04 Culture

ACA (ObamaCare) could spell trouble for housing market

ACA (ObamaCare) could spell trouble for housing market

Does Mike Johnson Want To Expand Abortion Tourism?– thefederalist.com
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With the enhanced Obamacare subsidies Democrats passed as part of their “Covid emergency” in 2021 set to expire on Dec. 31, congressional Republicans are considering what, if anything, to do about it. In a recent interview, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said, “I don’t love the policy” of extending the subsidies, “but I understand the political realities and the realities of people on the ground.”

Respectfully, I don’t think he understands the political realities in the slightest. Apart from Johnson’s convenient case of amnesia — remember when Republicans said they wanted to repeal Obamacare rather than expand and extend it? — the speaker is ignoring one major issue. Extending the enhanced subsidies would 1) keep taxpayer dollars flowing to plans that fund abortion and 2) allow blue states to create “slush funds” for abortion tourism that undermine the protections that pro-life states, including Johnson’s home state of Louisiana, have worked diligently to enact.

Vance urges people to go hard against anyone ‘justifying or celebrating’ Charlie Kirk’s killing – live | Charlie Kirk shooting– www.theguardian.com
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To close out as guest host of Charlie Kirk’s podcast, JD Vance went hard against what he called the far left and an increased tolerance for violence on it, saying the administration would be working to dismantle those who celebrate Kirk’s death and political violence against their opponents.

Vance said that after he left Kirk’s family in Arizona, he read a story in the Nation, a leftwing publication, where the author detailed Kirk’s views and, he said, took a quote about a supreme court justice out of context to imply it applied to all Black women.

The magazine was not a “fringe blog” but a “well-funded, well-respected magazine whose publishing history goes back to the American civil war. George Soros’s Open Society Foundation funds this magazine, as does the Ford Foundation and many other wealthy titans of the American progressive movement,” Vance said, hinting at the organizations the administration might target in the aftermath of Kirk’s murder. Vance later mentioned that the foundations that helped fund the magazine are tax-exempt, a sign that the government could go after that status.

“Charlie was gunned down in broad daylight, and well-funded institutions of the left lied about what he said so as to justify his murder,” Vance claimed. “This is soulless and evil, but I was struck not just by the dishonesty of the smear, but by the glee over a young husband’s and young father’s death.”

Vance said Erica Kirk asked his wife, Usha, for advice on how to tell her children that their father had been murdered on the vice-president’s visit to escort Kirk’s remains back to Arizona. As she was asking for that advice, Vance said, “there were people dancing on that father’s grave”.

Teacher raped schoolboy, 11, in her own bed then gave pathetic excuse | World | News– www.express.co.uk
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A teacher who raped an 11-year-old boy after luring him back to her home confessed to police with a disgusting excuse. Horrifying bodycam footage has captured the moment Alley Bardfield admitted to enticing her victim home for “play dates” in her bed.

The married 34-year-old was arrested and subsequently confessed to having sexual intercourse with the child on the bed she usually shared with her husband at their residence. The newly released bodycam footage revealed the US teacher’s shocking 12-word confession after the arresting officer questioned her motives towards the young lad.

It was also heard in court that Bardfield had sent over £500 to the teenager over several months and swapped explicit photos with the boy on Snapchat.

When asked by the arresting officer why she sent nude pictures to the boy, she responded: “He kept asking and asking and asking and wouldn’t leave me alone.”

In a shocking twist, Bardfield told a police officer that the young boy made advances towards her and blamed him for the revolting incident. This revelation came about when the boy’s parents grew suspicious after observing their son’s unusual behaviour at home, reports the Daily Star.

The parents discovered that their 11-year-old had been visiting Bardfield’s house in Mount Zion, Illinois, after going through his mobile phone. These visits were referred to as “play dates” by Bardfield, one of which disturbingly led to a sexual encounter.

‘Am I safe here?’ TPUSA student speaks out after GWU official calls Kirk assassination ‘fair’– www.thecollegefix.com
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A conservative George Washington University student is speaking out after an assistant campus director at George Washington University posted on social media that it was “fair” Charlie Kirk was assassinated because he supported the Second Amendment.

“If nothing else, it is fair, in a nation where children get massacred by gun violence on the regular, the people who advocate for continued gun ownership at the expense of those children are not immune from the consequences of their advocacy. No thoughts, and no prayers,” posted Anthony Pohorilak, assistant director of academic initiatives at George Washington University’s Mount Vernon campus.

He wrote the message on Facebook, according to Fox News, which first reported on the post.

Olivia D’Angelo, a GWU graduate student, told The College Fix on Saturday she is “disgusted” by Pohorilak’s post. As an undergrad at UNC Asheville, she founded and served as president of the Turning Point USA chapter there until her graduation in May 2025.

“I did this because of Charlie Kirk. His dedication to Christ and the truth of the gospel was inspiring, and I wanted to challenge politics that lead people away from God. I wanted to be like him,” D’Angelo (pictured) told The Fix via email.

She said his “brutal death” is heartbreaking for her and all those involved in the TPUSA movement.

Celebrities Attack Trump, Promote Hamas at Emmys, Remain Silent on Charlie Kirk’s Murder– slaynews.com
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The murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk was completely ignored during Sunday night’s 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, despite the show’s long history of using its stage for political grandstanding.

Just four days earlier, the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder was assassinated at Utah Valley University during a Q&A session on his “American Comeback Tour.”

The shocking political murder drew international headlines and condemnation from President Donald Trump, who called it a “heinous assassination” and an act of “political violence.”

But when Hollywood’s elite gathered at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, not one actor, director, or host acknowledged Kirk’s death.

Instead, the event was saturated with progressive politics.

Viewers Furious at “Deafening Silence”

The silence over Kirk’s murder did not go unnoticed.

Social media users blasted the Emmys for refusing even a brief tribute.

 

High School Seniors Are Struggling To Read — It’s Time To Overhaul Our Education System– dailycaller.com
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As a kid, I was a bit rambunctious. I talked a lot in class, acted up some, and didn’t always pay attention to the lesson. Halfway through 8th grade my English teacher, Mrs. Hunt, told me something profound.

“You know, your classmates really look up to you. They see you as a leader. I bet if you paid attention in class more, you could teach them a thing or two,” she said.

That conversation changed my life. After that, I took my education seriously and tried to be the leader Mrs. Hunt thought I could be. Years later, I completed my doctoral degree in higher education. That conversation with Mrs. Hunt was a defining moment that put me on the pathway to academic and financial success.

This is not a unique story in America. Right after college, I was a middle school math teacher in a low-income community. I learned firsthand what Mrs. Hunt and so many other great teachers already knew — any kid can learn, regardless of zip code, race, income, or background. They just need great teachers who care about their future and an education bureaucracy that gets out of the way.

But right now, bad education policy has put our education system in crisis.

The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) — known as The Nation’s Report Card — paints a grim portrait of K-12 achievement nationwide. These results, the first comprehensive post-pandemic snapshot, reveal American students testing at historic lows across math, reading, and science. In 8th-grade science, only 31% scored proficient, marking the first decline since 2009. For 12th graders, only 22% are proficient in math — the lowest average score since 2005. Nearly two-thirds lack proficiency in reading.

Obama-Appointed Judge Blocked From Forcing Taxpayer Funding of Planned Parenthood Clinics– conservativeroof.com
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A federal appeals court on Thursday blocked a lower court order mandating taxpayer funding for abortion giant Planned Parenthood.

A three-judge panel for U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, all appointed by former President Joe Biden (D), ultimately allowed a congressionally approved measure stripping Planned Parenthood of taxpayer dollars through Medicaid to go forward as litigation continues. The order stays two July preliminary injunctions issued by Obama-appointed U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, which blocked the defunding measure from going into effect.

“Notwithstanding the contrary conclusion reached by the district court after its careful consideration of the matter, we conclude that defendants have met their burden to show their entitlement to a stay of the preliminary injunctions pending the disposition of their appeals of the same,” wrote Judges Gustavo Gelpí, Lara Montecalvo, and Seth Aframe.

“The motion is GRANTED. The July 21, 2025 preliminary injunction and the July 28, 2025 preliminary injunction are hereby stayed pending disposition of the respective appeals,” they continued.

Republicans passed a measure in this summer’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” stripping Planned Parenthood of taxpayer funding through Medicaid for one year. Defunding abortion providers through the reconciliation process allowed the Senate to bypass the critical 60-vote threshold for a simple majority vote, instead capitalizing on Republicans’ overall trifecta. While federal funding for abortions is barred by the Hyde Amendment — except in cases of rape, incest, or life of the mother — pro-life advocates argue no federal funds should be used to prop up any organization that performs abortions.

Left-Wing Protesters Disrupt Charlie Kirk Vigil With Song Engraved On Alleged Assassin’s Bullets– dailycaller.com
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Left-wing protesters at a vigil for Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk sang a song that was engraved on a bullet in the rifle of Kirk’s alleged assassin in a video posted to social media Sunday evening.

The College Republicans chapter at New York University held a vigil for Kirk, who was assassinated on Wednesday during a “Prove Me Wrong” event at Utah Valley University sponsored by TPUSA, where he was debating attendees on various topics. The video, posted on the official X account of the NYU College Republicans, showed the left-wing demonstrators singing the song. (RELATED: Former FBI Agent Says Biden Admin Created ‘Factories Of Indoctrination’ That Killed Charlie Kirk)

“Protesters sung the song written on the bullet casings which killed Charlie Kirk at the vigil mourning his death tonight at NYU,” the group posted. “They also threatened to kill NYU College Republican Club president Ryan Leonard. They’re not looking for peace.”

Gen Zers Will Never Be The Same After Kirk’s Assassination– thefederalist.com
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Doubtlessly, a new age has just begun.

Most of Gen Z was nothing more than a twinkle in their parents’ eyes when 9/11 occurred. They never lived in a version of America without the Transportation Security Administration or looming terrorist threats. They were born into the aftermath, a world filled with warnings. Don’t play outside unsupervised, don’t take candy from strangers, don’t sit on a bus with your headphones on.

Zoomers are well accustomed to a world where safety is the primary concern because threats are always dangling nearby. They were raised in the era of “cancel culture” and closed dialogue. They were told that the best thing they could do was sit on their phones and scroll through social media, self-censoring their own thoughts.

That’s where Charlie Kirk met many young Americans.

For a demographic that was born in a world obsessed with fearmongering, it was a special thing to have someone make a call for truth through open conversation. Even the large nonpolitical segment of this group formed an emotional attachment to Kirk. He often trended, with clips of him going viral on a weekly basis. Teachers didn’t attack Kirk the same way they attacked Trump, because Kirk was not a public official but a personality to be reckoned with. This gave young people space to approach his rhetoric.

These same young people are not going to tolerate the horrific death of someone they came to know and care about. They have spent their entire lives being told that safety is a priority and forced tolerance will give them safety.

So-Called Christian Publication Ripped for Thumbing Noses at Charlie Kirk While Praising George Floyd– www.westernjournal.com
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Plenty of legacy media outlets had atrocious coverage of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and his assassination on Wednesday. But a purportedly Christian media outlet rightfully drew a special degree of ire for their reaction to his tragic death.

Christianity Today, founded by evangelist Billy Graham but run in more recent years by subversive woke evangelicals like Russell Moore, coughed up an article about the martyrdom of the Christian conservative hero entitled “Died: Charlie Kirk, Activist Who Championed ‘MAGA Doctrine.’”

In a distant tone, the article described his career as a political activist and his cultural impact, as well as discussed his role in influencing the MAGA movement and the administrations of President Donald Trump.

The piece largely overlooked his testimony to the Christian faith and his sincere desire to see young people trust in Jesus.

Christian social media users quickly noticed the distinction between that coverage and the coverage of another high-profile death of a far less worthy man five years ago.

Scott Jennings drops all the receipts on Dem rhetoric that killed Charlie Kirk, while new details about killer are revealed– www.louderwithcrowder.com
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I’ve given up on thinking that we are going to have an honest conversation about the left in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. It was barely after his death was made official that the media wanted to tie Kirk’s murder to “Trump’s” rhetoric, and for conservatives to get lectured by Chuck Schumer to stop blaming his party for it. Yes, after someone inspired by Schumer’s political party’s rhetoric murdered one of our own.

At best, we can hope that “Talk Radio” Scott Jennings gets a chance to sit in for “Lone Voice of Sanity on CNN” Scott Jennings. Though let’s be honest, there is zero chance CNN allows a video medley calling Democrats out for their violent, incendiary rhetoric. Or in any way holding Democrats accountable for anything. The one silver lining is that CNN is irrelevant.

It will be interesting to see how the left and the media (but I repeat myself) cover the story from here. If they cover it at all. They tried to play up that the killer was a white MAGA Republican who killed Charlie Kirk because he wasn’t conservative enough.

Teacher Suspended After Forcing Kids to Watch Charlie Kirk Assassination Video– townhall.com
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A Canadian public school classroom was thrown into controversy last week after a teacher was suspended for allegedly showing ten and eleven-year-old students graphic portions of the Charlie Kirk assassination video. He then lectured the students in his class about fascism and transgendersim, and told them that because of Charlie’s political beliefs, he deserved to die.

The students were ages 10 through 11.

A source told the Toronto Sun on Thursday that, “Several students from his class went home and complained to their parents, traumatized at witnessing the on-camera death, which they were forced to witness numerous times over.” Adding that “While playing this video repeatedly, he gave a speech to his students regarding anti-fascism, anti-trans, and how Charlie Kirk deserved for this to occur.”

The parents of those students reached out to the Corvette Junior Public School, which put the teacher on leave effective Friday, September 12th.

Almost surprisingly, administrators at the Canadian public school sent letters to the parents of those affected, calling the horrific incident “extremely troubling and completely disturbing.” They further offered social work services to the traumatized children and assured parents that school administrators would be directly involved in providing additional support.

TikTok removes video honoring Charlie Kirk: violates ‘community guidelines’– www.thecollegefix.com
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A video by The College Fix honoring TPUSA leader Charlie Kirk in the wake of his assassination has been removed by TikTok, which states the video violates “community guidelines.”

The five-minute video, posted to all The College Fix’s media platforms on Saturday, features Assistant Editor Gabrielle Temaat expressing heartbreak over Kirk’s assassination. It then showcases three clips of Kirk debating students on various hot-button topic, and ends by quoting reactions to his murder.

The video was accepted on X, YouTube and Facebook with no problems….

Alleged Assassin’s Trans Partner ‘Hated’ Conservatives And Christians, Relative Says– trendingpoliticsnews.com
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The roommate of alleged killer Tyler Robinson, who is accused of assassinating iconic conservative activist Charlie Kirk, “hates conservatives and Christians,” one of his relatives told Fox News.

Lance Twiggs, the 22-year-old romantic partner of Robinson’s, has not been charged in connection with the crime. Federal investigators have described him as a “person of interest” who has been cooperative with the investigation, however.

He is said to be in the process of “transitioning” from male to female.

According to a female relative who spoke with Fox News on the condition of anonymity, Twiggs began to “act differently” when he turned 18, at which point he developed a hatred of Christians.

MAHA takes on Big Pharma to restore trust in American health– www.theblaze.com
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… Now, a growing number of Americans are speaking out decisively against the quartet of Big Pharma, Big Ag, Big Food, and Big Health. This coalition of “Make America Healthy Again” voters is targeting a crisis of institutional credibility and a growing unease with an industry that is no longer trusted and seems more focused on profits than on people’s health.

As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, I see these problems firsthand. With the MAHA coalition powering Republican victories up and down the ballot, we as Republicans have a generational opportunity to take back our health system. We can make changes and save American lives, but we need to agree on the problems to start.

More than two-thirds of all Missouri adults are overweight. Synthetic opioid overdoses claimed nearly 850 lives last year, with local St. Louis and St. Charles Counties ranking at or near the worst in the state. And should we forget the COVID mandates that caused overdoses to spike, caused childhood anxiety and depression to rise, and kept healthy toddlers in masks? Such measures stunted their development for years, as dissenting scientists and members of the public were told to “trust the experts” and shut up.

Dismissing people is the quickest way to continue to diminish what little trust remains. In my practice, I encounter this lack of trust in our medical establishment every day with my patients. After years of being told to trust “the science” — meaning “don’t question us” — many people no longer trust anything the medical establishment has to say.

Understanding age assurance in the Online Safety Act · Yoti

Understanding age assurance in the Online Safety Act · YotiOnline Safety Act petition: 300,000 sign petition to repeal Online Safety Bill – what happens next – Derbyshire Times

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The new Online Safety Act rules came into force last week 🚨
  • Online Safety Act’s age verification rules came into force on July 25.
  • A petition calling to repeal it has passed 300,000 signatures.
  • But what will happen next – and will it be debated?

A petition urging the government to repeal the new Online Safety Act has passed 300,000 signatures – just days after the new rules came into force.

The changes came into effect on Friday (July 25), and one of the measures included requiring UK residents to verify their ages before accessing websites with pornography or other content that could be considered harmful to children. This can be done by uploading a picture of yourself for ‘facial age estimation’ or a photo of ID.

German Heritage - Dubois County Museum

German Heritage - Dubois County Museum84 Per Cent of Germans Believe People Fear Speaking Their Mind– www.breitbart.com
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More than eight in ten Germans said that they believe people are afraid to express their full opinions amid an increasingly censorious political climate in the country.

A survey published on Monday by the Institute for New Social Responses (INSA) found that 84 per cent of those surveyed believe that fellow citizens are self-censoring their opinions “because they are afraid of consequences.” In contrast, just nine per cent disagreed.

According to the pollster, this belief was shared across the political spectrum, with 77 per cent of supporters of the leftist-progressive Green party agreeing that people self-censor and 92 per cent of voters who back the populist-right Alternative for Germany saying the same.

When asked if they personally have hidden their true thoughts, 54 per cent said that they have had at least one experience when they did not feel able to speak freely. This represented a six-point increase since the pollster asked the same question just eight months ago.

<b>Illinois is Forcing Churches to Pay for Abortions</b>– <i> www.lifenews.com</i>

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Illinois is Forcing Churches to Pay for Abortions – .lifenews.com

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The Illinois Baptist State Association, or IBSA, is a community of nearly 1,000 Baptist churches, ministries, and missions, dedicated to advancing the Gospel across the Land of Lincoln.

Today, they face a heart-wrenching dilemma. Rooted in their belief that life is sacred from conception, IBSA has provided health insurance as an Illinois employer for its 20-plus employees and retirees for over a century—always excluding abortion coverage.

But Illinois’ 2019 Reproductive Health Act forces IBSA to choose between providing health insurance or funding abortion, directly violating its deeply held faith. (Keep reading to find out how we’re fighting back!)

The RHA mandates that all employer health insurance plans cover chemical and surgical abortions. And anytime they’ve sought an exemption, the reply has been “no.” This abortion coverage mandate has turned IBSA’s commitment to care for its employees into a moral crisis.

bakery

bakeryCO Zoning Tyrants Go To War Against A Christian-Owned Bakery – thefederalist.com

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A cherished French bakery in Jefferson County, Colorado, is facing potential closure because of the county’s harsh enforcement of exclusionary zoning regulations. This situation underscores how overly restrictive regulations create unnecessary hurdles that stifle entrepreneurship, especially when the local economy is struggling.

Lookout Mountain, Colorado, is celebrated for its breathtaking views, luxurious homes, and as the final resting place of Buffalo Bill. Just 12 miles from downtown Denver, it has become a must-visit destination for hikers, mountain bikers, and tourists from all over the globe.

This charming mountain community has long grappled with one significant drawback: the lack of a quality café. For many years, residents and visitors have had to travel to the nearby city of Golden for a decent cup of coffee or tasty pastries. So both locals and tourists were thrilled when a French bakery, Et Voilà!, opened less than half a mile from Buffalo Bill’s Museum and Grave.

Et Voilà! — meaning “Here you go” in French — is run by a passionate trio of French immigrants: husband-and-wife team Eric and Rachel Dufour, along with Rachel’s sister, Ruth. After leaving a successful career as an economist, Ruth pursued her passion for baking at renowned chef Olivier Bajard’s pastry school. The Dufours want to share their love for authentic French cuisine with the Lookout Mountain community, creating a welcoming space for locals and visitors. They also count on the bakery’s financial success to support their nonprofit, Serving Alongside Ministry (SAM), which provides counseling services for Christian organizations and leaders globally.

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The nation was left reeling Wednesday after a tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, where a gunman killed two young children and injured several others. Authorities later identified the shooter as a transgender-identifying male with radical left-wing views—a detail the media was quick to downplay. Sadly, this has become an all-too-familiar pattern. Just as we saw after the 2023 Covenant school massacre in Nashville, the press is once again bending over backwards to bury the shooter’s transgender identity. On his Fox News program Wednesday night, Jesse Watters blasted the media for their blatant double standard.

In his monologue, Watters detailed cases of shootings, firebombings, and ideological extremism, and accused politicians of placing ideology over child safety.

Watters began with an unapologetic charge, linking a recent Catholic school shooting to a broader trend. “So a suicidal transgender who hates Trump’s Christians and Jews shoots up kids at a Catholic school, and the media wants to take away your handgun. So how are we supposed to protect ourselves from trans shooters?” he asked, before accusing the press of deliberately ignoring what he sees as an undeniable pattern.