Why President Trump Is Asking For A New Census

On Thursday, The Federalist posted an article explaining the need for a new census and the reason President Trump is asking that it be done before the mid-term elections.

The article reports:

President Donald Trump announced Thursday he instructed the Commerce Department to begin working on a census that does not include illegal aliens. It’s a long-overdue correction to a system that Democrats have exploited for years to tip the balance of power in Washington.

“I have instructed our Department of Commerce to immediately begin work on a new and highly accurate CENSUS based on modern day facts and figures and, importantly, using the results and information gained from the Presidential Election of 2024. People who are in our country illegally WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE CENSUS. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump said.

Trump previously signed a memo in 2020 that barred illegal aliens from being counted in the census. The memo was challenged and made its way to the Supreme Court, which ultimately did not rule on the merits as to whether all residents — regardless of their legal status — must be counted and if the president has the authority to exclude nonresidents.

The high court however did rule in the 1976 decision Mathews v. Diaz, a case regarding the Social Security Act, that while illegal immigrants are entitled to due process protections under the Fifth and 14th Amendments, they are not entitled to the benefits of citizenship. 

The article concludes:

NBC News’ Alexandra Marquez says not counting illegal aliens would be “contrary to the Constitution.”

But that is a suspect conclusion drawn by the propaganda press. The Framers likely would not support the position that illegal aliens who invaded the nation should be counted in apportionment to determine representation. In fact, prior to the ratification of the Constitution, most northern states advocated for no slaves to be counted in the apportionment proceedings so that slaveholding states, some of which had slave populations as high as 43 percent of their total residents, would not have an unfair amount of representation compared to their actual voting weight.

Yet, we’re supposed to believe Axios, NBC News, and NPR that illegal aliens would have been counted in the census?

Counting illegal alien in the census skews congressional apportionment and the electoral college — and the American citizen pays the price in diluted representation and misallocated resources.

I would like to see some of the people who support rights reserved for American citizens being bestowed on illegal aliens go to another country and try to claim the rights of that country’s citizens. It would be interesting to see what happens next.

Putting The Blame Where It Belongs

On Saturday, The Daily Caller posted an article about the problem of rising energy prices under President Trump. As the expression goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” President Trump has been in office for less than six months, he is still dealing with the multi-dimensional mess he walked into.

The article reports:

The corporate media is suggesting that President Donald Trump and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) are responsible for rising electricity prices rather than the aggressive green energy policies of Democrats and former President Joe Biden, who himself presided over a major spike in prices.

Several major corporate media outlets have linked Trump’s OBBBA to climbing energy prices, despite data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) showing that electricity bills were already on the rise, shooting up during the middle of the Biden administration. Energy experts, grid watchdogs and operators have long warned that the Biden-era green energy push threatens grid security and drives up electricity costs, as power demand also surges from the booming artificial intelligence (AI) sector.

“Electricity prices have been increasing since the grid became burdened with unreliable and expensive wind and solar. The problem has recently worsened as electricity demand has increased because of the explosion in AI-driven data center energy needs that wind and solar just can’t meet,” Steve Milloy, senior policy fellow at the Energy and Environment Legal Institute, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Demand will likely continue to increase and will only be satisfied by more fossil fuel and nuclear baseload power. The BBB will make more baseload power possible by discouraging utilities from adding more unreliable and pointlessly expensive wind and solar.”

The article concludes:

“Democrats committed arson on electricity prices and now they have the nerve to accuse Trump of playing with matches. In Trump’s first term, electricity prices rose by less than 1% per year. Under Biden, electricity prices rose 22%. I think the American people will trust President Trump’s energy policies more than hypocritical Democrat finger-pointing,” James Taylor, president of The Heartland Institute and the founding director of Heartland’s Arthur B. Robinson Center for Climate and Environmental Policy, told the DCNF.

The Department of Energy (DOE) warned in its July 7 report that blackouts could increase by a factor of 100 by 2030 if the U.S. keeps retiring power plants without adequate replacements, the grid will be unable to meet the soaring demand from energy-hungry data centers in the coming years. It continued to single out wind and solar as key contributors to declining grid stability and argued that dispatchable generation from sources like coal, oil, gas and nuclear are vital to meet American power needs.

Like it or not, the economy and infrastructure of the globe runs on fossil fuel. Until the free market invents something considerably more reliable and ecologically sound from start to finish, our reliance on fossil fuel will continue. Wind and solar at this time are simply not practical.

Common Sense Comes To Windmills

On Tuesday, The Department of the Interior posted a Press Release detailing the Department’s changing policy on wind energy.

The Press Release states:

Today, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum announced four policy measures to advance President Donald J. Trump’s commonsense approach to affordable, reliable energy development in America.

In alignment with President Donald J. Trump’s directives, the Department of the Interior is ending special treatment for unreliable energy sources, such as wind. This includes evaluating whether to stop onshore wind development on some federal lands and halting future offshore wind lease sales. The Department will also study how constructing and operating wind turbines might affect migratory bird populations.

These changes are part of a broader America First energy strategy focused on affordability, reliability, and accountability for the American people. As part of efforts to support a stable power grid and elevate local voices, the Department will improve consultation with tribes, local communities, and the fishing industry regarding offshore wind projects. The latest reforms aim to ensure that energy development reflects local land-use priorities and community values.

“These policy changes represent a commonsense approach to energy that puts Americans’ interests first,” said Secretary Doug Burgum. “Leveling the playing field in permitting supports energy development that’s reliable, affordable, and built to last. We’re also making sure tribes and local communities have a real seat at the table. This move is about responsible energy growth that works for every American.”

These are the highlights of the Press Release:

Stopping Preferential Treatment for Wind Projects

Restoring Congress’s Mandate to Consider All Uses of Our Public Lands and Waters Equally

Enhancing Stakeholder Engagement for Offshore Wind Development 

Reviewing the Consequences of Developing Wind Turbines on Migratory Birds 

Wind energy is another concept that was not fully thought out before it was implemented. The impact of offshore windmills on whales and other marine life that uses sonar to navigate and the consequences of a blade malfunctioning or disintegrating have not been fully considered. The impact of onshore windmills on eagles and other birds has also been ignored. Let’s get back to a level playing field in terms on energy generation and let the free market prevail.

General Flynn Speaks Out

General Flynn has a Substack website where he posts articles about current happenings.

On July 29, he posted the following headline, “The Hunted Have Become the Hunters The Truth is Rising.” I agree. In the article he lists recent events that have uncovered the truth about the continuing attacks on President Trump and his past and present administrations.

The article reports:

The recent declassifications from DNI Tulsi Gabbard weren’t coincidental. They were a strategic disclosure of evidence and laid the groundwork for follow-on prosecutions.

Here’s what those documents confirm:

Barack Obama knew in December 2016 that there was no Russia-Trump collusion. He also knew Hillary Clinton’s campaign was manufacturing the narrative, yet he allowed it to proceed anyway. Why…Because globalism and communism were the end goals. Obama was not just transforming America, he was weaponizing the entire federal government to destroy a duly elected successor.

This wasn’t politics, this was a coup that they nearly got away with.

How Do We Know?

Let’s look at five confirmed, documented facts that expose this Deep State playbook:

1. Illegal surveillance of the Trump campaign via FISA warrants—later ruled invalid. The DOJ’s Inspector General found at least 17 significant errors or omissions in the Carter Page FISA applications (Horowitz Report, 2019).

2. Unmasking of Gen. Michael Flynn by dozens of Obama-era officials. According to DNI declassifications, 39 officials made 53 unmasking requests involving Flynn, including Biden and Obama’s Chief of Staff.

3. Despite its unverified status, Senator John McCain hand-delivered the Steele Dossier to James Comey, and it later became the basis for FBI surveillance.

4. AG Bill Barr claimed “no election fraud” within days of the 2020 election despite hundreds of affidavits, video footage, and ongoing court challenges.

5. The FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago authorized with “deadly force” authority in the execution order (as confirmed by court filings in 2024).

Why 2020 Was Critical

2020 wasn’t just about beating Trump, it was about silencing him before he could uncover and expose their crimes. The Deep State’s strategy is to run out the clock since the federal statute of limitations for many offenses is five years.

But there’s one catch: a conspiracy investigation resets the clock and opens up new venues for prosecution. The Deep State’s favorite Washington, D.C. courtrooms can no longer protect this corruption-Florida is now in play and that changes everything.

A New DOJ — A New Battlefield

This marks a new chapter beyond the Barr–Wray–Durham era. The president has appointed a talented team of leaders and assigned them clear responsibilities and expectations to ensure accountability.

From the FBI’s new investigations to Tulsi’s precise declassifications, every piece of this operation is moving in sync. You don’t declassify sensitive intel unless ready to act on it. You don’t flip the DOJ unless you plan to prosecute.

This is not the Trump of 2017. This is 2025 Trump, deliberate, battle-tested, and backed by a trusted inner circle.

Please follow the link and read the entire article. It is time for justice.

Peace Breaks Out Again?

On Monday, Fox News reported that President Trump has announced that Thailand and Cambodia have reached a ceasefire deal.

The article reports:

Thailand and Cambodia reached a ceasefire deal “through trade,” President Donald Trump announced Monday, ending a burgeoning conflict that displaced 260,000 people. 

The declaration from Trump comes after he said over the weekend that he had spoken to the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand, urging a ceasefire, adding the U.S. would not get back to the “trading table” with the southeast Asian countries until fighting stops. 

The fighting began Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes that have killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 260,000 people on both sides. 

The article notes:

“I said, ‘I don’t want to trade with anybody that’s killing each other.’ So we just got that one solved. And I’m going to call the two prime ministers who I got along with very, very well and speak to them right after this meeting and congratulate them. But it was an honor to be involved in that. That was going to be a very nasty war. Those wars have been very, very nasty,” Trump also said.

“By ending this War, we have saved thousands of lives. I have instructed my Trade Team to restart negotiations on Trade. I have now ended many Wars in just six months — I am proud to be the President of PEACE!” Trump added in a post on Truth Social.

As part of the ceasefire deal, military commanders from both sides will begin to hold talks Tuesday to defuse tensions while Cambodia will host a border committee meeting on Aug. 4, according to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

As I have stated before, President Trump knows how to use economic leverage. America is the big kid on the block, and we don’t have to bully anyone. However, we can use our economic position to bring peace where it is needed.

Something That Would Help Bring Down The Crime Rate In Some American Cities

On Monday, Breitbart posted an article about a recent statement by President Trump regarding cashless bail. Some of our major cities have policies of releasing criminals without charging bail if the crime was not violent. Some cities release the criminals even if the crimes are violent. Not only does this put a criminal back on the street instantly, it provides no incentive for a criminal to stop committing crimes.

On Monday, Breitbart reported:

President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to demand the elimination of cashless bail, saying the policy has failed and is endangering public safety.

“Crime in American Cities started to significantly rise when they went to CASHLESS BAIL,” President Trump posted on Monday. “The WORST criminals are flooding our streets and endangering even our great law enforcement officers. It is a complete disaster, and must be ended, IMMEDIATELY!”

Trump’s message echoes concerns he has voiced repeatedly on the campaign trail. At a Bronx rally in May of last year, Trump decried “radical left pro-crime policies” that he said have “destroyed” cities like New York.

“You know the names of these lunatic policies: No cash bail… defund our great police, sanctuary cities, release violent repeat offenders from jail,” Trump asserted at the time. He pointed to the tragic death of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller — fatally shot during a traffic stop in March by a suspect with 21 prior arrests — as a direct consequence of these policies. “These dangerous and violent repeat offenders should never have been on our streets. Jonathan should be alive today, but they were released again and again and again,” he stated.

The state of New York eliminated cash bail for most non-violent offenses in 2019. In Illinois, the Democrat-controlled legislature and Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) abolished cash bail entirely in 2023, despite warnings from prosecutors that it would create chaos. McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally observed the new system produced “absurd” and “incoherent” outcomes on day one.

Eliminating cash bail removes any respect criminals might have had for the law. When there are no consequences for breaking the law, there is no reason to stop breaking the law.

The Pivotal Dates

On Tuesday, Representative Jim Jordan posted an article at MRCTV listing the three key dates in the Russiafor Collusion Hoax.

The article lists the three dates:

“Never forget there are three key dates here,” Jordan said, beginning with a meeting Pres. Obama had with his top intelligence, CIA and FBI officials the month after Trump’s election in November of 2020:

  1. December 9th: “They had this meeting in the White House: Clapper, Brennan, McCabe, Comey, the president. They’re all there and they say, ‘Okay, we’re not going to accept the intelligence community assessment; we’re going to change that.’”
  2. January 3rd: (Democrat Senator) Chuck Schumer goes on one of the Sunday shows and says – talking about then President-Elect Trump – he says, ‘If you mess with the intelligence community, they have six ways from Sunday of getting back at you.”
  3. January 6th: “They all go up to Trump Towers to give Pres. Trump what he believes is his incoming defensive briefing as the new president-elect. He thinks he’s getting the normal defensive briefing. Instead, it’s a set-up.”

The purpose of the briefing is to give credence to the idea that Russia meddled in the 2016 election.

The article notes:

Jordan explained how Obama’s officials knowingly used false claims from the infamous Steele Dossier, deception and leaks to the media in their set-up of President Elect Trump:

“They go up there, talk to him about this and then Comey tells him about the dossier – the dossier that they already know is baloney. They know it’s not true, came from the Clinton campaign and everything else.

“But, they brief him on it so that, when that information gets leaked, it has added credibility because, now, it was so important that the FBI talked to the president-elect. The press has got to report it – and off and running goes the Russia Collusion false narrative for the next two years.”

“It was all to undermine President Trump and his presidency,” Rep. Jordan concluded, adding that he hopes the Justice Department gets to the bottom of the conspiracy:

I don’t wish anyone ill, but the actions of President Obama and his cadre do not represent the smooth transition of power. They need to be held accountable for what they did.

Slowly Getting Judicial Confirmations Done

On July 10th, The New York Post posted an article about Whitney Hermandorfer, the first of President Trump’s judicial appointments to be confirmed this term.

The article reports:

The Senate on Thursday cleared the way to confirm the first judicial appointment of President Trump’s second term, marking a slower tempo than at the same point of both his first term and that of President Joe Biden’s.

By a 51-43 party-line vote, the Senate moved to conclude debate on Whitney Hermandorfer’s nod for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, teeing up an expected vote next week.

At this stage of Trump’s first term, the Senate had already confirmed two court nominees — Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and Sixth Circuit Judge Amul Thapar.

By next week, that figure will shoot up to three, including US District of Idaho Judge David Nye, who was confirmed in July of 2017.

Meanwhile, former President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats had already wrangled through 14 judges at this stage of 2021.

The Democrats have decided to fight President Trump’s agenda through the courts and are probably going to drag their feet in confirming the President’s judicial nominees. This is one of many reasons that the Republicans need to gain Congressional seats in the mid-term elections.

The article notes:

In the past, confirmations used to be more cumbersome because they had to clear the 60-vote threshold needed to break a filibuster from the minority party. In 2013, then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) used the nuclear option to eliminate that in most instances.

Republicans won back the Senate the following year.

Reconfiguring the ideological composition of the judiciary has been a key goal of administrations from both political parties. But the GOP-led Senate has been busy with other priorities as well.

Harry Reid was warned that using the nuclear option would come back to bite him in the future. It did. The Democrats were so used to being in the majority that they couldn’t envision losing that majority.

Money Talks, But Can It Bring Peace?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The article reports:

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

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

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

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

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

Just another reason not to trust the mainstream media.

A Prelude To The End Of The War?

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

The article reports:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Big Beautiful Bill Has Passed The Senate

Breitbart reported on Tuesday that the Big Beautiful Bill has passed the Senate. Vice-President J.D. Vance cast the tie-breaking vote. The bill now goes back to the House of Representatives where the first procedural vote is expected to happen on Wednesday.

The article reports:

The bill includes an enormous assemblage of Trump’s campaign promises on border security, energy, national security, spending cuts, and taxes. The bill also includes Medicaid reforms and an increase in defense spending.

It didn’t come easy.

“Tensions have been high at times, but we’re at the end now,” Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC), the Budget Committee Chairman, said with enthusiasm through bloodshot eyes during the final vote series.

…At 10:12 am EST, Senators were instructed to make their way to the Floor and plan to be in their seats in 15 minutes. Over an hour later, a large group of Senators was still huddled at the dais negotiating with the help of Senate staff, including Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth McDonough.

Eventually an agreement was reached, and the Senate, anxious to end the marathon session, breezed through the final votes.

Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Rand Paul (R-KY), who voted against proceeding to the bill, voted against its passage. They were joined by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), whose amendment to raise taxes on billionaires to pay for a fund for rural hospitals was soundly defeated – her amendment received a bipartisan smattering of 22 votes.

Sen. Lisa Murkowksi (R-AK) required a last minute agreement on a Medicaid carveout for her state after the Senate parliamentarian ruled the prior agreement violated the much ballyhooed Byrd rule which governs what can be included in reconciliation bills.

The article concludes:

The path ahead is arduous.

The big, beautiful bill now heads to the House, where a handful of moderates have protested the Medicaid reforms, and a large block of spending hawks, mostly consisting of House Freedom Caucus members, want more spending cuts in line with the version of the bill the House sent to the Senate.

The first procedural vote is expected Wednesday morning at 9 am.

Yet Trump’s July 4 deadline remains in reach. And Trump is likely to lobby, cajole, threaten, and twist arms – or whatever else is necessary – to secure his signature legislative achievement.

This is not a perfect bill, but it is a beginning. Now it’s time for Congress to start voting on spending cuts.

H.R.4 – Rescissions Act of 2025 has already passed the house. This bill rescinds $9.4 billion in unobligated funds that were provided to the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), various independent and related agencies, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The rescissions were proposed by the President under procedures included in the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. Under current law, the President may propose rescissions to Congress using specified procedures, and the rescissions must be enacted into law to take effect.

For further information on this bill, go to Congress.gov and put “H.R.4” in the search engine.

It is possible to cut spending–we just need a Congress willing to do it.

When Politics Becomes More Important Than Patriotism

On Wednesday, Townhall posted an article with a headline that asked a very interesting question:

Why Haven’t Any Living Former Presidents Publicly Supported Trump for Enforcing Their Unanimous Red Line?

All of our living former Presidents (and a number of legislators) have stated at one time or another that Iran should never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. Some of our former Presidents said this despite giving Iran large sums of money that were probably spent on developing a nuclear weapon.

The article reports:

This is a fair question from Matt Continetti, who recites some of the relevant quotations before posing it. I’ll add to the list. President Bill Clinton described a nuclearlzed Iran as intolerable and signed the Iran Nonproliferation Act of 2000, “which authorize[d] him to take punitive action against individuals or organizations known to be providing material aid to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs in Iran.”  President George W. Bush intoned in 2008 that “permitting the world’s leading sponsor of terror to possess the world’s deadliest weapon would be an unforgivable betrayal of future generations.”  He added, “for the sake of peace, the world must not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”  The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg cooed about President Barack Obama’s “crystal clear promise to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.” Obama himself said in 2012 that “when the United States says it is unacceptable for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, we mean what we say.” For added emphasis, he said, “I don’t bluff.”  President Joe Biden declared that the Iranian regime would “never get a nuclear weapon on my watch” in 2021.

Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) has become more important in some peoples’ minds than the safety of America. It is interesting that after President Trump was the only President to act on the promise that Iran would never obtain a nuclear weapon, there was no acknowledgement of the accomplishment by those who failed to do it.

Things We Need To Know

On Sunday, The Epoch Times posted an article detailing what we need to know about President Trump’s bombing of the Iranian nuclear facilities.

The article lists five things:

Iran’s Key Nuclear Sites ‘Obliterated’

Trump said during an address to the nation that U.S. strikes had “completely and totally obliterated” three key Iranian nuclear facilities, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan (also spelled Esfahan).

…Trump Threatens ‘Far Greater’ Attacks If No Peace

Trump threatened Iran with “far greater” attacks if the regime refused to make peace.

…US Worked With Israel

Trump confirmed the United States worked with Israel, taking a moment in his address to the nation to thank Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

…Iran Atomic Agency Vows to Continue Program

The Iranian Atomic Energy Organization said it will continue with its development of its “national industry,” an apparent reference to its nuclear development.

…Some Lawmakers Want Congressional Authorization

While some lawmakers have been supportive of Trump’s authorizing the strikes, others want congressional authorization before any additional actions are undertaken.

The lawmakers who insist that President Trump needs congressional authorization need to look at some of America’s recent history.

Double standard, anyone?

No one wants another endless Middle Eastern war, but I suspect President Trump does not have the patience for an endless war. I expect the Iranian situation–nuclear reactor sites, Strait of Hormuz, etc., to be resolved quickly.

The World Has Changed

On Saturday, I attended my high school reunion in New Jersey. When I got back to the hotel afterward, I opened my ipad and realized that the world had changed. Iran would never again be able to bully the world with the threat of a nuclear attack. America finally dealt with the incorrigible child in the Middle East who since 1979 has funded almost all of the terrorism around the world, especially against American troops.

President Trump drew a line in the sand–he gave them 60 days to negotiate seriously. The Iranians continued to stall for time. Just like the exasperated parent of a two-year old throwing a tantrum, President Trump dealt with the situation. I can’t help but believe that some aspects of this attack were discussed with the leaders of other Middle Eastern countries when President Trump visited those countries recently. The incorrigible child of the Middle East has now learned that bullying and funding terrorism has drastic consequences.

There are several aspects of this operation that are noteworthy. Congress and the media were not informed ahead of time–so there were no leaks from those sources. In contrast to his first term in office, President Trump has people around him that support his agenda and worldview. There was no leaking from either the President’s cabinet or the Department of Defense. The sleight of hand involved in sending some of our military aircraft to Guam was brilliant. The playbook used to protect the operational security of this attack was similar to the playbook used by President Reagan in preventing a communist takeover of Grenada–the press was told afterward so that there would be no leaks.

We can expect howls of protest from some members of Congress–particularly from those in the Democrat party, although there will be some Republicans who object to keeping America and the Middle East safer. However, we need to remember that the Democrats were silent in the past when similar actions were taken by Democrat Presidents. I suspect that the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities will be popular among the American people. This will probably be one of many 80/20 issues that the Democrats find themselves on the wrong side of. Some recent Democrat actions that backfired and were also 80/20 were the unannounced raid on Mar-a-Lago, and the Trump mugshot after his arrest in Atlanta.

The Democrats need new strategists!

What We Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate

On Friday, The Gateway Pundit reported that a senior Iranian official has stated that Iran is open to talks about limiting its program of uranium enrichment. Unfortunately, I believe the time for limiting enrichment has passed. I suspect the only reason the official is asking for negotiations is to stop the pounding of Iran by Israel.

The article reports:

A senior Iranian official has signaled that Tehran is “prepared to discuss limits” on uranium enrichment, though it firmly rejects any demand for total cessation—a “zero enrichment” policy is not on the table.

This shift follows weeks of intensifying conflict. Israel has launched airstrikes at Iran’s nuclear and military facilities.

It can be recalled that President Donald Trump has proposed zero uranium enrichment to Iran through United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, according to Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.

…A senior Iranian official has told Reuters that Tehran is prepared to discuss limits on its uranium enrichment programme, but made clear that demands for “zero enrichment” are off the table.

The article concludes:

French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the urgency of renewed negotiations, saying, “It is absolutely essential to prioritize a return to substantive negotiations, which include nuclear issues to move toward zero enrichment, ballistics to limit Iranian activities and capabilities, and the financing of all the terrorist groups destabilizing the region.”

The news outlet added that German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul echoed the call, reinforcing Berlin’s demand for zero enrichment as a baseline for any renewed agreement. British officials, while more reserved, have also recently expressed support for eliminating Iran’s enrichment activities.

Iran is not going to agree to zero enrichment unless it finds a way to continue enrichment while hiding it from the world. The only way this conflict ends is with Iran running out of weapons to fire at Isreal or regime change in Iran.

Stating The Obvious

War is a horrible thing, but sometimes it is necessary. The Bible notes that there is, “A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” I am not sure that this is the time for peace in the Middle East, and evidently I am not the only person feeling that way.

On June 16th, John Hinderaker posted the following at Power Line Blog:

With respect to Israel and Iran, talk of peace is in the air. We are beset with calls from various quarters to “de-escalate” the situation there, lest wider war break out. President Trump, who partnered with Israel in deceiving Iran prior to Israel’s preemptive strike, is now talking about making another deal with Iran.

I hope he doesn’t mean it. The last thing Israel, or anyone else, should be thinking about is another agreement with the mullahs. Israel now controls the skies, has largely degraded Iran’s missile capability, and can do pretty much anything it wants, militarily. It was delightful to see that Israel wiped out the regime’s state broadcaster.

So this is a golden opportunity, almost certainly the best one Israel ever has had, or ever will have, to bring about regime change in Iran. The mullahocracy needs to go. Neither Israel nor the rest of the world will ever be safe, as long as Islamic extremists control Iran. Israel has already demolished Iran’s proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah, and, to a lesser extent, the Houthis. But if Iran’s regime is allowed to stay in place, it will readily rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, just as it will eventually rebuild its nuclear capability.

I agree with the idea of removing the Iranian theocracy, but I am concerned about what will replace it. First of all, America, covertly or openly, should not be involved in any regime change in Iran. Our track record there is not good–we installed the Shah, and that did not turn out well. I am not sure that we ever fomented a color revolution anywhere that actually turned out well. The Iranians need to be free to choose their own future without outside interference.

Winning

On Wednesday, The New York Post reported that America had reached a trade agreement with China.

The article reports:

President Trump announced early Wednesday that the US had reached a trade agreement with China following two days of negotiations in London.

“Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me,” Trump revealed in an all-caps post on Truth Social. “Full magnets, and any necessary rare earths, will be supplied, up front, by China.”

“Likewise, we will provide to China what was agreed to, including Chinese students using our colleges and universities (which has always been good with me!). We are getting a total of 55% tariffs, China is getting 10%. The relationship is excellent! Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

The article concludes:

The commerce secretary said the new arrangement would see China ease barriers on rare earth minerals “in a balanced way,” without elaborating on specifics.

Lutnick (Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick) claimed that the framework brokered in London put “meat on the bones” on the Geneva consensus and would allow China to ease barriers on rare earth minerals “in a balanced way,” without elaborating on specifics.

China’s Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang had similarly confirmed late Tuesday that an agreement in London had been reached, subject to Trump’s and Xi’s approval.

I really would like to see a limit on the number of Chinese students allowed in our universities, but overall I think this will turn out to be a good deal.

The Impact Of The Tariffs

On Wednesday, The American Thinker posted an article about the tariffs President Trump has put in place since he took office.

The article reports:

Far from igniting the inflationary firestorm predicted by his critics, Trump’s sweeping tariffs — including a 10% universal import duty and targeted hikes on 90 nations — have coincided with the lowest inflation rate since early 2021.

In a striking reversal of the narrative pushed by many economists, The Economist—a publication not known for its support of Trump’s policies — published a June 5 article acknowledging the muted inflationary effect of the tariff wave. The magazine pointed to hard data: in April, year-over-year inflation cooled to just 2.3%, far below the 0.8-point spike predicted by a University of Chicago survey of 48 economists.

Instead of tariff-fueled price hikes, the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that prices for heavily impacted goods like clothing and new cars actually declined.

Car prices dropped by 0.5% from March to April, despite 25% tariffs on auto imports going into effect on April 3. Clothing prices remained flat through March — even as progressive economists sounded alarms. Far from passing on costs, many retailers and foreign producers appeared to absorb them, underscoring the competitive nature of global commerce in a post-pandemic landscape.

Even groceries — arguably the most politically sensitive prices of all — held steady through May, despite new duties on Canadian produce and other perishables. Consumers, in short, weren’t being punished at the checkout line.

Of course, none of this was supposed to happen.

The article concludes:

As the trade deficit narrows and the factory floors hum a little louder, it’s increasingly clear: this was no reckless gamble. It was strategy. And it’s working.

While some still mutter darkly about future price spikes, the facts on the ground are sobering — and for Trump’s critics, humbling. Inflation remains tame, shelves are stocked, and voters aren’t paying more to put dinner on the table. The tariffs are not only holding; they’re delivering.

This is what happens when a businessman instead of a politician becomes President. Can you imagine how much celebrating there would be in newsrooms if a Democrat had accomplished even half of what President Trump has accomplished? I am hoping that as Americans begin to realize the economic gifts they have received in the past six months, they will at least vote to keep control of Congress in the hands of the Republicans. That is the only way this success will continue.

View From The lair

Side Show

President Donald J Trump is one of the best –if not THE best – showmen since PT Barnum. He understands timing. He understands optics. He is a master at distraction. He knows when to take things over the top, especially when everyone else thinks that it is inappropriate, and then understates when everyone else expects him to blow up. He is a patriot who deeply loves our country and understands the threat it is in and has been in.

He’s brilliant.

Elon Musk is one of the most intelligent humans of the 21st century. Certainly, one of the most innovative and creative. He understands risk taking and how to transform a risk into a certainty. He is a patriot who understands that the Marxists have been succeeding in completing the destruction of not just our country but the concept and application of liberty, freedom, and capitalism.

He’s brilliant.

So, is the Trump/Musk feud at all real? Or has it been a distraction? I have been cogitating about this for several days, not expecting the turn around to happen quite this quickly. I strongly suspected that it would, but not this soon. One theory is that PDJT sent ICE into Kommifornia specifically to cause an eruption from the west coast Marxists. Mainly to distract the usual Pravda and Izvestia reporters from not doing their usual non-reporting about lying about the “Big Beautiful Bill” meandering itself through congress. It’s the perfect distraction. The useful idiots in the lamestream media can report on the “mostly peaceful demonstrations” while showing footage of burning cars and trucks; bricks and Molotov cocktails being thrown at LAPD cops and National Guardsmen, while ICE, Homeland Security, and US Marshals round up the usual and not so usual suspects. Like congress critters and other public circus clowns who really should know better. I say “should” because anyone with a smidgen (for those of you in Baltimore, it means a small amount) of intelligence would remember that Resident Brandon ain’t in the White House and the new sheriff don’t take that BullSchiff anymore. They really are slow learners. Perhaps they can blame the Department of Education.

Elon was all bent out of shape because of the excessive pork in the “BBB”. Well – it’s a product of congress. Anything less would be not just a miracle but a second coming. Of course it’s full of pork. The only saving grace is if it also has the “poison pill” – granting the president the discretion of NOT spending what he deems is unnecessary and sending the excess cash back to the treasury.

The second thing that got Elon’s knickers in a twist was the removal of the electric vehicle tax deduction. HEY ELON! You can’t have it both ways! The Green New Scam relied on such bogus tax deductions to support the fallacy that “green energy sources” were anything other than a scam and a fraud. He’s WAY too smart not to realize that, and to try to hold on to the hope that it would make it through congress unscathed is really lame. I can not accept that he didn’t have at least some inkling that the EV credit was DOA.

So, again, distractions. Oh, and the distraction that PDJT was in the Epstein files? And they weren’t released to the NYT in 2019, much less 2024? RIIIIGHT! Not a freaking chance.

PDJT and Elon are now friends again. Because Elon is dismayed by the demonstrations in LA. They are dismaying, no question. But again, the master of optics is using them to demonstrate how feckless the Marxists in Kommifornia are.

And how he knows how to take care of them. Always the chess master.

Bubble UP!

The Snark

Getting To The Root Of The Problem

On Sunday, PJ Media posted an article about the way the Trump administration is handling the riots in Los Angeles versus the way the Biden administration handled the ‘summer of love’ in 2020. To refresh your memory, Kamala Harris suggested that Americans send bail money to the rioters who were arrested. I suspect that President Trump will leave them in jail for a while.

Please follow the link to read the entire article. It is a good reminder of where we were and where we are.

The article reminds us:

Minneapolis, Portland, and Seattle all fell victim not just to angry mobs but to their own governors and mayors, too cowardly to stop them.

That year, Democrats cowered behind phrases like “mostly peaceful” as flames reached the heavens and lives were lost in the rubble. 

President Joe Biden, then hiding in his campaign basement, barely managed a weak whisper. 

He didn’t offer calm. 

He offered evasion.

Before she was selected for vice president, then-senator Kamala Harris offered to pay bail.

Now, in 2025, we sit on the edge of another long, hot summer. And already, the streets of Los Angeles have begun to rumble. 

The article concludes with the following observations:

Not Another Summer of Ash

The warning signs are here, with L.A. being the match point. 

But the message has already been sent: if you riot, you will be stopped. 

If you punch a cop, you will be arrested.

If you loot, you will be caught. 

If you burn, you will answer for it.

And that may be enough.

Because what the left misunderstood in 2020, and still doesn’t get in 2025, is that most Americans don’t want a revolution. 

They want predictability. 

They want their kids safe. 

They want their streets clean. 

They want to walk into a Walgreens without stepping over a junkie or dodging a flash mob.

Trump didn’t create this yearning. He simply heard it.

And now, he’s answering it.

Biden’s DOJ tried to block state border defenses. President Trump stepped in and restored order.

President Trump didn’t start the fire, but he will put it out!

Let’s Get Pivotal!

There have been many pivotal years in American history, but a few of them have greatly impacted the way the country is run. One of the years that has shaped where we are today with deficits, representatives who do not represent, etc., is 1913. That was the year the Federal Reserve was created, the income tax was instituted and the direct election of Senators was signed into law.

First I want to focus on the Federal Reserve. Despite what Americans were told, the purpose of the Federal Reserve was to make sure that the wealth of America remained concentrated in the major banks of New York City. If you look at the list of people who made the secret trip to Jekyll Island to create the blueprint for the Federal Reserve, that becomes obvious. More information about the gimmicks that were used to sell America on the idea of The Federal Reserve can be found in the book The Creature from Jekyll Island by G. Edward Griffin. The Federal Reserve has done nothing to help the average American, and it can be argued that its existence has hurt the average American financially.

The federal income tax was touted as something that would supposedly only impact the ‘super rich’ top 1 percent of Americans. We see how that went. It is interesting that in 2022, 40.1 percent of households paid no individual income tax. Keep in mind that these are voting eligible Americans who don’t care if politicians raise taxes. Up until 1913, America’s bills were paid by tariff income. Of course we did not have a welfare state at that point. It is also interesting that although the budget deficit went down in 2013, it began to increase again in 2016–government spending somehow always manages to catch up with increased revenue.

The direct election of Senators has done the most damage to our Republic. Prior to 1913, Senators were appointed by their states and could be ousted if they did not represent the interests of their states. The House of Representatives was supposed to be the branch of legislature that was more responsive to the will of the people and would react more quickly. The Senate was supposed to be a more deliberative body that represented the individual states. The direct election of Senators changed that dynamic.

1913 was a pivotal year for America, but not in a good way. We are again at a place where the decisions our leaders make could be pivotal. Do we make the tax cuts permanent or do we have a massive tax increase next year? Do the courts have power over the Executive Branch or can the President hire and fire people, command the military, and demand that the laws be enforced? The answer to those questions will determine whether 2025 and 2026 become pivotal years for America. President Trump is attempting to bring America closer to the ideals of our Founding Fathers. If he succeeds, that will be a good thing. It will also be pivotal.

This Will Be An Interesting Debate

On Friday, The Daily Signal posted an article about the debate that will happen in Congress at some point to decide whether any part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) savings should be returned to the taxpayer. I emphatically say, “YES!” The taxpayers were not responsible for the fraud and reckless spending–Congress was supposed to be exercising oversight. Let’s give taxpayers a portion of the savings and cut some Congressional perks to make up some of the difference.

The article reports:

Some House Republicans say they would rather use Department of Government Efficiency savings to pay off the national debt than to hand out the funds to taxpayers.

President Donald Trump floated giving $5,000 stimulus checks to taxpaying households in February, saying: “We’re thinking about giving 20% back to the American citizens, and 20% down to pay back debt.”

Investment CEO James Fishback first proposed the idea of a one-time payment of $5,000 for eligible taxpayers. The checks were to be funded with 20% of the $2 trillion in federal budget cuts Elon Musk said could be achieved, meaning around $400 billion split between 79 million taxpaying households.

What about the other 60 percent?

The article continues:

Fishback “continue[s] to advise the effort from the outside and will fight to ensure that a chunk of identified savings are sent back to hard-working American,” he told The Daily Signal in an email.

But fiscal conservatives in the House of Representatives would rather see DOGE savings entirely go toward paying off the debt, some tell The Daily Signal.

The article concludes:

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also said paying off the debt is the highest priority.

“Let’s focus on tackling our $36 trillion debt, while also helping hardworking Americans prosper by making the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent and spending less of their tax dollars,” Lee told The Daily Signal.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, agreed that the “big beautiful bill” is the best way to deliver on promises to voters.

“DOGE savings coupled with tax cuts will ensure Iowans and Americans can keep more of their hard earned money in their pockets while also restoring fiscal sanity and addressing deficit spending,” Hinson told The Daily Signal.

Why should the taxpayers have to pay for the government’s corruption and inefficiency?

Prescription Prices Are A Problem For All Americans

On Monday, The Daily Wire posted an article about President Trump’s plan to lower prescription drug prices.

The article reports:

Americans have waited long enough, and now real relief from sky-high prescription drug prices is finally here. Recently, President Donald J. Trump signed a landmark Executive Order to end the decades-long injustice that has forced American families — especially Hispanic households — to pay more for lifesaving medications than almost anyone else in the world.

Hispanics, who are more likely to be uninsured or underinsured compared to other groups, are disproportionately burdened by high out-of-pocket prescription costs. In fact, according to the CDC, nearly one in four Hispanic adults report not taking prescribed medications due to cost, compared to just 13% of non-Hispanic White adults. This Executive Order directly addresses that disparity by demanding lower drug prices and making medications more affordable and accessible for millions of working families across the country.

The article notes:

For many Americans across the U.S., especially those economically impacted by high healthcare costs, this Executive Order is a game changer. Families working long hours, often balancing multiple jobs, should not have to choose between buying insulin for their children or groceries for the week. President Trump’s directive ensures that low-income patients, seniors, and working-class Americans will now have direct access to the same steep discounts that pharmaceutical companies give to patients overseas through government-negotiated prices.

That means bypassing the costly middlemen and securing medicines at “most-favored-nation” prices that reflect the best deal given to any other country in the world. If drug manufacturers refuse, the Order empowers the Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to act decisively: impose these pricing standards through regulation and take additional aggressive steps to drive costs down. This is what America First leadership looks like.

The article concludes:

In an era where politicians too often offer empty promises and soaring rhetoric, President Trump delivers. His commitment to reforming healthcare pricing is not just about economics—it’s about justice. And make no mistake: justice is exactly what millions of Americans, especially those in underserved communities, have been demanding for years.

President Trump said it best: “Our citizens pay massively higher prices than other nations pay for the same exact pill, from the same factory.” That ends now.

This is more than an Executive Order. It’s a promise fulfilled, a burden lifted, and another bold move in President Trump’s mission to restore prosperity, fairness, and dignity to the American people.

Even with medical insurance and medicare supplement policies, some commonly prescribed drugs are very expensive.

This Isn’t Going To Help Me Sleep At Night

On Monday, Breitbart reported that Iran now has enough enriched uranium to make three nuclear weapons. I think we are rapidly reaching the time when the negotiations need to stop and action needs to be taken. There are many Muslims who believe that they can hasten the return of their Messianic figure, the Mahdi, by creating chaos. You really do not what someone who is thinking in those terms to have a nuclear weapon.

The article reports:

A report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) whose contents were revealed by multiple international media outlets this weekend expressed “serious concern” with the rapid rate of Iran’s uranium enrichment, which it reportedly claimed was enough to make one nuclear bomb a month in the past three months.

I suspect that part of the reason behind the rapid rate of uranium enrichment in Iran is the election of President Trump. The Iranians knew that as long as President Biden was in office, there were not going to be any serious restrictions on their nuclear program and that America would not support Israel in ending that program with a physical or cyber attack. President Trump does not think the way the Biden administration thought.

The article concludes:

Iranian officials dismissed reports of the IAEA’s disappointment with the country, insisting it would under no circumstances abandon enrichment. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei insisted that the IAEA report was “politically motivated” and dismissed all data on Iran’s enrichment as fabricated by Israel.

“He also noted that any nuclear agreement must include the continuation of Iran’s uranium enrichment activities and an end to cruel sanctions against the nation,” the Iranian state outlet PressTV said, paraphrasing Baghaei.

The head of Iran’s nuclear energy agency, Mohammad Eslami, similarly proclaimed on Sunday that Iran would never stop its illicit enrichment, despite legitimate concerns that it has no reason to be enriching the material at such a high level if it is seeking only to develop a nuclear energy program.

“No one can claim Iran has no right to enrichment, because this matter falls within its own specific frameworks and requirements,” Eslami reportedly stated, arguing that calling for Iran to stop enrichment weapons-grade uranium was akin to banning the country from building power plants.

Iran does not need nuclear power. They have enough oil to power their country for centuries. When dealing with Iran, we need to consider the practice of taqiyya, which is generally described as lying for the sake of Islam. It’s hard to negotiate with people who do not feel obligated to tell you the truth.