Happy Birthday, America!

🇺🇸

The parking lot behind the hotel is completely empty, except for a single rental bike. Sitting, waiting for its next rider to come along.

Nice day for a road trip.

Biden Seeks to Block New Offshore Drilling in Atlantic, Pacific - WSJ

The Biden administration plans to block new offshore oil drilling in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, while allowing limited expansion in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s south coast. The proposal released by the Interior Department on Friday evening would allow as many as 11 oil lease sales for offshore drilling over the course of five years. But the plan is still being developed, and gives the administration several options—including one that would forgo new lease sales entirely, according to the Interior Department.

It’s like he said; he’ll do everything in his power to bring down the price of gas.

Running Short On Funds For A July 4th Barbecue, Man Opens The Family Safe To Retrieve The 16 Cents He Saved Last Year - Babylon Bee

Several more families in the neighborhood invested their 16 cents in Bitcoin and their investment is now worth 8 cents.

Terrible!

How cool is it that I can stand in my driveway, look up, and see Uranus, an unfathomable distance away?

Supreme Court Puts Brakes on EPA in Far-Reaching Decision - WSJ

“This Court has established at least one firm rule: ‘We expect Congress to speak clearly’ if it wishes to assign to an executive agency decisions ‘of vast economic and political significance,’ ” Justice Gorsuch wrote in January. Democrats in Congress decried the ruling’s potential to limit the power of the executive branch to react quickly to climate change and other crises.

Members of a Congress decried a SCOTUS ruling that the Executive Branch cannot usurp the Legislative Branch’s powers?

Spirit Air Board Pushes Shareholders Meeting on Frontier Bid for Second Time - WSJ

As votes came in ahead of the planned meeting, it looked like it would be difficult for the Frontier deal to be approved by shareholders, according to people familiar with the matter.

Rigged!

At my desk, last day before vacation, watching the sun come up as I do tedious research.

New York Gun Permit Bill Would Require In-Person Training and Mental Health Records Check - WSJ

Possession of a handgun in a private business would be banned unless the business expressly allowed people to carry.

Other requirements seem reasonable. This provision is ripe for court challenge.

Fine to prohibit carry on private property, but it should be up to the business to prohibit carry, not the State.

21 Greatest Benefits Of Becoming A Dad - Babylon Bee

You can finally own a puppy against your will.

Jan. 6 Committee Says Cassidy Hutchinson Told Them That She Heard Mark Meadows Say That A Secret Service Agent’s Friend’s Cousin’s Husband Once Heard That One Of Trump’s Other Aides Said She Thinks She Heard Him Say He Wanted To ‘Do An Insurrection’ - Babylon Bee

“Yes, that’s totally what I heard someone say Trump said to someone who told it to them,” said Cassidy Hutchinson.

Trump should not be president again. We should get the facts about his actions around January 6th.

What we don’t need is hearsay dressed up like a fact. Especially hearsay that, on its face, seems to be physically impossible.

Supreme Court Says Oklahoma Can Prosecute Non-Tribal Cases in Indian Country - WSJ

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr., said in a statement: “With today’s decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against legal precedent and the basic principles of congressional authority and Indian law.” Citing the dissenting justices, he added: “The Court failed in its duty to honor this nation’s promises, defied Congress’s statutes, and accepted the ‘lawless disregard of the Cherokee’s sovereignty.’”

I agree that the Cherokee Nation deserves sovereignty under treaties with the United States, but McGirt made them prey to the criminal element. This is the right call.

Rapidweaver release and Studio Display arrived.

Big day.

🖥

An unsung victory in overturning Roe is that States are once again free to hold physicians performing abortions and their facilities to the same surgical and licensing standards as every other medical surgical practice. This was a huge patient safety issue.

Really looking forward to the new Rapidweaver tomorrow.

Student-Loan Forgiveness for Public-Service Workers Totals $8.1 Billion Since October - WSJ

When combined, the Biden administration’s efforts to cancel debts held by borrowers with disabilities, students who were defrauded by their schools, borrowers in the public-service program and other moves have resulted in around $26 billion in forgiven loans.

“Forgiven loans” sounds a lot better than the reality, “taxpayer losses.”

Where, O death, is your victory?

1 Corinthians 15:55

Back when I was a kid, The Onion was funny.

Never Enough Government, Says the SEC - WSJ Opinion

Americans get so much government, they find it nearly impossible to get the government they need or want. It’s an American paradox. Taxpayers spent billions over decades to build up the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and yet Washington’s only really useful contribution to the national pandemic—perhaps accounting for 99% of the medical value of all government interventions—was the Trump vaccine program, run out of the White House hip pocket.

Slavery, Civil War, Segregation, Abortion.

America’s capacity to self-correct, to turn away from degradations of the human person without external intervention, is an exception in the history of government.

What a privilege it is to be part of this durable democracy. 🇺🇸

Now the real work begins.