Michael Hiltzik

'Don't go to the US - not with Trump in charge': the UK tourist with a valid visa detained by ICE for six weeks (Jenny Kleeman/The Guardian)

Main Link | memeorandum Permalink

Commentary: The missing quality that defines the flaws in our business and government leadership — character We used to expect our business and government leaders to have strength of character. Today that's been replaced by a moral vacuum

www.latimes.com/business/sto...

Commentary: RFK Jr.'s attacks on vaccines could undermine American science for generations RFK Jr.'s attacks on vaccines go beyond changing the childhood immunization schedule. Now he's taking aim at vaccine R&D itself.

www.latimes.com/business/sto...

The Streisand effect in action

I assume @jaketapper.bsky.social will now bring on Markwayne Mullin to respond because he’s always so cogent and honest

Defund these fuckers already

Defund these fuckers already

Defund these fuckers already

Defund these fuckers already

Defund these fuckers already

over to you, josh barro

Noem story reminds us that, Murdoch or not, when Wall Street Journal sinks its teeth into something, it’s REALLY GOOD

Think it’s safe to say that every sportswriter on Planet Earth just got a lesson in the futility of flapdoodle—a lesson I thankfully learned early in my news career, and never forgot

How the fuck is Corey Lewandowski in any position to fire a Coast Guard pilot?

What is his title?

What is his job?

What is his official position in the US government?

If you are Kristi Noem’s boyfriend you get to fire Coast Guard officers?

"Trump made reining in the power of the nation’s largest companies — especially its tech giants — a key part of his 2024 platform in a bid to win over consumers and the middle class. In announcing Slater’s nomination last year, Trump posted on Truth Social, “Big Tech has run wild for years, stifling competition in our most innovative sector."

I can't overstate how central outlets like Politico were in propping up the MAGA fake-populist election season lie that Trumpism cared about unchecked corporate predation (usually with helpful quotes by Matt Stoller).

Commentary: Who's responsible for the aviation mess? Transportation Secretary Duffy says it's everyone but him Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blames the Democrats for the air travel chaos, but while in Congress he voted against funds for the FAA.

So FAA reopens El Paso he morning after annuncing it's closed for 10 days. Over to you, Sean Duffy, you complete incompetent: www.latimes.com/business/sto...

It's not a new observation at this point but that wild Noem/Lewandowski story in WSJ really brings home the extent to which all the Trump 2 cabinet-level goblins see their jobs as flying private, doing short-form video, and screaming at underlings. They all hate each other and none of them can read.

Why is it always some shambling sack of sweaty meat in an unkempt suit trying to claim they’re part of a master race?

WHY

Screengrab of the video of a fucking Nazi named "Jeremy Carl" testifying before the US Congress.

Real "master race" lookin' material right here. BETTER HURRY UP LADIES AND GET IN LINE TO MAKE SOME PURE WHITE BABIES WITH THIS WINNER!

I count 15 exclamation points in Judge Leon's ruling blocking Hegseth's monumentally stupid case against Sen. Kelly. Leon sounds pissed!
ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER On December 22, 2025, this Court issued a Memorandum Opinion finding that the Government had denied due process to a class of Venezuelans it deported to El Salvador last March in defiance of this Court’s Order. See J.G.G. v. Trump, 2025 WL 3706685, at *19 (D.D.C. Dec. 22, 2025). The Court offered the Government the opportunity to propose steps that would facilitate hearings for the class members on their habeas corpus claims so that they could “challenge their designations under the [Alien Enemies Act] and the validity of the [President’s] Proclamation.” Id. Apparently not interested in participating in this process, the Government’s responses essentially told the Court to pound sand. See ECF Nos. 229 (Gov. Resp.), 239 (Gov. Reply). Believing that other courses would be both more productive and in line with the Supreme Court’s requirements outlined in Noem v. Abrego Garcia, 145 S. Ct. 1017 (2025), the Court will now order the Government to facilitate the return from third countries of those

I'm assuming it's generally not good when a judge issues an order pointing out that the government was "not interested in participating in this process" and "essentially told the Court to pound sand."

But what do I know?

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

😅

Pam Bondi is nothing more than a #pedoprotector.

Axios misspelled “mendacious “ as “combative”

Pamela Jo Bondi coldly ignoring the Epstein survivors as she memorizes her next irrelevant lie to protect one of the main perpetrators.

Wait. Did I mishear this? Or misunderstand? Did Bondi say to Cong Jamie Raskin ‘you’re not even a lawyer’? He is a lawyer, graduate of Harvard law, editor of the Harvard Law Review, and constitutional law professor for 25 years.

Youy mean, other than her other appearances, right?

Please stop with this bullshit

Commentary: Who's responsible for the aviation mess? Transportation Secretary Duffy says it's everyone but him Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blames the Democrats for the air travel chaos, but while in Congress he voted against funds for the FAA.

So FAA reopens El Paso he morning after annuncing it's closed for 10 days. Over to you, Sean Duffy, you complete incompetent: www.latimes.com/business/sto...

Seems to me that the absolute stars of this Olympics are the drones—giving us shots of the action we’ve never seen before