The Trump Effect

 

Friends, kudos to President Trump, who tonight wisely addressed the nation directly, conveying a message of positivity and touting a sterling economic record that few Americans are remotely aware of.  Trump shared numerous statistics documenting wage gains and price declines.  Of course, Trump haters will scoff, but, for at least as long as Trump spoke, he was able to circumvent the talking heads whose soul purpose is to undermine and denigrate him, and thereby to counter lies with truth.  I've often wondered why Trump doesn't make primetime speeches like this more often.  Sure, they don't reach everyone, but if even a sliver of independents and persuadable voters tuned in, the upside could be substantial -- and, more importantly, Trump has literally nothing to lose by making the attempt.  Here's hoping that we'll hear much more from our incomparable Commander-in-Chief in the next three years, and that Trump supporters will pick up where he left off, and spread the word that, on the economy, help is not only on the way -- it's already here!

 

https://nypost.com/2025/12/17/us-news/trump-tells-america-im-fixing-bidens-mess-in-chart-filled-primetime-address/ 

Make the Americas Great Again!

 

Friends, tonight I wish to convey my congratulations and good wishes to the people of Chile, a beautiful and prosperous nation, who have voted to move the country firmly to the right, electing as their next president an ally and admirer of our own Donald J. Trump.  Some say Chile's lurch to the right means a reinstitution of quasi-fascist, Pinochet-style rule.  Well, this ain't 1973, and this time Chile's embrace of "far-right" principles and policies is entirely voluntary, so that's a big difference.  In any case, it's heartening to see so many Latin Americans rejecting Marxism and upholding the values of freedom, capitalist competition, national sovereignty, law and order, and the supremacy of family and God over victimology and secular humanism.  Let's hope that soon we will be able to add Venezuela to the long list of American states, including our own, which have come to their senses!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0kde07lvvro 

The Woke Leviathan

 

Friends, my latest article is hot off the presses (which exist mainly in my mind, and are VERY hot!).  I tackle the issue of Netflix's proposed takeover of Warner Brothers, which I find...appalling.  See what you make of my point of view.

 

A Pox on the House of Netflix!

The recent announcement that Warner Brothers, a Hollywood institution for over a century, will be acquired by Netflix, one of the wokest Big Tech companies around, should set off alarm bells for anyone who cares about the future of America and our popular culture. The Trump Administration simply cannot allow this merger from leftist Hades (much worse than regular Hades) to proceed.

Netflix's catalog of offenses against decency and traditional values is voluminous. Take, for instance, its trumpeting of the trans agenda...to kids, no less! Netflix's constant nods to identity politics, moreover, make much of its programming unwatchable to anyone who didn't ooze “joy” the moment Kamala(!) became the Democratic Party annointee for president... Meanwhile, Netflix's fascination with leftist narratives, from climate change to “undocumented” immigrants, has laid bare its ideological bias. These manifold sins, in combination with the low quality and limited scope of Netflix's offerings, made it an easy decision for me to cut the (digital) cord to Netflix years ago, and I've never looked back.

Warner Brothers, sadly, is proving less discerning. For reasons that beggar belief, it has accepted an inferior offer from Netflix, spurning a much larger bundle of cash from Paramount, the entertainment giant piloted by David Ellison, the son of Larry Ellison, who is, in case you've forgotten, an open and shameless supporter of (gasp!) President Donald Trump. Hmm. Now that seems odd: a mainstream Hollywood studio has chosen to climb into bed with a famously liberal streaming service, and the financial interests of Warner Brothers' shareholders be damned! Nothing fishy there. The fact that Warner Brothers controls CNN, a failed news network that nonetheless manages to irritate Trump and Republicans on a regular basis, might help to explain why the Ellisons and Paramount had to be denied. The last thing some people want is news networks that report the news, as opposed to TDS-inspired fever dreams.

Luckily, there is hope that this freakish union can be thwarted before American popular culture succumbs once and for all to “progressive” degeneracy. For one thing, Pam Bondi's DOJ, and more specifically its antitrust division, will have something to say about whether the proposed Warner Brothers/Netflix merger harms competition in the entertainment industry and/or represents an illegal monopoly. There are ample reasons to think that it does. President Trump has expressed concern on this point.

What's more, Warner Brothers' shareholders, and other interested parties, can pursue legal action to prevent the merger by arguing that it pointedly ignored, or even deliberately violated, the fiduciary obligation of Warner Brothers' executives, if they sell the company, to seek the best possible deal and the highest possible price. Paramount made six separate offers to Warner Brothers, each more generous than the last, but in the end Warner Brothers' CEO, David Zaslav, spurned the Ellisons and inked an agreement with the people who brought us Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp instead. Very logical! Nice stewardship of the Warner Brothers legacy, Dave. And who needs money, anyway? It's highly overrated, from what I hear.

We can only hope that these political, legal, and financial countermeasures to the proposed Warner Brothers/Netflix merger manage to head off this unholy alliance before it's too late. Otherwise, you could find yourself paying more and more for “entertainment” that is worse and worse, and which doesn't even pretend to promote or respect the values you hold dear. As Bugs Bunny (a Warner Brothers property) would say, that's “what's up, Doc”, and the sooner we organize ourselves to avert this calamity, the better!

Dr. Nicholas L. Waddy is a history professor at SUNY Alfred and blogs at: www.waddyisright.com. He appears on the Newsmakers show on WLEA/WYSL.

 

And here it is at Townhall:

 

https://townhall.com/columnists/nicholaswaddy/2025/12/13/a-pox-on-the-house-of-netflix-n2667823 

 

***

 

And don't miss out on this week's Newsmakers show, which features none other than me!  Brian and I cover U.S./EU tensions, the heartening Republican victory in Tennessee's 7th Congressional district, the resilient Trump economy and the phony "affordability" crisis, the seizure of the oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, the tremendous decline in the number of illegal immigrants in the U.S., the Netflix/Warner Brothers boondoggle, and Time Magazine's homage to the "architects of A.I.", as well as A.I.'s potential impact on the job market.

 

Holy moly!  Is there anything we didn't cover?  Hardly seems so! 

 

https://wysl.podbean.com/e/newsmakers-12-13-25/ 

 

In other news, Republican efforts to redistrict their way to an enhanced, or at least stable, majority in the House of Representatives have been dealt a major setback, as Indiana state senators, including a majority of Republicans (!), voted against a plan that would have, or could have, added two more seats to the GOP tally.  Why would Republicans balk?  Apparently they felt "bullied", the poor dears, and they find the idea of mid-cycle redistricting icky and impolite.  Well, Democrats have been gerrymandering their brains out for decades...so much so that they have precious little left to gerrymander, so why can't Republicans see the writing on the wall?  Midwestern pride?  Homespun self-satisfaction?  Maybe even a touch of closet TDS?  I don't know the answer, but I hope cooler heads prevail and Indiana revisits this issue soon.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/12/12/trump-signals-support-for-primary-challenges-after-indiana-gop-rejects-redistricting-bill/  

The Future Is Now(ish)

 

Friends, Time magazine, which I guess is still a thing, has named the "Architects of A.I." as its Person of the Year, which kinda makes sense, given all the hype around A.I., but what this means is that Elon Musk is co-Person of the Year, and who saw that coming after his brief, cozy relationship with DJT, and then the nasty breakup between them???  I guess the bottom line is that changes in technology are fundamentally transforming the nature of human civilization, and in many ways the "nerds" are now more relevant than the politicians.  Is that good news or bad?  You decide.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2025/12/11/time-names-the-architects-of-ai-as-2025-person-of-the-year/ 

 

The U.S. has seized a great big oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, and the message is clear: we will no longer look the other way when rogue states engage in illegal, illegitimate trade.  More to the point, Venezuelan President Maduro's days may be numbered.  Let's hope so.

 

https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/u-s-seizes-oil-tanker-off-venezuela-in-escalation-of-pressure-on-maduro-regime-ec2cd0b6?st=ZdBjG1 

 

Finally, U.S. immigration policy sure has undergone a sea change in the last ten months!  600,000+ illegals have been deported, and maybe as many as two million have self-deported.  These are huge numbers, and they're having measurable effects on the job market, housing prices, etc.  Meanwhile, the Trump Adiministration is smoothing the path for rich foreigners to come live (and spend) in the USA, which is okay by me.  Sure, we need the numbers to stay manageable, but wealthy investors are an asset to this country, in a way that aspiring fry cooks and welfare queens are not.  Keep up the good work, Don!

 

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/12/11/trumps-dhs-celebrates-record-breaking-over-2-5-million-illegals-leaving-us/ 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj4q1lddj8go 

Times Are Tough...Or Are They?

 

Friends, the mainstream media labored mightily in the leadup to the 2025 elections to convince voters that we're in a recession, jobs are scarce, and prices are ever-so-high!  In other words, the media and its leftist masters wanted to capitalize on economic unease to defeat the GOP, and it worked.  Of course, as I have (convincingly) argued elsewhere, it's all malarkey, as old man Biden would say.  The economy is doing just fine, the job market isn't great, but it isn't dreadful either, and inflation is well under control, with wage gains more than accounting for rising prices.  President Trump, in any case, is in a difficult position.  He can't deny or minimize the economic headwinds that some Americans face, but neither can he afford for the economic successes of his administration to be ignored by the public.  He has to be sympathetic to those who are suffering, but also he needs to be a cheerleader for an American economy that in many ways ought to sell itself, but won't, for obvious reasons.  Luckily, the elections are behind us, which means the media can afford to ease up a bit on the doom and gloom.  The result is higher approval ratings for Trump, and an opportunity to sell a new message of hope and opportunity to the American people.  With any luck, Trump can pull it off.  He's going back on the road, campaign-style, to do so, which is a positive sign, because Trump does best when he's speaking directly to the voters, without the filter of the talking heads.  Bon chance, DJT!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c04vqyl13rlo 

 

https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/approval/donald-trump/approval-rating 

 

In other news, the incomparable Jack recommends this article to you, about the decline of the "climate cult".  I agree with almost all of it, except the assumption that, because climate catastrophism is false, it will inevitably fail and be recognized for what it is: deception.  No -- unfortunately, phony scandals and crises can be sustained for years, even decades, if the forces behind them are powerful and clever enough.  Climate change is still, for much of the world's population, an existential threat, not necessarily to their lives or livelihoods, but to their fragile emotions, and as such I expect that we'll be hearing about it for a long time to come.  Young people have proven especially vulnerable to this chimera.  Nonetheless, as the article makes plain, the political salience of climate alarmism does seem to be in decline, and that's something to celebrate.

 

https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/5630192-the-climate-cults-dissolution-is-inevitable/?tbref=hp 

Is "the Old Country" On Its Last Legs?

 

Friends, it's been clear for some time that Europe is struggling in many ways: economically, politically, and culturally.  Its inability to make babies, and its reliance on Third World immigration to keep population levels stable, is one sign of civilizational decay.  Its moribund, socialist economies are another.  This week, though, the EU launched a major attack on X, which, coupled with various other machinations against US-based Big Tech companies, may signal a doubling down on the Euro-elite's penchant for censorship and soft authoritarianism.  The Eurocrats are peeved by the resurgence of Trumpism in the USA, of course, but they are even more worried about the rising strength of populism in Europe itself.  The Reform Party in the UK, the AfD in Germany -- these movements keep European grandees up at night!  Their solution, as per usual, is to criminalize dissent, or to attack the platforms that allow dissent in the first place.  Elon Musk will play a starring role in this evolving conflict between American/classically liberal values, and European elitism, socialism, and tyranny.  So far, we've upheld our commitment to NATO despite these intercontinental squabbles, but can that continue indefinitely???

 

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/05/nx-s1-5634694/x-musk-eu-fines 

 

https://x.com/shellenberger/status/1997083064141599102 

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/trump-says-europe-risks-being-wiped-away-unless-it-changes/ar-AA1RMnqN 

 

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2025/12/06/elon-musk-calls-for-the-european-union-to-be-abolished-return-of-national-sovereignty/ 

Don't Mess With Texas!

 

Friends, I don't know whether the new Congressional district lines drawn in Texas, which are designed to give Republicans five more seats, really and truly will...but we're going to find out, thanks to SCOTUS! Yay!  This is a huge win for the GOP and a big shot in the arm to our efforts to hold the House in the midterms.

 

https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/04/politics/supreme-court-allows-texas-to-use-trump-backed-congressional-map-in-midterms 

 

In other news, the FBI has arrested the man who (allegedly) planted pipe bombs in D.C. on the eve of the Trumpist "insurrection".  Why did it take this long?  Did the Biden DOJ sit on the case for years, to avoid arresting someone other than a MAGA nutcase???  We'll soon find out.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/12/04/ag-bondi-evidence-leading-to-j6-pipe-bomber-arrest-collecting-dust-at-bidens-fbi-4-years/ 

 

Trump=peace!  We had another demonstration of this fact today, as DJT presided over yet another peace agreement, this time between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.  Why should you care?  Well, millions have died in pointless, interminable conflict in the Congo since the late 90s.  It would be nice to see an end to that.  In addition, Congo is home to trillions of dollars in gems and minerals, which, all things being equal, it would be nice to get our hands on, and for the people of the Congo to benefit from.  As Trump says, if we all see (Trumpian) reason, we can all get rich...together!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjrjn88jqn4o 

 

Finally, Vice-President J.D. Vance, who incidentally Elon says is on course to serve two terms as president (may it be so!), is celebrating a notable decline in the cost of rent, which of course affects the bottom line of tens of millions of Americans, especially the poor.  This decline has happened partly because many communities have been emptied out of illegals and even legal immigrants.  Imagine that!  You cut the demand for housing, and the price...goes down???  Unheard of!!!  Well, unheard of if you're a Democrat.  This is wonderful news, and it's the kind of positive news about the economy that unfortunately all too few people are hearing.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/12/04/jd-vance-link-between-mass-immigration-and-housing-costs-clear-as-day-as-rents-continue-declining/ 

The Winning Never Stops!

 

Good news, friends!  Republican Army veteran Matt Van Epps has defeated a dastardly Dem, a real leftie in sheep's clothing, in the special election in Tennessee's 7th Congressional district.  Democrats felt that they could make the race competitive, despite the district's strongly red character, and to a point they did.  Republicans had to put forth maximum effort and spend lots of money, but they still won handily -- by about 9 points.  Democrats and progressives will try to spin this loss into a win, but don't buy the hype.  Republicans and conservatives still stand by President Trump, no matter what the mainstream media would have you believe.  The GOP also still controls the House, and we have lots of opportunities to shore up our popular support before fall 2026.  This win is a good start!

 

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/12/02/republican-matt-van-epps-wins-special-election-for-tennessees-seventh-congressional-district3156852/ 

 

https://www.cnn.com/election/2025/results/special-elections 

 

In closely related news, Florida is planning to redraw its House districts before those all-important midterm elections in 2026, and that could easily net Republicans a good-sized handful of seats.  Go, DeSantis!

 

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3903562/desantis-announces-florida-is-going-to-redistrict/ 

 

Finally, the Left and the media have been pushing a number of (pathetic and misleading) narratives lately, including that Pete Hegseth likes to kill the wounded in his free time.  Another story that some of them are keen on is that Trump is on his last legs, either physically or mentally -- or maybe both!  Trump's recent MRI results would seem to undercut that bit of slander, but I expect the Dems to keep grasping at straws nonetheless.  That's par for the course.

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-mri-abdomen-heart-white-house-says/ 

Huddle Somewhere Else!

 

Friends, in the wake of a despicable, murderous attack on National Guard troops patroling Washington, D.C., President Trump is promising some sweeping changes to our immigration system.  The perpetrator was an Afghan asylum seeker, you see -- a former CIA employee who was admitted into the U.S. under the auspices of the Biden Administration.  Trump has declared that all green card holders from 19 countries will be put under review, that no more asylum requests will be processed until proper vetting can be guaranteed, and, most importantly, we will have a "permanent pause" on all migration from "Third world countries".  Can the President of the United States really do all these things?  Well, we're about to find out.  Of course, the flow of legal and illegal migrants to the U.S. has already shrunk remarkably since Trump took office, so further diminishing these numbers would certainly seem like a job in Trump's wheelhouse.  All this comes at a rather propitious time as well, since a slackening job market means we have little immediate need for more foreign labor.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxweyy157go 

 

In other news, Trump has announced that he has "terminated" all of Joe Biden's executive actions signed by autopen.  Would this include the long list of pardons issued by Biden in the waning days of his presidency?  Now THAT would be interesting...

 

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/11/28/president-trump-documents-signed-by-joe-bidens-autopen-are-hereby-terminated/ 

 

Finally, this week's Newsmakers interview is, as you would expect, a doozy, covering a wide range of topics, including the Epstein morass, the decline and fall of MTG, the scandalous sedition recently espoused by six members of Congress, the evolving relationship between DJT and Zohran Mamdani, the dismissal of the charges against James Comey and Letitia James, what can be done about rogue judges, the resilience of the U.S. economy, the railroading of Jair Bolsonaro, and more!

 

https://wysl.podbean.com/e/newsmakers-11-29-25/ 

MAThA!

 

Friends, part of Donald Trump's mission is to Make America Thankful Again, and I must say it's working as far as I'm concerned.  I'm thankful that we conservatives have a future in this country again...a bright future!  I'm thankful that wokeness is in retreat, and that Republicans control the White House, both houses of Congress, the Supreme Court, and therefore most of the levers of political power.  I'm thankful that our economy is expanding, our markets are soaring, and we are at the forefront of exciting new industries like artificial intelligence, robotics, and more.  I'm thankful that our borders are finally secure, and that illegal immigrants are leaving America by the truckload.  I'm even thankful that the mainstream media is occasionally facing accountability for its relentless campaign to derail the Trump Administration and the MAGA movement.  Most of all, I'm thankful that America has its groove back, and that the Left's sophisticated efforts to abolish our competitive two-party system, via censorship, intimidation, and lawfare, failed miserably.  Oh, I'm thankful, all right!  And you should be too.

 

Here's one more thing to be thankful for: my latest article!  It's an analysis of how buoyant the Trump economy has been, and how detached from reality the Left's economic pessimism has become.

 

https://townhall.com/columnists/nicholaswaddy/2025/11/26/on-the-economy-we-have-nothing-to-fear-but-fear-itself-n2667027 

Justice Deferred?

 

Friends, there were some intriguing developments today related to efforts to hold Dems and Trump haters responsible for their various and sundry alleged crimes.  First, a federal judge, appointed by Bill Clinton, dismissed the charges against James Comey and Letitia James, although the Justice Department vows that new charges will be filed in due course.  Second, the Department of War (grrr!) announced that it is investigating Senator Mark Kelly (D - Arizona) for his actions in connection with the video recently posted to X encouraging service members to disobey "illegal orders" (undefined and unspecified).  Context would be king if the military decides to court-martial Kelly, but it might be worth a try.  Certainly the (civilian) courts have not proved to be a reliable instrument with which to discipline rogue Democrats -- and that's an understatement!!!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9qelv51y23o 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqxqwrlp7r0o 

Forever Wars Nevermore?

 

Friends, as you know, those Russkies and those Ukrainians just keep pounding away at each other in a bitter conflict cheered on by most of the Western elite.  DJT promised us he could end the war lickety-split, but doing so has proved very challenging.  Now, the U.S. has come up with a 28-point peace plan and is putting great pressure on Ukraine to toe the line.  Would Trump be willing to cut off Ukraine's supply of cash, intelligence, and weapons if it demurs?  That's the $64,000 question!  Personally, I'm sick and tired of this war, and I would like to see it ended ASAP, before the geniuses who run NATO find a way of making it into WWIII...

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy5g4r9l4dlo 

 

Well, it's official: using AI to do your homework is a venial sin.  So implied Pope Leo XIV in a virtual conversation with American students.  I have my doubts whether this revelation will dampen students' use of AI, however.  After all, our Christian God is nothing if not forgiving, so why not lean on ChatGPT now, and ask for absolution later?  These Gen Z types know how to play the angles...

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c99704g0x4ro 

 

Finally, President Trump has met in the Oval Office with Zohran Mamdani, soon to be the Marxist-Leninist Mayor of New York City.  What's more, the two men were cordial and conciliatory!  Who saw that coming?  Presumably, they'll go right back to calling one another "fascist!" and "communist!" soon, but it's nice that they could manage this brief ceasefire.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgqd42gl0qo 

Let Them Eat Lead?

 

Friends, lots of people on both sides of the aisle are getting the vapors tonight, expressing extreme outrage.  First, Democrats posted a video encouraging members of the military to disobey "illegal orders", but without specifying what orders Trump has given might be illegal. Then, Trump posted several comments on Truth Social decrying the video and asking, first, "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???", and then declaring "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!"  So, in short, Republicans are upset that Democrats would so vaguely and casually call on the military to disobey the Commander in Chief, while Democrats are upset that Trump would so brazenly call for elected officials to be executed (after, presumably, being found guilty of sedition or treason).  Frankly, I think both sides have a point.  What the Dems did was irresponsible and, in its way, quite cowardly, because they encouraged service members to risk their careers, and maybe their lives, for a cause that even these armchair insurrectionists were unwilling to define.  Pretty reprehensible.  On the other hand, what the Democrats actually said was hardly sedition or treason, and certainly isn't punishable by death, because they never got around to specifying under what circumstances anyone should violate the chain of command.  Virtually everyone agrees that "illegal orders" should be disobeyed.  What no one agrees on, including the Democrats in question, is what constitutes an illegal order.  President Trump, at any rate, clearly lost his cool and reverted to type, ranting on social media without pausing to consider the nuances of the situation or, indeed, how best to take political advantage of it.  He gave Democrats, as he so often does, an opening to describe themselves as the victims of "violent rhetoric", when, as we all know, their rhetoric is anything but calm and collected.  Long story short: neither the Dems nor President Trump are making America proud tonight.

 

https://x.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948?s=20 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2p2dz9zk2o 

Removing the Ep-stink from American Politics

 

Friends, DJT's decision to encourage Republicans to join Democrats in an effort to release YET MORE "Epstein files" seems like genius: it diffuses (maybe?) the Democrats' charge that Trump is part of the Epstein coverup, and thus a presumptive pedophile himself.  Of course, what's in those files may be obscure enough or varied enough that people can read into them what they like (quite possible), or they may simply claim that the absence of definitive proof in the files that people they hate are pedophiles proves that the files have been scrubbed (very likely).  Long story short: I'm skeptical that we will succeed in removing the "Ep-stink" from America, and especially from the Dems, but it's worth a try.  Of course, one could also ask, a la MTG, why did it take Trump so long to figure this out?

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxr1r34ev9o 

 

In other news, a federal court is ordering that Texas cease and desist from its efforts to create five new Republican-leaning districts, throwing a big wrench in the works of GOP plans to gerrymander their way to victory in 2026.  Will SCOTUS save the day?  We better hope so!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce3x9kkwp31o 

Epstein, Epstein, Epstein!

 

Friends, the Left's weaponization of Jeffrey Epstein has really kicked into high gear of late.  They obviously feel they can pull a Prince Andrew on DJT.  Well, I very much doubt that, but they have managed to thoroughly delude themselves.  The number of lefties who think that Trump -- and every prominent Republican -- is a pedophile has skyrocketed!  I reflect in this week's Newsmakers interview about how sad it is that Trump haters will grasp at any straw, no matter how tattered and insubstantial, to buttress their searing hatred for Donald Trump.  Pathetic!  It's a fact of life, though, and it ain't goin' away.  This week, Brian and I also talk about the shutdown fallout, AOC's future, the staying power of socialism, and more!

 

https://wysl.podbean.com/e/newsmakers-11-15-25/ 

 

I'm not sure I like President Trump's decision to eliminate tariffs on a range of groceries.  First, it feels like a retreat from his signature policy, and that will cheer up the lefties, who we never want to see with a smile on their faces.  Second, it feels like an admission that tariffs cause higher prices, and if so then why are we tariffing everyone in sight???  My hope is that this is just a small, tactical retreat, and will not lead to a wider collapse in Trump's tariff strategy.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdjr4xw83eko 

Penny For Your Thoughts?

 

Friends, distressing news!  Or wonderful news, depending on your point of view.  The United States Mint has discontinued the production of the venerable penny.  From this point on, persons wishing to know your thoughts may have to pay the princely sum of one nickel, i.e. five cents.  Inflation is a killer, no?  Actually, pennies will remain in circulation indefinitely, and, since they've become increasingly useless, possibly we've got more than enough floating around to meet current and future "needs".  Be that as it may, it's a sad day when the penny has been rendered obsolete by rising prices.  It wasn't so long ago that both the U.S. and Britain minted a "half penny", and you could actually buy stuff with it!  Okay, it was a while ago.  No half pennies have been made in the USA since 1857, nor in the UK since 1967.  Bear in mind that the U.S. version was 1/200 of a dollar, whereas the British version was 1/480 of a pound.  What can you buy for 1/480 of a pound?  Now, nothing, but, back in the Middle Ages, it could get you a loaf of bread, a pound of cheese, or a dozen eggs.  Those were the days, am I right???  Assuming you could dodge the Black Death, you could live high on the hog!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cy4pkgvyn44o 

The BBC Gets Trumped!

 

Friends, believe it or not, after a long hiatus, I wrote an article!  I was inspired by the humbling of the BBC at the hands of You-Know-Who, as you'll see:

 

https://townhall.com/columnists/nicholaswaddy/2025/11/13/the-great-media-cleansing-n2666312 

 

In other news, DJT has ground the shutdown underfoot, as we all knew he would, and Republicans made remarkably few concessions to get the Dems to cry uncle.  Well played!  Of course, the shutdown was always a stunt anyway, and as such was at least no great liability to the Dems, which is sad to admit but true.  They ought to be ashamed of themselves, and anyone who voted blue in the recent election should be too, but alas that's just not how the world works...

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c891nvwvg2zo 

In Flanders Fields

 

Friends, Happy Veterans Day, or Armistice Day, as you prefer!  November 11th marks the 107th anniversary of the armistice that brought an end to the fighting on the Western Front in World War I, or the "Great War", as it was then called.  The world had never been through such an industrialized bloodletting before, although, as we all know, WWII would surpass it in countless ways.  God willing, we've learned our lesson, and we won't risk another global conflagration.  I'm looking at you, NATO!!!  Cool your jets.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj41g5w0vgno 

 

In other news, consider this detailed analysis of the potential consequences of mid-cycle redistricting, which has been embraced by Trump and Republicans as a means to preserve our House majority.  This article is designed to make Democrats feel good, as all NBC "journalism" does, but it contains more than a few kernels of truth.  There is a degree of risk in the redistricting strategy.  FYI, a lot will depend on the Supreme Court and whether it continues to insist that maps be drawn to maximize the number of minority (mainly black) Congressmen.  If that stipulation goes out the window, Republicans could make some big gains.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/-year-election-losses-spark-republican-concerns-redistricting-rcna242129 

Shutting Down the Shutdown?

 

Friends, don't look now, but it appears that Democrats are about to cave on the government shutdown.  They're agreeing to reopen the government without any of their core demands being met.  A cynical observer might conclude that, now that the shutdown has served its purpose of helping the Dems to win the (rather unimportant) 2025 elections, they are ready to once again make nice and let people eat, fly, visit national parks, etc.  Of course, the shutdown probably had very little to do with the election results, and in fact it may have all been a gigantic waste of time, but then few things that come out of Washington, D.C. are anything but, if we're to be honest with ourselves.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/09/government-shutdown-deal-agreement-funding-flight-cuts/87185102007/ 

 

In other news, President Trump likes tariffs (no surprise) and he thinks that people who disagree with him are "FOOLS" (even less of a surprise).  What's a little arresting is his plan to give American taxpayers a $2,000 "dividend" based on tariff revenues.  Uhhh, ever heard of a little thing called the deficit???  It's kinda huge.  I am strongly against this idea, and, if DJT thinks it would make every American love him, well, that ain't gonna happen!

 

https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2025/11/09/president-trump-calls-anti-tariff-people-fools-promises-2000-dividends-for-americans/ 

 

President Trump attended an NFL game today between the Detroit Lions and the Washington Definitely-Not-Redskins.  He made quite a splash, and Air Force One even did a low-level flyover.  Neat!

 

https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2025/11/09/trump-reacts-to-air-force-one-flyover-at-commanders-lions-game-greatest-flyover/ 

 

Finally, a major global news organization, the BBC, has been humiliated by the revelation that it deliberately and deceptively edited two clips of Donald Trump in the lead-up to the November 2024 election.  The BBC's director general and its news CEO have resigned as a result.  What???  Accountability in the mainstream media?  Is that a thing?  Boy, color me impressed!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3vn25d5dq7o 

The Mamdani Factor

 

Friends, this week's Newsmakers broadcast includes my analysis of how Zohran Mamdani became NYC's mayor, and what it might mean for New York State politics.  In short, I see a big opportunity for Republicans in the Empire State in 2026!

 

https://wysl.podbean.com/e/newsmakers-11-8-25/ 

 

In other news, there isn't any other news.  How about that???  There's plenty of news a-comin', however, especially at the Supreme Court, which could reshape our political system, and especially our elections, going into the all important '26 midterms...

 

https://americanmind.org/salvo/a-constitutional-turning-point/ 

Don't Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out!

 

Friends, many of us thought that Nancy Pelosi would stalk us relentlessly for all eternity, like the undead shrew she clearly resembles, but it turns out that she's mortal and, at age 85, she's decided to retire.  Unfortunately, her heartfelt hatred for Republicans and conservatives and, most of all, Donald Trump will long outlive her.  C'est la vie.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/nancy-pelosi-to-retire-from-congress-after-nearly-40-years/ar-AA1PW4u2 

 

In other news, could you soon be replaced by a humanoid robot?  If your name is Jack and elegant verbiage drips from your mouth like sweet, ambrosial drool, then probably not.  If you're in the service industry, though, be afraid!  Be VERY afraid!!!  How soon will the robots conquer all?  Ah, there's the rub...

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdrz2rdlykdo 

 

Finally, have you noticed how DJT seems to be setting up both J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio as potential successors?  Well, apparently Rubio is assuring Republican insiders that he won't run for president in 2028 if Vance does, which is probably for the best, as the last thing the right needs is to be eating its own.  I like Rubio, personally, but I like Vance more.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/11/07/nolte-report-says-rubio-will-not-run-for-president-if-vance-does/ 

Will the Big Blue Wave Drown Us All?

 

Friends, distressing news: the dastardly Dems have won tonight -- and they've won big!  They've prevailed in both governors races, in Virginia and New Jersey, by solid margins.  They elected an avowed socialist, Zohran Mamdani, as Mayor of New York City.  They even won a race for Attorney General in Virginia with a candidate who pines for the violent death of Republicans...and their children.  I think the big takeaway here is that DEMOCRATS ARE PISSED!!!  They haven't gone away, despite our fondest wish that the party and movement would self-destruct and trouble us no more.  Quite the contrary: they're highly motivated to oppose Trump and the GOP with all their might, which is considerable, since so many of them are wealthy, educated, and well-connected.  Now, in case you're tempted to succumb to despair, keep in mind that none of their victories tonight are all that consequential.  No governor, and no mayor, can hold a candle to Generalissimo Trump, in terms of sheer power.  We still control the White House, Congress, the Supreme Court, and countless state governments too.  What's more, there is a sizable silver lining in these results, for us: the Dems will interpret their crushing victories as a sign that their lurch leftwards is fine and dandy, and that America craves the Bolshevik balderdash that they're peddling.  In short, they will double down on all the TDS, all the neo-Marxism, all the big government redistributionism, all the wackiness, and all the smugness that has "gotten them this far".  They may, in consequence, shoot themselves in the foot, as they have done so often in the past.  Therefore, I wouldn't panic, by any means, but I wouldn't scoff at those hobbling Dems either.  They are eminently capable of winning in 2026, and 2028, and beyond, and they will, unless we play our cards just right.  The battle is joined!  And we must, and I believe we shall, ultimately prevail.

 

https://www.cnn.com/election/2025 

 

In other news, former Vice-President Dick Cheney has died.  Far be it from me to speak ill of the dead, but it's more than a little remarkable that a man who the Left often compared to Darth Vader, because of his unapologetic conservatism and his penchant for they regarded as authoritarianism and military aggression, became, in the fullness of time, a bitter enemy of Donald Trump and even endorsed Kamala Harris's presidential bid in 2024.  Egad!  What incredible realignments the Trump Era has begat.  A friend reminded me today that I once interned for Dick and Lynne Cheney at the American Enterprise Institute.  This was way back in 1995, I believe.  I had plumb forgot!  That seems like it was several lifetimes ago, back when Dick Cheney's reputation was, well, rather different than what it is now.  It just goes to show you that, in life and in death, nothing is ever permanent, except maybe death itself, from which, I suppose, old Dick is unlikely to recover.  Never say never, though!  If anyone could manage it, surely it would be he.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyzm1j6l76o 

Like Old Times

 

Friends, DJT has done the unthinkable: he has endorsed (tepidly) Andrew Cuomo in his bid for Mayor of New York City.  Wow!  Basically, Trump is saying that voting for Curtis Sliwa, the Republican, is a waste.  Well, not in a ranked choice voting system, surely.  Trump's endorsement could easily seal the deal...for Zohran Mamdani, such is the disdain that most New Yorkers have for Trump.  And maybe Trump would like that, since Mamdani would be a wonderful punching bag for the next four years...  Then again, Trump's endorsement might, just might, encourage enough Sliwa backers to identify Cuomo as their "second choice" that Cuomo will win in a ranked choice election.  Check out the latest Atlas poll, which puts Cuomo within striking distance.  That poll is an outlier, but Atlas has been right on the money in the past...

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c231e284345o 

 

https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/mayor/general/2025/new-york/mamdani-vs-cuomo-vs-adams-vs-sliwa-vs-walden 

 

Finally, did you hear about the vile invective that Nancy Pelosi poured out against DJT recently?  I say "vile" partly because that's exactly what Pelosi said about Trump: he's a "vile creature".  And that is indeed how so many progressives think about Trump, and his supporters: we're no longer political opponents, worthy of rhetorical engagement -- we're monsters, demons, beasts, worthy only of annihilation.  Bear this in mind as we formulate our agenda and our tactics.  The vengeance that would be visited upon us, should we ever surrender power, would be...frightful!

 

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2025/11/03/pelosi-trump-is-a-vile-creature-hes-the-worst-thing-on-the-face-of-the-earth/ 

Judgement Day for Tariffs

 

Friends, pretty soon the Supreme Court will be in a position to rule on the constitutionality of President Trump's sweeping (and sometimes rather fickle) tariffs on a host of countries.  If SCOTUS pulls the rug out from under Trump, a vast, and lucrative, architecture of tariffs will come crashing down.  Probably Trump could reconstruct parts of it by other means, but billions in revenue would have to be refunded, and, more importantly, Trump himself would be humbled and other countries would take his threats much less seriously.  I don't know anything about the legality and constitutionality of tariffs, but I would hate to see DJT emasculated at this critical hour!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4jyk9jyv3o 

 

In other news, something is happening in the polls: Trump's popularity/favorability is flagging.  Why now, though?  The MSM despises him, sure, but nothing new there.  Is it shutdown related?  Maybe.  Are economic and employment worries coming home to roost?  Possibly.  Has the anti-Trump hate machine simply dialed up its intensity, because it's election season?  Could be.  Whatever the cause, unfortunately these trends mean that Republicans are less likely to win big on Tuesday, and they may not win anywhere.  Brace yourself for some progressive smugness, therefore!

 

https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/approval/donald-trump/approval-rating 

Those Fighting/Groveling Canucks

 

Friends, the contrast between Mark Carney's campaign to become Canada's Prime Minister, in which he portrayed himself as Donald Trump's worst nightmare, and the simpering supplicant he's become, could not be more stark.  He's apologized to President Trump for the ads run during the World Series suggesting that tariffs were offensive to Ronald Reagan, and generally a bad idea.  Trump saw this as an attempt to interfere in our domestic politics and possibly as an effort to influence the Supreme Court as it deliberates on the constitutionality of his tariffs.  The ad was technically run by the government of Ontario, not Canada's federal government, but it's Carney left holding the bag, and who now has the unenviable task of going hat in hand to Trump to ask -- pretty please! -- that he not wreck Canada's economy.  The truth, of course, is that the U.S. and Canada need each other, and the leaders of both countries should stop being such babies and make a deal.  The sooner, the better.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/11/01/canadian-prime-minister-mark-carney-apologizes-to-president-trump-over-fraudulent-ad-criticizing-tariffs/ 

 

In other news, you've heard about the key matchups on Tuesday: the two governors races in Virginia and New Jersey, and the mayor's race in NYC.  What you may not have heard is that a number of Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices are up for the renewal of their terms on the court.  Pennsylvanians thus have an opportunity to overturn the Left's capture of that court, which led, just a few years ago, to a judicial coup against the state legislature resulting in the flipping of four House seats in PA to the dastardly Dems.  Could the Pennsylvania Supreme Court be returned to sanity?  Technically, yes, but, since this is probably the first time you're hearing about these races, we can safely assume that the GOP's chances of a sweep are not great.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/radio/2025/11/01/exclusive-scott-presler-pennsylvania-has-chance-fire-three-liberal-activist-judges/ 

The Windblown House of Windsor

 

Friends, it's official: Prince Andrew is no longer a prince, and he's been evicted from his home on the grounds of Windsor Castle.  His crime?  Well, all that Epstein stuff.  Never mind that he's been charged with zero crimes.  He stands condemned because of what has been claimed about him, which he adamantly denies.  I don't care for it.  I believe that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, even men!  Even royals.  What do you think?

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62elnjnqqxo 

 

In other news, Trump has buried the hatchet with the Red Chinese -- not for the first time, and probably not for the last.  What this means is that our trade war with China is currently on a low boil...but it could pick up again any old time...

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8eyx718pz2o 

 

Generalissimo Trump has decided that the Department of War will resume the testing of nuclear weapons, which was suspended in the 1990s.  The intention seems to be to send a message to Russia and China that we will be second to none in our nuclear arsenal.  Could this produce another nuclear arms race?  Well, it smacks more of theatrics, if you ask me.  The logic of mutually assured destruction still holds, just as long as our nukes still explode in a big way, and their delivery systems are reliable.  In fact, as has been the case since 1949, you could argue that we are all better off, and safer, when our focus is trained relentlessly on nukes, and therefore why we don't want to go to war.  Let's hope Trump's move advances the cause of peace, and doesn't bring us closer to catastrophic conflict.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxn00l00r6o 

 

Finally, there's now less than a week until the big gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey, and the mayor's race in NYC.  As you'll see if this article, Democrats have high hopes that wins in these contests can alter the narrative that they are, well, losers.  That may indeed happen.  On the other hand, if the Dems were to win close contests in these indubitably blue states, they might not alter that loser narrative much at all.  If they lose the two governors races, moreover, they'll probably be about ready to apply for exile in Canada.  We can only hope!

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/democrats-hope-shot-arm-new-jersey-virginia-2024-losses-rcna240731 

Another Day, Another Deal

 

Well, Trump has done it again!  He's inked another trade deal, this time with South Korea, that will expand U.S. access to a valuable foreign market as well as earn billions in additional revenue for the Treasury.  Bravo!  In recognition of Trump's awesomeness, South Korea's President Lee presented him with the nation's highest award, the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, which comes with a nifty necklace and a golden crown!  Ergo, if kingship doesn't work out for DJT in America (perish the thought!), he can presumably lord it over the Koreans whenever he wishes.  It's good to have a Plan B!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly4jz9zr50o 

 

In other news, the Fed has lowered interest rates once again, which is helpful, but the economy and especially the job market remain troubled, or so at least the MSM would have us believe.  My guess is that, for citizens and legal immigrants, as opposed to illegals, the job market is humming along just fine, which is impressive given that AI and robots will soon make all of us obsolete.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/29/fed-rate-decision-october-2025.html 

Forty More Years! Forty More Years!

 

Friends, DJT has reacted with enthusiasm to the idea that he could run for a third term...and I say why not!?!!  In fact, let's tack on nine more terms to that, bringing us to 2069!  Sure, Trump's body may be mostly synthetic by then, but who cares?  The timeless principles of Trumpism would still apply.  Of course, I say all this in jest.  While I wouldn't object to four more years for Orange Man Good, I'm rather looking forward to President Vance.  I feel like he could drive most lefties definitively over the edge and either into exile or into one big open air insane asylum...

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c797q57ple9o 

 

In other news, El Presidente Javier Milei of Argentina has won a surprise victory in Congressional elections, meaning that his free market-oriented reform program will continue, as will Argentina's warm relations with the U.S.  Let this be a lesson to you, Latin Americans: cozy up to Trump, and there's no end to the prosperity you can enjoy.  Cross Trump, on the other hand, and pretty soon your yacht will be fodder for anti-ship missiles...  Just sayin'.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/international-relations/milei-wins-new-chance-and-tough-challenge-to-remake-argentina/ar-AA1PhyRl 

 

Finally, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to believe that this election analysis is true, and the GOP has a shot at upset wins in the gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey.  Winning just one of these races would be a body blow to the Dems, and that sounds like ample reason to work as hard as possible to ensure it happens.

 

https://amac.us/newsline/politics/is-a-democrat-early-voting-disaster-brewing-in-virginia/ 

Fording the Depths

 

Friends, it has not escaped the notice of (mostly Trump-hating) talking heads that a lot of U.S. military and intelligence assets are being directed towards Venezuela, and destabilizing the rogue regime of President Nicolas Maduro appears to be Job One.  Maduro is an anti-American socialist and, maybe, a drug sumggler.  He's been a thorn in America's side for years.  How far would Trump and Co. go to oust him?  No one knows for sure, but pressuring/insentivizing his key allies, especially in the military, to overthrow him and turn him over to the U.S. is the most likely scenario under which "regime change" could be achieved.  Meanwhile, the Trump Administration is increasingly hostile to the government of Colombia, led by another lefty, El Presidente Gustavo Petro.  This adds fuel to the fire, needless to say.

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-aircraft-carrier-latin-america-uss-gerald-ford/ 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gp2lxz75eo 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crkl2dm2glxo 

World Domination

 

Friends, today King Charles III, Defender of the (Anglican) Faith, and Pope Leo XIV, wicked papist, prayed together at the Vatican.  Wow!  Talk about burying the theological hatchet...  I know what most of you are thinking: this is a spiritual/strategic realignment of not only world-historical, but intergalactic, importance!  Think of it: the naval puissance of the British Empire allied with the unequaled wealth of the Roman Catholic Church.  This could spell world domination for a million years!!!  Last time I checked, the Royal Navy boasted 1400 ships and was the world's biggest by far.  Last time I checked, the Catholic Church controlled one-third of the arable land in Europe.  Of course, the last times I checked were in 1939 and 1300, respectively.  Assuming my information is still good, you better get used to bending the knee to the Roman-Anglican Mega-Church!  You heard it here first.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnve5mdze8yo 

Whiplash

 

Friends, the Trump Administration's policies on the Russia-Ukraine War "evolve" so quickly that it's hard to keep up.  A few days ago, Trump and Putin were set to have another historic (if fruitless?) summit in Hungary.  Now, the summit is off and tighter sanctions on Russian oil companies have been unveiled.  What gives???  Whether the sanctions signify much, or will seriously impact Russia's war economy, is unclear, but the mixed signals sent by Trump and Co. do not appear to be breaking the strategic logjam.  I hope someone in the White House knows what they're doing, and that this back-and-forth doesn't mean that no one, in particular, is in charge.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd6758pn6ylo 

 

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/10/22/trump-administration-significantly-ups-sanctions-on-russia-in-push-for-ceasefire-in-ukraine/ 

 

In other news, North Carolina has joined Texas and Missouri in authoring new Congressional maps for 2026 that are designed to increase the number of Republicans in the House.  Hooray!  So far, not a single blue state has followed suit, although that may be coming, especially in La La Land.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/north-carolina-lawmakers-pass-new-map-designed-give-gop-extra-house-se-rcna238702 

 

Finally, what the are the chances that Republicans could pull off upsets this fall in either New Jersey or Virginia?  Probably not great, as both states voted for Kamala Harris by substantial margins.  Nevertheless, the GOP looks like it can keep things close, which in itself would be a moral/strategic victory, of sorts.

 

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/3859597/new-jersey-virginia-political-trends-2025-elections/