'Talk about politicians betting on the wrong horse'

Take a hard look at the Biden-Harris administration’s energy policy, which requires critical minerals yet bans their production in Alaska. One word comes to mind: contradictory. Consider the Biden-Harris administration’s policy projecting that 68% of all new cars sold to be battery electric or plug-in hybrid by 2032. Electric vehicles require six times more minerals than conventional cars, yet the administration has blocked domestic development of critical minerals needed in EV batteries. This leaves America dependent on China, which produces about 80% of the world’s batteries. But America can use Alaska’s resources rather than depend on China. The state, known as “The Last Frontier,” has 49 of the 50 critical minerals, including rare earth metals. Yet instead of taking a commonsense approach to extract these resources, the Biden-Harris administration has taken 66 actions over nearly four years to obstruct Alaska’s production of these minerals, along with hydrocarbons. In June, for example, the administration blocked a 211-mile road to the Ambler Mining District, which has deposits of copper, zinc, lead, silver, and gold. And last year, the Environmental Protection Agency blocked a proposed gold and copper mine in Bristol Bay. Copper and zinc are considered critical minerals, according to the 2023 Department of Energy’s Critical Materials List. In addition, Alaska is home to over 3 billion barrels of crude oil and 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves. It is ranked fourth and 12th among oil- and natural gas-producing states, respectively. Just as with critical minerals, the Biden-Harris administration has blocked oil and natural gas development. For example, the administration canceled oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or ANWR, region estimated to hold about 7.7 billion barrels of oil. The U.S. government, which owns about 60% of the state’s land, currently views Alaska as a large national park to be left untouched, not a resource-rich state to benefit Americans. The Biden-Harris administration also repealed the 2020 Alaska Roadless Rule, effectively prohibiting timber harvesting and road construction in the Tongass National Forest. The federal government’s limits on Alaska’s ability to use its natural resources is “as though someone in Alaska said to me, ‘You cannot have your vegetable garden in your backyard,’” Heritage Foundation scholar Diana Furchtgott-Roth testified recently before the House Budget Committee. As the only state without both a personal income tax and a state sales tax, Alaska funds its state government largely by taxes and royalties from the oil and gas industry. In 2022, the state collected about $4 billion to fund programs that included education and health care. The Alaska Permanent Fund, which collects revenues from oil and gas, pays eligible citizens an annual dividend. Local governments also collected $449 million from oil and gas property taxes. Because of the Biden-Harris administration’s regulations, Alaska loses revenue it could use to provide services for citizens. So the state recently sued the Biden-Harris administration to extract compensation for canceled oil and gas leases in ANWR that would have generated billions of dollars. Americans have the option to drive internal combustion engine vehicles powered by gasoline or electric vehicles dependent on critical minerals for their batteries. In both cases, Alaska plays a key role—as an “energy giant,” as Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, likes to say—in supplying  essential resources for transportation. Regardless of the chosen mode, hindering Alaska’s energy development is a recipe for failure. The post By Hobbling Alaska, Biden-Harris Admin Hinders America’s Energy Future appeared first on The Daily Signal.

NB-See the (D)ifference: Why Network Backed Down After SNL's Kamala Promotion

A security guard fatally shot a male who held a gun to his the back of his head and threatened to kill him two months ago in Aurora, Colorado — and prosecutors on Monday said the guard acted in self-defense and won't be charged, KUSA-TV reported.Police responded about 9 p.m. Aug. 31 to a report of a shooting outside a 7-Eleven in the 12000 block of East Colfax, the station said.'He did his job, and he defended himself in the process.'Prosecutors said Vernon Dorsey approached the guard, who was walking in front of the store, and placed a handgun to the back of the guard's head, KUSA said. Dorsey ordered the guard to hand over his gun and threatened to kill him, the station added.KUSA said Dorsey and the guard fought as Dorsey attempted to disarm the guard.But instead, the guard got hold of his own gun and shot Dorsey in the chest, KUSA said. When officers arrived, they found Dorsey with a gunshot wound, the station said, adding that Dorsey later died. Dorsey was 36 years old, KUSA said in an earlier story.The District Attorney’s Office and the Aurora Police Department agreed after reviewing evidence that the guard fired his weapon in self-defense and was legally justified, KUSA said.Anything else?The station said the guard was taken to police headquarters and questioned and that police at the time believed the guard was acting in self-defense.The private company that supplies the guards for 7-Eleven — Iron Spear Protection Group LLC — said in a statement at the time that it's backing the guard in question with "absolute certainty" after reviewing the incident, KUSA reported.Iron Spear's president stated at the time of the incident that the guard was in good condition and with his family, the station added.How are observers reacting?Commenters under KUSA's Facebook post about the incident were solidly behind the guard's actions:"Good work, sir, here is a raise," one commenter said.Good," another user added. "He did his job, and he defended himself in the process.""Happy ending feel-good story!!!" another commenter exclaimed.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

In his recent article, “The left’s 5-step election takeover plan is back – and worse than ever,” Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck outlined the Democrats' recycled plan to “disrupt, delay, and discredit the electoral process” in the 2024 election. Now he joins Jill Savage on “Blaze News Tonight” to elucidate the left’s plotting. The first step in the Democrats’ plan is obviously “winning the vote.” That means “finding ways legally to either change the law or to just look the other way to win the vote,” Glenn explains. Democratic lawyer Marc Elias is geared up for another round of fighting election-related lawsuits, and Biden’s DOJ has already sued certain states for “removing noncitizens from voter rolls or switching to paper ballots.” Winning the vote means winning by whatever means necessary. The second step is “winning the count,” which is the step “everyone is worried about, says Glenn. “We saw it last time — all of a sudden, they just stopped counting at 10:30 at night,” which created room for “shenanigans” to happen, he explains. Whether it’s calling for recounts in swing states, questioning every step of the counting process, or telling Americans “we don’t know who won or lost” in order to sow seeds of doubt, we can expect the 2024 election to look a lot like 2020. Winning the certification is step three. “Each state has to certify the vote and seat electors,” but if Trump wins, “objections and accusations of 'shady' electoral practices will fill the headlines.” The fourth step in the Democrats' diabolical plan is what Glenn calls “winning the Electoral College.” The Democrat-controlled media is already priming Americans for the scenario in which Trump loses and takes power anyway by using Republican support to endorse alternate electors and then send the election to the House, where the GOP holds a slim majority. According to the left’s theory, the House will select him as president even if he loses the election. But the truth is, this is the plan Democrats have mapped out. “They’ll claim manipulation and try to delegitimize the Electoral College process,” Glenn wrote in the article. “After that, it’s winning the transition,” he tells Jill and Blaze News editor in chief Matthew Peterson. If all else fails and Trump wins, the final step in the plan is to “disrupt, disrupt, disrupt” the transition of power, which used to be nothing more than a formality. We can expect protests, accusations, and anything the left can drum up to create chaos and “[set] the country on fire.” However, if it’s clear tomorrow night that Trump is winning in a landslide, “they can’t pull any of this stuff off,” says Glenn. “What are you feeling?” Jill asks in regard to the election that’s just a day away. To hear Glenn’s answer, watch the clip above. Want more from 'Blaze News Tonight'?To enjoy more provocative opinions, expert analysis, and breaking stories you won’t see anywhere else, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Musk at Dusk: Joe Rogan Drops Surprise Podcast Interview with Elon on Eve of Election

Whoopi Goldberg Would Like to See Liz Cheney Head the FBI or CIA

Down Ballot Deep Dive: It's The Bottom of the 9th in Pennsylvania, Will The Mighty Casey Strike Out

WATCH: Elon Musk Makes Surprise Appearance on Rogan, Issues Chilling Warning About a Kamala Harris Win

Harris Team Gives a Warning About PA Election Results That Will Get the Speculation Going