News Blog

President Trump Unveils The Great Healthcare Plan to Lower Costs and Deliver Money Directly to the People – White House

“President Donald J. Trump’s Great Healthcare Plan is a broad healthcare initiative that will slash prescription drug prices, reduce insurance premiums, hold big insurance companies accountable, and maximize price transparency in the American healthcare system…”

Trump announces “The Great Healthcare Plan,” sparse on details – CBS

Trump’s reform plan will be rightly criticized by policy experts as being too vague, not going far enough, and dodging the issue of making ACA exchange coverage affordable this year. However, his statement’s tempered threats to rein in profits of major players in the health care sector is well designed to maximize campaign donations in this year’s mid-term elections by insurance companies, Big Pharma, medical providers, and other powerful interests influencing the now-Republican Congress to maintain the status quo.

Trump’s health care plan promises direct payments, but it needs Congress’ approval – NBC

“…Direct payments and other proposals, however, would require action from Congress, raising questions about how quickly — or whether — they could be implemented. Republicans in Congress have been in ongoing negotiations for a bill to extend the enhanced ACA tax credits, which expired Dec. 31 and led to higher premiums for millions of Americans.”

Trump announces outlines of health care plan he wants Congress to consider – AP

“…Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, has been leading a bipartisan group of 12 senators trying to devise a compromise that would extend those subsidies for two years while adding new limits on who can receive them. That proposal would create the option, in the second year, of a health savings account that Trump and Republicans prefer. The White House official denied that Trump was closing the door completely on those bipartisan negotiations, and said the White House preferred to send money directly to consumers.”

National Health Care Spending Increased 7.2 Percent In 2024 As Utilization Remained Elevated – Health Affairs

Meanwhile, Congress has still not decided what to do about health exchange premiums and health care costs this year. Why not just come out and say it: “We don’t care if you can afford health insurance.” The fight over abortion coverage is an excuse for doing nothing.

Trump admin reportedly slashes billions in grants for mental health, addiction – Hill

How Trump’s economy is really doing right now – msn/WaPost

“…But the data shows that Americans are struggling: Income is barely keeping up with stubborn inflation, as basics are getting more expensive. Food, transportation and housing all went up in December. Utility bills are increasing, and child care and elder care costs are rising rapidly. Groceries are still expensive. NPR found that prices at Walmart have risen 5 percent from a year ago. Housing remains unaffordable for many…

“The wealthy are doing much better than the bottom half of the economy: Many of the problems with the economy right now are particularly hurting lower-income Americans. The stock market is doing great with AI investment and helping make the wealthy wealthier, while wages at the high end have done better than wages at the low end. Economists I talked to worry that the inequality could become more exacerbated if the labor market continues to cool while there’s an AI boom.”

47 ways Trump has made life less affordable in the last year – EPI

Protester permanently blinded by Homeland Security agent – msn/Knewz

Scarborough compares ICE ‘dragging’ protesters to Russia

Federal officer shoots person in leg after being attacked during Minneapolis arrest, AP source says – Virginian-Pilot

‘Nightmare’ in Minneapolis is going to bite Trump and the GOP hard: Fmr. Dem Sen. – MS Now

“There are 2,000 federal agents in Minneapolis and 1,000 more are on their way. This comes amid protests following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer. Former Sen. Barbara Boxer, New York Times Chief White House Correspondent Peter Baker and Marc Short, former Chief of Staff for VP Pence, join Katy Tur with their analysis.”

Some Questions:

Citing the 2nd amendment of the US Constitution, Supreme Court rulings give Americans wide latitude to arm themselves with deadly weapons.  Millions of Americans have done so.  In modern times, does the 2nd amendment allow states to organize militias of armed residents to counter federal government incursions on freedom of speech and political expression and other rights protected by the Constitution? Could states designate a state agency such as one providing police protection to act as a militia or to organize one?

Amendment 2: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Interpretation: The Second Amendment | Constitution Center

“…The Second Amendment conceded nothing to the Anti-Federalists’ desire to sharply curtail the military power of the federal government, which would have required substantial changes in the original Constitution. Yet the Amendment was easily accepted because of widespread agreement that the federal government should not have the power to infringe the right of the people to keep and bear arms, any more than it should have the power to abridge the freedom of speech or prohibit the free exercise of religion.”

America First? As the president signals US help for demonstrators in Iran, ICE declares it will arrest demonstrators in the homeland:

We will be arresting anybody who interferes with law enforcement actions, ICE official says – Fox

How many demonstrators can/will ICE arrest? 10? 100? 1,000s? Where will they be jailed? How much will this cost US taxpayers? What will be the impact on communities? Should Congress spend more $$ hiring ICE agents? Less?

Department of Labor under fire for language similar to Nazi slogan – USA Today

“The department posted to X on Jan. 10, ‘One Homeland. One People. One Heritage. Remember who you are, American.’ Dozens of users commented and reposted, expressing alarm and outrage over what they called an alarming echo of what the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum describes as one of the central slogans used by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. That slogan is, ‘One People, One Realm, One Leader.'”

Corporations own nearly 9% of residential land in the US, and could own 40% of rental homes by 2030. Is this contributing to the housing crisis? – msn

“Corporate landlords, as the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy report revealed, are more likely to raise rents above the average price for the respective region, more likely to file eviction notices for tenants, and more likely to be cited for housing code violations. ‘Low-income neighborhoods — and low-income neighborhoods of color, in particular — are being targeted for mass predatory purchasing,’ the report states.”

“What renters need to know

“While policy changes may be slow to come, the reality is that a growing portion of American renters will likely be leasing their homes from investors and corporations. With this in mind, here’s what you need to know before deciding to rent from a corporation:

  • Look into the REIT or corporate landlord that owns the rental property you’re considering and find out if they’ve been in the news or have a history of mistreating tenants
  • Corporate landlords are often less flexible on lease terms, deposits and rent prices than private owners
  • Corporate landlords may charge more for professional property management, or may be more likely to raise rents annually
  • Corporate landlords are more likely to file eviction notices and have housing code violations, as the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy report noted
  • While a private property owner may be more forgiving, corporate landlords are likely to be a lot less forgiving when it comes to credit history”

DOJ leaders resign in protest after Trump official refuses to probe deadly ICE shooting – msn/Raw Story

Minnesota sues federal government to try to end deployment of immigration agents – NBC

“‘We allege that the obvious targeting of Minnesota for our diversity, for our democracy and our differences of opinion with the federal government is a violation of the Constitution and of federal law,’ Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said at a news conference…”

Echoes from the past?:

The Alien and Sedition Acts (1798) – National Constitution Center

What to know about the warrants most immigration agents use to make arrests – AP

Government debt has climbed to levels one might expect during a major depression or war. This may severely limit US options to respond to major crises in the future:

As US debt soars past $38 trillion, the flood of corporate bonds is a growing threat to the Treasury supply – Fortune

Places to find more revenue:

“Cementing the Plutocracy using Stealth Tax Policy” – Robert Williams/Guilford College

“The expansion of household wealth along with its unprecedented concentration among relatively few hands has garnered much attention recently. Since 1989, household wealth has increased from $17 to over $139 trillion, enough if equally shared to make every American household a millionaire. Most of this bounty, almost 86 percent, has redounded to the wealthiest quintile of American households. Perhaps worse than the Gilded Age, wealth disparities are defining American society and cementing a system of economic stratification.
“This paper examines a largely ignored cause – federal income tax policies. Specifically, I examine a dozen federal tax expenditures. Designed as stealth entitlements, most provide generous assistance without limit or much notice. Devised to assist households accumulate wealth, each targets households who’ve already amassed personal wealth. Since 1989, their annual assistance has increased from $192 billion to $1.2 billion in 2023.”

Tax Expenditures – US Treasury

“Tax expenditures describe revenue losses attributable to provisions of Federal tax laws which allow a special exclusion, exemption, or deduction from gross income or which provide a special credit, a preferential rate of tax, or a deferral of tax liability. These exceptions are often viewed as alternatives to other policy instruments, such as spending or regulatory programs.”

More women than men becoming doctors:

10 medical residency trends – Becker’s Hospital Review

“Across all specialties and subspecialties, women — for the first time — accounted for the majority of residents and fellows. In 2024-25, 50.2% of residents were women, compared to 49.1% in 2023, 48.3% in 2022 and 47.3% in 2021.

“By race and ethnicity, 45.9% of U.S.-citizen MD residents reported white, 23.6% reported Asian, 9.3% Hispanic or Latino, 7.1% Black, 0.6% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.5% Middle Eastern or North African, and 0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.”

We Need Spencer Tracy: On the Absence of Moral Authority – Joe Klein/Sanity Clause

“…Innocent people are being rounded up in the streets of America now. One was killed last week. Too many of our fellow citizens are okay with this. But they don’t even have the ‘Good’ Nazis’ excuse: they know it’s happening. They see it on tv every night. Their tolerance for this brutality is making our country, palpably, a place it never was before. It is becoming the sort of country that people used to flee……to come to America.”

ICE Is Not Above the Law – MEE video

“Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner warned that any federal law enforcement officers, including ICE agents, who commit crimes while operating in the city will face prosecution.⁠“

“…Donald Trump cannot pardon you for a state-court conviction. Do you hear me…The law applies to all of you?”

Lawyer calls out JD Vance’s latest ‘lie’ – msn

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Homan asks critics to ‘tone down the rhetoric’ about ICE after Minneapolis shooting – Hill

“During his Friday podcast appearance, Homan urged members of Congress to let the FBI investigate the incident before making accusations. ‘Take a breath,’ he said. ‘The FBI will be investigating, local law enforcement will be investigating. There are a lot of videos. There’s a lot of witnesses. There’s probably body cam video.’

“Homan’s comments follow reports that the U.S Attorney’s Office cut local agencies out of a joint investigation with the FBI a day after the shooting. Federal investigators are now solely handling the case.”

Elements of murder – Cornell Law

Both act and intent must be proved. MN is one of three states with a category of 3rd-degree murder.

Heritage Foundation calls on US to prioritize marriage and family in new report – Politico

“The think tank recommends a ‘marriage bootcamp’ to prepare cohabitating couples for matrimony and discourages online dating.”

Project 2026? Objective: More kids in wholesome families. Operations: Transform vacated think tank offices into three adjacent units providing counselling and hands-on services to nearby community: 1) The Center on Healthy Marriage Formation, 2) The Center on Wholesome Copulation, and 3) The Center on Free-Market Birthing. Test of concept: Before dissemination to America, beta test with members of Congress and senior White House officials.

It sure looks like the Trump administration is trying to cover up a killing – HuffPost

Lawrence: On Trump’s last day in office he could pardon every single member of Trump’s deadly force – MS NOW

“MS NOW’s Lawrence O’Donnell examines Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s latest false claims about the woman shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minnesota and why the administration’s support for those lies means a serious federal investigation is unlikely.”

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Virginia) issued this statement on ICE gunning down an American citizen near a Minneapolis school. He demands justice and a thorough investigation and says Trump Administration officials are “brazenly” lying in the face of video evidence that all Americans can see. What are the people elected to represent you in Washington, DC saying?

Here’s another video from a person at the scene:

ICE officer fatally shoots driver through car window in Minneapolis – MN Reformer

Is what you can watch on the video consistent with what Trump, Vance, and Noem are saying happened? Or more like what Beyer described?

House passes bill extending health care subsidies, bucking GOP leaders – msn/WaPost

“A bipartisan group of senators has been working on a compromise bill, but it’s unclear whether that can secure the 60 votes necessary to advance in the upper chamber. Thune said Tuesday that any bill to extend the subsidies would need to include Republican priorities, including income limits, minimum out-of-pocket premiums, an expansion of health savings accounts (HSAs) and abortion restrictions. Democrats have opposed including any new abortion language, which has made it tough to negotiate a compromise because staunchly conservative lawmakers have demanded such provisions to even enter negotiations with other Republicans…”

More “math for morons”: On adding HSAs:

If Congress puts cash in HSAs in the exchange, how much will it have to raise plan deductibles in order to break even on subsidy costs? (ie, more cash in HSAs = less health insurance) >>> I asked the internet (AI) and got this response:

“To determine the new deductible for your health plan, you need to consider the total deductible amount after adding the Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution…If your current deductible is $5,000, adding a $2,000 HSA contribution would make your new deductible $7,000. This means you would need to adjust your health plan to reflect this new deductible amount.”

Even without shifting $$$ to HSAs, exchange deductibles are already high:

Deductibles in ACA Marketplace Plans, 2014-2026 – KFF

Good luck negotiating with hospitals and other powerful players in the medical industrial complex with your HSA dollars. If you don’t pay what they want, they may go after your house.:

Hospital Prices Post-COVID-19: Troubling Trends From California – HealthAffairs

“…Alternatively, these data could reveal a commercial price surge that may reflect a more long-term, persistent “new-normal” price growth trend driven by structural shifts in hospital market power. Hospital consolidation research shows that large multi-hospital systems have reduced competition in many metropolitan areas, enabling higher commercial prices relative to Medicare benchmarks. As an example, Premera Blue Cross of Washington reported — ‘Many of these [hospital] systems are asking for large increases for services (some requesting double digit annual increases) and have shown a willingness to allow our contracts to expire. Because of the limited competition and regional monopolies, some health care providers have achieved, there is reduced market pressure for these systems to innovate new, more efficient practices’…”

Leading Religious Zionist Rabbi: Extremist settler violence must be stopped from the pulpit – Times of Israel

American Jewry Must Speak Out Against Violence in the West Bank – JMore

“…The day I faced Jewish gunmen in that olive grove on Nov. 4 carried a chilling echo: 30 years earlier, Yitzhak Rabin was murdered by a fellow Jew, Yigal Amir. Rabin, soldier turned statesman, spent his life defending Israel and risked everything to pursue a path to a shared future. Amir was not an outlier but the product of a movement that sanctifies land over life and power over peace.

“Three decades later, that toxic messianism sits in Israel’s halls of power. Days before Rabin’s murder, a 19-year-old was televised proudly displaying an ornament ripped from the prime minister’s car, bragging, ‘Just like we got to this emblem, we can get to Rabin.’ That teenager was Itamar Ben-Gvir, now Israel’s minister of national security, overseeing the Border Police in the West Bank…”

Senate Republicans say deal on ACA extension within reach – msn/WSJ

“The Moreno framework continues the enhanced subsidies for two years and extends the ACA’s open enrollment period. It includes some changes, including a cutoff on subsidy eligibility when an enrollee’s income is more than 700% of the federal poverty level, or about $225,000 for a family of four. The framework also includes a new requirement, meant to deter fraudulent signups, that enrollees pay at least $5 a month toward their coverage, which could take the form of a $60 annual payment.

“Moreno said the framework would include a penalty on insurance companies that deliberately sign people up fraudulently, in the form of a $100,000 fine per occurrence. In year two, Moreno said, enrollees would be given a choice of putting subsidy funds into prefunded health savings accounts.”

Sen. Moreno’s compromise is very close to a deal we suggested last month:

Congress still has time to stabilize health exchange costs and affordability – Karl Polzer/Center on Capital & Social Equity