The Top 5 Plus (January 10)

1) “Socialism is a hate crime: On socialism’s human and economic toll.” (James Piereson, The New Criterion)

From the article -- This raises the question: given the historical record, why don’t we label socialism as a hate crime?  

After all, the evidence for socialism’s malignant effects is obvious to anyone with sufficient curiosity to open a history book. Socialists are responsible for the murder, imprisonment, and torture of many millions and perhaps hundreds of millions of innocent people during the ideology’s heyday in the middle of the twentieth century. That history of murder and tyranny continues on a smaller scale today in the handful of countries living under the misfortune of socialism—Cuba, North Korea, and (most recently) Venezuela.  

How do socialists escape the indictment that they are purveyors of tyranny and mass murder? Some of them deny that Stalin, Mao, and others were true socialists or, equally absurdly, assert that true socialism has never really been tried. But socialism has been tried many times in many places and has always failed.

2) “An Industry ‘Drenched In Deceit’: The Shrouded Dangers Of The Abortion Pill” (Decision Magazine)

From the article -- Dr. Christina Francis, a practicing OB/GYN hospitalist and CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, says the most common complications she sees in her practice are hemorrhaging and incomplete abortions.

“We know that nearly one in nine women who take these drugs will have a serious complication,” Francis told Decision, “whether that be a visit to the emergency room requiring treatment or significant hemorrhage or blood loss, blood transfusion, emergency surgery, infection.” According to that statistic, about 100,000 women would have suffered a severe complication in just one year, Francis said. “And honestly, this is not surprising to those of us that are actually taking care of these women because we’re seeing these complications so frequently.”

Excessive bleeding often requires blood transfusion, and women who have not expelled all of the baby parts or the placental tissues can get infections and require emergency surgeries. Infections can lead to the scarring of a woman’s uterus, threatening her future fertility.

The FDA’s own drug label indicates that about 3-7% of women experience an incomplete abortion, and one in 25 women go to an emergency room after taking abortion drugs. In comparison to surgical abortions, drug induced abortions have four times the complication rate.

3) “An American Crisis” (Steve Huntley, John Kass News)

From the article -- Today American Jews have cause to be afraid.

It’s true that the vast majority of Americans are free of stench of antisemitism, but the rot is found in powerful places. It’s a driving force in our oldest political party. It has a voice in the halls of Congress. Its hands are on the levers of government in our largest city. Demonstrations on college campuses celebrate it. Popular podcasters give it a platform.

A hesitancy to confront it directly, forcibly and in all its manifestations stains the leadership of the liberal movement, the legacy media, elite universities, the office of the vice presidency and a think tank that once was known exclusively as the intellectual arsenal of conservatism.

So, Jews have reasons for their fears. There are likely more than a few homes where American Jews are for the first time thinking of making aliyah, the Hebrew word for immigrating to the homeland of Israel. That Jewish Americans are even whispering that means the wildfire of antisemitism is not just a crisis for them, but also a crisis for our country. Cruz put it perfectly: “It is a poison. And I believe we are facing an existential crisis in our party and our country.” It is an American crisis. And it must be confronted before it becomes an American tragedy.

4) “Nowhere to Hyde: Trump’s Chaotic Abortion Stance Rattles GOP” (Suzanne Bowdey, Washington Stand)

From the article -- “I almost fell out of my chair,” one House Republican admitted to Politico afterward. Thune had already conceded that getting past the Democrats’ objections to the Hyde Amendment was “probably the most challenging part” of any negotiations on the Obamacare subsidies. But now, with Trump’s sudden shakiness on a core value, more senators and congressmen are racing to underscore what an unmitigated disaster abandoning Hyde would be — not just for the party, but for millions of innocent lives.

“I’m not flexible on the value of every single child,” Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) insisted to Family Research Council President Tony Perkins on Tuesday’s “Washington Watch.” “Every single child is valuable,” he argued. “There aren’t some children that are disposable, and some children that are valuable. Every child is valuable. And so, that’s not an area that I’m flexible on.”

Like so many conservatives, the Oklahoman hands it to Trump for all of the pro-life strides he’s made but underscores what a fatal mistake surrendering on Hyde would be. “I do give him credit. He’s done what’s called the Mexico City Policy [to take away] funding from international abortions with taxpayer dollars. He has actually restored funding that Biden took away from pro-[lifers] with different grants that go to different states. He has been very good on defunding Planned Parenthood. So, there’s been a lot of very, very strong pro-life things that he’s done.” But this, Lankford shook his head, “That’s a red line I’m not going to cross. I’m not going to break [away from] what we’re doing in health care. The VA doesn’t do abortions,” he pointed out. “DOD doesn’t do abortions. [Native American] health care doesn’t do abortions. We don’t do abortions with Medicare, Medicaid. We should not have it anywhere.” Right now, he explained, “The only place that abortion funding for elective abortion exists and subsidizing it is in Obamacare. And that needs to go away.”

5) “Hunted For Faith In Christ: Shining A Spotlight On The Crisis Faced By Nigerian And Syrian Believers” (Calvary Chapel Magazine)

From the article -- Those speaking out against these atrocities are concerned over the lack of coverage by prominent news sources and attention from political leaders around the world. Some have attributed the removal of nations, such as Nigeria, from the Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) and lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria as global measures that would have otherwise kept pressure on entities that severely violate international religious freedom.  

As many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are persecuted, driven underground, and even martyred for a faith that some take for granted, continue to pray that the joy of the Lord is their strength, that they would continue to shine their light to the lost even under such intense pressure, and that peace would come to their land. As the Lord leads, prayerfully seek to support organizations that have “boots on the ground” ministering to the persecuted Church and advocate for those who have no voice whether through social media platforms, your local church, or governmental agencies.

Other excellent articles from this week:

* “Want To Do Better In Your New Year's Resolutions?” (Denny Hartford, Vital Signs Blog)

* “Courage is spreading, and the light of truth is breaking through.” (Video, Nebraska Family Alliance)

* “The Moral Blackmailing of the American People” (Josh Hammer, GOPUSA)

* “Lights going out all over Europe and the UK” (Rush Babe 49)

* “Animal rights, the parasite eating the heart out of conservation” (John Nash, TCW)

The Reading Year in Review

Okay, I am a reader. I have been since I was a little kid -- blessed by a mom who taught me (by precept and example), by an early acquaintance with libraries, and, in the 6th grade, my enthusiastic involvement with SRA Reading programs which in 1962 were still free from the leftist schlock that now dominates almost every public school exercise.

But my early love of and devotion to reading has, of course, been profoundly encouraged by the writers I’ve discovered along the way: Dickens, Doyle, Chesterton, Dumas, Lewis, Schaeffer, Stevenson, Scott, Tolkien, Solzhenitsyn, Alcorn, Buchan, Shakespeare, Beach, Sabatini, Thurber, O. Henry, Forester, Melville, Ironside, Heyerdahl, Wilder, Barrie, Sayers, Verne, Morison, Tournier, Churchill, Aldrich, Karon, Barnhouse and several other favorites.

However, even with this legacy, I must confess that a life of “purposeful reading” is not easy to maintain. The temptations to opt for more immediate gratification (television, internet surfing, social media trolling, getting lost in the political news, you name your poison) are always looming on the horizon. So too is the easier path of reading “fluffier” stuff, consuming the literary equivalent of potato chips instead of a nutritious, well-prepared, thoroughly-enjoyed meal. No, a life of “purposeful reading” takes work -- commitment, planning, motivation, accountability, creating a conducive atmosphere, and sharing the fruits of your laborers with others. 

For 30 years, these things were provided in great abundance to me by the Notting Hill Napoleons, a book club of dear friends and pro-life colleagues who tackled quality novels every month. But with the passing of that noble company 3 years ago -- and with the normal waning of energy that comes with advancing years, I have had to really redouble my efforts to keep a healthy pace. I still set reading goals; I still keep track of my reading; I still cherish those friends who help inspire me to read; and, from time to time, I still share my own book adventures to motivate others.

All of this today serves as a preface to my expression of thanks to a few of my reading friends (Greg, Ian, Jack, Jessica, Nancy, and, of course, Claire) whose devotion to good books (and reflections thereon) serve well as an ongoing motivation for me. Thank you; I do indeed appreciate your lives of purposeful reading and below I’ll share a quick report of my own reading this past year. Here you go...

2025 began with reading the Richard Hannay series by John Buchan and ended with E.T.A. Hoffmann’s The Nutcracker. The total for 2025 was 59 books, most of which were re-reads. The most noteworthy authors this year were old friends: Buchan, Dickens, Forester, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Randy Alcorn, Francis Schaeffer, George Patton, Edward de Vere (aka William Shakespeare), Dumas, Tournier, C.S. Lewis, J.M. Barrie, Zane Grey, Chesterton, Louisa May Alcott, and Rafael Sabatini.

The Top 5 Plus (January 3)

1) Looking to make better sense of 2025...and a clearer look at what might transpire for 2026? Here in The Top 5’s Number 1 slot this week is a compilation of articles dealing with these questions:

* “We Are The ‘Convergence Generation’ -- Top Ten Bible Prophecy Stories Of 2025” (Jan Markell, Harbinger’s Daily)

* “Heroes and Zeroes of 2025: Martyrdom, moral clarity, and the unmasking of the American Left.” (Lou Aguilar, American Spectator)

* “Winners And Losers Of The Year” (The Federalist Staff)

* “This Past Year Was Pretty Great. Here’s a Wish List for 2026: Political sanity was restored to the nation’s capital...and may it continue in 2026.” (Josh Hammer, American Spectator) 

* “A Cynic’s Ruminations on 2026: Revival or ruin?” (Greg Maresca, American Spectator)

2) “East to West” (Eve Barlow, Blacklisted)

From the article -- This morning, Zohran Mamdani became the first Mayor in America to be sworn in using a Quran. Unity is not our strength; it is our noose.

Mamdani’s first executive order was to repeal the globally accepted IHRA definition of antisemitism. His second executive order was to legalize the boycotting and sanctioning of Israeli businesses, rendering New York City a legitimate BDS zone. During his first 24 hours in office, Mamdani has already potentially broken the law. As he inherited the official Twitter account for the Mayor of New York, his team proceeded to erase Mayor Adams’ tweets, specifically every tweet about the protection of Jewish people in New York City, following the rise in antisemitism. New York is the second largest home to Jews in the world, second to Israel. Not only that, but the Jews of New York are the most targeted minority group in the city. Jews were the target of 54% of all hate crimes in New York City in 2024.

Why would the guy who is interested in “what’s best for New Yorkers” want to disappear 13% of the city’s populace as his first priority?

So on day one, Mamdani made his mark clearly, and yes we told you so. Well done New York. You voted in a real life Nazi. National Socialist salute to boot. Or do we just accuse white men like Elon Musk of that?

Related article: “Sorry, Zohran, We're Kind of Done With The ‘Warmth of Collectivism.’” (Sasha Stone)

3) “A Christian nation?” (Laurence Cooper, Power Line)

From the article -- To be sure, the history of American Christianity has very largely been a history of moderation and respect, not only toward those who belong to different denominations but even to non-Christians and nonbelievers. Religious liberty has not been much contested. But might that history of moderation and respect not owe something to the fact that America has never defined itself as a Christian polity?

If the Founders had declared the United States a Christian polity, or had they appealed to Christian Scripture or doctrine as the ground and justification of the new republic, they would effectively have invited sectarian disputation to serve as the most authoritative political discourse. Even if all agreed as to how the Founders understood Christian Scripture and doctrine, that would not bind subsequent generations to accept the Founders’ reading.

The founding principles of the United States were developed and gained widespread adherence among a population that was almost entirely composed of Christians. But to understand these principles and live by them does not require one to venture into Scripture or theology. Even if dedication to these principles depends upon a certain religiosity among citizens—and even if the only religion that could adequately promote that dedication in the United States is Christianity—even then we would not need, and would not be wise, to understand America as a Christian nation, not as the phrase is apt to be heard and understood.

4) “The downplaying of momentous events in Iran. The terrible fact is that conscience in the West has become harnessed to absolute evil.”  (Melanie Phillips, JNS)

From the article -- Maybe this revolt will fizzle out under ferocious reprisals, as all previous ones have done. But maybe, this time it will succeed in toppling the regime; it’s the closest the people have ever come to doing so.  If they succeed, this would have a seismic impact far beyond Iran. It would transform and reshape global politics immeasurably for the better by removing a malevolent force devoted to the annihilation of Israel, the destruction of America and the conquest of the West.

The protests are therefore of immense significance. Yet astonishingly, the West has been all but silent. There have been no demonstrations in its streets chanting “Free, free Iran!” or “Death, death to the IRGC!” For most of the week, the mainstream media simply ignored these tumultuous developments. When some reports were finally cranked out, they were minimal and seriously downplayed what was happening.

The Trump administration and Israeli government have expressed support for the protesters. But from the governments of the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, which have consistently sniped at Israel over its battle to neutralize Iran’s genocidal agenda, there’s been a conspicuous silence.

One might think these governments would be desperate to see the back of the world’s most lethal terrorist regime. Israel has taken another step against it by recognizing the independence of Somaliland. This puts the Jewish state into a far better position to deal with the Houthis in Yemen, through whom Iran launders its war against Israel and the West.

5) “2025 Proved That The Next War Will Start With a Click -- In 2025, war didn’t arrive with tanks or missiles, it arrived by email, exploiting fear, stealing billions, and proving that America’s digital defenses are now a core measure of national strength.” (Julio Rivera, American Greatness)

From the article -- As 2025 comes to a close, Americans can take a breath. The economy is stabilizing. Borders are finally being enforced. Foreign adversaries are once again being reminded—without apology—that American strength still matters. President Trump has done what many in the permanent political class insisted could not be done: restore a sense of direction, leverage, and consequence to governance.

But while Washington focused on walls, tariffs, and treaties, another war expanded quietly beneath our feet. It didn’t involve tanks or troops. There were no cable-news countdowns or presidential addresses. It unfolded silently, invisibly, and relentlessly—through emails, servers, smartphones, and cloud infrastructure. And most Americans never saw it coming.

Cybersecurity stopped being a technical issue in 2025 and became a psychological one.

The most effective cyberattacks of the past year didn’t rely on elite hacking skills or exotic malware. They relied on fear. One of the most widespread scams circulating this year centered around claims that a user’s search requests and webcam footage were accessed and then leveraged as part of an extortion email. It didn’t prove anything. It didn’t need to. It simply accused, threatened, and demanded payment. And thousands of Americans complied, not because the claim was true, but because panic works faster than logic.

That was the lesson of 2025. Cybercrime isn’t just about breaking systems anymore. It’s about breaking people.

Other excellent articles from the week:

* “It’s Not Just Minnesota. The Vast Majority Of Daycare Is A Scam” (Joy Pullmann, Federalist)

* “Assisted Suicide Comes to the American Heartland” (Chuck Donovan, Washington Stand)

* “Guardians of Truth Must Counter the Lies of the Mainstream Media” (Yoe Suarez, Washington Stand)

* “Attempting To Usurp Sovereignty Over Death: Cryonics, Euthanasia, And The Oldest Lie” (Sarah Holliday, Harbinger’s Daily)

* “In 2025, anti-Semitism went apocalyptic: The West’s porous borders, cultural cowardice and irrational hatred of Israel have seriously endangered Jews.” (Brendan O'Neill, spiked!)

Want To Do Better In Your New Year's Resolutions?

Have you made your New Year's resolutions yet?

Yes, I know that many Christians ignore the whole idea. In fact, some are downright grinchy about it, believing that making resolutions is more about reliance on one's own willpower than on God's grace to effect change in their lives. Many more, however, dismiss the idea simply because they've failed so many times in the past. They decide they're actually better off by staying the way they are, playing around with the same excuses, and trying to keep themselves comfortably distant from higher aspirations.

But here's the deal -- making resolutions isn't optional for the Christian. Not at all. Think for just a moment about the Scripture's frequent use of exhortational verbs like "dedicate," "reckon," "establish," "consider," "purpose," "consecrate," "prove," "remember," "put aside," and many more. All refer to the prayerful making (and keeping) of spiritual resolutions.

You just can't avoid it...not if you want to live in accordance with the Word.

It may help for you to dispense with the idea of New Year's resolutions and instead see careful, purposeful changes in your life as Christmas gifts to Jesus. That's what Claire and I try to do. And it's been a great reminder to us that God is a God of wondrous and inexhaustible grace. Through the cross of Jesus, He is always ready to forgive sin and failure. And He is also ready to empower His disciples to begin again and again.

Note also that the Latin word behind resolution means to untie. And an awful lot of our obstacles to spiritual growth involve un-tying the knots of bad thinking and bad habits. To untie these knots, we need patience and other virtues given by the Holy Spirit. We need better information which means more frequent and more effective Bible study. We need to make sure we're praying hard as well as trying hard. We also need a heavenly perspective, one that sees our honest resolutions and efforts as investments in eternity. 

And finally, the successful achievement of our prayerful resolutions is greatly helped by authentic Christian fellowship, the kind that provides rich supplies of encouragement, accountability and assistance.

Resolutions are not our enemies. But we need to envision the benefits of spiritual growth (liberation, peace, joy, greater effectiveness in ministry, etc.) in order to more willingly embrace the work involved to get there.

The Top 5 Plus (December 27)

There were so many exceptionally enlightening articles this week (especially on the critical topics of the persecution of the Church and the rising wave of anti-Semitism throughout the world) that I share links beyond the normal number this morning. And, yes, they’re all well worth the read. 

1) “When the Churches Go Silent at Christmas. Why Christianity endures while Europe locks its church doors.” (Lou Aguilar, American Spectator)

From the article -- This godless philosophy has destroyed Western Europe. The Christian faith that built its civilization and sustained it through a thousand years of darkness has been abandoned, hollowed. Consequently, the two forces Europe soundly defeated -- Islam and Marxism -- are now conquering it with little resistance, enabled by the nations’ leaders.

All over the continent, charming Yuletide traditions are being canceled for fear of Muslim-induced violence. In Germany, for instance, the beloved Christmas markets, the Weihnachtsmärkte, were scrubbed this year. Evil feeds on fear, and removing a spiritual counter to it only hastens its advance.

Related articles regarding the persecution of Christians: “Politico Frames European Christmas Celebrations as ‘Far-Right Spectacle’” (Olivia Rondeau, Breitbart)... “This Christmas was even harder for China's Christians (Christian Shepherd & Huiyee Chiew, Jewish World Review)... “‘The Victims Are Sold in Catalogs Like Property’ -- The Persecution of Christians, October 2025” (Raymond Ibrahim, Gatestone Institute)...“CCP Conducts Mass Arrests of Christians Days before Christmas” (S.A. McCarthy, Washington Stand)...“Christian Almost Murdered Twice By Islamists Finds Home In Canada For Christmas” (Casey Chalk, Federalist)...“‘Too White and Male’ -- Woke Museum Issues Guide to ‘Decolonising’ Father Christmas” (Simon Kent, Breitbart)

2) “Cheers for Ben Shapiro” (Editors, National Review)

From the article -- Ben Shapiro did the conservative movement a service last week by giving two speeches that were deliberate acts of provocation. First, at the Heritage Foundation, he argued that a political movement, like a nation, needs borders. He illustrated the point with reference to the Heritage Foundation mission statement, which supports free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

He then compared those principles with the beliefs of Tucker Carlson, with whom Heritage President Kevin Roberts has been in ideological sympathy, up to and including initially defending Carlson’s interview with Nick Fuentes (before backpedaling). Shapiro persuasively argued that by Heritage’s own standards Carlson — who expresses routine contempt for markets, who launders Russian propaganda, who sees the advantages of sharia law, and who gives sympathetic interviews to white nationalists, Churchill-hating World War II revisionists, and proud misogynists accused of rape — is no longer a conservative.

We assume that Roberts won’t be inviting Shapiro back any time soon, but his talk was received warmly by the audience at the Heritage Foundation.

A couple of days later, Shapiro spoke at TPUSA’s AmFest conference. He addressed the rank pandering to audience, widespread conspiracy-theorizing, and cowardly unwillingness to call out lunacy on the right that has infected the right-wing influencer space. Here, Shapiro focused on the absolutely cracked theories promoted by Candace Owens about the Charlie Kirk assassination; these rancid, obsessive musings, which would set off alarms bells for any psychiatrist if spouted by a patient, have significantly shaped the debate on the right about Kirk’s assassination.

True to form, Owens responded to Shapiro’s speech with an anti-Jewish rant.

Related articles: “What, Exactly, Does the Right Stand For? The American Right must relearn judgment and stop confusing tolerance with moral abdication.” (Josh Hammer, American Spectator)...“For JD Vance, Free Speech Only Means His Friends Can’t Be Criticized” (David Harsanyi, Jewish World Review)...“American conservatism and ‘the Jewish Question’ -- The silence of mainstream conservatives over the antisemitism in their midst is lethal for the Republicans and America.” (Melanie Phillips, Jewish News Service)...“Few on the ‘Far Right’ Turn Against the Jews” (Pierre Rehov, Gatestone Institute)...The Return of the Jewish Question (David Azerrad, Compact)...“Jewish state will always stand with Christians, Netanyahu says on Christmas Eve -- Netanyahu noted that the Jewish state is the only country in the region where Christians continue to live ‘with full rights and in total freedom.’” (Jewish News Service staff)

3) “The Religion of the Strong Horse: The world’s major religions need a better answer to Islam.” (Daniel Greenfield, Trajectories)

From the article -- Conversions to Islam rose sharply after major Islamic terrorist attacks from 9/11 to Oct 7. This runs counter to everything we would like to believe about religion and morality, but it’s reality.

Bin Laden’s ‘Strong Horse’ wasn’t about who would win a military campaign between America and Al Qaeda, as some foreign policy experts insisted on arguing in major publications, it was about who would win the religious and cultural war between Islam and the West. Terrorist attacks were battles for the ‘hearts and minds’ of the rest of the world. 9/11 and other attacks would show the world the religious superiority of Islam by showing it was the ‘Strong Horse’.

America and its allies wasted decades trying to win the ‘hearts and minds’ of Muslims from Afghanistan to Iraq to Gaza with billions in aid and democratic elections. The West welcomed mass Muslim migration to show how generous and tolerant we were. And no matter what we did, Muslim terrorist attacks became a regular feature of our lives because we insisted that being the liberal ‘Weak Horse’ made us morally superior to the men relentlessly killing us.

A generation later, more Americans are converting to Islam and joining the ‘Strong Horse’ than Muslims are converting to the democracy and liberalism of the ‘Weak Horse’. Secularism is on the decline in the Muslim world while Hamas and Hezbollah banners are waved on Ivy League campuses. Osama bin Laden had said that the “deeds” of the 9/11 hijackers had “overshadowed all other speeches made everywhere else in the world.” Terrorism is how Islam speaks and its message is that its followers believe so strongly that Islam is the only acceptable way of life that they are willing to die and kill to force everyone else to believe it too.

Related article: “Iran Opens New Front in Its War Against the U.S...But not the way you think.” (Robert Spencer, Front Page Magazine)

4) “‘We Don't Dispute’ It: Georgia 315k Vote Bombshell Blows a Big Hole in 2020’s ‘Most Secure Election’ Lie” (Rusty Weiss, Red State) 

From the article -- David Cross, a local election integrity activist, made that allegation. He filed a formal challenge with the Georgia State Election Board in March 2022, alleging that Fulton County illegally counted around 315,000 early votes in the 2020 election without required poll worker signatures on tabulator tapes. He spoke at the hearing, telling the state election board of the irregularities he discovered.

“These signed tapes are the sole legal certification that the reported totals are authentic,” Cross said. “Fulton County produced zero signed tabulator tapes in early voting.”

“These are not clerical errors. They are catastrophic breaks in chain of custody and certification,” he continued.

“Because no tape was ever legally certified, Fulton County had no lawful authority to certify its advanced voting results to the secretary of state. Yet it did,” Cross added. “And Secretary Raffensperger accepted and folded those uncertified numbers into Georgia’s official total without questioning them. This is not partisan. This is statutory. This is the law."

"When the law demands three signatures on tabulator tapes and the county fails to follow the rules, those 315,000 votes are, by definition, uncertified.”

315,000 uncertified votes sure seem like a significant issue. For years after the 2020 election, we were told any questioning of the results in the "most secure election in history" was tantamount to a clear and present threat to democracy itself. 

Related article: “The Fulton County 2020 Election Bombshell: A case study in how a deeply unpopular political party manages to win elections.” (David Catron, American Spectator)

5) “Policy Decisions, Immigration, And Greed Drive America’s Poverty Industry” (Allan J. Feifer, American Thinker)

From the article -- Thus, a Wall Street Journal article from last week completely upends the idea that we have many poor people in this country. Yes, I know that the idea is preposterous, yet it appears to be true. Did you know that welfare programs are not counted as income?

In the essay, Phil Gramm & John Early write that federal welfare spending now totals $1.4 trillion. If divided evenly among the 19.8 million families the government classifies as poor, each would receive more than $70,000 a year—yet none of these benefits are counted as income for eligibility or poverty measurement.

Even accounting for the “skim” (the money the government and NGOs rake in off the top), it’s a staggering number. It is impossible to reconcile the $1.4 trillion with what Democrats and the media maintain is a system that “neglects” the poor.

What this suggests is that everything we’re being told about the poor is a lie, or at least being called poor and not having money are separate things. How can we reconcile such foundational issues as “one in seven children go to bed hungry” with the reality that suggests strongly that there is little to no correlation between being poor and hungry and an unjust economic system? In fact, the contrary appears to be true.

Democrat and socialist politics depend on making Americans feel guilty. What if we all woke up one day and realized that the greatest scam of all was the underlying lie that not ‘paying your fair share’ meant you were not paying sufficient graft? In other words, our poverty complex isn’t about helping poor people. It’s about helping criminals (obviously aided by bureaucrats) enrich themselves with taxpayer funds by pretending to help poor people.

Other Excellent Articles from This Week?

Although I regularly scan the news and commentary found at Breitbart, Power Line, Fox News, Lucianne, American Spectator, Federalist, and so on, I am this week highlighting once again the value I regularly find in Harbinger’s Daily by selecting all 5 of this week’s Plus articles from that truly excellent (and almost unique) source:

* “Though Many Try, The Church Cannot Erase The Ongoing Importance Of Israel” (Amir Tsarfati, Harbinger’s Daily)

* “Celebrating Sin And Warping God’s Design: Progressive Church Blesses ‘Marriage’ Of Four Men” (Ken Ham, Harbinger’s Daily)

* “This Christmas, Bow Your Heart And Knee Before The King Of Kings” (Franklin Graham, Harbinger’s Daily)

* “Provoked To Anger Or Forever Changed: The Gospel Is For Everyone. Tell It Boldly” (Will Graham, Harbinger’s Daily)

* The Jesus Of Bible Prophecy: Christ Is No Longer A Little Baby Or Suffering Servant” (Nathan Jones, Harbinger’s Daily)

Some Suggestions for Christmas Inspiration

Looking for a bit of cheer and inspiration for now and for the 12 Days of Christmas coming up?

Why not check out the novel "The Christmas Room" and these 2 short stories, "Christmas on the Freedom Train" and "The Winter in the Woods."  You can find them here. 

Also, there's the intriguing (and free) compilation, "Making the Most of Christmas" which you can find on the Vital Signs Ministries website right here. There you'll find 43 pages with poems, quizzes, recommendations for reading and movies, devotionals, a link to free downloads of Patrick Osborne’s exquisite Winter Night CD, and more. Happy Christmas!

And finally, there's the 1/2 hour audio file of my reading of "The Christmas of the Talking Animals." That's right here.

Happy Christmas!

December's Goin' Just Fine!

With last Friday’s shows at Newport and Brookstone Meadows, Claire and I finished off an absolutely fantastic “When Swing Was King” Christmas season. And, in doing so, we tied a record -- 17 shows in all! Our presentations 2 two senior centers in Branson, 1 up in Tekemah, 1 at New Cassel, 1 “home show,” a special Saturday WSWK Brunch at our house, and then our regular schedule of 11 senior facilities. And, along the way, we enjoyed even more heartwarming conversations than usual with residents, family members, and facility staff. It was really tremendous. Thank You, Lord! 

And yet as beautiful and plentiful as were our “When Swing Was King” moments, there were many, many more highlights of the Christmas season in which we have been blessed beyond measure. Among those highlights -- listening to Andy Williams Christmas music while parked alongside Table Rock Lake outside of Branson with snow softly falling around us...Baking and decorating cookies and handing them out to friends and neighbors...In-person visits with my cousins and Claire’s brother besides our Tuesday Zoom conversations with my siblings...Profoundly Christmassy church services at Aksarben Village Senior Living...Giving away a lot of signed copies of The Christmas Room...Coffees and meals out with friends...Claire’s making our home a gorgeous Christmas atmosphere for reading, for music, for entertaining, for writing letters and cards, for living!...Cleaning snow off the drive and walks (our neighbor’s too)...Prayers and singing Christmas carols with fellow pro-life champions in front of the Planned Parenthood abortion business...And hosting (so far) a Brunch event and 3 dinner parties...with 7 more evening dinner parties and 1 big Christmas Day dinner to go! (That Christmas Day, by the way, will find 11 of us squeezed in here with a large and creative menu to meet our guests’ varied dietary restrictions based on health and/or religious background. (We have 4 internationals attending.)

So, you can see, because of these wonderful opportunities yet before us (and because we celebrate all 12 days of Christmas plus 12th Night and Epiphany, there remain for us plenty of Christmas blessings to come! Bring ‘em on!