Editor's Note: From the Back Forty is Liberty Nation's longest-running and most popular weekly column.
Flyover folks were anticipating a lovely, positive transition from 2024 to the new year full of optimism, common sense, and a whole host of magical surprises that the next administration would gift the American people. Well, that might be a tad delayed, as 2025 has strolled in from the walk of shame, still wearing last year's clothes. As instant gratification goes, so far, it remains unfulfilled.
Oh, Michigan, What Have You Done?
Not long ago, the state of Michigan revealed it would end coal production and switch to solar power. Most folks in the country use propane for winter heat, but the populous places are leaving green skid marks in their quest to eliminate fossil fuels.
Does anyone remember Joni Mitchell crooning Big Yellow Taxi in 1970? “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot?”
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that the government will clear 420 acres of trees in a state forest to build a solar farm. That is evicting trees, soil, grass, and wildlife. Michigan, according to a DNR report, is falling “behind in building enough renewable energy.”
Not one to be sentimental on the subject, Chris Martz, a meteorology student, published a chart showing how ridiculous this plan is. He posted his report on X:
“Do you like math? Do you like making climate activists cry? If so, this post is for you. They advertise utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind as being ‘eco-friendly’ energy technologies because they emit less CO₂ over their total lifecycle. ... But, when you point out to them just how land intensive their green energy technologies are, they squirm trying to justify being vehemently opposed to nuclear fission — a near-infinite, carbon-free, energy-dense electricity source — and working to destroying the landscape with massive amounts of solar cells and wind farms to save the planet.”
Well, salty language is okay on X. It seems young Martz has the answers, too. Basically, nuclear energy is less invasive and way cheaper.
Heartlanders could not contain their collective disgust at the progressive sorts. In Louisville, KY, Charles Malone said: “How long is it going to take those solar panels to negate all the carbons you're going to be pumping into the air, cutting 420 acres of trees down and hauling the stuff out of there, then probably landfilling it to decay into methane gas which is worse than the CO issue... Somebody didn't think this through or do any damn math. Good job fools.”
“It isn't just the trees! It's all of the plants. It's the destruction of habitat and displacement/death of creatures. It's the environmental impact created once the trees are gone,” commented Julie Burton of Alpina, MI. “Plus, how does a solar farm work in the snow belt?”
Hoosier Michael Warner wondered about the viability of such things in the Midwest: “Someone please update us on this when a tornado or a hailstorm breaks most of those solar panels.”
“Wow, we'll have power in the future, but no oxygen. Winning," said Angela Smith in Park Hills, MO.
Yes, Angela, as the song goes, “They took all the trees put ’em in a tree museum. And they charged the people a dollar an’ a half just to see ’em.”
Carville Explains 2025 Terrorist Attacks
Early on New Year’s morning, Shamsud-Din Jabbar plowed through a crowd on Bourbon Street in a truck, killing at least 14 people and injuring many more. The very same day, 37-year-old Matthew Alan Livelsberger blew up his cybertruck in Las Vegas.
For whatever reason, James Carville was asked to weigh in on the two terrorist attacks. He did, and it’s weird.
“The thing is, particularly [the] guy in Las Vegas, a highly trained soldier, but the crazy guy from Houston was in the Army for nine years. I mean, I’ve been in the military. The one thing you do is you learn how to deal with explosives if you wanted to. Fortunately for us, 99.99% of them don’t do that,” Carville said to CNN host Anderson Cooper.
“But at the end of the day, this is my theory, and I’m going to be right 80% of the time. These people have some kind of sexual problem. I think that most of them are incel[s]. I’ll be wrong 20%, I’ll say that, but I’m not going to be wrong much more than that if you dig into it,” Carville said.
Was that like a dare? Is Anderson Cooper researching so much his fingers will be calloused? Tom Tindall of South Carolina was confused about the entire interview: “Why does anyone still talk to Carville? He is ALWAYS wrong about ANYTHING. Seriously, I have watched him be interviewed for forty years, and he is never right about anything.” But Tindall was not quite finished: “I don't get this weird fad of calling people ‘incel.’ Okay, so someone can't get laid. How does that make them a villain?”
In Friendswood, TX, Ricky Garner shut the discussion down: “Carville has a brain like an 8 ball.”
Biden Admin Buys Ukrainian Gifts for Joe and Jill
Dr. Jill Biden raked in some pricey gifts in 2023, according to a report released Thursday by the State Department’s Office of the Chief of Protocol. The most expensive gift of the year was a $20,000 diamond. The 7.5-carat sparkling gem was a gift from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She also received a $14,063 brooch from the Ukrainian ambassador. Did you say Ukraine?
On one occasion, Biden received a $2,400 collage from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. So Biden sends money, and Zelensky uses our tax dollars to buy gifts to send back to the Swamp?
Before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, the Bidens, like all those fancy folks in the White House, must give most of these gifts to the National Archives in case someone takes a closer look at the rule book. “Executive branch officials are required under federal law to declare gifts valued more than $480.” The Chinese Flag monogrammed on a box of number two pencils can go to Delaware. The diamond, however, is on official display in the White House East Wing – on the opposite side of where the mysterious cocaine was stashed.
Greg Brynda in Chicago connected the dots and then asked: “So is Jill ‘The Big Guy?’”
And One Last Blessing
The woman who would have been America’s 47th president confirmed why she lost big: “Join me in pledging allegiance to our flag. I pledge allegiance, to the United St …” she began, as the rest of the chamber correctly stated, “I pledge allegiance, to the flag.”
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