That is why Jesus went through all that anguish. He did it for all those who would come to faith in the world. We were the joy set before Him.

Palm Sunday is an invitation. A chance to clear our vision. To set aside the mundane and the urgent. It’s a chance to fix our eyes on Jesus and marvel once again at the wonder of the cross.

Fears surround us daily. What’s scaring you these days? Technologically‚ the advance of powerful AI technology holds promise but also peril (such as the technology “tak[ing] over‚” as AI’s founder worries). Politically‚ there are doubts as to how much longer a democracy can be sustained‚ a concern heightened in an election year. Looking abroad‚ conflicts on multiple fronts lead us to wonder whether we’re teetering on the edge of the next world war. There’s also the ongoing pinch of sin we experience in our communities and lives. Trust is key for weathering our fears. It acts as a trellis in the tumult. The problem‚ though‚ is that we don’t have much trust left. Ironically‚ the path toward distrust is motivated by self-protection. Trust‚ so the thinking goes‚ will hurt us in the end. So we build a buffer of skepticism toward others‚ especially toward institutions and those in power. As we tread further down distrust’s path‚ what began as self-protection ends up hurting us and our communities. The hedge of skepticism that was supposed to protect becomes a prison. We’re left isolated and afraid in a world that appears to be careening toward doom. Jesus’s triumphal entry on Palm Sunday teaches us that no matter how unstable and dangerous the world feels‚ we can trust him. Jesus’s triumphal entry on Palm Sunday teaches us that no matter how unstable and dangerous the world feels‚ we can trust him. Such trust requires two ingredients: command and care. You trust a good plumber because he has a command of the trade and cares for you. If he has no command of plumbing‚ you probably shouldn’t trust him‚ no matter how much he cares. But if he doesn’t care‚ then no matter his command‚ he isn’t looking out for your best interests and will probably try to take advantage of you. Command and care are both essential for trust. Take one or the other away and healthy skepticism makes sense; after all‚ Jesus instructs his disciples to be “shrewd as serpents” (Matt. 10:16‚ CSB). Jesus’s Command For Jesus’s disciples‚ the lead-up to Palm Sunday was marked by trepidation. They dreaded the return to Jerusalem‚ for Jesus narrowly escaped stoning the last time they were there (John 11:8). Tensions were high and the world felt unstable. On top of all that‚ Jerusalem was buzzing with activity as pilgrims flooded the city to celebrate Passover. Still‚ Jesus has command of the situation. He instructs his disciples‚ Go into the village in front of you‚ and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied‚ on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you‚ “Why are you doing this?” say‚ “The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.” (Mark 11:2–3) Jesus’s prediction and its fulfillment remind his disciples he’s in command of the situation. As Holy Week unfolds‚ the intensity will only heighten as his power and authority clash with the rulers and authorities in Jerusalem. When he’s arrested‚ his followers will abandon and deny him‚ fearing they may be next. Nonetheless‚ these instructions remind his disciples of something important: when it feels like everything is spiraling out of control‚ Jesus is still in charge and his commanding kingship rules over the smallest detail. When it feels like everything is spiraling out of control‚ Jesus is still in charge and his commanding kingship rules over the smallest detail. Jesus’s ministry had already demonstrated his command over sickness‚ storms‚ demonic forces‚ and death. As he enters a chaotic and hostile Jerusalem under a canopy of waving palm branches‚ he essentially says‚ “I’ve got this. I am in control.” Commentator James Edwards puts it like this: “[Jesus] does not enter Jerusalem as an unknowing victim‚ but with . . . foreknowledge and sovereignty”—or we might say‚ competency and command. Jesus’s Care Perhaps we don’t doubt Jesus’s command but question his care. After all‚ if he’s in charge‚ why is the world (or my life) filled with such pain? Palm Sunday shows us Jesus also has the second ingredient necessary for trust: care. Zechariah 9 tells of a righteous king‚ humble and mounted on a donkey‚ who’ll bring salvation to Jerusalem. This king’s peace will extend to the ends of the earth. Lest Jesus’s three years of ministry leave any doubt he was bringing forth the “year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:19)‚ his entry on a beast of burden speaks loudly of his salvation and care. Luke’s account gives an additional detail that points to Jesus’s care at his triumphal entry: his tears (19:41). Jesus weeps over Jerusalem’s rejection of him and his kingdom. He is not in a huff; he is brokenhearted. Not long before weeping for Jerusalem‚ he wept over the death of Lazarus (John 11:35). In both instances‚ Dane Ortlund observes‚ it is sorrow for others that draws out Jesus’s tears‚ for he is the King who cares. But do Jesus’s command and care hold up against the threats we face—nuclear war‚ a volatile market‚ another pandemic‚ AI‚ a precarious democracy‚ a school bully‚ an overbearing boss‚ a difficult spouse‚ besetting sin? Consider a diver plunging into shark-infested waters. How does a person do such a thing? He has a cage of protection that can fend off any attack. Jesus’s triumphal entry teaches us that his command and care‚ like the shark cage‚ outweigh and overpower every threat we face. He can be trusted‚ and so our governing posture in a chaotic world can be galvanizing trust. While the world‚ flesh‚ and Devil bang and bite against our lives‚ our refuge is in the mighty King on the donkey.

A big-cheeked cat who had to compete with other animals outside for food is now the boss of the house. ClydeSt Francis Society Animal RescueA big-cheeked cat had spent many years outdoors‚ surviving on the food left by people‚ but no one offered him a home. He had to compete with raccoons over meals and often went hungry for days.Sandra saw the cat looking rougher by the day when she was pet-sitting for a family. The haggard tom cat sat in a corner while the raccoons wolfed down his food. He seemed so weary‚ as if he had given up.Determined to help the cat‚ Sandra brought him inside‚ upgraded his living condition to a quiet‚ comfortable room‚ and named the deserving boy Clyde. Clyde had to compete with raccoons for foodSandraClyde was in poor shape with a host of issues‚ including a deep wound on his neck and entropion‚ a condition in which the eyelids curl inwards‚ causing the lashes and fur to rub against the eyes constantly.His room was a palace compared to the gritty streets outside. He was quiet but happy to be indoors at last. He was finally safe after being outside for yearsSandraWith the support of St Francis Society Animal Rescue‚ his wound was cleaned and closed‚ and his eyelids were corrected. Clyde slept in a king-sized bed for the first time in his life‚ and he was on cloud nine."He tried the soft fluffy blanket‚ then my pillow‚ but decided the best place to be was snuggled up against me. I woke up a few times during the night‚ and every time‚ I found him comfortably curled up‚" Sandra shared. His fur is cleaner‚ brighter‚ and softerSandraClyde rested abundantly over the next two weeks‚ making a speedy recovery. "He's discovered scratchers and catnip‚ and he loves both. His fur is cleaner‚ brighter‚ and softer. He's a talker and loves to snuggle at night."With his newfound strength and appetite‚ he made good gains and became increasingly intrigued by everything in the house. He's become a supervisor in the houseColleenHe is fascinated by the sink and running water. He watches his foster mom brush her teeth and feels the urge to "rescue" her from the shower. He follows her like a shadow and greets her at the door.Being FIV+ doesn't bother him‚ and he enjoys inspecting every nook and cranny of the house like a true detective. He likes to inspect every nook and cranny even atop the fridgeColleenHe gets along with other cats but prefers being someone's one and only.Clyde has been indoors for about nine months and has blossomed into a happy‚ confident boy. He's ready to seek a forever home where he can rule with cuddles and purrs. Colleen"Less than a year ago‚ this big-cheeked‚ adorable former Tom Cat would go days without eating. But now‚ Sweet Clyde believes he is the boss of the house‚" Colleen‚ foster volunteer of St Francis Society Animal Rescue‚ shared. Sandra"He will supervise everything you do. If you accidentally leave groceries on the counter‚ Clyde has your back. He will be sure it is no longer there when you go back into the kitchen."Aside from his mischievous streak‚ Clyde has a tender‚ loving side. Clyde offers his "help" in the kitchenSandraHe trails his people around the house‚ curls up in bed beside them at night‚ and showers them with purrs and snuggles in the morning."This handsome former Tom has traded in his big cheeks for a simpler life of lying on counters and sleeping all day." Happy and lovedColleenShare this story with your friends. More on Clyde and St Francis Society Animal Rescue (in FL) on Instagram and Facebook. Thanks to Sandra and Colleen.Related story: Kitten Comes Running to Traveling Couple and Hops into Their Arms‚ She Won't Let Them Leave Her

The art of a broken heart. The post Did Carole King write ‘It’s Too Late’ about James Taylor? first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

The Berlin Wall was an emblem of oppression. Driven through the heart of a city‚ it spoke of immense and brutal power set against human liberty‚ by people so in love with their utopian vision that they would break up the lives and legacies of whatever they thought stood in their way.  A divided city‚ a divided country‚ speaks of divided lives. It is something good people may have to suffer. It is something that bad people create. (READ MORE from Shmuel Klatzkin: Is Chuck Schumer Motivated by Honor or Power?) The biblical tradition sees unity underlying all the wondrous individualization of the world. How many are your works‚ it exclaims‚ You have made them all in wisdom. From the perspective of wisdom and the perspective of love‚ the differences from one creature to the next‚ from one person to the next‚ add wonder and amazement to the whole. In the Middle East‚ they seek to reward the orgiastic terror of Hamas by making them the ones who finally achieved Palestinian statehood. To the ideologue‚ though‚ difference is anathema. They drive walls through cities‚ through countries‚ through minds. They break the wholeness of things into parts which they set against each other. There was another divided city all through my childhood. When the Holy Land was promised by Balfour as a home for the Jewish people‚ there was a condition: the political and human rights of all had to be respected. And indeed‚ when Israel declared independence‚ it made that commitment: “It will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion‚ race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion‚ conscience‚ language‚ education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions.”  That it has done‚ despite living in a state of war. And while in most countries in even a short war‚ such commitments erode‚ in Israel it did not. Its Christian community thrives. Muslims vote‚ sit in the parliament and in the judiciary‚ fight in the military and hold rank. Holy places are protected‚ schools are funded‚ Arabic is an official language. But when Israel’s war of independence ended‚ Jerusalem was divided. Barbed wire ran through its middle. The Jewish Quarter of the Old City had been conquered and every Jew was either killed or expelled. The synagogues were razed. Behind the barbed wire lay the Hadassah Hospital‚ the Hebrew University‚ and graves of centuries on the Mount of Olives — and the holiest place‚ the Temple Mount.  What does the Temple Mount mean? The twelfth century rabbi‚ physician‚ and philosopher‚ Moses Maimonides wrote of it in his code of law‚ drawing on centuries of literature and tradition: It is a universally accepted tradition that the place on which David and Solomon built the altar‚ the threshing floor of Ornan‚ is the location where Abraham built the altar on which he prepared Isaac for sacrifice. Noah built [an altar] there when he left the ark. It was also the place of the altar on which Cain and Abel brought sacrifices. Adam‚ the first man‚ offered a sacrifice there and was created at that very spot‚ as our Sages said: “Man was created from the place where he [would find] atonement.” It was the place described by Exodus as “the place of Your dwelling that You made‚ that sanctuary‚ L-rd‚ that Your hands established.” It is the place that King David sang of. It is the place that King Solomon declared would serve as the portal of prayer for all peoples of the world. It is the place about which Isaiah declared:  “Many peoples shall go forth and say‚ ‘Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord‚ the house of the God of Jacob‚ and He will teach us His ways and we will walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall come forth the teaching‚ and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” What few know and fewer yet talk about is that access to the holy places‚ the hospital‚ the university‚ and the Mount of Olives were guaranteed in the agreement. Here is the relevant part of the Jordanian-Israeli General Armistice Agreement of April 3‚ 1949‚ which testified to agreement to be carried out to see to “resumption of the normal functioning of the cultural and humanitarian institutions on Mount Scopus and free access thereto; free access to the Holy Places and cultural institutions and use of the cemetery on the Mount of Olives.” (READ MORE: A West Point Scholar and Soldier Stands up for Truth) In fact‚ the holiest place to Jews remained off-limits to them; their homes in the Jewish Quarter denied; and all access cut to the Western Wall and all the other holy sites behind the armistice line. You don’t hear in today’s discussion that formerly‚ Jews had only the most limited access. The Western Wall was along a small alleyway‚ and Jews were not allowed to hold any prayer services there. This was true of other places of special holiness‚ The graves of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs of Israel‚ the Cave of Machpelah‚ had been off-limits as well‚ long before there was Zionism. Jews could not enter to pray‚ only climb an outside stair and look in.  When Israel declared its independence in 1948 it proposed another way‚ more consonant with the Bible’s love and wisdom: [Israel] will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion‚ race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion‚ conscience‚ language‚ education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions. Even though attacked by five states‚ Israel declared: WE APPEAL in the very midst of the onslaught launched against us now for months — to the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to preserve peace and participate in the upbuilding of the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institutions. WE EXTEND our hand to all neighboring states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighborliness‚ and appeal to them to establish bonds of cooperation and mutual help with the sovereign Jewish people settled in its own land. The State of Israel is prepared to do its share in a common effort for the advancement of the entire Middle East. Israel has held to its commitments. Muslims and Christians have political equality‚ and vote‚ hold public office‚ sit in the judiciary‚ fight in its defense‚ pay its taxes‚ under uniform law. Contrast that to the plummeting Christian populations everywhere else in the Middle East‚ and the fear to which those who remain are subjected.  Compare as well to the absence of a single Jew in many of the places where Jews had lived for millennia: Libya‚ Algeria‚ Syria‚ Iraq‚ Lebanon‚ Jerusalem‚ Gaza‚ and all but a handful gone from Egypt and Tunisia. All told‚ close to a million Jews left under severe pressure during the years that Israel came into being‚ about the same number as Arabs who were displaced by war or were urged to flee by Arab leaders to Israel during the war for independence. There are no Jewish refugee camps in Israel‚ despite it being a very Third World nation during its first years‚ with pressing military needs‚ as there was no peace‚ only an armistice. As it protected itself from deadly threats‚ it also assimilated refugees by the hundreds of thousands. No UNRWA. No help from oil-rich and cash rich brothers in Saudi Arabis‚ Syria‚ or Iraq. It was the principle of oneness at work‚ seeking the wisdom and seeking the love to bind together many very different people as one‚ to the benefit of all. (READ MORE: Antony Blinken Declares Israeli Settlements Illegal) The theme of oneness in this biblical sense is at the core of American consciousness from the get-go. It’s expressed famously in Latin as E pluribus unum‚ out of many‚ one‚ for we committed in principle to respect the rights of all and have devoted immense and sustained effort to realize that respect. We recognize Israel’s commitment to that ideal of oneness‚ we see its incredible success in the face of lopsided odds‚ in quickly developing into a First World powerhouse and a vibrant democracy embracing science and technology‚ artistic creativity‚ and fidelity to ancient traditions all together in a heady mix. Strange how some American leaders let guarantees to Israel lapse when it is inconvenient. What is good faith to a Machiavellian? For all our commitment to this great principle‚ we are still humans. We must remember our civic responsibility when our government and our culture forget the wisdom and love‚ cultivated by our biblical heritage‚ that has nourished our greatness.  Our Administration has lost sight of oneness. Ever since its culture began to deride half its population as bitter clingers‚ as deplorables‚ as hopelessly tainted by their race‚ America has acted as an agent for division. Instead of looking to the divine at the core of the human soul and betting on it‚ Obama embraced Machiavellianism and made it the core of our policy‚ pushing Israel away as fast as was politically feasible and appeasing and encouraging Iran at every turn — Iran‚ whose murderous exterminationist intent is proclaimed more often and more publicly than Hitler’s. And now the Biden/Blinken/Obama policy has taken off the gloves. It has the tell-tale fingerprint of division all over‚ even to the point of self-contradictory policies — division of the self of this country into parts at war with each other. In the Middle East‚ they seek to reward the orgiastic terror of Hamas by making them the ones who finally achieved Palestinian statehood. Far from bringing peace‚ that gives every terrorist the green light — all they need to do is make their terror mind-boggling enough‚ and they will get whatever they demand.  And that new state’s citizens say in repeated polls that they really like what Hamas did. Yet the Administration thinks of the people everywhere as superfluous‚ automatons who will think as they are told to do. The people don’t matter. At least they are consistent‚ drawing a dividing line between the master class and everyone else. Of course‚ the Administration has allowed another nine billion dollars to come to Iran‚ to fund fully its agents of peace: Hamas‚ the Houthis‚ Hezbollah‚ and others less infamous at this time. Here the divide is between the active aid to our sworn enemy and the cut-off of aid to our ally for seeking to destroy the power of Hamas to do what they will do again if not defeated. At home‚ the Administration has completed Obama’s project of  bringing bipartisan division to the support of Israel; to impose a split of the Holy Land carving a separate enclave‚ utterly free of even a single Jew in its population — tell me that Israel is an apartheid state! — dedicated culturally and politically to the extinction of the state on the other side of the border. And of course — dedicated to splitting Jerusalem in half again. Strange how some American leaders let guarantees to Israel lapse when it is inconvenient. What is good faith to a Machiavellian? Despite the clear words of the armistice‚ Jews were sealed off from their holy sites until a war they didn’t ask for united the land. The undertakings of the so-called partners in peace from the Clinton era are routinely ignored. Generations of Arab children have grown up educated in hatred of Jews under UN auspices. When it comes to Israel‚ the laws of war are interpreted in ways that no army in history has ever complied with; but when it comes to the blatantly criminal acts of hiding an army behind a civilian population‚ and trying to constrain that population by force‚ America has been not only silent‚ but is now joining the game. In collusion with Egypt‚ America holds Gazans around where the last battalions of Hamas wait for Blinken to hand them their victory. Blinken’s State Department issues grave warnings that Israel must not attack as long as those civilians whom they are helping to hold in place are still there. This way lies hell. Most Americans see that‚ But we are being bombarded by all the furious might of those who think themselves our betters‚ who think they can successfully divide us‚ and who think that they at last can humble Israel to their purposes‚ in which it is entirely disposable.  Their manipulators of the media will make it seem as if we are isolated — for they are good at isolated and they bet their souls on division. But the Oneness that is the heart of both America and Israel is stronger and will survive‚ ride on‚ and prosper. No matter how dark the regime makes it‚ fear not. Our mettle will be tested. We can make sure we will not be found wanting.   The post Biden Policy Divides at Home and in Israel appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Former President Donald Trump is leading incumbent Joe Biden among American Catholics‚ according to the latest polls from battleground states. A new survey from the League of American Workers shows Trump leading Biden by double digits among Catholic voters in Michigan. In a head-to-head matchup between the 45th president and his geriatric successor‚ Trump would win among Michigan Catholics 54 percent to 31 percent‚ with 15 percent undecided. When independent and third-party candidates are thrown into the mix‚ Trump still maintains a 21-point lead over Biden‚ with Robert F. Kennedy‚ Jr. coming in third place. Trump has certified his pro-life bona fides in appointing and enabling a majority-Catholic Supreme Court to overturn Roe. Of note‚ the survey also shows that Catholic voters find Biden and the Democratic Party to be “too extreme” when it comes to abortion. More than half of Michigan Catholics told pollsters that Democrats take abortion policy too far‚ with only about a third backing the Party’s extremist abortion agenda. For comparison‚ mainline protestants‚ atheists‚ and the religiously unaffiliated all say that Democrats are “inside the mainstream” when it comes to the slaughter of unborn children. (READ MORE from S.A. McCarthy: Ireland’s Left-Wing Government Leader Resigns) In fact‚ abortion has been a key factor in driving Catholics away from the Democratic Party for decades. Long before progressives began championing “trans rights‚” abortion was the issue that pushed Catholics to vote red‚ not blue. In 1972‚ a year before the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its diabolical decision in Roe v. Wade‚ nearly 70 percent of American Catholics were allied with the Democratic Party‚ while barely 20 percent were part of the GOP. Even in the wake of the Roe decision‚ Catholic influence in the Democratic Party led to blue states like Massachusetts and Rhode Island implementing stringent restrictions on abortion and even fighting in federal court to ban the barbaric practice. According to the American National Election Study‚ which began charting voting statistics as early as 1960‚ white Catholics began drifting away from the Democratic Party even before Roe was handed down. Catholic bishops‚ encouraged and informed by Pope St. Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae Vitae and prescient enough to anticipate the Supreme Court’s eventual decision‚ began forming the nation’s first organized pro-life efforts‚ often under the auspices of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. By 1968‚ less than two thirds (60 percent) of white American Catholics voted Democrat‚ and on the eve of the Roe decision‚ nearly two thirds (63 percent) voted for Republican Richard Nixon. The Democratic Party has never recovered or even come close to recovering the support of American Catholics. By 2021‚ nearly half of white American Catholics were registered as Republicans‚ 20 percent were registered as independents‚ and only about a third were registered as Democrats. Additionally‚ the more often Catholics attend Mass‚ the more likely they are to vote red. Among lapsed Catholics who no longer attend Mass‚ 56 percent voted Republican in 2016 and 55 percent in 2020. Among self-described Catholics who attend Mass “seldom” or “yearly‚” the number stay much the same. But among Catholics who attend Mass more regularly‚ the numbers increase. Self-described Catholics who attend Mass “monthly” voted Republican by 55 percent in 2016 and by 62 percent in 2020. Among Catholics who attend Mass “weekly‚” 64 percent voted Republican in both 2016 and 2020. And among those who attend Mass once a week or more‚ 73 percent voted Republican in both 2016 and 2020. The impact of the Mass is even clearer when examining Catholics’ views on abortion. Among self-described Catholics who attend Mass less than once a week‚ only 34 percent favor abortion restrictions‚ while 49 percent favor abortion being “legal in most cases” and 16 percent favor abortion being “legal in all cases‚ no exceptions‚” according to a 2022 Pew Research Center study. But among Catholics who attend Mass at least once a week‚ only 4 percent say abortion should be “legal in all cases‚ no exceptions‚” while 26 percent say abortion should be “legal in most cases” and 68 percent say abortion should be illegal‚ including 24 percent who say it should be “illegal in all cases‚ no exceptions.” Among those who attend the old Tridentine Mass‚ only 1 percent say abortion is acceptable. (READ MORE: Polish Bishops’ Fight Leftist Government Onslaught) Immigration‚ inflation‚ crime‚ housing‚ and election integrity are all‚ of course‚ major issues heading into November’s elections. But for Catholics‚ abortion is and must remain the “preeminent priority” at the ballot box. Trump has certified his pro-life bona fides in appointing and enabling a majority-Catholic Supreme Court to overturn Roe. Provided he continues fighting for the unborn‚ the most vulnerable demographic of all‚ then he can count on the continued support of America’s Catholics. The post American Catholics Back Trump Over Biden appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

WASHINGTON — “This is the best guy they can get?” Rep. Stephen Lynch‚ D-Mass.‚ asked rhetorically at a House Oversight Committee hearing Wednesday to look into President Joe Biden’s role in his family’s alleged influence peddling. So this exercise was simply performance art‚ without the art. The “guy” was Jason Galanis‚ a witness‚ invited by Republicans‚ who testified remotely from a Alabama prison where he was serving 14 years for fraud. He talked about his business dealings with Hunter Biden some 10 years ago. (READ MORE from Debra J. Saunders: USA IOU. Brother‚ Can You Spare a Trillion?) The problem with Lynch’s put-down was the person invited by committee Democrats to speak as their key witness: Lev Parnas. In 2021‚ Parnas was sentenced to 20 months in prison after he was found guilty of conspiring to make illegal political contributions by a foreign national‚ participating in wire fraud‚ and making false statements and falsifying records. Galanis looked gaunt and repentant as he talked about his conviction on multiple security fraud charges that have nothing to do with the Biden family. “I’ve pleaded guilty‚” he said‚ and deserved the long sentence. He also made it clear that he thought Hunter Biden’s contribution to their deals was the Biden name. Galanis called it “the Biden lift.” The lift works so well that Hunter Biden did not testify publicly before the committee. He kept changing the terms under which he would talk to the committee‚ something the rest of us chickens couldn’t get away with. He said he’d only testify publicly. Then he wouldn’t. On Feb. 28‚ the president’s son was deposed behind closed doors. Cable news devoted days to former President Donald Trump’s conjecture that there would be a “bloodbath” in the auto industry if he is not elected in November. But the president’s son’s refusal to testify in public wasn’t even a one-day story. Not much to see here — except a glaring double standard. On Tuesday‚ Peter Navarro‚ former Trump trade adviser‚ reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Miami to begin a four-month sentence for two misdemeanor counts of contempt of Congress. His crime: The Harvard-educated economist wouldn’t testify or hand over documents to Congress. “I’m pissed‚” he told reporters before the prison doors slammed behind him. And so‚ Democrats see a win here. They gleefully slammed Republicans for failing to come up with articles of impeachment — as impeachment is the pretext for these hearings. Fact is‚ there are House Republicans who won’t vote to impeach. They shouldn’t. There are no stipulated high crimes or misdemeanors. And one party without some support across the aisle should not use its power to overturn in election‚ especially when the election is months away. Besides‚ the Democrat-controlled Senate won’t convict. So this exercise was simply performance art‚ without the art. At the end of the day‚ Americans understand that at a time when Hunter Biden was torching his career and reputation‚ he nonetheless was raking in millions by waving the family name. And according to special counsel David Weiss‚ who has filed tax evasion and gun charges against Hunter Biden‚ the president’s son plowed that money into “drugs‚ escorts and girlfriends‚ luxury hotels and rental properties‚ exotic cars‚ clothing‚ and other items of a personal nature — in short‚ everything but his taxes.” (READ MORE: Smirnov: From Trusted Informant in 2010 to Accused Liar in 2024) Former business partner Tony Bobulinski summed it up well when‚ according to The Wall Street Journal‚ he said‚ “Just read the latest motion by the Department of Justice related to Hunter Biden’s criminal indictments in California. The DOJ states that he made large sums of money for very little work.” It’s called the “Biden lift.” Contact Review-Journal Washington columnist Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal.com. Follow @debrajsaunders on X. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM The post The ‘Biden Lift’ or Influence Peddling? appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.