https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/18/us/cesar-chavez-sexual-abuse-allegations-ufw.html?unlocked_article_code=1.UFA.nxFF.u4cnHWQb8Sqm&smid=url-share (gift)

I’m thinking “what about all those Republicans?” is not really the right response.

https://www.vox.com/politics/482918/joe-kent-iran-war-resign-trump-antisemitism

«But the actual text of Kent’s resignation letter suggests a very different conclusion: that he is not taking an admirable antiwar stance, but laying the groundwork for an antisemitic conspiracy theory that could define the future of the GOP.

…

But Kent’s letter is carefully crafted to paint Trump as an empty vessel, a person with no beliefs or agency other than what the Israelis and their allies implant there.

“High-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media…[served as] an echo chamber used to deceive you,” he writes to Trump.

…

You can imagine a future, after dozens of American soldiers are dead and an oil shock throws the economy into recession, in which right-wing figures like Owens, Fuentes, and Carlson promote a narrative of Jewish perfidy with the “Kent letter” as proof — and find an audience in a party increasingly open to antisemitic views. “Stabbed in the back” narratives are a hallmark of fascist movements past, and this is how they tend to get started.

…

War critics who do not want to legitimize antisemitic conspiracism need to see this for what it is — and distance themselves from it accordingly.»

https://www.axios.com/2026/03/16/trump-iran-war-escalation

«Trump has grown accustomed to doing what he wants and then quickly improvising if things go south. But this time, some in his inner circle have what one official called “buyer’s remorse” — growing fears that attacking Iran was a mistake.»

Despicable:

«An Afghan immigrant who previously worked with the ‌U.S. military in Afghanistan and later sought asylum in the United States died this weekend in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody less than 24 hours after being detained in Texas, a U.S. veteran-led advocacy group said on Sunday.

Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, who was living in a Dallas suburb with his wife and six children while his asylum case remained pending, was arrested by federal agents outside his apartment on Friday morning while taking his children to ⁠school, the group AfghanEvac’s president Shawn VanDiver said in a statement. Paktyawal died of unknown causes on Saturday, VanDiver said.

…

“It ‌is ⁠highly unusual for an otherwise healthy 41-year-old man to die less than a day after being taken into government custody,” VanDiver said.

Paktyawal, a former Afghan special forces soldier who had worked alongside U.S. Army Special Forces since 2005 [emphasis mine], was evacuated from Afghanistan with his family in 2021 when the United States withdrew its forces after a war lasting two decades, VanDiver said.»

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/afghan-asylum-seeker-dies-ice-custody-us-advocacy-group-says-2026-03-15/

«Mr. Trump said Mr. Paul had his “complete and total endorsement” and predicted that the influencer would run for office “in the not-too-distant future.” Pointing at Mr. Paul, he added, “That’s what we want.”

Mr. Paul, 29, rose to prominence as a vlogger and provocateur who captured headlines with brash stunts. In 2020, he said the Covid-19 pandemic was a “hoax.”»

Yaaasss, because that’s what we want: more clowns in office.

Not.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/us/politics/trump-jake-paul-endorsement.html (not a gift because who cares?)

I wouldn’t mind leaving obituary like this. Won’t happen, but I wouldn’t mind.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/us/politics/alexander-butterfield-dead.html?smid=url-share (gift)

WSJ acting like a real newspaper, apparently.

https://www.wsj.com/us-news/immigration-protests-noem-minneapolis-0b8bd496?st=2TYdGM&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink (gift)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/04/us-iran-air-defense-missile-burn-rate/

I seem to recall some folks on the MAGA right being opposed to us building a new munitions plant because it would be sending (selling, through US purchases) munitions to Ukraine.

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/03/texas-dan-crenshaw-steve-toth-republican-primary/

I see Republicans haven’t changed.

«Toth is among the Texas Republican Party’s most conservative members who have repeatedly questioned the commitment of leadership and Gov. Greg Abbott to the GOP’s values. The Conroe Republican framed the race as a referendum on the future of the Republican Party, an effort that garnered support from several conservative leaders, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Turning Point Action.

Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL currently in his fourth term, is a conservative in his own right. Since being elected to the seat in 2018, the Houston-area Republican has made barring federal funding for gender-affirming care and targeting Mexican cartels a focus. His endorsements include leading conservative organizations such as the National Rifle Association and a swath of local elected officials.

But Crenshaw has clashed with Republican allies over several issues, including his support for Ukraine aid and the 2020 election results, which he voted to certify. Crenshaw was the only Texas Republican incumbent in the House who ran without Trump’s endorsement.»

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/us/politics/trump-law-firm-orders-reversal.html

I’m pretty sure Donald Trump is our incel-in-chief.

“What? You’re reversing my position? NO! Get out there and fight!”