Joel Pollak
Politics • Lifestyle • News • Travel • Writing
I will share my thoughts about American politics, as well as current events in Israel and elsewhere, based on my experiences in the U.S., South Africa, and the Middle East. I will also discuss books and popular culture from the perspective of a somewhat libertarian, religiously observant conservative living in California. I will also share art and ideas that I find useful and helpful, and link to my content at Breitbart News, Amazon, and elsewhere.
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Project 2025 vs. 'The Agenda'

The Heritage Foundation, the premier conservative think tank in America for several decades, has come up with a grand agenda for the next Republican administration. It's called Project 2025, and it is causing panic on the left.

The heart of the Project is a 900-page-plus policy manual, the "Mandate for Leadership." It's a comprehensive manifesto of what conservatives would like to achieve in reforming government, expanding freedom, and defending values.

https://static.project2025.org/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf

Project 2025 goes even further, and aims to staff the future administration. It even asks people to submit resumes for White House positions they may be interested in. It also has plans to manage the transition within federal agencies.

Something like this effort is absolutely necessary and long overdue. Few people can master 922 pages of policy recommendations, but the manual will serve as a useful way to make sure people are at least singing from the same song sheet.

It's not a particularly Trump-oriented manual, and I believe it reflects more of a traditional establishment conservative consensus. Trump has already come out with his own concise policy manifesto, which is the official Republican platform.

My own effort in "The Agenda" is different from all of the above. It is a simple description of executive orders and actions that the president can do on Day One of his administration without help from Congress or either political party.

I did not consult Project 2025 or the Trump campaign, though there are broad areas of agreement. In "The Agenda," I keep it simple, and provide a way for a lame-duck White House beset by enemies to make the biggest possible impact.

Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/164821116X

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What else you may like…
Videos
Posts
Time-lapse sunrise at Temescal Falls
00:00:17
This is what is left of my special place in the forest

Burned, then covered in mudslides and rockslides. The river still flows through it. But we have lost so much. I have to believe the spirit still lives on.

00:00:16
The drive home 💔
00:00:46
Weekly Torah reading: Emor (Leviticus 21:1 - 24:23)

This week's portion describes the major sacrifices that are to be offered by the Jewish people, including those that are offered only by the priestly Kohen class, and physical requirements of the people (men) who serve in that role.

Inter alia, there are interesting commandments -- such as an injection to treat animals with respect and care, first, by letting a mother animal nurse her offspring for a week before being offered in any sacrifice; and second, by refraining from slaughtering an animal and its offspring on the same day.

The commandments regarding animals remind us of the purpose of those regarding human beings: to uphold a divine connection, through ritual.

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/111878/jewish/Rabbi-Isaac-Luria-The-Ari-Hakodosh.htm

Breitbart News Sunday: show rundown (May 11, 2025)

Happy Mother's Day -- and congratulations to the Catholic world on the first Sunday after the selection of a new Pope. We'll cover Leo XIV, the president's upcoming trip to the Middle East, the prospects for trade deals, and more!

Rebecca Mansour -- Breitbart News senior editor, on Pope Leo XIV
Matthew Boyle -- Breitbart News political editor, on Steve Witkoff interview
John Carney -- Breitbart News financial editor, on trade deals
Avi Melamed -- Israeli analyst, on Trump's upcoming Middle East trip

LATE ADDITION: The Kiffness, on tour from South Africa!

Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 PT
Call: 866-957-2874

Weekly Torah portion: Acharei Mot (Leviticus 16:1 - 20:27)

This week’s portion is among the most severe in its prohibitions — on improper sacrifices, on inappropriate sexual relations, and much more.

At the same time, it also contains some of the most compassionate principles of the Old Testament, including the commandment to consider a convert as if he/she had been a member of the people since birth.

The idea is that restraint and ritual, while complex and incomprehensible at times, have a foundation of love that is deep and unconditional.

The additional reading, from Amos 9:7-15, is one of the shortest of the year, but also one of the most profound. It describes the exile and subsequent redemption of the Jewish people, it returns so complete that the new nation is literally built from the ruins of the old.

https://www.chabad.org/parshah/torahreading_cdo/aid/2495866/p/complete/jewish/Acharei-Kedoshim-Torah-Reading.htm

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