Copy of Morning Brief 2022-06-07

Top of Hour 2
GUEST: Alex Berenson
TOPIC: Discussing his lawsuit against Twitter for banning him for 'COVID misinformation.'

Top of Hour 3
GUEST: Brad Meltzer
TOPIC: Discussing his two newest books: 'I am Dolly Parton' & 'I am I.M. Pei'

CB, RR, JB, SK

Domestic News...

Biden's America: Germany airlifts baby formula to Texas
A plane carrying more than 110,000 pounds of specialty baby formula from Germany is expected to land in Fort Worth later this week.

From firebombing protesters to lying FBI agents, a two-tier justice system sharpens in focus
While holding firm in its promise to prosecute J6 offenders to the max, Biden's Justice Department made a curious move last week. It withdrew its own plea deal with two lawyers accused of using Molotov cocktails during George Floyd riots in NYC and allowed the defendants to plea to different charges that carried less prison time.

Proud Boys charged with ‘seditious conspiracy’ related to Capitol riot
Prosecutors said they had encouraged people to attend the "Stop the Steal" rally, obtained concealed tactical vests, protective equipment, and radio equipment, dressed “incognito”, lead the crowd onto Capitol grounds, stormed past barricades and “assaulting law enforcement officers.”

Adams calls NYC’s criminal justice system ‘laughingstock of our entire country’
Adams lashed out at prosecutors and judges Monday for cutting loose suspected shooters to unleash more gunfire on the Big Apple’s streets — saying the “bad guys no longer take them seriously.”

NY Gov restricts gun ownership to 21 and up, bars citizens from buying body armor, bulletproof vests
Unelected New York Governor Kathy Hochul also signed a law establishing a "task force on social media and violent extremism" which requires those suspected of "bias-related violence and intimidation" to be reported to authorities.

Pols ignore mass shootings we can do something about: gang violence
It doesn’t make any sense to strike a pose against gun violence in general without taking on this scourge in particular — unless striking the pose is the point.

New York Officials Fear Supreme Court Ruling Will Mean More Gun Crime
Across the city and state, authorities are bracing for a ruling, expected from the United States Supreme Court this month, which could strike down a century-old New York State law that places strict limits on the carrying of handguns.

Video shows man violently toss woman onto Bronx subway tracks
Newly released video captured the horrifying moment a man violently tossed a 52-year-old woman onto the subway tracks in the Bronx on Sunday.

Far-left Philly DA blames NRA for shooting
But the mayor says there is 'no price to pay for carrying illegal guns'

9 Big Things We Learned From The Michael Sussmann Prosecution
While we have learned much from the Sussmann prosecution, we still don’t know whether Durham intends to hold the Crossfire Hurricane team responsible.

Soros spent $40 million to elect 75 ‘social justice’ prosecutors: Report
Soros and his groups have helped to elect prosecutors in whose cities jailings have plummeted and crime has surged.

Babylon Bee: Emperor Palpatine Builds A Bigger, Even More Powerful Death Star Equipped With A 9mm
The Death Star's blast is now said to be so powerful it can blow the core out of a planet.

Politics...

Biden wants to get out more, seething that his standing is now worse than Trump’s
Frustrations are mounting and the window for a political revival is closing.

Radar Online: White House Refuses To Comment On Hunter Biden's Naked, Illegal Gun-Toting Pictures
According to Radar, the gun was illegally obtained as Hunter lied on an application about his past drug use. Making a false statement on a federal criminal background check, known as ATF Form 4473, is a violation of federal law under Section 922(a)(6) of the U.S. criminal code.

Definitely didn't slip his mind: Biden issues D-Day remembrance tweet hours after his bedtime
Biden issues D-Day remembrance tweet after skipping it his first year in office... late in the evening, as the day already passed in France.

Joe Biden on track to take more vacation days than most recent presidents
Biden is on track to take more vacation days than his recent predecessors and, if he continues at this pace, will spend more than 550 days on vacation.

Unrelated Movie Review: Weekend at Bernie's II
This time out, the inept trio pack themselves off to St. Thomas, in search of the $2 million Bernie embezzled.

Poll: Most Americans say Trump only somewhat to blame or not really to blame for Jan. 6
Only 45 percent of Americans say Trump was “solely” or “mainly” responsible for the rioting on Jan. 6, the new polls says, according to NBC News, adding that 55 percent say Trump was only somewhat responsible or not really responsible for the Capitol riots.

CNN Pollster Says Republicans Are In The 'Best Position' For Midterms In Over 80 Years
Enten collected public support for both parties at this point in the midterm cycle from 1938 to today and found Republicans are up by 2-points on the generic ballot. “It beats 2010 when Republicans were up a point...”

NY Times: Democrats Can Win This Fall if They Make One Key Promise
Polls show that roughly two in three Americans oppose overturning Roe and almost 60 percent support passing a bill to set Roe’s protections in a federal law. What’s more, polls showed a rising number of voters listing abortion as their top midterm issue.

California voters poised to decide primary races for governor, senator and 52 House seats
The most populous state in the nation has some competitive races to follow as well as some high-profile incumbents up for reelection.

Matthew McConaughey meets lawmakers as Capitol Hill talks guns
McConaughey expressed support for raising the minimum age to 21 nationwide to purchase so-called assault weapons, in particular AR-15s, and implementing a national red flag system. He also backs background checks and a national waiting period.

AOC calls out Dems who won’t say ‘Latinx’
Polling data indicates most Hispanics don’t use the term or virulently object to it.

Economy...

Gas Prices Have More Than Doubled Since Biden Took Office
According to AAA, the nationwide average for a gallon of regular fuel reached a new record of $4.87 on Monday, a 101 percent increase from the $2.42 when Biden was inaugurated in January 2021.

More states hit $5 a gallon gas prices
In total, more than one out of every five gas stations nationwide are now charging more than $5 a gallon for regular.

A record-high Social Security cost-of-living adjustment in 2023 may affect program’s depletion dates
The last time the federal agency announced a bigger annual bump was in 1981 when there was an 11.2% increase.

Housing wealth gains a record $1.2 trillion, but there are signs the market is cooling
In total, the nation’s so-called tappable equity stood at $11 trillion, or two times the previous peak in 2006.

Kim Dotcom Predicts ‘Great Economic Reset’, Is Crypto a Solution?
The internet entrepreneur and political activist took to Twitter with his predictions of economic collapse.

Punctuality Is Having a Moment
“Fashionably late” falls out of fashion after more than two years of remote work, when, for many people, there was no good reason to be tardy.

Border...

Up to 6K join new caravan through Mexico, call for Title 42 repeal
The caravan began its journey from Tapachula, less than 10 miles from Mexico’s border with Guatemala, a departure timed to coincide with the start of the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles.

WAR News...

Top EU diplomat blasts Putin for airstrike on massive grain terminal in Ukraine
"Another Russian missile strike contributing to the global food crisis. Russian forces have destroyed the second biggest grain terminal in Ukraine, in Mykolaiv," EU Rep Josep Borrell said on Monday.

Guerrilla attacks deep inside Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory signal a rising resistance to Russian occupation
The Kremlin-backed mayor of the Ukrainian town of Enerhodar was standing on his mother’s porch when a powerful blast struck, leaving him critically wounded.

MONKEYVID-2219...

Australia leads the way on New World Order
“It has been revealed Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has a data agency to monitor Victorians’ everyday activities, including social media sentiment and credit card transactions. It was set up as part of the government’s Covid response in August 2020.

Here We Go Again: Biden’s CDC Recommends Masks For Monkeypox
The CDC upgraded the monkeypox alert to level 2 on Monday, advising travelers to practice enhanced precautions, including wearing a mask.

82 million COVID-19 vaccine doses discarded in US: Report
Nearly 11% of distributed doses in the United States have reportedly gone to waste from December 2020 through mid-May.

Entertainment...

Paramount sued over ‘Top Gun’ copyright
The family of the author whose article inspired the original 1986 “Top Gun” is suing Paramount, stating that the studio failed to reacquire the rights to Ehud Yonay’s 1983 article, “Top Guns.”

Suit claiming Kevin Spacey sexually abused teen can move forward, judge rules
When Rapp was 14, Spacey allegedly “grazed” his buttocks and laid his body partially across him before the teen was able to “wriggle out” of Spacey’s grip.

Media...

NY Times: Violent Crime Is Up as Cities Lose Police Officers. What Now?
What happened in Uvalde is especially bad for the reputation of the police because it dispels the machismo and heroism that are so often trotted out when law enforcement does something wrong, including killing someone who is unarmed.

Democracy Dies At The Hands Of Taylor Lorenz And Every Other Bad Hire At The Washington Post
The Washington Post is doubling down on its lie-ridden articles and supporting problematic staff like disgraced doxxer Taylor Lorenz.

Washington Post suspends reporter without pay for retweeting joke
David Weigel had shared a tweet that said, "Every girl is bi. You just have to figure out if it's polar or sexual," after which, fellow reporter Felicia Sonmez said it was "fantastic to work at a news outlet where retweets like this are allowed."

Europe...

Boris Johnson Survives ‘No Confidence’ Vote
Johnson carried the vote 211-148 — a majority of 63 — despite needing only a simple majority to retain his office.

Middle East...

Israel’s Government Teeters Again, Losing Vote on Law that Supports West Bank Settlers
The vote’s failure — from defections within the governing bloc and a power move by usually pro-settler opposition lawmakers — could topple the government and throw a lifeline to former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

South America...

Colombia’s presidential race will decide if the country goes the way of Venezuela
“My political awakening came in the late 1960s when I saw my father cry over the death of Argentine revolutionary leader Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara,” recalls Gustavo Petro, former urban guerrilla and hard-left candidate who could become Colombia’s next president.

Environment...

Biden to invoke Defense Production Act for clean energy
The upcoming announcement said Biden would "take steps to provide U.S. solar deployers the short-term stability they need to build clean energy projects."

Biden Waives Solar Tariffs In Massive Win For Chinese Industry
The move came in response to complaints from the green energy industry and Democratic lawmakers that an active Commerce Department probe into Chinese companies’ tariff violations was slowing the admin’s clean energy goals.

I Rented an Electric Car for a Four-Day Road Trip. I Spent More Time Charging It Than I Did Sleeping.
Our writer drove from New Orleans to Chicago and back to test the feasibility of taking a road trip in an EV. She wouldn’t soon do it again.

LGBTQIA2S+...

The 100 Most Influential Queer Books of All-Time
Today, transphobia is rampant among the queer community, and there are still plenty of issues (biphobia, acephobia), histories, and experiences that the best-educated queer person needs to be willing to open themselves up to and learn more about.

Texas lawmaker to bring bill to BAN minors from drag shows
"The events of this past weekend were horrifying and show a disturbing trend in which perverted adults are obsessed with sexualizing young children."

I’m in a relationship with my 1998 Chevy Monte Carlo - and our sex life is so special
Nathaniel suffers from objectophilia, whereby individuals develop strong sexual or romantic feelings for a specific inanimate object. Some academics have theorized that the condition could be linked with autism.

Education...

WSJ: Biden’s decision on student loan forgiveness is likely to come in July or August
There’s no precedent for such a move.

Facebook Factcheckers Are Wrong: An Illinois School Is Changing Grading Based On Race
There is a very clear reason school administrators are implementing these changes, and it has everything to do with race.

Health...

Volcano burn survivor removes face mask for first time
Stephanie Browitt was one of 47 tourists exploring the volcano on Dec. 9, 2019, when it erupted, spewing gases, rock and ash. Twenty-two of the tourists were killed, including Browitt’s father and younger sister.

Technology...

Musk accuses Twitter of ‘resisting and thwarting’ his right to information on fake accounts
“Mr. Musk reserves all rights resulting therefrom, including his right not to consummate the transaction and his right to terminate the merger agreement”

Why Elon Musk and Bill Gates, two of the world’s richest men, can’t help but feud over Twitter
“Bill is an opinionated guy and so is Elon. So [the spat] doesn’t surprise me. But I don’t think Bill particularly likes it.”

Apple announces editable text messages
Apple also announced that it is bringing multiple notable updates to its Messages app. These include an edit button and the ability to unsend a message and mark threads as "unread."

Science...

Glenn's Tarot Card Reading For June 7, 2022
Aquarius - Life can be all rainbows and sunshine for you. You have so many things that you are optimistic about and ought to be for good reason. There's nothing you cannot accomplish.

NASA reveals new, next-gen spacesuits
“When we get to the Moon, we will have our first person of color and our first woman that will be wearers and users of these suits in space,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

UFO spotted during the Queen's Jubilee celebration?
“Just watched the BigJetTV angle again, this goes WAY too fast to be a drone or balloon in the wind. I'm inclined to say this is a genuine [Unidentified Aerial Phenomena]."

UFO at the Miami Air and Sea Show?
In the clip, a jet plane is seen flying over a large crowd of people at the beach. Then something small seemingly emerges from the water, and shoots straight up at a great speed.

Sports...

First 'trans' cheerleader in NFL to make debut with Carolina Panthers
While NFL cheerleading squads had allowed men to join the roster starting in the late 90's, Lindsay will be the first man who claims he's a woman to join.

Walmart heir expected to purchase Denver Broncos for record-setting $4.5 billion
If the final purchase price ends up being $4.5 billion, that would smash the American record for most money ever paid for a sports team. The record is currently held by the Nets, who sold for $2.35 billion in August 2019.

Pickleball is the Hamptons’ hottest amenity
It is a cross between, tennis, ping-pong and badminton, and its the trendy 'sport' to play.

Animals...

Video: Cow Causes Chaos On Oklahoma Interstate, Cowboys Save The Day
A local TV helicopter captured footage of cowboys taking down the cow on the streets of OKC.

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2012: Ea sed ocurreret disputando, amet salutatus pri ex, dico facer nec ea. Ad nonumy insolens eos, sed cu facete ornatus urbanitas, ut euripidis dissentiunt eum.

2020: Nam diam saperet accumsan ea, id tacimates dignissim cum, id mea audiam ceteros.

Top THREE reasons we NEED the Panama Canal

Justin Sullivan / Staff | Getty Images

Is Trump seriously planning a military conquest of the Panama Canal?

In the weeks leading up to the inauguration, Donald Trump launched the Panama Canal into the national spotlight. The canal is one of the most important passages in the world, and its continued operation has been critical for both the U.S. military and economy since its construction.

Since America relinquished sovereignty of the canal, China has asserted its authority in the region. The Chinese Communist Party has been growing its influence in Panama and neighboring Latin American countries, convincing them to join their "Belt and Road Initiative," an effort to poise China as the main economic power in developing nations across the world. Panama in particular is quickly becoming a Chinese puppet state. There are currently over 200,000 Chinese living in Panama, a Chinese company runs two of the canal's five major ports, and another Chinese company provides telecommunication service for a large portion of the canal. The government of Panama has even gone as far as cutting diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

It's clear that the Panama Canal is under serious threat of falling into Chinese hands, but President Trump doesn't intend to let them move in. Here are the top three reasons we need the Panama Canal:

1. The canal was built by the U.S.

Hulton Archive / Stringer | Getty Images

Without the United States, neither Panama nor the Panama Canal would exist. In 1903, after Colombia refused to allow the U.S. to build a canal across the isthmus of Panama, President Teddy Roosevelt devised a controversial plan. He supported a Panamanian independence movement, which swiftly overthrew the local Colombian government. Meanwhile, he stationed a U.S. warship off the coast, preventing Colombia from sending military forces to retake Panama.

The moment Panama declared its independence, the U.S. recognized it and struck a deal with the new government: the U.S. would control the Canal Zone, while Panama would receive $10 million and an annual payment of $250,000. Construction of the canal took over a decade, cost $375 million, and resulted in thousands of American casualties, making it the most expensive U.S. construction project of its time.

Fast forward to 1964 when tensions between the U.S. and Panama over the canal erupted into a riot. President Lyndon B. Johnson decided it was time to transfer control of the canal to Panama. However, this proved more complicated than expected. In 1968, General Omar Torrijos, a known ally of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, seized control of Panama in a coup. Negotiations over the Canal stalled, as many Americans opposed giving such an important asset to a controversial figure. It wasn’t until 1999, following the deployment of 27,000 U.S. troops to facilitate yet another change in power, that the Canal was officially handed over to Panama.

2. The canal is vital for the U.S. economy

IVAN PISARENKO / Contributor | Getty Images

The U.S. relies heavily on the Panama Canal for commercial shipping. Between 13 and 14 thousand ships use the Panama Canal every year, which is roughly 40 percent of the global cargo ship traffic. Additionally, 72 percent of ships traversing the canal are either heading toward or leaving a U.S. port.

The time ships save using the Panama Canal reduces shipping costs massively. For example, when the canal first opened in 1922, it was estimated that a ship’s journey from Oregon to the UK, was shortened by 42 percent, reducing costs by 31 percent. If the Panama Canal was blocked or destroyed, or if American merchant vessels were denied passage, the effects on the U.S. economy would be tremendous.

3. The canal is a key defense point for the U.S. military

Historical / Contributor | Getty Images

Similarly, the canal is key to the U.S. military and national security. The canal shaves off approximately 8,000 miles of the voyage between the Pacific and the Atlantic. If U.S. Navy ships were denied access in a time of crisis, the extra time required to bypass the canal would be disastrous. Conversely, if the U.S. can keep the Panama Canal from being used by foreign aggressors, it would provide a massive advantage in future conflicts.

A foreign enemy could easily exploit the canal's current vulnerability. This was proven in 2021 when a cargo ship accidentally blocked the Suez Canal for a week, paralyzing global trade. Imagine China intentionally sabotaging the Panama Canal, considering it controls ports on both ends, owns a bridge that spans the Canal, provides its telecom services, and has the second-largest fleet of ships using the route.

TOP 5 takeaways from JD Vance's 'Face the Nation' interview

Anna Moneymaker / Staff | Getty Images

After an eventful first week in office, JD Vance wrapped the week up with a bang of an interview on "Face the Nation."

Last weekend, Vice President Vance joined "Face the Nation" host Margaret Brennan, who drilled Vance on everything from the economy to immigration. Vance clapped back with polite yet cutting responses, and he defended Trump against some of her more accusatory queries.

If there was any lingering doubt that JD Vance wasn't vice presidential (or presidential) material, they have just been blown away. Here are the major takeaways from his electricinterview on Sunday:

1. J.D. Vance defends Trump's cabinet picks

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

Brennan opened the interview with a barrage of questions that brought up concerns surrounding some of Trump's cabinet picks, specifically Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard.

Brennan began by questioning how effective Pete Hegseth could be as Secretary of Defence, given that he was confirmed with a tie in the Senate that VP Vance broke. Vance responded with a quick breakdown of all of the issues the military is currently facing. Vance argued that Hegseth's unpopularity in the Senate results from his being a disruptor.

Brennan also attacked Tulsi Gabbard, calling her unfit for the title of "Director of National Intelligence." Vance defended Gabbard, citing her formidable resume and strong character. Vance also discussed the corruption of our intelligence services, which out-of-control bureaucrats have weaponized against the interests of the American people. He expressed his belief that Gabbard would be the right person to reign in the corruption and return the National Intelligence Service to its intended purpose.

2. J.D. Vance explains how Trump's economic policies will lower consumer prices

Brandon Bell / Staff | Getty Images

Brennan pushed Vance on the economy, specifically questioning when prices for consumer goods would begin to fall. Vance explained that within the plethora of executive orders issued by Trump during his first week in office, many were aimed at bringing more jobs back into America, which will raise wages and lower prices. Other orders will boost energy production, which will reduce energy costs and decrease the costs of goods.

3. J.D. Vance sheds light on needed FEMA reforms

ROBYN BECK / Staff | Getty Images

Brennan drilled Vance on President Trump's proposed FEMA reforms, specifically regarding Trump's suggestion to send states a percentage of federal disaster relief funds so that they can quickly distribute aid rather than wait on federal action. While Brennen argued that FEMA has specialists and resources that states would not have access to, leaving people without aid, Vance argued that recent disasters, like Hurricane Helene, have proven that FEMA's current bureaucratic red tape deprived Americans of immediate aid when they needed it most.

4. J.D. Vance defends Trump's mass deportations

PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU / Contributor | Getty Images

Vance defended Trump's decision to allow ICE to conduct raids into churches and schools against Brennen's criticisms, arguing that law enforcement should remove a dangerous criminal from a school or church, regardless of their immigration status. He also advocated for Trump's proposed changes to birthright citizenship to prevent illegal immigrants from abusing the constitutional amendment by having "anchor babies" on U.S. soil.

Vance also took a hard stance supporting Trump suspension of admitting Afghan refugees. Brennan argued that Afghan refugees were going through a thorough vetting process and were now being abandoned by the U.S. However, Vance cited the foiled terrorist attack in Oklahoma City during Trump's 2024 campaign that was orchestrated by an Afghan refugee, who was allegedly vetted by federal agents. The vetting process is clearly flawed, and it was a prudent decision to halt the admission of these refugees until further notice.

5. J.D. Vance insists that Trump will still reign in Big Tech

PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU / Contributor | Getty Images

To wrap up the interview, Brennan questioned the Trump administration's stance on Big Tech given the attendance of the industry's biggest names at Trump's inauguration, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. Vance assured Brennan that Trump is still resolved to curb the power and influence of Big Tech.

Top THREE reasons the U.S. NEEDS Greenland

EMIL STACH / Contributor | Getty Images

Are Trump's repeated promises to claim Greenland for the U.S. just belligerent imperialism or a deft move to secure the future of America?

During his patriotic inaugural address, President Trump reiterated his campaign promise to expand American territories, including securing U.S. control over Greenland. This is not a new idea despite what the mainstream media may claim.

The idea of buying Greenland was originally introduced by progressive hero Woodrow Wilson in 1917 as an attempt to secure the homeland as America was gearing up to enter the First World War. The second attempt came after World War II when President Truman tried to buy the island from Denmark in another attempt to shore up national security, this time against the Soviets. Since then, Trump floated the idea in 2019, which was met with much the same ridicule as now.

The truth is that the acquisition of Greenland represents far more than just an outlet for repressed imperialist desires. It would be one of America's best investments in a long time, which is why we've been eyeballing it for so long. Here are three reasons the U.S. needs Greenland:

Strategic Military Position

THOMAS TRAASDAHL / Contributor | Getty Images

For the majority of the 20th century, Europe was the region from which a foreign attack on American soil could be launched: the Germans for the first half of the century, and the Russians for the second half. On both occasions, Greenland stood between our foreign enemies and the United States.

After the World War II, America was the official military defender of Greenland, per an agreement with Denmark. Under this agreement, the U.S. built Pituffik Air Force Base, a remote base 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Due to its location, approximately halfway between D.C. and Moscow, the Pentagon still views Pituffik as a vital component of America's nuclear defense.

The U.S. also built a secret base within the ice cap known as Camp Century. Camp Century was part scientific outpost, part nuclear-tipped ballistic missile silo built in the ice to withstand a direct atomic strike. The nearly two miles of icy tunnels were powered by a nuclear reactor and were designed to survive a nuclear first strike, and return fire. Although abandoned in 1967, Camp Century still symbolizes the strategic importance of Greenland for U.S. security.

Untapped Resources

OLIVIER MORIN / Contributor | Getty Images

While Greenland's population is a mere 56,000, the island has a total landmass nearly three times the size of Texas. According to a 2009 geological assessment, a whopping 30 percent of the Earth's undiscovered natural gas, and 13 percent of its undiscovered oil is locked away beneath Greenland's icy ground. There are also untapped deposits of valuable rare earth metals including copper, graphite, and lithium.

Neither Greenland nor Denmark have any real plans to tap into this immense wealth trapped beneath the ice, but it could prove crucial for ending the West's dependency on China. China has the global market cornered on rare earth minerals- including America. We acquire 72 percent of our rare earth mineral imports from China, making us entirely dependent on them for the manufacturing of many essential goods. Tapping Greenland's natural resources would help free America, and the West, from China's yolk.

Polar Silk Road

mark peterson / Contributor | Getty Images

In 2018 China launched an ambitious project that aimed to cut the travel time of cargo vessels between its ports and European markets in half. China, in collaboration with Russia, plans on developing new shipping routes through the Arctic Ocean. This bold new strategy, dubbed the "Polar Silk Road," has been made possible thanks to new tech, including a fleet of Russian, nuclear-powered icebreakers, the latest of which is capable of breaking through nearly 10 feet of ice.

With clear waterways from eastern China and Northern Europe, it won't be long before the first cargo ships brave the frigid sea and China looks to the next leg of the journey: the Northwest Passage. The Northwest Passage is the area of sea between Canada and the North Pole that would be an optimal shipping route between America's East Coast and Asia if it wasn't frozen over most of the year. But with new technology, we may be able to overcome the challenges of the ice and open the passage to commercial traffic, and Greenland is positioned directly on the passage's easternmost mouth.

Greenland would quickly become a key location along the Northwestern Passage, acting as a sentinel of the east, with the ability to control traffic through the trade route. If China or Russia were to take control of Greenland, they would dominate the Northwestern Passage, along with the rest of the new northern trade routes.

Is Romania squashing its own 'Trump' candidate?

DANIEL MIHAILESCU / Contributor | Getty Images

This week the streets of Bucharest, the capital of Romania, erupted in protest after the Constitutional Courts annulled the recent first round of the presidential election after the "far-right" candidate won.

The government is lying to you. If you have been listening to Glenn for a long time you already know that, and you also know that if you try to call attention to the lies you get labeled a conspiracy theorist or "far-right." This is not only true in America but across the world. Politicians cheat, steal, and grab power, then lie about all of it. This is the root of countless issues across every government on the planet, and recently Romania has become the latest example of this unfortunate phenomenon.

But what is really happening in Romania? Was this an actual attempt to stamp out someone who would shed light on lies and corruption? Or did the Romanian government put a stop to a genuine bad actor?

The Election

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

On December 6th, 2024, the Romanian Constitutional Court canceled the second round of the presidential election amid claims of Russian interference. The second round of the election would have seen right-wing candidate, Calin Georgescu face off against pro-European centrist Elena Lasconi.

The trouble surrounds Georgescu, who stands accused of using Russian aid to run an unprecedented social media campaign that helped him win an election pollsters claimed he stood no chance of winning. Georgescu's rapid rise in popularity on social media does raise some eyebrows, and to add to the suspicion he declared he had zero campaign spending. On the other hand, Georgescu's supporters claim that his quick rise to stardom and underdog victory is due to the growing resentment for the ever-out-of-touch political elite.

Georgescu's Platform

Andrei Pungovschi / Stringer | Getty Images

Georgescu rose to prominence on a platform many of his detractors have labeled "far-right," "pro-Russian," and "populist" (sound familiar?). His positions include supporting Romanian farmers, increasing Romanian self-reliance, and increasing local energy production. Georgescu has been lauded for his message of hope and vision for the future and his dedication to truth, freedom, and sovereignty.

Georgescu is also a vocal Christian and a supporter of the Romanian Orthodox Church. He has questioned the climate change and COVID-19 narrative as well as NATO and the war in Ukraine, which is how he earned his "Pro-Russian" monicker. Georgescu promised to respect and honor its obligations to the EU and NATO, but only to the extent that they respect Romania and its interests.

What Happens Next?

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

After Georgescu's unexpected victory, the Romanian Constitutional Courts annulled the election's first round and scheduled it to restart on May 4th. As of now, it is unclear whether Georgescu will be allowed to participate in the new election. This act by the Constitutional Courts triggered mass protests in the capital, Bucharest, and has caused many Romainians to question the state of democracy within their country.

Many of the protesters are calling what happened a coup and are demanding the election be allowed to continue to the second round. They are also calling for the resignation of current President Klaus Iohannis, who has maintained power thanks to the incomplete elections. Georgescu has officially challenged the court's decision and even made a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights, but it is unclear if his appeal will make any difference.