Barbarians at the gate - How America mortgaged its future on the altar of MAGA

CC™ Editor’s Review

By Editor-in-Chief

The administration of Donald J. Trump has predicated its policies on ‘cleaning the swamp’. 

Here are the facts:

1) 8 of Trump’s cabinet picks donated almost half-a-billion dollars to his (Trump’s) re-election campaign. While the influence of large campaign donors on policy making is a recurring concern across administrations, the scale of these donations with regard to the incoming Trump administration, raises valid concerns about cronyism and how these relationships might shape policymaking. 

2) Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

The establishment of the DOGE with figures like Elon Musk (and Vivek Ramaswamy at the onset), underscores broader concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Tesla’s historical receipt of government funds to innovate in clean energy contrasts with any policy that undermines competitors like Rivian. Canceling Biden-era funding for Rivian, as Ramaswamy had intimated, could:

•Stifle competition in the EV market, undermining innovation.

•Harm Georgia’s economy if the promised 8,000 jobs fail to materialize.

•Reinforce perceptions of favoritism, potentially benefiting Tesla.

3) Regulation Rollbacks

A loosening of regulatory oversight, particularly in critical sectors like healthcare and aviation, could indeed have far-reaching consequences. Historical examples suggest that deregulation:

•May increase corporate profits but often at the expense of public safety or service quality.

•Risks weakening consumer protections, as seen in sectors like banking and energy following similar moves in the past.

4)  Broader Implications

My concern (and that of many well-meaning folks) is about how concentrated wealth and political influence can blur the lines between public service and personal gain. While Trump’s policies have long championed deregulation as a driver of economic growth, the balance between efficiency and accountability will ultimately define public perception of his governance.

Policy Implications for the EV Industry as a result of the possible actions of DOGE and the impact of deregulation, using the Healthcare and Aviation industries as test cases:

Policy Implications for the EV Industry

The competition between Tesla and newer players like Rivian is central to understanding the potential effects of DOGE’s decisions. Here are the key points:

1. Market Competition and Innovation

•Favoritism Risks: If Rivian loses the $6 billion promised by the Biden administration while Tesla continues benefiting from previous subsidies, the playing field could tilt significantly in Tesla’s favor. This reduces competition, which is vital for innovation and cost reduction in the EV market.

•Job Loss and Economic Impact: The proposed Rivian factory in Georgia would generate around 8,000 jobs, directly boosting the local economy. Its cancellation could harm not only the state’s workforce but also U.S. efforts to expand domestic EV manufacturing capacity.

2. Global Leadership in EVs

•Policies favoring one company over others may hinder the U.S.’s ability to compete globally, especially with countries like China, which dominates the EV supply chain and production. A diverse domestic EV ecosystem is critical to achieving energy independence and global competitiveness.

3. Public Perception and Policy Credibility

•Rolling back Rivian’s funding while Tesla remains dominant could spark accusations of bias or corruption, undermining public trust in government energy policies.

Impact of Deregulation

Deregulation in sectors like healthcare and aviation often has mixed results, with both short-term gains for businesses and long-term risks for consumers and workers.

1. Healthcare

•Impact on Safety Standards: Deregulation could loosen controls on drug approvals, hospital standards, and medical device quality. While this might accelerate innovation and reduce costs for companies, it risks patient safety if oversight is weakened.

•Access and Affordability: If deregulation leads to the consolidation of insurance companies or healthcare providers, patients may face fewer options and higher prices in the long run.

2. Aviation

•Safety Concerns: The aviation industry is highly regulated to ensure passenger safety. Reduced oversight could increase the risk of accidents or mechanical failures, as was seen in the aftermath of deregulation in the 1980s. We have already seen that with the tragic air mishaps in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. 

•Cost vs. Quality Trade-offs: While deregulation might lower ticket prices, it often comes at the cost of service quality (e.g., reduced legroom, increased fees, or overbooked flights).

With no guard rails in place for the incoming Trump administration, balancing efficiency and oversight will be a tall order as Trump will not be favorably disposed to the concept of independent watchdogs. 

Furthermore, policies that support fair competition, especially in the EV industry, through the encouragement of a diverse marketplace that engenders innovation across multiple players, will be abandoned for archaic and authoritarian policies that promote favoritism and stifle competition.

The basic premise for the creation of DOGE was to promote  transparency around funding and policy decisions. It was supposed to help rebuild trust and reduce perceptions of corruption.

Under Trump, with Musk as the main anchor, realizing that aforementioned noble premise will be at best, an illusion. 

America and Americans are in for a long and painful ride. 

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CC™ Investigative: The Northern "usual suspects" behind Boko Haram as Nigerians search for answers to the violent insurgency

CC™ Investigative

By Tayo Busari

When then National Security Adviser, late Rtd. General Andrew Owoye Azazi  blamed the rise of insurgence by the fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram in the country on the internal wranglings of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties, he naturally made many in the corridors of power uncomfortable, at the time.

Not surprisingly and rather mysteriously, he was "killed" when his helicopter exploded over the skies of Bayelsa State after having been let-go by then President Goodluck Jonathan.

The late General Azazi (shown below) was obviously privy to information regarding the real details behind Boko Haram. His position as the National Security Adviser at the time, put him at the head of that information. If anyone were to be in the know regarding the real truth behind the upsurge in the Islamic sect's violent insurgence, it had to be someone like Azazi as the nations top security head.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan had on several occasions admitted that they knew who was behind Boko Haram, and these were top level officials, mostly of Northern extraction.

Gen. Azazi explicitly declared to his audience, who was behind the unrest. He narrowed it down to the result of ‘unconstitutional’ PDP convention regulations, which determined who could run for President vs who could not run.

He went on further:

"The extent of violence did not increase in Nigeria until there was a declaration by the current president that he was going to contest. PDP got it wrong from the beginning, from the on-set by saying Mr A can rule, Mr A cannot rule, Mr B can rule, Mr B cannot rule, according to PDP’s convention, rules and regulation and not according to the constitution {applause} and that created the climate for what has manifest itself, this way. I believe that there is some element of politicization. is it possible that somebody was thinking that only Mr. A could win, and if he did not win, there will be problems in this society. Let’s examine all these issues to see whether the level of violence in the North East just escalated because Boko Haram suddenly became better trained, better equipped and better funded, and in any case how did they get it all done…{warning of Boko Haram becoming snipers – who could potentially target elite}
But, then I must also be quick to point out that today, even if all the leaders that we know in Boko Haram are arrested, I don’t think the problem would end, because there are tentacles. I don’t think that people would be satisfied, because the situations that created the problems are not just about the religion, poverty or the desire to rule Nigeria. I think it’s a combination of everything. Except you address all those things comprehensively, it would not work."

Intelligence sources have informed CC™ that although former President Jonathan knew (and still knows) exactly who the sponsors of Boko Haram are, he lacked the courage and political will to bring them to task as the "usual suspects" were actually aligned with Jonathan on ensuring that he got re-elected in the 2015 elections as long as he (Jonathan) "played ball".

One name did however stand out of the three "usual suspects" CC™ was able to gather credible information about. It was that of then Minister of Defense, Rtd. General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau. 

Gusau was always an ambitious man and those who know him very well not only say he is very "loyal", but they also pointed to a rather glaring trail in his professional dossier - he (Gusau) had always been in the "thick of the action" in just about every administration in Nigeria, from Babangida (a serial coup plotter himself) to Jonathan.

However, one thing always stood out, more-so in the administration of Nigerian Christian leaders from the South, namely Obasanjo and Jonathan; there was always insecurity of a religious nature that he (Gusau) although placed in charge of managing, had seemingly always found a way to allow spiral out of control. 

Gusau's history with Boko Haram is a rather interesting one. According to  TheNationOnline, 01/01/2012, "hardline allies of Jonathan’s went further, suggesting that northern rivals within the PDP – such as Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Aliyu Mohammed Gusau – have covert ties to Boko Haram." Ironically, Jonathan however continued to have the ear and vice-versa of Ibrahim Babangida and Aliyu Gusau.

Earlier as the NSA under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Gusau had told Obasanjo that "there was no evidence of such a group as Boko Haram in 2006 although there had been evidence to the contrary as far back as 2005. 

Here is an excerpt:

PMNews, September 14, 2011: Sources, however, indicated that the Azazi’s predecessor as NSA cannot be absolved of blame. It was gathered that the the issue of al-Qaeda affiliated cells in the North-East part of the country was pointed out to former President Olusegun Obasanjo as far back as 2006. It was noted for instance that Boko Haram, termed the “Nigerian Taliban”, had been operating in the clear since 2005 when General Aliyu Gusau (rtd.) was NSA. The former president was said to have in turn asked Gusau to investigate the issue. But Gusau, according to reports, told Obasanjo that no such group existed in the country.It was gathered that the same issue of Taliban presence in Nigeria was raised with the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in July 2007. “Goodluck Jonathan became President of Nigeria upon the death of Umaru Yar’Adua in May 2010. Former NSA Aliyu Mohammed Gusau was once again made National Security Adviser. Gusau could not possibly have missed the threat of Boko Haram. If his security operatives failed to raise the matter in their reports then the public statements released by Boko Haram and printed verbatim in Nigeria’s national newspapers should have raised questions from the NSA, if not alarm,” said Steven Davis, a public commentator. “The handling of the Boko Haram matter while Gusau was NSA resulted in a dramatic escalation in the conflict to the stage that it threatened the nation’s security,” he added.

Many media articles accused Aliyu Mohammed Gusau et al of being the terror mastermind(s) behind Boko Haram. 

An arms cache at the time in Kano with Hezbollah agents was linked to him and according to sources, he was under investigation with the result once again swept under the rug. 

It was under Gusau as NSA that Boko Haram acquired all their weapons and reigned terror. Gusau did nothing to check these terrorists. He even, according to Steven Davis as reported in PM News on Sept. 14, 2011, protected Boko Haram by telling then President Obasanjo that the group did not exist. 

This, despite series of attacks by the group. Gusau did not make any security report on the group, then called “Nigerian Taliban,” the paper alleges and Gusau even ordered the release of captured terrorists on the request of some Northern leaders, namely the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar III, a former security detail of former dictator, Rtd. General Ibrahim Babangida. 

This is not surprising as Sultan Abubakar is on record as having condemned the crackdown on Boko Haram.

In his capacity as NSA (three times to be precise) in Nigeria’s history, Gusau failed woefully and invariably assisted Boko Haram in becoming the menace they now are, with hundreds of thousands of deaths to their credit to date.

It remains puzzling that Jonathan appointed a man who actually retired as NSA to contest for the Nigerian Presidency against him (Jonathan), as Defense Minister when everything pointed to the fact that Gusau, in addition to being grossly inept (as his record had shown), had a history of being "soft" in his response to Islamic militant insurgencies in the past and was therefore not the logical answer to ensuring the outright defeat of Boko Haram.

Gusau and his Northern mischief makers, who are nothing short of avaricious predators, are now witnessing the proverbial chicken coming home to roost, with the recent trend of events.

The fact remains that Northern feudalism and its staunch protagonists remain the secret hands behind Boko Haram, the Fulani Herdsmen terrorists and all Islamic fundamentalist movements. Former President Buhari, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and Nasir El-Rufai, just to name a few, were the most recent ‘incumbent’ facilitators of these violent and murderous terrorists. That is a fact!

Asking the thief to watch the house was essentially what Nigerians were doing, by expecting the Buhari administration to safeguard the lives and property of Nigerians.

The soft response (born out of parochial mischief) of the Buhari administration to the menace of the Fulani and Islamic terrorists, while at the same time engaging in extra-judicial killings of IPOB members in the South-East of Nigeria, was evidence of a clandestine acquiescence to the activities of the Northern terrorists by the Buhari government.

Tinubu swings into action, orders manhunt for killers of presumed travelling northern hunters in Edo State

CC™ PersPective

By Ireti Adepoju

Nigeria’s leader, President Bola Tinubu has strongly denounced the killing of traveling hunters reportedly intercepted by local vigilantes in the Uromi community of Esan North Local Government, Edo State. 

Expressing deep shock at the heinous incident, the President issued a directive on Thursday for the Police and other security agencies to promptly conduct thorough investigations and ensure that those responsible face appropriate consequences.

In a statement released by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and assured them that perpetrators would not escape justice for their actions.

Emphasizing that vigilante justice has no place in Nigeria, the President affirmed every Nigerian's right to move freely across the nation without fear. 

Additionally, Tinubu praised the quick response of Edo State governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and the community leaders in Uromi for their efforts in preventing further escalation of the situation.

Observers have however commented on the hypocrisy of the president’s timely response, given the propensity of the federal government to drag its feet, if the same atrocity had been committed against Christians and Southern Nigerians, as has been the case for close to two decades now. 

#JusticeForAllNigerians #PoliticalDoubleStandard #NigeriaSecurity  

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South Africa Used Ineligible Player In World Cup Qualifier Against Lesotho

CC™ PersPective

South Africa, currently leading Group C in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Africa qualifiers, faces potential consequences for fielding an ineligible player in their recent 2-0 victory against Lesotho last Friday.

The South African midfielder in question, Teboho Mokoena, had accumulated two yellow cards in prior matches, which disqualified him from participating in the game against Lesotho.

Mokoena received his first yellow card during a 2-1 home win against the Benin Republic in November 2023 and was cautioned again in a 3-1 victory over Zimbabwe in June 2024.

Despite this, he was included in the starting lineup against Lesotho, where he played 82 minutes before being substituted for Thalente Mbatha.

FIFA’s qualifying regulations stipulate that a player who accumulates two yellow cards is ineligible to compete in subsequent matches.

According to FIFA guidelines, players or team officials must automatically be suspended after receiving two cautions either in one match or across different matches in the competition.

There is an opportunity for Nigeria or Lesotho—who currently trail South Africa by four points in the group—to formally protest this situation. However, any protest needs to be submitted promptly.

FIFA states that concerns regarding player eligibility must be presented in writing to the FIFA Match Commissioner within two hours of the match, followed by a full report within 24 hours to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. If the deadline is not met, the protest may be disregarded.

If the protest is successful, Lesotho could be awarded three points, bringing their total to eight. This outcome could significantly alter the standings, allowing Nigeria to possibly overtake South Africa, depending on the results of upcoming matches.

As it stands, South Africa leads the group with 10 points, followed closely by the Benin Republic with eight points, Rwanda with seven points, and Nigeria in fourth place with six points after five matches. Looking ahead, South Africa’s upcoming match against the Benin Republic will be crucial in determining their position in this competitive group.

Tesla’s EU sales fall 49% in first two months of 2025

CC™ PersPective

By Global NewsDesk

European sales of Tesla electric cars dropped 49 percent in January-February compared with the same period a year earlier, the ACEA manufacturers’ association said Tuesday.

Aging models are one factor behind the plunge so far this year, but e-vehicle clients may also be refusing to buy in protest of Tesla’s billionaire owner Elon Musk since he became a key supporter of US President Donald Trump.

Musk has been leading a vocal and divisive cost-cutting drive at the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Several Tesla dealerships around the United States have been vandalised in recent weeks and the company’s stock price has plummeted over the past month.

New Tesla registrations in the European Union fell to 19,046 in the first two months of the year, giving the company a market share of just 1.1 percent, the ACEA said.

In February alone, Tesla registrations were down 47 percent at 11,743.

The sales drop came even as overall electric vehicle sales jumped 28.4 percent over the first two months of this year to 255,489 — for an EU market share of 15.2 percent.

But for ACEA director general Sigrid de Vries, “The latest new car registration figures confirm that market demand for battery electric vehicles remains below the level needed for the transition to zero-emission mobility to progress.”

She cited a need for tax and purchasing incentives for clients and investments in recharging stations, at a time when the EU is preparing to ease emission reduction targets for struggling European automakers.

Hybrid-electric vehicles continued to be the biggest market segment in the first two months of the year, rising to 594,059 registrations — for a 35.2 percent market share.

That outpaced both petrol and diesel models, with market shares of 29.1 percent and 9.7 percent in February.

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South Korea Court reinstates impeached PM Han Duck-soo as Acting President

CC™ PersPective

By Global NewsDesk

South Korea’s Constitutional Court dismissed the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Monday, reinstating him as acting president — a role he took after the president was suspended for declaring martial law.

The court ruling is the latest development in South Korea’s complex and sprawling political crisis, which President Yoon Suk Yeol started with a short-lived attempt to subvert civilian rule in December.

Lawmakers defied armed soldiers at parliament to vote down Yoon’s December 3 martial law declaration and impeached him soon after, with Han stepping in as acting president.

But he was himself impeached by lawmakers just weeks later over his purported involvement in the martial law debacle, plus a dispute over judicial appointments.

“The Constitutional Court has rendered a decision to reject the impeachment trial request against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo,” the court said Monday in a statement.

The court ruled five-to-one against Han’s impeachment, with two judges arguing the case should not have made it to court as lawmakers did not have a super majority to impeach him in the first place.

Han’s actions while in office “cannot be seen as constituting a betrayal of the people’s trust indirectly granted through the President” the court ruled.

The decision is effective immediately and cannot be appealed.

Han, who immediately resumed the acting presidency Monday, thanked the Constitutional Court for its “wise decision”.

“I believe that all citizens are clearly speaking out against the highly polarised political sphere. I think there is no place for division now. Our country’s priority is to move forward,” he added.

The court’s decision was closely watched as it comes ahead of a highly anticipated ruling on suspended President Yoon’s impeachment, the date of which has not yet been announced.

Despite experts predicting a verdict on that case by mid-March, the Constitutional Court has yet to rule, making Yoon’s case the longest deliberation in its history.

The leader of the opposition, Lee Jae-myung, said the verdict on Han should not be “disrespected” but urged the Constitutional Court to move more swiftly on Yoon’s case.

“The entire nation is losing sleep over Yoon Suk Yeol’s illegal military coup,” he said, adding it was “hard to fathom why the Constitutional Court continues to postpone the ruling date.”

“Every day, every hour, every minute, every second, the international trust in the Republic of Korea is being broken, the economic damage is mounting,” he added.

If Yoon’s impeachment is upheld, South Korea must hold fresh elections within 60 days of the verdict.

Monday’s ruling “does not have a direct legal correlation with the pending decision on Yoon’s impeachment,” Yoo Jung-hoon, attorney and political commentator stressed to reporters. 

“The judges did not deliberate on the legality of martial law but rather on Han’s involvement in the case,” he said.

Yoon was suspended by parliament in December.

He was arrested in January in a dawn raid in connection to a separate criminal investigation on insurrection charges, which are not covered by presidential immunity.

Yoon is the first sitting South Korean president to stand trial in a criminal case.

He was released from detention in early March on procedural grounds, a move that has appeared to invigorate his supporters.

Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans took to the streets over the weekend, as rallies for and against Yoon intensified ahead of the court verdict.

Lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party told reporters at the National Assembly that Han’s reinstatement was welcome.

The opposition who impeached him should “apologize to the people for paralyzing state affairs for 87 days with a hasty impeachment bid,” which was done for political purposes, Kweon added.

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