2025 Rear-View Awards

 American Thinker  

"If hindsight is 20/20, then 2025 was a year where irony is produced by algorithms and politicians think diplomacy is a TikTok trend.  To toast our survival is the annual Rear-View Awards, the only column where irony is not just a category, it is the entire piece."

. . . "Metaphor of the year: Hollywood director Rob Reiner, the onetime foil to Archie Bunker, was apparently murdered by his son, proving that sitcom dysfunction can mirror life and be “All in the Family.”

"Best market correction: Hunter Biden is no longer getting $400,000 for his artwork. He is down to $100 bucks to spray-paint obscenities on a Tesla.

"Stat of the year: The New York Times ran a story on how foreign travel to the U.S. is down due what the Gray Lady calls the Trump Slump. This is believable when you consider that for the last four years our number one tourist attraction was the Rio Grande.

"Question: When will scientists admit that the climate has been changing long before humans invented SUVs, plastic straws, or had opinions?

"Cover-Up: Jake Tapper’s book, “Original Sin” exposes the media’s four-year whitewash of Joe Biden’s cognitive decline.  The canard that Biden was sharp, the border secure, Trump colluded with Russia, and Hunter’s laptop was fake, Tapper reveals what Washington long knew: Biden was unfit for office as early as 2017. The book recounts one particular moment of confusion when at a Beverly Hills fundraiser, Biden failed to recognize George Clooney and told Obama how much he loved him in Driving Miss Daisy.

"The Oxford Word of the Year is actually two words: “rage bait” because apparently “click bait” wasn’t emotionally ruinous enough. Linguists use “rage bait” for anything that divides or offends.  Last year’s phrase was “brain rot,” the term for scrolling ourselves into mental mush. Together, they sum up digital life: outrage sparks engagement, algorithms fan the flames, while burning a hole in your cornea.

"All in a name: As of this writing, the U.S. Navy destroyed its 5th Venezuelan drug boat. The boat didn’t have a chance with its name: Coke Zero.

"Best laugh: During warm‑ups for the 2025 WNBA All‑Star Game, players wore shirts stitched by Asian slave labor that read: “Pay Us What You Owe Us”, a bold slogan for a league so cash‑strapped it can barely afford the thread." . . .

. . . "The Confirmation Cup: In 2025, the White House Correspondents’ Dinner ditched a 140‑year ritual and refused to toast the president, an unexpected move that validated Donald Trump’s longtime complaints about media bias." . . .

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Victor Davis Hanson: DEI Is the Most ‘Toxic Ideology’ We’ve Ever Experienced

 Victor Davis Hanson   

"All of these scandals have that one thing in common, that when you’re on the BART, and you’re in San Francisco and you assault somebody and you are on the oppressor side, BART will say we’re not going to release the video of what you did because you’re oppressed, and it might discourage people from being nice to you. And that will encourage violence."

Victor Davis Hanson: I think everybody out there of any nationality or ethnic background has to understand something. DEI is the most toxic ideology we’ve ever experienced because it gave exemption to people to do things on the assumption that they could do things and not be held accountable because of their race, sexual orientation, or gender, or whatever.

And we’ve seen it in spades with the multibillion-dollar fraud in California. Mandami is going to select for one of his interior offices, I think economic justice, Julie Su, who was the labor secretary in California that oversaw $40 billion in Medi-Cal or unemployment fraud

And we’re seeing a multibillion fraud in Somalia. [Note: Fraud in Minnesota committed by Somalis.] We’re looking at truck driver fraud. We’re looking at violence. They all have one thing in common.

The Left has told us these people are all victims, not on any imperial evidence, just because DEI says that they’re not white. They’re not Christian in some cases, or whatever the DEI rubric is, not heterosexual, male, whatever, white.

But basically, they’re not white, and therefore, they’re the oppressed, and you have to give them special compensation. And when you do that to anybody for any reason, whether you’re a Russian in 1942 and you say you’re a communist and you’re a commissar, it doesn’t matter. To end that will help this country recover from its insanity." . . . More...

Tomi Lahren Slams Eric Swalwell for Cringe-Worthy Political Stunts

 American Association of Retired Republicans  

"The segment paints a picture of a party grappling with its identity and messaging, unable to find footing in a political landscape where authenticity and strength are valued by many. Lahren's commentary suggests that these missteps are not isolated but part of a larger pattern of ineffective outreach that could cost  

"Eric Swalwell Under Scrutiny for Embarrassing Behavior

"Tomi Lahren, host of 'Tomi Lahren Is Fearless,' recently took aim at Congressman Eric Swalwell in a scathing critique of his latest public antics. In her YouTube video posted on June 4, 2025, Lahren calls out Swalwell for what she describes as desperate and cringe-worthy behavior, particularly highlighting a video he shared that has drawn widespread mockery. The segment focuses on Swalwell's apparent struggle to connect with voters through awkward and poorly received content, positioning him as a symbol of Democratic missteps in leadership.

"Lahren does not hold back in her assessment, emphasizing that Swalwell's actions are not just embarrassing on a personal level but reflect poorly on the Democratic Party's efforts to resonate with the American public. She points out that Democrats seem to be turning to figures like Swalwell for leadership despite these public relations misfires, a move she finds baffling and counterproductive.

Jeremy Hunt Weighs In on Swalwell's Missteps

"At around the 2:42 mark of the video, Lahren is joined by Jeremy Hunt, Chairman of Veterans On Duty, to discuss Swalwell's recent appearance on 'The Breakfast Club.' Hunt reacts to Swalwell's comments and demeanor, agreeing with Lahren that the congressman's approach lacks the gravitas expected of someone in his position. They delve into how such appearances fail to project strength or relatability, instead coming across as forced attempts to appeal to younger or diverse demographics.

"Hunt and Lahren both express concern over the broader implications of Swalwell's behavior, suggesting it underscores a disconnect between Democratic leaders and the everyday concerns of Americans. Their conversation highlights a perceived desperation within the party to find figures who can effectively communicate their message, only to falter with choices like Swalwell." . . .  More here...

Eric Swalwell ignores sage wisdom in Tropic Thunder and goes ‘full retard’

"Maybe Eric Swalwell never saw Tropic Thunder, because if he had, he would have remembered that Robert Downey Jr.’s character gave some sage advice while speaking to Ben Stiller’s character about the latter’s portrayal of a retarded man named Simple Jack: “Never go full retard.” In fact, Eric Swalwell couldn’t have seen the movie, because he just went full retard on X:" . . .

Trump wins ruling on White House ballroom

UK Daily Mail

Trump wins ruling on White House ballroom  "A federal judge has declined to halt construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed White House ballroom, allowing demolition and below-ground work to continue while the legal challenge proceeds.

"U.S. District Judge Richard Leon denied the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s request for an emergency temporary restraining order, finding the group had not demonstrated imminent irreparable harm.

"The judge cautioned the administration against taking actions that could predetermine future construction. Republicans and preservation advocates have clashed over whether the project has complied with federal review requirements." . . .

. . . "Leon said he plans to hold another hearing in January while considering the Trust’s request to pause the project.

"The Trump administration has argued that the Trust lacks legal standing and that continued work is necessary for national security. Government lawyers also said outreach to federal planning bodies has begun.

"Trump welcomed the judge’s comments and said the ballroom’s projected cost has increased. Carol Quillen, president and chief executive officer of the National Trust, said the organization will continue pressing for legal compliance.

"Quillen said the group is “fully committed to upholding the interests of the American people and advocating for compliance with the law, including review by the National Capital Planning Commission and an opportunity for the public to provide comment and shape the project.”

"In the interim, the administration must submit formal plans to federal review bodies, including the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts.". . .