“‘It’s like, there’s a, a plant somewhere in quote, progressive, unquote America, that [exists] just to see how many jack-assed, stupid things that they can embrace. It’s stunningly stupid.’ That was Democratic strategist James Carville recently talking about the messaging crisis within the Democratic Party that has only metastasized since Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20. The Rajin’ Cajun ain’t wrong. Unfortunately for the party, he’s basically one of three Democrats left who still possess common sense. The second personality among these three tenors is Sen. John Fetterman.” (02/12/25)
“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed a new fentanyl tsar as his country seeks to address border concerns from US President Donald Trump that have prompted trade tariff threats. Kevin Brosseau, a former member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and intelligence adviser to Trudeau, will begin the role immediately. Trump’s threat to impose import taxes of 25% on all goods from Canada was paused for 30 days in February, after he struck a deal with Trudeau that included new US-Canada border measures. On Monday, Trump added another threat, saying he planned to add a 25% tax on global steel and aluminum imports to the US from 12 March. If it goes ahead, that will particularly affect Canada, which supplies the US with more steel and aluminum products than any other country.” (02/12/25)
“A lieutenant of Trump ally Elon Musk and other outsiders are overseeing the immediate termination of hundreds of American aid and foreign assistance programs abroad this week, without required documentation or justification, according to newly filed affidavits from staffers and accounts Wednesday from U.S. officials. Meanwhile, other affidavits from USAID staffers until recently based in Congo describe the gutting of their agency by President Donald Trump and Musk, which they said left them abandoned and in danger from political violence in the African country’s capital. As chaos reigned at USAID’s headquarters, with senior leadership removed and funding frozen, USAID workers and their families abroad had no agency help in fleeing after looters overran their homes in Kinshasa, several of the staffers said in sworn accounts to a federal court.” (02/12/25)
“On Wednesday, the House Budget Committee released a skeletal budget resolution that would move forward on a bill to extend the Trump tax cuts and offset it with trillions in cuts. It was immediately derided as unworkable, unmanageable, and not the final deal. And it’s not clear that it even has the votes to pass the Budget Committee tomorrow. … The House favored one bill that would include the tax cuts, border and military spending, and budget cuts.” [editor’s note: Any time Congress acts on recommendations to curb waste, fraud and money laundering, the “left” call it stealing from the poor – SAT] [additional editor’s note: Any time Republicans pretend to act on such recommendations, Democrats call it that. And vice versa. It’s all as real as professional wrestling – TLK] (02/12/25)
“The Department of Homeland Security says it has taken back $59 million in FEMA funds earmarked for hotels housing migrants in New York City, a day after it fired those involved in making the payment. ‘Secretary Noem has clawed back the full payment that FEMA deep state activists unilaterally gave to NYC migrant hotels,’ a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital. ‘There will not be a single penny spent that goes against the interest and safety of the American people,’ they said. The announcement came after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) said it had uncovered $59 million in payments for luxury hotels for migrants who had flooded into the sanctuary city during the recent crisis [sic] at the southern border.” (02/12/25)
“The lefty freakout over DOGE inquiries into federal spending continues — despite (or maybe because of?) the fact that DOGE’s work is beyond justified: Just look at FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Per a recent inspector general audit, FEMA during COVID handed over $9.6 billion in a grant for medical aid to a single state — and it still hasn’t actually figured out if $8.1 billion of that was kosher under grant rules. Worse, $1.5 billion that $9.6 billion was overkill, more than the state actually spent. A shocking $1.1 billion of that $1.5 billion overdo was backed up ‘by one sheet of paper with no itemized costs and was not prepared by a licensed Professional Engineer or cost-estimating professional,’ per the IG. The overall $9.6 billion grant accounted for almost 14% of the $69 billion FEMA had earmarked for COVID-19 medical aid nationwide through the end of 2023.” (02/12/25)
“A senior figure in Ukraine’s intelligence service (SBU) has been arrested on suspicion of working as a Russian agent. The service did not name the man, who it said was chief of staff of its anti-terrorism centre, but Ukrainian media quoting sources in the SBU say he is Col Dmytro Kozyura. Local media showed him handcuffed while being arrested by SBU head Vasyl Malyuk. A statement said there were at least 14 instances in which the suspect, who it described as ‘a rat,’ had collected and transmitted information to Russia. The SBU said the investigation involved audio and video monitoring, as well as gaining access to mobile phones and computers. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has announced numerous operations to expose Russian agents on its soil.” (02/12/25)
“Egyptian and Qatari mediators were working to salvage the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, according to Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera News TV, which is close to the country’s security agencies. The fragile ceasefire is facing a significant test after Hamas said it would delay the next release of hostages scheduled for Saturday, alleging Israel has violated the truce by firing on people in Gaza and not allowing the agreed-upon number of tents, shelters and other vital aid to enter the territory. Since the truce started on Jan. 19, Israeli fire has killed at least 92 Palestinians and wounded more than 800 others, said Munir al-Bursh, director general of the Health Ministry, on Tuesday. The Israeli military says it has fired on people who approach its forces or enter certain areas in violation of the truce.” (02/12/25)
“President Donald Trump relishes deploying the ‘weave,’ his vulgar stream-of-consciousness spiels in which his vengeful fantasies and antipathy towards a cast of enemies become punchlines in an insult-comic routine. His far-right former adviser Steve Bannon has termed the Trump administration’s psychological warfare approach ’flooding the zone.’ … ‘We want to put them in trauma,’ said Russell T. Vought, Project 2025’s man in the Trump White House, who has returned to lead the Office of Management and Budget, in a 2023 speech. ’We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected. When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work because they are increasingly viewed as the villains.'” [editor’s note: And this guy thinks that is a bad thing – SAT] (02/12/25)
“A global push for AI governance hit a snag at the now concluded AI Action summit in France as the US and UK declined to join other nations in signing an international declaration on artificial intelligence (AI). The AI declaration, signed by 60 countries including France, China, and India, outlines a vision for an ‘open, inclusive, and ethical’ AI ecosystem. However, the UK government has decided against backing the agreement, stating that it lacks ‘practical clarity’ on global governance and fails to address pressing national security concerns. … Similarly, the US refused to lend its backing to the agreement, with Vice President JD Vance arguing that excessive regulation could stifle AI innovation.” (02/12/25)
