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Irish Independent
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Bono backs Bruce Springsteen amid their spat with US President Donald Trump
'I think there's only one 'Boss' in America,' the U2 singer told Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday night when asked whose side he was on. It came after Donald Trump called for an investigation into celebrities who endorsed Kamala Harris' bid for the White House. 'HOW MUCH DID KAMALA HARRIS PAY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR HIS POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT?' Trump wrote online. 'WHY DID HE ACCEPT THAT MONEY IF HE IS SUCH A FAN OF HERS? ISN'T THAT A MAJOR AND ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION? WHAT ABOUT BEYONCÉ? …AND HOW MUCH WENT TO OPRAH, AND BONO???' 'Two points I'll make, one, to be in the company of Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé and Oprah, I'd play tambourine in that band,' he said. Bono further clarified that neither he nor U2 have ever 'paid or played a show to support any candidate from any party. It has never happened. It's called 'Truth Social,' but it seems to be very antisocial and it's not very true most of the time.' The 65-year-old also shared his theory on why he was listed as part of Trump's rant. 'A clue to being in such esteemed company might be the fact that I co-founded the one campaign, which is by design bipartisan. 'We've got many very religious Catholics and evangelicals and conservatives who are very, very, very, angry with the person that they voted into office, having demolished instruments of mercy and compassion, like USAID or PEPFAR, who have saved around 26 million lives of people who had AIDS around the world. 'They are not happy and there will be trouble,' he added. A fact-check research centre in the US found that claims Kamala Harris paid celebrities for endorsements was false. 'Vice President Kamala Harris received many celebrity endorsements leading up to the election, including from Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, Eminem, Megan Thee Stallion and Lizzo,' a statement from reads. 'Social media posts have made the unfounded claim that these celebrities were collectively paid $20 million for their endorsements. 'We've found no evidence to support the claim.' Political campaigns are required to make public disclosures of any paid endorsements. did find that the Harris campaign made two payments totalling $1million to Oprah Winfrey's production company Harpo Productions Inc. in October 2024 for 'event production.' In a social media statement, Winfey said she wasn't 'paid a dime' however, the money went towards production fees for her interview with Kamala Harris the month prior. 'I did not take any personal fee. However the people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story,' she said.
Sunday World
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Bono backs Bruce Springsteen amid their spat with US President Donald Trump
It came after Donald Trump called for an investigation into celebrities who endorsed Kamala Harris' bid for the White House Bono has shared his support for Bruce Springsteen amid their spat with US President Donald Trump. 'I think there's only one 'Boss' in America,' the U2 singer told Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday night when asked whose side he was on. It came after Donald Trump called for an investigation into celebrities who endorsed Kamala Harris' bid for the White House. 'HOW MUCH DID KAMALA HARRIS PAY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR HIS POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT?' Trump wrote online. 'WHY DID HE ACCEPT THAT MONEY IF HE IS SUCH A FAN OF HERS? ISN'T THAT A MAJOR AND ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION? WHAT ABOUT BEYONCÉ? …AND HOW MUCH WENT TO OPRAH, AND BONO???' 'Two points I'll make, one, to be in the company of Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé and Oprah, I'd play tambourine in that band,' he said. Bono News in 90 Seconds - May 28th Bono further clarified that neither he nor U2 have ever 'paid or played a show to support any candidate from any party. It has never happened. It's called 'Truth Social,' but it seems to be very antisocial and it's not very true most of the time.' The 65-year-old also shared his theory on why he was listed as part of Trump's rant. 'A clue to being in such esteemed company might be the fact that i co-founded the one campaign, which is by design bipartisan. 'We've got many very religious Catholics and evangelicals and conservatives who are very, very, very, angry with the person that they voted into office, having demolished instruments of mercy and compassion, like USAID or PEPFAR, who have saved around 26 million lives of people who had AIDS around the world. 'They are not happy and there will be trouble,' he added. A fact-check research centre in the US found that claims Kamala Harris paid celebrities for endorsements was false. 'Vice President Kamala Harris received many celebrity endorsements leading up to the election, including from Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, Eminem, Megan Thee Stallion and Lizzo,' a statement from reads. 'Social media posts have made the unfounded claim that these celebrities were collectively paid $20 million for their endorsements. 'We've found no evidence to support the claim.' Political campaigns are required to make public disclosures of any paid endorsements. did find that the Harris campaign made two payments totaling $1million to Oprah Winfrey's production company Harpo Productions Inc. in October 2024 for 'event production.' In a social media statement, Winfey said she wasn't 'paid a dime' however, the money went towards production fees for her interview with Kamala Harris the month prior. 'I did not take any personal fee. However the people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story,' she said.
Forbes
27-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
There Was No Quick Manufacturing Jobs Fix And Never A Good Plan
Much of the early talk about the Trump administration's tariffs was of bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. There would be many more high-paying jobs with solid benefits. But there was never a coherent plan, an objective look at the state of manufacturing, and a clear-eyed recognition of what a change would actually take. The result is that there will be no factory renaissance because there are considerations and realities that keep things relatively steady. Trump's And Biden's History Of Manufacturing Jobs One of the greatest weaknesses in policy debates and voter judgment of candidates is the lack of human memory. According to social scientists, voters have difficulty remembering even a year before an election, let alone longer times. Politicians usually frame things in terms of the previous office holder. However, it takes greater context to see how a society and its governance have shifted over time. For example, when addressing Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on U.S. manufacturing in early September 2024 as part of pre-election coverage, looked at patterns under both Biden and the first Trump administration. Both faced a similar economic dynamic. Trump came in at the end of an industrial mini-recession in 2015 to 2016, with 900,000 manufacturing jobs that had been added after the Great Recession. This is a recovery and isn't the doing of a president, whether Republican or Democratic. The mini-recession saw a loss of 7,000 manufacturing jobs. Then there was an addition of 462,000 jobs in 2017 and 2018, followed by a loss of 43,000 in 2019. Combined job losses in 2019 and 2020 created a net loss of 188,000 manufacturing jobs before Trump's first presidency ended in January 2021. Something similar happened with Biden. After the slump, the industry came back and added 765,000 manufacturing jobs. The additions then stalled in his third year, slowing and ultimately showed a loss of 13,000. To understand what has happened with manufacturing, it's necessary to look at a bigger slice of the country's history. The graph below of all manufacturing employees from 1939 through March 2025 comes from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. U.S. manufacturing jobs over time. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Here's a timeline of highlights: Over time, at least two major changes happened. One was the great manufacturing outsourcing wave. Companies decided they could save money by having a lot of commodity manufacturing done overseas. Not only was there cheaper labor to be had, but major locations like China didn't have similar environmental regulations, as I've heard from highly placed corporate lawyers over the years. Compliance was expensive but a cleaner environment had many benefits. So, companies externalized those costs and imposed the implications on foreign populations. Another major factor was the focus on higher-profit manufacturing in the U.S. and the increasingly efficient ways in which it was done — automation even before the increased levels that are now possible. Below is another graph that I put together at the St. Louis Fed's Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) site. Manufacturing production per employee. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis The graph involves dividing monthly manufacturing output, indexed to 2017 to remove inflation effects, by the monthly number of employees in manufacturing. The higher the number, the greater the output per employee, meaning the fewer employees needed. Manufacturers have no interest in low-margin manufacturing, which makes that type unlikely to return, and even if companies brought back more factories, the U.S. is highly unlikely to ever need the high levels of manufacturing employees again. And, even if they did bring back more factories, such facilities can take years to find a location, get through permitting, build, equip, staff, and get running. That would leave a different administration claiming credit. A wave of reshoring manufacturing jobs was never well planned, if planned at all.
New York Times
19-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
This Is How Far Vance Will Go to Sell a Lie
On Tuesday, Vice President JD Vance wrote a long defense of the administration's anti-immigrant rendition program, slamming critics who want the White House to obey a court order to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. It is a notable example of the lengths the White House has gone to try to deceive the public as it deals with political fallout from its open defiance of the federal judiciary. Abrego Garcia, of course, is a Maryland resident who was arrested and shipped off to a notoriously brutal prison in El Salvador — along with hundreds of other alleged criminals, 'gang members' and 'terrorists' — without a chance to prove either his innocence or his legal status. Vance begins with a lie. 'Consider that Joe Biden allowed approximately 20 million illegal aliens into our country.' That is a load-bearing 'approximately,' to say the least. The U.S.-Mexico border is where the greatest number of immigrants enter the country. But according to an analysis by from 2021 to 2024 Customs and Border Patrol officers stationed there released 2.5 million people into the United States, with notices to report to immigration authorities for further hearings and processing, out of 6.5 million 'encounters' across the U.S.-Mexico border and legal ports of entry. In addition, an estimated 1.6 million people evaded law enforcement to enter the country, for a total of 4.1 million people. You may think that's still too many. But it's nowhere near what Vance says it is. Vance goes on to assert that this imaginary horde of '20 million illegal aliens' placed 'extraordinary burdens on our country' and 'committed violent crimes, or facilitated fentanyl and sex trafficking.' It's been shown again and again that immigrants commit crimes at a lower rate than citizens do. Stating otherwise is demagogic innuendo meant to short-circuit the rational mind and inflame prejudice. From here, the vice president goes on the warpath against those who insist that the administration must follow due process — which is to say, follow the Constitution — when it seeks to remove undocumented immigrants. No, writes Vance, 'what process is due is a function of our resources, the public interest, the status of the accused, the proposed punishment and so many other factors.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Miami Herald
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Instead of ‘fixing' education, support Florida public schools and teachers
Quality education Re: the March 30 letter, 'Fixing education.' An example of a president 'fixing' a problem was Jimmy Carter, who established the U.S. Department of Education (ED) in 1979. One of the goals of ED is to ensure equal access to education, yet President Trump's administration wants to eliminate civil rights protections and discrimination based on gender, race and disabilities. Further, 'student achievement' reached an all-time high in the early to mid 2010s, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the nation's report card. This is not, as the writer stated, like it had been 'falling since the department's founding.' The pandemic was the major cause of a decline in learning. To justify the dismantling of ED, Trump has repeatedly claimed that U.S. schools rank 40th out of 40 nations and first in cost per pupil. Neither is true, according to Instead of eliminating ED, 'fix' it by supporting our public schools and paying teachers fairly. Also, let's be mindful that our country is where those of other countries send their upper level students to be educated. This is the real 'no-brainer.' Pat Singleton, Coral Gables Working program Social Security is a popular and vital program that helps 65 million Americans. Everyone reading this either benefits from it or knows someone who benefits. Since its inception in 1935, there have been people frightened and envious of this program's efficiency and functionality. As a clear example of good government 'for the people,' it repudiates their whole philosophy. And, of course, they want the money, all $2.7 trillion. Threats to Social Security are based on assertions of widespread fraud. Evidence of fraud, however, is as rare as evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 election. At the Social Security Administration (SSA), thousands of staff have been fired by Elon Musk's DOGE, supposedly to weed out government waste. Not surprisingly, SSA's ability to function has plummeted. The real goal is to replace established government institutions like the SSA with private corporations connected, perhaps, to the president. Taking money from the poor and middle classes on the basis of lies, then handing it over to the rich, ranks among the most despicable, indefensible, shameful acts of governance. Let us all pledge to never vote for any politician who reduces, privatizes or otherwise dismantles Social Security. Thomas Carsey, Palmetto Bay Truth to power? Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked more than 300 student visas during the past month. He says they are Hamas sympathizers who are disrupting school properties. Most, however, are simply students exercising their First Amendment rights of free speech against an unpopular war in the Middle East. Instead of holding truth to power, Rubio is kissing the rings of Donald Trump and Elon Musk and not speaking out about deporting undocumented immigrants without due process of law. One would think that Rubio, a Cuban-American, would have learned something about the past 65 years of communist Cuba. Instead, he is too busy taking rights away from his own citizens while keeping his eye on running for the presidency. Kenneth Karger, Kendall Wants vs. needs President Trump recently announced that 'Canada doesn't have anything we need.' Why, then, is he interested in making Canada the 51st state? People need to listen very closely to what this con man is saying. John Jarnagin, Key Largo A fine mess In the March 30 letter, 'For education's sake,' the writer suggested that, 'Quality education is either for all or for none' and proposes putting 'education in the hands of the states.' Fine. Let's look at what the states did with gun control. Whether one favors more or less control, letting local politicians control the process has created a confusing and complex mishmash of gun laws throughout the nation. Imagine what these politicians would do to confuse and complicate the education process. 'Parental control' is a smokescreen for gaining local political power. Richard Pober, Palmetto Bay Get involved April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month. As AmeriCorps members with Early Learning Corps, Maria Espinoza and Brianna Llaguno have focused on providing preschool students with extra practice and support to help them start strong. Over the past four years, they have collectively volunteered 9,600 hours to help students succeed! Maria and Brianna are part of prekindergarten classrooms, where they spend their days talking, reading, writing, singing and playing with students to help them develop early literacy and math skills. Thanks to the extra support they've provided, we've seen wonderful growth. It's been incredible having them be part of the school community. Early Learning Corp is looking for more great people to join our team as tutors. If interested, please visit Kara Arthur, Hallandale Beach Can't bear it For weeks before March 13, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) promoted a 'public forum' regarding the resumption of bear hunting. More than 500 people signed into a virtual forum, most expecting to object to a repeat of 2015, when more than 300 bears were killed in just two days of a one-week season. Ultimately, the FWC moderator discussed how best to kill bears; nothing about whether bears should be killed. As to when a mother bear can be killed, FWC opined that a six-month-old cub was 'self-sufficient,' while admitting that cubs stay with and learn from their mother for two years. Notwithstanding massive public opposition to renewed bear hunting, the mask is off of FWC's march to a predetermined result: resumed bear killing. Three more virtual public meetings are scheduled via Zoom, on April 2, 3 and 5. The agenda has not been published and it's unclear whether these meetings will duplicate the March 13 dog and pony show or involve new dogs and ponies. Public comments can be emailed to BearComments@ The final decision will be made at the next FWC meeting to be held in Ocala on May 21. The FWC must understand that bears are not ears of corn to be 'harvested' for the benefit of a tiny number of trophy hunters who derive their self-worth from the magnificence of the animal they kill. James Woodard, Palmetto Bay Just thinking Is there a difference between President Donald Trump wanting to aggressively take over Greenland to protect its people, as Vice President JD Vance has said, and Russian President Vladimir Putin aggressively fighting to take over Ukraine, to supposedly save it from imaginary Nazification? Maybe if Trump stopped alienating our European allies, we wouldn't have to worry so much. Priscilla Fregger Adler, Cutler Bay America's diamond A list of 250 words President Trump's administration considers unacceptable for government documents includes Native American, Black, women, disabled and elderly. The first Black baseball player in the Major Leagues and a soldier, Jackie Robinson, was eliminated from the Department of Defense website before protests mandated replacement. Baseball, America's favorite pastime, is all about diversity. More than 40% of players are people of color, including Latino/Hispanic, Black and Asian. Numerous Jewish players, including Sandy Koufax, were Major Leaguers. Jim Abbott, a one-handed pitcher, never considered himself disabled. Among other Native Americans, Jim Thorpe, an Olympic Gold medalist, played baseball for the Giants. The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was formed in 1943 during WWII to replace wartime GI's. When we watch the Olympics, aren't we touched by the spectacle of the world's athletes coming together in peace for common dreams? Do the Olympics exclude the terms Trump and his AI minions are trying to eradicate from our psyche? Let's stop whitewashing our diverse America. Johnnie McDonald, Coconut Grove Car costs President Trump's recent decision to impose a 25% tariff on imported automobiles is a misguided attempt to bolster domestic manufacturing that will ultimately harm American consumers and businesses. Tariffs are a self-defeating tool; by raising the cost of foreign imports — including those produced by U.S. companies overseas — they artificially inflate prices, leading to permanent inflation, increased business costs, and potential layoffs. This approach exacerbates global trade tensions, inviting retaliatory measures that further damage U.S. exports, resulting in a lose-lose scenario. The best way to encourage the U.S. industry is not through protectionist policies but by eliminating corporate taxes and deregulating markets to make domestic investment and growth more attractive. Paul Bacon, Hallandale Beach
