Searchable News & Info From Reliable Online Sources.
- Voters Rejected A.I. in the Midterms. Now Comes an Era of Scrutiny.
After two years of little A.I. oversight, voters on Tuesday rejected data center projects and swept into office Democratic candidates who promised to regulate the technology. [TheTopNews] Read More.16 hours ago - Why Social Security reform could test Trump, Democrats on bipartisan compromise ...
The results of the midterm elections will play a role in shaping the future of Social Security as the safety net program's projected insolvency looms in 2032 and would require entitlement reforms to prevent automatic benefit cuts.Social Security's main trust funds are on a path to depletion as increased enrollment due to the aging American population and growth in benefits paid outpaces incoming payroll tax revenue. Current law requires that once the trust funds are tapped out, benefits must be automatically cut to match incoming payroll tax receipts, which is estimated to amount to a 22% cut in late 2032 based on the most recent projections.Democrats won majorities in the House and Senate for the next two years that represent the end of President Donald Trump's second term, and for the senators who were elected to full terms, they will still be in office when that insolvency date draws near if action isn't taken during the remainder of Trump's term.Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), told FOX Business that "Social Security was squarely on the ballot last night, whether Americans realized it or not. The retirement trust fund will become insolvent in 2032, which means each senator elected to a new six-year term will need to confront this issue before their term expires."HOW CONGRESS COULD ADDRESS SOCIAL SECURITY INSOLVENCY – AND THE HIDDEN COST"If they don't, beneficiaries across the board will face automatic benefit cuts under their watch. With the monthly cut being $500 – more than the average retired household spends each month on groceries – Washington should act soon to restore solvency and avoid a major affordability crisis less than six years away," MacGuineas added.Brett Loper, executive vice president of policy for the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, told FOX Business that the "urgency of the issue is increasing literally day by day," and noted that Social Security's solvency came up in a number of Senate campaigns and debates as candidates had to begin grappling with the issue."It was clearly enough of an issue in 2026 that there were questions consistently asked in the Senate races given the six-year term they're elected to," Loper said, adding that he was encouraged by how the discussion was handled in the campaign."Overwhelmingly, it was recognition that the program's going insolvent and a commitment to addressing it," Loper said. "From there, there's sort of a range of… [TheTopNews] Read More.16 hours ago - Buy online, return in-store: The holiday shopping trick that’s more import...
More retailers are charging return fees, and some holiday items have surprisingly short deadlines By Kyle James of ConsumerAffairs November 4, 2026 Return fees are becoming common: Industry research found that 72% of retailers charge for at least some returns, up from 66% the previous year.Skip the shipping fees: Macy's, T.J.Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, and other retailers charge up to $11.99 for certain mailed returns, while eligible in-store returns are free.Beware of shorter holiday deadlines: Home Depot gives shoppers just 30 days to return Halloween and holiday decorations, rather than its usual 90 days.Holiday shopping is about to ramp up, and there's one money-saving strategy worth remembering before you start filling those online carts. Buy online, but always try to return in-store.It sounds super simple, but it could save you $5, $10, or more every time something needs to go back.That's because a growing number of retailers now charge customers to mail back unwanted online purchases, even when returning the same item to a physical store is free.And with holiday gifts, clothing that doesn't fit, and decorations that don't work out, those fees can add up quickly.The bigger problem? Many shoppers don't discover the return fee until they're trying to send something back.Return fees are becoming the normAccording to an eMarketer analysis, citing research from the National Retail Federation and Happy Returns, 72% of retailers charge for at least some returns, up from 66% the previous year.The NRF's 2025 research estimated that 15.8% of annual retail sales would be returned, representing approximately $849.9 billion in merchandise.And shoppers aren't thrilled about paying to send things back. Specifically, the research found that 82% of consumers consider free returns important when making a purchase, while 36% say they won't return an item if there's a fee.That's particularly concerning during the holidays, when shoppers often buy gifts weeks before they're opened.Popular retailers that now charge for mailed returnsHere's what several major retailers charge to mail back eligible online purchases, and how much you could save by returning them in-store instead.T.J.Maxx: $11.99 for mailed returnsMacy's: $9.99 plus applicable tax for non-Star Rewards membersNordstrom Rack: $9.95 per prepaid return labelJCPenney: $8 per mailed return orderH&M: $5.99 for mailed returnsZara: $4.95 per return request when using a drop-off locationDSW: $8.50 for mailed returns or paperless drop-offsUNIQLO: $7 plus applicable tax per online return requestAmerican Eagle: $5 for mailed returnsUrban Outfitters: A $5 restocking fee applies to most mailed… [TheTopNews] Read More.16 hours ago - CNN’s Anderson Cooper Floored By Trump’s Post-Election Ballroom Promotion: â...
CNN’s Anderson Cooper was gobsmacked by President Donald Trump’s fixation on his ballroom the day after Republicans suffered a stunning midterm defeat, losing both the House and the Senate to the Democrats. “The president has just weighed in for the first time on camera after his party’s thumping in the midterms last night,” Cooper said, before rolling video of Trump’s ramblings. “It’s going to be not only one of the biggest, but it’ll be the most beautiful ballroom, I think, anywhere in the world,” Trump said, continuing: And they’ve been trying to get it for 150 years. And for the media, these are the people that built it. This is about 525 people, and they they really worked hard. Steelworkers, the steel is just almost being finished. As I understand it, this will be the last piece of steel. Everybody in the room signed it. All of the workers, not just the steelworkers, the the plumbers, electricians, the painters, everybody signed it. And I’m going to be the last to sign it. “And it went on,” said a shellshocked Cooper. “He talked about the granite. He talked about really every aspect of the construction of the ballroom the day after this massive election loss.” CNN cut back to Trump who took questions from reporters. “Did any of your aides try to talk you out of delivering that that speech on Monday?” one reporter asked about Trump’s Reflecting Pool speech. “I heard it was a very good speech, got great reviews,” Trump said. “That was only a speech on the Reflecting Pool that had nothing to do with anything else. That was a speech very much like this is today on this incredible place that we’re building at the White House. It’s going to be here for many, many years and serving our country.” Trump refused to answer questions about which Democrats he spoke to in the aftermath of the midterm defeat, but did say he wasn’t “even a little bit” concerned about impeachment. “I think it would destroy the Democrat party if they did that, because impeachment for no reason. What? For having a successful country? Our country’s more successful now than at any time in its history.” Trump then halted questions and instructed reporters to “Watch the beam go up.” “Wow, I don’t think we need to watch the beam go up!” Cooper exclaimed. “Or,… [TheTopNews] Read More.16 hours ago - SpaceX and Tesla Stocks Tumble After Elon Musk-Backed Candidates Lose in TexasThe world’s richest person has antagonized Democrats, some of whom have signaled their intent to investigate him when they take control of Congress. [TheTopNews] Read More.16 hours ago
- Trump Defends Rallies as His Closing Strategy: ‘We Weren’t Able to Transfer ...President Donald Trump got a little wistful as he answered a reporter Wednesday who questioned his numerous rallies across the country in the closing days of the midterm campaign. “Sir you held 30 rallies around the country,” the unidentified reporter asked the president, who was taking questions at the site of the White House ballroom a day after his party got completely shellacked in the midterms. “Do you have any regrets about the way you closed out the campaign?” the reporter asked. Trump was quick with his answer. “No. Look, if I were on the ballot, we would have won,” he said, a sentiment he insisted on hammering in the months leading up to the Nov. 3 elections. “You saw there were thousands and thousands at every rally. If I was on the ballot, we would have won,” he repeated. “You couldn’t transfer that. There was such love at those rallies. It was incredible. We weren’t able to transfer the love to candidates,” he reflected. Trump swept the nation with dozens of rallies in the past few months, taking the time to visit parts of the country long considered to be staunchly Republican to shore up the party’s candidates amid fears of an incoming Democratic blue wave. The fears of a bloodbath proved accurate, with Democrats soaring to historic gains on both the state and federal levels. The rallies produced numerous headline-making moments — many not exactly favorable to the president or his party. Trump made Ohio Sen. Jon Husted’s (R) butt part of the national conversation; dubbed Darline Graham’s South Carolina opponent Annie Andrews “Trannie Annie:” dubiously elevated several of Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton’s (R) flaws; and gave Mississippi’s Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) a wide open spotlight that she ended up using…not necessarily to her advantage. Husted was trounced by Democrat Sherrod Brown; Andrews achieved a stunning victory in South Carolina; Paxton was thumped by Democrat James Talarico as Texas went blue up and down the ballot, and Hyde-Smith is projected to lose her seat in a shocking nail-biter of a race with Democrat Scott Colom. Watch above via Fox.The post Trump Defends Rallies as His Closing Strategy: ‘We Weren’t Able to Transfer Any of That Love to Candidates’ first appeared on Mediaite. [TheTopNews] Read More.17 hours ago
The Searchable USWebDaily.com and TheTopNews NewsBank Helps You Be Better Informed, Faster! Spread The Word.
