The Sunday Gerrymander Follies Funnier than Late Night TV

Daybreak can’t insert videos in this email, but if we could, you would get more chuckles from the clips than from any late-night TV monologue. Illinois fat-cat Governor J.B. Pritzker explained that Illinois’ gerrymandering—which got an ‘F’ for fairness—is different from Texas’ because they did it to save democracy. (X) New York Governor Kathy Hochul defended that New York’s gerrymandering is (D)ifferent because they followed the rules (a court overturned their first effort, it was so egregious). She also explained why she plans to violate the New York Constitution to preserve democracy. (X) That is on top of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey threatening last week to reopen redistricting in her state to reduce the number of Republicans representing the state in Congress from 0 to -0. Massachusetts doesn’t even border a Republican district. (Hotair.com)

Trump to Announce Massive Anti-Crime Program in DC

Trump is teasing what will amount to a federal takeover of crime-fighting in the federal District of Columbia. Donald Trump: We’re having a News Conference tomorrow in the White House. I’m going to make our Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before. The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong. It’s all going to happen very fast, just like the Border. We went from millions pouring in, to ZERO in the last few months. This will be easier — Be prepared! There will be no “MR. NICE GUY.” We want our Capital BACK. Thank you for your attention to this matter! (Donald Trump on Truth Social) Donald Trump: The Press Conference on Crime and “Beautification” will be held tomorrow, at 10:00 A.M. EST, in the Press Briefing Room, and it will not only involve ending the Crime, Murder, and Death in our Nation’s Capital, but will also be about Cleanliness and the General Physical Renovation and Condition of our once beautiful and well maintained Capital. We are not going to allow people to spend $3.1 Billion Dollars on fixing up a building, like the Federal Reserve, which could have been done in a far more elegant and time sensitive manner for $50 to $100 Million Dollars. The Renovation would have actually been better, and we would have saved $3 Billion Dollars, Traffic Jams, and never-ending Construction. The Mayor of D.C., Muriel Bowser, is a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances, and the Crime Numbers get worse, and the City only gets dirtier and less attractive. The American Public is not going to put up with it any longer. Just like I took care of the Border, where you had ZERO Illegals coming across last month, from millions the year before, I will take care of our cherished Capital, and we will make it, truly, GREAT AGAIN! Before the tents, squalor, filth, and Crime, it was the most beautiful Capital in the World. It will soon be that again. Thank you for your attention to this matter — See you tomorrow at 10 A.M.! (Donald Trump on Truth Social)

Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte Praises Trump’s Ukraine Diplomacy

As Democrats claim that Trump is selling Ukraine down the river because he is a Putin puppet, NATO’s leader went on the Sunday morning political shows to endorse Trump’s efforts to bring peace to Ukraine, and threw cold water on the idea that Trump is on Putin’s side. POLITICO: Speaking to host Jonathan Karl, Rutte said he believes Trump is willing to push Russia’s president about this brutal war. “I do believe that, Donald Trump, the president, wants to end this,” Rutte told Karl. “He wants to end the terrible loss of life. He wants to end the terrible damage being done to the infrastructure in Ukraine. So many people losing their lives. So much damage being done.” Rutte, a former prime minister of the Netherlands, added: “We have seen President Trump putting incredible pressure on Russia.” Trump has faced criticism for setting up a meeting with Putin without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, though there have been suggestions that Zelenskyy might still be invited. The president has also been assailed — including by former Trump national security adviser John Bolton later on the same ABC program — for bringing Putin on to American soil and for stating that Ukraine might need to yield some of its territory. “I think Trump has made some mistakes already,” Bolton said, “No. 1, in holding this meeting on American soil, legitimizing a pariah leader of a rogue state. Second, he’s allowed Putin to get first mover advantage by putting his peace plan on the table first.” Speaking to Karl, Rutte said he saw the Alaskan meeting as a valid starting point, but agreed no deal was possible without Ukraine, or without considering Ukraine’s long-term security and independence. (POLITICO) Trump’s pressure campaign to bully Putin into coming to the negotiating table is working, and Democrats aren’t happy about it.

Ukraine Ambassador to the US Praises Trump’s Diplomacy

It’s not just NATO that is happy to see the prospects of peace growing every day, but the Ukrainians are as well. Gallup polled Ukrainians, and war weariness is taking its toll on Ukrainian morale. Gallup: Most Ukrainians now favor ending the war with Russia through negotiations, as support for fighting until victory has dropped sharply since the early days of the conflict. Although their hopes for joining NATO and the European Union have faded and approval of U.S. leadership has plummeted, Ukrainians still see the EU, U.K. and U.S. as key to ending the war. Yet, most doubt that will happen anytime soon. More than three years into the war, Ukrainians’ support for continuing to fight until victory has hit a new low. In Gallup’s most recent poll of Ukraine — conducted in early July — 69% say they favor a negotiated end to the war as soon as possible, compared with 24% who support continuing to fight until victory. This marks a nearly complete reversal from public opinion in 2022, when 73% favored Ukraine fighting until victory and 22% preferred that Ukraine seek a negotiated end as soon as possible. (Gallup) In light of this reality, the Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova endorsed the Alaska summit to be held this Friday. Oksana Markarova on Face the Nation: “Well, that’s something that all Ukraine prays for President Trump to be effective and to have great results. And as you know, since the discussions here with President Trump, Ukraine agreed to full ceasefire, to partial ceasefires, to any type of ceasefires. Because again, let’s remind everyone, Ukraine did not start this war. Putin started this war in 2014, he continued with full fledged invasion in 2022, and it’s Ukrainian citizens, Ukrainian cities, Ukrainian defenders on the front lines, Ukrainian children who suffer every day. So yes, we want Putin to stop, and we really are hopeful that this push from President Trump, and the sanction packages which are on the table, and secondary sanctions which are already implemented against those who help Russia, will convince President Putin that this is time for him to finally stop his aggression. (Face the Nation)

Trump Stopping Wars Faster than Biden Could Eat Ice Cream Cones

While pedants dispute that ceasefires should be counted as peace deals, nobody can seriously argue that Trump isn’t reducing the casualty rates in countries around the world at a dramatic rate. His latest foreign policy triumph was brokering peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, ending a 30-year conflict. POLITICO: President Donald Trump signed a deal with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan on Friday to end decades of fighting, a diplomatic victory that also helps Trump in his push to present himself as a peacemaker on the world stage. Trump was jubilant at the signing ceremony at the White House alongside Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Trump proclaimed an end to a bitter conflict between the two Caucasus countries, which produced dozens of wars and skirmishes between the two neighbors over 35 years, and voiced confidence that the peace would hold in the long term. “Now they’re friends, and they’re going to be friends for a long time,” Trump said. “You two are going to have a great relationship and if you don’t, call me and I’ll straighten it out.” (POLITICO) Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev noted that Trump is a prolific peacemaker. Ilham Aliyev via Rapid Response 47: “Within several months, [@POTUS] managed to put an end to conflicts in Asia, in Africa, and now in South Caucasus — what we could not achieve for more than 30 years.” (Rapid Response 47 on X) By the end of his term, Trump will have to find a way to mediate a conflict in Antarctica to complete the 7-continent peacemaking tour.

Beto Trying to Escape ‘Beta’ Label by Talking Tough

Beto O’Rourke continues to aim for relevance, but he hits the target as often as an Imperial Stormtrooper. Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke, the 100% Irish-descended Hispanic man whom the Democrats keep trotting out as a Temu JFK, is out holding rallies, losing court cases, and promising to legalize every illegal immigrant because they make America great. Texas Tribune: Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke cannot financially support Texas Democrats who left the state to delay passage of a new congressional map, a Tarrant County judge ruled Friday evening. O’Rourke and his political group, Powered by People, were sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Friday afternoon. Paxton argued that the group was deceptively fundraising for and illegally helping support Texas Democrats as they fanned out to Illinois, Massachusetts and New York to deny the House the headcount needed to pass legislation. (Texas Tribune) RNC Research: Beto O’Rourke says when Democrats take back power, they’re going to “drive that car like we stole it” to give amnesty to illegal aliens. O’Rourke: Illegal immigrants are “what makes this country so G**damned great in the first place. (RNC Research) O’Rourke: “There are no refs in this game. F**k the rules! We’re gonna win, whatever it takes! (X) Best take on Beto. Magills on X: I’ve always thought of Beto as kind of a gay Pete Buttigieg (X)

Buttigieg Tops Democrat Poll; His Support Among Blacks Is 0%

The Democrats have entered a political twilight zone in which the party of diversity’s leading candidate for president has the support of 0% of black voters. MassLive: A poll from Emerson College released Friday found that former South Bend Mayor and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is the number one choice for Democratic primary voters in a hypothetical race. Among respondents who identify as Democratic primary voters, 16% said that they would support Buttigieg, while 13% said they would choose Harris as the nominee. But the poll identified a potential problem for Buttigeig when Primary time comes around: he had 0% support from Black voters. This isn’t the first time Buttigieg has led a 2028 poll of Democratic candidates. A poll released by Atlas Intel on May 30 found Buttigieg as the top candidate among Democratic primary voters. The third most popular pick for Democrats is Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, at 12%, followed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, and Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, at 7% each, according to the poll. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, who ran and lost in both the 2016 and 2020 Democratic primaries for president ranked fifth, with 5% of voters saying they would support the 83-year-old senator. (MassLive) Buttigieg has almost no chance of winning the nomination because his appeal is based on pretending to be the last sane technocrat in the Democratic Party, and the market for that is more limited every day. David Strom: Buttigieg elevated himself to the top of the Democratic pyramid based on looking and sounding like a nerd–just the kind of guy you asked for notes from in college because you spent your time drinking beer and smoking pot. (Hot Air)

George Will Endorses Zohran Mamdani for NYC Mayor

George Will famously has a bad case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, but unlike some former conservatives who now think Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff are too honest and conservative for their tastes, he has not embraced socialism. So it surprised quite a few people when he endorsed Zohran Mamdani for Mayor of New York on Bill Maher’s podcast. Red State: “Every 20 years or so, we need a conspicuous, confined experiment with socialism so we can crack it up again,” Will argued. He continued: “Socialists’ slogan used to be, ‘workers of the world, unite,’ ‘you have nothing to lose but your chains.’ The new socialist slogan is, ‘Trust us, this time it won’t be a mess.’ So, you know, when the post-war labor government in Britain was about to get started, one of their leading lights was a socialist named Aneurin Bevan. He said, ‘What could go wrong?’ He said, ‘We have a nation bedded on coal, surrounded by fish. It would take an organizational genius to have a shortage of either.’ In three years, they had a shortage of both. That’s socialism.” I understand his point, that he thinks it will teach people who don’t understand now. The problem is that if Mamdani wins, it means a lot of suffering, and not just for the people in New York. Because of New York’s importance, it’s going to lead to more leftism infecting and hurting people. And it’s silly to think it would be “confined.” It’s like a virus – if you let it live, it spreads. (Red State) Daybreak doesn’t endorse candidates, but isn’t surprised that New York City is being forced to choose between a crook, a sexual predator, a communist, and a Republican whose chance of winning is little better than ours.

Senator Mike Lee’s Plan for DC Statehood Actually Makes Sense

Washington, D.C.’s license plates are emblazoned with the motto “Taxation Without Representation,” an implicit call for D.C. statehood. Aside from violating the Constitutional provision that the capital city not have a stake in federal elections, this would create the only 100% urban state with no industry other than raping and pillaging the American taxpayer. Senator Mike Lee proposes an alternative. Mike Lee on X: 1/ If the residents of DC want to be part of a state, the solution is *not* DC statehood Any solution should involve reverting land ceded by Maryland for the creation of DC—excepting only a narrow corridor encompassing the White House, Capitol, & Supreme Court—to Maryland 2/ Let’s start with some historical context DC was established by Congress under the Residence Act of 1790, allowing President George Washington to select a site for the federal capital along the Potomac River, not exceeding 10 miles square (100 square miles) 3/ Land was ceded by both Maryland (about 69 square miles) and Virginia (about 31 square miles) to form this diamond-shaped district that we now call DC 4/ The cessions were formalized; Virginia transferred its portion in 1790, and Maryland followed in 1791 This included areas like Georgetown (from MD) and Alexandria (from VA) 5/ By the 1840s, many residents in the Virginia portion of DC felt neglected by Congress, faced economic stagnation, and believed slavery would soon be abolished in DC 6/ In 1846, Congress passed legislation retroceding the Virginia portion—now Arlington County and the City of Alexandria—back to Virginia President James K. Polk signed it into law 7/ That law reduced DC from 100 square miles to about 68, establishing retrocession as a viable, constitutional path Virginia’s land was returned without issue, and it thrives today as part of Virginia, not DC  8/ In spite of that precedent, some argue that DC should now become a state But DC alone (rather than as part of Maryland) doesn’t meet the criteria we’ve historically applied to statehood Although the Constitution doesn’t specify minimum population or geographic size, our states have been admitted as territories with balanced economies—agriculture, industry, and diverse resources We have *never* admitted a state that consists of just a single, geographically compact, urban enclave—whether heavily dependent on the federal government (as DC is) or otherwise 9/ DC lacks anything close to the industries, natural resources, opportunities for growth, and amenities found in literally every other state  It’s just a city—one city—and therefore can’t be accorded the status of a sovereign state using the time-honored criteria 10/ More importantly, the Founders quite intentionally created DC as a *neutral* federal district to serve as the seat of the U.S. government under Article I, Section 8 They did so specifically to prevent any one state from wielding undue influence over the national government 11/ Making DC a state would subject the seat of the U.S. government to a state, entangling the capital city in that state’s politics It’s not about partisanship—it’s about preserving the constitutional design and preventing our nation’s capital from becoming subject to one state 12/ To give DC residents representation in Congress, we could instead follow the Virginia precedent: Retrocede most of DC to Maryland, excepting a small corridor—just a few blocks stretching from the White House to the Capitol and the Supreme Court 13/ This small federal enclave would remain under congressional control—allowing the centers of power in Washington to remain under exclusively federal control—while the rest of DC’s residents would gain full voting rights and representation as Marylanders… (Mike Lee on X) Daybreak endorses any plan that doesn’t make lobbyists and federal employees even more powerful than they already are.

Superman Joins ICE to Preserve Truth, Justice, and the American Way

Dean Cain, the actor who played Superman in 1990s TV series “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” has announced that he is joining ICE. Cain is, like Clark Kent, a big fan of America and helping people, and is currently a Deputy Sheriff. Fox News: “Our ICE agents, who are amazing men and women, are incredible. And they’re black, and they are brown and green and yellow and Japanese and whatever. They’re a cross-section of Americans,” he told Fox News Digital. “They are doing their job, the job that Congress wrote the laws for them to support and uphold, and they’re doing the job of deporting people who are here illegally. “If you’re a legal citizen here in this country, no worries, you’re great, but if you’re here illegally, you’ve broken the law to begin with, whatever the circumstances are. You had multiple opportunities to self-deport, and the fact that these men and women who are doing their jobs are getting vilified, I had to stand up with them and for them because I think it takes people standing up to change the culture,” Cain said. (Fox News) Cain was, unsurprisingly, attacked from the left. Famously fit The View harridan Ana Navarro body shamed Cain, suggesting that her ideological commitment to inclusiveness ends when politics gets in the way. Entertainment Weekly: In response to a news article about 59-year-old Cain’s intention to join ICE, which he spoke about Wednesday on Fox News, Navarro shared a brief criticism of Cain’s body Thursday on her Instagram Story.”This was Superman?” Navarro, 53, asked, alongside a photo of the Lois & Clark: The Adventures of Superman star and a headline touting that he was joining ICE. “He should have joined a gym,” Navarro suggested. (Entertainment Weekly) No word yet whether Navarro has a gym membership, but Daybreak has its doubts.