Eric Columbus

Nolan Hicks @ndhapple.bsky.social •4m Officially whiskey weather Phil Lewis • @phillewis.bsky.social • 1h Raccoon gets drunk at a Virginia liquor store and passes out in bathroom Raccoon gets drunk at Ashland ABC store and passes out in bathroom Talk about a trashed panda. @ www.axios.com

Timeline poetry

Opinion | A sickening moral slum of an administration Regarding Venezuela, Ukraine and much more, Trump and his acolytes are worse than simply incompetent.

George Will: "Pete Hegseth seems to be a war criminal. Without a war. An interesting achievement. ... The killing of the survivors by this moral slum of an administration should nauseate Americans. A nation incapable of shame is dangerous, not least to itself" www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

But you suggested that the decision to grant the benefit is discretionary in many/most cases and I took that to mean that the INA authorizes blanket bans on granting the benefit to folks from specified countries. If so then what would be the value of mandamus?

Unlawful why?

Came here to say the first sentence. What are those other provisions?

I hear “. . . great holiday, we, we’ve done a great job . . .” And that’s just as weird because it’s December 2, not a holiday in sight AND WE KNOW he hates saying happy holidays.

Whatever inspires you to donate to @lawfaremedia.org this Giving Tuesday, including my abject humiliation at the hands of @annabower.bsky.social, I salute: givebutter.com/journalism?s...

Obama is Gen X?

ANNOUNCEMENT DECEMBER 2, 2025 Statement from the American Economic Association The American Economic Association (AEA) has accepted Lawrence H. Summers' voluntary resignation from membership and, pursuant to the AEA's Policies, Procedures, and Code of Professional Conduct, has imposed a lifetime ban on his membership. In addition, effective immediately, the AEA has imposed a lifetime prohibition on Mr. Summers attending, speaking at, or otherwise participating in AEA-sponsored events or activities, including serving in any editorial or refereeing capacity for AEA journals. The AEA condemns Mr. Summers' conduct, as reflected in publicly reported communications, as fundamentally inconsistent with its standards of professional integrity and with the trust placed in mentors within the economics profession. Consistent with longstanding AEA practices and to protect the integrity and confidentiality of AEA processes, the AEA will not comment further on individual matters or the specific considerations underlying this determination.

The AEA is committed to upholding the highest standards of professional conduct and to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all members of the economics community. The AEA affirms its expectation that all members adhere to the AEA Code of Professional Conduct and the AEA Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation, and remains dedicated to maintaining professional environments in which economists of all backgrounds can participate fully, and with dignity and respect.

LARRY SUMMERS: I hereby resign from your organization.

AMERICAN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION: Oh yeah? We hereby ban you from having anything to do with us until you die.
www.aeaweb.org/news/aea-sta...

Even if Hegseth didn’t authorize the second strike, he has since said that it was the right thing to do so. That’s enough to disqualify him.

Didn't someone just get murdered in DC that was front page news around the country and caused the Trump administration to change its immigration policy toward an entire country?

Olivia Rodrigo condemns Trump administration’s use of her music for ‘racist, hateful propaganda’ Pop star rebukes DHS and White House for video demanding undocumented immigrants self-deport

In related news
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/n...

Same

A Pentagon press secretary has history of pushing antisemitic, extremist theories Members of Congress and civil rights groups are condemning past comments from Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson, including some which critics called antisemitic.

Just a reminder that the flack doing this Pentagon presser for the Mos Eisley crowd (because DoD booted the legit journos) is a frothing bigot. www.npr.org/2025/03/06/n...

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Trump Launches Into Massive, Unhinged Late Night Posting Spree The president made over 160 posts and reshares in just a matter of hours including one "WILD" claim from far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

Trump had a full-blown meltdown on social media last night that went on for hours and featured more than 160 posts and reshares, plus a new conspiracy about Michelle Obama. www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/o...

Fox News faces critical test in 2nd case over false 2020 election claims The allegations in the multibillion-dollar case sound familiar: A voting-tech company accuses Fox News of defamation for false claims it broadcast about rigged votes in the 2020 presidential election.

Fox News faces critical test in 2nd big defamation suit over spurious 2020 election fraud claims

My story for NPR

www.npr.org/2025/12/02/n...

I read the relevant posts yesterday but seeing it summarized in a sentence just might break me.

Commerce Department to Back Chip Startup From Former Intel CEO The US Commerce Department has agreed to invest as much as $150 million in xLight Inc., a chip technology startup tied to former Intel Corp. Chief Executive Officer Pat Gelsinger.

One notable thing about the Trump administration picking winners and losers among businesses is that that GOP bitterly complained about Democrats doing the same thing with renewable energy. It's almost like that wasn't the real reason for turning off the spigot.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Is there reporting on this anywhere? I don’t see it in the story you linked.

If Pete Hegseth is the worst Secretary of Defense of your lifetime, you're not old enough to buy alcohol.

Kristi Noem v. @KristiNoem X.com I just met with the President. I am recommending a full travel ban on every damn country that's been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies. Our forefathers built this nation on blood, sweat, and the unyielding love of freedom—not for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes, suck dry our hard-earned tax dollars, or snatch the benefits owed to AMERICANS. WE DON'T WANT THEM. NOT ONE. 6:54 PM • 12/1/25 • 16K Views

Shorter Noem: Someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets.

Sure the Butler cliffhanger was a letdown, but once LIZZA learned that NUZZI knew an IZZY, he had to mention her — she was a human Chekhov’s gun!

I flew on Aeroflot in the 1980s and they passed on some green liquid that tasted like grass.

Trump to hold Venezuela Oval Office meeting amid growing questions about his military moves | CNN Politics President Donald Trump will hold a meeting at the White House on Monday evening about next steps on Venezuela, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, as the administration intensifies its pressure...

If memory serves, earlier this year it was reported that Trump had scheduled a meeting re Iran—and then we bombed Iran before the meeting was supposed to occur. I don't know if we ever learned whether the meeting announcement was a fake-out or plans changed.
www.cnn.com/2025/12/01/p...

What did I miss in my list?
www.thebulwark.com/p/jackie-cha...

“A lead investigator in that case was Emil Bove, then a prosecutor for the Southern District of New York.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...

And, of course, a president in his second term is far less democratically accountable than Congress, the vast majority of whose members will run for reelection.

Somewhat narrower than that—it only applies to "officers," which are basically executive branch folks with significant discretionary duties and authority. For much more on what an officer is, see here:
constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay...