Renewables such as wind and solar are intermittent and largely unpredictable energy sources‚ with rapid swings in output from one minute to the next. This creates major challenges for operators of the nation’s electricity grid‚ because supply must equal demand‚ and the supply “curve” in a given area never tracks the output from intermittent renewable sources. As a result‚ the more that intermittent solar and wind capacity is deployed to an electricity grid‚ the more of what’s called “dispatchable” capacity needs to be deployed to stabilize the grid to meet demand. What this means‚ ironically‚ is that the rush to deploy solar and wind is locking us out of the one energy source that could actually achieve a zero-emissions grid‚ namely nuclear‚ and locking us into fossil fuel sources of electricity generation such as natural gas. “Dispatchable” capacity refers to power plants that can quickly ramp up and ramp down as needed. This means simple-cycle combustion-turbine power plants such as “intermediate” and “peaker” natural gas-powered generators‚ and (in the developing world) power plants fired by heavy fuel oil. “Dispatchable” power does not include power from steam electrical generators‚ because the boilers used to make the steam that propels their turbines take too long to heat up and cool down. Steam electrical generators‚ such as large low-carbon combined-cycle natural gas plants and zero-carbon nuclear plants‚ are instead used as “baseload” generators; “baseload” refers to that portion of demand that always needs to be satisfied around the clock. At a joint hearing of federal regulators recently‚ Matt Lauby‚ the chief engineer of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (a not-for-profit regulatory authority that oversees power generation and distribution in the U.S. and Canada)‚ argued that nuclear energy can help stabilize the electricity grid as increasing wind and solar capacity is deployed. But this is highly misleading. Some of the most advanced nuclear reactors include new electricity storage technologies that could in theory help them be more responsive to variable demand‚ but as a general rule‚ nuclear cannot be counted upon as dispatchable power. Hence‚ the inordinate reliance on solar and wind is arguably moving us away from a zero-emissions grid. As the developed world proceeds in its increasingly heedless transition to clean energy‚ so much intermittent solar and wind capacity is being deployed to the grid in places like California that it is displacing reliable baseload generation. People are only just waking up to the deep irony. Displacing baseload generation with intermittent solar and wind requires grid operators to replace baseload generation with dispatchable sources of power to stabilize the grid. In practice‚ this means replacing low-carbon combined-cycle natural gas plants and zero-carbon nuclear plants with more pollution-intensive‚ carbon-intensive and inefficient intermediate and “peaker” natural gas plants. Utility-scale batteries are advancing in storage capacity and efficiency‚ potentially mitigating the intermittency of renewables and reducing the reliance on natural gas for peaking power. But these can only marginally flatten the supply curve‚ and only for a few hours. They can’t store solar and wind energy from Monday so that you can use it on Wednesday. “Storage right now is about four hours per lithium battery‚” said Lauby. “But I’m not worried about 24 hours. I’m worried about five days of extreme weather.” Environmentalists are often their own worst enemies. They insist that clean energy is necessary to save the planet but are responsible for virtually all of the major obstacles to a clean energy transition. They welcome the Biden EPA’s mandates on electric vehicles and power plants‚ though those rules will punish the most efficient power plants and cause utilities to switch to less-efficient and more carbon-intensive sources of electricity generation. They celebrate the Biden’s administration’s decision to stop granting new liquefied natural gas export licenses‚ though this will make developing countries poorer and more reliant on coal and will turn Europeans increasingly against the very idea of a clean energy transition.   If environmentalists were serious about eliminating carbon emissions from the electricity grid‚ they would be pushing for a massive expansion in nuclear power‚ so that demand is satisfied as much as possible from nuclear baseload generation. Instead‚ in their rush to deploy solar and wind‚ they are diminishing the rationale for baseload generation‚ thereby making grid management all about stabilizing the intermittency of solar and wind‚ rather than assuring reliance on the most dependable‚ efficient‚ and least carbon-intensive sources. Renewable and conventional energy production in Germany over two weeks in 2022. In hours with low wind and photovoltaics (solar sources) production‚ hard coal and gas fill the gap. Nuclear and biomass show almost no flexibility. This graph shows how intermittent solar and wind energy displace baseload generation and force the electric grid to deploy more inefficient dispatchable power sources. (Source: Bundesnetzagentur | SMARD.de. CC BY-SA 4.0‚ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0‚ via Wikimedia Commons. No changes were made to the original graphic.) Writing in Energy Central in 2013‚ research scientist Schalk Cloete noted the catastrophic impact that Germany’s renewables-heavy Energiewende (“energy transition”) would have on utilities: This incompatibility between baseload capacity such as nuclear and intermittent renewables such as wind and solar is part of the reason why Germany is retiring her nuclear fleet and building more flexible coal plants. Naturally‚ this is a tremendously expensive endeavour‚ and struggling German utility companies are now claiming €15 billion [$16.2 billion U.S.] in damages. Without this compensation‚ German utilities will not be able to meet the great challenges posed by rapidly fluctuating loads such as the example shown above and the Energiewende will fail. Simply put‚ climate activists aren’t just putting all their eggs in one basket. It’s the wrong basket‚ even for the goal of net-zero carbon emissions electricity. They will be dismayed at how much fossil fuel power they find stuck inside of it.  Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Is Renewable Energy Actually Making Us Rely More on Fossil Fuels? appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Touchdown Arizona! Philanthropist Janine Yass penned a column recently that was so delightfully perfect about the importance of school choice and how we as a country seem to be more engaged in football scores than test scores‚ that I can kick myself for not having written it myself. She referenced an NFL upset victory of the lowly Arizona Cardinals over the more formidable Philadelphia Eagles earlier this season. Here’s an excerpt: The Eagles’ embarrassing loss to the Cardinals on New Year’s Eve day‚ resulting in their ceding the NFC’s top seed to Dallas have fans beside themselves. The media is all over the “why‚” including retrospectives on whether the season is all over before the playoffs even start. What happened‚ what went wrong‚ how do we fix it‚ who’s to blame? Fire the coach! Change the plays!! Local radio‚ newspapers‚ and TV are consumed by it all. The attention‚ concern‚ and outrage is unrelenting and expectations shattered. Sports are front page news—win‚ lose‚ or draw‚ but especially when they disappoint. How I wish there was as much attention to the challenges students face daily throughout U.S. public school systems that haven’t won a single game for the home team for almost 40 years. Don’t get me wrong. I love football. It’s great sport and hobby to millions‚ but it’s hardly as consequential as education. When your favorite team begins to fail‚ they change the plays‚ or the people. Not in traditional education. When public school actions or inaction result in failure for a majority of students‚ there’s little done. Those who are the first to publicize a team’s shortcomings barely take notice when students fail. There’s no demand for changing the plays‚ or the managers‚ school leaders‚ policymakers‚ and those delivering the actual education. As Yass correctly notes‚ K-12 education outcomes are far more important than sports. If Pennsylvanians were disappointed with the Cardinals beating the Eagles‚ they should brace themselves for a much greater Arizona upset victory: Arizona is doing a much better job promoting students’ academic growth‚ including with its poorest students‚ far outpacing Pennsylvania. Scholars at the Stanford Educational Opportunity Project linked state testing data in grades 3-8 from across the country for the 2008-2018 period. Project scholars were able to calculate average rates of academic growth by state for this period. Scholars and analysts widely regard academic growth as the best measure of school quality. Academic proficiency—how well students have mastered specific subject matter—is highly correlated with student demographics (wealthy students score higher on average than low-income students‚ for example). Academic growth‚ however‚ measures how much students learn per year of schooling and is not nearly as strongly correlated with student demographics. The graph below shows the average rate of academic growth for low-income students (horizontal axis) and for middle/high-income students (vertical axis) by state. In both cases‚ zero percent equates to “learned one grade level per year” on average for the 2008-2018 period in reading and math. Numbers below the zero line mean students are learning less than a year’s worth of academic material each year. The average rate of academic growth for low-income students and middle/high-income students by state‚ specifically highlighting Arizona versus Pennsylvania. In both cases‚ zero percent equates to “learned one grade level per year” on average for the 2008-2018 period in reading and math. Numbers below the zero line mean students are learning less than a year’s worth of academic material each year As you can see from the graph‚ Arizona beat Pennsylvania on these measures‚ which are far more consequential than an NFL scoreboard. Pennsylvania had an average rate of academic growth for low-income students that was 7% below learning a grade level per year for the period. Pennsylvania’s middle- and high-income students averaged a bit more than a grade level of progress per year—4% higher per year on average. The slower rate of academic growth for low-income Pennsylvania students represents a growing achievement gap and adding to it year by year. In other words‚ annually‚ economically advantaged students pulled a bit further ahead‚ and every year‚ low-income Pennsylvania students fell further behind. Arizona’s low-income students learned at an average rate 17% above learning one grade level per year‚ and the Grand Canyon state’s non-poor students also ranked among the highest states‚ at 11% above. While Pennsylvania saw a steadily growing achievement gap between poor and non-poor students‚ Arizona made progress in closing the gap with a nation-leading rate of growth for low-income students. We cannot be sure exactly why Arizona’s students led the nation in academic growth during this period‚ but the amount of K-12 school choice in the state stands out. Arizona lawmakers passed the nation’s strongest charter school statute and a statewide district open enrollment statute (allowing students to enroll in any public school district of their choice) in 1994. They also created the nation’s first scholarship tax credit program in 1997‚ which funded school choice for students by giving tax incentives to people who donated to school choice scholarships. Lawmakers have expanded the credit several times since 1997 to include more students. In 2011‚ Arizona lawmakers created the nation’s first Education Savings Account program‚ where public funds are deposited into accounts for families to use to fund private-school tuition‚ online learning‚ or homeschooling costs. Lawmakers expanded the eligibility for this program to all Arizona students in 2022. Contrary to the claims of school choice opponents‚ Arizona’s public school districts are alive and performing well. District schools both gain and lose students through choice programs‚ but district open enrollment remains the largest form of choice despite the growth of private choice and Arizona having the largest charter school sector (22% of students) in the country. The variety and pluralism in school types available to families represent the secret to success in Arizona schooling. One size of cleats would fit few football players. Likewise‚ a standardized and homogenized set of schools fits the needs of few students. In the Phoenix area‚ for example‚ most K-8 students do not attend their zoned district school‚ opting instead for a wide array of other district‚ charter‚ private‚ online‚ and homeschool options‚ and both public and private micro-schools. Pennsylvania lawmakers have adopted a number of policies to expand schooling options‚ and they should think bigger and take action that is bolder‚ like Arizona has done. And Pennsylvania families‚ voting with their feet‚ should be able to decide which schools they value and which they do not. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Arizona’s Nation-Leading School Choice Means Nation-Leading Academic Success appeared first on The Daily Signal.

CNN Anchor Left Speechless After Truth-Bombed With Illegal Alien Crime Facts

Friday on ABC’s Good Morning America‚ the show that acts more like corporate whores for Disney and flowery nonsense as opposed to a real newscast‚ swooned with approval at Connecticut Democratic Governor Ned Lamont announcing he’ll use taxpayer funds from Joe Biden’s inflation-inducing boondoggle to wipe out billions in medical debt. You could tell how excited they were as there was not one but two teases and‚ worse yet‚ they didn’t even bother to use describe Lamont as a liberal‚ progressive‚ or even a Democrat. The most they did was put a (D) in a chyron.     “Also ahead‚ we have an ABC News exclusive with the governor of one state making the unprecedented move to wipe out medical debt for thousands struggling to pay their bills. We’ll tell you who qualify for this relief‚ and will other states follow suit‚” weekend co-host Eva Pilgrim boasted. Co-host and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos told viewers that it’s “a big issue.” After a second tease with similar verbiage‚ Pilgrim tossed to correspondent Stephanie Ramos so she could be the one to formally make the “major announcement.” “Connecticut’s plan to erase medical debt will start to take effect over the next few months and Connecticut residents who qualify will start to see the money by this June. The state says they are prioritizing single parents and lower-income residents‚” she began. Again using the “unprecedented” line Pilgrim did‚ she added Lamont’s “state will be the first to wipe out medical debt for the thousands of people struggling to pay their bills.” Her on-screen question was a softball too: “Tell us why you’re canceling medical debt now.” After a Lamont soundbite noting people often fall into that kind of debt “not...because they were spending too much money” but were “hit with a medical emergency‚” she pointed out that “[m]edical debt is the number one source of debt collection in the U.S.‚ greater than credit cards‚ utilities‚ auto loans‚ and other sources combined.” Only halfway in did Ramos explain how it’s going to be paid for and how much it’ll cost: The state anticipating 250‚000 residents will see their medical debt cleared. Lamont announcing he’s leveraging a $6.5 million fund from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to cancel $1 billion in medical debt by working with a nonprofit organization that finds and eliminates debt at a fraction of the cost. Another Lamont soundbite later‚ she concluded that “[e]ligible families” won’t need to apply and will “include those whose medical debt equates to five percent or more of their annual income‚ or whose household income is up to 400 percent above the poverty line.” Like the good liberal that he is‚ Stephanopoulos declared this act of government welfare needs to be expanded: “This is such an important issue and this is gonna help so many people. Hope other states follow that lead.” To see the relevant transcript from February 2‚ click “expand.” ABC’s Good Morning America February 2‚ 2024 7:02 a.m. Eastern [TEASE] EVA PILGRIM: Also ahead‚ we have an ABC News exclusive with the governor of one state making the unprecedented move to wipe out medical debt for thousands struggling to pay their bills. We’ll tell you who qualify for this relief‚ and will other states follow suit. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: That is a big issue. (....) 7:38 a.m. Eastern [TEASE] [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Coming Up; 7:41; ABC News Exclusive] PILGRIM: Well‚ coming up next‚ an ABC News exclusive with the governor of one state making the unprecedented move to wipe out medical debt for thousands struggling to pay their bills. (....) 7:42 a.m. Eastern [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: ABC News Exclusive; Connecticut to Wipe Out Medical Debt for Thousands; Governor on Why He’s Doing It &; Who’s Eligible for Relief] PILGRIM: Back with an ABC News exclusive interview with the governor of Connecticut who is making a major announcement this morning. He sat down with our Stephanie Ramos‚ who joins us now. Good morning‚ Stephanie. STEPHANIE RAMOS: Eva‚ good morning. Connecticut’s plan to erase medical debt will start to take effect over the next few months and Connecticut residents who qualify will start to see the money by this June. The state says they are prioritizing single parents and lower-income residents. This morning‚ in an unprecedented move‚ Governor Ned Lamont of Connecticut announcing his state will be the first to wipe out medical debt for the thousands of people struggling to pay their bills. [TO LAMONT] Tell us why you’re canceling medical debt now. GOVERNOR NED LAMONT (D-CT): This is not something they did because they were spending too much money. This is something because they got hit with a medical emergency. They should not have to‚ you know‚ suffer twice. First with the illness then with the debt. RAMOS: Medical debt is the number one source of debt collection in the U.S.‚ greater than credit cards‚ utilities‚ auto loans‚ and other sources combined. Almost 20 percent of American households carry medical debt disproportionately impacting black and Latino families. The state anticipating 250‚000 residents will see their medical debt cleared. Lamont announcing he’s leveraging a $6.5 million fund from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to cancel $1 billion in medical debt by working with a nonprofit organization that finds and eliminates debt at a fraction of the cost. LAMONT: I think it’s really important that people have a sense they can start building wealth of their own. We’re making it easier for people to do and the best way to start is eliminate the debt you’ve got. RAMOS: Eligible families include those whose medical debt equates to five percent or more of their annual income‚ or whose household income is up to 400 percent above the poverty line. For a family of four‚ that’s $160‚000 a year. That is really welcome news to so many families in Connecticut. There’s no application process to those who want to participate in Connecticut. It’s automatic. And‚ in cities like Chicago and D.C.‚ who have cancelled debt‚ the amount per household has ranged‚ guys‚ from $25 to six figure amounts. Guys? SAM CHAMPION: Mmmmm. STEPHANOPOULOS: This is such an important issue and this is gonna help so many people. Hope other states follow that lead. CHAMPION: Alright‚ yep.

As winter goes on‚ Big Tech continues to freeze free speech.  Big Tech continued its biased censorship in January‚ with YouTube and Meta-owned Instagram providing particularly striking instances of anti-free speech insanity. YouTube’s censorship targeted 2024 election and pro-life content‚ affecting two presidential candidates and their respective followers and viewers. Instagram‚ meanwhile‚ checked its sense of humor at the door and went after satirical memes.  Below are the worst cases of censorship MRC Free Speech America recorded in its unique CensorTrack.org database in January. Google-owned YouTube banned YouTuber after he posted a video with then-presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Influencer Shane Ginsburg‚ who posts videos under the username Shaneyyricch‚ said in a Jan. 9 X (formerly Twitter) post that YouTube banned his channel on the same day he posted his interview of Ramaswamy. At the time‚ Ramaswamy was still a GOP presidential candidate. The interview reportedly included controversial topics like ending birthright citizenship and only allowing paper ballots for voting‚ but it’s unclear exactly why YouTube disabled Ginsburg’s channel. “In the past 3 months I’ve taken this channel from 0 to 150‚000 subs and 185 million views‚” Ginsburg wrote in his X post. “This is blat[a]nt censorship in front of our eyes. I had zero strikes on this channel and was given no reason for the ban.” The screenshot he included of YouTube’s message merely asserted the account had “severe or repeated violations of our Community Guidelines.” Subsequently‚ Ramaswamy made an X post bashing Google-owned YouTube’s decision. “If Google is going to rig this election‚ just end the charade &; say so‚” he wrote. “That seems to be the message they’re sending.” YouTube did not respond to an MRC request for comment. YouTube fact-checks Fox News video of Joe Biden gaffe. YouTube imposed an irrelevant Jan. 6 related fact-check label on a video showing the president and Democrat 2024 presidential frontrunner making a mistake. “Biden refers to Jan. 6 as 'July 6'‚” Fox News titled the video‚ showing Biden confusing the dates in a speech. YouTube imposed its generic context label that linked to a Wikipedia article but did not address what Biden said in the video. Instead‚ the label read‚ “On January 6‚ 2021‚ the United States Capitol Building in Washington‚ D.C.‚ was attacked by a mob of supporters of then-U.S. president Donald Trump‚ two months after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.” Instagram censors meme mocking anti-human climate alarmism. The Atlas Society posted a meme that depicted a New York Post headline on its Instagram account: “Humans May Be Fueling Global Warming By Breathing.” Below the headline was an image or meme of soldiers preparing to shoot someone‚ captioned‚ “It's time to stop global warming … .” Instagram imposed a “Sensitive Content” filter warning over the video‚ saying‚ “This photo may contain graphic or violent content.” The platform appeared to miss the fact the meme was satirical or humorous. Instagram did admit the post was not violating its rules in its popup: “This post doesn’t go against our Community Standards‚ but may contain images that some people might find upsetting.”  Users have to click through a link to view a photo with a sensitive content filter. Instagram does provide controls for sensitive content‚ but these simply filter the number of such posts that appear‚ rather than removing the interstitials. According to Facebook‚ Instagram's sister-company‚ users fail to click through similar interstitials 95 percent of the time‚ constituting a very effective form of censorship.  Instagram fact-checks more humorous content on meat lovers. Meta-owned Instagram was on a roll this month for censoring humor. Gatlin Didier‚ a cattle rancher and Instagram user who almost exclusively posts comedic videos‚ posted Jan. 5 what he humorously described as his “worst nightmare.” The top of the video meme included words from a fictional exchange between himself and a judge.  “Judge: I sentence you to eat ONLY veggies the rest of your life. Me:”‚ the meme read. Underneath the words‚ Didier included the now viral video of a man attacking a Las Vegas judge in court just after he had been denied bond‚ implying what the cattle rancher’s own violent reaction would be to the thought of being forced to be a vegetarian. Humorless Instagram slapped a fact-check label under gatlin_didier’s post claiming that the video was "False Information” and that “The same information was reviewed by independent fact-checkers in another post.” Instagram further claimed that “The same false information was reviewed in another post by fact-checkers‚” adding that “There may be small differences.” The platform linked to a fact-check article published by AFP’s Arabic section. The article did not‚ however‚ seem to be relevant to the meme‚ since it argued that the video of the criminal attacking the judge was not related to Gaza. The censored post did not contain any reference to Gaza. YouTube censors then-presidential candidate Chris Christie’s explanation of his pro-life stance. Google-owned YouTube placed a fact-check context label on a Jan. 3 video from Christie. The video was: “Christie On Abortion Ban: It's My Position.” It featured Christie’s interview on ABC's The View during which he explained his pro-life policy stance. Anti-pro-life YouTube then imposed a context label with a link to the government website National Library of Medicine. Instead of addressing Christie’s arguments‚ the label just defined abortion‚ “An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy. It uses medicine or surgery to remove the embryo or fetus and placenta from the uterus. The procedure is done by a licensed healthcare professional.”

In a sense‚ it is hilarious to watch. Completely un-self-aware‚ the liberals of ABC’s The View make it crystal clear that they view African-Americans just as the decidedly white slave owners who founded the Democrat Party did. In today’s America‚ black people‚ you see‚ belong to the liberal plantation. And woe betide any who have the nerve - the nerve! - to leave the massa and his plantation overseers behind to think for themselves. This time around - yet again - the plantation managers masquerading as hosts of The View were targeting South Carolina’s Senator Tim Scott. And Fox’s Sean Hannity was watching them. The South Carolina United States Senator has endorsed -gasp! - Donald Trump for president. And the other day‚ along with some other former presidential candidates - Scott stood on a platform with Trump to make his endorsement plain. Ohhhhhh the humanity! So Hannity shows clips from the segment where there are various liberal View hosts making it plain that‚ you know‚ black people must all think alike - like them! And if any black person - let alone a black U.S. Senator! - has the audacity to have his own views on a presidential candidate? Well then. The liberal plantation overseers will make sure the hounds are to be loosed on this fugitive slave! Thus it was that The View opened up on Senator Scott. Overseer Joy Behar confessed that watching Senator Scott “was horrible to watch” because Scott  was somehow made to “grovel” before white man Trump. “I didn’t like it” Behar confessed‚ blithely unaware of admitting that a “strong black man” (as she called him) having the nerve to not do as she and her fellow liberal plantation managers  demand was nothing more or less than one American standing up to express his own carefully considered opinion. “What happened to him?” she asked‚ horrified. Fellow plantation overseer Whoopi Goldberg called the Senator “a looney tune.” Hannity then turned to his guest - Senator Scott. As this was not the first time the Senator has been trashed on The View‚ Hannity confessed that “this is beginning to piss me off.” He noted that the white liberal Behar had previously said that Senator Scott and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas “don’t understand racism.” “How ridiculous” the Senator responded. Bingo. Then he added of his previous appearance on The View that “she wouldn’t even show up on the show when I was on The View. Joy Behar stayed home.” He added that he hoped The View’s hosts… ….can hear me loud and clear: America is not a racist country. Number One. Number Two: Their vicious‚ disgusting attacks are not designed just for me. It is designed to silence every voice from hard working Americans. The fact that more African Americans are now looking to vote for Donald Trump and join the GOP‚ it is scaring them completely. We must continue to grow our numbers in the black community‚ the Hispanic community‚ and Millenials. Under Joe Biden‚ guess what? Millenials can’t afford a house. Under Joe Biden black neighborhoods are devastated by crime…people want change. They were better off under Trump. They want four more years of common sense‚ four more years of law and order‚ and four more years of dignity and respect… Hannity noted that Joe Biden was already “losing large percentages‚ double-digit percentages of support in the African American community‚ the Hispanic community‚ among young people‚ women…most if not every poll has shown that.”  Hannity went on to say that he saw this as an opportunity. He went on to say that every four years Democrats play the same old game of going into black communities and calling Republicans racist. And then they vanish until the next election. Are schools in black communities better‚ he asked? Also law and order and basic safety? All of which Senator Scott answered by vigorously shaking his head.  Scott added that Democrats only want black votes for elections‚ and then when the elections are over they want blacks “to sit down and shut up.” As Scott was speaking the Fox chyron at the bottom of the screen noted: Media Works Overtime to Smear Black Conservatives Ahead of Election. It needs to be reminded that the Democratic Party has‚ right from its founding‚ always been about race. Its founders were slave owners. The party’s first six platforms all supported slavery. When slavery was defeated it was Democrats who set up the system of Jim Crow segregation. In today’s world they traffic in so-called “identity politics” - the son of segregation - which is exactly what Joy Behar was doing the other day.  In that world view‚ all blacks must be lefty progressives and do what they are told. And if they - like Senator Tim Scott or Justice Clarence Thomas or Dr. Ben Carson - to name but three - have the audacity to walk off the liberal plantation then the mainstream media will target them for attacks. Again‚ which is exactly what Joy Behar was doing the other day. One suspects the American people have had enough of this kind of race-drive nonsense.  The hard fact is that the people of South Carolina like and respect Senator Tim Scott.  And they could care less what the liberal plantation members of The View think. Imagine that.

Six pro-life protesters now face up to 10.5 years in prison and fines worth $260‚000 for violating the controversial FACE Act — simply by praying and singing near an abortion facility. The protesters were Chad Gallagher of Tennessee‚ Coleman Boyd of Mississippi‚ Heather Idoni of Michigan‚ Calvin Zastrow of Michigan‚ Paul Vaughn of Tennessee‚ and Dennis Green of Virginia. The FACE Act that these men and women supposedly violated is a federal law that criminalizes the use of force or threats of force that prevent someone from entering into an abortion facility. “There were no threats‚ and there was no force‚” Glenn Beck says. “They were standing on the side of the hallway praying.” After the six were convicted‚ they reportedly remained in good spirits and proceeded to sing and pray outside of the Fred Thompson Courthouse immediately after the verdict was announced. “These are the kind of people that will bring blessings from heaven. These are the kinds of people that when all is said and done‚ the next generation goes‚ ‘That person was a hero‚’” Glenn says. Despite the harsh guilty verdicts‚ one of the protesters said‚ “This is just normal Christianity. We love Jesus‚ we take the hits‚ and then we win.” Want more from Dave Rubin?To enjoy more honest conversations‚ free speech‚ and big ideas with Dave Rubin‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

Memo to conservatives fuming at Taylor Swift like she just started selling puberty blockers at her merch tables: Shake it off. If you insist on making the beloved everywoman an antihero‚ we could be in for a cruel summer (and even crueler November 5). I'll stop now. You don't need even a glancing familiarity with the pop superduperstar's catalogue to realize that she's front and center thanks to beau Travis Kelce’s bid to become a Super Bowl champion. Again. In a little more than a week‚ Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs square off against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. And Swift will be by his side (or rather in her luxury booth) cheering him on. Swift previously took to social media to mock claims that she’s a witch with great effectiveness. She could potentially apply the kill shot to these MAGA fantasists – and by extension to the party that harbors them – with one Instagram post. That has select conservatives apoplectic. A small subset took their Tay Tay rage to a new level. She’s a psyop‚ they cry‚ her manufactured romance part of President Joe Biden’s re-election scheme. And she’ll make it official on Super Bowl Sunday. In short‚ the NFL fix is in. It’s like wrestling without the fake punches‚ corny dialogue‚ and scripted moments. In her Biden era? Yes‚ Swift is a Democrat. She made that clear in the 2020 documentary “Miss Americana‚” which celebrated her “coming out” as a progressive diva after years of apolitical posturing. She pushed hard for Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterms with mixed results (Marsha Blackburn became a Tennessee senator despite Swift’s attacks on her) and backed Biden in 2020. She also successfully rallied thousands of young people to register to vote. Democrats salivate over Swift pumping life into Biden’s comatose re-election campaign. If anyone can jolt the 81-year-old back to political life‚ it’s Swift. We’re already seeing a flood of think pieces all but demanding that Swift apply the defibrillator paddles to Team Biden. Pundits are having a field day imagining a Biden-Swift pairing‚ even if it means the singer praises the elderly statesman solely from her social media accounts. Bad blood for Trump Conservatives eager to make Swift their enemy are making a grave mistake. Let’s start with the likely GOP standard-bearer‚ Donald Trump. The real estate mogul will struggle to snag the female suburban voter‚ and that’s being generous. His boorish nature‚ checkered history with former partners‚ and accusations of sexual assault all but ended any hope of luring that demographic to the voting booth this November. Alienating young‚ rabid Swift fans‚ and by extension their mothers‚ will put the kibosh on attempts to repair that fractured bond. Swift’s squeaky-clean image should be praised‚ not attacked. Conservatives caterwaul over sexually charged singers like Cardi “WAP” B and Miley Cyrus while ignoring how Swift brings much-needed wholesomeness to the culture. She’s beautiful but modest‚ and her lyrics center on broken romances and dreams of meeting her ultimate Romeo. Her steamiest songs pale compared to what’s heard on iTunes today. She makes Sandy from “Grease” seem like a trollop. And her romance with Kelce‚ a football god who looks as all-American as John Wayne‚ is full of hand-holding and chaste kisses. In an age of throuples and gender-fluidity‚ isn’t this refreshing? Taylor's version Another reason conservatives should reconsider their Swift rage? The press is weaponizing it already. The Associated Press‚ which can’t find the time to fact-check President Biden‚ dashed off a story debunking the psyop charges. Political and media figures on the right‚ including former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy‚ political activist Laura Loomer‚ and One America News Network host Alison Steinberg‚ have amplified the allegations. Conservatives are walking into a trap‚ and soon the rest of the progressive landscape will pile on. Stephen Colbert and company will mock conservatives from their late-night perches. “Saturday Night Live” will cook up a deeply unfunny sketch on the matter. Maybe more. A version of this is already in play. Swift previously took to social media to mock claims that she’s a witch with great effectiveness. She could potentially apply the kill shot to these MAGA fantasists – and by extension to the party that harbors them – with one Instagram post. The new narrative will stick‚ and Republicans will look stodgy and out of step with pop culture. Check that. Stodgier and even more out of step with pop culture. We can ill afford that at a time when said culture influences the political landscape more than even the late Andrew Breitbart envisioned. Conservatives should praise her talent‚ hard work‚ and positively aspirational brand without needlessly angering her fan base or giving the liberal media a cudgel with which to beat us down. Her 2023 Eras Tour gave a reeling nation a lifeline‚ a chance to celebrate a pop superstar at the peak of her powers. And‚ to her credit‚ she kept politics off the stage through it all. Yes‚ Swift is as overexposed as any pop star in recent memory. Sure‚ the press’ ability to wring clickbait headlines out of her NFL romance is exhausting. And those NFL camera operators are addicted to her reaction shots. We get it. Going to war against Swift‚ and not President Biden’s authoritarian measures 24/7‚ is a tactical error in the making.

Alistair Begg has been an incredible instrument for the kingdom of God. I know many of you have been richly rewarded by his work as a pastor and on the airwaves with Truth for Life Christian Radio. I have also been rewarded on a personal level‚ including at an event we were both a part of last July in my hometown of Des Moines. But when a video recently surfaced of Begg counseling a grandmother to attend the “wedding” of her gender-confused grandchild‚ well‚ all hell broke loose. And his decision to then defend himself with a “compassion over condemnation” self-justification has only served to further darken already murky waters. Do you expose sacrilege by celebrating it? Do you do evil so good may come of it? I don't believe Begg is merely guilty of error here so much as I believe he is guilty of idolatry. Follow me: If a grandmother had contacted Begg and said her grandchild was inspired by the movie “Natural Born Killers” to go on a killing spree but also invited her to a secret location for his or her wedding‚ do you believe Begg would have advised the grandma to attend? Or suppose her grandchild had walked out on her previous spouse and wanted to marry the person she had been cheating with after also walking out on her children. Do you believe Begg would tell Grandma to bring a present‚ too? What if the grandfather and grandson wanted to marry? Would Begg tell Grandma to show up and “kill them with kindness”? Of course not. That all sounds insane and frankly silly to contemplate. Why? Because you haven't been worked over by the culture and the spirit of the age into normalizing those things yet. That's why. Schools do not sponsor incest clubs or adultery clubs. We don’t have serial killer pride month‚ either. We haven’t been desensitized to those sins yet‚ and neither has Begg. Truth vs. grace? That’s why this isn’t error but idolatry. It’s making kindness its own god. It’s deciding you are nicer than God — the same God who calls sin what it is and demands that sinners come to repentance to avoid eternal damnation. So for those of you who lost your businesses because you didn’t want to serve flowers or bake a cake for a gay wedding‚ it turns out you weren’t wrong about the sin. Apparently‚ you weren’t sufficiently kind — at least if we are to follow Begg’s thinking to its logical conclusion. He has somehow put truth and grace in opposition. Why? Ironically‚ the only scripture that Begg specifically cites in his defense is Ephesians 5. Let’s have a look at some of that chapter‚ shall we? Take no part in the unfaithful works of darkness‚ but instead expose them. For it is shameful to even speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light‚ it becomes visible‚ for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says‚ "Awake‚ O sleeper‚ and arise from the dead‚ and Christ will shine on you." Look carefully then how you walk‚ not as unwise‚ but as wise‚ making the best use of the time‚ because the days are evil. Do you expose sacrilege by celebrating it? Do you do evil so good may come of it? Now in the case of Grandma‚ she isn’t just going to dinner with her broken grandchild. She isn’t just showing kindness to a relative steeped in rebellion to his Creator. This is no ordinary event or gathering‚ but a wedding. A sacrament from the hand of God Himself. From the heart of God Himself. Defined and instituted by God Himself. The event at which God among us determined to perform His first miracle. It is the ungrateful attempt by mere mortals to shake their fists at God and redefine His institution of marriage that opened the door to all the other rainbow madness — like the gender cult — under which we are suffering culturally right now. Yet that was all forgotten by Begg‚ who instead decided to slander those reminding him of the truth as “pharisees.” Humility over piety Begg is on a dangerous road. For there's never a moment when you've built up enough credibility that accountability suddenly comes to an end‚ even for a pastor as rightfully renowned as Begg‚ and everything out of your mouth henceforth becomes defined by holy nuance that few can hope to understand or appreciate. Those are dangerously self-righteous assumptions to allow into your conscience. Some may say pharisaical‚ even. God is not a respecter of persons. As Martin Luther once pointed out‚ the Almighty once spoke out of the back end of a jackass. He can speak out of anybody. Your title‚ tribe‚ movement‚ sect‚ denomination‚ heritage‚ legacy‚ reputation‚ résumé‚ tradition … none of that matters. We are all one very bad day away from becoming that which we hate‚ which is why we must “die daily” to stay upon on the narrow road. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And it's our level of humility‚ not piety‚ that we need to constantly be reminded of if we are to stay tethered to the truth. The math isn’t hard. Piety is self-righteousness. Humility is His righteousness.The primary focus of a pastor is to help your relationship remain in the truth of Christ and not with the whims of other people or this world. Begg spent so much time concerned this grandma might lose her connection to her grandson that he never even addressed the problem of the grandson having lost his connection to God — and is now publicly asking for affirmation for it while encouraging others to do the same. A wedding is a public proclamation of your love‚ but in this case‚ it isn’t “love” at all. It is a sinfully dangerous delusion‚ one with eternal consequences. Finally‚ there is someone else who agrees that Begg’s “focus on the family” for the sake of the truth is idolatry: Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace‚ but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father‚ and a daughter against her mother‚ and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Those are Christ’s words‚ and they apply to everyone — even grandmas and grandchildren. Yes‚ this is hard. Yes‚ this is unfair. Yes‚ this is heartbreaking. Yes‚ the personal cost can be steep. But we are not our own; we were redeemed at a high price. Jesus paid it all; all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain‚ but he washed it white as snow. This grandmother may lose her grandson for a time if she clings to those words‚ but her grandson may be lost for all time if she does not.

Hollywood star Carl Weathers — who appeared in the first four "Rocky" films and "Happy Gilmore" — died on Tuesday at the age of 76‚ according to his family. "We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers‚" his family said in a statement. "He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday‚ February 1st‚ 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film‚ television‚ the arts‚ and sports‚ he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother‚ father‚ grandfather‚ partner‚ and friend."Weathers was born on Jan. 14‚ 1948‚ in New Orleans‚ Louisiana. Weathers was best known for his role as Apollo Creed in the first four "Rocky" films. He also appeared in "Happy Gilmore‚" "Action Jackson‚" and "Little Nicky." He was the voice of Combat Carl in the animated film "Toy Story 4" and voiced a character in Adam Sandler's animated Hanukkah comedy "Eight Crazy Nights."Weathers appeared in over 75 films and television shows during his prolific 50-year screen career. Weathers made appearances in TV series such as "Magnum P.I.‚" "Law &; Order: Special Victims Unit‚" "Chicago P.D.‚" "Chicago Fire‚" Colony‚" "ER‚" "In the Heat of the Night‚" "Serpico‚" "Cannon‚" "Six Million Dollar Man‚" "Kung Fu‚" and "Good Times." Most recently‚ Weathers appeared as Greef Karga in Disney's hit TV series "The Mandalorian" between 2019 and 2023. Weathers is survived by his ex-wife‚ Mary Ann‚ and their two sons.Like Blaze News? Circumvent the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!