'Engaged in sex with the student'

'It shouldn’t be a long-term solution'

The game is over! Well‚ not quite‚ there are still some things to do. Here is everything you can do after completing the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet epilogue. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: What to do after completing the epilogue Usually‚ when you finish a Pokémon game’s story‚ the amount of content that is left to experience and complete is massive. Some would say that the real Pokémon game starts after finishing the main storyline. Well‚ both Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and its DLCs fit the bill perfectly‚ but the epilogue – taking into account its epilogue nature – has less content than its predecessors. However‚ there are still a bunch of things you can do before you can get that 100% completion. Here is everything you can do after completing the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet epilogue. Face Arven‚ Penny‚ and Nemona‚ again Image: Game Freak If you have played a bunch of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‚ you know that you can battl...

I hope you enjoy doing nothing because today you will do just that. Or don’t‚ I mean… Oh well‚ here goes “Nothing”. Why play something when you can play Nothing? Have you ever been playing a game so much that you are so connected with it that when a loved one comes and asks you “What are you playing” and you respond “Nothing”? Well‚ you are in luck‚ because you can quite literally play Nothing and save yourself a heated discussion on why you are spending some much time in front of the screen! On January 10‚ 2024‚ Pixelatto‚ an independent game creator‚ released “Nothing”‚ a free “psychological horror” game on Steam in which you do absolutely nothing. Well‚ this piece is about to get confusing. Image: PC Invasion You see‚ while many are trying to complete soulslike games with a Guitar Hero guitar or a Dance Dance Revolution mat‚ or big AAA companies aim and struggle to come up w...

As the Middle East is again consumed by wars of terrorist aggression‚ Africa‚ too‚ is experiencing a rise in violence. Despite the region receiving billions in U.S. foreign aid annually‚ groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have gained ground throughout the continent. As of 2023‚ the Sahel region—a broad sub-Saharan swathe of land stretching from the Atlantic to the Indian Oceans—represents 43% of all global deaths caused by terrorism. This is a 7% increase over last year‚ with no signs of abating. All of this chaos has helped American adversaries like China and Russia gain stronger footholds on the African continent—a continent rich in natural resources critical to U.S. commerce and national security‚ but a sanctuary for terrorists who seek to attack America and our allies. It’s also a place where people deserve better than terrorism‚ violence‚ and authoritarian dictators. Yet U.S. influence in the region has declined since the Biden administration took office and rolled out a tremendously weak Africa strategy. Formed as a faction of Boko Haram—the terror group made infamous by its 2014 kidnapping of 276 Nigerian schoolgirls (of whom 98 still remain in captivity)—the Islamic State West Africa Province is active in northeastern Nigeria and the neighboring Lake Chad area. With an estimated force of 5‚000 fighters‚ Islamic State attacks anyone who opposes its extreme Salafi interpretation of Islam‚ while funding itself through kidnapping and extorting the local population. To the west is Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin‚ an Al-Qaeda-aligned group active in Mali‚ Niger‚ Togo‚ Benin‚ and Burkina Faso. The group focuses its attacks on security forces and political figures. In 2019‚ the terror group attacked a United Nations base in Mali‚ killing 10 peacekeepers and wounding 25 others. The U.S. Department of State has designated both Boko Haram and Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin as foreign terrorist organizations. Central Africa is no exception. In countries such as the Central African Republic‚ the Democratic Republic of Congo‚ Uganda‚ and Rwanda‚ Islamic State-affiliated groups such as the Allied Democratic Forces threaten security forces‚ U.N. peacekeepers‚ and civilians. In the Horn of Africa‚ the terrorist group Al-Shabaab continues to operate in Somalia‚ Kenya‚ Ethiopia‚ and Mogadishu. The federal government of Somalia has struggled to contain the group‚ which now controls large swathes of land. Al-Shabaab came to fame for its notorious 2013 attack on a Kenyan shopping mall that killed 60 people. Its goal is to establish a radical Islamic caliphate in the region. Following President Barack Obama’s takedown of former Libyan strongman Muammar al-Gaddafi in 2011‚ that country’s massive arsenal of weapons and fighters went into the Sahel region‚ especially to Mali and Niger‚ and proved a boon for regional terror groups. Endemic political instability and conflict followed‚ leading to humanitarian crises‚ economic contraction‚ and mass flows of fleeing emigrants north into Europe. Al-Qaeda- and Islamic State-affiliated groups are both the cause of and exploit the chaos. They recruit local and unemployed youths and spread their extremist ideologies beyond Africa. Since January 2020‚ there have been 13 coup attempts in Africa—six successful—reflecting increasing global instability since Joe Biden became president and his administration chose to focus on promoting climate‚ gender‚ and racial ideologies overseas. “The reversal of democratic gains runs parallel to insecurity that West Africa and the Sahel have been facing for some time now‚” said Omar Touray‚ the president of the Economic Community of West African States.     Meanwhile‚ regional instability‚ dictatorship‚ and corruption in countries with an abundance of natural resources have drawn the attention of global malign powers. Under the auspices of “counterterrorism‚” Russia’s paramilitary Wagner Group props up authoritarian regimes with “security advisers” and security forces that fight against these terror groups in exchange for profitable mining permits‚ especially gold mines. “It was only supposed to be a few weapons and instructors‚ but when the Russians arrived‚ they saw the state of chaos in which our country is and thought that they could also do business‚ set up companies‚ buy raw materials‚ exploit mines. … They came. They saw. They took advantage‚” said Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga‚ the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangui‚ Central African Republic. With terror-sponsored violence gripping much of Africa‚ Western companies are loathe to invest there‚ providing Communist China a clear path to serve as the continent’s banker. China’s Belt and Road Initiative‚ Beijing’s trillion-dollar signature infrastructure-building program to displace the United States as the global superpower‚ gives it access to Africa’s natural resources‚ including half of the world’s gold and 90% of the world’s cobalt‚ an essential component of lithium-ion batteries. In Djibouti‚ China built its first overseas military base at one of the most strategic shipping routes in the world‚ providing it access to maritime routes connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal. While China’s influence grows‚ U.S. influence in the region has declined since the Biden administration issued its much-touted Africa strategy—a strategy that prioritizes an ideological agenda divorced from Africa’s economic needs and America’s national security interests. Terrorism in Africa is a complex and multifaceted challenge. Certainly‚ more investment in education‚ infrastructure‚ and job-generating industries would help address the social‚ political‚ and related economic grievances of the civilian population that are constantly exploited by the terrorists. The failure of the West to effectively assist Africans to defeat these terrorist groups‚ however‚ makes economic development and social progress nearly impossible.  To reverse course requires the administration to adopt a new Africa strategy that prioritizes robust security assistance over progressive ideology‚ more commercial diplomacy to counter China and other malign actors’ penetration of the continent‚ and a foreign aid approach better aligned to U.S. national security outcomes. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Terror Groups and China Thrive‚ US Influence Declines‚ Amidst African Instability appeared first on The Daily Signal.

President Joe Biden on Friday announced the latest round of student debt cancellations in a statement issued by the White House. Since the Supreme Court’s ruling on June 30 in Biden v. Nebraska that the administration’s plan to cancel up to $10‚000 in student debt for all borrowers was unlawful‚ the administration has sought to pursue other debt cancellation measures‚ most notably through the Saving on a Valuable Education plan‚ which was finalized by the Department of Education on the day of the court’s ruling. Biden said that borrowers enrolled in the SAVE plan who borrowed less than $12‚000 in debt‚ and who have been in repayment for at least 10 years‚ will have their balances canceled by February. “This action will particularly help community college borrowers‚ low-income borrowers‚ and those struggling to repay their loans‚” Biden wrote. “[I]n the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision on our student debt relief plan‚ we are continuing to pursue an alternative path to deliver student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible as quickly as possible.” Imagine checking your student debt balance and seeing $0.00.Starting next month‚ many Americans enrolled in our SAVE plan will join the already 3.6 million who have seen their student debt cancelled by my Administration through various actions. pic.twitter.com/EH1S5aXD2Y— President Biden (@POTUS) January 12‚ 2024 Biden’s SAVE plan caps student loan repayments at 5% of discretionary income every month for undergraduate borrowers‚ with some borrowers eligible to make $0 in monthly payments. “Already‚ 6.9 million borrowers are enrolled in the plan‚ and 3.9 million have a $0 monthly payment‚” reads the White House’s press release. Student loan forgiveness programs have been criticized by conservative groups as redistributionist since college-educated borrowers‚ which are a large Democratic-voting block‚ are being relieved of repaying loans funded by taxpayers‚ which include individuals without a college education. Biden’s SAVE plan was almost immediately challenged in court by a coalition of conservative and libertarian groups‚ with the case pending at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Since Biden assumed office on Jan. 20‚ 2021‚ over 3.6 million borrowers have received some form of debt forgiveness‚ according to the announcement. The forgiveness amounts to $132 billion‚ according to the White House. Additionally‚ the administration has sought regulatory changes to how individuals with student debt may access government services‚ such as affordable housing. “We know debt disproportionately impacts Black and Brown people in this country. That is why we introduced changes to how potential homebuyers’ rental history is considered‚ and how their student loan debt is calculated so more people can qualify for affordable housing financing‚” wrote Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge on X‚ formally known as Twitter. Student debt repayments‚ which were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic‚ resumed in October 2023‚ with 8.8 million borrowers missing their first payment. “This is a great step. Next: let’s cancel all student debt‚” wrote Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico on X about Biden’s announcement. The decision was also applauded by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts‚ on X. Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state.   The post Biden Announces Fresh Wave of Student Debt Cancellations appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A Maryland suburb of the nation’s capital this week extended voting rights to 16-year-olds for local elections—expanding on a national push endorsed by Democrat politicians and donors such as billionaire George Soros.  The Town Council of Cheverly—about 15 minutes outside Washington‚ D.C.—voted unanimously Thursday to amend the town charter to allow younger teens to participate in town elections.  Cheverly‚ with a population of just over 6‚100‚ joins the Maryland suburbs of Greenbelt‚ Hyattsville‚ Riverdale Park‚ and Takoma Park in allowing teens to vote at the same age they get their driver’s license. Another Maryland jurisdiction‚ Glenarden‚ lowered the voting age to 16 in 2016‚ but raised it again to 18 the next year‚ according to the National Youth Rights Association‚ which advocates voting by younger teens.  In California‚ Berkeley and Oakland allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in school board elections. Brattleboro‚ Vermont‚ also reduced the voting age to 16 for all local elections‚ according to the association’s status report.  “This charter amendment marks a pivotal moment for our town‚” Cheverly Mayor Kayce Munyeneh said in a written statement. “By extending voting rights to youth at age 16‚ we are empowering the next generation to actively participate in shaping the future of Cheverly. Their voices matter‚ and this amendment reflects our commitment to inclusivity and the democratic process.” Some conservative advocates of clean elections argue that voting measures for minors‚ supported by numerous Democrat groups‚ are part of the Left’s goal of shaping its electorate in line with voting by felons and noncitizens.  As noted in my book “The Myth of Voter Suppression‚” Democrats long have sought to change election laws to gain a political advantage. Surveys show that teens are far more likely to support left-leaning policies‚ including by embracing socialism. The council also voted to form a Youth Council to advise the town council on relevant issues.  “Our youth are the future leaders‚ innovators‚ and change-makers of Cheverly‚” Munyeneh said. “This dual action‚ both the charter amendment and the formation of the Youth Council‚ underscores our commitment to actively listen to their voices. We believe in their potential to contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of our community.” Endorsements for voting by minors overwhelmingly come from Democrats and Democrat-leaning organizations and donors‚ according to a list on the National Youth Rights Association’s website.  Notably‚ the endorsement list includes Soros‚ an investor and philanthropist known for spending his fortune on left-leaning causes.  The list includes Young Democrats of America; High School Democrats of America; several local Democrat Party committees; Oregon Gov. Kate Brown; and former Green Party presidential candidates Ralph Nader and Jill Stein. Also listed as endorsers are the editorial boards of The Washington Post and The Boston Globe.  In 2019‚ Rep. Michael Burgess‚ R-Texas‚ joined a majority of House Democrats in voting for a bill to lower the national voting age to 16. The legislation failed on a vote of 305-126‚ with 108 Democrats joining all the other Republicans. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‚ D-Calif.‚ voted for the measure‚ as did three 2020 Democrat presidential hopefuls: Reps. Eric Swalwell of California‚ Seth Moulton of Massachusetts‚ and Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post DC Suburb Expands Voting Rights to Minors appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The FBI was at the scene in Los Angeles last fall when an armed man impersonating a U.S. marshal allegedly attempted to approach independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‚ according to documents obtained by The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project.  The documents‚ released by the Los Angeles Police Department after a public records request‚ also suggest police did not like the way the case was being charged by the local prosecutor as a misdemeanor‚ prompting one detective to write “You gotta love California” in an apparent sarcastic tone. ? "You gotta love California!" – @LAPDHQ We've uncovered communications about the threat incident where an armed man impersonated a U.S. Marshal in close proximity to @RobertKennedyJr @POTUS still refuses to provide RFK Jr. @SecretService protection https://t.co/elE1ZXUUII pic.twitter.com/e5W4KWrcTt— Oversight Project (@OversightPR) January 12‚ 2024 Despite this and at least two subsequent incidents involving an intruder at Kennedy’s home‚ the Biden administration has denied Kennedy’s request for Secret Service protection.  “Security at the event did not recognize him as being part of the security detail. LAPD was called‚ and the suspect was detained‚” says a Sept. 16 email from a public information officer in the LAPD media relations office. “FBI was also at the scene.” The FBI did not respond to an inquiry from The Daily Signal about why FBI agents were on the scene.  Kennedy was speaking at a Sept. 15 campaign event at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre to mark Hispanic Heritage Month when police detained Adrian Aispuro‚ who allegedly impersonated a federal agent while carrying a firearm‚ and falsely claimed to be part of Kennedy’s security detail‚ insisting on being taken to the candidate. In a separate message‚ LAPD Detective Marc Madero said in a Sept. 20 email: “The case was referred to the city attorney for a misdemeanor consideration. You gotta love California.” Later that same day‚ Madero learned the Aispuro bail was reduced from $35‚000 to $10‚000.  Kennedy’s father‚ former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy‚ was assassinated in Los Angeles after winning the 1968 California Democratic presidential primary in June of that year. His uncle‚ President John F. Kennedy‚ was murdered in Dallas in November 1963.  In a bombshell revelation‚ we have also uncovered that @FBI‚ for reasons unclear‚ was on the scene at the time pic.twitter.com/DcUwN7XJ5w— Oversight Project (@OversightPR) January 12‚ 2024 Aispuro‚ 44‚ was charged in California with carrying a loaded firearm and carrying a concealed weapon‚ as well as with impersonating an officer‚ WPVI-TV in Philadelphia reported in October. However‚ the U.S. Justice Department has not charged him with impersonating a federal agent‚ which is a federal crime punishable by up to three years in prison.  To date‚ Biden's @DOJCrimDiv hasn't charged the criminal‚ Adrian Aispuro‚ with impersonating a federal agent.— Oversight Project (@OversightPR) January 12‚ 2024 In November‚ Kennedy posted on X‚ formerly Twitter: “You can’t have a functioning democracy when candidates aren’t safe. Whether or not you support my campaign‚ please sign this petition urging the White House to grant me Secret Service protection.” In December‚ Utah’s Deseret News first reported on a letter from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas denying Kennedy’s third request for Secret Service protection.  “Based on the facts and the recommendation of the advisory committee‚ I have determined that Secret Service protection for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is not warranted at this time‚” the Mayorkas letter says.  The White House did not respond to inquiries from The Daily Signal asking why his request for Secret Service protection wasn’t granted. The Department of Homeland Security‚ which oversees the Secret Service‚ also did not respond.  Kennedy entered the 2024 presidential race as a Democratic primary candidate‚ but in October‚ he announced he would run instead as an independent. “If anyone is right to be afraid of political violence and the federal government in this country‚ it’s Robert F Kennedy Jr. There’s no defensible reason why the Biden administration continues to withhold Secret Service protection‚” Heritage Oversight Project Director Mike Howell told The Daily Signal. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.) “Furthermore‚ they aren’t even prosecuting the disturbing incident in California‚ where an armed man impersonated a federal law enforcement officer‚” Howell added. “Even the LAPD thinks this whole thing was mishandled. Get [Kennedy] the protection he deserves.” Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post EXCLUSIVE: As Biden Admin Denies RFK Jr. Secret Service Protection‚ LAPD Scorned Lax Charges Against Alleged Would-Be Assailant appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The presidential election is a year away‚ and an unpopular President Joe Biden is visibly losing mental acuity. “Weekend at Bernie’s III” was a sequel no one made‚ for good reason. The response from partisans on the left is panic‚ crowned by Washington Post editor Robert Kagan’s unhinged commentary‚ “A Trump dictatorship is increasingly inevitable”—complete with a photo morphing former President Donald Trump into Julius Caesar. In an op-ed for The New York Times‚ Georgetown University professor Donald Moynihan thinks “Trump Has a Master Plan for Destroying the ‘Deep State.’” He’s afraid conservatives‚ eager to avoid mistakes that hobbled the Trump administration‚ are getting better organized. Moynihan cites The Heritage Foundation-led Project 2025 as the blueprint to “elevate personal fealty” as the “central value in government employment‚ processes‚ and institutions.” He fears that Trump will “terrify career civil servants into submission” by converting existing career jobs with a policy role into new “Schedule F” positions without tenure (hirable and fireable at will). In brief‚ a “schedule” in federal employment refers to jobs that are managed outside the normal hiring and firing process. Schedule C positions‚ for example‚ are “excepted from the competitive service because of their confidential or policy-determining character” and filled with politically appointed‚ as opposed to career‚ employees. This is allows presidents to ensure policy control during their administrations by picking people who will carry out their vision. That’s why‚ for example‚ under Biden‚ open-borders activists that he elevated from the career bureaucracy undermine Immigration and Customs Enforcement‚ diverting its resources toward social services for illegal immigrants instead of border enforcement. Not surprisingly‚ Biden’s “average Schedule C is a female‚ white Harvard Graduate” coming from a nonprofit organization and working at the White House‚ according to an analysis from the group Leadership Connect. This chart linked here shows how they are spread out across agencies. But with only a couple thousand Schedule C employees‚ each administration is reliant on the vast federal bureaucracy to carry out its goals. That’s where Schedule F comes in. Let’s separate the media’s “Trump derangement syndrome” from the actual policy proposal. In October 2020‚ Trump signed an executive order establishing the new Schedule F to include more “positions of a confidential‚ policy-determining‚ policy-making‚ or policy-advocating character.” In brief‚ Schedule F creates a larger class of employees directly responsible to the president. But it does not gut the civil service‚ as scare-mongering opponents claim. First‚ the order would have required agency heads to justify at some length‚ on the record‚ why any position should be classified Schedule F. Furthermore‚ Schedule F would have maintained prohibitions against discriminating “for or against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of … political affiliation.” While the proposal did not contain a numerical cap‚ even 50‚000 Schedule Fs—which no administration would ever be able to work through the system—would only amount to 2.5% of the 2.2 million existing civil servants. A small increase in staff more directly accountable to the president is a necessary counterweight to a federal government that increasingly tilts to the Left. Democrats are overrepresented in nearly every federal department and “are especially overrepresented in more-senior positions‚” according to a 2021 study. The largest federal employee union‚ the American Federation of Government Employees‚ endorsed Joe Biden in 2020 and polled their members at 62% for Biden and 17% for Trump. Trump’s Schedule F order was repealed by Biden after he took office. But in our increasingly polarized country‚ even Democrat presidents might benefit from a little more control over their agencies. Keeping staff in line is harder than it used to be. For example‚ White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients seems powerless to enforce the president’s orders for federal employees to get back to the office. Long past the COVID-19 crisis‚ only half of federal agencies have returned‚ and only for half the week. Additionally‚ a generation ago‚ there was little tolerance for internal carping once policy had been set. Today’s rising generation of civil servants is used to sharing their thoughts on social media and reluctant to separate professional from personal opinions. In response‚ the Biden administration has an almost masochistic level of tolerance for staff complaints. After the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7‚ for example‚ hundreds of federal employees signed letters criticizing administration policy. Some State Department staff dissented through the correct professional channel‚ known as the “dissent channel‚” but a Department of Homeland Security adjudicator of asylum claims went straight to social media‚ as did a senior CIA employee. An employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs shared an Instagram video mocking Israeli concern for hostages. Incredibly‚ even White House interns wrote a letter to Biden in which they demanded “a permanent ceasefire‚” referred to Israeli “apartheid‚” and insisted Biden back a “free Palestine.” Rather than telling them all to get on with implementing the policies of their duly-elected boss‚ the administration offered counseling‚ bent over backward to listen to “feedback and ideas‚” and wrote cringeworthy “we-hear-you” letters. And all of this is under Biden‚ for whom a majority of federal workers likely voted. Imagine the reaction of this same cohort to Trump policies. In addition to Schedule F‚ Moynihan also alleges that Trump would use the legal system and government resources to “attack his political enemies and force through his policy goals without congressional approval.” This assertion is disingenuous for two reasons. First‚ the legal system is already being politically weaponized by prosecutors from various jurisdictions across the country. The timing of the cases against Trump‚ three years after he left office and designed to be in full swing during the 2024 elections‚ is bad enough. But some of the charges are spurious‚ inflated‚ or could not conceivably have been brought against any other person. Second‚ Biden is already “forc[ing] his goals without congressional approval.” He has ignored U.S. immigration law‚ given away billions by “forgiving” student loans‚ and injected gender ideology into legal protections that were meant for women‚ all without clear statutory authority. Where are the “democratic checks that limit the abuse of centralized power” of which Moynihan speaks? It does not appear that Moynihan was ever a public servant‚ a perspective that would have been valuable to his analysis. I worked at the State Department for 23 years. In my experience‚ a majority of federal workers will do their jobs under presidents of either party‚ with greater or lesser enthusiasm‚ but in good faith. But a minority of “deep state” employees know how to slow-roll or use procedural knowledge to block initiatives they disagree with. They also know the personnel system has‚ over time‚ swung too far away from accountability. Merit-protection laws intended to protect civil servants against political abuse should not be an impenetrable aegis against all responsibility for their misbehavior and have too often been used in recent years to shield federal employees who engage in politically biased‚ partisan actions. Civil servants should follow any order that is not either illegal or so unethical that they cannot in good conscience carry it out. They have a duty to advise decision-makers‚ but if they are unable to persuade‚ they should either resign or get on with the job. Civil servants who adhere to this standard would have no fear of Schedule F appointments or the fair administration of existing professional standards. Only around 10‚000 federal employees are fired for poor performance or misconduct a year—about 0.4%. The firing process is onerous for the government‚ even when misconduct is grievous. Balancing a highly protected 97.5% of employees with a slightly increased cadre of Schedule F employees more directly accountable to the administration in office is not an unreasonable compromise. Voters decide who runs the country‚ and presidents put trusted leaders in agencies to carry out the policies they were elected to perform. Whether under a second Trump administration or not‚ it is time for a reform of the federal bureaucracy to strengthen American government‚ improve public services‚ and recalibrate the balance among our three branches of government. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Bureaucracy Reform: Presidential Power Struggle or Democracy Boost? appeared first on The Daily Signal.

When faced with the possible return of former President Donald Trump‚ the current agenda of the Democratic Party is summed up simply as “We had to destroy democracy to save it.” The effort shares a common theme: Any means necessary are justified to prevent the people from choosing their own president‚ given the fear that a majority might vote to elect Trump. Sometimes the anti-democratic paranoia has been outsourced to state and local officials and prosecutors to erase Trump from the primary and likely general election ballots as well. One unelected official in Maine‚ Secretary of State Shenna Bellows‚ is a Democrat‚ an official never elected by the people‚ and a non-lawyer rendering a legal edict. Yet she has judged Trump guilty of “insurrection.” And presto‚ she erased his name from the state’s ballot. Yet Trump was never charged‚ much less convicted‚ of “insurrection.” The statute Bellows cites is a post-Civil War clause of the 14th Amendment. It was passed over a century and a half ago. It was never intended to be used in an election year by an opposition party to disbar a rival presidential candidate. In the earlier case of Colorado‚ the all-Democrat state Supreme Court‚ in a 4-3 vote‚ took Trump off the ballot. In sum‚ just five officials in two states have taken away the rights of some 7 million Americans to vote for the president of their choice. Note that Trump continues to lead incumbent President Joe Biden in the polls. Sometimes‚ indictments are preferred to prevent Americans from voting for or against Trump. Currently‚ four leftist prosecutors—three state and one federal—have indicted Trump. They are petitioning courts to accelerate the usually lethargic legal process to ensure Trump is tied up in Atlanta‚ Miami‚ New York‚ and Washington‚ D.C.‚ courtrooms nonstop during the 2024 election cycle. Their aim is to keep Trump from campaigning‚ as he faces four left-wing prosecutors‚ four liberal judges‚ and four or five overwhelmingly Democratic jury pools. Yet all the indictments are increasingly clouded in controversy‚ if not outright scandal. Georgia prosecutor Fani Willis campaigned on promises to get Trump. She now faces allegations that she outsourced the prosecution to an unqualified personal injury lawyer—her current stealth boyfriend‚ who was paid handsomely by Willis’ office and traveled on pricey junkets with her. New York partisan Attorney General Letitia James likewise sought office on promises to destroy Trump. She preposterously claims Trump overvalued his real estate collateral to a bank. Yet it eagerly made the loan‚ profited from it‚ and had no complaints‚ given that Trump paid off the principle and interest as required. Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg is even more desperate. He is now prosecuting Trump for campaign finance violations from nearly a decade ago‚ claiming a nondisclosure agreement with a purported sexual liaison somehow counts as a campaign violation. Federal special prosecutor Jack Smith claims Trump should be convicted of improperly removing classified documents after leaving office. In the past‚ such disagreements over presidential papers were resolved bureaucratically. Biden‚ for example‚ improperly took out classified files after leaving the Senate and vice presidency and stored them in unsecure locations for more than a decade. All of these prosecutors are unapologetic anti-Trump progressives. Some have communicated with the White House legal eagles‚ even though Biden is likely to face Trump in the November election. Some prosecutors are themselves facing controversies‚ if not scandals. Some wish to synchronize their drawn-out investigations and indictments to hinder the Trump reelection effort. At other times‚ the effort to neuter Trump is waged by his rival‚ Biden himself. He has hammered Trump as an “insurrectionist” and guilty of a number of egregious crimes against democracy—even as Biden’s own attorney general has appointed a special counsel to try Trump on just those federal charges concerning the Jan. 6 demonstrations‚ a dead horse that Biden periodically still beats to death to scare voters. Biden periodically smears half of America who supported or voted for Trump as “ultra-MAGA” extremists and “semi-fascists” who would destroy democracy. Yet the more Biden and the Left weaponize the judicial system to prevent Trump from running‚ and the more Biden screams and yells that Trump supporters are anti-American and anti-democratic‚ the more Trump soars in the polls while Biden sinks. The Left privately knows that its historically unprecedented strangulation of democracy is increasing Trump’s popularity. But like an addict‚ it cannot quit its Trump fix. In sum‚ the Left is creating historic‚ anti-democratic precedents that will someday boomerang on Democrats should Republicans win the November election and follow the new Democrat model of extralegal politics. Democrats are tearing apart the country in a manner not seen since the Civil War era—apparently convinced democracy cannot be trusted and so itself must be sacrificed as the price of destroying Trump. COPYRIGHT 2024 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY LLC. The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Biden‚ Democratic Apparatchiks Seek to ‘Save’ Democracy by Destroying It appeared first on The Daily Signal.