If the economy is so good‚ why do small business leaders feel so bad&;#63;  The latest Small Business Optimism Index from the National Federation of Independent Business could hardly be more depressing. The survey finds that the men and women who run our 33 million small businesses and hire more than half of American workers are in a somber mood. It also finds that small-business confidence has reached its lowest point in 12 years.  Amazingly‚ CEOs of small companies are even more fearful of the future today than during the COVID-19 pandemic‚ when most businesses were shuttered. The confidence numbers have decreased every year President Joe Biden has been in office. Here are the numbers‚ according to the National Federation of Independent Business:   March 2020—102.0  March 2021—98.2   March 2022—93.2  March 2023—90.1  March 2024—88.5  Why are small-business owners feeling so dour at a time when the gross domestic product is growing&;#63; I asked that question of David Malpass‚ the former World Bank president who was Treasury Department undersecretary in the Trump administration. Malpass has observed‚ all over the world‚ what factors make small businesses successful and put their owners in a frame of mind to expand.  “Smaller businesses are being crowded out by complex regulations and direct competition from the $35 trillion national debt‚” Malpass concludes. “The Treasury borrowed $23 trillion in 2023 alone‚ much of it in the expensive short maturities needed by smaller businesses for working capital.”  The NFIB data is merely a survey‚ and sometimes business owners and investors act differently than they say they will. But there is more real data on how small companies are expanding. The latest Federal Reserve data through March shows that commercial and industrial loans‚ a key resource for small business dynamism‚ fell over 5% in the last year in nominal terms‚ down over 8% after adjusting for inflation. Yikes. Without investment‚ it’s hard for businesses to grow.   I asked Alfredo Ortiz‚ president and CEO of the Job Creators Network‚ which represents tens of thousands of small-business owners‚ what he sees in the business climate.   “Our members feel as though Biden has declared war on small businesses‚” Ortiz said. He also mentioned that his members are worried that a second Biden term would mean higher taxes‚ more regulations‚ and a continuation of high prices.  Meanwhile‚ the Biden administration seems frustrated and even indignant that more businesses aren’t supporting the White House program. But remember: Neither Biden nor nearly any of his top officials ever have started or even worked for a small or medium-sized business. They don’t have any feel for how their own policies impact the nation’s employers.  As an example‚ the Biden administration wants to put in serious jeopardy the franchise model where thousands of small entrepreneurs can start their own McDonald’s or Arby’s‚ or a retail store representing well-known and trusted brands. They want the parent companies to be on alert that they can be sued for violations of labor laws‚ EPA edicts‚ or federal “diversity” requirements‚ or can be on the hook for lawsuits against their franchises.  This could be the death of thousands of small‚ independent-owned franchises. The Labor Department wants small businesses to allow unions to run their stores.  What is so sinister here is that the franchise model for opening new businesses is an almost entirely unique American model of business growth. Entrepreneurial immigrants can come into the country‚ pool money as a family‚ then own and operate a Popeyes restaurant or a clothing store.  Biden also wants to nearly double the capital gains tax‚ which would scare away angel investors in small startup companies. If owners of a small or medium-sized business put the profits back into the company so it could expand‚ Biden would tax the “unrealized capital gains” on that investment.  Meanwhile‚ Biden is happy to give a big head start in the form of billions of dollars in grants and low-interest loans for large corporations such as General Motors and chipmaker Intel so they can expand operations on the taxpayers’ dime. These corporate welfare programs tilt the playing field in favor of the sharks‚ not the small-business minnows.  It’s no wonder that men and women who put their life savings on the line to build their businesses from scratch feel like they’re under assault. They are being taxed and regulated to death while too often inflation eats away their modest profits.  No one in Washington is going to be “forgiving” their loans when the business conditions get rough and high interest rates make it tough to get emergency loans. There is no safety net—and no “too big to fail” aid package—for the heroes of our economy‚ who have become the punching bag of big government.  COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM  The post Why Small Businesses Hate Bidenomics  appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A kitten with a permanent head tilt had the odds against her. Now‚ she lives as though she could conquer anything. PaisleyNikki at MyFosterKittensWhen Paisley‚ a gray kitten‚ was brought to the municipal shelter‚ she was just skin and bones‚ spinning around with a severe head tilt.Nikki Martinez‚ an animal rescuer based in NV‚ found the kitten in urgent need of placement. With the support of Hearts Alive Village‚ she picked up Paisley from the shelter and opened her home to foster her.With her head tilted‚ Paisley needed to twist around to look at Nikki when she first met her. She was drawn to Nikki's voice and completely obsessed with food. When she was rescued‚ she was sick and thin and had a severe head tiltNikki at MyFosterKittens&;quot;She was battling a pretty bad upper respiratory infection and was horribly thin‚&;quot; Nikki told Love Meow. &;quot;I knew she was going to be okay as soon as I got her out of the shelter. She was a strong little girl and full of energy despite being sick and thin.&;quot;While Nikki treated and nurtured the kitten for her ailments‚ all Paisley wanted was extra food. Although she was scrawny‚ she had an insatiable appetite and a &;quot;vacuum&;quot; stomach‚ wolfing down the food‚ leaving no crumbs behind. She was always happy and had a big appetiteNikki at MyFosterKittensAn hour after feeding‚ she trotted up to her foster mom‚ demanding a refill with her tilted head‚ pleading eyes‚ and &;quot;pathetic meow.&;quot;After a few days of TLC‚ Paisley romped around with a spring in her step‚ jumping up and down and playing nonstop. She batted at toys with all her might and made the cutest chirpy meows that could soften the hardest of hearts. Nikki at MyFosterKittens&;quot;I have fostered hundreds of kittens over the last 13 years‚ and I don't remember ever having a little kitten that chirped everywhere she went.&;quot;Her head tilt was likely the result of a previous infection. &;quot;The doctor said her brain compensates (she doesn't see the world upside down). She does everything a normal kitty does‚ just with a head tilt.&;quot; Nikki at MyFosterKittensPaisley had sundry toys in her kitty &;quot;penthouse&;quot; and kept herself very busy during her waking hours. &;quot;I could hear her playing with toys all the time. She's a ball of energy and hasn't met a toy she doesn't like.&;quot;Her unbridled energy and playfulness became a source of entertainment to the resident cats. Nikki at MyFosterKittens&;quot;She is such a friendly girl‚ loves cats‚ dogs‚ people...everyone.&;quot;&;quot;My favorite thing is how she hops over the little baby gate as if she has springs on her legs. You will be constantly entertained by her cute little chirps as she jumps around the house playing.&;quot; She leaped over the baby gate like she had springs on her feetNikki at MyFosterKittensPaisley went from 1.8 pounds to over four pounds in two months‚ and her transformation was stunning.&;quot;She is a healthy‚ energetic little girl with a permanent head tilt. The head tilt does not affect her whatsoever. It's improved‚ and the doctor said it may continue to improve over time. I think it just adds to her charm.&;quot; Nikki at MyFosterKittensWhen Paisley was ready to find her forever home‚ the perfect family flew to meet her.They set up a play zone in their house and prepared an assortment of toys for her arrival. After sleeping through most of her travel‚ Paisley was ready to play the second she stepped into her new home. Paisley in her forever home@tiltedpaisleyShe's settled in beautifully with her new family and found her favorite sunbathing spot and cat TV by the window.She eats to her heart's content‚ plays until she tires out‚ and dreams about snacks while she naps. She's found her favorite sunbathing spot@tiltedpaisleyPaisley has been a ray of sunshine even when she was sick. She lives each day like a champion with a joyful spirit and a belief that she can conquer anything. @tiltedpaisleyShare this story with your friends. More on Nikki's fosters on Instagram @myfosterkittens‚ Paisley @tiltedpaisley‚ and Hearts Alive Village @heartsaliveanimalrescue.Related story: Cat Comes Home with Kind Person‚ Within 24 Hours‚ They Find Kittens Under Their Bed

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In recent days‚ the pro-Hamas gatherings at university campuses across the country have grown more violent and more brazen with their anti-Semitic rhetoric; causing Jewish students to feel unsafe and universities to advise them to stay away as they shift to virtual learning. But despite all the videos of these incidents‚ the Tuesday edition of NBC’s Today (via correspondent Erin McLaughlin) worked hard in an apparent attempt to discredit the Jewish students who were trying to get the world’s attention and expose the far-left. At the top of her report‚ McLaughlin lamented that police were cracking down on violent pro-Hamas riots. “Overnight‚ a tense scene at New York University after pro-Palestinian protesters were forced to leave a campus plaza. NYPD moving in with riot gear‚ police breaking down encampments as a sea of protesters marched through the city streets‚” she mourned. McLaughlin actively tried to discredit the accounts of Jewish students who witnessed the crowds chant anti-Semitic slogans‚ and were assaulted and chased from pro-Israel protests: MCLAUGHLIN: Students like Andrew Stein who said he was on campus late Saturday night for a pro-Israel counter-protest‚ but left terrified by an angry mob. ANDREW STEIN: They started say in Arabic: “Hamas‚ Hamas our beloved please bomb Tel Aviv.” MCLAUGHLIN: Stein says this video shows him being followed off campus. STEIN: Me and my friend had water poured – physically poured in our face. MCLAUGHLIN: At the pro-Palestinian encampment in the heart of the university‚ heated confrontations. UNNAMED FEMALE STUDENT: “Go back to Poland” is not anti-Zionism‚ it’s anti-Semitism and that’s what was said.     She tried to contradict them with claims from the pro-Hamas side who‚ as she put it‚ “say they have no knowledge any antisemitism on campus Saturday night.” “Anyone who makes any thread to any Jewish student‚ we oppose you‚ we do not associate with you‚” a pro-Hamas student told her. It was the same student who was confronted about the “go back to Poland” chant in the block quote above (included in the embedded video). While McLaughlin wanted to suggest there was no evidence of the antisemitism‚ over on CBS Mornings‚ correspondent Meg Oliver showed a video of the “go back to Poland” chant. “Like near Columbia University where some demonstrators chanted anti-Semitic slogans. In one video‚ a protester can be seen holding a sign near Jewish students that reads ‘Al-Qasam’s [sic] next targets.’ A-Qassam is Hamas’s military arm‚” she added. “Columbia announced that‚ to ensure safety‚ most classes on its main campus will be hybrid for the rest of the semester. It has also more than doubled security after a recent series of anti-Semitic incidents‚” Oliver reported. While McLaughlin was trying to discredit and ignore the violence and anti-Semitic incidents caught on camera‚ she was more concerned about Islamophobia: “Meanwhile at Rutgers University on Monday‚ a 24-year-old man was charged with a federal hate crime for allegedly breaking into that university's Islamic center during the Eid celebrations earlier in the month.” “Many are left wondering if this will continue to spread‚” she feared. The transcript is below. Click &;quot;expand&;quot; to read: NBC’s Today April 23‚ 2024 7:04:16 a.m. Eastern (…) ERIN MCLAUGHLIN: Overnight‚ a tense scene at New York University after pro-Palestinian protesters were forced to leave a campus plaza. NYPD moving in with riot gear‚ police breaking down encampments as a sea of protesters marched through the city streets. It comes as tensions flair at Columbia University‚ now entering its seventh-consecutive day of pro-Palestinian protests; with the school announcing main campus classes will be hybrid until the end of the semester‚ stating “safety is our highest priority” after the university president's call to “de-escalate the rancor.” A massive NYPD presence was around the campus as a growing number of Jewish students report feeling unsafe. Students like Andrew Stein who said he was on campus late Saturday night for a pro-Israel counter protest‚ but left terrified by an angry mob. ANDREW STEIN: They started say in Arabic: “Hamas‚ Hamas our beloved please bomb Tel Aviv.” MCLAUGHLIN: Stein says this video shows him being followed off campus. STEIN: Me and my friend had water poured – physically poured in our face. MCLAUGHLIN: At the pro-Palestinian encampment in the heart of the university‚ heated confrontations. UNNAMED FEMALE STUDENT: “Go back to Poland” is not anti-Zionism‚ it’s anti-Semitism and that’s what was said. MCLAUGHLIN: The pro-Palestinian students we spoke to say they have no knowledge any antisemitism on campus Saturday night. SHERIF (Columbia University Student): Anyone who makes any thread to any Jewish student‚ we oppose you‚ we do not associate with you. MCLAUGHLIN: Patriots owner and Jewish alum Robert Kraft‚ a major donor‚ announcing he is pulling his support until corrective action is taken. (…) 7:06:26 a.m. Eastern MCLAUGHLIN: Meanwhile at Rutgers University on Monday‚ a 24-year-old man was charged with a federal hate crime for allegedly breaking into that university's Islamic center during the Eid celebrations earlier in the month. Many are left wondering if this will continue to spread. CBS Mornings April 23‚ 2024 7:08:05 a.m. Eastern (…) MEG OLIVER: The mood on campus is tense. Columbia announced that‚ to ensure safety‚ most classes on its main campus will be hybrid for the rest of the semester. It has also more than doubled security after a recent series of anti-Semitic incidents. But on many campuses‚ police trying to contain the demonstrations have been met with resistance. [Cuts to video] [Video of pro-Hama rioters beating police] A chaotic scene at Cal Ploy Humboldt in northern California as police in riot gear clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters. And at New York University last night‚ the NYPD broke up a pro-Palestinian encampment. The demonstrations have spread to campuses across the country with Palestinian supporters angry over Israel's war in Gaza and many Jewish students expressing fear after incidents of anti-Semitism. [Video of pro-Hamas man yelling “Go back to Poland”] Like near Columbia University where some demonstrators chanted anti-Semitic slogans. In one video‚ a protester can be seen holding a sign near Jewish students that reads “Al-Qasam’s [sic] next targets.” A-Qassam is Hamas’s military arm. UNNAMED JEWISH STUDENT: Jewish students are petrified to go onto campus. (…)

The media is obsessed with Donald Trump’s Manhattan trial to such a degree that even Jon Stewart can’t help but mock them. On Monday’s edition of The Daily Show on Comedy Central‚ Stewart ridiculed the media for their priorities‚ with MSNBC and CNN’s Jake Tapper bearing extra scrutiny. Of course‚ it is not the first time the media has obsessed over something Trump-related‚ as Stewart recalled‚ “This trial will obviously be a test of the fairness of the American legal system. But it's also a test of the media's ability to cover Donald Trump in a responsible way‚ a task they have acknowledged they have performed poorly in the past.”   Jon Stewart mocked the media's (particularly MSNBC's) obsession with Trump's trial &;quot;it's also a test of the media's ability to cover Donald Trump in a responsible way‚ a task they have acknowledged they have performed poorly in the past.&;quot; (1/&;#63;) pic.twitter.com/u6UESghJpk — Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) April 23‚ 2024   Stewart then played a montage of several MSNBC and CNN personalities lamenting media coverage of Trump. John Heilemann claimed it was “irresponsible” to “give Donald Trump hours and hours of free air time‚” while Audie Cornish claimed‚ “All of us have learned some very valuable lessons from the last couple of years in delineating what's significant‚ what's important.” After the montage‚ Stewart returned to introduce another series of clips‚ “So brave. Well done. And I think for this trial‚ we will see the seeds of that introspection bear fruit. Or we will learn that learning curves are for pussies.” With the exception of one clip from a local news analyst‚ it was exclusively MSNBC. It included multiple claims that we are witnessing “the trial of the century” and the return of the classic‚ “The legal walls‚ closing in around Donald Trump.” The trial is obviously newsworthy‚ but Stewart suggested‚ “Perhaps if we limit the coverage to the issues at hand‚ and try not to create an all-encompassing spectacle of the most banal of details‚ perhaps that would help.” That cued yet another montage of Tapper and local news reporters following Trump’s motorcade. The last reporter waxed poetic as she claimed Trump was “arriving at this intersection of American history with defiance.”     An exasperated Stewart wondered‚ “Seriously‚ are we going to follow this guy to court every [bleep] day&;#63; Are you trying to make this O.J.&;#63; It's not even a chase&;#33; He's commuting. So‚ the media's first attempt‚ the very first attempt on the first day at self-control failed. And I'm sorry to say that it didn't -- I'm sorry‚ hold on‚ we're getting breaking news.” In the next clip‚ Tapper was interrupting his guest‚ “I'm sorry to interrupt‚ I've just-- one second. I apologize. We're just showing the first image of Donald Trump from inside the courtroom. It's a still photograph that we're showing there. Just want to make sure our viewers know what they're looking at.” Stewart wasn’t convinced viewers needed this information‚ “Yes‚ for our viewers who are just waking up from a 30-year coma‚ this is what Donald Trump has looked like every day for the past 30 years.” Later‚ after skewering MSNBC for interviewing a dismissed juror who almost saw Trump‚ Stewart teed up another clip of Tapper‚ “Anyway‚ coming up‚ more of our three-part interview with a guy who nearly saw Donald Trump in the courtroom. So‚ we have a photograph—it’s freaking me out‚ that picture— we have a photograph‚ we have eyewitness accounts‚ but do we have anything in a pastel&;#63;” Tapper marveled about “A courtroom sketch that we're getting in right now. I'm looking at the courtroom sketch and Mr. Trump looks like he is glowering [jump cut] I'm not sure if that's supposed to be a glower or just a glance [jump cut] I don't know how this -- it's art. It's not necessarily -- it's artistic journalism‚ but it's not a photograph.”     Stewart then turned to Tapper’s colleague‚ Erin Burnett‚ “Why are you showing it to us&;#63; It is a sketch… Well‚ I guess we'll never know. Unless&;#33; We could talk to the person who drew the sketch&;#33; But do we have the time&;#63; Nothing but&;#33;” Burnett was shown conversing with sketch artist Christine Cornell‚ “I want to show one of your sketches today. We're going through some of them‚ but this one‚ it appears in this one that his eyes are closed. What was happening here&;#63;” Cornell didn’t have the profound answer Burnett was looking for‚ “My apologies‚ ma'am. I was sitting 50 feet away. I was having such a struggle to try and get those eyeballs in.” If that's not a metaphor for media coverage of Trump's legal battles‚ then nothing is. Here is a transcript for the April 22 show: Comedy Central The Daily Show 4/22/2024 11:02 PM ET JON STEWART: This trial will obviously be a test of the fairness of the American legal system. But it's also a test of the media's ability to cover Donald Trump in a responsible way‚ a task they have acknowledged they have performed poorly in the past. NICOLLE WALLACE: I think to the degree that the media had lessons to learn in '16‚ they seemed to have been learned. JOHN HEILEMANN: It was irresponsible for cable news networks to give Donald Trump hours and hours of free air time. BRIAN STELTER: Way too much speculation and liberal wishful thinking in attempts to connect dots that did not connect. RACHEL MADDOW: It's the media's responsibility to not get distracted. NICHOLAS KRISTOF: I think we were much too busy chasing after shiny objects. AUDIE CORNISH: All of us have learned some very valuable lessons from the last couple of years in delineating what's significant‚ what's important. STEWART: So brave. Well done. And I think for this trial‚ we will see the seeds of that introspection bear fruit. Or we will learn that learning curves are for pussies. WALLACE: Here we go. MIKA BRZEZINSKI: It's on‚ it's happening‚ history will be made. ALEX WITT: Shaping up to be the trial of the century. FEMALE LOCAL NEWS ANALYST: Maybe the trial of the century. CHRIS HAYES: The trial of the century. WALLACE: What just might be the trial of the century. KATIE PHANG: The taxman is here‚ Donald Trump. AYMAN MOHYELDIN: He will finally be forced to face the music. CHRIS JANSING: The legal walls‚ closing in around Donald Trump. ANTHONY COLEY: The legal walls are starting to close in on Donald Trump. STEWART: Yes‚ this time‚ Mr. Bond‚ it truly is your doom&;#33; Now if you'll excuse me‚ I'm going to leave this room. Obviously‚ when I leave‚ I'm not going to press the button that opens all the doors and dismantles the killing machine I've established. Don't follow me‚ Mr. Bond. Perhaps if we limit the coverage to the issues at hand‚ and try not to create an all-encompassing spectacle of the most banal of details‚ perhaps that would help. JAKE TAPPER: You're looking at live pictures in New York City of Donald Trump's motorcade. MALE LOCAL NEWS REPORTER: It's about a 20-minute drive between Trump Tower and the court building. FEMALE LOCAL NEWS REPORTER: Trump leaving Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue. MALE LOCAL NEWS REPORTER 2: They're now making their way across town along 57th Street. [jump cut] They just crossed Park Avenue making their way up towards Lexington Avenue. BRETT TOLMAN: He's heading down the FDR. RANJI SINHA: To the Manhattan courthouse on Chambers Street. FEMALE LOCAL NEWS REPORTER 3: Arriving at this intersection of American history with defiance. STEWART: Arriving at the intersection of American history with defiance. The brilliant juxtaposing of the gravitas of the moment with simple traffic terms was... [Chef's kiss] &;quot;He arrived at the intersection of American history‚ where he put a quarter in the parking meter of destiny. Leaving the car‚ looking to avoid stepping in the urine puddle of jurisprudence.&;quot;  Seriously‚ are we going to follow this guy to court every [bleep] day&;#63; Are you trying to make this O.J.&;#63; It's not even a chase&;#33; He's commuting. So‚ the media's first attempt‚ the very first attempt on the first day at self-control failed. And I'm sorry to say that it didn't -- I'm sorry‚ hold on‚ we're getting breaking news. WILLIAM BRENNAN: You know‚ he wanted to get a jury seated. So we had a lady – JAKE TAPPER: Will‚ I'm sorry to interrupt‚ I've just-- one second. I apologize. We're just showing the first image of Donald Trump from inside the courtroom. BRENNAN: Okay. TAPPER: It's a still photograph that we're showing there. Just want to make sure our viewers know what they're looking at. STEWART: Yes‚ for our viewers who are just waking up from a 30-year coma‚ this is what Donald Trump has looked like every day for the past 30 years. … STEWART: Anyway‚ coming up‚ more of our three-part interview with a guy who nearly saw Donald Trump in the courtroom. So‚ we have a photograph—it’s freaking me out‚ that picture— we have a photograph‚ we have eyewitness accounts‚ but do we have anything in a pastel&;#63; TAPPER: A courtroom sketch that we're getting in right now. I'm looking at the courtroom sketch and Mr. Trump looks like he is glowering [jump cut] I'm not sure if that's supposed to be a glower or just a glance [jump cut] I don't know how this -- it's art. It's not necessarily -- it's artistic journalism‚ but it's not a photograph. STEWART: Why are you showing it to us&;#63; It is a sketch. Why would anyone analyze a sketch like it was—it’d be like looking at The Last Supper and going‚ &;quot;Would you say Jesus looks sad here&;#63; What do you think&;#63; It's because of Judas&;#63; What if we interview one of the waiters at one of the tables from‚ like‚ a different section of the restaurant who maybe actually didn't see him&;#63; But you know‚ we got time to kill.&;quot;  Well‚ I guess we'll never know. Unless&;#33; We could talk to the person who drew the sketch&;#33; But do we have the time&;#63; Nothing but&;#33; ERIN BURNETT: Christine Cornell was in the courtroom today‚ the official sketch artist [jump cut] I want to show one of your sketches today. We're going through some of them‚ but this one‚ it appears in this one that his eyes are closed. What was happening here&;#63; CHRISTINE CORNELL: My apologies‚ ma'am. I was sitting 50 feet away. I was having such a struggle to try and get those eyeballs in. STEWART: Damn it‚ woman&;#33; Does Donald Trump have eyeballs or no‚ ma'am&;#63; Does he or no&;#63; You were in the room&;#33; Tell me&;#33; Or I will not come to your trinket shop in Newport&;#33;

In 2024‚ foreign policy doesn’t pit Republicans against Democrats so much as it pits Republicans against Republicans and Democrats against Democrats. For Joe Biden’s party‚ Israel is the fault line‚ with Democrats split between supporters of the Jewish State and those of Palestinian sympathies. For the party of Donald Trump‚ the internal conflict is over Ukraine‚ and the bitterness of the battle risks costing Mike Johnson his speakership. These crises in the Middle East and on NATO’s frontier are catalysts for tensions that have been growing in both parties’ coalitions since the end of the Cold War. The United States is the most powerful nation in the world‚ by far; what obligations does that impose on us for using our power to promote our values&;#63; And what are those values anyway&;#63; The anti-colonialist left thinks America is too wicked to do good on the world stage. The anti-interventionist right thinks the world is too unlike us to benefit from our crusading — which instead only undermines what makes us special and strong at home. The more internationalist right‚ on the other hand‚ sees greater danger to our institutions and way of life arising from insufficient engagement with a dangerous world‚ which will turn away from our values and interests if we don’t actively promote them. That requires‚ they say‚ supporting friends and allies around the globe and confronting hostile states‚ ultimately‚ if necessary‚ with military force‚ and by every means short of that in the meantime. The interventionist left‚ for its part‚ has the same confidence in government’s ability to improve the world outside our borders as it has in the competence of government at home. And if engaging with the world erodes American distinctiveness‚ as some on the right fear‚ that’s a benefit rather than a drawback as far as these progressives are concerned. These are basic dispositions. They’re complicated by several hard realities that can’t be avoided no matter what one’s ideal policy might be — external threats‚ for one thing‚ and the limits of America’s unprecedented but not unlimited wealth and power for another‚ as well as the limits of national morale and political will in support of any long-term project. There are serious debates to be had both on the left and the right. Yet on the left‚ as is typical for that side of politics‚ protest often takes the place of serious discussion‚ especially on college campuses. To judge by social media‚ one might think the right can’t have an adult conversation about foreign policy‚ either. But an event I recently moderated suggests that conservatives can grapple intelligently with their differences. The University of Texas at Austin held a debate — organized by UT’s Civitas Institute and my employer‚ the Intercollegiate Studies Institute — on the proposition “Resolved: America’s Defense of Ukraine Is Vital to Upholding the Liberal International Order‚” with National Review’s Noah Rothman affirming the proposition and former Trump administration national security official Michael Anton opposing it. Although Rothman and Anton didn’t come to a meeting of minds by the end of the debate‚ each made points that arguably worked in the other’s favor. After an audience member asked Rothman how his fears of further Russian aggressions beyond Ukraine differed from Vietnam-era “domino theory‚” Anton added that Singapore’s leader Lee Kuan Yew was reputed to have said that America really won the Vietnam War. How so&;#63; The resolve America showed in fighting the war signaled to the wider Indo-Pacific region that Communism could not expand easily and without resistance‚ even if Washington proved unable to save South Vietnam. That message fortified the willingness of other states to resist Communism‚ including Singapore. I asked Anton if this lesson applied to Ukraine. Would it mean that even if American support wasn’t enough to defeat Russia‚ the heightened cost of Putin’s war would still discourage further depredations by Moscow — or anyone else — and strengthen other nations’ inclinations to resist them&;#63; Anton wasn’t convinced the precedent would apply in today’s circumstances. Nevertheless‚ in sharing Lee’s opinion‚ he helpfully complicated the debate. In turn Rothman acknowledged that his support for Ukraine did not extend to sending American troops to fight for Kyiv‚ even if Anton proved correct in his contention that nothing less than that would secure victory for Ukraine. Rothman believed‚ however‚ that supporting Ukraine was the best way to keep America out of a European conflict‚ as Russian success would foment chaos on NATO’s borders and weaken the alliance architecture that kept Europe at peace. There were no concessions on either side‚ yet the debate showed how conservatives with starkly different views could compare them productively. It also showed a college campus can still hold a mature debate‚ not just another protest. Daniel McCarthy is the editor of Modern Age: A Conservative Review. To read more by Daniel McCarthy‚ visit www.creators.com

Welcome to Woke of the Weak where I’ll update you about the most woke‚ progressive‚ insane‚ and crazy clips and stories that the left thinks is tolerable and well‚ point out why exactly they’re nuts. This week we took a look at how far from normal the left is.  We started out by watching a drag queen shimmy his prosthetic breasts in the face of a toddler‚ another drag queen didn’t shimmy as much but made sure to shake his hips and drop it low for a different young child. A transgender was invited to a queer prom to secretly talk to kids about queerness and started his announcement with “hey guys‚ gals and nonbinary pals.” Speaking of queer kids‚ a furry and a purple-haired freak at a college bent down to smell‚ lick or taste something out of another furry’s booty while others with intense black eyeliner barked as a form of protest. A man in pink booty shorts and a crop top‚ was spotted leaving the women’s restroom at the University of Tampa and a different transgender posted a video of his reaction to getting his lower bits tamed and groomed before his bottom surgery. Why he thought that was appropriate to post on the internet‚ I will never know. Next we saw a pink-haired individual explain that there’s something called “genderseason” which is supposedly a gender identity that is linked with a season. It represents someone who may identify as a female in the springtime‚ a male in the summer‚ neither in the fall and both in the winter...whatever. As a final nod to the strange behavior of the left‚ climate activists sang and chanted in long red robes with white painted faces and red gloves at what looked like some sort of church. I’m sure their little skit really helped stop climate change.

While NBC was busy trying to discredit Jewish students who were victims of anti-Semitic attacks and threats caught on camera at Columbia University on Tuesday‚ ABC’s Good Morning America thought they could get by without admitting there was antisemitism coming from the pro-Hamas crowd. Instead‚ correspondent Stephanie Ramos simply said Jewish students “don’t feel safe” with no explanation as to why. Instead of focusing on the anti-Semitic attacks and rhetoric that caused classes at Columbia’s main campus to go virtual for the rest of the year‚ Ramos huffed about university administrators who allowed an increased police presence on campus and the crackdown on trespassers: RAMOS: Security heightened at Columbia University where student protesters pitched tents at the center of campus. The encampments still in place this morning. Classes there going virtual Monday. University president Minouche Shafik authorized the NYPD to make arrests last week. MIKE GERBER (NYPD deputy commissioner‚ legal matters): They informed us they had students who were trespassing. They asked us to come on to campus and we did. RAMOS: Demonstrators demanding institutions divest from companies with ties to Israel.     At those gatherings‚ far-left‚ pro-Hamas students chanted anti-Semitic slogans like “Go back to Poland” and held up signs calling for Jewish student counter-protesters to be killed. But instead of showing the ABC audience the far-left’s hatred of Jews‚ she highlighted one of the students arrested: RAMOS: Columbia PhD student Linnea Norton tells us she was one of the arrested and just wants her voice to be heard. LINNEA NORTON: We were all just sitting cross-legged together in a circle and then the NYPD came in and arrested us one by one. Immediately zip-tied us with our hands behind our backs. Ramos did note that “Many Jewish students telling us they don't feel safe on campus‚” and interviewed one who explained: “It's not only mentally exhausting. I found these past few days it's been like physically affecting me. And I got told that an Israeli flag is a Nazi flag.” But that didn’t do justice to show how dangerous the situation actually was. Over on CBS Mornings‚ correspondent Meg Oliver showed a video of the “go back to Poland” chant. “Like near Columbia University where some demonstrators chanted anti-Semitic slogans. In one video‚ a protester can be seen holding a sign near Jewish students that reads ‘Al-Qasam’s [sic] next targets.’ A-Qassam is Hamas’s military arm‚” she added. “Columbia announced that‚ to ensure safety‚ most classes on its main campus will be hybrid for the rest of the semester. It has also more than doubled security after a recent series of anti-Semitic incidents‚” Oliver reported. At the end of her report‚ Ramos concluded by noting that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (an alum of Columbia) was “reconsidering his support for the university” without noting it was in regard to the antisemitism. The transcript is below. Click &;quot;expand&;quot; to read: ABC’s Good Morning America April 23‚ 2024 7:04:39 a.m. Eastern (…) STEPHANIE RAMOS: Security heightened at Columbia University where student protesters pitched tents at the center of campus. The encampments still in place this morning. Classes there going virtual Monday. University president Minouche Shafik authorized the NYPD to make arrests last week. MIKE GERBER (NYPD deputy commissioner‚ legal matters): They informed us they had students who were trespassing. They asked us to come on to campus and we did. RAMOS: Demonstrators demanding institutions divest from companies with ties to Israel. Columbia PhD student Linnea Norton tells us she was one of the arrested and just wants her voice to be heard. LINNEA NORTON: We were all just sitting cross legged together in a circle and then the NYPD came in and arrested us one by one. Immediately zip tied us with our hands behind our backs. RAMOS: Tensions have been mounting at universities since the Israel/Hamas conflict began last October. Many Jewish students telling us they don't feel safe on campus. How has this hit you‚ the demonstrations over the last couple of days&;#63; UNNAMED JEWISH STUDENT: It's not only mentally exhausting. I found these past few days it's been like physically affecting me. And I got told that an Israeli flag is a Nazi flag. (…)