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Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Brief Ceasefire in Israel in Deal for Some 50 Hostages

Times of Israel: Several tense exchanges have reportedly occurred during the ongoing cabinet vote on a deal that will see Hamas release some 50 hostages — children, mothers, and women — in exchange for a ceasefire of 4-5 days and the release of 150-300 Palestinian prisoners. According to leaks reported by Hebrew media, Minister Benny Gantz responds angrily to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for expressing concern Hamas will seek to extend the ceasefire (Times of Israel). Sky News: Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu said the war against Hamas will not stop after a ceasefire to allow the hostage exchange (X).

President Biden Faces Rebuke From Democrats in New Poll

Washington Examiner: President Joe Biden is facing harsh opinions from his own party, as polls show that a significant portion of Democratic voters do not want him to run for president again in 2024. A Messenger/Harris poll released Tuesday found that a majority of overall voters do not want Biden or former President Donald Trump to seek another term next November at 67% and 55%, respectively. With Biden, however, 40% of Democrats believe he should not run for another term, compared to 25% of Republicans who say the same for Trump (Washington Examiner). Messenger: The poll found Trump led Biden, 47%-40%, while 13% were still undecided. Support for both Trump and Biden broke down predictably among partisan lines. But independent voters backed Trump, 45%-32%, with 23% undecided. Biden’s approval rating remains low. Thirty-nine percent said they approved of Biden’s job performance while 57% said they disapproved. While 75% of Democrats approved of Biden’s job performance only 29% of Independents approved (Messenger).

80 Percent of Americans Back Israel

Hill: The majority of Americans say they support Israel, according to a new survey from Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll. Eighty percent of voters said they supported Israel amid its ongoing war with Hamas, a Palestinian militant group that the US labels a terror organization. However, the polling showed the percentage of support for Israel increasing by age group (Hill). National Review: The poll also gauged opinions about President Joe Biden’s handling of the Israel–Hamas war, which has largely received support since the conflict first began early last month. Fifty-eight percent of voters approved of the president’s Israel policy so far, and 66 percent said Biden should continue supporting the Jewish state’s war against the Iranian-sponsored terrorist group rather than pull back aid (National Review).

Post-COVID Spending Hits $7.5 Trillion

Spencer Brown: Despite President Joe Biden and Democrats pretending not to know what caused inflation, the numbers still don’t lie — and the numbers are staggering. In a new report on post-COVID spending passed by Congress, it’s clearer than ever why prices surged to 40-year highs and continue to tick upward month after month despite the White House’s false claims that inflation is “going down.” Democrats, however, don’t bear the blame for this exclusively. As Heritage notes, “Members of Congress from both parties used COVID-19 to give up any pretense of fiscal responsibility and use deficit spending to enact a panoply of new programs” and all lawmakers “must” work to “return to responsible governance immediately” (Townhall). Heritage Foundation: The amount of additional spending resulting from legislation passed between March 2020 and December 2022 is astonishing: $7.5 trillion—more than $57,400 dollars per household. While federal spending per American has steadily increased in real terms over the past several decades, the pace of the increase in recent years has been shocking (Heritage Foundation). Reporter Stephen Moore: $7,500,000,000,000.00. That’s how much the federal government has spent since the start of the pandemic. My advice to Congress: The pandemic is over, it’s time to cut spending (X).

Border Patrol Catches Mexican National Smuggling Over 350 Pounds of Methamphetamine into Texas

Washington Examiner: Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Texas captured upwards of 354 pounds of methamphetamine on Saturday flooding through the United States’s border with Mexico. The seizure took place at about 4 p.m. after the narcotics were discovered in the hidden compartment of the bed of a pickup truck at the El Paso port. Officers were conditioning a pre-primary enforcement operation when the Dodge Ram vehicle, driven by a female Mexican national, approached and alerted a CBP drug dog (Washington Examiner). CBP: CBP officers took custody of the driver. She was turned over to the Texas Department of Public Safety to face charges associated with the failed smuggling attempt (CBP).

Department of Defense Asks for $114 Million for DEI Initiative

Fox News: The Department of Defense (DOD) is requesting approximately $114 million to finance its latest round of diversity initiatives. The DOD plans to use the funds for “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility” (DEIA) programs in fiscal year 2024. “The FY 2024 President’s Budget request demonstrates the DoD’s commitment to DEIA and includes $114.7 million for dedicated diversity and inclusion activities,” the department wrote in its Strategic Management Plan for fiscal year 2022 to 2026. The funding request is the largest of its kind yet for the DOD, which earmarked $68 million for DEIA initiatives in fiscal year 2022 and $86.5 million in fiscal year 2023 (Fox News).

Governor DeSantis Lands Endorsement of Influential Evangelical Leader in Iowa

CNN: Bob Vander Plaats, a key evangelical leader in Iowa, officially announced his endorsement of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday. “I’m thrilled to throw my personal endorsement and support behind Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida,” he said. Vander Plaats, the CEO and President of The Family Leader, has clashed with former President Donald Trump and urged Republicans to move on from the former president while heaping praise on DeSantis. A longtime GOP powerbroker, he has thrown his weight behind the eventual winner of the past three Iowa caucuses not to feature an incumbent Republican president (Fox News). Ron DeSantis: As I’ve made my way through 98 of Iowa’s 99 counties, Iowans have shared what a critical role Bob Vander Plaats plays in engaging Iowa’s faith community in the key battles that matter. His support tells Iowans they can trust me to fight and win for them. We’re thrilled to have Bob and Darla on Team DeSantis and are thankful for their friendship as we’ve gotten to know them throughout this campaign. The road to America’s revival starts in Iowa, and we will get the job done (X).

New Trans Swimmer Breaks Women’s Record

It was only a matter of time. Daily Wire: Another man claiming to be a woman has claimed a title in women’s swimming. Meghan Cortez-Fields, a swimmer at Ramapo College of New Jersey who identifies as a woman and swam for the men’s team for three years, broke the girls’ school record in the 100-yard butterfly, recording a time of 57.22 at the Cougar Splash Invitational. Cortez-fields also won the 200-yard individual medley and second place in the 200-yard butterfly (Daily Wire). Jon Root: Lia Thomas 2.0 (X).

30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Reach Lowest in Over a Month at 7.44 Percent

This is not a win for Biden, Democrats, or anyone. Daily Mail: Mortgage rates fell for the third consecutive week to their lowest level in more than a month offering some respite to overstretched homebuyers. Figures from Government-backed lender Freddie Mac show the average rate on a 30-year fixed loan fell to 7.44 percent, down from 7.5 percent last week. It is little wonder, then, that sales of previously occupied US homes fell to their slowest pace in more than 13 years in October. Buyers are currently facing one of the least affordable housing markets in recent memory. Two years ago, rates on a home loan were hovering at 3.10 percent – less than half where they are now. In real terms, it means somebody purchasing a $400,000 home in November 2021 would pay around $1,623 a month for their mortgage. This analysis assumes a 5 percent downpayment. But the same buyer today faces monthly payments of $2,641 – more than $1,000 extra (Daily Mail). RNC Research: When Biden took office, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 2.7%. Now, it’s 7.44%. That’s Bidenomics (X)!

10.

Army Opens Door for Return of Those Who Refused Covid Vaccine

Fox News: The U.S. Army sent a letter to former service members dismissed for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, informing them they can request corrections of their discharge records, as the military branch reportedly struggles with recruitment three years after the onset of the pandemic. The letter, which gained traction on social media, was addressed to former service members and notified of “new Army guidance regarding the correction of military records for former members of the Army following the rescission of the COVID-19 vaccination requirement.” It states, “as a result of the rescission of all current COVID-19 vaccination requirements, former Soldiers who were involuntarily separated for refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccination may request a correction of their military records from either or both the Army Discharge Review Board (ADRB) or the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR).” Citing data provided by the military branches, CNN reported in October that only 43 of the more than 8,000 U.S. service members discharged from the military for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 have sought to rejoin eight months after the vaccine mandate was officially repealed (Fox News). Senator Ron Johnson: Maybe an apology and back pay would be appropriate as well… Or even an admission that it was a really stupid and misguided policy. Will Dept. of Defense finally be transparent with their data on vaccine injuries in DMED (X)?