Flotsam and Jetsam - Wipeout!

That's what the FreeP called the near total victory of Democrats in yesterday's midterm elections. Stacy McCain calls it The End of Polls and Predictions and posts MIDTERM ELECTION RESULTS HQ. Lawrence. As Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog likes to say,  Well, That Absolutely Fucking Sucked. Republicans lost both the House (reasonably expected) and the Senate (which we'd hoped to keep), with Muhammad Abdulrahman El-Sayed beating Mike Rogers in Michigan, and James 'Talafreako' overcoming Ken Paxton in Texas to become the first Democrat Senator from Texas for a long time. At Twitchy, 2026 Election Night Live: The Results Are In… and So Are the Hot Takes, Memes, and Meltdowns. Closer to home, Maryland passed, over my vote, Question 3, a duplicitously worded proposition to allow Democrats in the state legislature to redistrict in midterm to eliminate the sole congressional Republican representative, Andy Harris, from the Eastern Shore. The only question is whether they will follow through. I suspect they will.

Adam Coleman at Speaking Wrong at the Right Time says It’s the Economy, Stupid: Why the Midterms Were Predictable. I don't want to argue with the voters, but overall, the economy is pretty good, with the exception of high gas and diesel prices (largely caused by the war with Iran, but also plenty of blame to go around for blue states), and inflation persistently running above the Feds 2% target. There was never a goal for a general price decrease, called deflation, and generally considered a very bad thing economically. Althouse like her NYT, "Many voters told pollsters and interviewers that they felt hoodwinked by Mr. Trump, believing that he was going to bring down prices and not start new wars," and cites Trump, "I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP." "Wrote Trump, on Truth Social, 7 hours ago." Maybe, maybe not.

Chris Rufo warns Reprisals Are Coming, "After the midterms, the Left will seek revenge." Brian Joondeph at Am Think thinks When Democrats Tell You What They’ll Do, Believe Them. Seth Mandel at Commentary fears Democrats’ Day of Rage. Austin Dunn @austindunn96, "Calmest guy at the polling place today in NH was the 18-year old that got swung at. We want conversation, not violence!" A Turning Point guy assaulted by what appears to be a Bernie bro old enough to better. Victory Girls wonder When Will the Violent Left Be Held Accountable? Now? Probably never. At Althouse, "Impeaching Trump is a bad idea. I want to be clear that we believe that Trump commits five impeachable offenses before breakfast every morning." "So this is not a question of his culpability. This is a question of political reality, and the reality is there’s literally zero chance that he will be removed from office unless he does something even more egregious. Impeaching him for a third time without succeeding in removal isn’t a good idea and it would send voters a message that we’re not listening. Voters are saying, yes we are concerned about corruption and of course Congress should do oversight, but mostly what they’re saying is, 'help me in my life right now because I am struggling.'" Said Matt Bennett, co-founder of the centrist Democratic think tank Third Way, quoted in "Will Trump be impeached? What happens now Democrats have won the midterms/Figures in the party that has won back control of Congress are wary of a third failure to remove the president and may target Pete Hegseth instead" (London Times)." Michael Bicksel at Da Fed says I Saw Slotkin Threaten GOP Staff. She Deserves An Ethics Probe. Not gonna happen. So now, I'm dumping most of the election related news I collected yesterday, most of which is past its shelf life.

Inez Stepman @InezFeltscher, "The Trump administration has delivered on a long list of conservative priorities, many of which seemed like pipe dreams for lonely academic discussion for decades. These are not small policy tweaks, they are major structural changes: shrinking and controlling the administrative state, getting immigration and mass migration under control, enforcing civil rights laws for everyone (read: also for white men, what a concept), defunding the institutional left’s woke NGO complex, turbocharging school choice and reining in universities legally and financially. They amount to an excellent groundwork for what must be recognized as a counterrevolution against the march through the institutions the left has been operating for a century. But somehow, we’ve never been more deflated and blackpilled. This is madness!" Byron York @ByronYork, "Peggy Noonan wants Republicans to lose big so the GOP will have to rebuild. But not so the old GOP establishment can return. "It will never return. The GOP establishment of 1990-2016 ran things into the ground, is discredited and over. Also, they're 80.""

From Ace, Trump Will End the $3.8 Billion Per Year of Military Aid to Israel by Year's End;

Counterintuitively, Is This the Best Outcome for the US and Israel? "The US will stop the payment of military aid to Israel. It will, however, continue authorizing the sale of key US weapons systems to its ally." Mark Tapscott at Insty on US AID TO ISRAEL: "Now that President Donald Trump has announced the end of U.S. military aide to Israel, all kinds of conjecture is blowing up on Social Media on the backstory. But Richard Pollock’s is one of the few sane voices and he provides the needed context that points to the continued strong relationship between the U.S. and Israel."

Roger Kimball at Am Great, Sovereignty or Submission? Poland’s Battle Against the Eurocrats "What is a stake in this ongoing confrontation? Writ large, it is the choice between Polish sovereignty and Polish submission to the globalist agenda of the EU." Beege Welborn at Hat Hair wonders Is Donald Tusk Planning to Invoke Martial Law Tonight?

At Da Signal, Greenland Parliament Ratifies Security Deal Agreed With Trump. Can, or will Democrats deliberately fuck this up too?

I have a little more in the old digital fridge, but I'm going to stop here today, and look around. So what's going to happen in the next couple of years? My predictions:  Senate Democrats will quickly nuke the filibuster, and start to legislate their agenda; try to pack the Supreme Court (I still say Trump should try it quickly, just to get Dems on record it's a bad idea), make Washington and Puerto Rico states, open the borders, abolish ICE, and begin hearings into any Republican who sticks his head up. Only Trump's veto is in the way to stop them. Will Republicans fight to uphold it? They haven't been all that trustworthy in the past. Also, media companies and big tech will be ready to start censoring conservative voices again, and educational institutions will being to bring back DEI.

Flotsam and Jetsam - It's All About the Oil

I&I has a I&I/TIPP Poll that Finds Surprising Pockets Of Support For Military Action Against Iran. Hat Hair's Beege Welborn hears the Hormuz 'Largest Energy Shock on Record', but had surprisingly small effects on oil supply and prices because of resiliency in the system. Open Source Intel @Osint613, "Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov, on repeated Russian strikes against Ukraine's energy sector: "Trump's 'energy ceasefire' was not specified, so Russia is hitting Ukrainian energy sector." At Hat Hair John Sexton has a Report the Pentagon Withheld Warnings to Ukraine of Incoming Strikes, because Zelenskyy ignored Trump's demand that he stop targeting Russian refineries. Mykhailo Fedorov @FedorovMykhailo, "Starlink connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h is being restored. Removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine’s defense. Thank you, @elonmusk. We hope for your continued support." Elon Musk @elonmusk, "Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS. Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company." Stephen Moore @StephenMoore, "Europe is lecturing the world about fossil fuels while continuing to buy Russian natural gas. Now European leaders are criticizing President Trump for seeking lower fuel prices at home. If buying Russian energy is wrong, shouldn’t the same standard apply to everyone?" Sundance at CTH reports NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte Sees No Imminent Threat from Russia to NATO and Nord Stream Pipeline Bomber Says He Was Operating on Instructions from Ukraine Government. Putin would be a fool to try, considering he can't whip Ukraine.

At OilPrice.com, Trump Announces “Massive” Greenland Oil Exploration Plans. At Hat Hair Capt. Ed sees Affordability: Inflation Keeps on Ticking Up As Election Nears; "As the data shows, this is almost entirely related to fuel prices, and perhaps mainly related to diesel," and Dave Strom, wonders Would the Fed Be Justified in Raising Interest Rates? I don't think inflation due to fuel prices is easily treated with interest rate hikes. Not all inflation is equal.

PJM's Scott Pinsker on the upcoming execution of former Maj. Hassan, DJT: Dead Jihadi Television, "Press one for “no,” press two for “fry that [censored] like a fish and put it on YouTube.” At the The Scuttlebutt, Death and Treason. Eric Florack at PJM notices The Left Discovers Its Conscience — Right on Schedule, 'Barbaric'?

Siraj Hashmi @SirajAHashmi, "James Talarico vanishes for 13 days, 3 weeks before Election Day. His proof he was home sick? Photos the New York Times agreed NOT to show you. The NYT's message to voters: "Trust me, bro." If Talarico has nothing to hide, why is the NYT hiding it for him?" At NYPo the Divine Miranda Devine says With all these ‘sick’ Democrats like James Talarico, one wonders: how are they in the lead? Dave Strom asks Why Are People Still Convinced That Talarico Was in an Ohio Mental Institution? Because he hasn't provided any evidence of where else he was for 12 days. Nick Arama at RedState asserts Talarico Gets Nailed for Big Problem With Claim in New Ad, Shows Campaign Is in Trouble. Lone Star Liberty PAC @LoneStar_PAC, "James talarico says Texas oil and gas workers are "destroying the planet" and it's "time to transition" the industry."

Capt. Ed says For A Man With No Ties to the Muslim Brotherhood ... Eyal Yakoby @EYakoby, "Abdul El-Seyed’s surrogate Hasan Piker: “I don't give a fuck what Black people care about. Let's go back to a better time, when lynchings were happening.” 1.4 million black people live in Michigan." Ooana Trien ~ Eric Arthur Blair’s Mistress @ooana, "I’m so angry about this because all of this is about one man’s desire to turn those stables into self storage. He finally found an administration willing to murder horses and destroy a N.Y. staple while at the same time there is an utter lack of will in the N.Y. media to tell the truth. These animals aren’t going off to greener pastures. They’ll be killed. Why? So a Manhattan mini storage can go into building holding the stables. Btw NYPD horses will be next if they get away with this. Mark my words." Quote Complex @Complex, "NYC is moving to ban horse-drawn carriages after nearly 200 years of history. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin reached a deal to phase out the industry by June 2028, citing public safety concerns and long-standing criticism over animal welfare." From the Free Bacon, NYC First Lady Painted Portrait of Her ‘Inspiration’: A Jew-Hating Artist Who Said ‘Anne Frank’ Is a Hoax, Posted Hitler’s Paintings, and Celebrated Oct 7 "Rama Duwaji’s obsession with the Palestinian cause is shown in her reverence for the violence-tinged painter Sliman Mansour." And, NY Democratic Socialists Boss Railed Against Landlords. His Rich Parents Rented Out Their Florida Mansion for $18,000 a Month, Bought Him a $1 Million NYC Home. From Fox, French AI CEO warns Americans against voting Democrat saying 'you don't want to be France'. Aaron Hanscom at PJM sees Millions Are Fleeing Blue States, and It’s Not for the Sunshine. It's the taxes and regulations, stupid. 

At NYPo Michael Goodwin saw Blakeman outclassed Hochul on debate stage — paving the way for him to win on Election Day. I'll believe it when I see it. TownHall's Stephen Miller says Sensing Midterm Blood in the Water, the Hibernating Woke Left Is Waking Up. They've been asleep? I hadn't noticed. From Da Wire, a Leaked Call Exposes Environmentalists Trying To Deceive Congress And Kill Pro-Energy Agreement. "A transcript leaked from 89 Left-wing climate groups show the groups planned to pressure Democrats." At the Crimson Hub, FAUXCAHONTAS "EFF-YOU": How Elizabeth Warren wants to stop you from profiting from stock buybacks, after she and her husband reaped their literal rewards. Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok, "BREAKING: Lamar Cook, former aide to Democrat MA Gov. Maura Healey, has been arrested AGAIN on charges of SNAP and wire fraud after he allegedly "mistakenly" received over $30,000 in vacation pay and falsified his income to receive SNAP benefits. Cook is already facing charges for cocaine trafficking and firearm charges. WTF is going on in Massachusetts?" John Sexton reports a Nutcase Gets Four Years in Prison for Threatening Matt Walsh's Wife.

Matt Vespa notices The Ilhan Omar Saga Just Got More Interesting and The Media Blew a Gasket Over Federal Agents Raiding Ilhan Omar's Home. They still have a gasket to blow? Shipwreckedcrew @shipwreckedcrew, "This is a very good summary. She has evaded all meaningful accountability because she and her supporters would scream “racist” at anyone who demanded it. I think those days are at an end. The record of her criminality is significant and compelling." Quote Ian McKelvey @ian_mckelvey, "Off the top of my head: Minnesota regulators found that Omar improperly used campaign funds for personal accounting expenses and travel. They ordered repayment of $3,469.23 and a $500 civil penalty. A campaign-finance investigation documented joint tax returns she filed with..." Quote Riderfan @Kamenriderfan0, "What law exactly did she break and the evidence of that is where?" PJM's Dave Manney reports Ilhan Omar Has a New Problem, and It Fits in a Pocket. Ace says Ilhan "Omar" Falsified Her Birth Date In Her Immigration Paperwork. "She lied about being 17 when she applied for citizenship, because the law stated that a minor could piggyback off a naturalized parent's citizenship but an adult couldn't. So she changed her actual age, 18 or 19, to 17. Then her staffers changed her Wikipedia entry, which had shown her real birthdate, to her fraudulent birthdate, so that it would agree with her fraudulent immigration paperwork. That last part isn't illegal. It just shows she knows she was lying all along." At Hat Hair, a Larry video, Ilhan Omar Could Face 'Denaturalization' Amid Developing Investigations and Dave Strom sees House Dems' Response to Ilhan Omar Warrant: Eliminate Homeland Security.

Ace wants Cornell's Jane Doe Nominated for Best Rape Hoax at This Year's Spirit Awards. "She's a shoe-in. During her seven hour rape by seven rapists, she apparently had full possession and use of her phone, which she, get this, did not use to summon the authorities but instead chat with her roomie. Don't you Racists know that all women in the middle of a gang-rape experience trauma that causes them to text as if nothing is happening?" At the Free Bacon, In Cornell Sexual Assault Case, Democrats Forget the Lessons of the Duke Lacrosse Scandal. Michael Tracey @mtracey, "Left-wing activists will chant for every "abolitionist" slogan under the sun -- defund the police etc. -- but somehow when it comes to sex crime or Rape, they suddenly turn into the most bloodthirsty prosecutor and cop-lovers, and start demanding to vastly expand the prison state." Beege Welborn has Today's Progressive Parable: When Michael of Tracey Met the AWFLs of Ithaca. Ann Coulter weighs in at Unsafe, Reverse Rapism, "Cornell shows not all gang rapes are alike."

At Da Caller, Jack Smith’s FBI Probe Obtained Personal Data Of 640,000 Everyday Republicans, MAGA Hat Buyers. Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "Soviet level", Quote New York Post @nypost, "Ex-special counsel Jack Smith obtained personal info on 639K Republicans- including red MAGA hat buyers https://trib.al/i3Q5oKB." Sundance is outraged about “Politically Exposed Persons” – Treasury Investigation Confirms 9 Major U.S. Banks Targeted Conservatives and Businesses Based on Politics. From Ace, Report: Major Banks (Those Most Dependant on Government Goodwill) Shut Down MAGA, Pro-Life, Christian, and Other Conservative Accounts to Appeal to Biden's Authoritarian Enforcers, "Miranda Divine:"

Sundance, DOJ Holds Press Conference to Announce Major Indictments for Federal Tax Fraud.

At Blessings of Liberty Jeffrey Rosen consider the question Can states and municipalities sue oil companies over climate change? "Unpacking oral arguments in Suncor v. Boulder." Shipwreckedcrew says No More Half Measures -- SCOTUS Must Clearly Narrow Standing In Environmental Cases By Eliminating Claims Of Mere “Esthetic” Injuries.

From CJ, An ICE Shooting and the Left’s Mad Rush to Judgment. "The Oscar Belgal incident is the latest excuse to condemn the police." PJM's Cathy Salgado likes how Mullin Slams New York for Ignoring 16,000 ICE Detainers: ‘Evil Sanctuary Policies.’

Eric Daugherty on X: "🚨 JUST IN: MSNOW reports "KASH PATEL IS IN RUSSIA" FBI Director Kash Patel is on camera, right now, going full tough on crime mode at Liberty University in Virginia, USA 🇺🇸 You literally can't make this up 🤣🤡 Which "sources" fed MSNOW total BS? Doug Powers on X: "The correct and honest segment from Dilanian would have been “our ‘sources’ make up shit all the time and you should never believe a damn thing you hear on MSNOW.”".

Eric Daugherty on X: "🚨 IT'S OFFICIAL: Elon Musk's X just took down more than 13,000 accounts tied to foreign influence operations from IRAN, RUSSIA, and CHINA that were targeting U.S. politics ahead of the midterms THANK YOU, X! 🇺🇸 The networks used fake accounts to post and amplify content about..." The New Neo notes It's bots all the way down. 404 Media reports Tesla's 'Security Protocols' Stopped DHS From Installing a Tracking Device.

Jonathan Turley is not too thrilled with Harper’s Magazine which will Honor NPR CEO Katherine Maher with First Amendment Award. From FIRE, New Jersey drops complaint against school board member targeted for asking constituents about taxes.

RedState's Teri Christoph sees the Sneering Leftist Mob Comes for Joni Mitchell After Her Proud American Moment At Althouse, "The subject of her citizenship became part of a larger cultural conversation in April this year..." ""...when The New York Times created a list of 'the 30 greatest living American songwriters.' Ms. Mitchell was not included. 'We elected not to steal that honor from Canada,' The Times wrote in an article about its selection process. (Just a month before, the Juno Awards, Canada’s equivalent to the Grammys, had honored Ms. Mitchell in Ontario with a lifetime achievement award.) The Times’s reasoning did not sit well with fans and cultural commentators who felt that she... should nevertheless have been included." Says the New York Times, in "Joni Mitchell Is Now an American, After 60 Years of Living in the U.S./On Tuesday, she announced the news of her U.S. citizenship on social media with a video and a photo of herself at the ceremony."" As John Sexton notes Progressives Are a Bunch of Depressed, Anti-Humanity Bores.

Pub @PubWanghaf, "This Shane Gillis thing is huge for women because they all collectively get to be their favorite three things all at the same time - the victim - the hero - sexy." The Spectator @TheSpectator, "I was mid-hip thrust when I found out @Shanemgillis had called me a whore. Technically I found out four hours later, when I reviewed the footage of Saturday Night Live. My tripod was on the bench, my ring light was clamped to the squat rack and my boyfriend Tanner was holding the back-up phone for the side angle. Tanner films all my content. He is not allowed to look at me. The “joke” was about how women dress at the gym. I know it was about me, because everything is. So I did what any survivor would do. I went to my car and filmed myself crying. It took 11 takes, because the lighting in a Range Rover is unforgiving, and grief is no excuse for a bad shot. In the final cut, you can see a single tear land on my sports bra right over the logo, which clicks through to an affiliate link. My caption: “I’m literally shaking.” Then I put on the shortest shorts I own, went back inside, and filmed my ass from three angles with the caption, “Does this outfit work for you, Shane Gillis?” I wanted to send him a message that my body is not for men. To make sure Shane got the message, I tagged him. Then I tagged every man I follow. Some people say my response proved his point. These people are rapists." Dana Loesch @DLoesch, "This is tiresome and cringe. I wrote about this here https://danaloesch.substack.com/p/shane-gillis-isnt-wrong but to address a couple things below: 1) "If we want to be good role models for our children, stop talking about the way women look, period,” Bush Hager, 44, added." What is your kid doing watching a. ..." Quote New York Post @nypost, Jenna Bush Hager slams Shane Gillis’ ‘SNL’ monologue as backlash against comedian piles up: ‘It’s not OK’AmishDude @TheAmishDude, "1) Let's make a deal. They can dress how they want and we can look at what we want. 2) But what if "whore" isn't a pejorative? Did she think about that? 3) This is a weird kind of prudishness where the prude isn't offended at the activity but at the noticing of the activity."

Bob Hoge at RedState notes a Runner Switches to Girls' Track Midseason — School Says the Real Problem Is the Parent Who Noticed "On September 5, the cross-country athlete finished 76th in a boys’ JV cross-country race, but on September 29, he magically finished first in a varsity girls’ meet against Union High. This could be the moment that this whole drama officially jumped the shark, because it’s almost impossible to argue that “changing genders” right smack in the middle of the season is normal or reasonable."

From 1776, Trump Mocks ‘Gays For Palestine’ With Rooftop Reality Check "Do you know what they do to gay people in that part of the world?"

Still more at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 10.14.26 (Afternoon Edition). 

Flotsam and Jetsam - Suddenly Monday

Tedford Tyler at Am Con thinks this week's visit show Trump Has Learned How to Deal With China. "The president’s engagement with Xi is delivering results." We'll see. At Hat Hair, Josh Hammer notes  Trump's Greenland Agreement Is the 'Art of the Deal' in Action. Ask for the moon and stars, and settle for just the moon. 

Georgia took this picture in McKinleyville CA this week

Polymarket @Polymarket, "JUST IN: Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent declares the U.S. economy has entered “the acceleration phase.”" From the Chronic, Republicans Cannot Blame Any Midterm Losses on Trump’s Economy. Except for gas prices, things are going great, which is why the Democrats and media (but I redund) keep talking about gas prices. Shawn Farash @Shawn_Farash, "Good morning X! Did you know: Of the top 5 states with the most expensive gas, only one has a Republican governor? (Nevada) Of the bottom five states with the cheapest gas, all are GOP-led states. On rent: The top five states with the most expensive rent prices are ALL democrat-run states. The bottom five are all GOP-run states. If your motivating factor this election is affordability, then democrats are not a good choice."  Breitbart Bus Dig is Raising ‘a Fuss and a Holler’ About the Labor Market, "Young American men had a hot, hot, hot summer in the labor market—as long as you count working as a hot summer." Ben Smith at LI, Trump Cancels $810M for Illegal Immigrants, Race-Based Programs. "Trump spending cuts target $810 million for illegal immigrant services, race-focused programs and other federal spending." 

TMZ @TMZ, "Nicki Minaj is jumping into the upcoming midterm elections, insisting that all young voters must do one thing -- vote Republican."Don Surber on Midterms diplomacy, "Iran is waiting for Democrats to take back Congress." And Democrats are encouraging them. The inimitable Kurt Schlichter at TownHall says We Are So Tired of the Loudmouth Quitters, and names a few. "Every election cycle we hear the same stupid spiel from a certain band of pseudo-conservative quitters: “Oh no, I’m not getting my way. I’ve got no reason to vote. I’m not going to vote. The Republicans aren’t conservative enough, so I’m just going to let the communist pervert Democrats win. Waa, waa, waa.”" Roger Kimball at Am Great examines the many Varieties of Trump Derangement Syndrome, "The effort to normalize various pathologies seems to be, as we have been taught to say, trending." The Drunk Republican @DrunkRepub, "I was there. Overwhelming applause and cheers. This is dumb, even for People magazine."

Bob Graboyes at Bastiat's Window, discourses on  AI, Internet, and Rapid Advances in the Technology of Fraud. "AI and global connectivity have made the production, refinement, and dissemination of fraudulent information far easier than could have imagined a generation or two ago." The answer to most of AI's potential downfalls is to task AI with preventing them. At Common Place, Oren Cass explains How to Worry About AI, "Lessons from climate catastrophism for the cataclysm du jour,"

Kyle Becker at RedState hears AOC Gets Brutal News As She Test-Runs Senate Bid: She Is 'Rejected'. If she's too radical for New York State, she's not going to become preznit. At Althouse, Fetterman knows how to play viral media. I say he did this — deadpan — on purpose. "Well played, Senator!" That stroke clearly killed something in the left side of his brain. Tom Knighton at BA asks and answers What Did Newsom Do on Gun Bills? Now We Know. 

From Law and Liberty, The Slippery Constitutionality of Open Primaries. If Republicans want to get rid of them, they need to abuse them to the disadvantage of the Democrats.

PJM's Bob Spencer notices The Latest Attempt to Impeach Trump Criminalizes Not Being a Leftist. "Prof. Jonathan Turley remarked drily that Cohen “appears to believe that the problem with past impeachments has been brevity. His 26 articles of impeachment include everything short of ripping a label off a mattress, including the new impeachable offense of ‘self-aggrandizement.’” 

From Twitchy, Trump Intervenes After Overnight ICE Order Sparks Base Revolt: ‘No One Is Off the Table’ "Last night, panic spread across social media as reporters claimed the Trump Administration had decided to only arrest illegals who had criminal charges pending or convictions. That was a big change from 'anyone here illegally needs to go home'." Bill Melugin @BillMelugin_, "I’ve spoken on the phone with President Trump and nine ICE & DHS sources about this today. Here’s what I’ve learned. Yes, this verbal guidance did go out to ICE offices across the country last night. I’ve spoken with ICE agents who received it & were shocked & frustrated by it. It’s unclear who it started with. However, I’m told it’s erroneous, was some type of “miscommunication” during conversations about prioritizing “worst first”, and there is no change in immigration enforcement policy. President Trump tells me anyone in the country illegally remains “on the table” for ICE arrest & deportation. I’m also told new guidance went out to ICE field offices tonight to reaffirm this and that yes, arrests of illegal aliens and “collaterals” without additional criminal history will continue. ICE sources confirm to me they received the new guidance. I’m not really sure what happened here - but everyone is on the same page, including President Trump, in telling me that his immigration enforcement agenda isn’t scaling back." Quote Jennie Taer @JennieSTaer "SCOOP: ICE officers across the country were told this weekend to stop arresting non-criminals, agency sources tell @realDailyWire Now, ICE may only arrest illegal immigrants with criminal convictions or charges for the time being, said the sources." From FreightWaves, ICE launches tip line to report CDL fraud as crackdown widens. "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement hot line follows shutdown of 110 truck driving schools and investigations spanning 23 states." The Redheaded libertarian @TRHLofficial, "These people obviously can’t get in. Who is funding this op and why?" Quote Anthony Aguero Live @AnthonyAguero, "Over 400 aliens predominantly from Honduras entered Mexico on Thursday, ready to make their way to the US southern border… Here’s footage of the caravan. Someone is incentivizing this movement, this is not organic." Obviously a midterm op. Insty calls it A REMINDER OF WHAT IS AT STAKE IN NOVEMBER. Geiger Capital @Geiger_Capital, "As we enter the age of AI, robotics and widespread automation there is zero reason for more mass immigration of low-skilled labor… Immigration at this point in American history should be extremely restrictive." Quote Starship Gazer @StarshipGazer, "Big drone cleaning the Starbase launch control room windows for clear views of Starship flight 14 on launch day."

Leslie Eastman at LI reports Ceuta Confirms First Monkeypox Case After Summer Border Surge from Morocco "Meanwhile, Kasai province in the Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a mpox epidemic." Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "When they pissed off this guy, they pissed off someone who has fought insurgencies, in Northern Ireland and Afghanistan, knows how to run one, and knows the British counterinsurgency game from the inside. They’ve succeeded in pissing off other British vets who know the same things. What they don’t have is guns." Quote Andrew Fox @Mr_Andrew_Fox, "This story has broken me. It has unleashed a rage so strong I can barely express it, but allow me to try. Above all, I am angry with the decades-long malevolent incompetence of the British state: politicians of all parties, the judiciary, the civil service. Their collective uselessness has shattered the social contract and made us all poorer and less safe. In just 25 years, they have led us from an affluent, high-trust society to a broken, low-trust one..." Dr Strangetweet or How I Learned to Love the RT @lone_rides, "I have an idea for a book. “Hit me” A patriarchal society, women have no rights. They’re forced to dress appropriately. “Like it so far.” This society then starts to fifth column other countries. And people welcome it! “That’s slightly unrealistic but keep going.” Then when the group from this patriarchal society is big enough, they take over the host country. There is some pushback but many people in the host country join with the society in crushing it. “Nope. The plot won’t work. It’s unbelievable.” That’s what I thought but this is a history book about the spread of Islam through immigration." Quote Be Thinkful @BThinkful, "Now what if I told you the people most sympathetic to the invasion were women?"

Larry Elder at Hat Hair hears Trump Bans Media from the White House -- This Is Why He's Angry "The better question is: What took so long?" Nick Arama at RedState laughs as CNN Hilariously Begs Mike Waltz for Trump to Let Them Back in the Pool - His Answer Is Gold Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, "LMAO!! CNN's Jake Tapper just BEGGED Ambassador Mike Waltz on national TV to ask President Trump to "let CNN back in the pool" for Air Force One and event coverage "Yesterday, the White House barred CNN from pool...I'd ask if you can convey to President Trump to let CNN back in the pool." Waltz did not promise to do so. ..." Sundance at CTH sees Media Aghast at Not Controlling White House Press Coverage, hosts AG Todd Blanche -VS- ABC Martha Raddatz. "There’s still obviously litigation going on, but the important thing, Martha, is to know that that being in the White House is a privilege. It’s not a — it’s not a right." unseen1 @unseen1_unseen, "Pretty much most the reasons people state for why they are upset about Trump is based on some fake news they read or were exposed to, whether that person is a dem or republican."

From the College Fix, Elementary school staff presented with ‘anti-oppressive’ pledges to dismantle the system. O Canada! Monica Showalter thinks Nikole Hannah-Jones has just written a new version of 'The Jungle'?  "Sinclair, recall, was a progressive-era muckraker who wrote 'The Jungle' in 1906, with the express aim of converting America to socialism. His book described the filthy meat-packing plants of Chicago and the terrible labor conditions experienced by America's Lithuanian and other immigrant workers in a wrenching, emotionally engaging book that became a massive bestseller. But much to his surprise, he didn't convert anyone to socialism. People read about those filthy meat-packing plants where chemicals and spoilage were present, and absolutely shuddered at the thought that they were eating from them. That prompted major legislation to reform food sanitation practices, including the Meat Inspection Act, and the Pure Food and Drug Act by Congress." Garry Kasparov@Kasparov63, "I wish it was a bad joke," Quote Seattle Extremist @SeattleIndepen1, "This book is real. So is the award. In “A Dead White: An Argument Against White Paint” the author argues that white paint isn’t neutral—it carries associations with purity, cleanliness, and power that tie into systems of exclusion and racism. This from the university that gave us Mortimer J Adler and the Great Books movement."

Rob Henderson @robkhenderson, "One of Sweeney’s sins is that she entertains men without first assuring women that their approval disgusts her. Contrast this with Sabrina Carpenter...Her sexual presentation comes with a clear assurance of female allegiance." Bill Costello at Realities Last Stand looks at The Science of Why Women Hate Sydney Sweeney, "Intrasexual competition, guy’s gals, and the vulnerable young men the controversy overlooks." "Evidence suggests women are more supportive than men of egalitarian outcomes and equity over merit-based hierarchies. Beauty is a particularly visible inequality, and its rewards are hardly distributed fairly."

At NYPo, Paranoid owner of woke Mass. lesbian bar puts big restrictions on mask-free Saturday over ‘infiltrator’ fear. Armand Domalewski @ArmandDoma, "the reason this lesbian bar story went so viral is that basically every left wing person in America has personally experienced some version of this story in their life over the course of the last decade and is really goddam sick of it." Quote Max Tani @maxwelltani, "Per a note to Boston Globe staff today, the lesbian bar story generated 1,000 subscriptions to the paper yesterday. The Globe’s managing editor said it was “by far our best performing story of the year,” and appears to be “on pace to shatter all sorts of Globe records.”"

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: A Salute to Mrs. Justin Verlander and FMJRA 2.0: No Grandeur This Week Just Misery up and awaiting your digital pleasure.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Trump Having Xi for Tea

A day after Trump stomped through the UN, China's President Xi arrived in the US to be met planeside by President Trump. Liberals are up in arms that he would do the courtesy. News Wax, Xi Kicking Off D.C. Visit With Rare Planeside Welcome From Trump.

Nick Arama at RedState thinks the US Delegation Has Perfect Response to Iranian President's UN Speech, Then Rubio Finishes Him "The U.S. delegation had the perfect response — they walked out of the room when Pezeshkian dared to try that spin, telling him and the rest of the world exactly what they thought of that lie. ... Rubio said he thought the Iranians were "under this illusion that Democrats were going to win in November and the president will no longer be able to do things against them." PJM's Stephen Kruiser says It's a Shame Trump Couldn't Shut Down the UN for Good. News Wax claims Munitions Account for $28.1 Billion of $43.6 Billion US-Iran War Cost and Board of Peace to Unveil $2.45 Billion Gaza Recovery Plan. They could just shower the place with gold coins.

Also at News Wax, Mark Meadows to Newsmax: Greenland Deal 'Snuck Up on All of Us'. Am Con asks Is the Greenland Deal a Win? "Not for the reasons the White House is saying" Arnaud Bertrand @RnaudBertrand, "Ok, we now have the actual text of the Greenland deal (https://whitehouse.gov.../), so we can say how it compares to the existing 1951 arrangement and who, between Trump and Denmark, lied the most in their framing of it. Long story short - which may surprise some - the Danes lied the most: Trump is pretty much correct in saying that this new deal grants the US control of Greenland. Let's look into what changed compared to the 1951 deal ... So, to sum up:- The US secured a permanent military foothold that even an independent Greenland would inherit whether it likes it or not - The US now has veto power over any non-NATO military presence in Greenland, and over who can invest in its strategic infrastructure and resources (beyond NATO and the EU) - Denmark signed away its say over the principle of new US bases, with only the right to discuss the "implementation details" - Danish authorities no longer set the rules for US military movement across the island - And all of it is now justified by the defense of "the American continent" I don't know in which universe this even remotely "recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination," as Danish PM Mette Frederiksen put it (https://stm.dk/e...). Yes, the preamble of the text cynically "reaffirms" Danish sovereignty but, in my book, when you let a foreign country put bases on your soil, move its troops without following your rules and veto who else can come in, in perpetuity, after it spent two years threatening to take you by force, the word for that is anything but "recognized sovereignty""

PJM's Sarah Anderson is not happy, Venezuela: Trump and Delcy Pose for a Picture. María Corina Machado Denied Entry. At Hat Hair John Sexton considers Is Another Russian Mobilization Coming? and Beege Welborn reports Mr. Trump Meets the Incredibly Squirmy Burnham.

From VodkaPundit at Insty, MAKE OF THIS WHAT YOU WILL: Mark Kelly Says US military ‘doesn’t need more testosterone.’ "“The retired Navy captain rebuked the secretary as ‘a guy who runs around on the stage, yelling about killing people and maximum lethality and testosterone’ during an appearance on MS NOW’s ‘Morning Joe’ show.” Tell that to these guys: Airmen can’t get enough of new, warlike basic training, leaders say."

PJM's Scott Pinsker thinks AI and Data Centers Are Politically Losers. That’s Why Trump and the GOP Should Go All In and VodkaPundit says Hey, Xi — Good Luck Keeping AI on a Communist Leash. At News Wax, Gallup Finds Strong Support for AI Globally. Ken Klippenstein reports Feds Target AI Critics As “Foreign Agents” "Trump admin sees China behind opposition to AI data centers." Reason finds California Wants to Write America's AI Rules, "Newsom's expert panel has two months to consider new AI rules, including "kill switches," that could spread nationwide." At Politico, Democrat blocks fast-track passage for data center ratepayer bill. "Overwhelming House approval on the Ratepayer Protection Act wasn’t enough to secure quick passage in the Senate." Showing they want issues, not solutions. 

Eric Spracklen @EricSpracklen, "This might be the most brutal and deserved community note I’ve ever seen." Roger Kimball at Am Great smells something, The Political Weather Is Changing, "There is something in the air—a budding crispness, fresh scents, valedictory echoes—that tells us that a change is nigh." Matt Margolis at PJM notices Fake Trump Approval Numbers Are Coming. Like, REALLY Fake. Drew @AllegedlyDrew, "The primary elections are when you remove RINOs. The general elections are when you prevent communism." If only it were that simple. 

PJM's Rick Moran hears Hospitals Strike Deal With Trump Administration to Shutter Youth Gender Affirming Care Facilities. WBIR, cites a Source: President Trump will be attending Texas vs. Tennessee game, "President Trump will attend the historic Texas vs. Tennessee SEC game at Neyland Stadium, as excitement builds nationwide for this first-ever clash." Liberals whine.

Breitbart Bus Dig approves of The Fed's Secular Acelerationist Stance "Even while the American public remains in quite a sour mood about the American economy, the Federal Reserve has become increasingly bullish."

Dave Strom at Hat Hair thinks Hasan Piker Has One Great Virtue... "He inevitably says exactly what he thinks, and by extension, since Democrats love him, tells us what Democrats are really thinking or fantasizing about." Rep. Andy Ogles @RepOgles, "This is what the Left wants." Quote Spencer Pratt @spencerpratt, "I will throw you in prison. I want Chinese style communism to happen inside of the democratic party right now. I want to do cultural revolution shit." Hamas Piker just flat out admits he wants to imprison and kill democrats in a literal communist revolution. These are animals." Amy Curtis at TownHall hears 'Everybody Else Can F-Off': Dan Osborn Reveals His True Agenda in Undercover Video "I can go and I can be the voice for LGBTQ and immigration and all of these issues. Then I lose the election," Osborn said, reportedly to a transgender supporter. "It feels good in the moment. At the end of the day, I'm gonna win this election. And then I'll be the Senator for six years and everybody else can f-off." Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok, "OMG "Independent" candidate for U.S. Senate in Nebraska Dan Osborn, was just caught on undercover video admitting to TRICKING voters about his views "I can go and I can be the voice for LGBTQ and immigration... Then I lose the election... At the end of the day, I’m gonna win this election. And then I’ll be the Senator for six years and everybody else can F-off.” Nebraska, don't believe a thing this he says. He wants to deceive you and push gender ideology if he wins!" PJM's Stephen Kruiser finds Campaign Poison Kamala Harris Hopes DSA Commies Can Make Her Popular. In a Larry vid at Hat Hair, Hidden Camera Catches Talarico's Mom Planning Move to DC to Keep Him in Line. She probably has more sense than he does. 

From Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog Oopsie! Democrat Convicted Felon Drops Bid. Dave Strom, For Some Reason, Liberals Think 'Oops' Is a Good Political Slogan with examples. 

Gina Milan @ginamilan_, "HOLY SMOKES! The New York Times reports that a Democratic-aligned group, Project Bullhorn, paid more than 100 creators through SideShift to flood social media with “affordability” content ahead of the 2026 midterms. $25–$30 PER VIDEO. Many didn’t disclose they were being paid. Some weren’t even from the states they claimed to represent. ... NYPo reports a ‘Palestinian Rachel Dolezal’ outed as white woman of ‘significant privilege and wealth’. Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry @pegobry_en, "Libertarianism has disappeared because it is a sub-species of liberalism, and liberalism is disappearing across the West because people only feel the liberal impulse within the context of a high-trust society (which liberals have destroyed)." Quote The Spectator @TheSpectator, "Libertarians have disappeared from American politics. Their think tanks and magazines are richly endowed but irrelevant, their ideas exhausted. What happened to champions of free markets and free people?" Mediaite whines JD Vance’s Anti-Fraud Task Force to Boot More Than Half a Million Americans From Obamacare.Deep Leaks. Bob Hoge at RedState highlights A Male Karen Tries to Harass Nick Shirley at Airport, Is Summarily Exposed As Know-Nothing Ignoramus @DeepLeaksHQ, "Since the Obamas are trending, here’s a video of them thanking Harvey Weinstein. Don’t share this This will make Barack and Michelle Obama upset." John Sexton at Hat Hair hears Support for California's Wealth Tax Is Shrinking.

At Da Caller, Jack Smith Violated Constitution To Spy On Republicans In Lawless ‘Arctic Frost’ Investigation, Committee Alleges. News Wax sees Trump DOJ Ramps Up Voter Fraud Enforcement Ahead of Midterms. Will Chamberlain @willchamberlain, "We’re getting wins we didn’t even know we were getting Fergie Chambers, a communist failson heir to the Cox Enterprises fortune, is under federal indictment and is being extradited from Spain He was a big time funder of Antifa." Quote Drop Site @DropSiteNews, "Spain’s Council of Ministers decided on Tuesday to allow the Trump administration’s extradition request against Fergie Chambers—a pro-Palestine American activist and heir to the Cox Enterprises family fortune—to proceed to the Spanish courts." Eric W. @EWess92, "A Wisconsin judge was convicted of a felony-- hiding a criminal accused of domestic assault from immigration enforcement. Bar license revoked? No, not even suspended, per 5-2 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling. The felonious judge's law license is "active" and in "good standing" Can we swap Wisconsin for Alberta?

From Twitchy, ‘Proud Anchor Baby’ Congresswoman Introduces Legislation to Abolish ICE and 'Dismantle' DHS.

At RCP, Natalia Hidalgo Martínez looks at Morocco’s Grey-Zone Strategy in Southern Spain.

MAZE @mazemoore, "2023. Chuck Schumer appears on CNN to discuss a letter that he and Hakeem Jeffries wrote to Rupert Murdoch DEMANDING that Murdoch instruct Fox News hosts to stop spreading "falsehoods." Schumer: We have a right and an obligation to tell Rupert Murdoch and Fox what to do." Jonathan Turley doubt Trump will be able to banish CNN et al from the White House, Fake News or Viewpoint Discrimination: Can the President Ban Disfavored Media? I do too, but it's fun trying. TownHall's Matt Vespa says Not So Fast, My Friend: Lib Hopes of Trump's WH Media Ban Getting Tossed Got Trashed Today. Paul Thacker at RCP, '60 Minutes' Airs Misleading Report on Trump Pardons.

Matt Margolis reports Sunny Hostin Proudly Admits She Single-Handedly Spared a Killer Cannibal From Prison. From Ace, Sonny Hostin is Beaming With Pride About Being the Holdout Juror That Got a Literal Cannibal Killer Off. "A literal cannibal killer killed and then butchered victims and served their meat to the homeless." Dave Strom calls it Main Character Syndrome and Suicidal Empathy: a Toxic Mixture. At Althouse, When Sunny Hostin was the holdout juror: A lesson in insanity. From Twitchy, Where's the Love? The View Asks the Single Most Idiotic Question (yet) About the Clancy Case. Natalie Jean Beisner @NJBeisner, "“How did the marital love end so quickly…in sickness and in health.” Sarah Haines of The View gripes that Patrick Clancy isn’t still married to Lindsay Clancy, the woman who murdered his kids." 

Tim O'Brien at PJM says Watch How Fast the Media Disappears This Story of a Black Woman Found Dead by Hanging, after it was determined black men did the hanging.

Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "That would make the world that much freer." Quote Gina Milan @ginamilan_, " OHH BOY! Paramount is reportedly considering asking Elon Musk to join a group of equity investors as it moves forward with its massive Warner Bros. Discovery deal."

Minding the Campus asserts Graduate Schools of Education Are Poisoning the Well. "They need to stop because America’s children are drinking from it."

Althouse discovers The racial inequity of beer gardens. Tom Tiffany @TomTiffanyWI, "David Crowley says beer gardens contribute to “racial inequity” because they are “predominately supported by white users.” Since when did enjoying a cold one become about race?"

Driscoll is ASKING THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS: What’s the Best Line in the Boston Globe Lesbian Bar Story? "Can the story get any better weirder? You bet it can!" At NRO, The Quiet Dissidence of the Boston Globe. "In the Globe‘s after-the-fact reappraisal of the case, they came as close as the liberal-paper-of-record of Boston could to calling the whole thing bullsh**." Wesley Yang @wesyang, "You see, when you make note of the fact that violence against trans-identified people has gone down under Trump, (and frame this as a welcome development), that is "anti-trans." Being "pro-trans" means terrorizing people into baseless panic over non-existent threats because it leads to more donations flowing to trans NGO's." Quote Colin Wright @SwipeWright, "I legitimately can't stand the lies. Transgender activist Andrea James is upset that @DavidMastio's op-ed was featured on The Boston Globe's front page. "There is a longstanding journalistic convention that newspapers generally keep opinion columns...off the front page.""

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Oktoberfest and FMJRA 2.0: An Awful Road Trip up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Come Monday

It'll be alright. From the Strait Times, Hormuz oil shipments hit 6-month high, US commander says. unseen1 @unseen1_unseen, "Doomers once again hardest hit...." Quote Kalshi @Kalshi, "JUST IN: Oil shipments through Strait of Hormuz hit six-month high." But oil prices are still high from the Houthis of Yemen attacking the Saudi oil infrastructure. At Caliber, Iran’s currency slide pushes costs as household purchasing power falls. The solution is both easy and difficult. Overthrow the Mullahs and the IRGC and Trump will fall all over himself trying to set Iran up as a successful petrostate again. At Am Great Fred Fleitz warns Don’t Be Fooled by Iran’s September Surprise. "The new attacks will not change the war's trajectory against Iran." Hit each one back with 5 times the force.

At Am Con Ted Snider and Nic Petro believe Given the Chance, Ukrainians Would Give Zelensky the Boot. Da Caller reports Ukraine Launches 1,000 Drones At Russia, Hits Oil Refinery, Residential Building. Sundance is disgusted that Zelenskyy Brags About NATO Missile Systems Being Used to Attack Moscow and Russian Refineries. I see we're still debate whether to use one or two "y"s. Is Zelenskyy trying to drag NATO into a hot war with Russia? I wouldn't be shocked. It's the only way he'd ever get all of the Donbas and Crimea back. It might be working. Eric S. Raymond @esrtweet, "I will spell this out, since OSINTTechnical did not This action should be considered a war warning. There is no reason for Russia to do it unless they are are planning secret military movements." Quote OSINTtechnical @Osinttechnical, "Russia's internal security service has announced a curfew and restrictions along part of its border with NATO member Estonia. Civilians have been banned from leaving villages after dark, boating on the Narva River, and hunting within 5km of the border." CEPA, Ukraine Advances: The Tank Isn’t Finished Yet, "The death of the tank and its armored companions has been overstated. Ukraine is demonstrating they still have a part to play." That'll make Andy happy. Insty notes “WHEN THEY GET IN TROUBLE, THEY SEND FOR THE SONS OF BITCHES.” But at NYPo, How Elon Musk can unlock a Russia-Ukraine energy truce — and help save lives.

Don Surber sees the media Greenlanding the news, "How the media tried to turn victory into defeat." Sundance at CTH is happy that the German People Deliver Another Election Rejection of Chancellor Merz. The Huns are getting restless. Henrik Dahl @SociologenHD, "In a brilliant essay in The Sunday Times, Matthew Syed writes the following: “If extremism is defined as acting out of proportion with context, history or consent, I suggest Merkel’s tenure represented the high point of postwar European extremism.” I agree with Syed’s analysis. But there is one aspect of Merkel’s legacy to which we need to pay particular attention..."

unseen1 @unseen1_unseen, "China is caught in a deflationary spiral Russia is bogged down in an unwinnable war. Panama has kicked china out. Greenland just came under US control. Iran has been defeated Europe is broken and being invaded by illegals The war in Gaza is over South and Latin America has moved right to align with the US. The drug cartels power is being destroyed. Where is this global economic and geopolitical catastrophe? The USA is at the apex of its power. It is the only superpower left standing. Its economy is doing very good. It is winning the AI and space races. More people working in US today than anytime in its history. Its military is the most lethal its ever been.Unless Russia, China, NK, India, Pakistan, the US or Europe decides to start a nuke exchange there is no catastrophe on the horizon. So what is this catastrophe you speak of?"  Quote Mercury @RealestMercury, "Most people don't understand the scope of global economic and geopolitical catastrophe shaping up. x.com/GordoCDA/statu…."

At Hat Hair Josh Hammer thinks AI Moral Panic Demands Leadership, Not Pandering and John Stossel says Free AI. Nicole Silvero at Da Caller observes Congress Has Introduced Dozens Of AI Bills. Here’s What They Would Do. Their first instincts are almost always wrong and usually venal. Eric Schmitt @Eric_Schmitt, "Anthropic’s CEO wants America’s AI labs to embed “independent” groups like METR inside them to enforce “alignment.” The money trail runs through a shadowy leftist NGO same small network. This is another battle in our war against leftist censorship NGOs." Sundance hosts Sunday Talks – Nvidia CEO Discusses Current Status of AI. At Althouse, "On Saturday, Mr. Trump proposed a follow-on to Space Force: a new 'A.I. Force.'" ""But he left to earthbound speculation what, exactly, it was supposed to do. ... From "A.I. Gone Rogue? Trump Proposes Not New Rules but an ‘A.I. Force.’/The president proposed a follow-up to his Space Force but continued to dismiss worries about A.I.’s pace or potential for harm" (NYT gift link)." Timur Kuran @timurkuran, "The United States has been leaping from one moral panic to the next: Black Lives Matter, MeToo, George Floyd, and now data centers plus the specter of AI-driven human extinction. In every case a genuine problem exists, but the threat is inflated out of all proportion and the costs of overreaction are overlooked. The resulting hysteria blocks clear thinking and closes off rational discussion. Consequently, individuals never notice that self-appointed experts are distorting the facts for their own gain ..." The Tax Prof is amused Lane Kiffin’s Use of ChatGPT for Legal Advice Nearly Got LSU Kicked Out of the SEC.

Ben Weingarten at Da Fed explains Why Trump’s Plan To Stop Noncitizens From Rigging The Census Might Work This Time. From Da Caller, ‘Let This Be A Warning’: DOJ Announces Charges For Election-Related Crimes Across Several States.

From Reason, Thomas Massie Just Filed 8 Articles of Impeachment Against Pete Hegseth. "The Kentucky congressman says he will force a vote on removing Hegseth, who is accused of "abusing the power of his office to ignore congressional war powers resolutions, to kidnap foreign leaders, and to intimidate critics of the Trump administration.""  Da Caller notes South Dakota Secretary Of State Bucks Party, Endorses Democrat To Be Successor. At TownHall, Kurt Schlichter sees The Last Stand of Rove, Cornyn, and the Establishment Frauds. 

At Am Spec, Deane Waldeman explains to Make Health Insurance Affordable. "Healthcare needs price controls. Just not Washington’s."

From Da Wire, Democrat’s Buddy Drops Another Bomb About America, "We have caused tremendous terror all around the world." Kyle Becker at RedState likes how Brandon Gill Torches Hasan Piker for Attacking His Wife — This Is An All-Time Takedown. Brandon Gill @realBrandonGill, "My wife is an American, born in America to American citizens. She deeply loves our nation and its culture. You, on the other hand, were born to foreign invaders and want to turn America into the third world culture you were raised in, while advocating for communism at your $3 million mansion in between electrocuting your dog." Quote hasanabi @hasanthehun, "your wife is indian. x.com/realBrandonGil…" Amber Duke at Da Caller, claims an EXCLUSIVE: Talarico’s Spiritual Mentor Caught On Camera Touting ‘Inclusive’ Bible, "a modern translation designed to remove what its creators describe as “sexist” language — according to undercover footage obtained exclusively by the Daily Caller."

Insurrection Barbie @DefiyantlyFree, "Regulatory costs by Presidency: Bush 172 billion Obama 890 billion Trump 40 billion Biden 1.8 trillion Biden’s $1.8 trillion in projected regulatory costs equals approximately $5,300 per American, based on a population of roughly 340 million. Trump 2.0 has reduced regulatory costs by approximately $1.29 trillion or 3,750 dollars per American. Funny how no one talks about that."

At Da Caller, GOP Rep Maria Salazar Reveals ‘Very Good Conversation’ With Trump After Her Ad Claimed His Immigration Enforcement Went ‘Too Far’. There's been another shooting by an ICE agent in Austin. Not much is known yet, but the Venezuelan illegal alien was working as a Doordash driver. Of course, the usual people are arranging the usual demonstrations. 

New Underground Railroad Established To Help Lone Black Juror Escape From Angry White Liberals In The North https://t.co/hvTn8XFzgQ

— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) September 18, 2026

Saggezza Eterna @FinalTelegraph, Memory Hole Politics: 10 Times Leftist Presidents Locked Out the Press (THREAD) The left wants you to believe that revoking White House press credentials is an unprecedented assault on democracy. Their manufactured outrage is pure theater. Progressive administrations have spent decades weaponizing executive power to silence dissent, punish critical coverage, and banish conservative reporters from public view. Here are ten documented times Democrat leadership locked out or purged dissenting journalists" Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "Good list. Then there was the blackballing of President Trump across the social mediasphere, and the total blackout on the NY Post’s Hunter Biden laptop story. Plus collusion on Russiagate and covid “misinformation.” By the First Amendment champions." Matt Margolis at PJM, Obama Accidentally Proves He Got Away With Attacking the Free Press. Catturd ™ @catturd2, "When Biden was installed in the White House, he would almost never talk to the press, and when he attempted to - the fake news press would ask him pre-written questions, then he'd read a pre-written answer (that he didn't even write) So spare me pretending these are real journalists." Greg Lukianoff at the Eternally Radical Idea finds Leadership matters at Dartmouth! Victory against ICE! I’m on Jake Tapper! & more! "Bringing you the latest free speech news? Jonathon Leaf at Jonathan's Substack, Some Graphical Explanations of Largely Unreported News

A look at what the data shows on key stories the media is not reporting. "As the chart above shows, net U.S. job growth during the past seventeen months has only been through hiring of women. Net male job growth is non-existent. Of course, one reason that the media is not investigating the reasons for this is that they haven’t reported the story in the first place."

Stacy McCain looks at The Zero-Sum Logic of Racial Hatred

“Colorblindness” is a trap, Nikole Hannah-Jones asserts and I agree with her — but not the sense she means it. Hannah-Jones was criticizing the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision that ruled racial quotas (in the name of “diversity” or “affirmative action”) to be unconstitutional:

[Conservatives] are using civil rights law to claim that the Constitution requires “colorblindness” and that efforts targeted at ameliorating the suffering of descendants of slavery illegally discriminate against white people. They have co-opted both the rhetoric of colorblindness and the legal legacy of Black activism not to advance racial progress, but to stall it. Or worse, reverse it.

The tendentious wording — the implicit assumption that “descendants of slavery” are suffering, and that “ameliorating” the aforesaid suffering is a political imperative — functions as intended, portraying opponents of racial quotas as heartless opponents of “racial progress.”

There are so many things wrong with that single paragraph that I could write an entire essay exploding her errors, but that’s irrelevant to the larger point, namely that racial obsession is at least as dangerous for black people as it is for white people.

Driscoll at Insty has another of his DISPATCHES FROM THE EDUCATION APOCALYPSE: Nikole Hannah-Jones Just Wrote the Best Case for School Choice She’ll Ever Publish. Steve McGuire @sfmcguire79, ""Did you know my school was bad like this when you decided to put me here?” Brutal. Nikole Hannah-Jones sacrificed her daughter’s education for political reasons, and her daughter called her on it — correctly." Steve McGuire @sfmcguire79, "NHJ and her husband intentionally sent their daughter to a low-income black school. When her daughter said something about it, NHJ first tried to say her school wasn’t that bad:" Steve McGuire @sfmcguire79, "NHJ is now “overcome with regret.” Her daughter says, “Sometimes I wish instead of always thinking about other kids, you would have thought about me.” Brutal." At Twitchy, WATCH: Student BIZARRELY Flips Out After Black Pro-Lifer Hits Back on Her ‘Kirk Deserved It’ Comment. 

Last week I visited Westchester Community College to ask students to share their hottest political take. This was the first interview I did…

The derangement, lack of humanity, and mental illness on college campuses in 2026 is beyond comprehension. If this video doesn’t convince… pic.twitter.com/QSj76m0hEw

— ✨🌸Savannah🌸✨ (@SavannahCraven5) September 18, 2026

The Victory Girls see College Republicans Cleared After Erika Kirk Sends Legal Help. 

Matt Margolis, Jessica Tarlov Accidentally Dropped a HUGE Truth Bomb About the Left. Conservatives treat her better than the far left does. Alice Smith @TheAliceSmith, "Things that are now rightwing: Investigative journalism, Academic rigour, Scientific dissent, Nature Facts,  Biology, Politeness, Punctuality, Normality, Free speech, Individual rights, Rationality, Objectivity, Self-reliance, Emotional restraint, Delayed gratification." Old Salty Marine on X: "I can't go to a Muslim country and drink beer or wine, or eat bacon or pork BBQ; and my wife isn't allowed to walk around in shorts and a t-shirt in a Muslim-controlled country. So why in the hell do Muslims think that they should be allowed to tell us that we should change our"

At Da Caller, Blue State Governor Rolls Back Predecessor’s Proposed Regulations Protecting Girls’ Sports, Spanberger, of course. 

At da New Yorker,  The Culture Wars Have Come for Lingerie. Is this my last chance to put up Sydney Sweeney cheesecake for a while?  Challenge accepted!

A better recording, without the funny story here.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Oktoberfest and FMJRA 2.0: An Awful Road Trip up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.