Month: September 2023

Numerous House Republicans have voiced opposition to the continuing resolution (CR) brokered by the House Freedom Caucus (HFC) and the Main Street Caucus on Sunday evening to avoid a government shutdown.

Top Story: National Deficit, Inflation Soars Despite ‘Inflation Reduction Act’

Top Commentary: The Migrant Surge is Coming to the Classroom

National Deficit, Inflation Soars Despite ‘Inflation Reduction Act’

The U.S. Congressional Budget Office reports that the federal government is borrowing far more this fiscal year than the year before even as inflation continues to rise.

The CBO released its deficit estimate which said the U.S. deficit hit about $1.5 trillion in the first 11 months of this fiscal year.

Appeals Court Rules Firearm Bans for Non-Violent Felons Are Constitutional

The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday that federal bans on convicted felons owning firearms are still constitutional despite a recent Supreme Court decision.

Melynda Vincent, who brought the case to court, is currently banned from possessing a gun because she was charged with fraud after writing a fake check at a grocery store in 2008, according to the ruling. The 10th Circuit Court ruled that although the Supreme Court had released a new decision on gun rights, Vincent still does not have the legal right to own a gun.

TSNN Featured: A Closer Look at Vivek Ramaswamy’s Bold Plan to Take Down the Administrative State

‘Grade Grubbing’ Takes Root as Educators Capitulate to Students’ Pleas for Better Scores

More students are asking for better grades than earned — and a vast majority of educators questioned in a recent survey admit they’ve given in to those demands in a trend now dubbed “grade grubbing.”

Intelligent.com surveyed nearly 300 educators in late August, including high school teachers and professors who work with both undergrads and grad students.

Canadian School District Removes All Books from Before 2008

In an effort to promote “inclusivity,” a Canadian school district has removed all books published before the year 2008 from all of its libraries.

According to the Daily Caller, the actions taken by the Peel School District in Mississauga, Ontario were in response to a provincial directive from the minister of education ordering a greater focus on “equity.”

Government Estimates Unemployment Fraud During Pandemic Cost Up to $135 Billion

September 18, 2023 The Center Square

The U.S. government estimated unemployment fraud during the pandemic cost taxpayers up to $135 billion or about 11% to 15% of the total amount of unemployment insurance benefits paid during the pandemic.

That’s according to the latest report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which the U.S. Department of Labor disputes.

Commentary: The Migrant Surge is Coming to the Classroom

Democratic politicians and the liberal media made the first day of school all about welcoming migrant children. That’s sheer propaganda. Parents deserve the truth. The migrant surge is a disaster for their kids.

The surge will worsen our education system’s twin failures: plunging math and reading scores, and the failure to ensure newly arriving kids learn English so they can succeed, too.

Rep. Bob Good Warns If McCarthy Uses House Democrats Again His Speakership ‘Unsustainable’

September 18, 2023 Neil W. McCabe

The Memorial Day Weekend debt deal Speaker Kevin O. McCarthy negotiated with President Joseph R. Biden Jr. may turn out to be his political Katrina, as House Freedom Caucus member and Virginia Republican congressman told radio host John Fredericks McCarthy had driven House conservatives to begin preparations for forcing a vote on the California Republican’s job security.

Lithium Mine Reopening on Strength of $239.7 Million in Federal Grants

September 18, 2023 The Center Square

A Kings Mountain lithium mine shuttered since 1988, estimated capable of supporting the production of 1.2 million electric vehicles annually for 30 years, will reopen.

Charlotte-based Albemarle, the world’s largest producer of lithium, received a $90 million grant from the Department of Defense this week to expand domestic production of the raw mineral used to manufacture electric vehicle batteries. The grant follows a $149.7 million grant Albemarle received from the Biden administration last year for a North Carolina processing facility.

Commentary: 20 Historical Hobbies for $20 or Less

New hobbies can seem intimidating and—worse—expensive. The internet offers complicated lists and costly supplies for even the most basic of skills. We might feel that we can’t invest too much into a hobby—who knows if we’ll be good at it anyway?

In reality, many hobbies—particularly those that rely more on building a skill than on collecting items—begin with very few supplies. In fact, there’s a wealth of historical skills we can practice for entertainment, self-improvement, and practicality!

A Closer Look at Vivek Ramaswamy’s Bold Plan to Take Down the Administrative State

September 17, 2023 M.D. Kittle

GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy proposed a plan on Wednesday to halve the size of the federal administrative state in his first year in office — should he be elected.

Texas State House Members Call for Phelan Resignation after Senate Acquits Paxton

September 17, 2023 The Center Square

After the Senate voted to acquit Attorney General Ken Paxton of all charges levied against him by the House General Investigating Committee on Saturday, several members of the House who voted against impeaching Paxton called on House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, to resign.

GOP Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy Says He’d Win a Legal Challenge to His Plan to Slash the Administrative State

September 17, 2023 M.D. Kittle

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy knows there would be legal challenges to his sweeping plan to drastically reduce the size of the administrative state. The 38-year-old political outsider knows the big government left won’t give up the heart of the D.C swamp without a bruising fight.

Kinder, Gentler Iowa Cattle Call of GOP Presidential Hopefuls Sees Ramaswamy, DeSantis, Haley Generate Most Buzz

September 17, 2023September 17, 2023 M.D. Kittle

The latest cattle call of GOP presidential contestants — sans former President Donald Trump — mainly maintained Iowa nice, a departure from last month’s first fiery primary debate and a similar Christian conservative event in July hosted by conservative talk show host lightning rod Tucker Carlson.

Top Story: Swing State Poll Results Could Spell Big Trouble for Joe Biden

September 17, 2023 Admin

Top Commentary: Bidenomics Is Hurting Families

September 17, 2023 Admin

Swing State Poll Results Could Spell Big Trouble for Joe Biden

September 17, 2023September 16, 2023 Virginia Star Staff

Former President Donald Trump appears to have an advantage against President Joe Biden in 2024 among key battleground states in the 2020 election, according to a Friday poll.

The states that had the narrowest margin of victory for either candidate last cycle were Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, with Biden winning all but North Carolina. Across those key swing states, Trump is ahead of Biden 41% to 35%, and 24% of voters remain undecided, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Nebraska Detransitioner Sues Medical Providers for Removing Her Breasts at 16

Detransitioner Luka Hein is suing the medical providers who surgically amputated her breasts at the age of 16 in 2018, “leaving her physically and psychologically scarred.”

“Proceeding straight to breast amputation in a depressed, anxiety-ridden, gender-confused adolescent, who was incapable of understanding the lasting consequences of her decision, constitutes negligence for which Defendants are jointly and severally liable,” Hein’s lawsuit states.

TSNN Featured: Kinder, Gentler Iowa Cattle Call of GOP Presidential Hopefuls Sees Ramaswamy, DeSantis, Haley Generate Most Buzz

September 17, 2023September 17, 2023 Admin

Commentary: Bidenomics Is Hurting Families

It is no mystery that the core demographics for the Democratic Party include single women, blacks and Hispanics. In 2020, Biden won unmarried women 63 percent to 36 percent over former President Donald Trump, blacks 87 percent to 12 percent and Latinos 65 percent to 32 percent, according to the CNN exit poll.

Commentary: A Time for Brave Words from Pope Francis

When I saw that Pope Francis would participate as a speaker at the Clinton Global Initiative this month, my heart sank.

Frankly, and I say this as a Catholic, former President Bill Clinton is one of the last people I would like Francis to prominently engage with.

Commentary: Back to Homeschool

It began a few weeks ago: the back-to-school memes.

One featured dejected kids dressed in new school clothes waiting for the bus while elated parents look forward to an empty house. My favorite meme so far is one with a mom in mid-kick, child flying through the air toward a waiting school bus. Freedom, at last.

Commentary: A Mother’s COVID Regret

One of the most alarming aspects of the new COVID-centric regime is how people have been deprived of the truth regarding potential harms of the COVID-19 vaccines and how citizens have been forced to get the vaccine due to bullying from medical authorities, the government, or an employer.

When the medical decision to get the jab, whether well-informed or not, is that of a parent making the choice for a child, such a potentially life-altering move might devastate two people, not just one patient. Good parents always want to do the best for their children, and making a medical decision for your child that might have terrible consequences is scary to consider.

American Income Falls as Inflation Increases, U.S. Census Bureau Says

September 17, 2023 The Center Square

Americans are bringing home less money as inflation squeezes family budgets, according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The U.S. Census Bureau announced Tuesday that real median household income fell in 2022 compared with 2021. Real median household income fell by 2.3% from $76,330 in 2021 to $74,580 in 2022.

Producer Prices Spike in August

September 17, 2023 The Center Square

Newly released federal inflation data shows that producer prices spiked in August, undoing a steady downward inflationary trend.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its Producer Price Index Thursday, a key marker of inflation, which showed producer prices rose 0.7% in August alone. Much of that increase came because of an rise in the cost of gasoline.

Texas AG Paxton Acquitted on All 16 Articles of Impeachment

September 16, 2023September 16, 2023 Just the News

The Texas Senate voted on Saturday to acquit Attorney General Ken Paxton so far on nine of the 16 articles of impeachment that had been voted against him by the Texas House of Representatives.

New Mexico Gov. Partially Reverses Gun Ban, Narrows Scope to Parks and Playgrounds

Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday amended an order banning gun possession that was restrained by a federal judge, seeking to narrow its focus to certain areas, according to an announcement on social media.

Grisham’s initial order, announced on Sept. 8, banned the possession of firearms outside private property in the city of Albuquerque and its encompassing Bernalillo County after declaring gun violence a public health emergency, which prompted widespread condemnation, including from gun control advocates. On Friday, Grisham wrote she would be narrowing the scope of the order to public parks and places where children gather, according to a post on Twitter, now known as X.

Georgia Election Integrity Expert Confounds Bar Attorney in Disbarment Trial of Trump’s Former Attorney John Eastman

September 16, 2023 Rachel Alexander

The fifth week of the disbarment trial of former President Donald Trump’s former attorney and constitutional legal scholar, John Eastman, ended on Friday, featuring more testimony by Garland Favorito, co-founder of Voters Organized for Trusted Election Results in Georgia (VoterGA).

Top Story: Jack Smith Wants a Gag Order Against Donald Trump in January 6 Case

VA Top Commentary: Virginia Is for Lover and Voyeurs

Jack Smith Wants a Gag Order Against Donald Trump in January 6 Case

September 16, 2023September 15, 2023 Just the News

Special counsel Jack Smith has asked a judge to issue a gag order to former President Donald Trump in his Jan. 6 case to prevent him from publicly attacking major figures in the case.

“The defendant’s past conduct, including conduct that has taken place after and as a direct result of the indictment in this case, amply demonstrates the need for this order,” reads a filing from prosecutors that Politico obtained.

Autoworkers Strike Imperils ‘Union Joe’ Biden’s 2024 Election Prospects

President Joe Biden may face headwinds in his 2024 reelection bid following his inability to prevent workers at the three biggest American auto manufacturers from striking, according to Politico.

The United Auto Workers (UAW) announced a strike Thursday night against the Big Three automakers — Ford, General Motors and Stellantis — saying that members would not be showing up to three plants on Friday, but stopping short of calling for all 146,000 unionized autoworkers to cease operations. Some have begun to place blame on the president for failing to help in negotiations, souring the president’s desired image of being “the most pro-union president you’ve ever seen,” according to Politico.

TSNN Featured: Majority of Georgia Voters Say Trump Prosecution Unfair, Support Special Session to Reign in Fulton County

Quinnipiac Poll: Trump Holds 50-Point Lead over GOP Field

The latest poll for the 2024 presidential election shows former President Donald Trump with one of his most commanding leads yet over the rest of the GOP primary field, and a statistical tie with Joe Biden for the general election.

As CNBC reports, the poll from Quinnipiac University reveals that 62% of Republican primary voters support Trump. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) is in a distant second place with just 12%, the only other candidate to score double digits. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (R-Ohio) is in third with 6%, while former Vice President Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley (R-S.C.) are tied with 5% each. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) has just 3% support, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R-N.J.) rounds out the primary field with 2%.

James O’Keefe Faces Arrest Threat in Hawaii for Capturing Burn Zone on Camera

September 16, 2023 Kaitlin Housler

James O’Keefe, founder of O’Keefe Media Group, recently traveled to Lahaina, Hawaii where he was threatened with arrest by police for taking photos and videos on public land near the burn zone.

Virginia Gov. Youngkin Signs Recently Amended Budget

September 16, 2023September 15, 2023 The Center Square

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed the overdue state budget passed in the General Assembly special session on Sept. 6.

After much back and forth over fiscal priorities, budget negotiators landed on a bipartisan agreement with elements for both parties to like and dislike.

Commentary: Another Whitmer Fednapping Case Goes Boom

September 16, 2023 Julie Kelly

In another blow to the FBI’s concocted plot to kidnap and assassinate Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2020, a jury in Antrim County today acquitted three men indicted on state charges for their alleged role in the scheme.

Michael and William Null, twin brothers, and Eric Molitor were found not guilty of providing material support for an act of terrorism and unlawful possession of firearms. Jurors began deliberations Thursday afternoon following a 14-day trial before Judge Charles Hamlyn.

Last Three Men Acquitted in Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Chock-Full Of FBI Meddling

The final three men on trial for a plot to kidnap Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer were found not guilty Friday, according to ABC News.

Fourteen men were charged over the plot to kidnap the governor from her Antrim County vacation home in 2020. Eric Molitor, along with twin brothers William Null and Michael Null, were found not guilty on all charges by a jury Friday after a three-week trial, ABC News reported.

Commentary: Virginia Is for Lover and Voyeurs

Ophelia has given herself to Hamlet. Yet having placed her trust totally in men — her father, her brother, her lover — she is told by her beloved to remove herself to a nunnery. Or in the context of the Elizabethan age? A brothel — thus exchanging the ideas of nobility and love for pure utility and momentary pleasure.

Realizing the world for what it is — or at least, the world of Hamlet, Laertes, and Polonius — drives Ophelia insane. Having relied upon a branch made of willow, she drowns in a shallow pool, able yet unwilling to save herself and face such a world.

Commentary: The Reason Most College Professors Lean Left

Studies have consistently shown a pronounced left-leaning political inclination among college professors. For example, a Harvard University survey last year revealed that of the 476 faculty members who responded, around 80 percent identified as “liberal” or “very liberal.” Meanwhile, 16.8 percent considered themselves “moderate,” a mere 1.46 percent identified as “conservative,” and none claimed to be “very conservative.”

Judge Bans California School District from Muzzling Teachers on Students’ Gender Transitions