
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem is tawdry and blowzy,
She treats her cabinet post less like a job and more like a hobby.
She likes to play dress-up
In all manner of getups,
Which has earned her the apt and fitting nickname, “ICE Barbie.”
Poetic Justice
Buck Banks | Jan. 29, 2026
Some say it’s totally lacking in plot, action or drama,
Others say it’s a sure-fire cure for chronic insomnia.
Its director’s a cad,
And Donald will be mad,
When no one pays to see his wife’s fake movie, “Melania.“
Verbatim
“Whether you liked Ms. Harris or not, this last election was a choice, a very simple one. You had the choice between the Constitution and the criminal. And this country chose the criminal. You put a criminal at the top of America. A convicted felon.”
— Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura (I), on a podcast.
“You can kiss the midterms goodbye.”
— Former Trump Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, on NewsNation, after President Trump shared a racist post of the Obamas.
“I did this to go on offense. And to put them in a position where they’re tap dancing. To put them in a position where they have to own their choices of using a U.S. attorney’s office to come after a senator.”
— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) is refusing to voluntarily comply with a Justice Department investigation into a video she organized urging U.S. military members to resist “illegal orders” — escalating a dispute that President Trump has publicly pushed, the AP reports.
Numerati
37 points
Chasity Verret Martinez (D) won Saturday’s special election for Louisiana State House District 60, defeating Brad Daigle (R), 62% to 38%, the Baton Rouge Advocate reports. The Downballot reports it was “a massive 37-point overperformance compared to the 2024 presidential result.”
Comment »
108,435
Employers laid off 108,435 people last month, the highest January number since 2009, according to a new report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas. At the same time, hiring intentions haven’t been lower since then.
Comment »
65%
A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds 65% of Americans said Immigration and Customs Enforcement has “gone too far.” President Trump’s overall approval rating remains low at 39%, with 56% disapproving, and a whopping 51% strongly disapproving. That’s the highest Marist has seen in its polling since it started asking how strongly respondents approve or disapprove of presidents dating back to 2017.
Comment »
37%
A new Quinnipiac poll finds just 37% of voters approve of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president, while 56% disapprove. On Trump’s handling of the economy, just 39% of voters approve, while 56% disapprove. On Trump’s handling of immigration issues, just 38% of voters approve, while 59% disapprove.
Comment »
$5.24 billion
Federal lobbying spending hit $5.24 billion in 2025, reaching the highest level ever recorded by a wide margin, Legistorm reports. This was a $768 million increase from 2024 and the largest year-over-year jump on record.
Comment »


