April 30, 2026

MORE IMPROPER PAYMENTS BAD NEWS: America’s biggest employer-based health insurance program is sending out beaucoup checks to dead people, for people who aren’t eligible for benefits and service reimbursements far in excess of what is allowed, according to a blistering report by the Government Accounting Office (GAO). Trumpers are trying to eliminate the causes, which were largely ignored during the Biden years. More here on The Washington Stand.

Posted at 1:48 pm by Mark Tapscott

THE CORBYNIZATION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONTINUES APACE: Maine Shows Antisemitism Is a Shortcut to Success in the Modern Democratic Party.

Governor Janet Mills on Thursday announced that she was dropping out of the Maine Senate race, with polls showing her way behind Graham Platner, who is now presumed to be the Democrat who will go up against Senator Susan Collins in one of the most hotly contested races of the year.

Platner was largely unknown at this point last year and yet managed to drive a sitting governor out of the primary before a single vote was cast. But he had one thing going for him, which is that he gained attention for his antisemitism. That is a ticket to success in the modern Democratic Party.

Al Sharpton smiles.

UPDATE: Question asked:

Flashback: Steven F. Hayward’s review of Jonah Goldberg’s Liberal Fascism, from the January 2008 edition of the Weekly Standard.

Posted at 12:30 pm by Ed Driscoll

DISPATCHES FROM THE BLUE ZONES: Quixote Studios Lays Off 70, Winds Down L.A. Locations Amid Production Slump.

Hudson Pacific Properties bought the company in 2022 for $360 million, but has since had to write down the entire value of its Quixote unit due to heavy operating losses.

“Obviously, clearly it was not the best deal we’ve ever done, but if you compare that to everything else we’ve done, then we’re doing okay,” said Victor Coleman, the chairman and CEO of Hudson Pacific, at an investor conference in March. “We think that we have multiple alternatives with that asset that we can make it zero or at least flat at the end of the year.”

Quixote is kind of a big deal in L.A., where film and TV production jobs are down something like 40% from post-COVID highs.

Previously: Hollywood Is Sick — but It’s L.A. That’s Dying.

Posted at 11:43 am by Stephen Green

HILL AIDES SEE MISCONDUCT? Well, assuming the latest CNCT Capitol Pulse survey is indicative of the actual situation, it appears few aides working on Capitol Hill claim to have seen sexual misconduct by anyone on the congressional campus. Check it out on HillFaith.

Posted at 10:44 am by Mark Tapscott

NYC Mayor Mamdani’s latest pitch to tax the rich “not happening,” Gov. Kathy Hochul says.

The budget battle between New York City and New York state lawmakers is intensifying.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin are calling for a new way to tax the rich. They want the state to reduce something called the Pass-Through Equity Tax credit, aka PTET.

“The PTET is essentially a loophole that allows high-income earners to reduce their federal tax burden,” Mamdani said.

Menin joined the mayor in calling for the new revenue stream, which could mean another $1 billion to help close the city’s budget gap.

Gov. Kathy Hochul slammed the door on their proposal.

“That’s not happening,” Hochul said. “We are not changing PTET.”

Hochul seems smarter than Mamdani in that she knows when the sheep won’t take any more fleecing.

Posted at 10:41 am by Stephen Green

HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE:

Posted at 10:36 am by Glenn Reynolds

WHEN THEY TELL YOU WHO THEY ARE…:

Posted at 10:25 am by Stephen Green

HMM: United flight from SFO disrupted by ‘possible drone strike.’ “The pilots aboard United flight 1980 reported the strike prior to arriving at San Diego International Airport around 8:30 a.m. The airline said the flight landed safely and the 48 passengers deplaned without interference. A maintenance check found no damage on the aircraft.”

Posted at 9:39 am by Stephen Green

OPENAI BATTLE:

Posted at 9:23 am by Stephen Green

KRUISER’S MORNING BRIEFING: The Democrats’ Gerrymander Gloating Hits a Brick Wall. “Democrats have been operating ‘under the cover of civil rights law’ to racially gerrymander themselves into Congress. Our new junior senator from Arizona — Ruben Gallego — got his start in Washington by being elected to the House of Representatives from one such district. SCOTUS righted a wrong, and the Dems are apoplectic. Expect the progressive ‘pack the court’ talk to get louder now.”

Posted at 9:08 am by Stephen Green

NARRATIVE: TRUMP IS THE MOST UNPOPULAR PRESIDENT IN HISTORY!

Reality:

Posted at 9:07 am by Glenn Reynolds