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CPAC crowd cheers for Trump impeachment hearings

Trump
© Celal Gunes / Gettyimages.ru
In a moment that captured the growing unease within conservative circles, Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, found himself in an awkward spot at this year's CPAC in the Dallas area on Friday. While attempting to rally the crowd, Schlapp asked, "How many of you would like to see impeachment hearings?" The audience erupted in cheers. Visibly caught off guard, he quickly backpedaled: "No... that was the wrong answer." He tried again - "Let's try that again, how many of you would like to see impeachment hearings?" - only for the crowd to cheer again. Flustered, Schlapp joked about needing coffee for the attendees before pivoting to a safer topic: keeping the House majority.

The incident unfolded against the backdrop of heated discussions at the conference about the U.S.-Israeli military actions in Iran. It was not the unified show of support Trump allies had hoped for - and it signaled deeper fractures in the MAGA base over foreign policy.

Dollars

Louisville forced to pay $800,000 for unconstitutional demands on Christian photographer

Chelsey Nelson
The city of Louisville, Kentucky, has agreed to pay $800,000 in attorney fees to settle a case with a Christian photographer who fought to protect her religious and free speech rights over the years of litigation. Louisville ultimately spent a fortune to force Chelsey Nelson to photograph same sex marriages under its nondiscrimination laws. When combined with its own litigation costs, the case likely cost the city and the courts millions to deny Nelson her constitutional rights.

In prior columns, academic articles, and my book, "The Indispensable Right, I discussed the never-ending litigation targeting Jack Phillips, the Christian baker who declined to make cakes that violated his religious beliefs.

The case went all the way to the Supreme Court in what many of us hoped would be a final resolution of this conflict. I had long criticized the framing of the case (and other cases) under the religious clauses rather than treating it as a matter of free speech. In the end, the Supreme Court punted in a maddening 2018 decision that technically ruled in favor of Phillips based on a finding that the Commission showed anti-religious bias against Phillips.

Clipboard

Uncomfortable truth: It's not 'racism', it's statistics...

makeup locked up stores
© TurbulentLeek/redditSecurity precautions at Walmart
A viral video has revealed that CVS is locking up darker makeup shades behind security devices while lighter ones sit open — because stores secure what thieves steal most, and the data backs it up.

A shopper at CVS captured the scene with lighter skin-tone foundations and concealers displayed freely, no locks and no tags, yet the darker shades were all secured behind anti-theft devices.

This isn't "racism." It's basic loss prevention. Retailers don't waste money locking up products that don't walk out the door. They follow the numbers.

Oil Pipeline

Slovenia becomes first EU country to introduce fuel rationing

gas station
© ReutersPetrol stations will have to police the new government-imposed restrictions
Slovenia has become the first EU member state to implement fuel rationing to tackle disruptions caused by the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and its retaliation on their allies in the Gulf - most major players in world energy markets.

Many countries have been experiencing steep hikes in fuel prices.

In Slovenia, this has resulted in so-called "fuel tourism", as drivers from neighbouring countries, particularly Austria, take advantage of the lower, regulated prices here.

Under the new measures, private motorists in Slovenia will be restricted to a maximum purchase of 50 litres of fuel per day. Businesses and farmers have a more generous allowance of 200 litres.

Some fuel retailers had already imposed measures of their own. Hungary's MOL, which operates petrol stations across the region, had already imposed a 30-litre limit.

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Everyday life in Asia is being upended by Iran war fuel crisis

indian child
© ReutersIndia has been hit hard by closures in the Strait of Hormuz due to a high portion of LPG imports coming from the Gulf
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the US and Israel began their war with Iran in late February has sent shockwaves across the globe.

Oil prices have soared and stock markets have wobbled as the world waits to see when Iran will allow the key waterway - through which about 20% of all oil passes - to reopen.

At the moment, only a handful of ships make it through the strait each day. Meanwhile, the attacks on energy infrastructure in the region have only served to push prices higher.

Arguably, nowhere has felt it more than Asia: nearly 90% of the oil and gas passing through the strait is bound for Asian countries.

And already, the strain is being felt.

Red Flag

New Zealand to give cash payments to some low income families as global fuel crisis worsens

gas station
© Dave Lintott/REX/ShutterstockPetrol prices have surged in New Zealand since the US-Israel war on Iran began
Nearly 150,000 New Zealand families will soon receive a weekly cash payment to help them afford petrol, the government has announced, in what is believed to be the world's first fuel relief package that directly pays citizens since the Iran war began.

On Tuesday, prime minister Christopher Luxon and finance minister Nicola Willis announced roughly 143,000 families with children will get an extra NZ$50 ($29.20; £21.80) a week through a boost to the in-work tax credit - a payment to families with dependent children where at least one parent is in paid employment and neither parent receives benefits. Another 14,000 families on slightly higher incomes will also be eligible for payments, but will receive less than $50 per week.

The increase will be temporary, lasting for one year from 1 April, or until the price of 91 octane petrol drops below $3 ($1.75; £1.30) a litre for four consecutive weeks.

Bullseye

"Will you help me repair my door?": Rapper Afroman wins major free speech verdict

afroman Joseph Foreman
© WCPO via APThe rapper Afroman, born Joseph Foreman, testifying in a civil defamation lawsuit in Adams County, Ohio, March 17, 2026.
When singer Joseph E. Foreman took the stand recently in Ohio, his message, like his lyrics, was hardly subtle. Indeed, counsel may have been unsure whether to examine or to hoist him. The rapper, known as "Afroman," appeared in a suit modeled after an American flag with matching flag-patterned sunglasses. He lashed out at the seven police officers who raided his home and then sued him for publicly mocking them. He insisted that he was the virtual embodiment of the First Amendment in all of its glory.

A jury agreed, at least insofar as finding him protected in his parody and public portrayal of the officers.

Almost three years ago, I wrote about the case and expressed deep skepticism about the legal viability of the case in light of free speech protections for filming and criticizing public officials.

Foreman, 51, became famous for a humorous rap song, "Because I Got High." Later, he became even more famous after the released security camera footage of officers breaking down the door to his home and holding him and his family at bay with drawn weapons. While the warrant was granted to look for evidence of kidnapping, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia, they found nothing.

AK47

Desperation: Army raises enlistment age to 42, eases marijuana restrictions

new recruits drill sargeant army military
© Sgt. Seth CohenThe Army upped the age cap for enlistment from 35 to 42 years old, amid other changes to its enlistment policies.
New recruiting rules bump the age limit for recruits from 35 to 42. Easing restrictions on a single marijuana possession conviction "accounts for changes in society," one expert said.

The Army upped the age cap for enlistment from 35 to 42 years old, amid other changes to its enlistment policies. Army photo by Sgt. Seth Cohen.

A major update to Army recruiting regulations this week raises the maximum age a recruit can join to 42, and removes a barrier to joining for recruits with a single legal conviction for marijuana or drug paraphernalia possession.

The Army's previous limit was 35, though exceptions are occasionally made. The higher age limit brings the Army in line with other services' limits of 41 in the Navy and 42 in the Air Force and Space Force, Kate Kuzminski, who studies military recruiting for the Center for a New American Security, told Task & Purpose.

Comment: Just in time for the Empire's latest misadventure-in-waiting. Guess who will be following up the "Marines and Navy personnel"?


This is truly a bad idea:





Arrow Up

Bipartisan backlash grows as Trump administration expands Russian sanctions relief

Ship Ethera
© AFPThe seized Ethera, an oil tanker from the so-called shadow fleet Russia uses to circumvent Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine, is docked at the naval base in Zeebrugge, Belgium, on March 1.
US lawmakers are raising concerns after the Trump administration took additional steps to allow more Russian oil shipments to reach global markets despite existing sanctions.

Democrats and Republicans alike are demanding answers after the Treasury Department last week broadened a temporary policy allowing the sale and delivery of Russian crude that had already been loaded onto tankers, effectively loosening enforcement of sanctions at a sensitive moment in Moscow's war against Ukraine.

The step -- expanded in a follow-up Treasury action days later that extended and clarified the authorization for those shipments to be offloaded through April -- came as global oil markets were rattled by the conflict with Iran, a context administration officials say required short-term flexibility to prevent price spikes.

But lawmakers argue the policy risks handing the Kremlin a financial windfall just as it faces pressure on the battlefield.

Comment: The information void: An irrelevant congress fights back.


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Danish PM's party suffers worst election result in over a century - exit polls

Mette Frederiksen
© Getty ImagesDanish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen during joint press conference following talks at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany on June 11, 2025.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's Social Democrats party has suffered its worst election result in over a century, securing about 21.9% of the vote in Tuesday's general election - its lowest share since 1903 - according to exit polls.

While the party will remain the largest in the Folketing, the Danish parliament, it is projected to drop to 38 seats from 50. The entire left-leaning bloc appears short of a majority, with the Social Democrats, Liberals, and Moderates seen winning 84 seats in the 179-seat parliament, below the 90 needed.

Meanwhile, support for the right-wing anti-immigration Danish People's Party - led by Morten Messerschmidt - nearly tripled from the previous election to reach roughly 9.1%, up nearly seven percentage points, becoming one of the night's biggest winners. Messerschmidt had campaigned on a pledge to ensure zero net migration of Muslims and to abolish petrol taxes as a measure to ease living costs.

"The fact that the Danish People's Party has now tripled its support clearly shows that Danes are fed up with this and that there are a great many people who want a different direction for Denmark," Messerschmidt said after exit polls were published.

Comment: Europe is experiencing similar "surprising" election results this year. Supporting Ukraine has been very costly for the EU. If the Iran war continues or even escalates causing more economic grief for the populations, the current elites may find it difficult to remain in power.