Billie Heflin

The Trump regime is dissolving the Union unilaterally, that's what these actions *are*—repudiation of the American constitutional order vis-a-vis federalism.

What a $2 Million Per Dose Gene Therapy Reveals About Drug Pricing Taxpayers and charities helped develop Zolgensma. Then it debuted at a record price, ushering in a new class of wildly expensive drugs. Its story upends the widely held conception that high prices ref...

Taxpayers and charities helped develop the gene therapy Zolgensma.

Then it debuted at a record price of $2M+ per dose, ushering in a new class of wildly expensive drugs. Its story upends the widely held conception that high prices reflect huge industry investments in innovation.

(Published Feb.)

Just a heads up. I was able to schedule my COVID vaccine appointment. Online it will ask “do you have a condition that puts you at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19 virus.”

Click yes and it will allow you to schedule an appointment.

No questions asked.

No proof required.

Pass it on.

CDC staff held a “clap-out” on Thursday to honor three of the agency’s high-ranking officials, who resigned in protest after President Trump fired the director, Susan Monarez. nyti.ms/4oSxakJ

Ok, pass a law disbanding the Fed and making the president the nation’s central banker, if that’s your view.

Bill Maher: "The tariffs, that's not really something the president is allowed to do unilaterally."

George Will: "No. A constitutionally enumerated power of Congress is to regulate trade with foreign nations. Congress, in its absent minded way, has now become a spectator of government."

Some big "Don't Look Up" energy in Trump's reaction to the jobs report. (Admittedly he's less likeable than Meryl Streep is in the movie).

Math is over-rated. The dear leader’s feelings are more important.

Good.

“You Feel Like You’re Being Cheated”: Oil Companies Unfairly Take Millions, North Dakota Mineral Owners Say Oil companies are holding back a large portion of revenue payments to the people they lease drilling rights from, often with little explanation. But the industry has an outsize influence in the…

NEW: Oil companies are holding back a large portion of revenue payments to the people they lease drilling rights from, often with little explanation.

But the industry has an outsize influence in the state, and public officials have refused to take action.

With @northdakotamonitor.com

Democrats in TX left their legislature behind to prevent a mid-decade gerrymander after Trump demanded that Abbott eliminate 5 Democratic seats before the midterms.

Republicans in DC left their legislature behind to block release of the Epstein files to protect Trump.

Question for Mike Flood: With $450 million being allocated to Alligator Alcatraz, and ICE burning through $8.4 million a day to illegally detain people—How much does it cost for fascism? How much do the tax payers have to pay for a fascist country?

Seems worth pointing out—

“Crypto Now Accounts For Most Of Donald Trump’s Net Worth”

@danalexander21.bsky.social for @forbes.com

Finally, a united nation.

Wall Street Journal headline: “Trump’s Budget Hawk Takes Over the DOGE Agenda. First Up: The Military,” with a photo of Russ Vought. Highlighted text discusses Vought pushing for Trump to use “impoundment” powers to block Congress-approved spending. Link in thread

This should be bigger news:

ICYMI - Project 2025’s puppet master Russell Vought just replaced Elon as head of DOGE.

People still in denial & believe Trump knew nothing about Project 2025, need to explain why he just handed the keys to the whole damn thing to its architect. He is the plan. Wake up.

NSF’s grant cuts fall heaviest on scientists from underrepresented groups Projects to broaden participation were cut disproportionately—and were often led by Black scientists, women, and those with disabilities

NSF’s grant cuts fall heaviest on scientists from underrepresented groups | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti... 🧪

I've said this on here before, but CNN's Victor Blackwell is the best journalist on television today, bar none, which presumably is why he only appears on weekend early mornings when no one (except me) is actually watching

The EPA Will Likely Gut Team That Studies Health Risks From Chemicals Reorganizations at the EPA may get rid of the agency’s fundamental program for research around the risks of toxic chemicals.

“Unfortunately, right now, it looks like the polluters won.”

Reorganizations at the EPA may get rid of the agency’s fundamental program for research around the risks of toxic chemicals.

*Of course* advance information on US combat operations is classified. Pretending otherwise is an insult to our troops, who all know this.

The Secretary is unfit to lead.

When Andrew Tate was charged with rape and human trafficking, Trump intervened to fly him back to the US.

When a working-class father of a disabled 5-year-old child was wrongfully deported and charged with NO crime, Trump refuses to lift a finger.

A man in tactical gear and a baseball hat is taking an axe to a car window. He looks like he’s smiling.

This picture may haunt me to the end of my days.

It is an ICE agent taking an axe to the car window of an immigrant in New Bedford, MA. Not far from where I sit now. An immigrant with no criminal record was abducted by this smiling man.

An axe taken to a car window and to our democracy. 1/
#MomSky

Opinion | I Have Never Been More Afraid for My Country’s Future Trump’s worldview is stuck in the 1970s, and his whole administration is a cruel farce.

Tom Friedman: The world is now seeing Trump’s America for exactly what it is becoming: a rogue state led by an impulsive strongman disconnected from the rule of law and other constitutional American principles and values. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/15/o...

There's always been reason to believe DOGE was hacking govt systems. Now a whistleblower has substantiated it at NLRB, precisely the kind of data compromise labor unions worried about when they sued re DOL.

Thinking that maybe my unborn grandchildren will have days in school where "Trump survivors" come speak to class to warn them about evil, show their scars from the Salvadoran gulag, and teach them about "never again," again

“I was just following orders” was not a defense at Nuremberg. And it won’t be a defense in the future here.

(Bloomberg) - The US economy is set to lose billions of dollars in revenue in 2025 from a pullback in foreign tourism and boycotts of American products, adding to a growing list of headwinds keeping recession risk elevated.

@bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

They should be nervous, this is terrible

Sanders: He now wants to take away CBS’s license because they did a story that criticized him. Oh my word, CBS criticized him! Oh, let’s drive them out of business, how terrible… If you can’t take criticism, get out of the political process. This is a democracy

Jon Stewart admits folks here were right & he wasn't: "I did not think he would get this authoritarian this fast. I really didn't. I'm sorry. Who could have known? Maybe if someone out there had yelled at me on Bluesky about this, I would have known. But no one did. Except every day. In all caps."

Vice President JD Vance dropped the College Football Playoff national championship trophy during a White House ceremony honoring the champion Ohio State Buckeyes.

Read more: nyti.ms/4il75GL