Democrats saved Speaker Johnson’s $95 billion foreign aid plan after a GOP rebellion blocked it. Democrats took the unusual step of backing what they’re calling a partisan procedural vote‚ which tells us that Democrats desperately want this bill. The bill will be considered in four individual components on Saturday. Democrats bucked party norms to do […] The post Dems Save Speaker Johnson’s $95B Foreign Aid Package appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

With the rising costs of groceries‚ many Americans have taken to growing food at home. 43% of Americans are now growing food at their homes‚ up from 33% of Americans in 2019‚ according to the  National Gardening Association. “According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture‚ at-home food prices increased by 11.4% in 2022. In 2023‚ it increased by another 5.8%‚” Spectrum News noted. This week‚ Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged that the Fed’s goal of diminishing inflation to 2% is proving more difficult to reach than heretofore projected. In March‚ for the third consecutive month‚ the core consumer price increased. It advanced 0.4% from February and 3.8% from the year before. “The recent data have clearly not given us greater confidence and instead indicate that is likely to take longer than expected to achieve that confidence‚” Powell said. “Given the strength of the labor market and progress on inflation so far‚ it is appropriate to allow restrictive policy further time to work and let the data and the evolving outlook guide us.” Powell has been blamed for saying interest-rate cuts would be forthcoming‚ thus catalyzing economic activity. “They just got the inflation picture wrong‚” Stephen Stanley‚ chief US economist at Santander US Capital Markets LLC‚ told Bloomberg. “The mistake they made was they got really enamored with the combination of really strong growth and benign inflation that we saw in the second half of last year.” Another cause of stubborn inflation has been the lack of available housing. Some homeowners grabbed inexpensive mortgage rates during the pandemic and now are reluctant to move. A third possible cause: insurance costs. “Tenants’ and household insurance is rising at the fastest rate in nine years‚ while auto insurance skyrocketed 22.2% in the year through March‚ the most since 1976‚” Bloomberg noted. Powell “is entertaining the possibility that disinflation has indeed stalled‚ and that the bar for cutting rates may have increased‚” Anna Wong‚ chief US economist at Bloomberg Economics‚ commented. “That raises the risk that there won’t be a rate cut this year‚ if the unemployment rate is little changed from today.”

The Supreme Court on Wednesday made a decision that has largely flown under the radar‚ but has big implications for employers who have diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion (DEI) programs. The Supreme Court ruled 9-0 in favor of St. Louis Police Sergeant Jatonya Clayborn Muldrow‚ who sued the St. Louis Police Department (SLPD) after she was transferred from one department to another against her wishes. Muldrow worked for nearly 10 years in the SLPD’s specialized Intelligence Division‚ but in 2017‚ the new Intelligence Division commander requested she be transferred from the unit so she could be replaced with a man. The request was approved and Muldrow was transferred to a position where she was now “supervising the day-to-day activities of neighborhood patrol officers‚” instead of working in the Intelligence Division. While her rank and pay remained the same‚ her job changed and she lost the use of an unmarked take-home vehicle‚ as well as a more regular schedule where she had weekends off. Muldrow sued‚ claiming she was discriminated against because she was a woman‚ a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. A lower court found she had not been discriminated against because she did not show that she had been “significantly” harmed by the transfer‚ so Muldrow appealed‚ eventually getting her case before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court determined that there was no threshold for harm‚ and that someone alleging discrimination “does not have to show … that the harm incurred was significant. Or serious‚ or substantial‚ or any similar adjective.” Typically‚ Title VII prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of “race‚ color‚ religion‚ sex‚ or national origin” when it comes to “compensation‚ terms‚ conditions‚ or privileges.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP With the Supreme Court decision stating that an employee doesn’t have to show “significant” harm‚ many have taken the new ruling to mean it will be easier for women and minorities to sue based on alleged discrimination. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)‚ for example‚ touted the ruling as “a huge victory for workers and workplace equality.” But some conservatives have noted that this ruling could make it easier to sue employers who have DEI programs that favor women and minorities. The Daily Signal noted that it’s “fashionable for corporate employers to create race- and sex-based employment conditions and privileges as part of their DEI initiatives.” The outlet pointed to LinkedIn’s “employee resource groups‚” which provide mentoring and training programs for “systemically marginalized” groups. The outlet suggests that these programs would fall under the “privileges of employment‚” mentioned under Title VII‚ and that the additional pay given to leaders of these groups would count as “compensation” under the law. The ACLU pushed back on this notion‚ with Ming-Qi Chu‚ the deputy director of the organization’s Women’s Rights Project‚ dismissing the idea as “fearmongering.” “The fearmongering of DEI opponents has no basis in law and fundamentally misunderstands how most DEI programs work. The purpose of DEI and other remedial workplace programs is to improve the process by which employment decisions are made and close the gap in opportunities among workers. They do not disadvantage any particular worker. This is why they have long been held lawful. These scare-tactics are trying to chill employers’ commitment and investment in expanding workplace opportunity. We won’t let them‚” she said in the ACLU’s statement regarding the Supreme Court decision.

President Joe Biden told a group of supporters earlier this week at a campaign event in Scranton‚ Pennsylvania‚ that he often sees 7- and 8-year-olds flipping him the bird while he’s driving through neighborhoods or rural towns. While speaking at a campaign event in his hometown on Tuesday‚ the president decried yard signs that say “F Biden” and then said that he often witnesses young children giving him the middle finger. “I’ve never thought I’d see a time when I’m going through a — a neighborhood or a rural town that’s in the West and see big signs that have a Trump sign in the middle that says ‘F Biden’ and having a little kid standing with his middle finger — seven years old‚ eight years old‚” Biden said. “Well‚ I promise‚ it happens all the time. It’s not who we are‚” he added. Biden Says Little Kid Gave Him a Middle Finger: ‘It Happens All the Time’ pic.twitter.com/XYqU0xvybK — Sean Hannity 🇺🇸 (@seanhannity) April 19‚ 2024 Biden’s remarks on children flipping him off followed comments he made on why he jumped into the presidential race in 2020. The president‚ as he has done numerous times in the past‚ cited the Charlottesville‚ Virginia‚ car attack in August 2017 as why he ran for president against Trump. In the attack‚ a young woman was killed by a man who drove his car through a large crowd of people who were protesting a white supremacist rally in the town. “And my future opponent‚ my present opponent — they asked him what he thought of it. He said there were ‘very good people on both sides‚'” Biden said of Trump. “And I’m going to say something that may sound outrageous to you‚ but I thought … he’s the antithesis of everything I believe‚ and I thought I could beat him. And that’s why I ran.” The president then added that it doesn’t matter to him if a person’s political philosophy is “Left‚ Right‚ or center.” “But it matters about whether or not you’re going to abide by the basic rules‚ you’re going to have a sense of decency‚” said Biden. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP As the 2024 presidential campaign has heated up in recent months‚ Biden has ramped up his criticism of Trump and his supporters‚ arguing that his political opponent is a “threat” to the country.

Finland’s Supreme Court will hear the case of a politician facing “hate crime” charges over her Christian beliefs on marriage and sexuality.  On Friday‚ the Supreme Court of Finland announced that it would hear the case of Finnish Member of Parliament P&;auml;ivi R&;auml;s&;auml;nen‚ who is facing state charges related to her sharing a 2019 tweet that included pictures of Bible verses and a pamphlet on marriage she wrote back in 2004. The charges were previously dismissed by the district court and the Helsinki Court of Appeal. The case will now be heard by the Supreme Court‚ Finland’s top court for private law cases. The state prosecutors want the court to fine R&;auml;s&;auml;nen tens of thousands of Euros and want her to be censored. Bishop Juhana Pohjola will be tried at the same time on similar charges for publishing R&;auml;s&;auml;nen’s writings on marriage. Charges were brought against them after R&;auml;s&;auml;nen publicly questioned why the church denomination she was part of was sponsoring an LGBT “Pride” celebration. She was accused of “agitation against a minority group‚” under the section of “war crimes and crimes against humanity” in Finnish law.  R&;auml;s&;auml;nen said Friday that she has a “peaceful mind” and is “ready to continue to defend free speech and freedom of religion before the Supreme Court‚ and if need be‚ also before the European Court of Human Rights.”  The member of parliament‚ who is being backed by the Alliance Defending Freedom International‚ added that the investigation into her had been going on for nearly five and that the outcome would have major implications for free expression.  “This was not just about my opinions‚ but about everyone’s freedom of expression‚” she said. “I hope that with the ruling of the Supreme Court‚ others would not have to undergo the same ordeal. I have considered it a privilege and an honor to defend freedom of expression‚ which is a fundamental right in a democratic state.”  The case has garnered international attention‚ with Republican lawmakers in the United States urging the State Department Officials to step in and support R&;auml;s&;auml;nen. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “This is a watershed case in the story of Europe’s creeping censorship‚” said Paul Coleman of the Alliance Defending Freedom International. “In a democratic Western nation in 2024‚ nobody should be on trial for their faith – yet throughout the prosecution of  P&;auml;ivi R&;auml;s&;auml;nen and Bishop Pohjola‚ we have seen something akin to a ‘heresy’ trial‚ where Christians are dragged through court for holding beliefs that differ from the approved orthodoxy of the day.”

The Daily Wire caught up with policy analyst and author Carrie Sheffield to talk with her about her new book “Motorhome Prophecies: A Journey of Healing and Forgiveness‚” (CenterStreet/Hachette Book Group). DW: Let’s start with politics. You’ve served as a policy analyst and columnist for several years now‚ both in New York and in Washington. Which issues are paramount in your mind as we head into the 2024 presidential election season&;#63; Sheffield: Certainly the economy and immigration are top of mind for many voters‚ including me. The fact that inflation has ravaged household wages is an ongoing and pervasive problem. The fact that average monthly mortgage payments under Biden have skyrocketed means real pain and the dream of home ownership moves out of reach for more American families. Seeing our border towns and cities like New York and Chicago overrun with sanitation issues and safety problems due to Biden’s failed immigration policies is discouraging and must be stopped. DW: Speaking of presidents‚ in “Motorhome Prophecies” you write that your father was convinced he was a Mormon prophet destined to become president of the United States. Looking back‚ how did that influence the way your family lived&;#63; Sheffield: Yes‚ my dad claimed that he’d be U.S. president one day. He also made some unproven claims‚ like President Reagan designating MLK Jr. Day because of my dad’s work supporting Dr. King’s messages and that his political essays influenced then-Speaker Newt Gingrich to impeach Bill Clinton. Politics was in my dad’s blood because his father had been a successful Utah state lawmaker. He was also former chairman of the Salt Lake City Zoning and Planning Commission for 25 years. That his firstborn son would follow him into politics wasn’t too far-fetched. My dad’s beliefs about his destiny absolutely motivated our nationwide travels in a street musical orchestra attracting listeners and then passing out patriotic and religious brochures. But the proselytizing came at an expensive price — his kids’ mental health and happiness. Multiple siblings have attempted suicide‚ two developed schizophrenia (it’s well documented that schizophrenia’s onset is exacerbated by childhood trauma)‚ and I struggled with periodic suicidal ideation‚ depression‚ PTSD‚ and anxiety because of our dad’s zealotry. Despite the negative aspects‚ dad gave me a deep love of our exceptional country‚ of intellectual inquiry‚ and beautiful music. Though we’ve had many disagreements‚ I know in his heart he has a deep desire to serve others through his work. I think his love of country in some ways blinded him to his personal life’s failures. That is a common fatal flaw for public servants. Children of politicians often experience abandonment problems as adults. Each generation must recognize and heal our own hurts. CenterStreet/Hachette book Group DW: “Motorhome Prophecies” is written in the vein of famous memoirs like “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance‚ “The Glass Castle” by Jeanette Walls‚ and “Educated” by Tara Westover‚ all stories of young Americans growing up in very broken families. Yet each author is somehow able to escape and overcome their childhood trauma and find success as an adult. What were some factors that helped you overcome your childhood&;#63; Sheffield: Necessity is the mother of invention. I knew that if I wanted a better life than the dark‚ dangerous one around me I needed to be resourceful‚ pragmatic and humble enough to ask for help. The bravest thing I’ve done took place when I was 18. In terms of the initial departure‚ here’s a passage from the book‚ it was actually my schizophrenic brother’s sexual assault and attempted rape that spurred me to start the process of leaving: It would prove a long winding path‚ but Peter’s assault eventually became a catalyst for me to scrutinize my faith‚ to pray for God’s protection and guidance‚ and‚ eventually‚ to reject Ralph’s false prophecies and run away from home. I’m the fifth oldest sibling‚ but I was the first to escape the clutches of The Mission. That harrowing night back in 2000 taught me a lesson that would be reinforced time and again: life’s most wrenching crucibles can propel us to our greatest moments of growth and freedom. I pushed myself to achieve in my career and work in public policy because I wanted a better life for myself than remaining trapped in a violent and impoverished environment. Also‚ as a woman‚ I wanted to bask in the freedoms denied my mother and myself as the first girl with four older brothers. Early on‚ I also felt a sense of jaded insecurity that fueled my ambition. I wanted to prove my dad wrong. He prophesied that I’d be raped and murdered if I left the cult. I decided I’d soar to career heights surpassing his own. It’s a toxic‚ unstable motivation‚ to prove someone wrong‚ and it eventually comes crashing down. Another reason I left was that I’d undertaken a long-term investigation into my dad and found his handwritten prophecies were in direct opposition to the teachings of the official LDS Church’s hierarchy. For many years I struggled. I would paint myself in these absolutist black and white terms‚ that my dad was evil and that I was a hero for escaping. Today‚ though‚ I know I am not the hero of this book‚ but I am also not the villain. God is the hero‚ and though I thought my father was the villain‚ I now see he was crushed by severe religious zealotry sparked by mental illness after suffering sexual assault as a toddler. He also suffered through the death of his childhood best friend which led to enduring isolation. He’s just as deserving of God’s mercy and compassion as I am. I love my father and am sorry I waited so long to forgive him. I believe forgiving him earlier would have stopped me from some toxic self-sabotaging that I did to cope with the trauma. Credit: Carrie Sheffield. DW: Your book deals a lot with mental illness. Authors like Abigail Shrier and Jonathan Haidt have also written books this year on young people struggling with mental illness. It seems to be a growing problem. Why do you think it’s a common thread and what are the broader takeaways found in “Motorhome Prophecies”&;#63; Sheffield: Certainly depression and suicide are rising‚ and this is troubling. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention late last year released provisional data showing nearly 50‚000 people committed suicide in the United States in 2022. This nearly 3% increase from 2021 is the highest number ever recorded and the highest rate since 1941 — the aftershocks of the Great Depression. It’s nearly 17 times the number of people killed in the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Gen Z is far more secular than their parents were when they were young‚ and I think it’s no coincidence Gen Z is also suffering far greater isolation and mental illness. This is a trend we can and must reverse. People who attend religious services at least weekly are significantly less likely to die “deaths of despair”— suicide‚ drug overdose‚ or alcohol poisoning‚ according to 2020 research from Harvard University’s School of Public Health. A literature review appearing in Psychiatric Times reported: “Of 93 observational studies‚ two-thirds found lower rates of depressive disorder with fewer depressive symptoms in persons who were more religious. … a review of 134 studies that examined the relationships between religious involvement and substance abuse [concluded that] 90% found less substance abuse among the more religious.” Ironically‚ research from the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality found atheism correlates with emotional suppression. Psychology professors (along with biologists) are least likely among all disciplines to believe in God‚ Harvard reported. The journal Sociology of Religion similarly found that psychologists are the least religious of American professors. This is a troubling combination. The same trained experts ordained to heal mental disorders are sometimes the very ones who are skeptical of rescuing balm. A recovered agnostic‚ I experienced the power of faith to heal my own mental health‚ as I recount in my book. The biggest hurdle I needed to overcome was comprehending the difference between man-made abuse and healthy faith in God. DW: Eventually you went to college and ended up at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. How did your worldview change while in Cambridge&;#63; Sheffield: I became more aware of the narratives around “privilege” being crafted at places like Harvard. I gained a sense of understanding perhaps their altruistic impulse — indeed‚ our country had sexism‚ slavery‚ and Jim Crow as stains in our history. But eventually‚ I came to realize that good intentions do not equal good outcomes. At Harvard‚ I also became more entrenched as an agnostic‚ which is sad because Harvard was founded to help clergy grow their intellectual capacity to teach the mind of God. Around 7 years after I graduated‚ during my Christian conversion process‚ the more I studied science‚ including metaphysics‚ history‚ anthropology‚ and other disciplines‚ the more my faith in God and my confidence in Christianity grew. Studying Christianity felt like uncovering buried treasure discarded by intellectuals at places like Harvard who had discounted its scientific and philosophical heft. DW: You’ve written many articles over the years for various periodicals‚ but this is your first time writing a full-length book. What was the process like for you&;#63; Sheffield: Writing a 90‚000 word book is indeed a far heavier lift than a news article. I tell people who ask advice for writing a memoir to begin a journal today if they don’t already. This memoir genre was made far easier for me because I’ve got a stack of journals to assist. I’ve kept a journal since age 8 because journaling is strongly encouraged in the LDS Church and Mormon diaspora community due to strong cultural appreciation of genealogy and family history — the LDS Church has more than 2 billion records in its genealogy database. Also‚ as a newer faith‚ we know many things about its early origins due to contemporaneous journals. As a journalist‚ the personal journals made the process far easier for accuracy — I didn’t have to make up what I was thinking‚ I knew directly.

On Friday‚ the Biden administration released its new Title IX regulations‚ and its strictures engendered anger and outrage for those defending traditional values. The document‚ which runs over 1‚500 pages‚ states that the Department of Education “disagrees with the contention that including sexual orientation and gender identity in the scope of §106.10 harms women. Recognizing these bases of sex discrimination under Title IX in no way lessens the force of Title IX’s protections against discrimination that limits educational opportunities for girls and women. Further‚ discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is typically motivated by the same sex stereotypes that limit opportunities for women regardless of whether they identify as LGBTQI+.” The DOE also insisted that the rules apply to elementary schools as well: “The Department appreciates the opportunity to correct the misunderstanding that Title IX is limited to postsecondary institutions. As recipients of Federal financial assistance‚ elementary schools and secondary schools are also subject to Title IX and its regulations.” A summary of the major provision stated that the 2024 Final Rule “clarifies that sex discrimination includes discrimination based on sex stereotypes‚ sex characteristics‚ pregnancy or related conditions‚ sexual orientation‚ and gender identity.” Former Senior Counsel at the U.S. Department of Education Sarah Parshall Perry‚ now working at the Heritage Foundation‚ reacted: Title IX—which was enacted to protect women and girls and provide them equal educational opportunities—has been manipulated so that gender activists and woke politicos can feel good about themselves. Under the new rule‚ girls and women will no longer have any sex-separated bathrooms‚ locker rooms‚ housing accommodations‚ or other educational programs. Women’s sports are likely endangered too. Any education institution‚ including many private schools that receive even nominal federal funding‚ will be affected by this rule.  The rule also erases other important protections‚ like due process protections for students accused of sexual misconduct‚ free speech protections for students and teachers who don’t want to use ‘preferred pronouns‚’ and parents’ right to know if their child is in the process of a gender identity ‘social transition’ at school. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Nicole Neily‚ President of Parents Defending Education‚ also responded to the new regulations: It is grotesque that the White House has chosen to capitulate to extremists in his party‚ sacrificing the First Amendment on the altar of Title IX and disregarding clearly established Supreme Court precedent on the definition of sexual harassment. Extending Title IX to cover gender identity means that schools will no longer have discretion over whether – or how – to provide certain services and activities to students on the basis of self-declared gender identity. Title IX was written in 1972 when “sex” meant male and female‚ and no amount of interpretive jiujitsu permits a cabinet agency to rewrite the plain language of the law. Efforts to do so have failed repeatedly in Congress for one simple reason: such an expansion of law is deeply unpopular‚ with opposition to these changes spanning both political and racial lines. This betrayal of students will not soon be forgotten by American parents‚ and we look forward to suing the Administration over this policy soon.