NEW: Trump to End Biden's Student-Loan Quasi-Forgiveness Dodge

When something is this far outside the bounds of anything we’ve seen before, explanations are unlikely to come quickly, but a few pieces of the puzzle have emerged.

Recently, in The Wall Street Journal, Neera Tanden, CEO of the Center for American Progress, a major foghorn in our nation’s capital for America’s left, explained “Why Democrats Won the Shutdown.” The most accurate declaration in the article is “fights tell the country a lot about what -- and who -- the fighters care about.” And, indeed, there should be no question what the Democratic Party is about. That is -- to miss no opportunity to accumulate political power by fostering, as widely and as deeply as possible, a culture of government dependence in America. And to pay the bill for this by bankrupting our country. “Affordability” is the political buzzword du jour now. And, indeed, no one wants higher prices. But the way to lower prices is greater efficiency in businesses delivering the products and services we care about. The government’s role in this is to remove, to the greatest extent possible, unnecessary regulations and taxes. However, for those who love political power, the way to lower prices -- to “affordability” -- is subsidies. Shield those whom you want to depend on you from the true costs of what they are consuming. And, indeed, this is the way of Obamacare. Shield the true cost of health care by sending the subsidy funds to the insurance companies to keep premiums to the consumer artificially low. Per the Paragon Health Institute, “in 2023, federal subsidies through the ACA Medicaid expansion and the exchanges, which almost all flowed to insurers, totaled $218 billion.” Not surprisingly, as Paragon reports, since 2010, when Obamacare was enacted, a weighted average of stocks of health insurance companies is up 1,032 % (through the end of 2023) compared to 251% in the overall market, measured by the S&P 500. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the federal government went to your local grocer and said they would pay for all his stock if he gave it all away free to all his customers? How can things get more affordable than this? The next question is: How can we pay for this plan Democrats have for making things more affordable? Unfortunately, here we have even more subterfuge to shield Americans from reality. Or, in the words of former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher,” the problem with socialism is eventually you run out of other people’s money. “ There are two ways the federal government can get its hands on more money. Tax us. Or, not tax us now and borrow the money on global credit markets, basically putting us all on the hook without us knowing about it. That is, commit to higher taxes in the future. Our federal government has been running a fiscal deficit every year since 2001. Expenditures are greater than income. The only way to get more tax revenue without raising taxes is adequate growth in the economy so that, with the same tax structure, people have higher incomes and pay more taxes. The other way is to raise taxes. We’re not growing fast enough to generate enough new tax revenue without raising taxes. And this stunted growth is just another symptom of the same problem: more government larding down our country and slowing things down. And raising taxes is not popular. Raising taxes means that taxpayers become aware that they are paying for political ruses such as Obamacare subsidies. And of course, Democrats have no interest in cutting spending. The result is that in 2001, the last year we had a fiscal surplus, federal debt as percent of GDP was 30%. Now, per the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, it’s 95%. Projections from the Congressional Budget Office show our debt burden will continue to grow to unimaginable levels. Step one to solving the problem is being honest and realistic that we have a problem. And this is the last thing that Democrats want. Star Parker is founder of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education. Her recent book, “What Is the CURE for America?” is available now. To find out more about Star Parker and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

With the deadline to extend Obamacare subsidies fast approaching, Republican lawmakers are leading the charge. Former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act has been the focal point of health care discussions on Capitol Hill as ACA subsidies are expected to expire at the end of the year. These are the same subsidies Senate Democrats cited as the basis of their record-breaking shutdown. The Republicans' legislation blocks funds for 'gender transition procedures' and abortions.In response, several Republicans introduced their own legislation, including the Health Care Freedom for Patients Act penned by Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Mike Crapo of Idaho. With just weeks until these subsidies lapse, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (S.D.) will hold a vote on that key legislation on Thursday. RELATED: Senate Democrats insist the shutdown was 'definitely' worth it despite fully surrendering to Republicans Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty ImagesThe Crapo-Cassidy bill would allow the Obama-era subsidies to lapse, instead boosting funds for health savings accounts. Eligible adults under the age of 50 would receive $1,000 deposited into their HSA while those between the ages 50 and 64 would get $1,500. It would also fund cost-sharing reduction payments and provide eligible Americans the option to purchase "bronze" or "catastrophic" health care plans. Notably the Republicans' legislation blocks funds for "gender transition procedures" and abortions. Although Republicans are expected to vote for the legislation, it is unlikely to pass due to the 60-vote filibuster threshold. Assuming all 53 Republicans vote in favor of the bill, at least seven Democrats would have to cross the aisle for the legislation to pass the Senate. RELATED: Democrat senator makes stunning admission about Obamacare failures Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesOther Republicans, like Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, are also introducing alternative health care bills. Scott introduced his More Affordable Care Act alongside Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger (Texas), who spearheaded the companion bill in the House. Scott and Pfluger's bill would create Trump Health Freedom Accounts, redirecting federal subsidies traditionally sent to insurance companies to these HSA-style accounts held by individual Americans. The bill would also establish a Health Freedom Waiver Program, allowing states to broaden their health plans and expand competition to offer fairer prices. At this time, there is no vote scheduled for Scott's legislation. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

On Friday, December 5, podcaster Tim Pool reported that an unknown vehicle approached his recording studio in remote West Virginia and fired several shots into the complex. — (@) According to his testimony, which has yet to be confirmed by law enforcement, no one was injured, and the security team handled the situation.John Doyle, BlazeTV host of “The John Doyle Show,” was deeply disturbed when he heard this news. If Pool, who is "one of these disaffected Occupy Wall Street liberals who saw that the left went too far,” is being targeted, what does that mean for actual conservatives? Although he still identifies as center-left, Pool mostly interviews people who have been branded right-wing figures. But just having open conversations has put a giant red target on his back. Friday wasn’t even the first time Pool has been the victim of political targeting. In fact, he relocated his studio back in 2022 after a series of swatting incidents as well as doxxing and death threats made recording unsafe.The raw truth, says Doyle, is that the people targeting Tim Pool don’t care that he’s a moderate; they don’t care that he’s just engaging in dialogue. The fact that he deviates from their radical left-wing agenda justifies violence in their eyes. Far right, center right, center left — it all needs to be exterminated.Even so, many continue to argue that discourse is the answer and that "eventually, we can sort of talk our way out of this whole situation and cooler heads can prevail."“I, unfortunately, am not so optimistic these days,” says Doyle.“I have a very sort of, like, Boomer-vindicated position, which is that I don't think that the ‘innocent Democrat’ is even something that we can conceive,” says Doyle.He acknowledges that “unity is very popular,” but “calling for unity is something you do when there's sort of, like, an equal playing field.”But “you actually can't call for unity if you're the one who's on the back foot, if you are the one with little to no representation, if you are the one who's being attacked and killed,” Doyle counters.While he’s not calling for more division, he is urging accountability — not for the moderates, even though they’re enablers — but for the people who spawn and spread these radical ideologies that say it’s okay to celebrate assassinations and attack people like Tim Pool.“Those are the people I'm talking about. I want no unity with those people.”To hear more, watch the episode above.Want more from John Doyle?To enjoy more of the truth about America and join the fight to restore a country that has been betrayed by its own leaders, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

A middle school teacher in Utah faces 22 criminal charges stemming from accusations that she sexually abused a young student, according to authorities. The alleged victim revealed the moment he realized he was at the "point of no return" regarding his reported relationship with the seventh-grade teacher.Alisha Marie George, 40, is charged with attempted rape and four counts of forcible sodomy, first-degree felonies; 12 counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; distributing pornographic material, a third-degree felony; and four counts of unlawful kissing of a child, a class A misdemeanor, KSL-TV reported.'[The boy] reported that he viewed George as a "mother figure" who was "always there for him."'Citing court documents, KSL reported that the alleged victim told investigators he met George when he was 12 years old and in the seventh grade. At the time of her arrest late last month, George taught an honors language arts class at Hawthorn Academy in West Jordan, KSL added.The court docs say the boy told police he had developed a "tight relationship" with George the following year when "he was struggling in his home life, and George offered to keep an eye on him.""[The boy] reported that he viewed George as a 'mother figure' who was 'always there for him,'" according to court documents, which added that prosecutors claim George "used her position of trust to prey upon and groom a middle school child.""The victim recounted that he was struggling when the defendant offered to help him, offering to drive him to and from school and assist in taking care of him when his mother was bedridden," prosecutors said, according to court docs.Prosecutors stated, "[She] used this as an opportunity to engage in sexual acts with [the boy] from December 2023 through July 2024." The alleged abuse began when the victim was 13 years old, KTVX-TV reported, citing charging documents.Citing charging documents, the New York Post reported that the teacher "made out" with the student during Christmas break that year, after driving him home from a trip to the movie theater with other teachers and students.The student, now 15, informed investigators that George told him "not to tell anyone," which the boy then "realized he was 'at the point of no return,'" according to court documents.The court documents say, "[The boy] expressed that he felt like he and George were ‘in a relationship’ and said that if he spoke with other females at school, George would become angry with him.”Charging documents say the teacher and student had their last sexual encounter in July 2024 in George's car.On his birthday later that year, George reached out to the student, but he reportedly told her not to message him again and blocked her on social media, court documents note.The alleged victim told police that his first sexual experience was with his teacher, according to court documents.The alleged victim described George as a "monster" because "at a time in his life when he needed someone the most, [she] stepped up but took advantage of him," court docs say.RELATED: Ex-teacher's aide at Christian school assaulted boy, sent nudes to him and friends, got 'flirty' when he was 12: Court docs After the teacher's arrest on Nov. 25, "multiple students reported to the police department that they, too, had been groomed by [George] or observed the inappropriate behavior that [she] engaged in with students," investigators said, according to the court documents.Law enforcement noted that George could face more charges if additional victims are discovered.George is being held at the Salt Lake County Jail without bail, according to jail records.A spokesperson for Hawthorn Academy told Blaze News that George has been placed on administrative leave, and her access to school buildings and systems has been revoked. The spokesperson added to Blaze News that the kindergarten-to-ninth-grade school is fully cooperating with law enforcement and that its highest priority "continues to be the safety and well-being of our students."It appears that all references to George have been scrubbed from the school's official website.However, an archived school website biography of George from 2021 reads: "I am Mrs. George. This is my 13th year of teaching AND at Hawthorn. I have been here since the school was built and love being an EAGLE!"According to the deleted bio, George taught seventh-grade language arts and was the adviser for the student government and peer leadership class.The bio states: "I have been married for 14 years to my amazing husband, Jeremy, and we have two precious little girls."George said that teaching is her passion and something she has wanted to do since she was a "little girl."The biography concludes: "I love to watch kids learn, and middle school is the best!"The West Jordan Police Department did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up!

The LP, featuring a new band of distinguished players, breathes fresh life into a collection of century-old music. The post Robert Plant Sets 2026 Tour to Support Mighty Fine ‘Saving Grace’ Album appeared first on Best Classic Bands.

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