News of the Week for June 23rd, 2024
- Election 2024
- Abortion
- Gun Rights
- Hide the Decline
- Obamacare
- War & Terror
- National News
- Economy & Taxes
- International News
- Opinion
Election 2024
One in Four Voters Are Double-Haters, Rejecting Trump and Biden
The ranks of the double-haters — voters who say they don’t like either major party presidential candidate — are at a historic high and make up one-quarter of the electorate, according to a new analysis from Pew Research Center.
Trump, Biden and CNN Prepare for a Hostile Debate (With Muted Mics)
There will be no opening statements. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will each have two minutes to answer questions — followed by one-minute rebuttals and responses to the rebuttals. Red lights visible to the candidates will flash when they have five seconds left, and turn solid red when time has expired. And each man’s microphone will be muted when it is not his turn to speak.
Things I Will Believe When I See Them
There are political developments that show up in news and in polls that are undoubtedly real, or likely to be real — such as broad shifts in public opinion, or a group of voters leaning toward a party they have sometimes supported, or candidate fundraising. And then there are things that might be true, but that I need to actually see reflected in the outcome of an election before I buy them.
Biden Campaign Highlights Trump’s Convicted-Felon Status in New Ad
Ten days out from the first presidential debate in Atlanta, President Joe Biden’s campaign is continuing to signal that Trump’s convicted-felon status will become a central theme in the incumbent’s democracy-versus-chaos reelection pitch through Election Day.
Donald Trump ‘Struggles’ With Chronology of Events, Author Claims
The author of a new book about Donald Trump said the former president “struggles” with the chronology of events.
J. D. Vance Hasn’t Convinced Himself Yet. Can He Convince You?
The senator’s Times interview has raised more questions than it has answered.
U.K. Election: The Fight on the Right
With two weeks to go until polling day (July 4) in the U.K., the main story continues to be how low the Tories will go. No one seriously doubts that Labour (which, incidentally, is considerably less centrist than is now being portrayed) will secure a majority so large that it will be able to do more or less what it wants. Labour was always in line for one of the biggest majorities in British parliamentary history, but now it is being handed a bonus by the way that Reform, the Tories’ rival to the right, has been given an immense boost by Nigel Farage taking over as the party’s leader. As the Conservatives sink and Reform rises, the right is now badly split. In a first-past-the post system (FPTP), that means disaster.
Great Travel Reset: Britons who travel abroad more than once a year would face punitive ‘frequent flyer’ levies under Green Party proposals
The party – which is on course to have its best ever general election result – also wants to raise National Insurance rates for those earning more than £50,000 and scrap the Trident nuclear deterrent.
Trump floats idea to give foreign graduates in the U.S. a green card
It’s unclear if Trump’s suggestion on Thursday also applies to those who came to the country illegally.
Abortion
Dobbs Decision
Biden campaign to mark second anniversary of Roe reversal as he makes abortion rights a key reelection message
President Joe Biden and his allies will mark the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade this week, homing in on an issue that the president’s campaign sees as key to his reelection bid.
Gun Rights
RTC turning to AI to increase safety on Las Vegas Valley buses
The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada is turning to artificial intelligence to bolster safety at its transit centers in Las Vegas.
Supreme Court Upholds Law Temporarily Disarming Person Subject to Domestic Violence Restraining Order
SCOTUS: Disarming an individual ‘found by a court to pose a credible threat to the physical safety of another’ is ‘consistent with the Second Amendment.’
Hide the Decline
Environment &“Green Energy”
Flubbed climate test won’t deter rich donors from altering the sky
They funded a failed experiment to block the sun. They plan to try again.
Just Stop Oil Protesters Spray Stonehenge With Orange Paint
Two amazing bystanders fought back and tackled the idiots. HEROES.
Play Pagan Games, Win Pagan Prizes
But tonight I am contemplating Neolithic forms of retributive justice, and — what’s more — have been since this morning when news first broke about two climate protesters in the United Kingdom who massively defaced Stonehenge with orange spray paint.
Hawaii Agrees To ‘Historic’ Settlement In Youth Climate Case
The US state of Hawaii has reached an historic agreement in response to litigation by youth activists, promising to speed up the de-carbonization of its transport sector to protect their right to a safe and healthy climate.
Obamacare
Government in Healthcare
Bill Would Require Federal Funds to Pay for Assisted Suicide
The use of federal funds to cover any costs associated with assisted suicide is currently against the law based on a bill signed in 1997 by President Bill Clinton after Oregon’s lethal law went into effect. Now, a new bill has been introduced to force Medicare, the VA, and the federal share of Medicaid to cover expenses associated with assisted suicide.
Tory Prime Minister ‘Not Against’ Assisted Suicide
What is the point of a Conservative Party that doesn’t conserve anything? I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve had this thought about the Tories. The latest instance comes courtesy of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who said this week that not only would he ensure a parliamentary free vote on assisted suicide, he might even support it.
Oregon Doctors Could Soon Lose Their Licenses for ‘Microaggressions’ Under Proposed Medical Board Rule
State’s proposal will have ‘chilling effect on speech,’ top expert warns
War & Terror
8 PH Navy men injured; one had finger cut off
At least eight Philippine Navy sailors were injured after Chinese vessels on Monday sought to drive away their vessels on a rotation and resupply mission to Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
Russia and North Korea sign partnership deal that appears to be the strongest since the Cold War
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed an agreement Wednesday that pledges mutual aid if either country faces “aggression,” a strategic pact that comes as both face escalating standoffs with the West.
Anonymous anti-Israel group ‘torched large portions’ of UC Berkeley construction site
An anonymous anti-Israel group set fire to a construction site on the University of California, Berkeley’s campus on Sunday afternoon.
Preserving the “Defense” in the Defense Bill
Every late spring and summer, Congress takes up a host of national-security legislation. The National Defense Authorization Act sets top-line Pentagon funding levels and implements military policy. The House and Senate Armed Services Committee owns this legislation, which can often over 2,000 pages. The Appropriations Committee funds agencies and programs under Defense Department jurisdiction. All are big, oftentimes messy bills that number from the hundreds to thousands of pages.
Russia has moved almost all ground forces from Finland’s vicinity to Ukraine, media report
Russia has moved the vast majority of its ground forces previously stationed near Finland to the war in Ukraine, the Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported on June 19, citing an undisclosed Finnish military intelligence source.
Map shows Chinese-owned farmland next to 19 US military bases in ‘alarming’ threat to national security
China has been buying up strategically placed farmland next to military installations across the US, raising national security fears over potential espionage or even sabotage.
The shipping industry is sounding the alarm as another vessel sinks in the Red Sea
Leading shipping groups have urged governments “with influence” to put a stop to Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea after a second freighter sank this week.
National
Amy Coney Barrett Breaks With Supreme Court Originalists
She’s still conservative but she seems to want to prevent her Supreme Court colleagues from going too far too quickly.
Alleged bestiality bus with dozens of animals stopped in Pennsylvania
A bus suspected of being used for a bestiality operation was pulled over in southern Pennsylvania, causing authorities to notify the Adams County SPCA of a “strange situation.”
Connecticut Bar Association Threatens Members if They Use “Reckless Words” Concerning the Judicial System
Democrat U.S. Senator Promptly Breaks Rule
Cal State LA President: Students Who Took Over Building No Longer Welcome on Campus
“Know that we will recover from this, but also know that I am committed to doing everything we can to ensure this will never be allowed to repeat.”
NY Vigilantes Beat, Capture Migrant Who Raped 13-Year-Old Girl
This story coming out of New York City is a tragic one that we’ve been hearing all too often lately. A 25-year-old illegal migrant from Venezuela had taken up residence in New York City recently. Last week, he launched a brutal attack on a pair of teenagers in a park in Queens. Wielding a machete-style knife, he forced the boy and girl into a secluded section of the park, tied them up, and sexually assaulted the girl. Unfortunately for the felon, he had a large, distinctive tattoo on his chest that the teens were able to describe to the police, allowing them to identify him. A manhunt began, but the cops were unable to locate him. They put out public notifications warning people to be cautious and requesting help in locating the monster. They wound up getting more help than they requested. One local man recognized the picture and went to stake out a store where he had seen the creep before. When the migrant showed up to attempt to purchase some beer, the man and some of his neighbors tackled him, beat the heck out of him, and tied him up until the police arrived. Some are calling this “vigilante justice.” But it’s just “justice” as far as I’m concerned.
A Dissident Professor’s “DEI” Story
Divisiveness, Evil, and Isolation sank my campus culture and left me without a life preserver.
Mitch Daniels Isn’t Done Yet
When last I checked in on former Indiana governor and former Purdue University president Mitch Daniels, I was a little disappointed. Not by his sterling career, which I have long admired: The quality of his record — which also includes stints in two White Houses and leadership of other institutions, political and non — is impossible to deny.
NASA Predicts Rare Nova Explosion This Summer
It is about 3,000 light-years from Earth, but it can be witnessed with the naked eye.
Yet Another Bad Admissions Idea
The College Board’s “Landscape” tool is terrible news for admissions fairness.
A New Way to Hire Great Faculty
The University of Austin means to revitalize liberal education.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules Sidewalks are not “Pedestrian Ways”—thus Allowing Local Governments to Use Eminent Domain to Take Property to Build Them
The close 4-3 decision might well become a staple of textbooks.
Voyager 1 makes stellar comeback to science operations
Engineers coax veteran probe back to health
Economy & Taxes
The big switch
Proponents of the anti-Proposition 13 ballot measure Assembly Constitutional Amendment 1 (ACA1) are planning to amend the measure and replace it with another threat to taxpayers that only targets property owners.
Who Pays?
The Republican National Committee lies about the costs of Trump’s hypothetical tariffs.
The Taxman Wins a Narrow Supreme Court Victory
The Supreme Court turned back an effort to define when income is realized for tax purposes, but left the big questions for another day.
International
EU’s Chat Control puts security and privacy at risk
Since it was first proposed, the EU’s Regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse (aka Chat Control) has gained the attention of security experts, academics, civil society, and the private sector for all the wrong reasons.
EU chat control law proposes scanning your messages — even encrypted ones
The proposal, which is aimed at preventing child sexual abuse material, would essentially break encryption.
UK Police Investigate Activist Over a Tweet Critical of a Trans Doctor
Maya Forstater has been through the wringer in the UK. Back in 2019 she lost her job as a tax expert after tweeting that people cannot change their sex. Her case went before a judge who ruled against her saying her views were “not worthy of respect in a democratic society.”
Opinion
Supreme Court: Where Is the Harm in Lying to Get Racial Preferences?
The Supreme Court is barreling toward the end of this year’s term, which likely wraps up next week. There are 21 decisions remaining (23 cases, but that includes two consolidated pairs that will almost certainly be decided together). Ten of those are big, high-profile cases, and maybe five others might be sleepers. But the Court is also busily building its docket for next year.
What Gender is the Tariff?
The new left and new right, safely ensconced in the protective bubble of I-495 and cosplaying as heartland adjacent through their use of Zyn and consumption of relevant cultural content, all while receiving paychecks generated by donors or taxpayers instead of jobs in the real world, have all forgotten the very basic foundational knowledge needed for the healthy advancement of society.
The Constitution was supposed to be a uniter, not a divider
Yuval Levin’s new book argues that our founding document isn’t failing us — we are failing it.
Recovering the American Covenant — And Republicanism
Levin: “A lot of the problems attributed by some on the American right to an excess of liberalism would be better thought of as a deficiency in republicanism.”
A Better Day for Trump Than for Hunter Biden at the Court
We’ll have a lot more on the five decisions from the Supreme Court this morning, but one subtext is that today’s decisions are better news for Donald Trump’s appeal from his hush-money conviction than for Hunter Biden’s from his gun conviction. The decisions in Erlinger v. United States and United States v. Rahimi both arose out of 18 U.S.C. §922(g), the same statute that Hunter was convicted under, although his conviction was under Section 922(g)(3), which prohibits habitual drug users from owning guns; the defendant in Erlinger pleaded guilty under Section 922(g)(1) to being a felon in possession of a gun, while the defendant in Rahimi was convicted under Section 922(g)(8), which bars gun ownership by people under domestic-violence restraining orders.
Right-Wing Deploys Shiny Objects to Distract From Failures
My friends on the right have long decried the habit of the Republican Establishment deploying shiny objects to distract from failure. It has been a long time pattern. The establishment throws the base some shiny object they claim they want, like passing an abortion restriction. The base seal claps with delight and completely misses the establishment re-upped Planned Parenthood funding in the budget.
The Fundamentals are Corrupted: Is the California Experiment Over?
Is there a path through purgatory into Paradise?
This Democratic Governor Knows How to Win in a Red State. Is His Party Listening?
Kentucky’s Andy Beshear has a reputation for compassion and an eye on 2028
‘ALL YOU NEED IS TRUMP’
At this date, it seems futile, if not quaint, to speak of character. A lot of us were writing about it in 2016. And we laid heavy emphasis on it in the Clinton years, of course — by “we,” I mean Republicans and conservatives. But “that ship has sailed.”
