Done
On April 5, we’re uniting to say Hands Off! Join me to fight back against Trump’s unprecedented power grab. app.sosha.ai/s/rCYQTUXG
Why is it prejudiced to say that trans women who transitioned after puberty are ineligible for women’s sports? Their bodies are unfit for purpose, just as blind people’s eyes render them unfit for target shooting.
The US government used to be described as an insurance company with an army. Now it’s a bankrupt and malevolent insurance company with an army turned on its own people.
The “probationary” employees being fired include everyone who got a promotion in the past year. No good deed goes unpunished!
How are high interest rates supposed to lower egg prices hiked by bird flu? For most people, high interest rates ARE inflation, not its cure. I get that the Fed has limited weapons but that’s no reason to wield them stupidly.
Those “We’re back!” Starbucks ads are designed to distract you from their union-busting.
Did you vote for them to defund the police? End cancer research? Eliminate your child’s special education? If so, congratulations; if not, call the White House and your Congresspeople and tell them to cut out this nonsense!
An immigration injustice righted! Trump offers Afrikaners refugee status.
“[Director of the Mint] Moy would like readers to know, too, that ‘the United States Mint is required by law to not lose money….The U.S. Mint is one of the few parts of our federal government that has been a net positive for the taxpayers.’” So Trump’s attempt to abolish the penny will save nothing.
The Times should resist the urge to describe the conflict with Canada as “the brewing trade war” when in fact brewing and its products are a significant component of this developing problem.
Trump: Curb your DOGE.
The past few weeks of Dueling Critics, featuring a single swordsman—me. I review Ja-Ja’s African Hair Braiding at ChiShakes (starting at minute 29) theartssection.org/home/2025/1/... and then Fun Home at Porchlight (minute 18). theartssection.org/episodes/202...
Why name your cafe Pedestrian Coffee? Why not go straight to Mediocre Coffee instead?
If Vance and his pro-natalist gang want more American babies, they could institute 2-year national service and recognize pregnancy and motherhood as valid service options. Voila: 2 years’ paid maternity leave! Or they could just fund universal child care so mothers could work knowing kids are safe.
Sounds like an Onion article but isn’t. Sun-Times reports: “A new Trump administration directive calls for prioritizing funding for communities with higher birth and marriage rates….Chicago officials …fear federal transit money … could be in jeopardy.” Original German: “Kinder, kuche, kirche.”
A brilliant account of the built-in weakness of the nonprofit sector, with which the Nonprofiteer (remember her?) agrees. No paywall: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/o...
From Just Security:
“Can the President Dissolve USAID Without An Act of Congress?
“No, not lawfully. In 1961, USAID was created by an Executive Order…. But a later act of Congress …. established USAID as its own agency…. [T]he president may not unilaterally override a statute by executive order.”
Answering my own question:
Pro-Democracy Executive Order Legal Response Center To Launch on Inauguration Day
PRESS RELEASE
JANUARY 16, 2025
New Effort, Resourced by Democracy Forward, Will Analyze Trump’s Executive Orders To Support Public Response and Legal Challenges
###
Is there a group of lawyers dedicated to keeping track of every Trump action and suing to stop the illegal ones? If not, there needs to be—like the Inc Fund, the legal arm of the NAACP, did with discriminatory laws? ACLU may handle civil liberties violations but there’s more than that to fight.
Heard something wise tonight. “Your most valuable resources are your attention & your energy.Don’t waste them on Trump.” OpSwingState is back, to help elect a Democrat to the WI Supreme Court in April. I’m not doing electoral politics now but if you want to help go to www.operationswingstate.com/
Introducing myself to Bluesky with the following curmudgeonly post: I went to the movies today. $32!!! $12 admission, $2 parking, $18 for popcorn & Diet Coke. Okay, I could/should have skipped the munchies; but even $14 for 1 movie seems egregious when Apple+ is $10.95 for a whole month. Why go?