How to invalidate the Presidential Medal of Freedom in one fell swoop

Patricia McCarthy

   "Instead, pathological liars like Adam Schiff got their way until the truth was finally revealed.  There was never any there there.  And now he is a senator!  He has no business being anywhere near Congress. “A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious.  But it cannot survive treason from within,"

"The Biden administration, whoever is running it, is illegitimate. 

"The 2020 election was stolen, rigged to defeat Trump by any means necessary. Many means were employed, all illegal, all unconstitutional. 

"The truth is coming out, bit by bit. 

"We should know by now that the left could not care less about the Constitution; they hate the limits it imposes on government, so they ignore the Bill of Rights and most of the Articles.  These past post-Constitutional four years have been a disaster by any measure, from the open border to the third world and China to the imposition of woke on our military. 

"But beyond Biden’s hostility to all things American is his administration’s gross immaturity. It is intent upon poking Trump and his supporters in the eye on their way out. 

"They are like spoiled little playground bullies.  Their actions since the election have been not only childish but treasonous.  They would rather destroy the country than make the transition to the Trump presidency smooth and trouble-free. 

"This bunch is far worse than the Clintonites who stole the letter 'w' from all the computers in the White House as they left. 

"This bunch is preternaturally vindictive and evil.  Everything they’ve done over the past four years, especially since Trump’s victory, has been destructive.  More destructive than any other president in American history.  And it’s all been done on purpose. 

"The final indignity the Biden regime has inflicted on the American people is to present Hillary Clinton and George Soros the Presidential Medal of Freedom. " . . .

California Incinerated Its Insurance Market

The American Spectator  .

. ."And [Ricardo] Lara couldn’t help himself from falling back on his progressive instincts, as he issued an edict forbidding insurers from cancelling or not renewing policies in the Los Angeles-area neighborhoods most affected by the fires. Forcing companies to provide such coverage will only cause them to cut back elsewhere — and high-tail it out of state as soon as the moratorium is lifted. 

"The American Spectator might not be at the top of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s reading list, but had it been, he would have known that California’s teetering insurance system was just one particularly bad wildfire away from disaster. Sure, he knew that insurers were fleeing the state in the face of its absurd price-control system that doesn’t allow them to price policies to reflect their actual risk, but that knowledge didn’t spur him to make the matter a priority.

"In September 2023, I wrote the following on these pages after lawmakers decided to punt on insurance reform rather than take on their anti-corporate allies:

Newsom said the legislative deal “unfortunately fell through and, I say unfortunately, because time is of the essence.” Yet timing wasn’t essential enough for the Legislature, which does have the knack for punting on the state’s truly pressing problems (homelessness, pension debt, failing public schools, etc.) It’s unclear what Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, who has been chastened for his inaction by some media sources, plans to do about a crisis that he continues to blame on climate change, inflation and everything other than the state’s price controls and inefficient rate-approval system.

"Well, over a year later, Lara finally implemented some reasonable reforms that allow insurers to use forward-looking catastrophe models in determining rates rather than relying primarily on past claims. That should have been a no-brainer many years ago for our climate-change-obsessed policymakers. If the future climate is warming, then insurance companies ought to be able to include such warming — and its fire-related risks because of dryness and drought — in their rate making." . . .

Woman Who Accused Pete Hegseth of Domestic Abuse Makes Eyebrow-Raising Claim She Was 'Promised' Something

RedState 

With the confirmation vote in the books, Danielle Hegseth has responded, and while parts of her statement are not surprising, something very interesting is buried in it. 

"Pete Hegseth was confirmed as Donald Trump's Secretary of Defense on Friday evening, ending one of the more contentious confirmation processes the newly reelected president will face. Because Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Susan Collins (R-ME) voted no on Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance was forced to go to the Capitol and break the tie. 

"Days before the vote, Danielle Hegseth, who is the ex-wife of Pete Hegseth's brother, came forward to accuse the new head of the Pentagon of domestic abuse. In an affidavit, she claimed Samantha Hegseth "feared for her life," and once had to hide in a closet to escape Pete Hegseth's wrath. The problem? Samantha Hegseth, who was the person supposedly abused, categorically denied the allegations and threatened to get her lawyer involved." . . . 

. . ."In the case of Pete Hegseth, not only was there no actual evidence provided by Danielle Hegseth, but the person who was allegedly abused said it never happened. At that point, nothing in that affidavit was relevant. You can't have nominees losing their confirmations based on third-party claims that aren't even supported by the alleged victim. Whether that means some people who once did bad things make it through or not is irrelevant. You simply can't have a functioning government if the mere existence of an allegation, especially one thoroughly denied by the most relevant party, is allowed to dictate the process. 

With that said, this was the most illuminating part of her statement:

"A week ago, I was promised that my statement, on the record, would corroborate the other accusations and make a difference in key votes. But in the end, it did not."

"Hang on a second. Who "promised" this woman that her statement would "corroborate the other accusations and make a difference in key votes"? " . . .

Trump Gloriously Lays Waste to L.A. Politicians Standing in the Way of Rebuilding

 Victoria Taft

"It's hard to pick out the most impactful part of President Donald and First Lady Melania Trump's visit to see the devastation from the L.A. fires. Is it where he agreed with me about needing a special master to oversee the incoming billions of relief funds? It's hard to top that, but calling out Mayor Karen Bass in real time and letting her know he wasn't falling for the okie doke she was trying to pass off was a high point. Or when he told her he'd cleared all government permits for rebuilding and got the water flowing to fill her fire hydrants and asked her what she had done with her emergency powers lately. What about the Democrat congressman telling Trump what a great job FEMA was doing? Or about Russia, Russia, Russia liar Congressman Ted Lieu sitting mute? 

"Whatever your choice, Trump conducted a clinic on how a president is supposed to respond to a disaster, and he did it with command and humility. Oh, yes, he did." . . .

Trump torches every Democrat in the LA fire station — and the crowd ERUPTED:
“You did something Brad where every insurance company in the country left California. That's why you have no insurance.m, people that think like you made it impossible”pic.twitter.com/nBcoLmP79G

— Martin Walsh (@martinwalsh__) January 25, 2025

Newsom Plans to Greet Trump at Airport Uninvited Before Wildfire Assessment  

"In the early hours of his second term, Trump ordered federal officials to draft plans to divert more water to the Central Valley and Southern California cities. Days later, he threatened to withhold federal disaster aid unless the state revised its approach to water usage."

 Sounds like one less Newsom voter

Enough with Leftist Fantasy — Hitler Is Really Dead, and He Should Finally Be Buried

 American Spectator   "It is time the left stopped promoting hate by labeling opponents “Hitler” and recognize they are the true heirs of societal “realignment."

"The left, the so-called “progressives” and their shills at CNN and MSNBC, can pretend that Elon’s wave of the hand portends the arrival of Nazism with the Trump inauguration. In fact, as the foregoing should demonstrate, it’s quite the opposite." . . . James H. McGee

"I despair — I really do despair. Over the past several years, I’ve tried again and again to point out the sheer unadulterated idiocy of the left’s obsession with Hitler. And yet, here we go again. A demonstrably innocent gesture by Elon Musk has become the latest in a very long line of “this must be Hitler” leftist fantasies — fantasies driven by the inability of the average so-called “progressive” to actually engage substantively with conservative positions across the entire range of public policy. Instead, they default to ad hominem mud-slinging, and, for far too long, the comparison to Hitler has been the stickiest mud in their arsenal of slander. 

"I’m no longer patient enough to itemize all the ways in which calling someone “Hitler” fails even the most elementary tests of historical relevance. Nor am I particularly interested in parsing the various forms of what the Nazis were pleased to call “the German greeting.” (RELATED: Democrats Conjure the Resurrection of Hitler (Again))

"During the years when I was professionally engaged in the study of Nazism, I must have seen hundreds of photos of these salutes, including many performed by Nazi luminaries such as Himmler, Goering, Goebbels, and, of course, Hitler himself, and I find the comparison absurd, as do other thoughtful observers. One might as well find the Nazi salute in the celebratory “first down” gesture routinely performed by NFL players.

"But more absurd is the apparently unquenchable need to label anyone opposed to the left’s agenda as in any way, shape, or form a “Nazi,” or even the more generic “fascist.” If we must indulge in such tired labels, then they’re more appropriately applied to the current crop of “progressives,” including the media figures so quick to condemn the new Trump administration. " . . .

James H. McGee retired in 2018 after nearly four decades as a national security and counter-terrorism professional, working primarily in the nuclear security field. Since retiring, he’s begun a second career as a thriller writer." . . .

Biden’s Biggest Foreign-Policy Problem in Gaza, Ukraine, and Elsewhere Is Incompetence

 

2014: Robert Gates Thinks Joe Biden Hasn't Stopped Being Wrong for 40 Years

Biden’s Biggest Foreign-Policy Problem in Gaza, Ukraine, and Elsewhere Is Incompetence

Biden's Afghanistan Decision Is the Latest Entry in a Ledger of Mistakes - The Atlantic   "Why is the president so consistently wrong on major foreign-policy matters?"

“I’m getting sick and tired of hearing about morality, our moral obligation,” Joe Biden said in 1975. “There’s a point where you are incapable of meeting moral obligations that exist worldwide.” At the time, he was arguing against U.S. aid to Cambodia. But he could just as easily have said the same about his decision this year to end the American presence in Afghanistan, a catastrophic mistake that has led to a Taliban takeover, undermined our national interest, and morally stained Biden’s presidency.

"It is the latest blunder in a foreign-policy record filled with them.

"In 1975, Biden opposed giving aid to the South Vietnamese government during its war against the North, ensuring the victory of a brutal regime and causing a mass exodus of refugees.

"In 1991, Biden o
pposed the Gulf War, one of the most successful military campaigns in American history. Not only did he later regret his congressional vote, but in 1998, he criticized George H. W. Bush for not deposing Saddam Hussein, calling that decision a “fundamental mistake.”

"In 2003, Biden supported the Iraq War—another congressional vote he later regretted.

"In 2007, he opposed President George W. Bush’s new counterinsurgency strategy and surge in troops in Iraq, calling it a “tragic mistake.” In fact, the surge led to stunning progress, including dramatic drops in civilian deaths and sectarian violence.

"In December 2011, President Barack Obama and Vice President Biden withdrew America’s much-scaled-down troop presence in Iraq; the former had declared Iraq to be “sovereign, stable, and self-reliant,” and the latter had predicted that Iraq “could be one of the great achievements of this administration.” Their decision sent Iraq spiraling into sectarian violence and civil war, allowing Iran to expand its influence and opening the way for the rise of the jihadist group ISIS.

"According to Obama’s memoir A Promised Land, Biden had advised the former president to take more time before launching the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

"Ten years ago, Biden said in an interview that “the Taliban per se is not our enemy.” He added, “If, in fact, the Taliban is able to collapse the existing government, which is cooperating with us in keeping the bad guys from being able to do damage to us, then that becomes a problem for us.” Indeed." . . .

Blinken Admits U.S. Pressure on Israel Led Hamas to Back Away from Deals

 Sarah Arnold; Townhall  "In revealing admission, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged that American pressure on Israel played a significant role in causing Hamas terrorists to back away from previously discussed deals. Blinken's comments, which surfaced amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, shed light on the complex dynamics between the U.S., Israel, and Hamas. The revelation raises questions about the Biden Administration's approach to Middle East peace efforts and whether its actions have unintentionally emboldened terrorist groups." . . .

Pro-Hamas Foreign Students Are About to Be Deported

. . ."To protect Americans, the United States must be vigilant during the visa-issuance process to ensure that those aliens approved for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans or our national interests.  More importantly, the United States must identify them before their admission or entry into the United States.  And the United States must ensure that admitted aliens and aliens otherwise already present in the United States do not bear hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles, and do not advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to our national security," the order states." . . .  "Anti-terrorism and pro-Israel group Beta already has a list ready to go. From the New York Post: "

They supported the savages who did this: Raped, starved, branded, and left in total darkness – ex-hostages reveal horrors of Gaza captivity

. . ."Gaza terrorists holding Israelis and foreign nationals captive following the invasion of southwestern Israel on October 7th systematically abused them and intentionally starved or denied medical treatment to many of their victims, according to the testimony of returned hostages.

"On Saturday, the Israeli Health Ministry published its report to United Nations Special Rapporteur Alice Edwards, submitted last Monday, which provides details on the allegations lodged by former hostages against Hamas terrorists and others who held them captive in the Gaza Strip after October 7th.

"The report, which does not cite individual former captives, is based upon the testimony of returned hostages, most of whom were released during the November 2023 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

"According to the report, the psychological and physical abuse of hostages – including sexual assault and torture – was common during their captivity, as was the denial of critical medical care and even food, with many captives intentionally starved.

“ 'Women, men, and children who returned from captivity reported that they endured severe physical and sexual abuse, such as beatings, isolation, deprivation of food and water, branding, hair-pulling, and sexual assault,” the report said." . . .

Multiple children were tortured during captivity, with the report noting “signs of binding, scars, and marks consistent with trauma.”  “Two young children had burn marks on their lower limbs. One child stated that the burns were the result of a deliberate branding with a heated object.”

"They say the same thing about the Holocaust. They just hate Jews and don't even consider us as human beings. Did you see the pro-Hamas demonstrators at US universities who only reacted when they saw the photos of the murdered dogs on the kibbutzim? I'm a dog lover, but they never reacted to the reality of murdered Jews. That said it all to me."    Frank Arnold

Trump’s stated promise: ‘Stop all government censorship’ and his free speech Executive Order

 FIRE

"Let’s begin with President Donald Trump’s second inaugural address (Jan. 20), if only to contrast it with last week’s condemnation of his lawsuit against J. Ann Selzer, the Des Moines Register, and its parent company Gannett (see also FAN 451, 449 and 436). 

"Ready? Here it goes: 

After years and years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict free expression, I will also sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America.

Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents, something I know something about. We will not allow that to happen. It will not happen again. Under my leadership, we will restore fair, equal, and impartial justice under the constitutional rule of law.

Never again! It will not happen again! Stop all government censorship! 

"And there’s more: When it comes to free speech, all views will be treated with “impartial justice.” Against that promissory note, let us turn to his unprecedented executive order as discussed below.

"By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:  

Executive Order: Jan. 20, 2025

Bevelyn Williams is home. Biden jailed her for praying outside of an abortion clinic. Trump pardoned her.

               Bevelyn Williams is home. Biden jailed her for praying outside of an abortion clinic. Trump                    pardoned her.

pic.twitter.com/5n4GLGAbgz

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 24, 2025

Enraged Haitian Gang Member Arrested by ICE: ‘F**k Trump, Biden Forever!’

 Robert Spencer   

"It is unconscionable that actions of this kind are controversial at all. What conceivable benefit do the American people receive from the presence among them of murder and rape suspects, gang members, and the “F**k Trump, Biden forever” guy, who had 18 convictions?"  

"Is it morning in America? Oh, yes. After four years during which Old Joe Biden and his henchmen inundated the nation with staggering numbers of illegal migrants, including numerous criminals and terrorists, the Trump administration has begun to make good on Donald Trump’s promise to send them back, to the predictable howls of rage from the criminal migrants themselves, as well as their socialist internationalist supporters. A Haitian gang member summed up the situation neatly from his perspective as he was apprehended in Boston, screaming out a slogan that aptly sums up the two great political factions in America today, and why he is suddenly facing deportation. 

"Fox News reported Thursday that “Fox News witnessed ICE Boston make eight arrests, including multiple MS-13, Interpol Red Notices, murder and rape suspects, and a volatile Haitian gang member with 18 convictions in recent years who told our cameras that he ‘ain’t going back to Haiti’ and ‘f*** Trump, Biden forever!’” 

"A brief video of this upstanding fellow on the New York Post front page shows him sticking his head out of the back of a car as he vowed that he wasn’t going to return to his country of origin. His face is contorted with rage and indignation, suggesting that he is having some trouble accepting how swiftly his reality changed: on Sunday, he was living comfortably, without a care in the world, no doubt with woke social service officials showering him with various forms of largesse. Then on Monday, suddenly, right at high noon, he became a hunted man.

"No wonder his first thought on being apprehended was to curse Trump and praise Biden. Americans, however, can breathe easier that Trump is acting quickly to fulfill his promises regarding illegal migration. Patricia Hyde, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston Acting Field Office Director, stated: "Today was a good day. Today we took several significant public safety threats out of our communities. Unfortunately, a lot were released by sanctuary policies. But we’re here to tell the Commonwealth and the rest of the country that we're going to find them, whether they’re released or not.' "  . . .

AOC Makes Very Expensive Mistake? Rep Goes on Belligerent Rant Targeting Elon Musk, Calls Trump the One Word That Got a Top Network in Major Trouble Last Year

 RTM  

"Resist the Mainstream reported last month that ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos agreed to a $16 million settlement to resolve a defamation lawsuit brought by President-elect Donald Trump." 

 "Controversy erupted this week when Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) launched a dramatic accusation against tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, claiming he performed a Nazi salute during a high-profile political event.

"She also may have made a very unfortunate mistake regarding Trump, one that got ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in a lot of trouble last year: calling him “a rapist.”

AOC is over the line. She’s now accusing Trump of being a rapist. pic.twitter.com/z42oI6kBgG

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) January 20, 2025

. . ."In an unexpected twist, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an organization typically aligned with progressive causes, intervened to provide context to the Musk situation. 

"Their statement on X offered a measured perspective, noting that Musk had made “an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute.” 

Here is the video 
Trump sued George Stephanopoulos after this interview with Nancy Mace for defamation, and Stephanopoulos is now scheduled for a deposition next week
Raise your hand if you hope Trump gets every dime he can outta Stephanopoulos pic.twitter.com/kGZnsHML6G

— @Chicago1Ray 🇺🇸 (@Chicago1Ray) December 13, 2024

Matt Margolis: So, I guess this makes Stephen Colbert a Nazi? 

Day 3, Trump Golden Age: ...and just like that, illegal border crossings are down to 420 in a day

Monica Showalter  . . ."What a difference three days makes.

"Which tells us a lot about the last administration -- which clearly could have stopped the border surge any time it wanted over three days if it had done the same things -- and it didn't want to." . . .

Evil Thrives When Sheepdogs Cower. “A recurring historical tragedy: that those who should be the sheepdogs of society—local sheriffs, police, military—too frequently sacrifice their morality upon the altar of the State; they drop to their knees before petty tyrants and turn their weapons on their own people. Those who should be society’s sheepdogs degenerate into mangy hyenas, subduing and terrorizing the very people they’ve sworn to serve.” . . .

UnbowedPaladin

. . ."Now, the flow is receding -- to a trickle, or perhaps just droplets now.

"And at long last, there is potential for healing. Sure, there's a long road to go with ending the abuses within the asylum system, as well as birthright citizenship (a judge in Washington state has put a stay on that order today), and catching all illegal border crossers and repatriating them home.

"But this is a powerful start that can only increase in its energy as the target gets smaller and weaker. No wonder President Trump is registering such high personal approval ratings now. There is nothing like an administration that actually focuses its energy on producing results. Promises made, promises kept, what a difference!

What could possibly make Lisa Murkowski a Republican?

"Yes, You're a DEMOCRAT: Lisa Murkowski Makes EXCUSES for Her No Vote on Hegseth and WOW THAT Was Dumb"   "Senator Lisa Murkowski is a no vote Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense. Keep in mind she voted YES for Lloyd Austin who is responsible for arming the Taliban with American weaponry as you read her lengthy post of excuses for why she's voting no." . . .

Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) oppose the nomination.  "We hope the Senate confirms Pete Hegseth.

"President Trump chose him to lead the Pentagon, and it is vital that the administration’s chosen candidate has the chance to set its defense agenda.

"Hegseth’s military background and focus on realigning our forces with their primary mission—protecting the United States—could boost morale and strengthen recruitment.

"Hegseth appears ready to bring a clear sense of purpose to the job.

"He wants to make sure our armed forces are truly prepared for every threat, and we believe that kind of leadership could help rebuild trust between the troops and the White House.

"We hope the Senate will move forward and finalize his confirmation.

The Bottom Line 

"Pete Hegseth’s nomination is hanging in the balance, with two key Republican senators against him.

"The decision will ultimately rest on whether enough GOP members decide his vision and experience are what the country needs right now." . . .

Remember, @SenatorCollins and @lisamurkowski were the only 2 Senate

Republicans to vote for the dude on the left and vote against the dude on the right. https://t.co/cUP83Zte1C

— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) January 23, 2025

"Worth noting that Sen. Murkowski backed many Biden nominees, including ones most Republicans opposed. "Murkowski also supported Deb Haaland's nomination to run the Dept. of the Interior in 2021. Once confirmed, Haaland proceeded to consistently target Alaska's ability to develop its natural resources."