Morning Brief 2022-06-09

Bottom of Hour 1
GUEST: Jim Harden
TOPIC: New York pregnancy center allegedly "firebombed" by a pro-choice group.

Top of Hour 2
GUEST: Alan Dershowitz
TOPIC: The politically motivated two-tiered justice system for January 6th defendants.

Bottom of Hour 2
GUEST: Diana Furchtgott-Roth
TOPIC: May employment numbers & the new government retirement plan.

CB, RR, JB, SK, BM

News...

Armed man arrested outside Kavanaugh's house wanted to kill him over draft Roe v. Wade reversal
"Roske stated that he began thinking about how to give his life a purpose and decided that he would kill the Supreme Court Justice after finding the Justice's Montgomery County address on the Internet."

Flashback: Leftist group posts addresses of Supreme Court justices
The Ruth Sent Us site also declares that "our 6-3 extremist Supreme Court routinely issues rulings that hurt women, racial minorities, LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights. We must rise up to force accountability using a diversity of tactics."

Ruth Sent Us Send ‘Special Message’ To Kavanaugh’s Wife And Kids
"A special message for Ashley Kavanaugh and your daughters ... McConnell and the GOP aren’t worried for your safety. They worry only for the expensive Supreme Court they rigged, and their own power."

Democrats Wanted To Intimidate Justices. Now It’s Getting Dangerous
After spending years cynically delegitimizing the high court, Schumer had moved to openly threatening life-time appointed judges, by name, because he feared they would knock down the concocted constitutional right to an abortion.

Sasse calls on Schumer to retract 'lunatic threats' against Kavanaugh
“We have a Senate right now that has a majority leader who stood on the steps of the Supreme Court two years ago shrieking like a lunatic threats at Justice Kavanaugh,” Sasse said.

Biden on Kimmel predicts ‘mini revolution’ in November if SCOTUS overturns Roe v. Wade
“I don’t think the country will stand for it,” Biden said.

Pro-Abortion Arsonists Have Firebombed Three Pro-Life Groups In A Month
The offices of three different pro-life organizations were firebombed in the course of a month after a leaked draft opinion revealed the Supreme Court would likely overturn Roe v. Wade.

Will The FBI Do Anything About The Alarming Number Of Attacks On Pro-Life Centers?
The same agency that investigated hate crime allegations that a garage pull cord was a noose is failing to investigate arson, death threats, and terror threats from pro-abortionists.

Pro-Abortion Protester Rushed Biden’s Motorcade And Immediately Regretted It
Secret service swiftly took down the protestor as she walked toward the oncoming motorcade while screaming into a megaphone.

State Department Prepares To Announce Worldwide Racial Equity Chief, Leaked Email Shows
The position’s holder has not been named, but the Special Representative will have wide-reaching powers, since he or she will be responsible for “institutionaliz[ing] an enterprise-wide approach to integrating racial and ethnic equity.”

House passes sweeping gun bill to raise assault rifle purchase age to 21
The bill, called the Protecting Our Kids Act, would also bar the sale of large-capacity magazines and institute new rules that dictate proper at-home gun storage. The bill is DOA in the senate.

Other woke DAs who could be run out of office like San Francisco’s Chesa Boudin
Boudin, the son of convicted Weather Underground terrorists, blamed his ouster on “right-wing billionaires” who “outspent us 3-to-1.”

Military confirms aircraft crash in California but denies nuclear materials onboard
The aircraft, an MV-22B Osprey with five Marines onboard, was not carrying nuclear materials, contrary to what was said in initial reports.

Raising a middle-class child will likely cost almost $286,000, according to USDA data
“The fact is that sending an infant to day care in many places across the country could be significantly more expensive than in-state public tuition to send them to college”

Ibram X. Kendi wondered if daughter inhaled 'smog' of 'white superiority' from doll
His daughter grew attached to a white doll with blue eyes, throwing fits when she had to put it down. He "wondered if our black child’s attachment to a white doll could mean she had already breathed in what the psychologist Beverly Daniel Tatum has called the 'smog' of white superiority."

The Meme That Derailed an Executive’s Career
John Demsey made diversity Estée Lauder’s corporate pitch. But on Feb. 21, he was fired for posting a meme. Over the past few years, powerful white executives have lost their jobs because of racist statements they made to employees and others.

Squatter with fake lease won’t leave Chicago woman’s home
“If somebody gets into the property in the middle of the night, nobody sees them get in the property, they have a lease in hand. Well, a police officer can’t determine - they’re not a judge - (if) that’s a fake lease, or that’s a fake signature or it’s forged”

Politics...

Hunter says he's the biggest influence on Joe Biden
“He’s going to talk about drug reform and any other thing that I want him to. [Joe Biden] thinks I’m a god.” ... “My dad respects me more than he respects anyone in the world, and I know that to be certain, so it’s not going to be about whether it ­affects his politics.”

Biden’s RCP Average Drops Under 40% As More Polls Show Him Hitting Record Lows
The RealClearPolitics poll of polls has Biden’s approval rating at 39.7%, a record low mark, with an average of 55% disapproval.

Biden whined about negative press to reporters in off-the-record conversation
Politico goes on to talk about how Biden and his family feel too much attention is placed on the president's low approval numbers and staff turnover rather than bright spots in the economy.

Biden on Kimmel: Republicans 'literally' put our democracy in jeopardy
“I also get asked, ‘look the Republicans don’t play it square, why do you play it square? Well guess what, if we do the same thing they do, our democracy would literally be in jeopardy and that is not a joke.” Biden hasn’t given a sit-down interview to a reporter in four months.

Democrats frustrated by flat-footed White House
Democrats are growing increasingly frustrated by what they say is a flat-footed White House that is slow to catch up on solving a seemingly never-ending cascade of problems in the face of an unrelenting news cycle.

Biden again trips up Air Force One stairs
Biden began his fraught ascension of the plane’s stairs after declining to take questions from reporters.

DeSantis Reacts To Straw Poll Showing Him Leading Against Trump
“I don’t do straw polls. They just put my name to these things, you know? So, what am I supposed to do? Like they sell merchandise and everything. I’d kind of like to get royalties on that.”

Democrats change party registration ahead of GOP primary
Thousands of registered Colorado Democrats are changing their party affiliation ahead of the GOP primaries, with some citing it as an effort to oust Rep. Lauren Boebert from office.

The Day Our Democracy Almost Died...

Trump Pentagon first offered National Guard to Capitol four days before Jan. 6 riots, memo shows
Official Capitol Police timeline validates Trump administration's account, shows Democrats' fateful rejections of offers. "Seems absolutely illogical," one official wrote about security posture hours before riot began.

WaPo: Fox News’s blackout of Jan. 6 points to a hidden crisis for Democrats
The not-so-shocking revelation that Fox News will not carry House committee hearings about the insurrection is yet another sign that right-wing media will go to extraordinary lengths to shield the GOP base from brutal truths about Jan. 6, 2021. [cue ominous music]

WaPo: In South Dakota, the GOP war on democracy hits a wall
The idea of majority rule is under relentless attack, and it’s hard to feel optimistic that the public cares that much. If you try to motivate them to confront threats to foundational American values, they’re likely to tell you that they care more about gas prices.

Google relents after NY Post fights censorship of YouTube interview with Jan. 6 rioter
The latest Big Tech attempt to squash The NY Post’s reporting occurred Monday when YouTube deleted the interview taped inside the Capitol — saying Aaron Mostofsky spouted “misinformation.”

Economy...

Gas hits record $4.96 on Wednesday
That's 64 cents higher from a month ago and $1.89 higher than it was a year ago, according to AAA. In 16 states, the typical gas price has already topped $5 per gallon.

Empty wallets, empty tanks: Surging gas prices leave drivers stranded
AAA fielded 50,787 out-of-gas calls in April, a 32 percent jump from the same month last year. More than 200,000 drivers have been similarly stranded this year. And gas prices have risen precipitously since April, making the financial pain even more acute.

Gas prices: 'Demand destruction' has already started, says strategist
"If we broach $125/b on crude oil, and stay there for a while, consumers will change their behavior"

Americans Go On Credit Card Tear, Pandemic Savings Wiped Out
The April consumer credit report from the Federal Reserve saw a surge in credit card debt, resulting in the largest ever increase in revolving credit, as Americans’ savings from the pandemic are running out, according to ZeroHedge.

Mortgage demand falls to the lowest level in 22 years
Refinance demand was down 75% year over year.

Here’s how soon prices could go down again, according to 'experts'
There’s not a solid answer, but 2022 seems the worst for inflation with prices leveling out by 2023.

Major trucking company says it's done transporting firearms
Saia has announced it will no longer transport firearms amid a renewed national debate on gun control., Freight Waves reported on Monday.

South of the Border...

Summit of the Americas: Biden struggles to exert U.S. influence in own backyard
Nearly one-third of the region's democratically elected heads of state have decided to boycott the summit.

COVID-19...

With aid stalled, the White House says it has to shift funds from testing to buy more vaccines and treatments
The Biden admin has warned that without congressional action, it could have to unwind or sacrifice key pieces of the pandemic response.

Travel industry goes to Congress in effort to get feds to lift COVID tests for vaccinated travelers
Many other countries have dropped such requirements and industry leaders argue the policy does not match the threat posed by the virus.

Entertainment...

Robert De Niro says Biden is doing a very good job
The Rocky & Bullwinkle star said of Biden, "he's, you know, he got us into calm waters, that was always the idea. He's doing a very good job."

R. Kelly should get more than 25 years in prison ‘to protect the public’: federal prosecutors
Kelly, who is scheduled to be sentenced June 29, was found guilty last September of sexually abusing women, boys and girls for decades.

Tim Burton Unloads On ‘Batman’ Franchise
"Wait a minute. Okay. Hold on a second here. You complain about me, I’m too weird, I’m too dark, and then you put nipples on the costume? Go f**k yourself."

Media...

DeSantis to WaPo after attacks on press secretary: ‘We don’t care what you think anymore’
"I would be much more concerned with my press secretary if the Washington Post was writing puff pieces about her. Then I would think something was wrong."

The WaPo's week from Hell
Amber Heard's op-ed, Taylor Lorenz's reporting, Dave Weigel's retweet have caused headaches for the paper

WaPo: Why aren’t there more Republicans like Liz Cheney?
With the passing of Arizona senator John McCain and the retirement of other Republicans with backbone (e.g., Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona), the party now consists almost entirely of timorous sheep willing to fall in line behind the MAGA base regardless of the consequences.

Middle East...

Iran Turns Off U.N. Surveillance Cameras at Nuclear Site
The step came as tensions have risen over stalled efforts to revive a 2015 deal that limited Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for the easing of sanctions.

Australia...

Australia’s Baby Steps Toward Severing Ties With the Queen
The government has established a ministerial position to begin the process of making the country a republic. Polling shows that a slim majority of Australians would support a republic if they had to choose yes or no.

Environment...

EU lawmakers endorse banning combustion-engine cars by 2035
Environmentalists applauded the vote while German automakers warned there is a lack of charging stations to make the plan feasible.

People living on the coast could be forced to move due to climate change, UK warns
Referring to what he described as the “hardest of all the inconvenient truths,” James Bevan said that “some of our communities, both in this country and around the world, cannot stay where they are.”

LGBTQIA2S+...

NY Times: A Vanishing Word in the Abortion Debate: ‘Women’
Progressive groups and medical organizations have adopted inclusive language, which has led to terms like “pregnant people” and “chestfeeding.”

Education...

Education Honchos Swapped CRT Buzzwords To Avoid Public Pushback
Terms like “equity” and “bias” were deemed good words, while “racial equity” was dumped for “cultural equity.” “All children and families” was suggested as an alternative to “people of color” and “narrow societal norms” was substituted for “whiteness.”

Michigan is poised to become 14th state to mandate personal finance education
The legislation is the latest to pass with overwhelming bipartisan support. Earlier this year, both Florida and Georgia passed similar laws.

Technology...

Twitter to give Elon Musk internal data on spam, fake accounts: report
Washington Post notes that the data, which reportedly includes account information, a real-time record of tweets and the devices users tweet from, could be given to Musk as soon as this week. Currently, about two dozen companies pay to access the data.

Woman wakes up from 4-week coma to find partner blocked her on social media
She emerged from the coma and showed signs of improvement — only to experience more anguish when she discovered her boyfriend had ghosted her on social media and moved in with another woman.

Microsoft exec accused of watching 'VR porn' in office resigns
Microsoft’s VR chief Alex Kipman has resigned days after reports surfaced that he had watched “VR porn” in front of workers and engaged in forms of misconduct toward female employees.

TikTok challenge, where you jump in front of a moving truck, kills 2
Two Indonesian teens have died due to the “angel of death” truck challenge.

Sports...

Redskins' coach 'apologizes' for comment comparing Jan 6 rioting to BLM rioting
"I see the images on TV. People's livelihoods are being destroyed. Businesses are being burned down, no problem. And then we have a dust-up at the Capitol, nothing burned down. And we're not gonna talk about, we're gonna make that a major deal," he continued.

Ohio State star QB driving $200K car in NIL deal
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day recently remarked that he believed it would cost about $13 million in NIL deals each year for the Buckeyes to continue fielding a competitive roster.

Hot twins, who play college basketball, have made more than $1-million since NIL policy change
The NIL policy change has allowed athletes, particularly women, to see their bank accounts swell as large as their social-media followings.

Animals...

Man mistakes alligator for dog, with predictable results
The man was walking outside the motel and saw a dark figure moving along the bushes on a path. He thought it was a dog on a long leash, so he didn’t move out of the way. Then the alligator bit his leg.

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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.