Christian Zionism is not new

 Bruce W. Davidson

 Blackstone authored a document titled “Palestine for the Jews,” which is now usually referred to as the “Blackstone Memorial.”  In part, it states, “What shall be done for the Russian Jews? ... Where shall 2,000,000 of such poor people go? ... Why not give Palestine back to them again?  According to God’s distribution of nations it is their home; an inalienable possession from which they were expelled by force.” 

"Among the many tributes to Charlie Kirk, one came from the prime minister of Israel.  This is not so surprising since Kirk, an evangelical Christian, strongly supported Israel.  In other words, he was a “Christian Zionist.”

"Nevertheless, current widespread anti-Israel political ferment has led a number of people to treat Christian Zionism as a fringe ideology of relatively recent origin.  For instance, Tucker Carlson and movie actor and director Kirk Cameron have spoken of Christian Zionism as a lamentable aberration.

"However, Christian Zionism is not the product of recent invention.  It stands on centuries of Christian philosemitic thought, which also often envisioned a future rebirth of the state of Israel.  In particular, British and American evangelicals led the way in this movement.  They included not only those who held to a dispensationalist view of the second coming of Christ, but also those committed to contending views about the future of the world.

"In his book The Origins of Christian Zionism, Donald Lewis considers this beyond question: “Evangelical Protestantism was undoubtedly the single most important factor in growing and sustaining philosemitism and Christian Zionism in the English-speaking world.”  For example, the Puritans generally viewed Jews in a positive light, as Iain Murray explains in his book The Puritan Hope.  Reflecting that mindset, the Anglican writer Thomas Draxe (d. 1618), who was strongly influenced by the prominent Puritan William Perkins, reprimanded Christians for having enmity toward Jews: “We must not roughly ... contemme the Jeweses, nor expelle them out of our coasts and countries but hope well of them [and] pray for them[.]” . . .More...

Jay Jones Scandal Is More Proof That Dem Rhetoric Smearing Republicans As ‘Fascists’ Is Dangerous

 "In a phone call with the recipient of the texts, Jones also “suggested he wished Gilbert’s wife could watch her own child die in her arms so that Gilbert might reconsider his political views,” according to a source cited by National Review 

The Federalist   “When people hear the word ‘fascist,’ ‘Nazi,’ ‘Hitler,’ you rightfully think of people in the 1940s who had to be defeated by any means necessary because of what they were doing to this world,” The Federalist’s Brianna Lyman said on CNN’s NewsNight with Abby Philips. “So when you call someone like Charlie Kirk [a fascist], when you call someone like [former Virginia House] Speaker [Todd] Gilbert — Jay Jones who, I don’t know if your viewers know this because it hasn’t been discussed on this show in four days — when the attorney general candidate in Virginia is calling for two bullets to the head for Speaker Gilbert and calling his little children ‘fascists,’ you are implicitly justifying resistance by any means necessary with that language.”  Video at the link.

Report: Major CBS, ABC, PBS Shows Fail To Mention Jay Jones Scandal Once  "Over the course of the five days after the controversy broke, major CBS, ABC, and PBS broadcast shows refused to discuss Democrat Jay Jones’ violent text messages in which he fantasized about assassinating a political opponent, a new analysis revealed.

NBC alone dedicated a mere 63 seconds to the Virginia attorney general candidates’ texts, Media Research Center’s study of major NBC, ABC, CBS, and PBS segments revealed. The analysis included the shows ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS Mornings, CBS Saturday Morning, CBS Sunday Morning, NBC Today, NBC Sunday Today, ABC’s This Week, NBC’s Meet the Press, CBS’s Face the Nation, and PBS’s NewsHour. MRC analyzed the programs from Friday, the day the National Review broke the story about Jones’ messages, through Tuesday morning.

"National Review revealed messages Jones sent to a former colleague in 2022 in which he said, “Put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.” The hypothetical Jones proposed put Gilbert on par with Hitler and Pol Pot." . . .

Is Jay Jones About to Drop Out of the Race?   "Things are not going well for Jay Jones. Maybe he could have survived his disgusting comments about a fellow legislator and that person's wife and children. But then yesterday we learned that Jones had previously made similar comments about police officers, suggesting that if a few more cops were shot and killed, they wouldn't be as likely to shoot people." . . .  Democrats largely stand behind Jay Jones after violent texts

The Bibas inversion

Gamaliel Isaac  "One of the saddest atrocities of October 7, 2023, was the abduction of the Bibas family by Arabs from Gaza. They abducted Kfir, who was only ten months old, and Ariel who was four years old, along with their mother Shiri, and beheaded their dog." . . .

"When I joined a march to free the hostages near Columbia University in New York, I held up a sign with a picture of Kfir. I foolishly hoped that the Arabs who had murdered so many children on October 7 would spare the Bibas children and release them to Israel. They did release them, dead, in February 2025 as part of a ceasefire deal in which Israel released hundreds of prisoners, many of whom had committed violent acts of terrorism against Israel." . . .

. . . "The most shocking use of the Bibas children for propaganda purposes was on October 7 of this year when flyers advertising anti-Israel demonstrations showed their pictures. This shows a calculated deviousness on the part of anti-Israel propagandists that would put Goebbels to shame. These propagandists has been so successful that there are massive anti-Israel protests taking place all over the world. It is testimony to how effective Arab propaganda against Israel is, that on the anniversary of the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, they can bring out huge numbers of people to rally against Israel. Countries all over the world condemn Israel for fighting back against Hamas and are engaged in boycotts and divestment from Israel. France, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Andorra and Belgium have formally recognized a Palestinian state at the 80th session of the General Assembly (UNGA).

They join Canada, Australia, and Portugal, as well as the United Kingdom, which announced its recognition of a Palestinian state on September 21, 2025.

The hatred propagandists have generated against Israel is a source of power for extremist Muslims worldwide. For example Mamdani won the Democrat primary mayor of New York by the largest margin in history and his anti-Israel stance helped him gain the support to make that happen.

Israel is losing the war of public opinion to ruthless and sick propagandists for Hamas and radical Muslims are gaining power in the West as a result.

Here’s Why Democrats Won’t Condemn Jay Jones’s Assassination Fantasies

 Issues & Insights 

"It’s time for the public (and especially these weak-kneed “conservatives”) to wake up and realize where the real threat to civilized society is coming from. And it’s not from the current occupant of the White House. Because once Trump is gone, leftists will simply direct their hatred and violence to the next prominent conservative."

American Spectator

"After it came to light that Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for Virginia’s attorney general, had fantasized about killing a political opponent and his children, some were surprised that other Democrats didn’t condemn him.

"No one should have been surprised. Because what Jones said is a widely shared belief among Democrats these days.

"According to National Review, which broke the explosive Jones story, he told a colleague that “the only way public policy changes is when policymakers feel pain themselves, like the pain that parents feel when they watch their children die from gun violence.” He was referring to a specific Republican state lawmaker and his family.

"The reaction among fellow Democrats? Crickets.

"If you think that’s scary, consider this:

"Over the weekend, the Skeptic Research Center released results of a poll of 3,000 adults asking whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement: “violence is often necessary to create social change.” (Note the similarity between the question and what Jones said.)

"What did the poll find?  Nearly half of young, liberal, well-educated adults – in other words, the mainstream of the Democratic party these days – condone political violence.

"Of “very liberal” respondents, for example, 44% agreed that “violence is often necessary to create social change.” Among Gen Z liberals, the number rose to 49%." . . .

Democrats, Call Off Your Animals  

"No, the Democrats wouldn’t be able to stop all the violence, but they could shut down most of it – if they wished to. They don’t. They like it because it’s a tool for them to fool voters into thinking that the arrests and deportations are unpopular, as well as an intimidation tactic aimed at those not in compliance with the Democrats’ narrative – the message is “conform or else.' ”

 Portland’s left-wing mobs and officials are waging a neo-Confederate-style rebellion—defying federal law, protecting illegal aliens, and turning the city into a sanctuary for anarchy.   

. . . "Some 10 million or more illegal aliens were allowed to enter the U.S. during the Biden years—illegally and thus without criminal or health checks.

"Neither Antifa nor liberal urban America objected to such a flagrant disregard for the law. But both are now as intent on obstructing the legal enforcement of the law as they were earlier in favor of its illegal non-enforcement.

"Much less did they care about the consequences of sending millions of foreign nationals into cities and counties where they swamped social services, spiked crime, and flooded emergency rooms and schools." . . .

Trump announces parties have reached a Gaza deal, hostages will be release in 72 hours

 The deal is expected to be signed in Egypt on Thursday afternoon

"This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace."

President Donald J. Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict:
1. Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.
3. If… pic.twitter.com/veqhr9MW28

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 29, 2025 

Trump announces parties have reached a Gaza deal, hostages will be release in 72 hours   Living hostages to be released in a single batch

"The agreement means that Hamas will release all of the remaining 20 living hostages within the next 72 hours. A Hamas source told al Araby al Jadeed that all of them will be released in a single batch during the first phase of the deal. 

"The deal is expected to be signed in Egypt on Thursday afternoon, sources in the Hamas terrorist organization told Lebanese outlet al Mayadeen. 

"However, the release of the remaining deceased hostages might be delayed, as Israel has doubts that Hamas can locate all of them.

"The Israel-Hamas War began over two years ago after the Palestinian terror group killed over 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped 250 men, women, and children to the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.

 HUGE: Trump Announces Peace Deal Between Hamas and Israel "Dmitri and Scott touched upon this, but peace in the Middle East is now official. There have been reports for days that Hamas was open to releasing all the remaining Israeli hostages, living and dead, and entering talks with Israel to end the war. At the end of September, the Trump White House unveiled its plan for peace to end the war. Israel agreed to the terms, but Hamas grappled for days. The terror group is on the verge of annihilation, and the international pressure campaign they have assiduously maintained for the past 18 or so months has not led to Israeli forces withdrawing." . . .

Israel's Christian friends have no qualms about standing by the Jewish people - editorial

The Jerusalem Post 

"Together, we await word whether this Simchat Torah? could be the most joyous ever in our history: a holiday that sees the return of our missing family from the tunnels of Gaza."

"The country has entered Sukkot on tenterhooks as we await word on whether the plan to end the Gaza war and return our hostages unveiled by US President Donald Trump last week will bear fruit.

"Thankfully, we have friends from abroad who are boosting the spirits of the country and embracing its citizens during these trying times, and reminding us that Sukkot is a joyous time for the Jewish people.

"We’re talking about the thousands of Christian pilgrims who have arrived this week for the holiday, which they know as the Feast of Tabernacles. With incoming tourism hit sharply over the last two years of the Gaza war (and with the COVID pandemic before that), any sign of visitors and support for Israel should be welcomed.

"Ironically, while most Jews around the world are reticent about visiting Israel during wartime, our Christian friends have no qualms about emphatically stating their love and identification with our mission and our plight.

"One of the main attractions for this year’s visitors was the A Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (DPPJ) and the Awake Jerusalem solidarity concert, both of which took place on Sunday at the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem. 

"Founded by Bishop Robert Stearns and Dr. Jack Hayford, this event has grown into the largest annual global prayer movement for Israel, uniting millions in over 175 nations to stand together for the peace of Jerusalem.

"The event was attended by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee – himself a staunch Christian supporter of Israel – Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, Israel’s 2025 Eurovision entry Yuval Raphael, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and thousands of Christian supporters of Israel." . . .

If you see Christian pilgrims with signs or shirts expressing their love of Israel (or just plain tourists), thank them for coming and standing shoulder to shoulder in Israel with the Jewish people.

Democrats, Call Off Your Animals

Issues & Insights  

"What we are seeing should sicken all Americans. It should make every one of us angry. But it doesn’t. For too many on the Democratic side, and we include most of the media here, the violence is politically useful."

 

"We can’t be the only Americans fed up with seeing video after video of antifa-types interfering with federal law enforcement, of mobs forming around ICE officers making arrests, of “protesters” confronting men and women who are just doing their jobs. The Democrats could rein them in, but they won’t, and that makes them co-conspirators in a slow-motion rebellion that is picking up speed.

"Of the many acts of violence against federal officers, the worst so far is the incident in Chicago in which “officers were rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars.” It was clearly planned, maybe not another Harper’s Ferry, but it was meant to strike fear and set off a cascade of similar attacks.

"Or maybe it was the second worst. There’s been so much violence from the left that we almost forgot that a man reportedly gunning for federal agents shot and killed two detainees and wounded another last month in an ambush at a Dallas ICE facility.

"Two were arrested in connection with the Chicago incident – Marimar Martinez, 30, and Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, 21 – and charged “with forcibly assaulting, impeding, and interfering with a federal law enforcement officer, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois.”

"This should be a modest start, followed up with mass arrests of the tantrum-ites who try to block vehicles, the thugs and drama queens who have forced federal agents to abandon buildings, and the rabble who interfere with lawful arrests.

"This is what we’re seeing with our own eyes. But it’s even uglier beneath the surface.

" 'Our intelligence indicates that these people are organized, they’re getting more and more people on their team, as far as attacking officers and they’re making plans to ambush them and to kill them,” says Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “We have specific officers and agents that have bounties that have been put out on their heads. It’s about $2,000 to kidnap them, $10,000 to kill them.”

"What we are living through is neither legitimate protest nor rational behavior. It is a dark night not wholly unlike the early 1970s – when there were 2,500 domestic terrorist bombings in the U.S. within an 18-month period, almost five per day on average – and the longer the lawlessness goes unpunished, the more of it we’re going to have." . . . More...

Chicago Mayor Johnson Plays Race Card on Trump

Remembering the Rodney King riots, BLM, Antifa, and many grim-faced leftists in Congress including Ayanna Pressley, Maxine Waters, Al Green, Al Sharpton, Joy Reid, Jasmine Crockett and others in their same mold gives racial agitators the perfect audience for their invective.  TD

 Newsmax

 "You've got a mayor who literally should be in jail right now for taking away protection from the federal officers," Giuliani told NEWSMAX's "Rob Schmitt Tonight."

Chicago Mayor Johnson Plays Race Card on Trump  "Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, fired back at President Donald Trump's call to arrest him for obstruction of justice, playing the race card on the color of his skin instead of the content of his anti-law enforcement position.

"This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested," Johnson wrote Wednesday morning on X. "I'm not going anywhere."

"His X post came after Trump said that the anti-Trump and anti-ICE leaders of Illinois and Chicago should face legal accountability for obstructing Immigration and Customs Enforcement justice on the crime-ridden streets.

" 'Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Wednesday morning. "Governor Pritzker also!"

"With Trump seeking to use National Guard troops from multiple states to secure and provide safety for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Democrat-run cities, Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker may be amplifying tensions.

"Johnson has called for ICE-free zones in the city of Chicago." . . .

Pritzker 'Will Not Back Down,’ Johnson Plays Race Card After Blocking ICE

For his part, Mayor Johnson threw the race card at Trump.

“This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested,” Johnson said. “I’m not going anywhere.” . . .

 "Mayor" Brandon Johnson says the quiet part out loud: "Civil War."  . . ."Trump has never said those words. Never. He is simply enforcing the law as ordered by Article IV Sect. 4, "shall protect each of [the States] against invasion." . . . “The right wing in this country wants a rematch of the Civil War.”   Considering that the “right wing,” which fought to abolish slavery, won the Civil War, why in the world would we want a rematch?"

It might surprise Pritzker, Johnson, and other blue state officials in the U.S. to find that the vast majority of Americans support the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.   . . . "On Monday afternoon, CNN anchor Boris Sanchez seemed to forget he was speaking with one of the Trump administration’s most unflinching figures and attempted to press a familiar Democratic talking point. He was swiftly and decisively swatted down by the inimitable White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.

"Sanchez asks what “if a Democratic president someday calls the National Guard to a red state over what they see as open rebellion, but is what amounts to a demonstration that gets rowdy?”

"Miller chuckles before unleashing a punishing, but well-deserved rebuttal on the hapless journalist.

They’re [demonstrators] posting pictures of their [federal agent’s] kids because it’s a ‘demonstration?’ They have a sniper on top of a building firing a high caliber rifle at an ICE facility because it’s a ‘demonstration?’ And they are engaged with vehicle ramming attacks because its a ‘demonstration?’

"Sanchez chimes in, “But National Guard isn’t being sent to Dallas, Texas, where that sniper was.”

"Miller replied: "Wow, you walked right into that one. Because the Dallas police department and the governor of Texas have RESPONDED to EVERY call for assistance and help." . . .

How Democrats’ Incendiary Rhetoric Is Driving America Toward a Second Civil War

 Choice Clips  

Democrats’ playbook—division, importation of chaos, protection of criminals—echoes their slave-era tactics. Trump must secure borders, deport threats, and dismantle this agenda to prevent civil war.

Jay Jones wants to be Virginia’s top cop but texted about putting “two bullets” in his political opponent’s head.

"In the shadow of Washington’s historic landmarks, another chilling episode of leftist extremism unfolded on October 5, 2025, when authorities arrested 41-year-old Louis Geri outside the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. Geri, a deranged New Jersey resident with a recent prison stint for indecent exposure, had set up a green tent packed with over 200 homemade explosive devices—grenades, Molotov cocktails, and vials of volatile chemicals like nitromethane and acetone, the same compounds used in the devastating Oklahoma City bombing.

"This arsenal was discovered just hours before the annual Red Mass, a Catholic ceremony praying for the Supreme Court’s term, where justices were expected to attend. Geri’s manifesto, titled “Written Negotiations for the Avoidance of Destruction of Property via Detonation of Explosives,” spewed venom against conservative Supreme Court justices, the Catholic Church, Jews, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—hallmarks of far-left hatred toward traditional values, law enforcement, and American sovereignty.

"Conservative commentators wasted no time in connecting the dots. As one X post bluntly stated, “The Progressive Left is Now All About Political Violence,” highlighting Geri’s setup as yet another example of Democrats’ radical base turning words into weapons. Geri allegedly warned officers, “You might want to stay back and call the federales, I have explosives,” and threatened to “test one out on the streets,” adding, “Several of your people are gonna die from one of these.” He was apprehended after stepping out to urinate on a nearby tree, a bizarre end to what could have been a catastrophic attack. Held without bond, Geri faces charges including possession of weapons of mass destruction, hate crimes, assault on officers, and threats—charges that underscore the growing threat from leftist ideologues." . . . Full article here

Chicago Mayor Hoping His ICE-Free Zones Work Better Than His Gun-Free Zones

Parody from The Babylon Bee  

"At publishing time, 1,200 illegals had been arrested by ICE in the "ICE-Free Zones," and another 750 people had been shot to death in Chicago's "Gun-Free Zones.' "

"CHICAGO, IL — As the city seeks to push back against President Donald Trump's efforts to enforce immigration law, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson told his aides that he hoped their "ICE-Free Zones" would work a lot better than their "Gun-Free Zones."

"With Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker adamantly opposing any ICE operations to apprehend illegal aliens, the leaders were cautiously optimistic that setting up zones to prevent immigration enforcement would turn out better than the zones they set up to keep people from being brutally shot to death.

" 'Maybe this method will work this time," Johnson was heard telling his staff. "I mean, it felt like a good idea to set up those ‘Gun-Free Zones,' but people just keep on shooting folks every day for some reason. It doesn't matter how many signs we put up. But maybe… just maybe… if we put up enough signage to let everyone know that there are ‘ICE-Free Zones' in our city, it'll totally work. Let's stay positive, people. Signs can work. Just not for guns, apparently." 

The Windy City has become Ground Zero for the heated immigration debate, with Democrats contending that enforcing the law should be against the law. "Laws have no jurisdiction here," Governor Pritzker told the media on Tuesday. "Like the Second Amendment. That has no power in Illinois. That's why we established clearly marked ‘Gun-Free Zones' so law-abiding citizens can be unarmed and vulnerable to all the criminals who come to murder them. It's the same thing with ICE, but this time will be better. Are you going to eat those onion rings?"

"At publishing time, 1,200 illegals had been arrested by ICE in the "ICE-Free Zones," and another 750 people had been shot to death in Chicago's "Gun-Free Zones.' "

What is wrong with the Democrats?

"With age comes wisdom, but sometimes it comes alone.” -- Oscar Wilde

   "AOC is allegedly worth $30 million after six years in Congress!  And she knows nothing about anything!"  

Rich Terrell

Virginia AG Candidate Walks Back Texts Fantasizing About Killing Political Opponents   . . . "Jones also faced harsh criticism over comments made in a 2020 conversation about removing qualified immunity from police in which Del. Carrie Coyner warned Jones that, without legal protection, police officers would get killed.

"Coyner said that Jones responded, saying, ‘Well, maybe if a few of them died, that they would move on, not shooting people, not killing people.’

"Legacy media has spent little time focusing on Jones’ comments although prominent Virginia Democrats have pledged their support to Jones while offering tepid condemnations of violent political language." . . .  Yes, Virginia, Jay Jones Is Evil . . .

The latest Democrat scam of the shutdown: Transgender ‘care’  

"It’s clear what the Democrats are doing, and in case you think that our “elite” professional organizations will stop them, knowing that these procedures are abhorrent and immoral, think again. The American Medical Association caved to transgender ideology long ago, in spite of reputable studies that contradict their observations and conclusions, partially listed here:"

 Know thy enemy  "In “The Art of War”, Sun Tzu opined: “Know thy enemy and know yourself, you will never be defeated.”  That was ~2,500 years ago.  In our present not-so-cold ideological war, an understanding of the driving forces behind leftist factions in our society is needed to halt our descent into a left wing autocracy."

"The left is not a homogeneous entity, and can arbitrarily be divided into three major factions:

Liberals: Largely urban and suburban whites who perceive themselves to be unworthy recipients of white privilege. " . . . 

Activists: Delusionally persecuted victims of the white, patriarchal, capitalist system.". . .   

The Illuminati: These are the far left politicians, bureaucrats, media pundits, academics, corporate HR heads who want to change the world — “change America!” . . . More...

Don Surber; Sombrero Democrats  "Democrats denounce a joke, but not their candidate who wants to kill Republicans." . . .

Victor Davis Hanson: The Left’s Rage is a Symptom of a Movement in Decline

"The Democrat reaction to the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites exemplified all that’s wrong with the Left today. "Suddenly, the same Democrats who cheered Obama’s endless airstrikes were invoking the War Powers Act and demanding congressional approval. Why? Because this time it was Trump’s America that hit back. "Their volatile, inconsistent messaging isn’t new. Victor Davis Hanson unpacks the deeper story behind the chaos of how the Democrat Party has surrendered to its most radical base on today’s episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” " 'The Left knows that they are not polling well. They know that the party's base is controlling their narrative, and they know that that narrative supports issues from transgenderism, to an open border, to lax enforcement of criminal statutes, to something like Kabul, abroad, that has no public support. And they're angry. "“ Whatever Donald Trump has done to them—and maybe that will be his lasting legacy—he had the ability to expose what used to be Democrats, as absolutely unhinged and nihilistic. And I don't think anybody wants any part of them.”

Democrats: those who actually want us to believe Israel attacked Hamas on Oct 7th, 2023

NYPD Cops: ‘I Will Quit If Zohran Is Elected.’

The Free Press  

"What happens to the NYPD under a Mamdani administration could also become a bellwether for the Democratic Party in next year’s midterm elections."

A lieutenant with 19 years on the job remembers hearing nervous laughter when he walked into his New York Police Department command post the morning after Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic mayoral nomination in June.

“Everyone was like, ‘Get ready to retire,’ ” he told me. “It was definitely like the sky was falling.”

The lieutenant said that he always thought he would stay on the police force for at least 25 years. Many cops say that if you stay for 25 or 30 years, you might never have to work another day in your life. The pension is that good. Now, he isn’t sure if it’s still worth it.

“It’s shaken me to my core,” he said of Mamdani’s unexpected victory in June. “The absolute dread I feel is palpable.”

"Some days, his mind races with worst-case scenarios: “Is he going to cut a billion dollars out of our budget?” he wonders. “Will my caseload keep piling up while we just get more and more short-staffed?”

“Who will even want this job anymore?” he asked. “Will I?”

"Other NYPD cops also told me that they are considering retiring if Mamdani, who once advocated for “a socialist city council to defund the NYPD,” wins the election. Polls show Mamdani with a double-digit lead. Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo raked in nearly $400,000 in the days after incumbent mayor Eric Adams dropped out of the race, but that’s still far less than Mamdani has.

"The NYPD is the largest police department in the United States, with 33,740 uniformed officers, but it’s facing a manpower crisis that has grown even worse in recent months, said Bill Bratton, who was police commissioner for mayors Rudy Giuliani, a Republican, and progressive Democrat Bill de Blasio. That is the fewest number of officers in the department since 1994. This year is on track to have one of the highest attrition rates of the past decade, according to data from the Police Benevolent Association, the largest NYPD union.

"Over the past year, the NYPD has lowered its selection criteria, temporarily waived application fees, and cut the minimum age for recruits from 21 to 20 years and six months. Those moves show how hard it has become to fill the ranks. Bratton, who might be best known for advocating “broken windows” policing—in which cops target minor crimes such as vandalism and fare evasion—told me that a Mayor Mamdani would only accelerate the police force brain drain." . . . More...

Virginia Fraternal Order of Police demands ‘unfit’ Jay Jones drop out of AG race immediately 

 Initially, Jones refused to apologize for his disturbing text messages and blasted his rival, conservative incumbent AG Jason Miyares, for “dropping smears” against him.