Of 87,000 U.S. military personnel stationed on Oahu Island on Dec. 7, 1941, it’s believed 16 are still alive. “Chuck” Kohler, a 17-year-old enlistee from Minnesota, says he disobeyed orders to shelter in a ditch and ran to join the fight. “I had learned early in life that you nev[...]
J. D. Vance’s mother demands hometown honors for son
For what, lying about immigrants eating pets? As one city council member said, “What’s the rush? Let’s see what he does.” (See story here.) He hasn’t won any wars, or made significant contributions to science, or written great books. Sure, he was elected vice president, but he&[...]
What Musk will get for investing $250 million in Trump’s election
Elon Musk spent over $250 million to elect Trump in 2024. It’s an investment, not a donation. He’ll get that back many times over from tax breaks and government contracts. He’ll also get priceless influence over government policy, and an end to half a dozen investigations of his co[...]
CEO’s murder becomes a cultural moment
When Brian Thompson was shot dead on a New York street this week he became a cultural symbol. Thompson (photo, left), 50, was the youngish-looking, $10 million-a-year CEO of the health insurance division of UnitedHealth Group, the world’s 9th largest corporation by revenue. He had personal bag[...]
Can GOPers cut $2 trillion of federal spending?
Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, defense spending, debt interest, and veterans and retiree benefits consume 76% of the budget, and the other 24% amounts to only $1.5 trillion. Read story here and watch video here. Large deficits are a result of revenue losses. If you want to fix deficits, you al[...]
December 5th, 2024 - 6:20 pm § in Biden, Democrats, Donald Trump, Law and Courts, Politics, Republicans
Biden should pardon Trump’s “enemies”
A few days ago I argued (here) for pardoning Trump “because it would take the wind out of any efforts by him to seek retribution.” “How would it look,” I asked, “if he’s forgiven, but won’t forgive?” But let’s say Biden doesn’t pardon Trump, or doe[...]
Why Trump’s big plans could hit a brick wall in Congress
New presidents like to get off to a fast start; journalists speak of “the first hundred days.” President-elect Trump has big plans: For taxes, restructuring government, finishing his border wall, and rounding up immigrants, among other things. And, it increasingly appears, taking another[...]
America’s dumbest senator can’t pass 9th grade civics test
“Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) is not known for his constitutional scholarship,” Huffington Post says (here). That’s an understatement. The former football coach (photo, left; note the deer-in-headlights look) knows less about how government works than is expected of middle-school[...]
December 5th, 2024 - 1:22 am § in Misc.
Hanford contractor is accused of billing taxpayers for employees who sat around doing nothing (video)
A Hanford Nuclear Reservation contractor is accused of “repeatedly billing the government for work that wasn’t done” that the company’s managers allegedly “actively facilitated.” A whistleblower says he and other employees were paid for watching Netflix movies, reading, or do[...]