Trump translation reminder: he refers to himself when he refers to the US.

When he says “we are doing well,” it’s even less ambiguous. He’s saying he personally is doing well. Meaning he is either profiting in terms of personal influence, compliments from Putin, feeling powerful, etc. That’s all that means.

Unfortunately, the two party system right now can probably only collapse into a one party system.

Zelensky was going to sign something, until baby Vance decided to throw a tantrum, and Trump couldn’t resist joining in. I don’t think it was going to be for Trump’s $500 billion amount, but that photo op was supposed to precede a signing.

In any case, odds are that Trump never intended the demand to be met.

“I’m finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine. And they don’t have the cards,” Trump said. “In terms of getting a final settlement, it may be easier dealing with Russia.”

It’s infuriating how stupid he is. Just “my feelings tell me to do X” nonstop, every day, like cultured cells responding to a stimulus shock.

Following the meeting, Trump announced on Truth Social that future DOGE cuts would use a “scalpel” rather than a "hatchet.

Well, Trump probably figured out the more effective lie in using this language. That’s what people want to hear. I’m sure nothing will change.

I don’t blame anyone for cutting MAGA folks off at this point, but it depresses me that it will just make the problem worse. Even if minimal, your contact with them impedes propaganda by, even a little, preventing their reality from going unopposed.

It’s not your responsibility, but disconnecting is a natural vicious cycle, a radicalization accelerant.

“It’s really hurtful for the president to insinuate that you don’t exist or that your job consisted of sitting at home doing nothing and cashing the paycheck,” he says. “I’d like to see him sifting through spiny naiad in 120-degree weather looking for parasitic snails. He’s the one that goes golfing on the government dime. I don’t even know how to golf.”

Although I don’t think much will get through to MAGA people, the hypocrisy is what gives me the most hope. Trump’s mind is so unlike his voters’ that he doesn’t deserve to represent them.

Like, I wake up earlier than my wife. She has back problems, but I like to keep the kitchen nice for her and not remind her of it. So every day I unload the entire dishwasher, carefully putting away every plate, knife, glass without making noise. I don’t mean it as a virtue-signal, we all probably do little things like this. I just mean, can you even imagine Trump doing something like that? Imagine him caring about someone other than him that much? Imagine having to live so intentionally and carefully for any reason at all?

That should get through to them, right?

Social Security’s fate, either way, is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we assume it will fail, that will remove the trust that supports it, and causes it to fail. If we assume it will succeed, we will severely resist attempts to dismantle it and keep it political kryptonite.

The media and buzz talking about how it will be gone is self-sabotaging (or a different kind of sabotaging from people like Musk, though I assume the comments here are legitimate anxiety over it).

I’d just keep that in mind as we start to doomsay it.

And of course the “hide extensions” option is by default.

Windows: “I helped!”

Yep, almost certain a sampling bias.

Not much more scientific, but the YouTube suggestions showed me recordings from the speech from major national networks and they had like 1.5k, 1.2k, etc views. I gave that a chuckle.

I’d say that fighting off Russian invaders so your country can return to the peaceful state it was in is working towards peace.

Alternatively, has he asked Russia if it would just go home? Seems like another pretty efficient way to achieve peace.

Senator Thune will receive an Industry Champion Award for his work on policies that encourage innovation and competitive choice for customers. We’re not aware of any pioneering copyright policy the Senate leader was involved in, but he did extensively advocate for consumer freedom, including the Filter Bubble Transparency Act.

The MPA hasn’t mentioned Thune in any communications on its website before, aside from the fact that MPA’s Senior Vice President of Federal Government Affairs worked for him previously. That said, the award shows that the movie industry group values his work and achievements.

“Here’s an award!”

“What for?”

“For what you’re going to do!”

Raise your hand if you believe this was all started because Putin told Trump it was a good idea.

I don’t pretend to know who the rebels are and what kind of government they mean to set up, but I’m hopeful if both Russia and Iran were Assad backers.

The tragedy we’ve been living through needs a biiiiiiiiig catharsis to make it worthwhile.