How to act when the rules no longer apply

March 5, 2025

Hi, all.

Jill and are in Edinburgh, Scotland on Tuesday evening. Trump's speech to the joint session of Congress will take place at 2:00 am GMT (Wed) for us, so I will not be watching the speech live. Accordingly, I am sending my daily edition earlier than usual and will try to send a short update first thing in the morning PST / EST Wednesday before we head out the door for a day of sightseeing in Scotland.

I have been receiving a high volume of reader emails each day of our vacation. For understandable reasons, my ability to respond to emails is greatly restricted, so please do not take offense if it takes me a week (or two) to respond to emails that call for a response. However, I appreciate emails from readers who provide suggestions for stories with a short summary of the item and citations to the source. Please note, however, that I do not open, read, or respond to emails that say only, “Check this out,” or “Read this.” (Nor should you; such emails are likely phishing scams.)

With that throat clearing out of the way, let’s take a look at the unfolding attack on American democracy.

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How to respond when the rules no longer apply.

Yesterday, I wrote that congressional Democrats should be bolder in their reaction to Trump. With the benefit of a few hours of reflection, I wish I had written that congressional Democrats should boycott Trump's address to the joint session.

We need to cut off his oxygen by denying him attention and removing his sparring partner from the ring. Boycotting the speech will deny him the ability to goad Democrats into a fight with a guy who has a microphone and is seated atop a dais looking down at his adversaries..

The question that congressional Democrats are grappling with is the same question that is vexing the grassroots movement: How do we respond when the rules no longer apply? There are many “correct” answers to that question and one “wrong” answer: The wrong answer is to limit ourselves to responses that “conform to the rules” that Trump is no longer observing.

We must free ourselves from custom, decorum, parliamentary procedure, and the silly anxiety of “what will people think?” Trump is playing a game in which he counts on the fact that we will continue to play by the rules while he does not. That asymmetry of rule-following ensures that he always has the upper hand. No more.

We can no longer remain in reactive mode in which we follow scripted responses. We must engage in political attacks that are unexpected, asymmetrical, and forceful. Rather than being on our back foot, we must keep Trump and the GOP off-balance.

We must force them to react to us. We must shape the narrative by becoming the story.

We must shake off the widespread perception that Democrats are moribund and flat-footed during a time of crisis.

Democratic politicians should fire every consultant and pollster who is advising them. We don’t need paid pundits to tell us what to do. We know in our bones what is right. There is no secret sauce or algorithm or carefully prepared word-script that will reach the hearts and minds of 18 to 34 years olds in Oshkosh, WI.

We need action. We need leadership. Democrats should boycott the joint session and hold a “people’s session of Congress” on the steps of the Capitol. Flood the podcast landscape with Democratic voices. Hold town halls to demonstrate to the press that Democrats are not afraid of their constituents. Hire a plane to fly a banner above the Capitol saying that Trump is a convicted felon or that no one voted for Musk.

If Democrats nonetheless sit through the joint session, we should encourage them to do better next time. We should praise those who do boycott—including (reportedly) Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Chris Murphy and Brian Schatz. See MoveOn.org, Calling BS: Live-chat and Prebuttal to Trump's Address.

And just as we should push Democrats in Congress to be bolder and more unconventional, we should push ourselves. The protestors who are showing up for #TeslaTakedown are leading the way and making a difference.

The anti-JD Vance protesters made a difference in Vermont. The demonstrators gathering in front of the Capitol to protest Trump's speech are already garnering attention from the media. The protestors who showed up at GOP town halls have shut down the ability of Republicans to meet with their constituents completely! See NYTimes, Republican House Members Told to Stop Holding In-Person Town Halls.

When Trump and his administration stop following the rules, the rules should not constrain our tactics. If you hear of a good way to demonstrate your disgust or to reverse an ignorant action by the Trump administration, do it! Don’t wait for permission or endorsements or instructions. Do it. We will never know what small act of democracy will set the resistance aflame. But that day is coming. Soon. Help to accelerate it by joining the growing numbers of people who are already taking to the streets.

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Trump and Musk continue their broadside attack on the economy

There remains an inexplicable gap between the reality of the damage Trump is inflicting and the reaction by politicians and the media. But that gap is closing as the enormity of the damage comes into focus.

Trump's tariffs on Chinese, Canadian, and Mexican trading partners prompted a run on the markets and reciprocal tariffs from China and Canada. (Mexico will announce reciprocal tariffs this weekend.

The Wall Street Journal is Trump's biggest booster but issued a dire warning in Tuesday heading: Tariff War Risks Sinking World Into New Great Depression, International Chamber of Commerce Warns.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a scathing but prescient warning to all Americans:

I want to speak first directly to the American people. We don’t want this. We want to work with you as a friend and ally. And we don’t want to see you hurt either, but your government has chosen to do this to you.

Your government has chosen to put American jobs at risk at the thousands of workplaces that succeed because of materials from Canada, or because of consumers in Canada, or both.

What do the American people think? How do Americans feel about jettisoning one’s friends and allies in favor of a country that has never wished Americans well and continues to act in ways that harm the global economy and specifically the American economy and American values and principles?

See Global News (Canada), Trudeau vows Canada will ‘hit back hard’ after Trump launches trade war.

Trudeau’s comments and reciprocal sanctions angered the toddler US president, who promised another round of sanctions against Canada for its reciprocal sanctions. See The Hill, Donald Trump threatens increased tariffs if Canada retaliates

The securities markets in the United States plunged on Trump's idiotic trade war and self-inflicted wounds. See CNBC, Dow tumbles again, loses more than 1,300 points in two days as Trump ignites trade war.

American farmers, manufacturers and consumers are noticing. The fact that they are noticing is both good and bad. They understand that Trump is responsible for the world of hurt that is coming down the pike—pain that has been created entirely by Donald Trump's woeful ignorance of economics.

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Trump continues his war on government

Trump and Musk have ordered the layoffs of key personnel in the water project that is essential to California’s supply of drinking water. See LATimes, Trump administration dramatically cuts staff at water agency in California. (“Water agencies that rely on supplies from the federally managed Central Valley Project have warned that major job cuts could harm the water delivery system and threaten public safety.”)

Messing around with water in California is potentially catastrophic. Much of California is a natural desert. If Trump disrupts flow (or prevents delivery of water that meets drinking standards), the economy will shut down. The terminations at the California water agency is putting the economy of California and the health of its citizens at risk.

The Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, has disbanded the following committees a committee of experts who advise the Census Bureau for free. See AP, Census Bureau under Trump cuts loose expert advisers who work for free. (“The U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday disbanded outside advisory committees of demographers, statisticians and advocacy group leaders who provided technical expertise to the statistical agency.”)

Lutnick also dissolved the federal Economic Statistic Advisory Committee—just as he begins to tinker with the pesky inputs to the GDP calculation that will show a contracting economy.

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Chief FBI Agent in NY Office given only hours to retire or be fired

The chief FBI agent in New York was given only hours to retire or be fired after he resisted efforts to fire FBI agents who worked on the January 6 investigation. See Talking Points Memo, New York FBI Chief Forced Out By Trump DOJ Applauded Agents ‘Who Will Always Remain Independent’

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Call it by its name: Fascism

In one of Trump's most shocking posts ever—and that is saying A LOT—Trump went full fascist against university students who protest on campus. And yet there is no mention of Trump's despicable post by the New York Times.

Trump wrote the following in a Truth Social post on Tuesday:

All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.

See The Hill, Donald Trump threatens to stop funding for colleges allowing 'illegal protests'.

The threat is breathtaking in scope and assertion of absolute power—including expelling students and defunding universities and colleges. Who does Trump think he is? A dictator?

Why, yes, that is exactly who he thinks he is. That is the person who will appear before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday. And that is why he does not deserve the honor of the attendance of members of Congress (among many other reasons).

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JD Vance continues his insulting and offensive behavior toward allies

During an interview on Tuesday, JD Vance ridiculed the notion that European nations could enforce a peace deal in Ukraine, saying,

If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine.

That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 30 or 40 years.

There is no question that JD Vance was referencing the UK and France, who are the only European countries that have pledged troops to enforce a ceasefire in Ukraine. (They pledged 30,000 troops, not 20,000. But no other country has pledged any troops.)

When a furor erupted over Vance’s insult to the troops of the UK and France who have served—and died—alongside US troops across the world, Vance posted a lie on social media, saying that he was not referring to the UK and France because he did not use their names.

We are not as stupid as JD Vance thinks we are. He was referring to England and France but lied to cover up his disgraceful, ignorant comment. Condemnation poured in from across Europe. Per The Mirror,

Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson Helen Maguire, a former Captain in the Royal Military Police who served in Iraq, said: "JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

She added: “I saw firsthand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder.

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Opportunities for Reader Engagement

Thanks to readers for noting that there will be marches across the nation on Saturday, March 8, in honor of International Women’s Day. International Women’s Day: Unite & Resist

Now is an important time to join women in celebrating their accomplishments and rallying against the challenges they face. For example, the DOJ has asked for an extension in the mifepristone case pending before Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas.

The DOJ (under Biden) had asked for dismissal of The case after the Supreme Court ruled that the plaintiffs did not have standing to sue. Judge Kacsmaryk j refused to dismiss the case and the DOJ (under Pam Bondi) has asked for time to reconsider its prior position. That is worrisome news, indeed. Everyone needs to show solidarity for women at this challenging time.

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Concluding Thoughts

It has been a wild 24 hours. It appears that Trump is trying to undo the crises he created. News reports are beginning to circulate that he will walk back his newly announced tariffs because of the unanimous global backlash. And it looks like he might announce during his speech to Congress that he will enter into the rare earth metals agreement with Ukraine—after throwing Zelensky out of the White House last Friday and then announcing on Tuesday that the US will suspend arms shipments to Ukraine. [President Zelensky has also attempted to patch over relations with Trump and has proposed a partial ceasefire.]

If these reports are true, Trump will crow about his retreats from disaster as if they are astounding victories. We know they are not. He created the crises. Undoing his idiotic policies is not a sign of diplomatic genius—it is a sign of profound instability and impulsiveness incompatible with being an adult.

The question is whether the legacy press can recall that time—24 hours ago—when Trump personally crashed the world economy with tariffs. I very much doubt they will have the institutional memory or journalistic integrity to do so. So, as always, it is up to us. Write to your local newspaper with letters to the editor. Post the facts on social media. Be loud and proud in telling friends and neighbors about the true facts they will not hear on Fox “News.”

I will be in touch again tomorrow morning!

Stay strong!

Daily Dose of Perspective

The beautiful Cone Nebula from my archive. Notice the date of the photo—it seems like a lifetime ago.