Wednesday, February 18, 2026

The Ironic Curtain

Don Surber   

“We do not want allies shackled by guilt and shame. We want allies who are proud of their culture and heritage, and are willing to help us defend it.” —Marco Rubio

Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s speech at the Munich Security Conference shook up the European leadership by reminding them of the dangers of communism. He did this because his grandpa, Pedro Víctor García, a refugee from Castro’s Cuba, taught him well about the dangers of communism.

"Rubio began by reminding his audience of the first Munich conference in 1963:

At the time of that first gathering, Soviet communism was on the march. Thousands of years of Western civilization hung in the balance. At that time, victory was far from certain. But we were driven by a common purpose. We were unified not just by what we were fighting against; we were unified by what we were fighting for. And together, Europe and America prevailed and a continent was rebuilt. Our people prospered. In time, the East and West blocs were reunited. A civilization was once again made whole.

That infamous wall that had cleaved this nation into two came down, and with it an evil empire, and the East and West became one again. But the euphoria of this triumph led us to a dangerous delusion: that we had entered, quote, “the end of history;” that every nation would now be a liberal democracy; that the ties formed by trade and by commerce alone would now replace nationhood; that the rules-based global order—an overused term—would now replace the national interest; and that we would now live in a world without borders where everyone became a citizen of the world.

This was a foolish idea that ignored both human nature and it ignored the lessons of over 5,000 years of recorded human history. And it has cost us dearly.

"Yes it has. Red China is the world’s largest exporter with a trade surplus that last year topped $1.2 trillion—that’s $1.2 million million. That’s an awful lot of Temu junk to peddle online." . . .  

Eastern bloc nations such as Poland have embraced nationalism as a shield against the Muslim invasion and creeping communism. Italy, too, now has a leader who rejects the New World Order.

More...

Virtually All Countries Support Voter Photo ID – So Why the Filibuster?

When voting on Tuesday I was asked for my ID; showing it, I thanked them for asking to see it. The worker graciously asking me for it was a black woman.  The Tunnel Dweller

RealClearPolitics

"Many countries in Europe and beyond have learned the hard way that fraud can result from looser voting regimes – and they have instituted stricter voting measures in direct response to it.


“The bottom line is this: voter ID is not controversial in this country,” Harry Enten, the chief data analyst for CNN, recently reported. Nor is it controversial in virtually any other country in the world. Yet despite massive support among both Democrats (71%) and Republicans (95%), only one Democratic member of the House and one in the Senate are supporting the SAVE Act. Unless seven more of the 47 Senate Democrats step forward, their filibuster will kill the bill.
"Democrats argue that requiring free voter photo IDs – even when the ID itself costs nothing – harms eligible voters by creating practical barriers to casting a ballot. They contend that blacks would be especially hard hit. Interestingly, every country in Africa requires government-issued identification to vote.
"They also argue that such requirements would disenfranchise Hispanic voters. Yet Mexicoall twelve South American countries, and Spain require government-issued photo IDs to vote.
"All of these countries have lower per-capita incomes than the United States. If citizens in those nations can obtain the necessary identification to vote, why would American Hispanics and blacks be unable to do the same?
"While 83% of American adults support requiring government-issued photo identification to vote, support is also strong among the very groups Democrats claim would be harmed: 82% of Hispanics and 76% of black Americans favor the requirement. Those figures suggest that most black and Hispanic Americans do not view obtaining a photo ID as the obstacle Democrats describe. Ten U.S. states have similarly strong photo ID requirements.
"Democrats claim that women are disproportionately disenfranchised by voter IDs, but women are also strongly supportive of IDs and have exactly the same level of support as men." . . .More...

You will see a childish performance spectacle at the State Of The Union Address. You can take it to the bank that the Democrats wearing matching outfits will all be among those opposing voter ID

Nancy Guthrie suspect could be identified 'in a matter of hours' as cops zoom in on DNA sites

 Daily Mail Online 

 "Amid mounting pressure on his handling of the investigation, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos insisted on Tuesday that the case is 'far from cold' despite no arrests being made 18 days into Nancy's disappearance."

 

"A suspect in the Nancy Guthrie investigation could be identified within two days amid a renewed probe into DNA evidence, a former FBI special agent predicted. 

"Despite the search for the 84-year-old mother of Today Show star Savannah Guthrie nearing three weeks without any arrests, John Iannarelli said investigators may be closing in. 

" 'I imagine we're going to see a fairly quick turnaround. We might even hear something within the next 24 or 48 hours,' he told Fox and Friends on Wednesday. 

"On Tuesday, the investigation hit a major set-back as a glove found two miles from Nancy's home in Tucson, Arizona, failed to match suspect DNA from the crime scene or to the CODIS criminal database, shattering hopes of a breakthrough. 

"But Iannarelli said the disappointment 'is not the end of the road', and said investigators have other avenues to look into in hopes of bringing the high-profile search to a close. 

" 'There's been a lot of ways DNA has been developed through the other systems out there. The 23andMe, Ancestry,' he said. 

" 'Any person related to that individual who left their DNA behind at Nancy Guthrie's home, if they've ever taken that test, that DNA evidence is going to be out there and it will link them to other relatives.' 

"Asked how long this may take, Iannarelli said investigators may get a hit within two days, as genealogy analysis 'can be a fairly quick process because the DNA has already been tested and it's in the system.' " . . .  More...

[Performance artists] Dems Plot to Make a Circus Out of the State of the Union Address, Because of Course They Do

  RedState 

No word yet if Rep. Al Green (TX-09) has any antics planned. In 2024, he ludicrously waved his cane at the president mid-speech, and was escorted out and later censured. Democratic women, meanwhile, have repeatedly worn the same color clothes, as if acting like sheep is some powerful form of protest. 

Scowls from the scolds

"To me, it was the most undignified moment in modern American politics, and not surprisingly, it came from the divisive and bitter “Speaker Emerita,” Nancy Pelosi (CA-11). Serving as Speaker of the House at the time — February 2020 — the San Franciscan tore up her copy of Trump’s State of the Union speech on the floor of the House of Representatives.". . . 


Is the Minneapolis City Council Going to Punish Businesses That Accommodated ICE?

 Amy Curtis

Does Minnesota’s New State Flag Resemble That of an Autonomous Somali State? - Alex Demas - The Dispatch
. . . "But ICE is not the reason the city took an economic hit. Democrats harassed hotels into refusing ICE agents, Leftists mobs made noise outside hotels which surely kept tourists away, and they also told businesses to close their doors on January 23." . . .

Did Minnesota redesign its flag to look like Somalia’s? Here’s what we know | Hindustan Times
"The new Minnesota flag was not inspired by Somalia’s flag, according to both the designer whose work informed the final version, and a flag expert who advised the redesign commission. Those involved said the design is rooted entirely in Minnesota-specific symbols and history.

Minnesota resident Andrew Prekker, whose submission inspired the final design, told Reuters he did not look at any other countries’ flags during the process."

Also Read: Minnesota flag controversy heats up; columnist says it obviously looks like Somali flag

The Dispatch


New images of White House ballroom show clearest look yet at Trump project

 Washington Post


"New renderings shared Friday offer the clearest look yet at President Donald Trump’s proposed White House ballroom addition — a project advancing even as it is challenged in court and questioned on Capitol Hill.

"Shalom Baranes Associates, the firm handling the project, shared the renderings with the National Capital Planning Commission, a committee charged by Congress with overseeing major federal construction projects in the region. The renderings include various angles of the ballroom building, an approximately 90,000-square-foot addition that would also include offices for White House staff. The White House has dubbed the project its “East Wing Modernization.”

"The images reveal at least one significant change from earlier designs: the removal of a large triangular pediment above the ballroom’s southern portico. Rodney Cook Jr. — a Trump appointee who chairs the Commission of Fine Arts, another federal panel reviewing the project — had warned in January that the pediment was “immense” and pressed the architects about whether it could be reduced." . . .

. . . "Despite the revisions, the proposed addition would remain the same height as the White House at its highest point — a priority for Trump and a major concern for outside architects and historical preservationists. Critics have warned the project could overshadow the iconic main mansion and alter long-protected sightliness around the complex. The new renderings indicate the building could block views of the White House residence from certain viewpoints, such as locations on 15th Street NW, according to the designs shared Friday." . . .

Full article here with more pictures and video

White House files most detailed plans yet for Trump ballroom, East Wing renovation - CBS News

East Wing renovation - CBS News

But when finished, remember California Eric wants it all to come down! Or renamed.




What Does California Tell Us about Election Fraud?

 Shoshana Egan - American Thinker  

"The fact that few people have been found guilty of election fraud in California doesn’t prove that election fraud doesn’t exist there. My research indicates that the Election Code allows voter fraud to be hidden."

"How much fraud is there in United States elections? Very little, so the claim goes, based on the premise that few have been found guilty of election fraud.  But is that a logical conclusion?

"In order to have fraud prosecuted:

  • The law must be unambiguous
  • You have to be able to look for fraud.
  • If fraud is suspected or found, it has to be reported to the proper authorities
  • The authorities have to be willing to investigate and prosecute those perpetuating any fraud found. 

"I decided to see if the lack of an election fraud statement would hold up for my state of California. My findings were very disappointing.

"First, I looked at the California Election Code to see how it would help prevent voter fraud or help find it. According to the Code:

To register to vote a person musts fill out a registration form and sign that the information is accurate. No actual proof of accuracy is required, even as to that person’s citizenship.

If the voter does not list a place of birth on the registration form, the registration is still considered valid.

A person wanting to vote can be challenged on the grounds “That the voter is not the person whose name appears on the roster.” If the person challenged, swears (or affirms) that they are the person on the roster, they are allowed to vote.

A person wanting to vote can be challenged if poll records indicate that the voter has already voted in that election. If the person challenged, swears (or affirms) that they have not voted, they are allowed to vote.

The California Elections Code requires signature verification on Vote by Mail envelopes. However, it also creates a presumption that the signatures match

"If voters are required by law to show proof of residency, the Secretary of State sets the standards used. Section §20107 of the California Code of Regulations states that “This section shall be liberally construed to permit voters and new registrants to cast a regular ballot. Any doubt as to the sufficiency of proof or a document presented shall be resolved in favor of permitting the voter or new registrant to cast a regular ballot.” . . .

AOC’s Big Comedy Show in Europe

The American Spectator 
 . . . "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accused the Jews of genocide in the very cradle of Nazism, the birthplace of Adolf Hitler, who did perpetrate the worst genocide in the history of humanity… against the Jews."
(DonkeyHotey/CC-BY-SA-2.0/Wikimedia Commons)

 "There are extensive studies on how to deal with stupidity. Some argue that it’s best to keep idiots hidden to minimize their destructive capacity, while others maintain that it’s better to expose them so everyone understands what they are. AOC has achieved something unprecedented in the history of universal stupidity: she has proven both sides right.

"AOC attended the Munich Security Conference last weekend. It’s still unclear whether she went to contribute any ideas on security matters — that is, on how to stop the bad guys — or simply to make herself an easy target.

"Everything she said in Europe was blatantly stupid, a colossal display of ignorance. And now she’s angry because all the media pundits are having a little laugh at her. I certainly won’t be one of them, AOC; I’m not just having a little laugh, I’m having a big laugh. Let’s admit it, the young woman’s first major international trip has been entertaining.

"AOC doesn’t know where Venezuela is, and that could happen to anyone. The problem is that she also doesn’t know where Taiwan is, doesn’t know where Marco Rubio is, doesn’t know where Spain is, and she probably doesn’t even know where she is in Munich or what she was doing there. And, let’s be frank, almost certainly, AOC doesn’t even know where AOC is. In that respect, at least, she proves herself a good disciple of Joe Biden. 

"All the ideas she expressed were stupid. It’s anachronistic to see a reasonably young and attractive woman speaking like Fidel Castro in 1990 — but like Fidel Castro if someone had stubbed out a cigar in the center of his brain. She talks about social classes in a way that makes you want to frown deeply, put on a white coat, and ask her: “Miss, are these social classes you’re talking about among us? Can you hear them?”

"A wonderful opportunity arose in Munich to celebrate the fall of Nicolás Maduro, and instead, she tried to become his lawyer. I am convinced the Venezuelan dictator would have preferred anyone else in the world. The reality is that if AOC had been in government leading the operation against Maduro, they simply wouldn’t have been able to stop him, because, according to my calculations based on her geographical assumptions, he would have launched a major military operation against the city of Manaus in the Brazilian Amazon, on the other side of the equator, where there are undoubtedly plenty of mustachioed men who should be arrested, but none of them would be the real Nicolás Maduro." . . .

Charlie Kirk’s Death 100% MSM and Democrats Fault

 Religio-Political Talk (RPT)

  • Any Rep. or Senator who says Trump, his supporters, or other Republicans is Hitler or a Nazi doesn’t care about minimizing the horrors of the Holocaust. Any reporter who doesn’t challenge that disgusting statement is just as bad. (THE LID, May 2025 | See also NYP, July 2024 | )
  • Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) is under fire after widespread airing of four-year-old remarks in which he called former President Donald Trump’s voters a “horde of budding blood-and-soil fascists.” (Washington Examiner, June 2024)
Biden enters at 6:18:

Democrats lit the 'assassination culture' fuse — now their silence equals violence    . . . "That same day in Harlem, an angry leftist punched a pro-life activist in the face while she was conducting a live interview. She was left bloodied and needed stitches.
"A new report from the Network Contagion Research Institute found that more than half of left-leaning Americans say political violence is “acceptable” — with 55% of them seeing “some justification” for assassinating Trump.
"It certainly feels like a powder keg, as violence is excused and celebrated online as never before."

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Democrats on the world stage

Democrats Make Fools of Themselves on the World Stage

"Gavin Newsom was running around Munich trying desperately to look like a leader…while avoiding discussions of how houses that burned down in wildfires more than a year ago thanks to his environmental incompetence have not yet even begun being rebuilt yet. Other states could have rebuilt those houses, had enough time for them to burn down again, then rebuild them again already. Everything may be bigger in Texas, but California holds the records for disasters and politicians that make those disasters worse."



See if You Can Tell the Exact MOMENT Hillary Knows She's Been Caught Lying About Her 'Epstein Links'


"Asked on Fox News about the congresswoman’s meltdown in Munich, former CIA Director Mike Pompeo replied: “To not have thought one second about Taiwan or the risk from China [is] evidence of unseriousness and ignorance that is deeply troubling.”
When asked a question about Ukraine during the same event, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) also struggled to answer and even suggested Ocasio-Cortez knew more about foreign policy than she did."

Nobody Trusts Elections -- That’s the Crisis

 Nobody Trusts Elections -- That’s the Crisis - Brian C. Joondeph  

"Trust must be earned through transparency, consistent rules, and procedures that make fraud difficult and detection easy."


. . . "Contrast this with other developed democracies, where elections happen in a single day and results are known the same night or by the next morning. Or think about something closer to home: when Americans vote for a TV talent show winner, results are tabulated almost instantly. Yet, our republic needs weeks and teams of lawyers.

"Yet we are told that selecting the leader of the free world must be a lengthy, secretive process that takes weeks of uncertainty. This unnecessarily delays or complicates the already massive transition. 

"It also defies common sense, which is why both parties should support election integrity reforms, including the SAVE America Act currently before Congress. It has already passed in the House, and has reportedly crossed the 50-vote threshold for passage in the Senate.

"At its core, the SAVE America Act affirms a principle that should be uncontroversial: only U.S. citizens should vote in U.S. elections, and states should take reasonable steps to verify eligibility. Secure elections are not voter suppression; they are the foundation of representative government.

"Other reforms also merit bipartisan backing:" . . .  More...


Schumer Vows to Fight SAVE Act Despite 83% Public Support   

Seventy-six percent of black respondents, 77% of Asian respondents, and 82% of Hispanic respondents supported requiring all voters to show photo ID to be able to cast a ballot, according to Pew Research Center’s August 2025 survey.


Schumer Gets Tripped Up Over Voter ID Question As Fetterman Remains Lone 'D' Voice of Reason  "Tapper: 83% of Americans including a majority of Democrats support voter ID.
Schumer: This is Jim Crow 2.0. MAGA doesn’t want poor people and people of color to vote. He’s going to just keep saying this no matter how buffoonish and absurd he looks, because he wants non-citizens to be able to vote.' " . . .

More Schumer: Schumer Pushes Bill to Make the LGBTQ Pride Flag Equal to the American Flag – PJ Media    "In one of the most insulting moves ever, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is introducing legislation to make the LGBTQ pride flag a congressionally authorized symbol, giving it the same federal protections as the U.S. flag, military flags, and POW/MIA flags.

"Yes, you read that right.

"Chuck Schumer wants the pride flag to have the same status as Old Glory and the flags honoring those who served and sacrificed for this country." . . .

AOC: The Democrat leader in Congress and Choice for President

 AOC Crashes and Burns in Munich   "The script didn’t go as planned for AOC. On the upside, at least she finally knows what the real world is about and why it’s not as great as it might seem to have a magic mirror that always tells you who is the fairest of them all.

"It wasn’t just her long pause, her ums, and her uhs, as she tried to think of the right thing to say when asked about the US sending troops to protect Taiwan. That was bad enough." . . .

At Munich, Democrats demonstrate just how stupid they are - Monica Showalter    . . . "There were other idiots, and every one of them made a fool of himself or herself.

"What does anyone imagine the Europeans would think of this stupidity of these traveling Democrats following Rubio halfway around the world to Europe, only to fall on their faces, victims of their own ignorance and overweening ambition? I shudder to think what may come out in coming days." . . . 

This author then moves on to Hillary and Obama:

Broc Smith

"How easily she becomes angry and triggered, like anyone from the Left when confronted. She couldn’t address the idea that the Left had lost its mind and kept trying to put out the zingers. But all that did was make her seem even more out of touch.

"The legacy media does them no favors in protecting them from the truth. You wouldn’t want them flying overseas and making fools of themselves, right?" . . .