The Pentagon needs a babysitter, the billionaires want the oil, and voters are ruining everyone’s authoritarian fantasy.
Well, Kitties, welcome to Thursday, November 12, 2026, where the American political circus has apparently fired the ringmaster, sold the tent to a hedge fund, and handed the military budget to a man who needs a refresher course in cemetery etiquette.
Pete Hegseth is having quite the week. Democrats managed to miss a critical impeachment vote, a soldier reportedly had to remind his entourage how to behave at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and the entire spectacle has become another reminder that government accountability is apparently an extracurricular activity.
Meanwhile, politically connected oil traders are making moves in Venezuela, billionaires are circling valuable assets, and independent journalists are following the money. Democrats are celebrating historic election results while wealthy donors are already trying to influence what happens next. And federal immigration enforcement, transgender rights, Russian disinformation, and Ukraine’s defenses are all demanding attention.
In other words, the shit show is fully operational, management remains unavailable for comment, and the rest of us are expected to pretend this is normal.
Kitty’s Quote of the Day: “If incompetence were an Olympic sport, Washington would demand a taxpayer-funded podium and still miss the medal ceremony.”
Daily Shit Show Highlights
- Hegseth’s impeachment fight stalls: Eleven Democrats miss a crucial vote, helping Republicans send the resolution to committee.
- Arlington delivers an etiquette lesson: A soldier reportedly reprimands Hegseth’s group at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
- Venezuela’s oil attracts powerful friends: Investigations examine political connections, lucrative deals, and billionaire financial interests.
- Ilhan Omar’s former bodyguard faces federal scrutiny: Reporting raises questions about prosecutors’ efforts to obtain information concerning the congresswoman.
- Election results shake up the establishment: Scott Colom’s historic victory and broader Democratic gains challenge conventional political assumptions.
- Civil rights and accountability remain under attack: Independent journalists examine ICE, transgender healthcare, and extremist networks.
- The sleuths keep digging: Russian disinformation, political money, corporate influence, and military technology all land under the microscope.
Today’s News: The Circus Has Escaped Its Tent
Hegseth’s Impeachment Fight: Eleven Democrats Miss the Damn Vote
Eleven Democrats missed a procedural vote, helping Republicans send an impeachment resolution against Pete Hegseth to committee. Apparently, showing up for work is now an advanced congressional skill.
Hegseth Gets Schooled at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
A military sentinel reportedly reprimanded Hegseth’s group over talking and laughter at Arlington. Imagine being defense secretary and needing a soldier to explain respect at a military memorial.
The Hegseth Impeachment Fight Is Really About War
A Moveable Feed examines the bigger questions of war powers and military accountability. Because the issue isn’t just Hegseth’s behavior; it’s who gets to make life-and-death decisions without consequences.
Vance’s Oil Connections Raise Questions About Venezuela
Reuters investigates how a Vitol trader’s connections to JD Vance helped the company secure a valuable Venezuelan oil arrangement. Nothing says public service quite like politically connected business opportunities.
Paul Singer and the Billionaire Venezuela Sweepstakes
Fortune examines Paul Singer, Elliott Management, and the financial stakes surrounding Venezuela’s CITGO assets. Apparently, regime change comes with a complimentary billionaire investment prospectus.
Prosecutors Targeted Ilhan Omar’s Former Bodyguard
The New York Times reports on charges against Abdullahi Mohamed and allegations that prosecutors sought information about Omar. Political targeting claims deserve evidence-based scrutiny, not automatic conclusions.
Scott Colom’s Historic Mississippi Victory Shakes Up the South
Lincoln Square examines Colom’s historic Senate victory and what it means for Democratic organizing. Apparently, Mississippi voters didn’t get the memo about staying politically predictable.
The 2026 Election Just Rewrote the Political Playbook
Michael Popok examines the historic election results and their implications for Congress. Winning is wonderful, Kitties, but governing is where the receipts come due.
Bernie Sanders Has a Message for Democrats
The Nation interviews Sanders about the party’s direction and economic priorities. Apparently, voters care more about paying rent than another consultant-approved slogan about kitchen tables.
Is Ayanna Pressley Preparing Her Next Political Move?
Zeteo examines speculation about Pressley’s political future. No confirmed candidacy yet, but the debate over Democratic leadership is getting considerably more interesting.
Hedge-Fund Billionaire Helps Bankroll Democrats’ Future
Sludge investigates a billionaire AI investor’s financial support for a Democratic political conference. When hedge funds sponsor democracy’s future, somebody should probably read the fine print.
ICE Killing in Maine Raises Questions About Agent’s Background
Raw America investigates an ICE agent involved in a fatal shooting and reports concerns about his background. A federal badge shouldn’t be a substitute for independent accountability.
Senior Anti-Trans DOJ Official Leaves the Administration
Erin in the Morning reports on Brett Shumate’s departure from the Justice Department. Personnel changes don’t magically erase the policies officials helped defend.
Major Study Challenges the Political Panic Over Transition Regret
Erin in the Morning examines research finding that regret after gender transition is uncommon. Actual evidence is apparently still an unwelcome guest at the culture-war circus.
Neo-Nazi Accidentally Livestreams His Own Embarrassment
The Bulwark covers a far-right extremist’s reported accidental livestream mishap. Occasionally, the extremists handle their own public humiliation. Efficiency at last.
Ukraine’s Drone Hunters Face a Dangerous Satellite Restriction
Voice from Ukraine reports concerns that satellite speed restrictions are hampering Ukrainian drone interceptors. When civilians are under attack, communications reliability isn’t a customer-service inconvenience.
Hacked Messages Expose an Alleged Russian Disinformation Network
The Insider investigates correspondence attributed to John Mark Dougan and alleged Russian-linked propaganda coordination. Apparently, reality wasn’t inconvenient enough without an assembly line producing counterfeit versions.
Russia’s Ambassador to Washington Reportedly Dies
The Hill reports on the death of Russian Ambassador Alexander Darchiev. The circumstances require confirmation, so we’re sticking to what’s reported rather than auditioning for a spy thriller.
The Weirdest, Worstest Spy Scandal Gets Even Weirder
Lucian Truscott examines allegations involving Nvidia, Chinese intelligence connections, and advanced technology exports. Serious national-security questions deserve actual evidence, not guilt by association.
Forget Grocery Bills. Have You Seen Your Water Bill?
Erin Brockovich examines rising household water costs and the growing affordability crisis. Apparently, even basic survival now comes with premium pricing.
Final Kitty Thoughts
Well, Kitties, today’s shit show has everything: a defense secretary who needs a lesson in cemetery etiquette, lawmakers who couldn’t make it to an impeachment vote, oil traders with friends in high places, and billionaires apparently determined to turn every public institution into a private investment opportunity.
But underneath the circus are serious questions about accountability. Who gets access to government contracts? Who investigates misconduct by federal agents? Who protects civilians when military technology fails? Who gets heard when healthcare decisions become political weapons? And why does it so often take independent journalists to uncover what powerful institutions would rather leave buried?
The election results offer some evidence that voters aren’t simply accepting the establishment’s preferred script. But winning elections is only the beginning. The next test is whether elected officials show up, exercise oversight, protect civil rights, and deliver something more useful than another carefully worded statement of concern.
So keep following the money, supporting independent reporting, demanding evidence, and refusing to confuse political theater with actual governing. The people making these decisions are counting on public exhaustion. They’re hoping the next scandal will bury the last one before anyone has to answer for it.
Unfortunately for them, Kitty has a very long memory, a deeply unhealthy relationship with government documents, and absolutely no intention of shutting up.
Stay loud, stay informed, and keep those claws sharp.
Featured Resisters and Resources
- Patriotic Millionaires brings an unusual voice to the fight over economic inequality: wealthy Americans calling for higher taxes on people like themselves, better pay for working people, and a democracy less dependent on big donors. Its members include investors, business owners, executives, inheritors, filmmakers, and other people with wealth who use their public platforms to advocate for changes to the rules that helped concentrate it.
- Verified Voting Election Equipment and Audit Tools helps the public examine the voting equipment used locally and the audit or recount rules applying in each state.
What We Are Watching Today
- 9:00 AM EST
House Considering Bill Providing Full Retirement Pay for Veterans with Combat-Related Disabilities Live - 10:30 AM EST
Attorney General Todd Blanche & Other Officials Make Announcement on Illegal Drug Trafficking on the Dark Web - 10:30 AM EST
HHS Secy. Kennedy & VA Secy. Collins Announce New Investment in PTSD Research - 11:00 AM EST
Witnesses Testify on Religious Persecution of Christians in Nigeria - 11:00 AM EST
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries Holds News Briefing - 11:35 AM EST
First Lady Melania Trump & Second Lady Usha Vance Visit Military Families in Alabama - 12:00 PM EST
U.S. Senate - 4:30 PM EST
Democratic Leaders Speak at 2028 Strategy Conference
Today’s Call to Action
1. Read Today’s Resistance Survival Guides
2. Sign these Petitions and Send These Pre Written Letters
- Tell your representative and senators to pass the Billionaires Income Tax to end these billionaire tax privileges and make the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share.
- Veterans to Sec. Hegseth: End Cruel Animal Testing
- Tell USDA: Don’t Kick 6 Million People Off Food Aid
- America Was Built for Cars. Let’s Build for People.
- sign the petition telling bank executives to stop funding all AI IPOs and no AI bailouts
- Sign the petition: Congress needs to investigate Donald Trump’s weaponization of the federal government against his perceived political enemies.
- Tell Congress: No more blank checks for Trump’s Iran war
3. Attend an Event
- Nov. 13, 1 p.m. ET | What the Midterms Mean for Education and Workforce Policy | Jobs for the Future hosts a bipartisan discussion on YouTube Live. Jobs for the Future (JFF)
- Nov. 16, noon ET | The Midterms: What Went Right and What Went Wrong | Free election law webinar from the American Bar Association. americanbar.org
- Nov. 17–19, 7 p.m. ET each night | We Voted, Now How Do We Fix Our Rigged Political System? | Democracy Revival Center’s three-part training on electoral reform. Action Network
- Nov. 18 | Noncooperation 101 | Hands Off Our Vote lists a virtual training on civil resistance and protecting voting rights. Hands Off Our Vote
4. Contact Your Lawmakers Directly
- Demand Epstein accountability: “Hi, I’m [name], a constituent in [ZIP code]. I’m asking [Representative/Senator name] to demand a full accounting of withheld Epstein records, protect survivor privacy, and pursue public hearings on documented investigative failures. What specific action will your office take this week?”
- Protect access to health care: “Hi, I’m [name], a constituent in [ZIP code]. I’m asking [Representative/Senator name] to protect Medicaid and affordable health coverage, oppose cuts that leave people uninsured, and reduce prescription costs. Please tell me what legislation your office supports.”
- Defend congressional oversight: “Hi, I’m [name], a constituent in [ZIP code]. I want [Representative/Senator name] to defend Congress’s oversight authority, demand compliance with lawful subpoenas, and investigate documented abuses of federal power. Please prioritize public hearings and meaningful protections for whistleblowers.”
5. Who Are We Boycotting This Week?
- Tesla: Skip new Tesla purchases and leases.
- Amazon: Skip Amazon orders and Prime renewals and shop independently.
- Meta: Stop buying Facebook and Instagram ads and cancel paid subscriptions.
- Trump branded businesses: Avoid Trump hotels, golf resorts and merchandise.
- Fox News: Cancel Fox Nation subscriptions and contact the network’s advertisers.
