Murray State beats Loyola Chicago 71-68 for 7th place at the Diamond Head Classic
By MICHELLE L. PRICE WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer’s comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.” Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump’s world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world’s richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump’s movement but his stance on the tech industry’s hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent,” he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Related Articles National Politics | Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? National Politics | Trump threat to immigrant health care tempered by economic hopes National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National Politics | New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns Trump’s own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump’s businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country” and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,” he told the “All-In” podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump’s budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.
One cannot help but question the mental state of this young woman and the influences that may have led her down such a dark path. It is a reminder that even those who appear successful and intelligent on the surface can be struggling with internal turmoil and conflict. The pressures of academic achievement, societal expectations, and personal demons can weigh heavily on even the brightest minds.Budgetary allocations for select government offices, commonly termed “intelligence” and “confidential” funds, are typically exempt from standard auditing procedures in order to preserve the secrecy of the operations they support. While such exemptions may be justifiable for safeguarding national security and law enforcement objectives, their application to civilian agencies without clear security functions is harder to defend. The secrecy surrounding these funds creates a fertile ground for misuse. The legislative challenge lies in establishing stricter oversight mechanisms to prevent fraud and ensure that these funds serve their intended purposes effectively. This is the apparent aim of the ongoing hearings in the House of Representatives, focusing on the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) during Vice President Sara Duterte’s tenure as education secretary. The first critical question is whether the OVP and DepEd—both civilian agencies entities—require confidential funds at all. If they do, what level of auditing and oversight is appropriate? Under normal circumstances, such issues might not capture much public attention. However, the current inquiry is complicated by its political undertones. The spotlight is on Sara Duterte’s use of confidential funds both as incumbent vice president and as former education secretary, even though hers is not the only office with such allocations. The timing of the investigation—coinciding with Sara Duterte’s public break from the Marcos administration, of which she was a key member—raises suspicions about the real motive behind these hearings. Her supporters allege this is part of a calculated move to discredit her as a contender in the 2028 presidential elections. Regardless of political motivations, the separate Senate and House inquiries into Sara Duterte’s budgets are exposing glaring systemic weaknesses in our governance system. These hearings highlight how populist leaders like Sara Duterte exploit these dysfunctions to gain enormous power and maintain it. The crux of the problem appears to be the unrestricted access to public funds with minimal accountability. These funds are often used to distribute political patronage, secure compliance with illegal directives, or sustain an ecosystem of political operators, troll farms, loyal media, bodyguards, and even assassins. Those who resist can be intimidated, coerced, or silenced. This is governance at its darkest—a form of criminal politics. While such practices are not unique to one administration, the Vice President’s father and former president Rodrigo Duterte’s tenure arguably made them the cornerstone of his rule. Enabled by obsequious politicians, a complicit police force, a subdued judiciary, a silenced press, and a fearful bureaucracy, his brazen and whimsical presidency found no need for transparency and accountability. The people seemed satisfied so long as he appeared to deliver results. Yet, all presidencies end. Without a political party to anchor his influence, Rodrigo Duterte’s power quickly vanished after his term, though his popularity persisted for some time. The Marcos administration rode to power in part by recruiting Sara Duterte to be the vice president. Now, the fallout from the collapse of their dynastic alliance has thrust the government into a situation that tests the Marcos administration’s seriousness about strengthening the rule of law and reforming governance. The breakup has been ugly—marked by accusations of betrayal, broken promises, and incendiary rhetoric. In her latest outburst on Nov. 23, a defiant Sara Duterte unleashed a torrent of expletives and threats against the President, the First Lady, and the Speaker of the House during an impromptu press conference at her brother, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte’s office. If words could kill, there would be decimation in the upper echelons of government. This is no longer mere political theater. As the saying goes, when elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers. The public’s growing frustration with their leaders drains the energy needed for national progress. Calls for people power are already surfacing on social media. While another Edsa revolution seems unlikely, the current climate of distrust and disillusionment only deepens the country’s political malaise. —————– [email protected] Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy .
This decision has sparked a wave of excitement among the fan community, who see it as an opportunity to leave their mark on the virtual world of Life of Valor. Players are already brainstorming ideas for new quests, characters, and environments, eager to showcase their creativity and contribute to the game's evolving narrative. The promise of being able to see their creations come to life within the game has ignited a sense of passion and camaraderie among the players, as they work together to push the boundaries of what is possible within Life of Valor.Aaron Judge wins second AL MVP in 3 seasons. Shohei Ohtani expected to win NL honorHowever, despite the intense speculation, Enmecha himself has made it clear that he has no intention of leaving Dortmund anytime soon. The youngster, who joined the German club from Manchester City's youth academy in 2019, has expressed his commitment to the team and his desire to continue his development under coach Marco Rose.
The recent setbacks suffered by Real Madrid have sent shockwaves through the footballing world. With their hopes of Champions League glory hanging in the balance, the pressure is mounting on the players and coaching staff to turn their fortunes around. Every setback is an opportunity for redemption, and for Real Madrid, the match against Inter Milan represents a chance to prove their resilience and fighting spirit.The fearless Contract Ant E-sports National Challenge has come to a successful conclusion, and Team Answers has emerged victorious, claiming the peak of glory!