Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, Business, and Debt:
BlackRock sparks Bitcoin 21M debate, saying ‘no guarantee’ it won’t change
El Salvador to Scale Back Bitcoin Efforts Under $1.4 Billion IMF Deal
Craig Wright Faces Demand for Two-Year Prison Sentence in Contempt-of-Court Case
Coronavirus News, Analysis, and Opinion:
US life expectancy has rebounded closer to pre-pandemic levels
DenyDefendDepose:
Let me offer a somewhat, but only somewhat, caricatured view of U.S. health care: It’s a system in which taxpayers bear the cost of major medical care, but this taxpayer money flows through private companies that take a cut, spend a lot on administration, and do their best to deny care to people who need it.
Politics:
Mike Johnson Weighs Plan B on Spending Bill
Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership team is quietly discussing a plan B to fund the government amid conservative opposition and vocal criticism from incoming President Donald Trump’s top ally Elon Musk.
The Louisiana Republican is discussing dropping $100 billion in disaster aid plus other attachments and instead passing a ‘clean CR’ — then dealing with the other issues in the new year, according to two Republicans with knowledge of the conversations. In addition to disaster aid, that would mean dropping $30 billion for farmers, and a one-year extension of the farm bill, among other items, at least for now.
Democrats Will Oppose ‘Clean’ Funding Bill
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) suggested Wednesday that Democrats will oppose any federal spending bill that strays from the bipartisan deal announced a day before, accusing GOP leaders of reneging on the agreement at risk of a government shutdown.
Said Jeffries: “You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow.”
Trump Trashes Mike Johnson on Funding Bill
It’s an inauspicious start to Trump’s relationship with Johnson who, theoretically, is his governing partner. Trump privately trashed Johnson to senators, saying the speaker ‘mishandled’ the situation, according to GOP sources…
As of right now, there’s no clear path forward on how Congress plans to avoid a shutdown in just two days…
A face plant of this nature could imperil Johnson’s political future. The anger – and the anger in the ranks is very real right now – could blow over. We get it. But the speaker election is Jan. 3. That’s just 16 days away.
Appeals Court Strips Fani Willis of Trump Election Case
The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office should be removed from the 2020 election interference case, a bombshell decision that will upend the last remaining criminal case against incoming President Donald Trump.
Stephanopoulos Feels ‘Humiliated’ After Settlement
Then why hasn’t he resigned in protest?
Some Republican Senators Reluctant on Tulsi Gabbard
Eight Republican senators are unsure about supporting former Democratic member of congress Tulsi Gabbard to become America’s top spy, increasing doubts about whether her nomination will secure Senate confirmation.
A Trump associate in close contact with the team trying to push the president-elect’s nominees through the Senate also said there was serious pessimism about whether Gabbard could secure the votes she needs to become director of national intelligence.
Judge says a pardon of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes would be ‘frightening’
The federal judge who oversaw the trial and sentencing of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy for orchestrating a plan to violently stop the certification of Joe Biden’s presidency, said Wednesday that the prospect Donald Trump might pardon him is ‘frightening.’
Said U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta: “The notion that Stewart Rhodes could be absolved is frightening and ought to be frightening to anyone who cares about democracy in this country.”
Matt Gaetz Hints He Might Be Back
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) floated the idea of being sworn into Congress on January 3 just so he could file a privileged motion to expose the “me too” settlements paid using public funds by current and former members of Congress.
He would then resign three days later to host his new television show.
Serendipity:
How a small Brazilian town became an unlikely battleground over Confederate memory
