Category Archives: Uncategorized

An occasional post in which I highlight some of the day’s most outrageous news. Today’s post includes Trump senility watch; on waste, fraud, and abuse; water, water, and AI; and more.

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When a reporter dared to ask Trump about failures in warning and response to the Kerr County floods, Trump called him an evil person for even asking such a question. The failures, however, are as undeniable as the disaster.

FEMA search and rescue deployment delayed until THREE DAYS after the flood–because Kristi Noem did not authorize deployment. Phone calls from flood victims seeking emergency assistance went unanswered—because Kristi Noem did not renew the contracts for call centers. This is FEMA under Trump and Noem.  

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**updated/corrected 7/8/2025

Trump’s “tariff letter” is an embarrassment to the United States (and especially to any English teacher who ever tried to teach him). Sent in identical form to the heads of state of 14 countries, the letter is replete with surplus capitalizations, punctuation errors, and threats. As originally sent, the Trump letter to the Chairwoman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zeljka Cvijanovic, referred to her as “Dear Mr. President.” That’s unfortunately consistent with earlier gaffes, such as his reference to “Mr. Japan” rather than Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

We have the text of the letter because Trump posted it on Truth Social, which seems an odd way to conduct tariff negotiations, diplomatic relations, or communication between heads of state. CNBC compares Trump’s cut-and-paste missives to love letters:

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The quick version.

On April 2, Trump announced sweeping tariffs on every country except Russia, North Korea, Cuba, and Belarus.^[1] Tariffs are a tax that are paid by the importer when goods enter our country. Prices on everyday items will increase radically and responsive tariffs will harm US businesses. Ask your federal representatives (numbers at reps.fyi) to revoke Trump’s ability to apply tariffs.

Thanks to Courtney Milan for this excellent explanation of tariff issues, published shortly after Trump’s first tariff announcement on April 2, 2025. Republished here with permission — and you also have permission to republish.

Who pays tariffs?

The country of origin does not pay tariffs. Whoever is importing the goods in the US pays the tariff, and passes the cost along to regular consumers—in other words, we, the people will pay the tariff.^[2]

How did Trump calculate his tariffs?

Trump’s tariff sheet claims that countries charge the US exorbitant tariffs. This is a lie.^[3] The number he lists has nothing to do with tariffs, but is instead a trade deficit ratio, calculated as the dollar amount we import from that country divided by the amount we export to that country.^[4]

What is the difference between a trade deficit and a tariff?

Trade deficits are not tariffs. We buy more from some countries than they buy from us because many Americans have disposable income and purchasing power. It is not possible, or beneficial, for countries to have perfectly balanced imports and exports.^[5]

What impact will this have on your life?

You will pay more for everything you buy, and American businesses will lose overseas customers. ^[6] The last time America passed sweeping tariffs was in 1930; this is part of what made the Great Depression last so long.^[7] Trump’s tariffs are higher than the failed 1930 tariffs.^[8]

Who is responsible?

• Donald Trump and his cabinet for imposing the tariffs.
• Every Senator and Representative who fails to block Trump’s tariffs.

What can you do?

• Contact your Senators and Representative (info at http://reps.fyi), and ask them to revoke the so-called national emergency that Trump is using to impose these tariffs. 
• Distribute this fact sheet so that people know who is responsible and how to join in.
• Join a protest against Trump’s damaging policies.

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Download the information on this website as a single page PDF suitable for printing and distribution.

This explainer is released under a CC0 license: it is dedicated to the public domain. You may distribute, change, remix, and adapt this without credit. Just get the information out there. 

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1. The full list of countries that Trump is applying his tariffs to, as well as their amounts, can be found on CBS News or on the White House Twitter account.

2. Professor Gulotty: “Tariffs are federal taxes, set by Congress, and applied to goods at the border.”
Professor Adão: “If we go back to the trade war in 2018, there is a body of research showing that most of the impact of these tariffs was borne by consumers and firms inside the United States.” 
Professor Durlauf: “Consumers are directly affected by having to pay more for goods. To give some examples, approximately 60% of U.S. vegetable consumption comes from Mexico and 25% of crude oil processed by U.S. refineries comes from Canada. Even 80% of U.S. toys originate in China. Those, and many other products, will all cost Americans more.” 

Source: How do tariffs work, and who will they impact? UChicago experts explain, April 2, 2025.

3. The tariff number is a “straight up lie,” according to CNBC’s Steve Liesman. A Trump aide referred to the tariff numbers as “the trade deficit that we have with any given country.” A trade deficit is not a tariff.

4. Wall Street Journal, Math Behind New U.S. Tariffs Point to Trade Imbalance as Key Issue, April 2, 2025.

5. A discussion on the difference between trade deficits and tariffs, and why we have trade deficits with many nations, can be found in Trump Declares a Trade War on Uninhabited Islands, US Military, and Economic Logic, TechDirt, April 3, 2025.

6. George W. Bush Institute, Tariffs are Great, If You Like Raising Prices, Undermining Jobs, and Inhibiting Innovation, Fall 2018.

7. “Smoot-Hawley contributed to the early loss of confidence on Wall Street… Within two years some two dozen countries adopted similar ‘beggar-thy-neighbour’ duties, making worse an already beleaguered world economy and reducing global trade. U.S. imports from and exports to Europe fell by some two-thirds between 1929 and 1932, while overall global trade declined by similar levels in the four years that the legislation was in effect.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act. 

8. “This is a much bigger shock to the economy than the infamous Smoot-Hawley tariff of 1930, especially when you bear in mind that international trade is about three times as important now as it was then.” Paul Krugman, Will Malignant Stupidity Kill the World Economy?, April 3, 2025.

From most-favored-bigot treatment for “Dr. Phil” to social media memes, the right-wing war on immigration and immigrants amped up as Trump sent military to Los Angeles. Right-wing “influencers” have been embedded with ICE from the first day. Along with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, they posture for the cameras in camo outfits or bullet-proof vests. 

One of Trump’s social media posts epitomized the heated rhetoric and complete disconnect from facts: he posted congratulations to the National Guard for their success in quieting protests in Los Angeles—two hours before they arrived in the city. 

Along with the right-wing propaganda, outright fake images and videos abound. Some of the same images resurface year after year. Phony images and lies often originate with right-wing social media here and then are picked up and amplified by social media connected to the Russian government.  

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So here’s the question of the day: is news about ICE thugs assaulting and arresting elected officials properly classified as immigration news? Or is that story more accurately classified as news about accelerating American fascism? 

Today, masked ICE agents assaulted and arrested NYC Controller (and mayoral candidate) Brad Lander at immigration court. 

DHS spokespuppets immediately said Lander was assaulting a federal officer. Video shows that is not true. 

On BlueSky, Sam Thielman asks: “What is it called when people who aren’t cops and don’t have a warrant drag you away, because I don’t think ‘arrest’ is the word?” 

And Kevin Kruse writes: “As long as they’re hiding their faces, badges and names we should stop calling them “federal agents.” Call them masked goons or unidentified thugs or whatever, unless and until they provide proper ID.”

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On Friday, June 7, Trump ordered federalization of National Guard troops “to temporarily protect ICE and other United States Government personnel who are performing Federal functions, including the enforcement of Federal law, and to protect Federal property, at locations where protests against these functions are occurring or are likely to occur based on current threat assessments and planned operations.” 

The presidential “memorandum” directed to the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Attorney General does what is commonly referred to as “federalizing the National Guard.” But that’s not a self-explanatory move. 

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The Office of Personnel Management now has new questions for civil service hires at GS-05 and above. These questions include political commitment to the Trump agenda: 

“How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.” 

GS-05 hires are NOT political policy positions. They do not and should not require any commitment to Trump policies and executive orders. GS-05 positions include jobs such as nurse, veterinary medical officer, construction manager, border patrol agent, and transportation security officer. These are civil service positions, which are supposed to be non-political, with hiring based on competence, not politics. They are supposed to be career jobs rather than political appointments that change with each president.

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Gaza. 

Each day’s news brings fresh horrors. 

Monday. Netanyahu says the war in Gaza will be complete only when Hamas is destroyed. 

• Question #1: What is a “just war”? Hamas killed 1,218 people, mostly civilians in its 2023 attack on Israel and kidnapped 251 hostages. The Israeli offensive has killed more than 53,000 people in Gaza, mostly civilians. 
• Question #2: In a “just war,” how many civilians may be killed in order to “destroy Hamas?” How many children? 

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One more House committee voted to slash Medicaid on Wednesday, continuing the Republican march toward gutting health care for poor people. The justification: saving money on Medicaid spending will pay to continue Trump tax cuts for the very rich. 

Each day this week, I commit to doing one small thing—a phone call, a letter, a comment on a regulation. I’m going to walk through my commitment right here on the blog, which will keep me accountable and might also get a reader or two to join me.

Dan Froomkin points out the importance of moving Republicans: 

“If only four out of the 220 Republican House members were to balk on Medicaid cuts, joining the 213 Democrats (there are two vacancies in the House), the measure would fail.”

The overwhelming majority of people in this country, Republicans as well as Democrats, oppose cuts to Medicaid.

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