Kindergarten Konstitutional Law Comes To The Southern District Of New York

by  Francis Menton

In yesterday’s post, reviewing a Washington Post op-ed by Ruth Marcus that called efforts by the duly-elected President to direct the bureaucracy to implement his policies a “power grab” and an “onslaught against the government itself,” I described the piece as reflecting “kindergarten-level constitutional analysis.” After all, my 6 year old first-grader grandson is fully capable of reading the first sentence of Article II of the Constitution (“The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America”) and figuring out that this guy is given the sole and full power to direct the executive branch of the federal government. Nothing about the elected President exercising such powers is or can be a “power grab.” If you are somehow unable to grasp that simple proposition, you therefore must be at sub-first grade level of comprehension, and thus kindergarten level, at the highest.

Well, today Kindergarten Konstitutional Law came to the Southern District of New York. In response to a motion made by some 19 states (all Democrat-led), a Southern District Judge named Paul Engelmayer issued a Temporary Restraining Order preventing President Trump and Treasury Secretary Bessent from “granting access” to Treasury Department payment systems to anyone other than “civil servants with a need for access to perform their job duties.” Here is a copy of Judge Engelmayer’s Order. Looking at the language of the Order that I just quoted, it seems to mean quite clearly that even President Trump and Secretary Bessent themselves are enjoined from looking at the line-by-line details of who is getting paid by the Treasury. Why? Because the information is “sensitive.” I’m not making this up.

So who is this Engelmayer guy? You will not be surprised to learn that he is someone with the highest of the high credentials of the super-elite who claim the prerogative to run the federal government outside of any democratic control. Here is a Wikipedia biography of Engelmayer. (The bio contains a prominent caveat that “a major contributor” to the bio “appears to have a close connection” to the subject. I take that to mean that Engelmayer probably wrote the thing himself, so you can take it for what it’s worth.). The bio says that Engelmayer is a summa cum laude graduate of Harvard College, and a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School. He clerked on the D.C. Circuit, and then for Thurgood Marshall at the Supreme Court. He served as a prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, and did a term with the Solicitor General’s office in Washington during the Clinton administration. And at some point he slid seamlessly into the job of Managing Partner of the New York office of Wilmer Hale. He was named to the Southern District bench by President Obama in 2011.

Now there is a guy who is indisputably really, really smart. For a few of my prior pieces on rule by people who are really, really smart, try here, here and here.

Engelmayer is so smart that he has figured out that the elected President and his designates cannot be allowed get access to the details of where the government’s money is going, because that information is too “sensitive.” Here is the key line of reasoning (if you want to call it that) from Engelmayer’s Order:

The Court’s firm assessment is that . . . the States . . . will face irreparable harm in the absence of injunctive relief . . . both because of the risk that the new policy presents of the disclosure of sensitive and confidential information and the heightened risk that the systems in question will be more vulnerable than before to hacking.

But of course Engelmayer’s Order specifically exempts from its restraints “civil servants with a need for access to perform their job duties.” Those people somehow have a higher standing to know whom the government is paying than the elected President and his designees? By what constitutional provision? Engelmayer fails to mention that.

A bit farther down in Article II of the Constitution is the line that describes the President’s main job: “[H]e shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.” Now, how exactly is the President supposed to do that if the courts think they can prevent him from getting access to the details of where the government’s money is being spent?

At her blog today, ex-law professor Ann Althouse was quickly on top of this issue:

Is the federal judge taking the position that in the name of enforcing the Take Care Clause, it is the role of the judiciary to oversee whatever the President does with the executive power that the Constitution vests in him? Is there some extra-legal notion that the federal judge should seize the power to put on the brakes when a President with questionable judgment is moving too fast?

Excellent questions. But sorry, Ann, Judge Engelmayer is way, way too “smart” to ask himself such insightful questions. He knows that his main duty here is to his team to prevent the duly elected President from changing the preferred policies of the permanent bureaucracy. The role of his super-brainpower is to come up with some devious logic that can make that result seem somehow plausible under the Constitution.

This one is really too crazy to last long. The only issue is how much left-wing judges like Engelmayer will be able to slow Trump down from fulfilling his promises to the electorate.

UPDATE: A couple of comments from Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit. (1) “It’s a previously unknown clause in Article II: The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States, unless he threatens the establishment’s feedlot.” (2) “[Engelmayer] is angling for Attorney General in the next Democratic administration.”

Really, ridicule is the only appropriate response to this kind of thing.

https://www.manhattancontrarian.com/blog/2025-2-8-kindergarten-konstitutional-law-comes-to-the-southern-district-of-new-york

Sorry, Liberals. DOGE Is 100% Legal

 Hello, this is Victor Davis Hanson for The Daily Signal. I want to revisit the hysteria, controversy—whatever term we use—about Elon Musk and his role in the Department of Government Efficiency—or DOGE—using that term for the executive officer of Renaissance Florence. The Italian word “doge” is a meme, so to speak.

There’s a lot of controversy about Elon Musk, and let’s just dispel some of it right at the start. He is not a freelancer. He was appointed a government official. Donald Trump, by an executive order, created the Department of Government Efficiency, and he made Elon Musk the head of it, along with Vivek Ramaswamy, who now has resigned.

Elon Musk has statutory authority. This Department of Government Efficiency is not a Cabinet agency. He does not have to be approved by Congress. And it only is going to last until July 4, 2026. It’s not a permanent agency, but he has the same power, or lack of such, as the national security adviser, who does not have to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

He’s more legitimate—or he has more statutory legitimacy—than earlier presidential advisers, like Harry Hopkins, who moved into the White House under the FDR administration, or Bernard Baruch, who basically ran two world wars, in terms of domestic production, under Woodrow Wilson and FDR. So, let’s just dispel the idea that he’s doing anything unusual.

As far as the executive orders that created the DOGE program and eliminated the U.S. Agency for International Development—that was perfectly legal in itself. USAID was created by John F. Kennedy in 1961 by an executive order. There was a statutory direction for the president to disperse foreign aid into a comprehensive body, but it didn’t say USAID—he could do whatever he wanted.

And so, Donald Trump has decided to end autonomous USAID and fold it into the State Department for disaster relief or poverty relief or famine relief.

But let’s get straight what Elon Musk is trying to do. He’s going through all of these agencies and finding waste and fraud. And he has executive authority to do so. The Democrats are suing on the principle that they have approved funds for some of these agencies and Donald Trump is not spending them. And they are also arguing that Elon must exist by an executive order and not a congressional statute.

And this is very ironic, to tell you the truth. If you look back at executive orders, the number of which have been issued by Democratic and Republican presidencies, you see two general terms: The two Bushes and Donald Trump are not that much different than the 16 years of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

Where you see the big divide in the number of executive orders is a break between FDR and Harry Truman, and to a lesser extent, Herbert Hoover and Coolidge, and the present. And believe me, during the Roosevelt years and Truman years, that was an all-time record of executive orders, and that got Roosevelt in trouble, of course, with the Supreme Court.

As far as impounding funds, Joe Biden set the precedent. You all saw him on tape when he said, “SOB—the son of a—I went in, over there, to Ukraine and I said, ‘You’re not getting this billion dollars until you do this.’” Well, that money had been approved by Congress.

And when he became president, there was a statute that said, “Here’s the money to build the wall.”

And Joe Biden canceled the wall. That was illegal. But he came up with all these—“Oh, we have to do environmental studies, or on endangered species.” But he didn’t spend the money. All Donald Trump is doing is saying, “I don’t believe the Impoundment Control Act is legal. We’ll see what the Supreme Court—but I’m just following the precedent that Joe Biden did.” But now the shoe’s on the other foot.

And so, again, there is a statutory authority for Elon Musk to do what he does. He has the executive order justifying his agency, his 20-some employees. And more importantly—there’s another thing no one talks about—Elon Musk is a controversial figure and everybody is attacking him. And whom are they not attacking? Donald Trump.

So, while the media is trying to make a split—Time magazine had a cover of Elon Musk behind the presidential desk in the Oval Office, Donald Trump didn’t get angry about that. He said, “I didn’t even know Time magazine was still in existence.” Why? Because Elon Musk, in addition to all of these executive duties he’s doing to cut back wasteful spending, he is redirecting animus away from the president to him.

https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/10/sorry-liberals-doge-is-100-legal-heres-why/

Transforming Gaza: A Visionary Strategy for Peace, Prosperity, and Regional Stability

 Palestinians have been offered statehood at least nine times, yet they have rejected every proposal. From the 1937 Peel Commission to the 2020 Trump Peace Plan, each refusal has led to smaller and less favorable offers as Israel’s population and influence continued to grow. It’s like repeatedly walking away from a real estate deal, only to return later and find the price has gone up and the available land has shrunk. The longer the wait, the fewer the options. Meanwhile, the Palestinian people continue to bear the consequences, trapped in a cycle of hardship while their leaders enrich themselves and use their suffering as a political weapon.

Even in 2005 when Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza, offering Palestinians the chance to build their own future, Hamas turned the territory into a staging ground for terror. Hamas not only rejects peace but thrives on perpetual conflict. Every previous ceasefire, diplomatic effort, or temporary truce has only given Hamas time to rebuild its arsenal, expand its terror networks, and plan for the next war. President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have all recognized this reality: Hamas must not only be defeated – it must be destroyed in a way that prevents its resurgence.

One of the primary challenges in combating a terrorist organization that embeds itself within a civilian population is the inevitability of collateral damage. To address this, President Trump has proposed an innovative and visionary approach aimed at minimizing harm while effectively dismantling Hamas. Traditionally, military forces focus on isolating the terrorist group from the population. However, this proposal reverses that dynamic by relocating civilians away from the terrorists, thereby exposing Hamas and making it more vulnerable to targeted military action. The only thing Gazans are missing is a place to go.

Iraqi Special Forces soldiers stand on the rubble of a damaged building in parts of the Old City of Mosul, Iraq, Sunday, July 9, 2017. (AP)

Trump’s strategy is not without precedent – history has repeatedly shown that denying an enemy the use of human shields is not just morally right, but a proven strategy for military victory. A recent example is the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017), where U.S.-backed Iraqi forces successfully enabled the evacuation of nearly one million civilians in an effort to eradicate ISIL in Mosul. This approach isolated the terrorist group, stripped it of cover, and accelerated its destruction while minimizing collateral damage.

While some members of Hamas may attempt to blend in with the population and flee Gaza, they will be unable to take their weapons, will be forced to abandon their tunnel networks and logistical infrastructure, and will no longer enjoy complete control and freedom of movement, as they will once again be subject to the authority of a sovereign state.

President Trump’s bold plan to transform Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East” presents an unprecedented opportunity to reshape the region’s geopolitical landscape. This plan can and should be achieved with no American boots on the ground, as Israel is perfectly capable of completing the military component of the plan. The United States, in its part, facilitates the relocation of Gaza’s Palestinian population to neighboring nations and the redevelopment of the area into an international symbol of peace and cooperation.

The success of this initiative hinges on strategic diplomacy with Egypt and Jordan, significant U.S. incentives for regional cooperation, and a well-structured international coalition to oversee Gaza’s redevelopment. While ambitious, if successfully implemented, this initiative could usher in an unprecedented era of peace and stability, breaking the generational cycle of conflict and offering a new future for both Israelis and Palestinians. This article explains the steps to realize the incredible vision.

Strategic Relocation: Destinations and Implementation

The primary destinations for long-term resettlement should include Egypt and Jordan, with additional coordinated programs across the broader Arab world. Gaza Palestinians have already relocated multiple times in the course of the war since Oct. 7, 2023, and instead of relocating back into a dangerous war zone, they would benefit from the relocation to safer areas. Within Gaza, this can be militarily achieved by Israel – if the United States provides the diplomatic leverage to ensure cooperation with the following neighboring states:

Egypt

The Sinai Peninsula, particularly the northern and eastern regions near El Arish, provides a geographically proximate and viable settlement location. With substantial Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) investments in infrastructure, desalination plants, and economic zones, this region can be developed into an urban and industrial hub capable of absorbing a significant portion of the Palestinian population.

Jordan

With a long history of Palestinian integration, Jordan presents another feasible destination. A combination of economic incentives, expansion of housing developments near Amman and Aqaba, and special economic zones funded by international investment could facilitate resettlement while bolstering Jordan’s economy.

Broader Arab World

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar possess the financial resources to support regional stability and have a strategic interest in ensuring Gaza does not remain a perpetual flashpoint for conflict. While these nations have been reluctant to absorb large refugee populations in the past, a structured diplomatic framework – backed by economic incentives and security guarantees – could encourage participation. Rather than leaving Gaza’s future in perpetual limbo, a coordinated resettlement initiative could stabilize the region and align with its broader geopolitical interests.

Diplomatic Framework and Concessions for Regional Buy-In

Securing cooperation from Egypt and Jordan requires a comprehensive diplomatic package, including:

1. Massive Economic Investment: The U.S. can provide diplomatic backing and facilitate private investment, but the primary funding for Gaza’s transformation must come from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. This could be structured as a multi-stakeholder investment fund, with contributions from the GCC, international financial institutions, and private sector partners.
2. Security Guarantees: A joint U.S.-led international force, supplemented by Egyptian and Jordanian security cooperation, would monitor the new settlement areas to prevent instability.
3. Debt Forgiveness and Military Aid: A restructuring of Egypt’s debt, coupled with expanded military aid packages, could incentivize Cairo’s participation. For Jordan, an increase in U.S. military support and free trade agreements would be essential.
4. Gulf State Contributions: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar must be engaged to provide both financial backing and employment opportunities for relocated Palestinians.

Role of a Simultaneous Peace Treaty Between Israel and Saudi Arabia

A historic peace treaty between Israel and Saudi Arabia would further solidify the regional architecture necessary for long-term stability. Such an agreement would provide a framework for mutual recognition, security cooperation, and economic collaboration, creating a foundation upon which the Gaza redevelopment initiative could thrive.

Strategic Benefits for Saudi Arabia

1. Regional Leadership: By brokering peace with Israel, Saudi Arabia would cement its role as the leader of the Arab world, reinforcing its influence in both economic and security matters.
2. Economic Expansion: Normalized relations with Israel would unlock investment opportunities, technological collaboration, and infrastructure projects, allowing Saudi Arabia to diversify beyond oil.
3. Security Cooperation: A peace treaty would enable enhanced intelligence sharing and military coordination, strengthening Saudi Arabia’s defense against common threats, including Iran-backed militias and extremist groups.
4. U.S. Support and Favorable Trade Terms: A peace deal would likely come with substantial U.S. military and economic incentives, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s strategic partnership with Washington.

What the U.S. Can Offer Saudi Arabia in Exchange for Funding and Peace

1. Advanced Military Technology: The U.S. can approve the sale of strategic defense systems to enhance Saudi Arabia’s security capabilities.
2. Security Guarantees Against Iran: The U.S. can commit to enhanced military cooperation and intelligence-sharing to counter Iranian influence and ensure regional stability.
3. Economic and Energy Collaboration: Facilitating U.S. investment in Saudi Arabia’s “Vision 2030” initiatives, including high-tech industries, renewable energy, and infrastructure development, would incentivize Saudi participation.
4. Formalized U.S.-Saudi-Israel Strategic Partnership: A trilateral alliance framework would create a security and economic bloc, ensuring long-term cooperation and shared development projects, including Gaza’s transformation.
5. Greater Influence in Palestinian Affairs: Saudi Arabia could be given a central role in shaping the future of Palestinian governance and economic development, positioning itself as the key power broker in the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Impact on Gaza’s Transformation

1. Financial Backing: A stable and cooperative Saudi-Israel relationship would encourage broader Gulf investments in the redevelopment of Gaza, ensuring its long-term success.
2. Greater Regional Stability: A peace agreement would diminish hostilities between Israel and its Arab neighbors, reducing the likelihood of future conflicts that could undermine Gaza’s transformation.
3. Tourism and Trade: The integration of Israel into the broader Gulf economic network would create new business and tourism opportunities, positioning Gaza as a key destination for regional commerce and leisure.

Redeveloping Gaza: Symbol of Peace, Military Strength, International Cooperation

Gaza Strip's first five-star Arcmed Al Mashtal hotel in Gaza City, July 2011. (AP)

Once Gazans have the opportunity to escape the war, Israel can completely destroy any remaining members of Hamas, the terror tunnels and networks, weapons caches, and all of Hamas’ logistical support centers. The Gaza Strip must then be reimagined as a global beacon of reconciliation and prosperity. The redevelopment of Gaza would be managed by an international coalition led by the U.S., Israel, and key global partners. The new Gaza will feature:

1. The Gaza Peace Park: A grand and solemn public park designed as a beacon of peace and remembrance, honoring all who have suffered from the decades-long conflict in Gaza – both the innocent lives taken in terror attacks and the civilians caught in the destruction of war.

At its heart, the park will feature a walkable memorial of some 1,500 statues, each dedicated to a victim, either killed or taken hostage during the Oct. 7 attacks. Visitors will be able to walk among these statues, pausing at inscribed plaques telling the story of each life lost. The layout will evoke both reverence and reflection, allowing visitors to experience the scale of the tragedy.

A parallel memorial will also reflect the destruction suffered by civilians in Gaza, displaying scattered remnants of shattered buildings, broken columns, and partial stone facades standing as a quiet reminder of the devastation endured by the Gazan population.

In between the memorials, the park will feature a reflective water installation to serve as a space for contemplation, offering a contrast between ruin and renewal, along with serene walking paths, lush gardens, and artistic installations designed to encourage reflection, reconciliation, and remembrance. Additionally, amphitheaters and cultural spaces will host international peace dialogues, artistic performances, and educational programs that bring Jews, Muslims, and Christians together – making the park a hub for global engagement and healing.

2. Cultural and Historical Museums: Institutions dedicated to preserving the history of the region and educating visitors on past conflicts and the vision for a peaceful Middle East.
3. Sports and Entertainment Complexes: A state-of-the-art sports stadium, concert halls, and a marina will establish Gaza as a premier destination for international events. Additionally, Gaza could host major regional sporting tournaments such as the Asian Games and the AFC Asian Cup, leveraging its modern infrastructure to attract international visitors and investment.
4. Luxury Tourism: A new tourist destination featuring multi-cultural high-end resorts, real estate development, and pristine beaches will drive economic prosperity.
5. Governance by an International Coalition: Similar to post-WWII Germany, Gaza will be administered by a multinational governing body to ensure stability, transparency, and effective development.
6. Strategic U.S. Naval Presence: With proper dredging, the U.S. could, but would not have to, establish a naval base in Gaza. This would provide a forward-operating position to support the U.S. 6th Fleet, enhancing regional stability and strengthening American military projection in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Post-Development: A Future of Peace and Prosperity

Once redevelopment is complete, some Palestinians will have the opportunity to return to a transformed Gaza – one that is prosperous, secure, and filled with opportunities unimaginable under Hamas rule. While security screenings will be necessary for those returning, those who do return will be welcomed into a society built on progress rather than perpetual conflict.

Trump with Al Zayani, Netanyahu, and Al Nahyan at the Abraham Accords signing ceremony, Sept. 15, 2020, in Washington, D.C. (AP)

President Trump has a proven record of challenging conventional wisdom and delivering real results where others have failed. His leadership produced the Abraham Accords, a historic breakthrough in Middle East diplomacy that normalized relations between Israel and multiple Arab nations – without conceding to Palestinian terror groups. Under his administration, Iran’s regional influence was curbed, and a path to peace became more tangible than ever before. The same bold vision now offers Gaza a path forward, replacing decades of war with the prospect of lasting stability and prosperity.

Anyone skeptical of this vision need only look at the 2.1 million Palestinians who currently live peacefully alongside their Jewish neighbors in Israel. The greatest barrier to peace has never been the people themselves but rather corrupt leaders who profit from Palestinian suffering and weaponize their hardship for political gain. President Trump’s plan breaks this destructive cycle – at least in Gaza – offering a fresh start and a catalyst for broader and longer-term regional peace.

Yinon Weiss is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces lieutenant colonel. He was born in Israel and trained with the Israeli Defense Forces while serving in the U.S. military. He holds a degree in bioengineering from UC Berkeley and an MBA from Harvard Business School. (@yinonw)

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2025/02/11/transforming_gaza_visionary_strategy_peace_prosperity_regional_stability_152336.html

Scott Presler keeps his foot on the pedal in Pennsylvania

 by Salena Zito

Some people are different in person than they are online. Not Scott Presler. He is as kind, soft spoken, and charismatic in person as he is when he posts about his mission to register voters as Republicans in Pennsylvania. This is true whether he is here at the Farm Show Complex or any of the scores of other events I have run into him attending in the past several years.

For the past nine days, Presler has been talking to the hunting community at the annual NRA Great American Outdoors Show, the largest outdoor show in the country. The event attracted thousands of people from across the country to peruse over 1,000 exhibits, including the newest guns and gear from firearm manufacturers, RVs, and fishing boats; it also afforded them time to visit with each other at the food court located inside 650,000 square feet of exhibit hall space.

“We wanted to make sure everybody gets registered to vote, especially noting that 30% of our hunters in Pennsylvania are not registered to vote. And since there are 930,000 hunters, that means 300,000, give or take, could not be registered so we wanted to make sure we reached them,” said Presler.

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania — Scott Presler, left, and Jondavid Longo, right, register voters at the world’s largest outdoor show, the NRA’s Great American Outdoor Show at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center. (Salena Zito/Washington Examiner)

Given that Pennsylvania has been decided by only tens of thousands of votes the past few elections, Presler said reaching voters who likely share the same sentiments as President Donald Trump on the Second Amendment just makes sense.

“If the hunting community is ever fully activated and all are registered to vote and mobilized, I think Pennsylvania could become a reliably conservative state, not only in federal elections but also in state and local elections,” he said.

Presler, who was a force of nature in the 2024 election cycle, almost single-handedly erased the dominance Democrats had in registration in this state for decades. He has never taken his foot off of the gas as he continues his determination to register Republican voters.

“Especially as we enter the 2025 judicial races, as well as the district attorney and sheriff races in the state,” said Presler, whose booth for his Early Vote Action PAC was located in the hallway by the food court, attracting many people wanting to both thank him but also get engaged.

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania — The Early Vote Action booth at the NRA’s Great American Outdoor Show. (Salena Zito/Washington Examiner)

In 2024, his efforts to register Republican voters helped flip Beaver, Bucks, Centre and Luzerne counties from Democratic to Republican in voter registration.

Democratic voter registration peaked in Pennsylvania during the Obama administration when Democrats outregistered Republicans by over a million voters. At the time, there had been a sign of erosion beginning. Obama won the state by over 10 percentage points in 2008, and by 2012 that support slipped to just 5.3% over Republican Mitt Romney.

Republicans have erased that voter registration advantage to approximately 187,000, Presler said.

“When the inactive voters are removed from that number the difference drops to 105,000,” he said, adding, “Our goal is to have Pennsylvania closing in on red by 2026,” he said of the midterm election cycle that will include the governor’s race.

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania — Jondavid Longo discusses the importance of this year’s judicial races at the NRA’s Great American Outdoor Show. (Salena Zito/Washington Examiner)

It is not hard to miss Presler. He is 6 feet, 5 inches tall, often wears cowboy boots, and his hair reaches down his back. People flocked to his Early Vote Action booth to chat with him.

“What we did differently this year is in addition to getting people to change parties, we got people to sign up to commit to vote. Now, a lot of people were like, Scott, I already voted. And I said, well, thank you so much for your vote last year, but we have judicial elections this year in 2025,” he explained.

Presler said those off-year races are especially important for the hunting community. 

“I would probably very kindly say they are low propensity voters, and I stressed to them that those three Supreme Court justices are all held by Democrats, justices who allowed former Gov. Tom Wolf to extend his emergency declaration, which impacted their lives,” he said.

“The other thing people aren’t really talking about is that district attorney races throughout the Commonwealth and 32 sheriff races and I just want people to know that they need to vote every single year. 2025 is judicial, 2026 is governor, and 2027 is going to be every county commissioner and then of course, preparing for presumptive nominee JD Vance in 2028,” he said.

“In other words, we’ve got a lot to do,” he said.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/3316165/scott-presler-keeps-foot-on-pedal-pennsylvania/

Joe Rogan: Elon Musk and DOGE Are Uncovering Insane Corruption

 Joe Rogan: Elon Musk and DOGE Are Uncovering Unbelievable Waste and Corruption at USAID

"Beliefs—and this is where USAID comes into play—can be manipulated. They can be manipulated by a mass psyop conducted through the media. USAID is the coffin where the vampire sleeps. Maybe… pic.twitter.com/KguGij6Nav

— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) February 10, 2025

From 'The Joe Rogan Experience' episode #2270 with comedian Bridget Phetasy:

JOE ROGAN: If you say something against them. You're a Nazi.

BRIDGET PHETASY, COMEDIAN: Yeah.

ROGAN: So it's f*cking through the looking-glass like completely. But it just shows you how it's really just about conforming to an ideology It's not about a real core set of standards and beliefs. Because the course that our standards and beliefs and this were like things like USA coming to play they can be manipulated. They can be manipulated by a mass.

What we're getting to is essentially the f*cking coffin where the vampire sleeps and that's what USA it is. They found the coffin, you know, and maybe that coffin does hand out sandwiches in Guatemala but for the most part what they're doing is they're controlling the entire federal government and they're controlling the mindset the zeitgeist of the population. And they're funding all these people that go along with this wacky sh*t and they're attacking -- they're openly attacking and trying to censor people who go against yeah, and they're spending your tax dollars to do so .Yeah, your tax dollars get funneled to NGOs. NGOs start attacking people that have differing ideologies.

PHETASY: Yeah, usually and but they did become so disconnected from the average person that that my advice would be to you Know they say like Oh Normies did this is one of the things I'm hearing online like normies didn't vote for this. What Elon's doing with those six like I need a movie about what these kids are doing by the way. They didn't vote for this. I'm like, yes, they did. Normies didn't vote for -- you're saying Normies wanted normalcy. So they voted for Trump like that doesn't even people knew what they were getting they want. Something to happen you have to rip the band-aid off and the only way to run the band-aid off. Someone's got to get into those f*cking books and find out what's going on.

ROGAN: And what they found so far is very enlightening. Yeah, it's not good. It's not good at all. So anybody that's not commenting on the hey, you know what they are finding a lot of unbelievable waste and corruption.

Yeah, but also he shouldn't be able to do that. Like you're you're they're not even saying he's finding insane waste and corruption. Yeah and he's finding this circular loop of funding and he's finding this manipulation of public perception on a wide variety of issues including COVID Vaccines and yeah the border all these different things that they were actively involved in mind-f*cking the entire country and no one's addressing that from the left.

So they're losing more and more credibility so all they can cling to is he has access to people's social security numbers and private information. Like, really. That it doesn't by the way the whole government does by the way Is he gonna do something bad with it like what is he doing what what he's doing is uncovering insane corruption. That should be the primary thought. Yeah, everybody has this.

Oh my god. We have this enormous deficit. But spending is completely out of control and look what it's being spent on. Because this is the first time we're ever getting a f*cking peek into the coffin. Yeah, we didn't we didn't know we're like we see it It's in the dark room.

PHETASY: We hear the f*cking organ We didn't know what was in the coffin Yeah, we do and I do it is I do think you have to like salt the earth to where all the DEI stuff is They're like, oh, they're getting they're going too far. And well, I'm like no you got a root this sh*t out It needs to be gone. Like it's like you said it is an ideology So it's harder to kind of change the minds of people who have been indoctrinated with this and colleges and schools But get it out of the institutions.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/02/10/joe_rogan_elon_musk_and_doge_are_uncovering_insane_corruption_what_they_found_so_far_is_very_enlightening.html 

Two Ways Of Stopping Iran Getting Nukes: 'With Bombs Or A Written Piece Of Paper,' Trump Says

 President Donald Trump said in a Monday interview with Fox News that Iran is terrified after losing almost all its air defenses amid last year's Israeli aerial attack and is now seeking to make a deal with the Untied States.

"Iran is very concerned. Iran is very frightened, to be honest with you, because their defense is pretty much gone," Trump said of the October Israeli airstrikes. US intelligence has described that several Russian-supplied S-300 anti-air defense systems were destroyed.

Via AFP

"Maybe they are trying to get new defense as we speak but their defense is largely gone... Iran is very nervous. I think they're scared. I think Iran would love to make a deal and I would love to make a deal with them without bombing them," Trump added.

The remarks came days after Trump restored "maximum pressure" and fresh sanctions targeting Iranian oil exports, which reflects the policy of his first term, when he pulled the US out of the JCPOA nuclear deal with Tehran.

"Everybody thinks Israel with our help or our approval will go in and bomb the hell out of them," Trump said while noting that Israeli would need approval from Washington in that scenario.

"I would prefer that not happen. I'd much rather see a deal with Iran where we can do a deal, supervise, check it, inspect it," the president continued.

That's when Trump made one of the more interesting and provocative comments of the interview...

There's two ways to stopping them: With bombs or a written piece of paper.

He stressed there are essentially two paths forward: with bombs or striking a new deal. "I would love to make a deal without bombing them," Trump said.

But earlier the same day Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian charged that the US is not "sincere" about negotiations with Iran following last week's new sanctions.

"If the US were sincere about negotiations, why did they sanction us?" Pezeshkian posed in a speech in Tehran commemorating the 46th anniversary of Iran’s Islamic revolution.

On February 5th Trump had revealed his thinking further in a post on X: "I want Iran to be a great and successful Country, but one that cannot have a Nuclear Weapon. Reports that the United States, working in conjunction with Israel, is going to blow Iran into smithereens,” ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED," he wrote.

The US is now increasingly worried that given last year's tit-for-tat exchange of major strikes with Israel, Tehran leaders are more incentivized than ever to secretly develop a nuke.

However, the CIA has long assessed, even recently, that Iran's leadership has not yet ordered the pursuit of a bomb. The Ayatollahs throughout the decades have also condemned atomic weapons as 'unIslamic'.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/two-ways-stopping-iran-getting-nukes-bombs-or-written-piece-paper-trump-says

BlackRock Now Wants to Become Private Equity’s Key Financier

 

BlackRock Inc., the world’s largest asset manager, now wants to be a financier for private equity and alternative investment firms.

Fresh off a year of almost $30 billion of deals to become a force in managing private credit, financial data and infrastructure assets, Chief Financial Officer Martin Small is starting to sketch out a plan that goes beyond investing client money to include managing capital for alternatives firms.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-11/blackrock-now-wants-to-become-private-equity-s-key-financier