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Death Be Not Proud!

The following is an essay from a 1980 issue of OMNI magazine written by the great science fiction author and editor, Ben Bova. I believe it is even more relevant today than it was 45 years ago.

It was only a small item, down in the corner of a page of the Sunday New York Times:

“… smallpox has been eradicated.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) officially announced that smallpox has been wiped out everywhere on Earth. One of the great killer diseases has itself been killed. No more need for smallpox vaccinations. No more need for international travelers to carry the yellow cards that prove they are not bearers of the dreaded disease as they cross national borders.

The rest of the news that same day was filled with the usual passions: riots, threats of war, terrorism, starvation, population problems in India and Latin America, inflation, unemployment, strikes… on and on and on.

Americans were in the streets, marching in memory of those who were killed in military service. It was Veterans Day, when we honor our dead and remember the wars we have fought.

Iranians were in the streets, too, in Tehran, where they held more than 60 American citizens hostage in the U.S. Embassy and were demanding the return of their deposed shah so that he could face the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s version of justice.

No public celebrations greeted the news from WHO. No one cheered from any rooftop. Smallpox is a thing of the past. The scourge that has killed millions and scarred hundreds of millions will never again threaten any child or adult. Ho hum. That’s what scientists are supposed to do, right?

Well, yes, it is. But how often does the public stop to reflect that what scientists do is rather miraculous?

Perhaps I’m prejudiced. I started my writing career as a newspaper reporter back in the late 1940s. Every summer, in those days, newspapers carried a long, ugly running story about polio. It was like covering the baseball season. All summer long we ran box scores every day on the number of children who had died of polio, the number placed in iron lungs, the number crippled for life.

That’s life. What can you do about it?

Then one springtime we carried one single story. Lots of human interest. Plenty of wonderful photographs. Children were being inoculated with the Salk vaccine.

Good front-page stuff: a kid screaming bloody murder as a doctor jabbed a needle into his arm and his anxious mother smiled bravely in the background.

That was a dull summer, poliowise. And there has never been another summer when any newspaper in the land has had to carry a running account of polio’s ravages.

Now we’ve wiped out smallpox. We’ve eliminated another killer disease.

A curious doublethink takes place in most human minds on subjects such as this. Polio, smallpox, tuberculosis, for countless ages were regarded as inevitable natural disasters that humankind just had to bear, scourges sent by the gods to keep us in our place. Then science – the product of human thought – puts an end to these diseases, and people accept their absence as being in the natural order of things.

The same people who unthinkingly accept the gift of life from modern science, as if scientists are supposed to produce miracles the way chickens produce eggs, are quick to blame modern science for many of the problems that our society has not solved.

“No more nukes,” they chant, holding science (and scientists) responsible for Three Mile Island.

“No DNA experiments.” they shout, visions of horror movies dancing in their heads.

“No research on intelligence,” they demand, being told that such studies are done by “elitists.” 

Such people form the shock troops for the armies of ignorance. In another place, or another time, they would be shouting. “Death to the Shah,” or “Down with Galileo,” or even “Sieg Heil!” Like Konrad Lorenz’s ducklings, they will follow whatever or whoever moves across their field of vision at the critical moment when they are ready for imprinting.

Unwittingly, they are destroying our one true hope for a better future: science, the most human activity that human beings engage in, the highest expression of rational human thought.

Yes, the work of scientists can lead to nuclear reactors or genetic engineering or computers that are smarter than we are. Scientific research and experimentation can also lead to the banishment of disease, hunger – and ignorance.

For, beyond all the controversy on the uses of scientific knowledge lies the fact that the ultimate goal of science was summed up beautifully by the English poet John Donne, nearly four centuries ago: 

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful; for thou art not so ….

And Death shall be no more: Death, thou shalt die!

Congressional Black Caucus Statement on Charlie Kirk Resolution

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) and members of the Congressional Black Caucus issued the following statement:

“Violence has no place in our politics, whether it is the murder of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman, the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, or the killing of Charlie Kirk. We must unequivocally reject violence in all its forms. Too many times in our nation’s history, political differences have turned to violence – violence that our community, in particular, knows too well from the assassinations of Black leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Medger Evers, and Fred Hampton, among other“At the same time, we must condemn violence without abandoning our right to speak out against ideas that are inconsistent with our values as Americans. We strongly disagree with many of the beliefs Charlie Kirk promoted: including his belief that the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended racial segregation, was a mistake; his denial that systemic racism exists; his promotion of the Great Replacement theory; and his offensive claims about Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Michelle Obama, and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee lacking adequate cognitive ability.

“The resolution introduced in the House to honor Charlie Kirk’s legacy is not about healing, lowering the temperature of our political discourse, or even ensuring the safety of members of Congress, staff, and Capitol personnel. It is, unfortunately, an attempt to legitimize Kirk’s worldview — a worldview that includes ideas many Americans find racist, harmful, and fundamentally un-American.

“In the wake of this tragedy, President Trump has senselessly threatened to go after the political left. The American people are tired of this kind of cynical politics. It’s disheartening to see a tragedy used to further divide the country and suppress honest debate. As the conscience of the Congress, the CBC has a responsibility to speak out against this on behalf of our communities, and we are calling on each of our colleagues who share our values to follow suit.

Enough is enough.”

The Crumbling Constitution – the First Amendment Goes Down in Flames

One by one, the opposition voices are being silenced – Stephen Colbert, Jerry Greenfield (of Ben and Jerry’s), and now Jimmy Kimmel. NPR and PBS have been defunded. Even the highly respected Voice of America is off the air. Just like the governments in Communist China, North Korea, Hungary, and Russia, the Trump administration is moving to seize control of all the media. Trump and his minions have learned from their dictator-mentors that if the government’s voice is the only one that people hear, then that government can control not only the narrative but the citizens as well.

Unfortunately, this tactic works. Witness Russia where there is still surprisingly strong support for Putin despite the harsh economic sanctions and the failing military campaign in Ukraine. It’s because the Russian people are being told continuously by the government media that they are actually winning the war and that the West will soon bend to their will and cancel the sanctions. Hearing no other voices in opposition, especially since Putin poisoned Navalny, the Russians accept it as the truth.

The day may be coming when no one in our country will be allowed to say anything negative about the administration or its supporters regardless of the First Amendment. Further, if the Trumpists continue to follow the autocratic playbook, the government may soon begin monitoring social media for dissension or force the social media companies, some of whom are already on Trump’s side, to filter and report anything that is not fully consistent with their far-right agenda. All of this raises one question. Are we now seeing the end of freedom of speech?

The First Amendment also protects freedom of the press. But when largely right-leaning multi-billionaires own all the stations on television and radio, will the broadcast media become just mirrors of Fox News? Disney/ABC and Paramount/CBS have already “bent the knee” in order to avoid Trump’s wrath. Honest journalism, which reached its peak with the likes of Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Dan Rather, and their contemporaries, seems to be completely dead. I wonder if the next season of “60 Minutes” will be filled with either irrelevant pablum or stories in praise of Trump. Likewise, newspapers and other news outlets, either willingly or under threats of lawsuits, may become simply repeaters of the government approved information, something like Pravda in the old USSR or today’s China Daily.

What about freedom of religion – also a part of the First Amendment? There is currently a strong movement by Christian Nationalists to claim that the United States was founded as a Christian-only country. But the Treaty of Tripoli, which was signed by President John Adams in 1797 (only six years after the ratification of the Bill of Rights), says the opposite. Article 11 of the treaty clearly states, “(T)he government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion…” Despite this, there are those who believe that the laws of our nation should be based solely on their particular religion’s interpretation of God’s wishes.

Finally, there are the remaining First Amendment rights – the rights to assemble peacefully and to petition the government for redress. Remember that Trump has been granted broad immunity by SCOTUS. So if peaceful anti-Trump protestors are beaten, arrested, or even shot, I won’t be surprised. Nevertheless, I intend to continue to be one of those protestors.

Is the United States of America doomed? I don’t know. But in all my 78 years, I have never seen such an effort to openly turn our country into a dictatorship. Even Nixon was eventually forced to face the consequences of his illegal activities. But when every day brings fresh assaults on our democracy, I fear for tomorrow.

As Nevadans Suffer the Consequences of Lombardo’s First Term, His Reelection Campaign Launch FLOPS 

This is a press released issued by the Nevada Democratic Party
September 16, 2025
“Do you think Governor Lombardo deserves a second term? So far, a majority of those participating say no.” – KSNV
Joe Lombardo decided to launch his doomed bid for reelection while Nevadans are still recovering from the worst cyberattack in Nevada history. Lombardo’s record is clear: worst-in-the-nation unemployment rates, a growing housing crisis, and sky-high costs. 

Despite making unemployment a central part of his 2022 campaign, Nevada’s unemployment rates are now higher than when Lombardo took office in 2023. While home prices in Las Vegas outpace the rest of the country, Lombardo vetoed affordable housing legislation as foreclosure and eviction rates have risen to historic levels.

Lombardo failed to answer for his broken promises and Nevadans cannot afford another four years under his disastrous leadership.

Lombardo refuses to stand up against Trump’s damaging policies, even saying that Nevadans should be “excited” about the Republican spending bill that will cut health care for over 115,000 Nevadans and that they should “feel a little pain” from Trump’s tariffs. Although Lombardo tried to pretend Trump didn’t exist last night, Lombardo will have to answer for his ongoing embrace of the president’s cost-raising agenda that is leaving Nevadans behind. 

Here’s what people are saying about Lombardo’s doomed bid for reelection: 

On the Airwaves
 
Alyssa Deitsch, KVVU: “Nevada State Democrats were ready for Lombardo’s reelection announcement […] business owners also spoke out about their struggles as tourism falls and the price of many goods increases. ”
 
Tom Durian, KVVU: “Earlier today, Nevada senator Dina Neal held a press conference criticizing how governor Lombardo has been leading Nevada, she criticized his numerous vetoes, including one bill that would limit corporate investors from buying up property in the state.” 
 
Senator Dina Neal, KSNV: “Nevadans can’t afford another four years under Lombardo’s leadership, the jobless rates have worsened, and we’re at the highest in the nation, and we are grappling with the cyberattack that just happened in Nevada. Nevada is also facing one of the highest housing crises” 

In Print

Las Vegas Sun: Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo launches reelection campaignNevada Democrats had their own counterprogramming Monday morning before Lombardo’s announcement. State Sen. Dina Neal, D-North Las Vegas, said the state couldn’t take another four years of Lombardo at the wheel, citing the state’s housing crisis and high unemployment rate. 
 “Take it from Lombardo himself,” Nevada Young Dems President Sierra Hernandez said at Mothership Coffee’s downtown shop. “He said, ‘The unemployment rate hasn’t gotten better.’ If that’s the case, why does he deserve to stay in office?”

Mothership Coffee CEO Juanny Romero also drew attention to how President Donald Trump’s trade war has affected Nevada, saying it’s driving Las Vegas’ depressed tourism numbers. At the same time Romero is seeing reduced traffic, coffee prices are shooting up, she said.

KTNV: Gov. Lombardo announces his reelection campaign for 2026National and state Democrats, however, criticized Lombardo, with a news release from the Nevada State Democratic Party calling his candidacy “doomed.”
 “Joe Lombardo hasn’t offered a single serious solution to make life affordable for Nevadans,” said Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno, chairwoman of the state Democratic Party, in a statement. “Under his failed leadership, costs are up, tourism is plummeting, unemployment has gotten worse and is among the highest in the nation, and Nevada still hasn’t fully recovered from the worst cyberattack in state history

The statement goes on to criticize Lombardo for his record number of vetoes, including bills on prescription drugs, housing and school meals.
 “Lombardo’s record is clear and Nevadans can’t afford another four years of broken promises and sky-high costs,” the statement says. “Democrats are building an unmatched ground game and remain laser-focused on the issues that matter most to hardworking families and together, we will make Lombardo a one-term governor.”

Nevada Independent: Joe Lombardo launches re-election bid for Nevada governorThe economy will also be central to Democrats’ messaging. They have criticized Lombardo’s response to the megabill, which includes cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, accusing him of being silent on policies that harm Nevadans. They have also blamed Lombardo and Trump for Vegas’ struggling economy, which has seen a notable drop in visitation this year in what some experts attribute to a decrease in international travel because of Trump’s trade policies. 

Recent Democratic polling found weak numbers on the state of Nevada’s economy, as well as Lombardo’s support of Trump. The Cook Political Report has dubbed the gubernatorial race a “toss up” — one of five contests with that designation.Fox News: Republican governor targeted by Democrats launches re-election bid in key battlegroundThe DGA argued that Lombardo “twists himself into knots trying to defend his disastrous agenda that has left Nevada’s working families and small businesses behind.”

The Nevada Democratic Party tied Lombardo to President Donald Trump, slamming the governor for what they charged was his “embrace of Trump’s reckless policies, all of which have led to worst-in-the-nation unemployment rates, a growing housing crisis, and sky-high costs.” 

https://nvdems.com/as-nevadans-suffer-the-consequences-of-lombardos-first-term-his-reelection-campaign-launch-flops/

So What’s The Real Story?

We don’t know that much about the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk, 22-year old Utah resident Tyler Robinson. But there sure is a lot of hyperbole and questionable information flying around.

Before buying into the finger pointing, let’s recap who has been responsible for recent political assassinations and attempts:

All Trump Supporters:

Alleged assassin of Minnesota Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband who were shot in their home.

Alleged arsonist who set fire to the mansion of the Democratic Governor of Pennsylvanian as Josh Shapiro and his family were sleeping.

Alleged killer of the son of Obama-appointed Judge Esther Salas. (gunman committed suicide).

January 6 insurgents who attacked and Capitol and wanted to hang Mike Pence. (video of attack and picture of the noose is available online).

The men convicted of trying to kidnap and kill Democratic governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer.

The man who was convicted of sending pipe bombs to the homes of Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

The man who was convicted of trying to kidnap Nancy Pelosi and assaulted her husband, Paul Pelosi, with a hammer in their home.

That’s a pretty impressive list of Trump supporters who have carried out attacks.

Watch Keith Edwards who dropped this podcast within the last hour. He is looking into the background of Tyler Robinson. It appears he too has been a Trump supporter.

Public Urged to Comment on Significant USDA Cuts by Sept. 30, 2025

Individuals interested in potentially losing government-provided financial aid amounting to $157.11 billion in 2025 for food, nutrition, and safety, as well as agriculture in general, should join in opposition to the reorganization attempts by Agriculture Secretary (USDA) Brooke Rollins.

Rollins, a Trump appointee and daughter of Helen Kerwin, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, announced plans to send 2,600 of her 4,000 (65%) of her Washington, DC staff to five regional hubs: Raleigh, NC; Kansas City, MO; Indianapolis, IN; Fort Collins, CO; and Salt Lake City, UT.

This relocation move follows the loss of at least 15,000 employees who have accepted Rollins’ “voluntary” resignation offers as she seeks to eliminate 30,000 (30%) of its workforce.[i]

In addition, last month, Rollins announced the elimination of a $360 million program, established during the Biden era, through the American Rescue Plan Act to bolster rural development and build stronger food supply networks in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Rollins’ move to cut her Washington, DC staff by 65% masks the actual importance of those people.

Federal agencies place political appointees and hire civil service individuals in their Washington, DC staff for both political and professional reasons.

USDA Washington, DC personnel, both political and civil service, deal with several congressional committees when budgeting, planning, and programming, including House Agriculture, Supplemental Nutrition (SNAP), Livestock and Foreign Agriculture, Nutrition, Oversight and Department Operations, Forestry and Horticulture, Farm Bill Committee, General Farm Committee, and Risk Management and Conservation programs. Additionally, statistical information on farm and agricultural activities comes from the DC office.

Furthermore, political appointees, as expected, serve the whims of the party in power, whereas civil service individuals provide the long-term knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to run an organization and, sometimes surreptitiously, provide Congress with organizational information that often corrects distorted or misinterpreted political presentations.

Through these collaborative efforts, in 2025, Congress obligated $192.71 billion to the USDA. Of that amount, Congress directed USDA to spend $157.11 billion (81.5% of the total) on private sector contractors (4.6%) and financial assistance (95.4%).

In simple terms, it’s civil service employees who determine the cost-effectiveness of obligation spending. At the same time, political appointees attempt to do the opposite, either by ending funding or diverting those dollars to special interest groups, without oversight.

In Nevada, USDA funds cover aerial photography, conservation programs, daily market prices, disaster assistance, farm loans, outreach and education, and price support for food banks, as well as SNAP.

Unfortualy, under Rollins, as of March 2025, USDA funding for programs supporting Nevada’s food banks, schools, and local businesses, such as the Home Feeds Nevada program and regional food business centers, has been significantly reduced or eliminated.

While some rural development grants continue, Rollins terminated significant funding for locally sourced food purchases, which impacts the state’s agricultural sector and food security efforts. 

According to Jeniffer Solis of Nevada Current, the USDA terminations amount to $3 million, and local small and mid-sized food and farm businesses ended three years ahead of schedule. 

For her part, Rollings, while serving as president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, an Austin-based conservative think tank, advocated for the end of agriculture subsidies for farmers and opposed ethanol requirements for fuels.

Meanwhile, as agriculture trade groups sound alarms about price slumps for crops and worsening credit conditions, during Trump’s chaotic trade war, Rollins, in addressing the Northern AG Network in July, congratulated Trump on his trade policies, saying that “I believe with every fiber of my being that prosperity is around the corner because of Trump’s trade negotiations.“

As a reminder, it was Rollins who told reporters on July 8, 2025,  that Medicaid recipients could replace farm laborers.

Individuals can provide comments by emailing [email protected] and are also encouraged to contact their senators and representatives. The comment period is open through September 30, 2025.

[i] See: USDA workforce according to Politico.

After Cyberattack Hamstrings Emergency Services and Nevadans’ Labor Day Travel Plans, Lombardo Waits Five Days to Address Public

Press Release Issued by the Nevada Democratic Party on August 29, 2025

While Nevadans still can’t access essential services like applying for food benefits and renewing vehicle registrations, Joe Lombardo was sipping wine with campaign donors. Despite Lombardo making his law enforcement background his entire campaign, he couldn’t face Nevadans as Nye County police were unable to dispatch state police officers when residents called 911. While this partial government shutdown drags on and Nevadans’ Labor Day plans are disrupted, Lombardo continues to prove over and over that he is unfit to lead the state in crisis.   

Here’s the rundown of the last six days: After hackers stole Nevada state data, Lombardo ditched his own press conference on the cyberattack for a campaign event, prompting widespread backlash about his lack of leadership in this statewide crisis. Then, Lombardo tried to do damage control, holding another press conference less than 24 hours later to paper over his absence. Instead of reassuring Nevadans about this massive data breach, No Show Joe spent the press conference trying to defend his absence and dodging questions. After throwing a temper tantrum at the podium, Lombardo fled to a county club for another campaign event and Nevadans still have zero answers on what happened and when many key essential services will reopen.  

Here’s what people are saying about Lombardo’s lack of leadership during this dangerous cyberattack:

Print

Fox Reno: Gov. Lombardo hosts press conference on cyber attack after missing Wednesday’s conference

Fox 5 Vegas: Was personal information stolen? Nevada Governor discusses cyberattack for first time publicly

ABC 13: We brought your worries about the cyberattack affecting state services directly to Gov. Joe Lombardo

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Sluggish outlook may lead to drop in Labor Day weekend visits to Las Vegas

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Nevada governor defends absence, calls cyberattack his most serious crisis

ABC 13: Gov. Lombardo defends handling of Nevada cyberattack crisis

3 News: What could be the political fallout from Lombardo’s press conference absence?

Nevada Current: Cyber attack briefing: Data taken ‘out of network’; lots of assurances; few details; and no governor

Nevada Independent: Nevada targeted in ransomware attack; some data taken out of state, officials say 

On the Airwaves

Abel Garcia, Channel 13: “Governor Joe Lombardo facing criticism from a local grassroots group”

Latoya Simon, Channel 3: “One of the questions that people have been asking, is ‘where has Governor Lombardo been during the cyber incident,’ including why he didn’t attend the news conference yesterday in Carson City?”

Nevada Resident Manuel Santamaria, Channel 3: “He should have been there. It’s his priority as the governor of the state of Nevada. This isn’t the biggest state in terms of population. You would think that he has enough of his own time to give to everybody. So I believe his excuses were poor. He should always have that in front of mind, right? Always be out front helping the people of Nevada. And he’s failed to do that time and time again.” 

Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill, Fox 5 News: “The dispatchers are having to take as brief of notes as they possibly can in handwriting on a piece of paper, dispatch the unit, they’re having to keep track on another piece of paper of where their units are. It absolutely is an officer safety issue. … Our computer-aided dispatch system shows the GPS location based on the computer in the car. We don’t have that right now. If somebody were to come on the air and scream, I need help, they don’t know where they are.”

Nevada Resident, Channel 3: “I was coming to get food stamps for me and my kids, but the office, I guess their system is down.” 

On Social

@ralstonreports: So they held a presser on 4-day-old massive hack of NV government, gave almost no new info and the gov was not there:

“During the question portion….state officials would not provide additional facts that were not already stated in prepared remarks.”

@howardstutz: Lombardo doesn’t want to answer any more questions about his absence at the Wednesday presser:
“I’m here taking care of business, and it never swayed for my responsibility as your governor. This press conference is to provide our current situation.”

@SteveSebelius: Gov. @JosephMLombardo on Thursday defended his handling of the cyber attack against the state, saying he’s been involved in the response since the start despite skipping a Wednesday news conference in Carson City.

@BattleBornProg: While government services are still offline and Nevadans want answers to the cyberattack on our data, Joe Lombardo thinks wine tasting with big business is more important. #NoShowJoe

“A Republic, if you can keep it.” B. Franklin

Well, that didn’t take long. Trump has been in office now for less than a year, but he has just boldly revealed his ultimate goal. On Monday (8/25/25), Trump told reporters at the Oval Office, “A lot of people are saying, ‘Maybe we like a dictator.’” On Tuesday, he added, “Most people are saying, ‘If you call him a dictator, if he stops crime, he can be whatever he wants’ — I am not a dictator, by the way.” But he also claimed to have “the right to do anything I want to do,” which is actually the very essence of dictatorship.

Despite his claim of not being a dictator, his use of the phrase “people are saying” is classic Trump. It’s one of his ways of laying the groundwork to justify his later actions. He likes to imagine in his fantasy world that many, if not most, Americans agree with him. So now he is trying to imply that a majority of Americans actually want a dictator as a leader. And, despite his protestations, it goes without saying that he thinks it should be him. He won’t call it a dictatorship though. It will be something like President for Life.

Naturally he fully expects the Republicans in Congress to go along with this plan since they all suffer from TTS (Trump Toady Syndrome). And the Supreme right-wing Court will merely say that it is a political matter outside of their jurisdiction. They have already granted him immunity from any consequences for illegal actions while in office. It seems that there is not a single Republican in any branch of our government who is willing to fulfill his or her oath to “preserve and protect” the Constitution, least of all, Trump.

In the meantime, Trump continues to subject Americans, including citizens, to unconstitutional dictatorial actions daily. He shows disdain for the laws and ignores the courts. He is building his own paramilitary force and assuming control of cities he doesn’t like. He is attacking his “enemies” with “lawfare,” coercion, and outright extortion. He is trying to assume control of the entire economy (don’t forget that he has a history of bankruptcy). He, along with his Republican toadies, are working hard to restrict voting rights (mostly of minorities but recently some voices on the Right have said that women should not be allowed to vote either). And so on and so on.

His deployment of ICE and the military into blue cities is specifically intended to provoke a reaction against the troops. No matter how minor, he will then use that reaction as an excuse to invoke the Insurrection Act. This will give him the authority to flood cities and states with military units. The mass arrests of Democrats will likely follow including Senators, Representatives, Governors, past Presidents, and other Democratic leaders. The concentration camps have already been built ostensibly just for the deportable immigrants, but they can hold Trump’s enemies as well. I believe that the mid-term election results will either be rigged or cancelled altogether to eliminate the possibility of any reductions in the Republicans’ powers.

So, dear Mr. Franklin, I regret to inform you that we were not able to keep the Republic you gave us. We managed for nearly 250 years to have a mostly honorable government run by mostly honorable people. There were exceptions of course, but our Founding Fathers never anticipated the level of dishonor, incompetence, and corruption that we are seeing now. The Constitution was written under the assumption that the “best of the best” would be chosen to govern, but it tells us nothing about what to do when the “worst of the worst” seize and hold the levers of power. I fear that it may already be too late to recover our democracy. Any advice from you, even posthumously, would be very much appreciated.

Horsford on DOGE Misuse of Social Security Data: Not surprising, but Shocking Nonetheless

Press release issued by Congressman Steven Horsford on August 26, 2025

LAS VEGAS – Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) responded today to whistle-blower allegations that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), posted a highly sensitive Social Security database to a vulnerable cloud server, placing the personal information of hundreds of thousands of Americans at risk of being leaked or hacked.

Congressman Horsford, who sits on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, led his Democratic colleagues in a Resolution of Inquiry (ROI) on April 10 demanding all documents related to DOGE-driven cuts, closures, and staff reductions at the Social Security Administration.

Rather than address Horsford’s concerns and uphold Congressional oversight responsibilities, Speaker Johnson and Congressional Republicans in April paused all ROIs through September 30, 2025.

Rep. Horsford released the following statement:

“It’s not surprising that the cabal who executed the largest data breach in American history has left the sensitive information they stole vulnerable to cyber criminals,” Rep. Horsford said. “But it’s shocking nevertheless to think that this is happening with the President’s blessing and Congressional Republican capitulation.”

The news comes just weeks after the Elon Musk-run pseudo federal agency which claimed to target wasteful government spending, was found to have squandered nearly $22 billion in taxpayer money.

“The time for accountability is right now,” Horsford continued. “I’m calling on Speaker Johnson and Congressional Republicans to stop their obstruction and join Democrats in demanding oversight. This administration has placed my constituents’ most sensitive information in harm’s way – they owe every Nevadan, and every single American, an explanation as to why.”

Rep. Horsford, who is Nevada’s only lawmaker on the House Ways and Means Committee, represents nearly 150,000 Social Security recipients in Nevada’s 4th Congressional District. 

He has been an outspoken critic on the Trump Administration’s efforts to end Social Security as the American people know it.

February 25, 2025
Rep. Horsford spoke out when DOGE targeted a Social Security office in Las Vegas for closure without warning local leaders. The administration has since retreated from the planned closure. 

March 5, 2025

Rep. Horsford co-led the Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act, which would prevent the Trump Administration from closing Social Security Administration offices. 

March 19, 2025

Rep. Horsford raised an alarm about Trump administration plans in a leaked memo from SSA Acting Deputy Commissioner Doris Diaz that would significantly hamper operations and prevent people from applying for or receiving benefits. The memo suggested that applicants who cannot verify their identity with the SSA’s online system should visit a local field office in person, ending the opportunity for these individuals to apply for, or update, benefits over the phone. 

April 10, 2025

Rep. Horsford led Ways and Means Committee Democrats in introducing a Resolution of Inquiry (ROI) requesting all documents and copies, records, audio recordings, memorandum, and more to the House of Representatives relating to backdoor benefit cuts that President Trump and Elon Musk enacted against the Social Security Administration, including requirements to apply for benefits in person, closing field and hearing offices, and reductions to SSA staff. 

Video of Rep. Horsford’s comments is available here.

June 25, 2025

Rep. Horsford questioned Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank Bisignano on Trump administration efforts to close SSA offices and roll back earned benefits. During his questioning, Rep. Horsford asked whether Commissioner Bisignano would work to ensure all field offices are not only fully operational, but also better staffed, more efficient, and equipped to meet the growing needs of the public. Bisignano, who was visibly and audibly noncommittal throughout his testimony, said yes only after Horsford demanded a yes or no answer.

Video of Rep. Horsford’s interactions with SSA Commissioner Bisignano is available here.