t0000 2.0, aka 47

[barnswallow]

We're lucky, we don't have an election for some years (Starmer was only elected in July 24) and we have a centre left government. The way things are going I hope the pushback against the far right may be in full force by then. I heard an interview with the most likely successor for Gernamy's elections on Sunday and he has done a full 180 on Trump. He has now spoken publically about the US and Germany not being a reliable partnership, and that Europe must work together more closely, possibly without the US. Which for a right wing, pro-American party is quite extraordinary.

Europe should brace for Trump to end NATO protection, Germany’s Merz warns

Merz said there was need to discuss Germany coming under British and French nuclear protection.

www.politico.eu

German Opposition Leader Merz: Trump Mirrors Putin’s Framing of Russia’s War in Ukraine

Friedrich Merz responded to Trump’s comments on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, emphasizing the need for a united European strategy to support Ukraine.

united24media.com

Are you feeling fairly good about the leaders in Europe right now, at least w regard to their approach to the U.S.? Starmer, Merz, Macron? Others?

 

[maplenpg]

Are you feeling fairly good about the leaders in Europe right now, at least w regard to their approach to the U.S.? Starmer, Merz, Macron? Others?

It's difficult. The world is watching in horror at what Trump is doing, there's no hiding that. However, I'd say there's a sense of trying to stroke Trump's ego, flatter him, do what it takes to get him to help create peace in Ukraine. To Trump's credit (which I'l rarely give), he's successfully made virtually all of Europe agree that they need to do more, to step up even more, but if the US steps down then we won't progress. I'm sure you know Starmer and Macron are there this week. Macron gets on well with Trump, Starmer will stroke his ego. I suspect the smiles might be somewhat forced, but they have to focus on what we all have in common, which at the moment is bringing peace and stability to Ukraine. I think the insanity will be ignored, the maniac with the chainsaw will hopefully be absent, and hopefully some progress will be made (sadly I think Trump does and says stuff depending how he feels on the day).

To answer your question though, am I feeling good about them? With regard to the US? No, because we aren't saying some of the stuff that needs to be said, at least not publically. And whilst our leaders are meeting with him, I think we need hard truths and not just flattery and ego stroking. With regard Europe do I feel good? No again, but....and it's a big but...since Trump took power Europe seems a bit more united than we have been for years, and for the UK to have a better relatonship with Europe again - that's a good thing.

 

[barnswallow]

Stunned U.S.A.I.D. Workers Return to Clean Out Their Desks

Democrats said a review mandated by executive order was “not a serious effort or attempt at reform.”

www.nytimes.com

Stunned U.S.A.I.D. Workers Return to Clean Out Their Desks [NYTimes;2.27.25]

Blurb: “Democrats said a review mandated by executive order was “not a serious effort or attempt at reform.””

The underlying weirdness of virtually every action taken by the t0000 administration continues. This one falls squarely in the category of ’reveling in random acts of cruelty.’

 

[maplenpg]

Stunned U.S.A.I.D. Workers Return to Clean Out Their Desks

Democrats said a review mandated by executive order was “not a serious effort or attempt at reform.”

www.nytimes.com

Stunned U.S.A.I.D. Workers Return to Clean Out Their Desks [NYTimes;2.27.25]

Blurb: “Democrats said a review mandated by executive order was “not a serious effort or attempt at reform.””

The underlying weirdness of virtually every action taken by the t0000 administration continues. This one falls squarely in the category of ’reveling in random acts of cruelty.’

Just 15 mins to get everything and go. I think the phrase 'random acts of cruelty' fits what is going on well. In terms of research and development, Trump and Musk have single handedly just taken an axe to whatever seems to take their fancy without any consideration for the people in those jobs, whether the job was necessary or not, or what the long term, wider implications of the work is. The little box contained in the article you posted is extraordinary.

I guess the world expected Trump to put the US above all else, so we kind of expected him to do dirty on Europe, but doing the dirty on his own people, many in his own country, seemingly without and good reason other than he doesn't like the organisation, is just savage.

 

[barnswallow]

Here are a couple of videos from Meidas Touch, again. There are other good presenters. I’m leaning on these now because they’ve made several that are meaningful in this moment.

First, one relevant to the post above about U.S.A.I.D. and the firing of civil servants there.


Trump Faces SURGE of CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE as HE SPIRALS [MeidasTouch;2.28.25]

Blurb: “We have a new wave of Capitol protestor arrests, but all the wrong kind under Trump’s Administration, as dozens exercising their First Amendment peaceful protest rights staged a silent “die-in” in the Capitol to protest Trump’s inhumane policies, which led to arrests and likely prosecutions by Trump’s DOJ and FBI. Michael Popok contrasts this display of courage and American Values, with how Trump took those values hostage by releasing and pardoning the Jan6 insurrectionists.”

Note that some of these protestors are former employees from USAID.

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This one has some relevance to the laying off of federal workers and also shows some of the resistance from governors in states around the country.


Fed Up Gov STRIKES BACK after Meeting with Trump | On Democracy [FPWellman on MTN;2.28.25]

Blurb: “Trump, Musk, and Vought are executing their diabolical plans to dismantle the Federal government from within. The damage they have already caused is devastating and the impact on average Americans has just begun. Already thousands of Federal employees are being purged and threatened and the impacts on DC, Virginia, and Maryland which are home to hundreds of thousands of those Americans will profound. Maryland isn’t waiting to see what happens and under Governor Wes Moore they are launching a series of efforts to support these workers and protect the organizations in his state. The governor joins Fred to discuss what they are doing and the damage he sees from his front row seat in this battle. It’s not his first as an Army combat veteran and he’s ready for the fight.”

 

[barnswallow]

The elephant in the room is what happened yesterday in the white house with djt0000 and jdv0000 ‘ambushing’ (the word I’ve seen used) the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, while other members of the t0000 administration and the press looked on. Even members of the press asked offensive questions of Zelensky. I’m not sure which video shows that.

I’ll post a series of videos on this event because each has a slightly different perspective/point to make.


Trump SCREAMING MATCH with Zelensky BACKFIRES...gets INSTANTLY Destroyed [MTN;2.28.25]

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Zelenskyy PUNCHES BACK on Fox after Trump MELTDOWN [MTN;2.28.25]

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*


Schiff DESTROYS Trump over HIS MELTDOWN with Zelensky [MTN;2.28.25]

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And, from Brian Tyler Cohen’s podcast:


BREAKING: World leaders combine to issue SHOCKING rebuke of Trump [Brian Tyler Cohen;3.1.25]

 

[maplenpg]

The elephant in the room is what happened yesterday in the white house with djt0000 and jdv0000 ‘ambushing’ (the word I’ve seen used) the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, while other members of the t0000 administration and the press looked on. Even members of the press asked offensive questions of Zelensky. I’m not sure which video shows that.

I’ll post a series of videos on this event because each has a slightly different perspective/point to make.


Trump SCREAMING MATCH with Zelensky BACKFIRES...gets INSTANTLY Destroyed [MTN;2.28.25]

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*


Zelenskyy PUNCHES BACK on Fox after Trump MELTDOWN [MTN;2.28.25]

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*


Schiff DESTROYS Trump over HIS MELTDOWN with Zelensky [MTN;2.28.25]

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And, from Brian Tyler Cohen’s podcast:


BREAKING: World leaders combine to issue SHOCKING rebuke of Trump [Brian Tyler Cohen;3.1.25]

I'll watch these and answer more fully when I've got more time (prob in a few days), but just to say this spat has bought out a wave of solidarity over here that I've not seen since Ukraine was first invaded 3 years ago.

 

[barnswallow]

As I regularly do, I’m up reading this and that . . . About the condition of the war in Ukraine. About the details of the fledgling agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. that just got blown sky high, about underlying possible reasons for that event, about t0000’s russia ties, about Zelenskyy (why am I suddenly noticing that his name ends in 2 ‘y’s?), about ketamine addiction and effects of ketamine, etc. Apparently, ketamine is musk’s drug of choice. Who would doubt he’s totally off his rocker at the moment? Jumping around on stages at rallies like a court jester showing fealty to his t0000? Wielding a massive chainsaw with maniacal glee, newly impressed with his macho-man demeanor?

This one talks about autocracy and attacks on democracy being perpetrated right now by the t0000 administration. Not that it’s a new topic; it’s just that it needs repeating in order to not fall into the frog trap where we stop noticing the pot of water reaching the boiling point.

The Wolf Is At The Door

Watch now | Behind The Headlines With Andrew Weissmann, Vol 2.6.a

open.substack.com

The Wolf Is at the Door [Andrew Weissman;2.28.25]

 

[barnswallow]

A couple of days out, with the dust settling, Bill Kristol and a reporter discuss what happened in the Oval Office on Friday. It was likely a set-up. For one thing, it’s not normal to have the Oval Office packed like a can of sardines when a foreign dignitary visits. Well. listen to this reporter’s account and hear his perspective. Know that Bill Kristol, the older man on the left is a long-time conservative commentator who has gravitas. He was a republican until 2020 when he left the party. He is an author and also served as Chief of Staff to VP Dan Quayle from 1989 to 1993, under President George H. W.Bush.


Will Things EVER Go Back To NORMAL? | Bulwark on Sunday [3.2.25]

Blurb: “Bulwark Managing Editor Sam Stein joined Bill Kristol to discuss Trump's meeting with Zelensky, the DOGE purge impact on global health and why incremental change might be better than radical moves.”

 

[barnswallow]

Here is a brief wrap-up of several unfolding stories, including efforts to upend vaccine development, the social security agency, . . . Etc

Saturday Report 3/1/25 - The plan to “demolish” Social Security is underway: Who will stop them?

The Best of the Rest of the News...

open.substack.com

Saturday Report - 3.1.25. - the plan to “demolish” Social Security is Underway - Who will stop them? [The Hartmann Report]
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Here are another couple of articles or maybe 3 I came across this evening:

This one is about marauding muskovites, aka doge-bros, hollowing out a couple of agencies dedicated to technology in government. These departing, competent public servants assessed the 19-25 y. o. imposters and found their skills to be essentially zero. Yeah. DOGE ain’t about efficiency. It never was.

Skilled technologists are being forced out of government

18F and USDS are gutted by DOGE

open.substack.com

Skilled technologists are being forced out of government. [can we still govern?;3.1.25]

Subtitle: “18F and USDS are gutted by DOGE.”

I think USDS = U.S.Digital Service

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I waffled on posting this one but it takes the big picture view and has value for that.

The Empire Strikes First: Trump, Putin, and the Global War on Democracy

What happens when the country that once led the free world becomes the enemy of Democracy?

open.substack.com

The Empire Strikes First: Trump, Putin, and the Global War on Democracy [The Hartmann Report;3.3.25]

Subtitle: “what happens when the country that once led the free world becomes the enemy of democracy?”

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I’ll post this and go collect a couple of other links. I’d howl if all this got lost somehow. . .

Here’s one documenting t0000’s long history with the russian mafia. This is part 2. Part 1 shows how the relationship started. This gets down deeper into it.

Why Trump Betrayed Ukraine, Part Two

How Donald Trump used Trump Tower and other properties to launder dirty money for the Russian Mafia, rescue his empire from bankruptcy, and stake out a future as leader of the not-so-free world.

open.substack.com

Why Trump Betrayed Ukraine, Part Two [Craig Unger;3.2.25]

Subtitle: “How Donald Trump used Trump Tower and other properties to launder dirty money for the Russian mafia, rescue his empire from bankruptcy, and stake out a future as leader of the not-so-free world.”
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Maybe 2 more. . ,
This one posits another spoke in this crazy wheel, one that ties together various characters. . . . musk, vance, thiel and some other names I’m less familiar with but have come across before, like yarvin. Anyhow. Food for thought.

CONTEXT: Dems Cozy Up To Palantir As Peter Thiel, Humanity's Enemy, Nears Tech Dictatorship Goals

PLUS: Crypto Bro Placed Atop Military, Path Cleared To Assault Protestors. Meanwhile mainstream media refuses to say the name Curtis Yarvin, the 'philosopher' behind Thiel and Musk's fraud.

open.substack.com

CONTEXT: Dems Cozy Up to Palantir As Peter Thiel, Humanity’s Enemy, Nears Tech Dictatorship Goals [Brian Hansbury ;2.26.25]

Actually, I don’t know who Brian Hansbury is. But he starts off citing F. P. Wellman who I’ve listened to numerous times on the Meidas Touch Network. I’ve never read anything else by Hansbury.

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Last one! I try to carefully choose which NYTimes articles to post, since I only get to share 10 per month. Here’s the first for March 2025.

Opinion | What Big-Business Leaders, Including Democrats, Say Privately About Trump

Behind closed doors, many top executives voice support for the new administration.

www.nytimes.com

What Big-Business Leaders, Including Democrats, Say Privately About Trump [Steven Rattner, guest essay;3.2.25]

 

[barnswallow]

This one is by an opinion writer at the NYTimes.

Opinion | ‘Trump Is the Real Thing’

Vengeance is his.

www.nytimes.com

'Trump Is the Real Thing'; [Thomas B. Edsall; NYTimes Opinion;3.4.25]

It's another article that takes the zoomed out view. I like it for the links to supporting articles and to authors with particular expertise. The article talks about t0000 administration attacks on government agencies, on the legal system, on anything perceived as 'liberal', on how these actions conform to the 'project 2025' playbook and its embrace of the 'unitary executive theory,' and how t0000 interprets that theory, through the lens of his own narcissism.

All the following is quoted from the article:

"Dan McAdams, a professor of psychology at Northwestern, followed up on this idea by email:

Building a self-concept that proclaims omnipotence while defending against a deep fragility is what narcissism is all about. Trump’s narcissism is legendary, of course, but the form of it is stranger and more extreme than most people recognize.

. . .
"In this context, according to McAdams’s analysis, “Trump will never, ever admit to a defeat. We have seen it again and again in his life.”

Trump’s refusal to abandon a grievance, his constant vows to avenge slights, is a hallmark of his character and part of what makes him so dangerous."

Steven Pinker, a professor of cognitive science at Harvard, foresees significant trouble ahead. He wrote by email that Trump is among those

who think well of themselves not in proportion to their accomplishments but out of a congenital sense of entitlement. When reality intrudes, as it inevitably will, they treat the bad news as a personal affront and its bearer, who is endangering their fragile reputation, as a malicious slanderer.

People who fit this model, Pinker wrote, are characterized by

a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration and a lack of empathy. It’s common among street toughs, bullies, abusive husbands and hate-crime perpetrators, and several historians have noted it’s common among tyrants. Indeed, our Madisonian checks and balances are in large part designed to contain would-be tyrants.

The question, Pinker wrote, is “how far Trump would go and whether crossing some lines would bring him so much opprobrium that he would think it reflects badly on him. Presumably, that’s what happened on Jan. 20, 2021” — the last day of Trump’s first term — “when despite fears that he would not willingly leave the White House, he did so without resistance.”

 

[barnswallow]

Forging ahead. Let’s see. Here’s another from Thomas Hartmann. I didn’t know much of anything about him, so I tried to find out something. After doing that, I am tentatively posting the following. Is it conspiracy theory infected? Or is it plausible? Hartmann is a well-regarded, successful radio host, among other things. Previously, he had a Friday radio show with Bernie Sanders as the weekly guest. In other broadcasts, he interviewed many pols and included those from both sides of the aisle. He’s written a number of books and those have garnered him invitations from the likes of the Dalai Lama and the Pope. Not too shabby. He belongs to an organization called the Coptic Center: “In this case, Coptic is an acronym for Center Of Personal Transformation In Consciousness and has no relation the Coptic Orthodox Church.” [from ‘Thom Hartmann entry in wikipedia] Also, “Hartmann is a practitioner of the pseudo-scientific Neuro-Linguistic Programming, . . . He has also “obtained degrees in herbology and homeopathic medicine . . . “ I don’t know why I bring all that up except that those pursuits lean towards a certain interpretation of existence that might incline a person to adopt viewpoints that might not be strictly rigorous. Now that I’ve panned him, here is the article! He did do the research.

This one is about cyber threats against the U.S. from putin et al. And the odd actions taken by t0000 that seem designed to make us more vulnerable to cyber-attack.

Could Russia Win a War Against America Without Ever Firing a Shot?

Russia’s cyber attack on Ukraine and subsequent invasion, it turns out, may just have been dress rehearsal…

open.substack.com

Could Russia Win a War Against America Without Ever Firing A Shot? [Thomas Hartmann;3.4.25]

 

[barnswallow]

Back to USAID for a moment. Did you know that USAID was created 70-some years ago by JFK? I wonder what RFK, Jr , the new leader oh the Dept of Health & Human Services and vaccine skeptic, thinks of all this. I mean, this is his uncle’s work, for crying out loud.

The Trump Administration Said These Aid Programs Saved Lives. It Canceled Them Anyway.

The axing of some 10,000 programs has consigned untold numbers of children and refugees to death, officials say. Documents and interviews reveal that the State Department appears to have made the cuts without the careful review it described in court.

www.propublica.org

The Trump Administration Said These Aid Programs Saved Lives. It Cancelled Them Anyway [Pro Publica;3.1.25]

Click on the link below to see what the website for USAID looks like today:

USAID

 

[barnswallow]

Here’s one about cruelty and mistreatment of vulnerable populations. I was listening to the ‘Shrinking Trump’ podcast today. They were focused on last week’s Oval Office meeting with President Zelensky of Ukraine. And other recent events. They interpret everything from a psychological perspective - what is going on in t0000’s brain. The ‘why’ of all that’s happening. They referred to the cruelty today and more specifically the pleasure taken in the cruelty. That certainly seems to apply here.

Trans women transferred to men’s prisons despite rulings against Trump’s order

Incarcerated trans women report being groped by male guards and suicidal thoughts: ‘I’m punished for existing’

www.theguardian.com

Trans women transferred to men’s prisons despite rulings against Trump’s order [The Guardian;3.7.25]

Subtitle: “Incarcerated trans women report being groped by male guards and suicidal thoughts: ‘I’m punished for existing’”

This turn of events is also a line crossed - defying/ disregarding rulings from the courts that constrain the executive branch is a ‘constitutional crisis’ moment and a significant step away from democracy and away from respect for the rule of law foundational to any democracy.

 

[barnswallow]

Before the election last November, Biden had been in the process of adding staff to the IRS, which has been understaffed for years. Auditing big companies takes more staff and greater expertise. That’s also where the fanciest tax lawyers are engaged. They know the tricks of the trade.

The article below talks about a division of the IRS known as LB&I [large business & international]. Laying off and firing people in this division hobbles the agencies ability to audit big business. So, the Treasury loses revenue.

How DOGE’s Cuts To The IRS Threaten To Cost More Than DOGE Will Ever Save

This article was originally published at ProPublica, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom....

talkingpointsmemo.com

How DOGE’s Cuts To The IRS Threaten To Cost More Than DOGE Will Ever Save [TPM;3.7.25]

This article was originally published at ProPublica, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom.
Quoted from the article:
“John Koskinen, who led the IRS from 2013 to 2017, said in an interview that the widespread cuts to the IRS make no sense if Trump and Musk genuinely care about fiscal responsibility and rooting out waste, fraud and abuse. “What I’ve never understood is if you’re interested in the deficit and curbing it, why would you cut back on the revenue side?” Koskinen said.”
. . .
“For this story, ProPublica interviewed more than a dozen current and former IRS employees. Most of those people worked in the agency’s Large Business and International (LB&I) division, which audits companies with more than $10 million in assets and high-income individuals. Within the IRS, the LB&I division has the highest return on investment, and the widespread cuts there put in stark relief the human and financial cost of the Trump administration’s approach to slashing government functions in the name of saving money and combating waste and fraud.”

 

[barnswallow]

as the U.S. abandons its European allies and Ukraine and aligns with Russia, we see the abandonment reflected in news reporting.

There are a lot of articles on Ukraine right now and I don’t want to blow the entirety of the NYTimes articles I can share, so I am simply copying a few of their headlines. I’ve also added some supporting information from other sources. I hope it’s not confusing.

Russian Strikes Kill 20 in Eastern Ukraine as U.S. Reduces Its Support​

[3.8.25]
The bombardment came after Washington’s decision to suspend intelligence sharing and hit a region critical for Ukrainian logistics and support.

Don Knight on Substack

Russia just launched another brutal missile strike, killing at least 20 innocent Ukrainian civilians over the past two nights. These attacks are escalating—and it’s no coincidence. Trump has handed Putin a free pass to commit war crimes by cutting off U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine...

substack.com

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With Drones and North Korean Troops, Russia Pushes Back Ukraine’s Offensive [3.8.25]​

Russia has retaken about two-thirds of the territory Ukraine seized last summer in the Kursk region of Russia, but at a fearful cost in lives.

Don Knight on Substack

Discover and discuss great writing with the world’s smartest readers on Substack.

substack.com

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Russia Hits Ukrainian Power and Gas Facilities in Widespread Attack​

[3.7.25]
The bombardment came just days after the United States said it was suspending intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

Don Knight on Substack

Remember when Mike Johnson blocked aid to Ukraine at Trump’s request during the Biden administration—pretending it was about budgeting and fiscal responsibility? They insisted they weren’t against Ukraine, just cautious about spending. Now, there’s no doubt: they were actively sabotaging...

substack.com

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Trump Administration Pauses Intelligence Sharing With Ukraine​

[3.5.25]
Officials say the halt in assistance is a warning to the Ukrainians of the consequences of not cooperating with the president.

It’s In French — But You Gotta Watch And Share

"This speech is like that moment in Casablanca when they sing the Marseillaise!" There are subtitles, of course.

andrewtobias.com

It’s In French — But You Gotta Watch And Share [Andrew Tobias;3.8.25]
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How Soon Could Ukraine’s Forces ‘Start to Buckle’ Without U.S. Weapons?​

[3.5.25]
It could be as little as four months, say analysts, as Europe scrambles to plug the hole in support left by President Trump’s suspension of military aid.


World Leaders take ACTION AGAINST Trump in POWERFUL stance [Meidas Touch;3.8.25]
Shame

 

[barnswallow]

btw, the measles outbreak in Texas continues unabated. At least 2 have died. Robert F Kennedy Jr. who heads the dept of health & Human services has publicly recommended cod liver oil . . .

At least he hasn’t outright condemned vaccinations.

Meanwhile, t0000 has invited South African farmers to move permanently to the U.S.! The directive fails to make a distinction of farmer ethnicity, so we may be welcoming all South African farmers. Not sure. I’m winding down and too tired to write this up properly but that’s the gist.

In other news, US Scientists have taken to the streets to protest draconian cuts to federal funding for research.

A second spaceX rocket blew up spectacularly.

Of course, there’s loads more to report in the category of ‘diabolical’ but I’m done for the evening. Plus, I prefer providing proper reporting rather than my imperfectly remembered news snippets.

 

[barnswallow]

Hello. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut summarizes the corrupt acts of the t0000 administration, the first 47 days. It takes 28m 54s.


Murphy: Six Weeks In, This White House Is On Its Way To Being The Most Corrupt In U.S. History [Senator Chris Murphy;3.6.25]

Blurb: “WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to expose the unprecedented corruption of the Trump administration’s first six weeks in office. Murphy condemned Trump’s normalization of pay-to-play politics, where billionaire donors dictate policy and taxpayer money is funneled into the pockets of the president, Elon Musk, and the corporate elite.”

 

[barnswallow]

Here’s one about the foundering U.S. economy.


Lawrence: Trump is gleefully taking billions from you and everyone in the United States [MSNBC;3.10.25]

Blurb: “Donald Trump made the mistake in an interview that no other president has made when, MSNBC’S Lawrence O’Donnell says, he predicted a recession is coming. Lawrence details the aftermath of Donald Trump’s statement that led to the worst market day of 2025 and one of the worst days of Elon Musk’s life.”

 

[maplenpg]

Here’s one about the foundering U.S. economy.


Lawrence: Trump is gleefully taking billions from you and everyone in the United States [MSNBC;3.10.25]

Blurb: “Donald Trump made the mistake in an interview that no other president has made when, MSNBC’S Lawrence O’Donnell says, he predicted a recession is coming. Lawrence details the aftermath of Donald Trump’s statement that led to the worst market day of 2025 and one of the worst days of Elon Musk’s life.”

Do you think a recession would be the one thing that Trump might not be able to recover from given that many of his supporters see him as a keen businessman?