The Josh Lafazan Show

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:Over the past few weeks Mar-A-Lago has been the center of the universe. It’s been the place where Trump’s transition team, Co-Chaired by Cantor Fitzgerald’s CEO Howard Lutnick, has met with hundreds of potential cabinet and administration nominees. It’s where Elon Musk has basically set up his mobile office, often eating all 3 meals a day alongside Trump. It’s where politicians from across the world have taken meetings with the President-Elect, from Argentina’s President Javier Milei, to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And of most note has been the pilgrimage that the world’s top business leaders have made to pay their new respects to Trump at his Florida home and his “Winter White House”. As Trump told reporters this week, “In the first term, everybody was fighting me. In this term, everybody wants to be my friend.” Of note is that this is an extraordinarily distinct departure from 2016 when then President-Elect Donald Trump had first taken office, where the nation’s top business leaders were decidedly opposed to Trump. Mark Zuckerberg made the trip to Mar-a-Lago, and his company Meta pledged to donate $1 Million to Trump’s Inaugural Fund. Jeff Bezos went to Mar-a-Lago and also brought his checkbook, telling Trump that Amazon would be donating $1 Million to Trump’s Inaugural Fund. Open AI’s CEO Sam Altman came to Mar-a-Lago and, yes, you might have guessed it, also pledged a $1 Million donation. Joining them was Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who just this week paid his respects to Trump in Palm Beach. Even Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who protested Trump’s immigration policies in 2017, apparently dined at Mar-a-Lago with Trump. The rate at which these business leaders are tripping over one another to pay their respects to Trump and reverse their years-long course of bad blood between them is nothing short of stunning.The U.S. national debt, which is the total sum of the money the United States owes on its existing obligations, is now $36.13 Trillion dollars. If you think this is an astonishing amount, you would be correct. Our national debt was not always out of control like it is now - in fact, when adjusted for inflation, over the past 100 years, the U.S. federal debt has increased from $394 Billion in 1924 to $35.46 Trillion in 2024. So how is the national debt calculated? How did we get here? And what does all of this mean for you? With the help of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, I explain all of it in this video. America faces many challenges including rising inequality, unaffordable healthcare, climate change, education affordability, and unpredictable security threats. To address these challenges we will need significant resources. Given the severity of the consequences of defaulting on the national debt, coupled with the dramatic increases in debt the United States owes, it’s incumbent on our lawmakers in Washington to get their acts together and start to pay the debt down. The future of our nation, of our democracy, and of the welfare of every single one of us, depends on it.#newsheadlines #congress #politics #newstoday #newsupdates #usa #politicalnews #trump

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:It’s been just over a month since Vice President Kamala Harris lost the presidential election, but the speculation about her next steps have already begun. While giving a speech to her supporters last week, Kamala told the crowd of her next move, “you haven’t seen the last of me,” and “I’m not going quietly into the night”. Even President Joe Biden at the DNC Holiday Reception said to Harris in his Biden-esque language, ‘You’re Not Going Anywhere, Kid’. Washington, D.C. insiders believe that Harris has 2 choices of a path for her next move: either to pursue the Presidency again in 2028, or to run for California Governor in 2026, which of course would rule out a White House run in 2028. Both the White House and the California Governor’s Mansion are options that are completely feasible for Harris given that polling shows she’s still incredibly popular among Democrats, and Democrats do not blame Kamala for her 2024 Presidential loss.During Steve Bannon’s remarks this weekend at the New York Young Republican Club’s gala in Manhattan, he told the crowd “I don’t know, maybe we do it again in ’28…Are you guys up for that?” “Trump ’28, come on, man!” As the Daily Beast Reports he continued to raise the specter of a Donald Trump run in 2028, quoting Trump loyalist and self-proclaimed “viceroy” Mike Davis as saying a third Trump term was possible “since [the constitution] doesn’t say consecutive [terms].” Now what makes this newsworthy is that Bannon is not the only person in Trump world laying the groundwork for a Trump White House bid in 2028. In fact, President Donald Trump even has hinted about it himself on numerous occasions. Despite the frenzy to the contrary, Democrats have noted that the 22nd Amendment is crystal clear in prohibiting any president from serving more than two terms — regardless of whether those terms are consecutive or not. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is among Trump’s most controversial nominees to serve as Secretary of Health & Human Services. Among his ardent supporters, they view RFK as a folk hero of the MAHA movement, or Make America Healthy Again, which is of course a spinoff of MAGA. But among his spectics, and there are many, RFK is seen as a deranged conspiracy theorist, with views that range from insane to dangerous. And there are new concerns which have now arisen that RFK would specifically target the polio vaccine should he be confirmed to lead HHS. As the New York Times reports, the lawyer helping RFK pick federal health officials for the incoming Trump administration - Aaron Siri - has petitioned the government to revoke its approval of the polio vaccine, which for decades has protected millions of people from a virus that can cause paralysis or death. To me, the fact that Mr. Siri is guiding RFK’s decision making is clear enough proof to disqualify him from being confirmed by the Senate. And yes, it is insane that we even have to debate what is settled fact: that the beginning of mass vaccination in 1965 has nearly eradicated polio from the Earth. #newsheadlines #congress #politics #newstoday #newsupdates #usa #politicalnews #trump

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:The past two weeks have been filled with grants of both pardons and clemencies from The White House, first kicking off with President Joe Biden’s most publicized decision to pardon his own son, Hunter Biden. It is not unusual for Presidents to make decisions of pardons and clemency at the very end of their term, as President Donald Trump will take office shortly on January 20th. While there are certainly cases in which grants of clemency make sense - such as when a court of law has been a decision in error or was careless in sentencing - there are also cases in which the facts are clear, and the actors who committed crimes categorically hurt their fellow American citizens. Biden’s decision last week to grant clemency to 1,500 people certainly included some people which shocked the general public. And on a personal level, while I proudly voted for Biden in 2020 I believe these grants of clemency were absolutely outrageous and indefensible.What started last week as a large number of mysterious drones reportedly flying over parts of New Jersey has turned into reported drone sightings all across the northeast, sparking speculation and concern over who sent them and why. In addition to New Jersey there have been police reports of drones over New York, Connecticut, Maryland, and Washington D.C. While The FBI is among several agencies investigating, it’s now been more than 23 days into the phenomenon and the Pentagon seems to still have no answers about the origins of these mysterious drones. An important takeaway here is that the United States homeland is not nearly as impenetrable as it should be, given the fact that we have funded and assembled the strongest military in the history of the world. One must only remember that just last year, a Chinese spy balloon penetrated American airspace, using a commercially available U.S. network to communicate and navigate. While scary, the drone sightings give us an opportune time to take steps to harden our homeland security for the mainland U.S. With a defense budget of $750 Billion, there’s absolutely money to spend, and there’s definitely no time to waste.Weight loss drugs like Ozempic should be affordable for all Americans. The United States is facing a severe health crisis. To contextualize this problem and just how severe it is, 4 in 10 of Americans - or 132 Million Americans - are now considered obese. And this is a major problem in so many different areas. In terms of military readiness, the United States, where our armed forces continue to face a critical recruiting shortage, which is entirely made of volunteers - generals currently believe we would have major difficulty in the need for an emergency draft. In terms of economic productivity this is a major issue, as employees suffering from obesity face issues with absenteeism, increased risk of illness, reduced economic activity, and presenteeism. And of course the biggest issue here is related to costs of public health. Given this grim reality, thank goodness scientists have made a breakthrough with Compounded semaglutide - which is the main ingredient in drugs like Ozempic - and it’s showing miraculous results in reducing obesity and weight loss issues. The issue here of course is that the high cost of the drug is a huge barrier for the vast majority of Americans: according to CBS, a monthly supply of Wegovy rings up at $1,300 and Zepbound will put you out $1,000. Shortages of the drugs have also limited the supplies. When you take all of these facts together, it is conclusive that we should be working immediately to make these drugs affordable and available for all Americans.#newsheadlines #congress #politics #newstoday #newsupdates #usa #politicalnews #trump

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:When voters went to the polls this past November, economic concerns and high inflation were cited as the number 1 issue motivating their decision in the voting booth to choose President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris. And despite inflation still being far too high, it is also true that the American economy is absolutely on fire right now. As MarketWatch writes, despite the early predictions that the U.S. economy was heading for recession, instead, the American economy has grown an average of almost 3% a quarter since the middle of 2022 — far above what is considered its potential growth rate. Compared to the rest of the world, real GDP in the second quarter of this year was 8.7% higher in the U.S. than at the end of 2019. And as data underscores, our Gross National Income growth was massively higher than comparable democracies like Canada, Japan, and the UK. Moreover, it's important to remind ourselves that life for the average American is drastically more economically prosperous than anywhere else in the world. You may not have voted for him in 2020, and you may not support him now, but President Joe Biden, for all his flaws, deserves a significant amount of credit for the economic revival of the United States of America.President-Elect Donald Trump hasn’t even taken office yet, and the shadow primary has already kicked off for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2028. Not a single candidate has formally announced, but betting markets have zeroed in on a few frontrunners, including: California Governor Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, former first lady Michelle Obama, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. I believe the biggest litmus test for these potential 2028 Democratic candidates actually came this week, when each candidate was asked for their thoughts on the United Healthcare CEO shooting. And rather than a litmus test of where they stand on health care policy, I believe this is the biggest litmus test in terms of where they rank on sanity. Because the only answer which passes this litmus test of sanity and reason is that murder is bad. No buts, no qualifiers, no justifications - just that murder is always wrong, period. This is the United States of America. We are a nation of laws. All American citizens have a presumption of innocence, and are innocent until proven guilty, and are only convicted upon unanimous agreement by a jury of their peers. There are many places in this world where you can choose to live in which there is widespread lawlessness. And people from those lawless societies literally risk their lives and often die just to come here, because the risk is worth the ability to live in our free society. We need to take a hard look at those celebrating Luigi Mangione as a hero, and ask ourselves how we got here, and how we repair the brokenness that is clearly so pervasive in our society.#newsheadlines #congress #politics #newstoday #newsupdates #usa #politicalnews #trump

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:There are few problems more alarming in American society today than the severe lack of citizens who can reasonably be considered “informed”. Concurrently, the information being disseminated to a vast portion of Americans has shifted from accurate, well-sourced, impartial news to a vile mixture of sensationalist click-bait garbage, coupled with charlatan Tik-Tok users masquerading their poor opinions as facts. It’s no wonder why 75% of Americans agree with the statement that “the mainstream media is more interested in making money than telling the truth”. A functioning and healthy democracy cannot sustain itself without a well-informed population, and there’s so much more we need to do as a nation to increase the rate of literacy. This is no longer just an issue of misinformation; this is a fight for our democracy, for a revival of patriotism, and for the future of American exceptionalism. Nepotism is defined as “favoritism (as in appointment to a job) based on kinship”. We know that of course nepotism has been pervasive in politics for decades, done consistently by both parties: Democratic President John F. Kennedy famously appointed his brother Robert Kennedy to be his Attorney General in the 1960s. Now, nepotism is not supposed to happen - there are laws and regulations in place to restrict appointments based on kinship across the country. But nepotism seems to be thriving more than ever in Trump world as President-Elect Donald Trump prepares to take office next month. And the choices he’s made recently, fueled in major part by nepotism, have raised eyebrows among Republicans and Democrats in Washington.Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk are serving as the co-chairs of DOGE, an acronym for the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk & Rawaswamy have been taking meetings with legislators and policy makers, and recently held talks with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republican leadership on Capitol Hill. For the past few weeks the scope of DOGE, what they had proposed to change, and any specific ideas they had were relatively a secret. But now, the public has a clearer look at the proposed changes for 2025, as the Wall Street Journal has released DOGE’s 6 big ideas to impact the federal government, which I detail in this episode.#newsheadlines #congress #politics #newstoday #newsupdates #usa #politicalnews #trump

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:Democrats are currently in the beginning stages of what’s politically known as an “autopsy” of 2024, which is a report commissioned by the losing political party in a campaign. And while candidates for DNC Chair are making their pitch to party activists across the country, there is widespread disagreement on the issue which experts believe hurt Democrats most in 2024, which is our party’s messaging to voters on issues. There have been really smart takes, including from Jim Kessler of Third Way, and Liam Kerr & Lauren Harper of The Welcome PAC, 2 groups that support moderate Democrats in swing districts across the country, with a focus on “winning the middle”. And they just came out with a new report which contrasts the Republican and Democratic Messaging strategies in 2024, which I explain in this episode. The Wall Street Journal published an article which details how President Joe Biden, though he has more than a month left until he leaves office, seems to be voluntarily ceding the spotlight to President-Elect Donald Trump. The Journal continues that while Trump is already dictating trade and immigration policy and has moved rapidly to remake the U.S. government, Biden and his staff at the White House have mostly just stood aside. Critics like Washington Governor Jay Inslee believe Democrats' silence has bypassed their chances to make the case against many of Trump’s cabinet nominations. And progressive groups like Justice Democrats have called Biden “one of the lamest of lame ducks we’ve seen with a Democratic administration”.2024 will be remembered for many things, but one of the most striking revelations from the last 12 months has been the categorical uselessness of organizations constituting the “international community”. In what was the quintessential example of the blatant hypocrisy of these groups, take the example of Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown by his own people in Syria last week. Assad is one of the most barbaric dictators of the century, a ruthless killer and tyrant who murdered more than half a million people, and caused six million others to become refugees. Moreover, upwards of 100,000 people are said to have been disappeared into Syria's prisons during the 14 years of civil war. Yet Assad was able to travel freely between Syria and Russia without the specter of his apprehension because the ICC, or the International Criminal Court, has not brought Assad up on charges or issued an arrest warrant despite all of these blatant human rights violations. But if the democratically elected Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, chose to travel abroad to other free democracies like Canada? He would face arrest because the ICC issued an arrest warrant for him.#newsheadlines #congress #politics #newstoday #newsupdates #usa #politicalnews #trump

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:President Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris and will assume office in about a month. Trump has been making public his nominees for his cabinet and White House administration, which gives an indication of what his governing team will look like. However, what makes Trump different is that unlike many of his predecessors, experts believe that many of Trump’s picks will not cross the finish line - and that is because there is a wildly diverse spectrum of Trump’s nominees, from mainstream, to questionable, to downright outrageous. As Trump continues to make picks, it’s become clear which nominees will cruise through the Senate, who is questionable to pass, and whose nomination is dead on arrival.In a very strange ending to the police manhunt for the shooter of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, authorities have taken 26-year-old Luigi Mangione into custody. Mangione was bizarrely caught when an elderly patron spotted him sitting and eating at a McDonald’s restaurant in Altoona, Pennsylvania. As I argued on this show last week, and still believe, that there can be no equivocation here - the murder of Thompson cannot be justified, no matter how much animus one holds for the healthcare industry or the insurance company. This is the United States of America. We are the world’s beacon of democracy, and in this country, you do not affect change through murder. And anybody who thinks differently is a danger to the very fabric of civilized society which sustains our nation.President Bill Clinton was a speaker last week at the New York Times Dealbook Summit hosted by Andrew Ross Sorkin. Among the number of topics covered by the former 2-term Democratic President, Clinton was asked for his thoughts on the War in Gaza. The most important moment of his speech came when Clinton directed his remarks at young Americans, who incredulously find themselves on the side of Hamas - a literal terrorist organization - rather than our democratic ally in Israel. And Clinton says that young people are "shocked" when they learn exactly what deal then-President of the Palestinian National Authority - Yasser Arafat - walked away from in the year 2000. Almost 25 years later, Clinton's recounting of what that deal was, what he was able to negotiate in terms of concessions from Israel, and what the Palestinians said no to, is crucial in understanding the current landscape of the conflict.#newsheadlines #congress #politics #newstoday #newsupdates #usa #politicalnews #trump

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:If there was ever a time to raise the issue of age limits for politicians, it is right now in 2024. This year we saw the oldest U.S. President ever, Joe Biden, who at 82 years old was pushed out of the nomination for re-election due to his declining abilities as evidenced in the June Presidential debate. We then just elected Donald Trump who, at at 78, will become the oldest U.S. President ever And during this entire time, The United States re-elected members of congress to retain our #1 ranking in having the oldest legislators in the entire world. A very simple fix to America’s gerontocracy is to establish age limits for politicians. And it’s why I’m calling for a constitutional amendment enacting an age limit of 75 for Congress and 80 for President.One of the most under-reported trend lines from the 2024 Presidential Election was the effect that the policies of many extreme Democrats on the local and state level had on Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket. As the New York Times reports, virtually every area in the country saw a rightward voting shift this past November, giving Republicans in Washington control of the House of Representatives as well as the Senate. And new data from the 2024 Election tells the story of a common theme which motivated many undecided voters choosing Republicans over Democrats: they viewed Dems as too soft on crime. The pendulum has swung so far to the extreme left in the last decade, that the voters in the middle are saying enough is enough. It’s time for Democrats to actually listen to those voters, and start addressing crime and feelings of unsafety in our communities. In what will be remembered as one of the most historic events of this decade, rebels in Syria have declared victory over Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Though it’s just been mere hours since the official demise of Assad, it brings to an end the rule of one of the most barbaric dictators of the century. So what exactly happened to force Bashar Al-Assad out of power? When did the Syrian Civil War start, and what happened this weekend? What do these events mean for the United States of America? Who is in power now in Syria? And what happens next? The events are complex and the story is long, but this episode answers these questions and more with the help of reporting from the Wall Street Journal and NPR.#newsheadlines #congress #politics #newstoday #newsupdates #usa #politicalnews #trump

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:Since his victory on Election Night, President-Elect Donald Trump has made dozens of nominations so far to fill out his cabinet and incoming White House administration. But not all of Trump’s picks are poised to be confirmed with 50 Yes votes in the Senate, and many may end up withdrawing altogether prior to their confirmation hearings. Democrats in Washington have raised objections over controversial nominees like Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. And political experts believe many other Trump nominees face an uphill battle as well.President Trump's border security team is looking to coordinate their mass deportation program in partnership with local and state police departments across the country. As I’ve spoken about on this show, a hiccup in Trump’s plans is that several mayors of the largest cities in America have come out to proclaim that they will not cooperate with the mass deportation programs. But not all Mayors of Democratic cities are refusing to participate with the Trump administration. Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, representing the 8 million people of New York City, vowed to work with the Trump administration to get migrants who commit crimes out of New York City.In what was the most dramatic assassination of a corporate leader on US soil in modern memory, video footage has been released that shows the gunman who shot and killed Brian Thompson - the Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealthcare - in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday. In response to this brazen murder, America must take several immediate steps to bolster our security, including: the installation of thousands more high-definition cameras across our cities, increasing our investments in artificial intelligence to help apprehend suspects, and corporate management teams hiring private security details.#newsheadlines #congress #politics #newstoday #newsupdates #usa #politicalnews #trump

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:This week started with President Biden pardoning his son Hunter, despite nearly a year of confirmations from himself, his press secretary, and Kamala Harris that he would not do so. And this pardon has sparked a flurry of conversations inside the White House about whether Joe Biden should offer more pardons on a political basis before he leaves office on January 20th. As Politico is reporting, President Biden and his team are deliberating over whether to issue preemptive political pardons to a range of current and former public officials who could be targeted when President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House, aided by Republicans in Congress and by Kash Patel as the next potential FBI Director. Of those who could potentially receive these pardons are: Adam Schiff, Liz Cheney, Fiona Hill, and Anthony Fauci.One of President Trump’s earliest nominations to serve in his cabinet was Pete Hegseth, a former National Guard officer and most recently the co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend show. Hegseth’s nomination for Secretary of Defense is currently in jeopardy due to the cacophony of allegations regarding a litany of accusations made by individuals against Hegseth, from sexual assault, to rape, to excessive drinking, to mismanagement, and more. Will Pete Hegseth survive the week? He’s scheduled to meet with President Trump today at Mar-a-Lago, and in the meantime we’ll have to wait and see.This week has been remarkably notable in terms of the turbulence facing foreign nations abroad First, we saw the the South Korean President declare martial law in the nation, sending in soldiers to storm the National Assembly, only to then retract that declaration, and is now facing impeachment. And now as the wall street journal reports, the government of President Emmanuel Macron collapsed yesterday after the National Assembly voted for the first time in more than a half-century to oust a prime minister from office. Will Emanuel Macron be forced to resign? Will France right the ship? And what does this mean for America? How this all will be resolved is still a lingering question.#newsheadlines #congress #politics #newstoday #newsupdates #usa #politicalnews #trump

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:President Donald Trump rode a wave of voter discontent over a litany of issues Americans had with the Democratic Party. We know that Biden’s approvals were at record-lows, Dems were viewed as too extreme on social issues, and Kamala failed to move the needle with Republicans and Independents in swing states. But exit polls have now confirmed that the number 1 issue on voters minds as they headed to the ballot booth in November was inflation. Pew research confirms that the economy was the top issue for 81% of all voters, including 68% of Harris voters and 93% of Trump voters. And there is a learning lesson for Democrats here; because as consistent as Democrats were in their messaging explaining that inflation was down, voters across the political spectrum didn’t buy it. Boise State women’s volleyball made national headlines this week, as CNN reports they officially withdrew from its Mountain West Conference Championship tournament match against San Jose State University amid an ongoing, gender controversy surrounding a San Jose State player. I applaud these courageous women from Boise State who used their first amendment rights to say they disagreed with the Mountain West’s policy and withdrew from the tournament. And I applaud the two Boise State players who are rightly availing themselves of the legal system to fight what they see as injustice. I hope that sanity will prevail in this country, so we can protect female athletes everywhere.The New Jersey Town of Edison has banned the American flag from its municipal meetings. As reported by My Central Jersey, The American flag,the U.S. Constitution, and other "props" are no longer allowed to be used during the public portion of Township Council meetings under a new ordinance. This show applauds the residents in Edison who are fighting back against something that seems every bit as preposterous as it is. Being a proponent of free speech means defending someone’s right to speak, even when you may find that speech to be reprehensible. And I hope the good people of Edison prevail in not only removing this ordinance, but removing the town council members on Election Day#news #congress #politics#newsheadlines#newstoday #newsupdates #usa #politicalnews #trump

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:President Trump made international news this week when he announced his plans to levy a 25% tariff on imports of all goods from Mexico and Canada, accusing both countries of facilitating illegal immigration and fentanyl abuse in the U.S. The new Mexican President, Claudia Sheinbaum, shot back and said Mexico would retaliate if Trump imposed tariffs, as it did in 2018. As the Wall Street Journal asks, are Trump’s threats part of a negotiating ploy to wring concessions on trade and other policy priorities from U.S. trading partners, or is it the start of a sustained campaign to reshape global trade and the American economy? And will these tariffs lead to a looming trade war with Canada and Mexico?There was a unique analysis conducted which compares the GDP of individual states in the United States with European nations. What is striking is that America's poorest state - which is Mississippi - is still richer as a state than the entire nations of the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Japan. And if you look at America’s second-poorest state - West Virginia, and the third-poorest state - Arkansas, both have larger GDP’s as states than G7 Nations like Canada and Germany.This week, as Americans across the nation celebrate Thanksgiving, it's important to remember just how much we have to be thankful for, and just how lucky we are for having the privilege of calling this country home. It's an important opportunity to remind Americans of our country's constitutional protections - those written rules to protect the freedoms of its citizens from the government - and to remember just how sacred they are when compared to nations across the globe .And the best way to show appreciation as we officially enter the holiday season, is to help make life better for your fellow neighbor, and help make our country an even better place than we found it.

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:Special Counsel Jack Smith moved Monday to dismiss two landmark criminal cases against President Donald Trump, on the grounds that Justice Department policy prohibits prosecuting a sitting president. Both Republicans and Democrats have seized on the news; conservative influencers heralded the move as vindicating Trump's innocence, while liberal commentators and supporters of Kamala Harirs decried the move as an affront to democracy. Does Jack Smith's decision bring this legal saga to its final conclusion?Our election systems are run by arcane methods which move at a glacial pace, meaning that millions of votes are not counted on Election Day, and are rather counted in the subsequent days and weeks. Due to this delay, the preliminary vote totals on November 7th showed Trump with a far greater margin of victory over Harris than is currently tabulated: Trump currently stands at 76 million votes, or 49.86%, while Kamala Harris is at 74 million votes, or 48.26% - a closer difference of 1.6%. Is Trump's win in the Presidential Election still considered a mandate?Joe Rogan – whose podcast is among the most popular shows in the world - caused some international controversy when he made comments disparaging President Biden and the Ukrainian army. Rogan had criticized Joe Biden’s recent decision to allow Ukraine to strike Russian soil with US-supplied missiles, and said of Zelensky's comments regarding Putin's desperate position that he was trying to "start World War III". Is Rogan's assessment of the Ukraine War correct?

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:Exit polling from the research firm BluePrint shows the breakdown of undecided voters who broke for either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. Nearly half of swing voters who chose President Trump over Vice President Harris made their decision in the final weeks of the campaign, indicating that the election was in fact up for grabs by either candidate. Moreover, BluePrint’s exit poll gleans important data on where voters prefer Republicans on certain issues, and where they take issue with Democrats on others. What are the main takeaways from BluePrint's survey that must Dems heed for 2028?The New York Times published an important article about an under-reported factor in this November's Election: that voters are unhappy with Democrats locally and state-wide, and it’s affecting their perceptions of Democrats on the national level. New polling data from states like New York, California, and Illinois show a growing dissatisfaction with local and state-wide Democrats, and many voters are now opting to live in Republican states like Florida and Texas. What must Democrats do to win back these voters next cycle?In today's "This Should Be a Law" segment, NYS Assemblyman Alex Bores has sponsored important legislation in the New York State Assembly to increase the number of judges behind the bench. If you’ve ever wondered why the legal system is so slow, or why it takes so long for cases to get heard, it’s because the New York State Constitution limits the ratio of justices to citizens at one judge per 50,000 people. If that sounds absurd - it’s because it is. Alex's bill would lift the cap, and thus finally speed up the judicial system.

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs: As President Donald Trump has pledged to enact steep tariffs on U.S. imports, the CEO's of the largest companies in the United States are making known the potential economic repercussions. Business leaders of Walmart, Loews, and other large companies have stated that should Trump's tariffs go into effect, these corporations would be forced to raise prices on the American consumers who buy their products. Will Trump enact high trade tariffs on China, Mexico, and the European Union as he's promised to do? After Matt Gaetz officially withdrew his nomination to become the Attorney General of the United States, President Trump has offered a new nomination: Pam Bondi. Bondi was the former Attorney General for the State of Florida, and is also the former Trump defense attorney who defended him during the his first Impeachment trial. Will Republicans and Democrats in Congress be more receptive to Bondi than Gaetz? Will the Senate vote to confirm Bondi? The ICC this week issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Experts warn that the ICC’s precedent here to punish Israel for defending themselves against Hamas will harm the ability of all democracies to defend themselves against terror groups or states. Will President Joe Biden sanction the ICC in Washington before his term expires?

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs: As President Donald Trump continues to roll out new hires for his administration as he returns to The White House, there are concerns from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress that many of his appointments will not be able to garner 50 votes at a confirmation hearing. There have only been nine Cabinet level nominations to be blocked by the Senate in United States history, with the most recent one taking place nearly 35 years ago. Will any of Trump's picks - including RFK, Tulsi Gabbard, and Pete Hegseth - be next? Many in the Democratic Party are concerned about new projections of what the 2032 Electoral College map will look like. It's being reported that blue states like California, New York, and Illinois will lose electoral votes, while red states included Texas, Florida, and Tennessee will gain votes. Will this new map make it even harder for a Democrat to win the White House? President Trump continues to make news while hinting at the possibility of running for a third term next election The 22nd Amendment is clear that no President shall serve more than 2 terms - but how serious is he about working with Republicans in Congress to change the amendment and run again in 2028?

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs: President Donald Trump's nominee to become the United State Attorney General - former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz - is facing a steep climb towards confirmation in Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson has urged the committee to not release the report, which potentially contains damaging information regarding the allegations by several women who claim Gaetz had sexual relations with minors. Will the Senate demand to see the report before they vote? Since President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law - colloquially referred to as Obamacare - tens of millions of Americans have since been able to access health insurance. A major cost-offset in the law are the federal subsidies, which can lower the cost of premiums and other out-of-pocket health care costs. President Biden and Democrats in Congress increased these subsidies in 2021, resulting in a major boost in the number of Americans who have access to quality health insurance. However with these subsidies set to expire in 2025, just as Republicans take control of the House and the Senate. Will these federal subsidies be removed, as many federal Republicans have pledged? Or will the entire ACA be repealed altogether? #newsheadlines #congress #politics #newstoday #newsupdates #usa #politicalnews #trump

Bradley is the CEO & President of the Honan Strategy Group – a strategic public opinion research and data analytics company. Bradley is a recognized and widely quoted expert in leveraging public opinion polling data and digital analytics for strategic planning purposes. In the political arena, Bradley has worked on behalf of; Bill and Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair, Mike Bloomberg, Jon Corzine, the Democratic National Committee, and Silvio Berlusconi, about the state of public opinion and how to best leverage their strengths and address their weaknesses.

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs: TikTok is facing a ban within the United States this upcoming January, with Washington citing national security concerns over data being shared with China. Congress passed a law that was signed by President Biden earlier this year, which would ban TikTok in the U.S. unless ByteDance divests itself of the app. Will incoming President Donald Trump reverse the ban when he takes office in 2025? President Trump announced that Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk have been selected as the co-chairs of DOGE - the Department of Government Efficiency. Of the $516 Billion in government spending in Washington that has not already been authorized by Congress, which programs are at risk of having their funding cut? Donald Trump’s choice of Robert F Kennedy Jr - the son of the estimable statesman Bobby Kennedy - to lead the sprawling Health & Human Services Department as its Secretary is the wrong choice. Senators in Washington, both Republicans and Democrats, would be wise to reject his nomination. The War in Ukraine is now almost 3 years in duration. The devastating conflict has seen Russian losses upwards of 650,000, and Ukrainian losses over 31,000. And of most potential consequence for the world, all sides are noting that new technology implemented by soldiers in the war - specifically drones and GPS units to provide a full picture of th battlefield - has forever changed the landscape of warfare.

Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs: After President Donald Trump's interview on Joe Rogan garnered 38 Million views, new reports share that Vice President Kamala Harris was in fact slated to appear on The Joe Rogan Experience - but her appearance was cancelled after pushback from progressive staffers on her campaign. Elon Musk continues to operate as an unofficial Secretary of State, as the New York Times reports that he met with another foreign delegation, this time with diplomats with Iran. Musk's visit comes after his call with Trump and Zelensky of Ukraine, and amidst reports he's been speaking regular with Russia's President Vladimir Putin. The Onion, a leftwing satirical media outlet, has purchased Info Wars from Alex Jones. Jones' assets were liquidated as he was successfully sued for defamation by Sandy Hook parents for $1 Billion, after falsely claiming that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax. President Trump is exerting pressure on both the House and the Senate in Washington to approve his cabinet selections via recess appointments, thus helping him avoid the scrutiny of senate confirmation hearings. It is unclear whether Republicans will comply, and how Democrats plan to fight this end-run around Congress.

David Imamura was elected to the Westchester County Board of Legislators in a special election on February 27, 2023 to represent District 12, comprised of Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Edgemont, Hartsdale, Hastings-on-Hudson, and Irvington. He was re-elected that November to a full two-year term that began in January ’24. He is the first Asian-American to serve on the Board of Legislators. Legislator Imamura serves as the Chair of the Saw Mill River Watershed Advisory Board. He also is a member of the Health, Housing, Human Services, Human Rights & Equity, Law & Major Contracts, and Legislation committees.

Assemblywoman Taylor Darling represents the 18th District in the New York State Assembly. Taylor is a crusader for inclusion, equity and economic and social justice. She leads with transparency, strategic efficiency, simplicity and curiosity. Taylor attended her dream college, Spelman, at 16 years old and was accepted into a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at age 19. Taylor eventually transferred to Hofstra University and became an Industrial Organizational Psychologist.

Jake Asman, a sports broadcaster and media personality, is the host of highly acclaimed The Jake Asman Show - the most viewed Jets show on the internet. Beyond his daily YouTube show, Jake can be heard hosting shows for 98.7 ESPN New York, ESPN Radio Network, Mad Dog Sports Radio, and NFL Radio on Sirius XM.

Maria Alexa, a native New Yorker, is a singer-songwriter, poet, producer, & creative director. Maria's songs have over half a million downloads on platforms like Spotify, and she continues to release new music to her dedicated fanbase. Maria is currently working on finalizing a few projects to launch in 2025, including a community called ‘Cherry Avenue’ which will be a place for her fans to feel closer to Maria by getting a behind the scenes look at her songwriting & recording process, new releases, merch drops, and more.

Alex Bores serves as the Assemblymember for the 73rd District of New York, an area including Murray Hill, Turtle Bay, Sutton Place, Midtown East, and the Upper East Side. He is a fifth-generation New Yorker who was born and raised in-and-around the district. In just his first term, Alex has worked to pass significant legislation consistent with his goals of making New Yorkers’ lives easier, their families safer, and their government more efficient.

Stone Grissom is the News Director at CBS 6. He’s been honored with dozens of media awards including Edward R. Murrow, Emmy, AP, NYS Broadcasters Association, and Press Club. He is the Managing Partner at Camera Ready Media Consulting, and also spent 9 years as an executive producer and senior evening anchor at News 12 Long Island.

Mina Salib is the Global Web4 Lead at Axiom Space. A serial entrepreneur, Mina's role focuses on strategic partnerships with blockchain companies interested in exploring the opportunities across the commercial space industry. With a focus on orbital data center infrastructures, Mina is working to ensure seamless data processing, cyber security, terrestrial data redundancy, and environmental sustainability in space.

Saira Blair became West Virginia's youngest-ever elected official upon her election at 18 years old to the West Virginia House of Delegates. Saira served 2 consecutive terms, representing the 59th House District. Upon leaving office Saira continued to make a difference, working in the non-profit sector with the esteemed organization Girls Inc., and serving as deputy treasurer for the Local Government Division of the West Virginia State Treasurer's Office.

Ian Schachner is the Senior Associate Director of Admissions for Cornell University's ILR School. Throughout his time at Cornell, Ian has reviewed 25k+ undergraduate applications and interviewed 700+ students, specializing in helping students understand and compare pre-professional and social science tracks, including business, pre-law, economics, international affairs, political science, and psychology programs.

At just age 21, Avi Patel is the Founder & CEO 2 major companies: Nitrility, the world's first IP marketplace working with over $1 Billion in assets from 34,000 rightsholders, and Origin Mind, which is building the infrastructure for the next generation of IP. A college drop-out, Avi successfully exited his first company when he was 18 years old. He is currently based between NYC, LA, or SF.

Lydia Moynihan is a financial correspondent at The Post covering stories at the intersection of Washington, Wall Street and Silicon Valley, including as part of the NYNext series. She regularly appears on Fox News, CNBC and Fox Business and has hosted panels at the 92NY, the Future Investment Initiative and Global Alts.