Voices, The Peoples News
February 20, 2025
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 to Inform and Educate
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This daily Voices, The Peoples News is posted through the blog function of www.MPEN-Ohio.net
# Indigenous
Utah Bill Would Disenfranchise Rural Native Residents, Critics Warn. The proposal comes despite the vast majority of Utah voters being confident in the current vote-by-mail system.
https://truthout.org/articles/utah-bill-would-disenfranchise-rural-native-residents-critics-warn/
# Border / Immigration / Migrants / Gangs / Drugs
Trump administration designates Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Trump has promised an all out attack on the drug trade.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/19/latin-american-cartels-terrorist-organizations-020847
These soldiers risked their lives serving in Afghanistan, now they plead with Trump to bring their sister to the U.S. Trump’s executive orders have blocked entrance to the country for thousands of Afghans, including those who worked with the U.S. military and their relatives. Two brothers hope permission comes quickly for their sister and her husband, who they say are in danger.
https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/19/trump-refugee-executive-order-afghan-allies/
Trump’s Appeal On Birthright Citizenship Order Rejected By Court
https://www.axios.com/2025/02/20/trump-birthright-citizenship-order-blocked-court-appeal
Trump orders end to taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal foreign nationals. Order directs agencies to cut taxpayer-funded benefits, enhance eligibility verification systems
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/trump-signs-executive-order-ending-federal-benefits-for-undocumented-immigrants/3487384
DeSantis signs immigration enforcement agreements with federal agencies
https://www.thecentersquare.com/florida/article_2a309a7a-ef0f-11ef-9d20-d7170abe9e0e.html
Panama sends 97 U.S. deportees to migrant camp after they refused to be repatriated
https://newrepublic.com/post/191740/trump-lutnick-cut-social-security-medicaid-medicare
# DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency]
Democrats say Trump’s DOGE agenda is anti-democratic, despite fulfillment of campaign promise. Elections have consequences: “President Trump campaigned on the fact that he’s going to bring bold reforms to the executive branch,” Mike Davis said. Obstructionists are feigning surprise at those voted-for reforms.
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/all-things-trump/democrats-claim-trumps-doge-agenda-antidemocratic-despite-campaign
The Incompetence of DOGE Is a Feature, Not a Bug. A series of mistakes by DOGE shows just how arbitrary and destructive this slash-and-burn strategy can get.
https://www.wired.com/story/doge-incompetence-mistakes-feature-not-bug/
Soros-funded group wages hidden legal battle on DOGE
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/watch/1998417/
# Economy / Finance / Trade / Banks / Taxes
Trump considering sending 20 percent of DOGE savings to US citizens and 20 percent to US debt. US president’s proposal comes amid scepticism of claimed savings from Elon Musk’s cost-cutting drive.
https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/2/20/trump-says-he-could-give-to-20-of-doge-savings-back-to-americans
Social Security Clarifies Beneficiary Payment Interruptions and DOGE’s Role at Agency. DOGE personnel now working at SSA do not have the authority to alter benefit payments or change agency systems. Their role is strictly limited to read-only access, meaning they can review records but not modify them
https://www.newsweek.com/social-security-warning-issued-benefits-interruption-2032594
Trump’s commerce secretary is raising the alarm on Social Security. “We have almost $4 trillion of entitlements, and no one’s ever looked at it before. You know Social Security is wrong, you know Medicaid and Medicare are wrong. So he’s gonna cut a trillion and we’re gonna get rid of all these tax scams that hammer against America and we’re gonna raise a trillion dollars of revenue.”
https://newrepublic.com/post/191740/trump-lutnick-cut-social-security-medicaid-medicare
Millions of Americans to lose Social Security benefits – the exact ‘limits’ IRS looks at: The main things the IRS looks at is your marital status and income level, plus any interest you might have if you own municipal bonds, and half your annual Social Security benefit. For example, if you earn under $25,000 a year and are not married, the IRS is not eligible to tax any of your Social Security.
https://www.newsbreak.com/the-us-sun-513995/3820349313298-millions-of-americans-to-lose-social-security-benefits-the-exact-limits-irs-looks-at0
# Education / Schools
Trump has a constitutional obligation to eliminate the Department of Education. The U.S. Department of Education was established by an act of Congress, and eliminating the agency would require another act of Congress.
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/faqs-the-us-department-of-education-and-the-trump-administration/
Legislative committee endorses prosecution of librarians who lend books deemed harmful to children
https://www.newsbreak.com/news/3821362243032-legislative-committee-endorses-prosecution-of-librarians-who-lend-books-deemed-harmful-to-children-bill-would-also-subject-employees-of-schools-universities-and-museums-to-potential-jail-time
# Energy / Pipelines / Mining / Oil
Texas offshore oil terminal gets federal approval. The terminal continues an oil export infrastructure buildout that pushes growth in U.S. oil production as momentum fades on a phase-out of fossil fuels.
https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/20/texas-gulf-coast-oil-loading-terminal-trump/
Trump administration moves to speed up fossil fuel projects with emergency permits
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/19/trump-fossil-fuel-climate
# Environment / Climate / Infrastructure / EPA / BLM
Trump administration seeks to dismantle key environmental law
https://www.ehn.org/trump-administration-moves-to-dismantle-key-environmental-law-2671182849.html
Interior Department fires thousands as federal layoffs expand
https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654
# FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency]
Morrisey: Federal aid ‘required’ for WV flood recovery, stays mum on Trump plan to dismantle FEMA
https://westvirginiawatch.com/2025/02/18/morrisey-federal-aid-required-for-wv-flood-recovery-stays-mum-on-trump-plan-to-dismantle-fema/
# General News
New transparency task force could pursue declassification on these incidents shrouded in secrecy. From the JFK assassination to Russia collusion and the 9/11 files to Jeffrey Epstein, here are several batches of documents the new House Oversight transparency task force could pursue.
https://justthenews.com/accountability/new-transparency-task-force-could-pursue-declassification-these-incidents-shrouded
# Gov / Politics
‘The Man Who Would Be King’ … Republicans Happily Roll Over as Trump Declares Himself King. Donald Trump made the stunning announcement while trying to roll back congestion pricing in New York.
https://newrepublic.com/post/191718/republicans-donald-trump-king-congestion-pricing
GOP Senators Are Having to Literally Beg Trump for Their Own Money. Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s spending freeze has sent Republicans scrambling.
https://newrepublic.com/post/191718/republicans-donald-trump-king-congestion-pricing
J.D. Vance Met With German Neo-Nazi Party Leader Alice Weidel. Vance also gave a speech in Munich, hypocritically scolding Europe’s leaders for many actions Trump has engaged in.
https://truthout.org/articles/j-d-vance-met-with-german-neo-nazi-party-leader-alice-weidel/
Trump’s Attack on Zelensky Signals New World Order Taking Shape
https://www.livemint.com/global/trumps-attack-on-zelensky-signals-new-world-order-taking-shape-11740030980336.html?showGiftPopup=true
President Trump signed an executive order to give the president greater power over independent regulatory agencies, government entities Congress set up to be shielded from White House control.
https://www.npr.org/2025/02/19/nx-s1-5302481/trump-independent-agencies
Trump’s 6’6″ Congress Whisperer Says “There’s No Desire To Contain” The President
https://2paragraphs.com/2025/02/james-carville-launches-strange-plan-to-stop-trump-do-nothing-and-obey-patrick-swayzes-immortal-words/
Trump to sign executive order instructing agencies to hunt down regulations that violate Constitution. It’s the latest action in Trump’s quest to dramatically expand his authority over the federal government.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/20/trump-order-review-federal-regulations-00205143
Trump signs late-night executive order abolishing handful of federal advisory boards
https://www.axios.com/2025/02/19/trump-federal-advisory-committees
Trump equal opportunity commission puts employers ‘on notice’ to stop ‘anti-American bias’
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2025/02/20/812554.htm
MAGA Cheers on ‘King’ Trump Dropping Pretense of Democracy
https://www.thedailybeast.com/lawrence-odonnell-rages-at-utterly-insane-image-of-trump-as-king/
Trump’s New World Order Leaves Future of European Security in Question: Officials in European countries have expressed alarm recently amid a significant shift in U.S. policy regarding the war in Ukraine.
https://thedebrief.org/trumps-new-world-order-leaves-future-of-european-security-in-question/
Trump Threatens to Blow Apart Entire G7 to Protect Putin
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-threatens-blow-apart-entire-144610329.html
Federal Judge Sounds The Alarm Over Trump’s Power Grab
https://www.yahoo.com/news/supreme-court-justice-sounds-alarm-110804875.html
Elon Musk issues chilling warning supported by Donald Trump about future of US presidency
https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/elon-musk-us-president-trump-34715310
Despite DOGE budget cut crusade, Trump has already spent $10.7 million of taxpayer money on golf trips: report
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-gold-trips-taxpayer-money-doge-b2701045.html
# Gov / Politics / Global
European leaders are scrambling to respond to President Trump’s first moves to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, shocked to find themselves on the outside of high-stakes talks about the continent’s security and grappling with a potential retreat of U.S. forces from Europe.
https://www.aol.com/trump-stuns-europe-opening-ukraine-224409207.html
Hamas claims it is ready to free all remaining hostages in one swap if Israel agrees to permanent cease-fire.
After the completion of the first phase, 58 hostages will remain in Gaza.
https://www.courthousenews.com/hamas-says-ready-to-free-all-hostages-at-once-in-gaza-truce-phase-two/
# Law Enforcement / ATF / FBI / CIA
The Senate has confirmed Kash Patel’s as FBI director, tightening Trump’s control of the government.
https://www.newsweek.com/kash-patel-confirmation-tightens-trump-control-2033989
# Legal / DOJ / ICJ / International Criminal Court [ICC]
How Trump’s Apparatchik Told a Judge: We Are the Masters Now
https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-trumps-apparatchik-menacingly-told-a-judge-we-are-the-masters-now/
The courts must decide between Elon Musk and the First Amendment
https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/5151124-elons-musk-sues-critics-first-amendment/
# Media
Musk Talks Over Trump as Hannity Blanks President in Awkward Fox Interview
https://www.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-talks-over-trump-141551413.html
# Medicare / Medicaid
‘Outrageous Lies’: Claiming Fraud, Trump Floats Kicking Millions Off Social Security. “They are laying the groundwork for denying benefits to anyone they want to punish or deem unworthy—or indeed, any one of us,” said the president of Social Security Works.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-social-security-fraud
# Medical / Health News
Kennedy promises shake-up at HHS, vows to question health standards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-BCMG198Yc
Musk furious as critics push back at DOGE’s blind destruction of S&T research funding. Researchers warn that without stable funding, critical advancements in fields such as neuroscience, diabetes, autism, and pandemic preparedness could be derailed. The loss of research grants and institutional support could drive top talent out of the U.S., diminishing the nation’s leadership in scientific innovation.
https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Musk_furious_as_critics_push_back_at_DOGEs_blind_destruction_of_S_and_T_funding_999.html
Generals, senior officers at DOD could soon be fired: US officials
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5156006-hegseth-defense-budget-cuts-what-to-know/
# Military / DOD / General News
Pete Hegseth orders Pentagon to prepare for 8 percent budget cuts for the next five years
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2025/02/19/white-house-eyes-8-cut-to-defense-budget-to-boost-trump-priorities/
Trump administration orders Pentagon to identify $50 billion in cuts
https://san.com/cc/trump-administration-orders-pentagon-to-identify-50-billion-in-cuts/
# Social Media / Internet
Poised to Take Over TikTok, Oracle Is Accused of Clamping Down on Pro-Palestine Dissent. Oracle, which has secret partnerships with Israel, has told employees to love the country or work elsewhere.
https://theintercept.com/2025/02/18/oracle-tiktok-israel-palestine-gaza/
# Technology / Artificial Intelligence / Cybersecurity
DOGE Now Has Access to the Top US Cybersecurity Agency. DOGE technologists Edward Coristine—the 19-year-old known online as “Big Balls”—and Kyle Schutt are now listed as staff at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
https://www.wired.com/story/doge-cisa-coristine-cybersecurity/
USDS Engineering Director Resigns: “I do not believe that DOGE can continue to deliver the work of , based on their actions so far,” wrote Anne Marshall in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday.
https://beamstart.com/news/usds-engineering-director-resigns-this-17400093621
USDS: United States Digital Service
https://www.usds.gov/
Google Ad-Tech Users Can Target National Security ‘Decision Makers’ and People With Chronic Diseases. Google enables marketers to target people with serious illnesses and crushing debt—against its policies—as well as the makers of classified defense technology, a WIRED investigation has found.
https://www.niemanlab.org/reading/google-ad-tech-users-can-target-national-security-decision-makers-and-people-with-chronic-diseases/
# Veterans / VA
As federal cuts continue, DOGE just fired a veteran who served four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
https://www.newsweek.com/he-served-four-tours-iraq-afghanistan-doge-just-laid-him-off-2033503
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