Conservative Blogger
Monday, February 16, 2026
Sen. Mike Lee: End 'Zombie Filibuster,' Pass SAVE America Act
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, is intensifying pressure on Senate colleagues to advance the SAVE America Act, a Republican-backed election integrity bill that would mandate proof of citizenship to register and a photo ID to vote in federal elections. The bill passed the House on a party-line vote and faces a difficult
path in the Senate, where Democrats can block it under existing
filibuster rules requiring 60 votes to end debate.
"The longer we wait, the harder it'll get to pass the SAVE America Act," Lee wrote Sunday night on X. "Senate Republicans should rip off the Zombie Filibuster next week." In a series of posts on X, Lee urged GOP senators to revive the talking filibuster — a traditional form of extended debate — to bring the measure to a vote without abolishing the 60-vote threshold. "Enforce the Talking Filibuster," Lee wrote Sunday on X. "Slay the Zombie. "Baby steps to SAVE America ... becoming giant leaps." He doubled down in follow-ups. "My friend @SenatorHagerty gets it: We must sideline the Zombie Filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act," Lee added on X, linking to video of a TV appearance by Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn. "We need all Republican senators on the same page. "If you agree, please spread the word." Earlier this weekend, Lee hailed Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, as the 50th Senate Republican co-sponsor of the bill written by Lee and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. The measure builds on the House-passed SAVE Act by adding a voter ID requirement. "The SAVE America Act makes our original SAVE Act better," Lee and Roy wrote in a statement, unveiling the bill that passed the House this past week. "President [Donald] Trump rightly believes we should include Voter ID in this bill as we make a renewed push to secure our elections and protect the rights of American voters. "By requiring Voter ID and proof-of-citizenship, the SAVE America Act will ensure that our federal elections are decided by U.S. citizens — and U.S. citizens alone." Under current Senate rules, most legislation cannot be voted on unless debate is closed, a process known as invoking cloture — which typically requires 60 votes out of 100. If cloture fails, opponents can indefinitely delay a bill's progression. The talking filibuster is a historical version of the filibuster in which senators must physically hold the floor and speak continuously to maintain an objection to a bill. This was how debate was traditionally conducted before procedural changes in the 20th century reduced it to a largely silent obstruction tactic. Lee and fellow conservatives argue the modern filibuster functions as what he calls a "zombie filibuster" — a procedural tool that lets senators block legislation without actively debating it on the floor, effectively giving a minority of 41 senators veto power over most major bills. "Where do your senators stand on setting aside the Zombie Filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act?" Lee asked Sunday night on X. Reviving the talking filibuster would force opponents to actively obstruct if they want to delay a bill, potentially wearing down resistance and allowing a vote with a simple majority once debate concludes, Lee argued this weekend. Critics of the current filibuster note that modern practice often involves no actual floor speeches; senators can sustain a filibuster simply by signaling opposition or using procedural tactics to block cloture. Lee and others describe this as "filibustering without effort," arguing it has morphed from a tool for robust debate into a mechanism for silent obstruction. By calling for enforcement of older Senate debate rules — requiring active participation to sustain an objection — Lee says Republicans could effectively "slay the zombie" and bring the SAVE America Act to a floor vote without scrapping the filibuster entirely. Despite Lee's push, Senate procedural reforms remain uncertain. Some Republicans, including Sen. Susan Collins, support the SAVE America Act but oppose changes to filibuster rules, highlighting the challenge ahead for Lee's strategy. |
'It's Kind of Rich'—AL Sen. Katie Britt Calls Out the Hypocrisy of Democrats Running off to Munich
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With her colleague Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) favored to win the Alabama governorship, Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) is stepping into her senior senator shoes. Britt appeared this morning on Fox News Sunday to discuss the partial government shutdown which has affected TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard. Britt was quick to hold her Democrat colleagues accountable for this, citing their failure to negotiate in good faith to resolve funding. On Friday, Britt took to the Senate floor and called out the
Democrats' political posturing in slow-rolling the already shortened
two-week process to resolve the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
funding. Britt said:
Democrat senators dug in their heels concerning their so-called ICE reforms and blocked the passage of DHS funding. Despite the fact that the agencies that would be affected have nothing to do with Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Border Patrol. Britt affirmed the Republicans' resolve not to allow ICE to become the political football that Democrats were trying to make it, telling host Shannon Bream, "[W]hat our Democratic colleagues have to realize is that we're not going to walk away from enforcing the law." Britt then pointed out to Bream the hypocrisy of these same Democrats rushing off to Europe for the 2026 Munich Security Conference, while leaving sectors of American national security up in the air. Britt continued,
Bingo. Exhibit A: Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who rushed off to Munich to be a part of the conference. Once there, Slotkin spouted off to Bloomberg that “alienating allies” is bad for U.S. national security, telling the outlet, “I think it takes a long time to build trust and an instant to lose it.” We suspect that the TSA agents across Michigan's three major airports have lost their trust. It absolutely screams failure of leadership when an elected representative absconds to a foreign country to badmouth and decry the lack of leadership in their own. Slotkin and her fellow Democrats' priorities are clearly not the American people, no matter how they try to pretend otherwise. Dive Deeper: The Underwhelming 2028 Democrat Presidential Field, A Second Look Britt continued to bring home the Republicans' commitment to keep Americans safe, as well as to continue to forge ahead with good-faith negotiations with the Democrats to bring this shutdown to an end sooner than the last one.
Britt's entire Friday speech on the Senate floor was quite fiery and has been making the rounds because of her condemnation of Democrats' political posturing. She said in part,
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Legend: Czech Politician Dunks All Over a Furious Hillary Clinton for Her TDS in Great Exchange in Munich
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I reported earlier how Hillary Clinton was at the Munich Security Conference speaking on a panel, "The West-West Divide: What Remains of Common Values." Clinton made a pretty stunning comment
that migration had gone "too far, it's been disruptive and
destabilizing." That's a big indictment of the Democratic policies over
the last several years, whether she understands that or not. The big
question was why she was saying it. Was it because she's trying to paint
the Democrats as more moderate than the yare as they scream about
abolishing ICE? Maybe, but that isn't going to work, given the mess they
made of securing the border and dealing with illegal aliens.
She also appeared to attack the Trump administration's approach to dealing with the mess that Joe Biden left him, which is a disgraceful thing to do while overseas. But while she was attacking U.S. policy, she got called out by a Czech politician who was on the panel,
Petr Macinka, a Czech deputy prime minister, took her to task, "First, I think you really don't like him." "You know, that is absolutely true," Clinton said. Then she tried to tell him what to do when it comes to Trump, "But not only do I not like him, but I don't like what he's actually doing to the United States and the world, and I think you should take a hard look at it if you think there is something good that will come of it." She's still so burnt that Trump beat her, even ten years later. Macinka explained that what led to Trump winning was how extreme the left had become. "Well, what Trump is doing in America, I think, is a reaction. Reaction for some policies that really went too far, too far from the regular people." He then referred to things like cancel culture, the "woke" revolution, and gender ideologies, while Hillary made faces next to him. "Which gender, women having their rights?" Clinton snarked. Of course, not believing there are 44 genders in no way offends women's rights. She knows that, but dishonestly attacks him. Indeed, it's the people who believe that men are women who have often stomped on women's rights in such things as the right to be safe in women's locker rooms. Macinka didn't let her get away with that. He said there were two genders and the rest was a social construct that went too far. Hillary's response didn't even make any sense, given the topic. "Does that justify selling out Ukraine, who are on the front lines dying to save their freedom and their two genders, if that's what you're worried about?" What did any of that have to do with Ukraine? Plus, it's Trump who's been trying to end the war, while Democrats seem to be content to let it go on forever, pouring our money out into it endlessly. Macinka started laughing at how desperate and angry she was, "I'm sorry, this makes you nervous." You could hear other laughs as well. She really doesn't take being challenged very well. The problem with her is that she's so twisted, she can't hide it. But the rest of the world sees it. Good for Macinka! He shouldn't have had to do it. But he had to, because she doesn't care how her words might hurt the U.S., as long as she's attacking Trump. The difference between her and someone like the present Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is striking. This is why she didn't win, because people can see right through her, both here and abroad. We are so lucky Trump won. |
Are We Shocked That the Media Are Avoiding This DC Story?
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Washington DC faces a severe crisis. Recently, a ruptured underground sewer line leaked over 200 million gallons of waste into the Potomac, creating a major biohazard. The situation isn’t safe, and conditions were already poor before this event. Repairing the damage is expected to take nine to ten months, highlighting the city's ongoing infrastructure challenges. David Gadis, appointed to the National Infrastructure Advisory Council by Biden in 2022, is the CEO and general manager of DC Water. Yes, there’s a Biden connection, which explains why The Washington Post is steering clear of this story. As David Burge, aka Iowahawkblog, once posted in 2014: There was no coverage of it anywhere over the weekend. What could be the largest sewage spill disaster in US history was suffocated with a pillow (via Newsbusters):
And Jorge Bonilla, also of Newsbusters, mentioned that the Sunday shows also avoided it. Why? You already know the answer. |
Spike Lee Makes Anti-Israel Statement at NBA All-Star Game
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Deni Avdija is the first Israeli basketball star to play in the NBA's All-Star Game, as a starter for Team World. Avdija is proud to be there, telling the media, "It's a dream come true," to represent Israel on the court. But because sports cannot be free of politics, this is how filmmaker
Spike Lee showed up at the game, decked out in "Free Palestine" garb.
Simply incredible.
No other such garb would be allowed.
Fair enough.
That would lead to weeks of media outrage. This gets crickets.
They knew exactly what they were doing.
We're sure Mamdani is thrilled with this.
They don't care about any of that actual genocide. Just Israel. Editor’s Note: Hollywood, academia, and liberal elites are out of touch with the average American. |
Democratic Massachusetts auditor takes transparency fight to high court after alleged $12M fraud uncovered
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A Democratic state auditor is taking Massachusetts legislative leaders, including members of her own party, to court after uncovering nearly $12 million in alleged fraud in public assistance programs, seeking to enforce a voter-approved audit law. "What
are they hiding? If there's nothing to hide, open up the doors, let the
sun shine in. Let's do this audit," Massachusetts State Auditor Diana
DiZoglio said on "Saturday in America." DiZoglio, a Democrat and former member of both the Massachusetts House and Senate, is filing a complaint with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to enforce a 2024 ballot measure that authorized her office to audit the legislature. The measure passed with 72% support. The legal action follows a report from the Massachusetts State Auditor's Office identifying nearly $12 million in alleged fraud in fiscal year 2025 alone across several public assistance programs.  State Auditor Diana DiZoglio speaks to reporters at the State House in Boston, Mass. on Jan. 28, 2025. (Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images) DiZoglio notified legislative leaders earlier this year of her intent to conduct a performance audit but said House and Senate leaders refused to provide the necessary documents. She added that the state attorney general declined to intervene. "This is something that 72% of voters came out to support, crossing party lines," she said. "You had progressive Democrats joining together with conservative Republicans. And essentially saying that they want this audit to get done." According to the auditor, Massachusetts is the only state in the nation where the legislature, governor’s office and court system exempt themselves from the state’s public records law. She argues the newly approved audit authority would bring long-sought transparency to taxpayer-funded records, including financial receipts and state contracts. "This is about transparency and accountability," DiZoglio added.  The Massachusetts Statehouse is seen, Jan. 2, 2019, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File) "This is not about whether you support the right or the left. This is coming together and getting access to documents that should be a matter of public record." DiZoglio emphasized that rooting out fraud is essential to protecting public assistance programs for those who genuinely need them. She shared her own background, saying she was born to a 17-year-old single mother who relied on programs such as WIC before becoming a nurse and getting back on her feet. "A lot of people rely on these programs," she said. "But folks who are committing fraud need to be held accountable. We need to root out that waste, fraud and abuse so that these systems are working as they should and people truly in need get these services." Fox News Digital reached out to the Massachusetts attorney general’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response. However, according to GBH News, the attorney general claims DiZoglio lacks the authority to file the lawsuit. "This is another ploy to sidestep the required approval of my office and will bring her no closer to auditing the Legislature," she said in a statement, per the outlet. "This filing is not about enforcing the law. In order to enforce the law, she would answer my office’s straightforward questions, including how privileges given to the Legislature in our state constitution nearly 250 years ago impact her authority to audit the Legislature." DiZoglio said she hopes the state’s highest court will ultimately side with voters. "The Constitution is there to protect the people, not the politicians," she said. |
HGTV Host Faces Backlash After N-Word Clip Sparks Controversy
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A leaked on‑set clip has circulated showing long‑time HGTV host Nicole Curtis using the N‑word during filming of Rehab Addict, a moment that blew up online just as the show was scheduled to return. The footage, which Curtis appears to realize and tries to have killed in the moment, has everyone talking about accountability, context, and the rapid judgment of public life. This is a real news moment that demands facts be reported clearly before a verdict is handed down. Within
hours the network moved decisively, pulling the series from its
streaming platforms and announcing it would no longer air the program,
citing language that “does not align with the values of HGTV.”
Corporations across the media landscape have grown reflexively quick to
erase longtime shows and livelihoods at the first public blowup,
preferring scorched‑earth PR over measured inquiry. That immediate
cancellation and digital erasure has become the default, regardless of
nuance or the complicated truth behind a single clip. Curtis has apologized publicly, insisting the word is “wrong and not part of my vocabulary,” and has claimed the clip was private, reportedly from earlier years and possibly stolen or edited before it was released. She has said the footage was not intended for broadcast and that she is deeply sorry for the harm the word causes, while also questioning how and why the clip surfaced when it did. These are facts the public should know as we weigh corporate punishment against human fallibility. Make no mistake: any public figure who uses a racial slur deserves condemnation and accountability, and Americans of every stripe have a right to be offended and demand better. But accountability should not be synonymous with ritual destruction; the rush to fire, erase, and bankrupt careers for a single outburst empowers the mob and gives networks an easy PR win. Conservatives should stand for both moral clarity about unacceptable language and for due process and proportional consequences in public life. This episode is another reminder that the entertainment industrial complex follows incentives, not justice—advertisers panic, executives clear their decks, and the outraged internet claims victory while the deeper story is forgotten. If our society values free speech and redemption, we must resist the cheap theatrics of cancel culture and insist on honest, consistent standards rather than performative purges. Hardworking Americans know the difference between a deliberate pattern of hatred and a condemnable, isolated lapse that deserves correction rather than obliteration. In the end, we can acknowledge the wrong, demand sincere amends, and still push back against the rush to corporate erasure that has hollowed out forgiveness and common sense. Let accountability mean teaching and repair, not an immediate digital guillotine that erases 15 years of work with the click of a button. Conservatives should call for fair handling, honest reporting, and a society that condemns hateful language while preserving the possibility of redemption. |
Outrage Erupts as Girl Wrestler Claims Sexual Assault in Controversial Match
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A 16-year-old Rogers High School wrestler says she was sexually violated during a girls’ match on December 6, 2025 — an allegation that has ignited outrage and rightly put Puyallup School District under a harsh national spotlight. The teen, who has publicly described the incident and shared video captured by her mother, says she only learned after the match that her opponent is biologically male competing on the girls’ side. The footage is chilling and
the timeline even more so: the family says they told coaches within
days, yet the formal report to law enforcement was not made until weeks
later, leaving parents to wonder whether administrators prioritized
ideology over immediate protection. Parents and the athlete claim the
coach acknowledged the complaint at the time but then disappeared into
bureaucratic silence — an account backed up by local reporting and
interviews. Federal authorities have now stepped in, with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opening a directed Title IX investigation into the Puyallup School District to determine whether girls were denied safety or equal protection. At the same time, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed a criminal inquiry is underway into the alleged assault, underscoring that this is no longer just a policy debate but a possible crime scene. This story is not an isolated accident of administration; reporting suggests dozens of girls had already raised alarm about males in girls’ spaces before this horrific incident, with at least a dozen teammates reportedly filing safety complaints that administrators allegedly ignored. That pattern of silence is the predictable result when woke policies displace common-sense protections — and it screams deliberate indifference, not compassion. Across the country, federal investigators and conservative lawmakers have been pushing back on school policies that allow biological males to compete in girls’ sports, arguing those policies violate Title IX and put girls at physical and sexual risk. The Puyallup case is the practical, human consequence of that policy experiment: when ideology trumps biology, girls lose safety and fairness, and taxpayers get the bill. Americans who still believe in protecting girls’ sports and basic decency should be furious and mobilized, not mollified with token statements from school PR desks. District leaders must be held accountable, the criminal and federal investigations must run their course without political interference, and state legislatures should finally act to restore commonsense sex-based protections so no young woman has to step onto a mat wondering whether she will be safe. |
Sunday, February 15, 2026
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