This mornings cartoon is somewhat edgy portraying Mamdani as a demonic wolf in sheep’s clothing. I can hear now the predictable calls of “Islamophobia” by those on the left.
Many people are admittedly uneasy with a Muslim/Socialist as Mayor of our largest city. When looking closely at Mamdani, you find a treasure trove of facts that explains his worldview. Born to wealthy elites in Uganda, moved to Cape Town, then to NY. Dad a academic, Mom a filmmaker. Mamdani is fluent in 5 languages and is poised to be the most influential Muslim/Socialist politician since Abel Nasser of Egypt.
Finally, the election of Jay Jones for VA, AG says everything one needs to know about the values of the Democratic electorate. Jones, who is black, threatened the life of his opponent and his family, who are white, with capital murder and still manages to get elected despite calls to bail out. What are voters thinking? Clearly, race and party are more important than the interests of the people of Virginia. What do people think would be the result if the roles were reversed and a white Republican candidate threatened a black opponent and family?
People no longer run to Mommy when some clueless, inarticulate dolt answers a 1,000-word essay with "racist, bigot, homophobe, Islamophobe" as their only answer. That's no longer even a glancing blow. More like water dripping off Ellen Barkin's naked body in "Sea of Love". The entire Mamdani family didn't emigrate to the U.S. to become like us; they arrived on our shores with conquest in mind (unlike humble immigrant [Christian] filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza). As for the Jay Jones slimy episode, most voters are not political junkies. Moreover, voters on both sides of the divide are inclined when push comes to shove to go full throttle with their own tribe. The fact that the Democrat A.G. candidate (Jones) received far fewer votes than globalist "Covert Affairs" C.I.A. operative Abigail Spanberger (the closest thing to a gunslinger on the Left [they kill the right people]) says something about the ability of some voters to split their ticket in the face of credible deleterious political facts.
Thank you for this post. Alot covered! Agree United States politics are far from transparent. My caution to those who hate Trump so much they're willing to buy into false "America is bad" rhetoric. Yes, he too spins some tall tales!
As with glorifying Mamdani, what many Trump haters do not understand is the culture that many elected Muslim leaders are bringing to our country. Women are identified as property. Like FGM. More than 230M girls and women in 30 counties in Africa and the Middle East of recent time have had their sexual organ cut off. This just occured in Michigan at a medical clinic! Dr Nagarwala used this religious practice, the Dawood Bohra, an Islamic sect based in India to perform this atrocity against these female children in secret. Why? Because these cultures see women as a necessary property. And to ensure they never experience pleasure to stop them from sexually engaging with men period. The only man will be her captor, not her choice. AND once impregnated she will not be allowed to get an abortion! Agree with abortion or not, that is the Hill many people/women are fighting for the right to decide for their choice. However, be aware most male dominated cultures, like the Muslim religion, do not esteem females. Do not sell out your freedoms just because you may despise the current sitting president. Once you give your power away, you may never see freedom again.
Female genital castration is rampant in Africa, along with slavery, trafficking, mass murder and targeting of Christians in Nigeria, perpetrated by Islamic lunatics. Starvation, plague, civil war and human suffering all happening now in the Sudan.
The unbelievable irony is many from the Rainbow movement and the left in general, are oblivious to this.
Isn’t it ironic that over 80% of NYC young females voted for Mamdani? WHY? Looks like they seek to be ‘taken care of’ by government, since presumably not in a 1:1 secure monogamous relationship. As elce posted, analyze closely the NYC vote. Why did young females vote for Mamdani?
What are the insights from these female voters, political scientists, sociologists, psychologists?
Unmarried females between 18 and 35 do see the government as a safety net, and a partner against "hostile forces" as they engage in the culture wars of life. But not far from this state of consciousness is a fantasizing desire to revolutionize the gender relationships in society (as they perceive them) - no longer content on being a "compliant bottom" (again, as they perceive themselves) but becoming lords and princes of not just the bedroom but the boardroom, too.
"Once you give your power (and freedom) away", you'll never get back your power and freedom. As a sidebar this week, Democrats discovered the weight of this principle when they caved to Republicans on the government shutdown and got very little but promises of a future vote on Obamacare subsidies in return. This is a major shift in legislative power. Advantage Republicans!
Not so fast declaring a win David… In the Christian spirit of Christmas, let’s envision Republicans along with needs-to-be liked strategic Chess Master Prez Trump generously gifting Democrats their demand of a one year extension on ObamaCare COVID temporary subsidies despite our $38T debt? Afterall, the 2026 mid-terms could cut short time for Republicans to get into law what is needed; plus lead to one more wasteful impeachment effort. What’s ahead: Strength of conviction or weakness? Envision more legalized socialism in the name of “promoting the general welfare”.
I'm going to go with Speaker Johnson. He outlasted Jeffries in a 40-day staring down contest. With a dominant media behind them, Democrats usually win these psychological battles. Eight Democrat senators joined 52 Republicans in breaking the filibuster. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the next Democrat Senate caucus meeting. These senators' butts will be a bright green grass.
This is why whenever I plug your essays through any kind of AI, your writing grade level comes up at the 10th grade. Lucky you're not on the school board. And funny that one of your major rants is how many kids are graduating below grade level - like yourself?
Sorry, you're normally so gentle-handed with what you see as the opposition. I didn't think you'd be so tender. I thought it was a helpful hint. With AI so rampant, you could feed your essays through one and ask it to read as if it came from a graduate of an accredited college.
Thanks for taking the time to read my writings, they’re intentionally clear and easy to follow.
It’s interesting that you ran it through AI and the only rebuttal you came up with was that it was too easy to read. AI helped you with that argument, did it?
You didn’t dispute a single fact, only the reading level.
Yep, it's all about me. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level formula isn't as polite as 'easy to read'. But I'll let you find that out if you want. But as someone who ran for the school board, I'm sure you're familiar with Flesch-Kincaid. Or maybe I'm not so sure?
Thanks for the re-cap. Well done. We voted at the polls not trusting Newsom's translucent ballot return envelopes, so our No on 50 votes may still be in the pile of uncounted California votes.
Gen Z voting patterns will need special scrutiny when the final numbers come in. If they keep voting Democrat, why are they not registering Democrat?
Latest update on Prop 50 turnout. Scroll down. My GenZer and many friends (mostly NPPs, all college grads) tell me they voted NO on 50 because they asked others ‘how to vote and why?’. Then some concluded Newsom was acting politically, unilaterally for self-serving reasons to override the CA Constitution. “He wants to be Prez; he manipulates.”
Additionally these specific local GenZers were aware of how much work for an entire year Cheryl and others did on the CA Citizen Redistricting Commission to ensure “fairness”, concluding a Y vote was “demeaning to Cheryl and other Santa Barbara Commissioners” who gave a year of their lives to redistricting our area.
WHY are Gen Z not registering Democrat, while voting Democrat? Some say they’re “confused” and “uncertain”. They were schooled to “be kind, inclusive, accepting, non-competitive and collaborative”: to go along to get along. At the same time some in GenZ can’t relate to self-identifying as a CA Democrat, protesting, demanding, whackos who “group think, then hate you for disagreeing”.
The concepts of independence, personal responsibility, accountability, financial success, competition may or may not have been taught and practiced at home or sport. The CAGOP or SBRCC certainly have never reached out to youth. TPUSA is for Christians. How many youth self-identify as religious? Attend church on weekends?
Junior year of high school, in class, they are registered to vote in CA public schools. Presentations usually made by Democrat influencers (locally Al Gore’s daughter has been hugely successful): “you want to be on the winning, the controlling team, don’t you?”
Rather than register Democrat, these independent GenZers register NPP. They need a political party yet to be created.
The CA law registering kids in class must be abolished but won’t be until CA voters end single party control.
All good points, thanks for the insights. Good target, how do we get younger, secular GOP influencers to also show up for these HS voter registration presentations?
elections are a stage show, always designed to be 'close' as the Uniparty that is comprised of both the democrats and republicans pretend to switch being in power now and then for looks, while the uniparty continues uninterrupted no matter who supposedly 'wins'. I hate to say this but it has become so obvious that both parties are completely dysfunctional that I now believe sooner or later we will need to take Elon up on his offer to create a new third party to replace the republican party. Makes me sad, but it is an unavoidable conclusion at this point as we watch Thune/McConnell slow walk and block Tumps agenda just trying to wait it out until they can pretend Democrats 'won' again. Sad times.
From where I sit, the passage of Proposition 50 was the worst of a nasty election year. The Yes vote was a certainty, as was its landslide in the ballot box. But consider what California just embraced: the setting aside of a constitutional amendment. Chew on that. And while it was sold as an attempt to counter Texas and other Red states in mid-cycle gerrymandering plus feeding off extreme TDS, the prize all along was fixing the 2028 electoral field for Gavin Newsom. Our governor is salivating for the presidency. Aligning California's congressional districts further left was the first volley. Presidents come and go. Mayors come and go. But the dismantling of good law, laws crafted to maintain good and transparent governance, they don't easily come back. They don't. Precedence has taken root. Remember when the Patriot Act was overwhelmingly, hastily passed? Ordinary citizens agreed: "Well, if it keeps us safe." But at what cost? What is the Bill of Rights worth to you? What is California's citizens congressional districting commission worth to you? The price was too dear.
Childless, Mrs Mamdani has announced her intention to dissolve her marriage to Zohran. When asked, Mrs Mamdani claims a loss of consortium in their marriage. Apparently, each evening upon retiring to the bedroom, Zohran props himself on the edge of the bed and goes on and on about how great it is going to be.
It's great to know Mr. Barton is privy to the goings-on in the Mamdani bedroom. We'll be seeking further updates from Santa Barbara's rendition of "Page Six" and "National Enquirer" combined. A fact that can be ascertained outside the bedroom is that Democrat elected leaders are less likely to be married than their Republican counterparts, and they (married Democrats) have fewer children than (married) Republicans.
Not sure if it landed but it is a joke based on a Reagan joke I heard about a woman married to a democrat who claimed to be a virgin because each evening when she was expecting marital relations her husband just went on about how great it was going to be. Like democrats and socialists going on about how great it will be if we surrender our liberty and treasure. Personally I found the joke hilarious.
Trying to rationalize what happened last Tuesday as par for the course and not a harbinger of what could happen in 2026 is tantamount to the blind man leading the blind man, both unable to see what's in front of them. It's not that Republicans lost elections in blue or purple states; it's that the margin of the Democratic victories was far greater than normal in these off-year elections. The Republicans lost independent voters by huge margins and also got destroyed with Hispanic voters. To add insult to injury, many Republican voters didn't bother to vote. This is a recipe for a blue wave in 2026 if something doesn't change in the interim.
Voters have been on an inexplicable suicide mission for many election cycles. When given the "opportunity" to pay a larger tax slice of their paychecks to further enrich the political and bureaucratic elites while concurrently diminishing their own quality of life...they jump at it...as evidenced by the majority of locally elected officials.
Hats off to Saul Alinsky...he called this many years ago...get the educational system to do your dirty work. It's the one area where education has succeeded.
What? Our local officials greatly enrich their personal lives with tax dollars from their positions and NGO pay. Their “own quality of life” in no way is “diminished”.
Untrue: “When given the "opportunity" to pay a larger tax slice of their paychecks to further enrich the political and bureaucratic elites while concurrently diminishing their own quality of life...they jump at it...as evidenced by the majority of locally elected officials.” As per one example: check out wanna-be mayor Kristen Sneddon and County Public Works Director spouse. How does around $750,000 combined compensation diminish the couple’s quality of life?
Civic duty is MIA as relates to budgeting time to become informed and then to easily vote. Civics education, outreach to adult voters is missing. I bet less than 5% of Californians have read our state’s Constitution; less than 1% of parents have read the CA Education Code. The CAGOP is dead: the party is void of leadership at all levels. America became a socialist country in 1965 and was forever changed. Socialism is now embraced by the majority. How much tax, confiscation of privately owned property, public housing is enough?
The entitled benefiting from tax generated checks or benefits outnumber those few remaining Americans, Californians who choose to be independent, free of a government hand out. Everything now is a demanded “right”, someone else’s responsibility. Social Security is a huge unfunded problem.
Boomers, and those older, voting Democrat in the 1960s are the two generations that delivered modern day reality.
How now do we motivate others to participate? To make time to become informed, to get involved, to run for office or actively support those who do, and help build a bench to prepare youth for leadership. There’s much work to be done locally. There’s more to it than attending lunch to hear a speaker. Action is required.
1962. The year JFK allowed government employees to unionize. America has never been the same ever since. Prop 50 was just one more government employee union tax dollar grab election. The very same horse Gavin Newson is running on too.
We need a time line of programs, events, laws that led to current problematic realities. Can you TVW & elce make such a timeline? I’ll pay to print on reference cards to hand out. GenZers would benefit as would many voters and socialist deniers. Info is power. Ignorance is dangerous.
Yes...A very dark horse! Woe to California. Woe to our nation. They let the wolf in the door. Foolish children. What? Red Riding Hood, Pinocchio, Snow White? And they believed His/Her sweet talk. ☠️⛓️🔒🪞The fairest of them all...
It is not that Democrats are winning on better ideas or policies. They have none. Instead they gamed the system so badly after the 1990's, they now have a total lock on the entire election process.
Prop 98 automatic massive funding for schools produced a prodigious revenue stream, which now funds the overly powerful state teachers unions, and their SEIU (CSEA) school staff cohorts. Just thee two unions provide granular level political operatives for every single election. While we are forced to pay them with our own tax dollars to do this to us. This is the real depth of the problem.
This alll smacks of deep, deep, deep partisan and coordinate corruption of the entire political process in this state. With their now Democrat super-majority lock amplified further by the passage of Prop 50, digging out of this mess will take herculean efforts. We cannot just phone this one in.
Democrats = tax and spend Big Government protectionist party. We have to slowly chip away at this devouring behemoth. Never give up.
Sherrill (NJ) and Spanberger (VA) are not the worst results for Governor in blue states. Both are patriots. Both are moderates. And Republicans didn’t put up good competition. Especially in VA, that was historically purple.
VA’s situation last election is exactly what we need here. Youngkin winning election last cycle was a shot to the system in blue VA. We need some big seat Republican wins in this midterm, Governor, Assembly, Congress to reset the system. For a moderate (Clinton type) Democrat, you are voting for change back towards the common sense direction, because it sends a message that you want to see more Abigail Spanbergers from your party, and less Mamdani’s.
There are multiple Democrat Socialists of America members running for city councils next cycle. When 5 Mamdani’s populate councils and boards, you’ll be asking why you are being fined for spare bedrooms, property taken for low income housing, and 18 story project structures going up behind your backyard…
Carpinteria City Council just reported last night the state overruled the city for 3 low income housing structures to the dismay of many citizens/commenters. So what I said above isn’t rhetoric, it’s happening, and it’s what you keep voting for.
Bob, Thank you for your dedicated service this Veteran's Day-and every day.
I'm a little taken aback reading your comments on the NJ & VA elections
Election by Election, we are fighting to save this country--Every election is critical!
I am constantly disappointed that Republican Candidate's do not "take the gloves off" and bear down against their democratic opponents (both progressives and moderates). There is no room for congratulations for electing moderate democrats. I want candidates who will fight to save the country--from school boards to president. Have we not learned that the boot will be applied to our neck (taxes, social policies and insane laws) when any democrat takes office?
I’m not congratulating, just fair political analysis. I can’t be dismayed in blue states where the Republican Party put up bad candidates to win. I’m not going to be upset with a moderate Naval Academy grad when in other places Democrats are electing socialists. Democrats are 50% of the population, and if they are going to elect someone in an area they control, I’d rather it be a Spanberger or Fetterman, than a Mamdani. I think that’s better for our country.
What is disturbing is that we only had 43% turnout on Proposition 50, Republicans could have blocked this with full turnout. Republicans don’t vote here. Don’t get involved.
Our #1 city was turned over to a communist. And our state actively supported our radical governor openly gerrymandering the state to cheat against a sitting president, so no, two moderate Dems elected in blue states, not at the top of my concern radar…
In CA, Republicans need 100% turnout plus NPPs and a few moderate Democrats to win elections. “Take off the gloves” won’t work until AFTER a Republican majority win a power chair. Sadly, now we again see that Republicans in the House and Senate aren’t a force. Disappointing, infuriating. Senator Kennedy (R-LA) said something like: ‘God help me because if I had strength, I’d need bail money.’
Mr. Smith, where do I begin with your first paragraph? The Left is attempting to reclaim the word "patriot" by redefining what "patriot" and "patriotism" is. Those words reflect an unquestioning allegiance to something. On the same stage, myself and Zohran Mamdani could declare to listeners that we are "patriots" - but a "patriot" to what? On the whole, traditionalists are "patriotic" to historic America. The Left which for a long time was gun-shy of standing next to a real unfurled American flag (not just red/white/blue bunting as displayed at Democrat conventions) now is beginning to again identify with "patriotism", but it's not the same "patriotism" alluded to by traditionalists. It's an abstract "patriotism" usually conjuring up utopian visions of where they perceive the nation will be if we only continue down the ideological path they are suggesting. It's not an organic, concrete patriotism that leads us to salute all of our past leaders and institutions, and kneel in prayer at military cemeteries over the graves of Americans who secured our freedoms. This Comment is already lengthy. Sherrill and Spanberger are typical left-wing Democrat candidates. The intelligence community from which these women graduated from has been spearheading the Deep State drive to anti-American-nation-state globalism since the days of L.B.J. I'd rather a union-organizer from the southwestern VA coalfields be elected governor than a gunslinging former C.I.A. operative who simply doesn't like America the way we do.
You are not a traditionalist but a modernist. The modern nation state itself was a concept born of the peace of Westphalia, which signaled the end of Christendom as now the Church was powerless in the temporal sense - leaders, not Pope's could make spiritual decisions independent of the Roman Pontif.
David, thank you for the excellent and detailed election analysis. I also want to acknowledge the many intelligent comments. Regarding the Mamdani election, I am disappointed in the New York City political establishment and its inability to groom a stable of up and coming Democrats, Republicans, and independent to run for office.
IMO: it seems it’s OK for trump to ignore amendments and the Constitution, when he does, republicans aren’t concerned or bothered in the least. Not surprising. The voting that concerns me more is the one that took place this evening? The one to open the government. Apparently, there were eight Democrats with no guts or back bones, who chose to vote with the spineless, elitist republicans? So I hope those Democrats get their rightful thanks. Of course, there will be crowing how the republicans won. They might’ve won, but the average American lost.
In the top echelons of politics, businesses, corporations, or just plain rich, there are no worries about where their next meal is coming from, wether they’re sick enough to go to the doctor, which bills to ignore so they can pay their rent or mortgage. They have no concerns about what the average person goes through.
Their worries are, whether they can go golfing, build their ballroom, cover everything in gold, attend parties on the day that food benefits are taken away from millions, having things named after you, revenge, and the list goes on and on and on.
OK, what is a problem is when people who think "well they'll win any way so why vote" in fact do not vote.
What you do when that is the situation is you break the system.
It is what happened with the "Green Party" and others on the Left. Instead of standing up to the Hammer of their side dictatorship they folded. Top Two killed off their opinion and gave absolute power. The middle finger is why you don't hear about them any more.
So the next time you say why vote think about what you are faced in the State. I for one am willing to go down fighting instead of spineless oh woe is me.
This mornings cartoon is somewhat edgy portraying Mamdani as a demonic wolf in sheep’s clothing. I can hear now the predictable calls of “Islamophobia” by those on the left.
Many people are admittedly uneasy with a Muslim/Socialist as Mayor of our largest city. When looking closely at Mamdani, you find a treasure trove of facts that explains his worldview. Born to wealthy elites in Uganda, moved to Cape Town, then to NY. Dad a academic, Mom a filmmaker. Mamdani is fluent in 5 languages and is poised to be the most influential Muslim/Socialist politician since Abel Nasser of Egypt.
Finally, the election of Jay Jones for VA, AG says everything one needs to know about the values of the Democratic electorate. Jones, who is black, threatened the life of his opponent and his family, who are white, with capital murder and still manages to get elected despite calls to bail out. What are voters thinking? Clearly, race and party are more important than the interests of the people of Virginia. What do people think would be the result if the roles were reversed and a white Republican candidate threatened a black opponent and family?
Exactly.
People no longer run to Mommy when some clueless, inarticulate dolt answers a 1,000-word essay with "racist, bigot, homophobe, Islamophobe" as their only answer. That's no longer even a glancing blow. More like water dripping off Ellen Barkin's naked body in "Sea of Love". The entire Mamdani family didn't emigrate to the U.S. to become like us; they arrived on our shores with conquest in mind (unlike humble immigrant [Christian] filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza). As for the Jay Jones slimy episode, most voters are not political junkies. Moreover, voters on both sides of the divide are inclined when push comes to shove to go full throttle with their own tribe. The fact that the Democrat A.G. candidate (Jones) received far fewer votes than globalist "Covert Affairs" C.I.A. operative Abigail Spanberger (the closest thing to a gunslinger on the Left [they kill the right people]) says something about the ability of some voters to split their ticket in the face of credible deleterious political facts.
Thank you for this post. Alot covered! Agree United States politics are far from transparent. My caution to those who hate Trump so much they're willing to buy into false "America is bad" rhetoric. Yes, he too spins some tall tales!
As with glorifying Mamdani, what many Trump haters do not understand is the culture that many elected Muslim leaders are bringing to our country. Women are identified as property. Like FGM. More than 230M girls and women in 30 counties in Africa and the Middle East of recent time have had their sexual organ cut off. This just occured in Michigan at a medical clinic! Dr Nagarwala used this religious practice, the Dawood Bohra, an Islamic sect based in India to perform this atrocity against these female children in secret. Why? Because these cultures see women as a necessary property. And to ensure they never experience pleasure to stop them from sexually engaging with men period. The only man will be her captor, not her choice. AND once impregnated she will not be allowed to get an abortion! Agree with abortion or not, that is the Hill many people/women are fighting for the right to decide for their choice. However, be aware most male dominated cultures, like the Muslim religion, do not esteem females. Do not sell out your freedoms just because you may despise the current sitting president. Once you give your power away, you may never see freedom again.
Female genital castration is rampant in Africa, along with slavery, trafficking, mass murder and targeting of Christians in Nigeria, perpetrated by Islamic lunatics. Starvation, plague, civil war and human suffering all happening now in the Sudan.
The unbelievable irony is many from the Rainbow movement and the left in general, are oblivious to this.
Isn’t it ironic that over 80% of NYC young females voted for Mamdani? WHY? Looks like they seek to be ‘taken care of’ by government, since presumably not in a 1:1 secure monogamous relationship. As elce posted, analyze closely the NYC vote. Why did young females vote for Mamdani?
What are the insights from these female voters, political scientists, sociologists, psychologists?
Unmarried females between 18 and 35 do see the government as a safety net, and a partner against "hostile forces" as they engage in the culture wars of life. But not far from this state of consciousness is a fantasizing desire to revolutionize the gender relationships in society (as they perceive them) - no longer content on being a "compliant bottom" (again, as they perceive themselves) but becoming lords and princes of not just the bedroom but the boardroom, too.
"Once you give your power (and freedom) away", you'll never get back your power and freedom. As a sidebar this week, Democrats discovered the weight of this principle when they caved to Republicans on the government shutdown and got very little but promises of a future vote on Obamacare subsidies in return. This is a major shift in legislative power. Advantage Republicans!
Not so fast declaring a win David… In the Christian spirit of Christmas, let’s envision Republicans along with needs-to-be liked strategic Chess Master Prez Trump generously gifting Democrats their demand of a one year extension on ObamaCare COVID temporary subsidies despite our $38T debt? Afterall, the 2026 mid-terms could cut short time for Republicans to get into law what is needed; plus lead to one more wasteful impeachment effort. What’s ahead: Strength of conviction or weakness? Envision more legalized socialism in the name of “promoting the general welfare”.
I'm going to go with Speaker Johnson. He outlasted Jeffries in a 40-day staring down contest. With a dominant media behind them, Democrats usually win these psychological battles. Eight Democrat senators joined 52 Republicans in breaking the filibuster. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the next Democrat Senate caucus meeting. These senators' butts will be a bright green grass.
Hatfields v McCoys
Civil War
Families, friends, neighbors turning on each other.
Because of a worthy goal.
Beat the Orange Man.
Mature civilization at its best.
This is why whenever I plug your essays through any kind of AI, your writing grade level comes up at the 10th grade. Lucky you're not on the school board. And funny that one of your major rants is how many kids are graduating below grade level - like yourself?
Bravo.
You are a prime example of a mature adult in today’s world.
You disagree? You think there is no division in families or between friends?
Sorry, you're normally so gentle-handed with what you see as the opposition. I didn't think you'd be so tender. I thought it was a helpful hint. With AI so rampant, you could feed your essays through one and ask it to read as if it came from a graduate of an accredited college.
Thanks for taking the time to read my writings, they’re intentionally clear and easy to follow.
It’s interesting that you ran it through AI and the only rebuttal you came up with was that it was too easy to read. AI helped you with that argument, did it?
You didn’t dispute a single fact, only the reading level.
That says more about you than the content.
Yep, it's all about me. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level formula isn't as polite as 'easy to read'. But I'll let you find that out if you want. But as someone who ran for the school board, I'm sure you're familiar with Flesch-Kincaid. Or maybe I'm not so sure?
Thanks for the re-cap. Well done. We voted at the polls not trusting Newsom's translucent ballot return envelopes, so our No on 50 votes may still be in the pile of uncounted California votes.
Gen Z voting patterns will need special scrutiny when the final numbers come in. If they keep voting Democrat, why are they not registering Democrat?
https://abev.optiqdata.com/
Latest update on Prop 50 turnout. Scroll down. My GenZer and many friends (mostly NPPs, all college grads) tell me they voted NO on 50 because they asked others ‘how to vote and why?’. Then some concluded Newsom was acting politically, unilaterally for self-serving reasons to override the CA Constitution. “He wants to be Prez; he manipulates.”
Additionally these specific local GenZers were aware of how much work for an entire year Cheryl and others did on the CA Citizen Redistricting Commission to ensure “fairness”, concluding a Y vote was “demeaning to Cheryl and other Santa Barbara Commissioners” who gave a year of their lives to redistricting our area.
WHY are Gen Z not registering Democrat, while voting Democrat? Some say they’re “confused” and “uncertain”. They were schooled to “be kind, inclusive, accepting, non-competitive and collaborative”: to go along to get along. At the same time some in GenZ can’t relate to self-identifying as a CA Democrat, protesting, demanding, whackos who “group think, then hate you for disagreeing”.
The concepts of independence, personal responsibility, accountability, financial success, competition may or may not have been taught and practiced at home or sport. The CAGOP or SBRCC certainly have never reached out to youth. TPUSA is for Christians. How many youth self-identify as religious? Attend church on weekends?
Junior year of high school, in class, they are registered to vote in CA public schools. Presentations usually made by Democrat influencers (locally Al Gore’s daughter has been hugely successful): “you want to be on the winning, the controlling team, don’t you?”
Rather than register Democrat, these independent GenZers register NPP. They need a political party yet to be created.
The CA law registering kids in class must be abolished but won’t be until CA voters end single party control.
All good points, thanks for the insights. Good target, how do we get younger, secular GOP influencers to also show up for these HS voter registration presentations?
elections are a stage show, always designed to be 'close' as the Uniparty that is comprised of both the democrats and republicans pretend to switch being in power now and then for looks, while the uniparty continues uninterrupted no matter who supposedly 'wins'. I hate to say this but it has become so obvious that both parties are completely dysfunctional that I now believe sooner or later we will need to take Elon up on his offer to create a new third party to replace the republican party. Makes me sad, but it is an unavoidable conclusion at this point as we watch Thune/McConnell slow walk and block Tumps agenda just trying to wait it out until they can pretend Democrats 'won' again. Sad times.
From where I sit, the passage of Proposition 50 was the worst of a nasty election year. The Yes vote was a certainty, as was its landslide in the ballot box. But consider what California just embraced: the setting aside of a constitutional amendment. Chew on that. And while it was sold as an attempt to counter Texas and other Red states in mid-cycle gerrymandering plus feeding off extreme TDS, the prize all along was fixing the 2028 electoral field for Gavin Newsom. Our governor is salivating for the presidency. Aligning California's congressional districts further left was the first volley. Presidents come and go. Mayors come and go. But the dismantling of good law, laws crafted to maintain good and transparent governance, they don't easily come back. They don't. Precedence has taken root. Remember when the Patriot Act was overwhelmingly, hastily passed? Ordinary citizens agreed: "Well, if it keeps us safe." But at what cost? What is the Bill of Rights worth to you? What is California's citizens congressional districting commission worth to you? The price was too dear.
Childless, Mrs Mamdani has announced her intention to dissolve her marriage to Zohran. When asked, Mrs Mamdani claims a loss of consortium in their marriage. Apparently, each evening upon retiring to the bedroom, Zohran props himself on the edge of the bed and goes on and on about how great it is going to be.
It's great to know Mr. Barton is privy to the goings-on in the Mamdani bedroom. We'll be seeking further updates from Santa Barbara's rendition of "Page Six" and "National Enquirer" combined. A fact that can be ascertained outside the bedroom is that Democrat elected leaders are less likely to be married than their Republican counterparts, and they (married Democrats) have fewer children than (married) Republicans.
Not sure if it landed but it is a joke based on a Reagan joke I heard about a woman married to a democrat who claimed to be a virgin because each evening when she was expecting marital relations her husband just went on about how great it was going to be. Like democrats and socialists going on about how great it will be if we surrender our liberty and treasure. Personally I found the joke hilarious.
Do you have kids, Jeff?
Trying to rationalize what happened last Tuesday as par for the course and not a harbinger of what could happen in 2026 is tantamount to the blind man leading the blind man, both unable to see what's in front of them. It's not that Republicans lost elections in blue or purple states; it's that the margin of the Democratic victories was far greater than normal in these off-year elections. The Republicans lost independent voters by huge margins and also got destroyed with Hispanic voters. To add insult to injury, many Republican voters didn't bother to vote. This is a recipe for a blue wave in 2026 if something doesn't change in the interim.
Yep!!
Good summary.
I am not surprised by the CA vote on Prop 50.
Voters have been on an inexplicable suicide mission for many election cycles. When given the "opportunity" to pay a larger tax slice of their paychecks to further enrich the political and bureaucratic elites while concurrently diminishing their own quality of life...they jump at it...as evidenced by the majority of locally elected officials.
Hats off to Saul Alinsky...he called this many years ago...get the educational system to do your dirty work. It's the one area where education has succeeded.
What? Our local officials greatly enrich their personal lives with tax dollars from their positions and NGO pay. Their “own quality of life” in no way is “diminished”.
Untrue: “When given the "opportunity" to pay a larger tax slice of their paychecks to further enrich the political and bureaucratic elites while concurrently diminishing their own quality of life...they jump at it...as evidenced by the majority of locally elected officials.” As per one example: check out wanna-be mayor Kristen Sneddon and County Public Works Director spouse. How does around $750,000 combined compensation diminish the couple’s quality of life?
TransparentCalifornia.com
Civic duty is MIA as relates to budgeting time to become informed and then to easily vote. Civics education, outreach to adult voters is missing. I bet less than 5% of Californians have read our state’s Constitution; less than 1% of parents have read the CA Education Code. The CAGOP is dead: the party is void of leadership at all levels. America became a socialist country in 1965 and was forever changed. Socialism is now embraced by the majority. How much tax, confiscation of privately owned property, public housing is enough?
The entitled benefiting from tax generated checks or benefits outnumber those few remaining Americans, Californians who choose to be independent, free of a government hand out. Everything now is a demanded “right”, someone else’s responsibility. Social Security is a huge unfunded problem.
Boomers, and those older, voting Democrat in the 1960s are the two generations that delivered modern day reality.
How now do we motivate others to participate? To make time to become informed, to get involved, to run for office or actively support those who do, and help build a bench to prepare youth for leadership. There’s much work to be done locally. There’s more to it than attending lunch to hear a speaker. Action is required.
1962. The year JFK allowed government employees to unionize. America has never been the same ever since. Prop 50 was just one more government employee union tax dollar grab election. The very same horse Gavin Newson is running on too.
And Jimmy Carter....Department of Education; CA...SEIU...ad nauseam...
We need a time line of programs, events, laws that led to current problematic realities. Can you TVW & elce make such a timeline? I’ll pay to print on reference cards to hand out. GenZers would benefit as would many voters and socialist deniers. Info is power. Ignorance is dangerous.
Yes...A very dark horse! Woe to California. Woe to our nation. They let the wolf in the door. Foolish children. What? Red Riding Hood, Pinocchio, Snow White? And they believed His/Her sweet talk. ☠️⛓️🔒🪞The fairest of them all...
It is not that Democrats are winning on better ideas or policies. They have none. Instead they gamed the system so badly after the 1990's, they now have a total lock on the entire election process.
Prop 98 automatic massive funding for schools produced a prodigious revenue stream, which now funds the overly powerful state teachers unions, and their SEIU (CSEA) school staff cohorts. Just thee two unions provide granular level political operatives for every single election. While we are forced to pay them with our own tax dollars to do this to us. This is the real depth of the problem.
This alll smacks of deep, deep, deep partisan and coordinate corruption of the entire political process in this state. With their now Democrat super-majority lock amplified further by the passage of Prop 50, digging out of this mess will take herculean efforts. We cannot just phone this one in.
Democrats = tax and spend Big Government protectionist party. We have to slowly chip away at this devouring behemoth. Never give up.
Sherrill (NJ) and Spanberger (VA) are not the worst results for Governor in blue states. Both are patriots. Both are moderates. And Republicans didn’t put up good competition. Especially in VA, that was historically purple.
VA’s situation last election is exactly what we need here. Youngkin winning election last cycle was a shot to the system in blue VA. We need some big seat Republican wins in this midterm, Governor, Assembly, Congress to reset the system. For a moderate (Clinton type) Democrat, you are voting for change back towards the common sense direction, because it sends a message that you want to see more Abigail Spanbergers from your party, and less Mamdani’s.
There are multiple Democrat Socialists of America members running for city councils next cycle. When 5 Mamdani’s populate councils and boards, you’ll be asking why you are being fined for spare bedrooms, property taken for low income housing, and 18 story project structures going up behind your backyard…
Carpinteria City Council just reported last night the state overruled the city for 3 low income housing structures to the dismay of many citizens/commenters. So what I said above isn’t rhetoric, it’s happening, and it’s what you keep voting for.
Bob, Thank you for your dedicated service this Veteran's Day-and every day.
I'm a little taken aback reading your comments on the NJ & VA elections
Election by Election, we are fighting to save this country--Every election is critical!
I am constantly disappointed that Republican Candidate's do not "take the gloves off" and bear down against their democratic opponents (both progressives and moderates). There is no room for congratulations for electing moderate democrats. I want candidates who will fight to save the country--from school boards to president. Have we not learned that the boot will be applied to our neck (taxes, social policies and insane laws) when any democrat takes office?
I’m not congratulating, just fair political analysis. I can’t be dismayed in blue states where the Republican Party put up bad candidates to win. I’m not going to be upset with a moderate Naval Academy grad when in other places Democrats are electing socialists. Democrats are 50% of the population, and if they are going to elect someone in an area they control, I’d rather it be a Spanberger or Fetterman, than a Mamdani. I think that’s better for our country.
What is disturbing is that we only had 43% turnout on Proposition 50, Republicans could have blocked this with full turnout. Republicans don’t vote here. Don’t get involved.
Our #1 city was turned over to a communist. And our state actively supported our radical governor openly gerrymandering the state to cheat against a sitting president, so no, two moderate Dems elected in blue states, not at the top of my concern radar…
Turned over? He was elected.
In CA, Republicans need 100% turnout plus NPPs and a few moderate Democrats to win elections. “Take off the gloves” won’t work until AFTER a Republican majority win a power chair. Sadly, now we again see that Republicans in the House and Senate aren’t a force. Disappointing, infuriating. Senator Kennedy (R-LA) said something like: ‘God help me because if I had strength, I’d need bail money.’
Mr. Smith, where do I begin with your first paragraph? The Left is attempting to reclaim the word "patriot" by redefining what "patriot" and "patriotism" is. Those words reflect an unquestioning allegiance to something. On the same stage, myself and Zohran Mamdani could declare to listeners that we are "patriots" - but a "patriot" to what? On the whole, traditionalists are "patriotic" to historic America. The Left which for a long time was gun-shy of standing next to a real unfurled American flag (not just red/white/blue bunting as displayed at Democrat conventions) now is beginning to again identify with "patriotism", but it's not the same "patriotism" alluded to by traditionalists. It's an abstract "patriotism" usually conjuring up utopian visions of where they perceive the nation will be if we only continue down the ideological path they are suggesting. It's not an organic, concrete patriotism that leads us to salute all of our past leaders and institutions, and kneel in prayer at military cemeteries over the graves of Americans who secured our freedoms. This Comment is already lengthy. Sherrill and Spanberger are typical left-wing Democrat candidates. The intelligence community from which these women graduated from has been spearheading the Deep State drive to anti-American-nation-state globalism since the days of L.B.J. I'd rather a union-organizer from the southwestern VA coalfields be elected governor than a gunslinging former C.I.A. operative who simply doesn't like America the way we do.
You are not a traditionalist but a modernist. The modern nation state itself was a concept born of the peace of Westphalia, which signaled the end of Christendom as now the Church was powerless in the temporal sense - leaders, not Pope's could make spiritual decisions independent of the Roman Pontif.
David, thank you for the excellent and detailed election analysis. I also want to acknowledge the many intelligent comments. Regarding the Mamdani election, I am disappointed in the New York City political establishment and its inability to groom a stable of up and coming Democrats, Republicans, and independent to run for office.
IMO: it seems it’s OK for trump to ignore amendments and the Constitution, when he does, republicans aren’t concerned or bothered in the least. Not surprising. The voting that concerns me more is the one that took place this evening? The one to open the government. Apparently, there were eight Democrats with no guts or back bones, who chose to vote with the spineless, elitist republicans? So I hope those Democrats get their rightful thanks. Of course, there will be crowing how the republicans won. They might’ve won, but the average American lost.
In the top echelons of politics, businesses, corporations, or just plain rich, there are no worries about where their next meal is coming from, wether they’re sick enough to go to the doctor, which bills to ignore so they can pay their rent or mortgage. They have no concerns about what the average person goes through.
Their worries are, whether they can go golfing, build their ballroom, cover everything in gold, attend parties on the day that food benefits are taken away from millions, having things named after you, revenge, and the list goes on and on and on.
OK, what is a problem is when people who think "well they'll win any way so why vote" in fact do not vote.
What you do when that is the situation is you break the system.
It is what happened with the "Green Party" and others on the Left. Instead of standing up to the Hammer of their side dictatorship they folded. Top Two killed off their opinion and gave absolute power. The middle finger is why you don't hear about them any more.
So the next time you say why vote think about what you are faced in the State. I for one am willing to go down fighting instead of spineless oh woe is me.