Politics

Crime is on the rise in cities across America and the left is asleep at the wheel. Democrats are set to be routed in the upcoming midterm elections, but instead of getting onboard with tough-on-crime policies, they've focused their efforts on measures that are wildly out of touch with even their own voters. To start, Democrats have their pandemic lockdowns to thank for at least some of the crime crisis. Carjackings are up in cities, which experts attribute to teenagers who are not in school or extracurricular programs. James Alan Fox, a criminologist at Northeastern University, said that the pandemic has given people too much free time, which can lead to an uptick in crime.

The G-word Menlo, Iowa, may seem a surprising spot from which to issue major foreign policy declarations. But such is the nature of the American presidency. One minute you are cheering Midwestern farmers with the news of a suspension of ethanol fuel regulations, the next you are describing war crimes committed thousands of miles away. The two are connected, of course: Biden was in Iowa yesterday to tackle the domestic fall out of the war in Ukraine. Nevertheless, the thing that Biden’s trip to Menlo will be remembered for was his characterization of the Russian invasion of Ukraine as “genocide.” Asked about his choice of words by reporters after the speech, Biden said: “Yes, I called it genocide.

Last week, a district court acquitted two men and deadlocked on two others who were accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. No word yet on which of her Covid restrictions Whitmer will now violate in order to cheer herself up. But the decision was a credit to the jury, which did the right thing in the face of immense pressure. The case against Whitmer's would-be abductors was a crock from the start, a classic instance of the FBI egging on poor saps so it could land an arrest and grab a headline. The spooky right-wing terrorists were nothing of the sort. Their supposed ringleader, a man named Barry Croft, was a heavy pot smoker nicknamed "Bonehead" who caused one FBI investigator to ask "Do these guys even know what's up?

Record-high inflation and soaring gas prices are boons for the Republican Party. Nothing sours the electorate on the party in power faster than pain at the pump. “People are becoming poorer,” Tucker Carlson said during a recent segment. “The standard of living of Americans, who for almost 100 years have enjoyed the world's highest standard of living in any big country, is plummeting. So, what's the administration doing to fix this? What are they doing to help? Well, of course, that depends upon whether or not you're Ukrainian.” It’s a note Tucker has struck before. The Democrats in power only care about virtue signaling. It’s Ukrainian flag pins and transgender admirals all the way down. You can go broke for all they care. Just make sure you go woke first.

A strange abortion story is unfolding in the nation’s capital. In March, several outlets began reporting that DC police had found “five fetuses” in the home of “anti-abortion activist” Lauren Handy, who is a member of the “Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising group.” The PAAU is not exactly what one thinks of when it comes to pro-life activism. According to its website, the organization is “committed to radical inclusivity while magnifying secular, feminist, liberal, and LGBTQIA+ identifying pro-life voices, especially those belonging to people of color.” Amazingly, it also claims to have collected 115 fetuses from a Washington, DC clinic's medical waste. It has to be one of the more bizarre news stories of 2022.

When Covid comes to town There’s a hot, must-have new accessory among Washington’s political elite this spring: a positive coronavirus test. Several recent swish DC get-togethers appear to have been super-spreader events and anyone who’s anyone is getting two red stripes on their antigen tests these days. The Gridiron dinner, one of the top tickets in town, is, some think, the source of the outbreak. Its attendees are dropping like flies. Among the contagious A-listers: commerce secretary Gina Raimondo and Attorney General Merrick Garland. Other big names who have tested positive include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Susan Collins of Maine and Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia. That’s the bad news. But the good news is two-fold. First, everyone seems to be just fine.

Conservatives, for practically the first time ever, have gone on offense in the debate over Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill. They've responded to the left's "Don't Say Gay" moniker by accusing them of wanting to groom children. Some right-wing commentators have expressed discomfort at this discourse. I am curious as to why conservatives would back off an aggressive but largely accurate allegation against people who regularly smear them as bigots over the most minor of political differences. In fact, I was fired last month after left-wing activists falsely accused me of racism over criticizing the vice president's outfit. It's awfully satisfying to see them get a taste of their own medicine.