The Frankish Reich

Kosher, but not Halal?

She looks smart!

Of course not. I'm just saying that Tesla has problems that are separate and apart from the Elon branding.

Tesla does have a serious production quality control and innovation problem. It was so far ahead of the pack in the last decade, and now it probably isn't even in the top 5 of EVs. Musk distracted by too many other things going on? His operating philosophy no longer working? This is separate and apart from his breaking of the Michael Jordan Rule ("Republicans buy sneakers too")

right. Like that's never happened before or since. Like Deportation Barbie on all the local news channels as ICE conducts raids. Like all the camera crews waiting for the planes to land in El Salvador. Like every perp walk you've ever seen.

Trump just said that it will make education "many times better." How? I mean, I get "we aren't getting results for all that spending." That's obvious. So there's an efficiency argument that throwing money at education hasn't succeeded. But that doesn't mean that cutting off that money magically makes students perform better. It simply doesn't follow. What "braindead concepts" re: education have I advocated in the past? I am basically a supporter of vouchers and privatization of education provided the private schools meet basic standards. Isn't that where you stand, even though you teach in an old school public school?

Education will be half the cost, and many times better. Magical thinking, just as dumb as Jimmy Carter in 1979 promising that the creation of a federal DOE would make education better and more efficient.

That's the Afrikaaner spelling.

Look at who Trump invited to his Department of Education Memorial Service: - Ron DeSantis, governor of the state bragging about how its ACT scores show a whopping 25% of graduates hitting the national Math benchmark - Mike DWine, governor of a state that says hold my beer, Ron, we at 28% - the Governor of Oklahoma (I have no idea of the name) where 15% meet the standard! These folks have obviously discovered the Secret Red State Sauce that will allow us to compete with China!

Of course not. I am pointing out that this Sean Davis guy is a moron for thinking that Zelensky is in favor of continued war. Which kind of agrees with what you just said.

So breathtaking in his stupidity, this Sean Davis. If this were true, then I supposed Russia would immediately end its invasion. Zelensky would be voted out or deposed as President. A new pro-Russia president would take over. Russia's entire casus belli would be negated. Everyone is happy. So maybe, just maybe, Russia started this war and refuses to end it with anything short of surrender?

Of course, the immediate issue here is the conflicting justifications for the tariffs. They're to stop fentanyl trafficking. No, they're to stop Canada and Mexico from taking advantage of us. No, they're to raise revenue in the most beautiful manner possible. No, they're to give companies an incentive to shift production and jobs to the US.

Folks can legitimately complain about a lot of federal court injunctions. But the one at issue here - removing people to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act - is not one of them. This one is truly unprecedented in over two centuries that the law has been in place.

Rare case where the right thing is the popular thing.

As usual, contributing nothing. Trump EOs follow the Project 2025 playbook. Trump appointees come from the Project 2025 authors. Big coincidence. Great minds think alike. Might as well appoint a career-stalled North Carolina "vaccine scientist" to a high government position.

Oh no, he lied! Or even worse, he didn't know about Project 2025 because he isn't actually running the government!!

Oh yeah? Fed's growth estimate for 2025 adjusted down; inflation estimate adjusted up. And the word "transitory" made a most welcome return...

Did the whole DEI thing go way too far? Yes. Is the story of the Navajo Code Talkers interesting and inspiring, and maybe an aid to recruitment? Yes.

Who knew? Article II, Section 2, Clause 1: The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment. Got that? Grant Reprieves and Pardons. Not "sign documents with quill pen and ink bottle rendering pardons unto his relatives ..."

Can we stop for breakfast at the Waffle House on the way?

perhaps you'd like to point out that fine distinction to the OP: TRUMP VOIDS AUTOPEN LAST-MINUTE PARDONS

I understand Putin always wins the Russian Federation Grand Shirtless Equestrian Fisherman Contest every year.

There wasn't always a Department of Education. It used to be within Health, Education, and Welfare. I think Carter suggested we create it and Congress did so. The idea was that something important - and who denies that education is important? - needs it's own federal department to signal that importance and to create its own internal lobby to ensure that it wasn't given short shrift in the budgetary process. The same kind of sentiment was behind the creation of the Department of Homeland Security after 9/11. I don't think anyone can look at DOE or even DHS and say that creation of a new bureaucracy helped achieve substantive goals. So I have no problem with eliminating these departments and giving their essential functions back to other departments or agencies. But (there's always a but): let's do it an an orderly manner. It can be done. Has anyone really tried? No. "Hand it over to DOGE" is an admission of defeat. If the new Republican agenda is popular, then do like Reagan and convince the American people that these goals are important and Congress will follow.

Backyard chickens! I know people who have them. Annoying as hell. They do produce eggs in addition to noise. They also attract animals that think chickens are tasty.

"by Venezuela" assumes a state actor, the Government of Venezuela. So if we really believe Venezuela is "sending" its gang members to infiltrate the US, well, we probably should declare war on Venezuela, no? Or at least do something like shut down Venezuelan shipping in the Gulf of Mexico. Or at least act like it is, you know, a War, not a law enforcement action. We'll see the Trump Administration's legal theory in the court proceedings. My guess: it will be incoherent, not meant to persuade lawyers, but meant to persuade Fox News viewers. In other words, political, not legal.