Stock market today: Wall Street gets back to climbing, and the Nasdaq tops 20,000
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It is worth noting that while much of the country was still analyzing President-elect Donald Trump‘s remarkable comeback, the Democrat leadership was busy celebrating the first transgender member of Congress. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) led the way , castigating her colleagues who refused to see gender dysphoria under every bed. In U.S. v. Skrmetti , the justices will decide whether Tennessee’s ban on minors obtaining puberty blockers, hormone therapy or sex-change surgery violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. Biden’s solicitor general is arguing that states are discriminating by not allowing sex-transitioning treatment for those under 18. The Equal Protection Clause was adopted after the Civil War to end race-based discrimination. So how did we get from there to puberty blockers, adolescent surgeries and boys in women’s restrooms? The law follows culture and it too has turned its back on 2,000 years of Western Civilization. No one wants to go there, but I will. We’ve written before about the agenda that dare not speak its name , and it is worth repeating: If you can redefine marriage, you can redefine gender. Politicians do not want to admit it because after years of indoctrination, gay marriage polls well. But as the saying goes, bucking the polls is the difference between a politician and statesman. For the theologian, marriage is an ethical imperative; for the statesman, it is a practical one. Beyond the moral responsibility of raising children in the most conducive environment, society bestows benefits upon traditional matrimony in order to subsidize procreation and its byproduct — the culture and country. The importance of family simply can’t be overstated. It tames all but the most irresponsible because there soon comes a point where nothing matters more to parents than their children. It both perpetuates and civilizes society. For the isolated individual to treat that commitment in a cavalier fashion is one thing; for public policy to do so is a recipe for societal decay. There is no substitute for marriage and procreation. Be it bigamy, polygamy or state-sanctioned gay marriage. Heather may have two mommies, but she doesn’t have a father. No worries, we’ve redefined family too. In fact, the Supreme Court — led by two Republican-appointed justices — handed down several radical decisions on family and employment law that led to the conundrum it now faces with the Tennessee case. In Obergefell v. Hodges , Justice Anthony Kennedy ruled states must recognize same-sex marriages based on “the private realm of family life which the state cannot enter ” — an absurd point when one considers that is exactly what he was doing. It was, after all, the state that granted the traditional family its legal imprimatur. Kennedy had been down this slippery slope before, asserting in Pennsylvania v. Casey , “At the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.” So, it wasn’t a stretch for Kennedy to continue reading what he wanted into the Fourteenth Amendment’s “due process” and “equal protection” clauses, overturning the states’ long-standing police power over family law and marriage. Gay Americans have fundamental rights like anyone else, such as the right to associate with whom they desire. Not being granted the privilege of marriage does nothing to diminish them anymore than it does to heterosexuals who happen to be bigamists. A “progressive” tax code, for example, treats people differently based on income, but everyone who finds themselves in a higher tax bracket pays the same rate, regardless of race or sex. Smoking bans “discriminate” against smokers, but all who puff — black, white, male, female — have to do it outdoors. Legislators regulate all sorts of behaviors so if they are afraid of being smeared by trolls, states can change marriage laws. But there is no constitutional provision for activist federal judges to force same-sex marriage (or any kind) on them. Obergefell should suffer the same fate as Roe if federalism means anything. So should Bostock v. Clayton County (2020), which apparently kept the author of its majority opinion, libertarian icon Neil Gorsuch, noticeably silent during oral arguments in Skrmetti last week. Recall that Gorsuch, along with the liberal justices, ruled that gender identity was protected under employment law and that dismissing “an employee for adopting a transgender identity constituted sex discrimination.” But as the scathing dissents in Bostock pointed out, the workplace rules did not discriminate by sex, they prohibited, for lack of a better description, cross-dressing at the office, regardless of sex. The Biden administration quickly jumped on this bizarre precedent to rewrite Title IX, putting the burden of proof on schools to demonstrate how transgender male athletes in female sports would jeopardize the physical health of young women — but without “requiring a student to submit to invasive medical inquiries or burdensome documentation requirements” that “imposes more than de minimis harm.” This was a standard so arbitrary that it would have been nearly impossible for schools to prevent access to girls’ locker rooms for boys who decided to ‘identify’ as the opposite sex. Several states protested and the high court eventually sided with lower court injunctions staying the rule, but only due to Bostock’s selective application to employment law. Parsing that precedent won’t be so easy this time around because the Court’s decision in Skrmetti will affect a much wider array of situations. If the court’s opinion dares to suggest that prohibiting “gender affirming” treatment for minors is discriminatory based on sex, the practical implications would clearly end any distinction between male and female — whether in bathrooms, locker rooms or sports. If saying neither a boy nor a girl may obtain hormones for gender transitioning is discrimination, then so is telling boys (or girls) they cannot go into the shower of their choice. You can see where this is headed. And you can thank Kennedy and Gorsuch for the legal chaos. Former Rep. Jason Lewis (R-Minn.) writes at jasonlewis.substack.com and is the author of Party Animal, The Truth About President Trump, Power Politics & the Partisan Press now out in paperback. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org .
WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray told bureau workers Wednesday that he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term in January, an announcement that came a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump said he would nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the job. Wray said at a town hall meeting that he would be stepping down “after weeks of careful thought,” roughly three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations, including two that led to separate indictments of Trump last year as well as inquiries into Biden and his son. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.(BPT) - Tech gifts are consistently some of the most popular presents to give and receive during the holidays. In fact, according to the annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Patterns report , a record 233 million U.S. adults (89%) will buy tech products during the 2024 holiday season. But with so many devices out there, it can be hard to decide on the perfect option for the loved one on your list. A tablet like the new Fire HD 8 from Amazon offers the versatility of an all-in-one device, with access to streaming, gaming, video chatting, reading or writing all at your fingertips. Fire HD 8 also features a vibrant 8-inch HD display and lightweight, portable design, for high-quality entertainment on the go. Plus, Fire HD 8 comes with three new AI features that can help you get the most out of your tablet experience. Check them out below and learn how they can help you with daily tasks this holiday season and beyond. 1. Meet your personal writing assistant Do you struggle with writing a heartfelt message or finessing a tricky email? Fear not! Writing Assist is here to help. Writing Assist works as part of your Fire tablet's device keyboard and compatible apps, including email, Word documents and social media. In just a few taps, you can transform your writing from good to great. Try Writing Assist's pre-set styles to turn a simple email into a professionally written note. Or, you can ask Writing Assist for grammar suggestions to make your writing more concise, or elaborate on your ideas. You can even "emojify" your writing to add more fun and personality. 2. Learn more in less time Say goodbye to scrolling through pages of information. The new Webpage Summaries feature allows you to learn pertinent information as quickly as possible. Available on the Silk browser on Fire tablets, Webpage Summaries provides quick insights on web articles. In a matter of seconds, this feature will distill the key points in an article or on a webpage into a clear, concise summary of what you need to know. 3. Get creative with your device wallpaper With Wallpaper Creator, you can easily add a touch of creative flair and customization to your tablet's home screen. You can choose from one of the curated prompts to get started on creating a unique background. Or, if you're ready to let your imagination run wild, type a description of what you'd like to see. For example, you can ask for an image of a tiger swimming underwater or a watercolor-style image of a desert landscape in space. Wallpaper Creator will then turn your vision into a reality, delivering a high-resolution image that you can use as your tablet's wallpaper. Celebrate an AI-powered holiday season Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and Wallpaper Creator are now available on Amazon's new Fire HD 8 and other compatible Fire tablet devices, including the latest Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 tablets. To learn more, or to order a new Fire tablet this gift-giving season, visit Amazon.com .
Calgary 4, Minnesota 3My husband is having a late-life crisis and wants to retire abroad with or without me
There are some things you just don’t do in certain parts of the US. You don’t use inferior salsa during a cattle drive in Texas. You don’t eat pizza with a knife and fork in New York City. You don’t yell “Belichick is a big, fat cheater!” in a crowded Boston bar (even if it happens to be true). And if you’re in New Jersey or just America in general, you NEVER take the holy name of Bruce Springsteen in vain in ANY manner. So it’s bewildering why one New Jersey representative would even think about faking his listening habits when it comes to The Boss. 9to5Mac spotted a curious looking post on X from US Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ). The congressman shared what appeared to be his Spotify Wrapped playlist for the year, with one list consisting of Springsteen’s classic tracks like “Glory Days” and “Thunder Road” and the other filled with tracks from various hip hop stars. He tried to cement his esteem for Springsteen in his post by saying his “first ever concert was at Meadowlands to see The Boss!” Well, it didn’t take long for the internet and anyone who’s ever used Spotify to figure out that he faked the whole list just to kiss up to his constituents. Gottheimer’s list included such glaring mistakes as inconsistent font sizes, improper spacing between the albums on his lists and the fact that both lists were titled “Your top songs” even though one only had Springsteen albums. He didn’t even use the same font type or size for all of his track and album entries. So how did Gottheimer handle this musical faux pas with the press? He dug in his heels on his Springsteen tracks and blamed his two kids for the rest. He admitted to NJ Advance Media that he made a fake Spotify Wrapped list but says the tracks on each list are accurate because he shares an account with his children because that’s easier than going back in time and setting up a family plan. “This would be my Spotify Wrapped if I didn’t share my account with my 12 and 15-year old kids,” Gottheimer told the outlet. “While it’s Springsteen all day for me — don’t get me wrong, I still love listening to Taylor Swift!” Gottheimer has since taken the post down and replaced it with a list of his most listened to Springsteen tracks . He’s trying to save face because he’s in a heated race for governor and if you want a solid shot at moving into New Jersey’s governor mansion, then you need to make your love for The Boss known far and wide across the Garden State. If Gottheimer is also going for the “Dad who makes his kids cringe at their music choices” vote, then he’s a lock.
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Texas' abortion pill lawsuit against New York doctor marks new challenge to interstate telemedicine Texas has sued a New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills to a Texas woman via telemedicine. It appears to be the first challenge in the U.S. to a state shield law that's intended to protect prescribers in Democratic-controlled states from being punished by states with abortion bans. Prescriptions like these, made online and over the phone, are a key reason that the number of abortions has increased across the U.S. even after state bans started taking effect. Most abortions in the U.S. involve pills rather than procedures. Anti-abortion groups are increasingly focusing on the rise of pills. Thousands of Syrians celebrate in central Damascus during first Friday prayers since Assad's fall DAMASCUS (AP) — Thousands of Syrians have celebrated in Umayyad Square, the largest in Damascus, after the first Muslim Friday prayers following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. The leader of the insurgency that toppled Assad, Ahmad al-Sharaa, appeared in a video message in which he congratulated “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution.” Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in the Turkish capital of Ankara that there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the United States on what they would like to see in Syria. The top U.S. diplomat also called for an “inclusive and non-sectarian" interim government. US military flies American released from Syrian prison to Jordan, officials say WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military has brought an American who was imprisoned in Syria for seven months out of the country. That's according to two U.S. officials, who said Friday that Travis Timmerman has been flown to Jordan on a U.S. military helicopter. The 29-year-old Timmerman told The Associated Press earlier Friday he had gone to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and was not ill-treated while in a notorious detention facility operated by Syrian intelligence. He said he was freed by “the liberators who came into the prison and knocked the door down (of his cell) with a hammer.” New Jersey governor wants more federal resources for probe into drone sightings TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has asked the Biden administration to put more resources into the ongoing investigation of mysterious drone sightings being reported in the state and other parts of the region. Murphy, a Democrat, made the request in a letter Thursday, noting that state and local law enforcement remain “hamstrung” by existing laws and policies in their efforts to successfully counteract any nefarious drone activity. Murphy and other officials say there is no evidence that the drones pose a national security or a public safety threat. A state lawmaker says up to 180 aircraft have been reported to authorities since Nov. 18. Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she 'sustained an injury' from fall on official trip to Luxembourg WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been hospitalized after she “sustained an injury” during an official engagement in Luxembourg, according to a spokesman. Pelosi is 84. She was in Europe to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Her spokesman, Ian Krager, did not describe the nature of her injury or give any additional details, but a person familiar with the incident said that Pelosi tripped and fell while at an event with the other members of Congress. The person requested anonymity to discuss the fall because they were not authorized to speak about it publicly. Russia targets Ukrainian infrastructure with a massive attack by cruise missiles and drones KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia fired 93 cruise and ballistic missiles and almost 200 drones in Friday's bombardments. He says it is one of the heaviest bombardments of the country’s energy sector since Russia’s full-scale invasion almost three years ago. He says Ukrainian defenses shot down 81 missiles, including 11 cruise missiles that were intercepted by F-16 warplanes provided by Western allies earlier this year. Zelenskyy renewed his plea for international unity against Russian President Vladimir Putin. But uncertainty surrounds how the war might unfold next year. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end the war and has thrown into doubt whether vital U.S. military support for Kyiv will continue. Trump’s lawyers rebuff DA's idea for upholding his hush money conviction, calling it 'absurd' NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers are again urging a judge to throw out his hush money conviction. In a court filing Friday, they balked at the prosecution’s “absurd” idea for preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies before sentencing. The Manhattan district attorney’s office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to “pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in a blistering 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump’s lawyers filed paperwork earlier this month asking for the case to be dismissed. Some in seafood industry see Trump as fishermen's friend, but tariffs could make for pricier fish PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is likely to bring big changes to seafood, one of the oldest sectors of the U.S. economy. Some in the industry believe the returning president will be more responsive to its needs. Economic analysts paint a more complicated picture, as they fear Trump’s pending trade hostilities with major trading partners Canada and China could make an already pricy kind of protein more expensive. Conservationists also fear Trump’s emphasis on deregulation could jeopardize fish stocks already in peril. But many in the commercial fishing and seafood processing industries said they expect Trump to allow fishing in protected areas and crack down on offshore wind expansion. OpenAI's legal battle with Elon Musk reveals internal turmoil over avoiding AI 'dictatorship' A 7-year-old rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and best avoid an artificial intelligence ‘dictatorship’ is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker’s ongoing conversion into a for-profit company. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year. Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. OpenAI is filing its response Friday. Paula Abdul settles lawsuit alleging sexual assault by 'American Idol' producer Nigel Lythgoe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paula Abdul and former “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which she alleged he sexually assaulted her in the early 2000s when she was a judge on the show. Abdul filed a notice of settlement of the case in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday. The lawsuit filed nearly a year ago had also accused Lythgoe of sexually assaulting Abdul after she left “American Idol” and became a judge on Lythgoe’s other competition show “So You Think You Can Dance.” Lythgoe said at the time that he was “shocked and saddened” by the allegations, which he called “an appalling smear.”
MIAMI – The Miami Heat on Friday set up a small trade that could have a wide-ranging impact across their roster and payroll. Reaching an agreement with the Indiana Pacers, the Heat will send out center Thomas Bryant once he is eligible to be traded Sunday . While the Heat will receive the right to swap 2031 second-round draft slots with the Pacers, the move was made to alleviate the Heat’s current position hard against the NBA’s punitive luxury tax and to also better align the roster. Bryant, 27, signed a one-year contract at the veteran minimum of $2.1 million in July at the outset of free agency to return for a second season. At the time, he waived his right to veto a trade this season. Sunday is the first day players signed in the offseason can be dealt. Beyond the savings against the luxury tax, the deal allows the Heat to better deploy their resources. Even with the Bryant deal, the Heat still have starter Bam Adebayo and reserves Kevin Love, Kel’el Ware and even Nikola Jovic to cast at center. With the open roster spot, the Heat next would be in position to convert one of their players on a two-way deal to a standard contract. Point guard Dru Smith, who currently is playing on a two-way deal, in recent games has emerged as a reliable rotation contributor . Players on two-way deals can be on the active roster for no more than 50 games over the 82-game regular season and are not playoff eligible. Should the Heat convert one of their current two-way players, it then would open such a slot for another two-way signing. Among options in that regard is summer and preseason prospect Isaiah Stevens, the point guard who is leading the G League in assists while playing for the team’s affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Related Articles The open roster spot also could help facilitate a larger trade where the Heat take back more players than are sent out, perhaps adding additional intrigue to the recent swirl of Jimmy Butler trade speculation. In the short term, the Heat likely are to go the maximum two weeks allowed to be at fewer than 14 players on standard contracts, saving the team further against the luxury tax. With the trade, the Heat also will create a $2.1 million trade exception. Initially signed in 2023 free agency, Bryant never quite gained traction with the Heat, held out of 10 consecutive games during a recent stretch. He now gets to play not far from his college campus, having been drafted out of Indiana University by the Utah Jazz in the second round of the 2017 NBA draft. The Pacers were in the market for an additional big man after losing big men Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman to season-ending Achilles injuries.
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Bills defense out to prove against high-scoring Lions that it's better than its dud vs. RamsWASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday passed a $895 billion measure that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military. The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization. It passed by a vote of 281-140 and next moves to the Senate, where lawmakers sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows. Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term. Lawmakers said service member pay failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing. "No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. "This bill goes a long way to fixing that." The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023 agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation's borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators had wanted to increase defense spending some $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a "tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions within the bill. "We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it," Wicker said. House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many non-defense programs. They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, have proven effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. "These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives," Smith said. "And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar service members' children from having access to that." Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted on the ban and said the provision "taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation." Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, "I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates." Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, "and yet, here it is in this bill." Branden Marty, a Navy veteran who served for 13 years, said the loss of health coverage for transgender medical treatments could prompt some with valuable experience to leave the military, affecting national security because "we already struggle from a recruiting and retention standpoint." He also said the bill could regularly force service members into difficult choices financially. "It will be tough for a lot of them because of out-of-pocket expenses, especially enlisted members who we know already struggle with food insecurity," said Marty, the father of a transgender teenager. "They don't get paid very much, so they're going to be making a lot of choices on a day-to-day, tactical level." Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team did not tell Democrats how to vote on the bill. "There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well," Jeffries said. Overall, 81 Democrats voted for the bill and 124 against it. On the Republican side, 200 voted for the bill and 16 against it. "It's disappointing to see 124 of my Democrat colleagues vote against our brave men and women in uniform over policies that have nothing to do with their intended mission," Johnson, R-La., said. The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration requested about $10 billion. On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas. The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January.