It’s pretty incredible when you can get the Democrats and the media to care, suddenly, about the issue of blasphemy. I thought maybe Easter Sunday had led to some kind […]

The post Where Was All This Democrat Anger When These Images of Obama as Jesus Were Everywhere? appeared first on The Western Journal.

Over a year ago President Trump began dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). While bemoaned by many in the foreign policy community as a mistake, in reality the agency had long ago strayed from its initial purpose, namely, helping developing nations establish prosperous and growing free market economies. Indeed, its initial purpose as envisioned by President Kennedy was to bring the economic promise of America to the poorest nations in the world. Just as with our opening to China in 1972, we were confident that democracy would follow.

Yet the tragedy of USAID was its failure to bring a single new market-based economy to life. After several decades it could produce no examples of even having brokered an alliance between a Third World country and the United States. USAID’s annual core operating budget of $22 billion and its ineffective record rightly proved too much for the Trump Administration’s DOGE review.

This state of affairs might be seen as inevitable given that USAID’s initial thesis of how prosperous economies come about was terribly flawed. President Kennedy’s friend, Walter Rostow, provided a plan in The Stages of Economic Growth: A Non-Communist Manifesto that would govern USAID’s thinking until well into this decade. Published in 1960, Rostow’s book is an entirely conjectural effort long on ideas about how development should happen and short on empirical information about how free market economies actually start.

In the post-USAID era, however, the United States cannot afford to appear to withdraw completely from its historic commitment to helping poorer countries achieve sustained growth. Serious alternatives have been slow in coming, largely because “nation-building” has been out of fashion since Iraq.

Even so, Washington knows that China has been more or less effectively working to export economic development for at least two decades. Its strategy, the Belt and Road Initiative, once admired for its innovation, has brought several countries closer to China. Now, however, it is widely seen as a method of extortion, where China can steer the economies—and ultimately the allegiance—of debtor nations.

The U.S. presumes that stable relationships with nations we seek to help must rest on the mutual embrace of individual freedom that derives from market-based economies. Such an economic order must be based on indigenous entrepreneurship. Recent contributions from Nobelists Paul Romer, Ned Phelps, and Joel Mokyr have laid heavy emphasis on the critical importance of entrepreneurs in the dynamics of economic expansion at the nation-state level.

Having shuttered USAID, President Trump should recast assistance to nations the U.S. deems of strategic importance to our economic and security interests. This might be thought of as an America First development policy. Essentially, we would be building a bespoke community of allies. Rather than relying on the demonstrably unworkable formula of a “rules-based world order” and the ineffective record of operationalizing the “Washington Consensus,” American development policy should be rebuilt around what I have called “Expeditionary Economics,” which supports the emergence of entrepreneurial capitalism.

Our outbound support for targeted countries would not start, as American assistance once did, with an externally imposed plan. President Trump has already previewed this approach in Venezuela. Once free, the country can figure out its own path to growth, as Friedrich Hayek’s notion of spontaneous order suggests.

U.S. assistance should:

• Support an indigenous population of entrepreneurs capable of building scalable firms.

• Strengthen the rule of law, particularly as a means to eradicate corruption, and provide predictability to businesses.

• Stabilize the target nations’ currencies, including the possibility of pegging them to the U.S. dollar.

• Encourage a local banking system as a first line of finance to startups.

• Develop uniquely valued products and talented human capital to compete in an inevitably globalizing marketplace.

The core of an America First development policy is advancing entrepreneurial capitalism as the basis for a new world order. As such, it must animate U.S. thinking on reforming the roles that various international organizations play, from the U.N. and the World Bank to many of their bureaucratic dependencies. These post-war institutions gravitate toward recognizing the interests of giant global firms at the expense of startups—the very businesses nations aspiring to economic renewal need.

The post Building an America First Development Strategy appeared first on The American Mind.

The Biden administration collaborated with pro-abortion groups in weaponizing law enforcement against pro-lifers, according to a report released Tuesday by the Justice Department.

Under the leadership of Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Biden-era Justice Department aggressively applied the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE Act, against pro-life activists, the report says.

The FACE Act protects access to abortion clinics, pregnancy centers, and houses of worship. The 882-page report, released on Tuesday, documents more than 700 internal records of enforcement of the law to protect abortion clinics.

According to the report, the Justice Department under President Donald Trump will now take corrective actions to right the wrongs of the prior administration.

“This Department will not tolerate a two-tiered system of justice,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.

“No department should conduct selective prosecution based on beliefs,” Blanche continued. “The weaponization that happened under the Biden administration will not happen again, as we restore integrity to our prosecutorial system.”

President Joe Biden was in office when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling, returning abortion law to the states.

The report says the Biden Justice Department collaborated with organizations such as the National Abortion Federation, Planned Parenthood, and the Feminist Majority Foundation to track pro-life activists.

The pro-choice organizations compiled evidence and dossiers that were used for search warrants and charges against pro-life activists, the report says. Career attorneys with the Justice Department monitored pro-life activists for years before charging them.

One lead prosecutor helped the National Abortion Federation’s application for a private grant without getting ethics approval for a party with business before the DOJ, the report noted.

The report notes that the FACE Act is supposed to protect both pro-choice and pro-life facilities. However, the Biden DOJ provided significant support to abortion clinics and ignored or downplayed vandalism and attacks against pregnancy resource centers.

The report says federal prosecutors “authorized aggressive arrest tactics” rather than allowing pro-life defendants to self-surrender. It says the Biden administration prosecutors withheld evidence that defense counsel requested. Further, the Justice Department attempted to screen out jurors based on religion.

The report says the Biden DOJ requested an average sentence of 26.8 months for pro-life defendants in FACE Act cases, compared with 12.3 months for pro-choice defendants.

The post DOJ Finds Biden Weaponized FACE Act Against Pro-Lifers appeared first on The Daily Signal.

With most of the world’s eyes on the Middle East, America’s military is still watching drug runners trying to bring poison into the United States from South America. U.S. Southern […]

The post Multitasking: Pentagon Wipes Out Drug Runners Off US Coast Amid Crippling Iranian Campaign appeared first on The Western Journal.

Heritage Action tapped Steve Chartan, a seasoned Capitol Hill strategist, to serve as its executive vice president. Chartan will oversee the organization’s grassroots operation and policy efforts in Washington and state capitals.

The announcement comes after Chartan served as vice president of government relations at The Heritage Foundation since January 2025. In his new role, Chartan will work closely with Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action President Kevin Roberts.

“With more than 15 years of experience on Capitol Hill and in the private sector, Steve is uniquely well equipped to manage the organization as we grow our grassroots footprint, strengthen accountability efforts, and intensify our work on the issues that matter most to American families,” Roberts said in a statement to The Daily Signal.

Chartan brings years of experience and deep conservative connections to the new role.

He previously served as chief of staff to Sen. Ted Cruz, advising the Texas Republican on policy and legislative priorities. Earlier in his career, Chartan was the founding executive director of the House Freedom Caucus, helping members develop and advance a conservative legislative agenda.

Chartan also worked for the Senate Steering Committee under Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, before moving to the private sector as a principal at a government relations and public affairs firm.

“I have known Steve Chartan for over a decade and seen firsthand his effectiveness, policy knowledge, and procedural skill,” Lee said last year. “He has been a steadfast ally in the fight for freedom in America.”

Delivering Results

Since joining Heritage as vice president of government relations, Chartan has worked with policymakers in the Trump administration and on Capitol Hill to advance conservative priorities.

He said his focus is straightforward: build on Heritage Action’s record—with urgency.

“Heritage Action has been delivering results since its inception,” Chartan said. “Our focus is simple: build on that record and drive the organization forward full steam ahead.”

Grassroots Operation

He described Heritage Action’s work in three areas: shaping federal policy, securing wins in the states, and mobilizing the organization’s Sentinel grassroots program.

“The Sentinels are the backbone of our organization,” Chartan said. “We will continue to grow our grassroots army through the Sentinel program to ensure Americans have a voice where it matters most.”

As a Capitol Hill staffer, Chartan developed a firsthand appreciation for Heritage Action. He called the organization “a trusted partner and resource.”

Heritage Action was founded in 2010 as the advocacy arm of The Heritage Foundation, with a mission of advancing conservative public policy at the federal and state levels through its nationwide network of grassroots activists.

The post Heritage Action Taps Capitol Hill Veteran to Help Lead Conservative Powerhouse appeared first on The Daily Signal.

As yesterday's deadline for signing or vetoing the "assault weapons" ban bill closed in, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) pivoted and proposed changes to legislation.

The post Virginia Gov. Proposes Changes to ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban Bill appeared first on Breitbart.

I hope your weekend was better than Eric Swalwell’s. But if it was, you’re alive, and not so badly injured that you couldn’t be reading this. So it was. Congratulations […]

The post 'Underage': Rep. Luna Has Seen the Swalwell Footage, Now She's Using the Word Swalwell Most Feared appeared first on The Western Journal.

A top Justice Department official said Saturday the federal agency was “on it” after a reporter for a conservative news outlet was apparently attacked while filming footage in Minneapolis. Turning […]

The post DOJ Signals Probe Into Brutal Assault of Conservative Journalist Filming Anti-ICE Riot appeared first on The Western Journal.

The following is an exclusive excerpt from Rep. Elise Stefanik’s new book, "Poisoned Ivies: The Inside Account of the Academic and Moral Rot at America's Elite Universities."

The post Exclusive Excerpt—Rep. Elise Stefanik: ‘Poisoned Ivies: The Inside Account of the Academic and Moral Rot at America’s Elite Universities’ appeared first on Breitbart.

School choice advocates and policymakers gathered at the Pennsylvania State Capitol on April 10 to call on Gov. Josh Shapiro to opt the commonwealth into the federal scholarship tax credit program before the January 2027 deadline.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon joined lawmakers and advocacy leaders, including Rep. Scott Perry and Andrew Lewis, to emphasize what they described as a major opportunity to expand educational access without additional cost to taxpayers.

According to speakers, demand for scholarships in Pennsylvania already far exceeds supply. Nearly 70,000 applications went unfulfilled last year, highlighting what advocates say is an urgent need for expanded options for families seeking alternatives to their assigned public schools.

The federal scholarship tax credit, enacted in 2025, would allow participating states to generate scholarship funding through private donations. Advocates estimate that if just 15% of Pennsylvania taxpayers participate, the program could generate up to $500 million in scholarships, potentially serving an additional 100,000 students.

Pennsylvania, they argue, is well-positioned to implement the program quickly. The state already operates longstanding tax credit scholarship initiatives and has more than 250 scholarship organizations in place to distribute funds and assist families.

Supporters stressed that the program would come at no cost to the state or school districts, as it relies entirely on private contributions. Scholarships could be used for a wide range of educational needs, including private school tuition, tutoring, special education services, and instructional materials.

Advocates also warned that failure to opt in could put Pennsylvania at a disadvantage. Twenty-seven states have already indicated plans to participate, and officials noted that funding could flow elsewhere if the commonwealth declines to act.

“Every delay means fewer opportunities for students,” Lewis said, urging swift action.

The decision now rests with Shapiro, who must formally opt Pennsylvania into the program to unlock the potential funding and expand access to educational alternatives statewide.

The post Pennsylvania Urged to Opt Into Federal Scholarship Tax Credit appeared first on The Daily Signal.