Researchers have warned that there are social psychological signs in the USA today that are similar to those in the 1850s‚ the years before the American Civil War. Although another civil war remains unlikely‚ the current socio-political terrain could lead to years of issues‚ social unrest‚ and civil strife that falls just short of such a conflict.The storming of Capitol Hill on January 6‚ 2021‚ approximately two months after President Donald Trump suffered his re-election defeat‚ marked a significant moment in the nation’s mood. At the time‚ over 2‚000 Trump supporters rampaged across the Capitol‚ many committed acts of vandalism and attempted to harm or harass lawmakers. Some called for the assassination of Trump’s Vice President‚ Mike Pence‚ while others accused public administrators of being traitors.There were deaths too. During the event‚ one police officer and four rioters were killed. In subsequent months‚ four officers who responded to the attacks took their own lives.Despite the scale of the violence‚ many prominent conservative commentators downplayed the situation. They characterized the riots as “largely peaceful”‚ describing the day as similar to “a normal tourist visit.” According to others‚ the rioters were peaceful patriots who were attacked by law enforcement officers. As a result‚ individuals like Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene suggested the time for a “national divorce” between red and blue states could be near.Equally‚ the use of seemingly hypothetical phrases like “if-necessary” in relation to the prospect of civil war‚ has become more common across social media platforms‚ especially between members of Congress and local politicians.Such words evoke the idea of a possible secession and raise the specter of civil war. But how likely is this&;#63;&;quot;Striking similarities&;quot; – the 1850s to nowA team of US academics have assessed the social psychological landscape present in the country today and compared it with that of the 1850s‚ and they have come to a worrying conclusion: although still unlikely‚ another American Civil War is increasingly plausible.As they write in their study: “Here‚ our purpose is to compare the zeitgeist of the divisive decade before the Civil War on the one hand with today’s hyper-partisan era on the other‚ demonstrating the two periods do indeed have extensive‚ striking similarities.”“Nonetheless‚” they add‚ “there also is evidence mitigating against the prospect of outright civil war‚ secession‚ and/or violent coup d’&;eacute;tat. The 1850s‚ in other words‚ may not necessarily be prophecy‚ but we argue a comparison provides ample evidence that a protracted and bitter period of civil dysfunction likely will be multigenerational‚ even if it is short of a 'hot' civil war.”The team reached this point via an inverted form of social capital theory. This is a social psychological concept that is often used to study patterns that can lead to positive social outcomes‚ including increasing goodwill‚ resources‚ and collective success at any level (including whole regions).However‚ in this instance the team adopted a negative version of this approach that focused on negative social capital‚ which studies the opposite social outcomes.“In this study‚ we used a social psychological conceptual framework – social capital theory – to examine the likelihood of full-scale civil war by comparing the pre-Civil War period with the present. The parallels are striking‚” the researchers explain. A sample of the parallels between the present-day United States and those in the pre-Civil War period include a cleavage in specific social values and norms among Americans‚ the intensity of which is very similar today as it was in the past.The historical underpinnings of the Civil War revolved around‚ though were not limited to‚ issues around the opposition to or support for slavery‚ the power of the federal prerogative‚ the levels of tariffs on manufactured goods‚ and aspects of the overall benefits of certain landowners. Today‚ the value split includes issues over states' rights‚ the relationship between church and state‚ abortion v. pro-life policies‚ minority rights‚ gun ownership‚ immigration‚ taxation‚ welfare support‚ and the environment.Another parallel was a pervasive sense of political mistrust. Before the Civil War‚ this mistrust was most pronounced within the old South as the conflict’s major issues affected them more directly. The situation is not dissimilar today‚ especially with the Republican denial of the 2020 election’s legitimacy. There is also the mistrust of the so called “liberal agenda”‚ which is seen as going too far‚ while the Christian right believe their way of life/existence is under attack from godless values.Other parallels include a stronger identification with region or identity groups‚ rather than with a community or nation; a reliance on different forms and channels of communication and distrust towards “facts” from non-group members; an absence of organizations or networks that bring different ideological groups together; and a perceived lack of reciprocity from the opposition.What could the future hold&;#63;Taken together‚ these parallels paint a gloomy picture of the future.“History as a discipline‚ and the social sciences in general‚ provide examples‚ general prospects‚ and probabilities‚ but they do not predict‚ per se‚” the team explain. “Factors that limit the accuracy of predictions include the importance of changes in trends over time and random events that change the course of history.”“Yet there is widespread agreement that‚ properly framed‚ probabilistic analysis serves a useful function when careful research is undertaken and reliability is not overstated.”Nevertheless‚ as the researchers state‚ things do not look good.“We argue the likelihood of protracted social and political conflicts lasting decades (if not generations) are essentially inevitable and will engulf public administration as well. Only the exact course of this bitter division remains to be seen.”The study is published in the journal Administration &; Society. If you or someone you know is struggling‚ help and support are available in the US at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on1-800-273-8255. In the UK and Ireland‚ the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. International helplines can be found at SuicideStop.com.  

There’s something truly magical about the story of Jake‚ a once elusive stray dog whose life was transformed by the kindness and persistence of a dedicated rescuer. Known for his initial reluctance to interact with humans‚ Jake’s journey from a wary stray to a cherished companion is nothing short of inspiring. At first‚ catching Jake... The post Stray dog ‘refuses’ rescuer’s help but two weeks later he walks through her front door appeared first on Animal Channel.

Imagine a world where your closest companion‚ who once shared your home and your heart‚ is suddenly left to brave the harsh realities of street life—cold‚ hungry‚ and utterly alone. This heart-wrenching scenario is becoming all too familiar to organizations like Howl Of A Dog‚ a Romanian animal rescue dedicated to providing refuge for the... The post Friendly stray dog waits in the same place day after day hoping someone will take him home appeared first on Animal Channel.

Nope‚ we aren’t even kidding. A 16-year-old student from North Carolina was suspended for three days last week after using the term “illegal alien” in his English class. The student used the phrase to gain a deeper understanding of an assignment and was penalized for it‚ The Carolina Journal reported. The student’s mother‚ Leah McGhee‚ noted that the English teacher assigned numerous vocabulary words during class‚ one of which was “alien.” To gain clarity‚ McGhee’s child asked‚ “Like space aliens or illegal aliens without green cards&;#63;” Perfectly valid question to ask for clarification if you ask me but‚ not everyone thought so. Apparently another student was offended by the McGhee child and threatened to fight him. The teacher called in the assistant principle and ultimately school staff decided that McGhee’s comment was “offensive and disrespectful to classmates who are hispanic.” The child was suspended for three days but it appears that the one who threatened to fight him had no punishment or consequence. Additionally‚ as The Carolina Journal noted‚ this could damage McGhee’s record as he looks to apply to colleges and for scholarships. “I didn’t make a statement directed towards anyone; I asked a question‚” McGhee said. “I wasn’t speaking of Hispanics because everyone from other countries needs green cards‚ and the term ‘illegal alien’ is an actual term that I hear on the news and can find in the dictionary.” The McGhee family is working with an attorney to rectify the situation but so far the assistant principal is refusing to remove the infraction on the student’s record. “Because of his question‚ our son was disciplined and given THREE days OUT of school suspension for ‘racism‚’” his mother wrote about the situation before adding‚ “He is devastated and concerned that the racism label on his school record will harm his future goal of receiving a track scholarship. We are concerned that he will fall behind in his classes due to being absent for three consecutive days.” This is absolutely outrageous. Even the State Senator Steve Jarvis (R-N.C) said‚ “I do not see that that would be an offensive statement‚ just in getting clarification” but the school has remained firm in its disciplinary action towards McGhee. The student handbook‚ as The Carolina Journal noted‚ says that “schools may place restrictions on a student’s right to free speech when the speech is obscene‚ abusive‚ promoting illegal drug use‚ or is reasonably expected to cause a substantial disruption to the school day.” So using the word “illegal alien” to ask about illegal aliens is somehow offensive&;#63; The public school system has become complete garbage.

Google is picking “winners and losers” in U.S. elections‚ Media Research Center President Brent Bozell told podcaster and entrepreneur Patrick Bet-David on Wednesday. Bozell joined Bet-David’s blockbuster PBD Podcast to explain how Big Tech companies—particularly Google‚ one of the largest corporations in America—are interfering with U.S. elections to help the most left-wing candidates. The PBD Podcast has 1.7 million followers. “You've got a real problem with Big Tech—in that Big Tech is not playing by the same rules‚” Bozell said in the Wednesday morning interview‚ spanning nearly 40 minutes. “Corporations can't be involved in political action at the federal level. Yet‚ you've got Big Tech that is picking winners and losers in elections‚ and when they do it the way they're doing it‚ it becomes a very serious threat to democracy itself.” Shortly thereafter‚ Bet-David asked Bozell about an MRC bombshell report that found at least 41 times Google meddled in American elections to help the most left-wing candidate since 2008‚ coinciding with the rise to power of former President Barack Obama. Read the Bombshell Report: 41 Times Google Has Interfered in US Elections Since 2008 Explaining one of the report’s findings‚ Bozell recounted: “An example: Rick Santorum. There was a smear bomb put out on Rick Santorum. It was really‚ really ugly. It was vicious in the personal attack on him.” Bozell’s remarks referred to what was also known as a “Google bomb‚” which occurred when some users manipulated Google’s algorithms to associate certain websites with detrimental terms. When Santorum approached Google‚ the tech giant did not dismantle the “bomb.” Yet‚ the company glaringly took swift action when the Obama White House’s website was affected by a similar smear. Later in his remarks‚ Bozell highlighted the high-profile censorship of two Democrats in past presidential elections. According to the MRC report‚ Google censored twice-failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in 2008 and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‚ who unsuccessfully challenged President Joe Biden in the 2024 Democratic primary. In every instance‚ Google appeared to help the most left-wing candidates. “They picked winners and losers in that‚ and they loved Hillary Clinton in 2016‚” Bozell stated‚ referring to Google's shift from censoring Clinton in 2008 to supporting Clinton in 2016. “They didn't love her she ran in 2008‚ I guess it was‚ against Obama Obama. Obama was their guy.” Related: Mum&;#33; Google Fails to Respond to Bozell’s Challenge‚ Does Not Refute Election Interference Earlier in the podcast‚ Bozell also highlighted a separate bombshell report that unveiled Google had manipulated its search results to bury the campaign sites of Republican candidates in 10 of 12 key Senate races ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. “What Google did deliberately was to put the Republicans at the bottom of page one or in the case of seven of the 12 Republican candidates for the Senate in these most contested races they put them on page two‚” Bozell continued. “Less than 1% of the public ever goes to page two that's right so that's deliberate interference in a senate campaign where you're keeping information from the public or burying it so far deep they'll never go looking for it.” Flashback&;#33; Google CAUGHT Manipulating Search‚ Buries GOP Campaign Sites in 83% of Top Senate Races During his conversation with Bet-David‚ Bozell discussed more than just the MRC report on Google's interference in elections. He also touched on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act‚ which some judges have infamously interpreted as providing broad liability protections to social media platforms.  Additionally‚ Bozell mentioned the MRC's exclusive CensorTrack.org database‚ which documents cases of Big Tech censorship. Citing CensorTrack.org‚ Bozell told Bet-David that in January 2022‚ YouTube censored the PBD Podcast over the publication of an interview with Dr. Robert Malone‚ one of the largest critics of global governments’ COVID-19 policies and mandates. Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency‚ clarity on hate speech and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored‚ contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form‚ and help us hold Big Tech accountable.

Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary‚ aka “Mr. Wonderful” panned President Joe Biden’s new tax plan‚ suggesting that the president would damage the country in the same way that many Democrats have broken their states.  O’Leary pointed out the negative impact of high taxes on states and countries during the April 16 edition of Fox News’s Your World with Neil Cavuto. “The minute you really start raising taxes and they become uncompetitive either at the state level‚ you see everybody leaving New York and going to Florida or to Texas‚” O’Leary told anchor Neil Cavuto‚ before pointing out that the “same thing happens with countries.” O’Leary went on to say that higher taxes would stall the growth of the American economy: “So you got to be very careful. … I admire what [Biden] wants to do -- but the more he taxes‚ the less growth there will be and that is the risk.”  In response to a question from Cavuto‚ O’Leary discussed how the entrepreneurs targeted by Biden’s tax proposal fuel economic growth‚ saying‚ “To get rich‚ they had to be wildly successful. Let's just take a Bezos or what’s happened with Elon Musk. They have created hundreds of thousands of jobs. They have created economies that are derivatives to the companies they’ve made. That’s the essence of success in the economy.” Cavuto went on to suggest that the left punishes this kind of success.  O’Leary then criticized Democrats like Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)‚ pointing out how their vision had led to migration out of their states into more business-friendly environments like Florida. “I used to live [In Massachusetts]. So did all my neighbors. Now we live here in Miami and we visit Massachusetts‚ because it's now Taxachusetts‚” O’Leary said‚ before adding‚ “So I don’t think that works‚ as long as there another place to go. That is how America was formed: Taxation oppression by the British‚ and here we are. Let's remember that lesson.” Biden stated his intent to raise taxes on both corporations and individuals in a “fact sheet” published on March 11. The president heavily criticizes former President Donald Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017‚ while promising that his plan “[r]estores the top marginal tax rate to 39.6 percent for single filers making over $400‚000 a year and married couples making more than $450‚000 per year.”  Due to inflation‚ $400‚000 in March of 2024 only has the purchasing power of $317‚440.42 in Jan. 2018 (the first month after the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” passed)‚ according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics “inflation calculator” tool.  Biden’s plan to raise taxes also includes an anti-energy provision. Although the president has repeatedly moved to limit drilling and made statements discouraging long-term investment in fossil fuels‚ he outrageously attacks oil and gas companies for failing “to invest in production.” In his “fact sheet‚” Biden promises to end “tax breaks” and “tax subsidies” (Biden may be using these terms interchangeably) for the industry.  Conservatives are under attack. Contact ABC News at (818) 460-7477‚ CBS News at (212) 975-3247 and NBC News at (212) 664-6192 and demand they tell the truth about the Bidenomics disaster.

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel was supposed to have Vice President Kamala Harris join him on Tuesday for an interview that almost certainly would have focused on how supposedly horrible the Arizona Supreme Court is for allowing an 1864 pro-life law to be enforced. Harris couldn’t make it‚ but that didn’t stop him from arguing with the ghost of Justice William T. Howell‚ played by actor Nick Offerman‚ and not appreciating that Howell could view the abolition of slavery and abortion as logically consistent. Kimmel began‚ “During the Civil War‚ Abraham Lincoln hired a lawyer named William T. Howell to write the legal code for the new territory of Arizona. His job was to make sure that the new laws abolished slavery‚ which they did‚ but he also worked on a number of other laws‚ including a ban on abortion‚ which is the law the Supreme Court decided to uphold last week‚ 160 years later‚ and the person we have to think about that is Justice William T. Howell‚ who obviously is not with us anymore‚ but he is the person who -- what&;#63;”     A digitally imposed Offerman then appeared and‚ playing the role of Howell as if he were a boxer and people from the 1800s were all stupid‚ began by wondering‚ “Who dares sully the honor of I‚ Arizona Associate Justice William T. Howell‚ who wrote the law of which you jest.” Kimmel almost certainly got the information for this sketch from a recent Washington Post article on Howell. Not only did Kimmel not see the connection between how slavers portrayed the slave and how pro-choicers portray the unborn‚ he also completely omitted that Howell also wrote in provisions for married women to own property. Nevertheless‚ Kimmel and Offerman tried to portray Howell as an old-fashioned sexist‚ “Okay‚ well listen‚ Justice Howell‚ a lot of Americans‚ I don't know if you know this‚ are very angry that your law's taking away women's rights.” Offerman tried to satirize pro-life arguments‚ but all he ended up doing was coming up with interesting euphemisms for genitals‚ “Well‚ if these women didn't want to be with child‚ why did they not sneeze after being pistoned with a fully engorged giggle stick&;#63; Why‚ tell me‚ did they not scrub their floral regions with barrel grease&;#63;” Kimmel followed up‚ “Barrel grease&;#63; How did you become a judge&;#63;” As a way to show how allegedly backwards the 1860s were‚ Offerman tried to joke that the way one became a lawyer in the 19th century had nothing to do with studying law‚ “I studied at a very prestigious law academy and was the pupil who shot the most nickels off a whore’s empty head. Does that satisfy your query‚ you godless spaghetti gobbler&;#63;” The law may have been written 160 years ago‚ but that doesn’t mean that Kimmel and Offerman are 160 years more enlightened. If anything‚ they’re less enlightened. Here is a transcript for the April 16 show: ABC Jimmy Kimmel Live&;#33; 4/16/2024 11:46 PM ET JIMMY KIMMEL: During the Civil War‚ Abraham Lincoln hired a lawyer named William T. Howell to write the legal code for the new territory of Arizona. His job was to make sure that the new laws abolished slavery‚ which they did‚ but he also worked on a number of other laws‚ including a ban on abortion‚ which is the law the Supreme Court decided to uphold last week‚ 160 years later‚ and the person we have to think about that is Justice William T. Howell‚ who obviously is not with us anymore‚ but he is the person who -- what&;#63;  NICK OFFERMAN [AS WILLIAM T. HOWELL's GHOST]: Who dares sully the honor of I‚ Arizona Associate Justice William T. Howell‚ who wrote the law of which you jest.  KIMMEL: Um -- I do‚ I guess.  OFFERMAN: Then prepare thyself for a spectral confrontation‚ you Italian consack. Pugilism.  KIMMEL: Okay.  OFFERMAN: Let that be a lesson to thee.  KIMMEL: Okay‚ well listen‚ Justice Howell‚ a lot of Americans‚ I don't know if you know this‚ are very angry that your law's taking away women's rights.  OFFERMAN: Well‚ if these women didn't want to be with child‚ why did they not sneeze after being pistoned with a fully engorged giggle stick&;#63; Why‚ tell me‚ did they not scrub their floral regions with barrel grease&;#63;  KIMMEL: Barrel grease&;#63; How did you become a judge&;#63;  OFFERMAN: I studied at a very prestigious law academy and was the pupil who shot the most nickels off a whore’s empty head. Does that satisfy your query‚ you godless spaghetti gobbler&;#63; KIMMEL: No‚ that actually made no sense. Just like your law‚ which I think Arizona should nullify as soon as –  OFFERMAN: Nullify&;#63; Nullify my law&;#63;  KIMMEL: Yeah.  OFFERMAN: Why‚ you soft-handed mug-eared fat kidneyed onion-eyed rattlesnake fang on the scrotum. You bacon-faced‚ pipkin-headed‚ brisket-beating‚ rump-fed‚ hand-sucked‚ caper merchant.  KIMMEL: Okay‚ I don't even know even more.  OFFERMAN: You scotch-fiddled‚ gore-bellied‚ fox-infested‚ son of a footless hedge pig. No&;#33; 

Democrats love to harp on Donald Trump's moral fitness‚ arguing his criminal proceedings and moral character render him unfit for the presidency.CNN correspondent Gary Tuchman recently spoke with voters in Roberts County‚ Texas‚ where he discovered that voters agree with that argument. But at the end of the day‚ those same voters admitted they will still support Trump over President Joe Biden on Election Day.Voter Kay Swart described Trump's moral character as &;quot;terrible‚&;quot; something that &;quot;can't get much lower than it is.&;quot;&;quot;He continues to make crazy comments about being a dictator first day and repercussions against people who he feels have wronged him‚&;quot; Swart continued.But‚ to Tuchman's surprise‚ neither Trump's moral character nor the possibility that he will be criminally convicted will deter Swart or her husband‚ Ron‚ from voting for Trump.&;quot;I don't think he's fit‚ but I'm voting for him‚&;quot; Kay Swart said.Ron‚ moreover‚ agreed that Trump &;quot;most definitely&;quot; possess poor ethics and morals. But in his view‚ anything is better than Biden.&;quot;I feel like as wrong as it's going to be to have [Trump] for president‚ he's still going to be a lot better president for the United States than what we're going with Joe Biden and the Democrats‚&;quot; Ron Swart said. &;quot;I really feel like that we are not going be able to survive another four years of the Democrats in charge.&;quot;Another voter‚ Rick McDowell‚ dismissed the idea that Trump's criminal trials are a political liability‚ citing allegations of Biden family corruption.&;quot;[Trump's] as fit as the current president‚&;quot; McDowell said. &;quot;Because nobody investigates Joe Biden‚ nobody's going to investigate Joe Biden.&;quot; Yes‚ Trump won Roberts County in 2020 with 96% of the vote and won the county in 2016 with 94% of the vote. But what is important to this story is the fact that these voters agree with a key Democratic talking point — that Trump is morally questionable and his criminal proceedings are not great — and yet it doesn't make a difference to them.CNN found that these voters first supported Mike Pence or Gov. Ron DeSantis in the 2024 Republican primary. But when it became clear that Trump would be the nominee‚ they threw their support behind him. The phenomenon will be a major undercurrent in the election because voters are most concerned about the economy and immigration — two issues they trust Trump to handle and blame Biden for worsening.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

The North Carolina high school student who was caught on video slapping a teacher twice in the face has been charged with misdemeanors.What are the details&;#63;The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday said it &;quot;charged a juvenile with Assault on a Government Official and Communicating Threats.&;quot; Specifically authorities said Juvenile Justice &;quot;issued a Secure Custody Order for one (1) count of Communicating Threats ... and two (2) counts Misdemeanor Assault ...&;quot; All the charges are misdemeanors.The sheriff's office noted that the Parkland High School student — who's not being identified due to his age — was recorded on video Monday &;quot;assaulting an educator.&;quot;In the clip‚ the teacher remains seated and offers no resistance as the student delivers the pair of slaps — the second one sends the teacher's glasses flying.“The f***’s wrong with you&;#63;&;quot; the student asks the teacher after the physical attack. &;quot;What you gonna do‚ still sit in that chair 'cause you a bitch ... ain’t nobody even coming‚ you got slapped‚ bitch go back to teaching ...” Here's the video (Content warning: Language and racial slur‚ uttered by the student): — (@) Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Superintendent Tricia McManus told WGHP-TV a district hearing will determine consequences for the student — and McManus will recommend expulsion.“It’s just like everything else‚” she told the station. “You’ve got people that are going to make bad decisions on a daily basis in schools‚ out of schools‚ in the community‚ everywhere. And we’ve got to take those incidents‚ and we’ve got to address them.”When asked if he would try the student as an adult‚ Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’Neill noted to WGHP that he cannot bring the case to superior court because the charges are only misdemeanors.“We hope … the message we’ve delivered here today is that our teachers‚ our administrators that are out in these schools … deserve to feel safe‚&;quot; he said‚ according to the station. &;quot;We are here to protect you‚ and we’re here to see that … you’re never assaulted when you go to work. … We do want to remind people if you put your hands on a teacher‚ it’s the same as if you put your hands on one of these officers. The district attorney’s office will … bright the weight of this office down on top of you‚ so you should have fear of consequences.” Student caught on video attacking teacher at Parkland High School‚ sheriff says youtu.be Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

When Edward Snowden sought clemency for his crimes in 2016‚ I was opposed. A pardon‚ I wrote‚ “would inflict one more humiliation on the United States‚ and offer one more victory to those who believe they can defeat us because we are so foolishly adept at defeating ourselves.” Whatever good Snowden achieved from a free-speech standpoint was outweighed‚ I argued‚ by the harm. “As harsh as it is to accept‚ without Snowden — and without the truth he laid bare — America would be much stronger and more secure‚ and the road ahead would be much less treacherous and uncertain.”At the tail end of the Obama years‚ the verdict of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence felt definitive:Snowden caused tremendous damage to national security‚ and the vast majority of the documents he stole have nothing to do with programs impacting individual privacy interests — they instead pertain to military‚ defense‚ and intelligence programs of great interest to America’s adversaries.I’m not here to disavow my opinions from back then. But I am here to add to them.The digitized dystopian government I saw coming over the Trump years‚ and what many see now that it’s fully ensconced in Washington‚ looks an awful lot like the seemingly unpatriotic scenario painted by Snowden himself. Passing off Snowden’s disclosures as meaningless to the interests of citizens‚ of import only to the U.S. military-intelligence complex and its adversaries abroad‚ was a fraud of a sort — based on the swiftly invalidated assumption that our government would never turn its military and intelligence capabilities against American citizens for reasons of ideology‚ not national security. Proof of this criminalistic ideological turn is that the biggest difference between who took Snowden’s warnings seriously under Obama and who takes them seriously now under Biden is what political party they’re in. Back then‚ Snowden’s cries resonated with the left. Since then‚ the left has been utterly domesticated into the Biden regime’s deep-state digital dystopia. Now‚ Snowden’s warnings only find a hearing on the right. Not only does the right still have enough of an open mind to be willing to countenance what the regime denies‚ but the right has no choice: The right is the enemy of the regime‚ much more so than‚ to take a random example‚ Hamas. The rolling collapse of the January 6 narrative concocted‚ produced‚ distributed‚ and enforced by the regime shows plainly what almost everyone knows deep down: There was no “insurrection.” Trump supporters are not a threat to our national security. The persecution of the political right under cover of “domestic extremism” is a wholesale violation of our elementary rights. Trump voters and dissident voices online provide no national security justification for the indefinite suspension of our constitutional government in favor of a closed surveillance and censorship regime‚ much less one running‚ as this one does‚ based on woke social credit. The NSA is just \ud835\uddd7\ud835\uddd4\ud835\uddec\ud835\udde6 from taking over the internet‚ and it's not on the front page of any newspaper--because no one has noticed. — (@) So today‚ when you see Snowden’s posts on X raising an unprecedented alarm‚ there is nothing un-American about taking them seriously. In fact‚ the un-American choice is to ignore the fact that‚ as he puts it‚ “the NSA is just DAYS from taking over the internet.” Because‚ this time‚ it’s not just Snowden hitting the panic button.To the credit of the Brennan Center for Justice‚ a longtime left-wing outfit‚ Liberty and National Security codirector Elizabeth Goitein is laying out the severity of the threat posed by the latest Washington power grab — notionally‚ an act of Congress but driven by deep-staters we can’t vote in or out.“Through a seemingly innocuous change to the definition of ‘electronic communications surveillance provider‚’ an amendment offered by House intel committee leaders and passed by the House vastly expands the universe of entities that can be compelled to assist the NSA‚” Goitein reports. “If the bill becomes law‚ any company or individual that provides ANY service whatsoever may be forced to assist in NSA surveillance‚ as long as they have access to equipment on which communications are transmitted or stored — such as routers‚ servers‚ cell towers‚ etc.”Does anyone think the American experiment can endure much longer under conditions like these&;#63;Sadly‚ we’re in this predicament for deeper reasons than the malevolent agenda of wild-eyed ideologues. We can’t just chalk up today’s crisis to campus crazies or Marxists marching through the institutions. As I laid out in my 2021 book “Human Forever‚” the root cause is that the dominance of digital technology has thrown the legitimacy of every government into question‚ including the regimes of the strongest digital powers in the world. That’s because the essential nature of the social compact has been revolutionized‚ and whatever the form of government at play‚ the people need to buy in. The question is simple: On what basis do today’s ruling elites propose to exercise digitally supercharged sovereignty over their country’s people and machines&;#63; In China‚ India‚ Israel‚ Russia‚ Europe‚ the U.K.‚ and here in the United States‚ regimes are scrambling in their way to lay out an answer strong enough to command the full assent of their people. Only one of the world’s top digital powers has a Bill of Rights. And‚ without a doubt‚ our Bill of Rights makes re-establishing sovereignty in the digital age more difficult since‚ here‚ to preserve our constitutional system‚ our government needs to trust us to access and use incredibly powerful digital tech. We need to trust each other‚ too.Our adversaries want to undermine or destroy that trust. It’s so easy to believe we don’t have the time or luxury to take on the “extra” work of building and sustaining that trust. That trust can’t be faked. It can’t be simulated or stimulated into existence. It can’t be programmed or automated. It can’t be found in the free market‚ bought in an online marketplace‚ or forged through feel-good TV. It can’t be taught in universities‚ and it can’t be learned from the best of books. The trust we need comes only through lived spiritual experience. If we refuse to accept the risk of that difficult process‚ no whistleblower‚ military‚ or constitution can save us.