"Washington state has beaten California and New York in their race to soak the rich.

On Thursday, the state Legislature passed a 'millionaires tax' along party lines. Starting in 2028, household income over $1 million will be subject to a 9.9 percent income tax. The money raised from this duty will allow the state to eliminate sales taxes on diapers, over-the-counter drugs, and select hygiene products; provide free school breakfast and lunch; and to generally 'fund K-12 education, health care, [and] higher education.' Unless Gov. Bob Ferguson unexpectedly vetoes the bill, it will automatically become law in April.

In passing this law, the Evergreen State has implemented the most regressive wealth tax in the country, at least for now. In November, Californians will vote on a proposed 5 percent billionaire wealth tax ballot initiative (which Gov. Gavin Newsom opposes). Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called on state legislators to impose an additional 2 percent income tax on millionaires and is considering proposals to increase the city's corporate tax rates and lower its threshold for death (estate) taxes from $7.1 million to $750,000."

Read the entire article here.

"It is a terrible time to be a news consumer. Sadly, the only way to explain today's media is to write them off as either malicious or hopelessly incompetent.

"Consider 'lobstergate,' one of the more achingly idiotic so-called controversies in recent years. This episode begins with a watchdog report from OpenTheBooks finding that, in the fourth quarter of 2025, the Pentagon spent an estimated $6.9 million on lobster tail, $2 million on Alaskan king crab, and $15.1 million on ribeye steaks.

"Now, if you have served in the U.S. armed forces, or you know someone who has, you know all too well what those food purchases are about.

"American mess halls often treat servicemen to special meals -- usually right before deployments or other rough assignments, as a morale booster. Those special meals? You guessed it: lobster, ribeye, or crab. Special meals are also provided for the occasional non-deployment situation."

Read the entire article here.

"A newly completed national survey of likely voters shows strong support for President Donald Trump's decision to use military force to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

"Even more striking, when voters are reminded of Iran's long record of hostility toward the United States, support grows significantly -- with 57% backing military action.

"A clear majority believes decisive action is justified -- and an even stronger majority of 59% said President Trump should finish the job to ensure Iran never acquires nuclear weapons.

"The findings also reveal a significant gap between the views of the American electorate and the tone of much of the left-of-center media coverage, which has largely portrayed the public as skeptical or opposed to military action.

"Our data suggests otherwise."

Read the entire article here.

"This is the moment a statement made on behalf of Iran's new Supreme Leader was read out on state TV, amid rumours he is 'in a coma' and has lost a leg -- or is even dead.

"The written statement attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was read out by a news anchor on state TV this afternoon.

"He himself did not appear on national TV. His absence will only fuel rumours that he is either too ill to record a reading of his statement or died in an airstrike.

"The statement says that Iran would not refrain from avenging the 'blood of its martyrs.'"

Read the entire article here.

"Because the first 100 days of a new administration are often a harbinger of things to come, New Yorkers had better brace themselves for four turbulen years.

"Mayor Zohran Mamdani is off to a terrible start, with even the weather turning against him.

"There's nothing he could do about heavy snowfalls and Arctic cold, but he made a huge unforced error that proved tragically fatal.

"At least 16 people died on the streets from hypothermia after he broke with a long City Hall tradition and refused to force the homeless indoors during the coldest days.

"And now comes a streak of reminders about the mayor's long history of anti-American and anti-Israel positions -- and proof he's still a radical leftist when it comes to the Mideast."

Read the entire article here.

"David Keene, a towering figure in the growth of the modern conservative movement who was equally comfortable in the weeds of grassroots politics and in the corridors of power in Washington, died Sunday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 80.

"Mr. Keene spent years at the pinnacle, forging the Conservative Political Action Conference into the must-attend event for Republican White House hopefuls and shepherding the National Rifle Association at the peak of its influence.

"He then helmed The Washington Times' opinion pages before becoming editor at large, a role he held at the time of his passing."

Read the entire article here.

"A left-wing activist group is teaching liberals in Washington, D.C., and 'across the United States' how to increase their chances of serving as jurors on cases brought by the Trump Department of Justice so they can undermine its chances of securing convictions, training materials reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon show.

"Freedom Trainers, whose fiscal sponsor is the George Soros-funded group Community Change, is working to make 'jury nullification' -- the practice of voting against a conviction even if the defendant broke the law -- a go-to legal weapon for the Left. Its sessions and training materials, reviewed by the Free Beacon, show how the group teaches 'committed people' to gum up federal prosecutions.

"The group tells attendees to keep their addresses current to ensure they receive summons. Then, during the jury selection process, it advises them to 'Never mention jury nullification,' 'Don't signal an agenda,' and 'say you'll listen to the evidence before forming conclusions.' Once selected, the group tells its trainees to vote 'not guilty' for any reason.

"Freedom Trainers' efforts -- which have not been previously reported -- underscore the difficulty the Trump administration faces in securing convictions in the nation's capital and other blue bastions."

Read the entire article here.

"At times, you could be forgiven for having thought that Kristi Noem wanted to be a uniformed Department of Homeland Security officer rather than the secretary of the department.

Now, the cabinet member most inclined to glamour shots out in the field is going to have to go back to wearing civilian cloths.

For all his trademark firings during 'The Apprentice' and the rapid turnover of his first term, President Trump has been loath to oust top officials this time around.

Noem is the exception, and she's earned the dubious distinction."

Read the entire article here.

"As the U.S. and allies continue strikes on Iran, Chinese leaders watch from Beijing as the leadership of their second major partner this year is being decapitated under a military onslaught.

"When President Donald Trump took office for the second time last year, he faced a more closely aligned 'axis' of adversaries that, during the four-year Biden administration, had been clustered closer together around China and Russia. Iran is a central pillar of that axis, supplying war materiel and cheap oil exports in exchange for investments, diplomatic cover, and help avoiding U.S. sanctions.

"But, the U.S. operation targeting Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear programs, regardless of whether it ultimately topples the theocratic regime in Tehran, will likely disrupt China's interests in the region."

Read the entire article here.

"State Rep. James Talarico topped Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in an expensive and fiercely contested Texas Senate Democratic primary that once again has the party dreaming of a big upset in November.

"Who Talarico will face depends on a May runoff between longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn and MAGA favorite Ken Paxton -- a race expected to get increasingly nasty over coming months and could hinge on whether or not President Donald Trump offers an endorsement.

"Texas, along with North Carolina and Arkansas, on Tuesday kicked off midterm elections with control of Congress at stake and against the backdrop of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran."

Read the entire article here.