Today's Cartoons

 

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(Bart van Leeuwen, Oedipoes.com, Netherlands)

(Jeff Danziger, The Rutland Herald, VT)

(Pat Bagley, The Salt Lake Tribune)

(Alan Moir, Morning Herald, Sydney)

(Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

(Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press)

(Steve Breen, Creators.com)

(R.J. Matson, CQ/Roll Call)

(Steve Greenberg, @stevegreenberg-art.com)

(Nick Anderson, Reform Austin News-Tribune, TX)

(Jesse Duquette, @misterjesseduquette)

(Chris Britt, Creators.com)

(Asher Perlman, @asherperlman)

QOTD: America's International Downfall

 

Ryan Cooper, writing in The American Prospect, looks at the incalculable damage the vengeful Malignant Fascist and juvenile megalomaniac President Elon "Harry Bolz" Musk are doing to the U.S's position abroad. A selective excerpt, so be sure to read the entire article:

"A month into the second Trump administration, I think it is fair to conclude that the American empire in its current form is collapsing. The post-1945 global order, with the United States at its apex, is no more. America itself is not going anywhere—at least not yet—but the foundation of the empire, namely its structure of alliances and partnerships, has been dealt irreparable damage. Western Europe, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and especially Canada now view America with suspicion if not outright hostility, and they are right to do so.

Now, the history of empires is the story of their rise and inevitable fall. As Herodotus wrote about Greek city-states, 'most of those which were great once are small today; and those which used to be small were great in my own time.' But nobody has matched this current downfall for sheer egregious stupidity. [snip]

Trumpism strikes directly at the heart of American power projection: trust. NATO members and other partners go along with the American-led order because it has been a pretty good deal, all things considered. Rather than exacting imperial tribute, Europe, Japan, South Korea, and the others were encouraged to develop and become rich. In return, they allowed the U.S. to develop overwhelming military dominance, and played along with our control over the global financial system.

Threatening unprovoked war on a NATO ally for no reason destroys this trust—indeed, it makes clear that America is now a rogue state, led by erratic, violent madmen. Even Hitler felt he had to make up some lying pretext about German minorities being oppressed before he stole the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia. Trump just saw a map and thought, 'I’ll have that.'” (our emphasis)

The Malignant Fascist's enduring, adolescent worship of Russian thug and war criminal Vladimir Putin, probably based on Putin's promise of riches for his furtherance of Russia's ambitions, and the Malignant Fascist's envious desire to have Putin's authoritarian power, is destroying decades of alliances and foreign friendships that won't be repaired easily, if ever again. The Kremlin's long-term cultivation of the Malignant Fascist is paying off dramatically.  It's made the U.S. a subsidiary of the Russian government.

(image: Petras Malukas/AFP/Getty Images)

Skeets Of The Day

 

Trump "in the bubble" with fellow lying ally Russia --

 

Zelenskyy says Trump is living in a Russian ‘disinformation bubble’ www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...

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— aheadbyacentury.bsky.social (@aheadbyacentury.bsky.social) February 19, 2025 at 9:24 AM

 

Hours after Lavrov's lie, Russia attacked energy infrastructure in Odesa. About 160,000 people in the city are without electricity and heating. The temperatures are below zero Celsius in Ukraine this week. Hospital and daycares were also damaged. True face of Russia.

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— Anton Gerashchenko (@antongerashchenko.bsky.social) February 19, 2025 at 5:24 AM

 

It’s only a matter of time before Trump blames Poland for being invaded by the Nazis.

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— Andrew Weinstein (@andrewjweinstein.com) February 18, 2025 at 8:46 PM

 

Trump proved conclusively last night with his deranged statements that he is an enemy and menace to our friends and allies around the world, and the best thing that ever happened to our adversaries and corrupt dictators. meidasnews.com/news/trump-s...

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— Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) February 19, 2025 at 8:41 AM

Very corrupt "President" wants to cut Social Security over bullshit "fraud" --

 

Trump: "We have a very corrupt country. Very corrupt country. And it's a sad thing to say ... if you take all of those millions of people off social security, all of the sudden we have a very powerful social security."

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) February 18, 2025 at 4:43 PM

 

What's that Musk-y smell?  A vile extremist and an obvious fool --

 

A lot of people now see that Musk is a vile extremist. But many still struggle to accept that he is also an oblivious fool. Once you actually listen to what he has to say about the world, you realize it’s all faux-visionary nonsense layered on top of profound ignorance.

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— Thomas Zimmer (@thomaszimmer.bsky.social) February 19, 2025 at 9:03 AM

 

Does anybody know how to play this game? ... --

 

Ah yes, a very long memo, exactly what gets attention in this era. Excellent.

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— Amanda Litman (@amandalitman.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 5:12 PM

 

To the feckless, Democratic consultants, here’s a free one: buy a billboard highlighting Musk cutting the veterans suicide hotline program and have it placed across the street from Pete Hegseth’s favorite bar.

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— Dave Zirin (@edgeofsports.bsky.social) February 19, 2025 at 8:45 AM

 

... VoteVets does --

 

🚨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

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— VoteVets (@votevets.org) February 18, 2025 at 3:17 PM

The Trump Recession to come --

 

It seems almost unavoidable at this point that we are headed for a deep, deep recession. Just based on 200K+ federal firings & pullback of contracts, the March employment report (to be released April 4) seems certain to show bigger job losses than any month ever outside of a few in 2008-9 and 2020.

— Jesse Rothstein (@jrothst.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 8:37 PM

 

True, all true (when lies are coin of the realm)! --

 

Herman Melville's "Moby Dick" has perhaps the most memorable opening line in all of Western literature: "I hope you motherfuckers like reading about whales"

— pixelatedboat aka “mr bluesky” (@pixelatedboat.bsky.social) February 15, 2025 at 10:29 PM

 

On this date in 972 was born Pope Gregory V, who endured the election of a rival antipope by rebellious nobles until his cousin, Emperor Otto III, marched on Rome and cut off the antipope's nose and ears. "Tough racket, poping." his rival conceded. "No shit," agreed Greg, poisoned a year later.

— David Simon (@audacityofdespair.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 8:21 AM

 

 

Mid-Week Song

 

Indie artist Japanese Breakfast (a.k.a., Michelle Zauner) will be releasing her new album, ‘For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)', on March 21. A lovely tune off of that album is "Orlando In Love," showcasing her dreamy voice in a haunting melody. Enjoy.

Trump's Surrender To Putin Complete (UPDATED)

 

To no one with a functioning cortex's surprise, the Putin puppet has embraced the Russian position in the war in Ukraine in a most depraved, disgusting way:

It looked like things couldn’t get any darker for Ukraine. Then President Donald Trump spoke up.

After cutting President Volodymyr Zelensky out of the first US talks with Russia on ending the war, Trump on Tuesday falsely accused Ukraine of starting a conflict that has ravaged its land and killed thousands of its people.

And in his most hostile comments toward the Ukrainian leader yet, Trump voiced yet another of President Vladimir Putin’s talking points — that it was time for an election in Ukraine — in an apparent bid to begin the process of pushing Zelensky aside.

The US president’s comments will fuel fresh fears in Europe, which was also excluded from the US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, that Trump will try to impose a peace deal in Ukraine that favors his friend in the Kremlin.

His remarks also appeared to directly contradict assurances by his own Secretary of State Marco Rubio after meeting the Russian delegation that any eventual peace agreement would be fair to all parties.

And Trump’s attack on Zelensky, who was hailed as a hero in the United States for resisting Russia’s Blitzkrieg on Kyiv early in the war, was a graphic sign of how the new American administration has reversed Washington’s stance of supporting the victim of the invasion and is now rewarding the aggressor...  (our emphasis)

Another utterly shameful, ignominious day in our country's history thanks to the Malignant Fascist and his MAGAt morons.  The Malignant Loser has made the U.S. a subsidiary of the Russian government.  This should shock the conscience of every American who believes in democratic government and freedom from tyranny.  Now it looks like it's going to be up to the European democracies and Ukraine to foil the Trump-Putin alliance.  

BONUS: Paul Krugman sizes up Trump's "deeply stupid" mob-style offer to rob Ukraine of its resources.

BONUS II: 

 

Telling the Ukrainians they shouldn’t have started the war is some real high-level assholery.

— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec.bsky.social) February 19, 2025 at 1:10 AM

 

UPDATE:  The Malignant Fascist went there --

President Donald Trump appeared on Wednesday to throw America’s lot completely in with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the three-year-old war the Russian leader started against Ukraine by issuing a bizarre social media threat against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and accusing him of continuing the war against Moscow as a way to soak American taxpayers.  [snip]

“A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” Trump wrote.

That's our Dictator with elections, the bully, the ugly American Malignant Fascist Trump.

 

Bannon Again Vows To "Break" Musk

 

In "even a stopped clock is right twice a day" news, MAGAt human/pig hybrid Steve Bannon comes to the correct assessment about skipping dipshit Elon "Harry Bolz" Musk (and his oligarch parasite country- destroyers) in his on-going feud with the un-elected President:

Former White House chief adviser turned conservative commentator Steve Bannon blasted billionaire Elon Musk over his efforts to reduce the size of the federal government and gain more power in the U.S.

“Musk is a parasitic illegal immigrant,” he said during an interview with the website UnHerd. “He wants to impose his freak experiment and play-act as God without any respect for the country’s history, tradition or values.”

Bannon, a staunch populist who has used his widely followed “War Room” podcast to rail against the “elites” in society, has sharpened his attacks on Musk as the tech billionaire has grown closer to President Trump.

He has told Trump’s supporters Musk is not to be trusted and has argued there is a “fundamental chasm” between the billionaires who have aligned themselves with the president and his “Make America Great Again” movement.

“We will break these guys,” Bannon said during a recent episode of his podcast centered on Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other leading tech moguls...

We wish both parties much success in cutting each other down, because it can only be good for us (and U.S.).

Today's Cartoons

 

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(Matt Davies, Newsday)

(Bill Bramhall, New York Daily News)

(Jeff Koterba, caglecartoons.com)

(Daryl Cagle, caglecartoons.com)

(Paresh Nath, U.T. Independent, India)

(Matt Wuerker, Politico)

(Chris Britt, Creators.com)

(Patrick Chappatte, The Boston Globe)

(Pedro Molina, Counterpoint)

(Michael de Adder, caglecartoons.com)

(Rob Rogers, Counterpoint)

(John Cole, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA)

(Adam Zyglis, The Buffalo News)

(Kim Warp, The New Yorker;  once again Happy 100th Anniversary to The New Yorker!)

QOTD: The Roberts Court And Trump's Wrecking Ball

 

Sabrina Haake, writing in Salon.com on the right-wing SCOTUS' total complicity in the Malignant Fascist's political and legal comeback:

"Trump’s wrecking ball is a constitutional unravelling of the Roberts’ Court’s own making. In June the Court threw out the Justice Department's prosecution of J 6 defendants by ruling that they couldn't be charged with obstruction for rioting at the Capitol, reasoning creatively that beating police officers, trashing capitol property and threatening death to elected officials to stop the certification of the 2020 vote wasn’t 'obstruction' because it didn’t involve “documents.”

The 'no obstruction' travesty followed several other decisions in the same partisan direction. Last March, the Roberts Court blocked Colorado’s efforts to keep Trump off the ballot based on the Constitution’s plain language barring insurrectionists from public office. Section 3 of the 14th Amendment does not lack clarity. It bars anyone from federal office who 'engaged in insurrection” after they swore an oath to support the Constitution. The opening words — 'No person shall…' — make the ban mandatory, not optional.

Despite the 14th A’s clear text, the Court ruled that states could not enforce the insurrectionist ban, even though states have primary Constitutional authority over elections, lest 'chaos' ensue. Apparently Trump’s brand of chaos in blowing up the entire federal system suits them better.

The Court then salted the Constitutional wound in July when, in a 6-3 partisan ruling, Roberts wrote an immunity opinion tailor-made for Trump, freeing him to violate criminal laws with impunity if his conduct relates to a 'core function'of the presidency. Dissenting justices noted that Trump was now free to assassinate political rivals, an extension of the ruling Chief Justice Roberts has never effectively countered."  (our emphasis)

Elections matter (as do the personal decisions of Justices). The Malignant Fascist has the potential to add another right-wing cultist to the Supreme Court in the next 4 years. All we have is to hope for the good health of the 3 progressive Justices.

 

Skeets Of The Day

 

Something's missing in Saudi Arabia --

 

A dictatorship hosting another dictatorship to negotiate with an aspiring dictatorship about the future of a democracy that’s not represented.

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— Adam Schwarz (@adamjschwarz.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 6:22 AM

 

Trump’s flawed peace plan for Ukraine echoes the failures of appeasement in 1938 — real deterrence, not concessions, is the key to lasting security, writes Princeton professor Harold James in his op-ed.

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— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) February 18, 2025 at 5:59 AM

 

Mumble mouth meathead thug's got nothing on AOC --

 

a stammering Tom Homan on AOC: "She's the dumbest congresswoman ever elected to Congress."

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) February 17, 2025 at 8:49 PM

 

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— AllyCat Mama (@catmama42014.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 8:14 AM

 

Important message from an older Missouri farmer to rural America --

 

He says what we've been shouting that MAGA just wouldn't hear but he says it in a way that some of them will hear. He's a rural farmer who speaks how they speak. @hcrichardson.bsky.social I posted 4 you to watch bec I think he's the missing link in our messaging. www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4CR...

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— Linda Krause (@misspunklesmom.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 7:42 AM

We don't need no stinkin' Park Rangers, cont. --

 

Want to go visit the national parks this year? Sorry. The reservation system is shut down, EMT personnel are gone, so don't get hurt or lost. No one can clean the bathrooms or cabins, so they'll be closed. Rangers are fired. www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...

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— Peter Gleick (@petergleick.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 9:05 PM

 

The least they can do (but will they?) --

 

it’s the literal least they can do, so maybe they’ll actually do it (shh, let me have my delusions)

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— shauna (@goldengateblond.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 1:06 AM

The decent, right response --

 

Heartened to hear that no life-threatening injuries were sustained in yesterday’s crash and that all involved are expected to recover. While we wait to learn more about what went wrong, I’m grateful for the swift action and bravery of the first responders who answered the call.

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— Governor Tim Walz (@governorwalz.mn.gov) February 18, 2025 at 10:11 AM

Long overdue (like some of the mail under his politicized USPS) --

 

News: U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy plans to retire, he tells the USPS governing board.

— Jacob Bogage (@jacobbogage.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 8:26 AM

The wrong diagnosis --

 

Wrote about the morally vacuous, strategically unsound (and also wrong!) anti-“woke”diagnosis everyone’s still sticking with, even in the midst of civil rights apocalypse.

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— Rebecca Traister (@rtraister.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 7:33 AM

 O, Canada! --

 

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— Lea Thompson (@leathompson.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 1:16 AM

No worries.  President Musk has things under control --

Trump Sunday - attend car race. Trump Monday - golf. Trump Tuesday - golf.

— Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) February 18, 2025 at 10:50 AM

 

 

Dodgy Days In DC

 

Whole lotta dodgy going on.  Surprise, surprise!

Dodgy MF Saudi Golf Deal

The Oval Office meeting [in early February] convened by President Trump brought together the most important leaders in the world of professional golf: Jay Monahan, the top executive at the PGA Tour, and, via telephone, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the chairman of the Saudi Arabia-backed league known as LIV Golf. The stated goal was to figure out a way to eliminate roadblocks preventing the planned merger between the rival two groups.

But the gathering earlier this month said something even more important about the Trump administration itself. Mr. Trump was not simply using the power of his office to forge an agreement — something that presidents have done for centuries. In this case, Mr. Trump was pushing a merger that relates to his own family’s financial interests.

The Trump family is a LIV Golf business partner. The family has repeatedly hosted LIV tournaments at its golf venues, including one planned in April at the Trump National Doral in Miami for the fourth year in a row.

In other words, according to half a dozen former Justice Department prosecutors and government ethics lawyers, Mr. Trump’s participation in this discussion was a brazen conflict of interest — one of a series that have played out over the past few weeks, with a frequency unlike any presidency in modern times, even in the first Trump term...

Dodgy DOGE firings -- FDA

Food and Drug Administration employees reviewing Elon Musk’s brain implant company Neuralink were fired over the weekend as part of a broader purge of the federal workforce, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.

The cuts included about 20 people in the FDA’s office of neurological and physical medicine devices, several of whom worked on Neuralink, according to the two sources, who asked not to be identified because of fear of professional repercussions. That division includes reviewers overseeing clinical-trial applications by Neuralink and other companies making so-called brain-computer interface devices, the sources said...

Dodgy DOGE firings -- Homeland Security

The Trump administration is preparing to fire hundreds of high-level Department of Homeland Security employees this week as part of a move to rid the country’s third-largest agency of people deemed to be misaligned with the administration’s goals, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

The sources said the Trump administration has a “centralized plan” and a list of people in high-level positions across every component of DHS who are to be targeted this week. 

The firings will come on top of hundreds of more general cuts that began across DHS on Friday night, which targeted the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Those firings were the latest in a governmentwide effort to reduce the federal workforce...

Dodgy DOGE firings -- Park Rangers 

The sweeping layoffs of thousands of federal employees ordered by the Trump administration have made their way to Pennsylvania.

On Friday, some employees at one of the nation's most historic sites found out they're losing their jobs.

It leaves some to wonder what the impact will be as unions speaking out against the firings say they're being done without just cause.

Unions representing National Park employees also say the layoffs will make things even worse at parks that are already understaffed...

"Reduce the federal workforce" is a euphemism for "making arbitrary cuts in personnel and programs to help pay for tax cuts for the billionaire oligarchs running the show."  In some cases, the value added is that you're eliminating threats to your business interests, or actively engaging in promoting those interests.  Or, that you're simply a soulless sadist who craves the approval of other soulless sadists. 

The MF's regime is now a full- fledged a klepto- kakistocracy.

Trump's Despicable Extortion Of Ukraine

 

The UK's Telegraph reports that the Malignant Fascist presented a "plan" to Ukraine last week that amounts to extorting resources from Ukraine in exchange for vague protection. According to the document, the rights to Ukrainian resources goes far beyond anything offered or contemplated by Ukraine, and would hold its economy back decades from recovery:

"Donald Trump’s demand for a $500bn (£400bn) 'payback” from Ukraine goes far beyond US control over the country’s critical minerals. It covers everything from ports and infrastructure to oil and gas, and the larger resource base of the country.

The terms of the contract that landed at Volodymyr Zelensky’s office a week ago amount to the US economic colonisation of Ukraine, in legal perpetuity. It implies a burden of reparations that cannot possibly be achieved. The document has caused consternation and panic in Kyiv.

The Telegraph has obtained a draft of the pre-decisional contract, marked 'Privileged & Confidential’ and dated Feb 7 2025. It states that the US and Ukraine should form a joint investment fund to ensure that 'hostile parties to the conflict do not benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine'.

The agreement covers the 'economic value associated with resources of Ukraine', including 'mineral resources, oil and gas resources, ports, other infrastructure (as agreed)', leaving it unclear what else might be encompassed. 'This agreement shall be governed by New York law, without regard to conflict of laws principles,' it states."  (our emphasis)

While Ukrainian President Zelensky has offered to give the U.S. a stake in its rare earth minerals, but nothing near the greedy scope contained in the Trump offer was proposed by Ukraine:

"He calculated that it would lead to US companies setting operations on the ground, creating a political tripwire that would deter Vladimir Putin from attacking again.

Some mineral basins are near the front line in eastern Ukraine, or in Russian-occupied areas. He has played up the dangers of letting strategic reserves of titanium, tungsten, uranium, graphite and rare earths fall into Russian hands. 'If we are talking about a deal, then let’s do a deal, we are only for it,' he said.

He probably did not expect to be confronted with terms normally imposed on aggressor states defeated in war. They are worse than the financial penalties imposed on Germany and Japan after their defeat in 1945. Both countries were ultimately net recipients of funds from the victorious allies." (our emphasis)

This is a move right out of organized crime's protection racket, something that was likely taught to a younger Malignant Fascist by Roy Cohn, lawyer to New York crime figures in the Genovese and Bonanno crime families. Putting struggling Ukraine, an independent country already under attack by a relentless and much larger foe, in a position of colonization by the U.S. is despicable extortion, but something of which the Malignant Fascist is fully capable.

When Lies Are Coin Of The Realm And Crime Pays

 

Stephen Colbert looked back last night at a week of Trump's tyrannical actions symbolically boiling us all in a pot (just one of his extended metaphors), the Gulf of Mexico inanity, Brainworm's confirmation as HHS Secretary, and the Kennedy Center's future programming under the MF. 

 

We also have a short film from Jeremy Newberger, on the real secret to success that was learned by a young Donald Trump ("He who saves his country does not violate any law"):

 

His short AI films are things of genius, by the way.

QOTD -- When You Lose Canada

 

"... When the leader of our closest neighbour, ally and trading partner says that he can destroy us with the stroke of a pen — and repeats his willingness to do so — it is more than just an expression of perceived superiority or hyperbole, it’s a real threat. To dismiss it as anything less would be irresponsible and naive. The question we must ask ourselves is whether we are going to act as a serious nation or not.  [snip]

"In this growing fog of rhetoric and posturing it is difficult to decipher the fine line between threat and attack. Faced with such ambiguity, we can either continue to wait and respond incrementally or we can act decisively. I submit we are under attack and more significantly, so too is the global system upon which our security and prosperity are based. In response we need to rapidly deploy all available instruments of national power with maximal effect. This may need to include otherwise previously unthinkable actions such as shutting off our oil and gas, electrical power and critical supplies, as well as the abandonment of historic diplomatic and military relationships and commitments. We must also convince our other allies — those kids on the sidelines of the schoolyard — that they too have a responsibility to act as they are at risk as much as we are..." -- Mark Norman, former vice chief of the Canadian defence staff, writing in Canada's National Post, on why "Canada's Relationship With The U.S. Can't Be Saved."  The catastrophic, lasting damage the moronic, bullying Malignant Loser is doing to ourselves and with our relationships with our international partners and allies is starting to take its toll.  You can't have a better friend, neighbor, or ally than Canada, with whom we have enjoyed the longest militarily undefended border in the world for hundreds of years.  Canadians have fought side- by- side with us throughout the last century +, including against fascism, terrorist organizations, and state terror agents (remember how brave Canadians saved Americans during the Iran hostage crisis?).  If you're not deeply ashamed by what the Malignant Fascist is doing in our name, we don't know what it would take. 

We elected in haste, now we can repent at leisure for decades to come.

Trump: Let Europe Block American Ag Imports, "I Don't Mind"

 

We have a feeling that a whole new bunch of Trump voters will be having a visit from the face-eating leopards:

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday shrugged off the European Union's reported push to block imports of U.S. soybeans and other foods made to different standards, warning such a move would only hurt Europe itself.

Trump, speaking to reporters after a quick trip to Daytona Beach for the Daytona 500 car race, said the U.S. was sticking to its plans to start implementing reciprocal tariffs.

"That's alright. I don't mind. Let them do it. Let them do it. It's just hurting themselves if they do that," he said.

 

The Financial Times reported earlier on Sunday that the European Commission would agree next week to explore tough import limits on certain foods made to different standards in an effort to protect its farmers, echoing Trump's reciprocal trade policy.

 

Early targets could include U.S. crops such as soybeans grown using pesticides that EU farmers are not allowed to use, the report said, citing three officials it did not name.

 

Asked about the report earlier, a White House official earlier said Trump was fighting for fair and reciprocal trade and would stand up for American farmers.  [snip]

Tensions are running high between the U.S. and the EU after Trump's decision to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum from March 12; reciprocal tariffs from April; and separate tariffs on cars, pharmaceuticals and semiconductor chips.

 

All those tariffs would stack on top of each other, U.S. officials have said.

 

"But, we took Trump seriously but not literally!"  First, putting USAID "in the wood chipper," cutting off a significant market for American farmers.  Next, retaliatory tariffs.  The Malignant Fascist and President Musk couldn't be doing a better job of destroying America from within if they were Putin ... hmmm.

BONUS:  More reaction here.

(Photo:  Justin Merriman/ Bloomberg News)

Skeets Of The Day

 

The seeing and the sightless --

 

I’m having great difficulty right now seeing how our political system doesn’t devolve into violence.

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— George Conway (@gtconway.bsky.social) February 15, 2025 at 5:58 PM

 

I don’t think people grasp the dream land that Democratic leaders and consultants live in. I’ve been there, heard them speak. It’s as disconnected from reality as the worst MAGA true believer.

— Oliver Willis (@owillis.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 7:48 AM

 

People like Jeffries and Schumer think they are doing great and that their detractors just don’t get it. And honestly most of the Dems on Capitol Hill feel the same way.

— Oliver Willis (@owillis.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 7:50 AM

 

Has it occured to them that one reason voters aren’t biting on the idea that liberal democracy is facing an existential threat is that they find it inconceivable the opposition party would be nattering about fucking egg prices if they really believed that were true?

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— Julian Sanchez (@normative.bsky.social) February 16, 2025 at 11:55 PM

 

He's our worst nightmare, too --

 

The gulf between the U.S. and Europe on the Ukraine war crystallized for Europeans at the Munich Security Conference. "Their worst nightmare has come true. They see that the Trump administration is going to bypass them and try to strong-arm Ukraine in negotiating a deal with Russia to end the war."

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— Jon Cooper (@joncooper-us.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 8:54 AM

We don't need no stinkin' workplace safety rules! --

 

1. OSHA has ordered the digital and physical destruction of 18 publications on workplace safety practices, according to an email obtained by Popular Information. The email says the publications have been removed from the web and tells staff that physical copies should be "disposed of or recycled"

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— Judd Legum (@juddlegum.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 8:19 AM

 

Sic transit gloria, America --

 

“America’s adversaries have long found it hard to persuade America’s allies to defect from America’s economic networks. Mr. Trump’s second term has changed their calculus.” www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/o...

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— Daniel Drezner (@dandrezner.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 8:23 AM

"I never thought leopards would eat my face" -- 

Over on Xitter, the Leopards have started eating Tom Cotton's face, because of his tie (which he shares with many other Republicans) to the IRI. Cotton is actually one I've watched with curiosity.

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— emptywheel (@emptywheel.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 7:22 AM

 

Bezos Bugle bends the knee to Musk/ Trump;  have you cancelled your subscription? --

 

The Washpost, which is bleeding millions of dollars and shrinking its staff, accepted -- and then rejected -- a $115,000 ad that criticized Elon Musk. Anyway, here's the ad that the Post's business side didn't want its readers to see ⤵️ thehill.com/media/514849...

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— Bill Grueskin (@bgrueskin.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 8:38 AM

 

Last Fall, the Washington Post allowed a right wing group to run a full page ad falsely attacking me for protecting voting rights. Today, Bezos' paper won't accept ads criticizing Elon Musk. Support pro-democracy media. www.democracydocket.com/me-subscribe...

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— Marc Elias (@marcelias.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 7:48 AM

WankPanzer and other exploding Muskmobile sales in the crapper  --

 

Staggering sales drops, swastika-daubed EVs, companies culling fleet models, and fan-forum owners selling their cars—Elon Musk's alt-right antics are seriously impacting his electric car business.

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— WIRED (@wired.com) February 16, 2025 at 6:00 PM

 

"Sickus Quickus" --

 

This week's #LastWeekTonight intro card:

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— Ryan Schwartz (@ryanschwartz.tv) February 17, 2025 at 1:10 AM

 

Feels right --

 

Feels like something they’d paint on the side of the barn in Animal Farm.

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— Brent Terhune (@brentterhune.bsky.social) February 16, 2025 at 10:42 AM