For years, the conversation around Venezuela has been stuck in two tired boxes: cartels and oil. Neither one explains what's actually going on or why Venezuela matters so much to the United States right now. Let's break the myth first: Venezuela hardly trafficks drugs to the U.S. compared to Colombia, Mexico, or the fentanyl precursor pipelines coming out of China. And the oil? We already drill there, we've drilled there for decades, and the stuff isn't even high-grade. So no, this isn't a petro-grab or a cartel war we're talking about.  The real story is much bigger. Venezuela has become a hub for America's geopolitical adversaries, right here in the Western Hemisphere, something the U.S. has spent over a century trying to prevent. A new axis is taking shape in South America. While the news cycle is busy shouting about other regions, something quiet but significant has been happening in Venezuela. Moscow has weapons deals, trainers, and political influence...

Here’s the truth. Congressional maps aren’t about fairness. They never have been. They’re about power. Every ten years, the U.S. Census hands over a new set of numbers. That’s when the real fight starts. Lawmakers head into back rooms with piles of voter data and a very simple mission: keep their side in control for as long as possible. Right now, Texas Republicans are working on a plan to squeeze five more friendly districts out of their map. Democrats in California say they’ll do the same . A few other states are watching closely, ready to jump in. This is how it always begins. Tit for tat. One party moves, the other follows. But if you carry that out to the end, if every state strips away the polite rules and just draws for maximum advantage, the result is not a tie. It’s not even close. The Republicans win. Geography decides more than you think This isn’t about better messaging or better candidates. It’s about where people live. Democrats are packed into the big cities, wi...

The United States was facing, until recently, an historic recruitment crisis within the Armed Services. It is likely still facing a similar retention crisis. Much of the twin problems within our fighting force can be chalked up to the social engineering pressed upon the service members by the Pentagon and the White House from the prior Administration. However, a significant portion, particularly in the National Guard and Reserve components, is due to its disproportionate treatment relative to the Active component. There are three primary areas where Active and Reservists (collectively referring to the Reserve component and the various State National Guards) diverge in treatment, (1) Pay, (2) Benefits, and (3) Duties. From the outset, it is important to acknowledge that there is a major difference in the Active and Reserve components. The Active-duty service members are engrossed in the military bureaucracy 365 days a year for the entire length of their obligation. They get reassigned...

Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of people compare President Trump’s deportation efforts to Nazi Germany. Honestly, it’s getting out of hand. It’s not just inaccurate—it’s offensive, too. This isn’t about politics for me. It’s about facts. We can’t let our emotions run wild and twist reality. Deportation is not the same thing as genocide. Not even close. Let’s Start With the Basics Deportation isn’t some new, cruel invention. It didn’t start with Trump. It didn’t start with Bush. It didn’t even start with Obama—although, for the record, Obama deported more people than any president in U.S. history. Millions. He was literally called the “Deporter-in-Chief” by immigration activists. But suddenly now, when Trump talks about deportation, it’s being painted as the start of a fascist regime? Come on. There’s a difference between disliking a policy and misrepresenting it completely. You can be against deportations. That’s fine. But calling it “Nazi-like” is not just wrong—it’s ridiculous. Histo...

The Social Security Administration is facing a $25 trillion time bomb within the next decade that will be catastrophic for millions of Americans if unaddressed. According to the Social Security Trust Fund, the program has until 2034 before it depletes all reserve assets. For clarity, this does not mean that Social Security will go “bankrupt” as that is impossible for a government program. It does mean that annual Trust Fund income (payroll taxes plus interest) will be insufficient to cover the outgoing expenses (retirement checks) and there will be insufficient reserves to fill the gap. The result will be an anticipated 23% reduction in benefits for existing beneficiaries. This would be devastating for millions of seniors. A news report from the National Institute on Retirement Security found that more than 40% of seniors use Social Security as their only form of retirement income. Congress has a rapidly dwindling time to act, and unfortunately, the closer we get to the deadline, t...

The United States has, since the Woodrow Wilson Administration, pursued a trade policy marred by liberal ideology. Liberalism proposes that all men, through reason, can ascertain universal axioms that are applicable to all humans, in all locations, at all times. Liberal thinkers, like John Locke and Thomas Jefferson, posited that central to these axioms is the belief that humans are inherently free by their nature, and that the preservation of this freedom is the central aim of the State. The individual is the central actor within the liberal paradigm. Any restriction on the individual’s freedom is to be denounced as the greatest sin. Economists reduce the individual to being nothing more than a consumer. All decisions the individual makes result in the consumption of varying amounts of “utility”, or happiness/satisfaction. All non-monetary sources of utility, like concepts of fairness, duty, and honor, are overlooked by liberal economists, or outride discarded. Material consumption,...