politics

Summary

Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon criticized Elon Musk, calling him "racist" and "truly evil," over Musk’s support for H-1B visas and immigration policies.

Bannon, pledging to "take this guy down," vowed to block Musk's White House influence in Trump’s new administration.

Musk, a major Trump donor, had been rewarded with advisory roles but faced backlash from MAGA supporters opposing immigration.

Bannon also attacked Musk’s wealth-driven motives, accusing him of promoting “techno-feudalism,” and called for Musk to “go back to South Africa,” targeting his heritage.

Summary

After campaigning on promises to reduce costs for the working class, Donald Trump has largely gone silent on cost-of-living issues since his election.

In a recent interview, he admitted he could not restore grocery prices to 2019 levels without a recession.

While gas prices and groceries are already falling, Trump's policies focus on government cuts and HB-1 visa expansions, which may harm his base.

Instead of addressing working-class concerns, he has turned to controversial ideas like buying Greenland or reclaiming the Panama Canal, drawing global criticism.

Summary

Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) threatened to withhold federal disaster relief from California during ongoing Los Angeles wildfires that have killed at least 16 people and destroyed over 12,000 structures.

Davidson criticized California’s forest management policies, echoing misleading right-wing claims that poor management, not climate change, is to blame.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom refuted these claims, noting that the state’s forest management budget has increased tenfold since 2019.

Davidson’s comments follow a pattern of GOP blaming state policies for disasters, similar to rhetoric from Trump.

Summary

President Joe Biden criticized Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's decision to replace factchecking with community-moderated notes, calling it "really shameful" and "contrary to American justice."

Zuckerberg defended the move, claiming factchecking undermined public trust and stating the company aims to prioritize free speech.

The decision follows Meta's rollback of diversity and inclusion programs amid legal and political shifts.

Biden, in his final press call as president, emphasized the importance of countering misinformation, labeling Meta’s approach irresponsible and harmful to truth and public discourse.

Summary

House Republicans are considering $5.7 trillion in federal spending cuts over 10 years, including reductions to Medicaid, food assistance, and clean energy subsidies, according to a Politico report.

Proposed Medicaid changes, like ending Affordable Care Act expansions and introducing block grants, could leave millions uninsured.

Food aid cuts could impact tens of millions, while reduced clean energy subsidies risk job losses.

Democrats strongly oppose the proposals, citing harm to families and job sectors, while GOP leaders face internal challenges passing such measures with a narrow House majority.

Summary

Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence, now supports Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a surveillance tool she opposed in Congress.

Gabbard previously criticized FISA for enabling warrantless data collection that violated Americans' civil liberties but claims recent reforms have addressed these issues.

She now emphasizes the importance of Section 702 for foreign intelligence gathering while upholding Fourth Amendment rights.

Her stance has drawn mixed reactions from lawmakers, with Republicans largely supportive and Democrats voicing concerns about her independence and approach to civil liberties.

Summary

President Joe Biden highlighted his administration's economic record, citing consistent job growth and a 2.7% inflation rate drop from its 2022 peak.

December's jobs report showed 256,000 new jobs and declining unemployment, signaling steady economic growth.

However, inflation remains above the Federal Reserve's 2% target, and interest rates remain high, impacting homebuyers and businesses.

Public pessimism lingers on affordability as Biden passes a largely strong economy to his successor, Donald Trump.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/24702940

By Stephanie Saul Jan. 10, 2025

from #NewYorkTimes #NYT [gift article - link can be shared. Expires in 30 days.]

[This is a very good article, not nearly as "both-sides" as usual.]

https://12ft.io/https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/campaign-2024-democrats-failure-1235230952/

Summary

Despite broken promises like the return of factory jobs, Donald Trump continues to gain support in Ohio’s rust belt, including Youngstown, a former Democratic stronghold.

Voters feel abandoned by both parties but resonate with Trump’s anti-establishment rhetoric and perceived authenticity.

Economic decline, disillusionment with political elites, and anger over issues like trade deals and student debt forgiveness fuel their frustration.

Many voters believe Trump’s willingness to “tear down the system” aligns with their grievances, even as doubts remain about his solutions.

Their bitterness reflects decades of industrial decline and neglect.

Summary

Representative Glenn Grothman plans to introduce the "Protecting Taxpayers from Student Loan Bailouts Act," aimed at blocking future large-scale student loan forgiveness by limiting regulations costing taxpayers over $100 million annually.

This follows a Supreme Court ruling in 2024 that struck down President Biden's $430 billion loan forgiveness plan.

Republicans criticize forgiveness as inflationary and unfair, while Biden’s administration has canceled $180 billion in debt over four years.

With GOP control of Congress, future forgiveness efforts face significant challenges.

Basically, there's a right-wing push to stop requiring health insurance to cover preventative care.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/24145416

Paywall removed: https://archive.is/3y6CV

Here's the Meta formula:

• Put a Trump friend on your board (Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White).
• Promote a prominent Republican as your chief global affairs officer (Joel Kaplan, succeeding liberal-friendly Nick Clegg, president of global affairs).
• Align your philosophy with Trump's on a big-ticket public issue (free speech over fact-checking).
• Announce your philosophical change on Fox News, hoping Trump is watching. In this case, he was. "Meta, Facebook, I think they've come a long way," Trump said at a Mar-a-Lago news conference, adding of Kaplan's appearance on the "Fox and Friends" curvy couch: "The man was very impressive."
• Take a big public stand on a favorite issue for Trump and MAGA (rolling back DEI programs).
• Amplify that stand in an interview with Fox News Digital. (Kaplan again!)
• Go on Joe Rogan's podcast and blast President Biden for censorship.

Summary

A federal judge in D.C. held Rudy Giuliani in contempt for defying a court order barring him from spreading falsehoods about Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, despite a $148M defamation judgment in 2023.

Judge Beryl Howell fined Giuliani $200 daily until he acknowledges evidence disproving his claims.

Howell warned of possible imprisonment for further violations, calling Giuliani’s behavior “outrageous.”

Plaintiffs seek to stop defamation, while Giuliani claims asset freezes hinder compliance.

His representative criticized the ruling as unconstitutional and biased.