Posts on Wednesday, March 18, 2026

You remember Nick Shirley, the brave young investigative journalist who reported on the Minneapolis Quality “Learing” Center and exposed widespread fraud in Gov. Tim Walz’s Gopher State. His revelations didn't just go viral on social media; they caused real-world consequences: a federal probe, a freeze on childcare payments, and Shirley testifying before Congress. Less than 24 hours after a heated online exchange between the investigative reporter and Walz, the already-embattled governor stunned observers by announcing he was not running for reelection. "I ENDED TIM WALZ," Shirley wrote on X in early January.

If our forces can’t restore free navigation, it will represent a significant failure of a traditional pillar of U.S. power. The reason why we have the Fifth Fleet, one of the most awesome naval forces ever assembled in the history of mankind, is to protect the sea lanes in the Middle East. That the Strait of Hormuz is now effectively closed is not just a blow to the global economy and a key point of leverage for the Iranian regime; it is an assault against one of the foundations of American power. Guarding the safe passage of commerce has been a core Anglo-American commitment for a couple of centuries,

The departure of Joe Kent, former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, means one less leaker in Washington, according to multiple reports. “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” Kent wrote on X after splashing his resignation letter across social media. Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska, was quick to celebrate. “Good riddance. Iran has murdered more than a thousand Americans. Their EFP land mines were the deadliest in Iraq.

The Trump administration will continue to engage with Russia in an effort to achieve peace in Ukraine, as this is driven by a longer-term strategic goal: countering China, according to Politico. Trump’s team believes that encouraging Russia to end the war against Ukraine, its economic recovery, and the influx of American investment—all of this could ultimately shift the global order away from China. This risky move worries the Ukrainian side, but it underscores the administration’s conviction that the greatest geopolitical threat to the US and the West is China, not Putin’s Russia.

Sen. Dick Durbin's replacement has become the focus in the Illinois Democratic primary elections on Tuesday as 11 candidates run in an effort to win his seat. Durbin, 81, and two other longtime members of the state's congressional delegation are retiring this term, Reuters reported. Illinois, a heavily Democratic state, is not expected to be competitive for Republicans in November's midterm elections. Some of the top candidates in the Democratic Senate primary to replace Durbin include Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly, and Illinois Lieutenant ​Gov. Juliana Stratton.

President Trump has never been afraid to say what career politicians won’t: America has been getting ripped off by foreign freeloaders for decades, especially when it comes to prescription drugs. While U.S. patients and taxpayers foot the bill for the world’s most advanced medicines, wealthy nations have been freeloading off our innovation. Last year, Trump took a major step toward fixing that imbalance by forcing the United Kingdom to come to the table and pay more for breakthrough treatments. Past presidents could only dream of a win that big. Now, it’s time to do the same with Japan.

This is the second in a series of articles written by former Sen. Jim DeMint. Read the introduction and the first article of the series here and here. Societies are social constructs where people live together in community. Politics is the process of deciding how people live together. The larger and more diverse a population becomes, the more difficult the politics. In America, where shared values and assimilation have become anathema to Democrats and Democrat-aligned institutions, our diversity has exploded into disharmony and division. How can federal policies restore national unity and love for country?

The Big Apple is ending its crackdown on e-bike drivers for blowing stop signs or illegally zipping along city sidewalks, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration announced Wednesday. Starting next Friday, March 27, the NYPD will no longer issue criminal summonses to e-bikers and cyclists for traffic offenses, according to City Hall. Instead, two-wheeler traffic violations will be handled with civil summonses.

As the war surrounding Iran enters its 18th day, the country stands at a moment of historic uncertainty. Missiles and drones have struck military installations and strategic infrastructure across the country, while the regime’s leadership struggles to project an image of authority. Yet the most important battle may not be unfolding in the skies above Iran or in the waters of the Persian Gulf. It is taking place on the ground, inside the country itself. Even as explosions reverberate across the region, Resistance Units linked to the Iranian opposition movement, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK), have intensified their campaign against the theocratic regime.

The solution to the Iranian drone problem may already be in the pipeline. This involves a long-serving U.S. drone, the Raytheon Coyote. The latest version, the Block 3NK (Non-Kinetic) has demonstrated that it can knock down numerous enemy drones without ever actually striking them – and then turn around and do it again. The first version of the Coyote originated in a 2004 requirement from the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research for a small, expendable UAV to serve with the P-3 Orion antisubmarine aircraft. The drone was to be launched from the plane’s sonobuoy tubes, at which point the straight wings would unfold. Originally intended as a remote sensor platform

The concept of freedom of the press isn't ruined by criticism of the press. But when liberal TV hosts roll out their lectures, they sound a little like the president they routinely attack. Any criticism of their work must be Fake News. MS NOW host Ana Cabrera expressed indignation on March 16 after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr tweeted that broadcast stations should watch what they're airing on the war in Iran: "Freedom of the press has been such a huge, huge underpinning of the democracy in this country, right? In order to hold people in power accountable to be that government watchdog."

The Big Apple is ending its crackdown on e-bike drivers for blowing stop signs or illegally zipping along city sidewalks, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration announced Wednesday. Starting next Friday, March 27, the NYPD will no longer issue criminal summonses to e-bikers and cyclists for traffic offenses, according to City Hall. Instead, two-wheeler traffic violations will be handled with civil summonses.

ALBANY — Gov. Kathy Hochul is begging wealthy New Yorkers who fled the city to come back and continue padding the Empire State’s lavish public handouts. Hochul made the case against caving to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s demands that she hike income taxes — by saying she not only wants fat cats to stay in the city, but also clawing at those who have moved to states with better business climates like Florida. “Maybe the first step should be go down to Palm Beach and see who we can bring back home because our tax base has been eroded,” the Democratic governor said at a forum hosted by Politico last week.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin's, R-Okla., confirmation hearing to serve as Homeland Security secretary began with a tense exchange between him and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.Paul pressed Mullin to account for his prior comments referring to Paul as a "snake in the grass" and saying that he "understood" why one of Paul's neighbors assaulted him. "I think that everybody in this room knows that I'm very blunt," Mullin told Paul.[snip] I work around this room to try to fix problems," he said. "Seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us. I did address those remarks. I did explain your gimmicks

President Donald Trump is not happy with NATO allies over the issue of the Iran war and their refusal to escort oil out of the gulf region. President Trump criticized the EU member nations for refusing to support U.S. military efforts in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump is then asked questions about if he would reconsider the U.S. relationship with NATO, warning it’s “not good for a partnership,” and signaling possible reconsideration of U.S. ties with NATO. WATCH:(video) The folks at the Lyndon LaRouche PAC are getting a ton of content to use in their anti-imperialism analysis as this conflict between President Trump, the U.K, the E.U and

It wasn’t long ago that millions and millions of American kids heard their parents’ best advice: “The only way to get ahead is with a college education.” And millions took their advice. Today’s parents and the kids themselves are skeptical college is worth the cost, the latest I&I/TIPP Poll shows. The national online poll, taken Feb. 24 to Feb. 27, asked 1,456 adults: “Do you believe a four-year college degree is worth the cost for most Americans today, or not?” The answer indicates serious erosion in how Americans view the value of higher education. Overall, of those responding, 59% selected “Not worth the cost,” while just

Former Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy won his party's nomination Tuesday night for the United States Senate, setting him up for a match in November to replace long-time Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin. Tracy, who has secured 40% of the vote so far according to the Associated Press, will face Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton later this year. Stratton is expected to defeat Tracy in November given Illinois' status as a primarily blue state. Stratton defeated Illinois Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi for her party's nomination with 39.6% of the vote, per the AP.

Celebrations for what would have been civil rights activist Cesar Chavez's 99th birthday are being canceled ahead of what's being described as "deeply troubling allegations" against the historic figure. Across the country, several local organizations began canceling their upcoming celebrations in anticipation of an upcoming story that is expected to share concerning reports about the former labor union advocate. As cancellations grew, the United Farm Workers (UFW), an organization co-founded by Chavez, released a statement on Tuesday confirming allegations were being made, including ones involving abuse of young women or minors. In response, the UFW announced it would no longer take part in any Cesar Chavez Day activities.

CHICAGO — Democrats are now all but certain to elect another Black woman to the U.S. Senate after Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won Tuesday’s bitter and expensive primary in Illinois. Stratton overcame a crowded Democratic contest for the state’s open Senate seat, defeating front-runner Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi with the help of millions of dollars of outside spending — much of it from her old running mate, Gov. JB Pritzker. (Snip) Members of the Congressional Black Caucus — who backed a different contender, Rep. Robin Kelly, in the primary — also warned that Pritzker’s interference could split the Black vote and

Analysts inside the U.S. intelligence community sought to conceal evidence of Chinese influence efforts from President Donald Trump during the 2020 election, with analysts saying they didn't want their intel used by "that vulgarian in the Oval Office" to pursue policies toward China they personally disagreed with. The revelation is found within a January 2021 report written by (snip) analytic ombudsman Barry Zulauf, who conducted a review of the spy community's handling of Russian versus Chinese meddling efforts during the 2020 election. Among his conclusions is that intelligence analysts downplayed China's actions (snip.)

Trump called it quite shocking that NATO allies refused to intervene in the conflictUS President Donald Trump called NATO allies’ refusal to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz a very foolish mistake, according to Reuters.However, the American leader gave no hints that he would retaliate against Alliance allies for refusing to participate in a war against Iran.He also stated that NATO countries support the joint US-Israeli operation, even if they did not want to intervene directly. "I think NATO ​is making a very foolish mistake. Everyone agrees with us, but they don't want to help. And we, you know,

A journalist also asked Zelenskyy an uncomfortable question about Trump, and he respondedPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about his bad premonition regarding peace negotiations with Russia, which he linked to the fact that the US has shifted its focus from Ukraine to the war in Iran, according to the BBC.While on a visit to the UK, the president said in an interview with a BBC journalist that peace negotiations are being delayed due to the conflict in the Middle East.Zelenskyy said that he had very bad premonitions about the impact of the war on the situation in Ukraine, and that, unfortunately,

Two weeks into Operation Epic Fury, the dominant narrative has settled into a comfortable groove: The United States and Israel stumbled into a war without a plan. Iran is retaliating across the region. Oil prices are surging, and the world is facing another Middle Eastern quagmire. US senators have called it a blunder. Cable news has tallied the crises. Commentators have warned of a long war. [snip] But this narrative is wrong. Not because the costs are imaginary, but because the critics are measuring the wrong things. They are cataloguing the price of the campaign while ignoring the strategic ledger.

Authorities found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in Alabama star Aden Holloway's apartment when he was arrested on a felony drug possession charge Monday morning, according to charging documents obtained by ESPN on Tuesday. The amount discovered in the arrest is significant because any amount of marijuana above 2.2 pounds -- or a kilogram -- in the state of Alabama can result in a drug trafficking charge. Holloway, who was "removed from campus" and is not with the team days before the NCAA tournament because of the arrest, told police he wanted to exercise his Miranda rights and remain silent during the search of his apartment but then told police "he only smokes."

U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts said on Tuesday that hostility directed in personal terms at judges is "dangerous and it's got to stop," commenting just days after President Donald Trump's ‌latest social media broadside against judges who have ruled against him and his administration. Roberts did not mention the Republican ‌president by name in his remarks at an event at Rice University in Houston. But Roberts, who has led the U.S. Supreme Court for more than ​two decades, said that while criticism of judicial decisions is welcome and often healthy, attacks of a personal nature against judges cross a line.

The US military dropped 5,000-pound bunker buster bombs on underground Iranian missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday, according to authorities. The massive attack announced by US Central Command came as the war with Iran had staunched the flow of shipping through the vital Persian Gulf waterway. “Hours ago, US forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz,” the regional command said on X around 7 p.m. EST.

Iran’s rulers have unleashed a brutal crackdown of arrests and death threats against would-be protestors in a desperate bid to curb an uprising, according to reports. Despite the weakening of Iranian police, the paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the Basij militia by US and Israeli strikes — including Israel’s killing of the head of the Basij, Gholamreza Soleimani — security forces are still suppressing domestic dissent, according to the Wall Street Journal. Armed plainclothes men with covered faces have been riding around on motorcycles, wielding their weapons to intimidate Iranians, and have set up a network of security checkpoints in Tehran to search cars, the outlet reported.

An unidentified object was seen in the night skies of Dallas, Texas on Tuesday. Many claimed it was a meteor that exploded or burned up before reaching the ground. Alleged videos of the incident quickly went viral on social media. “Unidentified object captured in the sky Near Dallas appears to explode or burn up before reaching the ground,” one person wrote, sharing a clip where a vehicle is going on the road when it spots the object in the sky. The glowing object can be seen streaking across the sky. A clip was shared from a different angle as well.

The Senate on Tuesday afternoon voted to kick off what could be a dayslong debate over the SAVE America Act, the controversial voter-ID bill backed by President Donald Trump. “We’re not going to let it pass. We’re going to fight it tooth and nail,” Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., said on Tuesday morning ahead of the vote. “We’re prepared to stay here all day and all night, or multiple days and multiple nights and even multiple weeks , if necessary, to make sure the SAVE Act suffers the death that it deserves.” The legislation, which advanced out of the House in February, would require proof of citizenship to register and photo ID

Good question. And a surprising source for it, to boot. Did Paramount buy Comcast when we weren't looking? Poll after poll has shown for years that the vast majority of American voters want requirements to show identification at the polling booth. That support crosses every major demographic, including political affiliations, and has for decades. As requirements for identification apply to more and more activities in public life, including for New York City's snow shoveling in Zohran Mamdani's socialist gulag, the arguments against voter-ID requirements become more and more inexplicable. Even NBC News has begun to wonder whether the only organized opposition to it is on Capitol Hill:

Iran's neighbors may not have wanted a war with Tehran. The emirs of the region may resent Donald Trump for demonstrating their vulnerability without the kind of warning they wanted. Now that Trump has finally decided to address the threats Iran's regime poses to the region and the world, however, these Middle East states want him to finish the job and ensure the collapse of the regime. The question is whether they're willing to pay for it, literally and figuratively: Gulf Arab states did not ask the US to go to war with Iran, but many are now urging it not to stop short

A seven-ton asteroid nearly six feet in diameter entered Earth’s atmosphere on Tuesday morning before exploding and breaking into pieces over a suburb in Cleveland, Ohio, according to NASA. The fireball that Northeast Ohio residents saw, as well as the explosion they heard at 9:00 a.m. this morning, was an asteroid that broke apart over the greater Cleveland area, NASA said. “The asteroid unleashed an energy of 250 tons of TNT when it fragmented, resulting in a pressure wave which propagated to the ground, causing the booms and explosive noises heard by many of the public,” the agency explained.

Virginia Republican candidate Andrew Rice defeated his Democrat opponent, Cheryl Smith, in a Virginia special election to fill a vacant seat in District 98 for the Virginia House of Delegates. Rice received 7,316 votes, or 62.5 percent of the vote, while Smith received 4,392 votes, or 37.5 percent of the vote, according to election results from the New York Times. Rice’s 25-point lead comes after former Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) won Virginia’s House of Delegates District 98 in the November gubernatorial election, against now-Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D). Earle-Sears won the district by 6.7