Last week, the USDA released the genetic sequences of a strain of influenza that originated in birds and has now spread to dairy cattle in at least eight states. While scientists welcomed the information, there has been growing concern that the USDA isn’t moving fast enough to address a threat to the nation’s food supply and the potential source of a new pandemic.  Stories about the danger of Avian Influenza Type A, also known as bird flu or H5N1 flu, have made their way into the news for years. The flu was blamed for a spike in the price of eggs in 2022 when about 10% of the nation’s lay ..read more

Following Donald Trump’s example is typically a very bad idea. This is the same guy who stared at an eclipse, thought it might be a good idea to inject disinfectant, and insists on flushing toilets 10 to 15 times, even though the government recommends stolen top secret nuclear documents be flushed no more than three times in order to conserve water. And while listening to Trump is equally as bad—Truth Social investors are discovering that now—it might, ironically, end up saving the country. You may recall when several starry-eyed Republicans ran for president based largely on the notion t ..read more

While Donald Trump was tied up in court Tuesday, President Joe Biden campaigned in Florida, Trump’s home state, blasting him for foisting this abortion “nightmare” on the U.S. "Let’s be real clear. There’s one person responsible for this nightmare, and he’s acknowledged and he brags about it: Donald Trump," Biden told a Tampa crowd of some 200 people. Florida's six-week abortion ban is set to take effect next week, and a recurring theme throughout Biden’s speech was the importance of voters holding Trump "accountable." "He should be accountable for states enacting extreme laws that put IVF tre ..read more

A cartoon by Jeff Danziger. Campaign Action ..read more

The Federal Trade Commission issued a new rule Tuesday imposing a nationwide ban on noncompete agreements that prevent employees from quitting their jobs and going to work for “competitor” companies. The rule doesn’t go into full effect for 120 days, but existing noncompetes are now unenforceable for most workers. Also on Tuesday, the Department of Labor issued a new rule requiring mandatory overtime pay for an estimated 4 million salaried workers. Employees earning under $58,700 a year will now collect overtime when they work more than 40 hours a week. Both rule changes illustrate how the Bid ..read more

After 15 months of trying to pull a Biden family crime spree out of thin air, lead impeachment zealot James Comer has watched his dreams of MAGA glory crumble into dust. Comer, the House Oversight Committee chair, told a Republican colleague that he’s ready to be “done with” the whole fiasco, according to CNN.  “Comer is hoping Jesus comes so he can get out. He is fed up,” another GOP lawmaker said. There’s just so much humiliation one man can take, I guess. The effort by Comer and co-zealot Jim Jordan, chair of the Judiciary Committee, to find dirt on President Joe Biden and his son Hunt ..read more

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Wednesday that will inform what could arguably be the court's most consequential abortion ruling since it upended 50 years of abortion policy in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision. Yet fresh polling conducted in seven battleground states by Navigator Research shows that 97% of likely voters know very little about the 40-year-old federal law that lies at the heart of the legal battle—the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.  Often referred to as EMTALA, the law requires federally funded hospitals to provide emergency room pati ..read more

Over at QAnon’s current online home (no link or site name on purpose, but here’s some background info on this far-right cult that traffics in crazy conspiracies), they’re pondering what would happen if Donald Trump is found guilty after his ongoing hush money trial in New York—and it’s quite the ride. The original forum post:  If Trump is found guilty, what then? I have no faith in any jurors chosen for Trump’s trial. Almost certainly most or all will be biased against him. I’d say that his verdict is already written. So unless a miracle occurs and they rule not guilty, w ..read more

Cartoon by Nick Anderson. Consider supporting my work here: www.patreon.com/editorialcartoons or https://ko-fi.com/nickanderson. More options: linktr.ee/nick.anderson ..read more

It’s been a little over a year since a former student armed with an AR-15 assault rifle and other firearms killed three 9-year-olds and three staff members at the Covenant School, a private Christian institution in Nashville. The shooter was killed by police. Tennessee’s Republican lawmakers have not learned any lessons since, instead passing legislation that would bring more guns into classrooms by allowing some teachers to carry concealed handguns on school grounds. The state Senate passed the arms-for-teachers bill on April 9. The House approved the legislation on T ..read more