Trump withdraws Elsie Stefanik's nomination to be UN rep because Republicans are apparently worried about losing the special election in FL-6 on Tuesday. FL-6 is an R+14 district
In actual good news, the Supreme Court declines to hear a case asking it to overturn Sullivan and invalidate anti-SLAPP statutes: https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-turns-away-casino-mogul-wynns-bid-challenge-ny-times-v-sullivan-2025-03-24/
Trump signs another sweeping executive order against lawyer who were somehow associated with something against him. This time Jenner Block: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/us/politics/trump-executive-order-law-firm-jenner-block.html
Ganz covers the Atlantic debacle well: https://www.unpopularfront.news/p/the-worst-and-the-dimmest
"My high-level takeaway is “what you see is what you get. These guys might look like idiots, and talk like idiots, but don’t let that fool you: they really are idiots. I suppose there is a small possibility that this was some kind of “op” — an intentional leak to Goldberg and the Atlantic — but to what end? It makes them look amateurish and bad at their jobs. To a president obsessed with image, this is even more important than the actual national security implications. ....We can finally put to rest all the hypotheticals and theories about Trump’s governance: There’s no 4D chess going on here; the administration is very reactive and tactical; they are not prone to complicated or detailed considerations. They barely even deliberate at all: they do what Trump wants and rationalize it ex post facto."
The idiocy is somehow a superpower for them because they just turn into full-speed ahead bulldozers
Bending the knee: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/breaking-doge-strong-armed-usip-security-contractors-to-switch-sides
Yesterday I noted that when DOGE showed up on Monday at the USIP offices, they came with what appeared to be private security in addition to FBI agents. It turns out that those private security people were USIP’s own security contractors, only they’d switched sides to DOGE. That contractor is called “Inter-Con.” Realizing that DOGE might try to suborn Inter-Con, the USIP’s head of security had already canceled Inter-Con’s contract and that cancelation had been acknowledged. USIP was able to close out Inter-Con’s swipe badges, but there was one physical key they had not been able to get possession of yet. That key was in the hands of Kevin Simpson, the Inter-Con account manager for USIP. It was that physical key, which Simpson brought to the offices on Monday, which allowed DOGE to get into the building. Once they made entry they immediately made for the gun safe and took possession of the premises. DC Metro Police were also soon on the scene and ordered the incumbent staff to leave.
Now, why did Inter-Con switch sides? Why did they continue acting as security contractors after their contract had been terminated? According to the sworn declaration of the USIP head of security Colin O’Brien, Derick Hanna, Vice President of Inter-Con, told O’Brien that “DOGE threatened to cancel every federal contract Inter-Con held if they did not come to the USIP building and let Kenneth Jackson [the purported new head of the Institute] inside.”
How big a threat was that? According to USASpending, Inter-Con has $209 million in government contractors currently. So it sounds like DOGE made them an offer they couldn’t refuse.
Germany revised its website on travel to the U.S. in light of recent detentions of German Citizens with valid visas. ComicCon is advising people not to travel here:
He got his votes with the help of: Democrats joining Mr. Schumer in voting to move it forward were Senators Dick Durbin of Illinois, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Gary Peters of Michigan, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen, both of New Hampshire. Senator Angus King, the Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats, also voted yes.
Peters is retiring and should not have voted this way. No idea about why Schatz voted this way. CCM, Hassan, and Shaheen are from purplish states
I wonder if Schumer really has the votes for cloture: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/senate-cloture-vote-tally
Rand Paul is a no. Klobuchar and Warock came out as nos. There are possibly the votes from the no position list but also the chance that last nights firestorm changed opinions.
1. Newsom is a better governor than he gets credit for but this podcast is not endearing him to anyone likely to vote in Democratic Party primaries. But for the podcast, I would have considered him a strong contender.
2. I think the candidate will be a governor, almost certainly male.
Pritzker, Beshear, and Walz are probably looking at running
Yoy
u can’t negotiate with Trump times 1 trillion. Columbia University tried to negotiate with Trump regarding the 400 million in cancelled grants. Trump is demanding complete capitulation
“This revisionist history that says, `We could have done without the lockdowns,’ is dangerous,” said Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, founding director of Boston University’s Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases. “You would have faced even more deaths and even more hospitalizations in a shorter period of time, which would have debilitated our health care system.”
But while the impact of lockdown policies is still being studied, new research paints a troubling picture of the immense collateral damage inflicted by them.
The measures increased poverty and wealth disparities, spurred a dramatic rise in adolescent anxiety and depression, contributed to a surge in fatal drug overdoses, and led to devastating learning losses in schoolchildren, who have yet to recover, according to scientific studies. As of last spring, the average American student remained half a grade behind pre-pandemic levels in both math and reading, according to a recent report card on pandemic learning loss.
This article doesn't seem to say what you think it says: "While the scientific community is still divided over how effective lockdowns were, those who publicly criticized the measures during the pandemic have gained the political upper hand. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya of Stanford University, who co-authored a manifesto against lockdowns, is President Trump’s nominee to lead the National Institutes of Health, the nation’s largest funder of biomedical research with a $48 billion budget. And Trump’s health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has described lockdowns as an attack on the poor and middle class.
“We are long overdue for a reckoning on the lockdowns,” said Stephen Macedo, a political scientist at Princeton University in New Jersey, who co-authored a book due out later this month that calls for a national inquiry into the lockdown measures. “What’s become increasingly clear is that a lot of what we did was irrational and based on fear, and we didn’t think through the profound costs.”
The article is basically cranks with pet theories have an advocate in the WH now.
The new "welcome" banners at the Kennedy Center: https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5edd3bce3018801024d27100ccaa594662e094734c9eb5b1633ecfd5430b93cb.jpg
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.
On “Open Mic for the week of 3/24/25”
Trump withdraws Elsie Stefanik's nomination to be UN rep because Republicans are apparently worried about losing the special election in FL-6 on Tuesday. FL-6 is an R+14 district
On “Signal Controversy Over Houthi Strikes Deepens”
These aren't very bright guys and things got out of hand remains evergreen
On “Open Mic for the week of 3/24/25”
The Atlantic story keeps on getting worse and worse for the Trump team.
"
In actual good news, the Supreme Court declines to hear a case asking it to overturn Sullivan and invalidate anti-SLAPP statutes: https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-turns-away-casino-mogul-wynns-bid-challenge-ny-times-v-sullivan-2025-03-24/
"
Trump signs another sweeping executive order against lawyer who were somehow associated with something against him. This time Jenner Block: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/us/politics/trump-executive-order-law-firm-jenner-block.html
Let's see if they fight or bend then knee
"
Ganz covers the Atlantic debacle well: https://www.unpopularfront.news/p/the-worst-and-the-dimmest
"My high-level takeaway is “what you see is what you get. These guys might look like idiots, and talk like idiots, but don’t let that fool you: they really are idiots. I suppose there is a small possibility that this was some kind of “op” — an intentional leak to Goldberg and the Atlantic — but to what end? It makes them look amateurish and bad at their jobs. To a president obsessed with image, this is even more important than the actual national security implications. ....We can finally put to rest all the hypotheticals and theories about Trump’s governance: There’s no 4D chess going on here; the administration is very reactive and tactical; they are not prone to complicated or detailed considerations. They barely even deliberate at all: they do what Trump wants and rationalize it ex post facto."
The idiocy is somehow a superpower for them because they just turn into full-speed ahead bulldozers
"
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/?gift=kPTlqn0J1iP9IBZcsdI5IVJpB2t9BYyxpzU4sooa69M&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
Jeffrey Goldberg accidentally included in group chat on bombing Yemen
On “Open Mic for the week of 3/17/25”
Bending the knee: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/breaking-doge-strong-armed-usip-security-contractors-to-switch-sides
Yesterday I noted that when DOGE showed up on Monday at the USIP offices, they came with what appeared to be private security in addition to FBI agents. It turns out that those private security people were USIP’s own security contractors, only they’d switched sides to DOGE. That contractor is called “Inter-Con.” Realizing that DOGE might try to suborn Inter-Con, the USIP’s head of security had already canceled Inter-Con’s contract and that cancelation had been acknowledged. USIP was able to close out Inter-Con’s swipe badges, but there was one physical key they had not been able to get possession of yet. That key was in the hands of Kevin Simpson, the Inter-Con account manager for USIP. It was that physical key, which Simpson brought to the offices on Monday, which allowed DOGE to get into the building. Once they made entry they immediately made for the gun safe and took possession of the premises. DC Metro Police were also soon on the scene and ordered the incumbent staff to leave.
Now, why did Inter-Con switch sides? Why did they continue acting as security contractors after their contract had been terminated? According to the sworn declaration of the USIP head of security Colin O’Brien, Derick Hanna, Vice President of Inter-Con, told O’Brien that “DOGE threatened to cancel every federal contract Inter-Con held if they did not come to the USIP building and let Kenneth Jackson [the purported new head of the Institute] inside.”
How big a threat was that? According to USASpending, Inter-Con has $209 million in government contractors currently. So it sounds like DOGE made them an offer they couldn’t refuse.
"
Germany revised its website on travel to the U.S. in light of recent detentions of German Citizens with valid visas. ComicCon is advising people not to travel here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/army/comments/1jf6zpp/pentagon_press_secretary_john_ullyot_said_the/
Good job everyone!!!
"
The DOD apparently removed info on Jackie Robinson from its website. A completely bonkers explanation as to why:
https://www.reddit.com/r/army/comments/1jf6zpp/pentagon_press_secretary_john_ullyot_said_the/
On “The JFK Files Drop Today (Supposedly)”
Why do you continue to fall for this?
On “Open Mic for the week of 3/10/25”
He is likely retiring
"
He got his votes with the help of: Democrats joining Mr. Schumer in voting to move it forward were Senators Dick Durbin of Illinois, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Gary Peters of Michigan, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen, both of New Hampshire. Senator Angus King, the Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats, also voted yes.
Peters is retiring and should not have voted this way. No idea about why Schatz voted this way. CCM, Hassan, and Shaheen are from purplish states
"
I wonder if Schumer really has the votes for cloture: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/senate-cloture-vote-tally
Rand Paul is a no. Klobuchar and Warock came out as nos. There are possibly the votes from the no position list but also the chance that last nights firestorm changed opinions.
On “Posing, Posturing, & Positioning: 2028 Democratic Presidential Candidates”
1. Newsom is a better governor than he gets credit for but this podcast is not endearing him to anyone likely to vote in Democratic Party primaries. But for the podcast, I would have considered him a strong contender.
2. I think the candidate will be a governor, almost certainly male.
Pritzker, Beshear, and Walz are probably looking at running
On “Open Mic for the week of 3/10/25”
Yoy
u can’t negotiate with Trump times 1 trillion. Columbia University tried to negotiate with Trump regarding the 400 million in cancelled grants. Trump is demanding complete capitulation
"
There still seems to be some robust debate over whether a shut down helps Trusk because it slows down the Courts.
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t
Schumer/Gillibrand seem convinced that allowing cloture is the lesser of two eviks
"
She would be pretty if she wasn't buggin insane with bad politics
"
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/jewish-protesters-flood-trump-tower-to-demand-activist-mahmoud-khalils-release
URL says it all!!
"
“This revisionist history that says, `We could have done without the lockdowns,’ is dangerous,” said Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, founding director of Boston University’s Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases. “You would have faced even more deaths and even more hospitalizations in a shorter period of time, which would have debilitated our health care system.”
But while the impact of lockdown policies is still being studied, new research paints a troubling picture of the immense collateral damage inflicted by them.
The measures increased poverty and wealth disparities, spurred a dramatic rise in adolescent anxiety and depression, contributed to a surge in fatal drug overdoses, and led to devastating learning losses in schoolchildren, who have yet to recover, according to scientific studies. As of last spring, the average American student remained half a grade behind pre-pandemic levels in both math and reading, according to a recent report card on pandemic learning loss.
"
This article doesn't seem to say what you think it says: "While the scientific community is still divided over how effective lockdowns were, those who publicly criticized the measures during the pandemic have gained the political upper hand. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya of Stanford University, who co-authored a manifesto against lockdowns, is President Trump’s nominee to lead the National Institutes of Health, the nation’s largest funder of biomedical research with a $48 billion budget. And Trump’s health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has described lockdowns as an attack on the poor and middle class.
“We are long overdue for a reckoning on the lockdowns,” said Stephen Macedo, a political scientist at Princeton University in New Jersey, who co-authored a book due out later this month that calls for a national inquiry into the lockdown measures. “What’s become increasingly clear is that a lot of what we did was irrational and based on fear, and we didn’t think through the profound costs.”
The article is basically cranks with pet theories have an advocate in the WH now.
"
As far as I can tell, Democrats are putting a lot of pressure on their Senators
The House CR passed on nearly party line votes with Massie and Golden switching sides
"
Zelenskyy agreed to a 30-day ceasefire deal brokered by Saudi Arabia (!!!!). Russia responds by firing rockets into Ukraine
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/mar/11/ukraine-russia-us-peace-talks-moscow-war-latest-live-news-europe
"
DOE guts itself with illegal terminations of 1300 employees: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/us/politics/trump-education-department-firings.html
"
The new "welcome" banners at the Kennedy Center: https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5edd3bce3018801024d27100ccaa594662e094734c9eb5b1633ecfd5430b93cb.jpg
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.