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The typical American household must spend an additional $11,434 annually just to maintain the same standard of living they enjoyed in January of 2021, right before inflation soared to 40-year highs, according to a recent analysis of government data.

Such figures underscore the financial squeeze many families continue to face even as the the rate of U.S. inflation recedes and the economy by many measures remains strong, with the jobless rate at a two-decade low. The analysis, from Republican members of the U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee, taps government data such as the Consumer Price Index and Consumer Expenditure Survey to examine the impact of inflation state by state.

Even so, many Americans say they aren’t feeling those gains, and this fall more people reported struggling financially than they did prior to the pandemic, according to CBS News polling. Inflation is the main reason Americans express pessimism about economy despite its bright points, which also include stronger wage gains in recent years.

The Biden administration called the analysis “flawed.” Citing federal labor data, a White House spokesman noted that per capita disposable income has risen 16% since December 2020, just prior to President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

“14 million more Americans have jobs today than when President Biden took office and household disposable income is up by almost $21,000 since December 2020,” the spokesman said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch. “And what Congressional Republicans pushing this one-sided study won’t admit is that their proposals would raise costs on the middle class and cut Social Security and Medicare so they can give rich special interests more tax giveaways.”

To be sure, economists point to a number of pandemic-related issues as the cause of high inflation, rather than decisions from any one political party. For instance, spending bills were signed by both Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden that put stimulus money into the hands of millions of Americans, while global supply-chain snarls and labor shortages drove up the cost of goods and services.

But even as inflation is now cooling rapidly, many consumers say they aren’t feeling it, with a new Bankrate survey finding 60% of working Americans say their income has lagged inflation has over the past 12 months.

“On the edge”

Average hourly pay for workers has increased robust 13.6% since January 2021, although that lags the 17% increase in inflation during the same period, according to government data. The main categories requiring heavier spending for consumers simply to tread water: food, transportation, housing and energy, which together account for almost 80 cents of every $1 in additional spending, according to the Republican analysis.

“Middle- and low-income Americans aren’t doing well enough — they are living fragilely on the edge,” said Gene Ludwig, chairman of the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity (LISEP), a think thank whose own analysis found that the income needed to cover the basics fell short by almost $14,000, on average, in 2022.

Read more at: cbsnews.com

Police operations from California to Maine have busted Chinese nationals operating illegal marijuana growing sites. U.S. officials have clear evidence China is providing Mexican drug cartels the precursor chemicals to make the fentanyl flowing into America. The Drug Enforcement Administration has substantial evidence dating back a decade of Beijing’s role in flooding U.S. cities with a wide range of addictive and harmful drugs.

Experts say there is growing evidence that communist China has launched concerted operations to hook Americans on drugs as part of a larger effort to supplant the United States as the world’s No. 1 superpower. Adding to the problem, the insecure border of the Biden era has only accelerated operations that have killed tens of thousands of Americans from fentanyl poisoning alone. The National Center for Health Statistics reported that drug overdose death rates involving fentanyl increased by 279% from 5.7 per 100,000 in 2016 to 21.6 in 2021.

“I’m just saying that from a strategic plan of the CCP, it’s a brilliant concept that if we can get into America and sell this very pure marijuana and destroy Americans’ brains, so then they go to pills and other drugs, that’s a brilliant, unrestricted warfare,” former DEA Chief of Special Operations Derek Maltz Sr. told Just the News on Wednesday.

“When you look at the Chinese Communist Party. And you look at the role of China and their criminal networks in the overall drug crisis in America – because people are not connecting the dots – this is way bigger than just a bunch of, you know, illegally selling marijuana up in Maine. First of all, it’s all over the country. It’s not just Maine, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington State, California. And, you know, all different states,” Maltz said during a wide-ranging interview on the John Solomon Reports podcast.

Evidence of Chinese drug manufacturing and trafficking is cropping up from coast to coast in the United States, some coming to light just this week.

Police in Wilton, Maine, conducted a raid on a sprawling 10,000-foot commercial complex Tuesday in what the Maine Wire reported was an “illegal Chinese marijuana operation” where $1 million in cannabis was seized. Four men of Asian descent were arrested.

A few months earlier in Carmel, Maine, police uncovered a major marijuana grow in a vacant house where they seized 3,400 plants and 111 pounds of pot, according to local TV station WABI. Authorities arrested a group of Chinese nationals in that raid.

In between those two high profile episodes, an unclassified memo leaked in July from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleges that authorities believe Chinese nationals are operating 270 properties used for illegal marijuana growing operations that could produce an estimated $4.37 billion in revenue. Authorities said at the time that operators were either Chinese nationals with resident status in the U.S. or asylum-seekers, both of which may prevent them from being deported.

Read more at: justthenews.com

A petition denouncing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for advancing “the liberal LGBTQ agenda” had garnered nearly 35,000 with almost a full week to go before the holiday.

The petition was started by One Million Moms, a division of the American Family Association that was established “to stop the exploitation of our children, especially by the entertainment media,” according to its website.

Interested readers can view and sign the petition here.

Numerous media outlets, including The Western Journal, had reported on the “transgender agenda … taking center stage” at this year’s parade, which apparently prompted the group to launch the petition.

The the U.K.’s Daily Mail first reported on petition Monday, it had about 17,000 electronic signatures. That number has doubled in the four days since.

“Unless they are forewarned about it, this year’s holiday parade will potentially expose tens of millions of viewers at home to the liberal LGBTQ agenda,” the petition reads.

“It is clear that Macy’s does not have our children’s best interests in mind,” the group added. “Macy’s needs to know that trust must be earned, and once trust is lost, it is difficult to get back.”

According to The Associated Press, Cher, the woman who recently made headlines by declaring she would leave the United States if former President Donald Trump is re-elected, is supposed to entertain a country after regularly insulting the half that supports Trump.

At least some of that half seems likely not to tune in to the coverage of the parade on Thanksgiving, a number that this petition apparently seeks to increase.

Breitbart reported last week that “non-binary” actors from two Broadway shows — “& Juliet” and “Shucked” — were expected to be part of the parade festivities.

The show “& Juliet” is inspired by Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” but explores what Juliet’s life might have been like had she not committed suicide at the end of the story. The part of the non-binary “May” is played by Justin David Sullivan, according to Breitbart.

Read more at: westernjournal.com

German transgender singer Kim Petras is all in on gay sex during his concerts.

However, the website Breitbart, citing Ticketmaster, said some venues on the tour allow children as young as 8 into the show, although it said anyone under 14 must be accompanied at all times by an adult. This is despite the fact that the show, Petras said, “is kind of inspired by Dante’s Inferno and the different levels of hell.”

According to Ticketmaster, all venues in his 2024 tour are in Great Britain and other European countries.

Petras sounded off where he likes to play and what he likes to see going on in the crowd during an interview with Interview magazine.

🚨Transgender Pop Star Kim Petras Wants Gay Fans to Have Sex During Concerts Where Children Are Allowed to Attend

Kim Petras, the transgender German pop star, said he wants his gay fans to engage in sex during performances of his current concert tour, where children as young as eight are allowed to attend.

pic.twitter.com/xLKF7sX8Lv

— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) November 16, 2023

“I like venues without seats. I like the warehouse vibe where people can stand and dance, and I feel like my music is better for that, so that it feels more like a party than a stadium, sitting down with your drink and observing,” he said.

“I don’t really love looking at a sea of people who all sit. It’s just not my jam, which is why I’ve picked the venues I have, so that it feels more like a party than a stadium, sitting down with your drink and observing,” Petras said.

Interviewer Nicholson Baird then said, “I feel like, to be at a Kim Petras concert is to want to be touched by a different person all over, the entire time.”

“Yes, me too, which is something I’m so proud of. There’s definitely gay sex happening, which is lit,” Petras said.

“In the crowd, and that’s the goal,” Petras added.

Petras said adapting his body through hormone therapy was essential, beginning at age 12, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Read more at: westernjournal.com

High school students, particularly males, with a history of concussion in the last year, showed a higher tendency for suicidal thoughts, planning, or attempts compared to those without a concussion history, according to a study by a research team that includes a researcher at the University of Michigan.

Boys who experienced two or more concussions in the past year were twice as likely to report a suicide attempt compared to those with a single concussion. For girls, the likelihood of suicidal behaviors was comparably higher irrespective of the number of concussions.

“This type of research is never easy to discuss, but it is vitally important to understand who is at risk and why,” said study co-author Steve Broglio, professor of kinesiology and director of the University of Michigan Concussion Center. “Anyone who has concern for any student-athlete should not be afraid to reach out and help find the appropriate resources.”

This is believed to be the first known study to examine the relationship between suicidal behaviors and concussion frequency in a nationally representative sample of U.S. high school students.

“From broader literature, we know that brain injuries, like concussion, can precipitate or exacerbate mental health challenges,” said lead author Jacob Kay, a rehabilitation scientist at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital and the University of South Carolina. “Our study further highlights the importance of evaluating mental health among both male and female youth that have sustained a concussion. This is particularly true for those who have sustained multiple concussions in a short time.”

Other study highlights include:

• 15% of students reported one or more concussions and 6% reported two or more concussions in the past year
• 17% of males and 13% of females reported one or more concussions in the past year
• 44% of females vs. 24% of males reported feeling sad or hopeless
• 24% of females vs. 13% of males reported having suicidal thoughts
• 19% of females vs. 10% of males reported planning suicide
• 10% of females vs. 5% of males reported attempting suicide
• 3% of females and 1% of males reported an injury from an attempted suicide
• Medical professionals should closely evaluate and monitor mental health in youth, especially those with a recent history of repetitive concussions

Read more at: scitechdaily.com

Although inflation is cooling, households are still feeling squeezed.

As of October, 60% of adults said they are living paycheck to paycheck, according to a new LendingClub report. The figure is unchanged from last year.

Overall, 4 in 10 consumers consider themselves worse off relative to 2022, the report found.

Shoppers expect to overspend during the holidays

Even more countries are now exploring ditching the U.S. dollar in international trade settlements.

India and Egypt, two members of the BRICS economic alliance, are now reportedly in talks to completely abandon the U.S. dollar in international trade settlements between their respective nations.

This comes at a time when the U.S. economy is $33 trillion in debt, Moody’s has downgraded its outlook on several U.S. banking giants, and historically high inflation plagues the U.S. economy.

Breaking free from the economic side of things for a minute, foreign policy decisions have dire consequences. It turns out that fueling proxy conflicts all over the planet has created significant pushback against the U.S. federal government.

Kicking Russia out of the SWIFT system, the global protocol standard for moving U.S. dollars, ignited a torrent of uncertainty and dissent in much of the world—it was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.

The dominant attitude of most non-Western countries after seeing what happened to Russia is: are we next?

No one should ever live in fear that their money and their ability to transact has suddenly been shut off by the government, not sovereign nations, and certainly not individuals.

This brings me to my final point: we must never allow the government to issue a central bank digital currency (CBDC). If they do, they will do the same thing to each of us that they did with Russia.

Read more at: 100percentfedup.com

Although Target faced Pride Month merchandise boycotts, a lawsuit and a 10% decline in its stock following this year’s controversial collection, the retailer appears to be doubling down on its commitment to this market.

Target has promoted Erik Thompson to Senior LGBTQIA+ Strategist and Pride Lead, according to a @LibsofTikTok post on X and Thompson’s LinkedIn profile.

In his new role overseeing Target’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual marketing, Thompson says he plans to “flip the script and rewrite the narrative of CPG [consumer packaged goods] retail industries to better serve all segments and thoughtfully & authentically cater to *ALL guests, ALL humans & ALL hearts* who enter our stores and across the nation.”

Thompson has been with Target since 2016 and was previously a buyer for four years in its beauty and cosmetics division. Before that, he was an associate buyer between 2016 and 2019 of men’s sportswear.

In the spring, Target moved to appease conservative groups that expressed outrage over Target’s 2023 Pride Month collection to include “tuck friendly” bathing suits for boys, by removing some of the items.

In May, the retailer’s stock (TGT) was down 10% from its March 17 top, while CEO Brian Cornell hailed DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) as having been a boon to business

Read more at: newsmax.com

ROME, Italy — Nigeria is the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian, according to a report on Christian persecution by International Christian Concern (ICC).

In ICC’s 2023 “Persecutors of the World” report, Nigeria is billed as the world’s top oppressor because of its “endemic” anti-Christian violence.

Radical Muslim terror groups such as Boko Haram and Fulani militants have waged a “20-year genocide against Christians in Nigeria,” the report declared, and as a result “Christian men, women, and children are brutally kidnapped, tortured, and killed every week in Nigeria.”

In just 128 days of 2022, spanning from March 4 to July 6, a total of 55 separate attacks resulted in the deaths of 549 Christians, ICC reported.

The adoption of Sharia criminal law in 12 northern states has exacerbated the ongoing persecution of Christians in the region, the text stated, and meanwhile the Nigerian government and much of the international community “continue to deny religious motivation behind ongoing violence, despite the clear targeting of Christians and churches.”

“Once again, Nigeria’s Christian community is suffering at the hands of radical Fulani militants,” ICC president Jeff King noted. “And once again, rather than intervening, the Nigerian government continues to turn a blind eye to the violence, aiding and abetting the ongoing genocide.”

“No longer can this trend of violence be dismissed as a complicated, regional conflict over land rights,” King added. “The government’s inaction on the matter is inexcusable and the violence will only worsen unless the international community steps in.”

The principal driver of Christian persecution in Nigeria is radical Islam and, according to ICC, the three main perpetrators of persecution are Boko Haram, Fulani militants, and Islamic conservative communities.

While Boko Haram has killed tens of thousands of people, mostly Christians, Fulani militants operating in Nigeria’s Middle Belt “have killed more Christians in the past several years than Boko Haram and have displaced millions of Christian farmers.”

To add insult to injury, in 2021 the U.S. State Department removed Nigeria from its list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) despite unabated violence and atrocities against Christians.

“This lack of designation essentially indicates to Nigeria that the U.S. approves of all its actions,” the ICC noted. “Whether the U.S. acknowledges the plight of Nigerian Christians or not, the fact remains the same: Nigeria has become a burial ground for believers of the Christian faith.”

Read more at: breitbart.com