“Putin is playing President Trump," Blumenthal said. “He’s taking him for a sucker.” The senator said Putin "is, in effect, stalling and stonewalling, prolonging the conversation so that he can mount this offensive and take control of more territory on the ground.”
Graham added: “We saw credible evidence of a summer or early fall invasion, a new offensive by Putin. ... He’s preparing for more war.”
Trump has yet to endorse the sanctions bill, telling reporters Friday: “I don’t know. I’ll have to see it.” Graham said the legislation was drafted in consultation with Trump’s advisers.
Graham backed the president’s diplomatic instincts but said, "By trying to engage Putin — by being friendly and enticing — it’s become painfully clear he’s not interested in ending this war.”
Blumenthal hoped the bipartisan support for Ukraine at least in the Senate — and the personal testimonies they plan to bring home to Congress and the Oval Office— may help shift the conversation.
“He needs to see and hear that message as well from us, from the American people,” he said of Putin.
In Kyiv, the senators said, the war’s human toll was impossible to ignore. Graham pointed to what Ukrainian officials and Yale researchers estimate are nearly 20,000 children forcibly deported to Russia — calling their return a matter of justice, not diplomacy.
Blumenthal described standing at mass grave sites in Bucha, where civilians were executed with shots to the head. The destruction, he said, and the stories of those who survived, made clear the stakes of delay. “Putin is a thug. He’s a murderer."
Both said that failing to act now could pull the U.S. deeper into conflict later. If Putin isn’t stopped in Ukraine, Blumenthal said, NATO treaty obligations could one day compel American troops into battle.
After a one-hour meeting with Macron in Paris, both Graham, of South Carolina, and Blumenthal, of Connecticut, said they left convinced Europe was ready to toughen its stance.
“This visit has been a breakthrough moment because President Macron has shown moral clarity in his conversations with us,” Blumenthal said. “Today, he is 100% aligned with that message that we are taking back to Washington.”
Blumenthal pointed to the rare bipartisan unity behind the sanctions bill. “There are very few causes that will take 41 Republicans and 41 Democrats and put them on record on a single piece of legislation,” he said. “The cause of Ukraine is doing it.”
Lutnick Downplays Impact of Tariff Court Ruling on US, EU Talks
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick downplayed the impact of legal uncertainty around U.S. tariffs on negotiations with the European Union during an interview with Fox News Sunday, saying talks were ongoing.
Lutnick was asked about a Reuters report quoting an unnamed EU official close to negotiations who said the legal uncertainty of the tariffs in the U.S. gave the E.U. "extra leverage."
"You can't listen to silly people making silly comments," Lutnick said. "All of the countries that are negotiating with us understand the power of Donald Trump and his ability to protect the American worker."
A U.S. trade court blocked most of President Donald Trump's tariffs in a sweeping ruling last week that found the president overstepped his authority by imposing across-the-board duties on imports from U.S. trading partners. A U.S. federal appeals court paused that ruling a day later, allowing the tariffs to go into effect while it considered an appeal by the Trump administration.
Lutnick said the ruling "maybe cost us a week, but then everybody came right back to the table."
Trump in late May threatened 50% tariffs on all European goods by June 1 but days later delayed the effective date to July 9 to allow for time to negotiate.
Trump also said on Friday that he would increase tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to 50% from 25%, leading the European Commission on Saturday to say it could consider countermeasures.
Speaking on ABC News' 'This Week,' White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said the U.S. needed to protect its steel industry for national security reasons in light of economic rival China's steel production. "We have to show strength," Hassett said. "We have to have a steel industry that's ready for American defense."
Washington State Went After the Seal of Confession. Now, Several Bishops Are Fighting Back.
Earlier this month, Townhall covered how President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice began investigating a law passed in Washington state that threatens Catholic priests with up to one year in jail if they do not report child abuse that they learn of during the sacrament of Confession.
This law requires Catholic priests to break the seal of Confession. This rule in the Catholic Church mandates that priests, as well as anyone who overhears someone's confession, never disclose that information. The law attacking this was signed off by Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson this month.
Additionally, the lawsuit reportedly states that three Catholic dioceses in Washington have abuse reporting policies that go beyond what the law requires.
The lawsuit lists Gov. Ferguson, state Attorney General Nicholas Brown (D), and many local prosecutors as defendants. Religious liberty law firms Becket and the First Liberty Institute and law firm Wilmer Hale are representing Washington’s bishops. The lawsuit was filed in Tacoma District Court.
Biden Recently Spoke After Being Diagnosed With Cancer. It Went Exactly As You'd Expect.
The cancer diagnosis of former President Joe Biden was just announced a few weeks ago, thrusting him even more into the news, including with questions about his health and who knew when and when. Last Friday, Biden spoke in a public address, days after Memorial Day, with his remarks referencing troops, including about politics.
"Our politics has become so divided, so bitter," Biden claimed, which certainly got worse under the four years of his administration. "All the years I've been doing this, I never thought we'd get to this point, but we are" he also claimed, which makes the former president come off as particularly delusional about how his term went. "Our troops don't wear a uniform that says, 'I'm a Democrat' or 'I'm a Republican.'"
As he continued with his remarks, Biden was yelling. "It says, 'I'm an American! I'm an American! That's who I am.' To a smattering of applause, Biden continued, insisting, "I'm serious about this! I'm not joking! And folks, our politics, as I've said, has become so divided," he continued, bringing it back to that original point in the clip. His remarks came off as redundant, as he continued to speak about "wear[ing] the uniform of the United States of America," and, just as he's done in the past, when president, talked about America being founded "on an idea."
However, as Biden went on to reference the Declaration of Independence, he couldn't get the words out to finish saying "pursuit of happiness," and the phrase just sort of ended with him slurring his words.
He also went on to speak about "ordinary citizens who stepped up and answered the call," speaking about American democracy. Biden talked about "democracy" constantly as president, including months before the 2022 midterms, when he ranted and raved about the threat of "MAGA Republicans" with a blood red backdrop behind him.
"Every generation, every generation, every generation has to fight to maintain that democracy," he insisted while still yelling. "Every time, every generation," he emphasized.
Democrat Pushes Free Health Care for Illegal Aliens, Totally Ignorant that it Encourages Border Surge
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) is toeing the Democratic Party line by pushing the radical idea that illegal immigrants deserve free taxpayer-funded health care. Defending his comments, Moutlon claimed that “health care is a human right,” ignoring the harsh reality that millions of Americans are already struggling to afford basic coverage. While he insists the plan shouldn’t incentivize illegal immigration, that’s precisely what it does.
During a segment on HBO’s “Real Time” with Bill Maher, Moulton contradicted himself, saying that there shouldn’t be policies that incentivize illegal immigration, yet give them incentives to come to the United States illegally.
He then criticized the Trump administration’s “Big, Beautiful bill,” which would enhance border security.
“I’m a Democrat who believes health care is a human right. But the bottom line is, there are a lot of Americans who don’t have health care, and it’s about to get a lot worse because of the bill that Republicans just passed in the middle of the night. … So, we’ve got to keep that context in mind.”
However, Maher argued that while former President Joe Biden’s border policies were ineffective, the issue of illegal immigration isn't solely his fault. Maher pointed out that California is also contributing to the problem by offering free health care to illegal immigrants. Because California is a border state, Maher claimed that such benefits act as an incentive for people to cross into the U.S. illegally. In short, Maher believes policies like California’s are encouraging illegal immigration, not just federal border enforcement failures.
“Now, if that’s something that a state like California, because it’s right on the border of Mexico, is offering, can you blame people for pouring over?” Maher asked.
Moutlon isn’t the first person to argue illegal aliens should be given free kickbacks for coming into the U.S. illegally.
New Biden Admin Emails on the Ohio Toxic Train Derailment Have Been Revealed. They’re Scandalous.
Are we shocked by this latest revelation from the toxic train derailment that happened in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 3, 2023? First responders and some investigators fell ill while combing the crash site. The local livestock and wildlife were not well, and local water sources were teeming with what looked like oil slick. Something was off, but the government believed the water and air were safe. Activist Erin Brockovich was not convinced. New studies showed which states had been impacted by the contaminants.
The Biden administration admitted possible cancer-causing toxins were spread in East Palestine, Ohio, following the Norfolk Southern train derailment in 2023, explosive new emails show, despite the White House insisting residents were safe.
The crash spewed harmful chemicals into the air and resulted in 115,000 gallons’ worth of carcinogenic vinyl chloride undergoing an open burn — displacing residents and leading to reports of strange illnesses as well as the death of livestock in the weeks following the Feb. 3, 2023, disaster.
Michael Regan, the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, showed up on Feb. 22 with TV cameras in tow to capture himself drinking from the local water supply, and months later claimed unequivocally that people in East Palestine were “not in danger.”
!summarize #quantum #doubleslit #physics
“Putin is playing President Trump," Blumenthal said. “He’s taking him for a sucker.” The senator said Putin "is, in effect, stalling and stonewalling, prolonging the conversation so that he can mount this offensive and take control of more territory on the ground.”
Graham added: “We saw credible evidence of a summer or early fall invasion, a new offensive by Putin. ... He’s preparing for more war.”
Trump has yet to endorse the sanctions bill, telling reporters Friday: “I don’t know. I’ll have to see it.” Graham said the legislation was drafted in consultation with Trump’s advisers.
Graham backed the president’s diplomatic instincts but said, "By trying to engage Putin — by being friendly and enticing — it’s become painfully clear he’s not interested in ending this war.”
Blumenthal hoped the bipartisan support for Ukraine at least in the Senate — and the personal testimonies they plan to bring home to Congress and the Oval Office— may help shift the conversation.
“He needs to see and hear that message as well from us, from the American people,” he said of Putin.
In Kyiv, the senators said, the war’s human toll was impossible to ignore. Graham pointed to what Ukrainian officials and Yale researchers estimate are nearly 20,000 children forcibly deported to Russia — calling their return a matter of justice, not diplomacy.
Blumenthal described standing at mass grave sites in Bucha, where civilians were executed with shots to the head. The destruction, he said, and the stories of those who survived, made clear the stakes of delay. “Putin is a thug. He’s a murderer."
!summarize #adamcarolla #democrats #men #politics
Both said that failing to act now could pull the U.S. deeper into conflict later. If Putin isn’t stopped in Ukraine, Blumenthal said, NATO treaty obligations could one day compel American troops into battle.
After a one-hour meeting with Macron in Paris, both Graham, of South Carolina, and Blumenthal, of Connecticut, said they left convinced Europe was ready to toughen its stance.
“This visit has been a breakthrough moment because President Macron has shown moral clarity in his conversations with us,” Blumenthal said. “Today, he is 100% aligned with that message that we are taking back to Washington.”
Blumenthal pointed to the rare bipartisan unity behind the sanctions bill. “There are very few causes that will take 41 Republicans and 41 Democrats and put them on record on a single piece of legislation,” he said. “The cause of Ukraine is doing it.”
!summarize #kardashevscale #types #energy #society #civilization
Lutnick Downplays Impact of Tariff Court Ruling on US, EU Talks
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick downplayed the impact of legal uncertainty around U.S. tariffs on negotiations with the European Union during an interview with Fox News Sunday, saying talks were ongoing.
Lutnick was asked about a Reuters report quoting an unnamed EU official close to negotiations who said the legal uncertainty of the tariffs in the U.S. gave the E.U. "extra leverage."
"You can't listen to silly people making silly comments," Lutnick said. "All of the countries that are negotiating with us understand the power of Donald Trump and his ability to protect the American worker."
A U.S. trade court blocked most of President Donald Trump's tariffs in a sweeping ruling last week that found the president overstepped his authority by imposing across-the-board duties on imports from U.S. trading partners. A U.S. federal appeals court paused that ruling a day later, allowing the tariffs to go into effect while it considered an appeal by the Trump administration.
Lutnick said the ruling "maybe cost us a week, but then everybody came right back to the table."
Trump in late May threatened 50% tariffs on all European goods by June 1 but days later delayed the effective date to July 9 to allow for time to negotiate.
Trump also said on Friday that he would increase tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to 50% from 25%, leading the European Commission on Saturday to say it could consider countermeasures.
Speaking on ABC News' 'This Week,' White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said the U.S. needed to protect its steel industry for national security reasons in light of economic rival China's steel production. "We have to show strength," Hassett said. "We have to have a steel industry that's ready for American defense."
!summarize #planetoftheapes #movie #hollywood #franchise
Washington State Went After the Seal of Confession. Now, Several Bishops Are Fighting Back.
Earlier this month, Townhall covered how President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice began investigating a law passed in Washington state that threatens Catholic priests with up to one year in jail if they do not report child abuse that they learn of during the sacrament of Confession.
This law requires Catholic priests to break the seal of Confession. This rule in the Catholic Church mandates that priests, as well as anyone who overhears someone's confession, never disclose that information. The law attacking this was signed off by Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson this month.
Previously, the Archdiocese of Seattle issued a statement in response to the law, vowing to excommunicate priests who comply with the law.
That’s not all. This week, Catholic bishops from the state of Washington filed a lawsuit challenging the controversial law.
!summarize #alien #blackknightsatellite #space
Additionally, the lawsuit reportedly states that three Catholic dioceses in Washington have abuse reporting policies that go beyond what the law requires.
The lawsuit lists Gov. Ferguson, state Attorney General Nicholas Brown (D), and many local prosecutors as defendants. Religious liberty law firms Becket and the First Liberty Institute and law firm Wilmer Hale are representing Washington’s bishops. The lawsuit was filed in Tacoma District Court.
Biden Recently Spoke After Being Diagnosed With Cancer. It Went Exactly As You'd Expect.
The cancer diagnosis of former President Joe Biden was just announced a few weeks ago, thrusting him even more into the news, including with questions about his health and who knew when and when. Last Friday, Biden spoke in a public address, days after Memorial Day, with his remarks referencing troops, including about politics.
"Our politics has become so divided, so bitter," Biden claimed, which certainly got worse under the four years of his administration. "All the years I've been doing this, I never thought we'd get to this point, but we are" he also claimed, which makes the former president come off as particularly delusional about how his term went. "Our troops don't wear a uniform that says, 'I'm a Democrat' or 'I'm a Republican.'"
As he continued with his remarks, Biden was yelling. "It says, 'I'm an American! I'm an American! That's who I am.' To a smattering of applause, Biden continued, insisting, "I'm serious about this! I'm not joking! And folks, our politics, as I've said, has become so divided," he continued, bringing it back to that original point in the clip. His remarks came off as redundant, as he continued to speak about "wear[ing] the uniform of the United States of America," and, just as he's done in the past, when president, talked about America being founded "on an idea."
However, as Biden went on to reference the Declaration of Independence, he couldn't get the words out to finish saying "pursuit of happiness," and the phrase just sort of ended with him slurring his words.
!summarize #711 #stores #business
He also went on to speak about "ordinary citizens who stepped up and answered the call," speaking about American democracy. Biden talked about "democracy" constantly as president, including months before the 2022 midterms, when he ranted and raved about the threat of "MAGA Republicans" with a blood red backdrop behind him.
"Every generation, every generation, every generation has to fight to maintain that democracy," he insisted while still yelling. "Every time, every generation," he emphasized.
Democrat Pushes Free Health Care for Illegal Aliens, Totally Ignorant that it Encourages Border Surge
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) is toeing the Democratic Party line by pushing the radical idea that illegal immigrants deserve free taxpayer-funded health care. Defending his comments, Moutlon claimed that “health care is a human right,” ignoring the harsh reality that millions of Americans are already struggling to afford basic coverage. While he insists the plan shouldn’t incentivize illegal immigration, that’s precisely what it does.
During a segment on HBO’s “Real Time” with Bill Maher, Moulton contradicted himself, saying that there shouldn’t be policies that incentivize illegal immigration, yet give them incentives to come to the United States illegally.
He then criticized the Trump administration’s “Big, Beautiful bill,” which would enhance border security.
“I’m a Democrat who believes health care is a human right. But the bottom line is, there are a lot of Americans who don’t have health care, and it’s about to get a lot worse because of the bill that Republicans just passed in the middle of the night. … So, we’ve got to keep that context in mind.”
However, Maher argued that while former President Joe Biden’s border policies were ineffective, the issue of illegal immigration isn't solely his fault. Maher pointed out that California is also contributing to the problem by offering free health care to illegal immigrants. Because California is a border state, Maher claimed that such benefits act as an incentive for people to cross into the U.S. illegally. In short, Maher believes policies like California’s are encouraging illegal immigration, not just federal border enforcement failures.
“Now, if that’s something that a state like California, because it’s right on the border of Mexico, is offering, can you blame people for pouring over?” Maher asked.
Moutlon isn’t the first person to argue illegal aliens should be given free kickbacks for coming into the U.S. illegally.
On Saturday, I reported about how a liberal New York City congresswoman was demanding that the city give illegal aliens free dental health.
!summarize #kardashevscale #energy #civilization
!summarize #victordavishanson #california #state
New Biden Admin Emails on the Ohio Toxic Train Derailment Have Been Revealed. They’re Scandalous.
Are we shocked by this latest revelation from the toxic train derailment that happened in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 3, 2023? First responders and some investigators fell ill while combing the crash site. The local livestock and wildlife were not well, and local water sources were teeming with what looked like oil slick. Something was off, but the government believed the water and air were safe. Activist Erin Brockovich was not convinced. New studies showed which states had been impacted by the contaminants.
The Biden administration admitted possible cancer-causing toxins were spread in East Palestine, Ohio, following the Norfolk Southern train derailment in 2023, explosive new emails show, despite the White House insisting residents were safe.
The crash spewed harmful chemicals into the air and resulted in 115,000 gallons’ worth of carcinogenic vinyl chloride undergoing an open burn — displacing residents and leading to reports of strange illnesses as well as the death of livestock in the weeks following the Feb. 3, 2023, disaster.
Michael Regan, the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, showed up on Feb. 22 with TV cameras in tow to capture himself drinking from the local water supply, and months later claimed unequivocally that people in East Palestine were “not in danger.”
!summarize #cbs #Trump #60minutes #media #paramount