Gas Bandit's Political Thread V: The Vampire Likes Bats

The people cheering Trump would be real mad at this if they had any critical thinking ability at all. Sadly they don't.
Also, they know it’s a double standard. And they’re fine with it. The phrase “you don’t get to pick and choose when the Constitution matters” means jack shit to them, because they are not sincere when they complain about rule of law, activist judges, or whatever. It is just simple “I want a dictator with my worldviews” mindset.

They would be quite happy if Trump were declared king, the U.S. renamed Amerikistan, and democracy dies so long as liberals are sad, black/brown people are in cages, women can’t vote, and homesexuality is forbidden under penalty of death.
 
somuchwin.png
News outlet The Hill reports: "German [news] outlet reportedly finds Trump officials’ private contact info online"
Der Spiegel reportedly found private contact information online for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and national security adviser Mike Waltz, [with] each individual’s email address and phone number [...] readily available on the dark web [and also apparently available on WhatsApp, Teams, reddit, LinkedIn, and of course Signal].
Oh for fucks' sake someone yeet these people into a volcano already.

--Patrick
 

GasBandit

Staff member
  1. Trump vows to restore Columbus Day without Indigenous recognition, accusing Democrats of erasing the explorer’s legacy.
  2. Greenland’s new prime minister says U.S. statements about the island are disrespectful and rejects any idea of American ownership.
  3. More than 100 undocumented immigrants detained after federal raid of underground nightclub in Colorado Springs.
  4. Trump official defends deporting U.S. citizen children, saying parents are responsible for family separations.
  5. ’60 Minutes’ correspondent tells viewers CBS supervision threatens show’s independence after producer resigns.
  6. Trump warns Putin to stop attacks and sign Ukraine peace deal as U.S. threatens to walk away from negotiations.
  7. U.S. says it has hit more than 800 Houthi targets in Yemen as Red Sea conflict escalates.
  8. University leaders form private alliance to resist Trump administration’s attacks on academic independence and research funding.
  9. Trump claims Democrats are paying protesters to disrupt Republican town halls and urges lawmakers to eject them.
  10. Trump floats idea of cutting income taxes for those earning under $200,000 to offset higher prices from his new tariffs.
  11. Rubio defends State Department reorganization cutting human rights and diversity offices and seeking 15% staff reductions.
  12. Trump Jr. and allies launch $500,000 private club in Washington selling exclusive access to administration officials.
FIGHTING BACK
Jeffries and Booker stage 12-hour Capitol sit-in protesting GOP budget plan advancing Trump’s agenda.
 
I mean that could easily just be "oh no hamas has reformed, that means we have to do further intrusions into gaza and kill more children because they're now hamas."
 
[White House press secretary] Karoline Leavitt Boasts Trump Wouldn’t Hesitate to Arrest SCOTUS Justices
"...would you ever arrest somebody higher up on the judicial food chain, like a federal judge or even a Supreme Court justice?” Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked.
Leavitt said no judge is safe from the administration’s crackdown on the judiciary.
Trump: "We need Courageous JUSTICE in our Country,” the president wrote. “If the Courts don’t allow what we have been allowed to do for 250 years, America can no longer be the same.”
Hmm...there's a good question. Exactly what have we been allowed to do for 250 years? Oh, right. Someone even wrote it all down.

--Patrick
 

Dave

Staff member
Here we go. We get to find out how well the military members take their oaths. Trump is ordering the AG to use the military to assist domestic police forces.


Sec. 4. Using National Security Assets for Law and Order. (a) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the heads of agencies as appropriate, shall increase the provision of excess military and national security assets in local jurisdictions to assist State and local law enforcement. (b) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Attorney General, shall determine how military and national security assets, training, non-lethal capabilities, and personnel can most effectively be utilized to prevent crime.
 

GasBandit

Staff member
1/ Trump’s first 100 days delivered the worst stock market drop for a new presidential term since Nixon, with the S&P 500 falling more than 8.5% amid fears of recession triggered by Trump’s tariffs and chaotic approach to governance. On average, the S&P 500 rises 2.1% in the first 100 days for a new president. Trump’s approval rating, meanwhile, fell to 39%, dragged down by his trade war, cuts to the federal workforce, dismantling of federal agencies, and escalating fights with the courts as he’s tested the limits of presidential authority. Trump, who’s signed 98 executive orders in his first two months, defended his reliance on unilateral action to bypass Congress, saying: “The first time, I had two things to do — run the country and survive […] The second time, I run the country and the world.” Three-quarters of voters expect Trump’s tariffs to raise prices, while 61% disapprove of his handling of trade and 60% disapprove of his management of inflation. Despite his botched economic policy rollout that spooked markets and sparked fears of stagflation, Trump dismissed the idea of reevaluating his approach, saying, “It always affects you a little bit,” but that no economic red line would force him to change course. On immigration, Trump’s approval has slipped to 49%, with 51% disapproving of his border policies. Trump has framed his second – and final – term as a campaign to reshape the presidency around himself, saying that “Unlike anyone else, the President is a branch of government.” He’s dismantled post-Watergate ethics rules, purged independent officials, and ordered prosecutions of political opponents, while blaming his sinking poll numbers on a “compromised and corrupt” media. “Maybe they didn’t know me at the beginning, and they know me now,” Trump said. Republican strategists have warned that Trump’s administration is veering into “dangerous territory.” Nevertheless, Trump has dismissed concerns about political and economic fallout from his policies and approach, reportedly saying before his November 5, 2024, victory speech: “They could have been getting rid of us by now. But actually, we’re just beginning.” (CNBC / The Atlantic / NBC News / CNN / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Washington Post / USA Today / Washington Post)

2/ Trump recorded the lowest 100-day approval rating of any president in 80 years, with 39% approving of his performance. Consumer confidence also collapsed during Trump’s first 100 days, with sentiment dropping 32% since January — the sharpest fall since the 1990 recession. 60% of economists now see a high risk of global recession this year, blaming Trump’s tariffs for damaging the business environment and wiped out trillions from markets. 72% of Americans cited fears of a recession, rising prices (62%), and presidential overreach (54%) as reasons for their disapproval, while 62% said his administration disrespects the rule of law. Even Trump’s support among non-college-educated white men fell to 54% — matching his previous low with that group. Still, 37% of voters said they trusted Trump more than Democrats in Congress to handle the nation’s biggest problems, compared to 30% who favored Democrats. (ABC News / AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research / New York Times / CNN / NBC News / CBS News / Politico / The Guardian / AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research / Reuters)

3/ Trump demanded investigations into major news outlets after a series of polls showed his approval rating underwater by double digits, marking the worst early-term approval of any modern president. Trump, posting to his personal social media network, claimed that The New York Times, ABC News, Washington Post, and Fox News were guilty of “ELECTION FRAUD,” calling their pollsters “Negative Criminals” and “the enemy of the people.” Trump claimed, without evidence, that the polls undercounted his supporters, saying: “They suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome.” (Rolling Stone / The Hill / Daily Beast / NBC News)

4/ The Justice Department rescinded Biden-era restrictions on subpoenaing journalists’ records. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the department will again seek reporters’ materials to identify leakers, calling unauthorized disclosures “illegal and wrong.” The new policy requires subpoenas to be “narrowly drawn” and approved at senior levels, with advance notice given to journalists when possible. Bondi said protecting Trump’s agenda from leaks was essential, writing that “The Justice Department will not tolerate unauthorized disclosures that undermine President Trump’s policies.” (Axios / CBS News / NPR / Politico)

The midterm elections are in 554 days.

✏ Notables.
  1. Three U.S. citizen children – ages 2, 4, and 7 – were deported to Honduras with their undocumented mothers. One of the children, a 4-year-old boy with Stage 4 cancer, was removed without his medication or access to doctors. The Trump dministration claimed the mothers chose to take their children, but lawyers said ICE blocked the families from contacting attorneys or relatives before removal. A federal judge called the deportations a “strong suspicion” of sending U.S. citizens abroad “with no meaningful process” and set a hearing for May 16. ICE and DHS officials maintained that deportations followed proper procedure, despite mounting evidence of rushed, secretive removals. (CNN / Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News / Axios / NPR / Washington Post)
  2. The FBI arrested Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan for allegedly obstructing an immigration arrest inside her courtroom. FBI Director Kash Patel accused Dugan of “intentionally misdirecting federal agents” trying to detain Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented immigrant with a prior deportation history. Dugan confronted agents, told them to seek a judicial warrant, and escorted Flores-Ruiz through a private door before agents caught him outside. Dugan’s lawyer called the arrest unjustified and said she would “defend herself vigorously.” Trump officials called it a warning to “activist judges.” (Axios / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Washington Post / Reuters / CNBC / New York Times / ABC News)
  3. Trump ordered a list of “sanctuary cities” that could lose federal funds and face lawsuits. A second executive order expands law enforcement powers, increasing access to military equipment and limiting civil rights investigations. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said cities must “obey the law” or face consequences, while Border Czar Tom Homan added: “Every sick person we take off the streets […] makes this country safer.” (New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Axios / USA Today)
  4. Trump will host a private dinner at his Virginia golf club for the top 220 investors in $TRUMP, a memecoin tied to his brand that serves no purpose. The top 25 holders are promised a VIP reception and White House tour, though organizers quietly scrubbed White House mentions after backlash. The announcement sent $TRUMP’s price up more than 50%, despite the coin’s earlier crash and billions in investor losses. Critics accused Trump of selling access, with Senator Chris Murphy calling it “the most brazenly corrupt thing a President has ever done.” (Politico / New York Times / Axios / CNBC / Mother Jones / Bloomberg)
  5. Trump – referring to himself – urged Canadians to “elect the man who has the strength and wisdom” to make Canada the 51st U.S. state even though he is not a Canadian citizen, not a candidate, and not legally eligible to hold office. Nevertheless, Trump promised to “cut your taxes in half,” “quadruple” businesses “with ZERO TARIFFS OR TAXES,” and boost Canada’s military “for free,” adding: “It makes no sense unless Canada is a State!” Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre fired back, saying, “Stay out of our election,” and vowed Canada would “never be the 51st state.” Prime Minister Mark Carney responded with a video declaring, “This is Canada — and we decide what happens here.” (ABC News)
 

GasBandit

Staff member
  1. Mark Carney’s Liberals are projected to form Canada’s next government as a once friendly nation unites against Trump’s threats.
  2. A second federal judge questions Trump’s executive order punishing Jenner & Block for its ties to a former Trump investigator.
  3. Pentagon hiring for sexual assault and suicide prevention stalled by Trump budget cuts.
  4. Trump administration slows COVID vaccine approvals by requiring new trials and shifting FDA standards.
  5. Fired Justice Department prosecutor challenges White House removal as political retaliation after Trump ally’s post.
  6. Justice Department civil rights division hit by mass exodus of over 100 attorneys after Trump shifts focus to culture war cases.
  7. Navy fighter jet and tow tractor lost overboard during USS Truman maneuvering to counter Houthi threats.
  8. Labor unions, cities, and nonprofits sue Trump administration to block federal workforce cuts ordered without congressional approval.
  9. Trump signs executive orders to prosecute officials who obstruct police, crack down on sanctuary cities, and reinstate English rules for truck drivers.
  10. Trump administration disbands U.S. climate report authors, threatening congressionally mandated national assessment.
  11. Trump administration orders Penn to reverse Lia Thomas records and apologize or lose $175 million in federal funding.
  12. Trump administration begins Peace Corps staff cuts under Musk-led Doge restructuring, offering buyouts ahead of agency overhaul.
  13. House Republicans propose $1,000 asylum fee and billions for border crackdown in 2025 budget.
  14. Trump lines White House driveway with poster-sized mug shots of immigrants to spotlight crackdown.
 
I mean that could easily just be "oh no hamas has reformed, that means we have to do further intrusions into gaza and kill more children because they're now hamas."
That would happen if Hamas was a fraction of the size. Israel was never planning on ending the genocide. Even though they really should not just because it would be good to stop committing genocide but also because keeping their conscript army in the field is destroying their economy and it is incapable of accomplishing the task it has been given.
Of course they can’t just back out and come back later. They’ve dropped nukes worth of explosives on Gaza. They’ve shown that they have no interest in peaceful coexistence. The only thing keeping their little fascist country running is US largesse. They know that to turn back is to give up on Gaza and probably their entire country.
 

GasBandit

Staff member
1/ Amazon denied it would post tariff-related price hikes after the White House called the reported plan a “hostile and political act.” Trump called Jeff Bezos following a report that Amazon would show how much Trump’s new tariffs added to product prices, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt asking: “Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?” Amazon said the idea was briefly discussed for its low-cost Haul platform, but claimed it was “never approved” and “not going to happen.” About 900 products on Amazon have risen 29% on average since April 9. Trump later said Bezos “solved the problem very quickly. He did the right thing. Good guy.” (Washington Post / New York Times / Punchbowl News / Associated Press / NPR / CNBC / Axios / NBC News)
  • Retailers Fear Toy Shortages at Christmas as Tariffs Freeze Supply Chain. Toy makers and stores are freezing holiday orders, predicting shortages and higher prices. Some are consulting bankruptcy lawyers, fearing their firms won’t survive. (New York Times)
2/ Trump retreated on parts of his auto tariffs after automakers warned the levies would wreck supply chains, spike prices, and undercut U.S. jobs. The White House said automakers paying the 25% tariff will avoid extra charges on steel and aluminum and can apply for partial rebates worth up to 3.75% of a car’s value. Trump framed the move as “a little bit of help,” but the relief followed weeks of heavy lobbying from Ford, GM, and Stellantis. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, meanwhile, claimed the changes would let companies “create as many jobs as possible,” though analysts said prices will still rise and long-term supply chain disruptions are unavoidable. (New York Times / Axios / Associated Press / Politico / CNN / CNBC / Wall Street Journal)

3/ House Republicans blocked Democrats’ attempt to investigate Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of an unsecured messaging app to discuss military plans. Republican leaders buried language into a procedural measure that prevents votes on such inquiries until at least October. The move also froze over a dozen other Democratic resolutions seeking information on Trump administration actions, including cuts to federal agencies. All Republicans voted for the measure, while all Democrats opposed it. Democrats accused Republicans of “preemptively ceding” Congress’s oversight powers to shield Trump and said Republicans were “closing off” ways to demand accountability. (Washington Post / New York Times)

4/ The Trump administration dismissed all 400 scientists and experts working on the next National Climate Assessment, cutting the congressionally mandated report off from its authors. The report guides federal, state, and local decisions on infrastructure, public health, and climate resilience. An email to researchers said, “We are now releasing all current assessment participants from their roles,” and claimed the report’s scope was under review. The dismissal halts work on the 2028 assessment and leaves its future uncertain. (Reuters / New York Times / CNN)

5/ U.S. consumer confidence fell for the fifth straight month to its lowest point since May 2020, as Trump’s tariffs fueled fears of rising prices and recession. The Conference Board said its index dropped 7.9 points in April to 86, with a key measure falling below recession warning levels. Nearly one-third of consumers expect hiring to slow, matching levels last seen during the Great Recession. Mentions of tariffs in survey responses hit a record high, and nearly 70% of Americans said Trump’s tariffs would push inflation higher. (Associated Press / ABC News)

poll/ 59% of Americans say Trump’s policies have worsened economic conditions – up from 51% in March and comparable to Biden’s worst numbers. 69% say recession in the next year is somewhat likely, including 32% who say that’s very likely. (CNN)

poll/ 52% of Americans agree that Trump is “a dangerous dictator whose power should be limited before he destroys American democracy.” 44% say Trump “is a strong leader who should be given the power he needs to restore America’s greatness.” (Public Religion Research Institute)

poll/ 45% of Americans give Trump an “F” for how he’s handled his first 100 days in office. 80% of Democrats and 49% of independents gave Trump an “F” while 54% of Republicans gave Trump an “A.” (Marist / NPR)

The midterm elections are in 553 days.
 
Retailers Fear Toy Shortages at Christmas as Tariffs Freeze Supply Chain. Toy makers and stores are freezing holiday orders, predicting shortages and higher prices. Some are consulting bankruptcy lawyers, fearing their firms won’t survive. (New York Times)
A holiday without a Santa Claus? Someone should make a movie about that.

--Patrick
 

GasBandit

Staff member
  1. Prosecutors charge migrants for breaching a 60-foot defense strip on the New Mexico border now controlled by the Army.
  2. Trump says he could bring back Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador but refuses despite Supreme Court order.
  3. Federal judge Randolph Moss challenges Trump claim that his border-invasion asylum ban is beyond court review.
  4. Judge bars Border Patrol in Eastern California from warrantless arrests and coerced departures after profiling farmworkers.
  5. State Department working on terrorist tag for Haiti’s Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif gangs.
  6. Postal Inspection Service shares mail tracking data with DHS task force to help find undocumented immigrants for Trump’s mass deportation campaign.
  7. Federal judge in California orders Trump administration to keep funding lawyers for unaccompanied migrant children.
  8. Wisconsin Supreme Court temporarily suspends Milwaukee County judge Hannah Dugan after her arrest for helping a migrant evade immigration agents.
  9. White House blasts Amazon for plan to show Trump tariff costs on product listings.
  10. White House will soften auto tariffs, blocking stacked steel and aluminum levies and offering partial reimbursements on parts.
  11. Judge blocks Trump move to fire 1,500 CFPB workers and orders officials to testify on possible injunction breach.
  12. Trump administration investigates Chicago Public Schools over Black Student Success Plan, alleging race-based discrimination.
  13. Harvard president apologizes and pledges reforms after task force reports expose campus antisemitism and anti-Arab bias.
  14. Trump fires all Biden appointees from U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, including Doug Emhoff.
  15. Judge orders Trump administration to restore $12 million in funding for Radio Free Europe, blocking its shutdown.
  16. Trump fires three Corporation for Public Broadcasting board members, prompting lawsuit over his authority.
  17. Houthis say U.S. strike on Saada migrant center kills at least 68 Africans, Pentagon reviewing the claim.
  18. House GOP blocks vote to probe Hegseth’s Signal chats on Yemen plans.
  19. Hegseth ends Women, Peace & Security program on women’s military leadership, calling it divisive even though Trump signed it in 2017.
  20. HHS chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urges parents to “do your own research” on vaccines, despite overseeing the nation’s vaccine safety.
  21. FL legislature passes bill banning local water fluoridation and restricting plant-based foods from using milk or meat labels.
  22. Trump nominee Ed Martin dodges Jan. 6 and Nazi-sympathizer questions in Senate confirmation answers.
 
Sometimes I need a reminder that not everyone is soul suckingly terrible, and occasionally we can make good things happen:


Mohsen Mahdawi was released from ICE detention this morning after they finally caved.

Politicians, if you're listening, keep pushing and don't listen to Jeffries order to back off.
 
This really needs to stop. The only reason at all the administration is getting away with their current shit isn't because they have proper authority, it's only because a sufficiently critical mass of the people who DO have that authority have decided, for whatever reason, to just sit on their hands and allow it to happen. The last 6+ months have been nothing but an endless cavalcade of inflection points, one right after another, where the people who might redirect this elephant procession are instead influenced to make choices good for themselves in the short term while they look away, but ultimately bad for the rest of society.

--Patrick
 
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GasBandit

Staff member
1/ The U.S. economy shrank 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025 as Trump’s tariffs triggered a surge in imports and dragged down growth. The Commerce Department said the decline was “primarily” driven by a 41% jump in imports, as businesses rushed to stockpile goods ahead of the new tariffs. That trade imbalance subtracted nearly five percentage points from GDP – the largest hit from net exports since records began in 1947. Consumer spending rose just 1.8% – less than half the pace of the previous quarter – while federal spending fell 5.1%. The stock market logged its worst start to a presidency in more than 50 years, and consumer confidence dropped for the fifth straight month. (NPR / ABC News / CNBC / Washington Post / Axios / Wall Street Journal / CNN)

2/ Trump blamed Biden for the U.S. economy’s first quarterly contraction in three years, saying: “This is Biden. That’s not Trump.” He dismissed any connection to his own policies: “This will take a while, has NOTHING TO DO WITH TARIFFS,” and asked Americans to “give us a pass on the first month.” Trump also preemptively blamed the second quarter on Biden, saying, “You could even say the next quarter is sort of Biden.” He promised a future boom “like no other,” even as hiring slowed and markets tumbled. (NBC News / New York Times / Bloomberg / Washington Post / CNBC / Reuters / Washington Post / USA Today)

3/ Trump suggested that American kids may have to live with “two dolls instead of 30” as his tariffs on China drive up prices and limit imports. “Maybe the two dolls will cost a couple bucks more,” he added, brushing off concerns about product shortages. Retailers, however, have warned of empty shelves and rising costs ahead of the holidays. Trump, nevertheless, dismissed concerns: “Much of it we don’t need.” (Axios / HuffPost / USA Today / Associated Press / CBS News / Business Insider)

4/ Trump told the U.S. Court of International Trade that judges have no authority to question his use of emergency powers to impose tariffs, claiming only Congress can review such decisions. The Justice Department argued courts shouldn’t “second-guess the president’s judgment,” even as small businesses called the national emergency “a figment of his own imagination.” The Senate, meanwhile, is preparing to vote on a resolution to block Trump’s tariffs, with Republicans Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski backing the effort. Collins said the tariffs are “too broad” and supported the disapproval “to send a message.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, however, dismissed immediate congressional action, but warned that if power between branches becomes “imbalanced,” lawmakers may need to step in. (Bloomberg / Politico / Axios / Politico / CBS News / Politico)

5/ A federal judge ordered the release of Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi, who was detained by ICE during his citizenship interview. “Even another day of detention is not to be tolerated,” Judge Geoffrey Crawford said, comparing the government’s actions to the McCarthy-era Red Scare. Mahdawi, a green-card holder and pro-Palestinian protest organizer, was targeted under a rarely invoked immigration clause that labels dissenters as foreign policy threats. “To President Trump and his Cabinet: I am not afraid of you,” Mahdawi said after walking free. Still, DHS defended the arrest, claiming Mahdawi supported terrorists and antisemitic violence, but offered no charges and relied on disputed, years-old allegations. (Politico / NBC News / NPR / Washington Post / ABC News / Wall Street Journal)

6/ Trump said he “could” bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia back from El Salvador but won’t, claiming Garcia “is not” the innocent man his supporters say he is. The statement came in an ABC interview where Trump admitted he has the power to act – “There’s a phone on this desk […] I could” – but blamed unnamed lawyers for blocking it: “I’m not the one making this decision.” Trump’s remarks directly undercut his administration’s legal claim that it lacks authority to return Garcia, despite a Supreme Court order requiring it to “facilitate” his return. Trump also defended sharing a photo of Garcia’s tattooed hands labeled with “MS-13,” which experts say was digitally altered, saying: “He had MS as clear as you can be.” Federal judges have accused the administration of acting in bad faith and “spurning” court orders, with one writing, “This should be shocking […] to the intuitive sense of liberty that Americans […] still hold dear.” (New York Times / CNN / The Hill / Axios / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / NBC News)

The midterm elections are in 552 days.
 
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