Meet The New Boss

America’s Biggest Problem is Government, Say Most Americans Since Nixon Era

"23 percent of Americans say that the government is America’s biggest problem. 'That’s about exactly what is was before Nixon resigned,' Jones said, referring to the Watergate era. One might be tempted to view this result as solely caused by disgust with President Donald Trump or his policies. But that’s not really the case, or not entirely. The commentators point out that the poll is similar to findings from 2014-2015 when Barack Obama was president."

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The U.S.-Saudi Starvation Blockade

"President Obama first approved U.S. support for the Saudi war effort. President Trump has continued the Obama policy. The war in Yemen has now become his war and his human rights catastrophe. Yemen today is arguably the worst humanitarian crisis on earth, and America’s role in it is undeniable and indispensable."

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The Pentagon, CIA, and NSA Are in Charge

"Surrounding himself with generals and giving the national-security establishment carte blanche to do anything it wants to protect 'national security,' Trump, for all practical purposes, has been absorbed by the national-security establishment, even permitting the CIA to continue keeping its long-secret, 50-year-old JFK-assassination records secret from the American people. It is safe to say that for the balance of Trump’s term in office, his actions in foreign affairs will be no different than anything that Hillary Clinton, who undoubtedly would have been a loyal servant of the national-security establishment, would have done with respect to foreign affairs. What gives? Why the dramatic shift in Trump?"

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Pentagon to Admit to 2,000 Ground Troops in Syria

"US officials said on Friday that the Pentagon is expected to confirm concern that there are 'about 2,000' US ground troops in Syria, a major increase from the roughly 500 that they officially claim is the case. The US has overtly lied about troop levels in Syria consistently throughout their deployment. President Trump has made a point of troop levels needing to be kept secret from 'the enemy,' but consistent lies from the Pentagon about their deployments have made the figures less a closely guarded secret than a mockery of transparency."

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IRS To Extract $207 Billion From Small Businesses By Enforcing Obamacare

"The employer mandate is lucrative for the government. It is expected to bring in penalty payments of $207 billion over the next decade, according to projections by the Congressional Budget Office. Businesses will generally incur fines of around $2,000 per employee (excluding the first 30) if they do not offer qualifying coverage to nearly all of those who work an average of 30 or more hours a week. The penalty is activated if at least one employee then buys insurance on the health law’s marketplace and receives a subsidy for it. The per-employee fine increases each year, and can add up quickly: A company with 100 workers that ignored the law this year would owe a penalty of more than $158,000."

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Trump’s holiday gift is more invasive airport security

"On the campaign trail last year, Donald Trump derided the Transportation Security Administration as a 'total disaster.' But his administration is making TSA more intrusive and abusive while its 42,000 screeners remain as incompetent as ever. New TSA screening guidelines will likely make Thanksgiving travel a disaster for legions of Americans — and the worst is yet to come."

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The Black Swan In Plain Sight—Debt Out The Wazoo

"Washington has suspended it way into a $5.7 trillion increase in the public debt in just six years since October 2011. That is, during a period which supposedly constitutes the third longest business expansion in US history. At the end of the day, you can't borrow your way to prosperity. That's the oldest rule in the book of sound money and sustainable finance. And it's about ready to be learned all over again."

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Senator highlights U.S.-backed war crimes in unauthorized Yemen war

"The brutal war in Yemen has killed well over 10,000 people since Saudi Arabia began bombing the country in 2015, but in recent months cholera has been killing people much faster than bombs. Saudi Arabia, led by its headstrong Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is hoping to use disease and starvation to force the country to surrender to its terms, a strategy that is on its face a war crime. Murphy’s comments came a day after the House of Representatives voted 366-30 to passing a non-binding resolution that said the U.S. role in the war had not been authorized by Congress."

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Why the United States will never leave Yemen

"At least 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict, and seven million are in dire need of food assistance. The US began supporting the Saudi-led coalition through a decision by then-US President Barack Obama, who cited the Authorisation for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to justify US involvement. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has done the same."

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Can Congress stop Trump from supporting Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen?

"In 2015, President Barack Obama supported Saudi Arabia's war effort in Yemen, and President Donald Trump has continued the mission. The fight for control of Yemen shows no sign of stopping. The war has killed thousands of civilians, caused widespread food shortages and triggered a cholera epidemic. Yemenis have been plunged into the world's worst humanitarian crisis. In its drive to destroy rebel targets, the Saudi-led coalition has struck hospitals, schools and marketplaces in scores of well-documented attacks."

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