The Morning Report — 2/19/26

Good morning kids. I link to the latest essay from lurker extraordinaire and Ace cruelty fanboi #1 Prof. Victor Davis Hanson if for no other reason than it's great to see his byline due to his recent serious health issues. While the gravamen of his as usual erudite discourse is, at least to all of us and anyone with more than two functioning brain cells to rub together, obvious, to wit:

Biden’s border chaos wasn’t accidental—it was a political strategy to reshape America’s electorate and expand left-wing power.

To even expand upon this with the observation that no wonder the Democrat/Left is now actively fomenting and engaging in political/legal/judicial obstruction, as well as violent confrontations with federal and local law enforcement officers attempting to do their duty; all of which IMHO and that of legal experts and historians constitutes dictionary definition insurrection and revolution — would earn me a well deserved, duh, hey, no shit Sherlock!

If I want to be an optimist, I could look at that observation by the good professor Hanson as perhaps a tacit admission by the Democrat/Left that their political influence/brand and policies do not resonate with the vast majority of the American people and indeed are turning them off in droves, regardless of their controlling the high ground of the media, culture and most crucially academia. Had it been otherwise, HIllary Clinton should have won massive back-to-back victories in 2016 and 2020 and we'd now be enduring the second half of a Tim Kaine regime, or the vicissitudes of American politics being what they are even a Jeb Bush administration.

Instead, three times (yes 2020 was stolen) the American people chose not only a Republican but an anti-establishment outsider named Donald J. Trump. The question remains, will he be a one-off or has there been or are we still in the midst of a sea change in the political/cutural dynamic of our nation that puts us back on the path to sanity or are we still headed off of a cliff?

The forecast from the American Redistricting Project shows Democrats losing nine seats in reliable blue states. Two swing states, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, would each lose a seat. Those 11 seats would go to states that Trump won in 2024. A different projection from Jonathan Cervas at Carnegie Mellon University has solid red and lean red states gaining 13 seats.

If these projections hold, the Republican presidential candidate in 2032 could lose Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nevada and win the presidency. The Democratic candidate would have to win those swing states and either Arizona or Georgia.

Liberals could help mitigate this by having more babies. Blue states can’t make adults stay, but newborns don’t have a choice. That’s unlikely to happen. The Institute for Family Studies found that in 2023 the 10 states with the highest fertility rates were deep red states. The 10 states with the lowest fertility rates were deep blue states. Further, conservative women have more kids.
This trend is unlikely to reverse. Just 25% of women who voted for Kamala Harris said they wanted children, a recent New York Times poll found. Among Trump voters, it was 43%. Both numbers skew low because the response group includes adults 45 and older.

You can see the left’s dilemma. People are fleeing the misery caused by its terrible policies, while its adherents reproduce at low levels.

From the essay "Trump isn't just deporting illegals. He's deporting the voters Dems need," to which my snarky but accurate retort is Unfotuntately, you can't deport dead people and mail-in ballots: which no doubt comprise the vast majority of Democrat votes in any given election.

And speaking of violent insurrections aimed at the destruction of America as founded . . .

Speaking on "The Dan Bongino Show," Patel said the FBI under President Donald Trump has been conducting a financial investigation into how demonstrations linked to the loosely organized far-left movement are supported.

"These organizations don’t operate alone or in silence," Patel said. "They operate with a heavy, heavy stream of funding.

And we started looking into it, and guess what? We found them."

. . .Patel didn't name specific donors, financial institutions, or nonprofits, but he did confirm that federal agents are examining whether funding flowed through U.S.-based nonprofit groups, including some with tax-exempt status, and whether foreign sources played a role.

He said more details could emerge in the coming months as the investigation develops.

If proven, the implications are enormous.

Antifa has long described itself as an idea, not an organization. Members work in loose networks, often masked and decentralized, and deny the lack of a leadership structure.

Yet coordinated violence has appeared in city after city.

Find the money, seize every RED cent, emphasis on the word RED for obvious reasons, and dismantle with extreme prejudice the sources from whence it comes. Be it Beijing, Davos and/or DNC headquarters.

It's us or them.

Have a great day.

And lastly, a quick shout-out and a huge thank you for your continued support in hitting our tip jar. It truly is appreciated more than you can know.

ABOVE THE FOLD, BREAKING, NOTEWORTHY LINKS
• Victor Davis Hanson: Biden’s border chaos wasn’t accidental—it was a political strategy to reshape America’s electorate and expand left-wing power.
  Why Exactly Did They Destroy the Border?
  
• A biological warfare mass casualty attack waiting to happen?
  Biological Agents Infiltrate America

CIVIL WAR 2.0, LEFTIST PERSECUTIONS, DEMOCRAT PUTSCH, AMERICAN DISSOLUTION
• Trump-appointed Judge Mark Pittman declared a mistrial for nine people accused of organizing a July 2025 attack against an Alvarado immigration facility, citing defense lawyer MarQuetta Clayton’s “politically charged” shirt bearing images of Shirley Chisholm and other civil rights movement figures, KERA and journalist Andy Ngo reported. The day also brought another roadblock as prospective jurors expressed hostile opinions toward Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and President Donald Trump while under questioning, according to KERA. (RELATED: Alleged Antifa Leader Who Fled FBI Now Set To Testify In Terrorism Trial)
  Lefties Sabotage America’s First Antifa Terrorism Trial On Day One
  
• Patel didn't name specific donors, financial institutions, or nonprofits, but he did confirm that federal agents are examining whether funding flowed through U.S.-based nonprofit groups, including some with tax-exempt status, and whether foreign sources played a role. He said more details could emerge in the coming months as the investigation develops. If proven, the implications are enormous.
  Kash Patel Says the FBI Found Antifa’s Money
  
• Senators grilled a Trump nominee over “white culture,” ignoring that what they call taboo is really just the traditional American culture most have long lived in.
  What Is White Culture?
  
• "What's happening in Minneapolis right now is a tightly-organized, highly-focused ground game that is designed to serve as the battle royale between socialism and the American way of life," said photographer Chris Birt. (Hat tip to CJN commenter Beverly - jjs)
  Siege and socialism: Photographer captures the consequences of sanctuary policy in the Twin Cities
  
• Mamdani has already foolishly repealed an Adams-era executive order that let the feds monitor Tren de Aragua and other gangs inside the Rikers Island jails. Politico reports that Commissar Mostofi will invent new, more severe penalties for city workers who flout “sanctuary” mandates. This comes on the heels of Mamdani tapping Faiza Ali — a 'Palestinian' activist with ties to the controversial Council on American-Islamic Relations and notorious anti-Israel activist Linda Sarsour/Farfour (the Hamas Louse) — as the city’s new chief immigration officer.
  Mamdani wants ‘Minneapolis everywhere’ with his ‘sanctuary-plus’ edicts
  * * * * *

• Lloyd Billingsley: Kash Patel must tell the truth about slain DHW whistleblower Philip Haney.
  Dead Reckoning for the FBI

  "DEMOCRAT/LEFTIST/GLOBALIST BORDER BLOODBATH," AMNESTY, IMMIGRATION, BORDER SECURITY

• As protests and riots against ICE grow more common, formal state and local cooperation with ICE grows far more common.
  While Democrats’ Anti-ICE Fury Escalates, Americans Show They Want Immigration Laws Enforced
  
• "Sanctuary politicians must stop releasing pedophiles, murderers, rapists, and kidnappers into our neighborhoods."
  ICED OUT: Sanctuary Release Of Illegal Immigrant ‘Pedophile’ Backfires
  
• Illinois was given 30 days to revoke the unlawfully issued licenses or risk losing $128 million in federal highway funding.
  Trump Admin Audit Finds 20% of Commercial Driver’s Licenses Issued to Foreigners Were Unlawful.

  DOMESTIC AFFAIRS, THE COURTS, WASTE/FRAUD/ABUSE

• A $135 billion train, a $1.2 billion capitol annex and FBI raids.
  California Politicians Pass Law Hiding Corruption from the Public

• A few hundred thousand bureaucrats crossing the Potomac never to hold a government do-nothing job again is a good start!
  Keep Firing Federal Freeloaders
  
• People like Mamdani won’t ever consider slashing the budget and stop spending. It’s appalling.
  Mamdani Proposes 9.5% Property Tax Hike if New York Won’t Pass Wealth Tax
  
• Prince George’s County, Md., was planning to evict hundreds of residents from the Marylander Condominiums on Thursday after vandalism from a nearby homeless encampment plunged the property into disrepair. Now, thanks to an eleventh-hour intervention by a Maryland court, those plans have been put on hold.
  Maryland Judge Forestalls Condo Evictions at Eleventh Hour as Squalid Homeless Encampment Remains Intact
  
• "Alaska native" firms, most often in Virginia, were paid $45 billion in Pentagon contracts thanks to DEI law.
  How A Top Pentagon Contractor Enriches DC Insiders Using Law Intended To Help Eskimos

  THE ECONOMY, STUPID

• Positive trends in industrial production and manufacturing output reflect continued economic resilience.
  Trump Economy: U.S. Industrial Output Soars in January.
  
• Overall industrial production rose 0.7 percent compared with December, the third consecutive month of rising output. Compared with a year ago, industrial production is up 2.3 percent and is at the highest level in the post-pandemic era. The monthly gain was more than twice the 0.3 percent forecast by analysts.
  Industrial Production Surges on Business and Consumer Demand to Post-Pandemic High
  
• In December 2025, the Colorado Chamber of Commerce’s Colorado Scorecard for 2025 received bad news when 45% of the business leaders who participated said they planned “to invest out of state.”
  Software Company Palantir Flees Colorado for Florida
  
• The New York Fed research has fueled a new round of partisan attacks on President Trump’s tariff polices, despite a plethora of counter evidence.
  Trump’s Top Econ Advisor Blasts ‘Embarrassing’ Federal Reserve Tariff Study: ‘Worst Paper Ever Seen.’

  CRIME & PUNISHMENT, NON-DOSTOYEVSKY

• “We have entered into a terrifying turning point in American history,” Blue Lives Matter posted on X. “It was bad enough seeing corrupt, far-left judges betray our justice system. But now… liberals have figured out how to destroy the juries as well.”
  Mistrial Declared in Capital Murder Case Involving Venezuelan Gang TdA

  FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES, CENSORSHIP, FAKE NEWS, MEDIA, BIG BROTHER TECH

• This is what banning free speech looks like.
  NY AG Warns School Boards Not to Allow Public to Question Boys Playing Against Girls

• Across Europe, countries including the UK and Germany are considering social media bans for minors, citing concerns that the platforms are harmful and addictive. In early February, French authorities raided the Paris offices of Elon Musk’s social media platform X as part of a years-long criminal investigation into alleged algorithm manipulation and the spread of illegal content.
  ‘Pure Bullsh*t’: Macron Attacks Free Speech In Push For More Government Control
  
• Authorities charged a group of nine far-left militants with fatally beating 23-year-old Quentin Deranque in Lyon, France, during a protest. The BBC published the headline, “Nine arrested in France over death of far-right student,” which sparked outrage among conservatives online.
  BBC’s Headline On Conservative Student Beaten To Death Sparks Massive Backlash
  
• Slash the budget. I mean, why did Illinois spend $4.4 million to podcasting and production studios?
  Illinois Gov. Pritzker Wants to Charge Social Media Accounts for Existing
  * * * * *

• The Trump administration campaigned on eradicating Big Tech censorship of conservatives, but it’s a huge octopus-armed problem which needs big brain focus from the White House.
  Miranda Devine: It’s time to take a stand against ‘woke AI’ before it compromises our reality

  RED-GREENS, CLIMATE CHANGE HOAX, DEMOCRAT-LEFT WAR ON FOSSIL FUELS,

• The U.S. may either reform the IEA or withdraw, potentially altering the agency’s approach to energy policy and security.
  Trump Considers Ditching International Energy Agency Captured by Green Agenda Ideologues.

  EDUCATION, AND WHAT PASSES FOR IT

• Competition and student choice foster innovation and produce better outcomes.
  Trump, McMahon just delivered another higher education victory
  
• Nadine Sébag, who taught French at the UN International School for 30 years, ultimately received a ‘constructive termination,’ according to a new lawsuit
  A Jewish Teacher at a UN School in New York City Reported Anti-Semitic Harassment to Officials. They Investigated Her Instead.

• The search committee's partisan makeup provides a window into how Georgetown Law
  landed on Magill as its next leader.
  The former Penn president resigned in disgrace in December 2023, a year and 5 months into her tenure - shortly after she told Congress, in testimony that caused a national uproar, that calls for the genocide of Jews may be permissible under campus rules.
  The Resurrection of Liz Magill: Georgetown Law Search Committee That Tapped Disgraced Penn President As Dean Included 11 Democrat Donors and a Democrat Political Aide
  
• Iowa and Oklahoma are delivering voters the opposite of the history curriculum improvements they voted for, while Texas and Wyoming hang in the balance.
  Red States Struggling To Deliver On Promises Of Pro-American History In Public Schools

  L'AFFAIRE EPSTEIN

• The Justice Department released its latest tranche of documents relating to the late Epstein which revealed that Ghislaine Maxwell played a significant role in the Clinton orbit of politics.
  Epstein Files Reveals Ghislaine Maxwell’s ‘Central Role’ in Setting Up Clinton Global Initiative Despite Hillary Clinton Saying They Had Met ‘On a Few Occasions’
  
• “The ranks of the Epstein skeptics are growing.”
  The Epstein Next Door
  
• The deposition adds to ongoing scrutiny over Epstein’s network and the release of over three million pages of files under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
  Alleged Epstein Co-Conspirator Les Wexner Tells Congress He Was ‘Naïve, Foolish, and Gullible.’

  DEMOCRAT/LEFTIST AND RINO SCANDALS, MESHUGAS, CHUTZPOCRISY, INSANITY

• The press release described the planned event — which will be hosted by MoveOn Civic Action and MediasTouch — as a “rally counterprogramming President Trump’s night full of lies.”
  Dozen Democrats Plot To Go AWOL For Trump State Of Union, Host Leftist Pep Rally Instead
  
• Joe Morrissey himself received a pardon from Virginia's governor after child sex charge.
  FBI Probe Into Scandal-Plagued Democrat Uncovers Explosive Allegations
  
• I don’t know if Massie is a RINO or just stubborn, but last week’s vote was just the tip of the iceberg. Massie has made a habit of voting differently from his colleagues.
  Massie’s Price for a Vote? A Press Release — and a Pat on the Head

  POLITICS

• “The Republican electorate in California is split between Steve Hilton at 38 percent and Chad Bianco at 37 percent, while Hilton also picks up a plurality of independent voters at 22 percent,” said the pollster, Emerson. “Democratic voters have not yet clearly coalesced around one candidate.”
  Shock Poll: Republican Steve Hilton Leads in California Governor’s Race
  
• Some Virginians have noticed what appears to be a lack of institutional effort by Republicans in battling the referendum.
  Dems Rig Virginia Vote With Misleading Ballot Language Equating Gerrymandering Push To ‘Fairness’
  
• Trump isn't just deporting illegals. He's deporting the voters Dems need. (Unfotuntately, you can't deport dead people and mail-in ballots: which no doubt comprise the vast majority of Democrat votes in any given election - jjs)
  Democrats Face a Demographic Doom Spiral
  
• We’re just a bunch of moderates, nothing to see here.
  Democrats Reveal Their 2026 Strategy

  IRAN ON the BRINK?!

• Axios: “The Trump administration is closer to a major war in the Middle East than most Americans realize.” 
  Speculation Increases That War Against Iran is Imminent

  ISRAEL vs IRAN & GAZA/HAMAS . . . AND LEFTISTS

• You know, our NATO ally, moderate, secular Turkey.
  Turkey Opens Gaza Mosque Named for al-Qaeda Founder
  
• Friedman cites phony Soros-PLO poll to smear Israel as apartheid pariah state
  New York Times Columnist Tom Friedman Plays His Readers for Fools—Again

  
  FOREIGN AFFAIRS, INTERNATIONAL

• It's hard to put into words just how historic this is, but it's yet another win for the Trump administration. I just Googled it to see if the MSM is reporting on it — so far, it looks like just a few outlets, like the Jerusalem Post and Reuters, are the only others mentioning it. That could change tomorrow, but the media does not like to celebrate these wins. I will. 
  Historic: A Surprise High-Level U.S. Visitor Lands in Venezuela
  
• The Cuban Communist Party has survived in power for over 67 years as a result of receiving economic support from political allies – for most of its existence, the Soviet Union, and later socialist Venezuela following the collapse of the USSR. Oil-rich Venezuela, under both Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chávez, offered the Castro regime years of free or extremely reduced-priced oil in exchange for political and security support from Havana. Oil shipments from Venezuela abruptly ended after President Donald Trump ordered an operation to arrest Maduro on narco-terrorism charges in January.
  Cuba Sends Top Diplomat to Russia, Seeking Support in Face of Trump-Led Oil Crackdown
  
• The statement highlights strain between the White House and State Department officials on foreign policy, as well as the British government.
  Trump Countersignals His Own State Dept AGAIN on ‘Big Mistake’ Diego Garcia Deal.
  
• "We are part of one civilization . . . bound to one another by the deepest bonds that nations could share."
  Rubio Follows in Reagan’s Footsteps

  DEFENSE, MILITARY, SECURITY AFFAIRS

• Daniel Greenfield: How many American elected officials actually work for China?
  California Mayor’s Campaign Manager was a Chinese Spy

• Jennifer Daskal, a Biden junta apparatchik who helped launch the short-lived Disinformation Governance Board, has been appointed as an advisor to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) as of Feb. 1.
  Republicans Tense Up As Official Who Created ‘Disinformation Board’ In Biden Years Takes On New Role

  HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE

• Vinay Prasad, the head of the FDA’s vaccine and biologics division, initially refused to review the vaccine because of an inadequate clinical trial.

  FDA Changes Mind, Will Review Moderna’s Flu Shot
  

• Pteropine orthoreovirus is a naturally occurring virus rather than the product of genetic manipulation in a Wuhan lab.
  New Bat Virus in South Asia Shows Nipah‑Like Symptoms but No Signs of Pandemic Potential
  
• The video features Kennedy and Kid Rock spending time together, eating food, posing with the American flag and the Statue of Liberty, and working out side by side. Kennedy is shown using a seated arm curl machine, while Kid Rock uses a cable machine with Kennedy exercising beside him on a similar machine. In another segment, Kennedy holds Kid Rock’s feet while he performs crunches. Kid Rock is also seen using a lying leg curl machine before Kennedy uses the same equipment.
  HHS Sec Kennedy, Kid Rock Team Up for ‘Rock Out Workout’ Encouraging Americans to ‘GET ACTIVE + EAT REAL FOOD’

  FEMINAZISM, TRANSGENDER PSYCHOSIS, HOMOSEXUALIZATION, WAR ON MASCULINITY/NORMALCY

• He then slurs “anti-pedophiles” for being “monsters” and “predators.”
  ‘Trans’ activist hands out pro-pedophile literature in Seattle park, argues age is just a number
  
• Dr. Geoffrey Stiller says his brutal surgeries make patients "happy about who they are." They've also made him millions in Medicaid payments.
  Taxpayers Pay Millions To Surgeon Who Performs ‘Transgender’ Surgeries In Prisons

  CULTURE WARS, NATIONAL SUICIDE

• Irish rockers U2 have released a short album on Ash Wednesday titled Days of Ash, with a track celebrating radical anti-ICE activist Renee Good and ripping Trump supporters as “the people of the lie.”
  U2 Attacks MAGA as ‘People of the Lie’ in Renee Good Protest Song ‘American Obituary’
  
• Eileen Gu, the California-born Olympian who chose to represent Communist China instead of the United States, says it is “not her business” to address the fate of thousands of Muslim-majority Uyghurs experiencing genocide in the country she competes for.
  Eileen Gu, U.S.-Born Olympian Competing for China, Says Uyghur Genocide Is ‘Not Her Business’
  
• The freedom American athletes enjoy is the reason we embody such excellence at the games.
  The Olympics Controversy That’s Suddenly About America Itself
  
• Christian Toto: Woke apology stirs late-night king, not Oscar-winners behind horror classic
  Gutfeld Defends ‘Silence of the Lambs’ While Actors Stay Silent
  
• By mainstreaming divorce, Reformation and Wasser are complicit in undermining the foundational bonds that sustain human flourishing, and this cannot go unchecked.
  Hollywood Lawyer’s Collab With Fashion Giant Fueling Societal Unraveling
  
• Red-state lawmakers preach Christ, pray publicly, and post crosses—but when it comes to defending marriage, their faith stops at words.
  Christ Is King, but Marriage Is Nothing?
  
• Forlesia Cook, whose grandson was killed in a 2017 shooting, took to the stage to praise President Trump’s tough stance on crime and fired back at those who would criticize his treatment of black Americans.
  Granny knows best Grandma’s fiery defense of Trump steals the show at Black History Month celebration: ‘Back off him’

  HITHER & YON

• The “Reagan” film. . . is told from the perspective of a fictional KGB agent (Jon Voight) assigned to observe Reagan over a multi-decade period. And it works. “Reagan” is an effective movie. 
  Ronald Reagan’s Imaginary Enemy

• Then there was the time Jesse Jackson lied about holding MLK's body
  Jesse Jackson is Shaking Down Corporations in Heaven Now(I believe Jackson's "soul" such as it was is now residing in a place that is considerably far to the south of Heaven, and a Hell of a lot hotter! - jjs)

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posted by J.J. Sefton at 07:17 AM

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