The Morning Sixpack - December 19, 2024
Trump and Musk Gamble with a Shutdown: Is Political Chaos Their Real Agenda?
Trump and Musk Demand Shutdown Over Stopgap Bill, Chaos Erupts in Congress
In a fiery clash over government funding, President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance have called for a federal government shutdown rather than supporting a stopgap funding bill proposed by Republican House leaders. The bill, designed to maintain current funding levels through March 2025, drew harsh criticism from Trump allies and billionaire Elon Musk, who has become an influential voice in GOP politics. Musk labeled the bill "horrible" and threatened to fund primary challengers against any Republicans backing it, while Trump accused Democrats of leveraging the bill for political gain.
“Republicans want to support our farmers, pay for disaster relief, and set our country up for success in 2025. The only way to do that is with a temporary funding bill WITHOUT DEMOCRAT GIVEAWAYS combined with an increase in the debt ceiling,” read a statement from Trump and Vance, urging GOP lawmakers to “call their bluff” if Democrats resist. The White House swiftly condemned the move, with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre warning that a shutdown would harm millions of Americans, including veterans, Social Security recipients, and disaster-stricken communities. “A deal is a deal. Republicans should keep their word,” she stated.
The escalating tensions have left Congress in disarray just days before a funding deadline, with Musk’s social media tirades fueling GOP resistance. The Tesla CEO, whom Trump has tapped to lead a proposed Department of Government Efficiency, dismissed shutdown concerns, tweeting, “Shutting down the government (which doesn’t actually shut down critical functions, btw) is infinitely better than passing a horrible bill.” With the government set to run out of money and the Senate poised to shift to Republican control in January, the standoff underscores deep divisions within the GOP and sets the stage for a tumultuous transition of power.
Source: The Independent
What Trump really wants out of this is the debt ceiling to be raised—under Biden’s watch, not his.
Trump is responsible for running up more debt in 4 years than any US President ($7.1 TRILLION)—ever. He hates that, especially since he said he’d “eliminate the debt.”
U.S. Transfers Guantanamo Detainees Amid Calls to End Indefinite Detention
The U.S. has repatriated three detainees from Guantanamo Bay, marking significant moves in the ongoing effort to reduce the prison's population. Among them was a Kenyan man, Mohammed Abdul Malik Bajabu, held for 17 years without charge, and two Malaysians, Mohammed Farik bin Amin and Mohammed Nazir bin Lep, who were transferred to their home country after pleading guilty to charges related to the 2002 Bali bombings. This leaves 15 other detainees awaiting release and raises renewed calls from rights groups to end indefinite detention without charge.
The two Malaysian detainees, who admitted to working with alleged Bali bombing mastermind Encep Nurjaman (known as Hambali), provided critical testimony in exchange for their transfer. They are now set to undergo a rehabilitation program in Malaysia. Meanwhile, Bajabu’s release underscores the contentious issue of detaining individuals for years without trial, with Amnesty International urging President Biden to take decisive action before leaving office. “He will continue to bear responsibility for the abhorrent practice of indefinite detention without charge or trial by the U.S. government,” the rights group stated.
While the U.S. seeks to close the chapter on Guantanamo, logistical and legal challenges persist. Of the 27 men still held, only two are serving sentences, and ongoing prosecutions face delays due to the detainees’ treatment during CIA custody. Australian victims and survivors of the Bali attacks voiced concerns about the releases, emphasizing the perpetrators’ lack of remorse. At its peak, Guantanamo housed hundreds of detainees as part of the U.S. military's post-9/11 "war on terror," but its legacy remains a global flashpoint for human rights debates.
Source: Associated Press
Speaking of prisons…
U.S. Government Pays $116M to Settle Sexual Abuse Lawsuits at California Prison Dubbed the “Rape Club”
The U.S. government has agreed to pay nearly $116 million to settle lawsuits from over 100 women who endured rampant sexual abuse and mistreatment at the now-shuttered Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Dublin, California. Once notorious for a culture of abuse and cover-ups, the prison was described by plaintiffs as a "rape club," where staff preyed on inmates with impunity. Each plaintiff will receive an average of $1.1 million under the settlements finalized Tuesday, marking a significant moment of reckoning for the Bureau of Prisons.
"We were sentenced to prison, we were not sentenced to be assaulted and abused,” said Aimee Chavira, a former inmate and lawsuit plaintiff. She added, “Money will not repair the harm that BOP did to us, or free survivors who continue to suffer in prison, or bring back survivors who were deported and separated from their families.” The lawsuits allege that FCI Dublin’s pervasive culture of sexual misconduct was ignored by officials, leading to years of unchecked abuse. Notable perpetrators included former warden Ray Garcia, who is serving a prison sentence for sexually abusing inmates.
This settlement coincides with broader reforms mandated by a separate class-action agreement, which includes court-appointed monitoring and a public acknowledgment of the abuse. The Bureau of Prisons has committed to making systemic changes to prevent similar atrocities in the future. Advocates call the settlements a wake-up call for policymakers to address widespread abuse across federal prisons. Deborah Golden, an attorney for the plaintiffs, described the trauma inflicted at FCI Dublin as “a searing indictment of our entire prison system’s failure to confront its longstanding abuse crisis.”
Source: Associated Press
I used to live one city over from Dublin, CA. Those prisons and jails are pretty well known for being crappy institutions. They are well hidden (in plain sight) and I didn’t even know a women’s federal prison was there!
US Supreme Court to Hear TikTok's Challenge Against Looming Ban
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear TikTok's urgent appeal to prevent a nationwide ban or forced sale of its U.S. operations. The popular social media app faces potential prohibition due to alleged links to the Chinese government—claims that TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, have consistently denied. The justices will hear arguments on January 10, just nine days before the ban is scheduled to take effect.
TikTok contends that the ban is unconstitutional, arguing it would infringe on the free speech rights of its millions of American users. "We believe the Court will find the TikTok ban unconstitutional so the over 170 million Americans on our platform can continue to exercise their free speech rights," a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement to the BBC. The case sets the stage for a significant clash between national security concerns and First Amendment rights, with legal experts noting the Supreme Court rarely takes on such petitions.
Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump's recent victory may offer TikTok a potential lifeline. Trump, who has publicly opposed the ban despite supporting one during his first term, met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago estate. "I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok, because I won youth by 34 points," Trump claimed at a press conference—though data suggests a majority of young voters backed his opponent, Kamala Harris. However, Trump won't take office until January 20, one day after the ban's deadline, leaving TikTok's fate uncertain.
Source: BBC News
You can bet your ass this TikTok ban is the SOLE reason that Mark Zuckerberg is sucking up to Trump at Mar a Lago and giving him $1 million for his inauguration slush.
Well, that, and Zuck the Suck not wanting to go to prison, which Trump has suggested in the past.
Dow Suffers Historic 10-Day Losing Streak Amid Fed’s Cautious Rate Outlook
The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted 1,123 points on Wednesday, marking its worst single-day drop since August and cementing its first 10-day losing streak since 1974. The index closed at 42,326.87, a 2.58% drop, as investor sentiment soured following the Federal Reserve’s less aggressive rate-cut forecast for 2025. The broader market also felt the pain, with the S&P 500 shedding 2.95% and the Nasdaq Composite down 3.56%.
The Federal Reserve announced a quarter-point rate cut, bringing its target range to 4.25%-4.5%. However, it tempered expectations for 2025 by projecting only two additional rate cuts instead of the four previously anticipated. Fed Chair Jerome Powell justified the cautious approach, stating, “Our recent rate cuts allow us to be more cautious as we consider more adjustments to our policy rate.” This less aggressive stance, coupled with a spike in Treasury yields—crossing 4.50% for the 10-year note—put further pressure on equities.
Market hopes for a bull run fueled by deeper rate cuts were dashed, leading to intensified losses by the close of trading. The Dow’s historic slide, coupled with broader market declines, underscores the fragile investor sentiment as the year-end approaches. Analysts warn of continued volatility ahead, particularly if economic data fails to support the Fed’s cautious optimism.
Source: CNBC
Is this the beginning of the end of one of the greatest US stock market runs in history? My best is yes.
Trump’s tariffs are scaring the bejesus out of CEO’s all over the nation. Business people HATE uncertainty and change, even though they all profess to be “risk takers” and “change agents.”
No. They ARE those things when THEY are the ones choosing the risks they take and making the changes they want to make. When those things are foisted on them, they freeze just like any other human.
In business, paralysis is death.
Pelicot Mass Rape Trial Ends with Guilty Verdicts, But Justice Remains Elusive
A landmark trial in France concluded with 51 men, including Dominique Pelicot, found guilty of raping or sexually assaulting Gisèle Pelicot, Dominique’s former wife, over a decade-long period. Dubbed one of the worst sex offense cases in modern French history, the trial exposed systemic misogyny and inadequate legal responses to gender-based violence. Dominique, the orchestrator of the abuse, received the maximum sentence of 20 years for aggravated rape, while others faced shorter sentences, sparking outrage among advocates and the public.
Gisèle, who bravely waived her anonymity to make the trial public, faced her abusers in court, shedding light on the atrocities she endured. "I think of all the unknown victims of stories which often unfold in the shadows. I want you to know we share the same fight," she said after the verdict. Evidence revealed that Dominique recruited men through online platforms, drugging Gisèle and orchestrating the attacks while documenting the crimes on video. The case only came to light after Dominique's arrest in 2020 for unrelated offenses.
Despite the convictions, activists and victims’ advocates criticized the lenient sentences for many perpetrators, calling them an insult to the survivors and indicative of France's flawed justice system. Olympe Desanges, a women’s rights campaigner, expressed her disappointment: “As a woman and as a feminist, I feel disappointed and humiliated by these verdicts.” With only 1 to 4 percent of reported rape cases in France resulting in convictions, the trial underscores the urgent need for reform to protect and support victims of sexual violence.
Source: CNN
What in the actual fuck? This dude drugged his wife and then filmed other men raping her (he raped her, too, obvs.) and he only got 20 years?
What has gone wrong in France? Guillotine shortage? It must be the post-COVID supply chain issues…