Update re: the Judge Dugan Case

The Peasant just learned that Judge Hannah C. Dugan's 

federal court case has been postponed until a future date.

No clear reason was given, and no new date was given

to resume proceedings. All I can tell you, my wonderful

readers, is that when your dependable Peasant finds out 

anything new, you all shall know all the relevant details.

Stay close!

MEM

The Fall of a Respected Legal Figure

One would think that after 52 years one would know someone

extremely well. But then, something happens where you see a 

side of that person that you never even thought was there. 

Your astonished Peasant learned in April of a friend and class-

mate since our high school days had become that person in my

life. Judge Hannah C. Dugan, of late a Milwaukee County Circuit

Judge, was always interested in politics and law; she was on our 

All Student Council. After Catholic Memorial High School 

Dugan went on to earn her degree in law, then became an attorney

specializing in providing legal aid for low-income people

through Catholic Charities. In 2016 liberal Dugan was elected 

to her current judicial position, and became a respected barrister

with praise from both liberals and conservatives --- including

members on the Wisconsin Supreme Court; I myself voted for

her as well. 

And here in 2025 I am trying to make sense out of what transpired

recently in Judge Dugan's courtroom that has confounded me and

so many people like me who held the judge in the highest esteem.

On April 18, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

agents were in the courthouse to find and arrest Eduardo Flores-

Ruiz on the grounds of being in the country illegally.

Flores-Ruiz happened to be in Dugan's court as the defendant in

a trial in which he was being tried on assault charges, having 

severely beaten three people. Two of the victims were in Dugan's

court when she concealed and aided in the escape from her court

and the courthouse the defendant, Flores-Ruiz, and ICE agents

came to arrest him on the charge of being an illegal immigrant.

Judge Dugan had Flores-Ruiz go to the Jury Room and wait for

further instructions. Now, no one goes into that room but the 

jury members in a case, the bailiff, and the judge; your layman

Peasant is not certain of this being so because of a law, or if

it is a in-court proscribed procedure. From that room, Flores-Ruiz,

who was accompanied by his attorney, was instructed to go out

through a door at the back of the room which led to the public 

hallway. From there, Flores-Ruiz and his attorney made their 

way to an elevator which they rode to the main exit from the 

courthouse and exited the building. When Flores-Ruiz began

to leave the grounds, he was chased and apprehended. But what

about the two victims of this thug, who also happened to hear Judge

Judge Dugan's instructions to their attacker? They seemed to be 

flipped the middle finger in all this. 

The FBI got involved, subsequently beginning an investigation 

into whether the judge helped an illegal immigrant avoid arrest. 

She was arrested by the FBI and charged with two felony counts

of obstruction and concealment of an individual, and was jailed.

Judge Dugan was later released on her own recognizance after

a few hours. FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney General

Pam Bondi both publicly spoke in support of the arrest of Dugan.

Judge Dugan hired two attorneys to represent her, interestingly

enough both being prominent Republicans: former U.S. Attorney

Stephen M. Biskupic and former U.S. Solicitor General Paul 

Clement. One would think that she would have hired some 

heavyweight Democrat attorneys, perhaps someone high up in

the hierarchy of the ACLU, as she has strong left-wing political

leanings. That, and most Republicans in government support 

Dugan's arrest with some of them calling for her disbarment 

while many Democrats oppose her arrest and hail her as a 

heroine, a modern day Joan of Arc.

AG Bondi made it clear that judiciary members opposing the 

Trump administration's immigration policies would face 

prosecution; "If you are harboring a fugitive, we don't care who

you are; we will come after you and we will prosecute you."

Democrat members of Congress and liberals in the judiciary

said that Judge Dugan's arrest was an attempt to intimidate the 

courts in order to get them to acquiesce with President Trump's

immigration policies, that this was something they'd expect from

Third World countries, that it defies the Constitution, that this 

is a threat to the independence of the judiciary, and a plethora of 

similar moanings, groanings, hootings and hollerings one would

expect from lefties. 

But the plain and simple truth is, at the end of the day, Judge Hannah

C. Dugan violated the law. While it is true that a judge has authority

over his or her courtroom, the judge is still not allowed to undertake 

some certain measures which are outside the bounds of the law --- 

among which is the concealment of a defendant from law enforcement

and assisting a defendant in fleeing to avoid arrest. My old friend had

done both. Apparently Her Honor shares the opinion of many on her  

side of the political spectrum, thinking President Trump is not only 

wrong but tyrannical in wanting to round up as many people illegally 

here in our country as possible. Moreover, many of these like-minded

sorts have protested outside of the Federal Courthouse in Milwaukee

where news of Judge Dugan's arrest was made public. While many of

these people may not have much, if any, knack for understanding the 

relevant parts of the law (and don't care), Judge Dugan should, and 

should also respect the law and its bounds, as the law is what covers 

each and every one of us. Judges interpret the law as it applies to each

situation which is at the heart of each case that comes into court. 

Sometimes the judge cites the law in telling the plaintiff or defendant 

no, you can't do that. But what credibility would a judge have if he

or she violated the law as it is applied to how that judge manages

his or her court?

It's a sad situation that Judge Dugan has gotten caught up in. On one 

hand, I feel badly for her. She made a huge mistake in judgement, no

pun intended. On the other hand, your sorrowful Peasant opines that

she must face the lawful consequences of her huge mistake, whatever 

they may be. Maybe she'll be fined. Maybe she'll be imprisoned. 

Maybe she'll have to give up her judgeship. Maybe she'll have to give 

up her license to practice law. Whatever sentence is meted out, Judge

Dugan must face it squarely and accept her just desserts. For our  

nation is a nation of laws, not a nation of people who make the laws, 

having their political stripes dictate what laws they would write and 

what they would mean, and how they would be interpreted, never mind

the Constitution or any court in the judiciary.

Judge Dugan returns to Federal court in July. My guess is that her case

will be decided by November. The next five months will prove telling

for the judge and what her future from that point forward will look like.

MEM

John "Paddy" Hemingway, R.I.P.

The last of the fighter pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain,

John "Paddy" Hemingway joined the Royal Air Force as a

teenager, and came home one heck of a man. Having participated

in the three-month battle in British skies, "Paddy" helped secure

his country from the threat of invasion by Nazi Germany. 

During the war he was shot down four times and was awarded 

the Distinguished Flying Cross, through it all becoming a 

Group Captain. 

When Winston Churchill said "Never in the field of human conflict

was there so much owed by so many to so few," of the courageous

men who fought this battle to keep Britain free, he was talking about

men like Paddy Hemingway.

Paddy went to the Ultimate Glory at 105. Rest in Peace. 

You are a truly Great Briton.

MEM

Meanwhile Back at the Ivy League ...

Very recently, masked activists (thugs, really) burst into Columbia

University's main library, ejected students, physically attacked 

dissenters, committed vandalism, and engaged in general mayhem.

At least 78 of these hoodlums were arrested, 65 students received

interim suspensions, and another 33 individuals, how many of which

were students was unclear, were barred from the campus.

Columbia's acting president, Claire Shipman, called the police; 

something liberal college and university presidents at liberal

schools haven't been known to do when confronted by such 

situations. After viewing the carnage, Shipman stated "I saw

it defaced and damaged in disturbing ways and with disturbing 

slogans." Congratulations are to be given to Acting President 

Shipman for her exhibiting such resolve. Let's hope that her

courage catches on with other heads of institutions of higher learning. 

Harvard will be rocky soil upon which the seeds of this courage 

displayed at Columbia will fall. Harvard has deep-running anti-

Israel and Jewish bias; an internal investigation, no less, discovered

as much. Its activist enclave does not regard Israel so much as a 

sovereign state but as a boil on the skin of the earth which must be 

lanced. Israeli and American Jewish students are routinely harassed,

often to the point of these students not being able to attend class.

Harvard's administration has done almost nothing to help them.

These pro-Palestinian students and others have dominated classrooms

and classes, clubs and other extracurriculars, and campus public spaces

with "discussions" about the Palestinian cause. Harvard's bowing and

scraping at the altar of "inclusivity" backs this to the hilt, the safety

and emotional well-being of Jewish students and Jewish faculty

members be damned. 

The war for academic freedom will be fought in many universities,

fought on a campus-to-campus basis from without and from within.

Some colleges and universities will stand up to and ultimately defeat 

these ratbags, while other institutions will cower and knuckle under

to them. It's too early in the game to assess the score and how it will 

end, so we must wait and see who will prevail.

MEM

Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R.I.P.

Lincoln Diaz-Balart was a Republican member of the House 

of Representatives from Miami, but wasn't always a Republican,

nor always from Miami. A Democrat until the mid-1980s, 

he admired President Ronald Reagan and his ambassador to the

United Nations, Jeane Kirkpatrick, both of whom saw the world

as Diaz-Balart saw it. Both Diaz-Balart and Kirkpatrick left the 

Dems for the GOP in the mid-1980s. 

Born into a prominent Cuban political family in 1954, the family 

fled Castro and his communist revolution to Miami, where they 

became just as prominent. LD-B has a brother, Mario, who was 

elected to the House in in 2002 and is still there. 

Both brothers are heroes to the Cuban dissidents still in Cuba,

either not having yet escaped or unable to escape. Lincoln Diaz-

Balart passed away at 70. Requiescat in pace.

MEM

On Memorial Day ...

Memorial Day this year is May 26. This important day 

is the day we Americans remember and honor our brave

countrymen and countrywomen who, through the years

of our country's history, have given their lives so that we

might have our country and that it always be sovereign 

and free. 

Let us live our lives in a manner which would show our

gratitude for our fallen fellow Americans that we don't 

take the fruits of their sacrifice for granted, nor do we

do same with our citizenship in our great nation. Let us

strive to maintain our country in the way it was meant

to be, and to rebuke and rebuff all attempts by those who 

would change our beloved country into one which we 

would not recognize and would not want to live in. 

Come join your humble and grateful Peasant in these

actions and to celebrate our blessings!

MEM

Venezuela's Regime Takes One on the Chin

The United States picked Venezuela's pockets --- 

no, not literally. However, the U.S. did cause 

Venezuela's Marxist regime more than a little

embarrassment when it liberated four hostages 

from dictator Nicolas Maduro's grasp quite 

recently. 

Originally there were five hostages, but one 

hostage escaped by unknown means. The five

were members of Venezuela's democratic oppo-

sition: Magalli Meda, Omar Gonzalez, Claudia

Macero, Pedro Urruchurtu, and Humberto Villalobos

had been working for the presidential campaign 

of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado last

year when Maduro's regime attempted to arrest them.

The five took refuge on March 20, 2024 in the 

Argentine embassy and requested safe passage out of

Venezuela under international law, which Maduro

promptly refused. 

Machado won the July presidential election in a landslide,

but when Argentine President Javier Milei refused to call

the election in favor of Maduro's regime, Maduro expelled

the Argentine diplomats who were trying to insure that the

election would be conducted on an even playing field.

Brazil agreed to take charge of the embassy but a few 

months later their diplomats were barred from entry to

the building. The regime then cut its electricity, and made

the situation force the occupants to ration food and water.

There seemed to be no firefight to keep the hostages contained,

nor to kill them. This caused regime enforcer Diosdado Cabello

major conniptions, for the hostages all escaped, leaving him

with no other human bargaining chips. So Cabello ordered his

thugs to raid Magalli Meda's home, thinking such a move would

even things (no, it didn't). Machado said the operation was 

"a precise, complex and perfectly executed operation." 

Meanwhile, President Trump is smiling his famous broad smile. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the mission to free the 

hostages, further stating that "Maduro's illegitimate regime has

undermined Venezuela's institutions, violated human rights, and

endangered our regional security." The State Department chimed 

in, stating "The Maduro regime's vulnerability and internal weak-

ness in its own country is clear." Let's hope that this is the beginning

of the end for the totalitarian regime of Nicolas Maduro, and the 

sooner the better.

And all the while, President Trump keeps on winning; not just at 

home, but in the Western Hemisphere.

MEM

George Foreman, R.I.P.

The heavyweight knockout artist people in the boxing world

nicknamed "Big George", breezed to a gold medal in the

1968 Olympics then won the world heavyweight boxing title

twice, and did the latter in two separate stages of his storied 

boxing career --- he retired once, then came back after twenty 

years thinking he still had lots left in his tank (he was right!)

and won the heavyweight title for the second time. Both 

victories were by knockout, and the second came when

Foreman was 45! 

Big George was a man of many things: boxer, businessman,

preacher, entrepreneur, and pitchman for his George Foreman 

grill (designed to "Knock the fat out!"). and a patriot, waving 

the U.S. flag all about the ring after knocking out his opponent

from the U.S.S.R. in the championship round of the Olympics 

and answered why he waved the American flag after winning

the bout "How could I not?". Never a political animal, 

he celebrated his gold medal victory because he was simply

proud to be an American and to have honored his country

with his winning performance; before his ring success he

was a street thug who often ran afoul of the law. Boxing was 

his way to a better life.

Along the way he did some acting on TV shows, once in a 

cameo role on Sanford and Son, also in The Six Million Dollar

Man and was a guest on several talk shows. He was even a 

contestant on the game show "The Dating Game"! What is more,

is he was a much-in-demand public speaker; your admiring Peasant

attended one of his talks when he came to Milwaukee a few years

ago.

Foreman also had a ranch which was home to many different

kinds of animals, including alpacas. And he was a most generous

philanthropist. 

Big George went to his final reward on March 21, at the age of

76. He is reunited with some of the other heavyweight champions

and luminaries whom he fought, defeating most of them ----

Joe Frazier, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton, and Muhammad Ali

(who knocked Foreman out in the "Rumble in the Jungle", the only

fighter who could accomplish this feat) to name a few.

And he left a legacy of excellence in everything he did, including

excellently serving and saving souls. Requiescat in pace.

MEM

David Horowitz, R.I.P.

Sometimes the most dedicated, the most committed, and

the most active conservatives are people who weren't 

always conservatives; many of them have come over to

our side and our cause from the Left, having eschewed

socialism and communism. David Horowitz was one such

person.

David grew up in this leftist milieu and was a fervent communist

into his thirties. He had one flaw where his comrades were 

concerned; he had the nasty habit of questioning everything.

This habit caused Horowitz to turn away from his youthful

radicalism and embrace conservatism. This move launched

his career and began his reputation as one of the most

prominent conservative thinkers of our time. 

Having been on --- and one of --- the Left, David Horowitz

understood the Left and their adherents; everything about

the ideology and its followers from its underlying motivations 

to its tactics, and ultimately to how to confront and defeat it.

His life was an example of courage, intellectual rigor and clarity,

and unflinching moral conviction blended with action. He saw

the Left for what it is, in all its deception and its uncovered ugliness.

His David Horowitz Freedom Center launched many a political

career, sending conservative spokesmen and spokeswomen into

battle for conservatism. Many of these young activists ran for 

office, were appointed to government positions, became opinion

journalists espousing conservative ideas, faculty members at

colleges, and many more such positions with opportunities to 

spread conservative thought and practice. 

Horowitz also wrote many books and articles. He debated. 

He didn't just debate, he marched into battle entering hostile

auditoriums and did intellectual battle with Marxist professors

and students, Islamist apologists, and race hustlers. In all, he

published over 50 books, debated thousands, mentored dozens,

all with just a few weapons: truth, moral clarity, ice water in his

veins, and a razor-sharp tongue. His opponents never had a chance.

Twenty-six years ago, in 1999, Horowitz openly castigated the Left 

for its weaponization of civil rights and its festering hatred of white

people. Conservatives had been too timid to take on the Left over

these issues and would not do so for another twenty years, but 

Horowitz blazed a trail for them by doing exactly that. 

His final book --- his Grand Finale --- was published in 2023; he was

84 by then. David Horowitz never retired, as he held that his work was

too important to just shelve for the sake of retirement. He passed away

yesterday at 88, leaving a legacy of staunch advocacy for freedom, 

reinforced with moral and intellectual clarity, and championing the 

truth regardless of the cost. 

You shall be missed, Lion of modern conservatism, always remembered

but never forgotten. Requiescat in pace.

MEM

A Distinctly Distinguished Gentleman is Honored

Will wonders never cease! William F. Buckley Jr. is going to be

honored by commemorating his 100th birthday with his picture

on a Forever Stamp! The U.S. Postal Service will release the stamp

later this year. 

The stamp will present a charcoal illustration of WFB, modeled after

a photo taken of Buckley aboard his beloved sailboat. His facial 

expression shows a look of steely determination, which is how he

faced both the seas and the American political landscape --- and in

his remarkable life he conquered all.

Ten years ago, in 2015, National Review thought about how to honor 

its founder's centennial. Members of the NR staff came up with the 

idea to honor him on a postage stamp. As Buckley was a famous

American, why not? Now, stamp proposals require years to plan, 

complete, and get approval; The completed plans have to be submitted

a minimum of three years before the proposed release date and need 

to meet special standards before being okayed by the Citizens' Stamp

Advisory Committee which has eleven members, all appointed by the 

Postmaster General. They then choose the subjects to appear on the

roughly 35 the USPS annually releases to grace the stamps.

The Criteria for the nominees for honoring on U.S. stamps are that

they be deceased and have had "significant impact on American 

history, culture, and environment." As Buckley "defined the conser-

vative movement of the mid-20th century and was one of its most 

recognizable spokesmen." So now William F. Buckley Jr. will join 

U.S.presidents, first ladies, Supreme Court justices, athletes, 

astronauts, entertainers, inventors, and journalists. 

Buckley is remembered as the father of modern conservatism as well 

as a man of a charming and easy manner and a zest for adventure; 

founding his magazine of intellectual conservatism, observation of the 

political scene and accompanying commentary was certainly an adven-

turous undertaking in the 1950s when Rooseveltian/Trumanesque 

robust government was the political order of the day while conser-

vatism was the politics of cranks and Republicans, now the vessel 

for conservatism, was back then in the supine position of getting along 

to go along with the preferred politics of that time. Buckley took the 

brickbats along with the bouquets as he established his magazine 

for the conservative literary readership, not as abundant as it is now.

But its abundance at least in part owes its growth and staying power

to Buckley, and is now rightfully honored in being selected to grace 

a U.S. Forever Stamp. Posthumous congratulations to William F.

Buckley Jr.! He now takes his place alongside other famous 

Americans who made tremendous contributions to American life.

MEM

Tax Time Follies

Tax his land,

tax his bed,

tax the table, 

at which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,

tax his mule, 

teach him taxes 

are the rule.

Tax his work,

tax his pay,

he works for peanuts

anyway!

Tax his cow,

tax his goat,

tax his pants,

tax his coat.

Tax his ties,

tax his shirt,

tax his work,

tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,

tax his drink,

tax him if he

tries to think. 

Tax his cigars,

tax his beers, 

if he cries, 

tax his tears.

Tax his car,

tax his gas,

find other ways 

to tax his ass.

Tax all he has

then let him know

that you won't be done

'til he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers

then tax him some more;

tax him 'til 

he's good and sore. 

Then tax his coffin,

tax his grave, 

tax the soil

in which he's laid.

Put these words 

upon his tomb:

"Taxes drove me 

to my doom."

When he's gone

do not relax,

it's time to apply

the inheritance tax.

                         Unknown author

And if that doesn't make your blood boil 

on this, our annual Tax Day, peruse this 

list of taxes which we currently have:

Accounts Receivable Tax

Building Permit Tax

CDL License Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Excise Taxes

Federal Income Taxes

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel Permit Tax

Gasoline Tax

Gross Receipts Tax

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax

Inventory Tax

IRS Interest Charges 

IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax!)

Liquor Tax

Luxury Taxes

Marriage License Tax

Medicare Tax

Personal Property Tax

Property Tax

Real Estate Tax

Recreational Vehicle Tax

Road Usage Tax

Service Charge Tax 

Social Security Tax

Sales Tax

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone Federal Excise Tax

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax

Telephone Federal, State, and Local Surcharge Taxes

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

Telephone Recurring and Non-Recurring Charges Tax

Telephone Usage Charge Tax

Utility Taxes

Vehicle License Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax

Watercraft Registration Tax

Well Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax

A total of 46 taxes! And for all your aghast Peasant knows,

there might be even more!!

Furthermore ...

Please note that NOT ONE of these taxes existed 100 years ago,

and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no debt, had the largest middle class in the world,

and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. 

What in the heck happened? Can you spell "politicians"?

Happy April 15!

MEM

Happy Easter Everyone!

Easter greetings from your friendly neighborhood Peasant!

May you, my fabulous and wonderful readers, and your 

families have a beautiful and blessed Easter; services at

your churches, Easter brunches, gathering with relations

and friends! 

This, Easter Sunday, is truly the day that the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it! Lord Jesus Christ made this day

for us by paying a frightening price. Let us dedicate how we 

spend this day to Him with reverence, gratitude, and love.

And let us love one another, as He bids us to, let us love our

family members and friends regardless of their varied religious

faiths, their cultures, whether they are Packer fans, Bears fans,

Viking fans or whatever fans, politics (yes, that means loving 

your way out lefty uncles, your so solidly righty cousin that

she makes you look like Sen. Bernie Sanders, and your child

home from college who has lapped up lots of the left-wing

pablum and is spitting it all over the place, including at the 

dinner table on The Big Day!), or which is their favorite 

baseball player of all time and the statistics to back up their 

choices. And your bold Peasant is leading from the front, 

not the rear; a very dear cousin who has for years been a 

political centrist has taken a hard-left turn! It was painful to 

learn, I aver, but we have made peace with it and kept the 

peace with each other. And she is still an avid reader of this blog!

Your love-filled Peasant also wishes a Happy Easter to my 

lefty friends as well, and may they all enjoy, perhaps some 

of them are just now discovering, the boundless and eternal 

love of our lord and savior Jesus Christ. He doesn't care what

your politics are; He just cares how you treat people, as He 

wants us to treat others as he treats us.

Therefore, here is the way to make and have the happiest,

most beautiful, most blessed, and most loving of Easters!

Peace, love, and holiday joy to you!

MEM

Facebook Tries to Silence The Peasant (to No Avail!)

Just a few months ago I told you, my grand readers,

about my getting banned by Twitter (now known as X)

because of the online media company taking exception

to some content I placed on my page, refusing to tell me 

what Twitter rules I had transgressed, then I got reinstated 

when Elon Musk bought out the firm and stopped the 

censorship shenanigans perpetrated by some of the staff.

Next, your suddenly embattled Peasant is having similar

troubles with Facebook. I side-stepped Face-Slap, as I like

to refer to them, by guiding many of you, my fantastic 

readers, to this blog via my page on MeWe, a free-speech

alternative to the Liberal Establishment-allied social media

sites, Face-Slap being but one. Furthermore, I am seeking

other such sites to set up a personal page and to guide 

people to PWAP. 

Still, we persist! No apologies whatsoever to Sen. Elizabeth 

Warren (D-MA), who first invoked this persistence statement.

We shall persist, persevere, push on, and pester our political

foes including (but not limited to!) Sen. Warren and the rest!

MEM

Thoughts on the Recent Wisconsin Election

On this, the recently held first state election in Wisconsin

since Donald Trump's second ascendancy to the presidency,

your ready-to-burst Peasant wants to give my observations

and opinions about its results, and have I got a lot to say!

One race on the slate was the battle for a seat on the Wisconsin

State Supreme Court being vacated by a retiring left-wing 

justice. Former state Attorney General and current Waukesha

County Judge Brad Schimmel faced Dane County Judge 

Susan Crawford for the opening, and the race was very important

for several reasons: with the court having had a 4-3 liberal 

majority, if Schimmel had won there would have been a 

4-3 conservative majority which would have buffered 

Act 10, then-Gov. Scott Walker's economic reform package 

which would have meant lower property taxes because 

it limited public service unions' bargaining rights on wages 

and benefits. This meant that governors could not simply give

the unions whatever they asked for because the governors

would have been giving the unions money that wasn't theirs 

in the first place but were the monies derived from the taxes 

paid by the people of Wisconsin, the property taxes which were 

paid generally went to fund the public schools. This has long 

been discussed and debated in political circles, especially

by those in the Democrat Party, with some otherwise pro-union

Democrats being hesitant to support this idea --- most notably

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who supported unions most

of the time. He was concerned, as are many people today, that 

increasing the compensation for the unions would drive up 

taxes without taxpayers having a place at the table, so to speak,

to give their yea or nay to any deals made under such an 

arrangement. But the Wisconsin Dems want to reinstate that

very arrangement, and with the state's highest court remaining

in liberal hands the court could (and would) easily strike down

Act 10. 

Not only that, but the top court could reorder the political maps 

of the state redrawn to combat the imagined gerrymandering

of the current maps, which by the way were the very maps drawn

up by Wisconsin's current governor, Democrat (!) Tony Evers.

The Dems want to eliminate two congressional districts which 

would necessitate two Republican incumbent congressmen to

run against each other if they wanted to remain in Congress.

Other things which would be up for very possibly being eliminated

include abortion restrictions, gun ownership and usage laws favoring

wider latitude, and the rights of schools and gyms to keep men out

of women's sports and locker rooms. This is a hotly debated issue

throughout the country as well.

Finally, the election was, for some people (especially Democrats)

a favorability measurement for President Trump. It must be noted

that the incumbent president's party generally does not do well in

non-presidential elections such as this one. But two factors were

what spelled defeat for Republicans and conservatives in 

Wisconsin's elections: the lack of an effective ground game and a

failure of many pro-Trump voters to go to the polls. On the 

former, the GOP has long been behind the Dems in the effectiveness

of getting out the vote with vigor and aggressiveness. They have

been much too gentlemanly in their approach, and it has been like 

bringing a pocket knife to a gunfight, or adhering to the Marquess 

of Queensbury Rules in a fight against a streetfighter who has no 

regard for any rules at all. The GOP and its allies should alter their

approach accordingly if they are to remain at all competitive in 

elections. Regarding the latter, and this really frosts your otherwise

placid Peasant, many conservatives and pro-Trump voters didn't 

go to their polling places to support Brad Schimmel, including 

counties with considerable conservative majorities such as Waukesha

County where Judge Schimmel is from. Schimmel actually ran behind 

President Trump in terms of the percentage of the vote he received

compared to that which Trump won in 2024. Judge Crawford actually 

outperformed expectations in terms of the percentage of votes that 

she was expected to win in heavily Democrat counties such as 

Dane and Milwaukee Counties, the "mother lodes" of Democrat 

votes in elections. This also affected the other race for office,

that being for the office of the State Superintendent of Public 

Instruction, which has sway over the public schools. Incumbent 

and big lefty Dr. Jill Underly, who lowered the statistical benchmark

measurement for public school students' performance in the classroom

and claiming that said students have had an increase in their perform-

ance scores, in an shameful attempt to gaslight the student's parents 

and taxpayers, won another term and will hold on to her current job.

Underly defeated moderate and "Readin', writin' and "rithmetic"

oriented challenger Brittany Kinser, who currently has children in a

public school in addition to being a schoolteacher. What ruined the 

race for the State's high court also ruined the race for the DPI super-

intendentship for the Republicans and conservatives. These are races 

that they could have, and and should have won. 

Your cheesed-off Peasant is sick and tired of people on our side 

blowing off the off-year races when the presidency, the governor-

ship, and/or the legislative seats are not being contested! We have the 

quantity of voters to win elections with, but when they don't go to the

polls they are, in effect, voting without voting; they are voting for the

enemy! They should know that the victory goes to those who show 

up! In Wisconsin we can vote early, up to two weeks ahead of 

Election Day. We can vote via Absentee ballot. We can even vote by

mail. We have no excuse for not voting. None! And I'll tell you this:

Over the net few years, until the next time a liberal justice is up for 

re-election or until Gov. Evers is up for same, these no-shows better 

not come crying to me about their taxes going on a rocket ride, 

or their ability to obtain firearms and ammunition for which to defend

their families, their homes, and all are negatively impacted,

or that their children complain that boys are allowed to change in the 

same locker rooms that they use, or some other awful consequence of  

the results of this recent election making them miserable, your angry 

Peasant doesn't want to hear it! I don't want to hear one word, I don't
want to see one teardrop! You can shove it where the sun don't shine!

We all know what needs to be fixed, and what needs to be done when 

election time rolls around again. 2026 is coming! Let's get down to 

business!

MEM

Thoughts on Elon Musk and DOGE

As you all know, my fantastic readers, Elon Musk 

is helping President Donald Trump to rein in the costs

of government at the federal level. Although not 

officially a cabinet member, Musk knows how to 

utilize money, including how to carefully allocate 

it on a large scale; look at his business ventures 

which include, but aren't limited to the Tesla 

automobile, spacecraft, and AI (artificial intelligence).

He shall be heading up the Department of Government 

Efficiency, commonly known as DOGE, with the mission

of identifying and eliminating things from unnecessary 

government departments and functions to wasteful 

expenditures of tax money. It's about high time that 

someone undertakes this sorely needed task, and 

President Trump has taken on the role with Musk 

riding shotgun, so to speak.

National Review said in its latest issue, that Musk 

"should combine an old and new passion, and launch

some federal agencies into the sun."  Stated in its

section "The Week", NR's witty take on the political

news of the day, may your mirthful Peasant suggest 

that Musk aim the rocket carrying the agencies at

a black hole? Nothing that goes into one never comes 

out.

Gee, the next four years are going to be a lot of fun!

MEM

Greenpeace Faces the Consequences of Its Actions

The international environmental activist organization

Greenpeace is known for its confrontational tactics in

fighting to preserve certain species of wildlife and

land owned by or adjacent to indigenous peoples. 

Sometimes they break laws in order to make their 

point, including engaging in destruction of private

property. Well, this time they had taken it on their 

collective chin to the tune of a $667 million verdict

against them in court.

A North Dakota jury very recently ordered Greenpeace

to pay $667 million in damages for its destructive 

campaign in the '10s to block the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Energy Transfer LP, the plaintiff, gave strong evidence 

during the trial that Greenpeace defamed the company 

and abetted vandals. Protesters threw feces and burning 

logs at security officers, and had even chained themselves

to construction equipment. All to get the pipeline's

financial backers to step aside from the DAPL project

by claiming --- quite erroneously --- that the company's

"personnel deliberately desecrated documented burial 

grounds and other culturally important sites," T

Energy Transfer stated that Greenpeace's actions delayed

the pipeline's construction and increased construction 

costs by hundreds of millions  of dollars. Greenpeace 

said, in its defense, as it never expressly order the vandalism

even if it did train protesters. The jury wasn't buying it,

therefore it awarded the colossal amount in damages that

it did. 

Greenpeace tried to cloak their actions in the First Amendment,

stating that they were merely exercising their free speech and

protest rights. However, there are no 1A rights to defame and

destroy. This is a commonly fallacious way of thinking among

far-left groups that take violent actions against people and 

property in their protests. Maybe this ruling will persuade such

groups to reconsider their methods of protestation.

But your leery Peasant wouldn't bet on it.

MEM

Unexpected Sick Leave

Your much-loved Peasant wants to offer my apologies for my having

disappeared rather suddenly and without notice; I was sick with some

sort of influenza for about 1 1/2 weeks, spending much of the time in

bed. I of course didn't engage in my blogging activities. As a matter of 

fact, this was the sickest that I have been since my near-fatal heart 

attack four years earlier. 

As of this writing I am still not quite at 100% but am gradually getting 

there. Hopefully by next week I shall have a new offering for all of you,

my grand and wonderful readers, and we'll be back on track. For now,

please accept my apologies for my unannounced absence and thanks

for your understanding, your concern, and your wishes for my 

regaining my physical health. Thank you all for keeping me in your 

thoughts and prayers! We'll gather together here again soon!

MEM

Be Nice to the Rich! They Power Our Economy

While most Americans have been pinching pennies 

and stretching dollars as they have battled high prices

and firmly-planted inflation, the wealthier among us

have been on a spending spree. 

The top 10% of earners, which is made up of households

bringing home about $250,000 or more annually, are 

treating themselves to designer clothes and accessories 

such as handbags and such, thanks to soaring gains in 

stocks, real estate, Bitcoins, and other assets. All of this

accounts for nearly 50% of all spending in the United

States. Three decades earlier, spending by our wealthy

made up approximately 36% of our spending!

Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody's, estimated that

spending by the top 10% of income earners accounted for 

nearly one-third of gross domestic product. During the 

period between September 2023 and September 2024, 

while the larger-income earners increased their spending

by 12%, spending by the middle-class and lower-middle

-class earners dropped. During the current inflationary 

period we're going through, the bottom 80% of earners 

increased their spending, but barely stayed ahead of 

price increases over that period, while --- those awful,

big bucks, big shots that the left-wingers love to malign,

those top 10% earners spent 58% more (!). 

Some economists predict that with affluent folk discovering 

that the worth of their assets has greatly increased in recent 

times despite the higher inflation, there will be an increase 

in high-end travel filling the airlines' coffers. The wealthy

(and wealthier) will be flying off to Europe, Hawaii, 

Jamaica, Brazil, Acapulco, Switzerland, and other known

playgrounds of the well-to-do. Airline stocks would rise

quite a bit; so would the stocks of hotels and other travel 

lodging businesses, also clothiers, travel gear makers and

merchants, and of course the oil companies what with all

the gas which will be needed to fly and drive the rich and

adventurous about on their tours, not to mention other firms'

stocks because of the demand for their products and services

being driven upwards by these financially elites. And the lefties

resent all this, wanting to raise existing taxes on their earnings

and create new taxes on not only what they earn but what they 

save and invest. 

These fools must ultimately realize that the economic fortunes 

of the middle- and lower-class income earners can only benefit

from the wealthy and their spending habits, for many of them

work to provide the goods and services that the wealthy purchase.

These are things that one wouldn't see in countries with socialist

political/economic systems, yet the left-of-center bunch hail

and praise these pitiful setups while disparaging the free market

which has made possible the wealth of those spending their time

and efforts utilizing the market instead of joining the leftists in

the latter's disparagement of same. Socialist societies do poorly 

even in the best of economic times, and hurt the worst in the worst

economic times. The wealthy have a buoyant effect on the free

market societies which minimizes the fallout from the tough times.

When will the lefties ever learn?

MEM

Thoughts on Immigration and the Laken Riley Act

One of the many difficulties that now-retired (thank God!) President

Joe Biden saddled us with are the consequences of his all but erasing 

the borders (especially the southern border) with shockingly lax 

immigration rules that let all and sundry enter our country --- some of 

them with lawless intentions in mind. House Republicans drafted and 

passed the Laken Riley Act, named for the 22-year-old nursing student 

in Georgia who was murdered while jogging near the University of

Georgia campus. Her killer was a 26-year-old Venezuelan man who

entered the United States taking advantage of the loose immigration

laws established by the Biden regime. He was arrested by university

police and charged with ten counts, among them felony murder,

malice murder, false imprisonment, aggravated assault with intent to

rape, and kidnapping. This evil individual was found guilty on all 

charges on November 20, 2024 and sentenced to life in prison without

any chance of parole. 

Many of the Senate Democrats opposed the Laken Riley Act, and one

Democrat senator, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, openly admitted 

their opposition was "the reason why we lost,". It must be noted that 

Sen. Fetterman was, to his credit, one of the bill's original co-sponsors.

He reasoned, "If you're here illegally and committing crimes, I don't 

know why anybody thinks that it's controversial that they all need 

to go." If you find this a miracle, you ain't seen nothing yet! The 

Laken Riley Act is a law requiring the U.S. Department of Homeland

Security to detain illegal immigrants admitting to, charged with, or 

convicted of theft-related crimes, assaulting a police officer, or a crime

that results in death or serious bodily injury.

The U.S., at all levels of government, have gotten so soft on crime that 

we have become pro-crime and pro-criminal, making excuses for and 

misapplying compassion to many of the most dangerous criminals,  

from without as well as from within our borders. But the most recent 

election signaled a thundering demand for change in the way that 

justice is meted out around here.

Suddenly, Fetterman's colleagues fell in line in agreement with him. 

Following Trump's re-election, those who originally opposed the bill

now rushed to co-sponsor it! These Dems got the message loud and 

clear, regarding the need to tighten border security. We the People had 

not only spoken, we shouted from the voting booths! No more of

criminals breaking the law to enter our country to break our laws 

made to protect us! Next thing is to send a similar message to our city 

mayors, district attorneys, and both municipal and county judges 

demanding enforcement of local laws made to protect us as well.

To quote a line from a famous rock 'n' roll song, "We're not gonna take 

it anymore!"

MEM

Caught Short on Time!

Friends, your favorite Peasant can't be with you this week,

but will be with you next, no fear. Just swamped with a bunch

of pressing things to tend to. 

Thank you for your kind understanding and indulgence! 

MEM 

President Trump Hits the Ground Running

No sooner than Donald J. Trump had been inaugurated as 

president for a second time he had hit the ground running,

working at a frenetic pace to get done what he wants to get

done --- and has he ever gotten a lot done!

In shoring up the security of our borders with Mexico and 

Canada he has gained the cooperation of Mexico's president,

Claudia Sheinbaum and Canada's Prime Minister Justin 

Trudeau in working to make the borders stronger in the face

of increasing hordes of people having walked up from Mexico 

and Central America to enter the U.S., some seeking asylum, 

some seeking residence with an eye to citizenship, yet going 

about it illegally. President Trump gained their cooperation 

by promising to impose a 25% tariff on imported goods from

their respective countries if they didn't take their own measures 

in tightening security at the borders, and right away President 

Sheinbaum announced she would deploy 10,000 troops to the

U.S. border with Mexico to fight drug trafficking, fentanyl in

particular. The two heads of state, it is reported, will continue 

to negotiating on "security and trade" while President Trump 

stated that he would pause his tariffs for a month. P.M Trudeau

pledged to station more law enforcement at the U.S.- Canadian

border, for his part.

On immigration, President Sheinbaum basically agreed to play 

ball on restoring the Remain in Mexico policy for immigrants 

who reach the U.S. - Mexican border. Meanwhile, illegal border

crossings have been dropping like a stone in a pond in response 

to President Trump having sent a signal that illegal immigrants

won't be allowed to remain in the United States. 

This is but one of the many things President Trump has achieved 

since his very recent return to the White House. In the weeks to 

come we shall be poring over the executive orders and other 

measures by President Trump bringing reform and renewal to

many aspects of American governance and the U.S. economy.

It must be noted though that this is the biggest economic risk 

of our once and again president's second term thus far. 

He has to play his Mexico and Canada cards with skill and 

care, rather than as a riverboat gambler with more finesse than

bravado. But so far, so good.

However, although President Trump likes tariffs, he also wants 

a weaker U.S. dollar in order to promote U.S. exports. These 

two desires are in conflict with one another. A stronger dollar

is a consequence of the tariffs, everything else notwithstanding.

Reducing American purchases of foreign goods reduces demand

for the currencies of those currencies as fewer dollars are 

converted into the other countries' home money. The dollar is

bound to gain in value amid increasing demand for said dollars.

Result? Cross-purposes with Trump's desire for a weaker dollar.

He would be forced to choose one or the other in his trade activity.

Some of his economic advisors are in disagreement with the president

while the others are of one mind with Trump on all this. Although a 

stronger dollar will help tamp down the inflationary effect of higher 

import prices, an overvalued U.S. dollar is the main cause of the 

United States' trade deficit with the rest of the world. Your mindful

Peasant for one, while seeing that sometimes tariffs can be helpful,

they should not be the first shots fired in international disagreements.

That being said, at least our once and again president has already 

has already taken care of something that his predecessor had ignored

to our peril. he strengthened border security with cooperation 

the two countries with which we share our each of our two borders.

And that is nothing to sneeze at. 

MEM

Dick Allen, R.I.P.

Dick Allen was for decades a star in conservative foreign policy circles.

Born on New Year's Day, 1936 in New Jersey, he attended Notre Dame.

Allen worked in the Nixon White House, then was an adviser for former 

Governor Ronald Reagan, during which they had a famous exchange

which went rather like this: "Governor, what is your aim in the Cold 

War?" "Well, Dick, my idea is: We win, they lose." And win we did.

After Reagan's election to be President in 1980, Allen served as his

first National Security Adviser. Along the way, he was affiliated with 

several renown organizations which included the Hoover Institute and 

ISI. Allen also was a popular guest on National Review cruises.  

This intellectual titan passed away at the age of 88. R.I.P.

MEM

Lee Edwards, R.I.P.

The founders of the modern American conservative movement

were a very accomplished group of people. They made 

conservatism viable, respectable, and attainable, shaking up

stodgy establishment types in the halls of academia and 

government and giving people in all walks of American life

a good look at what our government, our economy, and our

society could be. Among these stalwarts of the Right was

Lee Edwards.

Born in 1932, Edwards devoted his time, energy, and intellect 

to advancing the conservative movement in so many, many ways.

He was a signatory of the Sharon Statement, so called because of 

its origins on the estate of the Buckley family (William F. Buckley!)

in 1960 when WFB and some conservative college students drafted

a manifesto declaring what those gathered stood for and what they

advocated and worked for, which included (but wasn't limited to!)

a free market economy; political freedom, which they acknowledged

could not be possible without economic freedom; individual freedom 

and the right of governing, both of which originate with God.

Edwards helped found Young Americans for Freedom (Your faithful 

Peasant was a member in my own college days!). He worked on

the Barry Goldwater presidential campaign in 1964. He authored

and co-authored more than two dozen books about conservatism and 

conservatives. He was the founding chairman of the Victims of 

Communism Memorial Foundation. He wrote many articles for 

National Review, and served on the Advisory Committee of National

Review Institute's Buckley Legacy Project. Edwards likely served

the cause of conservatism in other ways as well. And now, at age 92,

his work finished, Lee Edwards is enjoying his Final Reward.

A well-earned reward indeed, I'm sure! 

Requiescat in pace.

MEM

On the Recent Increase in Federal Revenue

According to the Congressional Budget Office, federal revenue 

increased last fiscal year. While this is certainly good news, 

the deficit was at that time $1.8 trillion. The Democrats call

this a critical lack of revenue, stating that corporations, wealthy

people, really everyone and anyone who has money aren't 

paying enough in taxes --- they aren't paying their "fair share",

don't you know. But despite the towering deficit, federal revenue

increased by $479 billion year over year for an 11% rise.

$343 billion of that increase came from individual-income taxes

and payroll taxes. Corporate tax collections went up by 

$109 billion. As U.S. GDP growth for the 2024 FY grew 

approximately 2.5%, revenue growth has surpassed economic 

growth. But Congressional Democrats want to take even more 

from these sources because they allegedly don't pay their 

"fair share". Yet when they do get their way on tax increases

these clueless greedheads spend the money faster than they 

can receive it.

No, Democrats, the problem is not too little revenue; the problem

is too little spending restraint, and that's on you.

MEM 

Battling Back Against Wokeness

The good feelings we conservatives have enjoyed in the latter half

of 2024 are continuing without stopping or slowing into 2025.

More and more organizations, including but not at all limited to

businesses, state and local governments, schools (including univer-

sities), entertainment, and more are refusing to be bound and gagged

by woke rules --- wokeness is political correctness on steroids ---

i.e. bowing down before pronoun regulations, forced acceptance of 

the wild beyond belief i.e. admission of boys in girls' locker rooms 

and rest rooms because the former "identifies" as girls, self-censor-

ship to avoid trouble with the law or opprobrium from and castigation

by certain circles (this last one is something hampering sand-up 

comedians and comedy screenwriters) and like totalitarianisms.

Toward the end of the old year the University of Michigan, hardly a 

conservative haven, ended their required diversity statements rule.

The school is ceasing to mandate the statements in hiring decisions

in hiring decisions. Furthermore, the University has dismissed a DEI 

(Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) administrator accused of making 

anti-semitic statements. Gee, isn't it odd that DEI types favor and in 

fact demand inclusiveness for so many groups of people but bar 

certain other groups because of their own bigotry and hatred for 

them. 

Anyway, the University of Michigan is to be commended and 

encouraged for taking these two steps, which hopefully will be

the beginning of a journey back from extremism and unequal 

treatment of whichever groups of people for unjust reasons.

Let us take a moment to applaud this university for its brave

stance. 

MEM