Tag: politics

Zohran Mamdani and Donald Trump Prove That There Are Two Paths Toward Socialism

About five years ago, the comedian Ryan Long posted a video in which a woke progressive and an old-fashioned racist meet and, much to their astonishment, discover that rather than being bitterly opposed, they agree on pretty much everything.

There was a strong echo of that convergence in last week’s White House tete-a-tete between Republican President Donald Trump and New York’s new socialist Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. Anticipated to be a grudge match, it instead turned into something of a lovefest. Well, of course it did. As fans of horseshoe theory accurately point out, control freaks from the political extremes might differ on details, but they have more in common with each other than they do with people who respect each other’s liberty.

Trump and Mamdani in ‘a Place of Shared Admiration and Love’

In reporting on the meeting, The Hill noted, “Trump and Mamdani answered questions from reporters, both striking a remarkably cordial tone, with the president indicating he agreed with many of the mayor-elect’s ideas.”

According to Mamdani, “It was a productive meeting focused on a place of shared admiration and love.”

Trump added that Mamdani would be “hopefully a really great mayor.” He also commented, “There’s no difference in party. There’s no difference in anything.”

So, how did two politicians who entered the meeting slinging epithets at each other like “communist” and “fascist” exit with the makings of a mutual admiration society? There’s a hint in a question a BBC reporter posed to the new mayor at the White House when he commented “you’re both populist” and asked, “to what extent the president’s campaign…inspired any part of your campaign?”

Mamdani eagerly brought up cost-of-living and economic concerns while Trump nodded and then chimed in with agreement about concerns over the price of energy.

That’s the key to this meeting of the minds. Trump and Mamdani are strongly focused on economic issues. They also share a taste for addressing those concerns with government direction.

Keep reading

Everything is Bigger in Texas – Even the Illegal Alien Developments

Colony Ridge Plays Texas-Sized Role in Primary for one of GOP’s Top Midterm Pickup Opportunities

While the old adage “everything is bigger in Texas” is typically a point of pride for Texans, in the case of Colony Ridge (believed to be the largest illegal alien settlement in the U.S.), it is a generational wound that must be tackled as aggressively as President Trump’s successful efforts to close the border that the Biden administration illegally opened.

An American Nightmare. The epicenter for masses of illegal aliens isn’t along the Texas- Mexico border, it is a sprawling 33,000-acre development just north of Houston (equivalent in size to Washington D.C.) that has grown exponentially over the last ten years by targeting illegal aliens through promises of cheap, ready to build land and financing without proof of citizenship or income.[1] These efforts have been so “successful” that Colony Ridge is now believed to be the fastest growing community in Texas[2] and the fastest growing Hispanic community in the United States[3] with a population estimated to be at ~80,000.[4]

Deportation Operations. Over 110 illegal aliens were arrested by the Trump Administration this past February in a combined operation with DPS troopers, ICE and Homeland Security Investigations.[5] ICE confirmed the charges and convictions for those arrested include criminal sexual conduct, homicide, theft, negligent manslaughter, child sexual abuse, crimes of moral turpitude, weapons offenses and drug offenses.[6] Unfortunately, these efforts are just the tip of the iceberg for an enclave that spans 60-miles and is severely under policed by any measure. The true number of illegal aliens and criminal activity remains largely unknown as there is limited to no reliable data.

Colony Ridge & the Race for TX-09.  As the midterm election season heats up, political pundits on both sides agree that the Trump Administration’s immigration mandate and mass deportation agenda will be on the ballot, not just next November but in both parties’ primary elections. Nowhere else will the issue be more prominent than in Texas’s newly redrawn ninth congressional district, which is home to Colony Ridge.

In a crowded GOP primary, candidates have attempted to stake out their claim as the best choice to work with the Trump Administration on border security issues. One candidate may have an uphill climb however. Republican State Representative Briscoe Cain took campaign cash from Colony Ridge developers not once but on two separate occasions. Cain also recently accepted a $3,500 contribution for his Congressional campaign from developer Daniel Signorelli, whose company has touted its work building homes in Colony Ridge[7]. Then, in an interview with local radio station KTRH Cain offered an awkward yet full-throated defense for selling out MAGA for a couple contributions to his reelection effort. Worse yet, Cain is even on record as calling the Colony Ridge project the “American Dream.”

The issue is proving to be a lightning rod in the contest and Cain’s opponent, combat veteran Alex Mealer, is pulling no punches. Mealer is referring to Colony Ridge as the “American Nightmare” after releasing an ad with Houston legend Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale calling Briscoe Cain “unfit to server” for his failure on the Colony Ridge issue.

Keep reading

Now We’ve Got Dem Sen. Ruben Gallego Trying to Threaten Military Members If They Investigate Mark Kelly

Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) is irate over news that his colleague, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), is the subject of a Department of War investigation for taking part in a video urging military members to defy orders from their superiors.

So much so that he’s seemingly issuing threats to anyone who takes part in that investigation.

A Department of War statement issued Monday stated Kelly had been accused of “serious allegations of misconduct” and that further actions against him are under consideration—including a potential court-martial or other “administrative measures.”

Gallego, in an interview with CNN, warned service members that once President Trump leaves office, “there will be consequences” for participating in any military proceedings related to the investigation.

“Donald Trump is going to be gone in a couple of years,” he said. “And if you’re part of the military that is going after sitting senators, sitting members of Congress, and part of the weaponization of government, there will be consequences, without a doubt.”

Gallego went even further, suggesting military members would need to look over their shoulders once the Commander-in-Chief leaves office.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of officers that’ll be part of this potential tribunal, if they want to call it that, they’re going to be looking over their shoulders,” he said. “Because they know that Donald Trump will be gone and they will not have that protection.”

Keep reading

Eric Swalwell is Constitutionally Disqualified from Running for Governor of California

This past Thursday, unshaven Congressman Eric Swalwell declared his candidacy for the governorship of California, despite being constitutionally disqualified to run. At the center of Swalwell’s disqualification is that to become California governor, the candidate’s true, primary, and permanent home must be in the state of California.

The California Constitution and the California Elections Code leave no ambiguity on this point. And yet, Swalwell’s own legally binding mortgage documents state, signed under penalty of perjury, that his home in Washington DC is his principal residence.

This means Eric Swalwell, by his own sworn declaration, is not domiciled in the state of California. And because domicile, and not mere mailing address, is the standard for gubernatorial eligibility according to California law, Swalwell is legally disqualified from becoming governor and must withdraw his announcement immediately.

California’s Constitutional Requirements and Election Law
California’s eligibility rules to become governor derive from the California Constitution, Article V, Section 2, which states a person is eligible to be Governor only if the person is “a citizen of the United States and a resident of this State for 5 years immediately preceding the Governor’s election.”

The operative word is resident. But in California law, “resident” does not simply mean where one receives mail or even owns property. It means “domicile”, one’s true, fixed, permanent home. California Elections Code §349 makes this point absolutely clear: “A domicile is the place where a person’s habitation is fixed and where they have the intention of remaining.” And, “At a given time, a person may have only one domicile.”

Keep reading

Obama schemes with rising trailblazer in stunning plot to retake the White House


Barack Obama has descended into Washington DC for a secret meeting with Democrats to plot his party’s return to power after Donald Trump leaves office.

The 44th president huddled with nearly three dozen freshman House Democrats at an event hosted by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi at a home in Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

Obama admitted that he was ‘feeling worn out’ but urged party members not to ‘succumb to cynicism — cynicism is our enemy.’

The longtime Democratic leader was also spotted conniving in the shadows with one of the most progressive freshman Democratic lawmakers at the private event.

Delaware Rep. Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender congressional lawmaker, was seen talking privately with Obama. 

McBride described the ex-president’s speech as ‘classic Barack Obama — updated for a 2025 political environment.’ 

McBride told Politico that Obama’s plan to guide Democrats out of their leaderless wilderness is not by relying on a singular political figure.

‘He recognizes that in this moment, it’s not going to be any single voice that saves us. It’s not going to be a former political leader or any single current political leader,’ the lawmaker said.

Keep reading

White House rehires hundreds of employees fired by Musk’s DOGE 

Hundreds of US federal employees dismissed during Elon Musk’s cost-cutting campaign are now being asked to return to work, the Associated Press has reported.

US President Donald Trump kicked off the waste-cutting effort a month after taking office, with the initiative being led by the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk headed the department until June, when he stepped down amid mounting tensions with the president.

The reinstatement offers affect workers who previously oversaw federal office spaces, AP reported on Tuesday.

The General Services Administration (GSA), which manages government properties and acquisitions, has given the affected employees until the end of the week to decide. According to the outlet, those who accept must report back on October 6, following what has effectively been seven months’ paid leave. During that period, the GSA in some cases incurred high costs – passed along to taxpayers – for dozens of leases it had planned to terminate or allowed to expire.

Keep reading

New Jersey Governor-Elect Mikie Sherill Threatens to Withhold Federal Taxes to Resist Trump

The incoming governor of New Jersey is threatening to withhold federal taxes from the Trump administration.

In an interview with comedian Jon Stewart, Mikie Sherill said she had thought about witholding tax dollars “all the time” and concluded that is “great idea.”

“If they’re not gonna run the programs, then what are we paying them for?” she said.

“It’s like, you know, you’re paying us for a service and they’re not delivering. So let’s stop paying for it.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom has also floated withholding tax dollars, but this turned out to be an empty threat.

“We’re assessing it, we have looked into it, and Finance is looking across the spectrum of options,” he said in an interview with Politico back in June.

“But it’s limited, because most of that distribution and transfer comes from individual taxpayers,” he continued.

Keep reading

Eric Swalwell Announces He’s Running for Governor of California

Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-14) has officially thrown his hat into the ring to replace California’s term-limited Gavin Newsom. The announcement follows rumors that circulated earlier in the week that Swalwell would join the race, although, as our own Jeff Charles reported at the time, it seemed Swalwell was merely “considering” a run for governor.

Now it’s official.

Here’s more:

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., announced on Thursday he is launching a campaign for California governor in 2026.

The congressman and longtime foe of President Donald Trump made the announcement during an appearance on the late-night show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

“He’s going to hate tonight’s episode,” Swalwell wrote on X in response to a social media post from the president criticizing Kimmel for being “biased” and having “no talent.”

The Democrat lawmaker vowed to be a “protector and fighter” if elected governor.

Swalwell told the San Francisco Chronicle ahead of his announcement that the next governor of the Golden State should have two objectives.

“”One, keep Trump out of our homes, streets and lives,” Swalwell said, befor adding his second objective is to “write the story of a new California on lower prices, on business growth and modernizing the state.”

Keep reading

The Danger in Media Telling Only Half the Story on Political Violence

In the last few months, we’ve seen numerous acts of politically motivated or targeted violence. Some of these cases have been plastered all over the news for days or weeks. Some others have been met with deafening silence. And which is which hasn’t exactly been random.

There is clear bias in the reporting of political violence and I believe this has had some serious consequences for people’s ability to trust the media and bridge a divided culture.

To understand why, we need to look at what’s actually happened recently, so while what follows is far from a complete list of all the politically-motivated violence, it encompasses many of the most recent and highest-profile examples:

What You’ve Probably Heard

  • October 2018: Trump-supporting lunatic Cesar Sayoc, Jr. attempted (but completely failed to) to deliver (non-functional) bombs to over a dozen Democratic leaders including Obama, Clinton, Maxine Waters, and Eric Holder among others. As we learn more about this story, it becomes increasingly clear that Sayoc has a long history of threats and violence going back to at least the mid-90s.
  • October 2018: Anti-semite Robert Bowers shot and killed 11 people and injured 6 others at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, and although he seems to have been anti-Trump, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has already blamed Trump for creating the environment that encouraged Bowers’ actions.
  • October 2018: Another man with a substantial history of mental illness and violence, Gregory Bush, entered a Kroger grocery store in Jefferstown, Kentucky and essentially executed a 67-year old  man named Maurice Stallard with a handgun for no apparent reason, after which he exited the store and shot and killed another woman, Vickie Lee Jones (67) before he was challenged by another shopper who drew a legally concealed weapon and shot back at him. Bush apparently attempted to enter a church nearby before he went to the Kroger, presumably with the intent to kill. Although there is currently no motive known, many people assume Bush was motivated by racism because he is white while his two victims were black and one witness recounts hearing him say “Don’t shoot me and I won’t shoot you. Whites don’t kill whites,” to the man who confronted him. 
  • October 2018: Envelopes testing positive for Ricin (an incredibly dangerous poison for which 22 micrograms/kilogram of body weight constitutes a lethal dosage) were sent to Secretary of Defense, Gen. James Mattis.
  • April 2018: Self-described “Incel” Alek Minassian drove a van into a crowd in Toronto and killed 10 people. Incels are considered “right-wing” although “Involuntary Celibacy” is mainly a reaction to feminism and has no inherent connection to right/left politics.

And of course, all this is in the context of the awful Charlottesville Riot from last year, where in…

  • August 2017: Neo-Nazi James Fields killed Heather Heyer and injured 19 others with his car at the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally after he drove through a crowd of protesters. What you probably don’t know is that his trial is set for November, and he was recently assaulted in prison.

Also, while this isn’t actually a known example of political violence, you’ll certainly recall:

  • October 2017: Stephen Paddock opens fire on a crowd of country music fans in Las Vegas from his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, killing 58 people and causing injury to 851 others either directly or via the resulting panic. This was the deadliest mass shooting in US history, and yet no motive is known, little information has been released to the public, and the press coverage died out relatively quickly.

I’m including the Las Vegas shooting in this list because it sparked another national gun control debate, this time over whether or not it should be legal to own bump stocks.

You’ll probably also have heard about a number of cases of street violence involving the “Proud Boys”, and perhaps you might have recently learned that Facebook shut down that group’s main page.

And you’ll have probably heard of various racist/anti-Semitic threats and acts of vandalism against Jewish community centers, churches, and other political targets, which are often assumed to be a product of Trump’s rhetoric.

What You Probably Haven’t Heard

  • October 2018: Ricin envelopes were not just sent to James Mattis, but also to President Trump, along with Senator Ted Cruz and Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson. The FBI arrested a suspect in Utah, William Clyde Allen, believed to have sent all the packages in a coordinated effort. Allen confessed to sending all four letters, but we also learned that—similar to the inoperable bombs allegedly sent by Cesar Sayoc, Jr.—none seemed to contain actual Ricin, but rather castor seed from which Ricin is made.
  • October 2018: In Las Vegas, a Democratic activist working for American Bridge 21st Century named Wilfred Michael Stark assaulted Kristin Davidson, campaign manager for Nevada’s Republican gubernatorial candidate, Adam Laxalt. Stark had previously been arrested for similar activity at a GOP rally in Virginia.
  • October 2018: In Minnesota, Republican state-representative Sarah Anderson was chased and punched by a man ripping up GOP campaign signs, and two days earlier, Republican candidate Shane Mekeland suffered a concussion after being punched in the back of the head while having dinner at a local restaurant.
  • October 2018: The Republican Party Headquarters in Manhattan, New York was vandalized with spray-paint, smashed windows, and a threatening note that read: “Our attack is merely a beginning. We are not passive, we are not civil, and we will not apologize.”
  • October 2018: Jackson Cosko, an intern working for Democratic Senator Sheila Jackson Lee was charged by the United States Capitol Police with “doxxing” Republican Senators Mike Lee, Orrin Hatch, and Lindsey Graham. While doxxing itself isn’t violence, it has frequently led to serious harassment and violence as people have access to personal information such as the home addresses, phone numbers, and email address of the victims.
  • October 2018: Florida man, Jame Royal Patrick, Jr., was arrested for making death threats to people who supported Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court.
  • October 2018: Shots were fired at the Republican party campaign office in Daytona Florida, breaking the windows. Fortunately, no one was in the office.
  • October 2018: A hairdresser Jordan Hunt starts an argument with a female pro-life demonstrator in Ontario, and after a few minutes of conversation roundhouse-kicks her in the face on camera.
  • September 2018: GOP campaign offices in Laramie, Wyoming, were set on fire by arsonists. The same thing happened in Hillsborough, North Carolina, back in 2016, so this is nothing especially new.
  • September 2018: In San Francisco, a man named Farzad Fazeli attempted to stab Republican campaign worker Rudy Peters with a switchblade while he was working at an election booth at a Castro Valley town festival.
  • July 2018: Martin Astrof was arrested for threatening to kill GOP campaign staffers and President Trump.
  • July 2018: Someone vandalized the Lincoln, Nebraska (my hometown) GOP headquarters by smashing its windows with a brick and spray-painting “ABOLISH ICE” on the sidewalk.
  • August 2017: Missouri lawmaker, Maria Chappelle-Nadal, said on social media that she hoped President Trump would be assassinated. She later was formally censured by the Missouri State Senate.

And of course, I’d hope you remember…

  • June 2017: In Alexandria, Virginia, James T. Hodgkinson (a Bernie Sanders fanatic angry with the results of the 2016) died with a list of Republican targets in his pocket in a shootout with police after he shot four people: lobbyist Matt Mika, legislative aid Zack Barth, Capitol Police officer Crystal Griner, and Republican Congressman Steve Scalise who nearly died. The shooting took place at a baseball diamond where several Republican Senators and Congressmen were practicing for the annual Congressional Baseball Game for Charity.

Another thing you might not realize is that many of the skirmishes involving the Proud Boys group were actually caused by Antifa and Democratic Socialists of America activists—though you’d hardly know it from the way most reporters frame these events—and Antifa social media pages have not been shut down.

Keep reading

Zohran Mamdani Has No Idea How He’s Going to Fund ‘Free’ Buses in New York City 

Zohran Mamdani, the new Democratic Socialist (communist) mayor-elect of New York City clearly has no idea how he is going to pay for all of the supposedly ‘free’ buses he has promised to voters.

He was recently pressed on this issue by a reporter, and when he could not answer the funding question, he simply said that it’s more important that they get it done, not how they fund it.

That’s not how things work in reality.

Transcript via Real Clear Politics:

MAMDANI: Well, I think the mayor will find that he’ll have a tough time trying to stymie the momentum that we have as a campaign and as a movement, because more than a million New Yorkers came out to vote for our vision of making the city more affordable. I know that’s difficult for the mayor because he ran an administration where, for four years, he made it more difficult for those New Yorkers to afford this city.

And even one of the people he floated appointing to the Rent Guidelines Board is a star of a show that I think is called Selling New York, which in some ways is a description of what Eric Adams tried to do.

MANNARINO: But if he does it, does that put a foil — or at least a pause — on freezing the rent?

MAMDANI: I think it’s an obstacle, but it’s one that I think we can overcome.

MANNARINO: And the other one — talking about fast and free buses, and your meeting with the governor. I’ve heard you say many times that you don’t want to take money away from the MTA — you want to put money back in. And it’s something she agrees with, right? “We don’t want to take away money from the MTA.”

How are you getting that $700 million to make the buses free into the MTA if she’s not for raising taxes?

MAMDANI: You know, I think the two clearest ways to raise that money is through raising the state’s corporate tax to match New Jersey. A lot of this is still a case to be made — whether it’s the corporate tax or the personal income tax on those who make more than a million dollars a year. I think these are the clearest ways.

I’ve also said that if there are other ways to raise this funding, the most important fact is that we fund it — not the question of how we do it, but that we do it.

Keep reading