Tag Archives: The Epoch Times

Trying To Protect Americans

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On Thursday, The Epoch Times reported that the U.S. House of Representatives had passed a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by a vote of 221–209. Four Democrats joined all Republicans in voting for it.

The article reports:

The vote came just hours after Senate Democrats again blocked a vote on legislation to fund the DHS, extending the shutdown of the agency.

The tally was 51–45.

A March 5 procedural vote to advance a full-year DHS spending bill failed to reach the 60-vote threshold it needed to move forward. A previous attempt was blocked on Feb. 24, although it garnered the support of Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.).
The votes came as President Donald Trump announced on March 5 that he is replacing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.). Noem is set to fill a newly created position called special envoy for the shield of the Americas. The president released the news shortly before the vote concluded.

This is not the time to shut down the DHS. We had four years of open borders under President Biden, and we have no idea who is in the country or why. This is the time for a more robust DHS.

The article reports:

The shutdown affects only part of the DHS because Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection are funded through 2029 under Trump’s sweeping reconciliation package passed in 2025. Congress has approved the remaining 11 appropriations bills, funding roughly 96 percent of the federal government.

Agencies affected include the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Coast Guard.

According to figures released by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), roughly 120,000 DHS employees are currently working without pay. About 95 percent of TSA employees are working without pay during the shutdown, while roughly two-thirds of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s workforce has been furloughed.

The bill would provide $5.7 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, an $873 million increase over fiscal year 2025 levels, excluding $26.37 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund.

It allocates $3.25 billion to the Secret Service, including $44 million for security planning related to major upcoming events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup, America250 celebrations, and the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

The legislation would also provide $7.96 billion for the TSA, including $300 million for checkpoint screening systems, funding for exit-lane staffing, law enforcement officer and canine reimbursement programs, and $13.9 million to reimburse airports for installing explosive detection systems.

All Congressmen and Representatives should have their salaries docked any time any part of the government is shut down. Shutting down domestic security at a time when the country is at war should be regarded as treason.

Something To Consider In The Discussion On Legalizing Marijuana

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On Tuesday, The Epoch Times posted an article about the consequences of regular use of marijuana.

The article reports:

Unlike alcohol or caffeine, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound found in cannabis, doesn’t clear from the bloodstream in a few hours; it accumulates in fat and organs, where it can continue influencing inflammation and immunity long after the high fades.

With today’s high-potency products and increasingly frequent recreational use, researchers are discovering that the body’s relationship with cannabis has fundamentally changed—and the long-term effects of accumulation are only beginning to come into focus.

THC behaves unlike most substances the body encounters. While many drugs are processed and eliminated within hours, THC takes a different path. After inhalation or ingestion, THC enters the bloodstream quickly and is distributed to the organs.

“Regular cannabis use leads to accumulation of lipophilic substances in fat stores and highly vascularized organs such as the brain and liver,” Dr. Ella Fedonenko, an internal medicine physician, told The Epoch Times. “These substances are released back into the bloodstream very slowly, even when standard screening tests are negative.”

In other words, standard drug tests measure THC metabolites in blood or urine, not what remains stored in tissues. A negative test doesn’t mean the substance—or its effects—are gone.

A widely cited review by Marilyn Huestis, who has a doctorate in toxicology and is a former chief of chemistry and drug metabolism at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, found that THC spreads quickly into tissues throughout the body rather than staying in the bloodstream, where it can be detected and measured.

The article notes that in the past the THC level of marijuana was considerably lower than it is at present.

The article notes:

With short-term or occasional use, cannabis can have a calming effect on the immune system, which is why its compounds have been studied for pain and related conditions. Inflammation is meant to turn on, do its job, and then turn off.

However, with regular exposure to stored THC, that process may not work as smoothly. When something repeatedly interferes with that process, the immune system can remain partially activated rather than fully resolving.

The article concludes:

THC lingers and accumulates, with effects that depend on how much is used, how often, and what kind of product is involved.

For occasional users, these factors may not matter much.

However, with daily use, the effects can add up over time, influencing how the body manages stress, sleep, and immune activity.

The question is no longer whether THC lingers. It’s what accumulation means for long-term health, and how users and doctors should respond.

There is also the risk of buying marijuana illegally and not knowing what is in it. Even legal marijuana has risks. It is smart to avoid those risks.

At Some Point, We Have To Deal With Lawlessness

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On Monday, The Epoch Times posted an article about an escalation of the violence and unrest in Minneapolis.

The article reports:

The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking into possible violations stemming from a protest by anti-ICE demonstrators at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Jan. 18, according to officials.

Footage circulating on social media shows protesters gathering inside Cities Church in St. Paul during a Sunday service, while chanting phrases like “Justice for Renee Good” and “Who needs justice, we need justice.”

Protests against ICE in Minnesota have escalated after a federal agent in Minneapolis fatally shot protester Renee Good, who allegedly drove her SUV toward the officer after being ordered to exit her vehicle during an ICE operation. Federal officials have said the officer opened fire in self-defense.

Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, said on X that federal officials are investigating protesters for potential violations for allegedly “desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers” during a service at Cities Church.

This is obviously not acceptable behavior.

The article notes:

YouTuber Don Lemon, who livestreamed the protest, said that anti-ICE protesters disrupted a church service at Cities Church following claims that one of the church pastors is serving as acting field office director for ICE in Minnesota.
In his video, Lemon spoke to the church’s lead pastor, Jonathan Parnell, as protesters gathered inside the church. Parnell said that he had requested the protesters to leave but they refused.

“I mean this is unacceptable. It’s shameful to interrupt a public gathering of Christians in worship,” Parnell told Lemon.

…Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, said that his organization will step in and provide security for the church if local officials fail to take action.

“For protestors to disrupt a Sunday morning worship service this way is absurd. If elected officials won’t contain lawlessness @NAMB_SBC will provide security,” Ezell said on X.

Somehow lost in all of this is the fact that many of the people being deported are not people that you would want living next door to you–there are gang members, sex traffickers, drug dealers, and other criminals. Why do want to keep them here when many of them are a danger to Americans?

We need to find out who is funding these riots and paying the protesters.

Seeking Justice For Harmful Medical Procedures

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On Monday, The Epoch Times posted an article about three lawsuits brought by young adults who were encouraged to have transgender medical procedures as teenagers. There have been many of these lawsuits filed, but they have either been dismissed or resolved by arbitration. These three cases are looking for a verdict.

The article reports:

One case in New York, scheduled to go to trial this week, involves a then 16-year-old girl who thought she was a male and underwent a double mastectomy in December 2019, according to court documents. She has since detransitioned.

The case, Fox Varian vs. Kenneth Einhorn et. al, was filed in the Westchester County Supreme Court in 2023 against the teenager’s therapist and doctor and the medical facilities involved.

​The significance of the lawsuit is apparent to attorneys at Fiedler Deutsch, an experienced New York law firm representing the detransitioner in the medical malpractice suit.

​It “may be the first case of its kind in the nation to go to trial,” the firm’s website noted in an April 2025 post titled: “Understanding Detransition Cases: Legal Recourse for Minors Impacted by Gender-Affirming Care.”

​Medical professionals involved in the case are accused of negligence and causing pain, suffering, and mental anguish “of a permanent nature” to the plaintiff, formerly known as Isabella Basile, according to court documents.

​Defendants allegedly failed to inform the teen of “the risks, hazards, and alternatives” involved in the medical procedures she underwent, according to the lawsuit.

​Defendants have denied any wrongdoing, saying in court documents that at the time of surgery, “the plaintiff still identified as a male, was happy without breasts, and did not regret her decision.”

The article notes:

Besides the New York case, two other detransitioner cases are expected to go to trial this year.

​Those include the high-profile California case brought by Chloe Cole against Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, doctors, therapists, and others.

​Cole is an outspoken detransitioner and critic of medically transitioning gender dysphoric children. She sued Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and others after surgeons removed both her breasts when she was 15.

​Her case, filed by the Dhillon Law Group, LiMandri & Jonna LLP, and the Center for American Liberty, is headed toward trial after California’s Third Appellate District ruled this fall that the case did not have to go to arbitration.

​The lawsuit claims defendants “engaged in fraudulent, oppressive, and malicious conduct by giving her incorrect/false information about suicide risk and by reinforcing her erroneous belief that gender transition services would resolve her mental health issues.”

Please follow the link to read the entire article. The teenagers involved in these lawsuits were not mature enough to make the life-altering decisions they were encouraged to make. I hope they win their lawsuits and that these lawsuits discourage other medical professionals in doing surgery in these cases.

Why? Why Now?

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On January 3rd, The Epoch Times posted an article about the indictment of Nicolás Maduro and his wife. This story is just breaking, so there will be updates in the future.

The article reports:

Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were indicted in the Southern District of New York, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced early on Jan. 3.

“Nicolás Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States,” Bondi said on X. “They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”
Bondi issued the statement hours after Maduro and Flores were captured and extracted by U.S. armed forces in Caracas in the early hours of Jan. 3.

The article notes:

In 2020, Maduro and 14 other Venezuelan officials were charged with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking and other charges in New York City, Miami, and Washington, D.C.

“The scope and magnitude of the drug trafficking alleged was made possible only because Maduro and others corrupted the institutions of Venezuela and provided political and military protection for the rampant narco-terrorism crimes described in our charges,” U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said in the 2020 press release. “As alleged, Maduro and the other defendants expressly intended to flood the United States with cocaine in order to undermine the health and wellbeing of our nation. Maduro very deliberately deployed cocaine as a weapon.”

So what is this actually about, and why now?

Venezuela has been a center for Hezbollah operations in South America for years. Iran has poured money into the country. Iran had money during the Obama administration the Biden administration–sanctions on Iranian oil were either withdrawn or not enforced. During the Obama administration roughly $150 billion of frozen Iranian assets was released. In essence, America was funding the terrorism used against our troops in the area. Under President Trump, Iran is going broke. The people are staging a revolution. They are not in a position to help Venezuela. This is the time to strike. The taking of Maduro and his wife is part of a battle against drug cartels and worldwide terrorism. Hopefully, Venezuela can now return to the thriving democracy it once was.

A Veto That Should Not Have Been Overridden!

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On Tuesday, The Epoch Times posted an article about a decision by the lawmakers in Maryland to override the Governor’s veto of a law establishing a commission to study reparations for slavery.

The article reports:

Maryland will form a commission to study the possibility of providing reparations for slavery after the state’s legislature reversed Gov. Wes Moore’s veto of enabling legislation on Dec. 16.

Slavery was abolished in the United States in 1865 with the adoption of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It was abolished in Maryland a year prior, in 1864, when the state amended its constitution to outlaw the practice. In 2007, the Maryland General Assembly and the Annapolis City Council issued official statements expressing “regret for the role Maryland played in instituting and maintaining slavery.”

Supporters of reparations benefits being paid to descendants of slaves say such benefits are justified because the harms that slavery inflicted on black Americans continue to be felt today, long after the practice was abolished.

Opponents say that no one who is alive today suffered under slavery and that it would be unfair to force Americans who had nothing to do with slavery to pay people who themselves did not experience slavery.

Blacks comprise almost 32 percent of Maryland’s population, the highest percentage in any state outside the Deep South.

Would you also consider reparation for the Irish who came to America as indentured servants, worked for seven years as slaves, then were thrown out into the streets? Slavery was horrible, but it was not unique to America. In fact, Britain and America were the two countries that worked to end slavery.

Instead of wanting to take money from people who had nothing to do with slavery and give it to people who were never slaves, why not put your efforts into ending modern slavery? Slavery exists in today’s world. It exists in America in the form of human trafficking–something exacerbated by four years of a porous border under President Biden. Slavery exists in some other countries in the form of forced marriage, child labor, and debt bondage.

In paying reparations, you are asking people to work to earn money to give to someone else who didn’t work for it. Isn’t that a form of slavery?

A New Level Of Insanity

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On Sunday, The Epoch Times posted an article reporting that the National Trust for Historic Preservation has filed a lawsuit stating that the ballroom construction project at the White House violates several federal statutes. Does anyone think this lawsuit would be filed if it were anyone other than President Trump doing the construction?

The article reports:

The National Trust is also asking for an injunction to halt work on the project “until the necessary federal commissions have reviewed and approved the project’s plans; adequate environmental review has been conducted; and Congress has authorized the Ballroom’s construction,” according to the complaint.

The National Trust describes itself in the complaint as a private, charitable, educational nonprofit corporation that Congress chartered in 1949. Its purpose is “to further the historic preservation policy of the United States and to promote the public’s awareness of and ability to comment on any activity that might damage or destroy our nation’s architectural heritage.” The trust has filed preservation lawsuits against several presidential administrations, the complaint said.

The lawsuit lists several federal agencies and those who head them as defendants.

The defendants are: the National Park Service and its acting director, Jessica Bowron; John Stanwich, superintendent of the White House and President’s Park; the Department of the Interior and its secretary, Doug Burgum; the General Services Administration and its acting administrator, Michael Rigas; and Trump.

The complaint said the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to make room for the ballroom facility began in late October without congressional approval or approval from federal commissions responsible for development oversight in the nation’s capital. The federal government did not carry out required environmental studies, nor did it give the public an opportunity for comment, the complaint said.

In other words, let’s delay the project until President Trump is out of office. The project does not use taxpayer money and provides a ballroom that is desperately needed. I also suspect that all building permits are in order. That should be the end of the discussion.

Policies Have Consequences

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On Thursday, The Epoch Times posted an article about America’s trade deficit in September.

The article reports:

President Donald Trump’s tariffs helped shrink the U.S. trade deficit to its lowest monthly level in more than five years, according to new data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis on Dec. 11.

The U.S. goods and services trade deficit narrowed by 10.9 percent in September to $52.8 billion—the lowest monthly deficit since June 2020—down from $59.3 billion registered in August.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a September trade deficit of $63.3 billion.

The article notes:

Trump’s tariffs helped narrow the trade gap with other major U.S. trading partners, including China and India.

The goods deficit with China tumbled by $4 billion to $11.4 billion in September. Exports climbed by 0.2 percent to $8.8 billion, while imports fell by $3.9 billion to $20.1 billion.

The United States’ merchandise deficit with India also narrowed by about $1.8 billion to $3.05 billion.

U.S. and Indian delegations have been engaged in negotiations to iron out a bilateral trade agreement.

The article concludes:

Updated projections from the Congressional Budget Office suggest that enacted tariffs this year will generate $2.5 trillion of revenue, excluding dynamic effects. This is down from the August estimate of $3.3 trillion.

There is still uncertainty, Congressional Budget Office Director Phillip Swagel said.

“The United States has not implemented increases in tariffs of this size in many decades, so there is little empirical evidence to guide our estimates of their long-term effects,” Swagel said in a Nov. 20 report. “Consumers and businesses could be more or less responsive to increases in tariffs of this size, which would cause trade and revenues to diverge from projected amounts.”

The overall average effective tariff rate is 16.8 percent, the highest rate since 1935, according to The Budget Lab at Yale.

When America began, the government was funded by tariffs. At that point the government was following the U.S. Constitution and had not yet become the bloated mess that it is today. The federal government was limited to doing the things the U.S. Constitution allowed it to do. That is not the case today. We can’t just slash and burn the bureaucracy without serious consequences, but we can institute the cuts that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) identified. The tariffs can help with the deficit, and cutting spending could help with the deficit. We need to unelect the people who are fighting the tariffs and the spending cuts.

Goods News For The America Economy

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On Thursday, The Epoch Times posted an article about the unemployment numbers released for last week. Some of the economic statistics for October and November have not been released because of the government shutdown. I am not sure if they are going to be released.

The article reports:

The number of Americans filing for first-time unemployment benefits declined to the lowest level in more than three years, new Department of Labor data released on Dec. 4 show.

For the week ending Nov. 29, initial jobless claims fell by 27,000 to 191,000, marking the fourth consecutive weekly drop.

Economists had penciled in a reading of 220,000.

Notice how the economists’ estimates are always more negative than the actual figures when a Republican is in office.

The article notes:

But while slowing layoffs and declining jobless claims have been positive signs, the futures market overwhelmingly expects the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates when monetary policymakers convene their two-day policy meeting next week.

Minutes from the October Federal Open Market Committee meeting reveal a divergence in views of where monetary policy is headed. Commentary from central bank officials also suggests different assessments of the U.S. economy.

“From late spring through June, the soft data, including anecdotes from business contacts, suggested the labor market was in a ‘no hire, no fire’ equilibrium,” Fed Gov. Christopher Waller said in a speech last month. “Firms repeatedly said they were holding off on hiring for a variety of reasons.”

Waller, considered a top contender to replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell next year, supports a quarter-point rate cut to the benchmark federal funds rate.

Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack has expressed skepticism over further rate cuts, warning of high inflation.

“I remain concerned about high inflation and believe policy should be leaning against it,” Hammack said at a Nov. 6 Economic Club of New York event.

The headline annual inflation rate presently sits at 3 percent. The Fed’s preferred inflation measure—the personal consumption expenditure price index—is at 2.7 percent.

Somehow inflation was not a worry when the rates were cut during the Biden administration. Considering how much the rate of inflation has dropped, I think it is time to cut the rates and let the housing market loose.

Trying To Gain An Edge In The 2026 Elections

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On Friday (updated Monday), The Epoch Times posted an article about the redistricting taking place in some American states.

The article includes a map showing the current state of redistricting:

I find it interesting that New York is redistricting. New York currently has 26 Representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives; seven of them are Republicans. They may have to do some serious gerrymandering to change that.

The article lists the states that have redistricted and the projected changes, the states that are considering redistricting, and the states the have ruled out redistricting. Please follow the link to the article for the details.

The 2026 mid-term election is crucial. If the Democrats take control of Congress, we will have two years of impeachment attempts of President Trump. If the Republicans take control of Congress, we might make progress in dealing with the national debt. The choice is up to voting Americans.

Moving Ahead Toward Energy Independence

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On Sunday, Zero Hedge posted an article about the Trump administration’s actions to help America use more of her energy resources.

The article reports:

The DOE said in a statement that it had issued a notice of funding opportunity for “practical, high-impact projects” aimed at modernization and refurbishment – including projects designed to enhance efficiency, extend operational lifespan, and improve the performance of coal and natural gas facilities.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced that the initiative is designed to keep US coal plants running and ensure access to affordable energy (as data center energy demands are shoving working class families in the financial hurt locker). 

“For years, the Biden and Obama administrations relentlessly targeted America’s coal industry and workers, resulting in the closure of reliable power plants and higher electricity costs,” Wright said in a statement. 

“Thankfully, President [Donald] Trump has ended the war on American coal and is restoring common sense energy policies that put Americans first.”

As the Epoch Times notes further, the initiative follows the DOE’s announcement in September that it would invest $625 million in funding to expand and reinvigorate the U.S. coal industry in an effort to increase energy output.

The Trump administration is seeking to reverse the decline of coal use in the country. In April, Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to “identify coal resources on federal lands, lift barriers to coal mining, and prioritize coal leasing on those lands.”

The president also directed federal agencies to “rescind any agency policies that seek to transition the Nation away from coal production or otherwise establish preferences against coal as a generation resource,” according to a White House fact sheet.

Following the order, the DOE unveiled initiatives to boost domestic coal production, including facilitating new investments in coal-powered electricity generation, commercializing coal ash conversion technologies, and designating steelmaking coal as a critical material and mineral.

America has a lot of coal resources. The technology is available to use them in a way that is not harmful to the environment. In recent years, America was shutting down its coal-fired electric plants while China was building them at an accelerated rate. It’s time for that to change. Our national security depends on energy independence.

Solving The Rare Earth Trade Problem

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On Monday, The Epoch Times reported that President Trump has signed a trade agreement with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese which will counter China’s monopoly on rare earth minerals.

The article reports:

U.S. President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Oct. 20 signed a rare earths agreement at the White House, outlining plans for both countries to jointly invest more than $3 billion in critical minerals projects over the next six months.

The White House announced that recoverable resources from these projects are valued at an estimated $53 billion, as both countries work to counter China’s global dominance in the sector.

Trump on Oct. 20 welcomed Albanese to the White House for their first formal meeting to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues, including trade, defense, and the nuclear submarine partnership.

The article concludes:

Australia views China as an increasing threat.

During the meeting, Trump noted that Beijing is paying high tariffs to the United States. He also reiterated his plans to meet with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping soon.

“I think China has been very respectful of us,” Trump said, while highlighting the billions of dollars in tariffs paid by the communist country.

Existing 55 percent levies will increase to 155 percent if Xi and Trump don’t come to terms when the two meet in South Korea in the next two weeks.

“I expect we’ll probably work out a deal with President Xi of China,” Trump said. “It’s going to be very exciting. I think we’re going to work something out that’s good for both countries.”

Trump said the United States has leverage because domestic companies sell many airplanes, parts, and components to China.

“They threatened us with rare earths, and I threatened them with tariffs, but I could also threaten them with many other things, like airplanes,” Trump said. “You know about airplanes because they can’t get parts for their airplanes. We build their airplanes.”

He suggested China is in a losing position regarding trade.

“I believe that they’re in big trouble, and I don’t want them to be in big trouble,” Trump said.

China has been working to build a monopoly on rare earth minerals for many years. It was shortsighted of western nations not to counter their efforts much earlier. Hopefully this effort is not too late.

Quietly Doing Their Work

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On Monday, The Epoch Times reported the following:

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced this past week that more than 100 federal contracts have been terminated with a value of nearly $6 billion.

Multiple agencies “terminated and descoped 108 wasteful contracts” that have a ceiling value of $5.8 billion and resulted in savings of $397 million,” DOGE wrote in an Oct. 10 post on X.

That includes a $3.1 million State Department contract titled, “Tanzania National Coordination Office Development,” it said, and a $46,500 U.S. Agency for Global Media lease for “office space for the Voice of America East Asia and Pacific Service.”

Other terminated items include a $5.8 million Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) contract for “organizational development, executive coaching, and leadership training” and a $44 million State Department contract for “professional services in Doha, Qatar.”

After being established by President Donald Trump on his first day in office, DOGE has slashed around $214 billion in estimated savings, or around $1,329.19 per taxpayer, according to an Oct. 4 update.

So far, 13,440 contract terminations totaling approximately $61 billion, 15,887 grant terminations worth around $49 billion, and 264 lease terminations totaling around $113 million have been posted on DOGE’s website.

On Friday, Fox News reported:

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on Wednesday released data showing the federal government ran a $1.8 trillion budget deficit in fiscal year 2025 amid mounting interest costs on the nearly $38 trillion national debt.

The article at The Epoch Times concludes:

While the number of layoffs is unclear, a group called the Partnership for Public Service says that more than 201,000 federal employees have left the government as of Sept. 23.

Earlier in the year, the Trump administration also had offered to pay federal workers who do not want to return to offices the option of a “deferred resignation,” meaning they would agree to resign but get paid through Sept. 30.

Efforts to lay off more employees, known as reductions-in-force, are ongoing in the midst of a nearly two-week-long government shutdown that started Oct. 1, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought confirmed this past week. Court papers that were later submitted by the administration said that around 4,100 workers across several agencies received layoff notices.

A memo released by the budget office stated that for federal programs that would have a funding lapse during a government shutdown, “such programs are no longer statutorily required to be carried out.”

It also directed all federal agencies to submit reduction-in-force plans to the budget office for review.

I know that there is some serious griping among federal employees about the Reduction In Force (RIF), but RIF’s have been happening for a long time–the last major one was in 1994. The country cannot survive without seriously cutting government spending.

Good News

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I am writing this on Saturday afternoon. The Epoch Times has just reported that Hamas has agreed to release all hostages in accordance with U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan.

The article reports:

The group also said it has accepted parts of the peace proposal to end the war in Gaza, including giving up power, but noted that other provisions would require further consultations among Palestinians.

The announcement came after Trump gave Hamas until Oct. 5 to accept a deal to end the war between the terrorist group and Israel and release all the hostages. Trump announced the deadline in a post on Truth Social on Oct. 3.

…Hamas said it welcomed Trump’s proposal but sought clarification on certain provisions, adding that it would release all living hostages and hand over the bodies of those who have died.

I will admit to being more than a little skeptical. However, there may be some very good reasons for this. When the Arab nations joined with President Trump on the peace proposal, Hamas lost the public relations war. That is the only war they had a chance of winning. If the blockades have been successful, Hamas must be looking at a dwindling supply of ammunition, and I suspect their terrorists/soldiers are concerned about what will happen on October 6th. I will be surprised if this goes smoothly, but I also expect Israel to react without hesitation if it doesn’t. This needs to be watched closely.

Federal Agents Doing Their Job

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On Wednesday, The Epoch Times posted an article about the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) crackdown on the Mexico-based Sinaloa cartel.

The article reports:

A nationwide crackdown on the Mexico-based Sinaloa cartel has resulted in hundreds of arrests and drug seizures, federal officials announced this week.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on Sept. 8 announced 617 arrests as well as the seizure of 1,058 pounds (480 kilograms) of fentanyl powder, 714,707 counterfeit pills, 4,870 pounds (2,209 kilograms) of methamphetamine, 16,466 pounds (7,469 kilograms) of cocaine, and 36 pounds (16.55 kilograms) of heroin.

More than $11 million in currency and over $1.6 million in assets were also seized in the operation, along with 420 firearms.

…In an executive order earlier this year, President Donald Trump declared eight drug cartels as foreign terrorist groups, including the Sinaloa cartel, one of the largest and most powerful in Mexico. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has prioritized breaking up cartels and other gangs amid a broader push against crime.

Brian M. Clark, the special agent in charge of the DEA field office in Los Angeles, said in a statement that more efforts are needed against drug cartels.

The article concludes:

The Treasury Department in mid-August said it sanctioned two other Mexican drug cartels, Carteles Unidos and Los Viagras, and seven affiliated individuals while accusing the groups of engaging in terrorism, drug trafficking, and other crimes.

The Trump administration has recently signaled that it may use the U.S. military to conduct operations against major criminal organizations such as cartels and gangs. Earlier this month, the U.S. conducted an airstrike against what Trump administration officials say was a boat carrying drugs into the United States that had departed Venezuela with 11 Tren de Aragua gang members on board.

“Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military,” Vice President JD Vance wrote on social media on Sept. 6.

This is only one step in dealing with the drug crisis in America. At some point we need to get to the root of the problem. Why does America have so many people who take drugs? What can we do in the way of drug rehabilitation programs that will make a difference? I realize that in order for a person with a drug problem to be helped, they have to want help. Putting that aside, as a society, we need to find better ways to prevent people from starting to use drugs and better ways to help those addicted to drugs. We could start by making marijuana illegal again. Any law-enforcement professional will tell you that it is a gateway drug.

Fighting The Drug War

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On Wednesday, The Epoch Times posted an article about the largest seizure of chemical precursors for making drugs such as methamphetamine and fentanyl in U.S. history.

The article reports:

The chemicals, of Chinese origin, were headed to the Sinaloa cartel to be made into drugs that could be sold on the street.

When asked by reporters about the operation in which the chemicals were confiscated, officials said they were taken on the “high seas,” but declined to give further details.

…Had the precursors made it to their destination, they would have been made into hundreds of thousands of pounds of methamphetamine, with profits of more than $500 million, according to the officials’ statements.

Pirro said this seizure was made possible by the State Department’s decision to designate major drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations earlier this year.

The article concludes:

CBP  (United States Customs and Border Protection) Field Operations Director Jud Murdock noted that the Sinaloa cartel, which was slated to receive the chemicals, is one of the “most violent and brutal terrorist organizations in the world.”

According to Murdock, the cartel has produced and distributed record amounts of drugs worldwide and is responsible for countless deaths and destruction in the United States and abroad.

“The Sinaloa cartel activities are not merely criminal; they are acts of terror that threaten the safety and security of our nation,” Murdock said. “By targeting the supply chains and disrupting their operations, we are sending a clear message: DHS will not tolerate anyone or anything that wants to harm our community.”

This comes just days after former Mexican cartel kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García pleaded guilty to drug charges in federal court in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Aug. 25.

Zambada García, the longtime leader of the Sinaloa cartel, admitted to playing a role in a drug-trafficking operation that funneled large quantities of illicit substances, including cocaine and heroin, into the United States for years.

The prosecutors said that the Sinaloa cartel became the largest drug-trafficking organization in the world because of Zambada García and cofounder Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

This won’t end drug use and deaths in America, but it is definitely a step in the right direction.

Restoring Confidence In Our Elections

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On Sunday, The Epoch Times posted an article about President Trump’s plan to restore confidence in America’s elections. States have authority over how to hold their elections, but they are required to comply with federal prohibitions.

The article reports:

President Donald Trump said on Aug. 30 that he has decided to issue an executive order to request that federal elections require the presentation of voter ID in order to cast a ballot.

“Voter I.D. Must Be Part of Every Single Vote. No exceptions!” Trump wrote on a post on Truth Social. “I Will Be Doing An Executive Order To That End!!!”

The president did not give a timeline for his order. The midterm elections will be held on Nov. 3, 2026.

…The president also repeated his opposition to the widespread adoption of mail-in ballots and the use of electronic voting systems, although this time he didn’t say they would be the subject of any executive action.

“Also, No Mail-In Voting, Except For Those That Are Very Ill, And The Far Away Military. Use paper ballots only!!!” he said.

Earlier this month, Trump had pledged to issue an executive order ahead of the 2026 midterm elections to end the use of mail-in ballots and return to the use of paper ballots instead of voting machines.

It would be possible to count paper ballots by counting ballots in individual precincts. It would be tedious, but it would be accurate.

In 2005, former President Jimmy Carter created the Commission on Federal Election Reform. The Commission made 87 recommendations that would improve election integrity. The Commission noted that one of the places most vulnerable to election fraud was mail-in ballots.  

What Happens When You Close The Border

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On Friday, The Epoch Times posted an article about one consequence of closing the southern border of America to illegal entrants.

The article reports:

The Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration is playing a role in the sharpest decline in monthly remittances to Mexico in more than a decade, analysts say.

According to numbers released this month from the Bank of Mexico (Banxico), income from remittances abroad stood at $5.2 billion in June, a 16.2 percent decrease compared with June 2024.

That represents the largest drop in 13 years, according to a report from BBVA Research.

Remittances in 2024 represented approximately 3.4 percent of Mexico’s gross domestic product, according to the World Bank.

Remittances are transfers of money earned in the United States to such parties as relatives, friends, or business associates abroad. Ninety-nine percent of the remittances sent in the first half of 2025 were made through electronic funds transfers, according to the BBVA report.

The drop occurred after a decade of growth. Between 2013 and 2024, remittances to Mexico almost tripled to $64.7 billion from $23 billion, according to BBVA.

The Big Beautiful Bill includes a 1 percent remittance fee. However, there are easy ways to avoid this fee.

The article reports:

People can send money to their family members in Mexico without wiring it, Valdez said. She said people are finding other ways to deliver money, such as “getting together with the neighbors, getting together with people that are actually traveling and bringing cash.”

Some could also be taking advantage of a new system, the Bienestar card, Valdez said. The bank card system, set up by the Mexican government, can be used for remittances and is advertised as bypassing the 1 percent U.S. tax on remittances because it’s considered a bank-to-bank transfer that doesn’t involve cash.

Some Democrats have argued that the remittances help support communities in the countries they are sent to. However, it should be noted that the remittances can also support drug cartels, particularly in Mexico. These remittances may be one of the ways a family pays to have their child illegally smuggled into the United States.

Junk Food Is Becoming Healthier Under Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.!

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On Friday, The Epoch Times posted an article about PepsiCo’s reaction to President Trump’s statement that Coca-Cola will be switching to cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. I am not saying that soda is healthy, but sugar is healthier than high fructose corn syrup. You take your victories where you can!

The article reports:

PepsiCo’s top executive indicated on July 17 that the company may switch Pepsi’s sweetener from high-fructose corn syrup to sugar, one day after President Donald Trump said Coca-Cola would soon be making the change.

“Same journey that we have in foods, we’re following in beverages. This is a consumer-centric strategy. We’re following the consumer,” Ramon Laguarta, PepsiCo’s CEO, told investors on a call after being asked about Trump’s announcement.

“If the consumer is telling us that they prefer products that have sugar and they prefer products that have natural ingredients, we will give the consumer products that have sugar and have natural ingredients. So, this is a journey of following the consumer, trying to be a little bit maybe one step ahead of the consumer, but not too many steps. And it applies to both beverages and food.”

The article notes:

Laguarta’s announcement came during a call in which executives said that PepsiCo will relaunch its Lay’s and Tostitos brands later this year to highlight that they contain no artificial colors or flavors.

“We’re trying to elevate the real food perception of Lay’s. If you think about the simplest and most natural snack, it is a potato chip; it’s a potato, it’s oil, and it’s a little bit of salt—the most simple, no artificial ingredients,” Laguarta said.

The company also said it was expanding the use of avocado and olive oil across its brands, rather than the canola or soybean oil it uses. Some health influencers, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have promoted removing seed oils from food.

America may soon become the land of healthy junk food!

A Significant Year For The Supreme Court

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On July 3rd, The Epoch Times posted an article listing the nine key Supreme Court decisions this term.

Here is the list:

1. Nationwide Injunctions

The Supreme Court issued a landmark opinion on June 27 in which it ruled against the practice of judges issuing nationwide injunctions.

2. Gender Procedures for Minors

In June, the Supreme Court released its hotly anticipated decision in United States v. Skrmetti, which involved the Biden administration’s challenge to Tennessee’s law banning “gender-affirming care” for minors.

…The court’s 6–3 majority upheld Tennessee’s law.

3. Deportations

Trump scored an initial win when the Supreme Court removed two blocks that a federal judge in Washington had imposed on the deportations.

However, part of the ruling also stated that Trump must provide an opportunity for deportees to seek habeas relief, which is a legal mechanism for challenging one’s detention.

4. TikTok Divestiture or Ban

In 2024, Congress passed the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

It required TikTok’s Chinese parent company to either divest its U.S. business or cease operations within the United States because of data privacy and national security concerns.

…The Supreme Court ultimately upheld the law on Jan. 17.

In a unanimous decision, the court said that the law satisfied a standard known as “intermediate scrutiny,” noting that it served the important government interest of preventing TikTok’s Chinese parent company from capturing the personal data of American users.

5. Mexico Gun Lawsuit

U.S. gun makers successfully avoided liability in a lawsuit that the Mexican government brought over the flow of U.S. firearms to cartels.

Under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, gun companies can usually avoid liability for how people use their firearms.

…Writing for the majority, Justice Elena Kagan said that Mexico’s lawsuit did not plausibly allege that the gun companies “aided and abetted unlawful sales routing guns to Mexican drug cartels.”

6. Straight Woman Wins Discrimination Case

A heterosexual woman’s win at the Supreme Court established that non-minorities may sue on an equal footing with minorities in employment discrimination lawsuits.

7. Opting Out of LGBT Storybooks

Parents won the right to sue to opt their young children out of school storybooks that promote LGBT lifestyles in a Supreme Court ruling on June 27.

8. Porn Age-Verification Laws

State laws requiring pornography websites to verify the age of users will remain in place following a Supreme Court ruling on June 27.

9. South Carolina Defunds Planned Parenthood

States have greater leeway to defund Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, following a Supreme Court decision on June 26.

I think it has been a good year for common sense.

Things We Need To Know

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On Sunday, The Epoch Times posted an article detailing what we need to know about President Trump’s bombing of the Iranian nuclear facilities.

The article lists five things:

Iran’s Key Nuclear Sites ‘Obliterated’

Trump said during an address to the nation that U.S. strikes had “completely and totally obliterated” three key Iranian nuclear facilities, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan (also spelled Esfahan).

…Trump Threatens ‘Far Greater’ Attacks If No Peace

Trump threatened Iran with “far greater” attacks if the regime refused to make peace.

…US Worked With Israel

Trump confirmed the United States worked with Israel, taking a moment in his address to the nation to thank Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

…Iran Atomic Agency Vows to Continue Program

The Iranian Atomic Energy Organization said it will continue with its development of its “national industry,” an apparent reference to its nuclear development.

…Some Lawmakers Want Congressional Authorization

While some lawmakers have been supportive of Trump’s authorizing the strikes, others want congressional authorization before any additional actions are undertaken.

The lawmakers who insist that President Trump needs congressional authorization need to look at some of America’s recent history.

Double standard, anyone?

No one wants another endless Middle Eastern war, but I suspect President Trump does not have the patience for an endless war. I expect the Iranian situation–nuclear reactor sites, Strait of Hormuz, etc., to be resolved quickly.

The Covid Relief Debacle

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On Saturday, The Epoch Times posted an article about a case of fraud involving the Covid-19 relief funds.

The article reports:

Fourteen people were arrested on May 28 for their alleged involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $25 million in COVID-19 relief funds and federally guaranteed small business loans, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The individuals are among the 18 people charged in connection with the case. Four who have not yet been arrested are currently believed to be in Armenia, the DOJ said in a statement.

All of them are facing charges of conspiracy to defraud the government, false claims, wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, laundering of monetary instruments, monetary transactions involving property derived from specified unlawful activity, and structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements.

Law enforcement officers seized about $20,000 in cash, two money-counting machines, paper cash bands, cellphones, laptops, two loaded semi-automatic handguns, and boxes of ammunition during the arrests.

Tyler Hatcher, special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation agency, said the defendants were accused of fraudulently obtaining funds through the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, and other federal funding programs.

The article concludes:

“This transnational criminal network sought to defraud the government of millions of dollars and almost succeeded,” John Pasciucco, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles, said.

It remains unclear whether the defendants have been assigned legal representation as of publication.

Was anyone in government paying attention to where taxpayer money was going?

The Supreme Court Steps In

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Some of the lower courts in America have decided that they are the President. It’s getting very old to see anything President Trump does result in a lawsuit filed in a lower court to stop whatever it is. I think that if President Trump declared that grocery shopping on Saturday was a good thing, the courts would try to close the stores on Saturday. However, the Supreme Court is slowly stepping up to the plate.

On Friday, The Epoch Times reported:

The Supreme Court has temporarily stayed a lower court decision that halted the Trump administration’s attempt to remove a protection known as parole for immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

The court’s decision, which came on May 30, blocks the lower court order as the issue plays out in the court system. Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor dissented from the court’s decision.

The Trump administration had argued that the decision to remove parole was discretionary for the secretary of homeland security and not reviewable by courts.

We need controlled, legal immigration. We need to bring people into America who will assimilate and who will work to help build this country. We definitely need to revise our immigration policies to make it easier for people to come to America, but we also need to limit the number of immigrants we allow in at any one time. We need to control immigration in a way that allows for assimilation. Britain, and some of the European Union Countries are currently in danger of losing their identity because of mass migration by people who are not interested in assimilating into their various cultures. This is a threat to western civilization. There are differences in civilizations–and people need to live where they are most comfortable with the culture–they do not need to take over the culture of another country. The takeover of the British culture is currently happening in Britain. I don’t want it to happen here.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know…

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On Monday, The Epoch Times posted an article about three investigations currently being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). These are three investigations that somehow were never quite concluded by the Biden administration.

The article reports:

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said on May 26 that the bureau is looking at launching investigations into cases of potential public corruption.

“Shortly after swearing in, [FBI Director Kash Patel] and I evaluated a number of cases of potential public corruption that, understandably, have garnered public interest,” Dan Bongino wrote in a post on social media platform X on the morning of May 26.

Bongino, a former Secret Service agent and radio host, noted that they “made the decision to either re-open, or push additional resources and investigative attention, to these cases.”

One case that they are looking to target is the FBI investigation into the alleged pipe bombs left near the Democratic and Republican national committee buildings in Washington a day before the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach, he said.

The FBI said in 2024 that a $500,000 reward is still in effect for information leading to the arrest of the pipe bomb suspect. Earlier in 2025, David Sundberg, former assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, told CNN that officials are seeking new leads.

“Maybe allegiances have changed or relationships have changed, and it’s time to report [on the suspect],” Sundberg told the outlet.

The article lists the two other cases:

Other cases that warrant more resources include one involving the discovery of cocaine in the White House in July 2023 and the leak of the Supreme Court’s decision that overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, Bongino said.

“I receive requested briefings on these cases weekly and we are making progress,” he said in his post. “If you have any investigative tips on these matters that may assist us then please contact the FBI.”

The article also noted:

Meanwhile, Patel confirmed on May 18 that the FBI is investigating New York Attorney General Letitia James over her real estate transactions.

I am thankful that the American people may finally find out exactly who was involved in these crimes.

Exactly What Are The Medicaid Cuts Cutting?

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On Monday, The Epoch Times posted an article about the fraud and waste found in Medicaid.

The article reports:

Dr. Mehmet Oz, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator, said his agency and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have identified at least $14 billion in fraud, waste, and abuse.

“There’s about $14 billion we’ve identified with DOGE, of folks who are duly enrolled wrongly in multiple states for Medicaid,” Oz told Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”

As an example, Oz said: “You live in New Jersey, but you move to Pennsylvania, and which state gets your Medicaid? Turns out both states collect money from the federal government.”

There are other areas, he said, that constitute abuse of the federal health care system. He said some people who are eligible to get a job or seek education are receiving Medicaid. Oz echoed statements made by GOP lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.)., who in recent days said that able-bodied individuals and illegal immigrants have received Medicaid benefits.

Oz urged that Medicaid be cleaned up so that it can provide services to individuals such as people with disabilities and others, suggesting that Republicans keep a work requirement to be eligible for the program.

“I think there’s a moral hazard if we don’t, because you’ve got people who are not working who could work, who should work, and it’s better for them and better for the country if they do,” he said, referring to Republicans’ having added work requirements to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that passed in the House of Representatives on May 22.

The article notes:

The bill, which is now in the hands of the Senate, would impose work requirements for low-income adults to receive Medicaid health insurance and would increase those requirements for food assistance. Supporters of the bill say the moves will save money, root out waste, and encourage personal responsibility.

Starting next year, many able-bodied Medicaid enrollees under age 65 would be required to show that they work, volunteer, or go to school in exchange for the health insurance coverage under the measure. Only Arkansas has had a work requirement that kicks people off for noncompliance.

It’s time for everyone who can to get out and help pull the wagon rather than sitting in the wagon and expecting everyone else to pull it.