ocial Security trustees want to steal from the disabled to stave off retirement program’s insolvency
By
Tiana Lowe Doescher
May 17, 2024 4:00 am
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If you only read the corporate media coverage, you might mistake the annual Social Security Trustees Report for good news. The ostensibly objective reporters at the New York Times celebrated that a “strong labor market steadied Social Security and Medicare Funds.” While CBS News boasted that “the federal retirement program said Monday it may not need to cut benefits until 2035, one year later than previously forecast, because of stronger performance by the U.S.”

“On the projected depletion date, 83% of benefits will be payable if Congress does not act sooner to prevent that shortfall,” reported CNBC, which again attributed the “slightly improved outlook” to a supposedly “strong economy.”

There’s just one problem: None of this is true.

Contrary to the intentional conflations by the media, the federal retirement portion of Social Security is still projected to go broke in 2033, as the trustees projected in last year’s report. Upon reaching insolvency in nine years, Social Security will only be able to pay out 79% of scheduled benefits, equivalent to the 21% across-the-board benefit cut fiscal hawks have forewarned for years now.

But the media and President Joe Biden‘s administration want to raid the Disability Insurance Trust Fund to stave off the impending bankruptcy of Social Security’s retirement program by another two years, something that is currently illegal.

more
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/magazine-business/3002987/social-security-trustees-want-to-steal-from-the-disabled-to-stave-off-retirement-programs-insolvency/

Classic Rock Album of the Day- Bruce Hornsby and the Range- The Way it Is (1986)  ** 1/2

I haven't really been much of a fan through the years on soft easy listening rock.  There were a few exceptions though.  Today's review is one that has a nice easy vibe, but does have just that nice mix of hook, and melodic prowess to hit the target.  It also has some very nice keyboard work, that eases into the music instead of dominating it.  Hornsby is really good in this area.   

It also doesn't hurt that Hornsby enlisted Huey Lewis' help.  Lewis was in a mid 1980's creative zone, and a lot that he touched turned to gold.  Incluing some of his production values on this particular CD.   This musical space was also shared with Chrisotpher Cross who also made a fine album near the same time.  In fact, I might cover this one in the near future. 

A lot of folks my age at the time were liking this, because, if might be honest,  a lot of us did not like the Hard Rock Hair Band era.  There was little or no redeeming value to the Quiet Riot's, Poisons, of the timeframe.  This was somewhat of a respite.  Though it could be countered by some that the Grunge stuff coming in a few years really wasn't any better.

Hornsby, kind of qualifes as a one LP hit wonder. (Yes he did win the New Artist Grammy with this)   He did have "Valley Road" on the second album, but that pretty much is the extent of this career.  Seems the talent tap went dry.  Since 1993, he has been in solo artist mode, but doesn't seem to be generating much interest.

So, without much more to add, this really isn't an album worthy of much analysis.  To me, it is nice smooth piano-rock, kind in the same vein of Joel, but a little more contemporary.  Just take the ride back to the mid 1980's and relax.

Fun Fact:  At the end of his Range career he was in full collaborative mode with the Grateful Dead.   Strange bedfellows, to say the least.

Track No.
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1. On the Western Skyline-  Album starts in a almost old Celtic like tone and mode.  Very pleasant, and a strong start.  5

2. Every Little Kiss- Released as a single, but didn't seem to chart well.  But not for me.  This is the sleeper on the CD.  This has some of the best guitar/keyboard mixing and fusion on it. Hornsby didn't do many bang the keyboard tunes, but his one really hits the heart with strong lyrical value.  I was married by the time of this CD, but I know it would have been a "date" tape in the day.  3

3. Mandolin Rain-  More of the excellence in the trenches of well crafted well written, and produced soft rock.  This one has some of Hornsby's best vocal effort.   2

4. The Long Race-  More of the same, in meter and style.  Songwriting just isn't at the same level of the prior 2. 6


5. The Way it is- This beautiful tune is why I think Hornsby won his Grammy. He somehow configured his piano in a way that I don't how.  Hard to explain, but it is something akin to what a piano would sound like analogously to a 12 string guitar.  Hornsby does a nice almost improv like piano solo that runs in 3rds, syncs, skips, and still somehow remains between the lines of the music.  Excellent 1

6. Down the Road Tonight- If this kind of sounds like a Huey Lewis song, it might be because not only did Lewis  help produce, but he has a harmonica and back up vocal part in it.  And thus, it is the 2nd most rocking tune on a non-rocking album. 4

7. The Wild Frontier-   The most rocking one, forced sounding and awkward.  BH should have stuck with the formula.  9

8. The River Runs Low-  Like in many works, some artists allow fill to permeate at the end of the LP/CD.  Bruce does his best Barry Manilow on this one.  8

9. The Red Plains- Rehash.  Same meter/licks, melodic line with a heavy chorus.  Nope. 7


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO5ibMTwZ8g

AOC rips Fetterman for post criticizing wild Oversight hearing
By
Elaine Mallon
May 17, 2024 1:07 pm
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After Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) poked fun at the chaos that ensued Thursday night during the House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) defended her actions.

Fetterman took to X to weigh in his opinion on the situation that unfolded during the hearing called to determine whether or not to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt.

“In the past, I’ve described the U.S. House as The Jerry Springer Show,” Fetterman wrote. “Today, I’m apologizing to The Jerry Springer Show.”

The Jerry Springer Show, which first aired in 1991 and ran for 28 seasons, was famous for viral videos showing guests erupting in fights and yelling profanities at each other.

In response, Ocasio-Cortez told the senator that she was standing up to a bully, something she didn’t believe Fetterman would have done if in her position.

“I understand you likely would not have stood up for your colleague and seem to be confused about racism and misogyny being a ‘both sides’ issue,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. “But I stand up to bullies, instead of becoming one. And to the women of Pennsylvania: I’d stand up for you too.”

The committee hearing was derailed when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) made a derogatory statement toward Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) about her fake eyelashes.

more
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house/3008035/aoc-rips-fetterman-post-criticizing-oversight-hearing/

Takeaways from the voyage to Gaza for the US Army’s watercraft program
By Christopher G. Pernin and Lt. Col. Joslyn Fleming
 May 16, 2024, 09:00 AM

 
When the U.S. Army’s largest watercraft, LSV-1, cast off for Gaza in early March, it marked the start of a momentous journey. This voyage, followed by the deployment of several additional ships loaded with equipment to establish a pier and parts of a modular causeway system, represents a significant portion of the Army’s mission-critical, intra-theater lift capability.

The ships are now in place, and the mission has sparked a wave of discussions, debates and potential misconceptions about the Army watercraft program’s strategic positioning and future.


The question today is: How much does the deployment to Gaza help — or hinder — the future of Army watercraft writ large?

The primary objective of this voyage was to construct a pier in Gaza, a mission that was expected to involve between at least 500 and 1,000 troops and take approximately 60 days. The task is particularly daunting, given the lack of existing port infrastructure in Gaza. Despite the complexities, President Joe Biden has assured the public that no soldier would be on shore, which is likely one reason the Army watercraft program’s specific capabilities were selected.

https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/2024/05/16/takeaways-from-the-voyage-to-gaza-for-the-us-armys-watercraft-program/