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Tuesday, February 17. 2026

Sorry, the Doctor Is Busy Filling Out Paperwork And May Quit

California Importing Foreign Fuel After Running Refineries Out Of Town

EPA's Greenhouse Gas "Endangerment Finding": Finally Gone

Marco Rubio delivers tough love to Europe — and the overgrown teenage brats know ‘Dad’ is right

Giddy EU Elites Gush Over Newsom & AOC's Brave New World

The US Federal workforce is now at its lowest level since 1966.

“Right Out of the Marxist Playbook” – Bishop Barron GOES SCORCHED EARTH
on AOC, Exposes the Radical Left’s War on Western Culture and Religion

Sen. Dave McCormick on SAVE Act: If An 80-20 Issue Can't Get 60 Votes, Something Is Amiss In The Senate

Cuba’s Energy Crisis Deepens Amid U.S. Tariffs

Posted by Bird Dog in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects at 08:55 | Comments (15) | Trackbacks (0)

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The Democrat party has become Marxist/socialist/communist. It amazes me how easily and openly they slipped into the insane ideology. There have always been socialist in the party, FDR for example. There have always been communists in the party as well, FDR harbored numerous communists in his administration. Sen Joe McCarthy warned us of the many communist in the federal and state government and in the end the communist left excoriated him and deplatformed him. Even today if you look at left wing publications you will see him referred to as him as pushing "the Red scare". In fact if you want to identify political and social organizations today that lean towards communism but try to hide it just look at how they refer to Joe McCarthy.

But today is far worse that during FDR's time or the 40's and 50's "Red Scare". The left, the Democrats are overrun with communists and Marxist socialists and those few who don't embrace it must act in concert with them or be pushed out like garbage. Fetterman is literally the only Democrat not embracing a Marxist socialist philosophy.

#1 OneGuy on 2026-02-17 09:43 (Reply)

Hugh Hewitt had a standard question\test for his lefty guests: Was Alger Hiss a communist? Great question, because the more they waffled on the answer, the more you could tell about their political philosophy.

#1.1 B. Hammer on 2026-02-17 10:39 (Reply)

QUOTE:

EPA's Greenhouse Gas "Endangerment Finding": Finally Gone

Not quite gone yet. As noted in the article, the finding did not address the science, which would be the weakest argument in support of the finding. Possible objections to the finding are to the Administrative Procedure Act, that the decision is arbitrary and capricious, as it is not based on the available science. The strongest argument in support of the finding is the "major questions doctrine", that something with vast economic significance should be explicitly authorized by Congress.

#2 Zachriel on 2026-02-17 10:12 (Reply)

re EPA's Greenhouse Gas "Endangerment Finding": Finally Gone

This is what I voted for.

#3 feeblemind on 2026-02-17 10:43 (Reply)

Indeed. When more than 80% of voters want voter ID and Congress can't deliver what are the chances they would address the Endangerment Finding. The Congress is either statist or they have rigor mortis. Perhaps a bit of both.

#3.1 indyjonesouthere on 2026-02-17 13:16 (Reply)

The Bacon Paradox

QUOTE:

In 1998, three scientists won the Nobel Prize for discovering a molecule that saves lives. It relaxes blood vessels. It lowers pressure. It prevents heart attacks. It is called Nitric Oxide. The primary raw material for this miracle molecule is the very thing we have spent fifty years trying to banish from our breakfast tables. We are running away from the cure because we have confused it with the poison.

Here is the inconvenient fact that the “clean eating” lobby forgets to mention. Vegetables love nitrates. They soak them up from the soil like a sponge.

. . . Beetroot. Rocket. Spinach. And yes, celery. These are the nitrate heavyweights. A 100g serving of rocket contains more nitrates than 5 kgs of bacon

Yet, nobody is protesting against spinach (which has twice the level of rocket). We consider these vegetables “superfoods.” We blend them. We drink them. We feed them to our children.

So why is the nitrate in a bacon sarny a killer, but the nitrate in a beetroot a hero?

The molecule is identical. The body cannot tell the difference between a nitrate that came from a pig factory and a nitrate that came from a garden.

https://dgillespie.substack.com/p/the-bacon-paradox

#4 feeblemind on 2026-02-17 10:47 (Reply)

"...If An 80-20 Issue Can't Get 60 Votes, Something Is Amiss In The Senate..."

Is it odd that democrats are so reflexively opposed to republican majority legislating? Is that why they're so unified? Or rather, is it that they know something that their voters don't know, because they've been told differently? Let's pass the act, and see if we notice a difference.

#5 Aggie on 2026-02-17 12:38 (Reply)

Aggie: Is it odd that democrats are so reflexively opposed to republican majority legislating?

Or is it odd that you don't even attempt to understand the opposing viewpoint, such as how the bill would make it more difficult for millions of Americans to vote to prevent negligible voter fraud, or opening up election workers to criminal and civil penalties for mistakes.

Republicans have a history of trying to reduce voter turnout among non-Republicans; for instance, and contrary to law, trying to make it difficult for students to vote at their college residences. Nonetheless, it is still quite possible to get a bipartisan bill that addresses most of the issues Republicans say they are concerned about. But that would require compromise.

#5.1 Zachriel on 2026-02-17 13:29 (Reply)

..."Or is it odd that you don't even attempt to understand the opposing viewpoint..."

Would that be an unfalsifiable statement, since you obviously don't know my thoughts or what I take into consideration, or even who I am? Yes, it would be. I think that Bad Faith is your signature move.

Many progressives say that voter fraud doesn't exist. Then when it is shown to be indisputable, they shift to, 'well it's insignificant numbers...'. Bad Faith #2. When voter verification procedures are bypassed and ballots are passed without verification, the fraudulent voting becomes impossible to prove, because the ballots are anonymous once past that gate. So what you're apparently arguing is that we should continue to have elections while allowing ballot security to lapse, although it's been proven indisputably that precisely this has occurred, and continued to occur, in significant numbers that exceed margin of 'win'. Bad Faith #3 - your signature behavior.

How many people do you personally know that do not have a photo ID? How many of those people have tried to obtain one, but couldn't? Why is it that other countries, nearly all other countries, accept that official ID is fundamental to election legitimacy - and yet, you don't? Why is it that other countries, most recently Japan, can tally all of their votes and have a definitive result on the same day - with no allegations of fraud?

Why would you prefer a system that cannot?

#5.1.1 Aggie on 2026-02-17 15:14 (Reply)

Aggie: Would that be an unfalsifiable statement, since you obviously don't know my thoughts or what I take into consideration, or even who I am?

It was a question, inviting clarification. Of course, your own question then presumed that Democrats generally "reflexively opposed" republicans. Guess you can read the thoughts of all Democrats and they are all the same?

Aggie: Many progressives say that voter fraud doesn't exist.

The vast majority say it is rare based on multiple studies and court cases.

Aggie: When voter verification procedures are bypassed and ballots are passed without verification, the fraudulent voting becomes impossible to prove, because the ballots are anonymous once past that gate.

You would have to be specific. Each state has a different system, but the number of ballots cast are compared to the number of ballots counted. Mail-in ballots are tracked by barcodes.

Aggie: although it's been proven indisputably that precisely this has occurred

Be happy to look at the proof. Please provide specifics.

Aggie: How many people do you personally know that do not have a photo ID?

Photo IDs are not necessarily sufficient under the SAVE Act. Even REAL ID may not be sufficient.

But the question is how many don't have easy access to the proper documents. Studies indicate it is in the millions. So, returning to the original point, is there a reasonable way to accommodate this problem while still ensuring the integrity of the ballot process?

Aggie: Why is it that other countries, nearly all other countries, accept that official ID is fundamental to election legitimacy - and yet, you don't?

Most developed countries make it easier to get identification. And don't work to make it harder for people to vote. Many don't even have pre-registration.

---

Points raised:

Negligible voter fraud. You claim it is not negligible, but didn't provide evidence, saying it was "proven indisputably".
It would be more difficult for millions of Americans to vote. You responded that they just need ID, but that is not always the case.
Election workers to criminal and civil penalties for mistakes. You did not respond to this point.
There compromise could address both aspects of the problem; access for legal voters and safeguarding the election. You did not respond to this.

#5.1.2 Zachriel on 2026-02-17 15:35 (Reply)

Who are these millions of Americans that will find it more difficult to vote? Wouldn't these same Americans have trouble buying alcohol, or board an airplane or enter a federal building? Who are these millions of Americans that don't have an ID? The world wonders....

#5.1.2.1 storkdoc on 2026-02-17 20:21 (Reply)

storkdoc: Who are these millions of Americans that don't have an ID?

As already mentioned, photo IDs are not always sufficient, not even REAL IDs are always sufficient. It may also require in-person registration, which can be difficult for rural and disabled voters. Minorities and married women will be disproportionately affected. Native Americans are often 100 miles from registration centers, in Alaska it may require a plane flight.

21.3 Million American Citizens of Voting Age Don’t Have Ready Access to Citizenship Documents

The SAVE Act (H.R. 22 / S. 128) would force Native voters living in rural or remote areas to travel great distances to register to vote.

Many of these issues could be addressed, but pretending the problems don’t exist undermines trust, especially after years of other efforts to make voting more difficult for minority voters.

(Gee whiz, the U.S. president is threatening to take Greenland away from the indigenous inhabitants there. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.)

#5.1.2.2 Zachriel on 2026-02-17 21:08 (Reply)

That "Foreign Gasoline" coming from the Bahamas is being refined in Texas (possibly in Louisiana) and being transshipped through The Bahamas to end run around US Jones Act cabotage restrictions. There probably aren't enough US flagged tankers to supply the California Market directly. The Bahamas trip is doing nothing but adding cost at the pump in California.
Of course, none of this would be necessary if California hadn't run 40% of their internal refining capacity out of the state.

#6 Another Guy Named Dan on 2026-02-17 12:42 (Reply)

"....Wesley Livsey Jones (October 9, 1863 – November 19, 1932) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate representing the state of Washington....... In 1920 he sponsored and secured passage of the Jones Merchant Marine Act, which stipulated that only American ships could carry cargo between American ports, thereby making Alaska dependent on Seattle-based shipping...."

So, it would appear the Left Coast has done it to itself, in this case.

#6.1 Aggie on 2026-02-17 13:23 (Reply)

California gas prices surge 40 cents in just 2 weeks as impact of refinery closures weighs

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/california-gas-prices-surge-40-cents-just-2-weeks-impact-refinery-closures-weighs

#6.2 feeblemind on 2026-02-17 19:30 (Reply)

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Tuesday, February 17. 2026

Tuesday morning links