Wed, December 18, 2024

by: ABC

Social Security Fairness Act clears Senate procedural hurdle, on path for final passage

In a final lame-duck push, the Senate will attempt to pass legislation aimed at providing full Social Security benefits to millions of Americans this week.

by: Modern Healthcare

Trump says he opposes stopgap government spending bill

President-elect Donald Trump — just days before federal funding is set to expire — said he wants lawmakers to also include an increase to the debt ceiling in the package

by: News Tribune

Meet Simone Carter, McClatchy's new Washington state government reporter

Reporter Simone Carter, a Texas native who previously worked for the Dallas Observer and Newsweek, has joined The Olympian to cover Washington state government for the state capital's newspaper as well as McClatchy's three other sites in the state.

by: Business Insider

Elon Musk bashes Congress' government funding bill

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he spoke with Musk about his displeasure Tuesday night, though the DOGE cohead said on X that the bill shouldn't pass.

by: The New York Times

Trump's Criticism of Spending Deal Raises Fears of Government Shutdown

The president-elect weighed in against the mammoth spending package after Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy had spent the day attacking it and warning Republicans not to support it.

by: The Daily Signal

Trump, Vance Throw Curveball Into Spending Fight as Hill Scrambles to Fund Government

The continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown by funding the government until March is not being received well on Capitol Hill.

by: NBC News

Trump opposes funding bill, pushing government closer to a shutdown

Elon Musk joined a wave of right-wing fury against a bill to keep the government open. Now, the president-elect says he wants big changes too before this weekend's deadline.

by: BizPac Review

'This is an early test': Ramaswamy dissects 1,500 pg. spending bill, says it 'should fail'

DOGE is getting a test run as Vivek Ramaswamy read all 1,500+ pages of a spending bill and then gave his advice.

by: ABC

Editorial Roundup: United States

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad: Dec. 12 The Washington Post says Joe Biden shouldn't use preemptive pardons

by: The New York Times

Inside a Huge Spending Deal: Disaster Money, a Football Stadium and More

The mammoth year-end federal funding measure congressional leaders agreed on does far more than just keep the government running. It is stuffed with all manner of policy and other changes.

by: Mother Jones

Trump's Billionaire Cabinet Is Unprecedented

The president-elect has tapped five reported billionaires for cabinet posts: North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum for interior secretary, hedge funder Scott Bessent for treasury secretary, Cantor Fitzgerald chief Howard Lutnick for commerce secretary,

by: PBS

Senate defense bill to raise troop pay and bar trans care for minors to receive final vote

Lawmakers said those were key to improving the quality of life of service members at a time when many military families rely on food banks and other government assistance programs to make ends meet. "It includes major quality of life improvements ...

by: Governing

Who Depends Most on Washington? Rural Counties That Voted Heavily for Trump

More than anything it's the simple result of Americans growing older, a fact of life we haven't come to grips with politically.

by: The Daily Telegraph

Scottish Labour leader attacks Starmer's 'deeply disappointing' Waspi women decision

Russell Findlay, the Scottish Tory leader, said: "Anas Sarwar thought he would stroll into Bute House in 2026, but Sir Keir Starmer is wrecking Scottish Labour's campaign by breaking every promise he made before the general election and betraying pensioners, farmers, businesses and workers."

by: USA Today

Larry Bucshon says he's figured out his post-Congress career

It's a well-worn and not necessarily surprising path 8th District Rep. Larry Bucshon will follow when he leaves Congress next month after 14 years.

by: ktvq

Congress would get pay raise if lawmakers pass government funding bill

If the funding bill passes, members of Congress could receive a raise of up to 3.8%, or about $6,600 annually. Congress has to pass the bill, which also includes $100 billion for disaster relief, before Saturday to avoid a partial government shutdown.

by: Sydney Morning Herald

Why my bosses are both out of a job. But spa builders are doing OK

What's in a job title? Everything, if your job just happened to disappear as part of a major revamp by the bureau of statistics of the nation's thousands of occupations.

by: The Hill

Congress strikes deal to avert government shutdown

Congressional leaders have struck a bipartisan deal to keep the government funded beyond a looming Dec. 20 shutdown deadline. Legislation rolled out by leadership on Tuesday would kick the Friday

by: Yahoo News UK

Why has Elon Musk met Nigel Farage and what could it mean for Reform UK?

The billionaire owner of X is reportedly keen to influence UK politics, but would the current rules allow him to?

by: WLRN

'Culture for Service and Service for Humanity': Phi Beta Sigma Way touches down in Miami Gardens

The City of Miami Gardens will rename a section of Northwest 191st Street "Phi Beta Sigma Way" on Dec. 19. The Rho Sigma Chapter, established in 1927, has played a pivotal role in South Florida, advocating for education and social justice.

by: The Daily Mirror

Map shows how many WASPI women missed out in your area and how much they would have got

Keir Starmer faces fury over Labour's decision to reject compensation for over 3.5million women in spite of a bombshell watchdog report calling for payouts of nearly £3,000

by: BBC

Badenoch attacks PM over 'cruel' Winter Fuel Payment cuts in final PMQs of year

by: KXXV News Channel 25

Texas school districts asked to return $16 million in federal funding for special education services

The request comes after an audit found Texas improperly billed the federal government for reimbursements related to Medicaid-eligible students.

by: WESA

Pa. casts 19 Electoral College votes for Donald Trump

Pennsylvania's 19 Republican electors submitted ballots in support of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance on Tuesday at the state Capitol in Harrisburg. The largely ceremonial vote brings the country one step closer to a nationwide congressional certification in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6.

by: The Scranton Times-Tribune

Musk and Trump are viewed roughly the same by Americans, new poll finds

Musk's attachment to Trump has created an alliance between America's most powerful politician and its richest businessman — and roughly the same percentages of Americans have favorable views of each, according to a new poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

by: MSN

Trump says U.S. government "knows" where mysterious NJ drones came from

President-elect Donald Trump said the federal government knows where the drones spotted over New Jersey originated from, but he didn't offer evidence to support the claim.

by: syracuse.com

Congress unveils funding deal with more than $100 billion in disaster aid

Washington — Congressional leaders have unveiled a stopgap spending bill that will keep the federal government funded through March 14 and provide more than $100 billion in emergency aid to help states and local communities recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other natural disasters.

by: Daily Express

Lee Anderson's scathing two-word attack on Keir Starmer after PM 'told lies to pensioners'

The outspoken Reform MP spoke out as details Labour backtracking on pledges to pensioners and WASPI women have emerged.

by: The Independent

Musk and Farage have handed Starmer a golden chance to clean up political murky money

It's in the Labour Party's interest to have a cap on individual donations, otherwise Musk's attempt to buy votes could put Reform in the running for the next election, writes Andrew Grice

by: PBS

Congress nears funding deal with more than $100 billion in disaster aid, avoiding government shutdown

Congressional leaders have unveiled legislation that will keep the federal government funded through March 14 and provide more than $100 billion in emergency aid to help states and local communities recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other natural disasters.

by: MSN

MSNBC's Joy Reid calls out Democratic Party for being run like a 'gerontrocracy' of consultants and donors

MSNBC host Joy Reid criticized the Democratic Party for refusing to allow younger voices like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a chance to take leadership roles.

by: MSN

Red, Blue, And You: New Tool Lets Homebuyers Check Neighbors' Politics

Homebuyers are increasingly considering political leanings when choosing neighborhoods, according to a brand-new report. Real estate agents note that clients prioritize communities aligning with their political views, seeking compatibility beyond ...

by: MSN

Australian Embassy to return to Kyiv and operate fully from next month

The Australian Embassy in Ukraine was temporarily relocated from Kyiv to Lviv on Feb. 13, 2022, due to the Russian military buildup, and was then closed on Feb. 22 after Russian dictator Vladimir Putin recognized the "L/DPR" militant groups in Donbas.

by: MSN

New mission for longtime Trump ally and friend Herschel Walker

President-elect Donald Trump has a new game plan for Herschel Walker, naming the former football star and Republican Senate candidate as ambassador to the Bahamas.

by: ABC News

Democracies across the globe are at a crossroads, as authoritarians seek to chip away at freedoms

Still, there is a clear silver lining for democracy. The same Pew poll that found its appeal slipping also found that it remains by far the preferred system of government worldwide. And people turned out to demonstrate that, during elections and in protest ...

by: Florida Politics

Bill Posey looks back at accomplishments and sudden close to years of service

U.S. Rep. Bill Posey spent decades urging greater transparency and accountability in government. Heading into 2024, he felt optimistic he could serve one last term with President-elect Donald Trump back in the White House.

by: USA Today

Trump is promising deportations on 'day one.' Who is he targeting and what can he do?

Donald Trump wants to deport millions as soon as he takes office. But there are laws that could slow him down.

by: Sacramento Bee

Union membership continues slow decline as California hires more rank-and-file employees

At SEIU Local 1000, 456 fewer members paid dues in October 2024, compared to the previous year's payroll period. Meanwhile, the state hired nearly 3,000 more employees among the nine units represented by SEIU Local 1000, which resulted in a two point decrease in the union's due-paying membership.

by: MSN

Wake up with the Washington Examiner: What the next fight with China looks like and Trump has a new media strategy

by: MSN

What Will a Government Shutdown Mean for Your Benefits and Services?

Congress has until Friday to approve funding for the federal government before it shuts down. But what would a shutdown actually mean for you and your family?

by: MSN

U.S. warns Hong Kong banks over deals with Russia

The discussions reportedly included representatives from the region's largest banks, namely HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Bank of China, one source told the publication. Nikkei noted that the meeting took place amid a recent letter from U.

by: KGOU

Mangione charged with murder as act of terrorism. And, path to unionizing reality TV

by: MSN

Harborough leader accuses Government of 'not properly recognising vital role of district councils'

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: MSN

Congress unveils new spending bill to prevent shutdown and aid disaster recovery

Congressional leaders have unveiled a stopgap spending bill that will keep the federal government funded through March 14 and provide more than $100 billion in emergency aid to help states and local communities recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other natural disasters.

by: MSN

Barron and Melania Trump caught up in wild Princess Diana conspiracy

A user on TikTok known for his conspiracy theories just suggested that Melania Trump is Princess Diana, which is why Barron looks so much like her.

by: MSN

How Americans view Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s nomination and his controversial health stances

New AP-NORC polling shows that Republicans hold an overwhelmingly positive view of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., but most Democrats disapprove of President-elect Donald Trump's picking him to be the nation's top health official.

by: MSN

PMQs live: Starmer accused of 'playing politics' with Waspi women over payout decision amid growing backlash

Starmer accused of 'playing politics' with Waspi women over payout decision amid growing backlash - Starmer's Labour was accused of broken promises at PMQs over its decision not to pay compensation to 3.

by: MSN

4 ways American states and cities can meet the CCP threat to our way of life

With the 2024 elections behind us and power in D.C. determined, it's time to turn our collective focus to the greatest external threat to the American way of life: Communist China.

Why my bosses are both out of a job. But spa builders are doing OK

What's in a job title? Everything, if your job just happened to disappear as part of a major revamp by the bureau of statistics of the nation's thousands of occupations.

The article from The Sydney Morning Herald discusses the contrasting fortunes of different sectors in Australia amidst economic challenges. While the bosses of major companies like Qantas and Rio Tinto have lost their jobs due to various corporate issues, the spa and pool construction industry is experiencing a boom. This unexpected resilience in the spa sector is attributed to several factors: increased home renovation projects, a desire for luxury and relaxation at home, and possibly a shift in consumer spending towards home-based leisure activities. The article highlights how economic downturns affect industries differently, with some sectors like spa builders finding unique opportunities for growth even as others face significant leadership changes and economic pressures.

Read the Full Sydney Morning Herald Article at:
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/why-my-bosses-are-both-out-of-a-job-but-spa-builders-are-doing-ok-20241209-p5kx1q.html