Politicians are often takers. They take our money (and freedom) in the name of achieving goals they rarely achieve. Elon Musk and Sen. Elizabeth Warren may be the best examples of maker and taker. They’re the stars of my video this week. Warren shouts‚ “Tax the rich!” She especially wants to tax Musk‚ the richest man in the world. In her eagerness to grab his money‚ she spun a scandal in the media‚ claiming Musk paid no taxes. She went on TV again and again to tell people that in 2018‚ “He paid zero!” It was true. In 2018‚ Musk paid no federal income tax. But that was only because his pay was entirely in the form of “stock options‚” and that year‚ they gave him no income. But at the very moment Warren launched her “zero-tax” screed‚ Musk was paying the U.S. government $12 billion -- more tax than anyone has ever paid in history. Warren didn’t mention that. I wish Musk paid much less tax. It would be better for the world if he spent the $12 billion himself -- rather than giving it to Warren and her cronies. I say that because Musk‚ a maker‚ does so many useful things. That includes things that the government is unable to do. NASA has given up building spaceships. Even NASA bureaucrats now understand that they don’t do things very well. In 2008‚ NASA administrator Mike Griffin said‚ “We can’t keep doing the same old things as before” and invited private companies to join the space race. That got results. By 2020‚ Musk had sent astronauts into orbit‚ something NASA hadn’t been able to do for nine years. Musk lowered the cost of nearly every component of space flight. NASA spent $1‚500 on door latches. Musk’s team built the part for $30 by modifying a latch from bathroom stalls. Musk developed reusable rockets‚ which drastically cut costs. “Reuse the rocket‚ say‚ 1‚000 times‚” said Musk. “That would make the capital costs of the rocket per launch only about $50‚000.” Why didn’t NASA do that? Because in government‚ people do what they’ve always done. Lowering costs isn’t important. They’re spending other people’s money. Musk also created Starlink. Starlink satellites now provide low-cost internet service to people all over the world. He’s so successful launching satellites that most satellites now orbiting earth are Musk’s. He’s given more poor people access to the internet than any government ever has. Musk develops the world’s most popular electric car‚ gives poor people internet access‚ reinvigorates space exploration and creates 110‚000 jobs. So‚ Warren wants to punish him? She sent a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission‚ demanding the government investigate Tesla for “not properly representing shareholders.” Seems like a bizarre accusation‚ given that Tesla’s stock has increased in value by $790 billion. Warren didn’t like that Musk became CEO of Twitter. She demanded that “conflict of interest” be investigated. But it’s great that Musk bought Twitter. He told Joe Rogan that he’s lost money on the company‚ but that taking over Twitter was still worth “everything‚” because he’s protecting open debate. I agree. Twitter’s previous owners censored political views that didn’t conform to left-wing bias. They even reduced the number of my Twitter followers. Only when Musk took over did the total climb back above a million again. Now Musk’s company‚ Neuralink‚ is trying to help paralyzed people access the internet and operate artificial limbs -- just by using their thoughts. Neuralink‚ Tesla‚ SpaceX‚ Starlink. Musk is a maker and a hero! Warren‚ the taker‚ attacks people who create wealth. She pushes a skewed narrative about “greedy” corporations. Of course‚ corporations are greedy! Greed works. It motivates people to try harder. But (outside of government) greedy people can only satisfy their greed by pleasing customers. Unlike politicians‚ they can’t force anyone to pay. Our world needs fewer Elizabeth Warrens and more Elon Musks.

On Thursday’s CBS Mornings‚ co-host Tony Dokoupil surprisingly brought the heat against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas amid the latest wave in the ongoing Biden border crisis‚ calling out Mayorkas’s anger-filled attacks against Republicans and reminding him that his boss — President Biden — campaigned on encouraging illegal immigration. Dokoupil began with the facts that “the bitter political fight over America’s migrant crisis‚ it is coming to a head” with December crossings hitting an all-time high of “more than 300‚000” illegals detained on top of “a record in fiscal year 2022.”     Citing the Wednesday trip by House Republicans to the border‚ he brought in Mayorkas and noted he’s “who Republicans blame for this crisis” and‚ as such‚ want to impeach him. Mayorkas immediately lashed out‚ saying he didn’t “have time for words like that” and “[w]e are focused here on solutions” for “incredibly talented public servants” who put their lives on the line. After reiterating he had “time for politics” and not “politics‚”  Dokoupil presented the Republican point of view (and the facts): Republicans say the border is not secure and Mike Johnson‚ the Speaker of the House‚ he says the necessary next step is to stop the flow. The hydrant is on‚ in his metaphor‚ and they don’t need more buckets. They need to turn it off. What is the White House proposing to solve the flow problem that Republicans have identified? Mayorkas channeled Karine Jean-Pierre by not only downplaying the crisis as “not specific or exclusive” given the “level[s] of migration throughout our hemisphere‚” but also citing Biden’s day-one legislation that was a wish list for pro-amnesty groups. Dokoupil wasn’t having any of this and laid into this faux concern given Biden’s campaign position that encouraged illegal immigration: I mean‚ respectfully‚ yes‚ there is a global migration crisis‚ but the President of the United States‚ also as a candidate‚ said‚ “Come‚ come to the U.S. if you want to claim asylum‚ restore the dignity of that process.” That was his position. And so people are coming‚ the numbers have gone up tremendously‚ and nothing in the White House’s plan addresses what Republicans are saying is so important. Catch-and-release‚ a phrase you hear. What that means is people come across the border‚ they claim asylum‚ and then they’re allowed to stay in this country for years while they wait for that process to play out — years and years and years. People know that’s the game‚ they know the bar for asylum is low‚ the claim bar is low‚ and so they come. Are you doing anything? Are you willing to do anything to stop the flow in that way? Mayorkas snapped back that Dokoupil needed to “allow me to finish”. Dokoupil’s follow-up brought more teeth by again citing Republican priorities and pointing out there’s no disincentive to cross the border for those looking to (click “expand”): MAYORKAS: Allow me to finish my answer. On the first day in office‚ President Biden sent a legislative proposal to Congress to fix what everyone agrees is a broken immigration system. I have dealt with the immigration system‚ first as a prosecutor in the 1990s‚ and then as an administrator beginning in 2009 and the years’ long process that you describe has been a problem in the immigration system ever since I’ve worked in it. And everyone agrees that the system is broken. And what we are doing is enforcing our laws. We are enforcing our laws — DOKOUPIL: Mr. Secretary — MAYORKAS: — criminal laws‚ our immigration laws‚ and that includes our asylum laws. And when people come to the United States at the border‚ they are placed in immigration enforcement proceedings‚ and those proceedings take many years because our system is broken and it is also underfunded. DOKOUPIL: — Mr. Secretary — MAYORKAS: We need Congress to fix the system‚ and we need the resources to administer it. DOKOUPIL: — Mr. Secretary‚ I’m glad you talked about enforcing the laws because what this conversation is about is what the law should be. You’re talking to senators and the White House about a bill on that side of the chamber. The House has already passed something. So what I’m really asking you here is would you change the law? Do you support changes to the law to reduce the flow? And I’ll give you specifics that Republicans want on the table‚ they want the standard for allowing a person to come across the border in between ports of entry‚ illegally is the word for it‚ and wait here. They want that standard to be higher. Right now‚ it’s just credible fear. They want it to be more likely than not you’d be allowed to stay. I think you know the reality is most people who cross the border and claim asylum‚ the vast majority do not actually receive asylum and then they’re just here. So will you change the standard at the border as a matter of law? Moments later‚ Dokoupil pivoted to Democratic-run cities and asking what the White House would do to help them as well as the starving people themselves. Mayorkas ignored this completely and instead claimed Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) is the cause of the border crisis. Dokoupil conceded “both parties are playing games‚” but tore into Mayorkas as time had run out on the interview: “[Y]ou’re not talking about the fundamental point of contradiction. The Republicans want a stop to the flow with very specific ideas‚ you’re not even talking about those ideas this morning.” Of course‚ Mayorkas insisted on saying his piece: “I would respectfully disagree with you. I would respectfully disagree with you.” To see the relevant transcript from January 4‚ click “expand.” CBS Mornings [via WUSA-9 on Paramount+] January 4‚ 2023 7:31 a.m. Eastern [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: U.S. Border Battle; GOP &; White House Spar Over How to Secure Border Amid Migrant Crisis] TONY DOKOUPIL: [A]nd the bitter political fight over America’s migrant crisis‚ it is coming to a head. We already told you‚ attempted border crossings reached an all-time high in December with more than 300‚000 migrants detained. It was also a record in fiscal year 2022. Dozens of House Republicans‚ to draw attention to the issue‚ they went to the border yesterday. And now‚ they are threatening to shut down the government if the flow is not stopped. Also‚ House Homeland Security Committee members are moving ahead with impeachment proceedings against the Homeland Security Secretary‚ that is Alejandro Mayorkas‚ who Republicans blame for this crisis. They say he has done it intentionally‚ and he joins us now from Washington. Good morning‚ Mr. Secretary. There are people involved in this and — DHS SECRETARY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS: Good morning. DOKOUPIL: I want to get to a potential solutions for the people — it’s good to see you — but the personalities here are also significant. They’re going to try to impeach you in the House. They say you’re doing this intentionally and that you’re a liar. Your reaction. MAYORKAS: I don’t have time for words like that. We are focused here on solutions. I lead a Department of 260‚000 incredibly talented public servants‚ men and women who work at great sacrifice to secure the border‚ combat human trafficking‚ protect our country from cybersecurity attacks‚ so much more. This is the work that we do to ensure the safety and security of the American public. I don’t have time for politics. We’re focused on solutions. DOKOUPIL: Mr. Secretary‚ let’s talk about solutions because of course‚ Republicans say the border is not secure and Mike Johnson‚ the Speaker of the House‚ he says the necessary next step is to stop the flow. The hydrant is on‚ in his metaphor‚ and they don’t need more buckets. They need to turn it off. What is the White House proposing to solve the flow problem that Republicans have identified? MAYORKAS: So first of all‚ we are facing a challenge that is not specific or exclusive to the United States. We’re facing a level of migration throughout our hemisphere that is unprecedented. On the first day in office‚ President Biden sent to Congress a legislative solution. Everyone agrees. DOKOUPIL: Mr. Secretary — MAYORKAS: — that the immigration system of the United States — DOKOUPIL: — Mr. Secretary — MAYORKAS: — yes? DOKOUPIL: I mean‚ respectfully‚ yes‚ there is a global migration crisis‚ but the President of the United States‚ also as a candidate‚ said‚ "Come‚ come to the U.S. if you want to claim asylum‚ restore the dignity of that process." That was his position. And so people are coming‚ the numbers have gone up tremendously‚ and nothing in the White House’s plan addresses what Republicans are saying is so important. Catch-and-release‚ a phrase you hear. What that means is people come across the border‚ they claim asylum‚ and then they’re allowed to stay in this country for years while they wait for that process to play out — years and years and years. People know that’s the game‚ they know the bar for asylum is low‚ the claim bar is low‚ and so they come. Are you doing anything? Are you willing to do anything to stop the flow in that way? MAYORKAS: Allow me to finish my answer. On the first day in office‚ President Biden sent a legislative proposal to Congress to fix what everyone agrees is a broken immigration system. I have dealt with the immigration system‚ first as a prosecutor in the 1990s‚ and then as an administrator beginning in 2009 and the years’ long process that you describe has been a problem in the immigration system ever since I’ve worked in it. And everyone agrees that the system is broken. And what we are doing is enforcing our laws. We are enforcing our laws — DOKOUPIL: Mr. Secretary — MAYORKAS: — criminal laws‚ our immigration laws‚ and that includes our asylum laws. And when people come to the United States at the border‚ they are placed in immigration enforcement proceedings‚ and those proceedings take many years because our system is broken and it is also underfunded. DOKOUPIL: — Mr. Secretary — MAYORKAS: We need Congress to fix the system‚ and we need the resources to administer it. DOKOUPIL: — Mr. Secretary‚ I’m glad you talked about enforcing the laws because what this conversation is about is what the law should be. You’re talking to senators and the White House about a bill on that side of the chamber. The House has already passed something. So what I’m really asking you here is would you change the law? Do you support changes to the law to reduce the flow? And I’ll give you specifics that Republicans want on the table‚ they want the standard for allowing a person to come across the border in between ports of entry‚ illegally is the word for it‚ and wait here. They want that standard to be higher. Right now‚ it’s just credible fear. They want it to be more likely than not you’d be allowed to stay. I think you know the reality is most people who cross the border and claim asylum‚ the vast majority do not actually receive asylum and then they’re just here. So will you change the standard at the border as a matter of law? MAYORKAS: There are bipartisan negotiations ongoing now. Republican and Democratic senators are at the table to discuss how the broken immigration system should be fixed. I am privileged to be a part of those discussions and provide technical and operational advice to those senators who are focused on solutions. This is all about solutions‚ not making the problem worse by taking away the funding that our public servants rely on to do their work in the service of the American public. DOKOUPIL: Because of the standards at the border and the flow issue that Republicans have identified‚ Democratic leaders — mayors‚ governors — they are struggling. Abbott — Governor Abbott in Texas is busing people to different states. They are showing up on doorsteps. They’re in the streets. They can’t work. They’re hungry. They’re begging. It’s a big‚ big problem. What is the White House willing to do to come to the aid of your fellow Democrats who say we need help? MAYORKAS: So a few things‚ number one‚ we have sought and received some funding from Congress to assist mayors and governors in addressing the migration challenge. But let me ask you a question‚ do you think it is responsible governance for one governor to refuse to coordinate‚ communicate‚ cooperate with other state officials around the country‚ and just unilaterally bus people to another locality without informing the receiving locality so that we can work together to address a challenge that our country faces? Is that the type of patriotism and governance that we expect of our officials? DOKOUPIL: I think that both parties are playing games and have been for decades on this issue‚ and you’re not talking about the fundamental point of contradiction. The Republicans want a stop to the flow with very specific ideas‚ you’re not even talking about those ideas this morning. And so both sides are playing politics as they have been for a very long time. Secretary Mayorkas — MAYORKAS: I would respectfully disagree with you. I would respectfully disagree with you. DOKOUPIL: — we have to leave it there. We’ll have a longer conversation at a future date. Secretary Mayorkas‚ thank you very much. MAYORKAS: Thank you so much.

NBC’s Today took up the Claudine Gay story again on Thursday…not as reporters‚ but as repeaters. Reporter Erin McLaughlin was a stenographer to deposed power‚ quoting large passages of Gay’s op-ed in Thursday’s New York Times‚ titled “What Happened at Harvard Is Bigger Than Me.” It’s the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy! Hoda Kotb introduced this video press release:  “Just one day after she resigned from the top job at the prestigious school‚ she's speaking out in a New York Times op-ed piece. In it‚ she suggested that she was the victim of a coordinated campaign to remove her.” McLaughlin began: “In that letter‚ Claudine Gay says she's received death threats and called the truth aty amid controversy. And she tried to shed new light on her brief tenure as Harvard president that was plagued with allegations of plagiarism in her work.” Allegations? The Times itself reported in December that Harvard found shoddy work.  Harvard said it had found two examples of “duplicative language without appropriate attribution.” Last week‚ Harvard said that an earlier review had found two published articles that needed additional citations‚ and that Dr. Gay would request corrections. This made it more ridiculous that NBC's repeater would just read the line that "I have never misrepresented my research findings‚ nor have I ever claimed credit for the research of others. And "I proudly stand by my work and its impact on the field." That's just false: the Free Beacon's last story before she resigned showed how Gay shamelessly stole paragraphs of.text from other scholars.  McLaughlin just presented Gay's lament about white anxiety‚ that as a black female leader‚ she makes "an ideal canvas for projecting every anxiety about the generational and demographic changes unfolding on American campuses." The only opposing soundbite in this piece was a snippet of Rep. Elise Stefanik lecturing Gay that calls on campuses for genocide of the Jews are not acceptable "in context." But NBC loosely quoted Gay saying she "made mistakes‚" falling into a "well-laid trap." NBC didn't notice the opinion piece right below Gay's on page A-19‚ from Times columnist Ross Douthat. The pull quote for that was "The left‚ not only the right‚ helped bring down an Ivy League president." NBC couldn't spare any seconds for an opposing view on the entire fracas.  They also didn't note that Times opinion editor Kathleen Kingsbury poured cold water on the piece in their Opinion Today newsletter: "As Opinion editor‚ I rarely express my own views publicly on guest essays we publish‚ but here it’s worth saying that‚ in the current conversation around Harvard‚ I’ve been more drawn to arguments made by others."  Kingsbury concluded with what she thought was Gay's most "resonant" point: “At tense moments‚ every one of us must be more skeptical than ever of the loudest and most extreme voices in our culture‚ however well organized or well connected they might be.” Which player in this saga deserved more skepticism here‚ the conservative journalists or Gay? 

As an election year dawns‚ Republicans and Democrats should stop to reflect on why our politics seems so stagnant. No one expects President Joe Biden to earn a mandate even if he wins reelection; it won’t be a victory for Biden so much as a defeat for Donald Trump. Progressives don’t see Biden‚ or Kamala Harris‚ as an architect for the future. A second Biden term promises an older‚ ever less vigorous president facing a world afire and a nation divided to the point of political divorce -- with big Republican gains in the 2026 midterms‚ if history is any guide. But what if Trump defeats Biden? In a non-consecutive second term‚ Trump will be as old as Biden is now‚ and he too would likely find the next midterms devastating. Trump is more spry than Biden and may still personify his party’s ongoing evolution. He’ll also have a fresh running mate come November‚ which should help his ticket appear future-oriented. But the “lawfare” that mostly blue-state and blue-city prosecutors have been waging against Trump will continue if he wins‚ and the same media that hyped conspiracy theories about Russian collusion in his first term won’t be more fair the second time. Paralysis seems inevitable. The reasons for this transcend the parties and their leading personalities; these reasons are rooted in Americans’ changing beliefs about expertise and competence. In an age when much of rural America didn’t have access to electricity‚ Franklin Roosevelt and his New Deal seemed like an expressway to the future. From FDR all the way to Richard Nixon‚ presidents could rely upon Americans’ trust in technocracy. It was a time when “I’m from the government and I’m here to help” wasn’t yet a punchline. But by the mid-1970s the federal government’s reputation for competence was in tatters‚ thanks to Vietnam‚ inflation‚ fuel shortages and monumental burdens imposed by rising taxes and overregulation. The era of faith in federal competence thus gave way to an era of hope for a private-sector competence that would be unleashed if only government got out of the way. This first took shape in the Jimmy Carter years‚ when a combination of blue-dog Democrats and Republicans in Congress pushed for deregulation. Ronald Reagan’s presidency was the symbolic zenith of this new confidence in unleashing entrepreneurship‚ though just as Republicans like Eisenhower and Nixon testified to the epoch-defining influence of the New Deal mentality‚ Democrats like Bill Clinton would demonstrate‚ however reluctantly‚ the power of the new Reaganite dispensation. Congress again played a leading role: once the GOP won the House and Senate in 1994‚ sweeping reforms to welfare became possible.  By 1996‚ Clinton himself was announcing‚ “The era of big government is over.” The truth is government expanded even as deregulation continued‚ but public confidence in federal expertise declined relative to faith in the possibilities of the “new economy‚” represented above all by the telecommunications industry and the internet. But both parties soon changed their emphasis again. George W. Bush didn’t campaign‚ or govern‚ as a slasher of red tape. Instead his vision was one of competent collaboration between government and the private sector: what he called “compassionate conservatism.” Barack Obama imagined much the same: Obamacare‚ after all‚ was about government creating rules for private insurance companies and their customers (who were‚ of course‚ forced to buy their products on pain of government-imposed penalties). This new philosophy of government backfired spectacularly‚ when instead of restoring faith in expert government‚ it exposed how incestuous the relationship between corporate America‚ both parties‚ and higher education had become. The result was the Tea Party -- and Trump. America was only partly industrialized when expert government first appeared capable of meeting any challenge. And America was at the dawn of the information revolution when deregulation seemed to answer every question. Today faith in expertise‚ public and private‚ is depleted -- and as Harvard reels from its president’s plagiarisms‚ prospects for renewed confidence in the credentialed elite are bleak. Instead of pretending to have competence they do not possess‚ both parties would be better off learning to feel what other Americans feel. Bill Clinton‚ Barack Obama and Donald Trump‚ for all their differences‚ each sensed that empathy‚ not expertise‚ would be the key to victory. Alas‚ Clinton’s empathy was only that of a seducer‚ while Obama’s elitism came to the fore as soon as he was elected. Now the 2024 election hinges on Donald Trump’s emotional connection with the public -- a balance of love and hate‚ trust and fear. Biden is almost a bystander. This isn’t a fluke; it’s the future: one way or another‚ the majorities of tomorrow will be built on emotional relationships‚ not new New Deals or retro-Reaganism. The challenge‚ however‚ isn’t simply to win‚ but to connect strongly enough to govern. Daniel McCarthy is the editor of Modern Age: A Conservative Review. To read more by Daniel McCarthy‚ visit www.creators.com

The Associated Press appears to have had a rough Wednesday on account of unforced errors committed by the ideologues in its midst. In three glaring instances‚ reporters at the New York City-based media agency managed to get their inaccurate and partisan hot takes cleared by editors‚ then published. While the AP has never been immune to leftist bias and inaccuracy — having all but brought the world to the brink with an erroneous November 2022 report that Russia had launched a missile strike on a NATO nation — the agency's rapid sequence of bad hot takes this week prompted an especially scathing response from critics. South African billionaire Elon Musk‚ among the AP's many critics‚ responded to one of the instances of buffoonery‚ writing on X‚ "The @AP has the woke mind virus growing out of its head like a giant mushroom!" The AP is evidently cognizant of its embarrassing errors‚ granted it has been desperately attempting to correct them. However‚ this corrective effort has been made all the more difficult by the fact that myriad publications across the nation routinely regurgitate the AP's articles — meaning those errors continue to live on coast to coast despite the agency's centralized efforts to make stealth edits and title changes. Leftist plagiarism: A 'conservative weapon' Blaze News previously detailed the criticism the AP was met with Wednesday over its coverage of Claudine Gay's resignation as president of Harvard and exacted an explanation from the agency. While Gay's resignation ostensibly highlighted that there remained some consequences in academia for scholarly misconduct‚ the AP instead ran an article entitled‚ "Harvard president's resignation highlights new conservative weapon against colleges: plagiarism." Critics wondered how Gay's deficit of integrity and alleged tendency to pass off the work of others as her own in at least seven of her published works amounted to a "conservative weapon." Others contemplated why a university president's self-destructive behavior needed be framed in partisan terms. The AP's corresponding post on X was flagged with Community Notes emphasizing the absurdity of the title and the article's premise. Later in the day‚ the AP changed the title to "Plagiarism charges downed Harvard's president. A conservative attack helped to fan the outrage." This altered version was executed without an editorial note. The AP ultimately told Blaze News why it had made the change: "The initial story didn't meet our standards‚ so we updated it."Scalping‚ according to the AP Deep in the Gay article‚ the AP's Collin Binkley and Moriah Balingit highlighted a tweet from New College of Florida board member and Hillsdale College fellow Christopher Rufo wherein he wrote‚ "SCALPED‚" in response to the news that Gay had resigned. The AP claimed that Rufo had done so "as if Gay was a trophy of violence‚ invoking a gruesome practice taken up by white colonists who sought to eradicate Native Americans." Just as with its suggestion that a leftist university leader's questionable practices were the fault of conservatives‚ the article's racially charged and ahistorical statement about scalping prompted backlash. — (@) Again Musk opined‚ writing‚ "Woe‚ the @AP hasn't merely drunk the woke Kool-Aid‚ they are swimming in it!" The tech billionaire added‚ "Somehow‚ indigenous peoples went from being referred to almost exclusively as baby-killing savages to almost exclusively being referred to as noble‚ peace-loving ecologists! In reality‚ all peoples back then did terrible things by modern western standards. Slavery‚ for example‚ was standard practice worldwide‚ including within Africa‚ until a few hundred years ago and was stamped out by force primarily by the British." Others highlighted that several past tweets from one of the article's authors‚ Balingit‚ hinted at a deep-seated antipathy for white people. Gov. Ron DeSantis' press secretary Jeremy Redfern pressed Balingit and Binkley for a response after sharing an image of a white man who had been scalped as a boy by Sioux Indians. — (@) According to Britannica‚ archeological evidence‚ specifically from a mass grave in South Dakota‚ suggests North American Indians were scalping one another since at least the early 14th century‚ long before "white colonists" had made it to North America. "Native Americans in the Southeast took scalps to achieve the status of warrior and to placate the spirits of the dead‚ while most members of Northeastern tribes valued the taking of captives over scalps‚" Britannica indicated. "Among Plains Indians scalps were taken for war honours‚ often from live victims. As a challenge to their enemies‚ some Native Americans shaved their heads." After being overwhelmingly confronted with the inaccuracy of their framing and suggestion‚ the AP caved and edited the paragraph without providing an editorial note. The paragraph now reads: "On X‚ formerly Twitter‚ he wrote 'SCALPED‚' as if Gay was a trophy of violence‚ invoking a gruesome practice taken up by white colonists who sought to eradicate Native Americans and also used by some tribes against their enemies." — (@) The 'not-racist state flag' The Associated Press wasn't a punchline Wednesday only on account of its revisionist history and title claim about the weaponization of Gay's apparent use of copy and paste. The agency also published an article entitled "Things to know about Minnesota's new‚ non-racist state flag and seal‚" concerning the Minnesota Emblems Redesign Commission's final decision on a new state flag. Whereas the old flag‚ which the AP apparently concluded was necessarily racist‚ depicts an Indian riding a horse and a farmer plowing his field‚ the new flag by 24-year-old white designer Andrew Prekker is a minimalist‚ starred tricolor bearing some resemblance to the colors flown by a Somali state. — (@) Facing additional lampoonery over its suggestion that the old state flag was racist and the new flag wasn't‚ the AP‚ apparently not committed to its characterization‚ changed the title to "Things to know about Minnesota's new state flag and seal." Despite the change‚ the AP's Steve Karnowski's heartfelt opinions remain baked into the piece. "The flag does not resemble that of Somalia nor of its Puntland region‚" wrote Karnowski‚ sensitive to the criticism over Andrew Prekker's design‚ which had become the basis for the final flag. Some conservative commentators had suggested Prekker's approved design was reminiscent of the Jubaland flag‚ right down to the colors. However‚ the flag — like the AP write up — has been altered such that it no longer has the white and green bars. — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

One of the most persistent myths about government in the United States is that we are a “democracy.” Slogans such as “democracy dies in darkness” and the repeated claims that particular politicians — most often former President Donald Trump — represent a threat to “democracy” do seem to suggest that’s what we are. And‚ of course‚ Lincoln’s famous remark from the Gettysburg Address that our government is one “of the people‚ by the people‚ for the people” has similar implications. The word “democracy” means literally “rule by the people.” But as every school child once learned‚ we are a republic‚ not a democracy. The resignation of Claudine Gay as president of Harvard may signal that the academy has begun to understand that the push for DEI has gone too far. It is impossible for more than 300 million people to actually govern a nation‚ necessitating some sort of representative government. Popularly speaking‚ “republican government” has come to mean government by representatives chosen by the people. Throughout American history‚ however‚ and particularly when the Constitution was written‚ there was more to republicanism than simply selecting representatives by popular elections. The word “republic‚” from the Latin res publica‚ means “public thing.” In the 18th century‚ the word came to mean a government that operated in the interests of all‚ but not necessarily a government dictated by the popular feeling of a moment‚ and most certainly not a government characterized by direct democracy. Since the time of Plato and Aristotle‚ it has become clear that democracies are characterized by temporary passions that lead to unwise actions. The indirect style of governments of republics was better at restraining popular passions and preserving peace and stability. For some theorists contemporary with the framing of our Constitution‚ and as part of our political tradition reaching back to the ancients‚ it was understood that the classical conception of a republic included some substantive features of the polity‚ including the preservation of sound morals‚ and the maintenance and encouragement of the classical virtues such as prudence‚ courage‚ temperance‚ wisdom‚ and‚ later‚ the three Judeo-Christian virtues of faith‚ hope‚ and charity. These notions‚ among others‚ were regarded as “timeless truths‚” which our laws and Constitution were designed to promulgate. Somehow‚ over the years‚ and particularly among progressives in our country‚ the idea of “timeless truths” came under severe attack until‚ in our own time‚ our universities have come to be denominated by a secular philosophy that recognizes no higher goal than “self-actualization‚” or the maximization of the fulfilling of individual desires. “Democracy‚” for progressives‚ seems to be about that rather than preserving altruism and what the framers understood as republican virtue. Worse‚ the academy has come to be dominated by the view that there are not only no timeless truths‚ but reality itself is subjective‚ so that academics and others can now speak of “my truth‚” which presumably has as equal a claim to validity as anyone else’s. This is nonsense. Academic progressives‚ to the contrary‚ inhabit a single reality‚ and as sages such as T.S. Eliot‚ C.S. Lewis‚ and Russell Kirk reminded us‚ the “permanent things” — the timeless truths and the classical and republican virtues — remain as real and valid as ever. In the last decade or so‚ the academic infestation of diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion and its attendant bureaucracy morphed from the individualistic psychology of self-actualization to permeate our culture. Its manifestations in our elite institutions‚ such as “safe spaces‚” “cancel culture‚” “affirmative action‚” and other practices replaced‚ to an alarming extent‚ the rigor of historical‚ literary‚ philosophical‚ and other disciplines seeking truth and excellence. The resignation of Claudine Gay as president of Harvard may signal that the academy has finally begun to understand that the push for DEI has gone too far. This may be a salutary sign for those of us who still adhere to the founders’ views‚ as limned in the Constitution‚ “The Federalist‚” and the Old and New Testaments. Harvard might be moving closer to embracing the original understanding of its motto‚ “Veritas” — truth. Nonetheless‚ it’s significant that there are still many defenders of Gay and all she represents‚ to the extent that what many of us view as the sensible sacking of a poorly qualified person tainted by plagiarism may be seen by her defenders as somehow an attack on “democracy.” Those progressives who take that position might do well to ponder what kind of a nation we really have and whether the founding generation got it right when it claimed our republic could not be preserved without instilling virtue in the citizenry. A war for the hearts and minds of Americans is well underway. It is not incorrect to see it as a “culture war‚” but it is really a profound debate about the nature of reality and the true principles of proper governance.

An anti-Israel female was caught on cellphone video absolutely freaking out — and the object of her wrath allegedly was a Jewish teen girl wearing an Israel Defense Forces sweatshirt in a New Jersey mall.What are the details?According to the X account of StopAntisemitism‚ a Jewish family of four — including a 12-year-old and a 16-year-old — were verbally and physically assaulted at the American Dream mall in East Rutherford.StopAntisemitism added that the 16-year-old daughter was wearing an IDF sweatshirt — and it appears from the video that the anti-Israel female yelled‚ "Your mother is a whore‚ your grandmother is a whore!" at the teen. The female aggressor also hollered‚ "Free Palestine 'til I f***ing die‚ b***h!"The video was posted Monday to X‚ but it isn't clear from StopAntisemitism's post when the incident occurred. Content warning: Language: — (@) Elsewhere in the clip‚ the father steps in front of the anti-Israel female and her male companion and yells‚ "Leave her alone‚ leave her alone!" presumably to protect either his daughter or his wife.The female aggressor also yells‚ "You should be embarrassed; you're supporting genocide!" and hollered at the father‚ "You f***ing asshole! You f***ing white piece of s**t!"The mother of the family under assault hollers‚ "You're cursing my child! You're cursing my child!"The male companion of the female aggressor replies‚ "I'm cursing you and your bulls**t husband!"The female aggressor adds that she is also a minor‚ and the mother questions whether the male and female attacking them have ever been to the region they're championing so aggressively."There's no such thing as Palestine‚ there's no such thing! It's a made up lie!" the mother adds.StopAntisemitism said a second brief clip shows the female aggressor slapping the phone out of the mother's hand. Content warning: Language: — (@) Anything else?The Daily Mail said a mall representative did not immediately respond to its inquiry about the incident‚ and the East Rutherford Police Department referred questions to the New Jersey State Police‚ which the Daily Mail said could not immediately be reached for comment.However‚ Liora Rez — StopAntisemitism's executive director — did issue a statement to the outlet: "Incidents like these contribute to a violent atmosphere that has propelled antisemitic hate crimes to new highs. They must be universally condemned if we are ever to return to public discourse that does not target or threaten Jews."Rez added to the Daily Mail that the "Free Palestine" movement "has generated so much hatred and division in America that a Jewish family can't walk through a shopping mall without being accosted."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Gypsy Rose Blanchard has become an overnight internet sensation since being released from prison‚ where she had been locked up for her role in the murder of her mother. Experts believe Gypsy's mother‚ Clauddine "Dee Dee" Blanchard‚ had been suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy.WebMD defines Munchausen syndrome by proxy as a "psychological disorder marked by attention-seeking behavior by a caregiver through those who are in their care‚" where the caretaker seeks to "gain attention by seeking medical help for exaggerated or made-up symptoms of a child in their care."Dee Dee convinced Gypsy that she had been suffering from serious illnesses‚ including leukemia‚ muscular dystrophy‚ and asthma. The mother allegedly forced Gypsy to use a wheelchair despite her being capable of walking. Dee Dee also coerced her daughter to use a feeding tube. Gypsy underwent unwarranted medical procedures and unnecessary medication because her mother allegedly told doctors that her daughter was always sick. Dee Dee also shaved hair off Gypsy's head‚ had some of her teeth removed‚ and had doctors remove her salivary glands. Dee Dee also allegedly chained Gypsy to her bed. Dee Dee even lied about Gypsy's age to make it easier to perpetuate the ruse. Speaking about her mother's Munchausen syndrome by proxy‚ Gypsy told People magazine‚ "I really feel like it was something psychological‚ that if she could have gotten therapy — she was diagnosed with bipolar and schizophrenia when she was a little younger‚ and so she was not taking medication for that.""And so perhaps‚ if maybe she was on her meds‚ maybe things would've been different‚" Gypsy added. "But I can't focus on the 'could have‚ shoulda have‚ would've‚' because I'll get too deep into that rabbit hole. But I think that's why it's so important for me now‚ to take what has happened and the choice that I made to commit murder was never the right choice."Gypsy grew tired of her mother forcing her to pretend to be sick all of the time. In 2015‚ Blanchard and her then-boyfriend plotted to murder her mother at their home in Missouri. Gypsy‚ 24 years old at the time‚ provided a knife for her boyfriend‚ Nicholas Godejohn‚ to use to kill Dee Dee. Meanwhile‚ Gypsy hid it in the bathroom as Godejohn stabbed her mother to death. The couple fled the crime scene and boarded a bus but were later arrested in Wisconsin. Gypsy was initially charged with first-degree murder – which meant she would face life in prison. However‚ Blanchard made a deal to plead guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson said at the time of Gypsy's sentencing‚ "While the evidence in this case clearly established that Gypsy Blanchard was guilty of murder and that the murder was neither justifiable nor excusable‚ the amended charge and 10-year sentence fairly and justly holds Gypsy Blanchard accountable to the law while also taking into account the extreme mitigating circumstances of the nearly two decades of systematic and purposeful abuse of Gypsy Blanchard by her mother to facilitate her mother’s fraudulent schemes."Godejohn‚ 32‚ was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2019.After serving 85% of her original sentence‚ Blanchard was granted parole and was released last Thursday from the Chillicothe Correctional Center in Missouri. Blanchard was picked up by her husband‚ Ryan Anderson. He was driving a car with a wrestling-themed Bret Hart license plate that read: "HITMAN." The pair got married last year while she was incarcerated.Blanchard has become an overnight internet sensation‚ garnering millions of followers. Gypsy has over 6.4 million followers on Instagram and more than 6.5 million followers on TikTok. Blanchard's story has captivated millions of true-crime fanatics and has been retold in multiple documentaries‚ a docuseries‚ and an upcoming book. Gypsy said of her mother‚ "She was a sick woman‚ and unfortunately I wasn't educated enough to see that. She deserved to be where I am‚ sitting in prison doing time for criminal behavior."Blanchard explained‚ "It's a journey‚ but I'm starting to feel more forgiveness in understanding that it is something that maybe was out of her control. Maybe it was like an addict with an impulse‚ and that it was not consciously malicious. And I think that helps me with coping and accepting what happened."Gypsy told The Hollywood Reporter that she has spent her time out of prison reconnecting with her father and stepmother. Blanchard's advice to victims of caretakers suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy:I think I would just like to share that you’re not alone. Somebody will listen to you. If you have a friend‚ even one friend‚ or even if you just go up to someone at the grocery store and tell somebody‚ 'Listen‚ I think I’m in a bad situation right now and I would need some help. Can you help me?' It’s what I wish I would have done. I regret how things had turned out for me. I regret the choices that I made‚ and I wish I would have had someone give me that kind of message before I did what I did.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here! Sneak Peek: Gypsy’s Story | The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard | Lifetime www.youtube.com

In the wake of Claudine Gay’s resignation‚ many people have chosen to defend the former Harvard president despite the rampant anti-Semitism on Harvard’s campus as well as multiple accusations of plagiarism in various written works produced by Gay. One such person is CNN’s Matt Egan. “We should note that Claudine Gay has not been accused of stealing anyone's ideas in any of her writings; she's been accused of sort of copying other people's writings without attribution‚” Egan stated‚ laying out the very definition of plagiarism. “This might be the most insane thing ever uttered on cable news‚” says Dave Rubin. “She didn't steal; she just stole‚” mocks Dave. “You do not hate journalists enough; you really don't.” Want more from Dave Rubin?To enjoy more honest conversations‚ free speech‚ and big ideas with Dave Rubin‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

If you listen to what the mainstream media tells you‚ President Joe Biden is doing great. They champion Biden’s stock market despite Trump’s stock market being about 17 points higher. “They keep telling you that it’s good‚ it’s actually bad‚ and now they’re saying even though everyone’s telling you it’s bad‚ it’s actually good‚” Stu Burguiere explains. But the media hasn’t stopped Trump from dominating in the polls. “Another reason why Trump is so far ahead‚ it’s not just because he’s being treated as an incumbent; it’s because he’s being targeted as‚ I don’t know‚ a terrorist by the government‚” Stu says. “People are tending to defend him‚” Stu continues‚ because they are realizing that something is wrong in the way Trump’s being treated. “Thus‚ his poll numbers go through the roof‚” Stu adds. If Trump makes it through the primary‚ Stu believes the Democrats' plan is to “turn the tides against Donald Trump and make every independent voter think that he’s the worst person who’s ever lived.” And they might be able to do it. “It’s still a very close election‚” Stu says‚ noting that RealClearPolitics still has only a two-point lead for Donald Trump. Want more from Stu?To enjoy more of Stu's lethal wit‚ wisdom‚ and mockery‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.