The Real Scandal of Our Media Tycoons  —  Quote of the year so far, from Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago yesterday: “In the first term, everyone was fighting me.  This time, everybody wants to be my friend.”  —  Amazing how many friends you can make with just a few well-chosen threats of vengeance against your remaining enemies!

Congress strikes deal on $100B in disaster aid and punting funding into March, House GOP leaders say  —  Congressional leaders have struck a bipartisan deal to push the government funding deadline to March 14 and deliver more than $100 billion in emergency aid for disaster relief …

Scoop: Top editors stiff the Washington Post … - One person involved in the search told us Lewis' pitch was foggy and uninspiring. … Other candidates include current interim executive editor Matt Murray.  But it's hard to imagine this monthslong process unfolding so publicly — only to end with the same guy in charge.

A bomb killed a Russian general in Moscow.  A Ukrainian official says secret service was behind it  —  Live from Moscow after an explosive device planted close to a residential apartment block killed the head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defence Forces, Lt. General Igor Kirillov, Russia's Investigative Committee said.

After Trump's Victory, Republicans Trust the Election System Again  —  Surveys taken since Donald Trump's win show a resurgent faith among the president-elect's supporters, and little Democratic appetite for conspiracy theories.  —  Americans are more confident in the country's election system …

Tragedy in Wisconsin  —  A teacher and student were killed by a 15-year old girl in the latest school shooting to rock the nation.  Bitcoin has hit a new high after Trump's plan to create a U.S. bitcoin strategic reserve stoked enthusiasm.  What are the odds of seeing a white Christmas?

Americans Pass Judgment on Their Courts  —  Sharp decline in confidence in judiciary is among the largest Gallup has ever measured  —  LONDON — Americans' confidence in their nation's judicial system and courts dropped to a record-low 35% in 2024.  —  The result further sets the U.S. apart …

Masayoshi Son and the Art of the Fake Deal  —  The investment Trump is touting is fake on multiple levels  —  Just a quick note about the latest fake news, economic policy edition.  (I have a doctor's appointment, and probably won't get my planned post, about health care, out until the middle of the day.)

AOC defeated by Connolly in battle for Oversight role … - Ocasio-Cortez, one of House Democrats' most high-profile members, also lost a vote of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee on Monday. … - He had the backing of several veteran lawmakers, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Trump's Time interview provides a sobering reminder  —  He's staggeringly unfit.  Always has been.  Always will be. … 📰  —  In conjunction with naming him “Person of the Year,” Time Magazine last week published a lengthy interview with Donald Trump.

KFile: Pete Hegseth spread baseless conspiracy theories that January 6 attack was carried out by leftist groups  —  President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, justified the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack and spread baseless conspiracy theories claiming …

A low, low point for ABC News  —  The real story of inflation  —  Covid-era stimulus didn't cause higher prices.  It was the pandemic itself.  —  Ian Birrell  —  Argentina's much-mocked Javier Milei just might get the last laugh  —  Washington Post Opinions  —  Assad is gone.

The Battle Against Trump 2.0 Begins in the States  —  Democratic governors are talking a tough game against the incoming administration — and activists are determined to hold them to their promises  —  D … Or, at least, the microphones.  —  In the days following the 2024 election …

Former Harris campaign official: ‘No value’ in speaking to mainstream newspapers  —  A former top aide to Vice President Harris's presidential campaign says her team found little to gain from granting interviews to mainstream media organizations.  —  “There's just no value …

Freed prisoner who said he was a victim of the Assad regime was an intelligence officer, locals say  —  A man who was filmed by CNN being released by rebels from a Damascus jail was a former intelligence officer with the deposed Syrian regime, according to local residents …

Drugmakers Paid PBMs Not to Restrict Opioid Prescriptions … In 2017, the drug industry middleman Express Scripts announced that it was taking decisive steps to curb abuse of the prescription painkillers that had fueled America's overdose crisis.  The company said it was …

Donald Trump makes Christmas shopping easy!  —  Christmas is our favorite holiday, full of good times and good cheer.  But we all know the weeks before Christmas can also be a royal pain in the butt: figuring out what to buy for whom, and then braving crowded stores to buy gifts or ordering …

Biden calls for ban on congressional stock trading  —  President Joe Biden endorsed a ban on congressional stock trading in an interview that's being released this week, belatedly weighing in on an issue that has been debated on Capitol Hill for years.  “Nobody in the Congress should be able …

Federal Trade Commission Announces Bipartisan Rule Banning Junk Ticket and Hotel Fees  —  Rule targets bait-and-switch pricing for live-event tickets and short-term lodging  —  The Federal Trade Commission today announced a final Junk Fees Rule to prohibit bait-and-switch pricing …

Craig wins seat to lead Dems on House Agriculture Committee  —  House Democrats voted Tuesday to make Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) their top member on the House Agriculture Committee, choosing a junior member of the powerful panel over a more veteran lawmaker who was also vying for the seat.

The Crumbling Foundation of America's Military  —  I. Supply and Demand  —  Here, in the third decade of the 21st century, the most sought-after ammunition in the U.S. arsenal reaches the vital stage of its manufacture—the process tended by a young woman on a metal platform on the second story …

Retail sales rose at healthy pace last month in latest sign of US economy's health  —  Consumers stepped up their spending at retail stores last month, providing a boost to the economy in the early phases of the winter holiday shopping season.  Retail sales rose 0.7% in November …