WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T TAKE THE BLACK PILL:

SOCIALISM IS JUST PEOPLE WHO NEVER DID ANYTHING ORDERING AROUND THE PEOPLE WHO DO THINGS UNTIL NOTHING GETS DONE:

I’m old enough to remember when Newsweek was the more-or-less centrist of the big newsweeklies.

UPDATE (From Ed): I’m old enough to remember when the then-Washington Post-owned Newsweek declared at the dawn of the Obama era:

In the February 16 issue of Newsweek (on newsstands February 9), “We Are All Socialists Now,” Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham and Evan Thomas observe that the America of 2009 has become a more socialist country, and the shift began not under a Democrat but a Republican. Plus: how the United States is turning European; the draw of gangs in L.A.; the blackberry president; why Americans don’t hate the rich; and an interview with the Prime Minister of Pakistan. (PRNewsFoto/NEWSWEEK) (Newscom TagID: prnphotos078747) [Photo via Newscom]

WAS THAT WRONG? California High-Speed Rail Chief Quits Over Spending Scandal. “Earlier this month, the board voted to strip Choudri of his authority to sign or manage contracts under $25 million, and also required in-house legal review of contracts, which must have taken most of the fun out of the job — but more on that below.”

BUCKLE UP: Taiwan 2027 conflict window remains valid, Army Pacific commander says.

Known as the “Davidson window,” the timeline is named for retired Adm. Phil Davidson, former head of US Indo-Pacific Command. In 2021, Davidson told the Senate Armed Services Committee that China could develop the capability to invade Taiwan within the following six years.

The 2027 date has since served as a planning benchmark for US and allied forces preparing to deter potential Chinese aggression against the self-governed island, which Beijing claims as its territory.

Clark, who served as Davidson’s chief of staff when he made the proclamation, said Army Pacific is working to move forces and equipment in the region to deter conflict during that period.

“We’ve embarked upon a strategic approach to setting the theater that we refer to as Army Ready Forward,” Clark said. The effort involves positioning equipment, materiel and personnel on a rotational basis across the first and second island chains west of the international date line.

The goal is to be ready by April 2, 2027, he said.

It’s been surreal, the Pentagon openly talking about this risk for six years, and until recently, doing so little about it.

VOTE AS THOUGH YOUR LIFE, LIBERTY, AND PROPERTY DEPEND UPON IT:

CHANGE?

KRUISER’S MORNING BRIEFING: NYT — Yeah, Obama Totally Knew About Omar’s Immigration Incest. “The New York Times usually only trots out the unnamed ‘officials’ when it wants to run a hit piece on Trump. That throws an interesting twist into this convoluted story. Yeah, it’s big news that the Obama DOJ was onto Omar’s brotherwife immigration scam, but the fact that The New York Times is the news organization informing us of that fact brings up more than a few questions.”

WHAT’S THIS, A BABY BOOM AMONG HILL AIDES? Could very well be, judging from the latest Hill Staff Views post on HillFaith. Given the average age of Hill staffers is 27, could this mean a new Baby Boomer generation is coming into focus?

AND YOU CAN TELL THE TROOPS LOVE HIM FOR IT.

OH MY: Hegseth firing Sylvia isn’t office politics — he smoked out a wartime mole.

The explosive fallout dominating today’s news cycle over War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s firing of Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia — the Pentagon’s top military planner accused of leaking classified information related to the Iran war — proves that internal subversion remains an active threat to national security. According to reports breaking on Fox News, Sylvia was ousted after failing three polygraph examinations concerning unauthorized disclosures to reporters.

The timing of this rapidly unfolding development could not be more dangerous. With the critical midterm elections days away and President Donald Trump openly weighing whether to resume major military operations or broker a peace deal, the alleged leaking of classified strategic options directly undercuts the commander in chief at the exact moment he needs total operational cohesion.

This institutional resistance is a chronic affliction of the modern executive branch, long utilized by disgruntled bureaucrats to sabotage the agendas of duly elected presidents.

It’s been more than 30 years since Col. David Hackworth wrote “Nuke the Pentagon” for Playboy, and it’s still a great idea.

GREAT MOMENTS IN PRIORITIES:

UPDATE (FROM GLENN):

Yes, she really said that.

VLADIMIR PUTIN CALLED AND TOLD LULA TO DIAL IT BACK A FEW NOTCHES:

 

CORN, POPPED:

UPDATE (FROM GLENN):