Chet Collins

Stormy meadow.

U.S. Pauses All Military Aid to Ukraine, White House Says - WSJ

“The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution,” a White House official said in a statement.

Strong agree. The Ukrainians need to learn a lesson from their peace-loving counterparties who serve mostly peacefully with their North Korean-augmented infantry and Iranian drones striking hospitals and civilian infrastructure.

A senior administration official said all of Trump’s top national security advisers agreed with the decision to pause the aid after several meetings on the issue.

The smartest guys in the room.

Russia invades, takes 20% of the country, commits atrocities, and we’re concerned about the degree of Ukrainian gratitude?

This is not a winning strategy. This is Saigon II: Trump Edition.

Not making Vance or Rubio look too intelligent, either.

Who’s Afraid of Medicaid Reform? - WSJ Opinion

Nearly half of the states have received federal permission to spend Medicaid dollars on housing, and a dozen have for food. What are federal low-income housing vouchers and food stamps for again?

Mr. Biden’s HHS even blessed California’s plan to spend federal Medicaid dollars on “activity stipends” for art and music lessons for children and club sports. Oregon is tapping Medicaid to pay for cooking classes, air conditioners and mini-refrigerators. Some Republican states have joined this all-you-can-spend Medicaid buffet.

The Washington Post’s Freedom Turn - WSJ Opinion

As for our discerning readers, our respectful counsel is: Accept no substitutes. Sample the competition but come back for the real thing.

That made me laugh.

Steep Drop in Credit Scores Hits Student-Loan Borrowers - WSJ

Garcia, the California nurse, said she didn’t resume making payments because she had applied for a program that lowers payments based on income. The program, SAVE, was created under the Biden administration and is being challenged in courts.

The government is very good at helping people.

House Hunters Episode Derailed After BlackRock Buys All 3 Properties - Babylon Bee

We were getting ready to present our featured couple with their three options, but at the last moment, we were notified that BlackRock had purchased all three properties and would never allow them to hit the market again.

U.S. to Hit Chinese Ships With Hefty Port Fees - WSJ

The proposal also mandates that a certain amount of U.S. exports are moved on U.S.-flagged and U.S.-built vessels. It seeks to restrict 1% of U.S. exports this year to vessels run by U.S. operators. The restriction would increase over time so that in seven years, 15% of exports would need to move on U.S.-flagged vessels, including 5% on U.S.-built vessels.

So many bad ideas.