politics

“I’m looking to make our country successful,” he said. “Retribution will be through success.”

From the Article:

It’s hard to think of a time when the Democratic Party was more bereft of real leaders. As the losing presidential candidate, Kamala Harris is not held in warm regard, and her continuing fundraising efforts have added to the irritation. Joe Biden, who accomplished more than his critics give him credit for, is going out on a low note.

Usually, the chair of the Democratic National Committee is a technocrat and not the face of the party. But this time could be different.

A number of names have been mentioned in the press coverage and in self-promotion, but it’s clear that the two finalists will be Ken Martin, 51, Minnesota party chair, and his neighbor, Ben Wikler, 43, who chairs the Wisconsin state party. Both are excellent party-builders, both are substantive progressives, and both have earned wide respect. The election is set for February 1.

Summary

Donald Trump’s FBI pick, Kash Patel, co-hosted “Kash’s Corner,” a show on the far-right outlet The Epoch Times, promoting conspiracy theories about election fraud, the FBI, and the “deep state.”

Patel, a former Trump official, criticized the FBI’s leadership and called for a “major overhaul,” often pushing debunked claims, including FBI involvement in the Jan. 6 riots.

His association with The Epoch Times, which faces federal fraud allegations, raises concerns ahead of his Senate confirmation.

Critics argue his role legitimized fringe narratives and threatens the FBI’s credibility under his leadership.

From the Article:

For weeks following Joe Biden’s disastrous performance, his campaign publicly maintained the illusion that he was still well-positioned to defeat Donald Trump. Privately, they knew otherwise. As Pod Save America co-host Jon Favreau revealed days after the election:

After the debate, the Biden people told us that the polls were fine, and Biden was still the strongest candidate. They were privately telling reporters, at the time, that Kamala Harris couldn’t win. […] Then we find out, when the Biden campaign becomes the Harris campaign, that the Biden campaign’s own internal polling, at the time when they were telling us he was the strongest candidate, showed that Donald Trump was going to win 400 electoral votes.

The implications of this are staggering, and it should be treated as a massive scandal.

Donald Trump said he can’t guarantee that his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers and he suggested once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned.

The president-elect, in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday, also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere.

Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.”

Summary

A sexual abuse lawsuit against former WWE CEO Linda McMahon, Trump’s education secretary pick, is paused while a ruling is made on Maryland’s 2023 Child Victims Act, which eliminated the statute of limitations for abuse claims.

The lawsuit, filed by five men, accuses McMahon of ignoring abuse by former WWE announcer Melvin Phillips, who allegedly assaulted boys as young as 13 in the 1980s.

McMahon denies the claims and plans to fight the case.

Vince McMahon, also implicated, left WWE earlier this year amid misconduct allegations.

Two-year probe led by Republicans faults agencies for pandemic response, as Democrats on panel challenge final report’s findings on SARS-CoV-2’s origin

Summary

Donald Trump declared on Truth Social that the U.S. “should have nothing to do with” Syria, sparking criticism from experts.

Critics noted that 900 U.S. troops are currently stationed there, assisting Kurdish forces to prevent an ISIS resurgence.

Experts fear Trump may withdraw these troops, potentially destabilizing the region.

Analysts warn this stance reflects a shift toward a reduced U.S. global influence, with some seeing it as a preview of a post-American global security order.

Critics also question Trump’s understanding of U.S. involvement in Syrian affairs.

Summary

Donald Trump is forming the wealthiest administration in U.S. history, collectively worth over $330 billion.

Billionaires like Elon Musk ($300B), Linda McMahon, and Vivek Ramaswamy are key appointees, alongside ultra-wealthy Cabinet members.

Musk and Ramaswamy will lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, pushing for deep public spending cuts.

The administration’s combined wealth far surpasses that of Joe Biden’s Cabinet and rivals the GDP of some nations.

Critics argue this contrasts with Trump’s populist messaging, while Senate confirmations could spotlight wealth disparities.