Podcasts about democratic president joe biden

In a sweeping announcement about a forthcoming executive order, President Donald Trump argued Monday that states are ultimately subservient to the White House when it comes to setting election policy. Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform that states are “merely an agent for the federal government in counting and tabulating the votes. They must do what the federal government, as represented by the President of the United States, tells them, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY, to do.” Trump also claimed the executive order would end mail-in voting, falsely claiming that other countries stopped the practice due to fraud, as well as “very expensive and SERIOUSLY CONTROVERSIAL voting machines.” It's not clear which voting machines Trump was referencing. The president's allies and friendly media outlets like Fox News and NewsMax were successfully sued by Smartmatic and Dominion for billions of dollars after the 2020 election for falsely claiming that their voting machines were rigged to elect Democratic President Joe Biden. Either way, Trump has lost dozens of lawsuits attempting to prove fraud, and reportedly nearly signed an executive order at the end of his last term ordering the Department of Defense to seize voting machines, purportedly to examine them for fraud. A previous executive order from Trump this year, purporting to compel the bipartisan Election Assistance Commission to alter voter registration request forms to include a proof of citizenship section and deny forms to states or voters who don't provide the information, was struck down by a judge as unconstitutional in April. The judge in the ruling remarked that “no statutory delegation of authority to the Executive Branch permits the President to short-circuit Congress's deliberative process” on regulating elections via executive order. A federal watchdog is urging the Office of Management and Budget to prioritize the governmentwide adoption of a federal IT spending framework, or end the efforts, after finding the multi-year initiative has stalled. In a report made public Monday, the Government Accountability Office recommended that the OMB director direct the federal chief information officer to either terminate the agency's push for governmentwide adoption of the Technology Business Management framework or deem it an administration priority. Should it be made a priority, the GAO also suggested OMB quickly implement the watchdog's previous recommendations and take “immediate action” to integrate the framework across government fully. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

9:05 – 9:22 (15mins) Ken got a phone call last night from a very confidential and extremely reliable source about information regarding the Francis Howell School district. 9:25 – 9:37 (12mins) Weekly Feature: “FAKE NEWS!!” 9:41 – 9:56 (15mins) Donna Jackson https://www.cfact.org/ @CFACTTOPIC:PBS NEWS HOUREPA kill s Biden-era grant program to boost solar energy for lower-income householdsWASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday terminated a $7 billion grant program that was intended to help pay for residential solar projects for more than 900,000 lower-income U.S. households.It’s the latest Trump administration move hindering the nation’s shift to cleaner energy. The funding, part of Democratic President Joe Biden’s Solar for All program, was awarded to 60 recipients including states, tribes and regions for investments such as rooftop solar and community solar gardens.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protestors gather at academy gates, Garrison's Landing President Donald Trump used the first service academy commencement address of his second term on Saturday (May 25) to laud graduating West Point cadets for their accomplishments and career choice while also veering sharply into a campaign-style recitation of political boasts and long-held grievances. "In a few moments, you'll become graduates of the most elite and storied military academy in human history," Trump said at the ceremony at Michie Stadium. "And you will become officers of the greatest and most powerful army the world has ever known. And I know, because I rebuilt that army, and I rebuilt the military. And we rebuilt it like nobody has ever rebuilt it before in my first term." Wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat, the Republican president told the 1,002 members of the class of 2025 at the U.S. Military Academy that the U.S. is the "hottest country in the world" and underscored an "America First" ethos for the military. "We're getting rid of distractions and we're focusing our military on its core mission: crushing America's adversaries, killing America's enemies and defending our great American flag like it has never been defended before," Trump said. He later said that "the job of the U.S. armed forces is not to host drag shows or transform foreign cultures," a reference to drag shows on military bases that Democratic President Joe Biden's administration halted after Republican criticism. Trump said the cadets were graduating at a "defining moment" in Army history as he accused political leaders in the past of sending soldiers into "nation-building crusades to nations that wanted nothing to do with us." He said he was clearing the military of transgender ideas, "critical race theory" and types of training he called divisive and political. Past administrations, he said, "subjected the armed forces to all manner of social projects and political causes while leaving our borders undefended and depleting our arsenals to fight other countries' wars." At times, his remarks were indistinguishable from those heard in a political speech, from his assessment of the country when he left office in January 2021 to his review of November's victory over Democrat Kamala Harris, arguing that voters gave him a "great mandate" and "it gives us the right to do what we want to do." Frequently turning the focus on himself, he reprised some of his campaign rally one-liners, including the claim that he has faced more investigations than mobster Al Capone. At one point the crowd listened as Trump, known for his off-message digressions, referred to "trophy wives" and yachts during an anecdote about the late real estate developer William Levitt, a billionaire friend who Trump said lost momentum. But the president also took time to acknowledge the achievements of individual graduates. He summoned Chris Verdugo to the stage and noted that he completed an 18.5-mile march on a freezing night in January in just two hours and 30 minutes. Trump had the nationally ranked men's lacrosse team, which held the No. 1 spot for a time in the 2024 season, stand and be recognized. Trump also brought Army's star quarterback, Bryson Daily, to the lectern, where the president praised Daily's "steel"-like shoulder. Trump later used Daily as an example to make a case against transgender women participating in women's athletics. In a nod to presidential tradition, Trump also pardoned about half a dozen cadets who had faced disciplinary infractions. He told graduates that "you could have done anything you wanted, you could have gone anywhere." and that "writing your own ticket to top jobs on Wall Street or Silicon Valley wouldn't be bad. But I think what you're doing is better." His advice to them included doing what they love, thinking big, working hard, holding on to their culture, keeping faith in America and taking risks. "This is a time of incredible change and we do not need an officer corps o...

With frigid temperature once again in the forecast for the Dallas-Fort Worth area, officials are warning residents to not leave their cars running unattended, lest they want to pay a fine for several hundred dollars or have their car stolen. The Tarrant County Sheriff's office is warning residents to not leave their cars running and unattended to warm during winter weather.; In other news, a U.S. appeals court on Friday ruled against outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden's effort to protect immigrants illegally brought to the U.S. as children, siding with Texas just days before Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office; The Dallas Cowboys' NFC East rival Washington Commanders ended one of the NFL's longest-standing conference championship game appearance droughts with an upset win over the Detroit Lions on Saturday night. Division rival Philadelphia also won over the weekend, beating the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 to advance to the NFC Championship game and will play Washington next Sunday; And Dallas-Fort Worth attracts people of all kinds, including celebrities such as Tom Brady, Shaquille O'Neal, Keith Lee and Martha Stewart. Movie stars, sports commentators, musicians, politicians and other well-known people travel to the Dallas area for work, whether to film or perform, and sometimes for leisure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What polling on the presidential race can and can't tell you The presidential race is competitive. That's about as much as the national polls can tell us right now, even if it looks like Democrat Kamala Harris is down in one poll or Republican Donald Trump is up in another. And that's just fine. Even though polls are sometimes treated as projections, they aren't designed to tell you who is likely to win. Polls are better for some things than others. Tracking shifts in voter intention is hard to do with a survey, particularly when the number of truly persuadable voters is relatively small. Voters' opinions can change before Election Day and they often do. Horse race polls can only capture people's viewpoints during a single moment in time. Even then, a margin that looks like one that could decide an election - say, one candidate has 48 percent support and the other has 45 percent support - might not be a real difference at all. When reporters at The Associated Press are covering the election, horse race polling numbers don't take center stage. The reason for this is that the AP believes that focusing on pre-election polling can overstate the significance or reliability of those numbers. Election-year polls are still useful, particularly when they're trying to assess how the public is feeling about the candidates or the state of the country. They told us quite clearly, for instance, that many Americans wanted Democratic President Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 race. But they're not the same thing as an election result, and even a poll conducted just before Election Day still reflects opinion before all ballots have been cast. Even in high-quality polls, each finding is just an estimate Polls are useful tools, but it's important not to overstate their accuracy. After all, a polling organization can't talk to every single person in the country. They instead rely on a sample to produce a statistically valid estimate of the views of all adults. Even though polls can give a reasonable approximation of the views of the larger group, the question is how much each finding could vary. The margin of error, which all high-quality pollsters will share along with their results, helps capture some of that uncertainty. It means that in a poll with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, a finding that 47 percent of voters say they'll support a particular candidate actually means that there's a very good chance that anywhere between 50 percent and 44 percent of voters are supporting that candidate. If the other candidate has 45 percent support, which could really be anywhere from 42 percent to 48 percent, the 2 percentage point difference isn't statistically meaningful. That's why the AP will only say a candidate is leading if that candidate is ahead by more than twice the margin of error. When you're looking at a subgroup, rather than a national sample, the potential error is even larger. The fewer people interviewed, the larger the margin of error. This means that state-level polls or polls that measure the views of a subgroup such as women, men, Hispanic Americans or Black Americans are subject to even more error than a national finding. The margin of sampling error is not the only source of survey error. It is simply the only one that can be quantified using established statistical methods. But there are other factors, too. The wording and order of questions can affect how people answer. An interviewer's skill can have an effect. Even in high-quality polls, some respondents may be less likely to answer, which means their views can be underrepresented. Don't forget about the Electoral College National polls measure how voters all over the country are thinking about the election. But that's not how we elect presidents. The Electoral College system means that presidential elections are functionally decided by a small number of states. So in some ways, looking at polls of those states is a better way to assess the state of...

[SEGMENT 2-1] James Earl Jones died   The Great White Hope Field of Dreams, The Simpsons, Star Wars, The Hunt for Red October…much more    [SEGMENT 2-2] Your impact   Media baffled after ABC 3-on-1 presidential debate fails to push voters to Kamala https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/hillary-clinton-s-post-debate-polls-serve-as-warning-sign-for-kamala-harris In 2016, CNN polling showed that Clinton came out on top in all three debates against Trump, by almost an identical margin as Harris in the first debate. Sixty-two percent of respondents thought Clinton won the first debate, while 27 percent chose Trump. Additionally, 41 percent of the poll's respondents identified themselves as Democrats, while only 26 percent were Republicans and the rest were independents, so it is unsurprising that Harris did well.   The Left media is paid to get you to react. Because they HATE when you ACT. When you think for yourself, you upset their algorithm. Do you realize the impact that you have on the public. That one voice you think is small, can be so big. Particularly when it's added to others. I ask you this question: Have I made you stronger in your beliefs?   Trump attended a 9-11 memorial event in NYC with Biden, Harris, Schumer, and Bloomberg among others and the crowd yelled, “We need you. You won!”   https://pjmedia.com/matt-margolis/2024/09/11/wait-a-second-trump-may-have-helped-himself-in-the-debate-n4932437 I don't think it helps to just say what people want to hear. The truth matters. And the truth is that it was not a great debate for Donald Trump on Tuesday night. I suspect he did little to no debate prep in advance, and every time Kamala baited him, he took the bait. It goes without saying that Kamala Harris lied her way through the debate, but the moderators didn't fact-check her once, yet Trump was "fact-checked" between five and seven times — and the fact-checks weren't always accurate. Perhaps because of what I do for a living, I'm extra critical of Donald Trump's performance. I've been pointing out for days now what Trump needed to do in the debate, and seeing him miss opportunity after opportunity was beyond frustrating. But according to a report from Reuters, undecided voters largely shifted to him after the debate.  "Kamala Harris was widely seen as dominating Tuesday's presidential debate against Republican former president Donald Trump, but a group of undecided voters remained unconvinced that the Democratic vice president was the better candidate," the outlet reported. Reuters interviewed ten undecided voters before and after a debate. Six of them shifted toward supporting Trump, three leaned toward Harris, and one remained uncertain. That's a rather solid outcome for Trump. "Although the sample size was small, the responses suggested Harris might need to provide more detailed policy proposals to win over voters who have yet to make up their minds," wrote Reuters. It gets worse for Kamala. Five said they found Harris vague during the more than 90-minute debate on how she would improve the U.S. economy and deal with the high cost of living, a top concern for voters. The encounter was particularly important for Harris, with a weekend New York Times/Siena College opinion poll showing that more than a quarter of likely voters feel they do not know enough about her, in contrast to the well-known Trump. The Trump converts said they trusted him more on the economy, even though all said they did not like him as a person. They said their personal financial situation had been better when he was president between 2017-2021. Some singled out his proposal to tax foreign imports, although economists say that is likely to raise prices. Four of those six also said Harris did not convince them she would pursue different economic policies than Democratic President Joe Biden, a Democrat they largely blame for the high cost of living. "I still don't know what she is for," said Mark Kadish, 61, an entrepreneur in Florida. "There was no real meat and bones for her plans." Four of the voters are women and six are men; eight are white and two are Black. All have voted for both Democratic and Republican candidates in the past. [...] Robert Wheeler, 48, a security firm executive in Nevada, was leaning toward Harris before the debate. He now says if the election were held tomorrow he would vote for Trump, largely because he thought Harris didn't provide clarity on her policies. "I felt like the whole debate was Kamala Harris telling me why not to vote for Donald Trump instead of why she's the right candidate," Wheeler said. I'm not going to lie; this result shocks me. My impression was that this debate likely wouldn't move the needle all that much, if at all, but if this sample is indicative of a larger trend, Donald Trump actually succeeded in doing what he needed to do. Previous: Five Takeaways From the Trump-Harris Debate Of course, some will point to various polls saying that Kamala won the debate. And that may be true, but winning a debate doesn't necessarily translate into winning over voters. With the exception of Trump's debate with Joe Biden in June, I can't think of a time when the media ever didn't push the narrative that Trump lost a debate. According to them, he lost all of his debates with Hillary Clinton in 2016 and all of his debates with Joe Biden in 2020. Perhaps winning the debate isn't the goal candidates should be striving for. Perhaps the real goal is winning over undecided voters. And if this Reuters survey is any indication, Trump achieved that.      [SEGMENT 2-3] State of America Springfield OH: Haitians Minneapolis MN: Somalis Venezuelan gangs…they say they will take over the country in a few years [X] SB – CNBC revised jobs numbers   Look at this crazy world and ask yourself what would happen with 4 more years of Leftist policies? [X] SB – CNN poll. No clear leader. 1 point advantage Men more favorable. Trump gets 14% Most fascinating aspect…familiarity  [SEGMENT 2-4] State of America and poll trends 2   Illegals getting better benefits than Americans [X] SB – Various clips of illegals and crimes [X] SB – Two Asian guysBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-kevin-jackson-show--2896352/support.

The Republican National Convention concludes Thursday night with a nomination acceptance speech from Donald Trump. The former president says he'll stress national unity less than a week after he was wounded in an assassination attempt. Republicans have used their convention to draw contrasts with Democratic President Joe Biden and are remarkably unified and energized as they wrap up their gathering. MPR News correspondent Mark Zdechlik has been covering the Minnesota delegation in Milwaukee this week. He joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to recap the convention so far and look ahead to Trump's remarks.

Hey Strangers, #crypto #jdvance #tech MILWAUKEE, July 16 (Reuters) - Donald Trump's choice of J.D. Vance for a running mate raised the hopes of Silicon Valley conservatives on Tuesday that they stand to gain having a fellow "tech bro" within reach of the White House for the first time. "WE HAVE A FORMER TECH VC IN THE WHITE HOUSE. GREATEST COUNTRY ON EARTH BABY," Delian Asparouhov, a partner at billionaire investor Peter Thiel's venture capital firm Founders Fund, wrote on social media site X. Author of the bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," a graduate of Yale Law School and later a venture capitalist in San Francisco, Vance has had a rapid ascent for American politics. At 39, he has served but two years in the U.S. Senate representing the state of Ohio. The Republican National Convention on Monday formally nominated Trump and Vance as their ticket in the Nov. 5 election to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Some right-leaning investors began re-circulating old tweets of Vance's and set their sights on friendlier regulations ranging from artificial intelligence to cryptocurrency. "He has a direct line to some important influencers as he's evaluating or thinking through some of the policy around tech," said Matt Murphy, a partner at venture capital firm Menlo Ventures, noting the traditional gap between Washington and Silicon Valley. ======================================= My other podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKpvBEElSl1dD72Y5gtepkw ************************************************** Something Strange https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRjVc2TZqN4&t=4s ************************************************** article links: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/with-trump-vp-pick-jd-vance-silicon-valley-conservatives-land-tech-bro-ticket-2024-07-17/ ====================================== Today is for push-ups and Programming and I am all done doing push-ups Discord https://discord.gg/MYvNgYYFxq TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@strangestcoder Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@codingwithstrangers Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/CodingWithStrangers Twitter https://twitter.com/strangestcoder merch Support CodingWithStrangers IRL by purchasing some merch. All merch purchases include an alert: https://streamlabs.com/codingwithstrangers/merch Github Follow my works of chaos https://github.com/codingwithstrangers Tips https://streamlabs.com/codingwithstrangers/tip Patreon patreon.com/TheStrangers Timeline 00:00 intro 00:28 What Talking We Talking About 02:59 Article 12:29 My Thoughts 16:00 outro anything else? Take Care --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coding-with-strangers/message

Former Forum editorial page editor Jack Zaleski joins host Mike McFeely to preview this week's crucial presidential debate between Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican challenger Donald Trump. They talk about what to expect and how North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a running mate hopeful for Trump, fits into the picture. Also, some chatter about Devils Lake, North Dakota, and the great walleye fishing up there.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has failed to qualify for next week's debate in Atlanta, according to host network CNN, as he fell shy of benchmarks for both state ballot qualification and the required polling figures. The missed markers mean that the June 27 showdown will be solely between Democratic President Joe Biden and former Republican President Donald Trump. Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, has made landfall in Mexico. A heat wave is scorching parts of the Midwest and Northeast, where record-breaking high temperatures are forecast for dozens of cities. Meanwhile, authorities have reported that at least two people died as a result of wildfires in New Mexico. One fire has destroyed more than 1,000 structures. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed at least a dozen deals with his Vietnamese counterpart on June 20 in the course of his state visit, and offered to supply fossil fuels including natural gas to Vietnam over the longer term. His visit comes as Moscow is seeking to bolster ties in Asia to offset growing international isolation over its military actions in Ukraine. ⭕️Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has failed to qualify for next week's debate in Atlanta, according to host network CNN, as he fell shy of benchmarks for both state ballot qualification and the required polling figures. The missed markers mean that the June 27 showdown will be solely between Democratic President Joe Biden and presumptive Republican nominee and former President, Donald Trump.Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, has made landfall in Mexico. A dangerous heat wave is scorching parts of the Midwest and Northeast, where record-breaking high temperatures are forecast for dozens of cities. Meanwhile, authorities have reported that at least two people died as a result of wildfires in New Mexico. One fire has destroyed over 1,000 structures.Russian President Vladimir Putin signed at least a dozen deals with his Vietnamese counterpart on June 20 in the course of his state visit, and offered to supply fossil fuels including natural gas to Vietnam over the longer term. His visit comes as Moscow is seeking to bolster ties in Asia to offset growing international isolation over its military actions in Ukraine.

Donald Trump is due to be sentenced on the 11th of July, four days before Republicans formally choose their nominee to face Democratic President Joe Biden in November's election. US correspondent Mitch McCann spoke to Charlotte Cook.

Donald Trump has become the first U-S president ever convicted of a crime after a New York jury found him guilty of all charges in his hush-money trial. The former president has been found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide a payment ahead of the 2016 election to porn star Stormy Daniels. The 77-year-old presumed Republican presidential candidate, who could face jail time, is not barred from running for office, and is expected to appeal. But the verdict could have a decisive impact on his attempt take back the White House from Democratic President Joe Biden in November's elections.

On Daybreak Africa: A civil society coalition is warning Nigerian authorities not to allow the United States and France to relocate their military bases from the Sahel to the Gulf of Guinea countries. Plus, USAID launches a $6M program for climate resilience efforts in Kenya. A civil society coalition is warning Zimbabwe's parliament begins nationwide consultations about abolishing the death penalty. A Sierra Leone opposition member of parliament promises a monthly press conference to hold the government accountable. A Malawi judge drops corruption charges against Vice President Saulos Chilima. There are six months left before the U.S. presidential race between Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican candidate Donald Trump. For this and more tune to Daybreak Africa!

Without question, you do not want to be the political sacrificial lamb selected by your party hierarchy to give the rebuttal address in opposition to the Presidential State of the Union address. It does not matter if it is a Democratic stalwart responding to a Republican president or a Republican future rising star responding to a Democratic president. The responder is scorned and ridiculed. This is the rule without deviation. Our own junior senator Katie Britt was the subject of this national abuse in February when she was chosen to give the Republican response to Democratic President Joe Biden's State...Article Link

Former Republican President Donald Trump and current Democratic President Joe Biden won their respective party primaries on Tuesday. And Minnesota 3rd District DFL Rep. Dean Phillips struggled to gain support in his home state during Super Tuesday voting.In other news, Minneapolis is hosting the women's Big Ten college basketball tournament, which gets underway Wednesday at Target Center. The biggest attraction is Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes, who earlier this week became the career scoring leader among all major college basketball players.This is an MPR News morning update, hosted by Alex Simpson. Music by Gary Meister.Find more from these stories at MPRnews.org.Biden, Trump prevail in Minnesota while facing deep cracks in their party basesThe Caitlin Clark show fueled a Big Ten tournament sellout. These women are used to big crowdsRead the latest edition of the AM Update newsletter.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS.

Super Tuesday, which is March 5, and traditionally one of the most important dates on the US political calendar, is fast approaching.  This primary season however, has been far from traditional and former US President Donald Trump is likely to be the Republican presidential nominee against incumbent Democratic President Joe Biden according to polling. The only rival still in the race for the Republican nomination is former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who vows to continue to stay in the race. How important is Super Tuesday and why is it a deal breaker for presidential candidate campaigns? Emeritus Professor Joseph Camil-leri, La Trobe University, Melbourne  and Fellow, The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia weighs in.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leslie is joined by Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a partnership established by some of America's leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union. The two discuss why Chinese-based e-commerce company Temu, who's spending billions on ads, and has already reshaped how many American shop, isn't paying the United States any tariffs. Here's a brief explanation from AAM's latest blog on the subject: "The “de minimis” exemption in U.S. trade law allows anything valued under $800 to enter the United States duty-free. It was originally intended for one-off type things, like making it easier for tourists traveling abroad to bring souvenirs back from vacations abroad. But Temu and fellow Chinese e-commerce brand SHEIN have exploited de minimis because they send their merchandise direct-to-consumer, avoiding tariffs because their stuff is so darn cheap (remember, Temu's average transaction is $25!)." If you want to help protect American jobs, then please sign and share this petition telling your members of Congress to stop companies like SHEIN, Temu and Amazon from dodging U.S. trade enforcement, by visiting TinyURL.com/CloseLoophole. Scott and Leslie then chat about the grave danger being posed to the U.S. Auto industry from China, thanks to the communist nation's intentional industrial overcapacity. Next, Scott shares some moments from his great interview with Rachel M. Slace, Author of, "Making It in America." Finally, Leslie and Scott talk about a new study that "underscores how the embrace of a more muscular industrial policy under Democratic President Joe Biden could spread investments into regions left behind by decades of offshoring." For over 16 years, Scott Paul and AAM have worked to make American manufacturing a top-of-mind issue for voters and our national leaders through effective advocacy, innovative research, and a savvy public relations strategy. Their website is www.AmericanManufacturing.org and their handle on X is @KeepItMadeInUSA. Scott's handle is @ScottPaulAAM.

Leslie is joined by Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a partnership established by some of America's leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union. The two discuss why Chinese-based e-commerce company Temu, who's spending billions on ads, and has already reshaped how many American shop, isn't paying the United States any tariffs. Here's a brief explanation from AAM's latest blog on the subject: "The “de minimis” exemption in U.S. trade law allows anything valued under $800 to enter the United States duty-free. It was originally intended for one-off type things, like making it easier for tourists traveling abroad to bring souvenirs back from vacations abroad. But Temu and fellow Chinese e-commerce brand SHEIN have exploited de minimis because they send their merchandise direct-to-consumer, avoiding tariffs because their stuff is so darn cheap (remember, Temu's average transaction is $25!)." If you want to help protect American jobs, then please sign and share this petition telling your members of Congress to stop companies like SHEIN, Temu and Amazon from dodging U.S. trade enforcement, by visiting TinyURL.com/CloseLoophole. Scott and Leslie then chat about the grave danger being posed to the U.S. Auto industry from China, thanks to the communist nation's intentional industrial overcapacity. Next, Scott shares some moments from his great interview with Rachel M. Slace, Author of, "Making It in America." Finally, Leslie and Scott talk about a new study that "underscores how the embrace of a more muscular industrial policy under Democratic President Joe Biden could spread investments into regions left behind by decades of offshoring." For over 16 years, Scott Paul and AAM have worked to make American manufacturing a top-of-mind issue for voters and our national leaders through effective advocacy, innovative research, and a savvy public relations strategy. Their website is www.AmericanManufacturing.org and their handle on X is @KeepItMadeInUSA. Scott's handle is @ScottPaulAAM.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Feb. 2 at 6:30 a.m. CT: COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Nikki Haley’s path to the Republican presidential nomination is rapidly shrinking. But she’s vowing to stay in the race indefinitely. And the harder she fights, the more Republican officials fear she may be hurting Donald Trump's long-term prospects in the all-but certain general election against Democratic President Joe Biden. Trump allies describe Haley’s continued presence as a distraction, a drain on resources and a source of frustration. They also worry that Trump’s preoccupation with Haley, whom he frequently calls “birdbrain,” might further alienate moderate voters and suburban women. In practical terms, the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential primary season has barely begun. But after decisive wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, Trump's grip on the nomination has never been stronger. CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Fire officials say a small plane has crashed into a home at a Florida mobile home park, killing several people aboard the plane and in the home. There’s no immediate word on the exact number of people killed. Authorities say the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza V35 reportedly went down at about 7 p.m. Thursday in Clearwater, about three miles north of St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport. The FAA says the pilot had reported an engine failure. Clearwater's fire chief says the plane hit a mobile home and at least three homes received fire damage. NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — At least three people have been killed in Kenya's capital and 270 others were injured when a truck loaded with gas exploded and set off an inferno that burned homes and warehouses. The death toll is likely to rise. A government spokesman said early Friday that a lot of people were home late at night when the fire reached their houses in a Nairobi neighborhood. Police and the local Red Cross said 271 people were rushed to several hospitals to be treated for injuries. Firefighters were searching the burned area later in the morning. WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll shows half of U.S. adults believe Israel's war in Gaza has “gone too far." The poll by The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found growing disapproval among Republicans and political independents for Israel's conduct of its military offensive in Gaza. And notably for President Joe Biden, about 7 out of 10 young people in Biden's Democratic Party disapprove of his approach to the conflict. Overall, 31% of U.S. adults approve of Biden’s handling of the conflict, including just 46% of Democrats. The U.S. has become increasingly isolated in its support of Israel as the Palestinian death toll rises. NEW YORK (AP) — The latest COVID-19 vaccines are 54% effective at preventing symptomatic infection in adults. That's according to the first U.S. study to assess how well the updated shots work. The shots became available last year and are designed to better protect against more recent coronavirus variants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday released a study of how well the vaccine has worked since then. The finding is similar to what’s been reported in other countries. It's also similar to what was reported for earlier versions of the vaccines. WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says he never directed anyone on his staff to keep his cancer surgery and hospitalization secret from the White House but acknowledges he should have handled it differently. He apologized for keeping President Joe Biden and others in the dark for weeks. Austin was speaking to reporters in the Pentagon briefing room on Thursday, providing his most extensive comments to date on the secrecy surrounding his cancer diagnosis and struggles with complications since his surgery on Dec. 22. It was the first time he answered reporters' questions since his surgery. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says it's time to more significantly disable Iran-backed militias that have struck at U.S. forces and ships in the Middle East. And he says the U.S. is poised to take significant action in response to the deaths of three U.S. service members in Jordan on Sunday. For days the U.S. has hinted strikes are imminent. While the threat of retaliation has driven some militant groups to say they were stopping hostilities, as late as Thursday Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels were still attacking vessels and fired a ballistic missile at a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Red Sea. WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has issued an executive order that targets Israeli settlers in the West Bank who've been accused of attacking Palestinians and Israeli peace activists in the occupied territory. The order Thursday imposes financial sanctions and visa bans in an initial round against four individuals. The order says those settlers were involved in acts of violence, as well as threats and attempts to destroy or seize Palestinian property. The penalties aim to block the four from using the U.S. financial system and bar American citizens from dealing with them. U.S. officials are evaluating whether to punish others involved in attacks that have intensified during the Israel-Hamas war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the U.S. penalties. LONDON (AP) — A judge in London has thrown out a lawsuit by former U.S. President Donald Trump accusing a former British spy of making “shocking and scandalous claims” that were false and harmed his reputation. Judge Karen Steyn said the defendant was entitled to summary judgment and the case should not go to trial. Trump sued Orbis Business Intelligence, the company founded by Christopher Steele, who created a dossier in 2016 that contained rumors and uncorroborated allegations about Trump that erupted in a political storm just before he was inaugurated. The former president sought damages from Orbis for allegedly violating British data protection laws. The firm sought to have the case thrown out. LOS ANGELES (AP) — The 66th annual Grammy Awards are right around the corner, airing live from Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Sunday. So, what can viewers expect? Some new, some old. Comedian Trevor Noah will host for a fourth time. Performances — and the arc of the show — will reflect the nominees, which this year in the major categories, are led by women. There are many potentially-history making moments, too. Executive producers Raj Kapoor and Ben Winston, as well as Recording Academy CEO and President Harvey Mason jr., walk The Associated Press through the 2024 Grammy Awards. NEW YORK (AP) — Legendary Southern rapper Juvenile says he had been unaware of NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series when a social media post suggested that he do a performance, setting off a frenzy. Two months later, Juvenile's performance became one of the most notable of last year. with nearly 7 million views. NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series began almost 15 years ago as a niche online platform mainly highlighting rock and folk musicians. The series has become one of the premiere live music platforms and a pop culture phenomenon, expanding to include performers from across musical genres. The creators say it all started after they attended a performance where an artist was not heard. The Knicks and Sixers each win despite missing key players, the Lakers overcome injuries to win in Boston and the Cavaliers remain red hot. In college games, the ranked Arizona men win, but Wisconsin loses and the top-ranked South Carolina women remain undefeated. In pro football, it looks like the Commanders have a new coach. NEW YORK (AP) — American Express is rolling out several updates to its Delta SkyMiles credit cards that will give additional benefits to users. AmEx is eager to soothe sore Delta Air Lines customers who have considered abandoning the airline after last year’s SkyMiles loyalty fiasco. The updates unveiled Thursday will also come with a higher annual fee, which AmEx says it believes that the new benefits will more than pay for. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronomers say an asteroid as big as a skyscraper will pass within 1.7 million miles of Earth on Friday. There's no chance of it hitting us since it will pass seven times the distance from Earth to the moon. NASA estimates the space rock is between 690 feet and 1,575 feet across. That means the asteroid could be similar in size to New York City's Empire State Building or Chicago's Willis Tower. The asteroid was discovered in 2008. It won't be back our way again until 2032, but it will be a much more distant encounter, staying 45 million miles away. NEW YORK (AP) — Under cover of darkness a year ago, someone slipped into the Central Park Zoo, cut a hole in a cage and freed a majestic Eurasian eagle-owl named Flaco. The owl has become one of New York City's most beloved characters since then. By day he lounges in Manhattan’s courtyards and parks and perches on fire escapes. He spends his nights hooting atop water towers and preying on the city’s abundant rats. Some experts feared he wouldn't be able to hunt after a lifetime in captivity To their surprise, Flaco is thriving. But as his second year in the spotlight begins, the crime that led to his freedom remains unsolved. —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate. Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for January 16, 2024.According to the National Weather Service it will be sunny and cold Tuesday, with a high near one degree. Wind chill values could drop as low as -35 degrees. On Tuesday evening it will be mostly clear, with a low of around -6 degrees.Donald Trump's popularity among Iowa Republicans was on full display Monday night, when the former president seeking a return to the White House won the state party's presidential precinct caucuses in dominant fashion.With all of the state's 99 counties reporting their vote totals late Monday evening, Trump had won 98 counties, securing 51 percent of Iowa Republicans' support in total. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis won second place with 21 percent, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley finished third with 19 percent.Republicans who spoke with the Gazette said they supported Trump because they feel the country is worse off than it was 4 years ago, and they would like a return to a Trump presidency. They said they trust him to secure the southern border and to improve the economy. Many of them also felt that they can't trust politicians, so they will put their faith in someone from outside the system.In case you are curious, the one county that Trump did not win was Johnson County, which gave the number one nod to Haley instead by the current margin of one vote.Trump took the stage at his caucus-night rally at around 10 p.m. and thanked Iowa Republican caucus participants, his family, the Iowa public officials who have supported him, and his fellow candidates: DeSantis, Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy. He then turned his remarks to current Democratic President Joe Biden, and celebrated his historic victory margin.DeSantis and Haley both proclaimed in their post-caucus speeches that despite not winning the caucus, they felt their finishes had given them enough momentum to stay in the race. Not so for Ramaswamy. The Ohio biotech entrepreneur, who promised his far-right and anti-establishment policy proposals could unite the country around a shared identity, garnered less than 8 percent in Iowa's caucuses. He decided Monday evening to drop out of the race and endorse Trump.The Republican Party of Iowa late Monday night said it projected statewide caucus turnout of roughly 100,000, which was lower than usual for understandable reasons. Temperatures across the state reached historic lows for an Iowa caucus night, with wind chills in the range of minus 30 degrees.Next up is the New Hampshire Primary on January 23. Enjoy the absence of political commercials and political texts. For a little while, at least.

The countdown to the US presidential elections starts with the party primaries. There is a clear favorite on the Republican side, but can Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis threaten Donald Trump's position? And if Trump is the nominee, what does it tell us about how the current Republican party perceives democracy? I talked to J. Miles Coleman who is the associate editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball, the University of Virginia Center for Politics' newsletter on American campaigns and elections. We have also discussed scenarios such as Trump not being the nominee or Democratic President Joe Biden saying he is not running. What would it mean? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/amatisak --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/andrej-matisak/message

This Day in Legal History: Bush v. Gore HeardOn December 11, 2000, a pivotal moment in United States legal history unfolded as the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Bush v. Gore case, a lawsuit that effectively determined the outcome of the 2000 Presidential election. This case, arising from the hotly contested and incredibly close Florida vote recount, was not only a critical legal battle but also a significant event in American political history.The controversy began when the results of the presidential election in Florida were so close that it triggered a mandatory recount. However, the process was fraught with legal challenges and disputes over vote-counting methods, including the infamous "hanging chads" on punch-card ballots. The Bush campaign eventually sought the intervention of the Supreme Court to halt the recount, arguing that the varying standards of the recount process in different counties violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.The Supreme Court's decision to hear the case was itself momentous, given the high stakes of a presidential election hanging in the balance. On December 12, a day after the oral arguments, the Court delivered a landmark 5-4 decision. It ruled that the Florida Supreme Court's method for recounting ballots was unconstitutional due to inconsistent evaluation standards, and that there was insufficient time to establish a new recount process before the December 18 deadline for states to choose their electors.This ruling effectively awarded Florida's electoral votes to George W. Bush, granting him the presidency. The decision was controversial and remains a subject of debate among legal scholars, political scientists, and historians. It highlighted the Supreme Court's pivotal role in resolving electoral disputes, raised questions about the political impartiality of the judiciary, and sparked discussions about election processes and the Electoral College system.On this day in legal history, the Bush v. Gore decision stands as a reminder of the complexities and intricacies of the American legal and political systems, and the profound impact that Supreme Court decisions can have on the course of the nation's history.Alex Jones, the right-wing conspiracy theorist and general looney tune, has been authorized to sell personal assets including firearms, jewelry, cars, boats, and a cryogenic chamber on his Infowars shows. This decision, sanctioned by Judge Christopher M. Lopez of the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, aims to help Jones cover the costs of his personal bankruptcy. Jones filed for bankruptcy protection following a court order to pay over $1 billion in defamation judgments related to his false claims about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.Despite his bankruptcy, Jones remains responsible for approximately $1.1 billion of the $1.4 billion owed from defamation judgments in Connecticut and Texas. The sales, as proposed last month, are meant to fund legal fees and, if any surplus remains, creditor payments as part of a Chapter 11 plan. Among his disclosed assets, Jones has nearly 50 firearms valued at around $72,000, 19 watches including a $25,000 Rolex, and a cryogenic chamber worth $4,000.Jones also plans to sell items from his storage units and homes, such as home furnishings, gym equipment, jewelry, cars, and boats. This move has attracted criticism from families of Sandy Hook victims due to Jones' extravagant spending during bankruptcy. The attorneys representing Jones intend to file a bankruptcy exit plan soon, while the Sandy Hook victims' families have suggested that he pay at least $85 million over 10 years or undergo an orderly liquidation. The case, involving various legal representatives, is ongoing in the Southern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court.Alex Jones Gets Green Light to Sell His Guns, Cars on Talk ShowsFormer President Donald Trump has announced he will not testify in a New York civil fraud trial, where his company is accused of misrepresenting property values to secure favorable financing. This trial, which commenced in October, is among several legal challenges Trump faces while he pursues a return to the White House. Trump made this declaration on social media, stating he had nothing further to add beyond calling the trial "complete and total election interference."During his initial court appearance in November, Trump often evaded direct responses and voiced complaints about being treated unfairly. The presiding judge, Arthur Engoron, has found that Trump and his adult sons engaged in financial statement manipulation to obtain better terms from banks and insurers. New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking $250 million in damages and aims to permanently prohibit Trump and his sons from operating businesses in New York.In addition to this civil trial, Trump is contending with four separate criminal indictments, including two related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. He has pleaded not guilty in all cases. Despite these legal entanglements, Trump maintains a strong lead in the Republican nomination race to potentially challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the upcoming election.Former President Donald Trump says he will not testify in New York fraud trial | ReutersRudy Giuliani, former New York City Mayor and lawyer for Donald Trump, faces a civil defamation trial starting Monday. This trial stems from Giuliani's false accusations against Georgia election workers Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and her mother Ruby Freeman, claiming they rigged the 2020 presidential election. A federal judge has already found Giuliani liable for defaming Moss and Freeman, leaving the jury to decide the damages owed.Moss and Freeman allege Giuliani led a "sustained smear campaign" against them as part of Trump's efforts to contest his election loss. Both women, who will testify at the trial, were subjected to racist abuse and threats following Giuliani's claims. Giuliani's spokesperson, Ted Goodman, has labeled the case politically motivated, while Giuliani's defense may argue that his comments minimally impacted the plaintiffs.Giuliani had inaccurately described surveillance footage, falsely claiming the workers hid illegal ballots and exchanged a USB drive, which turned out to be a ginger mint. A state investigation confirmed Moss and Freeman were lawfully counting votes. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, overseeing the case, has already ruled that they are entitled to damages for defamation, emotional distress, and conspiracy.This trial could exacerbate Giuliani's financial and legal troubles, as he also faces a racketeering case in Georgia and has pleaded not guilty. The outcome of this trial is awaited amidst a backdrop of Giuliani's numerous legal and professional challenges post-2020 election. Moss and Freeman previously settled defamation claims with One America News Network.Giuliani heads to trial over false vote fraud claims about Georgia poll workers | ReutersStanford Law School has introduced a novel student loan alternative, the Flywheel Fund, which bases repayment on graduates' future earnings. The program, distinct from traditional student loans, allows participants to repay 10% of their income for 12 years after graduation, regardless of their career path. The Flywheel Fund, launched in 2022 with donations, has received a $1.7 million investment from Stanford Law to support the initiative.Unlike typical loan forgiveness programs, the Flywheel Fund does not restrict graduates who move out of public interest roles. The program is particularly suited for students aiming for lower-paying public interest jobs, but it also accommodates those entering the private sector. The increasing cost of legal education has been a longstanding concern, with the average debt for law graduates reaching significant amounts.Law graduates' earning potential varies widely, with a stark contrast between salaries in large law firms and public interest positions. The Flywheel Fund is currently unique to Stanford, but its founder is in discussions to expand it to other elite law schools. Critics, however, note the limitations of such programs due to the substantial upfront investment required.Stanford's program is appealing, especially for students interested in public interest law, about 30% of the class. The school covers full repayment for those earning under $100,000 and subsidizes payments for those earning up to $115,000, with an income cap set at $225,000. This innovative approach to financing legal education could significantly alter the landscape if successful and expandable to more students.Stanford Law to fund student loan alternative based on grads' future earnings | Reuters Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

In this part 1 segment of California Politics Now, 'The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate' with Julia Ann Dudley Najieb, viewers first get an in-depth review of the backgrounds of both governors, Gavin Newsom of California and Ron DeSantis of Florida.According to CalMatters, DeSantis accepted Newsom's debate challenge in August, pitting him against someone who is not even in the presidential race. But lacking opportunities to face off directly against Trump, who has refused to participate in the GOP primary debates, DeSantis aimed to show Republican voters that he is best-equipped to take on Democratic President Joe Biden in the general election.Also in this segment, Dudley Najieb reviews the alarming data regarding the living conditions for residents in each state, especially for Black and minority communities.

On a significant day in American courts, a U.S. appeals tribunal determined that former President Donald Trump has to confront civil legal actions in connection with his deemed involvement in the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, perpetrated by his admirers. Dismissing Trump's assertion of immunity, the judgement has brought a new dimension to the case. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was the stage where the panel ruled that Trump was functioning 'in his personal capacity as a presidential candidate' when he motivated his supporters to proceed towards the Capitol on the day when the disturbance broke out. Existence of immunity from civil legal actions applies solely to U.S. presidents when they act in their official capacity. This is a legally established criterion. The implications of this judgement become significant as it paves the way for the former president to come under legal action pursued by U.S. Capitol law enforcement officers and Democratic legislators. The ultimate objective behind these lawsuits is an effort to blame Trump for the aggressive acts carried out by his backers during the infamous riot, which served to challenge his electoral defeat in 2020. This particular legal trouble is just one among many hurdles faced by Trump, who is believed to be the leading contender for the Republican nomination to challenge the current Democratic President Joe Biden in the forthcoming 2024 presidential election. These legal challenges are a mix of civil and criminal in nature. The unanimous ruling from the court solely centered on Trump's liability to get sued. It refrained from commenting on the true substance or worthiness of the cases themselves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the version of Hot off the Wire posted Nov. 28 at 7:15 a.m. CT: WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has told Israel that it must operate with far greater precision in southern Gaza if it renews a ground campaign aimed at eradicating the Hamas militant group. That's according to senior administration officials who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. The officials said President Joe Biden and other administration officials have underscored to the Israelis that it is critical that the expected military campaign to eradicate Hamas in the south must be done in a way that does not cause “significant further displacement” of Palestinian civilians. One official said Israelis have been receptive when U.S. officials have raised these concerns. BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A man pleaded not guilty to attempted murder Monday in the weekend shooting of three college students of Palestinian descent in Vermont. The attack is being investigated as a possible hate crime. The three young men were shot and injured Saturday while walking near the University of Vermont campus. Forty-eight-year-old Jason Eaton was arrested Sunday and made a brief court appearance from jail Monday. He's charged with three counts of attempted murder. The U.S. Justice Department and state officials are also investigating whether the shooting was a hate crime. Protests have been widespread and tensions have escalated in the U.S. as the death toll rises in the Israel-Hamas war. ATLANTA (AP) — Rosalynn Carter will be memorialized Tuesday with classical music and beloved hymns, some of her favorite Biblical passages, and a rare gathering of all living U.S. first ladies and multiple presidents, including her 99-year-old husband Jimmy Carter. The funeral at Glenn Memorial Church in Atlanta falls on the second of a three-day schedule of public events celebrating the former first lady and global humanitarian. She died Nov. 19 at home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 96. Jimmy Carter's participation in his wife's memorials has been a day-to-day decision because of his own frail health. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will attend. They are longtime friends of the Carters. Country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will sing. WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump says he wants to reopen the contentious fight over the Affordable Care Act. He posted on his social media site Saturday that he is “seriously looking at alternatives” to “Obamacare” if he wins a second term. Democratic President Joe Biden's campaign cast the call as yet another “extremist” proposal from the GOP front-runner. The back-and-forth points to what could be a key issue in a general election rematch between Trump and Biden. Health care has generally been a better issue for Democrats than Republicans, who have largely abandoned efforts to repeal the law in recent years. POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) — Police say a thick layer of fog is believed to have caused a roughly 30-vehicle collision on an Idaho interstate. The collision occurred Monday morning on eastbound Interstate 86 near Pocatello. Police say the fog caused visibility to significantly decrease in a short amount of time, slowing vehicles and causing a chain reaction crash. Police said one person with minor injuries was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Several others were taken by personal vehicles. Traffic on I-86 was blocked between exits 56 and 59 for seven hours, allowing for emergency responders and tow trucks to assist those involved and to clear the scene. WASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden has chosen a White House holiday décor that she hopes will inspire guests to feel like kids again. “Magic, wonder and joy” is her theme. Guests will walk underneath the branches of a tree to enter. They will stroll along a hallway decorated with oversized holiday candy and other sweets. They will see Santa's sleigh and reindeer suspended above the grand foyer. The first lady unveiled the décor on Monday. It also celebrates the 200th anniversary of the publication of the poem commonly known as ”'Twas the Night Before Christmas.” She plans Wednesday to unveil a holiday ice rink on the White House lawn. Families of children and educators killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have made an offer to conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay only a fraction of the $1.5 billion in legal judgments they won against him. Lawyers for the families said in a recent filing in Jones' bankruptcy case that they would accept at least $85 million over 10 years. The families were awarded the $1.5 billion in lawsuits against Jones for his calling the 2012 Connecticut school shooting a hoax and for the threats and harassment they endured from Jones' followers. Jones' bankruptcy lawyer said in court Monday that the $85 million settlement offer was too high. WASHINGTON (AP) — Experts in constitutional law and the military say the Insurrection Act gives presidents tremendous power with few restraints. Recent statements by former President Donald Trump raise questions about how he might use it if he wins another term. The front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination has spoken openly about his plans should he win the presidency, including using the military at the border and in cities struggling with violent crime. His plans also have included using the military against foreign drug cartels. The Insurrection Act, a law first crafted in the nation's infancy, is one of the most substantial exceptions to the Posse Comitatus Act, which generally prohibits using the military for law enforcement purposes. In sports, the Bears win on a last minute field goal, the Panthers fire coach Frank Reich, LeBron James suffers his most lopsided loss, and the Wild fires coach Dean Evason. Also, Texas A&M hires Duke coach and former Aggies defensive coordinator Mike Elko to replace Jimbo Fisher. First this fall, a new round with COVID-19 shuttered Stephen Colbert's “The Late Show.” Now the show is again sidelined as the host recovers from a burst appendix. The comedian revealed on social media Monday that he's recovering after surgery, wiping out planned shows for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. “Going forward, all emails to my appendix will be handled by my pancreas,” he joked. Colbert had a busy three shows planned, including guests Jennifer Garner, Baz Luhrmann, Patrick Stewart and Kelsey Grammer, the return of former bandleader Jon Batiste and Barbra Streisand was to take “The Colbert Questionert.” —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is a senior producer for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate. Lee Enterprises produces many national, regional and sports podcasts. Learn more here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele with Tucker Carlson, "The demise of the USA has to come from within. No external enemy can cause so much damage as an internal operation. I am from a 3rd world country and I see cities in the US where I wouldn't want to live now. When you see cities in the US eroding so fast, this has to be by design."Former President Donald Trump is preparing to skip the third Republican primary debate and will instead hold a rally in South Florida as counter-programming. Former President Donald Trump would get the advantage in a three-way race next year between him, Democratic President Joe Biden, and Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., according to a new poll. Plus more on today's episode. 

All the rage - let's test our testosterone - then shave our legs! China has figured it out....How to hurt the USA. Elon - listening in and shutting down? PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm Up -  Big week - Inflation eyed - 10-year near 4.3% - One European country looks the worst - one recession - Biden  - 5-day world tour - Soft landing - everyone talking about it - Oh, Elon Market Update - Not such a great month so far.... - China  starting to panic (that may be good) -- 2 IPOs on Tap - M&A - One food deal announced - Apple .... More China restrictions (interesting) Happy New Year - Rosh Hashana Friday night. Tesla Upgrade - Tesla Inc.'s Dojo supercomputer may add as much as $500 billion to the company's market value through faster adoption of robotaxis and network services, according to Morgan Stanley. - Dojo can open up “new addressable markets,” just like AWS did for Amazon.com Inc., analysts led by Adam Jonas wrote in a note, upgrading the stock to overweight from equal-weight and raising its 12-month price target to a Street-high $400 per share from $250. - Adam Jonas had a $250 price for Tesla for a while and was not really positive on  the shares. But, many say he likes headlines, so this is a perfect way to play it. - Jonas cut his price and overall recommendation  in June - Tesla shares up 10% on this upgrade (BTW, Morgan is one of Elon Musk's key advisory firms - so there is that) China - Freaking out? - China's financial regulator on Sunday reduced the risk weighting it attaches to insurance companies' holdings of blue-chip shares and tech stocks, encouraging them to invest more in the country's lagging stock market. - The National Administration of Financial Regulation (NAFR)said on its website that the risk weighting for CSI300 Index constituents would be reduced to 0.3 from 0.35, while that for stocks listed on Shanghai's tech-focused STAR Market would be cut to 0.4, from 0.45. - A lower risk weighting frees up more capital for insurers to invest. - It also set a relatively low risk weighting for private equity investments in China's strategic and emerging sectors. More China - China's economic slowdown could increase the risk of Beijing taking military action toward Taiwan, the Republican chair of a U.S. congressional committee on China said on Monday, drawing a contrast with Democratic President Joe Biden, who said it made it less likely. - So this has to be a dividing line as well? Biden on Sunday called China's econ Yen - Japan - In a weekend interview, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said the central bank could end its 7-year-old negative interest rate policy when achievement of its 2% inflation target is in sight - suggesting the BOJ is considering official interest rate hikes as well as an early end its bond-buying, yield cap policy. - The comments seemed to catch markets off guard, sending the 10-year Japanese government bond yield up more than 5 basis points to a 9-year high above 0.7%. The yen surged 1% against the dollar, knocking the U.S. currency back more generally on the foreign exchange markets. Tech - Qualcomm said Monday that it will supply Apple with 5G modems for smartphones through 2026. - Wall Street analysts and Qualcomm officials had previously said they expected Apple to use an internally developed 5G modem starting in 2024. - The continued sales to Apple will boost Qualcomm's handsets business, which reported $5.26 billion in sales in the quarter ended in June, and could soften the blow of potentially losing a critical customer. About 21% of Qualcomm's fiscal 2022 revenue of $44.2 billion came from Apple,

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for August 22, 2023.Monday was hot. Tuesday will be even hotter. According to the National Weather Service it will be sunny and hot Tuesday in the Cedar Rapids area with a high near 101 degrees. Head index values could get as high as 118.After months of turmoil with closings and reopenings, the iconic Hamburg Inn No. 2 was purchased last week by a group of local investors and is expected to reopen this fall.The restaurant at 214 N. Linn St. closed in July for the second time in a year. It will reopen in October under new management.New owner Gold Cap Hospitality, which owns Pullman Bar & Diner and St. Burch Tavern in Iowa City, hopes to keep the staple's cultural importance intact “with the intention of stewarding the next generation of this Iowa City institution,” the company said in a news release.“After almost 90 years, The Burg needs some fixing up. We're taking stock of the things that are broken along with the things that aren't,” said Nate Kaeding, founding partner and lead strategist at Gold Cap HospitalityFlanked by National Guard soldiers, an armored Humvee and law enforcement, Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday attacked Democratic President Joe Biden's border policies, blaming him for record-high crossings, humanitarian concerns and an increase in fentanyl coming into the United States.Reynolds joined fellow Republican governors Greg Abbott of Texas, Jim Pillen of Nebraska, Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma and Kristi Noem of South Dakota for a news conference in Eagle Pass, Texas, where that state installed a 1,000-foot-long floating barrier in July as part of a $4 billion border security initiative, Operation Lone Star.Reynolds criticized President Biden for reversing border control policies put into place by former president Donald Trump, saying it has now made every state effectively a border state.“Certainly, not to the extent that Texas is experiencing. But, let me tell you, Iowa is located at the intersection of two major interstates, and it is a pathway for the Mexican cartel and human traffickers to take to go from Mexico to the Midwest.”Since 2020, Iowa has seen a 500 percent increase in the amount of fentanyl seized, a 100 percent increase in meth seized and a 35 percent increase in drug-related deaths. Much of it can be traced back to Mexican drug cartels, Reynolds said.A new pair of Iowa polls, both regular and straw, show former President Donald Trump with a commanding lead over the expansive field of Republican candidates for president.Trump's advantage roughly five months out from the Republican Iowa caucuses, the first state nominating contest in next year's presidential selection process, showed up over the weekend in both the Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa Poll, and the Iowa Secretary of State's State Fair Straw Poll.In the Iowa Poll, Trump was the choice of 42 percent of likely Iowa Republican caucus participants, a full 23 percentage points ahead of the next-highest polling candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 19 percent.Trump was also the choice of 42.5 percent of participants in the State Fair Straw Poll, which is an unscientific survey that is available to everyone at the Iowa State Fair, regardless of voter registration status, age or even residence. The poll is featured at the Iowa Secretary of State's booth during the fair.

*) Deal averting debt default passes first test in US Congress A deal to raise the US debt ceiling has passed its first major test in Congress, surviving a crucial vote amid a conservative backlash that resurrected the threat of the country's first-ever default. Lawmakers have until Monday next week to green-light an agreement between Republicans and Democrats to allow more borrowing and ensure the country doesn't miss loan repayments. There were sighs of relief across Washington as Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Democratic President Joe Biden agreed on the 99-page “Fiscal Responsibility Act”. *) North Korea's bid to launch country's first spy satellite fails North Korea has said that its attempt to launch the country's first spy satellite has failed. In a statement published on state media, North Korea said a rocket carrying the spy satellite crashed into waters off the Korean Peninsula's western coast. The crash occurred after it lost thrust following the separation of its first and second stages. It said scientists were examining the cause of the failure. *) Fighting subsides in Sudan's capital after extension of ceasefire Intense fighting has subsided in Sudan's capital although sounds of gunfire could still be heard in some areas, residents said. The fighting decreased after warring parties — the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces group — battling for more than six weeks agreed to extend a ceasefire just before it was due to expire. Hours before the ceasefire extension was signed, residents reported intensive fighting in all three of the adjoining cities that make up Sudan's greater capital. *) Several dead in Ukraine shelling of Luhansk village: Russia Four people have been killed and 16 injured as a result of Ukraine's shelling of the Karpaty village in the Luhansk region, the Moscow-backed local coordination centre said. The centre said on its Telegram messaging channel the shelling hit a poultry farm. There was no immediate response from Ukraine, but Kiev almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia or on Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine. And finally… *) First Saudi woman in orbit, other astronauts, splash down off Florida A private flight carrying two Saudi astronauts and other passengers has returned to Earth after a nine-day trip to the International Space Station. The capsule carrying the four parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico, just off the Florida Panhandle, 12 hours after undocking from the orbiting lab. The Saudi government picked up the tab for its two astronauts: Rayyanah Barnawi, a stem cell researcher who became the first Saudi woman in space; and fighter pilot Ali al Qarni.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette Digital News Desk, and I'm here with your update for Tuesday, March 14.We'll get a bit more of the extra sun portion of daylight saving time on Tuesday. According to the National Weather Service it is predicted to be sunny, with a high near 37 degrees in the Cedar Rapids area. On Tuesday night it will be partly cloudy, with a low of around 28 degrees.Former President Donald Trump touted trade policies he argues have been a boon for America's farmers, and attacked Democratic President Joe Biden for a “non-stop war on American agriculture” in a speech Monday in Iowa.Trump, 76, stopped at the Adler Theatre in Davenport where he delivered what was billed as an education policy speech in his first visit to the Hawkeye state since announcing his third bid for the presidency in November. Instead, Trump touched more broadly on his accomplishments as president, including trade policies and agriculture, in the first half of his speech.He criticized the Biden administration over the new Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule that will expand protections for the nation's waters through updates to the Clean Water Act. Trump advanced long-held Republican arguments that the regulations are an environmental overreach and a burden to business.Trump, too, touted his support of ethanol, telling the crowd they're “still seeing the benefits” of his trade and agriculture policies, “but it's slowly slipping away” under the Biden administrationTrump also criticized his rivals, comparing conservative darling Ron DeSantis to Mitt Romney, and made many bold claims, such as saying that he is the only candidate who can promise to prevent World War 3.A Cedar Rapids man was charged Monday with voluntary manslaughter in the Oct. 23 fatal shooting outside an Iowa City bar.19-year-old Antonio Steven Scotton,also faces a charge of intimidation with a dangerous weapon in the shooting death of Waymond Thomas, 36, of Iowa City.Thomas was shot outside the H-Bar, 220 S. Van Buren St., around 2 a.m. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.Scotton was arrested in November and charged with willful injury and participating in a riot in connection with a large fight inside the bar about 10 minutes before the shooting. Witnesses identified Scotton as the man who punched and kicked a woman who'd fallen and was knocked unconscious, a criminal complaint said.The new charges allege Scotton and another person were walking away from the H-Bar when Thomas and a friend confronted them about the earlier assault, according to the new criminal complaint. Thomas punched Scotton, and a fight broke out between the four individuals.During the fight, Thomas' friend dropped a gun. Scotton picked it up and began firing.As a result of the shooting and other incidents at the bar, Iowa City filed a nuisance abatement petition against the H-Bar in an effort to restrict its hours. The city and the bar's owners eventually reached an agreement that it set its closing time at 2 a.m.

Welcome to Super Bowl weekend!This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Saturday, February 11, and Sunday, February 12.I am happy to report it will be strangely nice again for a February weekend. According to the National Weather Service on Saturday it will be sunny in the Cedar Rapids area with a high near 42 degrees. Sunday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 45 degrees. Expect warm weather to persist until next Thursday.Something to consider when working on your taxes. Donations to Iowa's Fish/Wildlife fund, informally called the Chickadee Checkoff, fell nearly 15 percent last year, and have been gradually shrinking since the fund was created in the early 1980s.Study and support for Iowa's nongame animals, including songbirds, turtles, frogs, owls and salamanders, is needed more than ever as many species decline in numbers, mostly because of lost habitat.North America has lost nearly 30 percent of its birds — about 3 million — since the 1970s, according to a 2019 article in the journal Science.“There is a lot of vulnerable wildlife we still don't have a good feel for how they are doing,” said Stephanie Shepherd, a wildlife diversity biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.Iowa's five Wildlife Diversity program staff members work with land managers to make sure they are incorporating practices that support nongame animals. Staff lead surveys of bald eagles, frogs and toads and the rusty patched bumblebee to see how these species continue to fare in Iowa.Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, saying she is not done cutting taxes, announced Friday it is her goal to abolish the state income tax by the end of her four-year term.State lawmakers have passed various tax reform measures over the last several years, including establishing a “flat tax” in the state for personal income tax.“And I can tell you without hesitation, we're not done,” Reynolds said during a state policy leadership forum in Washington, D.C., hosted by the conservative Cato Institute. “My goal is to get to zero individual income tax rate by the end of this second term.”Seven states — Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming — have no state income tax. New Hampshire does not tax earned income and is currently phasing out a tax on interest and dividend income. Washington similarly does not have a traditional income tax, instead taxing capital gains of income of high earners.Brenna Bird, Iowa's new Republican attorney general whose primary campaign platform was a pledge to stand up to Democratic President Joe Biden, has...

The latest release in the so-called “Twitter Files” information dump has revealed the incredibly close relationship between the United States government and the social media platform as the two worked together (at the government's insistence) to censor not just misinformation about COVID but also pretty much any information that conflicted with the official state narrative, true or not. Among the many Twitter users to get caught up in this public-private web was Martin Kulldorff, a former professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Jimmy and Revolutionary Black Network's Nick Cruse discuss all the ways the government and Twitter conspired to censor users who diverged from the party line on COVID. Plus a segment on the outrageous lies of incoming GOP House Representative George Santos -- as well as increasingly demented Democratic President Joe Biden. Also featuring Stef Zamorano, Kurt Metzger and Mike MacRae! And phone calls from Joe Biden and Vince Vaughn!

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Thursday, December 22nd, 2022. Before we get to the news today… a programming reminder, the wives show will take place this Friday! So stay tuned, it’s a fun one. You guys know Christmas is a coming right? Maybe you should get someone you love a Fight Laugh Feast Club Membership! 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.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-asks-supreme-court-end-title-42-short-delay-lifting-restrictions Biden admin asks Supreme Court to end Title 42, but with short delay on lifting restrictions The Biden administration on Tuesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to let the pandemic-era policy Title 42 come to end, but requested a brief delay until at least after Christmas. In a filing on Tuesday, the administration acknowledged to the Supreme Court that the end of Title 42 will likely lead to "disruption and a temporary increase in unlawful border crossings" but asked the court to reject efforts by a group of conservative-leaning states to keep Title 42 in place. Migrants have been denied requests to seek asylum under U.S. and international law 2.5 million times since March 2020 on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19 under a public-health rule called Title 42. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-gov-abbott-polar-vortex-threatens-migrants-bidens-border-disaster Texas Gov. Abbott warns polar vortex threatens migrants due to Biden’s border ‘disaster’ Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told President Joe Biden on Tuesday that his "disaster" immigration policy is putting lives at risk as a polar vortex expected this week will create bitter conditions for the thousands of illegal immigrants who continue to trek into the U.S. "With cold temperatures gripping Texas, your inaction to secure the southern border is putting the lives of migrants at risk, particularly in the City of El Paso," the Republican governor told Biden in a letter. "Your policies will leave many people in the bitter, dangerous cold as a polar vortex moves into Texas." "This terrible crisis for border communities in Texas is a catastrophe of your own making," Abbott wrote. The governor said Biden has failed in his constitutional duty to protect the border, which disproportionately impacts Texas. Abbott warned that the situation would only get worse if the Title 42 policy ends this week. That pandemic-era policy allows border agents to turn migrants away at the border, and ending it could lead to a surge of migrants at the southern border just as Texas faces some of its coldest temperatures. The Title 42 policy was set to expire Wednesday, but an appeal is being heard by the Supreme Court, which could decide as early as Tuesday evening. The Department of Homeland Security projects between 9,000 and 15,000 migrant encounters a day once the policy ends, which would add to the already highest annual total of encounters in U.S. history. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted an end to Title 42 would not mean the border is open. To suggest so, she said, is misinformation and "doing the work of these smugglers." Vice President Kamala Harris, who was tasked with identifying the root cause of mass migration to the southern border, has insisted in recent months that the border is secure. Abbott said he would continue to work with state-based officials to stem the tide of illegal immigration. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-confirms-zelenskyys-travel-us-ahead-massive-bill-funding-ukrainian-military White House confirms Zelenskyy's travel to US ahead of massive bill funding Ukrainian military The Biden administration confirmed early Wednesday morning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is on his way to the U.S. to discuss more assistance for the country during its ongoing conflict with Russia. In addition to meeting with President Biden, Zelenskyy is slated to address Congress Wednesday afternoon as lawmakers plan to shell out more money for Ukraine in its latest $1.7 trillion spending bill. The budget includes more than $45 billion in new military and humanitarian aid for his country. A press statement from the Biden admin Wednesday morning said Zelenskyy's address to a joint meeting of Congress will demonstrate the "strong, bipartisan support for Ukraine." In its official statement, the White House added President Biden has been rallying the world to support Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February. "Three hundred days ago, Russia launched a brutal assault against Ukraine. In response, President Biden rallied the world to support the people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement read. "During the visit, President Biden will announce a significant new package of security assistance to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression." Extensive security measures were already underway in the nation's capital early Wednesday morning as the District prepared for the high-profile visit. As early as 4:30 a.m., Capitol Police cruisers could be seen lined up outside the Capitol building along with cement barricades blocking roads leading up to the building. On behalf of bipartisan Congressional leaders, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., sent a letter to Zelenskyy encouraging his visit to Washington, D.C., in a letter explaining the leaders' "immense respect and admiration" for the Ukrainian president. The pending aid would be the U.S.' largest amount of financial assistance to Ukraine since the war started and is intended to support the fight against Russia for months to come, according to the Associated Press. Congress is also expected to announce a major package of $1.8 billion in military aid on Wednesday, which will include a Patriot missile battery and precision guided bombs for Ukraine's fighter jets. U.S. officials said the package will include about $1 billion in weapons from Pentagon stocks and $800 million in funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, according to the AP. Though the massive spending bill is expected to receive support from many Republicans in the House and Senate, not all are on board with the additional funding. Some GOP lawmakers argued the new round of aid, which will bring the U.S. commitment to the war to over $110 billion, is improper without greater accountability. https://www.theepochtimes.com/us-senate-advances-1-66-trillion-government-funding-bill_4936469.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport US Senate Advances $1.66 Trillion Government-Funding Bill A $1.66 trillion government spending bill drew overwhelming bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday as lawmakers steered it toward passage before a weekend deadline to avoid a partial shutdown of federal agencies. Democratic and Republican negotiators agreed early Tuesday morning on the sweeping bill to fund the federal government through the end of its fiscal year on Sept. 30, raising funding from about $1.5 trillion in the last fiscal year. The Senate voted 70-25 to proceed to debate of the bill, with some Republican senators hoping to offer amendments. A handful of conservative Senate Republicans on Tuesday said they objected to the bill, but would not try to stop its passage. The bill includes other measures agreed on by negotiators from both parties, including a ban on the use of TikTok on government-owned devices and clarification of Congress’s role in certifying elections, an attempt to avoid a repeat of the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021. Senate and House leaders aim to pass the 4,155-page bill and send it to Democratic President Joe Biden for signing by the end of the week to ensure there are no interruptions to the government’s activities. The Tuesday vote was the first in a series of steps clearing the way for passage by Friday. Failure to pass legislation in time could bring a partial government shutdown beginning Saturday, just before Christmas, and possibly lead into a months-long standoff after Republicans take control of the House on Jan. 3, breaking the grip of Biden’s Democrats on both chambers of Congress. Budget experts found fault with the bill’s size. Included in the bill is $44.9 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine and NATO allies and $40.6 billion to assist communities across the United States recovering from natural disasters and other matters. The Ukraine funds would be used for military training, equipment, logistics and intelligence support, as well as for replenishing U.S. equipment sent to Kyiv. It also includes funding to prepare for and respond to potential nuclear and radiological incidents in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not ruled out the use of nuclear weapons in the conflict with Ukraine. Included in the Ukraine package is $13.4 billion in economic aid and $2.4 billion to help resettle Ukrainians in the United States. The military aid would be on top of the record $858 billion in U.S. defense spending for the year, which is up from last year’s $740 billion and also exceeds Biden’s request. U.S. lawmakers also included a proposal to bar federal employees from using the Chinese short-video app TikTok on government-owned devices. And they backed a proposal to lift a looming deadline imposing a new safety standard for modern cockpit alerts for two new versions of Boeing Co’s 737 MAX aircraft. https://nypost.com/2022/12/20/intruder-able-to-walk-into-uvalde-school-unchallenged-during-safety-audit/ ‘Intruder’ able to walk into Uvalde school unchallenged as new report slams medical response A Texas safety inspector posing as an intruder was recently able to stroll unchallenged into a Uvalde school — as a damning new investigation also blamed a “flawed medical response” for failing to save some of the 21 slaughtered in a mass shooting at Robb Elementary. The inspector was even able to enter through a back door that did not latch, eerily similar to how 18-year-old madman Salvador Ramos got into Robb Elementary before killing 19 fourth-graders and two teachers. The shocking breach was revealed at a Uvalde school board meeting Monday night, attended by at least a dozen family members of victims of the May shooting, the San Antonio Express-News said. Grieving loved ones were furious that “somebody just walked right in” seven months after one of the deadliest school shootings in history, KSAT also said of the meeting. As part of a state-mandated security audit, an inspector posing as an intruder attempted to gain access to three different schools in the grief-stricken area — strolling into one unchallenged, the meeting heard. Interim district Superintendent Gary Patterson admitted the error, saying the ongoing security lapse “is really 100 percent my responsibility,” telling the meeting: “We have got to secure those areas.” Berlinda Arreola, the grandmother of Uvalde victim Amerie Jo Garza, shared a picture of a school safety officer sitting and looking at his phone. https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/breaking-kari-lake-trial-reveals-42-5-of-randomly-examined-ballots-were-improper/ Kari Lake Trial Reveals 42.5% of Randomly Examined Ballots Were Improper According to Republican governor candidate Kari Lake’s legal team, 42.5% of examined ballots in Maricopa County for the 2022 governor’s race were illegitimate. Lake’s trial began on Wednesday were she is attempting to prove that wide scale fraud took place in Maricopa County on election day. The Lake War Room tweeted on Wednesday that 48 of the 113 ballots that were reviewed during examination were “19-inch ballots produced on 20-inch paper,” In a separate tweet, the Lake War Room wrote, “This Is how they disenfranchised Maricopa County voters on Election Day. The ballots were designed to be unable to be read through the machines. This wasn’t an error. It was malice. The process worked exactly as they intended it to.” One commenter on Twitter noted that there was no way the improper ballot size could have been because of “error.” “The expert testified there are only 2 ways for the 19 inch image to have bee projected onto the 20 in ballot which would cause tabulator errors. Both methods require an administrator to change. This could not have happened by chance or error. It was fraud.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1605620894994354176 - Play Video The race between Hobbs and Lake was decided by less than 18,000 votes. The counts put forward by Lake’s team contest her loss. Most counts were thrown out by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson, with 8 being tossed while two counts were allowed to proceed. Those counts deal with alleged intentional misconduct. Lake told Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest on Tuesday that this marked a “huge win” for her legal team, saying, “we got great news. We’re taking these b*stards to trial!” Adding that Hobbs would take the stand in the trial. It was later announced by Lake’s attorneys that they had withdrawn the subpoena for Hobbs to testify. “Maricopa County wants you to believe that they are so incompetent that all of the problems on Election Day can be written off as mistakes. New Saint Andrews: Today’s culture shifts like sand. But New Saint Andrews College is established on Christ, the immovable rock. It is a premier institution that forges evangelical leaders who don’t fear or hate the world. Guided by God’s Word, they take the world back because they’re equipped with the genius of classical liberal arts and God-honoring wisdom, thanks to a faculty dedicated to academic rigor and to God’s kingdom.Find out more, at nsa.edu/ https://thepostmillennial.com/airbnb-bans-the-listing-of-former-slave-plantations-and-slave-houses?utm_campaign=64487 Airbnb bans the listing of former slave plantations and slave houses Airbnb has outlawed the listing of rental properties on its site where slaves have lived or worked, according to an update to their anti-discrimination policy. The moves come after a TikTok video from July calling out the company for listing an "1830s slave cabin" went viral. The online short-term rental marketplace immediately removed the listing, then sought out others like it, enlisting the help of historical experts. Airbnb's "Work to fight Discrimination and Build Inclusion" now includes a section called "Prohibiting the Glorification and Marketing of Slavery," which states that in July 2022, the company "took a series of steps to address the listing of properties in the US that were known to include former slave houses," as they "have no place on Airbnb." The three main policies, which only apply to the United States, prohibit "prohibiting the listing of any home or other structure on a former plantation where enslaved people lived or worked if structures that existed during the time of slavery are still present on the property," bar "any structure specifically designed only to house enslaved people and that did house enslaved people," and prohibit "the promotion of slavery-related features as a selling point of a stay." Exceptions will be made for certain Experiences that "provide important educational context" led by "reputable partners and experts." "Currently we have removed listings and experiences associated with roughly 30 properties that are violating our policies," an Airbnb spokesperson told BuzzFeed News.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Thursday, December 22nd, 2022. Before we get to the news today… a programming reminder, the wives show will take place this Friday! So stay tuned, it’s a fun one. You guys know Christmas is a coming right? Maybe you should get someone you love a Fight Laugh Feast Club Membership! 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.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-asks-supreme-court-end-title-42-short-delay-lifting-restrictions Biden admin asks Supreme Court to end Title 42, but with short delay on lifting restrictions The Biden administration on Tuesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to let the pandemic-era policy Title 42 come to end, but requested a brief delay until at least after Christmas. In a filing on Tuesday, the administration acknowledged to the Supreme Court that the end of Title 42 will likely lead to "disruption and a temporary increase in unlawful border crossings" but asked the court to reject efforts by a group of conservative-leaning states to keep Title 42 in place. Migrants have been denied requests to seek asylum under U.S. and international law 2.5 million times since March 2020 on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19 under a public-health rule called Title 42. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-gov-abbott-polar-vortex-threatens-migrants-bidens-border-disaster Texas Gov. Abbott warns polar vortex threatens migrants due to Biden’s border ‘disaster’ Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told President Joe Biden on Tuesday that his "disaster" immigration policy is putting lives at risk as a polar vortex expected this week will create bitter conditions for the thousands of illegal immigrants who continue to trek into the U.S. "With cold temperatures gripping Texas, your inaction to secure the southern border is putting the lives of migrants at risk, particularly in the City of El Paso," the Republican governor told Biden in a letter. "Your policies will leave many people in the bitter, dangerous cold as a polar vortex moves into Texas." "This terrible crisis for border communities in Texas is a catastrophe of your own making," Abbott wrote. The governor said Biden has failed in his constitutional duty to protect the border, which disproportionately impacts Texas. Abbott warned that the situation would only get worse if the Title 42 policy ends this week. That pandemic-era policy allows border agents to turn migrants away at the border, and ending it could lead to a surge of migrants at the southern border just as Texas faces some of its coldest temperatures. The Title 42 policy was set to expire Wednesday, but an appeal is being heard by the Supreme Court, which could decide as early as Tuesday evening. The Department of Homeland Security projects between 9,000 and 15,000 migrant encounters a day once the policy ends, which would add to the already highest annual total of encounters in U.S. history. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted an end to Title 42 would not mean the border is open. To suggest so, she said, is misinformation and "doing the work of these smugglers." Vice President Kamala Harris, who was tasked with identifying the root cause of mass migration to the southern border, has insisted in recent months that the border is secure. Abbott said he would continue to work with state-based officials to stem the tide of illegal immigration. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-confirms-zelenskyys-travel-us-ahead-massive-bill-funding-ukrainian-military White House confirms Zelenskyy's travel to US ahead of massive bill funding Ukrainian military The Biden administration confirmed early Wednesday morning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is on his way to the U.S. to discuss more assistance for the country during its ongoing conflict with Russia. In addition to meeting with President Biden, Zelenskyy is slated to address Congress Wednesday afternoon as lawmakers plan to shell out more money for Ukraine in its latest $1.7 trillion spending bill. The budget includes more than $45 billion in new military and humanitarian aid for his country. A press statement from the Biden admin Wednesday morning said Zelenskyy's address to a joint meeting of Congress will demonstrate the "strong, bipartisan support for Ukraine." In its official statement, the White House added President Biden has been rallying the world to support Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February. "Three hundred days ago, Russia launched a brutal assault against Ukraine. In response, President Biden rallied the world to support the people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement read. "During the visit, President Biden will announce a significant new package of security assistance to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression." Extensive security measures were already underway in the nation's capital early Wednesday morning as the District prepared for the high-profile visit. As early as 4:30 a.m., Capitol Police cruisers could be seen lined up outside the Capitol building along with cement barricades blocking roads leading up to the building. On behalf of bipartisan Congressional leaders, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., sent a letter to Zelenskyy encouraging his visit to Washington, D.C., in a letter explaining the leaders' "immense respect and admiration" for the Ukrainian president. The pending aid would be the U.S.' largest amount of financial assistance to Ukraine since the war started and is intended to support the fight against Russia for months to come, according to the Associated Press. Congress is also expected to announce a major package of $1.8 billion in military aid on Wednesday, which will include a Patriot missile battery and precision guided bombs for Ukraine's fighter jets. U.S. officials said the package will include about $1 billion in weapons from Pentagon stocks and $800 million in funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, according to the AP. Though the massive spending bill is expected to receive support from many Republicans in the House and Senate, not all are on board with the additional funding. Some GOP lawmakers argued the new round of aid, which will bring the U.S. commitment to the war to over $110 billion, is improper without greater accountability. https://www.theepochtimes.com/us-senate-advances-1-66-trillion-government-funding-bill_4936469.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport US Senate Advances $1.66 Trillion Government-Funding Bill A $1.66 trillion government spending bill drew overwhelming bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday as lawmakers steered it toward passage before a weekend deadline to avoid a partial shutdown of federal agencies. Democratic and Republican negotiators agreed early Tuesday morning on the sweeping bill to fund the federal government through the end of its fiscal year on Sept. 30, raising funding from about $1.5 trillion in the last fiscal year. The Senate voted 70-25 to proceed to debate of the bill, with some Republican senators hoping to offer amendments. A handful of conservative Senate Republicans on Tuesday said they objected to the bill, but would not try to stop its passage. The bill includes other measures agreed on by negotiators from both parties, including a ban on the use of TikTok on government-owned devices and clarification of Congress’s role in certifying elections, an attempt to avoid a repeat of the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021. Senate and House leaders aim to pass the 4,155-page bill and send it to Democratic President Joe Biden for signing by the end of the week to ensure there are no interruptions to the government’s activities. The Tuesday vote was the first in a series of steps clearing the way for passage by Friday. Failure to pass legislation in time could bring a partial government shutdown beginning Saturday, just before Christmas, and possibly lead into a months-long standoff after Republicans take control of the House on Jan. 3, breaking the grip of Biden’s Democrats on both chambers of Congress. Budget experts found fault with the bill’s size. Included in the bill is $44.9 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine and NATO allies and $40.6 billion to assist communities across the United States recovering from natural disasters and other matters. The Ukraine funds would be used for military training, equipment, logistics and intelligence support, as well as for replenishing U.S. equipment sent to Kyiv. It also includes funding to prepare for and respond to potential nuclear and radiological incidents in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not ruled out the use of nuclear weapons in the conflict with Ukraine. Included in the Ukraine package is $13.4 billion in economic aid and $2.4 billion to help resettle Ukrainians in the United States. The military aid would be on top of the record $858 billion in U.S. defense spending for the year, which is up from last year’s $740 billion and also exceeds Biden’s request. U.S. lawmakers also included a proposal to bar federal employees from using the Chinese short-video app TikTok on government-owned devices. And they backed a proposal to lift a looming deadline imposing a new safety standard for modern cockpit alerts for two new versions of Boeing Co’s 737 MAX aircraft. https://nypost.com/2022/12/20/intruder-able-to-walk-into-uvalde-school-unchallenged-during-safety-audit/ ‘Intruder’ able to walk into Uvalde school unchallenged as new report slams medical response A Texas safety inspector posing as an intruder was recently able to stroll unchallenged into a Uvalde school — as a damning new investigation also blamed a “flawed medical response” for failing to save some of the 21 slaughtered in a mass shooting at Robb Elementary. The inspector was even able to enter through a back door that did not latch, eerily similar to how 18-year-old madman Salvador Ramos got into Robb Elementary before killing 19 fourth-graders and two teachers. The shocking breach was revealed at a Uvalde school board meeting Monday night, attended by at least a dozen family members of victims of the May shooting, the San Antonio Express-News said. Grieving loved ones were furious that “somebody just walked right in” seven months after one of the deadliest school shootings in history, KSAT also said of the meeting. As part of a state-mandated security audit, an inspector posing as an intruder attempted to gain access to three different schools in the grief-stricken area — strolling into one unchallenged, the meeting heard. Interim district Superintendent Gary Patterson admitted the error, saying the ongoing security lapse “is really 100 percent my responsibility,” telling the meeting: “We have got to secure those areas.” Berlinda Arreola, the grandmother of Uvalde victim Amerie Jo Garza, shared a picture of a school safety officer sitting and looking at his phone. https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/breaking-kari-lake-trial-reveals-42-5-of-randomly-examined-ballots-were-improper/ Kari Lake Trial Reveals 42.5% of Randomly Examined Ballots Were Improper According to Republican governor candidate Kari Lake’s legal team, 42.5% of examined ballots in Maricopa County for the 2022 governor’s race were illegitimate. Lake’s trial began on Wednesday were she is attempting to prove that wide scale fraud took place in Maricopa County on election day. The Lake War Room tweeted on Wednesday that 48 of the 113 ballots that were reviewed during examination were “19-inch ballots produced on 20-inch paper,” In a separate tweet, the Lake War Room wrote, “This Is how they disenfranchised Maricopa County voters on Election Day. The ballots were designed to be unable to be read through the machines. This wasn’t an error. It was malice. The process worked exactly as they intended it to.” One commenter on Twitter noted that there was no way the improper ballot size could have been because of “error.” “The expert testified there are only 2 ways for the 19 inch image to have bee projected onto the 20 in ballot which would cause tabulator errors. Both methods require an administrator to change. This could not have happened by chance or error. It was fraud.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1605620894994354176 - Play Video The race between Hobbs and Lake was decided by less than 18,000 votes. The counts put forward by Lake’s team contest her loss. Most counts were thrown out by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson, with 8 being tossed while two counts were allowed to proceed. Those counts deal with alleged intentional misconduct. Lake told Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest on Tuesday that this marked a “huge win” for her legal team, saying, “we got great news. We’re taking these b*stards to trial!” Adding that Hobbs would take the stand in the trial. It was later announced by Lake’s attorneys that they had withdrawn the subpoena for Hobbs to testify. “Maricopa County wants you to believe that they are so incompetent that all of the problems on Election Day can be written off as mistakes. New Saint Andrews: Today’s culture shifts like sand. But New Saint Andrews College is established on Christ, the immovable rock. It is a premier institution that forges evangelical leaders who don’t fear or hate the world. Guided by God’s Word, they take the world back because they’re equipped with the genius of classical liberal arts and God-honoring wisdom, thanks to a faculty dedicated to academic rigor and to God’s kingdom.Find out more, at nsa.edu/ https://thepostmillennial.com/airbnb-bans-the-listing-of-former-slave-plantations-and-slave-houses?utm_campaign=64487 Airbnb bans the listing of former slave plantations and slave houses Airbnb has outlawed the listing of rental properties on its site where slaves have lived or worked, according to an update to their anti-discrimination policy. The moves come after a TikTok video from July calling out the company for listing an "1830s slave cabin" went viral. The online short-term rental marketplace immediately removed the listing, then sought out others like it, enlisting the help of historical experts. Airbnb's "Work to fight Discrimination and Build Inclusion" now includes a section called "Prohibiting the Glorification and Marketing of Slavery," which states that in July 2022, the company "took a series of steps to address the listing of properties in the US that were known to include former slave houses," as they "have no place on Airbnb." The three main policies, which only apply to the United States, prohibit "prohibiting the listing of any home or other structure on a former plantation where enslaved people lived or worked if structures that existed during the time of slavery are still present on the property," bar "any structure specifically designed only to house enslaved people and that did house enslaved people," and prohibit "the promotion of slavery-related features as a selling point of a stay." Exceptions will be made for certain Experiences that "provide important educational context" led by "reputable partners and experts." "Currently we have removed listings and experiences associated with roughly 30 properties that are violating our policies," an Airbnb spokesperson told BuzzFeed News.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Thursday, December 22nd, 2022. Before we get to the news today… a programming reminder, the wives show will take place this Friday! So stay tuned, it’s a fun one. You guys know Christmas is a coming right? Maybe you should get someone you love a Fight Laugh Feast Club Membership! 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.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-asks-supreme-court-end-title-42-short-delay-lifting-restrictions Biden admin asks Supreme Court to end Title 42, but with short delay on lifting restrictions The Biden administration on Tuesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to let the pandemic-era policy Title 42 come to end, but requested a brief delay until at least after Christmas. In a filing on Tuesday, the administration acknowledged to the Supreme Court that the end of Title 42 will likely lead to "disruption and a temporary increase in unlawful border crossings" but asked the court to reject efforts by a group of conservative-leaning states to keep Title 42 in place. Migrants have been denied requests to seek asylum under U.S. and international law 2.5 million times since March 2020 on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19 under a public-health rule called Title 42. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-gov-abbott-polar-vortex-threatens-migrants-bidens-border-disaster Texas Gov. Abbott warns polar vortex threatens migrants due to Biden’s border ‘disaster’ Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told President Joe Biden on Tuesday that his "disaster" immigration policy is putting lives at risk as a polar vortex expected this week will create bitter conditions for the thousands of illegal immigrants who continue to trek into the U.S. "With cold temperatures gripping Texas, your inaction to secure the southern border is putting the lives of migrants at risk, particularly in the City of El Paso," the Republican governor told Biden in a letter. "Your policies will leave many people in the bitter, dangerous cold as a polar vortex moves into Texas." "This terrible crisis for border communities in Texas is a catastrophe of your own making," Abbott wrote. The governor said Biden has failed in his constitutional duty to protect the border, which disproportionately impacts Texas. Abbott warned that the situation would only get worse if the Title 42 policy ends this week. That pandemic-era policy allows border agents to turn migrants away at the border, and ending it could lead to a surge of migrants at the southern border just as Texas faces some of its coldest temperatures. The Title 42 policy was set to expire Wednesday, but an appeal is being heard by the Supreme Court, which could decide as early as Tuesday evening. The Department of Homeland Security projects between 9,000 and 15,000 migrant encounters a day once the policy ends, which would add to the already highest annual total of encounters in U.S. history. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted an end to Title 42 would not mean the border is open. To suggest so, she said, is misinformation and "doing the work of these smugglers." Vice President Kamala Harris, who was tasked with identifying the root cause of mass migration to the southern border, has insisted in recent months that the border is secure. Abbott said he would continue to work with state-based officials to stem the tide of illegal immigration. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-confirms-zelenskyys-travel-us-ahead-massive-bill-funding-ukrainian-military White House confirms Zelenskyy's travel to US ahead of massive bill funding Ukrainian military The Biden administration confirmed early Wednesday morning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is on his way to the U.S. to discuss more assistance for the country during its ongoing conflict with Russia. In addition to meeting with President Biden, Zelenskyy is slated to address Congress Wednesday afternoon as lawmakers plan to shell out more money for Ukraine in its latest $1.7 trillion spending bill. The budget includes more than $45 billion in new military and humanitarian aid for his country. A press statement from the Biden admin Wednesday morning said Zelenskyy's address to a joint meeting of Congress will demonstrate the "strong, bipartisan support for Ukraine." In its official statement, the White House added President Biden has been rallying the world to support Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February. "Three hundred days ago, Russia launched a brutal assault against Ukraine. In response, President Biden rallied the world to support the people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement read. "During the visit, President Biden will announce a significant new package of security assistance to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression." Extensive security measures were already underway in the nation's capital early Wednesday morning as the District prepared for the high-profile visit. As early as 4:30 a.m., Capitol Police cruisers could be seen lined up outside the Capitol building along with cement barricades blocking roads leading up to the building. On behalf of bipartisan Congressional leaders, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., sent a letter to Zelenskyy encouraging his visit to Washington, D.C., in a letter explaining the leaders' "immense respect and admiration" for the Ukrainian president. The pending aid would be the U.S.' largest amount of financial assistance to Ukraine since the war started and is intended to support the fight against Russia for months to come, according to the Associated Press. Congress is also expected to announce a major package of $1.8 billion in military aid on Wednesday, which will include a Patriot missile battery and precision guided bombs for Ukraine's fighter jets. U.S. officials said the package will include about $1 billion in weapons from Pentagon stocks and $800 million in funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, according to the AP. Though the massive spending bill is expected to receive support from many Republicans in the House and Senate, not all are on board with the additional funding. Some GOP lawmakers argued the new round of aid, which will bring the U.S. commitment to the war to over $110 billion, is improper without greater accountability. https://www.theepochtimes.com/us-senate-advances-1-66-trillion-government-funding-bill_4936469.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport US Senate Advances $1.66 Trillion Government-Funding Bill A $1.66 trillion government spending bill drew overwhelming bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday as lawmakers steered it toward passage before a weekend deadline to avoid a partial shutdown of federal agencies. Democratic and Republican negotiators agreed early Tuesday morning on the sweeping bill to fund the federal government through the end of its fiscal year on Sept. 30, raising funding from about $1.5 trillion in the last fiscal year. The Senate voted 70-25 to proceed to debate of the bill, with some Republican senators hoping to offer amendments. A handful of conservative Senate Republicans on Tuesday said they objected to the bill, but would not try to stop its passage. The bill includes other measures agreed on by negotiators from both parties, including a ban on the use of TikTok on government-owned devices and clarification of Congress’s role in certifying elections, an attempt to avoid a repeat of the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021. Senate and House leaders aim to pass the 4,155-page bill and send it to Democratic President Joe Biden for signing by the end of the week to ensure there are no interruptions to the government’s activities. The Tuesday vote was the first in a series of steps clearing the way for passage by Friday. Failure to pass legislation in time could bring a partial government shutdown beginning Saturday, just before Christmas, and possibly lead into a months-long standoff after Republicans take control of the House on Jan. 3, breaking the grip of Biden’s Democrats on both chambers of Congress. Budget experts found fault with the bill’s size. Included in the bill is $44.9 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine and NATO allies and $40.6 billion to assist communities across the United States recovering from natural disasters and other matters. The Ukraine funds would be used for military training, equipment, logistics and intelligence support, as well as for replenishing U.S. equipment sent to Kyiv. It also includes funding to prepare for and respond to potential nuclear and radiological incidents in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not ruled out the use of nuclear weapons in the conflict with Ukraine. Included in the Ukraine package is $13.4 billion in economic aid and $2.4 billion to help resettle Ukrainians in the United States. The military aid would be on top of the record $858 billion in U.S. defense spending for the year, which is up from last year’s $740 billion and also exceeds Biden’s request. U.S. lawmakers also included a proposal to bar federal employees from using the Chinese short-video app TikTok on government-owned devices. And they backed a proposal to lift a looming deadline imposing a new safety standard for modern cockpit alerts for two new versions of Boeing Co’s 737 MAX aircraft. https://nypost.com/2022/12/20/intruder-able-to-walk-into-uvalde-school-unchallenged-during-safety-audit/ ‘Intruder’ able to walk into Uvalde school unchallenged as new report slams medical response A Texas safety inspector posing as an intruder was recently able to stroll unchallenged into a Uvalde school — as a damning new investigation also blamed a “flawed medical response” for failing to save some of the 21 slaughtered in a mass shooting at Robb Elementary. The inspector was even able to enter through a back door that did not latch, eerily similar to how 18-year-old madman Salvador Ramos got into Robb Elementary before killing 19 fourth-graders and two teachers. The shocking breach was revealed at a Uvalde school board meeting Monday night, attended by at least a dozen family members of victims of the May shooting, the San Antonio Express-News said. Grieving loved ones were furious that “somebody just walked right in” seven months after one of the deadliest school shootings in history, KSAT also said of the meeting. As part of a state-mandated security audit, an inspector posing as an intruder attempted to gain access to three different schools in the grief-stricken area — strolling into one unchallenged, the meeting heard. Interim district Superintendent Gary Patterson admitted the error, saying the ongoing security lapse “is really 100 percent my responsibility,” telling the meeting: “We have got to secure those areas.” Berlinda Arreola, the grandmother of Uvalde victim Amerie Jo Garza, shared a picture of a school safety officer sitting and looking at his phone. https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/breaking-kari-lake-trial-reveals-42-5-of-randomly-examined-ballots-were-improper/ Kari Lake Trial Reveals 42.5% of Randomly Examined Ballots Were Improper According to Republican governor candidate Kari Lake’s legal team, 42.5% of examined ballots in Maricopa County for the 2022 governor’s race were illegitimate. Lake’s trial began on Wednesday were she is attempting to prove that wide scale fraud took place in Maricopa County on election day. The Lake War Room tweeted on Wednesday that 48 of the 113 ballots that were reviewed during examination were “19-inch ballots produced on 20-inch paper,” In a separate tweet, the Lake War Room wrote, “This Is how they disenfranchised Maricopa County voters on Election Day. The ballots were designed to be unable to be read through the machines. This wasn’t an error. It was malice. The process worked exactly as they intended it to.” One commenter on Twitter noted that there was no way the improper ballot size could have been because of “error.” “The expert testified there are only 2 ways for the 19 inch image to have bee projected onto the 20 in ballot which would cause tabulator errors. Both methods require an administrator to change. This could not have happened by chance or error. It was fraud.” https://twitter.com/i/status/1605620894994354176 - Play Video The race between Hobbs and Lake was decided by less than 18,000 votes. The counts put forward by Lake’s team contest her loss. Most counts were thrown out by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson, with 8 being tossed while two counts were allowed to proceed. Those counts deal with alleged intentional misconduct. Lake told Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest on Tuesday that this marked a “huge win” for her legal team, saying, “we got great news. We’re taking these b*stards to trial!” Adding that Hobbs would take the stand in the trial. It was later announced by Lake’s attorneys that they had withdrawn the subpoena for Hobbs to testify. “Maricopa County wants you to believe that they are so incompetent that all of the problems on Election Day can be written off as mistakes. New Saint Andrews: Today’s culture shifts like sand. But New Saint Andrews College is established on Christ, the immovable rock. It is a premier institution that forges evangelical leaders who don’t fear or hate the world. Guided by God’s Word, they take the world back because they’re equipped with the genius of classical liberal arts and God-honoring wisdom, thanks to a faculty dedicated to academic rigor and to God’s kingdom.Find out more, at nsa.edu/ https://thepostmillennial.com/airbnb-bans-the-listing-of-former-slave-plantations-and-slave-houses?utm_campaign=64487 Airbnb bans the listing of former slave plantations and slave houses Airbnb has outlawed the listing of rental properties on its site where slaves have lived or worked, according to an update to their anti-discrimination policy. The moves come after a TikTok video from July calling out the company for listing an "1830s slave cabin" went viral. The online short-term rental marketplace immediately removed the listing, then sought out others like it, enlisting the help of historical experts. Airbnb's "Work to fight Discrimination and Build Inclusion" now includes a section called "Prohibiting the Glorification and Marketing of Slavery," which states that in July 2022, the company "took a series of steps to address the listing of properties in the US that were known to include former slave houses," as they "have no place on Airbnb." The three main policies, which only apply to the United States, prohibit "prohibiting the listing of any home or other structure on a former plantation where enslaved people lived or worked if structures that existed during the time of slavery are still present on the property," bar "any structure specifically designed only to house enslaved people and that did house enslaved people," and prohibit "the promotion of slavery-related features as a selling point of a stay." Exceptions will be made for certain Experiences that "provide important educational context" led by "reputable partners and experts." "Currently we have removed listings and experiences associated with roughly 30 properties that are violating our policies," an Airbnb spokesperson told BuzzFeed News.

"Trump launches 2024 US presidential run, getting jump on rivals Donald Trump, who has mounted relentless attacks on the integrity of US voting since his 2020 election defeat, on Tuesday (15 November) launched a bid to regain the presidency in 2024, aiming to pre-empt potential Republican rivals. S" "--START AD- #TheMummichogblogOfMalta Amazon Top and Flash Deals(Affiliate Link - You will support our translations if you purchase through the following link) - https://amzn.to/3CqsdJH Compare all the top travel sites in just one search to find the best hotel deals at HotelsCombined - awarded world's best hotel price comparison site. (Affiliate Link - You will support our translations if you purchase through the following link) - https://www.hotelscombined.com/?a_aid=20558 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."""" #Jesus #Catholic. Smooth Radio Malta is Malta's number one digital radio station, playing Your Relaxing Favourites - Smooth provides a ‘clutter free' mix, appealing to a core 35-59 audience offering soft adult contemporary classics. We operate a playlist of popular tracks which is updated on a regular basis. https://smooth.com.mt/listen/ Follow on Telegram: https://t.me/themummichogblogdotcom END AD---" "eeking a potential rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden, Trump made his announcement at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida a week after midterm elections in which Republicans failed to win as many seats in Congress as they had hoped. In a speech lasting little more than an hour, Trump spoke to hundreds of supporters in a ballroom decorated with chandeliers and lined with American flags. “In order to make America great again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States,” Trump said to the phone-waving crowd, which included family members, donors and former staffers. Trump steered clear of the name-calling that has marked other public appearances, opting instead for a critique of Biden's presidency and a review of what Trump said were the policy achievements of his own time in office. “Two years ago we were a great nation and soon we will be a great nation again,” he said. Trump laid out familiar dark themes from his playbook, denouncing migrants – “We're being poisoned” – and portraying American cities as crime-ridden “cesspools of blood.” He said he would push for the death penalty for drug dealers and rehire members of the military who had been dismissed for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Although he assailed the US election process, Trump did not use his speech to revive his false claims of massive voter fraud in 2020 and did not mention the violent attempt by his supporters on 6 January 2021 to prevent Congress from certifying Biden's victory. On a trip to Indonesia, Biden said “not really” when asked if he had a reaction to Trump's announcement. On Twitter, he posted a video criticizing Trump's record in office. Long road There is a long road ahead before the Republican nominee is formally selected in the summer of 2024, with the first state-level contests more than a year away. Trump's announcement comes earlier than usual even in a country known for protracted presidential campaigns, and signals his interest in discouraging other possible contenders such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis or his own former vice president, Mike Pence, from making a bid for the Republican Party's nomination. DeSantis handily won re-election as governor last week. Pence has sought to distance himself from Trump while promoting a new book. Other potential Republican presidential hopefuls include Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Trump played an active role in the midterms, recruiting and promoting candidates who echoed his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him through widespread

We started the show with the Buzz Question. - FORMER PRES. TRUMP WILL RUN FOR PRESIDENT AGAIN IN 2024. WAS LAST NIGHT THE RIGHT TIME TO ANNOUNCE?  Philip is back! Seeking a potential rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden, Donald Trump made an announcement on Tuesday that launched his bid to regain the presidency in 2024.  - Listeners Comment on Former President Donald Trump.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We started the show with the Buzz Question. - FORMER PRES. TRUMP WILL RUN FOR PRESIDENT AGAIN IN 2024. WAS LAST NIGHT THE RIGHT TIME TO ANNOUNCE?  Philip is back! Seeking a potential rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden, Donald Trump made an announcement on Tuesday that launched his bid to regain the presidency in 2024.  - Listeners Comment on Former President Donald Trump.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Voters in Brazil just took a leftward turn in electing former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, ousting the far-right populist incumbent. Next week, polls show US voters may move in the opposite direction, dealing a blow to Democratic President Joe Biden and his party. This week's Stephanomics episode explores the economic and political winds in two of the world's largest nations. First, Flanders talks US midterms with Anna Wong, Bloomberg's chief US economist, and reporter Nancy Cook. Overall, the US economy is functioning better than it appears to those focusing on inflation, with a strong job market and high balances in bank accounts, Wong says. Yet, high prices have a way of making consumers feel things are gloomier than they are, and that's not good for Democrats. And if Republicans seize control of one or both houses of Congress, Cook notes that will spell the end of meaningful economic legislation from the Biden administration until the end of the term. Next, reporter Maria Eloisa Capurro explains the challenges facing Lula after his defeat of Jair Bolsonaro. Brazil has seen progress this year on inflation, with rates falling from 12% to an expected 5.6% next month. However, economists note the improvement is less impressive than it seems, generated in large part by tax cuts instead of real changes in the economy. Meantime, the new president will be under pressure to deliver on campaign promises to cut taxes for the poor, increase them for the rich and provide a minimum income level for the most needy. In a follow-up discussion, analyst Richard Back of XP Investimentos in Brazil shares with host Stephanie Flanders why he thinks Lula is likely to propose moderate economic policies, despite his progressive reputation. With many acolytes of Bolsonaro still in Brazil's National Congress, Lula knows he cannot be "radical or revengeful," Back says. International investors see the new president as someone who "will make distortions, but he's not the guy that will blow everything."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Republican US Senator Ron Johnson is pushing back against attacks from Democratic President Joe Biden and Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes, who is challenging Johnson in November.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Friday, July 15. There will be a chance for rain early and a chance for rain at the end of the day Friday.  According to the National Weather Service there will be a 40 to 50 percent chance for rain in the Cedar Rapids area Friday morning, with the chance decreasing by 1 p.m. The chance for rain will spike up to around 30 percent Friday night. Otherwise it will be cloudy, with a high of 88 degrees and a low of 70 degrees. Emergency responders are continuing to search the Cedar River near Palisades-Kepler State Park for an 11-year-old girl, identified Thursday by the Linn County Sheriff's Office as Zyah Thomas of Cedar Rapids. Crews were called to the state park Wednesday afternoon when the girl reportedly went into the water and began to struggle, according to a new release.The search continued throughout the rest of Wednesday. In a tweet Thursday, the Sheriff's Office identified the girl by name and called the incident a drowning. Sheriff Brian Gardner said Thomas was visiting the beach area Wednesday with her family. Progress on a 640-acre solar farm near Coggon — approved by the Linn County Board of Supervisors after contentious public meetings — is on hold while a court resolves a case brought against the supervisors by a family who lives near the planned project. On Wednesday, the Iowa Utilities Board denied Coggon Solar LLC's request for a certificate of public convenience, use and necessity until the court acts. The certificate is the permit that authorizes Coggon Solar LLC to operate a public facility within the area and is typically for public utilities or similar entities. https://www.thegazette.com/local-government/linn-county-supervisors-vote-2-1-to-approve-coggon-solar-project/ (In January, the supervisors voted 2-1) to approve rezoning in the area to allow for the project. The approval meant that about 750 acres would be rezoned from agricultural to agricultural with a renewable energy overlay that expires after 35 years. In February, Martin Robinson, Paula Robinson, Tom Robinson and Laura Robinson filed an appeal and initiated a proceeding in Linn County District Court to challenge the zoning decision. The Robinsons had been present at several of the meetings about the solar project and had expressed concerns about the effect it might have on property values, among other criticisms. The Vinton Public Library, which has been closed this week afterhttps://www.thegazette.com/news/with-another-leader-leaving-vinton-public-library-closes-for-now/ ( losing its interim director )— and, before that, two directors in two years — will reopen for limited hours beginning Monday. The two directors left for other jobs amid https://www.thegazette.com/news/two-directors-quit-vinton-library-after-complaints-about-hirings-lgbtq-and-biden-books/ (city resident complaints about the library's display of LGBTQ books and books about Democratic President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris). The library will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Board members and the library's one part-time employee will take shifts to check out books and provide access to the library's computers, copier and fax machines. The board said they are also moving ahead on interviewing three candidates for the new director position. 

Democratic President Joe Biden had highlighted the case last week at the signing of an executive order aimed at protecting access to abortion.

Welcome to the weekend! This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I'm here with your update for Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10. This weekend's weather will be sunny and cool. According to the National Weather Service, on Saturday in the Cedar Rapids area it will be sunny with a high near 82 degrees and a low near 60 degrees. On Sunday the high will be close to 85 degrees, again with sunny skies, and the low will come in at 66 degrees. The Vinton Public Library, which lost two directors in two years amid community complaints over books, is now closed indefinitely as the interim director has left, too. https://www.thegazette.com/news/two-directors-quit-vinton-library-after-complaints-about-hirings-lgbtq-and-biden-books/ (The previous directors left )after city residents complained about the library's display of LGBTQ books and books about Democratic President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The library board met Tuesday to accept the resignation of Colton Neely, the interim director. Neely, formerly the library's children's director, will become a museum curator in Burlington. His last day — and the library's last day to stay open for now — was Friday. Vinton, a town of about 5,000 and the county seat of Benton County, will now be without its library for at least the next week as the library board attempts to configure hours to work around an absence of directors. Board members told the Gazette that the hiring process for another director is in process. A Missouri resident has been infected by a microscopic organism that causes a rare, life-threatening brain infection after swimming in late June at Lake of Three Fires State Park in Southwest Iowa. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services has closed the Taylor County lake to swimming as officials test for Naegleria fowleri, a single-cell, parasitic amoeba that can cause primary amebic meningoencephalitis. The brain infection is rare — with only 154 known cases in the United States since 1962 — but it's nearly always fatal. https://www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks/Iowa-State-Parks/Lake-of-Three-Fires-State-Park (Lake of Three Fires), about 25 miles east of Clarinda, is an 85-acre lake popular with boaters and anglers, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports. The state park was dedicated in 1935 and is named after a group of Native Americans from the Potawatomi tribe, known as the “Fire Nation,” who once inhabited the area. The lake has frequently been https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/going-swimming-at-a-state-park-beach-iowa-gets-tougher-on-toxins/ (closed to swimming) in past summers because of harmful algae that create toxic microcystins that can sicken swimmers. Algae are fed by phosphorus that washes from farm fields into streams and lakes. The Big Ten Conference is “not seeking applications” for any new members after its blockbuster additions of USC and UCLA, Iowa athletics director Gary Barta said in a Friday news conference. “I don't have a crystal ball, but at this point, I can tell you the Big Ten is still not seeking members,” Barta said. “I know the Big Ten is taking calls. … I'm not predicting that we would be adding any more in the near future.” Barta declined to say whether he'd support the addition of more schools from the west coast such as Oregon or Washington to the Big Ten. He did say he would likely support membership for Notre Dame, if the Big Ten finally managed to seduce them into the conference after years of pining. Barta said the primary concern now is solving logistical problems, such as travel challenges not just for football, but for nonrevenue sports as well.

A majority of Trump voters want to split the country into red and blue halves, according to a new poll conducted by the University of Virginia's (UVA) nonpartisan Center for Politics. Roughly 52 percent of people who voted for Republican former President Donald Trump either "somewhat agree" or "strongly agree" that it's time to split the country, favoring that either red or blue states secede from the union, the poll found. Comparatively, 41 percent of people who voted for Democratic President Joe Biden agree with the idea. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heading into the midterm campaign, a new Minnesota Poll shows fewer than 50 percent of Minnesota voters approve of the jobs being done by both Democratic President Joe Biden and Gov. Tim Walz. This is an MPR News morning update for Friday, September 24, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

A Polk County judge heard arguments Thursday on whether to block Iowa's ban on school mask mandates. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds is criticizing Democratic President Joe Biden's announcement of new COVID-19 vaccine requirements. Plus, there will be heightened security at the annual Cy-Hawk game in Ames this weekend.

Iowa City's mayor issued an emergency order requiring masks in all classrooms and other gathering spots in the city. This order defies state law and the Board of Regents. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds is criticizing Democratic President Joe Biden for pressuring states like Iowa to reverse policies banning school mask mandates. Plus, a year ago this month, a derecho devastated communities across Iowa. IPR's Kate Payne explains that the hardest hit were refugee families in Cedar Rapids.

Few know or care about Article VI of the Constitution. But any person of faith, whatever the belief, should know about the content of this very special constitutional provision and be prepared to both understand and defend it. Here the words: “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” If you qualify and consequently are nominated to office, federal office of any kind, or federal public trust of any kind, you can be a person of any religious belief you wish without disqualification, or for that matter none at all. Religious belief can not be investigated, vetted, much less required and no test of any kind regarding that religious belief shall ever be given to any qualified candidate for office of the United States of America.  Rather plain, clear and direct words, are they not? But of course, this constitutional prohibition was completely ignored by Democrats, you know those progressive, ultra–liberal – radical individuals who now inhabit and control the democratic party, when Judges Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett were nominated by then President Trump for confirmation as Justices of the United States Supreme Court. The confirmation of those three Judges, all good, incredibly intelligent, well versed and experienced in the law and the Constitution would make the composition of the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) CATHOLIC, with seven out of nine Justices professing such faith. SEVEN OF NINE ROMAN CATHOLIC! Anti–religionists, and perhaps quite clearly anti–Roman Catholic Senators obviously disliked that fact fearful that the:          “Dogma runs deep” in the judicial veins of those Justices and that they would be tempted to vote Supreme Court decisions on the basis of their Catholic faith. That was anathema to Senator Schumer, Feinstein, themselves Jewish of some sort and with Justices Thomas, Alito, Roberts and Sotomayor already in place, three more Catholics on the Supreme Court comprising 80% of all Justices would simply be far too much. They therefore set about in confirmation hearings to expose their Catholicism, sincere as it was for these three, with the hope that there would be enough other Senators, themselves perhaps somewhat anti–Catholic or concerned with an overbalance, who would vote against confirmation. They cared nothing at all, these radical, liberal democratic Senators about the Constitution or the prohibitions against any such attempted qualification under the clear terms of Article VI. They wanted what they wanted and nothing, including and especially the Constitution in this case would get in the way. DOGMA RUN DEEP candidates would simply not be acceptable. By the way, in addition to the seven confirmed Roman Catholic Justices of the Supreme Court, the other two, Justices Kagan and Breyer are Jewish. Ironically, there are no Protestants, none at all even though Protestants are the largest religious grouping in the United States, all Christian people of faith included who are not Roman Catholic. I sometimes wonder whether Senators Schumer and Feinstein ever thought about that.  Regardless of their religious belief, these seven Catholic Justices have voted the law, interpreted correctly the Constitution in virtually every case and decided what is fair and right for America, Catholicism notwithstanding. They are honest, fair minded, hardworking, truly American, constitutionally caring interpreters of the law and we the people are fortunate to have them making ultimate and life–guiding and changing decisions. Biden and company now study the possibility of:          PACKING THE SUPREME COURT. That is, adding Justices as many as six, or four, or at least two, each of whom of course would be liberal if not radical with respect to the Constitution in order to make certain that they, the progressives – socialists – Marxists get the decisions they want. Virtually every one of the nine Justices has publicly stated what a horrible decision that would be, turning the court political, biased, and in many ways unconstitutional in decision making, all of which would utterly destroy any confidence which WE THE PEOPLE might have in this once great court of ultimate justice. Seven Roman Catholics and two Jews making ultimate decisions for Americans is simply repugnant to Biden and the radical Democratic party he comes from, and supports, and which supports him. If that packing happens in any form, what a tragic day it would be for we the people and for the America we love. Democrats have absolutely no regard for Article VI and the prohibition against inquiry into a nominee's religious views. Politically for them, it is a day and age of:          ANYTHING GOES! Interestingly, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, herself Roman Catholic, may be the most liberal – radical – organic constitutionalist of any of the nine Justices. She professes a strong Roman Catholic faith on the one hand, and is often on the side of radical decision making some of which may be viewed as contrary to the teachings and principles of the Catholic church. And the same with Chief Justice John Roberts, himself Catholic, and nominated as a supposed conservative regardless of his Catholic beliefs. The Chief Justice has voted in irregular patterns with decision making sometimes contrary to Catholic principles or perhaps his own personal beliefs. And, although their time as Supreme Court Justices has been limited, there is really no clear and certain voting patterns and habits which have been displayed by the new Justices Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett. It seems that for some of these Justices, it is one thing to be Catholic and practice the faith in THE PERSONAL LIFE, but quite another thing to go up against Catholicism, the Catholic church and its teachings when it comes to judicial decision making. Many regard that as a supreme case of hypocrisy. Such however is life in America today, politically, judicially and spiritually. Take the most debated Supreme Court decision of all time:          ROE V. WADE,  which legalized abortion on a five – four Supreme Court vote. Five people authorized the killing, the murdering of now approaching 70 million known babies – human beings through the process of abortion. Now comes one case before the Supreme Court this next term, and perhaps even more which will put the issue of abortion and the decision making of Roe before the Supreme Court for elimination or modification. It will be fascinating to see the end results, the votes, especially the votes of those who are Catholic as this matter is decided. There is little doubt that Justices Thomas and Alito will vote against Roe. It cannot be predicted how Chief Justice Robert will vote, and of course, this will be the first opportunity for Justices Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett to evaluate and decide. Many legal scholars think that Roe v. Wade was a clear unconstitutional decision, with no foundation in the Constitution for the so called RIGHT OF ABORTION. These constitutional scholars indicate that the issue of abortion should properly remain with the states and the people, and fall under the terms and conditions of Amendments IX and X which prohibit the Congress or the courts of the United States to expand and add to the Constitution where the power to do so or the ultimate objectives have not been SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED by the Constitution itself. If in fact Roe is overturned or seriously constitutionally modified, the unrest, resistance and protest in America from liberal – radicals will be fearful indeed, no matter how constitutional such a decision might be. Watch carefully, my fellow Americans, what your – our Supreme Court decides in this critical next term. In Article VI of the Constitution, the so called religious test clause and section, the content again deals with the matter of oath upon taking office and the prohibition against religious test clause. At the original constitutional convention, proponents of the OATH CLAUSE wanted public servants to be:          SINCERE FRIENDS TO RELIGION. That so called NOD TO GOD was watered down when oath could be replaced upon confirmation by affirmation. The framers in the First Amendment to the Constitution made FREEDOM OF RELIGION the very first freedom and for so many of those constitutional founders, the most important freedom of all. They knew what would happen in America should the religious wars of Europe occur once again in America. They knew that they must prevent the Congress from establishing any kind of religion, direct or indirect, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof in order to avoid European religious wars. Be a friend, and stay away from establishing or preventing anything RELIGION, direct or indirect. Let it be and let it happen. That was then, and this is now, something entirely different and religion, in so many ways direct and indirect, is on the judicial table and there will be numerous attempts to circumscribe, modify or even eliminate religion, and especially Christianity and perhaps even more especially Roman Catholic Christianity from the public square. The friends of religion in 1776 have turned to the enemies of religion in 2021.  Now it is claimed by Democrats, all of them including the socialist – Marxist side of the Democrat party that Democratic President Joe Biden is a:          DEVOUT CATHOLIC. If that is true, then Biden is perhaps one of the biggest hypocrites in America, professing to believe in and espouse the doctrine, principles and morals of the Catholic church on the one hand personally but working as aggressively and perhaps more so than any President of the United States against those principles in so many ways. Biden and his Administration champion abortion, the expansion of abortion rights and even the codification of Roe, that is turning the decision making of Roe into legislation, aggressively fostering the gay agenda, a proponent of euthanasia, forcing all, including and especially The Little Sisters of the Poor in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to offer abortion and contraceptive coverage in health insurance among any other and many other attempts at legislation or executive orders which fly in the face of Roman Catholic teachings. One Catholic Bishop rightly said that President Joe Biden is a political embarrassment to the Roman Catholic church, an understatement if there ever was one.  Catholic commentator and writer Mary Margaret Olohan writes that what she calls the “fake news media – both secular and Catholic” are going to such great lengths to portray Joe Biden as a “devout Catholic.” Ms. Olohan says that the strategy behind this public posturing by liberal – radical Democrats has one ultimate purpose in mind:          “To make Catholicism indistinguishable from liberal ideology.”  As such, nothing would be a better way to eviscerate Catholicism, water it down and change traditional thinking, principles, and even moral values as liberal – Democrats would want. They want the liberal, often hypocritical Joe Biden to be “the face of what it means to be a Catholic in good standing.” But the orthodox, the traditional, the real Roman Catholics top to bottom will have no part of that, none whatsoever. They know the hypocrisy; they chafe at the tolerance of anything or anyone liberal – radical in the Catholic church – faith who tolerates this and they now begin to take a stand as all men and women of spiritual goodwill should. Our society is deeply secular if not antireligious – Christianity – Catholicism and that cultural – spiritual warfare should be recognized and all good Christians should now be ready and actually involved in:          THE FIGHT OF FAITH. You should know well the contents of Article VI of the Constitution, my fellow Americans. And you should know by heart, by memory all of those very precious terms and conditions, the freedoms and rights granted by the First Amendment to the Constitution. They are the most fundamental, the most necessary, the most indispensable rights and freedoms of a free people. If we wish to stay free, if we wish American democracy to survive, nothing can water down, change much less eliminate the precious protections of Article VI and Amendment I of the finest document ever written, the Constitution of the United States. The war for freedom is on, my fellow Americans. You are in that war, that cancel culture and religion war whether you like it or not. It is time for you to take a stand like we do and with all your might:          FIGHT THE FIGHT OF FAITH.

The governor suggested more details would be released next week. The announcement Thursday of several initiatives is the latest in an ongoing conflict between Abbott, a Republican, and Democratic President Joe Biden's administration.