This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
As the administration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris winds down – it has only until Jan. 20 to be in power yet – seniors across American can thank them for being required now to work an extra six years before they can take retirement at the same level as before the Democrats took office.
"Inflation has pulverized Americans' finances over the last four years, and a new study shows that's especially true for the nation's seniors, whose retirement accounts have been walloped," explained EJ Antoni, a public finance economist and the Richard F. Aster research fellow in The Heritage Foundation's Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget," said in a report at the Daily Signal.
"The losses have been so severe that would-be retirees need to work an extra six years on average before they can hang up their work boots – and they can blame Washington for this financial disaster."
Antoni explained the damage to seniors' retirement accounts has been hidden, in part, by the stock market rally in recent months.
"The S&P 500 increased 45% from the first quarter of 2021 through the third quarter of this year, but almost half of that was just inflation driving stock prices higher, not an increase in real value," Antoni explained.
"The big spenders in Congress and the Biden-Harris administration spent the better part of the last four years spending trillion of dollars the nation didn't have, while the Federal Reserve created the money to cover all that excess spending. That devalued the dollar and spawned 40-year-high inflation, which in turn drove up interest rates—also at the fastest pace in 40 years."
Antoni warned, "Until the profligate spending is reined up, people's life savings will continue being pummeled by violent changes in prices and interest rates. Sadly, there's no relief in sight right now as the Treasury just announced they anticipate borrowing more than $800 billion in the first three months of 2025 alone."
Seniors, the report charged, "should be furious that they're having to work years longer to foot the bill for Washington's financial dissipation."
It continued, "Because prices have increased roughly 20% in less than four years, everyone's dollar doesn't go as far as it used to. Now it's only worth 80 cents. That's forcing seniors to reevaluate their retirement plans or risk outliving their savings. … If a person was planning on retiring with a net worth of $1 million, they now need to add almost $200,000 to their savings if they want the same standard of living they previously planned on enjoying. The typical senior nearing retirement will now have to work longer to rebuild the lost value in his or her nest egg."
The actual numbers are the threat, as, "The worst inflation in four decades is a stark reminder that the dollar is not guaranteed to hold its value at all. For example, the average 401(k) balance has risen more than $11,000 over the last three and a half years, but it's worth $12,000 less because of higher prices."
Pensioners are "in no better shape," Antoni said.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A new report at RedState is warning that leftists and others suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome across America have descended so far into the abyss that even John Hinckley, who once tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan, is telling them to get a grip.
Hinckley already had commented weeks ago:
Explained the RedState report, "How far gone do you have to be to try and enlist a former attempted assassin to take out the new President-elect — and he's telling you to get a grip? Hinckley's comments indicate enough of an onslaught of requests that it needed to be mentioned."
It's fact that Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and many other Democrats and their leaders repeatedly have called President-elect Donald Trump "Hitler" over recent months and years. The leftist media has joined in the campaign.
The report noted, "And it's incredibly troublesome considering Democrat rhetoric over the past several months has already led to two attempts on Trump's life — one of which came within a centimeter of killing him and plunging the nation into irreparable chaos."
An NBC affiliate explained Hinckley went to social media to try to end the leftist agenda.
One commenter, whose goals clearly raised the question about whether the Secret Service should be tracking down these people and arresting them, said, "Just one last job, John."
Hinckley was taken into custody for the 1981 assassination attempt, apparently in a deluded scheme to impress actress Jodie Foster.
He spent more than three decades in custody, in therapy, and was released in 2022 to pursue a career in music.
Commenters approached him with, "You know what Jodie Foster would think is REALLY impressive?" and another added, "Oh I'm sorry, it's just I didn't think you were a QUITTER is all…. Jodie Foster will not be impressed."
RedState explained, "While most would be hoping for a post-election de-escalation of the violent rhetoric, Hinckley at least, seems to be indicating the crazies are still lurking out there. With Democrats relentlessly bashing Trump as a dictator representing the end of democracy and equating him to Hitler, who killed millions upon millions, it doesn't seem far-fetched that somebody might want to stop him from taking office in January.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A federal appeals court has ruled against CNN in its attempt to have dismissed a defamation complaint from James O'Keefe and Project Veritas.
O'Keefe launched Project Veritas and worked for years with the organization, doing undercover interviews to uncover political scandals.
He later left and now works with O'Keefe Media Group.
However, the dispute arose during his time with the former organization.
A report from the Post Millennial said it was the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals that said CNN's statements about O'Keefe "were not substantially true" and found that, "Veritas plausibly alleged that Cabrera's statements were published with actual malice under the First Amendment."
The report explained, "Circuit Judge Elizabeth Branch wrote in an opinion for the court that on February 11, 2021, the Project Veritas account on then-Twitter was suspended. CNN's Ana Cabrera claimed on February 15 that the account had been banned for 'promoting misinformation,' while Project Veritas said that it was because it had violated Twitter's 'publication of private information,' or 'doxxing' policy."
The judge wrote, "When CNN refused to issue a retraction, Veritas sued for defamation. The district court granted CNN's motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, finding that Cabrera's statements were substantially true and thus not actionable under applicable New York defamation law. Veritas appealed."
The fight was over a post that showed a video of a Project Veritas journalist at the home of a Facebook official. The accusation was that there were details in the video indicating the location of the residence.
O'Keefe had argued that other networks "often" don't blur the number of an address. A lower court had dismissed the case but it was restored at the appellate level.
Circuit Judge Ed Carnes noted, "If you stay on the bench long enough, you see a lot of things. Still, I never thought I'd see a major news organization downplaying the importance of telling the truth in its broadcasts. But that is what CNN has done in this case."
The CNN dispute was sent back to the lower courts for further action.
X owner Elon Musk posted on the platform on Sunday that he was endorsing Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) to become Senate majority leader, taking over for Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as Republicans take the majority in January.
Rick Scott for Senate Majority Leader! https://t.co/lpT34yHTKk
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 10, 2024
The post was a response to a post from Scott aimed at President-elect Donald Trump that said, "100% agree. I will do whatever it takes to get your nominations through as quickly as possible."
Trump had posted,
Any Republican Senator seeking the coveted LEADERSHIP position in the United States Senate must agree to Recess Appointments (in the Senate!), without which we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner. Sometimes the votes can take two years, or more. This is what they did four years ago, and we cannot let it happen again. We need positions filled IMMEDIATELY! Additionally, no Judges should be approved during this period of time because the Democrats are looking to ram through their Judges as the Republicans fight over Leadership. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THANK YOU!
Others who have expressed interest in the top position in the Senate include Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Sen. John Thune (R-SD).
Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) have all said they will support Scott for the majority leader position.
Independent journalist Tucker Carlson pointed out in another X post that of the current contenders, only Scott actually supports Trump. Carlson said the other two "hate" Trump and want to get in the way of his agenda.
He further blamed McConnell for sabotaging the process by holding the leadership elections early.
The election will be by secret ballot, which is another sticking point.
The last thing McConnell wants is to see Trump succeed.
If not for his advancing age (82) and the fact that he's noticeably slowing down, he would no doubt hold onto leadership as long as he possibly could just to thwart Trump.
McConnell has ruled with an iron fist for the better part of a decade, controlling not only the legislative agenda but who gets fundraising help from the Senate fundraising committee.
Without the cooperation of the majority leader, Trump will not be able to advance his agenda nearly as well.
The House will probably also have a Republican majority, which should give Trump at least two years to pass legislation unhindered by much other than the filibuster.
In a significant legal decision, a federal judge in Illinois has declared the state's assault weapons ban unconstitutional, JustTheNews reported.
Judge Stephen McGlynn ruled that the assault weapons ban must be halted, marking a pivotal moment in ongoing gun control debates.
The "Protect Illinois Communities Act" (PICA), which banned certain firearms, was introduced following a tragic mass shooting on July 4, 2022, in Highland Park that left seven people dead. The law aimed to curb gun violence and improve community safety.
Judge McGlynn, appointed by former President Donald Trump, issued his verdict on Friday. He ordered that enforcement of the assault weapons ban cease within 30 days. His decision came after a preliminary injunction and an appellate court's involvement.
The ruling has sparked widespread attention due to its implications on gun ownership and rights. McGlynn criticized the law for targeting commonly owned weapons, essential for self-defense.
During the proceedings, Judge McGlynn pointed out an increase in property crimes since the enactment of PICA. He suggested that the ban might be contributing to this trend by disarming law-abiding citizens.
"It was particularly disturbing that the prohibition of weapons that are commonly owned and used by citizens are now banned, depriving citizens of a principal means to defend themselves and their property," stated McGlynn. His remarks highlight a deep-seated concern about the balance between public safety and individual rights.
Supporters of the lawsuit against PICA argued that assault weapons, typically depicted as aggressive military tools, are predominantly used for lawful self-defense. This aspect of the debate emphasizes the role of such firearms in personal security.
Judge McGlynn echoed this sentiment in his judgment, describing the ban as an "unconstitutional affront" to the right to self-defense.
"The court must take action as justice demands. [PICA] is an unconstitutional affront … and must be enjoined. The government may not deprive law-abiding citizens of their guaranteed right to self-defense as a means of offense," he explained.
The state of Illinois is expected to appeal the ruling. This legal process will further determine the longevity and enforcement of gun control measures similar to PICA.
This case represents a significant chapter in the ongoing national conversation about gun control laws and the Second Amendment. As both sides prepare for more legal maneuvers, the implications for other states watching Illinois' legal battles could be profound.
The decision has elicited mixed reactions across the state and the country. While gun rights advocates view this as a victory for Second Amendment rights, gun control supporters express concern about the potential increase in gun violence.
Legal experts and scholars are closely analyzing the details of Judge McGlynn's ruling, considering its possible effects on future legislation across the United States.
In the wake of President-elect Donald Trump's historic and incredible win over Vice President Kamala Harris and the Biden administration in general, rats are already scrambling to jump off the ship.
According to Breitbart, several people inside Biden's government, mostly FBI and Department of Justice employees, are already searching for new employment opportunities before they're formally shown the door.
They're smart to do so, because while the Biden administration hesitated to fire virtually anyone, President-elect Trump is the exact opposite.
Trump has zero issue letting anyone go, from any level or position, and made that clear during his first time in the White House as he continually weeded out the people who weren't performing to his high standards.
The Blaze broke the story about federal employees in the Biden administration ready to get out as soon as they can.
The outlet explained why:
In March 2023, Trump announced that on day one, he would reissue his 2020 executive order establishing the Schedule F employment category for federal employees, making it easier to remove insubordinate and poorly performing bureaucrats from an estimated pool of 50,000 eligible candidates.
It continued:
President Joe Biden revoked Trump’s Schedule F in January 2021 and announced a rule earlier this year aimed at further shielding federal bureaucrats from accountability and from being ousted under a framework resembling Schedule F.
Trump is dead set on cleaning house, which is largely what he ran on during his campaign for the 2024 election, and his supporters expect it at this point.
One investigative journalist for The Blaze reiterated that some of the employees in Biden's government could be fearful of retribution by President Trump.
As well they should be.
In addition to cleaning house, Trump also vowed to fire Special Counsel Jack Smith within "two seconds" of being back in the White House.
Presumably knowing his time is drawing to a close, Smith has already filed motions to have his pending cases against Trump thrown out, as he'll no longer be able to touch the 45th and now 47th president.
Breitbart noted:
During his campaign, Trump repeatedly vowed to fire Smith “within two seconds” after taking office. On Wednesday, his legal team was considering its own next steps.
“The American people have re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate to Make America Great Again,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement.
Only time will tell how much house cleaning Trump ends up doing, but it'll be guaranteed to be glorious.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Israel/Middle East Morning Brief
Iraq moves to lower 'age of consent' for girls to 9 years old
Iraq is poised to slash the legal age of consent from 18 to to nine, allowing men to marry young children. The proposed legal change – proposed by ultra-conservative Shia Muslim parties – also deprives women of rights to divorce, child custody and inheritance.
Qatar moves to expel Hamas leaders from Doha
Less than a week since the presumptive election of Donald Trump as America's 47th president and its impact is being felt across the Middle East. Qatar, which has hosted Hamas' leaders for years is now moved to expel them, allegedly after a request from the White House, although the Qataris seemed to pour cold water on this.
Doha nixes further Israel-Hamas mediation, citing lack of seriousness on both sides
In addition to expelling Hamas' leadership from Doha, Qatar also announced it would play no further part in the ceasefire-for-hostages negotiations between Israel and Hamas. It framed the decision as reversible, saying it would reconsider if the parties demonstrate willingness to re-engage.
U.S., U.K. planes attack Houthi positions in Yemen
The United States and Britain launched raids on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, the Amran governorate, and other areas, Al Masirah TV, the main television news outlet run by the Houthi movement, reported on Sunday.
Lloyd Austin warns new Israeli DM Katz over Gaza aid supply
The U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned his new counterpart Israel's incoming Defense Minister Israel Katz to the effect that Israel risks jeopardizing the ongoing provision of U.S. weaponry for the Gaza war if it does not credibly show it has improved the supply and distribution of aid to Gazan noncombatants.
Netanyahu names new Israeli ambassador to the United States
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu named Dr. Yechiel Leiter as Israel's new ambassador to the United States. Leiter, who is U.S.-born and is a proponent of the annexation of Judea and Samaria, lost a son who was fighting in the IDF in Gaza in 2023.
Trump nixes return to administration for two strongly pro-Israel voices
America's incoming 47th President Donald Trump has publicly stated he will seek to neither re-engage former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, nor former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley as part of his second administration.
Israeli scholar: Iranians concerned about Trump's White House return
Dr. Tamar Gindin, an Iran scholar at the Azrieli Center and director of the online school for Iran and the Persian language has outlined how President Trump's return to power marks a likely return to swingeing economic sanctions and downward pressure on the Iranian economy.
Iran denies plot to assassinate President Trump, labels it 'malicious conspiracy'
Biden-Harris admin quietly waived terrorism sanctions on PA government
Just before Tuesday's presidential election, the Biden-Harris administration quietly waived mandatory terrorism sanctions on the embattled Palestinian government — even as it determined that the government's leaders are paying imprisoned terrorists and fomenting violence in breach of U.S. law.
IDF uncovers video of Hamas torturing Gazans
Israel's military says it has discovered thousands of hours of sickening footage showing Hamas interrogators torturing innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
The harrowing videos show male prisoners with sacks over their heads, chained to floors and ceilings in painful positions.
U.S. stalls on D9 bulldozer shipment to Israel
The partial U.S. arms embargo on Israel is affecting the battlefield in Gaza and Lebanon and could pose a risk to IDF soldiers. The U.S. is silently halting various arms shipments to the country but continues to support Israel in other ways, including a large-scale deal to acquire around 1,000 new APCs.
Evangelical leader says Israel has short window of opportunity to attack Iranian oil fields
Mike Evans assesses Israel has an eight-week opportunity before the inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump to attack Iranian oil fields, and the coming year will see the United States herald a landmark peace agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Did Dutch police ignore Mossad intel warnings about Amsterdam 'Jew hunt?'
The government in Amsterdam launched an inquiry into whether alerts from Jerusalem were overlooked prior to the mob attacks carried out on Thursday night against Israeli soccer fans, Justice Minister David van Weel said in a letter to the Dutch Parliament.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Seven cents. Yes, it seems insignificant, doesn't it? But sometimes that's all it takes to support American jobs instead of those in China, Mexico, and other foreign countries. And sometimes, it doesn't cost anything extra at all.
Everyone buys scrubber pads, whether it's for cleaning the kitchen, bathroom, counters, dishes, etc.
A recent visit to my local supermarket revealed just how easy it is to make the right decision – the decision to support fellow American workers – when making small purchases where the price difference is negligible.
Here are the options I found (all packages of three). You could buy the following imported scrubber pads for slightly (very slightly) than the American-made options. We are talking pennies, here:
Or, you could buy any of the following American-made scrubber pads for seven cents more or even less than that:
I based the "seven cents" in the article title on comparing the Mexican-made Dawn Non-Scratch Scrubber Sponge at $3.59 per 3-pack to the Libman All-Purpose Non-Scratch or the Libman Heavy Duty Easy Rinse, both at $3.79 per 3-Pack. This represents a 20-cent difference, or seven cents per scrubbing pad, since there are three in a pack.
But you can clearly choose the American-made Brillo Estracell Scrub Sponge at $3.09 per 3-Pack and pay less than you would for any import in this category.
Personally, I prefer to pay that extra seven cents to buy Libman products. I recently bought the American-made Libman Tornado Cotton Twist Wet Mop for $12.98 at Lowe's. Compare that to the imported Swiffer mop at $15.98.
If you purchase any Libman mop, all you need is an American-made Libman bucket (or any other American-made bucket), which I already had. With Swiffer, you will need to keep buying imported mop and also imported (can't they at least make these in America?) wet/dry mopping cloths. Once again, the American-made version is the cheaper option.
I don't count the Mexican-made Scotch-Brite Greener Cleaner as an option based upon the misleading "green" claim listed in the above pollution details.
President Abraham Lincoln once said, "…when we buy manufactured goods abroad, we get the goods and the foreigner gets the money. When we buy the manufactured goods at home, we get both the goods and the money."
He is arguably America's most popular president, and he was absolutely correct. Let's spend our dollars on American-made goods from American-owned companies to keep jobs, profits, and tax revenue in the USA. It's easy to do, and in the cases listed above, it can either cost less or simply an additional seven cents.
About Roger Simmermaker
Roger Simmermaker has written multiple books on buying American and trade policy since 1996, and has been a frequent guest on Fox News, Fox Business Network, CNN, and MSNBC. Roger has also been quoted or featured in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, BusinessWeek, and The New York Times, among many other publications.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Despite a landslide victory for Donald Trump and his "Make America Great Again" agenda last week, a ferocious battle has suddenly broken out in the U.S. Senate over who will be the chamber's new leader, with some saying outgoing Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is trying to thwart the plans of the president-elect.
"What the hell is going on in the U.S. Senate?" Tucker Carlson is asking on X. "Hours after Donald Trump wins the most conclusive mandate in 40 years, Mitch McConnell engineers a coup against his agenda by calling early leadership elections in the Senate.
"Two of the three candidates hate Trump and what he ran on. One of them, John Cornyn, is an angry liberal whose politics are indistinguishable from Liz Cheney's. The election is Wednesday, it's by secret ballot, and it will determine whether or not the new administration succeeds. Rick Scott of Florida is the only candidate who agrees with Donald Trump. Call your senator and demand a public endorsement of Rick Scott. Don't let McConnell get away with it again."
Besides Scott and Cornyn, the other senator whose name is in the mix for majority leader is John Thune of South Dakota.
With the leadership fight now under way, Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur who fiercely campaigned for Trump's return to the White House, made his pick known, saying: "Rick Scott for Senate Majority Leader!"
Trump himself went online Sunday to voice his demands regarding the matter: "Any Republican Senator seeking the coveted LEADERSHIP position in the United States Senate must agree to Recess Appointments (in the Senate!), without which we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner.
"Sometimes the votes can take two years, or more. This is what they did four years ago, and we cannot let it happen again. We need positions filled IMMEDIATELY! Additionally, no Judges should be approved during this period of time because the Democrats are looking to ram through their Judges as the Republicans fight over Leadership. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THANK YOU!"
Sen. Scott responded to Trump, saying: "100% agree. I will do whatever it takes to get your nominations through as quickly as possible."
And Musk echoed Trump's sentiment: "Without recess appointments, it will take two years or more to confirm the new administration! This would make it impossible to enact the change demanded by the American people, which is utterly unacceptable."
Musk even conducted his own poll on X Sunday evening asking who should be the Senate majority leader. With more than 900,000 votes as of 7:15 p.m. Eastern, Scott was the runaway winner with 65.6% support. Thune collected 6.4% of the vote, and Cornyn had only 5.2%. The response of "Other" actually finished ahead of Thune and Cornyn, with 22.7%.
Rick Scott himself appeared on "Sunday Morning Futures" with Maria Bartiromo, making his case for his election by his colleagues this Wednesday.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
"I am not alone in believing this election is, really, the last shot we have in saving our country," said Elizabeth Farah, co-founder of WND before the Nov. 5 presidential election. The wife of veteran journalist and WND founder Joseph Farah, Elizabeth has thus been laser-focused on helping inform and awaken as many Americans as possible regarding the political and cultural war that has all but consumed America. In pursuit of that goal, she has launched an ambitious podcast show, daily interviewing some of the most knowledgeable and compelling experts, analysts and activists – first on the radioactive topic of "Kamala's America: The Nightmare Scenarios Revealed" – and now, post-election, on the restoration of America to its traditional, constitutional, Judeo-Christian principles.
One recent interview is with Eric Metaxas, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of "Bonhoeffer," "Martin Luther," "Amazing Grace," "Miracles," "Letter to the American Church," "Religionless Christianity" and many other books, and a popular Christian broadcaster. Metaxas and Elizabeth Farah discuss "The Critical Point of No Return," aka the Nov. 5 presidential election.
The previous (and first) interview in the series to be posted was with filmmaker and activist Jaco Booyens, exposing the appalling level of sex trafficking plaguing America during the Biden-Harris administration.
Other recent Elizabeth Farah interviews have included: Dennis Prager, Dr. Robert Malone, Trevor Loudon, Dr. Naomi Wolf, Jack Cashill, Darrell Scott, Walid Phares, Xi Van Fleet, Tony Shaffer, William Wolfe and Jeffrey Tucker. And that's just for starters.
Farah sums up her view of America's current historic crisis this way: "The Marxist globalists have been building the Deep State year by year for decades, during every presidential administration, regardless of which party occupies the White House. They thought this process would continue without challenge until America had been irrevocably transformed. To accomplish this, they needed a weaponized Department of Justice and intelligence agencies, effective control over elections, a massive flood of uneducated illegal alien voters who can't understand our language and come from cultures often incompatible with ours, and a permanent bureaucratic state staffed by leftists. They've accomplished all that.
"The only components missing from irretrievably hardening the Democrat socialist state are: 1) the subjection of the U.S. Supreme Court by packing it and imposing term-limits, and 2) adding two more states and, thereby, four more Democrat senators to our union. With that, the 'Making America Great Again' reformation would be dead."
However, adds Farah:
Enter, now, Donald J. Trump who promises to drain the swamp and destroy the Deep State. But this time he is fully informed, has learned from his mistakes and has chosen J.D. Vance, a brilliant, powerful and like-minded running mate, who is ready to go day one.
Adding to the Trump threat is the "American Enlightenment." How the elites hate that. More Americans, white, black and brown, rich and poor, young and old have been awakened – not "woke."
And yet, if Harris and Walz somehow pull off a win, either because Christians, conservatives, gun-owners and other normal, sane citizens are too lazy or indifferent to vote, or because of Democrats' malevolent election-fraud program, Harris and Walz, directed by Obama and supported by the weaponized Deep State, will have to finish the job quickly in a few years to prevent any other dangerous opposition rising again. This means the Harris-Walz regime will rapidly dismantle the constitutional protections that have long been the only thing standing between liberty and totalitarianism in America.
WorldNetDaily, which despite continual attacks on it over the last decade has undergone some significant expansion in recent months, is currently engaged in multiple projects designed to shine a very bright journalistic light on November's election and what many Americans increasingly see not as a political battle, but one of clear-cut good versus evil.