Natasha Long‚ a mother in Pennsylvania‚ is calling Taco Bell Manager Becky Arbaugh her “guardian angel” after she saved her 11-month-old son who stopped breathing. Long was out running some errands with her son when she pulled into a Taco Bell drive-thru in Richboro when she realized that something was wrong. &;quot;I ran out of the car and ran around and opened the car door‚&;quot; Long told ABC affiliate WPVI. &;quot;I pulled him out and he turned completely blue and was lifeless. At that point‚ I just completely blacked out. I didn't know what to do.&;quot;Arbaugh‚ who was busy working the lunch rush‚ heard Long call out for help. &;quot;I heard a scream‚ and then someone yelled out‚ 'Call 911‚ the baby isn’t breathing&;#33;'&;quot; she told Good Morning America. Arbuagh wasted no time running to Long’s aid while one of her employees dialed 911.&;quot;I threw my headset and ran outside to the baby. The mom was panicked. I told her to give him to me and I performed CPR‚&;quot; Arbaugh recalled. &;quot;I was trying to calm her down and comfort her and reassure her that he will be fine.&;quot;&;quot;The baby finally started to breathe. The ambulance came pretty quickly and then they took over‚&;quot; Arbaugh said. &;quot;The EMT said I saved his life.&;quot;Pennsylvania Taco Bell manager helps save baby who couldn't breatheArbaugh‚ a mother of 2 boys and 2 girls‚ was well-versed in how to perform infant CPR and understood the importance of staying calm. &;quot;When my kids were little‚ my daughter had a similar incident‚ so I knew what she was feeling‚&;quot; she told WPVI. &;quot;I knew if I kept her calm and I stayed calm‚ there was no thought in my mind that the baby wasn't going to breathe again.&;quot;Taco Bell’s employees are proud of Arbaugh’s heroic deed. &;quot;We are incredibly proud of Becky from the Taco Bell brand’s Richboro‚ PA‚ location for her heroic act earlier this week. We are getting in touch to express appreciation for her quick actions and kindness‚” the company said in a statement to People.Since the incident‚ the women have been in contact with each other and are friends on Facebook. Long has been sharing pictures and videos of her son with Arbaugh to remind her of the precious life she saved. Even though Arbaugh performed the ultimate good deed‚ saving a baby’s life‚ she doesn’t consider herself a hero—just another mom looking out for her own.&;quot;I’m just a mom helping a mom. I didn’t do anything different from what anyone else should be doing‚&;quot; Arbaugh told NBC. &;quot;I knew how that was‚ and I heard it‚ and I felt it instantly and I had to go and help her cause I knew it’s painful. You’re just so helpless as a mom when that happens.&;quot;This incredible story out of Pennsylvania is a reminder for every one of the importance of learning CPR. You never know when—just like Arbaugh—you may find yourself in the position to save a life.To sign up for a class and learn how to perform CPR‚ visit RedCross.com. &;quot;The baby finally started to breathe. The ambulance came pretty quickly and then they took over‚&;quot; Arbaugh said. &;quot;The EMT said I saved his life.&;quot; [Video] Arbaugh‚ a mother of 2 boys and 2 girls‚ was well-versed in how to perform infant CPR and understood the importance of staying calm. &;quot;When my kids were little‚ my daughter had a similar incident‚ so I knew what she was feeling‚&;quot; she told WPVI. &;quot;I knew if I kept her calm and I stayed calm‚ there was no thought in my mind that the baby wasn't going to breathe again.&;quot; Taco Bell’s employees are proud of Arbaugh’s heroic deed. &;quot;We are incredibly proud of Becky from the Taco Bell brand’s Richboro‚ PA‚ location for her heroic act earlier this week. We are getting in touch to express appreciation for her quick actions and kindness‚” the company said in a statement to People. Since the incident‚ the women have been in contact with each other‚ becoming friends on Facebook. Long has been sharing pictures and videos of her son with Arbaugh to reminder of the precious life she saved. Even though Arbaugh performed the ultimate good deed‚ saving a baby’s life‚ she doesn’t consider herself a hero—just another mom looking out for her own. &;quot;I’m just a mom helping a mom. I didn’t do anything different from what anyone else should be doing‚&;quot; Arbaugh told NBC. &;quot;I knew how that was‚ and I heard it‚ and I felt it instantly and I had to go and help her cause I knew it’s painful. You’re just so helpless as a mom when that happens.&;quot;This incredible story out of Pennsylvania is a reminder for every one of the importance of learning CPR. You never know when—just like Arbaugh—you may find yourself in the position to save a life. To sign up for a class and learn how to perform CPR‚ visit RedCross.com.

An unexpected admirer. The post Leonard Bernstein on the “sheer originality” of The Beatles’ ‘Revolver’ first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

Days of sun‚ days of writing on the beach. Days of getting pissed off with everyday things. Let’s see. Manufacturers enjoy testing our patience. That is the only explanation for how the more slippery the contents of a cosmetic product the more complicated they make the cap. Sometimes people stop me on the street to compliment me on my tan. I smile and try not to arouse suspicion. I don’t want them to know the real reason: that I haven’t managed to open the sunscreen yet.  The sun lotion industry is divided into two main groups: the ones with unopenable bottles and those with unsealable bottles. Both make our lives livelier‚ either on the beach or inside our suitcases. That all too familiar feeling of sticky luggage with a strange smell of aloe vera‚ only comparable to that other feeling of seeing how half a fingernail is ends up in the middle of the sand and subsequently in a neighboring towel as a result of another failed attempt to remove the security seal. The cosmetics industry definitely knows how to make us happy. It just doesn’t want to. (READ MORE from Itxu D&;iacute;az: A Guide to Getting Drunk in Style) The Aloe Let’s be clear once and for all: If aloe vera is really good for everything and anything else in the world is bad for everything‚ as I have learned from watching commercials on TV‚ I don’t know why we waste our time buying so many varied products in the supermarket. I came to this conclusion a long time ago. I have now planted aloe vera all over the house. When I want to feed myself safely‚ I eat aloe vera salad; when I need to soothe an itch‚ I rub aloe vera on it — watch out for the prickles; and when I feel like sunbathing without getting sunburned‚ I stand in the shade of a large aloe vera plant. New Formula Each “new formula” of a cosmetic product includes — or consists of — a redesign of its packaging‚ its external appearance. And‚ therefore‚ a new cap. I imagine that there are a thousand Chinese workers laughing their heads off in some lost factory on the other side of the world‚ designing caps that are impossible for normal people to open. I am sure they are manufactured by the CCP. I can imagine the theorists on the matter at a work meeting: “That will make them value the product more.” I have even seen false-nail makers going into the highest office of a multinational cosmetics company saying‚ “We could have a joint venture&;#33;” Application on the Beach When applying any sunscreen‚ the local customs must be taken into account. In general‚ it is awkward to ask a stranger to help you apply sunscreen to your back‚ and the responses can be offensive and frustrating. About 90 percent of people who try it get “no” for an answer and burn their backs. The remaining 10 percent are Bella Hadid‚ Scarlett Johansson‚ and Taylor Swift. 24-Hour Protection For strange reasons‚ consumers throw themselves passionately into products that claim 24-hour protection or efficacy. I’ve seen some that even promised 48 hours‚ but I think you have to download an app and make extra payments inside. Anyway‚ deodorant‚ after-sun‚ and all kinds of ointments now promise long duration and maximum resistance to the elements‚ among which mainly are included water‚ and implicitly beer. All are questions when it comes to understanding the benefits of this persistence on the skin.  And I guess somewhere in there are the answers. For the moment‚ all this means is that when you come back from the beach‚ to remove your sunscreen‚ you’ll have to use a cotton swab soaked in acetone‚ some sandpaper‚ and a blowtorch.  The Screw The purpose of this upward indentation is to make the stopper rise above the bottle and produce the miracle of opening. Because of its extraordinary effectiveness‚ most manufacturers have banished it from the market. I am sure that somewhere in the world‚ there is a group of politicians sitting around a round table considering banning the screw cap because it is “too easy to open.” Special Anti-Drip Among the most extraordinary devices that the capping industry has invented is the so-called anti-drip cap. It is now a triumph among all sunscreens‚ but the truth is that its origin was in the urgency to put an end to the ketchup drips that all clumsy people carried around upon on their shirts when they left hamburger restaurants. Once the ketchup stopped dripping‚ it was easy to stop the typical summer lotions from dripping. However‚ I have not been affected by the change‚ except for the price increase of the product‚ because many years ago I found my own anti-drip technique: keep the jar upright with the opening upward. Quite a find that perhaps I should have registered as “ecological and sustainable anti-drip solution.” Especially sustainable‚ because if you don’t hold it right‚ it drips. The Spray Many products now come in a spray version. This adds new incendiary components to the lotion‚ which increases the risk of explosion or death by self-combustion in bathers heading for very hot destinations. The advantage of the spray is that it is very convenient to apply. The disadvantage is that it has an extra security seal. This is made of plastic and‚ as the name suggests‚ is impossible to remove without the help of a plastic surgeon. Cover and Top The difference between the top and the stopper is that the former can be opened and the latter cannot be closed. Lotion and Sand The purpose of applying a cream to the skin is often to apply cream to the skin. If during the process wind and sand have risen‚ it is possible that the situation may be distorted‚ and you will have to be aware of your new status: You may have become a croquette without knowing. For what may happen‚ stay away from the beach bar; there are always very hungry people. The One to Blame for Everything You always have to look for a culprit. In this case‚ his name is Johann Wilhelm Ritter and he discovered ultraviolet rays in 1801. Until then‚ the sun did not burn‚ skin was not damaged‚ nobody used to apply greasy creams‚ and‚ of course‚ nobody thought of opening earplugs on the beach.  Translated by Joel Dalmau. Buy Itxu D&;iacute;az’s new book‚ I Will Not Eat Crickets: An Angry Satirist Declares War on the Globalist Elite‚ here today&;#33; The post Exegesis of the Beach Creams and Bottle Tops Issue appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Another Tax Day has come and gone‚ and most Americans believe they pay too much. One recent poll revealed that 56 percent say they pay more than their fair share. Unfortunately‚ I fear this is just the beginning considering the insane level of debt Washington policymakers have accumulated over the years. With this in mind‚ here are some important facts about our tax system that you might not know. READ MORE from Veronique de Rugy: Washington’s ‘Job Creation’ Circus Is Hitting the Road The payroll tax is the heaviest burden for most taxpaying Americans‚ but the income tax is more visible and painful to a lot of people. While we are accustomed to it — and while it affects some Americans’ decisions about how much to work‚ invest or save — the income tax didn’t exist for most of our country’s life. In 1895‚ the Supreme Court ruled against a direct tax on the incomes of American citizens and corporations‚ something that had been included in the previous year’s Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act. The court found that such a tax violated the constitutional requirement that tax apportionments among the states be based on population. It took a constitutional amendment — the 16th — to eventually change that and pave the way for the modern income tax. The very first Internal Revenue Service Form 1040‚ introduced in 1913 after the ratification of the 16th Amendment‚ was remarkably straightforward compared to what we know today. It was only four pages long‚ including instructions‚ and the top tax rate was 7 percent on incomes above $500‚000‚ which is over $15 million in today’s dollars. Some people were horrified by a 7 percent tax and warned that it could put us on a slippery slope to higher rates — maybe even above 10 percent (&;#33;) — imposed on a vast majority of people. They were called crazy for fearing such a thing. And yet‚ as predicted by a few realists‚ the income-tax rate not only increased‚ but the threshold at which it’s applied went down. During the 1950s and the Eisenhower administration‚ the top marginal tax rate on incomes reached 91 percent for individuals. This rate applied to incomes over $200‚000 (about $2 million today) for single filers and $400‚000 (about $4 million today) for married couples filing jointly. These high taxes were part of a broader policy to manage post-war fiscal adjustments and fund federal programs. These rates also failed to raise as much money as you would think due to many loopholes in the tax code. While the top marginal rate is much lower today‚ the income-tax code remains remarkably complicated. Will McBride‚ a scholar at the Tax Foundation‚ recently wrote that “As of 2021‚ the U.S. income tax code was 4.3 million words long and growing. That’s much longer‚ and presumably much more complicated‚ than tax codes found in other countries.” There are several reasons for this. First‚ many welfare programs are administered through the tax code. In recent testimony before the Senate Budget Committee‚ the Cato Institute’s Chris Edwards wrote: “The tax code is an increasing mess. The number of official tax expenditures has risen from 53 in 1970 to 205 today‚ making IRS administration and enforcement ever more difficult. We know from experience that complex tax expenditures‚ such as the low-income housing tax credit and earned income tax credit‚ generate substantial errors and abuse.” In addition‚ contrary to common belief‚ the U.S. income-tax system is actually quite progressive. According to the Tax Foundation‚ “though the top 1 percent of taxpayers earn 19.7 percent of total adjusted gross income‚ they pay 37.3 percent of all income taxes. Just 3 percent of taxes are paid by the lowest half of income earners.” Maintaining this progressivity through all kinds of tax provisions increases the complexity of the code. This progressivity is generally ignored by those who argue that taxing the rich is the solution to reducing the burgeoning U.S. national debt. Soaking the rich‚ while perhaps appealing in its simplicity‚ misses the scale of the problem. Brian Riedl‚ a Manhattan Institute senior fellow‚ noted that if we were to confiscate 100 percent of the income of everyone making over $500‚000 per year‚ it would fund the government for less than a year. This puts into perspective the enormity of the $34 trillion national debt versus the income of the rich. Taxing the rich is a convenient distraction hiding the reality that if spending isn’t cut‚ taxes will have to be raised on everyone‚ a lot. On this tax week‚ I suggest Congress start cutting. Veronique de Rugy is the George Gibbs Chair in Political Economy and a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. To find out more about Veronique de Rugy and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists‚ visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM The post Tax Time Myths and Truths appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

The divisions in America are so severe‚ we’re told‚ that we’re heading for civil war. It’s a sentiment one hears frequently. Never have we as a nation been so polarized. Democrat and Republican. Left and right. Blue and red. Liberal and conservative. Civil war‚ if not inevitable‚ is at least in the air. READ MORE from Tom Raabe: Great Coach Stumbles on Transgenders in Sports Well‚ Hollywood has put that notion on the big screen. And post-apocalypticists the country round rushed to the cineplexes in such numbers as to make Alex Garland’s Civil War last weekend’s top movie. This is not fun post-apocalypticism‚ though – less John Carpenter’s Escape from New York and more Cormac McCarthy’s The Road; less Zombieland and more 28 Days Later.  The buzz about the movie from the get-go has been its ambiguity. Much-ballyhooed was Garland’s effort to play both sides. Think of it as a cinematic gloss on Michael Jordan’s “Republicans buy sneakers too‚” and in an election year‚ to boot. Garland played both sides‚ all right. But the result is an incomprehensible hodgepodge to anybody who follows the news. We join the action in an empty-streets Brooklyn‚ where a suicide bomber disrupts a gathering of citizens fighting over water rations. The country is embroiled in civil war‚ we’re told. We know nothing about why there is a civil war at the beginning of the movie‚ and we don’t know any more at the end. There just is. Nineteen states have seceded‚ and the major rebel group is called the Western Forces‚ comprising Texas and‚ um‚ California. There’s a Florida Alliance in there‚ too. The president is still among the living‚ but not for long‚ as the rebel forces are descending on Washington and will certainly eliminate him. He’s been a bad dude; he has killed reporters‚ bombed American citizens‚ disbanded the FBI‚ and‚ now serving his third term‚ perforce suspended some‚ and who knows how much else‚ of the Constitution. Oh‚ yes‚ he wears a suit with a red tie‚ is given to exaggeration‚ and is compared by one character to Gaddafi and Mussolini. The country is in chaos. The dollar has tanked‚ and only the Canadian dollar has any value. The New York Times still exists but just barely. The scenes of war dominate the landscape: military checkpoints‚ bodies hanging from highway overpasses‚ interstate highways clogged with disabled vehicles‚ a football stadium turned into a refugee camp. Some critics can’t help but tap into their inner TDS‚ as they see Jan. 6 everywhere they look. Writes Mary McNamara at the Los Angeles Times: But in the wake of Jan. 6‚ and with Trump’s violent rhetoric once again on full display as he campaigns to return to the White House‚ it’s impossible not to see “Civil War” as a cinematic vision of what could happen should Trump succeed. But who’s who does not match up. If a Trump-like conservative is in the White House‚ how can the rebels be so well organized and well-armed&;#63; They have helicopters‚ fighter planes‚ and armored vehicles; their soldiers are decked out in all the requisite military gear. They look like a proper fighting force. Could Antifa or leftists or enviro-fascists pull off something like this‚ or did we have an army coup somewhere along the line&;#63; We’re left to ponder. In the most memorable scene in the movie‚ a commando-type played by Jesse Plemons has the movie’s four main characters and two buddies at his mercy‚ waving a gun in their faces and asking “what kind of American they are.” He finds two of them insufficiently American and shoots them at point-blank range. He represents everything liberals think conservatives are‚ but it’s unclear what side he’s on‚ that of the Western Forces or of the government. Four journalists are the central characters in this drama. And were the movie titled War Photographers and not Civil War‚ we’d get a better feel for the movie’s essence. Two of the four are photogs — Lee‚ played by Kirsten Dunst‚ who is an old hand and has been through so many wars as to have PTSD‚ and a young hanger-on named Jessie (Cailee Spaeny)‚ who idolizes Lee and wants to learn war photography from her hero. The other two are print reporters — Lee’s writing partner from Reuters‚ Joel (Wagner Moura); and Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson)‚ from the New York Times (or “what’s left of the New York Times‚” to use the words with which he’s introduced). Lee and Joel want to get to Washington to interview the president before he is captured and killed. But they’re in New York‚ and as Interstate 95 is apparently closed and they are warned to steer clear of Philadelphia‚ they have to jog way out through West Virginia to get there. And thus the movie turns into a road trip saga as well. But even though they’re traveling through a land decimated by the depredations of war — where they watch cold-blooded executions and have to barter for gasoline with commandoes toting machine guns‚ ducking for cover to avoid sniper fire — these journalists offer no help to the discombobulated viewer trying to connect the unconnectable dots of a backstory. The journalists don’t seem to care why what’s going on is going on‚ or else they’re so beyond it emotionally that they’re burnt out. All they’re interested in is documenting it. The movie is sort of a paean to old-school objective journalism. These journalists have no opinions; they’re only after the story‚ the scoop. The photographers’ goal is the money shot‚ the photo. Says Lee at one point: “We record so other people ask. That’s the job.” So that part of it doesn’t make sense either. When did we last see journalists keeping their thumb off the political scale in America&;#63; It’s fantasy to imagine a civil war bursting out in America. It’s hard to fathom a faction of rebels growing to sufficient power to threaten the U.S. military‚ with its planes and tanks and well-armed battalions. The government‚ any government from whichever political persuasion‚ would come down on that rebel contingent with overwhelming destructive force. There would be a quashed rebellion but no civil war. But divided we are at the moment. So divided that it’s hard to imagine a this-worldly force of such puissance as to unite this nation against it. We have pro-Hamas demonstrations shutting down roads across the country and “Death to America” chanted in rallies not only in the Middle East but also in the Middle West. Unless we wake up one morning to see 15 Rhode Island–sized spaceships hovering over our cities and threatening to incinerate them via death ray‚ it’s difficult to conceive of any unifying force rallying the country to stand in opposition. And we’ve already seen that movie. The post A Confusing and Ambiguous &;lt;i&;gt;Civil War&;lt;/i&;gt; appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

A few months ago‚ Google came under fire for images generated by its AI model‚ Gemini. The model was about as woke-skewed as one could have wanted. Requests for photos of the Founding Fathers resulted in pictures of black men and Indians‚ while the query “pope” produced disconcerting images of females in papal robes. The backlash was so bad that Google severely limited Gemini’s image-generating feature‚ which is unfortunate given the scope of this column. Today I wanted to compare the results from ChatGPT (which tends to be as subtle as Wikipedia in its bias) and Google’s Gemini on a relatively controversial issue: the firestorm that has erupted this week surrounding NPR CEO Katherine Maher’s rather problematic views on journalism and truth after former senior editor Uri Berliner called out NPR for its unbalanced journalism. (RELATED: It’s Bigger Than NPR’s Katherine Maher) I’ll leave you with a few observations of my own. First‚ Google’s Gemini doesn’t like writing paragraphs. It took me numerous attempts at topics and prompts to coax Gemini into doing my bidding. Second‚ you may notice that both ChatGPT and Gemini miss key issues at play in this controversy — like Maher’s belief that journalism is hindered by truth and the very real concern that taxpayer-funded journalism should probably reflect the opinions of the majority of the country (if it exists at all). (RELATED: Defund NPR Yesterday) Your challenge is to fact-check and critique the bots. What other key facts or issues do they miss&;#63; Is it a problem that neither response included the word “woke” anywhere&;#63; Leave your thoughts in the comments below&;#33; PROMPT: Write 200 words about the ongoing controversy surrounding NPR CEO Katherine Maher.  CHATGPT: The controversy swirling around NPR CEO Katherine Maher has plunged the renowned media organization into a storm of internal strife and external scrutiny. Allegations of a toxic work environment‚ including claims of bullying and discrimination‚ have cast a shadow over Maher’s leadership since she assumed the role in 2021. These accusations have led to mounting calls for her resignation and prompted NPR’s board of directors to launch an independent investigation into the matter. Maher’s handling of the allegations has come under intense scrutiny‚ with critics arguing that she has failed to adequately address the concerns of employees and take decisive action to rectify the situation. The controversy has sparked broader discussions about workplace culture‚ leadership accountability‚ and the challenges of promoting diversity and inclusion in media organizations. As NPR navigates this tumultuous period‚ the outcome of the investigation and Maher’s future at the organization remain uncertain. The controversy underscores the importance of fostering a culture of respect‚ transparency‚ and accountability in the workplace‚ particularly within institutions that play a significant role in shaping public discourse and opinion. GEMINI: NPR’s new CEO‚ Katherine Maher‚ faces a baptism by fire. Accusations of left-wing bias erupted after longtime editor Uri Berliner published criticisms and Maher suspended him (leading to his resignation). The controversy centers on Maher’s past tweets expressing progressive views and Berliner’s claims of unbalanced NPR coverage. While some see Maher’s personal views as irrelevant‚ others fear they’ll taint NPR’s reporting. Supporters highlight Maher’s credentials and NPR’s commitment to fact-based journalism. The crux of the issue: Can NPR‚ a publicly funded entity‚ truly remain neutral&;#63; Can the CEO’s personal views coexist with unbiased reporting&;#63; Until trust is rebuilt‚ Maher faces an uphill battle in demonstrating NPR’s commitment to balanced news. The post AI Has Thoughts on Katherine Maher appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Every now and then‚ liberal elites bluntly say what they think about Americans who support former President Donald Trump. Barack Obama accused them of “cling[ing]” to their religion and guns. Hillary Clinton placed them in a “basket of deplorables” (“racist‚ sexist‚ homophobic‚ xenophobic‚ Islamaphobic”) and advocated their “formal deprogramming.” President Joe Biden has called them a “threat” to democracy. Keith Olbermann said that Trump supporters “must be removed from our society.” MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough claimed that Trump supporters “hate America.” David Frum simply called them “jerks.” In the New Republic‚ Brynn Tannehill wrote that Trump supporters “love fascism.” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says that Trump Republicans “fit the definition of fascism.” Sportscaster Bob Costas branded Trump supporters as a “toxic cult.” Most recently‚ former NBC television host Katie Couric described Trump supporters as “anti-intellectual.” READ MORE from Francis P. Sempa: How World Wars Begin Trump supporters are blamed for their “whiteness‚” their “nationalism‚” and their devotion to Jesus Christ. Amanda Tyler‚ described as a “religious liberty expert‚” told the Center for American Progress that Christian nationalism is “the single biggest threat to religious freedom in the United States today.” University of Northern Iowa professor emeritus Steve Corbin called “white Christian nationalism” a threat to democracy. Trump supporters’ resistance to “woke” policies and illegal border crossings are symptoms‚ according to the progressive elite‚ of their uneducated‚ cult-like following of Trump. Those citizens who support an “America First” foreign policy are derided by progressive globalists as “isolationists” and xenophobes. Trump‚ to be sure‚ is the immediate target of all of the Left’s derision of his supporters‚ but the ultimate targets of the progressive elite are those Americans who choose to resist the progressive agenda in all of its forms — transgender ideology‚ unrestrained immigration‚ enforced secularism‚ globalist geopolitics‚ and rule by a progressive one-party state. Tablet’s Michael Lind has called modern-day American progressives “Jacobins” whose ideology and tactics resemble the leaders of the French Revolution. Today’s progressives‚ Lind writes‚ promote the “decline of religion‚” “the expansion of politically correct‚ mostly economically worthless higher education‚” and the “accelerating disintegration of the American family” that will result in “the expansion of core Democratic voting blocs.” Lind believes that the Democrats are counting on demographic trends coupled with their progressive policies to institutionalize one-party dominance. He calls it “Democratic hegemony.” More than 80 years ago‚ political philosopher James Burnham in his indispensable book The Machiavellians described the reality of the struggles for power that are the basis for all politics‚ regardless of the formal political system. Borrowing from Gaetano Mosca‚ Vilfredo Pareto‚ and Robert Michels‚ Burnham explained that every form of government — including democracy — has a “ruling class” and a class that is ruled. Pareto wrote that the best forms of government permit and encourage a “circulation of the elites” in which power periodically changes hands among elites‚ and the elite class is open for non-elites to someday join. According to Lind‚ today’s ruling progressive elites in America want to end the “circulation of elites” and maintain their power and privilege indefinitely. Why‚ after all‚ should “deplorables” or people who “cling to their religion and guns” or members of a “toxic cult” or “fascists” or “white Christian nationalists” or xenophobes or anti-globalists have any say in how this country should be governed&;#63; Totalitarian rulers first publicly denigrate their political opponents‚ then attempt to cast them out of polite society‚ then expose them to public ridicule‚ then look to reeducate them and‚ failing that‚ persecute them. This often involves “show trials” that imprison political opponents. That sends a loud and clear message to the supporters of those political opponents: accept the state’s political agenda — or else. It was Abraham Lincoln who questioned whether government of the people‚ by the people‚ and for the people would endure. When a ruling elite categorizes half of its citizens as unworthy of participation in the political process‚ Lincoln’s question also endures. The post What the Elites Think of Trump Supporters appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

18-year-old Honduran arrested after leaving scene of fatal wreck‚ authorities say A suspect arrested for killing a Democrat operative in a hit-and-run crash this month in Nevada is an illegal alien from Honduras who was released into the U.S. by the Biden administration‚ according to reports. Kurt Englehart‚ a senior advisor to Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)‚ died in a two-vehicle wreck on April 6 in Reno. “The occupants who fled the scene were later located by police‚ and the driver arrested‚” authorities explained in news release hours later. “Impairment does appear to be a factor in this crash.” Elmer Rueda-Linares‚ 18‚ was arrested and initially charged with felony hit-and-run but that charge has been changed to failing to stop at the scene of an accident‚ according to the Reno Gazette Journal.Introducing Next Level Foundational Energy from Dr. Jones Naturals starting at 30% off&;#33; This cutting-edge dietary supplement is designed to elevate your energy levels and support your overall well-being. On Tuesday‚ the Gazette Journal reported that an immigration detainer was lodged against Rueda-Linares by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on April 8. “Rueda entered the United States March 12‚ 2021‚ at or near the Rio Grande City‚ Texas‚ Port of Entry without inspection by an immigration official‚” the Department of Homeland Security told the New York Post in a statement. “United States Customs and Border Protection arrested him‚ and he was later released on his own recognizance June 22‚ 2021.” Incredibly‚ just two days prior to the date Rueda entered the U.S.‚ Sen. Masto emphatically declared there were “no open borders” during an interview on MSNBC‚ according to Nevada political activist Courtney Holland. 🚨BREAKING🚨On April 6th‚ Kurt Englehart‚ an advisor to Sen. Cortez Masto (D)‚ was tragically killed in a hit-and-run accident caused by illegal immigrant‚ Elmer Rueda-Linares. *TWO DAYS* before Rueda-Linares illegally entered the U.S. on March 12‚ 2021‚ Cortez Masto claimed… pic.twitter.com/LzknjbRJRB— Courtney Holland 🇺🇸 (@hollandcourtney) April 17‚ 2024 Englehart‚ a 38-year-old father of one‚ had worked for Masto for eight years at the time of his passing. pic.twitter.com/L1r2WNarFf— Senator Cortez Masto (@SenCortezMasto) April 7‚ 2024 Rueda-Linares is currently being held in Washoe County Jail on $100‚000 bail. An investigation is ongoing. InfoWars has been documenting the surge of crime fueled by the ongoing Biden border invasion. Israel Puts Military Under AI Command; Robot Genocide Launched Dan Lyman on X | Gab

by Joseph P. Farrell‚ Giza Death Star: Now‚ here’s a story that‚ at first glance‚ may seem completely unrelated to Monday’s blog about the solar eclipse‚ chemtrails‚ and my “they’re hiding something about celestial mechanicss‚” that “something” possibly being torsion-related. During the run-up to the solar eclipse event‚ a few of you saw and sent […]