Independent Commentary

The
Sunshine
Brief

News, politics, and government.

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Comically Corrupt Kimberly Guilfoyle and the Lack of True Accountability

While Trump is president, however, there is essentially zero chance that Guilfoyle will be seriously investigated and prosecuted by the federal government. In fact, I would not be surprised if she lands a cushy job elsewhere in government or the private sector to keep her quiet.

Comically Corrupt Kimberly Guilfoyle and the Lack of True Accountability
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Trump Bans Certain News Outlets from White House

Once you allow the President to restrict press access based (supposedly) on his assessment of what reported news is untrue or unfair to the government, you have not only essentially ceded the right to say or report what you want, but also the right of the people to oversee and control their government.

Trump Bans Certain News Outlets from White House
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The Ed Sheeran Debacle and the Canceling of Macklemore

One cannot help but think Sheeran was acting like a hypocritical coward in refusing to defend his friend and hiding behind a false veneer of public apoliticism when the political heat became a bit much for him. Perhaps Sheeran simply forgot about having performed a fundraising concert for Ukraine. Or perhaps, Sheeran only engages in politics when it is popular and comes with zero risk to his career and finances.

The Ed Sheeran Debacle and the Canceling of Macklemore
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Bribing America

As usual with many of Trump's schemes, it is a lose-lose situation for the American public. If Trump gets what he wants, America will surely suffer regardless of whether he follows through.

Bribing America
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Proposed SEC Rule Change: Open Season for Pay-to-Play Corruption

Why not try anything else before simply greenlighting rich investment managers from essentially bribing government officials to hire them to manage government investments and enrich themselves further? Instead of hiring whomever seems best-qualified, government officials will be strongly incentivized to hire whoever writes them the biggest check at election time.

Proposed SEC Rule Change:  Open Season for Pay-to-Play Corruption
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Pete Hegseth and the Troubling Replacement of US Military Leadership

If the American people do not understand or value having a military that is loyal to the Constitution instead of the current president and of having top military officials who are not afraid to tell the president why what he wants to do may fail, then we do not deserve to have them.

Pete Hegseth and the Troubling Replacement of US Military Leadership
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Lake America: Antagonism and Empty Gestures

Ostensibly, Trump renamed the lake because of its importance to America and because America takes care of it. In reality, it is a combination of spite toward Canada and low-brow patriotism.

Lake America:  Antagonism and Empty Gestures
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Measles, Vaccines, and Mysticism

Because most of us are too young to have experienced firsthand the scourges of diseases nearly eradicated in the 20th century, many of us seem hellbent on gaining some firsthand experience in order to understand the virtues of vaccines, even if it ends up in the death of some our children.

Measles, Vaccines, and Mysticism
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Foodborne Illness and the Failures of the FDA

As usual, it seems that Trump and his top staff imagined themselves as the smartest and most qualified people for the job. They alone could see the simple solutions to solving whatever problems they perceived, and they alone possessed the iron will and fortitude to make it happen.

Foodborne Illness and the Failures of the FDA
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Rep. Nancy Mace is Speaking Like a Nazi

It is one (albeit horrible) thing to be stupid or ignorant enough to earnestly adopt prejudices and engage in bigotry against an entire group of people, particularly as a legislator with actual authority to harm them. It is another to understand what you are doing is wrong but engage in it nonetheless to further your ambition and enrich yourself.

Rep. Nancy Mace is Speaking Like a Nazi