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US National Debt Hits $40 Trillion Milestone For First Time Ever
The U.S. national debt surpassed $40 trillion for the first time, according to Treasury Department data. The gross debt reached $40.047 trillion as of Aug. 18. The milestone came about five months after crossing $39 trillion. Rising interest costs, federal spending on Social Security and Medicare, and ongoing budget deficits have driven the increase. Interest payments on the debt now exceed the cost of national defense. The Congressional Budget Office projects the debt could reach $63 trillion by 2036. Debt held by the public has already exceeded the size of the U.S. economy.
đď¸ News & Politics
Michigan Election Bureau Under Democrat Jocelyn Benson Recommends Against Proof Of Citizenship Ballot Measure
Michiganâs Bureau of Elections, operating under Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, recommended declaring a citizen-led petition for proof-of-citizenship and photo ID voting requirements insufficient. Americans for Citizen VotingâMichigan submitted 709,841 signatures, well above the 446,198 required. A random sample of 1,000 signatures yielded a final count of 612 valid signatures after challenges, 17 short of the 629 needed in the sample. The bureau estimated 434,423 valid signatures overall. The Board of State Canvassers is set to decide on Aug. 24. The proposal would require proof of citizenship and photo ID to vote. Supporters say they submitted enough valid signatures and plan to continue fighting.
Editorâs Note: An honest Secretary of State would go outside the sampling to validate the number needed when there was such an over-the-top number of signaturesâŚThen, we are talking about Michigan.
FBI Arrests Woman Who Reportedly Plotted Attack On New York State Capitol
Federal authorities arrested Jessica Bowie, 35, of Albany and a recent convert to Islam, on charges of attempting to provide material support to ISIS. Officials say she plotted to bomb the New York State Capitol and kill state senators. Bowie allegedly spent weeks surveilling the building, taking photographs, and studying security. She communicated with an FBI source posing as an ISIS facilitator and discussed building an explosive device disguised in a delivery bag. The plot targeted a time when senators would be meeting. Bowie is accused of pledging allegiance to the terrorist group and seeking help making explosives.
Member Of Extremist Network 764 Sentenced To 77 Years In Prison
A Tennessee man identified as a member of the extremist online network 764 was sentenced to 77 years in prison. Kyle William Spitze, 27, was convicted of producing child sexual abuse material, abetting the distribution of animal crushing videos, and possessing child sexual abuse material. Prosecutors said he was an original member of 764 and the related group Harm Nation. The FBI described the network as a violent group that coerces children into self-harm and producing explicit material for blackmail. Spitze received lifetime supervised release and must register as a sex offender. Officials called it the longest federal sentence imposed on a nihilistic violent extremist.
Republican Senator To Hold Trump Nominees Over Wetlands Policy
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) said he will place a hold on all future Trump administration nominees until the Fish and Wildlife Service changes a wetlands policy. The Biden-era rule restricts farmers from installing underground agricultural drainage tiles near protected federal conservation easements that safeguard duck habitats in the Prairie Pothole region. Agricultural drainage tiles are perforated pipes buried in fields to remove excess water and improve soil conditions for crops. Cramer argues that the restrictions go beyond what the government paid for and impede private property rights. The agency recently decided against reforming the policy at this time. Cramer said the decision harms farmers already facing higher costs. The hold could affect upcoming Senate confirmations.
Mamdani Admin Considers Special Accommodations To Underwrite City-Run Grocery Stores
The administration of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is considering grants and incentives for local businesses as part of plans for city-run grocery stores. Officials said the measures would support independent retailers and make the taxpayer-backed stores complementary rather than competitive. Lead official Waverly Neer stated that the city is looking at policies, programs, grants, and incentives to accompany the grocery outlets. Local store owners have raised concerns about competing with subsidized operations offering discounted staples. The first store is planned for a vacant lot in East Harlem at a cost of about $30 million. Mamdani has proposed five such stores citywide.
Editorâs Note: Just like a socialist to promise free stuff and then needs the government to cough up money to make sure their projects donât fail.
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đ˘ The American Fifth Column
ActBlue Co-Founder Pleads Fifth Amendment In Closed-Door House GOP Grilling
ActBlue co-founder Matt DeBergalis invoked the Fifth Amendment during a closed-door deposition before three House committees. The House Administration, Oversight, and Judiciary committees are jointly investigating the Democrat fundraising platform over allegations of lax fraud prevention that may have allowed foreign donations. The session lasted less than 30 minutes. ActBlue has denied wrongdoing. The platformâs CEO previously invoked the Fifth Amendment in a public hearing. Republicans have raised concerns about the groupâs donation verification standards.
Editorâs Note: The Fifth Amendment is meant for use so one doesnât incriminate oneself. Did DeBergalis just tacitly admit to illegal activity?
FBI Seizes Swalwell Electronics And Searches Home Amid Sexual Misconduct Probe
FBI agents seized former Rep. Eric Swalwellâs (D-CA) electronic devices at San Francisco International Airport and searched his Washington, D.C., home as part of a sexual misconduct investigation. The actions followed allegations from multiple women of sexual harassment and assault. Swalwell resigned from Congress and ended his California gubernatorial campaign earlier this year amid the claims. Agents confiscated at least one cell phone and other devices under search warrants. Recently declassified FBI files confirm Swalwell had a sexual relationship with suspected Chinese intelligence operative Christine Fang and that his staff placed interns connected to her in his office. Local investigations by the Manhattan District Attorneyâs Office and the Los Angeles Sheriffâs Department are also underway.
Islamic Advocacy Group Demands OâKeefe Be Prosecuted After Team Dressed As Muslims To Expose Election Fraud
The Council on American-Islamic Relations Minnesota chapter called for a criminal investigation of James OâKeefe and associates after an undercover operation at Minneapolis polling places. The team wore traditional Muslim clothing and used accents to test the stateâs voter-vouching system during the Aug. 11 primary. Election workers explained that a registered voter could vouch for up to eight others without additional ID. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon said law enforcement is reviewing the matter and that participants may face legal jeopardy. CAIR said the stunt used religious stereotypes and potentially violated election law. The undercover team did not cast illegal ballots. Mockery of Islam is not a crime.
Editorâs Note: Here is CAIR, once again, trying to push special accommodations for Muslims into the mainstream.
Seattle Goes After Community Group Cleaning Up Streets
A Seattle nonprofit that removes discarded drug paraphernalia faces a state workplace safety investigation. We Heart Seattle, founded by Andrea Suarez, has cleaned up over 2 million pounds of trash, including needles and fentanyl foil. The Washington Department of Labor and Industries is probing how volunteers handle the materials. Suarez noted that King County health programs distribute the same supplies as harm reduction. The group says it uses protective equipment and has no injury record. Suarez called the investigation an overreach against a volunteer-driven cleanup effort.
California Ban On Sale Of Tire Models To Cut Emissions
California regulators approved new efficiency standards for replacement tires that will ban the sale of about 70 percent of models currently on the market. The California Energy Commission unanimously adopted a rule requiring lower-rolling-resistance tires for cars and light trucks. Implementation begins in 2029 and reaches full effect by 2033. Officials said the change will save drivers about $1 billion a year in fuel costs and cut carbon emissions. Tire manufacturers and industry groups warned of higher prices and potential safety risks in certain driving conditions. Gov. Gavin Newsom defended the rule as worth the trade-offs.
Editorâs Note: Lower rolling resistance means a decrease in stopping power. Not sure thatâs too brightâŚ
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Under communism, the state does not wither away, as Marx predicted. Instead, it becomes absolute, all-encompassing, and self-perpetuating."
â Milovan Djilas
đ International
Bessent Says Aim Is To Collapse Iran Regime Through Economic Warfare
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the goal is to collapse Iranâs regime through maximum economic pressure. Bessent stated that pursuing maximum economic measures likely means there will not be a large-scale kinetic restart of military operations for now. He previewed a coordinated effort, telling allies they are either with the United States or against it. Countries doing business with Iran, including oil purchases or financial transfers, would face full U.S. enforcement. Bessent described the plan as the greatest coordinated economic isolation in history. A new U.S. carrier has arrived in the Middle East as the campaign continues.
USS George Washington Arrives In Middle East To Relieve The Lincoln
The USS George Washington aircraft carrier has arrived in the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln as part of a scheduled deployment rotation. U.S. Central Command confirmed the carrier is operating in the region after arriving in the CENTCOM theater. The Lincoln has been deployed for more than 260 days. The George Washington, which carries approximately 5,000 to 6,000 personnel, including its air wing, was previously stationed in the Pacific and is accompanied by its carrier strike group of escort vessels. The swap allows the Lincoln to begin its return to port following the planned rotation.
US Military Establishes Stealth Corridor Through Strait Of Hormuz
The U.S. military has established a covert shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz to allow oil tankers to transit despite regional tensions. Reports indicate 15 to 20 tankers move through a southern channel along Omanâs coast each night. About 10 million barrels of oil per day have flowed via the route. U.S. forces guide empty tankers inbound and loaded ones outbound in scheduled convoys. The operation followed efforts to degrade Iranian radar and maritime surveillance systems. The corridor has helped maintain global oil supplies at roughly half of pre-conflict levels.
Women Desperate To Flee Spanish City Of Ceuta As Rapes Explode
Spanish authorities in Ceuta have reported multiple sexual assaults following a mass migrant influx from Morocco in late July. Reports indicate around 15 rape cases since the arrival of tens of thousands of migrants. One recent incident involved an attempted assault on a 10-year-old girl. Some local residents, particularly women with children, have expressed fear and said they feel forced to leave the city. Thousands of migrants remain in the enclave. Courts have processed cases involving sexual assaults against migrant women and minors. Police continue enhanced border checks.
Portugal Begins To Enforce Ban On Face Coverings In Public Spaces
Portugalâs president has enacted a law banning face coverings in public spaces. The measure, known as the burqa law, prohibits clothing that conceals the face or prevents identification. It was approved by parliament with support from the governing coalition and far-right parties. Left-wing parties opposed it. Violators face fines from about $175 to $3,500. Exemptions apply for health, professional, artistic, or weather reasons, as well as in places of worship and on aircraft. The law also bans forcing someone to cover their face for reasons of gender, religion, age, or origin.
