Yesterday, SCOTUS dropped its decision that tariffs are illegal and must be refunded (don’t get excited – the refunds will go to whatever importers paid them first, and anything past that depends on good will.) The decision was 6-3, with Roberts, Gorsuch, and Barrett joining the liberals. Also, I watched a Substack video with Mary Trump, Joyce, and Katie Phang, which they began by sharing their coffee cups. Mary Trump was using one from her merch – on one side it says “Mary Trump Media” and on the other “Where Fake News Goes To Die.” I had to smile. And yes, all three takes today are from CPR. First time I’ve ever seen it quite so hot.
This was reported by Colorado Public Radio, although the lawsuit is significant everywhere and the trial is happening in California, because a mother in Colorado is one of the plaintiffs
This one was reported by CPR because it’s very Colorado. I’ve been hoping for this for a while now.
This story, both Colorado and national, is longer than it looks at first. It isn’t over until you get to “Related coverage.”
Yesterday, I added a comment to yesterday’s open thread because by now it’s already late to register for Saturday. There’s still time for Sunday as this goes up. I was drowning in emails and was full when saw the one from Axios that said “Iran’s exiled crown prince implores Trump to strike regime.” Royals may stick together, but since he’s not a real royal (and never will be – a dictator maybe, a royal never), who knows what he’ll do. Also, a little more snow melted in the back yard. The Conversation newsletter had a story about a drunken raccoon.
I could not agree more with Mary Trump if I tried with both hands for a week. Spending $30 billion on ICE is like spending $30 Billion to till every veterans’ cemetery in the US – it’s not just a waste, it’s a violent attack on something which once made us great. And, no, veterans are not perfect, and neither are immigrants. But we certainly don’t become great by trashing either. We now live in the Incredible Shrinking USA.
Asha Rangappa analyzes seven critical actions by the shooter of Renee Good which reveal whether or not he was in fact in fear for his life or those of his colleagues. This analysis so impressed Harry Litman (of Talking Feds) that he made a Substack video with her to go through it. It’s 33 minutes, so I won’t link to it, but if you read this article, there’s a link on the home page.
This has been a bastard of a week, which made it possible to fill multiple Open Threads in advance – but also had me hoping some short takes – like this one from Common Dreams – would not be obsolete by the time they were posted, because the worst had happened.
Yesterday, I watched (but mostly listened to) a conversation with Mary Trump and Ruth Ben-Ghiat (as I’m sure you know, an expert – maybe the expert – on “strong men” governments). It was about 23 minutes – shorter than I expected – but highly informative. (just in case anyone wonders, my substitutes for yoga and getting out into nature are knotting and computer solitaire.)
Well, this is welcome news. Ohio has a Democratic Congresswoman who has a spine. That probably isn’t news to SpyKat. But it’s always nice to see a Congrescritter from one’s own state getting national attention for a righteous reason. I know I was stoked when Jason Crow was on the Jan6 Committee, and again when he was one of the six in what most people probably think of as “Mark Kelly’s video.”
I’m sneaking in a second video by treating this as an article – which, if I hadn’t tripped over a video, I would have had to do as an article. Judge Boasberg appears to be a national treasure. It’s 15 minutes, and worth it.
And here’s another judge who may well be a national treasure. Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. of Nashville.
Yesterday, I signed a couple of petitions for LeftClick, which is now using Care2 as a platform, at least sometimes, and at least these two. Both were addressed to the people of Ukraine. Both were offering apologies to them and expressing support. One was for the Mango Monster being an idiot. The other was for the Hillbilly Huckster being a jerk. Both expressed something like “We know you don’t need this, especially when you are fighting for your existence.” Seldom have I been in so much and so passionate agreement with a petition – and I’ve been passionate about a lot that I have signed. Also, is anyone here interested in getting stickers of Trump** saying “I did that!” to put on products ot product labels showing highly inflated prices, or closed federal buildings, or any other indicator of a catastrophe which this administration is responsible for? Progressive Change Campaign Committee is offering them for as little as a $5 donation. Check out the offer at ActBlue. Oh, and the night before the volcano went off in the White House, Mary Trump and Alex Vindman did a live streamed convo on Substack which is now available to all, here (it’s about an hour, but there’s a transcript).
Well, this from HuffPost is not exactly encouraging – but it certainly is honest. And honesty, integrity, truth are the first steps to ending authoritarian regimes. And at the site of the article was a link to this story, which graphically shows what it looks like.
Yes I realize this news from The F* News is news from last week. I’ll always try to get critical breaking news up when I can (probably mostly in comments since I do work ahead as much as possible), but when I can’t get it to you that fast I go for analysis, clarity, and attitude.
Today is the day we are all supposed to avoid buying anything, in person or on line. Robert Reich is one of those calling for this action. The more who participate the better, as there will always be some who didn’t get the words, and some who will over-buy just to spite us. Today is also the beginning of Ramadan. It can come at any time of the year, being based on a specific lunar calendar unique to Islam, but when it comes at this time of the year, it can be tempting to think “Oh, that’a the Islamic version of Lent.” It isn’t. Both involve fasting, sure, but with a different approach. With Lent the approach is penitential, and it’s nos supposed to be fun. In Islam, the fasting is approached with joy. And while both come to an end of triumph of some kind, that too is different from the Christian calendar. There’s a big gap between being gifted with the Holy Book and rising from the dead. I am not in any way about to say the one is better – rather I hope to call a little attention to the fact that loving our neighbors becomes easier if we are open to looking at our similarities and differences though others’ eyes and not just through our own.
Mary Trump is, quite reasonably, not happy that main stream media outlets are not taking the danger we are in seriously. And she is right. There are a few people on MSN we can still trust – but we have to wonder for how long. And being able to trust a few individuals does not mean being able to trust the station. I was aware of each point Mary made before reading this, and I expect all the readers here were also. But that’s because we care. So many people don’t – so many claim to “not do politics” and apparently have no idea that politics does them. Sigh.
Robert Reich sums it up. Not everyone on Substack allows unpaid subscribers to read comments – but Reich does. And his readers mange to have actual conversations (which you can see by clicking on the number of replies listed under each post shown.)
ProPublica exposes the collaboration of HUD. Although with all the Mango Monster’s nominees getting confirmed, I don’t expect them to be alone. What’s happening at Defense may be the most obviously scary, but there is plenty of other damage which is being done.
Yesterday, I picked up a Randy Rainbow for us – a bit late, but i did manage to remove the advertisinf and the tracing as well – I checked the link of course, and it sode work. I have nothing against Ground News – it apparently works very well too – but as long as I’m paying off the new water heater I really don’t need another paid subscription (I cancellted what i already had), even 50% off. I do wish we’d had this one months ago – OK, some of th details are newer than that, but like six months ago he could already have done a great job with everything we already knew. But better late than never. Also, per the Washington Post, the kids who survived Sandy Hook as first graders will all be voting for the first time this year. But please – there are better ways toachieve full participation in democracy.
Mary Trump nails it. Not that that’s unusual or in any way unexpected. But it does leave me without much if anything to add.
Much as it turns my stomach to even think about it, Hickenlooper is in the right. But I’ afraid his advice to Republicand will fall on deaf ears and blind eyes – if they haven’t detached themselves yet, they’re not going to do it by January.
Not only is it next to impossible for people with the attention span of a gnat to remember all the horrors of the Trump** administratin, it’s probably also impossible for them to stick with Robert Reich long enough to get through a list of just some of them. But I applaud him for trying.
Yesterday, I got an email with a new Substack column from Margaret Atwood – not surprising because Alice Munro just died, and I suspected they had to know each other – which they did. Both Canadian, buth winners of literary prizes (their friendship began when Margaret won the [Canadian] Governor General’s prize, and lasted past Alice’s Nobel prize.) At my age it’s very touching to read about longtime friendships between kindred spirits – but it also wouldn’t be Margaret Atwood if there weren’t some giggles too. Also, I did watch Lawrence’s segment on the trial the previous night, and though maybe less quotable than the previous one, it was equally well thought out and discerning. Also, for those of us who thonk Mary Trump is almost good enough to make up for the rest of the family, she is opening a YouTube channel called “Mary Trump Media” (it’s open now, there’s just nothing in it) which goes live today at 4:30 pm Eastern. In previous videos she’s had a feature called “Nerd Avengers,” wherein she brings together a group of experts to address a particular topic, and that will continue to be a feature.
This is a story about our Democratic women governors, and how they communicate to strengthen all of them, personally and politically. It’s a feel-good story I will warn that the site opens with an aggressive donation request (look for an X to click on to reduce it, though, sadly, not eliminate) it. If you ever use the screen magnifier, I guarantee tou will not need it for this article – but you scrolling finger will get a real workout.
All I can say is, the legislature tried. Because the majority of the people of the sate wanted it. But it seems to be getting sabotaged from within. Quelle surprise (pas!) I’m old enough to remember when there were decent Republicans. That makes me really old.
Yesterday, the Arizona State House voted to overturn the 1864 abortion law, the one whose author has been so discredited. If it gets through the Senate, the Democratic Governor will, I am sure, sign it. Arizona appears to be on a roll – they also indicted some election conspirators, including Giuliani and Meadows. Also, my radio station was playing Passover music (it’s not till Tuesday night, but this DJ normally only works this station on Wednesdays, so next week would be late. (The rest of the time he works at the sister station whoch features jazz.) That made me think that 613’s Passover piece might be up, and it is. They are a group which makes videos for Jewish holidays, picking an artist to parody and then signing information about the holiday in a nedley of that artist’s works. This year’s is titled “Matza Mia”, parodying Abba (of course).
If you are looking for some really juicy news about what a fiasco Trump’s trial is being (especially on Trump’s side), Mary Trump is your go-to source. This column is dated Wednesday, but looks back to Tuesday
Joyce Vance has links to trial transcripts and documents. This might be a good one to save as a fact-checker reference.
