If anyone out there was undecided on whether Trump is operationalizing a precise, coordinated plan to destroy our democracy so he can rule until he dies, the move to shut down Act Blue, the primary way Democrats’ campaigns are funded, should be the final proof point.
One hallmark of authoritarianism is a public convinced it has no access to justice. In "Autocracy in America," @anneapplebaum.bsky.social and @peterpomerantsev.bsky.social report on how Renée DiResta watched this unfold up close, and how it could get a lot worse.
🪧💢 Pro-Ukraine protesters confronted J.D. Vance during his Vermont vacation, accusing him of betraying Ukraine. They called him a “traitor” and shouted, “Go ski in Russia,” criticising his stance on US support for Ukraine.
A line graph titled: The Stock Market Was One of Trump's Favorite Talking Points. Not Lately." It shows four lines that are dropping from January through February. Source: LSEG Data & Analytics
President Trump regularly took credit for a booming stock market during his first term, citing soaring share prices as a measure of his success. But since his inauguration in January, Trump has been relatively muted about stocks. Take a closer look at the state of the market: nyti.ms/4bt43OD
Elon Musk spending more than $4 million to buy a Wisconsin Supreme Court race
NC Republicans going to unprecedented lengths to overturn Democratic victory in NC Supreme Court race
There’s a constitutional crisis in the states as well
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
As Trump looks to fund tax cuts for the wealthy by gutting health care, we’re going to save Minnesotans money by making the insurance industry pay their fair share.
CALL TO ACTION: Call your representatives at (202) 224-3121 and ask what criteria they plan to use when “vetting” their constituents.
🚨Trump & Musk are coming for your VA benefits. They’re coming for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.
We can make it politically untenable—but we need your stories.
VoteVets delivers the hardest-hitting ads in politics. Help us fight back. Submit now: votevets.org/doge-tipline
The co-presidents are dismantling the government at lightning speed but haven’t done a single thing to lower prices. In fact they’re making it worse.
Why the rush?
As a Musk biographer I see no evidence of genius.
He has—or really, had—one or two useful skills, as many do, but everything he says and does and how he says and does it screams “average intelligence.”
People who think he’s a genius simply don’t know his life story. They know a mythos he co-wrote.
IRS funding ensures the rich pay their fair share in taxes. Trump’s attack on the IRS isn’t aimed at protecting ordinary Americans — it’s protecting rich Americans.
Illegally purging thousands of IRS workers in the middle of tax filing season is another act of plain corruption designed to benefit Musk, Trump, and their wealthy friends. 1/
This is why I really have no time for the "behind the scenes, Republicans say yadda yadda yadda." This is a public-facing business. If you tell a reporter you don't want to vote "aye" then you vote "aye," who cares?
"We are in the midst of a global fight between Western liberal democracy and authoritarian government, and in this fight, the United States has just switched sides and signed up with the authoritarian camp." - Francis Fukuyama
www.persuasion.community/p/the-ultima...
NEW
Elon Musk’s DOGE is seeking access to a heavily guarded Internal Revenue Service system that includes detailed financial information about every taxpayer, business and nonprofit in the country, sparking alarm within the tax agency.
I didn't realize SNL50 is 3 hours long. We really eating good tonight.
This is what 13 states are asking for tomorrow at 11 am. It would protect several departments and all agencies within them from Musk and Doge. Including the IRS, since it's part of Treasury. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
BREAKING: “Musk’s DOGE is seeking access to a heavily-guarded IRS system that includes detailed financial info about every taxpayer, business and nonprofit in 🇺🇸 — sparking alarm within the tax agency.”
Alarmed yet?
(AP) - U.S. inflation accelerated last month as the cost of groceries, gas, and used cars rose, a trend that will likely underscore the Federal Reserve's resolve to delay any further interest rate cuts.
Canada is on a full-court diplomatic press against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
For the first time in history, all 13 provincial and territorial leaders are in the American capital at the same time to warn U.S. lawmakers that Trump’s levies will be bad for the economies of both nations.
When you solve for the wrong problem, not only do you not get the solution, you can cause harm. The President wasted water that was being saved for farmers for a PR stunt.
This was harmful, ludicrous, and solved nothing.
Senator Markey and colleagues are denied angry into the EPA Headquarters
We were just denied entrance into the EPA after asking to meet with a DOGE representative. More to come.
This is why public information, and public education, are fundamental elements of democracy. Not bonuses, not nice to have, ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. A vote doesn't make a country a democracy; the people are not ruling if they do not know what they're voting on.
The court order "restricting" DOGE's access to Treasury payment systems exempts two DOGE operatives: a multinational CEO, Tom Krause, and Marko Elez, a recent college grad who worked at SpaceX. The order limits their access to "read only."
When I was a Hill staffer in 2009, a Dem trifecta was trying to pass universal healthcare. In response, Senate GOP released a memo detailing all of the tactics they in the minority could use to delay the effort as much as possible. I'm recirculating that 2009 GOP memo here. Take inspiration from it.
WHO IS ATTACKING US? There should be a public effort to identify any Musk/DOGE staffers in OMB, Treasury & OPM.
Take their photos, badges & get identifying info.
This attack cannot be allowed to happen in secrecy.
It’s NOT a game.
We have a RIGHT to know who is in our computers & private files.
