News of the Week for September 15th, 2024
- Election 2024
- Abortion
- Gun Rights
- Hide the Decline
- Obamacare
- War & Terror
- National News
- Economy & Taxes
- International News
- Opinion
Election 2024
‘Stop it!’ Nikki Haley Hits JD Vance for His ‘Not Helpful’ Comments About Childless Women
Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley called out Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) over his numerous unearthed comments about childless women.
Two Bad Debaters
On the eve of what might be the only debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, it is easy to forget that general-election debates have historically not mattered much. The June 27 debate in which Joe Biden melted into a doddery puddle before our very eyes is the exception that proves the rule. Given the proximity to November’s vote, the closeness of the election, and the commitment among partisans to their respective candidates, Tuesday’s debate is unlikely to alter the political landscape.
The Dangers of Kamala’s ‘Opportunity Economy’
The Democrats have been saturating the airwaves with ads promoting their candidate’s Five Year Plan. Oops — I mean “Opportunity Economy.” It’s going to be great for everyone, paid for by finally taxing the rich the way they need to be.
Trump Is Also a Bad Debater
In my piece yesterday, I was pretty rude about Kamala Harris’s embarrassing inability to speak in public, describing her as “Charles Dickens’s futile Circumlocution Office in its final, human form.” That she is. But I ought to note as an addendum that it does not follow from this that her opponent, Donald Trump, is better. He isn’t. In different ways, he’s just as bad, and at this evening’s debate, his flaws will be every bit as much on display.
Are Voters Really Itching to See 90 Minutes of ‘Prosecutor Harris’?
“Prosecutor Harris” may thrill Democrats who are already going to vote for her, but in a race that is effectively tied, will acting and sounding like the protagonist in a John Grisham novel really move the numbers in the way that Harris needs?
How Taylor Swift Is Allegedly Betraying Kamala Harris by Not Endorsing Her
On the menu today: Variety accuses Taylor Swift of cynicism for not endorsing Kamala Harris yet; why there’s a lot of pressure on Harris in tonight’s debate; and a very special guest joins the Three Martini Lunch podcast.
Lying About The Haitians
Over the past 24 hours, my radio show has been flooded with calls and emails from listeners in Springfield, Ohio where the false story was spawned that Haitian migrants were eating house cats. Social media agitators on the right quite literally created this story out of thin air which has allowed mainstream media outlets to debunk it as racism and simply move on.
The Full Context of Vance’s 2020 Election Comments Makes Them Even Crazier
Republican vice-presidential nominee J. D. Vance appeared at the All-In Summit, an event by the All-In Podcast, on Monday and made some comments about the 2020 election. A segment from the podcast video has been clipped and spread widely by the Harris campaign. To provide the full context of his comments, I’ll transcribe the questions Vance was asked by host Jason Calacanis and the answers he gave
No, Haitian Immigrants Are Not Eating Pet Cats
Viral claims on social media accusing Haitian immigrants of such atrocities are entirely baseless.
God (Trump) Save the Cats
Donald Trump will save kittens from being eaten by Haitian immigrants in Ohio. Also, a few pigs made a trip to the moon and are reporting lush, balmy conditions.
After last night
Watching the debate between President Trump and Vice President Harris last night, I thought back to Joe McGinniss’s The Selling of the President 1968 (1969). It’s been a long time since I read it. My memory might be off. I might be thinking of Tom Wolfe or Hunter Thompson.
Another Blow to Trump
This morning, liberals are celebrating Donald Trump’s poor performance last night. The New York Times and the Washington Post are giddy. And Trump’s troubles got deeper when, just a few minutes after the debate concluded, Taylor Swift–likely emboldened by how well the debate went for Kamala Harris–publicly endorsed her.
Trump’s Trainwreck
You know who cares about the notorious bias of the media-Democrat complex? Conservatives. You know who was not the relevant, target audience for last night’s debate between presidential candidates? Conservatives.
Harris Emerges Largely Unscathed from First Ever Meeting with an Unfocused Trump
In their first and only planned faceoff before Election Day, former president Donald Trump blasted Vice President Kamala Harris for record inflation and allowing in millions of illegal immigrants who are “destroying the fabric of our country.”
Congrats Partisans. You Know Your Candidate Won. But…
Congratulations. Your preferred candidate so obviously won the debate no one in their right mind can claim otherwise. It’s just not up for debate. Congratulations to you all.
Is It Too Much to Ask That Trump Prepare for Debates?
Man, that was painful. The moderators were biased and self-important; Harris was well-rehearsed and effective for her purposes, but obviously a mediocrity; and Trump was ill-disciplined and vague and repetitive.
Trump-Harris debate confirmed what we know: He’s combative, she’s dishonest
Tuesday night’s debate between Trump and Harris was never going to be enlightening, given these two candidates. It wasn’t Lincoln and Douglas. But it did put on display who they both are.
About the Debate
This is the greatest country in the world. Yet, on the day after this debate, all I can think about is this H. L. Mencken quote
Yes, Kamala ‘Won’ That Debate (and Why It Probably Won’t Matter in November)
If any of your Democrat friends try to provoke you into an argument about who won Tuesday night’s debate, avoid the provocation by agreeing that Kamala “won,” and end the conversation immediately.
Forget the Performance, the Polls & the Pundits: Here’s how Trump can lose BIGLY in November
Polling results are insignificant compared to the actual voter turnout.
Trump’s Get-Out-the-Vote Operation Should Make Republicans Nervous
“It all comes down to turnout” is an eye-rolling cliché, but it’s axiomatic for a reason. In a tight race, which every indication suggests the 2024 presidential election most certainly is, the mechanics associated with mobilizing your campaign’s target voters are the whole ballgame. Get-out-the-vote (GOTV) strategies are even more determinative when a campaign is hamstrung by its reliance on either low-propensity or unenthusiastic voters. That fairly describes the Trump campaign, but it also applies to Barack Obama’s reelection bid in 2012. That year, the Obama camp produced the gold standard for GOTV operations.
‘Concepts of a Plan’
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, back at the dawn of the Trump era in February 2016, as Donald Trump was surging toward the Republican nomination, Marco Rubio, of all people, scored a few debating points against Trump.
Too much? Many Americans feel the need to limit their political news, AP-NORC/USAFacts poll finds
When her husband turns on the television to hear news about the upcoming presidential election, that’s often a signal for Lori Johnson Malveaux to leave the room.
Republican Ex-Governor Larry Hogan Snags Endorsement from Joe Manchin in Maryland Senate Race
Republican Larry Hogan, the popular, anti-Trump, former two-term governor of Maryland who is running for Senate this cycle against Democrat Angela Alsobrooks, Prince George’s County executive, snagged an endorsement from Senator Joe Manchin (I., W.Va.), the retiring centrist who formally left the Democratic Party earlier this year.
Psst! There Are a Handful of New Polls in Competitive U.S. House Races!
It’s tougher to poll a congressional race — other than the handful that encompass an entire state — because of the district lines, and phone area codes not aligning with those district lines. Pollsters have to go through their lists of phone numbers and check to make sure the resident is in the House district they’re polling, which makes the process more time-consuming and expensive.
Harris campaign social media account has repeatedly deceived with misleading edits and captions
The @KamalaHQ account, which has more than 1.3 million followers on the X social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has made a habit of misleadingly clipping and inaccurately captioning video clips to attack former President Donald Trump.
Abortion
Dobbs Decision
Arizona’s 1864 abortion ban is officially off the books
The Western swing state has been whipsawed over recent months, starting with the Arizona Supreme Court deciding in April to let the state enforce the long-dormant 1864 law that criminalized all abortions except when a woman’s life was jeopardized. Then state lawmakers voted on a bill to repeal that law once and for all.
Nebraska Supreme Court sets up abortion showdown on Election Day with competing ballot measures
The Nebraska Supreme Court has set up a major abortion policy showdown for election day, approving two competing ballot measures to go before voters.
Gun Rights
Popular YouTube gun expert Paul Harrell announces own death at 58 in video: ‘If you’re watching me, I’m dead’
Harrell, who died from pancreatic cancer, was known for his gun reviews, firearms instruction videos and 2nd Amendment advocacy
Hide the Decline
Environment &“Green Energy”
Harvard to train ‘planetary healers’
New concentration part of medicine’s push to incorporate climate change into health care
California Crews Begin Mowing Down Region’s Iconic Joshua Trees for Solar Farm
We are going to spend decades recovering from the environmental damage caused by climate cult pseudoscience.
Climate protesters are taking action against Big Oil. UK courts are handing them prison terms akin to rapists and thieves
As right-wing rioters attacked communities with racist violence across parts of the UK last month, 22-year-old climate activist Cressie Gethin sat in a prison cell. Her crime? Organizing a disruptive protest against new government-granted licenses to drill for oil — a planet-heating fossil fuel — in the North Sea.
Obamacare
Government in Healthcare
CDC Changes Lice Guidelines: Students With Nits Do Not Need to be Sent Home
The CDC says that the nit-specific focus isn’t effective and is burdensome. Meanwhile, in the post-covid era, some are skeptical of the new recommendations.
In Speaker Choices, American Academy of Pediatrics Shows its Gender Ideological Colors
The American Academy of Pediatrics is a creature of the gender ideologues and the woke Left. I can see no other judgment based on the two chosen keynote speakers for its upcoming national convention.
War & Terror
Russia launches largest navy drills of post-Soviet era alongside China in Sea of Japan
Russia launched its largest navy drills of the post-Soviet era on Tuesday alongside Chinese warships, the latest sign of deepening military cooperation between the two global powers. The drills will continue until September 16 and will involve more than 400 warships, submarines and other maritime vessels.
A Grisly, Deadly Roster
As you may have heard, the Iranian dictatorship is sending ballistic missiles to Russia. For two years now, Putin’s guys have been killing Ukrainian civilians with Iranian drones (Shaheds). Now they will have other matériel.
Russia says it could “combine” with China if they faced a threat
Russia said on Wednesday that its partnership with China was not aimed against third countries but the two powers could “combine potential” if faced with a threat from the United States.
Russia takes notice of Canada’s plan to buy 12 submarines that could lie silent under Arctic ice
Equipped with the West’s latest torpedo and sonar technology, the proposed new Canadian subs would be difficult for Russia to counter
The Criminally Stupid Chiefs Who Set Up a Secret Starlink WiFi Network aboard the USS Manchester
Ever since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, there has been much meme-making and online laughter generated by the unbelievably careless use of cellphones by Russian troops in the combat zone.
Why 30% of Gen Z sympathize with Osama bin Laden
The American education system produces undereducated, radicalized individuals who are indoctrinated with anti-Americanism and a disdain for Western culture and values.
Chinese Cargo Cranes at U.S. Ports Pose Espionage Risk, Probe Finds
Chinese manufacturer ZPMC has pressured American ports for remote access to its machines, a congressional report says
Congress to get Super Bowl-level protection on Jan. 6, 2025
DHS designates the certification of the 2024 election a “national special security event” to prevent a repeat of the Capitol riot.
Officials to speak after today’s Springfield City Hall bomb threat
The Springfield Police Division initially confirmed to 2 NEWS that City Hall was evacuated due to an unspecified threat, but later provided an update that it was a precautionary measure after the city received a bomb threat. An immediate law enforcement investigation has been launched in response.
Top DOJ Official Warns That China Seeks to Influence Congressional Races
The Justice Department’s top national-security prosecutor warned that China aims to influence U.S. congressional races, days after federal prosecutors brought charges against a former aide to New York governors who allegedly acted on Beijing’s behalf.
The Once-Dominant Tank Is Getting Humbled on the Battlefield
The rise of drones has prompted armies to change tactics and add defenses to the powerful armored vehicles
First coed submarine joins Navy fleet
Men and women will operate the sub “side by side” for the first time. “The future of Naval warfare starts here, and it’s more inclusive, stronger and more capable than ever,” the Navy said in a video posted to social media.
Vladimir Putin’s Pivot to China is Backfiring
Russia’s pivot to China has faced multiple setbacks this year as Chinese banks, wary of U.S. sanctions imposed over Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, are rejecting transactions, forcing Moscow to raise fees on yuan (RMB) transfers.
Moscow threatens to ‘MELT’ Kyiv if Ukraine uses British missiles to strike Russia as Putin urged to detonate nuke bomb
Meanwhile Putin’s chief lapdog Dmitry Medvedev yesterday threatened to ‘sink’ the UK with hypersonic missiles
National
Former chief of staff sues California State Sen. Alvarado-Gil for sexual harassment, discrimination
The lawsuit includes allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation and violations of other state labor laws.
UMinn DEI professor reported to bias team for using ‘piñata of shame’ phrase
‘No one has contacted me about it,’ professor says
“How Different Are the Trump Judges?”
A new empirical study assesses the “quality” of Trump’s judicial nominations.
What to know about Michele Fiore’s criminal indictment as trial nears
The ex-city councilwoman is set to be arraigned Monday on two more charges of using donations intended for a fallen officer’s memorial for personal gain.
Radical Farce
Vanessa Engle’s three-part documentary series Lefties, aired in 2006, is still among my favourites. With a mix of archive footage and modern-day interviews, the leftism of the 70s and 80s is captured in all of its staggering glory. For those who haven’t seen the series, it is quite revealing – and often darkly funny.
Florida State University groups to host ‘cowboy themed drag show,’ Brokeback Mountain viewing
The event will ‘include about four amateur performers’ and will be ‘hosted by a more well-known Tallahassee Drag Performer.’ The Pride Student Union will also sponsor a ‘Condom Bingo’ in October.
University of North Texas removes DEI-based faculty groups
The University of North Texas has eliminated minority-oriented faculty committees and other employee organizations to comply with S.B. 17. More specifically, faculty senate groups organized for women, minorities, and LGBT-identifying individuals have been removed as a result.
In blow to Newsmax, judge rules Smartmatic’s case over 2020 election lies will go to trial this month
A major defamation case against Newsmax will proceed to trial later this month, a judge ruled Thursday, dealing a blow to the right-wing network and setting the stage for the 2020 election to be relitigated during the final stretch of the 2024 race.
Future of Murdoch Empire Comes Down to a Court in Nevada
Over the next few weeks, the future course of one of the most powerful media empires on the planet will depend on secret proceedings set to take place inside a domed, Beaux-Arts-style courthouse in downtown Reno, Nev.
Dangerous: Calif. Authorities Take Child Away from Christian Family Over Transgenderism
The fascist California Democrats are now taking children away from parents who disagree with dangerous transgenderism.
Legal Analysis – Potential Problem With Self-Defense Claim Of Pro-Israel Protestor Who Shot Anti-Israel Attacker
The “proportionality” element of lawful self-defense will be challenged by the prosecution, leaving Scott Hayes at risk of conviction.
Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
Eleven-person juries, noncustodial plaintiffs, and abdicated responsibilities.
America’s institutions retreat from activism
Just a few years ago, institutions of all kinds — from multinational corporations to centuries-old universities — were routinely weighing in on the social justice debates of the day. Now, the calculus is changing.
Economy & Taxes
US inflation may soon undershoot Fed’s 2% target
After grappling with the strongest U.S. price pressures in four decades, it’s hard for investors to adjust to the notion that inflation could soon undershoot the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.
Mike Johnson faces conservative mutiny over Trump-backed plan to avert government shutdown
Johnson will likely be forced to seek Democratic support for his plan
Consumer Sentiment Rises In US As Buying Conditions Improve
Shoppers are perceiving more favorable prices and they expect more improvements in the coming year
Why people are souring on one of the country’s hottest housing markets
Residents say it’s becoming a lot harder to enjoy living in Florida. Among the pandemic’s hottest markets, the Sunshine State is increasingly expensive, hot, and crowded. Housing activity is slowing, with inventory climbing 42% from levels last year, per Redfin.
International
Mexico Is About to Flagrantly Violate Its Trade Agreement with the U.S.
On the menu today: I know, everybody wants to talk about Trump citing Tucker Carlson’s program as proof that 20 percent of all ballots in 2020 were fraudulent, the upcoming debate, and the New York Times poll showing an effectively tied race. But today’s newsletter focuses on giant and wildly under-covered news: The Mexican government is on the verge of becoming a lot more autocratic, effectively eliminating checks and balances, and almost no one in the U.S. government is paying much attention or objecting too loudly. Our ambassador in Mexico City — former Colorado Democratic senator Ken Salazar — is freelancing and taking the side of outgoing president Andrés Manuel López Obrador against the official U.S. position. The proposed reforms would violate the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement in at least five different ways. Hey, does anybody who’s running for president want to talk about this, or nah?
First Robot Leg With ‘Artificial Muscles’ Jumps Nimbly: Study
Researchers said on Monday they had designed the first robotic leg with “artificial muscles” — oil-filled bags allowing machines to move more like humans — that can jump nimbly across a range of surfaces.
Mexico Is About to Flagrantly Violate Its Trade Agreement with the U.S.
On the menu today: I know, everybody wants to talk about Trump citing Tucker Carlson’s program as proof that 20 percent of all ballots in 2020 were fraudulent, the upcoming debate, and the New York Times poll showing an effectively tied race. But today’s newsletter focuses on giant and wildly under-covered news: The Mexican government is on the verge of becoming a lot more autocratic, effectively eliminating checks and balances, and almost no one in the U.S. government is paying much attention or objecting too loudly. Our ambassador in Mexico City — former Colorado Democratic senator Ken Salazar — is freelancing and taking the side of outgoing president Andrés Manuel López Obrador against the official U.S. position. The proposed reforms would violate the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement in at least five different ways. Hey, does anybody who’s running for president want to talk about this, or nah?
Falun Gong Member Whose Organs Were Harvested Proves China’s Guilt
For years, members of the Falun Gong, a new religious movement, have accused China of tissue-typing and organ-harvesting their fellow practitioners to boost the country’s black market and further the Chinese Communist Party’s tyrannical suppression of the FG movement. China has denied the accusation repeatedly, but multiple international studies and exposés have substantiated the brutality with strong circumstantial evidence.
Mussolini’s granddaughter quits Meloni’s party saying it’s too right wing
The granddaughter of Italy’s wartime dictator Benito Mussolini said on Thursday she was leaving Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party because it was too right wing, after recently taking issue with its stance on minority rights.
Hundreds of thousands in Cuba without water
Water shortages in Cuba are increasingly flaring tempers, including in capital Havana, as problems mount for hundreds of thousands of residents already ragged from shortfalls in food, fuel and electricity.
Hundreds compete in Germany’s first hobby horsing championship
Germany’s first hobby horsing championship got underway in Frankfurt on Saturday, with hundreds of young riders competing in time jumping, style jumping and dressage on their wooden stick horses.
Release secret list of alleged Nazi war criminals in Canada, say Polish and Ukrainian groups
The Canadian Polish Congress and the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians have joined calls for the identities of the alleged war criminals to be revealed.
The church was named Good News. Hundreds of members died in a cult massacre that haunts survivors
Shukran Karisa Mangi always showed up drunk at work, where he dug up the bodies of doomsday cult members buried in shallow graves. But the alcohol couldn’t numb his shock the morning he found the body of a close friend, whose neck had been twisted so severely that his head and torso faced opposite directions.
Opinion
America’s Useful Idiots of Hostile Regimes
On the menu today: Yesterday’s Morning Jolt was about the Chinese government’s efforts to physically assault its critics on U.S. soil, and its surreptitious efforts to influence the U.S. government by bribing state officials. (The trolls on X who are big fans of the Chinese government have discovered the piece, and contend I’m hiding the sinister influence of the Jews.) Today’s newsletter is about how, as our Noah Rothman observes, all hostile states — including both Iran and Russia — are attempting to influence the U.S. political system and Americans’ decision-making.
The Unoriginal and Superficial Nihilism of the Right
The continuing controversy over Tucker Carlson’s promotion and apparent approval of the heterodox revisionist views of Darryl Cooper raise two discrete questions. First, what are the facts about Churchill, Hitler, Nazism, and America’s involvement in World War II. The facts that bear on these matters are extensive, and subject to dispute or alternate conclusions. It is a necessary argument to play out, but also fruitless because it is endless.
“A man’s got to know his limitations”
It was Clint Eastwood playing Inspector Harry Callahan who laid down the humbling maxim in Magnum Force (1973): “A man’s got to know his limitations.” Pseudo historian Darryl Cooper abides by Callahan’s maxim in declining to debate real historian Andrew Roberts on the subject of Churchill and World War II. Cooper is sufficiently self-aware to know “how that would go for [him].”
A Would-Be Tyrant and His Willing Accomplices
As a caudillo, Trump is incompetent. That’s no excuse to support him.
What Conservatism Has Conserved
This is a question asked with earnest impatience by many of Donald Trump’s enthusiastic supporters. It is raised by both the archaic white nationalist who views racism as transgressive enough to constitute a youthful rebellion, and by burgeoning opinion writers who fancy themselves a respectable sort. It is whispered by patriots who fear for the future of the republic they love and by sycophants for whom the Constitution itself is a barrier to the enlightened despotism they believe would remedy America’s ills.
A Would-Be Tyrant and His Willing Accomplices
As a caudillo, Trump is incompetent. That’s no excuse to support him.
The First Amendment and the Social Media Dilemma
Social media poses problems far more serious than misinformation campaigns, but solutions consistent with the First Amendment are not clear.
Far-right activist Laura Loomer’s access to Trump reveals a crisis in his campaign
Loomer, who has pushed a number of conspiracy theories, was on Trump’s plane to the debate and accompanied him to memorial services on Sept. 11.
Why Won’t We Let Ukraine Win?
On the morning of July 8, I was in Kyiv visiting a combined surgery ward and prosthetics clinic. To say I didn’t expect it to be the most uplifting stop on my trip through Ukraine sounds glib. But I mention it only because that’s precisely what it turned out to be. It was a remarkable place. Established by the nonprofit Protez Foundation in Oakdale, Minnesota, the two-story clinic is an open and sociable space where wounded Ukrainian fighters and civilians watch technicians build their hi-tech limbs, work with them on tweaks, undergo surgery, and finally train with doctors and therapists to use their new titanium arms or legs to maximum capacity. So the facility is infused with a kind of collaborative and surprisingly cheerful determination.
The Right Is Defending the Nazis — Again
Tucker Carlson’s latest controversy has deep roots on the right.
