• Dems object to paying the troops: As the government shutdown drags into its third week because Democrat senators are still blocking a vote on a continuing resolution, Donald Trump directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth “to use all available funds to get our troops paid on October 15th.” Trump added, “I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation hostage with their dangerous government shutdown.” Unsurprisingly, Democrats objected, claiming that Trump’s move is likely illegal. Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) said, “I think to pay the military during a shutdown would require legislation; the Speaker of the House has taken that off the table.” The truth is that it’s the Democrats who are preventing troops from getting paid, as they hope to leverage the shutdown to ensure that illegal aliens get Medicaid coverage, as well as make temporary COVID-introduced ObamaCare subsidies permanent.

• Churches step in: As the government shutdown shows no signs of ending soon, some churches are stepping in to fill the services gap. Conservatives have long argued that many “nanny state” programs are rightly the place of the free market or the church, and it seems that some liberal churches are beginning to agree. Reverend Meredith Keseley of Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in Northern Virginia spoke about the workshops her church has begun to offer to furloughed federal workers. Keseley explained that as a church, she felt their first obligation to federal workers was to “affirm that the work that they’ve done matters.” She noted that they have added paid internship positions for college students that provide a place to “think about their faith.” Christians might quibble with Keseley’s priorities, but believers in small government should be thrilled that the private sector is taking over for the nanny state.

• Thune’s lame Native American Day post: Senate Majority Leader John Thune should be focusing his complete energy on holding Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s feet to the fire over his continued government shutdown. Unfortunately, Thune took the occasion of Columbus Day not to honor Columbus but instead to celebrate “Native American Day” with a posting on X: “I’m proud to join South Dakotans in honoring the heritage and contributions of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota people.” If South Dakota wants a day to recognize its native tribes, then choose a day other than Columbus Day; otherwise, this is just an invitation for controversy and claims of engaging in anti-American sentiment.

• Republicans try to preserve Columbus Day: House Republicans celebrated Columbus Day by introducing legislation to prevent local and state governments from replacing it with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. “This is not about inclusion, it is about erasing the contributions of millions of Italian Americans who helped build this nation,” Rep. Mike Rulli (R-OH) explained. “Indigenous peoples deserve recognition, but this day was created to honor us. Italian Americans fought to be recognized as part of the American story, and we will not allow their memory or their day of honor to be erased.” The bill would prohibit federal funding for states and local governments that replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Thus far, four states and 221 cities have replaced Columbus Day, with six other states adopting shared recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day or another holiday that recognizes Native Americans.

• Newsom vetoes anti-free speech bill: On Monday, California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 771, which would have allowed social media users to sue social media platforms that allowed “an intentional, knowing, or willful” use of the platform to express threatening speech against protected groups. The California legislature’s website observed that SB 771 addressed increases in “hate-motivated harm” like “anti-immigrant slurs,” “anti-LGBTQ+ disinformation,” anti-Semitism, and “anti-Islamic bias.” Newsom explained his veto by noting, “Our first step should be to determine if, and to what extent, existing civil rights laws are sufficient to address violations perpetrated through algorithms.” Indeed. Even Newsom knows the bill would have been a direct threat to free speech. California State Assembly Republican Caucus press secretary George Andrews noted, “Assembly Republicans opposed SB 771 because no government should get to decide what Californians are allowed to say online. You don’t protect rights by punishing speech.”

• Hamas capitalizes on the ceasefire with Israel to suppress Palestinian dissent: Hamas terrorists in the Arrow Unit have climbed out of their terror tunnels to kill their fellow Palestinians. Hamas infiltrated the Doghmush compound using ambulances and lined up bound men in front of cheering crowds as they executed them. Hamas is calling on its rivals to lay down their arms within 48 hours. The Doghmush clan condemned the attack and called for a gathering of Gazan clans to confront Hamas. Donald Trump’s peace plan in Gaza calls for Hamas to leave power, but their actions show how unlikely that is.

• NYC criminal not held in jail stomps man to death: David Mazariegos had five open cases in Manhattan and the Bronx for petty larceny, identity theft, criminal mischief, and assault, but soft-on-crime policies in New York meant that he was free to stomp a man to death in a subway station. Nicola Tanzi, 64, held an emergency door open for Mazariegos before the latter beat him to the ground and stomped on him long after he was unconscious and his body was fully limp. Tanzi died hours later after suffering skull fractures, a crushed nasal bone, and severe facial injuries. Mazareigos told police that Tanzi had looked at him the wrong way, so he “took his spirit.” Now, in addition to the charges that would’ve held him imprisoned in a society that valued law and order, Mazareigos also faces a first-degree murder charge.

• Another “gun-free zone” hit by mass shooting: A gathering for graduates of a South Carolina high school ended tragically early Sunday morning. Shots rang out at a bar on St. Helena Island, where four people were killed and 20 more were injured. The bar’s owner, Willie Terrell, recounted that the venue was hosting an “alumni party” for Battery Creek High School and that it was one of many alumni parties scheduled for that weekend. Terrell described the bar as “packed,” that it was “mayhem” when the shooting began, and that it “sounded like machine gun fire.” A security officer was among those killed. The sheriff’s office said it is investigating “persons of interest” and requested that anyone with information regarding the shooting contact law enforcement. As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting, but early reports are that it was black-on-black crime.

• Coral reefs hit “tipping point”: “Repent for the end is near,” say climate cultists at the University of Exeter. Their second “Global Tipping Points” report, unsurprisingly, found that warm-water coral reefs have passed their tipping point. They explain that the combined effects of rising ocean temperatures, acidification, overfishing, and pollution are causing coral bleaching and death. Similarly, the phase of the moon, the price of eggs in Norway, and a teething puppy can combine to destroy a nice pair of sandals. “We’re in a new climate reality,” says Tim Lenton, leader of the report. Lenton explained that 1.5°C of global warming is now a certainty, and that will lead to disaster after disaster, including more intense storms, strains on food production, and the dying of the Amazon rainforest. Lenton explained that ritual sacrifice of energy production may appease the climate gods.

Headlines

• Trump to honor Charlie Kirk on what would have been his 32nd birthday (Fox News)

• Israel decides on punitive measures as Hamas fails to release remaining killed hostages (Jerusalem Post)

• Arson suspect in Pennsylvania governor’s mansion fire pleads guilty (Just the News)

• Meta announces new PG-13 restrictions for teen Instagram users (National Review)

• Boston street takeover suspects torched police cruiser in “hell-bent” attack on cops (Fox News)

• Gavin Newsom vetoes “unnecessary” California reparations bill (Newsweek)

• “Satire”: People who have been calling for a ceasefire for two years denounce ceasefire (Babylon Bee)

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