Tag Archives: Breitbart

The Consequences Of Uncontrolled Immigration

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On Tuesday, Breitbart posted an article about the German welfare system and who is benefiting from it.

The article reports:

Germany’s anti-mass-migration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has revealed that nearly four in ten long-term welfare recipients are foreign nationals.

Figures from Germany’s Federal Employment Agency, requested by the AfD in the Bundestag parliament, have shown that there are around 1.4 million people in Germany who have received the so-called “citizen’s allowance” welfare payments for at least five years, or around forty per cent of all those who receive the state support, Die Welt reported.

According to the data, 62.2 per cent of recipients of the citizen’s allowance for at least five years are German citizens, while 37.8 per cent are foreign nationals. This means that migrants are significantly over-represented, with only around one in five people in the country being foreign nationals.

The true impact of migration on the programme is likely higher, since the figures do not distinguish German citizens born abroad, who immigrated to the country and were later naturalised.

This is not workable in the long term. It’s actually the same problem we are having in America (except that in America in 2024, 59% of households headed by immigrants utilized at least one major welfare program).

The article notes:

The AfD has called for a welfare-system reform that requires recipients who have been receiving benefits for more than six months to provide at least 15 hours of community service per week, and to cut off those who fail to do so.

AfD lawmaker and party policy expert René Springer said: “It cannot be that so many people receive citizen’s income at the taxpayers’ expense, even though they could go to work.”

Beyond costing the nation a disproportionate amount of money through welfare payments, foreign nationals are also significantly overrepresented in crime, with recent data from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) showing that foreign nationals accounted for 42.9 per cent of all suspects. Again, this likely downplays the impact of migration because it excludes naturalised migrants and the children of migrants.

The AfD has had a few victories in recent elections. I expect that if they gain control of the country, Germany’s immigration problems may come to an abrupt end.

The Drive To Make Sure President Trump Does Not Get Credit For Any Success

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On Wednesday, Breitbart posted an article about the erroneous reporting on the impact of the Trump tariffs. As we are watching manufacturing return to America (something the Democrats claimed could never happen), some of our talking heads are screaming that the tariffs are causing inflation. Wait a minute. The annual inflation rate reached a high of 9.1% in June 2022, before gradually declining to around 3.7% by 2024. The current rate is slightly lower than 3%. Where were the tariffs in 2022?

The article reports:

The New York Fed has posted yet another paper by Mary Amiti and a team of economists on the costs of tariffs. It’s widely being read as showing that tariffs have pushed up consumer prices, with many reports claiming that goods inflation ran 2.9 percentage points higher because of tariffs.

In reality, however, the paper shows no such thing.

In the first place, the paper does not show and does not even claim that tariffs pushed up overall inflation by 2.9 percentage points. Its sample covers just 20 percent of the consumer basket. Translate the estimate into a contribution to overall consumer prices and you get roughly six-tenths of a percentage point, before accounting for anything happening elsewhere in the economy.

The article concludes:

But even when it comes to the limited findings about tariff pass-through to consumer prices, the Fed researchers render independent scrutiny impossible. Have they measured the right product categories? We cannot know because the paper does not list the 67 goods categories included in its consumer-price sample or their individual weights. It explains how the basket was constructed, but readers cannot examine which goods were included, which were omitted, and whether those choices materially affect the result. We’re just supposed to trust them because they’re Fed economists, and they would never make a mistake or willfully construct a basket of tariffed goods that advance the view that tariffs push up prices.

The Liberty Street Economics post about the paper acknowledges that its method cannot establish how much of the broader price movement was itself caused by tariffs. But it then declares that without tariffs, goods prices would have fallen slightly. But even the paper’s note on its own chart says the contribution is illustrative rather than an absolute contribution to aggregate goods inflation.

The Fed has produced a small library on tariffs and prices. This paper alone cites work from seven corners of the Federal Reserve System. You might reasonably conclude that the Fed—which let inflation under Biden rise to the highest level in 40 years—is obsessed with showing that tariffs are no good, very bad policies that hurt consumers.

But after all that research, even the roughly six-tenths contribution to overall prices only amounts to an estimate that doesn’t take into account how the market and consumers reacted to higher prices.

You can make statistics say pretty much anything you want them to if you know how to manipulate numbers! Before 1913, the American government was paid for entirely by tariffs–there was NO income tax.

When Congress Doesn’t Listen To The Voters

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I am hoping that by some miracle the Republicans maintain control of Congress (historically that is unlikely), but frankly I would like to see every Congressman who is blocking the passage of citizenship and id requirements for voters to be unelected.

On Monday, Breitbart reported:

The vast majority of Americans agree that one should have to show a valid photo ID and proof of citizenship to vote, the latest monthly Harvard-Harris survey revealed.

Contrary to the position of Democrat lawmakers, who generally disapprove of such measures, the survey found that 82 percent across the board believe there should be a requirement for an individual to present a valid ID to vote. Not only that, but there is a consensus across party lines.

The vast majority of Republicans, 95 percent, support requiring an individual to show a valid photo ID to vote, as do 73 percent of Democrats and 78 percent of independents.

The survey also asked respondents if they support or oppose requiring proof of citizenship to vote, and 79 percent across the board said they support that, while 21 percent oppose.

Again, 95 percent of Republicans support requiring proof of citizenship to vote, as well as 66 percent of Democrats and 75 percent of independents.

Further, the survey found that 72 percent support “tightening voter ID requirements for the 2026 Congressional midterm elections.” Once again, there is a majority consensus across party lines, with 92 percent of Republicans, 56 percent of Democrats, and 68 percent of independents agreeing.

There is something wrong when Congress can’t pass a law that 82 percent of Americans support.

Ignoring The Constitution

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According to AI, the Constitution explicitly prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections, as it designates voting rights to citizens only. While states manage their own election processes, federal laws reinforce this restriction, ensuring that non-citizens cannot participate in elections for federal offices. AI further notes that 18 U.S. Code § 611 prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections. You would think a judge would know that.

On Friday, Breitbart posted an article about a judge in Florida who claims a federal ban on noncitizens voting is unconstitutional. What constitution is he reading?

The article reports:

U.S. District Judge David Leibowitz, appointed to the bench by Joe Biden in 2024, threw out a case against Chelsea Michelle Ann Cox, who knowingly voted despite being a noncitizen in Broward County in 2020.

In his 31-page opinion, Leibowitz claimed that the U.S. Congress overstepped its role by passing a law prohibiting noncitizens from voting because in his view the Constitution maintains that the states are to determine voter eligibility.

Section 2 of the 14th Amendment reaffirms the right of all citizens to vote. Nowhere in any of America’s laws do non-citizens have the right to vote in federal elections. Some localities have given non-citizens the right to vote in local elections, but not in federal elections.

The article concludes:

But Leibowitz claims that the law is a violation of Article I, Article II, and the 17th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

“When you’re prosecuted based on a law that Congress did not have the authority to pass, the prosecution cannot stand,” he wrote in his opinion.

Federal prosecutors maintain that congressional powers over immigration gives Congress the right to exclude noncitizens from voting. Prosecutors also maintain that a 1970 Supreme Court case validating a law by Congress lowering the voting age to 18 also shows precedent that Congress has the right to affect voting rules in federal elections.

Aside from the legal question, is there any country in the world that allows non-citizens to vote in its elections?

Changing The Banking Rules For Illegal Aliens

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On Thursday, Breitbart posted an article detailing how the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal aliens taking out loans has impacted America’s banking system.

The article reports:

The number of non-citizens engaged in the U.S. banking system has fallen sharply amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal migrants.

Immigrants have been closing bank accounts and going back to keep cash in their homes, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Migrants are also taking out fewer loans, the news organization added. Consumer loans to illegal aliens fell by 70 percent since 2024. And lenders are beginning to shy away from entering into such deals to begin with.

“We’ve seen a reduction overall in people who come for financial services, education services, workforce development,” said Hispanic rights activist Erica Serna, the associate director of financial empowerment for UnidosUS. She added that the current atmosphere is “truly frightening for families.”

The current atmosphere is not frightening for families who are here legally!

The article concludes:

Consequently, loans issued to those without suitable credit scores over the last few months have cratered.

“Across all asset classes, the share of loans to people without credit scores fell more than 70% from 2024 to 2025 and another 40% in 2026,” Bloomberg reported. The site further added that lending for auto loans and credit cards for those with low or non-existent credit scores is “expected to be about $7.2 billion in 2026, down from about $37 billion in 2024.”

While these metrics are not a perfect match for the population of illegal migrants, it is a fairly good indicator, Bloomberg says.

“It is the segment with the largest concentration of undocumented borrowers,” said Vadim Verkhoglyad, head of research at dv01, who wrote in the report cited by Bloomberg. “The timing suggests lenders may be reducing exposure to these borrowers amid changes to the political and policy environment.”

Another migrant activist, immigration lawyer Jennifer Oltarsh, said her clients are more fearful than ever.

“My clients are afraid, so they’re pulling their money out of banks,” she said. “They’re holding it in their mattresses.”

Note that the article says, “loans issued to those without suitable credit scores over the last few months have cratered.” Why are banks issuing loans to people without suitable credit scores to begin with? If you come to America illegally, I really don’t think you should complain about the banking system caring whether or not you are a legal citizen.

Putting Americans First

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We need to be hospitable to our visitors and the people who come here to work or go to school, but we don’t need to do it at the expense of our own citizens.

On Wednesday, Breitbart posted an article about a new piece of legislation that would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965.

The article reports:

Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) has introduced a new piece of legislation that would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require that recipients of Pell Grants be U.S. citizens, a move the Republican said would “put American students first.”

Unveiled on Wednesday morning, the “Pell for Americans Act” simply states that the federally funded aid grant should only go to American undergraduates — not foreigners. 

Despite efforts to restrict eligibility for non-citizens in the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill, several classes, including refugees, asylees, immigration parolees, Cuban-Haitian entrants, and “conditional permanent residents,” remain eligible. 

Just this February, the Hill reported that the Pell program “is in financial difficulties with a projected shortfall of billions of dollars that could lead to trouble for students as soon as 2028.”

By the end of this fiscal year, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects the Pell Grant program will be $5 billion in debt. Over the next ten years, that number jumps to between $104 billion and $132 billion if nothing is done about the issue.  

Students are not required to pay back Pell Grants. It seems to me that requiring students to pay back at least part of those grants after graduation might solve some of the budget program. Even if a student receives a grant because they cannot afford to pay for their education, they should make enough money after graduation to pay back at least part of the grant to keep the program going.

Making The World A Safer Place

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Anyone paying attention has noticed that China has been increasing its reach in the South China Sea by building artificial islands, declaring them Chinese territory, and claiming the ocean around them. China has made no secret of the fact that it plans to be the single super-power in the world in the near future. President Trump recently negotiated a deal that will make that slightly more difficult.

On Saturday, Breitbart posted an article about a deal between Denmark and America about Greenland.

The article reports:

Denmark’s government was cautiously optimistic on Saturday about Donald Trump’s announcement of a deal on Greenland to bolster U.S. military presence there but keep the island under Danish control, following months of threats by the U.S. president to seize the semiautonomous territory of a NATO ally.

I suspect that those threats were part of the negotiating process, but I can’t say that for sure.

The article notes:

After Trump’s announcement Friday, the office of Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said the deal will be signed by all three governments next week during the United Nations General Assembly, but parliamentary action is still needed by the Danish and Greenland governments before it can be enforced.

“Next week could be a good week … for Greenland, Denmark, and the United States alike,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen wrote on Instagram Saturday morning.

“A period of uncertainty will hopefully be replaced by a binding agreement that strengthens security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic – and thus also our shared security within NATO and Europe – while respecting the Kingdom´s red lines,” he added.

Greenland’s government leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen said he was happy about the deal which he said “benefits not only our collective security, but also the continued development here in the country.”

The article concludes:

After his return to the White House, Trump had called on Denmark to sell the island to the U.S., while insisting Greenland is crucial for U.S. security. He pointedly wouldn’t rule out taking the island by military force, even though Denmark is a NATO ally of the U.S.

Denmark and Greenland repeatedly said the island is not for sale and condemned reports of the U.S. gathering intelligence there. The U.S. push for Greenland was also fiercely opposed by Russia and much of Europe.

Greenland grassroots pro-sovereignty activist Orla Joelsen wrote on X that “our fight against Trump´s ambition to take over Greenland has been won.”

“The new agreement explicitly recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the Greenlandic people´s right to self-determination,” the activist added.

The shipping lanes around Greenland are going to become even more strategic in the future as the counties around the North Pole develop better methods of navigating through the ice. This agreement is a step forward for the free world.

Helping When Needed

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On Tuesday, Breitbart posted an article about the help Israel is giving Saudi Arabia as Saudi Arabia is under attack by the Houthis.

The article reports:

Israel has begun providing intelligence to Saudi Arabia through the United States as Riyadh battles an escalating Houthi offensive that has struck deep inside the kingdom and threatened the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to multiple Israeli reports Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia initially turned to the United States for assistance, prompting Washington to approach Israel, which began transferring intelligence to Riyadh through U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Israel’s Kan News reported, citing a diplomat from a regional country.

…The cooperation comes as the Houthis have expanded their campaign against Saudi Arabia, launching missiles and drones deep into the kingdom while advancing along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and around Bab el-Mandeb.

Warning sirens sounded Tuesday in Mecca, Jeddah and Taif as the confrontation escalated, while Saudi and Yemeni forces continued striking Houthi positions in Yemen. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed Saudi warplanes carried out 52 strikes over the previous 24 hours and warned that the attacks “will not go unanswered.”

The article notes:

Pointing to Saudi Arabia’s new defense pact with Turkey and Pakistan, the official argued that “the latest escalation proves that, in practice, Erdogan’s defense pact isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.”

“Erdogan has handed Israel a golden opportunity to show the Saudis who they should align with,” the official continued.

The same assessment extended to the prospect of Saudi-Israeli normalization, with the official arguing that their shared interests could reopen a path toward expanding the Abraham Accords and saying Riyadh was now reassessing its course.

The emerging cooperation is particularly significant because Saudi Arabia and Israel have no formal diplomatic relations, despite years of U.S.-backed efforts to secure a normalization agreement between the two countries.

For Riyadh, the immediate concern remains military. The Houthis have seized territory along Yemen’s western coast and strengthened their position around Bab el-Mandeb while attacks on Saudi territory and energy infrastructure have increased pressure on the kingdom to push back against the group and protect the strategic Red Sea passage.

The growing pressure around Bab el-Mandeb comes as the United States expands commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz following months of Iranian attempts to obstruct the waterway. U.S. officials told Axios that roughly 40 ships are now moving through the strait each day under American guidance and protection, carrying about 14 million barrels of oil a day, while Saudi Arabia has significantly increased tanker traffic through Hormuz as fighting around the Red Sea intensifies.

Maybe it’s time for Saudi Arabia to take another look at the Mecca Pact.

Europe Is Waking Up

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On Sunday, Breitbart posted an article about the Alternative for Germany party that seemingly has won a victory in the Saxony-Anhalt state elections. The party, which is anti-mass migration, has gained ground in recent German elections.

The article reports:

According to exit poll forecasts from Infratest Dimap for public broadcaster ARD, the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has won an overwhelming victory at a projected 44.5 per cent of the vote, Die Welt reported. 

In order to take the reins of power, the party has to form a coalition with other parties to create a majority.

The article notes:

Due to the supposedly conservative CDU’s long standing cordon-sanitaire firewall policy against working with the AfD, it is unlikely that the establishment party would enter into a coalition with populist upstarts.

The lead candidate for the AfD in the elections, Ulrich Siegmund, praised his party’s victory as “historic” and extended an offer to work with the CDU, saying: “As a democrat, I will always extend my hand to all forces that will help us achieve a political turnaround.”

However, should the CDU refuse, as they are likely to do, the party could seek to form a minority government with the left-wing Social Democrats — as they have done at the national level — with the far-left Greens, and the tacit support of the radical Die Linke socialists.

The current leader of the state, CDU Minister-President Sven Schulze congratulated the AfD on their victory, but did not comment on the prospect of a potential coalition.

“I think it’s clear that we would all have wished for a better result in every respect,” Schulze said. “We as the CDU will also have to deal with this result.”

“Some say this would be a black day for Saxony-Anhalt. I say: This is democracy,” he added.

UPDATE: As the mail-in ballots are counted, the AfD lead is shrinking. Hopefully they will eventually have enough votes to form a coalition with another party. Stay tuned.

Bringing Manufacturing Back To America

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On Tuesday, Breitbart posted an article about what is happening in the manufacturing sector of the American economy.

The article reports:

Job openings at U.S. factories rose in July to the highest level since January 2023, boosted by a surge in durable goods manufacturers looking for workers.

Available positions in manufacturing rose to 580,000 from 501,000 in June, data from the Labor Department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey showed Tuesday. A year ago, manufacturers were looking to fill 428,000 positions.

Vacancies in durable goods manufacturing climbed to 429,000, up from 353,000 in June and 255,000 a year ago.

The figures suggest surging demand for U.S. manufactured goods. Last week, the Commerce Department said durable goods orders at U.S. factories rose 1.1 percent, more than twice what was expected. Reports from the Federal Reserve banks of Kansas City, Dallas, New York, and Philadelphia have recently indicated strong growth in the manufacturing sector.

Fed chairman Kevin Warsh has recently suggested that the labor market is near full employment, with the unemployment rate historically low at 4.1 percent and jobless claims at the lowest in over four decades. The number of layoffs fell to 1.666 million, one of the lowest figures on record excluding the immediate post-pandemic period. The rate of layoffs ticked down to one percent, also one of the lowest on record apart from the pandemic rebound.

This is a result of the Trump tariffs. As the cost of bringing imported goods to the American market increases, companies are looking at the lower cost of making those goods here. In many cases, the quality of the goods made in America is superior to the quality of goods made in some countries.

The article concludes:

This may be weighing on hiring, as businesses struggle to find workers. Despite the rise in openings in July, hiring in manufacturing fell to 288,000 from June’s extraordinarily high 330,000. In durable goods, hiring fell to 177,000 from June’s strong 208,000. Even after the declines, July was a solid month for manufacturing hiring by historical standards.

Total job openings across the economy rose to 7.3 million from 7.2 million and hiring fell to 5.05 million from 5.33 million. Openings rose in healthcare and social assistance, financial activities, and information, while hires declined in each sector. Retail openings were flat, and hiring fell.

The number of quits, a measure of workers leaving their jobs voluntarily, changed little at 3.1 million and the rate ticked down to 1.9 percent over the month. The steady number of quits could imply that workers lack confidence that they can find better work. Alternatively, it may indicate that employers are doing a better job at retention, given the difficulty of hiring in the current full-employment labor market.

As the cost of energy decreases (as it will in the near future), it will be interesting to see how fast the American economy grows.

It’s Not About The Guns

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On Sunday, Breitbart posted an article about a recent incident at Brinell High School in Fagersta, Västmanland County Sweden. A teenager described as having a difficult upbringing attacked his fellow students with a sword. Swedish gun laws are restrictive, so this disturbed teen used a sword.

The article reports:

18-year-old Liam Nebel, a Swedish Swede has been officially detained by Västmanland District Court on Sunday on suspicion of murder and attempted murder after a sword attack at Brinell high school in Fagersta, Västmanland County Sweden on Friday. Authorities have now confirmed that there was one fatality in the attack, a 17-year-old girl. Three teenage boys were also injured, two seriously.

Police believe the slain girl was not a targeted victim but was rather killed at random, reports German newspaper Die Welt.

Suspect Nebel’s defence lawyer said that while their client had not confessed to police, he had nevertheless not contested the murder charge. He did, however, contest the additional charges of attempted murder. The teen, who is understood to have a difficult upbringing and who was placed into a foster home last year over “extensive” failings of the home environment was a current pupil at Brinell high school and consequently was able to access the site on the day of the attack with his student card.

The article notes that quick action by the police may have saved lives. The police had the situation under control within ten minutes of the initial telephone call. A School Resource Officer with a gun could have had the situation under control in less than two minutes.

Saving American Lives

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The Trump administration has done a good job securing our southern border, but there is still much work to be done to keep dangerous drugs out of America. But there is good news.

On Friday, Breitbart reported:

Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) seized enough fentanyl to kill 8 million Americans during a bust last month in Newark, New Jersey, Breitbart News has learned. The drugs were in the possession of members of the Trinitarios gang, a violent gang made up of Dominican-Americans.

Agents with HSI Newark executed search warrants last month, leading to the arrest of two Trinitarios gang members who have been charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and maintaining a drug-involved premises.

In the search, federal officials told Breitbart News that agents seized 16 kilograms of fentanyl, over a kilogram of heroin laced with fentanyl, about 900 grams of cocaine, and a firearm with a large-capacity magazine that contained 51 rounds of ammunition.

For perspective, just one kilogram of fentanyl can kill up to 500,000 people.

Officials said that many of the drugs found in the bust were hidden in a trap cabinet that could only be opened using a remote key fob.

The article concludes:

“HSI special agents stand on the front lines of the fight against fentanyl, working tirelessly with our Homeland Security Task Force partners to disrupt the criminal networks that traffic this deadly poison into our communities,” HSI Executive Associate Director John Condon said. “Their dedication, skill, and courage are putting dangerous drug dealers behind bars while saving American lives. Every seizure, every arrest, and every investigation reflects HSI’s unwavering commitment to taking deadly drugs off our streets.”

Likewise, HSI agents, as well as agents with the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) and the U.S. Postal Inspector Service (USPIS), discovered that nearly 80 pounds of methamphetamine and one kilogram of fentanyl were purchased through undercover operations.

This month, federal agents and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement arrested those involved with the purchases, and a search resulted in the seizure of almost $1.4 million in drug profits.

We need to find a way to deal with the demand, but until then, getting dangerous drugs off the street is a good start.

One Consequence Of Closing The Border

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On Thursday, Breitbart posted an article about one of the consequences of closing America’s southern border.

The article reports:

Profits for human smugglers, mainly the Mexican drug cartels, are down significantly, a Treasury Department report details, as President Donald Trump’s policies have drastically cut illegal immigration at the nation’s borders.

A Financial Trend Analysis report from the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) found that United States banks flagged some nearly $5 billion linked to potential human smuggling from 2023 to 2025.

“Many human smuggling networks generate profit for larger transnational criminal organizations, including Mexico-based drug cartels,” FinCEN Director Andrea Gacki said in a statement. “Suspicious activity flagged by financial institutions provides critical information, and we will continue to work closely with both the private sector and law enforcement to dismantle human smuggling networks and protect our borders.”

In particular, the report states that human smuggling-related transactions fell 62 percent in 2025, the first year of Trump’s second term, compared to 2024 when former President Joe Biden was in office.

The article notes:

“Again this month, the results are clear: President Trump’s border security agenda is restoring order and putting the safety of the American people first,” Mullin (Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin) said. “DHS remains focused on enforcing our immigration laws, securing the border, and ensuring those who enter our country illegally are removed swiftly.”

In July, fewer than 10,000 illegal aliens were apprehended crossing the southern border. Daily apprehensions, DHS officials said, are down 94 percent compared to the Biden administration.

Securing the border has a lot of financial consequences–human trafficking is down and payments to the cartels are down. Hitting the cartels in the pocketbook is one way to deal with them. It is going to take a lot more than that to get rid of them, but securing the border is a good first step.

The Latest News On Inflation

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On August 12, Breitbart posted an article about the current inflation rate.

The article reports:

Consumer prices inched up in July after declining sharply in June.

The consumer price index rose 0.1 percent compared with June, the Department of Labor said Wednesday. Compared with a year ago, the consumer price index is up 3.4 percent.

That matched the consensus forecast. In June, prices fell 0.4 percent while the consumer price index was up 3.5 percent from a year ago.

Core prices, a measure that excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 0.2 percent compared with the previous month. For the year, core prices are up 2.5 percent, a decline in year-over-year inflation from the previous month’s 2.6 percent.

The moderate monthly readings across all times and core inflation, along with the decline in the year-over-year inflation rate, will likely ease concerns among Fed officials. Prices of fed funds futures implied the odds of a rate hike at the Fed’s next meeting in September fell from nearly 50 percent to around 40 percent.

Goods prices fell 0.2 percent, the second consecutive monthly decline. Excluding food and beverages, goods prices dropped 0.4 percent. Durable goods prices rose 0.3 percent after declining in May and remaining flat in June.

The goal of the Federal Reserve is to keep inflation at 2 percent; however, their policies seem to reflect politics more than inflation strategy.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) notes:

The last time the United States experienced an average inflation rate of around 2% was in 2021, when the annual inflation rate was approximately 4.7%, but it had been lower in previous years, specifically around 2.1% in 2018. The Federal Reserve typically aims for a long-term inflation target of 2%.

AI notes:

Overview of Federal Reserve Interest Rates (2016-2024)

The following points summarize key trends and changes in interest rates during this period.

  • Initial Rate (2016) — The federal funds rate was set at 0.25% in December 2015 and remained unchanged until December 2016.
  • Gradual Increases (2017-2018) — The Fed raised rates several times, reaching 2.50% by December 2018.
  • COVID-19 Response (2020) — In March 2020, rates were cut to near zero (0-0.25%) to support the economy during the pandemic.
  • Inflationary Pressures (2021-2022) — Rates remained low until inflation concerns prompted increases starting in March 2022.
  • Current Rate (2024) — As of 2024, the federal funds rate is approximately 5.25%, reflecting ongoing efforts to manage inflation.

During the first two years of the first Trump administration, interest rates were raised. In 2020, rates were lowered and remained low halfway through the Biden administration.

Draw your own conclusions.

Numbers You Probably Aren’t Hearing In The News

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On Wednesday, Breitbart posted an article about some of the economic numbers President Trump cited in a recent speech in Nevada. He is reciting those numbers because the majority of the press is ignoring them.

The article reports:

President Donald Trump touted the results of his economic policies in Las Vegas on Wednesday, including 40,000 new jobs for Nevadans since his second term began.

Trump highlighted his administration’s economic wins in the Silver State and nationally while delivering remarks at Red Rock Casino.

…“Here in Nevada, we’ve created over 40,000 new jobs and lifted nearly 100,000 Nevadans off of food stamps,” he said. ” And they don’t want to be on food stamps, because they’ve got new jobs. They’ve got jobs. They don’t need food stamps.”

He then noted that more Americans are working now than ever before.

“Last month, inflation dropped at the fastest rate it’s dropped in many years, and… so the biggest thing for this whole thing: more Americans are working in the United States right now than at any point in the history of our country,” he added.

…Trump also touted his No Tax on Tips policy, which became law through the One Big Beautiful Bill, where workers, beginning this past April, can deduct up to $25,000 of their tipped income. The policy is particularly beneficial in the Silver State, where many work as waiters, waitresses, bartenders, and in other tipped professions.

…No Tax on Tips was one of several novel tax policies Trump and Congressional Republicans created in the One Big Beautiful Bill. Others include an up to $12,500 deduction for overtime pay, a tax deduction of up to $10,000 for interest paid on loans for cars assembled in the United States, and Social Security deductions for certain seniors.

One family, in which all members benefited from aspects of the One Big Beautiful Bill, joined Trump on stage. Sandra, a waitress, and her husband Brad, a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Officer, saved thousands thanks to No Tax on Tips and overtime, while their children each have Trump Accounts, which were also established in the legislation.

Elections really do matter. A waitress and a police officer are not rich. Both are very valuable to American society. The tax cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill helped average Americans–they did not go to the rich as the Democrats have claimed. Voting for a Democrat right now is taking a financial risk!

This Really Shouldn’t Be Surprising

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On Sunday, Breitbart posted an article reporting that CEO Julie Masino of Cracker Barrel is stepping down. Mr. Masino failed to follow the wisdom of an old Georgia farmer who said, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

The article reports:

Cracker Barrel’s CEO is stepping down nearly a year after an attempted rebrand of the chain led to a fierce customer backlash.

Cracker Barrel said Monday that CEO Julie Masino will step down next month but remain with the company until Oct. 9 in an advisory capacity.

David Deno will succeed Masino on Aug. 10 as CEO. Deno served as the CEO of Bloomin’ Brands, which owns Outback Steakhouse and other chains, from 2019 to 2024. He has also held executive roles as Best Buy and Yum Brands, which is the parent company of KFC and Taco Bell.

Last August, Cracker Barrel announced plans for a simplified logo featuring only the company’s name. Lebanon, Tennessee-based Cracker Barrel, which has 660 restaurants in 43 states, made the change as part of a wider plan to modernize its restaurants and appeal to younger customers. The company also started revamping some restaurants to make them lighter and less cluttered.

Cracker Barrel is a very unique place. It is a place to shop for nostalgic things that you might not find anywhere else. It is a place to eat simple food at reasonable prices. It is a throwback to an era that many of us remember fondly. Trying to change the brand and the image was a costly mistake.

Is Pickaxe Mountain Next?

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An article posted at Breitbart on Tuesday reports that Israeli intelligence believes that Iran moved its nuclear centrifuges into the underground Pickaxe Mountain facility near Natanz last fall. President Trump is still determined to end Iran’s nuclear program.

The article reports:

President Donald Trump declared Tuesday that the United States is “not finished at all” with Iran, warning U.S. forces would strike the regime’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site “pretty soon” while signaling his administration was prepared to expand military operations rather than return to negotiations.

Trump made the remarks while meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House after being asked about a Wall Street Journal report that Israeli intelligence believes Iran moved thousands of advanced centrifuges into the underground Pickaxe Mountain facility near Natanz last fall.

“I think that they may have,” Trump said when asked about the reported transfer, while stressing that the centrifuges alone would not allow Iran to revive its nuclear program.

“It doesn’t mean anything unless they have the material. They don’t have it. We follow the material. That’s where the action is.”

“We’ll be hitting that area probably pretty soon. There’s not a thing they can do about it,” he said. “Normally, I wouldn’t say that. If I thought they could do something about it, I would never say that. But we’ll be hitting that area pretty soon, and very heavily.”

It is quite possible that what is left of the rulers of Iran believe that the existence of nuclear capabilities (or at least the illusion of that existence) may be the only thing keeping them in power and keeping their country from being destroyed.

The article notes:

Trump’s remarks came as U.S. forces continued striking Iranian military infrastructure, with U.S. Central Command announcing additional operations targeting missile and drone capabilities, military command centers, maritime assets, air defense systems, and other facilities tied to Tehran’s efforts to disrupt commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has repeatedly argued the campaign is intended to prevent Iran from rebuilding its nuclear program while maintaining military pressure on the regime.

Asked about Iran’s remaining capabilities, Trump maintained the administration would continue applying military pressure while monitoring Tehran’s nuclear assets.

“We’re degrading them at levels that nobody thought was possible,” he said, adding that U.S. officials continue to track Iran’s nuclear material rather than focusing solely on centrifuges or infrastructure.

We need to end this quickly, and the current regime of Iran needs to leave the country!

A Very Questionable Driving Record

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On Saturday, Breitbart posted an article about the charges filed against Paul Pelosi for a recent hit-and-run accident.

The article reports:

Paul Pelosi’s shockingly bad driving record appears to have finally caught up with him and could result in a substantial jail sentence if he is convicted.

The 86-year-old husband of former House speaker Nancy Pelosi was charged in a hit-and-run crash over the Fourth of July weekend in northern California wine country.

Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley filed charges against Pelosi Friday, violations that included one count of misdemeanor hit-and-run driving and one infraction for turning unlawfully, multiple news outlets reported.

The charge for leaving the scene of an accident where there was only property damage is punishable by up to six months in the county jail and a maximum fine of $1000.

The San Francisco-based venture capitalist, who has been married to former House speaker for more than 60 years, was also arrested in May of 2022 for DUI after crashing in Napa County. He pled guilty, served two days in jail instead of a possible five, and got three years probation in that case.

The article cites other incidents of accidents in Paul Pelosi’s past. At least he was not drinking at the time he hit the parked car, but the fact that he left the scene is troubling.

I realize that aging is a very personal thing and that not everyone ages at the same rate, but I am concerned that an 86-year-old with that bad a driving record is still driving.

Who Is Voting In America?

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On Friday, Breitbart posted an article about America’s voter rolls.

The article reports:

President Donald Trump released documents on Thursday evening that detail problems with the nation’s election system, including revealing that a portion of foreign nationals are illegally registered to vote.

The document, which focuses on noncitizen voting, was posted to the White House website. Multiple investigations from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the document states, have exposed that more than 250,000 foreign nationals are illegally registered to vote in California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Nevada alone.

“State election officials in California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Nevada have been notified of this serious threat to national security and DHS stands ready to support their efforts to identify and remove ineligible registrants,” the document states:

The investigation is expanding to include multiple additional states. In addition, DHS will support the Department of Justice’s review of voter files obtained pursuant to their enforcement authority under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and the Help America Vote Act of 2002. [Emphasis added]

The article concludes:

Most recently, Judge Sparkle Sooknanan, appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia by former President Joe Biden, issued an order to prevent the Trump administration from using the streamlined version of the SAVE system.

“There is an undeniable pattern emerging as DHS begins to unravel the horrific damage done by the open border policies of the Biden administration,” the document concludes. “States that have adopted alien-first policies instead of American-first policies have a disproportionate number of non-citizens on their voter rolls.”

People vote for their own interests. People who are here illegally are often here simply to collect American safety-net benefits. Americans are a generous people, but they are also a practical people. We have an obligation to take care of our citizens before we take care of anyone else. When Americans who pay taxes are in the majority, theoretically there will be different priorities.

The Blockade Begins Again

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On Wednesday, Breitbart posted an article about the continuing war with Iran. Peace is a wonderful idea, but it requires two parties negotiating in good faith. We haven’t really had that.

The article reports:

The United States launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran on Tuesday after President Donald Trump vowed to reimpose a naval blockade, prompting Tehran to respond with strikes on targets in countries around the region.

Trump said a negotiated deal was still possible, but fighting surged to a scale unseen since an April ceasefire. Iran hit two ships in the Strait of Hormuz, killing a crew member, according to the United Arab Emirates.

…Bahrain said it had intercepted “several treacherous aerial attacks launched by Iran” and accused Tehran of targeting civilians, after explosions and sirens were heard in Manama.

Trump’s declaration on the Hormuz blockade and the scale of the renewed fighting have called into question efforts to bring a permanent end to the war.

Iran started blocking the strait after US-Israel attacks in February, which prompted Washington’s blockade on Tehran’s ports — but restrictions eased after the sides agreed a preliminary deal in June.

President Trump initially said that he would charge a 20% toll on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz to cover the cost of defending it. However, he has altered that plan–replacing the toll with trade and investment deals that various Gulf States will be making with America.

The article concludes:

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded mockingly on X that Trump was “absolutely right” that whoever guarantees safe passage should be compensated, but that Tehran would charge less for this service, noting that “20% is of course too much”.

Washington has vehemently opposed Tehran’s desire to charge tolls in the strait, which international law generally forbids.

Despite all signs to the contrary, Trump said Monday that a deal with Tehran to end the war was still possible.

Until there is a change of leadership in Iran, I don’t expect peace.

Negotiating With A Two-Year Old

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When your child is standing in front of you with his face full of chocolate, it is pretty obvious who got into the cookie jar. He can blame the dog, his sister, or his brother, but the truth is still obvious. Someone got into the cookie jar, and he looks like the obvious culprit.

On Friday, Breitbart reported the following:

Iran reportedly told Trump advisers the Strait of Hormuz attacks were the work of a rogue hardline group and not a deliberate government decision.

Iran has reportedly told the Trump administration behind closed doors that the attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz were not intended as official government action and were instead carried out by a rogue hardline faction seeking to derail ongoing negotiations, according to senior U.S. officials cited by CBS News senior White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs.

The White House, however, is pushing Tehran to publicly admit it was responsible, arguing the incident breached the ceasefire agreement. Despite the incident, President Donald Trump has instructed Vice President JD Vance, Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to press ahead with diplomatic talks, which are expected to take place in Oman.

And what about the other attacks by Iran on their Arab neighbors? Was some rogue group responsible for those attacks also? If the government of Iran was not responsible for those attacks, wasn’t it still their responsibility to control the people doing the attacking? Who is actually in charge in Iran?

The article notes:

U.S. officials also warned that Washington is prepared to use both military force and economic pressure if Iran launches further hostile actions.

The United States and Iran appear to be steering back toward the Memorandum of Understanding despite recent military action, after U.S. forces struck Iranian military targets following Trump’s confirmation that the ceasefire had ended.

I am not convinced that anything good is happening here. I believe Iran wants to drag out negotiations until November in the hope of influencing the American mid-term election. They seem to want to talk to America only after we remind them that we have attack capabilities.

Sometimes It’s Hard To Remember That In America People Are Innocent Until Proven Guilty

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The preliminary hearing of Tyler Robinson in Utah is continuing. Some of the evidence is overwhelming.

On Thursday, Breitbart reported:

Robinson, the man accused of killing Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk, allegedly admitted to the killing on multiple occasions, both in text messages and to an acquaintance. Lee said that he witnessed State District Judge Tony Graf admit the highly compelling and “damning” evidence while sitting in the courtroom behind the victim’s family.

“I was in the courtroom today sitting next to Jack Posobiec and just behind Erica Kirk when evidence was admitted by Judge Graf. That evidence, the evidence admitted today, is absolutely compelling. It’s damning,” Lee (Senator Mike Lee) said. “It contains multiple confessions by the defendant, Tyler Robinson, acknowledging not only that he killed Charlie Kirk, but acknowledging that he did so having planned it in advance in great detail. And acknowledging at one point that he was motivated by hate.”

When did it become appropriate to kill someone because you disagreed with their lifestyle or political views?

The article concludes:

The state is pursuing capital punishment, with prosecutors actively seeking the death penalty if the case goes to trial and ends in a conviction.

I hate the possibility of such a young person being executed, but my brain can’t really wrap around the fact that someone so young would take it upon themselves to kill someone because he didn’t like what the person stood for.

Fixing A Mistake

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I am not a soccer fan, but I have watched some of the World Cup and marveled at the athletic ability of the players. Soccer seems to have the attention of the world, and it has been fun to watch the European fans and their adventures in America.

On Sunday, Breitbart posted an article about the reversal of a red flag card that was given to a member of the United States soccer team.

The article reports:

In a shocking reversal with mammoth implications for the U.S. Men’s National Team’s (USMNT) chances of advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup, FIFA has rescinded the red card given this week to star U.S. striker Folarin Balogun, making him eligible to play against Monday night in the U.S. men’s Round of 16 game against Belgium.

Balogun, who plays his club ball for Arsenal in the English Premier League, scored the game-winning goal for the USMNT against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but was shown a red card later in the match on a highly controversial play in which he inadvertently stepped on the ankle of a Bosnia and Herzegovina player.

The referee, Brazilian Rafael Claus, conducted a VAR review of the play, which did not even draw a yellow card during live action. While the announcers debated whether the play was even serious enough to review at all, Claus emerged from the VAR viewing area after a lengthy review and shocked the thousands in attendance and better than 30 million watching from home, by showing Balogun a straight red card.

Under FIFA rules, a player shown a red card is not only disqualified from the remainder of the current match but is also ineligible for the next game.

The article includes a video of the play involved. It appears to be simply a collision between two intense players trying to get the ball. Balogun is an important player for the United States team, and I am glad that the officials reviewed the film and changed their minds.

Rules For Radicals

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Saul Alinsky wrote RULES FOR RADICALS in 1971. It serves as a guide book for community organizers and people organizing protests. The book is generally associated with left-wing political activity. Two of the rules for radicals are”

  • “Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.”
  • “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. There is no defense. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage.”

It is remotely possible that some on the political right have decided to follow some of the suggestions in the book.

On Tuesday, Breitbart reported:

Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) shared that he would reintroduce former Sen. Harry Reid’s (D-NV) “exact bill” that would not only eliminate birthright citizenship for the children of illegal migrants, but also clarify who can receive birthright citizenship.

In a post on X, Moreno responded to another post from Fox News’s Bill Melugin, who shared that in 1993, Reid had introduced the Immigration Stabilization Act of 1993. Moreno stated that they would “see how today’s DC Democrats will vote when offered the ideas of the Democrat party that used to love” the U.S.

“I will reintroduce this exact bill when I return to DC,” Moreno said. “Let’s see how today’s DC Democrats will vote when offered the ideas of the Democrat party that used to love this country and the American people!”

It’s interesting that the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress in 1993 and Bill Clinton was President. According to Congress.gov, on 08/16/1993, the bill was referred to Subcommittee on Immigration and Refugee Affairs. It died in committee. I wonder why the bill did not pass.

It will be interesting to see how the Democrats in the current Congress react to the re-introduction of this bill.

Border Patrol Is Doing Its Job Well

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On Wednesday, Breitbart posted an article about the success of the Border Patrol in keeping dangerous drugs off our streets.

The article reports:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at ports of entry in Texas have seized more than 9,000 pounds of methamphetamine with a street value of more than $80 million in just four incidents during the month of June. The thwarted cartel smuggling attempts occurred in Laredo, El Paso, and Pharr, Texas.

In two interdictions on the Juneteenth holiday, officers seized more than $72.3 million in methamphetamine as smugglers attempted to push through two south Texas ports of entry. The larger of the two seizures occurred on June 19 at the World Trade Bridge in Laredo, when a CBP officer referred a 2011 Dodge Ram stake-bed truck purportedly hauling a shipment manifested as “polypropylene” for secondary inspection.

Officers deployed a canine team and used non-intrusive inspection technology to search the vehicle’s interior. The enhanced inspection and search of the stake-bed truck uncovered more than 7,000 pounds of methamphetamines valued at more than $63 million hidden within the commodity being brought into the country.

The second seizure occurred on the same day at Pharr International Bridge. In that incident, officers searched a tractor-trailer attempting to enter the United States from Reynosa, Tamaulipas. Officers referred the vehicle to a secondary inspection area where nonintrusive inspection equipment detected anomalies within the trailer.

The article concludes:

CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations Ray Provencio commented on the arrest and seizure of the narcotics, saying, “CBP officers use their experience and advanced technology to stay one step ahead of smugglers. Their dedication and vigilance play a critical role in protecting our communities from the dangers of illicit drugs.”

As exclusively reported by Breitbart Texas, nationwide narcotics seizures have increased in recent months as illegal alien apprehensions continue to remain below 10,000 per month along the southwest border. The reduction in illegal border crossings has allowed CBP officers and the U.S. Border Patrol to focus on enhanced counter-drug strategies.

Imagine how many lives could have been saved if this policy had been carried out consistently in recent years.