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Tuesday, February 3. 2026

Pursuit of politics and personalities ruined the Met Opera — America’s biggest performing arts institution

To end transgender madness, make the ghouls who pushed these surgeries pay the price

Hating Melania

How Polarization Tore a Hole in America’s Mainline Churches - What happened to America’s religious moderates, and why does it matter to our country’s future?

When State Resistance Meets the Constitution

Trump’s First Year Was A Triumph, But Republicans Aren’t Acting Like It - Until
the Trump team can override the negativity the media create—in stark
opposition to the successes of his presidency—Republicans are in
trouble.

12 Question Quiz: What 'Fascist' 'Xenophobe' 'Tyrant' Said This?

Even CNN Admits That Democrats Are Screwed

Nigel Farage says ‘It’s time I was in charge’ as Tory defections to Reform UK mount

Trump: We're Talking to Cuba

Conservative Hardliner Elected President Of Costa Rica

US Spent $10B and 42 American Lives Trying to Help Somalia

Posted by Bird Dog in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects at 07:42 | Comments (20) | Trackbacks (0)

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QUOTE:

When State Resistance Meets the Constitution ... This distinction between lawful noncooperation and unlawful obstruction is not academic.

Quite so. However, the article doesn't actually say where this has happened.

QUOTE:

The Insurrection Act vests judgment in the president precisely because the Constitution does not assume that constitutional order will always be preserved by voluntary compliance.

Presidential discretion is not without checks and balances—at least in a republican form of government.

#1 Zachriel on 2026-02-03 10:31 (Reply)

Oh? Now it’s a republican form of government? How convenient.

#1.1 B. Hammer on 2026-02-03 11:39 (Reply)

B. Hammer: Oh? Now it’s a republican form of government?

The United States has had a republican form of government since its founding. Sovereignty and political power rest with the people as encapsulated in the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, "We the people... do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." What did you think it meant?

#1.2 Zachriel on 2026-02-03 12:40 (Reply)

It is called a Constitutional republic. I have had to remind you of that on more than one occasion. It is also poorly understood in places like Minnesota that interfere in immigration law and application of welfare programs.

#1.2.1 indyjonesouthere on 2026-02-03 12:56 (Reply)

Obviously, Zachriel has forgotten all the times that he/she/it argued and argued with us about Our Democracy versus republic. When we would point out the differences between a democracy and a constitutional republic…oh the cartwheels and strawmen. Oh geee whizz. :(

Hypocrites on the left, what’s new? They use the constitution both as a shield and a cudgel. What ever supports their ends justifies the means mentality.

#1.2.1.1 B. Hammer on 2026-02-03 14:09 (Reply)

B. Hammer: Zachriel has forgotten all the times that he/she/it argued and argued with us about Our Democracy versus republic.

Apparently, B. Hammer has forgotten all the times. Find a specific example of what you think you remember.

Saying the U.S. is a republic and therefore not a democracy is based on a false dichotomy. The U.S. is a republic, but also democratic, federal, and constitutional.

The original point is that no person in a republic has unchecked power. So, saying the president has vested judgment concerning the Insurrection Act does not mean that the president's judgment is without check. Otherwise, Caesar the president could just declare an emergency and seize power.

#1.2.1.2 Zachriel on 2026-02-03 14:37 (Reply)

Let's save you some time:

Zachriel, nearly 8 years ago: "Actually, the United States is a federal democratic republic. It's a federal system, with power distributed between the states and the central government. It's a republic because the government is constituted of representatives, including a president who is both head of state and head of government. And it's a democracy, because suffrage is universal."

#1.2.1.2.1 Zachriel on 2026-02-03 14:42 (Reply)

That is a far cry from Constitutional republic and the reason you don't understand its intended function.

#1.2.1.2.1.1 indyjonesouthere on 2026-02-03 18:25 (Reply)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-puts-ice-on-notice-with-executive-order-seeking-prosecution-of-agents/ar-AA1Vozp5?ocid=BingNewsSerp

If threatening to jail federal officers for doing their jobs does not constitute unlawful obstruction in your book, then we cannon debate.

Then there's the reports of members of the Minnesota governor's office feeding information to the armed gangs blocking streets in Minneapolis, but we'll just stick to their public statements for now.

They didn't sound any better when George McGovern was spewing them.

#1.3 Another guy named Dan on 2026-02-03 13:15 (Reply)

Another guy named Dan: If threatening to jail federal officers for doing their jobs does not constitute unlawful obstruction in your book, then we cannon debate.

The article you linked says the mayor "directs members of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) to document alleged illegal activity by federal immigration agents and refer evidence of felony violations to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for possible prosecution."

Collecting evidence of felonies and referring that evidence to prosecutors is not the same as "threatening to jail federal officers for doing their jobs". So, for instance, if federal officials were to disarm a citizen, then shoot him while holding him down, then that could result in local prosecution, depending on the evidence. Unless you are claiming that there is a felony statute which outlaws federal officers for doing their jobs?

#1.3.1 Zachriel on 2026-02-03 13:33 (Reply)

The CPD doesn't enforce immigration law. Do they actually have any training on federal immigration law? Doubtful, as it seems the politicians, protestors/rioters, and police don't seem to understand the law in Minnesota.

#1.3.1.1 indyjonesouthere on 2026-02-03 14:13 (Reply)

It's amusing to watch boomers demand "THIS IS A REPUBLIC NOT A DEMMOCRACY!!"

Democracy and Republic mean the same thing in different languages. Our government is similar to but quite different from the Greek democracies and the Roman republic. The Founding Fathers preferred Roman history, so they chose the Roman word to describe our government. That doesn't mean we are modeled on the Roman Republic.

I made the same point recently on here about fascist and socialist. When you're arguing about which term is more accurate you've lost the argument because the people who mean us harm have already moved on to furthering their agenda. Republic, Democracy, they both describe our government. That's not the point.

#1.4 jack walter on 2026-02-03 19:32 (Reply)

"- What happened to America’s religious moderates, and why does it matter to our country’s future?" I don't agree with the thoughts of the minister in the article. We left The United Methodist Church after 45 years due to the denomination leaving the Bible and founding beliefs of Christianity. This minister is part of the problem why we left. He doesn't seem to stand up for the foundation that had been valued for years. We know many feeling the same way that have gone away from the church. The church has swung so far left it doesn't fit many people any more.

#2 JC on 2026-02-03 10:37 (Reply)

Agree with you JC. I read that article and the longer I read the more dismissive of the author I became. There is a lot of straw in his words. He jumps to fantasy in his conclusions. He writes from a lefty perspective. I’m Catholic, so that was my perspective. Having been confirmed into the church in the 70’s, I can tell you that it wasn’t a more conservative priesthood that has driven Catholics away. The best thing that could happen for churches would be to lose their tax exempt status. From my perspective, they cling to the real money from the State, and leave Jesus in the ditch.

#2.1 B. Hammer on 2026-02-03 11:36 (Reply)

I agree with both of you. I was confirmed in the Methodist Church in the early 60's. The peak in attendance in both the Catholic and Protestant churches was about 1967-68. That was the beginning of the fake, gay, and retarded teachings by the fake, gay, and retarded clergy. The most liberal congregations disappeared or shrank faster than the others. I was married in the Catholic church in '72 and never went back to the Methodist Church. Neither of my siblings attend the Methodist Church either. They moved to other congregations. When the churches quit following Christian doctrine they simply failed to attract Christians.

#2.1.1 indyjonesouthere on 2026-02-03 12:49 (Reply)

Agree with the 3 of you. We left the Episcopal Church for the (so far) more traditional Anglican (ACNA) due to TECs lurch leftward. Remains to be seen if the roughly 15 yr old ACNA can hold together as a portion want to move leftward (in my opinion).

#2.1.1.1 Mark on 2026-02-03 14:43 (Reply)

Health Canada has just sealed Covid vaccine injury files for 15 years.

Now, why would they do that?

For the same reason the blue states refuse to give voter role information to the federal government!

For the same reason that once massive fraud was uncovered in Minnesota the left sent out a couple of useful idiots to martyr themselves so that the resultant riots would take the heat off the politicians and Democrat party that was benefiting from the fraud!

Remember the fraud in California dwarfs Minnesota's fraud so when the feds go after California the Democrats will release their black shirt thugs to commit even more violence to cover up the Democrat fraud machine. It's gonna get worse, the violence, the propaganda, the coverup. Stay away from crowds.

#3 OneGuy on 2026-02-03 12:12 (Reply)

re Even CNN Admits That Democrats Are Screwed

What are we talking about here, 7 seats?

Unless you assume all these seats are safe seats for the Repubs in perpetuity, a dem majority is still in play.

Heck, a year ago the general opinion was that the dems were imploding and had no chance in the midterms. How is that looking now?

Crystal balls are notoriously inaccurate.

#4 feeblemind on 2026-02-03 12:20 (Reply)

I know this may be difficult for trump delusionists to comprehend but the US BOTH a The U.S. is a representative DEMOCRACY organized as a constitutional republic.

#5 willful knowledge (Link) on 2026-02-03 15:54 (Reply)

The word DEMOCRACY appears nowhere in the Constitution or the amendments to the Constitution. It was not an oversight as the founders wanted nothing to do with a democracy.

#5.1 indyjonesouthere on 2026-02-03 18:31 (Reply)

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Tuesday, February 3. 2026

Tuesday morning links