#Federation for American Immigration Reform

[justinspoliticalcorner]

John Knefel at MMFA:

Several right-wing organizations known mostly for opposing abortion, immigration, and trans rights are also involved in supporting and funding election denial groups, a sign of the issue’s centrality to the MAGA movement.

Following former President Donald Trump’s loss in 2020 and subsequent attempts to remain in power, a complicated and sprawling web of organizations emerged to sow doubt about future elections and spread debunked and baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud. Stringing these overlapping efforts together is the Only Citizens Vote Coalition, an umbrella organization connecting state and national election denial efforts with the broader right-wing policy ecosystem. These groups also significantly overlap with Project 2025, an effort organized by The Heritage Foundation to provide the next Republican presidential administration with staffing and policy recommendations.  Even as early as March 2021, mere months after Trump’s multifaceted effort to reverse the 2020 election, socially conservative groups began pouring money into election denial initiatives. That trend has only accelerated in the intervening years, with a host of anti-civil rights groups — often euphemistically characterized as engaged in the “culture wars” — having expanded their operations to include so-called election integrity.

These groups include the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, the anti-trans American Principles Project, a fund run by Hobby Lobby founder David Green, and high-profile right-wing charities National Christian Charitable Foundation and Christian Community Foundation, among others.  One of the primary myths that the election denial movement has spread this cycle concerns noncitizen voting, which experts agree is exceedingly rare. This manufactured scandal synthesizes two key pillars of the MAGA movement — demonizing immigrants and claiming that elections are rigged against right-wing candidates. The partners listed in the Only Citizens Vote Coalition include anti-immigrant groups the Federation for American Immigration Reform and the Immigration Accountability Project, illustrating how election denial groups have incorporated nativism into their movement. Both FAIR and IAP have strong links to the Tanton network, named after John Tanton, whom the Southern Poverty Law Center refers to as the “the racist architect of the modern anti-immigrant movement.”

Right-wing anti-civil rights organizations are going all-in on pushing the nonexistent “noncitizen voter” canard.

[minnesotafollower]

Biden Administration’s New Restrictions on U.S. Asylum Law Being Challenged in Federal Courts 

This year has seen many developments regarding the Biden Administration’s attempts to cope with the large numbers of migrants illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Here is a review of some of those developments. Biden’s New Asylum Regulation[1] On February 21, the Biden Administration announced a proposed rule that would  require rapid deportation of an immigrant at the U.S. border who had…

[elumish]

Part 1/? of How to Deal With the Next Four(ish) Years

Learn how to tell the difference between "their policies/rhetoric actively target me/a marginalized group" and "they have not been as successful as I hoped in protecting me/a marginalized group." I saw the rhetoric a fair amount pre-election that the Democratic Party and its policies were transphobic, that Biden failed queer people, etc. as a reason not to vote for Harris or for Democrats, and the reality is that the Democratic Party and Joe Biden have actually been pretty steadily implementing laws and policies to support and protect queer (including trans) people, and Republicans want queer/trans people to die.

If you want to protect marginalized groups, whether they're ones you're part of or not, you really need to start actively working on distinguishing between the two. And if you keep hearing that the Democrats are just as bad about a marginalized group in the US as the Republicans, actually look into that. What is the evidence? What laws have been introduced or passed by one party versus the other? What rhetoric do they use? What policies and regulations are being put in place?

And is the problem that the Democratic Party is "just as bad" or that they have not managed to stop Republican laws in red states?

None of this is to say that the Democratic Party is perfect, but in most cases only one party is actively working to harm or kill marginalized people, and it's not the Dems.

Understand the government structure that directly impacts you. Not every state or locality operates the same way, and you may have more or fewer layers of government over you with different levels of power. Do you have a town/city government and a county government, or just one or the other? How many officials are elected in your state versus appointed?

Part of that is also understanding what is controlled at the local, state, and federal level. If you're mad about a law or policy and want it to change, whose law or policy is it? Chances are, if it's about how things work for you, it's a state or local law rather than a federal one. Once you understand that, you can target any organizing efforts in the right direction.

Pick your battles. This is not to say that you shouldn't care about a lot of things, but trying to personally organize around everything will probably just make you ineffective and burn you out. Is it Palestine? Ukraine? Sudan? Environmental justice? Climate change? Immigration? Abortion? Queer rights and protections? Education? Native American rights? Criminal justice reform?

Understanding your own priorities can also help you determine what candidates you support and where you draw your red lines. I care a lot about public schools, but support for charter schools is not a red line for me in a politician. Being pro-life is.

But I'm also pragmatic--if my choice is a pro-life person who also wants all queer people to die and a pro-life person who wants to protect queer people, I will hold my nose vote for the latter rather than risk the former winning.

Start identifying what protections you and your loved ones might need that you can access now. Is it an IUD, a tubal ligation, or a vasectomy? Is it getting your legal name changed now? Is it establishing other legal protections such as power of attorney even if you're married?

Vote in every election. If you are an eligible voter, you should be a registered voter, and you should vote every single time. I think the only election I've missed in the last 5 years is the 2024 Democratic primary, and that's 50% because it was basically an uncontested race and 50% because I forgot when it was.

Primaries are where you get to have a say in who your candidate is--at all levels. Look at the policies of who is running and vote for who you want to win--whether because of policy, temperment, or any other reason.

But state and local elections are incredibly important, because they have a huge impact on your actual quality of life. Show up and vote. Vote on off years. Vote when it's just local. Vote for Board of Education, for water commissioner, for sheriff, for judges.

Voting is cheap, it's easy, and it does make a difference.

[dark-rx]

50 Times US Conservatives Were on the Wrong Side of History

As you read this post, keep in mind today's Conservative moments hold all the same views. We are actively seeing them rolling back many of these movements in real time.

Slavery (Before the Civil War) – Southern conservatives staunchly defended slavery as a vital part of the economy and way of life.

The Civil War (1861-1865) – Conservatives in the South fought to preserve slavery, leading to a bloody conflict that devastated the nation.

Reconstruction (1865-1877) – Southern conservatives resisted Reconstruction efforts to grant rights and protections to freed slaves.

Jim Crow Laws (Late 1800s-1960s) – Southern conservatives fought to maintain racial segregation and disenfranchise Black Americans.

The Women's Suffrage Movement (Late 1800s-1920) – Conservative politicians and groups actively opposed women's right to vote.

The New Deal (1930s) – Conservative elites opposed Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal programs, which sought to alleviate poverty and economic inequality during the Great Depression.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Many conservative Southern politicians opposed this landmark legislation to end racial segregation and discrimination.

Voting Rights Act of 1965 – Conservative lawmakers opposed this bill, which aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in voting practices.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954) – Conservative politicians and groups in the South opposed the Supreme Court decision that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Desegregation of Public Schools (1950s-1960s) – Southern conservatives resisted federally mandated school desegregation.

The Equal Rights Amendment (1970s) – Conservative groups, such as the “STOP ERA” campaign, fought against equal rights for women, fearing the ERA would undermine traditional gender roles.

The Fight for LGBTQ+ Rights (Late 20th Century-Present) – Conservative groups have long opposed LGBTQ+ rights, including the fight for marriage equality.

Roe v. Wade (1973) – Conservatives, particularly religious groups, staunchly opposed a woman’s right to choose abortion.

Desegregation Busing (1970s) – Conservative politicians and parents opposed busing programs designed to integrate public schools.

The Vietnam War (1955-1975) – Many conservatives supported the war, which ultimately became widely seen as a failure and a quagmire that led to significant loss of life.

The Fight for Minimum Wage Increases – Conservative politicians have repeatedly opposed efforts to raise the federal minimum wage.

The Fight for Healthcare Reform – Conservative opposition to healthcare reforms such as the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) has been widespread, arguing against universal healthcare solutions.

The Fair Housing Act (1968) – Southern conservatives opposed the Fair Housing Act, which aimed to eliminate discrimination in housing practices.

Social Security (1935) – Conservative figures opposed the creation of Social Security, a key part of the American welfare system.

Unions and Labor Rights – Conservative forces have historically opposed labor unions and workers' rights, fighting against collective bargaining and labor protections.

Women's Reproductive Rights – Beyond Roe v. Wade, conservatives have opposed various efforts to expand reproductive rights and healthcare access.

Opposition to the Affordable Care Act (2010) – Conservative groups strongly opposed the ACA, claiming it was too costly and that it represented an overreach of government power.

The Fight for Immigrant Rights – Conservatives have historically supported harsh immigration policies, including the criminalization of undocumented immigrants.

The Fight for Environmental Protection – Conservative groups have often downplayed the importance of environmental protections and climate change action, opposing measures to regulate pollution.

The LGBTQ+ Military Ban – Conservatives in the 1990s supported the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which restricted openly LGBTQ+ individuals from serving in the military.

The War on Drugs – Conservative policies contributed to mass incarceration, disproportionately affecting Black and Latino communities, without addressing the root causes of drug addiction.

The Fight for Marriage Equality – Conservative figures and groups consistently opposed same-sex marriage, including a federal ban that was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court.

Opposition to Public Health Measures – During the COVID-19 pandemic, conservative politicians downplayed public health guidelines, including wearing masks and social distancing, resulting in higher rates of transmission and death.

The GI Bill (1944) – While the bill benefited millions of veterans, conservative opposition in some areas limited access for Black veterans.

The Civil Rights Movement (1950s-1960s) – Conservative politicians and law enforcement were often hostile to civil rights leaders and protests, including opposition to Martin Luther King Jr. and the March on Washington.

Opposition to the Equal Pay Act (1963) – Conservative figures initially opposed equal pay legislation for women, arguing it would interfere with market forces.

The Fight for Workers' Rights – Conservatives frequently oppose stronger labor protections, such as paid sick leave and vacation days.

The Immigration Act of 1965 – Conservative figures fought against the Immigration and Nationality Act, which removed racially discriminatory quotas in U.S. immigration law.

The American with Disabilities Act (1990) – Conservative politicians opposed the ADA, which required accessibility and anti-discrimination protections for disabled individuals.

The Fair Labor Standards Act – Many conservative leaders fought against the legislation that set minimum wage laws and restrictions on child labor.

The Equal Education Opportunity Act – Conservatives have often resisted efforts to provide equal educational opportunities for students of color and students with disabilities.

Opposition to Gun Control – Conservative gun-rights groups and politicians have opposed various gun control measures, even in the face of increasing gun violence.

Opposition to Federal Civil Rights Laws – Conservative Southern Democrats and Republicans historically fought against federal civil rights legislation, including the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (1993) – Conservative lawmakers were opposed to the idea of paid family leave and medical leave programs.

The Immigration Reform and Control Act (1986) – Although this was a compromise bill, conservative opposition to more comprehensive immigration reform has persisted.

The Clean Water Act (1972) – Conservatives resisted environmental protections for water systems, which led to more pollution and harmful practices for public health.

The Clean Air Act – Conservative opposition to the regulation of air pollution and emissions has undermined efforts to protect public health and the environment.

Efforts to Address Climate Change – Conservative skepticism about climate science has led to inaction on reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to renewable energy.

The War on Women’s Health – Conservative policies aimed at restricting women’s access to contraception, abortion, and reproductive health services have been widely criticized.

Civil Rights for Indigenous Peoples – Conservative opposition to Native American land rights and sovereignty has led to continued struggles for indigenous communities.

The Fairness Doctrine – Conservative media figures fought the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine in the 1980s, which allowed for more partisan and biased media coverage.

Opposition to Immigration Reform (2000s-Present) – Conservative politicians have opposed comprehensive immigration reform, often focusing on border security rather than addressing root causes or offering a path to citizenship.

Opposition to Scientific Research on Gun Violence – Conservatives have historically blocked research into gun violence and its causes, impeding evidence-based policy solutions.

Opposition to Universal Basic Income – Conservatives have resisted proposals for UBI, fearing that it might incentivize laziness and undermine capitalism.

Opposition to Reparations for Slavery – Many conservatives oppose reparations for African Americans as compensation for slavery and the ongoing impacts of systemic racism, arguing that it’s impractical or unfair.

There is not a single Fascist government in all of history who didn't make economic progress on the backs of mass repressions and/or murder.

This is the moment we are at in history.

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. - Henry David Thoreau

How will history remember you? Will history remember you?

[tanadrin]

Imagine that a century or two from now, the eastern half of the United States is conquered by the Canadian Empire, its intelligentsia deported, its land colonized by Canadian immigrants, and its remaining people mostly gradually absorbed into a Neo-Canadian identity. The West reorganizes, developing a new political and cultural center, and comes to regard itself as the "true" United States, with the remnant culture of the East (by now much changed by Canadian rule) as representing an unchanged tradition stretching back to the time of George Washington. The holdout western half is subsequently conquered by the Reformed Mexican Empire, and while most of the population remains in situ, its elite is taken to Mexico City. There, for three or four generations, they do their best to maintain their distinct American identity, focusing on the American "civil religion," the distinctive political ideals and cultural features that mark them out as Americans, and come up with a new way of interpreting their history that allows America to be a perennial idea, something not directly physically tied to the territory of the United States, which no longer exists. They compose a body of historical works based on Washington Irving's rather fabulistic approach to early American history, the half-remembered popular versions of the stories of Columbus and the Pilgrims, the First Thanksgiving, even the Revolutionary War. They don't have access to the original texts anymore--let's say this is all taking place in a post-Collapse North America where long-range travel and communication is difficult and a lot of history has been lost--but they do their best. They append to these books, or include in their text, of history a copy of the Constitution, big chunks of the United States Code, and Robert's Rules of Order.

Subsequently, the Empire of Gran Columbia invades, conquers southern and central Mexico, and its Emperor lets the captive Americans go home. They return north, mostly to California, find that the version of American history and civics that is remembered there isn't the same as the version they have (not that the Californian one is correct--the Mexican Empire has suppressed English-language education and high culture in its Aztlani provinces), and set about reforming and reorganizing the Western States (as they're now called) to be more in line with the forms they brought back from the exile. In the meantime, other bits of important literature start being kept in libraries next to copies of the received histories: some bits of early American literature, like Hawthorne, the Song of Hiawatha, some highly abridged Herman Melville, Thomas Paine--heck, even some John Locke, and quotes or fragments from Shakespeare. Some traditionalists now argue the capital of the United States has always been located in San Francisco, and that Washington, D.C. only because the capital later, under the influence of Eastern heretics.

In the following centuries, the Western States retain their independence for a time, but eventually become a secondary battleground for a lot of other empires--the Mexicans, the Canadians, the Pan-Pacific Federation, and so forth. American culture remains distinctive, insulted in part by its unique traditions, though now everybody speaks Future Spanish, and only learns English to read the old texts. In this period additional material, including later compositions, continues to accrete, forming a distinct body of sacred American scripture, although it does not exist in a single canonical form. Attempts to reconcile distinct sources, like more literal and historically-grounded accounts versus the simplified narratives of figures like Irving, produce hybrid texts that sometimes are full of internal conflicts.

Oh, and through all this, some institutions of American government like the Supreme Court still function, although their rulings only apply to Americans, and there isn't much in the way of a federal bureaucracy.

Finally the Great and Sublime Brazilian Potentate conquers most of the Americas, sets up an American client state that roughly coincides with the heartland of the old Western States (California, Oregon, most of Washington and Nevada), and allows the Americans to elect their own President (subject, of course, to Brazilian approval). During this period, an apocalyptic street preacher from Los Angeles claims to have inherited the authority and power of George Washington, and is executed by the Brazilians; his later followers point to the prophecies of Emperor Norton, and out-of-context bits of a Quebecois translation of Moby-Dick and some Mark Twain stories to say no, really, he was George Washington. Inexplicably, a version of this religion becomes the dominant faith of the Brazilian Empire before it collapses. But long before then the American state in California fails, crushed when it tries to revolt against Brazilian rule; the remnant Easterners likewise dwindle down to only a few hundred souls living in a village in Alexandria, Virginia. Centuries from now, as the descendants of the descendants of the Brazilians colonize Mars, they will point to the sacred Americanist scriptures, the Neo-Americanist narratives of their prophet's life, and the letters written by the early leaders of Neo-Americanism, and say, "all of this was written by the spirit of George Washington, and is free from contradictions." Meanwhile the remnant Americanists, who have been writing about Americanism and how it applies to their everyday lives in the centuries since, and whose commentary has formed around the copies of the last editions of the U.S. Supreme Court Reporter (SCOTUS managed to outlast the final American state by a hundred years or so) plus the thoughts of the remaining Americanist community in Mexico, continue to regard their traditions as the unbroken and unaltered practice of American culture, politics, and ideals as they existed since the Revolutionary War.

This is, as far as I can tell, approximately how the Bible was composed.

[insert-witty-user-name-here]

One more thing, if you have capacity, please consider donating to advocacy organizations working to protect our rights.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news on an already bad news day, progressive advocacy organizations have seen their funding slashed since the election.

Lots of folks know about big orgs like the ACLU, HRC, BLM, Planned Parenthood, Amnesty International, and Trevor Project. These are incredible orgs doing good work.

Here are some smaller national orgs that don’t always get attention but are doing important work and could use some extra money:

Arab American Institute

Asian Americans Advancing Justice| AAJC

Autistic Self Advocacy Network

Black Alliance for Just Immigration

Black Voters Matter

Equality Federation (specifically donate to your local chapter! Organization serving LGBTQ+ people)

Immigrant Defense Project

Lambda Legal (legal agency for LGBTQ+ individuals)

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

League of Conservation Voters (environmental protection organization)

Mexican American Legal Defense Fund

Advocates for Trans Equality

National Council of Jewish Women

National Disability Rights Network

National Immigration Law Center

National Women’s Law Center

Native American Rights Fund

REFORM alliance (justice reform organization)

Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice)

Sierra Club (environmental protection organization)

Advocacy organizations could really use your support to fight these upcoming attacks.

Where we saw an outpouring of rage and support in 2016 from big political donors, that sadly hasn’t happened this time.

Last, noting local organizations are always best to donate to though can be harder to find.

If you’ve got time, I’d do some research and type into a search engine your state or city+ issue you care about+ advocacy organization. Browse their website and social media and see if they fit your vibe!

Wait there are even more awesome orgs doing awesome work if you have a specific interest! Give these groups a follow.

American Atheists

American Humanist Association

CASA (specifically donate to your local chapter! Organization serving immigrants)

Common Cause (multi-issue)

GLSEN (formerly Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network)

Interfaith Alliance

Jewish Council for Public Affairs

LatinoJusticePRLDEF

League of Woman Voters (specifically your local chapter)

MomsRising (multi-issue, just moms who want to protect their families 🩷)

PGLAG (formerly Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)

Public Citizen (multi-issue)

Red, Wine, and Blue (group of moms who fight book bans locally)

Sikh Coalition

The Arc (organization that serves the disability community)

The Innocence Project (justice reform organization)

The Sentencing project (Justice reform organization)

Voto Latino

YWCA (specifically donate to your local chapter, organization that serves women)

Unite Against Book Bans

United We Dream (organization to protect DACA)

Union of Concerned Scientists (environmental protection)

Zinn Education Project (organization that supports an accurate teaching of history)

I hope this massive list also helps shed some light on how many brilliant people there are in this movement ready to fight for the rights of everyone.

Onwards. ❤️

[ladybugmania]

The Wrecking Ball of Democracy

Donald Trump's political resurgence is not a movement of reform, it's a demolition project. What we are witnessing isn’t the evolution of a flawed system but its violent unraveling at the hands of a man and a party wielding power like a wrecking ball.

Yes, the status quo was stagnant. Institutions across the globe have long failed to evolve in meaningful ways. Democrats, like many others, often talked change but clung to the safety of the same old machinery. But what the current Republican leadership is doing goes far beyond disruption. It is destruction, deliberate, calculated, and without remorse. And definitely no plan.

Recently, Trump froze trillions in federal funding, jeopardizing everything from small business loans to education grants. Legal scholars warn this may be a violation of the Constitution itself. At the same time, federal agencies are ignoring court orders, as seen in immigration cases where lawful protections have been disregarded. These are not isolated incidents. They are warning flares from the core of a crumbling republic.

The GOP has escalated its assault on education, threatening institutions like Harvard over ideological disagreements. The aim? To coerce conformity, to punish dissent, to silence independent thought. This is not conservative governance, it is authoritarian impulse.

But here’s the darker truth: we may be watching the final chapters of American democracy being written in real time.

If this trajectory continues unchecked, we could face:

A hollowed-out judiciary, unable or unwilling to stand against executive overreach.

A silenced press and academic world, chilled by fear and retribution.

Communities stripped of public support, abandoned by a government that no longer sees them as constituents, but as collateral.

And to the Republicans who cheer this on while shouting about conspiracy theories, pedophiles, and imaginary cabals. Understand this: the wrecking ball swings both ways. That's right! BOTH WAYS.

You are not just destroying the systems your opponents rely on. You are dismantling the very frameworks that protect your freedoms, your families, your future. You are so blinded by rage and righteousness that you fail to see the structure collapsing around you.

Sandcastles built by ordinary people, schools, social services, neighborhood programs, are being trampled under the boots of those drunk on power and delusion. What rises in place of these castles may not be freedom, but the shadow of something far more dangerous.

"Trumpism isn’t about saving America.

It’s a boot through a child’s sandcastle.

Cruel, petty, and proud of it.

How pathetic. "

Yours Truly

The Moth Hawk

[mariacallous]

More than 50 rabbis and cantors, including leaders of some of New York City’s most prominent synagogues, signed an open letter Tuesday asking Mayor Eric Adams and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to protect immigrants from the Trump administration’s planned mass deportations.

The letter, the latest in a succession of recent statements by Jewish leaders opposing President Donald Trump’s policies, comes at an unprecedentedly fraught time in the politics of New York City and state. The Trump administration has moved to drop corruption charges against Adams so that he will be able to help the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

The arrangement has led to a cascade of resignations at top levels of city government and beyond along with mounting calls for Adams to resign — which he has rebuffed.

And relations between Hochul and Adams aren’t exactly tranquil. The evening before the rabbis’ letter was published, Hochul said she would be meeting with “key leaders” to discuss taking the step of removing Adams from office, which no governor has ever done in the state’s history.

Against that backdrop, the letter asks Adams and Hochul “to be the leaders we desperately need at this moment, and do all you can to resist Trump’s terrifying anti-immigrant agenda.” It does not reference the controversy surrounding Adams.

The letter calls on the mayor and governor to “restrict” immigration raids in schools and houses of worship, which are now permitted under new federal guidelines. It also calls on the leaders to refrain from sharing information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and to not use jails to detain immigrants. And it hearkens back to American Jews’ immigrant heritage, particularly in New York, as well as past antisemitic persecution.

“We also know in our bones and from our modern history the danger of an unchecked xenophobic government scapegoating ‘outsiders’ to gain power, preying on a population experiencing hard economic times to gain support for a violent and destructive agenda,” the letter said. “We will not stand by while history repeats itself. You, our state and local leaders, must not either.”

The letter follows others signed by Jewish leaders or organizations opposing Trump’s or Republicans’ policies on transgender athletes, mass deportations, Gaza and diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. Jewish groups have also joined lawsuits challenging Trump’s immigration actions.

The letters signatories hail from the Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist movements, and include leaders of large synagogues such as Temple Emanu-El, B’nai Jeshurun, Ansche Chesed, Congregation Beth Elohim,  Forest Hills Jewish Center, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, Society for the Advancement of Judaism and others. Not all rabbis who signed appended the names of their synagogues.

The letter was organized by a consortium of progressive Jewish groups in the city, including Bend the Arc, the Jewish refugee aid group HIAS, Jews For Racial & Economic Justice,  New York Jewish Agenda,  the immigration advocacy group Never Again Action, the liberal rabbinic human rights group T’ruah and The Workers Circle.

[ehrenbergese]

Musk's team to investigate employees with 'questionable' wealth as Trump orders hiring restrictions at federal agencies

During a meeting with Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on February 11, EST, Musk told the press that his team at the Department of Government Efficiency would investigate federal employees whose relatively low pay has skyrocketed their net worth.

The theme of the press conference that day was federal agency reform. Trump revealed that he had signed an executive order requiring federal agencies to work with the Department of Governmental Efficiency to continue to implement large-scale layoff programs, as well as severely restrict hiring. Components of agencies (or the agencies themselves) may be eliminated or consolidated because they are performing illegal functions. Additionally, there will be one new hire for every four departing employees, except in the areas of immigration, law enforcement and public safety.

Trump also urged Musk's team to investigate “the woman who rolled up about $30 million” during the conversation. Some analysts noted that he appeared to be alluding to Bauer, the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, whom he has suspended. Bauer's annual salary was close to $250,000, but his net worth soared to $30 million during his tenure.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is one of the most important tools of U.S. foreign “soft power,” exporting its influence and American values, especially to Third World countries, including support for a variety of foreign NGOs, media organizations, academic programs, and scientific research projects. In the last fiscal year, the agency received more than $70 billion in available funds, of which perhaps only 10 percent was actually used for aid programs.

Musk then responded that there are actually a number of people in federal agencies who are paid only a few hundred thousand dollars but have amassed tens of millions of dollars in net worth during their tenure in their positions. That seems mysterious. I think they got rich on the taxpayers' dime.

Since the day he entered the White House, Trump has empowered Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency to make sweeping cuts to federal agencies and employees that have particularly impressed his supporters. As Musk's team continues to begin obtaining information from agencies such as the Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, its claims will soon unravel the corruption that lies hidden in the mists of the multilayered organization. Next up for Musk's upcoming audits are the Departments of Defense and Education.

But his actions have meanwhile created a huge wave of opposition among his political opponents. Former Treasury Secretary Summers has argued that Musk and the Department of Governmental Efficiency exceeded their authority and violated professional ethics by accessing the Treasury's payment system. Musk has not publicly explained how his team obtained data on the net worth of officials. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, accused Musk of a power grab, and that these “cost-cutting and efficiency measures” had a serious impact on the normal operation of the government.

[the-wives-of-luigi-mangione]

The Wives of Luigi Mangione.

We believe that Luigi will be freed and will start the glorious revolution. The Oligarchs will die, and their wealth shall be distributed to those less fortunate. The minimum wages shall be raised. The needs of tipping shall too be destroyed by getting rid of the federal tipped minimum wage. And every tip shall go the one that receives the tip. No tipping pool. No giving part of your tip to your employer. No tax on tips. The full tip is going to the receiver of the tip. Luigi is going to put in place one free universal healthcare for all Americans. Luigi will ban lobbying, introduce a police reform, cut military funding and create a universal basic income. Luigi will change the constitution to include a constitutional amendment protecting our right to healthcare and bodily autonomy. New parties shall be able to enter the senate and the congress as long as they have over 5%. Senators no longer will be voted for by direct vote, but the state shall vote for a party with first vote for a member of the party. Bribes shall be illegal once more / it shall be actually enforced. The pay difference between CEOs and the normal worker are not allowed to exide 50%. Effectively forcing the leaders of the company to pay their workers more if they want to have more money. The tax rate for the rich people shall be increased. Trumps wall shall be refitted, Holes shall be made for asylum seekers to go through, and the entire wall shall be used to grow vegetables. The immigration system shall be reformed, ice detention camps shall abolish instead, we shall build refugee/asylum seeker camps in that land.  Military spending shall be cut and instead that money shall go to the department of education. Guns shall be far more regulated. For a month all illegal guns shall be able to be brought to the local police station without question. The President shall be voted for by a ranked choice vote.  

Luigi Mangione will free us form our terror. And we love and respect our husband. For we are the wives (gender neural) of Luigi Mangione. National sex icon and leader of the glorious revolution.

[posttexasstressdisorder]

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What Can We Do

Our Relentless Resistance

Rob Brezsny

Apr 15

WHAT WE CAN DO

How can we regular people help resist and nullify the ugly toxic creep of bigoted oligarchic misogynist fascism?

1. Understand that we are living in an historically pivotal moment — a red-alert emergency crisis — that resembles the run-up to the American Civil War and the rise of Nazism in 1930s Germany

2. Talk about the details of the fascists’ activities and complain about them to smart and caring people who are our allies.

3. Get news from reliable progressive sources. A list: tinyurl.com/AlternateMedia

Urge your people to avoid Trump propaganda outlets like Fox News, Newsmax, and X.

4. Support the leaders and journalists who are exposing and protesting the fascist activities. Give them our strength and moral support, as well as money, if we can afford it.

5. Attend demonstrations. The Mass Mobilization on April 5 was very successful. More than 1,200 events took place across all 50 states, as well as in international cities such as London, Paris and Berlin. The protests were organized by a coalition of over 150 groups. The next one is April 14. See you there!

More info on the April 19 Mass Mobilization: https://tinyurl.com/HandsOffNow

6. Tell your Congressional representatives we want them to resist, fight, and interfere with the sickos. Use this excellent service: https://5calls.org/

7. Keep in mind that the more widely known the government's fascist activities become and the more relentless we are about bringing their evil to light, the greater will be the uproar and pressure to shut it down.

That's subtle and incremental in the short run, but potentially powerful in the longer run. We must keep up the pressure. It’s hard work, I know.

8. Participate in boycotts of companies that enable the Trump gang, starting with Elon Musk’s X and Tesla, and any companies that advertise on X or on Fox News. Below in this newsletter is more detailed info on how to vote with your wallet.

9. To the extent you can, donate to groups that are litigating against Trump. Much of the action in the coming months and years will be in the federal courts. Here are organizations I love:

https://democracydocket.com

10. Praise and publicize the people and institutions who are resisting the fascist activities. Contribute financially to legal teams that support our allies against punishment by the fascists.

11. Communicate kindly with people who might be uninformed and/or having mixed feelings about the fascists’ activities. Invite them to join us in resisting.

Please note: I am not advising you or me to try to persuade hard-core MAGA people. I personally never engage with any of these cultists, and I certainly don’t waste my time arguing with them.

But there are millions who voted for Trump who are now very sorry that they did. There are also millions who didn't vote at all that are not Forever Trump Cultists. I personally know a few. Some of them can be persuaded.

12. In every way you know how, protect the immigrant members of your communities who are undocumented or whose parents are undocumented.

13. In every way you know how, protect LGBTQ+ members of your community. Be vigilant against prejudice and bigotry, wherever it breaks out. If you see or hear it, call it out. Join with others to stop it.

14. Help protect officials in your community or state whom Trump and his administration are targeting for vengeance

15. Push for progressive actions in your community and state. Join groups that are moving your city or state forward, in contrast to regressive moves at the federal level. Lobby, instigate, organize and fund-raise for progressive legislators. Support progressive leaders.

16. Take heart and direction from guides that help us decide how to proceed, Here are three great ones:

Indivisible: Practical Guide to Democracy on the Brink: indivisible.org/resource/guide

What you can do to fight this coup: choosedemocracy.us/what-can-i-do/

Fighting Back: A Citizen's Guide to Resistance: archive.ph/FzAyY

WHAT WE CAN DO, Part 2

Want to align your spending with your values? Here's a quick guide.

Choosing where to spend our money is one of the most powerful votes we cast every day. If you want to support companies that align with progressive values — fair labor, racial and gender equity, environmental responsibility, and pro-democracy politics — here are tips:

✅ 1. Check Political Donations: Use Progressive Shopper or Goods Unite Us to see where a company's political donations go. Support businesses that fund democracy, equality, and environmental causes — not corporations backing regressive agendas.

✅ 2. Check Labor and Environmental Practices: If you're shopping for clothes, shoes, or accessories, Good On You rates brands on their treatment of workers, environmental care, and animal welfare. It also suggests better alternatives when a company falls short.

✅ 3. Dive Deeper if You Want: If you want a broader picture — covering human rights, supply chains, tax ethics, and more — visit Ethical Consumer. They offer detailed company profiles across many industries (food, banking, tech, and more).

✅ 4. Look for Certified Ethical Businesses: The B Corp Directory lists companies certified to meet high standards for workers, community, and the planet.

🌟 Remember: No company is perfect. Aim to choose “better” over “perfect.” Every choice matters. Every dollar is a seed you plant for the future you believe in.

+

📚 For those who want to dive deeper into the data and standards behind these recommendations, here are some trusted resources.

· OpenSecrets.org – Tracking political donations in the U.S.

· KnowTheChain – Research on forced labor in global supply chains

· Fashion Revolution's Transparency Index – Annual report ranking fashion brands on human rights and environmental impact

· B Lab's B Corporation Standards – The criteria for becoming a certified B Corp

· Ethical Consumer Research Association – Detailed ethical company profiles

· Good On You Ethical Ratings – How companies are rated on labor and environment

+

When you want to buy something, here’s a quick 3-step method:

• Step 1: Search the company on Progressive Shopper to check political donations.

• Step 2: If it's clothing/accessories, check Good On You for labor and environmental grades.

• Step 3: Search the company on Ethical Consumer for broader info (e.g., tax avoidance, supply chain transparency).

If they pass → Feel good supporting them.

If they don't → Look for better alternatives (Good On You and Ethical Consumer suggest some!).

WHAT WE CAN DO, Part 3

Below, I continue the list of what we regular people can do to help resist and nullify bigoted oligarchic misogynist fascism.

17. Steer away from imagining apocalypse and steer toward imagining a velvet revolution.

18. Take to heart Rebecca Solnit’s advice: Joy doesn’t betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated, and isolated, joy is a fine initial act of insurrection.

19. Howard Zinn, historian of the people, says: Revolutionary change does not come as one cataclysmic moment (beware of such moments!) but as an endless succession of surprises, moving zigzag toward a more decent society.

We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.

Even when we don’t ‘win,’ there is fun and fulfillment in the fact that we have been involved, with other good people, in something worthwhile. We need hope.

An optimist isn’t necessarily a blithe, slightly sappy whistler in the dark of our time. To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.

What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something.

If we remember those times and places — and there are so many — where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.

And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

20. Invoke magick. Call on higher powers for help. Enlist the forces of beauty, truth, and goodness in the fight against evil.

by Witch of the Keys

May the people now in charge of the executive branch of the United States government be plagued by the consequences of their own actions, as their attempts to undermine democracy backfire spectacularly.

May their lies and deceit be exposed under the relentless light of truth, leaving them with no refuge from their own fabrications.

May their efforts to sow division and hatred among people result in their own isolation and disgrace.

May their corrupt schemes unravel, leading to legal repercussions that strip them of power and influence.

May their attempts to suppress dissent and free speech be thwarted, amplifying the voices of those they sought to silence.

May their alliances with extremist groups turn against them, causing internal chaos and betrayal within their ranks.

May their disregard for the environment lead to personal losses that make them acutely aware of the damage they’ve inflicted.

May their exploitation of the vulnerable bring about a groundswell of resistance that topples their oppressive structures.

May their attempts to rewrite history be met with an unyielding preservation of truth, rendering their propaganda ineffective.

May their pursuit of authoritarian control be met with relentless opposition, ensuring their failure and ignominy.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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[political-us]

Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump have proposed several initiatives that could impact the wealth of lower and middle-class Americans:

Implementation of Tariffs: Trump's administration has imposed tariffs on various imported goods, aiming to protect domestic industries. However, these tariffs have led to increased prices for everyday items, disproportionately affecting lower and middle-income consumers. For instance, tariffs on washing machines resulted in higher costs for American shoppers, outweighing the economic benefits for local workers.

WSJ.COM

Simplification of the Tax Code: Musk and Trump have considered overhauling the U.S. tax system, potentially moving towards a flat tax. While this could simplify filing, it might also eliminate deductions that benefit low and middle-income families, potentially increasing their tax burdens.

ECONOMICTIMES.INDIATIMES.COM

Reduction of Federal Spending: Appointed by Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk aims to cut federal spending by up to $2 trillion. Proposed measures include reducing the federal workforce and eliminating certain government programs. Such cuts could lead to job losses and reduced services that many lower and middle-class individuals rely on.

FINANCE.YAHOO.COM

Dismantling of Foreign Aid Programs: Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency have been involved in dismantling USAID, affecting numerous health and development programs worldwide. Critics argue that while reform is necessary, abrupt shutdowns can have harmful impacts on aid-dependent regions and may also affect global stability, indirectly impacting the U.S. economy and its citizens.

NEWYORKER.COM

These initiatives, while aimed at economic efficiency and protectionism, carry potential risks for lower and middle-class Americans, including higher consumer prices, increased tax burdens, job losses, and reduced access to essential services.

Elimination of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): Elon Musk has advocated for dismantling the CFPB, an agency established to protect consumers from unfair financial practices. Abolishing the CFPB could expose consumers to predatory lending and financial scams, disproportionately affecting lower and middle-income individuals.

DEMOCRATS-FINANCIALSERVICES.HOUSE.GOV

Proposed Cuts to Social Programs: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Musk, has proposed significant reductions in federal spending, including cuts to social programs like Medicaid and SNAP. These programs provide essential support to low-income families, and reducing their funding could lead to decreased access to healthcare and nutrition assistance.

FORBES.COM

Potential Impact of Immigration Policies: Trump's stringent immigration policies, including mass deportations, could lead to labor shortages in industries such as agriculture and construction, potentially driving up costs for goods and services. These increased costs may be passed on to consumers, affecting lower and middle-class households.

INDEPENDENT.CO.UK

[mostlylemonbased]

An Open Letter to (soon to be) Former President Biden.

President Biden,

Back in 2022 you told transgender Americans: “Your president has your back.” Apparently, rather than meaning that you would protect us, you meant instead to stab us. It must be disappointing for you, who claimed to fight for civil rights, that likely the one legacy of your presidency that will be left intact after you proprietously hand power to a fascist, will be your implementation of the first piece of federal anti-LGBTQIA legislation in nearly 30 years. And while it’s disappointing for you, it’s deadly for my brothers and sisters.

It always feels deeply ironic to me that the Democrats attempt to claim the high ground on LGBTQIA issues. While advancements have pretty much invariably come from Democrats, Democrats have also rarely defended those polices, and have also been happy to vote to remove them. It was a Democratic President that passed the last piece of federal anti-queer legislation enacted in the US – The Defense of Marriage Act. And today it was a Democratic president that stripped healthcare from trans kids.

At the end of the day it seems the Democratic position is the same as with virtually every other significant minority issue. Democrats avow themselves protectors of minority groups until the moment when they’re challenged from the right. At that point the majority of the Democratic Party will, instead of defending policy positions, lurch violently in the direction of the criticism.

The Democrats have done little to undo Republican’s horrific actions on the border and deportation. If anything, both yourself and President Obama legitimized right-wing anti-immigrant acts: funding internment camps and border actions that have horrific impacts for those fleeing violence. And it is the Democrats who have continued to fund the militarization and built the power of a deeply racist police force which has shown utter unwillingness to reform.

And at the end of your presidency we find ourselves here: We know that more than forty percent of trans youth will attempt suicide. We know that states that passed anti-trans legislation have seen increases in suicidality of, in some cases, more than 70 percent. And yet just two years after you promised you had our back your legacy is increasing the number of trans kids and adults who’ll attempt to kill themselves. Your legacy is politely rolling out the red carpet to a fascist who would and will attempt to legislate us out of public life, and whose policy platforms are encouraging our deaths. Policies where the cruelty and divisiveness is the point. And that’s the policy you signed into law on December 22nd.

124 Democrats had sufficient strength to stand up against these attacks in the house, just ten in the senate, and apparently you lack the strength or willingness to defend us.

So it seems fitting that your abject failure will be your legacy.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Marina Dunbar at The Guardian:

Donald Trump handed Elon Musk even more control over the federal government by preparing an executive order requiring agencies to cooperate with Musk’s so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge), a team Trump has assembled, when told to cut their workforces and limit the hiring of replacements. The White House order, titled Implementing The President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative, said the goal is to “restore accountability to the American public” and that “this order commences a critical transformation of the Federal bureaucracy. By eliminating waste, bloat, and insularity, my Administration will empower American families, workers, taxpayers, and our system of Government itself.” The order notes that agency heads “will undertake plans for large-scale reductions in force and determine which agency components (or agencies themselves) may be eliminated or combined because their functions aren’t required by law”. It also said that agencies should “hire no more than one employee for every four employees that depart from federal service” and “shall not fill any vacancies for career appointments that the DOGE Team Lead assesses should not be filled, unless the Agency Head determines the positions should be filled”. Exceptions are planned for military personnel and agencies dealing in immigration, law enforcement and public safety. Trump and Musk are encouraging federal workers to resign in return for financial incentives, though a judge is currently reviewing the legality of the orders. Administration officials said more than 65,000 workers have opted to take the buyout option.

[...] The X owner reportedly said that there are some good people in the federal bureaucracy, but that they need to be held accountable, and referred to Doge as an “unelected” fourth branch. “The people voted for major government reform and that’s what the people are going to get,” he said. “That’s what democracy is all about.” Musk also described himself as an open book despite criticism towards his lack of transparency in reshaping the federal government. He joked that the scrutiny was like a “daily proctology exam”.

PINO Donald Trump signs an executive order to grant Elon Musk, the real “President”, even more power to destroy America requiring agencies to bend to the so-called DOGE.

See Also:

AP, via HuffPost: Trump Signs Executive Order To Continue Downsizing Federal Workforce

TNR: Trump Signs Order on DOGE as Elon Musk Stands Next to Him Watching

[odinsblog]

It was something that really began to happen when the United States decided that it would interlock the immigration system with the criminal legal system. So some people call it the criminal immigration system, which is not a term that I coined. It's something that immigration law experts coined.

But when Congress passed a certain series of laws in the 1980s and 90s, what they wanted to do was create a system in which people who were accused of crimes, particularly at the time, drug crimes, would be able to be immediately deported in a way that was basically faster. So they didn't have to be convicted. So normally, if you're accused of a crime, you have a right to a trial, then you might be convicted or acquitted, or you might plea out.

But if you are determined to be undocumented, you can actually be put into deportation proceedings before anyone brings you to trial. So you just are arrested and charged, and you can go immediately into deportation proceedings. And it turned out that this was a pretty effective way for police to interact with the immigration system.

And sheriffs became a lynch point originally because they run county jails.

So county jails are kind of the first stop if you're arrested. If you are unfortunate enough to be arrested, you will go through the county jail, at which point they take your ID, your fingerprints, right?

They take a variety of information. And sheriffs kind of became really useful because they were in the jail already, so they could interview people, ask them where they were from, ask them if they had proof of citizenship, and then help ICE put them into deportation proceedings. And alongside that, sheriffs were also able to make some money by housing people awaiting deportation in their jails.

That's also the benefit for them. The federal government houses about 25% of immigrants in detention in county jails right now. And they pay these sheriffs a per diem.

So they get paid sort of per day to keep people in their jails. And it's one of the ways that sheriffs are able to use that jail kind of as a political tool, right, to make money for their county.

So under Trump, two things happened. One was that anti-immigration groups, so I mentioned the Federation for American Immigration Reform, or FAIR. That was a group that was already in existence.

They are an anti-immigrant group. And they began to email sheriffs, especially sheriffs that they knew were kind of constitutional sheriffs or in the far right sheriff atmosphere and say, hey, would you like to help the Trump administration deport more people? And many of them said, sure.

And so using this anti-immigrant group, the Trump administration recruited more sheriffs to join a program called 287G. And 287G is a federal program that essentially deputizes sheriffs and their deputies to act as immigration agents. So under Trump, many, many more sheriffs joined this 287G program.

Now, the 287G program is a bit interesting because it doesn't include any funding for the sheriffs, but it is something that sheriffs used to say that they were tough on immigration.

-Jessica Pishko, The Unchecked Power Of Sheriffs

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Matt Wuerker, Politico

* * * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

October 30, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Oct 31, 2024

On Friday, October 25, at a town hall held on his social media platform X, Elon Musk told the audience that if Trump wins, he expects to work in a Cabinet-level position to cut the federal government.

He told people to expect “temporary hardship” but that cuts would “ensure long-term prosperity.” At the Trump rally at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Musk said he plans to cut $2 trillion from the government. Economists point out that current discretionary spending in the budget is $1.7 trillion, meaning his promise would eliminate virtually all discretionary spending, which includes transportation, education, housing, and environmental programs.

Economists agree that Trump’s plans to place a high tariff wall around the U.S., replacing income taxes on high earners with tariffs paid for by middle-class Americans, and to deport as many as 20 million immigrants would crash the booming economy. Now Trump’s financial backer Musk is factoring in the loss of entire sectors of the government to the economy under Trump.  

Trump has promised to appoint Musk to be the government’s “chief efficiency officer.” “Everyone’s going to have to take a haircut.… We can’t be a wastrel.… We need to live honestly,” Musk said on Friday. Rob Wile and Lora Kolodny of CNBC point out that Musk’s SpaceX aerospace venture has received $19 billion from the U.S. government since 2008.

An X user wrote: “I]f Trump succeeds in forcing through mass deportations, combined with Elon hacking away at the government, firing people and reducing the deficit—there will be an initial severe overreaction in the economy…. Markets will tumble. But when the storm passes and everyone realizes we are on sounder footing, there will be a rapid recovery to a healthier, sustainable economy. History could be made in the coming two years.”

Musk commented: “Sounds about right[.]”

This exchange echoes the prescription of Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon, whose theories had done much to create the Great Crash of 1929, for restoring a healthy economy. “Liquidate labor, liquidate stocks, liquidate the farmers, liquidate real estate,” he told President Herbert Hoover. “It will purge the rottenness out of the system. High costs of living and high living

will come down. People will work harder, live a more moral life. Values will be adjusted, and enterprising people will pick up the wrecks from less competent people.” 

Mellon, at least, was reacting to an economic crisis thrust upon an administration. Musk is seeking to create one. 

Today the Commerce Department reported that from July through September, the nation’s economy grew at a solid 2.8%. Consumer spending is up, as is investment in business. The country added 254,000 jobs in September, and inflation has fallen back almost to the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%. 

It is extraordinarily rare for a country to be able to reduce inflation without creating a recession, but the Biden administration has managed to do so, producing what economists call a “soft landing,” rather like catching an egg on a plate. As Bryan Mena of CNN wrote today: “The US economy seems to have pulled off a remarkable and historic achievement.” 

Both President Joe Biden and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris have called for reducing the deficit not by slashing the government, as Musk proposes, but by restoring taxes on the wealthy and corporations. 

As part of the Republicans’ plan to take the country back to the era before the 1930s ushered in a government that regulated business and provided a basic social safety net, House speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) expects to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. 

At a closed-door campaign event on Monday in Pennsylvania for a Republican House candidate, Johnson told supporters that Republicans will propose “massive reform” to the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” if they take control of both the House and the Senate in November. “Health-care reform’s going to be a big part of the agenda,” Johnson said. Their plan is to take a “blowtorch to the regulatory state,” which he says is “crushing the free market.” “Trump’s going to go big,” he said.” When an attendee asked, “No Obamacare?” he laughed and agreed: “No Obamacare…. The ACA is so deeply ingrained, we need massive reform to make this work, and we got a lot of ideas on how to do that.” 

Ending a campaign with a promise to crash a booming economy and end the Affordable Care Act, which ended insurance companies’ ability to reject people with preexisting conditions, is an unusual strategy.

A post from Trump last night and another this morning suggest his internal polls are worrying him. Last night he claimed there was cheating in Pennsylvania’s York and Lancaster counties. Today he posted: “Pennsylvania is cheating, and getting caught, at large scale levels rarely seen before. REPORT CHEATING TO AUTHORITIES. Law Enforcement must act, NOW!” 

Trump appears to be setting up the argument he used in 2020, that he can lose only if he has been cheated. But it is increasingly apparent that the get-out-the-vote, or GOTV, efforts of the Trump campaign have been weak. When Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump and loyalist Michael Whatley became the co-chairs of the Republican National Committee in March 2024, they stopped the GOTV efforts underway and used the money instead for litigation. They outsourced GOTV efforts to super PACs, including Musk’s America PAC.

In Wired today, Jake Lahut reported that door-knockers for Musk’s PAC were driven around in the back of a U-Haul without seats and threatened with having to pay their own hotel bills if they didn’t meet high canvassing quotas. One of the canvassers told Lahut that they thought they were being hired to ask people who they would be voting for when they flew into Michigan, and was surprised to learn their actual role. The workers spoke to Lahut anonymously because they had signed a nondisclosure agreement (a practice the Biden administration has tried to stop).

Trump’s boast that he is responsible for the Supreme Court’s overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision recognizing the constitutional right to abortion is one of the reasons his support is soft. In addition to popular dislike of the idea that the state, rather than a woman and her doctor, should make decisions about her healthcare, the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision is now over two years old, and state examinations of maternal deaths are showing that women are dying from lack of reproductive healthcare. 

Cassandra Jaramillo and Kavitha Surana of ProPublica reported today that at least two pregnant women have died in Texas when doctors delayed emergency care after a miscarriage until the fetal heartbeat stopped. The woman they highlighted today, Josseli Barnica, left behind a husband and a toddler. 

At a rally this evening near Green Bay, Wisconsin, Trump said his team had advised him to stop talking about how he was going to protect women by ending crime and making sure they don’t have to be “thinking about abortion.” But Trump, who has boasted of sexual assault and been found liable for it, did not stop there. He went on to say that he had told his advisors, “I’m going to do it whether the women like it or not. I am going to protect them.” 

The Trump campaign remains concerned about the damage caused by the extraordinarily racist, sexist, and violent Sunday night rally at Madison Square Garden. Today the campaign seized on a misstatement President Biden made when condemning the statement from the Madison Square Garden event that referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” They tried to turn the tables to suggest that Biden was calling Trump supporters garbage, although the president has always been very careful to focus his condemnation on Trump alone. 

In Wisconsin today, when he disembarked from his plane, Trump put on an orange reflective vest and had someone drive him around the tarmac in a garbage truck with TRUMP painted on the side. He complained about Biden to reporters from the cab of the truck but still refused to apologize for Sunday’s slur of Puerto Rico, saying he knew nothing about the comedian who appeared at his rally. 

This, too, was an unusual strategy. Like his visit to McDonalds, where he wore an apron, the image of Trump in a sanitation truck was likely intended to show him as a man of the people. But his power has always rested not in his promise to be one of the people, but rather to lead them. The pictures of him in a bright orange vest and unusually dark makeup are quite different from his usual portrayal of himself.

Indeed, media captured a video of Trump’s stunt, and it did not convey strength. MSNBC’s Katie Phang watched him try to get into the truck and noted: “Trump stumbles, drags his right leg, almost falls over, and tries at least three times to open the door…. Some transparency with Trump’s medical records would be nice.” 

The Las Vegas Sun today ran an editorial that detailed Trump’s increasingly obvious mental lapses and concluded that Trump is “crippled cognitively and showing clear signs of mental illness.” It noted that Trump now depends “on enablers who show a disturbing willingness to indulge his delusions, amplify his paranoia or steer his feeble mind toward their own goals.” It noted that if Trump cannot fulfill the duties of the presidency, they would fall to his running mate, J.D. Vance, who has suggested “he would subordinate constitutional principles for personal profit and power.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON