Americans are sour on the state of the economy — and for good reason. Last year‚ they watched major companies shed more than 305‚000 jobs. That’s a nearly 200% increase in job losses over 2022. Nearly 70% of Americans believe the economy is getting worse. Nearly half of Americans think their standard of living is worse than their parents'. Why‚ then‚ is the federal bureaucracy expanding at the same time at taxpayers’ expense? With 90‚000 employees‚ the IRS was already massive. Now it plans to hire 20‚000 workers by the end of 2024. In the first eight months of 2023‚ the federal government hired 75‚000 new workers. The government “created” another 49‚000 jobs in November alone. This growth was driven primarily by America’s most-hated government agency: the IRS. Even the TSA and the Department of Education have much higher favorability ratings than the tax collectors. Yet in this time of great economic distress for many‚ our leaders still felt the urge to expand the size and scope of this agency. Congress passed the deceptively named Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 under the false notion that it would help ordinary Americans. All it really did was provide $80 billion for the IRS to go on a hiring spree for the next 10 years. With 90‚000 employees‚ the IRS was already massive. Now it plans to hire 20‚000 workers by the end of 2024. Traci DiMartini‚ a career bureaucrat who previously worked as the chief human capital officer at the Government Services Agency‚ is overseeing that effort. While Americans struggle to afford their groceries and worry about layoffs‚ DiMartini says it’s “an exciting time to be at the IRS.” Taxpayers can rejoice knowing she’s having so much fun on their dime! The IRS plans to weaponize taxpayer-funded government services and benefits to recruit new bureaucrats who will further micromanage our lives. Rather than using the private sector to find competent people to staff the agency‚ the IRS will rely on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management‚ the department squarely responsible for hiring legions of incompetent workers who almost never have to worry about being fired. The OPM also has a poor record on protecting sensitive information. Although the office fell victim to one of the largest government data breaches in history‚ government agencies like the IRS keep using it for hiring and human resources without batting an eye. They continue to do so even though private-sector companies are far more capable of completing the same HR tasks for the government (they’ve done so in the past). But the truth is that whether it’s the government or the private sector doing the hiring‚ the last thing Americans want or need is for their massively indebted government to grow bigger even as the private sector grows smaller. Americans don’t feel like they’re living in a time of prosperity. Many are looking for work and struggling to afford the basics. People want change. The time is now for conservatives in Congress on key oversight committees to stand up and say enough is enough. Let’s end this hiring party while we still can.

The Department of Justice has issued a grand jury subpoena to the House of Representatives‚ raising a number of questions about the nature of an investigation currently shrouded in mystery.Consistent with House rules‚ House Reading Clerk Susan Cole took the the House floor on Monday and read a letter from House Sergeant at Arms William McFarland informing the chamber of a DOJ subpoena. The clerk read:The Honorable‚ the Speaker‚ the House of Representatives. Sir‚ this is to notify you formally pursuant to Rule VIII of the rules of the House of Representatives that the Office of the Sergeant at Arms for the House of Representatives has been served with a grand jury subpoena for documents issued by the U.S. Department of Justice.After consulting with the Office of General Counsel‚ I have determined that compliance with the subpoena is consistent with the rights and privileges of the House.Signed‚ sincerely‚ William P. McFarland‚ Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives. — (@) What made the letter unusual is the glaring lack of detail contained in the letter‚ congressional reporter Jamie Dupree explained."When the Speaker is notified of a subpoena‚ the name of the court is always included‚" he wrote. "This one just says 'a grand jury subpoena for documents issued by the U.S. Department of Justice.' Who at DOJ is running a grand jury right now?" — (@) It is not exactly clear what the DOJ is investigating or who investigators are targeting. The DOJ declined to comment on the matter‚ ABC News reported.However‚ Punchbowl News reported on Tuesday that Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) is the focus of the investigation. Prosecutors are targeting her alleged "misspending of federal security money‚" Jake Sherman reported.For years‚ Bush has been scrutinized for her spending on security services and whether she unethically misused campaign funds to pay for security. It's not clear if that spending is the subject of the investigation or if alleged misuses of her Member Representational Allowance is under scrutiny. Bush declined to comment. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A Christian singer was recently accosted by a special constable in London for daring to sing gospel music "outside of church grounds." The Metropolitan Police Service‚ which may have emboldened the constable with a track record of arresting Christians engaged in silent prayer‚ has indicated it is now investigating the matter. Harmonie London is a 20-year-old gospel singer who performs around the English capital and routinely shares videos of pedestrians' reactions to her music on social media. On Sunday‚ she shared an entirely different sort of video‚ showing an MPS special constable clamping down on her melodic expression of faith. The video begins midway through a dispute over a performance on Oxford Street in London. "Religion you're allowed to do anywhere‚" London tells the constable‚ who has been identified by LBC News as volunteer officer Maya Hadzhipetkova. "No‚ miss‚ you're not allowed to sing church songs outside of church grounds‚ by the way‚" says Hadzhipetkova. Although a voluntary special constable‚ Hadzhipetkova nevertheless has the same powers as a real police officer. "You are‚ you are‚" replies the singer. "You're not allowed to sing church songs outside of church?" "Outside of churches or church grounds‚" said the constable. "Unless you're being authorized by the church to do this kind of song." "That's a load of rubbish. You're allowed‚" London insists. The video jumps ahead to London keeping pace with Hadzhipetkova as the constable attempts to walk away. "Are you saying that you don't care about the Human Rights Act?" asks London. "You're laughing?" Rather than answer‚ the special constable sticks her tongue out at London. See on Instagram The MPS confirmed that the incident took place in "Oxford Street‚ Westminster‚ over the weekend‚" and indicated police were "working to understand the context in which these comments were made." In a subsequent statement‚ London police noted both that they were reviewing over 40 minutes of relevant footage and that the bone of contention may have been a "specific by-law related to busking." The Daily Mail reported that Westminster City Council‚ which oversees the Oxford Street area‚ has a "light touch licensing scheme" in effect whereby buskers can perform in designated areas with a license. "The officer knows she could have handled this differently and is speaking to her manager‚" added Metropolitan Police. Harmonie London told the Daily Mail that she had been singing "Amazing Grace" when interrupted and had not received any complaints prior to her encounter with the constable. "[Hadzhipetkova] literally marched up to me‚ stood in front of me and said stop your music now. She literally laughed at my human rights‚" said London. "She wasn't interested. She acknowledged‚ she knew‚ and another officer acknowledged that you do have freedom of religion and to express yourself." "I sing gospel to glorify God. I'm just literally following the Bible‚ sharing the Good News. It's just an opportunity to witness to non-believers as well‚" continued London. "I don't approach people. I don't force people to listen. I sing and they can choose to listen — and if they don't‚ they can choose to move on. A big crowd formed‚ they were literally begging the police to leave me alone." London indicated the ordeal made her feel "very humiliated and small." Andrea Williams‚ chief executive of Christian Concern — a group that routinely defends the rights of Christians and the vulnerable — told the Mail‚ "One of my favorite things as I commute to work is to hear Harmonie's beautiful worship." "She blesses tens of thousands of people in the same way and brings harmony to the streets‚" said Williams. "We need more of this‚ not less. It is shocking that she has been treated like this." Claire Pearsall‚ a political strategist and former adviser to the British Home Office‚ told TalkTV‚ "Really should the police be going around telling people they can't sing‚ they can't pray‚ they can't think something? Why don't they go and deal with actual crime?" Former Conservative parliamentarian Ann Widdecombe told Premier's Inspirational Breakfast‚ "I think they should take very firm action against this individual‚ not least for sticking her tongue out‚ which was a gesture of contempt‚ not professional. And obviously‚ she doesn't really know the law‚ certainly doesn't appear to know the law." While the MPS indicated it is "working to understand the context in which these comments were made‚" Widdecombe indicated the damning video speaks for itself. "I would have thought it wasn't necessary for the police to understand the context‚" said the conservative politician. "They've got the video‚ they can see what she said now; is what she said right or not? And if it's wrong‚ then they should take action." "I think the point really being illustrated is some people have got a problem in this country with Christianity which they don't appear to have with other faiths‚" added Widdecombe. According to the Daily Mail‚ Hadzhipetkova moved from Bulgaria to Cyprus‚ then on to the United Kingdom‚ where she has since taken up jobs as a barista when not jet-setting around the world. She reportedly did not respond to the Mail's request for comment. In response to significant backlash online‚ the MPS wrote‚ "We're aware of significant social media commentary. Some of the comments are personal and hurtful. This is unacceptable." The MPS' effort to shame critics did not go over well. Various British commentators from across the political spectrum have since ridiculed the "unacceptable" claim. — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Time is of the essence with this deal‚ so we'll cut right to the chase. Over at Best Buy‚ the Asus ROG Ally is available with a sizable $100 discount‚ making the Steam Deck competitor all the more affordable. However‚ you'll need to get your order in quick to be in with a chance of benefitting from this saving. Continue reading Save $100 on Asus ROG Ally‚ but you’ll need to be fast MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ review‚ Asus ROG Raikiri review‚ Best gaming motherboard

Remember way back in May 2023 when Behaviour Interactive promised us we'd be getting Iron Maiden skins for Dead by Daylight and then expected us to just sit around and wait patiently for this to happen? Well the wait is almost over‚ and it looks like it was all worth it. Continue reading It’s been 8 months‚ but we’re finally getting DBD’s best collab MORE FROM PCGAMESN: DBD killer tier list‚ Best horror games‚ DBD codes

How do you even begin to improve a top tier game like Destiny 2? The answer is simple: you throw in Mass Effect armors for the ultimate cosmetic crossover. And the best part is‚ Bungie is making a load of this upcoming collaboration absolutely free. Continue reading Destiny 2 gets huge new collab‚ and some of it is free

Raising the issue now‚ after the fact and with a woefully inadequate factual basis‚ is political exhibitionism‚ not legal argument.

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