demmiblue
demmiblue's JournalRepublicans eye capital gains tax cut to ease voters' anxieties
A proposal to index capital gains for inflation could be in play for a tax-and-spending package later this year, though the likelihood of a bill coming together before the midterms remains a long shot. Some Republicans have also pushed President Donald Trump’s administration to make that change unilaterally.
“It would be the biggest step we could do to counteract the massive inflation under Joe Biden and the Democrats and have a positive impact on affordability, particularly affordability of housing, between now and the midterms,” Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, said.
Indexing capital gains to inflation would allow taxpayers to adjust the value of an asset to account for rising prices across the economy and use that higher base value to calculate gains for tax purposes, ultimately reducing what they owe the Internal Revenue Service if they sell the asset.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/republicans-eye-capital-gains-tax-cut-to-ease-voters-anxieties/ar-AA21Z1Bm
Clueless.
Trump Tells Aides to Prepare for Extended Blockade of Iran
Source: WSJ
President Trump has instructed aides to prepare for an extended blockade of Iran, U.S. officials said, targeting the regime’s coffers in a high-risk bid to compel a nuclear capitulation Tehran has long refused,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
In recent meetings, including a Monday discussion in the Situation Room, Trump opted to continue squeezing Iran’s economy and oil exports by preventing shipping to and from its ports. He assessed that his other options—resume bombing or walk away from the conflict—carried more risk than maintaining the blockade, officials said.
Yet continuing the blockade also prolongs a conflict that has driven up gas prices, hurt Trump’s poll numbers and further darkened Republicans’ prospects in the midterm elections.
Read more: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/trump-tells-aides-to-prepare-for-extended-blockade-of-iran-da3be7a4
Standing ovation after King Charles sings the praises of NATO and says "that same unyielding resolve is needed for....
standing ovation after King Charles sings the praises of NATO and says "that same unyielding resolve is needed for the defense of Ukraine"
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-04-28T19:34:15.662Z
Pentagon asks Congress to codify 'Department of War' with $52 million price tag
Source: The Hill
The Pentagon has asked Congress to codify its “Department of War” renaming, saying it will cost nearly $52 million to complete and will not have a “significant impact” on President Trump’s fiscal 2027 defense budget request.
The Defense Department said the “actual costs are being collected during implementation and will be available after” the current fiscal year’s execution of the name change is done.
The Pentagon, in its legislative proposal, said nearly $52 million is set to be spent, with around $3.5 million for the military department, $3 million for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office and Washington Headquarters Services, $400,000 for the Joint Staff, Combatant Commands and National and the largest share of $44.6 million for the Defense Agencies and department’s field activities
“The revision to the designation of the Department serves as a fundamental reminder of the importance and reverence of our core mission, to fight and win wars,” Defense officials wrote in the 92-page proposal. ” It serves as a strategic objective in which to measure and prioritize all activities.”
Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5853378-pentagon-department-of-war-name-congress/
EXCLUSIVE: State Dept. Finalizing Plan to Put Trump Picture on U.S. Passports
Source: The Bulwark
THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS CLOSE TO FINALIZING a radical redesign of the U.S. passport to include a picture of President Donald Trump, The Bulwark has learned from two sources with knowledge of the redesign, including one who shared images currently under consideration.
The redesign is ostensibly part of a larger celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence. It comes as the Treasury Department prepares to produce coins featuring Trump’s image—both a controversial $1 coin in general circulation1 and an “as large as possible” commemorative gold coin—and as the National Park Service emblazons Trump’s face on its park passes. Both of those redesigns were justified as being part of the 250th anniversary celebration.
According to the images of the passport redesign provided to The Bulwark, the inside cover of the new State Department-issued document will feature a scowling Trump—taken from his second inaugural portrait—superimposed over the Declaration of Independence, as well as the president’s signature in gold.
Read more: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/exclusive-state-dept-finalizing-plan
> @bloomberg.com
— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T17:57:33.609Z
Exclusive: Justice Department indicts former FBI Director James Comey for a second time
Source: CNN
Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted a second time by Trump’s Justice Department, two sources familiar told CNN.
The specific charges were not immediately clear.
President Donald Trump has long pressed for his political adversaries to face charges, including the former FBI director whom he believed to be a key player in the alleged effort to “weaponize” justice system against him.
In September of last year, the Justice Department first brought charges against Comey, accusing him of lying to Congress over leaks to the press. The case was dismissed late last year by a federal judge who found that the interim US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia had been improperly appointed, having skirted approval from the Senate.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/28/politics/justice-department-indicts-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-again
EXCLUSIVE: State Dept. Finalizing Plan to Put Trump Picture on U.S. Passports
The redesign is ostensibly part of a larger celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence. It comes as the Treasury Department prepares to produce coins featuring Trump’s image—both a controversial $1 coin in general circulation1 and an “as large as possible” commemorative gold coin—and as the National Park Service emblazons Trump’s face on its park passes. Both of those redesigns were justified as being part of the 250th anniversary celebration.
According to the images of the passport redesign provided to The Bulwark, the inside cover of the new State Department-issued document will feature a scowling Trump—taken from his second inaugural portrait—superimposed over the Declaration of Independence, as well as the president’s signature in gold.
A more traditional patriotic image—a section of the John Trumbull painting Declaration of Independence—is reserved for the back cover.
Images of the new passport were shared with The Bulwark on condition that it not print them. According to the source, a government official who provided The Bulwark with color photographs of the redesign, the State Department is planning a “limited run” of 25,000 Trump-emblazoned passports. As of now, the new design is still awaiting approval.
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/exclusive-state-dept-finalizing-plan
> @bloomberg.com
— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T17:57:33.609Z
U.S. Gas Prices Hit Highest Level Since Beginning of War in Iran
Source: NYT
Gasoline prices in the United States rose on Tuesday to their highest level in four years as peace talks between the United States and Iran appeared at an impasse.
The average cost for a gallon of regular gasoline is $4.18, according to the AAA motor club. The price at the pump has not been that high since April 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Tuesday’s jump of 1.6 percent was the highest percentage increase in more than a month.
Oil prices continued to climb on Tuesday, with negotiators deadlocked over proposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic and restrict Iran’s nuclear program.
The price of crude oil has risen steadily over the past week, as talks have stalled during an uneasy cease-fire. Brent crude, the international benchmark, has posted gains in six of the past seven trading sessions and remains more than 40 percent higher than it was before the first U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/28/business/oil-gas-stocks-iran-war.html
Breaking: The Trump-aligned FCC is planning to file paperwork as early as this afternoon that will challenge Disney's...
Breaking: The Trump-aligned FCC is planning to file paperwork as early as this afternoon that will challenge Disney's eight licenses for its eight ABC stations. The early-renewal move would be a major escalation by Brendan Carr and would be widely seen as retaliation over Jimmy Kimmel cnn.it/41XdjH1
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T15:21:44.379Z
ABC is owned by Disney.
— Nancy Levine Stearns (@nancylevinestearns.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T15:45:56.330Z
FCC chief Brendan Carr launched an investigation into Disney last year just days after Disney shareholders voted to reject an anti-LGBTQ+ proposal by a vote of 99-1 percent of voting shares.
Carr authored the chapter about the FCC for Project 2025.
The FCC could accelerate reviews of licenses held by broadcast television stations, agency Chair Brendan Carr told Reuters last month, as he intensifies efforts to investigate news media companies and faces pressure from President Donald Trump.
Carr noted that the FCC has a number of investigations into various broadcasters, including NBC, ABC, PBS and National Public Radio.
The Commission may choose not to trigger the process, known as an early license review, Semafor reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/fcc-prepares-review-disneys-tv-licenses-semafor-reports-2026-04-28/
A real photo of Kid Rock addressing service members at the Pentagon today (from yesterday):
A real photo of Kid Rock addressing service members at the Pentagon today. Nice summation of where things stand in the United States.
— Brandon Friedman (@brandonfriedman.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T02:23:16.778Z
Photo source
— Brandon Friedman (@brandonfriedman.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T02:29:25.387Z
Why are taxpayers paying to fly Kid Rock around on 0 million helicopters?
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@govpressoffice.gov.ca.gov) 2026-04-27T21:11:39.894Z
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