SHUT UP, KAREN: ‘Freedom, not force’: Hundreds protest Jeffco Schools mask mandate days before kids return to class.

The district wants to force children as young as three to wear masks at school, despite the science.

LIVE AT 3:30PM EASTERN: ‘Five O’Clock Somewhere’ with Kruiser, Preston, VodkaPundit.

GORDON CHANG: The Delta Variant Could End The Chinese Communist Party.

There have been more than 30 outbreaks around China after the initial cases in Wuhan of last year, including a particularly devastating flare-up hitting Guangdong province ports beginning in late May. Draconian measures were seemingly successful in isolating China’s COVID-19 cases, however. The Party, beginning early last year, used its handling of the virus as proof of the superiority of its system over, among others, “Western democracy.”

Totalitarian-style tactics, unfortunately for China’s rulers, have not worked with the hardy Delta variant. The coronavirus, unlike other pathogens, has become more transmissible and more virulent over time. Delta, as a result, is now killing off the triumphalism of the Communist Party.

Therefore, a nationwide spread of the disease is a potentially existential threat to the Party. At the moment, Delta is running through many societies around the world, but China appears to be the only one where the variant could end the ruling group’s tenure.

Don’t get your hopes up — Chang has been predicting the end of CCP rule any day now for 20 years.

HMM: Texas Rangers May Be Investigating Witness Tampering Allegation Against Travis County’s DA in Austin Protest Shooting Case.

I DID YEARS AND YEARS AGO AND IT’S BEEN MARVELOUS: Americans Are Willing to Take Pay Cuts to Never Go Into the Office Again.

A HIGH HURDLE, EASILY CLEARED: Is Cori Bush the Biggest Hypocrite on All of Capitol Hill? This Video Says ‘Yes!’ “A typical politician is two things: A hypocrite and at least somewhat savvy about it. So give credit where it’s due to Congresscritter Cori Bush (D-Suck It): She is not a typical politician.”

JUST ANOTHER DC MONEY & POWER GRAB: The ‘Infrastructure’ Bill: The Deeper You Get, The Worse It Gets. “It has just $110 billion, or less than 10%, for what’s historically been considered infrastructure—roads and bridges. The other 90% is to fund mass transit waste, green energy nonsense, and more items that the states or the private sector could do.”

CRISIS BY DESIGN: Biden Admin Has Dropped Thousands of COVID+ Illegal Migrants Into Just One Texas Town.

AT THE VERY LEAST, IT WILL BE ENTERTAINING WATCHING LEFTIES EMBRACE THE MAN THEY USED TO CALL “DARTH CHENEY”: Liz Cheney says her father is ‘deeply troubled’ about the state of the Republican Party.

NOT MUCH MORE: Is There More Than Anti-Trump Politics Behind a Reported New York Times Decision Not to Investigate COVID’s Origins? “The New York Times reportedly decided not to use its considerable influence and resources to investigate the origins of COVID-19 at the same time China was lying and delaying, early weeks in the pandemic that cost lives. That story is perhaps the most important story of our time. COVID has killed millions and transformed the entire world. Where it came from and who, if anyone, is responsible is important.”

UPDATE ON WEDNESDAY’S SCRUB: Launch of Boeing’s Starliner Delayed Indefinitely Due to Vexing Technical Glitch. “Now is the part of my article when I’m obliged to say this is all a normal part of development and testing, that it’s good to be safe, and that problems should be expected, and bla bla bla. But as much as I’m rooting for this project, it’s clearly been a shitshow. Boeing needs to get its act together.”

PJ MEDIA VIP ROUNDUP: Don’t forget that VODKAPUNDIT promo code if you’ve been thinking of joining us.

Stacey Lennox: If Criticizing Dr. Anthony Fauci Is a Hate Crime I Plead Guilty – And I’ll Do It Again. “Apparently, wanting border security, a strong military, and viewing China as an economic and military threat makes you anti-science and an authoritarian.”

Bryan Preston: If You Think 2021 Has Been Rough So Far, Wait Until the Democrats Wage Their Next Horrible Battle. “As ugly as things are now, from bolting a whole state to deny the democratic process to flouting their own mandates to bashing mainstream election reforms as ‘Jim Crow 2.0,’ things are likely to get a whole lot uglier and worse later this year.”

Yours Truly: Science vs ‘Teh Feelz’: A Genderfluid Seesaw. “You can imagine the Left’s response to a Harvard womyn insisting that there’s such a thing as biological reality.”

BLUE ON BLUE ON THE FRONT RANGE: Hancock not sticking his neck out for Polis this time around.

Back in March of 2020, when Covid was just getting started and we were all told that it would just be two weeks to flatten the curve, Governor Jared Polis was reluctant to impose a statewide lockdown of any kind. He preferred to let local governments get out in front on that. Denver’s Michael Hancock did just that, announcing a city-wide travel and business lockdown (although he couldn’t quite decide whether or not liquor stores constituted essential businesses). Governor Polis followed suit shortly thereafter.

This time, All-Star Game aside, Hancock isn’t playing ball.

In the face of revised CDC guidance advising even fully vaccinated people to wear masks indoors, Denver announced that it would not even issue a new mask mandate, trusting businesses and individuals to do what was best for them.

Why the change? The overall political climate surrounding the virus has changed, and the effects of that change are exacerbated by factors specific to Denver.

According to his own Department of Finance, in the Budget Kickoff briefing given to the City Council’s Finance and Governance Committee back in April, small business in the Denver metro area has been devastated, with the total number of small businesses operating down 30%, and the entry-level-friendly Leisure and Hospitality Sector down over 40%.

Read the whole thing.

SHE GETS A PASS BECAUSE REASONS: Rep. Rashida Tlaib Accused of Using ‘Anti-Semitic Dog Whistles’ During Speech (Again).

OH, PLEASE: Bezos’ Blue Origin calls Musk’s Starship ‘immensely complex & high risk’ for NASA moon missions.

There’s a lot less risk involved in never launching a single gram into orbit, too.

KRUISER’S MORNING BRIEF: The New York Times Is An Anti-Journalism Clown Car. “The organization worked 24/7 for years to pimp the Russia collusion hoax. The “reporters” there spent the entire Trump era writing flimsy, poorly-sourced attacks on him. It was as if a slew of toddlers were writing a feelings journal in crayon.”

LAURA BASSETT FOR MSNBC: Biden calls on Andrew Cuomo to resign. He’s not the only Cuomo who needs to go. “His brother, too, should resign from covering politics or be fired. It’s extremely inappropriate and unethical for a journalist to advise and craft the statements of a politician, regardless of family relation.”

EXCLUSIVE: Austin Star Police Detective Accuses DA Jose Garza’s Office of Criminal Witness Tampering in High-Profile Case.

HYGIENE THEATER: Denver Public Schools will require face masks for all students and staff.

Related: Number of students being homeschooled in Colorado more than doubles.

DESANTIS BLASTS BIDEN: ‘I Don’t Wanna Hear a Blip About COVID From You.’

SPYING ON YOU IS INFRASTRUCTURE: Infrastructure Bill Would Require Alcohol Monitors for All New Cars. “Buried in the massive proposal—which is already longer than 2,700 pages—is a section titled, ‘ADVANCED IMPAIRED DRIVING TECHNOLOGY,’ which mandates new vehicles include ‘a system that … passively and accurately detect[s] whether the blood alcohol concentration of a driver of a motor vehicle is equal to or greater than the blood alcohol concentration” of .08, in which case the system would ‘prevent or limit motor vehicle operation.’ Automobile manufacturers would have a three-year grace period to comply with the regulation.”

HYGIENE THEATER, CAUGHT ON VIDEO: AOC Puts Mask on for Selfie, Takes It Right Back Off.

ANTISOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook bans academics who researched ad transparency and misinformation on Facebook. “Laura Edelson, an NYU researcher involved in the project, and whose personal account was banned by Facebook, says the company wants to end independent scrutiny of its platform.”

BRAVE SIR ROBIN BRAVELY TURNED AND FLED: Obama Scales Back Superspreader Birthday Bash After Criticism.

GREAT. SO WHEN WILL THEY FINALLY ACTIVATE MY BETA SERVICE? Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet boosts its subscriber base by nearly 30% in a single month, nearing the 100,000-user milestone.