I start my day looking at the news, both online and by reading the NYTimes, when I am home to get the physical paper (i still enjoy that), These days it just gets me upset. For a while it was just the first section, with all the incredible things coming from the White House. Now it’s all throughout the paper. What the fuck is happening to our country and what effect is this having on the world at large. Let’s take just today’s (2/20/25) articles as an example:
Front page: Trump calls Zelensky ‘Dictator’ as Feud Grows. Flood of false claims. Ukraine leader attacked for criticizing a ‘web of disinformation.’ Trump is rewriting history and turning Russia into our ally while isolating the Ukraine. unbelievable. the European leaders are aghast and clearly can no longer trust the US.
Front page: Trump aims to end congestion pricing plan in NYC. wtf? Why would he even want to cancel this program, and how is this legal (apparently its not). He even posts “congestion pricing is dead. Manhattan and all of new york is saved. LONG LIVE THE KING.” accompanies by a mockup of Time magazine with a picture of trump wearing a crown. the white house posted this!!
A two-page section is highlighted about how so many more people now own a gun.
Filings in court create window into Musk team. Arguing his work with DOGE provides maximum transparency while it clearly does not, legal filings begin to give this transparency.
The end of amends for a toxic offensive. The US dropped agent orange all over Vietnman during the war. A project funded by USAID has provided assistance to the many people irreparably harmed by this and now of course the support will end.
Arab leaders begin their own plan for Gaza’s future. Reacting to Trump’s idiotic plan to deport every Palestinian from Gaza and turn it into a beautiful beach community, the Arabs have decided to come up with their own plan.
Trump media sues a Brazilian judge weighing the arrest of Bolsonaro. Are you kidding me? Tump’s media company are accusing them of censoring right wing media. Bolsonaro is a criminal (of course, so is Trump!)
Migrants deported to Panama by US are taken to jungle camp. Conditions at the camp are primitive.
Environmental groups sue to block White House’s offshore drilling plan. Stop this shit! We are ruining the planet!
As they gush over each other….an article about the Fox news inteview of Trump and Musk together, by Sean Hannity. “I love the president.” Musk is “a great person.” and “a brilliant guy.” ugh.
Civil rights groups sue Trump administratin over over President’s DEI orders.
Justice department official suggests Mayor Eric Adams helping Trump outweighs prosecution over corruption.
On the Opinion pages, we have: 1. Imagining a US betrayal is surreal for Europeans, 2. Farewell, Justice Department independence, 3. A humiliating month to be an American, by Nicholas Kristof, the best piece of all. He wonders that most Americans won’t appreciate the monumental damage Trump is doing to the post-WWII order that is the wellspring of Amerian global leadership and influence. He’s shattering it. He’s making the world more dangerous. He’s siding with an alleged war criminal (Putin) and poisoning relationships with longtime US allies.
Hegseth orders plans to cut 8% of defense budget for each of next 5 years. However, he’s protecting the plan to pour troops to the southern border to protect it from migrants (who aren’t there).
Musk’s team seeks access to vast amounts of data. These DOGE idiots will have access to Social Security Administration info on medical info, bank accounts and other sensitive personal data.
Lutnick is confirmed at Secretary of Commerce. Let the tariff wars begin.
Right wing media praises peace talks with Russia. “Every day has kind of felt like Christmas, hasn’t it, ” says Kari Lake. The discussions with Russia are “a breath of fresh air.
i got a break during the Sports section, but then came the Arts:
Kennedy Center challenge. Trump has installed himself as Chairman of the Kennedy Center (why???). He purged the center’s board of all Biden appointees and ousted Davi Rubenstein, the center’s largest donor. they also fired the president and other senior staff…all to rid the center of “woke” influences and “anti-American propaganda” to reshape the programming to the president’s tastes. Good luck with that.
And then, in the Thursday Styles section of the paper: White House green space at risk. Trump wants to rip out the rose garden and lawn and replace it with cement patio like he has at Mar-a-lago.
All of the above before I even dared to catch up on social media (do i dare?). It makes me sick. His impact on democracy is potentially disastrous, at home and around the world.
mikesteinharter.com 