Happy Wednesday and welcome to today’s edition of Common Sense with Ally Sammarco—your daily briefing on politics throughout the world. Let’s break it down.
Four Republicans turn on Speaker Johnson….A bipartisan revolt in the House has cleared a key procedural hurdle to force a vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire Dec. 31. Four Republicans joined all Democrats in backing a discharge petition led by Hakeem Jeffries, hitting the 218 signatures needed to bypass GOP leadership. If the subsidies lapse, premiums are expected to double on average for about 22 million Americans. While the move exposes Speaker Mike Johnson’s tenuous control of a razor-thin House majority, the extension still faces delays and stiff opposition in the Senate—making higher health care costs increasingly likely in the new year.
Common Sense takeaway: This is an embarrassment for Mike Johnson. He shut down Congress for six weeks to stop the extension of ACA subsidies, only for four rational Republicans to say “enough is enough.” The truth is that Republicans don’t have a viable alternative and not doing anything will raise the cost of healthcare substantially for millions. These four House Republicans see the writing on the wall now—and in November.
59 Charges Filed in Bondi Beach Terror Attack as Funerals Begin…Australian authorities have charged the surviving suspect in the Bondi Beach shooting with 59 offenses, including terrorism and 15 counts of murder, calling the attack an ISIS-inspired antisemitic massacre targeting a Hanukkah celebration. The gunman, who awoke from a coma before being charged, is accused of carrying out the attack with his father, who was killed by police at the scene. As funerals for the victims began under heavy security near Bondi Beach, investigators continued probing alleged extremist ties, including recent travel to the Philippines. Anthony Albanese praised civilians who tried to stop the attackers, while the tragedy reignited scrutiny of gun licensing and the government’s response to rising antisemitic violence.
Common Sense takeaway: Just horrific—and unfortunately reminiscent of a typical day in America. If only American politicians could come together to pass gun reform laws like most other civilized nations do. Praying for all the victims of the this horrible attack.
Trump Orders Oil Tanker Blockade, Escalating Standoff With Venezuela….Donald Trump escalated tensions with Venezuela by ordering what he called a “total and complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the country, claiming the Maduro government uses oil revenue to finance drug trafficking and terrorism. Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, blasted the move as illegal under international law and said the government will take the issue to the United Nations. The announcement follows recent U.S. seizures of oil tankers near Venezuela and signals a broader escalation, as Trump also warned that U.S. military operations against alleged narco-traffickers could soon expand onto land—raising alarms among Democrats over civilian deaths and the risk of a wider conflict.
Common Sense takeaway: Trump only has one goal: stop Maduro. None of this is about the safety of Venezuela or of the United States, and he is dragging us into a proxy war that most Americans don’t want to be a part of. If only he spent half as much time solving real problems….like healthcare or unemployment.
Smith Testifies Trump Led Criminal Effort to Subvert 2020 Election….Former special counsel Jack Smith told the House Judiciary Committee that his team found “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that Donald Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 election and repeatedly tried to obstruct justice to conceal classified documents stored at Mar-a-Lago. In closed-door testimony subpoenaed by Jim Jordan, Smith said Trump knowingly spread false election claims, pressured members of Congress after January 6, and inspired violence as part of that effort. While the cases were later dismissed after Trump’s reelection, Smith emphasized that the evidence was overwhelming and that the decision to charge rested solely on Trump’s actions—not politics.
Common Sense takeaway: *Pretends to be shocked* It’s ridiculous that they dragged Jack Smith up to Capitol Hill for this hearing. Jim Jordan continues to accuse Smith of running a “partisan and politically motivated” probe of Trump and conducting “abusive surveillance” of lawmakers. Ridiculous but hey, it’s not like Donald Trump and Pam Bondi are openly colluding on targeting political enemies, right? Oh, wait.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Check back tomorrow for more.