Trump Transcends Democrat Shutdown

Plus: Pointless Europe and Panicking Taiwan

On Sky News Australia arguing that Kimmel and Colbert suck at comedy, are on way out. Video: https://bit.ly/48UH0Ns

“I shut down the federal government to get free healthcare for illegals and handouts for pinko NPR and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.”

It’s doubtful that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his simple sidekick from the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, will don such t-shirts after they cave and the government reopens, but hopefully someone has some printed up for the sake of accurate history.

These are in fact top priorities for today’s progressive Democrats. They have chosen to turn an ordinary bill to extend government funding while Congress tries to wrap up appropriations bills into partisan chaos.

Naturally the lying media is doing the Democrats’ spin job for them.

The AP hyperventilated, “FACT FOCUS: Democrats did not shut down the government to give health care to ‘illegal immigrants.’”

The irrelevant Washington Post, which literally does not have a single source who matters in this administration, propagated as supposedly straight news: “Republicans falsely claimed Democrats wanted to give undocumented immigrants full health benefits.”

NPR—known in the business as “Nicaraguan Public Radio” for its far-left tilt—titled its daily propaganda, “GOP blames government shutdown on health care for undocumented people. That’s false.”

NPR failed to disclose that it would benefit financially from the Democrats’ scheme, which seeks to restore funds Congress rescinded from biased and pointless public broadcasting—an obvious breach of journalist ethics. But more to the point, all of these media claims are lies.

In fact, the Democrats are quite specifically seeking revisions to Trump’s landmark “One Big Beautiful Bill” that make it harder for able-bodied people who entered the country illegally to get Medicaid, which is free healthcare for the poor. The Democrats also want to restore healthcare for so-called “dreamers,” who are here illegally but whom the Obama and Biden administrations illegally exempted from deportation.

Democrats want to reopen a loophole that allowed states like California to surreptitiously pay providers for healthcare for illegals with federal money.

Democrats also want free healthcare for the legions of immigrants here temporarily, many on dubious claims of being refugees seeking legitimate political asylum. Free healthcare for them was never part of the deal and drains funds to help actual Americans in need.

And yes, the Democrats want to use your money to fund Nicaraguan Public Radio, as if the USA didn’t already have enough progressive media to carry the Democrats’ water.

Conniving Chuck Schumer

Not all immigrants who are not citizens would lose healthcare. Immigrants meeting the standard of “eligible aliens” are still eligible for Obamacare subsidies under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that Trump signed.

Incidentally, with apologies to the lying media, these people are “illegals,” not “undocumented.” That term is Orwellian nonsense. Illegals can get all of the documents they want from the government of the country where they belong—or that country’s consulates in the United States. Illegals can also get a document from the U.S. government by screenshotting their progress on the helpful DHS app for self-deportation (see “intent to depart”).

Voters are unimpressed with the Democrats’ antics, and can see that harm to U.S. citizens is resulting from Democrat, not Republican actions. The Democrat shutdown is already affecting air travel. The shutdown also costs an already-broke government hundreds of millions of dollars a day in extra expenses. The military’s next payday is October 15, and the Democrats will have to explain why a government that spends an appalling $7 trillion annually (nearly $2 trillion of it borrowed) refuses to pay its troops for work they have already done.

President Donald Trump hasn’t just beat the Democrats on the shutdown, he has transcended them. The shutdown doesn’t even lead the news in a week during which Trump has achieved a major breakthrough in ending the war in Gaza. The stock market is at a record high as the real economy shrugs off the shutdown. Trump announced an astounding agreement with drug companies to rapidly reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals for Americans. Trump also moved decisively to restore order in Portland and Chicago, where citizens and businesses have fallen prey to violent criminals, bums, and other things that dotard white liberals who elect urban Democrats are crazy about.

Vice President JD Vance has led tactical messaging around the shutdown, and the administration seems to have wisely put off rumored mass layoffs of government employees that might distract from the real cause of the shutdown. The “reductions in force” can come later, after the administration has used the Democrats’ shutdown to assess which government functions and employees really are essential and which can be performed by an AI-enabled McDonald’s kiosk or not undertaken at all.

Trump has managed it all in stride. Schumer forgets that Trump has taken his measure. The two have probably known each other since at least 1979, when a Village Voice story placed the two men at Roy Cohn’s 52^nd birthday party at Studio 54. Wane Barret reported the presence of “newcomer Chuck Schumer, a ‘reform’ assemblyman from Brooklyn who insisted he was just the date of a gossip columnist.” Also present was the “32-year-old developer of the Commodore Hotel and the convention center Donald Trump… When he recognized me, he pumped my hand and said three times he was doing fine.”

Ahhh memories. To think that Schumer was once a humble “reformer” toiling away in Albany. Forty-five years later he is the face of a Democrat Party committed to open borders, DEI racism, political violence, taxpayer-funded sex changes, transvestite males in girls’ locker rooms, and opposing everything Trump does, even if it is something Democrats previously supported.

By any historical measure, Democrats should gain seats in next year’s midterm elections and therefore control of at least the House of Representatives. But if the past week is any guide, the Democrats may just snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Pointless Europe

Viktor Orban, the prime minister of Hungary whom dotard Joe Biden’s administration and the Soros syndicate tried to destroy, has continued to lead the way of the New Right in Europe—and set an example for other countries to follow once they change governments. On Monday, Orban gave an interview to EconomX in which he plainly declared that the European Union “is in the process of disintegration.” He reaffirmed that Hungary will not join the eurozone, opting to retain its currency and monetary policy.

Orban also forecast further tax cuts in Hungary and observed that, “It’s suicidal policy if a country tries to build growth on consumption.” Here he’s effectively in line with President Trump’s focus on expanding the supply side of the economy through low taxes and deregulation. (Of course, Trump is also restoring the tariff levels that existed during most of U.S. history until the unfortunate 1970s, which will spur U.S. manufacturing.)

So much for “We’re all Keynesians now.” That statement is true for the highly credentialed dopes at the Federal Reserve—an EU-grade disaster of its own—and those who populate much of liberal business news (i.e., CNBC) and Wall Street. But alas not in the halls of power in Washington and Budapest.

At age 62, Orban is still very much the same man who at age 26 gave a speech boldly calling in June 1989 for free elections and the withdrawal of Soviet troops in Hungary. His party faces parliamentary elections next spring. Hopefully he will prevail again against the archipelago of globalist NGOs (e.g., the Trump-hating National Endowment for Democracy, to which the Republican-led House is inexplicably set to restore full funding despite a Trump administration decision to zero it out).

The interview came on the heels of comments from Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto repeating his observation that much of Europe is trapped in a “harsh war psychosis” that prevents serious negotiation or even communication with Russia or a realistic view of the Ukraine War. The chief Hungarian diplomat said that “more and more people are approaching us behind the scenes to say that they share our viewpoint.”

The European globalist Left is in freefall. The Labor government led by Keir Starmer in Britain was already the least popular in modern history before a scandal erupted over the weekend. Starmer’s government basically tried to cover up a Chinese spying scandal so as not to upset the Chinese, from whom economic salvation for Britain has been just around the corner for the last 40 years. Remarkably but unsurprisingly, Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, is now consistently the most popular party in Britain.

Meanwhile, French President Macron is litigating in Delaware Supreme Court to prove his wife, who beats him, is a woman. The opposition National Rally leads polls to succeed him in 2027. No one has ever seen anything like it.

Germany is led by a governing coalition of rejects that has an approval rating of about 20 percent. General George Patton probably polled higher with the German public in 1944.

Say what you will about former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who worshipped the green god, hooked the country on Russian gas, opened the door to uncontrolled migration, and screwed America on trade. At least she knew how to act the part of Empress of Europe. She was the last since that polity and Germany’s ability to be of consequence to it or much else are evaporating before our eyes.

Advantage Trump. The timing is perfect for the United States. It is best that the three “heavyweights” in Old Europe be run by fools as Trump rearranges global trade and power. It is easier to rub the faces of one’s political opponents in reality than allies. Take for example Trump’s hosing of Starmer for neglecting North Sea oil and gas production just days after the Brits gave Trump his second formal state visit including a powwow with King Chuck.

But at some point, we do want these guys to save themselves, their economies, and their cultures. One can’t always vacation in Mehico.

Darn the Torpedoes, Full “Rules-Based International Order” Ahead

Meanwhile on Fantasy Island, Taiwan’s left-leaning government would really like the United States to do more for it. In a recent interview with Buck Sexton, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said: “If Taiwan is annexed, China will become even more powerful in competing with the U.S. on the global stage and altering the rules-based international order.”

Mmmkay. Of course, there is no “rules-based international order.” Taiwan of all places should understand that. Using that globaloney terminology is at best dumb and possibly a half-clever snub of Trump and the post-globalist America and new world order he has created.

The Taiwanese government flippantly rejected a constructive suggestion last week from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to help the United States make at least half of the semiconductors it consumes at home through investment and reshoring. That’s the least Taiwan can do given a view held by President Trump that Taiwan stole U.S. semiconductor technology to gain its current dominant market share—a claim backed by decades of reports and prosecutions dating almost to Taiwan’s first acquisition of U.S. semiconductor technology from RCA in 1976.

Considering the Trump administration is still conducting a Section 232 national-security investigation of imports of semiconductors and chip-making equipment that will likely lead to tariffs on semiconductors, Lai’s flat-out rejection was unwise. It also struck an ungrateful note since U.S. demand for AI-related semiconductors has driven Taiwan’s exports to a record high—so much so that America surpassed China as the top importer of Taiwanese goods in May. Taiwan may think this factor gives it power in negotiations. However, as Trump has demonstrated again and again, access to the U.S. market and unbalanced trade give him power.

The lefty Taiwanese government has misled its own public about the status of trade talks with the United States—talks that Taipei hopes will lower the 20% reciprocal tariff it faces, which is higher than that imposed on U.S. allies Japan, Australia, the Philippines, and South Korea. The Democratic Progressive Party that has held Taiwan’s presidency since 2016 has implied talks are going well, despite the lack of evidence of meetings with the few U.S. officials who influence President Trump (e.g., U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Lutnick).

Taiwan’s representatives have agitated again for a “transit stop” for Lai to attempt relevance on his way to the dwindling number of banana republics that recognize Taiwan instead of Beijing. Trump nixed a stop last summer because Taiwan insisted it include not only Dallas but New York, which would irritate the Chinese at the precise point Trump seeks a trade deal and successful summit with Xi Jinping. The Taiwanese government then misled its public and said no trip had been planned, breaking a basic rule of public affairs that lies should at least be remotely plausible.

Also in the interview with Buck Sexton, Lai said Trump could win a Nobel Peace Prize if he gets Xi “to abandon the use of force against Taiwan.” Anything else your majesty?

I was recently quoted in Nikkei Asia stating the obvious about these non-starter requests from a delusional government in political freefall:

Major arms shipments and a major transit are going to be secondary… It’s clear Trump wants a summit [with Xi] and he wants it to be more than just pictures. He wants it to be something significant—a trade deal or security deal. There’s just really no upside to the administration that I could see to stick their neck out on Taiwan.

A Fridge Too Far

“Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.” That memorable advice of course came from Dean Wormer in Animal House. Who delivered it better: Wormer or Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addressing admirals, generals, and senior non-commissioned officers at Quantico last week?

On Newsmax right after the speech, I opined that he was good on substance but that his delivery was painful. Seeing Hegseth jump around the stage like a game show host who just had eight espressos and waving his hands like an Italian attempting to rebook a cancelled flight reminded me that Trump’s cabinet has some excellent members, but also some who are waging a war on gravitas.

Hegseth is right to implement Trump’s directives on the removal of DEI (i.e., racism) and the restoration of high standards in the military. Hegseth also said no more fatties in uniform.

On one hand, Marine generals have had to take the physical fitness test for the duration of their careers, so why not admirals and generals of the other services?

On the other hand, America has had some good flag officers who might be suited to a muumuu, blimp tent, or cape.

For example, General William Rufus Shafter commanded the U.S. Fifth Army Corps in Cuba during the 1898 Santiago campaign. One of his officers was Theodore Roosevelt. As Roosevelt biographer Edmund Morris deadpanned about the 300-pound general: “Shafter detailed the swift, simple maneuvers he would like to see, or at least hear about, during the day.”

Like all wars fought by the War Department, as opposed to the Defense Department, that campaign ended with a fat U.S. victory. (On the other hand, Custer was by all accounts slender and handsome, at least until the Indians wasted him.)

Jokes aside, what Hegseth’s performance lacked was a vision for a War Department and a transformed military that can prevail in a war with China and Iran and therefore deter such wars. This transformation must take place in a reality of flatlined or decreased military budgets. The escalating price of gold tells us the market understands the government spends too much money and must either make cuts or inflate the currency to avoid eventual fiscal crisis. Trump’s rapidly accelerating economy can delay but not negate this reality.

Trump recently has taken to wearing an F-22 fighter jet lapel pin. The F-22 and F-35 should be the last manned fighters the United States operates. Yet inexplicably, Hegseth not only has greenlit the F-47 fighter, which will be made enormously more expensive and less effective with a man onboard, but also had a weird pep talk about the fighter with Trump in the Oval Office and two air force generals who acted like hostages on display in violation of the Geneva Conventions. (One, Air Force Chief of Staff David Allvin, has since announced his early retirement.)

The F-47 should be de-manned or cancelled. Same with the B-21 bomber. The 80,000 troops America has defending wealthy Europe should be brought home or redeployed to the Pacific. Acquisition of new aircraft carriers should be cancelled in favor of much smaller and more numerous drone carriers. It might be possible to cancel expensive replacement ballistic missile submarines and substitute concepts explored during the Cold War such as cheaper mobile, land-based missiles, or ballistic missiles launched from cheap military cargo planes on persistent alert. The list goes on.

Little of this can be accomplished without Congress and Hegseth seems particularly ill suited to the task of working with Capitol Hill. For the rest of this Congress, the senator with the most power over the composition of the military may not be Roger Wicker, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, but Cocaine Mitch McConnell, who in surrendering the leadership of a party he no longer understands was careful to plop himself as chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the military. McConnell is not in the mood to wheel and deal with an over-promoted Fox News weekend morning-show host.

Reform will have to wait. Or perhaps it will never arrive and the United States will have a high-tech but boutique military with the finest obsolete weapons money can buy—overseen by skinny generals.

Above: Discussing the revolting head of the teachers union and her antics.