The embattled National Chairman of the Labor Party, Barrister Julius Abure, has been arrested by the police following allegations of fraud and financial recklessness in the management of campaign funds.
Abure was reportedly arrested in Benin, the Edo state capital, on Wednesday.
Although the circumstances surrounding his arrest are still unclear as of press time, the LP chairman has been accused by party faithful of mismanaging funds donated to the party to campaign for the 2023 presidential election.
Abure was accused of selling slots of validly nominated flagbearers to aspirants from other political parties.
One of the party’s aspirants for the forthcoming governorship polls in Edo state, Olumide Akpata, accused the Abure-led Labour Party of not being committed to a transparent primary as there were orchestrated plans to handpick the party’s candidate.
BREAKING: Police Arrest Labour Party National Chairman Julius Abure is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Inflation is emerging as one of Republicans’ top lines of attack against Democratic President Joe Biden, who is running for a second term.
Consumer inflation has been cooling down since a 9.1% peak in mid-2022. In January, prices were up 3.1% compared to a year ago, still above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.
But even as the economy has improved, Republicans are tapping into lingering unease among voters. That includes U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, who represents southeastern Wisconsin.
“Bidenomics is costing the typical American household over $11,400 more a year to buy the basics,” Steil posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Feb. 1, 2024.
Steil has made similar claims when Biden has visited Wisconsin to tout his economic agenda. Republicans in the state are likely to keep citing inflation when Biden makes future stops this year.
That’s why we wanted to dig into the number now. Are households really spending $11,400 more each year to buy basic goods?
And, is it solely because of Biden and his policies?
Let’s dig into the data.
Estimate comes from report prepared by Joint Economic Committee Republicans
When PolitiFact Wisconsin asked Steil’s office for backup, communications director Chavonne Ludick referred to an inflation tracker created by Republicans on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee.
The committee is bipartisan and chaired by a Democrat, but the report was released by Republicans (Steil is not a member). The report was initially released in November 2022, but the tracker has been updated.
In November 2023, the analysis showed typical American households must spend an extra $11,434 each year to have the same standard of living as in January 2021, according to articles from CBS and The Hill.
The state-by-state map also shows data from November 2023, so we can assume Steil is using the committee’s most recent numbers.
In Wisconsin, the tracker shows the latest annual amount was $10,065 per year, or $839 extra per month — near the middle of the pack.
On its face, the report backs up Steil’s number — American households were recently spending $11,400 more a year to buy the basics.
Republicans don’t detail how many people are in a household, per person number is less
How did the committee’s Republicans get to their $11,400 number?
They used January 2021 as a base month, which was “the last time inflation was within recent historical norms.” They say their calculations consisted of three steps:
Estimating average monthly household spending by state
Approximating inflation rates by state relative to January 2021
Applying the inflation rates to monthly household spending to estimate state-level inflation costs
Menzie Chinn, a professor of public affairs and economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the GOP calculations seem to be right, except for one aspect:
“They calculate numbers for ‘a household’ when it’s unclear how many people are in a household,” Chinn said in an email.
Chinn previously analyzed the report for a Wisconsin Watch fact-check of an ad that said Wisconsinites are spending $10,000 more per year compared to 2021.
But the number for individuals, he calculated, is $6,414.
Chinn added that while “not technically ‘wrong,’ the use of (consumer price index) tends to overstate the change in cost of living.”
Chained CPI, a metric that takes into account changes in consumer preferences more rapidly, would “likely be a little lower,” he said.
So the calculation is generally on target, albeit with an asterisk for a lack of clarity about what size the household is.
Biden administration pushed back on report, said disposable income is up
But there is another essential part of the claim – that of blame. Steil blames “Bidenomics” for the higher prices of household essentials.
PolitiFact National has tackled whether Biden is responsible for inflation before and has noted it’s not nearly so clear cut.
Increases in the prices of gasoline, for example, is largely something that presidents can’t control.
And economists have said inflation goes back to issues rooted in the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as supply-chain constraints and workforce shortages.
Still, some legislation like the American Rescue Plan – advanced under Biden – might have added to pressures that pushed up prices.
The relief plan put more money in Americans’ hands, but not enough goods could be produced, kicking up prices.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has pointed to other metrics that show a fuller picture of the economy.
In comments to CBS, the Biden administration called the Joint Economic Committee Republicans’ analysis “flawed,” but did not explain which parts.
The administration cited federal data that showed disposable income had risen 16% since Biden took office. Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis does show disposable income is increasing.
A Washington Post analysis of economic data notes, however, that an end in pandemic stimulus money and rising prices have caused swings in household income.
Chinn added that Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee performed an analysis that found “national average wages and salaries grew by nearly $15,000 between January 2021 and October 2023.”
Democrats said that amount “outpaces price growth during that period by over $3,500” — which reads as an implicit agreement that Republicans’ $11,400 number is correct.
So, we’re left with an essentially accurate number, but a very mixed picture on blame.
Our ruling
Steil said “Bidenomics is costing the typical American household over $11,400 more a year to buy the basics.”
That number comes from a report released by Republicans on the Joint Economic Committee.
An economics professor said the Republicans’ calculations look good, despite the fact they didn’t explain how many people they were counting in a household and could have used a slightly different metric.
But, Steil blames inflation solely on “Bidenomics.” Just as the president can’t claim credit for every positive aspect of the economy, which is shaped by a myriad of factors, it’s not fair to ascribe all of the blame.
While the numbers look fairly accurate, Steil misfires on the blame element. Our definition of Half True is “the statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details or takes things out of context.”
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Farhan Zaidi wasn’t the only person to have his phone spammed by Pablo Sandoval.
“Oh, I was getting them, too,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Tuesday of the workout videos being sent by the three-time World Series champion, culminating in an invitation to spring training with the Giants. “You know what, I’m not shocked, I’ll be honest. I knew he had the drive, the passion to get back into it. So good for him. He looks good from the videos that I saw.”
Speaking from Cactus League media day, the former San Francisco skipper said the Giants would “get to have some fun with Pablo.” Upon hearing the news of his signing, Bochy said he sent him congratulations over text and hoped to connect in-person.
While Sandoval is adamant about making a long-shot bid at the Opening Day roster, Bochy said he could see a future in coaching if it doesn’t work out.
“He’s always loved the game,” Bochy said. “I could see when he’s done, he should stay in the game and coach or whatever he wants to do because the guy plays the game the way you love players to play, with joy, enthusiasm. He’s a lot of fun.”
Ex-Cy Young Ray a boon for young arms
Zaidi and his counterpart in Seattle, Jerry Dipoto, connected this winter for their 11th and arguably most consequential transaction since the they took their current posts when the Giants sent Mitch Haniger and Anthony DeSclafani to the Mariners for former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray.
In addition to the midseason boost Ray should provide when he returns from Tommy John surgery, Mariners manager Scott Servais said the Giants’ group of young pitchers will benefit from the presence of the 32-year-old, whom he called “one of my all-time favorite guys to manage,” despite getting only a season with him before his elbow blew out.
“Oh, Robbie Ray is fantastic,” Servais said. “He brought a level of professionalism to our young pitchers and really helped the Logan Gilberts and the George Kirbys. We are going to miss Robbie. We missed him last year when he wasn’t there when he was going through rehab all year. I think the world of him.
“He’s a real grown-up. He’s got a wife, three kids. He’s been through a lot in his career. He’s willing to give a lot of that back to young players, so he’s going to do very well in San Francisco.”
Explaining all those Mariners trades
The 11 transactions between the clubs are three more than Zaidi has made with any other team and more than twice that of most in the league. (Can you name the one team not in the NL West that Zaidi has not traded with? Spoiler: They’re now managed by Bochy.)
Asked to characterize the pair’s relationship, Servais chuckled, while Seattle general manager Justin Hollander provided some insight.
“I think that our organizations broadly, or Jerry and Farhan specifically, they are tinkerers and transactioners by nature,” Hollander said. “There’s just been a way of naturally lining up. I also think we’ve both been fairly aggressive on the margin moves on our roster – trading for DFA’d players, trading for players on waivers, Triple-A performers who may be able to provide depth or help. We’re both targeting the same types of players, it seems over the past few years.”
Among the most curious cases is catcher Tom Murphy, who has never been dealt between the teams but has now switched sides multiple times, most recently signing a a two-year free-agent deal to become the backup to Patrick Bailey.
Murphy’s previous team? The Mariners. And his team before that? You guessed it.
“That one stands out to me,” Hollander said. “As I recall, we went to Japan (in 2019). Tom Murphy was not on our team for the Japan series. Then we came home and acquired Tom Murphy, so he was on our home Opening Day roster, but he was not on our roster when we played the games in Tokyo. Which is like a really unique dynamic for somebody who turned into our starting catcher very quickly. …
“He was a player that we liked and did not get (originally). We tried to get him, but they got him. I did not expect him to be available like a week later.”
Joc in the desert
When the Diamondbacks made their pitch this offseason to Joc Pederson, who eventually agreed to a one-year, $9.5 million deal, one quality surprised manager Torey Lovullo.
“Very smart baseball player,” Lovullo said. “I was not aware of that until I started to have some conversations with him. He’s active and he knows what’s going on.”
Pederson came to the meeting prepared with numbers, according to Lovullo. He told the club’s brass that something in the neighborhood of 14 of the 18 projected starting pitchers in the division, “fit right into my wheelhouse.”
Without naming names, such as Pederson’s former teammates, the math checked out, the manager said.
“We did some research and we found out that he matched up really well with some projected starters,” Lovullo said. “I’m like, where are we? What month is it? What teams is he talking about? He’s clearly thinking about things on a totally different level. And he’s right.”
Capital One is acquiring Discover Financial Services in a $35.3 billion deal. (Rogelio V. Solis/AP/File)
By Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN
New York (CNN) — Capital One announced it’s acquiring Discover Financial Services for $35.3 billion in an all-stock deal, giving the bank a leg up in the competitive credit card market.
Under the terms of the deal announced Monday evening, Discover (DFS) shareholders will receive a little over one share of Capital One (COF) for every Discover share they own. That represents an almost 27% premium from Discover’s closing share price of $110.49 on Friday.
If the deal is finalized, current Capital One shareholders will own a 60% stake in the combined company, while Discover shareholders will own the remaining 40%.
Capital One said it believes the deal will close in late 2024 or early 2025.
With a market valuation of almost $28 billion, Discover is considerably smaller than the other three major credit card networks in the US — Visa (V), Mastercard (MA) and American Express (AXP). Credit card networks are the liaison between card issuers and merchants, for whom they set fees.
Getting Discover, which also issues its own credit cards, under the same roof as Capital One would give the bank a major leg up against competing credit card-issuing banks such as JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America (BAC) and Citigroup (C), which don’t process transactions themselves.
Richard Fairbank, the founder and CEO of Capital One, said in the Monday announcement that the deal would “build a payments network that can compete with the largest payments networks and payments companies.”
A marriage between Capital One and Discover, if approved by regulators, would also give Capital One a new source of revenue from the merchant fees it collects.
Currently, Capital One issues credit cards with Mastercard, Visa and Discover. The deal would likely result in more of its cards getting switched to the Discover network, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Monday before the deal was officially announced.
The companies are hosting a joint conference call Tuesday morning at 8:00 am ET.
This story has been updated with additional details.
African American artists have long captured imaginations and influenced other artists worldwide.
From the jazz musicians of the 1950s and 60s, to global stars like Tina Turner and Prince, to Toni Morrison and other writers who transformed America’s literary landscape, Black artists have helped define their country’s cultural landscape.
During Black History Month, ShareAmerica celebrates several highly acclaimed U.S. artists whose work offers unique perspectives on African American life.
Textile artist Bisa Butler’s painting-like “portrait quilts” celebrate Black life in vivid colors using materials ranging from cotton, silk, velvet and leather to African batiks and prints.
From South Orange, New Jersey, Butler creates monumental pieces that offer fresh takes on historical figures or capture the vibrancy of everyday African American life.
“Somehow I feel like they’re calling out to me,” Butler told National Public Radio in 2021 of how she chooses her subjects. “I describe my artwork as a quilted photo album of a Black family. But it’s the Black diaspora family,” she said. “I see the dignity and the beauty. So I want other people to see that.”
Misty Copeland, the first Black woman promoted to principal dancer for the prestigious American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in New York, has starred in iconic ballets including Swan Lake,Romeo and Juliet,Don Quixote and the holiday classic The Nutcracker.
After starting ballet at the relatively late age of 13, Copeland earned spots at top ballet schools and joined ABT’s main company in 2001. She became one of the youngest ABT dancers to earn a soloist role in 2007, before being promoted to principal dancer in 2015.
Copeland told LA.com in 2008 that she had felt culturally isolated as an African American ballerina and wasn’t prepared for being singled out as a role model for young dancers of color. In 2021, she launched a nonprofit to expand access to dance education and increase diversity in ballet.
Blues-rock guitarist Eric Gales, from Memphis, Tennessee, believes music is without limits. Naturally right-handed, Gales plays guitar left-handed and holds the instrument upside down, while blending styles ranging from “metal to avant-garde rock,” to “the blues to classical and everything in between,” he told Music Radar.
Hailed as “one of the greatest guitarists alive today,” Gales started playing guitar at age 4 and released his first album at 16. He credits influences ranging from rock legend Jimi Hendrix and blues great Albert King to Australian jazz hero Frank Gambale.
Gales has recorded 19 albums for major labels and his blistering live performances have made fans of guitar legends like Carlos Santana and Eric Clapton.
Poet Terrance Hayes strives for language that communicates feeling the way music does. Noted for his fluid phrasing and reflections on life as an artist and Black man, Hayes is regarded as one of the most compelling voices in American poetry.
The South Carolina native has authored seven poetry collections, including Lighthead, which won the National Book Award in 2010. The collection introduced the “golden shovel” form, which borrows a line from an existing poem and incorporates each word in a new poem. He’s won numerous honors, including a MacArthur “genius” fellowship.
“I think music is the primary model — how close can you get this language to be like music and communicate feeling at the base level,” Hayes, an English professor at New York University, told the University of Pittsburgh’s Hot Metal Bridge literary magazine in 2013. “Language is always burdened by thought. I’m just trying to get it so it can be like feeling.”
If the current pace of illegal immigration does not slow down, fiscal year 2024 will break last year’s record of 2,475,669 southwest border encounters — a number that by itself exceeds the population of New Mexico.
A record 7.3 million illegal aliens have crossed the southwest border under President Biden’s watch, a number which according to Fox News.is greater than the population of 36 individual states.
That figure is sourced from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which has already reported 961,537 Southwest land border encounters in the current fiscal year, which runs from October through September, and if the current pace of illegal immigration does not slow down, fiscal year 2024 will break last year’s record of 2,475,669 southwest border encounters — a number that by itself exceeds the population of New Mexico.
The total number of southwest land border encounters since Biden assumed office in 2021 is 7,298,486, CBP data shows.
Source: CBP
That number is larger than the population of 36 U.S. states including: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
URGENT! Keep Alex Jones in the fight against the NWO! Please pray & contribute at DefendJones.com today!
In fact, the only states that are not in danger of being “replaced” are the blue ones.
Compared to the largest U.S. states, the 7.3 million number is about 18.7% of California’s population of 39 million, 23.9% of the state of Texas and its 31 million residents, 32.3% of the population of Florida and 37.3% of New York. It’s more than half the size of Pennsylvania, Illinois and Ohio.
As Fox News graphically describes, were the number of illegal immigrants who entered the United States under President Biden gathered together to found a city, it would be the second-largest city in America after New York.
Shockingly, that total does not include an estimated additional 1.6 million illegals who entered the US at other locations, nor 1.8 million known “gotaways” who evaded law enforcement, which would make the total bigger than the population of New York.
Taken together, over 10 million migrants have crossed into the U.S. illegally during the Biden administration, a record Biden’s critics assert could only be achieved by intentionally refusing to enforce the law.
“This unprecedented surge in illegal immigration isn’t an accident. It is the result of deliberate policy choices by the Biden administration,” said Eric Ruark, Director of Research for Numbers USA, a nonprofit that advocates for immigration restrictions.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO:
Late last night in Darién Gap Panama, I spotted a migrant bus transporting a bus full of invaders from Africa. The bus stopped in front of the San Vicente Migrant camp in Darien Gap to drop someone off. While the door was open, I hopped on the bus and started… pic.twitter.com/WFGLTrboSm
While some republicans and anti-illegal immigration activists have for blamed Biden for allowing the current overwhelming surge of migrants by reversing former President Donald Trump’s border policies – a fact clearly visible in the chart above when comparing alien entrants under Trump and under Biden, the White House has denied responsibility for the crisis and pointed to external “push” factors like violence and economic instability in South and Central America as the culprit responsible for vast waves of migration to the U.S.
Meanwhile, the president’s critics say migrants face more of a “pull” factor in the form of job opportunities and government benefits because they know they will not face deportation under Biden’s lenient policies.
“The administration has refused to enforce existing immigration law and taken every opportunity to aid and abet illegal border crossings — through policies such as catch-and-release, mass parole, and offering temporary work permits to tens of thousands of foreigners who make dubious claims for asylum,” Ruark told Fox News Digital. “In actual effect, the United States government is completing the human smuggling and trafficking process for the Mexican cartels.”
Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), said migrants have learned in the last three years that they won’t face deportation for entering the country illegally.
“They have sent the signal that if you come to the U.S. illegally, if you abuse the asylum system, you’ll be released into the country and allowed to remain here, in most cases given work authorization,” Mehlman said. “Even if you neglect to show up for your hearings, the odds of you being removed are negligible. The president claims he doesn’t have the authority to enforce our laws. He absolutely does. He is deliberately not enforcing those laws.”
There is another reason why the Biden admin has refused to crack down on illegal immigration: as we first revealed, all of the jobs since 2018 have gone to non-native born workers, which primarily means illegal immigrants.
Since then establishment economists and lunatic idiots such as Paul Krugman and Jerome Powell have claimed that these illegal immigrants are actually beneficial for the economy as they take jobs that Americans are “too lazy” to take and have helped push down wage inflation; meanwhile the CBO has taken this grotesque stupidity one step further, and projected that the surge in illegal immigration will boost the US labor force significantly more than previously forecast…
… with CBO Director Phill Swagel, going so far as predicting that “as a result of those changes in the labor force, we estimate that from 2023 to 2034, GDP will be greater by about $7 trillion and revenue will be greater by about $1 trillion than they would have been otherwise.”
Got that? The surprise increase in immigration is largely responsible for an anticipated extra **$7 trillion** boost in GDP.
“Got that?”, the Washington Post in-house propaganda apparatchik asked rhetorically: Illegal immigration is not only not bad, it’s great for the country, as it enables Americans to remain lazy, it reduces wage inflation and ends up boosting GDP by trillions. In fact, the only thing preventing the US from entering a new golden age of growth is that instead of a mere 10 million illegals, the US should gladly accept 100 million or more, and be thankful to the Biden regime, which alone could come up with this absolutely brilliant theory of common sense, sanity – and of course population – replacement.
Of course, for a far saner take on what is really going on, listen to the latest Tucker, who in his latest video note says that “mass immigration is completely destroying our country.”
Mass immigration is completely destroying our country. Why is no one doing anything about it? Because they’re afraid of ending up like Lydia Brimelow. pic.twitter.com/B5B0bh6t5O
The Department of State Services (DSS) has urged the leadership of the organised Labour to cancel the planned protests that are scheduled for February 27th and 28th across Nigeria.
The Service in a statement, signed by its spokesperson, Peter Afunnaya on Wednesday, advised the organised labour groups to give the federal government the chance to improve the current economic situation.
As the country is facing a surge in food insecurity and inflation, with decreasing purchasing power due to the constant devaluation of the Naira against the Dollar, the National Labor Congress (NLC) led by its president, Joe Ajaero, decided to revisit some of its unresolved demands.
Some of these demands include tax exemptions, allowances to public sector workers, reduction of the cost of governance, provision of Compressed Natural Gas, buses, and more.
Ajaero also demanded an annual review of the minimum wage to the tune of one million, against the five-year review window, in line with Sections 3(4) and 7 of the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019.
However, the DSS said that it is not ignorant of the nation’s plight and that it understands the legitimacy of the labour movement to protest. However, it urged the organised unions to shelve the plan in the interest of peace and public order.
The statement read partly: “The DSS further calls on parties to pursue dialogue and negotiation rather than engaging in conducts that could heighten tensions.
“This is more so that the Service is aware that some elements are planning to use the opportunity of the protest to foment crisis and by extension, widespread violence.
“The development, without doubt, will worsen the socio-economic situation across the country.
“It is common knowledge that all levels of Government are striving to ameliorate the prevailing economic condition and as such, should be given a benefit of the doubt.
“So far, appropriate authorities are working assiduously with a spectrum of stakeholders to fashion out modalities to address the current difficulties. They should, therefore, be given the chance to handle the challenges at hand.
“In this vein, citizens are encouraged to recognise that what remains unsolved in peacetime, would not be attained in war-time. The timeless piece of the esteemed Poet, JP Clark, “The Casualties” is a resonating reminder to us of the possible dangers of escalated conflicts. In times of trouble, everyone will be a casualty.
“Also, ongoing wars in the global scene are a stark reminder of their catastrophic repercussions on the affected countries’ domestic environments thus, the critical need to protect and maintain our internal stability and unity.
“Those exploiting the fault lines in the country need to have a rethink as resort to negativities will endanger our peaceful coexistence with dire consequences.”
The Service further implored parents and guardians to guide their children and wards from inimical acts capable of jeopardising public safety and harmony.
The DSS urged all sectors, including political parties, opposition groups, religious and traditional institutions, civil society, and non-governmental bodies to eschew violence and demonstrate leadership and statesmanship in severe times.
“Making political capital out of the current situation or involving in divisive utterances at a time like this, will be of no benefit to any peace-loving Nigerian. Citizens are advised to be vigilant and not allow fifth columnists and hostile forces or agents to use them to destabilise the peace of the nation.
“The DSS stands opposed to violence as a means of settling our present-day challenges, be they economic, political or otherwise. Accordingly, the Service will work with sister security and law enforcement agencies to ensure that lasting peace is maintained in the country,” it said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has disclosed that it was not aware of any intending protest, but would set all modalities in place to “ensure that hoodlums do not take advantage of any activities of the NLC to disrupt the peace in the FCT if the protest does occur.”
Give FG Chance To Resolve Economic Hardship, Shun Protest — DSS Enjoins NLC is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
When Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., shared a newsletter with constituents recently, she made the first item of business federal marijuana policy.
In the Feb. 3 newsletter, Gillibrand wrote that “marijuana is currently classified in the same category of drugs as heroin and a more dangerous category than fentanyl or cocaine.”
Gillibrand is correct about marijuana’s federal status. That decades-old classification clashes with the drug’s widespread state-level legalization in recent years.
Four states fully outlaw marijuana for medical or recreational use: Idaho, Kansas, South Carolina and Wyoming. Seven more states allow the marijuana derivative CBD but not marijuana itself.
By contrast, every other state has fully legalized marijuana for recreational and/or medical use or removed criminal penalties for possessing small amounts of the drug.
So, why does the federal government still consider marijuana to “have no medical use” and believe it has “the highest potential for disorder and abuse”?
Marijuana as a Schedule I drug
The federal government’s schedule system stems from the Controlled Substances Act, which was enacted in 1970. The schedules run from 1 (for drugs that have the most serious risk of abuse) down to 5 (which are the least likely to be misused).
Gillibrand is correct that cocaine and fentanyl both fall within Schedule 2, which covers drugs “considered dangerous” and have “a high potential for abuse.” Under federal scheduling, the legitimate medical use for cocaine is that it can be used during certain eye surgeries under controlled dosages.
Heroin, meanwhile, is considered a Schedule 1 drug, along with marijuana. Other Schedule 1 drugs include LSD and ecstasy.
Although states have increasingly passed laws to legalize marijuana for medical and recreational use, fatal poisonings from fentanyl have skyrocketed, particularly from contamination within other dangerous drugs.
PolitiFact recently rated True the statement that the United States has seen “more Americans die of fentanyl than the Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam wars, combined.”
Still, marijuana is more potent than it used to be, with the highest concentrations of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient, found in concentrated cannabis products. Marijuana potency has increased from 4% THC in 1995 to 17% in 2017, and at one dispensary in California, a strain of cannabis that could be smoked had 41% THC, according to KFF Health News.
What does Gillibrand support?
Gillibrand’s office told PolitiFact she supports a full descheduling of marijuana but would also consider a rescheduling to a lower level as an alternative.
Gillibrand was one of eight co-sponsors of the Marijuana Justice Act, which several Democratic senators introduced in the 2019-20 congressional session. The bill would have removed marijuana from the list of controlled substances. Her office added that moving marijuana away from Schedule 1 would enable more research, because Schedule 1 drugs are subject to greater restrictions on medical and scientific study.
Gillibrand also argues that changing marijuana’s status would help ease operations for marijuana-based businesses and unclog court dockets.
What is the outlook for federal rescheduling or descheduling?
Mason Tvert, a marijuana policy specialist with VSStrategies, a Denver-based cannabis consulting company, said the federal government has already taken limited steps toward rescheduling marijuana.
In August 2023, the federal Department of Health and Human Services recommended that the Drug Enforcement Administration reschedule cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3, though the recommendation’s full text was not released. In January, the department released a 252-page, unredacted copy of the text in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.
Schedule 3 would put marijuana on par with some dosages of codeine, as well as ketamine, anabolic steroids and testosterone.
This marked the first time in history that any federal agency had publicly acknowledged cannabis as having an accepted medical use and relatively low potential for abuse.
Even so, Jonathan Caulkins, who studies drug policy at Carnegie Mellon University, told PolitiFact he doesn’t expect rescheduling to happen soon.
If marijuana were to be rescheduled, then every distributor would have to be licensed by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Caulkins said. This would be a challenge, he said, given variations in the strains of marijuana and the lack of a “baseline” version under the law.
Tvert acknowledged that rescheduling might drag further because of this.
If DEA agreed with the recommendation, the agency would have to publish a proposed rule to reschedule cannabis. That would start a rulemaking process with as much as a 60-day public comment period.
A bigger bottleneck, he said, would come in the courts, as people request administrative hearings; clearing these could take months. All told, rescheduling could take a year or longer, and if President Joe Biden loses reelection, his successor could shelve the process.
Our ruling
Gillibrand said, “Marijuana is currently classified in the same category of drugs as heroin and a more dangerous category than fentanyl or cocaine.”
Gillibrand is correct that the federal government classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, which means it is considered a greater concern than either fentanyl or cocaine, which are classified as Schedule 2 drugs.
Now that most states have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use, federal officials are considering rescheduling marijuana to a lower category of concern. However, there is no official timeline for action.
CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Elliot Page, 37; Jennifer Love Hewitt, 45; William Baldwin, 61; Kelsey Grammer, 69.
Happy Birthday: Organize, simplify and return to what matters most. Take care of unfinished business, and ease stress. It’s time to live in the moment and congregate with people you love. Challenge yourself to use your skills creatively and to reflect and revisit goals you have yet to conquer. Do what you love and love what you do, and enjoy the outcome. Your numbers are 2, 14, 21, 26, 29, 36, 47.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’ll make gains if you are forward-thinking and ready to act. Let your instincts guide you and keep your emotions in check. Look for solutions that are easy to initiate. Embrace what you do best, love who you are and prioritize personal growth. 5 stars
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Protect your reputation, position and home. Refuse to let anyone barge in and take over. Keep your life and plans simple, doable and within budget. Show discipline when temptation kicks in, and don’t be afraid to break away from the crowd and do your own thing. 2 stars
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Live and learn. Let experience guide you. What you choose to do will make a statement that reveals if you are a target for scammers or a savvy intellect who can fend for themselves. Personal growth and romance are favored. 4 stars
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Keep emotional spending to a minimum. You’ll have a more significant impact if you look for cost-effective options and suggestions that assist others in helping themselves. Branch out, and don’t be afraid to take the road less traveled. Embrace what brings you joy. 3 stars
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Emotions will surface if you let the changes others make affect your plans. Rise above what others do or say and push forward. Let your actions speak for you, and peace of mind will follow. Don’t take risks with your money, health or emotional well-being. 3 stars
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A change will spark your imagination and offer a different perspective on what’s best and next for you. Don’t let outside interference lead to doubt. Trust and believe in yourself and your ability to learn. Take responsibility for your happiness. 3 stars
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Protect your position and status. Refuse to let poor behavior or lofty plans rob you of maintaining financial and emotional security. Stick close to home and nurture what’s important to you. Hone your skills and push to advance. Make home improvements and love your priorities. 4 stars
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Contemplate what you can achieve and follow through. Wasting time on dead-end projects won’t satisfy your soul. A change is apparent, but first, put a plan in place and act. Choose to be the master of your destiny. Let go of the past and excel. 2 stars
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Pay attention to detail, listen and observe, and refrain from changing course for the wrong reason. Evaluate your status and manage your expenses. Offer hands-on help, not cash. You can’t buy love. 3 stars
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Show your appreciation by doing something nice for someone you love; your response will be out of the ordinary. Don’t let change upset your vision or cost you physically or financially. What you accomplish will far exceed your expectations. 3 stars
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Keep tabs on what you spend and the promises you make. Refrain from revealing personal information and secrets or signing up for subscriptions. Don’t let the changes others make ruin your plans. If someone bails on you, regroup and keep marching forward. Romance is in the stars. 3 stars
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Invest in yourself and your dreams. Review your qualifications and how you utilize the skills you enjoy using most. Consider what’s trending and how to market what you can offer. Reset your goals and put a plan and timeline in place. 5 stars
Birthday Baby: You are resourceful, steady and disciplined. You are motivated and thoughtful.
1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.
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Bitcoin has more than tripled to $52,000 since November 2022. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
By Anna Cooban, CNN
London (CNN) — Bitcoin is back with a $1 trillion dollar bang.
The value of the world’s most popular cryptocurrency has more than tripled to $52,000 since November 2022. That year was marked by the high-profile implosion of crypto exchange FTX, which triggered liquidity crises at several smaller crypto firms.
Following bitcoin’s gains in 2023, investors have returned in droves in recent weeks, pushing the asset’s market capitalization above $1 trillion for the first time since its 2021 heyday, based on data from CoinMarketCap. In contrast to traditional currencies, the supply of bitcoin is limited and is expected to peak in 2140, according to the price-tracking website for cryptocurrencies.
Money flows into bitcoin have been boosted by the recent launch of exchange-traded funds that invest directly in the cryptocurrency and which have made it easier for retail investors to put money into the asset. The value of bitcoin has risen nearly 13% since January 10, when US regulators gave the green light to investment firms wishing to offer such funds.
Bitcoin remains far from its all-time high of $69,000, reached in November 2021, but industry players who recently spoke to CNN expect it to keep climbing this year and that peak may be surpassed.
Part of the bullishness is down to bitcoin’s upcoming “halving” — a feature of its design that automatically halves the rate of new coins entering circulation, an event taking place roughly every four years.
“Every halving has historically resulted in some sort of bullish price action,” Gareth Rhodes, former deputy superintendent at the New York State Department of Financial Services, said last week.
Bitcoin’s recent surge, however, won’t have changed an inconvenient truth for investors: the asset is risky, prone to wild swings in value and is still very much under regulators’ microscope.
In January, before approving bitcoin exchange-traded funds, Gary Gensler, chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, said on X: “A number of major platforms & crypto assets have become insolvent and/or lost value. Investments in crypto assets continue to be subject to significant risk.”
