All presidents but Jefferson have argued that their first job was to keep us safe. All presidents but Jefferson were wrong. If you read the Constitution, you will see that the President’s first job – as Jefferson understood well – is to keep us free.
-Judge Andrew Napolitano
March 6, 2026
EPIC FURY: Trump’s Play to Starve the Dragon?
Bloomberg reported Thursday that Beijing “told the country’s top oil refiners to suspend exports of diesel and gasoline” as Operation Epic Fury continues disrupting oil shipments out of the Persian Gulf. “China’s curbs just six days into a war reflect a scramble across Asia to prioritize domestic needs as the crisis in the Middle East deepens.”
China imports “about 11 million barrels of crude per day,” my Townhall colleague Walter Curt added on X this morning, “with roughly 40-45% of that flowing through the Strait of Hormuz.”
And yes, while China is a net importer of oil and natural gas — and yugely so — the Communist nation exports refined products including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and marine bunker fuel, largely to Southeast Asian, South Pacific, and African nations.
But not as of today.
“Officials from the National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s top economic planner,” Bloomberg [paywalled link] continued, “called for a temporary suspension of refined product shipments that would begin immediately.”
It isn’t just China, either, according to the same report: “With virtually no oil or fuel making its way out of the Persian Gulf since US and Israeli attacks began at the weekend, refiners from Japan to Indonesia and India have begun cutting back run rates and suspending exports.”
I had a brief item about this earlier today on Instapundit, but the news kept nagging at me because it’s worth a deeper look — and, as it turns out, the petroleum exports angle might be the least interesting part.
WHEN THEY SHOW YOU WHO THEY ARE, BELIEVE THEM™
Virginia Democrats have a bill to criminalize political memes.
I’m not kidding. That’s what this bill does. pic.twitter.com/X9ioKGwGSf
— Christian Heiens 🏛 (@ChristianHeiens) March 3, 2026
Missouri Amendment Proposal Seeks to Recognize Personhood for the Unborn.
Pro-lifers in the state of Missouri will once again try to pass a constitutional amendment recognizing the personhood of pre-born children in an effort to undo a 2024 measure that codified the erroneous “right” to abortion in state law. Essentially, that measure violates God’s law and everything modern science has taught us about life beginning at the moment of conception. Simply put, it has got to go if Missouri is going to consider itself a “civilized” society.
If this fails, Missouri residents will have the blood of the pre-born shed on the altar of convenience on their hands. In November 2024, those same residents approved an amendment that established a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” which applies to “all matters relating to (so-called) reproductive health care, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, (so-called) abortion care, miscarriage care, and respectful birthing conditions.”
The measure also prevents the state legislature from placing a permanent ban on abortion until “fetal viability,” and after “viability” if the abortion doctor says murdering the child is necessary to “protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant person.” If this doesn’t convince you that demonic forces clearly drive the culture of death that permeates our society, I don’t know what will.
Previously, Missouri had a law on the books that imposed a near-total ban on abortion, allowing the ghoulish practice only when it is medically necessary to save the mother’s life or prevent “substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function.” The 2024 measure invalidated that law.
Republican State Sen. Mike Moon reintroduced the proposal and asked voters to consider it during the fall election season. The amendment states that the “term ‘person’ under this constitution includes every human being with a unique DNA code regardless of age, including every in utero human child at every stage of biological development from the moment of conception until birth” and that “nothing in this constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion.”
“Some are saying that we are doing our best to save the children, especially the pre-born children, but I ask you this question: ‘how can we make that claim if we haven’t taken all the steps we can possibly take to make that happen?’” Moon said, adding, “Will this committee determine that we’ve already done as much as we can do? Or will you endeavor to do even more?”
While the new amendment will eliminate the current pro-abortion amendment, it would not place a new abortion ban into effect. However, by giving pre-born babies the status of “person,” the amendment could potentially lead courts or lawmakers to treat it that way.
“It could also go further than another proposed amendment that officials have already cleared to appear on the ballot, which would ban abortion except for rape and incest in the first trimester or for ‘medical emergencies’ throughout pregnancy, along with banning taxpayer funding for abortion or youth gender ‘transitions,’” LifeSite News reported.
As it currently stands, twelve states ban all or most abortions. However, the sick and twisted pro-abortion crowd works overtime to preserve access to the barbaric practice, especially through the abortion pill and by allowing people to travel across state lines to obtain one.
Later this year, Virginia voters will also cast ballots on a pro-abortion constitutional amendment, while Nebraska lawmakers still have a potential pro-life amendment pending.
Gun Rights Turncoat John Cornyn Can’t Seal the Deal in the Texas GOP Senate Primary.
In Tuesday’s primary in Texas, Republican voters delivered a stinging slap to long-time incumbent U.S. Senator John Cornyn. Despite drowning in establishment cash, wielding decades of name recognition, and boasting endorsements from the old guard, Cornyn couldn’t seal the deal in the three-way race.
He finished with barely over 40% of the vote, just ahead of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Meanwhile Rep. Wesley Hunt came in a distant third. No outright winner, but the message was clear: Cornyn’s Senate throne, thought to be untouchable, is perilously close to being lost. A May 26 runoff with Paxton now looms as quite possibly his political funeral.
What hurt him most? In addition to his GOPe reputation, his stance on guns has been his Achilles heel. Cornyn’s unforgivable 2022 betrayal of gun owners was top of mind for Texas GOP voters. After Uvalde, he threw in with prominent gun-hater Chris Murphy to co-author the disastrous Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
Virginia House Passes Amended Version of Senate’s ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban
Virginia Democrats continue to advance a number of gun control bills, with the House of Delegates approving an amended version of the Senate’s ban on so-called assault weapons and large capacity magazines on Wednesday.
The major change to the legislation is the new definition of “large capacity” magazines, which is now arbitrarily set at 15 rounds instead of 10. The House version of the gun and magazine ban was also modified in a Senate committee on Wednesday, and it looks to me like the two bills are now compatible with each other, which would avoid the need for a conference committee to negotiate on the final language for the bills once they’ve been approved by both chambers.
The Senate’s vote on HB 217 could come as early as today, and Gov. Abigail Spanberger could conceivably sign the bill into law next week. Interestingly, Spanberger has yet to sign any of the gun control bills that have passed out of the General Assembly, including a gun storage mandate and an expansion of the state’s “red flag” law.
With the legislature set to adjourn on March 14, my guess is that Spanberger will wait until the Democrats entire anti-2A package is ready for her to sign, and then she’ll make a big press event complete with representatives from all the major gun control organizations. So what else is likely to pass between now and next Saturday?
Based on the Virginia Citizens Defense League’s legislation tracker, I think we can expect the following infringements to be enacted into law:
– legislation allowing gun makers, distributors, and sellers to be sued for the actions of criminals under a public nuisance standard and for violating a vague “code of conduct” imposed on the industry.
– a ban on the possession and manufacture of unserialized firearms
– a $500 penalty and the towing of any vehicle where a firearm is left visible inside
– an end to Virginia’s universal reciprocity for concealed carry licenses and a much more restrictive standard put in place by the anti-gun Attorney General
– the creation of the Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention, which will serve as a job placement program for the gun control lobby as well as creating and pushing junk research aimed at promoting gun control efforts.
– turning all state-owned or leased buildings into “gun-free zones”
– a firearm “give back” program allowing people to turn their firearms over to the state police
– a ban on openly carrying most long guns in places open to the public
– creating a new “gun free zone” starting 100 feet outside of any polling place or outside a building where a local electoral board is meeting
– new requirements for mandated concealed carry training courses, including instructor certification by the Department of Criminal Justice Services
Some items, like a proposed “permit-to-purchase,” an 11% excise tax on the sale of firearms and ammunition, and a $500 tax on the sale of suppressors, have been pushed back until 2027, but Democrats haven’t entirely given up on those ideas.
Earlier today I noted the effect that these gun control bills are having on Virginia gun sales, but they’re also having an impact on local politics. On Wednesday the Virginia Citizens Defense League provided an update on the resurgence of the Second Amendment Sanctuary movement in the Commonwealth, and reported there are now 48 localities and sheriffs that have reaffirmed their stances. I’m happy to say that includes my home county. The full list can be found here, and VCDL has also provided links to comments made by some sheriffs, like this from Campbell County Sheriff Whit Clark.
Considering the proposed Virginia Firearms legislation, the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office reaffirms its unwavering support for the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.
The Campbell County Sheriff’s Office will not infringe upon the constitutional rights of citizens to legally possess obtained firearms, magazines, ammunition, or related equipment.
It is the heritage of citizens of Campbell County to bear arms for hunting and sport and to have for their protection for the use for self-defense. The residents of Campbell County are responsible gun owners who value safety, liberty and the rule of law.
As your Sheriff, I remain committed to ensuring public safety while steadfastly defending your constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Our office will continue to serve this community with integrity, respect and dedication.
I’d like to see every sheriff in the Commonwealth go on the record as Clark has, and I encourage Virginia gun owners to reach out to their county supervisors and sheriffs and encourage them to take a public stand in support of our Second Amendment rights and against the flagrant attack on those rights by the Democrat majority in Richmond. We aren’t going to be able to defeat many of these infringements at the statehouse, but we can and will fight them in court… and we can also press our local law enforcement to exercise their discretion not to enforce any laws that trample on our civil liberties.
Change in Ohio law makes murder convictions tougher when self-defense claims used
DAYTON — A 2021 change to Ohio law is making it more difficult for prosecutors to secure murder convictions when a defendant claims self-defense.
As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, the law shifted the burden of proof to the state, requiring prosecutors to prove a defendant did not act in self-defense rather than requiring the defense to prove they did.
The impact of the legal update was recently seen in two Montgomery County murder trials that ended in acquittals for William Pointer and Anthony Perkins.
These cases come as police and prosecutors continue to navigate a system where defendants are now presumed to have acted in self-defense once the claim is raised.
Under the current Ohio statute, a defendant can claim self-defense as long as they were not the initial aggressor.
While the core definition of self-defense remains, the 2021 update changed the legal requirements during a trial.
Previously, defense attorneys carried the burden of proving that their client acted in self-defense, but the law now presumes the defendant acted in self-defense unless the state can prove otherwise.
Des Moines homeowner shoots alleged intruder during late-night break-in
DES MOINES, Iowa —
A 46-year-old woman is facing a felony charge after police say she forced her way into a Union Park home late Saturday night and was shot by the homeowner.
Des Moines police officers were called just before 11 p.m. to a residence in the 1500 block of Guthrie Avenue after a 911 caller reported that an intruder was attacking the homeowner. While officers were en route, the caller told dispatchers that the intruder had been shot.
When officers arrived, they found Stannita Wilson inside the home with multiple gunshot wounds. Officers provided first aid until Des Moines Fire Department rescue personnel arrived and transported Wilson to MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center for treatment.
According to investigators, the homeowner reported hearing someone yelling in the backyard, followed by banging on the back door. When the homeowner unlocked the door, Wilson allegedly forced her way inside and began assaulting the resident.
Police said the homeowner, who was armed with a handgun, shot Wilson during the confrontation.
Wilson’s injuries were described as minor. After being treated and released from the hospital, she was charged with second-degree burglary, a Class C felony.
Police said Wilson was not known to the homeowner. As of Sunday, no charges had been filed against the homeowner.
The incident remains under investigation
Senate Republicans Shoot Down Iran War Powers Resolution
Senate Republicans successfully defeated a vote Wednesday on the Iran War Powers resolution, which would require President Donald Trump to make his case to Congress before taking additional military actions against Iran.
Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine forced the vote on the war powers resolution, which comes after the Senate voted down a similar effort when the U.S. bombed three Iranian nuclear sites last June.
The vote comes as the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran over the weekend, killing its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated by launching missiles at Israel and U.S. military bases in the Middle East.
The motion to advance the resolution out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee failed by a vote of 47-53, according to The Hill.
Arkansas dad on trial for killing daughter’s rapist wins GOP primary for county sheriff
A man who is currently awaiting trial on a murder charge in the death of his daughter’s alleged rapist has now won the Republican primary for county sheriff in Arkansas.
Aaron Spencer bested incumbent John Staley in the Tuesday primary for Lonoke County sheriff. Unofficial results show Spencer received more than 53 percent of the vote, according to the Associated Press.
Spencer is currently awaiting trial in the shooting death of 67-year-old Michael Foster, who had been charged with multiple sexual offenses involving Spencer’s teenage daughter and was out on bond at the time of the killing.
Spencer has pleaded not guilty and is free on bond while awaiting trial. His legal team has not denied that he shot Foster but has argued that Spencer acted within the confines of the law to protect his child. The trial was scheduled for January but was delayed after the presiding judge was removed from the case.
If convicted of the killing, Spencer would be unable to serve as sheriff.
During his campaign, Spencer focused on failures in law enforcement. In a post last month, he said that if elected, he would create a team dedicated to combating sex crimes against children.
In a statement following the primary, Staley said, “Congratulations to Mr. Spencer. Tonight the voters made their decision in the Republican Primary, and I respect the decision.” Staley’s department arrested Spencer in 2024 in connection with the shooting.
Spencer will now face Democratic candidate Brian Mitchell Sr. in the general election. Lonoke County is a heavily Republican county.
In October of 2024, Spencer found his daughter missing from his home and searched for her in his truck, where he found her in the passenger seat of a vehicle that Foster was driving. Spencer allegedly forced Foster off the highway and later called 911 to report he had fired shots.
Iran is a graphic example of why governments want you disarmed. 90 million people with nothing to resist with, ruled by Shia fanatics who kill women for having hair showing. We strike their leadership and now they are dancing in the streets. Never give up your guns.
– Louis vil LeGun
March 5, 2026
Kurds are a people not to be trifled with. They’re tough, and motivated. Salah ad-Din, known to us as Saladin, the conqueror of Jerusalem, was a Kurd.
Ground invasion launched against Iran as thousands of US-backed Kurdish fighters storm border
Thousands of Kurdish fighters have launched a ground invasion in Iran, according to a US official.
The Kurdish militias, based across the border in Iraq, began the offensive in northwestern Iran on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump on Sunday night spoke with the heads of Kurdish militant groups in Iraq to discuss the situation in Iran.
The CIA was exploring plans to arm the Kurdish forces with the aim of sparking a popular uprising, CNN reported Tuesday.
The Kurdish groups are widely seen as the most well-organized faction of the fragmented Iranian opposition and are believed to have thousands of battle-hardened fighters.
Their entry into the war could pose a significant challenge to the besieged authorities in Tehran and could also risk pulling Iraq further into the conflict.
Asked about Kurdish involvement, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters: ‘None of our objectives are premised on the support or the arming of any particular force.
‘So, what other entities may be doing, we’re aware of, but our objectives aren’t centered on that.’
Brandon is an utterly rabid pro-RKBA person who advised if he was made head of ATF, he would – among other antibureaucrap things – institute continuing amnesties for any and all NFA firearms
Gun Rights Activist Brandon Herrera Forces Rep. Gonzales Into Texas GOP Runoff
One of the most closely watched Republican primaries in the country has turned into a political earthquake in South Texas. Gun-rights activist and firearms manufacturer Brandon Herrera has forced incumbent Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) into a runoff election in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, signaling deep dissatisfaction among grassroots conservatives and Second Amendment voters.
With nearly all votes counted in the March 3 Republican primary, Gonzales and Herrera each captured enough of the vote, leaving neither candidate above the 50-percent threshold required to win outright under Texas election law.
The result sends the race to a May 26 runoff, where Republican voters will decide whether to renominate the incumbent or replace him with one of the most recognizable gun-rights voices in the country.
For many gun owners, the race has become a referendum on the direction of the Republican Party—and whether Congress will have members willing to unapologetically defend the Second Amendment.