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POLITICS

Bills, Bills, Bills

Uncle Sam’s boosting his ballistics budget.

The House voted 312-112 Wednesday to pass a massive $901B defense spending bill, which includes a 4% pay raise for troops and $800M in weapons aid to Ukraine. 

Some items left out: expanded IVF coverage for military families and language officially changing the Department of Defense to Department of War. The bill also cuts Secretary Hegseth’s travel budget until the Pentagon releases the unedited footage of its controversial September boat strike. 

The Senate’s expected to pass the bill next week, and President Trump’s promised to Sharpie it into law. 

Meanwhile, yesterday, the Senate rejected two Democrat-led bills to extend healthcare subsidies and a Republican alternative that would’ve created new HSAs; the double “nay” all but guarantees a sharp rise in healthcare costs for millions of Americans on January 1.

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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
Believers may disagree about how governments should spend taxpayer dollars, but the command for Christ followers’ wallets is crystal clear: prioritize heavenly treasure, generously help the needy, and run from greed. Are you rich toward God in your spending habits?

“But seek his kingdom, and these things will be provided for you. Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make money-bags for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” 
Luke 12:31–34 (CSB) (read full passage)

ECONOMY

Final Cut

The Fed cut rates again, but they’re not singing kumbaya. 

The Central Bank voted on Wednesday to trim its benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point, bringing the federal funds target to 3.50-3.75%—the third-straight cut this year. The decision was unusually divided: the vote was 9-3, with two policymakers voting to keep rates unchanged (citing inflation—sitting at 2.8%, stubbornly above the Fed’s 2% goal) and one pushing for a larger, half-point cut (citing a cooling jobs market). 

Markets cheered. Stocks closed up on the news—the S&P 500 +0.7%, the Dow +1.1%, and the Nasdaq +0.3%.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the bank is now positioned to “wait and see how the economy evolves from here,” signaling a likely pause in further cuts unless data weakens.

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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Our hope is never contingent on an economic outcome; it’s much more secure than that. Regardless of whether things get worse or better during your lifetime, everything eventually ends well for followers of Christ.

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” 
Colossians 3:2-4 (CSB) (read full passage)

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WORLD NEWS

Taken Tanker

Uncle Sam commandeered a Venezuelan oil tanker Wednesday, escalating an ongoing counternarcotics conflict between the countries.

U.S. Attorney General Bondi said a multi-agency operation carried out a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. U.S. forces rappelled onto and seized the vessel—“falsely” sailing under a Guyanese flag—off the coast of Venezuela. 

The move, which Caracas condemned as “international piracy,” puts further pressure on Venezuela’s President Maduro, whose economy depends heavily on oil exports. 

Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado resurfaced in Oslo to receive her Nobel Peace Prize. Arriving to chants of “paz y libertad” (peace and freedom), Machado said she wouldn’t have been able to come out of hiding without “support from the United States’ government.” 

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Verse to consider whether you’re embroiled in international conflict, confounded by your roommate’s messiness, or enduring fantasy football trash talk… “Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another. Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.  Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality.”
Romans 12:9-13 (CSB) (read full passage)

DHS is forming its own deportation fleet. The Department of Homeland Security signed a $140M contract to purchase six Boeing 737 planes that the agency will use for deportations, moving away from reliance on charter aircraft. The department says the fleet will save $279M in taxpayer dollars annually by improving the efficiency of flight patterns. 
 

More Epstein files are coming. A federal judge in New York ordered the unsealing of grand jury records from Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 sex-trafficking case. The move follows a similar order in Ghislaine Maxwell’s case and stems from a new law requiring the DOJ to release Epstein-related files. The judge emphasized protecting victims’ privacy. It’s unclear when the records will be released.
 

An infant botulism outbreak linked to ByHeart’s baby formula has expanded. The outbreak—first announced early last month—now includes 51 infants in 19 states; no deaths have been reported. Wednesday, the FDA said investigators “cannot rule out the possibility” that all ByHeart formula ever made was contaminated. The company, making formula since 2022, has recalled all U.S. products.
 

The University of Michigan said no Moore. The Wolverines fired head football coach Sherrone Moore on Wednesday for an “inappropriate relationship” with a staffer. Moore’s uneven Wolverine tenure included a 17-8 record and a suspension tied to an illegal advanced-scouting scheme. Hours later, he was arrested for an “alleged assault”; his arraignment is expected Friday.
 

Disney’s changing its tune on AI. Yesterday, the House of Mouse announced it will invest $1B in OpenAI and allow its AI video generator Sora to make content with 200+ copyrighted Disney characters (see a guy surf with Stitch and race Lightning McQueen). The announcement comes amid growing legal battles between media companies (including Disney) and AI generators over intellectual property.

WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP

Let’s harvest some veggies…

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