The Heritage Foundation flag flies over its building on July 30, 2024, in Washington, D.C. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Fred L. Pincus, University of Maryland, Baltimore County President Donald Trump issued an executive order on March 20, 2025, that calls for closing the U.S. Department of Education. The president needs congressional … [Read more...] about Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Education Department was inspired by the Heritage Foundation’s decades-long disapproval of the agency
DOGE hamstrings IRS to tune of $500B
What efficiency? IRS projects DOGE-driven disruptions will reduce tax receipts by more than $500 billion by April 15th. DOGE Loss: $500,000,000,000 ONE AGENCY “For context, the U.S. government spent $825 billion on the Defense Department in fiscal 2024.” Read gift link at the WaPo. … [Read more...] about DOGE hamstrings IRS to tune of $500B
404 – History not Found! .
Five years ago, when Americans were grappling with the last vestiges of slavery, racism and segregation by removing statues and other symbols of those unsavory parts of our nation’s history, Donald Trump argued against such a movement. “We should learn from the history…And if you don’t understand your history, you will go back to it again,” he said in a Fox interview. … [Read more...] about 404 – History not Found! .
Is a MAGA Sheriff Threatening Your California County?
Officials Across the State Are Embracing Corruption, Threatening to Work with ICE—and Remaining Above the Law by Joe Mathews If you’re a Californian who wants to fight back against the Trump administration, you might start with a campaign to remove your county sheriff. In our state, the position of sheriff is the closest approximation to the lawless, authoritarian … [Read more...] about Is a MAGA Sheriff Threatening Your California County?
Trump administration seeks to starve libraries and museums of funding by shuttering this little-known agency
ExplorationWorks, a children’s museum in Helena, Mont., received $151,946 in 2024 from the IMLS to expand its early childhood programs. Lisa Wareham Devon Akmon, Michigan State University On March 14, 2025, the Trump administration issued an executive order that called for the dismantling of seven federal agencies “to the maximum extent … [Read more...] about Trump administration seeks to starve libraries and museums of funding by shuttering this little-known agency
Jackie Robinson info you won’t get from the MAGA Pentagon
Wow, a chance to write about a baseball player! Thanks, MAGA! You may have heard what happened the other day. Trump’s apparatchiks, in their quest to scrub all vestiges of racial diversity from federal websites (they call diversity “a form of Woke cultural Marxism”), somehow saw fit to erase Jackie Robinson from the Pentagon’s online roll call of athletes who’d served their … [Read more...] about Jackie Robinson info you won’t get from the MAGA Pentagon
ELON TAKES CHAINSAW TO SOCIAL SECURITY (CARTOON)
Trump 2.0: A First-Class Shock-and-Awe Experience
Embed from Getty Images It is remarkable that a single figure could become responsible for potentially the greatest bankruptcy of all—the ending of the American Century (as we once knew it) and even, after a fashion, humanity’s centuries on Planet Earth. by Tom Engelhardt Common Dreams Yes, “shock and awe” is back in the second age of Donald Trump. His border czar, … [Read more...] about Trump 2.0: A First-Class Shock-and-Awe Experience
Donald Trump’s nonstop news-making can be exhausting, making it harder for people to scrutinize his presidential actions
President Donald Trump calls on reporters during a news conference at the White House on Jan. 30, 2025. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Jennifer Mercieca, Texas A&M University Like many other news organizations, The Associated Press maintains a “live updates” page, which posts the latest from the Trump administration in a ticker tape-like … [Read more...] about Donald Trump’s nonstop news-making can be exhausting, making it harder for people to scrutinize his presidential actions
MUSK AND EMPATHY (CARTOON)
Emails Reveal Top IRS Lawyer Warned Trump Firings Were a “Fraud” on the Courts
Emails Reveal Top IRS Lawyer Warned Trump Firings Were a “Fraud” on the Courtsby Andy KrollProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.On Feb. 20, nearly 7,000 probationary employees at the Internal Revenue Service began receiving an unsigned letter telling them that they had … [Read more...] about Emails Reveal Top IRS Lawyer Warned Trump Firings Were a “Fraud” on the Courts
Trump is using the Alien Enemies Act to deport immigrants — but the 18th-century law has been invoked only during times of war
Prison guards transfer alleged Venezuelan gang members to a detention center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, on March 16, 2025. El Salvador presidential press office via AP Daniel Tichenor, University of Oregon As President Donald Trump often promised during his 2024 presidential campaign, on March 15, 2025, he invoked an obscure 18th-century law … [Read more...] about Trump is using the Alien Enemies Act to deport immigrants — but the 18th-century law has been invoked only during times of war
SCHUMER LEADS A CHANT (CARTOON)
Beatings, overcrowding and food deprivation: US deportees face distressing human rights conditions in El Salvador’s mega-prison
Shackled and bent over – some of the 250-plus deportees arriving in El Salvador. El Salvador Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images Mneesha Gellman, Emerson College and Sarah C. Bishop, Baruch College, CUNY El Salvador President Nayib Bukele framed his offer to house “dangerous American criminals” and “criminals from any country” as a … [Read more...] about Beatings, overcrowding and food deprivation: US deportees face distressing human rights conditions in El Salvador’s mega-prison
What Democrats Need is More Republicans like Adam Kinzinger
Democrats have been increasingly dissatisfied and frustrated with how their leaders are failing to stand up to the destructive, undemocratic policies of President Trump. The criticism and unpopularity of Democratic leaders rose to another high after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer voted with Republicans in the Senate to advance the GOP-authored short term spending bill … [Read more...] about What Democrats Need is More Republicans like Adam Kinzinger
Satire: Our Enemy Canada
Before launching a trade war with Canada, Donald Trump drafted a speech justifying it. After my spies in the Oval Office were fired by DOGE, they leaked his statement to me: Canada sided with England during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Since I aspire to be a king, I admire Canada for preferring King George III over George Washington. Did I mention that I … [Read more...] about Satire: Our Enemy Canada
The growing gift card racket
by Peter Funt My wife Amy purchased a gift card for our daughter at Sephora, the large retailer of beauty products, but all she got was disappointment. When Stephanie tried to use it the clerk informed her the card had a $0 balance. No money. It seems gift cards — growing rapidly in popularity — are increasingly subject to scams. Consumers lost over $250 million in gift … [Read more...] about The growing gift card racket
Democrats at a Standstill (Cartoon)
What is the rules-based order? How this global system has shifted from ‘liberal’ origins — and where it could be heading next
Global order? Put a pin in it. Getty Images Andrew Latham, Macalester College The phrase “international rules-based order” has long been a fixture in global politics. Western leaders often use it to describe a framework of rules, norms and institutions designed to guide state behavior. Advocates argue that this framework has provided the … [Read more...] about What is the rules-based order? How this global system has shifted from ‘liberal’ origins — and where it could be heading next
Review of Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre’s Presentation of Waitress
I was first introduced to the Broadway musical Waitress while watching the television airing of the Tony Awards. I had turned on the show to see how well Hamilton was doing when I stumbled upon a musical medley that transitioned to Sara Bareilles at a grand piano singing the opening to an achingly sorrowful song I had never heard. Mid-song, the camera shifted to Jessie Mueller … [Read more...] about Review of Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre’s Presentation of Waitress