White House Dossier's

Five ways Ayn Rand predicted America's political crises, from parents spurned to the rise of cancel culture . . . Many foundational pillars of society in the United States appear to be crumbling right now before our eyes, weakened by an erosive array of social, economic and political forces. The deterioration of traditional cultural norms and the social upheaval that’s followed — from the living room to classroom the boardroom — is no surprise to Ayn Rand scholars. The celebrated Russian-born American author and philosopher predicted with haunting accuracy many of the nation’s current crises. Among her observations: Government would encroach on parental rights, stifle academic and scientific research, and fuel a dangerous mentality of victimhood. "She understood that history is moved by ideas and if you have rotten ideas you have rotten outcomes," Yaron Brook, chairman of the California-based Ayn Rand institute, told Fox News Digital 

McCarthy: Biden probes ‘rising to the level of impeachment inquiry’ . . . House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said that he expects the House GOP’s investigations into the foreign business activities of President Biden’s family to rise to the level of an impeachment inquiry. “When Biden was running for office, he told the public he has never talked about business. He said his family has never received a dollar from China, which we prove is not true,” McCarthy told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday night, referencing Biden’s previous statements that he did not talk to his son Hunter Biden about his foreign business activities. The Hill

Trump anxiety among GOP senators grows as indictments appear to help him . . . Republican senators who don’t want to see President Donald Trump as their party’s nominee are feeling increasingly anxious that Special Counsel Jack Smith is actually helping Trump’s presidential campaign through his dogged pursuit of the former president. The fear another round of federal charges against Trump will only further boost his fundraising and poll numbers, solidifying his possession as the dominant frontrunner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary field.  

They worry that Smith’s effect on the Republican presidential primary is being magnified by prominent House Republicans and conservative media personalities who have rallied behind Trump, effectively blotting out the rest of the GOP presidential field. The Hill

Culture-war battles fail to deliver for DeSantis . . . Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) keeps pressing his case on culture war issues — even though his efforts so far haven’t helped him rise above a modest ceiling of support in the presidential race. That, in turn, poses the question as to whether former President Trump already has a lock on most of the conservative voters animated by those issues. DeSantis is plowing on regardless. The Hill

Burisma Lobbyists Recommended By Hunter Biden Didn’t Disclose Over $400,000 In Payments, Testimony Shows . . . Blue Star Strategies, an international lobbying firm recommended by Hunter Biden to Ukrainian energy company Burisma, failed to disclose an estimated $480,000 in payments from the firm, testimony from IRS whistleblower Joseph Ziegler shows. Burisma paid Blue Star Strategies for lobbying beginning in November 2015 and the firm disclosed $60,000 worth of payments in its May 2022 Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) registration form, significantly less than the total Blue Star was paid by Burisma, according to Ziegler’s testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee on June 1. Daily Caller

Political battles return immigration to center stage for Biden administration . . .  One of the White House's least favorite topics is set to retake the headlines. Immigration has been a problem for President Joe Biden since day one, with record numbers of illegal border crossings set in both of his first two years in office and one that will take center stage again this week. "Texas is stepping up to address this crisis," Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) tweeted last Friday. "We will continue to deploy every strategy to protect Texans and Americans — and the migrants risking their lives. We will see you in court, Mr. President." Washington Examiner

Now Biden is after water heaters . . . Quick, take a shower now, before it’s too late! The Biden administration’s newest crackdown on home appliances, specifically water heaters, would take effect in 2029 if its regulatory proposal is enacted as it continues to implement its aggressive energy efficiency campaign. White House Dossier

Exclusive: China Influence Reaches 'Red Zone to Our Homeland,' U.S. General Warns . . .China is stepping up efforts to establish a regional presence in the "red zone" on the threshold of the United States, U.S. Southern Command chief Army General Laura Richardson told Newsweek in an exclusive interview. And while much international attention is being paid to mounting U.S.-China competition in the Asia-Pacific region, Richardson said Beijing's efforts have accelerated "right under our nose", pointing to the growing Chinese presence in the Caribbean, Central and South America. "They're on the 20-yard line, in the red zone to our homeland," the SOUTHCOM commander said. Newsweek

Inside the fight over alternative sub fuel . . . There’s been a small but persistent push to get the Navy to look at using low-enriched uranium—instead of the highly enriched variety—to power its future submarines. But Congress is poised to slam the door on more research, at least for the next year, and that could scuttle the possibility of using it on the next generation of U.S. subs. The push is led in the House by Rep. Bill Foster, D-Ill., a former high-energy physicist who contends that the United States would be safer if it developed warship reactors that did not require highly enriched uranium, which can be used to build nuclear weapons. “It's a crucial thing that we will continue R&D. We know it's possible to build submarines that have low-enriched uranium—the French do it, the Indians do it, the Russians do it. It's possible to do this. And the question is, how do you minimize the performance trade-off and enough to convince countries that this is a better route than maintaining a large stockpile of weapons-grade uranium?” Foster said at a recent House Rules Committee hearing on the 2024 defense authorization bill. Defense One

Israeli parliament approves key part of judicial overhaul that has exposed deep fissures in society . . . The vote came after a stormy session in which opposition lawmakers chanted “shame” and then stormed out of the chamber. The overhaul calls for sweeping changes aimed at curbing the powers of the judiciary, from limiting the Supreme Court’s ability to challenge parliamentary decisions to changing the way judges are selected. Netanyahu and his allies say the changes are needed to curb the powers of unelected judges. Protesters, who come from a wide swath of Israeli society, see the overhaul in general as a power grab fueled by personal and political grievances of Netanyahu — who is on trial for corruption charges — and his partners.

In Monday’s vote, lawmakers approved a measure that prevents judges from striking down government decisions on the basis that they are “unreasonable.” Politico

As Israel’s air force reservists join protests, country faces potential turning point . . . Though Israeli lawmakers today passed the first key legislation related to a controversial judicial overhaul, the vote took place amid a backdrop of vocal, widespread domestic protests that have spread into Israel’s military reservist ranks, alarming senior Israeli officials.

More than 1,000 Israeli air force reservists announced late last week they could end their voluntary service as their part of the protest. The air force reservists have since been joined by another 10,000 reservists from elsewhere in Israeli Defense Forces, though it’s thought the air force veterans could carry more influence. Senior Israeli military officers acknowledged the crisis had spread through the reservist ranks. Breaking Defense

New U.S. aid to Ukraine includes artillery, air defenses and mine-clearing equipment. . . . U.S. officials said on Tuesday that the Biden administration was sending up to $400 million in additional military aid to Ukraine, including artillery, air defenses and mine-clearing equipment, in an effort to help replenish Kyiv’s forces as their counteroffensive grinds on. Included in the package drawn from Pentagon stockpiles are several Stryker armored personnel carriers, mine-clearing equipment and munitions for Patriot antimissile systems and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, or NASAMS, the officials said. New York Times

President Putin signs law to introduce digital ruble . . . It goes about the third type of national currency along with cash and non-cash forms of money. The main provisions of the law come into force on August 1, 2023. It will be possible to carry out operations with the digital ruble on a special platform. The Bank of Russia will become the operator of the system. Digital ruble platform rules will be posted on the official website of the regulator. The Central Bank will guarantee the secrecy of digital ruble accounts.

(Rebekah's comment: Of course! LOL) The digital ruble is an asset stored in a special electronic wallet. Unlike cryptocurrencies, the digital ruble can only be issued by the Bank of Russia. With the help of the digital currency, Russians will be able to pay for goods and services, make payments and money transfers. They will also be able to pay for transactions with financial instruments and assets. At the same time, it will be impossible to credit digital rubles to bank deposits. Pravda

The way things going in my adopted homeland, I wouldn't be surprised if American Bolsheviks decided to follow Putin's example.

Russian Attack Threatens Even Alternative Routes for Ukrainian Grain . . . For shipping companies looking for a way to bring Ukrainian grain to global markets, the options keep dwindling, escalating a trade crisis that is expected to add pressure on global food prices. Russia last week pulled out of an agreement that had allowed for the safe passage of vessels through the Black Sea. On Monday it threatened an alternative route for grain, attacking a grain hangar at a Ukrainian port on the Danube River that has served as a key artery for transporting goods while the Black Sea remains blockaded. New York Times

Money

George and Alex Soros Max Out to Israel-Hating Congresswoman . . . George Soros and his son Alex sent maximum contributions to liberal Washington congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who has faced intense criticism from fellow Democrats in recent days for slandering Israel as a "racist state." Both Soroses sent Jayapal $6,600 in late June, the maximum amount an individual can give to a candidate in an election cycle, campaign finance disclosures reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon show. Just two weeks later, during a July 15 panel discussion, Jayapal assured Palestinian activists that she’s "been fighting to make it clear that Israel is a racist state." Dozens of Jayapal’s fellow Democrats condemned the comments as "dangerous and antisemitic." George Soros, a Hungarian-born financier who has donated more than $18 billion to liberal causes, has centered much of his personal story on his flight from Nazi-occupied Budapest. Free Beacon

Biden appointee bought some of Hunter’s ‘art’ . . . First son Hunter Biden’s novice artwork has raked in at least $1.3 million — with buyers including a Democratic donor “friend’’ who his dad named to a prestigious commission, a report said Monday.

Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali, a Los Angeles real-estate investor and philanthropist, bought one of Hunter’s works, according to Business Insider, which cited sales records kept by his art dealer, the Georges Bergès Gallery of Manhattan. Naftali was appointed by President Biden to the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad in July 2022 — about eight months after Hunter’s first art show, which took place in Hollywood. It is unclear when Naftali bought her Hunter artwork or how much she paid for it. White House Dossier

Maybe if Zelenskiy picks up a few of Hunter’s paintings he’ll get some American F-16s and long-range missiles.

US security officials scrutinise Abu Dhabi’s $3bn Fortress takeover . . . US national security officials are scrutinising an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund’s planned $3bn takeover of New York-based Fortress Investment Group amid concerns in Washington over the United Arab Emirates’ ties to China. The review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, an inter-governmental agency that vets whether deals can harm national security, is in its early stages and a decision is not expected for several months. Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala agreed to buy a majority stake in Fortress, which manages about $46bn in assets and specialises in distressed debt investing, in May from Japan’s SoftBank Group. Mubadala, which is run by chief executive Khaldoon al-Mubarak, said it intended to close the deal in the first quarter of 2024, subject to regulatory approvals. Financial Times

At Spotify, Podcast Cuts and Higher Music Royalties Deepen Losses . . . Generation Z and overseas listeners helped Spotify notch its strongest ever quarter for new users, while the streaming giant reported steeper losses from podcasting cuts and higher music royalty costs. The audio company is in the throes of an effort to improve profitability, which includes right-sizing its investments in podcasting and raising prices. On Monday, Spotify said it is raising prices for its premium subscription to $10.99 a month in the U.S. from its longstanding price of $9.99. The company had told investors it would raise prices this year as part of a continuing push to consistently turn a profit. Wall Street Journal

Twitter rebrand is 'not simply a company renaming itself' as platform adds new features, Musk says . . . Billionaire Elon Musk announced Monday that Twitter's rebrand to X is not only a name change, but an accelerant for the social media giant as it continues to alter how users can interact on the platform. Twitter officially transformed to X over the weekend – complete with a new logo – months after Twitter Inc. was renamed to X Corp.

In a post shared Monday night, Musk wrote that Twitter "was acquired by X Corp both to ensure freedom of speech and as an accelerant for X, the everything app." "This is not simply a company renaming itself, but doing the same thing," he added. Fox Business

Meta, Microsoft, hundreds more own trademarks to new Twitter name . . . Billionaire Elon Musk's decision to rebrand Twitter as X could be complicated legally: companies including Meta and Microsoft already have intellectual property rights to the same letter. X is so widely used and cited in trademarks that it is a candidate for legal challenges - and the company formerly known as Twitter could face its own issues defending its X brand in the future. "There's a 100% chance that Twitter is going to get sued over this by somebody," said trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who said he counted nearly 900 active U.S. trademark registrations that already cover the letter X in a wide range of industries. Reuters

Culture

Barbie’ Highlights Emptiness of Modern Feminism . . .  “Barbie” is a movie that dares to make the critique that Barbie—the much-loved and much-criticized doll—just isn’t enough. Sure, she’s got a bombshell figure, and the chops to climb the ladder in any industry. (Barbie has reportedly held more than 200 jobs, including being a CEO, a surgeon, and even a moon-landing astronaut—four years before Neil Armstrong.) She has an amazing dreamhouse, a fun convertible, and enough fabulous outfits to make any social media influencer cry with jealousy.  

She’s got it all, supposedly—and yet in a twist, the “Barbie” movie shows us just how poor and sad the life of this supposed icon, beloved by generations of girls, is.  What we imagine, it turns out, isn’t as wonderful as what we have. Daily Signal

Obama’s personal chef drowns while paddleboarding near former president’s Martha’s Vineyard estate . . .  The man who drowned while paddleboarding on a pond outside the Obamas’ Martha’s Vineyard estate has been identified as the former first-family’s personal chef. Authorities confirmed Monday afternoon that the body of 45-year-old Tafari Campbell was found in 8-feet of water about 100 feet from the banks of the Obamas’ property on Edgartown Great Pond. Campbell previously served as the sous chef in the White House kitchen while Barack Obama was in office, and was hired to be his personal staff when his term ended. NY Post

House Judiciary 'considering' Thursday vote to hold Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in contempt . . .  Fox Business was the first to report last week that House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, was strongly considering holding Zuckerberg in contempt of Congress this month. Sources with direct knowledge of the situation said the move could happen as early as this week and Meta — the parent company of Facebook — has not provided any internal communications regarding the company’s censorship efforts. On Monday, Punchbowl News also reported that the House Judiciary Committee was considering a vote on the matter this week in what’s considered a "huge escalation of Republicans’ war on Big Tech." Fox Business

LA Times asks should Americans be forced to face electricity blackouts over ‘climate change’ . . .  The Los Angeles Times has recently published a news story questioning whether occasionally blocking Americans' access to electricity would help in fighting the "climate crisis." "Would an occasional blackout help solve climate change?" reads the headline of the story Thursday by energy staff writer Sammy Roth, who asks "What’s more important: Keeping the lights on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, or solving the climate crisis?" Roth specifically cites the heat waves occurring in regions across the country, including Southern California, and references an environmental group's lawsuit against a proposed fossil fuel plant in Glendale, California. Just the News

Amazon, FedEx, US Postal Service prep as potential UPS strike looms . . . Shipping giants such as Amazon, FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service are gearing up for a potential strike at United Parcel Service (UPS) that could begin on Aug. 1 if the company’s negotiations with the Teamsters union fail to yield a deal. UPS and the Teamsters union are set to resume talks on Tuesday aimed at averting a strike that could throw the U.S. logistics industry into disarray if a deal isn’t reached by July 31, which is when the current Teamsters contract that covers about 340,000 full- and part-time UPS workers expires. The significant role that UPS plays in the U.S. logistics system has raised concerns about the impact of a protracted strike on the economy if consumers and businesses see shipments delayed for an extended time. Fox Business

Climate change role in July heatwaves 'overwhelming', scientists say . . . Human-induced climate change has played an "absolutely overwhelming" role in the extreme heatwaves that have swept across North America, Europe and China this month, according to an assessment by scientists published on Tuesday.

Throughout July, extreme weather has caused havoc across the planet, with temperatures breaking records in China, the United States and southern Europe, sparking forest fires, water shortages and a rise in heat-related hospital admissions. Over the weekend, thousands of tourists were evacuated from the Greek island of Rhodes to escape wildfires caused by a record-breaking heatwave. Without human-induced climate change, the events this month would have been "extremely rare", according to a study by World Weather Attribution, a global team of scientists that examines the role played by climate change in extreme weather. Reuters

Alligator waits for a ride at Florida bus stop . . . A Florida bus driver got out their camera instead of opening the door when they arrived at a bus stop occupied by an unusual commuter -- an alligator. GoPasco County Public Transportation tweeted the photo snapped by the bus driver Sunday in New Port Richey when they spotted an alligator waiting patiently next to the GoPasco bus stop sign on Little Road. "Why did the alligator cross the road? To get to the bus stop on time," the tweet said.

The alligator was not allowed to board the bus, but was instead escorted to some nearby woods by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission personnel, county officials said. UPI