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Now, let’s get to your questions (and my answers):

Sir Bernie, As evidenced in this video, some progressive pundits claim that the U.S. embargo on Cuba is what’s causing these protests by the Cuban people. Do you think this is true? What are your thoughts on this? –“End The Embargo” Regards from The Emperor 

What’s causing the protests is that the Cuban people are losing their fear of the dictatorship. It takes a great deal of courage to protest against people with guns. As for the embargo, it hasn’t done much good to get rid of the bad guys, has it?

I don’t know if you have been following much this walk-out of the legislative session by Texas Democrats due to new voting legislation under consideration. What is your opinion of this tactic – brave and gutsy move by the minority party or a spineless dereliction of duty? How do you think this will end – Will Dems stay gone long enough to wait out this session until August 2022? They certainly have the monetary backing to do so with the wealthy-white-privileged-empty-golf-shirt known as Beto O’Rourke providing funding. How will this play regionally and nationally in the 2022 mid-terms? — Steve R.

Taking off for DC doesn’t help the Democrats in Texas — or anyplace else. Sooner or later they’ll be back home and even if the governor has to call a special session of the legislature, the vote on the new voting law will proceed — and will pass. My main thought, Steve is this: If they were Republicans and flew on a private jet … without masks … and several of them came down with COVID … and they could have exposed the VP to the virus … the media would be all over the story and play it just the way you think they’d play it. And when someone calls them on their bias, they dismiss it. And their approval numbers continue to plummet.

I equate Biden winning fair and square with the earth being flat. We have seen these people in action for many years, why would you be surprised by anything they do? Need hard proof? I watched it happen right before my eyes. The FBI? Don’t make me laugh. I have also witnessed their selective adherence to law and order and have come away far less than impressed. Love you Bernie but you are not being fair. — Thomas C.

You can deny the obvious all you want, Thomas. But Trump lost and Biden won, and it wasn’t because the Democrats cheated. If there was proof of that, Trump’s lawyers wouldn’t have lost more than 60 times in various courtrooms in front of judges appointed by both Democrats and Republicans. Were there some shenanigans? Probably. But not enough to throw the election. But if it makes you feel better thinking Trump got robbed, that’s your choice. It’s a free country. But I’m guessing you don’t buy that either.

Bernie, I want to encourage you and others to read Dr. Steven Koonin’s book, “Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, And Why It Matters.” Pretty darn interesting, especially when the President, the EU, world leaders, and others are using the phrase “existential threat” with frequency and planning to act on that, and yet the technical reports prepared and reviewed by scientists do not (remotely) make that forecast.

Recently, Angela Merkel said that the heavy rains in her country are due to “climate change,” but Koonin points out several times, with numerous supporting citations, that all recent weather events are within the past historical variations. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (“IPCC”), through it’s most recent Assessment Report (AR5) and the U.S. Government’s National Climate Assessment 2018 indicate, using 20 economic analyses of worst-case scenario RCP8.5 in climate models (40 models) forecast >3% economic impact in 2100 – the US is forecast to grow at 2.00%/yr. and the worst-case climate change scenario would cause that growth, on average, to reduce to 1.96%/yr. Does that seem to be ‘existential’? The EU just heralded a proposal in which import tariffs on goods will be imposed on countries not meeting specific CO2 emission targets set by the EU. The Biden Adm. is preparing multi-trillion-dollar spending programs to address this ‘existential threat’ of -0.04% GDP annually. Is it worse that human’s contribution of CO2 grow from 0.043% (0.00043) to 0.056% of greenhouse gases, or to have multi-trillion-dollar programs implemented based on wild speculation (note: models’ accuracy ratings by IPCC and UD Gov = low confidence, and model uncertainty ranges from 17% to 83%)? Koonin is not some right-wing denier, he was Obama’s chief scientist in the Dept. of Energy after spending 20 years at Cal Tech and a stint at BP. We are betting a lot of money on who knows what! (apologies for the length) — DonEstif

They call it an “existential threat” either because they honestly believe the world will end if we don’t act right now on climate issues … or they use that term because it scares people and they can get tax dollars for the green world they dream about. In some cases, it’s both. But politicians often buy into issues simply because they think it’s a good political move. Too bad we don’t have journalists who’ve done as much research as you, Don.

Under your Monday column, a longtime commenter on your website (others pointed out that he’s been here 10 years) concluded that you — Bernard Goldberg — “seem to assume that the Mainstream Media are entirely objective”.

In reality, you’ve been one of the country’s top alarm-sounders and consummate critics of mainstream media bias for over 20 years (books, television, columns, radio, etc). Does it ever get you down that in today’s crazily tribal political environment, people manage to memory-hole literally everything you’ve ever said about the “other side” the very moment you say something critical about someone on “their side” (which in this case was Fox News)? –Jen R.

Thanks for asking, Jen. It used to bother me more than it does now. I used to have more faith in people who read columns about the media, politics and the culture generally. But over time I’ve come to understand that some people only want their side represented … and if I acknowledge that the other side may have a point, I suddenly become a “typical liberal.” It’s hard to take stuff like that seriously. In the example you mentioned, I never said anything that would lead a reasonable person to conclude that I assumed that the mainstream media are “entirely objective.” So his observation doesn’t really bring me down. It does make me shake my head and then … simply move on.

While Tucker Carlson continues to give anti-vaccine conspiracy theories a platform on his show, I noticed this week that other Fox News commentators including Sean Hannity and Steve Doocy have suddenly gotten VERY pro-vaccine in their rhetoric, actually PLEADING with Fox viewers to get vaccinated. I don’t think either of those guys were ever necessarily “anti-vaccine,” but they’re now taking on a pro-vaccine advocacy role, which was quite a change. GOP leaders including Mitch McConnell and Steve Scalise have started doing it as well (this after Scalise had been holding off on getting the vaccine himself for quite some time). Do you think these people are having a Come to Jesus moment in that they’ve realized that rhetoric on their side of the room has contributed to a lot of Americans not getting vaccinated (and suffering because of it)? — Ben G.

Maybe … but a wise man once said: The answer to all questions is money. So, I’m thinking there’s a ratings angle someplace in here. I hate to be cynical but that’s what cable news people do to me.

What are your thoughts on Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk taking a lot of criticism from the left for spending their and their corporations’ money on space travel as opposed to earthly aid type issues like poverty, cancer research, etc? Personally, I’m all for people spending their money however they want to, as long as it’s not MY money. But the left also seems to forget that these individuals and companies also dedicate a lot of money to the very issues they’re talking about. — Alex D.

I’m with you, Alex. It’s their money so they can do whatever they want with it. And you’re right when you say they also spend money on things the left likes. I’m sure they give a lot of money to worthy charitable causes. The left isn’t happy unless we’re all making decisions based on what they think is right.

Bernie, I’m on vacation at the moment, and am too busy turning heads on beaches to come up with one of my trademark brilliant questions. So, I’m going with this one today: What’s the song that you’re most embarrassed to admit that you really like? — John D.

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow by the Shirlelles. I’m well aware that it’s a “chick song” but I love the arrangement and the strings — the work of Carole King and Jerry Goffin. There I said it. And if I get heat for admitting it, I’ll kick your ass to prove I’m not a girly man.

Thanks, everyone! You can send me questions for next week using the form below! You can also read previous Q&A sessions by clicking here.

In today’s Off the Cuff audio commentary, I look at an idea to end racism by making pretty much everything about race.

You can listen to it by clicking on the play (arrow) button below.

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How many examples could one give to show what a sick world left-wing activists, the media and the Democrats — the left’s political party — have wrought? The number is equal to the number of policies they advocate.

There is no more obvious example than their position on the display of a penis in front of girls and women.

No issue — with the possible exceptions of defunding police departments as murders increase and biological men competing in women’s sports — better reveals the moral and rational decline of an individual or institution. If anyone you care about defends a person’s right to display their penis in front of a group of girls and women, my heart goes out to you. It is very painful to lose respect for a loved one.

Within the lifetime of even the youngest person reading this column, exposing the male organ to strangers, especially women and girls, was considered sick and criminal. Men who did it were arrested and charged with indecent exposure, and rightly so. In the span of a few years, thanks to the schools people still send their children to, and thanks to the media people still watch, listen to and read, exposing one’s penis is to be considered wholesome and not only legal but a fundamental civil right.

A couple of weeks ago at a spa in Los Angeles, a biological man walked into a women’s changing area completely naked. Needless to say, the girls and women were shocked to see this naked man, but thanks to progressive politicians in California, if a man says he is a woman, this individual can go to any place heretofore reserved to women.

Women’s colleges, for example, must accept anyone who claims to be a woman. But to show how intellectually dishonest progressives and women’s colleges are, if a female student at a women’s college decides she is a man, she/he is allowed to remain a student there. Either they do not believe that a girl who transitions to a male is really a male or they no longer believe they are a women’s college.

A Los Angeles Times editorial defending the right of the biological man to expose his penis to girls and women illustrates the intellectual and moral state of the left.

Take, for example, this sentence from the editorial:

“There is no doubt that Wi Spa did the right thing in defending the right of a transgender customer to be nude in the women’s area, even though the sight of male-appearing genitalia discomfited at least one female customer, who complained at the front desk.”

Note the Los Angeles Times’ way of describing a penis: “male-appearing genitalia,” not “male genitalia.”

Regarding the discomfort of any of the girls or women at the spa, the Times editorial simply dismissed it: “No one has an absolute right to feel comfortable all the time.” However, that is not the position of the Los Angeles Times or the rest of the left regarding transgender people. The left emphatically insists that trans people have an absolute right to feel comfortable all the time.

But they don’t. A man who identifies as a woman yet retains male genitalia may have a legal right, but not a moral right, to display those genitalia in front of women.

A man who identifies as a man and exposes himself to a woman, let alone to a group of women and girls, is deemed sick and arrested. But, according to the left, a man who says he is a woman and does the exact same thing — with the exact same disturbing effect on women, let alone girls — is to be given universal support. In fact, however, this individual is the apotheosis of narcissism. And is still a man: As one woman pointed out to me, his engaging in such behavior is demonstrative proof that he is still a man (one with an exhibitionist streak). Women don’t expose themselves like that.

Meanwhile, members of antifa, the closest thing America has to the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth), attacked the woman who led the demonstration against the Wi Spa.

Such is the state of America and the West in the year 2021.

When the right of a man — regardless of whether he identifies as a woman — to expose his penis to girls supersedes society’s obligation to protect girls’ innocence and most women’s sense of decency, we have reached a new low.

For those who believe that mankind inexorably heads in a moral direction, the left’s attacks on Western culture, Western norms, freedom of speech, objective truth and Judeo-Christian values should serve as a disturbing wake-up call.

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and columnist. His latest book, published by Regnery in May 2019, is “The Rational Bible,” a commentary on the book of Genesis. His film, “No Safe Spaces,” was released to home entertainment nationwide on September 15, 2020. He is the founder of Prager University and may be contacted at dennisprager.com.

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Last Updated: Monday, Jul 19, 2021 17:29:01 -0700

Right after he was elected president, I made a prediction. I said that for the next four years – or however long Joe Biden was president – you wouldn’t hear even one good word him about from the opinion talking heads on Fox News. Not one good word no matter what he did.

Yogi Berra allegedly said that predictions are hard, especially when they’re about the future. But this one wasn’t hard at all. It was quite easy. Because if you know anything about how cable news operates, you understand that the way they make money – both liberal and conservative channels – is to give the audience what it wants to hear. Don’t do anything risky like expose the viewers to ideas they may disagree with. Pandering is the way to grow the bottom line. Throw red meat to the people watching, feed their biases, support their values, and entice them to come back for more.

So saying anything good about President Biden on Fox would go against the business model, which is not a good idea if you care about ratings and your job. And for the record, it was the same at the liberal channels during Donald Trump’s time in the White House. Bashing him was good for business.

No one paying attention would dispute the obvious — that we’re living in hyper-polarized times. And cable news is a major reason. Every night the hosts pour gasoline on the fire, because dividing the American people is what brings in money. If that sounds simple, it’s because it is.

We’ve heard a lot about Trump Derangement Syndrome – a malady suffered by liberals and progressives who hyperventilate at the mere mention of his name. Lance Morrow, the perceptive essayist, has written about the people who despise Trump. “Hating Mr. Trump and his followers dramatizes one’s own virtue,” he says. “It makes elites feel good about themselves in the way, classically, that poor whites in the South were able to feel better about their own lot by despising and discriminating against black people. Progressives think that hating not only Mr. Trump but all conservatives settles their debts and cleanses them of sin. It gives them a certain moral luster.”

Every word rings true. But there is a kind of psychological disorder to be found among his most loyal supporters too. They believe what most people rightly find unbelievable. Their reality isn’t the reality of most of Americans.

Which brings us to new poll by Morning Consult about the events of January 6, 2021 at the Capitol. Six months later, only 30 percent of registered Republican voters blame Donald Trump for the riot that occurred that day. They are, I suspect, the same people who get their “news” from conservatives on cable TV. But there’s more. Forty-one percent blame … Joe Biden. Yes, more GOP voters blame Joe Biden for what happened that day then blame Donald Trump, who spent an hour riling up his loyal fans, some of whom then invaded the Capitol.

Whether a GOP voter thinks Donald Trump stirred up the crowd and bears some responsibility is one thing, but blaming Joe Biden is quite another. This goes way beyond normal partisan politics. This is just plain crazy.

How is Joe Biden responsible for the riot, or insurrection, or whatever else you want to call it? Could it be because he won the election? Maybe. I mean, if he didn’t have the audacity to actually beat Donald Trump, there would have been no mayhem at the Capitol on January 6.

But did Joe Biden really win? Not if you ask Republicans. A poll by Reuters/Ipsos taken in mid-May found that 53 percent of Republicans don’t believe that Biden won fair and square. Instead they believe Donald Trump is the “true president” — compared with 3 percent of Democrats who somehow believe that and 25 percent of all Americans.

Want more proof that Trump’s most passionate supporters don’t share the same reality as most Americans?

Another poll, this one taken in late May by Yahoo News/YouGov found that 73 percent of Republicans pin “some” or “a great deal” of blame for what happened on January 6 on “left-wing protesters trying to make Trump look bad” – this even though there’s no evidence to back up that belief and that both the FBI and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy rejected the idea that left wing protesters were to blame for what happened that day.

As for the future: If you listen to conservative pundits you’d have every right to believe that the GOP will win big in next year’s midterm elections – and not only because a new president’s party almost always loses seats in Congress during the first midterm election.

This time around, Democrats have a surging crime rate in cities run by their fellow Democrats, the mess on our southern border and looming inflation hanging around their necks. So the wishful political thinking you hear coming from conservative media may in fact become reality next fall.

But there’s a wild card out there and surprise, surprise … it’s Donald Trump. If at his rallies this summer – and in his interviews with supposed journalists posing as potted plants on Fox — he continues to say that he really won, if he continues to look back instead of forward, there’s a chance that swing voters, independents and even some moderate Republicans might want to distance themselves from a party whose nominal leader — and many of his supporters — suffer from political delusion.

A lot can happen between now and November 2022. Crime may drop. The border may not look so bad. Inflation may not develop or only be transitory. All that would help Democrats. And remember, Donald Trump managed to pull off a political hat trick during his four years as president: He lost the House during his presidency, the Senate and the White House too. He and his ego are more than capable of causing still more trouble for the GOP next year.

There’s another quote attributed to Yogi Berra that confident conservatives on TV, the ones who are already predicting a huge GOP victory next year, might want to consider. “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”

President Biden seems to be a “welcoming” kind of guy.  Especially to folks who want to live in the United States without legal credentials.  While President Obama deported tens of thousands of foreign nationals, and President Trump shut down many immigration scams, Joe Biden has thrown the southern border wide open:  hola, amigos!

Let’s examine some facts that rolled in a few days ago.  The Customs and Border Protection Agency reports 1.1 million “apprehensions” in the first nine months of the federal government’s fiscal year. According to The Washington Post, which is somewhat shockingly covering the story, the last time a million migrants were detained was in 2006, and that was for the ENTIRE year.  Under Biden, apprehensions could reach 1.5 million this fiscal year, which would be a record number by far.

The acting commissioner of border protection, Troy Miller, told the Post: “We are in the hottest part of the summer and we are seeing a high number of distress calls from migrants abandoned in treacherous country by smugglers with no regard for human life.”

Of course, American agents rescue migrants even if they are in Mexico.  They are treated by US medical personnel, as they should be.  You don’t let human beings die.

However, they shouldn’t be in jeopardy in the first place.  But they are because President Biden dismantled the Trump “remain in Mexico” policy, effectively opening the border to anyone who desired asylum, as tens of millions all over the world do.  That enormous mistake has provided incentive to the poor and aggrieved to make the dangerous trek north.

Now, poor people are dying every day. And thousands of others are being horribly assaulted in lawless Mexico.  And what does Biden say?  Nothing.  Does he even understand what’s happening? 

Vice President Harris was put in charge of this humanitarian disaster, so what does she say?  “Don’t come.”  That’s what she said knowing full well her boss has wrecked border security.

What does Speaker Pelosi say?  Nothing. How about the lapdog White House press corps?  Are they peppering Jen Psaki with border questions?  No, they are not.

What a disgrace across the board.  What a colossal dereliction of duty by President Biden.  It’s almost impossible to believe that any president would eliminate a border strategy that was working simply because far left kooks demanded it.

Biden is directly responsible for this horrible situation, just as he’ll be directly responsible for the painful economy which is coming soon to your house.

The truth is this guy in the White House is brutal. Just like the border policy he imposed and now ignores.  Please pray for the suffering migrants.