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@ISIDEWITH asked…2yrs2Y
On February 24 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War that began in 2014. The invasion caused Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II, with around 7.1 million Ukrainians fleeing the country and a third of the population displaced. It has also caused…
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@ISIDEWITH submitted…6 days6D
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent discussed potential AI implementation at the IRS during an appearance on Fox News' The Ingraham Angle.Bessent indicated he would wait for Elon Musk's DOGE assessment before making final decisions about the agency's future.Department of Government Emergency staff were observed entering IRS headquarters in Washington on Thursday.Having been in his position for just three weeks, Bessent expressed that government employees need to recognize taxpayer priorities over personal comfort.The Treasury Secretary outlined three primary goals for the IRS: collections, privacy, and customer service.Bessent acknowledged that none of these three areas are currently performing optimally.He revealed that the IRS currently operates on 12 different IT systems using COBOL, an outdated programming language from the 1980s.The Treasury Secretary committed to a major IT upgrade at the agency.When asked about potentially merging or reducing the IRS, Bessent deflected to discussing technological modernization.The discussion suggests a significant technological overhaul of the IRS may be imminent.
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@ISIDEWITH submitted…7 days7D
Reports emerged about a potential $400M State Department contract for armored Tesla Cybertrucks, which Elon Musk publicly denied on XThe government procurement document originally listed "Armored Tesla" in December, but was later changed to just "Armored Electric Vehicles"Musk, who spent over $250M supporting Trump's campaign, leads a government cost-cutting initiative called the Department of Government EfficiencyThe Cybertruck's stainless steel construction makes it potentially suitable for armoring, though the vehicle has faced recalls and modest salesArmormax, a Utah-based company, confirmed interest from the Trump administration in armoring Cybertrucks with bulletproof glass and other security featuresThe contract would be part of a larger State Department procurement forecast for 2025, with the total cost estimated between $100M-$500MCritics point out the potential conflict of interest, as Musk criticizes government spending while his companies have secured $13B in federal contractsTesla would not receive the full $400M, as some funds would go to armoring companies like ArmormaxThe Cybertruck has had limited commercial success, with only 39,000 units sold in 2023 at a starting price of $80,000The State Department plans to purchase other armored vehicles, including $40M worth of BMW SUVs
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@ISIDEWITH submitted…2wks2W
First flight of detained migrants from U.S. to Guantanamo Bay departed Tuesday from Fort Bliss, carrying approximately twelve migrantsTrump administration plans to expand the migrant detention facility from current 120-person capacity to hold up to 30,000Approximately 200 Marines have been deployed to Guantanamo, with numbers expected to increase to 500 to help set up infrastructureThe base has historically maintained a small migrant detention facility since the 1990s, separate from its terror suspect prisonCurrent operation costs include $28,500 per hour for C-17 flights, compared to $8,500 for standard ICE flightsPrevious contractor Akima received contract worth up to $163.4 million to manage facility for just dozens of migrantsDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former guard at the base, endorsed it as "perfect place" for migrant detentionDHS Secretary Noem promised "due process" but declined to rule out family detentionInternational Refugee Assistance Project has documented poor conditions including mold, sewage problems, and restricted communicationsLegal experts raise questions about how immigration cases would be adjudicated at the military base
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Jon Stewart criticized Democrats for repeatedly using Chuck Schumer as their spokesperson against Trump, calling his performances ineffective and monotonous.Stewart mocked Schumer's response to Trump's trade war threats, particularly his simplistic explanation about Mexican imports like Corona beer and avocados.The former Daily Show host expressed frustration at Schumer's basic observation that "guacamole is made of avocados" as a response to complex trade policy issues.Stewart sarcastically highlighted the Democrats' poor strategic choice in selecting Schumer to counter Trump, whom he described as "one of the most savvy presidential media manipulators in history."The comedian ridiculed Schumer's appearance and presentation style, particularly mocking his use of reading glasses positioned low on his nose.Stewart's criticism centered on the Democratic leadership's judgment in repeatedly choosing an "uninteresting" and "monotone" spokesperson.The commentary addressed Trump's threats of tariffs against Canada and Mexico, though focused more on the Democratic response than the policy itself.Stewart used hyperbole to emphasize his point, stating that Schumer's speaking makes him "want to bomb Canada."The piece highlighted the perceived disconnect between Democratic messaging strategy and effective opposition to Trump's policies.Stewart's criticism suggested a broader frustration with Democratic leadership's media strategy and public presentation.
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@ISIDEWITH asked…13yrs13Y
On June 26, 2015 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the denial of marriage licenses violated the Due Process and the Equal Protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The ruling made same sex marriage legal in all 50 U.S. States.
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