President-elect Trump intends to reverse President Biden’s commutation of 37 federal death sentences, directing the Department of Justice to aggressively pursue capital punishment upon his inauguration. This action follows Trump’s consistent campaign rhetoric advocating for increased use of the death penalty, particularly for violent crimes and drug trafficking. While Biden’s commutations are irreversible, Trump’s administration can resume seeking the death penalty in future cases. Three individuals remain on federal death row, all convicted of mass violence.
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In a stark reversal, numerous corporations that publicly condemned the January 6th Capitol riot are now contributing substantially to Donald Trump’s record-breaking inauguration fund. This influx of corporate donations suggests a strategic effort by big business to cultivate favor with the incoming president. These contributions follow earlier pledges by some of these same companies to suspend political donations after the 2021 events. The inauguration fund finances the presidential transition and related ceremonies.
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In a Christmas message, President-elect Trump reiterated his desire for U.S. territorial expansion, targeting the Panama Canal and Greenland, and suggesting Canada become the 51st state with significant tax cuts and military protection. He also falsely claimed a high death toll during the Panama Canal’s construction and mocked Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau. While Greenland’s prime minister rejected any sale of the territory, Denmark expressed willingness to cooperate with the new U.S. administration, even while increasing its defense spending for Greenland. Trump further urged Wayne Gretzky to run for Canadian prime minister.
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President-elect Trump intends to aggressively pursue the death penalty, reversing President Biden’s commutation of 37 federal death sentences. This stance contradicts evidence of the death penalty’s ineffectiveness as a deterrent and its inherent biases. Trump’s plans extend beyond murder, encompassing drug trafficking and potentially other crimes, raising concerns among opponents. His administration’s approach stands in stark contrast to the growing national and international movement toward abolishing capital punishment.
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President-elect Trump strongly condemned President Biden’s commutation of sentences for 37 of 40 federal death row inmates, vowing to vigorously pursue capital punishment upon his inauguration. Trump criticized the commutations as senseless and disrespectful to victims’ families, intending to focus on cases involving violent criminals. While the extent of his actions remains unclear, his statement suggests a more assertive approach to federal death penalty cases than previous administrations. Experts note that enacting significant changes to death penalty policy faces substantial legal and practical challenges.
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Despite campaigning as proponents of free speech, President-elect Trump and his allies, including potential appointees Patel, Kennedy, and Musk, are exhibiting actions contradictory to this claim. Their rhetoric and proposed actions target the free press and those critical of the administration, suggesting a willingness to silence dissent rather than champion it. This includes threats against journalists, media outlets, and even potential primary challenges for dissenting politicians. A conservative lawyer familiar with the plans warns of a “brutal” crackdown on dissent. The notion of Trump as a free speech advocate is therefore demonstrably false.
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Trump’s campaign refusal to pay nearly $50,000 in bills incurred during Grand Rapids rallies is, frankly, unsurprising. This isn’t a new development; it’s consistent with a long-standing pattern of behavior, a pattern so well-established that anyone extending credit to his campaigns without upfront payment seems, well, naive at best.
The nearly $33,000 bill from the July rally, largely for police overtime and public works, went unpaid despite being due in October. This is incredibly frustrating for Grand Rapids, especially since the city’s resources, and ultimately taxpayer money, are now tied up in this unpaid debt. It’s hard to imagine a business operating under the same financial principles; the idea of a large-scale operation not fulfilling its financial obligations raises significant concerns about accountability.… Continue reading
President-elect Trump threatened the European Union with tariffs unless it significantly increases purchases of U.S. oil and gas, citing a $209 billion trade deficit. This demand, while unclear on specifics, follows previous attempts to boost U.S. energy exports to Europe. However, the EU lacks a central authority to fulfill such large-scale commitments, and experts suggest this is likely posturing for future trade negotiations. Despite a substantial trade imbalance, the relationship is complex, with significant intra-company flows of goods obscuring the full picture. The feasibility of Trump’s demands is questionable given existing energy market dynamics and the inability to mandate purchases.
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In December, the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index plummeted 8.1 points to 104.7, falling below expectations and marking a sharp reversal from the previous two months. This decline was largely driven by a 12.6-point drop in the Expectations Index to a five-month low of 81.1, nearing the recessionary threshold of 80. Consumer concerns cited included political uncertainty and the anticipated impact of tariffs on the cost of living, outweighing any potential job creation benefits. The significant drop in consumer confidence is reflected in Walmart’s stock decline, prompting speculation of an impending recession.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood