YOU MAY BE RIGHT. GOVERNMENT IS THE PROBLEM

Yesterday Senate committees held hearings on the 2026 budget requests for DHS, HHS, and the State Dept. Kristi Noem testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. When asked to define habeas corpus she said “Habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country.” The Constitution permits Congress to suspend habeas corpus; not the president. Remember that. Sen. Hawley resorted to begging Noem for help for his state after a series of deadly weather events. FEMA has not shown up. Noem said the problem was that the Biden administration had failed the American people. Over in the Appropriations Subcommittee on DOL, HHS, and Education, RFK Jr. had a meltdown when asked whose decision it was to block billions of dollars in federal child care funding. Kennedy immediately pivoted to former president Biden’s 2021 budget. And wouldn’t stop his rant until reprimanded by the Chair. When questioned about cuts to ALS research he said he knew nothing about that. When asked about ending the childhood lead poisoning prevention program of the CDC Kennedy assured the members that funding was continuing. Officials in Milwaukee say that is not true. In fact the CDC’s entire team working on childhood lead exposure in their city has been fired. Over before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sec. of State Rubio had his own circle of hell trying to defend his desertion of all his previously stated values and beliefs. The Senate Finance Committee grilled Trump’s nominee to be IRS Commissioner. Former MO Rep. Billy Long has no independent tax professional or extensive management experience. But he IS a fierce Trump loyalist. But there are serious accusations of involvement with fraudulent tax schemes. He denied making promises for favorable treatment if he was confirmed. But he lied. There are tapes showing otherwise. He made exactly those promises. He also would not agree that it would be illegal for the president to direct the IRS to revoke a taxpayer’s nonprofit status. Which is an answer in itself. Over in the House, Rep. Nancy Mace used a hearing she chaired to accuse her ex-fiancé and other men of sexual abuse. She showed what she claimed were naked photos of herself and other women, taken without their consent. Huh? She is taking the position that her attacks on them, in Congress, are legally protected by the Constitution’s speech and debate clause. If that flies, the degradation of Congress is almost complete. Incompetence like this becomes obvious if confronted with serious questioning. But the GOP Congress confirmed some of the most inappropriate, inexperienced and ultimately disastrous cabinet members in our history, because you asking serious questions was secondary to party loyalty. And now we get to see the consequences to your constituents, to your country, and to your own legacy.