Laura Hollis

It’s been a busy week news-wise. Here are a few of my observations (not likely to be popular) on some of the most notable headlines.

1. The U.S. men’s soccer team should have declined the red card reversal. During the World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina, star scorer Folarin Balogun got a “red card” for “serious foul play” from a referee after a collision with B-H player Tarik Muharemovic, resulting in a one-game suspension. This call was widely criticized, both because a red card typically requires intentional conduct (Balogun wasn’t even facing Muharemovic, whose ankle he stepped on) and because the red card was issued after a slow-motion review, contrary to FIFA play protocol.

However, the day before the U.S. was to play Belgium in the round of 16, it was announced that FIFA had withdrawn the red card – the first time such an action had been taken in more than 60 years. We were also told that President Donald Trump had called FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Trump insisted that he only asked for a review but put no pressure on FIFA. Even assuming that’s true, it was a bad look.

The team should have declined the penalty reversal.

As it was, the U.S. team lost even with Balogun, which left everyone – except perhaps Belgium – with a bad taste in their mouths.

2. If Graham Platner stays in the race, it’s possible he’ll win. Maine Democrats selected Graham Platner to be their candidate for the U.S. Senate to run against Republican incumbent Susan Collins. Platner has a nasty backstory, including a Nazi tattoo, a history of vulgar and sexist social media posts, and allegations of sexual assault and violence. Even so, many leading lefty lights – Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Ro Khanna, Ruben Gallego – sang Platner’s praises.

Then, Jenny Racicot, a Democrat, accused Platner of rape. That, apparently, was a bridge too far.

At this writing, Platner hasn’t stepped down and is insisting he won’t unless he gets to choose his successor, a demand the party is – thus far – rejecting.

What if he refuses to step aside? Might Platner think he can still beat Collins?

That’s not as farfetched as people assume.

3. Trump needs to figure out that Iran isn’t going to abide by any deal. Here we are again, with another breach in the “ceasefire” agreement between Iran and the United States, and more attacks by Iran on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump announced on Wednesday that the ceasefire established by a Memorandum of Understanding in June was “over,” that the U.S. had hit Iran Tuesday night in retaliation for the Hormuz attacks, and that more airstrikes would be forthcoming on Wednesday. Iran is, of course, insisting that ships will only pass through the strait on their terms.

Other than keeping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons capacity – which Trump assures us is already the case – what’s the objective here? Is it just the free flow of oil through Hormuz? The destruction of the regime? Something else?

4. Socialists must be taken more seriously. Author and undercover journalist Karlyn Borysenko released video earlier this week that she secretly recorded during a recent training session held by the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Two of the speakers openly advocated for armed revolution, the overthrow of our government, destruction of the American capitalist economic system, the abolition of private property and the writing of a new constitution that will give all rights – political and economic – to “workers.”

This is Borysenko’s area of expertise, but despite the in-depth information (often obtained at great personal risk) that she puts into her books and podcasts, too few appreciate just how serious this risk really is.

Americans had better wake up, and fast. One of the speakers Borysenko recorded is a teacher and an officer in the National Education Association teachers union.