Required reading from around the web of the best, most interesting, or most though provoking things we’ve read:
Hart: Don’t Underestimate the Socialist Surge on the Left
“A Democratic ‘blue wave’ may or may not be able to overcome the Republicans’ majority and structural advantages in the 2018 midterm elections. But the bigger story that’s brewing is the dramatic and nationwide leftward shift of the Democratic Party. The socialist surge has potential to reshape not just the party but American politics for generations to come.”
Read more at Real Clear Politics.
Most Germans Say Europe Doesn’t Need The US To Defend It: Poll
“More than half of the German citizens surveyed in a recent poll think that Europe does not need the U.S. to defend the continent, according to results released Monday. Roughly 55 to 60 percent of the country felt Europe could defend itself without American military assistance, Reuters reported, citing a recent Forsa poll. Only 37 percent felt Europe needed the U.S.”
Catholic Relief Services is a major funder of contraception lobbyists
“The majority of the largest international aid and development agencies are all intertwined, like a big net, so it is not uncommon for an investigation of one part of this net to provide leads for new investigations. While researching the involvement of Catholic organizations in the Sphere Project, the Lepanto Institute discovered three Catholic agencies identified as dues-paying members of an organization that strongly and openly pushes contraception. Catholic Relief Services, Jesuit Refugee Service, and the International Catholic Migration Commission are all listed as members of InterAction, an alliance organization of NGOs.”
Lovett: EXCLUSIVE: Dozens of locked up sex offenders among those granted conditional pardons by Gov. Cuomo so they can vote
“At least 77 sexual predators sent to civil confinement in state psychiatric hospitals after their prison time was up are affected by the widespread pardons, various records show. […] The rest of the list of 77 is littered with convicted pedophiles and rapists and other violent sexual abusers. All were granted conditional pardons from Cuomo under a new policy designed to give back the right to vote to those who leave prison.”