Friday, July 24, 2026
The Lantern Flies are Here
Flotsam and Jetsam - House Passes Budget, Including Iran War
From Althouse, "House Republicans on Wednesday muscled through a $95 billion budget framework that includes President Donald Trump’s request to fund the Iran war..." "From "House Republicans Ram Through Reconciliation 3.0 Despite Little Senate Buy-in/The framework includes money for defense, farm assistance and changes to voting laws" (NOTUS)." Ace, House Passes "Stop Insider Trading" Bill to Forbid Congressmen from Trading Individual Stocks (Using Insider Information); Noted Lifelong Inside-Trader Nancy Pelosi Votes Against It, "The bill would allow congresmen to own stocks as part of money markets or indexes -- big groups of stocks traded by managers without input from the customer. They, and their families, will just be barred from buying and selling individual stocks, where a congressman could make a killing based on insider knowledge of coming government action that could boost, or crush, a specific company's valuation." Vince Coglianese @VinceCoglianese, "This is Washington for you. They hate Trump personally, so they refuse to do the right thing for the American people." Quote Andrew Desiderio @AndrewDesiderio, "Longtime GOP operative weighs in on latest WH-Thune drama… “Trump knows full well that he can’t flip these votes. Hell, he personally came to the Capitol to berate Senate Republicans into voting for SAVE, and he left empty handed. Look at who we’re talking about — Murkowski, McConnell, Tillis, and Collins — all members who he’s savaged at one point or another, and now he needs their help. All of this comes back to one thing: What happens when Trump can’t do something himself? He blames someone else. John Thune is Mr. Someone Else.” Another from Althouse "Trump Badly Screws Susan Collins as Maine ICE Death Takes Darker Turn." "There's a crass headline for you. From The New Republic." News Wax reports Sen. Thune Fires Back on SAVE America Act Delay ""Maybe she or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes. Right? It's 50 around here," Thune said, according to The Hill."
Scott Pinsker at PJM, 2028 Speculation Explodes: The Future of MAGA Isn’t Vance or Rubio. It’s… Tom Brady?! He's young enough, he's moderately articulate, he'd cinch the male vote, but what about women?
James Hirsen @thejimjams, "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirms that over 256,000 non-citizens have been found on the voter rolls in California, New Jersey, Nevada, andPennsylvania." Drew Holden @DrewHolden360, "Step 1: “Voter fraud doesn’t happen,” CNN Step 2: “Fine, voter fraud happened,” CNN Step 3: “Voter fraud happening doesn’t mean what you think it means,” CNN."
Art Schaper at Am Great, sees Trump Is Righting Latin America "The right is on the march, cleaning out the wreckage of socialism and communism." Hat Hair's Beege Welborn snorts at the thought of the Carney-Val Side Show Act - Man the US Is Sure Gonna Be Sorry About the Tariffs.
From the Free Bacon, How Trump Can Avoid the Vietnam Trap in Iran. Hat Hair's John Sexton sees Four Republicans Hand Pramila Jayapal a Big Victory on Iran. "Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Tom Barrett (R-Mich.), Warren Davidson ( R-Ohio), and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) joined all 210 Democrats in backing the measure, the second war powers resolution to pass the chamber in recent months." Ace reads the CIA Report: Air Power Alone Can't Win Wars. "I've been saying this since day one." Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران @ariel_oseran, "BREAKING: Trump says the civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia is subject to Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords." RedState's Ward Clark laughs at an Iranian Propaganda Fail: IRGC's New Israel Hit Is Just Old American A-10 Footage, because their AI isn't up to snuff? Dick Pollock at World in Crisis wonders Has Donald Trump Sidelined Vance Over Iran? "When the President's top aides were ending the MoU and planning air attacks against Iran, Vance was delivering a speech in Milwaukee about Medicaid fraud." Uri Kurlianchik @VerminusM, "Funny. In Europe you have pro-Iran demonstrations without a single Iranian in them and anti-Iran demonstrations composed almost entirely of Iranians." At Israel Nat News, Investigation: Hamas planned massive October 7th attacks across Europe. "Swiss newspaper reports Hamas had a years-long plot to carry out an October 7-style wave of coordinated terrorist attacks across Europe, targeting Israeli, Jewish, and Western institutions."
From Fox, JONATHAN TURLEY: Democratic Socialists want to remake America in their image. That’s terrifying, "DSA manifesto released on Bastille Day proposes ending capitalism and remaking the constitutional system." Hat Hair's John Sexton notices The DSA's Platform Really Is Nuts. InfantryDort @infantrydort, "The communist question for political office is brutally simple: How can someone swear to support and defend the Constitution while openly seeking to destroy the constitutional order it created? Believing vile things is protected. Advocating lawful constitutional change is protected too. But an oath taken “without mental reservation or purpose of evasion” cannot mean promising fidelity with one hand while reaching for the knife with the other..." Insty says AT A FIRST APPROXIMATION, THEY HATE EVERYTHING WORTHWHILE: "Why do progressive leftists of all people hate nuclear energy so much? And they’re against anything that would make the West stronger, richer, and freer." TownHall's Kurt Schlichter hopes Democrats Are Walking Into a Minefield. Scott McKay at Am Spec has Zero Sympathy for the Democrats’ Political Death March. "After years of empowering the fringe, Democrat insiders are discovering that the monsters they cultivated are now consuming them." James Lindsay, anti-Communist @ConceptualJames, "A terrifying yet exciting moment has arrived in the trainwreck called the Democratic Party." Quote Visegrád 24 @visegrad24, "Melissa Chaudhry, a Democratic congressional candidate in Washington's 9th District, has acknowledged that she does not publicly promote LGBTQ+ rights on her campaign website because she does not want to alienate Muslim voters." Sunny @sunnyright, "When you have both a trans and Palestinian flag." Quotulatiousness has an interesting Business idea – a socialist-themed holiday camp "Your daily itinerary: Wake at 5 a.m. Stand in the bread line until noon in minus 15 Celsius. The bread runs out at 11:40, but the queuing builds character, and character is the only thing not in shortage. Afternoon activities include a second line for toilet paper (there is no toilet paper) and a mandatory lecture on how the shortages prove capitalism sabotaged the harvest." Also from Quotulatiousness, DSA: Trump doesn’t respect political norms. Also DSA: Let’s abolish the current system. Kerry Picket at WaT, Trump, Ocasio-Cortez spar over communism label as DSA’s influence grows in Democratic Party. Sister Toldja at RedState sees A Platneresque Democrat Scandal Hits WI Governor's Race, and You Just Cannot Make This Stuff Up.
PJM's Bob Spencer hears The Adults in the Room Skewer Boy Mayor Mamdani After He Admits He Can't Fulfill Major Promise, to imprison Bibi. Amy Curtis at TownHall, Mamdani Says Most of Our Lives Are Already Socialist and Ends Up Tripping Over History. From Reason, Nobody Likes Red Tape, Not Even Mamdani "Eliminating burdensome small business regulations is a win for everyone." I guarantee Zohran likes his own red tape. Roger Simon at American Refugees thinks The Jews Should Leave NewYork. "Exit the city to save it... and yourselves."
Dave Strom is shocked, shocked that AOC Leads NH Presidential Preference Poll. The Telegraph claims Republicans move to clip AOC’s wings amid 2028 speculation. Mediaite notices Social Media Users Point Out Pete Buttigieg Less Popular Among Black People Than Ex-KKK Leader David Duke Was in 2016. From atop Da Hill, Harris 2028 White House bid ‘not going to happen’: Former Biden aide. Dan McCarthy at The Chronic explains Why Democrats Can’t Do Better Than Kamala Harris in 2028. PJMs' Chris Queen sees Jon Ossoff Voted Against Giving Georgia’s Kids a Stake in the American Dream.
At RCP, California Seeks To Enjoin Democracy. "If successful, California would effectively enjoin the legislative process – an odd way to celebrate 250 years of independence from unaccountable tyranny." At Cal Matters, They’re on our flag, but do long-gone grizzly bears belong in modern California? Definitely; I recommend them for downtown LA.
Ace reports Jim Jordan Makes a Criminal Referral to the DOJ For Jack Smith's Perjury; Melania Presses Sanctions Against Democrat Media Party Hatchet Man Michael Wolff. "I know, I know: file it in the "Nothing Will Happen" folder. But still." Dave Strom sees Rand Paul Releases Treasure Trove of Messages Proving that 'Proximal Origins' Paper Lied.
TownHall's Matt Vespa hears the Secret Service Director Says Threats Against Trump and Other Protectees Are 'Off the Charts'. But from Ace, One of JD Vance's Secret Service Agents Is Under Investigation for Leaking "Sensitive" Information "Just filled with rotten apples, one after another."
There was a fatal police shooting in the liberal haven of Madison, Wisconsin on XXX. A long-time violent felon drew a knife on police when they stopped him, and was shot and the George Floyd crowd is getting the band back together. It being her hometown, Althouse is all over it; This is Francesca Hong, a Democratic Socialist who is ahead in the polls for the Democratic Party nomination for Wisconsin governor, speaking in the streets of Madison yesterday after a fatal shooting by the police. "For background on the shooting: "Wisconsin officer kills man armed with knife, police say, as shooting sparks protests/Madison police said that after a chase and a struggle, a man who was being sought pulled out a knife and injured an officer, which led to the deadly shooting" (NBC News)("Videos of the shooting were captured by bystanders and were circulated online. One of them, verified by NBC News, appears to show officers holding on to the man as someone yells, 'Let go!' Multiple shouts of 'He’s got a knife!' can be heard....The shooting was not captured on body camera video, which the Madison Police Department does not widely use"). And, "This is a corrupt city. That's right. Have no fear, the anti-Zionist is here. You understand me?" Andrew Mercado @AndrewMercado, "Emotions boiled over during today’s Madison Police Department press conference as community members interrupted Police Chief John Patterson following the fatal police shooting of Corey Ruiz. The room reflected the grief, anger, and frustration many are feeling. One man took the microphone and refused to allow the chief to continue speaking, while another attendee argued they should let officials answer questions and be part of the conversation instead of shutting it down entirely. During his remarks, the man holding the microphone said: “When these police officers come down the street and they decide they want to take the life of another brown body, there is NO oversight for that. That’s imperialism, ladies and gentlemen.” The exchange underscored just how divided people are over what accountability should look like and how deep the pain and distrust runs after Corey Ruiz’s death. As the investigation continues, many in the community say they are still searching for answers, transparency, and justice."
At Da Caller, Fifth Circuit Rules Illegal Aliens Do Not Have Constitutional Right To Roam Free In US. WaEx, Fifth Circuit hands Trump administration win on holding illegal immigrants during their removal proceedings. Twitchy notes CNN: Trump Has Activated a Never-Used 'Secretive Court' for Deporting ‘Alien Terrorists’. Andrew Branca Show @TheBrancaShow, "JUST IN: Judge Boasberg fought Trump's deportation strategy and sarcastically pointed his administration toward a court that had NEVER been used. So what did Trump do? He used it. Nearly 30 years after Congress created the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, it's finally been activated. Political jiu-jitsu on Boasberg. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy." John Sexton has a report from NYC: Two Men Stabbed by Suspect Yelling 'Allahu Akbar. Ace, Ethiopian Migrant Culturally Enriches Three American Citizens In, Get This, Minnesota. "But I'm sure he was an engineer or doctor or scientist developing a cure for cancer. So the three senseless, barbaric murders he committed are balanced out. This "migrant" could not convince the government to let him bring his family over from Ethiopia. He decided that he was being discriminated against because he was black and an immigrant, which is exactly the murderous grievance instilled in him by the American left." Beege Welborn views a New Townhall Video that Busts Ally of NE Dem Senate Candidate in ICE Agent Doxing. Bill Buckley (not that Bill Buckley) at Da Caller reports ‘MyPillow’ Guy Mike Lindell Proposes Deportation Moratorium If He Wins Minnesota Gov Race “Six months, all the illegal immigrants would have to go get what’s going to be called a conditional work visa,” he said. “I’m a person of second chances, if the only thing they ever did was cross the border and didn’t report back in because they were afraid of being re-deported.”
From Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog, a Federal Judge To Hood County: No You Can’t Have Immunity For Arresting Someone For A Meme. Not Yours. Matt Vespa thinks you should Watch Don Lemon Immediately Undercut His Own Talking Point in the Same Sentence. To be fair, he doesn't have writers for his material any longer. Driscoll at Insty, THE AP MORPHED INTO THE BABYLON BEE SO SLOWLY, I HARDLY EVEN NOTICED: The Associated Press @AP, "In impoverished Nepal, where a conservative culture leaves openly transgender people with few legal job options, the impact on aid workers’ lives was particularly crushing. Starving and scared, around 100 LGBTQ+ aid workers left jobless by the funding cuts have turned to sex work to survive, walking the streets alongside the very people they once fought so hard to help."
Matt Vespa claims Sophie Cunningham Shuts Down Reporter Over Her Stance on Transgender Athletes in Women's Sports. I think shut down may be a little over-stating it, but she did make her case well. AG @AGHamilton29, "This is the position of 70+% of Americans. It’s also common sense. The fact that so many in the press and associated institutions treat it as something morally abhorrent and feel the need to grill a female athlete for voicing it shows how disconnected they are from reality." Quote Clay Travis @ClayTravis, "Sophie Cunningham gets grilled by WNBA reporters for saying men shouldn’t be able to play women’s sports. Refuses to back down. “I said what I said.” Eloquently defends women’s sports as woke reporters press her. Love all of this. Well done @sophaller." From Ace, Amazing: Female USA "Sports" Columnist and Woke Karen Argues That Caitlin Clark Should Accept Being Fouled by Black Lesbians Because If She Complains She's Putting Black LGBTs in Danger. "This nasty Karen claims that Caitlin Clark is "flopping" -- pretending to have been hurt when another player fouls her, or she wants a ref to call a foul on the player that collided with her. And she says that Caitlin's flopping is a Matter of National Concern, because Caitlin Collins' alleged flopping is "putting the lives of blacks and queers in danger.""
Thursday, July 23, 2026
Flotsam and Jetsam - What The He!! is John Thune Doing?
TownHall's Matt Vespa wonders What Is John Thune Doing? As little as possible, and obstructing House Republicans when he has the chance. "Now, with government spending back on the agenda and us set to run out of money on September 30, you once again disregard House Republicans, adding that you’ll pass your own continuing resolution with Democrats. John, THEY WANT A SHUTDOWN. Are you blind, deaf, and dumb?" Also, Speaker Johnson Had a Legislative Hat Trick Today While Thune Wants to Sell Out to Dems. Jen O'Connell at RedState, John Thune Just Stabbed Mike Johnson—and House Republicans—in the Back. I think it was in the front.
Amy Curtis at TownHall likes how Scott Jennings Humiliated a CNN Panel Following Revelations of New Jersey Voter Fraud. Nick Sortor @nicksortor, " HOLY CRAP! The identity services provider New Jersey uses at the DMV is FIRING BACK at Gov. Sherrill, saying the NJ DIVISION OF ELECTIONS were the ones who registered 6,600 foreign voters This was NOT a “software error.” This is a SCANDAL. “IDEMIA's role is to transmit information through the motor vehicle system. The voter registration information is transmitted to the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Elections, which is ultimately responsible for verifying eligibility to vote. Information submitted by IDEMIA must still be validated and adjudicated by the Division of Elections.” So the Division of Elections MANUALLY APPROVED over SIX THOUSAND foreigners to vote. They were not automatically registered by the software provider as the governor claimed. Time to come clean, @GovSherrillNJ!" From Ace, Software Firm at Center of NJ's Illegal Alien Voting Scandal: There Was No "Glitch," Our Softward Did Exactly What NJ Wanted It To Do. 1. Foreigners never vote in our elections. 2. A few foreigners vote in our elections, but it's not a problem. 3. Foreigners do and should vote in our elections. Democrats are at #2. NewBusters notices The View Claims No Election Has Ever Been Stolen Before Trump Speech.
At PJM, VodkaPundit envisions Puting passing the hat, Buddy, Can You Spare 1.5 Trillion Rubles? "that's exactly what happened last week when the Kremlin attempted to sell OFZs (like U.S. Treasuries), but buyers said Nyet! so hard that "Russia’s Finance Ministry pulled the plug" on bond auctions until further notice, Crypto Briefing and others reported this week." Sundance at CTH admits befuddlement as Zelenskyy Removes and Replaces Leading Military Officials "None of these moves by Ukraine President Zelenskyy make any sense against the background story of them having incredible success against Russia. You don’t replace the entire military leadership apparatus if things are going swimmingly." So Ukrainian politics are probably at play. He also hosts Promethean Action PAC Reviews Motive of Canada -vs- USA on Trade and Tariffs.
Sarah at Insty says I DON’T TRUST ANY NUMBERS THESE DAYS. HOW MANY OF THESE ARE ON THE GIG ECONOMY? "Shocking 105 million Americans are not working – more than during COVID or the Great Recession. They’d probably count me in this."
It concerns Jonathan Turley that Democrats Dismiss Our Constitutional Traditions as ‘Nostalgia’. Katya Sedgewick at the Everyman Commentary examines The DSA's Plan to Remake America. "In light of recent victories in New York by Democratic Socialists, it is important to appreciate how they are not shy about wanting to eradicate and remake our current government institutions." Sasha Stone has a short take on how The Democrats Have a Communist Problem. End Wokeness @EndWokeness, "Hasan Piker framed the 9/11 front page This is an enemy of America." Jonah Goldberg @JonahDispatch, "Okay. I can accept this. If “The Nazi propaganda starts when people say Mao is worse than Hitler” as you say, then it’s not propagandistic to say that Mao was merely almost as bad as Hitler. Now, I think the “which genocidal murderer was the worst” game can get pretty stupid, because people often seem to think that coming in second or third to Hitler absolves mass murderers of any condemnation. ... Quote evan loves worf @esjesjes, Replying to @ProjectLiberal. "First of all you should look up the definition of genocide. Second of all the Great Leap Forward maybe killed around 40 million largely by accident. The Nazis killed like 55 million very much on purpose. The Nazi propaganda starts when people say Mao is worse than Hitler." Then Readers added context, "The 55 million figure represents total global casualties in WWII, not people killed directly and intentionally by the Nazi regime. Scholars estimate that victims of the Holocaust and Nazi persecution numbered around 11 to 17 million." Dave Bernstein at the Volokh explores How Did Support for International Humanitarian Law and Norms Morph into Support for Hamas and its Goals? Matt Vespa, There's Another Reason Why This Dem Rep Won't Seek Re-Election, but, of Course, CNN Buried It “There certainly were not people who were so anti-Israel when I started, and there are within the progressive caucus now,” Cohen said."
Hat Hair's John Sexton reads the Slantic: 'The DSA Is a Parasite' and Someone Should Say So. Dan McLaughlin @baseballcrank, "Karl Marx & Frederick Douglass were both born in 1818. Marx grew up in comfort, Douglass in chains. Marx thought the world owed him more comfort; Douglass only demanded liberty, & he'd do the rest." Quote Ben Shapiro @benshapiro, "Unsurprising. The most resentful people in the US are those who believe they are owed everything and fail; the least resentful are those who were given nothing and achieve." Capt. Ed says Platner, Mamdani, Talarico, and Now AOC: Scratch a Commie, Find a Mommy paying the bills. Geiger Capital @Geiger_Capital, "MSNBC host accidentally nails it… The far-left is driven by over-educated failures who can’t succeed in the real world, which is why they overwhelmingly hide in academia, NGOs and push socialism." Quote Chris Hayes @chrislhayes Replying to @NateSilver538, "The most left wing people in America are people with post graduate degrees who are financially strapped and the most right wing are people without 4 year college degrees who are rich." Spencer Pratt @spencerpratt, "As I’ve said…the socialist trend is for privileged dorks with enough family wealth to squander a decade as a perma-student, but not enough talent to actually achieve anything. Educated beyond their intelligence." Quote Nate Silver @NateSilver538 "Income and education are usually positively correlated. But sometimes the relationship breaks down. What's the most Democratic voting group in America? People with post-graduate degrees but lower-to-middle incomes."
From Da Wire, The Islamist-Marxist Takeover Of Middle America. "El-Sayed is the inevitable political result of Michigan’s multi-decade experiment with mass Muslim immigration." Beege Welborn says I'm Not Sure Democrats Need the Commie-Hamas Wing of the Party to Help Sink Them. Capt. Ed, About Last Night: DSA Flops in AZ As Trump Ascends. John Sexton, Democrats Have a Massive Cash Problem. They ran out of OPM? Rick Moran hears GOP Has Twice the Cash on Hand for Midterms as Democrats. It's Actually Worse Than That. The Great Victor Davis Hanson at Am Great throw cold water on The Left-Wing Unicorn Hunt for the White Male Working-Class Voter. "Democrats can't win back the white working class with staged populism while embracing the policies and elites that drove those voters away."
At Da Wire, Trump Official Throws Cold Water on Mamdani’s Netanyahu Promise, "The arrest of Netanyahu has been a fantasy of New York's Democratic Socialist Mayor since before his election in 2025." Jim Geraghty at NRO hears Mamdani Finally Admits He Can’t Arrest Bibi. Noam Blum @neontaster, "I get why Mamdani thought becoming mayor made him the generalisimo president of New York. Growing up in a fancy Ugandan compound with its own private militia will do that to a person." Dr. Maalouf @realMaalouf, "Shocking data reveals: 95% of Zohran Mamdani’s engagement comes from foreign, mostly Islamic nations. 60% from Pakistan alone. How is this not considered foreign influence?" At TIME, What We Know About Mamdani’s First Planned City-Owned Grocery Stores. I didn't realize TIME still existed. The Manhattan Contrarian is suffering, Rolling Blackouts Hit New York. I'm sorry for you, but your fellow New Yorkers voted for them. Have you considered moving someplace sane?
At Twitchy, ActBlue Fraud Hits El-Sayed Campaign: 88yo No-Computer Granny ‘Donated’ $150K (and 47 Times). ActBlew is up to its old tricks.
Law and Liberty has an essay on California’s Road to Serfdom. The Victory Girls observe that Jennifer Seibel Newsom is Earning Side Eye Even From Democrats. Cathy Salgado at PJM, Robert Kennedy Pauses Medicaid Funds for Fraud-Riddled California, Minnesota.
From the Free Bacon, Appeals Court Affirms 5-Year Prison Term for Source who Leaked Tax Info to NY Times and ProPublica, "IRS leak was ‘attack on our constitutional democracy,’ with aim ‘to influence an election through illegal activity’" Stacy McCain discourses On Lawyers, Samoans and Journalism.
Good news from WaEx, ICE and CBP averaging 1,593 arrests per day, highest since Trump took office.
Greg Lukianoff at The Eternally Radical Idea thinks Administrators — not just DEI administrators — are the biggest threat to free speech on campus "There is no way out of the current academic freedom and free speech crisis on campus while universities remain as bureaucratized as they are." From Fox, Elite universities face federal cash squeeze over millions tied to China-linked entities. "Donors include firms tied to the Chinese military and a Beijing research institute appearing on two government watchlists." You can take US money or Chinese money but not both.
Show us on the doll where the 78 degree summer day touched you. https://t.co/EyrJdNfAy1
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) July 22, 2026
Thursday Tanlines
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| Chelan Simmons |
Beyond the usual concerns associated with tanning beds, "Final Destination 3" offered another reason to be afraid of those glowing, metal coffins. The film follows a group of recent high school graduates who narrowly escape death via rollercoaster after one of their classmates experiences a premonition. However, death refuses to let them escape, and the group begins to die in freak accidents. In one of the franchise's most horrifying and iconic kill scenes, Ashley Freund (Chelan Simmons) and Ashlyn Halperin (Crystal Lowe) are burned to death in tanning beds.
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| Crystal Lowe |
Chelan is kind of pale.
Hoping to deepen their tans before graduation, the best friends hit up the tanning salon. They obliviously set themselves up to boil and fry after a slushie, an A/C unit, and loose shelf work together to trap them in the rapidly overheating beds. Their goggles melt, the glass beds shatter around them, their skin blisters and chars, all while "Love Rollercoaster" ironically plays overhead.
It's a brutal, fiery death that's guaranteed to make viewers think twice about going tanning.
Why would Ashlyn need a tanning bed?
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