Holiday Spending Spree

Plus: More funding for the "disinformation" censors, more fines for cashless businesses, the link between pandemic shutdowns and murder rates, and more...

It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas: Like a student rushing to finish the last essay of the semester, or a guest writer struggling to turn in the morning newsletter on time, congressional leaders have hastily agreed to a spending plan just days before the federal government was due to partially shut down for lack of funds.

Last night, lawmakers announced they'd reached a deal on a sprawling 1,547-page bill that will keep the government open through mid-March, reported The Wall Street Journal late Tuesday night.

In addition to maintaining funding levels for existing programs, the spending package includes an additional $100 billion for "disaster relief" programs and another $10 billion in farm subsidies, says the Associated Press.

The additional spending, plus the short amount of time lawmakers will have to review the legislation, has angered Republican fiscal hawks.

"1,500+ pages, billions in reckless and unpaid spending, new bills that we have no time to review and wouldn't have passed otherwise—business as usual in Washington!" said Sen. Rick Scott (R–Fla.) on X last night.

A "clean CR," right? 1,500+ pages, billions in reckless and unpaid spending, new bills that we have no time to review and wouldn't have passed otherwise—business as usual in Washington!

Yet another reason we need President Trump and @DOGE to help us stop this crap and clean the…

— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) December 18, 2024

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R–La.) has tried to quell discontent in his own party by saying that he'd pushed for a "clean" continuing resolution, but that the urgent need to provide disaster relief necessitated billions in additional spending be included in the deal.

Democrats are generally pleased with the package, although support is not unanimous.

The spending deal includes a number of benefits for lawmakers themselves. It lifts a pay freeze that's been in place since 2009 and allows elected officials to opt out of having to buy health insurance on Obamacare exchanges, reports Punchbowl News.

Rep. Jared Golden (D–Maine) has said he'll vote "no" on the spending deal so long as congressional pay increases are in the bill.

For those counting votes, Rep. Jared Golden is signaling he's a no because of the pay increase for members

"….Until the pay freeze is reinstated, I will not vote for this CR." pic.twitter.com/NzM7XONxuy

— Nicholas Wu (@nicholaswu12) December 18, 2024

Pay raises for lawmakers aren't the only sweetheart provisions of the spending deal. Also tucked inside is language that would transfer the federally owned Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C., to the city government (paving the way for turning the site into a stadium for the Washington Commanders), money for rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, and crackdowns on trade with China and pharmacy-benefit managers.

This time, it's personal: One aspect of the deal that is of particular interest to Reason readers, and I suppose Reason writers as well, is a one-year extension of the State Department's Global Engagement Center, which was slated to close in 2025.

????BREAKING: The short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown includes a one-year extension on the State Department's Global Engagement Center — the agency me and @mtaibbi reported has funded speech suppression efforts and is being sued by the Federalist and Daily Wire pic.twitter.com/fWYaTzVepL

— Gabe Kaminsky (@gekaminsky) December 18, 2024

The Global Engagement Center was one of two State Department–backed entities (the other being the nominally private, almost entirely government-funded National Endowment for Democracy) that had given taxpayer dollars to the U.K.-based Global Disinformation Index (GDI).

Loyal, well-informed readers might recall GDI as the outfit that labeled Reason and a handful of conservative and right-wing news outlets as among the "riskiest" purveyors of online disinformation. GDI's listings are intended to aid advertisers in avoiding placing ads on allegedly disinformation-peddling websites.

Needless to say, we objected to GDI's disinformation designation at the time. As it turns out, the group has its own problems with transparency and accuracy.

The Washington Examiner's revelation that the State Department's Global Engagement Center had funded GDI provoked a backlash from Republican lawmakers and lawsuits from several publications that claimed lost ad revenue as a result of GDI's rankings.

The center's congressional authorization was supposed to sunset next year, and the State Department had already initiated plans to transfer its resources and staff to other bureaus. Should Congress' spending deal pass as written, the center will have another year to fund the disinformation industrial complex.

---

Scenes from D.C.: After years of stops and starts, the district's ban on cashless businesses is slated to go back into effect come the New Year, reports Axios. Businesses that don't accept greenbacks would open themselves up to thousands of dollars in fines.

Some district businesses have moved away from accepting cash, citing declining numbers of customers paying with physical currency, the expense of handling and securing cash, and the safety risks of keeping bills on site.

But D.C.'s elected officials argued that a refusal to take cash discriminates against the city's unbanked population. After years of debate, the City Council passed its cashless ban in 2020. Its implementation was frozen during the pandemic, went into effect briefly in 2023, and was then paused again as part of a public safety bill passed earlier this year.

As Reason has previously reported, many D.C. government departments do not accept cash payment of fines. Do as I say, not as I do, etc.

---

QUICK HITS

• Ozy Media co-founder Carlos Watson is sentenced to almost 10 years in prison, reports The Washington Post.
• President-elect Donald Trump attempts to unite the country with a proposed repeal of daylight savings time.
• Ukraine claims responsibility for killing a Russian general via a scooter bombing in Moscow.
• A San Francisco jury has convicted Nima Momeni of second-degree murder for the fatal stabbing of Cash App founder Bob Lee.
• A new research brief from Brookings Institution finds a link between COVID shutdown policies and an early 2020 spike in murders.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

...congressional leaders have hastily agreed to a spending plan just days before the federal government was due to partially shut down for lack of funds.

Is it too much to ask to get the federal government shut down for even a day?

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

Except that the federal government doesn’t exactly shut down. They do stupid shit like closing the national parks and continue to pay people for not working.

[Minadin]

It might seem like meaningless posturing on the budget crossed with needless (and targeted) pain from the swamp creatures (shutting down National Parks doesn't save us any money).

But you can actually see on this handy chart from ZeroHedge, exactly when the so-called 'shut-downs' have occurred about every 2 years for the past decade:

https://cms.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/fed%20chair%20vice%20chair.jpg?itok=W5Vg662P

[mad.casual]

That's no longer how accounting works.

A decrease in the rate of increase is a 'cut' to spending. Spending no money for the duration of a shut-down is an increase in cost/expenditure of government, justifying why we should never shut the government down.

Reason told me so.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Retroactively pay people for not working.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

How dare you ask for an unpaid shut down. Government workers deserve to be paid for not being functional.

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

Aren’t they usually not functional?

[Minadin]

Not only that, they aren't even usually there.

https://nypost.com/2024/12/05/us-news/only-6-of-federal-workers-show-up-in-person-on-a-full-time-basis-scathing-senate-report-reveals/

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

Exactly. Why they shouldn't have a pay disruption.

[(Good Riddance Robert L. Peters) Weigel's Cock Ring]

Just 33 more days until Don and Elon can start firing significant numbers of these worthless, unproductive, goldbricking scumbags.

The ones who are still mostly "working from home" five years after the bullshit pandemic will be the very first ones who get terminated, and then they will proceed onward from there.

[mamabug]

There really are a number of jobs that can be done just as effectively from home as from an office - including many administrative work positions where productivity can be quantitively measured. I'd rather we identify those and send/keep them home and shutter the offices instead.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Apparently this bill gives more money to the Global Engagement Center, which is a anti-right censorship office that cloaks itself in the usual marxist smokescreening about "disinformation." Those fuckers can go, too.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

How many more damn holidays do they need!?

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

340. This assumes they have 25.

[VinniUSMC]

340 unpaid holidays I hope.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

I hear that Biden has shut down.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

money for rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore

This I'm actually okay with, as it's dedicated towards rebuilding transportation infrastructure. The rest of it is mostly the usual bullshit, though.

I'm actually more surprised they were paid--I figured they'd write their propaganda for free.

[Mother's Lament (Salt farmer)]

The finest Chemjeff news source.

The Biden administration reportedly ordered 11 federal agencies to 'look' into Elon Musk and his companies, per Mike Benz, executive director of Foundation of Freedom Online.

All 11 agencies allegedly paid millions to Reuters, who later did "work on Elon Musk and misconduct at his businesses," per the Pulitzer Prize.

The Biden Admin paid Reuters over $300 million in government contracts. 11 different Biden government agencies targeted Elon's businesses. All 11 agencies paid millions to Reuters. Reuters then won the Pulitzer Prize for "their work on Elon Musk and misconduct at his businesses"

See it all for yourself, right here in the US government contract and grant database:

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

Why are you against governments taxpayer funded, state abuse backed, free speech?

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

How else can we have (D)emocracy?

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Personal liability for everyone involved

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Sounds like a juicy opportunity to go after some journoscum and their government office sponsors for bribery and fraud, waste, and abuse charges.

[Fist of Etiquette]

1,500+ pages, billions in reckless and unpaid spending, new bills that we have no time to review and wouldn't have passed otherwise...

Sounds like a sure vote against.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Sounds like Christmas. Or springtime. Or just about any time on the Congressional calendar.

[Small w woodchippertarian]

Do you know who ELSE it was springtime for?

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

Leopold Bloom?

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

The democrats, who we all know is the party that recognizes the constitution, is asking Biden to implement the ERA through an EO to add it to the Constitution as an amendment despite the passage being 40 years late.

https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/us-archivist-says-nara-cannot-codify-equal-rights-amendment-due-missed

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

They recognize the Constitution alright. They recognize it as toilet paper.

[Fist of Etiquette]

It lifts a pay freeze that's been in place since 2009 and allows elected officials to opt out of having to buy health insurance on Obamacare exchanges...

Congress is finally taking that first step in getting rid of Obamacare!

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

Nah. They’re just doing a “do as I say, not as I do” thingy.

[Minadin]

Christian, what did you do with Liz?

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

Probably put her in Shrike’s basement.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

Too old.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

Update on Texas Children's Hospital whistleblower that Reason hasn't learned about as he isn't an online troll...

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1868707549924802910.html

For context, when Eithan was indicted back in June, the DOJ’s case was that he was officially assigned to another hospital at the time, and allegedly had “no reason” to be accessing Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH) medical records. The evidence shows they were so wrong that I honestly can’t explain it other than monumental incompetence (or, of course, bad faith).

(1) On August 30, 2023, TCH, through its counsel BakerHostetler, wrote a letter to HHS regarding its investigation of the alleged HIPAA breach at TCH. In it, they state unequivocally, Eithan “had approved and authorized access to TCH’s [electronic medical records]” and “TCH’s policies and procedures were followed” when he was granted access by the hospital. They also showed that he was providing coverage for patients at TCH during the relevant time period.

(2) The DOJ’s indictment apparently relied on testimony from a plastic surgeon, Dr. Larry Hollier, that Eithan had “no documented reason to access the TCH system.” Hollier never met Eithan, wasn’t even in the same specialty, and his statements were obviously contradicted by TCH’s letter. Btw, this guy also happens to sit on the board of TCH.

The whistleblower and his lawyers are still under an illegal gag order as the DoJ tries to salvage the case. Luckily his wife doesn't care and is posting.

[Medulla Oblongata]

That's the gag order that's not a gag order, though, so it is impossible for the man to know what he can or can't say or do that would violate the order?

"He didn’t grant or deny the gag order, but kept the government’s motion “live” pending trial in February. This is arguably worse and serves two purposes.

(1) The court’s instruction to avoid “similar conduct” leaves unclear what kind of speech represents a violation (presumably that which the DOJ doesn’t like? see below) and what the consequences would be – imposition of a gag order merely being one of them.

(2) By leaving the matter undecided, the court is shielded from public criticism and appellate review (where it would likely be overturned as unconstitutional in the Fifth Circuit).

As a result of this “non-gag gag order,” the onus is on the defense to muzzle themselves. It’s an unconstitutional prior restraint of someone who needs free speech the most: the criminal defendant David facing a corrupt government Goliath.

[Overt]

Then the appropriate response is to take the court to court asserting a prior restraint.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

There would be no standing as there is no signed order. But the DoJ is threatening violations as if there is one.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Hey, do you want honest officials who follow laws or (D)emocracy? And more trans kids.

[DeAnnP]

His access to the medical system should not be misconstrued as a free-for-all to invade someone's medical privacy. As someone who works in healthcare and must undergo HIPAA training annually, I am not allowed to peruse patient records that I have no business being in. Why should a physician be able to dig into medical records of people who are not being treated by him? The fact that the hospital is okay with him doing that is quite disturbing actually.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

His access to the medical system should not be misconstrued as a free-for-all to invade someone's medical privacy.

Which never actually happened, you stupid lefty whore.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

He didn't invade nor expose any individuals medical privacy. He noted which procedures were performed and age of patient. That is perfectly valid information to share.

Stop the bullshit.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

The child mutilation cult has to be defended.

[DeAnnP]

You are so transfixed on children's private parts, its disturbing.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

I'm not the one who supports cutting them off in support of your stupid lefty queer cult. That's why you're trying this tired "oh, you're so obsessed with children's private parts" misdirection to deflect from it--it's a level of projection that can be seen from Pluto.

How about you quit convincing kids they're born in the wrong body and need to mutilate themselves to correct that?

[DeAnnP]

I am speaking of MEDICAL RECORDS you fucking moron. Not medical procedures!

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

You're defending your evil child mutilation cult, you fucking vermin. Quit hiding behind shit that never happened.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

No records were released shrike.

Your desperation to sexualize and trans kids remains firm though.

[Mother's Lament (Salt farmer)]

What you sociopaths call medical procedures would make Josef Mengele blush, so no, you don't get to pretend your butcheries are for healing.

Sick fuck.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

For a bonus, let's take a look at the leading advocate of child mutilation and former WPATH head (an org that based its guidance from a Usenet castration fetish forum) being sued for the damage her lefty activism caused:

UCLA student sues California doctors, says she was 'fast-tracked' into transgender surgery
The lawsuit alleges Kaya Clementine Breen, 20, was misdiagnosed with gender dysphoria and rushed into “irreversibly damaging” transition-related treatment and surgery.

A UCLA student is suing multiple California health care providers and hospitals for medical negligence, alleging she was wrongly diagnosed with gender dysphoria and then “fast-tracked onto the conveyor belt of irreversibly damaging” puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgery, according to her lawsuit.

Kaya Clementine Breen, 20, said she experienced sexual abuse as a young child, and by the time she was 11, she “began struggling with the thought of developing into a woman and began to believe that life would be easier if she were a boy,” according to her suit filed last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court. When she expressed this to her then-school counselor, the counselor told her “that she was transgender and called her parents to tell them the same.”...
“This case is about a team of purported health care providers who collectively decided that a vulnerable girl struggling with complex mental health struggles and suffering from multiple instances of sexual abuse should be prescribed a series of life-altering puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, ultimately, receive a double mastectomy at the age of 14,” Breen’s lawsuit states.

[DeAnnP]

Not without the patient consent. Let's change the scenario. Let's say a pro-vax doctor was going into patient's records (NOT HIS PATIENTS) and making note of this data. The patients must give consent for this doctor to access their records, let alone use data from it. They were not HIS patients.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Not without the patient consent. Let's change the scenario.

"Let's try this attempt at misdirection after my narrative got blown up."

[mad.casual]

Not without the patient consent. Let's change the scenario. Let's say a pro-vax doctor was going into patient's records (NOT HIS PATIENTS) and making note of this data.

You mean like reporting vaccinations and death of/with COVID, or even some other novel virus of unknown origin, numbers nationally and in real time?

They are not the treating physician's medical records, they are TCH's medical records. Any doctor in the hospital or even potentially in network would/could rightfully access them... per TCH. Even a transcriptionist or LIS tech would know this.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

You mean like reporting vaccinations and death of/with COVID, or even some other novel virus of unknown origin, numbers nationally and in real time?

Precisely. It's why this deflection attempt is so pathetic. The CDC would never be able to aggregate all the data it gets without it.

[Overt]

First of all, the boilerplate in these HIPAA disclosures is clear that people are consenting to use of their records. And it is also noteworthy that much of this comes down to which records were accessed. Many hospital procedures create anonymized records precisely to avoid disclosing personal data that would violate HIPAA regulations. For example, resource booking systems will often state that Doctor X has booked this room for Procedure Y. If those records contained anonymous information like age (which is not personally identifiable information)of the patient, then accessing said records would not even have a question of HIPAA constraints.

But most importantly, you know that this isn't about HIPAA violations. It is about retaliating against a whistle blower. In any whistle-blowing case, there is a legal grey area. A person who discloses a corporation's or government's data in a legitimate attempt to call attention to perceived injustice is often violating an NDA and numerous government anti-espionage statutes. There was once a time when such retaliation was considered beyond the pale by leftists such as yourself.

Tying up this guy in court- the process- is the punishment and you know it.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

No patient records were released shrike. How fucking retarded are you?

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Eat a bullet.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Loyal, well-informed readers might recall GDI as the outfit that labeled Reason and a handful of conservative and right-wing news outlets as among the "riskiest" purveyors of online disinformation.

You mean and a handful of other conservative and right-wing news outlets. As long as Reason employs Soave, Britches and Wolfe, it's pure MAGA.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

They have well informed readers, unfortunately they don't have well informed writers

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Is that regular MAGA or the new Overton MAGA?

[But SkyNet is a Private Company]

To be fair, Reason has been peddling a lot of disinformation the last 8 years.

Problem is , it is pro-regime a tual disinformation

[Minadin]

"House Speaker Mike Johnson (R–La.) has tried to quell discontent in his own party by saying that he'd pushed for a "clean" continuing resolution, but that the urgent need to provide disaster relief necessitated billions in additional spending be included in the deal.

Democrats are generally pleased with the package, although support is not unanimous."

Shut that shit down. Vote NO. Compromise is always the left being happy and the right giving in? No. Those days are over.

[Zeb]

At some point it's time to say "no, we're not doing this again". Put the blame on the people who refuse to simply pass a spending bill with the bare minimum to keep things running.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Or nuke DC.

Otherwise what do you think will happen with a shut-down, given the biased media and conditioned citizenry we have today?

[Zeb]

Fuck 'em. Election isn't for a few years.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

This. Time is now.

[Fist of Etiquette]

After years of stops and starts, the district's ban on cashless businesses is slated to go back into effect come the New Year...

Someone in our nation's capital didn't get the memo on the central control a cashless society would bring.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Also the fun of cashless retail, like in SFC.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

Chicago residents erupt as Mayor Johnson sneaks even more spending on illegal immigrants into latest budget.

Luckily we know they don't really mean it if you read Reason voxsplaining the issue.

https://x.com/amrenewctr/status/1869042924148961595

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

They’re pissed. Mayor Johnson might actually be the best thing ever for Chicago. He, all by himself, might finally break their habit of voting blue no matter who.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...many D.C. government departments do not accept cash payment of fines.

Sick of getting wheelbarrows of pennies.

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Then the US has no legal tender and should accept any tender

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Does that include my magic crystals?

[Zeb]

I believe the laws defining legal tender do not require anyone to accept wheelbarrows of small change in payment.
Though since they do issue the stuff, I think government should be required to accept any payment in US currency.

[Overt]

As mentioned earlier in the Crypto thread, the Federal Government ONLY accepts dollars and that is how they maintain their status as a reserve currency.

[Zeb]

Yes, they only accept dollars. But they don't have to accept them in any form as I understand it. Maybe I wasn't clear. I think they should have to accept any kind of US currency as payment, even pallets of cents.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

Biden quietly extended liability protections for vaccine makers so Trump and RFK couldn't change the protections.

https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/feds-quietly-ban-liability-vax-makers-through-trumps-full-term-fda

19 and flu vaccines from product liability for another five years, on the cusp of a new administration likely to aggressively look for vaccine injuries and release its hidden books that Just the News went to court to obtain.

Didn't hear about it? That's because the Department of Health and Human Services does not appear to have told the public outside a Dec. 11 Federal Register notice, primarily read by regulated entities, and a generic page buried deep within HHS's website.

"I have determined there is a credible risk that COVID-19 may in the future constitute such an emergency," says the 27-page notice written in Becerra's voice, dated Dec. 6, much of it rehashing previous amendments and requirements for "covered persons."

"Congress delegated to me the authority to strike the appropriate federal-state balance with respect to Covered Countermeasures through PREP Act Declarations," he also says.

[Zeb]

If Biden can do it, why can't Trump undo it?

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

I used to think that. Then DACA became a super EO that couldn't be undone.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Then if not a simple undoing, how about making up other regulations that cause the vaccine makers to self-deport?

[Social Justice is neither]

There will be some BS argument about the "good faith" reliance on such protections from both the companies and the investors that will be gleefully used to protect the guilty.

[Zeb]

Well, just give them notice now that it will go away come 20 Jan. Then they have no basis to rely on the protections.

[Marshal]

The advantage (from the left's point of view) of corrupting the bureaucracy and legal systems is that while that should work in fact it does not.

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

Rules made by an unelected federal agency can be removed by the new head of said agency.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

You forget. Trump can't undo rules made by democrats due to the explicit animus he shows. Ask the D.C. Circuit.

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

Perhaps it’s come time just to ignore the DC Circuit and do something anyway. How many divisions does the DC Circuit field?

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Ah, the (D)ifference (D)octrine.

[DeAnnP]

Extended a program that who put into place?

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Is that why you also didn't have a problem with Biden's tariff increases, you stupid lefty whore?

[DeAnnP]

Who said I didn't. I dont feel the need to perform fellatio on politicians like you guys seem to love to suck Trump off and give him a pass for EVERYTHING. You stupid right wing cunt.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Who said I didn't.

I said you didn't, you stupid lefty whore.

I dont feel the need to perform fellatio on politicians like you guys seem to love to suck Trump off and give him a pass for EVERYTHING.

LOL, yeah, which is why you're constantly performing fellatio for every left-wing narrative.

You stupid right wing cunt.

Glad you agree this political polarization needs to increase to Israel/Hamas levels, you stupid lefty whore.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Eat a bullet.

[Zeb]

There is plenty of criticism of Trump here on that issue and others.

It's also possible that shielding the vaccine makers was a good idea for two years but not 6. I don't believe so myself. But emergency powers and exceptions to normal rules are supposed to be temporary.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

Ahh. You're one of those things that continue to be reathorized by other people don't count.

I believe sarc makes this argument against criticism of Democrats as well.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

I should mention it has been extended twice. Efficacy of vaccines and the harm is well known at this point, it wasn't initially. Yet democrats keep extending.

[Fist of Etiquette]

President-elect Donald Trump attempts to unite the country with a proposed repeal of daylight savings time.

NO! We want a permanent daylight saving time! We're on the wretched standard time now!

[Zeb]

Daylight savings time is racist against early risers and promotes the decadence of staying up late.

[Longtobefree]

True; so is there a down side?

[Zeb]

As someone pretty far east in the time zone, I do like the later light in the summer.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Real time freedom requires a ban on clocks.

[VinniUSMC]

As someone on the far west of the Eastern time zone, down with Daylight Savings! Can't even start our 4th of July fireworks until after 10pm.

[Dillinger]

dude it's only like 10 minutes long just stay up the hour ...

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

I'll give you that one day if I can have the sun still shining when I leave my office at 5pm in the winter.

[MT-Man]

Yeah 4pm onset of Darkness is rough. It's already still dark in the morning with the time change so I feel like over here we only win with the longer evening hours.

[VinniUSMC]

Our time zones, globally, need a total overhaul. The map of time zones is more fucked up than gerrymandered Congressional districts.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

As an earlier riser and a far east coaster, I want the light into the night. Driving to and from the office in the dark is the worst. If the sun is up when I want to sleep, they made an invention called curtains for that.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

We could just vary the length of the work day, from 4 hours in winter to 12 hours in summer. That way you avoid commuting in the dark and always have some daylight when you get home.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Well I can't argue with that logic; boss and clients might.

[Quicktown Brix]

Also biased against teenage miscreants, delaying the start of mischief by 1 hour.

Speaking of which, do kids even egg houses, soap windows and toilet paper trees for Halloween any more? Too many cameras and curfews for that, I guess.

[Zeb]

I don't know about kids. I have some friends who have done it to each other as adults, though.

[Dillinger]

>>egg houses, soap windows and toilet paper trees for Halloween

in New Jersey we called that Tuesday

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Throwing eggs at houses? Look at the billionaires here.

[Dillinger]

my Trust permitted withdrawals for necessities.

[Quicktown Brix]

As a teen I stocked shelves in a dairy. You'd be surprised how many eggs "went bad" in mid-late October back then.

[Quicktown Brix]

President-elect Donald Trump attempts to unite the country with a proposed repeal of daylight savings time.

This is weak. I have a better plan. Get rid of Monday and replace it with another Saturday, but call it "Trumpday."

I can keep going.
No taxes on Trumpday (except tariffs, obviously).

[Vernon Depner]

Clocks are white supremacy.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Ukraine claims responsibility for killing a Russian general via a scooter bombing in Moscow.

It ain't exactly the decade-old exploding pager plot, but it's still humiliating.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Has anyone heard from Soave since this happened?

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

Check the description of the bomber to see if he had feathery, voluminous hair.

[Minadin]

Robby was on TV yesterday, though it could have been recorded in advance.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

AI is getting good.

[Quicktown Brix]

Scooter's working with Crazy Harry now?

[mad.casual]

Dude fell to the ground after he heard a popping noise. I don't see what the story is.

[Fist of Etiquette]

A new research brief from Brookings Institution finds a link between COVID shutdown policies and an early 2020 spike in murders.

But obviously those shutdowns saved everyone else's lives so it was a net success!

[Ajsloss]

How many of those murders were from covid and how many with covid?

[Eeyore]

Everyone who was murdered didn't catch covid, so it was a successful intervention.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

As long as they still were counted as Covid deaths.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

money for rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge

Consider it royalties for stealing OUR SONG!

[Minadin]

Isn't it just a Scottish drinking song with revised lyrics?

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Any of our enemies claims to the music are null and void, shouldn't have sailed up the Chesapeake.

FAFO

but yes, I believe your correct.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

Needless to say, we objected to GDI's disinformation designation at the time. As it turns out, the group has its own problems with transparency and accuracy.

Hey christian... your article is from 2023. For years reason ignored and defended government influence under the guise of muh private companies.

Try to be a bit honest. We don't forget.

[Medulla Oblongata]

But then their ox got gored, so it became an issue for them, but only that very specific issue.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

State Department had already initiated plans to transfer its resources and staff to other bureaus.

Federal Bureau of Prisons?

[TrickyVic (old school)]

Back to the CIA?

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Businesses that don't accept greenbacks would

prevent DC politicians from purchasing luxury goods with their bribes.

[Minadin]

Unless they have gold bars sewed into their jackets.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sen-bob-menendez-indicted-gifts-gold-bars-car/story?id=103407936

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Speaking of Bob, wonder if his old buddy will pardon him? Bob must have some dirt on Joe after all these years.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Lamest Round Up in a while. I hope the comments inspire me.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

A search said there was no "roundup" for the last 24 hours; any of you signed up for the delivery get this?

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

When is a Roundup not a roundup?

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

When it's a weed killer attracting ambulance chasers.

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

Well, Britches did put this one together, not Good Liz.

[Small w woodchippertarian]

I give him points for not saying, "(formerly known as Twitter)." A sadly low bar, but there it is.

[DeAnnP]

A "clean CR," right? 1,500+ pages, billions in reckless and unpaid spending, new bills that we have no time to review and wouldn't have passed otherwise—business as usual in Washington!

Yet another reason we need President Trump and @DOGE
to help us stop this crap and clean the federal government up. --Rick Scott (R-FL).

Ole Skeletor didn't seem to mind government spending when he was defrauding Medicare. GTFO

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Tell us how much the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services cost the last fiscal year, you stupid lefty whore.

[DeAnnP]

I don't know. How much of it went into Rick Scott's private coffers?

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

You come up with the citation. Do your own work.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Probably none of it, since you're the one making the claim, you stupid lefty whore.

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

Shrike, this is how you give yourself away.

[Mother's Lament (Salt farmer)]

He's always so obvious. This is why Open Society fired him.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Eat a bullet.

[DeAnnP]

Oh dear, a mean person on the internet told me to eat a bullet. You're so tuff. Teach me how to be as tuff as you.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Beats whinging about nonsense like "Medicare fraud" as a red herring from a 1,500 page bill that's stuffed with non-essential spending. You know, like the $1.4 trillion deficit caused by Medicare/Medicaid spending.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

You left out O-care ("you can keep your doctor" lying pile of shit)

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Eat the bullet and find out.

[Mother's Lament (Salt farmer)]

A flavour explosion, Shrike.

[Medulla Oblongata]

Of course, importing hordes of "refugees", "asylum seekers", and generally allowing unfettered immigration legal and illegal both in the US and EU+UK means that you have millions of additional families needing housing. And we're importing them faster than housing is built. Supply and demand is a bitch.

Never mind how many of the "newcomers" end up on the dole, don't assimilate, or are criminals, etc.

WSJ:

The Housing Affordability Crisis Is Going Global

Home prices and rents are rising faster than incomes in big cities in Europe and beyond. ‘The price in Ireland is mental.’

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Can't these people sleep in their food trucks?

[Minadin]

Zoning regulations prevent a domicile in a commercial space, sorry . . .

[Marshal]

Let's remember the entire reason Trump is President is immigration. In the run-up to 2016 each of the mainstream GOP candidates got a look from Rep voters. As the spotlight focused on each and they became a serious candidate every one of them moved to find an issue they could yield to Dems believing they needed to appease the left-media to win. The last man standing was Marco Rubio and he chose immigration leading to the famous picture of Chuck Schumer grinning from behind as Rubio tanks his own Presidential aspirations.

Trump is President then and now because he's the only person willing to outright fight the Dems on immigration. In fact he looks even better this time around as his appointments have been made of people similarly motivated and not just looking to check the box as a cabinet head to build the resume.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

A necessary antidote to the assertions of the chemtards and their tranny cult friends, as the counter-revolution begins to kick in after 10 years of enabled lunacy; from Daily Fail:

Prisha Mosley can spend hours gazing at her six-month-old son, marvelling at how he’s beginning to reach for objects, sit up with support and make babbling sounds. The first-time mother says her favourite moments are when the baby wakes up in the early morning and they snuggle in bed.
These occasions are precious but full of regret for the 26 year old, who has been left with permanent health problems after transitioning from female to male as a troubled teen, only to decide she’d made a mistake and reverse course a few years later.
Having undergone a double mastectomy at the age of just 18, she is unable to hug her baby properly and breastfeeding, of course, is out of the question.

It wouldn't be a detransitioner story without the usual troon "love and acceptance" when someone leaves their destructive neomarxist cult:

Prisha, who also has a five-year-old stepdaughter with her boyfriend, doesn’t want to reveal her son’s name because of the threats she’s received since becoming an activist against gender-affirming care for minors and launching her legal case.
‘Every day I’m told that I’ve got the blood of children who need to transition on my hands,’ she says.
‘People threaten to take away my child, report me to child protection services, say they are going to “trans” him – all kinds of awful stuff.
‘My phone number has been posted online without my consent. I’ve been threatened online by people I know, who are in my town, and I can’t go to certain places or take my children to certain places.’

Typical groomer tranny bullshit against anyone who goes against their evil castration fetish "community".

And the kicker which, contrary to what chemtard and his lefty boos might claim, shows that this isn't, in fact, about "arbitrary gender binaries," but in promoting an actual alchemical, transhumanist belief that someone can literally change their sex by injecting hormones and cutting their body parts off to replace them with substitutes that don't actually function like opposite sex organs:

This remarkably self-assured young woman says she tries to ignore the torrent of vilification because she believes other vulnerable and confused teenagers should know about the risks of making medical decisions to try to change sex.
‘I was under the misconception that it was possible to change sex, and I thought I would never want children or change my mind about living as a man,’ she says. ‘But I grew up and realised I’d made a terrible mistake.’

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

What a surprise. "Gender-affirming care" is really gender-destroying care, which leaves mentally-challenged people with no gender. But with more mental challenges.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

When they say, "you have the blood of trans kids on your hands!" what they really mean is, "You're preventing us from grooming more kids into self-mortification!" Because grooming is the only way trannies can actually reproduce.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Agreed. And the same "reproduction" strategy is used by climate catastrophists and other Neo-Malthusians.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

"...These occasions are precious but full of regret for the 26 year old, who has been left with permanent health problems after transitioning from female to male as a troubled teen, only to decide she’d made a mistake and reverse course a few years later..."

Wonder what the parents have to say about this.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Good question--where they totally on board with it, like the moron parents of Jazz Jennings and Coy Mathis were, or were they manipulated into it by bad-faith activists masquerading as doctors who told them, "Do you want a live son or a dead daughter," like what happened with Elon Musk and his son Xavier (who will never be a woman).

[Minadin]

The only good thing to come from the Elon Musk transgender son thing, is it appears to have been his 'red pill' moment.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

I don't doubt that Elon isn't exactly the best father and some of it was due to alienation, but that's going to be cold comfort when Xavier ends up getting osteoporosis before he's 30.

[Dakotian]

"ends up getting osteoporosis before he's 30"
That's a nice reminder how new all this insanity is. Most of the transitioners are still fairly young. So, they will have decades to discover all the complications of their transition.
I can't imagine that having mental health issues along with physical issues like osteoporosis is going to lead them to live their best lives.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Prior to the current Cultural Revolution, if you actually wanted to transition, it required YEARS of pre-op psychological counseling and proof that you actually had a legitimate dysphoric condition before the doctors would cut on you, and it was only provided to adults that had gone through their normal puberty developments.

After the Coy Mathis bullshit, the narrative quickly turned into one where these marxist vermin were arguing that kids needed to get put on puberty blockers right away and get radical surgeries before they even turned 18, all the while claiming these same kids weren't mature enough to buy a firearm responsibly. It's all been for the same lefty activism cause of bringing their dumb liberationist utopia to fruition.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

These people are truly insane (the enablers, not the dysphorics). But that might be true for all extreme Marxist revolutionary types. I have been reading (actually, listening) to Burrough's Days of Rage, about the era of activist bombings in the 1970s. His accounts of how these retards spent more time arguing about what to call themselves than figuring out how to make bombs that worked is very revealing.

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

Sounds rather Python-esque and reminds me of all the weird splinter groups in Life of Brian.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

That's a great book, and one I've recommended in the comments several times. What makes it particularly valuable is that Burrough was actually quite sympathetic to these people, which is how he got so many to sit down and talk with him about those times and what they did, so you get first-hand accounts versus third-hand news stories.

The most notable thing he highlighted was the extent to which these groups had accomplished various forms of institutional capture even back then, such as the Episcopal Church giving literal aid and comfort to the domestic terrorism of FALN. Angela Davis was one of Herbert Marcuse's students and got her PhD behind the Iron Curtain. And like today's left, they were intensely focused on bringing down the US in the most literal sense. Antifa isn't anything more than Weatherman with mainstream leftist sponsorship, and a lot of the FALN terrorists were later pardoned by both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

[Eeyore]

I worked with some early trans individuals 20 years ago. None of them are still with us. Several died from horrible cancers possibly related to synthetic female hormone treatment. I think there is a very real risk to life expectancy.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Several died from horrible cancers possibly related to synthetic female hormone treatment.

That was one of the side effects exposed in the WPATH files.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

I have said this before. Even if we have uncontrollable compassionate impulses and want to do everything to "help" people with gender dysphoria, what evidence supports the decision that enabling their delusion is the best choice? Is there any other mental disorder that we treat the same way?

[Vernon Depner]

Arguably, some personality disorders...

[Eeyore]

I've read about poor parents in 17th century China cutting the dick and balls of their male children with the hope of them getting a better job as a eunuch. The cycle of history makes everything old new again.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Europe wasn't immune from that lunacy, either.

[Eeyore]

At least European eunuchs got to keep their dicks.

[InsaneTrollLogic (On The List!)]

And they usually were used for two reasons:

1. To serve the Ottoman court and harem.

2. To maintain their high voices for church/monastery choirs.

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Well, eunuch or Democratic beta male.

[lwt1960]

I read an article with ChatGPT first launched about how a presenter created a big powerpoint presentation by giving ChatGPT 10 bullet points and the people in the audience took the 80 slide presentation and asked ChatGPT to reduce it to 10 bullet points. Full circle. Any bets the authors used AI to create the bill and the lawmakers will use AI to analyze it. Government by AI. Good times...

[Eeyore]

"Please optimize this rule to maximize profit for military contractors"

"Now reword it, so that it sounds like it will save money to an idiot"

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

So that's where our Ukraine policy came from.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

"..."Ever seen a bigger piece of pork?" he asked in a post on X above a photo of the 1,547-page bill..."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/elon-musk-bashes-congress-government-funding-bill/ar-AA1w69k1?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=6958e3d16e7746cbbcd8b60e07a16aad&ei=12

[Dillinger]

>>a sprawling 1,547-page bill that will keep the government open through mid-March

17.89 pages per day, Mike "thin couple of pages" Johnson

[JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)]

Thought they had only 72 hours to "review" it.

[Dillinger]

like I'm not punch a wall mad because I'm not a freshman in college or relief pitcher I'm more a starter ... but I am mad enough about the lying to my face I can't think of anything smart alecky to say

[Minadin]

My company execs were complaining yesterday about only having 72 hours to review the General Terms and Conditions for a 5-year IDIQ proposal, and that was less than 30 pages.

[Eeyore]

How many people in Congress can read above a 2nd grade level?

[Minadin]

Well, I know Cori Bush isn't one of them, but she's out in a couple of weeks.

[Dillinger]

we must ban assault mopeds!

[mad.casual]

Not holding my breath waiting for the narrative about how Ukrainians illegally assassinated a "Russian Religious Scholar", who just happened to be in charge of Russia's defense against Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear weapons, in the capital of his home country.

[Dillinger]

if Ukraine Is Not Weak had the capacity to knock off Russian Religious Scholars in their home cities why did they wait so long?

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Well 2 years ago they assassinated another Russian Religious Scholars' daughter in a failed attempt on that Russian Religious Scholar. So I imagine they used the last two years working on target practice.

[Dillinger]

>>assassinated another Russian Religious Scholars' daughter in a failed attempt

straight out of Godfather 3

[Dillinger]

>>The Global Engagement Center was one of two State Department–backed entities (the other being the nominally private, almost entirely government-funded National Endowment for Democracy)

both are see. eye. eh.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Along with USAid.

[Dillinger]

I love that one hey let's make people think it's "US Aid" lolz

[Dillinger]

>>a link between COVID shutdown policies and an early 2020 spike in murders.

any correlation to cellmate-on-cellmate violence?

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Plunged below the water line

[Dillinger]

new meaning to split open and melt?

[Moderation4ever]

Here is a modest suggestion for the next Congress. Passing a budget should be job#1 and until that is finished nothing else happen. No other bills get passed, no investigations, and no junkets. The Senate can approve Presidential appointments to executive positions, but no judicial approvals.

[Moderation4ever]

Washington DC and other communities should let businesses decide if they are cash, cashless, or a mix. If your worried about unbanked people find way to help them, assuming they want help, and don't make it a problem for businesses.

[MT-Man]

That would take a whole lot of unwinding millions of other rules/laws. While I'd like that it's not realistic at this point.

[Rick James]

A new research brief from Brookings Institution finds a link between COVID shutdown policies and an early 2020 spike in murders.

What other national situation was going on in 2019 I wonder?