Bob’s Hailstone 07-25-25

The Sins of Hoaxes Past and Hypocrites Present

Bob’s Hailstone 07-25-25
The Sins of Hoaxes Past and Hypocrites Present

By Jim Reynolds | www.reynolds.com

Grook
In the swamp of lies where elites play god,
Hoaxes bloom like weeds, unpunished and odd.

Progressives preach change but cling to the rot,
While truth’s crow caws loud: “Connect the damn dots.”

Unifying Introduction

Today’s news feels like a reckoning with old ghosts—the Russia hoax’s tentacles still writhing, progressives rebranding their stagnation, and extremists masquerading as activists while the unpunished elite dodge accountability yet again. From Gabbard’s declassifications exposing Obama-era intel manipulations to Democrats demanding autopsies on their own flops, it’s a day of receipt-holding: sins of the 2017 ICA, fentanyl flows from China, and AI leadership under Trump all underscore a nation grappling with narrative loyalty over truth. Bob sees the con clear as day—the laptop class preaching virtue while burying their messes—but there’s grit in the pushback, reminding us sanity over dogma is the real fight. No apologies; let’s dive in.

Today’s Non-Progressive Progressives

· Ruy Teixeira on Substack dissects how modern progressives have stagnated, clinging to cultural extremism and identity politics that alienate working-class voters, urging a return to economic focus for electoral survival.

· He points to 2024’s demographic losses as proof: Hispanics, blacks, and independents fleeing the party, with only white liberals holding the line.

· Teixeira warns that without ditching “woke” dogmas, Democrats risk becoming a coastal elite echo chamber, irrelevant in flyover country.

· Drawing from his own left-center background, he calls for a “non-progressive progressive” reset—pragmatic policies over ideological purity.

Leans: Center-left, pragmatic and self-critical.
Bob: This ain’t progress—it’s a rearview mirror confession. Will the party listen, or keep blaming the mirrors?
Jim: Author is stuck on this tune. Can’t get it out of his head. Must think it is vital to the party’s future.

Columbia Settlement Is a Win for Students and Our Nation

· Nicole Russell in USA Today celebrates Columbia University’s $15 million settlement with Jewish students over anti-Semitic harassment post-Oct. 7 attacks, seeing it as a blow against campus extremism.

· The suit accused the school of fostering a hostile environment with protests turning violent, ignoring safety for ideological virtue-signaling.

· Russell argues this forces accountability on elite institutions, protecting free speech while curbing hate— a model for other campuses mired in “woke” chaos.

· She ties it to broader national values: America’s promise of equal protection under law, not selective outrage based on politics.

Leans: Right, principled and accountability-demanding.
Bob: Columbia paid up, but the elite deans walk free, still preaching tolerance while enabling hate. When’s the real purge?
Jim: A small victory in the culture wars, like finding a clear note in a discordant symphony—may it harmonize the chaos.

Trump’s Attack on Obama Is Predictable, Not Acceptable

· Austin Sarat in The Guardian blasts Trump’s DOJ probes into Obama over Russiagate as vindictive revenge, calling it an abuse of power that erodes democratic norms.

· He frames Gabbard’s declassifications as partisan theater, dismissing claims of intel misuse as baseless while warning of authoritarian overreach.

· Sarat argues such “attacks” on predecessors set dangerous precedents, urging resistance to protect institutional integrity.

· Tied to broader fears of Trump’s “retribution” agenda, he calls for checks on executive power to safeguard the republic.

Leans: Left, indignant and norm-defending.
Bob: Predictable? That’s rich from the hoax-mongers. Sarat’s dodging the obvious —Obama’s sins aren’t attacks, they’re evidence. When do the unpunished face the music?
Jim: Like a composer blaming the orchestra for bad notes he wrote—irony in the key of denial.

The Damage Caused by Russia Hoax Lies

· Victor Davis Hanson in American Greatness tallies the toll of Russiagate: eroded trust in institutions, billions wasted on probes, and a presidency hobbled by fabricated scandals.

· He points to declassified docs showing Obama-era manipulations, with Brennan and Clapper as architects of the “hoax” that divided the nation.

· Hanson argues the lies enabled endless media spin, deep-state overreach, and cultural rot—still unpunished, fueling today’s divisions.

· Calling for accountability, he warns ignoring these sins invites more elite abuses against common-sense Americans.

Leans: Right, unapologetic and damage-assessing.
Bob: Hanson’s counting the bodies from the hoax battlefield—trust dead, truth buried, elites unscathed. This ain’t damage, it’s demolition.
Jim: A lot of people writing about the same story these days. Must be a popular tune.

Even If Gabbard Were Right, Obama Would Have Immunity

· Joe Scarborough on MSNBC defends Obama against Russiagate probes, arguing presidential immunity shields him even if declassifications prove intel sins.

· He dismisses Gabbard’s revelations as partisan smears, claiming Trump’s DOJ strikes are political witch hunts eroding democracy.

· Scarborough ties it to SCOTUS rulings on immunity, urging restraint to avoid cycles of revenge.

· Framing Obama as a victim of right-wing conspiracies, he calls for unity over division.

Leans: Left, evasive and shield-wielding.
Bob: Immunity? That’s code for unpunished. Scarborough’s burying the receipt— if Gabbard’s right, it’s treason, not teflon. The elite walk while we pay.
Jim: The author is apparently tone deaf. Also sings, in a strong operatic tenor voice, about Biden being “sharp as a tack.” In Italian.

Sins of the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment

· Greg Collard in Racket News exposes the ICA’s flaws: rushed, biased, and dossier-tainted under Obama, fueling years of hoaxes.

· He details analyst dissents ignored, with Brennan pushing agenda over accuracy in the anti-Trump report.

· Collard argues this “sin” eroded public trust, enabling media complicity and deep-state power grabs.

· Calling for reforms, he warns unaddressed sins invite more manipulations.

Leans: Center, truth-seeking and sin-exposing.
Bob: Collard’s listing the commandments broken—lies, omissions, agendas. This ICA wasn’t assessment, it was assassination. Hold the sinners accountable.
Jim: I’ve already written this piece three times. An old tune – so soon.

‘This Should NOT Be Included’: Warning on Dossier

· Julie Kelly and Mollie Hemingway in The Federalist reveal CIA warnings against including the Steele dossier in the ICA, ignored by Brennan’s team.

· They cite declassified memos showing pleas for exclusion due to unverifiability, yet “anything we had” was forced in.

· The duo argues this weaponized intel against Trump, with lasting sins of bias and deception.

· Demanding probes, they call it a deep-state scandal demanding justice.

Leans: Right, scalpel-sharp and warning-heeding.
Bob: “Not included”? Too late—the poison’s in the well.
Jim: Like ignoring the off-key instrument—ruins the whole performance.

The Challenges With Releasing Epstein Records

· Nicole Narea in Vox discusses hurdles in unsealing Epstein files: privacy concerns, victim protections, and legal battles delaying full release.

· She notes political pressures from both sides, with accusations of cover-ups amid high-profile names.

· Narea argues transparency is key but balanced with ethics, warning rushed releases could harm innocents.

· Tying to broader accountability, she calls for careful handling.

Leans: Left, cautious and ethic-balancing.
Bob: Challenges? That’s elite-speak for cover. Narea’s spotting the rot but soft-pedaling the unpunished. Release the receipts—let the chips fall.
Jim: Files locked like a forgotten melody—unleash to hear the full score. Passages may be discordant.

Democrats Want an Autopsy Report? Here’s a Reality Check

· Keith Naughton in The Hill offers Democrats a post-2024 postmortem: factional infighting, cultural overreach, and lost independents doomed them.

· He warns against blame games, urging economic focus over identity politics for revival.

· Naughton argues reality check is brutal but necessary—else perpetual minority status.

· With pragmatic advice, he calls for truce between left and center.

Leans: Center-left, reality-checking and pragmatic.
Bob: Autopsy? The patient’s still twitching. Naughton’s got the scalpel: extremism’s the killer, but will they admit the sins? Hold the mirror.
Jim: A reality check with crazy people? Cue the sad trombone.

Powell Is the Fauci of the Financial System

· Sen. Bernie Moreno on CNN likens Fed Chair Powell to Fauci: unaccountable, error-prone, and elite-protected amid inflation woes.

· He blasts Powell’s rate hikes as punishing workers, calling for audits and reforms to curb Fed power.

· Moreno argues sins of monetary policy mirror health hoaxes—unpunished bureaucrats harming Main Street.

· Urging oversight, he ties to broader economic justice.

Leans: Center-right, indignant and reform-demanding.
Bob: Fauci of finance? Spot on—Powell’s sins inflate bubbles while elites float free.
Jim: Prediction - Powell walks plank: Yo, Ho, Ho and a Bottle of Rum.

Why China Won’t Stop the Fentanyl Trade

· Michael Schuman in The Atlantic explains China’s reluctance: economic ties to cartels, geopolitical leverage, and lax enforcement profit Beijing.

· He details precursor chemicals flowing freely, despite U.S. pleas, as retaliation in trade wars.

· Schuman warns U.S. addiction crisis worsens without pressure, calling for tougher diplomacy.

· Tying to global power plays, he argues it’s strategic malice, not oversight.

Leans: Center, realism-grounded and leverage-exposing.
Bob: Won’t stop? They profit from our pain. Schuman’s got the sin list: agendas over lives, unpunished as always.
Jim: Nothing musical about people dying. Bring the pain to China – now. They can stop this if they want to. That’s the reality.

Extremism Masquerading as Activism

· Aaron Pomerantz in RealClearPolitics calls out radical groups posing as activists: from eco-terror to anti-Israel violence, eroding civil discourse.

· He cites campus chaos and street blockades as sins against democracy, urging law enforcement crackdown.

· Pomerantz argues true activism builds, extremism destroys— a mask for power grabs.

· Calling for accountability, he warns unchecked sins invite anarchy.

Leans: Center, unmasking and order-demanding.
Bob: Masquerade? That’s the elite’s ball. Pomerantz rips the veil: sins in sheep’s clothing, unpunished mobs. Enforce the law—receipt due.
Jim: Paid musicians will play any tune you ask. Doesn’t mean it’s worth listening to.

End Note

As the crows roost on this day of exposed sins and hoaxes, remember: truth doesn’t die easy, but it demands we hold the line against narratives that poison the well. We’ve got the receipts—use them to build, not burn. Tomorrow’s another flight; keep the torch lit.

Note on Sources:
All stories referenced here come from the RealClearPolitics homepage. For full articles and original context, visit the site directly.