Federal Court Blocks Brandon’s Student Debt Relief Giveaway

This is the third court that has put the kibosh on his un-Constitutional plan

Biden’s student debt plan was just blocked again, this time by a federal appeals court. Here’s what happens next

spite housePresident Joe Biden’s widespread student loan forgiveness plan was blocked for the second time in less than a week, this time by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis.

The federal appeals court ruling comes after six conservative states—Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Carolina—filed a lawsuit arguing that Biden’s loan cancellation plan hurts state revenues. The three-judge panel of the appeals court issued a nationwide injunction on the plan, meaning the Biden administration cannot forgive any debt under the program.

“The injunction will remain in effect until further order of this court or the Supreme Court of the United States,” the panel of appeals court judges wrote in the ruling.

The judges, all appointed by Republican presidents, say that the state of Missouri has standing to challenge Biden’s debt relief program because of the revenue that could be lost by MOHELA, a federal student loan servicer.

His plan was blocked by the same court temporarily while considering the request from those six states, and now in full, to go with a federal judge blocking the plan last week. The Brandon admin did file an appeal on that latter. But, do Democrats really want to win the court battle before the 2024 elections?

Student loan ‘buyout,’ abortion won midterms for Democrats, Biden, critics say

Two key factors, according to Judge Jeanine Pirro, helped Democrats avoid a Republican “red wave”: President Biden’s student loan handout and abortion.

“I’ll tell you what won this election for the Democrats: Sure, the young people came out vote; they got paid — I mean, they got their student loans paid back. It was a buyout,” Pirro said Monday on “The Five.” “But the other thing is: abortion. It was all about abortion.”

President Biden offered up something many legal observers believed would eventually be struck down by the courts, but the student loan handout seemed enough to bring out the 18-24 vote to put Democrats over the top, the panel on “The Five” debated.

Ignoring the abortion on demand part, how many of the youts got out to vote, and not just the 18-24, but, many older folks with debt, looking to have their debt reduced, thinking that there will be more free money coming soon after? How many who are racking up that debt now figure it will get cancelled later? Add a bunch of things up, the abortion debate, student loan forgiveness, “democracy is on the ballot”, and more, none needed to be The One, just pull some voters here and there, stop some flips, get a few who were going to sit out to go vote Democrat, and you get the results of a red puddle for the House and loss in the Senate. Why not use the same things in 2024?

Read: Federal Court Blocks Brandon’s Student Debt Relief Giveaway »

Lots Of Young People Took Long Fossil Fueled Flights To COP27 Or Something

They just want to save the world, you know

COP27: Without Greta, activists make waves at climate summit

Young people are a more powerful force than ever in the UN climate summit, the UN’s youngest climate advisor tells BBC News in Egypt.

“Young people are definitely shaping outcomes here at COP27,” Sophia Kianni says.

Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg has skipped the Sharm el-Sheikh meeting, calling it a forum for “greenwashing”.

But young people from countries at high risk from climate change say they are “calling it out” from inside.

In an address on Tuesday, climate activist Vanessa Nakate from Uganda will tell governments to wash their “oil-stained” hands.

Speaking to G20 nations, she will tell ministers that they must end the “moral and economic madness” of funding fossil fuels and prioritising short-term politics.

Does no one in the media see the irony of Ms. Nakate, along with all the others, taking fossil fueled trips to complain about the use of fossil fuels? Did it even cross the minds of the reporters? Or, are they just altogether bought in on the climate cult?

Ayisha Siddiqa, 23, travelled from Pakistan to speak at the Youth Pavilion. It’s the first time young people have had a dedicated space like this, where last week activists held a formal meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

It’s one of the most buzzing areas of COP27, with activists jostling to find space to sit and chat on the floor, and Ayisha tells me she’s proud of the space.

“This is for the youth, organized by us. Unlike government and business areas, there’s no corporate branding everywhere,” she says.

So what are their degrees in? Anything? How about their business experience? Do they have a clue as to the way the world works?

Imran and his colleague Sohanur Rahmen explain they got grants for travel and hotels, but they cannot afford to eat at the conference.

Delegates faced costs of about $4,000 a week for accommodation, as well as the costs of travel and visas.

Activists say future climate summits must include special funds and accommodation for young people from civil society.

LOL, how cute. Someone else needs to pay for their climate cult activism.

The media is making a big deal of her. She took a fossil fueled trip all the way from Stanford. Who payed? It’s more fun scrolling through her twitter feed, seeing just how many clothes she brought, and how many times she changed them in just a few days. Like so many other of the youths, they’re turning it into an Instagram/TikTok event. Gotta get those selfies and videos, eh?

Read: Lots Of Young People Took Long Fossil Fueled Flights To COP27 Or Something »

Good News: Diesel Supply Down To 25 Days

Well, enough of you decided to vote for the abortion party and got fooled by the “we’ll lose our democracy!!!!!” schtick, and, y’all just need to suck it up and deal with the escalating prices. Good job, idiots

The US has just 25 days of diesel supply — the lowest since 2008. Here’s why that’s more alarming than a dwindling ‘oil piggy bank’

Biden Brain SlugThe U.S. is facing a diesel crunch just as demand is surging ahead of winter — with only 25 days of supply left, according to the Energy Information Administration.

National Economic Council Director Brian Deese told Bloomberg TV that diesel inventories are “unacceptably low” and “all options are on the table” to bolster supply and reduce prices.

However, even as the stockpiles are being drained, the Biden administration seems to be left with very few sustainable options for long-term relief.

Unlike gas and jet fuel, demand for diesel recovered at a much faster pace from the pandemic. Diesel is used for transporting goods as well as powering construction, farming and military vehicles and equipment. (snip)

The market usually moves into “contango” — the opposite of backwardation, where demand is lower and suppliers build up inventory with the expectation of higher future prices — in the summer. However, strong domestic and international demand, shrinking domestic refining capacity and sanctions on Russian petroleum imports have kept the diesel market tight throughout the year.

So, what can be done?

If diesel inventory continues to run down without the government intervening, the impact on transportation costs for goods could drive inflation up even further.

Deese adds that the Fed has some tools to bolster diesel supply, like the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve, which houses one million barrels of diesel in case of a disruption in supplies.

So, digging into emergency reserves?

Experts have also pointed out that the current 25.8 days worth of diesel only represents what’s in storage — and doesn’t factor in the amount of distillate fuel being produced in the U.S. or imported here. Which means the country isn’t guaranteed to run out of diesel within a month.

But The Washington Post reports that diesel demand is so high, that if a million barrels of diesel were delivered from the Northeast reserves, they would be depleted in less than six hours.

It’s a little late, but, the government could authorize more refineries to be built. That would help. But, they idiot lefties have been destroying refining capacity for decades.

Read: Good News: Diesel Supply Down To 25 Days »

If All You See…

…is a wonderful spot for wind turbines, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Bunkerville, with a post on the election problems in Maricopa County.

Eyebrows?

Read: If All You See… »

Leftist Washington Not Handling Twitter Takeover Well

They really do not like the notion of the peasants being able to post their Wrongthink thoughts without control from their betters

Washington gets increasingly freaked out by Twitter

Elon Musk’s chaotic takeover of Twitter has left professional Washington amused, worried — and utterly at a loss on how to handle what was until last week the Beltway’s favorite fast-twitch communication platform.

“The Elon takeover is all people can talk about,” said Megan Schmidt, a media strategist at the communications firm Mission North with numerous Washington cybersecurity clients.

In two short weeks since taking over the company, Musk has tweeted a far-right conspiracy theory, fired half the staff, triggered the ire of the Federal Trade Commission and reportedly lost the top officials keeping the platform’s content safe and reliable.

Politico means the officials who determine what is and isn’t Wrongthink. Who suspend and block lots and lots of people who have not done anything wrong by written things against Official Leftist Dogma. I’ve seen them allow leftists who doxxed and/or threatened people to remain on the site.

Twitter’s underlying software is reportedly showing signs of showing signs of cracking for some users, without enough engineers to maintain it. Cybersecurity and privacy experts are worried that it’s becoming a “Wild West” when it comes to data breaches and vulnerability to hacking.

So far there hasn’t been a mass exodus — users in politics and media are watching and waiting, and Twitter has remained largely reliable as a real-time news platform. But Schmidt says she and her colleagues are trying to determine whether it’s safe for their clients to keep advertising, or even stay on Twitter at all.

Yes, it’s safe. All they’re doing is tweeting. They aren’t taking payments, they aren’t storing clients information. This is mostly just whining from Progressives (nice Fascism) that they can no longer control the narrative.

Several Washington communications veterans contacted by POLITICO said versions of the same thing: Twitter now needs to be treated with great caution by anyone concerned with their public image.

Image? For what? How so? Have they seen some of the content pre-Musk? There’s literally p0rnagraphy on there from some p0rn stars. And more.

“Whether it’s a politician, or candidate, or a business, they need a platform that has credibility and that is stable and aligns with their values,” said Sean Higgins, a veteran of the D.C. political communications scene and associate vice president at Precision Strategies. “So far, Twitter hasn’t demonstrated an ability to provide any of those things under Elon Musk’s leadership — and that’s a problem.”

And there it is: they’re upset that Twitter won’t be using it’s heavy hand to promote Leftists and reduce Republicans. I’ve heard that stealth-banning has significantly decreased. Leftists love their censorship and are losing their minds that they won’t have it anymore. They really had an unofficial version of net neutrality running on pre-Musk Twitter, just like they have with Google and Facebook.

Read: Leftist Washington Not Handling Twitter Takeover Well »

Climate Cultists Smash Tablets At Top Of Mt. Sinai

For those who do not know, there is a sort of official Mount Sinai. At the base is Saint Catherine’s Monastery, and then a long, high trail that leads to the summit, where there is a chapel and a mosque. Pilgrims make the long, arduous trek in the pre-dawn hours, wanting to be there as the sun rises. If you like Expedition Unknown, watch the episodes on Moses. And here we have supposed religious folks joining a cult

Activists smash tablets atop ‘Mount Sinai’ to launch faith-based climate push

An initiative to mobilize faith leaders worldwide to push governments to do more about climate change kicked off Sunday morning with an Israeli environmental activist smashing mock tablets of stone atop an Egyptian peak believed by many to be Mount Sinai, to symbolize the world’s failure to protect the planet.

The idea was hatched in the run up to the United Nations COP27 climate conference taking place in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, by solar energy entrepreneur Yosef Abramowitz and David Miron Wapner, who chairs the Jerusalem-based Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development.

The Sinai Climate Partnership, symbolically launched at the ceremony, brings together the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, the Elijah Interfaith Institute, the Peace Department, the United Nations Faith for Earth Initiative, Abramowitz’s Gigawatt Global, and the Israeli environmental advocacy organization, Adam Teva V’Din.

After sunrise, Abramowitz and Wapner gathered at the summit together with Nigel Savage, the founder and former director of the US Jewish environmental organization Hazon, and his successor Jakir Manela, to read sections the Holy Land Declaration on Climate Change signed in 2011 by the multifaith Council of Religious Leaders of the Holy Land. Two teens from the US, there as part of Christian Climate Observers, joined the ceremony as well.

After the group read from a new draft list of “Ten Principles for Climate Repentance,” formulated by dozens of multifaith leaders meeting in London over the past few days, Abramowitz smashed two tablets on the ground.

You know, just like Moses gave us God’s 10 Commandments. This is beyond nuts, especially as we dip into the climate repentance stuff, which is very silly, if you go read it. Using this spot is insane.

Read: Climate Cultists Smash Tablets At Top Of Mt. Sinai »

Mid-Terms Post Mortem: Did Democrats “Democracy Is On The Ballot” Work?

There are many reasons to be considered for what has been a blown election for Republicans. Trump for one. Democrats pushing abortion, which plays to many women, without mentioning they want abortion up to birth. Lindsay Graham and a few other Republicans saying they want to pass a national abortion ban did not help. We can dive into all sorts of notions, but, what about

Biden’s Democracy Argument Worked

In the last two weeks of the election cycle, as the news seemed to be getting worse and worse for Democrats hoping to avoid a historic midterm election shellacking, party leaders opted to go all in on one particular theme—that democracy itself was on the ballot. Here, voters had a historic choice to make: Vote to save the republic, or squander it. Across the aisle, the GOP had marshaled an army of candidates behind election denialism and a vision of an illiberal United States. In his final campaign speech, President Joe Biden told the crowd assembled at Bowie State University in Maryland that the country was at “an inflection point.”

“We know in our bones that our democracy is at risk, and we know that this is your moment to defend it, preserve or protect it, choose it,” he said.

It was a tall order. And let’s face it, it was a little bit belated. As we’ve chronicled on these pages, Democrats haven’t always spent the past two years as democracy’s most ardent defenders. Too many senators preferred to keep the filibuster rather than get rid of it to pass the laws necessary to confront a well-organized and well-funded effort among Republicans to curb voting rights across the country. Even the Biden administration seemed dismissive at one point, referring to voting rights as just one more niche issue among many.

Obviously, this is from a far left organization, in this case, The New Republic. But, do they have a point? I think they might. Democrats, from Biden to Democrats running for office to their mouthpieces to their pet Credentialed Media, all pushed this notion, and all pushed it the same way. How much did this play into the the distribution of votes? Did they flip a lot of Independents, who were more scared of “losing their democracy” than crushing inflation, food prices, clothing prices, and a bad economy? Of growing crime? Of wackjobs teaching their kids? And so much more? Did it drive a lot of squishy Democrats who might have flipped, or just stayed home, out to vote Democrat? Did it get the muddle headed youngsters who do not usually show up to show up?

It surely not the only reason, but, it certainly has a ring of truth. I can see Democrats poll testing it, and, seeing that it had an effect, all running with it. Because they did all run with it, did they not?

In truth, you wouldn’t be thought entirely daft if you fretted that Democrats were, at the very least, talking over the heads of the electorate. Polls ahead of the midterms consistently showed that matters such as the January 6 attacks weren’t foremost on people’s minds; democracy defense seemed like a bad bet. But the exit polls told a different story. Per Axios: “National polling showed abortion and democracy turned out to be big issues with voters. Coverage in the run-up to midterms had focused heavily on pocketbook issues.” In other words, the Democrats’ plan worked, and the media whiffed badly in their read of the electorate’s mood.

Republicans never saw it coming, and why should they have? We saw all the polls on what Americans care about. That the nation was on the wrong track. That people were upset over inflation, the economy, and crime. It didn’t need to move the needle a lot, just enough to blunt the GOP on those battleground seats in the House, Senate, and even governor races. Add it with other things, and you might not even get a red puddle. At best, Walker beats Warnock, and it’s 50-50. The GOP may not even take the House. There are 11 seats that are possible for winning 6, as the GOP has 212 wins as of this time. And they blew it on 7 races they should have held.

Give Dems credit: they’re the party of Big, authoritarian government (which we witnessed during COVID, with Joe and his vaccine mandates, with Dems telling parents to piss off, with the EV push, and so much more), anathema to democracy, to freedom, and they convinced people that the party of freedom is bad.

Read: Mid-Terms Post Mortem: Did Democrats “Democracy Is On The Ballot” Work? »

If All You See…

…is an area that would be perfect for a solar farm, so, take that land from the owner, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is No Tricks Zone, with a post on green Fascism behind a veil of benevolence.

Read: If All You See… »

Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup

Happy Sunday! Another fine day in the Once and Future Nation Of America. The Sun is shining, there’s a nice chill in the air, and the NJ Devils just keep on winning. This pinup is by Arthur Sarnoff, with a wee bit of help.

What is happening in Ye Olde Blogosphere? The Fine 15

  1. The Other McCain has thoughts on the brain damaged election
  2. The Right Scoop features lefty rage over an ACB joke
  3. Weasel Zippers notes how many private jets flew in Egypt for COP27
  4. Independent Sentinel covers how Pennsylvania’s new Dem gov will shut down energy
  5. Sultan Knish discusses politics killing the culture
  6. Powerline covers Dementia Don
  7. Pacific Pundit notes Woke Disney looking to lay off lots of employees
  8. Never Yet Melted calls Pennsylvania the national capital of stupid
  9. Moonbattery covers yet another fake race hoax
  10. Jihad Watch notes the Elites eating well at COP27 while telling the peasants to eat bugs
  11. IOTW Report wonders how someone could get 1100 votes in a town with 700 people
  12. Flag And Cross discusses the fuel emergency in many states
  13. Dissecting Leftism features that latest bit of mask insanity
  14. Cold Fury tries to make sense of the scam
  15. And last, but, not least, Don Surber discusses a life after Trump

As always, the full set of pinups can be seen in the Patriotic Pinup category, or over at my Gallery page (nope, that’s gone, the newest Apache killed access, and the program hasn’t been upgraded since 2014). While we are on pinups, since it is that time of year, have you gotten your Pinups for Vets calendar yet? And don’t forget to check out what I declare to be our War on Women Rule 5 and linky luv posts and things that interest me. I’ve also mostly alphabetized them, makes it easier scrolling the feedreader

Don’t forget to check out all the other great material all the linked blogs have!

Anyone else have a link or hotty-fest going on? Let me know so I can add you to the list. And do you have a favorite blog you can recommend be added to the feedreader?

Two great sites for getting news links are Liberty Daily and Whatafinger.

Read: Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup »

NY Times Is Here To Tell You How To Save Money On Your Biden Inflated Power Bills

This is what it’s come down to: the Times and so many other Credentialed Media outlets telling you how to maybe save money, rather than castigating the Government to stop being part of the problem, namely, policies that cause energy prices to go higher (paywalled Times article here)

How to Save on High Heating Bills This Winter

The cost of heating a home is expected to spike this winter as higher prices for natural gas and heating oil combine with a forecast for slightly colder weather than last winter.

But financial help is often available for paying bills as well for updating heating systems to more efficient models. There are also steps to take to conserve energy.

The average cost of heating a home is estimated to rise almost 18% from last winter, to $1,208, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. The group coordinates state policy for federal grants that help low-income families pay heating and cooling bills.

The estimated seasonal bill for natural gas, which about half of Americans use to heat their homes, is $900, up 25% from last winter, according to the most recent data from the federal Energy Information Administration. Natural gas has become pricier because of factors such as greater demand for cooling during this year’s scorching summer (natural gas powers plants that produce electricity to run air conditioners) and surging exports, the administration said.

The seasonal bill for heating oil, which is common in New England, is estimated to be $2,694, up about 45% from last winter.

It’s due to Wuhan Flu and to the policies of Joe Biden and his Democratic Party comrades, who keep doing things that create problems, both before and after COVID. The U.S. really doesn’t get much from Russia, we have our own supplies.

Help with heating bills is available for low-income families. The Biden administration is distributing $4.5 billion for the federal Low Income Home-Energy Assistance Program, which provides grants to states to help residents pay their energy bills. But, Wolfe said, overall funding is lower than last year, under a pandemic relief program, and more federal money may be needed.

Well, that only helps folks making around $20K or less. What about the rest of us?

Consumers can take steps now to prepare for the winter and conserve energy. “It’s November; there’s still time to get ready,” Wolfe said. Heating contractors are typically less busy right now, he said, before temperatures plummet.

The most widely recommended step: Schedule a professional checkup of your heating system. A tuneup is advisable because dirty components reduce airflow, blunting performance and possibly damaging the system, according to ASHRAE, a professional association of heating and cooling professionals. A tuneup typically costs $200 or more, but some utilities cover the cost.

So, spend money to save a little

If your home has a lot of windows, particularly older ones, you may be losing energy through the glass. One easy fix, he said, is to stick clear plastic Bubble Wrap — the kind used to ship packages — over the windowpanes. (Spray the glass with water first so the wrap sticks.) It won’t look great, he conceded, but it will save you money.

Really? This is their idea? Bubble wrap? I feel like it’s the 1930s or something

You could consider replacing an old heating system with a more efficient model. The costs range from $4,000 to $7,000 for a gas furnace and from $5,500 to $40,000 or more for some heat pump systems, according to estimates provided by contractors in western and central New York state.

They seriously wrote $40,000. Is this with your $20K solar panels and $56K EV?

Meanwhile, here’s CNET on the perfect setting for your winter thermostat

According to the US Department of Energy, it’s best to keep your thermostat at 68 F for most of the day during the winter season. For maximum efficiency, you should also designate eight hours per day during which you turn the temperature down by between 7 and 10 degrees. By following this routine, you may again be able to reduce your yearly energy costs by up to 10%.

Who’s up for keeping your casa at 58-61?

Read: NY Times Is Here To Tell You How To Save Money On Your Biden Inflated Power Bills »

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