The Taliban’s New Laws

Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan has approved a new criminal code for the country.

On Thursday, Breitbart reported:

According to the Times of India, the latest affront to human rights from the Taliban is the publication of a 90-page criminal code, issued as an edict recently, likely in late January. No evidence suggests any public participation in the drafting of the code or legislative debate by certified lawmakers prior to its imposition.

Citing the British outlet The Independent, the Indian newspaper noted that the code includes the creation of “free” and “slave” categories of Afghanis and different legal punishments for criminals in each category. While it does not explicitly list all women in the country as “slaves,” certain provisions in the criminal code for women appear to treat them as separate from free citizens.

The code reportedly states explicitly that men can beat women and children in their homes, but only if they do not break their bones or cause extreme bodily harm. The code also effectively strips women of the right to accuse men of extreme physical abuse, as it both requires and bans women from showing the parts of their bodies harmed.

“They [women] are required to prove they have suffered serious bodily harm by showing their wounds to the judge, while at the same time being required to remain fully covered,” the Independent explained. “They are also required to be accompanied to the court by their husband or male chaperone (mahram) — even though the majority of offenders in such cases are the husbands themselves.”

The maximum sentence for a man found guilty of extreme physical abuse is 15 days in prison in the new code. For comparison, a woman accused of breaking the law by visiting her family without permission from her husband can be imprisoned for up to three months; no exceptions are made for women fleeing domestic violence.

Please follow the link above for further details.

Where are the feminists?

I Guess Beauty Is In The Eyes Of The Beholder

On Tuesday, Red State posted an article about the ongoing construction of President Obama’s Presidential Library. It truly is an eyesore.

The article reports:

The Obama Presidential Center has taken plenty of heat, mostly because it’s one of the ugliest buildings humanity has ever produced. Soviet architects would be in awe of the brutalist, menacing design of the $850 million ode to the 44th president.

But what some have termed a “Klingon prison” just got weirder and, if possible, less attractive with the addition of a colossal display on its sides with words from the former president’s 2015 speech in Selma, Alabama. It might be inspiring — if you could actually read it:

The article includes the following:

The article continues:

“Not the ideal design.” Well, that’s certainly a contestant for understatement of the year. “I gave up after developing a headache three lines from the top,” one commenter noted.

It’s not a traditional presidential library — the physical archives won’t even be stored there, as is usually the case. Instead, the National Archives will manage them off-site and make digital versions available to the public. Its real purpose is to act as some sort of monumental community organizing project.

One person posted the following on X:

The Library is expected to open in June.

Acting Like Petulant Children…

On Wednesday, NBC News reported that at least a dozen Democratic members of Congress plan to boycott President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. These Congress members plan to attend a rally on the National Mall. Do you remember that during the Obama administration and the Biden administration that Americans were told they had to respect the office of the President regardless of who was sitting in that office? I don’t see boycotting the State of the Union Speech as respect.

The article reports:

The progressive groups MoveOn and MeidasTouch announced Wednesday that they’re hosting the “People’s State of the Union” rally at 8:30 p.m. ET near the Capitol. The event is billed as “counterprogramming” to “President Trump’s night full of lies and misplaced priorities for the American people.” The groups said, “Democratic lawmakers will be joined on stage by the everyday Americans most impacted by Trump’s dangerous agenda.”

Exactly what is “Trump’s dangerous agenda”? Is it lower taxes? Is it fewer regulations? Is it enforcement of borders? Is it making cities safer? Is it restoring election integrity?

The article notes:

The lawmakers planning to skip the speech and attend the rally, according to the organizers, are Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Tina Smith of Minnesota and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, as well as Reps. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, Becca Balint of Vermont, Greg Casar of Texas, Veronica Escobar of Texas, Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Delia Ramirez of Illinois, and Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey.

Organized by the Usual Suspects.

Aren’t some of the people who complain about the divisiveness in American politics the same people who are organizing this rally?

A Win For American Consumers And The U.S. Constitution

On Wednesday, The Daily Signal posted an article about the impact of the repeal of the EPA’s Endangerment Finding.

The article reports:

In 2009, unelected bureaucrats inside the EPA (read: the Washington Swamp) made a decision that has shaped American energy policy—and increased the cost of living—ever since. Their Endangerment Finding declared that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide “endanger public health and welfare.”

It’s time we got rid of unelected bureaucrats making regulations and replaced them with Congress (which is accountable to the people because of elections) making laws.

The article notes:

The finding became the legal foundation for sweeping federal regulation of everything from power plants to automobiles, and from oil refineries to natural gas pipelines.

With that sweeping regulation came higher prices for everything from new cars and trucks to major appliances, like dishwashers, washers and dryers, ovens, and refrigerators, along with fuel and energy.

Trump called his decision to repeal the finding “the single largest deregulatory action in American history.”

He’s right. This decision marks a turning point in the fight to revive American prosperity and make American life more affordable, at the same time as it restores constitutional government.

The article concludes:

By reversing the Endangerment Finding, Trump reaffirms a basic constitutional principle: major policy decisions of vast economic and political significance must come from the people’s elected representatives, not from unelected bureaucrats. 

The Supreme Court reaffirmed this fundamental principle in West Virginia v. EPA, the 2022 case that relied on the so-called major questions doctrine, which requires specific congressional authorization for major environmental regulations. 

Agencies exist to execute the law, not to create it. Returning such consequential questions to Congress honors the separation of powers and ensures democratic accountability.

If climate policy is to be remade, it should be debated openly, voted on by lawmakers, and enacted through legislation—not imposed through regulatory interpretation by unelected officials.

Trump and Zeldin took a giant step toward making life more affordable and opened the gate for substantial economic growth at the same time as they moved toward restoring the kind of limited constitutional government the Founders envisioned.

All Americans will benefit—and all Americans should be grateful that Trump has the courage to stand up to the Washington Swamp to fight for the American people.

I hope that when voting begins in the midterms, voters will remember how good the Trump administration has been for their pocketbooks.

It Depends On The Definition Of Principles

A number of states right now are having primary elections. If your state is having a primary election, please vote. The primary elections are the elections where people have the strongest input in who runs for and wins elected office. Be aware that there is a lot of information put out by the candidates right now that is questionable at best. One of the Republicans running for re-election this year is Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky. He has two primary challengers. Representative Massie has always claimed to vote according to his principles. However, some recent information sheds some doubt upon that claim.

On Wednesday, Townhall reported:

Thomas Massie gave an interview to Politico yesterday, in which the publication said he goes “toe-to-toe” with high-ranking members of the Trump administration including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Attorney General Pam Bondi.

…There was one passage that stood out among many conservatives, one that dealt a major blow to the claims that Massie is operating on principles. Namely, Massie’s vote was contingent on whether or not Speaker Mike Johnson would publicly praise him for releasing the Epstein files.

…”One day, they needed my vote, and I offered to give them my vote if he would issue a press release thanking me for my good work on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. That’s all I required to get my vote. And I think he probably went and gave somebody else a bill to pass instead of doing the public statement,” Massie told Politico.

What about voting the way the people who elected you want you to vote?

Just Say “No”

On January 16th, Red State posted an article about the ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Iran is feeling the impact of the sanctions imposed by the Trump administration and is looking for relief.

The article reports:

Iran is now signaling a desire to play “Let’s Make a Deal” with the United States, acknowledging that they will “discuss” their nuclear ambitions of the United States eases back on sanctions. Bear in mind, this is the largest state sponsor of Islamic terrorism in the world, here, trying to get America to back off.

The New York Post reports:

Iran is prepared to “discuss” its nuclear program if the US is ready to lift some of its crippling sanctions on the regime in exchange, the country’s deputy foreign minister said over the weekend.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Tehran’s deputy foreign minister, argued that the ball is “in America’s court to prove that they want to do a deal” and predicted the two sides will make progress if the US is sincere.

“We are ready to discuss this and other issues related to our program if they are ready to talk about sanctions,” Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC Sunday.

Takht-Ravanchi didn’t specify how much relief Iran would expect in order to make concessions on its atomic program.

The article concludes:

These people cannot be trusted. Any deal they agree to isn’t worth the paper it is printed on. Iran has been a blight on the planet for far too long, and the Iranian people, the ones who have been in the streets demanding change, protesting the mullahs even at the cost of their own lives, deserve better. Over 7,000 Iranians have died in these protests. That loss can’t be for nothing. The mullahs have to go. Iran has to rejoin the community of civilized nations.

We can’t do it for the Iranian people. But we sure can put a steel umbrella over their heads while they get the job done, and President Trump looks to be moving resources to the region to do just that.

If we loosen the sanctions, the Iranian people will never be free. They have to fight for their freedom, but our sanctions can help them in that fight.

We Have Opened The Door

Below are three related stories about the inroads Islam has made in America.

The first, from ABC News New York City in September 2023, reports:

OZONE PARK, Queens (WABC) — New York City took a big step earlier this week, clarifying that the Muslim call to prayer can be broadcast every Friday afternoon from any mosque — no permit necessary.

It is 1:15 p.m. Friday, and on Forbell Street in City Line, Brooklyn, the Adhan, or call to prayer can be heard. Worshippers of the Muslim faith head into Masjid Al-Aman for afternoon prayer.

“We have gotten the attention of a lot of our neighbors I know sometimes in the wrong way,” said Kobir Chowdry.

“We don’t have an opposition to it as long as it’s kept at a respectable level, same as the Catholic Church bells and the music,” said Sam Esposito from Ozone Park.

However, concerns have spurred confusion that a permit was required to broadcast the prayer.

“The permit is that you don’t go beyond 54 decibel points,” added Chowdry.

On Tuesday, Mayor Eric Adams and city leaders publicly acknowledged the most sacred Islamic prayer times, between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. for Friday prayer and during Ramadan.

“If you are a Mosque or a house of worship of any kind, you do not have to apply for a permit to amplify your call to Friday prayer. You are free to live your faith in New York City if you hear the Adhan on Fridays,” said Adams. “The Jewish community goes to temple on Saturday. And you hear the Christian church bells ring on Sunday.”

The second article, from Daniel Greenfield, reports:

Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim, the second Muslim selected for the state senate, after Ghazala Hashmi, who is now acting as Virginia’s Lt. Governor, the Bangladeshi immigrant, from a country where non-Muslims are being murdered in the streets, has introduced a bill to define ‘Islamophobia’.

The most notable thing about his bill SB 624 ‘Assault and battery; definition of “Islamophobia”, penalty’ is how completely unnecessary it is.

Virginia already has multiple layers of hate crimes enhancements for assaults motivated by race, ethnicity and religion. During Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s term, the legislature has already passed SB 7 (Senate Bill 7) and its counterpart enhancing the assault charge for anyone who “intentionally selects the person against whom a simple assault is committed because of his race, religious conviction, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, or ethnic or national origin.”

That should cover Islam and Muslims. And yet Sen. Saddam introduced a 3 page bill with 10 clauses in its first section a whole lot of whom do nothing more than add (including Islam) where it isn’t remotely needed or useful. For example “because of his race, religious conviction (including Islam), gender, disability, gender identity” or “because of his race, religious conviction (including Islam)”. Islam appears to be the only religion being singled out this way.

Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff was put on trial in Europe because she referred to Mohammad as a pedophile. In Islam blasphemy is anything negative the hearer does not want to hear–it doesn’t matter if it is true. This principle is what this bill is setting up.

Finally, the last article comes from msm last week. It reports:

A Palestinian activist has called for dogs to be banned as pets in New York City claiming they aren’t Islamic.

Nerdeen Kiswani said dogs have a ‘place in society’ but ‘not as indoor pets.’

‘Like we’ve said all along, they are unclean,’ she wrote on X.

After receiving fierce backlash she later claimed that her post was a ‘joke’.

‘[Laughing] at the Zionists frothing at the mouth at this, thinking they’re doing something,’ she wrote.

‘It’s obviously a joke I don’t care if you have a dog, I do care if your dog is s***ting everywhere and you’re not cleaning it.

‘Also clearly trying to weigh in on an issue unaware of the current NYC discourse where we’re collectively (jokingly) hating on dogs given all the visible dog s**t in the unmelted snow.’ 

Muslims typically do not keep dogs as pets as many believers feel they are meant to be used for work such as herding or hunting.

We need to protect our culture. If you are here, you should be expected to assimilate–not try to duplicate the culture you left.

Policies Have Consequences

On Monday, The Western Journal posted an article about gasoline prices in California.

The article reports:

California is having to rely on gasoline shipped in from the Bahamas as more refineries close in the state due to its strict environmental policies.

And the restricted in-state refining capacity is causing gas prices to surge.

The current average for regular gasoline is $4.59, up from $4.21 last month, according to the American Automobile Association.

The New York Post reported, “Valero’s Benicia refinery — a key Northern California supplier — is in the process of sunsetting operations. The move follows other major pullbacks, including the closure of Phillips 66’s Los Angeles refinery, steadily reducing California’s ability to produce its own gasoline, and driving up costs at the pump.”

“California sucked in more gasoline imports last November than at any point in its history — and a staggering 40%-plus of it came from the Bahamas — all that means more cost at the pump for drivers,” the news outlet added.

Cal Matters reported in September that in 1982, California, which has rich oil reserves, imported about 6 percent of its needs from foreign sources. As of last fall, the percentage had climbed to 64 percent.

The article concludes:

Michael Mische, an associate professor at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, wrote in the Cal Matters piece that “the Legislature should consider the repeal of regulations limiting production and pipeline use in more counties, assess the powers of agency bureaucrats who force higher prices on the backs of Californians, and a new regulatory strategy that will provide a more hospitable business environment for refiners and producers.”

Businesses are already leaving California. If the state continues in its current direction, more businesses and more people will leave. Our Founding Fathers envisioned a country where each state would act as a laboratory for policy. The states that created successful policies would have those policies copied by other states so that every state would be successful. Unfortunately, politics has become so toxic that successful policies from red states are not being copied in blue states simply because they are from red states. I believe we will see California go bankrupt in the near future.

The Truth Behind The Shutdown

The current government shutdown doesn’t make a lot of sense–ICE has already been funded through the year, so the only people hurt are the Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Transportation, Department of Health and Human Service (source here).

On Tuesday, LifeZette posted an article suggesting what the current government shutdown is really about.

The article reports:

Sen. Markwayne Mullin criticized Democrats over the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, arguing during an exchange with Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer that the impasse was designed to coincide with the State of the Union rather than reflect genuine negotiations.

Hemmer asked the Oklahoma Republican whether there was a path forward to reopen the government.

“My question to you is, do you see a way out today as a way to get out of this?” Hemmer said.

Mullin responded by saying meaningful negotiations have not been taking place.

“Well, if we were actually negotiating on actual terms, to reopen, yes, but that’s not the state of play here. The state of play is to be shut down during the State of the Union for DHS, and that’s what it’s always been. If it was actual conversation about reforms. It wouldn’t have taken them 10 days to come back with a proposal after they shut us down almost three weeks ago.”

Mullin said that when a proposal was eventually delivered, the White House responded quickly, but talks did not continue.

On January 7th, USA Today reminded us when the State of the Union address would occur:

On Jan. 7, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) formally invited President Donald Trump to deliver his State of the Union address on Feb. 24.

Johnson posted a copy of the invitation sent to the president on X. In it, the Speaker praised Trump for his “bold action” and leadership and said the United States “stands stronger, freer, and more prosperous.”

“Since his return to office, @POTUS has not stopped working for the American people and delivering on his promises. The best is yet to come,” Johnson said on X.

The speech on Feb. 24 will mark Trump’s first State of the Union of his second term. 

Even without a majority, the Democrat party is intent on throwing any wrench it can into the governance of America. It is truly time to go back to a talking filibuster and make the Democrats stand up for what they supposedly believe.

Some Combinations Just Don’t Work

On Monday, The Daily Wire posted an article about a shooting at a high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

The article reports:

Two people were killed and at least three others critically injured after a man who identifies as a woman opened fire at a high school hockey game in Rhode Island.

Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves confirmed in a Monday evening press conference that Robert Dorgan, who goes by the name Roberta Esposito, killed himself after what she said was likely a targeted shooting stemming from a family dispute. A clip circulating on social media appears to show Dorgan’s daughter leaving a police station and telling reporters that her father “shot my family” and “he’s dead now.” The woman added that Dorgan “has mental health issues,” and “was very sick.”

Court records from 2020 confirm that Dorgan had undergone gender reassignment surgery. Dorgan claimed to North Providence Police at the time that his father-in-law attempted to throw him out of the house following his surgery. Around that time, Dorgan’s wife filed for divorce, initially citing “gender reassignment surgery, narcissistic + personality disorder traits” as the reason before crossing them out and writing “irreconcilable differences.”

Transgenderism is a mental health issue. People mistakenly believe they were born in the wrong bodies and react accordingly. They are not comfortable in their own skin. When you add the transgender drug cocktail to this, you are mixing PMS and testosterone. That is not a good combination. People who believe they are transgender need to get the help that allows them to get to the bottom of what is causing this belief–was it childhood trauma, was there an incident growing up that caused this confusion…? Giving them drugs and cutting off body parts is not the answer. We have seen too many transgender shootings recently. It’s time to help transgender people become the people they were born to be–not lie to them about what they want to become.

The Heart Of The Matter

The SAVE America Act has passed the House of Representatives. Now it’s the Senate’s turn to pass a bill that more than 80 percent of Americans agree with. But somehow, nothing is happening. One of the main talking points against the bill is that the bill will disenfranchise Americans, because there is a requirement to prove citizenship. Most Americans have Social Security cards. You need to prove U.S. citizenship or legal immigration status to obtain a Social Security card. A birth certificate is obtainable through the city records of the place you were born. Another talking point is that the majority of women change their name when they get married. That issue is easily solved by presenting a birth certificate and a marriage certificate. A marriage certificate can be obtained at the city hall of the place where you were married. Most women can figure this out.

On February 16th, The Western Journal posted an article about the discussion on CNN NewsNight about the SAVE America Act.

The article reports:

Salem Radio Network host Scott Jennings triggered “CNN NewsNight” panelists Charles Blow and Alencia Johnson Wednesday by suggesting Democrats thought black voters were “too dumb” to obtain voter IDs.

The House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and photo ID for voting, on Wednesday by a 216-213 vote.

After Johnson claimed that the legislation was part of a pattern of “racism” by President Donald Trump, Jennings challenged her to explain how the bill would strip voting rights from citizens.

…Jennings pressed Johnson repeatedly how the legislation would strip voting rights from racial minorities, with Johnson finally claiming that voter ID was a form of a poll tax, which was prohibited by the 24th Amendment, which was ratified in 1964.

“Does it — does it concern you that you’re making all these claims, you’ve yet to lay out how it’s hurting anyone, but 76 percent of black voters think we should show an ID to vote, 80 percent of Hispanic voters, 83 percent of the American people?” Jennings asked.

The article concludes:

Jennings didn’t back down, questioning if Phillip thought certain portions of the population were too dumb to figure out how to navigate voting in an election.

“Listen, this — all week long, all week long, I have heard Democrats with the same argument,” he said, with Phillip responding, “So, Scott, why don’t you actually respond to the substance of what I’m saying, as opposed to making this about something that it’s not? It’s not just about voter ID. It’s also about who has access to —”

“You’re saying married women, black voters and rural people are too stupid to figure out how to register to vote?” Jennings responded, adding, “Are you saying they can’t figure out how to vote?”

The simple fact is that the Democrats opposing the SAVE America Act don’t want to help people navigate the requirements in the act–they simply want talking points.

This Bill Could Save Lives

On Sunday, Breitbart posted an article about a bill that the West Virginia Senate passed on Friday.

The article reports:

State senators in West Virginia passed a bill on Friday that would outlaw sending abortion pills into the state.

Lawmakers approved Senate Bill 173 with a vote of 31 to 1 and two members absent, West Virginia Watch reported

West Virginia has a near-total abortion restriction and also bans abortion via telemedicine. Senate Bill 173 is designed to close a loophole in state law enabling out-of-state organizations and abortionists to mail abortion pills to people in the state.

The bill’s lead sponsor, state Sen. Chris Rose (R), said the bill would show “bad actors” that West Virginia will not tolerate those who shirk the state’s laws protecting unborn babies, according to the report.

“We will fight from the womb to the tomb to preserve every human being,” Rose said. “And we will defend the constitutional rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness even for the unborn.” 

Under the bill, non-medical professionals could face three to ten years behind bars for the felony charge of sending abortion drugs by mail to a person in West Virginia. A medical professional who does so would face losing their license, according to the report.

The bill contains an exception for physicians who prescribe the drugs for other legitimate medical reasons besides abortion, per the report.

Lawmakers approved at least two amendments to the bill, including one from state Sen. Eric Tarr (R) that would require the state attorney general’s office to report how many lawsuits are filed on behalf of women who use the abortion drugs.

The bill now goes to the House of Delegates.

The danger of obtaining mifepristone, the abortion drug, through the mail is that the drug can have complications if used for abortion. If there is not a doctor on site supervising, using the drug could be fatal.

According to PubMed:

Methods: Adverse Event Reports (AERs) for mifepristone used as an abortifacient, submitted to the FDA from September 2000 to February 2019, were analyzed using the National Cancer Institute’s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAEv3).

Results: The FDA provided 6158 pages of AERs. Duplicates, non-US, or AERs previously published (Gary, 2006) were excluded. Of the remaining, there were 3197 unique, US-only AERs of which there were 537 (16.80%) with insufficient information to determine clinical severity, leaving 2660 (83.20%) Codable US AERs. (Figure 1). Of these, 20 were Deaths, 529 were Life-threatening, 1957 were Severe, 151 were Moderate, and 3 were Mild.

The deaths included: 9 (45.00%) sepsis, 4 (20.00%) drug toxicity/overdose, 1 (5.00%) ruptured ectopic pregnancy, 1 (5.00%) hemorrhage, 3 (15.00%) possible homicides, 1 (5.00%) suicide, 1 (5.00%) unknown. (Table 1).

Retained products of conception and hemorrhage caused most morbidity. There were 75 ectopic pregnancies, including 26 ruptured ectopics (includes one death).

There were 2243 surgeries including 2146 (95.68%) D&Cs of which only 853 (39.75%) were performed by abortion providers.

Of 452 patients with ongoing pregnancies, 102 (22.57%) chose to keep their baby, 148 (32.74%) had terminations, 1 (0.22%) miscarried, and 201 (44.47%) had unknown outcomes.

Hemorrhage occurred more often in those who took mifepristone and misoprostol (51.44%) than in those who took mifepristone alone (22.41%).

Conclusions: Significant morbidity and mortality have occurred following the use of mifepristone as an abortifacient. A pre-abortion ultrasound should be required to rule out ectopic pregnancy and confirm gestational age. The FDA AER system is inadequate and significantly underestimates the adverse events from mifepristone.

Ending a baby’s life is not an acceptable practice, and with mifepristone, it could end your life as well.

Washington Really Is A Sewer!

On February 16th, Townhall posted an article about a recent occurrence in Washington, D.C., that the mainstream media is working very hard to ignore.

The article reports:

Washington DC faces a severe crisis. Recently, a ruptured underground sewer line leaked over 200 million gallons of waste into the Potomac, creating a major biohazard. The situation isn’t safe, and conditions were already poor before this event. Repairing the damage is expected to take nine to ten months, highlighting the city’s ongoing infrastructure challenges. David Gadis, appointed to the National Infrastructure Advisory Council by Biden in 2022, is the CEO and general manager of DC Water. Yes, there’s a Biden connection, which explains why The Washington Post is steering clear of this story. As David Burge, aka Iowahawkblog, once posted in 2014:

The media is not covering the story. Why is no one asking the question, “Why is it going to take nine to ten months to repair the damage?”

The article includes the following X post:

At this point, I would like to share a quote from James A. Garfield:

Now, more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislation.

If the next centennial does not find us a great nation…it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.

That quote applies to ALL levels of government. We the people are responsible for the government we have. If you are not happy with the competency or morality of your current city, state, or federal government, get out and change it!

Enforcing An Already Existing Law

On Sunday, Fox News posted an article about a state auditor in Massachusetts attempting to do her job.

The article reports:

A Democratic state auditor is taking Massachusetts legislative leaders, including members of her own party, to court after uncovering nearly $12 million in alleged fraud in public assistance programs, seeking to enforce a voter-approved audit law.

“What are they hiding? If there’s nothing to hide, open up the doors, let the sun shine in. Let’s do this audit,” Massachusetts State Auditor Diana DiZoglio said on “Saturday in America.”

DiZoglio, a Democrat and former member of both the Massachusetts House and Senate, is filing a complaint with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to enforce a 2024 ballot measure that authorized her office to audit the legislature. The measure passed with 72% support.

The legal action follows a report from the Massachusetts State Auditor’s Office identifying nearly $12 million in alleged fraud in fiscal year 2025 alone across several public assistance programs.

The article notes:

DiZoglio emphasized that rooting out fraud is essential to protecting public assistance programs for those who genuinely need them. She shared her own background, saying she was born to a 17-year-old single mother who relied on programs such as WIC before becoming a nurse and getting back on her feet.

“A lot of people rely on these programs,” she said. “But folks who are committing fraud need to be held accountable. We need to root out that waste, fraud and abuse so that these systems are working as they should and people truly in need get these services.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Massachusetts attorney general’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

However, according to GBH News, the attorney general claims DiZoglio lacks the authority to file the lawsuit.

It is time for every state to have a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) program and to make the necessary cuts.

Ensuring Electricity Availability

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.  

During the recent snow event, I received a notice from our electricity supplier, Tideland, to reduce our home use of electricity as much as possible. I have been through a lot of cold and hot weather periods in my life, but this is the first time I was requested to reduce my usage of essential electric power. Another concern was a notice received from Tidewater that they are now billing the amount you pay per kilo-watt hour depending on the time of the day, with the highest rates in the evening. This is alarming for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that this is what has been happening in the failed state of California for years. Not a good state to be following. Like them, we are relying on electricity generated in other states (like Florida) to supply our needs. North Carolina should have the capacity to meet our own needs, now and in the future.

A plentiful, relatively inexpensive supply of electricity is essential to every successful modern civilization. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the demand for electricity is predicted to accelerate far beyond what would be expected with normal population growth. We are now experiencing another negative impact of the leftist Democrat’s forcing our country to address the unproven hoax of climate change being caused by CO2 emissions. In 2009, the Democrat controlled House passed the Clean Air Security Act which would have severely restricted any electricity generation from other than wind and solar. Fortunately, it did not pass the Republican Senate. As usual, the Obama administration had the Environmental Protection Agency implement the same rules and regulations, ignoring the will of the people. As a result, there have been no nuclear plants built since 2007, new coal plants were stopped, and excessive tax money was spent to pay for expensive solar, wind and battery storage. As a result, the U.S. increased electrical energy generating capacity by less than 6% from 2015 to 2024; whereas our closest competitor, Communist China, has increased their capacity in the same time frame by over 120%. The current generating capacity of the U.S. is 4,178 terawatt-hours compared to China’s 8,534. This is at a time when we need as much electricity capacity as possible to compete with China in AI, robotics, cyberspace, and military expansion. This is a recipe for disaster.

Like many other things, President Trump recently announced that he was revoking many of the climate change regulations that have been prevented the expansion of electricity generating capacity that we need, as well as placing high-cost emission standards on vehicles.  He wants more coal fired plants built because it can be done rapidly and cost effectively. China has been building at least on coal fired plant per month. It should be remembered that our coal plants are very clean burning and along with nuclear provide over 60% of our generating capacity. President Trump has also taken steps to stop the construction of windmills anywhere in the country. They are the most expensive form of electric generation and like solar require extensive battery capacity since they produce energy sporadically. For example, Duke Energy, the largest supplier of energy in N.C., has plans to build an 8-acre battery network 20 miles outside of Charlotte. The cost is estimated at over 50 million dollars, and you the tax payer will be responsible for 40%. The energy stored can provide electric power to 30,000 homes for only four hours! Who do we get the batteries from?  You know–China.

Here is what needs to be done. Since Duke Energy has essentially a monopoly on power generating in N.C., the General Assembly should appoint a special committee to conduct an assessment of current and projected future electricity needs and develop a plan that Duke will be required to follow. No more taxpayer funded solar or windmills. The economic future of this state requires our elected officials to make sure that sufficient cost-effective electrical energy is available at all times. It should not be left up to the whims of Duke or any other energy corporation. Without it our safety and security are at grave risk.

Trumpenomics Is Working

On Wednesday, The Daily Signal reported:

The U.S. government posted a $95 billion budget deficit in January, down $34 billion, or 26%, from a year earlier as revenue gains, including customs duties, outpaced growth in outlays, the Treasury Department said on Wednesday.

Adjusting for routine calendar shifts in benefit payments due to holidays, weekends, and other factors in both years, the Treasury said the January deficit would have been $30 billion, a decline of $52 billion, or 63%, from January 2025.

January receipts totaled $560 billion, up $47 billion, or 9%, from a year earlier, while outlays totaled $655 billion, up $13 billion, or 2%.

A $95 billion deficit is not a good thing; however, it is better than it was a year ago. If America is going to survive as a country, we need to elect people who will give us budget surpluses–not budget deficits.

The article concludes:

Helping to drive both January and year-to-date results were sharply higher net customs receipts due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. These totaled $27.7 billion in January, about the same level as December and slightly below the $30 billion monthly pace late last year. Customs duties in January 2025, the month that Trump took office and well before his tariff announcements, totaled $7.3 billion.

Fiscal year-to-date net customs duties were $117.7 billion, up from $28.2 billion a year earlier.

Also, cutting the deficit was a rare $12 billion decline in Treasury interest outlays on the public debt to $72 billion for January. The Treasury official said this stemmed from downward adjustments to payments on inflation-linked securities that were delayed by last year’s government shutdown and publication of consumer price index data.

Year-to-date Treasury debt interest totaled $426 billion, a record for the period, up $34 billion, or 9%.

The tariff income is a wonderful thing. My fear is that as fast as it comes in, Congress will find a way to spend it.

What Are We Teaching Our Children?

On Thursday, The Daily Caller posted an article about a father who protested his son’s being taken out of school to attend an anti-ICE rally.

The article reports:

A father who posted a video of himself pulling his son out of a “walkout” protesting operations by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tore into the Highline School Board in Washington state on Wednesday.

Hundreds of students in the Seattle-area school district took part in the Feb. 2 walkout, some of whose parents backed the protest, according to the Seattle Times. Vance Glawe, who drove to the protest to pull his son, a seventh-grade student at Cascade Middle School, out of the event, confronted members of the school board with fiery remarks during his two-minute address.

“My name is Vance Glawe and on the afternoon of February 2, 2026, my 14 year old child called me. He was not at school. He was not sick. He was in the middle of White Center, Washington, in the middle of a protest that was organized for his middle school,” Glawe told the members of the board during their Wednesday meeting in video that went viral when it was posted on X by LibsofTikTok.

The article concludes:

Glawe also set up a GiveSendGo fundraiser for legal expenses and to relocate, saying his son was receiving threats for his videos.

“I’m going to need some help with legal fees and relocation since I am now receiving death threats and I don’t feel my son is safe in this area anymore,” Glawe said on the page. Glawe added in a Feb. 4 update, “I cannot bring my son back to school because kids are threatening to jump my son because of my video.”

I have been told that some schools are having parents sign a blanket permission slip at the beginning of the year that allows the school to take the children on field trips. In the age of dinosaurs when I was in school, a field trip meant going to a museum, a zoo, a planetarium, etc. I guess it has a whole different meaning now. If you are a parent, don’t sign that slip–ask for individual slips for each trip!

The Camel’s Nose Is Under The Tent

On Friday, The Federalist posted an article about some of the changes Mayor Mamdani is making to New York City law.

The article reports:

At New York City’s Interfaith Breakfast last week, Mayor Zohran Mamdani did not merely criticize federal immigration enforcement — he reframed it as a religious and moral transgression. Invoking the Islamic doctrine of hijra, he urged New Yorkers to “stand alongside the stranger” in permanent, unqualified solidarity, elevating prophetic example above constitutional sovereignty. 

“Islam [is] a religion built upon a narrative of migration,” Mamdani declared. “The story of the Hijra reminds us that Prophet Muhammad … was a stranger too, who fled Mecca and was welcomed in Medina.” He then universalized the narrative into a binding civic command: “The obligation is upon us all … to look out for the stranger.” 

I have no problem looking out for the stranger who came to America legally and has committed any crimes.

The article notes:

In this framework, federal enforcement is not lawful authority but cruelty. Immigration officers become “masked agents, paid by our own tax dollars,” who “violate the Constitution and visit terror upon our neighbors.”  

“If these are not attacks upon the stranger among us, what is?” Mamdani asked. “There is no reforming something so rotten and base.” 

This is an inversion of moral authority. 

Mass migration is framed as a moral and civilizational imperative, demanding compassion and openness, while serious pushback on enforcement is recast as intolerant, unjust, or even xenophobic. This framing mirrors elements of the Muslim Brotherhood’s doctrine of tamkeen (institutional entrenchment) outlined in strategic writings such as the 1991 Explanatory Memorandum and the 1982 Project, which describe a phased civilizational strategy built on population presence, parallel institutions, resistance to full assimilation, and long-term influence over policy, law, and public narrative.  

The article concludes:

Mamdani’s speech illustrates that process in motion. The same pattern produced Europe’s parallel societies and no-go zones, where enforcement became politically untouchable. It is now visible in American cities, where sanctuary expansion renders borders symbolic and law selectively optional.

This is not compassion. It is the systematic replacement of citizenship with dependency, sovereignty with moral coercion, and a nation bound by law with tribes bound by grievance — abandoning the Naturalization Oath’s demand for “true faith and allegiance” to the Constitution.

Someone who supports Sharia Law cannot have an allegiance to the U.S. Constitution–the two legal codes conflict. There is also the issue of taqiyya which essentially says that is is permissible under Islam to lie to an infidel in order to advance the cause of Islam.

Wake up, America!

The Fulton County Saga Continues

I wonder if the people who ran the election in 2020 thought that they would still be in the news at 2026. The truth is getting closer, and I hope the people responsible for whatever shenanigans took place will be held accountable.

On Tuesday, Hot Air reported:

If I were a more cynical man, I would think that the election officials in Fulton County have something to hide. 

As a Pollyanna, though, I am certain that it means nothing at all that Fulton County is suing to stop the FBI from examining the evidence that could prove or disprove whether shenanigans that likely cost Trump the 2020 elections took place in that county. 

Liberals believe that the 2020 election was “the most secure in history,” which is about as ridiculous as praising the Quality Learing Center for its curriculum and stewardship of public money. There were, in fact, few speed bumps to even slow down election fraud, and despite many lawsuits being filed, there were no efforts to check whether election laws were followed or ballot security enforced. In many states, the elections weren’t even run by the Secretaries of State, having handed the process over in all but name to the Zuckerbucks nonprofits.

Fulton County has spent years hiding the ballots, and even tried to destroy them well before the legal time requirement. The county has violated court orders to keep them hidden and has already admitted that they broke the law in how they counted and verified the vote totals.

Now that the ballots are in the FBI’s hands due to a search warrant, Fulton County is trying to keep them from being examined, and will have a heck of a time explaining why the 40 boxes they claimed existed do not appear to be in FBI hands. 

The article concludes:

For years, the Georgia political establishment defended the process, even as the Fulton County elections office was cleared out due to its manifest “incompetence.” We can only speculate why even Republicans defended the vote count—perhaps it was only that Pravda and leftist prosecutors went to enormous effort to punish anybody expressing doubts, and perhaps for another reason.

But the defense is likely to collapse, in the same way that the Fauci/Pravda line that COVID came from a raccoon dog, not the WIV, has collapsed. Unfortunately, that means that the truth will come out, but nobody will pay a price.

Most ironic of all is that the RICO case against Trump was entirely predicated on the quality of the Georgia vote count, which Trump didn’t believe for a second. As usual, Trump will be proven right, his critics will be proven liars who use lawfare to suppress the truth and to try to deny Trump an election victory, and…nobody will pay a price, and liberals will still cling to the lies.

Stay tuned. This case may have broader implications.

Using Your Voter ID To Opposed Voter ID

The following was posted on X on Thursday afternoon:

On Wednesday, The U.S. House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act.

On Wednesday, Fox News reported:

The House of Representatives passed a massive election integrity overhaul bill on Wednesday despite opposition from the vast majority of Democrats.

The House passed Rep. Chip Roy’s SAVE America Act, legislation that’s aimed at keeping non-citizens from voting in U.S. federal elections. All but one House Democrat — Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas — voted against the bill. It passed 218 to 213.

It is an updated version of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, also led by Roy, R-Texas, which passed the House in April 2025 but was never taken up in the Senate.

The bill requires a new federal proof of citizenship mandate in the voter registration process, photo ID to vote in any federal elections, and require states to clear ineligible voters from their voter rolls (dead people, etc.). In North Carolina, we had (hopefully this has been fixed) a number of people on our voting rolls that were over 120 years old. Hopefully the are no longer on the voting rolls or they are alive and being celebrated by their families.

The article notes:

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., accused Republicans of trying to make it harder for women to vote. She argued that the legislation would make it more difficult for married women to cast ballots if their surname is different from their maiden name on their birth certificate.

Do they really believe women are too dumb to produce a birth certificate and a marriage certificate (or other form of identification)? You need an id to open a bank account or cash a check. To my knowledge, women have been doing both for years.

The article concludes:

Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital, “The American people did not give Republicans a mandate to make excuses. They gave us one to deliver wins, and the SAVE America Act is exactly that. Every single Democrat who voted no today proved they would rather let illegal aliens tip the scales in our national elections than protect your vote.”

If implemented, the bill could see new requirements imposed on voters in this year’s November midterm elections.

But it would have to pass the Senate, where current rules dictate that at least several Democrats are needed to meet the 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster.

Seventy plus percent of Americans support voter id requirements. Let’s see if the Senate is willing to listen to the people they are supposed to represent!

Evanston Illinois Has A Plan

On Wednesday, The Western Journal reported the following:

More than a million dollars will soon be doled out to black residents of Evanston, Illinois, under the city’s reparations program.

Evanston’s Reparations Committee announced last week that 44 people will be getting $25,000 each, for a total of $1.1 million, according to the Chicago Tribune.

All 44 are descendants of individuals who qualify under the city’s program that pays out reparations to black residents who claimed they experienced housing discrimination between 1919 and 1969.

The payments are intended to be used for housing expenses, Cynthia Vargas, Evanston’s communications and community engagement manager, said.

Through Jan. 31, the city has received $276,588 for the Reparations Fund from its real estate transfer tax. The city’s Cannabis Retailers Occupation Tax, which by state edict does not share amounts, also kicks in to the fund.

So the city is taxing people who had nothing to do with the housing discrimination to compensate for the housing discrimination. Notice that the payout will be more than $1 million and the money received to make the payout totals about $276,000 so far. Where is the rest of the money going to come from? The goal is to hand out $10 million to black residents in the next ten years.

The article notes:

Judicial Watch has sued the city over the program, saying it violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

In its lawsuit, Judicial Watch argued that the “program’s use of a race-based eligibility requirement is presumptively unconstitutional, and remedying societal discrimination is not a compelling government interest.”

“Among the program’s other fatal flaws is that it uses race as a proxy for discrimination without requiring proof of discrimination,” the lawsuit continued.

“To date, Evanston has awarded over $6,350,000 to 254 individuals based on their race,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in September when the lawsuit was filed.

“The city must be stopped before it spends even more money on this clearly discriminatory and unconstitutional reparations program,” he said.

Aside from the fiscal insanity, how long before fraud enters this program?

Why We Need To Teach Civics In Our Schools

On Wednesday, Yahoo News posted an article about a County Sheriff in North Carolina who couldn’t answer a very basic civics question.

The article reports:

North Carolina Republican state Rep. Allen Chesser said he was taken by surprise when a Democratic sheriff who has long opposed cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could not answer a basic question about how the government works.

A North Carolina House Oversight Committee hearing spurred on by the recent killing of a young Ukrainian woman, Iryna Zarutska, in Charlotte, took an unexpected turn when Chesser asked Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden, “What branch of government do you operate under?”

McFadden, who is the top law enforcement officer in the county where Zarutska was killed, simply answered, “Mecklenburg County,” prompting Chesser to repeat, “What branch of government do you operate under, sheriff?”

The sheriff answered, “The Constitution of the United States,” to which Chesser responded, “That is what establishes the branches of government; I’m asking what branch you fall under.”

The article continues:

After that, Chesser continued to press McFadden about how he reconciles his responsibility as an officer under the executive branch to enforce the law with his opposition to cooperation with ICE. Chesser asked McFadden how he reconciled his responsibility with a previous statement in which the sheriff said, “We do not have a role in enforcement whatsoever, we do not have to follow the rules and the laws that are governed by our lawmakers in Raleigh.”

The sheriff said that Chesser was taking his quote out of context, saying it was strictly in reference to immigration enforcement.

Though declining to offer more context on the statement, McFadden affirmed his office is now abiding by state law requiring cooperation with ICE, saying, “We follow the law, when the law is produced, we follow the law.”

The Oath of Office for a sheriff in North Carolina includes the words “I will support and maintain the Constitution and laws of the United States, and the Constitution and laws of North Carolina not inconsistent therewith…. How can you support and maintain the Constitution if you have no idea what it says? Maybe we need to make all of our elected officials take a short course on the U.S. Constitution after they are elected.