• Sun, December 1, 2024

by: Brian Stokes

Voters are switching off even as Starmer pushes the reset button

When you are planning a relaunch just five months into your new Government, you know things are not going as well as you had hoped. The resignation of the Transport Secretary - over an issue the Prime Minister had known about for years but did not act on - is just the latest in a litany of mis-steps and calamities.

by: Brian Stokes

Here's the state of the last uncalled House race and why it's important

Democrat Adam Gray currently has 105,083 votes, compared to 104,856 votes for Republican John Duarte, according to the California Secretary of State.

by: Brian Stokes

Winners and losers in general election 2024

Close-fought races and the tantalising prospect of power brought relief for the victorious but crushing lows for those rejected by the electorate

by: Brian Stokes

Quarter of England's farmland owned by just 2,500 toffs and fatcats, new figures show

There are more than 100,000 farm holdings in England, covering 22 million acres in total. But the Defra data show just 2,568 very large farms own or manage 5.6 million acres

by: Brian Stokes

Canada's ambassador says Trudeau's dinner with Trump key to getting tariffs removed

Canada's ambassador to the United States said Sunday that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was successful in getting President-elect Donald Trump and key Cabinet nominees to understand that lumping Canada in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the U.

by: Brian Stokes

Nigel Farage explodes at claim he helped Labour and blasts 'Tories shouldn't be forgiven'

Nigel Farage has slapped down shadow minister Victoria Atkins after she claimed Reform UK was to blame for Labour's whopping Parliamentary majority following July's general election telling her the Tories only have themselves to blame.

by: Brian Stokes

Biden's Visit to Africa Will Focus on History and Economic Hope

In Angola on likely his last overseas trip in office, the president will tour a slavery museum and spotlight a rail corridor that is part of his administration's strategy in the region.

by: Brian Stokes

Canada's ambassador to the US says Trudeau's dinner with Trump key to getting tariffs removed

Canada's ambassador to the United States said Sunday that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was successful in getting President-elect Donald Trump and key Cabinet nominees to understand that lumping Canada in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the U.

by: Brian Stokes

Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau meets with Trump in Florida after tariff threats

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday he had an "excellent conversation" with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after the president-elect's threat to impose significant tariffs on two of America's leading trade partners raised alarms in Ottawa and Mexico City.

by: Brian Stokes

Labour conference: Chris Hipkins says 'yes' to Dunedin Hospital and 'no' to Aukus

Labour members passed a proposal saying a Labour Government would not join Aukus and ... Thomas Coughlan is Deputy Political Editor and covers politics from Parliament. He has worked for the Herald since 2021 and has worked in the press gallery since ...

by: Brian Stokes

Trump names Massad Boulos, campaign liaison and family relative, as a senior adviser on Middle East

President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday named Massad Boulos, a Lebanese American businessman who is the father-in-law of Trump's daughter Tiffany, as a senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs.

by: Brian Stokes

Sunday Snapshot: Trump's tariff toolkit

The White House won't switch ownership for weeks, but President-elect Trump is already dancing the tariff tango. His announcement of a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico sent a shiver through markets last week.

by: Brian Stokes

"Elon Musk is right": Sanders agrees with DOGE head on cutting Pentagon spending

Elon Musk has been appointed as the head of the quasi-governmental Department of Government Efficiency for the upcoming term of President-elect Donald Trump. He's called for a massive drawdown in government spending as part of a wider GOP push to hobble the administrative state.

by: Brian Stokes

US sees surge in Indian immigrants at border with Canada

by: Brian Stokes

Meet Kash Patel, Trump's Nomination for FBI Director

Kash is a brilliant lawyer and 'America First' fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption," Trump said.

by: Brian Stokes

Convicted felons cannot travel to these countries: will President Trump be allowed in?

Use precise geolocation data and actively scan device characteristics for identification. This is done to store and access information on a device and to provide personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. List of Partners (vendors)

by: Brian Stokes

How to Survive the Next Four Years: A Guide for Anti-Trumpists

by: Brian Stokes

Iowa And New Hampshire Senators Target Foreign Adversaries With DETERRENCE Act

U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) have introduced the DETERRENCE Act, a bipartisan effort aimed at countering violent crimes and assassination attempts against U.S. citizens carried out by individuals recruited by foreign adversaries,

by: Brian Stokes

Sen. Chris Murphy: "Donald Trump And The Billionaire Class Are Taking Over Government To Enrich Themselves And Screw Everybody Else"

Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy discusses President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs and Cabinet picks and the Democratic Party's losses in the 2024 election, during an interview Sunday on NBC's "Meet The Press.

by: Brian Stokes

'Thanks for dinner': Trudeau meets with Trump, cabinet nominees at Mar-a-Lago after tariffs threat

Since Trump's re-election, Trudeau and his cabinet ministers have sought to reassure Canadians and businesses they are prepared to handle a second Trump presidency, after Trump's first term forced the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement and tariffs slapped on Canadian steel and aluminum.

by: Brian Stokes

Dublin North West: Paul McAuliffe (FF)

Paul McAuliffe (47) was first elected to the Dáil in 2020 taking his seat following a battle with outgoing Fine Gael TD Noel Rock. It was a reversal of the 2016 campaign when McAuliffe lost out to Rock.

by: Brian Stokes

Trump says Kash Patel will restore ' Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity' to the FBI

President-elect Trump named Kash Patel as his choice to lead the FBI, after Patel repeatedly slammed federal agencies such as the FBI as corrupted by the "deep state."

by: Brian Stokes

Green Party facing wipeout as count set for Monday

by: Brian Stokes

Who is Kash Patel? 5 things to know about Donald Trump's firebrand pick to lead the FBI

President-elect Donald Trump is planning to nominate Kashyap "Kash" Patel as director of the FBI, tapping the longtime loyalist to lead the the law enforcement agency he has often criticized.

by: Brian Stokes

The billionaires of Trump's proposed administration

President-elect Donald Trump has a net worth of $5.7 billion, as of Dec. 1, 2024, and he has chosen a slew of fellow billionaires to serve in his second administration.

by: Brian Stokes

'The first oligarch': Russian dissident warns of 'extremely dangerous' development in U.S.

America is close to having its first real oligarch, a Russian dissident — and former world chess champion — warned in an interview Sunday. Garry Kasparov, who now chairs the Renew Democracy Initiative,

by: Brian Stokes

Transcript: Historian H.W. Brands on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Dec. 1, 2024

The following is a transcript of an interview with H.W. Brands, Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas at Austin and author of "America First: Roosevelt vs. Lindbergh in the Shadow of War,

by: Brian Stokes

Trump picks Massad Boulos to serve as adviser on Arab, Middle Eastern affairs

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday said Lebanese American businessman Massad Boulos would serve as senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. Trump made the announcement on Truth Social.

by: Brian Stokes

Bernie Sanders Agrees with Elon Musk on Slashing the Pentagon's Budget

Sen. Bernie Sanders said he agrees with billionaire Elon Musk that Defense Department spending is too high with little accountability.

by: Brian Stokes

Pa. counties fight for more freedom over how to spend opioid money with $247M more on the way

Somerset County and Philadelphia are fighting decisions made by a powerful state oversight board to reject their spending plans.

by: Brian Stokes

Donald Trump picks Massad Boulos, a businessman and Tiffany Trump's father-in-law, as advisor

His father and grandfather were both figures in Lebanese politics and his father-in-law was a key funder ... a large number of seats in Lebanon's parliament and ministers in the government. Boulos is a friend of Suleiman Frangieh, a Christian ally of ...

by: Brian Stokes

Lawmakers express doubt over Trump plan to replace FBI's Christopher Wray

by: Brian Stokes

Pursuing justice or revenge?

by: Brian Stokes

Trump says he'll nominate Kash Patel as FBI director to remake the agency. Here's what happens next

by: Brian Stokes

Nebraska election results to be certified on Monday

The Nebraska State Board of Canvassers will meet on Monday to certify the results of the 2024 statewide general election.

by: Brian Stokes

'Elon Musk is Right': Bernie Sanders Lauds DOGE Chief's Plan to Drastically Slash the Pentagon's Budget

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said Sunday that he agreed with Elon Musk about reining in some government spending, particularly regarding Defense Department spending. Musk and venture capitalist Vivek Ramaswamy have been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to find and eliminate spending deemed unnecessary.

by: Brian Stokes

Trump Taps Another Daughter's Father-in-Law for Key Role

President-elect Donald Trump has opted to keep it in the family again with some of his latest administrative picks-- this time, with the senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. Trump has appointed Lebanon billionaire Massad Boulos to take on the role.

by: Brian Stokes

Labor has wasted its budgetary luck, and now it's running out

by: Brian Stokes

Claims of double-charging and excessive rent in NSW child protection system

Following stinging critiques of NSW's child protection system, a widespread review found out-of-home care was "not fit for purpose" and lacked accountability and oversight.

by: Brian Stokes

Emergency workers to get access to mortgage scheme

Police, firefighters and prison officers are to get access to a government mortgage scheme after previously being frozen out due to their retirement ages. The mortgage guarantee programme was

by: Brian Stokes

Taiwan's President Lai in Hawaii after declaring Taiwan a force for global peace

By Angie Teo, Ann Wang and David Brunnstrom (Reuters) -Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te began a two-day U.S. stopover in Hawaii on Saturday as part of a Pacific tour after declaring his democratically governed island a key force for promoting global peace and stability.

by: Brian Stokes

Trump's war on federal bureaucracy could trigger Supreme Court battle

by: Brian Stokes

GOP Sen. Hagerty on Kash Patel Leading FBI: 'I Look Forward to Him Taking It Apart'

Sen. Bill Hagerty enthusiastically supported Donald Trump's announcement he would nominate Kash Patel to lead the FBI.

by: Brian Stokes

Is Trump really planning to revive Keystone XL? And is there even life left in that pipeline plan?

There's talk in Washington that president-elect Donald Trump plans to revive the Keystone XL pipeline project that would transport oil from northern Alberta to the U.S. midwest. Even setting aside Trump's proposed 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods,

by: Brian Stokes

Ireland dodges bullet as Dublin voters narrowly reject gangland boss

Gerry "The Monk" Hutch led through 10 nail-biting election rounds — but Ireland's EU heavyweight knocked him out at the final bell.

by: Brian Stokes

Republican Strategist Calls Donald Trump's Bluff on Tariffs

Susan Del Percio advised those wary of President-elect Donald Trump's tariff plan not to worry about it being enforced.

by: Brian Stokes

House: Government to drill down on drivers of emigration

The findings of confidential survey on emigration using a locally based market research firm are to guide government policy on retaining "as many Bermudians as we possibly can", MPs heard in the

by: Brian Stokes

Trump's Next Term Could See America's First True Oligarchs, Warns Democracy Activist Garry Kasparov

Elon Musk's DOGE plan could mix public and private interests in a way previously not seen in American politics, the former world chess champion said.

Trump's Next Term Could See America's First True Oligarchs, Warns Democracy Activist Garry Kasparov

Elon Musk's DOGE plan could mix public and private interests in a way previously not seen in American politics, the former world chess champion said.
The article from HuffPost discusses the growing influence of America's ultra-wealthy, particularly focusing on Donald Trump and Elon Musk, in shaping the country's political and economic landscape. It highlights how these figures, often labeled as oligarchs, are not only amassing significant personal wealth but also exerting considerable control over public policy, media, and societal norms. The piece points out Trump's continued political influence despite legal challenges, and Musk's expansive business ventures and his impact on public discourse through platforms like X (formerly Twitter). The article argues that this concentration of power in the hands of a few billionaires undermines democratic principles, as these individuals can sway elections, influence legislation, and shape public opinion to favor their interests. It also touches on the broader implications of such oligarchic tendencies, including the potential erosion of the middle class, increased inequality, and the manipulation of information, drawing parallels with historical and international examples of oligarchy.

Read the Full HuffPost Article at:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-musk-america-oligarchs_n_6746b6efe4b0800c73f710a5

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