Month: July 2022

Beginning in the 1980s, the American economy underwent substantial changes. Just as the earlier age of industrialization had transformed a rural and agriculture economy into an urban one focused on manufacturing, the industrial age gave way to the information age, with a greater priority for tasks like management, information processing, and finance. The workforce and concentrations of wealth followed suit, with finance and high-tech companies displacing the old industrial giants with their assembly lines and armies of workers.

China Tried to Plant Spies Inside the Federal Reserve and Kidnap Economist, Congress Finds

China has carried out a sustained, decade-long economic espionage operation to infiltrate the U.S. Federal Reserve, according to a report released Tuesday by the Republican staff of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Chinese operatives have employed both bribery and coercion to garner influence with employees of the Federal Reserve system in attempts to get them to provide sensitive information about the U.S. economy to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the report shows. At least 13 individuals across eight of the Fed’s 12 locations were identified as persons of interest in the report for having ties with Chinese government institutions and talent recruitment programs.

Putin Promises to Keep the Gas Flowing to Europe – for Now

July 27, 2022July 26, 2022 Rachel Alexander

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would continue to supply Europe with natural gas, but warned that deliveries via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline could become constrained if sanctions prevent further maintenance on the pipeline, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Putin asserted that the pipeline’s owner, the Moscow-controlled energy firm Gazprom, will honor and fulfill its responsibilities to Europe in remarks that he made late Tuesday after his visit to Tehran, reported the WSJ. Putin’s comments come amid the reduced flow of natural gas into Europe due to sanctions and other supply chain disruptions caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Arizona State House Republicans Launch New Caucus

Following in the footsteps of the federal Congressional House Freedom Caucus, legislators in the Arizona House have started an Arizona Freedom Caucus. A group of conservative lawmakers announced during a press conference last week that nearly a third of the Arizona House’s 31 Republicans have already joined it.

The founding chairman is State Rep. Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek), who said he was humbled to “to lead them in battle against the left and the establishment GOP that refuses to answer to the will of the people and instead chooses to answer to special interests and lobbyists’ groups that reside down here — they fill the halls.”

Biden’s Military Purge: Unvaxxed Tennessee Army National Guard Officer Shares His Story

July 27, 2022July 26, 2022 Julie Carr

Neil W. McCabe, the national political editor of The Star News Network, interviewed Tennessee Army National Guard Capt. Mickey Shelton, who has applied for a religious exemption from the Pentagon’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, about his perspective on the purge of unvaccinated military personnel.

Biden Plan to Restore Obamacare’s Protection of Transgender Rights in Federal Healthcare Programs Poised to Stoke Religious Freedom Lawsuits

July 27, 2022July 27, 2022 Susan Berry, PhD

The Biden administration will once again sow its seeds of division by proposing a rule to “protect” those claiming “gender identity” discrimination in federal healthcare programs, a move that is expected to generate religious freedom disputes.

The Biden Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Monday its proposed rule will implement Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) to affirm that “protections against discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity” are “consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court’s holding in Bostock v. Clayton County,” and to reiterate “protections from discrimination for seeking reproductive health care services.”

Jack Maxey: Hunter’s Laptop Reveals His Pre-COVID-19 Interest in Pandemic Tracker Metabiota

July 27, 2022July 27, 2022 Neil W. McCabe

Neil W. McCabe, the national political editor of The Star News Network, interviewed Navy veteran and businessman Jack Maxey about his uncovering of Hunter Biden’s 2014 support of the San Francisco-based pandemic tracking and predictive analytics company Metabiota. Maxey said he was tipped off about Hunter and Metabiota by an American military intelligence operative.

Consumer Confidence Falls for Third Straight Month amid Soaring Inflation

July 27, 2022July 26, 2022 The Center Square

A new survey of consumers reports a lack of confidence in the economy as inflation soars.

The latest Confidence Index, a product of nonprofit research group Conference Board, indicates consumers have lost faith in the economy’s future. A new index is published monthly.

Commentary: ‘Nixonian’ Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

The 1968 presidential election was my first. I voted for the erstwhile Republican, Richard M. Nixon. And because I wrote a college paper about my decision at the time, causing complete consternation for that professor, I still have a clear idea of why I did it. The choice was between Nixon and Democrat Hubert H. Humphrey. The other candidate on the ballot, George C. Wallace, was a populist with proven racist views and unpalatable.

Border State Officials and Residents Hammer Democrat Mayors Complaining About Migrant Busing

July 27, 2022 Susan Berry, PhD

Several local officials and residents in southern border counties are questioning Democratic mayors’ complaints over illegal migrants being bused to their states by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

“All I have to say is welcome to my world,” Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “The property damage, the damaged fences, the broken water wells, the broken water lines, the theft of the vehicles, the criminal trespass and the burglaries, you name it they’re doing it.”

Judge Blocks Two Kentucky Pro-Life Laws with Claim That the Idea Life Begins at Conception Is ‘Distinctly Christian’

A judge has temporarily blocked two Kentucky laws that would effectively ban abortion in nearly all circumstances, claiming the idea that life begins at conception is a “distinctly Christian” view and that the notion that a disproportionate number of abortions occurs among black women is suggestive of eugenics is “baseless.”

Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Mitch Perry sided with the abortion providers Friday, granting them a temporary injunction against the state enforcing its Human Life Protection Act and Heartbeat Law, referring to the measures as the Trigger Ban and Six Week Ban, respectively.

Paul Gosar Continues to Receive Congressional Support to End the COVID-19 National Emergency

July 27, 2022July 26, 2022 Neil Jones

Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ-04) recently shared that his effort to end the COVID-19 national emergency is gaining continuous support from fellow Congressional members.

“Americans should never again be forced to endure government-imposed lockdowns, mandatory vaccinations and masking and school closings,” Gosar said in an update. “After more than two years, momentum is building and Congress is getting closer to finally moving beyond the overbearing, reckless, and irresponsible COVID-19 national emergency.”

Kari Lake Shares Support for Coconino County as Arizona Officials Lend a Hand Preventing Flash-Flood Damages

July 26, 2022July 25, 2022 Neil Jones

In response to the flash flood emergencies faced by residents in parts of Coconino County, the Kari Lake Campaign shared a statement of support with the Arizona Sun Times via email.

“Flooding in rural areas represents a huge and unnecessary risk for residents. Kari Lake has already committed to providing increased funding for infrastructure improvements- including flood control measures – in rural areas to reduce the risks as much as possible, and will take an active role whenever disaster does strike,” shared the Kari Lake Campaign Communications Director Ross Trumble.

‘Queer All School Year’: Los Angeles School District Forces Gender Theory into Classroom

The largest public school district in California is teaching a curriculum promoting transgenderism and gender theory to children, according to public documents.

The Human Relations, Diversity and Equity department at Los Angeles Unified School District is using presentations, training programs and clubs to instruct K-12 students on gender identity, according to public documents, first reported by City Journal that include classroom instruction materials and district-sponsored event calendars. The “trans-affirming” curriculum first appeared during the 2020-2021 academic school year.

State Department Funding Korean Influencers to Rake in International Students

July 26, 2022July 25, 2022 The Center Square

The State Department is funding a non-profit to recruit Korean social media influencers to drum up international student enrollment at universities in the United States, according to a new grant proposal.

The State Department will pay a non-profit up to $100,000 to organize a 10-day trip providing the Korean influencers with an expansive view of the United States, according to the grant. The program would require the influencers to post at least one blog or vlog post about their experience in the U.S.

Nearly Half of Small Businesses Are in Hiring Freeze, Citing Inflation and Costs

Nearly half of small business owners are not willing to hire because of labor costs and “skyrocketing inflation,” a newly released small business report shows.

The small business network Alignable released its July Hiring report which found that “45% of small businesses (SMBs) are halting their hiring, largely because they say they can’t afford to add staff.

Anti-Christian Bully Dan Savage’s ‘It Gets Better Project’ Sends $10K to 50 School Districts to Push Gender Ideology

July 26, 2022July 25, 2022 Susan Berry, PhD

LGBTQ activist organization the It Gets Better Project has awarded $10,000 in grant funds to 50 school districts across the country to promote gender ideology.

The project was founded by LGBTQ activist Dan Savage as an organization that provides anti-bullying support for LGBTQ teens, but Savage has a history of bullying teens himself – particularly, those who identify as Christian.

Victor Davis Hanson Commentary: How to Erode the World’s Greatest Military

The U.S. Army has met only 40 percent of its 2022 recruiting goals.

In fact, all branches of the military are facing historic resistance to their current recruiting efforts. If some solution is not found quickly, the armed forces will radically shrink or be forced to lower standards—or both.

Commentary: America’s Future Is America First

July 26, 2022July 25, 2022 RealClearWire

The Biden administration promised to “Build Back Better,” but for ordinary Americans, this is a broken promise.

Every day, our nation’s citizens must make ends meet with gas and groceries they increasingly cannot afford, often seeking goods they cannot find. As Americans watch inflation hit a 40-year high, they see glimpses on television of the devastation in war-torn Europe and the trafficking of innocent children across America’s southern border.

Commentary: Reducing Patient Access to New Medications Is Progressives’ Latest Medicare Price Fixing Scheme

As negotiations on their tax and spending bill continue, Senate Democrats are working on a legislative proposal to have the government fix the prices of Medicare prescription medications. Though the details of the 190-page amendment differ in certain respects from earlier versions, the indisputable result would be the same: Reduced patient access to prescription drugs.

Like most giant regulatory schemes, the draft proposal is characteristically complex with numerous provisions, including detailed data collection, new mandates, tax penalties on drug manufacturers, free vaccines, and a cap on out-of-pocket costs. But the heart of the bill is the creation of a Drug Price Negotiation Program administered by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Report: U.S. Investigates Blacklisted Chinese Tech Giant over Concerns It May Be Spying on Missile Silos

The U.S. is investigating Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei for potential surveillance capabilities at cell towers near U.S. military bases and missile silos, according to Reuters.

Authorities are concerned that China could exploit Huawei communications equipment in the U.S. to gather sensitive data on military procedures and personnel, Reuters reported Thursday. The Commerce Department reportedly opened the investigation in 2021.

Almost 60 Percent of Americans Want TikTok Banned from App Stores: Poll

Following reports of Chinese officials accessing U.S. user data, nearly 60% of Americans want social media app TikTok removed from app stores, according to a recent survey.

Minneapolis Residents Resort to Crowdfunding to Pay for Neighborhood Policing

Residents in Minneapolis are crowdfunding to get off-duty police officers to patrol the streets as the city continues to experience staffing shortages and an uptick in violent crime.

The Minneapolis Safety Initiative (MSI), a nonprofit seeking to increase law and order, is raising money to “buyback officer patrols.” Funds that are raised through the volunteer-led initiative will be sent to the Minneapolis Police Department to get officers deployed for shifts that the officers would otherwise not be working, MSI says.

“Officers working a buyback shift patrol in MPD vehicles, respond to 911 calls, and deter criminals—just as they do in a normal shift,” according to MSI. “All people working on this initiative are volunteers. There are fees for payment processing but otherwise, all contributions will go directly to paying for MPD buyback officer patrols.”

Biden Administration Accused of Gaslighting Nation with ‘Soviet Level Propaganda’ After Attempting to Redefine Recession

by Debra Heine The White House is being accused of gaslighting the American people with “Soviet levels of propaganda” as Biden officials attempt to change the definition of recession amid economic data that shows the United States is entering into a recession. A recession is traditionally defined as two…

Cori Bush Refuses to Answer Whether Biden Should Run for President, Abruptly Ends Interview

July 26, 2022July 25, 2022 Cooper Moran

Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri abruptly ended an interview with a St. Louis reporter Monday after being asked about a possible re-election bid by President Joe Biden.

“Do you want to see Joe Biden run for a second term?” a reporter asked Bush in a video posted by Mark Maxwell, political editor for KSDK News on Twitter.

Arizona Democratic Party Chair Refuses to Denounce ‘Defund the Police’ Movement

Arizona Democratic Party Chair Raquel Terán refused to denounce the “Defund the Police” movement in a recent interview.

Terán, who is running for state Senate, has often touted an endorsement from Planned Parenthood. On her website, she highlights the support and says the state must “elect a Democratic majority in our state to protect access to safe and secure abortions for those who seek care.”

Ducey Appeals Ruling Against Arizona’s Limiting COVID Relief to Open Schools

July 25, 2022July 24, 2022 The Center Square

Gov. Doug Ducey is appealing a federal judge’s decision blocking his decision to withhold federal COVID-19 relief to unopened schools.

While Arizona had lifted all mask mandates in April 2021, some schools still maintained a mask requirement.

To incentivize the removal of classroom mask policies, Ducey restricted a $163 million aid package to maskless, opened schools. The aid amounts to $1,080 per student. The state funding came from the $2 billion in federal stimulus money from the American Recovery Plan Act.

Commentary: The Master of Politicizing Schools Says Education Is Too Politicized

July 25, 2022July 24, 2022 RealClearWire

Last week, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten tweeted the results of a poll of teachers showing “nearly 9 out of 10 respondents say schools have become too politicized.” As she put it, “AFT members were on the frontlines of the first wave of the pandemic, but in many ways the last year was even harder” due to “mask wars, culture wars, the war on truth, or the devastation in Uvalde.”

Big Oil Makes Big Bucks as Pump Prices Stay High

ExxonMobil’s quarterly fuel profits could reach as high as $4.4 billion in the second quarter as major refiners were set to collectively make $14 billion in profits, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Overall, ExxonMobil is projecting $18 billion in profit this quarter, its highest profit margin in 25 years. The projections come as average fuel prices remain elevated throughout the country, averaging well over $4 per gallon and up as much as $1.50 from this time last year, according to AAA data.

Western Bank HSBC Creates ‘Communist Unit’ in Order to Operate in China

July 25, 2022July 24, 2022 RealClearWire

Employees of HSBC Qianhai Securities, a London-based HSBC’s subsidiary in China, have formed a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) cell, making HSBC the first foreign financial institution to have done so in an investment banking subsidiary in China, the Financial Times reported Thursday.

Commentary: New Cancer Diagnostics Are Being Misdiagnosed in Their Value

Various methods of cancer screening, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, have been highly beneficial to patients across the world by allowing more effective treatments to be applied earlier. The most recent innovations for diagnosing cancers include genomic blood tests that can detect more cancers at earlier stages than existing screens. If reimbursed and adopted widely, they offer a great potential advance in the war on cancer but unfounded critiques of them misdiagnose their value.

House Republicans Demand Answers on NPR’s ‘Disinformation Team’ after ‘Misleading Reporting’

Georgia Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde led 13 of his House colleagues in a letter demanding answers from the president and CEO of National Public Radio (NPR) about the launch of its disinformation team given the taxpayer-funded outlet’s denial of the verified Hunter Biden laptop story, among other stories.

The Republicans said the details on the disinformation team were “vague, and the program itself is concerning given NPR’s proven track record of ironically spreading misinformation related to the 2020 election.”

Arizona Sheriff Establishes ‘Constitutional Sanctuaries’

July 25, 2022July 24, 2022 Neil W. McCabe

In an era in which the federal government has identified conservatives as would-be domestic terrorists, many Americans are looking for sanctuaries where their constitutional rights will not be infringed.

Pinal County, Arizona, where Sheriff Mark Lamb has formed a civilian posse to act as a bulwark against tyrannical government encroachments, may be one such place.

Diamondbacks Great Curt Schilling: ‘Backstabber’ Mike Pence’s Campaigning Against Kari Lake Betrays Hatred for Trump

Neil W. McCabe, the national political editor of The Star News Network, interviewed Arizona Diamondbacks World Series hero Curt Schilling about former Vice President Michael R. Pence’s visit to Arizona to campaign against the GOP gubernatorial hopeful, endorsed by President Donald J. Trump, Kari Lake.

Commentary: Liberal Bias on Campus Does Not ‘Just Happen,’ and It Is Time to Call Out Those Individuals by Name

July 25, 2022July 24, 2022 RealClearWire

Higher education is suffering under the yoke of leftist ideology, progressive agendas, and liberal bias.

The situation will never change until those who disagree with prevailing leftist dogmas summon the courage to call out academics who have used their power to enable woke orthodoxies to dictate campus life.

Commentary: Solar Panel Programs Increase Your Electricity Bill

Why are electricity prices rising so fast?

Over the past quarter century, electricity prices across America have increased by an average of 1.8 percent per year, from $8.38 per kWh in 1994 to $13.01 in 2019. Then in January this year both Entergy and Mississippi Power increased their rates by $7.81 per month and $5.27 per month respectively, affecting over half a million Mississippi residents.

‘Free, Fair and Honest’: Former Trump Spokesperson Praises States’ New Election Laws

Former Trump spokesperson Hogan Gidley praised seven states for protecting election integrity in an interview with the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Seven states are being praised by the America First Policy Institute’s (AFPI) Center For Election Integrity (CEI) in a new report for recent legislative efforts to prevent voter fraud. Hogan Gidley, director of the CEI, explained the importance of the report during an interview with the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Lee Zeldin Attacker Re-Arrested on Federal Assault Charge

The man who was released without bail after allegedly attacking New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Lee Zeldin was re-arrested on a federal assault charge on Saturday, authorities stated.

David Jakubonis, 43, is accused of storming the stage of Zeldin’s campaign event Thursday evening during a campaign speech about bail reform in Perinton, N.Y.

D.C. Lobbyists Rake In Massive Profits as Americans Continue to Suffer

Federal lobbyists have made huge profits in the second quarter of 2022, according to financial disclosures reviewed by Politico, while many Americans continue to feel the effects of inflation and the ongoing energy crisis.

Of the top twenty lobbying firms by revenue, just two saw revenue decreases when compared with the first three months of the year, Politico reported. The lobbying boom was largely attributable to reconciliation negotiations between Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, as well hotly contested deliberations on whether to dole out subsidies to domestic semiconductor companies.

Utah School District Gives Parents Option to Identify Their Children as Transgender or Non-Binary

Parents in a Utah school district are being given the option to choose if their elementary-school-aged children are transgender or non-binary when registering their students for school, according to a screenshot obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Democrat-Led Cities Are Responding to Heat Waves by Hiring Climate Bureaucrats