Government Gangsters

By Kash Patel

As we all know, Kash Patel is the new head of the FBI replacing Christopher Wray who replaced James Comey. Over the past 10 years the FBI has fallen into major disrepute. Involved in numerous scandals while playing politics all the way. Their descent started with Comey and the Hilary emails. It continued while persecuting Trump 1.0 and throughout Biden's terms as evidence of political manipulation mushroomed.

Patel served in various justice and law enforcement roles. He was a public prosecutor in Miami. He served in the Defense Department, the Department of National Intelligence and was a member of the National Security Council.

Don't know about you, but when I think of GANGSTERS, Capone, Gotti, Dillinger, Bonnie & Clyde come to mind. But that is not Patel's focus. No. He is talking about a far more sinister and pervasive criminal force. The Deep State.

Patel defines the Deep State as...a coordinated, ideologically rigid force independent of the people, which manipulates the levers of politics and justice for its own gain and long term preservation.

In this and upcoming episodes I will report on Patel's conclusions.

He begins by insisting the reader be clear. The Deep State is not some highly organized international league who meets regularly in Davos or the UN or the WHO to plot global domination. Nor is it limited to bad officials or actors.

Rather it is the politicization of core American institutions and the federal government by a significant number of high level cultural leaders. These influential superintendents weaponize the law, disregard objectivity and truth, spread disinformation and even violate oaths of office for their own personal gain and power retention. Often at the expense of national security and American justice. Many moons ago CME reported on Governor Ron DeSantis' book (The Courage to Be Free) in which he too drew attention to the reality of the Deep State.

Eisenhower also warned about the DS when he urged Americans to keep an eye on what he described as the "military-industrial complex". Every Republican President since has experienced the subtle but undeniable roadblocks of the DS. Chuck Schumer warned Trump to think twice about taking on the intelligence community, "they have six ways from Sunday to get back at you."

At its core the DS is a cabal of unelected tyrants who believe they and they alone should decide who the American people can and cannot elect as their President. What that President can and cannot do or change. And what the American people can and cannot know.

This is a battle between we, the people, and a corrupt ruling class. It's a choice between whether Americans decide the nation's policies and direction by our vote - or whether we are ruled by the egos, whims and greed of a small body of incestuous, power hungry oligarchs - most unelected - in Washington, DC.

More to come...

Why Does the Jones Act Matter?

Thought this was worth a look as China's edge in shipbuilding is HUGE and growing.

The Jones Act (officially known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920) was passed in the wake of WWI. In the new, post-war world, the U.S. felt compelled to strengthen its maritime capabilities and bolster national security. So Congress passed the Jones Act, which requires all ships transporting goods between U.S. ports to be U.S.-built, U.S.-owned, and crewed by U.S. citizens.

However, over a century later, the law has proven to be a monumental failure on all fronts. Despite its lofty goals, the Jones Act has significantly increased the cost of domestic shipping, stifled competition, created glaring inefficiencies, and ultimately weakened the very industries it was designed to protect.

As noted in our series on Tom Cotton's book, Seven Things You Can't Say about China, we are falling seriously behind China in shipbuilding. Soon, if not already, they will have the means to rule the seas. Not good.

One of the most glaring failures of the Jones Act is the profound negative impact on the economy, particularly for regions dependent on maritime shipping, such as Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii. The law’s stringent requirements have driven up shipping costs, which then translates to higher prices for both consumer goods and capital goods like equipment and raw material.

Shipping is a critical component of the U.S. economy, and under the Jones Act, transporting goods by sea has become an unnecessarily expensive undertaking. The cost of building ships in U.S. shipyards, which are far less efficient and more costly than foreign shipyards, has skyrocketed. This alone drives up costs for businesses and consumers alike. Moreover, U.S.-flagged vessels are typically less fuel-efficient than their foreign counterparts, making them even more costly to operate. As a result, the price of shipping goods between U.S. ports is much higher than it would be if the law allowed for foreign vessels to compete.

Perhaps most egregiously, the law has crippled competition by effectively creating a monopoly for a small number of U.S.-owned, U.S.-flagged vessels. There is a severe shortage of ships that meet Jones Act requirements, which results in limited shipping capacity and an inability to modernize the fleet. This lack of competitive pressure means that many U.S. vessels are old, inefficient, and incapable of keeping up with the demands of modern shipping.

President Trump is seeking to revive the struggling U.S. shipbuilding industry that is drastically lagging behind China, and recently signed an executive order to kick off a series of initiatives aimed at growth.  Specifically, his April 10 order requires agencies to craft a Maritime Action Plan and instructs the United States Trade Representative to provide a list of recommendations to deal with China’s "anticompetitive actions within the shipbuilding industry."

Veronique de Rugy, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, told Fox News Digital Thursday, "Anyone who is serious about reviving the shipping industry should basically start by getting rid of the Jones Act. It's not everything, but it's a start," she said. 

The law has led to fewer ships being built because it's vastly more costly to build them in the U.S. than in countries like China, South Korea or Japan, which dominate the shipbuilding market. Over time, this has led the U.S. to be stuck with an obsolete, aging fleet. 

It is clear that the Jones Act has been an unmitigated disaster for the United States. From economic harm, particularly for U.S. territories, to national security vulnerabilities, the law has failed to deliver on its promises. Instead of protecting U.S. industries and promoting jobs, it has inflated costs, limited competition, and weakened the very sectors it was intended to support. The time has come to acknowledge that the Jones Act is no longer serving the best interests of the United States. Repealing the law or defeating it in court not only would lower costs for consumers and businesses, but it also would allow the U.S. to modernize its maritime industry, improve national security, and ensure a more competitive and sustainable future for American shipping.

We're being Jonesed. The Jones Act must go.

Where Weaponization of the Justice System is Born

Why the Law Schools of course. As long as 90% of the Faculty in elite American Law Schools are self-professed liberals (and many outright left-wingers) it's not hard to pinpoint the origin. Add in the George Soros appointed prosecutors who let 40 cop killers in NY be paroled and felons in CA to be downgraded and it's no wonder why.

Could This Be a Reason?

Confidence in Democratic congressional leadership plummeted to an all-time low of 25%, according to a new poll.

The Gallup poll conducted between April 1-14 and released Thursday found that the confidence rating sunk nine points below the previous low-water mark for Democrats – 34% – which was recorded in 2023. The current rating is also well below the 45% average confidence level that Americans have had in Democratic congressional leadership since 2001.

Wonder why? Here's a few reasons.

Polls show the three top candidates for leadership of the party are: 1) Word Salad; 2) The Bartender; 3) Pothole Pete.

Dems led by Senator Van Hollen (D-MD) are crusading to get an illegal MS-13 gang member returned to the US, but have no time to call the mothers of daughters, who were murdered at the hands of MS-13 members.

Senator Jaimie Raskin (another D-MD) has warned foreign nations that make deals with Trump. Says they will pay when Dems get back in power. So much for one nation under God.

Driving a stake in the ground that men should be allowed to smash a volleyball into a girl's face resulting in TBI.

And, uh, the fact they have no message save GET TRUMP!

Let's not forget their intrepid leadership. David Hogg, the gun activist from MSD. Vice chair of DNC if you can believe. He was just told to stop interfering in primaries or step down. And he's only been in the chair for an hour. Ha. Fools.

(Aside: Seems like we're getting an inordinate amount anti-Trump, anti-Administration, anti-Republican attention from the state of MD. Not that surprising since it's located on the edge of a Swamp.

Let's not forget the horrific reports coming out of Baltimore a few years back. Like "nobody" in their public high schools was proficient in math. Well now, reports show that whereas MD used to be above the national average in educational proficiency, it has been sinking like a stone for a decade. Way under the national average in math and only just average in reading. Despite significant increases in spending per student. Another example of what happens when liberals run the government and the schools.

And just in...Towson (MD) HS. has suspended Parker Jensen, Captain and QB of the football team, a senior who has enlisted in US Marines, because he protested the absence of American flags in two of his classrooms. Flags in the each classroom are mandated by State Law.)

Fair and Balanced

Despite the controversy over the removal of the MS-13 gang member, Kilmer Abrego Garcia, and an all out effort by the Libs to paint in this in the worst possible light, let's be clear that this is NOT A GOOD GUY. It is, however, only fair to acknowledge that - technically - Abrego was not in the country illegally. His status was "withholding deportation", which means a Judge did not order his immediate removal.

The Dems are, of course, screaming from the rooftops that this is a prime example of the Administration's abuse of immigrants rights. They are predicting hordes of "upstanding" immigrants will inevitably be thrown out unless Trump is stopped. As Senator Kennedy from LA said - yeah and someday pigs may fly.

"Due Process" is the crux of the Libs' claim. Didn't seem to worry much about Due Process when they were going after Trump and the January 6 protestors or keeping parents in the dark as to what their children were taught or wiping out student loan obligations or coercing Big Tech into censorship of Americans and on and on.

Rubbish. Americans ain't buying it. If I were Trump I'd bring him back, give him his due process and then ship his butt back to El Sal. Out is where he belongs - no doubt. Bet his wife agrees.

(Update: Ever notice how the more things percolate and the more facts that come out the libs are almost always on the wrong side of things?

Turns out the "Maryland Father of the Year", Kilmer Abrego was stopped in TN on December 1, 2022 with 8 individuals in the back seat of the car he was driving, which was registered to convicted human trafficker, Jose Ramon Hernandez

Abrego Garcia was stopped by the Tennessee Highway Patrol for speeding. Upon approach to the vehicle, the encountering officer noted eight other individuals in the vehicle. There was no luggage in the vehicle, leading the encountering officer to suspect this was a human trafficking incident. Additionally, all the passengers gave the same home address as the subject's home address.

During the interview, Abrego Garcia pretended to speak less English than he was capable of and attempted to put the encountering officer off-track by responding to questions with questions. When asked what relationship he had with the registered owner of the vehicle, Abrego Garcia replied that the owner of the vehicle was his boss, and that he worked in construction. Yeah - I know. What was the trooper thinking letting this mope go?)

Find At All Curious?

Anthony Fauci's net worth doubled to $15M during Covid.  Steers us wrong then cashes in. Maybe he uses Pelosi's broker too. Lotta money for a government lifer. Curious? Not hardly.

Ouch

Not a big fan at all of either The Five or Greg Gutfield, but he did come up with a good zinger this week. In commenting on the Dems urgency to travel to El Salvador and petition for the return of the MS-13 gang member, he punned..."I haven't seen Democrats this eager to travel since Epstein's Island." Okay - not really a pun.

Lightning Rod

Probably not a great idea to opine on our recently deceased Pope Francis. Still, not the first time I've voiced out of line views.

While Francis certainly had great empathy for all human beings, I have long felt he insinuated himself a little too forcefully into matters well outside the spiritual realm. I'm sure I felt this way because I don't agree with his extremely left wing bias on matters like climate change and especially open borders. Nothing destroys society faster than open borders. Ever notice the Vatican has plenty of walls? And Francis certainly seemed a fan of wealth redistribution as if all the world's problems were because of wealth accumulation. A bit simplistic, the sermon on the mount notwithstanding.

Also kinda funny - he was liberal on matters outside his purview but on things like same sex marriage, women in the priesthood and others clearly within his jurisprudence he remained staunchly old school.

Francis was born in Argentina and many have labeled him a Peronista, influenced by the behaviors of Juan and Eva Peron. You know - Don't cry for me Argentina while the country sank into poverty and revolution. Didn't particularly care for his cozying up to the Chinese despite their record of inhumane persecution either. Or Hamas or Russia. Moral equivalency on display?

Francis is gone but the question is will his bias live on? He certainly stuffed the ballot box at the upcoming conclave. While there are 252 Cardinals, only 135 are "electors" meaning they can vote for the new Pope. Of those Francis appointed 108. Even Pennsylvania Democrats would be proud of that.

Have to wait and see. But with the Catholic Church's having so many of its own problems and policies to grapple with, I hope the next Pope steers clear of siding with left-wingers to promote socialist themes.

AOD

...not AOC. Art of the Deal. From now on that acronym will signify a belief that most every Trump action is just part of his penchant for dealmaking. Despite the market turbulence I believe as strongly as ever there's a method to his madness. Looking for one big trade deal (like Japan) to trigger a recovery.

Progress being made on other Trump Effect fronts. Looks like BlackRock is going to buy control of the ports going into and out of Panama Canal. Bye bye China. Denmark is making concessions to Greenland that help us (Extra $1B to the Greenies). Zelensky agreed to important rare earth mineral guarantees. No progress on Canada but - really - do we want them as a state? Think California, Oregon and Washington on steroids.

Socialists and Commies (esp. CCP) has long accused us of hegemony. I say let's give it to them.

BTW - There is a Biden Effect as well. "This is fallout from the 'Biden Effect,'" said Rutgers University political scientist Ross Baker. "It contaminated old Democrats." Dick Durbin, 80, and Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., 78; Tina Smith, D-Wis., 67; and Gary Peters, D-Mich., 66, as well as Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., 83, all announced their exit in 2025.

Prior to Biden's infamous debate, several 2024-cycle Democrats — now-former Sens. Benjamin Cardin of Maryland, 81; Tom Carper of Delaware, 78; Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, 74; and Democrat-turned-independent Joe Manchin of West Virginia, 77 — all declared their exits. Double Hah!

Mossy Rock

My new (kinda) favorite podcast is Victor Davis Hanson. Been listening to him as a guest on Bill Bennett and others for years. Very erudite thinker.

He was opining on the wisdom of elite universities (Harvard, Stanford, etc.) locking horns with Trump and the federal government. He likened it to a mossy rock beside a picturesque lake. Looks very serene, beautiful. Until you turn it over and find everything that lives under.

Victor has a PhD and taught at Stanford. He is also a Professor Emeritus at Cal State so he knows a bit about elite unis. He's been feted on countless occasions for his wisdom and intellectual analysis.

He has also, for many decades, been appalled at the hypocrisy of the Educational Elites. The Harvards and Stanfords who forever proclaim their graduates to be the creme de la creme. While meritocracy is light years away from the standards they employ. Harvard, Stanford and others now offer courses in remedial math because enough of their esteemed student body needs it. Privilege is given from admissions all the way through based largely on ideology and racial preference. Be a white student (forget a MAGA one) and just try to get in. At Stanford only 22% of students are white, yet whites make up 63% of America.

When it comes to handouts of your taxpayer money by the federal government (the stuff Trump is trying to shut off) abuse abounds. VDH reports it is common practice for universities to grab 30 to as much 60% off the top of federal grants as "overhead". Then there's the preference shown to everyone not-white. Special graduations, clubs, curriculums etc. Even dorms.

And maybe the biggest scam. When the federal government started guaranteeing student loans, unis started packaging student aid as a guaranteed federal loan. Later, of course, Biden decided to forgive many of those loans. Bingo - everybody wins except we the taxpayers. Let's make universities pledge their endowments against student loans. You'd see how fast nonsense majors leading to no income jobs would go away. Everybody would be forced to graduate in four years instead of under 50%.

Be careful when you turn over the mossy rock.

Libs love the Abstract

...while eschewing reality. Being the superior intellectuals they think they are, they love concepts. Like open borders and no walls, except when it's their house or mansion or compound. Compassionate relief in the form of free food, services and housing, except when illegals overrun their neighborhoods, their clinics and their EDs. They don't care much about schools because they don't go near the public ones. Meanwhile...Bernie Sanders has three homes. Obama three mansions. Pelosi gets 40% returns on her portfolio. Fauci doubled his net worth from our misery.

No doubt, the "influence peddling, handout" racket is pretty lucrative.

But in reality I don't think Libs really hate Americans. They just hate the middle class. We look the same, we dress the same, we do real work, we build things, we graduate from trade schools and state colleges and we vote Republican. We're whom they hate - not "Americans".

Botox in Orbit.

Taking a few painted up boujees out on a space spin hardly puts Besos in Elon's orbit. After all, Elon rescued astronauts for crying out loud.

One last thought...

As noted in previous versions, it is vitally important that Trump codifies as many of his changes into law as he can. Otherwise the next guy will undo 'em all. Witness Biden. As much as I love his relentless pace to get as much done as he can, Trump needs to avoid running roughshod over the courts or downstream reversals will be the outcome. Do Policy Right. But Do the Law Right Too!

Enjoy the weekend.