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    The Most Patriotic Christmases in American History

      By
      Madeleine Jackson
      -
      0
      Ted Eytan from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

      Now Christmas Day is usually spent with family and friends around a beautiful tree but in a not-so-distant past, the events that took place on December 25th were pivotal to shaping our nation.

      These are some of the defining moments in American history that happened on Christmas Day.

      1776 – Washington Crosses the Delaware

      Emanuel Leutze via Wikimedia Commons

      After a series of defeats, the Continental Army stood on the verge of losing the Revolutionary War. On Christmas night 1776, General George Washington led 2,400 troops across the frozen Delaware River, in a desperate attack against the Hessian garrison in Trenton, New Jersey. Washington’s surprise attack led to a decisive victory that changed the war’s course.

      1814 – The Treaty of Ghent Ends the War of 1812

      Edward Percy Moran via Wikimedia Commons

      After four months of negotiations in Ghent, Belgium, the United States, and Great Britain came to an agreement on Christmas Eve to end the thirty-two-month struggle between the two nations. Historians consider the war a draw, with both countries surrendering territories they conquered.

      1836 – Alabama Declares Christmas a Legal Holiday

      Noah Wulf via Wikimedia Commons

      The 22nd state became the first in the nation to officially recognize Christmas as a holiday, which wouldn’t become a federal holiday until 1870.

      1896 – John Philip Sousa Writes “Stars and Stripes Forever”

      The Phonogram, ed. Virginia McRae via Wikimedia Commons

      John Philip Sousa, legendary director of the U.S. Marine Band, composed “Stars and Stripes Forever” on Christmas Day during a return trip from Europe across the Atlantic Ocean. His homesickness inspired the patriotic march, which became the official National March of the United States of America in 1987.

      1944 – General Patton Prays for Deliverance

      U.S. ARMY PHOTO via Wikimedia Commons

      As Gen. George S. Patton’s army attempted to relieve encircled U.S. forces in the Battle of the Bulge, wintry weather swept across Europe. Conditions were so bad that they threatened his timetable. Patton contacted James H. O’Neill, the Head Chaplain of the Third Army to deliver a prayer for good weather. O’Neill wrote a prayer, which went to every soldier in Patton’s Third Army. The next day the weather cleared for six straight days, allowing the Allies to deliver a knockout blow. On Christmas Eve, Patton pinned O’Neill with the Bronze Star Medal.

      1968 – Apollo 8 Orbits the Moon

      Project Apollo Archive via Wikimedia Commons

      In one of the most-watched events in television history, the astronauts of Apollo 8 became the first men to orbit the moon and view the Earth from the natural satellite’s dark side on Christmas Eve. As the nation watched the otherworldly images from their spacecraft with rapt attention, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders read lines from the Bible’s Book of Genesis.

      The trio capped off their oration with the now-famous line: “Merry Christmas and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth.”

      CNN Boss Says This Caught Him Off Guard

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
        -
        0
        CNN Headquarters via Wikimedia Commons

        CNN boss Chris Licht recently told The New York Times that he was caught off guard by the amount of vitriol he’s faced from the left over his effort to steer the network away from its hyper-partisan image.

        Read the Manliest Christmas Card Ever, Courtesy of General Patton

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
        -
        6
        no data, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

        The Christmas season brings together family and friends to share memories of seasons past and discuss the true meaning of the holiday.

        One little-known moment in America’s history is worth sharing with friends this Christmas season…

        During a decisive point during the Battle of the Bulge, General George S. Patton’s Third Army became bogged down in its drive to relieve the legendary 101st Airborne Division trapped at Bastogne, Belgium. 

        The besieged Americans has just successfully defended the vital crossroads town from a German force that outnumbered them by nine-to-one but frigid winter conditions had grounded the Allied air force, neutralizing their advantage in the air and leaving Americans at severe risk.

        With little hope of survival left Patton turned to his faith and requested Rev. Msgr. James Hugh O’Neill, chaplain of the Third Army, compose what became known as the “Weather Prayer.” 

        Here’s what it said:

        “Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies, and establish Thy justice among men and nations. Amen.” 

        On the reverse side of the prayer card distributed to every GI under his command, Patton wrote:

        “To each officer and soldier in the Third United States Army, I wish a Merry Christmas. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. We march in our might to complete victory. May God’s blessings rest upon each of you on this Christmas Day. — G.S. Patton, Jr., Lieutenant General, Commanding, Third United States Army.”

        A Christmas miracle brought clear skies the next day and American ground attack aircraft decimated the Nazis’ armored spearheads and the rest was history…

        Best Homemade Christmas Eggnog: An Incredibly Easy Recipe That Works for All

          By
          Madeleine Jackson
          -
          0
          Eggnog via Pixabay images

          Christmas and the holiday season are about friends, family and nostalgia, and nothing is more nostalgic than eggnog. It is comforting, it is soothing, it is creamy and it is boozy.

          This recipe uses bourbon, but feel free to use any dark liquor like rum or brandy. It can also be prepared two ways, cooked and uncooked.

          INGREDIENTS:

          8 Egg Yolks

          8 egg whites*

          ⅔ cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons

          4 cups whole milk

          4 cups heavy cream

          6 ounces of bourbon, plus more to taste, let’s be honest

          2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg

          1 tablespoon vanilla

          ½ teaspoon salt

          DIRECTIONS (Uncooked):

          1. In a bowl or stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they come together. Once combined add in sugar and beat until completely dissolved. Once dissolved, add in the milk, cream, bourbon, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt, and stir to combine.
          2. Place egg whites in a bowl or stand mixer and beat until soft peaks form. Once the soft peaks form add in the 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
          3. Whisk egg whites into the mixture.
          4. Chill in a big mason jar and serve.

          Directions (Cooked):

          1. In a bowl or stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they come together. Once combined add in sugar and beat until completely dissolved.
          2. In a large saucepan, over high heat, combine milk, cream, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla and bring to a boil stirring occasionally.
          3. Remove mixture from heat and temper in egg and sugar mixture. (This is done by slowly adding the hot mixture into the bowl with the eggs and sugar while whisking,)
          4. Return mixture to saucepan and cook until mixture reaches 160 degrees F.
          5. Remove from heat, stir in bourbon, and pour into a mixing bowl. Set in the refrigerator to chill.
          6. Place egg whites in a bowl or stand mixer and beat until soft peaks form. Once the soft peaks form add in the 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
          7. Whisk egg whites into the chilled mixture.

          ENJOY!

          Boebert Says She Won’t Support McCarthy Speaker Bid Without This

          By
          Madeleine Jackson
          -
          15
          Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

          Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert is on the fence about supporting Kevin McCarthy but one condition could push her over the edge.

          Boebert, who recently won a razor-thin re-election bid, says that she will only support the California Republican if there is a mechanism to easily remove him from the top post.

          According to The Hill, while at a Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix, Boebert said, “We have to have an accountability mechanism on the Speaker of the House.”

          “This is third in command for the presidency of the United States of American,” she said in an interview with “Real America’s Voice,” a conservative channel. “And we are going to strip away the one check-and-balance that members of Congress have?”

          Some House Republicans have expressed the desire for any lawmaker to call a motion to vacate the Speaker chair to make it easier to remove someone from the leadership post.

          Earlier this month, House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Scott Perry along with six other Republicans released a list of conditions for the next Speaker.

          The requests in the letter include:

          • Restore any member’s ability to make a “Motion to Vacate the Chair” and force a vote on removing the Speaker. Former Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), a founding Freedom Caucus member, helped propel former Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) toward retirement by making a motion to vacate the chair in 2015.
          • Require at least 72 hours from release of final bill text before it gets a vote on the House floor.
          • Bar House GOP leadership and leadership-affiliated PACs from getting involved in primaries. The McCarthy-aligned Congressional Leadership Fund was active in many House primaries boosting McCarthy-friendly candidates in the 2022 cycle.
          • Increase the number of Freedom Caucus members in committee chairmanships and on the House Rules Committee.
          • Decline to raise debt ceiling without a plan to cap spending and balance the federal budget in 10 years.
          • Do not “return to the blind embrace of earmarks.” The practice of directing federal spending to a specific recipient or project was brought back in this Congress as “community project funding” after a decadelong ban. The House Republican Conference last month overwhelmingly voted against an internal proposal to ban the practice.
          • Use “must-pass” bills like the annual defense authorization bill and the farm bill as leverage to secure conservative priorities and “check the Biden administration.”
          • Create a “Church Committee”-style panel to target “weaponized government.” While McCarthy and House Republicans have promised extensive investigations into the Biden administration and alleged politicization of federal agencies, some, like Roy, think the plans do not go far enough.

          “Negotiations after that are just a wish list,” she said. “There’s no accountability attached to the promises.”

          January 6th Panel Votes to Recommend DOJ Prosecute Trump

          By
          Madeleine Jackson
          -
          17
          Gage Skidmore Flickr

          On Monday, the House Select Committee investigating the events surrounding the January 6th, 2021 Capitol riot voted to recommend the Department of Justice criminally prosecute former President Donald Trump.

          The committee voted 9-0.

          According to Fox News, the first referral recommended by the committee is for Trump’s obstruction an official proceeding of Congress. The committee will also refer Trump to DOJ for conspiracy to defraud the federal government, making a false statement and inciting, assisting, or aiding and comforting an insurrection.

          In what is expected to be its final meeting on Monday, the House Select Committee to Investigate January 6 said it will formally ask the DOJ to pursue charges after a nearly 18-month probe into the former president’s involvement in the activities that lead to the Capitol breach on January 6, 2021.

          The committee’s unprecedented criminal referral holds no official legal weight, and a final determination in whether to pursue the charges will be up to Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Justice Department.

          At Monday’s meeting, the committee’s members, seven Democrats and two anti-Trump Republicans, each presented a portion of their findings against Trump before taking the vote to issue criminal referrals. 

          The committee will also refer four Republican members of Congress to the House Committee on Ethics for defying the committee’s subpoenas. One of the Republicans who defied their subpoena was then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, (R-Calif.)

          The committee also subpoenaed:

          • Jim Jordan, R-Ohio
          • Mo Brooks, R-Ala.
          • Scott Perry, R-Pa.
          • Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.

          According to The Hill, It’s unclear if the Ethics panel will launch an investigation based on the select committee’s new recommendations. Unlike most other standing committees, membership on the Ethics panel is evenly divided between the parties. And the committee strives — at least rhetorically — to avoid the divisive partisan politicking that practically defines some of the other panels. 

          Yet with just weeks left in the 117th Congress, there’s a small and closing window for the committee to launch any new probes while Democrats are still in the House majority. And it’s unlikely that a GOP-led Ethics Committee would take the remarkable step of investigating the role of sitting Republicans in an event as polarizing as the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. 

          Texas Democrat Snaps on Biden Over Border

            By
            Madeleine Jackson
            -
            12
            Joe Biden via Gage Skidmore Flickr

            Even Democrats say it’s time for Biden to address the crisis at the border.

            Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar strongly criticized the Biden administration’s lack of action at the border, especially as Title 42 is set to expire soon.

            During an interview with CNN anchor Kaitlin Collins, Rep. Cuellar was asked what the effect of rescinding Title 42

            The congressman responded bluntly, stating, “Communities are going to be overwhelmed, not only El Paso. We’ve seen that in the past with the Rio Grande Valley, we’ve seen it in Eagle Pass and Del Rio. They’re going to be overwhelmed. There are just not enough shelters and border processing centers to handle the large numbers of people.”

            Cuellar insisted on treating migrants with compassion but was adamant that we “have to secure the border.” He said, “We can do two things at the same time. We can provide a compassionate way of treating the immigrants that are trying to come in. But at the same time we have to secure the border.”

            He added, “Because the only thing the border control is doing is processing a lot of them to come into the U.S. and then returning some of them under Title 42. If Title 42 goes away, this is going to open up a large number of people coming to border communities.”

            Cuellar urged the president to listen to people who understand the concerns of the local communities rather than just “immigration activists.” He said, “Look, it’s okay to listen to immigration activists. It’s okay to do that. That’s one perspective. But who is listening to the men and women in green and blue and more importantly, who is listening to our border communities?”

            He continued, “I don’t know why they keep avoiding the border and saying there’s other things more important than visiting the border. If there’s a crisis, show up. Just show up!”

            The lawmaker added, “Just showing up at the border would send a strong signal to the communities that he’s there, he cares about the border communities. Just show up. It doesn’t take much to just show up at the border.”

            Amanda Head: Meet the Woman Dismantling the Child Gender Ideology Movement

              By
              Amanda Head
              -
              2

              It’s time to fight back.

              Unhinged liberals refuse to consider the detrimental side effects for children who undergo irreversible gender transition surgeries and medications.

              Watch Amanda below:

              Debunked: ‘Twitter Files’ Expose Plot to Suppress Conservatives

                By
                Madeleine Jackson
                -
                1
                Photo via Pixabay images

                Conservative Twitter users have finally been vindicated.

                Thursday night, former New York Times columnist Bari Weiss released the second installment of the “Twitter files,” Elon Musk’s purging of Twitter’s private failures in hopes of rebuilding trust in the platforms.

                Throughout the Twitter thread, Weiss revealed how the platform previously sought to silence and suppress some conservative users and accounts by placing them on “blacklists” and flagging particular information.

                Images appeared to show that several of the accounts had been flagged with “Recent Abuse Strike” and that more basic information, such as when the accounts were “Twitter Blue Verified” or “High Profile,” had also been noted.

                Jay Bhattacharya, a health policy professor from Stanford University who opposed COVID-19 lockdowns, appeared to have been placed on a “Trends Blacklist,” as was the right-wing Libs of TikTok account, according to the photos.

                The account of conservative commentator Dan Bongino was placed on a “Search Blacklist,” while the photos showed Turning Point USA President Charlie Kirk had his account marked as “Do Not Amplify.”

                Weiss also noted that Twitter previously denied depressing particular accounts. In 2018, Twitter’s then-Head of Legal Policy and Trust, Vijaya Gadde, along with then-Head of Product, Kayvon Beykpour said, “We do not shadow ban.” They added: “And we certainly don’t shadow ban based on political viewpoints or ideology.”

                Thursday evening, Musk responded to users’ concerns and said he plans to release a new feature to combat “shadowban” concerns.

                “Twitter is working on a software update that will show your true account status, so you know clearly if you’ve been shadowbanned, the reason why and how to appeal,” Musk tweeted.

                “Most engineers don’t feel strongly about politics, but do want to work with other great engineers,” Musk added. “Silicon Valley has world’s best engineering talent, but is co-located with San Francisco, which is far left. Thus, far left gained control of an incredibly powerful info weapon.”

                Musk also responded to a question about whether “any political candidates — either in the US or elsewhere — [were] subject to shadowbanning while they were running for office or seeking re-election” by answering, “Yes.”

                These 5 Republicans are Refusing to Back McCarthy for Speaker

                  By
                  Madeleine Jackson
                  -
                  13
                  House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy delivers remarks at the 2021 Capitol Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in Washington DC, December 1, 2021. USDA Forest Service photo by Tanya E. Flores.

                  Current House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is facing unexpected pushback as he seeks to become House Speaker when Republicans officially re-take control of Congress in January.

                  So far, five Republican lawmakers have publicly announced they do not plan to support McCarthy’s campaign to become Speaker and he will need every vote he can get with Republicans holding a smaller-than-expected majority.

                  The GOP is expected to wind up with a 222-seat majority in January, compared to an estimated 213 seats for Democrats. If all 435 members of the House are present and voting for speaker in January, McCarthy can lose no more than four Republican votes. 

                  These are the 5 Republicans jeopardizing McCarthy’s rise to the Speaker’s podium:

                  Rep. Matt Gaetz

                  Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz via Gage Skidmore Flickr

                  “House Republicans need a leader with credibility across every spectrum of the GOP conference in order to be a capable fighting force for the American people,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL). “That person is not Kevin McCarthy.” 

                  Rep. Andy Biggs

                  Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

                  Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs initially cast doubt on McCarthy’s bid for Speaker after Republicans saw lackluster midterm results. The House Freedom Caucus chairman is now directly challenging McCarthy to become Speaker himself.

                  “I think we need to have a real discussion about whether he should be the speaker or not,” Biggs told reporters the Thursday after Election Day.

                  “I think that his statement recently that we shouldn’t impeach Secretary Mayorkas indicates that maybe we’re not going to be as aggressive going forward as we should be. I think we need to have a very positive statement of what we’re going to accomplish and do, and I haven’t seen that yet,” he added. “That’s — those are things that I think we should have a very frank discussion internally about, where we’re going to be going forward.”

                  Rep. Matt Rosendale

                  Montana Rep. Matt Rosendale has also expressed his doubts over McCarthy’s potential Speakership but hasn’t ruled out voting for him or for Rep. Biggs.

                  “Each member of Congress has earned and deserves equal participation in the legislative process,” said Rosendale. 

                  Rep. Matt Rosendale

                  The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

                  South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman has also made it clear he won’t be casting his vote for McCarthy regardless of any concession the California lawmaker plans to make.

                  “I’m not going to support Kevin McCarthy,” Norman told Just the News. “Washington is broken. There’s a cancer in this country, and it can’t be fixed with aspirin. It’s called overspending. When you’re bankrupt, you can’t function as a country.”

                  Rep. Bob Good

                  House Creative Committee, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

                  Virginia Rep. Bob Good also signaled he will take a hard stance against McCarthy this January.

                  “I believe we have at least a dozen or so that are strong, courageous, that will do what needs to be done on the House floor to ensure that we get an improvement in the speaker situation,” Rep. Good said to the “John Fredericks Show.”

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