President Donald Trump can’t stop talking about, in his showy salesman style, how well the stock market has done during his second presidential term, using the rising tickers for indexes such as the Dow, S&P 500, and NASDAQ as stand-ins for a good economy. But, unfortunately for Trump’s popularity and potentially for Republican candidates who are seen as bearing responsibility with him for the state of the American economy, most Americans see the economic situation as bad and worsening despite any stock market gains.
Continue readingThe Iran War started off at the end of February with a massive joint bombardment by the United States and Israel militaries of targets in Iran. War with Iran had been in planning in the US military since Iranians rose up nearly 50 years earlier to throw out the US lackeys who had been running things there since the US-supported overthrow of the Iranian elected government in 1953.
Continue readingTypically, all the members of the majority party in the House of Representatives vote for the rule to bring legislation to the House floor for debate, even if some of those members plan to vote against the legislation after the floor debate. Meanwhile, minority party House members typically all vote against the rule. But, on occasion, some majority party members think there is something wrong enough with legislation or the process by which leadership is seeking to bring the legislation to the House floor that they rebel, voting “no” on the rule.
Continue readingIn April of 2024, I wrote about the Texas government opening up roads in the state to mini vehicles often referred to as kei trucks or kei cars. Then, in December of last year, President Donald Trump gained attention with his expression of support for these “tiny cars” like those common in Japan being made in and driven around America.
Continue readingAccording to analysis by Stephen Semler in a Friday Responsible Statecraft article, Americans’ opposition to the Iran War exceeds Americans’ previous polling-indicated opposition to other major United States wars of recent decades, from World War II through the Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Afghanistan War, and Iraq War.
Continue readingIt’s over. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) just doesn’t understand that. Her antisemitism schtick no longer packs the same punch. People see through it now.
Continue readingAlan Greenspan, who died on Monday, is being remembered largely for his time as chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1987 through 2006. In that position, Greenspan played a critical role in advancing the American state.
Continue readingOn Thursday, the justices of the United States Supreme Court unanimously concluded in deciding the case of United States v. Hemani that the US government violates the Second Amendment of the Constitution in enforcing a prohibition on people owning or possessing guns merely because those individuals also use marijuana. Further, the reasoning of the decision suggests that the court may similarly throw out such denials of respect for the right to own or possess guns in regard to people who use at least some of the other drugs subject to the US government’s drug prohibition.
Continue readingThe norm in America used to be for one parent to stay home, looking after the home and children. Over time, that situation has increasingly become uncommon as economic pressure has pushed both parents to hold full-time jobs.
Continue readingUnited States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth likes to be referred to by the title secretary of war. Given his answer to a question at a Wednesday press conference at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, it may make sense for Hegseth to add a word to his preferred title so that he can referred to instead by the title secretary of war crimes.
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