Recently leaked video footage shows former Fox News host Tucker Carlson criticizing the network’s streaming service, Fox Nation. Carlson, who produced content for the service during his tenure at the company, expressed frustration with both its infrastructure and content. In the leaked footage, Carlson asserts that Fox Nation’s site is difficult to use and that its content is comparable to “Lifetime movies”. He also suggests that Fox Nation is not popular, asserting that “nobody watches it because the site sucks”. The video was released by Media Matters for America, a liberal media watchdog group that tracks conservative media. Carlson’s remarks have sparked controversy, with many media outlets reporting on the story.
Category Archives: Politics
In the potential 2024 rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, Americans across the country have mixed opinions on who would come out on top. Residents in Nashville and Baltimore shared their thoughts with Fox News, with some predicting a Trump victory despite ongoing controversies. Others, like Anikee from Baltimore, believe Biden would prevail. Both candidates face low approval ratings, according to an NBC News poll, with 60% of U.S. adults saying Trump should not run and 70% saying the same of Biden. Despite the lack of enthusiasm for either candidate, Biden announced his run for a second term, and Trump launched his own campaign in November. Nevertheless, some Americans express disgust with the division caused by a potential Trump-Biden face off, and hope to see other candidates emerge.
The American Rescue Plan of 2021 has lowered the 1099-K reporting threshold from $20,000 over 200 transactions to just $600 from any number of transactions, effective January 1. This new tax rule, which requires third-party settlement organizations and credit card companies to report payments for goods and services exceeding $600 per year, has raised concerns from lawmakers. Even casual sellers on popular platforms such as Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, or Etsy could face penalties if their transactions total $600 or more in a year. According to a MoneyMagnify survey, nearly 40% of Americans sold items online early in the pandemic, netting about $1,800 on average. Therefore, it is essential for those who continue to sell goods online to have a proper understanding of the new tax rules. The Coalition for 1099-K Fairness, a group of online marketplaces opposing the new rule, believes that the new $600 rule is unfair, burdensome, and confusing for many casual sellers and gig economy workers across the country. If you sell handmade jewelry, art, home decor, or personal items like a car, refrigerator, furniture, stereo, or even clothes, and your transactions for the year add up to $600 or more, you should report this income on IRS form 8949, schedule D, and via your 1099-K if you meet the IRS threshold. However, the loss on the sale of a personal item is not deductible. The IRS originally planned to introduce the $600 rule on Jan 1, 2022, but after certain politicians and groups like the Coalition for 1099-K Fairness called for the rule change to be scrapped and for commonsense tax regulations to govern the resale market, the IRS announced an eleventh-hour delay, pushing implementation back by one year. In January, Rep. Carol Miller reintroduced the Saving Gig Economy Taxpayers Act with the support of 13 Republican colleagues to reverse the unwarranted and unfair lowering of the 1099-K reporting threshold. The act aims to protect Americans who use online payment platforms, gig economy workers, and small e-commerce sellers from being taken advantage of and ensure they continue to have access to reliable income streams.
The 2024 Senate elections are quickly approaching and the opportunity is ripe for Republicans to win back control of the Senate. CNN Politics has identified the top 10 Senate seats most likely to flip in the upcoming election. West Virginia’s incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin faces a potentially tough reelection campaign with Republicans targeting him. The GOP primary is competitive with Alex Mooney and Gov. Jim Justice as top contenders. Montana’s incumbent Democrat Jon Tester is running for a fourth term, and the GOP field is still forming with Tim Sheehy and Austin Knudsen as possible candidates. In Ohio, incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown faces a challenge in his red-trending state, and Republican candidates include businessman Bernie Moreno and state Sen. Matt Dolan. With incumbent Democrat Debbie Stabenow retiring, Michigan’s Rep. Elissa Slotkin is the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, and potential GOP candidates include Nikki Snyder, Kevin Rinke, and James Craig. These races, along with others on the list, present an opportunity for Republicans to regain control of the Senate.
The dream of a bridge connecting Sicily to mainland Italy has been in the works for over 2,000 years, and now Italy’s government wants to make it a reality by building the world’s longest suspension bridge across the Strait of Messina. However, the project is not without its challenges. With a cost of 4.5 billion euros ($4.96 billion) for the bridge alone and 6.75 billion euros ($7.4 billion) for the infrastructure to support it, including upgrading road and rail links and building terminals, concerns over the Mafia, earthquakes, and the environment are at the forefront. The southern region of Italy is prone to corruption, with the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta and the Sicilian Cosa Nostra often infiltrating construction projects. Additionally, the Strait of Messina is along a fault line where a devastating earthquake in 1908 killed over 100,000 people and spawned tsunamis that devastated coastal areas on both sides of the water. Despite these challenges, the government claims that building the bridge will provide a significant boost to the local economy. However, the project must first overcome significant obstacles, both geophysical and criminal, before it can become a reality.
Former Truth Social executive, Will Wilkerson, has become a whistleblower, providing federal and state investigators with 150,000 emails and documents relating to the Trump Media and Technology Group. Accusing the company of violating securities laws, Wilkerson has been granted federal protection as a whistleblower. Despite the potential for wealth through his high-paying job and stock options, Wilkerson chose to distance himself from Truth Social, concerned that investors may be at risk of losing their investments. He now works as a barista trainer at Starbucks in North Carolina for $16/hour, stating that he is focused on doing what is right, even in the face of risks. The controversy surrounding Truth Social continues, but Wilkerson remains committed to speaking out.
A recent report has shed light on new connections between convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and high-profile figures including CIA Director William Burns, Goldman Sachs lawyer Kathryn Ruemmler, and renowned professor and activist Noam Chomsky. Epstein’s secret calendar, along with other documents, reveal scheduled meetings and trips with these individuals and others. In 2014, Burns had three meetings with Epstein while he was deputy secretary of state, including a visit to Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse. Ruemmler, who served as White House counsel under President Barack Obama before joining Goldman Sachs, had numerous meetings with Epstein and was even invited on trips to Paris and his private island in the Caribbean. Leon Botstein, the president of Bard College, invited Epstein to visit the campus with a group of young female guests. And in 2015, Chomsky was scheduled to have dinner with Epstein at his Manhattan townhouse. The information in these documents highlights the surprising breadth of Epstein’s connections, even years after his conviction.
The landmark rape trial involving Donald Trump and his accusers has garnered significant attention from the public and the media. The Washington Post reports that women who have accused the former president of sexual misconduct see the trial as a rare opportunity for justice. E. Jean Carroll, who took the stand this week, gave a harrowing account of an alleged sexual assault by Trump in the 1990s. Cathy Heller, another accuser, recognized the physical dominance and predatory impulse that Carroll described. Heller is one of at least 17 women who have accused Trump of sexual assault or misconduct, yet these allegations did not prevent him from rising to the White House or launching his reelection campaign. The trial is shedding light on the long fight for justice that these women have faced.
According to a recent report from the Commerce Department, there’s a chill running through the American consumer, even as inflation continues to cool. The Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, eased further in March, indicating that the central bank’s rate-hike campaign is taking hold. While the closely watched core PCE index trended down slightly, consumer spending growth has trailed off considerably since a January surge. Spending was flat in March, with the largest increases in consumer expenditures coming from housing expenses and healthcare. Consumers cut back in pretty much every other area, indicating a retrenching consumer. “This is not a consumer with a devil-may-care attitude that just can’t be stopped and can spend through anything,” said Tim Quinlan, senior economist at Wells Fargo.
Senate vote puts Minnesota on path to legalizing marijuana
The Minnesota Senate has voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults. The vote, which took place on Friday, resulted in a close 34-33 decision, with all Democrats voting yes and all Republicans voting no. However, before the bill can become law, there are still several differences that need to be ironed out through further negotiations.
The Senate version of the bill differs from the companion version that passed the House 71-59 on Tuesday. Therefore, a House-Senate conference committee will need to come together to resolve the differences before the final votes can take place in each chamber.
Despite the necessary negotiations, Democratic Governor Tim Walz has pledged to sign the bill into law once it reaches his desk. In addition to legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, the bill would also include the expungement of minor marijuana offenses from residents’ criminal records.
Source: AP News