Democratic Dilemmas, Europe’s Battle Against Christmas, and More Insights

December 23, 2024 TruthUSA

Elex 2024: Democrats in Disarray

According to The Wall Street Journal’s John McCormick, Catherine Lucey & Siobhan Hughes, “challenging days” lie ahead for Democrats as “Donald Trump makes his return to the White House” following the upcoming election in November. “The party has yet to establish a clear message or a prominent spokesperson, leaving the president-elect largely without opposition.” This “confused reaction to Trump is in stark contrast to eight years ago when his unexpected victory spurred Democrats into action.” The upcoming debate over the party’s future “will intensify in January as candidates position themselves” for the Democratic National Committee leadership election. Historically, the DNC has focused on fundraising and party organization, but the new leader may need to assume a more significant role in messaging until more influential figures within the party come forward.

Foreign Desk: Europe’s War on Christmas

The “gradual cancellation” of Christmas in countries such as France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Germany is seen as “perhaps the most concerning indication of the West’s abandonment of its Judeo-Christian cultural heritage,” warns Itxu Díaz at Tablet. “This shift is occurring at all levels, from national governments to local councils, schools, and community groups.” Furthermore, “it is the secularists of the socialist left, masquerading under the guise of ‘inclusivity,’ who are the most fervent in their efforts to strip away Christmas traditions.” Notably, “France, which has the largest population of Arab immigrants in Europe, has been de-Christianizing Christmas for years.” “The primary issue with mass Muslim immigration in the West is their significantly low rates of assimilation into local cultures. More troubling is the determination of native leaders to deny their own identity.”

Media Watch: No Justice for Duke Lacrosse Players

Crystal Mangum’s delayed acknowledgement that she fabricated her claims of being raped by three Duke lacrosse players has become “at best, a one-day story,” argues City Journal’s Harry Stein. However, “the media coverage offered no hint of the significance of the Duke case at the time” and how it highlighted deep societal divides along racial and economic lines. The Duke lacrosse incident from 2006 foreshadowed “the decay at the core of two vital American institutions — academia and journalism.” The press clung to “the narrative of a poor black woman raped by entitled white athletes,” remaining steadfast despite “growing evidence contradicting this version of events.” Today, “the media still refuse to confront their significant errors, let alone issue apologies.”

Libertarian: Even More MIA Than Joe

Discussions surrounding last week’s budget bill negotiations might lead one to believe that President-elect Donald Trump “had already been sworn in,” given how his “last-minute demands” significantly influenced the proceedings, observes Reason’s Eric Boehm. In stark contrast, President Biden “was glaringly absent.” While it’s typical for outgoing presidents to wield minimal influence over congressional actions, Biden’s departure is marked by a “whimper” in his final legislative struggle. This conclusion seems fitting for a year that has exposed his age and mental condition as factors leading him towards retirement. However, “even more out of the picture than Biden” has been outgoing Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), who not only “failed to vote on the continuing resolution” last Friday but “has been absent from any votes for several months, as she has reportedly been residing in a memory care and assisted living facility.”