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Debt Rattle May 3 2026

May 032026
 
 May 3, 2026  Posted by at 10:09 am Finance Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , ,  2 Responses »


Rembrandt van Rijn The standard bearer 1636


• Trump: ‘We Cannot Let Lunatics Have a Nuclear Weapon’ (Robert Spencer)
• Sen. John Kennedy Sums Up the Iranian Regime’s Current Predicament (Lower)
• Hope for America (Ron Paul)
• Trump Jokes US Will Be ‘Taking Over’ Cuba After Iran Conflict (JTN)
• The Greatest Salesman: Zelensky Promotes His Favorite Weapons Company (RT)
• Georgia, South Carolina Won’t Postpone Voting to Review Redistricting (CTH)
• Republicans to Best Democrats in Mid-Decade Redistricting War (Josh Hammer)
• Pressure Campaign to Get Scott Jennings Booted From CNN (Matt Margolis)
• Watch the Look on Gavin Newsom’s Face As Bill Maher Torches His Insanity (Doug P.)
• Trump Says Medicare Will Soon Cover Weight-Loss Drugs (ET)
• Trump Targets Merz in Geopolitical Maneuver (CTH)
• Pope Leo XIV Names Former Illegal Immigrant As New Bishop (JTN)

 


 

 


 


Easy enough. You may not agree, but that’s not the same thing.

• Trump: ‘We Cannot Let Lunatics Have a Nuclear Weapon’ (Robert Spencer)

On Saturday, President Donald Trump revealed the startling news that he is awaiting the precise details of a peace proposal from the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran, whoever exactly they may be. “They told me,” Trump said, “about the concept of the deal. They’re going to give me the exact wording now.” This is odd on its face, as it is ordinarily the winning side that dictates the terms of the peace, but of course the people who are reaching out to Trump aren’t dictating anything; they’re just hoping to survive the present conflict with the Islamic Republic still in power.


That would be a victory in itself, for the fanatical ideologues in Tehran only need time to regroup and resume their jihad. They also need to settle the question of who exactly is in charge, for, as Trump noted, they are currently “having a hard time figuring out who their leader is.” However, the Islamic Republic will remain the Islamic Republic until it is overthrown, however and whenever that might happen. The idea that the mullahs will abandon their jihad once and for all as a result of the reversals they have suffered in this conflict is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of their beliefs, and of what the Islamic Republic is all about.

Trump, however, made it clear that it would take the Islamic Republic a great deal of time to rebuild. “We’re doing very well with regard to Iran,” he said. “Again, they want to make a deal. They are decimated.” He explained that “if we left right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild. But we’re not leaving right now. We’re going to do it so nobody has to go back in two years or five years.”

All this followed his remarks on Friday, in which he made it clear that he was not intending to give an inch: “We cannot let lunatics have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. He explained that the war was necessary to achieve this objective, and that the economic downside hadn’t been as bad as he had expected it would be: “I thought the numbers would be much worse. I thought the stock market would go down much more. I thought the oil prices would go up much more. I said, ‘But we have no choice. Whether it does or doesn’t, I have to do what’s right.’ We can’t let them have a nuclear weapon.”

In his Friday remarks, Trump also painted a picture of the Iranian regime in dire straits: “They’re getting decimated. They have no Navy. They have no air force, they have no anti-aircraft equipment. They have no radar. They have no leaders. Their leaders are all gone.”

Nonetheless, the Islamic Republic still remains in power, and as long as that remains true, no terms they send to the president for a peace settlement will be worth the paper they’re printed on. When a regime is made up of true believers and based on a fanatically held ideology, it is not going to compromise, no matter how difficult its circumstances become. There was no chance during World War II, even when it became abundantly clear that National Socialist Germany was certain to lose the war, that moderate National Socialists would supplant Hitler and negotiate a peace agreement. For the National Socialists, it was always a fight to the death.

And so it is today for the mullahs. Mojtaba Khamenei, the alleged supreme leader who still has not been seen since he became the Islamic Republic’s top dog, may or may not even be alive, and may or may not be in charge of the government. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, its hands red with the blood of tens of thousands of Iranians who dared to protest against the regime, may indeed be the functional new government, determined to rule through terror inside the country and to spread it internationally as much as they possibly can. Or there could be, or could emerge, some other leader altogether.

Whatever the case may be, until the leader of Iran announces that the Islamic Republic is no more, any American president would be foolish to accept, or to trust, and peace offer from Tehran. Deception is at the heart of this regime’s philosophy, as is the divine mission, as the Iranian leadership sees it, to destroy Israel and America. Trump is right to be determined to deny the “lunatics” a nuclear weapon. If he follows through on that determination, the conflict will continue.

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“We “have Iran by the ying-yang,”

“.. if they shut down their wells – as they may have to – because of the low pressure, they’ll never get them started again.”

• Sen. John Kennedy Sums Up the Iranian Regime’s Current Predicament (Lower)

Never fail, when you are craving some funny video to lighten the national mood – especially during a weekend break, and in the middle of so much uncertainty- you can look to Louisiana Senator John Kennedy (R), who is awesome at finding the perfect phrase to tickle everyone that is unique – just like him. That was certainly the case this week, when he was asked about where he thinks the current situation stands with ending the conflict with Iran. I’ll swing back to that shortly. As RedState previously wrote, the U.S, has put quite a squeeze on Iran over the past two or three weeks, with the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz slowing the Iranian government’s ability to sell its lifesblood – oil – to a standstill.


We have also managed to stymie them financially, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and his department putting the Iran regime in a vise grip, as my colleague Nick Arama wrote. And as we wrote late last week, Bessent laid out the facts on the banking front, in answer to the despairing propaganda of Iranian Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, while USCENTCOM estimated the blockage effort had drained a jaw-dropping “$6 billion-plus” from Iran’s coffers. Now, we are hearing the most current estimate, with the Pentagon telling Axios Friday that since the U.S. blockade began, that staggering amount of wealth the regime has lost stands at just about $5 billion (again, that’s with a “B”).

“The Defense Department estimates Iran has been denied nearly $5 billion in oil revenue because of the U.S. blockade in the Gulf of Oman, causing unprecedented pressure on Tehran’s government [….]

Zoom in: Since the blockade began April 13, the U.S. military has redirected more than 40 vessels that have tried to pass through the blockade by carrying oil and other contraband, Pentagon officials say.
• In total, 31 tankers laden with 53 million barrels of Iranian oil are “stuck in the Gulf” and have a value of at least $4.8 billion. Two ships have been seized by the U.S.
• Unable to fill oil in new tankers as on-land storage facilities reach capacity, Iran has begun to use older tankers as floating storage.
• Some tankers are taking “a costlier and longer route to deliver oil to China for fear of U.S. maritime interdiction,” officials said.

Back to that fun clip of the sage, John Kennedy. In a recent appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity” program, he talked about the success President Trump and the U.S. military have had to this point, saying in his unique way that the Iranian regime has run out of moves on the metaphorical chessboard. We “have Iran by the ying-yang,” Sen. Kennedy said. But he didn’t stop there. He then brought the receipts: “There’s nothing going in, and there’s nothing coming out. The only source of revenue that Iran has is the sale of oil, and they can’t sell a drop.

“They have to continue producing because if they shut down their wells – as they may have to – because of the low pressure, they’ll never get them started again.” The senator said “another two to three weeks” of the blockade will force the Supreme Leader and the Revolutionary Guard “to have an epiphany, and be born again “. He also dismissed naysayers in the media who claim that the U.S. getting a hold of Iran’s fissile [nuke-building] materials needs to happen before claiming victory; Sen. Kennedy said he disagreed with anyone who said a regime change needs to take place first. And he said those yard sticks aren’t accurate—all indications, he said, prove that the United States “has [already] won.”

Trump said late on Friday we got a new offer from Iran, so we will see where things go next.

Read more …

And then Trump says: ‘We Cannot Let Lunatics Have a Nuclear Weapon’

• Hope for America (Ron Paul)

Last weekend my Institute for Peace and Prosperity hosted another conference here on the Texas Gulf Coast. Not only did we have a full house attending the conference – which is in a way the most important thing – but in this era of profound disappointment and disillusionment, we struck a note of optimism thankfully due to our wonderful line-up of speakers. The main topic of the conference, titled “War is Back on the Menu,” was of course the disastrous decision by the Trump Administration to launch an unprovoked war against Iran – both last June and again on February 28th.


Professor Robert Pape from the University of Chicago offered a compelling blueprint to break free of some of the neocon chains that bind us to the Middle East to our own detriment. Let the states in the region manage their own security, he argued. It is not our job to be their policemen. Very importantly, we were fortunate to have had as speakers two individuals who stood up for their principles when putting them aside for expediency – and personal gain – would have been so much easier.

Former US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was, in her own words, “a General in the MAGA Army.” She dedicated her life and plenty of her own money to the cause of electing Donald Trump because she believed he would put America first, as he had promised. She watched that cause betrayed, first with the President’s support for tyrannical central bank digital currency and then with his refusal to release the Epstein files. Finally, she explained, after he had dubbed her a “traitor” for disagreeing with him on these issues, constant death threats forced her to resign her seat in the House.

She could have gone along to get along – as most do in Congress. Instead, she stood up for what was right. Likewise Joe Kent, who was serving as director of Counterterrorism at the Office of National Intelligence, could have kept quiet as he watched another war being launched on a mountain of lies pushed by special interests. He was a highly decorated US combat veteran who held a Senate-confirmed position in the Administration.That would have been a golden ticket to any number of future profitable opportunities if he “played his cards right.” Instead, he did what was right. He resigned, writing in a statement that the war was not justified and that it was being fought for Israeli rather than American interests.

As could be predicted, Joe suffered the same demonization that Marjorie suffered for standing up for his values and principles. Their courage in making this sacrifice for truth should inspire all of us. It should give us hope. My words of encouragement were simple: we don’t need a majority to change things. A purposeful minority dedicated to the principles of peace and liberty can move mountains. We must stay strong and, importantly, stick together and work together across all party and ideological lines. We must be the big coalition that refuses to sacrifice our principles just as Joe and Marjorie refused to sacrifice theirs.

We will be in Dulles, VA, on Labor Day weekend for our tenth annual DC conference. Mark your calendars and be a part of our movement!
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Little Marco.

• Trump Jokes US Will Be ‘Taking Over’ Cuba After Iran Conflict (JTN)

President Donald Trump jokingly claimed Friday night that the United States will be “taking over” Cuba in the near future and hinted that it could be after the conflict with Iran is resolved. The president made the comment when recognizing attendees at a Florida event in West Palm Beach. The guests included former Rep. Dan Mica.”He comes from, originally, a place called Cuba, which we will be taking over almost immediately,” Trump said of Mica. “Cuba’s got problems. We’ll finish one first. I like to finish a job.”The president then jokingly suggested that the takeover could happen as some U.S. warships return from the Middle East.


“On the way back from Iran, we’ll have one of our big — maybe the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier — the biggest in the world,” he said. “We’ll have that come in, stop about 100 yards offshore, and they’ll say, ‘Thank you very much, we give up.’” The comments come after Trump signed an executive order imposing new sanctions on individuals and entities linked to Cuba, citing concerns regarding threats to U.S. national security and foreign policy. The president has also teased in the past that Cuba could be “next,” after the U.S. successfully carried out a military operation to retrieve former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from his country to stand trial in the United States.

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“Sitting on top of the rubble will be Zelensky, his cabal, with begging bowls in one hand, a movie script and a sales pitch in the other.”

• The Greatest Salesman: Zelensky Promotes His Favorite Weapons Company (RT)

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, whom US President Donald Trump once heralded as ”the greatest salesman on Earth,” promoted his bag-man’s weapons company at the centre of new revelations of corruption, on multiple trips abroad, signing deals that have enriched his close associates even as they attempted to hide their de facto ownership of the company. Reported transcripts of surveillance recordings of Zelensky’s longtime former business partner Timur Mindich – known as “Zelensky’s wallet” in Kiev – reveal him to be the de facto owner of the Fire Point weapons company and in constant conversation with former defense minister and Zelensky insider Rustem Umerov to secure contracts with Kiev’s backers and inflate its value.


Fire Point co-owner Denis Shtilerman has consistently denied the company’s ties to Mindich and dismissed the recordings as a slander campaign aimed at “damaging the reputation of one of Ukraine’s most effective weapons producers.” Zelensky, though, with his ability to secure billions from foreign governments – the EU has just backed a €90 billion package for Kiev dressed as a “loan” – has promoted the company at home and abroad as a cutting-edge technology player central to the conflict with Russia, likely in full knowledge that he would eventually be lining his own pockets.

How often has Zelensky promoted Fire Point
Zelensky lauded Fire Point on most of his 130-plus trips since 2022, first as an opportunity for partnerships with European firms and later as a cost-effective solution against Iranian drones in the Middle East. In recent weeks Zelensky has touted what he grandly announced as a “European joint security system” to smiles and applause at meetings across Germany, France and Norway, promoting Fire Point’s largely untested missiles as a “new patriot” – a reference to the in-demand and highly expensive US batteries. But his weapons grade con-trick goes back further and deeper than that.

The ‘most successful weapon’
Just days after the Associated Press published the first photo of the Flamingo in August 2025, Zelensky described it as “by far the most successful missile in Ukraine’s arsenal.” There are no recorded cases of the weapon having been used in combat by then. He added that it would be mass-produced by February. Then-Defense Minister Denis Shmygal hailed the Flamingo as “a very powerful” weapon capable of striking deep inside Russia.

Crowdfunded in EU, cashed in Ukraine
In October 2025, Zelensky presented Fire Point as one of Ukraine’s top drone makers at the International Defense Industries Forum in Kiev, which was attended by Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof. “By the end of the year, no less than 50% of the weapons at the front must be Ukrainian-made, and this task must be accomplished,” Zelensky said. A month later a Czech crowdfunding campaign donated approximately $760,000 to the company, which was by then courting hundreds of millions in investment from the UAE-based weapons group EDGE. In April the Ukrainian anti-monopoly Committee blocked the deal.

Transcripts suggest Umerov and Mindich believed that each Fire Point shareholder would cash out some $300 million on the back of the EDGE deal and other European contracts, which would value the company at some $2.7 billion. The crowdfunded cash is not mentioned but the transcript lists Mindich saying 50% of the money received from public defense contracts should be taken as cash out.

Rocket fuel and special terms in Denmark
In 2025, Denmark announced plans to host a Fire Point rocket fuel production plant in Vojens, southern Jutland, near the Skrydstrup Air Base. Copenhagen rushed through special legislation forbidding any local, social or environmental opposition to the proposed plant, judging it to be in the national interest. In September 2024 and June 2025, Umerov as Ukrainian Minister of Defense, met with his Danish counterpart to finalise protocols, knowing Fire Point was beneficially owned by Zelensky’s close confidant Mindich and not by the former movie location scout Egor Skalyga, listed as Fire Point’s CEO and minority shareholder. Zelensky personally met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen multiple times in early 2025 to finalize the “co-production” strategy and former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was brought onto the board of the Danish company.

Zelensky closes deals for his “wallet”
During Zelensky’s visit to Madrid in March 2026, Fire Point signed a cooperation agreement with Spanish defense giant Sener, which produces components for the IRIS-T missile used by Ukraine. “We are deeply grateful to President Zelensky for showing interest in our capabilities and for recognizing the value of Sener’s contribution to Ukraine’s air defense,” Sener President Andres Sendagorta said at the time. Fire Point signed a similar deal with German defense company Diehl during Zelensky’s trip to Berlin in March. Diehl manufactures several anti-air missile systems, including IRIS-T.The transcripts reveal that Umerov told Mindich of incoming contracts worth several billion dollars.

Shtilerman, the company face that has denied the businessman known as “Zelensky’s wallet” owned Fire Point, suggested that Ukraine could serve as a testing ground for European missile defense systems and proposed a project called Freya, which would integrate Fire Point’s technology into a joint European ballistic missile defense framework.

Oil money from the Gulf
The US-Israeli war with Iran provided Ukraine with an opportunity to market interceptor drones to Gulf states hosting American bases as a cheaper alternative to air defense systems such as the US-made Patriot. In March Zelensky proposed using Ukraine’s “fire points” to unblock the Strait of Hormuz. On April 23, Zelensky announced that Ukraine had signed a drone deal with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. “We want to help them defend themselves and will continue to foster partnerships with other countries,” Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine could share its defense technology with the US.

When did Zelensky welcome the first use of Fire Point?
In February, the Ukrainian military began reporting the use of the Flamingo in combat, which Zelensky later highlighted at international events. Speaking at a press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Kiev, he claimed the missile had struck a weapons factory in Russia’s Udmurtia region. “I believe this is a real achievement for your industry,” Zelensky said, adding that the strike demonstrated “the high quality and accuracy” of the weapon. Zelensky also discussed the missile at the Munich Security Conference the same month, where he met with European officials, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines, he acknowledged that Russia had destroyed “a large production line” but said Flamingo production would continue.

What is the bottom line?
Zelensky and his backers have played a convenient role for Western war hawks and hoodwinked them at the same time. The West’s pro-war cabal have been willing to accept massive graft as an inevitable consequence of pouring billions into the most corrupt country in Europe to fuel a proxy war that will cost Ukraine lost generations.

Sitting on top of the rubble, will be Zelensky, his cabal, with begging bowls in one hand, a movie script and a sales pitch in the other.

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Now it’s about time.

• Georgia, South Carolina Won’t Postpone Voting to Review Redistricting (CTH)

It has been said by many the reason the leftists on the Supreme Court delayed their minority dissent was in order to stall the high court ruling that would have given states an opportunity to redistrict prior to the 2026 primary voting. There is no data that disputes this assertion.Today Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced he is calling the state legislature into special session to review the congressional districts in light of the Supreme Court ruling that dispatched ‘racially motivated’ district boundaries. However, Georgia and South Carolina will not review districts. Georgia has already begun early voting, which gives Governor Brian Kemp justification to avoid redistricting for an election scheduled for May 19th.


GEORGIA – […] Kemp made it clear that he will not be a part of that push this cycle but praised the court’s ruling. “The Supreme Court’s decision Louisiana v. Callais restores fairness to our redistricting process and allows states to pass electoral maps that reflect the will of the voters, not the will of federal judges,” Kemp said Friday. “Voting is already underway for the 2026 elections,” he added, meaning changes to the maps would not be possible this year. (read more)

SOUTH CAROLINA – […] Republican leaders in the South Carolina General Assembly say redistricting isn’t going to happen this year. House Majority Leader Davey Hiott, R-Pickens, told reporters the lower chamber wouldn’t redraw South Carolina’s congressional map this year. Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, also said redistricting this year would be “unlikely.” Georgia has been a target for the Democrats for several election cycles. The Chicago machine targeted Georgia some time ago, with Fulton County representing the epicenter of the effort. Meanwhile, South Carolina is DeceptiCon central. The network that binds both states together is the AME Church.

Those who follow elections closely understand the compact between Chicago (Obama Inc.) and South Carolina Congressman, James Clyburn. This partnership was responsible for using Joe Biden as the 2020 vehicle, and this partnered alliance subsequently was responsible for the plan to elevate Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Clyburn’s electoral control, which extends directly into Georgia comes from the Emanuel AME Church network, that provides the poll workers who count the physical votes. In all of the precincts that matter, AME generates the poll workers. The poll workers control the vote outcomes.

Drawing districts that no longer take race into the equation is against the interests of Democrats, the AME network, James Clyburn and Barack Obama. Thus, it will be very challenging for those two states specifically to redistrict while the non-black state representatives and governors are worried about being called racist. While it may not be politically comfortable to stop pretending around the issue, the fact remains that racially ideological poll workers essentially have the majority of control over the key precinct voting systems. The AME Church is well represented, and almost all of the poll workers are black; this is not coincidental.

[GEORGIA] When Fulton County Fanni Willis wanted to defend herself publicly, she used the pulpits at AME Church’s. [South Carolina] When Democrats wanted to change their presidential primary contests, they wanted South Carolina to be the first state that votes, again using the AME poll workers. In 2020 President Obama brought the Black Lives Matter movement and James Clyburn brought the AME Church network. This partnership resulted in Joe Biden selected as their choice for the Democrat nominee, and together Obama and Clyburn chose Kamala Harris as the VP nominee; Biden had no say in the matter.

The collaboration resulted in an effective system of Democrat control. Donor funding like Mark Zuckerberg provided the revenue stream to indulge and reward the poll workers. ActBlue is part of this system. The money is laundered through various activist groups until it ends up in the hands of the poll workers.The AME Church network operates vote control operations through their poll workers in several states and key regions within them. Ballot harvesting, mail in voting and direct election vote counting is controlled through the operation.

There are a lot of states involved, however, elections in South Carolina and Georgia are specifically controlled within this operation due to their proximity to the AME command HQ.Lastly, political leaders in both states are well aware of this issue and the fear of racism keeps them from doing anything about it.

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“The “gerry” in “gerrymandering” refers to Elbridge Gerry, who served in the First Congress and eventually as James Madison’s vice president..”

• Republicans to Best Democrats in Mid-Decade Redistricting War (Josh Hammer)

For almost a year now, America’s two parties have been engaged in a mass congressional redistricting battle royale.


The fun kicked off in Texas last July, when Gov. Greg Abbott, following President Donald Trump’s urging, first pushed the Texas Legislature to redistrict the Lone Star State’s congressional maps in a pro-Republican direction. Missouri and North Carolina soon followed, prompting California Gov. Gavin Newsom to get in on the action: Golden State voters approved the use of a new map at the ballot box last November. On April 21, Virginia voters narrowly approved a new congressional map that heavily favors Democrats. This week, Florida responded with a Gov. Ron DeSantis-led redistricting that heavily favors Republicans. In the interim, some other states, such as Ohio and Utah, redistricted for nonvoluntary reasons such as litigation or statutory requirement.

And other states, such as Indiana, famously defied Trump and refused to voluntarily redraw their maps. One might be inclined to ask who started this latest bout of mass, iterative gerrymandering. It’s true that Texas, an iconic red state, drew first blood last July — although the U.S. Supreme Court didn’t finally permit Texas’s new maps to go into effect until a summary order earlier this week. What’s more, Texas’s new GOP-heavy map will likely provide Republicans less of a lopsided partisan advantage in its congressional delegation than will California’s own new map for the Golden State’s regnant Democratic Party. Republicans also claim Democrats have been the more blatant systemic gerrymanderers for decades — an assertion buttressed by even a cursory glance at bright-blue Illinois’ hilariously delineated congressional map.

The reality is that both parties have gerrymandered their respective controlled states for a very long time. That is a tedious and uninteresting observation. The more interesting and pressing question, as this rare mid-decade redistricting war nears its end, is this: Looking at the aggregate nationwide redistricting efforts, which party will come out on top in advance of the midterm elections this November? Democrats had a projected one-seat partisan advantage according to the website Ballotpedia, as of Thursday. But there are multiple reasons why this is likely to change. It appears the big victor will be the GOP.

First, this tally does not account for Florida’s redistricted map, which just passed through a special session of the Florida Legislature on Wednesday and has not yet (as of this writing) been signed into law by DeSantis. That alone will likely net the GOP four additional seats. Second, Virginia’s controversial ballot referendum redistricting measure, which was just approved by Old Dominion voters by a much narrower margin than that by which Virginians swept Democrats back into power last November, is facing serious legal challenges. Most recently, on Wednesday, the Virginia Supreme Court left in place a lower-court order blocking the commonwealth’s certification of the referendum results. If Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s new map is tossed out, Democrats will likely be out an additional four seats.

Finally, there is the landmark redistricting case that the U.S. Supreme Court just decided this week. In Louisiana v. Callais, the court held that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibits states and localities from imposing any voting “qualification or prerequisite” that “results in a denial or abridgement of the right of any citizen … to vote on account of race or color,” cannot be invoked to create race-conscious congressional maps — a dubious practice lawmakers had been blithely engaging in for decades. The court correctly held that such race-conscious mapmaking, including the devising of so-called majority-minority districts across many Southern states, runs afoul of the 14th Amendment’s sweeping equal protection guarantee.

Bright-red Louisiana, which was party to the Callais case, already suspended its upcoming primaries to give its legislature enough time to draw new congressional maps. In addition, many other safe Democratic “majority-minority” seats across the broader South are now extremely vulnerable. These Southern states can either redistrict of their own accord to comply with the Supreme Court’s new ruling, or they will be forced to do so through offensive litigation. Either way, the era of race-conscious mapmaking is now over. This is first and foremost a victory for the colorblind U.S. Constitution. But it will also benefit the GOP before November’s midterms — in Louisiana and likely beyond.

Our redistricting battles tend to rile up passions on all sides. But it’s a practice as old as the republic: The “gerry” in “gerrymandering” refers to Elbridge Gerry, who served in the First Congress and eventually as James Madison’s vice president. If one disapproves of how his state draws its maps, there is always the political check of the ballot box. And if that fails, he can always vote with his feet and leave. In fact, that’s already happening en masse: from blue states to red states. And for Democrats, that’s a trend not even the most aggressive gerrymandering can possibly alleviate.

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Larry Ellison will own CNN soon. Who will stay?

• Pressure Campaign to Get Scott Jennings Booted From CNN (Matt Margolis)

Scott Jennings might be the best thing to ever happen to CNN. That’s not hyperbole. Without him, most of us would have stopped clicking on clips from the network a long time ago. He’s one of the rare voices on that channel who actually makes it worth watching — which is exactly why the left wants him gone. The calls to fire him have been building for a while. Back in 2025, MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell singled Jennings out in a monologue, accusing CNN of paying “a Trump supporter to lie on CNN every day and night for Donald Trump.” So the groundwork was already laid. Now they have what they think is their opening.


On Thursday, Jennings got into a heated on-air exchange with Adam Mockler, a 23-year-old reporter and YouTuber with the leftist MeidasTouch network. The two were debating the unpopularity of the Iraq war when Mockler brought up Jennings’ service in the George W. Bush administration during the Iraq war, accusing him of supporting an “endless war.” Things got tense fast — both men talked over each other, hands were gesturing near faces — and Jennings told Mockler, “Get your f***ing hand out of my face, first of all.”

I seem to recall the left fawning over Joe Biden whenever he cursed… But, Scott Jennings? They want blood. Jim Acosta climbed out of the hole he currently occupies to demand that CNN fire Jennings. “At any other network, in any other era of television news, uttering an impromptu F-bomb would be a fireable offense,” Acosta claimed. He also claimed that Jennings was a “hothead” during their days working together, and made sure to note that Mockler is “almost a kid” and “a nice one,” concluding that “Jennings should be fired.”

Political commentator Keith Boykin piled on, too. “I’ve been on the air with Scott many times over the years,” Boykin wrote, reminding everyone that when he was under contract with CNN, contributors were called “brand ambassadors,” before asking pointedly, “Is this the brand?” The implication being, of course, that dropping an f-bomb is worse than anything CNN’s liberal voices have ever done on air. Sure.

Meanwhile, Mockler, after a fresh diaper change, posted a YouTube video following the segment in which he accused Jennings of deliberately provoking conflict and routinely picking on guests, while apparently lacking the toughness to take criticism in return. Really? The same guy who goes on CNN every day, with leftists constantly outnumbering him, and demolishes them without breaking a sweat, lacks the toughness to take criticism? That’s cute.

Here’s the thing about the left’s sudden commitment to broadcast decorum: it evaporates the moment one of their own is in the hot seat. Jimmy Kimmel joked about Melania Trump becoming an “expectant widow” — a thinly-veiled reference to President Donald Trump being assassinated — just days before a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The left’s response? Defense, deflection, and accusations of fascism are lobbed at anyone who dares to suggest Kimmel face consequences.

So let’s be honest about what’s happening here. The left’s “outrage” over Jennings’ f-bomb isn’t about standards or decency. They’ve wanted him off their network for years, so they’re seizing an opportunity to try to get Jennings booted. It’s not the first time, and likely won’t be the last.

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“I mean the train! Gavin, you got to get rid of the train!”

“I say this as a friend, you got to let that train go! Let the train go.”

“It’s up to $231 billion.”

• Watch the Look on Gavin Newsom’s Face As Bill Maher Torches His Insanity (Doug P.)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom clearly has his sights set on the Democrat presidential nomination in 2028, but as he found out during an appearance on Bill Maher’s show, he might have a hard time spinning his style of “leadership.” Newsom was just trying to sell his book, but Maher had other plans. Newsom didn’t seem to know what he was walking into and he most certainly didn’t arrive at the studio on any high speed train.

Here’s the rest of the post, via @overton_news:

MAHER: “The other side, what they are going to say though is, but have you seen the stats from California?”

NEWSOM: “Good! One of the largest economies. Let’s go!”

MAHER: “Well… are they going to say good about gas prices?”

“Are they going to say good about how high their rents are?”

“So many people live…I mean there’s a whole litany.”

“I mean the train! Gavin, you got to get rid of the train!”

“I say this as a friend, you got to let that train go! Let the train go.”

“It’s up to $231 billion.”

OUCH!

The moment what’s left of Newsom’s soul left his body:

It’s sad that Bill Maher goes in way tougher on Newsom than most “journalists” ever will.

Things just kept getting more awkward for Gavin:

Yeah, he wants to be Trump so bad but just can’t say it (or do it for that matter). Maybe we should call him Temu Trump. Newsom also got called out over his draconian lunacy during COVID and tried to pretend that too much wasn’t known about the virus at the time (apparently Newsom thought that a guy alone on a paddleboard might spread the disease to fish, or something).

Gavin also told Maher he “took on Ron DeSantis” but didn’t point out that he got smoked in that debate, poop map and all.

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Anything better than healthy food.

• Trump Says Medicare Will Soon Cover Weight-Loss Drugs (ET)

President Donald Trump announced on May 1 that Medicare patients will soon be able to obtain coverage for weight-loss drugs for $50 per month. Speaking at an event in Florida, Trump said the coverage for the weight-loss and diabetes medications will begin in July, referencing drugs that contain semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist. “Today, I’m thrilled to announce that starting on July 1, we will also provide Medicare patients with the coverage for weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Zepbound, Wegovy. Will be available for $50 a month,” he said.“So if it was $1,300, now it’s $50. And the $1,300 doesn’t cover a whole month. So it’s really even more than that. So it’s now down to $50.”


In December, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a voluntary model known as Better Approaches to Lifestyle and Nutrition for Comprehensive Health to expand access to GLP-1 medications for weight management and metabolic health, allowing Medicare Part D plans and state Medicaid agencies to cover the drugs while negotiating lower prices. The model, which would enable CMS to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies for lower prices and standard terms of coverage, was initially expected to launch in January 2027, but officials said in April it would be delayed “pending further evaluation and data collection.”

CMS said in April that it would extend its bridge program, a short-term solution to provide eligible Medicare Part D beneficiaries with access to certain GLP-1 drugs, until December 2027 b Part D refers to the prescription drug benefit run by private insurers approved by Medicare. CMS stated on its website that the bridge program would “operate outside of the Medicare Part D benefit’s coverage and payment flow.”

Meanwhile, drugmaker Novo Nordisk announced in February that it would lower the list prices, or wholesale acquisition costs, of Wegovy and Ozempic to $675 respectively, starting Jan. 1, 2027. According to Novo Nordisk, semaglutide is the active ingredient in both Ozempic and Wegovy, and both are considered GLP-1s, or glucagon-like peptides. These hormones are produced naturally within the body and regulate blood sugar and suppress appetite. GLP-1s are typically used in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

In addition to GLP-1s, Ozempic and Wegovy contain FDA-approved medicines with indications for adults with Type 2 diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease, and co-morbid cardiovascular disease. “Lowering the list price of Wegovy and Ozempic is the best approach to address the unprecedented opportunity to help more than 100 million people living with obesity, and over 35 million people with Type 2 diabetes in the United States,” Jamey Millar, Novo Nordisk executive vice president of U.S. operations, said in the statement.

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“The German industrial economy is the heart of the EU economy, and President Trump is now hitting them both right where it hurts.”

• Trump Targets Merz in Geopolitical Maneuver (CTH)

Keep in mind the background issue of Germany supplying Ukraine with weapons and material to keep fighting Russia, while the Merz administration triggers policy to force increased German military troop levels. Facing crushingly high increases in energy costs, last Monday in Marsberg, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the U.S. approach to Iran, saying Washington was being “humiliated by the Iranian leadership” and demanding the conflict end “as quickly as possible.”


Germany is facing a perfect storm of economic consequences following their decision to chase the climate change agenda (Build Back Better) and eliminate their coal and nuclear power plants. Combine the German/EU policy to stop purchasing cheap LNG and oil from Russia, in addition to skyrocketing energy costs from oil/gas flows from the Middle East, and the outcome is rising manufacturing costs leading to massive layoffs. The German industrial economy is the heart of the EU economy, and President Trump is now hitting them both right where it hurts.

Today two announcements hit an already vulnerable Germany directly. The first is: “The Secretary of War has ordered the withdrawal of approximately 5,000 troops from Germany,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told Fox News Digital. “This decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground.” {source}The second announcement is even more brutal for Chancellor Merz:

While the EU auto tariffs do not mention Germany specifically, it is the German auto industry (BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Porsche, Audi) that will be impacted the most. A 25% tariff on German vehicles destined to the USA will severely hurt the German auto industry. This is a massive hit to their already weakened position. Chancellor Friedrich Merz is already facing serious political issues within Germany as the economy continues to contract. The political opposition parties are on the rise and Merz is in a very precarious position. President Trump is exploiting this vulnerability by apply further economic pressure on Germany.

One of the outcomes of this pressure in combination with the internal friction Merz is facing, will be a demand by the German people to stop providing support for Ukraine and focus time, effort and energy on getting the structural economy back on solid footing. This can have an ancillary benefit to President Trump as he seeks to have Ukraine come to the negotiating table with Russia to end the conflict. There are multiple facets within this geopolitical positioning, and it is worth watching it play out closely.

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You try and tell me this has nothing to do with the church not likng Trump. “Church leaders backing the appointment argue that Menjivar-Ayala’s lived experience brings valuable perspective to his new role, particularly due to current immigration issues ..”

• Pope Leo XIV Names Former Illegal Immigrant As New Bishop (JTN)

A prominent Roman Catholic diocese is defending the decision made by Pope Leo XIV to appoint a new bishop who is a former illegal immigrant. The pope selected Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala to lead the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, a role overseeing the Catholic community across West Virginia. “Any insinuation that the Holy Father made this or any other appointment in any way to increase vitriol or insinuate that it gets back at the president of the United States is absurd,” a Wheeling diocese spokesperson said, according to Fox News. As a teenager fleeing violence in El Salvador during the country’s civil conflict, Menjivar-Ayala made multiple attempts to reach the U.S. before eventually crossing the border hidden in the trunk of a car near San Ysidro, California.


In recent years, he has been outspoken against stricter enforcement measures, describing them as matters of human dignity and human rights. He has also directly responded to criticism from some Catholic figures aligned with tougher immigration policies, including officials within the Trump administration. Church leaders backing the appointment argue that Menjivar-Ayala’s lived experience brings valuable perspective to his new role, particularly at a time when immigration remains one of the most divisive issues in society currently.

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