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In this episode of AML Conversations, John Byrne sits down with Sarah Beth Felix—AML expert and author of Dirty Money Weekly—to break down the biggest storylines shaping financial crime compliance this month. Sarah offers a practical, forward-looking take on the Epstein files and why community and midsize banks must rethink their approach to adverse media screening. She and John also unpack the confusion surrounding the administration's de-risking Executive Order, the impact of FinCEN's recent CDD “exceptive relief,” and the optics behind the agency's decision to rescind its advisory on the St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship‑by‑Investment program. They dive deeper into IRS‑CI's newly released data proving the value of BSA reporting—and what rising CTR/SAR thresholds could mean for law enforcement. To close, Sarah responds to emerging rumors that banks should be required to capture and track customer citizenship status, explaining why such a shift would have massive operational implications. This is a must-listen for AML professionals navigating a rapidly changing regulatory landscape and looking for actionable insight, context, and clarity.
Last week, the Supreme Court struck down President Trump's expansive tariffs, ruling that they exceeded the authority given to him by Congress. The 6-3 decision saw conservative Justices Gorsuch, Coney Barrett, and Chief Justice Roberts align with the court's three liberal justices, though as Mary and Andrew explain, through different pathways: the conservative justices using the “major questions doctrine” as their guiding principle, while the liberal justices arrived at the same result through statutory interpretation and good ‘ole “common sense.” The co-hosts spend most of this episode walking through key parts of the ruling, noting Justice Gorsuch's opinion that the legislative process ought to reflect the will of elected representatives, “not just that of one faction or man.” Then, Mary and Andrew turn to a significant ruling against ICE in West Virginia, where a federal judge admonished agents for wearing masks and using unmarked cars, a presence akin to a “secret police force." And last up, a scathing review of Judge Eileen Cannon's decision not to release Jack Smith's report in the classified documents case. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Looming US Invasion Of Iran Could Trigger WWIII, RFK Jr. Defends His Stance On Trump's Glyphosate Executive Order While Also Vowing To “Accelerate The Transition To Regenerative Agriculture
2/23/2026 PODCAST Episodes #2305 GUESTS: John Goodman, Beau Correll, Dr. James Thorp + YOUR CALLS! at 1-888-480-JOHN (5646) and GETTR Live! @jfradioshow #GodzillaOfTruth #TruckingTheTrut
This Day in Legal History: Order 9066On this day in legal history, enforcement of Executive Order 9066 began in earnest following its signing by Franklin D. Roosevelt earlier in February 1942. The order authorized the military to designate exclusion zones and remove individuals deemed security risks from certain areas of the country. In practice, it led to the forced relocation and incarceration of more than 110,000 Japanese Americans, most of whom were U.S. citizens. Families were removed from their homes, businesses were lost, and entire communities were dismantled. The government justified the policy as a matter of national security during World War II. Critics argued it was rooted in racial prejudice rather than military necessity.The constitutionality of the policy reached the Supreme Court in Korematsu v. United States. Fred Korematsu, a U.S. citizen, had refused to comply with the exclusion order and was convicted. In a 6–3 decision, the Court upheld his conviction, accepting the government's claim that the exclusion was justified by wartime necessity. The majority deferred heavily to the executive branch, emphasizing the perceived threat on the West Coast. In dissent, several justices warned that the decision validated racial discrimination under the guise of military urgency.Decades later, the ruling came to be widely regarded as a grave error. In 1988, Congress passed the Civil Liberties Act, formally apologizing and providing reparations to surviving internees. In 2018, the Supreme Court explicitly stated that Korematsu was wrongly decided, rejecting its reasoning even though it was not formally overturned in the technical sense. The episode remains a cautionary example of how constitutional protections can erode in times of crisis.The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear two cases concerning the scope of the Helms-Burton Act, a 1996 law that allows American companies to sue over property confiscated by Cuba after the 1959 revolution. One case involves ExxonMobil's effort to recover more than $1 billion for oil and gas assets seized by Cuba in 1960. Exxon sued a Cuban state-owned company in 2019, alleging it continues to profit from the confiscated property. A lower court ruled that the Cuban entities could claim foreign sovereign immunity, which generally protects foreign governments from being sued in U.S. courts. Exxon has asked the Supreme Court to reverse that decision.The second case involves four cruise operators—Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises—accused of unlawfully benefiting from docks in Havana that were originally built and operated by a U.S. company before being seized by Cuba. The docks were used between 2016 and 2019, after travel restrictions were eased under President Obama. A trial judge initially ruled against the cruise lines and awarded more than $100 million in damages, but an appeals court later dismissed the case, finding that the original concession had expired before the cruise lines used the property. The Supreme Court's decisions could clarify how broadly Congress intended the Helms-Burton Act to apply and whether claimants face significant legal barriers when seeking compensation.US Supreme Court to hear Exxon bid for compensation from Cuba | ReutersU.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that it will stop collecting tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) beginning just after midnight on Tuesday. The decision comes several days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that those tariffs were unlawful. The agency said it would deactivate the tariff codes tied to President Donald Trump's IEEPA-related orders but did not explain why collections continued for days after the ruling. It also did not address whether importers who paid the duties would receive refunds.The suspension of the IEEPA tariffs coincides with the implementation of a new 15% global tariff introduced under a different statutory authority. Customs clarified that the halt applies only to the IEEPA-based tariffs and does not affect other trade measures, including those enacted under Section 232 for national security reasons or Section 301 for unfair trade practices. Economists have estimated that the now-invalidated IEEPA tariffs generated more than $175 billion in revenue and were bringing in over $500 million per day. As a result, the ruling potentially exposes the government to significant refund claims from importers.US to stop collecting tariffs deemed illegal by Supreme Court on Tuesday | ReutersJPMorgan Chase informed President Donald Trump and his hospitality company in February 2021 that it was closing their bank accounts, according to newly released documents tied to Trump's $5 billion lawsuit against the bank and its CEO, Jamie Dimon. The letters were sent about a month after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. At the time, several businesses and organizations distanced themselves from Trump, including law firms and the PGA of America.In its February 19, 2021 letters, JPMorgan did not provide a detailed explanation for ending the relationship. The bank stated generally that it may determine a client's interests are no longer served by continuing with J.P. Morgan Private Bank. JPMorgan has previously argued that Trump's lawsuit lacks merit. Trump's legal team, however, claims the letters amount to an admission that the bank intentionally “de-banked” him and his businesses, allegedly causing major financial harm.Trump contends that JPMorgan violated its own policies and unfairly targeted him for political reasons. The newly disclosed letters were submitted as part of the bank's effort to transfer the case from federal court in Miami to New York, where JPMorgan argues the dispute is more closely connected.JPMorgan says it closed Trump's bank accounts a month after Jan. 6 attack | ReutersA federal judge in Florida declined to overturn a $243 million jury verdict against Tesla stemming from a fatal 2019 crash involving the company's Autopilot system. The court found that the evidence presented at trial sufficiently supported the jury's conclusion that Autopilot played a role in the collision, which killed 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon in Key Largo. The jury determined that both the driver and Tesla shared responsibility for the crash.Jurors originally awarded $59 million to Benavides' parents and $70 million to her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, who was injured in the incident. After accounting for comparative fault, the compensatory damages were reduced to about $42.6 million, with the driver found 67% responsible and Tesla 33% responsible. The jury also imposed $200 million in punitive damages against the company.Tesla asked the court to set aside the verdict or grant a new trial, arguing that the damages were excessive and that its conduct did not meet Florida's legal threshold for punitive damages. The company also contended that state law limits punitive damages to three times the compensatory award. The judge rejected these arguments, stating that Tesla was largely repeating points already considered and dismissed during trial.At trial, plaintiffs argued that Autopilot was defective because it could be activated on roads it was not designed for and did not adequately ensure driver attention. They also claimed Tesla overstated the system's capabilities. The driver admitted he had looked away from the road moments before the crash.Tesla Can't Escape $243M Autopilot Crash Verdict - Law360 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
Herzlich Willkommen und schön, dass Sie mit dabei sind bei dieser Folge von Wirtschaft mit Weisbach. Wir sind zurück im normalen Modus und deswegen heute auch mit verschiedenen Themen aus der internationalen Tech- und Unternehmenswelt.Wie immer freue ich mich über Ihr Feedback – schreiben Sie gerne an kontakt@wirtschaftmitweisbach.de oder vernetzen Sie sich mit mir über LinkedIn.Use Case aus Deutschland: Circus RoboticsEin konkretes Beispiel für die Verbindung von KI und Robotik ist die Circus Group aus München. Das Unternehmen entwickelt kommerzielle Kochroboter – vereinfacht gesagt: ein hochskalierbarer, vollautomatisierter „Thermomix“, der ohne menschliche Arbeitskraft auskommt.Ich habe mit dem Gründer Nikolas Bullwinkel gesprochen.Besonders bemerkenswert: Circus ist offiziell zertifiziert durch die NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). Das Münchner Unternehmen ist damit berechtigt, an Verteidigungsbeschaffungen und Direktvergaben aller Mitgliedsstaaten teilzunehmen. Circus ist aktuell der einzige gelistete Anbieter vollautomatisierter KI-Robotiklösungen für die taktische Truppenversorgung.Hier zeigt sich sehr konkret, wie KI nicht nur Software bleibt, sondern physische Infrastruktur, Logistik und sogar militärische Versorgung verändern kann.Bayer und Monsanto – Befreiungsschlag oder neues Risiko?Es sollte ein Befreiungsschlag für die Aktie werden: Bayer gab vergangene Woche einen milliardenschweren Vergleich im Glyphosat-Rechtsstreit in den USA bekannt.Der DAX-Konzern ist bereit, bis zu 7,25 Milliarden Dollar über einen Zeitraum von 21 Jahren an bestehende und neue Kläger zu zahlen. CEO Bill Anderson sprach von einem wichtigen Meilenstein und einem „Weg zur finalen Klärung“.Zunächst reagierte die Börse euphorisch. Doch schon am nächsten Tag kamen Zweifel auf.Der Plan hat eine lange Liste möglicher Hürden:Ein Richter in Missouri muss zustimmen.Teilnehmer der Sammelklage können sich gegen den Vergleich entscheiden.Bayer kann den Deal platzen lassen, falls nicht genügend Kläger zustimmen.Für den Erfolg braucht es nahezu 100 Prozent Zustimmung.Hinzu kommt: Ein ähnlicher Vergleich aus dem Jahr 2020 war letztlich gescheitert.Politische Unterstützung erhält Bayer nun jedoch aus Washington.US-Präsident Donald Trump unterzeichnete eine Executive Order, um die Versorgung der US-Verteidigungsindustrie und der heimischen Landwirtschaft mit Phosphor und Glyphosat sicherzustellen. Rechtsgrundlage ist der Defense Production Act.In dem Dokument wird Bayer ausdrücklich als einziger verbliebener US-Produzent sowohl für Phosphor als auch für Glyphosat genannt – von Marktbeobachtern bereits als „Lex Bayer“ bezeichnet.Die Aktie liegt auf Jahressicht rund 60 Prozent im Plus – notiert jedoch weiterhin deutlich unter dem Niveau vor Beginn der Monsanto-Klagen. Vor zehn Jahren begann mit der Monsanto-Übernahme ein Kapitel, das den Konzern bis heute prägt.Nächste Woche spreche ich mit dem Gründer der Deutschen Familienversicherung. Es geht um private Krankenversicherungen – und um neue Gesetzesvorhaben der Bundesregierung.Ich freue mich, wenn Sie auch dann wieder mit dabei sind.Vielen Dank fürs Zuhören! Annette Weisbach ist seit über 15 Jahren als Wirtschaftsjournalistin für internationale Medien wie CNBC, Bloomberg und DW-TV tätig. Als CNBC-Korrespondentin führe ich regelmäßig Interviews mit Top-Entscheidungsträgern und...
From January 28, 2025: In today's episode, Lawfare Senior Editor Alan Z. Rozenshtein speaks with his University of Minnesota Law colleague, Nick Bednar, about the wave of Day 1 executive orders affecting the civil service. Bednar recently analyzed these orders in a piece for Lawfare. They discuss what the orders say, how they might be challenged in court, and what this means for the next four years and beyond.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A player who is remembered as “Jumbo” even though that was neither his name or his shape is described in both complimentary and critical terms, oysters are considered, and one of the greatest shortstops of all time, John Henry Lloyd, Pop, teaches an important lesson about why the past matters, and why his past was especially important. The Infinite Inning is a journey to the past to understand the present using baseball as our time machine. America's brighter mirror, baseball reflects, anticipates, and even mocks the stories we tell ourselves about our world today. Baseball Prospectus's Steven Goldman shares his obsessions: history from inside and outside of the game, politics, stats, and Casey Stengel quotations. Along the way, we'll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can't get anybody out?
The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Trump's sweeping tariffs, Turkey arrests a Deutsche Welle journalist for allegedly "Insulting" President Erdoğan, A report suggests that a former aide to ex-Prince Andrew allegedly made secret China deals, The U.S. and Indonesia finalize a trade deal, The U.S. sanctions Sudan RSF commanders over the El-Fasher siege, The Epstein estate agrees to a $35 million settlement for victims, President Trump orders the release of government UFO and alien files, RFK Jr. pledges to support for Trump's Executive Order on glyphosate, Stanford tests a "universal vaccine" against multiple respiratory pathogens, and Argentina bars its soccer chief from leaving the country. Sources: Verity.News
This week marks the 84th anniversary of the United States, under president Franklin D. Roosevelt, enacting Executive Order 9066, which led to U.S. residents of Japanese descent being dispossessed and interned, even if they were American citizens. Survivors of Japanese internment say they're seeing the Trump Administration embracing similar policies that led to one of the darkest chapters of the United States in the 20th century. The non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office is recommending that California lawmakers reject Governor Gavin Newsom's latest electric vehicle rebate proposal, citing cost concerns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, an in-depth investigatory show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (2/20/26). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth is, or claiming they have the answer, is likely leading you astray, for one reason or another. Stay Vigilant. !function(r,u,m,b,l,e){r._Rumble=b,r[b]||(r[b]=function(){(r[b]._=r[b]._||[]).push(arguments);if(r[b]._.length==1){l=u.createElement(m),e=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0],l.async=1,l.src="https://rumble.com/embedJS/u2q643"+(arguments[1].video?'.'+arguments[1].video:'')+"/?url="+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+"&args="+encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify([].slice.apply(arguments))),e.parentNode.insertBefore(l,e)}})}(window, document, "script", "Rumble"); Rumble("play", {"video":"v73v1co","div":"rumble_v73v1co"}); Video Source Links (In Chronological Order): The Fake Globalist Resistance Ushering In The Globalist Plan Trump & The Zionist/Globalist Technocrats Are Building Your New Society Whether You Like It Or Not Gaza's "Board Of Peace" Seeks To Reimagine The International Order (21) Derrick Broze on X: "$10 billion of US taxpayer dollars to Trump's "Board of Peace"." / X (21) Slow News Day on X: "This is the exact same currency model the US wants for Americans, same with the UK/EU, Russia, China, & every other nation We all live on Planet Gaza" / X (21) Truthstream Media on X: "Interesting Dept of War propaganda released on the same day Trump announces he's taking $10B out of the US Treasury without approval from our impotent Congress to transfer to the Board of Peace slush fund he created and made himself chairman for life. https://t.co/33g9a8KBSM" / X New Tab (21) Rand Paul on X: "In defense of our Republic, the Supreme Court struck down using emergency powers to enact taxes. This ruling will also prevent a future President such as AOC from using emergency powers to enact socialism." / X (21) Okiesmokey on X: "@BenjaminPDixon @RandPaul https://t.co/s1abiAEx8R" / X (21) Liam McCollum on X: "@RepThomasMassie Importantly:" / X (21) JD Vance on X: "Today, the Supreme Court decided that Congress, despite giving the president the ability to "regulate imports", didn't actually mean it. This is lawlessness from the Court, plain and simple. And its only effect will be to make it harder for the president to protect American" / X (21) Justin Amash on X: "According to JD Vance, a Supreme Court decision that upholds the law and halts lawlessness is the real lawlessness. And then he gripes about the president's power being limited. Yes, that's the point of the Constitution. The Framers deliberately constrained the president." / X (21) Mike Young on X: "@SpeakerJohnson Yes, tariffs brought in revenue. They also raised prices on groceries, cars, and farm equipment while inviting retaliation against our exporters. If we truly want to honor American workers, we should choose policies that cut their costs and expand their markets, not ones that" / X (21) Bark on X: "Realizing American citizens paid $175 billion in illegal tariffs and it's being refunded to companies instead of back to us. https://t.co/uKA3HoB6mU" / X (21) Everything is Stupid on X: "@DefiantLs https://t.co/w9AQqPptea" / X (21) The White House on X: "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! https://t.co/un5zFbSEJl" / X New Tab (21) Aaron Day on X: "This is the most corrupt admin in US history. I'm not being hyperbolic." / X (21) Max Blumenthal on X: "Trump Inc corruption is so extensive it's difficult to keep tabs Besides cashing in on the tariff policy he personally engineered, financial sleazelord Howard Lutnick is also deregulating crypto while holding a $600 million stake in Tether To paper over the conflict of" / X (21) TenthAmendmentCenter on X: "CORRUPTION, PLUNDER & WASTE Thomas Jefferson said that's just what we'd get with too much centralized power. He warned us. We didn't listen. “our country is too large to have all it's affairs directed by a single government. public servants at such a distance, & from under" / X (21) Aaron Day on X: "The Trump administration is peak corruption." / X (21) Ed Krassenstein on X: "BREAKING: Eric Trump and Don Jr. just said the quiet part out loud! CNBC: "You know what the critics would say… Everyone is here to curry favor." The Trumps: “There is a great honor here. They didn't give us much of a choice. They created this monster!... We just realized https://t.co/nt27qZHLc6" / X (21) Cuckturd on X: "Trump & his kids are opening their own Polymarket. They can now personally profit off every House vote, press conference, executive order, Tariff decision. You name it. Haven't heard the Trump's talk about Burisma for a while.
Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton The White House has scrapped the one‑size‑fits‑all SBOM mandate and told agency leaders to own their cyber risk. Now flexibility meets accountability The government's first $1 million antitrust whistleblower award could reshape how companies think about risk... and about their own employees A new Executive Order aims to rethink how the nation tackles addiction, shifting from treatment alone to a broader, community‑anchored approach to recoverySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The White House's new Great American Recovery Initiative reframes addiction as a chronic disease that needs steady support, not just clinical services — a shift meant to close the gap between how many Americans struggle with substance use and how few receive help. It calls for stronger coordination across government, healthcare, and communities to make recovery more accessible, more connected, and more rooted in real life. We'll dig into what that means on the ground with Melissa Sosinski, host of Empathy Affect podcast, who's spent years talking with leaders and people with lived experience about what recovery really looks like.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Originally uploaded January 15th, reloaded January 22nd Chris Holman welcomes back Cliff Hammond, Shareholder, Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC Attorneys, Southfield and Lansing of their 5 offices across Michigan. Chris had several questions for Cliff in this conversation: You have an event coming up, tell us about that? What does the Administration's issued an Executive Order on marijuana cover? Do we know when will this Order go into effect? What impact could rescheduling marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III have on businesses and drug testing? How does this impact employment drug testing now and how could that change if Marijuana is rescheduled? Does this Executive Order allow for both recreational and medical use of marijuana like we have under Michigan's current state laws? How should multi-state employers navigate differences between federal reclassification and varying state marijuana laws without creating compliance gaps? Originally uploaded January 15, reloaded January 22nd. What practical steps can HR leaders and executives take in the near term to update policies, train managers, and reduce risk as this legal shift unfolds?" » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/ How will Marijuana Reclassification Affect Employer Reasonable Accommodation? Selective focus of dried weed and bottles with medical cannabis lettering near doctor writing prescription Employers are facing one of the most consequential shifts on workplace drug policy in recent memory. On December 18, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order that reclassifies marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug. While this does not legalize marijuana federally, this change could significantly alter how courts and agencies evaluate ADA accommodation requests. With the federal directive to move marijuana to Schedule III, courts and enforcement agencies may reinterpret what constitutes a “reasonable accommodation”, especially for employees who are lawfully using state‑approved medical cannabis. Learn more with the first Second Wednesday of 2026: Check out its video: https://youtu.be/Tobdikb652c?list=PL6x18GEAq2f9Ag94Rot0PsPL8XE37Pq-r That took place January 14, from 12:00-12:30 pm The moderator was Rob Hamor, who welcomed municipal and employment law attorney Courtney Agrusa as they covered how to face emerging risks in 2026 and beyond, including: What Schedule III reclassification means under federal and state law. Why ADA accommodations may shift. How certain drug-testing cases may be upended. Other practical steps for employers to reduce risk.
The Supreme Court ruled against President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act on Friday. The President responded in a press conference saying other measures would be taken. And the markets didn't seem to know what to think when it was all said and done. Ted Seifried with Zaner Ag Hedge joins us to discuss as we close out the week. More at https://www.zaner.com. Also as we wrap up the week, the cattle markets are watching multiple items including the Supreme Court tariff ruling, any updates on a potential strike at JBS in Greeley, CO, the cash markets and much more. Scott Varilek with Kooima Kooima Varilek joins us to discuss the cattle, hog and grain markets as we close out the week. More at https://www.kkvtrading.com. And finally, what does this tariff news mean for the grain and fertilizer markets in the short and long term? Also, regarding fertilizer, what does this week's Executive Order mobilizing the Defense Production Act to safeguard the domestic production of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides mean for the markets? Mike Castle with StoneX joins us to break it all down. More at https://www.stonex.com.
As we saw on Friday, the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. What does this news mean for the grain and fertilizer markets in the short and long term? Also, regarding fertilizer, what does this week's Executive Order mobilizing the Defense Production Act to safeguard the domestic production of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides mean for the markets? Mike Castle with StoneX joins us to break it all down in our Market Talk Midday Commentary for Friday, February 20th, 2026.
In this episode, we begin with the strange world of high-end audio, from banana wire tests to quarter-million-dollar stereo systems, and ask whether diminishing returns eventually overtake objective performance. We then react to Barack Obama's comments about aliens before moving to our Foolishness of the Week: Australia's $40 cigarette packs and the predictable rise of black markets and bootlegging that follows heavy taxation. From there, we turn to election law and voting rights, examining who actually has the constitutional authority to regulate elections, what the SAVE Act proposes regarding proof of citizenship, whether a president can alter voting rules by executive order, and how voter ID laws intersect with legitimacy and public trust. We also discuss gerrymandering, the structural incentives of the two-party system, and a story from a group home that raises deeper questions about civic participation and what it really means to be qualified to vote. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:30 Audiophile Cable Myths and the Banana Wire Test 03:54 Quarter-Million Dollar Stereo Systems and Diminishing Returns 06:32 Barack Obama Says Aliens Are Real 10:14 Foolishness of the Week: Australia's $40 Cigarette Packs 12:26 Black Markets, Bootleggers, and Unintended Consequences 16:55 Who Actually Decides Who Can Vote? 18:39 The Constitutional Framework for Elections 22:31 The SAVE Act and Federal Citizenship Requirements 26:53 Voter ID, Legitimacy, and Political Signaling 31:41 The Real Electoral Problem: The Two-Party Duopoly 34:15 Gerrymandering and the Spoils of Political Victory 38:50 Can Trump Use an Executive Order on Voting? 41:30 Legitimacy, Public Trust, and Election Narratives 44:52 A Story from the Group Home: When Should People Vote? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
False Front: The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age The University of Chicago Press, 2024 Kenneth Lowande Political Scientist Kenneth Lowande (University of Michigan) has a new book, False Front: The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age, examining the ways in which presidents seem to be using their extraordinary powers (of the office itself) but are often holding back so as to avoid the full implementation of policies and ideas. This is an interesting thesis, since it takes apart the ways in which presidents operate, getting at not only the presentation of presidential power and the rhetoric used by presidents to illuminate their powers, but also where the full capacity of the Executive branch may not be put into action around issues, policies, or ideas. Lowande is assessing what is essentially symbolic, especially for the president, but is not substantive, even if it may seem that way. This concept, this “false front”, comes out of the polarization within the American political system, and the difficulty that presidents also have in trying to accomplish policy shifts and changes. This is also in context of a Congress that has ceded significant power to the Executive and is generally less productive in terms of passing and implementing policy than it was in the past. This is then combined with the adjustments that presidents and presidential candidates have made in the way they approach the campaign and then their work while in office, since they are compelled to construct their own “brand” as a means to getting elected. Once in office, presidents then need to perform in some way that convinces the public that they are trying to execute what they promised while on the campaign trail. But the political climate makes those outcomes extraordinarily difficult. So, presidents have constructed this path where they publicly lean into policy areas, making public statements, having ceremonies and press releases, taking executive actions, or signing Executive Orders to illustrate their commitment and their activity, but when these policy areas are examined in some depth, it turns out that not much happened after all of this attention and apparent action. Lowande notes, in our conversation, how once he had zeroed in on this presidential mode of operating it is very difficult not to see it. This becomes a kind of model of presidential behavior and strategic approaches. False Front: The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age essentially interrogates the founding basis for the American presidency, where Alexander Hamilton argued that the president is to be held accountable and responsible for the actions taken in the office itself. The media plays a role in this as well, since they report on the actions taken by the president—at least in terms of rhetoric, press releases, signing ceremonies, and executive actions—but there is no follow on analysis, for the most part, of the actual implementation of the policies and the plans. If there is no measurable outcome to distinguish how the policy solved the problem, or satisfied the demand for the policy, then the presidential action or rhetoric is disconnected from any particular policy or public good. This is also at odds with the reason for a democratic republic—where the demands of the voters are to be translated into real outcomes, not imaginary ones. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science
False Front: The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age The University of Chicago Press, 2024 Kenneth Lowande Political Scientist Kenneth Lowande (University of Michigan) has a new book, False Front: The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age, examining the ways in which presidents seem to be using their extraordinary powers (of the office itself) but are often holding back so as to avoid the full implementation of policies and ideas. This is an interesting thesis, since it takes apart the ways in which presidents operate, getting at not only the presentation of presidential power and the rhetoric used by presidents to illuminate their powers, but also where the full capacity of the Executive branch may not be put into action around issues, policies, or ideas. Lowande is assessing what is essentially symbolic, especially for the president, but is not substantive, even if it may seem that way. This concept, this “false front”, comes out of the polarization within the American political system, and the difficulty that presidents also have in trying to accomplish policy shifts and changes. This is also in context of a Congress that has ceded significant power to the Executive and is generally less productive in terms of passing and implementing policy than it was in the past. This is then combined with the adjustments that presidents and presidential candidates have made in the way they approach the campaign and then their work while in office, since they are compelled to construct their own “brand” as a means to getting elected. Once in office, presidents then need to perform in some way that convinces the public that they are trying to execute what they promised while on the campaign trail. But the political climate makes those outcomes extraordinarily difficult. So, presidents have constructed this path where they publicly lean into policy areas, making public statements, having ceremonies and press releases, taking executive actions, or signing Executive Orders to illustrate their commitment and their activity, but when these policy areas are examined in some depth, it turns out that not much happened after all of this attention and apparent action. Lowande notes, in our conversation, how once he had zeroed in on this presidential mode of operating it is very difficult not to see it. This becomes a kind of model of presidential behavior and strategic approaches. False Front: The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age essentially interrogates the founding basis for the American presidency, where Alexander Hamilton argued that the president is to be held accountable and responsible for the actions taken in the office itself. The media plays a role in this as well, since they report on the actions taken by the president—at least in terms of rhetoric, press releases, signing ceremonies, and executive actions—but there is no follow on analysis, for the most part, of the actual implementation of the policies and the plans. If there is no measurable outcome to distinguish how the policy solved the problem, or satisfied the demand for the policy, then the presidential action or rhetoric is disconnected from any particular policy or public good. This is also at odds with the reason for a democratic republic—where the demands of the voters are to be translated into real outcomes, not imaginary ones. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies
False Front: The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age The University of Chicago Press, 2024 Kenneth Lowande Political Scientist Kenneth Lowande (University of Michigan) has a new book, False Front: The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age, examining the ways in which presidents seem to be using their extraordinary powers (of the office itself) but are often holding back so as to avoid the full implementation of policies and ideas. This is an interesting thesis, since it takes apart the ways in which presidents operate, getting at not only the presentation of presidential power and the rhetoric used by presidents to illuminate their powers, but also where the full capacity of the Executive branch may not be put into action around issues, policies, or ideas. Lowande is assessing what is essentially symbolic, especially for the president, but is not substantive, even if it may seem that way. This concept, this “false front”, comes out of the polarization within the American political system, and the difficulty that presidents also have in trying to accomplish policy shifts and changes. This is also in context of a Congress that has ceded significant power to the Executive and is generally less productive in terms of passing and implementing policy than it was in the past. This is then combined with the adjustments that presidents and presidential candidates have made in the way they approach the campaign and then their work while in office, since they are compelled to construct their own “brand” as a means to getting elected. Once in office, presidents then need to perform in some way that convinces the public that they are trying to execute what they promised while on the campaign trail. But the political climate makes those outcomes extraordinarily difficult. So, presidents have constructed this path where they publicly lean into policy areas, making public statements, having ceremonies and press releases, taking executive actions, or signing Executive Orders to illustrate their commitment and their activity, but when these policy areas are examined in some depth, it turns out that not much happened after all of this attention and apparent action. Lowande notes, in our conversation, how once he had zeroed in on this presidential mode of operating it is very difficult not to see it. This becomes a kind of model of presidential behavior and strategic approaches. False Front: The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age essentially interrogates the founding basis for the American presidency, where Alexander Hamilton argued that the president is to be held accountable and responsible for the actions taken in the office itself. The media plays a role in this as well, since they report on the actions taken by the president—at least in terms of rhetoric, press releases, signing ceremonies, and executive actions—but there is no follow on analysis, for the most part, of the actual implementation of the policies and the plans. If there is no measurable outcome to distinguish how the policy solved the problem, or satisfied the demand for the policy, then the presidential action or rhetoric is disconnected from any particular policy or public good. This is also at odds with the reason for a democratic republic—where the demands of the voters are to be translated into real outcomes, not imaginary ones. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics
Associate Director David Blades and Associate Analyst Alexander Winant, both of AM Best, discuss a new Best's Commentary that finds the executive order doesn't immediately resolve insurance issues for cannabis-related businesses, but the move to reclassify marijuana under federal law could be a significant step for the insurance market.
False Front: The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age The University of Chicago Press, 2024 Kenneth Lowande Political Scientist Kenneth Lowande (University of Michigan) has a new book, False Front: The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age, examining the ways in which presidents seem to be using their extraordinary powers (of the office itself) but are often holding back so as to avoid the full implementation of policies and ideas. This is an interesting thesis, since it takes apart the ways in which presidents operate, getting at not only the presentation of presidential power and the rhetoric used by presidents to illuminate their powers, but also where the full capacity of the Executive branch may not be put into action around issues, policies, or ideas. Lowande is assessing what is essentially symbolic, especially for the president, but is not substantive, even if it may seem that way. This concept, this “false front”, comes out of the polarization within the American political system, and the difficulty that presidents also have in trying to accomplish policy shifts and changes. This is also in context of a Congress that has ceded significant power to the Executive and is generally less productive in terms of passing and implementing policy than it was in the past. This is then combined with the adjustments that presidents and presidential candidates have made in the way they approach the campaign and then their work while in office, since they are compelled to construct their own “brand” as a means to getting elected. Once in office, presidents then need to perform in some way that convinces the public that they are trying to execute what they promised while on the campaign trail. But the political climate makes those outcomes extraordinarily difficult. So, presidents have constructed this path where they publicly lean into policy areas, making public statements, having ceremonies and press releases, taking executive actions, or signing Executive Orders to illustrate their commitment and their activity, but when these policy areas are examined in some depth, it turns out that not much happened after all of this attention and apparent action. Lowande notes, in our conversation, how once he had zeroed in on this presidential mode of operating it is very difficult not to see it. This becomes a kind of model of presidential behavior and strategic approaches. False Front: The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age essentially interrogates the founding basis for the American presidency, where Alexander Hamilton argued that the president is to be held accountable and responsible for the actions taken in the office itself. The media plays a role in this as well, since they report on the actions taken by the president—at least in terms of rhetoric, press releases, signing ceremonies, and executive actions—but there is no follow on analysis, for the most part, of the actual implementation of the policies and the plans. If there is no measurable outcome to distinguish how the policy solved the problem, or satisfied the demand for the policy, then the presidential action or rhetoric is disconnected from any particular policy or public good. This is also at odds with the reason for a democratic republic—where the demands of the voters are to be translated into real outcomes, not imaginary ones. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Last week, a grand jury refused to indict six Democratic lawmakers over a video they made addressing service members' duty to refuse illegal orders. Mary and Andrew hold little back as they discuss the government's attempt to chill free speech and persecute political foes. In an adjacent case, they review Judge Richard Leon's decision to block Secretary Pete Hegseth from demoting Senator Mark Kelly over the video, saying it “trampled on Senator Kelly's First Amendment freedoms.” The co-hosts then dig into the unsealed Fulton County affidavit and what it shows about the basis of the administration's 2020 election fraud claims, before concluding with a couple due process updates: Judge Boasberg's decision ordering the Trump administration to facilitate the return of some Venezuelan migrants unlawfully deported, and Judge Tim Kelly's decision in a case about death row prisoners being sent to a “Supermax” prison on the government's orders without due process, after Biden granted them clemency from the death penalty before leaving office.Further reading:Read Judge Richard J. Leon's Memorandum Opinion on Mark Kelly v. Pete Hegseth HERE Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this February 17 episode of Badlands Daily, CannCon and Ghost break down the latest political developments, focusing on executive actions, foreign policy dynamics, and the media's response. The hosts examine recent statements and policy movements, analyzing how they are being framed publicly versus what is actually being implemented. The conversation covers shifting geopolitical tensions, strategic messaging from key political figures, and the broader implications of ongoing diplomatic maneuvers. CannCon and Ghost also explore how corporate media outlets are shaping narratives around these developments, highlighting inconsistencies and omissions they believe deserve closer scrutiny. Throughout the episode, the hosts connect current events to longer-term strategic patterns, questioning motive, timing, and the interplay between domestic politics and global positioning. February 17's broadcast delivers a rapid-fire but focused review of the day's most significant headlines, emphasizing context, accountability, and the importance of reading beyond the surface narrative.
On this Presidents' Day edition of The Daily Herold, Jon Herold reflects on a quiet news cycle while digging into the cultural and political aftershocks of the Epstein file releases. He breaks down the difference between being “mentioned” in documents and actual wrongdoing, pushing back on clickbait narratives and examining how both mainstream media and influencers are weaponizing incomplete information. Jon also addresses growing frustration within the truth community, the tension between optimism and realism, and the debate over “full control” versus grassroots engagement. He questions whether Americans are being conditioned to sit back and watch rather than act, especially as midterms loom and voter ID rhetoric intensifies. Additional topics include Trump's comments on voter ID, California's independent energy agreement with the UK, DOGE's lack of recent updates, and the overdue National Resilience Strategy tied to Executive Order 14239. It's a candid episode focused on context, accountability, and the responsibility of citizens in an information war that feels increasingly stagnant.
Send a textA landmark verdict and two powerful medical pivots leave parents asking: how do we love kids well while pressing pause on irreversible decisions? RESOURCESDetransitioner wins $2 million against New York docs who pushed double mastectomy - https://nypost.com/2026/01/31/us-news/detransitioner-wins-2-million-against-new-york-docs-who-pushed-double-mastectomy/US plastic surgeons group advises delaying gender surgery until age 19 due to insufficient evidence | Reuters - https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-plastic-surgeons-group-advises-delaying-gender-surgery-until-age-19-due-2026-02-03/Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/02/03/plastic-surgeons-youth-gender-surgeries-guidance/American Medical Association Says Gender Surgeries For Minors Should Wait - https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2026-02-06/american-medical-association-says-gender-surgeries-for-minors-should-waitGender: Hot Take on the President's Executive Order - https://nexttalk.org/podcast_episode/gender-hot-take-on-the-presidents-executive-order/Pronouns - https://nexttalk.org/podcast_episode/pronouns/My kid came home and asked, “Is Jesus Trans?” - https://nexttalk.org/podcast_episode/my-kid-came-home-and-asked-is-jesus-trans/Mr. Beast's friend is transitioning. How do I talk with my kid? - https://nexttalk.org/podcast_episode/mr-beasts-friend-is-transitioning-how-do-i-talk-with-my-kid/My kid says I'm a homophobe. Am I? - https://nexttalk.org/podcast_episode/my-kid-says-im-a-homophobe-am-i/How do I respond if my child is questioning their sexuality or gender? - https://nexttalk.org/podcast_episode/how-do-i-respond-if-my-child-is-questioning-their-sexuality-or-gender/"TALK" by Mandy Majorshttps://a.co/d/1rsMxB9Music: https://www.purple-planet.comSupport the showKEEPING KIDS SAFE ONLINEConnect with us...www.nextTalk.orgFacebookInstagramContact Us...admin@nextTalk.orgP.O. BOX 160111 San Antonio, TX 78280
This episode warns that the upcoming midterms could become a major "stress test" for U.S. democracy, drawing on election lawyer Mark Elias's analysis of a predictable pattern: sweeping lies about fraud, court battles, abuses of power, and the threat of violence. It also covers Trump's talk of executive orders to alter voting rules despite lacking authority, and concerns about a federal force willing to act unlawfully. It then reviews Steve Bannon's interview with Cleta Mitchell, who advocates restricting voting and emphasizes DHS/CISA's role in elections and claims of foreign interference. The episode outlines a possible scenario where allegations of hacking or interference could be used to delay certification and challenge results, creating legal and political chaos during the midterms.
February 16, 2026 ~ Bill Ballenger, Editor of the Ballenger Report discusses President Trump floating an executive order on voter ID and the newest government shutdown. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Let's talk about Trump's executive order on the SAVE Act....
I never thought I'd be glued to my screen watching courtroom drama unfold like a blockbuster thriller, but here we are in mid-February 2026, and President Donald Trump's legal battles are heating up faster than a Florida summer. Just two days ago, on February 11, a judge in Miami made waves by greenlighting Trump's massive $10 billion libel lawsuit against the BBC. Picture this: the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse at 400 North Miami Avenue, where Judge Roy K. Altman set a trial date for February 15, 2027. Trump accuses the BBC's Panorama documentary—aired right before the 2024 election—of doctored editing. They spliced clips from his January 6, 2021, speech at the Ellipse, making it sound like he said, "We're going to walk down to the Capitol... and I'll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell." According to court documents from the US District Court Southern District of Florida, Trump's lawyers call it "false and defamatory," claiming the BBC maliciously misled viewers worldwide. The leak of a memo from Michael Prescott, the BBC's former external adviser, fueled the fire, pointing to bias in that episode. BBC chair Samir Shah admitted an "error of judgement" but insists there's no defamation case. The BBC's fighting back hard, arguing the Florida court lacks jurisdiction since they didn't produce or air the show there—despite Trump pointing to BritBox streaming. A BBC spokesperson told The Independent they're defending vigorously and won't comment further. Trump's no stranger to media suits; he's already tangling with The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.But that's just the appetizer. Shift to the Supreme Court, where whispers of bigger clashes are building. SCOTUSblog reports the justices are eyeing Trump-related heavyweights for their April session, including immigration tweaks, Fourth Amendment fights, and even claims against companies aiding torture. A News4JAX segment from late January flags 2026 as the real showdown year: will the court let Trump reshape birthright citizenship via executive order? Chief Justice John Roberts has been subtly defending judicial independence, hinting at history over politics. Cases like the Federal Reserve governor dismissal—tied to alleged mortgage fraud claims—are bubbling up, with the court skeptical of quick removals without full hearings. Then there's the mass detention policy upheld by the 5th Circuit, but federal judges are finding workarounds, per Politico. The Brennan Center tracks three active prosecutions against Trump from his pre-presidency days: the federal election interference case in Washington, D.C., the Georgia Fulton County probe, and the classified documents mess in Florida—plus that New York hush money conviction from May 2024. Lawfare's litigation tracker notes ongoing appeals, like vacating Trump's executive orders.As a guy who's followed this rollercoaster since the 2024 win, it feels like the judiciary's drawing a line in the sand during Trump's second term—midterms looming, no re-election bid, courts bolder. The BBC trial's a year out, but Supreme Court arguments kick off February 23, with more on February 20. Will tariffs, citizenship, or Fed power test the limits? Buckle up, listeners; the gavel's about to drop.Thanks for tuning in, and come back next week for more. This has been a Quiet Please production—for more, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.aiThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Thank you so much for listening to the Bob Harden Show, celebrating over 14 years broadcasting on the internet. On Friday's show, we visit with William Yeatman, leader of the regulatory studies group at George Washington University about Congressional spending bills and Trump's Executive Order rolling back climate regulations. We visit with CEI Senior Economist Ryan Young about the latest unemployment numbers and we discuss capital gains taxes on home sales. We visit with Landmark Legal Foundation Vice President Michael O'Neill about the SAVE America, and we discuss the looming partial government shutdown. We also visit with author and Professor Larry Bell about the reasons for the expected increase in energy costs in Virginia. We have terrific guests on Monday's show including historian Marc Schulman, AIER.org Senior Editor Jon Miltimore, and author Jim McTague. Access this and past shows at your convenience on my web site, social media platforms or podcast platforms.
Thank you so much for listening to the Bob Harden Show, celebrating over 14 years broadcasting on the internet. On Friday's show, we visit with William Yeatman, leader of the regulatory studies group at George Washington University about Congressional spending bills and Trump's Executive Order rolling back climate regulations. We visit with CEI Senior Economist … The post Energy Costs and Deregulation appeared first on Bob Harden Show.
In part two of our look at ICE, we discuss the executive orders and funding that allowed it to reach what it is today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today we discuss the recent visit of Colombian president Gustavo Petro to the White House following his condemnation of the kidnapping of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and First lady Cilia Flores. Then we cast a light back on the cruel and viscous tightening of the embargo against the Cuban people and their government. Finally, we feature a discussion of Trump and Company's attempt to mangle the US Constitution through an Executive Order reversing the birthright citizenship clause in the 14th Amendment. The post The Recent Visit of Columbian President, Gustavo Petro, to The White House appeared first on KPFA.
I never thought I'd be glued to my screen watching court battles unfold like a high-stakes thriller, but here we are in the thick of President Donald Trump's second term, with legal fights erupting everywhere from federal appeals courts to the steps of the Supreme Court. Just last Friday, a divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld the Trump administration's immigration detention policy, mandating that people arrested in the crackdown stay detained without bond, as reported by Reuters journalist Nate Raymond. It's a win for the White House's tough stance on borders, keeping the momentum from earlier victories.Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is buzzing with Trump-related pleas. On February 6, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, in National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education v. Trump, vacated a nationwide injunction blocking two of Trump's executive orders targeting what he calls illegal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in federal grantees and contractors. Chief Judge Albert Diaz wrote the opinion, remanding it to the District of Maryland and signaling these orders might survive scrutiny, according to Law and the Workplace analysis. Employers, especially government contractors, are on notice—DEI initiatives could face real enforcement heat now.Over in immigration again, the Trump team filed an official appeal notice in a Haitian Temporary Protected Status suit, challenging U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes' February 2 ruling that halted the cancellation of TPS for Haitian immigrants, per The Columbus Dispatch's Bethany Bruner. Government lawyers even asked Reyes to pause her order by noon that day, pushing the case toward the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and potentially the Supreme Court itself.Redistricting wars rage on too. The Supreme Court recently cleared new maps for Texas and California—Texas gaining five Republican-friendly House seats, California countering with five for Democrats—yet battles like Louisiana v. Callais over race and the Voting Rights Act continue, as detailed by Washington Examiner's Jack Birle. And get this: Trump's lawyers are petitioning the Supreme Court to toss the 2023 E. Jean Carroll civil verdict against him, arguing in their final brief that the president is too busy running the country to fight old allegations, according to USA Today's Maureen Groppe. The justices will conference on it February 20.Don't forget the bigger picture from the Brennan Center: while Trump was convicted in New York City state court in May 2024 for falsifying business records over hush money to adult film actor Stormy Daniels, three criminal cases linger—federal ones in Washington, D.C., for election interference, Fulton County, Georgia, for the same, and Florida over classified documents. Lawfare's litigation tracker counts 298 active challenges to Trump administration actions on national security, plus 14 Supreme Court stays favoring the feds.Even whispers of impeachment surfaced, with ET Now's February 6 livestream claiming the House of Representatives is deciding Trump's fate—though details remain murky amid the chaos. From Venezuelan TPS revocations paused by the Supreme Court despite U.S. District Judge Edward Chen's rulings in San Francisco, to National Guard deployment blocks in Illinois that Trump ultimately pulled back from Chicago and Portland, these shadow docket moves have real-world bite, as SCOTUSblog explains.It's a legal whirlwind, listeners, with Trump fighting on multiple fronts, courts picking sides, and the Supreme Court wielding quiet power that reshapes policies overnight. Stay tuned as these cases collide toward 2026 elections.Thank you for tuning in, listeners. Come back next week for more, and this has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.aiThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Andrew and Mary are often inundated with news out of the Justice Department, but one item that really caught their attention this week was the DOJ's appeal to the Supreme Court to toss out Steve Bannon's contempt conviction. They begin here, highlighting Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's wry comments on social media about the case. Next, they turn to a reality hitting prosecutors hard, especially in states ICE is targeting—that the push for mass detentions did not include any plan for the infrastructure needed to support the caseload in the courts or in U.S. Attorneys' offices. And it's pushing prosecutors to the brink. Mary and Andrew talk about one of them, Julie Le, who was fired after expressing her exasperation in Minnesota. Next, they explain why Congress was given access to the (mostly) un-redacted Epstein files and Ghislaine Maxwell's choice to plead the 5th in a congressional deposition. And last up, a beat on the Georgia ballot seizures, as Fulton County sues and a judge orders DOJ records to be unsealed in the case.Further Reading:Here is a new piece from Andrew: How Congress Can Give Epstein Survivors the Investigation They Deserve, Starting with Compelling Maxwell to Testify Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The recent U.S. Executive Order 14365, Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence, is the administration's latest attempt to prevent the enforcement of most of the AI laws passed in individual US states. Because it is only an executive order (EO), it cannot directly nullify, supersede, forestall, or put a pause on state-level laws.... Read more »
Stephen Miller has consolidated unprecedented power in Trump's second term, personally drafting or editing every single executive order signed by the president. The deputy White House chief of staff operates with virtually no oversight from Chief of Staff Susie Wiles or anyone else in the administration. Miller architected the deadly boat strikes off Venezuela that killed over 100 people without identifying victims or proving drug involvement. He designed aggressive immigration sweeps in Minneapolis, Los Angeles and Chicago, freelancing policy statements without White House approval. Miller pushed for military strikes inside Mexico against drug cartels and later advocated invoking the Insurrection Act to deploy troops in Minneapolis. Trump's polling numbers have plummeted, with the president now reportedly giving Miller side eye for the political damage. Miller uses Signal messaging app illegally to avoid Presidential Records Act requirements. He communicates directly with Kristi Noem at DHS, ordering ICE operations including factory raids Trump publicly opposed. Miller moved his family from a six million dollar Arlington home to a military base after sidewalk chalk protests. He operates beyond his immigration portfolio, making unauthorized statements on Greenland, Venezuela and foreign policy. Miller pushed to investigate liberal groups using counterterrorism methods employed after 9/11. Trump has questioned why Miller speaks on topics outside his authority. The Wall Street Journal reporting reveals Miller's influence over Trump's boundary pushing impulses continues despite mounting political costs and legal questions surrounding his unchecked power in the executive branch. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB
Peter Zabierek, senior portfolio manager at Easterly Ranger, oversees U.S. and global real estate strategies and has been closely tracking President Trump's executive order aimed at restricting institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes. He believes the policy could worsen the housing shortage and affordability challenges. In this conversation, Zabierek shares his perspective on the executive order and the broader housing and affordability landscape. (02/2026)
Peter Zabierek, senior portfolio manager at Easterly Ranger, oversees U.S. and global real estate strategies and has been closely tracking President Trump's executive order aimed at restricting institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes. He believes the policy could worsen the housing shortage and affordability challenges. In this conversation, Zabierek shares his perspective on the executive order and the broader housing and affordability landscape. (02/2026)
The recent U.S. Executive Order 14365, Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence, is the administration's latest attempt to prevent the enforcement of most of the AI laws passed in individual US states. Because it is only an executive order (EO), it cannot directly nullify, supersede, forestall, or put a pause on state-level laws.... Read more »
WBBM political editor Geoff Buchholz reports Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson defended his executive order aimed at ICE activities in the city.
This Day in Legal History: Opium is Prohibited in the USOn February 9, 1909, the United States took its first significant federal step toward regulating narcotics when Congress passed a law banning the importation of opium for non-medical purposes. The act, officially titled “An Act to Prohibit the Importation and Use of Opium for Other Than Medicinal Purposes,” marked the beginning of a century-long evolution in American drug policy. While opium had long been associated with addiction and social issues—particularly in Chinese immigrant communities—prior regulation had occurred mostly at the state and local levels. This federal statute aimed to curb both domestic consumption and the growing international trade in opium, which had become a concern for moral reformers, physicians, and public officials.The 1909 law was as much a product of racialized anxieties and diplomatic concerns as it was a health policy. U.S. officials were influenced by the growing global temperance movement and international agreements like those discussed at the International Opium Commission in Shanghai that same year. Domestically, the law paved the way for a broader federal role in drug control, leading to later landmark legislation such as the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914. It also helped define narcotics as a matter of federal concern rather than simply a moral or local issue.While the 1909 statute was limited in scope—it did not criminalize possession or use, only importation—it established the principle that Congress could regulate substances in the interest of public health and welfare. That principle would be expanded in later decades as the War on Drugs developed. The opium ban illustrates how early 20th-century American legal policy began to intertwine with international diplomacy, race, and evolving conceptions of public health.A landmark trial began this week in a California state court to determine whether Instagram and YouTube can be held liable for allegedly harming a young woman's mental health through addictive platform design. The plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman identified as K.G.M., claims that Meta (parent company of Instagram and Facebook) and Google (which owns YouTube) designed their platforms in a way that fostered addiction from a young age, contributing to her depression and suicidal ideation. Her legal team argues the companies were negligent, failed to provide warnings, and that the platforms substantially contributed to her psychological harm.A verdict in her favor could open the door for thousands of similar lawsuits currently pending against major tech firms like Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok. Notably, Snap and TikTok settled with the plaintiff before trial, while Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify. The defense plans to emphasize external influences in K.G.M.'s life and highlight efforts they've made around youth safety.The case challenges longstanding U.S. legal protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which generally shields internet companies from liability for user-generated content. However, if the jury accepts the argument that the harm stems from platform design rather than content, it could weaken those defenses. Parallel legal battles are underway, including over 2,300 federal lawsuits and a separate trial in New Mexico where Meta is accused of enabling child sexual exploitation.Instagram, YouTube addiction trial kicks off in Los Angeles | ReutersThe Trump administration has appealed a federal court ruling that requires the U.S. Department of Transportation to release frozen funding for the $16 billion Hudson Tunnel Project, which aims to upgrade vital rail infrastructure connecting New York and New Jersey. Judge Jeannette Vargas issued a preliminary injunction ordering the unfreezing of the funds after officials from both states warned that construction would cease due to lack of financing. The administration filed a notice of appeal two days later.The funding had been halted in September pending a review of the project's adherence to new federal restrictions on race- and sex-based criteria in contracting. According to a source, Trump recently proposed unfreezing the money if Democrats agreed to rename Washington Dulles Airport and New York's Penn Station after him—an offer that was widely condemned.The Hudson Tunnel, which was damaged during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, remains a critical piece of rail infrastructure, handling over 200,000 passengers and 425 trains each day. The Gateway Development Commission, which oversees the project, expressed readiness to resume work once funding is reinstated. Approximately $2 billion of the $15 billion federal allocation—approved under the Biden administration—has already been spent.Trump administration appeals ruling on releasing New York City tunnel funds | ReutersA divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld the Trump administration's policy of mandating detention without bond for individuals arrested during immigration enforcement operations. The 2-1 decision is the first appellate ruling to affirm the policy, despite widespread opposition from hundreds of lower-court judges across the country who have deemed it unlawful. The ruling applies to Texas and Louisiana, states that hold the largest populations of immigration detainees.The policy relies on an expanded interpretation of the term “applicants for admission” under federal immigration law. Traditionally applied to individuals arriving at the border, the Department of Homeland Security argued in 2025 that it also applies to undocumented individuals already residing in the U.S. This interpretation was adopted by the Board of Immigration Appeals and made mandatory by immigration judges nationwide.The case before the court involved two Mexican nationals, Victor Buenrostro-Mendez and Jose Padron Covarrubias, who had previously persuaded lower courts they were wrongly denied bond hearings. The appeals court reversed those rulings, with Judge Edith Jones writing that the statute's plain text supported the administration's view. Judge Dana Douglas dissented, arguing that the interpretation stretched beyond what Congress intended in the 1996 immigration law.Other circuit courts are expected to weigh in on similar challenges, and the issue may ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court.US appeals court upholds Trump's immigration detention policy | ReutersA federal appeals court has denied the Trump administration's request to delay proceedings in its appeal to reinstate executive orders targeting four major U.S. law firms. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the cases—challenging orders against Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, Jenner & Block, and Susman Godfrey—will move forward and be combined with a related appeal involving attorney Mark Zaid's revoked government security clearance.The Justice Department had sought to postpone the law firm appeals until after the Zaid case was decided, a move that could have delayed resolution for months. But the court rejected that approach, siding with the law firms, which argued they deserved a timely judgment on whether the government unlawfully targeted them.Trump's executive orders accused the firms of using the legal system against him and criticized their diversity policies, directing the government to strip them of security access and limit their interactions with federal agencies. Four federal judges previously struck down the orders as unconstitutional, finding they violated free speech and due process rights. The administration is now appealing both those rulings and the one involving Zaid.Trump administration loses bid to delay appeals over law firm executive orders | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
It's Casual Friday on the Majority Report On today's program: In the Democratic primary for New Jersey's 11th District, Analilia Mejia — endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders, and the Working Families Party — holds a 500-vote lead with 91% of ballots counted in a major upset. AIPAC spent heavily targeting the presumed frontrunner, Tom Malinowski and in turn shot themselves in the foot. National affairs correspondent for The Nation, Jeet Heer joins the show to wrap-up the week's news. Topics covered include Epstein, ICE and more. Independent U.S. Senate candidate in Nebraska, Dan Osborn, joins the show to discuss his opponent, Sen. Pete Ricketts role in price manipulation regarding the Tyson meat-processing plant closure that laid off nearly one-third of the residents of Lexington, Nebraska. In the Fun Half: Mayor Mamdani sign Executive Order to protect immigrants from abusive immigration enforcement. Donald Trump reposts racist Ai gif depicting the Obamas as monkeys. As Trump has gutted and weakened the IRS, experts warn that the agency may struggle to handle tax season effectively. Americans are also learning that Trump's campaign promise of "no tax on overtime" applies only to the extra half-time portion of time-and-a-half pay — not to the full overtime wage, and they are not happy. The buy now, pay later companies like Affirm have begun offering rent now, pay later loans to people who cannot make their rent. Harry Enten presents polling that shows Democrats have a +39 lead with independents over Republicans on the economy. RFK, Jr. claims that schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder can be cured by the keto diet. all that and more To connect and organize with your local ICE rapid response team visit ICERRT.com The Congress switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You can use this number to connect with either the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives. Follow us on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase Check out today's sponsors: NAKED WINES: To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to NakedWines.com/MAJORITY and use code MAJORITY for both the code AND PASSWORD. RITUAL: Get 25% off during your first month. Visit ritual.com/MAJORITY. COZY EARTH: Go to cozyearth.com/MAJORITYREPORTBOGO for an exclusive deal only available Jan 25th - Feb 8th! SUNSET LAKE: Now through February 9th you can use the code VALENTINE26 to save 30% on all of Sunset Lake's gummies, chocolate fudge, and Farmer's Roast infused coffee beans at SunsetLakeCBD.com Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech On Instagram: @MrBryanVokey Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on YouTube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com
It's Thursday, February 5th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Sam Brownback: “Dictators fear religious freedom more than nuclear weapons” The International Religious Freedom Summit held its six annual meeting this week in Washington, D.C. Organizers reported nearly 80% of people around the world live in countries with high levels of restrictions on religion. The meeting identified China, Iran, Russia, Nigeria, and India as some of the worst countries for religious freedom. Sam Brownback, co-chair of the summit, said, “Ours is truly a global movement feared by dictators around the world because we represent the heart of freedom. They actually fear religious freedom more than they do aircraft carriers or even nuclear weapons.” In John 8:31-32, Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Finnish authorities continue to harass Christian Parliamentarian Attacks on religious freedom are rising in Europe as well. A prominent example is Finnish Parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen. She has faced trial three times for sharing her Christian beliefs online. Her case is now before Finland's top court. Räsänen testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee yesterday in a hearing on Europe's threat to American speech. Concerning her case, she has warned, “If I would lose, it would mean … starting a time of persecution of Christians in Finland and also in Europe.” Listen to her comments at the hearing. RÄSÄNEN: “I have been supported by my faith and thousands of expressions of support I have received from around the world, including many from the U.S. Congress. “I remain hopeful. I trust that freedom of expression can still be upheld. It is too important to lose.” Will Europe ban social media for minors? European countries are considering measures to ban social media use for minors. France's National Assembly passed a bill last week that prohibits children under 15 from using social media. The bill heads to the French Senate. President Emmanuel Macron supports the measure. Similarly, Spain and Greece recently announced plans to ban social media use by teenagers there. This comes after Australia became the first country in the world to enforce such a ban last December. Trump signed $1.2 trillion funding bill In the United States, President Donald Trump signed a $1.2 trillion funding bill on Tuesday. This ends the partial government shutdown that began on Saturday. The bill did not including long-term funding for the Department of Homeland Security which includes U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Democrats are demanding changes to the agency before approving more funding. 700 of 3,000 ICE officers leave Minnesota Speaking of ICE, White House Border Czar Tom Homan announced a drawdown of immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota yesterday. About 700 of the roughly 3,000 officers in the state are leaving. Homan's goal is a complete drawdown which depends on cooperation from local officials. He said, “We currently have an unprecedented number of counties communicating with us now and allowing ICE to take custody of illegal aliens before they hit the streets.” Washington Hospital ends transgender mutilations The News Tribune reports a hospital in Washington State is ending its mutilating transgender surgeries. MultiCare Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma cited loss of funding under the Trump administration for the closure. President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order in January 2025, protecting children from chemical and surgical mutilation. Last year, over 20 hospitals began rolling back such practices. Walmart first retailer to reach $1 trillion market capitalization Walmart became the first retailer to reach a market capitalization of one trillion dollars on Tuesday. The list of trillion dollar companies has been dominated by tech companies. Not surprisingly, Walmart's record valuation is accompanied by recent growth in its online business and investment in Artificial Intelligence technology. 1,161st anniversary of Anskar, missionary to Denmark and Sweden And finally, this week is the anniversary of the death of Anskar, the first missionary to Denmark and Sweden. The traditional date of his death is February 3, A.D. 865. Anskar was known as the “Apostle to the North” for his work of evangelism in Scandinavia. Historian A.D. Jorgensen wrote of the missionary, “He possessed a rare eloquence both in preaching and in common talk, so that he left on all men an extraordinary impression: the mighty and haughty were frightened by his tone of authority, the poor and humble looked to him as to a father, whilst his equals loved him as a brother. …. What he carried out in the thirty-three years of his bishopric was of imperishable importance.” In Romans 1:16, the Apostle Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, February 5th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Heads were turning over the weekend after Chad Mizelle, a former Justice Department official, put out a recruitment call for Trump-loyal Assistant U.S. Attorneys to hit him up on X. Mary and Andrew begin by highlighting the atypical nature of this outreach, while noting how slim the pool of applicants must be for what have long-been highly coveted and competitive positions. This piled on another DOJ fumble after a huge tranche ofEpstein files was released that unintentionally exposed the personal information of numerous victims. The co-hosts then turn to Minnesota, where a decision came in allowing Operation Metro Surge to continue, while another judge admonished DHS for ignoring over 90court orders. Mary and Andrew also call out the arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort during an anti-ICE protest in the state. Plus: a beat on a controversial federal search warrant targeting 2020 ballots in Fulton County, with more to come on that issue.Further reading:Here is the Epstein victims' letter: Emergency Request for Immediate Judicial Intervention—Epstein Transparency ActHere is the New York Times guest essay that Andrew mentioned: We Were Top Homeland Security Lawyers. You Can't Wish Away the Fourth Amendment. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
WORST DAY EVER for SILVER Cold Snap in Florida – Massive Critter Drop New Fed Chair named Pausing on space 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 Interactive Brokers Warm-Up - WORST DAY EVER for SILVER - Cold Snap in Florida - Massive Critter Drop - New Fed Chair named - Pausing on space Markets - Bitcoin plunges - Crypto "winter" - Deep dive into January economic results - USD rises from multi-month low - EM still powered ahead - ELON - PT Barnum move Cold Snap - On February 1, 2026, Florida faced a significant drop in temperatures, reaching a record low of 24°F (-4°C) in Orlando. This marked the lowest temperature recorded in February since 1923. - Iguanas dropping from tress all over the streets - Iguanas can survive temperatures down to the mid-40s Fahrenheit (around 7°C) by entering a "cold-stunned" state, where they appear dead but are just temporarily paralyzed and immobile; however, prolonged exposure to temperatures in the 30s and 40s, especially below freezing, can be lethal, particularly for smaller individuals, leading to tissue damage and organ failure. - They get sluggish below 50°F (10°C) and fall from trees as they lose grip. - The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued Executive Order 26-03 on Friday, allowing residents to collect and surrender cold-stunned green iguanas without a permit during an unprecedented cold weather event. Right on Schedule - Remember we talked about how the Nat Gas price was going to reverse, just as quickly as it spikeed? - Nat gas down 25% today - down about 28% from recent high - Still about 50% higher than it was before the spike. THIS! - Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang said the company's proposed $100 billion investment in OpenAI was “never a commitment” and that the company would consider any funding rounds “one at a time.” - “It was never a commitment,” Huang told reporters in Taipei on Sunday. “They invited us to invest up to $100 billion and of course, we were, we were very happy and honored that they invited us, but we will invest one step at a time.” Then Oracle announced that it will do a fundraiser in the form of equity and debt - needs to fund more datacenter build-out. - What happened to the OpenAI $300 Billion committment? - Or is the money that NVDA "committed to OpenAi, that they must have committed to Orcle, not a committment - GIGANTIC CIRCLE JERK Fungus - -Interesting - Did you know? Botrytis cinerea, a fungus causing grey mold, affects grapes by causing bunch rot, ruining fruit in high humidity. - While it often destroys crops, specific dry, warm conditions can transform it into "noble rot," concentrating sugars and creating high-value dessert wines (e.g., Sauternes, Tokaji) with honeyed, raisin-like, and apricot flavors. January Economic Review Employment — Job growth was nearly flat in December, with 50,000 new jobs added and earlier months revised lower. — Unemployment dipped slightly to 4.4%, but it's still higher than it was a year ago. — Long-term unemployment didn't change and remains high, and the labor force participation rate slipped to 62.4%. — Average hourly earnings rose 0.3% in December and are up 3.8% over the past year. — Weekly jobless claims stayed close to last year's levels, showing a labor market that is cooling but not weakening sharply. FOMC / Interest Rates — The Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged at 3.50%–3.75%. — Most policymakers agreed the economy continues to grow at a solid pace, though job gains are slowing and inflation remains above target. — Two committee members supported a small rate cut, but the majority preferred to wait. - Fed Chair Powell: Clearly, a weakening labor market calls for cutting. A stronger labor market says that rates are in a good place. It isn't anyone's base case right now that the next move will be a rate hike. - The economy has once again surprised us with its strength. Consumer spending numbers overall are good, and it looks like growth overall is on a solid footing. - Upside risks to inflation and downside risks to employment have diminished, but hard to say they are fully in balance. We think our policy is in a good place. - Overall, it's a stronger forecast since the Fed's last meeting. Haven't made any decisions about future meetings, but the economy is growing at a solid pace, the unemployment rate is broadly stable and inflation remains somewhat elevated, so we will be looking to our goal variables and letting the data light the way for us. - Most of the overrun in goods prices is from tariffs. We think tariffs are likely to move through, and be a one-time price increase. - Dissent: Miran and Waller (Miran is a admin shill and Waller wanted job as Fed Chair) GDP & Federal Budget — Economic growth remained strong in Q3 2025, with GDP rising at an annualized 4.4% driven by strong spending, higher exports, and reduced imports due to tariffs. — Investment was mixed, with business spending increasing while housing activity declined. — The federal deficit for December rose to $145 billion, though the fiscal year-to-date deficit is slightly smaller than last year. Inflation & Consumer Spending — Personal income and consumer spending rose moderately in October and November. — Inflation, measured by the PCE index, increased 0.2% in both months and roughly 2.7% year-over-year. — The Consumer Price Index rose 0.3% in December, with shelter, food, and energy all contributing. — Producer prices also increased, though 2025 producer inflation slowed compared to 2024. Housing — Existing home sales rose in December, but the number of homes for sale is still low. — Prices dipped a bit from November but remain higher than they were a year ago. — New-home sales in October were steady compared with the prior month but much higher than last year. — New-home prices fell compared to 2024, though they are still high relative to long-term norms. Manufacturing — Industrial production rose 0.4% in December and was up 2.0% for the year. — Manufacturing output increased, while mining activity declined and utility output jumped. — Durable goods orders grew sharply in November, driven by a big increase in transportation equipment, pointing to strong demand in key industries. Imports & Exports — Import and export prices rose slightly through November 2025. — The goods trade deficit widened in November because exports fell while imports increased. — For the year so far, both exports and imports are running above 2024 levels, though the overall trade deficit remains larger. Consumer Confidence — Consumer confidence fell sharply in January after improving in December. — Both views of current conditions and expectations for the future weakened, with expectations dropping well below the level that often signals recession risk. Earnings — Roughly one-third of S&P 500 companies have reported Q4 earnings, and overall results are strong. — 75% of companies have beaten EPS estimates, though this is slightly below long-term averages. Revenue beats remain solid at 65%. — Companies are reporting earnings 9.1% above estimates, which is well above the 5-and 10-year surprise averages. — The S&P 500 is on track for 11.9% year-over-year earnings growth, marking the 5th straight quarter of double-digit earnings growth. — Eight of eleven sectors are showing positive year-over-year earnings growth, led by Information Technology, Industrials, and Communication Services. — The Health Care sector shows the largest earnings declines among lagging categories. — The forward 12-month P/E ratio sits at ~22.2, elevated relative to 5-and 10-year averages, signaling continued optimism despite tariff and cost concerns. — FactSet also notes the S&P 500 is reporting a record-high net profit margin of 13.2%, the highest since 2009. INTERACTIVE BROKERS Check this out and find out more at: http://www.interactivebrokers.com/ S3XY No More - Tesla is ending production of the Model S sedan and Model X crossover by the end of Q2 2026 to focus on autonomous technology and humanoid robots (Optimus). - Do we have any idea with the TAM for either of these are? - Huge assumptions that Robotaxi will be a bug part of the global transportation. But, what if it isn't? - Unproven being built, taking out the proven - investors were not too happy about this...Stock was down after earnings showed continued sluggish EV sales and BIG Capex for Robotaxi refit, robots and chip manufacturing. But... - Friday - not to allow TESLA stock to move down tooo much. - With SpaceEx looking for an IPO in June - valuations have moved from $800B to 1.5T supposedly. - Now there is discussion of merging in xAI and possibly Tesla - Tesla shares dropped after earnings FED CHAIR PICK - Drumroll: Kevin Warsh - Seems like a good pick from the aspect of experience and ability - Deficit reducer? - More hawkish than market expected? - Announce Friday after several leaks in the morning And then... - Silver futures plummeted 31.4% to settle at $78.53, marking its worst day since March 1980. -It was down 35% during the day - the worst daily plunge ever on record. - It was the worst decline since the March 1980 Hunt Brothers crash. - The sharp moves down were initially triggered by reports of Warsh's nomination. - However, they gained steam in afternoon U.S. trading as investors who piled into the metals raced to book profits.- USD Spiked higher - Gold was down 10% - GOLD saw a drop of 10% to the close - 12% intraday - this was also a record - Bitcoin is down 25% from its recent level 2 weeks ago - ALL BEING BLAMED ON THE FED CHAIR PICK -- QUESTION - Will Trump back-peddle this OR talk to supporters in congress or tell them not to confirm him if markets continue to act squirrely? Fed Statement and Rates - Fed out with statement - no change on rates - Changes: Inflation up, employment steady, economy strong - Does not bode for much in the way of cuts - probably on hold though end of Powell term Apple Earnings - Apple reported blowout first-quarter earnings on Thursday, and predicted growth of as much as 16% in the current quarter, matching the period that just ended. - Sales could be even better, Apple said, if the company just secure enough chips to meet its customers' iPhone demands. - The company reported $42.1 billion in net income, or $2.84 per share, versus $36.33 billion, or $2.40 per share, in the year-ago period. - Apple saw particularly strong results in China, including Taiwan and Hong Kong. Sales in the region surged 38% during the quarter to $25.53 billion. - “The constraints that we have are driven by the availability of the advanced nodes that our SoCs are produced on, and at this time, we're seeing less flexibility in supply chain than normal,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said. - Stock up slightly - no great moves.... Blue Origin - Blue Origin will pause tourist flights to space for “no less than two years” to prioritize development of its moon lander and other lunar technologies. - The decision reflects Blue Origin's commitment to the nation's goal of returning to the Moon and establishing a permanent, sustained lunar presence. - The pause in tourist flights grounds the company's reusable New Shepard rocket, which has sent more than 90 people to the edge of space and back to experience brief periods of weightlessness. - Datacenters on the Moon? (sounds like a Pink Floyd album) Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? ANNOUNCING THE WINNER OF THE THE CLOSEST TO THE PIN CUP 2025 Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt! FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter
Heads were turning over the weekend after Chad Mizelle, a former Justice Department official, put out a recruitment call for Trump-loyal Assistant U.S. Attorneys to hit him up on X. Mary and Andrew begin by highlighting the atypical nature of this outreach, while noting how slim the pool of applicants must be for what have long-been highly coveted and competitive positions. This piled on another DOJ fumble after a huge tranche of Epstein files was released that unintentionally exposed the personal information of numerous victims. The co-hosts then turn to Minnesota, where a decision came in allowing Operation Metro Surge to continue, while another judge admonished DHS for ignoring over 90 court orders. Mary and Andrew also call out the arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort during an anti-ICE protest in the state. Plus: a beat on a controversial federal search warrant targeting 2020 ballots in Fulton County, with more to come on that issue.Further reading:Here is the Epstein victims' letter: Emergency Request for Immediate Judicial Intervention—Epstein Transparency Act Here is the New York Times guest essay that Andrew mentioned: We Were Top Homeland Security Lawyers. You Can't Wish Away the Fourth Amendment. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
From January 27, 2025: In a live conversation on January 23, Lawfare Editor-in-Chief Benjamin Wittes spoke to Lawfare Senior Editors Scott R. Anderson, Anna Bower, Quinta Jurecic, and Alan Rozenshtein and assistant law professor at Pace University Amelia Wilson about the first batch of executive orders by President Trump in his second term, including suspending enforcement of the TikTok ban, the use of the military at the border, the birthright citizenship order, and the legal challenges some of these orders are facing.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mary and Andrew make Minnesota the focal point this week, after the Trump administration's intensified immigration enforcement efforts in the state culminated in the tragic killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents on Saturday. The co-hosts detail several legal cases related to these efforts: one that challenges how ICE and CBP agents treat protestors and observers, another that aims to preserve evidence in Mr. Pretti's death, and a state case arguing that the federal government is violating the 10th Amendment and Minnesota's sovereignty rights by conducting “Operation Metro Surge”. Then, they turn to what Andrew calls an “extortion letter” sent by Attorney General Pam Bondi to Governor Tim Walz over the weekend, implying that compliance of three demands – including handing over Minnesota's voter rolls – could lead to a reduction of immigration forces in the state. Before wrapping up, Mary and Andrew review a memo surfaced by a whistleblower giving DHS officers authority to forcibly enter homes during immigration enforcement operations.Further reading: Here is a new piece Andrew and Ryan Goodman wrote for Just Security: The Top 10 Questions the Trump Administration Needs to Answer About Minnesota. What journalists and Congress should ask. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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