AWFL Wisconsin Judge Who Aided and Abetted the Flight of a Fugitive INDICTED on Obstruction of Justice Charges
—Ace
But Democrats have the right to break the law!
A federal grand jury indicted Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan on May 13 after a daylong hearing on charges that she tried to assist an undocumented immigrant escape arrest from her courtroom last month.Dugan, 66, was previously charged with obstructing a U.S. agency and concealing an individual to prevent an arrest. The two charges carry a maximum penalty of six years in prison and a $350,000 fine, but sentences in cases involving nonviolent offenses typically are much shorter.).
She will enter a plea on Thursday.
She is expected to plead "Democrat."
And now: Fresh insurrections.
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Democrat-Media Party In Full Conspiracy to Blame Only Biden and His Six Closest Advisors for the Greatest Electoral Fraud Ever Perpetrated on the American People.
—Ace
Jake Tapper and all the Democrats he interviewed are sure of one thing: Only Biden and "Doctor" Jill Biden and his six top advisers are to blame for lying to the public since 2019 about Biden's obvious mental unfitness.
No currently-serving Democrat official is to blame -- not Elizabeth Warren, not Bernie Sanders, not Mark Kelley, not any of the Democrats who insisted, and in some cases continue insisting, that Biden was/is "sharp as a tack."
They were all just misled by Biden's staff, who "kept them at a distance"! They are blameless! None of them should be asked why they didn't raise objections to Biden being kept in a bubble, or wonder why it was necessary to keep him in that bubble!
And certainly neither Jake Tapper nor any of his fellow media gangsters can be blamed for repeatedly lying to the public and telling them that Biden was tip-top and that any claims to the contrary were Republican smears.
After all, they were told by Biden's staffers! Obviously if a politician's staffer tells you a self-serving story, you are obligated to believe it and insist that your audience believes it as well!
That's the same rule they apply to Trump, right? If Trump's people insist on a claim, the media just rolls over and says "Obviously Trump's people are telling the truth here." Right? That's the rule applied to Republicans, right?
Jake Tapper did not write this book to expose the lies -- he wrote this book to manufacture a new lie, one that protects all currently-serving Democrats and their media allies and pins all blame -- every drop of it-- to a group of eight people who have no further possible career in politics.
We were all misled, claim the people who misled the country for five years.
Senior Democrats have turned on Joe Biden in a bombshell new book claiming to expose the shocking full extent of his decline.The book, by co-authors CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios correspondent Alex Thompson, also alleges the former president and his inner circle 'totally f***ed us' and handed the election to Donald Trump.
Exposing what they say was a concerted and long-term cover-up of Biden's failing powers, Tapper and Thompson say that in one disturbing incident the frail president allegedly failed to recognize legendary Hollywood mega-star George Clooney and 'was barely capable of stringing two sentences together' even before his grueling 2024 campaign began.
Due out in a few days, their book suggests that, despite repeated assurance from those close to him, Biden had been in cognitive decline since as far back as 2015.
Since 2015.
Which Republicans all spotted and talked about it.
Meanwhile, Jake Tapper, who's now trying to cash in, insisted that this was all a Republican cheapfake lie up until June 2024.
And that a 'Politburo' of trusted advisers, including Mike Donilon, Steve Ricchetti, and Bruce Reed, plus members of Biden's family, effectively aided him as he 'stole' the election from the Democrats and 'the American people' because of their selfish insistence that 'an addled old man' should stand again.
Just Biden, Jill Biden, Mike Donilon, Steve Ricchetti, Bruce Reed, Anita Dunn, and some of Biden's family, and absolutely no one else in the Democrat-Media Party were responsible for this grand deception.
The authors don't mince their words - and neither do the slew of furious Democrats who have contributed to the book, Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.
Every one of their words is minced. This is a new cover-up to replace the old cover-up, now that the old cover-up has been exposed and threatens to destroy the entire Democrat-Media Party.
The wound must be stanched. The bleeding must be cauterized. Blame must be affixed to seven people firmly and all others need to be defended and excused.
In one excoriating summary, Tapper and Thompson suggest the decision to push Biden to run for re-election in 2024 was 'shockingly narcissistic, self-delusional and reckless -- a desperate bet that went bust and part of a larger act of extended public deception that has few precedents...'The decision to run again, the Original Sin of this president, led to a campaign of denial and gaslighting, leading directly to Donald Trump's return to power.'
So outraged are influential Democrats that a number have allowed their names to be used in the book, including David Plouffe, who managed Obama's successful 2008 campaign. 'We got so screwed by Biden as a party,' Plouffe is quoted as saying.
In one of the most shocking revelations, Biden was reportedly so impaired that he didn't recognize Clooney at a star-studded June 2024 Democratic fundraiser in Los Angeles, the book says, claiming it left the actor 'shaken to his core.'
'It was obvious to many standing there that the president did not know who George Clooney was,' the authors write.
In fairness, I don't recognize him either. He now looks like Count Chocula What Got The AIDS.
Another Hollywood VIP guest reportedly said: 'It was like watching someone who was not alive. It was so awful.'...
In another passage of this new book, Tapper and Thompson describe how in June 2023, former president Barack Obama allegedly visited Biden to 'kick the tires.'
He told Biden that Trump would be formidable and left Biden with a warning.
'Just make sure you can win the race,' he said.
...
From production trickery during filmed appearances, to severely limited work periods for the ageing president, the book also reveals the extraordinary measures taken to prevent the public - and the rest of the Democratic Party - from seeing what they say was the true scale of Biden's infirmity.
At 82, Biden was already the oldest president in the history of the republic when he finished his term in office.
When the White House aides filmed his appearances, they would use more than one camera, allowing 'jump cuts' (switching from one view to another) to obscure his stumbles, according to the book.
But the president's issues weren't a recent development. The authors claim that by 2020, during Biden's first campaign, he already could no longer follow conversations and a special team was hired to edit his verbal stumbles out of campaign ads.
The authors say he had trouble recording even mundane thoughts without fluffing his lines.
'Biden often couldn't make it through one or two minutes without botching a line or two,' one source says.
I reported all of these things. So did the coblogs. So did the commenters.
But Jake Tapper now wants a million dollars for reporting what better reporters -- pretty much everyone else in the world -- reported five years ago.
Original Sin says that from January 1, 2023 to April 27, 2024, the president had undertaken only four public events before 10.00 am.
How many times did we point out that Biden did all of his photo ops between 11 am and 4pm?
That's why we called him Sundown -- because people with dementia begin getting fuzzy around sundown.
But Jake Tapper, Super-Reporter, is just getting around to reporting this now.
All of this was available to be reported years ago. You don't need "Democrat staffers suddenly telling the truth" to just check Biden's f***ing daily schedule, which is and was published every day.
One prominent Democratic strategist who once publicly defended Biden is quoted saying that the former president 'stole' the election from the American people.Another leading Democrat had been assured that the president was 'fine', but when he met Biden in person, he found the First Lady, Jill Biden, was finishing some thoughts for him.
'He was clearly not f***ing fine,' this source tells the authors.
We all saw this. Some of us reported it. Some of us covered up.
And of course the people who covered it up are now being showered with cash and praise.
Biden/Harris campaign strategist David Pfloufle is emphatic -- none of this was my fault, it was all Biden!
"Trying to defeat Donald Trump in just 107 days was a 'f***ing nightmare,' admits Harris campaign adviser David Plouffe," in a new report (no link, alas) shared by Steve Guest on X this morning. Plouffe blamed Biden for clinging to power too long, leaving Harris too little time to mount an effective campaign: "He totally f***ed us."But Concha argued that Plouffe "helped run a patently horrible campaign, and of course to save his own skin, passes the buck." He rattled off a brutal list of missteps, including skipping the Al Smith dinner, ignoring Joe Rogan, tapping Tim Walz, and cozying up to Liz Cheney.
When Concha puts it like that, Plouffe looks pretty bad, doesn't he?
The thing is, Concha is entirely correct that Plouffe's decisions on Al Smith, Rogan, Walz, and Cheney all led to disaster. What Concha misses is that, as bad as those choices were, the alternatives were worse.
He notes that putting Biden on Rogan would have been a disaster. See the article for that.
Most amusing was Pfloufle's call on the "masculine" Tim Walz.
I saved Walz for last because he's the funniest example of Plouffe's dilemma.Harris needed a white male for "balance," preferably someone with executive experience and the ability to deliver a swing state. That left her with Walz or Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. Shapiro would have been the better choice -- popular, sharp, and governor of a crucial swing state. But Harris couldn't afford to alienate the "River to the Sea" crowd, and that made Shapiro's Jewishness a political liability.
So it had to be Walz.
I'll never quit laughing at Gov. Jazz Hands getting the veep nod because he could bring "masculinity" to the ticket.
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David Hogg Tried to Appeal to Young Men By Calling Them All Shiftless F*ckboys.
But Even That Was Being Too Nice to Men for the Democrat Party.
—Ace
David Hogg went on Bill Maher to attract straight young men. No, I don't mean attract straight men in piano bars, I mean he wants to appeal to them politically.
Or in piano bars. I don't know. I'm not his keeper. It's between him and his PrEP distributor.
He told Bill Maher that young men "just want to get laid," which pleased the Playboy-Mansion-haunting, prostitute-using Maher, but left a lot of straight young men feeling a little insulted.
Despite calling young men useless f*ckboys with no higher aspiration apart from getting their wicks trimmed, the man-hating left attacked Hogg, demanding he be ousted for supporting "rapey" men. (They love using cutesy, girlish words like "rapey" to describe something heinous. Because they're not talking about actual rape, of course.* They're objecting to men just desiring women. Real women, I mean.)
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Trump Blasts "Neocons," "Liberal Non-Profits" for Screwing Up the World
—Ace
Eric Daugherty @EricLDaughHOLY SMOKES: Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis. This is a VICTORY speech over globalism.
"It's crucial for the wider world to know this great transformation has not come from Western interventionists, or flying people in beautiful planes giving you lectures on how to live and how to govern your own affairs."
"In the end, the so-called nation builders wrecked far more nations than they built and the interventionalists were intervening in complex societies that they did not even understand themselves."
"No, the gleaming marvels of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi were not created by the so-called 'nation builders,' neocons, or liberal non-profits like those who spent trillions and trillions of dollars failing to develop Baghdad, so many other cities."
"Instead, the birth of a modern Middle East has been brought by the people of the region themselves, the people that are right here, the people that have lived here all their lives, developing your own sovereign countries, pursuing your own unique visions and charting your own destinies in your own way."
"They told you how to do it, but they had no idea how to do it themselves. Peace, prosperity, and progress ultimately came not from a radical rejection of your heritage, but rather from embracing your national traditions and embracing that same heritage that you love so dearly."
"You achieved a modern miracle the Arabian way."
No wonder they respect him so much.
Video below.
I didn't bother covering the fake media nontroversy about Qatar giving Trump a personal gift of a 747 because it seemed so obviously fake.
PJ Media's Matt Margolis explains:
It's not a gift to Trump, it's being loaned to the US Department of Defense because Boeing is moving too slow in building a replacement Air Force One.
The Democrats have been desperate to find a scandal to pin on Trump, and their latest attempt may be the stupidest yet....
In the wake of media hysteria over the offer from Qatar to provide the United States with an aircraft, Buzz Patterson, a retired Air Force pilot, White House military aide, and carrier of the nuclear football, has stepped in to inject a dose of reality--and firsthand experience--into the conversation. While critics scramble to paint the move as some kind of scandal involving President Trump, Patterson makes clear this is nothing new or scandalous, and absolutely nothing that warrants the breathless outrage.
"I'm going to try one last time," Patterson began in a post on X. "The Qatar B-747 was built in the US by Boeing. They are offering a newer 747 to replace one of the two current AF-1s that have been flying for 40 years. Which are tired and need to be replaced."
That last point is key. The current Air Force One planes are aging relics that first entered service when Ronald Reagan was in the White House. Replacing them has been a long, slow, and--thanks to bureaucratic delays--frustrating process. Patterson, who served as a military aide during the Clinton administration and has flown on Air Force One over a hundred times, says the Qatar aircraft would simply help fill the gap until Boeing completes new replacements--something that won't happen for years.
Advertisement"This AF-1 will serve the sitting president, whether they be Republican or Democrat until Boeing gets their s--t together to complete the new, upcoming improved 747s that started under Obama, was renegotiated under Trump, and was completely ignored by the Biden administration," he explained. "It's looking like 2029 to 2030 for delivery at the soonest."
Critics have tried to turn this into a personal gift to Trump, but that's not even remotely accurate. "Qatar is offering the jet to the US military, not Donald Trump," Patterson explained.
The current Air Force One planes (I think they trade off which is called "Air Force One" according to which is flying the president) were built under Reagan. That is too old for a plane, especially one flying the leader of the free world.
I know the Democrats and the media (but I repeat myself) would love if the president died in a plane crash they engineered, but the rest of us object to this scheme.
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Inflation Falls "Faster Than Expected," Reaching Lowest Level Since 2021
—Ace
* The consumer price index rose a seasonally adjusted 0.2% for the month, putting the 12-month inflation rate at 2.3%, its lowest since February 2021.* The core CPI also increased 0.2% for the month, while the year-over-year level was 2.8%.
* Egg prices tumbled, falling 12.7%, though they were still up 49.3% from a year ago.
* While the April CPI figures were relatively tame, the Trump tariffs remain a wild card in the inflation picture, depending on where negotiations go between now and the summer.
Inflation was slightly lower than expected in April as President Donald Trump's tariffs just began hitting the slowing U.S. economy, according to a Labor Department report Tuesday.
The consumer price index, which measures the costs for a broad range of goods and services, rose a seasonally adjusted 0.2% for the month, putting the 12-month inflation rate at 2.3%, its lowest since February 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. The monthly reading was in line with the Dow Jones consensus estimate while the 12-month was a bit below the forecast for 2.4%.
Excluding volatile food and energy prices, the core CPI also increased 0.2% for the month, while the year-over-year level was 2.8%. The forecast was for 0.3% and 2.8%, respectively.
The monthly readings were a bit higher than in March though price increases remain well off their highs of three years ago.
Markets reacted little to the news, with stock futures pointing flat to slightly lower and Treasury yields mixed.
″"Good news on inflation, and we need it given inflation shocks from tariffs are on their way," said Robert Frick, corporate economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. "Non-tariffed goods are still in the pipeline, and perhaps some importers have absorbed their tariff costs for now."
Shelter prices again were the main culprit in pushing up the inflation gauge. The category, which makes about one-third of the index weighting, increased 0.3% in April, accounting for more than half the overall move, according to the BLS.
After posting a 2.4% slide in March, energy prices rebounded, with a 0.7% gain. Food saw a 0.1% decline.
Used vehicle prices saw their second straight drop, down 0.5%, while new vehicles were flat. Apparel costs also were off 0.2% though medical care services increased 0.5%. Health insurance increased 0.4% while motor vehicle insurance was up 0.6%.
Egg prices tumbled, falling 12.7%, though they were still up 49.3% from a year ago.
With the increase in CPI, real average hourly earnings were flat for the month and up 1.4% from a year ago.
While the April CPI figures were relatively tame, the Trump tariffs remain a wild card in the inflation picture, depending on where negotiations go between now and the summer.
...
"Overall, there was no sign of the tariff impact in the April CPI. Although we expect higher tariffs will likely exert upward pressures on core CPI, starting in May, weakening of consumer demand and an inventory drawdown might mitigate the inflationary pressure," Nomura economist Aichi Amemiya said in a note.
Grocery prices rose the slower than they have in five full years.
JP Morgan has now retracted its prediction of a recession in 2025. They say the China tariff pause has made a recession unlikely. So, mostly their recession prediction was based on China tariffs.
Hacktivist Clown Jake Tapper: Biden's Doctor Thought He Needed a Wheelchair (But I Didn't Report This During the Campaign)
—Ace
Jake Tapper is advertising his cover-up book by revealing information he concealed when it mattered: Biden was so frail that his doctor wanted him to use a wheelchair if he continued falling.
Former President Joe Biden's aides had become so concerned about his physical deterioration that they'd discussed him using a wheelchair if he won re-election in 2024, according to a bombshell book out next week.The private conversations were laid bare in a new book "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," co-authored by Axios reporter Alex Thompson and CNN host Jake Tapper, that details the lengths to which the Biden administration and its allies tried to conceal the 46th president's lack of fitness for office.
"Biden's physical deterioration -- most apparent in his halting walk -- had become so severe that there were internal discussions about putting the president in a wheelchair, but they couldn't do so until after the election," read an except from "Original Sin" first reported Tuesday by Axios, Thompson's home publication.
"Given Biden's age, [his physician Kevin O'Connor] also privately said that if he had another bad fall, a wheelchair might be necessary for what could be a difficult recovery," Thompson and Tapper wrote.
The authors also note that O'Connor often argued with Biden aides, trying to get them to build more rest time into the president's schedule -- despite contemporaneous reporting by Thompson that the Democrat only had a six-hour window of peak effectiveness and became "fatigued" and subject to "verbal miscues" outside the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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Trump Lands in Saudi Arabia, Announces $600 Billion in New Investments in America
—Ace
Happy Tuesday!
Trump and some of his advisors and cabinet heads landed in Saudi Arabia late last night.
This morning, he announced a pledge from the Saudis to invest $600 billion in the American economy.
Trump secures historic Saudi investment totaling $600 billion
President Trump on Tuesday signed a $600 billion investment agreement with Saudi Arabia--the largest ever between the two nations--spanning energy, defense, infrastructure, and technology....
President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled a $600 billion investment commitment from Saudi Arabia into the United States, marking what the White House called "a new golden era of partnership." The agreement, signed during Trump's visit to the Kingdom, spans dozens of sectors and is the largest commercial package ever recorded between the two nations.
The first wave of investments includes:
A $142 billion defense package, described as "the largest defense sales agreement in history," spanning five broad categories: air and space capabilities, missile defense, maritime and coastal security, border security and land forces modernization, and communications upgrades. The package also includes training and support to enhance Saudi military service academies and medical services.
$20 billion in U.S.-based investment from Saudi DataVolt for AI data centers and energy infrastructure.
$80 billion in joint investments from companies like Google, Oracle, Salesforce, AMD, and Uber, targeting "cutting-edge transformative technologies in both countries."
$2 billion in U.S. services exports for infrastructure projects such as King Salman International Airport, King Salman Park, The Vault, and Qiddiya City--led by Hill International, Jacobs, Parsons, and AECOM.
$14.2 billion in GE Vernova gas turbines and energy solutions, and $4.8 billion in Boeing 737-8 aircraft for AviLease.
$5.8 billion investment in the healthcare sector by Shamekh IV Solutions, LLC, including a high-capacity IV fluid plant in Michigan.
The launch of three major funds focused on U.S. sector deployment: a $5 billion Energy Investment Fund, a $5 billion Aerospace and Defense Technology Fund, and a $4 billion Global Sports Fund.
Trump is looking to secure $2 trillion in investments or trade deals in the Gulf countries.
Trump is expected to secure up to $2 trillion in Gulf investments tied to AI, energy, weapons, and semiconductors.
The tour comes as U.S. allies grow increasingly frustrated with Biden's Middle East posture and Iran gains influence.
No visit to Israel is planned, and Palestinian statehood remains a roadblock to broader normalization deals.
Diving Deeper:
President Donald Trump landed in Riyadh on Tuesday, kicking off a three-day tour through the Persian Gulf with the stated goal of deepening economic and defense partnerships with three of America's wealthiest and most strategic allies: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the trip "a cornerstone" of Trump's broader Middle East doctrine: defeating extremism not through endless wars, but through commerce, cultural engagement, and military cooperation.
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The Morning Rant: Guest Edition [Pete Bog]
—Open Blogger
After Congress passed the wildly misnamed “Inflation Reduction Act” in August of 2022 I wrote a series of posts explaining why widespread inflation was inevitable. I bring that up for two reasons, first I was right and second the comments on those threads revealed a high level of economic understanding of the topic.
Recently I have been watching the financial media fantasize about the impacts of Trump’s tariff policy. Per the pundits, the new tariff regime will have devastating consequences on the economy, employment and the almost certain onset of “stagflation”, the simultaneous combination of slow or no economic growth and high inflation. I’ve been scratching my head over that one and I’d like to solicit the Horde’s thoughts, whether informed or otherwise.
Here is a snapshot of the current economic situation in the US. For years, including Trump’s first term, the Government deficit has been exploding. In 2025, we are on track to spend about $2.5 trillion more the Government takes. Much of that is paid through the Fed “printing” money and expanding the supply of dollars. That is the reason we have been suffering from inflation for the last several years, and it continues despite the constant redefining of statistical measures to claim inflation is only about 2.5%. Everyone in the real world knows this is Bull. Despite this, the economy has remained surprisingly strong until the last few months as growth has slowed.
The new tariffs will not have the impact prophesized by the media. It is true that the tariffs will cause economic shock as prices adjust to reflect the cost of importing goods to the US. That will be most keenly felt in the mountain of stuff that comes in from China, particularly consumer goods. That shock will be painful, but it seems that it is largely a one-time adjustment, and people will certainly change their consumption to reflect the new pricing. Much of the impact of tariffs will be borne by the Chinese manufacturers because the different tariff rates between countries will result in the production of those goods moving to the spots that can profitably put the goods in our market at the lowest price. This will include US manufacturers over time. Exactly the effect the tariffs are intended to induce.
The other factor that the media is missing entirely is the rapidly increasing impact of Artificial Intelligence on productivity and employment. Even relatively slow to adopt industries such as real estate are seeing massive changes from AI and it is only beginning.
So where is the stagflation?
Mid-Morning Art Thread
—CBD
The Laundress
Honoré Daumier
From the museum's website:
This painting depicts a subject visible from Daumier's studio on the quai d'Anjou in Paris: laundresses returning from laundry boats moored on the Seine. Despite the weight of her bulky load, the woman tenderly extends her hand to help a child up the steps of the embankment. With her sturdy form silhouetted against a bright background, the humble worker acquires a certain monumentality. This picture is the largest and possibly the last of three painted versions of the composition; Daumier's pigments have deteriorated, obscuring the last digit of the date inscribed at the lower left, but in 1893 it was recorded as 1863.
It can be frustrating to see a faded painting that must have been radically different when it was completed, and this is a fine example of that!
On the other hand, I am not sure I want my laundry done in the water of the Seine!
The Morning Report — 5/ 13 /25
—J.J. Sefton
Good morning kids. So, President Trump is supposedly in hot water because he accepted the gift of a jumbo jet fromQatar. To be fair, does he as a private citizen who via the Trump Organization owns at least one if not more private jets, jumbo and otherwise, and as POTUS has access to Air Force One and the entire damned Air Force at his disposal really need this? Also, why give your/his enemies a way to attack you in the first place? Surely he and his advisers could've handled this more artfully. Or what am I missing.
On a positive note, after a year and a half being held captive by the subhuman bestial Hamas terrorists, Edan Alexander, the last American hostage was released thanks to the efforts spearheaded by the President, and of course to say nothing of the IDF's latest push to plough Gaza into the Mediterranean.
Unfortunately, the Democrats are looking to remove the DNC vice chair David Camera/Hogg from his position? I guess shoving Bernie Sanders, Titty-Caca Ocasio and Jasmine Crockett in front of the cameras is not the best strategy for winning over the American electorate.
This item on the immigration front jumped out at me, for obvious reasons:
Forty-nine Afrikaners — whose lives are threatened in South Africa — landed in Dulles Airport, Va., on May 12. Another 70,000 mostly poor, rural, white South Africans have applied to join the refugee program. The arrival of the legitimate refugees was greeted with hate and disdain by pro-migration groups and media.“My read of this is that the administration is trolling the left,” Mark Krikorian, director of the Center for Immigration Studies, told Breitbart News. He added: “Admitting these few dozen Afrikaners is kind of trolling to get the left to find one immigrant, one refugee group that they don’t want. The numbers are small, but the Episcopal migration service dropped out of the refugee business rather than help these guys. So [Trump’s trolling] is already working.”
Many South Africans have already migrated to Australia, amid the Australian government’s invited inflows of Indians, Arabs, and Chinese to the country. “Australia wants them … Let them go there,” Krikoran said.
Donald Trump has frozen the U.S. refugee program, which was scheduled to import another 125,000 migrants in 2025. His administration is instead promoting policies to force more wealth-generating, wage-boosting investment in workplace productivity.
I can't wait for the usual gaggle of racialists, America-haters and others to trip all over themselves and expose themselves to the American people for their hypocrisy in shrieking about this while defending Hamas terrorists and the Tren de Aragua Illegal alien criminals as victims of President Trump's Hitlerite deportation orders.
And lastly, a quick shout-out and thank you for your continued support in hitting our tip jar. It truly is appreciated more than you can know.
Have a great day.
- ABOVE THE FOLD, BREAKING, NOTEWORTHY
- 71% of likely voters say they think a free-market economic system is better than socialism. Only 12% of voters say socialism is better. 46% of voters say they do not want to “see a democratic socialist candidate win the next presidential election,” compared to just 31% who say they do.
Heartland/Rasmussen Poll: Democrats Hope China Beats America in Trade War, Voters Overwhelmingly Reject Socialism
- Judge Howell blocked Trump’s order targeting Perkins Coie, defending legal speech—while sidestepping the firm’s partisan misconduct in the 2016 election and beyond.
Court Order Blocking Trump From Targeting Perkins Coie Is Overreach
Continue reading
Daily Tech News 13 May 2025
—Pixy Misa
Top Story- Listings have started to appear for Nvidia's RTX 5060 graphics card ahead of its official launch at Computex next week. (WCCFTech)
There is one model priced at the MSRP of $299, which won't be available, with other models mostly priced towards or over $400, a price that should buy you the faster 5060 Ti with 16GB of RAM. But doesn't.
The base 5060 with 8GB of RAM is not something anyone should buy. We'll see soon enough what AMD and Intel have to offer in competition.
- Meanwhile Nvidia is increasing GPU prices by 10 to 15%. (Tom's Hardware)
Because of course they are.
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Monday Overnight Open Thread (5/12/25)
—Misanthropic Humanitarian (ONT Cob Emeritus)
[Rerun? I'm not sure. Hey, I'm the subsitute Cob. What did you expect?]
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Tabletop Transformer Cafe
—Ace
Phillip Waller Photography
A foreign woman and her foreign parrot do dueling "Foreign Man" impressions.
The cutest little pride of lions.
Little horse knows she's a superstar.
The call of the mockingbird.
Beagle scares off an alligator.
Beautiful shots of the earth. Includes on sea stack.
A sinkhole in a forest, and a forest in the sinkhole.
Nice little mountain lake. (IG).
Skiing inside a glacial rift. (IG)
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Silly Socialite and Aged Madame of the Deep State Whorehouse Sally Quinn Whines That Liberals Don't Feel "Safe" or Social in Trump's DC
—Ace
Sally's sad again. The bitter vinegary bubble-head has written this same basic complaint before.
Washington is, and has been, a Democratic town. Trump won 5 percent of the vote here in 2020; in both of his presidential elections, George W. Bush won 9 percent; Ronald Reagan never won more than 14 percent. However, throughout the years, the Washington Establishment always welcomed incoming GOP administrations. The D.C. social scene -- which connected the most powerful people in any given administration with political donors, philanthropists, lawyers, lobbyists and journalists, all Washington fixtures -- had a way of surviving, no matter the politics of the president.In that spirit, every four or eight years, I would write a piece for The Washington Post with advice to the incoming administration about how to get along. Four years ago I wrote one as well. It wasn't intentional, but the story turned into a satire, more suited for the Onion. After all, how do you give etiquette advice to someone who has bragged about grabbing women's private parts; who has mocked a disabled reporter; who has called journalists "scum," "phony" and "the lowest form of humanity"; who has falsely claimed that his predecessor was not born in America; who has demeaned a war hero by saying he preferred people who were not captured; who had insulting names for his Republican primary opponents and called his female opponent in the general election "a nasty woman"? The piece didn't work. It never ran.
The D.C. establishment simply viewed the Trump people as an occupying army, and from 2017 through early 2020, the Washington social scene as we had known it dried up. People had their own gatherings and carried on as if there were no president. The president, his wife and those who work closely with them in any administration normally set the social tone. This time it didn't happen. There were two camps and hardly any intermingling.
The winter holidays in 2019 were a round of obligatory parties, but subdued, desultory, dispirited by Washington standards. Everyone was exhausted -- mentally, physically and emotionally. The trees were up, the wreaths were on the doors, the decorations were on the streets, the Hanukkah candles were lit, the Christmas carols were on the radio. But people didn't have their hearts in it. The conversations were Trump, Trump, Trump. It was not very merry.
Is there anything more tedious than reading a privileged kept woman whine that no one wants to come to her stupid "society" parties any longer?
Well, get ready for more tedium.
Watergate-Era Washington Was Less Toxic Than ThisIt's spring in Washington, D.C., the most beautiful time of the year. Dogwood, forsythia, cherry trees, tulips and daffodils decorate every sidewalk, wisterias weep from porch overhangs, and redbuds pop up at every corner. The air is redolent of blossoms, a soft breeze sharing their scent through the streets. It's the perfect backdrop for the columned monuments and buildings that remind us of the miracle of our democracy. Spring is normally the happiest time of year here.
But not this spring.
This spring Washington is a city in crisis. Physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. It's as if the fragrant air were permeated with an invisible poison, as if we were silently choking on carbon monoxide. The emotion all around -- palpable in the streets, the shops, the restaurants, in business offices, at dinner tables -- is fear. People have gone from greeting each other with a grimace of anguish as they spout about the outrage of the day to a laugh to despair. It's all so unbelievable that it's hard to process, and it doesn't stop.
Nobody feels safe. Nobody feels protected. This is a city where people seek and, if it all goes well for them, wield power. But today in Washington those who hold -- or once held -- the most power are often the most scared. It is not something they are used to feeling. I lived through the paranoia and vengefulness of Watergate. This time in Washington, it's different. Nobody knows how this will end and what will happen to the country. What might happen to each of us.
Your fear is intoxicating. I'd like to laugh and say "You're just being paranoid," but... actually, you may be arrested. Take precautions.
You and your ilk have waged unholy war on the rest of the country for decades and we're finally ready to start fighting that war.
Even those who work for President Trump are scared. The capricious and shambolic way he governed in his first 100 days has them all insecure in their jobs. Mike Waltz is out. Bets are on as to how long Marco Rubio will remain in all his roles and Pete Hegseth in his. Elon Musk is on his way out, though who knows whether he'll be able to log back into the government's most sensitive systems from wherever he is? Those most afraid are the Republicans on Capitol Hill. They are afraid of not just being primaried but also facing retribution. Lisa Murkowski said it out loud. "We are all afraid," she said. "Retaliation is real. And that's not right."...
One night during Barack Obama's second term, I sat next to Lindsey Graham at a Washington dinner party. He was, at that time, charming, funny, bright, thoughtful. Both of us were decrying the widening gap between Republicans and Democrats in our nation's capital. I remember him turning to me and suggesting that we start having small dinner parties for Republicans and Democrats to get together and talk. I agreed immediately.
We never got around to it. That conversation could never take place today.
The Trump socializing style is a striking departure from what went on in Washington for decades. Salons, where we got to know one another and exchanged ideas, are out. The preferred entertainment now is large galas in gilded halls and cavernous buildings with lots of flags, ribbons, hats and noise.
...
The restaurants of choice have changed....
Oh no, what will you do?
...This summer a new club, the Executive Branch -- owned by Donald Trump Jr., Steve Witkoff's sons and Omeed Malik -- will open in Georgetown. With a Mar-a-Lago-esque membership fee of $500,000, expect it to be where the monarchical court life this president is imposing on Washington will play out.
With Mr. Trump in the White House, anyone who socializes with Democrats can come under suspicion.
...
Among once powerful lawyers, journalists, politicians, academics and lobbyists who have made up official Washington for the past few decades, the feeling is one of impotence, fear and frustration.
The hallmark of this administration is cruelty and sadism, vengefulness carried out with glee. Mr. Musk said it best: "The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy." The prominent historian Michael Beschloss said during Mr. Trump's last campaign that a second term could lead to "dictatorship and anarchy." At the time, he was accused of being alarmist. Not anymore.
"Everybody in Washington is being tested today," says Leon Wieseltier, the editor of the literary review Liberties. "The question is: What can we do? It's a time when we all have to ask: What am I capable of? It's time for people to ask: What am I willing to die for?"
But we still have to remember to live.
Their "existence" is being erased, you guys. They have to remind themselves just to continue existing.
She does have a plan for existing: Improv comedy.
Seeing the joy and relief of people getting together, not long ago, I scheduled an improv party. I have been taking improv classes for several years (performances and all), and for me, it's been two and a half hours once a week of nothing but laughter. I come out of each class or performance exhilarated. Some 23 brave friends showed up at my improv party prepared to make fun of themselves, and we all did. It was a riot.
Yeah you sound super-funny to me, I bet it was a real hoot.
...I was thinking about how perhaps improv might be a way to think about the way forward for each of us. Right now, the established script for how D.C. operates, and our roles in it, has been shredded. It's time to write a new one. We need to be willing to surprise ourselves.
Quick Hits
—Ace
Latitia James was heckled at a speaking/grifting event.
New York state Attorney General Letitia James was heckled by a President Trump supporter at a community hearing, where she claimed the freshly opened federal criminal probe into her alleged mortgage fraud is "baseless."James was interrupted at a community impact hearing in Westchester on Thursday night, just hours after the Trump administration opened a formal criminal probe into James over the alleged mortgage fraud involving her Brooklyn and Virginia properties.
"Apologize to Donald Trump for wasting millions of dollars in the state of New York," the MAGA booster shouted from the audience.
Jaguar has fired the advertising firm that ran it's all-gay, all-trans rebranding campaign.
Jaguar Land Rover is looking to replace its current advertising agency just months after the company faced a backlash over its controversial rebrand.The company launched a review of its global creative account - currently held by Accenture Song and its in-house agency Spark44 until mid-2026 - following widespread criticism over its campaign, The Telegraph reported.
Critics of the radical rebrand - including Nigel Farage and Elon Musk - accused the carmakers of abandoning their 'jag-man' heritage.
It comes after the company announced plans to shift to electric vehicles with a bizarre new advertisement featuring brightly dressed models but no cars.
The group also abandoned its iconic 'growler' cat badge, replacing it with a curved geometric J and L symbol.
Defending the campaign late last year, JLR's Managing Director Rawdon Glover told the Financial Times: 'If we play in the same way that everybody else does, we'll just get drowned out.'
However sales plunged by more than a quarter in 2024 with Jaguar selling 33,320 cars, a significant drop from the 61,661 sold in 2022 and the 161,601 sold in 2019.
Jaguar's failed campaign follows a series of other similar woke rebrands from other big corporations such as Nike and Coca-Cola.
Midnight's Edge points out that this Trans Rebranding effort didn't take place until the final quarter of 2024 -- meaning that this 25% drop in sales occurred in just three months.
The National Archive head who allowed Lizzo to use James Madison's priceless, fragile crystal flute has been fired.
The left keeps pushing us towards violence. They will not enjoy the end state of the process.
Wild video captured the disgusting moment an enraged woman spat on former Trump-nominee lawyer Ed Martin in the middle of a TV interview.The sick ordeal unfolded as Martin was speaking to Newsmax on Thursday about President Trump's decision to withdraw his nomination to serve as the top federal prosecutor for Washington, DC, instead tapping Fox News' Jeanine Pirro.
Martin was mid-sentence when the unidentified woman suddenly appeared while walking a dog and started waving her finger in his face.
"You are Ed Martin," she could be heard saying aggressively.
She then hurled abuse at him before launching a huge gob of spittle at close range, before stomping off as a speechless Martin watched in horror.
"You are a disgusting man," the spitter shouted at one point.
The footage has already been viewed millions of times on social media, with many ripping the woman as a "crazed leftist" and "psychotic lib."
The disgusting interaction came just hours after Trump revealed he was pulling Martin's nomination amid bipartisan concerns about the conservative activist's modest legal experience, divisive politics and support for Jan. 6 rioters.
Three Memphis cops found "not guilty" in prosecution over killing of a black criminal.
BLM tried to make this a Rioting Opportunity. Alas for them, the three cops are black.
Three former Memphis police officers were found not guilty by a state jury on all charges, including second-degree murder, in the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols.The jury, after deliberating for eight and a half hours over two days, acquitted Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith at the conclusion of a nine-day trial. Despite the state-level acquittal, the three former officers still face the possibility of years in prison due to their convictions on federal charges last year in connection with Nichols' death.
It's almost as if black criminals are living out a never-ending racial psychodrama in which they must prove their value as warriors to the tribe by pointlessly fighting with police at every opportunity, while demanding the rest of us apologize for making them kill themselves.
Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktokBREAKING: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly sent a memo to the DoD to begin the process of removing transgender servicemembers from the military.
The memo reportedly gives a June 6th deadline for "voluntary separation" before "involuntary separations" begin. -Reuters
There is no voter fraud committed by Democrats, Bigot:
Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok HOLY CRAP6 Texas officials were indicted on VOTER FRAUD charges including a Democrat JUDGE, City Council members, and a school board member:
Rochelle Lozano Camacho- Frio County Judge
Ramiro Trevino- Pearsall City Council member
Adriann Ramirez- Pearsall Independent School District board member
Carlos Segura- Former Frio County Elections Administrator
Racheal Garza- Pearsall City Council member
Rosa Rodriguez- campaign worker
Turns out the media-protected "Georgetown Scholar" -- sort of like a "Maryland Dad," except with the implication that this "scholar" might one day cure cancer -- is the son-in-law of a senior Hamas advisor and routinely posts Hamas propaganda online.
The woman who resigned rather than fence a man says she's tired of being told that every time men destroy women in sports it's just because women lack "skill."
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Democrats to Biden: Drop Dead
—Ace
Democrats claimed for years that Joe Biden ran the most successful presidency in history.
But, for some reason, the Democrats are now demanding Biden disappear, and stop reminding people of the most successful presidency in history.
I don't understand. If it's the most successful presidency in history, wouldn't you want to advertise?
Joe Biden's return to the spotlight this week is igniting anger among Democrats who wish the former president would ride off into retirement and stay there.In a wide-ranging interview on "The View" with former First Lady Jill Biden on Thursday, Biden owned up to his role in Donald Trump's return to power even as he defended his decision to stay in the race as long as he did last year. But if he was expecting a warm reception, he's not getting it. Many in his party are desperate to turn the page on Biden's presidency, craving new leaders and fresh faces as Democrats look to find a way out of the political wilderness.
"It's time for Joe Biden to go away with all due respect and let the next generation of Democrats take the mantle," said Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha. "Every time he appears on a show or says something, it's just another week or a month that we have to defend him and remind everybody that we got beat by Donald Trump, again.""For those of us trying to rebuild the brand, it does no good when you're constantly reminded about the old brand that won't go away," Rocha said, adding that the only good thing about the interview is that it was quickly overtaken by news of the selection of a new pope.
...
However unwelcome for many Democrats, Biden is an unavoidable subject.
The former president's allies are bracing for the potential release of audio of Biden's interview with Robert Hur, the special counsel who investigated Biden's handling of classified documents and raised questions about his mental acuity. That's in addition to an upcoming book by two high-profile journalists that promises to shed light on Biden's decision to run for reelection "despite evidence of his serious decline" mentally, according to promotional copy for Original Sin, set for release on May 20.
For many Democrats, both events are dredging up past problems-- not just around Biden's age, but also inflation and the party's handling of cultural issues.
...
"I think people have wanted to hear him acknowledge some sense of responsibility," said longtime Democratic strategist Karen Finney, who worked on HIllary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. She also said many Democrats were more upset that Biden, who had cast himself as a transitional figure, ran for reelection anyway.
That, she said, "goes back to his initial promise, where he said that he would only serve for one term."
...
"Most Democrats ... are tired of the distractions," said Georgia-based Democratic strategist Andrew Heaton. "The last thing we want is anything that's going to feed it to the naysayers who are going to point to see: 'once again, it was a big cover up in the party.'"
Heaton likened Democrats' current situation to a wildfire. At some point, he said, it will be important to understand how it started. But for now, he said, "Digging into the machinations of the Biden reelect is not something that I think a lot of folks are focused on right now."
He said, "Like, can we just move on?"
Below, two videos. In the first, a Biden insider reveals that Biden was always lying about only serving a single term. He says from the first moment they usurped the White House, the Biden team was fixated on winning -- "winning" -- a second term.
The second video is a compilation of headlines telling Biden to just die already. I mean, they don't say that, but that's what they mean.
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David Hogg: Young Straight Men Just Wanna Get Laid (Or So I'm Told)
—Ace
David Hogg offers an explanation for why Democrats lost so much support among young men, and he resorts to the standard Democrat answer for everything: People just wanna swing, baby! They gots to get dey freak on!
The Vigilant Fox @VigilantFoxNEW: David Hogg gets a huge reaction from Bill Maher after saying Democrats need to reconnect with young men who just want to "get laid and have fun" without walking on eggshells.
He said the parties have flipped. Democrats are now the snobs that judge your every move.
"What I think happened last election is younger men--they would rather vote for somebody who they don't completely agree with, they don't feel judged by, than somebody who they do agree with, that they feel like they have to walk on eggshells around constantly because they're going to be judged or ostracized or excommunicated."
And because of that, young men are walking away.
"Nobody is perfect. But ultimately, what we have to do here is figure out how to bring people back in and work towards the bigger goal of advancing the future of this country and helping young people especially get by, so that they're able to focus on their lives and getting with a young woman or something like that, instead of how are they going to pay their rent, for example, or how are they working their two jobs.
"Young people should be able to focus on what young people should be focused on, which is how to get laid and how to go and have fun."
Maher clapped, stood up, and shook Hogg's hand after that comment.
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Hamas Releases American Hostage After 583 Days of Terrorist Captivity
—Ace
@OliLondonTVAmerican hostage Edan Alexander has been handed over to the Red Cross, to be transported to Israel after the Trump Administration mediated his release.
It is the first and only time the Red Cross have seen the 21 year old in his 583 days in captivity.
Hamas released the last living American hostage Monday, after he spent more than 580 days in captivity inside the Gaza Strip.Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, was received by a specialized Israel Defense Forces unit and was brought to an initial reception facility in Re'im, where he will undergo preliminary medical and psychological evaluation by IDF Medical Corps personnel, an Israeli official told Fox News.
"This is a very emotional moment -- Edan Alexander has returned home. We embrace him, and we embrace his family," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. "This was achieved thanks to our military pressure and the diplomatic pressure applied by President Trump. That combination is a winning formula."
President Donald Trump, following Alexander's release, wrote on Truth Social "Congratulations to his wonderful parents, family, and friends!"
"The Al-Qassam Brigades have just released the Israeli soldier holding American citizenship, Edan Alexander, following communications with the U.S. administration," Hamas said in a statement. "This comes as part of the mediators' efforts to reach a ceasefire, open the border crossings, and allow the entry of aid and relief for our people in the Gaza Strip."
His family cheered his release. Well-wishers cheered on the convoy delivering him out of terrorist imprisonment.
Aviva Klompas @AvivaKlompasStatement from the family of Edan Alexander:
"Today, on Mother's Day, we received the greatest gift imaginable--news that our beautiful son Edan is returning home after 583 days in captivity in Gaza.
We express our deepest gratitude to President Trump, Steve Witkoff, and the US administration for their tireless work to make this happen.
We urge the Israeli government and the negotiating teams: please don't stop. We hope our son's release begins negotiations for all 58 remaining hostages, ending this nightmare for them and their families. No hostage should be left behind."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that Trump "is fighting to secure the release of every American detained abroad" and "We won't stop until this conflict is over and all our hostages are home." As news spread of his release, a crowd that gathered in Alexander's hometown of Tenafly, N.J., erupted in applause.
Sue Gelsey, the interim CEO of the Kaplan JCC on the Palisades, told Fox News an estimated 3,000 had gathered in downtown Tenafly, some arriving as early as 5 a.m.
Trump, who is slated to depart Washington, D.C., on Monday for visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, said prior to Alexander’s release that it was "great news."
There are still 59 hostages being held by Hamas. Reportedly, the Red Cross hasn't seen any of them.
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US, China Agree to 90 Day Reduction in Tariffs
—Ace
The stock markets are soaring.
U.S., China agree to 90-day tariff reduction after negotiationsThe United States and China have agreed to reduce tariffs for 90 days following trade negotiations in Geneva, offering temporary relief to global markets. The deal marks a pause in the escalating economic conflict, with both countries pledging to resume talks during the truce.
Key Details:
The U.S. will lower tariffs on Chinese imports from April levels by 24 percentage points, maintaining a 10% base rate.
China will implement a matching reduction and suspend additional non-tariff measures targeting American goods.
S&P 500 futures jumped 3%, while U.S. bond yields climbed as investors reacted to signs of de-escalation.
Diving Deeper:
After weeks of mounting economic tension, the United States and China on Monday jointly announced a 90-day reduction in tariffs, signaling a temporary easing of the trade war that has unnerved businesses, investors, and policymakers across the globe.
The agreement, reached during weekend negotiations in Geneva, was confirmed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. "We had very robust discussions. Both sides showed great respect to what was a very positive process," Bessent said in remarks to reporters. According to Bessent, the U.S. will lower its tariffs to 30%, while China will cut its rates to 10% during this period--a proportional rollback from their respective April highs.
The White House clarified that the reduction affects tariffs announced by President Trump on April 2, cutting them by 24 percentage points while keeping the base ad valorem rate of 10%. In response, Beijing agreed not only to match the tariff rollback but also to lift administrative barriers and non-tariff measures it had imposed since April.
Both countries are expected to implement the agreed measures by Wednesday. The joint statement released following the talks indicated that discussions will continue over the coming months as the two sides explore a longer-term resolution.
Markets reacted quickly and positively. S&P 500 futures surged over 3% on the news, providing a shot of optimism after weeks of uncertainty. The U.S. Dollar Index, which had been under pressure due to investor anxiety about America's trade posture, rose more than 1%. Meanwhile, bond markets adjusted sharply, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury climbing to 4.445%, its highest point since early April.
The Dow is now up over 1000 points.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1037 points, or 2.5%, staying near its highs for most of the session with buying enthusiasm remaining strong. The S&P 500 popped nearly 3% on Monday, bringing its gain since its April intraday low at the height of tariff pessimism to more than 20%. The benchmark has cut its year-to-date losses to just 0.9%.The Nasdaq Composite boomed by 4%, as the initial China agreement sent technology stocks tied to the country -- like Tesla and Apple -- flying higher.
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Trump Signs Executive Order Demanding that US Drug Makers Sell Drugs to the US Market at the Same Prices They Sell to Other Countries
—Ace
I don't know what his claim of power is based on. Congress passes a lot of laws granting the executive to take action on its own initiative, so maybe he has some power here. Maybe he has power as the ultimate administrator of Medicaid. I don't know.
American patients first: Trump orders drugmakers to match lowest global prices
On Monday, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at slashing prescription drug prices by requiring pharmaceutical companies to offer Americans the lowest prices they charge anywhere in the world.Key Details:
The executive order instructs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allow Americans to purchase drugs directly from manufacturers at "Most-Favored-Nation" prices, bypassing costly middlemen.
If pharmaceutical companies refuse, the order directs HHS to impose rules mandating most-favored-nation pricing and to use "other aggressive measures" to end anticompetitive practices.
Trump blasted the current system where "Americans pay massively higher prices than other nations" and said it was effectively "subsidizing socialism abroad with skyrocketing prices at home."
Diving Deeper:
President Trump on Monday signed a major executive order designed to overhaul the way Americans pay for prescription drugs, calling the move part of his broader promise to put "American patients first." The action, according to a White House fact sheet, is intended to "bring the prices Americans and taxpayers pay for prescription drugs in line with those paid by similar nations."
The order directs the U.S. Trade Representative and the Secretary of Commerce to crack down on foreign countries that "purposefully and unfairly undercut market prices," leading to increased costs for American consumers. "We're not going to let these other countries rob us blind anymore," Trump said, according to the release. "We are the biggest buyer in the world--and it's time we got the best deal."
A central feature of the order is a new mechanism through which American patients will be able to purchase drugs directly from manufacturers at a "Most-Favored-Nation" price--meaning the lowest price those companies offer to any other developed country. By cutting out pharmacy benefit managers and other middlemen, the administration aims to bypass entrenched pricing systems that often leave American consumers paying more than their counterparts abroad.
Should pharmaceutical companies refuse to comply, the order empowers the Secretary of Health and Human Services to take further action, including proposing binding rules to mandate the lower pricing and applying other regulatory pressure to break up what the administration describes as "anticompetitive practices."
Trump underscored the need for action by citing new data that shows Americans pay more than three times as much for brand-name drugs as citizens in other developed nations, even after accounting for discounts. The White House also noted that although the U.S. represents less than 5% of the global population, it accounts for roughly 75% of all global pharmaceutical profits--due in part to "subsidizing drug-manufacturer profits and foreign health systems."
"In case after case, our citizens pay massively higher prices than other nations pay for the same exact pill, from the same factory," Trump said. "You can see some examples where the price is beyond anything--four times, five times different."
Pfizer rigged the 2020 election by delaying their discovery of a "vaccine," so I'm all out of tears for Pfizer.
How are you?
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