State of The Nation

Rising electric bills lead to state scrutiny — but little relief for residents – San Diego Union-Tribune An Investigation into the Real Causes BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) American electricity bills rose 5.8% in 2025, adding approximately $100 per year for the average household—more than twice the rate of inflation. While some blame renewable energy, the evidence tells a more complex story: aging infrastructure replacement costs have doubled since 2005 to 7¢/kWh; natural gas prices jumped 37% from 2024 to 2025; capacity market prices in the mid-Atlantic region surged 833% in a single year due to premature coal and nuclear plant retirements combined with explosive data center demand; and state utility commissions systematically fail to control costs due to information asymmetry and a regulatory framework designed by utilities themselves over a century ago. The transition to wind and solar appears to be a minor contributor at most—though the retirement of reliable dispatchable generatio...

Is the US Planning a $37 Trillion Crypto Debt Reset? - YouTube Kremlin Advisor's Stablecoin Theory Meets Market Reality BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) Anton Kobyakov, a senior economic adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claims the United States plans to use dollar-backed stablecoins to devalue its $38 trillion national debt. While the recently enacted GENIUS Act does require stablecoin reserves to be held in US Treasuries, creating new demand for government debt, economists and financial experts dispute the notion that stablecoins could serve as a mechanism for deliberate debt devaluation. The claims mix factual elements about US debt dynamics and stablecoin regulation with unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about coordinated currency manipulation. WASHINGTON/LONDON — In September 2025, at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Anton Kobyakov, deputy chairman of the forum's organizing committee and long-time adviser to President Vladimir Putin, made waves with...

Patel Says FBI’s Current Headquarters Is Permanently Shutting Down | The Epoch Times FBI's Hoover Building Closure: Trump's Revenge or Reckoning with a Troubled Legacy? TL;DR: FBI Director Kash Patel's abrupt announcement closing the J. Edgar Hoover Building after 50 years represents far more than a real estate decision. It's the culmination of conflicts spanning decades—from Hoover's blackmail files that controlled presidents, to Deep Throat's leaking that toppled Nixon, to Trump's bitter battles with FBI investigations. The closure also ends years of contentious debate over whether to build a new suburban campus or remain in the capital—a decision Trump himself torpedoed during his first term. WASHINGTON — When FBI Director Kash Patel announced on December 26 that the J. Edgar Hoover Building would permanently close after nearly half a century as bureau headquarters, the terse social media post triggered questions extending far beyond logistics and r...

Police can now use federal funding to purchase drones – Orange County Register BLUF: The DRONE Act of 2025, enacted as part of the FY2025 NDAA, authorizes U.S. law enforcement agencies to use federal JAG and COPS grants to purchase unmanned aircraft systems from domestic manufacturers only, potentially reshaping a market currently dominated by Chinese manufacturer DJI while raising questions about cost, capabilities, and civil liberties. Legislative Framework Shifts Market Dynamics The bipartisan Directing Resources for Officers Navigating Emergencies (DRONE) Act, introduced by Representatives Lou Correa (D-CA) and Troy Nehls (R-TX) and incorporated into the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, represents a significant shift in federal policy regarding law enforcement acquisition of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The legislation amends eligibility criteria for two major federal grant programs—the Department of Justice's Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assist...