June 8, 2024 — Scott Johnson

Mandate of heaven

Featured image Like every regulator grant of power to the administrative agencies of the executive branch, the agency has grabbed the power and expanded it beyond its original intent. Take the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards imposed by the Department of Transportation/National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — please. The origin of federal fuel economy standards dates to the oil embargo of 1973-1974 imposed by Arab members of the Organization of the »
June 8, 2024 — Scott Johnson

Good news of the day

Featured imageGood news — there isn’t much to go around. John wrote here (with video clips) about the presentation of former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to a packed house gathered in downtown Minneapolis for the Center of the American Experiment’s annual dinner this past Thursday evening. Bennett’s remarks were outstanding, but I was most struck by the intense support for Israel emanating from the mostly non-Jewish crowd. Bennett commented on »
June 8, 2024 — Steven Hayward

The Week in Pictures: Banana Peels Time

Featured imageI totally get the comparisons being made between the Biden regime and banana republics of old, especially since this is an insult to several former banana republics that are arguably better governed than the United States right now (El Salvador, Argentina—I’m looking at you!). And besides, the person who seems to be “slipping” (as the Wall Street Journal put it) on one banana peel after another is Joe Biden. Headlines »
June 8, 2024 — Scott Johnson

Quotations from Chairman Joe

Featured imageThis series is inspired by Quotations From Chairman LBJ, published by Simon and Schuster in 1968 in the form of Quotations From Chairman Mao (“The Little Red Book”). The cover depicted President Johnson in a Mao jacket. With thirty chapters on varying subjects, the book was “translated” (compiled) by Jack Shepherd and Christopher Wren. I still have my copy. Beyond the humor, it’s actually a valuable book. Shepherd and Wren »
June 7, 2024 — Steven Hayward

The Daily Chart: Oh, Canada!

Featured imageAbout the only western elected leader who is faring worse in job approval rating polls than Joe Biden or Rishi Sunak is Canada’s Justin Trudeau. This might be one reason why: Probably has something to do with his fondness for Cuban economic and social policy. »
June 7, 2024 — John Hinderaker

A Once and Future Prime Minister [Updated]

Featured imageLast night, Center of the American Experiment held our Annual Dinner, with former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as our featured speaker. It was a great event in several respects, but for me listening to, and spending time with, Bennett was the highlight. Bennett’s parents were American and he lived for some years in the U.S., so he understands our country well. He places himself on Israel’s right wing, and »
June 7, 2024 — Scott Johnson

What’s too painful to remember

Featured imageStudents of ancient history may recall the disinformation that greeted the revelations of Hunter Biden’s laptop in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election. The New York Post confirmed and reported them, yet they were routinely dismissed on patently fraudulent grounds. The government has now introduced the laptop as evidence in Hunter Biden’s gun trial and the FBI has vouched for its authenticity. What is to be said? KanekoaTheGreat comments »
June 7, 2024 — Scott Johnson

Thoughts from the ammo line

Featured imageThe answer is not “long time passing.” Ammo Grrrl wonders WHERE HAVE ALL THE BABIES GONE? She writes: If people are expecting my take on the wretched events of last week, you’re going to be disappointed. First, there is nothing even mildly humorous to say about them and “humor” is my beat. Second, I’m not a lawyer. John and Scott and our lawyer commentariat have covered it so much better »
June 6, 2024 — Steven Hayward

The Daily Chart: How Big Is Academic Fraud?

Featured imageIt was reported a few weeks ago that Wiley, one of the oldest and most established academic journal publishers, was retracting 11,300 papers, many of which were partly or wholly fabricated. Further, Wiley is shutting down 19 journals. Most of these fabrications were in Wliey’s science journals. But, but—peer review! Why was there apparently none—or at least none that was serious? Part of the Wall Street Journal‘s explanation is worth »
June 6, 2024 — Scott Johnson

At the Feeding our Fraud trial: Farah raided

Featured imageYesterday morning the FBI raided the home of Abdiaziz Farah, one of the seven defendants in the Feeding Our Future fraud case that has now been submitted to the jury. Farah’s home in Savage was first searched in January 2022 when the FBI executed warrants on several of the homes and business locations related to the case. At that time the FBI scooped up cash and evidence from Farah’s home. »
June 5, 2024 — Lloyd Billingsley

From Moscow to Beijing

Featured imageOn June 3-4, 1989 China’s Communist regime unleashed massive military force against pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square, killing hundreds, possibly thousands. The massacre made it clear what China’s murderous regime was all about, but the USA rewarded China with most favored nation status and World Trade Organization membership. This was supposed to make the PRC respect human rights, but it didn’t. The Communist regime strip-mined the USA of intellectual property »
June 7, 2024 — Scott Johnson

At the Feeding our Fraud trial: Mostly guilty

Featured imageAfter three-plus days of deliberation, the jury returned with its verdict in the massive Feeding Our Future fraud trial. The verdict was read in open court at 1:00 p.m (CDT) this afternoon by Minnesota Chief Federal District Judge Pat Schiltz, our former law partner. This was the first of the trials to be held in the Feeding Our Future case, involving some $40 million in fraudulent transactions. In total the »
June 7, 2024 — Scott Johnson

The fire this time

Featured imageHezbollah is at war with Israel. Attacking Israel with rockets and other munitions across its northern border, Hezbollah has displaced some 80,000 Israelis from their homes. The depopulation, you might say, is rising. This week northern Israel has been on fire as a result of Hezbollah’s attacks. See, for example, Stuart Winer’s Times of Israel story (and accompanying photos) “‘A nightmare’: North cries out for action amid widespread fires sparked »
June 6, 2024 — Lloyd Billingsley

Brennan.CIA.Gov.Con

Featured imageHunter Biden’s laptop is back in the news but as Scott notes, John Brennan could not be reached for comment. In October of 2020, the former CIA boss joined 50 “intelligence community” veterans in a letter branding the laptop “Russian disinformation.” Hunter Biden also escaped notice in Brennan’s 2020 Undaunted: My Fight Against America’s Enemies at Home and Abroad, a confessional of sorts. “My deep religiosity as a young boy,” »
June 6, 2024 — John Hinderaker

Harvard Ends Loyalty Oath

Featured imageHarvard is trying to distance itself from its image as a left-wing institution, strongly aligned with the Democratic Party. Last week, the university said it would stop taking public positions on issues that are not relevant to its core functions as an educational institution. Now, Harvard has announced that its faculty of Arts and Sciences will no longer be subject to a DEI hiring requirement: Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts »
June 6, 2024 — Scott Johnson

Ordeal of Omaha Beach

Featured imageReader Patti Kruse wrote us a few years ago asking us to persist in our annual remembrance of the D-Day landings on the Normandy beaches. “My dad landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day,” she told us. “He was one of the fortunate ones, as he was never physically injured and managed to survive from D-Day all the way through the Battle of the Bulge and V-E Day. He rarely spoke »
June 5, 2024 — John Hinderaker

Bad Business

Featured imageIlhan Omar’s current husband, Tim Mynett, made good money as a D.C. political consultant. Apparently he thought he could achieve similar success in the business world, along with his partner in the consulting business, Will Hailer. But things have not gone well: In fall 2021, D.C.-area restaurant owner Naeem Mohd was presented with an unbelievable investment opportunity. Two political operatives-turned-venture capitalists would triple Mohd’s money in just 18 months if »