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William Daley, the head of Washington lobbying for JPMorgan Chase, is appointed Chief of Staff to President Obama. He also serves on the board of directors of Boeing and Abbott Labs, companies which a strong interest in Washington lobbying. William Daley is with Chase since 2004, and was hired primarily to strengthen Chase's Chicago connections. In the past he has served as the main liasion with the White House. In 2007 he joined the bank's senior leadership as head of its new Office of Corporate Social Responsibility, which oversees the company's global lobbying efforts.

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A year from now at this time in February 2026 we will have the Winter Olympics in the Italian Alps in Milan-Cortina. In the Alps in Italy stretching all the way to the Swiss and Austrian borders. This is a large mountainous region. The Washington Post takes a look at this region. The trip between venues can take 12 hours by train and bus. The 2026 Winter Olympis to reduce cost is being done by instead of building facilities to use 7 mountain villages in Italy reached only by narrow winding roads and need trips that will take many hours. This is a huge logistics effort moving athletes and people around.

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The Klamath river flows for 250 miles from the Cascade mountains in Oregon through California to the Pacific ocean. The Washington Post gives this look at this part of the Pacific Northwest where dams built during the period 1900-1960 for electrification which interrupted the natural flow of the river are now being removed. This is a part of restoring the ecology of this region and reducing the long term effects of climate change. More than 2000 dams have been removed since 1912, with half of these removals coming in the last 10 years. Over the years dams like these on the Klamath are no longer useful as cheaper sources of electricity exist and do not serve for flood control. For many this is a way to restore the balance to the ecology of the region.

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The important thing is doing the right thing- building America, building jobs and wages for average Americans. All Americans. Dionne writes in The Washington Post that Biden investments  in renewable energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing, are promoting growth in all parts of the country, many of them rural, Republican leaning, that have experienced decades of neglect. And others once part of the 50's and 60's Truman Kennedy period Democrat leaning- parts of the northeast, the midwest that had suffered badly from outsourcing and sending of jobs to China. A rising tide lifts all boats, in the words of John Kennedy, and Biden tells a Philadelphia rally of union workers that looking back 10 years from now it would be seen that this is when it all started.

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The fight against cancer cannot be done only on the finding a cure,  it is also about returning to the time when ingredients such as titanium dioxide and others were not added to food and when people did not consume processed foods. This report says the FDA spokesperson says contact the manufacturer. After the EU has banned titanium dioxide for causing the inflammation that causes cancer, the FDA should have banned it. See the recent article in The Washington Post on the microplastics that release nanoparticles that cause cancer. The culture in the US has developed a tolerance for behaviours and actions that harm the health and mental health of the American people making it necessary to change this so that microplastics and ingredients such as titanium dioxide are removed from the widespread use that is happening.

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Using the equivalent of 5 nuclear reactors in energy as Altman pushes AI to do means neglecting the needs for climate change action and for education and healthcare priorities. The huge diversion of funds equivalent to the GDP of European nations is absurd. It would put Democracy at risk even more as literacy shrinks as less and less investment in made in childcare, education and increasing access to education to all, and less and less investment is made in healthcare and increasing access to healthcare, as capital markets are pushed into highly and dangerously distorted allocation of our resources. As shown in the Washington Post article below Andrew Van Dam- about 30% of Americans already read no books at all, or lack the access to books and knowledge to participate effectively with civic preparedness. And could throw the Nation into political and economic chaos without the necessary knowledge for effective participation. Catherine Rampell of the Post shows above that every $1 invested in free preschool day care would return $6 in economic benefits, according to Yale Brown universities study, not counting the educated workforce for the Nation's future. ...

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This report in the Washington Post points out that more than half, about 12,000 homes, needing lead free pipes in Flint, Michigan, are still waiting. This 4 years after lead contamination in Flint water was shown to be over 800 times more than the approved levels. In parts per billion 13,000 compared to 15 ppb upper allowable level. 

About 12,000 children in Flint from the poorest families were exposed to lead contaminated water when this was discovered in 2014. 

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A Yale Brown universities study in 2024 shows the huge dividends from investments in childcare in the early part of schooling years- $1 invested in free full time daycare for preschoolers generates $6 in economic benefits. It only includes the economic benefits from the lack of affordable childcare for parents that lead to cutting back on work hours and changing careers. This does not even include the results decades from today in 2050 when these children provide the Nation with a strong educated workforce to propel industry and the economy forward in new ways. Catherine Rampell in the Washington Post shows that these economic benefits are  just the beginning, as the effects ripple through to local economies, touching on kids, parents, employers, local tax revenue. This is not counting the effects on mental health of parents struggling with childcare and the overall mental wellbeing of the Nation knowing that it has got the priorities right for a better future.   ...

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Immigration is an important issue, it also is middle of the pack voting issue, says this report in the Washingon Post. Chicago Council poll shows that what matters a great deal is- economy in general (58 percent), inflation (53 percent), abortion and immigration both at 43 percent,  crime 39 percent, Ukraine 19 percent, Gaza 17 percent. This is also true for Independents at 41 percent, protecting democracy 51 percent, inflation 48 percent. A majority of Americans say about undocumented immigrants that they should be allowed to stay and 6 out of 10 say immigrants from other cultures have "a positive effect" and interestingly 7 out of 10 of all Americans say "immigrants mostly take jobs that nobody wants."

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The DJT Putin talks in Alaska lead to both sides agreeing that there would be another meeting and the goal would not be a ceasefire but an effort to reach a peace settlement. The media NYT, WSJ, Washington Post and others present it as a failure to reach a ceasefire. Yet ceasefires can be broken and with a better understanding and mutual respect after personal discussions, US and Russian leaders can help setup a lasting peace. Principal stumbling blocks of Ukraine after a long bruising fight is wary and skeptical of Russian intentions and Russia after suffering huge losses seeks to present its side and make some gains. Also emerging from the talks is abetter understanding of what the Russian side wants and is willing to accept. Putin accepts the need for European troops in Ukraine to ensure a lasting peace. The US does not want to get involved in a European war and the European peacekeeping force would have US military support but no US troops on the ground, something the Russian side is willing to accept. ...

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Washington Post Analysis and details of Census Bureau trade information in September 2025 -showing the country by country and product tariffs by US and which tariffs are waiting for final trade agreements. China, India and Switzerland, Mexico face high tariffs. UK, EU, South Korea, Japan have made trade agreements with the US, China, India Swiss are still to finalize trade agreements leading to the uncertainty. The North American Trade Agreement is being renegotiated leading to uncertainty for Mexico and Canada which have both benefitted from trade with the US to detriment of US manufacturers.  China has huge surpluses that keep growing over time to $1 trillion ($992 billion) a year in 2024.  DJT Tariffs are designed as a bold step to remake the international trading system so that it does not work to the benefit of other nations gaming the system over decades as US administrations Clinton, Bush, Obama, paid no attention. Trade Deficits and the National Debt are a problem not just the National Debt. On the National Debt Republicans have pushed through cuts in parts of the budget where costs had escalated tremendously. ...

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Average US bills for electricity have gone up by over 10% in about 15 states with some rate hikes over 20%, reports the Washington Post. In New Jersey 21%, Virginai 15%. Higher prices in Utah where renewable energy projects cancellation have drawn criticism from Republican governor Spencer Cox. Higher rates also in Indiana, Ohio and Louisiana. Data centers put up by tech companies are taking up huge amounts of energy pushing up rates. Voters believe these tech companies are not paying their "fair share." There is also no clear idea on whether clean energy is pushing up prices of electricity or whether the cancellation of clean energy projects including the ones that make sense  are pushing up electricity prices, with voters going both ways in their perceptions. With a rapidly shrinking gap between India+ Japan and China, the US can finally put to rest the burdens of conflict such as the 1930's Japanese invasion of China, the war after pearl Harbor in the Pacific, the Korean conflict, and the Vietnam conflict in which America and its people shouldered huge burdens. ...