Macron “Hopes” France Won’t Go to War With Russia
French President Emmanuel Macron has said that while Paris seeks to avoid direct involvement in the Ukraine conflict, an intervention may be necessary to deter Russia from advancing too far.
The European Union “would lose all credibility and security” if Russia were to prevail, Macron said in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, responding to a question on whether France is “going to go to war.”
“Our own future and our security is at stake in Ukraine,” the French leader argued, stressing that in addition to delivering more military equipment to Kiev, EU nations must be “ready to act” if “the Russians are going too far.”
“So no, I hope with all my might that we won’t have to go to war,” he said, insisting that France is a “peace power.” However, Paris needs to continue to arm itself in order to “protect peace,” Macron continued, stressing that intervention must remain an option if the country’s interests are threatened.
“We have to be dissuasive and credible towards our adversaries sometimes by telling them: ‘If you go too far and if you threaten our interests, my own security, then I do not rule out intervening’,” he said.
Macron’s comments echoed his previous statements on a potential deployment of troops in Ukraine. In February, the French President refused to rule out the prospect of NATO boots on the ground, claiming that the EU’s credibility “will be reduced to zero” if Ukraine is defeated. A few months later he urged EU nations to boost their military spending and arms production to reduce dependence on Washington.
The French president doubled down in an interview with the Economist earlier this month, calling the Kremlin the main threat to EU security and saying that keeping the option of deploying troops in Ukraine is necessary as a “wake-up call,” while defending his “strategic ambiguity” approach.
Moscow has criticized Macron’s “dangerous talk,” with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claiming that the French president may be using Russophobia and scaremongering tactics to satisfy his ambition of leading the European Union.
GOP Senators Want IRS to Yank Tax-Exempt Status for Organizations Involved In Campus Protests
A group of fifteen Republican Senators want the IRS to investigate whether groups involved in recent anti-Israel protests on college campuses violated their tax-exempt status by supporting Hamas, a designated terrorist group.
According to the letter, spearheaded by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), the National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP), the AJP Educational Foundation (AJP), the Tides Foundation, the Westchester Peace Action Committee Foundation (WESPAC Foundation), and others were offered to IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel in order to determine if they “engaged in conduct warranting revocation of their tax-exempt statuses on the basis of their financial support of NSJP,” Just the News reports.
The letter notes that victims of the Oct. 7 attack in Israel have sued AJP and NSJP, accusing them of being a propaganda division of Hamas, and suggests that the organizations have “control” over Students for Justice in Palestine chapters, which have been heavily involved in campus protests.
Notably, George Soros has funded Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) through a constellation of nonprofits which all lead to the billionaire agitator.
At three colleges, the protests are being encouraged by paid radicals who are “fellows” of a Soros-funded group called the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR).
USCPR provides up to $7,800 for its community-based fellows and between $2,880 and $3,660 for its campus-based “fellows” in return for spending eight hours a week organizing “campaigns led by Palestinian organizations.”
They are trained to “rise up, to revolution.”
The radical group received at least $300,000 from Soros’ Open Society Foundations since 2017 and also took in $355,000 from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund since 2019. –NY Post
“It is long-established precedent that when 501(c)(3) organizations have ‘planned activities that violate laws’ or engage in activities designed ‘to induce the commission of a crime or if the accomplishment of the purpose is otherwise against public policy,’ the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has grounds to revoke their tax-exempt status,” reads the Ernst letter.
“In fact, the IRS has set the precedent that ‘organizations have been held not to qualify for IRC 501(c)(3) on grounds that the activities of the organizations in question contravened public policy even though the organizations did not violate any federal statutes or state or local laws.”
The letter also points out that these organizations and the protests are supporting Hamas, which has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
“In light of this abhorrent support for an FTO, we call on you to initiate an investigation to determine whether financial supporters of NSJP, including but not limited to AJP, the WESPAC Foundation, and the Tides Foundation, have engaged in conduct warranting their tax-exempt status to be stripped,” they added.
The groups have defended themselves. For example, in a recent post on X, NSJP wrote that its members “are developing a generation of disciplined, politicized young leaders who will carry the torch of our struggle,” adding “Long live the Student Intifada.”
All of that said – Ernst is a huge recipient of pro-Israel campaign donations and has attended AIPAC events…
…so one has to wonder if using the IRS against Israel’s enemies on this very horseshoe issue is anywhere near ‘good faith.’
Read the letter below:
2024 Election Likely the Last to Be Decided by US Citizens, Musk Warns
The continuing influx of illegal immigrants into the US could mean that American citizens could cease to decide the outcome of elections in the country in the not-too-distant future, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has predicted.
The South African-born billionaire claimed that the Democrats are wittingly refusing to address the issue, in the hope of skewing the balance in their favor.
Musk’s recent comment came in response to Republican lawmakers passing the Equal Representation Act in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, which would require the Census Bureau to ask respondents about their citizenship in its ten-year surveys. GOP representatives want only US citizens to be counted when determining the number of congressional seats in each state.
House Speaker Mike Johnson argued that “we should not reward states and cities that violate federal immigration laws and maintain sanctuary policies with increased Congressional representation.”
“Common sense dictates that only American citizens should be counted for electoral apportionment,” he insisted.
Democratic Representative Grace Meng of New York described the initiative as “reckless, cynical, and frankly, illegal.”
President Joe Biden’s office was quick to state that it “strongly opposes” the measure, “which would preclude the Department of Commerce’s Census Bureau from performing its constitutionally mandated responsibility.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Musk wrote that “Unanimous Democrat opposition to requiring citizenship for apportionment of House seats and Presidential electoral college votes says it all.”
According to the entrepreneur, “the Democratic Party goal is to disenfranchise US citizens by importing as many illegal immigrants as possible.”
“Given the massive influx of illegals from every country on Earth, 2024 will probably be the last election actually decided by US citizens,” Musk concluded.
Unanimous Democrat opposition to requiring citizenship for apportionment of House seats and Presidential electoral college votes says it all
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2024
Last month, he warned that a terrorist attack on US soil on a September-11 scale is “only a matter of time,” considering the number of people who have entered the country illegally.
In February, Musk alleged that the Biden administration is seeking to import as many illegal immigrants as possible, legalize them, and “create a permanent majority – a one-party state.”
According to some estimates, there could be as many as 16 million illegal migrants in the US at this point, including over 7.2 million who entered during Biden’s tenure.
The issue of lax security at the US-Mexican border has dominated domestic politics in America for months, with Republicans advocating tougher controls and Democrats arguing in favor of a more liberal approach to the issue.
Your Tax Dollars at Work: In Two Years, $7.5 Billion Has Produced Just 7 EV Charging Stations
When people gripe about paying taxes and the government being a poor the absolute worst possible capital allocation, this is what they are talking about: $7.5 billion in investments for electric vehicles has – in two years – produced just 7 charging stations across four states.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed by Biden in November 2021, allocated $7.5 billion for EV charging, the Washington Post writes. Of this amount, $5 billion went to states as “formula funding” for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program to establish a network of fast chargers along major highways.
Today, there are seven chargers with a total of just 38 parking spots. And, come on: when the Post is calling it out, you know the results have been horrible.
The Post added that with the Biden administration’s new emissions rules requiring more electric and hybrid vehicles, the slow pace of charging infrastructure development could hinder the transition to electric cars. Twelve additional states have awarded contracts for charging station construction, while 17 states have yet to issue proposals.
Alexander Laska, deputy director for transportation and innovation at the center-left think tank Third Way, told The Post: “I think a lot of people who are watching this are getting concerned about the timeline.”
The slow rollout of new EV chargers is partly due to higher standards compared to previous fast chargers. The U.S. has nearly 10,000 fast charging stations, including over 2,000 reliable Tesla Superchargers, but non-Tesla chargers often suffer from poor performance.
New Biden administration rules require chargers to be 97% operational, offer 150kW power, and be within one mile of highways. These standards are crucial but slow down progress due to complex rules, permitting challenges, and power demands. The NEVI program aims to boost fast charging capacity by 50% to reduce “range anxiety,” but states must first build the chargers.
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) and Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) wrote to the Biden Administration last month: “We have significant concerns that under your efforts American taxpayer dollars are being woefully mismanaged.”
“State transportation agencies are the recipients of the money. Nearly all of them had no experience deploying electric vehicle charging stations before this law was enacted,” Nick Nigro, founder of Atlas Public Policy added.
The Federal Highway Administration responded: “We are building a national EV charging network from scratch, and we want to get it right. After developing program guidance and partnering with states to guide implementation plans, we are hitting our stride as states move quickly to bring NEVI stations online.”
“More Americans are buying EVs every day — with EV sales rising faster than traditional gas-powered cars — as the President’s Investing in America agenda makes EVs more affordable, helps Americans save money when driving, and makes EV charging accessible and convenient,” a White House spokesperson added.
Will Panama’s New President Really Close the Darien Gap and Stop the Flow of Illegal Migration?
The Darien Gap, a jungle in Panama, is a major link along the invasion route that leads from South America into Central America, and eventually to the U.S.
It’s estimated that half a million migrants, including 113,000 children, passed through it in 2023. These people came from South America, the Caribbean, and even Africa and Asia.
The Darien Gap is a dangerous place, filled with rivers, cliffs, animals, and criminal gangs.
Closing down the Gap could significantly reduce the amount of people coming to the U.S.
Believe it or not, the newly-elected president of Panama pledged to do exactly that during his campaign.
Usually, Latin American leaders tacitly encourage mass migration as it gets people out of their country. President Jose Raul Mulino may be different.
On May the 5, Cinco de Mayo in Spanish, Panama held its presidential election.
It was a real doozy, with six candidates contending. Mulino was the standard-bearer of the right-wing Realizando Metas (Accomplishing Goals)party.
Mulino wasn’t even the party’s candidate until February, when the previous candidate, former president Ricardo Martinelli, had to drop out due to a money laundering conviction.
Mulino went on to win the election on Cinco de Mayo and is scheduled to take office on July 1.
¡Ganamos, carajo! Misión cumplida Gracias, Panamá ?? pic.twitter.com/aMKhGs8FyJ
— José Raúl Mulino (@JoseRaulMulino) May 6, 2024
One of Mulino’s campaign pledges was to close the Darien Gap.
“The border of the United States, instead of being in Texas, moved to Panama,” Mulino said.
Good observation.
Mulino’s pledge?
“We’re going to close the Darien and we’re going to repatriate all these people.”
Sounds great.
“I am committed to ending this migratory crisis on our soil with a respect for human rights and robust international cooperation.”
Mulino also suggested the construction of a wall to restrain the masses of migrants constantly crossing through Panama.
The candidate gave a positive shout-out to Donald Trump, asking him to “add some cement” to the wall.
Incoming President de Panama, Jose Raul Mulino — ready to close Darien Gap. EXCELLENT, SIR!
— Michael Yon: Callsign BIG HONEY 6 (@Michael_Yon) May 11, 2024
This is very important to survival of Panama, and Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, and the beautiful Darien jungle.
Terrorists are coming through Darien by the thousands.
Panama will die… pic.twitter.com/NCoQGLjBLo
Could Mulino really close the Darien Gap?
Of course, there are naysayers.
Juan Pappier of Human Rights Watch said, “Closing the Darien Gap is virtually impossible.”
But if you listen to more of what Pappier says, you get the impression that what he really means is that it shouldn’t be done.
“Restricting the flow would push people to take even more dangerous paths. People will risk their lives, organized crime groups will get richer, and Panama will have even less control.”
Wait a minute there. Crossing the Gap is already dangerous, people already risk their lives, criminal gangs are already involved, and Panama has already lost control.
Sounds like the critics of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border: First they say it can’t be done, then they say it shouldn’t be done. Which is it?
As for Mulino in Panama, will he really do it? We have to wait and see on that.
But if anybody could do it, it just might be Mulino. He actually has some experience in these matters, having served as Panama’s Minister of Public Security from 2010 to 2014.
In that capacity, Mulino set up police checkpoints, preventing 15,000 criminals from fleeing Panama.
Mulino dealt with the seizure by Panama of the Chong Chon Gang, a North Korean cargo vessel being used to smuggle weaponry from Cuba to North Korea. The armaments were hidden in a cargo of brown sugar. (You can’t make this stuff up!)
The most relevant accomplishment on Mulino’s resume is an operation he oversaw in the Darien Gap itself. Mulino recovered a section of the Gap on the border of Colombia, wresting it back from narco-guerrillas who had taken control.
That bears some resemblance to what is going on now.
So let’s see what Presidente Mulino does after taking office July 1.
As a realist, I understand that a lot could go wrong. We know that politicians do not, and cannot, always keep their campaign pledges.
But hey, let’s give Mulino a chance and see what he can do.
It would be great, wouldn’t it?
And come January of 2025, there may be a new government in Washington D.C. that could work together with Jose Raul Mulino.
That would be good for both countries.
Air in 99% of Cars Contains Toxic Chemicals Linked to Cancer
The air in virtually all cars contains toxic chemicals linked to cancer, according to a new study in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.
Researchers analysed the air in 101 electric, gas and hybrid cars made between 2015 and 2022, and found that 99% of the samples contained a flame retardant called TCIPP, which is being investigated as a potential carcinogen, and two others, TDCIPP and TCEP, which are already considered to be carcinogenic.
These chemicals are also considered to be endocrine-disruptors, meaning they interfere with the body’s natural hormone balance, and they are linked to neurological damage.
“Considering the average driver spends about an hour in the car every day, this is a significant public health issue,” said Rebecca Hoehn, lead researcher.
“It’s particularly concerning for drivers with longer commutes as well as child passengers, who breathe more air pound for pound than adults.”
Another effective way to detox from exposure to harmful endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as PFAS, is to donate blood, as this study of Aussie firefighters shows. Firefighters face chronic high-level exposure to chemicals like PFAS in fire retardants. ? https://t.co/1zt6yXuhy3 pic.twitter.com/1uQekNXr97
— RAW EGG NATIONALIST (@Babygravy9) May 8, 2023
The new study found that levels of these chemicals were highest in hot weather, because the heat increases the amounts of chemicals released from materials within the car’s interior. The chemicals are believed to come mostly from foam in the seating, which is treated to reduce its flammability.
The researchers state that these chemicals actually serve little benefit.
One of the study authors, Lydia Jahl, recommends opening car windows to reduce exposure and also parking your car in the shade or in a garage.
“But what’s really needed is reducing the amount of flame retardants being added to cars in the first place. Commuting to work shouldn’t come with a cancer risk, and children shouldn’t breathe in chemicals that can harm their brains on their way to school,” she said.
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