Allyson

Way too many years ago, I went to an interfaith seminary, and trained to be an interfaith minister. It’s one accomplishment I’m very proud of, though I also think I learned as much or more by interning with a UCC minister friend for a year. We studied many different faiths, and how they interact. While I, myself, am quite pagan, I do understand different faiths call to different people. I rather like the idea that various gods have “their” people. G-d (the Jewish deity) called the Jews to be his people, and gave them Commandments, instructions, and information… much of which they didn’t pay as much attention to as they should have. A lot of their rituals and celebrations honor the folks who got them out of messes that their religious indiscretions got them into.

Hanukkah is not a big religious festival for the Jews. It was a minor one, until Christmas became so commercialized and messed with the Jewish kids. So now Jewish kids get presents as well as gelt, and some of the more pagan aspects of Christmas have snuck into Hanukkah celebrations. It’s all good. Winter is a time of darkness, and whether you celebrate the Birth of the Sun, the Birth of the Son, or the Miracle of the Lights, it’s all about warding off the darkness (albeit in very different ways).

This Hanukkah is different, though. Way too many of my Jewish friends (and I have a surprising number of them) are afraid this year. They have watched too many of their fellow Jews be slaughtered, and very few criminals being brought to justice. They’ve heard too many people on the Left calling for their extermination, or celebrating those who harm Israel. They’re not celebrating Hanukkah this year. They’re lighting those eight lights over eight nights because it’s a mitzvah, a … “a helping.” They are putting the light back into the world, in whatever way they can. Lighting the Hanukkiah and singing Ma’oz Tzur are acts of peace, but also acts of rebellion against the violence they are seeing.

For those who may not know, the history of Hanukkah, in short:

Hanukkah’s history centers on the 2nd century BCE Maccabean Revolt, where Jewish fighters led by Judah Maccabee reclaimed Jerusalem’s Second Temple from Greek-Syrian oppressors who had desecrated it. After retaking the Temple, they cleansed it and rededicated it, but found only a tiny cruse of oil, which miraculously burned for eight days instead of one. This “miracle of the oil” established the eight-day “Festival of Lights,” celebrating Jewish perseverance, religious freedom, and divine presence. — Grok

My family and I have celebrated Hanukkah every year since I was in seminary. The act of lighting the candles, sitting quietly in the dark, being a family… these have become important to us, even though we’re not Jewish.

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I don’t know who Elsa Kurt is, but this showed up yesterday afternoon on my feed, and I agree with it. It speaks better words than I can.

Chris will tell you that, during Trump 1.0 when I was suffering from TDS, I would often talk about the “mean tweets.” At the time, I was befuddled, and I couldn’t explain why they bothered me so much. I think perhaps now I have a better idea of how to put it into words. Elsa here has helped.

I can see and approve of, and indeed love, the THINGS that President Trump is doing while simultaneously decry some (but not all) of the things he says and/or tweets. I see all the good he’s done for our country, and I am very supportive of that. I see our economy recovering, spending going down, tariffs doing what they ought to, criminals being ousted from the country, and a general upswing in mood. But I also see his words. And they are troubling to me.

At one time, I lived in my parents’ home and in a very abusive situation. My mother only ever hit me once. At the time, I was a foul mouthed teen and I probably deserved discipline (though not a backhand with her ginormous wedding rings on). Her abuse was more sinister, though. It was mental. She was (and is, I suppose) an alcoholic who was undiagnosed and who refused to admit it. She drank frequently, and acted poorly when drunk. She was mean in general, but when drinking became a nightmare. I would be severely punished for such offenses as putting forks in the dishwasher wrong, having the wrong look on my face at a given moment, or asking for physical attention (hugs, etc.). Anything other than an “A” grade was also to be punished. Punishments ranged from being sent to my room, to berating and mocking me, humiliating me, and grounding me for months at a time. It was the digs, though, the mental and verbal digs that just kept coming, that destroyed me.

There was a time when I was 15 or so, when I finally broke and I went to the ER local to me, and begged them to lock me up on a 72 hour hold. After hours of talking to a therapist and various doctors, they basically told me I was fine, it was my mother who was sick. I could not get it through their heads that it didn’t matter if she was the sick one, _I_ was the one who had to change, because she wasn’t going to. That wasn’t just an assumption on my part, either. She’d told me that, to my face. I ended up medicated, because dulling my senses was the only way to get through my time living with her. I took up drinking and drugging, and inappropriate sex, because I needed to get love from somewhere.

Why are you talking about all this, you ask? Because when Trump does one thing and then says another, it shoves me right back into my days with my mother. It’s not so much of a match that I feel gut punched, but the discomfort is there. My mother could put on a dazzling display of “loving parenthood” when anyone else was around. Most people thought I was damn lucky to have such an attentive, wonderful mother in my life. They had no idea of the personal hell I lived through, every single day. When I see someone whose words and actions are at a mismatch, it is my natural reaction to look twice and thrice at every word and action they have made and are making.

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I started writing for this blog about a year before I switched to thinking of myself as conservative. Or rather, for Miguel’s blog. I stuck to things I knew well, like prepping and cooking. I rarely touched on political things, because I knew people wouldn’t agree, so what was the point? And then Chris asked me to write “From Behind Enemy Lines.”

At first, I found it offensive. I didn’t think HE meant it to be offensive, but it bothered me. A lot. I was standing “over there” and “over there” was “behind enemy lines” and therefore in his mind I must be “enemy.” That’s the logic that I followed. Since I have known Chris for over 25 years at this point, I know he doesn’t think of me as an enemy (and didn’t when I was on the Left, either), so I knew I must have misunderstood something. Still, it was a burr under my saddle, and it irritated me. I really didn’t want to be writing stuff that I knew no one was going to like.

I used the pseudonym “Hagar” because I was absolutely terrified to out myself in public. No matter how you play the game, this blog is public. I didn’t want anyone on the Left to think I was conservative, and I didn’t really want to be dragged through the mud every time I posted. So “I” didn’t post, Hagar did. As with reenacting, putting on a new face allowed me to write and communicate more effectively. Hagar might get blasted, but Ally was safely tucked away where no one knew her or how to get to her.

Over time, I came to understand that none of you were attacking ME. Some of you might have attacked my positions over the years, but no one attacked ME. And so when we made the big switch to this blog, I used my real name. I opened the door a crack.

As I wrote things for this blog, I had to do research. That’s just the type of person I am. Even though I could just have told everyone “what they were thinking over on the Left,” I didn’t consider that enough. I’ve always been one to be thorough in my writing. So I went down the rabbit hole. I started finding out just how much of what I was told on a daily basis was lies. I had to go look stuff up on a constant basis, because I wanted to prove my stance. I’d get to the research, to the raw numbers, and realize I was wrong. I’ve tried very hard to be open and honest when I’ve been wrong, both on the blog and in my real life.

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There are some things Chris wants me to write, and I will get there probably, but not this week. This week is “getting the finances up to date,” put up the tree, put up the lights, clean up the living room of Friendsgiving stuff, do all the laundry associated with Friendsgiving (hint: it’s a lot), dishes upon dishes… You get the idea.

Chris talked about his version of Friendsgiving, and I wanted to throw my two cents in. Well, maybe more like $0.25, but anyhow… 😉

Years ago, when I still lived with my parents and was not yet adult, Thanksgiving was both a joy and a horror. My mother, bless her heart (said in Ally’s most southern ma’am voice, thick with sarcasm), was an abusive and alcoholic soul, and she made every holiday miserable. But I got to see my Hungarian grandparents, which was almost always a happy thing. As with all things that involved my mother in any way, it was very complicated.

We would wake up early, and my mother would be resentful and angry about it. These days, I realize it’s because she was likely hung over, but I don’t know that for certain. In any case, we would have a light breakfast which my father would make (my mother generally didn’t cook), and then we’d get dressed in our nice clothes and go on the two hour car ride out to my Nagymama and Nagyapa’s house. The times it was just myself and my father were nice. We had things to talk about, music we could share, and it was generally pretty chill. With my mother there, it meant we played what she wanted to listen to, and we didn’t talk much because it bothered her, and you really didn’t want to bother her.

We’d arrive at my grandparents’ house about noon or 1pm, and the turkey would just be coming out of the oven. Nagymama would always cook a massive turkey, 20+ lbs every time (in fact I didn’t know they came smaller than that until well into my adulthood!), and stuffed to the breaking point. My father would carve it up, my mother would set the table (something she was good at, thank heavens), and I would help organize the platters of food. Nagymama would bring out a big pot of turkey neck soup with perfectly clear broth (always simmered, never boiled) with homemade noodles, bits of fresh turkey meat, and a single large carrot in the center of each person’s bowl which you had to cut up with your knife. We would enjoy our soup, and then Nagymama was up again, bringing in platters upon platters of food.

She’d grown up in Hungary, in Mezőkövesd (mezo kovesh-d), which sits nestled in the shadows of the Carpathian Mountains. They were just south of Poland by about 40 to 50 miles, as the crow flies, but the mountains were in the way. My Nagyapa had been drafted into the Russian army at gunpoint during WWII, and escaped when his squad was slaughtered by the Allies. He lay under piles of his dead comrades until everyone left, then crawled out and walked some 400 or more miles home. He only ever talked about it once, and after that he’d just pat my hand and tell me “Nem bántsad,” or “Nem zavar.”  They had nothing for a very, very long time. When they came to the new world, they came with a handful of photographs, two sets of clothing, their son (my father), and hope. They turned that hope into a tobacco farm, which turned into big money. They were hardly millionaires, but they were vastly comfortable.

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Chris and I have had a fundamental disagreement over Trump’s statements regarding the rogue Senators’ video. Let me get the original information here, for anyone who isn’t aware.

The text reads: Americans trust their military, but that trust is at risk. This administration is pitting our uniform military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens. Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders. You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. Don’t give up. Don’t give up. Don’t give up. Don’t give up the ship. 

Trump’s response: truthsocial.com/@WashingtonExa. It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. Their words cannot be allowed to stand – We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET. President DJT

Trump’s later comment: SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH! (later in the above thread)

Alright, with all the information at hand now here on one page, with the actual words and not just copies or reports of them… let me continue.

I will start where I always start, by denouncing the behavior of the dems in question. What they did was wrong, full stop. For the ones who have previously been in the military (I know Sen. Kelley was in the Navy and is retired, but there may be others), the Uniform Code is still in play. That means that, if you’ve EVER served in the military and have taken the Oath, then you are still held to the USC.

According to Grok: 8 U.S.C. § 2387 makes it a federal crime to engage in activities that “affect the armed forces,” such as intentionally obstructing military recruitment, enlistment, or operations. It also prohibits advising, urging, or attempting to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty among service members. Penalties include fines, imprisonment of up to ten years, and a five-year ban from U.S. government employment upon conviction.
What 18 U.S.C. § 2387 prohibits:
Obstruction: Intentionally obstructing or attempting to obstruct the armed forces’ recruiting, enlistment, or general military operations.
Incitement: Advising, urging, or attempting to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty among members of the U.S. military.
Distribution of certain materials: Distributing written or printed matter that advises, counsels, or urges any of the above actions.

It seems quite clear to me that the above statements made by the six falls under 8 USC 2387. Those Dems clearly stated that Trump (“this administration”) is pitting military folk against citizens. It’s simply  not true. The phrase, “Don’t give up the ship,” has special meaning in the military harkening back to Cap’t James Lawrence of the USS Chesapeake in 1813, but has been expanded to cover many branches of the military. So the dems were wrong. There are ways to communicate with the military, through the chain of command, that could have stressed the idea of following lawful orders, but they chose to do it via a public video, grandstanding, and not only is that … well, grandstanding… it’s also harmful.

Many of you probably know that the military has classes that teach soldiers what sorts of things are considered legal and illegal orders. Yes, it is expected of our troops, all of them, to not follow illegal orders. However, what constitutes “illegal” is a very specific thing, and they have to learn what that is. So this holiday, instead of enjoying turkey and stuffing wherever they’re stationed, they’re going through the full lecture series again, so that everyone’s 110% sure of what “illegal orders” are. Because for an active soldier to decide an order is illegal, there are hoops to jump through, and they are putting their career and possibly their very life on the line. Doing what they did, those dems ensured our military community will be pissed and irritated for the next several months.

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This is copied from a post on Facebook, and I’m sharing it because I haven’t recovered from the 8 billion other things I’m doing this month. It was written by Janet Elaine Parks.

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THE PATTERN THEY DON’T WANT YOU TO NOTICE..

Here are the major attempts (all verified)

The Russia Hoax (2016–2019)..

• Accused of “colluding with Russia.”

• Fueled by Hillary-funded Steele Dossier (later discredited).

• FBI agents lied, altered documents (FISA abuse), and leaked to the press.

• After 3 years and $32 million, Mueller concluded:

No evidence of conspiracy…

Impeachment #1 (2019) (Ukraine Call)

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Nov. 4/5:

Jarring Pelosi Comment to CNN Just Gave Every Crazy Person Out There Permission to Go After Trump
https://www.westernjournal.com/watch-jarring-pelosi-comment-cnn-just-gave-every-crazy-person-permission-go-trump/
“Because he’s the president of the United States, and he does not honor the Constitution of the United States. In fact, he has turned the Supreme Court into a rogue court. He has abolished the House of Representatives. He has chilled the press. He has chilled the press. He scared people who are in our country legally.”
vide0 – 00:00:25 – https://twitter.com/i/status/1985477782395125844

‘Major’ Halloween terror plot thwarted by FBI involved links to ISIS, ‘LGBTQ+ community’
https://www.theblaze.com/news/halloween-terror-plot-ferndale
The alleged plot was targeting innocents in the Ferndale suburb of Detroit. “Many of the clubs and bars in this area intentionally attract members of the LGBTQ+ community,”

Deportations top 2 million under Trump — and most aren’t by force
https://www.theblaze.com/news/deportations-top-2-million-under-trump-and-most-aren-t-by-force
‘While ICE actions targeting criminal illegal aliens have captured most of the attention, the phenomenon of large-scale self-deportation is probably even more significant.’

Illinois mayor tells ICE to ‘get the hell’ out after ‘hostile’ mob menaces federal agents
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/11/03/illinois-mayor-tells-ice-to-get-the-hell-out-after-hostile-mob-menaces-federal-agents-1597305/

Trump Administration Uncovers 5,000 Dead SNAP Recipients, Removes 700,000 Amid Fraud Crackdown
https://istandforfreedom.com/trump-snap-recipients-fraud
We have found thousands and thousands of illegal use of the EBT card, we have been moving people off of SNAP, we’ve got about 700,000 people that we’ve moved off SNAP since the president took office, and we’ve arrested about 118 people. We found about 5,000 dead people who were still receiving benefits.

Woman goes viral after admitting to being on SNAP benefits for 3 decades
https://www.theblaze.com/news/woman-goes-viral-after-admitting-to-being-on-snap-benefits-for-3-decades
video – 00:00:47 – https://x.com/i/status/1985106337827631132
video – 00:01:43 – https://youtu.be/nB0160ISNa4

Trump admin agrees to partially fund food stamps as Democrat shutdown approaches record
https://www.theblaze.com/news/trump-admin-agrees-to-partially-fund-food-stamps-as-democrat-shutdown-approaches-record
“On my first day [at USDA,] we told every state to send us their SNAP data so we could make sure illegal immigrants aren’t getting benefits meant for American families,” Rollins said. “29 states stepped up. 21 blue states refused — and two SUED US FOR ASKING! And guess what? In just the states that cooperated, we’ve already uncovered massive fraud.”

Trump Throws Down Gauntlet in ’60 Minutes’ Interview, Says He Won’t End Shutdown Because He Was ‘Extorted by the Democrats’
https://www.westernjournal.com/trump-throws-gauntlet-60-minutes-interview-says-wont-end-shutdown-extorted-democrats/
If the Democrats are really concerned about health care and the American people, they can re-open their government then sit down at the table and fix a broken system like adults. Or, they can continue to be responsible for a month-long shutdown that’s paralyzed the federal government until they get something they almost certainly won’t. Trump threw down the gauntlet on Sunday: It’s their choice, but they have to choose and bear the responsibility for it

Dick Cheney, Vice President to George W. Bush, Dies at 84
https://www.westernjournal.com/breaking-dick-cheney-vice-president-george-w-bush-dies-84/
(and the NeoCons lose a hero, too bad, so sad, – – and moving right along to somethind important – jlr)

Ed Dept Strips Loan Forgiveness from Orgs Involved in Child Trans Grooming
https://www.westernjournal.com/ed-dept-strips-loan-forgiveness-orgs-involved-child-trans-grooming/

The British Government’s Reign of Political Terror
https://gellerreport.com/2025/11/the-british-governments-reign-of-political-terror.html/?lctg=92233992
Now, UK police are saying that people are not allowed to sing church songs outside of church grounds. But they will allow Muslims to pray while blasting the call to prayer all over the place…Islamic cleric in the UK: “Islam is not here to coexist. We were sent to dominate the world, to extinguish and wipe out every other religion. We are superior to everyone else. We shouldn’t be shy to say it. And if that requires fighting, so be it.”

Caught Red-Handed: NGO Registers and Instructs Illegals on How to Vote For Mamdani
https://gellerreport.com/2025/11/caught-red-handed-ngo-registers-and-instructs-illegals-on-how-to-vote-for-mamdani.html/?lctg=92233992
La Jornada Executive Director Pedro Rodriguez Tells Undercover OMG Journalist Posing as an Unregistered Migrant to “Vote for the Guy That Starts with ‘M’” – Despite 501(c)(3) Regulation Prohibiting Political Activity by Tax-Exempt Organizations. Rodriguez Acknowledges Knowing the Individual Is “Not Registered” Before Advising him How to Vote – a Potential Violation of Federal & State Election Laws.

And now I am confused.
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/and-now-i-am-confused
So when Trump activated the National Guard to assist in crime-ridden cities, it is considered an overreach because the power to do so only lies with the governor of the state or at least that is what the Liberal pundits keep telling us. But then a governor actually activated the NG to do the assisting, he gets taken to court because the same Liberal punditry says he actually does not have the power to do so.

When you base your Military Tactics on WWII Movies.
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/when-you-base-your-military-tactics
I just realized between NYC’s new Mayor and this “invasion” I do not have enough popcorn in the house.

The Perfect Storm.
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/the-perfect-storm
New Yorkers (or at least the 21st century version of Tammany Hall) elect a mayor with the two most despotic philosophies: Muslim and Socialist.
My prediction (And I tend to be very bad at them) is that a form of Berlin Wall will soon be enacted by the new Mayor in complicity with the rest of the local pols. It won’t be a real wall topped with razor wire and presiding over a death strip of landmines and machine guns to keep New Yorkers from fleeing, but a legal one that will force business to stay within the city or face severe legal penalties including prison time so they can be properly squeezed to death to pay for the social programs Madani promised in his campaign.

Millions May Flee New York City If Socialist Zohran Mamdani Is Elected Mayor
https://americanjournaldaily.com/nyc-mamdani-socialist/

It makes absolute sense.
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/it-makes-absolute-sense?

Florida ain’t California.
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/florida-aint-california
It is hard to be a criminal. That goes triple if you are stupid and in Florida.

(Worth the time to read – jlr)
The Dead Zone Election
https://chrisbray.substack.com/p/the-dead-zone-election
…why pizza has become so expensive, and it’s because the government hasn’t made housing affordable, which means that people have to spend a lot of money on rent, so they have less money for pizza, so demand plummets, so pizza restaurants have to make their profit from a smaller group of customers, so they raise prices. See, as demand falls, prices soar. Falling demand causes higher prices. The less consumers want something, the more it costs.
video – 00:0?:?? – https://www.tiktok.com/@wilsonforseattle/video/7503612266214919454?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

AOC Declares War on Schumer, Pelosi, Jeffries During Mamdani Victory Celebration, Promises to Leave Behind Dems Who Won’t Play Ball with New Socialists
https://www.westernjournal.com/aoc-declares-war-schumer-pelosi-jeffries-mamdani-victory-celebration-promises-leave-behind-dems-wont-play-ball-new-socialists/
video – 00:01:04 – https://twitter.com/i/status/1985916084046660021

The Democratic Party knows what it wants – And deserves to get it good and hard.
https://thelawdogfiles.substack.com/p/the-democratic-party-knows-what-it

Trump Defies Court Order, Withholds SNAP Funding Until Democrats End Shutdown
https://americanjournaldaily.com/judge-trump-ruling-order/
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the delay in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits — commonly referred to as food stamps — will continue for tens of millions of Americans until Senate Democrats reopen the government. “SNAP BENEFITS, which increased by Billions and Billions of Dollars (MANY FOLD!) during Crooked Joe Biden’s disastrous term in office (Due to the fact that they were haphazardly ‘handed’ to anyone for the asking, as opposed to just those in need, which is the purpose of SNAP!), will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!” the president posted to Truth Social.

Cutting EBT Is ‘Violence,’ Says Woman Who Blames Friend’s Death on Food Stamp Cuts
https://twitchy.com/brettt/2025/11/05/cutting-ebt-is-violence-says-woman-who-blames-friends-death-on-food-stamp-cuts-n2421310
Words are violence. Silence is violence. Cutting SNAP benefits is violence.
video – 00:01:44 – https://twitter.com/i/status/1985811711165645037

It’s Time To Get Out Of New York City
https://michaeltsnyder.substack.com/p/it-is-time-to-get-out-of-new-york
It would be difficult for me to overstate the seriousness of the crisis that the Big Apple is now facing. A 34-year-old radical Islamic communist that wasn’t even a U.S. citizen a decade ago has now become the mayor of America’s largest city. The mainstream media is calling Zohran Mamdani a “democratic socialist”, but the truth is that he is very much a communist. He is making all sorts of very expensive promises, and in order to give his followers what they want he is going to have to take enormous amounts of money from others.
Michael Snyder is a professional doom and gloom sayer, who is also trying to sell you his apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic books – I’m not saying he doesn’t provide good information, it’s just how he presents it -jlr)

Just When You Thought It Wasn’t Possible To Hate The Media More…
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/just-when-you-thought-it-wasnt-possible-hate-media-more
The Trump administration has banned the media from an area of the White House they previously had access to after some reporters were discovered surreptitiously capturing video of sensitive information. Officials revealed that reporters have also been found ‘spying’ on private, closed-door meetings in the White House and wandering into already restricted areas near the Oval Office, in order to “ambush” Cabinet officials after private meetings. Ironically, the restrictions being put in place are a rollback to Clinton era White House rules.

Nigerian President Responds To Trump’s Call For Military Action Against Christian Persecution
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/nigerian-president-responds-trumps-call-military-action-against-christian-persecution
“We welcome U.S. assistance as long as it recognizes our territorial integrity,”
(translation = Send us guns and $$$,$$$,$$$,$$$ only ($100 bills, shrink wrapped on pallets, no strings attached please – jlr)

Left-wing press begins all-out attack on Trump’s ballroom donors
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/11/04/left-wing-press-begins-all-out-attack-on-trumps-ballroom-donors-1597637/

President Trump Intervenes to Secure Cancer Treatment for Dilbert Creator Scott Adams
https://americanjournaldaily.com/scott-adams-donald-trump/
Kaiser Permanente—a healthcare giant managing billions—somehow couldn’t handle basic scheduling. Yet within hours of presidential intervention, Adams had his appointment locked for the next day. Funny how that works. Trump’s intervention revealed an uncomfortable truth about American healthcare. When someone with authority cuts through nonsense, overnight miracles happen. Adams went from indefinite waiting while “declining fast” to treatment within 24 hours.

Democrats Are About to Experience the Pain of the Filibuster
https://redstate.com/streiff/2025/11/04/democrats-are-about-to-experience-the-pain-of-the-filibuster-n2195851
We’re now 34 days and change into the government shutdown brought on by Democrat intransigence. Rather than accept a clean continuing resolution that would fund the government until a new spending bill was passed, the Democrats have elected to use government employee salaries, SNAP beneficiaries, and victims of Obamacare as pawns to wring concessions for higher spending from the Republican majority.

Leaving Wall Street for Y’all Street – Big Finance Is Moving to Texas
https://redstate.com/wardclark/2025/11/04/leaving-wall-street-for-yall-street-big-finance-is-moving-to-texas-n2195849

Ted Cruz Gets His Wish: Rep. Brandon Gill Serves Articles of Impeachment Against Judge Boasberg
https://redstate.com/jenniferoo/2025/11/04/ted-cruz-gets-his-wish-rep-brandon-gill-serves-articles-of-impeachment-on-judge-boasberg-n2195844

Michelle Obama Will Never Stop Complaining! – The country’s most ungrateful woman (originally printed April 30, 2025)
https://susandaniels.substack.com/p/michelle-obama-will-never-stop-complaining
On October 31, 2025 Michelle Obama complained about her time in the White House: “We didn’t get the grace that I think some other (first) families have gotten.” That comment, after I laughed out loud, inspired me to write about the Ebony Princess. However, I discovered there wasn’t much I had not said previously in “Will Michelle Obama Ever Stop Complaining?” Nope. Here is what I observed seven months ago…..

The Long Road of Gun Control Wasn’t an Accident
https://bearingarms.com/tomknighton/2025/11/05/the-long-road-of-gun-control-wasnt-an-accident-n1230506
Why are anti-gun politicians so determined to create a national gun registry and expand red flag laws? It’s not about safety. It’s about control. There is a plan, and it’s been unfolding for nearly a century.

Surprise, Surprise: Dems Now Making New Move About Shutdown, While Jeffries’ Spin Gets Crushed on Live TV
https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2025/11/05/democrats-and-their-shutdown-n2195890
It’s beginning to look like the prediction Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) made about the Democrats and the shutdown is right. He predicted that after the elections, we would get some movement from the Democrats to end the shutdown, because the shutdown was about juicing their base, trying to whip them up to get out to the polls. Once the elections were over, they would then try to find an off-ramp to end the shutdown and claim a victory. Surprise, surprise. Now we’re hearing that Democrats are engaging with Republicans on reopening the government, according to Punchbowl.

Two Now Charged With Plotting Mass-Shooting in LGBT Bars, and Guess What- – – -They’re Muslim
https://redstate.com/wardclark/2025/11/05/two-now-charged-with-plotting-mass-shooting-in-lgbt-bars-and-guess-what-n2195893
Someone point this out to the “Queers for Palestine” crowd: In Dearborn, Michigan, two 20-year-old men are under arrest for allegedly plotting a mass-shooting attack on LGBTQ+ bars in the area; they had obtained weapons, practiced with those weapons, and scouted targets. It’s a matter of luck and sharp police work that they were caught before committing an atrocity.

At Least in One Place, Sanity Prevails on Election Night – (clap-clap-clap-clap)Deep in the Heart of Texas
https://redstate.com/beckynoble/2025/11/05/at-least-in-one-place-sanity-prevails-on-election-night-deep-in-the-heart-of-texas-n2195882

Charlie Kirk’s Warning About Zohran Mamdani Goes Viral in the Wake of His Win
https://www.westernjournal.com/charlie-kirks-warning-zohran-mamdani-goes-viral-wake-win/

Toilet bowl wars: The next frontier in the attack on privacy – Who knew Number 2 would be number 1 in monitoring your health?
https://www.collapselife.com/p/toilet-bowl-wars-the-next-frontier
First, they came for your sleep, then your heart rate, then your step counts, and ovulation, oxygen levels, and blood sugar. It was only a matter of time before they targeted the most personal of all details: the contents deposited in your porcelain throne.
(apparently medical “Big Brother” is starting to watch EVERYTHING, for your own good – jlr)

Inside the DSA’s Hostile Takeover of the Democratic Party.
https://www.thefp.com/p/inside-the-dsas-hostile-takeover-cd4
DSA = Democratic Socialists of America

( This long, but it is worth the time to read in its entirety – jlr)
Why Radical Islam votes left – and why the left votes Radical Islam
https://boriquagato.substack.com/p/why-radical-islam-votes-left
if “Queers for Palestine” held a march in Gaza, they would quite literally be murdered.

Jenn Mack Raphoon Signs Texas First Pledge for Governor
https://texianpartisan.com/news/tnm-news/jenn-mack-raphoon-signs-texas-first-pledge-for-governor/
… joining the growing movement of candidates dedicated to Texas sovereignty.

Rachel Hogue Signs Texas First Pledge for State Board of Education
https://texianpartisan.com/news/tnm-news/rachel-hogue-signs-texas-first-pledge-for-state-board-of-education/

TEXAS VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY PASS BALLOT MEASURE BARRING NON-CITIZEN VOTING
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/texas-voters-overwhelmingly-pass-ballot-measure-barring-non-citizen
The Associated Press projected the proposition to pass, with 74.9% of voters backing the plan and 25.1% opposing it.

Leftovers…Leftover Halloween jokes… What, you thought you’d get candy???
https://oldnfo.substack.com/p/leftovers

So there’s a lot of stuff going on in the world today. I can’t fix most of it. I can’t even make a dent. I can’t repair what Dems have done, or Mamdani in NYC or any of it. It’s beyond my small grasp. That’s true of every single one of us. As a single human being, there really isn’t much we can do.

Except that there really is. The edict to help others is not just Christian, but runs through most faiths in the world. That desperation to help someone runs deep in the human psyche, to the point where some of us feel horrible if we can’t help others. There are limits, of course. But the fundamental idea of helping someone find food, shelter, a job, a working vehicle, or a quiet night without a screaming infant… these are within our grasp.

@obsessedwmc #itstime it’s time!!! throughout the years #mariahcarey #christmas ♬ original sound – queen mariah

So at this time of year, just as Mariah Carey comes out of her icy slumber, I make the same offer. If you need help, please let me know. I don’t have tons of cash, and I don’t have a big house anymore to stash people in. But if you are hurting bad enough, I have a couch. I have food. I will make sure you don’t starve. If you are feeling down, page me or call me. I will talk to you. I will listen. And for all that’s holy… please know, I would rather spend hours listening to you cry about your life, than thirty minutes at your funeral, so if you are feeling suicidal or dangerously depressed, please please please reach out.

I’m an interfaith minister, among the other zillion things I do. I’m not a psychologist or a shrink, but I know how to listen. I can give advice, if asked, but I usually just listen.

I don’t ask for anything in return. If you find yourself in a place, sometime in the future, where you have the ability to give back… Well, you pay it forward. Go help the next person who needs it. M’kay? I don’t have much… but I have enough. My fridge is full, and so is my freezer (so full that we’re not buying meat for a while because I desperately need space in there in case we get a deer this year). My pantry is bursting with canned goods, which aren’t our favorite, but which will see us through if we can’t afford fresh. I have everything I need to bake bread and treats for the holidays and the holy days. In all that, I’m rich.

There are *some* things wrong in the top part. There is nothing right about the bottom part. The temper tantrums being thrown are epic and ridiculous. This is what happens when you “gentle parent” your way through life.

So, let’s break it down. SNAP is a benefit, something lower income families are supposed to get so that they can purchase groceries without being bankrupted. The idea of doing a monthly check in isn’t a bad one, on the surface. It would allow those administering the benefit to offer aid when needed, keep up to date on abusive exes, changes in income, and other important stuff. On the other hand, having monthly check ins would mean a CRAP ton of government workers spending all their time processing the information. Yet another drain on the government. Yet more money taken from those who need it (truly need it) and given away as overhead. So while the idea isn’t a bad one, I can’t see how we implement it.

Revoking someone’s benefits for having a new tattoo is stupid. My last tattoo was a gift. It was a gift from someone I wouldn’t have been willing (at the time, at least) to just ask for food instead. Sometimes, you get gifts like that, or new phones. Even destination vacations, although I think that’s pushing it, but still. If your income hasn’t changed and your living situation hasn’t changed, the fact that someone gifted you something shouldn’t cause the revocation of your benefits.

There is a direct correlation with being poor, being on food stamps, and being fat. The cheapest foods tend to be overly processed ones. When we were hard up for cash, we ate a lot of pasta, because it was cheap and plentiful, and filled our bellies. We also gained weight. A lot of it. That’s what happens. Also, what about the person who has a thyroid problem? What about the other medical conditions that can cause someone to be overweight? It’s asinine to suggest pulling food benefits away from someone because of their weight.

Failed drug test? It depends. If you live in a state where pot is legal or you’ve got a prescription for it, that should not prevent you from getting your benefits. Illegal drugs, yeah, that’s fine. I will say, though, if we’re going to drug test people getting food stamps, I want to drug test all the people in the government, too. Congress critters, Representatives, etc. Fair is fair.

The other side of the meme, that’s just stupid. “I spent my money, so I should lose my tax write offs.” No. I do think that there is something to be said about companies that hire people in ways that prevent them from getting health insurance or full time hours, but also are making record profits. I understand places like Amazon and Walmart have a bottom line, like all other companies… but we’re seeing a lot of their employees also being on food stamps because they aren’t making enough. Maybe it’s time to give a good look at those kinds of business models, and see if there are ways we can help workers and companies alike, or incentivize using full time employees rather than bunches of part time ones. I’m not saying we should tax them higher or shut them down; just that we should see if there are ways to make it more likely that they’ll be good employers to our citizens.

The left wants to hit back because they’ve been hurt. The problem is that we didn’t hurt them. They did most of it themselves, and the rest is “just life.” They want the Star Trek universe and future without having to go through the Troubles that they did in that universe. It just doesn’t work. It never will.

Of course, they’re starting to make their own Troubles by electing a socialist, but… oh well. I just look at it, and hope that it becomes a good bad example.

Cold, wet weather practically demands chili. I love all kinds of chili. This is one I make around this time of year, because I can use fresh pumpkin rather than the canned stuff. It makes a huge difference!

Ingredients:

• 2 cans navy beans* OR 1 bag (soaked overnight)
• vegetable or chicken broth
• butter or margarine
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 can fire roasted stewed tomatoes
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 1 tiny can chopped green chillies
• 1 “pie” pumpkin (small), roasted and the meat scraped out
• spices: coriander, cumin, garlic flakes, rosemary, chili powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, pepper

If you want to make this vegan and gluten free, dump all of the above into a crockpot, put it on high, and cook for about 6 hours. Check the beans at the 4 hour mark and every hour thereafter. Cook until the beans are soft but not too mushy. Add in extra liquid if necessary. You can add heat to it with a hot sauce, or simply sprinkle with more red pepper flakes at the table.

If you want this to be meaty, I actually recommend ground turkey or chicken rather than beef for this one. You don’t want to overpower the flavor of the pumpkin, which ground beef will do. Instead, brown up your ground turkey or chicken, then add it in with the other ingredients.

When it comes to the *beans, you don’t have to use navy beans. Feel free to use whatever type or combination of types that you like. Because I want the pumpkin to shine through, I went with navy beans. You could use little white beans, kidney beans, black beans… it’s up to you. One bag of dried beans, soaked overnight, is equivalent to 2 of the big cans of beans, rinsed and dumped into the cooker.

Serve your chili with a side of cornbread, and top it with green onions, parsley, sour cream (or a dairy free alternative), and/or cheese. Enjoy!