'Those in Washington, DC may not believe in enforcing the laws of our land'

'Myinflation.com'

Kamala Secures the Coveted Pop Star Endorsement

Former President Donald Trump kicked off Tuesday night’s first presidential debate on message. At first he stayed on target — and on offense. He was reserved, hitting on immigration and economic woes over and over while Vice President Kamala Harris played defense down in the weeds, thoroughly tied to the deeply unpopular incumbent. But then she got under his skin. Trump could have put this election away Tuesday night. Instead, the two camps will have to live in the margins for two more months. Like Ernest Hemingway’s law of bankruptcy, it happened gradually, then all of a sudden. There was a notable shift near the end of the first half-hour, when Trump’s voice began to rise. That’s not a problem. Trump is a master political debater who has remade the sport. He’d handily won the first 15-20 minutes. But by the second half of the first hour, it was clear that Harris was getting to him. Yes, the moderators beclowned themselves. It wasn’t just liberal bias but journalistic malpractice. How could Harris be allowed to say IVF was illegal in some states (IVF is legal in all states), while Trump was stopped from saying abortion is legal without limits in others (it is, including in Minnesota, which is under the leadership of Harris’ running mate, Tim Walz)? What about her bogus and debunked “bloodbath” claim? But it wasn’t the moderators who drove Trump full-speed down rambling rabbit holes about election shenanigans, the Jan. 6 riot, how much money he inherited, or the Central Park Five. Harris and the moderators merely waved the red cape, and Trump charged — away from crime, the economy, and the disastrous retreat from Kabul. When he threw it back on his opponent, he shone. While Harris clearly (and somewhat ghoulishly) lights up when she can talk about abortion, Trump repeated his successful 2016 Las Vegas tactic, going on an offense only the moderators were able to derail (with their demonstrably false fact-check). Trump began the debate focused on Harris. But by the second exhausting hour, it was entirely about him. Harris made sure of that, the moderators made sure of that, but most crucially to their plan, Trump made sure of that. To be clear: Harris didn't score any big wins. There was no “I am paying for this microphone” moment. No, “I really don't know what he said ... and I don't think he knows that either.” More, Trump is a known quantity. Who walks away surprised he can ramble or make it about himself and that that hasn’t changed? But it was Harris’ first real appearance before the American people. The stakes were incredibly high for her. Trump could have put this election away Tuesday night. Instead, the two camps will have to live in the margins for two more months. Though details are scant, it seems Harris’ team is challenging Trump to a second debate. If it’s legitimate and just a little fairer, there is no reason Trump shouldn’t answer the call. The Federalist: Nevada Supreme Court grants Democrats’ request to kick Green Party off 2024 ballot The Federalist: Harris’ platform declares war on the US Supreme Court Sign up for Bedford’s newsletter Sign up to get Blaze Media senior politics editor Christopher Bedford's newsletter.

Republicans missed the ball on their first play of the fall spending fight. Just missed it and tripped over the tee. They can’t even blame Lucy Van Pelt. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) pitch to tie a six-month “clean” spending bill to passing legislation protecting federal elections from noncitizen voters fell apart Monday before the happy hours even emptied. The fight was to be the first time either the speaker or the Republican nominee had backed the sort of brinksmanship necessary to win a hard-nosed spending fall fight. The effort was far from a sure thing, but it was not doomed to failure. It was an easy fundraising tactic, kept spending levels even, protected a potential Trump administration from getting bogged down in Democrat and Ukraine hawk spending priorities its first year, and would have added long-needed protections to American elections. The great danger is a massive, bloated omnibus that binds a potential Trump administration to Democrat policies into the fall of 2025. Problems, however, were evident from the start. Some conservatives balked at a continuing resolution. They oppose the CR on essentially dogmatic grounds, fighting instead for the old-fashioned way: twelve appropriations bills, each dealing with its own area (like agriculture or defense), passed through the correct channels. It’s a noble dream but one that hasn’t been realized since 1996. Congress has lost the memory for it, even if it had the will — and it does not. Others balked because a clean CR wouldn’t include all the goodies they wanted for their pals in the Pentagon. A massive standing military takes a lot of money, but it also develops the sort of influence past statesmen warned against. They want their cash. These appropriators are the types of Republicans a strong speaker and whip would have brought into the fold with honey and other promises. Leadership still could. And finally, others balked because they don’t trust Johnson or his team. And true to form, Johnson’s team was reportedly open about not pushing hard on the CR fight. So why would conservatives take a vote against the old dogmas only for a bluff they won’t get backed on? The great danger in this stunning lack of teamwork is a massive, bloated omnibus that binds a potential Trump administration to Democrat policies into the fall of 2025. Democrats aren’t interested in a six-month CR that lasts until March. Johnson will likely need vulnerable Democrats to break to hold his thin lines when you account for the usual speaker-derangement-syndrome GOP “no” votes. That takes running hard on six months and election protections, then being willing to trade off parts of those demands at the very end — at the brink. What Democrats want is a three-month bill, ensuring the usual pressure on lawmakers in December to pass a spending bill to avoid a holiday shutdown. That would mean Christmas in D.C.: Trillions here, billions there, and a few million sprinkled on top. It would mean a Democrat, uniparty, and defense-hawk wish list. It means an administration potentially hog-tied by Congress for its entire first year. In short, it means a whole lot of the things conservatives say they want to avoid. But as one conservative House staffer put it, “they’ve got their eyes on the third down, but we're going to fumble the first.” The ship could get righted, but at this point, it would take Trump re-engaging on Capitol Hill. He’s a bit busy at the moment, so don’t count on it. Sign up for Bedford’s newsletterSign up to get Blaze Media senior politics editor Christopher Bedford's newsletter.

A controversial Chicago-area mayor and township supervisor recently helped throw an event that cost taxpayers more than $85,000 despite a recent probe into her apparently "excessive" spending habits.On August 17, Tiffany Henyard, the mayor of the Village of Dolton and the supervisor of nearby Thornton Township, helped organize a municipal party entitled "A Taste of Thornton Township." Henyard's predecessor also organized the event in previous years.'She's just not going to stop until they put cuffs on her.'This year's event was "powered by Supervisor Tiffany A. Henyard and the Thornton Township Board" and billed as "A Free Concert & Community Celebration," according to a township Facebook post, but it was certainly not "free" for the township.WGN Investigates discovered through a Freedom of Information Act request that the party cost about $85,770. Of that, $50,000 went to pay for two musicians, R&B singer Keke Wyatt and rapper J. Holiday, to perform for 30 minutes each. Another $6,600 went toward renting inflatable bounce houses for children, WGN-TV reported.Despite the high price tag, the event drew small crowds. Former Dolton trustee Valeria Stubbs called it a "flop" and estimated that only 60 or 70 people showed up.Henyard, sometimes referred to as the "Dolton dictator" and "America's worst mayor," did not seem bothered by the apparently low turnout or the costs to the township. "This is all for the babies," she said as she filmed herself at the event. "They don’t show you this side of Tiffany Henyard: the productivity."Some local residents took a decidedly different view."I was flabbergasted," said Jennifer Robertz of Lansing. "I was p*ssed off. That’s my money. That’s the people’s money."According to WGN, most of the contracts associated with the township party were signed before the board of trustees took steps to curtail municipal spending.Last month, trustees in Dolton voted to freeze almost all village credit cards, as Blaze News previously reported. For now, only the director of administrative services will be able to use the village credit card and only for purchases preapproved by the board.Since the spring, Henyard, 41, has also been the subject of federal and local investigations. Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a fellow Democrat, was tapped to spearhead the local investigation into Henyard's "excessive and unauthorized use of village funds," according to the Washington Examiner. In a preliminary report issued on August 8, Lightfoot revealed that Dolton was currently in a budget shortfall of over $3.6 million even though Henyard inherited a $5.6 million budget surplus when she took office in April 2022, WLS reported.Lightfoot also documented lavish trips to Las Vegas, more than $40,000 in Amazon purchases, and another $10,000 spent at Wayfair and Best Buy, all on the village dime. "These are somebody using the credit card and charging these amounts using your tax dollars," Lightfoot said.Lightfoot further noted that the state has not audited the village's books as required by law.The Village of Dolton hired Lightfoot at $400 an hour for a total of $30,000. The federal investigation into Henyard remains ongoing.At least one Dolton resident believes Henyard, whom she called "a narcissist," will eventually get her comeuppance. "I feel like she knows this is over, but she’s going to go down kicking and screaming like an MMA fighter," Sherry Britton said. "She's just not going to stop until they put cuffs on her."Thus far, Henyard has not been charged with any crime, though Dolton Deputy Police Chief Lewis Lacey, described as a Henyard "ally," was indicted a few weeks ago on nine federal charges, including bankruptcy fraud and perjury. He has since pled not guilty.Henyard's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from WGN.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

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