Like the distant call of a horn announcing the arrival of the cavalry, news broke this week of Trump’s executive order investigating DEI in higher education. It’s a welcome announcement, and I greet it as gladly as any other fair-minded person who has suffered through the malicious drivel of the identity politics found in our classrooms and the woke posters smothering their hallways. The ultimate goal is for students to read “the best that has been thought and said.” But the rot in our educational system goes deeper than DEI. And a thorough revitalizing of the system will require not just tearing out the evil but also replacing it with the good. It’s not just that schools are injecting a poisonous hybrid of neo-Marxist and postmodern ideology into students. They’re also failing to transmit the values of our Western heritage and the intellectual habits necessary for an educated society. Consider the growing trend of the “un-literate,” to borrow Dwight Longenecker’s term. College professors are now encountering students who are technically literate — they know how to read — but are unwilling or unable to put that skill to use. In some cases, students are entering college without ever having been assigned a full book in high school. The prospect of reading an entire book — let alone several of them in the course of a month or week — simply does not compute. It leaves them paralyzed, reaching uneasily for the stress-relieving sedative of the cell phone. Reading rates among adults have plummeted, too — more evidence of an educational system that isn’t instilling even one of the most basic habits of learning and self-development. A 2022 Gallup poll uncovered that Americans now read books at the lowest rate Gallup has ever recorded. As far back as 1985(!) some educators were sounding the alarm on our educational deficit. In spring of that year, Paul Gagnon wrote: Many of our freshmen arrive at college, after 12 years of school (presumably in the “college track”), knowing nothing of the pre-Plymouth past, including the Bible! All too frequently, they have not heard of Aristotle, Aquinas, Luther, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, Burke, or Marx. They often know nothing of the deterioration of Athens and Rome, of Czarist Russia and Weimar Germany, and next to nothing of the history of science, technology, industry, of capitalism and socialism, of fascism and Stalinism, of how we found ourselves in two world wars, or even in Vietnam. They have been asked to read very little and to reflect hardly at all. At 18 or 19, they are unarmed for public discourse, their great energy and idealism at the mercy of pop politics and the seven o’clock news. Gagnon’s searing words apply even more today than they did when he wrote them 40 years ago. Does anyone really believe that the caliber of incoming college students has improved since 1985? Considering that today 1 in 3 incoming college students have to take remedial coursework (at significant cost in time and money), I’d say the answer is a resounding “no.” Grade schools and high schools are faring no better. In fact, the deficiencies professors are noting at the college level are the direct result of failures at lower levels of education. A recent Pew Survey found that 82 percent of teachers believe the state of K-12 education has declined over the past five years, and 47 percent of teachers report that their students are bored and unengaged with the material. The survey also reported high levels of disciplinary and mental health issues amongst students. In her analysis of the 2019 National Report Card, then-Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos stated, “Every American family needs to open The Nation’s Report Card this year and think about what it means for their child and for our country’s future. The results are, frankly, devastating. This country is in a student achievement crisis, and over the past decade it has continued to worsen…. Two out of three of our nation’s children aren’t proficient readers.” So yes, Donald Trump should absolutely target DEI and tear it out — like a festering, cavity-riddled tooth — from colleges, high schools, and grade schools. But we also need to address the gaping holes we’re seeing in student’s education. We need to quickly reverse the collapse in reading ability and interest. We must teach students not just how to read, but how to love reading. Reading is Fundamental And we need to reintroduce classic texts that transmit the Western heritage and a love of that heritage, the great works of literature and history and philosophy that helped build our civilization. Good books must be introduced early and not dissected with comprehension questions or an avalanche of footnotes, which take the joy out of reading. Teachers should offer some gentle guidance, and ultimately aid the students in perceiving the light contained in the books, without getting in the way or turning reading into busywork. The ultimate goal is for students to read “the best that has been thought and said,” in Matthew Arnold’s phrase, from Aristotle to Austen, but with the proper preparation. That means reading titles from a young age onward such as those found on literature professor and educational theorist John Senior’s “Thousand Good Books.” Such works foster the necessary reading ability and the cultural soil needed for the Great Books to take root in students’ souls — which will reinvigorate our nation’s educational, philosophical, and cultural life from the bottom-up. READ MORE: Blacks Need High Quality Education, Not a DEI Agenda Make America Literate Again   The post First Get Rid of DEI, Then Make Students Read appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

The new Trump administration and congressional Republicans are collaborating on a new tax bill that they hope to pass into law by the end of April.  The most important conditions in the prospective bill, by far, will be extending the lower income tax rates and other tax cut provisions set forth in the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) enacted in December 2017. This makes 23 states that have rejected the socialist-style graduated income tax that has been in place with the federal government since the Revenue Act of 1913. The TCJA tax cut provisions are set to expire on December 31st this year. Failure to extend them will result in massive tax increases in 2026 for both individuals and corporations resulting in potentially devasting economic consequences. A report produced by the National Association of Manufacturers this month estimates that the expiration of the TCJA tax cuts would result in the loss of 5.9 million American jobs and a $1.1 trillion reduction in U.S. GDP. Fortunately, the entire Republican congressional membership seems united in extending the tax cut provisions of TCJA. However, Republicans need to be careful not to get sidetracked with adding new provisions into the prospective new tax bill to satisfy the selfish interests of individual members. It will only serve to complicate the bill, disrupt political consensus, slow down its enactment, and possibly even derail enactment. President Trump’s ideas for lowering the corporate income tax rate to 15 percent and eliminating income taxes on tips and social security benefits are dynamic and worthy policy proposals. Those add-ons should be included in the bill, but, otherwise, keep passage of the bill as simple as possible. Assuming the Trump administration and congressional Republicans enact a tax bill that extends the fundamental provisions of the TCJA, they should not stop with that legislative achievement; they should subsequently embrace a new political agenda that would fundamentally transform the American economy from one hampered with the labyrinth of socialist policies enacted over the past century to one of restoration to limited government and limited taxation as envisioned by America’s Founding Fathers. The cornerstone of such a new agenda would align with the recent grass-roots movement among various states in the American heartland: the flat tax revolution. Flattening Tax Rates Means Simplifying Taxes In 1996 and 2000, Steve Forbes ran for president on a campaign promoting free market policies, reducing the size and power of government, and, especially, his plan for a simple flat income tax.  As Forbes rightly claimed during his campaigns, a simple flat income tax would eliminate the need for a massive tax enforcement agency, i.e. the IRS.  Forbes often made the wry comment during his campaigns that, if his flat tax policy was implemented, he would be nice to the 100,000-plus employees of the IRS by providing them with paid job training to seek new careers. Unfortunately for free market, libertarian-minded Americans, Forbes lost the Republican primary in 1996 to Bob Dole and in 2000 to George W. Bush. With Forbes’ departure from the national political scene after the 2000 election, the idea of a simple flat income tax seemingly to vanish into oblivion. However, as American taxpayers continued to experience an ever-complicated and burdensome federal tax system, a grass roots movement for a simpler tax system has grown at the state level.   The Tax Foundation, “The State Flat Tax Revolution: Where Things Stand Today,” January 7, 2025. State governments often move quicker in response to the interests of their constituents than the lumbering centralized federal government. Since 2019, seven states have implemented a flat income tax — Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi. This has increased the number of states with a flat income tax to fourteen. There are also nine states with no income tax — Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. This makes 23 states that have rejected the socialist-style graduated income tax that has been in place with the federal government since the Revenue Act of 1913. The Trump administration and congressional Republicans should capitalize on the flat tax revolution at the state level by pushing for a federal flat income tax once they achieve passage of the currently planned bill to extend the tax cut provisions of TCJA. In an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal on December 30, 2024, Steve Forbes and Steve Moore made the case for enacting a flat income tax of 15 percent for both individuals and corporations.  Excerpts: Making the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent would be a good start for Congress in 2025. But it’s time to take an even bigger step: creating a simplified flat tax for all. The TCJA got us close to this goal, and a few additional reforms would get it done. Collapsing the personal-income and corporate tax rates to 15% would have huge economic benefits. America would suddenly have one of the lowest tax rates in the world, resulting in trillions of dollars of new capital flow and a spike in take-home pay. The simplicity of a flat tax would reduce the deadweight costs associated with tax compliance — and the headaches. The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs calculates that Americans spent almost eight billion hours filling out tax forms in 2024. The Tax Foundation estimates that this cost the economy $413 billion in lost productivity, and the Internal Revenue Service estimates that we spent $133 billion on out-of-pocket compliance costs. That adds up to a burden of $546 billion. Mr. Trump has a rare window of opportunity to transform America’s economy into a fast-growing colossus by enacting a simplified flat tax. And we can’t think of a better way to drain the swamp of special-interest lobbyists, IRS agents, and tax lawyers. The benefits of a simple flat income tax would also eliminate the need for the very costly IRS, which has a budget request for the current 2025 fiscal year of $22.8 billion.  As I wrote in my article published in The American Spectator on February 4, 2023, “Abolish the IRS: A Massive System Beyond Repair”: [A] simple flat income tax would provide the necessary political and operational justification for abolishing the IRS. The functions of the current IRS would be reduced enormously, allowing for a simplified tax-collection function to be transferred to a new tax-collection section of the U.S. Treasury Department and requiring a workforce of only a small fraction of the current 80,000-employee IRS. Hopefully, President Trump and congressional Republicans will consider a longer-term plan for a simple flat income tax as they collaborate on extending the current tax cuts of TCJA. READ MORE from Steve Dewey: Overhaul the Financial Regulatory System Mail-in Ballots Wreak Havoc in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania Senate Races Steve Dewey is a retired federal financial regulator and founder of GeoFinancial Trends, LLC (www.geofinancialtrends.org) and writes on Substack (stevedewey.substack.com).  He can be reached at steve@geofinancialtrends.org    The post A Flat Income Tax Removes the Need for the IRS appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Prioritizing Family Is Now a Hate Crime Sitting in a hospital cafeteria, surrounded by families enduring the long grind of caregiving, I mused, “If only someone could tell us who we’re allowed to love first.” Turns out, prioritizing family is now a political crime. Then along comes Vice President J.D. Vance, daring to suggest that — brace yourself — we should prioritize our families and neighbors before trying to save the rest of the world. A radical notion, apparently. Because when you set yourself on fire to keep someone else warm, eventually all you have left is ashes. The second he said it, leftists in the media, elected office, and even some pulpits scrambled to their fainting couches. Apparently, this age-old wisdom is now a hot topic, with theologians clutching their pearls and debating ordo amoris like it’s the next TikTok trend. Wow. Care-give much? Forgive me, but it seems we need a refresher on basic priorities. And if not, I might have to dust off my board certification in cranial proctology to help some folks see what should be painfully obvious. As someone who has spent four decades in the caregiving trenches, let me break this down in simple terms: Prioritizing doesn’t mean neglecting others. It means building a strong foundation at home so one can extend genuine support outward. This is not complicated. But according to the latest faculty lounge symposium on “Why Traditional Values Are Problematic,” prioritizing your own family is a dangerous and radical departure from — checks notes — literally every major civilization’s survival strategy. Because in our new age of moral sophistication, a man prioritizing his wife and children? That’s practically medieval! Next thing you know, he’ll be demanding mutton and fealty from the peasants. Meanwhile, the same people hyperventilating over Vance’s comments are the ones cheering on billion-dollar foreign aid packages while American families struggle with medicine, food, and housing. The same leaders who despise Trump’s America First stance are the ones outsourcing border security to NGOs while our own cities resemble war zones. I saw it firsthand while waiting for a grocery store manager to unlock the laundry detergent in Aurora, CO — where politicians prioritize criminals over citizens. And speaking of misplaced priorities, let’s not forget the pastors who outsource ministry while spending more time writing open letters about climate justice than shepherding their congregations through actual crises. Or the politicians who swear they love this country but seem to hate everything about it — except, of course, the fundraising opportunities while using the Constitution as a cocktail napkin. Of course, theologians had to weigh in. One claimed that Vance “misses the point of Jesus’s Parable of the Good Samaritan.” Jesus didn’t communicate that the Samaritan abandon his own family, drain his resources, and make a career out of saving every stranger in the Roman Empire. The Samaritan helped because he was able and willing to — precisely because his own affairs were in order. Another theologian insisted that prioritizing family is “the exact opposite” of what Jesus teaches. Ah, yes — the same Jesus who, while dying on the cross, ensured His mother would be taken care of. Wildly individualistic of Him, huh? Meanwhile, Vance clapped back on X, saying: “Just google ordo amoris. Aside from that, the idea that there isn’t a hierarchy of obligations violates basic common sense.” And there it is. Common sense. The kryptonite of progressives everywhere — including many churches and seminaries. This entire debate is Exhibit A in the growing list of things that make sane people question whether we’re living in a Monty Python sketch. Prioritizing those closest to you doesn’t mean hoarding all the love like some theological dragon perched on a hoard of emotional gold. It means recognizing that strong families make strong communities, which create strong nations. It’s the same reason Donald Trump drove the left into a years-long psychological breakdown by saying — brace yourself — America should come first. That’s what this is really about. It’s not just that leftists hate hierarchy; it’s that they thrive on the exact opposite — a chaotic pecking order of grievances, where the most victimized gets the loudest microphone. Trump’s America First agenda sent them into hysterics because it introduced a clear structure: take care of your own, strengthen what’s closest to you, and then extend outward. They called that hateful. They’re doing the same thing now with Vance’s family-first message because it follows the same common-sense principle. And that’s why everything is burning. Because when you set yourself on fire to keep someone else warm, eventually all you have left is ashes. So, let’s get our priorities straight. See to your family’s physical, fiscal, spiritual, and emotional health — because a man who can’t care for his own house has no business trying to fix the world. That’s not selfishness; that’s wisdom. But in this enlightened age? Common sense is now radical. Strength is oppression. Prioritizing family is a hate crime. And yet, these same critics will look at a collapsing nation, broken families, and spiraling communities and ask, “What went wrong?” “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” — 1 Timothy 5:8 READ MORE from Peter Rosenberger: Trump Should Send Overzealous TSA Agents to Patrol the Southern Border Trump’s Plan to Support America’s Caregivers Peter Rosenberger hosts the nationally syndicated radio program Hope for the Caregiver. PeterRosenberger.com @hope4caregiver. The post Progressives Hate Common Sense Priorities appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

President Trump’s decision to expand Guantanamo Bay’s capacity to detain up to 30,000 criminal illegal aliens marks a pivotal shift in U.S. national security strategy. While some critics argue that this move is too aggressive, the harsh reality is that transnational criminal organizations are exploiting America’s immigration system to establish strongholds in major cities. Without decisive intervention, these networks will only grow stronger, embedding themselves deeper within our communities. But detention alone is not enough. A lasting solution requires more than reactive measures — it demands a proactive approach powered by artificial intelligence (AI). AI-driven intelligence can do more than just identify and capture criminals; it can uncover and dismantle the entire syndicates operating behind them. The Growing Threat of Transnational Crime This issue is unfolding in real time. Since 2022, Denver has received over 40,000 migrants, providing a cover for Venezuelan criminal syndicates like Tren de Aragua to establish operations. In a recent operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 25 of the gang’s members. Tren de Aragua is infamous for drug trafficking, human smuggling, and violent crimes, including extortion and even coordinated attacks on law enforcement in places like Aurora, Colorado. While these arrests mark an important step, they address only a fraction of the problem. Criminal networks are vast and adaptable, making traditional law enforcement methods insufficient. AI has the power to change this dynamic by mapping criminal affiliations, tracing illicit financial transactions, and identifying hidden threats that conventional intelligence might miss. AI: A Game Changer in Catching Criminals Many Tren de Aragua members had criminal histories in Venezuela, but U.S. systems failed to detect them upon entry. AI-driven screening could have flagged these individuals before they set foot on American soil, enabling preemptive action. AI doesn’t just identify criminals — it exposes entire networks. Many detained individuals are not lone offenders but key players in larger organizations engaged in smuggling, trafficking, and organized violence. AI can track the financiers, logistics coordinators, and enablers who operate behind the scenes, ensuring law enforcement targets entire criminal ecosystems rather than isolated actors. We have the technology. We have the data. Now, we must act. One of AI’s most powerful advantages is its ability to facilitate real-time intelligence sharing between federal, state, and international agencies. Criminal organizations exploit jurisdictional gaps to evade detection and move freely across borders. AI provides a standardized threat analysis system that enables seamless cross-border intelligence sharing. Had AI been used to track Tren de Aragua’s movements across Latin America, authorities could have anticipated their expansion into U.S. cities and acted before the syndicate took root. Precision Over Overreach Critics often express concerns about AI leading to overreach or privacy violations. In reality, AI enhances precision in law enforcement. Unlike indiscriminate crackdowns, AI analyzes behavioral patterns and verifiable data, ensuring enforcement is targeted at actual threats rather than driven by political or racial biases. This approach strengthens both the effectiveness and fairness of law enforcement operations. A Smarter, More Secure Future Trump’s expansion of detention at Guantanamo Bay is a necessary step in addressing a long-ignored crisis. However, without integrating AI-driven intelligence, it risks becoming just another reactive measure. The real solution lies in a proactive approach: identifying, tracking, and neutralizing threats before they reach American communities. We have the technology. We have the data. Now, we must act. AI-driven enforcement is not a distant future — it’s a tool available today to secure our borders, protect our citizens, and dismantle criminal networks before they take hold. The choice is clear: rely on outdated strategies or embrace cutting-edge AI capabilities to confront these threats head-on. The safety of our communities depends on making the right choice — and making it now. READ MORE: Who Had Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick ‘Murdered’? Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cops Kevin Cohen is the CEO and Founder of RealEye.ai, a leader in homeland security innovation. The post Utilizing AI to Disrupt Criminal Networks appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

by Alex Berenson, Unreported Truths: Several pilots wrote in – I thank you all. I found this explanation both admirably complete and largely apolitical, and I think you will too. The author’s name is J.R. Rudy. He raises several issues I haven’t heard before, including the crosswinds that were swirling Wednesday night and the lack […]

from FM8:  TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

by Maryanne Demasi, Activist Post: The Australian government says it will not suspend the use of mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, despite warnings from several high-profile scientists that the products could increase the risk of cancer. Russell Broadbent, the Member for Monash, along with 52 doctors, lawyers, academics, and politicians, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, urging the […]

by Belle Carter, Natural News: Russia plans to launch a comprehensive facial recognition payment network this year, led by Sberbank and the National Payment Card System (NSPK). The project includes installing approximately two million biometric payment terminals nationwide, starting with Moscow’s Metro system in 2024 and full national deployment by the second half of 2025. […]

from Jim Fetzer:  TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

?JUST IN: A leaked email from John Brennan verifies that the 51 intelligence agents that endorsed the Hunter Biden laptop letter did it with the specific intent of enabling Biden to mislead the American public during his election campaign. pic.twitter.com/L6L05wgCYt — George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) February 1, 2025