Category: Economics / Economy / Income / Financial
Not Only KS Legislators On This Ball, But Some Of Them Are
On this issue, at least. The other senator from KS can be read toward the end of the article, and he’s just a maga nut, so read at your own discretion. I’m wondering if he’s beginning dementia, or else how he earned an MD. Anyway, here’s this. Sen. Moran can usually get an R coalition happening, and KS is not the only ag state who stands to not only lose, but to literally watch crops rot waiting to be shipped to people who need to eat. Wasting food is a cardinal sin, IMO.
Kansas’ Moran, Davids sound alarm on delay of USAID food aid to starving people worldwide
Marshall proponent of crackdown on alleged fraud, abuse at humanitarian agency
By: Tim Carpenter – February 7, 2025 1:59 pm
TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas said a freeze on federal funding and change at the U.S. Agency for International Development left $340 million in lifesaving food grown in the United States sitting at domestic ports awaiting delivery to locations around the world where people were starving.
On Friday, President Donald Trump said he wanted to shut down USAID, which served as the federal government’s primary provider of development and humanitarian aid worldwide. Much of USAID’s funding has been frozen. Thousands of USAID employees expect to be indefinitely suspended or laid off as the Trump administration, in collaboration with billionaire Elon Musk, worked to gut an agency the president said was operated by “radical lunatics.”
Moran, among farm-state senators on the Senate Agriculture Committee, said he encouraged Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state and acting administrator of USAID, to make certain U.S.-grown commodities were promptly shipped and distributed to people in need.
The World Food Programme estimated $340 million in U.S. food aid was idled at domestic ports by order of the Trump administration. In total, $566 million in U.S.-grown commodities designated for humanitarian purposes was locked down in warehouses throughout the world.
“Time is running out before this lifesaving aid perishes,” Moran said. “Food stability is essential to political stability, and our food aid programs help feed the hungry, bolster our national security and provide an important market for our farmers, especially when commodity prices are low.”
Moran said there was a “moral component to food aid,” but he understood administrative issues with U.S. aid programs had to be addressed. That reform, he said, must go beyond presidential directives so Congress could be “involved in making the decision of what this should look like.”
Rep. Tracey Mann, the Kansas Republican on the House Agriculture Committee, has led relaunch of the bipartisan House Hunger Caucus dedicated to international and domestic hunger and food insecurity. He said in a previous statement that growing up on a Kansas farm taught him the sacred responsibility of feeding people.
“Hunger destabilizes countries, starts wars, eliminates markets and causes human suffering. America benefits on multiple levels from making investments that address it,” Mann said. “America is the leader of the free world, which comes with certain responsibilities. Addressing global hunger is both the morally right and strategically wise thing do to.”
‘Irresponsibility’
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat also on the House Agriculture Committee, said dismantling USAID would have ramifications in terms of world hunger and the future of Kansas agriculture.
“Elon Musk’s reckless and illegal shutdown of USAID isn’t lowering prices as promised — it’s hurting our economy, national security and hardworking Kansans,” Davids said. “My team has heard from many who have lost their jobs, small businesses facing bankruptcy and Kansas farmers struggling to sell their crops. This level of irresponsibility cannot go unchecked.”
USAID’s website said at midnight Friday all USAID direct-hire personnel would be “placed on administrative leave globally, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has facilitated the purchase of U.S. commodities funneled into the USAID pipeline. USAID has been responsible for booking cargo ships to deliver food aid and to coordinate distribution of assistance in various countries.
USDA paused the purchase of food for USAID purposes in response to Trump’s executive order establishing a 90-day freeze on funding. Rubio issued a temporary waiver for food and other lifesaving assistance, but there was confusion about what qualified for the exemption. U.S.-grown agriculture products in domestic ports included wheat, sorghum, rice, lentils, peas as well as vegetable or sunflower oils.
USAID, with a staff of approximately 10,000, also has oversight of U.S. disaster relief and health initiatives in over 100 countries. (snip-MORE. The next graf is our insane senator explaining that he thought he saw awful things happening, meanwhile literal food is actually spoiling while he tells us of his hallucinations. I’d have to take the puter to the carwash to get the stupid off if I copy it to paste here. However, a few of the farmers who grow this food also have cogent commentary, so it’s worth clicking through to finish the article. Everyone but Marshall and Estes are aware of the national security element of this stupidity.)
Can Bedbugs Live There?
Trump’s looking to building another resort by Ann Telnaes
It certainly won’t be a holiday for the Palestinians Read on Substack
Unless Someone Somewhere Changes Their Mind/s Again…
Trump administration agrees to restrict DOGE access to Treasury Department payment systems
The agreement came in response to a lawsuit accusing Treasury of committing an “unlawful action” by giving private info to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
By Daniel Barnes, Dareh Gregorian and Zoë Richards
Attorneys for the Justice Department have agreed to temporarily restrict staffers associated with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing information in the Treasury Department’s payment system.
The agreement comes after a group of union members and retirees sued the Treasury Department alleging that providing DOGE access to the federal government’s massive payment and collections system — and the personal data housed in it — violated federal privacy laws.
The Trump administration filed a motion Wednesday night seeking to enter a proposed order that detailed the agreed-upon terms.
“The Defendants will not provide access to any payment record or payment system of records maintained by or within the Bureau of the Fiscal Service,” the proposed order says.
The order would allow exceptions for two special government employees at the Treasury — Tom Krause and Marko Elez — saying they are permitted access “as needed” to perform their duties, “provided that such access to payment records will be ‘read only.'”
The restricted access would remain in effect pending a subsequent hearing on the lawsuit. The judge still needs to sign off on the proposed order.
The White House and the groups that filed the lawsuit did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (snip)
Trade Wars News From Janet
From “The Root:” A List Of Companies That Continue To Support DEI
While places like Walmart rolled back their initiatives, these places have doubled down on diversity.
By Candace McDuffie PublishedYesterday
(There’s a slideshow on the user-friendly page; click through here. Some of these companies have been sued by Stephen Miller’s lawyer group, but were found by the Justice Dept. to be well within law. So there’s a thing I guess we watch, also…)
Despite a slew of companies like Walmart, Meta and Amazon rolling back their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, other companies have remained firm in continuing these vital initiatives. Donald Trump has attacked diversity on both the campaign trail and now during his second presidential term. Even though Trump set on getting rid of inclusive practices, here’s a list of places advocating for marginalized communities to be part of their workforce.
A Multi-Post
A few things I’ve run across while doing other things. We’re having freezing rain until noon, though it’s mostly not slick out. Still cloudy. Yesterday it was heaven, but today, Ollie is sad about no sun. There are fewer visitors to the trees and lawn for him to watch and play with!
Here’s one about Dems getting in the middle of DOGE. It sounds collegial, but the plan, of course, is oversight. They have no majority, but they can tell us what’s happening.
Why a Florida Democrat joined the DOGE caucus that’s looking to cut federal spending
Updated December 5, 202411:45 AM ET
Heard on Morning Edition By Steve Inskeep
A new GOP-led congressional caucus that supports President-elect Donald Trump’s push to cut trillions in federal spending has welcomed a Democrat.
This week, Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida joined the Department of Government Efficiency caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first Democrat to do so.
The caucus would partner with DOGE, the unofficial advisory body led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy tasked with regulating government spending.
Moskowitz, who represents a “middle of the road” Florida district that includes Boca Raton and Ft. Lauderdale, said joining doesn’t mean he fully shares Trump’s agenda. <snip>
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This is just a quickie mental health break video.
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This I saw this morning, and it’s really heartening to see Kansas businesses organizing on behalf of customers! Here’s hoping businesses organizing for people becomes a thing.
More than 100 pharmacies in Kansas to temporarily close in protest of PBM practices
by: Jeremiah Cook Posted: Feb 3, 2025 / 07:24 AM CST Updated: Feb 3, 2025 / 09:34 AM CST
KSNF/KODE — More than 100 Sunflower State pharmacies will close shop next week—to help send a message to lawmakers.
Wolkar Drug president and pharmacist Brian Caswell says on Wednesday, February 5, roughly 100 stores in 56 Kansas counties will close—including Wolkar Drug in Baxter Springs.
Roughly 400 people from those stores will be headed to Topeka—hoping to make a change in healthcare laws.
Caswell says pharmacy benefit managers—or PBM’s—have had a big, and negative, impact on the healthcare industry.
Caswell tells us PBM’s act as the middlemen between insurance companies and pharmacies—and can cause higher deductibles and even dictate what medications are covered, based on what makes them more money.
“PBM’s have been around for, like, well over 40 years, and they’ve slowly kind of changed the industry altogether and taken over. With the success of money and power, they’ve actually created a healthcare industry that’s just unsustainable right now,” said Brian Caswell, Wolkar Drug president & pharmacist. (snip-MORE)
“Hakeem Jeffries Publishes The Plan Against Trump Crimes”
“And our Failed Political Press ™ is NOT covering it, quelle surprise.”
https://crooksandliars.com/2025/02/hakeem-jeffries-publishes-plan-against
By Tengrain — February 4, 2025
Hakeem Jeffries sent a Dear Colleague letter (And our Failed Political Press ™ is NOT covering it, quelle surprise, so once again we lowly bloggers are toiling away…):
“Dear Colleague: As we prepare to come back into session tomorrow, House Democrats will continue to push back against the far-right extremism that is being relentlessly unleashed on the American people. I write with an update on several urgent matters that we are working on for the country.
“First, I have made clear to House Republican leadership that any effort to steal taxpayer money from the American people, end Medicaid as we know it or defund programs important to everyday Americans, as contemplated by the illegal White House Office of Management and Budget order, must be choked off in the upcoming government funding bill, if not sooner.
“Second, at my direction, legislation will be introduced shortly to prevent unlawful access to the Department of Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service payment system that contains highly confidential and personal information related to Social Security and Medicare recipients, taxpayers, households, nonprofits, businesses and federal contractors.
“Third, in partnership with the Democratic Policy & Communications Comittee [sic], we will continue to highlight Republican policies that raise the already high cost of living for everyday Americans, including the wide-ranging tariffs directed at allies that risk dramatically increasing the price of groceries, fuel and automobiles in the United States of America.
“Fourth, Judiciary and Oversight Committee Democrats will detail for the Caucus the ongoing and anticipated litigation efforts to combat several of the unlawful executive actions, including, but not limited to, ending birthright citizenship, the firing of Inspectors General, terminations of federal civil service employees, the purge of the FBI and the suspension of funds appropriated by Congress. There are currently more than 20 different lawsuits challenging at least 11 executive orders.
“Fifth, Whip Katherine Clark will host a Caucus-wide meeting that includes the presence of outside experts, enhancing our ability to unpack and expose a recently uncovered Republican scheme to Rip Off the American taxpayer.
“Sixth, Chairman Pete Aguilar will continue to convene the ImmigrationWorking Group in connection with our efforts to secure the border, fix the broken system in a comprehensive manner, provide high-level constituent services to impacted communities and defend the Dreamers, farmworkers and families who contribute to our economy in a significant way.
“Seventh, House Appropriations Committee Democrats will continue to detail for the American people the federal funds that are at risk of being stolen, in the aftermath of our successful effort to halt the administration’s illegal so-called freeze by the Office of Management and Budget.
“Eighth, House Budget Committee Democrats will battle Republicans at the anticipated legislative hearing where the GOP will unveil a scheme to cut taxes for their billionaire donors and wealthy corporations while sticking working-class Americans with the bill.
“Ninth, our ongoing public safety accountability project will continue, as we detail for the American people the threat presented by violent felons who have been pardoned and released back into neighborhoods throughout the country, some of whom have a criminal record of predatory offenses including weapons charges, domestic violence and rape.
“Lastly, we urge all Members to once again conduct district-wide outreach today, or as soon as possible this week, in order to connect directly with our constituents and discuss the challenges we are decisively addressing on their behalf. For example, I will conduct a telephone town hall meeting in my district this evening. We will track participation throughout the Caucus.
“Thank you for your continued leadership during this perilous moment for our country. Together, we press onward.”
I’m not sanguine about 10-point plans that don’t include punching the Nazis, but he probably cannot say that in an official document. There’s a lot here to read (and read between the lines), so have at it.
Frankly, I’m glad that this got out, because like everyone else I want to know that they see this is a dangerous moment and that they are planning something other than whinging about the price of Super Bowl Pizza (Hi Chuck Schumer!) in the age of tariffs.
Republished with permission from Mock Paper Scissors.
Hells bells and tortious shells as I once heard the curse.
*** Posting from me will be sparse or disjointed as will me responding to comments. More on that later ***
I had everything set up to answer all the comments I have saved. I have like 70 open tabs of all the comments I really want to read and address. I know a few have said never feel like you need to respond to me, but I really like to. I don’t have the ability to get out and see many people is because I am disabled, so I love interacting with people online. Maybe I get the community / personal interaction to them people who interact with other people get.
I also had cued up 8 tabs from Male Survivor I was trying to read and respond to. Understand that reading and responding to those posts are very draining to me. But before I could get to much of that, Ron wanted to take a walk before he went to his doctor’s appointment.
Please notice the change of color. I am very tired as I write this and Ron is cooking the supper we worked on during this crisis. But I need to get this written and eat then I fall into bed exhausted.
For weeks or months I have been telling my wonderful husband I smelt sewer shit smell. He kept telling me it was the wind on the air vent for the toilets. But it got worse and worse. So he said turn on the vent fans and see it will go away. But then it did not. I kept telling him there was a leak under the house. He was telling me I was just being reactionary … sound familiar, just what the republicans accuse the democrats of being. Turned out I was correct.
So today after he got home from his doctor’s appointment, he walked into the house a said wow this place smells like shit. I replied I kept telling you that. It did not go over well. But I convinced him to take up our bathroom floor which has a trap door to the underneath of the house. When he did that he came to me and admitted he was very, very wrong. We had a large pool of sewage under our home. Oh fuck, fuck. It appears one of our toilets has been dumping all its waste on to the ground. But worse the break was not under our second bathroom toilet. It was between the bathrooms. He would have to take up both bathrooms to fix it. Oh be still my racing heart.
I spend the entire afternoon showing him how if he had to rip up everything to fix the sewage leak, I had long been wanting a change to both bathrooms. See the second bathroom was added as only a sink and toilet but when James moved back in he needed a bathroom shower so he did not come into our room to get a shower … sometimes in the middle of us having sex. I did not mind, and James said it did not bother him, but Ron being old school was mortified. So he carved a large chunk out of our bathroom to put a shower in the “guest” bathroom.
So I have chafed about that intrusion preventing me from having the bathroom I wanted in my own bedroom. But it has been years since James moved out. I have told Ron we could have a much better bigger shower and the rest … as I have been telling him for years. But now that he has to rip it all out anyway … he suddenly seen the light. So I spent the last part of the time I have awake showing him my vision of the two bathrooms and helping him do the measurements to show I was correct. He agreed with me and that is the plan moving forward. Then he shut down. And so will I. I am going to bed. If I post it will be hit or miss or reply to comments it will be even more sporadic than what I already do. Trust me to put the comment in an open tab backed up by my computer program. I will some year get to them. Best wishes, Hugs, and lots of love. Scottie
More USAID staff ousted after Trump administration dismantles aid agency. Sorry just found this in an open tab. I got so flustered or tired I forgot to post it.
tRump and crew are setting themselves up to be all of the government in one agency. No need to have congress, House or Senate. No oversight allowed, they will spend money as it please king tRump and co-king Musk. The House controls the power of the purse and the congress passes the laws demanding where and when money is spent by law. It is called the Impoundment Act. tRump was impeached the first time for violating it. But now that he has bought, controls the SCOTUS he is sure they will vote that king tRump and only future republican presidents. Democratic presidents will still have to follow the laws and be regulated by what republicans will demand be republican control congresses. Notice that doge asshole thugs with no security clearances forced their way into the areas threatening security with members of the Marshall service, no longer should it be considered a law enforcement but gang thugs controlled by a mob boss wannabee. Update before I posted this today, the thug in charge moved the organization illegally Hugs
Sorry I did not answer questions or anything today. I had an emergency doctor’s visit that turned out and did not mean anything bad that I know yet. It seems it will be all good yet I have not had a call from the doctor. He needed me to coming with an emergency appointment. I went in at 11 am and he told me how serious the results were. However, at the end of the appointment I left and
“DOGE did access the building yesterday,” a senior Senate Democratic aide said, requesting anonymity to discuss the incident. USAID security officers tried to turn away DOGE personnel without security clearances.“They (security personnel) were threatened with action by the federal Marshals Service,” the aide said. Following the incident, the director of USAID security, John Voorhees, and his deputy were removed from their positions and put on leave, sources said.
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A view of the USAID building in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 1, 2025. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon Purchase Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Feb 2 (Reuters) – The Trump administration removed two top security officials at USAID during the weekend after they tried to stop representatives from billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from gaining access to restricted parts of the building, three sources said on Sunday.The action added to the dozens of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) staff being removed from their positions, as President Donald Trump’s team moves to abolish the agency’s independence and possibly bring it under the control of the State Department.Nearly 30 career staff in the agency’s Legislative and Public Affairs bureau lost access overnight to their emails, at least five sources said, bringing the total number of senior USAID career staff who have been put on leave over the past week close to 100.“DOGE did access the building yesterday,” a senior Senate Democratic aide said, requesting anonymity to discuss the incident. USAID security officers tried to turn away DOGE personnel without security clearances.“They (security personnel) were threatened with action by the federal Marshals Service,” the aide said. Following the incident, the director of USAID security, John Voorhees, and his deputy were removed from their positions and put on leave, sources said.Trump on Sunday said the agency has “been run by a bunch of radical lunatics, and we’re getting them out.”“We’re getting them out, and then we’ll make a decision,” he told reporters.The purge follows more than a week of mayhem inside USAID, Washington’s primary agency funding billions of dollars’ worth of life-saving aid globally. Trump ordered a freeze on almost all U.S. foreign aid, saying his administration will review spending to ensure money is distributed in line with his “America First” foreign policy.Members of the group from DOGE were allowed to access several secure spaces, including the office of security and the agency’s executive secretariat.There was no record of what information DOGE officials were able to obtain in those areas, but the offices they accessed included classified files and personal information about Americans who work at USAID, the sources said.Katie Miller, a DOGE spokesperson, said on social media platform X that no classified material was accessed without proper security clearances.Matt Hopson, who had just been appointed as USAID chief of staff by the Trump administration, has resigned, five sources familiar with the matter said. A congressional source said his resignation followed the incident with DOGE officials. USAID did not respond to a request for comment about Hopson.CNN was first to report the incident between USAID and DOGE officials.LEGAL BATTLE LOOMS
Congressional Democrats said the changes appeared to violate U.S. laws establishing USAID and funding it as a separate agency. Two senior Senate Democratic aides said lawmakers and staff had been meeting on Sunday and would meet again on Monday to consider further steps, including legal action.Senior Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including its chair Jeanne Shaheen, on Sunday sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio seeking an explanation over the incident. Shaheen said that she was working to gather Democrats and Republicans to ask for answers.The global freeze on most of U.S. foreign aid is already sending shockwaves around the world. Field hospitals in Thai refugee camps, landmine clearance in war zones, and drugs to treat millions suffering from diseases such as HIV are among the programs at risk of elimination.U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Brian Mast, a Republican, said on Sunday that he would support moving USAID under the State Department and that there needs to be “more command and control.”Asked on CBS’ “Face the Nation” if congressional approval was needed or whether Trump could act unilaterally, Mast did not answer. The “purging of people throughout the State Department, other agencies” and freezing aid were “all very important and necessary steps to make sure that we secure America,” he said.The State Department and USAID did not respond to requests for comment.Meanwhile, billionaire Trump ally Musk on Sunday continued to slam USAID in his posts and reposts on his X social network. Trump has assigned Musk to lead a federal cost-cutting panel with broad oversight powers. Officials from DOGE have made frequent visits to USAID headquarters in Washington, according to sources familiar with the matter.On Sunday, Musk accused USAID of being “a criminal organization” without providing any evidence and added “Time for it to die”.Peter Marocco was appointed as head of the Office of Foreign Assistance at the State Department and is leading the agency’s sweeping changes, according to three sources familiar with the matter. Marocco previously served in Trump’s first administration in the Department of Defense. The State Department did not respond to questions about Marocco.USAID’s website has been down since Saturday afternoon, a sign that the end is near for the agency, whose funding goes to programs on everything from women’s health in conflict zones to access to clean water, HIV/AIDS treatments, energy security and anti-corruption work.Get weekly news and analysis on U.S. politics and how it matters to the world with the Reuters Politics U.S. newsletter. Sign up here.
Reporting by Jonathan Landay, Patricia Zengerle, Humeyra Pamuk, Andrea Shalal in Washington, and Simon Lewis in Panama City; Additional reporting by Susan Heavey, Jarrett Renshaw and Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Humeyra Pamuk, Lisa Shumaker and Sandra Maler
Scottie's Playtime 