Gore’s Current TV launches: Al Gore’s Current TV launched today – programming will be in “pods,” roughly two to seven minutes long, covering topics like jobs, technology, spirituality and current events. An internet-like on-screen progress bar will show the pod’s length.
Novak whines: Rightwing propagandist Bob Novak has been mum on his role in revealing the identity of secret agent for the better part of two years. Now one of sources at the CIA has said he warned Novak not to publish Valerie Plame’s name. Novak says the CIA guy didn’t warn him enough.
Yet more dirt on Dukester: Did scandal-prone GOP Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham and his cronies create a shell company that was awarded an IRS contract – and then pocket most of the contract’s $3.5 mil?
The peninsula’s known for its palm trees and isles,
And sun-kissed sandy beaches that go on for miles.
But when the polar vortex hits Florida
You’ve got to beware of iguanas,
‘Cause when the temperature drops, it starts raining reptiles.
“Today an oligarchy is taking shape in America — of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, a fair shot for everyone to get ahead.”
— President Biden warned Americans of a “dangerous concentration of power” in the hands of a “very few ultra-wealthy people” and the impact he feared it would have on the country’s democracy as he delivered a farewell address Wednesday from the Oval Office, Bloomberg reports.
“Even though he will take office in just a few days, we have almost no idea. … That’s not because the Trump team is keeping its plans closely held, nor is it because there are major factional fights. All the evidence suggests, instead, that Trump’s economic team still doesn’t have any plans, or even concepts […]
“How many senators have showed up drunk to vote at night? Have any of you guys asked them to step down and resign from their jobs? And don’t tell me you haven’t seen it, because I know you have.”
— Sen. Markwayne Mullen (R-OK), quoted by the Daily Beast, defending Secretary of Defense-designate Pete Hegseth.
“Senate Democrats are warning that the Laken Riley Act is unworkable in its current form, requiring tens of billions in new spending and enforcement resources that are ‘not feasible’ to detain undocumented immigrants accused of theft,” Semafor reports.
A recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that about 4 in 10 Democrats said it’s “not very likely” or “not at all likely” that a woman will be elected to the nation’s highest office in their lifetime. That’s compared with about one-quarter of Republicans who feel the same.
“Illegal crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border have slowed significantly as President Biden prepares to leave office and as President-elect Donald Trump, who promised to crack down on immigration, is days away from retaking power,” the New York Times reports. “More than 46,000 people crossed the border illegally in November, the lowest number during the Biden administration.”
“Job growth was much stronger than expected in December, possibly providing the Federal Reserve less incentive to cut interest rates this year,” CNBC reports. “Nonfarm payrolls surged by 256,000 for the month, up from 212,000 in November and above the 155,000 forecast from the Dow Jones consensus.”