Free Republic

Kevin McCarthy, the Republican House minority leader, said something cynical and transparently dishonest the other day. To be fair, that’s sort of an evergreen remark; you could have said the same thing about him just about any week over the past few years. But this particular statement seemed important, because it involved a lie that has a direct bearing on how America will respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Here’s what McCarthy tweeted: “These are not Putin gas prices. They are President Biden gas prices.” Now, that’s just false. You can argue about how much responsibility Biden’s policies bear for...

President Joe Biden reassured donors Monday that he would use his executive powers to act on climate change, even as energy prices are at record highs. “The climate crisis is the existential threat. That’s not hyperbole; it’s a fact,” Biden said after taking the podium at a Democratic National Committee Fundraiser in Washington, DC. Biden promised to take “aggressive” executive actions on climate regulations even if the Supreme Court overruled him. He acknowledged that progress on the issue of climate change was difficult to achieve in Congress, hinting that donors could help him pressure lawmakers. “Our grandchildren will never forgive...

Tuesday on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg was asked about the possibility of the White House putting a hold on the nationwide gas tax until gas prices come down in the United States. Buttigieg noted President Joe Biden was releasing oil from the reserves to help stabilize oil prices and suggested moving on from energy independence. He also argued that no “political figure” directly controls oil and gas prices.

Talks between Riyadh and Beijing have accelerated as the Saudi unhappiness grows with Washington (Rest behind paywall)

The Wall Street Journal reports active talks between Riyadh and Beijing about pricing some Saudi oil sales to China in yuan instead of dollars. Chatter about this sort of arrangement has been ongoing for several years, but recent events have brought a new urgency to talks, according to the report, which says the Saudis are questioning longstanding U.S. security commitments to the Kingdom. Among the issues is what the Saudis believe to be less-than-enthusiastic support for the war in Yemen, the White House's attempt at an Iran nuclear deal, and shock at the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. China is a...

SACRAMENTO—The effort to temporarily remove California’s gas tax—the highest in the nation—failed in the state assembly on March 14 as gas prices continue to climb throughout the state.“Every [Republican] lawmaker voted to take 50 cents off the gallon of gas,” Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) wrote on Twitter. “Not a single Democrat Assemblymember supported this effort to lower gas prices.”Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) introduced Assembly Bill 1638 on Jan. 12 to suspend the gas tax for six months to save residents about 50 cents per gallon, a “burden” on community Californians that will continue to worsen, Kiley told The Epoch...

These people vote and raise children. Just remember that the next time you think we share a country and can get along in peace forever. We can’t, and something will have to give. In embarrassingly bizarre fashion, one self-described Biden supporter can be seen taking a selfie video while running around hysterically as he pans in on the alarmingly high fuel prices in California. This might win the prize for most tragically hilarious video of the day. Tragic because fools like him exist but hilarious because if we can’t laugh at our country’s death spiral we will get hopeless really...