SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – OVERNIGHT: 

THE BRITS VOTE – FROM REUTERS:   Britain's ruling Conservative Party won a new seat in parliament on Friday, sweeping aside the incumbent Labour Party with a victory in the northern English town of Hartlepool that tightens its grip on traditional Labour-voting areas.  Conservative candidate Jill Mortimer beat the Labour candidate by 15,529 votes to 8,589, securing what less than a decade ago would have been seen as an impossible feat of dislodging the main opposition Labour Party from one of its heartland seats.  The overwhelming victory, which gives Prime Minister Boris Johnson an even larger majority in parliament, increases pressure on Labour leader Keir Starmer, who has faced criticism for not fulfilling his pledge to revive the party's fortunes after a 2019 election disaster.  "There's no hiding from the fact this is a shattering result for Labour, absolutely shattering," Labour lawmaker Steve Reed, a member of Starmer's top team, told the BBC.  "It tells us that the pace of change in the Labour Party has not been fast enough. We need to quicken it up."  The Conservatives described it as an historic day.  What's relevant to us here is that the American Democratic Party is following pretty much the same script that Britain's Labour Party followed on its way to oblivion.  Hard left politics, contempt for the nation's heritage, and an embrace of identity politics.  Today's conservative victory in Britain will be, we hope, an indicator of things to come on this side of the Atlantic.

LEFTISM HAS CONSEQUENCES – FROM AP:  SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California's population fell by more than 182,000 people in 2020, marking the first year-over-year loss ever recorded for the nation's most populous state.  State officials announced Friday that California's population dipped 0.46% to just under 39.5 million people from January 2020 to January 2021.  The news comes one week after the U.S. Census Bureau announced a paltry population growth for California, resulting in the state losing a congressional seat for the first time because it grew more slowly than other states over the past decade.  But the census numbers reflect the state's population in April 2020. The new state numbers released Friday reflect the state's population as of January 2021.  Among California's largest cities, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Long Beach and Anaheim saw their population shrink. Meanwhile Fresno, Sacramento, Oakland and Bakersfield gained residents.   A one-party state dripping with leftism and identity politics.  Once governed by Ronald Reagan, the state is now run by Gavin Newsom, who faces a recall election and a possible ouster from power.  For the first time in a long time, some political mavens are dreaming of California going red in 2024.

May 7, 2021