Beijing has spent the last several decades pressuring and threatening Taiwan‚ the island roughly 100 miles off the coast of mainland China‚ so no one was surprised when‚ during his New Year’s address‚ Chinese President Xi Jinping asserted that Taiwan’s reunification with China is a “historical inevitability.” What made Xi’s remarks especially concerning‚ however‚ was that they seemed to fit a pattern of gradually increasing aggression toward the island in the months leading up to Taiwan’s presidential election‚ which took place on Saturday. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) made it clear that there was at least one outcome of the election that it didn’t like — it didn’t want the Democrat Progressive Party’s candidate‚ Lai Ching-te‚ to win. Just days before Taiwan’s voters headed to the polls‚ a Chinese government spokesman warned that if Lai were elected‚ he “would continue to follow the evil path of provoking ‘independence‚'” taking the island nation “ever further away from peace and prosperity‚ and ever closer to war and decline.” (READ MORE: World War III Is Coming‚ and Senile Joe Doesn’t Care) But if China hoped to influence the election by publicly threatening Taiwan‚ it didn’t work. Lai won by a decent margin. By the time Lai reached the required 40 percent‚ he was 7 points ahead of his closest competitor. His win wasn’t just an affront to China; it marked the first time in the island’s history that a political party has stayed in power for three consecutive terms. It’s unlikely the election results surprised the CCP. Polling data suggests the Taiwanese are distancing themselves from China‚ and Lai ran on continuing the policies of his predecessor‚ Tsai Ing-wen‚ in regard both to China and to domestic issues like housing and the economy. Tsai has been in power since 2016‚ and‚ since then‚ the number of Taiwanese who prefer to maintain a status quo of intentional ambiguity — in which Taiwan is a distinct entity from China‚ but has not declared independence from the mainland — has only increased. According to statistics reported by the National Chengchi University (NCCU)‚ just 1.6 percent of the island’s civilians favor unification with mainland China. The NCCU published similar statistics on Taiwanese identity and found that 62.8 percent of the island’s population identify as Taiwanese (up from 17.6 percent in 1992) while just 2.5 percent identify as Chinese (down from 25.5 percent in 1992). Lai played on that opinion when he told thousands of jubilant supporters on Saturday during his victory speech that “This is a night that belongs to Taiwan. We managed to keep Taiwan on the map of the world.” China Meddled in Taiwan’s Election China certainly didn’t want Taiwan to stay on the map of the world — it has been running massive election interference online while maintaining military pressure for months. The Wall Street Journal reported that China had been flooding Taiwanese social media with news articles and deepfake videos‚ hoping to confuse Taiwanese voters and influence the outcome of the election. For instance‚ China has pushed the narrative that the election could have existential consequences. “They continue to say that the choice in this election is in between war and peace‚ and if you vote for the DPP’s candidate‚ it will mean war‚” Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told the Journal. Chatbots deployed by China have also attacked Lai’s running mate‚ according to the Hill‚ and have falsely claimed that she is an American citizen and is ineligible for office (she renounced her citizenship in 2002). Meanwhile‚ a 300-page book attacked Lai’s predecessor‚ President Tsai Ing-wen‚ depicting her as “a vile‚ morally corrupt dictator‚ sexually promiscuous and hungry for power.” (READ MORE: China’s Defense Minister Is Now an Admiral. What Does That Mean for Taiwan?) Ethan Tu‚ the founder of Taiwan AI labs‚ told the Wall Street Journal‚ “Every day we have hundreds of battlefields about misleading information on social media.… Taiwan is [the] number one [target] in terms of the foreign government’s false information.… So in Taiwan‚ overall‚ every day‚ every individual has received some kind of information manipulation.” Some 24 million people are living in Taiwan and the island has been subject to thousands of disinformation attacks daily. But China hasn’t just maintained pressure online; it’s been encroaching in Taiwanese airspace. During the last year‚ fighter jets and bombers have conducted 1‚727 flights crossing into Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) from mainland China. While some of those incursions seem to have been a response to Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island in August 2022‚ they have continued apace since. The Financial Times reported that just days after the election‚ China “conducted joint air and naval combat patrols near Taiwan” involving 24 aircraft and five naval ships. “The PLA’s [People’s Liberation Army] operations marked the largest air maneuver and violation of the air defense identification zone‚ a self-declared buffer zone‚ since December 28.” Will China Invade Taiwan? That kind of response from China was entirely predictable. After the election‚ a CCP spokesperson asserted that the election “will not change the basic fact that Taiwan is part of China and there is only one China in the world.” The government has also expressed annoyance with the congratulations Lai has received from leaders around the world. For instance‚ China lashed out at the Philippines‚ warning Manila “not to play with fire” after Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos sent a congratulatory note to Lai. It also accused the U.S. of sending a “gravely wrong signal” after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised the island’s dedication to democracy. (READ MORE: Vivek‚ China and Russia Are Not Breaking Up) But while those statements are possibly concerning‚ they hardly represent imminent threats. For now‚ China seems content to express its displeasure while continuing to put pressure on the island‚ hoping to achieve its goals via threats rather than with an all-out invasion that could involve the U.S.‚ Japan‚ or Australia. Xi has every intention of conquering Taiwan by any means necessary‚ and based on his recent conversation with President Joe Biden in San Francisco‚ he would like to do so soon. Unless something changes‚ it seems at least possible that the world could find itself watching the outbreak of yet another war. The post Taiwan’s Election Was Historic. Could It Mean War? appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

The GOP has an opportunity next week to strike a deal on immigration so as to stem the tide of people and drugs illegally crossing our southern border. There’s one major factor‚ however‚ that is throwing a wrench into that opportunity: former President Donald Trump came out late last night to command Republican congressmen to refuse a deal unless they get “EVERYTHING” from Democrats. “I do not think we should do a Border Deal‚ at all‚ unless we get EVERYTHING needed to shut down the INVASION of Millions and Millions of people‚” he said on Truth Social. Trump’s motive for doing so is not to preserve a perfect deal when it comes to immigration; rather‚ it is to forestall what would also be a win for President Joe Biden — and thus a knock on Trump’s own election chances come November. As negotiations remain ongoing in Congress over a compromise on a border agreement and aid for Ukraine‚ more hardline Republicans are moving to follow Trump’s orders and give up on a deal for now. “So now it’s 11 months‚ 10 months before a general election and now you want to work with Republicans to do something about the southern border?” said GOP Rep. Troy Nehls‚ who has endorsed Trump‚ earlier today. Sen. Josh Hawley also told CNN Thursday‚ “I really think that if you want to change what is happening with the border‚ you are going to have to change administrations.” Their hesitancy was accelerated by a leak of what was alleged to be a draft of the immigration deal. The alleged deal would be doomed to fail in both the House and Senate‚ given that it would allow 5‚000 migrants a day into the country. But GOP senators‚ including Sen. James Lankford‚ have denied that the draft is genuine. “A lie will go round the world while truth is pulling its boots on‚” he said on X‚ adding‚ “I also advise people not to believe everything you read on the internet.” Other Republicans are underscoring that leverage on aid to Ukraine and the public’s low opinion of the Biden administration’s handling of the immigration crisis have created excellent conditions for finally passing significant legislation to curtail the endless onslaught of immigrants illegally crossing the southern border. Failing to capitalize on these circumstances‚ they warn‚ would be a mistake. On Wednesday‚ Sen. John Cornyn said‚ “You have to make hard choices sometimes in politics and in life‚” he said. “And here the question is‚ ‘Do you want to get something that will help us stem the tide of humanity coming across the border and drugs? Or do you want to get nothing?’” Sen. John Thune likewise noted that the filibuster would be a significant barrier against passing an immigration deal even in a Trump administration. “The Democrats will not give us anything close to this if we have to get 60 votes in the United States Senate in a Republican majority‚” he said. “We have a unique opportunity here. And the timing is right to do this.” Cornyn and Thune are right. Trump and his allies want to prioritize his election‚ but that should not come at the expense of Republicans’ ability to reduce the flow of illegal immigrants over the border. In fiscal year 2023‚ there were 2.5 million encounters of migrants‚ and our country simply cannot allow that situation to continue. Moreover‚ during Trump’s years in office‚ neither he nor the Republican Congress passed anything on immigration. He only got limited money for the border wall after he declared a national emergency following a 35-day government shutdown that failed to get any funding. Who’s to say the outcome would be different in a second term? Plus‚ unlike past negotiations on an immigration deal‚ the granting of citizenship is not on the table here‚ and‚ in a future situation‚ Democrats may insist upon it‚ as they have in the past. In a circumstance that suggests a poor outlook on Republicans’ ability to pass a deal on immigration‚ House Speaker Mike Johnson has been involved in extensive communications with Trump about it. “[Trump] and I have been talking about this pretty frequently‚” said Johnson on Fox News Wednesday night. In a possible sign of hope‚ however‚ the White House seemed to suggest that a deal could be reached‚ with one anonymous official telling Politico that talks between the White House and congressional leaders were “balanced and constructive.” Now is Johnson’s time to act instead of falling into Trump’s repeated trap of forgoing action for the sake of imagined perfection. The post Republicans Need an Immigration Deal Now Rather Than Later appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Uh oh. I’m in trouble now. Last December‚ I walked into a Cabela’s on my way to Christmas vacation. I needed‚ you see‚ a gift card for my cousins. A Christmas present. They love the outdoors. Hikers and nature lovers‚ they have grown fond of Cabela’s. So what else to give them but‚ of course‚ a Cabela’s gift card? And on occasion‚ I have stopped in at the nearby Dick’s Sporting Goods and Bass Pro Shops. And yes‚ I’m well out there as a Trump supporter. All of which‚ I find out today‚ combines to give Big Government and Big Banks grounds to investigate me. Newsmax — where‚ full disclosure‚ I am a contributor — has headlined this: Rep. Jordan to Newsmax: Surveillance Collusion ‘Really Scary’.   The story — and it is not the only story out there about this — reported as follows: The federal government colluding with big banks to surveil regular Americans is “really scary stuff‚” Rep. Jim Jordan‚ R-Ohio‚ told Newsmax Wednesday. The government and banks engaged in financial surveillance‚ Jordan told “Eric Bolling The Balance.” “You have big banks searching private transactions for key terms at the request of the federal government‚ and it looks like there was no warrant requirement. There was no legal process that was done. They just said‚ Get this information‚” Jordan said. The story went on to say that the search terms used in this surveillance included “Trump” and “MAGA.” And‚ oh yes‚ if you have had the nerve to buy a Bible in your local bookstore — trouble. I may escape that problem because‚ having a half dozen bibles in my house from over the decades‚ I don’t need another. Oh wait! More than one Bible in my possession? Uh-oh. Rep. Jordan has gone on to say that if someone does what I have done‚ you will be “flagged as a … domestic potential violent extremist‚ and it’s really scary stuff that you have big government working together with big banks to surveil Americans.” Well. Apparently‚ the British author George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is at hand. For those who may have come in late on the Orwell classic‚ written in 1949‚ here is a brief description taken from that above link at Amazon (replete with British spelling!): Thematically‚ Nineteen Eighty-Four centres on the consequences of totalitarianism‚ mass surveillance‚ and repressive regimentation of persons and behaviours within society. Orwell‚ himself a democratic socialist‚ modeled the authoritarian government in the novel after Stalinist Russia. More broadly‚ the novel examines the role of truth and facts within politics and the ways in which they are manipulated.The story takes place in an imagined future‚ the year 1984‚ when much of the world has fallen victim to perpetual war‚ omnipresent government surveillance‚ historical negationism‚ and propaganda. Great Britain‚ known as Airstrip One‚ has become a province of a totalitarian superstate named Oceania that is ruled by the Party who employ the Thought Police to persecute individuality and independent thinking. Big Brother‚ the leader of the Party‚ enjoys an intense cult of personality despite the fact that he may not even exist. The protagonist‚ Winston Smith‚ is a diligent and skillful rank-and-file worker and Party member who secretly hates the Party and dreams of rebellion. He enters into a forbidden relationship with a colleague‚ Julia‚ and starts to remember what life was like before the Party came to power.Nineteen Eighty-Four has become a classic literary example of political and dystopian fiction. It also popularised the term “Orwellian” as an adjective‚ with many terms used in the novel entering common usage‚ including “Big Brother”‚ “doublethink”‚ “thoughtcrime”‚ “Newspeak”‚ “memory hole”‚ “2 + 2 = 5”‚ “proles”‚ “Two Minutes Hate”‚ “telescreen”‚ and “Room 101”. Time included it on its 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005. It was placed on the Modern Library’s 100 Best Novels‚ reaching No. 13 on the editors’ list and No. 6 on the readers’ list. In 2003‚ the novel was listed at No. 8 on The Big Read survey by the BBC. Parallels have been drawn between the novel’s subject matter and real life instances of totalitarianism‚ mass surveillance‚ and violations of freedom of expression among other themes. Well now. Here we are in 2024 in the 21st century‚ and‚ for a fact‚ we are now told that Big Government — the Biden-run Big Government — has recruited Big Banks to spy on Americans who are Trump and MAGA supporters and who‚ oh yes‚ have had the gall to purchase a Bible at their local bookstore. Full stop. It would be all too easy to ask if this was a joke‚ but clearly it is not a joke. It is a decidedly Orwellian reality. The question now is‚ this presumably still being America‚ when will this Big Government/Big Bank surveillance of private American citizens committing no wrong whatsoever be stopped post-haste — and investigated? Who inside the U.S. government — specifically by name — authorized all of this in the first place? Which is to say‚ when will the Biden administration be held accountable for yet more weaponizing of government to target decidedly law-abiding American citizens? As I’ve said before‚ the line made famous by the NASA space program in the 1960s is applicable. The line‚ a slight misquote allegedly delivered by an astronaut from a troubled space flight to NASA’s headquarters as portrayed in the movie Apollo 13‚ was: “Houston‚ we have a problem.” Suffice it to say‚ the news from Rep. Jordan about the combined surveillance of Trump supporters by Big Government and Big Banks summons another line: “America‚ we have a problem.” America does. And if I am now in trouble for buying a Cabela’s Christmas card present for family members and having shopped at Dick’s Sporting Goods and Bass Pro outlets‚ while also being a Trump supporter? Then another movie line comes to mind‚ per the great Clint Eastwood: “Go ahead‚ make my day.” READ MORE: Will Haley’s Comet Hit Earth? Ramaswamy Got Exactly What He Wanted From Iowa The post The Biden Big Government/Big Banks Surveillance Collusion appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

by Chris Menahan‚ Information Liberation: Matt Gaetz’s replacement theory. “This is the blue collar realignment of the Republican Party‚” Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz told Newsmax’s Carl Higbie on Wednesday. “And what I can tell you is like for every Karen we lose‚ there’s a Julio and Jamal ready to sign up for the MAGA movement […]

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