Follow me on Twitter X Just in Case https://twitter.com/PatrickHumphre Texas Internal Checkpoints https://youtu.be/v7qbpLw-zGw Trains Stopped https://youtu.be/X7_9WVwoYes Thank you God &; Thank you Jesus Patrick Humphrey Prepper Emergency breaking news the Customs and Border patrol have shut down major international train imports into the country due to them being overwhelmed. Railroad border crossings in Texas have been shut down. Texas also just passed a new law to allow arrests.The supply chain is under attack and the supply chain crisis will become worse from this. The "migrant crisis" and border crisis is getting worse. Get water filtration and stock up on storable long term food. Eagle Pass Texas and El Paso Texas entry for rail cars have been closed by the DHS and border patrol. We could see shortages in texas. Shtf is here in 2023 and you should be prepared. prepare for wrol in 2023. Watch Patrick Humphrey who brings you breaking news. Become a prepper and Prepare now for an economic collapse and prepare for the supply chain crisis to get even worse. Prepare for wrol. Buy silver and buy gold so you are prepared for shtf 2023. “Stand firm‚ and you will win life.” Luke 21:19

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FOR YOUR PRECIOUS METALS NEEDS SD BULLION IS THE BEST PLACE TO SHOP IT'S WHERE I BUY. https://sdbullion.com/jbtv 🛑 PLEASE HELP TO SUPPORT MY CHANNEL. PLEASE SEND MAIL &; DONATIONS TO P.O. BOX 580937 NORTH PALM SPRINGS CA 92258-0937 🛑 PAYPAL DONATIONS: https://jeremiahbabe.com 🛑 WEBSITE: https://jeremiahbabe.com STACK CASH POWER OUTAGE‚ DON'T LEND MONEY OUT‚ SPIRITUAL WARFARE‚ CREDIT CARDS SHUTDOWN‚ FED RESCUE‚ TRUCK DRIVERS‚ RV LOTS‚ NEW HOME SALES‚ HOME SALES DECLINE‚ SHOPPING AT COSTCO‚ MYLAR BAGS‚ FOOD PRICES SOAR‚ BANKS CAN SEIZE YOUR MONEY‚ SURVIVING A DEPRESSION‚ ECONOMIC SURVIVAL‚ AMERICANS DEPEND ON CREDIT CARDS‚ CREDIT MARKETS IN DANGER‚ HOME CANCELLATIONS SURGE‚ HOME LOANS DECLINE‚ EVERYTHING BUBBLE IS CRASHING - ESCAPING CALIFORNIA‚ ECONOMIC APOCALYPSE‚ INFLATION IS GOING TO DESTROY YOUR LIFE‚ FORECLOSURES SURGE‚ MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS‚ HOME SALES FALLING‚ LAS VEGAS FORUM SHOPS‚ FOOD CRISIS‚ GET MORE FOOD NOW‚ KEEP STACKING‚ VACANT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE‚ BANKS ARE IN TROUBLE‚ STOCK MARKET CRUSHED TODAY‚ ECONOMY IS UNRAVELING‚ LIVING ON PAYDAY LOANS‚ BANKS WILL SLASH CREDIT LIMITS‚ AUTO LOAN DELINQUENCIES‚ CREDIT CARD LIMITS‚MEGA MANSIONS COLLAPSE‚ CRUSHED BY DEBT‚ STACK CASH‚ HOMEBUILDERS‚ SILVER‚ GOLD‚ ECONOMIC CRASH‚ ECONOMIC COLLAPSE‚ DOLLAR COLLAPSE‚ CURRENCY COLLAPSE‚ BANK CLOSURES‚ FEDERAL RESERVE‚ FINANCIAL CRISIS‚ HOUSING BUBBLE‚ REAL ESTATE‚ PETER SCHIFF‚ DOW JONES‚ STOCK MARKET‚ GDP‚ HOMELESS CRISIS‚ CALIFORNIA‚ LOS ANGELES‚ CHIP SHORTAGE‚ STIMULUS‚ UNEMPLOYMENT‚ CREDIT CARD DEBT‚ HOUSEHOLD DEBT‚ INFLATION‚ HYPERINFLATION‚ INTEREST RATES RISING‚ FOOD STORAGE‚ EMERGENCY FOOD‚ WALMART‚ FEEDING DOGS‚ SKID ROW‚ INVESTING‚THE DAVE RAMSEY SHOW‚ BUYING HOUSE‚ BUYING GOLD‚ BUYING SILVER‚ BITCOIN‚ RV INDUSTRY‚ CRYPTOCURRENCY‚ MONEY‚ WEALTH‚ POVERTY‚ LUMBER PRICES‚ RECESSION‚ CAR PRICES‚ AUTO SALES‚ USED CARS‚ WALL STREET‚ CNBC‚ MIDDLE CLASS‚ BITCOIN‚ SUPPLY CHAIN‚ DEFICIT‚ DISNEYLAND‚ BLACKROCK‚ BANK RUNS‚ HOME LOANS‚ ROLEX‚ GERMAN IN VENICE‚ VENICE BEACH‚ BANK SEIZURE‚ VACANT REAL ESTATE‚ COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE CRISIS‚ ATM CLOSED‚ BANK OUTAGE‚ NEIGHBORS BEGGING FOR FOOD‚ CALIFORNIA ECONOMY‚ HOME BUILDERS‚ MORTGAGE APPLICATION‚ RETAIL IS CRASHING‚ NASDAQ‚ GLOBAL ECONOMY‚ ATM RUNS OUT OF MONEY‚ BANK LIMITS‚ DEBT DEFAULT‚ PENSION CRISIS‚ OIL PRICE‚ HOME EQUITY‚ SAN BERNARDINO BANKRUPT‚ WEALTH INEQUALITY‚ RETAIL STORES CLOSING‚ MALL CLOSURE‚ FOOD PRICES SOAR‚ WALL STREET INVESTORS‚ FED MEETING‚ DOLLAR DESTRUCTION‚ CREDIT CARD DEBT‚ HOME EQUITY‚ HOME BUYER‚ HOME PRICES‚ HOTEL INDUSTRY‚ STAGFLATION‚ GDP‚ MONEY PRINTING‚ EVIDENCE OF A COLLAPSE‚ BANKS CLOSING‚ STOCK MARKET MANIPULATION‚ GLOBAL BANKING CRISIS.‚ BEVERLY HILLS CRIME‚ DOLLAR COLLAPSE‚ RETAILERS ARE IN TROUBLE‚ GRIDS GO DOWN‚ OIL PRICES SURGE‚ GAS PRICES‚ IODINE PILLS‚ AIRLINES COLLAPSE‚ ECONOMIC WARFARE‚EVERYTHING BUBBLE‚ WORLD RESERVE CURRENCY. DISPOSABLE INCOME‚ GAS PRICES‚ PENSION COLLAPSE COMING‚ BANKS STOCKPILE GOLD‚ BANKS SEIZE CASH‚ US CRUDE OIL‚ MARKET AT RISK OF COLLAPSE‚ CONSUMER PRICES SOAR‚ GAS PRICE ALL TIME HIGH‚ GOLD PRICE‚WALL STREET JOURNAL‚ US TRADE DEFICIT RECORD‚ CPI NUMBER‚ WALMART‚ FED MUST RAISE RATES‚ CONSUMER INFLATION‚ NASDAQ‚ STUDENT LOAN DEBT‚ GDP FORECAST‚ MEDICAL DEBT‚ MORTGAGE RATES JUMP‚ PALM SPRINGS REAL ESTATE‚ MEDICAL DEBT SOARS‚ WORKERS ARE BROKE‚ WEALTH DESTRUCTION‚ DIESEL SHORTAGE‚ CARS WILL FLOOD DEALER LOTS‚ DONT'T BUY A HOUSE NOW‚ MARGIN DEBT CRISIS‚ BOND HOLDERS DANGER‚ OIL SHORTAGE‚ FERTILIZER PRICES SOAR‚ MORTGAGE RATES SOAR‚ PENDING HOME SALES‚ PLUNGE‚ TREASURY BOND MASSACRE‚ INFLATION CONSEQUENCES‚ HOME WEALTH WIPEOUT‚ MALL CLOSURES‚ SCARIEST ECONOMY‚ CONSUMER BREAKING POINT‚‚ MORTGAGE REFINANCE PLUNGES‚ OIL RESERVES‚ GOLD BACKED MONEY‚ GET A SIDE HUSTLE‚ STAGFLATION‚ STORES EMPTY‚ DONT BUY A HOUSE NOW‚ PEOPLE ARE BROKEN‚ BANKS WILL SEIZE YOUR MONEY‚ YIELD CURVE INVERTS‚ CREDIT CARDS SHUTDOWN‚ HOMEBUYERS CAN'T QUALIFY FOR HOME LOAN‚ HOMEBUILDER STOCKS‚ REAL ESTATE TROUBLE‚ RUSSIAN BOND PAYMENT‚ MORTGAGE RATES SOAR‚ DON'T BUY A HOUSE NOW‚ FED RAISING INTEREST RATES‚ MORTGAGE APPLICATIONS PLUNGE‚ DEBT FREEDOM‚ FED WILL DESTOY HOUSING MARKET‚ FED WILL CRASH THE MARKETS‚ CREDIT CARDS SHUTOFF‚ END OF PETRO DOLLAR‚ HOME SELLERS ON BORROWED TIME‚ MORTGAGE REFI COLLAPSE‚ CASH OUT REFI‚ 30 YEAR FIXED MORTGAGE RATE‚ FED WILL CRASH STOCK MARKET‚ HOUSING MARKET CRACKING‚ RESTAURANTS CLOSING ‚TIME TO SELL YOUR HOUSE‚ CPI 8.5%‚ INFLATION ‚ CREDIT CARD DEBT EXPLODES‚ LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK‚ LEAVING CALIFORNIA‚ MOVING OUT OF CALIFORNIA‚ USED CARE PRICES‚ CPI SURGES‚ AIRFARE SURGES‚ ESCAPE FROM CALIFORNIA‚ 40 YEAR MORTGAGE RATES WON'T SAVE HOUSING MARKET‚ PAYCHECKS GOING DOWN‚ WILL FED FIGHT INFLATION‚ FED IS TRAPPED‚ ADJUSTABLE RATE MORTGAGES ARE BACK‚ CREDIT CARD RATES

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Over the weekend‚ the Washington Post summoned up a story lamenting the fact that Joe Biden just can’t catch a break from folks despite his presidency being Super Successful‚ You Guys: The night before President Biden departed Washington to celebrate Thanksgiving on Nantucket‚ Mass.‚ he gathered his closest aides for a meeting in the White House residence. After pardoning a pair of turkeys‚ an annual White House tradition‚ Biden delivered some stern words for the small group assembled: His poll numbers were unacceptably low and he wanted to know what his team and his campaign were doing about it. He complained that his economic message had done little to move the ball‚ even as the economy was growing and unemployment was falling‚ according to people familiar with his comments‚ who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private conversation. For months‚ the president and first lady Jill Biden have told aides and friends they are frustrated by the president’s low approval rating and the polls that show him trailing former president Donald Trump‚ the front-runner for the Republican nomination — and in recent weeks‚ they have grown upset that they are not making more progress. Let the violins play for poor Dirty Joe. Doesn’t your heart just split in two that he’s so unappreciated? And he’s certainly unappreciated. Have you seen the Monmouth poll? Yikes… NEW: Biden's approval rating — just 34% — has fallen to a new low‚ according to Monmouth pic.twitter.com/IMJZYtdrAq — RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 18‚ 2023 That isn’t even the worst survey out there. Pew actually has Biden at 33 percent in a poll released Friday. But Bidenomics is a huge win‚ we’re told. How can the folks be so sour on Dirty Joe when the economy is doing so well? “Wait‚ what?” you ask. Yes‚ your betters in the Democrat Party are howling at you for your inattention to how America is just rocking and rolling right now. To wit… Under President Biden: • Crime is down• Unemployment is down• GDP is up• Wages are up • Stock market is breaking records Sounds a lot better than having Trump as a dictator. — Harry Sisson (@harryjsisson) December 18‚ 2023 Gas prices? I’ll go with the real world facts‚ not the lies being spread around. This is today 12.18.2023 #VoteBlue2024 pic.twitter.com/YCehlpuiQ3 — John G Acosta (@JohnGAcosta1) December 18‚ 2023 Over 14 million jobs created under President @JoeBiden. The most jobs ever created in one term. pic.twitter.com/ytUIaauK6m — The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) December 18‚ 2023 What we have here‚ clearly‚ is something of a disconnect. Do people just hate Joe Biden so much that Bidenomics’ success or failure doesn’t even matter? Well‚ yes. But‚ of course‚ the people who hate Biden that much didn’t vote for him to begin with and never will vote for him. Team Biden has made sure of that by filling up a mini-gulag in the federal prisons with Jan. 6 protesters‚ siccing the FBI on parents protesting racial agitation and transgender ideology at school boards‚ and‚ strangely enough‚ investigating Catholics who attend Latin mass. Economics doesn’t much matter when you’re practicing actual tyranny on a supposedly free people‚ and nobody is being fooled. Especially when the nonstop demoralization and politicization of everyday life that Democrats and the Left have made their primary project since Barack Obama happened to this country — something I describe thoroughly in Racism‚ Revenge and Ruin: It’s All Obama. And it not only continues apace but is even more pervasive than ever. All the movies and TV shows push leftist propaganda that regular Americans are irritated by‚ everyone understands they’re not allowed to complain even when Democrat Senate staffers produce gay porn films in hearing rooms (and then pretend to be persecuted when they’re fired for it)‚ and your quality of life is continually downgraded in the name of race‚ or sex‚ or the climate‚ or all of the above. Macy’s drops a commercial spot pushing their Christmas offerings and features gift-giving not just between two gay men but two lesbians as well‚ but you aren’t supposed to remark about that‚ or about the persistent demands that you take another COVID jab‚ or complain about the armies of homeless and illegals gathering under highway overpasses in your city. So maybe it isn’t all economics. But it is economics. Team Biden might pretend everything is cool‚ but it isn’t. Think you’ve whipped inflation? It’s now estimated that the average monthly payment on a new home in America has gone up NINETY PERCENT since January of 2021. Oh‚ but that isn’t getting worse anymore‚ so it’s a success. And this is Team Biden’s narrative; inflation is back down to manageable levels‚ so it’s just a Republican talking point and it isn’t real. Seriously? Here’s an example of somebody who’ll never buy the Bidenomics narrative. Let’s call her Ms. Smith. She’s a divorced mom in her 30s with two kids and a middling job as‚ say‚ the bookkeeper for a used car dealership. Ms. Smith has been piling up credit card debt with a 20-plus percent interest for two years now just to keep a roof over her head and food in her kids’ bellies. She can’t get more child support from the ex; he’s in the same situation she is — in fact‚ he’s struggling so much that he isn’t as regular with those payments as she needs him to be. And maybe the price for everything at the grocery store or the shopping mall where she’s buying her kids new sneakers or jeans isn’t exactly getting worse. But who cares about that? She’s still cutting down to the absolute bare necessities and can’t find any extra ways to squeeze out that paycheck‚ and she’s further and further down a hole every month. Do you think Ms. Smith is placated by the idea that inflation is back down to normal levels? Prices aren’t back down to normal levels. Then there’s the fact that car prices are absolutely through the roof‚ thanks to the stupid EV mandates Biden has imposed on the industry and the disruptions to the supply chain those mistakes‚ and others‚ have inflicted. So Ms. Smith’s eight-year-old Honda Accord gets more and more rickety all the time‚ she’s getting a Check Engine light‚ and in normal times she’d trade it in for something newer with more life in it. But now? The new car prices going through the roof have dragged used car prices through the roof as well‚ so she can’t afford a replacement. If she tries to trade in that Accord‚ she’ll be lucky to get something that isn’t even older and more beat up than what she has. So instead she’s about to go further into debt to pay the several hundred (or thousand) dollars to fix whatever is causing that Check Engine light. Try to sell the house and downsize to take advantage of a smaller mortgage? Not happening. Not when the mortgage on the house she’s living in is at 3 percent and a new mortgage will be 8 percent. That’ll chew up any savings she could possibly get out of selling — not to mention housing prices themselves are up‚ which is a good thing if she sells but a disaster when she tries to buy something else. The squeeze is on‚ a whole lot of it comes from stupid policies‚ and — let’s be honest — nefarious behavior on the part of Team Biden’s pals around the world. Beef prices through the sky? That’s not surprising when you have institutional capital and people like Bill Gates buying up farmland‚ efforts to kill off the cattle industry through regulation here and in other places (they’re even trying to slaughter cows “for the climate” in Ireland and Holland‚ among other countries)‚ and the elites are now pushing fake meat and even insects as protein sources while squeezing ranching and meat processing. And now Wall Street wants to push something called “Natural Asset Companies‚” which would monetize pulling land out of commerce to “save the planet‚” and‚ in so doing‚ further hamstring agriculture‚ mining‚ timber‚ and other harvesting of raw materials. Which will make the price of everything continue to rise. There is no end in sight with people like Team Biden (more like Team Obama‚ but you already knew that) in control. And there are the cheap shots they take against your quality of life while they tell you it’s for your own good. Your “energy-efficient” dishwasher that is supposed to save water doesn’t actually get dishes clean. Meanwhile‚ you’re told not to pre-wash the dishes in the sink beforehand because that’s bad for the environment. They want to take away your water heater‚ they keep screwing around with what coolant you can use in your home air conditioner‚ and they won’t let you have a gas stove. You’re on edge waiting for the next modern convenience they want to cancel. And you’re on edge about something else. Because Ms. Smith notices that thanks to the federal government’s Section Eight machinations and other abuses‚ her once-safe suburb isn’t so safe anymore. Her best friend just got carjacked‚ and the store next to her work was looted by a band of thugs and the home office decided to shutter it. The crime they talk about on the news is real to her. It isn’t some GOP talking point. And she’s terrified for her kids‚ not to mention herself. Sometimes she’s alone when she leaves to go home and she’s uncomfortable with the idea of carrying a gun; she wonders if pepper spray is enough in the event the animals would come for her. She remembers that just a few years ago she never thought about things like these. You can’t make plans. You can’t get ahead. At your job‚ they want to run you through woke DEI and ESG seminars‚ and you can’t afford to refuse to participate‚ or quit‚ because you’re under water already. And your free time is a forgotten pleasure. You don’t have it anymore‚ because you’re forced to take up a side hustle: That is a lie. About 10million of those were the rebound from COVID. The reality is Bidenomics is struggling to create real Full-Time jobs. But Bidenomics does have the part-time jobs down because it has forced people into getting 2nd and 3rd jobs just to survive. WTG Democrats… pic.twitter.com/HSxUaSFGKU — jschner (@jschner2) December 18‚ 2023 Those side-hustle jobs represent time lost with kids‚ family‚ and friends that ordinary Americans will never get back‚ and in millions of cases‚ the money coming out of them isn’t going toward a new house‚ or a college fund‚ or retirement — it’s going toward debt service. Four years ago‚ this was a country where people were getting ahead. Four years ago‚ consumer confidence was through the sky‚ people were optimistic about their personal finances‚ average household net worth was rising as were real wages‚ and debt was ticking downward. Four years ago‚ there was an economy that worked. Now? Now we’re stuck with a corporate-fascist oligarchy for an economy‚ a hyper-corrupt government gaslighting the citizenry as it whipsaws them‚ a national debt that makes for an impending and inevitable collapse‚ and a country in decline to match the cognitive state of a president nobody truly believes is in control. And all Team Biden offers is more gaslighting and a fraudulent‚ theatrical pretense of shock that the folks don’t buy the narrative. The disdain and disrespect for the folks we see now is more pronounced than ever. What’s new is that it’s more mutual than ever. Team Biden — Team Obama‚ really — has given the American people reason to distrust and even despise our government and our elites. That’s why the mood is so sour and Dirty Joe and all of his men can’t put him back together again. If we had a Republican Party that was a worthy receptacle for this outrage‚ we’d have the 2024 wave election that failed to materialize last year. READ MORE: The Obnoxiously Gay Come for Abilene Christian University It’s Joe Biden’s Fault He Can’t Get the Ukraine Funding The post Poor‚ Unloved Dirty Joe appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

When Bishop Karl-Heinz Wiesemann asked priests‚ deacons‚ and lay pastoral workers in the German Diocese of Speyer to offer blessings for same-sex unions and remarried couples early last month‚ his letter made international news — and it should have. That’s because the Catholic Church believes same-sex unions are sinful and contrary to both the law of God and the laws of nature. That teaching — that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah is‚ in fact‚ a sin — has repeatedly put a Church hierarchy dedicated to “inclusion” and “solidarity” in a tight spot. Progressives both inside (men like Wiesemann and Fr. James Martin) and outside of the Church have repeatedly pressured Catholic leadership to offer some kind of legitimization to homosexual unions. On Monday‚ those progressives celebrated what they thought was a big win. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) released a new declaration‚ Fiducia Supplicans: On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings‚ which permits certain kinds of blessings to be offered to same-sex couples in very limited circumstances. Like many documents issued by the Vatican‚ the announcement has made a big splash but didn’t change anything about the way the Church approaches the issue — it simply made everything far more confusing. An Issue Coming to a Head The issue of whether or not Catholic clergy can offer blessings to same-sex unions has come to a head during the last year as Catholics from around the world prepared to meet in Rome for the Synod on Synodality in October. Leading up to the Synod‚ five cardinals submitted a series of questions in the form of a dubia. The Vatican responded to those questions in late September‚ and one of the key questions had to do with the issue of blessings on homosexual unions. (RELATED from Aubrey Gulick: More Confusion From Rome Ahead of the Synod on Synodality) The Vatican’s response at the time was confusing. While Pope Francis confirmed that the Catholic Church doesn’t recognize homosexual unions‚ he did suggest that “pastoral prudence” should be used in determining whether or not a member of the clergy could offer the couple a blessing without conveying “a misconception of marriage.” Essentially‚ Francis clarified that the individuals in a homosexual union could receive blessings — but the union itself can’t. The introduction to Fiducia Supplicans states that the document serves as further clarification to the September response to the dubia. The DDF seems to have believed that there was sufficient confusion on the issue to merit a better response to it. In essence‚ Fiducia Supplicans simply restates the response while making further distinctions when it comes to blessings. Same-Sex Couples Can Be Blessed Non-Liturgically and Spontaneously The Church has‚ of course‚ a liturgical blessing intended for sacramental marriage — a blessing that‚ Fiducia Supplicans explains‚ cannot be offered for homosexual unions: [W]hen it comes to blessings‚ the Church has the right and the duty to avoid any rite that might contradict this conviction [that marriage is between a man and a woman open to having children] or lead to confusion. Such is also the meaning of the Responsum of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith‚ which states that the Church does not have the power to impart blessings on unions of persons of the same sex.” Furthermore‚ the document explains that “From a strictly liturgical point of view‚ a blessing requires that what is blessed be conformed to God’s will‚ as expressed in the teachings of the Church…. the Church does not have the power to confer its liturgical blessing when that would somehow offer a form of moral legitimacy to a union that presumes to be a marriage or to an extra-marital sexual practice.” That all seems crystal clear. So‚ if the Church has explicitly stated that it cannot (as in does not have the power to) bless homosexual unions‚ why the headlines? The document goes on to clarify that there are nonliturgical blessings‚ some of which have rituals or formulae attached to them (found in the Book of Blessings) and some of which are “spontaneous.” Blessings of same-sex couples — not same-sex unions — fall into this nonliturgical category; in order to avoid confusing or scandalizing anyone‚ the Church discourages the creation of any kind of ritual by “ecclesial authorities to avoid producing confusion with the blessing proper to the Sacrament of Marriage.” Fiducia Supplicans justifies this kind of “spontaneous” blessing by pointing out that nonliturgical blessings are given to individuals who: recognizing themselves to be destitute and in need of [H]is help—do not claim a legitimation of their own status‚ but who beg that all that is true‚ good‚ and humanly valid in their lives and their relationships be enriched‚ healed‚ and elevated by the presnece of the Holy Spirit. Essentially‚ the Vatican has simply clarified that‚ while same-sex unions cannot receive any kind of legitimization in the form of a liturgical‚ ritualized blessing‚ the individuals or the “couple” can receive a nonliturgical‚ spontaneous blessing — the same kind of blessing a priest might offer if you asked him to bless your car. Just in case offering that kind of spontaneous blessing might become confusing‚ Fiducia Supplicans prohibits any kind of blessing from being associated intentionally with any external sign of the same-sex union — if they’re wearing wedding dresses and have just signed papers to validate a civil union‚ clergy are not supposed to offer a blessing. Distinctions Between Blessings Are Important Unfortunately‚ rather than clarifying the Church’s stance on homosexuality to the masses‚ Fiducia Supplicans seems to have had the opposite effect. Major progressive figures within the Church have celebrated the declaration as a win. Jesuit Fr. James Martin praised the DDF on X just hours after the Vatican made its announcement. He remarked that “[Fiducia Supplicans] is a marked shift from … the conclusion ‘God does not and cannot bless sin’ from just two yeas ago. The declaration opens the door to non-liturgical blessings of same-sex couples‚ something that had been previously off limits for bishops‚ priests and deacons.” The Vatican's new declaration "Fiducia supplicans" is major step forward in the church's ministry to LGBTQ people and recognizes the deep desire in many Catholic same-sex couples for God's presence in their loving relationships. It is also a marked shift from… — James Martin‚ SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) December 18‚ 2023 Of course‚ what Martin fails to point out is that the document published by the Vatican in 2021 prohibits blessings on same-sex unions‚ the new document simply permits simple‚ spontaneous‚ non-ritualized blessings on same-sex couples. There is‚ as with everything in theology and philosophy‚ an important distinction between the two things. That distinction ultimately means that Bishop Wiesemann’s injunction that priests within his diocese bless same-sex unions is just as invalid and wrong-headed as it was at the beginning of November. Tragically‚ given that nobody is interested in reading the actual document‚ it’s a distinction that few individuals (and no leftist media organization) will bother to make. READ MORE: VIDEO: The Supreme Court Will Hear Case on Abortion Pill. Here’s Why That Matters. Snow White Changes Her Tune Under Pressure from Conservatives The post Vatican Offers Blessings to Same-Sex Couples. It’s Not What You Think. appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

President Joe Biden is not the Democrats’ biggest problem; they are. The greatest misperception in the 2024 presidential race is that Biden is causing Democrats’ poor performance. On the contrary‚ Biden is an effect. The real cause is that Democrats are wildly out of touch with America. Biden’s bad polling numbers are well known. According to Real Clear Politics’ Dec. 18 average of national polling‚ Biden’s job approval rating is 40.8–56.0 percent; he trails former President Donald Trump in a head-to-head rematch 43.7 to 47.2 percent‚ and his favorability rating is 39.4–56.0 percent. READ MORE: It’s Joe Biden’s Fault He Can’t Get the Ukraine Funding Into this broad deficit‚ Gallup recently released a poll on specific issues that was even worse. Much worse. Biden’s approval rating was 37–59. This tied his personal low‚ which was first registered this April and then again in October — making two consecutive polls at his low. Gallup stated that Biden had not been over 44 percent in over a year (August 2022) and that his average this year is just 40 percent. Biden’s latest rating on the economy is just 1 percentage point higher than his lowest point last year‚ while his latest rating on foreign affairs was his lowest by 6 percentage points. As bad as this is — and it is bad — it is not the worst news for Democrats. Gallup also polled respondents on five performance areas and broke down the responses by partisan identification — including independents. Independents are important because they represent a neutral benchmark of the American electorate. Independents also are roughly a quarter of the electorate: 26 percent in 2020‚ according to exit polling. The divergence between Democrat and Independent ratings on the five issues is stunning. On Biden’s handling of the Ukraine conflict‚ 78 percent of Democrats approved of his performance; only 31 percent of independents did. On health care‚ 77 percent of Democrats approved; only 35 percent of independents did. On the economy‚ 72 percent of Democrats approved; only 24 percent of independents did. On foreign affairs‚ 68 percent of Democrats approved; only 28 percent of independents did. And on Biden’s handling of the Middle East‚ Israel‚ and Palestine‚ 60 percent of Democrats approved‚ while only 25 percent of independents did. This degree of separation between Democrats and independents is so big that it is not just one of points but one of orders of magnitude. How could Democrats be seeing such positive performances‚ and how could their view be so far from the rest of America’s? (READ MORE: Pelosi Gets Biden an Impeachment Inquiry) Equally perplexing is that Gallup recorded Democrats giving Biden a significantly higher overall approval rating — 83 percent — than they did on any one of the five issues they polled individually. This means that Democrats must be viewing Biden even higher on other policy areas. What could these other policies possibly be? Immigration? Spending? What are Democrats seeing in Biden that the rest of America is utterly missing? The answer is that Democrats are seeing themselves. They support Biden’s performance because he is performing their policies‚ doing so just as overwhelming majorities of Democrats want these policies performed.  As these conflicting poll results show‚ Democrats are not simply out of touch with America; they are out of sight of the rest of America. But they are very much in touch with themselves — and apparently Biden is very much in touch with them … and few others. People are never more susceptible to being more wrong than when they believe themselves most correct. This is the Democrat Party now. They are blithely and blindly walking into a self-created morass as they walk away from the rest of America. They assume that they are right and the rest of the country wrong. This is an enormously dangerous political posture to assume in a democracy.  Biden’s disappearance or defeat will not solve Democrats’ disconnection from America. Democrats chose Biden‚ and they still choose him; they did so‚ and they do so‚ because they want — they demand and support — the policies he is following.  Getting rid of Biden will not solve Democrats’ problem because he is not the cause of their problems. He is an effect of their problems: the policies they have thrust on him and demand of him‚ the same policies that they will demand and thrust on whomever they choose to lead them.  This is not to say that Biden is competent. Clearly‚ America judges that Biden is not. But it raises a bigger question: Can anyone be competent in the pursuit of the inane? Apparently‚ Democrats believe Biden can and is. The longer they hold to that belief‚ the further they will drift from America‚ and the lower they will take Biden with them. The post Biden Is Not the Democrats’ Biggest Problem appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Last month‚ reporting here on the first part of the sixth and last season of The Crown‚ I was‚ if I say so myself‚ a mite snotty. I more or less accused the series’ creator‚ Peter Morgan‚ of shamelessly squeezing every last bit of suspense‚ sensation‚ and pathos out of the grim demise of Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki). In fact‚ I described the episodes as “death porn” and accused Morgan of violating the bounds of decency. READ MORE from Bruce Bawer: The Crown’s Death Porn I’ll stand by that verdict‚ and then some. But I must say that the final part of The Crown — episodes five through 10 of season six‚ which dropped on Dec. 14 — isn’t anywhere near as offensive and‚ at moments‚ I daresay‚ is rather touching. Diana is gone‚ and so the focus shifts back to the queen (Imelda Staunton)‚ who’s not getting any younger‚ and the rest of the clan. To be sure‚ this new batch of episodes doesn’t start off very promisingly. In the first one‚ episode five‚ Prince William (played by Ed McVey‚ who looks just like the real thing) struggles with his new role as an international teen heartthrob. Yawn. But there is a nice scene in which Prince Philip (Jonathan Pryce) helps William — who’s had an ugly confrontation with his father — to understand that he’s not really angry at Prince Charles (Dominic West) but at Diana. It’s an intelligent‚ touching‚ beautifully written conversation — and it’s one that you can’t possibly believe that these people ever really had. Alas. The queen herself is almost entirely absent from episode five. That’s made up for in episode six‚ wherein we get a taste of her relationship with Tony Blair (Bertie Carvel) — who‚ at this juncture‚ is riding so high politically that she has a nightmare about him being crowned king. Blair — that slimy‚ slithery creature for whom “modernizing” is all — urges her to update the monarchy by eliminating (among much else) male primogeniture‚ the ban on Catholic sovereigns‚ and ancient titles like Astronomer Royal. Charles agrees readily‚ saying that he’s eager to see the monarchy become “more rational and democratic.” (We’ve witnessed this conflict before‚ as it happens‚ in Morgan’s 2006 movie The Queen.) But Elizabeth disagrees firmly: The monarchy‚ she insists‚ isn’t “rational and democratic‚” and the rabble — not that she uses that word — don’t want it to be. They want “magic”; they want “mystery”; they want “the transcendent.” This‚ it’s clear‚ is a language that’s as alien to Blair as is Aramaic. Yes‚ he himself‚ at this point in his career‚ exudes something akin to magic — for some voters‚ anyway — but the logic of royalty is lost on him. Over the course of The Crown‚ we’ve heard the argument for the constitutional monarchy more than once‚ but to Blair the whole thing is just a lot of creaky mumbo-jumbo that’s well past its sell-by date. On to episode seven. William‚ now an undergraduate at St. Andrews‚ meets and falls for Kate Middleton (Meg Bellamy). He makes some friends‚ but his younger brother‚ Harry (Luther Ford)‚ chides him for being uptight and boring. Well‚ let’s face it — they’re both boring. So is Kate. This episode might almost have been designed to demonstrate the truth of the queen’s line about her subjects wanting mystery: William and Harry belong to a generation for whom nobody’s remotely mysterious; they live in an era in which even the pope has an email address. The whole point of William and Harry is that‚ like their mother‚ they chafe at the trappings of privilege and protocol and just want to be ordinary‚ accessible folks who joke and hug and kick back (or‚ at least‚ want to be perceived as wanting to be that way) — the result of which is that watching William going away to college is no more interesting than witnessing any other college kid’s freshman year. Episode eight is far better. The queen’s sister‚ Princess Margaret (Lesley Manville)‚ collapses at a party in Barbados and has to be flown back to the U.K. for treatment. Sad scenes of her declining health‚ her refusal to take medical advice (“Exercise? I’d rather die than exercise!”)‚ and her disinclination to quit cigarettes and booze for any length of time alternate with charming flashbacks to VE Day‚ when she and Elizabeth‚ the latter in military uniform‚ celebrated at the Ritz in London (not to be confused with the Ritz in Paris‚ from which Diana would head off half a century later to meet her maker). We see the young Elizabeth — played‚ as in the series’ first two seasons‚ by Claire Foy — dancing the jitterbug with a handsome black GI‚ who (shades of Roman Holiday) doesn’t know she’s a princess. Eventually‚ after a life of hard partying‚ Margaret ends up dying at age 71‚ whereas Liz would hang on to 96. I must admit that the scenes between the two aging sisters — played by two terrific actresses — are touching. Because they’re not about being royal. They’re about being mortal — about approaching‚ and accepting‚ the end of life. In fact the last few episodes of The Crown dwell‚ of necessity‚ on death. But there’s also rebirth. The cycle of life‚ as it were. So even as William is courting Kate Middleton at a college party‚ the queen mother (Marcia Warren) is expiring‚ at age 101‚ in a bed at Buckingham Palace. Shortly afterwards‚ Tony Blair‚ who’s unnecessarily worried that Elizabeth has lost her mojo‚ suggests to her‚ with boorish disrespect‚ that William‚ whom the proles love‚ be given a starring role at her Golden Jubilee. Later‚ while the queen and Prince Philip hold meetings at which they plan their funerals — which even have code names (hers is Operation London Bridge) — Charles gains his mum’s permission to wed Camilla‚ and William meets his future in-laws‚ whose habit of eating dinner in the kitchen astonishes his grandmother. (“They prefer to behave like staff?”) In the previous cache of sixth-season episodes‚ the ghost of the recently deceased Princess Diana materialized‚ in separate scenes‚ in the presence of Charles and Elizabeth. Presumably she was supposed to be a figment of her ex-husband’s and former mother-in-law’s imaginations. Whatever. In any event‚ I didn’t see the purpose of this silly gimmick‚ other than to give Diana more screen time. But something similar happens in this final batch of episodes‚ and in this case I found it rather moving. While the queen is hanging with her horses‚ her middle-aged self (Olivia Colman‚ who played her in seasons three to four) appears to her and suggests that she abdicate in Charles’ favor. Later‚ her even younger self (Foy) confronts her in the palace‚ reminding her of her constitutional duty to stay on the throne until the end. For me‚ these voices from the past worked — made psychological sense — in a way that the Diana phantoms didn’t. Why? Because the queen is getting old. It makes sense for her to be hearing the voices of her earlier selves. Increasingly‚ she’s all she’s got left. Everyone around her is preparing for a world without her. Her sister has died; her mother has died; her husband is nearing his curtain call. Meanwhile‚ Charles is waiting in the wings‚ itching to take over‚ and William is waiting behind him‚ a prospective bride at the ready. But the queen‚ who feels ancient and ready for a rest‚ can’t walk away from the throne‚ because — as Philip and Charles and William all declare‚ in their own different ways‚ in these last episodes — none of them have the same kind of dedication to the role of monarch‚ and the same kind of belief in the idea of monarchy (or‚ at least‚ in the idea of a certain kind of monarchy)‚ that she does. Charles is too ready to share with the public his sometimes solid and sometimes silly opinions about everything from architecture to the environment; William‚ for his part‚ has grown up in an entirely different world from the queen‚ living among mere commoners and not really wanting to exist apart from them in a bubble of entitlement. Besides‚ he’s smart enough to know that trying to radiate the kind of mystery that the queen cultivated all her life just isn’t possible anymore. And what does that say about the ability to keep the monarchy going? At the end of the series — and I guess this counts as a spoiler — the queen stands by herself‚ small and fragile‚ in the empty chapel at Windsor‚ where her body will one day lie in state‚ and imagines her own coffin standing there. As she stares silently into — what? the abyss? the void? Heaven? — the two actresses who’ve played her younger selves flank her‚ also staring. And‚ yes‚ it’s affecting. Because when you come right down to it‚ it doesn’t matter that this is a world-famous monarch who’s the head of state of 15 countries and who’s spent her life being waited on by platoons of servants and cheered by massive crowds — it’s a frail grandmother who has a long life behind her and who‚ like any other elderly woman‚ is doomed to face her end alone. READ MORE:  Nihilism and Despair Meet The Golden Bachelor Napoleon: Full of Sound and Fury — But Signifying What? Jingle Smells Becomes an Instant Christmas Classic The post <;i>;The Crown<;/i>;’s Surprisingly Touching Finale appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Philadelphia students lose out on academic work necessary for their long-term success because they spend part of their school day navigating through unsafe environments‚ a college freshman told lawmakers as part of ongoing testimony from school choice advocates that will continue through December.  “Hundreds of thousands of kids are not being educated properly‚ which contributes to our city’s growing violence‚” observed Jaslin Vasquez-Gonzalez‚ a St. Joseph’s University student‚ while addressing members of the Pennsylvania House Education Committee. “They are not being given a place where they feel safe‚ so they end up in the streets where they are more likely to be put in jail or killed.”  Joining Vasquez-Gonzalez‚ parents‚ teachers‚ and administrators also testified and shared their vision for expanded educational opportunities benefiting students who cannot afford private school tuition without financial assistance. That’s why they are encouraging elected officials to move forward with the proposed Lifeline Scholarship Program‚ referred to as the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) in the current state budget impasse. The school choice program would offer Education Opportunity Accounts (EOAs) to students attending public schools that the state ranks in the bottom 15 percent of standardized testing.  If passed‚ Lifeline Scholarships could have what Andrew Brady‚ president of the West Catholic Preparatory High School‚ describes as a “transformative“ influence on Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable students. Keemah Brewington‚ a Philadelphia parent‚ anticipates that the scholarships would “force public schools to take a hard look at their own system.”  Surveys show that these scholarship advocates speak on behalf of a broad cross section of Pennsylvania residents‚ according to EdChoice‚ an Indianapolis-based nonprofit that supports school choice. The latest polls find that 70 percent of all Pennsylvania adults and 75 percent of Pennsylvania parents support the proposed EOAs‚ also known as Education Savings Accounts (ESAs)‚ that are teetering on the precipice of becoming law in the Keystone State in time for the next school year.  Union Power as a Perpetual Obstacle  Standing in opposition to this vision of school choice is a narrow but well-funded network of public employee unions and special interest groups from inside and outside Pennsylvania.  Although the state Senate passed “fiscal code legislation“ that included Lifeline Scholarships/PASS‚ the Pennsylvania House — under the leadership of House Majority Leader Matt Bradford‚ a Montgomery County Democrat — has resisted bringing the proposal to the lower chamber’s floor. Meanwhile‚ House Democrats continue to advance legislation that omits the Lifeline Scholarship/PASS proposal. The state budget remains incomplete until the two bodies agree on the fiscal code.  Campaign finance records show that in the most recent cycle for 2023‚ 92 percent of government union donations went to Democrats‚ with Bradford receiving $66‚000 and the House Democratic Campaign Committee receiving $226‚000.  Since 2007‚ government unions have spent more than $203 million on campaigns and political activities‚ making them the top interest group in Harrisburg‚ according to an analysis of campaign spending data from the Commonwealth Foundation‚ a free market think in Harrisburg.  Democrats hold just a one-seat majority of 102–101 in the Pennsylvania House. Yet Sen. Kim Ward‚ the president pro tempore of the state Senate and a Westmoreland County Republican‚ does not view the Lifeline Scholarships/PASS proposal as a partisan issue. She estimates about 30 House Democrats would vote yes if given the chance.  But Ward is also quick to point out that time is a factor for students poised to benefit from the scholarships. “They can’t just wait for years on end while their current schools underperform‚” she said.  In reality‚ the Lifeline Scholarships/PASS Program amounts to what Marc LeBlond‚ a policy analyst with EdChoice‚ views as a “modest proposal‚” especially compared to what’s in motion in other states. He expects the dam to eventually break in favor of parents keeping more of their tax dollars for educational purposes despite union opposition.  If approved‚ the scholarships would funnel through the state treasury as restricted-use spending accounts. Qualifying parents with students in the worst-performing schools could redirect their tax money toward private school tuition and other approved educational expenses‚ such as tutoring services and instructional materials.  Under the bill that passed the state Senate‚ K–8 students would receive $5‚000 annually‚ high school students would receive $10‚000‚ and all special needs students would receive $15‚000.  Roughly 250‚000 students attend Pennsylvania’s lowest-achieving schools‚ making them eligible for Lifeline Scholarships/PASS.  “The advantage of the Lifeline proposal is that you are directly helping the kids who urgently need help right away‚” LeBlond said. “The downside is that you are leaving out some kids who also need help.”  There are 13 states with ESA programs benefitting more than 92‚000 students‚ according to EdChoice. LeBlond counts 10 states with universal or near-universal programs where all or nearly all K–12 students are eligible.  “Pennsylvania sits in an interesting place politically and geographically‚” LeBlond continued. “It’s a purple state with a blue governor‚ so passing a program like this is certainly a big deal from a historical perspective since Pennsylvania could be the corridor for additional school choice initiatives in the northeast. It borders Ohio and West Virginia‚ which have universal education savings accounts programs‚ but it also borders New Jersey and New York‚ which don’t have any of these programs.”  Gov. Josh Shapiro‚ a Democrat who took office in January‚ could potentially be an ace in the hole for the school choice movement since he openly campaigned for Lifeline Scholarships. But while Shapiro has presidential ambitions‚ LeBlond sees the governor putting himself in a position where he will run counter to popular opinion in his home state and across the country until he makes good on his campaign promise.  “[Shapiro] hasn’t done any of the heavy lifting that’s required to actually execute this program and get it across the finish line in Pennsylvania‚” LeBlond said. “We had massive expansion for educational opportunities in 2023‚ with the ESAs especially‚ going like gangbusters. In 2022‚ participation was about 33‚000. We’ve tripled this in 2023‚ and that figure is now set to triple or quadruple in 2024. So‚ we’ve really hit an exponential moment for ESAs.”  Shapiro‚ who received more than $5.5 million from government unions during last year’s gubernatorial race‚ vetoed an appropriation for the scholarships last August when he could not come to terms with his own House Democrats. The state budget has been in limbo since then.  Lessons From West Virginia  With Lifeline Scholarship/PASS advocates preparing for another push in the General Assembly this December‚ Jamie Buckland — the founder and executive director of West Virginia Families United for Education — a nonprofit group that favors a wide range of public and private school options‚ has some insight and advice built on her own experiences.  All West Virginia K–12 students leaving public schools are eligible to receive an ESA under the Hope Scholarship Program‚ which was enacted in 2021 and implemented in 2022. The scholarships are equal to 100 percent of the prior year’s statewide average net state aid allotted per pupil based on net enrollment‚ amounting to about $4‚500 for the 2022–23 school year.  The introduction of ESAs coincided with the boon of educational alternatives‚ such as public charter schools‚ parental learning pods (where families pool their resources)‚ and “microschools“ that involve smaller classrooms often led by parents that typically meet two or three days a week.  “West Virginia is a state that went from zero to 60 with all of these programs launching in the same year‚” Buckland said. “Once implementation got under way‚ we began to make note of strategies to improve the program. There were equal protection issues for some students concerning access to athletics‚ therapies‚ and to career and technical schools. Without a sufficient feedback loop‚ parents and providers didn’t feel heard‚ leaving them quite frustrated. With these things in mind‚ I think there are definitely benefits to the kind of incremental programming Pennsylvania is considering. This provides administration time and space to not be overwhelmed with implementation. I think other states‚ like Pennsylvania‚ can use our experience as an example to see how outreach and engaging parents can have a substantial impact on participation.”  While the opponents of school choice often point to existing charter and private schools to suggest that alternatives to traditional schools are already in place‚ Buckland argues that they leave a lot out of their equation.  “I think it is naïve to believe that families today‚ after the learning gaps and disruptions so many experienced with the pandemic‚ are already being served sufficiently with the options currently in place‚” Buckland said. “I’m in southern West Virginia‚ where you can drive up to an hour to get to the closest private school‚ but now families are using the scholarship to launch new unconventional models right in their community. To me‚ programs like Hope Scholarship have the potential to improve outcomes beyond what is tied to K–12 education. It’s taking parents‚ who have traditionally been passive recipients‚ and positioning them to be active decision-makers. That has a cultural impact.”  Pennsylvania already has two popular tax credit scholarship programs: the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC). Both the EITC and OSTC offer businesses and individuals tax credits for donations to state-approved organizations that grant scholarships to students for private school tuition. So‚ the state is not starting from ground zero.  However‚ arbitrary state caps on the tax credits limit the amount of donations. In the 2020–21 school year‚ the commonwealth turned away 76‚000 student scholarship applications while putting more than $156 million in donations on hold.  In November‚ the Pennsylvania Senate advanced a bill that included a $150 million increase for the tax-credit scholarships‚ the largest increase since their inception. But the dysfunctional House Democrats‚ true to form‚ blocked this investment. Even as the teacher unions continue to exert pressure on lawmakers who are beholden to their donations‚ they could experience diminishing returns as the public appetite for new education avenues continues to grow‚ suggests Mike Watson‚ an analyst with the Capital Research Center who tracks how foundation‚ charities‚ and other nonprofits invest in political advocacy.  Watson points to examples of school choice initiatives in Washington‚ D.C.‚ Milwaukee‚ and New Orleans to drive home the point that broad public support can transcend recalcitrant elected officials and union leaders who spend funds on political causes their own members do not necessarily support. The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA)‚ an affiliate of the National Education Association‚ the largest labor union in the country representing about three million public employees‚ stands out from other government unions spending more than $27 million since 2007.  In that same period‚ the PSEA also spent $54.8 million in membership dues on political activities and lobbying‚ according to Form LM-2 financial disclosure the union files with the Department of Labor. This money is almost exclusively for liberal organizations‚ often ones that oppose educational choice. Keystone Research Center‚ a left-wing anti-choice organization in Pennsylvania‚ received over $120‚000 in membership dues from the PSEA over the past two reporting periods.  “In the liberal soul is the belief that government can fix the problems‚” Watson said. “And when the government gets in the way of solving problems‚ this causes a cognitive dissonance … so that‚ even in a state like Pennsylvania‚ that is pro-union and has union bones‚ the unions can only maintain their position on an issue like education for so long‚ and they might find that they have limits on their power.”  That’s certainly the view of Rep. Joe D’Orsie‚ a Manchester Republican‚ who has just introduced a bill that would add Pennsylvania to the list of states that have universal programs. Going into 2024‚ it is evident Pennsylvania sits at the epicenter of the battle over parental rights and educational freedom.  Kevin Mooney is the Senior Investigative Journalist at the Commonwealth Foundation‚ Pennsylvania’s free-market think tank‚ and writes for several national publications. Follow him on X at @KevinMooneyDC.  READ MORE: Dewey’s Destruction: The Ideas and Influence of the Pioneer of Public Education Give Your Kids the Gift of Parochial School School Choice Is Empowering Students and Teachers — And Devastating Unions The post Is Educational Freedom Poised to Transcend Union Power? appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.