Democrat-held CD18 in the Hudson Valley is flippable, insists the Indian American, who is using his extensive business and government experience to build a campaign to win the 2026 election. Sharanjit Singh Thind filed his candidacy in September 2025 for the US House of Representatives from New York’s District 18 in the Hudson Valley. A lifelong Republican and Sikh born in Punjab, India, he believes this Democrat-held seat is ready to flip. His campaign focuses on promoting business, making jobs AI-proof, defending family values, and prioritizing community safety. With extensive experience in both the private and public sectors, he sees himself as the best candidate to represent this district north of Manhattan. In a wide-ranging conversation over coffee, Thind told me that he believes he has the blessing of the party’s establishment. Before filing his nomination papers in September, he met with New York Republican State Committee Chairman Ed Cox—son-in-law of President Nixon—to discuss the party’s support. At the time, Thind was told that there were no other Republican candidates in the fray and that the 18th Congressional District (CD-18) would be a strong place for him to run. “But, even with the best intentions and backing of the party leadership, primaries are unavoidable and even healthy,” said Thind. Thind describes himself as fully familiar with CD-18 and notes that he is in close contact with local party leadership, thanks to Chairman Cox. “I am getting a very enthusiastic response when I interact with constituents of all stripes and backgrounds,” he added. While agreeing that the incumbent, Patrick Ryan, defeated Alison Esposito (R) by 14 points in 2024, Thind points to a changed environment that would help him emerge victorious on November 3, the election day in 2026. “People were fed up seeing hotels and motels teeming with illegal migrants housed in the Hudson Valley under President Biden and Mayor Adams. Under Presdient Trump, that threat to law and order has been cleared.” The recent election of self-declared socialist and freebies-promising Zohran Mamdani as Mayor of New York City is worrying all, Thind claims. In sharp contrast are Trump’s America First, pro-business policies, which he supports as do most upstate New York voters. In the context, Thind talks passionately about what has made America the world’s largest economy and a magnet for the world’s best. The answer is: by putting business first. To do that, you have to know about business, which he does, having run media and real estate businesses. Appealing Policy Platform The policy platform Thind is building is solely to serve his constituents he says. “The biggest challenge in the coming months and years,” Thind projects, “is that many, many jobs will evaporate under the AI heat. I am not against AI or automation, but I will make the AI behemoth companies accountable, to make them funnel back some of their profits to retrain the retrenched workers.” Similarly, banks should be held accountable for the financial scams happening under their nose that upend so many seniors’ lives. Promoting tourism in the picturesque Hudson Valley is a no-brainer. “I will give tourism full attention to attract high-paying visitors and create jobs,” says Thind while pointing to a recent Netflix series, ‘Four Seasons’, which was shot there and stars Steve Carell and Tina Fey. With his business acumen and the region’s appeal, he is confident that more entertainment projects will follow. Thind can boast a rich resume that highlights his multifarious career. Armed with an MBA and a journalism degree, Thind arrived in America at the cusp of this century. Over the years, he worked for many reputed companies, founded his own ad agency in Manhattan, and has been Editor-Publisher of ‘The South Asian Insider’ for almost two decades. Recently, he became an author with “The Beginning – Mad Men of Nu Way Advertising,” highlighting his experience at the helm of the once-thriving ad agency on Madison Avenue. Experience in Government and Politics From 2012, he has worked with the government in one capacity or another. He served as a Commissioner on the Nassau County Human Rights Commission until 2018. He also worked with the Receiver of Taxes office in the Town of Hempstead, the largest township in America. In electoral politics, Thind has gained valuable experience helping others run for office. “From local councilman, mayoral to state senate and assembly to DA to Congress races, I have been very closely involved, spending long hours strategizing policy. I have helped raise and also personally contributed to the campaigns of quite a few races,” he says. Twice, he has received the Congressional Excellence award. Running for Congress, Thind insists, he also draws on the perspective he gained as an editor on how government is run and what needs to be done to fix what is broken. To kick-start his campaign, Thind will put his own money into it and seek support from small donors (the maximum individual contribution is $3,535). He clarifies that no government matching funds are available for Congressional races. Because CD18 is flippable and can help the GOP retain control of the House after 2026, Thind expects “America-loving, like-minded” individuals to help lift his campaign to victory. Thind owns a property in the Catskills and is in the process of signing a lease for a house in Saugerties, in Ulster County. He lives with his wife and two sons on Long Island. Thind’s appeal is straightforward: Elect a representative who will bring more jobs and protect those jobs from AI; bring more tourism to the Hudson Valley; expand healthcare benefits; protect family values; and pass laws to save senior citizens from scams.
https://newsindiatimes.com/republican-sharanjit-singh-thind-announces-run-for-congress-from-nys-district-18/
Category Archives: government
Trump to meet New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Friday
President Donald Trump will meet with New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Friday after months of name-calling and threats against the 34-year-old democratic socialist, who has vowed to resist his agenda. “We have agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st,” Trump said in a social media post Wednesday evening. Mamdani’s campaign confirmed the meeting. “As is customary for an incoming mayoral administration, the Mayor-elect plans to meet with the President in Washington to discuss public safety, economic security and the affordability agenda that over one million New Yorkers voted for just two weeks ago,” Mamdani spokeswoman Dora Pekec said in a statement. Earlier in the week, Trump had signaled his intention to meet with Mamdani, telling reporters on Sunday night, “We’ll work something out.” Mamdani will be sworn in as New York’s first Muslim mayor on Jan. 1. Trump waded into the New York mayoral race by endorsing one of Mamdani’s opponents, former New York governor Andrew M. Cuomo – a Democrat who ran as an independent. The president has kept up a relentless line of attack on Mamdani over his policy positions, which include free city bus services, freezing rent on rent-stabilized apartments, launching city-owned grocery stores and free early child care. Ahead of the mayoral election, Trump also threatened to cut funding to New York and “take over” the city in the event of a Mamdani victory. Trump wields considerable influence over federal dollars going to New York City, where the 2026 operating budget relies on $7.4 billion in federal funding, The Washington Post has reported. Previously, Trump threatened to arrest Mamdani if he were to block Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in New York. He has variously called Mamdani “terrible,” “bad news” and a “total nutjob.” Mamdani has also faced a barrage of Islamophobic attacks and baseless questions about his citizenship status from some Trump supporters and Republican lawmakers – including from Rep. Andrew Ogles (R-Tennessee), who referred to Mamdani as “little muhammad,” called for him to be deported and asked the Justice Department to investigate him earlier this year. Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to parents of Indian origin. The family moved to New York City when Mamdani was 7, and he became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018. Mamdani has not backed down in the face of Trump’s insults and threats. In his victory speech, Mamdani said New York can become a model for how to defeat Trump “by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power.” “So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up,” he said. He has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s agenda, especially an immigration crackdown that has targeted Democratic-led cities. In his first news conference after being elected, Mamdani said he would address the “twin crises” of “an authoritarian administration and an affordability crisis.” Recently, Mamdani said he would contact the White House as he prepares to take office, emphasizing his responsibility to work collaboratively, even with political adversaries. “I’ll say that I’m here to work for the benefit of everyone who calls the city home, and that wherever there is a possibility for working together toward that end, I’m ready,” Mamdani told NBC New York last week. “And if it’s to the expense of those New Yorkers, I will fight it.” Stay informed and connected — subscribe to The Philadelphia Tribune NOW! Click Here Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don’t Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don’t knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the ‘Report’ link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We’d love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.
https://www.phillytrib.com/news/state_and_region/trump-to-meet-new-york-mayor-elect-zohran-mamdani-on-friday/article_cbdd8fd2-6f9f-4f46-b5fa-b061a95507fd.html
Nancy Pelosi’s Vicious Message to ‘Vile’ Trump After Calling Him ‘The Worst Thing on Earth’ — ‘I Could’ve Done Much Worse’
Nov. 20 2025, Published 1:45 p.m. ET Nancy Pelosi isn’t backing down from her comments calling Donald Trump a “vile creature,” RadarOnline.com can reveal. The former House Speaker, 85, showed she still has plenty of sass left in the tank when she also called the president, 79, “the worst thing on the face of the Earth” and boasted how she could have sunk even lower in her first interview since announcing her retirement. ‘I Could’ve Done Much Worse’ “I said that as a euphemism; I could’ve done much worse, Pelosi bragged to CNN’s Anderson Cooper in an interview that aired on Wednesday, November 19. The California Democrat went on to bash Trump’s second term. “He’s surrounded by much worse people than he was before,” Pelosi moaned. “There was some check on him before, but I don’t see that now. I think the people that he has appointed are probably the worst Cabinet in history.” The congresswoman made her original statements on CNN host Elex Michaelson’s The Story Is on November 2, while claiming Trump “doesn’t honor the Constitution.” Pelosi went on to claim the controversial politician has “turned the Supreme Court into a rogue court, He’s abolished the House of Representatives, He’s killed the press.” ‘An Evil Woman’ Pelosi and Trump have been at loggerheads throughout both of his terms as president, the first of which began in 2017. When the two-time House Speaker announced on November 6 that she will retire from Congress at the end of her current term after nearly four decades in the chamber, Trump celebrated while calling out his sworn enemy. “I’m glad she’s retiring. I think she did the country a great service by retiring,” the Commander-in-Chief told reporters hours after Pelosi said she would not seek re-election in 2026. Trump added: “I think she was a tremendous liability for the country. I thought she was an evil woman who did a poor job, who cost the country a lot in damages and in reputation. I thought she was terrible.” Sworn Enemies As House Speaker, Pelosi presided over both of Trump’s impeachments in December 2019 and again in January 2021. The first was over abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, while the second was related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. Neither was successful. Pelosi also showed her open contempt for Trump when she tore up his copy of the State of the Union address after he delivered it to a joint session of Congress in February 2020, in what many consider to be her most defiant show of hatred toward the president. Who Will Succeed Pelosi? The first and only female House Speaker explained in a taped video message, “With a grateful heart, I look forward to my final year of service as your proud representative,” while announcing her retirement. Two candidates had already lined up to challenge Pelosi in 2026, including controversial far-left California State Senator Scott Wiener, who is terming out and now wants to represent San Francisco’s 11th District in Congress. Former tech executive Saikat Chakrabarti also entered the race and is even more progressive than Wiener, having previously served as the chief of staff to socialist New York Congresswoman .
https://radaronline.com/p/nancy-pelosi-vicious-message-trump-vile-creature-comment/
Labor Department won’t release full October jobs report
FILE – In this May 7, 2020, file photo, the entrance to the Labor Department is seen near the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) WASHINGTON — The Labor Department said Wednesday that it will not be releasing a full jobs report for October because the 43-day federal government shutdown meant it couldn’t calculate the unemployment rate and some other key numbers. Instead, it will release some of the October jobs data — most importantly the number of jobs that employers created last month — along with the full November jobs report, now due a couple of weeks late on Dec. 16. The department’s “employment situation” report usually comes out the first Friday of the month. But the government shutdown disrupted data collection and delayed the release of the reports. For example, the September jobs report, now coming out Thursday, was originally due Oct. 3. The monthly jobs report consists of two parts: a survey of households that is used to determine the unemployment rate, among other things; and the “establishment” survey of companies, nonprofits and government agencies that is used to track job creation, wages and other measurements of labor market health. The Labor Department said Wednesday that the household survey for October could not be conducted because of the shutdown and could not be done retroactively. But it was able to collect the hiring numbers from employers, and those will come out with the full November report. Wednesday’s announcement means the September jobs numbers will likely get extra scrutiny Thursday. They are the last full measurement of hiring and unemployment that Federal Reserve policymakers will see before they meet Dec. 9-10. The Fed is sharply split o ver whether to reduce its key interest rate for a third time this year next month. Those divisions could be largely resolved by fresh economic data if it showed a sharp deterioration in the job market, economists say, because that would likely encourage more officials to support a rate cut. But the absence of data could embolden those policymakers who want to wait for more evidence about where the economy is headed before reducing rates again. At its last meeting in late October many Fed officials said the central bank should proceed with caution, given the “reduced availability of key economic data.” The jobs numbers have lately been contentious. After the July jobs report proved disappointing, President Donald Trump abruptly fired the official responsible for collecting the data, Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner Erika McEntarfer. McEntarfer herself was quick to say there was nothing suspicious about Wednesday’s announcement. “No conspiracy here, folks,” she posted on the social media site Bluesky. “BLS was entirely shutdown for six weeks. Payroll data from firms can be retroactively collected for October. The household survey cannot be conducted retrospectively. This is just a straightforward consequence of having all field staff furloughed for over a month.” Stay informed and connected — subscribe to The Philadelphia Tribune NOW! Click Here Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don’t Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don’t knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the ‘Report’ link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We’d love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.
https://www.phillytrib.com/news/labor-department-wont-release-full-october-jobs-report/article_a8d11e75-e3cc-4bb6-8c62-64f5ffc10d8a.html
Judge tosses DOJ lawsuit challenging a New York law barring immigration agents from state courts
FILE – New York Attorney General, Letitia James, speaks after pleading not guilty outside the United States District Court on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/John Clark,File) ALBANY, N.Y. — A judge has dismissed a Trump administration legal challenge to New York policies that block immigration officials from arresting people at state courthouses, saying the federal government can’t force states to cooperate with those enforcement efforts. U.S. District Judge Mae D’Agostino late Monday granted New York’s motion to dismiss the government’s lawsuit, one of several legal actions from the Republican administration targeting state and local policies over immigration enforcement. The lawsuit challenged a 2020 state law banning federal immigration officials from arresting people who are coming and going from New York courthouses or in court for proceedings unless they have a warrant signed by a judge. The law, called the Protect Our Courts Act, was approved in response to enforcement actions at courthouses during President Donald Trump’s first term. The law doesn’t cover federal immigration courts. In its lawsuit, the Department of Justice claimed that the New York law and two related state executive orders were unconstitutional because they obstructed the execution of federal immigration authorities. D’Agostino, though, found that New York’s decision not to participate in enforcing civil immigration law is protected by the 10th Amendment, which sets boundaries on the federal government’s powers. “Fundamentally, the United States fails to identify any federal law mandating that state and local officials generally assist or cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts. Nor could it,” the judge wrote. “No such federal laws exist because the Tenth Amendment prohibits Congress from conscripting state and local officials and resources to assist with federal regulatory schemes, like immigration enforcement.” A Justice Department spokesperson said in response to an email seeking comment that, “President Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda is a top national security and public safety priority that this Department of Justice will continue to vigorously defend whenever challenged in court.” New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat whose office argued for the lawsuit to be dismissed, said she was fighting for the “dignity and rights of immigrant communities.” “Everyone deserves to seek justice without fear,” James said in a statement. “This ruling ensures that anyone can use New York’s state courts without being targeted by federal authorities.” Stay informed and connected — subscribe to The Philadelphia Tribune NOW! Click Here Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don’t Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don’t knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the ‘Report’ link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We’d love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.
https://www.phillytrib.com/news/state_and_region/judge-tosses-doj-lawsuit-challenging-a-new-york-law-barring-immigration-agents-from-state-courts/article_baf5abe3-70bb-42b4-baf8-8a77189f50d2.html
Mapping a Democratic sweep across Virginia, New Jersey and New York – News India Times
Voters shifted sharply to the left across Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City in elections held Tuesday, November 4, 2025, sweeping Democrats into office. These candidates focused on affordability and capitalized on growing frustration with President Donald Trump.
More than 2 million New York City voters—the highest turnout since 1969—turned out to elect a democratic socialist as mayor, rejecting a former governor who was once a standard-bearer for the Democratic Party.
Four years ago, Republicans enjoyed a wave of support that gave them the governorship in Virginia and made the New Jersey race much closer than Democrats had expected. Meanwhile, a moderate Democrat replaced a more liberal one in New York City Hall. This time, however, the political energy in all three places shifted distinctly toward Democrats and the left wing of the party.
### Virginia: A Leftward Shift Across the State
In every county and independent city in Virginia, Democrat Abigail Spanberger outperformed Terry McAuliffe—the Democrat who lost to Republican Glenn Youngkin in the 2021 gubernatorial race. According to a Washington Post analysis, Spanberger exceeded McAuliffe’s vote share by a median of 13 percentage points across these areas.
She also outperformed Kamala Harris, last year’s Democratic presidential nominee, in more than 95 percent of Virginia’s counties and independent cities, topping her vote share by a median of three percentage points.
Spanberger flipped six counties or independent cities that Trump had won in 2024, including three that had shifted from President Joe Biden to Trump—Prince Edward, Surry, and Lynchburg.
Her gains were comprehensive, spanning rural, suburban, and urban areas. Spanberger won both Democratic strongholds and swing areas, while also chipping into traditionally Republican counties. Notably, she secured large margins in the Washington D.C., Richmond, and Virginia Beach metropolitan areas. Whereas McAuliffe won those regions by 251,000 votes in 2021, Spanberger was leading them by about 700,000 votes based on incomplete tallies available as of Wednesday morning.
She also flipped 15 counties that McAuliffe had lost, most located in metropolitan areas such as Virginia Beach, Stafford, and Spotsylvania—counties that Youngkin won by large margins in 2021. In other areas, she lost by smaller margins than McAuliffe, outperforming him by nearly 20 points in Republican-dominated Southwest Virginia, including Bristol and Montgomery.
Spanberger dominated Loudoun County, winning it by 29 percentage points compared to McAuliffe’s 11-point win there four years ago, and Harris’s 16-point margin last year.
Similarly, Jay Jones, who won the attorney general’s race but lagged behind Spanberger, outperformed Harris’s margin in Loudoun County, winning by 19 points despite bipartisan condemnations related to violent texts he authored years ago.
### New Jersey: Solid Democratic Support
In New Jersey, Democrat Mikie Sherrill won by a much wider margin than Governor Phil Murphy (D), who narrowly secured a second term four years ago. Both faced Republican Jack Ciattarelli, but Sherrill secured a more comfortable victory by earning significant support across the state.
Sherrill outpaced both Murphy and Harris in every county. Her strongest performances compared to Harris came in counties that had shifted most toward Trump in 2024, including Passaic and Hudson counties, where Latinos make up over 40 percent of the population.
Trump had made notable gains in these counties last year and flipped Passaic. However, Sherrill won both counties, outperforming Harris by 11 points in Hudson and by nine points in Passaic. She also won four other counties that Trump carried the previous year.
### New York City: A Democratic Socialist Victory
In New York City, 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist and member of the State Assembly, defeated former governor Andrew M. Cuomo by a larger margin on Tuesday than he did in the Democratic primary five months ago.
Mamdani expanded his earlier coalition of younger, college-educated, and liberal voters in Manhattan and nearby gentrifying neighborhoods. He performed particularly well in precincts with fewer voters over age 60, where turnout was higher in this election compared to 2021.
He carried four of the city’s five boroughs in early, unofficial results, with Cuomo carrying only Staten Island, the city’s most conservative borough—one that Trump had won in each of his elections.
Cuomo attempted to rebuild the coalition formed by Mayor Eric Adams four years ago, which primarily included non-White and conservative-leaning voters in the outer boroughs. Cuomo gained additional support after Adams withdrew from the race and Trump endorsed him at the last minute, encouraging Republicans to abandon their nominee, Curtis Sliwa.
Despite this, the strategy failed. Cuomo lost by a wider margin than Sliwa’s total vote share.
In the Bronx, Mamdani made his strongest gains relative to Cuomo in the general election. Cuomo’s supporters had sought to weaken Mamdani’s momentum by highlighting his criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza.
Mamdani, who aims to become New York City’s first Muslim mayor and its youngest in a century, managed to draw widespread support across the city and made significant inroads in areas where Trump had gained ground last year.
He increased his support among Black and Hispanic voters, gaining 35 percentage points in areas with a Black plurality and 11 points in Hispanic neighborhoods compared with the primary.
### Looking Ahead
Democrats interpret these off-year election victories as a clear sign that voters are unhappy with President Trump and are ready to deliver them the House majority in next year’s midterm elections. Currently, Republicans hold a narrow 219-213 majority in the House, and several races could be pivotal in determining the chamber’s control.
—
*Graphics courtesy of The Washington Post*
[https://washingtonpost.com/](https://washingtonpost.com/)
https://newsindiatimes.com/mapping-a-democratic-sweep-across-virginia-new-jersey-and-new-york/
States Can Now Verify Voter Citizenship Using Partial Social Security Numbers – News India Times
**USCIS Expands SAVE Program to Simplify Voter Citizenship Verification**
WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced an important upgrade to its Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, enabling states to verify voter citizenship using only the last four digits of a Social Security number instead of the full nine-digit number.
This enhancement is designed to reinforce the integrity of U.S. elections by allowing state officials to confirm that only U.S. citizens are casting ballots in federal elections.
“USCIS remains dedicated to eliminating barriers to securing the nation’s electoral process,” said USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser. “By allowing states to efficiently verify voter eligibility, we are reinforcing the principle that America’s elections are reserved exclusively for American citizens.”
### Executive Order Implementation
The upgrade is part of USCIS’ ongoing implementation of Executive Order 14248, *Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections*. Under the new system, agencies responsible for verifying voter rolls can now create a SAVE case without requiring a Department of Homeland Security identifier or the full Social Security number, streamlining the verification process.
### Extensive Use and Adoption
SAVE has already seen widespread use across federal and state agencies. State voting agencies alone have submitted more than 46 million voter verification queries. Additionally, federal agencies have processed over 110 million queries to verify eligibility for federally funded benefits.
Altogether, as of October 2025, the SAVE system has handled more than 205 million verification queries—an eightfold increase compared to 25 million queries processed in all of 2024.
Currently, 26 states have either established agreements with SAVE for voter verification or are in the process of doing so. Government officials at all levels are being encouraged to adopt the system to help prevent voter fraud and restore public confidence in elections.
For more information, visit the [SAVE Voter Registration and Voter List Maintenance Fact Sheet](#).
—
*Voter Registration and Voter List Maintenance Fact Sheet*
https://newsindiatimes.com/states-can-now-verify-voter-citizenship-using-partial-social-security-numbers/
Ballrooms and Shutdowns – C5 TV – Liberty Nation News
Congressional Democrats Clutch Collective Pearls Over Trump’s New White House Ballroom
Just how much of the outrage is performative? Many are questioning the sincerity behind Congressional Democrats’ reaction to the announcement of Trump’s new White House ballroom. Is the backlash genuine concern or merely political theater?
For more episodes and analysis, click here.
The Public Square – Latest Polling With Liberty Nation
- Major poll shifts and great graphics.
- Read Now!
Trump Back From Asia, Bringing Home the Bacon
Everywhere the US president went in the Far East, he successfully made trade deals.
Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris – A 2028 Presidential Conundrum
What’s the possibility of a run from either – or, for that matter, both?
Trump to Start Testing Nuclear Weapons
After 30 years, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is more symbolic than binding.
SNAP Approved ‘Food’ Contributes to Obesity Epidemic
The people and the program are bloated. It’s time for a change.
https://www.libertynation.com/ballrooms-and-shutdowns-c5-tv/
Hegseth declines to discuss possible US strikes in Venezuela, blames Dems on troop pay amid shutdown
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth declined to say whether the U.S. is preparing military strikes on Venezuela, while blasting Democrats over the ongoing shutdown that has delayed the federal government from paying U.S. troops.
The U.S. military has carried out more than a dozen strikes on vessels allegedly carrying drugs in international waters near Venezuela, killing dozens of suspected narco-terrorists. Meanwhile, the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group have been ordered deployed to the U.S. Southern Command region. These escalations have raised questions about whether the U.S. may be lining up to topple Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
A reporter asked Hegseth on Saturday at a gathering of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) defense ministers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, if the United States was planning to strike inside Venezuela.
“Appreciate the question, but of course, we would not share any amount of operational details about what may or may not happen,” Hegseth said to reporters.
### Senators Look to Block Trump from Engaging in ‘Hostilities’ in Venezuela
President Donald Trump said Friday that he was not considering strikes inside Venezuela. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the White House both pushed back against reports citing unnamed “sources” claiming any such plan was in motion.
Hegseth was also asked if there was an ethics review for an anonymous $130 million donation that was made to pay troops while the government is shut down. Timothy Mellon, a reclusive billionaire and a major financial backer of President Donald Trump, made the donation, according to The New York Times.
“We are very grateful for generous Americans who would be willing to ensure that U.S. troops are paid,” Hegseth said. “And we’re thankful to President Trump and Vice President Vance and everyone, [director of the Office of Management and Budget] Russ Vought, and others who made sure, and our department did make sure, that no matter what’s happening, the troops are getting paid.”
Hegseth emphasized that getting troops paid is a priority of the president and slammed Democrats for not voting to reopen the government.
“Democrats are not contributing to that,” Hegseth said about the troops getting paid.
### Trump Touts US Strike as Maduro Slams Military ‘Threat’ off Venezuela
“President Trump’s making that happen and that’s an important outcome, because the work we’re talking about right here, across our country, certainly the Department of War is front and center of that,” he said.
The pause in funding stems from the October 1 shutdown after Senate lawmakers failed to reach a spending agreement in time for the end of fiscal year 2025. This came after a short-term extension of fiscal year 2025 funding, aimed at keeping the government open through November 21, passed the House mainly along party lines earlier in September.
Timothy Mellon, a grandson of former Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon, is a strong backer of Trump who gave tens of millions of dollars to groups supporting the president’s 2024 campaign. Last year, he made a $50 million contribution to a super PAC supporting Trump, marking one of the largest single donations ever disclosed, the New York Times noted.
Hegseth was also asked about reports that the United States was planning a “show of force” in response to recent Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. He said those reports are not in line with what’s happening currently.
“[Indo-Pacific Commander] Admiral Papara and I are in close coordination at all times, ensuring we’ve got capabilities where we need them, when we need them, but those specific reports are not in keeping with what’s happening right now,” Hegseth said.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/hegseth-declines-discuss-possible-us-strikes-venezuela-blames-dems-troop-pay-amid-shutdown
Can New York Democrats even DELAY the energy crisis their laws are creating?
Some Democrats in Albany may be starting to see the risks of New York’s “climate action” laws, but will enough agree to even delay what some call a “suicide pact”? Governor Kathy Hochul says she wants to “review all our options,” including making changes to the state’s 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). This law set ambitious mandates to slash greenhouse-gas emissions—mandates critics say are budget-busting and unrealistic.
Some Assembly Democrats who once denied that Hochul was banning gas stoves now admit that’s exactly what she’s doing, and they are demanding a delay to the ban. However, convincing the progressive majority in the Legislature to roll back the law will be tough. Climate change remains a top priority on the left, especially among donors and college-educated voters.
Watch New Jersey closely, where voter anger over soaring electric costs could propel Republican Jack Ciattarelli to the governor’s mansion. Even a close race there may open eyes in Albany. Rising utility bills and the threat of blackouts are already becoming major issues in New York, and Hochul plans to make “affordability” a centerpiece of her 2026 reelection campaign.
“My job is to ensure we have enough power to keep the lights on, keep rates affordable, and attract major economic development projects,” Hochul said after a judge ordered her Department of Environmental Conservation to issue rules ensuring the state meets the 2019 law’s emissions goals.
In other words, she wants to override—or at least ignore—the clear letter of the law, even if she doesn’t explicitly call its mandates into question. “We plan to review all our options, including working with the Legislature to modify the CLCPA,” Hochul said, emphasizing the need “to protect New Yorkers from higher costs.”
Under the CLCPA, New York must cut CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030 and by 85% by 2050. The law also required that rules to achieve those goals be enacted by January 1, 2024. Yet here we are, nearly two years later, and those rules have still not materialized. In effect, Hochul is ignoring the law.
Meanwhile, Assemblyman William Conrad (D-West New York) reports that the state’s no-gas mandate—set to take effect at the end of the year—has already increased construction costs. This threatens affordable housing projects and raises concerns about potential winter blackouts.
Even more troubling, the state’s Climate Action Plan mandates closing natural-gas power plants and replacing them with more expensive, less reliable solar and offshore wind installations—many of which are struggling to get off the ground.
The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), which runs the state’s electric grid, alongside the New York Affordable Clean Power Alliance, a solar-industry group, warn that the shift to solar and wind poses serious threats to reliable power, particularly in the Hudson Valley, Long Island, and New York City.
How will Governor Hochul prevent blackouts and keep costs down as the power supply tightens? Especially as NYISO notes growing electricity demands from cryptocurrency mining, data centers, and all the “green” mandates requiring electricity for heating, cooking, and vehicles?
The idea that New York can build enough solar and wind power infrastructure in time to meet these mandates was always a long shot—a charade aimed at pleasing climate activists. Yet it is the state’s legal obligation.
As legal deadlines approach or pass without the state fulfilling them, the truth becomes clearer: Making “net-zero carbon emissions” a top priority is not only unrealistic, it is also expensive, risky, and, some argue, misguided.
How many court orders can the governor defy? Can she convince the Legislature to amend the laws and ease the pressure from the courts?
Politicians like Hochul may only focus on timing. The 2026 gas mandates kick in just as reelection campaigns begin. “Don’t bring things to a grinding halt,” suggests Assemblyman John McDonald (D-Rensselaer). Instead, “slow down a little bit and put a temporary pause in there.”
Translation: Wait until after reelection before hitting New Yorkers with higher bills and blackouts. Remember how Hochul delayed congestion pricing until after the 2024 elections?
But reality won’t change after the election. Albany should scrap these mandates entirely and focus on economic growth. Yet Hochul seems likely to push only for delays, and progressives might not even agree to that much. Forget about the bold moves New York truly needs, like opening the state to fracking.
As long as Democrats dominate, it’s hard to see New York having reliable electric power anytime soon—let alone power that is affordable.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/01/opinion/albany-may-move-to-delay-its-insane-climate-laws-but-far-better-to-scrap-it-altogether/