November Was a Mess. Washington Wants You to Forget That. We Won’t.
November was supposed to be the month when Congress returned to governing. Instead, the nation lived through an unnecessarily long government shutdown—one that both parties immediately weaponized.
Democrats publicly blamed Republicans for the closure, but the truth is more complicated. Every time a vote came to reopen the government at current spending levels, Democrats filibustered it. Republicans weren’t unified either, but the claim that one party single-handedly caused the shutdown was political fiction.
This was Washington at its absolute worst: performative outrage, press-release warfare, and millions of Americans used as collateral damage.
For centrists, November was a reminder that nobody in power deserves blind loyalty.
The Epstein Document Vote: Nearly Unanimous… and Suddenly Politically Radioactive
Almost immediately after the shutdown ended, Congress did something rare—they voted nearly unanimously to release the Epstein documents. Within days, that unity evaporated as the political implications became clear.
Republicans, who had long used Epstein as a campaign rallying cry, suddenly grew nervous. Donald Trump, who repeatedly promised he would “drain the swamp” and release Epstein’s client list, pivoted and began calling the case a “non-issue.”
That’s not a red flag…
That’s a five-alarm fire.
Most Americans are focused on the sex-trafficking portion of Epstein’s operation—and while those crimes are horrific and deserve full prosecution—we would be naive to think that’s all there is.
The rest of the iceberg likely includes:
- Financial crimes
- Money laundering networks
- Foreign intelligence involvement
- Connections to major corporations and global institutions
- Political actors in both parties
- Activities stretching back to the Iran-Contra era
Epstein wasn’t just trafficking victims.
He was trafficking money, influence, and secrets.
As centrists, we want the swamp drained—but the real swamp, not the selective version politicians use when convenient.
If Trump (or anyone else) had any involvement—whether sexual, financial, or operational—they should face full accountability. No exceptions. No cult-like loyalty. No political cherry-picking.
Transparency means transparency for everyone.
Meanwhile… The Administration Suddenly Wants to Blow Up Drug Boats Near Venezuela?
Almost on cue, the Trump administration rolled out a new, aggressive anti-drug operation targeting speedboats off the Venezuelan coast—authorizing lethal force that amounts to blowing traffickers out of the water rather than capturing them.
This raises obvious questions:
- Why sudden escalation?
- Why lethal force instead of seizure and evidence-gathering?
- Why now, right after the Epstein document vote?
And the biggest question:
Are we using drug interdiction as a political distraction?
History doesn’t grant the U.S. the benefit of the doubt here.
Yes, the U.S. has engaged in regime-change or heavy political interference in many countries.
You asked whether your list was accurate. Here’s the corrected version:
Countries where U.S. involvement has been documented or strongly evidenced:
- Iran (1953) – CIA-backed coup (confirmed)
- Guatemala (1954) – U.S.-supported coup (confirmed)
- Cuba (1960s–present) – multiple covert actions
- Chile (1973) – U.S. support leading up to Pinochet takeover
- Nicaragua (1980s) – funding the Contras (Iran-Contra)
- Panama (1989) – U.S. invasion to remove Noriega
- Iraq (2003) – full-scale regime change
- Afghanistan (2001) – overthrow of Taliban government
- Libya (2011) – U.S./NATO intervention leading to Gaddafi’s fall
- Egypt (2013) – indirect support during post-Arab Spring shifts
- Ukraine (various) – political influence but not an engineered coup
- Honduras (2009) – U.S. tacit approval after the coup
- Venezuela (multiple attempts) – U.S. pressure campaigns
So yes—you’re right.
Our track record on regime change is… not great.
That’s why this sudden escalation near Venezuela smells off.
This is how “distractions” look at the geopolitical level.
Looking Ahead to December: Brace for a Fight on Health Care, Jobs, and Transparency
1. A Health Care Deadline That Could Explode Into Another Shutdown
Congress must negotiate new health care funding and insurance reforms—fast.
This will be a brutal partisan battle, and both sides are preparing to weaponize it:
- Democrats want to expand subsidies and preserve ACA structures.
- Republicans want market reforms, price transparency, and cutbacks on mandates.
With November’s chaos fresh in everyone’s minds, December could devolve into Shutdown 2.0.
2. The Quiet Job Market Crisis Nobody in Washington Wants to Admit
For months, the administration has quietly revised key jobs numbers downward—long after the original reports made headlines.
This is not normal.
Here’s the reality:
- Hiring freezes are spreading across white-collar sectors
(marketing, software development, project management, finance). - AI adoption is accelerating faster than anyone anticipated.
- Companies are cutting mid-management layers aggressively.
- Layoff announcements are timed strategically to avoid political blowback.
A recession isn’t guaranteed, but a white-collar recession is already forming.
3. AI as a Structural Job Disruptor
AI isn’t just eliminating repetitive work—it’s compressing entire departments.
- One marketer can now handle what used to be a team of eight.
- Developers are expected to deliver twice the output using AI tools.
- Project management roles are being absorbed by automated systems.
- Corporate hierarchies are thinning dramatically.
This will define Winter 2025–26.
4. December’s Wild Card: Epstein Fallout
When the documents drop—and they will—December could become one of the most politically explosive months in modern U.S. history.
No party is prepared.
No institution is prepared.
And no political figure should be treated as immune.
Other December Topics Worth a Centrist Lens
- Continued border policy battles
Both sides weaponize the border while quietly agreeing on more surveillance tech. - Holiday economic squeeze
Credit card delinquencies are rising, and consumer savings are at multi-year lows. - Escalation risks overseas
Venezuela, Gaza, and the South China Sea all carry December flashpoints. - AI regulation talks
Europe is passing laws faster than the U.S.; this could impact global tech markets.
A Final Centrist Word: No More Heroes. Only Truth.
November showed us what happens when political identities become team jerseys:
- Democrats lied about the shutdown.
- Republicans are backpedaling on Epstein transparency.
- The administration is escalating military actions at suspiciously convenient moments.
- The American people are stuck in the middle of a tug-of-war built on half-truths.
December is our chance to demand something different:
Full transparency. Full accountability. No sacred cows. No selective outrage.
This is where Centrists stand:
Not with Trump. Not with Biden.
Not with the left. Not with the right.
But with the truth—wherever it leads and whoever it implicates.
