However, particularly on the left, accusations will fly–just as accusations flew in the confirmation hearings of Justice Thomas and Justice Kavanaugh. The political left is already accusing the Department of Justice of not releasing documents in the Epstein files related to President Trump.
Do you really believe that if there were ‘smoking gun’ evidence against President Trump in the Epstein files that the Biden administration would not have released it? The Biden administration had all of the information that the Trump administration has yet there was never a call to open up the files.
The Epstein files are much ado about nothing, but the Democrats will use them to create imaginary charges against President Trump. There is no other reason for the Democrats to be focused on the Epstein files at this point.
The Alternative
Some Democrats chose not to attend the State of the Union Address. Some Democrats went so far as to create events running simultaneously with the State of the Union Address. One such event was the People’s State of the Union rally. I am not exactly sure what they were trying to accomplish, but Hot Air posted a few videos on Thursday.
Please follow the link above to see the videos. I could not figure out how to insert them.
The article at Hot Air is titled, “When Democrats Make Donald Trump The Normie In The Room, They’re Losing.” I totally agree.
The article reports:
Donald Trump has had, without question, a first fourteenish months in office that is hard to top in any other administration of my lifetime in accomplishments. And to be fair, it would also be correct to say that no president has stirred up more angst and controversy among his detractors than any other administration in a similar time period.
After last week’s press conference at the White House a day after the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on the tariffs case, Donald Trump’s contempt for the majority opinion was so palpable that one of the questions going into last night’s State of the Union was how soon and how hard the President would rhetorically apply the Trump tattoo to the justices present in the joint session of Congress.
Trump certainly had words, but they were tempered and not made personal. In fact, for virtually the entirety of the address, which came in a few ticks under two hours, the speech was about the best speech Donald Trump has ever delivered.
At times, establishing the narrative that real progress has been made on economic problems created and/or exacerbated by the Biden Regency, and at other points a celebration of American excellence, whether in sports, or bravery, courage, and resilience in all walks of life, this was simply a State of the Union speech unlike any other we’ve heard. And that is a very, very good thing.
One thing to remember when considering the bad behavior of some Democrats who attended the speech–these Democrats were elected by their districts. To be even more clear–Ilhan Omar probably accurately represents the voters in her district. Obviously, we need to think carefully about who we allow to come to America.
Breaking The Rules For Political Purposes
On Thursday, John Hinderaker at Power Line Blog posted an article about the recent news that the Department of Justice under Merrick Garland secretly subpoenaed phone records of both Kash Patel–now, ironically, the Director of the FBI–and Susie Wiles, now the President’s Chief of Staff. At the time, they were both private citizens–not working for President Trump (source here).
The article includes an X post by Hugh Hewitt:
Hugh is being charitable. It is inconceivable to me that any lawyer would permit the FBI, or anyone else, to record an attorney-client conversation without the knowledge of his client. That is a grotesque betrayal of a lawyer’s most basic duty, and it is hard to imagine how a lawyer who did such a thing could keep his license.
It is almost impossible to fathom how deep the corruption ran during the Joe Biden/Merrick Garland years.
On Thursday, Just the News reported:
At least 10 FBI employees were fired after working on the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case, according to a news report Friday.
The firings occurred after news broke on Wednesday that the FBI obtained phone records for now-director Kash Patel during the Biden administration in 2022, and current White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’ phone records in 2023, while they were both private citizens.
The subpoenas for the phone records were issued as part of then-special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into President Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Patel told Reuters that the bureau’s subpoenas were an example of federal overreach by unelected officials.
There should be more serious consequences than firing. Otherwise, the next time the Democrats are in charge, it will happen again.
Who Do You Invite To Your Daughter’s Wedding?
I have three daughters. I was involved in two weddings and one elopement. Wedding invitations go to friends and sometimes business associates, but they rarely go to people you don’t know. That might be a problem for the Clintons as they testify before the House Oversight Committee in their Jeffrey Epstein probe–Ghislaine Maxwell attended Chelsea Clinton’s wedding. I am not sure if Jeffrey Epstein was there.
On Thursday, Fox News reported:
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is accusing the GOP-led House Oversight Committee of using her to “distract” from President Donald Trump during her high-stakes testimony in Congress’ Jeffrey Epstein probe.
“A committee endeavoring to stop human trafficking would seek to understand what specific steps are needed to fix a system that allowed Epstein to get away with his crimes in 2008,” she is telling the panel, according to her opening remarks.
“But that’s not happening. Instead, you have compelled me to testify, fully aware that I have no knowledge that would assist your investigation, in order to distract attention from President Trump’s actions and to cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers.”
“I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island homes or offices. I have nothing to add to that,” her remarks state.
“Like every decent person, I have been horrified by what we have learned about their crimes. It’s unfathomable that Mr. Epstein initially got a slap on the wrist in 2008, which allowed him to continue his predatory practices for another decade.”
The House Oversight Committee’s deposition is officially kicking off on Thursday morning after months of back-and-forth.
“No one’s accusing, at this moment, the Clintons of any wrongdoing. They’re going to have due process,” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told reporters shortly before it began. “But we have a lot of questions, and the purpose of the whole investigation is to try to understand many things about Epstein.”
I have no idea what the Clintons did or didn’t do. I do, however, think that if the full story of Jeffrey Epstein ever comes out, we will see the same amount of resignations of people of both political parties in high places that is currently happening in Europe come to America.
From my friends at Townhall:
Quietly Working Against The Cartels
Mexico right now is a place you do not want to be. After the killing of Nemesio “El Mencho” Osequera Cervantes, the country has descended into what looks like a nationwide gang war. However, before El Mencho was killed, the Trump administration was able to accomplish something that will at least slow down the activities of the cartels in Mexico.
On Monday, The New York Post reported:
Mexico has quietly shipped nearly 100 suspected cartel drug traffickers to the US to stand trial after President Trump branded the groups foreign terrorist organizations last year — and pressured the Mexican government to cooperate.
The suspects include the brother of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes — the brutal Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader who was killed by the Mexican army on Sunday.
The Justice Department said many of the 92 defendants released to the Americans had US extradition requests that were not honored during the Biden administration.
“As President Trump has made clear, cartels are terrorist groups, and this Department of Justice is devoted to destroying cartels and transnational gangs,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said of the first round of transfers, which kicked off last February.
“We will prosecute these criminals to the fullest extent of the law in honor of the brave law enforcement agents who have dedicated their careers — and in some cases, given their lives — to protect innocent people from the scourge of violent cartels.”
The article concludes:
The US Marshals Service, which usually handles retrieval of cross-border crime suspects, praised Trump and Bondi for their efforts in getting Mexico to turn over the fugitives.
“Leadership like President Trump’s and Attorney General Bondi’s to work diligently to bring all of these wanted criminals back to the United States reinforces their commitment to getting justice for their victims,” said USMS Director Gadyaces S. Serralta.
“This sends a very clear message; justice does not stop at borders.”
I have been told by a local law enforcement officer that the price of illegal drugs on the street has skyrocketed since President Trump began securing America’s borders. That is good news for all Americans.
The Negative Consequences Of Going Green
North Carolina is a beautiful state with a fairly moderate climate. It is a state where having an electric car for local and short-distance driving can be practical. However, we need to upgrade the technology before we use electric vehicles in critical situations.
On Monday, WSOC-TV Charlotte, North Carolina, reported:
CHARLOTTE — A little more than a month after the Charlotte Fire Department held a ceremony celebrating the city’s first all-electric fire station and fire truck, the city’s electric fire truck is in the shop.
A spokesperson for Charlotte Fire confirmed to Channel 9 that the city’s electric fire engine is currently out of service while warrant-related items are being addressed.
Yahoo News reported on Monday:
“As with any newly delivered, highly specialized apparatus incorporating emerging technology, minor adjustments and corrections are handled in coordination with the manufacturer under warranty,” a Charlotte Fire spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for Charlotte Fire says response coverage has not been impacted. A reserve engine is in service to ensure an uninterrupted response.
In 2022, the Charlotte City Council spent $1.9 million to purchase the electric fire truck.
Charlotte Fire says the decision to add an electric-powered engine was “strategic.”
“As Charlotte continues to grow, we are committed to evaluating new technologies that enhance operational capability, efficiency, and long-term sustainability,” a CFD spokesperson said. “Introducing this engine allows our department to gain hands-on experience with evolving apparatus technology while continuing to meet the demands of a rapidly expanding city.”
Again, Charlotte opened its first all-electric fire station and put its first electric fire truck in service in January.
The Death Of America’s Big Cities
On Monday, Hot Air posted an article about the financial problems of big cities in America. Most of these big cities are run by Democrats, and most of these problems are avoidable.
The article opens with some information about the Commonwealth of Massachusetts:
The Boston Globe ran a poll last December which found that a full third of respondents were thinking about leaving the state because of the high cost of living.
The Globe/Suffolk survey found that about one-third of Massachusetts voters have seriously considered leaving the state in the past year because of affordability pressures, even as a majority still believe the state is generally moving in the right direction. Inflation, health care costs, housing, taxes, and soaring utility bills topped the list of financial stressors.
Boston.com asked their readers how they felt and and even higher percentage said they were looking to move. Here’s one response they received:
“This state just keeps getting more and more expensive and there’s no end in sight. I realize that inflation and tariff impacts are a nationwide problem, but here in MA, it definitely feels worse. I feel that our elected officials, from my own town’s government up to the Governor herself, aren’t doing anything about it. They all just complain and blame the president, which I see as deflecting. My heating bills are insane, my grocery costs are eye-watering, and my taxes just keep going up year over year … It feels like MA is run by the ultra-wealthy elite, and I’m not in the club so I’m out of here.”
Another person said they planned to move to North Carolina and called staying in Massachusetts “financial suicide.” The numbers back up the anecdotes. The state is shrinking.
The article notes:
Blue-state and blue-city voters pay higher taxes. More than half of city and local government expenditures (and 20 percent of state expenditures) are paid out to employees. These blue states and cities often also pay state and local government workers more than similar jobs pay in red jurisdictions, even after adjusting for the cost of living.
Much of this gap is tied up in pension benefits. Workers generally value higher wages today more than retirement guarantees in the future. But pensions are attractive to politicians who pass future costs to future taxpayers. And it is the job of unions to fight for the largest benefits they can…
Consider Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois. A fearless opponent of Donald Trump, his bravery failed him when Chicago police and firefighter unions sought to raise pensions, often by thousands of dollars. Against the advice of civic and business leaders concerned about, as they put it, “grossly underfunded pensions,” Mr. Pritzker signed legislation that partly undid a 2010 attempt to rein in benefits for new employees.
The new law will cost the city $60 million next year — more than enough money to cover the city’s summer job program — before ballooning to $11 billion over three decades. Because of Illinois’s Constitution, the commitments cannot be reversed.
…Finally, Fareed Zakaria had a good segment on his show in which he made the case that blue cities are out of control. He’s primarily talking about New York City and Los Angeles, but the problems are the same as the ones in Boston and Chicago. High taxes and high cost of living created by ever-expanding city and state budgets that outstrip the rate of inflation and ignore shrinking populations.
Please follow the link to the article and watch the video in the article. Elections have consequences, and a number of American states and cities are going to collapse financially if voters don’t make changes in the leadership of those places.
The State of the Union Speech
President Trump’s State of the Union Speech was long, but it was powerful. It was a major salvo in the mid-term election campaign. AP has posted a complete transcript of the speech.
Here are a few highlights of the speech:
The economy is turned around and Americans have more money in their pockets. Inflation is lower and incomes are higher.
The border is secure.
There have been 0 illegal aliens entering the country for the past 9 months.
The flow of fentanyl across our border is down by a record 56% in one year.
In the last year, the murder rate saw its single largest decline in recorded history.
In four long years, the last administration got less than $1 trillion in new investment in the United States. And when I say less, substantially less. In 12 months, I secured commitments for more than $18 trillion pouring in from all over the globe.
American natural gas production is at an all-time high. Because I kept my promise to drill, baby, drill.
More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country. Think about that. Any time in the history of our country. More working today, and 100% of all jobs created under my administration have been in the private sector.
We cut a record number of job-killing regulations, and in one year we have lifted 2.4 million Americans – a record – off of food stamps.
The President said the following about tariffs:
But the good news is that almost all countries and corporations want to keep the deal that they already made — right, Scott? — knowing that the legal power that I, as president, have to make a new deal could be far worse for them, and, therefore, they will continue to work along the same successful path that we had negotiated before the Supreme Court’s unfortunate involvement. So, despite the disappointing ruling, these powerful countries saving, is saving our country the kind of money we’re taking in, peace protecting — many of the wars I’ve settled was because of the threat of tariffs, I wouldn’t have been able to settle them without — will remain in place under fully approved and tested alternative legal statutes. And they have been tested for a long time. They’re a little more complex, but they’re actually probably better — leading to a solution that will be even stronger than before. Congressional action will not be necessary. It’s already time-tested and approved. And as time goes by, I believe the tariffs, paid for by foreign countries, will, like in the past, substantially replace the modern-day system of income tax, taking a great financial burden off the people that I love.
Follow the link for the complete transcript. As I stated, it was long, but I think he hit it out of the park–particularly when the Democrats were asked to stand for the idea that the government was supposed to support Americans. Staying seated was not wise.
It’s Hard To Spin Actual Facts
February 25th, Fox News posted a full transcript of Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger’s response to President Trump’s State of the Union Speech.
This was her opening salvo against President Trump:
Tonight, as we watched our nation’s lawmakers gather for a joint session of Congress, we did not hear the truth from our President.
So, let’s speak plainly and honestly, and let me ask you three questions:
Is the President working to make life more affordable for you and your family?
Is the President working to keep Americans safe — both at home and abroad?
Is the President working for YOU?
To answer the first question, I am sharing this chart from The New York Post:
I think $6,000 makes life more affordable for most families.
To answer the second question, on February 5th, Fox News reported:
According to the CCJ’s report, nationwide homicide data released later this year could show killings in 2025 falling to roughly 4.0 per 100,000 residents – the lowest rate ever recorded in law enforcement or public health data dating back to 1900 and the largest single-year percentage drop on record.
The report found homicides fell 21% from 2024 to 2025 in the 35 cities that reported data, amounting to 922 fewer killings. Thirty-one of those cities saw declines, with Denver, Washington, D.C., and Omaha, Nebraska, each posting drops of around 40%.
Other major crimes also fell sharply in the cities studied.
Is the President working for me? Well, let’s see. Billions of dollars of fraudulent government spending is being investigated. Hopefully the people responsible will go to jail regardless of their political connections. Government jobs are decreasing while private sector jobs are increasing. My taxes have gone down. The cost of gasoline has gone down significantly. Our borders are secure. Criminals are being arrested and deported. The censorship on social media has decreased significantly. Parents at school board meetings are no longer viewed as possible terrorists. Confused teenagers are no longer being told they are in the wrong body and they need surgery and drugs. The Christian religion is being acknowledged for the part it played in the founding of America.
Yes, I think the President is working for me! We heard the truth from President Trump. Did we hear the truth from you?
Providing A Campaign Ad For The Republicans In The Mid-Term Elections
Late Tuesday night, PJ Media posted an article about the Democrats’ response to President Trump at one point in the State of the Union Speech. I am sure that the President’s statement and the Democrat response will be repeated in Republican campaign ads all over the country.
The article reports:
According to reports, more than 70 Democrats chose not to attend the speech, but most did, and several times over the course of the evening, they made a choice. They sat. They scowled. They heckled. While Republicans rose time and again in applause, the left side of the chamber looked like a group of children being punished.
And Trump noticed.
He called them out — repeatedly — for refusing to show even the most basic bipartisan enthusiasm for moments that should have been beyond politics. But nothing cut deeper than one specific challenge he laid down for every lawmaker in that room.
“One of the great things about the State of the Union is how it gives Americans the chance to see clearly what their representatives really believe,” Trump said. “So, tonight, I’m inviting every legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle. If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support. The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.”
Republicans exploded. They stood, clapped, and whistled for a solid two minutes. It was the kind of raw, spontaneous reaction you can’t manufacture.
Democrats didn’t move.
Not a shuffle. Not a courtesy clap. Nothing.
Trump let their refusal to stand do the work for a moment.
Then he turned the knife.
“Isn’t that a shame? You should be ashamed of yourself, not standing up,” he said.
Oh, but he wasn’t done.
He kept going. “That is why I’m also asking you to end deadly sanctuary cities that protect the criminals and enact serious penalties for public officials who block the removal of criminal aliens, in many cases, drug lords, murderers, all over our country. They’re blocking the removal of these people out of our country! And you should be ashamed of yourself.”
At this point, Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib were shouting at him from their seats.
It was an interesting night.
This Seems a Little Upside Down To Me
The Northeast has endured a blizzard that began Sunday night and went through Monday afternoon. Obviously, there was a lot of extra help needed to clear the snow, so Mayor Mamdani asked for people to apply for snow removal jobs. Seems logical.
On Saturday (updated Sunday), Fox News reported:
New York City on Saturday put out a call for emergency snow shovelers ahead of a powerful nor’easter bomb cyclone, requiring workers to submit multiple forms of identification — contrasting the city’s election policy for most voters.
For the first time in nearly a decade, a blizzard warning was issued for New York City, with expected snowfall totaling 19 to 24 inches and wind gusts up to 55 mph.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a State of Emergency for New York City, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced outreach teams have been mobilized.
…While pay is generous, starting at $19.14 per hour and increasing to $28.71 per hour after the first 40 hours worked in a week, workers must meet a number of requirements to be eligible.
Shovelers must be at least 18 years old, able to perform heavy physical labor and eligible to work in the U.S., according to the department.
They must also bring two small 1.5-inch square photos, two original forms of ID and copies, along with a Social Security card for registration, officials said.
The article concludes:
First-time voters are only required to bring one of three documents including: driver’s license number, non-driver ID number or the last four digits of a Social Security number.
Those who did not provide ID when registering to vote are also able to vote by affidavit ballot.
The snow will eventually melt. Stolen elections tend to linger for a long time.
A Basic Reality Check
On Monday, The U.K. Daily Mail posted an article about the experiences of someone who was not thrilled with the Trump presidency and decided to flee to Canada. It didn’t go as planned.
The article reports:
A self-proclaimed ‘scholar of the far right’ was blasted on social media after she ‘fled’ the United States to Canada.
Nope Brigade is an academic researcher who studies conservative and right-wing ideologies, and recently ‘fled’ from the current Trump administration to Vancouver – one of the world’s priciest cities.
Brigade posted a social media video begging for help after she and her family moved from Los Angeles, only to be hit with an even worse affordability crisis.
‘For those who don’t know, the housing crisis here is way worse than the US,’ she said in the video.
‘I lived in LA for six years and I have not faced rent as bad as here.’
Brigade explained that she, her partner, and their pets moved to Vancouver on a visitor visa, which prevents them from working.
They relocated with savings set aside, but are quickly burning through the funds and struggling to afford skyrocketing rent.
‘In Canada, I think the cost of living crisis is worse here,’ she said.
…’Especially when you are shut out of the healthcare system and can’t access any of the resources that Canadians have access to.
‘And that’s understandable, I’m not a citizen of the country, but it is making the financial situation dire.’
Most visitor visas allow stays of up to six months, and work permits are only granted to those with a temporary resident permit valid for six months or longer, according to the Government of Canada.
After bemoaning the situation, she asked for a place to stay, specifying that they wanted more than just a room – ideally for free or at below-market rates.
Ms. Brigade posted a video on X asking for free housing because she can’t afford to live in Canada without a job. Here is the solution. Come to America as an illegal immigrant–you will get healthcare, food stamps, great housing and free money. (Oh, wait a minute–those things are on the chopping block–we are becoming more like Canada). Notice she kept talking about having to flee America. At any rate, she didn’t know how good she had it in America!
When Reporting Leaves The Important Parts Out
On Sunday, The Gateway Pundit posted an article about the Supreme Court’s decision regarding tariffs. What we have heard in the media is not entirely correct.
The article reports:
Many media outlets are reporting that the Supreme Court ordered President Donald Trump to stop levying tariffs. However, the reality is more nuanced and does not prevent Trump from imposing tariffs altogether. The Court ruled only that he could not levy tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA); however, the president has several other options available.
The Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s emergency tariffs imposed under IEEPA, ruling that he had exceeded his authority. For his broadest actions, including the “Liberation Day” reciprocal tariffs and the “Trafficking Tariffs” on Mexico and Canada, the administration argued that because IEEPA permits the president to regulate importation during a national emergency, he could unilaterally impose tariffs.
The Court rejected that argument. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote that the power to regulate does not automatically include the power to tax, which is what a tariff is, and that if Congress intended to grant such taxing authority, the statute needed to explicitly reference tariffs or duties. Because IEEPA does not, those specific tariffs were ruled unlawful.
Within hours of the decision, President Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, announcing a new global tariff initially set at 10 percent and later raised to 15 percent. That provision authorizes import surcharges of up to 15 percent to address serious balance-of-payments deficits for 150 days. The temporary authority gives the administration time to design replacement measures and signals that tariff policy will remain unsettled as congressional elections approach.
The problem was not the tariffs–it was the law used to justify them.
The article concludes:
The Court’s ruling was narrow. It limited the use of IEEPA but did not eliminate other statutory authorities. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act permits tariffs on goods that threaten to impair national security, and the Court did not address that authority. Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 authorizes tariffs in response to unfair trade practices, including intellectual property theft. Both remain legally available.
By shifting its rationale to Section 232 and other statutes, the administration is positioning these tariffs to withstand future court challenges, arguing that national security includes secure borders, resilient supply chains, and protection against adversaries that benefit from U.S. markets.
Stay tuned.
Be Wary When The Lobster Shows Up
On Saturday, Ed Morrissey posted an article at Hot Air about the rising tensions with Iran.
The article notes:
What will happen next in the standoff with Iran? Donald Trump drew a red line nearly two months ago, and the regime brutally crossed it. Trump acknowledged this yesterday, announcing that US intelligence estimates the mullahs murdered more than 32,000 Iranian protesters last month:
…Since those massacres, Trump has assembled one of the largest naval and air armadas the Middle East has ever seen. He has demanded that Ali Khamenei stop all uranium enrichment activities, put serious limits on its ballistic-missile systems, and end support for terror proxies Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. Iran keeps trying to offer a sequel to the deal the mullahs cut with Barack Obama, a JCPOA-Lite that only addresses their nuclear-weapons development – and that only for the next three to five years.
The article notes:
Taking Khamenei and his princeling off the chessboard would be satisfying, but it would change very little. They are not the only mullahs in the clique that runs the theocracy in Iran. The other mullahs are almost certainly not living in close connection to each other, either, likely housed in residential districts where civilian collateral deaths would be almost a certainty. A decapitation strike would have to be timed for a plenary meeting of the mullahs, and the Iranian regime would be idiotic to call one at this time. This option might take the Khameneis out, but another mullah will take their place, and so on. It would end nothing.
So what’s next? Whatever it is, it may come quickly. The Times of Israel reports today that an “unbridgeable impasse” has emerged in the indirect talks between the US and Iran, likely over Trump’s demand for a full-spectrum retreat by Iran. It’s bad enough that the Iranians are refusing to read US proposals on missile limits:
On Sunday, MSN reported the following:
While there is no official confirmation, a common belief suggests the US military serves its troops a ‘last meal’ with a fancy menu including steak, lobster, and pie, before sending them on a war front. Some link the hearty meal to a dangerous deployment or an extended mission. The theory has circulated on social media for years and often resurfaces during periods of geopolitical tensions. …
Last year, in June, similar reports surfaced on social media on June 18 after military soldier Antonia Lopez posted a lavish meal video that went viral on social media. The day also coincided with the US Army’s birthday. In the clip, Lopez showed that she was given steak, lobster, caprese salad, asparagus, hush puppies, a baked potato, shrimp cocktail, fruit salad, garlic bread, cake, and pecan pie in the meal.
Days after the video was posted, the United States carried out military strikes on Iranian targets on June 22.
Hang on to your hats–the road ahead is going to be bumpy for a little while!
The Corruption Runs Deep And Is Not Localized
On Saturday, Just the News posted an article about commercial drivers licenses (CDLs) issued in Illinois. I would like to note that Just the News is one of the few unbiased investigative news sources on the internet.
The article reports:
The Illinois official whose agency issued potentially thousands of illegal licenses to truckers, received more than $300,000 in donations from the trucking industry in recent years. The Illinois Secretary of State, Alexi Giannoulias, is in a standoff with the Trump Transportation Department over its review of the state’s commercial drivers licenses (CDLs) which found that 1-in-5 licenses issued by Giannoulias’ office were done so illegally.
Giannoulias, a Democrat who is reportedly considering a run for Chicago mayor, is facing scrutiny over his office’s role in issuing those licenses from the Trump administration after a series of high profile big rig crashes across the country that exposed issues in how states issue non-domiciled CDLs to foreign citizens, or in some cases, to illegal immigrants.
In Illinois, the U.S. Transportation Department found the Secretary of State’s Office, through the Director of Driver Services, issued illegal CDLs, in some cases, to individuals who have failed to provide evidence of lawful presence, let alone proficiency in managing big rigs.
The article concludes:
In August, an illegal immigrant driver made an illegal u-turn on the Florida Turnpike in his 18-wheeler truck, causing a crash that left three dead, the Homeland Security Department said. The immigrant was identified as Harjinder Singh, an illegal alien from India.
Before the fatal crash in Florida, Singh reportedly failed his CDL driver’s test 10 times, before finally being granted a license in 2023 in Washington State, according to Fox News. Instructors also noted a lack of English proficiency, with video evidence showing Singh struggled to speak English with police in the wake of the crash.
The Transportation Department’s audits in other states also uncovered what it says is “systemic non-compliance in issuing non-domiciled CDLs.” In California, the department’s audit found that “more than 25% of non-domiciled CDLs reviewed were improperly issued.” In New York State, it found that more than half of non-domiciled CDLs were issued in violation of federal law. In Colorado, the fraction was 22%.
These findings led the administration to pull federal funding until the states remedy the license issuing process to prevent such failures. Secretary Duffy’s agency issued a final rule last week that would prevent foreign drivers from receiving a non-domicile CDL without undergoing a consular and interagency screening.
Ending the fraud in CDL licensing will make the roads safer for everyone.
Cleaning Up The Mess Left Behind
On Friday, Just the News posted an article about some of the changes being made by the Trump administration in the Intelligence Community.
The article reports:
In a dramatic repudiation, CIA Director John Ratcliffe on Friday rescinded or revised 19 intelligence reports the agency produced dating back to the Obama era because they were politically biased or used poor spy tradecraft, including one analysis suggesting that women who pursue traditional motherhood were at danger of becoming violent extremists.
A senior CIA official told Just The News the reports were initially flagged during a review by the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, then reviewed by career agency officials before being retracted, recalled or revised.
“There is absolutely no room for bias in any kind of the CIA’s work,” the official said. “So when we find instances where our tradecraft did not reach that high bar of impartiality, we must correct the record. And that’s why we’re taking steps to reinforce analytic integrity by ordering the public release, substantive revision or retraction of these products that do not meet CIA’s tradecraft standards.”
The article notes:
The CIA assessment also said that it defined “white REMVE(racially and ethnically motivated violent extremist)-sympathetic” actors as “individuals or groups who may not openly advocate violence but amplify white REMVE narratives regarding their perceptions of racial and ethnic hierarchy, as well as perceived threats from those they see as advocating multiculturalism and globalization.”
“White REMVEs and their sympathizers have claimed in online posts that it is essential for white families to have as many biological children as possible to counter the rising birthrates among non-white populations; white REMVEs allege that this rise is a conspiracy, which they have termed the ‘great replacement,’ according to an Open Source Enterprise assessment,” the since-withdrawn agency assessment said.
So women who chose to stay home and raise their children or who encouraged other women to stay home and raise their children was considered a threat. Good grief!
The article concludes:
In the U.S. intelligence community’s anti-DEI efforts during the second Trump administration, Judge Anthony Trenga last April blocked efforts by the CIA and the ODNI to terminate intelligence officers who had been tied to DEI initiatives during the Biden administration. The Justice Department, on behalf of the two spy agencies, quickly appealed the ruling to an appeals court, where a ruling has not yet been issued.
Please follow the link above to read the entire article.
How Does This Help Anyone?
On Friday, Townhall posted an article about the Democrat party’s plans once they regain power. It is most easily explained as Trump Derangement Syndrome gone wild.
The article reports:
Several prominent Democrats have been open and vocal about their plans to punish members of the Trump administration, including civilian ICE agents, if they regain power. Eric Swalwell has vowed to make ICE agents’ lives a living hell if he’s elected governor of California, Rep. Shri Thanedar said Dems will prosecute ICE and Border Patrol agents, as has Philly DA Larry Krasner, and Mehdi Hasan wants the next Democratic president to run on a platform of prosecuting conservatives.
Now Suan Rice, the former Obama National Security Advisor and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, as promised that Democrats will punish those who “bent the knee” to President Trump.
“When it comes to the elites, the corporate interests, the law firms, the universities, the media…it is not going to end well for them, for those that decided…that they would act in their perceived very narrow self interest,” Rice said, “which I would underscore is a very short-term self-interest and take a knee to Trump.”
“I think they’re not starting to realize…this is not popular. Trump is not popular. What he is doing, whether on the economy and affordability, or immigration now, is not popular, and that there is likely to be a swing in the other direction, and they are going to be caught with more than their pants down. They’re going to be held accountable by those who come in opposition to Trump and win at the ballot box,” Rice said.
Whatever happened to “If I am elected, I will do everything I can to create jobs and lift people out of poverty”?
The article concludes:
This is the scariest comment of all (emphasis added):
“There will be an accountability agenda,” Rice promised. “Companies already are starting to hear they better preserve their documents, they better be ready for subpoenas. If they’ve done something wrong, they will be held accountable. And if they haven’t broken the law, good for them; if they’ve done the right things, good for them. That also will be noted and remembered. This is not going to be an instance of forgive and forget. The damage that these people are doing is too severe to the American people and our national interests.”
There it is, folks: Democrats are making a list of their political enemies, and anyone who didn’t adequately resist President Trump is on it. They will use the full weight of the federal government to crush their enemies and reward their allies. Democrats cannot regain power in 2026, and they cannot regain power in 2028. This doesn’t end with corporations, big tech, or universities that “bent the knee” to Trump. 77 million Americans voted for him and the Democrats will come for each and every one of us, too.
Somehow she never what exact damage that the Trump administration is doing. Is it enforcing the border, making cities safer, taming inflation, giving Americans a tax break, or lowering gas prices?
The Case Against Legalizing Marijuana
Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.
The effort to legalize marijuana has been accelerating over the past several years. As of today, marijuana is available for medical use in 40 states and for recreational use in 24 states, although not in North Carolina for either. It should also be noted that Massachusetts, Maine, Arizona, Ohio, and Idaho have prominent campaigns to revoke recreational marijuana. Obviously, they are having problems. Here are some of the issues that need to be understood before North Carolina makes a mistake and legalizes marijuana.
The first consideration is the current research on the health impact of marijuana. A recent extensive research project involving more than 60,000 brain scans showed that brain deterioration is significantly accelerated by marijuana use. In fact, more than five times the negative impact of alcohol abuse. The accelerated aging puts marijuana user’s brain condition similar to people with mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. Induced psychotic reactions are becoming more frequent, resulting in far more emergency room admissions for out-of-control behavior, including violence. Canada has just added new label warnings against marijuana, use especially for younger people. Over 20 million Americans have been diagnosed with marijuana-use disorder. Importantly, researchers at the American College of Cardiology reported a significant increase in heart attacks by marijuana users. In the past 20 years, marijuana use among teenagers has increased by 245%. As of 2022, daily use of marijuana has surpassed daily alcohol use.
Two additional problems have emerged. First, is the fact that the THC (mind altering chemical) in marijuana has increased dramatically over the years. For example, in 1970 THC levels were about 3%, in 1995 the levels were about 5%, and as of 2023 had reached up to 37%. Marijuana concentrates can now reach 60 to 90%! Part of this is the selective breeding of plants as well as the motivation by producers to have a stronger more addictive product. Unlike alcoholic beverages, that are required to specify alcohol content, when smoking marijuana the user has no way of knowing the actual THC level. In addition, there is the very real possibility that the marijuana dealers have added drugs such as fentanyl, which of course is the leading cause of drug related deaths. The fact that marijuana is the primary gateway drug to more lethal and addictive drugs has always been and continues to be true.
The proponents of legalizing marijuana typically claim that if it is controlled and restricted, the black-market sale of unregulated marijuana will go down. That has not happened. According to Whitney Economics, which analyzes the marijuana industry, the illegal black marketers constitute about 75% of the $100 billion marijuana sold in the U.S. with two-thirds grown domestically. The black marketers can sell at a lower price and the sales cannot be traced. They do not have to pay taxes on sales, nor do they have to comply with environmental regulations when growing their product.
As usual, when illicit money is to be made and is detrimental to the U.S., we must look to the Chinese government. It is well known that they have been supporting criminal organizations that produce and smuggle drugs like meth and fentanyl into our country. What is less well known is how China-backed criminal organizations are now dominating the growing of illegal marijuana on U.S. agricultural land.
So, what should we do. First, North Carolina must continue to say No to legalizing medical or recreational use of marijuana for the reasons stated above. While some may claim that medical marijuana should be allowed, it should not. There are alternative legal medications for medical problems, and importantly, most states that start off legalizing medical marijuana soon move to legalizing recreational marijuana. Some people will claim that we should treat it like alcohol. Not so. Alcohol is a historical cultural drink that while having negative effects on some people, can be controlled, at least as to potency, and is not a demonstrable gateway to more deadly drugs. We tried to stop alcohol sales during Prohibition which was a complete failure. Marijuana access can and must be stopped. Second, the General Assembly should institute laws that strictly forbid the purchasing of agricultural land by any entities that have traceable connections to China (as we are trying to do with land around military bases). We should not give China a foothold in the illicit marijuana business. We must stop this slide towards drug dependency which will ruin our society if it is allowed to expand.
From my friends at Power Line Blog:
This Chess Game Isn’t Over
I am writing this article Friday morning. The Supreme Court has just struck down President Trump’s tariffs. I have been told by an extremely good lawyer that this is not the end of the tariffs–it is only the beginning of enacting them through different laws that give the President the authority to enact them,
On Saturday, The Post Millennial posted an article about the Supreme Court decision.
The article reports:
President Donald Trump on Friday said that he will still be imposing tariffs following a ruling from the Supreme Court that blocked his tariffs issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), announcing that an additional 10 percent global tariff will be imposed under the Trade Act of 1974.
“So we can use other of the statutes, other of the tariff authorities, which have also been confirmed and are fully allowed,” Trump said. “Therefore, effective immediately, all national security tariffs under Section 232, and existing Section 301, tariffs … remain in place, fully in place, and in full force and effect.”
“Today, I will sign an order to impose a 10 percent global tariff under Section 122, over and above our normal tariffs already being charged,” Trump added in reference to the Trade Act of 1974. The comments come after the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the president does not have the power to impose tariffs on countries using the IEEPA.
The article notes:
The three justices who dissented included Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Brett Kavanaugh, with the latter penning the opposing opinion. The court’s majority decision, penned by Chief Justice John Roberts, said, “The Government reads IEEPA to give the President power to unilaterally impose unbounded tariffs and change them at will. That view would represent a transformative expansion of the President’s authority over tariff policy. It is also telling that in IEEPA’s half century of existence, no President has invoked the statute to impose any tariffs, let alone tariffs of this magnitude and scope.”
The Supreme Court has just created a mess. There will be umpteen lawsuits brought by the people who paid the tariffs wanting their money back. America needs the tariffs to begin to balance the budget. Congress is totally unable to agree on anything and is not capable of passing tariffs. This is an unnecessary wrench thrown into the America economy by a Supreme Court Chief Justice who declared Obamacare a tax in order to let it go through. I truly wonder about that man’s motives.
Something To Consider In The Discussion On Legalizing Marijuana
On Tuesday, The Epoch Times posted an article about the consequences of regular use of marijuana.
The article reports:
Unlike alcohol or caffeine, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound found in cannabis, doesn’t clear from the bloodstream in a few hours; it accumulates in fat and organs, where it can continue influencing inflammation and immunity long after the high fades.
With today’s high-potency products and increasingly frequent recreational use, researchers are discovering that the body’s relationship with cannabis has fundamentally changed—and the long-term effects of accumulation are only beginning to come into focus.
THC behaves unlike most substances the body encounters. While many drugs are processed and eliminated within hours, THC takes a different path. After inhalation or ingestion, THC enters the bloodstream quickly and is distributed to the organs.
“Regular cannabis use leads to accumulation of lipophilic substances in fat stores and highly vascularized organs such as the brain and liver,” Dr. Ella Fedonenko, an internal medicine physician, told The Epoch Times. “These substances are released back into the bloodstream very slowly, even when standard screening tests are negative.”
In other words, standard drug tests measure THC metabolites in blood or urine, not what remains stored in tissues. A negative test doesn’t mean the substance—or its effects—are gone.
A widely cited review by Marilyn Huestis, who has a doctorate in toxicology and is a former chief of chemistry and drug metabolism at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, found that THC spreads quickly into tissues throughout the body rather than staying in the bloodstream, where it can be detected and measured.
The article notes that in the past the THC level of marijuana was considerably lower than it is at present.
The article notes:
With short-term or occasional use, cannabis can have a calming effect on the immune system, which is why its compounds have been studied for pain and related conditions. Inflammation is meant to turn on, do its job, and then turn off.
However, with regular exposure to stored THC, that process may not work as smoothly. When something repeatedly interferes with that process, the immune system can remain partially activated rather than fully resolving.
The article concludes:
For occasional users, these factors may not matter much.
However, with daily use, the effects can add up over time, influencing how the body manages stress, sleep, and immune activity.
The question is no longer whether THC lingers. It’s what accumulation means for long-term health, and how users and doctors should respond.
There is also the risk of buying marijuana illegally and not knowing what is in it. Even legal marijuana has risks. It is smart to avoid those risks.
Reading The Writing On The Wall
On Thursday, Legal Insurrection reported the following:
Boeing will move its Defense, Space, and Security headquarters from Arlington, VA, back to the St. Louis area.
The main headquarters will stay in Arlington.
“The move emphasizes company leadership’s commitment to being present and engaged with teammates who are designing, producing and delivering vital defense and space products and capabilities for customers in the U.S. and around the world,” according to a Boeing press release.
The company did not mention politics in the press release, but I do not believe in coincidences.
I mean, it makes sense for Boeing to place its defense headquarters in Arlington, the home of the Pentagon.
The defense headquarters called St. Louis home from 1997 to 2017 before heading to Chicago.
Then, in 2022, Boeing transferred its headquarters to Arlington during former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s term. The former governor’s efforts led to Virginia being named the best state for business in 2024.
Virginia is no longer a great state for business.
The article lists a few of the current tax proposals making their way through the legislature:
HB 378 – Imposes a 3.8% net investment income tax on individuals, trusts, and estates beginning in taxable year 2027. If enacted, HB 378 would raise VA’s top marginal income tax rate on portfolio and passive income to 9.55%.
HB 900 – Authorizes sales tax hikes in various transportation districts, imposes a new tax on each and every retail delivery in Northern Virginia (Amazon, Uber Eats, FedEx, UPS, etc.), similar to the one imposed in Minnesota by Gov. Tim Walz (D).
Then there’s HB61, which discriminates against white men when bidding on government contracts:
As one alarmed Virginian reports on X, HB61 would put white men at a distinct disadvantage when bidding on government contracts. According to the post, “For discretionary contracts under $100K, White men are barred from even being considered unless there’s literally no competition. And even then, this bill allows agencies to award contracts to women or minority-owned firms that are 5% more expensive than a bid from a business owned by a White man.”
It seems to me that HB61 would be unconstitutional based on the fact that it discriminates according to race, but a court challenge would have to decide that.



