Conservative Blogger
Monday, August 24, 2026
Iran Parliament Speaker: 'We Are Hungry, We Cannot Survive'
Iran's Parliament speaker has issued an unusually stark warning about the country's deepening economic troubles, declaring that even a powerful military cannot protect the Islamic Republic if its people are hungry and the economy continues to deteriorate. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, one of the country's most senior political figures, made the comments during a meeting with Iranian and Iraqi economists in Baghdad, according to Middle East news outlet Al Bawaba. "No matter how strong our military power becomes, if we are hungry, we will not be able to endure," Qalibaf warned, according to the report. The comments represented a striking acknowledgment from inside Iran's leadership that the country's economic crisis could threaten its ability to maintain national security and political stability. Qalibaf said military power cannot be separated from economic strength, describing security and the economy as "two wings" that depend upon one another. Without security, he said, investors will not risk their capital. But without economic growth, domestic production, and sufficient income for ordinary citizens, the government cannot sustain security indefinitely. His comments come as Iran continues to face severe economic pressures after years of international sanctions, regional conflict and enormous government expenditures on its military and regional allies. Iran’s inflation has been reported at around 90%, while GDP has contracted sharply. More than 1 million jobs have been lost, and oil exports are now close to zero because of the U.S. naval blockade. Meanwhile, Iran continues to invest heavily in ballistic missiles, drones, and other weapons while also supporting armed groups and allies across the Middle East. But Qalibaf's remarks suggest Iranian leaders are increasingly concerned that military capabilities offer little protection against growing economic hardship at home. "We are hungry, we cannot survive," news outlet Al Bawaba summarized Qalibaf's warning in its headline Saturday. Qalibaf, a former commander in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has long been considered a major figure in Iran's conservative political establishment. His willingness to publicly link hunger and economic weakness to Iran's national security problems could therefore carry particular significance. The Parliament speaker emphasized that Iran needs economic growth, investment, financial activity, and increased domestic production if it hopes to remain resilient. His message was straightforward: missiles and military power alone cannot guarantee the survival of the Iranian state. For Iran to remain strong, Qalibaf said, the government must also provide an economy capable of supporting its people. Without both, he warned, Iran "will not be able to endure." © 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved. |
Kanter Freedom Says He Was Tossed From WNBA Game for Supporting Women — 'Let That Sink In, America!'
 |
I wrote the other day that Enes Kanter Freedom is the gift that keeps on giving because he continues to expose the WNBA’s hypocrisy when it comes to males playing against females in competitive sports. The toxic league claims to support women, yet they fully support men taking trophies and athletic scholarships from females and even injuring them. The 6-foot-10 former NBA center has sent the Association into a tizzy by announcing he plans to enter their draft and suit up for a WNBA team next season. Numerous players, executives, and coaches who preach tolerance on one hand are quite comfortable spewing out hate against anyone who disagrees with them on the other, and on Sunday, they were at it again. Before the game even started, Kanter was verbally abused by the “we love everybody crowd" as he tried to enter Chicago's Wintrust Arena. Security had to escort him into the building, but I suspect they were more worried about Kanter slapping one of these faux tough guys to the ground than they were about protecting him. MORE: Enes Kanter Freedom Is the Gift That Keeps on Giving As He Continues to Mercilessly Expose the WNBA (VIP) Feckless WNBA Bosses Meet to Define 'Woman'… and Come Up With Exactly Nothing But Freedom’s night was far from done. A Chicago Sky player started taunting him, and he committed the crime of talking back and even standing up. The horror! Why shouldn’t the player who started the back-and-forth be yanked off the floor instead of the paying customer who was just reacting? Because that’s how the WNBA rolls:
Here’s how it went down:
Kanter Freedom wasted no time in pointing out the hypocrisy on social media:
But he had more, and this one is brutal: Obviously, leftists are all worked up about the efforts of Freedom and another former NBAer, Royce White, to attempt to play in the league. Personally, I love it, because they’re exposing the woke Association in a way that it's never faced before, and they’re flailing wildly and ineffectively to deal with it. The WNBA just keeps digging the hole larger and larger. |
Big News in the Battle for the Senate Leaves the GOP Still on Top
 |
I didn’t expect to do another update in the 2026 Battle for the U.S. Senate so soon. But there has been some recent big news, overall favoring the GOP. As reported by Redstate, GOP pollster Patrick Ruffini conducted a study of summer polls and found a significant Democrat bias – “the average polling error across all polls was D+3.7, and 73% of polls released overstated the Democrat relative to the election result. Again, that’s across more than 3,000 polls, so that’s hardly just statistical noise.” This has been going on for at least the past six cycles. This bias should be ending just about now. Of course, it has been known since at least the late 80’s that Democrats experienced polling bumps during the summer. It was often theorized that Republicans were on vacation. One frequently referred to example occurred in July of 1988, when then-Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis held a 17-point edge over then-Vice President George H. W. Bush in the presidential race, only for Bush to easily triumph in the end. Some other polling problems have also recently been underlined. Pollsters continue to have a major problem in over-measuring the intensely motivated, highly educated, left-wing, white (especially female) voters, who are bolstering the DSA in the primary and the Democrats in the general. This was shown again in the Michigan Senate primary. Also, Median Strategies, a polling firm, was found to have promoted fake polls pushing progressive candidates for a “social experiment.” This was not the first time a left-wing firm was found to be producing fraudulent polls. In the upper chamber, the Republicans have a 53-to-47-seat majority, with 35 seats up. The Democrats need a net pickup of four seats to win control. But only two Republican seats – Maine and North Carolina – are in competitive states. The other 20 GOP seats are in states Donald Trump won by double digits. Picking up a double-digit seat for the opposite party rarely happens, let alone twice. Only once, in modern times - in 2010 - did the GOP win three such seats. While some Senate polls are showing the Democrats leading in some of these states, CNN also has some contradictory evidence - a generic poll that shows Republicans have a 6-point lead in 6 key races, including the double-digit states of AK, IA, OH, and TX. In the 2025 Virginia elections, the Democrats won in a landslide, but they didn’t carry a single state legislative district where Trump won with that margin. The GOP will have a huge money edge overall, although most Democrat candidates are outraising their Republican foes. But, on to the races: Alaska: Dan Sullivan / 54% R / Tilt R
In the jungle RCV primary on August 18, Democrat former Rep. Mary Peltola won 48 percent of the vote, and incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan had 43 percent, with the third spot going to the fake Republican challenger, Dan J. Sullivan. The fourth spot went to a progressive Democrat. However, in 2024, Peltola won a 51 percent majority in the primary only to be ousted from the House in the general. Strangely, Peltola fired two staffers right before the primary, which is never a good sign for a campaign. The Democrats, of course, are trying to rig the election, having assisted fake Republican Dan J. Sullivan’s efforts. As a result, a Justice Department grand jury is investigating. The RCP average still shows incumbent Sullivan with a two-point advantage. But because of the actual primary results, I am moving this race from Lean R to Tilt R. Michigan: Gary Peters (retiring) / Toss-Up
Abdul El-Sayed, another crazed radical Muslim socialist - although he disputes the socialist part - is facing off against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers (MI-08), who narrowly lost the 2024 Senate race. The current RCP average shows El-Sayed up by a single point. However, besides recent polling, nothing has gone well for El-Sayed. The polls prior to the primary election were shown to be substantially biased in his favor, and his narrow win demonstrated weaknesses with heavily Democrat voting blocs like black voters, the working class, and Jewish voters. Rogers has attracted some cross endorsements by prominent Democrats, including former Special Assistant to President Biden, Michael LaRosa, Michigan state Rep. Karen Whitsett, and a prominent Rabbi, Asher Lopatin. Democrat Sen. John Fetterman, and even James Carville himself, have criticized El-Sayed. El-Sayed has made a number of increasingly dumb statements: supporting Sharia law; involving the Vice President’s wife in a dispute with the VP; comparing himself and his policies favorably to Jesus; and crudely associating himself with African-Americans. It has been shown that much of El-Sayed’s family is made up of radical left-wing Muslims, with two members of his family allegedly having actual terror connections, and his bookshelf is replete with radical texts. Of course, he himself also associates with Mao-loving radical Muslim Hasan Piker and other crazies. Considering El-Sayed is a target-rich environment for Mike Rogers, and Rogers’ forces will likely have a spending edge, I have had to move my ranking all the way from Lean D to Toss-Up. Basically, El-Sayed can only win if Rogers makes a big mistake, or the Democrat tide gets too large and pulls El-Sayed into office. Minnesota: Tina Smith (retiring) / Likely D
The Democrat primary produced the weaker candidate as the nominee, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. Flanagan is known for being part Native American and holding down the farthest left position on the political spectrum. The Republicans have chosen former TV sportscaster Michelle Tafoya. The RCP average has Flanagan up 46.5 percent to 41 percent. Tafoya leads Flanagan with more than $1.3 million in cash on hand, compared to more than $1 million. As Redstate has reported, Minnesota was Ground Zero for fraud under the Walz-Flanagan administration, and Tafoya may be able to make hay of that corruption. Although I am tempted to move the ranking here, because Minnesota is a light but consistently blue state with a long string of narrow GOP losses since 2006, I just can’t (yet) justify it. North Carolina: Thom Tillis (retiring) / Lean D
Democrat former Gov. Roy Cooper is still outraising former RNC Chairman Michael Whatley. He still leads Whatley in the RCP average by a solid 8-point margin. However, it is likely that the GOP and its allies will counterbalance Cooper’s money advantage. In the new century, the GOP has dominated Senate races in this state, with only one Democrat winning in 2008. But Cooper has won statewide 6 times, for state offices, despite frequently experiencing adverse coattails. Cooper does have some major weaknesses, from his soft-on-crime policies and his sanctuary record. The Senate Leadership Fund has already “pounced” on these weaknesses, and we can expect Whatley to follow. I strongly suspect that the eventual Iryna Zarutska attack ad from Whatley will be akin to the celebrated 1988 Willie Horton ad. Because there is no net change here, this race stays Lean D. |
Wait Is Ilhan Omar in the Process of Potentially Being Deported? Here's What Trump Said.
 |
We’re going to circle back to this eventually, but for now, conservatives are celebrating: Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) could be deported. It’s Trump, and things change. They might not work out, but the president did confirm that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has begun proceedings against the Minnesota Democrat over allegations of fraud.
Recommended Omar had a winery that was allegedly fugazi, and she’s long been engulfed in allegations of committing immigration fraud. |
Bill Maher Once Again Ripped the Dems Over an Issue That's Now Quite Systemic
 |
Bill Maher’s episode this week wasn’t filled with as many fireworks: he did take aim at the Democrats for an issue that’s no longer fringe. It’s now a systemic problem that’s infected the whole party, and it’s leeching into the GOP as well. Israel is losing swaths of the American electorate, albeit the Democrats have a vicious antisemitism coursing through their veins
He also noted how the Left continues to remain in the wilderness for clinging to whack job positions on social and cultural matters, like what’s engulfing the WNBA right now. Michigan is nixing grades because Gen Z is fraught with crybabies:
It was the ending where Maher dropped a nasty line about AOC, commenting on the ongoing overreach in Congress, namely the bipartisan push to ban dating on the Hill altogether. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) opted not to run for another term after ethics issues were reported, including the many gifts he bought for his staff. He paid for Hamilton tickets for some, but didn’t go himself. He got them girly gifts and spa days — the staffers felt uncomfortable, but only after accepting this man’s generosity. Edwards’ main problem, as Maher said, was that he couldn’t keep his credit card in his wallet. He’s not Maher’s type of lawmaker, but the HBO host felt this wasn’t disqualifying. We’re date policing now: Maher thinks rightly that women are strong enough to report and fend off the creepers, and this sort of regulation on who we can date is how we get AOC freezing her eggs.
Yeah, I get it, but politics is all about optics, and if there’s one thing Congress is worried about, it’s appearances and the art of doing something without doing much. This is an easy one for both parties, given the fallout from Swalwell. Maher’s main problem with that is where Capitol Hill staffers are supposed to meet. “There are a lot of fish in the sea…if someone is seeking a partner, we don’t necessarily have to do that here,” said AOC. “No, you don’t have to, but maybe if you did, your eggs wouldn’t be in a freezer on 14th Street,” replied Maher. Last Note: Hunter Biden was the special guest, and I still can't believe we still tolerate this horror of a man who has displayed serial poor judgment and got his brother's widow addicted to drugs.
|
Kyle Kirkwood wins Freedom 250 Grand Prix in D.C.
 |
| Race winner Kyle Kirkwood, driver of the #27 Sam’s Club Andretti Global
Honda, poses with an bald eagle after the NTT INDYCAR Series on August
23, 2026 in Washington, DC. U.S. American IndyCar driver Kyle Kirkwood crossed the finish line in first place, claiming victory at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C. Kirkwood, one of only a handful of American drivers in the race, quickly took the lead from Spanish driver Álex Palou and maintained the position until he crossed the finish line on Sunday.
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix marks Kirkwood’s second win of the season, following an earlier victory at the Grand Prix of Arlington. The 27-year-old now holds seven career victories, six of which have been claimed on street circuits. Prior to the race, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump took an honorary lap in “The Beast,” after which the president waved the green flag to start the event. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy dropped the checkered flag as Kirkwood crossed the finish line.
Three races remain in the IndyCar season. Next weekend features a doubleheader at the Milwaukee Mile, followed by the season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on September 6th. |
President Trump’s 90-Day Beef Import Plan: Relief or Rancher Disaster?
President Trump’s 90-day tariff exemption on up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef is the kind of bold, grab-the-problem-by-the-horn move voters like to see. It promises cheaper beef at the grocery store and a little breathing room for families who have been paying sky-high prices. But promises need teeth. The public deserves details — and ranchers deserve a guarantee they won’t be crushed by an onslaught of cheap imports.
What the 300,000-metric-ton beef deal actually does
The announcement is simple on its face: allow up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef into the U.S. tariff-free for 90 days, with the condition that it sells at about 25 percent below current market prices. That is meant to push retail prices down quickly while the U.S. cattle herd rebuilds. It’s a short-term supply fix aimed at immediate relief for grocery shoppers. The math is easy — if ground beef sits near $6.88 a pound, a 25 percent drop moves it closer to $5.16 a pound, which most families would welcome.
How this should help consumers — and the tradeoffs
Using trade policy to lower grocery prices is practical politics. Flooding the market a little will reduce sticker shock at meat counters and ease budgets fast. The administration frames it as a bridge: temporary imports now, domestic herd recovery later. That logic holds if the herd actually rebounds and if the import window truly lasts only 90 days and only for the stated amount. Otherwise, short-term relief can become long-term pain for American ranchers.
Still missing: who, how, and who watches the deal
Here’s the problem for folks who like rules and results: the White House hasn’t said where the beef is coming from, who enforces the 25-percent-pricing pledge, or what penalties exist for cheaters. Those are not small details. They decide whether this is a clever stopgap or a loophole that lets foreign product undercut U.S. producers on a level field they never agreed to. Ranchers and some Republican senators are right to be wary. Thin-margin cattle operations cannot absorb a sudden price collapse, even if it’s supposed to be temporary.
The Other Side of the Coin👇
Politics, precedent, and the test of results
This move fits a pattern. The administration has rolled back food tariffs before — Argentina trimmings, coffee, fruits — and has used executive tools to push policy when Congress does nothing. That’s politics people understand: act first, justify later. Voters want lower prices, and action is better than page-long economic reports. Still, the test is practical: will families see cheaper beef at checkout lines, and will ranchers survive the brief squeeze? If answers are yes and yes, this will look like smart governing. If not, it will look like political theater.
Bottom line: applaud the intent but demand the paperwork. Consumers deserve lower grocery bills. Ranchers deserve protection from being undercut. President Trump’s beef deal can deliver both — but only if the administration provides clear, enforceable details now and not after the fact. The American people want results, not riddles dressed up as policy. Time to show the receipts.
Hasan Piker Leads AI Funeral Song Mocking Charlie Kirk at Tour Stop
Hasan Piker singing an AI-made song about Charlie Kirk at a Fear& live show in San Francisco was not a prank gone wrong — it was a choice. The clip of him leading the crowd in the viral “We Are Charlie Kirk” chorus went up on social media fast, and the backlash came even faster. This isn’t entertainment; it’s a political moment that deserves scrutiny.
What happened at the Golden Gate Theatre
At the Fear& live tour stop in San Francisco, Hasan Piker cued up the AI-generated track “We Are Charlie Kirk” and led the audience in karaoke-style lines that mock the death of Charlie Kirk, the Turning Point USA founder. Attendee videos show Piker smiling and the crowd cheering as the chorus rolled across the screen. He later posted a photo from the show with a caption that linked him to the bit. The moment spread across X and other platforms within hours — the image and the message were clear.
Why the AI angle makes this worse
This is not just a dodgy bit of stage comedy. The song is an AI-generated meme that sprang up after Charlie Kirk’s killing and has been used online to gloat or mock. Using technology to manufacture a “tribute” that is really a taunt strips away any claim to taste or irony. If you’re going to lampoon political enemies, doing it with an AI funeral march says less about satire and more about a movement that thinks cruelty is clever.
Political fallout and who should answer
Conservative groups and Turning Point USA slammed the stunt, rightly calling it toxic and obscene. This should also matter to Democrats who’ve welcomed Piker into the political fold. Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El‑Sayed and other progressives who have courted Piker need to explain whether this kind of public behavior is acceptable in their corner. Venues, platforms, and sponsors should ask tough questions: do they want to be associated with a performer who gleefully mocks a slain public figure?
Final take: accountability, not applause
Free speech covers a lot, but it doesn’t free people from consequences. Hasan Piker has a history of inflammatory on‑stream remarks, and this episode shows how that brand of provocation operates onstage and online. If we want a healthier political debate, mockery of a dead man — amplified by AI and cheered in a theater — should be met with clear disapproval, not shrugging acceptance. Call it what it is: performative cruelty dressed up as comedy, and ask who benefits from the applause.
Giuliani: Eric Swalwell's China Ties Threaten Western Civilization
 |
Rudy Giuliani didn’t exactly whisper when he slammed former U.S.
Representative Eric Swalwell on Newsmax’s “Sunday Agenda.” Giuliani
accused Swalwell of dangerous ties to China and framed those ties as
part of a broader threat to Western civilization. Whether you think
that’s dramatic grandstanding or plain common-sense alarm, the
underlying facts now getting renewed attention deserve a closer look.Giuliani’s Charge — Blunt, Political, and Hard to IgnoreOn the show, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani laid out a sharp argument: that Swalwell’s past contact with a suspected Chinese operative, joined with recent allegations and law‑enforcement activity, is more than a local scandal. It’s a national security problem, Giuliani argued, and part of a larger effort to undermine Western values. I should note: the exact phrasing attributed to Giuliani in some promos hasn’t been independently archived in a public transcript, but Newsmax did air his comments and the point he made is clear and forceful. The Verifiable Record Behind the RhetoricFacts matter even when opinions roar. Here’s what we know from reputable reporting: federal agents have seized devices tied to Swalwell as part of a sexual‑misconduct inquiry, his lawyers have tried to block release of older FBI files about past contact with a suspected Chinese operative (Christine “Fang Fang” Fang), and major outlets previously reported on Fang’s efforts to cultivate U.S. politicians. What we don’t have in the public record: criminal espionage charges linked to the earlier FBI counterintelligence inquiry. That nuance doesn’t make the questions disappear — it just means the paper trail is messy and needs daylight. Why Conservatives Are Loud About ThisThere’s a reason conservative commentators like Giuliani turn the volume up. National security and public trust aren’t partisan tea leaves you can ignore. When a lawmaker has past contact with a suspected foreign agent and later faces serious personal‑conduct probes, voters have a right to demand answers. Meanwhile, the media and political establishment often act as if defending a party member is more important than defending the country. That’s not loyalty — it’s negligence with a smiling press release. What Should Happen NextFirst, release the relevant documents where legally possible. If the FBI has material that clears up whether any compromise occurred, let Americans see it. Second, let the investigations run without spin — no media shielding, no partisan stonewalling. Third, public officials and networks should stop treating this as mere theater. If Giuliani’s phrasing feels apocalyptic to some, fine — but the underlying issues are real and deserve scrutiny. Either we protect our institutions and values, or we keep pretending scandals are entertainment and wake up one morning wondering how we got here. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
We’ll discuss her bizarre press conference later this morning, but New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill wants to shift focus away from the thousa...
-
U.S. President Donald Trump dances after speaking at General Motors’ Milford Proving Grounds on July 27, 2026 in Milford, Michigan. Trump i...
-
There was a horrific shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival over the weekend. On Sunday, two suspects reportedly engaged in a gun ...
