Once Upon a One More Time and the rise of the faux-progressive pop musical -

  Vox

"The faux-progressive pop musical, however, mostly ignores that potential. It generally attempts to try to cram liberal slogans into a musical form that was never designed to bear them."

. . ."One More Time is one of a spree of recent Broadway musicals that attempt, with various degrees of hamfistedness, to marry a bubblegum pop songbook to a politically progressive reinterpretation of an existing story. It’s as though, after the success of Hamilton, producers all over New York City ordered up message musicals with radio-friendly songbooks by the dozen. Only now are they beginning to realize that it’s actually pretty hard to make that combination work.

"First came Six. Arriving on Broadway in 2021 after originating in London, Six uses original songs heavily inspired by existing pop numbers to tell the tale of the six wives of Henry VIII, this time with more girl power. Following fast on its heels was 2022’s & Juliet, which uses the songs of Swedish megaproducer Max Martin to imagine a story where instead of killing herself after Romeo dies, Juliet goes to Paris to party with her genderqueer best friend. This spring came the show with the name that tempted fate: Bad Cinderella, another feminist take on the fairy tale. (Bad Cinderella closed in June after just 85 performances.) This time the songbook was provided by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the man who reinvented the Broadway pop musical in the 1980s." . . .

Michelle Obama rage-tweets about blacks being oppressed -- from a fancy Greek yacht vacay out in the Mediterranean -

  Monica Showalter; American Thinker   "For most of us, Grecian island vacations and private yacht parties with the jet set are pretty much the purview of those with lives of idle privilege.

"Not for Michelle Obama, who had plenty of complaints about the Supreme Court's rulings back in the states while on this sort of vacation.

"According to this tweet:" . . .

. . ."Private jets? Jammed traffic? Non-disclosure agreements? Did they pay these people for that 'service,' or did they just demand it?

"I think we can guess who the privileged ones are here. But no matter -- as Michelle said in her earlier statement "we belong," which is a fancy way of saying "we're entitled." And just like the affirmative action privileges Michelle laments the demise of, the Obamas are comfortable with other privileges, living the textbook life of the jet-setting idle rich.

"Give us a break.". . .

Michelle Obama: Ask Her For ‘Help’ And You’re Branded A Racist (inquisitr.com)

. . ."Was Michelle Obama really the victim of racism during her trip to Target? In extracts from an exclusive interview recorded by People magazine, Michelle Obama speaks candidly about racial stereotyping and the Obamas fears for their daughters.

"During the interview, the first lady described how she was the victim of subtle racism during a trip to Target. The crime? A white woman asked her for help reaching some detergent on a high shelf.". . .

"But was Michelle Obama’s Target shopping experience really an example of racism? Ben Shapiro from Truth Revolt doesn’t think so. In fact, when telling David Letterman about the same incident a couple of years ago, the first lady appeared to find the incident charming and sweet.

“I have to tell you something about this trip though. No one knew that was me because a woman actually walked up to me, right? I was in the detergent aisle, and she said — I kid you not — she said, ‘Excuse me, I just have to ask you something,’ and I thought, ‘Oh, cover’s blown.’ She said, ‘Can you reach on that shelf and hand me the detergent?’ I kid you not.”

"Warming to the laughter of the audience, Michelle Obama continued to describe a rather normal and endearing human interaction.

“And the only thing she said — I reached up, ’cause she was short, and I reached up, pulled it down — she said, ‘Well, you didn’t have to make it look so easy.’ That was my interaction. I felt so good… She had no idea who I was. I thought, as soon as she walked up — I was with my assistant, and I said, ‘This is it, it’s over. We’re going to have to leave.’ She just needed the detergent.” . . .

 Reality Bites by Broc Smith.

Leaked photos show Obamas were rage-tweeting about "oppression” from a lavish yacht in Greece... - Revolver News  From the comments section:

"BO squandered eight years and just made race relations worse.

"Racism has been very, very good to him.

"And the first White-Black president. I wonder how he comes to grip with his White Supremacist side?

"Affirmative action in education resulted in BLM, CRT, ESG and DEI. None of it benefited US.
Tens of billions of dollars spent on trying to right a wrong that that will never be forgiven.
All based on "color of skin" and not "content of character". They twisted MLK's Dream."
And now we all are paying the price."

"Their egos tell them they are making "proclamations from on high" and that the great, unwashed masses will heed their words like Gospel"

Biden Spotted Holding 'Cheat Sheet' That Reveals Disturbing Collusion With Reporters -

This cannot trouble Democrats; Joe is a malleable tool in their hands, doing their bidding. 

  Analyzing America

"During a press conference, President Joe Biden was photographed holding a “cheat sheet” that proved he had advanced knowledge fed to him by journalists.

“The notecard doesn’t just tell him which reporters to call on, it includes what order to call on them in and what PRE-SUBMITTED questions they’re going to ask,” political commentator Benny Johnson said.

“There’s no way this happened under Trump,” he added.

"The cheat sheet shows an image of Los Angeles Times reporter Courtney Subramanian as well as a guide on how to pronounce her name and her question for the president.". . . 

Puppeteer Jeff Dunham Mocks Joe Biden

Joe Biden Disowning His Granddaughter Goes Much Deeper Than Originally Thought

 Joe Biden Disowning His Granddaughter Goes Much Deeper Than Originally Thought – RedState

I’d ask how the Bidens could possibly get away with such a directive, but then I remember they are Democrats and how that means that nothing matters. 

Joe Biden REFUSES to provide security for Hunter's lovechild

"Amidst all the proclamations of the supposed incredible decency and love of the Biden family has been a very uncomfortable reality: Joe and Jill Biden have disowned their small granddaughter.

"After Hunter Biden recently settled with the mother of the child to reduce his child support payments, the situation once again found itself in the public eye. This time, things escalated further, though. Not only did the president’s son reduce his payments by a huge amount, but part of the settlement was denying his own daughter the use of his last name.

"As a father, I can’t even begin to process what kind of person does something like that, but responsibility for this situation doesn’t end with Hunter Biden himself. Behind him stands two enabling parents who have openly joined him in assuring the child in question is shunned and effectively erased.

"For years, Joe Biden has stated he only has six grandchildren. Some of that has been written off his senility flaring up. I suppose the excuse is that if he never sees his granddaughter, why should be expected to remember she exists?

"But a new report is shedding light on just how deep the plot goes. Per two sources, reported on in The New York Times of all places, White House aides are being told specifically that the Bidens only have six grandchildren.

And then there is President Biden.

His public image is centered around his devotion to his family — including to Hunter, his only surviving son. In strategy meetings in recent years, aides have been told that the Bidens have six, not seven, grandchildren, according to two people familiar with the discussions.

The White House did not respond to questions about the case, in keeping with how officials have answered questions about the Biden family before.

. . . Joe Biden Disowning His Granddaughter Goes Much Deeper Than Originally Thought – RedState

 

My story I was wrong about the Democratic Party #walkaway

 I was wrong about the Democratic Party #walkaway - YouTube

@samschwartz3175

Great points about the dishonesty and cruel outcomes of the Democrats and the media, what bothers me is why no one explains why? Why are they doing this? I'm sure they don't view themselves as being horrible people, so what's their rationale, and how are they able to get away with this for so many decades? And yes, I almost forgot, how are we planning on fixing that or creating equally powerful fight to preserve freedom? I'm tired of conservatives having good talk shows and good points and never win anything directionally!

@rikiriahi8295   

You described the problems with the public educational system perfectly. As a conservative Catholic Christian, these are the reasons that I pulled our son out and Homeschooled him. It’s no longer a safe environment for children and it’s getting far worse with laws depriving parents of their rights as loving moral authorities over their children. Woke ideology targets vulnerable children.

Ethics Observations On The Left’s Unethical Three Freakout Day

 Ethics Alarms

“People think that the President of the United States has the power for debt forgiveness. He does not. He can postpone. He can delay. But he does not have that power. That has to be an act of Congress.” 

"Yesterday’s clean and persuasive Supreme Court decision finally striking down racial discrimination in university admissions after decades of pretending it wasn’t the Consitutional offense it was was followed by two more sound Constitution-based decisions that were as important as they were necessary. All three were quickly attacked as “partisan” and “extreme” when they were neither, except to those who find the boundaries imposed by our nation’s traditional democratic principles overly obstructive to their schemes.

"Finally ruling on a lawsuit brought by six state governments, the Supreme Court rejected President Biden’s insane $430 billion student loan forgiveness plan as illegal because it was never authorized by Congress. In a cynical, Harry Reid-ish strategem to buy the 2022 mid-term elections, Biden had announced a $430 billion gift to mostly middle-class and wealthy citizens who were unable or unwilling to do what millions of Americans in their exact situation had done: paying back money they owed for a benefit they had received. In many ways it was progressive irresponsible government at its worst. The Constitution gives Congress, not the the White House,the power to determine how federal funds are spent. As Illya Somin wrote yesterday, “If the administration had won, Biden and future presidents would have been empowered to use vague statutes to usurp Congress’ constitutional control over the federal budget. Moreover, because of the context for this case, it also would have allowed the president to abuse emergency powers for partisan ends.' ” . . .  Full article here...

A disgusted Jonathan Turley gives Biden the back of his hand here.

The 4 Big Lies (And 1 Terrible Truth) In Biden’s ‘Bidenomics Is Working’ Speech –

  Issues & Insights

"In a 30-minute speech in Chicago this week, President Joe Biden declared that his economic policies — which can charitably be summed up as “borrow and spend, tax and regulate” — are doing wonders for the nation’s economy.

"Never mind that just 38% of Americans approve of the job Biden has been doing on the economy.

"No. The only risk we face, Biden argued, was a return of that bogeyman known as “trickle-down economics.”

“ 'Folks, let me say this as clearly as I can,” Biden said. “The trickle-down approach failed the middle class. It failed America. It blew up the deficit. It increased inequity. And it weakened the in — our infrastructure. It stripped the dignity, pride, and hope out of communities one after another, particularly through the Midwest, Western Pennsylvania, and heading west.”. . .

"Or, it would be, if there was a shred of truth to it. The middle class made huge gains during the “trickle-down” Reagan boom and was making huge gains during the Trump boom until the Biden-backed COVID lockdowns gutted it.

"Truth is, the only way Biden can make the case for “Bidenomics” is by lying. Examples:

• “U.S. has had the highest economic growth rate, leading the world economies since the pandemic.”

"Except it didn’t. The U.S. ranks 146th in real GDP growth in the world so far this year, came in 151st place last year, and was 66th in 2021, according to the International Monetary Fund.

• “We created 13.4 million new jobs.”

"Also false. Because almost 10 million of those were simply refilled jobs lost during the pointless COVID lockdown. Under Biden, the number of net new jobs is less than 4 million — which is nothing to brag about, given that the working-age population has grown by 6.8 million since Biden took office.

• “Americans are back to work who’ve been on the sidelines, and they want to come back.”. . .

Lockdown queen Randi Weingarten to now 'advise' Department of Homeland Security?

 Whatever it is she "advises," count on it being something good for the teachers' union — and inversely, something very bad for the public.  We know that based on Weingarten's already horrible record sneaking around and issuing the CDC its marching orders. 

Monica Showalter - American Thinker   "Not too long ago, Randi Weingarten, union boss for the notorious American Federation of Teachers, got caught giving orders to the Centers for Disease Control about the importance of keeping schools locked down, no matter what the "science" said, and no matter what the schoolchildren needed.  They were, you see, "thought partners," as one union official told the CDC.

"According to the Daily Wire, which has much gamier details than this short passage:

Text messages recently obtained by the Fairfax Parents Association show Weingarten texting with then-CDC Director Rochelle Walensky about keeping school restrictions tight. 

"It was frankly, a scandal, because this political hack for the Democrats has absolutely no expertise whatsoever in matters of public health, and there she was, effectively running the top federal agency for public health from behind the scenes without telling anyone until she got found out.  I wrote about that here.

"She ought never show her face again in public for that crappy perma-lockdown advice that did so much damage to America's schoolchildren, leading to learning loss, social adjustment problems, and deficient speech development, combined with usurpation of public power.

"But now she's failing upward." . .

"I think the Democratic Party is unified," Obama told CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour this week.

 

Ghenghis Gary. American Thinker

Obama: No 'Serious' Dem Challenge to Biden in 2024, Party Is 'Unified'    (businessinsider.com)  . . ."Former President Barack Obama, in a recent interview, predicted that President Joe Biden would have smooth sailing on his journey to secure the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination.

"Biden, who represented Delaware in the US Senate from 1973 to 2009 before serving as vice president under Obama from 2009 to 2017, has strongly supported the tenure of his former No. 2, pointing to the president's record on everything from the Inflation Reduction Act to his judicial picks.

"And even with other Democratic candidates in a race that includes attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — a scion of the Kennedy political family and an anti-vaccine activist — and progressive and former 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson, Obama is already looking to a general election that in his opinion will feature Biden as the party's standard-bearer.

"I think Joe Biden has done an extraordinary job leading the country through some very difficult times," Obama said in a sit-down interview with CNN chief international correspondent and anchor Christiane Amanpour.

" 'I do not think that there's going to be any kind of serious primary challenge to Joe Biden," the former president continued to say, dismissing any intraparty challenges to Biden. "I think the Democratic Party is unified." . . .

Libs Demanded Sarah Huckabee Sanders Remove a Cross Drawn by Her Kids. Here's Her Response.

I'm afraid this won't fly. TD

Libs Demanded Sarah Huckabee Sanders Remove a Cross Drawn by Her Kids. Here's Her Response. (townhall.com)

Gov. Sanders had shared a photo of her kids and their artwork to social media, which naturally upset the usual suspects. 

"Joyless leftists, as they are prone to do, got all triggered when Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders' kids used chalk to draw a cross surrounded by colorful stained glass-like shapes on the driveway at the governor's mansion this week. 

" 'I have received your letter and my answer is no," Sanders wrote. "I will not erase the beautiful cross my kids drew in chalk on the driveway of the Governor's Mansion or remove my post on social media, and I will not now or ever hide that I am a Christian, saved by Christ."

"Sanders continued, explaining that Americans United is "wrong to claim that our Constitution prevents public officials, let alone their families, from making earnest expressions of religious faith. Our founding documents are riddled with religious language - stating plainly that the very rights you claim to defend are 'endowed by our Creator,'" Sanders reminded. "You are asking me to ignore that truth and hide a crucial part of my identity and the identity of my kids. That, I will not do," she reiterated.". . .

Mike Pence attacks DeSantis for ending woke Disney's special privileges in Florida -

  LifeSite (lifesitenews.com)

Pence compared DeSantis to the 'radical left' for ending Disney's special district status without explaining why he thinks a private corporation is legally entitled to such a privilege.

"Former Vice President and 2024 presidential candidate Mike Pence took a shot at GOP presidential candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida on Tuesday over the latter’s disputes with woke entertainment giant Disney, suggesting that revoking the corporation’s special legal privileges in the Sunshine State was “following in the footsteps of the radical left.”

"Disney, which for years has been infusing its mainstream children’s and family entertainment offerings with pro-LGBT messages and other left-wing “identity” themes, took a hardline stance in March 2022 against Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, which bans schools from teaching children in kindergarten through third grade about transgenderism and other sexuality-related issues, limits discussions of sexuality for older children to “age appropriate” content and requires parents to be informed of any changes that could affect their child’s physical, emotional, or mental well-being.

"The ordeal backfired on the company, with the law passing (and later being expanded) despite Disney’s efforts, and DeSantis going on to eliminate the self-governing “special district” status for Disney’s Florida theme park, which exempted it from various state regulations and conferred other financial benefits.

“ 'Allowing a corporation to control its own government is bad policy, especially when the corporation makes decisions that impact an entire region,” DeSantis said in February. “This legislation ends Disney’s self-governing status, makes Disney live under the same laws as everybody else, and ensures that Disney pays its debts and fair share of taxes.”

"The move was met with cheers from social conservatives but derision from more establishment-aligned Republicans such as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who tried to frame the battle as government taking punitive action against private business." . . .

Mike Pence: Don't Abandon Free Market Principles (reason.com)   . . ."But the answer to such challenges is not to demand government intervention—it is to use free market principles to fix the free market itself.

"That is exactly what is happening around the country. After Bud Light drew controversy for embracing progressive gender politics, sales plummeted nationwide. In recent weeks, the same thing has happened to Target for similar reasons. Shares of both companies have suffered substantial losses. Without government lifting a finger, woke companies are being called to account for their ideological excesses.

"Another prominent example is Disney, a company that trumpeted its left-wing values by condemning conservative education and parental rights reforms in Florida.". . .

12-Year-Olds in Drag: A ‘Kids Only’ Pride Carnival in Indiana

If IYG is openly promoting both this content and behavior, what else is happening behind closed doors when the cameras are turned off and the parents are away? 

  The American Spectator | USA News and Politics    "An Indiana LGBTQ youth group sponsored an annual carnival for minors and young adults between the ages of 12 and 20, refusing parents entry while the youth hosted a drag show. 

"The Indiana Youth Group (IYG) is a nonprofit organization located in Indianapolis that seeks to “foster community” and provide “programming that empowers LGBTQ+ youth.” As part of its mission, the group hosts an annual carnival to celebrate Pride Month. (READ MORE: Pride Month? Take Pride in Your Traditional Family Values)

"It is unaffiliated with any religious organization or church. 

"According to IYG’s website, carnival activities include food, inflatable obstacle courses, face painting, dunk tanks, and a “King and Queen” drag show hosted by some of the youth at the event. As if drag shows for kids weren’t objectionable enough, the website stated that “only youth ages 12-20 with a valid ID will be permitted” entry for the event. The age of consent in Indiana is 16, meaning that half of the listed ages can legally consent to sexual activity. 

"In response to The American Spectator’s request for comment, IYG said that the event had already been covered and that IYG had nothing else to add to that coverage.

The Carnival as Another Example of Grooming

"IYG’s hosting this carnival demonstrates another example of the organization’s grooming behavior. According to Lewis & Llewellyn LLP, a law firm specializing in prosecuting sexual abuse, there are six stages of sexual grooming — and IYG appears to meet all six. 

"The first step in grooming a child begins with targeting. “Child molesters target victims in households with less adult supervision, parents with drug or alcohol addictions, marital discord, domestic violence, or a history of emotional and mental problems,” Lewis & Llewellyn’s website explains. ". . .