“I’m puzzled by Democratic politicians’ decision to turn Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal [sic] immigrant and alleged member of a violent gang who’s been deported from Maryland to El Salvador, into their latest cause célèbre. Four Democratic House members landed in the capital city of San Salvador on April 21 to appeal for his return to the United Sates … Just days earlier, Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland made the same journey to meet with Abrego Garcia, who is being held in a Salvadoran prison. The Supreme Court has ruled that the deportation was illegal, and the Trump administration was instructed to return Abrego Garcia to the United States. But the Justice Department contends that it doesn’t have jurisdiction because he’s being held by a foreign government.” (04/23/25)
“Jelly Roll has gotten one step closer to receiving a full pardon for his previous convictions. The Tennessee Board of Parole officially recommended the 40-year-old musician receive a full pardon following a 45-minute hearing which included statements from a number of witnesses, including Nashville Sheriff Daron Hall, who runs Nashville’s jail. The hearing ended with a vote, in which the board reached a unanimous agreement to recommend the musician be pardoned, with only one board member recusing themselves from voting. ‘This was incredible,’ Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, said after the vote, according to the board’s recording of the meeting. ‘I pray this goes through. But today was special for me, regardless.’ The board’s unanimous vote leaves the final decision in the hands of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee.” (04/23/25)
“‘Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government.’ ‘I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.’ — James Madison … I just thought I’d throw those two quotes above out there so you’d know what James Madison, the ‘Father’ of our Constitution, the guy who wrote most of it, thought about a government welfare state. There is absolutely nothing in the Constitution that gives the federal government the right to spend one thin dime, much less trillions, on charity, even to their own constituents, much less to foreigners. But, it’s really a moot point; nobody in Washington, D.C., especially in Congress, pays the least bit of attention to what the Constitution authorizes them to do.” (04/23/25)
“The Trump administration would look at lowering tariffs on imported Chinese goods pending talks with Beijing, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, adding that any action would not be made unilaterally. The source’s comments followed a Wall Street Journal report that the White House is considering cutting its tariffs on Chinese imports in a bid to de-escalate tensions.” (04/23/25)
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“Awakening outwardly is waking up from the trance of propaganda and indoctrination, and awakening inwardly is waking up from the trance of ego and delusion. Awakening outwardly means becoming fully conscious of what’s really happening in our world beyond the propaganda and what we were taught in school. Learning about all the ways we’ve been deceived and manipulated, learning the truth about war, militarism, imperialism, capitalism, authoritarianism, ecocide, and all the interrelated abuses and injustices caused by the systems and power structures we live under. Awakening inwardly means becoming fully conscious of the ways in which we have been deceiving ourselves. Doing the inner work necessary to bring consciousness to the delusions and dysfunction within us and discovering what’s really true about our unquestioned assumptions regarding basic elements of our experience like self, other, time, space, thought, consciousness, and separation.” (04/23/25)
“Sen. Dick Durbin [D-IL], the Senate Democratic whip and the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, has announced he will not seek re-election in 2026. Durbin, 80, who was first elected to the Senate in 1996, made the announcement in a video message on X Wednesday. ‘The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy,’ Durbin said. ‘I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term.’ Durbin represents Illinois, a solidly Democratic state. His retirement is expected to set off a set off a flurry of activity among a scrum of would-be successors, both Democratic and Republican. However, the GOP has only captured a Senate seat just twice for six-year terms since 1984.” (04/23/25)
“The theme chosen by the anti-Trump protesters who took to the streets on April 5 (‘Hands Off’) was considered vague even by sympathetic observers and gave rise to a number of interesting questions: ‘Which hands?’ and ‘Off what, or whom?’ … The protesting hordes, apparently, wanted to keep the government just the way it is. There is, I have observed, a peculiar variety of liberal conservatism that insists nothing must ever change — the ecology must remain untouched and the cities must remain undeveloped in this best of all possible worlds. Progressivism, once a revolutionary faith, has evolved into your elderly grandmother, confused by the bustle of modern life and afraid of the new. Government, from the progressive perspective, exists to freeze society and nature into a comfy stasis.” (04/22/25)
“Senior Palestinian officials loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas are meeting to vote on the creation of a vice presidency and could choose a possible successor to the unpopular 89-year-old. The two-day meeting of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Central Council, beginning Wednesday, comes as Abbas seeks relevance and a role in postwar planning for the Gaza Strip after having been largely sidelined by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. In his opening speech, Abbas lashed out at Hamas, calling the militant group ‘sons of dogs,’ using unusually harsh language in an apparent strategy aimed at garnering international support for a future role in Gaza. The council is expected to vote on creating the role of vice chairman of the PLO Executive Committee, who would also be referred to as the vice president of the State of Palestine — which the Palestinians hope will one day receive full international recognition.” (04/23/25)
“The University of Louisville has reportedly agreed to pay nearly $1.6 million to settle a lawsuit brought by a former professor who was fired for criticizing transgender treatments for children experiencing gender dysphoria. Dr. Allan Josephson worked for nearly 15 years as chief of the University of Louisville’s Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology. According to his legal complaint, Josephson was able to turn around the struggling division during his tenure and received perfect scores in his 2014-2016 annual reviews. Despite his professional accomplishments, the complaint alleges that Josephson was demoted in 2017 and eventually fired after making comments in his own capacity challenging the push to use hormone therapy and surgery for children with gender dysphoria, according to legal group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). ADF, which represented Josephson in court, announced the settlement agreement Monday and hailed the case as a ‘major victory’ for free speech.” (04/23/25)
“Much to my astonishment, some voters thought Donald Trump might be a ‘peace president.’ I never bought it, so won’t outline the case for such magical thinking here, but his major increase already excessive U.S. weapons transfers to Israel as it continues its illegal genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, and recent, contradictory statements by Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding working to end Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, or throwing in the towel on diplomacy, should by now have disabused anyone that Trump is a consistent peace advocate. In the wake of his and Elon Musk’s taking a sledgehammer to all manner of government programs, in both domestic and foreign policy, there is real concern more countries than the current nine … might decide to build their own nuclear weapons.” (04/23/25)
