Date: Friday, January 9, 2026
It was a great Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and a day of key wins for the Trump administration. From energy independence to tackling rampant fraud, there is a lot to break down. Here is the analysis of today’s headlines, the screenshots, and what the mainstream media is missing.
🇺🇸 The Big Wins: Economy & Energy
In late-breaking news, President Trump is calling for a one-year, 10% cap on credit card interest rates. He is correctly placing the blame on the Biden administration for allowing rates to skyrocket as high as 30%. This is a massive win that Democrats completely dropped the ball on.
The Venezuela Energy Meeting
There was a highly productive energy meeting today regarding Venezuela. President Trump met with major players including Continental, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Halliburton, Shell, Valero, Marathon, and others. It was good to see Susie Trump in attendance, as well.
The Takeaway: We are enforcing the Donroe Doctrine. The USA is positioning itself well, particularly companies like Valero and Chevron on the West Coast.Exxon Mobil: They seem to be making this political and claiming Venezuela is "uninvestable." They are missing the boat.🚨 The War on Fraud: DOGE & SNAP
President Trump has established a new Department of Justice division specifically for National Fraud Enforcement. This is critical because the fraud is massive and long-running.
Great news for Rep. Tim Burchett (TN), who has been named Chairman of the DOGE (Delivering on Government Efficiency) subcommittee. He has promised to eliminate reckless spending and red tape.
Two States: Minnesota vs. Oregon
The USDA has suspended Federal financial awards (specifically SNAP funds) to Minnesota. When you look at the numbers, the fraud becomes obvious:
Minnesota: ~6.28 million population (including illegals) with $12–15 Billion in SNAP utilization.Oregon: ~4.6 million population (including illegals) with $7–8 Billion in SNAP utilization.The Discrepancy: Minnesota is using $255 per capita vs. Oregon’s $347 per capita (despite Oregon having higher food costs). The math doesn't add up unless you account for massive fraud and illegal immigrants improperly accessing benefits.Safety Nets: FSA direct payments for corn/soybeans in Minnesota are huge, but if the state is rife with fraud, these "safety nets" aren't protecting America—they are draining it.🌍 Global Hotspots
Iran: There are reports of 51 protesters killed since the beginning of the Internet blackout.6 The regime is accusing protesters of trying to "please President Trump."Russia/Ukraine: Russia launched advanced cruise missiles (potentially the "Oreshnik" system). These appear to be Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles that release multiple warheads (MIRVs) with kinetic penetrators rather than wide-area explosives. They punch deep holes but limit blast radius.Colombia: TIL Dictator Gustavo Petro calls ICE "Nazi brigades."Honduras: A conservative lawmaker narrowly survived an explosive thrown at her in the National Congress.8📉 Markets & Tech
Intel: Stock jumped (closing up ~11%) after CEO Lip-Bu Tan met with President Trump. While Intel's "Foundry" plans remain vague to me, the market responded well.Meta: Zuckerberg signed a multi-gigawatt nuclear deal for AI data centers. This is a smart pivot; if Meta focuses on nuclear energy for compute power, they could lead the pack against Google and Apple.Walmart: They are joining the NASDAQ 100. This is a mistake. Walmart is a retail stock backed by food stamps, not a tech company. Their product quality (like the Mainstays air fryers that melt down) is too low for this distinction.California Exodus: Google co-founder Sergey Brin is reducing ties to California. It took him long enough to see the light regarding the wealth tax and the state's decline.🏛️ Political & Media Watch
Media Bias: CBS is currently running the best hard news, breaking it down by city in their app. CNN is still untrustworthy (attacking Stephen Miller). ABC remains entertainment, not news.Congress: Marjorie Taylor Greene was confirmed as the source of the CodePink leak. It’s good to have closure on that security breach.Senator Susan Collins: She voted against the USA regarding Venezuela war powers, proving she represents "Maine First, America Second." President Trump reportedly chewed her out over the phone. It is time for her to retire.🌧️ The Oregon Mess
Governor Tina Kotek is currently trying to repeal her own transportation bill that just passed.
The Situation: The bill was supposed to raise $4 billion via gas taxes and DMV fees. Now, claiming a $242 million budget gap and a "shambolic" implementation, she wants to scrap it.The Reality: The state government is using jargon like "waylaid" and "shambolic" to confuse voters. It is a masterclass in bureaucratic incompetence and central planning failure.🧠 A Thought on Social Media Health
Regarding my ban on X and social media addiction: The problem isn't the time spent, it's the quality of engagement.
Theory: Immediate, rage-filled responses cause genuine health issues (inflammation).Solution: Instead of bans, platforms like X should implement a "cool-off" period. You shouldn't be able to instantly respond unless you pay a premium credit. This would force people (and the media) to think before they post, potentially lowering the collective blood pressure of the nation.Signing off. It was a good day for the administration and a bad day for fraud.
— Friday, January 9, 2026