Idiot Leftist Of The Year Nominee No. 5

 (The fifth in a series of nominees, the winner will be announced in a December 27th column. The first, second, third and fourth nominees can be found here and here and here and here.)

Derek Hunter

"[Nevertheless], the final nominee is MSNBC. I could have included CNN but they simply don’t matter, even CNN employees don’t seem to watch CNN. And I could have gone with the whole media, but in that Petri dish of progressive activism MSNBC is the strain of bacteria towering above all others. 

"Yes, the New York Times has a larger impact insofar as what the rest of the media covers, especially since MSNBC doesn’t even pretend to do journalism anymore, but nothing infects the vacuous area where a leftist’s brain is supposed to go like a monologue from Rachel Maddow or some random tantrum by Joe Scarborough. MSNBC is the COVID of the mind for Democrats, infecting many with a destructive stupidity for which there is no real treatment. 

"Starting in the morning with Morning Joe, where a round table circle-jerk of sameness sets the tone for the day, you will not find a dissenting voice on the network. The closest you will come to disagreement is “Republicans are awful” followed by a “No, Republicans are REALLY awful.” Hunter Biden could be screaming about how he sold access to his father while doing lines of blow off Mika’s nose job in the green room and the idea of articulating the thought that that might not be a great idea or could possibly be newsworthy will not be mentioned on air. 

"The on-air personalities at MSNBC are like a Saturday Night Live skit waiting to happen – if SNL were funny anymore – where each person tries to out-stupid each other. A place where socialism works and conservatism is exemplified by people like Nicolle Wallace and Michael Steele, which is like using prostitution to extoll the virtues of monogamy. 

"It’s a plane of existence where the racist Joy Reid is smart and Al Sharpton is a “man of God.” Where Chris Hayes is tough and Larry O’Donnell is clever. Where Chuck Todd brings integrity and intelligence to Meet the Press and Rachel Maddow working one day a week for $30 million per year is a smart investment. . . ."

All the Presidents' Insurrections

Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan must be relieved to hear liberals admit that how we treat those who put their lives on the line for our country will determine how we are willing to do so in the future. Whelan, you'll recall, is rotting in a Russian prison, because a lesbian, Women's National Basketball Association star (but I repeat myself) took precedence over him in a prisoner trade. We're looking for a few good men. Anybody? Anybody? 

 Ann Coulter   "Well, the Jan. 6 committee has produced its long-awaited report. In a surprise move, the committee referred former President Donald Trump for criminal prosecution, accusing him of inciting insurrection, among other crimes.

"In fairness, Jan. 6, 2021, was the day that Trump announced he would open our southern border and allow nearly 5 million unvetted illegal immigrants into our country, whereupon they would be flown to various cities around the U.S. and given full access to all our welfare programs.

"Obviously, this constitutes insurrectionary behavior. The committee had no choice but to demand criminal charges.

"LATE BULLETIN: It was NOT the former president who did this, but the current president, Joe Biden. In another development, it turns out that engineering a foreign invasion of our country has been redefined as a "humanitarian mission."

"When will this "humanitarian mission" end? Apparently, never -- not until all 7 billion humans living in places less luxe than America have moved here, at which point America won't be so hot anymore, so no one will want to come.

"Thus, The New York Times quoted Jennifer Quigley, of Human Rights First, saying of our intervention in Afghanistan: "We can't claim mission accomplished. There are still too many vulnerable people abroad."

 . . .I can't help but notice that Quigley seamlessly shifted from "Afghanistan" to "people abroad."

'Christmas came early': Kari Lake's election lawsuit goes to trial

WND

'We have a chance to show the world that our elections are truly corrupt'

" 'Christmas came early yesterday," declared Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake to an enthusiastically supportive gathering in Phoenix on Tuesday.

"She was referring to a judge's ruling Monday that her legal challenge to Democratic Governor-elect Katie Hobbs election victory will be heard by a jury.

" 'We are going to trial," she told the audience at America Fest 2022, hosted by Turning Point USA.

" 'This is so historic, and you know what, I couldn’t have done it without you," said Lake.". . .

BREAKING: Our Election Case is going to trial. Katie Hobbs attempt to have our case thrown out FAILED. She will have to take the stand & testify.

Buckle up, America.
This is far from over. pic.twitter.com/291EnXPP3U

— Kari Lake (@KariLake) December 20, 2022

 Kari Lake Legal Team Finds 42.5 Percent of Ballots Examined Were Invalid

. . ."As RedState’s Jennifer Oliver O’Connell reported, Lake spoke at the Turning Point USA AmFest convention last weekend, and was enthusiastic about her legal chances:

Yesterday, we got great news–we’re taking these bastards to trial.

And I’m so excited. You know I ran against our own version of Joe Biden here, Katie Hobbs. Basement Hobbs. She ducked out on the debate, but she can’t duck out from taking the stand in our trial. She will have to take the stand. Katie Hobbs is gonna have to put her hand on the Bible and swear to tell the truth. That might be hard. That might be hard. And so is Stephen Richer, they’re going to have to swear to tell the truth. And I just want to remind them that perjury is a felony.

"However, it does not appear as if Hobbs will actually take the stand, as Lake’s attorneys announced later that they had withdrawn their subpoena for her to testify.

"The trial has adjourned for the day, but not before we got to see Maricopa County Elections Director Scott Jarrett act like the irregularities at the polls in November were no big deal:. . ."

Kari Lake Expert Witness: Missized Ballots That Caused Election Day Chaos Could Not Have Been An Accident

Lake’s lawyers attempted to make that case with their bombshell revelation that a review of random ballots found that 48 out of 113 (42.5 percent) were “19-inch ballots produced on 20-inch paper,” causing them to be rejected. 

When asked whether it could not have happened by
 accident, Parikh said “no.”

When asked by Lake’s attorney Bryan Blehm if the county knew on Election Day how many ballots had been submitted by the voters, Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer testified that they did not. According to Richer, individual polling places did not tally the number of votes cast — an apparent violation of state law.

How government sneaks up on you

The proposal to stop selling gas-powered cars in Delaware finally broke through the media noise this week, but it's been years in the making.

Michael Swartz @ Substack  "Here’s the deal: if the state of Delaware has its way, in 13 years, and for all practical purposes, you won’t be able to buy a new conventional gasoline-powered vehicle in the state. (I don’t think automakers are phasing them out that quickly.) Your choices would be limited to what they deem “zero emission vehicles,” meaning you’ll have to buy an electric vehicle (EV) whether you want one or not. It also means you’ll be dependent on the availability of charging stations if you are traveling and electricity if you choose to purchase the additional equipment required for home charging.

"So how did it become a big deal all of a sudden?

. . ."Speaking to my last question, as state Representative Jesse Vanderwende, who represents an area just up Delaware’s western border from me, noted in a social media post:

By imposing the transition through coercive regulatory measures, the Carney Administration is all but ensuring needless turmoil, pain, and expense for all Delawareans. I will be joining with colleagues who share my concerns to introduce legislation to restore consumer freedom in our state.Here is the legislature’s chance to get on the record.

"We are NOT bound by the Paris Climate Agreement; however, it can be argued that, through the use of our heretofore bountiful supplies of natural gas as a source of electricity, we have done more to reduce the carbon in the atmosphere than most of the signatories to the agreement, particularly the exempt nations of China and India - the former building smoke-belching coal plant after coal plant to supply their needs. We could do more to limit carbon emissions by revamping and restarting our nuclear power program than we will ever do with this regulation - but the state can’t steal from automakers if we do things my way."In essence, what we are debating here is legalized extortion: make cars that people don’t want but make us feel like we’re saving the planet or we will exact our toll upon you. And don’t believe the automakers will take this in the shorts; nope, they’re going to raise their prices even more to cover this cost.

"Send this back to California and let them suffer with it."

Zelensky Takes Aim at Isolationism in Address to Congress, Says World ‘Too Interconnected’ to Indulge Russian Aggression

 NR 

"Addressing a joint session of the U.S. Congress in his first overseas trip since Russia invaded his country more than 300 days ago, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky took aim at the burgeoning isolationist tendency in American politics, urging lawmakers to ramp up support for his embattled homeland out of self-interest rather than any charitable impulse.

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Clad in his trademark dark green sweatshirt and cargo pants, Zelensky pressed Congress to continue to provide the overwhelming military and financial aid that began to flow when Russia invaded and has continued unabated since, arguing that Russian aggression would further destabilize the U.S.-led international order if left unchecked.

The wartime leader went on to point out that Russian president Vladimir Putin has benefitted from weaponry provided by a hostile Iranian regime that is also intent on disrupting U.S. leadership of the international order, making the case that other rogue states will draw inspiration from Putin’s regime if Russia proves successful in its violation of international law.

“Iranian deadly drones, sent Russia hundreds, began a threat to our critical infrastructure, that is how one terrorist has found the other. It is just a matter of time when they will strike against your other allies, if we do not stop them now – we must do it,” Zelensky said.

“Your money is not charity; it’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way,” he added.". . .

Brittney Griner gets horrible response at welcome home party

 Brittney Griner gets horrible response at welcome home party (thecomeback.com)

Only 20 people showed to Brittney Griner's "Welcome Home" party at a church in her collegiate town. 

" NBA superstar Brittney Griner is home for Christmas after President Joe Biden made the bold decision to free Griner in a prisoner swap with the Russian government that also freed convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout.

"WNBA superstar Brittney Griner is home for Christmas after President Joe Biden made the bold decision to free Griner in a prisoner swap with the Russian government that also freed convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout.

"Griner’s welcome home party on a military base outside San Antonio, Texas, included a barbecue and a Christmas tree. Her first move of freedom on the basketball court was a dunk. Griner has since announced her intentions to return to the Phoenix Mercury this season after the WNBA paid her entire 2022 salary while incarcerated.

"Griner’s welcome party in her collegiate town of Baylor, Texas, at a church minutes away from the campus on which she won a national championship, was only attended by 20 celebrators, according to an ESPN profile of the event. The church expected many more in attendance of the event in which organizers planned to “grieve over the way the world is.”

The Russian government originally sentenced Griner to nine years in a maximum-security penal colony for women located 200 miles west of Moscow after denying her appeal for freedom in October.

"President Biden faced criticism for leaving Paul Whelan, a former United States Marine serving 16 years in Russian custody on espionage charges, out of the deal that freed Griner.

"In her first statement since being freed, Griner has pledged to work to free all wrongly incarcerated Americans, including Whelan."[ESPN]

CNN Admits to Being a Propaganda Operation -

CNN does not even deny Trump’s general complaint that its negative coverage of him is motivated by political animus. 

  The American Spectator  "Recently, CNN filed its response to former President Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit. It is not surprising that CNN’s attorneys seem to have the stronger legal argument. After all, the controlling precedents make it notoriously difficult for a public figure to prevail in a defamation action. It is surprising, however, and more than a little revealing, that CNN’s filing nevertheless tends to support the political complaint that animates Trump’s suit: namely, that CNN, contrary to its branding, is not exactly a beacon of journalistic objectivity and honesty.

"Before coming to his specific defamation claims, Trump’s own submission sets the stage by claiming that CNN has a history of smearing him in order to advance its own anti-Trump political agenda. Thus, for example, Trump alleges that CNN broadcast an interview with a psychiatrist, Allen Frances, who stated — outlandishly — that “Trump is as destructive a person in this century as Hitler, Stalin, and Mao were in the last century. He may be responsible for many more million deaths than they were.” On another occasion, Trump claims, CNN’s Anderson Cooper interviewed Linda Ronstadt — yes, that Linda Ronstadt, the, the pop singer — about her views on Trump’s similarities to Hitler. Finally, Trump asserts that a CNN producer — filmed undercover by Project Veritas — admitted that the network’s coverage of Trump’s presidency was a kind of “propaganda” designed to get him “out” of office.

"Given how damaging these claims would be to the reputation of a serious news network, you might expect CNN to launch a defamation suit of its own against Trump. CNN has not done so, however, and does not even dispute these claims — no doubt for the simple reason that they are all absolutely true and easily verifiable. CNN’s legal filing thus tacitly admits that these ridiculous and humiliating examples are accurate descriptions of the network that bills itself as “the most trusted name in news.”

Indeed, CNN does not even deny Trump’s general complaint that its negative coverage of him is motivated by political". . .

This is one of the times that the Courts could violate their precious Stari Decisis and re-establish libel law. It would certainly tone down the rhetoric in the future, but more importantly, it would allow people to be secure from such previous assaults as we have seen in the last few decades. *It is not just so-called News Organizations, but also Social Media forums that have gone way too far. (Reader comment)

Still Makes No Prosecutorial Sense For Feds To Have Sam Bankman-Fried Arrested On Eve of Congressional Testimony

"The reasons why general citizens should not talk to the police are the flip side of why the feds should have wanted to have Dem Crypto King to testify to congress. There was zero upside for Dem Crypto King, and only upside for the feds. Baffling"

Reality Bites by Broc Smith.

Legal Insurrection  "I’ve been trying to figure out a non-political motive for federal prosecutors to arrange with Bahamian authorities to arrest Democrat Mega-Donor and Crypto King Sam Bankman-Fried  the day before he was to testify to Congress.

"When this first happened, I could think of no good reason, But Why? Democrat Mega-Donor Crypto King Sam Bankman-Fried Arrested In Bahamas Preventing His Congressional Testimony:

Funny that. It goes against everything you would expect prosecutors to do. Why not let him testify under oath. It’s no lose for the feds. “Anything you say can and will be used against you.”

There was no downside. Dem Crypto King may have further implicated himself in criminal conduct. Or he may have lied under oath to Congress, more potential federal charges. His testimony could not help him or hurt the prosecution because even if he did well, you can’t introduce your own prior statements as evidence.

And there was no downside to the feds even if they already had a mountain of evidence against him. Too much evidence of guilt is a prosecutor’s dream. Usually.

So no downside for the feds, no upside for Dem Crypto King, if he testified….

The only potential downside to Dem Crypto King testifying before Congress today was for Democrats if Republicans got to question him about his political donations and ties to Democrats.. . . 

 

The Rise of the DeSantis Democrats

 The Free Press

Like Reagan Democrats once upon a time, these voters have already reshaped the political landscape in Florida. Can they do the same nationally in 2024?

 

"These voters are not all that dissimilar to the Reagan Democrats who fueled the Republican’s 1980 White House victory.

"Like the Reagan Democrats, the DeSantis Democrats feel condescended to, abandoned by the progressive elites who bankroll Democratic candidates and shape the party’s agenda.

Then, like now, inflation was out of control. Then, like now, the leadership in Washington seemed tired, out of ideas. Then, like now, the country seemed adrift. In 1980, America was losing ground to the communists in Afghanistan and Nicaragua, to the mullahs in Iran. In 2022, it is gripped by a polarization and economic stratification that have been building for years, with eight in ten Americans dissatisfied with how things are going, and two in five fearful a second civil war is on the horizon.

"But the DeSantis Democrats, unlike Reagan Democrats, who were mostly white with blue-collar jobs and high school degrees, are not an easily identifiable species. They are not confined to any class, constituency or ethnic category—although Democratic pollsters say Latinos were more likely to flip for DeSantis. They stretch across the city, from Little Havana east to Miami Beach, and south toward Palmetto Bay, and north, to the Cubans and Dominicans and Colombians in Hialeah. DeSantis led the Latino vote by almost 20 points, according to CNN exit polling.

"DeSantis, unlike Ronald Reagan, is a supremely practical man. To the two dozen Floridians interviewed for this story, the governor is more defined by his actions than his ideology: He kept the schools open and taxes low. Period. Even the culture-war bombs he’s tossed—like going head to head with the Magic Kingdom over the so-called Don’t Say Gay bill—served to squeeze tax dollars out of a massive corporation. (This is, in fact, disputable. The showdown, which led Florida to strip Disney World of its independent status, may force nearby county governments to pay for services once covered by Disney.)". . .

Olivia Reingold’s last piece for us was about attacks on pro-life activists. Read it here.

Marines to End Gender Identifiers for Drill Instructors as Jan. 6 Committee Tries to Prosecute Trump

  American Liberty News

"UNBELIEVABLE – GENDER INSANITY INFECTS MARINE CORPS – Why the Marines could nix gender identifiers for drill instructors. Will it be the end of “sir” and “ma’am”?"

. . ."BUT IS IT, REALLY READINESS? OR IS IT CLIMATE POLITICS? – For the Navy and Marines, weather readiness is climate readiness. Recently, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment Meredith Berger claimed that for the Navy and Marines, climate readiness is mission readiness. She made her case by citing this year’s North Atlantic hurricane season and stating that climate change is making the world a more volatile place by bringing extreme weather events, more humanitarian crises and heightened friction around essential natural resources. Her main point was that the Department of the Navy’s Climate Action 2030 addresses these issues by increasing the resilience of the Navy and Marine Corps while reducing the threat.". . .

Ohio teacher sues school for firing her for not using student's preferred pronouns

Just The News   "An Ohio teacher filed a lawsuit against her former school after she said she was forced to quit for not using a student's preferred pronouns, which would have violated her religious beliefs. 

"Vivian Geraghty was an English teacher at Jackson Memorial Middle School in Massillon until the district forced her to resign in August because she refused to participate in a student's social transition to another sex by using different pronouns and a different name than the student had at birth.

"The lawsuit, filed last week in federal court by the conservative legal nonprofit the Alliance Defending Freedom, said the school "unconstitutionally retaliated" against Geraghty for exercising her free speech and for her Christian beliefs.

"The school forced her to resign although no students filed complaints and education was not disrupted, the lawsuit stated. 

"Vivian treated every student with equality and respect, and it was unlawful for school officials to terminate her employment simply because she wanted to avoid using her voice to validate ideas that violate her faith and jeopardize her students’ wellbeing," said Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer.

"Teachers in other states have filed similar lawsuits for not participating in a student's social gender transition.

"In September, a former Kansas middle school teacher received a $95,000 settlement after she was suspended for not using a student's preferred name and pronouns.". . .

On a related note: Instead Of Kryptonite, New LGBTQ+ Superman Will Be Crippled By Anyone Using Wrong Pronouns

"We are so proud to break new ground with this stunning, brave, totally expected, and culturally fashionable change to the Superman character," said writer Tom Taylor. "We look forward to selling dozens and dozens of copies." 

10 Steps to Save America

"Yes, there is a way. But is there the will?"

Being forced to tell the truth would be a powerful deterrent against bureaucratic overreach. 

 Victor Davis Hanson  "Most Americans know something has gone terribly wrong—and very abruptly—with the United States. They are certain that our wounds are almost all self-inflicted. The current pathologies are not a result of a natural disaster, an exhaustion of natural resources, plagues, or an existential war. 

"Crushing national debt and annual deficits, spiraling food and fuel costs amid “normal” seven-percent-plus annual inflation, bread-and-circuses entitlements, a nonexistent border, a resurgence of racial tribalism, pandemic violent criminality, and humiliation abroad—all these pathologies are easily cited as symptoms of a sick patient. Our crises are not as the Left maintains—a nine-person Supreme Court, the Electoral College, or the filibuster—all distractions from existential problems the Left largely created. 

"So, what are the therapies and prognoses for America?

"In the spirit of constructive rather than blanket criticism, here is a partial, 10-point plan of national recovery.

Cut the Debt 

"Americans’ national debt is now $31 trillion. That is about 123 percent of current GDP. The liabilities are unsustainable. We run annual deficits of $1.6 trillion. These financial obligations will eventually ensure that rising interest rates to service the debt crowd out essential spending for national defense and the general welfare. 

"Or in extremis, in the not too distant future, the government will be forced to default on what it owes the “rich” bondholders and foreign debt holders. Or the government will be forced to confiscate private wealth, as for example occasional crazy suggestions to nationalize and absorb 401(k)k retirement plans into the soon-to-be-insolvent Social Security system. Or the state will simply print millions of dollars to pay off obligations, Weimar-style.

"In addict style, the more we come to realize that our binging habit cannot go on, the less we can practice self-restraint. And the more it is the case that those who receive government redistributions outnumber those who pay the majority of federal income taxes, the less hope there remains to avoid insolvency.". . .

Victor Davis Hanson is a distinguished fellow of the Center for American Greatness and the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. He is an American military historian, columnist, a former classics professor, and scholar of ancient warfare. He has been a visiting professor at Hillsdale College since 2004. Hanson was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2007 by President George W. Bush. Hanson is also a farmer (growing raisin grapes on a family farm in Selma, California) and a critic of social trends related to farming and agrarianism. He is the author most recently of The Second World Wars: How the First Global Conflict Was Fought and Won, The Case for Trump and the newly released The Dying Citizen.