Good morning! We’re getting some solar this afternoon, and the temps will stand up into the 50s. I’m certain April will pull the rug out from below us quickly, so take pleasure in it as we speak!
It’s April 2: Did you fall for something silly yesterday? My native favourite was the NRDC’s “narwhal recognizing.”
“I Rise”: Senator Cory Booker stood and spoke on the Senate ground from 7 p.m. on Monday to eight:05 Tuesday night time. He held the ground for greater than 25 hours—breaking the earlier report held by Strom Thurmond, a segregationist who was filibustering in opposition to a civil rights invoice (that was misplaced on completely nobody within the chamber). Booker hadn’t eaten since Friday. He stopped ingesting water on Sunday night time. He by no means went to the lavatory or sat down for 25 hours. And he spent these hours demanding that the physique see the hurt the Trump administration is inflicting all of their scared constituents, and tons of of 1000’s of individuals watched him do it. Technically, this speech did nothing. He wasn’t pushing in opposition to coverage, simply demanding consideration and motion and hope. However perhaps for the primary time since November 5, he gave tons of of 1000’s of us one thing to collectively root for. I feel that’s one thing we will construct on, if we select to.
A New Vacation: Trump is asking as we speak “Liberation Day in America”: the day he’s asserting a heap of latest “reciprocal” tariffs. He’s asserting the specifics at 4 p.m. ET as we speak, however economists overwhelmingly agree that that is going to hit most Individuals within the pockets. Trump, in the meantime, is utilizing sizzle reels of Fox propaganda clips to insist that that is going to drive billions of {dollars} in funding in American enterprise. As economist Paul Krugman put it: “I don’t see any considering in any respect.”
Musk Loses in Wisconsin: In a victory for abortion and labor rights, Decide Susan Crawford gained the Wisconsin state Supreme Court docket race, crushing anti-abortion Decide Brad Schimel. Schimel, finest identified for his charming parenting confessions (“I simply psychologically beat the daylights out of an 8-year-old within the again seat”) was bankrolled by Elon Musk, one other grade-A dad. Musk spent $20 million backing Schimel, and his tremendous PAC provided $50 on Tuesday for Cheesehead selfies outdoors of polling websites. Tremendous regular! The race shattered report spending as the most costly judicial contest in US historical past, topping $100 million. “As somewhat woman rising up in Chippewa Falls, I by no means may have imagined that I might be taking up the richest man on the planet for justice in Wisconsin,” Crawford stated at her election night time watch get together. “And we gained!”—probably locking in liberal management for the following three years.
The GOP Gained in Florida: However not by the margin they might have appreciated to. Two Trump-backed Republicans gained their particular congressional elections in Florida yesterday, solidifying the get together’s majority within the Home. For now, these wins will assist President Trump’s home agenda, however the slim wins are giving Dems some hope for the midterms.
Batman Eternally: Val Kilmer handed away yesterday at age 65. When you have been an ’80s child, you understand him finest as Iceman from Prime Gun. When you’re a ’90s child, you understand him as Batman or Jim Morrison. When you’re youthful than that, I’m simply gonna assume your mother and father had the nice sense to point out you all three. In his NYT obit, they described him as “unpredictable,” “charismatic,” and “tall and good-looking in a rock-star form of manner.” We hadn’t seen him a lot these days. He left the Hollywood highlight across the 2010s, and when NYT requested him why, he advised them that “he had different pursuits; he wished to hang around together with his youngsters.” However, he added: “When you’re a star, you’re at all times a star.” To honor the star, take pleasure in this homoerotic masterpiece (The Stranger’s Marcus Harrison Inexperienced jogged my memory this morning that the phrase “largely straight” didn’t exist within the American lexicon earlier than Prime Gun):
Luigi Faces the Dying Penalty: Pam Bondi introduced yesterday that the DOJ is asking for the loss of life penalty within the Luigi Mangione case. In a press release, she wrote: “I’ve directed federal prosecutors to hunt the loss of life penalty on this case as we feature out President Trump’s agenda to cease violent crime and Make America Secure Once more.” Considered one of Bondi’s first acts as Lawyer Common was to launch a memo asserting that she could be “reviving the federal loss of life penalty and lifting the moratorium on federal executions.” In it, she known as federal executions “vital work” that “undoubtedly” makes Individuals safer. Doubt it. Research have persistently proven that the loss of life penalty isn’t against the law deterrent. You’re simply killing individuals since you need to.
Karma’s a Bitch: Tesla gross sales fell 13 % within the first three months of this yr.
Native HHS Workplace Chopped: Keep in mind the ten,000 jobs RFK Jr. lower yesterday? That included your complete Seattle regional workplace of HHS. Native officers say the closures will impression 15 million individuals throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska who depend on these providers, and native tribes will probably be hit particularly exhausting—in case there was any query that MAHA simply means leaving weak communities with out vital assist. Washington AG Nick Brown has joined a multi-state lawsuit in opposition to the Trump administration, arguing that the slashing of funding for well being applications violate federal legislation and can hurt communities already scuffling with public well being challenges.
Ferguson Says Nope to a Wealth Tax, Once more: Did you assume Bob Ferguson had a splinter of progressive spine left? Cute. On Tuesday, he splashed chilly water on Democrats’ proposal to repair our state funds deficit by taxing the ultra-rich. My man says he gained’t decide to the wealth tax, however nor will he decide to reducing all the things, mainly simply leaving everybody on learn like a foul Hinge date. So, we’re caught in a Schrödinger’s funds disaster the place the one certainty is that billionaires’ piles of dubiously concentrated money will go untouched. Republicans are appearing like that is some full-throated endorsement of trickle-down economics when, in actuality, Ferguson is simply ghosting either side, hoping the funds magically balances itself. It gained’t.
Why Aren’t We Taxing the Wealthy? Ferguson claims that he gained’t signal a invoice with a wealth tax as a result of it’s “novel, untested, troublesome to implement” and prone to face authorized challenges. It’s true that it’s novel, and the WA Division of Income launched a report on the finish of final yr laying out steering for avoiding authorized pitfalls, and warning that the income from the tax might be troublesome to foretell. However the various can’t be reducing important providers all through the state, particularly whereas we’re shedding extra assist from the federal authorities day-after-day. The truth is that we’d like a brand new, progressive tax mannequin, and Ferguson is deliberately failing to make use of even an oz. of creativeness to construct one thing higher. The silver lining? He left the door open for a payroll tax much like our JumpStart tax. However he additionally stated he wouldn’t cross a funds with out $100 million over two years to rent cops.
For Your Wednesday: Doppelganger by the Montreal-based Japanese band TEKE:TEKE—an ideal tune to commute to.
This Slog AM was a gaggle challenge with Marcus Harrison Inexperienced.
