Quick Hits

The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 that the political parties also have the same right to reduced ad rates on television before an election that candidates do.

The one holdout? The one who isn't a biologist and also still wears a mask in public.

The Supreme Court on Friday lifted a ruling that prevented party committees from accessing cheaper advertising rates in the lead-up to November's elections, siding with Republicans, for now, in an emergency case that drew staunch Democratic opposition.

Federal law mandates that broadcast stations offer their lowest available rate in the 60 days preceding a general election. Everyone agrees candidates get the discount, but whether political parties and joint fundraising committees can, too, has come under question.

The court appeared to split 8-1, though the justices don't have to disclose their votes in emergency decisions publicly. The majority said that federal courts had no authority yet to intervene in the dispute.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the court's junior liberal justice, publicly dissented. In a one-paragraph opinion, she explained the lower panel likely had authority to move ahead.

Republicans' Senate and House campaign arms -- boasting a cash advantage and backed by the Trump administration -- brought the fight to the Supreme Court after Democratic candidates sued to stop them from accessing the cheaper rate.

Democrats are suddenly suing to stop this because, of course, the RNC has a huge amount of money right now and the DNC is broke.

With the midterms less than a dozen weeks away, the Republican National Committee continues to boast a massive cash advantage over its Democratic counterpart, according to Federal Election Commission disclosures made by both committees on Wednesday.

The filings, which cover the month of July, show that the Democratic National Committee had about $16 million of cash on hand at the end of the month compared with the Republican National Committee's $130 million in cash.

The DNC also has $17.9 million in debts, though the committee has reduced its debts by roughly 3 percent from the $18.5 million in debts and obligations owed at the end of June.

The Democrats' fundraising arm has been mired in money issues for months: The Washington Post reported in July that though DNC Chair Ken Martin and allies expected Democratic victories and the approaching midterms to bring major donors back, that hasn't materialized.

Michael Shellenberger:

Michael Shellenberger @shellenberger

Reporters use the label "far right" 3 to 14 times more often than "far left." The term implies that the parties opposing mass migration are undemocratic. In fact, they're winning elections. The real fascists are the ones censoring, banning, and prosecuting their enemies.

Michael Shellenberger
@shellenberger

38m

Political parties that oppose mass migration are "far-right," according to most of the mainstream news media.

The Associated Press reported on Sunday that "the far-right Alternative for Germany was projected to win a strong victory in a regional election," and characterized the party as "anti-migration and Russia-friendly."

Reuters called France's presidential front-runner the "far-right candidate Marine Le Pen." AP described Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as "the head of a far-right party" who "backs curbing migration and promoting traditional values." Euronews labeled both her Brothers of Italy party and Matteo Salvini's League as "far-right."

Others describe Reform UK as a "far-right political party" and call its head, Nigel Farage, "leader of the far-right, anti-immigration party Reform UK."

The label implies that these parties are fascist, but by the standards of scholars who study fascism, they are not.

Roger Griffin, who wrote in 2020 that members of the International Association of Comparative Fascist Studies had "broadly adopted" his definition of fascism as "a revolutionary form of ultranationalism," and that "none of the leaders of illiberal democracies are actually fascist," and that the danger of parties like the Rassemblement National "is precisely that they are NOT fascist."

Tim Bale of Queen Mary University of London noted that the term "far right" is a "loaded, weaponised term" likely to "cause confusion and controversy in equal measure."

Even Gideon Rachman of the Financial Times, who is hostile to right-wing populists, admitted in 2024 that "if a party pushes policies that liberals regard as unpleasant, reactionary or even racist but does that within the framework of democratic politics and the rule of law, the term 'far right' may no longer be appropriate." And Rachman said Meloni "to date has looked like a relatively conventional conservative in power..."

Communists always lie. The first rule of Communist Club is denying the existence of Communist Club.

War Correspondent @warDaniel47

6h

🚨 WOW! Fox News just absolutely stunned Sen. Jeane Shaheen (D).

SHAHEEN: I haven't heard anyone in my party wanting to give illegals taxpayer-funded healthcare!

FOX: I'm glad you said that. I have some tape...

"Show of hands: provide coverage for illegal aliens?"

EVERY DEMOCRAT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: *Raises hand*

FOX: That's literally every member of your party...from moderate to progressive. 💀

LA police decide to finally crack down on "teen takeovers" and illegal street racing.

Dozens of arrests were made and hundreds of citations were issued when the Los Angeles Police Department completed "Operation Street Sweeper" overnight, busting a Harbor Gateway street takeover.

A fleet of tow trucks and buses was called to the scene to arrest drivers and spectators and impound vehicles.

According to LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, "Operation Street Sweeper" was planned ahead of time using intelligence gathering and drone technology that helped officers predict the locations of four separate street takeovers.

The operation conducted by LAPD's Street Racing Task Force culminated in a massive scene at the intersection of South Figueroa Street and West Alondra Boulevard around 2 a.m. LAPD said over 700 people were gathered for an illegal street takeover at the intersection.

More than 150 LAPD officers were deployed to the scene and surrounded the massive gathering, taking dozens of people into custody and citing hundreds more.

In total, McDonnell said 66 people were arrested for participating in or aiding in a street race or takeover. Three additional arrests were made: one for assaulting an officer, one for battery and one for obstructing or interfering with officers.

In addition to the nearly 70 arrests, 570 citations were issued, McDonnell said. Of those 570 citations, 442 were issued for being a spectator at a speed contest or exhibition of speed. An additional 128 citations were issued for juveniles who were out past the city of Los Angeles' 10 p.m. curfew for minors. McDonnell said the youngest person was just 11 years old.

Law enforcement impounded a total of 200 vehicles from the scene, and in the process of making arrests and issuing citations, McDonnell said seven firearms were recovered. Canisters of nitrous oxide were reportedly also recovered.

More: She's a "caregiver."

posted by Disinformation Expert Ace at 05:30 PM

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