Ok, this is how it’s going to go down. Red states (or red areas of blue states) will get exceptions while blue states (or blue areas) don’t. So, the only faces that will be eaten by leopards will be blue faces. Yay.

«Here’s another possibility: In the end, Trump’s deportation forces may selectively spare certain localities and industries from mass removals. Trump’s incoming “border czar,” Tom Homan, suggests this won’t happen. But a hallmark of MAGA is corruptly selective governance in the interests of MAGA nation and expressly against those who are designated MAGA’s enemies, U.S. citizens included. One can see mass deportations becoming a selective tool, in which blue localities are targeted for high-profile raids—even as Trump triumphantly rants that they are cesspools of “migrant crime” that he is pacifying with military-style force—while GOP-connected industries and Trump-allied Republicans tacitly secure some forbearance.

Indeed, there is historical precedent for something like this. In one infamous 1990s episode, Georgia lawmakers intervened to get immigration authorities to back off deportations during the state’s Vidalia onion harvests.»

https://newrepublic.com/article/189054/trump-immigration-threats-republican-resistance

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/04/us/politics/california-house-gray-duarte.html

«Mr. Duarte, who trailed by 187 votes in a contest in which more than 210,000 ballots were cast, conceded shortly before The A.P.’s call»

Votes count.

I thought of you, dear social media, when I read this quote from “Echoes of Honor (Honor Harrington Book 8)” by David Weber –

«We’re beginning to stress the economy pretty hard. I’ve even got permanent secretaries and undersecretaries in my department talking about a progressive income tax.”

“You what?” That brought White Haven upright in his chair once more, and his eyes widened when his brother nodded. “But that’s unconstitutional!”

“Not exactly,” William said. “The Constitution specifies that any permanent income tax must be flat-rated, but it does make provision for temporary adjustments to the rate.”

‘Temporary’!” White Haven snorted.

“Temporary,” William repeated firmly. “Any progressive taxes have to be enacted with a specific time limit, and they automatically terminate at the time of the first general election after enactment. And they can only be passed with a two-thirds super-majority of both houses in the first place.”»

Start reading this book for free: https://a.co/3zIGugF

———————–

Getting periously close to the “throw the book across the room” point. Really, David Weber? Your utopian nation defending justice and democracy has a FLAT TAX???

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cn38321180et

What the heck is going on South Korea?

https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2024/12/act-10-overturned

Note to self: continued effort pays off.

(Super-obnoxious Republican law in Wisconsin banning collective bargaining among public-sector employees overturned.)

https://whowhatwhy.org/cartoon/asking-the-tough-questions/

https://weeklysift.com/2024/12/02/weak-points/

«Trump will troll us by threatening to do something, get some kind of response from the targets of his threats, falsely claim that the response is a concession, and do a victory lap for “winning” the exchange. Nothing has actually happened, but he has exhausted his opponents and given his followers a fake “victory” to crow about.»

…

«Inflation is headed down, fentanyl deaths are down, border apprehensions are down — in a few months we’re going to hear Trump claim all these accomplishments as his own.»

https://www.newsweek.com/list-who-donald-trump-has-pardoned-1993998

https://cornerstone.ghost.io/essentials-december-2-2024/

«the only wrong way to proceed is to give up.»

Good line.

https://weeklysift.com/2024/12/02/the-monday-morning-teaser-584/

«I started the week with the intention of reading and summarizing some of the many articles that have been appearing about how to resist the incoming Trump administration and its expected attacks on democracy. But in the last few days I’ve discovered something about myself: I still haven’t fully recovered from the profound disillusionment of the election. I still can’t find in myself the hard base of determination that a principled resistance requires, or even the fire of anger. I’m still processing my feelings of disappointment in my countrymen and sorrow for what my country will soon face. I hope to get past this phase soon, and do pass on a few resistance tips I’ve gleaned from the limited research I’ve done.

So I decided to write about that instead. The featured post “Resisting, eventually” should be out before 10 EST.»

Godspeed, Mr. and Mrs. Muder.