US Politics | December, 2024 #2
Closing out 2024 in the United States with Border Controversies, Leadership Reflections, and the Future of Democracy
Don Lemon does not like Donald J Trump the 47th President elect being the Person of the Year by Time Magazine. What did Lemon forget, who he would have nominated, perhaps Jussie Smollett for his heroic staging of a reprehensible act of racism? Great for Mr. Trump, almost resurrected from the dead, more measured, controlled and likeable.
Jacobs said Thursday on “Morning Joe” that the choice to name Trump “Person of the Year” was “obvious,” precisely because of these historic moments — including the assassination attempt against Trump in July — and posited that “we are living in the Age of Trump.”
“For marshaling a comeback of historic proportions, for driving a once-in-a-generation political realignment, for reshaping the American presidency and altering America’s role in the world, Donald Trump is Time’s 2024 Person of the Year,” he wrote in an article Thursday.
While the AI leading state in the Nation finally finalized the election results, how come it takes 6 some weeks and then find 200 votes difference, now the house of representatives is
only 5 votes apart, but that means democracy works and discussion and consensus are needed, some commentators however see it as a mandate for resistance, perhaps rather than DEI, we should teach
democracy in our Schools, and practice it, some of it may last until adult age?
Why it matters: This could cause all kinds of problems for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and President-elect Trump as they try to quickly pass a sweeping conservative policy agenda through Congress.
Democrats are already formulating ways to kill party-line GOP votes and force Republicans to pursue a bipartisan approach to governance.
Driving the news: Rep. John Duarte (R-Calif.) told Axios he conceded to Democratic challenger Adam Gray after nearly a month of vote-counting.
Gray, who won by under 200 votes, declared victory in a statement saying he is "honored to become the Congressman-elect for California's 13th district."
House Democratic caucus chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) boasted in a statement on Gray's win, "Republicans now have no room for error because of their historically narrow margin."
Never thought how little things make a difference, here is what some analysts think made the difference in the election, a mood swing to the Trump comeback with a small gesture, care about people.
Where are we heading with Trumps Cabinet picks, the so-called Trump cult, well one thing for sure, resistance and lots of noise, especially the
DOGE activities will rock the house, imagine, Elon fired 80% of the Twitter employees for X, and what happened, nothing to notice, imagine Government got reduced by 80% and functions better? Hopefully Lobbying will be another topic that should be addressed, the US is the only Country with legal corruption,
in all others it is listed under corruption.
Here a global look, population vs government size.
The number of people working for the government varies depending on the country. In the United States, there were around 19.23 million people working for state and local governments in 20221. This is much higher than the number of federal government employees, which stood at about 2.87 million people in that year. The federal government employs nearly 9.1 million workers, comprising nearly 6 percent of total employment in the United States.
And this from 2019 - As I outlined in an opinion column earlier this year, federal workers often enjoy pay and benefits that private sector workers can only dream of. For example, they receive pay that is 17 percent higher on average than private sector employees who perform comparable work, even though they work 12 percent fewer hours on average. Meanwhile, federal workers face a 0.2 percent chance of getting fired in any given year. That is more than 45 times lower than their private sector counterparts.
While full-time federal employee compensation and benefits are above market, at least these figures are relatively transparent and accountable. However, many taxpayers may not realize they are additionally subsidizing a ballooning shadow government of some 5.3 million contract and grant employees. While politicians often promise to cut the size of government, many fail to acknowledge the increasing number of contract workers.
The controversial, Pete Hegseth, Robert Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Kristi Noem, Elon Musk, well they may not be yes Sir people, however all of them have at least one thing in common, a vision of their own, and yes in line with the election agenda, so what is wrong. Probably one word, Fear, that they might be successful. I really look forward to two people, Robert Kennedy to take on big Pharma and the Food Industry, so both should help to lower cost, not eat more and take more pills, a paraoxons first class. Here a look what is on the Pharma Menu, and here part one of the MAHA Agenda. (Part 2) See what obesity delivers to the Pharma, and the Food people laugh all the Way to the Bank as well. Thank you Ozempic. It’s a circular economy folks, Biden economics?
Remember the Words Joe Biden uttered, the most transparent Government ever. Well one thing he and Obama did well is
spying, but really no surprise, for their understanding of transparency?
A new report by Open the Books, a nonpartisan government watchdog, has revealed that since 2021, the Biden administration has spent hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on research related to "misinformation," a significant rise compared to the first Trump administration.
The increase in spending raises serious concerns about civil liberties and free speech online, especially on social media platforms, where much of the Biden administrations’ efforts were directed.
Since 2021, the Biden-Harris White House has spent at least $267 million on research grants and contracts related to "misinformation" or "disinformation."
Will
AOC
replace Nancy Pelosi, bet the chances are good and she may have a
few Fetterman moments, that actually start to show some common sense, good for them, bad for the Pelosi partisans. Nothing wrong with people having an opinion and debate, that is a healthy democracy.
Freedom Cities,
buzzword or an actual project, don’t worry, Trump will make it happen and it will be affordable housing for a lot of people, call them tech hubs or whatever, but it solves a problem.
On the campaign trail, President-elect Donald J. Trump outlined many big plans, from achieving energy dominance to carrying out the largest deportation operation in American history. Now, as his administration begins to take shape, enthusiasm is building for Trump’s proposed solution to the housing crisis: chartering new “Freedom Cities” using millions of acres of what is currently federal land.
“We’ll actually build new cities in our country again,” Trump said in the 2023 “Agenda 47” video announcing his plan, which hinges on a contest to create up to 10 such cities.
The Clemency President, wonder what goes on in Bidens head, but certainly he has developed kind of a Mother Theresa approach distributing Money,
forgive student loans and
free people, or pardon, from protecting his Family with Hunters pardon, perhaps Diddy and Epstein post hum might be on the list, certainly no logic but was there ever any? Other items on the list, stonewall the Trump agenda with last minute actions and blue state policies.
And what about selling or auctioning elements of the Border wall? It is taxpayer paid and owed by the Government, being auctioned for cents on the Dollar to sabotage the further build of the Border Wall, bet Biden will pardon himself the last Day in office.
Alarming footage taken by a US Customs and Border Agent captured numerous flatbed trucks hauling away dismantled sections of the steel wall near Tucson, Arizona – a hotspot for illegal crossings – with the agent estimating a half-mile’s worth of parts are being removed daily, The Daily Wire reported.
“They are taking it from three sections: Nogales, Tucson, and Three Points,” the agent, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, told the outlet.
“The goal is to move all of it off the border before Christmas.”
The materials are being transported to Pinal Airpark in Marana, Arizona, where it’s being sold through GovPlanet, an online auction house specializing in military surplus, with bidding starting at just $5.
Online auctions for the parts — listed as Steel Bollard Wall Sections w/Grout — already happened this month, with another scheduled for Dec. 18.
So much we will do in the last 42 days, perhaps just step away and let go, 3 years and 11 month of chaos are enough, we do not need another 42 Days.
Who would have thought during his playing time that
Prime Time would become
Coach Prime. A
Great story to tell, and a testament to a Men who lived it all, not saying he is easy, but you can never deny a great heart and it looks, the showman is not only a talent, but hard at work.
Living the Dream of democracy, what best to demonstrate your fight for democracy then to refrain from the inauguration? While some people
buy their way (even Zuckerberg – in English Sugar Mountain) to participation, the resistance
Elite boycott, and go on TV to save democracy.
Delusionists, Bidens people on all foreign policies and actions have not progressed the standing of the US in the world as a
partner and dominant Power. Anthony Blinken may have had an agenda, but it all ended in Chaos. There is no denial, that on every continent, the Biden people lost, yeah Assad is gone but that was a coup with only worse outcome, see Afghanistan and Iraq, not to speak of all the people killed in the Israel / Gaza conflict, looks like Biden wanted more people killed than GWB? You can’t be any more cynical than what Blinken writes.
When President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris came into office, these revisionist powers were already aggressively challenging U.S. interests. These countries believed that the United States was in irreversible decline at home and divided from its friends abroad. They saw an American public that had lost its faith in government, an American democracy that was polarized and paralyzed, and an American foreign policy that was undermining the very alliances, international institutions, and norms that Washington had built and championed.
Just don’t look up –
Drones above your head are just a nuisance and no one really wants to talk about, anyone really believes that
no one knows, and no one can figure it out? Really, so we find all the bad guys in Gaza and Syria, but Hostages and Drones on our soil, nope. Maybe we should ask Netanyahu for some help.
Maybe Zelinsky can’t try them out in the Ukraine, so they fly them over the US, in another favor for Hunters income, it will soon dry up?
Ukraine has dramatically amped up domestic production of both attack and reconnaissance drones since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. This year, the Ukrainian government allocated $2 billion to produce at least 1 million first person-view, or FPV, drones, which are equipped with cameras that transmit video to remote pilots. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told foreign arms manufacturers earlier this month that the country had already surpassed that, contracting 1.5 million drones in the first three quarters of this year. He added that Ukraine is now capable of producing 4 million drones annually. The government, military, private companies and regular citizens are all involved.
No Labels, Never Trumpers and Mitt Romney, the
demolition crew in the 2024 election cycle, what is next? Let’s just call them what they are, perhaps the good old boys and girls, including Mitch O’Connell’, Nancy Pelosi, and all the forever politicians. Time for term limits, 12 years for Senate and Congress, and a ban / limit on lobbying, DOGE will clear the path.
That is it for 2024, enjoy a wonderful Christmas if you are a believer, if not enjoy the time in between the Years with your beliefs and spiritual guidance. For 2025 we all look forward, hopefully we find a way to talk to each other over a healthy meal, enjoy our freedom and work towards a more peaceful world, engage in dialogue not monologue and yes, respect and tolerance are part of that. We will be back in 2025, Happy, successful and Healthy New Year.
Don Lemon does not approve of Donald J. Trump, the 47th President-elect, being named Person of the Year by Time Magazine. Did Lemon forget who he might have nominated? Perhaps Jussie Smollett for his controversial staging of a reprehensible act of racism? This accolade seems to celebrate a nearly resurrected Trump, who appears more measured, controlled, and likable.
Jacobs said Thursday on “Morning Joe” that the choice to name Trump “Person of the Year” was “obvious,” precisely because of these historic moments — including the assassination attempt against Trump in July — and posited that “we are living in the Age of Trump.”
“For marshaling a comeback of historic proportions, for driving a once-in-a-generation political realignment, for reshaping the American presidency and altering America’s role in the world, Donald Trump is Time’s 2024 Person of the Year,” he wrote in an article Thursday.
While the AI-led state finally finalized the election results, why does it take over six weeks to find a mere 200-vote difference? The House of Representatives is now only five votes apart. This tight margin suggests that democracy works, requiring discussion and consensus. Some commentators, however, interpret this as a mandate for resistance. Perhaps instead of DEI, we should teach democracy in our schools to instill enduring values in the next generation.
Why it matters: This could cause all kinds of problems for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and President-elect Trump as they try to quickly pass a sweeping conservative policy agenda through Congress.
Democrats are already formulating ways to kill party-line GOP votes and force Republicans to pursue a bipartisan approach to governance.
Driving the news: Rep. John Duarte (R-Calif.) told Axios he conceded to Democratic challenger Adam Gray after nearly a month of vote-counting.
Gray, who won by under 200 votes, declared victory in a statement saying he is "honored to become the Congressman-elect for California's 13th district."
House Democratic caucus chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) boasted in a statement on Gray's win, "Republicans now have no room for error because of their historically narrow margin."
Never underestimate how little things can make a difference. Analysts suggest that a mood swing toward Trump's comeback may have been sparked by a small gesture, demonstrating genuine care for people.
Where are we heading with Trump's Cabinet picks? The so-called Trump cult predicts resistance and significant noise. For instance, the DOGE activities will stir up controversy. Imagine if government were reduced by 80%, as Elon Musk did with Twitter, and operated more efficiently? Additionally, lobbying, labeled as legal corruption in the U.S., deserves scrutiny, as it's considered corruption elsewhere. Transparency International highlights this disparity.
Here a global look, population vs government size.
The number of people working for the government varies depending on the country. In the United States, there were around 19.23 million people working for state and local governments in 2022. This is much higher than the number of federal government employees, which stood at about 2.87 million people in that year. The federal government employs nearly 9.1 million workers, comprising nearly 6 percent of total employment in the United States.
And this from 2019 - Federal workers often enjoy pay and benefits that private sector workers can only dream of. For example, they receive pay that is 17 percent higher on average than private sector employees who perform comparable work, even though they work 12 percent fewer hours on average. Meanwhile, federal workers face a 0.2 percent chance of getting fired in any given year. That is more than 45 times lower than their private sector counterparts.
While full-time federal employee compensation and benefits are above market, at least these figures are relatively transparent and accountable. However, many taxpayers may not realize they are additionally subsidizing a ballooning shadow government of some 5.3 million contract and grant employees. While politicians often promise to cut the size of government, many fail to acknowledge the increasing number of contract workers.
The controversial Pete Hegseth, Robert Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Kristi Noem, Elon Musk—they may not be "yes sir" people, but they all have one thing in common: a vision of their own, often aligned with election agendas. So what’s wrong? One word: fear—that they might be successful. I particularly look forward to Robert Kennedy tackling big Pharma and the food industry to lower costs, reduce consumption, and challenge the "pills and processed foods" paradigm. Here’s a look at what’s on the Pharma Menu, and part one of the MAHA Agenda. (Part 2): See what obesity delivers to Pharma while food companies laugh all the way to the bank. Thank you, Ozempic. It’s a circular economy, folks—Biden economics.
Novo Nordisk , a pharmaceutical company, reported a 28% year-on-year increase in net profit. The company’s profit rose 62% to $3.19 billion, and sales climbed 37% to $65.86 billion. For 2023, Novo Nordisk reported $33.7 billion in sales, exceeding analysts’ expectations, with operating profit climbing 44% to $15 billion.
Remember the Words: Joe Biden once claimed to lead the "most transparent government ever." However, one thing he and Obama did effectively was spying. Transparency, as they understood it, seemed to include extensive surveillance.
A new report by Open the Books , a nonpartisan government watchdog, revealed that since 2021, the Biden administration has spent hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on research related to "misinformation," a significant increase compared to the first Trump administration.
The increase in spending raises serious concerns about civil liberties and free speech online, especially on social media platforms, where much of the Biden administration’s efforts were directed. Since 2021, the Biden-Harris White House has spent at least $267 million on research grants and contracts related to "misinformation" or "disinformation."
Will AOC replace Nancy Pelosi? The chances seem good, and she may have a few Fetterman moments —flashes of common sense that could benefit her team but challenge the Pelosi partisans. A healthy democracy thrives on diverse opinions and debate.
Freedom Cities: Buzzword or actual project? Trump plans to create affordable housing hubs, addressing the housing crisis with "Freedom Cities" built on federal land. His 2023 “Agenda 47” outlines a competition to develop up to 10 new cities.
The Clemency President: Biden has taken a Mother Teresa-like approach, forgiving student loans and issuing pardons, including some protecting his family. This strategy is marked by last-minute actions to stonewall the Trump agenda and blue-state policies.
Selling or auctioning border wall elements , funded by taxpayers, undermines future construction. Critics speculate that Biden may pardon himself on his last day in office.
Alarming footage taken by a U.S. Customs and Border Agent captured numerous flatbed trucks hauling away dismantled sections of the steel wall near Tucson, Arizona — a hotspot for illegal crossings — with the agent estimating a half-mile’s worth of parts are being removed daily, The Daily Wire reported.
“They are taking it from three sections: Nogales, Tucson, and Three Points,” the agent, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, told the outlet.
“The goal is to move all of it off the border before Christmas.”
The materials are being transported to Pinal Airpark in Marana, Arizona, where they are being sold through GovPlanet , an online auction house specializing in military surplus, with bidding starting at just $5.
Online auctions for the parts — listed as Steel Bollard Wall Sections w/Grout — have already occurred this month, with another scheduled for Dec. 18.
So much to do in the last 42 days—perhaps it’s time to step away and let go. Three years and eleven months of chaos are enough; we do not need another 42 days.
Who would have thought during his playing time that Prime Time would become Coach Prime. A great story to tell , it’s a testament to a man who lived it all. Not saying he is easy, but his great heart and hard work cannot be denied.
Living the Dream of democracy: What better way to demonstrate your fight for democracy than to refrain from the inauguration? While some people buy their way in (even Zuckerberg—aka Sugar Mountain), others resist, boycotting the elite event and going on TV to “save democracy.”
Delusionists: Biden’s foreign policy has not improved the standing of the U.S. as a partner or dominant power. Antony Blinken’s agenda resulted in chaos across continents—whether Afghanistan, Iraq, or the Israel-Gaza conflict. Cynicism runs deep in what Blinken writes, overshadowing any claims of progress.
When President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris came into office, revisionist powers were already aggressively challenging U.S. interests. These countries believed the United States was in irreversible decline—polarized at home and divided abroad. They saw a democracy undermined by its government and foreign policy, leaving alliances and norms in disarray.
Just don’t look up— drones above your head are just a nuisance. Do we really believe no one knows what they are or where they come from? We find bad actors in Gaza and Syria but can’t locate hostages or explain drones on U.S. soil. Maybe Netanyahu or Zelenskyy could lend a hand.
Ukraine has dramatically increased domestic production of attack and reconnaissance drones since Russia’s 2022 invasion. President Zelenskyy reported surpassing initial production goals, contracting 1.5 million drones this year alone. The country now produces 4 million drones annually, with contributions from the government, military, private companies, and citizens.
No Labels, Never Trumpers, and Mitt Romney: The demolition crew of 2024’s election cycle. Let’s call them what they are—the old guard, including Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, and other career politicians. It’s time for term limits: 12 years for Congress, and strict lobbying bans. DOGE will clear the path.
That’s it for 2024. Enjoy a wonderful Christmas if you celebrate, or simply cherish the time with loved ones. In 2025, let’s work toward healthy dialogue, mutual respect, and a more peaceful world. Happy, successful, and healthy New Year!
