The House is scrambling to avoid a censure death spiral … “The only thing we can apparently do is condemn each other,” said Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), slamming the legislative agenda.  “I've not seen the House hit this low of a point since I've been here.”

U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols  —  The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”  —  The U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika …

How the redistricting fight has scrambled dozens of midterm campaigns across the country  —  A domino effect is shifting candidates into new seats, pushing incumbents to retire and exposing deep political rifts in state parties.  —  The national redistricting battle triggered by President Donald Trump …

Elon Musk Could ‘Drink Piss Better Than Any Human in History,’ Grok Says  —  Elon Musk is a better role model than Jesus, better at conquering Europe than Hitler, the greatest blowjob giver of all time, should have been selected before Peyton Manning in the 1998 NFL draft …

Rick Scott releases Obamacare subsidy alternative  —  Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) has issued his alternative to enhanced Obamacare subsidies.  His “More Affordable Care Act,” released Thursday, enables Obamacare customers to use a “Trump Health Freedom Account” that resembles a health savings account.

Trump's full 28-point Ukraine-Russia peace plan … And despite the plan including proposals Ukraine has repeatedly rejected up to now, President Volodymyr Zelensky is not ruling it out.  — A senior White House official acknowledged the plan is “not easy” for Ukraine but said the U.S. believes …

How billionaires took over American politics  —  The concentration of wealth among the richest Americans is unlike anything in history — and so is billionaires' influence in politics.  —  Just now  —  New York City billionaire John Catsimatidis has long been immersed in politics.

Dick Cheney's Long, Strange Goodbye  —  On seeing Rachel Maddow at the former Vice-President's funeral, while Donald Trump threatened Democrats on social media with death by hanging.  —  On Thursday morning, not long after entering Washington National Cathedral for the funeral of Dick Cheney, I ran into Rachel Maddow.

Nydia Velázquez, a New York Trailblazer in Congress, to Retire Next Year  —  Ms. Velázquez, 72, a 16-term congresswoman, said it was time for a new generation of Democrats to step forward.  —  Representative Nydia M. Velázquez, a Democratic trailblazer …

Middle Class Is Buckling Under Almost Five Years of Persistent Inflation  —  Workers growing tired of economy in which everything seems to get more expensive  —  America's middle class is weary.  —  After nearly five years of high prices, many middle-class earners thought life would be more affordable by now.

Interior Launches Expansive 11th National Offshore Leasing Program to Advance U.S. Energy Dominance  —  SECRETARY SIGNS ORDER TO UNLEASH AMERICAN OFFSHORE ENERGY  —  WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior today announced a Secretary's Order titled “Unleashing American Offshore Energy …

White House was unaware US ambassador to Israel met with convicted spy  —  The White House was unaware of a meeting between U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and Jonathan Pollard, the former U.S. Navy analyst who spent three decades in prison for spying for Israel, spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday.

Fugees rapper Pras Michel sentenced to 14 years in prison over illegal donations to Obama campaign  —  Grammy-winning rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel of the Fugees was sentenced on Thursday to 14 years in prison for a case in which he was convicted of illegally funneling millions of dollars …

ICE Suddenly Loses Key Evidence One Day After Being Sued  —  ICE is claiming the computer ate its records the day after it was sued for abuse.  —  404 Media reports that after ICE's Bridgeview Detention Center outside Chicago was sued October 30 for allegedly abusing detainees …

Miss Mexico, who sparked a walkout after host's bullying, is crowned Miss Universe  —  Fátima Bosch Fernández was scolded by the Thai national director, sparking a walkout and a teary apology from the local organizer.  —  She went from walking out after being publicly chided …

Judge rules Trump's National Guard deployment to D.C. is illegal  —  A federal judge ruled Thursday that President Trump's months-long deployment of thousands of National Guard forces to the streets of Washington, D.C., violates federal law.  —  U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb sided …

Party of one: Trump chews up and spits out his inner circle  —  President Trump's blowup with Marjorie Taylor Greene is just the latest spectacular split with a one-time confidante who held prized status in his inner sanctum. … - Those who have secured a spot as a trusted Trump lieutenant …

Trump Promised Lower Prices.  His Policies Are Raising Them.  —  “From the day I take the oath of office, we'll rapidly drive prices down and make America affordable again,” Donald Trump promised Americans last summer as he ran for president.  “Prices will come down.  You just watch.

In culture war backlash, Democrats sweep school boards … In Pennsylvania, Democrats flipped at least two dozen school board seats, per an ongoing tally from progressive recruitment group Pipeline Fund.  The under-the-radar trend was enabled by voters' increasing weariness with the culture wars …

U.S. Banks Shelve $20 Billion Bailout Plan for Argentina  —  Bankers are instead discussing a smaller, short-term facility to help Argentina make a roughly $4 billion debt payment in January  —  A planned $20 billion bailout to Argentina from JPMorgan Chase , Bank of America and Citigroup …

Cory Mills Was Caught With Sex Workers Before Mission to Afghanistan in 2021, Sources Say  —  Following President Joe Biden's chaotic 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, a group of individuals sought to make an unannounced trip to the Taliban-run country to extract Americans who were stranded inside.

Thousands of air traffic controllers left out of Trump's shutdown bonus checks  —  About 7% of all air traffic controllers who continued working during the country's longest-ever government shutdown will receive President Trump's $10,000 “perfect attendance” bonus.

Scoop: Mike Johnson wants changes after being outflanked on Epstein files … - After a months-long push for 218 signatures on their discharge petition, Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) saw their Epstein Files Transparency Act pass 427-1 on Tuesday.

U.S. Ran a War Game on Ousting Maduro.  Venezuela Fell Into Chaos.  —  An official U.S. government exercise during President Trump's first term forecast turmoil and potential violence in a post-Maduro Venezuela.  —  As President Trump pressed during his first term to oust President Nicolás Maduro …

Trump's All-but-Forgotten Border Wall Reaches an Angry Laredo, Texas  —  Once the symbol of the president's immigration policies, the wall has been eclipsed by his deportation efforts, but with $46.5 billion from Congress, construction is ramping up on the Rio Grande.