I was a young college professor when on November 4, 1979 America suffered its most humiliating moment in U.S. history. Sixty-Six Americans were taken hostage by radical Islamists terrorists and paraded about blindfolded and 52 of these their lives threatened every day for 444 days in what is now known as The US Embassy Hostage Crises of 1979. Every night Iran’s humiliation of America led the news. President Jimmy Carter, appeared to be the most helpless and inept president. No nation feared him or any other Democrat leader since. Hostages were finally released just minutes before Ronald Reagan took the oath of office, because they knew he would come after them. Since that day these terrorists, their children and grandchildren terrorists have chanted “Death to America.” Iran’s 47 year long war against America just ended with the annihilation of the former radical Islamists government.
Iran has had an ongoing multiple millennial declaration of war against the Israeli race and more recently Americans primarily because they oppose the annihilation of the Jews. Radical Islamist have wanted a nuclear bomb and have made it known they intend to use it against both. They were within days of having and using it. No one questions their intent but only one president has made certain they never will. In 24 days he removed that threat and their radicalized leadership and has given the Iranian people a chance to experience freedom if they chose it.
Iran never faced accountability and every U.S president since has “tip toed” around Iran helping to maintain their aura of invincibility. Another Islamic act of terrorism against America followed in 1983 when 241 U.S soldiers where blown up in a marine barracks in Lebanon. Other attacks continued mostly on shipping vessels thereafter. Iran became the largest state sponsor of terrorism country. More recently, Iran’s role in backing Hamas was on display which carried out the brutal Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel killing more than a thousand civilians and taking dozens of Americans along with Israeli hostages. In January of this year reports indicate that the ruling mullahs in Iran even slaughtered over 32,000 of their own people demonstrating against them.
Centered in this drama was Iran getting a nuclear bomb. President Obama’s 2018 Iran Deal is alleged to have made that possible years before anticipated. Critics (including Israeli PM Netanyahu, Trump, and analysts from Heritage, Brookings, and the Institute for Science and International Security) argued the deal did not eliminate Iran’s nuclear infrastructure or ambitions—it legitimized and preserved them with a built-in expiration date. This created what opponents called a “patient pathway” to the bomb: Iran could wait out restrictions, retain know-how and facilities, then sprint to weapons-grade material (potentially in weeks) while staying compliant until the clocks ran out. This was precisely what happened. Obama made Iran a nuclear “threshold state” endangering the world.
Iran remained compliant initially but began breaching in 2019 (exceeding stockpile/enrichment limits). By 2024–2025, Iran enriched to 60% (near weapons-grade), amassed enough 60% material for several bombs if further processed, and installed advanced centrifuges. Breakout time dropped to 1 week or less. The deal’s sunsets became largely moot as violations mounted. Negotiations to revive a deal have repeatedly failed. Trump had no choice but to insist Iran return to the table and make a new deal voiding Obama’s 2018 Iran “patient pathway” Iran Deal. THERE MUST BE NO PATHWAY FOR IRAN HAVING A NUCLEAR WEAPON. In April 2025 he gave Iran “a 60 day ultimatum to ‘make a deal!!’” They still refused!
Trump’s response had to be Operation Midnight Hammer June 21, 2025, and was. Stealths flew from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri directly East over the Atlantic for 18 hours completing a 25 minute drop, then home again. But it wasn’t a total success as first thought, it left significant stockpiles of high grade uranium intact which Iran since has refused to surrender.
Tulsi Gabbard recently testified, in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee, that although we had decimated Iran’s ability to develop nuclear fuel, “we had not destroyed the fuel they already had.” CIA Director John Ratcliff testified under oath at the same hearing that “Iran was developing a nuclear weapon prior to Operation Midnight Hammer,” last June 2025, and “was committed to continuing development before Epic Fury” this year. He continued, “Iran possesses at least 440 KG of uranium enrichment to weapons – grade 60% – which doesn’t have a civilian use. The only use for that would be the development of nuclear weapons (X22 Report, Ep. 3864b, March 19, 2026, 25:08 and 52:46). Thus Iran still had fuel for a nuclear weapon which necessitated Trump’s recent February 28th attack on Iran.
In 1979 sixty-six Americans were taken hostage by radical Islamist terrorists and paraded about blindfolded and 52 of these their lives threatened every day for 444 days in what is now known as The US Embassy Hostage Crises of 1979. Every night Iran’s humiliation of America led the news. President Jimmy Carter, appeared to be the most helpless and inept president. These and other acts of terrorism dominated the news in Islamic centers of population making Iran the leading sponsor of terrorism. Justice sometimes is slow but it usually comes.
Everyone knows Iran’s first use of an atomic bomb will be unleashed on Jerusalem and that the radical Islamic mullahs will unleash it as a matter of Islamic faith. Radical Islamic mullahs cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon or rule a country that has one. This necessitates the non religious fanatic population to rise to power and keep that power. This is very possible in a country where 32,000 opposition leaders were executed by their own government just last January. The people do NOT love their mullahs and were video taped dancing in the streets, which is against the law in Iran, upon the news that governing mullah’s were known to have been killed by the bombs.
Trump is presently using back channels to insure that happens and insists he is making some progress. So much so that he recently reported, “I am pleased to report that the United States of America and the country of Iran, have had, over the last two days, very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East. Based on the tenor and tone of these in depth, detailed, and constructive conversations, which will continue throughout the week, I have instructed the Department of War to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five day period, subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions.”
All U.S. presidents were weak against Iran since 1979. Trump took the invincible Iran out in just 24 days and blew them off the map. Their leadership gone, their navy, air force and defense nearly dead. Finally they have been made to account for their actions both to America and Israel. And the Iranian people will continue to dance in the streets as they embrace freedom. This is why 89% of MAGA approve of Trump’s bringing justice to the mullahs of Iran (Ep. 3863b, March 18, 2026, 41:04). It was long overdue.
Dr. Harold Pease is an expert on the United States Constitution and a syndicated columnist on current events. Read his weekly columns at www.LibertyUnderFire.org Column #865
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November 21, 2025, was predicted 60 years ago. Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) introduced H. Con. Res. 58, titled “Denouncing the Horrors of Socialism.” The resolution “condemned socialism in all its forms, citing historical examples of socialist policies leading to authoritarianism, famine, mass murder, and economic collapse in places like the Soviet Union under Lenin/Stalin, China under Mao, Cuba under Castro, and Venezuela under Maduro” where collectively well over 100 million people lost their lives. It explicitly stated that Congress “denounces socialism in all its forms, and opposes the implementation of socialist policies in the United States,” while affirming that socialist policies are incompatible with America’s founding principles.” Historically socialism was by far the most violent form of government in world history (“Death by Socialism,” By Harold Pease, Ph. D., LibertyUnderFire. org, Aug. 20, 2019).
The Bill of Rights as a list of rights coming from God that citizens are born with, that no government can take from them, is not defended by socialists or communists. Liberty is not guaranteed by either. You belong to the state. Both descend into tyranny for those who disagree.
The measure denouncing socialism passed but 98 Democrats voted no (against the resolution) 2 Democrats voted present, 27 Democrats did not vote. In other words, 127 Dems Congressmen did not condemn socialism nor did 20 Republicans, one third of all members of the House. These need to be removed in the nearest election as unfit for public office in a free society.
One book stands out more than any other predicting what has happened to the two nations most responsible for the birth of liberty world wide—England and America—that they in turn would be conquered by a secret combination designed to undermine the great work of our Founding Fathers, the Constitution and the Republic they created. The Book, Fabian Freeway: High Road to Socialism in the U.S.A. 1884–1966, (Western Islands) by Rose L. Martin presents an anti-socialist critique tracing the influence of the largely secret British Fabian Society on the spread of socialist ideas and policies in both Great Britain and the United States. The work correctly frames Fabianism as an insidious, gradualist strategy for achieving socialism without violent revolution— likened to the slow, patient advance of a turtle (or “Fabian turtle”) rather than the abrupt upheaval of Marxist communism.
The book’s central thesis is that a small group of elite, “polite revolutionaries”—intellectuals who operated under the guise of moderate reform, social welfare, and human progress—deliberately, methodically undermined traditional institutions, particularly the British Empire, and extended their influence across the Atlantic to reshape American society. Martin argues this “high road” to socialism proved more effective than overt communism because it infiltrated education, media, government, and political parties stealthily, avoiding direct confrontation while advancing collectivist goals.
Part I: Great Britain – The Origins and Impact. The first section focuses on the Fabian Society’s founding in London in 1884 by key figures such as Sidney and Beatrice Webb, George Bernard Shaw, Graham Wallas, and others. Martin describes their motto—”Make Haste Slowly” (festina lente)—as emblematic of a calculated, evolutionary approach to socialism. Unlike revolutionary Marxists, Fabians advocated “permeation”: infiltrating existing institutions (especially the Liberal Party initially, then the emerging Labour Party) to enact incremental reforms that would eventually lead to state control over the economy and society. Chapters detail how Fabians “sowed the wind” through intellectual networks, influential writings (e.g., the Webbs’ works on municipal socialism and poor law reform), and strategic alliances. Martin portrays them as “dangerous” due to their elitism, deceptive moderation, and success in placing members in high positions—editors, academics, politicians, and civil servants. She highlights their role in shaping the British Labour Party, which she sees as a Fabian vehicle.
This Book told us 60 years ago where we are today and how we go here!
The narrative covers the interwar period, where Fabians allegedly engaged in “sedition” by supporting policies that weakened imperial strength, including diplomatic recognition of Bolshevik Russia (engineered by Fabian Arthur Henderson as Foreign Secretary in 1929). Martin laments the postwar “dirge for an empire,” arguing that Fabian influence contributed to decolonization, economic decline, and the welfare state’s expansion under Labour governments (e.g., post-1945 Attlee administration). She views World War II and its aftermath as a “trial by ordeal” that accelerated socialist trends, with Fabians positioning themselves for global influence (“Tomorrow, the World?”).
Part II: The United States – The Fabian “Turtle” Crosses the Atlantic. The second half shifts to America, contending that Fabian ideas migrated via intellectual exchanges, British émigrés, American progressives influenced by Fabian thought, and organizations mirroring Fabian tactics. Martin claims early permeation occurred through academics, journalists, and reformers who adopted gradualist socialism as liberalism or progressivism.
Key arguments include:Fabians “put the silk hat on socialism” by making it respectable among elites. Influential professors and intellectuals carried ideas to U.S. universities and policy circles.The New Deal era under Franklin D. Roosevelt marked a major advance, with “the professor” (possibly alluding to figures like Rexford Tugwell or others seen as Fabian-influenced) going to Washington to implement centralized planning. “Perfect friendship” and “left hands across the sea” refer to transatlantic networks linking British Fabians with American counterparts in government, media (e.g., ties to publications like The New Republic), and diplomacy. Postwar developments showed continuity: “the more it changes, the more it remains the same,” with Fabian-style policies advancing through regional planning, urban redevelopment, agricultural collectivization trends, and welfare expansion.
Martin warned that by the 1960s, these influences had created a “freeway” (faster-paced modern equivalent of the old turtle trail) for socialism in America, carried out by executive agents, diplomats, and planners who reorganized society along collectivist lines while maintaining capitalist appearances. After millions of deaths from the philosophy one would think the intellectuals would have long since forsaken the philosophy and NOT embraced it on both continents, but they did!!!
Dr. Harold Pease is an expert on the United States Constitution and a syndicated columnist on current events. Read his weekly columns at www.LibertyUnderFire.org Column #864
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A newspaper editor once wrote me of the difficulty in finding a columnist expressing the constitutional viewpoint. I was impressed that he was making his way through the Federalist Papers and considered it a good read. Few today can identify what it is or how it came about. Today the Federalist Papers would be too deep a read for most college students—even many law school students. But it houses the thought processes and debates behind the Constitution, the document that caged the natural tendencies of government more than any governing document in world history. An understanding of the Constitution without this resource is not possible. And because the Constitution is based upon natural law, which does not change, it applies in all generations and in all societies. Likely not one in 20 today can defend the Constitution. from this perspective.
Because the Constitution is based upon natural law, which does not change, it applies to all generations, times, and societies. People immigrating from whatever form of government or environmental condition, benefit under this document. That has always been a major reason they come. Natural law begets freedom environments, which beget incentive environments, which begets creativity, which begets tools that enhance prosperity. Also, few nations of the world did not emulate parts of the Constitution. Likely, not one in 20 today can defend the Constitution. This is even less common from the natural law perspective.
Constitutional principles were once taught at every level of education and stories of the sacrifice of our Founders frequently recited with admiration. Today few schools teach these principles in grade school and fewer still in high school. In college U.S. History and Political Science classes the Constitution is tucked in the back of textbooks as an appendix, hence few actually read it. The history of the Constitution’s origin is housed in a chapter but constitutional principles seemingly have only informational value.
Some colleges or universities have courses on the Constitution for political science majors but almost, without exception, students are not required to actually read it, heavy emphasis is given instead to case law. Hillsdale College, and independent professors may be the only exceptions. The same is true in law school. Original intent is hardly mentioned. Law schools provide our attorneys and our judges, most with too little, on original intent. One rogue Supreme Court decision can effectively destroy large chunks of the Constitution and almost no one notices or cares. Too few understand that the Supreme Court is not the supreme law of the land over the Constitution. The Founders would have never permitted nine justices to destroy foundation principles. Sadly, I never met one having a Ph. D. in U.S. History or Political Science who, to get the degree, actually was required to read the U.S. Constitution in full. Nor have I met a lawyer having to do so. Case law yes, loads of it, but not the Constitution in full or natural law upon which it is based.
My point, if colleges give no emphasis to constitutional study how can we expect the student to do so either? Many years ago U.S. News and World Report reported a study showing that most Americans could not pass the constitutional questionnaire for citizenship, so constitutionally illiterate are we. This document is only of minimal value to journalism or communication majors as well. But these professions serve as information filters in our newspapers, magazines, radio, television news programs, or in social media, even podcasts as well.
The media has divided citizens into two warring camps liberals and conservatives, lumping constitutionalists and libertarians with conservatives and pretends there exists no other viewpoints. Rarely is original intent allowed into the discussion as in The Federalist Papers. Thus a liberal moves further, faster from original intent than a conservative but both still move away although at different speeds until the liberal no longer cares if the grant of power is constitutional or not, which is where we are today. Until then both maintain the constitutionality of their position by the latest perversion, or a combination of perversions, to justify the recent perversion. And each perversion of original intent invites another until after a period of time the ending perversion no longer resembles the original grant of power thus authority is essentially manufactured out of thin air. All maintain they follow the Constitution when neither has. Traditionally both major groups problem-solve primarily by increasing federal power without specific constitutional authority. If the document is properly understood this cannot be done without damaging the fabric of the document. A constitutional provision either CLEARLY grants the “over-reach” or it doesn’t. If it doesn’t we can’t pretend that it does. But the Constitution is the law of the land and all in authority swear by oath to preserve it.
Today the Federalist Papers would be too deep a read for most college students—even many law school students. But it houses the thought processes and debates behind the Constitution, the document that caged the natural tendencies of government more than any governing document in world history. An understanding of the Constitution without this resource is not possible.
Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter violated the Constitution with impunity as did both Bush presidents. The Tea Party movement, primarily constitutionalists, rose up in 2009 as much against George W. Bush, a conservative, as against the incoming president Barack Obama, a liberal. It used to matter if a president did not carefully follow the Constitution. Barack Obama, violated the constitution more than any president preceding him and Joe Biden more than Obama. In fact, there were few things that Biden did that were constitutional. Today both Democrats and Republicans defend their president routinely when he violates it. Donald Trump, not particularly a constitutionals, has followed it more closely than any previous president since Ronald Reagan —37 years ago. He also appointed three largely constitutionalist judges. These made the Court more fundamentalist then decades previous.
Of the two major political parties the Democrats rarely cite the document and seem almost contemptuous of it. In fact, most of what they propose is easily argued to be outside the Constitution. They used to defend major parts of the Bill of Rights but I do not see much of that anymore. Republicans sometimes carry the document on their person but do not hold to it and thus much of what they propose is also outside of the Constitution but they do use the word Constitution more than do Democrats, if that means much. This generation knows that the Constitution was a good thing, probably should be revered, at least historically, but they know little of the principles housed therein and have no idea how to vote to get back to it. Getting back to it is never considered. This they will never get from the media, political party, or currently, it seems, not even the institutions of learning—only private study.
That my new editor would find it difficult to find columnists that express the constitutional viewpoint is easily understood, as is the fact that newer columnists, lacking this understanding, are far more likely to express views in opposition to it. Constitutional illiteracy is almost universal to the point that those qualified to defend the Constitution as designed are becoming extinct. Students are not likely to defend it if they never experienced it being defended. A real danger exists that if too few know or value its principles we will lose it—perhaps we already have. Some say it is no longer relevant for our times. They are so wrong.
Dr. Harold Pease is an expert on the United States Constitution and a syndicated columnist on current events. Read his weekly columns at www.LibertyUnderFire.org Column #863 Help preserve our Republic while we still can by sharing this column.
We live in the day when one of the greatest political parties in American history is self-destructing in full view of most adult Americans. The statement posed by President Donald Trump in his State of the Union Address before Congress Feb.24, 20236, “The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens—not illegal aliens! If you agree with this statement then stand up and show your support. ALL Democrats remained seated and silent. Not one Democrat member of Congress stood for this foundational principle, “that all government leaders must serve citizens before invaders. Never has there been a more stunning moment in Congress” said Stephen Miller adding, “Democrats declared to the world their searing distain for, and profound disloyalty to, the actual citizens of the United States. Over and over they refused. It was a moment that chills to the bone and which will live for a thousand years.”
Trump’s killer State of the Union Address revealed the Democrats out of harmony with the American people on virtually every issue. So why is The Save America Act supported by 89% of the people unable to pass the Senate? Yes Republicans hold the Executive branch, and both Houses of Congress but in the Senate RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) vote with the Democrats against the House and President. Dems and RINOs want illegals to vote in US elections hence they won’t let ending it out of Committee and onto the floor for a vote. It was held up in a US Senate Committee by past RINO Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel and presently by RINO Senate Majority Leader John Thune. The will of the people is thwarted by both the Democrats and RINOs.
Commentator Scot Jennings On The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show, called it the “Moment of the night: Democrats refusing to stand to affirm their allegiance to American citizens over aliens, will be the signature moment of this speech…They took an oath to protect and serve the American people none got up, they just broke their oath. The country saw this.” Indeed, it was impossible to misunderstand the statement made to them. Zero stood! Their contempt for the people, their elected government, their oath and the Constitution was stunning, unanimous, and totally on display. They verified to Americans they disagreed with the statement made.
Democrat Senator John Fetterman read it the only way it could be read, “This does not look good for the Democrat Party.” Indeed, the whole evening could not be read otherwise on almost every issue (X22 Report hereafter not cited, Ep. 3848b, Feb. 25, 2026, 50:24 ) The State of the Union Address demonstrated that the Democrats weren’t for American interests. They’d rather have higher taxes, and insurance companies getting rich off the poor, in addition to supporting illegals over citizens. The Democrat Party looked like the “true enemy” of the Republic. How do we know? 89% of the people want the Save America Act, Congressional Democrats do not. These just sat and everyone saw it. They would not clap even learning that the murder rate had descended to its lowest rate in America in 125 years (Ibid., 13:43).
Too few Democrats stood or applauded even for those receiving our nation’s highest honors. Buddy Taggart “badly wounded and almost killed by enemy machine guns” in World War II recovered and later helped “liberated the largest internment camp in the Philippines. One of the largest anywhere in the world,” and now will celebrate his 100th birthday this July 4, 2026. And just last July 4th when floodwaters tore through a girls’ summer camp in central Texas…rising 26 feet in a matter of minutes, tragically claiming many, many lives. As the waters threatened to sweep her away, 11-year-old Milly Cate McClymond closed her eyes and prayed to God. She thought she was going to die. Scott Ruskan descended from a helicopter above. Nobody knew where he came from. It was Scott’s first-ever rescue mission. … And he lifted not just Milly Cate, but 164 others to safety” (State of the Union Address).
Karoline Leavitt provided a list of issues the Democrats in Congress refused to stand up for during the State of the Union Address, other than placing American citizens above illegal alien invaders. These included: voter ID laws, the murder rate being at its lowest since 1900, keeping violent criminals locked up, protecting parental rights, stopping fraud, taking on drug cartels, no tax on tips, overtime and Social Security, and the present most secure border in history. The contrast could not be clearer. (E.p. 3848b, February 25, 2026,48:48).
Trump also had senators pause and indicate their support for the SAVE America Act previously passed in the House of Representatives last year. Democrats and RINOS do not support the SAVE America Act (Ibid., 55:15) which requires that only American citizens vote in America’s elections. This is presently held up in a US Senate Committee by RINOs, previous and current, Senate Majority Leaders Mitch McConnel and John Thune. Democrats and RINOS, working together, still encourage illegals to vote in our elections. The country saw this also. Democrats painted themselves as un-American and not representing the interest of the American people by Trump’s brilliantly forcing a vote with their feet (Ibid., 59:00). They may have lost elections 2026 and 2028 by this public demonstration.
Sadly and pathetically “There was a substantial boycott by Democratic members of Congress, with roughly half of House and Senate Democrats absent from the address in protest. Axios’ head-count analysis found that about 20 Senate Democrats and nearly 110 House Democrats did not take their seats in the chamber at the start of the address.” (Axios, Feb. 24, 2026). “This is what Democrats are [were] doing instead of attending President Trump’s State of the Union Address. Democrats are literally hanging out with deranged leftist dressed in giraffe costumes bragging about getting arrested by ICE. Some dressed up as frogs” (RNC Research, Feb. 24, 2026, Ibid., 41:40). Voters should primary these.
But most Americans loved Trump’s State of the Union Address which was received positively by 63% (+27), negative 36% —by CNN, an extreme leftist Deep State news outlet, (Ep. 3848b, February 25, 2026, 59:20). So likely the favorability percentage was much higher.
Trump ended his 1 hour and 41 minute address positively with, “The Golden Age of America is upon us, the revolution that began in 1776 has not ended. It still continues, because the flame of liberty and independence still burns in the heart of every American patriot. And our future will be bigger, better, brighter, bolder and more glorious than ever before” (The American Presidency Project, 47th President of the United States: 2025—present. Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the State of the Union, Feb. 24. 2026). And it is looking to be so more every day as America returns to the U.S. Constitution and freedom and removes those destroying it.
Dr. Harold Pease is an expert on the United States Constitution and a syndicated columnist on current events. Read his weekly columns at www.LibertyUnderFire.org Column #862 Help preserve our Republic while we still can by sharing this column.
Before 1913, and for 137 years as a nation, the United States had no federal income tax. The expenses of the federal government were covered by tariffs assessed on goods from other countries wishing access to America’s market. Money flowed in externally from other countries. Thereafter, and today, the vast majority of federal expenses come internally out of the pockets of the American taxpayer. The federal government spends what it wants borrowed from a private income source called the Federal Reserve which must be repaid with interest for the use of their money, just like any bank. This is called the national debt which now exceeds 38 trillion dollars.
The heart of Trump’s Parallel Economic System is the tariff on goods from other countries wishing access to our markets —the same system used the first 137 years of our history as a nation until 1913. Tariff revenue soared in FY 2025 more than 240% from the year before moving to over 300% by October. The Deep State does not want a parallel system that competes with their monopoly through their Federal Reserve and will do everything in its power to destroy it. Thus far all signals are encouraging including the recent Supreme Court decision which actually only killed the weakest tariff law of the many long-standing strong ones.
President Trump knows this debt is not sustainable and a collapse is imminent. He is trying to restore the funding system that sustained the country for its first 137 years as a nation with no national debt. That system is today called the Parallel Economic System which we will switch back to when it can sustain us. It is getting stronger every month. The heart of this Parallel Economic System is the tariff on goods from other countries wishing access to our markets.
The Federal Reserve created in 1913 is the Deep States’ funding, enslaving and destroying entity. They intend we never be out of debt to them and taxpayers give to it a sizable portion of their income every year which seems never to decrease until they are safely dead. We want freedom from it. Until Trump it had no real resistance nor competition. The Deep State wishes to destroy Trump and his Parallel Economic System. No other president has tried to get free from the Federal Reserve. Trump knew that it would be opposed by all Deep State aligned and influenced politicians both Democrat and RINO.
Trump knew his return to tariffs as the principle source of income for federal expenses would be challenged. The Deep State wanted the Supreme Court to rule it unconstitutional to end the competition. Trump tricked them into using our weakest statute on tariffs so it, not the funding practice, could be sacrificed. It worked! After all, tariffs had Congressional approval throughout American history. If he lost the case it could be brought back using a stronger statute. The Court ruled he could not charge countries “even one dollar,” but his tariffs could be used to block a nations unwanted goods from entry. This was vastly more important and certainly suggested retaining tariffs (X22 Report hereafter not cited, Ep. 3845b, Feb. 22, 2026, 53:16).
The tariffs challenged are the ones using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) which is a federal law enacted in 1977 granting the president authority to counter unusual and extraordinary threats to national security without requiring congressional approval or extensive agency review. Because of its vagueness it became the “go to” authority for new tariffs more especially in a “hostile to Trump” Congress (combining Democrat/RINO opposition) becoming the majority in the U. S. Senate.
In the dissent ruling, Justice Kavanaugh encouraged Trump’s use of the other stronger statutes on tariffs going forward. In the 6 to 3 ruling Trump lost the use of this single act in establishing tariffs, not critical to their continued existence, but miraculously won the case to continue them with the minority vote. The need for tariffs was not damaged or even discouraged. The ruling made Trump’s use of tariffs in other statutes stronger. The Deep State tariff threat was vaporized.
On C-SPAN Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent explained, “The Court did not rule against President Trump’s tariffs. Six Justices simply ruled that IEEPA authorities cannot be used to raise even one dollar of revenue. This administration will invoke alternative legal authorities to replace the IEEPA tariffs.” (“On Tariffs and the Economy” Ep. 3845a, Feb. 22, 2026, 16:16).
Trump wrote, “Now the Court has given me the unquestioned right to ban all sorts of things from coming into our country, a much more powerful right than many people thought we had… But now I am going in a different direction, which is even stronger than our original choice. As Justice Kavanaugh wrote in his descent: ‘The decision might not substantially constrain a President’s ability to order tariffs going forward. This is because numerous other federal statutes authorize the President to impose tariffs and might justify most, if not all, of the tariffs issued in this case. Those statutes include, for example, the Trade Expansion Act of 1952, Sec. 232, TheTrade Act of 1974, Sec. 122, Sec. 201, Sec. 301 and The Tariff Act of 1930, Sec. 338.”
Trump continued, “The Supreme Court’s decision today made a president’s ability to both regulate trade and impose tariffs more powerful and crystal clear rather than less. There will no longer be any doubt, and the income coming in and the protection of our companies and country will actually increase because of this decision. Based on long-standing law and hundreds of victories to the contrary the Supreme Court did not overrule tariffs, they merely overruled a particular use of IEEPA tariffs…In order to protect our country a president can actually charge more tariffs than I was charging in the past under the merits of a tariff authority which have also been confirmed and fully allowed.” Then he doubled down. “Therefore, effective immediately, all national security tariffs Section 232 existing, Section 301 tariffs remain in place and in full force and effect. Today I will sign an order to impose a 10% global tariff under Section 122 over and above our normal tariffs already being charged” (Ep. 3845a, February 22, 2026, 19:04).
The ruling had a possible interesting side benefit. If it is true that “US consumers paid for 90% of IEEPA refunds —$120 BN— should go direct to consumers / firms. And with refund timing open-ended, they can be sent any time before midterms. Did the Court just give Trump the ability now to send everyone a $2,000 dividend check as he suggested last Fall, sometime before the 2026 midterm elections, this from tariff money (Ep. 3845b, Feb. 22, 2026, 48:03)? Perhaps!!
Trumps’ Parallel Economic System was not destroyed by the Deep State as intended and will continue to grow until it replaces the Federal Reserve as the funder of federal expenses as it once was for 137 years and possibly end our federal income tax as well. Wow!!
Dr. Harold Pease is an expert on the United States Constitution and a syndicated columnist on current events. Read his weekly columns at www.LibertyUnderFire.org Column #861
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Kash Patel, as FBI Director, recently declassified and turned over to Congress a set of internal FBI memos from 2020 that detail the bureau’s preparations for potential violence surrounding a contested presidential election. These documents, obtained by Just the News and provided to Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), who chairs the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight, reveal that the FBI’s Boston Field Office conducted a “tabletop exercise” in August 2020—months before the election and the January 6 Capitol events. The exercise simulated scenarios where “domestic violent extremists (DVEs)” might escalate violence if election results were disputed, including plans to embed informants in crowds, and pursue mass prosecutions for even minor offenses (“FBI secretly prepared for disputed election and political violence in 2020, bombshell J6 memos show,” Just the News, Feb. 9, 2026).
Critics point out that similar rigorous tactics as applied to J6ers were not applied to left-wing protestors such as in the “Summer of Love” occupation in Seattle, and the burning of Washington DC during the summer 0f 2020 riots which was many times more violent and destructive than the Capitol riot. Actually a vast majority of the violence on J6 was from Antifa dressed as MAGA or Capitol police firing multiple flash grenades into the J6 crowed to incite them to violence. January 6 rioters did not kill a single person. Capitol police killed two: Ashley Babbitt and Rosanne Boyland. Photo above shows aerial view of their burning Washington D.C. just months before Jan. 6. They attacked the White House and set fire to St. John’s Episcopal Church.
In short, “Newly Declassified FBI Memos Reveal Bureau Ran SECRET ‘J6 Tabletop Exercise’ in Summer 2020 — Planned ‘Mass Prosecutions’ and ‘Embedded Informants’ MONTHS Before Capitol Event.” (By Jim Hoft, Gateway Pundit, Feb. 14, 2026) Virtually everything that happened January 6, 2021 and beyond targeted only the right side of the political spectrum with all the vehemence that the Left could muster, was in essence mapped out months before. Consequently an insurrection that denied completion of the vote challenge of the Electoral College, thus seating Biden without it, was a stolen election (“Former VP Mike Pence Stopped Nancy Pelosi’s J6 Trap to Get Trump,” LibertyUnderFire, March 13, 2024).
Notably, the documents indicate this planning occurred under the Trump administration (pre-Biden inauguration), under the Christopher Wray’s FBI, but critics have pointed out that similar rigorous tactics were not applied to left-wing protests earlier in 2020, such as the “Summer of Love” occupation in Seattle, and the burning of Washington DC during the summer 2020 riots. One memo explicitly discussed “mass arrests” for violations like trespassing or disorderly conduct to deter escalation, framing it as a way to manage “political violence” in a disputed election context.
These showed selective enforcement or foreshadowing of the heavy focus on January 6 prosecutions (over 1,200 charged). Patel’s decision to declassify these secret and classified memos came at congressional request, amid ongoing scrutiny of the FBI’s then role in 2020 election-related matters. The memos are now part of congressional records, and summaries of it exist in the citations above.
The words “civil war” per se are not used in the memos but the scenarios simulated high levels of civil unrest, given the mirror replication of just that, making it a reasonable conclusion that proponents likely intended such an outcome as actual civil war. Trump’s speech went too long and the walk to the Capitol was also too long resulting in just a handful initially there. The Deep State couldn’t get the bloodshed they wanted even with the flash grenades used on the crowd to incite them to violence against the Capitol police. Even with six months preparation for civil war the Deep State could not get a war off the ground (X22 Report, Feb. 9, 2023, 51:55).
Bill Mitchell said what most attempting to attend the Electoral College vote January 6, 2021, felt respecting the election. “We knew it was stolen! We all knew! …[This] was the biggest crime in American history…They stole the election in plain sight, then censored, arrested, indicted anyone who dared speak up—pure tyranny” (Ibid. 55:11)! And, FBI assets went scot-free.
Pictured is V. P. Mike Pence as president of the Senate and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the reconvened Electoral College joint session on the evening of January 6. The Deep State media clearly blamed the insurrection on Trump and MAGA. When Congress reassembled it was in no mood to even begin the Constitutionally required vote challenging part of the Electoral College; Pelosi simply called it for Joe Biden. Virtually ALL evidence since has shown a Biden 2020 election win impossible without extreme cheating. This with over 274 FBI assets employed to trap Trump and MAGA followers. The election, stolen in the people’s vote on November 3, was indeed stolen again in the incomplete Electoral College process as well. Many view the two events together as a Coup d’état to overthrow the dully elected president of the United States Donald Trump.
Are there copies of these secret memos? Yes, redacted copies including the Executive Analytical Report, dated August 21, 2020. The memos outline the FBI’s assessment of rising threats from domestic violent extremists (DVEs) tied to the 2020 election, including scenarios of disputed results leading to violence against candidates, events, or government buildings like the Capitol. They recommended strategies such as embedding confidential human sources in potentially violent groups, monitoring online forums, and pursuing aggressive prosecutions for minor offenses to deter escalation. Consequently, 274 agents were at the Capitol January 6, ensuring the event went as planned months previous (“FBI Bombshell: 274 agents sent to Capitol for J6, many later complained they were political ‘pawns’”, Just the News, Sept. 25, 2025). The FBI’s Boston Field Office “envisioned a strong law enforcement response to even ‘minimal criminal activity’ as a way to deter any group’s plans for future violent action.”
From here “Biden’s agencies used J6 as a platform to increase spying and actions against U.S. citizens” on other matters. “The thousands of Jan. 6-related prosecutions pursued by the federal government in the aftermath of the riot, with some offenses only amounting to misdemeanor trespassing, were later used by the FBI to inflate the Domestic Violent Extremism threat metrics, used to justify a sweeping expansion of federal law enforcement–later catching up traditional Catholics and parents speaking at school board meetings.”
The Biden administration released its “National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism” in June 2021, duplicating the conclusions of the August 2020 report,. “The Intelligence Community (IC) assesses that domestic violent extremists (DVEs) who are motivated by a range of ideologies and galvanized by recent political and societal events in the United States pose an elevated threat to the Homeland in 2021,” Still, “Unlike the perpetrators in the previous deadly domestic terrorist attacks, the January 6 rioters did not kill a single person,” (“FBI secretly prepared for disputed election and political violence in 2020,” Just the News, Feb. 9, 2026).
Under Biden, freedom was suffocating and very close to extinction. Virtually anyone advocating free speech, assembly, the Constitution, and honest elections was now defined, and subsequently treated by the Biden administration, as a domestic terrorist thus expendable.
Dr. Harold Pease is an expert on the United States Constitution and a syndicated columnist on current events. Read his weekly columns at www.LibertyUnderFire.org Column #860.
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