Aliens

Plus: being trolled, Waymo traffic jam in San Francisco, and the details of Trump's crackdown on investor-owned housing

I want to believe. In a podcast interview last week, former President Barack Obama said that he believes aliens are real, a shocking statement that interviewer Brian Tyler Cohen maddeningly did not follow up on.

Obama later clarified that he was making a general statement about his belief in the probability of the existence of extraterrestrial life in our vast universe, not that he'd seen flying saucers at Area 51.

Nevertheless, the former president's remarks generated a lot of "um…what?" reactions on social media.

Not to be outdone by his first-term predecessor, President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that he would be ordering the release of government documents related to extraterrestrials, UFOs, and more.

Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and…

— Commentary: Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) February 20, 2026

A troll, a distraction, or an excuse to arrest Obama? After tariffs and flashing, unconstitutional military actions, there's nothing Trump and his administration love better than promising the release of troves of heretofore secret documents, only to fail to procure the really good stuff.

That's obviously the case with the Epstein files, which, admittedly, Trump himself was never super keen on releasing, even though many of his supporters and key administration officials were.

We've also been down this road when he said he'd order the release of John F. Kennedy files in his first term, before backtracking on that promise. Eventually, he made good on his promise in his second term, although the released documents produced few "bombshells."

The Trump administration has loudly declared a lab leak in Wuhan to be the true origin of COVID-19, while failing to release additional documentation and security assessments that could shed more light on the U.S. government's role in funding dangerous gain-of-function research in Wuhan.

All that's to say, Trump promising the release of UFO files is par for the course. Don't be surprised if he ends up not following through on any substantive document dump.

Maybe it's all just a big troll. But since we live in more paranoid times, one can imagine a couple more strategic/sinister explanations for why the president is talking about classified UFO documents now.

Currently, the U.S. is engaged in a massive buildup of military forces in the Middle East in what increasingly appears to be a prelude to a giant air war with Iran.

Is all this UFO chatter just a way to distract people before we plunge into yet another forever war, a la The Whitest Kids You Know sketch?

"Just a thought, more of a shot in the dark, but uh we wouldn't happen to be invading Iran today would we?" https://t.co/CcYVRiBbmf pic.twitter.com/H4n5NOqQo8

— Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (@LPPAorg) February 20, 2026

Or maybe Trump is talking about UFOs because he wants an excuse to prosecute Obama. He recently told Fox News' Peter Doocy that Obama made a "big mistake" by releasing classified documents on aliens and UFOs.

TRUMP tells @pdoocy OBAMA "gave classified information" on UFO's and aliens.

"He's not supposed to be doing that. But I don't know if they're real or not… I can tell you he gave classified information. He made a big mistake."

— Aishah Hasnie (@aishahhasnie) February 19, 2026

On the other hand, Trump needs no real strategic rationale to stir the pot by saying unhinged things. Maybe the reason he promised to release UFO files is that it's Thursday.

---

Scenes from San Francisco: You can't look down a street in S.F. anymore without seeing a driverless Waymo, so much so that I actually saw a little Waymo traffic jam yesterday.

It's a little hard to tell from the picture, but the front Waymo has stopped in the middle of the street for no explicable reason. Behind it, two more Waymos are patiently waiting for it to get moving. Eventually, they follow the other human-piloted cars and drive around the immobile vehicle.

Christian Britschgi

Impressive as these vehicles are, clearly it's going to take a little while to work out all the kinks. In the meantime, we might want to program them to beep their horns and swear at the other Waymos.

---

QUICK LINKS

• We finally have the details of Trump's restrictions on large investor ownership of single-family homes. The biggest immediate takeaway is that the restrictions are intended to apply to entities owning 100 or more homes, which is a much lower threshold than some were expecting. "Institutional investors" are normally defined as those owning 1,000 or more homes.

There it is: Details on Trump's proposed ban on large investors. Highlights:

1) Defined as 100+ homes which means the ban impacts far more regional investors than institutions.

2) Exempts build to rent construction and homes needy heavy repair (which most individual buyers… pic.twitter.com/NNj39TOIYg

— Jay Parsons (@jayparsons) February 20, 2026

• How bad is censorship in the United Kingdom? They're starting to censor the ads making fun of censorship.

The United Kingdom is escalating its censorship and mass surveillance. When Mullvad tried to criticise this with the TV ad "And Then?", it was banned on British television. pic.twitter.com/qJG0tt7U41

— Mullvad.net (@mullvadnet) February 18, 2026

• The number of families and unaccompanied minors crossing the U.S. southern border has dropped to basically zero in Trump's second term.

Now that asylum/protection at the US-Mexico border is gone (illegal but true), and now that suffering abuse inside the US is probable, only 627 child/family migrants entered Border Patrol custody in January—the fewest for which we have records (since October 2011). pic.twitter.com/asDHf4N3j6

— Adam Isacson (@adam_wola) February 20, 2026

• More government lies, courtesy of the Department of Homeland Security.

From CNN's @michaeldamianw @alex_leedsmatts: "The Department of Homeland Security admitted that its website featuring what it calls the 'worst of the worst' arrested immigrants was rife with errors and changed the site this week after receiving questions from CNN about it."…

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) February 19, 2026

• Speaking of, people should read C.J. Ciaramella's article saying bon voyage to one of the biggest liars of them all, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin.
• Virginia's new governor just got the worst job in politics.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver Democratic response to Trump's State of the Union address.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 19, 2026

• Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, had his home searched by police after his arrest for suspicion of misconduct in public office, a charge related to his connections to Jeffrey Epstein. Read Matthew Petti's reporting on the disgraced royal's connections to Epstein here and here.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

...former President Barack Obama said that he believes aliens are real...

Yeah, he let them over the border. The space border.

[Minadin]

So, Trump got asked a question by a reporter on Air Force One, in the context that former President Obama recently made some 'aliens are real' type comments, before walking them back.

And he decided, 'Hey, if people are interested in aliens, let's give them whatever we have on aliens'.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

No, it’s BeCaUsE iT’s ThUrSdAy.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Hes literally starting Universal War 1.

You've already died from it.

[Kungpowderfinger]

Hard not to when you’re married to Big Mike.

[yet another dave]

Barry used to love the tentacles... not so much any more.

[mad.casual]

Surprise twist: The Mandalorian is pro-ICE propaganda.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Obama later clarified...

Booooo.

[Idaho-Bob]

Obama clarifies, Trump walks it back.

Propaganda, 101.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

OACO doesnt have the same ring to it.

[EISTAU Gree-Vance]

Acronyms are the most important thing.

After skin color, of course…..

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

OK, try this:

President Obama Pretends Color Of Rational Negro

[Fist of Etiquette]

...President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that he would be ordering the release of government documents related to extraterrestrials, UFOs, and more.

I bet Chris Carter feels stupid now for having his X-Files reboot dump all over this president.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

What reboot?

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

The Smoking Man is already scrubbing any mentions of it...

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

These aren't the droids you're looking for.

[Bertram Guilfoyle]

Mulder replaced by a fat bald black trans lesbian.

[Idaho-Bob]

So, a Netflix series?

[Social Justice is neither]

That works if it's Medea.

[Kungpowderfinger]

Madea Gets Probed

[EISTAU Gree-Vance]

And scully replaced by a furry.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The one where the FBI bureaucracy became the good guy.

[Fist of Etiquette]

... there's nothing Trump and his administration love better than promising the release of troves of heretofore secret documents, only to fail to procure the really good stuff.

We'll never know if Martians visited the island.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

We'd have seen the elites getting an extra arm grafted to themselves if the Martians did.

[Medulla Oblongata]

On the one hand, on the other hand, on the gripping hand...

[Uilleam]

For the probe?

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

My Recall isn't Totally clear on martian anatomy.

[Uilleam]

Ok I got the reference this time. Yes!

[Mike Parsons]

"The number of families and unaccompanied minors crossing the U.S. southern border has dropped to basically zero in Trump's second term."

So the policies at the border combined with ICE enforcement were a massive success? Trump should be getting high accolades for this, we went from 2+million illegals per year to fucking zero. This is a massive W

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

I picture border patrol guys sitting in a dusty windswept shack in the desert playing cards or napping in their patrol cars.

[Ajsloss]

Well, yeah. They don't have anyone to whip from horseback anymore.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Drones do the whipping now.

[Kungpowderfinger]

OrangeHitler should post a Border Patrol bit that spoofs the old Maytag Man commercials.

[I, Woodchipper]

define "success". The guy posting about this was practically weeping. He considers it a disaster

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Must be a Koch Industries recruiter.

[Mickey Rat]

So what a lot of people on the pro unrestricted immigration side said could not be done, has been done?

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

It’s almost like Biden really was incompetent.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Nah. This one was intentional.

[rbike]

There appears to be many crossing in the opposite direction.

[EISTAU Gree-Vance]

Mexico will be the hottest country in the world soon, since these folks are all undeniably awesome.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

“Impressive as these vehicles are, clearly it's going to take a little while to work out all the kinks. In the meantime, we might want to program them to beep their horns and swear at the other Waymos.”

Ok, this was actually pretty funny.

[mad.casual]

OK, I get that some programming tasks can be a lot harder than others and race conditions and network effects are notoriously difficult to anticipate and prevent, but why did you program it to squeal like a pig?

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Trump administration has loudly declared a lab leak in Wuhan to be the true origin of COVID-19...

Oh, I wondered why the Wikipedia page on the subject still calls it a debunked theory.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

(D)ebunked theory? Like Hunter's laptop, Russia-gate, or Biden's senility?

[EISTAU Gree-Vance]

“…..has loudly declared….”

Yeah, if ever the guy needed to use a light touch….,

Lol.

[Medulla Oblongata]

"More government lies, courtesy of the Department of Homeland Security."

Nah, they're just doing the NYT thing where they will say "we're too stupid to have done it on purpose, mistakes were made."

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

It’s a mystery to me how some people determine the difference between government incompetence vs lying.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

What if they do both, like Illinois and Chicago did yesterday?

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

For government, always apply the inverse-Hanlon's razor:

Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by malice.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Not like it was the Atlantic admitting they made up a vullshit story of fiction and had wapo cover for that fact.

The Washington Post
@washingtonpost
Elizabeth Bruenig’s account of a mother’s experience learning her child will die of measles has remained one of the Atlantic’s most read stories since it was published.

But some say the story felt misleading once they learned it was reported fiction.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

But then left-wing readers remembered the incontestable truth of individual "lived experiences" and accepted the fiction as fact.

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

Not true, but truthy.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

This is what could happen with the Anti-vaxx crowd, ergo it happened and we should feel it as if it has.

[yet another dave]

It had feelings, lots and lots of feelings so less misleading than pure fiction.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...the front Waymo has stopped in the middle of the street for no explicable reason.

Turns out Skynet is an Asian lady.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

Left turn signal blinking away.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

At least we know for certain that it’s not a BMW.

[Kungpowderfinger]

“You stop short!”

[Eeyore]

Wait until the federally mandated kill switch makes it into cars.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Say goodbye!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/trump-admin-cancels-visas-for-100-000-foreign-nationals-who-don-t-meet-american-standards/ar-AA1WAXN3

The majority of the revocations were for business travelers and tourists who overstayed their visas, but also included 8,000 students and 2,500 workers who had criminal encounters with law enforcement, Fox News reported.

"Among specialized workers, half of the revocations were based on drunken driving arrests, 30% for assault, battery, or confinement charges, and the remaining 20% were revoked for theft, child abuse, substance abuse and distribution, and fraud and embezzlement charges," the outlet said.

"Nearly 500 students lost visas for drug possession and distribution, and hundreds of foreign workers lost visas because they were believed to be abusing children."

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

But they promised they would only go after the worst of the worst violent guys! REEEEEEEEE!

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

ICE - We want the worst of the worst

Local Gov - We're not helping you there. In fact, we'll make it as difficult as possible. Heck, our judges might slip those gangsters out the back door if we have too.

ICE- Guess we'll be sweeping your whole town then. Hey, look. We found some other deportation eligible folks in the process. We'll have to send them home too.

Local Gov - You are so cruel. You said you would only go after the worst of the worst.

ICE - Have you read the Reason columns about Unintended Consequences? This would be a great article about one.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Uh, consequences are white patriarchal oppression.

[Bubba Jones]

Worst of the worst = people in green card hearings?

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

Read it again dumbass.

You get what you play for.

[Incunabulum]

But remember - Trump *promised* to only go after the 'worst of the worst' so by attacking these innocent child abusers he is breaking that promise!

[Eeyore]

If college wasn't such an expensive scam - students wouldn't need to distribute.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...the restrictions are intended to apply to entities owning 100 or more homes, which is a much lower threshold than some were expecting.

So the world will never see that 101th Trump Tower go up in either Greenland or Tehran.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

There are multiple trumps...

[Medulla Oblongata]

Now this is a strategy! Wear a political T-shirt to a terrorism trial, get a mis-trail on Day 1. Lather, rinse, repeat. OTOH, it may be a good trick they can pull only once.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/mistrial-declared-in-first-antifa-terrorism-case-over-defense-attorney-s-politically-charged-attire/ar-AA1WB4LL

Clayton was spotted leaving the federal courthouse with her shirt turned inside out. A later hearing will decide at some point whether Clayton’s conduct warrants any sanctions. Pittman said the rules of conduct for trial stipulate that graphic tees are strictly forbidden.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

This was the trial dor antifa shooting at illegals in front of a CBP office. So it was peaceful and just a protest.

[mad.casual]

OTOH, it may be a good trick they can pull only once.

This specific one, maybe, but I'm dubious.

Otherwise, they're behaving like the literal definition of an Advanced or Active Persistent Threat. Not just to the United States, but to Western traditional and/or rational thought. They are enemy actors opposed to the rule of law, trial by jury, and in support of killing people and taking lives. They've almost certainly got another exploit stacked up behind this one (Can you get a mistrial for a judge using your incorrect pronouns?).

There's a place for red teaming, this isn't it. They should be purged by fire, with prejudice.

[Social Justice is neither]

This seems like the kind of stunt where you eject the lawyer and let jury selection go on in their absence. A mistrial seems to just reward the defence with a delay for their own bad behavior.

[Fist of Etiquette]

How bad is censorship in the United Kingdom? They're starting to censor the ads making fun of censorship.

The world will never see another Monty Python.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

So we can’t fart in Starmer’s general direction? Or taunt him a second time?

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

As the great feminization of the western world proceeds, fart jokes are now moving from mal-speech misdemeanors to entry level felonies.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

When can we just lob the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch into this shit?

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

After you count to three.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

So five is right out?

[Juliana Frink]

No Upper Class Twit of the Year?

Could somebody do Globalist Twit of the Year?

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Not like UK makes random comments on podcasts. Or points to century old laws.

[Kungpowderfinger]

Or “doing everything from hacking online polls to artificially boosting online traffic to a particular website”

https://spectrum.ieee.org/leaked-british-spy-catalog-reveals-tools-to-manipulate-online-information

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Migrantes eunt domus

[Mickey Rat]

The company should not have used that clandestine footage of OfCom staff getting lunch.

[Ajsloss]

one can imagine a couple more strategic/sinister explanations for why the president is talking about classified UFO documents now.

As people with TDS are wont to do.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

But I was told trump is too stupid to be strategic.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Scenes from NYC: most secure election ever! Good enough for government work...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/nyc-board-of-elections-worker-says-not-my-job-to-report-anyone-when-asked-about-registering-non-citizens/ar-AA1WyAIt

"I can't tell you what to do. If you want to fill it out, fill it out. But everything is clearly stated, especially at the bottom. It says American citizen. So I'm letting you know, if you fill that out, and you're not [a citizen]. If it comes back to you, it comes back to you. If it doesn't, it doesn't," the worker said, appearing to warn the reporter again of legal consequences.

"But we accept anything that comes over the counter," he continued.

Asked if he would report him if he submitted an application, the worker said he would not report anyone.

"That's not my job to report anyone," he said. "My job is just to collect the application and submit it to the department."

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

I’m a people person, dammit”!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4OvQIGDg4I

[Medulla Oblongata]

My thought exactly.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Don't jump to conclusions.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

If they are trustworthy enough to be democrat political aides, they are trustworthy enough to vote.

johnnymaga
This is wild. A convicted Chinese spy just sentenced to federal prison was the campaign manager and fiancé of Eileen Wang, a Democrat mayor in the southern California city of Arcadia.

She needs to be removed from office immediately.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

And dont worry, you can trust dem vote counters.

@amuse
@amuse
CORRUPTION: Days before the FBI’s raid of Fulton County’s election facility to seize 700+ boxes, the former head of the Atlanta FBI warned election officials about the raid and explained what they were looking for. As a result, only 656 boxes were found. What happened to the missing 44+ boxes?

[Fist of Etiquette]

The number of families and unaccompanied minors crossing the U.S. southern border has dropped to basically zero in Trump's second term.

Normies may not have voted for the ICE Raid Wars, but those raids are what gave them this.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

Gotta break a few eggs to get the omelette.

[Marshal]

The rare fact is that there is an omelette this time.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Trump promised something then did it, but I don't like what the document said is not the trump own you think it is

[Fist of Etiquette]

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver Democratic response to Trump's State of the Union address.

Can we hear from someone not centered around DC?

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

But she's the epitome of the moderate democrat that reason pines for. Just ignore all the taxes, regulations, and orders since reason propped her up.

[Idaho-Bob]

Funny how the NAACP endorsed white Spamburger, but not the woman of color Earle-Sears. Same with Obama.

Apparently, skin color isn't everything. Only when it's convenient.

[mad.casual]

True media fashion:
Taking away guns that some small farmer uses to protect their livestock or figuring out the decisions to take healthcare from war widows in order to give palliative aid to disabled, terminally-ill veterans or intervening when a mother insists on a fashionable, but unnecessary, medical intervention for her child based on a concerted political effort to convince her to irreparably mutilate her own children? Not the worst job in politics.

Speaking in public, not even debating, just reporting in opposition to someone so unholy that it sullies whole of your physical, professional, and spiritual identity to even have to address them? Worst job in politics.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Who'd have thought?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/seattle-democrats-learn-minimum-wage-laws-have-a-cost/ar-AA1WJfPH

Seattle Democrats learn minimum wage laws have a cost

In 2024, the city of Seattle boldly introduced a minimum wage law for food delivery drivers, targeting companies such as DoorDash and Uber Eats. The law required those companies to pay drivers a minimum per-mile rate and a minimum per-minute rate, or a minimum per-delivery rate. The logic was that gig workers should be paid more and that the government could force companies to do so. This resulted in a minimum wage of about $26 per hour, more than the city’s general minimum wage of $21.30.

To offset these increased costs, the companies chose, believe it or not, to raise prices. And after companies raised prices, the most expected thing happened: Customers stopped ordering food for delivery.

One delivery driver estimated that one night of orders that earned him $58 to deliver under the new law would have earned him around $17 previously. Wages were indeed higher in the first few months after the law went into effect, and then they dropped. Now, delivery drivers have to wait even longer for an order to appear on the app. Tips went down, as did orders, meaning that most drivers have not actually seen any benefits under the new law after that surge in the first few months.

The new law has been bad for businesses, too. One Indian restaurant owner said a meal that may cost around $15 in the restaurant would cost around $35 through a delivery app. He said he wouldn’t even buy his food for that price. The restaurateur estimates that he has lost about 50% of his business since the new law went into effect. Drivers aren’t benefitting, and businesses are bleeding.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

Local grocery stores secretly backed this law.

[I, Woodchipper]

Even the ancient greeks knew price controls were disastrous.

Liberals will never learn

[Mickey Rat]

Oh, so the politicians "accidentally" wrecked the economics of a class of gig work. Oopsie!

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Easy-peasy. Seattle just needs to require a minimum number of food delivery orders per household.

Do I have to think of everything?

[mad.casual]

He said he wouldn’t even buy his food for that price.

If the guy opens up a branch outside Washington State, I'm good for a 50% tip for this statement alone.

[Incunabulum]

That was the point.

Gig workers are anathema to these people. Little people having some control? That is almost like being a *contractor*! No, everyone must fall into one of two holes - employer or employee - and employees must be forced into set shifts whether they want it or not, whether they sit around for the shift doing nothing or not.

'legibility' is the prime directive for those who want power - how can you exercise power, how can you plan, if the systems are not understandable to you. Even if you have to strip them down and damn the consequences to others.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, had his home searched by police after his arrest for suspicion of misconduct in public office, a charge related to his connections to Jeffrey Epstein.

At least he didn't tweet about migrants.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

He was royally screwed.

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

And he royally fucked around and now is finding out.

[Ajsloss]

Thought he was king shit. Not so much anymore.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

You can't spell principle without prince. Oh, wait...

[Mickey Rat]

But there really is not much to Epstein procuring young women for people in high places to use. Right?

[Medulla Oblongata]

Sheriffs in LA County and some others in California said they would defy their state orders to work against ICE, now Maryland cops are saying the same thing.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/hogan-says-maryland-police-will-ignore-new-law-prohibiting-them-from-working-with-ice/ar-AA1WHDZy

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) on Thursday said local police will “ignore” a new law signed by Gov. Wes Moore (D) that prevents them from working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“Yesterday in my state they just passed a bill, Gov. Moore signed an emergency bill to prohibit local law enforcement from cooperating with ICE. And, you know, all the local law enforcement officers are saying, ‘We’re going to ignore that because we’re required to work with them,’” Hogan said during remarks at Politico Live’s “Governors Summit.”

[InsaneTrollLogic (smarter than The Average Dude)]

Nullifying the nullification.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Except dem mayors are now firing those officers for tipping off ICE.

https://www.wxyz.com/news/dpd-officer-sergeant-could-be-fired-after-calling-cbp-on-traffic-stops

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

A legal observers tried burning down another building ICE was rumored to be renting with people inside.

https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/crime/article314758018.html

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

"My arson is speech..."

[Minadin]

Something similar happened in Kansas City recently, too. How do these arsonists think that is going to help the detainees?

[Z Crazy]

They just hate white people, that's all.

[mad.casual]

Something similar happened in Kansas City recently, too.

Well... 'similar' in the thematic sense:

a suspect who drove a stolen ambulance into a Meridian building where some office space is leased by the Department of Homeland Security

[Idaho-Bob]

So, Timothy McVeigh but incompetent.

Thinking about it, today's Left would praise McVeigh. He destroyed a federal building and murdered babies.

[Minadin]

his arrest for suspicion of misconduct in public office, a charge related to his connections to Jeffrey Epstein.

He was arrested for passing 'sensitive' (classified / secret) documents to Epstein, not for all the actually terrible stuff.

[Medulla Oblongata]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/victor-davis-hanson-why-exactly-did-they-destroy-the-border/ar-AA1WGhcR

The Left typically “pounces” on anyone daring to suggest that the Biden administration had green-lighted illegal immigration to gain new constituents for agendas that otherwise were without public support.

The Left smears critics of open borders as racist conspiracists spreading the “Great Replacement Theory.”

Yet for years Democrats and leftists themselves had written triumphalist books with titles like “The Emerging Democratic Majority.” And often they crowed that “demography is destiny.”

A few leftwing globalists even boasted of a new borderless world in which anyone could live anywhere they wished.

Not too long ago Texas State Representative Gene Wu, D-Houston, chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, jumped the shark to say out loud what is usually left unsaid about the Democratic agenda: “The day the Latino, African American, Asian and other communities realize that they share the same oppressor is the day we start winning, because we are the majority in this country now. We have the ability to take over this country and to do what is needed for everyone.”

The same unapologetic left-wing weaponization of illegal immigration is occurring in Europe. Sheer numbers there have already radically changed the demography — and political constituencies — of the continent.

Recently the former Spanish “Minister of Equality,” an energized Irene Montero, offered an unambiguous rant: “I hope for ‘replacement theory,’ I hope we can sweep this country of fascists and racists with immigrants. Whatever their skin color, whether ‘Chinese, Black, or Brown’.”

The Left’s political agenda for illegal immigration was to be realized either immediately through compromised ballot integrity, or soon enough by warping the census-based reapportionment of congressional districts.

No wonder there is now near hysterical Democratic opposition to even basic national requirements of a photo ID to vote. Yet traditionally liberal polls like Gallup and Pew show that 83-4 percent of Americans support mandatory presentation of a voter photo-ID.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

I hope we can sweep this country of fascists and racists with immigrants.

Are we certain that immigrants aren’t fascist or racist?

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

'Yet for years Democrats and leftists themselves had written triumphalist books with titles like “The Emerging Democratic Majority.” And often they crowed that “demography is destiny.”'

That's (D)ifferent.

Also, fuck Wu.

[Michael Ejercito]

Whom did Wu mean by common oppressor?

Candace Owens and Carrie Prejean Boller can guess...

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Wu is in for a surprise. After they kill all the "white" people, who do you think is next on the list?

[mad.casual]

A few leftwing globalists even boasted of a new borderless world in which anyone could live anywhere they wished.

And by "live anywhere they wished" they mean sleeping in a pod and subsisting on cricket rations in their 15 min. labor-penal colony or suffering constant attacks and antagonization for having the gall to try and enjoy the freedom not to.

[Medulla Oblongata]

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/dmitri-bolt/2026/02/13/steve-hiltons-cal-doge-claims-370m-california-state-funds-went-to-dems-n2671258California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton says his unofficial “CalDOGE” initiative has uncovered $370 million in fraud and misused funds across the state. At the center of the controversy is money generated by Proposition 64, the 2016 ballot measure legalizing marijuana, which voters approved with the understanding that millions of dollars would be directed toward substance abuse prevention and related programs.

Instead, Hilton alleges, significant portions of those funds were diverted to activism, organizing efforts, and voter registration drives after being funneled through an unelected nonprofit organization. That organization’s value has surged from $11.8 million in 2018 to $197 million in 2024.

t's a classic. The Democrats are taking hundreds of millions of dollars, $370 million we've tracked so far, from the cannabis tax that voters passed as an initiative, that the money that comes from taxes from cannabis sales is supposed to go for substance abuse help, instead is being siphoned off to Democrat political front organisations in hundreds of tiny grants that are hard to track for things like voter registration. Nothing to do with substance abuse.

This is exactly what happens. Money that is supposed to be for one purpose, to help the public, siphoned off into a Democrat slush fund to help entrench their political power. We saw it with fire aid, $100 million there, supposed to help fire victims, ended up going into things like voter registration, exactly as we are detailing here today.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

It won’t cure the state deficit, so why bother?

[Rick James]

“CalDOGE” initiative has uncovered $370 million in fraud and misused funds across the state.

There is no way it's only $370 million. No possible way in hell.

[Marshal]

Right. That's how much one person found after looking for roughly ten minutes.

[I, Woodchipper]

Proposition 64, the 2016 ballot measure legalizing marijuana, which voters approved with the understanding that millions of dollars would be directed toward substance abuse prevention and related programs.

Imagine what it's like to be this fucking naive. Incredible. California always delivers.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

Tariffs struck down, all our problems are over now!

[Murray Rothtard]

That's what Trump gets for packing the Supreme Court with all these damn liberal activist judges.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Roberts and the 4 democrats make up 5 of the 6 retard.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

3 democrats, 4 of the 6*

[Murray Rothtard]

Trump's nominees went 2:1 against the tariffs. The exact same proportion as the entire court.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Say it with me buddy. The 3 democrats and roberts were 4 of 6.

Who was the majority against? You discussed court packing buddy. Think slowly. Mouth your words.

[Murray Rothtard]

you are correct that 3 dems and roberts are 4 of the 6.

i am also correct that if the only members of the Supreme Court were the ones nominated by Trump, the tariffs would be struck down 2:1.

Trump nominated some good justices. I give him credit where credit is due.

[Murray Rothtard]

the "court packing" thing was just a joke, as so many people on here tar any judge who pushes back against the administration as a "liberal activist judge" even when that judge has been on Trump's side for 90% of the shit they decide.

If that joke is not directed at you, congrats! you can ignore it.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Sure it was buddy.

Amazing how all the retarded shit a leftist says becomes a joke attempt after their retarded shit is pointed out.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

I'll wait to read the dissent. Seeing as the law solely required a declaration of an emergency and included the ability of Congress to counter the declaration, it seems that will be the actual legal construction. Roberts in what I've read just gave the courts the power to determine war status, which isnt article 3.

Roberts also seems to think tariffs aren't allowed yet the court prior has stated smaller actions are allowed when stronger actions are in law. So roberts is almost begging for trump to simply create an embargo.

[Uilleam]

So this decision only affects certain tariffs or all? Is there a way to contest this decision or another option besides an embargo?

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

It effects broad swaths, but leaves many questions not answered which roberts admits. No mention of if refunds are required as an example. Also the 6 on the majority largely fell into 3 concurrence so even the decision os murky as shit with what controls and what doesnt.

The fact the majority had to take different routes shows the legal construction required is not clean for this ruling.

It will be fun to watch KMW and Boehm brag about refunds if required after they were apoplectic for the 2017 tax cuts being extended.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Oh. I should add. Trump and Bessent even has already stated 2 other laws they can use.

So years of litigation to come.

Roberts attempts to staple the majority paper together is disjointed and relies heavily on there not being a global war.

[Quicktown Brix]

So this decision only affects certain tariffs or all?

I think it covers around 1/2 to 2/3 of tariffs in monetary terms. Steel, aluminum, autos etc. are not affected.

[Use the Schwartz]

TV's in the White House hit hardest.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Nice. Here's hoping the decision returns all the power to tax back to Congress and out of the Executive branch. Would be big if it does, putting a damper on the administrative states penaltaxes.

Then onto the War Powers.

[Quicktown Brix]

Ever so rarely the ratchet clicks back.

[mad.casual]

Nice. Here's hoping the decision returns all the power to tax back to Congress and out of the Executive branch. Would be big if it does, putting a damper on the administrative states penaltaxes.

Then onto the War Powers.

Once again, the uneqivocally most "status quo" era in American history is also the most expensive, globalist, and deadly: Civil War to WWII.

Prior to that, Congress was appointed by the States, tariffs paid the bills, there was no appreciable debt, and no standing army.

Relegating tariffs back to Congress doesn't fix squat as far as actual libertarians, concerned with reductions in federal powers are concerned, and really only juggles the balls such that it's OK for the Legislative branch of the FedGov to fuck Americans in the ass directly while relegating the Executive to just the tip (with Legislature's permission).

Again, the whole concept of "Returning tariffs, taxation, and war powers to Congress is the way." is predicated on a false notion of the way our government operates, relative to the way it did or was intended, that's as backwards as "the government grants us our rights" or "Section 230 is the 1A of the internet."

There's a Keynesian-esque "now, would-be, maybe" failed argument that the laissez-faire setup we had prior to The Civil War precipitated it but, the interventions and actions since clearly haven't thwarted a/the division in any sort of libertarian fashion.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Sure, but I'll take the roll backs where I can get them. And while this decision sounds more tame - just the IEEPA(?) tarriff power - when framed with bigger decisions like Bruen and Dobbs and we have a SCOTUS that is more and more returning us onto an orginalist tract.

[mad.casual]

You aren't getting a rollback. You're getting a patch to fix the Trump bug.

Kavanaugh notes this in his dissent. It's the same patch they applied after Nixon and chose not to apply to Reagan after Carter (and Congress) expanded domestic regulation (and later Bush).

With the 17th, a wobbling SCOTUS is still relatively moot. Especially in the context above (Section 230 vs. 1A, TWEA vs. IPEEA... a Congress specifically confined to one of the two parties as the Executive are still going to work their way around SCOTUS to party (rather than the States' or people's) interests (let alone actually getting back to reigning in powers or debt).

[Medulla Oblongata]

Gonna stop doing procedures that they [and some clowns here] claimed they were never doing.

https://civildeadline.com/major-new-york-hospital-discontinues-its-trans-youth-health-program/

NYU Langone Health has announced it is discontinuing its Transgender Youth Health Program, citing a combination of leadership changes and an increasingly complex federal regulatory environment. The decision follows mounting pressure tied to potential federal funding consequences and evolving national policy regarding medical treatments for minors experiencing gender dysphoria.

“Given the recent departure of our medical director, coupled with the current regulatory environment, we made the difficult decision to discontinue our Transgender Youth Health Program,” said NYU Langone spokesman Steve Ritea in a statement. The hospital emphasized that pediatric mental health services will continue and that patients currently in care will receive assistance managing the transition.

[HorseConch]

Langone probably had no idea a hospital bearing his name was chopping parts off kids.

[Medulla Oblongata]

As raw sewage pours into the Potomac: D.C.'s DEI-based Water & Sewer managers!

https://x.com/Gypsy_4_/status/2023985733342548130?s=20

"You know, when I arrived at D.C. Water, this was an organization that looked very similar to our industry," Gadis said in the undated video. "It was predominantly white males at the top. But this was an utility that's more than 70 percent people of color work at this utility."

"And I really believe, and I still believe, and it has been fantastic, the outcomes have been fantastic, that the people at the top, the executives, the chiefs in that C-suite, they should look like the employees that they serve and that they work with," Gadis continued. "And the same thing with the community. And so my executive looks exactly like the community, it looks like the employees, the staff, be it people of color, women, men. And it's just a fantastic team that has come together to do a lot of great things here at D.C. Water."

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

Skin color is the most important thing.

[Ajsloss]

Water color is waaayyy at the bottom of the list.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Black pipes matter! Or do they?

[Mickey Rat]

Hey, it is just a black water release into the brown water of the river.

[Mickey Rat]

Is competence or accountability anywhere in the criteria for getting hired?

[mad.casual]

And so my executive looks exactly like the community,

Large Man with Dead Body: Who's that then?
The Dead Collector: I dunno, must be a king.
Large Man with Dead Body: Why?
The Dead Collector: He hasn't got shit all over him.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

"...there's nothing Trump and his administration love better than promising the release of troves of heretofore secret documents, only to fail to procure the really good stuff..."

Perhaps that's a result of there being no "really good stuff", steaming pile of TDS-addled lying shit.
Fuck off and die, asswipe.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

The administration declassified a the Nixon grand jury files which were very enlightening to say the least. Even made the NYT. Of course the rest of the media ignored it. And he resisted releasing the Epstein files because he knew a lot of innocent people would get swept up in the resulting feeding frenzy which is exactly what has happened. Even Robby is reporting on it.

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

"One day, they needed my vote, and I offered to give them my vote if [Johnson] would issue a press release thanking me for my good work on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. That’s all I required to get my vote. And I think he probably went and gave somebody else a bill to pass instead of doing the public statement," Massie said.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/massie-faces-backlash-over-epstein-demand-critics-suggest-he-should-seriously-reconsider-congress

Note. Massie still hasn't apologized for smearing 4 people with no connection to epstein as conspirators.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

… I offered to give them my vote if [Johnson] would issue a press release thanking me for my good work on the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Now here is a guy who puts his constituents first.

[Gaear Grimsrud]

Massie has gone completely off the deep end. And he used to be soooo dreamy.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Is he gay?

[Gaear Grimsrud]

Dunno. Chase Oliver might.

[Kungpowderfinger]

Imagine working to get a “political commentator” gig at CNN or Foxnews…

…and then ending up on The Reason Podcast.

[Don't look at me! ( Is the war over yet?)]

*phone rings*

Mom! I got a job!

Really? Where?

Reason podcast.

Oh
*click*

[mad.casual]

Oh. It's going to sound like I'm hanging up on you, but... *click*

[Redials]

Hello?

Yeah, Mom! I was just telling you that I got a job on the Reason podcast when the phone must've gotten disconnected somehow. Anyway, I...

... Just kidding! Score one for Grandma Massie bringing the voicemail head fake back! You know what to do... *beeeep*

Dammit!

[D-Pizzle]

TF is the matter with Kentucky?

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

The interview California doesn't want you to see just dropped.

@C__Herridge
asked LA schools how many employees have sexually abused students. Their response? "File a public records request."

Here's what they're hiding:

An estimated 8 million students, 17%, have been abused by teachers, coaches, and staff.

In California alone, lawyers have identified over 350 predators. They don't get fired. They get transferred. Unions block reporting laws. Parents never know.

This is an epidemic funded by your tax dollars.

Watch. Share. Demand answers.

https://x.com/ClownWorld/status/2024865311359631588

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

"Aliens are real! They live among us! And we should therefore award them government benefits and voting rights!"

Where I have heard this before?

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

'On the other hand, Trump needs no real strategic rationale to stir the pot by saying unhinged things.'

Please define "unhinged". Is that only really crazy stuff, or anything that offends coastal elites?

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

'How bad is censorship in the United Kingdom? They're starting to censor the ads making fun of censorship.'

Double-plus good!

(Kids, you may have to Google this to get it.)

[I, Woodchipper]

but only if you have a VPN

[GOD OF PENGUIN ISLAND]

Cato doing Cato things (replies are great):

"What is the point of the CATO institute if it just passes off debunked lib studies as their own?"

https://x.com/memeticsisyphus/status/2024828366960886021

[JesseAz (RIP CK)]

Cato was lost 16 years ago overtly. Im starting to question the period before that.

But this happens at most think tanks. Even the Ronald Reagan library group is now staffed with liberals.

That's all liberals do. Part of their long march.

[D-Pizzle]

O'Sullivan's law.

[mad.casual]

Now that asylum/protection at the US-Mexico border is gone (illegal but true)

OK, speaking of "laws you don't want enforced at the point of a gun", (I'm highly dubious of the assertion, but) how is not providing asylum/protection even conceivably *illegal*? If nobody shows up, do we go find people to asylum? If the only people who show up are Muslim terrorists and Russian hackers are we obligated to provide them asylum?

Once again and as usual, if we aren't the world's police force, that has to start on the other side of *some* imaginary social construct.

[Vernon Depner]

What if the fact that the space aliens DON'T exist is classified?

[mad.casual]

Wanna take/place bets on Massie making a cameo in Men in Black... [googles]... 5 with a snide dig about the number of space aliens appearing in the Epstein files?

[MWAocdoc]

Barack, um ... why would you say "aliens are real" if you haven't seen them and you don't believe that aliens have contacted Earth? One might reasonably say that one believes that it is likely that intelligent life has existed elsewhere in the universe without saying one believes they're real.