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Monday, November 18, 2024

Biden Authorizes Ukraine to Use U.S.-Supplied Missiles in Russian Territory

This is a big escalation. New York Times: President Biden has authorized the first use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine for strikes inside Russia, U.S. officials said… Mr. Biden’s decision is a major change in U.S. policy. The choice has divided his advisers, and his shift comes two months before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office, having vowed to limit further support for Ukraine. Allowing the Ukrainians to use the long-range missiles, known as the Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, came in response to Russia’s surprise decision to bring North Korean troops into the fight, officials said (New York Times). David Sacks: President Trump won a clear mandate to end the war in Ukraine. So what does Biden do in his final two months in office? Massively escalate it. Is his goal to hand Trump the worst situation possible (X)?

Senator-Elect Adam Schiff (D-CA) Continues to Push Trump’s Russia Collusion Hoax on CNN

Breitbart: Senator-elect Adam Schiff (D-CA) said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he did not overstate President-elect Donald Trump’s collusion with Russia during the 2016 campaign (Breitbart). RNC Research: Adam Schiff is STILL pushing the fake Russian collusion narrative (X). DC Draino: Adam Schiff was caught lying about Trump’s Russia collusion for years and was censured by the House, a historic punishment. Here he is on CNN lying about Russia collusion once again (X).

Vivek Ramaswamy Says Entire Agencies Will Be “Deleted”

Breitbart: The President-elect has asked two key supporters, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, to lead the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE. Their mission: Cut federal spending by $2 trillion (Breitbart). Leading Report: Vivek Ramaswamy says entire agencies will be “deleted” (X). Collin Rugg: Vivek Ramaswamy says entire government agencies will be axed under DOGE, says cuts will be achieved through executive action. “Over half a trillion dollars that’s spent every year right now was not even authorized by Congress in the first place.” “The Pentagon has just failed its seventh consecutive audit, nearly a trillion dollars of budget. They can’t even tell you where it goes.” “So I think part of this is exposing for the public, the extent of that rot and waste, but then to take steps first through executive action” (X).

Trump Picks Karoline Leavitt to Become Youngest White House Press Secretary in History

Fox News: President-elect Donald Trump announced his pick of campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt to serve as press secretary for his upcoming administration. “Karoline Leavitt did a phenomenal job as the National Press Secretary on my Historic Campaign, and I am pleased to announce she will serve as White House Press Secretary,” Trump said in a statement… Leavitt, 27, will be the youngest White House press secretary in U.S. history, unseating Nixon administration press secretary Ron Ziegler, who was 29 when he served in the role from 1969-1974 (Fox News). Charlie Kirk: Ladies and gentleman, your next White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, already expertly skilled at triggering CNN hosts (X). Karolin Leavitt: Thank you, President Trump, for believing in me. I am humbled and honored (X).

Media Labels Pete Hegseth a “White Supremacist”

Townhall: President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, is already facing mounting criticism and hasn’t even begun his duties. The Associated Press published an article accusing Hegseth of being a white supremacist after revealing that the former Fox News host was removed from National Guard duty during President Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration because of a tattoo on his arm. The tattoo is a Latin phrase that reads “Deus Vult,” which means “God Wills It,” and has been associated with the Crusades since the 1100s. However, at times, it has been linked to white nationalists. After critics dug up the photo, Hegseth’s tattoo was flagged as a possible “insider threat” (Townhall). Pete Hegseth: Amen JD Vance. Anti-Christian bigotry in the media on full display. They can target me — I don’t give a damn — but this type of targeting of Christians, conservatives, patriots and everyday Americans will stop on DAY ONE at DJT’s DoD (X). Media Lies: MSNBC panelist is now claiming that Pete Hegseth is a “known White Supremacist.” Even Newsweek reports they don’t have any evidence that “he is a white supremacist” (X).

Israel Eliminates Hezbollah’s Media Chief

New York Post: An Israeli strike in the heart of Beirut killed Hezbollah’s media relations chief on Sunday – the latest blow to the terror group as bombardments intensified in the Lebanese capital, officials say. Mohammad Afif, a former advisor to slain Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, was killed when an Israeli airstrike collapsed a building in the densely populated Ras al-Nabaa neighborhood, according to Lebanese security sources. Images of the aftermath show the upper floors of the building completely collapsed, with Ali Hijazi, the head of Lebanon’s Ba’ath Party, confirming that Afif was in the building when it was hit (New York Post). Vivid: The head of Hezbollah’s propaganda department, Mohammad Afif, was successfully eliminated by the Israeli Air Force. This is HUGE (X).

Obama’s HHS Secretary Claims RFK Jr. Could Kill People

Daily Wire: Kathleen Sebelius, who served as secretary of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department under former President Barack Obama, warned that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. taking on her old position could “end up killing people.” The alarming remark came during an MSNBC interview after President-elect Trump announced last week Kennedy as his pick to lead HHS during his second term. Sebelius cited Kennedy’s skeptical stance on vaccines, one which Kennedy has defended as not being outright anti-vaxx (Daily Wire). RCP Video: Former HHS Sec. Kathleen Sebelius: Robert Kennedy Nomination “Could End Up Killing People.” “We are talking about magnitudes of danger beyond erroneously making legal decisions. This is life or death. The HHS affects people from birth to their grave.” “It is totally disqualifying for anyone who seeks to lead the major health agency in this country… to unequivocally say there is no safe and effective vaccine” (X).

Biden Placed in Back Row in Photo of World Leaders While Chinese President Front-And-Center

Townhall: President Joe Biden once again humiliated the United States after being placed in the back row during a group photo at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference (APEC) Summit in Peru. This worst part? Chinese dictator Xi Jinping got a front-and-center spot. The 81-year-old lame-duck president awkwardly sat in the back row between the leaders of Thailand and Vietnam after arriving late to the photo-op. On the contrary, in 2017, then-President Donald Trump secured a front-row center spot for the APEC summit in Vietnam (Townhall). RNC Research: Biden made other world leaders wait more than five minutes to take the group photo at the APEC Summit in Peru — then stuck him in the back corner when he finally showed up. Xi Jinping was front and center (X).

New York Brings Back Controversial Congestion Toll Program

New York Post: The Issue: Gov. Hochul reviving the controversial congestion pricing program with a reduced fee of $9. As predicted, Gov. Hochul waited until right after the election to impose congestion pricing… Since 2019, the party line was that it would require a $15 toll for congestion pricing to raise $15 billion. This would help fund the MTA’s $54.8 billion 2020—2024 Five Year Capital Plan. Now five years later, Hochul claims that the same $15 billion can be raised with a $9 toll. She proudly boasts that this 40% reduction in the price will save commuters and taxpayers a significant amount of money. How do you justify the change in math five years later? No details were provided at Hochul’s press conference to explain this (New York Post). Tom Elliot: Kathy Hochul: “We’re saving you 40%” by starting to charge $9 to enter Manhattan instead of $15 as we originally planned; “this lower toll will save daily commuters nearly $1,500 annually” (X). It will not save New Yorkers anything. Current tolls are $0. They’re playing with language to deceive residents to give them more money.

10.

California Looks Into Increasing Property Insurance for Homeowners

Just the News: California homeowners may face noticeable insurance rate hikes under new rules finalized by state regulators that allow property insurers to use complex climate algorithms — what consumer advocates call secret “black box” models — to set prices… California’s property insurance rates are set by the state, which has led many property insurers such as State Farm and Allstate to stop accepting new customers or leave the state entirely. With payouts from wildfires and other disasters exceeding insurance premiums, insurers have no choice but to call it quits. At the same time, rising property insurance costs are pushing homeowners to other states, which S&P warned could cut into state tax revenue and cause downgrades to government credit. This leaves California regulators in a tough position — they can let insurers raise rates, which puts more pressure on Californians to leave, or they can refuse to raise rates and let insurers leave… The new regulations will allow insurers to use climate and catastrophe modeling to set much higher property insurance rates (Just the News).