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Senate Narrowly Passes Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill

After a marathon vote-a-rama that lasted more than 24 hours, where both Republicans and Democrats submitted amendments to the One Big Beautiful Bill, the Senate voted 51-50 to pass the megabill after Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) had announced a deal had been reached earlier on Tuesday. Vice President JD Vance was there to break the tie on the bill’s final passage and on amendments being voted on up until the last minute.

All Democrats voted against the bill, as did Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Susan Collins (R-ME). Tillis made headlines over the weekend not only for his opposition to advancing the bill on Saturday, but his Sunday announcement he would be retiring.

Trump had urged lawmakers early Tuesday morning to bring the measure across the finish line, as the OBBB “gives the largest Tax Cuts and Border Security ever, Jobs by the Millions, Military/Vets increases, and so much more,” while cautioning that failure to pass the bill would result in a “whopping 68% Tax increase, the largest in history!!!”

Trump’s message came after the White House spent Monday making a final push for its passage during a White House event, online, and in the media, emphasizing the bill is the only chance Republicans have to enact the president’s domestic agenda and spending priorities.

With a narrow majority in the upper chamber, Republicans could only afford to lose three GOP senators. With that opposition from Tillis and Paul, Thune turned his attention to Sen. Lisa Murkowski early Tuesday morning. She ultimately went along with most of her Republican colleagues to vote for the bill. (Read more from “Senate Narrowly Passes Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill” HERE)

For The First Time In Four Years, Americans Aren’t Paying More For Their July 4 Cookouts

For the last four years, Americans suffered through record-high inflation that threatened to derail backyard barbecues across the nation. That cost curse, however, is expected to change as year-over-year inflation rates under President Donald Trump hit lows unseen under President Joe Biden.

Prices, no doubt, are higher during Trump’s second term than they were during his first. Yet Independence Day party hosts and goers will get some reprieve this year compared to the Biden administration-induced inflation that plagued their grilling in years past.

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s latest report, a July 4 cookout including cheeseburgers, pork chops, chicken, potato salad, fruit, ice cream, and other picnic staples for 10 guests will cost roughly $70.92 in 2025.

While that total remains one of the highest prices ever recorded by AFBF, up significantly from the $52.80 recorded in 2019 before the Covid and Bidenflation price hikes, it is down 30 cents from the record high $71.22 bill calculated in 2024.

The fees for chicken breasts, pork chops, cheese, hamburger buns, and potato chips, specifically, are all down from 2024. (Read more from “For The First Time In Four Years, Americans Aren’t Paying More For Their July 4 Cookouts” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

‘Sick-Of-ICE, Sick-Of-Trump’ Sickout Protests Kick Off Nationwide

Protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and President Trump are scheduled to take place on Tuesday in most major cities across the country. The well-organized campaign at “SICKOFICE.ORG” urges people to call out sick in solidarity with illegal aliens facing deportation.

Much like the “No Kings” protests held in June to denounce the Trump administration’s efforts to conduct mass deportations of illegal aliens, Tuesday’s protests are being supported by the same activist organizations. The Party for Socialism and Liberation is actively promoting the “Sick of ICE” events nationwide on social media. . .

The omission of sponsors may be a deliberate attempt to conceal the funders of the “Sick of ICE” events, following Senator Josh Hawley’s (R-MO) announcement in June that he would launch an investigation into the financing of anti-ICE protests.

On the “Sick of ICE.Org” website, the organizers liken the effort to carry out deportations by the Trump administration to a declaration of war, saying:

Trump’s vow to carry out “the largest domestic deportation operation in American History” is a declaration of war against all of us. It is not just an attack on our immigrant families, but all of our civil liberties, and all of the gains of the Civil Rights movement. We can’t leave the immigrant community to fight alone; all citizens have a duty to stand up to this assault.

Trump has already broken up thousands of immigrant families and violently kidnapped our neighbors. He has also tried to strip away our rights to free speech and due process.

(Read more from “‘Sick-Of-ICE, Sick-Of-Trump’ Sickout Protests Kick Off Nationwide” HERE)

Trump Gives Illegal Aliens Advise About Escaping From Alligators

Speaking to reporters ahead of his trip to “eastern Alcatraz” on the South Lawn of the White House Tuesday, President Donald Trump gave some interesting advice to the illegal alien criminals who will be housed there.

“I guess that’s the concept. This is not a nice business. I guess that’s the concept,” Trump said after being asked if inmates trying to escape could get eaten by alligators. “You know, the snakes are fast, but alligators, we’re going to teach them how to run away from an alligator. Okay? If they escape prison, how to run away. Don’t run in a straight line. Look like this. And you know what? Your chances go up about 1%. Not a good thing.”

(Read more from “Trump Gives Illegal Aliens Advise About Escaping From Alligators” HERE)

Dem Senator Can’t Bring Himself To Give Trump Any Credit For Record-Low Border Numbers

Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy refused to acknowledge on NBC News Sunday any positive impact from President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, despite record-low border crossings.

In May 2025, U.S. Border Patrol encountered about 8,725 illegal crossings, a 93% decrease from the 117,905 encounters in May 2024. During an appearance on “Meet The Press,” host Kristen Welker asked Murphy about the decline in border crossings with Murphy insisting that the drop was the result of the Trump administration’s alleged illegal actions rather than effective policy.

“I don’t give them credit for that because border crossings are low because they’re violating the law every day. So we have a law in this country that says if you are fleeing terror or torture from another country, you can come here and apply for asylum,” Murphy said.

Murphy claimed that the president suspended the asylum process altogether, preventing individuals from seeking refuge as prescribed by U.S. law. He also pointed to bipartisan legislative efforts from 2024 at reforming the asylum process to ensure that only those who qualify are allowed to apply while expediting the review of asylum cases at the border.

(Read more from “Dem Senator Can’t Bring Himself To Give Trump Any Credit For Record-Low Border Numbers” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Trump Declares War On Deep State Leakers

The Trump administration is cracking down on government leakers and curbing the flow of classified information to corporate media outlets, following the latest intelligence leak.

President Donald Trump is reportedly limiting the sharing of classified information with Congress after CNN published details from a leaked preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report assessing the aftermath of recent U.S. strikes on Iran that suggested the damage was minimal. While some Democrats have expressed outrage, others contend that such a move has long been overdue in light of leaks that influenced situations like the “Russiagate” probe and allegations of influence peddling surrounding Hunter Biden.

“We are declaring a war on leakers,” a senior White House official told Axios on Wednesday. “The intelligence community is figuring out how to tighten up their processes so we don’t have ‘Deep State’ actors leaking parts of intel analysis that have ‘low confidence’ to the media.”

The leaked DIA report supposedly indicated that the strikes on Iran’s Fordow and Natanz nuclear sites only set the regime’s nuclear ambitions back by months rather than being “obliterated” as Trump suggested. Among the contributors to the CNN article was national security reporter Natasha Bertrand, who had previously published an article amplifying the now-debunked claims from U.S. intelligence officials that suggested the Hunter Biden laptop was likely an instrument of “Russian disinformation,” just weeks before the 2020 election.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday that the source of the leak is believed to be someone on Capitol Hill or within the intelligence community, though the FBI is still investigating the details. (Read more from “Trump Declares War On Deep State Leakers” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Senate Advances Big Beautiful Bill in Dramatic Saturday Night Vote

The Senate voted to proceed on President Donald Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill in a rare drama-packed Saturday night vote.

They key procedural vote on the motion to proceed is a significant victory for the President and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and clears the path for amendment votes to begin, likely late Monday night.

The bill contains many of Trump’s key campaign promises and addresses immigration and border security, energy, national security and defense, and taxes – notably extending the bulk of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and instituting no tax on tips and overtime.

The vote was 51 to 49. Vice President JD Vance led negotiations with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and a handful of conservative holdouts.

Vance arrived at the Capitol with the expectation his vote would be needed. Although his vote proved unnecessary, his role in negotiations on behalf of the White House ensured the bill advanced. (Read more from “Senate Advances Big Beautiful Bill in Dramatic Saturday Night Vote” HERE)

‘Direct And Blatant Attack On Our Country’: Trump Announces End To Trade Talks With Major Partner

President Donald Trump announced Friday he is ending trade talks with Canada over the northern neighbor’s decision to impose a digital service tax on American technology companies.

Trump called Canada’s decision “a direct and blatant attack on our Country” in a Truth Social post.

“They are obviously copying the European Union, which has done the same thing, and is currently under discussion with us, also. Based on this egregious Tax, we are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately,” Trump also wrote.

Canada is reportedly going ahead with the tax despite its inclusion in the Group of Seven (G7) agreement in which President Trump agreed to remove Section 899, also known as the revenge tax proposal, from his “Big Beautiful” tax bill, according to Bloomberg.

The tax will require digital services companies like Meta to pay 3 percent of the digital services revenue they make on Canadian users above 20 million Canadian dollars ($14.6 million) in a calendar year, according to Bloomberg. (Read more from “‘Direct And Blatant Attack On Our Country’: Trump Announces End To Trade Talks With Major Partner” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Donald Trump Is About to Confront the Real Reason the U.S. Keeps Starting Wars

Donald Trump spent the last 10 years campaigning against “stupid wars” in the Middle East and returned to the White House in January endorsed by a retinue of so-called restrainers — advocates of scaling back America’s role as globo-cop — who took him at his word. Many were appointed to key positions in his administration.

But then, like so many presidents before him, Trump seemed to succumb to the temptations of American power, jumping into a new war of choice in the Middle East by launching air strikes against Iran.

The question many restrainers and hawks alike are asking now is this: Was the U.S. attack a one-off, or was Trump fooling us all along?

It’s difficult — perhaps impossible — to pin down Trump on any particular point of view, especially the second-term Trump who in his inaugural address pledged to be a “peacemaker” but who promptly made threatening moves toward Greenland, Panama and even Canada. In the weeks preceding the June 21 strike on Iran, the administration swung wildly from pursuing diplomacy and denying any U.S. involvement in Israel’s attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites to Trump demanding “unconditional surrender” from Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (Read more from “Donald Trump Is About to Confront the Real Reason the U.S. Keeps Starting Wars” HERE)

Left-Wing Legal Coalition Sues Trump Over ‘America’s Most Fundamental Promise’

Hours after the Supreme Court delivered the Trump administration a major victory Friday by ruling lower courts may issue nationwide injunctions only in limited instances, a coalition of liberal legal groups filed a sweeping new class-action lawsuit in New Hampshire federal court. It takes aim at President Donald Trump’s January executive order that redefines who qualifies for U.S. citizenship at birth.

While the justices’ 6-3 ruling leaves open the question of how the ruling will apply to the birthright citizenship order at the heart of the case, Friday’s lawsuit accuses the administration of violating the Constitution by denying citizenship to children born on U.S. soil if their mothers are either unlawfully present or temporarily in the country and their fathers are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.

The case was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of New Hampshire, ACLU of Maine, ACLU of Massachusetts, Legal Defense Fund, Asian Law Caucus and Democracy Defenders Fund. It seeks to represent a proposed class of children born under the terms of the executive order and their parents.

It is not the first legal challenge to the policy. The same group filed a separate suit in January 2025 in the same court on behalf of advocacy organizations with members expecting children who would be denied citizenship under the order. That case led to a ruling protecting members of those groups and is now pending before the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals, with oral arguments scheduled for Aug. 1.

Friday’s SCOTUS ruling states that lower courts can no longer block federal policies nationwide unless it’s absolutely necessary to give full relief to the people suing. The decision does not say whether Trump’s birthright citizenship order is legal, but it means the order could take effect in parts of the country while legal challenges continue. The court gave lower courts 30 days to review their existing rulings. (Read more from “Left-Wing Legal Coalition Sues Trump Over ‘America’s Most Fundamental Promise’” HERE)