Members phkrause Posted June 4, 2025 Author Members Posted June 4, 2025 ICE Barbie’s List of ‘Sanctuary’ Cities Yanked After Furious Backlash The pro-Trump National Sheriffs’ Association had called the list “arbitrary” and a betrayal. Kristi Noem’s Department of Homeland Security has taken down a list of dozens of “sanctuary” cities and counties accused of hampering the administration’s mass-deportation efforts after even a pro-Trump law enforcement group denounced the list. Homeland Security Secretary Noem announced the list last week in a blustering statement accusing the cities of obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws. “These sanctuary cities are endangering Americans and our law enforcement in order to protect violent criminal illegal aliens,” Noem said. The jurisdictions listed would be receiving “formal notice of non-compliance and all potential violations of federal criminal statutes,” DHS warned in the statement. In sanctuary cities, local law enforcement officers don’t routinely collect information about people’s immigration status, though they do turn undocumented people over to federal immigration agents if a federal arrest warrant has been issued, or if the person has been convicted of a serious crime. Supporters say the policies reduce crime by fostering trust between police and the community. In an April executive order, though, President Donald Trump called the practice “a lawless insurrection” against the federal government and ordered the Department of Justice and DHS to publish a list of sanctuary jurisdictions. The published list included cities like Boston, Chicago, New York City, and Denver, whose mayors have defended the policy during congressional hearings, Reuters reported. But it also included a number of jurisdictions that had never adopted a sanctuary policy. In a statement Saturday, the National Sheriffs’ Association—whose leadership has typically supported Trump—called the list “arbitrary,” while doing its best to distance Trump from his own policy. “DHS has done a terrible disservice to President Trump and the Sheriffs of this country. The President’s goals to reduce crime, secure the Borders, and make America safer have taken a step backward,” said the group’s president, Sheriff Kieran Donahue of Canyon County, Idaho. “The sheriffs of this country feel betrayed.” The statement said the list was “created without any input, criteria for compliance, or mechanism for how to object to the designation,” meaning sheriffs had no way of knowing what they needed to do to avoid being tagged with the “arbitrary” label. During a meeting over the weekend, nobody from DHS was able to say who had compiled, proofed, or verified the list, the statement complained. In a statement to the Daily Beast, a senior DHS official said the list is being constantly reviewed and can be changed at any time. It will be updated regularly, the official added. “Designation of a sanctuary jurisdiction is based on the evaluation of numerous factors, including self-identification as a sanctuary jurisdiction, noncompliance with federal law enforcement in enforcing immigration laws, restrictions on information sharing, and legal protections for illegal aliens,” the official said. The sheriffs’ association, however, said the list “violated the core principles of trust, cooperation, and partnership with fellow law enforcement.” “It also has the potential to strain the relationship between Sheriffs and the White House administration,” the organization said. “This decision by DHS could create a vacuum of trust that make takes years to overcome.” By Sunday, the list was no longer on the DHS website, though it wasn’t clear exactly when on Saturday it was taken down or whether the decision was related to the sheriffs’ association statement, according to Reuters. Asked about the list by Fox News host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday, Noem did not address its removal from DHS’ website. “Some of the cities have pushed back,” she said. “They think because they don’t have one law or another on the books that they don’t qualify, but they do qualify. They are giving sanctuary to criminals.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/dhs-yanks-ice-barbie-kristi-noems-list-of-sanctuary-cities-after-furious-backlash/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 4, 2025 Author Members Posted June 4, 2025 ‘MAGA Granny’ Pamela Hemphill Fights Against Capitol Riot Pardon From Trump Pamela Hemphill is now waiting for the president’s reaction. Jan. 6 rioter Pamela Hemphill has refused a pardon from President Donald Trump, and is now expecting him to come after her. More than 1,500 people who participated in the 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have been pardoned by Trump this year. However, when Hemphill, from Idaho, was pardoned by the president on Jan. 20, the 72-year-old contacted Sen. James Risch, the Idaho Republican, to formally refuse and block it. “Ms. Hemphill’s non-acceptance is noted,” the pardon’s attorney office acknowledged on April 2, while a spokesperson for Risch told CBS News, “Due to privacy concerns, we cannot disclose details about individual cases.” The grandmother, 72, spent 60 days in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges related to the riot in July, 2022. She explained her battle to refuse Trump’s pardon to CBS and claimed she was expecting the president to mention her at any moment. “Trump will probably say, ‘That ungrateful lady, I’m going to make sure she gets back on probation and give her the worst you can give her.’ I won’t be surprised,” she said. ““We were guilty, period,” Hemphill added. “The pardons just contribute to their narrative, which is all lies, propaganda.” “We all know that they’re gaslighting us. They are using January 6 to just continue Trump’s narrative that the Justice Department was weaponized. They were not. When the FBI came to my home, oh my God, they were very professional. They treated me very good.” Hemphill’s reaction to her pardon is out of the ordinary, according to former Pardon Attorney Liz Oyer, who was sacked by the Trump administration in March. “Some Jan. 6 defendants blew up our phones seeking a copy of their pardons. They wanted the copies quickly. They wanted it framed and signed,” Oyer told CBS. Hemphill labelled Trump “a felon” on her social media in January. She told the Daily Beast last year she realized, “I was trespassing. I had a choice—I could have left.” It’s a stark reversal from a post on Dec. 28, 2020, on Hemphill’s social media that read “It’s a WAR!” and one day later when she posted, “On my way to Washington DC January 6th.” She was arrested two days after Jan. 6. Hemphill said she has had time to reflect on her actions, even if they have made her the target of MAGA hate. Some have labelled her an “FBI plant” and she also has also been targeted by former Proud Boy leader Enrique Tarrio on social media. “How could you sleep at night taking a pardon when you know you were guilty? You know that everybody there was guilty. I couldn’t live with myself. I have to be right with me. And with God,” Hemphill said. https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-granny-pamela-hemphill-fights-against-capitol-riot-pardon-from-trump/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 4, 2025 Author Members Posted June 4, 2025 How To Combat America’s Culture-Warrior-In-Chief President Donald Trump is often perceived as an ideological paradox — at once populist and plutocratic, pro-working-class and anti-labor, pro-growth and anti-trade, maverick conservative and Old Guard Republican. But for all of what looks like impulsive zig-zagging, there is a consistent throughline: He’s always focused on finding, spotlighting, and exacerbating the country’s most divisive cultural flashpoints. https://www.levernews.com/how-to-combat-americas-culture-warrior-in-chief/? ?? Exclusive: Federal cyber exodus Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios Roughly 1,000 people have already left the nation's top cybersecurity agency during the second Trump administration — nearly one-third of its workforce, a former government official tells Axios' Sam Sabin. Why it matters: The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is facing a potential 17% funding cut under the president's proposed budget — raising fears that power grids, water utilities, and election systems could be left without a well-equipped federal partner. Trump officials are actively pursuing plans to increase offensive cyber operations against adversarial nations like China — and experts warn those nations are bound to respond in kind to those strikes. But with a smaller cyber defense agency, security experts fear the country won't have the resources needed to protect the homeland. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 5, 2025 Author Members Posted June 5, 2025 ? Trump's immigration enforcement hot spots Data: ICE. Map: Jacque Schrag/Axios Efforts to arrest and remove unauthorized immigrants appear most aggressive in five southern states with Democratic-leaning cities, while deeply red rural states are seeing less activity, according to an analysis by Axios' Russell Contreras and Brittany Gibson. Why it matters: Our review of removal orders, pending deportation cases and agreements between immigration officials and local law enforcement agencies sheds light on where the Trump administration is dispatching resources to support its mass deportation plan. The analysis shows local law enforcement agencies in Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia have been most cooperative with ICE in rounding up immigrants through deals known as 287 (g) agreements. There are 629 such agreements now in place across the country. About 43% of them are in Florida, followed by 14% in Texas and 5% in Georgia. ? Zoom in: The GOP-led state governments in Florida, Texas and Virginia also have made a point of pushing local agencies to partner with federal agents, leading to a series of high-profile, mass raids in those states. Recent raids in Florida by a coalition of agencies led to 1,120 arrests in an effort dubbed Operation Tidal Wave. ?️ The big picture: The data analyzed by Axios and the locations of the agreements between federal and local authorities reflect a few simple truths about immigration enforcement across the U.S. There aren't nearly enough federal agents to meet President Trump's unprecedented deportation goal of deporting a million immigrants a year. In some places where the Trump administration faces a gap in resources, local law enforcement agencies are unable or unwilling to meet the feds' demands or expand beyond their usual enforcement duties. With the nation's borders essentially locked down, the administration has shifted much of its deportation operations to the nation's interior. Keep reading. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 5, 2025 Author Members Posted June 5, 2025 A Chilean Billionaire Strikes Gold In The Budget Bill A last-minute provision inserted into President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful” budget reconciliation bill would allow Chile’s wealthiest business magnate — and former landlord to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump — to begin mining operations on protected federal lands. Mining at the proposed Minnesota site poses irreversible environmental risks to nearby bodies of freshwater, according to a federal environmental review. https://www.levernews.com/a-chilean-billionaire-strikes-gold-in-the-budget-bill/? ps:So now we're putting foreigners into our Bills?????????? The Tech Recruitment Ruse That Has Avoided Trump’s Crackdown on Immigration It’s a tough time for the rank-and-file tech worker or computer science graduate looking for a job. The Silicon Valley giants have laid off tens of thousands in the past couple years. The longstanding threat of offshoring persists, while the new threat of AI looms. https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-immigration-h1b-visas-perm-tech-jobs-recruitment? Death, Sexual Violence and Human Trafficking: Fallout From U.S. Aid Withdrawal Hits the World’s Most Fragile Locations American diplomats in at least two countries have recently delivered internal reports to Washington that reflect a grim new reality taking hold abroad: The Trump administration’s sudden withdrawal of foreign aid is bringing about the violence and chaos that many had warned would come. https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-usaid-malawi-state-department-crime-sexual-violence-trafficking Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 5, 2025 Author Members Posted June 5, 2025 Immigration official defends tactics against criticism of a heavy hand as arrests rise nationwide The head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Monday defended his tactics against criticism that authorities are being too heavy-handed as they ramp up arrests amid President Donald Trump’s promises of mass deportations. Read more. What to know: San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said he was “deeply upset” by an ICE operation at a popular Italian restaurant just before the dinner rush on Friday. A chaotic showdown unfolded outside as customers and witnesses shouted, smoke filled the air and agents wore heavy tactical gear to face an angry crowd. ICE said Monday that the operation at Buona Forchetta, an anchor of San Diego’s trendy South Park neighborhood, resulted in four arrests of people in the U.S. illegally. Authorities executed criminal search warrants for illegal hiring and making false statements when the crowd “became unruly,” prompting them to use flash-bang devices. Todd Lyons, ICE’s acting director, turned emotional when asked to explain why officials wear masks. He said some have received death threats and have been harassed online. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump asks the Supreme Court to clear the way for federal downsizing plans Supreme Court will consider reviving Republican challenge to Illinois law on mail ballots Supreme Court to hear private prison company appeal in suit over immigration detainee $1-a-day wages Judge grants preliminary injunction to protect collective bargaining agreement for TSA workers Judge blocks administration from revoking protected status for small subset of Venezuelans More white South Africans arrive in the US under a new refugee program Trump pardons 2 divers who freed 19 sharks off the coast of Florida OAN’s Pentagon reporter learns the limits of expressing her own opinion In wake of deep cuts, NOAA says it will hire for ‘mission-critical’ weather service positions US growth likely to slow to 1.6% this year, hobbled by Trump’s trade wars, OECD says North Macedonia announces plan to take tariffs on US goods to zero in hopes of reciprocation Trump officials visit key operations at prolific Alaska oil field amid push to expand drilling To prevent blackouts, Trump administration keeps another aging power plant online through summer Schwarzenegger tells environmentalists dismayed by Trump to ‘stop whining’ and get to work Texas is poised to become the latest GOP state to exert control over university curriculum Puerto Rico Supreme Court allows ‘X’ as a third gender choice on birth certificates North Dakota promises flush toilets at historic sites Iowa state lawmaker enters US Senate race after Ernst retort on Medicaid cuts Romanian man pleads guilty to ‘swatting’ plot that targeted an ex-US president and lawmakers Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 5, 2025 Author Members Posted June 5, 2025 ? Swamping the drain with Project 2025 sycophants. More than 50 high-level officials tapped to be a part of the second Trump administration have ties to groups affiliated with Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s blueprint to “dismantle the administrative state.” This comes after President Donald Trump distanced himself from the arch-conservative project during the campaign last year, maintaining he’s “not an extremist at all” and has “nothing to do with” Project 2025. Yet, according to this independent tracking project, in less than six months Trump has accomplished more than 40 percent of Project 2025’s agenda. Republican push for proof of citizenship to vote proves a tough sell in the states President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans have made it a priority this year to require people to prove citizenship before they can register to vote. Turning that aspiration into reality has proved difficult. The most recent state effort to falter is in Texas. Read More. Judge rules federal prisons must continue providing hormone therapy to transgender inmates The federal Bureau of Prisons must continue providing hormone therapy and social accommodations to hundreds of transgender inmates following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that led to a disruption in medical treatment, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. Read More. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 5, 2025 Author Members Posted June 5, 2025 Trump Is Melting Down in Private at ‘Weak’ Amy Coney Barrett The president has reportedly become increasingly frustrated by his conservative Supreme Court picks. President Donald Trump has privately lashed out at conservative Supreme Court justices for not consistently backing his agenda, taking particular aim at his most recent appointee Amy Coney Barrett. One week after Barrett enraged MAGA Republicans by recusing herself from an Oklahoma charter school case, CNN reported that the president has become increasingly frustrated by his 2020 Supreme Court pick, fueled by right-wing allies telling him that she is “weak”. According to unnamed sources, Trump has been increasingly irked by others on the bench, too, including Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, whom the president also nominated during his first term. But the main target was reportedly Barrett amid concerns from allies that her rulings have not been consistent with how she presented herself before she was appointed to her lifetime job on the nation’s highest court. Tensions in MAGA world over Barrett have been simmering for months. In March, for example, Barrett voted to reject Trump’s attempt to freeze nearly $2 billion in foreign aid, prompting legal commentator Mike Davis to declare on Steve Bannon’s podcast: “She’s a rattled law professor with her head up her ass.” Earlier in January, Barrett sided with Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, a fellow conservative, and the liberal justices of the court to allow Trump to be sentenced in his so-called “hush money” trial. Trump had been convicted in May after a jury in New York unanimously found him guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal with porn star Stormy Daniels. But last month’s decision to recuse herself in the Oklahoma case particularly enraged those in Trump’s circle, given the administration had backed the school. In a statement to the Daily Beast, spokesman Harrison Fields said: “President Trump will always stand with the U.S. Supreme Court, unlike the Democrat Party, which, if given the opportunity, would pack the court, ultimately undermining its integrity. “The President may disagree with the Court and some of its rulings, but he will always respect its foundational role,” he said. Barrett was nominated by Trump in 2020, but had become a darling of religious conservatives during her earlier confirmation hearings to sit on the Seventh Circuit. Appointed to the Supreme Court at the age of 48, she was the youngest woman justice to sit on the bench and also happened to be the first mother of school-aged children to serve there. While Barrett has joined conservatives on major rulings to move US law to the right, including on abortion and affirmative action, MAGA acolytes have become increasingly angered by her more centrist rulings, with some even calling her “evil” and a “DEI” hire. “Amy Coney Barrett was a DEI appointee,” far-right influencer, Laura Loomer wrote on X in March. The post also featured a photo of Barrett’s family, which includes two children adopted from Haiti, who are Black. Her supporters, however, have fought back. “Barrett is a terrific justice, and, in most cases, those who are criticizing her are forgetting the proper role of the judiciary,” wrote National Review senior editor Charles C.W. Cooke in a recent column titled “In defense of Justice Amy Coney Barrett.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-melts-down-over-amy-coney-barrett-not-backing-him/? ps:I guess he doesn't care for those that actually put country above him!!!!!!!! Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 6, 2025 Author Members Posted June 6, 2025 Musk blasts Trump's signature bill as "disgusting abomination" Elon Musk unloaded on President Trump's signature tax-and-spending bill Tuesday, declaring that he could no longer stay silent on what he called a "disgusting abomination." https://www.axios.com/2025/06/03/elon-musk-trump-bill-deficit-spending? The Trump Protests Will Fail — Unless People Do This In a recent segment, MSNBC commentator Rachel Maddow breathlessly described an upcoming “No Kings Day” protest of President Donald Trump on June 14, pointing to a coordinated protest effort that day across all 50 states. https://www.levernews.com/the-trump-protests-will-fail-unless-people-do-this/ Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 6, 2025 Author Members Posted June 6, 2025 “Not Ready” (Illustration by The Atlantic; Source: Getty.) View in browser Who manages the disaster if the disaster managers are the disaster? That’s a question that the people of the United States may have to answer soon. As hurricane season begins in the U.S., the Federal Emergency Management Agency is in disarray. Reuters reported yesterday that acting FEMA head David Richardson suggested during a meeting with employees that he was unaware of the very existence of a hurricane season. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security dismissed the report: “Despite meanspirited attempts to falsely frame a joke as policy, there is no uncertainty about what FEMA will be doing this Hurricane Season.” The spokesperson added, “FEMA is shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens.” FEMA employees, and Americans at large, might be forgiven for having doubts. Richardson has only been on the job since early May, when his predecessor was abruptly fired after telling Congress he did not believe that FEMA should be eliminated, as President Donald Trump has contemplated. Richardson is a Marine veteran who had been leading the DHS office that seeks to prevent attacks on the U.S. involving weapons of mass destruction, but he has no experience with disaster management. The Wall Street Journal reported that he had expressed surprise at how broad FEMA’s remit is. (The last time FEMA was led by an administrator whose profession was not emergency management was the mid-2000s, under Michael Brown. If you don’t know how that turned out, I recommend my colleague Vann R. Newkirk II’s award-winning podcast on Hurricane Katrina, Floodlines.) But Richardson surely is aware of hurricane season. In mid-May, CNN obtained an internal document warning that FEMA was badly behind schedule. “As FEMA transforms to a smaller footprint, the intent for this hurricane season is not well understood, thus FEMA is not ready,” it read. (DHS, which oversees FEMA, said the information was “grossly out of context.”) To calm worries at the agency, Richardson held a conference call. “I would say we’re about 80 or 85 percent there,” he told staff, according to ABC News. “The next week, we will close that gap and get to probably 97 to 98 percent of a plan. We’ll never have 100 percent of a plan.” That was not the most reassuring answer, and it looks worse now. The Journal reports that in the same meeting yesterday where Richardson suggested unfamiliarity with hurricane season, he also said the agency would return to its 2024 hurricane-preparedness strategy. How that will work is anyone’s guess, given that FEMA has already slashed programs and staff since last year’s hurricane season. (FEMA responded to my request for comment with DHS’s statement, but did not answer specific questions or make any official available for an interview.) FEMA is not a large part of the federal government by budget or staff, but it is an important one because it directly affects the lives of ordinary Americans in their worst moments. Washington can seem distant and abstract, but disasters are not, and as Hurricane Helene last year demonstrated, even people living in supposed “climate havens” are susceptible to extreme weather. In the aftermath of Helene, Trump grasped the widespread public fury at FEMA, which storm victims felt was not responsive enough, fast enough. (Major disasters are major, and even the best-managed response is going to be slower than anyone wants, but no one seems to think this was the best-managed response.) As a candidate, he was quick to say that the Biden administration should do more, but since becoming president again, he has taken steps to ensure that FEMA can and will do less. FEMA is also making recovery harder for the victims of past disasters. In April, the agency declined to declare a major disaster in Washington State, which would free up funding for recovery from a bomb cyclone in November 2024; the state’s entire congressional delegation pleaded with him to reconsider. DHS also denied North Carolina more funding for cleanup after Helene, which Governor Josh Stein estimated would cost state taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. The president also refused individual federal assistance to nine Arkansas counties struck by tornadoes in March, only reversing the decision after Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served as press secretary in Trump’s first administration, called the president directly. In the post-FEMA future that Trump has floated, states would be responsible for all disaster recovery. Some conservatives have long argued that states need to shoulder more responsibility for smaller disasters, but most states (and territories such as Puerto Rico) simply don’t have the resources to respond to large-scale disasters like Helene. This is, after all, one reason the 13 colonies united in the first place: for mutual aid and protection. The federal government has much greater resources and, unlike most states, is not required to balance its budget annually. That makes it a crucial financial backstop. As Brock Long, who led FEMA during Trump’s first term, told me last year, “All disasters are locally executed, state managed, and federally supported.” FEMA has not, generally, been a partisan agency. Administrators may have different political views, but they try to provide help without consideration for politics. I’ve spoken with several administrators over the years, and they are consistently professional, don’t take wildly differing approaches to their work, and are dedicated to emergency response. When an employee at FEMA was caught telling workers not to help people with Trump signs in their yards, it was rightly a scandal. Yet in his first term, Trump himself reportedly withheld or delayed disaster funds in multiple cases based on partisanship. His reversal on assistance for Arkansas residents raises the specter of a future in which only states whose governors are close to Trump can hope to obtain relief. And yet if FEMA isn’t prepared for hurricane season, doesn’t have sufficient staff, and is laboring under a president who would like to see it gone, the problem may not be that only the president’s allies can get help from the federal government—but rather that no one can. Related: Hurricane Helene through the eyes of a former FEMA chief David Inserra: There are too many federal disasters. ps:He's got a guy running FEMA that said what? All I can do is shake my head at this administration that seems to have people at the head of each department that seem to be clueless!!!!!!!!!! Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 6, 2025 Author Members Posted June 6, 2025 Trump administration revokes guidance requiring hospitals to provide emergency abortions The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it would revoke guidance to the nation’s hospitals that directed them to provide emergency abortions for women when they are necessary to stabilize their medical condition. Read more. What to know: That guidance was issued to hospitals in 2022, weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court upended national abortion rights in the U.S. It was an effort by the Biden administration to preserve abortion access for extreme cases in which women were experiencing medical emergencies and needed an abortion to prevent organ loss or severe hemorrhaging, among other serious complications. The move prompted concerns from some doctors and abortion rights advocates that women will not get emergency abortions in states with strict bans. “The Trump administration would rather women die in emergency rooms than receive life-saving abortions,” Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement. Anti-abortion advocates, meanwhile, praised the announcement. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, said in a statement that the Biden-era policy had been a way to expand abortion access in states where it was banned. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Louisiana lawmakers reject adding exceptions for some rape cases to abortion ban Lawsuit challenging Kentucky’s near-total ban on abortions is withdrawn Her miscarriage showed the limits of California’s abortion protections. Where you live matters Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 6, 2025 Author Members Posted June 6, 2025 Musk calls Trump’s big tax break bill a ‘disgusting abomination,’ testing his influence over the GOP Elon Musk blasted President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” of tax breaks and spending cuts as a “disgusting abomination” on Tuesday, testing the limits of his political influence as he targeted the centerpiece of Republicans’ legislative agenda. The tech titan’s missives could cause headaches for Republicans on Capitol Hill, who face conflicting demands from Trump and their party’s wealthiest benefactor. Read more. What to know: “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore,” Musk posted on X. “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.” The legislation, which has passed the House and is currently under debate in the Senate, would curtail subsidies that benefit Tesla, Musk’s electric automaker. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump formally asks Congress to claw back approved spending targeted by DOGE WATCH: Senators consider changes to debt limit and Medicaid in Trump's big bill Trump promises to hike steel and aluminum tariffs to 50% starting Wednesday Democratic lawmakers put estimate of blocked federal funds at $425 billion Education Department says it will not garnish Social Security of student loan borrowers in default US immigration authorities detain the family of the man charged in the Colorado attack Newark mayor sues New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor after arrest at immigration detention site Mexican 4-year-old is granted humanitarian parole to continue receiving lifesaving care in US Federal officers in tactical gear went into a Latino community in Minneapolis. A protest followed Massachusetts high school volleyball team rallies around teammate detained by immigration agents Fed lifts restrictions placed on Wells Fargo in 2018 because of its fake-accounts scandal Justice Department drops lawsuit against Trump adviser Peter Navarro Kennedy has ordered a review of baby formula. Here’s what you should know Ex-Homeland Security official Taylor fights back against Trump’s ‘unprecedented’ investigation order Ukraine’s backers meet to drum up arms and ammo. The Pentagon chief is absent for the first time Nevada’s regular 2025 legislative session ends. Voter ID is among the key bills to pass New Mexico appeals court rejects lawsuit against oil and gas regulators Tennessee court upholds law from Republican legislators to cut blue Nashville’s council in half Federal judge blocks Florida from enforcing social media ban for kids while lawsuit continues Santa Ono rejected for University of Florida presidency amid conservative backlash Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 6, 2025 Author Members Posted June 6, 2025 Hegseth orders the name of gay rights activist Harvey Milk scrubbed from Navy ship Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a highly rare move that will strip the ship of the moniker of a slain gay rights activist who served as a sailor during the Korean War. Read more. Why this matters: The change was laid out in an internal memo that officials said defended the action as a move to align with President Donald Trump and Hegseth’s objectives to “re-establish the warrior culture.” Milk served four years in the Navy before he was forced out for being gay. He later served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and sponsored a bill banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in public accommodations, housing and employment. After San Francisco Mayor George Moscone signed it into law, they were assassinated by a former city supervisor who cast the sole vote against Milk’s bill. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Budapest police deny LGBTQ+ march request, citing Hungary’s legislative Pride ban Pride events face budget shortfalls as US corporations pull support ahead of summer festivities Most LGBTQ+ adults feel Americans don’t accept transgender people, Pew poll finds Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 6, 2025 Author Members Posted June 6, 2025 Amid cuts, Trump’s proposed NASA budget would lay waste to new Artemis launch tower Work for now continues daily at Kennedy Space Center on a new mobile launch tower that has already cost more than $1 billion. But the Artemis moon mission it is intended to serve may never happen if President Trump’s plans for NASA come to fruition. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/06/04/amid-cuts-trumps-proposed-nasa-budget-would-lay-waste-to-new-artemis-launch-tower/? The upside-down priorities of the House budget Adding significantly to debt while reducing incomes for the bottom 40% https://www.epi.org/publication/the-upside-down-priorities-of-the-house-budget/? The U.S. approach to globalization has gone from bad to worse under Trump How to construct a progressive policy agenda instead https://www.epi.org/publication/the-u-s-approach-to-globalization-has-gone-from-bad-to-worse-under-trump-how-to-construct-a-progressive-policy-agenda-instead/? Trump tax bill will add $2.4 trillion to the deficit and leave 10.9 million more uninsured, CBO says President Donald Trump’s big bill making its way through Congress will cut taxes by $3.75 trillion but also increase deficits by $2.4 trillion over the next decade, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Read More. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 7, 2025 Author Members Posted June 7, 2025 Putin tells Trump he'll hit Ukraine back for surprise drone attack President Trump said Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him he will "have to respond" to the massive Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's strategic air bases. https://www.axios.com/2025/06/04/putin-trump-call-ceasefire-drone-attack? ps:Seriously? Is this a game for him?? So than I suppose that Ukraine has the right to invade Russia?????????? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 7, 2025 Author Members Posted June 7, 2025 “The Intern in Charge”: Meet the 22-Year-Old Trump’s Team Picked to Lead Terrorism Prevention When Thomas Fugate graduated from college last year with a degree in politics, he celebrated in a social media post about the exciting opportunities that lay beyond campus life in Texas. “Onward and upward!” he wrote, with an emoji of a rocket shooting into space. https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-dhs-thomas-fugate-cp3-terrorism-prevention? ps:Does over qualified comes to mind?? I don't think so!! Another genius in charge of a department he has no clue about!!!!!!!!!! Trump Wants to Cut Tribal College Funding by Nearly 90%, Putting Them at Risk of Closing The Trump administration has proposed cutting funding for tribal colleges and universities by nearly 90%, a move that would likely shut down most or all of the institutions created to serve students disadvantaged by the nation’s historic mistreatment of Indigenous communities. https://www.propublica.org/article/tribal-colleges-universities-trump-cuts-funding? Dismissed by DEI: Trump’s Purge Made Black Women With Stable Federal Jobs an “Easy Target” In February 2020, President Donald Trump’s first education secretary issued a memo to employees emphasizing the department’s policy “to ensure that diversity, inclusiveness, and respect are integral parts of our day-to-day management and work.” https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-dei-black-women-minorities-careers-jobs-dismissed? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 7, 2025 Author Members Posted June 7, 2025 Scoop: Trump's "badass" praise President Trump thought Ukraine's surprise drone attack over the weekend was "strong" and "badass," sources who discussed it with him tell Axios' Marc Caputo and Barak Ravid. But he's also concerned it will make his ceasefire mission even harder. Why it matters: The meticulously planned operation on Russia's most strategic air bases — conducted remotely from thousands of miles away — suggested Ukraine has more "cards" than Trump gave them credit for, but also effectively dared Russian President Vladimir Putin to escalate in return. Trump said yesterday that Putin had told him "very strongly" that he'd be hitting back. "It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace." He has been surprisingly mum in public when it comes to his personal feelings about the attack. In private, though, he marveled at the operation. ? Behind the scenes: "Pretty strong," Trump told one confidant, who relayed his remarks to Axios. "He thought it was badass," a second source said of Trump's reaction. One Trump adviser said: "From an international perspective, you've got a chihuahua inflicting some real damage on a much bigger dog." The flipside: Trump also told people he met with in recent days that the drone attack would likely push Putin to retaliate very significantly, another source with knowledge said. Trump is concerned that the scenario will set back his diplomatic initiative, which generated the first direct talks between the parties in three years, the source said. "We want this war to end. We want it to de-escalate. So if Putin goes crazy in response, yeah, the president has concerns," another source who spoke to Trump said. ? Reality check: The recent talks showed no sign of a breakthrough, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that Putin had been refusing to pursue a ceasefire long before the attack. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 7, 2025 Author Members Posted June 7, 2025 ⚡ Trump brings back travel ban Map: Axios Visuals President Trump renewed a signature policy from his first term with a new travel ban issued last night that blocks citizens of 12 countries from visiting the U.S., Axios' Sareen Habeshian writes. He also put less-severe restrictions on citizens from seven additional countries. Why it matters: Trump's original travel ban — announced a week after his 2017 inauguration — defined the early stages of his presidency and sparked a massive wave of protests. The order, often referred to as a "Muslim ban," was met with legal challenges, but the Supreme Court ultimately upheld a revised version of it. ? Zoom in: This ban, which takes effect Monday, largely impacts countries in the Middle East and Africa (mapped above). It includes exceptions for lawful permanent U.S. residents, existing visa holders, other special visas, adoptions, and for athletes traveling for the World Cup, Olympics or other major sporting events. Trump connected it with Sunday's terror attack in Boulder, Colo., saying it "underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted." ? Also last night: Trump ordered an investigation into President Biden's use of an autopen to sign documents and moved to block Harvard's international students from entering the country. Go deeper: Full list of countries ... Watch Trump's announcement. Travel ban President Donald Trump signed a proclamation last night to ban travel from 12 countries to the US, citing the need to protect the country from "foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats.” The travel ban, which will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on June 9, will restrict the entry of nationals from Afghanistan, Myanmar (also known as Burma), Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. People from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela will face a partial restriction. During his first term, Trump barred travelers from seven majority-Muslim nations from coming to the US. That policy was challenged in court before President Joe Biden repealed it in 2021. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 7, 2025 Author Members Posted June 7, 2025 ? Charted: Trump tariff rollercoaster Data: Budget Lab at Yale. Chart: Axios Visuals This chart sums up how rapidly President Trump has changed the very underpinnings of U.S. trade policy since the start of February, Axios' Neil Irwin writes. Why it matters: Tariffs with major trading partners are not only higher than they have been in decades. They've also become far more volatile. ? By the numbers: In the last month alone, the weighted average tariff has been as low as 6.9% (after a trade court ruling that Trump overstepped his emergency authority) and as high as 28%, just before a de-escalation with China, according to calculations by the Yale Budget Lab shared first with Axios. It was 2.4% at the start of this year. Keep reading. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 7, 2025 Author Members Posted June 7, 2025 Trump announces travel ban and restrictions on 19 countries President Donald Trump on Wednesday resurrected a hallmark policy of his first term, announcing that citizens of 12 countries would be banned from visiting the United States and those from seven others would face restrictions. Read more. Why this matters: The ban takes effect Monday at 12:01 a.m., a cushion that may avoid the chaos that unfolded at airports nationwide when a similar measure took effect with virtually no notice in 2017. Trump, who signaled plans for a new ban upon taking office in January, appears to be on firmer ground this time after the Supreme Court sided with him. Some, but not all, 12 countries also appeared on the list of banned countries in Trump’s first term. The new ban includes Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. There will be heightened restrictions on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. In a video released on social media, Trump tied the new ban to Sunday’s terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas. The suspect in the attack is from Egypt, a country that is not on Trump’s restricted list. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump moves to block US entry for foreign students planning to study at Harvard University Education Department goes after Columbia University’s accreditation A US judge halts the deportation of the Egyptian family of the Boulder firebombing suspect Judge says migrants sent to El Salvador prison must get a chance to challenge their removals Judge blocks private prison operator from housing ICE detainees at shuttered Kansas center Guatemalan man deported to Mexico returns to US after court order World Pride opening speaker says she was denied entry to US ahead of conference Russian strike kills 5 in Ukraine, including a 1-year-old, hours after Trump-Putin call Trump names nominees to take over commands in the Middle East and Africa Congressional letter obtained by AP outlines drastic job cuts expected at Voice of America Thune’s first big test as Senate leader has arrived with Trump’s tax bill Judge tosses Democratic committees’ lawsuit over the Federal Election Commission’s independence Federal judge blocks Texas law allowing in-state tuition for students without legal residency Pennsylvania is suing the USDA over cutting funding to a $1 billion food aid program for states WATCH: California’s Yurok Tribe tribe gets back ancestral lands Nebraska is the latest state to ban transgender students from girls’ sports Top DeSantis aide named next Florida education commissioner Former GOP congressman David Jolly to run for Florida governor as a Democrat In a crowded NYC mayoral debate, Cuomo faces attacks from all sides Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 7, 2025 Author Members Posted June 7, 2025 Trump orders investigation into Biden’s actions as president, ratcheting up targeting of predecessor Donald Trump on Wednesday directed his administration to investigate Joe Biden’s actions as president, alleging aides masked his predecessor’s “cognitive decline” and casting doubts on the legitimacy of his use of the autopen to sign pardons and other documents. Read more. Why this matters: The order marked a significant escalation in Trump’s targeting of political adversaries and could lay the groundwork for arguments by the Republican that a range of Biden’s actions as president were invalid. Biden responded in a statement Wednesday night: “Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.” RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Consultant behind AI-generated robocalls mimicking Biden goes on trial in New Hampshire Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 7, 2025 Author Members Posted June 7, 2025 Trump-backed giant tax and spending bill bloats deficit by $2.4T, nonpartisan CBO says WASHINGTON — The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released detailed analysis Wednesday showing Republicans’ “big, beautiful bill” would increase federal deficits by $2.4 trillion during the next decade. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/06/04/repub/trump-backed-giant-tax-and-spending-bill-bloats-deficit-by-2-4t-nonpartisan-cbo-says/? Trump tariffs would lower deficit but slow U.S. economic growth, nonpartisan CBO finds WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s tariffs would decrease the deficit over the next decade but overall shrink the U.S. economy and raise costs for consumers, according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis released Wednesday. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/06/04/repub/trump-tariffs-would-lower-deficit-but-slow-u-s-economic-growth-nonpartisan-cbo-finds/? Federal judge unseals some records in Abrego Garcia case WASHINGTON — The Maryland federal judge overseeing the lawsuit concerning the wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia unsealed documents Wednesday that the Trump administration had asked to keep unavailable to the public under the so-called state secrets privilege. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/06/04/repub/federal-judge-unseals-some-records-in-abrego-garcia-case/? ✈️ Boeing’s clean slate. Last week, Boeing and the Department of Justice signed an agreement officially letting the aerospace manufacturer completely off the hook for what accountability experts say is one of the deadliest corporate crimes in history. Last summer, Boeing pleaded guilty to criminal fraud and agreed to pay roughly $700 million in fines after The Lever reported that the company ignored fraud allegations at a key supplier, violating its first non-prosecutorial agreement. Now, Boeing has withdrawn that guilty plea and will walk away from its 737 Max crashes — which killed 346 passengers — with total impunity. Meanwhile, some 280,000 people are imprisoned in America every day for violating their probation or parole agreements with the government. Free filing software for all. The Internal Revenue Service open-sourced the software behind its hugely popular and time and money-saving Direct File program, making the code available for anyone to access last week. Direct File is facing existential threats from the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans as Intuit/TurboTax lobbies to protect its market domination by killing free government filing. ps:Thank you trumplican republicans!!!!!!!!!! Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 8, 2025 Author Members Posted June 8, 2025 Crypto’s new bailout fund. After a flood of cryptocurrency industry campaign cash, the U.S. Senate is poised to pass a financial deregulation bill ensuring that when a bank goes out of business, the savings of cryptocurrency holders would be made whole before those of other bank customers. This means that in a bank failure, institutions will be legally obligated to first make stablecoin depositors whole, even if it means using other customers’ money to do it. “Congress is about to put the claims of stablecoin investors ahead of Ma and Pa’s bank deposits,” Georgetown Law professor Adam Levitin wrote on the matter. “In other words, the GENIUS Act is subsidizing stablecoin issuance on the back of bank deposits.” Stable for whom? Stablecoins, a form of crypto token, are supposed to be more reliable for investors because their value is tied to the U.S. dollar. But experts have warned that without proper restrictions, stablecoins could cause widespread financial chaos and even contagious bank insolvencies, since they’re interconnected with other, more volatile assets, including other cryptocurrencies. For example, in 2022, the world’s largest stablecoin, Tether, lost its one-dollar value due to the collapse of another cryptocurrency and widespread investor concerns. A “FUBAR Situation.” Many stablecoins likely won’t be covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which insures up to $250,000 worth of depositors’ savings if a bank fails. But the GENIUS Act would lead to a “FUBAR situation” if these stablecoins collapse, wrote Levitin, because the law would require institutions to use FDIC-insured deposits to cover the damage. And it’s not just banks — the Genius Act also stipulates that even non-depository financial institutions that operate like banks, such as highly volatile money market funds, will have to prioritize stablecoin holders over other customers. Big Crypto gets what it bargained for. The crypto industry recently delivered millions of dollars to the federal lawmakers now crafting and voting on the GENIUS Act. Big Crypto outspent all other industries this past election cycle, doling out more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help place crypto-friendly lawmakers in Congress and the White House, including President Donald Trump, who last year promised to make the United States the “crypto capital of the planet” — a promise he’s already following through on. Reporting contributed by Luke Goldstein and Freddy Brewster Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 8, 2025 Author Members Posted June 8, 2025 Trump's Budget Proposal Includes a Big, Beautiful $250 Fee for EV Drivers President Trump is proposing new annual fees for hybrid and EV owners in his "Big, Beautiful Bill," which drivers would need to cough up at their state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) during annual vehicle registration. https://www.pcmag.com/news/trumps-budget-proposal-includes-a-big-beautiful-250-fee-for-ev-drivers? Trump and Musk’s relationship flames out just as it started, intensely and publicly Hours after President Donald Trump lamented his breakup with Elon Musk and said he was “disappointed” in his former backer and adviser and Musk responded on social media, Trump escalated the feud by threatening to use the U.S. government to hurt Musk’s bottom line. Read More. Elon Musk is gone, but DOGE's actions are hard to reverse. The US Institute of Peace is a case study Elon Musk is leaving the Department of Government Efficiency behind, but its playbook has impacted dozens of agencies, departments and organizations and left thousands of federal workers unemployed or in limbo. Read More. Trump promised to welcome more foreign students. Now, they feel targeted on all fronts International students have found themselves at the center of an escalating campaign to kick them out or keep them from coming as President Donald Trump's administration merges a crackdown on immigration with an effort to reshape higher education. Read More. ps:Can't believe someone with no integrity Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted June 8, 2025 Author Members Posted June 8, 2025 The breakup Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/Axios President Trump and Elon Musk are in the middle of a very nasty, very public breakup. ⏱️ Today's drama started in the Oval Office, where Trump met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. "I'm very disappointed in Elon," Trump told reporters in his first public comments about Musk's social media tirade against his "big, beautiful bill." "Whatever," Musk quickly replied on X. ? Things went off the rails from there. Via Truth Social Trump said on Truth Social that Musk "just went CRAZY" over electric vehicle tax credits, and he threatened to cancel Musk's federal contracts. Musk has tweeted about Trump or the bill more than 40 times today. "Without me, Trump would have lost the election," he wrote, slamming Trump's "ingratitude." He also agreed with a user who said Trump should be impeached and removed from office. via X The big picture: These are two of the most powerful men in the world. Any disruption between the federal government and SpaceX — whether it's Trump following through on threats to cancel contracts or Musk following through on threats to yank important technology — could have real implications. Republicans would certainly feel the sting if Musk stopped shoveling millions of dollars into their campaigns. Even if none of that happens, this explosive divorce is a messy, distracting spectacle — less than six months into Trump's second term. ps:Well each one got what they wanted from the other and now that he's not needed trump is just throwing him under bus just like everyone else and threatening him on top of it!!! Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
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