Canada #77

Air Traffic Fail Exposes Biden Chaos

In a revelation that has stirred alarm among national security circles and outrage among millions of Americans, it has been confirmed that the direct hotline between the Pentagon and the control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) has been out of service since March 2022 — for more than three consecutive years. The confirmation came from Franklin McIntosh, a senior official at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), during an oversight hearing led by Senator Ted Cruz, current chairman of the Senate committee on aviation and transportation.

The exchange was brief but damning. When Cruz asked:

“Is it true that the direct line between the Pentagon, air traffic control, and the DCA tower has been inoperative since March 2022?”

McIntosh's response was clear:

“Yes, sir, that is correct.”

This revelation — hidden from public knowledge throughout the entire Biden administration — is not just a technical glitch. It is a systemic failure and a gross act of negligence in the chain of command and national airspace security management. The direct line between the Pentagon and DCA is a critical part of the defense communication protocol in Washington, DC, one of the most restricted and strategically sensitive airspaces in the world.

A Critical Lifeline Cut Off

This hotline is not an optional feature — it exists to coordinate rapid responses to aerial threats, unauthorized airspace breaches, or potential hijackings near the nation's capital. In a city where the executive, legislative, and judicial leaders of the free world reside, every second matters.

A three-year outage of this direct communication with the Pentagon is not merely a technical failure — it is a strategic disaster willfully ignored.

Biden and Buttigieg to Blame

FAA official Franklin McIntosh also confirmed that this issue was never properly addressed by the Biden administration, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Both Biden and Buttigieg — whose lack of experience in matters of national security has long been questioned — completely neglected a critical defense tool.

This revelation — hidden from public knowledge throughout the entire Biden administration — is not just a technical glitch. It is a systemic failure and a gross act of negligence in the chain of command and national airspace security management. The direct line between the Pentagon and DCA is a critical part of the defense communication protocol in Washington, DC, one of the most restricted and strategically sensitive airspaces in the world.

Political Fallout and Demand for Accountability

Senator Ted Cruz has announced a formal investigation into who allowed this critical hotline to remain offline without correction or disclosure. "It's unthinkable that in the heart of our nation's capital, a key line of defense communication with the Pentagon was left broken. This is administrative treason by omission," Cruz said.

He also called for public hearings involving McIntosh, senior FAA officials, and former Secretary Buttigieg to explain why nothing was done.

“This isn't just technical failure — it's a national betrayal,” added Senator Josh Hawley, who supports the investigation.

More:

https://gatewayhispanic.com/video/air-traffic-fail-exposes-biden-chaos/

>>23051369 (me)

But wait, there's more

Canada #77

NATCA Sabotages Secretary Duffy’s Plan to Fix Air Traffic Control Crisis — Woke Union Votes to Punish Veteran Controllers Who Agree to Stay on the Job

by Jim Hᴏft May. 16, 2025

In yet another stunning example of how radicalized labor unions are placing politics and ideology over public safety, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) has voted to undermine Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s urgent efforts to address America’s catastrophic air traffic controller staffing shortage.

Instead of supporting Duffy’s common-sense plan to incentivize experienced FAA air traffic controllers to delay retirement — a move aimed at preventing dangerous understaffing at the nation’s busiest airports — NATCA has chosen to go scorched-earth against its own veteran members

During its recent Biennial Convention, NATCA, the woke, social justice-obsessed union that never misses a chance to virtue signal with “NATCA Pride” and “Diversity” campaigns, approved a toxic amendment punishing any air traffic controller who accepts a waiver to work past the mandatory retirement age of 56, according to the New York Post.

“Secretary Duffy recently allowed controllers to work beyond the statutory age of 56 in an attempt to stabilize the air traffic control staffing issues,” one reader told The Gateway Pundit. “NATCA… chose to strip seniority controllers of their 25-30 years of seniority in order to dissuade them from continuing to work.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has been laser-focused on fixing the dire staffing issues plaguing the FAA, unveiled a plan offering veteran controllers up to 20% salary bonuses to stay in their roles past the arbitrary retirement age.

“They’re fantastic, they’re great at their jobs, they get to an eligible point of retirement and they take that retirement,” Duffy told reporters.

“Why don’t we try to incentivize those really well-experienced air traffic controllers? Let’s incentivize them to stay. Let’s get them to stay on. Not only do we have that experience, but they can also help train up those younger, newer controllers coming into their family.”

But NATCA saw things differently. The union’s newly passed amendment, slated to take effect October 1, states that any bargaining unit employee working under an age waiver will see their seniority reset to the day the waiver becomes effective.

According to NATCA, allowing waivers “puts early retirement at risk by showing the Agency and Congress that mandatory retirement is unnecessary.”

According to a Reddit post:

“Beginning October 1, 2025, any bargaining unit employee who is working under an exemption as prescribed by the Secretary in 5 USC 8335(a) or 5 USC 58425(a) will have their seniority set to the day the waiver becomes effective.

Rationale: Each waiver puts early retirement at risk by showing the Agency and Congress that mandatory retirement is unnecessary.

Now that nearly all NATCA members were born after 1970 (with an MRA of 57), we expect requests for waivers to increase.

With every waiver granted, the argument that controllers are subject to greater mental and physical risks throughout their employment is weakened.

It is crucial that we secure this fundamental privilege for the future of our union and ourselves. Passing this amendment will send the message that safeguarding our pay, protections, and pension is our highest priority. We cannot ensure the safest airspace in the world when we waive the rules that protect it.

Waivers do nothing to benefit NATCA. The negative consequences of these waivers may result in the loss of our FERS (SSA) supplement and early retirement.

The long-term impact of each waiver undermines our position that early retirement is crucial for our membership and the country.

Early retirement is a privilege that we earn by working one of the most stressful jobs in history. NATCA cannot afford to risk this privilege; do not waive our right to early retirement.”

A union representative told The Post, “NATCA is fully committed to working with Secretary Duffy, the Department of Transportation, and the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure the national airspace system is staffed with the best and brightest air traffic controllers.”

“We continue to support Secretary Duffy’s plan to supercharge staffing and modernize the air traffic control system. NATCA remains in alignment with Secretary Duffy’s plan and the department’s priorities.”

A Department of Transportation spokesperson said, “The secretary is disappointed in the decision to unfairly penalize experienced controllers. It’s critical that we retain the best and brightest because America needs more controllers — not less. We would hope that NATCA will work with us on behalf of the American people.”

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/05/natca-sabotages-secretary-duffys-plan-fix-air-traffic/

>>23051387

Both at the same time, and drawing two salaries

>>23051291

Has a Betting Pool been started as to when his State Funeral will be?

>>23051469

Nice way to give some villains a false sense of security

>>23051474

>anon is willing to wager that at one time they may have assisted said cartel for clowns but not far back enough

Won't bet against you on that. It's not like Holder would be able to carry out Fast & Furious himself

>>23051609

RIP Easton

>>23051634

Like the doctors and dentists before them they return to India and live very well in retirement

>>23051452

Does not look like a shotgun to me

Canada #77

==South Carolina Supreme Court Unanimously Upholds Law Banning Abortion at Point When Heartbeat Can Be Detected

by Cassandra MacDonald May. 17, 2025

The South Carolina Supreme Court has unanimously determined that the state can continue banning abortion at the point when a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

The law, which the court upheld on Wednesday, bans the procedure at approximately six weeks of pregnancy.

Planned Parenthood had challenged the law in court, arguing that the law should not apply until nine weeks of pregnancy.

According to the law, abortions cannot be performed once an ultrasound can detect “cardiac activity, or the steady and repetitive rhythmic contraction of the fetal heart, within the gestational sac.”

The Associated Press reports, “The state argued that is the moment when an ultrasound detects cardiac activity. Planned Parenthood said the words after the ‘or’ mean the ban should only start after the major parts of the heart come together and ‘repetitive rhythmic contraction’ begins, which is often around nine weeks.”

The court ultimately determined that the law must be based on the intent of the general assembly, which was clearly to ban the practice at six weeks, not nine.

“We could find not one instance during the entire 2023 legislative session in which anyone connected in any way to the General Assembly framed the Act as banning abortion after approximately nine weeks,” Associate Justice John Few wrote.

The AP report also noted, “And the Supreme Court pointed out Planned Parenthood used the phrase ‘six-week ban’ more than 300 times in previous filings, as South Carolina’s 2021 ban at cardiac activity was overturned in a 3-2 decision in 2023 and then reinstated months later after the General Assembly tweaked the law and the court’s only woman who overturned the ban had to retire because of her age.”

The Supreme Court’s ruling states:

“This Court holds that it is clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that the General Assembly intended, and the public understood, that the time frame of the Act would begin around the six-week mark. The moral and ethical issues that this case presents are immense and this Court does not take that lightly. However, as Justice Kittredge noted in Planned Parenthood II, the courts must respect the separation of powers principles and the limited (non-policy) role it is enshrined with, and this Court must approach this case with one single commitment: to honor the rule of law. The South Carolina Supreme Court and the General Assembly have spoken. This Court must listen.”

Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster celebrated the decision, issuing a statement saying, “Today’s ruling is another clear and decisive victory that will ensure the lives of countless unborn children remain protected and that South Carolina continues to lead the charge in defending the sanctity of life.”

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/05/south-carolina-supreme-court-unanimously-upholds-law-banning/

>>23051748

From the article:

Australia has provided about $1.5 billion in support to Ukraine, but the ABC revealed last month the fleet of retired Abrams tanks pledged to Ukraine last year remained stuck in Australia.

But Mr Albanese told Mr Zelenskyy at the opening of the meeting that the tanks were now "on their way".

China will know what ship the tanks are on when loading in Australia, China will tell Russia, Russia will keep on eye on the port of Gdansk where NATO has a habit of offloading those tanks

>>23051662

>i cant stand this placec anymore. i out

don't believe you

Estonia Says Russia Detained A Tanker In Baltic Sea

By Andrius Sytas Reuters May 18, 2025

TALLINN, May 18 (Reuters) – Russia detained a Greek-owned oil tanker on Sunday after it left an Estonian Baltic Sea port, the Estonian Foreign Ministry said, adding that it had alerted NATO allies to the incident.

The Liberia-flagged ship Green Admire was leaving Sillamae port using a designated navigation channel that crosses Russian territorial waters, the ministry said in a statement.

“Today’s incident shows that Russia continues to behave unpredictably,” said Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna. “I have also informed our Allies of the event.”

The Green Admire had departed Sillamae port on Saturday 18:40 GMT, and on Sunday afternoon was anchored near Russia’s Hogland island, according to Marine Traffic, a website that tracks vessels.

The ship was bound for Rotterdam with a load of Estonia’s shale oil, said the Estonian Transport Administration.

The navigation channel out of Sillamae through Russian territorial waters has been set up under an agreement between Estonia, Finland and Russia to avoid shallows in the Estonian waters, the administration said.

Vessels sailing into and out of the port will now be guided through Estonian territorial waters, it added.

The Baltic has seen confrontations at sea over what NATO countries have described as Russian efforts to evade sanctions and sabotage undersea cables and pipelines.

Read Also: Russian Jet Buzzes Estonian Forces in Gulf of Finland Shadow Tanker Showdown

On Thursday, Estonia said Russia had sent a fighter jet into NATO airspace over the Baltic Sea after an attempt to stop a Russia-bound tanker thought to be part of a so-called ‘shadow fleet’ used by Moscow to evade sanctions.

https://gcaptain.com/estonia-says-russia-detained-a-tanker-in-baltic-sea/

>>23051842

Who is "We?"