Tag: Politics

• Why The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Is Ending

  CBS announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026, citing financial challenges. Late-night TV is less profitable due to declining viewership and ad revenue shifting to streaming platforms. According to The New York Times, Colbert’s show cost over $100 million annually but lost tens of millions yearly, with ad revenue dropping from $121.1 million in 2018 to $70.2 million in 2024 [The New York Times, July 2025].

  The timing of the cancellation has sparked debate. Days before the announcement, Colbert criticized Paramount, CBS’s parent company, for settling a $16 million lawsuit with Donald Trump, calling it a “big fat bribe” to secure approval for a merger with Skydance [Yahoo News, July 2025]. Some, including Senators Adam Schiff and Elizabeth Warren, and the Writers Guild of America, suspect political motives and have called for investigations [Variety, July 2025].

  However, we shouldn’t assume the timing implies political motives. CBS may have planned this cancellation earlier due to ongoing financial losses. Still, the coincidence fuels speculation about whether Paramount’s merger influenced the decision.

  Financial Status of Other Late-Night Shows in 2025

  Late-night TV faces industry-wide financial strain, with ad revenue down over 50% since 2014 [The New York Times, July 2025]. Most shows have cut budgets, often producing four new episodes weekly instead of five. Here’s the status of key shows in Q2 2025:

  • Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC): Averaged 1.77 million viewers, strong in the 18-49 demographic (220,000 viewers). Kimmel’s contract runs through 2026, but he’s hinted at retirement [Deadline, June 2025].

  • The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC): Averaged 1.19 million viewers, with 157,000 in the 18-49 demo. Budget cuts eliminated its house band, and Fallon’s contract extends to 2026 [The Hollywood Reporter, May 2025].

  • Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC): Leads the 12:37 a.m. slot with 900,000 viewers and 111,000 in the 18-49 demo. It tapes two episodes on Mondays to cut costs, and Meyers’ contract runs through 2028 [Variety, April 2025].

  • The Daily Show (Comedy Central): Averaged 994,000 viewers, down 2% from Q1 2025 but up 2.7% in the 18-49 demo. Jon Stewart’s contract ends in December 2025, leaving its future uncertain [Deadline, July 2025].

  • Gutfeld! (Fox News): Grew 31.5% year-over-year to 3.29 million viewers, with 238,000 in the 18-49 demo, dominating its slot despite a slight Q1 2025 decline [The Wrap, July 2025].

  CBS canceled After Midnight in June 2025 and The Late Late Show in 2023, replacing them with cheaper programming like Comics Unleashed [Variety, June 2025]. Other networks axed shows like Peacock’s The Amber Ruffin Show (2023) and HBO’s Pause with Sam Jay (2022) [The Hollywood Reporter, 2023].

  The Bottom Line

  Late-night TV is under financial pressure, with shrinking audiences and ad revenue. While CBS insists Colbert’s cancellation is purely financial, the timing—days after his criticism of Paramount’s settlement—raises suspicions. We should avoid assuming political motives without evidence, as financial struggles alone could explain the decision. However, the broader decline of late-night TV, seen in budget cuts and cancellations across networks, suggests a challenging future for the genre. It’s a complex mix of money, politics, and shifting viewer habits, showing how entertainment and big business are intertwined.

  Sources:

  • The New York Times, July 2025: Financial details on Colbert’s show and late-night TV ad revenue decline.

  • Yahoo News, July 2025: Details on Colbert’s criticism of Paramount’s $16 million Trump settlement.

  • Variety, July 2025: Reports on political suspicions and calls for investigations by Senators and Writers Guild.

  • Deadline, June 2025: Jimmy Kimmel’s contract and retirement hints.

  • The Hollywood Reporter, May 2025: Fallon’s budget cuts and contract details.

  • Variety, April 2025: Seth Meyers’ contract and production changes.

  • Deadline, July 2025: The Daily Show viewership and Stewart’s contract.

  • The Wrap, July 2025: Gutfeld! viewership data.

  • Variety, June 2025: Cancellation of After Midnight and The Late Late Show.

  • The Hollywood Reporter, 2023: Cancellations of The Amber Ruffin Show and Pause with Sam Jay.

  

  July 19, 2025

  ad revenue, California, cancellation, CBS, Donald Trump, financial struggles, Gutfeld!, Hollywood, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, late-night TV, Los Angeles, media bias, Paramount, political motives, Politics, Seth Meyers, Skydance merger, social media, Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show, The Late Show, Truth, Writers Guild

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• Why I Became an Independent: The Disturbing History of Democrats and RINOs

  Growing up in the 1990s in Flagstaff, Arizona, I remember an America that felt like home. We came together for Fourth of July parades, high school football games, and community barbecues under the shadow of the San Francisco Peaks. We celebrated everyone—different backgrounds, beliefs, and dreams—without forcing anyone to conform or flaunting lifestyles in each other’s faces. “We the People” meant unity, freedom, and respect. But today, politics and hate have spiraled out of control, and I wonder how we let it happen. The Democrats’ troubling history and their obsession with villainizing people, combined with the betrayal of RINOs—Republicans who act like Democrats behind closed doors—have made it hard to trust politicians or the media they lean on. Their actions, including the recent uproar over Stephen Colbert’s show, pushed me to become an independent voter. This is my story.

  A Kid in Flagstaff: When America Knew Who It Was

  In the ‘90s, Flagstaff was a small town where neighbors waved and looked out for each other. I’d ride my bike through downtown, past the old train station, feeling like everyone had a place here. Nobody cared if you voted differently or went to a different church. We didn’t force beliefs on each other, and nobody shoved their lifestyle in your face. America felt united, and “We the People” was a promise we believed in.

  Now, division tears us apart. Neighbors in Flagstaff argue over politics, and families struggle with rising costs and shrinking opportunities. Hateful rhetoric and cancel culture have replaced the community spirit I grew up with. It’s nearly impossible to separate truth from the lies spun by politicians and media. The latest example—Democrats and their media allies accusing CBS of bribing President Trump over Stephen Colbert’s show cancellation—shows how far they’ll go to dodge accountability. This shift broke my trust in political parties and reshaped how I see myself as a voter and citizen.

  Democrats: A History of Division and Media Manipulation

  The Democratic Party’s past is hard to stomach. In the 19th century, they defended slavery and later enforced Jim Crow laws and segregation into the 20th century. Figures like Senator Robert Byrd, a former Ku Klux Klan member, remained a Democratic leader until 2010. While they’ve rebranded as champions of fairness, their modern tactics are just as divisive.

  Today, Democrats focus on accusing and villainizing anyone who disagrees with them. In 2016, Hillary Clinton called Trump supporters a “basket of deplorables,” dismissing millions as racist or hateful for having different views (Clinton, 2016). In 2021, they labeled parents protesting critical race theory in schools as “domestic threats,” despite these being ordinary moms and dads concerned about their kids’ education (DOJ, 2021). This shuts down debate and tears communities like Flagstaff apart.

  They also use the media to push their narrative. Outlets like CNN and MSNBC amplify Democratic talking points, spinning stories to make opponents look evil while ignoring their own failures. During the 2020 riots in cities like Minneapolis, media called them “mostly peaceful protests” while businesses burned (CNN, 2020). In Flagstaff, small businesses have struggled with rising costs, but Democrats and their media allies pushed defunding police instead of helping us feel safe.

  The recent Stephen Colbert controversy is a perfect example. In July 2025, CBS announced that “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” would end in May 2026, citing financial losses due to declining ad revenue and a shrinking late-night audience (POLITICO, 2025). Yet Democrats, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Adam Schiff, along with media outlets, accused CBS of bribing President Trump, falsely claiming the cancellation was retaliation for Colbert’s criticism of Trump. They tied it to a $16 million settlement Paramount (CBS’s parent company) paid Trump in 2024 over an edited “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris, ignoring CBS’s statement that the decision was purely business-driven, as the show was no longer profitable (The New York Times, 2025; The Washington Post, 2025). Democrats would rather blame Trump than admit their ally’s show couldn’t sustain itself. Their history of control—from Jim Crow to modern media manipulation—shows they care more about power than people.

  RINOs: Republicans Who Betray Their Voters

  Then there are the RINOs—Republicans In Name Only—who campaign on conservative values but vote like Democrats. In 1990, George H.W. Bush broke his “no new taxes” promise, raising taxes despite campaigning against them (Bush, 1990). More recently, Senator Mitt Romney continued this betrayal by voting for a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill in 2021, stuffed with spending unrelated to roads or bridges, adding to the national debt while Flagstaff families struggled with economic hardship (Congress.gov, 2021).

  Senator Lisa Murkowski is another example. In 2022, she supported a gun control bill that many conservatives saw as infringing on Second Amendment rights, siding with Democrats over her voters (Congress.gov, 2022). In Flagstaff, we needed lower taxes to help small businesses recover, but too many Republicans backed bloated budgets that ignored us. RINOs talk about fiscal responsibility and traditional values but often cave to corporate elites or Washington insiders, betraying the voters who trusted them.

  How Their Actions Shaped My Choices

  The actions of Democrats and RINOs show they don’t represent “We the People.” Democrats’ obsession with villainizing dissenters and using media to control the narrative—like their baseless accusations against CBS over Colbert’s cancellation—drowns out real concerns. Their focus on accusing border security advocates of “xenophobia” ignores how unchecked immigration policies strain local schools and hospitals in places like Flagstaff. RINOs, meanwhile, sell out their voters by supporting policies that don’t reflect our priorities, like runaway spending or weak stances on core issues.

  The unity I knew as a kid in the ‘90s—when Flagstaff felt like a true community—has been replaced by a system where politicians prioritize power, donors, and media approval over citizens. I’m tired of the hate they’ve sown and the lies they spread, whether it’s smearing opponents or crying “bribe” when a company makes a financial decision. It’s why I became an independent—to vote for candidates who focus on solutions, like lower costs, better jobs, and safer communities, not division or betrayal.

  Choosing Independence as a Citizen

  Becoming an independent was about reclaiming my voice as a citizen. I’m done with Democrats’ history of division and their media-fueled attacks on anyone who thinks differently, like their overblown reaction to Colbert’s show ending. I’m fed up with RINOs who campaign as conservatives but govern like elites. Being independent means I judge candidates by their actions, not their party label. It’s freed me to focus on what matters: policies that bring back the unity and opportunity I remember from Flagstaff in the 1990s.

  If you’re sick of politicians and media tearing us apart, I urge you to dig into their actions. Check their voting records, not just their speeches. Ask yourself: Are these leaders fighting for you? For me, the answer was no—so I chose independence. What’s your story?

  Sources

  • Bush, G.H.W. (1990). Statement on the Budget Agreement. The American Presidency Project. Retrieved from https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/statement-the-budget-agreement

  • Clinton, H. (2016, September 9). Remarks at a fundraiser in New York City. C-SPAN. Retrieved from https://www.c-span.org/video/?415131-1/hillary-clinton-calls-trump-supporters-basket-deplorables

  • CNN. (2020, August 27). Fiery but mostly peaceful protests after Kenosha shooting. CNN. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/27/us/kenosha-wisconsin-protests

  • Congress.gov. (2021). H.R.3684 – Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684

  • Congress.gov. (2022). S.2938 – Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2938

  • DOJ. (2021, October 4). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Addresses Threats Against School Boards. Department of Justice. Retrieved from https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-addresses-threats-against-school-boards

  • POLITICO. (2025, July 16). CBS to End ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ in 2026. POLITICO. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/16/cbs-ends-colbert-late-show-2026

  • The New York Times. (2025, July 17). CBS Cancels Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ Amid Financial Struggles. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/17/business/cbs-colbert-late-show-cancellation

  • The Washington Post. (2025, July 18). Democrats Claim CBS Bribed Trump in Colbert Cancellation. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/07/18/democrats-cbs-trump-colbert

  

  July 19, 2025

  1990s, CBS cancellation, community, conservative values, Democrats, Flagstaff, hate, immigration, independent voter, inflation, liberal tactics, media bias, media manipulation, political division, Politics, RINOs, small business, Stephen Colbert, Trump, Truth, Unity, voting, We the People

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• Hollywood, Stick to Storytelling and Stop Amplifying SNAP Drama

  Hollywood has lost its focus. Actors and actresses, once champions of storytelling, now often hijack their platforms to exaggerate issues like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cuts, turning practical policy debates into overblown spectacles. Their political crusades, often rooted in shallow understanding, drown out the entertainment audiences crave. Hollywood needs to refocus on telling stories that unite, not inflating issues like SNAP cuts into divisive dramas.

  Why SNAP Cuts Are Being Proposed

  Proposals to cut SNAP, like those in the House Republican budget, aim to reduce its $120 billion annual cost through 2034. The motives are economic and ideological, but Hollywood’s hype blows them out of proportion:

  • Offsetting Tax Breaks: Lawmakers target SNAP to fund tax cuts, particularly for high earners and corporations. The House Agriculture Committee is tasked with cutting $230 billion, with SNAP as a key focus.

  • Encouraging Work: Some argue stricter work requirements for recipients, including parents and older adults, will reduce reliance on aid. Yet, over 60% of non-elderly, non-disabled SNAP households already work, often in low-wage jobs that don’t cover food costs.

  • State Funding Shifts: Proposals suggest states share SNAP costs, moving from full federal funding. States may struggle to pay, potentially reducing benefits or eligibility.

  • Program Reform: Critics claim SNAP is misused (e.g., buying unhealthy foods) or too expensive, pushing for limits like restricting the Thrifty Food Plan, which sets benefit levels. These are policy tweaks, not crises, despite Hollywood’s theatrics.

  The Real Impact

  SNAP cuts could affect millions—children, seniors, and low-income workers—worsening food insecurity in places like Florida, where 2.9 million rely on benefits. But Hollywood’s exaggerated outrage turns a manageable issue into a polarizing circus, alienating audiences and obscuring practical solutions.

  Hollywood’s Misstep

  Actors aren’t policy experts, yet they amplify SNAP cuts into a moral panic, misunderstanding the nuances. Their dramatic posturing on platforms like X fuels division, not unity. Audiences want stories that entertain and inspire, not overblown political lectures.

  How Hollywood Can Do Better

  1. Prioritize Storytelling: Craft narratives that subtly highlight human struggles, like hunger, without turning them into soapboxes.

  2. Stay in Your Lane: Leave policy debates to experts and focus on entertaining, not exaggerating.

  3. Listen to Audiences: X shows fans want escapism, not drama. Deliver what they need.

  4. Unite Through Art: Tell universal stories that bring people together, not fuel outrage.

  A Call to Action

  Hollywood, stop inflating issues like SNAP cuts and get back to storytelling. Create art that uplifts and connects us. Meanwhile, we must address SNAP cuts calmly—research leaders’ motives, demand balanced solutions, and support programs that fight hunger without the hysteria. Let’s build harmony through stories and reason.

  By the way, not all actors and actresses are dramatic and there are even some who do focus on their work, but not all of them are and they need to be admonished.

  

  June 26, 2025

  accountability, entertainment, hunger, Politics, SNAP cuts, storytelling, Tags: Hollywood, Unity

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• Trump’s Not the Villain—Democrats Are the Ones Screwing Over America with Their Special Interest Games

  Democrats keep screaming that Trump’s the bad guy, but I’m not buying it. The man’s record proves he’s a fighter for regular folks, not some cartoon villain. Meanwhile, they’ve been shoving special interest groups down our throats since America was born, stirring up division they blame on Trump. From the 1700s to 2025, their extreme antics have hurt the country more than Trump’s tweets ever could. Here’s the straight-up proof, with the facts to back it up.

  Trump’s Done Right by Us

  Money in Our Pockets

  Trump’s 2017 tax cuts put cash back in millions of wallets, juicing the economy to 2.9% growth in 2018 (Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2019). Jobs were everywhere—unemployment dropped to 3.5% in February 2020, with Black folks hitting a record-low 5.3% and Hispanics at 4.4% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). That’s not a villain; that’s a guy delivering for all of us.

  Making Peace, Not Drama

  Trump pulled off the Abraham Accords in 2020, getting Israel, UAE, and Bahrain to shake hands—huge for the Middle East (U.S. State Department, 2020). Democrats? They’re too busy pandering to pro-Palestinian activists to pull off something real like that.

  Speaking Our Truth

  Trump’s out there on X, calling out “cancel culture” and giving a voice to folks tired of being shut up. Millions feel him on that. Democrats, though, keep pushing censorship to keep their woke crowd happy (Pew Research Center, 2023).

  Democrats Are Hounding Trump with Bogus Legal Attacks

  They scream Trump’s a “threat to democracy,” pointing fingers at January 6, 2021 (House January 6 Committee, 2022). But come on—their legal attacks are straight-up political hits. In May 2024, Democrat DA Alvin Bragg nailed Trump with 34 felony counts over some hush-money deal with Stormy Daniels, making him the first ex-president convicted (New York Courts, 2024). Trump’s fighting it in appeals, calling it a setup (Trump Legal Defense Fund, 2025). No other ex-president’s been dragged like this—smells like a vendetta.

  Way back, Clinton’s 2016 campaign paid for the shady Steele dossier, and the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane tried to smear Trump with zero proof (Durham Report, 2023). Now they’re hitting him with four big cases since 2023—hush money, documents, election stuff, Georgia RICO. That’s not law; it’s a witch hunt (Federal Court Filings, 2025).

  The Media’s In on It, Pushing the Villain Lie

  The media’s been trashing Trump forever—90% of their stories in 2018 were negative, compared to 10% for Obama (Harvard Kennedy School, 2018). In 2024, it was still 85% bad vibes (Media Research Center, 2024). Democrats eat this up to sell their “Trump’s evil” story, ignoring how much we distrust their elite buddies. Trump skips the media noise with X, talking straight to us. Democrats? They’ve been cozy with biased press since the 1800s (AllSides Media Bias Chart, 2025).

  Democrats Have Always Been About Their Special Interest Crews

  Back in the Day, They Picked Fights

  Since the 1790s, Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans were all about farmers and Southern big shots, fighting the National Bank that kept the country’s economy steady (Wood, 2009). By the 1820s, Jackson’s Democrats were ride-or-die for slavery to keep Southern planters happy, even passing the 1836 Gag Rule to shut down anti-slavery talk—extreme and divisive (Wilentz, 2005; Library of Congress, 1836).

  After the Civil War, Same Old Story

  Post-war, Democrats propped up Southern racists to push Jim Crow, all for their regional cronies (Foner, 1988). Up North, they ran dirty city machines like Tammany Hall, handing out favors to immigrant voters (Riordon, 1905). In the 1900s, they jumped to unions, civil rights groups, then green and woke activists, leaving regular workers in the dust (Hacker & Pierson, 2010).

  2025: Still Screwing Us for Their Pals

  Today, they’re all in for immigration activists, letting 2.3 million migrants cross the border in 2024, wrecking towns (U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 2024). Their $370 billion Inflation Reduction Act (2022) throws cash at climate stuff for rich donors, while we’re stuck with 20% higher prices since 2021 (Congressional Budget Office, 2022; Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025). They cheered the 2020 riots, ignoring $2 billion in damage, just to keep their activist buddies happy (AXA Insurance, 2021).

  Slavery back then tore us apart; now it’s their woke and globalist obsessions. Trump? He’s fighting for all workers with “America First,” not just some elite clique (Trump Campaign, 2020).

  Democrats Are the Real Villains in 2025

  Messing Up Our Lives

  Biden and Harris have us drowning in 20% inflation since 2021—groceries and gas are killing us (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025). The border’s a disaster with 2.3 million crossings in 2024 (U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 2024). And don’t forget Afghanistan 2021—13 dead soldiers and allies left behind, all for some photo-op (Department of Defense, 2022). They care more about globalist pals than us.

  Two-Faced on “Democracy”

  They call Trump a danger but pushed student loan handouts, killed by courts in 2023, and COVID rules 60% of us hated (Gallup, 2022). They shrug off 2020 riots but lose it over January 6—total double standard (House January 6 Committee, 2022).

  Splitting Us Apart

  Clinton called us “deplorables” in 2016; Biden branded MAGA “semi-fascists” in 2022. In 2025, they’re still slamming us as “extremists” to hype up their woke base (White House Press Briefings, 2025). They’ve been trashing their enemies since the Federalists—just to keep their crews loyal.

  Let’s Get Real

  Trump’s policies put money in our pockets and peace on the table. He’s fighting a system rigged by elites. Democrats? They’re coming after him with lawsuits, lies, and media hit jobs because he’s in their way. Their special interest game—slavery in the 1800s, open borders, and woke nonsense now—has always screwed over regular Americans. It’s time we call out the real villains.

  Sources

  1. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2019 – GDP growth.

  2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020, 2025 – Unemployment, inflation.

  3. U.S. State Department, 2020 – Abraham Accords.

  4. Pew Research Center, 2023 – Content moderation.

  5. New York Courts, 2024 – Trump conviction.

  6. Trump Legal Defense Fund, 2025 – Appeals.

  7. Durham Report, 2023 – Steele dossier.

  8. Federal Court Filings, 2025 – Trump cases.

  9. House January 6 Committee, 2022 – January 6.

  10. Harvard Kennedy School, 2018 – Media bias.

  11. Media Research Center, 2024 – Election coverage.

  12. AllSides Media Bias Chart, 2025 – Media trends.

  13. Wood, G. S. (2009). Empire of Liberty. Oxford University Press – Early Republic.

  14. Wilentz, S. (2005). The Rise of American Democracy. W.W. Norton – Jackson era.

  15. Library of Congress, 1836 – Gag Rule.

  16. Foner, E. (1988). Reconstruction. Harper & Row – Jim Crow.

  17. Riordon, W. L. (1905). Plunkitt of Tammany Hall. McGraw-Hill – Urban machines.

  18. Hacker, J. S., & Pierson, P. (2010). Winner-Take-All Politics. Simon & Schuster – Interest groups.

  19. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 2024 – Border data.

  20. Congressional Budget Office, 2022 – Inflation Reduction Act.

  21. AXA Insurance, 2021 – Riot damages.

  22. Department of Defense, 2022 – Afghanistan.

  23. Gallup, 2022 – COVID mandates.

  24. White House Press Briefings, 2025 – Extremism rhetoric.

  25. Trump Campaign, 2020 – America First.

  

  June 22, 2025

  America First, border crisis, Democratic Party, Democrats, division, economy, history, inflation, legal battles, media bias, Politics, Republican Party, special interests, Trump, villain narrative

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