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The Barnes Brief: Friday, August 23, 2024
August 23, 2024
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Art of the Day

Schedule: Past & Prospective

Book Recommendation: My co-favorite book as a kid. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1976848.To_Seek_a_Newer_World

Art of the Day: The kaleidoscope of colliding colors in this Hindu temple so expressive that locals believe its waters inside heal chronic illness. The celebratory style of the temple manifests in more than its yoga style elephants and happy bellies, but best felt in the brilliance and brightness of its colors. Feeling more like a circus of joy than the more austere architecture of a later age. Indeed, it hard to look at this, and not smile, and in that, it reflects the divinity of the art’s center of attention, a healing power of its own.

Wisdom of the Day: “Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly.” Robert Kennedy.

Introduction: Top 10 Headlines of the Week

  1. Fed reverses
  2. DNC ends with a whisper
  3. Beyonce no-show
  4. Behind the DNC curtains
  5. DNC shenanigans lead RFK to consider Trump
  6. Something that never happens to Amos Miller: food recalls
  7. Literally cremating the evidence
  8. Gabbard spying inquiry
  9. Rising global risk
  10. Housing problems  

*Bonus: Aliens?

The Evidence: Top Twenty Articles from The Barnes Library

  1. DNC Bore. https://www.zerohedge.com/political/protests-pandering-past-presidents-no-policies-summing-2024-dnc-2-words-not-trump
  2. DNC fails to reach working class. https://www.liberalpatriot.com/p/democrats-are-super-happy-working
  3. RFK impact. https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/frihow-rfk-jrs-campaign-could-end-and-who-benefits
  4. The Washington exemplar. https://www.realclearpolling.com/stories/analysis/the-washington-primary-points-toward-another-nailbiter
  5. DC: the mafia of the mentally ill & morally corrupt. https://kunstler.com/clusterfuck-nation/end-of-hoaxes/
  6. Harris’ unconstitutional tax plan. https://www.heritage.org/taxes/commentary/another-unconstitutional-wealth-tax
  7. Ukranian insanity. https://korybko.substack.com/p/kievs-plan-to-ban-the-ukrainian-orthodox
  8. Global inflation. https://www.cfr.org/tracker/global-inflation-tracker
  9. Supply shock, price shock.
  10. Lockdown inflation. https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2024/supply-shocks-were-most-important-source-inflation-2021-23-raising

*Bonus: Alien life. https://lweb.cfa.harvard.edu/~loeb/Interstellar_Expedition.pdf

 

Homework: Cases TBD on Sunday

  1. Trump New York. https://media.aflegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/22164831/Filed-Motion-and-Brief-Combined.pdf
  2. Kennedy censorship case proceeds.
  3. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.lawd.198699/gov.uscourts.lawd.198699.56.0.pdf
  4. Elections at SCOTUS. https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24A164/322427/20240814124312919_24A164%20Amicus%20Brief.pdf
  5. Alaska elections. https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-08-22-Order.pdf
  6. Vaccine coercion. https://www.vermontjudiciary.org/sites/default/files/documents/op23-237.pdf
  7. Amazon antitrust. https://www.dccourts.gov/sites/default/files/2024-08/DC%20v.%20Amazon%2022-CV-657.pdf
  8. Twitter v. Jack Smith. https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-1264/311993/20240530144316325_23-xxxx%20-%20X%20Corp.%20v.%20United%20States%20-%20cert.%20petition.pdf
  9. IBM Employment. https://media.aflegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/20173246/ECF001_Dill-v.-IBM_Complaint.pdf
  10. DEI Insurance. https://media.aflegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/20100458/download-2.pdf
  11. Machine gun dismissal. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25060041-ruling-in-machine-gun-case
  12. Baby food autism. https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/23/23-40197-CV0.pdf

Closing Argument: RFK Effect

  • If RFK drops out, the effect is three-fold: first, RFK’s voters other choices in the election; second, messaging impact on the campaigns; and third, down-ballot impact of turnout impacted thereby.
  • My analysis if RFK stays in as follows on the 2024 Presidential vote:

                                 Trump 75 million

                                 Harris 72 million

                                 Kennedy 6 million

                                Other 2 million

  • My analysis if RFK drops out and either supports Trump, attacks Harris and/or Trump takes up issues important to RFK voters.

                               Trump 78 million

                               Harris 73 million

                               Other 2 million

  • The electoral impact moves Arizona, Nevada and Pennsylvania into Trump likely states, and moves New Mexico, Maine and Minnesota into tossups. The down-ballot effect moves the Senate into 85% chance of going Republican and the same with the House, as the drop-out voters were those leaning heavily Democratic down-ballot.
  • The key for Trump to capitalize on RFK dropping out is to target RFK voters on issues of importance to them. We polled this precise set of questions for 1776 Law Center in the summer. A recap may be helpful.
  • 29% of voters told us there were seriously considering voting for Kennedy for President. Amongst voters under 40, this number rose to 40%. Amongst black voters, this rose to 35% and amongst Hispanic voters, this rose to 40%. Amongst true Independents (no lean toward either party), this number rose to 36%. Amongst those who scored high on populism, this rose to 39%. Amongst high school voters, this rose to 35%. Amongst students, this rose to 39%. Amongst union members, this rose to 38%. Amongst parents with school-age kids, this rose to 37%. Amongst urban voters, this rose to 37%. Amongst New England voters, this rose to 36%. Amongst likely, but not certain, to vote, this rose to 40%. Amongst voters that skipped recent elections or were new voters, this rose to 42%. Of note, of those prior voters considering Kennedy, more voted for Biden than Trump.
  • We dug down into what issues drove these Kennedy-considering voters. Two of the top issues were Medical Freedom, Food Freedom and opposition to foreign war. They reported the highest rates of voters who believed “Americans should be allowed to buy food directly from farmers without getting government permission” and considered corporate-produced processed industrialized, commercialized, monopolized food laced with chemicals and made like Soylent Green to be deeply unhealthy and undesired compared to their favorite local farmers market and neighborhood food vendor. They also reported the highest rate of voters who believed “Drug companies should not be immune from suit if their vaccines cause injury” because they also reported the highest rates of discrimination, disability and death to they or their loved ones from the Covid19 vaccine. They also reported deep levels of dissatisfaction with the current conditions of the economy and their own prospects in it. Lastly, they strongly opposed funding foreign wars like Ukraine with American tax dollars.
  • RFK dropping out would free these voters to back Trump, but their Democratic ancestry and GOP skepticism mean it is up to Trump to persuade them why they should embrace his candidacy. For that, the easiest ticket is to embrace the two biggest issues of distinct impact for them: restore the family farmer to the heart of the American food supply and remedy the vaccine discrimination and disabilities with real reform of our Big Pharma protection racket laws. Food freedom and medical freedom are the ticket to a Trump 2024 election outside the margin of fraud.
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The Barnes Brief: Friday, February 27, 2026

I. INTRODUCTION

 

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The Barnes Brief: Weekend of February 20, 2026

I. INTRODUCTION

A.  Art of the Week

  • When Picasso painted me before I was born, his portrait of famous patron saint of the arts, Ambroise Vollard. The painting struck my brother when he first saw it in person, as a biographical portrait of yours truly. The intensive, internal self-reflection expresses a true self-recognition. My favorite portrait to this day, even if only of me across the psychic plains of time and space.  

B.  Recommendation of the Week

C. Wisdom of the Week

  • “I am a tariff man, with a tariff plan, standing on a tariff platform.” President William McKinley. 

D.  Appearances

II. THE EVIDENCE

  • A reminder: links are NOT endorsements of the authors or their interpretation of events, but intended to expand our library of understanding as well as expose ideas of distinct perspective to our own. 

A. Barnes Library: Curated Weekly Articles of Interest

  1. 1776 Law Center Survey: War Vote Mirrors Midterms https://www.bigdatapoll.com/blog/democrats-expand-generic-ballot-lead-in-february/
  2. Iran War risk. https://www.theamericanconservative.com/war-on-iran-is-the-opposite-of-realism/
  3. Welfare state fraud. https://www.liberalpatriot.com/p/the-democrats-fraud-problem
  4. Utility battles. https://prospect.org/2026/02/19/blackstone-private-equity-utility-acquisition-new-mexico-public-service-txnm-energy/
  5. Remembering Jessie Jackson. https://www.theamericanconservative.com/jesse-jackson-complicated-man/

*Bonus: Bald eagle rescued. https://abc7ny.com/post/nypd-officers-describe-rare-rescue-trapped-american-bald-eagle-icy-hudson-river-nyc/18616678/

B. Best of the Board: Five Fantastic Posts of the Week

  1. Bill Brown’s comedic relief. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7704528/title
  2. Jonathan’s prayer. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7704685/morning-daily-prayer-heavenly-father-i-thank-you-for-blessings-everyday-i-thank-you-for-my-beloved
  3. Meme magic. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7704745/title
  4. Bountiful art. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7704798/title
  5. Board thoughts on Iran war. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7700010/board-poll-war-in-iran

*Bonus: Bondi mockery. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7703469/spotted-all-over-washington-dc-while-i-normally-don-t-share-the-political-views-of-people-in-dc

**Bonus: Weekly Wisdom. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7704649/the-intersection-of-politics-youtube-commentary-and-critical-traffic-infrastructure-https-you

C. Homework: Cases of the Week for Sunday

  1. SCOTUS: Tariffs. https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-1287_4gcj.pdf
  2. Facebook trial. https://courthousenews.com/safety-was-someone-elses-problem-ex-facebook-vp-says-in-teen-social-media-trial/
  3. Jury bias in Musk case. https://courthousenews.com/contempt-for-musk-clouds-jury-selection-in-twitter-takeover-trial/
  4. Amazon death. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/amazon-nitrite-washington-supreme-court-2.pdf
  5. Virginia redistricting stalls. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/tazewell-injunction.pdf
  6. British ex-royal arrested. https://courthousenews.com/ex-prince-andrew-arrested-on-suspicion-of-sharing-sensitive-documents-with-epstein/
  7. Firetruck monopoly. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/mke-v-fire-truck-manufacturers.pdf
  8. ICE churches. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/synod-v-dhs-ice-injunction.pdf
  9. Tina Peters denied bond. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/people-tina-peters-order-bond.pdf
  10. Slushie fraud. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/slush-puppie-forged-email-with-icee.pdf
  11. The HP merger case. https://business.cch.com/ald/USvHewlettPackardEnterpriseCo122025.pdf
  12. Tunney Act Trump DOJ risks. https://prospect.org/2025/07/29/2025-07-29-law-could-blow-open-trump-antitrust-corruption/

*Lobbyist disclosure laws. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/2/chapter-26

**Lobbying disclosure guidelines. https://www.senate.gov/legislative/resources/pdf/S1guidance.pdf

***Transanity in Canada. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7704549/tribunal-ruling-out-of-british-columbia-canada

III. CLOSING ARGUMENT: Constitution Masterclass Series — Article I, Tariffs

  • Article I, section 7 enumerates the power “for raising revenue” to the legislative branch of Congress, commencing with the House and continuing onto the senate. 
  • Article I, section 8, clause 1 enumerates the power “to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises” to the legislative branch in Congress. 
  • Article I, section 8, clause 3 enumerates the power “to regulate commerce with foreign nations” to the legislative branch in Congress. 
  • Article I, section  8, clause 5 enumerates the power to “fix the standard of weights and measures” to the legislative branch in Congress. 
  • Article I, section 8, clause 10 enumerates the power to “define and punish” those “offenses against the law of nations” to the legislative branch in Congress. 
  • Article I, section 8, clause 11, enumerates the power to “declare war” as well as “grant letters of marque and reprisal” and “make rules concerning captures on land and water,” to the legislative branch in Congress. 
  • Article I, section 8, clause 18 enumerates the power to “make all laws” that “shall be necessary and proper” for effectuating those other enumerated powers itemized above in the tariff context. 
  • Article I, section 10, clause 2 prohibits states from imposing any imposts or duties on imports or exports except as necessary for inspections. 
  • In aggregate and in particular, the Constitution enumerates to the legislative branch the power to tariff. Hence, any claim of Presidential power to tariff must derive from delegated authorizations issued by Congress. This runs into the NonDelegation doctrine. 
  • Article I, Section I enumerates “all legislative powers” must be exclusively “vested in a Congress” not the executive or judicial branch of government. Thus, the act of a tariff imposition by the President must be both exclusively authorized by Congress and not be a “legislative act” within the meaning of Article I, Section 1. That construction depends largely on the Supreme Court’s construal of it over time, which is beyond the plain text of the Constitution.  
  • Short answer: had Trump stayed strictly within the tariff authorization delegations of Congress, and without looking like “making law” in the process, then his tariffs could win judicial assent. Trump’s failure to follow those guidelines — as advised to do by Commerce Secretary and Epstein Class graduate Howard Lutnick, whose sons profit billions from the court striking down the tariffs — buried his chance at tariff approval by the Supreme Court, unfortunately. 
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The Barnes Brief, Valentine's Weekend, 2026

I. INTRODUCTION

A.  Art of the Week

  • All I want for Valentine's is Lady Justice. Archangel Michael delivering justice, as we need for those in the Epstein Class. 

B.  Recommendation of the Week

C.  Wisdom of the Week

  • “I weep for the liberty of my country when I see at this early day of its successful experiment that corruption has been imputed to many members of the House of Representatives, and the rights of the people have been bartered for promises of office.” Andrew Jackson. 

D.  Appearances

II. THE EVIDENCE

A reminder: links are NOT endorsements of the authors or their interpretation of events, but intended to expand our library of understanding as well as expose ideas of distinct perspective to our own. 

A. Barnes Library: Ten of the Top Curated Weekly Articles

  1. The Epstein elite. https://www.zerohedge.com/political/unsettling-truths-epstein-files-reveal-about-power-and-privilege
  2. Corruption of the academy. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/03/mellon-foundation-humanities-research-funding/685733/
  3. Israel 1st wants to end Free Speech. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2026/02/13/is_free_speech_really_the_highest_value_153834.html
  4. Nobody likes Newsom. https://www.liberalpatriot.com/p/gavin-newsom-youre-no-bill-clinton
  5. Hawley-Warren bill seeks to end monopoly in medicine. https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/senators-seek-to-smash-big-medicine
  6. Polymarket grocery stores. https://unherd.com/newsroom/inside-polymarkets-free-public-grocery-store/
  7. Security State. https://greenwald.substack.com/p/amazons-ring-and-googles-nest-unwittingly
  8. Housing market woes. https://substack.com/home/post/p-187448844
  9. Leverage risks. https://quoththeraven.substack.com/p/countdown-to-detonation-americas
  10. Epstein network. https://epstein-doc-explorer-1.onrender.com

B. Homework: Cases of the Week for Sunday

  1. Texas AG joins Dr. Bowden. https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Bowden%20Intervention%20(Filed)_0.pdf
  2. Alex Jones sues. https://www.scribd.com/document/997131709/Alex-Jones-Amended-Counterclaim-for-Filing-In-The-United-States-Bankruptcy-Court-For-The-Southern-District-Of-Texas
  3. Gail Slater removed. https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/trump-antitrust-chief-ousted-by-ticketmaster
  4. I will sue Mike Davis. https://x.com/barnes_law/status/2022467828255768629?s=20
  5. Wisconsin election integrity takes a loss. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/wisconsin-ballot-spoiling-ban-reversed.pdf
  6. Texas election integrity gets a win. https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/24/24-50783-CV0.pdf
  7. Two big 2A cases in 3rd. https://courthousenews.com/two-third-circuit-hearings-could-reshape-nations-second-amendment-rights/
  8. Another TPS order blocked. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/african-communities-v-noem-mass-ruling.pdf
  9. Epstein BOA suit goes forward. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/doe-v-bank-of-america-new-york-ruling.pdf
  10. Dollar Tree death. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/max-antonio-garay-v-dollar-tree.pdf
  11. Boasberg latest insanity. https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2025cv0766-247
  12. Trump immigration win. https://www.phelps.com/a/web/r5pKxiJkFZ7QKozjTbS8V2/ca5detention.pdf

*Bonus: Livenation Ticketmaster Antitrust https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-industry-news/live-nation-doj-lawsuit-after-gail-slater-resignation-1236504011/

**Bonus: NCAAF eligibility suit. https://www.knoxnews.com/picture-gallery/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2026/02/13/joey-aguilar-eligibility-hearing-tennessee-vs-ncaa/88659399007/

***Bonus: AI plagiarism win. https://www.newsday.com/long-island/education/adelphi-university-ai-plagiarism-lawsuit-oh07enyz

C. Best of the Board: Ten of the Top Posts

  1. Too much truth. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7688284/best-explanation-of-our-two-party-system-benowen
  2. Life on the line. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7687846/god-bless-and-protect-thomas-massie
  3. Prayer & a cute dog. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7688117/daily-prayer-2-0-heavenly-father-give-us-comfort-and-wisdom-allow-us-to-trust-your-judgement-and-y
  4. Surf. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7688060/pipeline-hawaii
  5. Real diversity. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7688513/title
  6. Hush Hush ideas. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7688104/robertbarnes-just-saw-a-news-article-talking-about-the-great-chicago-fire-being-started-by-communis
  7. Wisdom. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7687331/title
  8. Bill Brown Proverbs. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7686413/title
  9. Truth. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7684892/title
  10. My answer is Yes. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7687202/does-god-answer-your-prayers-i-ask-because-i-pray-everyday-whether-typed-down-here-or-mentally-reci

III. CLOSING ARGUMENT: Constitution Masterclass Series — Article I, Elections

  • Article I, section 4 empowered the legislative branch of the federal government — the Congress — “may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations” otherwise set by the legislatures of the state governing the “elections for Senators and Representatives” except to the Places of chusing Senators, later modified by the Seventeenth Amendment. Each House can further be the “Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members” including the power to expel “with the Concurrence of two thirds.” The Constitution affords no express power to Congress to elect the President or elect those to state or local office. And remember, Article I powers are constricted to those “herein granted” explicitly within the Constitution. 
  • Representatives must be “apportioned” amongst the States “according to their respective Numbers”, a determination made by “adding to the whole Number of free Persons” certain individuals no longer referenced after the Fourteenth Amendment. The “actual enumeration” of this apportionment “shall be made…within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.” The original intention was that there were at least one representative for “every thirty Thousand”.
  • The Fourteenth Amendment modified these provisions by stating representatives be apportioned “to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each state, excluding Indians not taxed.” Of note, the provision also stripped representation of any state which limited Presidential electors beyond the limits of gender, age, citizenship, crime, or rebellion. 
  • The Fifteenth Amendment modified these provisions further by providing a “right of citizens of the United States to vote” and that such a right could not be denied on basis of race. 
  • The Seventeenth Amendment modified these provisions further by providing that the “people thereof” elect the Senators instead of the legislative branches of those state governments. 
  • The Nineteenth Amendment modified the provisions even further by expanding the Fifteenth Amendment’s right of citizens to vote to women. 
  • The TwentyFourth Amendment modified these provisions even further by holding the right of the citizens to vote in federal elections could not be limited based on taxes, including poll taxes. 
  • The Twenty-Sixth Amendment expanded these voting rights to include those 18 years of age or older that are citizens. 
  • Each of these Amendments repeated: “the right citizens of the United States to vote” as the entire premise of these Amendments to the Constitution for governing elections. Yet, somehow, the courts held in 2020 no such right existed to even afford standing to request judicial relief from stolen elections for the highest office in the land, and even when brought between states for the only nationally elected office? 
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