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Category: Politics
February 27, 2024
William Upton
Media
Politics

WATCH: NeverTrumper Jonah Goldberg ‘Jokes’ on CNN That He ‘Can’t Stop Cutting’ Himself.

Jonah Goldberg, a CNN commentator and NeverTrumper, made a disturbing and off-color ‘joke’ about committing self-harm on CNN Tuesday morning. Appearing on CNN This Morning, Goldberg suggested the acquiescence of GOP establishment figures to Donald Trump’s nomination as the Republican candidate for President has driven him to engage in “cutting.”

Referencing a New York Times report that former President Trump may be close to securing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell‘s (R-KY) endorsement, Goldberg said: “It’s stories like this that are why I can’t stop cutting myself.”

Cutting is considered to be a nonsuicidal form of self-harm, often in response to depression, anger, or stress. The act of cutting can be fatal, though death is often not the intention. Hunt quickly tried to move on from Goldberg’s comments, responding: “Let’s not joke about this.”

Goldberg told Hunt he had “significant respect for McConnell” and had hoped he’d resist backing Trump for the White House after the January 6th, 2021, capitol riots. A former editor with National Review, the neoconservative Goldberg lamented that political pragmatism would likely lead McConnell to endorse Trump despite the alleged animosity between the two political leaders.

“I said earlier just as an aside that politicians will always disappoint you,” Goldberg told Hunt, adding: “This is a perfect example of it.” After departing National Review in 2019 — partly over his NeverTrump views — Goldberg founded the online political blog The Dispatch with several staff from the now-defunct neoconservative Weekly Standard.

Around 17 percent of individuals engage in self-harm in their lifetime, while 45 percent of self-harm incidents take the form of cutting. Self-harm actions are a sign of underlying mental health issues and stresses that need professional attention.

If you or someone you know is struggling with self-harm, call or text the National Alliance on Mental Illness hotline (NAMI) at 800-950-6264 or call or text 988.

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Jonah Goldberg, a CNN commentator and NeverTrumper, made a disturbing and off-color 'joke' about committing self-harm on CNN Tuesday morning. Appearing on CNN This Morning, Goldberg suggested the acquiescence of GOP establishment figures to Donald Trump's nomination as the Republican candidate for President has driven him to engage in "cutting." show more
February 27, 2024
Wake Up Right
Data
Politics

NO CAP: Young Voters Turning To Trump.

Donald Trump has closed the gap with Joe Biden among young voters, a group that Biden won overwhelmingly in 2020.

The numbers: According to the latest poll from Axios, which surveyed voters 18 and 34 years old:

  • 48 percent support Trump
  • 52 percent support Biden

Why this matters: This 4-point gap bodes well for Trump because, in 2020, Joe Biden won young voters by 20 points.

What’s driving them? The same poll asked these voters to name the top issues they’ll be voting on.

  • Economy: 39 percent;
  • Abortion: 16 percent;
  • Student debt: 11 percent;
  • Immigration: 11 percent;
  • Climate change: 10 percent;
  • Guns: 7 percent;
  • Other: 7 percent.
Big picture: This poll isn’t an outlier. A similar New York Times poll in December found Trump ahead of Biden with young voters, 49 percent to 43 percent. And in November, an NBC poll had Trump ahead by 4 points.
What to expect from Biden: His handlers will focus on abortion and student debt in the coming months in an attempt to reinvigorate young voters. Last week, he used executive power to try and buy the youth vote by forgiving another $1.2 billion in student loan debt for 3.9 million borrowers.
This article is adapted from the free ‘Wake Up Right’ newsletter, which you can subscribe to here.
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big tech
February 27, 2024
Ed Kozak
Politics

GOP Budget Chair Mulls Raising Taxes.

House Budget Committee chairman Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) has said that raising taxes will be necessary to balance the federal budget. His comments will likely irritate President Trump and his team, given the pledge to make the Trump-era tax cuts a permanent fixture in a second Trump administration.

“It’s only fair to have both revenue and expenditures on the table,” Arrington told Semafor. “The last time there was a fix to Social Security that addressed the solvency for 75 years, it was Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill, and it was bipartisan. It had revenue measures and it had program reforms. That’s just the reality,” said Arrington, who led the charge to create a bipartisan fiscal commission to address government debt.

In January, 19 GOP members of the Budget Committee and three Democrats voted for a proposal to establish the commission, which Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La) supported.

Both sides of the political aisle are already attacking the commission. Following the Budget Committee’s vote to establish the commission, Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett (Texas) said: “There is a real concern out there that this commission will be called the ‘Cut Social Security Commission.’” A group of conservative organizations released a letter attacking the commission as a “trap designed to get Republican fingerprints on a tax increase in exchange for ‘spending cuts’ that never materialize.”

The bipartisan attacks on a commission that exists to reduce the deficit prove “you need to depoliticize” the issue, Arrington said. The issue is “so weaponized on all sides, that we get nowhere,” he said.
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House Budget Committee chairman Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) has said that raising taxes will be necessary to balance the federal budget. His comments will likely irritate President Trump and his team, given the pledge to make the Trump-era tax cuts a permanent fixture in a second Trump administration. show more
February 27, 2024
William Upton
Politics

California Residents in New Effort to Recall Gavin Newsom.

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) is facing a new effort to recall him from the Governor’s mansion. On Monday, citizen activists led by the group Rescue California delivered recall papers to the Governor’s office. After serving the recall notice, Rescue California and its allies will need to gather at least 1.38 million signatures to force the recall vote. The group hopes to garner 1.6 million signatures since the California Secretary of State will likely invalidate some.

The latest recall effort comes on the heels of a 2021 attempt to remove Newsom as governor. Newsom survived the recall, handily defeating conservative talk-radio host Larry Elder. The September 14, 2021, ballot featured two questions: whether to recall Newsom and who should replace him as governor if recalled. Nearly 62 percent of voters voted against the recall effort.

Rescue California and other recall proponents argue the effort is justified because Newsom has become too focused on his national political ambitions and media surrogacy for President Joe Biden’s re-election effort. They contend Newsom has ignored California’s budget crisis, opting for the national spotlight instead. The state’s non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office has projected that California’s budget deficit has ballooned to $73 billion — double what the Governor has claimed.

Newsom has become a fixture on national television networks as the 2024 presidential election heats up. Many Democrats and Republicans consider the California Governor a possible presidential replacement should Biden be unable to run.

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California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) is facing a new effort to recall him from the Governor's mansion. On Monday, citizen activists led by the group Rescue California delivered recall papers to the Governor's office. After serving the recall notice, Rescue California and its allies will need to gather at least 1.38 million signatures to force the recall vote. The group hopes to garner 1.6 million signatures since the California Secretary of State will likely invalidate some. show more
February 27, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Politics

WSJ Begs Haley to Stay in GOP Race Despite Trump’s ‘Easy Victory’ in Her Home State.

The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board has acknowledged Donald Trump won an “easy victory” over Nimarata ‘Nikki’ Haley in her home state of South Carolina but is urging her to remain in the race regardless.

“Ms. Haley won nearly 40 percent of the vote, which as she said in remarks Saturday evening ‘is not some tiny group,'” the WSJ board insisted — while admitting “Democrats could vote” in the primary.

All indications are that Barack Obama-linked operatives turned out leftists to boost Haley, who still lost by over 20 points.

“[A]s in New Hampshire, the size of her vote shows that millions in the [Republican] party don’t want Mr. Trump back in the White House,” the board continued, not acknowledging that New Hampshire was also a state where Democrats could vote. Seventy percent of Haley voters there were not registered Republicans.

The WSJ also stressed that a share of Haley voters claim they will not back Trump in the general election. They failed to acknowledge that a share of Haley voters in South Carolina were Democrats. They also failed to recognize the far greater risk that Trump Republicans, who are a much greater share of the Republican base than Haley voters, would not back her in the general.

“Ms. Haley is telling voters she can be the alternative as a uniter that millions of them seem to want. It’s a message worth staying in the race for,” the board concluded.

So far, polls suggest Haley has only been able to unite 18 percent of the GOP behind her nationally, indicating she is significantly less likely to be able to unite the party at large behind her than Trump.

The WSJ also cited Haley’s enthusiasm for U.S. involvement in the Ukraine war as a point in her favor.

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The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board has acknowledged Donald Trump won an "easy victory" over Nimarata 'Nikki' Haley in her home state of South Carolina but is urging her to remain in the race regardless. show more
February 26, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Politics

Ukrainian Military Intelligence Confirms Navalny Died from ‘Natural’ Blood Clot, as Kremlin Said.

The Chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, said Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died of a blood clot, as Russian officials had claimed.

“I may disappoint you, but as far as we know, he indeed died as a result of a blood clot,” Budanov told reporters at the ‘Ukraine: Year of 2024’ summit on Sunday.

Budanov said the official cause of death provided by the Kremlin had “been more or less confirmed,” adding that his information “wasn’t sourced from the Internet, but, unfortunately, natural [causes].”

Navalny’s body was released to his mother, Lyudmila, last week.

President Volodymyr Zelensky initially claimed Navalny, a pro-war ultranationalist who reinvented himself as a progressive anti-war activist towards the end of his life, was “likely killed by Putin” in the Arctic penal colony where he was serving a prison sentence.

Instead of waiting for official results on the causes of Navalny’s death, Western leaders rushed to lay blame at Vladimir Putin’s feet and escalate the volatile situation in Eastern Europe.

Joe Biden insisted Putin was “responsible” for Navalny’s death shortly after it was first reported and later imposed over 500 new sanctions on Russia in retaliation.

Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also accused the Kremlin of “killing” Navalny. His predecessor, Boris Johnson, also said there could be “no doubt” the Russian leader had Navalny “put to death.”

Hillary Clinton asserted Navalny had “been killed,” like Johnson, saying there was “no doubt” of this and citing “intelligence available to our government.”

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The Chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, said Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died of a blood clot, as Russian officials had claimed. show more
February 26, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Politics

Hunter Biden Staying Sober to Save Democracy… So He Says.

Hunter Biden has suggested he may be facing “the ultimate test for a recovering addict,” as slipping back into alcohol and drug abuse could damage his father, Joe Biden, in the upcoming presidential race.

“I often do think of the profound consequences of failure here,” Hunter told Axios, adding: “I have something much bigger than even myself at stake. We are in the middle of a fight for the future of democracy.”

The First Son, 54, said he was “in awe of people who have stayed clean and sober through tragedies and obstacles few people ever face,” describing such people as “my heroes, my inspiration.”

Negative commentary on Hunter Biden has not focused primarily on his substance abuse issues, however, except insofar as he has been perceived as receiving special treatment from law enforcement and prosecutors.

House Republicans and others have instead focused on possible impropriety concerning Hunter using his father to secure lucrative business opportunities and allegations his father abused public office to advance his family’s business interests.

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Hunter Biden has suggested he may be facing "the ultimate test for a recovering addict," as slipping back into alcohol and drug abuse could damage his father, Joe Biden, in the upcoming presidential race. show more

Editor’s Notes

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February 26, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Politics

OUT: Ronna McDaniel Confirms Resignation as RNC Chairwoman, Effective March 8th.

Ronna McDaniel has confirmed her resignation as Chairwoman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), effective March 8th.

McDaniel, a niece of anti-Trump ex-presidential candidate Senator Mitt Romney, said the RNC has “historically undergone change once we have a nominee and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition.”

March 8th falls a few days after Super Tuesday, which will see three Republican caucuses and 13 primaries, awarding over a third of all delegates in the nomination race.

Donald Trump, who has won every caucus and primary so far, endorsed RNC general counsel and North Carolina GOP chairman Michael Whatley to replace McDaniel. “Michael has been with me from the beginning, has done a great job in his home state of North Carolina, and is committed to election integrity, which we must have to keep fraud out of our election so it can’t be stolen,” he said.

His daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is expected to take up a “co-chairman” role in a bid to read Trump into the day-to-day activities at the headquarters in Washington, D.C.

McDaniel has been a lightning rod for the populist base in recent years, with National Pulse Editor in Chief Raheem Kassam coining the term “McLeadership” to describe the McCarthy-McDaniel-McConnell stewardship of the party.

Over half of conservatives surveyed by Turning Point’s AmericaFest straw poll say they are more likely to contribute to the RNC without her.

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Ronna McDaniel has confirmed her resignation as Chairwoman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), effective March 8th. show more
trump
February 25, 2024
William Upton
Politics

Trump Calls On Alabama To Preserve IVF Access.

Former President Donald Trump says he “strongly support[s] the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby.” The presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee pushed back against the Alabama Supreme Court decision which would make the medical procedure nearly impossible in the state.

Earlier this week, Alabama’s high court ruled that frozen embryos should be treated as children under state law, effectively exposing IVF clinics that destroy unused embryos to prosecution. The decision forced many clinics to immediately suspend their IVF services, leaving some families without options for fertility treatment.

“Today, I am calling on the Alabama Legislature to act quickly to find an immediate solution to preserve the availability of IVF in Alabama,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. The former President made clear that Republicans who claim to be pro-family should support IVF, stating: “The Republican Party should always be on the side of the Miracle of Life – and the side of Mothers, Fathers, and their Beautiful Babies.”

He continued: “IVF is an important part of that, and our Great Republican Party will always be with you, in your quest, for the ULTIMATE JOY IN LIFE!”

Trump is not the only Republican pushing back against the Alabama court decision. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced his office “has no intention of using the recent Alabama Supreme Court decision as a basis for prosecuting IVF families or providers.” Republican and Democrat lawmakers in the Alabama legislature are already pushing for a legislative solution to counter the court ruling.

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Trump’s remaining primary opponent, is one of the few national Republicans to come out in support of the unpopular Alabama decision.

Image via IncMonocle.

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Former President Donald Trump says he "strongly support[s] the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby." The presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee pushed back against the Alabama Supreme Court decision which would make the medical procedure nearly impossible in the state. show more
February 23, 2024
Immigration
Politics

San Diego Migrant Center Closing After Influx Drains Funds.

A migrant center in San Diego closed on Thursday after exhausting its funds to aid the substantial number of migrants crossing illegally into the county. The center, which reportedly assisted up to 800 migrants per day, had its resources strained by a significant surge in arrivals over recent weeks. CEO of the center, Kathie Lembo, stated that the facility’s finite resources were stretched to the limit.

The closure has ignited fears in nearby El Cajon, according to Mayor Bill Wells, who voiced his concerns on Fox News. “Over the past few months, we’ve seen 100,000 migrants come across the San Diego border,” Wells said. “A lot of those have been absorbed by this county shelter that used taxpayer money. They asked for $3 million, and they spent over $6 million, and now they say they’re out of money. So we’re going to see migrants congregating in our streets,” he continued. “I think it’s going to become a pretty serious problem pretty quickly.”

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data indicates that nearly 140,000 illegal immigrants have entered the San Diego area since the commencement of Fiscal Year 2024 on October 1. Wells further expressed apprehensions over an increasing number of daily drop-offs, potentially rising from 300 to 1,000 after the center’s closure. He mentioned the possible recourse of housing migrants in hotels despite the negative impacts on neighborhoods and security infrastructure.

Cities across the country are increasingly suffering significant strains on resources as a result of the unprecedented influx of migrants due to the border crisis.

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A migrant center in San Diego closed on Thursday after exhausting its funds to aid the substantial number of migrants crossing illegally into the county. The center, which reportedly assisted up to 800 migrants per day, had its resources strained by a significant surge in arrivals over recent weeks. CEO of the center, Kathie Lembo, stated that the facility’s finite resources were stretched to the limit. show more