Great article, Noah! 🤗🤗🤗. Some cracks among the GOP is better than none. It is actually beyond anybody’s understanding that one person can sink the world economy, but we may see more resistance around the world - that may eventually isolate US more than we can imagine today. Much uncertainties ahead, but let us not be too pessimistic. Everything is impermanent. 😉
I feel certain that it is. Joni Ernst looked like she'd seen a ghost when she agreed -- despite everything her brain told her -- to vote for pete hogsbreath.
Well bravery is necessary, but they have to do something to earn our tax dollars. We should be spending more time demanding an accounting of their time and then publicly castigating them for wasting our tax dollars on doing nothing in the government that is supposed to stand for economic efficiency.
Robert, I have read in many places people like Mitt Romney and Adam Kinzinger talk about this very thing. They are definitely feeling the fear. However, collectively they might be able to stand up to Trump, who knows which MAGA wingnut will decide to go after them or their families after Trump or one of his minions posts their home address, and other personal info like where their children go to school. Fascism is taking over, and we need to stop it.
I agree: Pugs UNITE!! When Romney was still Senator, he said that he way paying $7M/yr. for private security for self and family. He also acknowledged that he knew most people in Congress can't do that. After his vote in January, 2020, he said: "Corrupting an election to keep one's self in office is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one's oath of office that I can imagine," Romney said in an emotional speech on the Senate floor.
One nit here, blame Chuck Schumer all you want, but Senate passage of the CR had no impact on the House rule that knee-capped the ability of members to force a vote on the resolution to terminate the Canada tariffs. That was a House resolution that passed in the House only; the Senate did not and could not have voted to approve or disapprove it. Voting down the CR would not have affected the House rule.
Well said, as usual! The Cantwell/Grassley bill is like shutting the barn door after the horses have run off, though. And the craven, cowardly GOP and Lutnick and Bessent are all letting Trump pee down our legs and tell us it’s raining (to quote Judge Judy, of all people). What an awful shit show for our good country
I fear that Republicans have left if much too late to take a stand against Trump but I was pleasantly surprised that as many of them in the Senate voted against it. The simple fact is that a large number of Republicans are free traders rather than tariff boosters - certainly more of them then are those committed to respecting and protecting democracy.
A hopeful possibility will be mass lay offs in the economy (especially in highly visible auto plants in the US) in the next few weeks might really put a cat amongst the pigeons. I'm sure the Republican politicians already know that tariffs are unpopular with the US electorate.
But up to now those who have betted on Republican politicians spinelessness and self interest when dealing with Trump and the MAGA cult have always backed the winning side. A really radical change in the Republican caucus is probably a remote possibility
Someone on Bluesky has pointed out that if a polar bear eats JD and a hamberder eats trump's arteries, the next 18 (Eighteen) people currently in line for the presidency are all True Believers. At least Rubio and Bessent are ahead of Hegseth.
First of all Lutnick, whom Jeff Tiedrich calls "Nutlick," is a billionaire and he and other billionaires are just salivating over their tax cuts and the money they are going to sop up from us, if there is anything left when Trump gets done.
Secondly, after Trump is apparently pushing Musk out, Musk seems more willing to point out how economic dumb-dumb Donald, is making big mistakes with the economy, which I think Navarro rightfully points out is in part because of Musk counting on the US propping his businesses up, which this does not. In fact, he is probably going to experience more of the brunt. I am writing a piece about the research on X influencing the German elections, and others, which violates the European Union Digital Services Act of 2022. So, of course he wants to make nice with the EU because they are discussing fining him over 1 bil, and can up to 6% of the values of all of his companies. While other platforms are publicly traded, his is owned by him, so he would be good to set an example of for all of the digital platforms. I think the citizens of the US would benefit if they all became a bit scared to operate under Trump 2.0 rules, because as Americans have no more money, and are out on the streets, countries like Canada and European countries that take better care of their citizens may block these platforms totally. That is their super power. I could go on about this, but another time.
I protested against Trump and Musk and their destruction of the global economy on Saturday, in Berlin. I actually spent most of my waking hours traveling to and from the rally. We will take back this experience and try to turn it into a regular protest in our local city in Northern Germany.
Exactly. I am also wondering why Trump hates the auto industry so much. He is spectacularly tanking it. Is it because their union sided with Joe Biden? If so, global suffering as revenge? Wouldn't put it past DJT. Throw an I in front and you have a descriptor of our head of state #2. Head of state #1 is being kicked out, and he is sure to cause problems as he leaves.
We can cause problems too, by continuing to protest Tesla, until his board gets rid of him, or leaves. Then, let the EU decimate him if they have the guts to do it by going after all of his companies, or shutting down his platform in the EU. Let them shut down all of these social media platforms, at least to people under 25, and there goes some of the AfD influence in Germany.
Golfing, grabbing women against their will because he can, and babbling stream of consciousness nonsense like he is in a permanent state of mania. Yeech!
It bears stating the obvious—this stumblebum is the President of the United States! Can’t talk, can barely read, has the demeanor of a schoolyard bully.
That’s what the 5-1B visa is for: to enslave foreign nationals to work tech jobs for minimum wage that they would have to pay American workers $50-100K for.
Yes. But as my friend who was a foreign national when her husband got a job at a national lab as an aerospace engineer. He paid his dues, and then got a green card, and then earned what he was worth. It did not take that long. Now he has US citizenship and makes a lot of money. More than he would make if he had stayed in Switzerland. Of course, with the cost of living in Switzerland, he is glad to have the money. Switzerland has the second highest cost of living after the US Virgin Islands. The US is cheaper at place 13. I am living in a country that is #23, which means that my expenses for many things like essentials are less than in the US. https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings_by_country.jsp
That is what the US prison system is for. Slavery is allowed in prisons according to the 13th Amendment. It is taken advantage of, particularly in the South where they did not want to let go of slavery anyway. They believe in free for me and not for thee. Let me own thee and make money off of thee, and no rules for me.
My dad was from Mississippi. His family left when he was a child and came to Chicago. His grandmother, was born in 1860 and died in 1969. So, she was born into slavery and died during the civil rights movement after the 1965 Voting Rights Act had been passed, that did not help Blacks in the South to vote unless the Feds came and oversaw the registration and elections. I have never been to Mississippi and never want to go. It is why I travel reluctantly through the former East German states on my way to Berlin. There are some places that haven't changed enough. I don't need to get off the train to experience it, I can experience it from the people who migrated north. I am thinking of a particular Mississippian who made my life pretty miserable because she did not like the Black, nor the German side of me. Too direct, too outspoken! Oh well!
"But it’s undeniably grim that the fate of the nation rests to any degree at all on these, gutless, spineless, christofascist quislings." Yes, that pretty much sums it up. I'd also like to suggest to all Republicans that they sign up for a macroeconomics course so they can begin to understand how the economy actually works. They can sign up for this undergraduate course online, and choose to audit it (usually less tuition, no exams, no grade (only pass/no pass), possibly no papers either as it's up to the professor). They don't have to reveal that they're a Republican (elected or not) and they can learn reality and participate in discussions. No, I don't expect any takers.
An interesting potential dilemma arises for Trump: How will these ridiculous tariffs affect contributions to Trump? We know he doesn’t like to spend his own money, so contributions matter to him. Will MAGA agree once it sees consumer prices soar?
There is conspiracy in the air. Trump dumped stock before the tariffs were defined. Pam Bondi continues to debase herself. She is complicit in Signalgate as a Signal user and too corrupt to recuse herself. Until we have the House, we cannot impeach. We will have job growth because of the CHIPS Act and the Infrastructure bill. But the jobs shipped overseas are not coming home. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/jobs-wont-come-back?r=3m1bs
It's not that 47's adherents are UNABLE to articulate the reasoning behind tanking the economy; it's more that they know what the blowback would be if they told us 47's real reasons.
I think they may be afraid of the heat and pushback if they went on Sunday morning television and told us that the real reason 47 is crashing the economy is his desire for revenge and retribution--and of course it would be a very bad "look" for them AND for 47 and they are all well aware of how he is about "optics".
I think the Repubbies have painted themselves into a very tight and inescapable corner.
Great article, Noah! 🤗🤗🤗. Some cracks among the GOP is better than none. It is actually beyond anybody’s understanding that one person can sink the world economy, but we may see more resistance around the world - that may eventually isolate US more than we can imagine today. Much uncertainties ahead, but let us not be too pessimistic. Everything is impermanent. 😉
Some neighbors and I were speculating over the fence as to whether by now Republican members of Congress have visceral fears for their families.
That is one way organized crime maintains compliance.
Any idea whether that is a significant factor keeping congressional Republican voting in lock step?
I feel certain that it is. Joni Ernst looked like she'd seen a ghost when she agreed -- despite everything her brain told her -- to vote for pete hogsbreath.
Well bravery is necessary, but they have to do something to earn our tax dollars. We should be spending more time demanding an accounting of their time and then publicly castigating them for wasting our tax dollars on doing nothing in the government that is supposed to stand for economic efficiency.
Robert, I have read in many places people like Mitt Romney and Adam Kinzinger talk about this very thing. They are definitely feeling the fear. However, collectively they might be able to stand up to Trump, who knows which MAGA wingnut will decide to go after them or their families after Trump or one of his minions posts their home address, and other personal info like where their children go to school. Fascism is taking over, and we need to stop it.
I agree: Pugs UNITE!! When Romney was still Senator, he said that he way paying $7M/yr. for private security for self and family. He also acknowledged that he knew most people in Congress can't do that. After his vote in January, 2020, he said: "Corrupting an election to keep one's self in office is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one's oath of office that I can imagine," Romney said in an emotional speech on the Senate floor.
And yet, Romney, the multi-millionaire Mormon did not endorse Kamala, so that he can revive the party. How short sighted.
Yes. I was terribly disappointed with Romney -- and with the cowardly George Bush. His mother had the guts to support Hillary in 2016, but not sonny.
I agree on both of them.
One nit here, blame Chuck Schumer all you want, but Senate passage of the CR had no impact on the House rule that knee-capped the ability of members to force a vote on the resolution to terminate the Canada tariffs. That was a House resolution that passed in the House only; the Senate did not and could not have voted to approve or disapprove it. Voting down the CR would not have affected the House rule.
Yeah, it is a national emergency -- started by the orange sadist, himself.
Well said, as usual! The Cantwell/Grassley bill is like shutting the barn door after the horses have run off, though. And the craven, cowardly GOP and Lutnick and Bessent are all letting Trump pee down our legs and tell us it’s raining (to quote Judge Judy, of all people). What an awful shit show for our good country
I fear that Republicans have left if much too late to take a stand against Trump but I was pleasantly surprised that as many of them in the Senate voted against it. The simple fact is that a large number of Republicans are free traders rather than tariff boosters - certainly more of them then are those committed to respecting and protecting democracy.
A hopeful possibility will be mass lay offs in the economy (especially in highly visible auto plants in the US) in the next few weeks might really put a cat amongst the pigeons. I'm sure the Republican politicians already know that tariffs are unpopular with the US electorate.
But up to now those who have betted on Republican politicians spinelessness and self interest when dealing with Trump and the MAGA cult have always backed the winning side. A really radical change in the Republican caucus is probably a remote possibility
Someone on Bluesky has pointed out that if a polar bear eats JD and a hamberder eats trump's arteries, the next 18 (Eighteen) people currently in line for the presidency are all True Believers. At least Rubio and Bessent are ahead of Hegseth.
First of all Lutnick, whom Jeff Tiedrich calls "Nutlick," is a billionaire and he and other billionaires are just salivating over their tax cuts and the money they are going to sop up from us, if there is anything left when Trump gets done.
Secondly, after Trump is apparently pushing Musk out, Musk seems more willing to point out how economic dumb-dumb Donald, is making big mistakes with the economy, which I think Navarro rightfully points out is in part because of Musk counting on the US propping his businesses up, which this does not. In fact, he is probably going to experience more of the brunt. I am writing a piece about the research on X influencing the German elections, and others, which violates the European Union Digital Services Act of 2022. So, of course he wants to make nice with the EU because they are discussing fining him over 1 bil, and can up to 6% of the values of all of his companies. While other platforms are publicly traded, his is owned by him, so he would be good to set an example of for all of the digital platforms. I think the citizens of the US would benefit if they all became a bit scared to operate under Trump 2.0 rules, because as Americans have no more money, and are out on the streets, countries like Canada and European countries that take better care of their citizens may block these platforms totally. That is their super power. I could go on about this, but another time.
I protested against Trump and Musk and their destruction of the global economy on Saturday, in Berlin. I actually spent most of my waking hours traveling to and from the rally. We will take back this experience and try to turn it into a regular protest in our local city in Northern Germany.
https://lindaweide.substack.com/p/us-citizens-unity-around-the-world?r=f0qfn
In Solidarity!!✌🏽
Now it makes sense. Bring those minimum wage jobs back to the US. Next job for the GOP is to reduce or remove minimum wage and 40 hour work weeks.
Exactly. I am also wondering why Trump hates the auto industry so much. He is spectacularly tanking it. Is it because their union sided with Joe Biden? If so, global suffering as revenge? Wouldn't put it past DJT. Throw an I in front and you have a descriptor of our head of state #2. Head of state #1 is being kicked out, and he is sure to cause problems as he leaves.
We can cause problems too, by continuing to protest Tesla, until his board gets rid of him, or leaves. Then, let the EU decimate him if they have the guts to do it by going after all of his companies, or shutting down his platform in the EU. Let them shut down all of these social media platforms, at least to people under 25, and there goes some of the AfD influence in Germany.
Trump hates because it makes him feel powerful. The real question is, What does he like? Besides accolades and absolute loyalty.
Golfing, grabbing women against their will because he can, and babbling stream of consciousness nonsense like he is in a permanent state of mania. Yeech!
It bears stating the obvious—this stumblebum is the President of the United States! Can’t talk, can barely read, has the demeanor of a schoolyard bully.
That’s what the 5-1B visa is for: to enslave foreign nationals to work tech jobs for minimum wage that they would have to pay American workers $50-100K for.
Yes. But as my friend who was a foreign national when her husband got a job at a national lab as an aerospace engineer. He paid his dues, and then got a green card, and then earned what he was worth. It did not take that long. Now he has US citizenship and makes a lot of money. More than he would make if he had stayed in Switzerland. Of course, with the cost of living in Switzerland, he is glad to have the money. Switzerland has the second highest cost of living after the US Virgin Islands. The US is cheaper at place 13. I am living in a country that is #23, which means that my expenses for many things like essentials are less than in the US. https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings_by_country.jsp
Or offer immigrants slavery instead of deportation (someone’s gotta work!).
That is what the US prison system is for. Slavery is allowed in prisons according to the 13th Amendment. It is taken advantage of, particularly in the South where they did not want to let go of slavery anyway. They believe in free for me and not for thee. Let me own thee and make money off of thee, and no rules for me.
“Well, I’m sitting over there on Parchman Farm,” Mose Allison
Here he is! https://youtu.be/RRAYLabbHPk?si=DJRSfI6z65Cm3_6O
https://innocenceproject.org/news/the-lasting-legacy-of-parchman-farm-the-prison-modeled-after-a-slave-plantation/
My dad was from Mississippi. His family left when he was a child and came to Chicago. His grandmother, was born in 1860 and died in 1969. So, she was born into slavery and died during the civil rights movement after the 1965 Voting Rights Act had been passed, that did not help Blacks in the South to vote unless the Feds came and oversaw the registration and elections. I have never been to Mississippi and never want to go. It is why I travel reluctantly through the former East German states on my way to Berlin. There are some places that haven't changed enough. I don't need to get off the train to experience it, I can experience it from the people who migrated north. I am thinking of a particular Mississippian who made my life pretty miserable because she did not like the Black, nor the German side of me. Too direct, too outspoken! Oh well!
"But it’s undeniably grim that the fate of the nation rests to any degree at all on these, gutless, spineless, christofascist quislings." Yes, that pretty much sums it up. I'd also like to suggest to all Republicans that they sign up for a macroeconomics course so they can begin to understand how the economy actually works. They can sign up for this undergraduate course online, and choose to audit it (usually less tuition, no exams, no grade (only pass/no pass), possibly no papers either as it's up to the professor). They don't have to reveal that they're a Republican (elected or not) and they can learn reality and participate in discussions. No, I don't expect any takers.
Thanks for this beautifully written and informative peace. With some nice bits of humor, as much as is possible in these dark times
"gutless, spineless, christofascist quislings" is 🤌 💋
Great article! And learned a new word today - quislings. :-)
Read Borowitz. He has a whole contest going on the worst quisling.
An interesting potential dilemma arises for Trump: How will these ridiculous tariffs affect contributions to Trump? We know he doesn’t like to spend his own money, so contributions matter to him. Will MAGA agree once it sees consumer prices soar?
I assume that at least [hypothetical?] Russian Crypto (if not all crypto) is immune to the tariffs...
As is Tesla I bet. Sad Donald, to love so hard and not be loved back—I imagine Vlad and Elon on the phone chortling about his platonic love.
There is conspiracy in the air. Trump dumped stock before the tariffs were defined. Pam Bondi continues to debase herself. She is complicit in Signalgate as a Signal user and too corrupt to recuse herself. Until we have the House, we cannot impeach. We will have job growth because of the CHIPS Act and the Infrastructure bill. But the jobs shipped overseas are not coming home. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/jobs-wont-come-back?r=3m1bs
At this rate neither are the fake "illegals" error-lifted to El Salvador ...
It's not that 47's adherents are UNABLE to articulate the reasoning behind tanking the economy; it's more that they know what the blowback would be if they told us 47's real reasons.
I think they may be afraid of the heat and pushback if they went on Sunday morning television and told us that the real reason 47 is crashing the economy is his desire for revenge and retribution--and of course it would be a very bad "look" for them AND for 47 and they are all well aware of how he is about "optics".
I think the Repubbies have painted themselves into a very tight and inescapable corner.