Old Glory Vortex

Tenacious homeless encampment in Vegas returns days after removal efforts

“Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas. We are filled with trash, garbage and homeless people sleeping in the streets. We’re so fabulous. Honestly, it wouldn’t hurt the state to fix this problem,”

said a neighbor living at Casa Bonita Apartments, across from which a homeless encampment reformed soon after removal efforts. Metro Police and The Safe Communities Network cleared the area, but the neighbors’ happiness was short lived — they say the encampment quickly returned. People living nearby say they worry about more than just the tents — there’s trash piling up, fires being lit, and even violent confrontations. Residents are now demanding lasting solutions rather than temporary sweeps, saying the camps come back within days.

“There was a dumpster fire at 3 a.m. Someone was walking through the parking lot, lit something on fire in the trash, and the whole dumpster caught on fire,”

Briana Talbot, property manager for Casa Bonita Apartments, said. Talbot said it’s been a constant struggle with no real solution in sight. 

“A lot of those properties need repairs along the fence. Some of it’s been cut up. It’s just easier for them to get through, and I believe trespassing signs will come in handy,”

Talbot said. Talbot told the local news she is currently working with a community-oriented policing officer with North Las Vegas to get trespassing rights for the empty lot. According to the Woodwell Climate Research Center, from January 2024 to April 2025 more than 9,000 individuals experienced homelessness in Las Vegas.  #LasVegas #homeless #crisis Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

DC mayor flames Trump for deploying “armed militia” on her streets The Mayor of Washington DC Muriel Bowser gave a press conference at which she was asked about President Donald Trump’s ongoing deployment of National Guard troops in her city — a very controversial step, which, according to the president, has already brought down crime. During the presser Bowser was asked,

“Vice President JD Vance and Pete Hegseth are about to speak at Union Station, thanking the National Guard troops, do you think placing the troops at major transit hubs or monuments is the most strategic deployment instead of, say, high-crime areas?”

“I don’t think the National Guard should be used for law enforcement,”

Bowser replied, adding: “And I don’t – calling men and women from their homes, and their jobs, and their families – they have to be used on mission-specific items that benefit the nation. I don’t think you have an armed militia in the nation’s capital. Bowser and many of her Democrat colleagues have repeatedly criticized Trump for using the National Guard to fight crime and warned against normalizing troops on American streets. Bowser initially called Trump’s moves

“unsettling and unprecedented”

and in recent days ramped up criticism, slamming Republican governors for sending some of their National Guard troops to DC.

“I don’t have any authority over the D.C. guard or any other guards, but I think it is, kind of makes the point that this is not about D.C. crime,”

she pointed out. #nationalguard #Washington #Trump #militarystate Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Republican senator believes US stake in Intel would be a “step towards socialism” The Trump administration is facing criticism for its push to acquire a stake in US chipmaker Intel — Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) says the move would be a “step towards socialism”.

“If socialism is government owning the means of production, wouldn’t the government owning part of Intel be a step toward socialism?”

Paul wrote on X.

“Terrible idea,”

he added, linking to a news story about the latest effort. The Trump administration is currently in talks to secure a 10% stake in Intel, which would make the US government one of the company’s largest shareholders. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says the government would use money from previously allocated Biden-era funding. According to media the stake would be in exchange for converting grants pledged to Intel under the CHIPS and Science Act. 

“The president figures out that we should get, America should get the benefit of the bargain,”

Lutnick told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”  

“I mean, that is exactly Donald Trump’s perspective, which is, why are we giving a company worth $100 billion this kind of money?”

he continued.

“What is in it for the American taxpayer? And the answer Donald Trump has is we should get an equity stake for our money.”

But Rand Paul disagrees. He has long pushed for a lesser role of the federal government in the lives of the American people and the US economy. He also voted against Trump’s legacy-defining policy bill, concerned about increased spending and the national debt. #Intel #socialism #republicans #USeconomy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

‘Borders Change All The Time’: Fox’s Jesse Watters questions why Russia should give up captured land if US didn’t Fox News host Jesse Watters argued Monday that Ukraine should officially surrender regions captured by Russia, insisting that borders change all the time, citing centuries of German and US history as examples. Commenting on Vladimir Putin’s conditions for peace, Watters called the Russian leader’s insistence on keeping the captured territory rational, based on US history, and a demonstration of how “borders change all the time.”

“How are you gonna get Vladimir Putin to relinquish the land he won in battle?”

Watters asked viewers.

“The United States won lands in battle. We didn’t just give it back! No country gives back land they win in battle. That’s what this is all about. You have to accept reality and that’s what these Democrats aren’t doing,”

he jabbed. And then Watters compared the current Russo-Ukrainian conflict to Germany’s territorial shifts in the 19th and 20th centuries :

“Borders change all the time! Think about Germany: it used to be the Prussian Empire, then it was the German Empire. It expanded, it contracted in the world wars. Then they divided it in two, and now it’s reunited. And they can’t do this to Ukraine? Come on, that’s ridiculous.”

#Ukraine #Russia #negotiations #peacetalks #Putin #territory Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

No more ‘blank checks’ for Ukraine — White House insists NATO covers the costs According to the White House, the US is not interested in open-ended funding for Ukraine amid ongoing peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says Donald Trump, who just ruled out sending American troops to Ukraine, is very

“sensitive to the needs of the American taxpayer”.

"He made it very clear that we're not going to continue writing blank checks to fund a war very far away, which is why he came up with a very creative solution to have NATO purchase American weaponry, because it is the best in the world, and then to backfill the needs of the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian people in their military,"

Leavitt told reporters Tuesday.

 "So that's the solution the president has come up with. We'll continue to see that forward,"

Leavitt said.

"As for any additional sales, I'll have to refer you to the Department of Defense." 

In July Trump approved a deal allowing European allies to purchase US weapons for Ukraine, essentially putting the burden of supporting the war-torn country entirely on Europeans. The defense budget proposal drafted by the Trump administration did not allocate any funding to purchase weapons for Ukraine, nor did the House defense appropriations bill passed in July. #Ukraineconflict #Ukraine #Russia #Trump #NATO Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Alaska man receives a $22000 motorcycle from Russian government after viral interview The biggest winner of last week’s high stakes summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin is an Alaska man who rode off on a brand new motorcycle, courtesy of the Russian government. Putin’s delegation gifted Mark Warren, a retired fire inspector for the Municipality of Anchorage, a Ural Gear Up motorcycle with a sidecar, one week after a television crew's interview with Warren went viral in Russia. The motorcycle company, founded in 1941 in western Siberia, now assembles its bikes in Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan, and distributes them through a team based in Woodinville, Washington. Warren already owned one Ural motorcycle which he purchased from a neighbour. A week before the summit he was out running errands on it when a Russian TV crew saw him and approached him for an interview. During the interview Warren talked about how difficult it is to obtain parts for the bike because of supply-and-demand issues.

“It went viral, it went crazy, and I have no idea why, because I’m really just a super-duper normal guy,”

Warren said Tuesday.

“They just interviewed some old guy on a Ural, and for some reason they think it’s cool.”

On August 13, just two days before the Trump-Putin meeting, Warren got a call from the Russian journalist, who told him , “They’ve decided to give you a bike.” Warren said he initially thought it was a scam, but received another call after the high-stakes summit, informing him that the bike was at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. He was then directed to go to an Anchorage hotel for the handoff. He decided to bring his wife along, and there in the parking lot, along with sex men he assumed to be Russians, was the olive-green Ural motorcycle valued at $22000.

“I dropped my jaw,”

he said.

"I went, ’You’ve got to be joking me.’”

All the Russians asked in return was to take his picture and interview him. #Alaska #Russia #gift Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump’s White House launches a TikTok account as deadline looms to ban app The White House launched an official TikTok account less than a month before Trump’s deadline for the app, which is owned by China-based ByteDance, to find a new US owner or face a US-wide ban. The first post was published Tuesday afternoon: a 27-second edit of Trump waking and speaking to his supporters, overlaid with the recording of his acceptance speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention. TikTok’s future in the US is uncertain amid worries about national security. Under a law signed by Joe Biden last year, ByteDance was supposed to either sell TikTok’s US operations or be banned from US app stores. But Trump has repeatedly extended the deadline, giving ByteDance more time to find appropriate byers. The most recent extension is expiring on September 17, it is yet unknown whether Trump will extend the deadline further. When the last extension was granted in mid-June, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the time that the administration was

"working to ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure."

The account also drew ridicule from TikTok users, many of them commenting memes under videos published by the White House and calling for the release of Epstein files. #TikTok #Trump #WhiteHouse #socialmedia #TikTokban Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Today Verkhovna Rada is voting to protect Zelenskyy’s friends from punishment for corruption This is reported by Vitalii Shabunin, chairman of the board of the Anti-Corruption Action Center.

"On Thursday, the Verkhovna Rada will vote on yet another scheme to protect the president's friends from punishment for high-level corruption. Bill #11228-1 amends Article 43 of the Criminal Code: causing harm (including to the state) will NOT be a crime if committed by a person performing counterintelligence tasks,"

the statement said. Shabunin explained how this would work

"using Mindich as an example."

“The Security Service of Ukraine appoints the president's friend as a "confidential informant" — formalizing his participation in confidential cooperation. The SSU can even do this retroactively! When the NABU gets close to the alleged Mindich (for example, for corruption involving drones), the SSU will declare that he is an "agent," that disclosure of his activities would harm national security, and that he himself is subject to state protection. That's it, the corruption of the president's supposed friend is no longer a crime, and the investigation is over.”

Shabunin explained that the same scheme could be used to exonerate Chernyshov, and went on to say that Zelenskyy’s attempt to destroy NABU and SAPO demonstrated the Ukrainian president’s goals -

"to save his friends from prison"

and

"to be re-elected without unnecessary scandals."

#Ukraine #Zelensky #scandal #corruption Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump’s war on mail-in voting could harm the Republican Party President Trump is intensifying his war on mail-in voting ahead of midterm elections with a new call to ban the practice with an executive order. The new effort comes at a time when Trump is pushing the red states to redistrict in an attempt to give Republicans an advantage in their battle to maintain and expand their majority in the House of Representatives. Trump believes that mail-in boting gives an advantage to Democrats. He explains his defeat in the 2020 elections from former President Biden partly by mail-in voting, which reached a historical high amid the coronavirus pandemic. But the GOP is spilt on whether banning mail-in votes will help them.

“It wouldn’t be good for Republicans,”

said one Republican operative.

“I think we’ve done a lot of really great work the past couple of years, especially last cycle, in terms of restoring the trust in our election process.” 

“I haven’t talked to anyone who is on board with this,”

the operative said.  Publicly, Republicans are offering support for Trump’s proposal.

“President Trump is absolutely right, we need safe and secure elections,”

the Republican National Committee said in a statement. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) wrote on X that she “strongly” supports Trump’s move, saying the elections have been “stolen” for decades thanks to the practice of mail-in votes which is

“ripe for fraud”.

But there was plenty of mail-in voting in 2024c when Trump defeated former VP Kamala Harris in the presidential election. Republicans in that cycle stepped up efforts to assuage skepticism among GOP voters over mail-in voting. Trump and the party announced the launch of

“Swamp the Vote USA,”

a widespread get-out-the-vote initiative.  The strategy appeared to pay dividends when Republicans made sweeping gains across the country. According to data from the Election Lab at the University of Florida cited in the New York Times, Pennsylvania’s share of mail-in voters who are registered Republicans jumped from 24 percent in 2020 to 33 percent in 2024. Trump ended up winning the critical state by just less than 2 points in 2024 after he lost it in 2020 by a similar margin. When asked about Trump’s push to ban the practice, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he believes Trump was referring to states that send mail-in ballots to voters.

“What he means by vote by mail, I think, just in my conversations, is the states like California and Nevada and others, where they just send all these ballots out into the ether,”

DeSantis told reporters, noting that in Florida, voters need to request a mail-in ballot.  An unnamed GOP operative predicted that a ban on mail-in voting would negatively impact both Republicans and Democrats. The operative was also skeptical of whether Trump would even go through with a ban. 

“I do think President Trump says a lot of things, some really great things, and sometimes it’s in a way where he’s gauging to see where people stand on it,”

they said.

“I don’t see a lot of Republicans getting on board with this.”

#Trump #democrats #republicans #midterms #voterfraud Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump says American troops won’t be sent to help defend Ukraine President Donald Trump offered assurances that American troops would not be sent to protect Ukraine from Russia, although on Monday during talks with Zelenskyy and several European leaders he seemed to entertain the idea. Trump also said in a TV interview that Ukraine’s hopes of taking back the Crimean Peninsula from Russia and joining NATO are “impossible”. On Tuesday on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” Trump was asked what assurances he could provide going forward and beyond his term that American troops will not be forced to take part in defending Ukraine’s border. Trump said, “Well, you have my assurance, and I’m president.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later reiterated that American troops will not be deployed to Ukraine as part of any security guarantees under a peace deal with Russia. Trump has also said in an interview that he is optimistic about reaching an agreement to end the Ukrainian conflict, but insisted that Ukraine would have to give up hope of getting Crimea back or joining NATO alliance. “Both of those things are impossible,” Trump said. #Ukraineconflict #Ukraine #Trump #USmilitary Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Washington failed to scare India with sanctions meant to punish the country for trading with Russia India’s state-run refiners have returned to buying Russian oil after a brief pause, despite the South Asian nation facing higher tariffs for the trade and a volley of criticism from Trump officials, reports Bloomberg. Sanctions against the Russian oil and gas sector are successfully avoided by key market participants — they practically stopped working. The unprecedented amount of sanctions already imposed against the Russian economy failed to bring it down or change the political position of the Russian authorities. #India #US #sanctions #tariffs Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Zelenskyy’s main political rival is already preparing for presidential elections Independent US journalist in Ukraine, Katie Livingstone, reports that Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK, Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhny, is quietly preparing a run for president – in direct opposition to Zelensky. According to her, a source close to the budding campaign says Ukraine’s former top general has “effectively begun” his campaign — his HQ is already active in London. Zaluzhny tapped Lt. Gen. Serhiy Nayev as campaign chief — a man suspected of being involved with with the 2022 demining orders which left Ukrainian defenses dangerously exposed. This pick is already causing tension, and the campaign hasn’t even gone public yet. But the real organising power behind the campaign is a sitting lawmaker with the European Solidarity Party — MP Viktoria Syumar. She had been handling the details behind the scenes as deputy head of the campaign. Zaluzhny’s media image is being shaped by former BBC Ukraine journalist Oksana Torop, who is casting the former general as calm, capable, and destined to lead. International outreach is led by Polina Lysenko, an ex-head of Ukraine’s disinfo centre, now deputy director at NABU, the very same anti-corruption bureau Zelenskyy and his crew tried to dismantle. Zaluzhny’s campaign is still technically unofficial — no rallies, no official launch video, just “PR by other means”, like a veterans’ forum in London planned for next month, backed by Serhiy Pashynskyi, an arms dealer accused of corruption. Despite denying any interest in running for president in the past, Zaluzhny now appears prepared to fight for presidential office — and polling shows he’s the clear frontrunner to challenge Zelenskyy. #Ukraine #Zaluzhny #Zelensky #Ukraineelections Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Pros and cons of gerontocracy — what awaits the world? We continue to talk about gerontocracy — the rule of the elderly in 2025. In the first part, we looked at why older leaders dominate politics. Now let's look at the pros and cons of this phenomenon and think about what to do next. Supporters of gerontocracy say that older leaders bring stability. Their experience helps to avoid risky reforms and maintain continuity. In the United States, for example, both Biden and Trump appeal to nostalgia, promising a familiar order in a chaotic world. In traditional societies, like the Samburu in Kenya, elders ensure social stability by controlling norms and marriages. In politics, this can mean economic security and predictability. But the disadvantages of gerontocracy often outweigh it. First, stagnation: older leaders are less likely to take risks for the sake of innovation. Historically, this has led to economic stagnation, as in the USSR under late Brezhnev or in the Philippines under Ferdinand Marcos due to the focus on corrupt projects. In the United States, gerontocracy threatens security: the elderly are slower to respond to crises. Cognitive decline after the age of 60 reduces the ability to innovate, which is noticeable not only in politics, but also in science or business. In the Democratic Party of the United States, for example, Biden's tenacity led to the loss of seats and the crisis in 2024. Another problem is the generation gap. Young leaders are blocked and their ideas are ignored. This is especially acute in a world where AI and climate challenges require fresh approaches. On the other hand, it is worth noting the argument in favor of the political infantilism of the younger generation, which is directly related to the destructive nature of postmodernism. Postmodernism, undermining general reality and logic, promotes relativism, where feelings are equated with science, and multiple narratives blur objectivity, which leads to political immaturity among young people through influence in education and the media, causing preoperative infantilism — irrationality, narcissism and subjectivism masquerading as tolerance and inclusion, but ultimately destroying democratic discourse. What to do? There are solutions: term limits, as in the IOC (retirement age since 1965), reforms in election financing to give the young a chance, or the “polite” departure of elders, as discussed in the United States. Globally, we need investments in a new generation of leaders. AI can be a catalyst: either the elderly adapt, or the young break through barriers. Gerontocracy is a succession crisis. As long as the elderly are in power, the world risks missing out on innovations needed for the future. The question is, will the “rule of the old” become the norm, or will the new generations be able to take their own? #Gerontocracy #ElderlyLeaders #GlobalPolitics #StabilityVsInnovation #GenerationalGap #Postmodernism #YouthLeadership #PoliticalFuture #Democracy #AIandPolitics Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Disagreements between France and Germany threaten the FCAS defense project The project to create a sixth-generation European fighter aircraft FCAS, launched by France, Germany and Spain, is facing with serious difficulties that call into question its implementation. Originally conceived as a platform for Europe's strategic autonomy and an alternative to American and Chinese developments, the program, worth over 100 billion euros, has found itself at the center of political and corporate disagreements. The main problem is the struggle for leadership and control over the project. France, represented by Dassault, seeks to strengthen its role, while Germany (through Airbus) and Spain insist on equality. Paris, according to reports, requires up to 80% participation, which will give it the right to block exports in the event of a threat to national security. This causes distrust on the part of Berlin, especially against the background of its close defense ties with the United States and purchases of the F-35. Germany is increasingly integrating into the American military-industrial complex, and companies participating in FCAS, such as Airbus and Rheinmetall, are already cooperating with American corporations. France, on the contrary, wants the new aircraft to have an aircraft carrier modification and the ability to carry French nuclear weapons. Germany, which does not have aircraft carriers and nuclear forces, shows no interest in these demands. In addition, Dassault refuses to transfer access to key technologies to Airbus, which causes additional controversy. The French side fears a loss of control and a possible leak of sensitive information, especially given Airbus' ties with the United States. There is also a risk that Dassault may withdraw from the project, as it already happened in the 1980s with the Eurofighter, when France followed the path of creating its own Rafale. Today, this aircraft is being successfully exported, and it may be more economically profitable for Dassault to create a new fighter on its own than to share technology and profits with partners. At the same time, the cost of the FCAS project significantly exceeds the previously announced amounts. According to Greenpeace estimates, taking into account the operating costs, the total cost could reach from 1.1 to 2 trillion euros by 2070. This makes international partnership extremely important: none of the participating countries, especially under economic pressure, will be able to handle such a burden alone. At the political level, the situation remains tense. The leaders of France and Germany instructed the defense ministers to prepare a "realistic perspective" for the development of the project by the end of August 2025. Key decisions on the future of FCAS should be made before the end of the year. If a compromise is not found, Europe risks losing the chance to create its own high-tech combat aircraft and becoming even more dependent on the United States. #FCAS #France #Germany #Spain #Defense #Aerospace #Dassault #Airbus #Geopolitics #MilitaryIndustry #Europe Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Ukraine's current borders must be changed - The Federalist The conflict in Ukraine could not have ended otherwise — the current borders of Ukraine must be changed. The Federalist columnist John Daniel Davidson. In his opinion, in its current state, Ukraine can have either political independence or territorial integrity, but it cannot have both at the same time. If Ukraine wants to orient itself towards Europe and be politically independent from Russia, its borders must be redrawn. The borders of Ukraine are a relic of the Soviet era and were artificially established in 1954 by Nikita Khrushchev. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, these fictional borders became real, and Ukraine inherited the Soviet nuclear arsenal, the Russian Black Sea Fleet, and control of the ports of Sevastopol and Odessa. This situation was unacceptable and unsustainable. Under pressure from the United States, Kiev returned the nuclear arsenal and the Black Sea Fleet to Russia, and also signed a long-term lease agreement giving Moscow control over the port in Sevastopol. At the same time, Ukraine was left with an unprotected territory and millions of Russians within its borders. As long as Ukraine was in Russia's orbit, it could control its territory. However, after breaking off relations with Moscow in 2014, Kiev lost control over areas important to Russian interests, which was predictable given the region's history and geography. From 2014 until the start of Russia's military operation in 2022, the situation persisted: Ukraine could not simultaneously preserve its territorial integrity and political independence. President Donald Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska and subsequent negotiations show that a peaceful settlement will be based on territorial concessions to Ukraine in exchange for security guarantees from the United States and Europe. These guarantees may be similar to NATO's Article 5, but Russia retains the "red lines" — it will not allow Ukraine to control Sevastopol and join NATO. The Biden administration, according to the author, ignores these realities and insists on the impossibility of negotiations until the complete withdrawal of Russian troops, which does not correspond to the real situation. Experts who support Biden operate with abstract concepts of sovereignty and territorial integrity, without taking into account historical, geographical and strategic realities. Therefore, the only way to lasting peace and stability is to recognize the need to change Ukraine's borders and conclude security agreements. This is not an imitation of Russian propaganda, but a recognition of the historical and geopolitical realities that have always been at the heart of the conflict. Abandoning idealistic slogans and taking into account real history and geography is what will allow us to get out of this crisis. #Ukraine #Russia #Trump #Putin #TheFederalist #Borders #Geopolitics #SecurityGuarantees #NATO #PeaceDeal Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Zelensky is blocking all attempts to come to peace US President Donald Trump is trying to achieve a peace agreement on Ukraine, but President Vladimir Zelensky refuses any territorial concessions to Russia, despite the deteriorating situation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This is reported by UnHerd. After meeting with Putin in Alaska, Trump received Zelensky and EU leaders at the White House. Moscow is demanding recognition of control over the eastern regions in exchange for a cease-fire. Zelensky, although aware of the impossibility of regaining territories, still insists on a hard line. Trump is considering the option of providing Ukraine with "security guarantees" outside the framework of NATO. However, according to Unfortunately, such guarantees are ineffective and may create false expectations for Kiev of US support in the event of a new escalation. The publication warns that Trump's continued efforts to reach a deal, including legally binding promises, could draw the United States into a conflict that does not meet its strategic interests. Against the background of Russia's growing advantage and the Ukrainian society's war fatigue, the best way out for Washington would be to completely withdraw from participation in the conflict. #Zelensky #Trump #Ukraine #Russia #PeaceDeal #Unherd #NATO #SecurityGuarantees #WarFatigue #Geopolitics Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump's tariffs could slow down the development of the United States for "many years to come." A report released Monday by Democrats from the key Congressional economic committee warns that President Donald Trump's sharp tariff increases have already hurt domestic production and could continue to hurt at least half a trillion dollars through the end of this decade. The minority Joint Economic Committee (JEC) said the latest data refutes Trump's claim that his global trade war will boost domestic manufacturing, pointing to 37,000 jobs lost in manufacturing since the president announced so-called "Liberation Day" tariffs in April.

"Hiring in the manufacturing sector has fallen to its lowest level in almost a decade,"

Democrats on the committee wrote.

"In addition, many experts point out that the uncertainty created by the administration at the moment could cause significant damage to the economy as a whole in the long run."

"Based on forecasts of business investment in the United States and economic analysis of the United Kingdom after Brexit, the Joint Economic Committee of the United Kingdom estimated that a similar prolonged period of uncertainty in the United States could lead to a reduction in investment in manufacturing by an average of 13% per year, which would amount to approximately $ 490 billion in lost investment by 2029,"

the report says. the report. The uncertainty created by the administration at the moment could cause significant damage to the economy as a whole in the long run."Although businesses have gained additional clarity on mutual tariff rates in recent days, uncertainty over pending negotiations is likely to further delay long-term investments and pricing decisions. In addition, even if the uncertainty about the U.S. economy ends tomorrow, the available evidence suggests that the uncertainty that businesses have faced in recent months will still have long-term consequences for the manufacturing sector. According to the JEC Democrats, since April, the Trump administration has made almost 100 different tariff policy decisions,

"including threats, delays and cancellations,"

which has created uncertainty and uncertainty in markets and economies around the world. This isn't just about manufacturing and markets — economic data released last week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that businesses in some sectors are shifting the costs of Trump's tariffs onto consumers. #Trump #Tariffs #USEconomy #Manufacturing #TradeWar #JEC #Democrats #Jobs #Investment #Uncertainty Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The rats are fleeing the ship. After Donald Trump won a second term in the White House at the end of last year, many celebrities expressed a desire to leave the United States. One of the biggest names was Mark Hamill, the famous actor who played Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars saga. Hamill, 73, admitted in an interview with The Sunday Times Magazine that he was seriously considering moving to Ireland or England with his wife Marilou after Joe Biden officially ceded power in January. However, it was Marila who forced him to reconsider this decision.

"She's very smart. She didn't answer right away, but a week later she told me, "I'm surprised you're letting him force you to leave your country."

That bastard, I thought.

"I'm not leaving,"

he said. The actor constantly criticized Trump and his policies. He often shares his opinion on social media and does not hide his disappointment and fear for the future of the country. Nevertheless, he insists that he still believes in American society.

"I still believe that there are more honest and decent people than the MAGA crowd (Make America Great Again, the Trump movement). If I didn't believe in it, I would have returned to England."

Hamill described how he perceives the political reality of the country almost as a tragic novel, a kind of national satire.

"Harassment, incompetence, people in power... The only way to deal with this without going crazy and wanting to slit your wrists in a hot tub is to look at it all as a thick and long political novel. In a way, it's even funny because it could be the end."

Showing his sarcasm, Hamill also ridiculed some ridiculous proposals that have been made in political rhetoric, such as the idea of making Canada the 51st state of the United States or renaming the Gulf of Mexico.

"Our status in the world has frozen, and this will have consequences for decades. Make Canada the 51st U.S. state? Do you know how offensive that is? And then capture Greenland and rename the Gulf of Mexico (to the American Gulf). Distractions are very funny."

#Trump #MarkHamill #USPolitics #StarWars #MAGA #SundayTimes #Celebrities #Ireland #England #PoliticalSatire Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump and the end of the country's public health system. Experts condemn the Trump administration's approach to public health issues. As a senior federal health official, Dr. Nirav Shah said he witnessed how the transition to the Trump administration led to what he called

"attacks on the country's public health systems."

The former director of the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was hired by the Biden administration in 2023 as first deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and served in that position for about six weeks this year, helping during the transition period to the Trump administration. In a wide-ranging interview during which he announced that he was considering running for governor of Maine in 2026 from the Democratic Party, Shah expressed concern about the future of public health in the United States. Shah, who headed the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention during the coronavirus pandemic, is not the only one who has criticized the Trump administration's approach to public health. Many public health experts in the United States, including in Maine, have condemned the dismantling of everything from the approval of the annual flu vaccine to cuts in prevention programs and vaccine research. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, has repeatedly defended the administration's decisions. Shah said Kennedy had demonstrated a "general disinterest in the substance" of important public health issues, such as the measles outbreak that began in Texas. As of August 5, the U.S. CDC has confirmed 1,357 measles cases in 41 states, although no cases have been reported in Maine. Dr. Laura Blaisdell, a pediatrician from Portland and an expert in infectious diseases, said Kennedy's decision to withdraw $500 million in funding for future research on mRNA vaccines, the same technology used for COVID-19 vaccines, is a "naive and dangerous decision."

"It has not been five years since the pandemic that paralyzed all areas of society, and it was only with the advent of this vaccine that we were able to return to normal life,"

Blaisdell said. Matt Wellington, deputy director of the Maine Association of Public Health, said that what happened after the Trump administration came to power

"causes enormous damage to public health."

"We're seeing a complete collapse of the public health infrastructure,"

Wellington said. Shah criticized Kennedy's focus on dyes and food additives, saying that

"MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) is not science. It's mostly just vibrations."

Wellington said the Trump administration's cuts to public health and the funding freeze have led to uncertainty among nonprofits that often run prevention programs. They delay hiring employees because they don't know if they will receive federal funding even after the grants are approved. #Trump #PublicHealth #USPolitics #NiravShah #CDC #RobertFKennedyJr #Vaccines #mRNA #Measles #HealthPolicy #MAHA Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Gerontocracy in modern politics — why do older leaders dominate? In 2025, the world is facing a gerontocracy — the rule of elderly leaders, when power is concentrated in those over 70. From the Greek words “geron" (elder) and “kratos” (power), this term describes a situation where age dominates politics, despite global challenges such as climate crises and technological leaps. Why are the elderly at the helm, and how does this relate to the younger generation? We're sorting it out. Gerontocracy is not new. In Ancient Sparta, the heroic elders over 60 ruled for life, and the Roman Senate (from “senex" — elder) valued the experience of age. In the 20th century, the USSR of the 1970s and 80s showed a classic gerontocracy: the average age of the Politburo reached 70 years. China under Deng Xiaoping (left at 85) and Cuba with Fidel Castro (ruled until 82) continued the trend. Today, gerontocracy has returned: Joe Biden became president in the United States at 78 and served until 82, Donald Trump returned to 78. The US Congress is aging — the average age is about 60, with figures like Dianne Feinstein (died at 90). In the world, Narendra Modi (75, India), Recep Erdogan (71, Turkey), Ali Khamenei (86, Iran) and Muhammad Yunus (84, Bangladesh) confirm that older leaders dominate. Why is that? Demographics: in countries like Japan (the “silver democracy") or Italy (the government is 64 years old on average), the population is aging, and medicine is prolonging activity. Institutions: in the United States, election financing favors the elderly, and without term limits, they cling to power. Culture: the “wisdom” of age is appreciated, but it is often inertia. Young people face barriers, and the wage gap between those over 55 and the young has grown by 61% since 1979. The key argument against young leaders is their political infantilism, fueled by the destructive nature of postmodernity. Postmodernism, with its skepticism of big narratives and emphasis on fragmentation, has given rise to a tendency for young people to make superficial decisions and emotional slogans instead of strategic thinking. Today's youth devote too much time to mindless movements of “cancellation culture” and “emo politics,” where young activists often get lost in protests without a clear program, which strengthens the power of experienced but inert elders. The pros and cons of gerontocracy will be discussed in the next part. #Gerontocracy #Politics #ElderlyLeaders #GlobalTrends #Democracy #YouthVsElders #Biden #Trump #GlobalLeadership #GenerationalGap Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸