Flotsam and Jetsam - Bloodbath in Tech Stocks in Wake of Midterms

Driscoll at Insty notices REALITY SETS IN: Chip stocks slaughtered as Wall Street suffers worst post-midterm day since 1896. "Related:" <- Dave Strom says Thanks, Democrats: Tech Stocks Getting Creamed. From Ace, Unexpectedly, Stock Markets Crash After Communist Victory. The Drunk Republican @DrunkRepub, "Looks like we got a red wave after all."

Bill Mitchell @mitchellvii, "Trump seems very chill about the midterm losses because he realizes there won't be much difference between Republicans or Democrats being in control of the Senate." Mike Lee @BasedMikeLee, "House and Senate Republicans should take full advantage of our majorities while we still have them." Quote Gunther Eagleman™ @GuntherEagleman, "Mike Lee is right. Stay in session. Cancel the vacation. Confirm all 135 of President Trump's nominees before Schumer gets the gavel." Of course Thune won't. Gunther Eagleman™ @GuntherEagleman, "THIS: President Trump just shared Joel Pollak's take on last night, and it is the only one worth reading. "Securing the border is ugly. Fighting Iran is costly. Taking on special interests upsets donors. Backing AI scares people." "Tonight, Republicans paid the costs. The benefits will be with us for many generations." Weak Republicans campaign on what is easy. Trump governs on what is NECESSARY. One bad night does not undo a secure border." At PJM Chris Queen warns Don't Shrink Back: Our Fight Is Just Beginning, Jen Rust says Let's Win Our Country Back One Neighbor at a Time. Duane Patterson at Hat Hair asks Where to Now, St. Peter? Can You Show Me Which Road I'm On? and Dave Strom says Don't Underestimate the Importance of Tariffs As an Election Issue. Brianna Lyman at Da Fed warns Republicans Learned Nothing From 2006 About Midterms And Foreign Wars. At PollVault, Sean Trende asks Did Re-Redistricting Actually Hurt Republicans?, "Hear me out on this one." I think so, for instance, I think they cut many Texas districts too thin, betting that Hispanics Trump won in 2024 would stay in the fold. 

At PJM Eric Florack reacts, Vance Wants an ‘Honest Conversation'? Fine, Here’s One and Stephen Kruiser sees that After the Blue Wave, Ron DeSantis Has Entered the 2028 GOP Chat. Beege Welborn at Hat Hair hears DeSantis Brought the Fire Over Senate GOP, and I'm Here for It. Sundance at CTH, says ICYMI DeSantis Continues Scorching Earth Midterm Review Preparing for 2028 Race. Nick Arama at RedState hears Rubio Weigh in on Whether He's Leaving Admin With the Perfect Answer “I don’t know where these things come from, to be honest with you,” he said of the reports.“I love the work I’m doing,” Rubio added. “And plus I always laugh when they say he’s going to leave his job. I go, ‘Which one?’” Hat Hair's John Sexton reports Justice Alito Says He's Not Retiring.

Capt. Ed at Hat Hair cites Axios: Trump Teeing Up Hegseth As Scapegoat; Trump Denies. Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, "BREAKING: Rep. Thomas Massie announces he will BRING A VOTE to IMPEACH SecWar Pete Hegseth next week unless he resigns "There is one contingency in which I won’t reintroduce the articles of impeachment: Hegseth resigns." This ACTUALLY going anywhere requires 67 US Senators after the House vote. The new Democrat landslide majority is not seated until January 2027 More USELESS BS." DataRepublican (small r) @DataRepublican, " THREAD: The true reason Pete Hegseth is being targeted is because he's standing between President Trump and a coup
@PeteHegseth named the institutions... CFR, Brookings, the general class... in 37 seconds in a video by @Liz_Wheeler . Within 72 hours of his nomination, a color revolution planning document cited him as an insider threat. They didn't go after him because of drinking. They didn't go after him because of women. They went after him because every color revolution manual ever written says the same thing: you cannot topple a government unless the security forces defect. And a loyal Secretary of Defense is the one person who makes sure they don't. I have the receipts. Their own documents. Their own training sessions. Their own words on camera. As always, patience as I pull together the thread." In an X article Cynical Publius @CynicalPublius argues Pete Hegseth for President. "my choice for President in 2028? Pete Hegseth. That’s right. You heard me. Pete Freaking Hegseth for President! I know he says he is not running. I don’t care, let’s draft him. He has my support for two reasons: (1) I believe he is the only major GOP figure who can hold the MAGA coalition together and actually make it grow and (2) as Secretary of War he has shown himself to be a bold executive capable of making tough decisions that lead to genuine, positive organizational change in our government." I had doubts about Hegseth when he was nominated, but so far I can't argue with anything that I can see he's done.

¡No Pasaran! says FIRST ELON, THEN YOU: “If the Democrats are willing to pick this type of fight with someone like Musk, why would they show mercy to any of the rest of us?” John Sexton, He Opposed Them. Now He Must Pay. Like Muslims, Liberal want to kill people who have abandoned their religion. Don Surber, wonders about The attack on SpaceX, "Do they want to nationalize it to end Twitter or to end the space program again?" Embrace the healing power of 'and.' Jonathan Turley is disgusted, “Lawyer Up”: Democrats Prepare to Unleash Political Rage in Congress. Dave Strom warns You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet When It Comes to Democrat Revenge Tour and First Lawfare Target: James O'Keefe for the dastardly crime of showing how easy it is to commit voter fraud in Minnesota. Dan McCarthy at RCP sees Lawfare Runs Amok From Brazil to Poland. Shooting News Week wonders After the GOP Wipeout, are We About to See a New 2020-Style Gun-Buying Surge? From Twitchy, 'Good Luck Keeping Your Guns': Jamie Raskin Makes Universal Gun Registration a Top Dem Priority. Spencer Pratt @spencerpratt, "The melting wax statue of Bill Nye with a blonde wig laughs uncontrollably over the thought of digging up Charlie Kirk and killing him twice. These are not democrats. These are communists. And they are evil. We have a communist violence problem."

From Space.com, Trump declares 'American space superiority for all eternity' in election night proclamation. Ward Clark at RedState sees a US Manufacturing Renaissance: Factories Are Coming Home. At the Breitbart Bus Dig, Tariffs Are Bringing Down the Trade Deficit While Allowing the AI Boom to Continue. NYPo Voters reject data centers in nearly 50 ballot initiatives during midterms in major setback to AI bigwigs. Elon Musk @elonmusk, "Interesting." Quote Gavin Baker @GavinSBaker, "The governor-elect of Texas, Gina Hinojosa, has explicitly said that all currently permitted datacenters in Texas will be allowed to finish construction. This essentially covers all of the 2027 and likely well into 2028. She is going to pass laws that ensure that all *newly* permitted datacenters going forward for delivery in 2028/2029 will pay taxes, commit to no increase in power prices for consumers, don’t impact water availability for people, be constructed with union labor and give “Texans a seat at the table.” Sounds reasonable. She doesn’t want to lose a lot of good blue collar jobs and property taxes for small towns in rural Texas..." Cynically, sundance notices Mission Accomplished – As Expected, Gas and Diesel Prices Begin Dropping. Susie Crabtree at RCP, sees California’s Billionaires Exhale as Prop 40 Goes Down.

CNBC reluctantly reports Russia confirms new Ukraine peace talks as Melania Trump prepares to host ceasefire meeting. Sundance hosts First Lady Melania Trump Delivers Remarks with Representatives from Russia and Ukraine and Zelensky Awards First Lady Melania Trump one of Ukraine’s Highest Honors. Flattery won't get you the Donbas or Crimea. 

Beege Welborn has A Haitian Update, Visegrád 24 @visegrad24, "BREAKING: Bukele announces that El Salvador has launched a military operation in Haiti. The goal is to free 4 Salvadoran citizens kidnapped by the Haitian gangs. Bukele threatens that El Salvador will eradicate the Haitian gangs if they hurt the kidnapped men: “I want you, the gang leaders, to understand one thing very clearly… Today's attack is nothing compared to what is coming if we do not get all 4 hostages back alive. Do not take our word for empty threats. We have already finished with the gangs in El Salvador and we can finish you too” 

Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "Given that the pending Democratic majorities in the House and Senate will be largely impotent, I’m also looking forward to them demonstrating how destructive, dangerous and idiotic they would be with actual power. The downside is, a vast swath of the American electorate is also dangerously destructive and idiotic, and will see the flailing as epic, heroic, righteous. Then, there’s the electorate’s vast swath of illegal aliens, dead people and homeless stumblebums filing multiple mail-in ballots who can be relied upon to vote Democratic no matter what." Quote Coddled Affluent Professional @feelsdesperate, "I encourage Democrats in this endeavor. It’s important for them to make as many enemies as possible leading up to 2028." At Da Mail, The rise of America's far left: Warnings rage over new wave of radical socialists... now insiders say: Prepare for a Democrat civil war. PJM's Rick Moran thinks The Democratic 'Civil War' Is Over. The Crazies Won. NYPO's Isaac Schorr has hopes Democrats’ blue wave may crash into a dead end. At Hat Hair, a Larry vid argues Schumer, Jeffries Realize They Might Be in Over Their Heads. VodkaPundit at PJM, This Is How Pelosi Ends: Not With a Bang But With a Weirdo. 

Althouse is desperately trying to sell the "moderate" Democrat idea, "Victories by moderates in competitive or Republican-leaning states and districts paved the way for large new Democratic majorities likely to be shaped by their priorities.", "That's the subheadline for a NYT article titled "Moderate Democrats Increase Their Numbers, and Their Clout."", Did moderates do so well in the elections because people were getting their information from talking to A.I.? and "He is my age. He sounded like I could have talked to him myself. He’s somebody normal, like me." "Said Tristan Waumsley, 35, of Richmond, Texas, "who voted straight Democratic at the state level for the first time in his life," quoted in "Fed Up With Politics and Struggle, Young Voters Rose Up/Young people powered Democratic candidates, joining global demands for generational change from a cohort weary of older people sitting on jobs and devouring resources" (NYT)." Cruadin@cruadin, "James Talarico got more 'votes' than any Democrat candidate has EVER gotten in Texas history. He got 500,000 more 'votes' than Kamala Harris got two years ago in a Presidential election year. The demographics of Texas have not changed significantly in two years. You can talk about gas prices, or Iran, or Trump's personality until the cows come home, this still seems ... odd, to say the least." Jonathan Turley notes a Poll: More Democrats Now Support Socialism Over Capitalism. So much for moderation. RNCResearch @RNCResearch, "DSA Co-Chair Megan Romer won’t say how much Democrats' far-Left agenda would cost taxpayers: ROMER: “There’s no like one solid number…” FOX: If you can just give me a basic number… ROMER: “I’m not going to give you a solid number!”" NPR admits Does the blue wave mean lower gasoline and diesel prices soon? Don't hold your breath. Larry O'Connor at TownHall sees Democrats Are About to Throw Out the Electoral College Without Touching the Constitution with the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.

Ashley Rindsberg @AshleyRindsberg, "Everyone wants to weigh in with their Most Astute Take™ on the midterms. But no one wants to even factor in the glaringly obvious: the US has been under the most sustained information attack by foreign states in decades, if not generations..." Dave Strom, It Begins: Newly Elected Muslim Legislators Give Their Victory Speeches in Foreign Languages. HonestReporting @HonestReporting, "1/6 Abdul El-Sayed's confrontation with @SkyNews was shocking. But watch what happened when other journalists questioned Michigan's newly elected senator. Muslim Brotherhood ties. Accusations of bias. Aggressive exchanges. Here's what the cameras captured." Quote Sky News @SkyNews "Michigan's Democratic candidate for Senate Abdul El-Sayed confronted @jamesmatthewsky, telling him he wouldn't answer his questions as he wants "zero" votes in the UK. Watch the heated exchange between the two." From Ace, Muslim Brotherhood Congratulates Abdulrhaman Mohamed El-Sayed for Working on Behalf of "the Islamic World" by Working Within "the [Infidel] Political System" "Huh! And I was told it was racist to say that Abdulrhaman Mohamed El-Sayed was working on behalf of the Muslim Brotherhood for international Islam." At Da Caller, First Palestinian Elected To State Celebrates With Palestinian Flag, Forgets American Flag. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei @MKhamenei_ir, "The process of the US's collapse has accelerated." Beege Welborn observes Philly Jew Haters Have a Little Kristallnacht 'Boycott' Bike Hike Planned for Jewish Restaurants. Mediaite asks Where’s the Press? Explicitly Antisemitic Protest in Philadelphia Has Zero Media Interest. Mazelit Airaksinen, FIRED: Violin Teacher Who Called Jews “Gremlins,” Threatened Jewish Journalist, "“Do not mention me in your article by name or you will pay dearly” said Drew Martin Youmas, a Kingston, NY, violin teacher."

From the Free Bacon, Express Service: California AG Mysteriously Reinstates Deadbeat Charity Controlled by Code Pink Activist Medea Benjamin, Despite Missing $54 Million. "The lightning-quick reinstatement came after Benjamin’s charitable foundation didn’t file a tax return for at least four years." Constituent services. Ace sees Greasy Governor Gavin Newsom Makes It Official: All 500+ Loathsome Murderers on California's Death Row Will be Spared the Death Penalty. "He commuted their sentences. California hasn't executed a prisoner since 2006." And Incompetent, Uneducated Boob and Socialist Nithiya Raman Has been Elected the Final Mayor of the City Formerly Known as Los Angeles, "Say Goodbye to Hollywood."

Tim O'Brien at PJM reports DOJ’s Harmeet Dhillon Decides to Leave Washington and Return to Private Practice ""I resigned three weeks ago, and Susie (Wiles) asked me to please wait until after the midterms," Dhillon said, confirming that she formally submitted her resignation on November 5, Fox News reported. According to reports, Dhillon said she thought she had achieved everything she had wanted to achieve since deciding to come to Washington after President Donald Trump won a second term and invited her to join his administration." Susie Moore at RedState, Harmeet Dhillon Resigns From DOJ. Capt. Ed, Dhillon Resigns From DOJ After Midterm Rebuke. "This will put the White House in a tough position, as it now faces a (very) hostile Senate for any new appointments. It may be possible to push through a replacement in this session of Congress, but Thune will have to work fast, and he may have a couple of more rush jobs coming down Pennsylvania Avenue as well." Shipwreckedcrew @shipwreckedcrew, "My guess is — Harmeet Dhillon found out yesterday she was not going to be nominated to the open Deputy AG position. She has been in a months-long battle to move up inside DOJ." Sundance, "Following a very predictable political outcome," Harmeet Dhillon Resigns as Head of DOJ Civil Rights Division "Dhillon was previously Team DeSantis. She will resurface thusly."

At Quotulatiousness High-trust societies "On the social media site formerly known as Twitter, Eva Chipiuk points out that high-trust societies can only absorb a small proportion of immigrants from low-trust cultures before the society begins losing some of the advantages of being a high-trust culture." From the Chronic, When the Gate Came Off Its Hinges "Illegal immigration activists are more motivated than ever to return to their plan of turning the United States into the world’s migrant shelter."

Some schadenfreude for John Sexton, Salon Is No More, Pass the Champagne. Ace, After 31 Years of Failure, Amateur Clickbait Hate-Site Salon Announces That They Are Shutting Down and Will Miss Their Six Readers, "Oh no! Anyway." A very Driscolly post at Insty, with lots of fine examples of their jounolism: SALON SINGS SWAN SONG: Goodbye from Salon.

 And yet another thing from T Beckett Adams ... The Fake News We Don’t Talk About (Enough). Drew Holden @DrewHolden360, "Thread: Of all the dumb things the media does, one of the worst is claiming that something the Left finds hard to believe is a “conspiracy theory.” Eventually such suggestions fall apart, as has been the case with the idea that it was a racist conspiracy to say Ilhan Omar might’ve married her brother. Remember?" Joe Concha @JoeConchaTV, "“it took *us*…" Quote Jorge Bonilla @BonillaJL, "CNN's Kasie Hunt laments "it took us years to get" to a blue wave midterm against Trump."Reddit Lies @reddit_lies, "I love how Redditors can't even find an image of Conservatives melting down so they just photoshopped a Maga hat on the crying liberal from Trump's first inauguration. Total cultural victory." VodkaPundit at Insty, SELLING OUT FOR FUN AND PROFIT: Frank McCormick @CBHeresy, "The real winners last night were the podcasters who spent the last two years sowing discord among conservatives and now get to spend the next two cashing in on the division they helped create." From the Daily Econ, The West’s Free Speech Consensus Is Fracturing.

Sundance reports Russell Brand Found Guilty of Rape and Sexual Assault in London Case. Ace, Russell Brand Found Guilty of One Count of Rape and Three Counts of Sexual Assault, "Obnoxious, compulsive man plays with matches all of his life and gets singed." AshleyRindsberg @AshleyRindsberg, "NIH gave grants to Chinese labs to make super-viruses but won't give a grant to a leading scientist because he was falsely accused of sexual misconduct." Quote Kat Rosenfield @katrosenfield, "I thought I knew every horrible thing about this story, but it was not until I read @neerajadeshp's interview with Sabatini that I realized how total his unpersoning was x.com/PirateWires/st…" Mark Hemingway @Heminator, "Every critic of gay marriage said this was the logical outcome; virtually every mainstream proponent of gay marriage assured us it would never happen. And here we are." Quote New York Post @nypost, "California city makes history allowing throuples, foursomes to legally register as partners." John Sexton notes Colorado's New Governor Wants to Slow-Walk Ballot Initiatives on Trans Issues.

From the College Fix, ‘Republicans should be shot’: Trans student tackles College Republican at University of Utah and Justice Department to review Duke medical school for allegedly discriminating against white, Asian students. Campus Reform reports AAUP backs only Democrats in historic midterm endorsements and 98.5% of political donations from Northeastern University faculty members went to left-wing candidates.

VodkaPundit at Insty with one of his DISPATCHES FROM THE EDUCATION APOCALYPSE: Why is my A student failing algebra? "Adriana Aviles’ son was an A student in math in New York City K-8 schools, she tells David Spector of the New York Post. He got into a top high school. But her honor-roll student is failing algebra. She tried to help him study. “He stared blankly at the page, completely puzzled by the material. He was completely thrown off by equations that contained fractions.” He scored a 10 out of 100 on the test...."

And more at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 11.05.26.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Trade War De-Escalation Ahead?

At NewsMax Brian Leib opines that there's Nothing Accidental About Trump's Triumphant Return. "For decades, critics dismissed President Donald J. Trump’s best-selling book The Art of the Deal as a relic of 1980s bravado — a flashy businessman’s self-congratulatory monologue. But over the past few weeks, President Trump turned that book into a living, breathing geopolitical masterclass, unfolding in real time before the eyes of billions." Sarah Anderson at PJM wonders Did You Hear About the Terrible Thing Ivanka Trump Did? Took her family on a nice Costa Rican vacation, causing liberals to go ape shit.  

From the Peacock, Bessent says he expects ‘de-escalation’ in U.S.-China tariff fight in the ‘very near future’. Also at NewsMax, Trump Wants Tariff Cases Moved to Federal Trade Court. Fox Business, China asks South Korea not to export rare earth products to US defense, warns companies could be sanctioned. Fortunately we have rare earths. All we need is the will to mine them. ET explains US Can Produce Rare Earths If China Stops Exports–But There’s a Catch and Beijing’s ‘Gray Trade’ Tariff Avoidance Scheme "China is starting to ship its goods to low-tariff countries first, then export them to the United States to evade high tariffs." From Drew Berquist, Bike Company Credits Trump Tariffs for $19M U.S. Manufacturing Expansion. From From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 04.23.25, Matt Taibbi at Racket, Trump vs Powell. It’s On! "In pushing for rate cuts the president insults the Fed chairman — but Trump's tariffs are driving prices the other way."

NewsMax, London Talks on Ending Russia-Ukraine War Pared Down as Vance Says It's Decision Time on Peace Deal. From Reuters, Ukraine presses for ceasefire as Russia reported to offer concession. ET, Hakeem Jeffries to Lead Bipartisan Delegation to Denmark to Discuss Greenland "The visit comes as President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States could obtain Greenland." I'm sure he'll do his best to put sand in the gears. 

Da Fetched, Trump Eyes $5,000 ‘Baby Bonus’ to Spark New American Baby Boom and “Humanity Is Dying”: Elon Musk Warns of Civilizational Collapse Due to Falling Birth Rates. 5 grand is barely an ante. 

USFDA, HHS, FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes in Nation’s Food Supply. I'm not convinced it's the big answer they're looking for. Paula Bolyard at PJM, Hey, RFK Jr.: Please Take on Big Formula and Normalize Real Food for Kids With G-Tubes.

From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 04.23.25, Louder with Crowder, Turns out Maryland doesn't want "Maryland Man" Kilmar Abrego Garcia sent back to live with them. Twitchy, Judge Orders Trump To Bring Back Voice of America & Rehire Everyone, MS-13 Brute’s Wife, Kicked To El Salvador, Snags Safe House. Insty at his NYPo gig warns Alito’s right to warn: Court’s knee-jerk habit of slapping Trump will cost it dearly. Ron Coleman @RonColeman, "UPDATE: Order stayed by DC federal judge," Quote Nioh Berg @NiohBerg, " BREAKING: India has ordered every Pakistani national to leave the country within 48 hours." Josh Blackmun at the Volokh Report explains the problem with The ACLU's Ex Parte Voicemail To Seek An Ex Parte Injunction. From Althouse, "We cannot give everyone a trial, because to do so would take, without exaggeration, 200 years." "Said President Trump, quoted in "Trump Says Undocumented Immigrants Shouldn’t Get Trials Before Deportation/The president claimed that countries were sending their prisoners to the United States and that he needed to bypass the constitutional demands of due process to expel them quickly" (NYT). The sub-headline bothers me because it equates "due process" with a full-scale trial. The question is what process is due. I don't think Trump is saying that rights need to be bypassed." At LifeZette, Leavitt Cooks Sen Van Hollen for Backing Gang Member, Ignoring Murdered Americans. Atop Da Hill, Pritzker orders Illinois to boycott El Salvador over Abrego Garcia’s detention. TownHall's Guy Benson hears Dems: You Know, This 'Maryland Father' Story Is Political Gold for Us. 

From WokeSpy, Furious Stephen Miller Demands Reparations for All Americans Harmed by Unchecked Illegal Immigration. Jeff Charles at TownHall, This State Just Made a Move That Has Victims’ Families Furious, and Tom Homan Isn't Having It. Misty Severi at JTN elaborates DOJ files federal charge against convicted illegal California migrant set to be released early, "Ortega-Anguiano was initially sentenced to 10 years in prison for the crimes, but will now be released in July, meaning he will have served just 3.5 years of the sentence." From NYPo, Trump’s mass deportation raids result in 655% spike in arrests of terrorists roaming US — including one of India’s ‘most wanted’. Campus Reform reports FL universities will be the first to carry out immigration enforcement on campus. 

Da Signal wonders Could New York Attorney General Letitia James Become the Next Marilyn Mosby? I confess I was a little shocked when a Maryland jury convicted Mosby. From PJM's Kevin Downey, Rumble in the Urban Jungle: Crazy Eddie vs. Dirty Tish, Round One — DING!. NewsMax reports Delaware Losing $14 Billion Affirm Holdings, "Several other major corporations have left Delaware or announced plans to leave after a series of controversial judicial decisions, including a judge's decision to deny Elon Musk a $56 billion compensation package from Tesla after shareholders had twice approved the plan. "Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware," Musk posted on X after the court's ruling."

At NYPo, Pete Hegseth says evidence from leak probe ‘will be handed over to DOJ’ for potential charges. PM, Bannon Blasts DOJ Inaction: ‘The Deep State Is Winning Right Now.’  From Da Blaze, Unreleased DOJ report indicates top Biden FBI official retaliated against underlings who testified against her. Da Signal, Law Enforcement Rallies Around Virginia Sheriff Caught in Sting Operation After Defying Democrats.

Guy Benson calls it Brutal: Elizabeth Warren Has No Idea What to Say When Confronted With Her Lies About Biden's Decline. Althouse finds "There was a time last summer when the Democratic Party was cool." ""Kamala Harris had just stepped in as the Democratic Party’s nominee for president in the waning days of Brat summer. She went on the popular podcast 'Call Her Daddy.' Tim Walz’s outdoorsy drip led to a Chappell Roan-inspired camo trucker hat. The memes were flowing, and the party’s mood was high...." That's the beginning of a NYT article called "What Is 'Dark Woke'? Democrats are trying out a new attitude. It’s provocative, edgy and perilously toeing the line of not being too offensive."" Jim Hoft at Gateway, JFK’s Radical Grandson Accuses Vice President J.D. Vance of ‘Killing the Pope’ in Unhinged Online Rant. Fox reports Dick Durbin, No. 2 Senate Democrat, won't seek re-election "Durbin was first elected to the Senate in 1996 and is currently the Senate Democratic whip". It's no fun when you're on the losing end. 

VodkaPundit at Insty harks back to when THEY FAWNED OVER STALIN AND MUSSOLINI: Larry David Mocks Trump As Hitler in the New York Times Now, but the Paper Fawned Over Adolf in 1933. Driscolly post at Insty sees a CNN “REPORTER” GETS A BRUTAL EXPLANATION FOR WHY NEW MEDIA IS REPLACING OLD GUARD AT THE WHITE HOUSE:

CNN: “Are you a real journalist?”

Natalie: “The rest of the media covered for a president that was essentially dead. You failed. That’s why new media is here.” pic.twitter.com/ok5YtruWRt

— Natalie Winters (@nataliegwinters) April 23, 2025

Paula Bolyard thinks The Most Important Parental Rights Case in Years Is Before SCOTUS Right Now. Tyler O'Neil at Da Signal wonders What Is Going on With Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson? She's not very smart, at least for that level, but she makes sure to get out every liberal talking point, even if it doesn't apply. Bonchie at RedState, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Shows She's Either the Dumbest or Most Evil Justice on the Supreme Court.

This woman should have never been put on the High Court. Teaching kids they can change their gender is not only morally wrong but it’s biologically and scientifically incorrect.

This is indoctrination and has nothing to do with inclusivity or inclusion. pic.twitter.com/cyKpG8vRIc

— Therealrob (@Therealrobx) April 22, 2025

From Fox, Trump admin responds to Minnesota's lawsuit to let trans athletes in girls' sports: 'Creepy and anti-woman'. From the College Fix, U. Louisville pays almost $1.6M to settle case with professor who criticized trans ideology. "Dr. Allan Josephson was essentially terminated after he criticized transgender ideology, and filed a lawsuit in April 2019 to fight the decision."

At Breitbart, George Clooney Rages After Trump’s ‘Fake Movie Actor’ Dig. Can't take what he dishes out. 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: The Long View and FMJRA 2.0: The Cost of Victory up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Dept. of State to Start Downsizing

This just in, Pope Francis is still dead. (Was it funnier when it was Gen. Franco?). At Insty, BRENDAN O’NEILL: The tragedy of Pope Francis. The Babylon Bee@TheBabylonBee, "Catholic Church To Consider Electing Pope Who's A Catholic This Time https://buff.ly/5ZFMmJM." Sundance at CTH, President Trump Will Attend Pope Francis Funeral on Saturday in Rome and Russia -v- Ukraine, Delegations Expected to Meet in London Tomorrow, Then Witkoff Heads to Moscow, JD Vance Delivers Remarks to Business Audience in India Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh. " JUST IN: VP JD Vance says the U.S. and India have "officially finalized the terms of reference for the trade negotiation." DEAL INCOMING. "This is a vital step toward realizing President Trump and PM Modi's vision. It sets a roadmap toward a final deal." Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog thinks Somebody’s Lying About Chinese Exports "Everyone know China’s communist rulers manipulate economic figures to their advantage. There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence that they’re falsifying their export statistics to make things look better than they are. I rather strongly suspect that their hand in the trade war poker game they’re having with Trump is much weaker than they let on."

Also from Sundance, Secretary Rubio Starts Downsizing the Department of State ("You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy ...). NewsMax, Rubio Announces Major State Dept Reorganization. Fortune, Trump reportedly drafted an executive order for ‘a disciplined reorganization’ of the State Department that would shut down embassies and cut climate change and refugee offices. Capt. Ed at Hat Hair hears Rubio: It's Time to Clean House at State. Ace, State Department Will Close 132 Offices. "Good. "Offices" doesn't mean embassies. It means actual offices or sub-departments. Tiny little bureaucratic fiefdoms pushing the Marxist worldview."

John Solomon at JTN reports Trump-approved strikes have killed 74 terrorists seeking to attack U.S. homeland, Mike Waltz reveals. "National Security Adviser also reveals China has blinked in its tariff dispute with Trump, and that European Union security commitments are key to Russia-Ukraine peace deal." Jeff Charles at TownHall warns The Pentagon Leakers Might Want to Lawyer Up. At NewsMax, Hegseth: 'Informal, Unclassified Coordinations' Shared in Chat. Funny we never hear about what the Biden administration chatted about on Signal. Matt Margolis at Hat Hair VIP explains The Real Reason Behind the Pete Hegseth Media Smears. Gary Anderson at Am Spec sees Real Military Reform Begins but wonders "Will Pete Hegseth be able to reverse our military’s decline?"

Misty Severi at JTN warns Trump admin to start collecting debts on student loans considered to be in default. "The DOE's Federal Student Aid office will begin collecting the debts on May 5, which could include taking the money out of payments that borrowers receive from the federal government, such as money from tax refunds, federal salaries and other benefits." Twitchy, Student Loan Payback Time: ‘They Want Us All Like Broke and in Jail or Dead’ In case you were feeling sorry for them, Paul A. Szypula @Bubblebathgirl, "Leftist is having a mental breakdown because she now has to pay her student loan back. She says if she defaults then the government can garnish her wages, take her tax refund, and even take her benefits. She actually wants us to feel sorry for her being a deadbeat." Many more similar at Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸@Bubblebathgirl. Misty Severi also contributes Donald Trump says he does not intend to fire Powell after swearing-in SEC chair Paul Atkins.

DC_Draino @DC_Draino "It’s quite simple - there are 3 things that the MAGA base wants: 1. Mass deportations 2. Deep State arrests 3. Passing the Trump agenda into law Do those 3 things, and we’ll expand our majorities in the midterms Don’t do those 3 things and we’ll lose the House and Trump will get impeached." Quote Spitfire@DogRightGirl, "Republicans in Congress are creating voter apathy. Midterms will be a disaster if the GOP in Congress doesn’t start doing something to codify Trump’s agenda. People simply won’t show up to vote."

At PJM Stephen Kruiser says Gosh, I'm Gone for a Few Days and the Democrats Have Gotten Worse and Matt Margolis thinks Democrats See MS-13 Gang Member as Their Next George Floyd. Drew Berquist hears Dems Roll Out ‘Dark Woke’ Strategy: ‘Combat by Any Means Necessary.’ At Insty, a Driscolly post on THE SCHIZOPHRENIA OF THE GORACLE. LifeZette warns New Yale Polling is Devastating to the Future of the Democratic Party. Logan Washburn at Da Fed wants you to Meet The Wealthy Private Firms Controlling The Democrat Party. But it's only rich Republican donors that are a problem. From the Free Bacon, Raphael Warnock Slapped With Ethics Complaint for Living in Free $1 Million Luxury Home. Matt Vespa shares the news that the Dem Staffer Who Filmed His Sexcapades in a Senate Hearing Room Later Checked Into a Psych Ward.

NewsBusters counts CNN, MSNBC Use ‘Maryland Man’ Lie 506 Times, Conceal Garcia’s Illegal Status. On the good side, they gave birth to a new meme subject. From Breitbart, Sen. Van Hollen Pleads: Stop Talking About Abrega Garcia’s Crime Links. 'Becca Downs at TownHall sees Van Hollen's Post From 2017 on MS-13 Comes Back to Haunt Him. Senator Chris Van Hollen @ChrisVanHollen, "Shame on President Trump for tearing apart hardworking immigrant families. We should be focused on MS-13, not scholarship winners. 6:12 PM · Aug 2, 2017" Chad Wolf to Newsmax: Support for Abrego Garcia Exposes Left. At RedState, Sister Toldja sees Woke Democrats Who Traveled to El Salvador Are Given a New Nickname - and They're Not Gonna Like It: House Republicans @HouseGOP, "The Congressional MS-13 Caucus just held their first townhall!" Matt Margolis sees a fit pitched as David Hogg Has Humiliating Meltdown on ABC News over Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Misty Severi reports the Trump administration charges 27 alleged Tren de Aragua members under RICO Act in New York. "The move marks the first time that the federal government has used the Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act to prosecute a foreign terrorist organization, or drug cartel." Fox, Trump admin files first racketeering charges against massive migrant terrorist group present in US.

Mirthful Moments@moment_mirthful, "Judge James Boasberg's ruling against President Trump was revenge for halting government funding to his daughter Katherine Boasberg's NGO "Partners for Justice," which gives criminal illegal aliens and gang members legal advice. To date, virtually every Federal Judge who has ruled against President Trump has been proven to be compromised, having a serious conflict of interest and, in some cases, a criminal conflict of interest. Their rulings benefitted their family, relatives, and friends, and in some cases, they financially benefited directly from their illegal and unlawful rulings. We need Kash and AG Pam Bondi to investigate Judge James Boasberg for corruption and bring criminal charges against him. Without severe consequences, these corrupt Liberal Extremist Judges will continue to attack the constitutional authority of the Executive Branch." The redoubtable Julie Kelly@julie_kelly2 "WHOO BOY: In an order filed last night, Judge James Hendrix--the judge in Texas presiding over latest Alien Enemies Act case which prompted unprecedented intervention by SCOTUS--accused ACLU atty of violating federal code of conduct rules by calling his chambers AFTER Hendrix denied the 1st emergency temp restraining order on April 17. This was noted on the docket after Hendrix filed his order. Now it makes me wonder if Lee Gelernt did not do exactly the same thing with Judge Jeb Boasberg--which could explain Boasberg's quick action on March 15. This is not allowed." Misty reports Gorsuch, Roberts side with liberal Supreme Court justices in immigration case. "Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Neil Gorsuch agreed in the 5-4 ruling that illegal migrants under the 60-day departure timeframe that falls on a weekend or on a federal U.S. holiday should be extended to the next business day." Da Blaze, Trump lashes out at Supreme Court for blocking deportations. How dare he! Democrats always took adverse rulings on abortion and gun control so meekly! Ace, Trump: The Supreme Court Is Blocking Execution of the Law. "The Supreme Court's lawless ruling means that every single illegal alien is supposed to get a full trial before the President is permitted to follow the actual law." The Babylon Bee@TheBabylonBee, "People Who Bypassed Legal Process In Migrating To USA Demand Legal Process Before Being Kicked Out."

Hat Hair's Beege Welborn thinks One of the Craziest Things About the Tish James Unmasking Is Who Caught Her. It's actually a pretty funny story. 

“SHE PROBABLY FIGURED BIDEN WAS GOING TO WIN REELECTION AND THAT NOBODY WOULD CATCH HER.”@SamAntar lays out for @stinchfield1776 what he uncovered while looking into Letitia James’ mortgage fraud. “The investigation is insane! Every single mortgage has false information.” pic.twitter.com/i0yynAIrsQ

— Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) April 21, 2025

The Victory Girls hear Andy Cuomo: Forgive My Settlement While I Prepare To Sue My Accuser. Elon Musk@elonmusk, "Yes" Quote Tim Pool@Timcast "After democrats started arresting Trump's lawyers, the gloves were off They burned the constitution in order to steal power and lost Trump must crush the deep state betrayers or the US is lost."

Justin Murphy@jmrphy, "Elon is doing applied political science. He had a hypothesis, and then he bet on it. And in being correct, we are learning empirically: The Professional Managerial Class has perfected a system of moral blackmail through which they convert third world suffering into personal wealth and status. They position themselves as noble humanitarian experts with PhDs who care deeply about things like global poverty, to justify their own sinecures extracted from the national purse. These credentialed do-gooders wield the threat of African deaths as a shield against any questioning of their privileges." Matt Vespa hears Elon Musk Made a Big Announcement During Tesla's Earnings Call. "Elon Musk made a major announcement during Tesla’s earnings call today: he’s going to be taking a step back from his work at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)." John Sexton at Hat Hair, With Tesla Earnings Down, Musk Says His Time at DOGE Will 'Drop Significantly'. At NRO, James Lynch reports Progressive Minnesota Prosecutor Lets State Employee Off with No Charges for Alleged Tesla Vandalism. From Da Fetched, Walz Admin Staffer Caught Keying Teslas—Avoids Charges Despite $20K in Damage. “Our main priorities are to secure restitution for the victims and hold Mr. Adams accountable,” Hennepin County Attorney’s Office spokesman Daniel Borgertpoepping stated. “As a result, we will file for pre-charge diversion to best facilitate both of those goals. This is an approach taken in many property crime cases and helps to ensure the individual keeps their job and can pay restitution, as well as reducing the likelihood of repeat offenses.” Pam Bondi should bring Federal domestic terrorism charges. At Althouse, Do you picture the desk jobs of others like this? "I think this is, essentially, how Elon Musk pictures 90% of the federal workforce:" TikTok at link. And yes, it's true for some. Tyler O'Neil at Da Signal hosts EPA Administrator Confronts New York Times Reporter for Claiming He Had ‘No Evidence’ of Waste, Fraud, Abuse.

Sundance is amused when a CBS 60-Minutes Executive Producer Resigns Citing New Constraints Blocking Anti-Trump Propaganda Efforts. He can't just make shit up anymore. Capt. Ed, Scott Jennings: The Elites Sent a Message to Maher -- And Everyone Else. "Cross the Leftist elite, and you'll suffer character assassination and even financial and legal ruin. The sneering limousine progressives will scream about diversity and inclusiveness all day long, but attempt to actually put it in practice by having dinner with an opponent, and ..." From Twitchy, a Legacy of Lies: Scott Jennings Tells Abby Phillip Why Media Trust is Cratering but She Refuses to Listen. VodkaPundit at PJM likes how CNN Just Pulled the Rug Out From Under CNN's Kaitlan Collins. Matt Vespa enjoys MSNBC Host Getting Slapped Down by The Office's Rainn Wilson When Discussing Lack of Media Trust. The best scene in The Meg is when he gets eaten.

From Althouse, "A university dedicated to free thought should know better. The First Amendment draws a clear line..." ""... between unprotected 'true threats' and core political speech. Speech is only a true threat when it demonstrates a serious, specific, and imminent intent to commit unlawful violence against a particular individual or group. That’s a high bar — and for good reason. It’s meant to protect public debate, especially about uncomfortable topics. Advocacy for violence, no matter how disturbing, remains protected unless it crosses that line. Decker’s essay never comes close. It’s abstract, hypothetical, and lacks any indication of intent to commit violence. Asking about the moral propriety of force is philosophy, not a true threat...." From "George Mason University calls cops on student for article criticizing Trump/GMU student Nicholas Decker’s Substack essay 'When Must We Kill Them?' earned him a visit from the Secret Service" (FIRE)."

From Ars Technica, Chrome on the chopping block as Google’s search antitrust trial moves forward. "The court ruled that Google has a search monopoly. Now, we learn the consequences."

Hat Hair's John Sexton reports Protesters Chain Themselves to Columbia's Gates...Again. Take away their keys and leave them there for a few days. ET reacts as Harvard Sues Trump Administration Over Funding Freeze, "The lawsuit was filed as the administration plans to withhold another $1 billion from the university." A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon we're talking about real money. From Twitchy hears There's Been a Delicious Murder: Chris Rufo DEI-MOLISHES Former Dean of Harvard Medical School.

More on that Monkey Country case that went to the Supremes from Fox, Supreme Court to consider whether parents can opt out of kids reading LGBTQ books in the classroom. John Sexton, Supreme Court Oral Arguments: Can Parents Opt Young Kids Out of LGBT Readings? From the questions, it looks like it's going the parent's way. Althouse, "The plaintiffs here are not asking the school to change its curriculum. They’re just saying, ‘Look, we want out.’ Why isn’t that feasible? What is the big deal about allowing them to opt out of this?" "Said Justice Alito, quoted in "Justices Seem Set to Allow Opt-Outs From L.G.B.T.Q. Stories in Schools/In a lively and sometimes heated argument, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared poised to rule for parents with religious objections to storybooks with gay and transgender characters" (NYT). Here's the transcript of the oral argument." From Spiked, A trans-activist temper tantrum, "Yesterday’s London demo was a carnival of misogyny and public urination." From the College Fix, U. Louisville pays almost $1.6M to settle case with professor who criticized trans ideology.

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: The Cost of Victory up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Maryland Man Meets "Maryland Man"

From Don Surber's Highlights of the week

When last we met "my" Senator (trust me, I never cast a ballot for him), Chris Van Hollen had traveled to El Salvador to to nominally get reassurances that "Maryland Man" wife-beating MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia, but really for photo ops, who had been deported using the enemy Aliens act, was still alive and healthy. At NYPo, Alleged MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia seen ‘sipping margaritas’ with Sen. Van Hollen amid El Salvador deportation battle, new photos reveal. To be fair, I don't see margaritas on the table, just water. Margaritas would probably be safer, though. Sundance at CTH, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele Shares Pictures of Senator Van Hollen and MS13 Deportee Kilmar Abrego Garcia Having Margaritas. "The New York Times are claiming the team around El Salvador President Nayib Bukele set up the photo-op with margaritas in order to embarrass Maryland Senator Van Hollen. Even if they did, it’s still funny." and hosts Stephen Miller Responds To Van Hollen's Trip To El Salvador To Check On Abrego Garcia and President Trump Answers Media Questions on Ukraine and MS13 Deportee Kilmar Abrego Garcia. At Da Signal, ‘Looked Like a Fool’: GOP Roasts Van Hollen Over Meeting with Illegal Alien. Nice Deb at Am Great, Government Watchdog Files Ethics Complaint Against Sen. Van Hollen Over Trip to El Salvador to Meet With Alleged Gangbanger. Matt Vespa at TownHall, Trump Team Performed a Masterclass in Obliterating This Narrative About the Deported Illegal Alien. Benny Johnson @bennyjohnson "Tom Homan makes an absolute FOOL out of Kaitlan Collins on live television. She is just a walking L at this point: "2 federal judges and a Police department. said he's an MS-13 member. ICE data says he's an MS-13 member. El Salvador said he's MS-13." NewsMax, AG: Deported Migrant Owned MS-13 Rank, Street Name. Balmer Sun reports Allegations link Abrego Garcia to MS-13: Here’s what we know. Matt Vespa at TownHall, Here's When a Lefty Trump Supporter Stunned CNN When Debating That Deported Illegal Alien Case. Byron York at WaEx, Democratic passions catch fire over deported illegal immigrant. Chris Queen at PJM, Is There Any Question Which Party Is Fighting for Americans? Oilfield Rando @Oilfield_Rando, "The police can forcibly take my blood at a traffic stop and there’s a $10 billion data center in Utah spying on everything I say. The media is telling me I’ll lose my due process rights if we don’t allow a wife beating illegal alien gang member back into the US. I’m tired." Quote Jim Sciutto @jimsciutto, "The El Salvador story is less about Abrego Garcia himself than about the right to due process. The assault on Harvard is less about the school itself (there are and will be others) but attempted federal control of private universities. The assault on law firms is less aboutShow more" From Twitchy, Here Are Numbers That Indicate Democrats Should DEFINITELY Keep Simping for Criminal Illegals.

Matt Margolis, BOOM! The Trump Admin Fights Back Against Rogue Judge's Contempt Warning. "Team Trump's legal filing didn't pull any punches. It meticulously detailed how Boasberg's ruling attempts to usurp executive authority that the Supreme Court explicitly confirmed just last month. The 5-4 decision authorized these deportation flights, but apparently, left-wing district court judges think they can override the Supreme Court because “Orange man bad.”" Josh Blackmun at the Volokh Report writes "A Recipe for District Judge Supremacy." "When a district judge acts hastily, yet appellate courts are told not to "rush in," that's not a plea for judicial sobriety—it's a recipe for district judge supremacy." Capt. Ed says Hmmm: SCOTUS Agrees to Hear Challenge on Birthright Citizenship. "What does this mean? It means that at least four of the justices want to debate this case now, rather than later. But are they debating the merits of the order, or the reach of the stays?"

At NewsMax, Rubio: US May Abandon Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks Without Progress. Sundance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio Says U.S. Willing to Walk Away from Ukraine Conflict, Decision in “Days Not Weeks” and Rubio, Witkoff and Kellogg Meet with French President Macron, Ukraine and UK Delegation to Discuss Outline of Ceasefire.

From TNP, U.S. Jobless Claims Dip, Signaling Trump Labor Market Remains Strong. At Da Mail, Trump hits record high approval rating amid tariff turmoil. Hat Hair's Beege Welborn comments It's amazing how the American people, contrary to the hysterics in the press, can be mature enough to know things don't happen overnight. And sometimes there's even a little pain before a gain." NewsWeek whines Japan Cautious as Trump Hails 'Big Progress' in Key Test of Tariffs. Hat Hair's Dave Strom thinks China Is In Much Deeper Trouble Than Most Realize and explains How Transnationalists Think. At NewsMax, Trump Signals Tit-for-Tat China Tariffs May Be Near End.

Jeff Charles at TownHall reports You Weren't Supposed to Know About This Biden-Era Program – But Tulsi Gabbard Just Blew it Wide Open. Matt Margolis, Tulsi Exposes a Terrifying Biden-Era Program That Was Meant To Be Secret. At Da Caller, ‘Ghost Guns’ And ‘Hate Crime’: Tulsi Gabbard Declassifies Biden Admin Docs Targeting ‘Domestic Terrorism’. Sundance, DNI Tulsi Gabbard Releases Declassified Files of RFK and Biden Domestic Terrorism Plan. Dave Strom chortles Perfect: COVID.gov Now Goes to Page Debunking 'Proximal Origins' Paper, Trashing Fauci. 

From NewsMax, Giuliani to Newsmax: Situation 'Pretty Hard' for AG James.

The very picture of health

At Am Mind, Jeff Anderson wonders Is DOGE Enough? Probably not, but it's a start on a problem no other administration has touched. Ace hears CNN: Trump and Musk Murdered a Federal Worker By Worrying Her With DOGE Cuts Until She Had a Heart Attack, "You've got to be ****ing kidding me with this sh** now, CNN. You cannot be serious. You simply cannot be. I know what you're thinking -- this bureaucrat was probably in terrific shape, which means that the heart attack was caused not by 50+ years of unhealthy living but just by Trump's and Musk's nefarious plotting. And you're absolutely right -- she was an original member of the George Floyd Memorial Crossfit Center." NYPo reports a Tim Walz state employee allegedly caused $20K in damage vandalizing Teslas — weeks after governor mocked automaker’s stock prices. Dave Strom, Minnesota State Government Analyst Arrested for Vandalizing Teslas. "Well, when the governor gives the green light to go out and commit crimes for political purposes, it's not surprising that one of the 37,000 people working for him will happily do so." Dustin Grage @GrageDustin, "BREAKING: The man seen vandalizing a Tesla has been ID’d as 33-year-old Dylan Bryan Adams. He’s accused of causing $20K+ in damages across the Twin Cities. The kicker: Adams works as a Fiscal Policy Analyst for the State of Minnesota. Someone took Tim Walz’s words to heart."

The best endorsement money can buy at the Free Bacon, LeBron James Endorsed Kamala Harris. Then She Paid His Company $50K. Ace, Vice Chair of the DNC David Hogg: I'm Really Fighting for the Great Progressive Cause So If You See Some Sick Scandalous Claims Made Against Me, That's Just My Enemies Trying to Stop My Crusade for Justice, "Shyeah, okay. What did you do, David? What did you do?," and Minnesota AG and Islamist Keith Ellison Is Distancing Himself from a Fake "Charity" That Stole $250 Million in Covid Funds, Supposedly for Feeding Poor Children, "His grubby fingerprints are all over this, says David Strom," and The Self-Declared "Party of Science:" We Don't Want to Know Why Autism Rates Have Increased 1300% Over the Past 50 Years, Bigots, "RFKJr. talked about the skyrocketing rates of autism in children -- now 1 in 31 kids are autistic. The numbers are worse for boys: 1 in 20 boys are autistic. In California, that number is 1 in 12.5, or about 8%. RFKJr. wants to find out why 5% of our boys are now autistic (or 8% in California):" Twitchy want you to WATCH a Legit INSANE Lefty Woman Screams at MAGA Hat Wearing Man In a Restaurant (and Check Out Her Shirt). Alex Bradford @BadMoneyBrad "The irony is that she is wearing a Luigi Mangione as Jesus shirt during Holy Week, a man that murdered a father of two." Andy Palmer at Spec World speculates on Luigi Mangione and the left’s warped choice of heroes. "The Trump ‘resistance’ seems determined to lose." Dave Strom examines The Liberal Ratchet, "It has been an iron law in American politics that, no matter what the electorate wants, our politics only has two speeds: a rush to the left and then a period of the left consolidating their gains."

The Peacock reports Google hit with second antitrust blow, adding to concerns about future of ads business. "On Thursday, a federal judge ruled Google held illegal monopolies in online advertising markets due to its position between ad buyers and sellers." Well, it does.

Ace announces DHS Secretary Noem Announces the Freezing of $2.7 Million in Grants to Harvard, "I know I've reported that this was in the offing, but this makes it official. These new cuts are in addition to the $2.2 billion (with a b) that Trump already froze." At Campus Reform, Harvard finds wingtip on the other foot as Trump moves to revoke its tax-exempt status. John MacGhilionn at Am Spec explains The Fall of Harvard: How America’s Oldest University Became Its Most Expensive Liability, "Harvard’s leaders now prioritize activism over academics and show greater loyalty to foreign interests than their own government and students." The Great Victor Davis Hanson at Am Great wonders Will Harvard Go Full Hillsdale? "Harvard risks $2.2B in federal funds as it defies anti-discrimination mandates, drawing comparisons to Hillsdale's stand-alone model of rejecting government strings." At Althouse, "We have now seen that the Trump administration manages the economy with the same expertise and competence it manages higher education, and as a result we might begin to rally the American people." "I'm reading "I’m a Columbia Professor. Here’s the Really Disheartening Part of This Mess," a NYT op-ed by Matthew Connelly, a Columbia history professor. I'm all for expertise and competence, but who is this "we" threatening to "rally" us in the name of longing for expertise and competence?"

Hollywood in Toto, Why the Left Self-Censors in Trump 2.0 Era, "Hollywood free speech warriors can't stop erasing their own projects, ideas." At the Free Bacon, WATCH: From Trees to White Women, Everything Is Racist in These PBS Documentaries. 

Ace, "Journalist" Gayle King Thinks She's an Astronaut Now, Attacks Sexism for Denying Her Credit. "Some of you are probably tired of this story. I'm not. I'm just getting warmed up. This energizes me. But I do know this is now three days old so I'll only have this post up for 40 minutes before I post another one. "Journalist" Gayle King is now also an "astronaut," the talentless, corrupt hanger-on now claims." Insty cites DON SURBER: Did Katy Perry just kill feminism? "“The 6 celebrities followed Freedom 7’s course? So what? You can retrace the route of the Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria but that doesn’t make you Christopher Columbus.” The Internet mockery has been extreme: But efforts at stolen astronaut glamour notwithstanding, the real achievement is in fact that space travel has progressed to the point where you don’t have to be Alan Shepherd or John Glenn to fly in space: You can just be a passenger. Kind of like it’s a sign that air travel has advanced that you don’t have to be Charles Lindbergh to fly across the Atlantic. These women flew in space because they’re famous. Alan Shepherd was famous because he flew in space. It’s not the same, but that’s okay." 

Order-Order reports Supreme Court Rules A Woman is a Biological Female, in the UK.  

KORNACKI: "We see this - white women with a college degree. The only group of white voters that is on the left... do you want to continue DEI programs or do you think they should be ended? White men, no degree? End it. White men with a degree? End it, they say. White women no… pic.twitter.com/l1Pm1wh8J1

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) April 18, 2025

Lots of unused links at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 04.17.25 (Afternoon Edition), In The Mailbox: 04.17.25 (Evening Edition) and In The Mailbox: 04.18.25. 

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup – Happy Easter and links. The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: The Cost of Victory up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.