4.21.2025

Random Monday Morning Thoughts




After 10 cases of listeriosis, including 3 deaths,  Blue Bell issued a widespread recall of all its products due to the Listeria outbreak. 

  • The Pope died overnight only one day after meeting with J.D. Vance.
     

  • A huge motorcycle crash on I-35W and Heritage Trace on Friday night. 



  • Seems a little scant on the details here.  


  • Two more ugly incidents related to the Frisco Stabbing Case:
    • "Dozens" attended a "Protect White Americans Rally" in Frisco on Saturday spearheaded by a  January 6th insurrectionist who was pardoned.  (And there was this shocking post from him after the fact.)

    • There was another swatting call to a member of  the victim's family.  Video from one of them.
  • That's not extremist. That's Fox News in prime time.


  • A wild Friday in the Trump vs. The Courts world. A quick synopsis:
    • Two weeks ago, the Supreme Court implicitly gave Trump the right to use the Alien Enemies Act so long as those who are rounded up were given "reasonable" notice of a hearing to challenge their removal if they wished.
    • And then on Friday, a bus of immigrants, declared as enemies under the Alien Enemies Acts, were loaded onto a bus in Anson, Texas for a journey to the airport to be sent, presumably, to the El Salvadorian prison.
    • Had they received "reasonable" notice and a right to a hearing? Well, they had received only 24 hours notice - in English - that they would be deported, but the notice mentioned nothing about their right  to challenge their deportation at a hearing.

    • The immigrant lawyers filed a writ of habeas corpus in Texas with Judge James Wesley Hendrix of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas asking him to stop the deportation because, among other things, the notice above was insufficient and the deportations were imminent.
    • In that hearing, the lawyer for Trump said they would not be deported that night (they were now off the bus). But he added "there are no plans to deport them tomorrow either" although he "reserved the right" to change that. So come midnight, the plans could change.
    • But the district judge wouldn't rule. He sat on his hands. 
    • The lawyers, frustrated, then took the exceptional step of filing the writ in the Fifth Circuit because they couldn't get an answer from the district judge.
    • The Fifth Circuit refused to rule, too. 
    • The lawyers then took the crazy next step of going to the Supreme Court and asking them to stop the deportation directly. 
    • At a little before 1:00 a.m., the Supreme Court did just that -- it stopped the deportations. Two judges (Alito and Thomas dissented.) 

  • In that other case: Just in case the Supreme Court needed more evidence that the Trump administration is not making good-faith efforts to comply with "facilitating" the return of the man wrongfully sent to the El Salvadorian prison without a hearing, we had the White House issue this -- which I couldn't believe was real.

    • Using a photo-shopped image, Trump also mocked the man.  It's a propaganda machine.  

  • The White House has now changed its COVID information page. Good lord. 

  • A kid fainted/threw up in the Oval Office. Video. (I'm right there with you, girl.) 

  • Measles update. We're doing great. 

  • The Administration is one big grift.  The Secret Service is now promoting Lara Trump's new show on Fox by posting this on Twitter. 

  • A couple of Israel-Gaza headlines (which might get me deported.) The second one only exists because they had been caught lying when a video was recently released. 


  • And I don't even have time to mention the Secretary of Defense texted war plans to his wife, brother, and personal lawyer. (Gift link) . . . 

at 8:30 AM

4.18.2025

It's Friday -- Let's Get Out of Here

at 2:30 PM

Random Friday Morning Thoughts




Oh, the simpler days of Liberally Lean. 

  • Add Florida State to the list. "Police said the gunman has been identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, an FSU student who is the son of a Leon County deputy sheriff." At least one cell phone video caught the shooter in action.


  • The defendant's parents in the Frisco School Stabbing case held a press conference yesterday.  That whole case is going to snowball into a major national flashpoint. And it's certainly not a good time for any national flashpoint. 

    • And this isn't helping.  Edit: Good lord, Fox News is playing this clip this morning.  

    • Nor this. 

  • New this morning: The Secretary of State just said that America is almost done with trying to help end the Russian/Ukraine war. Didn't someone promise us that he would end the war "in one day"?


  • Last night, El Salvador took Kilmar Abrego García out their notorious prison and let him meet with a Democratic U.S. senator at a hotel.  The government then took a few photos of the event and immediately released them. The Senator then used those photos in a social media post.  Seem a little weird for El Salvador to allow this? Well . . . 


    • . . . The senator just got played. There is no question that Trump Administration, which was 100% involved in this stunt, will now say, "The Democrats would rather sit down at a hotel bar with a deported illegal immigrant MS-13 gang member than helping us get the rest of them out of America. And for the hand-wringing about how he was being treated, Garcia looks like he is doing just fine."   
    • Heck, we won't even have to wait for Trump to say it. I just saw this from the Murdoch's New York Post: 

    • Ted Cruz has joined in as well as he tweeted this as he referenced the photo above: 
    • And now, after this orchestrated event, Garcia gets sent back to that insane prison, and the propaganda will be eaten up by the American public. No one cares about due process until it impacts them. The Nazis would have been jealous over what just happened. 
  • Meanwhile, the Trump Administration failed in its appeal in the case over whether they are doing anything to "facilitate" Garcia's release.   Yesterday's opinion from the U.S. Court of Appeals, authored by a Reagan appointed judge, in essence said that if the Trump Administration continues to defy court orders, democracy is over. Chillingly, he ended it by begging Trump to do the right thing and cooperate "while there is still time." That's a red alert message to the country from the courts.


    • But I disagree with "while there's still time."  There is no time left. It's over. 
  • More proof that "It's over": The head of the FCC threatening Comcast with their license because of the way they are covering the news of the day. It's Authoritarianism 101.


  • Great moments in the Oval Office yesterday. Video.

  • Legal news: As predicted, a Texas appellate court struck down yesterday a city's attempt to legalize marijuana within its city limits. You can't do that. 
  • Lauren Whitener Clock: 5 years and 290 days.

at 8:30 AM

4.17.2025

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts




It was just a sign from above to change their name. 
  • After five failed attempts to pass school vouchers last session, including four specials sessions, the Texas House passed it last night by a vote of 85-63 with only two Republicans voting against it. 



    • But "some rural conservatives" did not include Wise County's representative Andy Hopper who voted to sell out our public schools. But we knew that was coming ever since we found out his campaign was primarily funded by the West Texas Oilmen PAC.

    • Flashback: So why has Greg Abbott been so hell-bent on getting vouchers passed? Follow the money. $10 million to be exact.


    • Best proposed amendment that failed.

    • Two Republican lawmakers yuking it up during the school voucher debates late last night.

  • Chairman of the Federal Reserve yesterday: 


    • You knew this was coming:


  • In the case where Trump rounded up 238 people, claimed they were gang members, bypassed the courts, and then flew them to the El Salvadorian prison, a judge is moving towards contempt proceedings.    


    • But there's a big problem: The Justice Department is in charge of prosecuting criminal contempt and Trump controls the Justice Department. So when the DOJ declines to prosecute, the judge has the right to appoint an independent attorney to serve as the prosecutor. (But who wants that job?) And even if an independent prosecutor pursued the contempt and secured a conviction and prison sentence, it's the U.S. Marshals who have to execute that sentence and, guess what, they are part of the DOJ. And Trump would pardon whoever was convicted anyway. It's over. 
  • In the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Trump's government tried to justify his wrongful deportation to the El Salvadorian concentration prison by releasing what little "bad" history he had, and by ramping up the rhetoric (and lies) against him. This is not normal. And so what? I don't care if he's Charles Manson. That's that whole point of having laws and rules which apply to everyone. It is at the very heart of due process. 


  • More authoritarianism. It is here.  

  • Oh, my.
     

  • "Pastor" Robert Jeffress is still at it.

  • Messenger - Above the Fold

at 8:30 AM
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)