The Imperial Presidency

[robkelk]

Uncle Sam abruptly turns off funding for CVE program

Apparently, data security doesn't matter to DOGE. Keep that in mind if you still use X.

[classicdrogn]

That's certainly not good, but I'm more concerned about Mr. Tangerine Man just ignoring the Supreme Court's order to un-deport that one guy. Not because of that one guy (though he definitely deserves to be returned to his family and to get All The Restitutions) but because court orders aren't something you just say "Nah" to and get away with it, but without a major overturn among the Congresscritters (that can't even begin for another year and a half or so) impeachment will be dead in the water and I'm not confident that enough of the US system will survive to even HAVE meaningful elections by fall 2026.

[Labster]

I'm honestly more concerned about the one guy than the court orders, because it's laying the groundwork for something bigger.  Trump calls for deporting some citizens to El Salvador, testing US law.  Deportation isn't just for immigrants, it's for everyone.  Homeland security ordered US-born immigration lawyer to leave country. Relying on patronage, they build a system where a US court cannot intervene, where any undesirable can be moved out of the country.  And then we don't need the courts, because the justice has already been served when the plane's wheels leave the ground.  If that one guy comes back, the system doesn't work.

Uncle Sam abruptly turns off funding for CVE program

Apparently, data security doesn't matter to DOGE. Keep that in mind if you still use X.

Why do you need to track vulnerabilities when you can just use threats?  Government IT whistleblower calls out DOGE, says he was threatened at home.  Data was exfiltrated, and apparently valid logins suddenly started coming in from Russia after DOGE walked in the building.

[robkelk]

California sues President Tariff

Saying that he doesn't have legal authority to impose tariffs without consulting Congress first.

Given how much respect His Orangeness has given the courts in other matters, well... good luck with that.

[MilkmanConspiracy]

Welcome to The Jungle (by Upton Sinclair).

"FDA to suspend quality-control program for food testing due to staff cuts" (The Guardian)

Looks like ivermectin is back on the menu.

[Mamorien]

Welcome to The Jungle (by Upton Sinclair).

"FDA to suspend quality-control program for food testing due to staff cuts" (The Guardian)

Looks like ivermectin is back on the menu.

This Presidency brought to you by Durham's Pure Leaf Lard.

[robkelk]

King Charles reminds the world that he's King of Canada.

Royals aren't supposed to make political statements, so this is as much as we're going to get from him.

[robkelk]

National Science Foundation cancels funding for DEI and misinformation studies, citing free speech as justification

---

Stock markets tumble as investors pull back from American assets

USA markets: S&P 500 drops 2.4%, Dow Jones Industrial Average drops 2.5%, Nasdaq composite drops 2.6%. U.S. government bonds and the value of the U.S. dollar also drop.

Canadian markets: S&P/TSX composite index drops 0.76%.

[robkelk]

Multinational moves warehouse from USA to Canada because of tariffs

“We’re trying to figure out, ‘What’s the best way to keep the prices down?’” said Greg Wiens, director of operations at Global Vision 2020.

[robkelk]

Musk announces he's getting the heck out of DOGE

[robkelk]

Peace Bridge duty-free shop goes into receivership as cross-border travel plummets

Way to boost the economy, doods.

[robkelk]

May Day update.


  2025-bingo-card.png (Size: 138.39 KB / Downloads: 22)

[Labster]

There are a couple more updates to the bingo card.  One is one of them the 100 citizens deported -- I set this goal a little high because citizens being deported isn't exactly a new thing for Trump to do, it's just a normal part of breaking up families for him.  But we have three citizen children deported so far, one with cancer.

On the other box, CBS loses broadcast license, I no longer think that one is going to happen.  Mainly because CBS is now bowing to Trump, dismissing a news producer And reports say that CBS is getting ready to settle in Trump's baseless lawsuit against him, that he didn't receive equal air time after he refused to show up for an interview.  You see, they want to merge Paramount and Skydance, and they need government approval.  So I think this particular event is unlikely.  As they say in Hollywood, circle gets the square.

I've also seen articles about wolves eating livestock in the newspaper lately.  This one I included because it's a long-time conservative bugaboo, and as my environmental policy professor said, "Basically no one is rational about wolves."  In lieu of a policy change, here's something rational on wolves from my alma mater, Novel Study Calculates the Cost to Cattle Ranchers of an Expanding Wolf Population -- note this only covers the costs in one area, not the benefits from the ecosystem services wolves provide.

Oh, no judges murdered yet, but there has been one judge arrested for obstruction of justice in helping an immigrant to escape deportation from her courtroom.  There is a actually a visa category for immigrants who witnessed a crime, on the basis that illegals will choose to not report being victims of a crime if they risk deportation to themselves, which makes the whole society less safe.  Trump sees this as a feature, not a bug, and won't be granting those visas.

[robkelk]

King Charles will deliver the Speech from the Throne to open Canada's Parliament

The Head of State hasn't delivered the speech that starts a new session of Parliament since 1977. A message is being sent.