ISSUES OF THE WEEK
The news cycle is a “moving target” of issues. If you have a topic you would like to present please send it to our contact page, we need help to keep up.
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Here are some topics for your consideration.
After years of many affairs, sexual harassment claims, insults toward women, and paying off porn stars, we are now hearing more about Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein and his crimes. Trump was known to associate with Epstein and might be listed as attending Epstein’s parties. Democrats want to learn more about the scandal and any cover-up.
We’re also hearing that the IRS has been sharing our financial records with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This agency is acting harshly, ignoring laws and due process. Democrats want to know more about ICE’s secret actions and their authority to get IRS records. ICE is currently active in Michigan.
Most Republicans in the House and Senate are letting Trump and his supporters cut staff at the Education Department and other agencies. Our Constitution says Congress decides the budget, which funds these agencies. But Republicans are giving the President more power, weakening Congress. The President should follow the budget Congress approves. Many see Trump's actions as serious enough for impeachment. Democrats want to stay informed about this and what our US Congress members are doing.
Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) recently held a confusing and badly run hearing on vaccines. People said it seemed like a search for information to limit vaccine access. The Secretary of Health and Human Services opposes many vaccines but often gives unclear or confusing answers. He is not a scientist or doctor, and some even call him a witch doctor. Democrats trust science and want to stay well informed about vaccines.
The Big Beautiful Budget spends 45 billion dollars of our taxes to imprison immigrants who have lived here for years, own businesses, and have families. This is unfair. They are part of our community and economy, not criminals, and have not received fair treatment. Democrats believe this goes against American values and wastes money.
The budget gives people temporary tax cuts, but it also includes hidden tax benefits for Trump, his family, and wealthy friends. We need more information before we can fully respond to this bill.
We’re hearing that the Federal Emergency Management Agency plans to destroy or has already destroyed 500 tons of emergency food. This is a WASTE, especially with so many hungry children in the country. It doesn’t make sense; we want to know the full story.
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IS TRUMP COVERING UP HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH JEFFREY EPSTEIN, AND IS HIS ADMINISTRATION A DEEP STATE IN DOING SO?
To help you answer the question read the following.
Trump, known for his playboy image in New York, married wife Ivana in 1977. While still married to Ivana, he had a public affair with Marla Maples. Marla once confronted Ivana on a family trip, saying, "I love Donald, do you?" Trump and Ivana divorced in 1991 amid heavy media coverage. Ivana is buried at Bedminster Golf Club, reportedly for tax reasons since it's a cemetery.
Trump married Marla in 1993 after their daughter Tiffany was born, but they divorced in 1997. He met Melania Knauss in 1998 and married her in 2005.
In 2005, Trump was caught on tape saying he could grab women in the ____ because he was a star.
26 women accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct from the 1970s to 2016. In 2024, he was found guilty of sexual misconduct and other charges in a trial involving E. Jean Carroll.
Adult film star, Stormy Daniels says she had a sexual encounter with Donald Trump in July 2006. His lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid her $130,000 to keep quiet before the 2016 election. Trump denies this. On April 4, 2023, Trump turned himself in to the Manhattan DA on fraud charges for hiding this payment. On May 30, 2024, a jury found Trump guilty of 34 counts of business fraud related to the payment.
Karen McDougal, a playboy playmate states, she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, close to the birth of son Barron. American Media bought the rights to Karen’s story and killed it by not publishing it. Trump denies all of the accusations by Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal.
In July 2025, it was reported that Trump was friends with Jeffrey Epstein, whose name appears in the grand jury indictment for sexual trafficking of minors along with a friend named Ghislaine Maxwell..
In July of 2025 Trumps attorney had meetings with Ghislaine Maxwell, a conspirator with Epstein, who is serving a 20 year prison sentence for sex trafficking and other associated activities. The content of the meeting has not been released
After reading the above review, you decide, is Trump an honest man, with good character, or is he a cheat and liar. During his latest campaign Trump stated he would release all the Epstein files implying the deep government state was protecting Democrats . Has Trump filled his promise to release the files or is he involved and does this smell of a cover up? Is the Trump administration a “deep state”? Why is a Department of Justice attorney meeting with Maxwell, is their a “deal” in the making to cover up Trumps involvement?
Can we believe Trump when he denies being involved in the sexual activities of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell and when he states that he does not know anything about it?
TRUMP SAID SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS WOULD NOT BE TAXED. IN MANY CASES HE LIED.
When searching about 2025 taxes on Social Security benefits and checking IRS publications, you'll see this information. The White House says people won’t pay income tax on Social Security benefits, but be cautious. Each person or family should consult a tax expert to understand how the law affects them. This information is for federal taxes only, not state taxes.
Our US Congressman voted for the rules found in the budget bill.
Whether your Social Security benefits will be taxed on your federal form in 2025 depends on your total income and filing status. Here's a breakdown of the federal rules:
No Tax Thresholds: You won't pay federal income tax on your Social Security benefits if your total income is below these thresholds:
Single filers: $25,000.
Married filing jointly: $32,000.
Married filing separately (and living apart the entire year): $25,000.
Married filing separately (and lived with your spouse at any time during the year): $0.
Partial Taxation (50%): You could pay taxes on up to 50% of your benefits if your income falls within these ranges:
Single filers: $25,000 to $34,000.
Married filing jointly: $32,000 to $44,000.
Increased Taxation (85%): You could pay taxes on up to 85% of your benefits if your income exceeds these limits:
Single filers: More than $34,000.
Married filing jointly: More than $44,000.
Determining your combined income
To figure out whether your benefits are taxable and at what level, you'll need to calculate your "combined income." This is the sum of your adjusted gross income, any tax-exempt interest income, and half of your Social Security benefits.
New senior deduction
A new senior deduction may impact your tax liability starting in 2025. For tax years 2025-2028, taxpayers aged 65 or older (and their spouses, if filing jointly) can claim a $6,000 deduction. This deduction is reduced by 6% (but not below zero) for adjusted gross incomes exceeding $75,000 ($150,000 for joint filers).
Ghislaine Maxwell knows the truth about Trumps relationship with Epstein—and Trump knows it.
Trumps previous personal attorney and now the Deputy Director of the Department of Justice met with Ghislaine Maxwell for two days. Within a week following these meeting, Ghislaine was transferred from a federal prison in Florida to a minimum security “camp” in Texas. This smells of a deal.
Republicans are now looking for language to change the perceptions of MAGA citizens and label her as a scapegoat in the Epstein case. A change in perceptions will give Trump the opportunity to reduce her sentence or even pardon her if she is tight lipped about Trumps friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Republicans do not want the truth to be released. Predictably, Trump states he knows nothing about the meetings. Does anybody believe him?
Thoughts for the day from a contributor to this web site
Democrats can be self-critical, we are more likely to use data to make decisions, we can admit that some Republican beliefs may be of some value when not extreme and in-turn admit that some ideas presented by Democratic leaders could be improved upon. We are concerned that our campaign messages are not hitting the mark. We are more likely to be pragmatic, that is accepting the lesser of two evils, and we tend to make decisions based on the intent of the constitution and what is good for all people.
Republicans tend to be more tribal, less critical of themselves, they do not admit mistakes, they tend see the solutions to problems as black and white and they are more verbal in expressing hate for Democrats and our values. Their campaign messages are more often aimed at the emotions of people, social and personal. Their leaders are well briefed to include a identical response to Democratic challenges.
Do you agree with this analysis?
A question for you, are we too nice in in our creating our campaign messages or should we become more emotional and nasty as Republicans?
House GOP Passes Budget Bill Cutting Critical Health Care and Food Assistance Programs to Give Tax Handouts to the Top 1%
House Republicans passed a budget last week that includes the largest cuts to health care and food assistance in American history — showing once more that the GOP’s priority will always be Trump’s billionaire backers, not working families.
Let’s be clear: This bill would result in a massive redistribution of wealth from the bottom to the top — leaving working families to once again foot the bill for America’s wealthiest.
Medicaid and SNAP are vital programs that millions of Americans rely on for quality, affordable health care and to put food on the table – policies Republicans the majority of Americans oppose.
This is a billionaire giveaway on the backs of working families.
Nearly 14 million Americans will lose health care, and food assistance that nearly 42 million Americans rely on to put food on the table is on the chopping block.
This billionaire-first budget could also pave the way for nearly $500 billion in cuts to Medicare, a devastating blow to the millions of seniors.
Hospitals will close, seniors won’t get the care they need, and premiums will skyrocket.
Trump’s not fighting for children, parents, seniors in nursing homes, or people with disabilities — he’s only looking out for the ultra-wealthy.
Democrats will stand with millions of Americans across the country to hold Republicans accountable for turning their backs on working families in the midterms.