Roaming Fees: Political Persona Disaster in The usa

“Bless The usa,” Centralia, Washington. Picture: Jeffrey St. Clair.

“When even the dictators of nowadays enchantment to reason why, they imply that they possess probably the most tanks. They have been rational sufficient to construct them; others will have to be rational sufficient to yield to them.”
– Max Horkheimer, The Finish of Reason why
Trump has been talented extra energy than he has taken. However now that he has collected such a lot authority in the course of the weak point and political negligence of his warring parties, he is able to grasp and consolidate an exceptional quantity of energy by means of himself, leaving the rustic nearly defenseless in opposition to his vindictive whims and authoritarian aspirations.
We’re coming into a time when the interior assessments on unbridled government energy have both been unplugged or omitted without a significant resistance from the opposite branches of presidency. If there used to be something the founding fathers (if most effective there’d been founding moms or sisters) feared greater than slave rebellions, it used to be a king-like government, whose regulate over the levers of presidency, together with its army and police powers, used to be absolute.
The federalist construction of the United States authorities set forth within the Charter used to be in large part designed by means of James Madison to forestall this end result, a lot to the misery of figures like Alexander Hamilton, who argued that the constitutional assessments on government energy would gradual nearly to a move slowly now and again the power of the federal government to enact radical adjustments. (Madison’s buddy and fellow Virginian George Mason refused to signal the Charter as a result of he felt it nonetheless conveyed an excessive amount of energy to the manager department!)
However the program, as soon as honored as a bedrock price by means of conservatives, is within the technique of being demolished from the inside-out by means of one Government Order after every other with even the “originalist,” Federalist Society-vetted contributors of the federal judiciary serving to to press the detonator transfer.
+++
+ John Adams: “I worry that during each and every elected place of work, contributors will download a power by means of noise now not sense. Via meanness, now not greatness. Via lack of awareness, now not studying.”
+ The most productive Gong Display Presidency Cash Can Purchase: In keeping with paperwork received by means of Stressed out, company leaders and industry tycoons are paying up to $5,000,000 for conferences with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Previous this month, Mar-a-Lago hosted a “Candlelight Dinner.” The fee to order a seat began at $a million.
+ After the Chinese language crypto tycoon Justin Solar purchased $75 million price of the $Trump memecoin, the pending SEC civil fraud case in opposition to him used to be placed on hang.

+ In keeping with a record within the New York Instances, “after six weeks in place of work, President Trump has now not disclosed the names of the donors who paid for his transition making plans, in spite of a public pledge to take action.”
+ All the nation is being hacked by means of its personal authorities. In the most recent intrusion, the Washington Put up’s Jeff Stein studies that DOGE sought get admission to to a delicate database saved by means of the federal child-support place of work, which incorporates source of revenue data, Social Safety numbers for almost all U.S. staff.
+ What DOGE is doing is going a long way past the mass surveillance and knowledge number of emails & telephone calls that Snowden uncovered. DOGE–a quasi-government outfit of questionable legality–is accumulating actually the entirety about you: SS numbers, mom’s maiden identify, house cope with, financial institution accounts, employment information, tax information, well being information, carrier information, authorities bills, all going into the palms and servers of out of doors contractors with nobody conserving tabs on the place they finally end up or how they’ll be used…
+ One member of the DOGE wrecking workforce is making $195,000 a yr, the utmost allowed for any federal worker after many years of carrier.

+ At a contentious White Space assembly final week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy faced Trump and Musk over the DOGE wrecking workforce’s plan to fireside air visitors controllers: “What am I meant to do? I’ve a couple of airplane crashes to handle now and your other folks need me to fireside air visitors controllers?”
+ Has DOGE cancelled a unmarried greenback of any of Musk’s billions in contracts with the government? You’d assume they’d cancel no less than one already expiring contract, as a purely performative gesture…(at the same time as he racked up two times as many no-bid offers.)
+ The French baby-kisser Claude Malhuret unloaded at the Trump management this week: “Washington has turn into Nero’s courtroom, with an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers and a jester prime on ketamine answerable for purging the civil carrier.”
+ That is an insult to Nero, who wasn’t a war-monger, however a poet, a musician (and now not most effective as a fiddler whilst Rome burned), an actor of Greek tragedies who spoke two languages and all the time saved his lions neatly fed. Nero presided over a lot of infrastructure weeks and instigated one of the crucial biggest public works tasks within the historical past of Rome, after the Christians (there’s a lot of proof to indicate it) set hearth to service provider stores close to the Circus Maximus and the good conflagration briefly unfold around the insula (blocks of shoody wood condominium constructions) and up the Palatine and Caelian hills, leaving 70 p.c of town in ruins…
+++
+ In the meantime, the Democrats are running arduous to provide new that means to Reagan Democrats…

+ For individuals who consider in a Deep State, Slotkin is as deep because it will get. Slotkin used to be recruited by means of the CIA from grad college at Columbia in 2003, simply in time to assist plot the invasion and career of Iraq, the place she did 3 excursions of responsibility as a CIA officer. Bush later assigned her to the Iraq table at his Nationwide Safety Council. In spite of the blunders, illegalities and atrocities dedicated by means of the Bush Management (and the CIA) all the way through the Iraq Conflict, Obama saved her onboard in roles of escalating authority on the State Division and Pentagon, the place she in the end ascended to the location of Appearing Assistant Secretary of Protection for Global Safety Affairs in 2015. Slotkin left the Obama management in 2017 and instantly capitalized on her former occupation on the CIA and Protection Division by means of forming her personal safety company, Pinpoint Consulting. 
+ Opting for Slotkin to provide the reaction to Trump’s 90 minute diatribe prior to Congress will give you an concept of the place the celebration is headed. Briefly: off the cliff.
+ It’s nearly as though they’ve a dying want.

+ A reminder: Kamala Harris were given simply 40% of her marketing campaign cash from small-dollar donors, and that’s now not even counting tremendous PAC spending, which is basically massive donors…
+ Then there’s the massive team of elite Democratic donors who’re urging the celebration to go back to the “3rd method” pro-corporate, militaristic insurance policies of the Clinton technology (when did they abandon them?) and scrub any closing strains of Sanders’ woke (ie., FDR/LBJ) financial and DEI social insurance policies from its dwindling ranks. In different phrases, it’s the similar previous…

+++
+ Justin Feldman at the so-called Well being Freedom Motion: “The motion can also be defeated by means of exposing it for what it’s: unpopular, morally hideous, and—possibly most significantly—a wasting reason that poses a legal responsibility to any baby-kisser who chooses to include it. However that’s now not sufficient. We want to struggle for a proper to well being.”
+ With early detection of cervical cancers is sort of 100% treatable. But each the incident and mortality fee of cervical cancers are emerging in rural counties, expanding an opening with city counties, in line with a brand new learn about in JAMA.
+ In the meantime, in line with analysis printed in Science, early-onset colorectal most cancers is anticipated to turn into the main reason for most cancers dying in ages 20 to 49 within the U.S. by means of 2030.
+ As RFK, Jr moved to quash new flu vaccines, the United States unearths itself within the grip of the worst influenza season in over a decade. The collection of children hospitalized by means of flu soared by means of a staggering 145%. Greater than 3% of all deaths in the United States proper in February have been resulting from the flu, which has killed no less than 19,000 other folks, together with 86 youngsters. It’s going to worsen because of premeditated governmental forget. It’s going to worsen because of premeditated governmental forget.
+ Two other folks have now died within the rising measles outbreak alongside the border of Texas and New Mexico, the place vaccination charges are a few of the lowest within the nation. In the meantime, the Division of Well being in Iowa studies declining measles vaccination charges a few of the state’s kindergartners. In 2024-25, 88.8% of kindergarten scholars have been vaccinated, a drop from 89.1% in 2023 and down from 93.4% in 2020-21. The Iowa Well being Division says that no less than 95% of the inhabitants will have to be vaccinated to forestall measles outbreaks.
+ A Kaiser Circle of relatives Basis ballot confirmed massive majorities adverse to any cuts to Medicaid, now at the Trump/Musk slicing block. Certainly, greater than 40% of American citizens wish to see Medicaid investment greater…
Medicaid Make stronger 
Overall
Build up: 42%
Stay the similar: 40%
Lower a bit of: 8%
Lower so much: 9%
Democrats
Build up: 65%
Stay the similar: 31%
Lower a bit of: 2%
Lower so much: 3%
Independents
Build up: 39%
Stay the similar: 46%
Lower a bit of: 8%
Lower so much: 7%
Republicans
Build up: 24%
Stay the similar: 43%
Lower a bit of: 16%
Lower so much: 17%
Trump electorate
Build up: 22%
Stay the similar: 43%
Lower a bit of: 17%
Lower so much: 19%
Rural electorate
Build up: 30$
Stay the similar: 31%
Lower a bit of: 10%
Lower so much: 13%
+++

+ In contrast to many within the ranks of the Left (and I’m by no means rather yes whether or not, as they are saying within the French Quarter, I’m a part of their quantity), I’ve nice admiration for Zelensky. If now not for his politics, then for his braveness in status as much as two of the 3 largest bullies of our time, Putin and Trump. (If most effective lets set him free on Netanyahu.) So I used to be happy to look him give no flooring when he used to be set-up on the White Space in an ambush staged for TV by means of Trump and the increasingly more ridiculous JD Vance, the place I’m lovely yes Trump counted on him folding prior to the cameras. He didn’t and I’m yes he’ll finally end up paying the cost. However it used to be Trump and Vance who seemed susceptible, now not Zelensky.
+ One of the vital a laugh facets of all the debacle used to be Trump’s obvious outrage over Zelensky ignoring his “order” that he put on a industry swimsuit to his personal execution. That is particularly a laugh taking into account how Elon Musk dressed to wait Trump’s first assembly along with his new cupboard.

+ American attitudes towards the Ukraine Conflict and US overseas coverage…

Who does Donald Trump help extra?
Russia: 41%
Ukraine: 13%
Who do you help?
Ukraine: 52$
Russia: 4%
Neither: 44%
What position will have to the United States play in global affairs?
The main position: 16%
Paintings similarly with allies: 67%
No position: 17%
–CBSNews

+ Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the Trump-Vance gang bang of Zelensky within the Oval Place of work: “The insolent pig in spite of everything were given a right kind slap down within the Oval Place of work. And Donald Trump is correct: The Kiev regime is ‘playing with WWIII.’”
+ Poland’s Overseas Ministry spokesman Paweł Wroński: “President Trump’s resolution to droop Ukraine help used to be made with none knowledge or session, neither with NATO allies nor with the Ramstein Team which is curious about supporting Ukraine.”
+ Nuclear brinksmanship, Macron-style: “Our nuclear deterrent protects us…I’ve made up our minds to open the strategic debate at the coverage, thru our deterrent, of our allies at the Ecu continent.”
+ Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, on overseas coverage beneath Trump: “the brand new management is swiftly converting all overseas coverage configurations…this in large part aligns with our imaginative and prescient.”
+ Investment for Ukraine previous to Trump pulling the plug this week…

Ecu international locations: 49.5%
USA: 42.7
Different Nations:  7.8%

+ 950: the collection of kilos of uncommon earth minerals in every F-35 jet.
+++
+ Trump Government Order making English (now not even American English, surprisingly) the authentic language of the United States…

“From the founding of our Republic, English has been used as our nationwide language. Our Country’s historical governing paperwork, together with the Declaration of Independence and the Charter, have all been written in English. It’s due to this fact long gone time that English is asserted because the authentic language of the US. A nationally designated language is on the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the US is bolstered by means of a citizenry that may freely trade concepts in a single shared language.”

+ Usually, that is each dangerous historical past and dangerous coverage. The Founders explicitly rejected calls to make English the authentic language of the brand new Republic, basically as a result of they didn’t wish to alienate the French, German, and Dutch supporters of the Revolution and new authorities. These days, no less than 20 p.c of the United States inhabitants is multilingual.
+ Now that Trump has made English the authentic language of the US, will he apply up with an Government Order formally making “Covfefe” a phrase of the English language, and can the EO in spite of everything supply a definition?
+ Having supplied the United States a fashion for its constitutional type of authorities, Iroquoian will have to be the country’s authentic language…
+ The Roman Empire, and Rome itself, used to be a multi-lingual society, which proved to be one in all its strengths. Imperial Rome welcomed many of the citizens of its conquered colonies as voters and not outlawed the languages of the colonized. A extremely skilled society, maximum Romans have been no less than bilingual, talking each Latin and Greek. The daddy of the stoic Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a hero of nowadays’s libertarian elites, used to be from Spain and his followed father from Gaul. He wrote his well-known Meditations in Greek. Rome won’t were “woke”–excepting Nero’s all-too temporary bacchanalian imperium–nevertheless it embraced multi-culturalism. (See Mary Beard’s SPQR: a Historical past of Historical Rome)
+ Tacitus: “For the name of the game of empire used to be now printed: that it used to be conceivable to make an emperor in other places than Rome.”
+++
+ Doug Ford, the Trump-like Premier of Ontario, at the Trump management’s threats in opposition to Canada: “In the event that they [the US] need to take a look at to annihilate Ontario, I will be able to do the entirety — together with bring to a halt their power with a grin on my face.” Can’t those two bullies settle this in a mud-wrestling fit?

+ Albert Camus: “Not anything is extra despicable than recognize in keeping with worry.”
+ Public sentiment in the United States on Trump’s price lists has shifted swiftly, with two-thirds of the rustic now satisfied they’ll pressure up costs.
Overall
Move Up: 67%
Move Down: 12%
No have an effect on: 12%
Democrats
Move Up: 82%
Move Down: 7%
No have an effect on: 7%
Independents
Move Up: 64%
Move Down: 7%
No have an effect on: 12%
Republicans
Move Up: 51%
Move Down: 19%
No have an effect on: 18%
Supply: Navigator
+ Canadian PM (in the meanwhile) Justin Trudeau: “What Trump desires is to look a complete cave in of the Canadian economic system, as a result of that can assist you annex us.”
+ In keeping with stats launched by means of US Customs and Border Keep an eye on, since September, not up to 1% of fentanyl seized by means of American citizens used to be on the northern border with Canada.
+ When the Toronto Blue Jays come to Seattle on April 18 to play the Mariners at T-Cellular Park (née Safeco Box), will price tag costs to the video games be 25% upper?

American citizens who lately imagine Canada to be an best friend/pleasant nation: 82%
Canadians who lately imagine The usa to be an best friend/pleasant nation: 33%
 –YouGov

+++
+ A brand new ballot displays one in 4 American citizens wish to go away the rustic after Trump re-took place of work. Considering of transferring to Europe to flee rule by means of MAGA? You may wish to rethink. For the primary time, “arduous proper” events are the preferred throughout Europe “democracies.” They’ve been saved out of energy up to now, however that’s not going to final for much longer…
+ In keeping with 538, Trump’s approval ranking has slumped into adverse territory for the primary time for the reason that election…

Approval: 47.6
Disapproval: 47.9

+ On March 3, the Atlanta Fed launched a GDP fashion predicting a recession, appearing revised GDP expansion of -2.8 p.c for the primary quarter of 2025.
+ Trump’s Trade Secretary Howard Lutnick advised The Gentleman Report that the United States may get rid of the IRS by means of changing the source of revenue tax with price lists and promoting visas to the United States…

The Gentleman Report: Trump desires to eliminate the IRS?
Lutnick: After all! If we can have the outsiders pay. That’s a large goal: to afford coming in from the out of doors assets by means of promoting, you recognize, visas, the power to have a inexperienced card for the power to come back to The usa. Believe in case you offered 1,000,000 of them, you’d repay our deficit and feature $15 trillion to spare. And that’s most effective 3 p.c of The usa. It’s not anything. It’s changing the idea that people paying. We’ve got Stockholm Syndrome. We’re so glad to pay that we forgot that perhaps folks will have to pay and we will have to have the advantage of dwelling in a perfect The usa.”

+ America deficit is $1.9 trillion. America problems round a million inexperienced playing cards a yr. To repay the deficit, every inexperienced card would price: $1.9 million. To repay the deficit and feature $15 trillion left over, every inexperienced card would price: $16.9 million.
+ Brian Cornell, CEO of Goal, stated that Trump’s price lists will cause value will increase as early as this week, particularly on wintry weather vegatables and fruits imported from Mexico, together with strawberries, avocados and bananas. “Cornell stated Goal is predicated closely on Mexican produce all the way through the wintry weather  months, and the price lists may pressure the corporate to boost costs on  vegatables and fruits once this week.”
+ Senior authentic from the Global Chamber of Trade at the erupting tariff conflict: “Our deep fear is this might be the beginning of a downward spiral that places us in Thirties trade-war territory…the chance of a in a similar fashion serious blow to the worldwide economic system is prime.”
+ A survey by means of the New York Fed discovered that almost all corporations consider their prices will upward thrust this yr by means of greater than final yr, particularly for items (versus products and services): “Many corporations reporting that they have been unsure however fascinated with price lists and their have an effect on on prices. Certainly, upper price expectancies have been associated with the import percentage of corporations’ inputs—a measure of doable publicity to price lists. About 82 p.c of carrier corporations and 86 p.c of producing corporations within the survey reported some use of imported inputs, which speaks to the globally built-in nature of corporations within the U.S. economic system.

+ On Wednesday, the greenback index fell under its 200-day transferring reasonable for the primary time since November.
+ Just about part of other folks in homeless shelters and 40 p.c of the ones dwelling outdoor have jobs. The homeless disaster is basically concerning the prime price of housing and the failure to pay other folks a dwelling salary…
+ Hire costs have outpaced source of revenue beneficial properties in the United States by means of 325 p.c since 1985.
+++
+ What comes first this time round, a Mud Bowl or a Despair?

+ Laurie Laybourn, director of the Strategic Local weather Dangers Initiative, at the failure to take decisive motion to cut back carbon emissions: “It’s most effective in point of fact now that the penny is losing that we didn’t save you a global-scale local weather disaster. We’re now in a global-scale local weather disaster.”
+ From a brand new learn about in Nature Meals: At 1.5C warming situation, greater than part of the 30 vegetation tested would revel in a lower within the extent in their international doable cropland.  Wheat, barley, soya beans, lentils and potatoes would undergo probably the most vital declines. A 2C warming situation displays extra precipitous declines in appropriate spaces for the 30 vegetation with some vegetation surpassing 50%. At 3C warming, the entire 30 vegetation studied would have their appropriate cropland house lowered.
+ Over 1,000 other folks got here out this week to protest the firings of NOAA scientists in Colorado: “We used to draw other folks even with our decrease pay as a result of we had a excellent venture and it used to be a venture valued by means of the general public,” stated Nancy McLean, a retired NOAA supervisor.
+ In a 5-4 ruling, the Very best Courtroom simply gutted the Blank Water Act’s barriers on uncooked sewage discharge into ingesting water assets…Issues in point of fact are turning to shit.
+ Expanding tree mortality, attributable basically to local weather alternate, has led to Colorado’s forests now emit extra carbon than they soak up.
+ In keeping with paperwork received by means of Stressed out, the Pentagon is anticipated to slash  just about 75 p.c of the staffers running to watch the worldwide proliferation of chemical, organic and nucelar guns: “A 60% lower would basically get rid of The usa’s position in fighting the unfold of chemical, organic, and nuclear guns, the paperwork warn, and build up the chance of a lab twist of fate or robbery of doubtless bad organic subject matter.”
+++
+ In 2021, 55% of Republicans supported homosexual marriage. However that help has plummeted during the last 4 years, losing to an insignificant 24% in the most recent YouGov survey.

Make stronger same-sex marriage
Make stronger 52%
Oppose 36%
Via celebration
Democratic
Make stronger 77%
Oppose 12%
Impartial
Make stronger 45%
Oppose 35 %
Republican
Make stronger 24 %
Oppose 65%

+ The day after staff at Sesame Workshop, the non-profit that produces Sesame Side road, voted to unionize, the corporate’s CEO, Sherry Rollins Westin, fired 200 workers.
+ From the Financial Coverage Institute’s new record at the low-pay for home staff in the United States:
Home staff are the two.3 million staff national who supply essential help to our elders and chronically unwell or disabled members of the family, maintain our kids, and assist deal with our families. In spite of their essential position in supporting U.S. families and the economic system, the standard home employee used to be paid most effective $20,926 in line with yr in 2023, not up to part as a lot (44%) as non-domestic staff ($47,270). Within the South, the standard home employee earned simply $18,252 yearly in 2023, the bottom stage of any area and 61% not up to the standard non-domestic employee in the US.
Maximum home staff around the nation are ladies (88.1%). Within the South, home staff are even much more likely to be ladies (90.9%), and the bulk (61%) are ladies of colour. Black ladies make up 9.5% of non-domestic staff within the South, however they compose 30.5% of home staff, the best percentage of any area. Immigrants also are a key a part of the home care team of workers. Which means that the Trump management’s and aligned state lawmakers’ anti-immigrant movements pose a direct risk to those staff and the communities that rely on their care.
+ Tesla’s nice fall…In 2024, as Musk printed himself to be a political reactionary, Tesla’s overall unit gross sales fell for the primary time. Within the EU, Tesla gross sales fell by means of 50%, whilst in China Tesla shipments dropped by means of 49%. In Germany, Tesla gross sales collapsed by means of 76% in February and by means of 70% over final years numbers in Australia.
+ So, Musk “misplaced” greater than $100 billion because of the cave in of Tesla gross sales. That’s great. However the bulk of his wealth is safe as it’s assured by means of contracts with the federal government he’s now operating and thus immune from client boycotts and the judgment of {the marketplace} at the shittiness of his merchandise.
+ In 2019, as Trump’s first time period raids on immigrants changed into increasingly more brutal, Illinois handed the Immigrant Tenant Coverage, which banned renters from being pressured or evicted on account of their immigration standing. This week the legislation used to be invoked for the primary time in opposition to a Chicago landlord, who had threatened to name ICE on renters. The slumlord used to be ordered to pay his former tenants $80,000 in restitution.
+ The larger disgrace is that such a lot of Democrats voted for the Laken Riley Invoice that licensed an unconstitutional and inhumane pogrom in opposition to immigrants in the United States.

+ When it takes the IRS to get up in opposition to the ethnic cleansers at ICE, you recognize you’re nation’s in bother…
+ Is there a lot doubt that the risible Nancy Mace would have knowledgeable on Jan and Miep Gies for serving to to cover Anne Frank and her circle of relatives from the Nazis…?

+++
+ MAGA model of the 3-Frame Downside: The Claremont Institute, a perimeter proper white paper mill for one of the maximum lunatic concepts in recent politics, desires Trump to reserve federal staff to go through “re-education” and “deprogramming” thru coaching lessons run by means of Claremont. Will there be battle periods and denunciation rallies?
+ Mary Comans, a senior FEMA authentic, fired by means of the Trump management, is suing announcing she’s been falsely smeared as illegally investment lodges for migrants in NYC. The lawsuit argues that her firing violates the legislation and proper to due procedure.
+ All over his interview with Joe Rogan, Musk referred to as Social Safety “the largest Ponzi scheme of all time.”
+ They wish to privatize Social Safety and unload your retirement financial savings, corresponding to they’re, into the inventory marketplace, the place buyers earn a living although you lose your blouse, sneakers and the tent you’re drowsing at the sidewalk in. How’s that figuring out for you this week?

+++
+ As Trump and his misogynistic Sec. of Protection threaten to invade Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum’s approval rankings have damaged the document for a sitting Mexican president, attaining 85% in February, even upper than her predecessor AMLO’s earlier document of 83%…

+ Right here’s one explanation why: Sheinbaum’s calm, resolute and completely fearless. Within the face of US army moves on Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum highlighted that greater than 80 of the folk arrested on the border for fentanyl trafficking are Americans:

“For humanitarian causes, we collaborate to forestall unlawful drug trafficking to the US, however as we have now stated again and again, the United States authorities will have to additionally confront the opioid disaster that has brought about such a lot of deaths in its personal nation. This can be a serious public well being downside that they will have to cope with. They will have to additionally act in opposition to the felony teams that illegally carry fentanyl precursors thru their ports, airports, and people who illegally produce, distribute, and promote fentanyl and different medicine of their territory, poisoning their other folks.
CBP information from 2024 printed by means of the Cato Institute in Washington displays that 80 p.c of the ones detained at US ports of access for fentanyl trafficking between 2019 and 2024 have been Americans. Even the United States Sentencing Fee studies that 81.9% of the ones prosecuted for drug trafficking are American citizens.

+ All over his first cope with to the Basic Meeting, Uruguay’s new Leftist President Yamandú Orsi condemned the predatory libertarianism now ascendent in neighboring Argentina and the United States and referred to as for a brand new politics of co-existence for Uruguay and the remainder of South The usa:
There’s an ultra-individualistic idea of ‘freedom’ that preaches domination by means of the most powerful. This will likely by no means be our perception of freedom. The person freedom wherein we consider is the important thing to co-existence and the equality of alternatives within the very important facets of lifestyles.
How a lot ‘freedom’ can also be exercised or loved by means of a compatriot who has to spend weeks happening a pilgrimage to a well being heart to get their drugs?
How ‘loose’ is somebody who suffers from critical issues of housing or paintings?
How ‘loose’ are ladies who really feel violated in the street or in the back of closed doorways of their houses?
+++

+ Two bumperstickers at the similar truck at Couple of minutes Lube: “Cash talks and my all the time says good-bye.” “LGBT: Liberty, Weapons, Beer, Trump”
+ American citizens are making use of for UK citizenship in document numbers. Will they be despatched to Rwanda to watch for a call like the opposite asylum seekers?
+ Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott embraced being a ‘DEI rent’: “It was that they’d simply outright say n—-r. They only don’t say that anymore.”
+ In his effort to reinstate a “Warrior Ethos“, Sec. Protection Pete Hegseth fired the highest JAG legal professionals within the Pentagon. Hegseth is the man who, as a FoxNews commentator, driven Trump to pardon Eddie “the Blade” Gallagher, who stabbed a wounded Iraqi boy, posing for selfies along with his frame because the 17-year-old bled out after which threatened to kill any fellow Military SEALs who knowledgeable on him…
+ In keeping with an inner memo, the Trump management plans to slash over 80,000 workers from Veterans Affairs. Trump most effective likes Veterans who’re winners and will fend for themselves!
+ Having vanquished the penny, Trump will have to eliminate the dime, since he’s erasing each and every different vestige of FDR within the federal authorities…
+ Trump explaining why Russian aggression is Europe’s downside: “There’s a large ocean between the United States and Russia.” Uh, the space between mainland Russia and mainland Alaska is 55 miles, and most effective 2.5 miles between a US island and a Russian island within the Bering Strait. I imply, Sarah Palin may see Russia from her outhouse, couldn’t she?
+ In keeping with Quinnipiac, the approval ranking for New York Town Mayor Eric Adams has crashed to twenty p.c, the bottom for a NYC mayor in polling historical past. Greater than 56% of New Yorkers assume he will have to renounce…however now not New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who continues to withstand requires Adams’ eviction from place of work.
+++
+ Closing week, Ashley St. Clair (no relation, in line with the Mormon geneaologists at Ancestry.com) introduced she used to be the mum of Musk’s thirteenth little one and is suing him for custody and little one help. This week Musk welcomed his 14th (recognized) little one with the Canadian undertaking capitalist, Shivon Zillis, who has labored on AI tasks at each Tesla and Neuralink, the place she’s now an government. That is their fourth little one. Even if Musk often decries the air pollution of white tradition by means of immigrants, Zellis’s mom is an Indian Hindu from the Punjab. They’re coming out on the fee of 1 a month now, maximum of them reportedly by means of IVF. Does he simply FedEx out turkey basters filled with his Afrikaaner seed with insemination directions?
+ Overheard on the Ace {Hardware} checkout line: “Elon’s children will have to unionize.”
+ My Oscar selections this yr in fact incorporated two winners, Glide and No Different Land…

Best possible Movie: No Different Land (document),
All We Believe of Gentle (fiction)
Best possible director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Evil Does No longer Exist
Best possible Actress: Léa Seydoux, The Beast
Best possible Actor: Josh O’Connor, Los angeles Chimera
Best possible Supporting Actress: Isabella Rosellini, Los angeles Chimera
Best possible Supporting Actor: Yura Borisov, Anora
Best possible Animation: Glide

+ At the similar weekend No Different Land (nonetheless missing a US distributor) received the Oscar for Best possible Documentary, the editorial web page editor of the Palm Seaside Put up, who describes himself as a supporter of Israel, used to be fired for operating this caricature by means of one of the acclaimed political cartoonists in the United States, Jeff Danziger, son of a Jewish dad…
+ Whats up, it’s nearly Spring Wreck. Why don’t you close up the Tesla CyberTruck and convey the youngsters to the Island of Dr. Moreau Petting Zoo. What may cross flawed?

+ I’ve been going in the course of the MLB spring coaching 40-man rosters and it struck me what number of Latin avid gamers have the primary identify, “Oswald.” They may be able to’t all be Cubans, can they? Additionally, Alexander Cockburn, who just about hated all sports activities, would have preferred the sure-handed second-baseman for the Chicago White Sox, Lenyn Sosa.
+ Glance, I don’t understand how Gene Hackman, his spouse and canine died, nevertheless it does appear to be a parable for our long run beneath DOGE. When our provide web price drops under 0, they’ll simply zap our Neuralinks, and down we cross, not a money-losing drain at the potency of the federal government.– Please don’t neuro-chip your canines…
+ At the eve of Dave Marsh’s seventy fifth birthday, two of his very best pals, Daniel Wolff and Danny Alexander, interact in a wide-ranging dialogue of Dave’s newest number of essays on rock, soul, politics and American tradition, Kick Out the James.
+ The New York Dolls have been one of the crucial largest American rock bands. They have been killed within the cradle by means of close-minded critics who simply didn’t get it. A few years later, punk owed nearly the entirety to them. RIP: David Johansen.
Persona disaster, you were given it whilst it used to be sizzling.
It’s all the time arduous to grasp when frustration, heartache is all you’ve were given…

Booked Up
What I’m studying this week…
Grasp The whole thing Expensive: Dispatches on Survival and Resistance
John Berger
(Verso)
Poisonous Tropics: A Horror Tale of Environmental Injustice
Jessica Oublié
Illustrations by means of Nicola Gobbi
(Side road Noise Books)
The Village of Ben Suc
Jonathan Schell
Advent by means of Wallace Shawn
(NYRB)
Sound Grammar
What I’m being attentive to this week…
Tears of Injustice
Mdou Moctar
(Matador)
Arboresque
Artemis
(Blue Be aware)
Grimy Communicate
Michi
(Stones Throw)
Flag-Wavers and Patriots
“Assets-owners are probably the most lively flag-waggers and patriots in each and every nation, however most effective as long as they experience their possessions: to safeguard the ones, they wilderness God, King and Nation in a twinkling.”
– CLR James, The Black Jacobins. Toussaint L’Ouverture and the Santa Domingo Revolution

Author: OpenAI