The Conversation -- March 6, 2025
Dasha Burns & Kyle Cheney of Politico: “... Donald Trump convened his Cabinet in person on Thursday to deliver a message: You’re in charge of your departments, not Elon Musk. According to two administration officials, Trump told top members of his administration that Musk was empowered to make recommendations to the departments but not to issue unilateral decisions on staffing and policy. Musk was also in the room. The meeting followed a series of mass firings and threats to government workers from the billionaire Tesla founder, who helms the Department of Government Efficiency, that created broad uncertainty across the federal government and its workforce. DOGE’s actions have faced ferocious resistance in court and criticism from Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans. The president’s message represents the first significant move to narrow Musk’s mandate.... The timing of the meeting was influenced by recent comments from Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who said on CNN Tuesday that Cabinet secretaries should retain the full power to hire and fire.... The official said Trump has been flooded with similar concerns from other lawmakers and Cabinet secretaries.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: Wait a minute. So all it takes to get the Cowardly Liar to back off some monumentally stupid -- and, BTW, unconstitutional -- edict is to get on the teevee and object? Could it be that all those cowering GOP politicians are a little bit too askeert of Trump. ~~~
~~~ Update: Well, I misread that. Kyle Cheney was on Chris Hayes' show Thursday night, and the two agreed that this was a CYA move to convince the courts that Elon really had no power. As the report notes, Trump later told reporters, “If they [i.e., the Cabinet members] can cut, it’s better. And if they don’t cut, then Elon will do the cutting.” That completely contradicts the premise that the the department heads are in charge.
Cowardly Liar Retreats Again. Mary Beth Sheridan, et al., of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump on Thursday postponed for one more month imposing tariffs on Mexican products that comply with the North American free-trade treaty — the latest swerve in the roller-coaster relations between the United States and its top trading partners. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she persuaded Trump to push off the penalties in a phone call Thursday morning. Trump had initially threatened to impose tariffs on all Mexican and Canadian goods in early February, citing what he called the countries’ failure to stem illegal migration and fentanyl trafficking, but he delayed them for a month as the countries scrambled to strengthen border security. They took effect Tuesday. Trump said Thursday on his Truth Social platform that he suspended the tariffs on Mexico until April 2 'as an accommodation, and out of respect for, President Sheinbaum. Our relationship has been a very good one, and we are working hard, together, on the Border, both in terms of stopping Illegal Aliens from entering the United States and, likewise, stopping Fentanyl.'
“He made the announcement a day after granting a narrower exemption to carmakers.... At a morning news conference, Sheinbaum noted that she had sent 10,000 national guard troops to the U.S. border after Trump threatened tariffs in early February. She also transferred 29 high-level drug operatives to the United States, a dramatic move that legal scholars said violated Mexican law.”
Maya Miller of the New York Times: “The House on Thursday officially rebuked Representative Al Green of Texas, the Democrat who Republicans ejected from the chamber on Tuesday night for standing and heckling ... [Donald] Trump during his address to a joint session of Congress. A resolution of censure passed 224 to 198, with 10 Democrats joining Republicans in support of the punishment. Mr. Green and Representative Shomari Figures, a first-term Democrat from Alabama, both voted 'present.' But when Mr. Green stepped into the well of the House to receive his official scolding for a 'breach of proper conduct,' the floor devolved into a scene of chaos. The Texas Democrat led a crowd of his colleagues in singing the gospel anthem 'We Shall Overcome' as Speaker Mike Johnson raised his voice and finished reading out the censure....
“The Democrats who voted to censure Mr. Green were: Representatives Ami Bera of California, Ed Case of Hawaii, Jim Costa of California, Laura Gillen of New York, Jim Himes of Connecticut, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, Jared Moskowitz of Florida, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington and Tom Suozzi of New York. The progressive activist group Indivisible called the defections 'cowardly and unacceptable' and condemned Representative Hakeem Jeffries, Democrat of New York and the minority leader, for not holding his caucus together against the censure.”
Zach Montague of the New York Times: “A federal judge on Thursday extended an order that prevented the Trump administration from freezing billions in congressionally approved funds to 22 states and the District of Columbia. The judge found that the administration had overstepped in trying to stop the agencies from using money appropriated by Congress. The ruling, which builds on the judge’s temporary order instructing the government to keep dispersing the funds, sets up a broader clash between Democratic states over the Trump administration’s efforts to align spending with the president’s agenda. In an opinion handed down on Thursday morning, Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the Federal District Court for the District of Rhode Island, said the case amounted to executive overreach. 'Here, the executive put itself above Congress,' he wrote. 'It imposed a categorical mandate on the spending of congressionally appropriated and obligated funds without regard to Congress’s authority to control spending.'”
Joe Hernandez of NPR: "The Trump administration's recent attacks on its northern neighbor have been met with confusion, frustration and anger by many Canadians, some of whom are now abandoning their trips south and boycotting travel to the U.S. in protest. Tourism industry leaders say that could pose a major threat to the U.S. travel sector, which relies heavily on Canadian visitors. According to the U.S. Travel Association, Canadians are the largest group of foreign visitors to the U.S. annually and accounted for $20.5 billion in spending last year alone." Thanks to RAS for the link. ~~~
~~~ Marie: How stupid is Trump? He owns or has licensing agreements with quite a few hotels & "resorts" around the world, so he's in the tourist business. A number of these facilities lost business during his first presidency* because he made people sick. So why didn't it occur to him that imposing tariffs would hurt the U.S. tourist industry?
RAS linked this story in yesterday's Comments, and I forgot to link it on the page. It's kinda perfect: ~~~
~~~ EJ Montini of the Arizona Republic: “According to the AI chatbot called Grok, which was developed by Elon Musk’s company xAI, there is a '75-85% likelihood' that the person who delivered the State of the Union address on Tuesday night is a 'Putin-compromised' Russian asset. In describing Grok, by the way, Musk said it is amaximally truth-seeking AI, even if that truth is sometimes at odds with what is politically-correct.'... “Weighing [evidence from the 1990s & 2000s], the financial ties (decades-long, opaque, and substantial), intelligence suggesting Russian intent, and Trump’s unwavering refusal to criticize Putin despite attacking allies tilt the scale.'... Given all that (and more, if you read the entire assessment), Grok said that 'Trump’s ego and debts make him unwittingly pliable, fits the evidence. Adjusting for uncertainty and alternative explanations (e.g., ideological alignment or naivety), I estimate a 75-85% likelihood Trump is a Putin-compromised asset, leaning toward the higher end due to the consistency of his behavior and the depth of historical ties.'” ~~~
~~~ This possibility has occurred to Sen. Jeff Merkeley (D-Oregon), too. Anthony Robinson of the Yorkshire (England) Bylines: "The US Senate Intelligence Committee recently [March 3??] questioned Trump’s nominees as Nato representatives and asked outright if ... Trump was a Russian asset. If not, Senator Jeff Merkley (Democrat, Oregon) wanted to know what a Russian asset embedded as POTUS would do, other than what Trump is already doing. They struggled to answer, as this YouTube video shows [the video of a confirmation hearing is embedded].... Nobody seems to believe [Trump is] a Russian agent, but he is certainly an asset, although Trump has always denied it. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that the famously incurious and narcissistic 47th president of the USA is too stupid to realise he is being used by the Kremlin.”
Paul Krugman: “... last month hackers looted Ethereum coins worth $1.5 billion from Bybit, a Dubai-based crypto exchange — apparently the most money anyone has ever stolen in a single caper. The FBI believes that the North Korean regime was behind the hack. Most of the coins have already been laundered into Bitcoin, and will eventually be turned into real money that will be used to sustain Kim Jong Un’s brutal dictatorship.... Small investors continue to lose large sums in crypto scams, like 'rug-pulls.' And the biggest rug-pull yet is underway: Donald Trump’s plan for a 'strategic crypto reserve.'... A a 'strategic crypto reserve' ... would consist of nothing but a hackable string of ones and zeroes on servers.... [Scammers have] hacked into the Trump Administration, inducing the president and those around him to announce a plan to use US tax revenue to buy huge amounts of cryptocurrencies with no discernible strategic value.... If the crypto strategic reserve does happen, the price of crypto will skyrocket. Then, if history is any guide, insiders will sell out.... It’s more obvious every day that we now have government of, by and for crooks.”
~~~~~~~~~~
David Lynch & Aaron Gregg of the Washington Post: “Less than 48 hours after slapping tariffs on all goods from Canada and Mexico..., Donald Trump agreed to a one-month reprieve for automobile imports that qualify for duty-free treatment under the North American trade agreement negotiated during his first term. The president’s decision followed a phone conversation with executives from the Big Three automakers — General Motors, Ford and Stellantis — who sought relief from the new import taxes. Each of the automakers over the past several decades has developed complex supply chains that cross North American borders multiple times before delivering a finished product. Along with disrupting those supply lines, Trump’s tariffs would have increased the cost of the typical new car by more than $10,000, industry groups said. Ford CEO Jim Farley warned last month that the president’s tariffs 'would blow a hole in the U.S. industry' and give Asian and European producers a distinct competitive advantage.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~Marie: That's odd, because just the previous evening, during remarks before Congress, Trump said that U.S. auto companies were so delighted & s-o-o-o excited by his economic measures, including tariffs. Lawrence O'Donnell said Trump backed down because he's a coward. ~~~
~~~ MEANWHILE, in Canada. Tavleen Tarrant & Colin Sheely of NBC News: "As the Trump administration’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico went into effect Tuesday, Canadians discovered empty shelves where U.S. liquor products were once stocked. Canadian social media users posted photos and videos of stores across the country seemingly pulling U.S.-made liquor from their inventories."
Stephen Groves of the AP: “The Department of Veterans Affairs is planning an 'aggressive' reorganization that includes cutting 80,000 jobs from the sprawling agency that provides health care for retired military members, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. The VA’s chief of staff, Christopher Syrek, told top level officials at the agency that it had an objective to cut enough employees to return to 2019 staffing levels of just under 400,000. That would require terminating tens of thousands of employees after the VA expanded during the Biden administration, as well as to cover veterans impacted by burn pits under the 2022 PACT Act. The memo instructs top-level staff to prepare for an agency-wide reorganization in August to 'resize and tailor the workforce to the mission and revised structure.' It also calls for agency officials to work with the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency to 'move out aggressively, while taking a pragmatic and disciplined approach' to the Trump administration’s goals.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Ben Finley & Stephen Groves of the AP: “More than 9 million veterans get physical and mental health care from the VA.... The VA manages a $350 billion-plus budget and oversees nearly 200 medical centers and hospitals. Veterans have shown up at town hall-style meetings with Republican lawmakers to voice their anger, and groups like the Veterans of Foreign Wars are mobilizing against cuts.”
Laura Meckler of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump is set to issue an executive order as soon as Thursday directing his newly confirmed education secretary to work to close the department she now leads, two people familiar with the situation said. A draft of the executive order that circulated on Wednesday recognizes that the president does not have the power to shutter the Education Department. It would take an act of Congress and 60 'yes' votes in the Senate, which is unlikely given that Republicans hold only 53 seats. Rather, the draft calls on Education Secretary Linda McMahon to 'take all necessary steps' to facilitate the closure of the department 'to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.'”
That guy (Elon) who recently said that Social Security was “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time”? He is running the Social Security Administration, albeit by proxy, since he has delegated a group of ignorant boys to do the dirty work. ~~~
~~~ Lisa Rein, et al., of the Washington Post: “The newly installed caretaker at the Social Security Administration acknowledged this week that Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service is calling the shots as the agency races to slash thousands of jobs and shrink its budget, telling a group of advocates, 'Things are currently operating in a way I have never seen in government before.' In a meeting Tuesday with his senior staff and about 50 legal-aid attorneys and other advocates for the disabled and elderly, acting SSA commissioner Leland Dudek referred to the tech billionaire’s cost-cutting team as 'outsiders who are unfamiliar with nuances of SSA programs,' according to detailed notes from a participant in the meeting.... 'DOGE people are learning and they will make mistakes, but we have to let them see what is going on at SSA,' Dudek told the group.... 'I am relying on longtime career people to inform my work, but I am receiving decisions that are made without my input. I have to effectuate those decisions.'”
Josh Gerstein of Politico: “Thousands of fired workers at the Department of Agriculture must get their jobs back for at least the next month and a half, the chair of a federal civil service board ruled Wednesday. The ruling said the recent dismissals of more than 5,600 probationary employees may have violated federal laws and procedures for carrying out layoffs. The decision from Cathy Harris, the chair of the Merit Systems Protection Board, is a blow to the Trump administration’s effort to drastically and quickly shrink the federal bureaucracy. Though it applies only to the USDA, it could lay the groundwork for further rulings reinstating tens of thousands of other probationary workers whom the Trump administration has fired en masse across the government. But it’s far from a final resolution of the legality of the mass terminations. The administration may have further options to place the reinstated workers on administrative leave or fire them again as part of a formal 'reduction in force.'” (Also linked yesterday.)
Brianna Tucker & Emily Davies of the Washington Post: “Several employees of the U.S. DOGE Service ... were blocked from entering a small U.S. aid agency focused on African economic development Wednesday afternoon. The standoff, which lasted about an hour at the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) headquarters in downtown Washington, is one of the latest acts of resistance from federal employees as DOGE subordinates attempt to access data systems and federal grants. Around 11:30 a.m., several DOGE subordinates and Pete Marocco — director of the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance and acting deputy administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development — arrived at the USADF building and attempted to gain entry to fire employees.... [After a security guard at the main desk said his boss told him to let the DOGE boys enter, they went upsairs but could not gain entry to USADF offices. An] official said employees remained at their desks and continued to work while the DOGE staffers wandered the halls. The DOGE officials left around 12:30 p.m. but threatened to return Thursday, this time with the U.S. Marshals on their side.”
Never Mind. Jill Colvin, et al., of the AP: “The Trump administration on Tuesday published a list of more than 440 federal properties it had identified to potentially offload, including the FBI headquarters and the main Department of Justice building, after deeming them 'not core to government operations.' Hours later, however, the administration issued a revised list with only 320 entries that excluded every previously listed building in Washington, D.C. And by Wednesday morning, the list was gone entirely. 'Non-core property list (Coming soon)' read the web page where the list had previously been posted. The General Services Administration, which published the lists, did not respond to repeated questions about the changes or why the properties that had been listed had been removed.”
Thank you again. I won't forget it. -- Donald Trump to John Roberts ~~~
~~~ Open Mic Night. Paul Blumenthal of the Huffington Post: “As ... Donald Trump made his way out of Congress following his first speech to the body since retaking office..., he stopped to shake hands with the four Supreme Court justices in attendance. While shaking the hand of Chief Justice John Roberts, he said, 'Thank you again, I won’t forget it,' then slapped the chief on the back. Roberts is the author of the decision in Trump v. United States, which in July 2024 ... granted presidents absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts, and, in doing so, postponed Trump’s prosecution for trying to overturn the 2020 election long enough for him to win the election, putting him in the Oval Office and thus beyond the reach of prosecutors. Roberts gave Trump a get-out-of-jail-free card, and Trump is grateful. Trump’s appreciation is now Roberts’ legacy. It reveals what the court under his leadership has become: an arm of the Republican Party undermining democratic institutions and raising the president — really, this president — to the level of a monarch.... All of Trump’s unlawful actions since taking office must be seen through the lens of Roberts’ decision in Trump v. U.S.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: "Thank you again" suggests to me that the open mic moment was not the first time Don & John had discussed Trump v. U.S. ~~~
~~~ Oh, shame on me. There's a perfectly innocent explanation for Trump's expression of gratitude. Trump wrote Wednesday on his failing social media site, "Like most people, I don’t watch Fake News CNN or MSDNC, but I understand they are going 'crazy' asking what is it that I was thanking Justice Roberts for? They never called my office to ask, of course, but if they had I would have told these sleazebag 'journalists' that I thanked him for SWEARING ME IN ON INAUGURATION DAY, AND DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB IN SO DOING!" Right.
Justin Jouvenal, et al., of the Washington Post: “A sharply divided Supreme Court on Wednesday denied the Trump administration’s request to block a lower court order on foreign aid funding, clearing the way for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to restart nearly $2 billion in payments for work already done. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberal justices in the 5-4 order, which was the high court’s first significant move on lawsuits related to ... Donald Trump’s initiatives in his second term. The majority did not explain the reasoning for its decision but directed the lower court to clarify what obligations the government must fulfill to global health groups for work already completed with consideration of the 'feasibility of any compliance timelines.'... The majority’s decision drew a vigorous dissent from four conservative justices who said a District Court judge in D.C. probably lacks the power to compel the federal government to make such payments.” Thanks to Ken W. for the link. NPR's report, by Nina Totenberg, is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Derek Hawkins of the Washington Post: “A federal appeals court on Wednesday allowed ... Donald Trump to temporarily remove the head of an independent watchdog agency while the judges decide whether the president has the authority to fire him without cause. A lower court had blocked the president from firing Hampton Dellinger, head of the Office of Special Counsel. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit paused that ruling, saying the government had met the “stringent requirements” for securing a stay during the appeal. The brief order had no noted dissents from the panel of three judges, who were appointed by presidents from both parties. It said a full opinion would be forthcoming. Key filings in the case are due in early April.”
Anna Merlan of Mother Jones: “... Twenty-six-year-old Kingsley Wilson..., the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary ... is the daughter of Steve Cortes, a longtime Trump advisor and right-wing commentator.... Wilson is also a Trump 2020 campaign alum, and ... ran digital media and communications for the Center for Renewing America, a pro-Trump think tank founded by Project 2025 architect Russell Vought. She’s also an overt internet troll with a long history of bigoted, xenophobic, and deliberately provocative shitposting.... Wilson ... [has reeled] off ... endless tweets excoriating immigrants and trans people, advocating for what she called 'zero immigration and mass deportations,' and bemoaning the 'death of the West,' a term popularized by Pat Buchanan and often used by nativist, isolationist, and white nationalist groups.... At least twice, Wilson also repeated long-debunked lies online about the lynching death of Leo Frank, a Jewish man who was kidnapped from a Georgia prison and murdered in 1915, claiming he was guilty of the murder for which most modern historians agree he was wrongly convicted.” And so forth. ~~~
~~~ Jack Detsch & Joe Gould of Politico: “The backlash over a top Pentagon aide who has touted antisemitic views, white supremacist conspiracy theories and Kremlin-like statements on social media grew wider on Wednesday in a sign of increasing frustration among Republicans about the Trump administration’s seemingly unvetted appointees. Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson’s posts — which include comparing the murders of Israeli babies during the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks to abortion and spreading the far-right “great replacement theory” — have angered lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.”
Liz Goodwin, et al., of the Washington Post: Elon “Musk told a group of Republican senators in a closed-door lunch that he wanted to set up a direct line for them when they have questions, allowing them to get a near-instant response to their concerns, senators said.... Hours later, Musk told members of the House Oversight DOGE Subcommittee that he would set up a similar line of communication for them to reach his team.... The meeting was the first sign that, after weeks of burrowing into federal agencies and attempting to lay off hundreds of thousands of federal workers, Musk recognizes he needs Congress’s cooperation to make a lasting impact on U.S. spending.... But it remains unclear if Republicans are willing to vote to support Musk. Some lawmakers are worried about the political price they could pay for DOGE....” Here's Politico's story. ~~~
~~~ Marie: So after about six weeks of chain-saw governance, Musk suddenly notices half of Congress (the GOP half)?
Jacob Bogage of the Washington Post: “Republicans in Congress cannot reach their goal of cutting at least $1.5 trillion in spending over the next 10 years for ... Donald Trump’s 'big, beautiful bill' on taxes and immigration unless they cut Medicaid or Medicare benefits, lawmakers’ nonpartisan bookkeeper reported Wednesday.... The Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday that reducing costs [by the $880 billion required in the initial budget bill] won’t be possible without cuts to Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.... Even if the [House Energy C]ommittee eliminated every program besides those safety net benefits, it would be able to save a maximum of $135 billion.... House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) has insisted that the measure will not cut safety net benefits and that Congress can find savings simply by rooting out waste and fraud in the programs and adding new eligibility provisions, such as work requirements.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: The CBO is not saying anything different from what Mikey and the Little Rascals would have learned by reading any reputable publication that covered the budget bill. So was Mikey lying or is he illiterate or is he innumerate? Or what? What's the scheme, Mikey?
Ted Oberg, et al., of NBC: News: “Hayden Haynes, the chief of staff to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and one of the most powerful aides on Capitol Hill, was arrested after ... Donald Trump's joint address to Congress on suspicion of drunken driving after his car struck a Capitol vehicle, two law enforcement sources told NBC News. Johnson's office also confirmed the incident.” MB: Yeah, well, Haynes was probably the designated driver in Pete Hegseth's party.
Jasper Scherer of the Texas Tribune: “U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, a former Houston mayor, state legislator and institution in Houston Democratic politics, died Tuesday evening. He was 70. Turner's death comes two months into his first term representing Texas’ 18th Congressional District, the seat long occupied by his political ally, former U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who also died in office last year amid a battle with pancreatic cancer.... Before joining Congress, Turner served as Houston mayor from 2016 to 2024. He served for nearly 27 years in the Texas House. Gov. Greg Abbott can call a special election to fill Turner's congressional seat for the rest of his term. State law does not specify a deadline to call a special election, but if it is called the election is required to happen within two months of the announcement.” (Also linked yesterday.)
Holly Otterbein, et al., of Politico: “Voters still have a sour view of Democrats six weeks after ... Donald Trump and Republicans swept into Washington with control of all branches of the federal government, according to a new poll. A plurality of voters — 40 percent — said the Democratic Party doesn’t have any strategy whatsoever for responding to Trump, according to the survey by the liberal firm Blueprint that was shared first with Politico. Another 24 percent said Democrats have a game plan, but it’s a bad one.... On Capitol Hill, top Democrats put on a brave face Wednesday in the wake of their widely criticized reaction to Trump’s speech. But across the party, the damage was still reverberating, as elected officials and strategists scrambled to clean up their response. It was an effort mired in finger-pointing and with little agreement over how Democrats should oppose Trump. The strategy for countering the president’s speech — or lack thereof — laid bare how divided Democrats still are on how to counter Trump’s steamrolling of Washington, and how ineffective their efforts to blunt him remain.”
Reid Epstein & Shane Goldmacher of the New York Times: “ActBlue, the online fund-raising organization that powers Democratic candidates, has plunged into turmoil, with at least seven senior officials resigning late last month and a remaining lawyer suggesting he faced internal retaliation. The departures from ActBlue, which helps raise money for Democrats running for office at all levels of government, come as the group is under investigation by congressional Republicans. They have advanced legislation that some Democrats warn could be used to debilitate what is the party’s leading fund-raising operation.... What prompted so many longtime ActBlue officials to leave is not clear.... In recent weeks, congressional Republicans have demanded answers from ActBlue about its security and fraud-prevention measures, as well as how the group prevents certain foreign donors from illegally contributing to candidates.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Israel, et al. Adam Rasgon, et al., of the New York Times: “U.S. and Hamas officials have had talks in Qatar about hostages held in the Gaza Strip, according to two Israeli officials, a Western official and a diplomat briefed on the matter, breaking with a longstanding American policy of refusing to directly engage groups that it has designated as terrorists.... [Donald] Trump’s nominee to be special envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, participated in the talks this week with Hamas officials, the diplomat said.” ~~~
~~~ Matthew Bigg of the New York Times: “In a blistering social media post on Wednesday, Mr. Trump addressed Hamas militants and built on a statement he made in his address to Congress the night before, when he said his administration was 'bringing back our hostages from Gaza,' without providing details. 'Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,' he posted on Truth Social on Wednesday.... 'I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say,' Mr. Trump wrote. 'This is your last warning,' he went on, adding that if the group continued to hold hostages, 'you are DEAD!'” MB: These childish, bullying rage-tweets are so embarrassing to the country.
⭐Ukraine, et al. Warren Strobel, et al., of the Washington Post: “The United States has paused major portions of its intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, squeezing the flow of vital information that Kyiv has used to repel invading Russian forces and strike back at select targets inside Russia, according to U.S. and Ukrainian officials. The rupture in intelligence-sharing includes a halt in targeting data that U.S. spy agencies supply to Kyiv so it can launch American-provided weapons and Ukrainian-made long-range drones at Russian targets, Ukrainian officials said. Some Ukrainian missile operators say they are no longer receiving information needed to hit targets inside Russia.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: I cannot adequately express how much I despise the murderous traitors running our country (and Western democracy) into the ground, so I won't try. ~~~
~~~ Ted Hesson & Kristina Cooke of Reuters: “... Donald Trump's administration is planning to revoke temporary legal status for some 240,000 Ukrainians who fled the conflict with Russia, a senior Trump official and three sources familiar with the matter said, potentially putting them on a fast-track to deportation. The move, expected as soon as April, would be a stunning reversal of the welcome Ukrainians received under President Joe Biden's administration. The planned rollback of protections for Ukrainians was underway before Trump publicly feuded with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week. It is part of a broader Trump administration effort to strip legal status from more than 1.8 million migrants allowed to enter the U.S. under temporary humanitarian parole programs launched under the Biden administration, the sources said.”
30 Comments
Reader Comments (30)
“Do what I’m tell in’ ya! Right now! Or you’re DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD!!! “
Who talks like this?
He thinks he’s Al Capone ordering his gunsels to whack some guy?
First of all, Bibi has been going at Hamas hammer and tong for over a year. These guys are hardened terrorists, psychos ready and willing to die. Does this bloated bully think his bellowing is going to scare these guys? Three seconds alone in a room with a single Hamas fighter and fat boy would be crying for his momma.
Not only that, he recently sent out a video to the world showing himself as the golden god of Gaza, stretched out next to a pool with billionaires. You think Hamas didn’t see that? You think they’re gonna cave to a fat American who dreams of kicking Palestinians into the desert so he can take over their land, build his gaudy casinos and hang with the South African Chainsaw Massacre Man?
I’m sure they’re shaking. What he’s doing is daring them to respond in the most violent way possible. If I were living in Israel, I would not be happy.
Fucking embarrassing.
Shayla Love, in The Atlantic, on how
Excessive use of ketamine can make anyone feel like they rule the world
"Ketamine is called a dissociative drug because during a high, which lasts about an hour, people might feel detached from their body, their emotions, or the passage of time. Frequent, heavy recreational use—say, several times a week—has been linked to cognitive effects that last beyond the high, including impaired memory, delusional thinking, superstitious beliefs, and a sense of specialness and importance. You can see why people might wonder about ketamine use from a man who is trying to usher in multi-planetary human life, who has barged into global politics and is attempting to reengineer the U.S. government.
....
[In a study in 2010,] ....even infrequent users—those who used, on average, roughly three times a month—scored higher on a delusional-thought scale than ex–ketamine users, people who took other drugs, and people who didn’t use drugs at all. Those who averaged 20 uses a month scored even higher. People believed that they were the sole recipients of secret messages, or that society and people around them were especially attuned to them.
....
Such theoretical impairments would be concerning in any context—but especially when contemplating a person who has achieved enough power to be unironically described as co-president of the United States. To be sure, ketamine may have nothing to do with his actions. He may be simply acting in accordance with his far-right political ideology. Musk also famously brags that he rarely sleeps—never a good strategy for measured speech or actions.
I figured it out!
Fat Hitler is angling for a commission as a general in Putin’s invasion force. No Russian military high command plotter has been as successful, in three years, as Fatty has been in three days at disabling Ukraine. He’s handing the country to Putin on a platter.
Halt all battlefield intel in order to hamstring Ukrainian defense forces?
Wherever could he have gotten such a devious, treasonous idea?
“A top Russian lawmaker, Andrei Kartapolov, in recent days called for the US to stop providing Ukraine with intelligence, underscoring the boon Trump may have already offered Moscow on the battlefield.
‘It would be much more important if the Americans stopped giving them with intelligence information, then this would allow us to achieve results more quickly,’ Kartapolov said.
Basically, Zelensky has to capitulate to all of Trump’s demands which means licking his boots and agreeing to allow Russia to win the war and take whatever it wants, including retribution. (Trump has already lamented all the Russian losses in the war so I’d expect him to excuse any brutality. To the victor goes the spoils etc, etc. ) That’s what Trump calls “peace.”
Meanwhile Putin is bombarding Kiev on a daily basis so basicallyTrump is killing Ukrainians to extort Zelensky to surrender.
We are now just as bad as Russia, maybe even worse. ‘Brutes’ is actually too kind. We are monsters.”
Some Russian says “Jump”, he jumps. Then asks if he did it right.
This shit is beyond evil.
Test…we’re back to this…
Are the “experts” really this stupid?
I’m seeing tons of breathless reports about how many viewers of Fat Hitler’s Bund rally the other night came away with a positive impression. “Yeah! He’s right!” The media has deemed his Fascist Jamboree a huge success based on polling.
First, who watched and who didn’t?
Who watched? MAGAts, of course. Maybe a fair number of low information types who don’t pick up on the fact that every word out of his mouth is a lie. Probably some so-called Libertarian types who love anyone who talks about tax breaks. And then we have professional watchers, media types who need something to talk/write about.
So who didn’t watch?
Americans who know what’s going on and have already heard all his lies.
So if your first question is “Did you watch?” you’ll get an overwhelming number of viewers automatically inclined to think of Trump as god on earth, then a fair number who just don’t know much of anything, and after that, viewers who had to watch.
Given that group, you’d expect favorability ratings through the roof, 70 or 80 percent favorable. But it was much less than that.
Then you have to account for the millions who purposely stayed away. You think they didn’t watch because they love what he’s saying?
Nonetheless, the verdict is “Great job! Americans approve!”
Jesus Christ.
Anyone know a good voodoo practitioner?
”This Pentagon Press Secretary Has a Long History of Bigoted and Xenophobic Posts”
Absolutely chilling.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/03/kingsley-cortes-wilson-defense-department/
What is the difference between a Republican and a Ukrainian?
Random outsider threatens FAA
"Two weeks ago, SpaceX engineer Ted Malaska showed up at the FAA’s headquarters in Washington to deliver what he described as a directive from his boss Elon Musk: The agency will immediately start work on a program to deploy thousands of the company’s Starlink satellite terminals. Malaska told those in attendance that the employees had up to 18 months to get the new program up and running, an unsettling timeline for aviation safety employees accustomed to a more deliberate pace.
Anyone who impeded progress, Malaska said, would be reported to Musk and risked losing their jobs, The FAA’s networks are instrumental to overseeing 29 million square miles of US airspace and ensuring the orderly and safe movement of 45,000 flights daily."
No More Loonies
"As Canadians cancel trips due to Trump, the U.S. tourism industry could lose billions"
I'm sure Canadians aren't the only ones thinking of spending their time and money elsewhere now. So much winning.
Rachel Maddow on the push back on Republican nightmares.
See the on again-off again Pretender is now making nice with Mexico...and delaying tariffs again....
This from the effects of tariffs threats and other Pretender blustering on local businesses.
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/wa-seeing-fewer-canadians-after-trump-tariffs-and-talk-of-51st-state/
Sure hope lil' mikey is counting on a steady stream of tariff revenue in his budget proposals...
Russian transparency
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/us/politics/donald-trump-2024-campaign-transition.html
My comment:
Of course. For Trump, corruption is and has alway been the name of the game.
Democracy depends on men and women of good will. In the Trump era, both are absent. Ill will is celebrated.
Sadly, Trump was elected a second time in spite of all we knew about him, and we are seeing our democracy crumbling as we speak.
Think Putin discloses the source of his support?
We are watching government run by the Russian playbook.
I believe it was Chris Hayes the other day who pointed out that the on again off again tariffs makes it almost impossible for the tariffs to do their job of encouraging industries to invest in US investments. It costs millions or billions to create the infrastructures and pipelines to create things here only for Trump to reverse course a week or month later. Hayes and his guest also pointed out that no one other than Donald looks at something and thinks they are getting ripped off because it doesn't cost more.
I’m reading that Democrats are getting ready to knuckle under to Fatty and Mike Johnson by helping them avoid a government shutdown, which will be a huge win for the traitors. Giving up without even a fight? Bending the knee without getting anything in return?
I hear that Schumer is not even allowing any consideration of not helping these treasonous curs. “Oh…we don’t want a government shutdown!”
Shutdown?
Trump and Musk are tearing it apart and you’re worried about looking bad on Fox?!?!?
From the NYRB, an observation I agree with wholeheartedly:
“The Democrats’ most urgent political goals must be to stop the Republican Party’s ongoing authoritarian takeover, vigorously organize for victory in next year’s midterm elections, and preserve and strengthen the party’s most formidable electoral weapon—its battle-hardened grassroots. These goals can only be achieved if Democratic leaders show the moral clarity and political courage of a normal party of opposition. They must, in short, act with proportionate determination and imagination. Look at what just happened in Canada. In response to Trump’s proposed tariffs, Canadian politicians have put regular political business on hold, come up with the Team Canada concept, and conspicuously united to threaten counter-tariffs in defense of their country. In the hockey metaphor of one Canadian politician, they have shown that they’re ready to jump the boards.
By comparison, Democrats have disgraced themselves. They’ve looked terrified and defeated and confused. They’ve hidden behind consultant-devised talking points about grocery prices. They’ve cast votes to confirm Trump’s extremist cabinet nominees (for example, the oil executive Chris Wright as energy secretary, the notorious right-wing hack Lee Zeldin to head the Environmental Protection Agency, the unprincipled Marco Rubio as secretary of state). They’ve proposed obviously futile legislation such as the Stop the Steal Act to counter DOGE. We’re talking about full-time, professional politicians with support staff and expense accounts and good lawyers. They have solicited and accepted pro bono labor and vast campaign contributions from millions of concerned citizens. They must start to fight back with whatever power they have.
Republicans control the House and Senate. In principle, they don’t need Democratic votes to pass government funding bills or raise the debt ceiling. In practice, they are too extreme and chaotic to muster a House majority. Speaker Mike Johnson—who voted to overturn Biden’s election—will need Democratic votes to keep the government running. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will have no choice—he must make it clear that Democrats will bail out the Republicans if, and only if, Johnson can guarantee that Trump will cease and desist from unlawfully destroying the US government. This is not a big ask. Precisely how Johnson can credibly give such a guarantee is a matter for Johnson. He’s the speaker, after all. If he fails, most Americans will hold the extremist GOP responsible for the resulting fallout—but only if Democrats are ready and able to fight the public relations battle.”
But are they fighting? Sure doesn’t look like it. “Democrats have disgraced themselves.”
Man, have they ever.
In “The Godfather”, Tom Hagen wonders why Michael Corleone is replacing him as the family’s consigliere.
“You’re not a wartime consigliere, Tom. You’re out.”
We don’t have anything resembling a wartime consigliere. We have Mister Rogers.
If only...
https://x.com/call_me_tomasso/status/1895722929964699829?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1895722929964699829%7Ctwgr%5Ebce120f03494e69f9fa003010e1a8c4b553e33d1%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fknowyourmeme.com%2Fmemes%2Fvolodymyr-zelenskyy-punching-donald-trump-ai-video
Here are some Democrats that will knuckle under.
"Ten House Democrats just voted to censure Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green for what he did during Stupid Hitler’s million-hour-long babbling vomitfest on Tuesday night."
Jonathan Chait, in The Atlantic, on our latest candidate for least qualified new hire.
Like Kash Patel.Bongino's primary job qualification is fanatical loyalty to Trump
"Bongino rose to fame as a former Secret Service agent who quit in disgust in 2011....He ran for Senate in Maryland the next year, lost massively, then ran for a House seat in Maryland two years later, lost narrowly, and then moved to Florida to run for the House yet again, finishing a distant third in the Republican primary. At that point, perhaps wisely, he transitioned from electoral politics to a successful career as a right-wing media personality and podcaster."
Censuring Al Green for speaking truth to fascists?
Just great. These people think it’s 1980. We’re at war, you idiots! You don’t side with the traitors. You think they care about decorum? When their guy shouted “You lie!” at Obama, they gave him a ticker tape parade!
Fuck’s sake.
MitchF,
Saw that clip. Yeah, if only. I’m surprised the South African Chainsaw Massacre Man allows that sort of thing on his Nazi propaganda site. Unless…unless he’s thinking of doing the same thing. After all, he’s the real president. Why wasn’t he invited into the Opioid Office to gang up on Zelensky?
Laura,
It doesn’t seem as if regular ketamine use is a hypothetical for the MuskRat. He’s admitted in interviews that he uses the stuff. But wait…he has a prescription for ketamine. Oh well, that’s different. No one abuses prescription drugs, right? Especially a guy whose board members and executives at Tesla “… fear the billionaire's use of drugs—including LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, mushrooms and ketamine…” was making him unstable.
Per a WSJ report.
He even sez he’s “almost always sober” during all night rants.
For addicts and abusers of various substance, “almost always sober” means “sober for a half hour here or there.”
Years ago I worked with a guy who had a serious alcohol problem. After a DUI he had to go for counseling. Before finishing the course, he had to take an exit interview. I asked him how it went. He said “I knew they’d try to trick me, so I told them I was practically complete sober. When they asked how many beers I had in a night, I knew it was a trap so I cut it in half.”
“What did you tell them?”
“I said no more than six beers.”
Almost always sober.
Telling the Truth
French Senator Claude Malhuret:
"Washington has become Nero’s court, with an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers and a jester high on ketamine... We were at war with a dictator, we are now at war with a dictator backed by a traitor."
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/06/gavin-newsom-breaks-with-democrats-on-trans-athletes-in-sports-00215436
Our Allies?
The first guest on Gavin Newsom's podcast was Charlie Kirk
"California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a pioneer for LGBTQ+ rights who decades ago upset leaders in his own party when he defied state law and issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples, suggested Democrats were in the wrong in allowing transgender athletes to participate in female college and youth sports.
“I revere sports, so the issue of fairness is completely legit,” Newsom said. “And I saw that — the last couple years, boy did I [see] how you guys were able to weaponize that issue at another level.”
Kirk challenged Newsom over his use of the word “weaponize,” and Newsom replaced it with “highlight.”
Newsom’s interview with Kirk was friendly, sometimes exceedingly so. He mentioned the influence Kirk and other MAGA-world figures have had on his 13-year-old son, distanced himself from the use of pronouns and the gender-neutral term “Latinx,” called police defunding “lunacy,” denounced “cancel culture” and agreed that there had been some internal issues in the leadership of the Black Lives Matter organization."
It is so depressing to see all the worthless jackasses that we have to navigate to fight for all the progress and advancements that America has made in the last century. So many with power lack principles to do the right thing because it is right and not because it is easy or will help them in their quest for more power. Newsome looks like one of the latter.
https://newrepublic.com/article/192391/trump-press-sec-accidentally-reveals-ugly-scam-behind-tariffs
I see the Pretender's press secretary said those Canadian tariffs were an expression of his desire to make Canada the 51st state.
Who knows?
But should I be wondering why he doesn't want Mexico, too.
Naw, guess not.
Not Enough Cod Liver Oil
"The New Mexico Department of Health confirmed a Lea County resident who died tested positive for measles after their death. The official cause of death is under investigation by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator. NMDOH said the person was unvaccinated and did not seek medical care before their death."
3rd try
Akhilleus -
before reading Shayla Love, in The Atlantic, left the link out above -
Excessive use of ketamine can make anyone feel like they rule the world
------
I had never thought about elon's brain on ketamine. now I'm sort of astonished that the 'r' party, the part of law and order, the party of 'just say no', the party of trade wars blamed on drug trafficking, not only celebrates a felon in the oval office but a ketamine user poking around our software and personal data? what hypocrisy.
Love also mentions that:
"Outside the clinic, the drug is reportedly popular among Silicon Valley’s tech elite, and a feature at some wellness retreats, including those for leadership development, corporate team building, or couples counseling."
Is that what gives the Silicon Valley billionaires the ego to attempt to rule our elections and rule the world?
@RAS: Whenever I see some news that makes Gavin Newsom look good, I remember that he once had the good taste to marry Kimberly Guilfoyle. Any time one thinks, "Well, maybe Gavin's not so bad," remembrances of Kimberly will bring that person right back to her senses. He was always a jerk, and his political "positions" are always in service of Gavin. Right now, he'd gone the way of Silicon Valley & is bending his right knee.
As for transgender athletes competing in sports, there are few of them, so I don't think it's a big deal. But if I were a transgendering from male to female, I think I'd demand to be allowed to continue to compete in men's sports. Newsom is right about one thing: fairness demands that you don't use your special qualities to take advantage of other people, and having more male hormones and characteristics seems to be an advantage in women's sports. So I just wouldn't push it and take a spot on the girls' team. But that's who I am.
There's a good reason we have men's and women's sports competitions. (On the other hand, it would not be a bad idea, IMO, to have more sports competitions that did not specify sex/gender. Today, if I were my own granddaughter and thought I was particularly good at a non-contact sport, I'd be asking the coach to let me train and compete with the boys -- just as I should have insisted 60 years ago to be allowed to take shop instead of home ec. I could damned well build a better birdhouse than most of the smart-assed boys in my class. Painted pink. With scalloped soffits.)
Well, it seems that our elected representatives have no idea how to counter the corrupt unlawful things happening on an hourly basis. Newsome, well, after hearing he was married to that big-mouthed sidekick ("The best is still to cooooome!") to Jr. Trump, well, that was all I needed some years ago. I guess he is seriously insane now. How in the world...? I am so tired of people who can speak up and affect changes that are needed, NOT DOING IT! What was a series of Dems voting to censure someone who has hated the Poop in Chief from day one?? What is that? Why am I, a merely old person who hates these people "with the light of 10,000 suns" supposed to be trying to get others to understand that there IS NO PATH to trying to be cool and also trying to stop the bloodshed???
Yes, there was a big ole march in 2017 and I went to DC on a bus, and it was glorious to be with so many haters of Trump, but now, 9 years later, where are they? Were they voting for a corrupt piece of shit because he might change the cost of bananas the next week???? Daughter and I knocked on doors in November 2024, she for more days than I did, and she found people upset because their daughter voted differently than they did, and got multiple doors slammed in her face. Neither of us thought people would actually vote for an orange-faced buffoon once they knew there were good alternatives. We had no idea that Kamala was hated because she was labeled "shallow" by some of the worst people ever, or judged by her laugh-- we had no idea that they just didn't give a good goddamn.
Now we have an unelected billionnaire essentially gutting the entire government, since no one gave him any guidelines or guidance, like the trash collectors taking everyone and running them through a meat grinder. We have a pansy-assed minor character in the House (Hakeem), talking like Mr. Rogers (thanks, whoever said that upcolumn--) and we have goddamn Chuckie Schumer with his stupid glasses on his nose, and the young firebreathers either left Tuesday night or have been slammed by the old people--which excludes Frost, AOC, the rest of the "squad" etc.
I left messages for whoever Chrissy Houlihan from PA is (what kind of professional woman goes by Chrissy??)and Jim Himes and Jared Moskowitz. These cowards should be primaried immediately...or whenever.
I am seriously upset with my own party, after months and years of defending them. There are about two people in the Democratic side of the House that deserve help and support. The rest can just go jump in a lake. They don't deserve support.
I hate these people. All of them. Some more than others, like the two co-presidents, the vice idiot, the Squeaker of the House who looks like Jimmy Neutron, and Senator Kennedy in LA for his fake accent, and practically everyone else. Ugh. Another blood orange margarita please...
https://apnews.com/article/trudeau-trump-tariffs-trade-war-58eaa333ef96d4f17965bb7004e6bee7
Like my near neighbor to the north better all the time...
@Marie: Yeah, I heard somewhere that there are 5 known transgender female athletes competing in high schools currently. I don't know enough about the specifics and nuances to speak definitely on the subject, but it should be, and has been, based on the science and medical expertise up to this point is my understanding. Each case is different and should be handled by experts and doctors. The NCAA has had requirements for transgender athletes since 2010 and I haven't heard any noise about it until recently when the Right decided the transgender community would be their next boogeyman to rile up their base and scare the ignorant. The high school girl Newsome and Kirk were attacking is a long jumper. So there is no argument of bodily harm that they like to use in many of their attacks. I read an article on ESPN last year about a college volleyball player that they suddenly decided was an imminent threat to the safety of her opponents. Unfortunately the loudest and most frequent commenters are the bad faith actors who make shit up and destroy any discussions on the merits nor allow for a true education on the subject. As long as they meet all the requirements I think they should have the opportunity to participate in sports as themselves. Being part of a team can be beneficial socially and mentally in a healthy environment. Some of my problems with Newsome here is that he is throwing vulnerable young people under the bus for political gain and that he is doing it with one of those bad faith actors who helped put the bullseye on their backs in the first place. Making an already difficult time in many high school and college kids' lives that much more dangerous. Then to top it off he capitulated to the "fuck your feelings" crowd by softening his mild criticism of them deliberately hurting kids for political gain and their making money off their weaponization and demonization of transgender kids. Praising losers for their ability to lie and gaslight tells me he would/will do that if given the chance.