News of the Week (June 2nd, 2024)

Posted on June 2, 2024 by The Political Hat

 

News of the Week for June 2nd, 2024


Election 2024

 

The Backlash against Progressivism in Oregon
Quietly but steadily, a counterrevolution against the radical redefinition of the American social contract engineered by Oregon’s progressives over the years has been gaining steam.

Trump shares video suggesting his victory will bring ‘unified Reich’
The former president’s campaign said the video featuring hypothetical newspaper headlines was “reposted by a staffer” to his Truth Social account while Trump was in court on Monday.

Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony charges
A Manhattan jury found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in his New York hush money criminal trial. Judge Juan Merchan set a sentencing hearing for July 11.

Johnson urges Supreme Court to “step in” on Trump verdict
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called for the U.S. Supreme Court to “step in” to overturn the guilty verdict against former President Trump in his New York hush money trial.

Does the Verdict Awaken Trump’s Unlikely Voters?
Consumers of partisan political media, right and left, have been treated to a display of blistering heat from the commentariat in the hours since a Manhattan jury pronounced Trump guilty of the charges brought by Alvin Bragg’s office. Like no other event in this election cycle, these verdicts are likely to accelerate the process through which soft supporters of one candidate or the other become hard supporters. But that merely speeds up a process that would traditionally occur around the nominating conventions. The polls of the 2024 presidential race have shown it to be a tight contest for months, and the voters that matter in it are the voters on the margins. How will they react to the verdict?

Right-wing media figures vow revenge after Trump’s conviction
Following weeks of attacks targeting the historic hush money case against the former president, prominent right-wing media figures immediately flooded the public discourse Thursday with extreme and disturbing rhetoric after Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts.

The Verdict Vendetta
Donald Trump’s media allies are demanding retribution in the wake of his conviction.

Almost Half of Independents Say Trump Should Drop Out after Conviction, New Poll Finds
Forty-nine percent of independents think former president Donald Trump should end his presidential campaign in the wake of his felony conviction, according to a new poll.

 

Abortion

Dobbs Decision

 

Texas Supreme Court rejects challenge to state’s abortion law over medical exceptions
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday rejected a closely watched challenge to the state’s restrictive abortion ban, ruling against a group of women who had serious pregnancy complications and became the first in the U.S. to testify in court about being denied abortions since Roe v. Wade was overturned.

Gun Rights

 

Supreme Court rules in favor of NRA in key First Amendment case
The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously decided that the National Rifle Association (NRA) “plausibly alleged” that the New York State Department of Financial Services violated the group’s First Amendment rights by blacklisting the group.

 

Hide the Decline

Environment &“Green Energy”

 

Lithium Battery Fire Smoulders in San Diego Area Warehouse, Won’t be Extinguished for “Weeks”
Community leaders are now questioning the wisdom of building new battery facilities in their areas.

Plastic Bag Ban Fraud: California Lawmakers Vote to Now Ban ‘Reusable’ Plastic Grocery Bags
‘It’s very unlikely that many animals are killed by plastic bags – the evidence shows just the opposite’

 

Obamacare

Government in Healthcare

 

WHO Strikes Out with Proposed “Pandemic Treaty”
The collapse of the negotiations represents one small win for man, one large win for mankind and its freedoms.

War & Terror

 

Iran President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Killed in Helicopter Crash
I doubt anything changes in Iran.

Space Is Already Militarized
On Rich’s excellent piece on the tactical necessity of reconceptualizing the exoatmospheric environment as a theater of war, it needs to be said that earth’s orbit has already been weaponized.

Dark alliances, &c.
On Russia and China; McConnell vs. Orbán; a World War II ace; the inimitable Charles Barkley; the study of history; and more

Palestinian state is recognized by several European countries: How the news unfolded
Norway, Ireland and Spain have recognized a Palestinian state in a historic move. Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said on Wednesday it was coordinated with Spain and Norway, “an historic and important day for … Palestine.”

Norway, Ireland, and Spain Recognize Palestinian State
In what the Associated Press is calling a “historic move,” three European nations announced today that they are planning to officially recognize a Palestinian state later this month. Norway was the first to pull the trigger, with its spokesperson saying there can’t be any sort of peace in the Middle East without this type of recognition. Ireland and Spain quickly followed suit, with their leaders saying they expected other European countries to do the same in the weeks to come. This will likely be seen as another case of splintering between the United States and our European allies unless Joe Biden decides to use this as an excuse to do the same thing. Of course, this is an almost entirely symbolic move carrying no real substance because the situations in Gaza and the West Bank remain essentially unchanged.

It Turns Out Republican Voters Don’t Actually Care about Ukraine Aid
“This is disgraceful,” said Senator J. D. Vance following the passage through the Senate, earlier this year, of legislation designed to provide support to America’s embattled partners abroad. “And if you are a leader of this country, of the United States of America, you should be getting fired up about that.” Along with the indecorous Ukraine critics he’s decided to make his allies, Vance promoted himself as the true champion for the unexpressed views of a majority of Republican voters. His opposition to supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s war of conquest was an expression of his voters’ views, Vance insisted.

Warner Bros. Deal with Chinese Propaganda Organ Spurs Federal Funding Ban
Warner Bros. Discovery’s production of videos in partnership with Chinese state media to whitewash the Uyghur genocide has inspired a bill to bar the disbursement of federal funds to companies that work with Beijing’s propaganda organs.

When killers like Putin and Xi hint at nuclear annihilation, take heed
After a recent summit between new partners China and Russia, General Secretary Xi Jinping and Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin issued an odd one-sentence communique: “There can be no winners in a nuclear war and it should never be fought.”

Defending NATO’s East: Building a Drone ‘Wall’
Last week, Jim Geraghty described how Russia was upping the pressure in the eastern Baltic, “removing Estonia’s border-marker buoys from the Narva River.” It’s worth adding that it’s not a particularly wide river at that point. You can look across it and see the cars driving along the road on the Russian side and so on.

Boston Council Member Calls for “Revolution,” Screeches Anti-White Vitriol at Council Meetings
“Tania Fernandes Anderson has created an ‘unhealthy’ environment. The employee believes Fernandes Anderson is a ‘troubled person'”

Students of ‘Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee’ Renounce Protests in Favor of ‘Open Intifada’
“Let’s be clear: this isn’t about free speech, this is a call to terrorism, plain and simple.”

EU Mulls Sanctions on Israel as Spain, Ireland and Norway Recognize ‘Palestinian State’
Also, initial IDF probe: Secondary explosions in Hamas weapons dump caused Rafah civilian deaths.

China’s super secretive spaceplane ejects a mysterious object into orbit over Earth and no-one knows what it’s for
Find out about the space race between the US and China in the video above

Once a Sheriff’s Deputy in Florida, Now a Source of Disinformation From Russia
A dozen years ago, John Mark Dougan, a former deputy sheriff in Palm Beach County, Fla., sent voters an email posing as a county commissioner, urging them to oppose the re-election of the county’s sheriff.

In Kharkov and In Rafah
The self-proclaimed bleeding hearts need to explain why they cry bitter tears for Gaza when the pain of others, like Ukrainians, doesn’t catch their attention.

Sweden: Iran Uses Criminal Gangs To Carry Out Terror Attacks
Sweden’s Security Service Säpo confirmed on Thursday that the Iranian regime is recruiting criminals to conduct attacks on Jewish targets in the Scandinavian country. This corroborates earlier intelligence reports from Israel’s spy agency Mossad.

 

National

 

Montana AG Knudsen said he recruited token primary opponent to increase fundraising
Montana’s attorney general told supporters he skirted the state’s campaign finance laws by inviting another Republican to run against him as a token candidate in next month’s primary so he could raise more money for the November general election, according to a recording from a fundraising event.

MIT Program Open Only To “Women of Color” Challenged By Equal Protection Project As Violating Civil Rights Laws
“We just celebrated the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, which ended racial segregation in public education. It is sad and disheartening to see that institutions like MIT that receive federal funding are re-segregating the student body through exclusionary programs.”

California’s Looming Crime Catastrophe
Recent legislation makes it easier for felons to claim racial bias—potentially putting them back on the streets in large numbers.

‘A Failed Medical School’: How Racial Preferences, Supposedly Outlawed in California, Have Persisted at UCLA
Up to half of UCLA medical students now fail basic tests of medical competence. Whistleblowers say affirmative action, illegal in California since 1996, is to blame.

CA’s ‘Racial Justice Act’ About to Start Bearing Fruit
In 2020, a law passed the California legislature without any really meaningful review or public comment. ‘The Racial Justice Act’ was authored by a state rep named Ash Kalra.

Beep, beep! New cars in California could alert drivers for breaking the speed limit
California could eventually join the European Union in requiring all new cars to alert drivers when they break the speed limit, a proposal aimed at reducing traffic deaths that would likely impact motorists across the country should it become law.

The Trojan Horse of ‘Ethnic Studies’
Leftists love their dominance of education because it allows them to steep children in their beliefs. It doesn’t matter to them if the kids can’t do basic math or if they write English poorly, as long as they can spout off the clichés about race, intersectionality, power systems, etc.

U.S. Wins First Ever Cricket Series against Top-Ten Team
The United States national cricket team defeated Bangladesh 2–1 in a Twenty20 series, the first time ever that the U.S. has defeated a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in an international series. Going into this series, Bangladesh was ranked ninth in the world in Twenty20 international (T20I) play. The U.S. was ranked 19th. It is also the first time the U.S. has won a series against a top-ten team.

University of Nevada hosts multiple segregated graduations
The ceremonies took place at the school’s Las Vegas and Reno campuses.

Yale wants science profs to ‘promote DEI through teaching’
“Diversity” statements are out for job applicants at MIT: Would-professors won’t have to pledge their loyalty to Diversity Equity and Inclusion to be considered.

The Textbook-Procurement Wars Rage On
The Department of Education is threatening to change how colleges deliver course materials to students.

The Craziest True Crime Story, Ever?
Two women are dead and five suspects from Cimarron County, Oklahoma, are behind bars, charged in a murder conspiracy so bizarre that, when my brother first told me about the story, he said, “You’re going to need some stick pins and a lot of yarn to explain this one.” The first article about it I read in Newsweek (“Missing Women Found in Oklahoma Freezer”) was quite confusing, but I eventually unraveled the tale, which is like a madcap comedy except for the fact that two women are dead. The story involves a Republican Party county chairwoman as the conspiracy leader, an obscure preacher named “Squirrel,” and a plot twist that sounds like Wile E. Coyote trying to catch the Road Runner.

‘Tobacco-Free Generation’ Establishes Age-Based Ban on Sale of Tobacco — to Adults
I don’t smoke, but I am wary of efforts to prevent other people from so doing. Now, blue cities — and soon states, most likely — have hit upon a way to ban smoking known as “Tobacco Free Generation” (TFG).

Manchin leaves Democratic Party, files as independent
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat, officially filed as an independent Friday.

Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
The Monuments Men, ankle monitor prejudice, and a qualified immunity ballot

Independent VTuber “Kirsche” Excluded from Offkai Expo Panel Due to Wrongthink
An independent VTuber named “Kirsche” has been excluded from the Offkai Expo, resulting in the cancellation of her participation in a panel at the convention.

Tulsi Gabbard’s aunt stabbed multiple times, beaten to death with hammer by prominent author
The aunt of ex-Democratic Hawaiian Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was stabbed multiple times and beaten with a hammer during a fight with her protege in Samoa last month, according to a report.

‘It’s All Bullshit!’ Tucker Carlson Tells Don Jr. January 6th Rioters Were ‘Pure-Hearted’ Americans
Tucker Carlson claimed during a recent interview with Donald Trump Jr. that the January 6th Capitol rioters were “pure-hearted” Americans.

 

Economy & Taxes

 

State high court should uphold Proposition 22
On Tuesday, the California Supreme Court will hear oral arguments over the constitutionality of Proposition 22. Approved by over 58% of voters in 2020, the measure allowed app-based transportation and delivery companies like Uber and Lyft to continue to work with drivers hired as independent contractors.

The Solution Is Rules-Based Monetary Policy
Ramesh points out a problem with central-bank independence, that it is severed from typical mechanisms of democratic accountability. He acknowledges that we do this for very good reasons, because politicians face bad incentives that virtually guarantee they will make poor decisions. We know from economic theory and from the examples of countries around the world that shifting from politician-controlled monetary policy to independent monetary policy corresponds with lower inflation.

Office Property: Out of the Mony Mony
When it comes to the troubled office market, the era in which “extending and pretending” and hoping for the best has been a (sort of) viable strategy is drawing to a close.

 

International

 

Taiwan’s New President is Inaugurated, Says He Will Not Make Concessions on Democracy
In January, William Lai won the election in Taiwan to become the country’s next president. As I described at the time, China was clearly not happy about this, fearing that Lai was more willing to openly push for independence than his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen. Before the election China had not-so-subtly warned that any move toward independence was a move toward war.

International Criminal Court Seeks Arrest Warrants for Both Netanyahu and Hamas Leaders
The International Criminal Court is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, and others for war crimes related to Israel’s war in Gaza and Hamas’s attack on October 7, according to the court’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan.

“Pro-Pedophile” Activist Group Celebrates As Germany Decriminalizes Child Porn Possession
Germany’s Parliament (Bundestag) has received the votes necessary to remove a section of the Criminal Code which made the possession of child sexual abuse materials a felony crime. Once the bill, passed last Thursday, comes into effect, minimum sentences for the possession of child pornography will be reduced, and the offense will be downgraded to a misdemeanor.

Rishi Sunak announces snap vote on July 4
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the General Election will be held on July 4 as he made an announcement in the rain drowned out by Things Can Only Get Better

Chinese Government Shocked to Learn They Can’t Trust the Taliban
Hey, Chinese diplomatic “wolf warriors,” I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but I’m going to be the bigger man and give you some free advice: those guys in the Taliban aren’t so trustworthy after all.

Essex Police call white people ‘non-protected group’ in leaked diversity documents
Essex Police has come under fire for describing white people as a “non-protected group” in its diversity memos, GB News can reveal.

“Allahu Akbar” was a campaign slogan in UK local elections
Islamic candidates won in British local elections because they are the majority. And the UK is not alone in that. Opinion.

German Moonbats Push Beer Made of Sewage Water
Moonbats will pee on your leg and tell you it’s raining. Worse yet, they will serve you sewage water and tell you it’s beer. Literally:

Claudia Sheinbaum is likely to be Mexico’s next president. Who is she?
The presidential candidate held a comfortable lead in the polls as her party’s primary got underway last summer. But one afternoon, as she was entering a hotel for a meeting, she was confronted by dozens of her top rival’s supporters, chanting that the contest was rigged.

UK Tories: Life Imitates Art
The British Tory Party, facing the electorate on July 4, and according to the polls heading for a wipeout ofter several years of incompetence in office starting with Boris Johnson totally flubbing COVID, have announced a new gambit

‘Vole fever’ that can trigger Ebola-like bleeding virus is ‘spreading in parts of Europe’
What is heamorrhagic fever and why scientist are worried about ‘vole fever’ emerging in new areas

Mayoral candidate murdered, another wounded days before Mexico elections
A mayoral candidate in the central Mexican state of Morelos was murdered on Tuesday, while another one was wounded by gunfire in western Jalisco state, the governments of both states said in the latest incident of violence targeting Mexican politicians this year.

Mandela’s ANC loses majority for first time since end of apartheid
The African National Congress has lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since the end of apartheid, with voters angry at joblessness, inequality and power shortages.

 

Opinion

 

McConnell vs. Orbán
My Impromptus today has a slew of items, as usual. But the first several concern China. And Russia. They are close allies. Putin was in Beijing last week, burnishing the “no limits” partnership that he and Xi Jinping have developed. This is bad news for the Free World, as should not have to be said. Putin and Xi are determined foes of freedom and democracy everywhere.

Comrade Tucker Carlson
Tucker Carlson and his company are denying reports from Newsweek and others that the former Fox News host has started a program airing exclusively on Russian Television. The show in question has been heavily promoted on Russian media and features current episodes of Carlson’s show with a Russian translator speaking over it.

And the Winner Is . . .
The National Association of Scholars’ Trofim Lysenko Award is back!

You’d Boo, Too
“The Libertarian Party should nominate Trump for president of the United States,” Trump said in an address to the Libertarian National Convention over the weekend. The exhortation was met with a resounding chorus of boos and jeers. “What?” the former president asked, reeling from the hostile reception. “Only if you want to win,” he steadied himself. “Maybe you don’t want to win.”

If Neither One Is Acceptable, Then Neither Is Acceptable
Matthew Franck on “Choosing Not to Choose” in November

Trump and the GOP did this to themselves, too
There is no denying that the conviction of former President Donald Trump was an electoral ploy by Democrats achieved by manipulating the law to target the GOP nominee. There is also no denying that Trump and the GOP did a fair share of this damage to themselves.

“A Child Is Not the Mere Creature of the State”
The first day of June in 2024 marks the ninety-ninth anniversary of Pierce v. Society of Sisters, the landmark Supreme Court decision that upheld the right of parental choice in education.

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