FEBRUARY 23, 2026

“If you suffer with Him, you will reign with Him.  If you cry with Him, you will have joy with Him.  If you die with Him on the Cross of tribulation, you will possess the eternal dwelling place in the splendor of the saints.   And your name, written in the Book of Life, will be glorious among men.”

— St. Clare of Assisi. 

A dear reader–a Democrat–was gleeful that the United States Supreme Court ruled against the President in the tariffs case. He hates the President (having admitted so on many occasions), but he was particularly angry that he had to pay a $70.00 tariff fee on a purchase of furniture. Hmmm.

This particular dear reader has never, ever expressed any opposition to a tax imposed on the “rich” in this country. He thinks that the “rich” ought to pay “their fair share”. But when he had to pay a tax–his “fair share”–he was outraged. Why? Because Democrats are hypocrites. They want everyone else to “pay up”, while they keep their money. It is reminiscent of Soviet Russia, where party members were comfortable, while ordinary citizens suffered.

“Although I firmly disagree with the Court’s holding today, the decision might not substantially constrain a President’s ability to order tariffs going forward.  That is because numerous other federal statutes authorize the President to impose tariffs and might justify most (if not all) of the tariffs at issue in this case—albeit perhaps with a few additional procedural steps that IEEPA, as an emergency statute, does not require.  Those statutes include, for example, the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (Section 232); the Trade Act of 1974 (Sections 122, 201, and 301); and the Tariff Act of 1930 (Section 338).  In essence, the Court today concludes that the President checked the wrong statutory box by relying on IEEPA rather than another statute to impose these tariffs.”

—Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, (Kavanaugh, J., dissenting).

So what happened? Are the tariffs gone? No.

The United States Supreme Court erred. The law in question gives the President–not the courts–the discretion to declare an economic emergency, and the ability to control foreign imports. That is exactly what President Trump did with his imposition of tariffs.

Now an argument can be made that Congress sloppily wrote the law, way back when, and that it does not authorize the President to act as he did. Fair enough. The Observations will not quibble with any argument that Congress fails to do its job legislatively. It usually does not.

And a fine argument can be made that the Supreme Court should have recognized this as a political and policy dispute. It could have reversed the Federal Circuit Court’s finding, and dismissed the case on those grounds. Chief Justice Roberts’s ego would not allow that, he of saving Obamacare fame.

“Let’s be clear about today’s ruling.  Despite the misplaced gloating from Democrats, ill-informed media outlets, and the very people who gutted our industrial base, 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.  We will be leveraging Section 232 and Section 301 tariff authorities that have been validated through thousands of legal challenges.”

–Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

President Trump immediately reimposed the tariffs using different statutory authority. The tariffs remain in place. They are now arguably on firmer legal ground. And they are important. Because the United States must disengage economically from China. And because those countries that have long taken advantage of the United States–Canada, Germany, France, et al.–must engage on a more even playing field.

The Observations is an ardent cheerleader for free trade. But we do not have free trade. What we have is an amalgamation of rules, regulations, tariffs, and other restrictions that all work to the disadvantage of the United States. Sadly, it is our own fault as we first tried to help European nations and Japan recover from the devastation of World War II, and second, we elected Presidents who embraced “globalism” as the answer to the world’s problems. “Globalism” is a euphemism for “America Last”. President Trump is working to make America First. We should support him.

United States Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach, Florida deputy sheriff shot and killed a man who had breached Mar-A-Lago’s security perimeter. Another deranged Leftist would be assassin bites the dust.

The Commission of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C. unanimously approved the design of The White House Ballroom. WINNING!

Three (3) Vietnam veterans and a historic preservationist have sued the National Park Service to stop the construction of President Trump’s proposed Arc of Triumph. Because they do not like the design or the placement. And of course, their opinion matters more than the President’s. Because . . . Orange Man Bad.

“Let’s call a thing, a thing.  Donald Trump is a racist.  There is no question in my mind. It’s time to say the truth and tell it like it is . . . .”

–Serial racist, The View co-host, and all around imbecile, Sunny Hostin.

New York City Comrade Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D.) wants to fire 5,000 police officers, and raise property taxes 10% across the board. Isn’t socialism grand?

“We had too many white men in charge.  The executives should reflect the city.”

–Washington, D.C. Water Department Manager, David Gadis, explaining why the largest sewage spill in United States history occurred in the Potomac River.

Mr. Gadis is an idiot. Not because he is black, but because he is a Democrat.

Remember the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico? It was 1/2 as large as the sewage spill in the Potomac River, yet the media covered it 24/7. Have you seen any coverage of the sewage spill in our nation’s capital? Hmmmm.

Governor Wes Moore (D. Md.) is incapable of cleaning up the sewage spill. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D.) did not even try, and immediately begged President Trump for help. Now those evil “white” guys are back in charge, and the sewage spill will be cleaned up. Do not expect the media or the Democrats to assign proper blame, or to express proper credit and gratitude.

Leftists attacked the outdoor skating rink at the Trump/Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., pouring toxic chemicals into the rink, damaging the structure, and forcing the cancellation of at least 1 performance. It was “mostly peaceful” vandalism.

ICE arrested an illegal alien who was employed as a Minnesota State corrections officer. At the time, the illegal alien was AWOL from the Pennsylvania National Guard. Sigh. WHAT IS GOING ON?

An illegal alien subject to a final deportation order murdered a Georgia school teacher. His lawyer–court appointed–argued that his client should be granted bond, because he was fleeing ICE, who was conducting an “illegal” operation. Yes, yes, yes. Let us set him free to once again disappear into our country’s interior. Who will he murder next?

Eric Rivera is an elementary school teacher in Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Rivera teaches first graders, for now. Because school authorities are threatening to terminate Mr. Rivera due to his refusal to read a book about “same sex marriage” to his students.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, sitting en banc, overturned a lower court’s ban on Louisiana displaying the 10 Commandments in public school classrooms. The usual suspects are suffering from a severe case of the vapors. Real Americans are relieved.

In Bountiful, Utah, an elementary public school teacher forced a Catholic student to remove his ashes from his forehead. The little boy explained to the teacher that he was Catholic, and had attended Ash Wednesday services prior to coming to school. The teacher admonished the little boy, calling the sign of the cross on his forehead “inappropriate”, and forced him to wipe it off in front of the class. Evil. Just plain evil.

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D.) caved in to the U.S. Department of Transportation, and will now mandate English proficiency for those seeking drivers licenses. Governor Hair Gel’s government is so broke it could not withstand the withholding of a mere $40 million.

California’s State government has funneled $100 million of taxpayer funds to non-profit organizations, whose only function is to stage and engage in Left wing protests. Wow. Imagine how much money Californians would have if their State government did not steal it and give it to their political allies.

California gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter (D.) held up a whiteboard at a rally, where she had written “F**k Trump”. What a vile, disgusting woman.

“They said it, not me.  And I am proud to have lived my whole life on the south side of Chicago.  I’m not scared of a wannabe dictator.  I’m running for Senate to stand up to Donald Trump.”

–Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton (D. Il.).

Illinois Lt. Governor Juiliana Stratton (D.) is running for United States Senate, to replace retiring Senator Dick Durbin (D.). Currently Juliana Stratton is running a television commercial where a series of people appear on screen, and state simply “F**k Trump”. The people who appear include sitting U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D. Il.). The advertisement is crude, rude, and beneath the dignity of a civilized person, much less an elected official. But it is exactly what one would expect from a Democrat. Just ask Katie Porter.

Lewis University [Chicago, Illinois] cancelled all classes held in a downtown office building, and moved the classes to online learning, after discovering that ICE rented space in the same office building. How &#@^$! childish!

During the tenure of Governor Glenn Youngkin (R. Va.), Boeing relocated its Defense, Space, and Security division headquarters to Arlington, Virginia. Now that Governor Abigail Spanberger (D. Va.) is in charge, Boeing is moving its operations from Virginia to St. Louis, Missouri. Because . . . taxes. And so it begins. The great exodus due to Democrat misrule.

More than 300 students marched out of Woodbridge High School [Virginia], skipping classes, and protesting their country. The school suspended them all for 3 days. Consequences.

Congratulations to Chris Boswell on launching his run for Lynchburg, Virginia City Council. Chris will be a check on the socialists in Richmond.

Congratulations to federal judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III on receiving the 2026 Outstanding Virginian Award. He is the longest serving judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

During the season of Lent, Catholics and Anglo/Catholics abstain from eating meat on Fridays. This practice was the inspiration for the introduction of McDonald’s Filet O’Fish sandwich, a most successful endeavor. And now other fast food outlets are getting into the fish on Fridays craze–for a limited time only. Other restaurants selling fish sandwiches through the drive-thru during Lent include Wendy’s, Bojangles, Del Taco, Dairy Queen, Arby’s, Popeye’s, and Whataburger. No rod and reel required.

Oklahoma will be getting that State’s 1st Buc-ee’s. The new store will be located off I-40, West of Oklahoma City.

Great Britain is blocking the United States from launching air strikes against Iran, because they are afraid the strikes may violate international law. Sigh. There is no such thing as “international law”. Iran is a direct threat to Europe, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer is a weenie. Some NATO partner.

Canadian economist Trevor Tombe and the International Monetary Fund ran the numbers in 2023 and 2024 and concluded that Canada had become poorer than Alabama.  Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Olympic skier Eileen Gu, an American who is competing for the Red Chinese, says she feels like a “punching bag”, given all the criticism she has received for not competing for the United States. Who cares? The communists are paying her millions of dollars to abandon her country, and compete for them. She is a present day Benedict Arnold. The Hell with her.

Congratulations to Team USA! Both the men’s and women’s teams won the gold medal in ice hockey, defeating Canada’s teams. The men’s victory comes 46 years to the day since Team USA men’s ice hockey team beat the Soviets in the 1980 Olympics, to advance to the finals against Finland. WINNING!

Congratulations to Jacob Bridgeman on winning the former Glen Campbell Los Angeles Open at the Riviera Country Club. A fantastic win at “Hogan’s Alley”, which has challenged golfers for 100 years.

Former Pittsburgh Pirate Bill Mazeroski, who hit a walk off home run to beat the New York Yankees, and win the 1960 World Series, has died at age 89. R. I. P.

Virginia State Delegate Barry Knight (R. Va. Beach) has died at age 71. R. I. P.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Rondale Moore has died at age 25. R. I. P.

Musician Willie Colon has died at age 75. R. I. P.

GFK