23
votes
Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of March 10
This thread is posted weekly - please try to post all relevant US political content in here, such as news, updates, opinion articles, etc. Extremely significant events may warrant a separate topic, but almost all should be posted in here.
This is an inherently political thread; please try to avoid antagonistic arguments and bickering matches. Comment threads that devolve into unproductive arguments may be removed so that the overall topic is able to continue.
Texas bill would make identifying as transgender a felony punishable by jail
It is not likely to pass. It is however reflective of the ever increasing extremity of the legislation targeting trans people. And it shifts the window so that the bill banning all gender affirming care seems not so bad by comparison.
Trump lashes out at Canada, promising major tariff hike and financial penalties that will be 'so big'
The tariffs themselves are concerning, but the ongoing rhetoric around making Canada part of the US is genuinely terrifying.
What's the actual aim here? I mean, Trump isn't the smartest guy in the world, but even he knows that a sovereign country, follow NATO member, and a nation with the ninth highest GDP in the world isn't, under any circumstances going to agree to be part of the US without a horribly bloody pointless war. And even if they did, that's 40 million voters who on average skew significantly more left than most of the US.
What's the angle then? Just shoot tarrifs through the roof for no reason? Win brownie points with a base that seems tepid at best about this? I can't think of a single thing this helps him with. Is he just delusional or is there a real strategy at play here?
My amateur hot take is that Trump believes our military is superior in numbers, equipment and training and is a dumb fuck who doesn't know or doesn't care about cost or risk.
The difficulty of trying to intrepret Trump reminds me of something I was only barely old enough to be aware of during the cold war, Kremlinology
I suspect Trump implements tariffs because he can (doesn't get blocked by judges), and because it gets him a lot of subservient attention by everyone impacted by the tariffs trying to convince him to ease them. Then he flails around for post-rationalizations.
On the Canada acquisition, it seems moderately unlikely he is looking for bloody conquest: pride in his negotiating skills likely makes him think he can make a deal of it. On acquiring Canadians as a voting block, it would be in his style to believe they are likely to come to love him, and if not then think he can disenfranchise them (make them US nationals but not citizens like Samoans, or turn Canada into a territory like Puerto Rico instead of a state).
I think he's employing basic chaos-negotiation tactics that have somehow worked for him for the majority of his life. He did something that he thinks is a good idea (tariffs) and got some blowback. So instead of taking a carefully measured next step, he just immediately raises the stakes even higher to confuse and intimidate. I don't think he even has a specific strategy in mind (ie: I want 30% tariffs so I'll say 50% and then negotiate down). I think he only thinks in terms of feeling like he's won.
I don't think there's a serious intent. He is showing he is strong, because showing strength is good
Astronaut and veteran Senator Kelly responds forcefully to Musk calling him a traitor over Ukraine. 'Musk has only sworn an oath to his own checking account'
I'd love to see Kelly sue Musk for all he is worth for defamation.
City crews have begun painting over the 'Black Lives Matter' street mural in D.C.
The bill isn't even out of committee, no funds have actually been withheld. I don't know how much funding is actually threatened by "certain apportionment funds", but it seems spineless to just acquiesce this early.
80 year old veteran chains himself to sign near Whitehouse. 'Youre killing veterans'
Minnesota Senate Republicans Push to Make 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' a Mental Illness
A test case, I assume, and only the first of many.
Designating someone as mentally incompetent is a surefire way to severely restrict all of their activities. Republicans at all levels really do seem hellbent on reviving only the vilest aspects of our nation’s history. At this rate, I wonder when we’ll start seeing the inevitable future push for new laws surrounding conservatorships.
What the actual fuck are we doing. I just... This doesn't even make sense.
I do worry about autistic people (and possibly other mental health concerns) having rights taken away but this is so dumb.
In the Soviet Union, and other countries behind the iron curtain, political dissidents were often diagnosed as mentally ill.
Trump has taken a number of actions designed to punish enemies and or limit free speech, free expression, free thought.
Unlike you, I think it makes sense if you assume twisted malevolent motives.
Edit, I feel somehow obligated to mention that the US also has abused the mental health system, notably in lobotomizing difficult women including Caroline Kennedy.
No I'm not saying this doesn't potentially play into that sort of thing. It's that I don't think it can pass so it's just performative. If the feds did an executive order along these lines it would be terrifying. But bills like this are just people using our system like children and as the Dems noted, they're not winning any elections in MN any time soon.
In Texas this could be dangerous. In MN they're being dumbasses
This is more me quoting Benoit Blanc saying "it's just dumb"
That's fair. And Oklahoma seems to be outpacing Texas for dumbassery right now, which is really saying something.
Idk there's an "illegal to be trans" bill there now. So it's a close race.
And yes I did think about how women were institutionalized for "hysteria" with this. It just has too much of the performative dumb to be quite so scary. This is closer to IL counties voting on seceding and joining Indiana on the scale is all.
Might just be because the current contrast is the Trump administration pulling an Andrew Jackson over immigration/deportation
An update
Republican who introduced Trump derangement syndrome bill arrested for soliciting a minor
He was one of five authors.
Brown Medicine doctor deported despite federal court order. What we know.
She visited Lebanon on her H1B and was deported upon her return. Court ordered the plane not to take off and it has. It's hard to fight deportations once the person is gone but her family is trying.
As if we don't need literal doctors. It sounds like the American consulate may have made a mistake on the visa? But I'm not sure.
Another article
NYT article
She is a nephrologist who specializes in transplants.
This administration clearly does not value science or medicine or expertise.
The Viral ‘Debate’ Video That Proves Most MAGA Voters Are a Lost Cause
(Daily Beast link)
I watched a short clip of this yesterday and that was enough for me. I already knew they were a lost cause, but listening to them go through their talking points and terrible rebuttals is just to much to bear most days.
Donald Trump threatens 200% tariff on EU wine and champagne
Mostly due to the EU not just sitting back and taking shit lying down, and introducing their own tariffs. He also thinks it would be great for America's own 'champagne industry'. To which, well, sigh does the truth even matter anymore?
I think he really doesn't understand just how much he's slowly redirecting international trade routes away from the US. And potentially ending the dominance of the US Dollar in the world economy. Which feels more and more like an inevitability every day since Captain Carrot is in charge again.
Captain Carrot Ironfoundersson is an upstanding man of the Watch with a suspicious birthmark. He does not deserve such slander.
I knew the day would come eventually - given how many nicknames I use for the Orange Who Must Not Be Named, that I would accidently insult someone like that. My sincerest apologies upon the actual Captain Carrot to insult him as such.
There's also a rabbit superhero with the name, but I can only speak to the
heir to the throneCaptain of the Watch of Ankh-MorporkI'm actually reading the last of the Guards books right now and I agree, Captain Carrot is a highly reputable member of the dwarfish community and an excellent officer of The Watch.
Oklahoma Supreme Court pauses State govt plans for Bible instruction in classrooms
Pete Buttigieg, a Possible 2028 Contender, Won’t Run for Senate in Michigan
Arlington Cemetery strips content on black and female veterans from website
History of the Nisei ‘Go For Broke’ WWII unit removed from Army website
The Medal of Honor Recipient Erased in the Pentagon's DEI Purge
Arlington Cemetery scrubs info on famous Black, Hispanic, and female veterans to comply with Trump orders
There is a brilliant book about the 442nd, the Go For Broke unit of nisei called Facing the Mountain. By author Daniel Brown
From the Onion:
Feds Uncover Terabytes Of Free Speech During Raid Of Protestor’s Residence
Social Security Administration backtracks proposal to cut phone services to the public
How a Columbia Student Fled to Canada After ICE Came Looking for Her
Gift link
Meet the violent January 6 rioter running for office in Florida
Tim Walz launches town hall tour of Republican districts in several states
Not news per se, but McSweeney's weighs in on our current situation.