The arrogance and complete ignorance of reality is dumbfounding. “Millions of Americans are struggling to afford necessities like food, rent, insurance and a car payment. But if you’re one of them, don’t expect any understanding from the White House and its sycophants in the media. They say your financial pain is all in your head.”
Since Biden took office:
FOOD: +21.5%
GAS: +54.8%
ELECTRICITY: +29.0%
CAR INSURANCE: +51.7%
AIRLINE FARES: +39.9%
Filibuster Fact: Just something of interest. The longest continuous filibuster in U.S. history was 60 days. It took place in 1964, when 21 Democrats and 6 Republicans tried to block the Civil Rights Act.
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–Saul Anuzis
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Saul’s News Weekly Rewind Video
This Week: Speaker Johnson eyes tax cuts after GOP win in November, Mitch McConnell warns about the Washington bureaucracy, and Trump heads to Detroit!
Links to the articles discussed in the video:
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/06/12/congress/hill-gop-leaders-scheme-tax-cuts-00162977
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4718069-mcconnell-liberals-democracy-bureaucracy/
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Your Money Problems Are Imaginary, the White House Claims. The Facts Say Otherwise.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- When President Joe Biden was told by an interviewer that food prices are up 30 percent in four years, he blithely dismissed it.
- Both the president and his lead economic advisor have fallaciously claimed in multiple interviews that inflation was 9 percent when Biden took office.
- Nothing is more elitist than telling working-class folks that their problems are imaginary.
Millions of Americans are struggling to afford necessities like food, rent, insurance and a car payment. But if you’re one of them, don’t expect any understanding from the White House and its sycophants in the media. They say your financial pain is all in your head.
As an MSNBC host put it, Americans need “an economic explainer,” since “people are confused” about their financial situation. They’re actually “doing quite well,” she laughably asserted.
That will surprise the half of Americans who are struggling to make their rent or mortgage payments on time, especially the one-fifth of renters who are skipping meals to stay current, or the 65 percent of Americans who say their finances have deteriorated over the last year because of inflation.
Similarly, when President Joe Biden was told by an interviewer that food prices are up 30 percent in four years, he blithely dismissed it. American families, he claimed, “have more money to spend.”
Half of all new jobs going to immigrants, analysis finds
Roughly half of the new jobs created in the U.S. economy since October have gone to immigrants, many of them in the country illegally, according to a new analysis by the House Budget Committee.
The Labor Department released its latest employment data Friday showing the economy added jobs, but the overall labor participation rate ticked down and the unemployment rate ticked up to 4%.
“Furthermore, nearly half of all job growth since October can be attributed to various immigrant groups, including illegal immigrants, showing a far weaker economy than suggested,” the GOP-led budget committee said.
The foreign-born population filled 840,000 new jobs from November to now, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The role of migrants in the labor force looms large in the political debate.
Democrats have pleaded for the migrants to take jobs since large cities have been swamped with illegal immigrants settling in their jurisdictions and relying on government assistance after being caught and released by the Biden administration.
Terror fears mount after arrests of border crossers linked to ISIS: ‘We’re headed for another 9/11’
The eight Tajikistan nationals now in custody had been released into US after processing
Fears are growing that the migrant crisis at the southern border is compromising America’s national security after the arrests of eight suspected terrorists with ties to ISIS.
“The fact that these eight ISIS suspects got through the southern border really is a travesty,” retired U.S. Army Major General Dana Pittard told “Fox & Friends” Wednesday.
Eight Tajikistan nationals were busted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in conjunction with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force in three major cities, a federal source confirmed to Fox News.
The arrests took place in New York City, Los Angeles and Philadelphia in recent days, according to the source.
Al Qaeda chief invites foreign fighters to train in Afghanistan, target West: ‘Safe haven for terrorists’
Al Qaeda’s leader in Afghanistan, Saif al-Adl, issued a call to foreign fighters around the world to migrate to Afghanistan and join the ranks of the jihadi terror group.
A new report in the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies’ Long War Journal highlights the call from al-Adl and is so far the clearest indication from al Qaeda for foreigners to come to Afghanistan since the Taliban regained control of Kabul in 2021.
Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of the Long War Journal, told Fox News Digital that this message officially pronounces Afghanistan as a safe haven for terrorists.
“Al Qaeda is firmly ensconced in Afghanistan, and has established training camps in 10 provinces, as well as religious schools, safe houses, a weapons depot, and a media operations center … al Qaeda is telling us it plans to use this terror infrastructure to attack the West,” he warned.
Lawfare Bingeing: New Jersey Announces an Investigation into Trump Liquor Lincenses
Many of us have expressed alarm at the politicization of the criminal justice system in New York by figures such as Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. It now appears that New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin is angling to get into the lawfare frenzy.
The conviction of Trump on 34 felonies has either thrilled or repelled citizens. For many of us, it is a sign of the degradation of our legal system. Even the chief CNN legal analyst has acknowledged that Bragg contorted the law to bring the recent case against former President Donald Trump in an unprecedented prosecution.
Yet, the use of the legal system for political purposes is clearly popular in New York where people were literally dancing in the street outside of the courthouse after the recent verdict against Trump. Now Platkin’s office has announced that it is “reviewing” whether to pull the liquor licenses for Trump golf clubs since he is now convicted of felonies in New York. It appears that lawfare is nothing if not intoxicating for Democratic politicians.
According to an article in the Hill, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control is “reviewing the impact of President Trump’s conviction” on his liquor licenses for the Trump National Golf Club in Colts Neck, Lamington Farm Club, and Trump National Golf Club Philadelphia in Pine Hill.
The latest effort is based on a vague standard governing crimes of “moral turpitude” under New Jersey law:
GOP goes on election integrity offense before November with lawsuits, congressional probes and laws
Republicans are aggressively pushing election integrity from all sides in stark contrast to 2024.
Republicans have prioritized election integrity this year with new laws, lawsuits, and congressional investigative subpoenas ahead of the November general election. And they have already scored some wins against Democratic-led jurisdictions.
The multifaceted approach in 2024 contrasts with the GOP strategy four years ago that mostly focused on litigation only.
In 2020, there were as many as 400 lawsuits brought by both Republicans and Democrats regarding election procedures and laws as election administration was quickly changed during the COVID-19 lockdowns leading up to the presidential election.
In September 2022, The Amistad Project reviewed the 400 cases and found that a greater percentage of lawsuits brought by Republicans were won on the merits than those brought by Democrats. Overall, Republicans brought fewer cases to court (132) than Democrats (180) regarding the 2020 election as Democrats sued to change election laws before the November election.
This presidential election cycle, both Congress and the GOP are using their respective tools to ensure elections will be secure.
Michigan GOP Chairman Picks Up the Pieces after Inheriting State Party Rocked by Infighting, Debt
With fewer than six months until election day, newly elected Michigan GOP chairman Pete Hoekstra spends much of his time repairing relationships with legacy donors who were spurned by his predecessor, Kristina Karamo. That outreach is starting to pay off.
Hoekstra tells National Review that former education secretary Betsy DeVos and “several” members of her influential Michigan family have given “significant contributions” to the state party in recent days to help Republicans reach voters this November.
“The DeVos family was very supportive and encouraging when I assumed the role,” Hoekstra said, adding that he and Betsy DeVos, who served as Education Secretary …
Judge: Jocelyn Benson’s absentee ballot signature-validation rules unconstitutional
Whitmer-appointed Judge Yates declares Secretary of State’s verification rules violate state’s Constitution
A judge for the 3rd District of the Michigan Court of Appeals dealt Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson a significant setback in a ruling published Wednesday.
Judge Christopher P. Yates ruled that guidelines issued by Benson regarding verification of signatures on absentee ballots violated the Michigan Constitution. Benson’s guidance included the phrase, “[v]oter signatures are entitled to an initial presumption of validity.”
Yates disagreed, and, as part of his ruling, mandated strict adherence to signature verifications in the 2024 elections.
“The Secretary of State and the Director of Elections possess powers and duties concerning election procedures, but their powers do not extend to the promulgation of rules that conflict with the Michigan Constitution or statutes enacted by our Legislature,” Yates wrote.
Yates was appointed to the Court of Claims in 2022 by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to replace Judge Jane Beckering.
“Secretary of State Benson cannot pick and choose which elections laws to enforce and which to ignore,” Michigan Republican Party Chairman Pete Hoekstra said in a statement. “The signatures of absentee ballot voters have to and should be verified – it’s common sense. Michigan is crucial to the pathway to victory in November. We must protect and enforce all our election laws to maintain confidence in our system.”
‘Ongoing chaos’: Conservative group targets vulnerable Dem senators in scathing ad about key election issue
Republicans passed HR 192 last month
A conservative activist group has released a new ad urging Senate Democrats, particularly those facing tough reelections in red states, to support a House bill aimed at preventing noncitizens from voting in U.S. elections.
Building America’s Future announced in a press release that the ad is “urging Americans to tell Senate Democrats to pass HR 192 and stop illegal immigrants from voting in US elections.”
“HR 192, which was advanced by the House in May, would nullify a Washington, DC law allowing noncitizens to vote in elections,” the press release states.
Vulnerable Senate Democrats Sherrod Brown and Jon Tester are included in the ad that is running on digital platforms “as the latest spot in Building America’s Future’s ongoing ‘Chaos at the Border’ campaign.”
Republican lawmakers propose legislation to dismantle Biden admin’s DEI programs
DEI is ‘a destructive ideology that breeds hatred and racial division,’ Sen JD Vance says
Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and several other Republican lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are proposing legislation that would dismantle Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs across federal government agencies.
Vance announced the Dismantle DEI Act on Wednesday, which is intended to eliminate all federal DEI programs and funding for federal agencies, contractors, organizations and educational accreditation agencies.
Vance introduced the bill to the Senate, while Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, introduced it to the House.
Joining the lawmakers as cosponsors are Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Bill Cassidy, R-La.; Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.; Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.; and Rick Scott, R-Florida, as well as 15 members of the House of Representatives.
Teamsters President Seeks Speaking Platform at GOP Convention
The battle for labor unions’ support in the presidential race wages on as the leader of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters reportedly seeks a platform at the Democrat and Republican national conventions this summer.
The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan reported Monday that Teamster President Sean O’Brien has requested to speak at both nominating events. This is a promising sign for former President Donald Trump and a worrying sign for President Joe Biden, given that the union has regularly endorsed Democrats for president dating back decades, according to the outlet.
Most recently, the Teamsters formally endorsed Biden in 2020 after backing twice-failed Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016.
An endorsement from the labor union would obviously be momentous for Trump, but Haberman and Swan note O’Brien potentially refraining from endorsing in the race would benefit the presumptive GOP nominee to a lesser degree, as would the mere optics of having O’Brien at the convention.
Sources in Trump’s orbit indicated he and O’Brien share a budding relationship, per the report.
‘Grassroots’ Campaign Pushing Abortion In Red State Actually Bankrolled By Soros, Dem Dark Money
The organization behind a ballot initiative that could reverse Florida’s six-week abortion ban goes to lengths to promote its “grassroots” credentials, all while taking in millions from liberal dark money groups and other deep-pocketed sources, campaign finance records show.
Floridians Protecting Freedom (FPF), one of the main groups pushing for a 2024 ballot measure that would enshrine the right to an abortion in the state’s constitution, touts its “grassroots” campaign and fundraising in several press releases it has sent out in recent months. However, the group has taken in massive sums of cash from a sprawling liberal dark money network and organizations backed by wealthy liberal donors.
For instance, the Sixteen Thirty Fund gave $1 million to FPF on May 31, according to Florida campaign finance records. The Sixteen Thirty Fund spends tens of millions every year, with a significant portion of that going toward electing Democrats, all while not disclosing its donors, according to Politico. The nonprofit is managed by the D.C.-based consulting firm Arabella Advisors.
Arabella Advisors, a for-profit venture run by Clinton administration veteran Eric Kessler, manages a network of seven nonprofits that pours tens of millions of dollars every year into pro-abortion causes, climate initiatives and other left-of-center political groups. Arabella has been accused of running a “dark money” network due to the large quantities of untraceable cash it pumps into politics.
The Sixteen Thirty Fund and other dark money groups have supported similar abortion ballot measures in Ohio and Michigan. Democrats see abortion referendums as an opportunity to sway voters to their side and expand their power in November.
Investigation Into Oil and Gas ‘Price Gouging’ Is Political Nonsense
Americans are facing a consumer confidence crisis as costs continue to climb and inflation crushes peoples’ pocketbooks. The 2024 inflation rate is still high at 3.4 percent, above pre-pandemic averages. And with federal officials making clear they plan to keep rates high and President Biden insisting he has already “turned around” the economy, it’s no wonder people are left scratching their heads.
Americans with fixed incomes are particularly susceptible to economic dips, with inflation and costs at the top of their minds. However, the security of our economic future and consumer welfare clearly isn’t the prerogative of policymakers whose job is to help alleviate financial burdens for Americans. Instead, they are full steam ahead on election-year politicking.
Take the latest move by Democrats in their crusade against American energy. Energy and Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone Jr. recently launched a renewed focus on investigating oil and gas executives for alleged collusion and price fixing with officials from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
Unfortunately, to the detriment of the people, Biden and his progressive cabal are determined to use any agency, committee or platform to politicize the energy sector at a time when we need them the most. All in the name of politics.
Chinese senior leaders use relatives to hide wealth and corruption, says congressional report
Congressional Research Service previews forthcoming intelligence report on China leaders’ corruption
Senior Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping, are engaged in corruption and hiding hundreds of millions of dollars in wealth by using relatives to disguise their activities, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service.
By 2012, Mr. Xi had amassed at least $376 million in company investments, an indirect 18% stake in a rare-earth mineral company worth more than $311 million, and $20.2 million holdings in a technology company, according to a CRS report based on published information from news outlets about the hidden wealth.
“Publicly available information on the wealth and/or corruption of currently serving senior CPC leaders is limited,” the report said.
“The [Communist Party of China] does not require its officials to publicly disclose their assets. CPC and PRC media controls ensure that any non-state sanctioned reporting on, or discussion of the wealth and corruption of top leaders or their relatives either does not appear or is quickly removed from the [People’s Republic of China] media ecosystem.”
Scams in Retirement: How to Get Fraudsters to Scram
Congressional Research Service previews forthcoming intelligence report on China leaders’ corruption
Senior Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping, are engaged in corruption and hiding hundreds of millions of dollars in wealth by using relatives to disguise their activities, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service.
By 2012, Mr. Xi had amassed at least $376 million in company investments, an indirect 18% stake in a rare-earth mineral company worth more than $311 million, and $20.2 million holdings in a technology company, according to a CRS report based on published information from news outlets about the hidden wealth.
“Publicly available information on the wealth and/or corruption of currently serving senior CPC leaders is limited,” the report said.
“The [Communist Party of China] does not require its officials to publicly disclose their assets. CPC and PRC media controls ensure that any non-state sanctioned reporting on, or discussion of the wealth and corruption of top leaders or their relatives either does not appear or is quickly removed from the [People’s Republic of China] media ecosystem.”
Calculating Taxes on Social Security Benefits
The federal government can tax up to 85% of your Social Security benefits, so it’s good to know how those taxes are calculated.
It may come as a surprise, but Social Security benefits are not entirely tax-free. Depending on your income, up to 85% of your Social Security benefits can be subject to tax. That includes retirement and benefits from Social Security trust funds, like survivor and disability benefits, but not Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
The chance of paying taxes on your Social Security benefits is higher when you have significant taxable income from a job, pension, or traditional IRA, for example. However, many people who only have income from Social Security don’t pay income taxes on their benefits at the federal level.
Still, since like other forms of retirement income taxed by the IRS, taxes on Social Security benefits are a possibility for retirees, it’s important to know how Social Security taxes are calculated.
FBI warns of Mexican cartels targeting Americans in timeshare fraud schemes
The FBI is warning of a spike in scams targeting timeshare owners and that a large portion of these schemes are being perpetrated by Mexican drug cartels.
The schemes entail criminals targeting part-time property owners, often older Americans, and convincing them to hand over large sums of cash under false pretenses related to their timeshare properties.
Scammers will usually conduct extensive research on potential victims, creating fake documents and impersonating individuals from “trustworthy institutions” to sell their storylines and scare victims into compliance, the bureau said.
Scammers will use a combination of high-pressure sales tactics and cyber-enabled fraud strategies to convince victims that it is legitimate.
