Look, I’d like to guarantee you that we’re not dwelling in hell. However let’s be sincere, can anybody actually inform the distinction at this level?
Flooding the Zone: Trump’s assaults on the lower than 1% of transgender folks within the U.S. proceed unabated. Yesterday, he signed an government order ending gender-affirming look after youth. For a deeper dive into how dangerous this order is, try this piece by The Stranger’s Vivian McCall. The language on this order is wild, pals. My companion can’t recover from their declare that there are “numerous kids begging to understand the horrifying tragedy that they’ll by no means have the ability to nurture their kids via breastfeeding.” You understand, a very widespread childhood dream! Courtroom challenges have already begun, with extra anticipated to observe. This can be a good time to do not forget that “flooding the zone” is actually Stephen Miller’s technique on home coverage. The purpose is to overwhelm us with excessive actions, so we’re unfold too skinny to reply to all the pieces.
Fork within the Street: Trump continues his agenda to destabilize and dismantle the federal workforce. On Tuesday, the U.S. Workplace of Personnel Administration emailed over 2 million federal staff, giving them the choice to resign by February 6. The e-mail warned that almost all companies can be downsized, with many employees furloughed or reclassified to “at-will” standing—basically making them simple to fireside! The message, with its echoes of McCarthyism, emphasised that remaining staff should be “dependable, loyal, and reliable” to the Trump administration—a plan that was clearly said in Mission 2025. The textual content of the e-mail was strikingly just like the one Elon Musk despatched to Twitter (now X) staff when he took over the platform. And, as everyone knows, look how properly that has turned out!
Crypto Capitol: This morning, Trump Media, the father or mother firm of Fact Social, introduced its enlargement into monetary providers. The brand new fintech enterprise, branded Fact.fi, will give attention to investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and extra. Donald Trump not directly owns 114,750,000 shares of the corporate, held in a revocable belief. Fact.fi follows the launch of Trump’s grifty shitcoin, a cryptocurrency with no utility, that debuted simply in time to money in earlier than the Inauguration and resulted in on-paper positive aspects of billions. From Trump-branded boots to “God Loves America” Bibles, to memecoins—scammers gonna rip-off. If solely Trump’s dad had informed him he liked him.
This Household Combat Beats Yours: Caroline Kennedy, the one surviving little one of President John F. Kennedy, aired the well-known household’s soiled laundry in a searing letter to pick Senators. She referred to as her cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a “predator,” unfit to be the nation’s well being secretary. Because of Caroline, we will add to the rising listing of Kennedy-related photos. We already had driving with a whale cranium on automotive and dumping a useless bear into Central Park; now we now have “he put child chickens and mice within the blender.” Completely not serial killer vibes, proper? Lawmakers will query Kennedy at his affirmation hearings at this time and tomorrow, however on condition that they handed Pete Hegeseth, there’s little motive to consider Kennedy received’t squeak by—even along with his pro-choice, anti-vaxx, HIV-denialist leanings.
Climate: Our streak of 40-degree days continues, and because the late, nice Stringer Bell would say “Ain’t no person bought nothing to say a few 40-degree day.” It’ll be partly cloudy all through the day, with a excessive of 45 and a low of round 35 levels. It’ll be dry for the subsequent two days however count on rain to return on Friday and final via the weekend.
Prime Cop Shuffle: Seattle’s police chief carousel retains spinning, and at this time, Sue Rahr formally grabs her complimentary tote bag and steps off. Rahr briefly changed the embattled Adrian Diaz who has a pending $10 million discrimination lawsuit in opposition to the town. Up subsequent: Shon Barnes, straight from the bustling crime capital of… Madison, Wisconsin. He’ll formally begin tomorrow. New face, identical machine. Nothing adjustments.
Tacoma Police Chief Out: SPD isn’t the one police division experiencing upheaval on the high. Tacoma’s police chief Avery Moore is out, wrapping up a two-year stint with a resignation letter filled with heat fuzzies and a monitor document that features a $1,000 worldwide telephone invoice scandal. Metropolis leaders act stunned, however the police union says he’s been MIA for 2 months. One other chief down, one other lengthy search forward, and the identical myriad issues ready for the subsequent one.
Closing the Clergy Loophole: Washington lawmakers are as soon as once more making an attempt to shut the loophole that lets clergy hold little one abuse confessions secret, however the Catholic Church is digging in, crying “non secular freedom” whereas children keep in danger. The invoice would lastly make clergymen obligatory reporters, however opponents declare forcing them to decide on between the legislation and excommunication is unconstitutional. Identical battle, totally different yr—in the meantime, kids hold paying the value.
Starbucks CEO Rolling in it: In yet one more signal that we’re dwelling via a brand new gilded age, Starbucks’ new CEO Brian Nikol raked in a jaw-dropping $96 million in simply 4 months as a result of, you already know, union-busting and guaranteeing nobody can use the toilet in one among your shops with out making a purchase order is basically arduous work. In the meantime, a part of his deal ensures he stays cozy in Southern California, commuting to Seattle on the corporate dime, all whereas planning layoffs to “cut back complexity.” Nothing says management like cashing in whereas slicing jobs. It should be that premium roast hypocrisy.
Council Conflict Over Stadium Housing: In case you missed it final week, Seattle’s Metropolis Council brawled over a plan to permit housing close to the stadiums, with Council President Sara Nelson fast-tracking a proposal critics say is a handout to billionaire Chris Hansen. Supporters name it an financial enhance, whereas opponents, together with the Port of Seattle, argue it threatens industrial jobs and public security. The assembly hit peak chaos when Councilmember Bob Kettle misplaced his mood over a imprecise suggestion he wasn’t considering for himself. Sure, nothing says “unbiased management” like a full-scale public meltdown.
Candidate for King County D5 Seat: Steffanie Fain, a trustee at Harborview Medical Heart, introduced her candidacy for King County Council District 5 on Tuesday. She is aiming to exchange Dave Upthegrove, who vacated the seat after changing into Public Lands Commissioner. Fain’s web site says her marketing campaign will give attention to public security, homelessness, and affordability, with a core precept of “compassionate accountability.” Whereas she is operating to completely fill the seat, King County Government Dow Constantine just lately chosen three finalists to serve the rest of Upthegrove’s time period.
Alright, in case your mind wants just a little palate cleanser may I like to recommend Nice Migrations: A Individuals on the Transfer? It’s a brand-new, four-part documentary collection from the one and solely Henry Louis Gates Jr., the identical man who introduced us Discovering Your Roots (which, by the best way, makes you are feeling horrible about not figuring out the title of your great-grandparents).
