Tag: taxes

Forced adoption redress scheme to offer compensation for impacted Tasmanians

Tasmanian mothers who were subjected to historical forced adoption practices will be able to seek compensation under a redress scheme, the state government has announced.

As many as 250,000 forced adoptions have taken place across Australia since the 1950s, with several state and federal inquiries having highlighted the trauma suffered under the practice.

In 1969, Tasmanian mother Robyn Cohen gave birth at the age of 18.

She said she was denied a chance to cradle or kiss her baby before they were put up for adoption without her consent, a move that laid the ground for years of major trauma and depression.

Ms Cohen said while the scheme “will go one step in my journey towards healing”, she was concerned extensive consultation would delay it.

“I’m 75, many [of the] other women are older than I am,” she said.

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SHOCK: Top House Democrat Says the Quiet Part Out Loud on Govt Shutdown: Families will “Suffer” But “It is One of the Few Leverage Times We Have”

Today is day 22 of the Schumer Shutdown.

The Schumer Shutdown began on October 1, and the Senate has voted 12 times – and failed 12 times – to reopen the government because Schumer wants to give illegal aliens healthcare.

Instead of working with Republicans to responsibly extend funding until November, Schumer and the Democrats chose a shutdown.

The House has been out of session for a month.

Layoffs of federal employees officially began a couple of weeks ago as the U.S. government shutdown entered another tense phase, according to Trump administration budget chief Russell Vought, who confirmed the sweeping reductions in a social media post.

President Trump on Tuesday held the line and said Republicans will not be “extorted” as the Democrats demand taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal aliens.

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (MA) said the quiet part out loud on the Schumer Shutdown during an interview with Fox News Congress reporter Chad Pergram.

The interview with Katherine Clark was published by Fox News last week but it was making the rounds on Wednesday.

“Fighting for healthcare is our defining issue,” Clark said.

“The marketplace, the ACA marketplace, open enrollment takes place on Nov. 1,” Clark whined.

“People are receiving their premium notices that they’re going to go to that marketplace and say, ‘I can’t afford this.’ That is a real crisis for American families. And it drives up the cost of healthcare for every single person, no matter where you get your health insurance from,” she said.

Then Clark said the quiet part out loud.

“Shutdowns are terrible and, of course, there will be, you know, families that are going to suffer,” she said.

“We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leverage items we have. It is an inflection point in this budget process where we have tried to get the Republicans to meet with us and prioritize the American people,” Clark said.

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USDA to Resume Farmer Aid Distribution Halted During Govt Shutdown

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said on Oct. 21 that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will resume distributing aid for farmers frozen by the government shutdown.

In a statement on X, Rollins said the USDA will resume operations at the Farm Service Agency (FSA) on Oct. 23, which includes processing farm loans and managing federal aid programs for farmers across the country.

“President Trump will not let the radical left Democrat shutdown impact critical USDA services while harvest is underway across the country,” the secretary stated.

Rollins said in a subsequent post that financial aid for farmers totals more than $3 billion.

In an interview with Fox News that aired Oct. 21, Rollins said that President Donald Trump has directed the USDA to reopen FSA offices nationwide to allow farmers to access and cash their aid payments.

The secretary also revealed that the Trump administration was preparing an aid package for farmers affected by China’s refusal to buy soybeans from the United States amid trade negotiations.

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Radical Pennsylvania Bills Could Allow Public Funding Of Abortion Up To Birth

he Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee votes on a package of six bills Wednesday that will make it possible for pregnant Pennsylvania women to kill their unborn babies up to birth. It will also turn Pennsylvania into an abortion tourism destination, allowing women from states with stronger pro-life rules to kill their babies in Pennsylvania with no legal entanglements.   

Currently Pennsylvania bans abortion after 24 weeks (six months), though even then state law makes an exception “when the pregnancy poses a serious health risk or threatens the life” of the mother.

The main legislation is HB 1957, which aims to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution, making abortion a state constitutional right. HB 1957 would have to be approved by voters on a statewide ballot, and the committee hearing is the first step in that long process to amend the state constitution. First it must be approved in committee, then it moves to the House. The Pennsylvania House has a slight Democrat majority over Republicans, 102-101, so there is a good chance the constitutional amendment (and the entire six-bill package) will be approved by the committee and could pass the House.

The Republican-led Senate is less likely to approve the amendment, but if it did, the General Assembly would need to pass the proposed amendment again in the next legislative session, and it would then be placed on the ballot for statewide voter approval. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a strong and tacky proponent of abortion (often making cutesy posts about “protecting access”), would not be involved in the amendment process.

“They have no restriction on abortion in the language,” Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation Legislative Director Maria Gallagher told The Federalist, speaking of measures. “These bills are incredibly bad for women and babies in Pennsylvania; they would do everything from establish taxpayer funding of abortion to establishing late term abortions, to taking away the 24-hour waiting period for abortion, to taking away the counseling requirements for abortion. And what that would mean, is that women would not be told the risks of abortion or alternatives to abortion before an abortion takes place. This is really turning back the clock on protections for pregnant women and their babies.”

The bills would return Pennsylvania to the Kermit Gosnell era, providing legal protections for abortionists and late-term abortions without restrictions. Gosnell was an abortionist who killed babies after they were born in his filthy Philadelphia abortion mill.

The Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on HB 1957, the constitutional change, at 10 a.m. Wednesday, then vote on the full package of bills at 11 a.m.

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Scotland is getting sicker under the SNP as HALF of population now suffers from long term health problems

Scotland is getting sicker under the SNP as HALF of population now suffers from long term health problems

The Scottish Health Survey found a staggering 50 per cent of people reported a long-term condition last year, the highest since comparable studies began in 2003, when it was 41 per cent.

The prevalence of doctor-diagnosed diabetes also doubled over the same period.

Around 1 in 13 Scots now have the life-limiting condition.

A fifth of adults have ‘harmful’ alcohol intakes, and almost as many (18 per cent) have been diagnosed with asthma, up from 13 per cent in 2003 and another unwelcome record.

The Scottish Tories said the worsening picture threatened to ‘overwhelm’ an already over-stretched NHS.

Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: ‘Scotland is getting sicker under the SNP.

‘Their failure to support our NHS and invest in preventative health means that Scots are the unhealthiest they’ve been since 2008.

‘On their watch, mental health issues are on the rise, harmful alcohol consumption remains dangerously high and the number of children at risk of obesity is at record levels.

‘This rising tide of poor health threatens to overwhelm our already overstretched NHS and cost taxpayers’ a fortune in the process.

‘SNP ministers need to act now to tackle this crisis by boosting GP numbers, focus on improving mental wellbeing, prioritising preventative health and cutting waste to ensure that Scots can access the healthcare they need.’

Published by the Scottish Government, the annual survey defines a long-term condition as ‘a physical or mental health condition or illness lasting or expected to last 12 months or more’.

Around four in five (81 per cent) of those living with a long-term condition say it limits their activities, with most citing problems with mobility (32 per cent), stamina, breathing and fatigue (28) and mental health (26).

The percentage of Scots with diagnosed diabetes has risen from 4 to 8 per cent since 2003, with most people affected by Type 2 diabetes, often associated with an unhealthy lifestyle.

The disease, caused by the body not making enough insulin to regulate blood sugar, can damage the heart, kidneys, eyes and feet if untreated and shorten life expectancy.

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White House posts massive list of criminal illegal immigrants who were on Medicaid

The White House on Monday released a list of criminal illegal immigrants who reportedly received Medicaid benefits while living in the United States. The post, shared on the administration’s official account, included mugshots of offenders and noted the crimes for which they were arrested, along with the label “Received Medicaid.”

The new release follows weeks of partisan conflict over government funding. Earlier this month, on October 1, a government shutdown began after lawmakers failed to agree on a budget. The main point of contention was over healthcare funding and whether illegal immigrants should have access to taxpayer-funded programs.

Vice President JD Vance previously said Democrats were misrepresenting their position on the issue. “A Democrat talking point, they say ‘we’re not actually trying to give healthcare benefits to illegal aliens,’ and here’s why it’s not true,” Vance said in an interview with Fox News earlier this month.

Vance said the Trump administration cut two Biden-era programs that had allowed federal money to be used for healthcare provided to illegal immigrants, including hospital services and benefits granted to mass-paroled migrants. “Democrats want to turn it back on,” he said. “The first thing they put out to reopen the government actually turned that money for health care benefits for illegal aliens back on.”

In a separate interview earlier this month, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) was questioned by LindellTV reporter Alison Steinberg about whether Democrats were prioritizing healthcare for illegal immigrants. Waters said Democrats “want healthcare for everybody” and denied that they were putting non-citizens before Americans.

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NY lawmakers claim Hochul is targeting them for ongoing probe into alleged $11B Medicaid program scandal

State lawmakers are accusing Gov. Kathy Hochul of retaliating against them for continuing a probe into mounting claims her administration rigged the contract for a massive $11 billion Medicaid homecare program.

State Sens. Jim Skoufis (D-Orange) and Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx) plan to send a letter Tuesday demanding Hochul’s administration turn over evidence surrounding bid rigging and other allegations centering on her overhaul of the $11 billion per year Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program.

While the lawmakers were finalizing plans to move the investigation forward last week, Hochul took the unusual step of vetoing several of Skoufis’ bills, including one that would reimburse pharmacies for consulting patients on abortion procedures.

The Hudson Valley lawmaker, who shocked many with his full-throated attacks on Hochul during this year’s budget votes, accused the Democratic governor of vetoing his bills as payback for pushing the probe.

“The Governor wanted me to suppress critical information related to the CDPAP investigation, plain and simple. Kathy Hochul is barking up the wrong tree if she’s looking for a hack to shamelessly cover for her administration,” Skoufis said.

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White House agrees to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers

The Trump administration says it is canceling student debt for millions of borrowers — a pivot from its previous moves to block some loan forgiveness plans.

In an agreement with the American Federation of Teachers, the White House will again start processing student loan forgiveness for eligible borrowers in two income-driven repayment plans — Income-Contingent Repayment and Pay as You Earn — until they expire.

President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” is slated to phase out those two programs by July 1, 2028. They have over 2.5 million enrollees total, a higher ed expert estimated.

“This is a tremendous win for borrowers. With today’s filing, borrowers can rest a little easier,” said Winston Berkman-Breen, legal director for Protect Borrowers, which acted as counsel for the teachers’ union.

“The US Department of Education has agreed to follow the law and deliver congressionally mandated affordable payments and debt relief to hard-working public service workers across the country, and will do so under court supervision. We fully intend to hold them to their word.”

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James O’Keefe Exposes MASSIVE $100 BILLION Federal Contracting Scam

An explosive new undercover investigation by O’Keefe Media Group (OMG) released Monday on X has blown the lid off a massive federal contracting scandal, a $100 billion scheme exploiting taxpayer-funded minority-preference programs under the Biden Administration.

In a shocking undercover video posted on X, OMG revealed how ATI Government Solutions, a federal contractor supposedly “Native American-owned,” admitted to exploiting the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program to grab over $100 million in no-bid government contracts, while outsourcing up to 80% of the work to other firms.

“I tell you pass-throughs are a great thing!”
“We only do 20%… The rest goes to subs.”
“And remember, there’s no competition.”

James O’Keefe, posing as representatives from a fake cybersecurity firm called “Sev-Zero Solutions,” met Cromwell under the guise of hiring her catering side business.

Within minutes, the ATI executive bragged about how the company leverages its Native American tribal affiliation with the Susanville Indian Rancheria to obtain exclusive federal contracts, then turns around and pays subcontractors to do almost all the work.

O’Keefe Media Group (OMG) reported:

Within two minutes of sitting down with Melayne at a restaurant in Arlington, Virginia, she volunteered the entire scheme – no prompting, no hesitation. She told us she was the Director of Contracts for ATI Government Solutions. Then she dropped the real bombshell:

“Because we’re Native American-owned, we’re heavily favored for government contracts.” “There’s no bidding war.” Said Cromwell

She explained how ATI uses its tribal status to lock down multi-million dollar no-bid contracts, then passes off the majority of the work to subcontractors-firms that would never qualify on their own. Meanwhile, ATI keeps the lion’s share of the cash. Cromwell revealed to our undercover journalist;

“So, a lot of our subcontractors bid on contracts that were perfect in their industry, but because they weren’t Native American, they wouldn’t win it,” she said. “So we bid on it for them, they become our sub, and it’s an automatic win because you’re Native American status. There’s no bidding war.”

Under the 8(a) system, meant to empower disadvantaged businesses, “pass-through” contractors such as ATI serve as paper fronts, taking much of the money off the top while doing little or none of the work. Cromwell admitted the company performs only 20% of its multi-million-dollar no-bid federal contracts, subcontracting out the remaining 80% – a textbook case of a “pass-through” scheme.

“Correct. Yeah. They’re doing most of the work. But you want to really stay on, make sure they’re on time.”

“So, we do about 20% of the work.”

“You don’t want to share that,” – Cromwell added.

In short, ATI secures the contracts, gets the money, acts as a passthrough and it’s the tax payer who gets screwed over.

On paper, ATI is owned by the Susanville Indian Rancheria, a federally recognized native american tribal entity, in northern california.

Arian confirmed to us that if they were to appear as the owners of our company it would make it easier to obtain government contracts, and goes on to claim that we may need to relinquish 51% of the ownership to them.

OMG Undercover Journalist: “So really, it’s really just coming up with a number that you would want in order to appear to be the owner of our company. So we’ll discuss what percentage you would get when we come to the signing of the contract.”

Melayne confirms that ATI is abiding by this 51% tribal ownership…on paper.

“51% On paper. Correct. as long as it’s on paper. That you’re 51%, you’re good to go.” Said Cromwell.

ATI may be 51% tribally owned by the Susanville Indian Rancheria ON PAPER, But Melayne revealed to us that ATI was founded in collaboration with the Rancheria by two caucasian DC executives; Firmadge Crutchfeld and Scott Deutschman. And that they manage all of ATI’s operations.

In 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration awarded a record-breaking $183 billion in federal contracts to “small businesses,” including those under “socially disadvantaged” categories like 8(a).

But as the OMG exposé shows, many of these firms are front companies exploiting racial-preference loopholes to funnel billions to private consultants and politically connected insiders.

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Trump bet $40B on Milei, but what do Americans get out of it?

It has been a busy week for U.S. policy towards Argentina.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Wednesday that the U.S. would be doubling the assistance it is marshaling for Argentina from $20 billion to $40 billion. The increase comes ahead of legislative elections on October 26 that will elect half the lower house and one-third of the upper house, and represents an increasingly strenuous effort in Washington to bolster Argentine President Javier Milei financially and politically.

Ironically, one reason for an even bigger bailout package might have been a comment by the White House itself. Heading into a meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, an optimistic Milei is reported to have said “we will have dollars pouring out of our ears.” During the meeting, Trump burst that bubble, remarking that “if he loses, we’re not going to be generous with Argentina,” a remark that immediately hit markets.

A day later, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent tried to remedy the situation, saying that beyond the original amount the U.S. had committed to lend Argentina, the Trump administration was coordinating the delivery of another $20 billion for the country from banks and sovereign wealth funds. Bessent invoked an “economic Monroe Doctrine” and said the outcome of upcoming elections in Chile and Colombia depended on the fate of Milei’s presidency. He thus grounded the need for assistance in the possibility that electorates in those countries might follow the cue from Argentine voters despite their very different circumstances (as detailed below).

Milei’s first term ends formally in 2027, but he is under severe pressure from domestic politicians and international investors. Argentina was a darling of the markets following Milei’s election in 2023 as he pushed through radical reductions in the size of government by decree, arguing that it was the only way to deliver the country from a long history of high inflation and serial defaults.

However, in early September, his party received a drubbing from voters tired of austerity in the province of Buenos Aires, home to roughly 40% of the population. This hit Argentine bonds and led to a sharp depreciation of the Argentine peso. Local and foreign investors fled, worried that the results in the provincial election were a harbinger of worse to come in the congressional polls.

By the end of September, the U.S. had stepped in, offering Milei’s government a level of support practically unprecedented in recent history (and yet apparently still not enough). The Treasury offered an arrangement where Argentina could borrow dollars against pesos, hinted that it might buy the country’s debt, and later even purchased the country’s currency in foreign exchange markets.

While Mexico did receive ample support from the U.S. in 1995, when that country suffered its own devaluation shock, the U.S. Treasury did not actually buy Mexican pesos on that occasion, unlike its actions during the current intervention in Argentine markets. And the U.S. rescue efforts for Mexico were for a country that was a member of the North American Free Trade Agreement, already the U.S.’s third-largest trading partner (it is now the biggest), and supported a new president about to enter a six-year term after an election.

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