Standing Athwart Despair: The Case for
Cheerful Conservatism
Posted By: Mercedes44, 7/12/2026 3:51:24 AM
For some years, I have kept a folder marked “Conservative Gloominess.” It is full of articles and animadversions by various hands: dire prognostications about who the next occupant of the White House will be; harrowing descriptions of disarray among conservatives; despairing portraits of U.S. or European society. What’s odd, or at least uncharacteristic, about these bulletins from the abyss is not their substance—to be candid, I have written plenty of items that could justly be filed there—but their tone and what we might call their existential orientation. From time immemorial, conservatives have delighted in writing works with titles like Leviathan, The Decline of the West, The Waste Land. Nevertheless,
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Mercedes44"
Nearly $15,000 Raised for Tennessee Railway
Conductor Fired for Patriotic July 4th Announcement 0 replies
Conductor Fired for Patriotic July 4th Announcement 0 replies
Nearly $15,000 has been raised for a conductor on the historic Incline Railway in Chattanooga, Tennessee, who was fired after delivering a patriotic message to passengers on Independence Day.
As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, Jack Peterson, who worked as a conductor for the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), which operates the Incline Railway, made the comments during a July 4 ride.
In a statement captured on video, which went viral on social media, Peterson wished “the very, very few Americans” on board a happy Independence Day.
He added, “To the rest of you, welcome to the greatest country on the face of the planet, and if you disagree, you can leave.”
For some years, I have kept a folder marked “Conservative Gloominess.” It is full of articles and animadversions by various hands: dire prognostications about who the next occupant of the White House will be; harrowing descriptions of disarray among conservatives; despairing portraits of U.S. or European society. What’s odd, or at least uncharacteristic, about these bulletins from the abyss is not their substance—to be candid, I have written plenty of items that could justly be filed there—but their tone and what we might call their existential orientation.
From time immemorial, conservatives have delighted in writing works with titles like Leviathan, The Decline of the West, The Waste Land. Nevertheless,
Over the previous five days, 76 Russian ships have been attacked by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned surface vehicles. This has succeeded in virtually isolating Crimea and the illegally occupied areas of Ukraine from Russia and may be on the verge of precipitating a humanitarian disaster in Crimea as water, electricity, and food are about to become scarce. Of the 76 targeted ships, 28 were attacked Friday night. This indicates a coherent strategic campaign rather than a one-off happening.
To fully understand the larger picture, we need to back off several months.
Swift Response From U.S. Military After
IRGC Strikes Container Ship and Closes
Strait of Hormuz 1 reply
IRGC Strikes Container Ship and Closes
Strait of Hormuz 1 reply
On Saturday night, according to reports, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy fired a warning shot at and struck a commercial ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran claimed it was closing the strait until further notice.This comes in the wake of President Trump and administration officials on Friday giving Iran a deadline of Saturday to say to the world that the Strait of Hormuz is open, or face certain destruction, as my colleague Joe Cunningham wrote earlier:There was also news Saturday of a potential assassination plot by Iran against Trump possibly being foiled in recent days.
Government commissions come and go. Most deliver their reports to polite applause and prompt obscurity. But the Religious Liberty Commission that recently presented its draft report to President Donald Trump deserves a look that extends well beyond the Oval Office. At stake is something fundamental to the American character: our distinctive religious pluralism and the constitutional architecture that has protected it for more than two centuries.Established last May, the commission was charged with identifying emerging threats to religious liberty, upholding federal laws protecting full civic participation in a pluralistic democracy, and protecting the free exercise of religion. That mandate is broadly American,
The Republican National Committee going into the weekend released details about its first midterm convention ahead of the November elections – a sign that President Donald Trump's tenacious and grueling work schedule is finally rubbing off on the GOP and is leaders after years of trying to keep pace.
Whether advancing his agenda, holding events, or dominating the news cycle, Trump's pace has been notoriously relentless. For weeks after his June 30 post, the broader party apparatus appeared to be playing catch-up—planning in the background while the president kept moving.
Wisconsin Election Commission tells DOJ
it’s not responsible for keeping noncitizens
off voter rolls 11 replies
it’s not responsible for keeping noncitizens
off voter rolls 11 replies
Wisconsin’s election managers are reminding everyone that non-citizens are not allowed to vote in the state. But the state’s Election Commission is stopping short of promising to work with the Trump Administration to make sure they don’t.
The Justice Department this week sent a letter to all 50 states that promises to prosecute any election manager who “who knowingly retains noncitizens on the state’s [voter list] or facilitates noncitizens in receiving and casting ballots could be subject to criminal liability."
"An intentional act that is aimed at diluting the votes of citizens could also constitute a violation of [federal law],
President Trump on Friday night doubled down on his threat to “decimate and destroy” Iran should the regime succeed in assassinating him.
“1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the Globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Orders have already been given, and the U.S. Military is ready, willing, and able, for a one year period of time, subject to extension,
Huntington Beach’s grip as Orange County’s conservative stronghold is under threat from a new court ruling. But this isn’t the first time the attorney and one of the plaintiffs have led the charge to reshape a conservative city.
In late June, Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig Griffin tentatively ruled that the city must switch to ranked-choice voting, undoing the “at-large” system in which voters in Huntington Beach have always cast ballots. The decision came after a lawsuit brought by the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and local Huntington Beach resident Victor Valladares.
Israel recently shared intelligence with the US about a new Iranian plot to assassinate President Trump, according to a report.
The latest assassination plan, reported by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, comes after years of Iranian regime threats to kill Trump as revenge for the 2020 killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Gen. Qasem Soleimani by US forces.
When asked for comment, the White House referred The Post to Trump’s Wednesday remarks at the NATO summit in Ankara. They want to take out the US leader — me,” Trump said. “I’m on whatever list. I saw this morning I’m on every single one of their lists. And so far,
After weeks of patience, President Trump has finally had enough with Iran’s radical Islamist regime. Divided, economically crippled, and increasingly desperate, Iran’s leaders responded to U.S. peace efforts and restraint with repeated violations of a ceasefire, threats against its neighbors, and blatant lies about negotiations with the U.S. On Wednesday, the president declared the ceasefire and the associated Memorandum of Understanding “over.” He ordered intensive U.S. airstrikes against strategic targets across Iran and reimposed crippling sanctions on Iranian oil exports. Trump’s message was clear: his patience with the Iranian regime has run out.
Most people understand the dynamic with Graham Platner has come down to price. How much are the Communists going to have to pay to get the Nazi rapist to leave the Maine senatorial race.
There are various storylines surrounding the negotiations [Example Here], but the bottom line is how much can Platner get for his exit? Former Communist presidential candidate Bernie Sanders cashed out for a couple of new houses and various indulgences within the party apparatus. Sanders is also reportedly counseling Platner on terms. Platner has until Monday at 5:00pm to exit so that Democrats can appoint a replacement candidate.
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I bet Gaza could use the tourist dollars, and apparently a lot of the aid money was looted by Hamas, and fancy nightclubs are springing up on the Strip.
That was my first thought when I read that the Egyptians had followed the Turkish example of denying entry to the Virgin cruise ship hosting a gay-themed cruise. [snip for X]
What were they thinking, scheduling a gay cruise to visit Muslim countries? It's not that Egypt or Turkey is exactly a craphole—both have been centers of civilization at times, and neither is crushingly poor in the way that Conan O'Brien's and Anderson Cooper's favorite vacation destination, Haiti, is.
Several New York Times reporters hit with
subpoenas after reporting on Trump's new
Air Force One 14 replies
subpoenas after reporting on Trump's new
Air Force One 14 replies
The Trump administration subpoenaed several New York Times reporters on Friday following the news outlet's recent reporting on security issues involving the newly commissioned Air Force One, according to the Times.
The aircraft, which President Donald Trump accepted as a gift from Qatar, entered service last week and has already been used for official travel.
According to the newspaper, the subpoenas require the journalists to appear before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday. The Times said federal agents personally delivered some of the subpoenas to reporters at their homes.
Earlier this week, we told you how a gay cruise operated by Atlantis Events was denied docking in Turkey precisely because the passengers are gay men. The cruise, which left from Athens on July 5, said it would dock in Cairo, Egypt, instead.
There's just one problem: Egypt denied them, too. (snip) The Scarlet Lady's 2,000 passengers, including the Broadway performer Patti LuPone, woke on Thursday morning to find a note placed under their cabin doors informing them that the ship was urgently looking for alternative ports.
'Early this morning, we were informed that Scarlet Lady has been denied entry into Egyptian waters,
Two teenage boys who identify as girls withdrew their lawsuit in New Hampshire following a Supreme Court ruling that upheld state bans on boys competing in girls' sports.
Parker Tirrell and Iris Turmelle filed lawsuits against New Hampshire's ban on males competing on female sports teams, and in 2024, they amended their complaint to include a challenge to Trump's executive order last year that aimed to protect females from having to compete against males in sports, the Associated Press reported.
A federal judge had granted a court order that allowed the boys to compete against girls while the case proceeded.
Under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the Department of Homeland Security will launch a new “deportation airline” in order to carry out deportation flights on a round-the-clock basis. In order to carry out the monumental task of mass deportations, DHS has procured a fleet of two Gulfstream 550s and six Boeing 737-700s at the cost of $140 million. The government fleet will allow for DHS to have autonomy in carrying out their own deportation logistics rather than having to rely on chartered flight with independent contractors.
The news of the new fleet comes as ICE has surged their arrest and deportation operations.
A judge's ruling pushing back a decision over whether to send Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin Tyler Robinson to trial has sparked frustration and scrutiny.
After five days of pre-trial probable cause hearings, Utah District Judge Tony Graf said he will wait to make his decision on whether Tyler Robinson will face trial until September 1.
Many observers had anticipated Graf would make his ruling on Friday at the conclusion of the final hearing - with Kirk's widow Erika issuing a legal filing soon after urging Graf to come to a 'prompt' decision due to the 'overwhelming evidence.
Wisconsin Election Commission tells DOJ
it’s not responsible for keeping noncitizens
off voter rolls 11 replies
it’s not responsible for keeping noncitizens
off voter rolls 11 replies
Wisconsin’s election managers are reminding everyone that non-citizens are not allowed to vote in the state. But the state’s Election Commission is stopping short of promising to work with the Trump Administration to make sure they don’t.
The Justice Department this week sent a letter to all 50 states that promises to prosecute any election manager who “who knowingly retains noncitizens on the state’s [voter list] or facilitates noncitizens in receiving and casting ballots could be subject to criminal liability."
"An intentional act that is aimed at diluting the votes of citizens could also constitute a violation of [federal law],
President Trump on Friday night doubled down on his threat to “decimate and destroy” Iran should the regime succeed in assassinating him.
“1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the Globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Orders have already been given, and the U.S. Military is ready, willing, and able, for a one year period of time, subject to extension,
Volkswagen Will Eliminate Almost Half
of Production Models After Losing Market
Share to China 9 replies
of Production Models After Losing Market
Share to China 9 replies
The European auto industry is a case study on how short-sighted trade policy goals, results in consequences.Previously, German auto companies like Volkswagen entered into trade agreements with China and began manufacturing their vehicles with immediate financial success in the market. However, it did not take long for Chinese auto companies to reverse the engineering and begin to deliver the same quality vehicles at much lower prices.
NASA is looking for four volunteers to spend a year living and working in a simulated deep-space mission designed to help prepare astronauts for future trips to the Moon and Mars.
The agency announced it is recruiting participants for the first Moon and Mars Exploration Analog (MMEA) mission, which is scheduled to begin no earlier than August 2027 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The yearlong study will place crew members in isolated, confined environments that simulate interplanetary travel and planetary surface operations. Researchers will study how participants adapt to the physical and psychological demands of long-duration missions while testing technologies and procedures that could support future human exploration.
If one wanted to assemble a laundry list of things you could do to destroy any confidence the public ever had in the election process, one could hardly do any better than to look to California for a model. The once-Golden State's elections are already a hot mess, approaching - never mind that, attaining banana republic level. Now, they're about to make things an order of magnitude dumber. California is now recruiting teenagers as young as 16 for poll workers, able to issue ballots, assist voters, and operate election equipment, and more. Here's the real kicker: These teens don't even have to be citizens.
Independent journalist Natalie Winters has the details
Huntington Beach’s grip as Orange County’s conservative stronghold is under threat from a new court ruling. But this isn’t the first time the attorney and one of the plaintiffs have led the charge to reshape a conservative city.
In late June, Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig Griffin tentatively ruled that the city must switch to ranked-choice voting, undoing the “at-large” system in which voters in Huntington Beach have always cast ballots. The decision came after a lawsuit brought by the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and local Huntington Beach resident Victor Valladares.