Featuring Meredith Blake and The Contrarian Protest Playlist; Megan Armstrong; Brian O'Neill; The Democracy Index; a May Day Protest video; Marissa Rothkopf; Ruben Bolling; and our Pet of the Week!
Rand Paul gave a rousing reminder to Congress. Worth watching on YouTube. Congress controls the purse. The President has no input on tariffs. Three branches of government.
I have been angry all day, so this is my rant about the tariff bill. If you've been following it, you know that we were one vote short of defeating it, and Vance broke the tie. Perhaps you think that Sheldon Whitehouse is to blame, because he was in South Korea for a conference. People on social media were furious, and he bore the brunt of their anger.
And, that's the press version, but it's evidently not the truth. Schumer and Durbin, the Senate Minority Whip, were at fault. Weeks earlier, they knew about Whitehouse's conference. They also knew they needed all four Republican votes to defeat the bill. Given McConnell's health, they never should have allowed Whitehouse to leave.
According to Andrew Desiderio, a reporter for Punchbowl News, "There was consternation among rank-and-file Democratic senators at the party’s leadership, which had agreed to schedule the vote for Wednesday evening despite knowing in advance that Whitehouse would be absent." Schumer wrote on Facebook that he forced the vote. Why would he do that?
Because, then he could blame Republicans for their loss, and he said that because of it, they would lose in 2026. If this was his strategy, it sounds familiar to what he did on the CR. Either way, he must be removed immediately, and I'm going to write my Senator about this.
As far as Durbin is concerned, once again, did he just follow Schumer into the abyss? Later on Wednesday, he said there might be a problem with absences. Since, he only had to track four votes, with McConnell out, he knew they had lost the vote. Whatever his rationale, Durbin must go as well. Their combined arrogance or incompetence is unforgivable.
This is the beginning of an email I sent to my two democratic senators today. I call him Mr. Schumer as a sign of childish disrespect. There were a few more paragraphs, but this is the guts of it. Since there was no category that applied, I labeled it "defense."
I'm am labeling this as "defense" because it is that important. There must be a change of leadership now, for us to win in 2026, and convince Democratic voters that we have leaders who will act decisively. Mr. Schumer has almost single-handedly destroyed our trust. Every other senator who joined him in voting for the CR, is now considered untrustworthy and/or complicit. And, when I read that Mr. Schumer would remain in office after the CR vote, because there was no one to replace him, it was devastating.
When Mr. Schumer wrote on Facebook that he “forced the vote and now Republicans must "own" what they did,” it is the same excuse he used for the CR vote. There can be no other reason, because he knew about Senator Whitehouse’s conference weeks in advance, and allowed him to go. Why would he have done that when Mr. McConnell’s health is questionable and he is not reliable?
We, voters, needed the “win,” independent of how the House would vote, and despite the fact that the president would veto the bill. Mr. Schumer has demoralized more Democratic voters than I can even imagine, although many now are blaming Senator Whitehouse for the current debacle because Schumer never "owns" what he does.
Mr. Schumer must be forced to resign, and so must Mr. Durbin. Either he is incompetent because he couldn't track four votes, and absences (his excuse), or he is complicit.
I was trying to condense what he said. I've never had respect for Rand Paul until today. Maybe, just maybe he can pull Congress together to stand against the President. He had so much to say in his address.
My apologies, my comment was not intended to start an argument. It's just that all of the so-called "smart people" in Congress, the media and talking head circuit seems to have forgotten what Rand Paul and you said, namely that tariffs is the responsibility of Congress.
Paul is one of 7 Republican senators who cosponsored the bill to remove Trump Tariff authority, Trade Review Act of 2025. Maria Cantwell is principal sponsor.
"Paul is one of 7 Republican senators who cosponsored the bill to remove Trump Tariff authority,"
It shouldn't be removing "Trump Tariff authority"; rather, it should be rescinding all presidential power to impose tariffs. It's been 90 years in the making. This is what happens when Congress decides it's okay to cede some of its authority.
Oh, to live in MAGA Trumplandia where science, facts & law don’t matter. For the convicted fraudster in chief & his capos the presidency is a side hustle & the grifting never ends.
Rand Paul gave a rousing reminder to Congress. Worth watching on YouTube. Congress controls the purse. The President has no input on tariffs. Three branches of government.
I have been angry all day, so this is my rant about the tariff bill. If you've been following it, you know that we were one vote short of defeating it, and Vance broke the tie. Perhaps you think that Sheldon Whitehouse is to blame, because he was in South Korea for a conference. People on social media were furious, and he bore the brunt of their anger.
And, that's the press version, but it's evidently not the truth. Schumer and Durbin, the Senate Minority Whip, were at fault. Weeks earlier, they knew about Whitehouse's conference. They also knew they needed all four Republican votes to defeat the bill. Given McConnell's health, they never should have allowed Whitehouse to leave.
According to Andrew Desiderio, a reporter for Punchbowl News, "There was consternation among rank-and-file Democratic senators at the party’s leadership, which had agreed to schedule the vote for Wednesday evening despite knowing in advance that Whitehouse would be absent." Schumer wrote on Facebook that he forced the vote. Why would he do that?
Because, then he could blame Republicans for their loss, and he said that because of it, they would lose in 2026. If this was his strategy, it sounds familiar to what he did on the CR. Either way, he must be removed immediately, and I'm going to write my Senator about this.
As far as Durbin is concerned, once again, did he just follow Schumer into the abyss? Later on Wednesday, he said there might be a problem with absences. Since, he only had to track four votes, with McConnell out, he knew they had lost the vote. Whatever his rationale, Durbin must go as well. Their combined arrogance or incompetence is unforgivable.
This is the beginning of an email I sent to my two democratic senators today. I call him Mr. Schumer as a sign of childish disrespect. There were a few more paragraphs, but this is the guts of it. Since there was no category that applied, I labeled it "defense."
I'm am labeling this as "defense" because it is that important. There must be a change of leadership now, for us to win in 2026, and convince Democratic voters that we have leaders who will act decisively. Mr. Schumer has almost single-handedly destroyed our trust. Every other senator who joined him in voting for the CR, is now considered untrustworthy and/or complicit. And, when I read that Mr. Schumer would remain in office after the CR vote, because there was no one to replace him, it was devastating.
When Mr. Schumer wrote on Facebook that he “forced the vote and now Republicans must "own" what they did,” it is the same excuse he used for the CR vote. There can be no other reason, because he knew about Senator Whitehouse’s conference weeks in advance, and allowed him to go. Why would he have done that when Mr. McConnell’s health is questionable and he is not reliable?
We, voters, needed the “win,” independent of how the House would vote, and despite the fact that the president would veto the bill. Mr. Schumer has demoralized more Democratic voters than I can even imagine, although many now are blaming Senator Whitehouse for the current debacle because Schumer never "owns" what he does.
Mr. Schumer must be forced to resign, and so must Mr. Durbin. Either he is incompetent because he couldn't track four votes, and absences (his excuse), or he is complicit.
"Congress controls the purse. The President has no input on tariffs."
Well, the President does have input on tariffs, and Congress has ceded that power since FDR:
https://www.usconstitution.net/executive-tariff-authority/
Maybe Congress will finally get its head out of its ass and rescind that power.
I was trying to condense what he said. I've never had respect for Rand Paul until today. Maybe, just maybe he can pull Congress together to stand against the President. He had so much to say in his address.
My apologies, my comment was not intended to start an argument. It's just that all of the so-called "smart people" in Congress, the media and talking head circuit seems to have forgotten what Rand Paul and you said, namely that tariffs is the responsibility of Congress.
Paul is one of 7 Republican senators who cosponsored the bill to remove Trump Tariff authority, Trade Review Act of 2025. Maria Cantwell is principal sponsor.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1272
Contrarian has not been covering attempts at shared government. Read Jerry Weiss, https://jerryweiss.substack.com/
There is a companion House bill. H.R.2665, The Trade Review Act of 2025.
Sponsor is Don Bacon, R.NE. 5 cosponsors — 3 Democrats, 2 Republicans — plus its sponsor.
Don Bacon.
https://bacon.house.gov/about/about-don.htm
"Paul is one of 7 Republican senators who cosponsored the bill to remove Trump Tariff authority,"
It shouldn't be removing "Trump Tariff authority"; rather, it should be rescinding all presidential power to impose tariffs. It's been 90 years in the making. This is what happens when Congress decides it's okay to cede some of its authority.
Thanks for the post and the recipe. Btw the story about the elephants that Kamala recounted was quite inspiring. :)
A good protest song, to the tune of “The Battle of New Orleans”:
The Evil in the Oval
In 2-0-2-5 we had a little hitch
The Evil in the Oval tried to make us all his bitch
We took a little chaos and we took a lot of heat
And we stood up to the bully with the tiny, tiny feet
We used our laws and the Evil kept a comin’
He hid behind the billionaire with tactics mean and low
Our courts held strong and they began to runnin'
From Pennsylvania Ave. to the Gulf of Mexico
We looked at our phones and we’d see the daily crap
Firing so many good people that it’s like they had an app
They talked patriotic with a firehose of lies
We stood behind the Bill of Rights ‘n’ got him right between the eyes
We used our laws and the Evil kept a comin’
He hid behind the billionaire with tactics mean and low
Our courts held strong and they began to runnin'
From Pennsylvania Ave. to the Gulf of Mexico
The congressional majority was nowhere to be found
Believing they would keep their jobs by following this clown
We pressed our case with civics that we all had learned so well
They never saw us comin’ and we really gave ‘em
Well, we used our laws and the Evil kept a comin’
He hid behind the billionaire with tactics mean and low
Our courts held strong and they began to runnin'
From Pennsylvania Ave. to the Gulf of Mexico
Yeah, he cried foul play and he cried like babies
A gaslighting performance from that rabid so-and-so
The smart ones wouldn’t touch him for fear of catching rabies
From Pennsylvania Ave. to the Gulf of Mexico
We used our wits to the letter of the law
Like we printed the Preamble out and stuffed it down his maw
We filled his head with truthfulness he couldn’t comprehend
And the door that closed behind him really hit him in the end
Well, we used our laws and the Evil kept a comin’
He hid behind the billionaire with tactics mean and low
Our courts held strong and they began to runnin'
From Pennsylvania Ave. to the Gulf of Mexico
Yeah, he cried foul play and he cried like babies
A gaslighting performance from that rabid so-and-so
The smart ones wouldn’t touch him for fear of catching rabies
From Pennsylvania Ave. to the Gulf of Mexico
Hut, two, three, four
Sound off, three, four
Hut, two, three, four
Sound off, three, four
Hut, two, three, four
Hut, two, three, four
Trump & Co demand we abandon reality & threatens prosecution/retribution for challenging fabricated evidence & propaganda.
https://youtu.be/XCxNzFfX8Z8?feature=shared
Oh, to live in MAGA Trumplandia where science, facts & law don’t matter. For the convicted fraudster in chief & his capos the presidency is a side hustle & the grifting never ends.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/us/politics/trump-crypto-world-liberty-financial.html?smid=url-share
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_LyYN-5YLk
You'll be (are being) flooded, but this here says what's in my rabble-rousin' heart. It's one of the two tracks from a new release that IS on Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/track/4qWU2XeVXbFU9957geEibk?si=51a4037ed48c4450
Here's a lyric vid for good measure. Viva Le Contrian!
https://youtu.be/Znl0Tc1Dolk?si=GR8SIs-sE1InnpNQ