Evening Roundup: February 28
Featuring: Jen Rubin with Ilan Goldenberg; Brian O'Neill; Eric Blanc; Sherrilyn Ifill; Julie Zebrak; Jen Rubin with Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand; Jamie Schler; and our Contrarian Pet of the Week, Mo
Trump and Vance berate Zelensky
Never before have we witnessed such a grotesque display of bullying in the Oval Office by a president and vice president of the United States. Berating a democratic ally for the temerity not to sacrifice his own country to Donald Trump’s idol, Vladimir Putin. (INSTANT REACTION: VIDEO)
A confrontation in the Oval Office and a fractured wartime alliance
By Brian O’Neill
After Trump and Vance berated Zelensky for perceived slights, America's shifting priorities become stark.
How we stop Elon Musk
Who can stop Elon Musk’s smash-and-grab rampage through the federal government? Though the courts might ultimately rule against some of the Department of Government Efficiency’s power grab, the new administration has already suggested it might flout court rulings it doesn’t like. And far too many Democratic leaders remain MIA, appearing to agree with Ja…
When Lawyers Stand Up
By Sherrilyn Ifill
The last month has been marked by repeated challenges to our constitutional order and to the rule of law. Elon Musk’s reign of terror against federal workers, Trump’s betrayal of Ukraine, the confirmation of Kash Patel to lead the FBI and the late Friday night purge at the Department of Defense last week are all…
The Democracy Index
By Julie Zebrak
A Note from Joyce: Hi Friends. I’m off this week, picking up a new puppy after we lost our beloved Boxer last fall. There will be pictures in my newsletter, Civil Discourse! But I’m leaving you in very capable hands. My close friend and former DOJ colleague, Julie Zebrak, who has been instrumental in getting the Democracy Index off the ground is filling in during this very important week.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Jen Rubin on the future of the U.S. military
Yesterday, five former defense secretaries released an open letter calling the dismissals of senior military leaders as “reckless” and urged Congress not to confirm their successors. The men closed the letter with a terse assertation, “We're not asking members of Congress to do us a favor; we're asking them to do their jobs." (VIDEO)
Gougères
To practice any art, no matter how well or how badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. So do it. --Kurt Vonnegut
Have a restful weekend, friends.
We need to start a mass movement to support Ukraine, with millions of people, contributing millions of dollars, and aid
Not to be too paranoid, but could the canceling of the February meeting of the FDA's Vaccines ... Advisory Committee have anything to do with the fact that, absent an up-to-date flu vaccine for winter '05-'06, many thousands more vulnerable senior citizens will die from the disease and thus no longer collect Social Security, which will save money that can go toward the Musk-Trump tax cuts for billionaires and corporations?