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HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!

 

NEW YORK, NY - Thanksgiving always falls soon after an election, and in recent years American politics has gained a febrile intensity—making this year's conversation over turkey a potential tinderbox.

It feels like there's no escaping politics in America. And perhaps the path to unity is to have these issues out in the open among family and friends so the country can learn once again to disagree agreeably.

Or is Thanksgiving a time for setting aside our differences, especially on politics? Maybe it's better to use the holiday as a safe space from partisan and ideological divides, one in which we can reconnect through the things that bind us together, not split us apart.

So: Should you talk politics at Thanksgiving? Newsweek put the question to family therapists. Here's what they said.

Michele Weiner-Davis, Director of The Divorce Busting Center

As someone who has worked with couples for over four decades and is in a 50-year bipartisan marriage myself, my answer to the question is simple.

If collaborative, loving conversations about politics have been possible in the past, by all means, share your thoughts and opinions. It will foster connection.

If not, or if you aren't completely certain about positive outcomes, focus instead on the true meaning of Thanksgiving and ask yourself: "What am I grateful for regarding the people in my family? Despite the fact that we may not see eye-to-eye on many things, what do I love about them? What do I need to do or say today in order to show my family members that I prioritize our relationship and long history rather than focus on our differences? How can I use this family gathering as a means to connect (and heal) rather than to deepen the chasm?" Click here to read more.

 

LOS ANGELES, CALIF - Rumble is suing California for allegedly forcing the social media platform to alter its own speech and censor its users’ speech, according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by The Daily Wire.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, Sacramento Division. Rumble is challenging California’s latest laws punishing speakers for certain political commentary, which California Governor Gavin Newsom has framed as measures that will combat the “harmful use of deepfakes in political ads and other content.”

California’s AB 2655, the “Defending Democracy from Deepfake Deception Act of 2024,” “deputizes” Rumble to restrict its user’s speech, ADF said in a release, while AB 2839, “Protecting Democracy Against Election Disinformation and Deepfakes,” uses vague standards to punish individuals posting political content about elections.

“California’s war against political speech is censorship, plain and simple,” ADF Senior Counsel Phil Sechler told The Daily Wire. “We can’t trust the government to decide what is true in our online political debates.” Click here to read more.

 

LANSING, Mich - Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is facing a campaign finance complaint over her alleged misuse of the department’s Facebook page leading up to the 2024 election.

Paul Kardasz, former chief deputy clerk in Maycomb County, filed a formal campaign finance complaint against Benson on Nov. 13, alleging the secretary of state knowingly misused taxpayer-funded resources to promote content linked to her political campaign’s social media.

The Secretary of State’s office acknowledged receipt of the complaint on Monday, but has not indicated how it will proceed. Benson spokeswoman Angela Benander did not respond to The Midwesterner’s questions and request for comment from the Secretary of State.

“The allegations in this complaint are significant. Documented instances show the Secretary of State’s official Facebook page actively sharing, tagging, and mentioning Benson’s campaign page,” Kardasz wrote to The Midwesterner. “These actions unfairly leveraged taxpayer-funded resources to amplify her campaign’s reach, conferring a substantial financial and strategic advantage.

“Such misuse of public platforms is unethical and raises serious questions about violations of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act,” he wrote. Click here to read more

 

COLUMBUS, OH - COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has signed a controversial "bathroom bill" into law, Attorney General Dave Yost announced on Wednesday via X.

The legislation, which has sparked significant debate, imposes new restrictions on transgender students' access to locker rooms, showers and bathrooms in public K-12 schools and higher education institutions.

The Republican-backed bill mandates that schools designate separate facilities for males and females based on their gender assigned at birth. This requirement applies to school buildings and facilities used for school-sponsored events.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther released a statement opposing the bill, saying it "is not consistent with our values." Click here to read more.

 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A bill to prohibit “weather modification activities” has been filed in the Florida Senate.

The bill, SB 56, was introduced on Nov. 20 by Republican Sen. Ileana Garcia. A House version of the bill has yet to be filed.

The bill states the “injection, release, or dispersion, by any means, of a chemical, a chemical compound, a substance, or an apparatus into the atmosphere within the borders of this state for the express purpose of affecting the temperature, the weather, or the intensity of sunlight is prohibited.”

According to the bill text, any individual or corporation that conducts a weather modification operation in violation of this section will be charged with a second-degree misdemeanor and may face a fine of up to $10,000.

Last May, the Tampa Bay Young Republicans issued a statement urging the Florida Legislature to introduce a bill banning “weather modification projects” in the state. Click here to read more.

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LANSING, Mich. — Michigan lawmakers have included a $10 million allocation in the state’s education budget to provide menstrual hygiene products in public schools. This legislation was introduced by Democrat Mai Xiong as part of a broader plan she says to address student needs and reduce barriers to education.

Free Menstrual Product Initiative

The proposal requires schools to stock tampons and menstrual pads in at least one female-designated bathroom and one male or gender-neutral bathroom in each school building. Districts that meet these criteria can apply for reimbursement to cover the costs of the products.

Click here to read the legislation.

Reimbursement is determined based on the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals under federal guidelines. Each district is guaranteed a minimum reimbursement of 50% of the associated costs.

Under the proposed legislation, "menstrual hygiene products" that qualify for funding include, but are not limited to:

• Tampons

• Menstrual pads

These products must be made available in designated bathrooms for female, male, or gender-neutral use, as specified in the legislation, to qualify for reimbursement.

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Funding Details

The $10 million for menstrual products is part of a larger education budget for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, which allocates:

• $17.78 billion from the State School Aid Fund.

• $78.83 million from the General Fund.

• Additional funding for transportation, meals, early education, and retirement obligations.

Application Process

To receive funding, districts must:

1. Apply in a manner prescribed by the Department of Education.

2. Provide cost estimates for implementing the program.

3. Ensure products are available in designated bathrooms.

Impact and Next Steps

Proponents argue the program will ensure students have access to essential care items, reducing absenteeism and stigma associated with menstruation. Districts must apply for the funding to receive reimbursement, with the initiative expected to roll out during the 2024-2025 school year.

Right now this is only proposed legislation and has been referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

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TROY, Mich - A Michigan school district has denied a mother’s request to observe the classroom time of her dyslexic child, a move she says violates state law.

Troy Public School district officials informed Michele Maleszyk in October that they would not grant her request to observe her second grader’s classroom.

Maleszyk’s child is dyslexic, she told Michigan Capitol Confidential, and she wanted to understand better classroom reading interventions.

The student’s teacher, Karen Bush, denied the request, according to an Oct. 21 email Maleszyk provided to CapCon. “At this time, we will not be scheduling a time for you to come in to observe in the classroom as we accommodated this last year on two different occasions,” Bush said.

Maleszyk, a former teacher, appealed to Troy School District Superintendent Rich Machesky but was again denied. The teacher's responses have been open and transparent, the superintendent wrote in a Nov. 1 email to Maleszyk. Click here to read more.

Click here to order your Rapid Radios. They make great Christmas presents for all ages.

 

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan lawmakers are taking steps to crack down on firearms that don’t look like traditional guns. A new proposal targets brightly colored guns and those designed to look like everyday objects, saying they could cause confusion or pose a public safety risk.

The proposed law would make it illegal to sell, own, or modify guns in ways that make them appear as toys or non-threatening items. Supporters say the goal is to ensure firearms are recognizable as weapons, preventing accidents or misunderstandings.

What’s Banned?

• Brightly Colored Guns: Guns painted in colors like pink, blue, or rainbow that might make them look like toys.

• Sneaky Guns: Firearms disguised as things like pens, cell phones, or other non-gun items.

• Coloring Products: Kits or tools used to make guns bright or disguise them.

  Click here to read more.

 

DENVER, COL - President-elect Donald Trump incoming border czar said during an interview this week that he is absolutely willing to have far-Left Denver Mayor Mike Johnston thrown in jail after Johnston said that he would obstruct federal immigration officials from carrying out deportations in the city.

Johnston said in an interview with a local publication that he would deploy the Denver Police Department “at the county line to keep them out.”

He went even further, threatening to turn the situation into a “Tiananmen Square moment.”

Homan said during an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity that impeding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials from removing illegal aliens was “absolutely breaking the law.”

“But, look, me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing: He’s willing to go to jail, I’m willing to put him in jail,” Homan added. Click here to read more.

 

WASHINGTON D.C. - President-elect Donald Trump is planning to redirect unspent Inflation Reduction Act funding to spending on infrastructure, the Daily Caller News Foundation has learned.

“President Trump will rapidly defeat inflation and bring down all prices by ending the Democrats’ anti-energy crusade, which will cut energy prices in half during his first 12 months in office,” Karoline Leavitt, Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman, told the DCNF in a written statement. “He will also terminate the Green New Scam and rescind all unspent funds from the so-called ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ and redirect them to spending on real infrastructure.”

As the Biden-Harris administration rushes to formally obligate tens of billions in IRA funding before Biden leaves office, President-elect Trump is moving forward with plans to repeal the IRA and redirect all leftover spending from Biden’s climate law to spending on infrastructure. The incoming Trump administration’s vow to reprogram remaining IRA funding could face legal challenges due to restrictions on reallocation within the congressional appropriations, and failure to spend as Congress directed could violate a Nixon-era budget law that forces the executive branch to spend money appropriated by Congress. Click here to read more.

 

The Center Square) – The Drug Enforcement Administration plans to hold a formal hearing next week on its plan to reschedule marijuana at the federal level.

The proposal is to move marijuana from a Schedule I drug, along with heroin and LSD, to Schedule III, where it would join ketamine and anabolic steroids.

In May, the Justice Department announced that it had submitted a rule that would ease restrictions on cannabis, but the change falls short of the full legalization or decriminalization sought by some advocates. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland submitted a notice of proposed rulemaking to the Federal Register, kicking off a formal rulemaking process to consider moving marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act. News of the move first broke in late April.

A formal hearing is set for 9:30 a.m. ET on Dec. 2 in the North Courtroom at DEA Headquarters, 700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA.

The preliminary hearing will serve as a procedural day to address legal and logistical issues and discuss future dates for the evidentiary hearing on the merits, according to the DEA. No witness testimony is expected. Click here to read more.