The “No Kings” weekend circus has finally wrapped up, leaving behind a trail of viral videos featuring aging Boomer hippies and clueless Gen Z activists screaming about “tyranny” — apparently unaware that in an actual tyranny, they wouldn’t be free to scream about anything.
It’s almost comical watching people who’ve never faced real oppression lecture the rest of us about dictatorship while livestreaming their protest on $1,000 iPhones. A quick glance at history makes one thing obvious: real tyrants don’t tolerate free speech — and they certainly don’t provide public permits, police escorts, and media coverage for protests calling them tyrants.
You can’t expect intellectual consistency from these people — that would require actual thought. But now, the tantrums of the “No Kings” crowd have some Democrat senators sweating over the Schumer Shutdown. And what are they worried about? Not Republicans, not the average American who just wants the government open — but their own unhinged far-left base:
Grassroots Democrats frustrated with the Trump administration have been demanding a fight, and on Saturday millions showed up at “No Kings” demonstrations across the country to protest the president’s government.
In that context, Democrats know they will get hit hard by a number of voices on the left if they do not get something for opening the government.
“People are going to get hammered” if they vote for the House-passed bill to reopen the government and keep it funded through Nov. 21, said one Democratic senator who requested anonymity to talk candidly about their party.
The schadenfreude is hard to miss. When you make a deal with the radical left, you don’t get to control the outcome — and Democrats are finding that out the hard way. As a party, they chose to embrace the fringe, and now they’re choking on the consequences.
And if they keep letting the far-left call the shots – which elected Democrats seem content to do – those consequences could grow to include something even more devastating…political extinction:
A second person familiar with the political dynamics within the Senate Democratic caucus, who spoke with The Hill ahead of the “No Kings” protests, said centrist senators are fearful of breaking with leaders while party activists are planning the anti-Trump rallies.
“We would have enough votes” to reopen the government “if people were not terrified of getting the guillotine,” the second person said.
There’s also this: The shutdown is hurting Democrats and not President Trump:
And who steps in to replace these political cowards? The Democrats currently trembling in their cushy seats, terrified of being ousted for not showing enough hatred toward the “Bad Orange Man,” aren’t exactly profiles in courage. If they do get tossed, they’ll likely be replaced by someone even further gone — another creature of the loony left, eager to outdo the last in performative outrage.
Of course, there’s a glimmer of hope: in districts where voters still possess a shred of sanity, a Republican might just slip through. But it all brings to mind that timeless bit of wisdom often attributed to H.L. Mencken: “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.”
A few Democrats appear to be realizing that endless obstruction isn’t a winning strategy. So far, two Democratic senators — John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada — along with independent Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with the Democrats, have broken ranks to vote in favor of reopening the government. The rest of the party, though, remains under the spell of the far-left fringe, and it’s hard to see how that ends well for them.
And as for the “No Kings” movement? When your weekend protests end up producing more comedy fodder for AI videos like the one below than genuine public sympathy, it’s a safe bet your cause is already finished:
Newly uncovered records confirm that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team secretly tracked private communications and call logs of several Republican senators during the January 6
investigation, a move that lawmakers say represents an outrageous abuse of power from remnants of the old deep state.
A survivor of the Kazakhstan plane crash that killed 12 people said “the roof began shrinking” after the jet collided with a concrete wall and a two-story building.
The Bek Air jet with 98 people aboard struggled to get airborne and crashed shortly after takeoff Friday after departing from Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city and former capital, airport officials said.
“The left-wing jolted really hard, I noticed that then jolted the right. And the plane began swinging as a boat,” said entrepreneur Aslan Nazaraliyev.
Exactly what caused the aircraft, identified as a 23-year-old Fokker 100, to crash remains as yet unclear.
Authorities quickly suspended all Bek Air and Fokker 100 flights in Kazakhstan pending the investigation.
Fifty-four people people were reported hospitalized with injuries, at least 10 of them in critical condition, officials said.
Government officials said the jet underwent de-icing before the flight, but Nazaraliyev recalled that its wings were covered in ice, and passengers who used emergency exits over the wings slipped and fell.
What happened?
Flight number 2100 was scheduled to fly from Almaty, a city in southern Kazakhstan, to the capital Nur-Sultan.
The Bek Air-operated aircraft took off at 7.21 am local time (2.21 am CET), according to airport authorities. The aircraft, a Fokker 100, disappeared from the radar a minute later. The alarm was raised at 7.25 am.
The plane quickly lost altitude during take-off, broke through a concrete fence and hit a two-story building, the airport said.
Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Roman Sklyar, said there were two skid marks from the tail end of the plane on the runway, indicating it struggled to take-off. Those that died were mainly at the front of the aircraft, he added.
One survivor said the plane started shaking less than two minutes after takeoff.
“At first, the left wing jolted really hard, then the right. The plane continued to gain altitude, shaking quite severely, and then went down,” Aslan Nazaraliyev, one of the passengers who survived the crash, told The Associated Press.
“The plane began shaking severely,” he said. “It was a nightmare inside. I put my phone in the pocket and tightened up the safety belt tightly. And the plane leaned forward. It was clear that we would crash into the ground.
“The bang was strong and lights went off. Some were alive, some were not. Someone screamed that we should exit through the right side. On the right of me, there was a man. I think he opened the emergency exit. I didn’t see it before and it turned out to be next to me. We began exiting through it onto the aeroplane wing.”
There were 98 people on board, including five crews members. Twelve people died and at least 54 people were hospitalised, around 10 of them in a critical condition, officials said.
Russian media reported the injuries included cerebral, hip, and lower limb injuries.
Later on Friday, people were pictured leaving flowers at the airport to pay tribute to victims of the crash.
Saturday (28 December) has been declared as a national day of mourning in Kazakhstan.
Bek Air was founded in 1999 with the aim of providing VIP flights to the business community.
Today, the firm says it has become the first low-cost airline to serve a wide range of domestic destinations across the country.
Bek Air bought its first Fokker 100 in 2012 and says it now has a fleet of seven such aeroplanes.
What is Kazakhstan’s air-safety record like?
In 2009, all Kazakh airlines, with the exception of the flagship carrier Air Astana, were banned from operating in the European Union because they did not meet international safety standards. The ban was lifted in 2016.
Kazakhstan’s President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev: “Let me express my deepest condolences to the friends and families who lost their dear loved ones in the tragedy occurred on December 27. All those injured will be rendered assistance. The Government commission led by Askar Mamin was set up. All those responsible will carry severe punishment in accordance with the law.”
Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Roman Sklyar: “Today, we found two consecutive sets of skid marks from the tail end of the plane on the runway at intervals 300-400 metres, meaning the aircraft touched the runway twice while taking off. Mostly passengers who were in the front part of the aircraft died. Flight recorders have been found and have been brought for inspection.”
Bek Air, the firm operating the aeroplane, said: “On behalf of Bek Air, we express our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the passengers injured in the crash of Flight 2100. For its part, the airline is doing everything possible to clarify the details of the incident as soon as possible. We sincerely grieve with everyone and share the bitterness of irreparable loss.”
*Survivor Records Moments of Flight Crash in Kazakhstan**
In a harrowing incident that has captured global attention, a survivor of a plane crash in Kazakhstan has recorded the moments following the impact. The footage offers a gripping perspective of the chaos and fear experienced by those on board.
The crash occurred under chilling circumstances, and the survivor’s video captures the immediate aftermath, including the reactions of fellow passengers and the efforts to escape the wreckage. Emergency crews were quick to respond, but the video provides a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the unpredictable nature of air travel.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the crash, as families and friends of passengers seek answers and closure. The recorded moments are crucial for understanding the events leading up to the crash and ensuring that such tragedies are avoided in the future.
The video has been shared widely, sparking discussions about flight safety and the importance of having protocols in place for such emergencies. The survivor’s presence of mind to record the event has been both praised and critiqued, highlighting the evolving role of personal media in documenting disasters.