Tag Archives: Townhall

When You Put People In Leadership Who Don’t Belong There

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The Democratic National Committee is in the process of removing David Hogg as its Vice-Chairman. He was elected on February 1, 2025. He has simply not worked out well in that position.

His past actions should have been a clue for the Democrats.

In April 2024, NewsMax reported:

The PAC started by gun activist David Hogg, whose stated mission is “electing young progressives,” instead burned through $1.4 million — representing nearly half the money raised — on travel, political consultants, and legal fees in 2023.

In fact, the Leaders We Deserve PAC spent less than $235,000 toward its mission of electing Gen Z candidates to office, according to a Breitbart report that scrutinized the organization’s FEC filings.

Hogg and his partner, Kevin Lata, raised more than $3 million in the first year of the PAC’s existence from a wide array of donors with a goal of electing more “youthful, audacious, and charismatic trailblazers.”

…However, according to Breitbart, disbursements went out to just four candidates, including one, Rep. Maxwell Frost, for whom Lata was campaign manager.

Further, Hogg and Lata disbursed nearly $125,000 to a transgender Democrat in Alabama whose opponent in October 2023 won the special election with 65% of the vote, Breitbart reported.

Meanwhile, Hogg paid himself $40,000 while Lata’s take was $50,000 for a few months’ work in 2023; the PAC launched late summer, according to the report.

Actually, he should fit in very well with some of the Democrat party leaders.

On May 13, Townhall reported:

We obviously have no dog in this fight, though some have noted the Soviet-style treatment David Hogg is getting at the Democratic National Committee. This party is a total mess, and the vote to put his ouster as vice chair on the fast track only added another chapter to the ongoing ‘Dems in disarray’ soap opera.

The credentials committee paved the way to remove Hogg, though they claim it’s not about politics. It is—it seems this was done to appease the Native American woman who lost to Hogg (via Semafor):

The DNC’s credentials committee will meet virtually on May 12 to consider the challenge from Kalyn Free, a Native American attorney and party activist who lost a vice chair spot to Hogg at the party’s Feb. 1 meeting.

In her complaint, shared with Semafor by a Democratic source, Free argued that she lost a “fatally flawed election that violated the DNC Charter and discriminated against three women of color candidates,” and asks for “two new vice chair elections.” In February, after several rounds of voting, the race came down to five candidates – Kenyatta, Hogg, Free, and two other women. Kenyatta and Hogg claimed the open spots.

Now you know the rest of the story. I am sure it has nothing to do with David Hogg threatening to primary any Democrat Congressman who did not agree with his attempts to ‘reform’ the party.

The Name For This Proposed Law Was Pure Brilliance

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Insider trading by Congress has been a problem for a long time. It is one of the ways that a person can enter Congress with a net worth of about $800,000 and become a multi-millionaire in a few years. There have been a few efforts to end insider trading in Congress, but oddly enough those efforts have been voted down.

On Tuesday, Townhall posted an article about the latest effort to end Congressional insider trading.

The article reports:

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is again turning up the heat on Washington corruption by reintroducing the “PELOSI Act,” a bold effort to ban members of Congress and their spouses from trading individual stocks. Named after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), whose financial dealings have long raised questions, the bill directly targets the insider privilege, allowing lawmakers to profit off the markets while shaping policy.

This week, Hawley reintroduced the Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act, which would ban members of Congress from trading or holding individual stocks. The senator argued that lawmakers should prioritize serving their constituents, not profiting from stock trading using insider information. He said that the act would help restore public trust in the government.

Hawley first introduced the act in 2023, but it stalled under President Joe Biden’s administration. With President Donald Trump back in office, the legislation is gaining traction. Trump has pledged to “absolutely” sign the bill if it reaches his desk, stating he “watched Nancy Pelosi get rich through insider information.”

The PELOSI Act would prohibit members of Congress and their spouses from buying, selling, or holding individual stocks while in office. However, they would still be allowed to invest in diversified mutual funds, ETFs, or U.S. Treasury bonds. Lawmakers would have 180 days to comply with the law, and those who fail to do so would be required to forfeit any stock profits to the U.S. Treasury and could face fines from congressional ethics committees.

The Republicans hold majorities in both the House and the Senate. There is no excuse for not getting this done.

When The Deep State Is Confronted, It Fights Back

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On Tuesday, Townhall posted an article about the current deep-state-generated controversy surrounding Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

The article notes:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday sent a clear message to leakers in the Pentagon. He suggested that those who gave internal information to the media could be subject to prosecution.

One of the problems in the first Trump administration was leaks from various government agencies to the press. The leaks were designed to block the President’s agenda and prevent him from doing his job. Unfortunately, that is still going on and will continue until there are serious consequences to leakers.

The article continues:

The defense secretary further stated, “We take the classification of information, very important.”

Hegseth confirmed that several senior staffers had been fired because they were suspected of leaking information. “It was the result of an investigation … sufficient evidence to believe that they or others near them were party to leaking,” he said.

The secretary alleged that the staffers who lost their jobs were retaliating by slamming him in the press. “Disgruntled former employees are peddling things to try to save their ass,” he told Kilmeade.

The secretary further explained that the leaks are still under investigation and that the DoD could refer the matter to the Department of Justice. “When that evidence is gathered sufficiently … those people will be prosecuted, if necessary,” he said.

Oddly enough, the attacks on Secretary Hegseth intensified after the leakers were fired. Those who want to destroy the Trump presidency are not happy that one of their weapons has been removed.

The article concludes:

Meanwhile, Democrats are making as much use of the controversies as possible. Several Democratic lawmakers have called for Hegseth to resign. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) became the first Republican to call for the defense secretary’s firing during an interview with Politico.

“If it’s true that he had another [Signal] chat with his family, about the missions against the Houthis, it’s totally unacceptable,” Bacon said, referring to a New York Times report suggesting that Hegseth shared sensitive information with family members.

Still, President Trump has stood by Hegseth and expressed confidence in his ability to do his job. The administration recently squashed an NPR report claiming that the president is looking to replace Hegseth, calling it “fake news.”

I hope Secretary Hegseth successfully rides this out. We need a few leakers to suffer serious consequences for their actions in order for the leaking to stop.

The Change From Politics To Law Enforcement

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On Tuesday, Townhall posted an article about the difference in priorities between the Biden Department of Justice and the Trump Department of Justice.

The article notes:

Don’t tell Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), but on April 17, the Department of Justice released detailed evidence demonstrating how Kilmar Armando Abrego García—whom Sen. Van Hollen and his fellow Democrats falsely portrayed as an innocent “Maryland father”—is not only an illegal immigrant but also a violent member of the brutal MS-13 gang. The Department of Homeland Security also provided court documents showing that García’s wife had previously sought a domestic violence restraining order against him, accusing him of assault and other forms of abuse. It’s the clearest sign yet that the adults are back in charge of protecting America’s homeland, and that’s great for America’s safety.

This degree of coordination between the DOJ and DHS under Trump’s leadership stands in sharp contrast to the Biden administration, when both agencies worked together to advance the Biden administration’s radical political agenda instead of protecting public safety.

…Secretary Mayorkas stopped construction on Trump’s border wall and kept ICE and Border Patrol from doing their jobs. When the surge in border crossings Biden specifically asked for became a political liability for Democrats, he and Attorney General Merrick Garland coordinated to massively expand Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and create the CHNV program, paroling hundreds of thousands of unvetted migrants into the U.S. interior ­— complete with an app to streamline the process.

Things weren’t any better at Biden’s DOJ. Garland presided over a DOJ that targeted Catholic parishes, inflated domestic extremism statistics, and labeled concerned parents as potential terrorists. Peaceful pro-life activists were arrested at gunpoint, while left-wing extremists who threatened Supreme Court justices or firebombed crisis pregnancy centers were ignored.

The article concludes:

Now, that’s changing. Trump’s team is showing the country what it looks like when the DOJ and DHS return to their core mission of protecting American citizens.

They’re working together to go after real threats—not parents, not pro-lifers, not credit card companies. But violent gang members, abusers, and foreign nationals who break our laws and endanger our communities.

Restoring credibility and functionality to these agencies after four years of abuse is a significant step in rebuilding trust with the American people.

Real justice means enforcing the law fairly, consistently, and with the goal of public safety. And for the first time in four years, that’s finally happening.

It will be interesting to see how a Justice Department focused on dealing with actual crimes will impact the crime statistics for 2025.

The Impact Of The Tariffs

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On Friday, Townhall reported that Vietnam, after talking with President Trump, has agreed to eliminate tariffs on all U.S. goods if the two parties can negotiate a deal. That’s a good place to start.

The article reports:

This could be some good news – especially on the tariff front. It might mean that American product could become more competitive in Vietnam, which will benefit U.S.-based corporations. Vietnam is seeing a growth of its middle class, which could open new doors for trade.

It would also mean lower prices for American consumers purchasing products manufactured in Vietnam. This would include apparel, furniture, electronics, and several others. Other major corporation have used Vietnam as a significant manufacturing hub, which suggests cheaper imports might. Lower production expenses while boosting profit margins.

A tariff reduction of this type could also strengthen the economic relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam. This might be especially critical if the U.S. seeks to diversify its supply chains away from China. Less reliance on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could bolster Washington’s negotiating position.

There is also the possibility that other nations might follow Vietnam’s lead – especially if the deal benefits the country over the long term.

Of course, there is no deal just yet. But it appears that Vietnam is willing to make some important concessions. Either way, this is a promising sign.

According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative:

U.S. goods trade with Vietnam totaled an estimated $149.6 billion in 2024. U.S. goods exports to Vietnam in 2024 were $13.1 billion, up 32.9 percent ($3.2 billion) from 2023. U.S. goods imports from Vietnam totaled $136.6 billion in 2024, up 19.3 percent ($22.1 billion) from 2023. The U.S. goods trade deficit with Vietnam was $123.5 billion in 2024, an 18.1 percent increase ($18.9 billion) over 2023.

Since the amount of trade we are doing with Vietnam is increasing, a tariff agreement between the two countries would be a good deal for everyone involved.

 

Leveling The Playing Field

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On Wednesday, Townhall posted an article about one result of President Trump’s tariffs.

The article reports:

Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Wednesday suggested that Canada would drop its tariffs on U.S. goods if President Donald Trump eased up on his tariffs on Canadian goods.

During an appearance with CNBC’s Ross Sorkin, he stated that the impending tariff war is “just going to hurt American jobs” and that Trump “said he was going to create jobs, create wealth, reduce inflation.”

Sorkin asked whether Ford believed it was fair that Canada has “tariffs on a whole number of products.”

Ford replied, “And we’d be willing to take those off tomorrow if he took all the tariffs off” and suggested that “China is the problem.”

The host asked why Canada wouldn’t have these negotiations before Trump imposed his tariffs.

The premier responded:

Well, we’ve had this conversation for over the last month. We don’t want tariffs. We have another $65 billion dollars with a tariff to launch today. That’s the last thing we want to do because it’s just, again, it’s going to hurt both countries. It’s going to hurt American workers. That’s the last thing I want.

That statement is a very diplomatic way of saying nothing.

America has been paying tariffs on its exports to other countries for years. It is not unreasonable to expect that at some point the playing field would be made more level. It is not up to us to bankroll the rest of the world by letting other countries impose tariffs on us without imposing tariffs on them. I suspect that President Trump’s tariffs are not yet set in stone and are still in the negotiating stage. We do need to put tariffs on other countries, but the final details may be different from what we are currently hearing.

The President of El Salvador’s Statement About The Prisoners Returned To His Country

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There was a bit of a dust-up over the weekend when a U.S. District Judge attempted to stop President Trump from flying some Venezuelan Tren de Aragua members to El Salvador to be imprisoned there. The Trump administration says it disregarded a judge’s order to turn around two planeloads of criminals because the flights were over international waters when the order was issued and therefore the ruling did not apply, I have no idea whether that is valid or not, but the criminals were here illegally, they were violent, and they needed to be in jail somewhere.

On Monday, Townhall posted a statement by El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele.

This is the statement:

Today, the first 238 members of the Venezuelan criminal organization, Tren de Aragua, arrived in our country,” he said, They were immediately transferred to CECOT, the Terrorism Confinement Center, for a period of one year (renewable).

The United States will pay a very low fee for them, but a high one for us.

Over time, these actions, combined with the production already being generated by more than 40,000 inmates engaged in various workshops and labor under the Zero Idleness program, will help make our prison system self-sustainable. As of today, it costs $200 million per year.

On this occasion, the U.S. has also sent us 23 MS-13 members wanted by Salvadoran justice, including two ringleaders. One of them is a member of the criminal organization’s highest structure.

This will help us finalize intelligence gathering and go after the last remnants of MS-13, including its former and new members, money, weapons, drugs, hideouts, collaborators, and sponsors.

As always, we continue advancing in the fight against organized crime. But this time, we are also helping our allies, making our prison system self-sustainable, and obtaining vital intelligence to make our country an even safer place. All in a single action.

May God bless El Salvador, and may God bless the United States.

We are fortunate to have a President who removes violent criminals from our country.

The Actions Of A Nasty Little Man

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On Saturday, Townhall posted an article illustrating one way the Biden administration was involved in the lawfare against President Trump. There were many aspects of the actions of the Biden administration that were clearly illegal.

The article quotes Fox News:

The Biden White House turned over government cellphones belonging to President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence to the FBI in May 2022 as part of a bureau probe into the aftermath of the 2020 election, tying Trump to that investigation without sufficient predication, Fox News Digital has learned.

The FBI did not need a warrant to physically obtain the government phones from the Biden White House.

But after acquiring the devices, agents began drafting a search warrant to extract the phones’ data, sources familiar with the investigation told Fox News Digital.

“The Biden White House played right along with the FBI’s ‘gotcha’ scheme against Trump,” a source familiar with the investigation told Fox News Digital. “Biden’s Office of White House Counsel, under the leadership of Dana Remus and Jonathan Su, gave its blessing and accommodation for the FBI to physically obtain Trump and Pence’s phones in early May 2022. Weeks later, the FBI began drafting a search warrant to extract the phones’ data.”

The phones were obtained and entered as evidence as part of the FBI’s original anti-Trump 2020 election investigation, which eventually was taken over by special counsel Jack Smith. That case was known inside the bureau as “Arctic Frost” and was opened April 13, 2022, by anti-Trump former FBI agent Timothy Thibault.

Thibault, according to whistleblowers, broke protocol and played a critical role in opening and advancing the bureau’s original investigation related to the 2020 election, tying Trump to the probe without sufficient predication. Thibault broke protocol by taking action to open the investigation and involve Trump despite being unauthorized to open criminal investigations in his role. Only special agents have the authority to open criminal investigations.

There were a lot of rules and policies ignored in the treatment of President Trump during the Biden administration. It would be nice to see the people who ignored those rules and policies held accountable. Unfortunately, if the case of Former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith is any indication, there will not be serious consequences for their actions. Clinesmith lied on the FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) application. His lie resulted in the illegal surveillance of President Trump and his campaign and to the Russia Hoax. Clinesmith in August pleaded guilty to “one count of making a false statement within both the jurisdiction of the executive branch and judicial branch of the U.S. government, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.” He was given 12 months probation, 400 hours of community service, and no fine.

This Could Change By The Time I Post This Article

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On March 3rd, Townhall reported that President Trump had put a ‘pause’ on foreign aid to Ukraine.

This was posted on X:

The article includes the following statement by President Trump:

“We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations,” Trump released in a statement on Truth Social after the Oval Office meeting. “I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”

On March 4th, Townhall reported the following:

In a Tuesday post on X, Zelensky affirmed that “Ukraine is ready t o come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer” and that “Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians.”

I hope this time Zelensky keeps his word about signing the deal. If he does, his signing will be proof that a strong America helps bring peace to the world.

The March 4th article reports:

Zelensky further stated that he and his team “do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence” and that they “remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins.”

“We are grateful for this,” the Ukrainian leader wrote.

Zelensky referenced the meeting, saying it “did not go the way it was supposed to be” and that “it is regrettable that it happened this way.”

He further indicated that Ukraine is ready to sign an agreement that would allow the United States access to Ukraine’s mineral deposit in exchange for security. “We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively,” Zelensky wrote.

Zelensky’s temper tantrum in the Oval Office did not play well at home–one member of the Ukrainian Parliament called for Zelensky’s impeachment. It may also be the Zelensky realized that Europe does not have the money to support the war to the degree that America does. At any rate, I am hoping this will be a step toward peace.

The Bottom Line

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On Thursday, Townhall posted an article stating ten hard facts about the war in Ukraine.

This is the list:

1. Russia is absolutely in the wrong for invading Ukraine.

2. Ukraine is not going to be able to win the war if the definition of winning the war is recovering all the conquered Ukrainian territory.

3. Zelensky will have to accept the reality that America will need to be paid back for its aid, which means, as a practical matter, access to Ukraine’s mineral reserves.

4. Ukraine is an unbelievably corrupt country, and the idea that no substantial portion of our aid money has been stolen is ridiculous.

5. The American people are, by and large, tired of subsidizing Ukraine’s end of this war.

6. China is a substantially greater threat to the United States than Russia in the macro.

7. The Europeans should be taking the lead in supporting Ukraine and should be taking the lead in defending Europe.

8. The campaign to insult critics of past Ukraine policy by calling them Putin’s puppets and so forth is a lie and is going to result in enmity towards the idea of helping the Ukrainians.

9. Some of our NATO allies are participating in internal repression, including suppression of free speech and the right to organize and participate in elections via non-establishment parties.

10. It is in America’s interest that this war ends.

One of the main trip wires that caused Russia to invade Ukraine was the threat of Ukraine joining NATO. How would we like it if Mexico formed an alliance with Russia and began placing Russian soldiers or weapons at our southern border? The Cartels are bad enough.

This war has benefited no one except those who supply weapons to Russia or Ukraine. In August 2023, Congress.gov reported the following:

The total number of Ukrainian and Russian troops killed or wounded since the war in Ukraine began 18 months ago is nearing 500,000, U.S. officials said, a staggering toll as Russia assaults its next-door neighbor and tries to seize more territory.

I shudder to think what the numbers are now.

Please follow the link above to read the entire article. It is long past time for the war in Ukraine to end.

Fighting For Unbiased News Coverage

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Anyone who has been paying attention in recent years knows that the press coverage of the White House is very different when a Republican is President than when a Democrat is President. That has to do with who controls the amount of access which news outlets have. In the past, access has been largely controlled by the White House Correspondents Association. That is about to change.

On Tuesday, Townhall reported:

“For decades a group of DC based journalists, the White House Correspondents’ Association, has long dictated which journalists get to ask questions of the president of the United States in these most intimate spaces. Not anymore,” Leavitt said. “All journalists, outlets and voices deserve a seat at this highly coveted table.”

“We are going to give the power back to the people,” she continued.

The move comes less than 24 hours after the White House won a legal fight against the Associated Press, which was kicked out of the press pool — a small group of reporters covering events — two weeks ago.

“As we have said from the beginning, asking the President of the United States questions in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One is a privilege granted to journalists, not a legal right. We stand by our decision to hold the Fake News accountable for their lies, and President Trump will continue to grant an unprecedented level of access to the press. This is the most transparent Administration in history,” the White House released in a statement Monday.

The American public is not uninformed. Unfortunately, most who watch the mainstream media are misinformed. Allowing media other than the mainstream media to ask questions is a step in the right direction.

According to Ultraculture:

Six—six—conglomerates currently run the mainstream media, controlling over 90% of the media we consume; that was consolidated from 50 companies in 1980. Those six conglomerates are GE, NewsCorp, Disney, Viacom, Time Warner and CBS. And while they may not be as nepotistic as Murdoch’s NewsCorp, the general trend of centralization is still having chilling effects on free speech.

This is the reason we need more media companies represented in the White House Press Room.

When The Objections Illustrate The Problem

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If your news sources are limited to the mainstream media, you might think that now is not a good time to visit Yosemite National Park–you might not be able to get into the restroom! Obviously that is ridiculous, but not to everyone.

On February 23rd, Townhall reported the following:

There’s something about being exposed that causes stupidity; a kneejerk reaction to push back against reality, no matter how obvious. As DOGE and President Donald Trump work to expose and fight government waste, fraud and abuse (how sad is it that they have to FIGHT Democrats to end those things?), more ways in which the federal government has been doing those things is coming to light.

…One of the dumbest and most hilarious cases of this very phenomenon was on display in a story in the Washington Post this week. It opens with this paragraph, “At California’s Yosemite National Park, the Trump administration fired the only locksmith on staff on Friday. He was the sole employee with the keys and the institutional knowledge needed to rescue visitors from locked restrooms.”

I have questions.

Why is there a locksmith on staff, as a locksmith, when you could just contract with one when needed? How often in your life have you said, “Damnit, why isn’t there a locksmith on staff?!” At the most, I’d say one time. But the odds are heavily in favor of never.

Next, why is this guy the only person with keys? Is that the source of his job security? “Fire me and you’ll never get into any building or room again, because I will destroy every key!” Doubtful, as other locksmiths exist, not to mention the fact that changing a lock isn’t all that hard.

The article concludes:

I promise you there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions of examples of other things too stupid to believe that our government pays for because no one is accountable for wasting money or cares. 

This is the system Democrats and Republicans created over the years, but only Democrats defend now. They wouldn’t run their family’s finances this way, and if they ran a company’s books the way they allow government to function they’d all be in jail. 

Remember that the next time you have an argument with one of your liberal friends about how “evil” Trump and Elon Musk are. Of course, there’s a better than average chance you’d be having that argument through a bathroom door with your friend “trapped” inside as they await the locksmith’s arrival, which makes the whole conversation pretty easy to avoid.

I am totally convinced that Yosemite National Park could put a locksmith on speed dial to avoid any problems firing the current one might cause.

It Pays To Check The Facts Before You Lecture

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On Saturday, Townhall posted an article that essentially fact-checked a recent statement by MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. Rachel Maddow was criticizing President Donald Trump for giving Elon Musk a $400 million contract to buy armored Teslas. The only problem with the criticism was that the contract was not awarded under President Trump, but under President Biden.

The article reports:

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow has once again found herself in hot water after making false claims about President Donald Trump giving Elon Musk a $400 million contract to buy armored Teslas. The liberal pundit, known for her questionable takes and liberal meltdowns, fabricated this narrative despite no evidence to back up the allegation. This latest misstep only adds to the growing list of inaccuracies from Maddow and other left-wing media figures attempting to distort the truth to discredit Trump and Musk.

…Although Maddow accused Musk of “self-dealing” regarding the multi-million dollar armored Tesla deal, she neglected to mention that the procurement list was revised under Biden on December 13, 2024— several weeks before Trump took office. The State Department stated that the Biden administration had requested it to explore options for adding armor to off-the-shelf electric vehicles, and the project was still in its initial phases.

Anyone who still watches the mainstream media and believes what it says is not only uninformed–they are misinformed.

Protecting Americans From Ridiculous Expenses

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On Sunday, Townhall posted an article about the ongoing recovery efforts in California after the disastrous fires. A little sunlight brought into the recovery will result in charitable contribution money being spent on those impacted by the fire–not on administrative costs.

The article reports:

Steve Soboroff, Los Angeles’ “Recovery Chief,” agreed to work without pay after Special Envoy Ric Grenell, Trump’s White House representative in California, exposed his $500,000 salary. The revelation sparked public outrage, prompting Soboroff to forgo his compensation in a bid to quell the backlash. The controversy comes as Soboroff oversees the city’s recovery efforts, with many questioning the large salary in light of residents’ ongoing challenges.

The salary was going to be for three months of work.

The article notes:

Facing criticism over his hefty $500,000 salary for just 90 days of work—money he would have earned from the misfortune of L.A. residents—Soboroff has backed down and agreed to work for free. Democrat L.A. Mayor Karen Bass confirmed he would receive no compensation, which would have been funded entirely by charitable organizations.

“Steve is always there for LA. I spoke to him today and asked him to modify his agreement and work for free. He said yes. We agree that we don’t need anything distracting from the recovery work we’re doing,” Bass said in a statement.

Soboroff, appointed last month as Bass’s wildfire recovery czar, was brought in to boost Bass’s political career after her initial response to the emergency drew nationwide criticism. Although the mayor’s office declined to disclose which organizations would fund Soboroff’s salary, critics found it “infuriating” that Bass had even considered that option.

Ric Grenell posted on X that he was glad there will be strings on federal money for California.

How To Bring Prosperity Back To Average Americans

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The American economy was designed to be based on free market capitalism. Somewhere along the way it began to look more like crony capitalism. That is what I think we have become. So how do we get back to the place where every man has an equal opportunity to become wealthy? Oddly enough, Elon Musk has a few ideas on the subject.

On Tuesday, Townhall reported:

What people actually paying attention know? Is Big Business and Big Government work in tandem – to their ongoing mutual benefit. And the country’s destruction.

Big Business writes laws making Big Government bigger.  Which Big Government then passes.  Bigger Big Government then works to make Big Business even bigger.  Bigger Big Business then writes laws… Lather, rinse, repeat…

Nauseatingly over-remunerated Big Bank employees become Big Government bureaucrats.  Who then help the Big Banks get even bigger.  Then the Big Government bureaucrats are rewarded by becoming nauseatingly over-remunerated Big Bank employees. Who then become…  Lather, rinse, repeat…

To wit: I give you the United States’ financial sector.  The Big Banks are titanic, dominant forces that control great and growing percentages of the market.  The Big Government agencies that allegedly exist to prevent Big Bank abuses?  The Federal Reserve and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) chief amongst them?  Are titanic, dominant forces that control great and growing percentages of the market.

Together?  They dominate and have destroyed their huge portion of the US economy.

The article reminds us:

Dodd-Frank massively increased the power of the unconstitutional, unaccountable Fed.  And created the unconstitutional, unaccountable CFPB.     

The allegedly “independent” Fed and CFPB have now been so powerful and so unaccountable for so long?  Their bureaucrats respond with anger and revulsion to even the thought of anyone even prospectively reining them in.  

Fed chairman Jerome Powell is a government villain too cartoonish even for Ayn Rand: 

“Jay Powell says Donald Trump couldn’t fire him even if he tried….’Not permitted under the law,’ the central bank chair said Thursday in curt but clear responses to reporters who asked about his views on any legal authorities Trump might have in terms of firing or demoting him or any other top Fed officials.”  

The article concludes:

Which brings us back to the Trump Administration and its DOGE – The Department of Government Efficiency.  

One of the two co-czars of DOGE is Elon Musk.  Who has said some VERY promising things about both the CFPB and the Fed.

Musk Calls for End to CFPB

Elon Musk Reposts Call to End the US Federal Reserve Bank 

Yes, please.  And yes, please.  

The first two letter of DOGE are “DO.”  As in it let’s DO it.  Times two.

Just a reminder:

Another Day, Another Hurdle Placed In Front Of President Trump By The Biden Administration

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This is one of the nastiest peaceful transfers of power I have seen in my lifetime.

On Saturday, Townhall reported the following:

In a move that has many critics up in arms, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas has granted amnesty to 850,000 illegal immigrants, further exacerbating concerns about the Biden administration’s border policies. With just days away from being outgoing President Joe Biden’s last week in office, critics argue that this decision, which effectively shields hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens from deportation, signals an alarming disregard for the rule of law and sets a dangerous precedent for future immigration enforcement. With the U.S. southern border already overwhelmed by record numbers of illegal crossings, conservatives contend that this blanket amnesty acts as a stab in the back to President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans.

With just days left as Biden’s border czar, Mayorkas announced the 18-month expansion of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) amnesty, which includes the 234,000 illegal immigrants from El Salvador who first got their TPS status after a 2001 earthquake that destroyed the nation’s economy. The mass amnesty also includes 600,000 economic migrants from Venezuela.

However, the once struggling economy is now growing, thanks to the successful crackdown on gang crime led by the country’s popular president, Nayib Bukele.

That’s correct—Mayorkas cited “bad weather” as the reason for not sending the illegal aliens back to their home countries. 

The probably outcome of this move is that the deportation plans of the Trump administration will be tied up in court for at least two years. At that point, the Democrats running for Congress can run on the ‘broken promise’ of the Trump administration. I hope I am wrong about that, but because of the way politics works in America, any significant changes in policy in the Trump administration will have to be accomplished in the first eighteen months. After that, Congressional campaigns begin, and nothing gets down. I hope that the Trump administration has figured out how to get around all of the roadblocks the Biden administration is placing in its path.

The Difference Between The Two Parties

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The Republicans have taken control of the Senate. They have announced some of their plans. Generally speaking, their goal is to govern America in a way consistent with the Constitution and in a way that works for most Americans. The Democrats should be very grateful for that.

On January 3rd, Townhall reported:

The 119th Congress has just begun, and Republicans have a new leader in the Senate with Sen. John Thune (R-SD). As Thune has been saying ever since he was selected as majority leader in November, he plans to protect the filibuster, the very institution Senate Democrats fought so ferociously to destroy when they were in the majority. They would have ramped up those efforts even further, had they kept control of the chamber. For Friday’s speech, Thune plans to again reference his commitment to the filibuster. 

…Under Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Democrats tried multiple times to nuke the filibuster, including when it comes to attempts to pass legislation that would lead to a federal takeover of our election laws and attempts to pass legislation that would expand Roe v. Wade by allowing for abortion up until birth without legal limit in all 50 states. Such efforts failed, though, thanks to Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Both ultimately left the Democratic Party and became Independents, and neither ran for reelection in 2024. 

…Leading up to the 2024 election, far-left groups made it clear that they prioritized nuking the filibuster and packing the U.S. Supreme Court. In the final weeks of the campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris expressed her support for such a plan in order to make it easier for legislation to do with her her pet issue of abortion to get passed. Sen. Bob Casey Jr (D-PA) and Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX), who was running against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in the U.S. Senate race, expressed the same views. Harris, Casey, and Allred all ended up losing their races. 

Oddly enough, now that they are no longer in control of the Senate, the Democrats are less interested in getting rid of the filibuster. Wow! How things change.

Some Very Rational Comments From Eric Adams

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The Daniel Penny trial continues in New York City. As you probably remember, Daniel Penny is being tried for the murder of Jordan Neely in a subway car. Neely was behaving strangely and threatening the passengers in the car when former Marine Daniel Penny put him in a strangle hold to restrain him and protect the other passengers.

On Thursday, Townhall reported:

Democrat New York City Mayor Eric Adams is publicly defending Daniel Penny and his heroic actions.

…Adams appeared on a November 30 episode of “The Rob Astorino Show,” where he praised Penny for “doing what we should have done as a city,” protecting the people of New York.

“The young man [Neely], in this case, was going within our system, throughout the revolving door of our system. Now, we’re on the subway where we’re hearing someone talking about hurting people, killing people,” Adams told the show’s titular host, formerly a GOP candidate for New York governor. “You have someone [Penny] on that subway who was responding — doing what we should have done as a city.”

“Those passengers were afraid,” Adams added. “I’ve been on the subway system. I know what it is like as a police officer to wrestle or fight with someone.”

Adams went on to criticize the city’s mental health support system.

The article concludes:

At the time of Neely’s death, there was an active warrant out for his arrest.

During closing arguments, the defense told jurors: “The government wasn’t there. The police weren’t there. Danny was.”

“And when he needed help, no one was there. The government has the nerve to blame Danny because police weren’t there. Blame Danny for holding on when police weren’t there,” Penny’s defense attorney Steven Raiser said.

Penny faces up to 19 years in prison if convicted on both counts.

Jury deliberations began on Tuesday following a month-long trial.

Adams said he hoped jurors would “make the right decision” when rendering Penny’s verdict.

“I’m hoping that the jury will hear all the facts, based on all the facts that’s laid out, a jury of his peers would make the right decision,” he stated.

“That could have easily been a case where you saw three innocent people murdered on our street two weeks ago,” Adams said Saturday, referencing a recent mid-November deadly stabbing spree in Manhattan.

“It is imperative that we look at the totality of this problem,” Adams urged.

I am not in favor of people taking the law into their own hands, but in this case, Daniel Penny probably saved at least one life.

The Saga Of Fani Willis Continues

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On Wednesday, Townhall posted an article about the ongoing legal troubles of Fani Willis.

The article reports:

A Fulton County court has found Democrat DA Fani Willis in default for failing to comply with court deadlines in an open records lawsuit brought by government watchdog Judicial Watch. As a result, the anti-Trump prosecutor is ordered to produce potential documentation of communications Willis may have had with Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office and the U.S. House select January 6 committee.

In March, Judicial Watch launched a lawsuit after Willis denied possessing any records responsive to an August 2023 public records request. 

The organization, which investigates government misconduct, suggested in the civil action complaint that Willis likely lied about the purported lack of responsive records on hand.

As proof, Judicial Watch referenced a December 2021 letter Willis wrote to Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), then chairman of the congressional January 6 committee. In the letter, Willis officially requested the committee’s help with her Trump investigation and offered to trek to Capitol Hill to convene at the committee’s convenience.

“It may well be most efficient for your staff and effective for our understanding of my staff and me to meet with your investigators in person. We are able to travel to Washington…” Willis wrote, also asking for access to congressional records, such as recordings, transcripts of witness interviews and depositions, communications, and travel documents.

The letter to Thompson is clearly a responsive record, Judicial Watch noted, yet it was neither produced in response to the request nor claimed to be subject to exemption under state law.

The article concludes:

In October 2023, Judicial Watch sued the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), seeking communications between Smith and Willis regarding requests and receipt of federal funding in the Fulton County-level investigation of Trump. To date, the DOJ is refusing to confirm or deny the existence of such records, claiming that to do so would interfere with enforcement proceedings. Judicial Watch’s litigation challenging this claim continues.

House Republicans have called on Willis to disclose her crew’s contacts with the J6 committee. Willis refused, claiming the request “violates well-established principles of federalism and separation of powers.” She told U.S. House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH): “You cannot—and will not—be provided access to any non-public information about this.”

This month, the Georgia Court of Appeals was supposed to hear oral arguments about the slew of prosecutorial misconduct claims against Willis after a Fulton County judge’s non-disqualification decision allowed her to remain in charge of the Trump case. However, the appeals court abruptly canceled the December 5 hearing “until further order.” It’s still unclear why the proceeding was scrapped.

The claims of equal justice under the law have had a rough week.

Avoiding The FBI Until It Can Be Repaired

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On Wednesday, Townhall posted an article explaining how President Trump is avoiding the traps the FBI set for him during his last administration.

The article reports:

President-elect Donald J. Trump isn’t buying into the FBI’s games, nor should he. The Justice Department has targeted the man and has gone multiple rounds with its lawyers, including a federal raid on his home—all of which was to derail his 2024 candidacy. But he won the election.

He’s in charge, and I hope he takes a baseball bat to the J. Edgar Hoover Building. And yes, no appointee should subject themselves to an FBI background check for security clearances until he’s sworn in and gets his people to run the show. The Biden DOJ cannot be trusted. In a massive middle finger to the bureau, Trump is going to give every appointee a security clearance until his appointees can be reined in and begin the process of cleaning house at the FBI, which has devolved into the Democrats’ political police force (via The Guardian): 

Donald Trump’s transition team is planning for all political appointees to receive sweeping security clearances on the first day and only face FBI background checks after the incoming administration takes over the bureau and its own officials are installed in key positions, according to people familiar with the matter.

The move appears to mean that Trump’s team will continue to skirt FBI vetting and may not receive classified briefings until Trump is sworn in on 20 January and unilaterally grant sweeping security clearances across the administration.

Trump’s team has regarded the FBI background check process with contempt for months, a product of their deep distrust of the bureau ever since officials turned over transition records to the Russia investigation during the first Trump presidency, the people said.

The article concludes:

Many of our enemies still work at the FBI and the Justice Department. Look at what’s transpired, not just during the first Trump presidency, but this 2024 cycle—the incoming administration is rightly suspicious of this agency that has ruined countless lives to get Trump.

I’ll support anything that makes the FBI miserable, frustrated, and appear small. They’ve earned it.

This is definitely a different Trump administration than the one that took office in 2016.

Generally Speaking, The Voters Support President Trump’s Transition Actions

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On Monday, Townhall posted an article about recent polls taken to see how Americans are acting to President Trump’s transition moves.

The article reports:

We recently explored the question of whether Donald Trump has been given an electoral mandate by voters, with my bottom line being, ‘yes, but mandates are fickle and only last as long as voters remain on board.’  Seasoned and insightful political observer Brit Hume, however, has warned Trump’s team not to treat their victory as some sort of triumphal, full embrace: “This was a clear and convincing win for Mr. Trump, to be sure, and — particularly when you think of all the stuff that had been thrown at him as he tried to be elected again — it’s impressive,” he said before adding a few cautionary notes:

“Joe Biden won a narrow victory — convincing, perhaps, but narrow — in 2020, and once he got control of the Senate and had control of both houses, he started thinking that he was going to be the new FDR, and was going to pass all kinds of great social legislation, some of the results of which were an outbreak of inflation, from which his candidacy and his campaign never recovered,” Hume said. “So, you have to be careful about these things. Mandates, real mandates, are rare, and landslides are perhaps even rarer.” … “My thought about this is: The president would be wise to ignore the talk from his supporters about what an enormous mandate he has and what a great landslide he won, because thinking that can lead to trouble,” Hume added. Hume said Trump following through with his promise of mass deportation would be an appropriate reading of Trump’s mandate, given how clear the president-elect was on his goal. “Particularly on the deportation of illegal migrants,” Hume said, “he does, I think it’s fair to say, have an authority to do that, and the voters understood that that’s one of the things he said he was going to do, and he never back away from it.”

The article includes a number of screenshots illustrating where President Trump’s support is coming from and the amount of support President Trump has. Most Americans are on board with the idea of deporting people who do not legally belong here.

Small Steps As The Path To Victory

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Our Founding Fathers were very wise. Townhall reminds us that James Madison said, “I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” The election we just saw was an example of one party reaching past the political mindset of the majority of Americans and going too far too fast. Most Americans don’t want their children undergoing major surgery that will prevent them from having children later on. Most parents want to see more crayons and fewer drag queens in our children’s classrooms.

Townhall reports:

Mighty and loud revolutions have happened in history and with some degree of frequency. However, the most insidious “revolutions” are the ones mentioned by James Madison in the quote above. That kind of revolution is, no doubt, the one the Democratic Party and Marxist Left have in mind for America because they have been trying to impose it upon the country for the past two generations.

They almost succeeded but got too greedy the past four years, and the American people stopped them this year. But if we think the Left is finished, if we think they will give up, if we believe their attempt to continue their overthrow of the American Revolution of 1776 is over, then we are, of all people, most naïve. They aren’t going to stop; they are only going to regroup and redouble their efforts.

No doubt, the Left was knocked back on its heels a bit by this year’s election. Their arrogant smugness, sense of elite superiority, the belief that they were right about everything and surely the American people would never reject them—all of this received a severe blow and shocked them significantly. They still have no clue why they lost because they have no clue how utterly abhorrent their agenda is to true, patriotic, God-fearing Americans—and to many others who simply want to pay their bills and not have the Left’s communistic, licentious, anti-scientific garbage rammed down their throats.

The article notes:

“An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people” (Thomas Jefferson). That education starts with virtue, something our education system has utterly and miserably failed to inculcate into our children the past several decades. “To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people is a chimerical [fanciful] idea” (James Madison). Electing Donald Trump to the Presidency was a good start, but there is so much more to do. If the king is righteous but the people are wicked, the country will still be rotten and headed for destruction.

The Left knows—or will figure out soon—that, even with Donald Trump as President, they will eventually win IF they can continue to control the education system of America (including the media). We better figure that out, too. We didn’t get into this pit overnight and won’t climb out of it overnight. But we’d be wise to get started before the pit gets deeper.

Another reason to remove the Department of Education from the federal government.

Even The Washington Post?

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The election is over. At least we thought it was. However, Bob Casey, Jr., is trying to steal the Senate seat that has been awarded to Dave McCormick. Even the Washington Post has had enough of the Democrats ignoring the decisions of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court regarding legal votes.

Townhall reports:

The Washington Post’s left-leaning editorial board published a scathing article about Pennsylvania Democrats who voted to count invalid ballots during the Senate race recount between Bob Casey (D-PA) and his Republican challenger, Dave McCormick.

On Sunday, Townhall quoted The Washington Post:

“Democrats thumb their nose at the rule of law in Pennsylvania”

The mere attempt to defy judicial rulings is corrosive to democracy and invites similar behavior in future elections. Democrats would surely protest if a Republican commissioner made the same statement to justify tipping the scales for their party’s Senate nominee — and they would be right. Elections need rules established in advance of the voting, and those rules must be applied equally and consistently.

Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court, by the way, includes five justices elected in partisan elections as Democrats and just two elected as Republicans. Even if that partisan balance were reversed, however, the court’s authority would be equally legitimate.

I don’t know what the solution is when one political party refuses to abide by a decision made by the Court regarding the rules of an election. It seems to me that the voters in Pennsylvania need to get new election officials. The judges got it right, the officials chose to ignore the judges.

UPDATE:

On Monday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered the counting of ballots to stop immediately. We will see if the Democrats are ready to obey the law.

This Is The Plan

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On Thursday, Townhall posted an article detailing President Trump’s plan to drain the Washington, D.C. swamp.

Here is a brief summary:

In arguably one of the most critical first announcements Trump has made as president-elect, he vowed to immediately reissue the 2020 executive order to restore the president’s authority to remove “rogue bureaucrats aggressively.”

Second, Trump said he would fire all of the corrupt individuals in the country’s national security and intelligence organization so that bureaucrats would no longer be able to target and persecute conservatives and Christians.

…Third, the incoming 47th president said he would reform FISA courts, and fourth, to expose the abuses of power done so by the left.

Trump then announced he would form a Truth and Reconciliation committee to “declassify and publish all documents on Deep State spying, censorship, and corruption.”

Trump also said he would crack down on government workers who collude with the left-wing media to create false narratives.

…Sixth, he plans to make every Inspector General’s Office independent from the departments they oversee to ensure they do not become a part of the Deep State.

Seventh, Trump will create an independent auditing system that will monitor intelligence agencies to make sure they are not spying on Americans or secretly running disinformation campaigns against them.

The president-elect also vowed to relocate parts of the federal bureaucracy to states other than Washington, D.C., or the District of Columbia.

…Ninth, he will ban federal bureaucrats from working at companies they regulate, such as big Pharma and big tech.

And tenth, Trump promised to establish a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on Congress members.

This sounds like fun. However, I don’t agree with Congressional term limits unless you also term-limit Congressional staffs and high-level federal employees.

It’s Time To Protect The Children

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On November 9, Townhall reminded us what one of the first priorities of the Trump administration should be–locating and rescuing the children who have gone missing after crossing America’s southern border.

The article reports:

On Day One, President Trump must take immediate action to protect migrant children by completely overhauling the Office of Refugee Resettlement within the Department of Health and Human Services. The current catastrophe has resulted in thousands upon thousands of children vanishing into the unknown, many into the hands of traffickers. The true number remains unknown as the government has lost track of so many of these vulnerable souls. Those in the current administration who have deliberately weakened or eliminated crucial sponsor vetting procedures must be removed. The safety of vulnerable children cannot be sacrificed for administrative expediency.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with its extensive capabilities and expertise in immigration proceedings, should assume primary responsibility for vetting sponsors and monitoring these children’s whereabouts. Just as ICE successfully manages its Alternatives to Detention program through vetted contractors, similar frameworks could be established to track and protect unaccompanied minors. By leveraging ICE’s resources and coordinating with other agencies’ direct support, we can create a robust system that actually protects these children rather than abandoning them to potential traffickers.

The article concludes:

As we confront this ongoing crisis, our resolve must be stronger than ever. We must work together to create a world where no child is subjected to the horrors of trafficking or falls through the cracks of a failing system. This is more than a call for action; it’s a demand for justice and a plea to our collective conscience to treat this issue with the seriousness it deserves.

Every day we delay, more children vanish into the shadows. Their fate will be our legacy. The time for action is now. Our government’s first duty is to protect the vulnerable. When it comes to migrant children, we’re not just failing – we’re actively enabling their exploitation. This must change, and it must change now.

Matthew 18:6 in the New King James Bible states:

“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

I’m not suggesting we drown anyone, but let’s hold the people who are exploiting these children accountable.