The essence of school choice is freedom

'I was sneak-attacked'

'That was a lie'

The Biden administration’s decision to raise tariffs on Chinese-manufactured electric vehicles, steel, computer chips, and other technological products is the epitome of a penny wise and a pound foolish. To much of the nation, the news was a reelection flip-flop, or an attempt to prop up the electric vehicle industry Biden has prioritized since he took office, as part of his green agenda. The international supply chain for electric vehicles isn’t going to magically stop running through the Chinese Communist Party anytime soon. If Biden really wanted to curb Chinese geopolitical power, he would make fundamental changes to his administration’s history of attacking domestic mining opportunities. Allowing development of copper, graphite, nickel, cobalt, and other critical and strategic minerals right here at home would go much further than imposing tariffs. Biden has demonstrated affinity for promoting “net zero” policies and forcing transitions away from traditional energy supplies of oil, gas, and coal. In a nutshell, the attacks on domestic mining projects seem completely counterproductive. According to the International Energy Agency, staggering quantities of subsurface elements will need to be mined by at least five times their current worldwide production by 2040 to meet the Biden administration’s green energy goals. Graphite, cobalt, and lithium all will be needed in quantities exceeding 25 times (or more) their current supplies. In the next quarter century, we will need twice as much copper than has been produced in the last 3,000 years. All of which is impossible when Biden won’t let us dig. The U.S. has tremendous opportunities to have our own mineral resources. Yet, the Biden administration has thwarted their development at nearly every turn. For example, massive copper and nickel deposits could be developed in Minnesota at the Twin Metals and Duluth Complex projects, but Biden has ordered each of them off-limits for development. The Resolution Copper prospect in Arizona met a similar fate, with the Department of Interior placing on “indefinite hold” its approval. The Western Hemisphere’s largest copper prospect is Alaska’s Pebble Mine. Kowtowing to environmental extremists—and ignoring a clean U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Final Environmental Impact Statement—the Environmental Protection Agency continues to stymie progress on a deposit worth more than $500 billion. All the while shutting down the possibility of 700 full-time jobs in an area of rural Alaska that has seasonal unemployment exceeding 20%. Alaska has been the target of more than 60 administrative and executive orders targeting its resource-based economy since Biden assumed office. One of the most recent took place on Earth Day, when a congressionally-authorized road to the Ambler Mining District—an area rich in copper, zinc, and other strategic and critical minerals—was stopped by the Department of Interior.  Just like with the Resolution mine in Arizona, the Interior Department used “Indigenous opposition” as its deciding factor, even though many villages and tribes closest to the mining district publicly support the project and its future employment opportunities. In Alaska, the Biden administration literally blocks the road to the minerals Biden’s tariffs claim to protect. Alaska’s governor, Michael Dunleavy, along with its entire congressional delegation, has been openly critical of the continued hypocrisy of the Biden administration when it comes to talking “net zero” and acting with vigor to oppose domestic mining projects. The same response has come from many within the Minnesota and Arizona congressional community. They’ve been unable to break through to the administration, as Team Biden chooses to listen to eco-activists and career bureaucrats with an anti-development agenda. What would hurt China, empower America, and begin to chip away at the global imbalance would be mining and processing our crucial minerals and elements domestically. Let’s see if the Biden administration wises up to that fact, or if America tires of being subservient to the CCP and makes fundamental changes to federal leadership in November. This article was originally published by RealClearEnergy and made available via RealClearWire. The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. The post Forget Tariffs: Biden Should Look to Domestic Mining to Thwart Chinese EVs appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Countries around the world, especially America’s top adversary, China, are eager to replicate the success of Pittsburgh’s powerhouse energy industry. The Biden administration’s green agenda is helping them do just that, and at Pittsburgh’s expense. In the name of fighting climate change and decarbonization, the Biden administration is promulgating a series of rules requiring electric cars and trucks, electric stoves, and use of renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and solar panels. In March, for example, the Environmental Protection Agency released a final tailpipe rule that would require 70% of new cars sold to be hybrid or battery-powered electric by 2032. In addition, 25% of heavy-duty trucks would have to be electric. In April, the EPA finalized a power-plant rule that would require most power plants to sequester, or bury, 90% of their carbon emissions or go out of business by 2040. Biden administration officials claim that these policies are building “America’s clean energy future.” But the truth is that they put China’s Panzhihua—not America’s Pittsburgh—in pole position to be the champions of global energy in the 21st century. It isn’t complicated. Pennsylvania is fortunate to have vast reserves of coal, oil, and natural gas. China, meanwhile, produces almost 80% of the world’s batteries and 80% of the world’s wind turbines and solar panels. As the Biden administration’s rules move us further and further away from traditional sources of energy and toward a so-called clean energy future, it undermines jobs in places such as Pittsburgh and makes our economy more and more reliant on China. Pennsylvania Democrats know this. In February, for example, U.S. Sens. John Fetterman and Bob Casey expressed their shared concern that the Biden administration’s pause on approvals of liquified natural gas export could put Pennsylvania’s 123,000 jobs in natural gas at risk. On May 7, however, 75 of their fellow Democrats in Washington—influenced by progressive environmental groups—heaped praise on the president’s policy. Never mind that even if America abandoned all fossil fuels, global temperatures would decline by only two-tenths of one degree Celsius by the year 2100. The communist government in Beijing is taking a different approach. China repeatedly has stated that it has no intention of going along with the Western push to “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions. In October 2022, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said in an address to the Communist Party Congress: “Based on China’s energy and resource endowments, we will advance initiatives to reach peak carbon emissions in a well-planned and phased way, in line with the principle of getting the new before discarding the old.” Last summer, when Biden’s then-climate envoy, John Kerry, was visiting Beijing, Xi reiterated that China would set its own path on emissions reduction and not be influenced by outside factors. But the Biden ad­min­is­tra­tion is de­ter­mined to pur­sue uni­lat­eral en­ergy dis­ar­ma­ment, im­pos­ing bil­lions of dol­lars of costs on Amer­i­cans. All pain for Amer­ica, all gain for China. If nothing changes, Americans not only will have to buy more Chinese batteries and components, they will also have to pay higher electricity bills and transportation costs. This will, in turn, exacerbate inflation, drive manufacturing offshore, and increase unemployment—lowering growth in gross domestic product and disproportionately hurting the poor, farmers, and small businesses. Biden’s rush to a green energy future will handcuff America to China, placing vital energy supply chains at the mercy of Beijing. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Members of the House of Representatives have laid out an alternative vision for America’s energy future with legislation called the Lower Energy Costs Act. The plan would lower energy costs, reduce emissions, and increase domestic energy production in places such as Western Pennsylvania. As House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., put it, enactment of this legislation would “[bring] back critical minerals to America so that we don’t have to be reliant on countries like China.” Originally published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The post Biden’s Energies Policies Favor China at Pittsburgh’s Expense appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Three kittens were found at five days old, Now, they follow a puppy and a resident cat around, showering them with purrs. JennyJenny, a foster volunteer of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, received a rescue request about a litter of kittens needing a bottle feeder. They had been found outside and brought to a local animal shelter.At around five days old, their eyes were still closed, and their ears remained folded. Too young to regulate their body temperatures, Jenny placed them in an incubator, creating a warm and cozy environment for them.Kittens their age are vulnerable without a mother cat. Jenny stepped in and provided round-the-clock care, feeding and tending to their every need. JennyDespite her best efforts to save them all, one sadly lost his fight. "The other three continued to do well. When you lose one in the litter, it's hard to ever feel really confident they'll all make it," Jenny shared with Love Meow."When they reached the 3-week milestone where they are no longer technically neonates, I breathed a little easier." JennyJenny wanted to give the remaining three kittens inspiring names to match their strong will - Petra (tortie), Taj, and Picchu, all named after the New Seven Wonders of the World.Baby Petra was the most confident of the squad. While her siblings screamed and scrambled at mealtime, the tortie stayed cozily in bed, cool as a cucumber, until Jenny got her moving and ready for the bottle. JennyAs their size and curiosity outgrew the incubator, they were upgraded to a playpen where they could stretch their legs and explore.They were excited about the new digs, shuffling around, playing with toys, and exercising their claws on a scratching post. Jenny"When they hit six weeks, and I weaned them onto food, I felt much more assured they were going to be ok," Jenny told Love Meow."They have grown into such great kitties. Petra is the leader. She's been the first to do everything. Eat, explore, and play with the big cats and dogs." PetraJenny"Taj is the playful adventurer. He likes to venture everywhere, climb, and explore. He's also very sweet and the first to find your lap.""Picchu is my sweet, calmer one. He loves a good nap in the sun and isn't quite as outgoing as the other two. I call him the old soul in a kitten body." Taj, Petra, and PicchuJennyWhile Petra and Taj romp around the room, checking out every nook and cranny, Picchu burrows next to his foster mom, basking in the affection.The kittens adore the gray and white resident cat and follow his lead around the house. "They all love to play and wrestle with each other. They get along great with my dogs and cats." Petra and PicchuJennyDuck Duck Goose, a foster puppy, needed a friend after all her siblings had been adopted. She joined the three kittens recently and was delighted to have their company.The trio took her into their crew and made her an honorary littermate. The trio befriended Duck Duck Goose the foster puppyJenny"They let her play with them, and they all cuddle together. It's pretty cute."While snoozing on their canine friend, the kittens' purr engines are on full blast. Despite their petite size, they've got a purr that never quits. They play together and snuggle in a puddleJennyShare this story with your friends. More on the kittens and their canine friend and Jenny's fosters on Instagram.Related story: Cat, Size of a Small Bobcat, Found Wailing in Front of House Until a Couple Scoops Him Up and Finds Him Help

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A young woman decided to fight back against would-be carjackers who pistol-whipped her and was able to get them arrested after she chased them down in her flip-flops. Michigan police said the incident unfolded in the parking lot of a Target store on Pardee Road in the city of Taylor at about 4:50 p.m. on Monday. Rachel Smiglewski told WXYZ-TV that she was sitting in her boyfriend's car when the attempted carjackers appeared at her window wearing surgical masks and threatening her with a gun. "I was just baffled and so scared," said the 24-year-old. She said she tried to call 911, but one of the thugs smacked the phone away and then hit her face with the gun. She said she could feel the blood spurting from her face when he put the gun to her head. 'You just get sick of it, and I'm not going to let anyone do that to me anymore.' Although she complied with their demands and handed over her car keys, she said that something took over her at that moment and she decided to fight back. "All of a sudden, something snapped in me and I was like, 'You know what? No, I'm not going to let this happen to me. This is not going to happen,'" she said. Smiglewski said she started yelling for help and slamming her hands on the roof of the car. People in the parking lot began calling police. Although the assailants still had her keys, they ran away from the spectacle she was causing. So, she pursued them. "I chased after them. We ran the whole parking lot and I was wearing flip-flops. Then I lost my shoes, so my feet are all cut up," she said. 'I was back ready to fight all three of them.'Smiglewski said that she realized they were not very big physically and got prepared to fight them. "I was back ready to fight all three of them because they look like they were scrawny little teenagers," she said. One of the assailants threw the keys at her as they ran away. Police said that they ran into a BJ's restaurant, and the employees called police to let them know the suspects were hiding in their bathroom. Police said they arrested three teenagers aged between 14 and 18 years old. They also said they were able to recover a 9mm Glock. Police said they believed the two juveniles and the man had been playing basketball before they missed a bus to Detroit and decided to try to carjack someone. When asked what motivated her to fight back, Smiglewski said it was that she was fed up with people taking advantage of her. "I've had everybody walk all over me and take advantage of me for years and years," she said. "You just get sick of it, and I'm not going to let anyone do that to me anymore." Smiglewski says on Facebook that she is a sandwich artist at Subway. "I fought and won and am so glad to be alive and not shot dead over some car," she wrote in the post. Taylor is a city of about 64,000 residents in the southeast part of Michigan.WXYZ disabled its video for other websites, but the interview with Smiglewski can be watched directly on YouTube. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!