Chicago Declares War on Faith

 Townhall  

"If America is to remain the land of the free, we must defend the right of every citizen—and every college, ministry, or school—to live by the truth they profess, even when it’s unpopular. The founders of this nation enshrined religious liberty as the first freedom for a reason. Without it, every other right eventually crumbles."

"Chicago’s public school bureaucracy has decided that the faith of a Bible college is suddenly disqualifying—and that should chill every freedom-loving American to the bone.

"In a lawsuit now drawing national attention, the Moody Bible Institute alleges that Chicago Public Schools barred its students from student-teaching positions because Moody’s hiring practices require faculty and staff to affirm a biblical statement of faith and live accordingly. In plain English: because Moody hires Christians to teach in a Christian school, Chicago says they can’t send their students to teach in public classrooms.

"Let’s be clear—Moody isn’t discriminating against anyone. It’s being discriminated *against* for daring to live out its faith.

"What Chicago has done isn’t some paperwork misunderstanding. It’s a direct assault on the idea that religious institutions have the right to exist openly, consistently, and without apology in accordance with their own beliefs. CPS demanded that Moody sign a nondiscrimination policy that would forbid it from limiting employment to those who share its Christian confession. When Moody refused to violate its own conscience, CPS responded by kicking them out of the district’s student-teaching program.

"That’s not inclusion. That’s coercion. And it’s the kind of governmental overreach our Founders specifically wrote the First Amendment to prevent.

"The irony is rich. Chicago will gladly accept teachers from almost any secular institution that preaches every kind of ideology imaginable—but if your worldview happens to be biblical, you’re unfit to teach? What Moody believes about human nature, morality, and truth is not a PR slogan—it’s the foundation of their education model. Expecting them to “turn off” their faith to participate in a government program is like asking a doctor to renounce medicine before performing surgery. It’s absurd." . . .

. . . "Chicago Public Schools may think they’re punishing one Bible college, but what they’re really testing is whether the First Amendment still means what it says. Moody Bible Institute is right to fight back. They are right on principle, right on the law, and right for the country. Because if we don’t draw the line here—we may never get another chance."

Michelle Obama tries so hard to play the victim that she instead provides comedy gold

Miranda Devine   

. . . "Poor Michelle. Has any flesh-and-blood human ever gotten more universally favorable media coverage than her? Well, besides her husband? This was the woman, after all, whose last unscripted utterance was back in 2008, when she told an adoring crowd, “Let me tell you something. For the first time in my adult lifetime, I’m really proud of my country — and not just because Barack has done well but because I think people are hungry for change.”  Source

It’s no coincidence that multimillionaire Michelle Obama is on a self-pity jag as she promotes her latest expensive coffee table memoir as her husband’s Democratic Party succumbs to its socialist fringe.

"You see it everywhere. Democratic Marie Antoinettes moaning about their plight and the ingratitude of the serfs as the revolution devours their dominion.

"For the former first lady, a week of softball interviews for her new $50 tome, “The Look,” has been dominated by bizarre complaints about her time in the White House with President Barack Obama.

"She is rewriting history to claim bitterly that, as the first black first couple, “we didn’t get the grace that I think some other families have gotten.”

"Whom does she think she’s kidding? Martians?

"Melania Trump would like a word. There was no grace in the daily savaging that President Trump’s wife was subjected to in her first term in the White House. There were invasive questions about her marriage designed to damage it, dirty gossip packaged as news, xenophobic attacks on her accent and Slovenian origins. Even her Christmas decorations were slammed as ugly and cold.

"Despite being a successful international model who always dressed impeccably, and without complaint, she was never asked to grace the cover of Vogue, while far frumpier first ladies who dressed like sofas were lavishly showcased in the fashion mag two or three times each. No wonder she has retreated into herself in her husband’s second term.

"By contrast, it’s hard to remember another presidential couple so swooned over by the media as the Obamas, even by the standards of Democrat privilege. They were treated like Camelot Redux.

"But Michelle Obama, with all her millions, is at such pains to portray herself as a victim that she inadvertently provides us with comedy gold while begging more questions than she explains." . . .  More...

What's the Worst, Most Divisive Thing Michelle Obama Has Said as First Lady?

"While delivering the commencement speech at City College in New York City, Michelle Obama notably referred to waking up every day in a house built by slaves. Mrs. Obama never misses an opportunity to bait racism and divide the country. She's made many divisive remarks during her tenure as first lady."  "Which is the worst?" . . .

Ronald Reagan said, "If fascism ever comes to America, it will come in the name of liberalism."

 Ronald Reagan: 'If Fascism Ever Comes to America, It Will Come in the Name of Liberalism'

The Economics of Zohran Mamdani’s New York: A Radical Turn in America’s Urban Policy     Price freezes will result in shortages; a rule in economics.

What Zohran Mamdani's big win means for Main Street business owners: . . The $30 minimum wage issue

"Bufano says the biggest concern she hears from small business owners is about the proposed $30-per-hour minimum wage by 2030, something she says could cause a real headache for some. Bufano points out that pay structures inside most small businesses are tiered, with more experienced workers receiving higher wages.

“ 'If wages jump to $30 per hour for entry-level workers, small businesses will have to raise pay across the board to keep the tiered structure in place. And that will add up fast for small businesses,” Bufano said, with many small businesses running on thin margins unable to absorb the cost.

"This proposal could create new pressures for small business owners already navigating high overhead and post-pandemic recovery.

“I work directly with small businesses and entrepreneurs across the NYC metro area and nationally, and as a small business owner myself, I see every day how even small policy shifts can have big ripple effects,” Bufano said. “This is especially true for small businesses operating on tighter margins, with limited budgets, and lacking the financial cushion or capital reserves that larger companies can rely on.” . . .More...

The Economics Behind Zohran Mamdani’s Biggest Plans  "Zohran Mamdani's ambitious plans as New York City's mayor aim to reshape the economic landscape by prioritizing social equity through policies like a $30 minimum wage, rent freezes, and increased taxes on the wealthy."

. . . "His plans include:

• Phased $30 Minimum Wage: Mamdani aims to raise the minimum wage to $30 by 2030, which he argues is necessary to keep pace with the cost of living in New York City.
• Rent Freeze: He proposes freezing rents for one million rent-stabilized apartments, which is intended to provide immediate relief to tenants facing rising housing costs.
• Universal Childcare: Expanding access to affordable childcare is a key component of his ageand, aimed at supporting working families and promoting economic participation.
• Free Public Transportation: Making city buses free is another initiative designed to ease the financial burden on residents and encourage public transit use. . . . 

Much more here in this article

When Should You Use ‘Lay’ vs. ‘Lie’?

Word Smarts

"One of the trickiest (and most easily forgotten) lessons seems to be the difference between “lay” and “lie” and when it’s appropriate to use one over the other."

"When you’re feeling tired, sometimes you just need to lay down. Or wait — is it lie down? Grammar can be confusing, but don’t fret: You’re not the only person who is fuzzy on the details of grade-school English class. One of the trickiest (and most easily forgotten) lessons seems to be the difference between “lay” and “lie” and when it’s appropriate to use one over the other. To clarify, in this context, “lie” doesn’t mean “to fib” — we’re talking exclusively about the placement meaning of the verb.

"“Lay” and “lie” are mixed up more frequently than identical twins, as both words refer to people or objects positioned horizontally on a surface. But it’s actually quite easy to tell the two words apart — at least in the present tense. The past tense, however, is where things get tricky. Here are a few easy tips to help you differentiate between the two words.

“Lay” is a transitive verb, and “transitive” refers to objects that are being acted upon. So, if you’re in the act of putting down a book before going to sleep, you’d say, “I lay the book on the nightstand,” because you’re performing an action on the book. In the past tense, you would say, “I laid the book on the nightstand.” 

"Intransitive verbs such as “lie” refer to things acting of their own volition — such as humans. (Here’s a quick memory tip: Only a person can lie on a bed and tell a lie.) An appropriate use here would be, “I lie on the grass in my yard.” But this is where things get even more confusing — the past tense of “lie” is “lay.” So, if you were sitting in the grass hours ago, you’d say, “I lay in my yard.”

"As for that nap conundrum? It’s “I’m going to lie down,” but “I lay down for a nap earlier.”

Lining Up For Gas In California

From the state that gives us Eric Swalwell, Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, Ted Lieu, Adam Schiff,  performance artist  Alex Padilla, and ad nauseum, et in. TD

Issues & Insights

"So the pain will be doubled – time burned “a mouldering” in lines waiting to pay the Golden State premium just to get to work, the store and home again."

"California has the trendiest, and most foolish, energy policies in the U.S. The result is a return to the early ’70s, when drivers lined up around the block, hoping and praying the gasoline wouldn’t run out before they got to the pumps.

"“California’s oil industry now sits at the precipice of complete collapse,” says Edward Ring, director of water and energy policy at the California Policy Center, “and if that happens, more imports will not prevent lines at the pumps.”

"How could California, which has the sixth most proved crude reserves in the country, be looking over the edge of a gasoline crisis?

"California is hurtling toward the gas panic of ’25 because it has been at war with fossil fuel for decades. In the case of motor fuel, “the state legislature has disincentivized the production, distribution, and refining of oil in California,” says Ring, while “cities and counties have followed suit.”

"Two refineries are closing their facilities, the companies that own them having determined that it’s become too difficult to do business in California, which is hostile to energy companies that aren’t sucking up taxpayer-provided dollars to build politically preferred solar and wind projects.

"“By this time next year,” says the Pacific Research Institute, “there might not be even a dozen refineries left in the state to produce the 38 million gallons of California’s boutique blend that’s consumed every day.” 

"A quarter of a century ago, there were 23 refineries in California, 40 in 1983. The remaining sites are the only ones in the country that make California’s special formulation – which adds 10 to 15 cents to the cost of a gallon of gasoline – so importing fuel from other states is not a readily available option." . . .More

Lines for Gas Coming to California — Californians for Energy and Water Abundance

Mayor-elect Mamdani reeks of Lenin — but NYC’s wise safeguard against Marxism stands in his way

 Charles Gasparino

"No matter how many freebees Mamdani doles out, how many grocery stores or rent-free apartments he creates, bondholders get first dibs on city tax revenues because Carey & Co. knew that we need them to keep buying debt or the place shuts down."

"Zohran Mamdani’s victory-lap speech Tuesday night reeked of Vladimir Lenin after Russia’s 1917 communist revolution.

"But instead of commanding a Red Army, the mayor-elect should be aware he will be facing lots of red ink. 

"That’s on top of some very strict and sensible financial rules put in place some 50 years ago — just in case a deranged Marxist ended up running New York City. 

"Yes, socialism can sound rousing when it’s pitched by a skilled orator.

"Mamdani spoke of soaking the rich — failing to mention, of course, that they’re already paying some of the highest taxes in the country.

"He ranted how the poor will finally have their day — in a city that already doles out everything from free health care to subsidized housing. 

"He also dared President Trump, who was in DC undoubtedly watching this spectacle, to “turn up the volume” as he doubled down on his vision: free buses, government groceries, more welfare and free trans medical treatment — even for children. 

"But NYC — with plenty of welfare statism already on the books — will never go full-on Soviet ­Union.

"That’s because laws must be followed — even by a 34-year old backbench, lefty assemblyman with a degree in “Africana Studies” who visions himself as the second coming of Fidel. 

"Those laws include something called “The Financial Emergency Act” of 1975.

"It was the brainchild of former Gov. Hugh Carey and his outside adviser, the great philanthropist and investment banker Felix Rohatyn.

"It was designed to prevent another politician-made catastrophe like the fiscal crisis of the 1970s, when the Big Apple nearly went bankrupt and began to implode, fiscally and socially. 

"Cops were laid off and garbage piled up because we had no money and no one would lend to us — the budget was such a mess, no one knew if they would get paid back.

"The mayor at the time was Abraham Beame but years of bad government, perverse spending and spotty accounting contributed to the mess. " . . .More