Month: March 2024

Biden EPA Projects Americans Wasting Billions of Dollars’ Worth of Time Charging Up EVs

Virginia Star Staff
EVs Charging

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is projecting that Americans could waste billions of dollars’ worth of time juicing up their electric vehicles (EVs).

As part of the Biden administration’s broader EV agenda, the EPA finalized aggressive tailpipe emissions standards on Wednesday that are designed to force manufacturers to massively increase the proportion of EVs they produce and sell. The regulatory impact analysis for that rule features estimates for costs of time spent refueling EVs over the coming decades, and the EPA is expecting that Americans will have wasted approximately $1.7 billion worth of time charging their EVs by 2055.

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DOJ Creates New Center to Help Local Officials Apply ‘Red Flag’ Laws Against Certain Gun Owners

Virginia Star Staff
Merrick Garland

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Saturday the creation of a new entity to train state and local officials on procedures to apply “red flag” laws that temporarily prevent certain individuals from owning a firearm.

The National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center is an entity created under the DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) that will both educate and assist local officials when they initiate legal proceedings to obtain “red flag” orders that rescind an individual’s right to bear arms based on the belief that they pose a risk of harm to themselves or others, according to the DOJ’s press release. The individuals to be trained are “law enforcement officials, prosecutors, attorneys, judges, clinicians, victim service and social service providers, community organizations, and behavioral health professionals.”

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Poll: 60 Percent of Independents Disapprove of Biden’s Job as President

The Center Square
Joe Biden

The Center Square Voter’s Voice poll released Wednesday asked voters, “When it comes to President Joe Biden, do you approve or disapprove of how he’s handling his job?”

The survey found that most voters disapprove of the job Biden is doing, with 55% saying so and only 45% saying they approve of the president’s work.

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Over 256,000 Illegal Border Crossers in February, Highest for the Month in History

The Center Square
Illegal border crossers apprehended

The number of illegal border crossers has increased significantly since Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas implemented a range of policies he said were designed to reduce “irregular migration” and create a “legal pathway” for foreign nationals to come to the U.S.

February of this year broke a record of 256,094 total illegal border crossings nationwide, the highest for the month in U.S. history.

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Virginia Democrats Launch ‘Hail Mary’ Plan to Fund Arena with Casino Revenue Despite Objections by Youngkin, Capitals and Wizards

Tom Pappert
State Senator Scott Surovell

Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly are reportedly working on plans to build a new facility for the Washington Capitals and Wizards in Fairfax County after the defeat of proposed legislation to build the arena in Alexandria.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) pitched a plan to use the money from a new casino in Fairfax County to build an arena, according to The Washington Post. Surovell’s plan reportedly has the support of the company seeking to build the casino, as well as political consultant Ben Tribbett, who the outlet reported also works for Senator L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth).

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Commentary: With RNC Shakeup, MAGA Brings Accountability to the Republican Party

Virginia Star Staff
Michael Whatley and Lara Trump (composite image)

An insidious institutional rot has long afflicted the Republican Party and the broader conservative movement. Historically, this has presented a vexing problem for grassroots activists desperate to change the status quo. Now, after Herculean efforts by players big and small, it appears that the rabble-rousing of the MAGA faithful is finally paying off.

New Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Whatley and Vice Chairwoman Lara Trump have brought immediate change to the institution, working with senior Trump campaign advisor Chris LaCivita to streamline this leviathan. Whereas former RNC Chairwoman Ronna Romney-McDaniel did not make the systemic changes needed to support a modern campaign infrastructure, the new team has wasted no time taking a hatchet to overpriced, underworked, and misaligned elements of the organization.

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Commentary: Unraveling Allegations of Biden Family Influence Peddling Through Tony Bobulinski’s Testimony

Virginia Star Staff
Tony Bobulinski

The entertainment committee never sleeps.  Hunter Biden’s former business partner Tony Bobulinski came to Congress a few days ago to testify before the House Oversight Committee about Hunter, his uncle Jim Biden, and the “Big Guy,” Mr. 10 percent, Joseph R. Biden himself.  It was an extraordinary performance. Calm. Deliberate. Detailed. Deadly. Mr. Bobulinski’s written statement shows what care he took in marshaling facts and evidence.

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Thousands of Pounds of Meth Smuggled Across Border in Vegetable Shipments

The Center Square
Meth confiscated by law enforcement

Mexican cartels for decades have devised creative ways to smuggle narcotics and other contraband across the southern U.S., including using produce, law enforcement officials say. This month, in one week, thousands of pounds of meth were seized hidden in shipments of peppers, tomatillos and carrots.

At the Otay Mesa, California, cargo facility this month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized large quantities of methamphetamine (meth) hidden under packages of the vegetables.

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Congress Probing Whether IRS Plyng AI to Invade Americans’ Financial Privacy

Just the News
Jim Jordan and Harriet Hageman

The House Judiciary Committee has opened an inquiry to whether the IRS is using artificial intelligence to invade Americans’ financial privacy after an agency employee was captured in an undercover tape suggesting there was a widespread surveillance operation underway that might not be constitutional.

Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., sent a letter last week to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen demanding documents, and answers as to how the agency is currently employing artificial intelligence to comb through bank records to look for possible tax cheats. 

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Commentary: DOD Must Strengthen Support for Veterans

RealClearWire
Military Veterans

Veterans have positively impacted the success of our nation since its inception. Our nation’s service members make up every aspect of our society and represent every ethnic group at some level. Military service is highly regarded by the vast majority of our nation. For many, it provides a chance to grow, transform and serve something greater than themselves. Countless veterans continue their service to their country as leaders in business, government, and their communities. Their inherent leadership skills coupled with a time-honored ethos make them first-round draft choices for any organization.

Although many veterans find the path to the next chapter of their life a rewarding and exciting time, too many struggle, often because civilian and government organizations have little to no real understanding of military service’s attributes. Some of our nation’s most successful businesses have active recruitment of veterans and veteran resource groups in their companies. This isn’t sentimental – they have benefitted from that investment. Many more could benefit from a more in-depth understanding of what veterans truly offer.

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Survey Finds Nearly 70 Percent of Small Businesses View Gen Z Employees as ‘Least Reliable’

Just the News
Office Work

America’s newest entrants into the workforce aren’t making an early favorable impression: 68% of small business owners believe that Generation Z employees are the “least reliable” of their workforce, according to a new Freedom Economy Index survey.

The survey, a product of the Red Balloon job site and the Public Square shopping site, was released Thursday and also found that less than 4% of businesses found that Gen. Z “most aligns with their workplace culture.”

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DEI Newsletter Circulates US Intel Community, Promoting Cross-Dressing and Woke Language: Report

Just the News
Ken Tanabe, founder of Loving Day

A “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” newsletter that highlighted cross-dressing and woke language was recently circulated in the U.S. intelligence community, according to reports.

It was sent to organizations such as the CIA and featured a secret agent who revealed he was a cross-dresser.

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Trump Leads Biden in All Seven Battleground States: Polls

Just the News
Donald Trump Joe Biden

Former President Donald Trump is ahead of President Joe Biden in all seven swing states, according to new polls as the 2024 presidential race heats up. 

Trump leads Biden by 4% in Arizona, 1% in Michigan, 3% in Nevada and 3% in Wisconsin, according to four polls released Wednesday and Thursday by Emerson College Polling/The Hill.

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FDA Agrees to Remove Anti-Ivermectin Posts Off the Internet in Lawsuit Settlement

Virginia Star Staff
Ivermectin

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reportedly settled a lawsuit brought by three doctors who accused the health regulator of interfering with their ability to practice medicine and prescribe Ivermectin to treat COVID.

Dr. Mary Talley Bowden, Dr. Paul E. Marik and Dr. Robert L. Apter sued the FDA in June of 2022, asking the court to: “Hold unlawful and set aside any FDA actions directing or opining on whether ivermectin should be used for certain off-label purposes, including treatment of COVID-19.”

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Existing Home Sales Jump 9.5 Percent in February

The Center Square
House for Sale

Existing home sales increased 9.5% in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.38 million, marking the largest monthly increase since February 2023, but overall sales declined 3.3% from the previous year, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Total existing home sales – completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – jumped 9.5% from January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.38 million in February. Year-over-year, sales slid 3.3% (down from 4.53 million in February 2023).

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Commentary: Big Pharma’s Wokeness

Virginia Star Staff
COVID Pfizer

Big Pharma is not your friend. Whether it’s hiking up drug prices or bribing the Swamp, the pharmaceutical industry works against the people’s interests. Many Americans are aware of Big Pharma’s greed and the power it wields over Washington, D.C., but fewer are aware of just how left-wing the industry is. It serves as a cash cow for the left and pushes woke ideas on its employees and the country at large. This may explain why Democrats, who act like they hate Big Pharma, serve the industry’s interests.

While the drugmakers spread their cash around all of DC, they overwhelmingly prefer Democrats. In recent elections, Big Pharma donated significantly more money to Democratic candidates than Republican candidates. From 2016 to 2022, the industry gave a whopping $29 million to Democratic candidates. This trend stands true for the current election cycle, with more cash going to Democrats once again. This favoritism extends to the presidential race. The drug lobby has donated four times more money to Joe Biden than it has to Donald Trump. And the industry’s generosity to Team Blue doesn’t end with individual candidates. Its chief lobby, PhRMA, also gives millions to liberal campaign arms like the Democratic Attorneys General Association.

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Idaho Governor Signs Bill Protecting Parental Rights in Medical Decisions

Virginia Star Staff
Brad Little

Republican Gov. Brad Little of Idaho signed a bill Thursday increasing protections for parents when making medical decisions for their children.

The bill passed the state Senate with a 27 to 7 vote, with one abstaining, in February and the state House of Representatives in a 59 to 11 vote in March. The new law, which will take effect on July 1, amends the current Idaho code to protect parents’ ability to obtain medical records for their children and requires healthcare professionals to obtain parental consent before administering treatment to their minor child, or face civil penalties.

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Commentary: The Human Tragedy in Haiti

Virginia Star Staff
Haitian Refugees

Since late February, gang violence in Haiti has surged, overwhelming government and security forces and plunging the nation into further turmoil. The United Nations estimates that armed gangs now control 80 percent of the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince.

The recent wave of violence in the Caribbean nation’s ongoing gang wars erupted as multiple armed groups banded together, pledging to oust Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who came to power after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 and announced postponing Haiti’s elections again last year.

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16 States Sue Biden Admin over Natural Gas Exports Approval Pause

Virginia Star Staff
Power Plant

A coalition of 16 states is suing the Biden administration over its January decision to pause approvals for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export hubs.

The lawsuit, which names President Joe Biden, the Department of Energy (DOE) and high-ranking DOE officials as defendants, seeks declaratory and injunctive relief from the pause, which the White House announced on Jan. 26 to give the DOE time to assess the climate impacts of new LNG export capacity. The states filed their challenge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, alleging that the federal government broke the law by broadly denying relevant permits.

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Commentary: Biden EPA’s Latter-Day Prohibition Targets Auto Industry

Virginia Star Staff
Tesla Factory

Not since Prohibition has the federal government sought to ban a product as popular as the internal combustion engine.

This week, the Environmental Protection Agency released its final emissions standards rule, requiring that 70% of new vehicle sales be pure battery-powered electric or hybrids by 2032.

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Impeachment Probe Dramatically Pivots to Questions of CIA, DOJ Coverup in Hunter Biden Case

Just the News

After a bombastic hearing with Hunter Biden’s business partners, House impeachment investigators are dramatically pivoting to allegations of a possible coverup in the first son’s criminal tax case as the inquiry transitions to a new phase.

On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee sued the Justice Department seeking to force two attorneys there to comply with subpoenas and testify about whether there was any political interference in Hunter Biden’s tax prosecution.

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Youngkin Casts Doubt on Building Small Nuclear Reactor in Southwest Virginia

The Center Square
Glenn Youngkin

After months of research and investigation into what it would look like to build a small modular nuclear reactor in Southwest Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin revealed the region may not be selected for Virginia’s first SMR after all.

“There may be other places around Virginia that may be better suited for the first one,” Youngkin said. “We’re looking at places across the commonwealth. I do firmly believe that Virginia will be the first state to have a small modular reactor in a commercial fashion.”

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Commentary: Biden’s Border Blowup

Virginia Star Staff
Illegal Immigrants

Some 8 to 10 million illegal aliens from all over the world, as expected, have flooded across the border since Joe Biden took office.

A demagogic candidate Biden, remember, in 2019 invited those massing at the southern border to “surge” into the United States without specifying they first needed legal sanction: “We immediately surge to the border all those seeking asylum.”

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U.S. Quietly Trying to Keep Troops in African Country That Wants to Kick Them Out

Virginia Star Staff
American Troops

The U.S. is working behind the scenes with the Nigerien government to negotiate a way to keep U.S. troops in the country after junta leaders declared the American military footprint “illegal,” The Washington Post reported.

The Nigerien government that came to power in July, in a nation historically viewed as an ally and partner in counter-terrorism efforts, announced Saturday plans to end military cooperation with the U.S., according to the Post, citing U.S. officials. Days later, however, “dynamic” talks are underway to determine whether and how the U.S. can retain a military presence in some capacity, even at a reduced level.

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Feds Have Showered Washington State with Tax Dollars to Fix Homelessness, but It Keeps Getting Worse

Virginia Star Staff
Homeless Person

A plethora of federal agencies have spent well over $200 million attempting to alleviate homelessness in Washington state over the past 17 years, only for the number of people living on the streets to keep rising.

Federal agencies like the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Health and Human Service (HHS), among others, have spent hundreds of millions of dollars since 2007 on grants to third parties intended to mitigate homelessness in Washington, federal spending data shows. Despite the nine-figure sum of taxpayer dollars spent, the number of homeless people in Washington grew by about 20% between 2007 and 2023, according to a report produced by HUD.

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Commentary: Gov. Al Smith and the Anti-Trump Republicans

Virginia Star Staff
Al Smith and FDR

As I’ve watched some of President Donald Trump’s former appointees and allies say they can’t support him in 2024, I was reminded of a similar scenario in American history.

In 1936, Former New York Gov. Al Smith decided that he could not support President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s re-election.

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Commentary: Dressing Traditionally Matters

Virginia Star Staff
Long Dresses

It doesn’t take a fashion designer’s sense to notice the decline of American clothing in the last few decades. The neat suits and dresses of yesteryear have been replaced with stretchy athleisure, the hats and coats vanished in favor of sweatshirts and leggings.

Quite honestly, I don’t think fashion and clothing is all that important. Sure, we’ve lost some aesthetics and have nearly erased any sense of modesty. But in the end, clothes are still just clothes, right?

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‘I Just Really Wanted My Breasts Gone’: Detransitioner Explains How She was Duped into Transitioning

Virginia Star Staff
Camille Kiefel

Detransitioner Camille Kiefel says that she and other victims of transgender surgeries “have been dismissed” by doctors pushing so-called gender-affirming care.  

“I struggled with childhood trauma,” Kiefel told The Daily Signal’s Mary Margaret Olohan. “My best friend had been raped by her brother when I was in sixth grade.”  

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Dems Propose Millions for Organizations Pushing Trans Procedures for Kids in Congressional Budget

Virginia Star Staff
Surgery

Democrats are looking to push through a budget that would grant millions in funding for organizations that provide sex-change procedures for children.

Congress released a proposed budget for the fiscal year 2025 in hopes of avoiding a government shutdown and Democrats are looking to send millions in taxpayer funding to organizations that help transition children. Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon requested $2,000,000 for the La Clinica del Valle Family Health Care Center in Oregon which provides hormone treatments to adolescents, according to its website.

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Bob Menendez Says He Won’t Run for Reelection as Democrat in 2024

Virginia Star Staff
Bob Menendez

Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey announced he would not run in the Democratic Senate primary Thursday, saying he was “hopeful” that he could eventually run as an independent candidate.

The Justice Department unsealed an indictment against Menendez and his wife, Nadine, on three counts according to a September release by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, then added additional charges in a March 5 superseding indictment. Menendez said he would not be running in June’s New Jersey Senate primary, but left the door open to running as an “independent Democrat.”

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Biden Administration ‘Paroled’ More Illegal Aliens than Issued Visas to Legal Immigrants

Peter D'Abrosca

According to report from the Federation on American Immigration Reform (FAIR), President Joe Biden’s administration paroled more illegal aliens into the United States during the first nine months of Fiscal Year 2023 than it accepted legal immigrants through visa programs.

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Immigration Judges Have Thrown Out 200,000 Deportation Cases Because Biden Admin Didn’t File Paperwork

Virginia Star Staff

Immigration judges have dismissed roughly 200,000 deportation cases because the Biden administration didn’t file the relevant paperwork, according to a report from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) released on Wednesday.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is obligated to provide a Notice to Appear (NTA) to immigration courts when the agency believes an illegal migrant should be removed, according to the TRAC report. Biden’s DHS failed to issue NTAs in several instances by the time of a scheduled hearing in immigration court, limiting judges’ ability to hear the case and forcing a dismissal.

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