Podcasts about defense department

(1/19/23) - In today's Federal Newscast: GAO audits another big federal program with big fraud potential. The Defense Department has a new plan to manage its satellite communications. And lawmakers reintroduce legislation to equalize Social Security benefits for federal retirees.

It's a happy two for Tuesday again on KITM as David Waldman welcomes back Joan McCarter! A moment of silence for Diamond and Silk's “Diamond”, now being held to a higher standard. Both-sides journalism was thrown a lifeline yesterday with classified documents showing up at an office President Joe Biden previously used. Rudy Colludey Giuliani has been subpoenaed by special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into Donald Trump's Save America PAC fraud. C-Span aims to be non-partisanly boring, but when occasionally engaging material emerges, who owns it? Republicans extended their parody of American governance with an anti-rules rules package containing secret rules for House Power Sub Kevin McCarthy.  Wealthy tax cheats get the first treats, perhaps funded by the Defense Department, or maybe a debt default, no promises. Brazilian insurrectionists have assembled their Trumpian coup kit with guidance from our MAGA minds. People aren't deluded by right-wing lies; right-wing liars are motivated by their success in lying. 

In an era of chaotic politics, roller coaster economic indicators and historic inflation, individuals would be smart to keep an eye on their holistic financial situation. For many public servants, financial wellness programs can be a way that they get more in touch with their finances and many agencies offer these programs for employees. Sidney and Saundra Curry are co-founders BC Holdings of Tennessee, a financial wellness and workforce training company. BCH has worked with the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Labor and the Defense Department to provide financial literacy training programming. As part of our #MoneyMonday series, they joined the podcast now to discuss financial literacy programs for public servants. *** Follow GovExec on Twitter! https://twitter.com/govexec

Learn about the elimination of the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children and who it affects. Previously, when a service member died on active or inactive duty in the line of duty, the surviving spouse could request to have their Survivor Benefit Plan annuity paid directly to an eligible dependent child or children. Beginning in 2023, however, the SBP monthly annuity payment must revert to the surviving spouse (once they submit documentation confirming eligibility). Host Bruce Moody speaks with Julie Burandt-Partin, director of retired and annuitant pay for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/RetiredMilitary/survivors/SBP-2023-Optional-Child-Annuity-Reversion/ for more information about the elimination of the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children. Bruce Moody is a public affairs specialist with the office of Military Community and Family Policy. The Military OneSource podcast is an official resource of the Defense Department. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647. Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive.

The National Defense Authorization Act - the bill in which Congress tells the Defense Department what to spend its money on - contains revolutionary language about reporting UAP - and those initials now mean something new! Ross reads directly from the bill about protecting anyone who comes forward to talk about sightings, discoveries and much more. Also, vital talk about the weather, various kinds of football, and the US House of Representatives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Damar Hamlin almost loses life in midst of important NFL game / RIP Uche Nwaneri #diedsuddenlyKevin Mcarthy fails house vote for majority 6x and countingThe IRS has delayed the move that will force people to report $600 + payments. Meanwhile, The Defense Department failed its 5th audit, unable to account for 61% its assets, worth about 1.8 trillion.Donald Trump Taxes releasedInternational Boxing Organization starting a Transgender LeagueIs Brittany Spears Missing, a phenomenon on TIK TOKGabriele Union says she felt obligated to cheat on first husband because she paid all the billsThe first Canine Fucker identifiedTonedef underdog - Kish Javi 3-6 / Cody 2-7Kish - Titans over JagsJavi - Chargers over BroncosCody - Patriots over Bills

Learn about changes to the Survivor Benefit Plan annuity payments from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service and about the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation payments from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The changes, which go into effect for 2023, involve eliminating the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children, meaning eligible spouses will receive their full SBP payment from DFAS and their full DIC payment from the Department of Veteran Affairs. Host Bruce Moody speaks with Julie Burandt-Partin, director of retired and annuitant pay for DFAS, about the changes. Visit Military OneSource for more information about the phase-out of the SBP-DIC offset at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/media/news-and-releases/phase-out-of-the-sbp-dic-offset-frequently-asked-questions/. Bruce Moody is a public affairs specialist with the office of Military Community and Family Policy. The Military OneSource podcast is an official resource of the Defense Department. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647. Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive.

Episode number one for 2023 means the covers are off regarding a new name for our podcast, but with the same kinds of conversations as they have always been.What is now WT 360 remains all about the business of government contracting and all about the technologies involved in it, from the perspectives of leaders across the public sector ecosystem and others who observe the happenings.This premiere episode also introduces a new regular feature called the Info Session that brings together our reporters and others across our GovExec partner publications Defense One, FCW, Government Executive and Nextgov.WT's own Nick Wakeman and Ross Wilkers, Frank Konkel of Nextgov and Carten Cordell of FCW go over the storylines they are watching in 2023 and reflect on the Defense Department (finally) awarding its big-ticket commercial cloud contract back in December.For more on the mission of WT 360, click here to read Nick's article that introduces the new name and the kinds of conversations we look to steer through our podcast.(NOTE: When we recorded this episode, no one had received enough votes to be the next Speaker of the House. Who knows when anyone will get the votes, we sure don't.)

Learn about the wealth of educational, recreational and leadership opportunities offered by military Youth Programs and teen centers. 2022 National Military Youth of the Year, Ahsha B., talks about how military teen centers and Boys & Girls Clubs of America partnership programs helped her develop her interests, become more well-rounded and achieve life goals. Host Bruce Moody speaks with 2022 Military Youth of the Year, Ahsha B., of Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base. Visit Military OneSource to learn more about military youth and teen programs. Bruce Moody is a public affairs specialist with the office of Military Community and Family Policy. The Military OneSource podcast is an official resource of the Defense Department. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647. Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive.

Congress made hiring a civilian workforce with an expertise in cybersecurity a top priority in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. In addition to recruiting a cyber workforce, the Defense Department will set up a program to bring in new talent by educating them. The department will expand its funding of university-level cyber education. Under a program called the Department of Defense Cyber and Digital Service Academy, DoD will provide scholarships through institutions of higher education to students who take courses of study related to cybersecurity.

Even compared to widespread internet adoption, social media is pretty new. Despite its relative newness, at least seventy percent of Americans use one or another social media platform regularly, according to Pew Research. The internet is forever, of course, so the digital paper trail is a part of the security clearance process.  Lindy Kyzer is the editor of ClearanceJobs.com, a former Defense Department employee and, as a GovExec contributor, has a post right now headlined “Social Media Monitoring in the Security Clearance Process.” She joined the podcast to discuss her post and the social media vetting process for security clearances. *** Follow GovExec on Twitter! https://twitter.com/govexec

Learn more about Thrive — free, online parenting-education programming developed by the Defense Department with the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State. Thrive provides evidence-informed, best-parenting guidelines that promote positive parenting, stress management and healthy lifestyle practices. Find out how Thrive can help you raise healthy, resilient children from birth to 18. Host Bruce Moody speaks with Terri L. Rudy, research project manager for the Thrive initiative. They discuss resources and support available from the Thrive program, including core age-specific modules, as well as the supplemental module for families with special needs. To learn more about Thrive resources and support for service members and families, visit Military OneSource at: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/family-relationships/parenting-and-children/parenting-youth-and-teens/thrive-online-program-for-military-parents/. To register for the Thrive program, and view or download parent resources, visit: https://thrive.psu.edu/. Bruce Moody is a public affairs specialist with the office of Military Community and Family Policy. The Military OneSource podcast is an official resource of the Defense Department. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647. Military OneSource is your 24/7 connection to information, answers and support to help you reach your goals, overcome challenges and thrive.

Terry O'Donnell continues to practice law after a challenging career.  He served in Vietnam as an Air Force Officer identifying targets that were firing rockets and mortars on US forces.  He was also General Counsel for Textron, a defense company. Terry was also General Counsel for the Defense Department..He played a crucial role in the War and The Wall om1981-1985.  He is highly respected..

If at first you don't succeed, try again would be one way of looking at Department of Defense's effort to use a new mechanism for funding technology. The fiscal 2023 omnibus spending bill funds 10 programs for buying software that fall under the Software and Digital Technology Pilot Program. Last year, the Pentagon requested money for the program, but Congress didn't include it in the final budget. This year, the proposed budget fully funds the 10 programs in order to test the concept in a pilot.

We bring you a classic Christmas carol, "What Child is This?" sung by U.S. military service personnel from around the world. It was produced by a little-known unit at the Defense Department called the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Hour 1 * Guest: James Edwards – Race, Politics & Hypocrisy in 21st Century America – thepoliticalcesspool.org * A Maricopa County judge ruled Monday that Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake can go forward with part of her lawsuit amidst her claims the election was stolen. Lake raised 10 claims in her lawsuit, asking the judge to force a re-vote or declare her winner. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson dismissed eight of the claims but said Lake has the right to make her case on the two remaining claims. * Musk: I will resign as CEO as soon as I find someone foolish enough to take the job! After that, I will just run the software & servers teams. * One catch: you have to invest your life savings in Twitter and it has been in the fast lane to bankruptcy since May. Still want the job?” * Replying to one Twitter user who questioned whether the result of the poll may have been shaped by fake accounts or bots on the platform, Musk responded: “Interesting.” * Twitter gave “special protection” to social media accounts used by the US military for psychological influence operations. * FBI Increases Spending to Go After MAGA-Related “Domestic Terror” Cases – Information Liberation, Bannon's War Room and Newsweek. * Donald Trump's ‘Digital Trading Cards' NFTs Sold Out In One Day — Netting $4+M. * US Govt. Paid Catholic Charities $3 Billion to Traffic People across the US/Mexico Border – Steve Bannon's War Room and Complicit Clergy. * Sen. Rand Paul Slams “Emasculated Republicans” For Accepting Huge $1.7T Spending Bill. * The omnibus spending bill $1.7T, 4,155 pages long represents the federal government's budget for the coming fiscal year. * Congressional Democrats in the House Ways and Means Committee voted Tuesday to publicly release former President Donald Trump's tax returns. The Democratic-controlled committee voted 24-16 All Republicans on the committee voted against the action. *McConnell has placed providing aid to Ukraine at the forefront of America's priorities. “Making sure the Defense Department can deal with the major threats coming from Russia and China, providing assistance for Ukrainians to defeat the Russians, that's the number one priority of the United States right now, according to most Republicans,” McConnell stated. * Biden to send Patriot missile system to Ukraine. * In Bankruptcy, Alex Jones Battles for $1.3M Salary He asks judge to order Infowars' parent firm to go back to paying him $54K biweekly, up from $20K. * A salary of $10,000 a week isn't enough for a bankrupt Alex Jones, who has asked a judge for almost three times that amount. Hour 2 * Guest: Lance Migliaccio, Host of The Big Mig Podcast / Videocast Powered by Truth! – TheBigMig.com * “The Tip Of The Spear” “If liberty means anything at all it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” * Dr. McCullough: The COVID “Vaccinated” Are A Health Threat To The Unvaccinated. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/loving-liberty/support

* Guest: James Edwards - Race, Politics & Hypocrisy in 21st Century America - thepoliticalcesspool.org * A Maricopa County judge ruled Monday that Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake can go forward with part of her lawsuit amidst her claims the election was stolen. Lake raised 10 claims in her lawsuit, asking the judge to force a re-vote or declare her winner. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson dismissed eight of the claims but said Lake has the right to make her case on the two remaining claims. * Musk: I will resign as CEO as soon as I find someone foolish enough to take the job! After that, I will just run the software & servers teams. * One catch: you have to invest your life savings in Twitter and it has been in the fast lane to bankruptcy since May. Still want the job?” * Replying to one Twitter user who questioned whether the result of the poll may have been shaped by fake accounts or bots on the platform, Musk responded: “Interesting.” * Twitter gave "special protection" to social media accounts used by the US military for psychological influence operations. * FBI Increases Spending to Go After MAGA-Related “Domestic Terror” Cases - Information Liberation, Bannon's War Room and Newsweek. * Donald Trump's 'Digital Trading Cards' NFTs Sold Out In One Day — Netting $4+M. * US Govt. Paid Catholic Charities $3 Billion to Traffic People across the US/Mexico Border - Steve Bannon's War Room and Complicit Clergy. * Sen. Rand Paul Slams “Emasculated Republicans” For Accepting Huge $1.7T Spending Bill. * The omnibus spending bill $1.7T, 4,155 pages  long represents the federal government's budget for the coming fiscal year. * Congressional Democrats in the House Ways and Means Committee voted Tuesday to publicly release former President Donald Trump's tax returns. The Democratic-controlled committee voted 24-16 All Republicans on the committee voted against the action. *McConnell has placed providing aid to Ukraine at the forefront of America's priorities. "Making sure the Defense Department can deal with the major threats coming from Russia and China, providing assistance for Ukrainians to defeat the Russians, that's the number one priority of the United States right now, according to most Republicans," McConnell stated. * Biden to send Patriot missile system to Ukraine. * In Bankruptcy, Alex Jones Battles for $1.3M Salary He asks judge to order Infowars' parent firm to go back to paying him $54K biweekly, up from $20K. * A salary of $10,000 a week isn't enough for a bankrupt Alex Jones, who has asked a judge for almost three times that amount.

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by two incredible guests: former Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, and Congressman Don Bacon of Nebraska's 2nd District.-Dr. Mark T. Esper became the 27th Secretary of Defense in July 2019 when he was confirmed in an overwhelming 90-8 vote by the U.S. Senate in rare bipartisan fashion. Esper went on to successfully lead the Defense Department through an unprecedented time in the nation's history: from conflict with Iran, an ongoing military campaign in Afghanistan, and counter-terrorism operations in the Middle East; to open competition with China and Russia amidst a fundamental shift in the geo-strategic environment; and from the greatest civil unrest and political turmoil America has seen in decades, to a major recession and the spread of a global pandemic the world had not experienced in over 100 years, all while dealing with an unpredictable White House.As Defense Secretary, Esper was responsible for ensuring the United States' national security, protecting the American people at home and abroad, and advancing the country's interests globally. In this capacity, he led the largest and most complex organization in the world given its nearly three million service members and defense civilians, $740 billion annual budget, and trillions of dollars of weapons, equipment, and infrastructure located at 4,800 sites in over 160 countries. Esper's broad scope of responsibilities ranged from organizing, manning, training, and equipping the joint force, to the research and development of future weapons, concepts, and equipment; and from defense trade, diplomacy, and cybersecurity, to healthcare, hospitals, housing, and schools.Dr. Esper made major strides in shaping and implementing the National Defense Strategy, which called for a return to preparing for high intensity conflict in a new era of great power competition principally against China and Russia. To this end, Esper established the Space Force and Space Command, proposed a dramatic change in the size and composition of the U.S. Navy, enhanced the resourcing and operations of Cyber Command, and led a major reform effort that reorganized the department and freed up billions of dollars for higher priorities. He worked hard to strengthen alliances and grow new partners, especially in the Indo-Pacific and Europe, and helped drive a major increase in the readiness and capability of NATO members, all while advancing new warfighting, operational, and readiness concepts in the U.S. military.Esper also oversaw the largest R&D budget in the department's history, drove spending on cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, directed energy, advanced networking, robotics, and hypersonics, and launched the biggest initiative in decades to improve diversity and inclusion in the armed forces.Prior to becoming Defense Secretary, Dr. Esper served as the 23rd Secretary of the Army from November 2017 until June 2019. In this capacity, he was responsible for over 1.5 million active, Guard, and Reserve Soldiers and Army civilians, a budget of $180 billion annually, and all aspects of leading the world's most capable ground combat force. During his tenure, Esper launched a renaissance in how the Service organized, manned, trained, and equipped the force as it shifted its focus back toward large-scale combat operations against great power competitors.Dr. Esper was a reformer who spearheaded an extensive review process dubbed “night court” that reduced organizational inefficiencies and eliminated scores of programs to free up funding for critical modernization initiatives. He also established a new U.S. Army Futures Command designed to improve the Army's acquisition process and bolster its broader effort to field a modern force capable of fighting in all domains. Finally, he directed an overhaul of Army recruiting standards and processes, the lengthening and toughening of Infantry Basic Combat Training, and the development of a new Talent Management system for the service, all while advancing important initiatives for Army spouses and families.-Growing up and working on a farm in Illinois, Congressman Don Bacon learned first-hand how the value of hard work and commitment contributes to the success of a small business. He moved from the family farm to attend Northern Illinois University, from which he graduated with a Bachelors of Political Science in 1984, the same year he married Angie, the love of his life. They have three sons, one daughter, and six grandchildren. One year later, he began his military career by joining the U.S. Air Force and serving nearly 30 years, ultimately retiring as a Brigadier General.During his career in the Air Force, Congressman Bacon specialized in electronic warfare, intelligence and reconnaissance. His career highlights include two tours as a Wing Commander, at Ramstein Airbase in Germany and Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska; group command at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona; squadron command in Arizona, and expeditionary squadron command in Iraq.  In total, Rep. Bacon served 16 assignments including four deployments in the Middle East to include Iraq in 2007 to 2008 during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.Congressman Bacon's military decorations include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, two Bronze Stars, two Legion of Merits, five Meritorious Service Medals, and the Aerial Achievement Medal. Additionally, he was selected as Europe's top Air Force Wing Commander for his time at Ramstein Airbase, as well as recognized as a distinguished graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, Navigator-Electronic Warfare School, and Officer Intelligence School. Further, Congressman Bacon has earned two Masters Degrees, from the University of Phoenix in Arizona and the National War College in Washington D.C.Upon his retirement from the Air Force in 2014, Congressman Bacon served as the military advisor to Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01), where he specialized in military affairs focusing on Offutt Air Force Base and the Nebraska National Guard. He also was an Assistant Professor at Bellevue University where he taught Undergraduate Leadership along with American Vision and Values (The Kirkpatrick Signature Series), until his 2016 election to Congress, representing Nebraska's Second Congressional District. Presently, Congressman Bacon serves on two committees within the House of Representatives:  the House Armed Services Committee, and the House Agricultural Committee.-Connect with us:www.breakingbattlegrounds.voteTwitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_BattleFacebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegroundsInstagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegroundsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com

Over the past few years the NewsHour has asked a little known Defense Department unit called the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, or DVIDS, to produce a holiday song in which service personnel from around the world sing. This year they have produced a Hanukkah song to mark the beginning of the holiday which starts this Sunday. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Over the past few years the NewsHour has asked a little known Defense Department unit called the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, or DVIDS, to produce a holiday song in which service personnel from around the world sing. This year they have produced a Hanukkah song to mark the beginning of the holiday which starts this Sunday. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Over the past few years the NewsHour has asked a little known Defense Department unit called the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, or DVIDS, to produce a holiday song in which service personnel from around the world sing. This year they have produced a Hanukkah song to mark the beginning of the holiday which starts this Sunday. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In recent decades, estimates of Chinese defense spending have varied wildly. Recognizing that market exchange rates cannot provide the best picture of Chinese defense spending on their own, analysts began using a blend of purchasing power parity and market exchange rates to represent Chinese military expenditures. With no agreed‐​on methodology, however, estimates have ranged from roughly $250 billion to near $600 billion. Since the Defense Department has identified China as the “pacing challenge” for the United States, the size and shape of China's military has significant implications for the U.S. defense budget, U.S.-Chinese relations, and the future of security in Asia. Please join our panel for a wide‐​ranging discussion of how best to represent China's growing military power. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a travesty of justice, Jeremy Brown, the lauded 20-year U.S. Army Special Forces soldier, was found guilty Monday in six of ten counts related to possessing illegally registered guns, explosives and classified Defense Department documents.In the federal trial in Tampa, he was found not guilty on four other charges related to possession of national security documents.Five of the six charges are federal felonies subject to up to 10 years in prison; the sixth charge is a misdemeanor subject to up to one year in prison. He will be sentenced by federal Judge Susan C. Bucklew on March 13, 2023.The jury deliberated for more than five hours Monday in deciding the case involving Brown – who is one of more than 900 people arrested in connection with the attack at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021.Please pray for Jeremy and his family. You can support him by going to JeremyBrownDefense.com

After a drawn-out contracting saga that lasted more than five years, the Pentagon is eager to finally implement its first-ever contracts to provide enterprise cloud computing services for the entire Defense Department. Officials said they'll be ready to start accepting orders under the multibillion dollar Joint Warfighter Cloud Computing contracts within the next 15 days.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Friday, December 9th, 2022. Happy Friday everyone! I hope you’ve had a good week and are heading into the weekend strong… before we get to the news: Club Membership Plug: Its Christmas, join our club. During December, the first 75 people to upgrade or join our Gold or Platinum club membership will get our 32OZ Kodiak Christmas water bottle and a free subscription to our Fight Laugh Feast Magazine. By joining the Fight Laugh Feast Army, not only will you be aiding in our fight to take down secular & legacy media; but you’ll also get access to content placed in our Club Portal, such as past shows, all of our conference talks, and EXCLUSIVE content for club members that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Lastly, you’ll also get discounts for our conferences… We don’t have the big money of woke media, and so our club members are crucial in this fight. So, join the movement, join our army, and you can sign up now at fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.theepochtimes.com/house-passes-bill-declaring-federal-right-to-same-sex-marriage_4911736.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport House Passes Bill Codifying Federal Right to Same Sex Marriage The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation on Dec. 8 that would codify same-sex and interracial marriage as a federally recognized right. The Respect for Marriage Act, or H.R. 8404, passed on a bipartisan 258–169 vote. Thirty-nine Republicans joined all Democrats in the lower chamber to pass the bill. One Republican voted present, and four didn’t vote. The legislation now heads to the White House for President Joe Biden’s signature into law; he has said he’ll sign it. The House had approved the measure in July but was voting again because the Senate amended the proposal in November. The bill includes a codification of the Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which declared a federal right to same-sex marriage on grounds of the 14th Amendment’s “equal protection” clause. “I began my career fighting for LGBTQ communities—and now, one of the final bills that I will sign as Speaker will ensure the federal government never again stands in the way of marrying the person you love,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a recent statement. Critics of the bill have warned of the potential for it to target faith-based organizations and have refuted the notion that it’s merely a codification of Obergefell. “The truth is the Respect for Marriage Act does nothing to change the status of same-sex marriage or the benefits afforded to same-sex couples following Obergefell,” the conservative Alliance Defending Freedom wrote in a blog post. “It does much, however, to endanger religious freedom.” The Alliance Defending Freedom described the bill as “a direct attack on the religious freedom of millions of Americans with sincerely held beliefs about marriage.” They said that by recognizing same-sex marriage in law, the bill “embeds a false definition of marriage in the American legal fabric.” Further, “it opens the door to federal recognition of polygamous relationships” and “jeopardizes the tax-exempt status of nonprofits that exercise their belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman.” Republican proponents of the bill rejected the claim, saying that it ensured that same-sex marriages would be protected while respecting the rights of faith-based institutions. The Senate passed the final package of the Respect for Marriage Act on Nov. 28. Ahead of a key vote to advance the package, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who often defects from his party on legislation, tied his support for the bill to protections of the religious freedoms of faith-based institutions. “If it includes important protections for religions and religious institutions, I will support it,” Romney told Politico. Other Republicans, including Sens. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) demurred from telling reporters how they’d vote on advancing the bill ahead of the vote. Ultimately, the bill garnered enough support to pass the upper chamber easily. Twelve Republicans joined Democrats to support the bill, including Romney, Ernst, and Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio). https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-prisoner-exchange-britney-griner-leaves-behind-marine-veteran-paul-whelan-again Biden prisoner exchange for Brittney Griner leaves behind Marine veteran Paul Whelan — again President Biden's prisoner exchange with Russia secured the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner on Thursday, but left U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan in Russian custody. Whelan has been in Russian custody since 2018 when he was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges. Griner had been in Russian custody since February after authorities discovered vape cartridges containing a small amount of cannabis oil in her luggage. Biden's administration had initially sought the release of both Griner and Whelan in exchange for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, a Russian citizen serving a prison sentence in America. Known colloquially as the "Merchant of Death," he was convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to kill Americans and sentenced to 15 years in prison. The Biden administration ultimately agreed to exchange Bout for Griner alone, leaving Whelan behind in Russia. Nevertheless, Whelan's brother, David Whelan, congratulated Griner on her release in a Thursday statement, but lamented the Biden administration's failure to release his brother. David's statement went on to note that the Biden administration notified the Whelan family that Paul would be left behind in the exchange. The statement noted that it was the second time the Biden administration had left Paul behind in a prisoner exchange, with the last instance coming in April. He pushed the Biden administration to be more aggressive in its efforts to get Americans released, going so far as to say the U.S. should arrest more Russians for exchange. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/12/06/army-keeps-booting-covid-vaccine-refusers-shot-requirement-may-be-dropped.html The Army Keeps Booting COVID Vaccine Refusers as Shot Requirement May Be Dropped The Pentagon's COVID-19 vaccine mandate appears on the verge of being eliminated by Congress after just over a year, yet the Army -- the only remaining service to never slow down separating troops who refuse inoculation -- said Monday it will not pause those separations. The Army has kicked out 1,841 active-duty soldiers for refusing inoculation, according to the latest service data released Friday. The Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force have halted or been barred by the courts from continuing separations, particularly for troops requesting religious exemptions, as legal fights play out over Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's August 2021 order that all service members be vaccinated. Now, lawmakers might strike a deal to nix the vaccine mandate as part of the annual defense authorization bill after Republicans pushed for the repeal and the Marine Corps said vaccine disinformation in parts of the country is hurting recruiting. A vaccine mandate reversal could also set up an unprecedented legal fight with troops seeking compensation for their dismissal or fighting to be brought back into the ranks. The details of the massive defense bill were expected to be released Tuesday, and it was unclear whether the soldiers who were kicked out would be allowed to return to service or be provided compensation by Congress. On Saturday, Politico reported the Democratic chair of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, put the mandate on the table in negotiations over the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which sets funding and policy priorities for the Defense Department. Since the pandemic began, GOP lawmakers have attempted to stonewall efforts to combat the spread of infections or boost immunities and have used the Pentagon's inoculation mandate as a partisan rallying cry. Troops are required only to get the initial vaccination, not a booster shot. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it's unknown how long the vaccinations protect against the worst effects of COVID-19, though they're estimated to remain effective for about a year, and many service members were vaccinated in early 2021. For now, the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps are in a holding pattern on removing troops due to court challenges. Some 1,200 Coast Guardsmen are part of a class-action lawsuit due to their religious exemptions being denied. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/fairness-justice/fbi-used-secret-powers-to-strip-more-americans-of-their-gun-rights-documents-reveal FBI used secret powers to strip more Americans of their gun rights, documents reveal The FBI has secretly stripped eight more people of their rights to own, use, or purchase firearms , according to internal FBI documents obtained by the Washington Examiner. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and over a dozen GOP members of Congress in October demanded that the FBI and Justice Department hand over proof that the FBI is no longer waiving people's gun rights with internal forms, which the Daily Caller uncovered in September had been signed by 15 people. Now, the Washington Examiner has obtained eight heavily redacted signed forms — indicating a more widespread bureau effort than previously known to target the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. "Americans can't simply sign their constitutional rights away, even to the FBI," Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX), who signed the October letter, told the Washington Examiner. "As Republicans enter a House majority, we must use our investigative power to put a check on federal agencies who have proven to be eager and willing to crack down on Americans' right to keep and bear arms." Through the forms, the FBI asked signatories to identify as a "danger" to themselves or others or lacking the “mental capacity adequately to contract or manage” their lives. The forms were presented by the FBI to people at their homes and in other undisclosed locations beginning in at least 2016 and until December 2019, when the FBI claims it was discontinued. While two of the new eight forms have redacted dates for when they were signed, the other six are dated between March 2018 and April 2019. The signed forms were obtained by Gun Owners of America, a firearms rights group, as part of its Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the bureau to compel the disclosure of records. They were then shared with the Washington Examiner. https://www.dailyfetched.com/avalanche-of-media-outlets-are-firing-staff-or-shutting-down-completely/ Avalanche of Media Outlets are Firing Staff or Shutting Down Completely More and more media outlets are firing staff or shutting down altogether as the economy under President Joe Biden continues to tank amid a huge public narrative shift. One left-leaning outlet, The Recount, shut down entirely after receiving a whopping $34,000,000 from investors, which they can’t make back. The outlet needed help finding a profitable business model. Meanwhile, AMC network announced it was laying off a fifth of its staff. The layoffs at AMC Networks come at a time when several media companies, including Amazon and Facebook-parent Meta Platforms, are making deep cuts to their employee base to navigate a potential downturn in the economy, the Daily Mail noted. Earlier this week, BuzzFeed announced it would be axing 12% of its workforce. The Daily Fetched reported the outlet faced a brutal ad-spending pullback amid an ongoing economic downturn. Buzzfeed staffers were notified by email Tuesday that they were losing their jobs. CEO Jonah Peretti wrote in a memo to employees: “In order for BuzzFeed to weather an economic downturn that I believe will extend well into 2023, we must adapt, invest in our strategy to serve our audience best, and readjust our cost structure.” NBC Universal also announced it was laying off staff, with cuts expected mainly in broadcast and cable TV groups. The headcount reduction is set for 2023 to hit budget targets. NPR announced it was having a near hiring freeze and budget cuts in anticipation of a $20 million shortfall in financial sponsorships this fiscal year. Meanwhile, the Washington Post ended its Sunday magazine and also eliminated positions. The Post’s executive editor, Sally Buzbee, announced the outlet would end in its current form after printing on Dec. 25. Gannett, America’s largest newspaper publisher, also announced it would be six percent of its staffers as the company struggles financially. Americans trust in media is at record low amid a huge public narrative shift. As Gallup reported: At 34%, Americans’ trust in the mass media to report the news “fully, accurately and fairly” is essentially unchanged from last year and just two points higher than the lowest that Gallup has recorded, in 2016 during the presidential campaign. Just 7% of Americans have “a great deal” of trust and confidence in the media, and 27% have “a fair amount.” Meanwhile, 28% of U.S. adults say they do not have very much confidence and 38% have none at all in newspapers, TV and radio. Notably, this is the first time that the percentage of Americans with no trust at all in the media is higher than the percentage with a great deal or a fair amount combined.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Friday, December 9th, 2022. Happy Friday everyone! I hope you’ve had a good week and are heading into the weekend strong… before we get to the news: Club Membership Plug: Its Christmas, join our club. During December, the first 75 people to upgrade or join our Gold or Platinum club membership will get our 32OZ Kodiak Christmas water bottle and a free subscription to our Fight Laugh Feast Magazine. By joining the Fight Laugh Feast Army, not only will you be aiding in our fight to take down secular & legacy media; but you’ll also get access to content placed in our Club Portal, such as past shows, all of our conference talks, and EXCLUSIVE content for club members that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Lastly, you’ll also get discounts for our conferences… We don’t have the big money of woke media, and so our club members are crucial in this fight. So, join the movement, join our army, and you can sign up now at fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.theepochtimes.com/house-passes-bill-declaring-federal-right-to-same-sex-marriage_4911736.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport House Passes Bill Codifying Federal Right to Same Sex Marriage The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation on Dec. 8 that would codify same-sex and interracial marriage as a federally recognized right. The Respect for Marriage Act, or H.R. 8404, passed on a bipartisan 258–169 vote. Thirty-nine Republicans joined all Democrats in the lower chamber to pass the bill. One Republican voted present, and four didn’t vote. The legislation now heads to the White House for President Joe Biden’s signature into law; he has said he’ll sign it. The House had approved the measure in July but was voting again because the Senate amended the proposal in November. The bill includes a codification of the Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which declared a federal right to same-sex marriage on grounds of the 14th Amendment’s “equal protection” clause. “I began my career fighting for LGBTQ communities—and now, one of the final bills that I will sign as Speaker will ensure the federal government never again stands in the way of marrying the person you love,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a recent statement. Critics of the bill have warned of the potential for it to target faith-based organizations and have refuted the notion that it’s merely a codification of Obergefell. “The truth is the Respect for Marriage Act does nothing to change the status of same-sex marriage or the benefits afforded to same-sex couples following Obergefell,” the conservative Alliance Defending Freedom wrote in a blog post. “It does much, however, to endanger religious freedom.” The Alliance Defending Freedom described the bill as “a direct attack on the religious freedom of millions of Americans with sincerely held beliefs about marriage.” They said that by recognizing same-sex marriage in law, the bill “embeds a false definition of marriage in the American legal fabric.” Further, “it opens the door to federal recognition of polygamous relationships” and “jeopardizes the tax-exempt status of nonprofits that exercise their belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman.” Republican proponents of the bill rejected the claim, saying that it ensured that same-sex marriages would be protected while respecting the rights of faith-based institutions. The Senate passed the final package of the Respect for Marriage Act on Nov. 28. Ahead of a key vote to advance the package, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who often defects from his party on legislation, tied his support for the bill to protections of the religious freedoms of faith-based institutions. “If it includes important protections for religions and religious institutions, I will support it,” Romney told Politico. Other Republicans, including Sens. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) demurred from telling reporters how they’d vote on advancing the bill ahead of the vote. Ultimately, the bill garnered enough support to pass the upper chamber easily. Twelve Republicans joined Democrats to support the bill, including Romney, Ernst, and Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio). https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-prisoner-exchange-britney-griner-leaves-behind-marine-veteran-paul-whelan-again Biden prisoner exchange for Brittney Griner leaves behind Marine veteran Paul Whelan — again President Biden's prisoner exchange with Russia secured the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner on Thursday, but left U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan in Russian custody. Whelan has been in Russian custody since 2018 when he was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges. Griner had been in Russian custody since February after authorities discovered vape cartridges containing a small amount of cannabis oil in her luggage. Biden's administration had initially sought the release of both Griner and Whelan in exchange for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, a Russian citizen serving a prison sentence in America. Known colloquially as the "Merchant of Death," he was convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to kill Americans and sentenced to 15 years in prison. The Biden administration ultimately agreed to exchange Bout for Griner alone, leaving Whelan behind in Russia. Nevertheless, Whelan's brother, David Whelan, congratulated Griner on her release in a Thursday statement, but lamented the Biden administration's failure to release his brother. David's statement went on to note that the Biden administration notified the Whelan family that Paul would be left behind in the exchange. The statement noted that it was the second time the Biden administration had left Paul behind in a prisoner exchange, with the last instance coming in April. He pushed the Biden administration to be more aggressive in its efforts to get Americans released, going so far as to say the U.S. should arrest more Russians for exchange. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/12/06/army-keeps-booting-covid-vaccine-refusers-shot-requirement-may-be-dropped.html The Army Keeps Booting COVID Vaccine Refusers as Shot Requirement May Be Dropped The Pentagon's COVID-19 vaccine mandate appears on the verge of being eliminated by Congress after just over a year, yet the Army -- the only remaining service to never slow down separating troops who refuse inoculation -- said Monday it will not pause those separations. The Army has kicked out 1,841 active-duty soldiers for refusing inoculation, according to the latest service data released Friday. The Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force have halted or been barred by the courts from continuing separations, particularly for troops requesting religious exemptions, as legal fights play out over Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's August 2021 order that all service members be vaccinated. Now, lawmakers might strike a deal to nix the vaccine mandate as part of the annual defense authorization bill after Republicans pushed for the repeal and the Marine Corps said vaccine disinformation in parts of the country is hurting recruiting. A vaccine mandate reversal could also set up an unprecedented legal fight with troops seeking compensation for their dismissal or fighting to be brought back into the ranks. The details of the massive defense bill were expected to be released Tuesday, and it was unclear whether the soldiers who were kicked out would be allowed to return to service or be provided compensation by Congress. On Saturday, Politico reported the Democratic chair of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, put the mandate on the table in negotiations over the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which sets funding and policy priorities for the Defense Department. Since the pandemic began, GOP lawmakers have attempted to stonewall efforts to combat the spread of infections or boost immunities and have used the Pentagon's inoculation mandate as a partisan rallying cry. Troops are required only to get the initial vaccination, not a booster shot. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it's unknown how long the vaccinations protect against the worst effects of COVID-19, though they're estimated to remain effective for about a year, and many service members were vaccinated in early 2021. For now, the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps are in a holding pattern on removing troops due to court challenges. Some 1,200 Coast Guardsmen are part of a class-action lawsuit due to their religious exemptions being denied. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/fairness-justice/fbi-used-secret-powers-to-strip-more-americans-of-their-gun-rights-documents-reveal FBI used secret powers to strip more Americans of their gun rights, documents reveal The FBI has secretly stripped eight more people of their rights to own, use, or purchase firearms , according to internal FBI documents obtained by the Washington Examiner. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and over a dozen GOP members of Congress in October demanded that the FBI and Justice Department hand over proof that the FBI is no longer waiving people's gun rights with internal forms, which the Daily Caller uncovered in September had been signed by 15 people. Now, the Washington Examiner has obtained eight heavily redacted signed forms — indicating a more widespread bureau effort than previously known to target the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. "Americans can't simply sign their constitutional rights away, even to the FBI," Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX), who signed the October letter, told the Washington Examiner. "As Republicans enter a House majority, we must use our investigative power to put a check on federal agencies who have proven to be eager and willing to crack down on Americans' right to keep and bear arms." Through the forms, the FBI asked signatories to identify as a "danger" to themselves or others or lacking the “mental capacity adequately to contract or manage” their lives. The forms were presented by the FBI to people at their homes and in other undisclosed locations beginning in at least 2016 and until December 2019, when the FBI claims it was discontinued. While two of the new eight forms have redacted dates for when they were signed, the other six are dated between March 2018 and April 2019. The signed forms were obtained by Gun Owners of America, a firearms rights group, as part of its Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the bureau to compel the disclosure of records. They were then shared with the Washington Examiner. https://www.dailyfetched.com/avalanche-of-media-outlets-are-firing-staff-or-shutting-down-completely/ Avalanche of Media Outlets are Firing Staff or Shutting Down Completely More and more media outlets are firing staff or shutting down altogether as the economy under President Joe Biden continues to tank amid a huge public narrative shift. One left-leaning outlet, The Recount, shut down entirely after receiving a whopping $34,000,000 from investors, which they can’t make back. The outlet needed help finding a profitable business model. Meanwhile, AMC network announced it was laying off a fifth of its staff. The layoffs at AMC Networks come at a time when several media companies, including Amazon and Facebook-parent Meta Platforms, are making deep cuts to their employee base to navigate a potential downturn in the economy, the Daily Mail noted. Earlier this week, BuzzFeed announced it would be axing 12% of its workforce. The Daily Fetched reported the outlet faced a brutal ad-spending pullback amid an ongoing economic downturn. Buzzfeed staffers were notified by email Tuesday that they were losing their jobs. CEO Jonah Peretti wrote in a memo to employees: “In order for BuzzFeed to weather an economic downturn that I believe will extend well into 2023, we must adapt, invest in our strategy to serve our audience best, and readjust our cost structure.” NBC Universal also announced it was laying off staff, with cuts expected mainly in broadcast and cable TV groups. The headcount reduction is set for 2023 to hit budget targets. NPR announced it was having a near hiring freeze and budget cuts in anticipation of a $20 million shortfall in financial sponsorships this fiscal year. Meanwhile, the Washington Post ended its Sunday magazine and also eliminated positions. The Post’s executive editor, Sally Buzbee, announced the outlet would end in its current form after printing on Dec. 25. Gannett, America’s largest newspaper publisher, also announced it would be six percent of its staffers as the company struggles financially. Americans trust in media is at record low amid a huge public narrative shift. As Gallup reported: At 34%, Americans’ trust in the mass media to report the news “fully, accurately and fairly” is essentially unchanged from last year and just two points higher than the lowest that Gallup has recorded, in 2016 during the presidential campaign. Just 7% of Americans have “a great deal” of trust and confidence in the media, and 27% have “a fair amount.” Meanwhile, 28% of U.S. adults say they do not have very much confidence and 38% have none at all in newspapers, TV and radio. Notably, this is the first time that the percentage of Americans with no trust at all in the media is higher than the percentage with a great deal or a fair amount combined.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Friday, December 9th, 2022. Happy Friday everyone! I hope you’ve had a good week and are heading into the weekend strong… before we get to the news: Club Membership Plug: Its Christmas, join our club. During December, the first 75 people to upgrade or join our Gold or Platinum club membership will get our 32OZ Kodiak Christmas water bottle and a free subscription to our Fight Laugh Feast Magazine. By joining the Fight Laugh Feast Army, not only will you be aiding in our fight to take down secular & legacy media; but you’ll also get access to content placed in our Club Portal, such as past shows, all of our conference talks, and EXCLUSIVE content for club members that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Lastly, you’ll also get discounts for our conferences… We don’t have the big money of woke media, and so our club members are crucial in this fight. So, join the movement, join our army, and you can sign up now at fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.theepochtimes.com/house-passes-bill-declaring-federal-right-to-same-sex-marriage_4911736.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport House Passes Bill Codifying Federal Right to Same Sex Marriage The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation on Dec. 8 that would codify same-sex and interracial marriage as a federally recognized right. The Respect for Marriage Act, or H.R. 8404, passed on a bipartisan 258–169 vote. Thirty-nine Republicans joined all Democrats in the lower chamber to pass the bill. One Republican voted present, and four didn’t vote. The legislation now heads to the White House for President Joe Biden’s signature into law; he has said he’ll sign it. The House had approved the measure in July but was voting again because the Senate amended the proposal in November. The bill includes a codification of the Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which declared a federal right to same-sex marriage on grounds of the 14th Amendment’s “equal protection” clause. “I began my career fighting for LGBTQ communities—and now, one of the final bills that I will sign as Speaker will ensure the federal government never again stands in the way of marrying the person you love,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a recent statement. Critics of the bill have warned of the potential for it to target faith-based organizations and have refuted the notion that it’s merely a codification of Obergefell. “The truth is the Respect for Marriage Act does nothing to change the status of same-sex marriage or the benefits afforded to same-sex couples following Obergefell,” the conservative Alliance Defending Freedom wrote in a blog post. “It does much, however, to endanger religious freedom.” The Alliance Defending Freedom described the bill as “a direct attack on the religious freedom of millions of Americans with sincerely held beliefs about marriage.” They said that by recognizing same-sex marriage in law, the bill “embeds a false definition of marriage in the American legal fabric.” Further, “it opens the door to federal recognition of polygamous relationships” and “jeopardizes the tax-exempt status of nonprofits that exercise their belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman.” Republican proponents of the bill rejected the claim, saying that it ensured that same-sex marriages would be protected while respecting the rights of faith-based institutions. The Senate passed the final package of the Respect for Marriage Act on Nov. 28. Ahead of a key vote to advance the package, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who often defects from his party on legislation, tied his support for the bill to protections of the religious freedoms of faith-based institutions. “If it includes important protections for religions and religious institutions, I will support it,” Romney told Politico. Other Republicans, including Sens. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) demurred from telling reporters how they’d vote on advancing the bill ahead of the vote. Ultimately, the bill garnered enough support to pass the upper chamber easily. Twelve Republicans joined Democrats to support the bill, including Romney, Ernst, and Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio). https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-prisoner-exchange-britney-griner-leaves-behind-marine-veteran-paul-whelan-again Biden prisoner exchange for Brittney Griner leaves behind Marine veteran Paul Whelan — again President Biden's prisoner exchange with Russia secured the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner on Thursday, but left U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan in Russian custody. Whelan has been in Russian custody since 2018 when he was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges. Griner had been in Russian custody since February after authorities discovered vape cartridges containing a small amount of cannabis oil in her luggage. Biden's administration had initially sought the release of both Griner and Whelan in exchange for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, a Russian citizen serving a prison sentence in America. Known colloquially as the "Merchant of Death," he was convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to kill Americans and sentenced to 15 years in prison. The Biden administration ultimately agreed to exchange Bout for Griner alone, leaving Whelan behind in Russia. Nevertheless, Whelan's brother, David Whelan, congratulated Griner on her release in a Thursday statement, but lamented the Biden administration's failure to release his brother. David's statement went on to note that the Biden administration notified the Whelan family that Paul would be left behind in the exchange. The statement noted that it was the second time the Biden administration had left Paul behind in a prisoner exchange, with the last instance coming in April. He pushed the Biden administration to be more aggressive in its efforts to get Americans released, going so far as to say the U.S. should arrest more Russians for exchange. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/12/06/army-keeps-booting-covid-vaccine-refusers-shot-requirement-may-be-dropped.html The Army Keeps Booting COVID Vaccine Refusers as Shot Requirement May Be Dropped The Pentagon's COVID-19 vaccine mandate appears on the verge of being eliminated by Congress after just over a year, yet the Army -- the only remaining service to never slow down separating troops who refuse inoculation -- said Monday it will not pause those separations. The Army has kicked out 1,841 active-duty soldiers for refusing inoculation, according to the latest service data released Friday. The Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force have halted or been barred by the courts from continuing separations, particularly for troops requesting religious exemptions, as legal fights play out over Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's August 2021 order that all service members be vaccinated. Now, lawmakers might strike a deal to nix the vaccine mandate as part of the annual defense authorization bill after Republicans pushed for the repeal and the Marine Corps said vaccine disinformation in parts of the country is hurting recruiting. A vaccine mandate reversal could also set up an unprecedented legal fight with troops seeking compensation for their dismissal or fighting to be brought back into the ranks. The details of the massive defense bill were expected to be released Tuesday, and it was unclear whether the soldiers who were kicked out would be allowed to return to service or be provided compensation by Congress. On Saturday, Politico reported the Democratic chair of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, put the mandate on the table in negotiations over the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which sets funding and policy priorities for the Defense Department. Since the pandemic began, GOP lawmakers have attempted to stonewall efforts to combat the spread of infections or boost immunities and have used the Pentagon's inoculation mandate as a partisan rallying cry. Troops are required only to get the initial vaccination, not a booster shot. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it's unknown how long the vaccinations protect against the worst effects of COVID-19, though they're estimated to remain effective for about a year, and many service members were vaccinated in early 2021. For now, the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps are in a holding pattern on removing troops due to court challenges. Some 1,200 Coast Guardsmen are part of a class-action lawsuit due to their religious exemptions being denied. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/fairness-justice/fbi-used-secret-powers-to-strip-more-americans-of-their-gun-rights-documents-reveal FBI used secret powers to strip more Americans of their gun rights, documents reveal The FBI has secretly stripped eight more people of their rights to own, use, or purchase firearms , according to internal FBI documents obtained by the Washington Examiner. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and over a dozen GOP members of Congress in October demanded that the FBI and Justice Department hand over proof that the FBI is no longer waiving people's gun rights with internal forms, which the Daily Caller uncovered in September had been signed by 15 people. Now, the Washington Examiner has obtained eight heavily redacted signed forms — indicating a more widespread bureau effort than previously known to target the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. "Americans can't simply sign their constitutional rights away, even to the FBI," Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX), who signed the October letter, told the Washington Examiner. "As Republicans enter a House majority, we must use our investigative power to put a check on federal agencies who have proven to be eager and willing to crack down on Americans' right to keep and bear arms." Through the forms, the FBI asked signatories to identify as a "danger" to themselves or others or lacking the “mental capacity adequately to contract or manage” their lives. The forms were presented by the FBI to people at their homes and in other undisclosed locations beginning in at least 2016 and until December 2019, when the FBI claims it was discontinued. While two of the new eight forms have redacted dates for when they were signed, the other six are dated between March 2018 and April 2019. The signed forms were obtained by Gun Owners of America, a firearms rights group, as part of its Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the bureau to compel the disclosure of records. They were then shared with the Washington Examiner. https://www.dailyfetched.com/avalanche-of-media-outlets-are-firing-staff-or-shutting-down-completely/ Avalanche of Media Outlets are Firing Staff or Shutting Down Completely More and more media outlets are firing staff or shutting down altogether as the economy under President Joe Biden continues to tank amid a huge public narrative shift. One left-leaning outlet, The Recount, shut down entirely after receiving a whopping $34,000,000 from investors, which they can’t make back. The outlet needed help finding a profitable business model. Meanwhile, AMC network announced it was laying off a fifth of its staff. The layoffs at AMC Networks come at a time when several media companies, including Amazon and Facebook-parent Meta Platforms, are making deep cuts to their employee base to navigate a potential downturn in the economy, the Daily Mail noted. Earlier this week, BuzzFeed announced it would be axing 12% of its workforce. The Daily Fetched reported the outlet faced a brutal ad-spending pullback amid an ongoing economic downturn. Buzzfeed staffers were notified by email Tuesday that they were losing their jobs. CEO Jonah Peretti wrote in a memo to employees: “In order for BuzzFeed to weather an economic downturn that I believe will extend well into 2023, we must adapt, invest in our strategy to serve our audience best, and readjust our cost structure.” NBC Universal also announced it was laying off staff, with cuts expected mainly in broadcast and cable TV groups. The headcount reduction is set for 2023 to hit budget targets. NPR announced it was having a near hiring freeze and budget cuts in anticipation of a $20 million shortfall in financial sponsorships this fiscal year. Meanwhile, the Washington Post ended its Sunday magazine and also eliminated positions. The Post’s executive editor, Sally Buzbee, announced the outlet would end in its current form after printing on Dec. 25. Gannett, America’s largest newspaper publisher, also announced it would be six percent of its staffers as the company struggles financially. Americans trust in media is at record low amid a huge public narrative shift. As Gallup reported: At 34%, Americans’ trust in the mass media to report the news “fully, accurately and fairly” is essentially unchanged from last year and just two points higher than the lowest that Gallup has recorded, in 2016 during the presidential campaign. Just 7% of Americans have “a great deal” of trust and confidence in the media, and 27% have “a fair amount.” Meanwhile, 28% of U.S. adults say they do not have very much confidence and 38% have none at all in newspapers, TV and radio. Notably, this is the first time that the percentage of Americans with no trust at all in the media is higher than the percentage with a great deal or a fair amount combined.

On November 30, the Senate voted 92-3 to confirm Robert Storch to lead the Defense Department's office of the inspector general. The Pentagon had only acting IGs since early 2016, including Glenn Fine, who was removed front hat position by President Donald Trump in the spring of 2020. GovExec reporter Courtney Bublé is covering the Defense Department IG story. She joined the podcast to discuss  vacancies, IG offices and what Robert Storch has ahead of him. *** Follow GovExec on Twitter! https://twitter.com/govexec

Defense Department officials recently released a public version of their zero-trust strategy and roadmap to hold DOD organizations accountable to meet the deadline for achieving a zero-trust architecture. In an exclusive interview, Cisco's Andy Stewart joins FedScoop to talk about how an effective zero-trust strategy should go beyond technical capabilities and also include organizational culture, building efficiencies across security and IT operations teams and how both processes and capabilities interact with each other. Guest: Andy Stewart, national security and government senior strategist for cybersecurity at Cisco This podcast was produced by Scoop News Group for The Daily Scoop Podcast and underwritten by Cisco.

James Shinn, Digital Currency Economist, Executive Director at Bitt, is a special level of polymath. He has filled his life with four successful careers in technology, finance, academia, and government. Read on for a brief highlights tour.TechnologyFollowing time at AMD, Jim co-founded Dialogic, one of the first telecommunications firms using digital signal processing. Ultimately, it was sold to Intel. He was then an advisor or co-founder for various tech startups, including cybersecurity firm Haystack Labs, and data analytics firm Predata.GovernmentJim was the Assistant Secretary of Defense where his responsibilities included some of the United States of America's most global complex issues, including North Korea and China. He was also involved in developing DOD's policies for the war in Afghanistan, for which he gained the reputation for realistic analysis as well as the Defense Department's highest civilian medal. Jim has also worked at the CIA and the Office of the National Director of Intelligence. Most recently, he focused on the question of technology issues and China from a national interest point of view for the State Department.FinanceJim's career started as a commercial banker for Chase. He continued to add a number of FinTech companies to the list of startups that he co-founded or advised, including Longitude, a derivatives trading platform and Kenshō Financial, a financial data analytics firm.AcademiaJon first met Jim 20 years ago when he and his co-author Peter Govi, were examining corporate governance issues following the collapse of Enron and WorldCom. The book they wrote brilliantly analyzes the links between governance, finance, and politics. Jim has also written books and articles with such stars as Jeffrey Garton, Richard Arbitrage, Harold Brown and Bob Zelnik. Jim was a visiting lecturer at Princeton for eight years.His latest undertaking is helping central banks develop digital currencies which he talks with Jon about on this episode of Outside In. They also discuss geopolitics and US foreign policy monetary policy and the digital economy and self sovereign identity for Web3.

In the past, headlines about the Pentagon failing its financial audit again would never have caught my attention. But having been in the middle of this conversation when I served on one of the Defense Department's advisory boards, I understand why the Pentagon can't count. The experience taught me a valuable lesson about innovation and imagination in large organizations, and the difference visionary leadership – or the lack of it – can make.

The Defense Department, in a recent audit, could not account for some 61% of its assets. Pentagon Comptroller Mike McCord said "we failed to get an 'A'" and called it "a teachable moment" that should help the department get better. Bill Whittle thinks heads should roll. Bill Whittle, Stephen Green and Scott Ott have co-hosted a current events show multiple times weekly since 2009 thanks to our Members and donors. To become a Member and unlock exclusive features of our site: https://BillWhittle.com/register/ To donate with PayPal or bank card: https://BillWhittle.com/donate-to-Bill-Whittle/

As the year comes to an end, we bid adieu to our beloved Flywheel Fridays. Join our co-hosts Deputy Editor Kate Macri and Staff Writer/Researcher Sarah Sybert as they reflect on the most memorable moments and headlines of the year, such as the passage of the PACT Act for veterans, the Defense Department's new zero trust strategy and more. We also discuss leveraging lessons learned from the show for new and improved episodes coming your way across GovCast, CyberCast and HealthCast in 2023.

BRADLEY THAYER, Director of China Policy, Center for Security Policy, Author, How China Sees the World  Is the Biden family compromised by the CCP? The notion of “elite capture” in the United States The great influence of the Chinese Communist Party throughout U.S. politics DR. ORLANDO GUTIERREZ BORONAT, Author, Cuba: The Doctrine of the Life An overview of Cuba: The Doctrine of the Life Examining the origins of totalitarianism Totalitarianism at work in Latin America today ROBERT CHARLES, Spokesman, Association of Mature American Citizens, Former Assistant Secretary, State at the State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs in the Bush Administration, Author, “Eagles and Evergreens,” @RCharles4USA What will the new Congress focus on the improve American security? The need to improve political discourse in the U.S. A “readiness” problem across the U.S. Defense Department

This is the full show for November 29, 2022.  We Ask the Mamas is J.K. Rowling is transphobic.  We Dig Deep into a Defense Department report that says the Biden Administration handed China propaganda material when they botched the withdrawal from Afghanistan.  Plus, in our Bright Spot, a 60 year old woman takes up a new hobby and ends up creating several hit songs.  And, we finish off with some action from the World Cup that will leave you saying, “Whoa!”

The Biden Pentagon has blacklisted aerial drones made by a Chinese Communist Party vendor called DJI as “a threat to national security.” Thankfully, the Defense Department will no longer purchase or use DJI's miniature aircraft. Unfortunately, most of the vast numbers of such drones purchased by American consumers were made by DJI or other CCP companies. That means the Chinese Communists not only can access in real-time information about when and where they are flying and what their cameras are seeing. The CCP can also commandeer such vehicles at will. It's hard to overstate the dangers of having what amount to Chinese time-bombs operating in our skies. Official Washington is now publicly freaking out that some such drones are routinely penetrating off-limits airspace. What if they are not only surveilling targets of interest there, but ordered to fly into them? This is Frank Gaffney.

So much of your personal information has been compromised. There has been a resurgence to ban TikTok for this very reason plus a former counterterrorism analyst for the Defense Department, says the app gives China the ability to monitor your location. What would a ban on TikTok look like? We will ask our guest Cyber Security professional and BreakNBread contributor, SSHadow on his thoughts. Plus we will explore how much of your personal information is getting in the hands of the bad guy and how it's being used. Do more stress less with a little drink called Magic Mind. BreakNBread encourages you to try Magicmind for yourself by using the link www.magicmind.co/bread Use discount code Bread20 to receive 20% off on your first order. You will also receive 40% off your first subscription. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode we examine the Defense Department's desire to track UFO's with AI. When we consider that AI can be weaponized with no human in the loop and some believe that UFO's are in fact AI it begs the question, what could possibly go wrong?

The Defense Department officially unveiled a zero trust strategy and roadmap today laying out how DoD components should direct their cybersecurity investments and efforts in the coming years to reach a “target” level of zero trust maturity over the next five years. The release of DoD's zero trust strategy follows on the heels of the White House Office of Management and Budget's federal zero trust strategy published earlier this year. DoD's strategy lays out a detailed and ambitious plan for defense components to attain specific zero trust capabilities by 2027.

In this episode we examine a recent report on the Classified UFO update given to Congress by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. We also ask the question of whether Congress should simply fund its own research, gather its own evidence and quit relying on the Defense Department and the Deep State for UFO disclosure.

Join us for episode 95, where we sit down with Dr. Angel Storm! Dr. Angel Storm holds a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution with a concentration in International Peace, an M.A. in International Security, and a B.S. in Human Development. She served in the US Army for six years and continued work for the Defense Department for another seven years as a civilian. After her own experience in family court with a narcissist in 2017, she began life coaching and focusing on narcissistic abuse recovery. She loves helping people in all stages of narcissistic abuse recovery get their lives on track and grow in their purpose, despite having all the cards stacked against them. In this episode, we discuss her personal story of how she overcame the challenges of dealing with a narcissist. We then discuss the best course of action to help yourself, and others find freedom and liberation from narcissistic abuse. This is a remarkable conversation aimed at helping those in need. Connect with Dr. Storm: Website: https://www.themanifoldmind.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheManifoldMind YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgvxROw3KHMER_eisDziWGw Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngelJStormPhD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_manifold_mind/ Website: www.TheHiddenGateway.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thehiddengateway/support

On December 16th, the current continuing resolution to fund the government will end.. and the money flowing towards the Defense Department will stop. Elaine McCusker from the American Enterprise Institue says Congress needs to pass a real budget framework with billions more for our national security amid inflation and increase transparency of how that money is being spent.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1960s, Chris Boyce and Daulton Lee grow up in the wealthy community of Palos Verdes in the greater Los Angeles area. Neither young man excels in school. Daulton becomes a drug dealer, and he runs afoul of the law early and often. Chris's father helps him get a job at an airplane manufacturing company, but Chris quickly learns that the company does much more than make airplane parts. It has contracts with the CIA and the Defense Department to run Top Secret programs. In nearly the blink of an eye, Chris Boyce is working with highly classified materials, and he doesn't like what he sees. Check out the Jordan Harbinger show today! jordanharbinger.com/start Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Noiser+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a 7-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons. Hit “JOIN” on the Infamous America YouTube homepage.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm4V_wVD7N1gEB045t7-V0w/featured For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com. Our social media pages are: @blackbarrelmedia on Facebook and Instagram, and @bbarrelmedia on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Need to Know, Isaiah stumbles onto "No Nut November," and harasses Bianca into a segment about it. In All the Feels, Bianca's cousin, Natasha, joins the show to discuss her career in the United States military -- from ROTC to antiwar activist. She explains the toll that military service took on her family, and reveals how she defines patriotism. She also shares resources on geopolitics and America's fascination with building up its Defense Department. In Gotta Do, the W&W Book Club selection for November/December is revealed: "Keeping Him Quiet" by Smokey Moment (2018). 

In the latest episode of Vying for Talent, co-hosts Jude Blanchette and Ryan Hass are joined by Katharine Kelley, the deputy chief of space operations for human capital at the U.S. Space Force. Kelley highlights the value of diverse talent and the importance of upskilling, drawing on insight from the Space Force's “melting pot” of Defense Department culture and practices. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3DUFjym  Vying for Talent podcast is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback email to podcasts@brookings.edu.

During the time of this recording, Wednesday, November 9th, the final results of the US mid term elections are uncertain, but trending towards an outcome in which the Democrats are likely to hold the Senate and Republicans gain control of the House of Representatives. At stake in these elections of course is control of Congress, which has a unique role to play in shaping US foreign policy. Congress approves budgets and spending on foreign affairs and foreign aid, confirms nominees for Ambassadors and senior positions at State Department, Defense Department and elsewhere, and provides oversight over the executive branch, among many other roles. In this episode, originally recorded as a live Twitter Spaces, we are joined by Matt Duss, a visiting scholar in the American Statecraft program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to discuss the foreign policy implications of the US mid term elections. From 2017 to 2022, Matt Duss served as the foreign policy advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders. In our conversation we discuss the role Congress plays in shaping US foreign policy before having a longer conversation about the concrete foreign policy implications of the the 2022 US Mid terms.