Progressive search for action

11+ min ago (394+ words) The White House celebrated a unanimous vote to rename the Kennedy Center, one of the country's most important cultural institutions. But Congresswoman Joyce Beatty exposed the lie. Apparently, the vote only looked unanimous because dissent never made it past the mute button. According to Leavitt, the decision was made unanimously by a board of "highly respected" figures impressed by Trump. But the narrative collapsed within hours. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center board, publicly contradicted Leavitt's claim. She called the process "censorship," revealing how anyone opposing the decision was "muted." I have just been informed that the highly respected Board of the Kennedy Center, some of the most successful people from all parts of the world, have just voted unanimously to rename the Kennedy Center to the Trump-Kennedy Center, because of the unbelievable work President…...

17+ min ago (165+ words) At the center of the dispute is a policy that the National Association of Immigration Judges describes as barring its members "from speaking in their personal capacities about immigration and about the agency that employs them." The NAIJ went to federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, to challenge the policy on behalf of their members, arguing that it violates the First Amendment. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema threw out the group's case, holding that under the Civil Service Reform Act the NAIJ was required to pursue its claims through the administrative process. Sauer urged the court to issue an administrative stay " a temporary order that would pause the 4th Circuit order to give the justices time to consider the Trump administration's request. Chief Justice John Roberts, who handles emergency appeals from the 4th Circuit, granted that request on the same day that the government…...

19+ min ago (510+ words) After proudly branding itself "independent" on its own website, the FCC just tripped over semantics at this week's oversight hearing. Under pressure from Sen. Luj'n, Chairman Brendan Carr admitted that the commission works on Trump's orders, not for the public. For years, the Federal Communications Commission has marketed itself as an "independent U.S. government agency." The phrase was displayed prominently on its own website and repeated often enough to sound like a settled fact. But on Thursday, during a Senate Oversight hearing, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr quietly embarrassingly blew that claim up. When Senator Ben Ray Luj'n asked Carr whether the FCC is an independent agency, Carr tried to sidestep it. He invoked "tests in the law" and legal frameworks instead of answering with a yes or no. But Luj'n cut him off. "Yes or no, Brendan?" But Carr stalled again....

20+ min ago (494+ words) Karoline Leavitt wants you to believe inflation is "down to 2.5%," groceries are fine, gas is cheap, and Trump is "digging our country out of the economic hole." So, why can't you afford anything? Because CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins is "pushing narratives." During Thursday's White House press briefing, CNN's Kaitlan Collins asked a painfully normal question to Press Secretary Leavitt. If the economy is booming, why is Trump telling parents to ration Christmas gifts like it's a wartime commodity? Reportedly, just two weeks before Christmas, Trump told Americans to only buy two or three dolls for their children. Leavitt's answer wasn't the obvious, "because prices are up." It was a sermon. She turned it into a "Buy American, pay a dollar or two more, get better quality" lecture. And then, she tried to end the conversation with a statistic-shaped mic drop:…...

20+ min ago (566+ words) To justify and normalize this fascist conversion of courthouses from places of impartial justice into traps where non-citizens can be picked off more easily, ICE claims that courthouse arrests are safest for everyone, because civilians are all screened for weapons before they enter. Only after Flores-Ruiz left the courthouse did the ICE goons move to arrest him; he ran, and after a short chase they grabbed him. Somehow, the jury agreed that, without actually interfering with the ICE team, and despite the fact that the thugs chose not to grab him in the hallway or anywhere else, Dugan had nonetheless "obstructed" his arrest. What a nutty world! "Did anyone tell you to go downstairs?" Biskupic asked. Before Flores-Ruiz's arrest, de la Rosa said she wasn't aware that there was a stairwell. She was new to the public defender's office, and…...

20+ min ago (288+ words) President Donald Trump lost at the U.S. Supreme Court in a case that was hidden on the emergency docket. (also known as the "shadow docket")Politico's Josh Gerstein posted on X that the justices turned down a request to immediately stop free-speech lawsuits by fired immigration judges. The issue came up when Trump began firing immigration court judges. It would give Trump an opportunity to install his own "judges" who might fast-track deportations. Many of the firings are from liberal areas, Bloomberg reported. The disputes went to the court and the administration argued that the cases should go before the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board. The "shadow docket" is when the justices decide to fast-track a decision without having any public arguments or legal briefings. It's so named because there's no transparency in the process. Justices have begun using it more frequently…...

23+ min ago (446+ words) With the holidays approaching, people are searching for the perfect gift for their loved ones. For some, gift cards can be a great present. If you browse the gift card rack carefully, you may find a few that offer multiple options. Although they may appear to be a win-win for everyone, one server issued a public service announcement warning that they could create more problems. "Hey, quick PSA from a server. When you're gonna buy a gift card for your family member, and you're like, "I'm gonna get one of those gift cards that's got 20 different things on it," Knoxville-based server Sav Pierce (@savkaypierce) tells over 109,000 viewers, unveiling a $25 One4All Ultimate gift card. "Please don't." Then, she explains her reason for this." "Because they bring this gift card into the restuarant, and there's five steps they need to take in order…...

24+ min ago (237+ words) On Monday night, the stars were out to celebrate the release of Mediaite's Most Influential in Media 2025 " and some of the guests arrived in style, courtesy of General Motors. Several attendees were privileged to be invited to catch a ride in the new Cadillac Escalade IQ, the venerable automaker's all-electric luxury SUV that just launched this year. The 2026 Escalade IQ had the honor of being the first SUV assembled in Michigan to win MotorTrend's SUV of the Year award " and a repeat win for the vehicle's'chief engineer, Al Oppenheiser. Oppenheiser, who previously won Car of the Year for his work on the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, touted the Escalade IQ's architecture as the key to its success. "The architecture is everything," Oppenheiser told GM News. "With a good architecture, you're able to take the core things you learn from the very first…...

27+ min ago (304+ words) Since early September, President Donald Trump has overseen a U.S. military campaign targeting boats accused of smuggling drugs through the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean that has now killed more than 100 people, according to a detailed investigation by The New York Times. As Rosenberg and fellow Times reporters Lazaro Gamio and Charlie Savage explained, the use of military force marks a change from prior U.S. drug enforcement policy at sea. In past years, suspected smuggling operations in the Caribbean were typically handled by the Coast Guard, sometimes with Navy assistance, with crews detained and referred for prosecution if drugs were found. Legal scholars who spoke with the Times questioned whether the current approach complies with U.S. and international law. They argued that the military generally lacks the authority to use lethal force against civilians who are suspected of criminal activity but are…...

28+ min ago (355+ words) King Charles III is reportedly discovering that getting the ex-Prince Andrew out of Royal Lodge isn't an easy task. Andrew reportedly had a substantial collection of "priceless artwork and antique furniture" that "belongs to the Windsor family, not Andrew." It's been an "ongoing debate" over what he personally owns versus what belongs to the Crown," and they are detailing each item "carefully to avoid future disputes." The moving trucks have been removing the valuable items "under the cover of darkness" and putting them in storage for now. It's believed that Andrew's eviction could take months. Royal author Robert Jobson agreed with Shuter's assessment, telling Hello! in early December that Andrew is "kicking his heels" over the move. "The disgraced royal has made it clear to the King and courtiers who sent him packing that he is going nowhere fast," he…...