Horizon cutting-room links: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
DC weather: Mostly sunny. High near 47, with temperatures falling to around 38 in the afternoon. West wind 7 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.
Federal agencies in the Washington, DC area are Open. Employees are expected to begin the workday on time. Normal operating procedures are in effect.
“Recent Immigration Surge Has Been Largest in U.S. History,” New York Times
“The immigration surge of the past few years has been the largest in U.S. history, surpassing the great immigration boom of the late 1800s and early 1900s, according to a New York Times analysis of government data.”
“But over the short term — and especially during periods of change — the Census Bureau can underestimate the size of the immigrant population, outside researchers say.”
“Pete Hegseth Gets Boost From Trump Allies’ Pressure Campaign,” in the Journal
"Donald Trump’s supporters launched an intense pressure campaign to keep lawmakers in line behind the president-elect’s most controversial nominees. It appears to be working.”
“The turnaround for Hegseth shows the power of Trump’s MAGA moment, even as the president-elect himself has continued to back him publicly but has largely stayed above the fray.”
“Republican lawmakers ask Trump to kill IRS Direct File,” on NextGov
“Nearly 30 House Republicans are asking President-elect Donald Trump to stop the IRS free tax filing service, Direct File, on day one of his new administration.”
“Direct File is an online IRS service for people to file federal tax returns for free directly with the tax agency.”
“Air Force, Navy should work more closely to develop 6th-gen fighter, senator says,” in Defense Scoop
Eventually it would happen; someone was bound to praise the F-35 someday. Someday is now.
“As they continue development work on the different aircraft, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said the Air Force and the Navy should consider areas of joint collaboration — similar to the Pentagon’s acquisition strategy for the F-35 Lightning II.”
“In a recent interview with Aviation Week, Rear Adm. Michael Donnelly, director of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations’ air warfare division, emphasized that the F/A-XX is independent of the Air Force’s NGAD. Notably, the sea service’s aircraft will feature a different airframe and leverage a derivative-type engine — as opposed to the Air Force’s adaptive-cycle jet engine technology being developed through the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program.”
“Luigi Mangione and the Danger of a Handsome Criminal,” New York Times
“’He’s even hotter with his mask and shirt off,’ went another.”
“The official term for the tendency of the public to equate innocence with attractiveness, the halo effect when combined with the social bandit phenomenon creates a combustible pop-culture archetype — one beloved by mythmakers and Hollywood and rooted deep in the general psyche. You get Robin Hood, as played by Russell Crowe. Jesse James, as played by Brad Pitt (not to mention Colin Farrell, Rob Lowe and Tyrone Power). Butch and Sundance, the Paul Newman-Robert Redford version.”
“Susan Collins Grills Pete Hegseth and Declines to Endorse Him for Defense Secretary,” New York Times
“She said she would not be coming to a decision about Mr. Hegseth’s bid to lead the Pentagon until after an F.B.I. background check on him was complete and he had undergone a confirmation hearing, which the Senate Armed Services Committee is expected to hold in January.”
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