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August 12, 2025
Budget office says GOP's 'big, beautiful bill' will make rich richer, poor poorer
(The Hill) The Republicans’ “big, beautiful bill” will make the poorest Americans even poorer, while padding the wallets of the highest earners the most, according to an analysis released Monday by Congress’s budget arm. The assessment, conducted by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) at the request of top Democrats, found that the top 10 percent of earners in the country will see an average boost of $13,600 per year over the next decade as a direct result of provisions in the law, while the bottom 10 percent will see an average annual decrease of $1,200.
Go to discussionTrump said foreign countries would 'eat' tariffs--but U.S. consumers and businesses will actually pay 75% at best
(Fortune) When President Trump announced his tariff agenda, he said it would be foreign companies and consumers that would “eat” the price hikes. That’s a take that may be proved optimistic at best and misguided at worst. While tariffs have yet to significantly shift the dial on inflation—prompting individuals like Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to label them the “dog that didn’t bark”—analysts are widely expecting the hikes to ultimately be paid for by the U.S.
Go to discussionRFK Jr. in interview with Scripps News: 'Trusting the experts is not science'
(Scripps) Kennedy explained the administration’s decision to cancel millions of dollars in contracts to develop vaccines using mRNA technology. The vaccines were being developed to fight respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and the flu. Kennedy questioned the effectiveness of the vaccines despite overwhelming scientific research. He also warned against virus mutations and dosage control issues. Responding to criticism from medical experts, Kennedy questioned the reliability of safety data and pointed to "5,000 peer-reviewed studies" that point to vaccine-related injuries. "Trusting the experts is not a feature of either a science or democracy," Kennedy said.
Go to discussionCDC staffers voice frustration over Kennedy's anti-vaccine rhetoric
(NBC News) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staffers are voicing frustration over Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s past vaccine comments, following Friday’s shooting at the agency’s headquarters in Atlanta that left one police officer dead. Although the motive of the suspected shooter — Patrick White, 30, from Kennesaw, Georgia — remains unknown, he told a neighbor that he believed the Covid vaccines had made him sick, a source told NBC News on the condition of anonymity.
Go to discussionRFK Jr.'s cancellation of mRNA vaccine research is even worse than it first seemed
On first glance, the data that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cited to justify canceling some $500 million in federal grants for mRNA vaccine research looked impressive. The data, according to the agency, were embodied in some 400 research papers listed in a compilation that ran to 181 pages. A close look at the so-called data reveals that the vast majority of the cited papers — all but about 40 — have little or nothing to do with the vaccines. They concern the consequences of COVID-19 infection, not the shots.
Go to discussionLinda McMahon defends disbanding the Department of Education on national tour
(CBS News) Education Secretary Linda McMahon is kicking off a nationwide tour focused on promoting the administration's goal of dismantling the Department of Education, which has been met with congressional and legal challenges. The "Returning Education to the States Tour" is set to take McMahon on a tour of all 50 states, starting in Louisiana, where she met with leadership and educators to discuss strategies for improving education.
Go to discussionMusk's Grok calls Trump the 'most notorious' criminal in DC when asked about violent crime in the city
(The Independent) Elon Musk's anti-woke AI chatbot Grok has declared President Donald Trump "the most notorious criminal" in Washington D.C. in a series of posts on Musk's social network X. Responding to questions from users on Sunday and Monday about crime in the U.S. capital, Grok repeatedly claimed that Trump's 34 felony convictions in New York for falsifying business records made him the city's most infamous perp.
Go to discussionPresident Trump says other US cities could be next as he deploys National Guard to DC
(USA Today) President Donald Trump said he might expand his crackdown on crime in the nation's capital to other major U.S. cities as he announced plans to send 800 National Guard troops into Washington, D.C. Trump singled out New York City, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Chicago and Oakland, California during a Monday, Aug. 11, news conference as potential future targets in what would be a drastic escalation of federal presence on the streets of American cities.
Go to discussionAbbott: Texas can 'eliminate' 10 Democratic districts in response to California
(The Hill) Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) warned that Texas could get rid of as many as 10 Democratic districts if California moves ahead with its plan to redraw its House map and neutralize the expected GOP gains in the Lone Star State. Abbott’s remarks underscore how Republicans plan to be as aggressive as possible in trying to knock off as many Democratic seats as they can.
Go to discussionMultiple Men Have Impersonated ICE Agents To Kidnap And Assault Women
(Huff Post) House Democrats are urging the Department of Homeland Security to mandate that immigration officials clearly identify themselves when conducting arrests. The demand comes in the wake of multiple reports of men impersonating Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to kidnap and assault women. The Democratic Women’s Caucus demanded action in a Monday letter sent to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and other Trump administration officials.
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