The States

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in two cases over whether biological males can participate in women's and girls’ sports. With the U.S. Senate sending a roughly $180 billion funding package to the president’s desk Thursday, Congress has now knocked out half of the annual appropriations bills funding federal agencies in fiscal year 2026. The administration continues to ramp up its response to the massive social services fraud in Minnesota, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent enumerating steps his department is taking to prevent similar abuses going forward. And more...

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty as he was arraigned in a New York court on Monday, facing federal drug and weapons charges. Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and the state attorney general were either “complicit” in the now-estimated $9 billion of social services fraud that has taken place in the state in recent years or “asleep at the wheel,” according to Republican Rep. James Comer, R-Ky. Former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's congressional seat will be empty at least two months, likely three, as a special election already drawing 24 candidates will not take place until March 10. And more...

Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Read more:

Maduro, wife plead not guilty in first court appearance

Republicans go on attack in hearing over $9 billion of social services fraud

Special election for Greene's seat set for March 10

Ecology confirms Commerce ‘significantly inflated’ CCA emissions reductions

DOJ sues Virginia over tuition for illegal immigrants

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Budget concerns will continue to dominate Congress in 2026. The U.S. Supreme Court will head into 2026 with numerous high profile decisions to issue. Transgender athletes, birthright citizenship, presidential firing power, tariffs and redistricting are several issues that hang in the balance of the high court’s decision making. For 67 million people relying on electricity from the regional power grid, PJM, cheaper utility bills in 2026 are little more than a pipe dream. And more...

Read more:

Tariffs to transgender athletes: SCOTUS cases to watch in 2026

Don't count on lower electricity prices in 2026

Medi-Cal to stop accepting illegal immigrants as of Jan. 1

App offers alternative to classroom phone ban

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Center Square staff discuss Pres. Trump, Congress, and tariff policy in 2025. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Amid a national housing crisis, the Biden administration’s Department of Housing and Urban Development produced guidelines encouraging property owners to forgo some fair housing practices to favor Afghan refugees, the Trump administration argues in a new directive terminating previous guidelines. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, under fire for failing to prevent a massive welfare fraud scheme in his state, was in Seattle on Tuesday as the special guest at Gov. Bob Ferguson’s fundraising luncheon, telling those in attendance Somalis were being "demonized" and vowing to bring more into his state. The Trump administration has proposed $12 billion in federal aid to American farmers, with many undergoing what Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins described as an economic crisis. And more...

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Two National Guard members from West Virginia were shot Wednesday afternoon near the White House, the state's governor confirmed. After a story was published last week claiming that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordered a second strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat to kill those remaining, both Hegseth and the Pentagon reiterated their defense of the War Department’s actions as completely legal. States that refuse to turn over data on food stamp recipients will lose all SNAP funding, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Tuesday. And more...

Read more:

Trump vows to pause migration after D.C. shooting

Hegseth, Pentagon stand by explanation of second boat strike

'No data, no money:' USDA says states who don't hand over info will lose SNAP funding

Trump election interference case in Georgia dismissed

California anti-discrimination law raises concerns

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With the record-long government shutdown finally over, Republicans are ramping up conversations about how to reform Obamacare and address the rising cost of insurance premiums. Congress on Tuesday agreed to pass a bill by unanimous consent requiring the U.S. attorney general to release all documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Responding to Americans' frustrations over high grocery prices, President Donald Trump issued an executive order Friday exempting more than 200 food products from tariffs. And more...

Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Read more:

With shutdown over, fight over Obamacare reform is on

U.S. Senate passes bill to release Epstein files, heads to Trump's desk

Trump rolls back tariffs on over 200 foods in sharp reversal

Lawmaker: Prediction markets coming if Wisconsin doesn't approve sports betting

California attorney general, agency face possible sanctions

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With the longest government shutdown in history finally over, federal agencies are slowly bringing affected services back online and hoping to resume normal operations by the end of next week. President Donald Trump has again floated the idea of sending Americans $2,000 from tariff revenue, but a new analysis suggests the import taxes won't bring in enough money to cover the proposed checks. The U.S. House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol cost almost twice as much as previously reported, including spending taxpayer funds for TV news producers and documentary filmmakers to create videos dramatizing its case against President Donald Trump, an investigation by The Center Square found. And more...

Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Read more:

Federal services to slowly recover following end of government shutdown

Analysis: Trump's proposed tariff rebate would cost twice as much as tariffs

Jan. 6 panel cost twice previous estimates, hiring TV producers to dramatize attack

Wisconsin school consolidation could be near 'pendulum swing'

Pennsylvania finally closes $50.1B budget deal

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Self-proclaimed democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani will be the next mayor of New York City after taking down the former Democrat New York governor for a second time on Tuesday. For the 14th time, U.S. Senate Democrats on Tuesday filibustered Republicans’ funding bill to reopen the government, guaranteeing that the ongoing shutdown will be the longest in U.S. history. The U.S. Supreme Court gave President Donald Trump's tariff authority a chilly reception on Wednesday, with his economic agenda hanging in the balance and businesses and consumers watching for higher prices. And more...

Read more: 

ELECTION DAY 2025: NYC elects Mamdani, Democrats sweep VA, NJ governors' races

Government shutdown to surpass 35 days, breaking all records 

U.S. Supreme Court frosty on Trump's tariff power as world watches

Congressional Perks: Luxury cars and mileage result in big costs for taxpayers

 UC system mandates training affirming gender ideology

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Donald Trump feels confident the flow of fentanyl from China will be curbed following a “great meeting” with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. Despite opposition from major federal labor unions, Senate Democrats blocked Republicans’ Continuing Resolution to reopen and fund the government for the 13th time Tuesday. The California Public Employees' Retirement System for state employees lost 71% of its $468 million investment in a clean energy and technology private equity fund, state records show, but CalPERS won’t explain how. And more...

Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

Read more: 

Trump slices China fentanyl tariff in half following meeting with Xi

Democrats refuse to end shutdown for 13th time, drawing GOP ire 

CA state retirement fund lost 71% of $468M put in clean energy, won’t say how

Illinois agency buys incompatible computer system meant to 'streamline' DEI efforts

Poll: Most voters against federal govt controlling education

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.