“[T]here is quite literally no legitimate reason for the most powerful people on earth to even associate with such well-renowned lecherous scum and yet associate they did, over and over again. … Bill Clinton, rode on Epstein’s Lolita Express on 27 known occasions and invited the man to the White House four times during his presidency, he even visited the bastard in prison after his first arrest …. former prime minister of Israel, Ehud Barak, held three dozen meetings with the by then convicted child predator between 2013 and 2017, at one point hooking up once a month for eleven months straight. This isn’t fucking normal, and you don’t have to be paranoid to want some goddamn answers here. Even if these relationships don’t qualify as criminal they are at the very least indefensibly immoral, as is the Donald’s own account of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.” (08/31/25)
“I regret it, but George Santayana’s famous statement, ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,’ is misleading at best. The statement implies that if we do remember the past, we will not repeat it. But, based on the history I’ve learned, that’s not true. We see a regrettable repetition right now: In 1930, more than a thousand economists signed a statement opposing the Smoot-Hawley Tariff bill, warning it would lead to a destructive trade war. Congress passed high tariffs anyway, and they contributed to the Great Depression. This year, nearly two thousand experts, also led by economists, warned against raising tariffs. Yet our president is slapping on tariffs right and left, and Congress is silent. There are three major reasons why historical remembrance does not bring enlightenment.” (08/29/25)
“‘… do we live under a limited or an unlimited government?’ To you, that question probably sounds naive because the answer feels obvious. But in 1792, Thomas Jefferson saw it as the moment of truth. Alexander Hamilton had just laid out his vision for the ‘general welfare’ clause. His answer was simple. ‘The power … is … indefinite.’ To Jefferson and his allies, this was a scam. A complete betrayal of the constitutional system that was adopted. The clash over the meaning of these two words – general Welfare – set the stage for what became the largest government in history.” (08/30/25)
“The order announces that Trump seeks to use content-neutral laws, which are agnostic about the message an act might convey, to prosecute flag-burners precisely because he doesn’t like their message. In so doing, Trump has furnished future defendants, and possibly the protesting veteran, with evidence to support a ‘selective prosecution’ defense. When the government selectively enforces an otherwise content-neutral law — say, by prosecuting those who burn flags but not those who burn trash — and does so because it disagrees with the message an individual expresses, the Constitution requires that the charges be dismissed. The difficulty in most cases is proving that the government’s purpose was illegal. But the Trump order proudly pronounces it.” (08/30/25)
“Geographers often debate what is ‘the heart of Europe’ – some say Slovakia, others say Lithuania. Ask diplomats, however, and they might say Europe’s heart lies in the hugs, handshakes, and harmony between the leaders of France and Germany, the founders of the European Union. On Thursday and Friday, the two countries showed how personal bonds – built on a remarkable reconciliation between Paris and Berlin after World War II – can help Europe face its current challenges. First, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at his seaside home on the Mediterranean for a tie-free, one-on-one working dinner. The next day, the duo presided over the 25th joint cabinet meeting between the EU’s two most powerful economies. The cozy get-together, their second since Mr. Merz’s election earlier this year, resulted in a number of new initiatives on security, trade, industry, and energy.” (08/29/25)
“The dollar has fallen by more than 10 percent against the euro since Trump took office. This is despite the economics textbook prediction that tariffs should increase the value of the dollar. Also, the spread between the interest rate on 30-year Treasury bonds and 10-year Treasury bonds has increased from around 20 basis points last year to more than 60 basis points at present. That additional 40 basis points, which directly affects mortgage interest rates, can be seen as the Trump crazy premium to date. As the craziness deepens — for example, if Trump puts himself in charge of the statistical agencies or decides to do a few more Intel shakedowns — the Trump crazy premium will rise. … the country will be seeing much higher interest rates than if we had a sane person in the White House.” (09/01/25)
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“Western civilization is not worth saving. I think that’s been pretty well established by now. That’s one of the silliest things about the way rightists are always babbling about how we need to protect our way of life from immigrants or Islam or ‘the trans agenda’ or whatever. They’re beginning with the assumption that this train wreck of a society is worth saving at all. I am not saying that westerners should die. I am not saying that all the ideals and values that westerners purport to hold are worthless. I am saying that this civilization, as it actually exists, is an indefensible disaster.” (08/29/25)
“In his farewell address to the nation, George Washington included a special pleading: ‘Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence (I conjure you to believe me, fellow-citizens) the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government.’ It is said that Israel’s influence over American military and foreign affairs is unique — that no small state in modern times has exerted such control over the affairs of a great power. This is a troubling claim. But is it true?” (09/01/25)
“Uncharacteristically for him, President Donald Trump is being too modest in asserting his power over the Federal Reserve. He has fired Lisa Cook ‘for cause,’ citing a clearly pretextual alleged mortgage infraction — when as a constitutional matter, he should be able to fire her, or Chairman Jerome Powell, for any reason he deems appropriate. The independence of the Federal Reserve largely rests on its status as a constitutional anomaly, exercising executive authority without being subject to the same rules as the rest of the executive branch.” [editor’s note: I wonder if Lowry can point me to the constitutional provision empowering the president to fire … well, anyone. It seems to be missing from my copy. He can appoint people to certain posts, sometimes requiring Senate permission, but firing isn’t mentioned – TLK] (08/31/25)
