I would like to address something that I have previously briefly touched on, the supposed “Fake News” phenomenon. First, I would like to say that like other professions, the Media has an internal or peer based review system. If journalists or media companies don’t do their due diligence tracking down the facts and details of a story they will get checked or a rival will steal the story by presenting the facts and details. Journalist and the Media even have awards for their work so it pays to get the story right and put as much information and detail into their work. They are an important part of our information network; they are our conduit to information. We need them to make informed decisions about our government and our lives. They are also not just about informing us on political matters; think about natural disasters, food recalls, the weather, local information, world information, etc.
Now, there is a newer branch of media “news” that I think we should all be careful when listening to or reading. It is called opinion news and it is filled with biases. I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinion but we should all be wary when listening to another person’s even if it aligns with our own way of thinking. Opinions are not facts and confusing them can be detrimental to your ability to discern the truth.
It is normal and commonplace to have a natural skepticism about information, but problems arise when we don’t heed that niggling doubt; when we believe something just based on the first thing we hear about it. This is how gossip is spread and how people’s lives get upended. We should all approach information with a bit of skepticism and explore it by getting multiple view points and sources.
When I was a child my father told me that I should believe only half of what I see and none of what I hear. He was instructing me to be less gullible and to use my critical thinking skills to seek out the facts. That changed my life and my perspective on viewing the world. I am unfortunately or fortunately still somewhat naïve but I heed my inner voice and I use my brain to make sure no one will fool me without at least giving myself a fighting chance to get to the truth.
Finally, I would like to say don’t just believe something because someone told you about it or you read it on social media or you heard it from someone in authority. Do your due diligence and seek the truth; search out multiple sources; investigate. The world has more information available today than it ever had before, so utilize that computer in your pocket. Don’t let anyone make a fool of you. Knowledge is Power.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_media_awards

Dear Congress,
We the People are unhappy with you, the Congress, and your lack of backbone and your constant finger pointing. In case you are unaware, 43% of voting Americans identify as Independent, 56% are divided equally among Democrat and Republican. The status quo has created a toxic environment for public, personal, and business relationships for anyone associated with your two parties. It is motivating voters to disaffiliate with both parties.
You are adults, start acting like it. We are disgusted by the chicanery, the petty name calling, and exaggeration of culture war issues by using anecdotal examples, the undermining of the media, the grand standing, and showboating. Just a reminder, you represent all of your constituents, not just the ones who voted for you. And to my knowledge none of you won 100% of the vote in your state or district. The people want policies that work for everyone not just a small faction of one party. Collaborate and focus, after all we are supposed to be united.
You seem to have forgotten that you took an oath to the Constitution (in case you have forgotten, it represents the fundamental law of our land). An oath is sacred and should not be taken lightly. It is imperative that you take your oath seriously for the continued success of our country. Sitting on your hands waiting for the Judicial branch to hold the line while the Executive branch dismantles our Government will not be well received. Your duty demands you to act, your conscience should guide you to safeguard the core principles that our democracy has cemented into the fabric of our country and what that represents to the world. The cost to the American people by your neglect and nonsense legislation is illuminating the fact that we (the people) don’t need you. When a government doesn’t work for the masses it becomes irrelevant. Our Constitution was created to eliminate the elitism and pomp; instead it put forth representation that works for common people. Lest you forget, we were rebelling against a monarchy.
It’s the Republicans who hold the majority in both chambers but you wouldn’t know it; the Democrats need to be in on the drafting and negotiations. Republicans your lackadaisical approach has been noted as has your continued failure at leadership. We are starting to draw our own conclusions about your motives for ceding control of your congressional duties and allowing an unelected bureaucrat and the President to run roughshod on the Federal Government. So you may want to commence your duties by checking the overreach of the President and working on solutions to real issues and prudent no-nonsense laws that benefit us all (affordability, accessibility, equal opportunities, safety and well-being).
Also, defunding Libraries, the Arts and shuttering the Department of Education will not make America Smart Again. It will in fact make it harder for Americans to thrive and prosper.
Thank you for your time,
We the People

P.S. Without DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) congress would be: white, male, likely slave owners.

Dear Congress,
We the People are unhappy with you, the Congress, and your lack of backbone and your constant finger pointing. In case you are unaware, 43% of voting Americans identify as Independent, 56% are divided equally among Democrat and Republican. The status quo has created a toxic environment for public, personal, and business relationships for anyone associated with your two parties. It is motivating voters to disaffiliate with both parties.
You are adults, start acting like it. We are disgusted by the chicanery, the petty name calling, and exaggeration of culture war issues by using anecdotal examples, the undermining of the media, the grand standing, and showboating. Just a reminder, you represent all of your constituents, not just the ones who voted for you. And to my knowledge none of you won 100% of the vote in your state or district. The people want policies that work for everyone not just a small faction of one party. Collaborate and focus, after all we are supposed to be united.
You seem to have forgotten that you took an oath to the Constitution (in case you have forgotten, it represents the fundamental law of our land). An oath is sacred and should not be taken lightly. It is imperative that you take your oath seriously for the continued success of our country. Sitting on your hands waiting for the Judicial branch to hold the line while the Executive branch dismantles our Government will not be well received. Your duty demands you to act, your conscience should guide you to safeguard the core principles that our democracy has cemented into the fabric of our country and what that represents to the world. The cost to the American people by your neglect and nonsense legislation is illuminating the fact that we (the people) don’t need you. When a government doesn’t work for the masses it becomes irrelevant. Our Constitution was created to eliminate the elitism and pomp; instead it put forth representation that works for common people. Lest you forget, we were rebelling against a monarchy.
It’s the Republicans who hold the majority in both chambers but you wouldn’t know it; the Democrats need to be in on the drafting and negotiations. Republicans your lackadaisical approach has been noted as has your continued failure at leadership. We are starting to draw our own conclusions about your motives for ceding control of your congressional duties and allowing an unelected bureaucrat and the President to run roughshod on the Federal Government. So you may want to commence your duties by checking the overreach of the President and working on solutions to real issues and prudent no-nonsense laws that benefit us all (affordability, accessibility, equal opportunities, safety and well-being).
Also, if you could pass on to the President that if he wants the people to believe he is in charge he should cut the plausible deniability shtick because it only makes him look like he has no idea what‘s going on. (e.g.: He told reporters that he did not sign the Proclamation to invoke the Enemies and Alien Act; he said he knew nothing about the massive security breach that involved a reporter being included in a signal thread of a military operation in Yemen).
P.S. This letter is going to all 534 of your congressional colleagues so don’t feel singled out.
P.P.S. Without DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) congress would be: white, male, likely slave owners.

It seems with the arrest and abduction of legal residents and green card holders like Mahmoud Khalil, Rumeysa Ozturk, and others, that the Department of Homeland Security, under the guise of a National Security threat, may turn their sights on critics and dissenters of the current administration. It will only be a matter of time before they justify this behavior (arrest without charges, or trumped-up charges) toward U.S. citizens. I actually see this playing out quite soon given the approach their current agenda seems to be taking – Act quickly, fix later to adjust for mistakes (and there seem to be many) by downplaying the enormity and the gravity of the situation.
But seriously, I don’t think I have ever witnessed such a massive mishandling of so many different things in one organization all happening in tandem with each other. It’s like watching a tornado path of destruction, with all the debris and dust swirling, and not knowing what direction it will be heading next to destroy, (watch out America because efficiency is headed your way). I can’t wait to see how well the Government will run now that they’ve stuck their DOGE in it.
It seems they streamlined how our Government functions with the addition of many extra steps all in the name of “efficiency.” It's a contradiction of epic proportions. This is reminiscent of the way the right tailored the word “woke,” by customizing it and overusing it; and creating a whole different meaning. Woke is defined as alert to and concerned about social injustice and discrimination (but to the right it means to discredit individuals and policies they consider to be overly advocating for or implementing social reform).
The things that Trump ran on that were popular and most likely got him reelected, things like making groceries and gas more affordable and helping regular people with the cost of housing and availability, lost priority to his deportation agenda and tariffs. Instead his new prime objectives are his Executive Orders and making a government that once functioned, albeit slowly, into a government that has so much red tape for almost everything, like Social Security, Medicare, federal funding, grants, subsidies, that it’s made getting things done more difficult. It seems that that is the goal, to make things so difficult that people won’t get access to them, defunding by default. On the other side of that coin they are making things easier for large corporations and special interest groups with deregulation and tax cuts. The Billionaires and Millionaires love this new government.

The U.S. Department of Treasury just ended a rule that was used to register and document the use of shell companies, sometimes used to cover up money laundering, illegal business practices, hiding assets or income used to influence elections, etc. The rule will only be enforced for foreign business holders. The rule which put in place the Beneficial Ownership Information reporting (BOI) which required all businesses to register their business or businesses on a website with the owners name; date of birth; address; and identification number from a state issued drivers license, ID or a passport.
Rolling back regulation and ending enforcement of this rule could lead to an increase in: illegal money flooding into our elections, domestic drug trafficking, or other nefarious business practices, by affording them less red tape and accountability. Another problem, it could embolden U.S. citizens acting on behalf of a foreign person, government, or criminal, to open a shell corporation. (Also, if you were not aware, approximately 80% of Fentanyl that comes over our border was transported by U.S. citizens).
The Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessant, put out a statement in regard to the rollback of this rule, “The Treasury Department is announcing today that, with respect to the Corporate Transparency Act, not only will it not enforce any penalties or fines associated with the beneficial ownership information reporting rule under the existing regulatory deadlines, but it will further not enforce any penalties or fines against U.S. citizens or domestic reporting companies or their beneficial owners after the forthcoming rule changes take effect either. The Treasury Department will further be issuing a proposed rulemaking that will narrow the scope of the rule to foreign reporting companies only. Treasury takes this step in the interest of supporting hard-working American taxpayers and small businesses and ensuring that the rule is appropriately tailored to advance the public interest.
“This is a victory for common sense,” said U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “Today’s action is part of President Trump’s bold agenda to unleash American prosperity by reining in burdensome regulations, in particular for small businesses that are the backbone of the American economy.””
The rules came amidst the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and our ramped up sanctions on Russia, a country known for using shell corporations to hide its assets in Western countries. Shell Corporation’s are legal but they have been used for illegal activities and this rule helped in combating money laundering; which is not just a foreign business problem.
When the bill, The Corporate Transparency Act was proposed in 2019 it got bipartisan support and passed in December of 2020. When the BOI rule was introduced, “The Treasury Department said it was moving to create a database that will contain personal information on the owners of at least 32 million U.S. businesses as part of an effort to combat illicit finance. Treasury officials said the new rule represents a sea change in the world of corporate transparency.”
According to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) website (who regulates BOI under the Treasury Department), “The mission of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is to safeguard the financial system from illicit activity, counter money laundering and the financing of terrorism, and promote national security through strategic use of financial authorities and the collection, analysis, and dissemination of financial intelligence.”
The ending of the enforcement of this rule seems counterintuitive to the fight against crime to ensure America's safety.

https://apnews.com/article/treasury-beneficial-ownership-database-finance-bessent-trump-a903100907851cca1930511f96e9686d

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0038

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-politics-business-bc1631f23fe2f14273dcaed6fbd3883b

https://www.fincen.gov/boi

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2015

https://www.uschamber.com/co/start/strategy/small-business-corporate-transparency-act

https://www.fincen.gov/about/mission#:~:text=The mission of the Financial,analysis%2C and dissemination of financial

https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/us-congress-bans-anonymous-shell-companies-2020-12-11/

https://campaignlegal.org/update/secret-election-spending-proliferates-through-shell-companies

https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-publications/quick-facts/Fentanyl_FY21.pdf

https://www.cato.org/blog/us-citizens-were-80-crossers-fentanyl-ports-entry-2019-2024

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/2513

Why everyone should be alarmed by the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil
Mahmoud Khalil was a student at Columbia University. He is in the U.S. legally on a Green card as a permanent resident and is married to a US citizen who is 8 months pregnant. He was arrested a week ago and sent to a holding facility in Louisiana to prepare him for deportation. He has yet to be charged with a crime and the Department of Homeland Security has yet to prove he committed a crime. He was a leader in the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University over Israel’s attacks on Gaza and its civilians. The protests were not Pro-Hamas or Anti-Semitic. The protests included Jewish students and non Palestinian students. . Protesting is protected under the First Amendment, freedom of speech.
The State Department is having a hard time coming up with a crime to charge him with but they seem to be detaining Mr. Khalil until they find one. This is a huge civil rights violation. One reason it matters is if they can do this to a permanent resident, who is in our country legally, they may be emboldened to do it to others including citizens. When you pervert the law to align with your own distorted sense of justice you open the door to a pandora’s box of corrupt practices and possible retribution for perceived offences.
Just this week the President announced that he is planning on invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798; it is one of four wartime laws that gives the Government the ability to deport non citizens that they deem to be a threat to national security. The Alien and Sedition Acts consisted of four laws that were used in 1798 at a time when the U.S. was preparing to go to war with France. According to the National Archives the laws were, “Passed in preparation for an anticipated war with France, the Alien and Sedition Acts tightened restrictions on foreign-born Americans and limited speech critical of the government.”
John Adams (2 nd President of the United States) used the Alien and Sedition Act to imprison his perceived critics, most of whom were journalists and citizens.
If today’s government allows this to happen, a wartime law to be used in a time of peace, it may lead to a slippery slope with widespread consequences.

https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/alien-and-sedition-acts

https://www.history.com/topics/early-us/alien-and-sedition-acts

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgj5nlxz44yo

https://www.democracynow.org/2025/3/14/jvp_sitin_trump_tower_mahmoud_khalil

https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-15014bcbb921f21a9f704d5acdcae7a8

I would like to talk about Transgender women in sports.
Last night, as I listened to John Thune (Senate Majority Leader) talk on the Senate floor about statistics of transgender women in female sports and how it has become a real problem, it made me wonder how this issue became so important to so many. Thune was citing a report by the United Nations from last August of data collected by March of 2024; the report states that 600 females lost out on 890 medals in 400 competitions of 29 different sports to transgender women athletes. The report is “on violence against women and girls, which addresses the participation of men in women’s sports.”
I would like to point out something in regard to transgender people. It must be extremely difficult to make the decision to come out to the world as a transgender person especially considering the pressure to conform to societal norms and to know that the decision may lead to you not being accepted by your peers, family and friends, co-workers, and everyone else in our society. It seems very odd that someone would go through all that to get a medal in a sporting event.
Oh, and just a reminder, 6 women have won the Boston Marathon since 1972. Prior to which, women were banned from competing in races with men as per the AAU.
Now, I would like to talk about something that is 100 times more pervasive, last year close to 70,000 women reported they were victims of rape in the U.S. and less than 3% of the perpetrators were convicted. As a survivor of sexual assault I would like to point out that not all victims of this crime report it. It affects “one in five” (20%) women in the United States and it has an extremely traumatic and lifelong impact on the victims. It is a massive problem in our society and it doesn’t get the attention it deserves. In fact, it seems to get swept under the rug.
Thousands of rape kits go unprocessed every year. It became such a common occurrence that the federal government provided $1.3 billion to process the backlog. In an article by U.S. News and World Report citing a report from USAFacts (a nonprofit) about the backlog of unprocessed rape kits, “found that despite Justice Department funding totaling over $1.3 billion since 2011 for programs that contain a focus on clearing backlogs of untested kits, many states have struggled to do so, leaving cases unresolved. Across 30 states and Washington, D.C., USAFacts found at least 25,000 kits in need of testing in 2022.”
This is a travesty. If our country truly believed in supporting and defending women they would be screaming about the violent crimes committed against women and doing more to put their offenders behind bars. Not exaggerating issues that are culture war topics introduced to cause an inflammatory reaction that can be used to promote support for a political agenda.

https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2025/3/thune-senate-will-vote-to-protect-women-and-girls-sports

https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-congress-dfd81b15ebc09409f1bf6c8642f130f3

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2023-06-20/rape-kit-backlogs-remain-in-states-despite-funding

https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics

https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-rape-kits-are-awaiting-testing-in-the-us-see-the-data-by-state/?utm_source=usnews&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=fellowship&utm_content=link

I want to clear up something that seems to be a common misunderstanding. The premise that you can support only one side of an argument, conflict, disagreement, etc., that loyalty is one sided. That if you dare to say something in support of the opposing side you completely negate your support of the other. Life is not this cut and dried. It’s not this black and white, even though many people seem to think so.
I’ll give an example, my thoughts of the Israel Hamas conflict. I support the Israeli people’s right to defend themselves against terrorist attacks but I also support the Palestinian people’s right to have a safe place to live free of oppression. Here’s the crux, I don’t think that the leadership of either side of this conflict has been forthcoming or candid. I actually believe both are corrupt.
I’m not anti-Semitic nor am I anti-Palestinian, I am anti-corruption; I am against leaders who use excessive force, might and/or misinformation to try to manipulate, mislead and control their citizens.
I can feel empathy and compassion for both sides of the conflict. I can mourn for the lives lost. For the parents and grandparents who will never hold their children and grandchildren again, the husbands and wives that will never reunite with their spouses, the friends that will never get another conversation, the children who will never feel their parents hug again. This is not choosing a side. This is choosing humanity.

There is a problem in America and it’s not a new one.
It has always been a thing that everyone everywhere has their own opinions, values, political ideologies, concerns, etc. We are people of diversity in more than just looks, size and attire, as it should be. If we all thought, looked and acted the same way the world would be a very boring place.
We are successful because we are a diverse country of many different ideas, and talents, and abilities, and perspectives, and wisdoms, and strengths, and beliefs. Our differences are our strengths. When trying to solve a problem you want diverse perspectives and ideas because it creates a plethora of solutions that will contribute to success.
When everyone thinks the same and has similar ideas problems may never get solved or get the best solution because you will be just circling the same ideas and solutions. Think of it this way, if you had only oatmeal to eat, would you want to eat it the same way every time you ate or would you want variations and new recipes to help make it a little bit more appetizing and appealing? Most people would prefer the variety. This isn’t the best analogy but it gets my point across.
The problem is that there seems to be a growing intolerance toward all of our differences and it is becoming radical in the extreme. People are acting on these differences and it’s virulent and sometimes violent. This is scary. This is sad. This is un-American. We are a melting pot.
In politics demonizing the opposition and their party has unfortunately become the norm. I think this practice is wrong and has become pervasive. It is spreading to non political areas. In our world today people are identifying themselves by their political ideology first and foremost which is influencing their behavior toward others and for some their religious identity; if the church they attend doesn’t align with their political views they no longer attend services at that church, they are actively seeking out a church that promotes political divisiveness. Some won’t even associate with people of a different political party. It is also affecting their moral compass. People are saying and doing things that would have been abhorrent to them 10 years ago. I base some of these observations on the book, The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta. It was a real eye opener. This is affecting all political ideologies. Some people’s attitudes are more toxic than others.
I think that the internet and specifically social media created an environment of toxic anonymity that some people seem to thrive in. They are bold in their criticisms and anger. They don’t seem to care if they offend or cause harm, which seems to be the goal. The political aspect seems to be out of control. There are so many people trolling, rage baiting and shitposting. It is very disheartening. I almost wish that those inventions hadn’t been created.
When I was a kid, I remember being blissfully unaware of politics and political ideologies. I grew up in a small rural town where most people knew each other. I was a younger child of a large brood and most of the time I was overlooked. I liked it that way. I was a flighty kid with a huge imagination and I spent a lot of time alone. I was quiet and shy. These qualities allowed me to go about mostly unobserved (so I could do the observing). I remember my parents talking about politics but not really understanding what they were talking about. But I also remember that adults treated each other with kindness and respect. My parent taught me to be kind and respectful to all adults; I learned from their example. I raised my children to be the same way. My thoughts are that when we pull away from these simple but impactful behaviors we lose our sense of community and humility. I am hopeful that people can return to those values. That politics isn’t the first thing that defines us. That we can celebrate our differences and respect each other’s right to choose what is best for them. That we can return to kindness. That people will realize that being anonymous, cruel and unkind is more of a reflection on them and not on the person they are disparaging.

On Friday the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ended collective bargaining with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees. DHS put out a statement, “This action will ensure Americans will have a more effective and modernized workforces across the nation’s transportation networks.” This action is illegal. The National Labor Relations act (1935) specifically protects the ability to bargain collectively.
The DHS in coordination with the Federal Government seem to be trying to end unions and union protections.

https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/the-law/employees/collective-bargaining-rights

https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act

https://www.epi.org/policywatch/dhs-terminates-tsa-collective-bargaining-agreement/

https://apnews.com/article/collective-bargaining-agreement-tsa-homeland-security-e3eb1d5e0ae8e1b4a6fdb87cd7f6bd39