Monday morning news: December 8, 2025

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Drug boat debate » Republicans and Democrats are clashing on Capitol Hill over a military strike in the Caribbean.

Members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees saw video footage last week of a follow-up strike that took out two survivors of an operation against a boat identified as a cartel drug-running vessel.

Congressman Jim Himes is the top Democrat on the House Intel panel. He told CBS’ Face the Nation:

HIMES:  I think it's really important that people see what it looks like when the full force of the United States military is turned on two guys who are clinging to a piece of wood and about to go under.

But the Republican Chairman of the Senate Intel Committee, Tom Cotton, says that’s not what happened. He says the men were on top of the capsized vessel, not clinging to a floating plank.

COTTON: They were not incapacitated in any way. It was entirely appropriate to strike the boat again to make sure that it was cargo was destroyed. It is in no way violation of the law of war.

Other Democrats called the follow-up strike “morally repugnant.”

But most Republicans say the strikes rightly targeted narcoterrorists trafficking cargo that could have killed thousands of Americans.

Healthcare debate » Obamacare subsidies are set to expire this month, and lawmakers are strung between extending them or taking up a new healthcare strategy backed by the White House.

Extending those subsidies was the Democrats’ key demand during the recent government shutdown. Democratic Congressman Jared Moskowitz:

MOSKOWITZ: This is just a lack of will. I mean, the Republicans frankly have not had a healthcare plan since 2010 when we passed Obamacare. And so, you know what's been taking them so long? The plan is still in the concept.

The GOP Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Bill Cassidy, fired back:

CASSIDY:  I think the White House and Republicans are very much in favor of Americans having affordable health insurance. They want Americans to have access, and the President's given pretty clear guidelines. He wants money to go to patients and not to insurance companies.

If the subsidies are not extended, or a new measure is not put in place, millions of could see a spike in premium costs.

Some Republicans say they back a temporary extension of the subsidies to allow more time to find a better solution.

Holiday shopping, economy » With the holiday season here, many continue shopping with economic concerns looming.

Democrats say Trump’s policies are to blame, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claims the Biden administration created the current challenges.

But he says the economy is on the right track.

BESSENT: The economy's been better than we thought. We've had the, uh, four, 4% GDP growth in a couple of quarters. We're going to finish the year despite the Schumer shutdown with 3% real GDP growth.

Recent consumer and economic data has been mixed.

Consumers reportedly spent a record $11.8-billion dollars online for Black Friday, an increase of 9.1-percent from 20-24 according to Adobe Analytics.

But a Dec 3rd report showed private employers cut 32,000 jobs, defying expectations of job growth.

A 76-percent of surveyed voters view the economy negatively according to a November Fox News poll.

Netanyahu says Israel, Hamas moving toward phase-2 » Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel and Hamas are nearing the completion of Phase One of their ceasefire agreement and will likely move on soon to the next step.

NETANYAHU:  We have one more hostage, deceased, Ran Gvili, a hero of Israel, to return here. And then we very shortly expect to move into the second phase, which is more difficult.

Netanyahu heard there speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Jerusalem.

The ceasefire's second phase involves disarming Hamas terrorists and demilitarizing Gaza. It also includes deploying an international force to secure Gaza and forming a temporary Palestinian government.

Merz said Germany will help implement the second phase by sending officers and diplomats to a U.S.-led civilian and military coordination center in Israel.

MUSIC: [Superman theme]

Netflix Warner Bros » Superman is just one of numerous storied properties that may soon have a new owner if a sale of Warner Bros goes through.

MUSIC: [Netflix tone]

But Netflix is facing plenty of resistance from Hollywood unions, major filmmakers, and others. They warn the merger would give the streaming giant too much control over content and jobs, and that it could shrink opportunities for creators and theatrical releases. They’re urging federal regulators to halt the sale.

Netflix argues the merger would preserve big-budget storytelling and deliver more films and series to audiences by combining its global reach with Warner’s deep library.

Netflix is offering about $83 billion dollars for Warner’s film and TV assets, including HBO and the DC comics universe.

That tops rival bids from Comcast and Skydance/Paramount.

I'm Kristen Flavin.

Straight ahead: Legal Docket. Plus, how A Charlie Brown Christmas came to be. 

This is The World and Everything in It.

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