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Saturday, October 17, 2026

Once More Into the Breach!

 


Friends, Yours Truly is known for my FEARLESSNESS!!!!!!!  I charge in where others fear to tread.  Possibly this reputation is recognized only by me, but that doesn't make it any less accurate.  Possibly other things make it less accurate, like my reputation for cowardice.  Now we're getting bogged down in facts, though, so let's power through to the main point: Dr. Waddy is back on the air this week, and he's up to his usual tricks!

 

On today's Newsmakers show, Brian and I discuss the state of the midterms, which is disspiriting, from a Republican perspective, but perhaps not unrecoverable.  We also cover the evolution of the Russia-Ukraine war and what it might portend for the future of warfare.  We naturally consider what a Democratic victory in Congress and the next presidential election would look like, at least as regards the infrastructure that DJT is building on the White House grounds and elsewhere.  We also ponder the race for Attorney General in New York State, the fabulosity of the Right Thinkers group in Olean that I have long been a part of, the cancellation of the livestreaming of the execution of the Fort Hood shooter, the challenge posed by the Houthis on the Arabian Peninsula, and where responsibility lies for inflation.

 

An impressively broad and comprehensive discussion, you say?  I say: you're right!

 

https://wysl.podbean.com/e/newsmakers-10-17-26/ 

Friday, October 16, 2026

The Oops Factor

 


Friends, not so long ago, we were admiring the success of the latest Trump Administration in putting behind it the heavy turnover and instability that sometimes characterized Trump's first term in office.  Well, some of those first term jitters are back, and -- case in point -- press secretary Katie Zacharia is out after just five days on the job.  That doesn't look so good, needless to say.  Was she "the right man for the job"?  Well, if she was, she should still be there.  If she wasn't, she never should have been hired in the first place.  Likewise, the administration's about-face on the issue of livestreaming the execution of the Fort Hood shooter is a bad sign: it shows indecision, and perhaps even a hypersensitivity to media criticism, which won't serve Trump well, given how much criticism the media is inclined to dish out.  Here's hoping that wily ole Susie Wiles can right the ship.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c32l4ekpvzl8o 

 

Lest we conclude that the Trump presidency has been one big faceplant, I would remind you that the U.S. border with Mexico is more secure than it has been in generations, and illegal immigration rates are darn close to nil.  In that sense, the Trump Administration has been, from start to finish, a spectacular success, and this was, after all, one of the main reasons why many of us voted for the man...

 

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2026/10/16/promise-kept-trump-delivers-most-secure-border-in-history-96-percent-drop-from-bidens-crisis-peak/ 

 

Finally, you may have heard that the flying cars of tomorrow are here...today!  Well, kinda.  Elon Musk's Tesla previewed its new Roadster, which is the ultra-sporty Tesla, and it can go very, very fast, it can drive upside-down, and it can even fly for short distances.  What it can't do, as yet, is be for sale, but with any luck we'll get there in the next year or two.  As usual, Musk is on the cutting edge!

 

https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2026/10/16/musk-unveils-flying-tesla-roadster-at-spacex-texas-site/ 

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

All Bad Things Must Come to an End?

 


Friends, no one talks about the Russia-Ukraine conflict anymore, because it's become part of the background noise of national and international politics, but subtle changes may be occurring in the balance of power there that could portend an end, of sorts, to the war.  I sure hope so, although the conclusion we get may not be the one we seek.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/why-russia-believes-finally-crush-060000416.html 

 

In other news, there was a debate here in the Empire State between incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul and her Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman.  Hochul, as is her wont, railed against President Trump, which, in a blue state, may sadly be all she needs to do to best her opponent.  Time will tell.

 

https://nypost.com/2026/10/14/us-news/fact-checking-hochul-blakeman-ny-gov-debate-ice-gas-wells-and-fired-corrections-officers/ 

 

Finally, Fox's latest poll is out, and it spells trouble with a capital "T" for Republicans!  It shows the dastardly Dems ahead by 9 points in the so-called generic ballot, and Trump's approval rating circling the drain.  Could the GOP outperform expectations?  You bet, but at this stage that's not saying much!

 

https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/10/fox_october-9-12-2026_complete_national_topline_october-14-release.pdf 

Sunday, October 11, 2026

What To Do About Yemen?

 


Friends, as you no doubt noticed, the Houthis in Yemen recently launched a brazen attack on the main airport in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia.  How can a bunch of upstart zealots in the hills of Yemen strike at the heart of "The Kingdom"???   It's a puzzlement.  These Houthis have been in control of most of the populated areas of Yemen for some time, and the internationally recognized and supported government there has been unable to tame them.  Saudi airstrikes haven't changed the equation much.  How can a ragtag group backed only by Iran achieve so much success, and even threaten a vital maritime chokepoint like the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the bottom of the Red Sea?  I think the time has come for the U.S. to join the fight against the Houthis.  Not with ground troops, of course, but with intelligence, airpower, and naval forces.  They ought to be seen as Iranian proxies as well as a serious menace in their own right.  Down with the Houthis!!!  Down with the mullahs!!!  Up with the USA (and those reasonable types who get along with us)!!!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4g1pwxxlq1o 

Thursday, October 8, 2026

Fun in the Sun

 


Friends, America just gets better and better thanks to DJT -- not that most Americans appear to have noticed.  Case in point: President Trump is offering one of his trademark golf clubs in Florida as a "presidential retreat" for future Commanders-in-Chief.  What a swell guy!  No doubt Democrats would burn it all to the ground if they got half a chance, which they may...  All this harkens back to the days when President Truman would visit the "Little White House" in Key West, Florida.  A nice tradition, if you ask me!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9gkvxjvl7v3o 

 

In yet more good news, the number of people filing for unemployment is low, low, low, signaling that we are close to "full employment", despite all the doom-saying that you hear about the job market and everything else.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2026/10/08/jobless-claims-october/ 

 

Lastly, crime is a scourge that has been a top-tier issue in American politics, but no more...  Now the media only covers (alleged) outrages committed by federal agents.  Crimes committed by (self-motivated) thugs and maniacs just don't have much cachet these days.  To be fair, there are a lot fewer crimes to cover...thanks to President Trump!  The bottom line is that we are all safer because of the anti-crime measures this administration has taken.  We Republicans have the good sense and grace to admit it.  The Democrats never will and never would.

 

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/4756837/trump-remove-worst-of-worst-golden-age-public-safety/ 

Saturday, October 3, 2026

Blue Alert! Blue Alert!

 


Friends, it sure looks like, come election day, those dastardly Dems might be storming Congress and seizing control of both houses, if the polls are to be believed.  This horrific prospect is just one of the topics that Brian and I cover on this week's Newsmakers show.  We also update you on the status of the Iran conflict, the sensational allegations swirling around Cornell University, the dramatic turn that the recent Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv took, the botched execution in Tennessee and the political fallout it has produced, and the red hot debate over the future of AI and data centers in the U.S.  I mean...wow!  We really do bring you the world, huh???

 

https://wysl.podbean.com/e/newsmakers-10-3-26/ 

 

As you ponder for whom, or whether, to cast a ballot this November, bear in mind that, despite the doom and gloom that the media peddles, a lot is going well in America.  Here's a case in point: DJT, in his second term, has made historic reductions to the size of the federal workforce.  Kudos to President Trump!!!  You better believe that, if America elects more Democrats, one of their first orders of business will be growing, rather than shrinking, the federal bureaucracy.  It's their lifeblood, after all...

 

https://nypost.com/2026/10/02/opinion/the-good-news-on-federal-workers-you-probably-never-heard-about/ 

Thursday, October 1, 2026

The Unfriendly Skies

 


Friends, I'm sure by now you've heard the harrowing tale of a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv that almost crashed due to the Islamist mania of one of its pilots.  Luckily, the other pilot, and various passengers, managed to salvage the situation and save the lives of everyone on board.  Kudos to the captain of the flight, an Indian national who was stabbed but still had the presence of mind to do what needed to be done.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cje3r3z7g0zzo 

 

In other news, some lefties are discovering that "equity" in our public schools, which invariably comes at the expense of educational rigor, might not be in the best interests of every child, including their own!  Well, elite lefties found this out years ago, and they've addressed the problem by sending their kids to private school, while insisting that everyone not "of means" be saddled with ineffectual, doctrinaire public schools.  And in most of the country that's exactly how it is: for most parents, private school and/or homeschooling are kept intentionally out of reach by the education establishment.

 

https://thehill.com/opinion/education/6118105-nikole-hannah-jones-just-ran-head-first-into-the-great-dumbing-down/?tbref=hp  

Saturday, September 26, 2026

Deal Me OUT!

 


Friends, unsurprisingly, the moderates in Iran want to talk turkey with Trump.  They say that the previous deal -- the U.S./Iranian "memorandum of understanding" -- was just fine, and we should go back to it.  Well, that may or may not be the case, but since the hardliners won't accept any such deal, and will literally blow it up the first chance they get, what's the point?  I believe Trump is right to rebuff these entreaties, despite the fact that he's probably hurting Republican chances in the midterms by doing so.  Of course, Trump probably knows that, whatever he does vis-a-vis Iran, the press will say he's wrong.  If he makes peace, they'll say he "surrendered".  If he escalates the military conflict, they'll say he's a bloody-minded warmonger who picked a fight for no reason.  Bottom line: the only deal that Trump should make with Iran is one that permanently neutralizes the Islamic Republic as a threat.  Otherwise, let's tighten those screws until the Iranian people give the mullahs their walking papers...  This is now a fight to the finish!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqgmrr9ekr7ko 

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Green with Envy?

 


Friends, views certainly differ on the new security agreement that the U.S. has reached with Denmark and Greenland.  Some say it will guarantee American hegemony permanently and at little cost to the USA.  Others say that there was already plenty of security cooperation with the Danes and Greenlanders, and never much prospect of a Russian or Chinese conquest of Greenland.  I'll let you decide for yourselves.

 

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/09/greenland-bases-forever/ 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9dr74g32g8go 

 

Greenland was one of several topics that DJT covered during his big speech at the UN today.  He also threatened Iran with "annihilation", as per usual, but also expressed optimism that a deal will be struck, also as per usual.  He's probably right, though, that the regime might come back to the table after the midterms, after which they (wrongly) assume that the Democrats will be in power and able to help them out. The Dems may well be in control of Congress, but Congress will have precious little ability to influence our conflict with Iran.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6rm903e22lgo 

 

Oh, and you might also want to check out my latest article, which focuses on a bill languishing on the oversized desk of New York Governor Kathy Hochul: 

 

https://www.oleantimesherald.com/2026/09/21/hochuls-chance-practice-preaches-affordable-housing/ 

Friday, September 18, 2026

Where's the Beef???

 


Friends, although this Trump-like buffalo may not have the answers I seek, I believe it's reasonable to ask whether some of Trump's boasts online have any relationship to reality.  For instance, President Trump has announced that CNN, MSNOW, and Politico will be "banned" from the White House, because they are major sources of fake news.  Well, no kidding!  Trump tried this back in his first term with Jim Acosta, the CNN White House reporter, who was temporarily ejected from the White House but soon returned because federal judges felt that he had a constitutional right to be there.  So what's Trump's plan this time to get around the courts?  We don't know.  Perhaps there is no plan, but I would say that one of my biggest gripes about Trump's second term thus far is that he has utterly failed to impose any discipline on the media regarding its twisting of the facts and its blatant and scurrilous campaign of slander against him.  Consequences have repeatedly been threatened --like taking ABC off the air -- but they invariably come to naught.  Well, the media has gotten the message that Trump is a paper tiger, and thus they, the Fourth Estate, can get away with anything and everything.  This is unacceptable!!!  Even if Trump and Republicans can't "ban" certain alleged news outlets, they can certainly stop answering their questions.  Indeed, we should have taken that step a long time ago.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6e30580jqjpo 

 

In a similar vein, all Trump's brave talk of annexing Greenland, and plenty of other places, has fallen flat, and now we appear ready to ink an agreement with Denmark that will give us the lead in providing security for Greenland, but which will not give us sovereignty over Greenland.  Sounds like a great deal for...Greenland and Denmark!  Again, sorry, President Trump, but empty threats apparently don't achieve much, other than diminishing your own credibility.  Think before you speak!  That's my advice.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c63d7lexyym1o 

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

The Finance Nerds Have Spoken!

 


Friends, it's official: the Fed has raised interest rates for the first time in three years.  Big deal, you say (while rolling your eyes)?  Hey, sarcasm is the laziest form of humor, you know.  It really isn't a big deal, in itself.  A quarter point here or there won't cause anyone to panic.  What this means, though, is that: A) our long struggle against inflation isn't over, by a long shot, and B) the Fed probably realizes that no one will be buying our government bonds going forward unless we pay a decent rate of interest.  Fair enough.  The problem, as I've pointed out countless times before, is that America's business model, and particularly its spendthrift public finances, are based on easy credit.  When that credit becomes less easy, well, the consequences could eventually be profound.  Eventually, but not today...so relax!

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/16/fed-rate-decision-september-2026.html 

Sunday, September 13, 2026

25 Years Later

 


Friends, not only was the legacy of the 9/11 attacks a major topic in the news this past week, but I happened to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum the day before the 25th anniversary!  It was...sobering, and of course very impactful for anyone who lived through that day.  My sense of normalcy was shattered in the space of a few hours.  I'm sure you can relate.  One can certainly debate whether our reactions to those events were entirely rational or appropriate, but that those events, and the consequences thereof, were historic, well, no one can question that.  I invite your reflections on the big anniversary!

 








 

In other news, we notched another FABULOUS Newsmakers show this week, covering everything from the cultural significance of the decline of broadcast television, to the evolving U.S. strategy to contain (or destroy) the Islamic Republic of Iran, to the ongoing battles over tariffs (foreign AND domestic).  Check it out!

 

https://wysl.podbean.com/e/newsmakers-9-12-26/ 

Thursday, September 10, 2026

It's Raining Money!

Trump's Gold-Colored $1 Coin Now Available | National News | U.S. News 


Friends, Not content with putting his face on legal tender currency, DJT is now promising every adult American $5,000 if Republicans win the House and Senate in November.  Wow!!!  If you ask me, this is a dreadful idea on so many levels, the first being that we've got an almost $2 trillion yearly deficit, and Trump is proposing to add to it.  More importantly, I suspect the brazen pandering that this represents will be seen for what it is by the American people.  Trump threw money in all directions in 2020 in an effort to get reelected, and we all know how that turned out.  I doubt this gambit will be any more successful, or will be any more likely to produce those $5,000 checks.  But hey, the voters aren't universally bright, and they sure like freebies, so who knows...  Maybe this is what American politics boils down to these days: whoever promises more free stuff, WINS!!!  The truth is, as I see it, that Trump has accumulated a strong record in his second term and has already made life better for most Americans.  This dividend business may distract from that record, and that's a shame, but that's just my two cents.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62kzr1jg0jo 

Monday, September 7, 2026

Red, Black, and Gold Alert!

 



Friends, the German establishment is girding its loins in the wake of the AfD's blowout win in provincial elections.  The "far right" party didn't achieve a majority, but it came amazingly close in a country with at least half a dozen viable parties.  There's a good possibility, however, that all the other parties will come together to form a coalition that excludes the AfD, because...fascism!!!  That might work in the short term, but can the powers-that-be in Europe ignore the people forever?  We shall see.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpd0113082eo 


Saturday, September 5, 2026

Good News/Bad News

 


Friends, as per Elon Musk, the robots are coming for your jobs!!!  Jobs are kinda dumb anyway, but some of you may still consider this "bad news", since it's nice to have a paycheck.  The good news, for EVERYONE, is that robots will do for mankind what automation already has: make production vastly more efficient, raising the global standard of living to undreamed of heights.  This is just one of the topics that Brian and I cover on this week's Newsmakers show.  We also consider the medium term outlook for the US-Iran conflict, the truth about conflicts between Trump and Vance, the debate over data centers, the rights and wrongs of our fancy new ballroom, the two faces of John Roberts, and the recent Dutch decision to withdraw some of their gold reserves from the Fed in NYC.  It's quite the intellectual smorgasbord this week, folks!

 

https://wysl.podbean.com/e/newsmakers-9-5-26/ 

 

In other news, it's refreshing and very heartening to see a lot of countries walk back their opposition to nuclear power.  Hey, I guess it's true: necessity really is the mother of invention!  The world needs POWER, and it's willing to bust a few atoms to get it, apparently.  Very sensible.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/09/05/japan-nuclear-energy-embrace-reflects-global-shift/ 

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

The Gold Standard

 


Friends, we abandoned the gold standard (by which the dollar was exchangable for gold) back in 1971, but let's not waste time reconsidering that decision.  Today I want to draw your attention to the fact that the Dutch have decided to move a lot of their gold reserves from the U.S. and Canada to the U.K.  Big deal, you say?  (Meaning that it's actually a small deal...)  Well, yeah, in itself it doesn't mean much, but we can't deny the fact that international confidence in the U.S. political system, and by extension our economic system, is flagging.  The U.S. dollar is still the reserve currency, but the world's appetite for dollars, and for U.S. government bonds, is dwindling.  To some degree that was always inevitable, but on the other hand the reign of DJT, and the contempt that most of the world holds him in, is relevant, because it accelerates the decline of American economic hegemony.  Don't get me wrong: in many ways, the U.S. economy is strong and is even the envy of the world.  Despite this, we shouldn't kid ourselves: possessing the global reserve currency allows us to live far higher on the hog than would otherwise be the case.  We can spend like drunken sailors because the world has decided that we're "good for it".  Slowly but surely, the world is reconsidering.  That matters.  Someday, it may matter a whole lot more than it does today.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgy51xlz39o 

 

But there's hope!  Countries can lose their economic hegemony without falling into terminal decline, and even without severe economic trauma.  The U.K. is a good case in point.  The British used to rule the seas, and more importantly they had the world's reserve currency: the pound.  That was all terrific, until the cost of two world wars, and the meteoric rise of two superpower competitors, made Britain a second rate power.  The standard of living of the British people, however, continued to rise, and, quite wisely, the British hitched their wagon to the American star, and all was well.  Anyway, on to the "hope" part: Elon Musk says that, in the near future, A.I. and robots will cause a spectacular, unprecedented rise in the productivity of the American and the world economies.  I believe he's right.  The timescale can be debated, but very fundamental changes are coming that will make life easier and more prosperous for almost everyone.  This may well make a "soft landing" for the USA a lot simpler.  I sure hope so.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2026/09/02/elon-musk-predicts-1-billion-humanoid-robots-will-outproduce-all-of-humanity-in-10-years/ 

Monday, August 31, 2026

Big Beautiful Ballroom

 


Friends, in another welcome sign that the Supremes are eager to bend the knee to His Majesty Donald I, SCOTUS today allowed the Trump Administration to resume construction on the famous mother-of-all-ballrooms.  Hooray!  I hope it includes a throne room, and I'm NOT refering to the executive washroom either.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9w457e7ydlo 

 

In other news, Trump is defending the construction of data centers, despite concerns that they suck down water and electricity resources and thus increase costs for ordinary Americans.  As usual, I'm with Trump!  Did we fret during the Industrial Revolution that factories would use natural resources or energy, and thus raise costs for consumers?  Of course we didn't.  Industrialization was the only game in town, and you could either play it or sink into poverty.  The same is true of the information age: we have no choice but to participate, and the last thing we want to do is erect artificial barriers to the expansion of our digital infrastructure.  Individual Americans can moan about AI and the "internets" all they like, but technology is the future, and we need to be on the cutting edge.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/08/31/trump-says-voters-who-oppose-data-centers-will-kill-golden-goose/ 

Saturday, August 29, 2026

Insolvent Mullahs

 


Friends, on this week's Newsmakers show, Brian and I reflect on the increasingly desperate economic predicament of the Islamic Republic of Iran...or more accurately of its miserable inhabitants, since the leadership seems to be somewhat oblivious to the suffering of ordinary people.  But for how long?  Iran can only sink so far before even the mullahs have to reacquire some sort of grip on reality.  In addition, Brian and I talk over class changes in the last several generations in the U.K. and the U.S., the expansion of SpaceX infrastructure in the context of the recent softening of the Trump-Musk relationship, the precipitious rise in our national debt, the feasibility of third party candidates for high office, and more!!!

 

https://wysl.podbean.com/e/newsmakers-8-29-26/ 

 

In other news, DJT has announced a big new deal to expand Venezulean oil production, and to channel a lot of the profits into American hands.  Sounds nice!  Can the government there be trusted, and will private enterprise play ball, as it undoubtedly would need to in order to make production rise?  We shall see.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2zlwe7qj1o 

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Good Bye, Dolly!

 


Friends, I won't pretend that I'm a country music fan or that I knew diddly squat about Dolly Parton, but I saw 9 to 5 and quite enjoyed it, so allow me to join the chorus of voices wishing ole Dolly Godspeed!

 

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20201204-how-dolly-parton-became-the-worlds-best-loved-celebrity 

 

In other news, everyone's favorite trillionaire, Elon Musk, is about to build another sprawling "Starbase" -- this time in the great state of Louisiana.  The sky is the limit when it comes to Musk and SpaceX, if you ask me.  I would buy stock in SpaceX before I would buy it in Tesla, that's for sure.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5xel4v642o 

 

Finally, you may have heard that we've unleashed economic armageddon on the Iranians.  Well, why not?  This does rather beg the question of why we didn't put maximum pressure on Iran at the beginning of the conflict, but hey -- better late than never.  Iran really does seem to be struggling economically.  Why the leadership there thinks all this is a good idea is beyond me...  I know we're the "Great Satan" and all, but why poke Satan in the eye?  Seems to me the mullahs have bitten off more than they can chew.  They might end up defrocked, or even decapitated!

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/08/25/scott-bessent-is-right-about-iran-attack-economy/ 

Sunday, August 23, 2026

The King's Speech

 


Friends, there was a time when, if you didn't speak "the Queen's English", i.e. English with an upper-class British accent, you wouldn't get anywhere near a BBC microphone or a television camera.  And I say: right you were, snobs!  Mere peasants have no right to assail us with their dreary diction.  Of course, a lot has changed in Britain's class system since the end of WWII.  Nowadays, a compromise, middle class accent, denuded of regionalisms, is arguably taking over.  That's "democracy" at work, I suppose.  In the U.S., it has long been the case that one's accent does not necessarily indicate one's social status.  This is why I favor the reinstitution of sumptuary laws.  Look 'em up, peons!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c05q318501yo 

 

In other news, the WaPo is absolutely right to celebrate the recent decline in food insecurity, and to tie this trend to the waxing prosperity of the "developing world", but it is somewhat missing the forest for the trees, since the real news -- in a world-historical sense -- is that, in this day and age, virtually no one is starving.  That may not seem very surprising to those of us who live in the USA and have supermarket-sized expectations for caloric intake, but for most of human history it has been shockingly common for large numbers of people to starve.  Not so long ago it was pretty common in "Afro-Asia" too.  No more!  Modern agricultural methods have banished famine almost altogether, and guess what?  That's kinda good!!!  We don't stop to reflect on it very often, but we should.  Chances are, you'll never be desperately hungry, and therefore just plain desperate.  You can thank the Brits and their pioneering work in the Agricultural Revolution for that.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/08/22/world-hunger-decline-is-powerful-story-economic-freedom/ 

Thursday, August 20, 2026

The Elephant in the Room

 


Friends, while lefties obsess over made-up scandals like President Trump's entirely fictional romantic relationship with his long-time secretary, the country faces real problems, like our ballooning debt, and the rising burden of making interest payments on that debt.  Meanwhile, we continue to spend far beyond our means, and neither Democrats nor Republicans show any genuine inclination towards fiscal responsibility.  How long can the spending spree continue?  Probably pretty long, as this is a very rich country, and it takes time for insolvency to become apparent.  We have to admit, though, that President Trump has not been, in any meaningful sense, part of the solution.  Instead, he's part of the problem, spending-wise, although there's plenty of blame to go around!  Much of it (most of it?) rests with the voters themselves, who always want something for nothing.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70gp8252ejo 

 

https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/08/20/rosie-odonnell-joins-crude-natalie-harp-mania-in-latest-trump-obsessed-kimmel-live-monologue/ 

Monday, August 17, 2026

The Stars Align

 


Friends, a lot may be going wrong for Trump and Republicans these days, but one thing is going decidedly right: the rapprochement between Trump and Elon Musk, the world's richest man.  Sniping between the two of them is totally counterproductive, needless to say, but Musk can also offer vital support to GOP candidates in the midterms.  Every little bit helps, and Musk is in a position to do more than a little...

 

https://www.wsj.com/politics/trump-elon-musk-relationship-d4b57ce6?st=2j4snk 

Thursday, August 13, 2026

Number Two

 


Friends, the conflict with Iran is creating some intriguing disruptions and relignments in international trade and travel.  For one thing, an airport in South Korea (???) is now the world's busiest, and, unsurprisingly, Dubai's airport is rather quiet.  The world's second busiest airport is Heathrow, which I know well from my visits to the U.K., and because my beloved aunt lives in its flightpath.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr49p1279n0o 

 

In other news, the GOP isn't raising the white flag for the midterms, even though the political environment seems highly adverse this year.  A lot can change between now and November, of course, and the Dems are shooting themselves in the foot (feet?) in multiple marquee matchups.  Don't despair!

 

https://www.axios.com/2026/08/13/house-republican-american-action-network-midterm-ad-campaign 

Saturday, August 8, 2026

Los Americanos

 


Friends, the peoples of the Americas are a little closer to comity tonight, as the great nation of Colombia has rejected Marxism and now has as its president a bonafide conservative.  Bravo!!!  Long may he reign.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/latin-america/2026/08/07/conservative-abelardo-de-la-espriella-inaugurated-president-colombia/ 

 

In other news, President Trump's White House ballroom project has been put on hold by the D.C. Court of Appeals.  Shockingly, the judges who ruled against him were appointed by...Democrats???  Who saw that coming?  Let's hope SCOTUS makes this right.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/appeals-court-says-trump-needs-151920281.html 

 

Lastly, you won't want to miss my appearance on this week's Newsmakers show, because, well, I'm basically the star!!!  I like to think you'll learn a thing or two: about Britain's new party system, about Trumponomics, and more!

 

https://wysl.podbean.com/e/newsmakers-8-8-26/ 

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

El Cid He Ain't

 


Friends, today socialists and Republicans are in perfect agreement!  They're united in celebrating Abdul El-Sayed's win in the primary to determine the Democratic nominee for Michigan's open Senate seat.  Socialists love him because, well, socialism, but Republicans are excited because he's a hardcore leftist and may well go down in flames, making it darn near impossible for Democrats to take control of the Senate in January.  Let's hope so!!!

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/abdul-el-sayed-wins-michigans-democratic-senate-primary-notching-midwe-rcna589750 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp309ng0xq1o 

Saturday, August 1, 2026

Godspeed, Lindsey!

 


Friends, the media always had nothing but contempt for poor Lindsey Graham, and death didn't ameliorate their disdain in the least, as you can see from the cartoon above.  To the Left, Graham was a warmonger and a toady, and his close alliance with Trump sealed the deal, as far as they were concerned, on his odiousness.  Well, on this week's Newsmakers show, Brian and I take a more magnanimous tack.  Graham was a patriot, and he befriended DJT not because he was intrinsically inclined to support his brash populism (we all know he wasn't), but because he felt it was in the best interests of these United States, and that's a pretty good reason, when you get right down to it.  Also on this week's show, Brian and I discuss the migrant invasion of Spain's outpost of Ceuta, the developing civil war within the Democratic Party, the fiasco of Dr. Fauci's appearance before the Senate, and more!

 

https://wysl.podbean.com/e/newsmakers-8-1-26/ 

 

In other news, it's possible that the gloves may come off in our conflict with Iran, i.e. Israel will rejoin the assault, and new energy infrastructure targets will be hit, in a bid to increase the pressure on the mullahs.  I say: blast 'em with both barrels!!

 

 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-israel-iran-war-energy-related-targets-trump/

Thursday, July 30, 2026

The New Normal

 


Friends, mighty warrior DJT continues to direct airtrikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran, but to what purpose?  The promised aerial armaggedon never quite arrives, so the Iranians keep absorbing their losses and lobbing yet more missiles and drones at a wide variety of targets, precious few of which they hit.  How long can this charade go on?  Pretty long, would be my guess.  No doubt some of Iran's elite want to capitulate, given the fact that their economy is circling the drain, but as long as a few diehards in the regime want to keep the conflict going, it won't be easy to stop.  Oh well.  For Americans, the only real downside is $4 a gallon gas, and that's not exactly the end of the world...

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c74gwdzywmeo 

 

In other news, there's a big ole primary fight happening in Michigan, where the DSA candidate is facing off against a moderate Democrat to become the party's Senate nominee.  It'll be fascinating to see who prevails.  Would El-Sayed be the weaker candidate?  That's what many Republicans assume...

 

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/07/29/establishment-democrats-make-last-stand-socialist-takeover-michigan/ 

 

Lastly, our old pal Tony Fauci appeared before a Senate committee yesterday...and refused to answer questions, asserting his Fifth Amendment rights.  Does that hold water, given the fact that he enjoys a presidential pardon protecting him from prosecution?  His lawyers would argue that he's still vulnerable to perjury charges, since that would be a crime committed after Sleepy Joe's pardons.  Probably he can't be forced to testify.  That's my assumption.  Oh well.  What are the chances that we'd get straight answers anyway?

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/07/29/anthony-fauci-contempt-charge-legal-questions/91099754007/ 

Friday, July 24, 2026

Scorched Sand

 


Friends, after a month-long hiatus, I'm back in action on the radio.  Specifically, this week I make my usual appearance on the Newsmakers Show, where I break down the implications of Britain's new P.M.  I also analyze the continuation/revival of the Iran conflict.  I make the stakes clear and argue that defeat is NOT an option!  The U.S. must do whatever is necessary to wrest control of the Strait of Hormuz from the mullahs -- period, exclamation point!

 

https://wysl.podbean.com/e/newsmakers-7-25-26/ 

Thursday, July 23, 2026

Pay Up!

 


Friends, DJT is at it again, squeezing every ounce of executive authority he's got out of the U.S. Code, in this case in order to perpetuate his tariff regime against our (generally abusive) trade partners.  Actually, the latest move is something of a sly one, rather than a major escalation: he's found a new pretext to extend what are now old tariffs, usually of about 10-15%, on most countries.  Tariffs at that level really don't have a major effect on trade or prices, so I would advise everyone to take a deep breath and relax.  Economic doomsday is not at hand.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgj61j6l08o 

 

In other news, the Iranians are once again imperiling the world economy by effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz, and now their proxies are threatening the important Red Sea trade route as well.  President Trump is reportedly hopping mad, and he might authorize the biggest strikes to date on Iran.  I say...DO IT!!!  The Iranians are clearly inclined to take the Trump Administration lightly, as is the world press.  Let's prove once and for all that no one, especially Iran, can defeat the United States of America.  The sooner they get the message, the faster we can restore peace and prosperity to all.

 

https://www.axios.com/2026/07/23/trump-axios-iran-interview 

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Burned Again?

 


Friends, the revolving door that is the British premiership has temporarily elevated Andy Burnham to be head of government in the U.K.  A few months ago he wasn't even a member of Parliament...and now he's head honcho.  Makes a ton of sense, right?  Well, it does if you're a Labour backbencher, and you're prepared to role as many dice as it takes to revive the fortunes of your moribund party.  Presumably, Burnham won't change the substantive policies of the Labour government much, but he will govern with a bit more style and panache than poor Sir Keir.  The Reform Party is licking its chops, hoping that Labour's new leader, and the country's new P.M., will flop, and then a general election will be called.  Nigel Farage and Reform are under furious attack by the establishment, so it's not clear how well they would perform in an election...but there's only one way to find out.  If Labour gets its way, we never will.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gjz907pppo 

 

In other news, not content to bomb Iran indefinitely, DJT seems to be angling for a secondary conflict with...Canada?  He's pushing a new set of tariffs against our neighbor to the north.  He says Canada isn't playing fair on trade.  Well, maybe, but don't we have broadly even trade, i.e. a relatively small trade deficit with Canada?  Why give China a pass when it's a much worse offender in terms of protectionism and intellectual property theft?  Personally, I think Trump has a grudge of sorts against Canada, and I'm not at all sure that that's a rational basis for tariffs.  Oh well.  The chances that Canada will invade us in response are low.  Perhaps this is just more gamesmanship with an eye to getting a better "deal" out of trade negotiations, rather a serious move towards a trade war.  I hope so.

 

https://www.wsj.com/economy/trade/trump-imposes-additional-50-tariffs-on-certain-canadian-goods-5ab06a45?st=W7JhYr 

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Free Riders

 


Friends, as you may have noticed, tensions have escalated once again between the U.S. and Iran.  Iran has "closed" the Strait, and we have reimposed a blockade on Iran.  What's more, President Trump briefly demanded that any ships passing through the Strait should pay a 20% surcharge to the USA, since we're so kindly securing the Strait for them.  Of course, that "security" is apparently rather shaky, as very few ships are currently transiting the Strait anyway.  Now, in any case, Trump has decided against the surcharge, which I feel is a smart move.  Sure, there's no good reason why we should solve the world's Iran problem for free, but then again demanding payment makes us look...distinctly bourgeois.  We can't have that.  All of this is fairly academic unless we can secure the Strait effectively and get large numbers of ships comfortable about running the Iranian gauntlet.  Here's hoping the indomitable U.S. Navy can achieve that objective, which alas it has not up to now.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0608wy8pro 

 

In other news, the (temporary?) cessation of hostilities between the U.S., Israel, and Iran was warmly received by stock markets, and it caused oil prices to decline and inflation to cool.  That's all very nice, but it's an achievement that won't last unless we can keep that shipping channel open.

 

https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-food-prices-gas-53d221aa918c466172af494ba7debc00 

Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Farage-icide?

 


Friends, there's a concerted effort going on in the U.K. to end the challenge that the Reform Party poses to the political establishment by decapitating the movement.  This means, of course, destroying the reputation of Nigel Farage...and if at all possible jailing him via lawfare.  Farage is trying his best to wriggle out of this assault, but it won't be easy, because the forces arrayed against him are formidable.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cn0v9l9x0g8t 

 

In other news, the bombs and missiles are flying once again in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, as Iranian forces (that may or may not be controlled by the central government) attack ships in the Gulf, and the U.S. responds with strong punitive strikes.  Meanwhile, the price of oil was up only marginally.  Good!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwykq59jwpvo 

 

Finally, the Democratic Party establishment is pulling a Sleepy Joe on Graham Platner, their candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine.  In other words, those dastardly Dems don't much care that the voters chose Platner.  They fear he will lose, which means he must be driven off the ballot come what may.  La Famille Biden can no doubt relate!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2004nx8v9o 

Saturday, July 4, 2026

Not Dead Yet!

 



Friends, a funny thing happened on the way to America's 250th birthday: arguably a majority of Americans forgot to celebrate, or even to care.  This coincides with a steady rise in pessimism throughout our great land, but especially among leftists and Democrats, that threatens to choke off our patrimony and our potential.  Today, therefore, is a time to be ecstatic, yes, but also a time to be...soberly concerned.  A real patriot, after all, can be both!

 

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/07/04/trump-directs-4th-of-july-celebration-on-national-mall-to-reopen-doors-address-slated-for-1100-p-m/ 

 

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2026/07/02/as_america_turns_250_national_pride_becomes_more_partisan.html 

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Flying High

 


Friends, the new (which is to say, slightly used) Air Force One is now fully operational, and it includes many enhacements over the planes it's replacing.  What's more, it was "free" -- it was a gift from the government of Qatar, and we only had to refurbish it.  Naturally, this arrangement outrages the Democrats.  They'd much prefer that we spent billions of taxpayer dollars.  Of course, everything outrages the Democrats, so all their fulminations are equally compelling, which is to say: not much.  In any case, I wish President Trump many a bon voyage!

 

https://www.wsj.com/us-news/air-force-one-qatari-maiden-flight-16bbff04?st=KX9tvq 

Monday, June 29, 2026

America the Hideous

 


Friends, the warped image of America beheld by liberals and Democrats is becoming increasingly, glaringly apparent, especially as we approach our nation's 250th birthday.  You'd think it would be a time to reflect on all that America, and Americans, have accomplished, and the blessings we enjoy simply because we were born here, or were lucky enough to move here.  Nope.  Not for the lefties.  For them, this country stinks.  At best, it's...average.  Now, you might ask yourself: if that's so, why live here???  Best not to overthink it, of course.  The dystopian fantasies of the Left don't have to make sense to thrive.  That's the beauty of never leaving your thought bubble!

 

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/06/29/poll-only-8-percent-of-democrats-consider-america-the-greatest-country-on-earth/ 

 

In other news, the Supreme Court handed down a bunch of decisions today, some of them deeply disappointing to DJT, and at least one of them highly comforting to an imperial president.  Oh well.  Those are the breaks.  You can never count on ole SCOTUS 100% of the time.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ceqdzd7zx24o 

 

Finally, my main man J.D. Vance appeared recently at the Nixon Presidential Library (or, as I refer to it, Mecca), where he opined that Richard M. Nixon was an early victim of the "Deep State".  Well, naturally, he's right.  Some very powerful and sinister forces conspired to undermine Nixon's extremely popular presidency.  Remember, he absolutely crushed George McGovern in '72.  No doubt that put the fear of God into the Dems, and they decided to kneecap Tricky Dick so that he wouldn't leave them totally in the dust.  And, boy, did it work!  Of course, this doesn't mean that the charges against Nixon were entirely false, or that he was blameless -- but those charges were manipulated and weaponized in a very specific, and highly innovative, way.  The Left has been trying to repeat the performance ever since.

 

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2026/06/26/vance_at_nixon_library_watergate_is_a_story_of_how_the_deep_state_took_down_nixon.html 

Saturday, June 27, 2026

Shrugging It Off

 


Friends, you may have noticed that Iran launched, out of the blue, several drones at ships traversing the Strait of Hormuz.  We struck some of their drone and radar infrastructure in response.  What was interesting was the global response: no one cared.  Oil prices didn't spike, and traffic through the Strait continued as before.  Hmmmmmmm.  It seems that both the U.S. and Iran assume that the deal will hold, despite this minor setback.  What's more, insurance companies didn't immediately demand that all ships sailing through the Strait turn around and find safer waters.  What this suggests to me is that the world is officially done with Iranian extortion and piracy.  We kinda need that oil, in short, so we're gonna get it -- drones be damned!!!  Now, of course this is precisely how we should have reacted to Iranian attacks from the start.  They never posed a significant threat to tankers and cargo ships, and they never should have been permitted to hold the world (economy) hostage.  Be that as it may, we've finally reached a point where Iran's leverage, which was always mostly imaginary, is being discounted.  This bodes well for our ability to hold Iran to account and force them to make serious concessions at the bargaining table.  It also bodes well, I hasten to add, for gas prices and GOP prospects in the midterms...  One final observation: it's fairly likely that these drone attacks were not a matter of state policy so much as a desperate gambit by dissident, hardline factions within the Iranian regime.  No doubt some Islamist fanatics don't like the terms of this deal, and they would like to sabotage it.  Recent events suggest that doing so will be harder than the nutjobs might have thought.  Good!

 

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116817203281419093 

 

https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/crude-oil 

Tuesday, June 23, 2026

No American Shah, After All?

 


Friends, today Congress passed a (legally and constitutionally meaningless) resolution limiting President Trump's authority to resume hostilities with Iran.  The only people impressed by such a resolution will be the mullahs, who will interpret it as a sure sign that their intransigence has worn down American resolve, and that the danger of future bombings and/or blockades is minimal.  Alas, this conclusion might be reasonable, under the circumstances -- not because of Congress, but because Trump himself seems to have no appetite for further military action and, more importantly, for the attendant disruptions to the world oil supply.  Long story short: Congress may get its way, and the war with Iran may indeed be definitively over.  Partly as a consequence, our leverage over Iran in the all-important talks now taking place in Switzerland may be more modest than we would like.  The wildcard here, as usual, is Israel, which can (and will) do as it pleases.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8j6g3v3r4o 

Monday, June 22, 2026

A Heartbeat Away? Okay, Maybe Two or Three Heartbeats

 


Friends, I'm sure we all share the same goal: Nigel Farage as King-Emperor of Great Britain and its farflung dominions, and Donald Trump as King of the Americas.  What could go wrong in the best of all possible worlds, I say!!!  Well, we're a little closer to achieving Goal # 1, since Sir Keir Starmer has announced he will resign as British Prime Minister.  Probably he'll be replaced by another Labour hack, but in the fullness of time let's hope the Labour government collapses, Reform wins a new general election, and King Charles III sees the writing on the wall and proffers his crown to ole Nigel.  Hey, a man can dream!!!

 

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2026/06/22/prime-minister-keir-starmer-resigns-but-sets-his-own-months-long-timetable-to-go/ 

Sunday, June 21, 2026

Viva la Derecha!

 


Friends, kudos to the good people of Colombia, who have had enough of leftist misrule and have decided to move in a decidedly Trumpier direction.  A very wise choice!  This cements a wide-ranging trend in Latin America, much of which has moved rightward in recent years.  No wonder Trump adores Hispanics so much!

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clye4ky2yzpo