Sunday Issues-March 2, 2025
Vladimir Putin, smiling broadly
Donald Trump, this time without help from Elon Musk, gave America another OMG moment on Friday. He and lapdog-VP Vance verbally abused Ukrainian President Zelenskyy before a shouting match ensued.
Trump’s anger was out of control in a way usually seen only when talking about his criminal indictments and convictions. Vance demonstrated himself to be a man in the wrong job. If this arrogant twerp is one heartbeat from the presidency, we are in trouble.
I assume you read about the incident, or, better, saw the video. Zelenskyy was in Washington to sign an agreement, won by Trump through extortion, to give the U.S. rights to minerals. Zelenskyy left Washington without signing the agreement, but may have lost any chance at additional U.S. military support.
Trump repeatedly pleads he wants “Peace,” and maybe he does, but an alternative theory is that he believes he will win a Nobel Peace Prize if he ends the war in Ukraine. He assumes the Norwegian Nobel Committee doesn’t care if Putin wins his war and potentially wipes Ukraine off of the face of the earth.
I remain confused about Trump’s objectives. It looks as though he is delivering on a promise to Putin. And if something looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it usually is a duck.
February 28, 2025, will go down in history as a day of infamy in American diplomacy. Watch the video for evidence that the United States is in decline.
Will the Zelenskyy episode finally get at least a few Republicans to break with him?
How the dangerous virus called DOGE got started.
This morning’s New York Times includes a story that will be the subject of entire books by this time next year. It is about how the idea of DOGE was born.
The story is engaging, and I want to avoid spoilers, but it will surprise no one that DOGE was born at a $50,000-a-head fundraiser on September 29, 2023, in support of Vivek Ramaswamy’s run for the presidency. That date will live in infamy unless President Trump issues an Executive Order banning all history of DOGE once it completes its work.
The Times reports that controlling computer servers is a key part of DOGE and that Elon Musk’s “remaking” of Twitter a couple of years ago was a model for dismantling an organization.
Some good news: A bump in the road for Trump’s mass firings—and maybe more than a bump.
The Washington Post reports this morning:
A federal judge on Saturday said President Donald Trump cannot summarily fire the head of an independent watchdog agency, setting up a likely Supreme Court battle over Trump’s sweeping attempt to reshape the federal workforce and expand presidential power.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson’s ruling blocks the removal of Hampton Dellinger as head of the Office of Special Counsel, which investigates whistleblower reports filed by government workers and protects federal employees from retaliation, political coercion and other practices that are barred in the federal workplace.
Anything that slows President Musk’s destruction of the federal government is good news. I remain hopeful that the Supreme Court will disagree with President Trump's view that Article II of the Constitution makes him a king. Stay tuned.
A hurricane season without NOAA starts in June.
People who live in areas subject to tornados, hurricanes, Nor’easters, blizzards, and other dangerous weather know about NOAA and appreciate its work. One would think that President Trump, who reigns from Mar-a-Lago for half the year when he is not in D.C. would be one of them.
Alas, this is not the case. DOGE layoffs hit NOAA (The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration) last week.
It is unclear whether DOGE assumes the private sector can take over storm forecasting or weather (I mean whether) there were too many weather people at NOAA.
I don’t like dangerous weather, which seems to be happening with increased frequency. That is why I think we need more people at NOAA.
Timothée Chalamet is no longer a complete unknown.
I was sick of reading about Donald Trump and depressed after reading that all U.S. Department of Education employees were given until midnight tomorrow (Monday, March 3) to resign in exchange for a $25,000 payment or face a Reduction-in-Force (firing) in the immediate future. So, I watched A Complete Unknown last night.
A Complete Unknown is the Bob Dylan biopic. I had heard it was good but doubted it could be great. Thanks to Timothée Chalamet’s performance, it is an incredible film.
I predict Mr. Chalamet will win the Best Actor award and the film may also win Best Picture.
Thank you.
Thank you for reading Sunday Issues today. Have a good week.
Mr. Dean, you are absolutely right in your assessment of the meeting between Trump/Vance and President Zelensky. "February 28, 2025, will go down in history as a day of infamy in American diplomacy." For the first time in my 78 years, I am ashamed to be an American.
You also asked the most important question about that meeting: "Will the Zelenskyy episode finally get at least a few Republicans to break with him?" Given their recent cowardice, I expect absolutely nothing from Republicans. They have all long since abandoned any principles they may have had.
However, I am hopeful that Democratic leadership will offer a strong, loud condemnation of the behavior of Trump/Vance and a sincere apology to President Zelensky. They must speak for their party as one on behalf of all of us. If, by chance any Republican "leaders" should suddenly discover where they left their spines and consciences, I would welcome a decision to break with Trump/Vance and resume being decent human beings. I'm not holding my breath.
---------------------
Trump Assures Americans They’ll Hardly Notice U.S. Democracy Collapsing If They’re Too Busy Blaming Immigrants
---------------------
Donald Trump's recent statement on Truth Social, urging Americans to focus less on Vladimir Putin and more on domestic issues, is a blatant attempt to divert attention from his alarming pro-Putin stance, which undermines U.S. foreign policy and global democratic values.
---------------------
Historically, the United States has championed democracy and opposed authoritarian regimes. From the Cold War era to the present, U.S. foreign policy has been rooted in supporting sovereign nations against oppressive powers. Trump's recent actions starkly contrast this legacy. His administration's opposition to a United Nations resolution demanding Russia's withdrawal from Ukraine aligns the U.S. with Kremlin justifications for the invasion, signaling a disturbing shift in our nation's stance on international aggression.
---------------------
Furthermore, Trump's recent interactions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlight his disregard for democratic allies. In a contentious meeting, Trump humiliated Zelensky and dismissed Ukraine's NATO aspirations, effectively endorsing Russian aggression. This behavior not only alienates our allies but also emboldens authoritarian leaders like Putin.
---------------------
Trump's consistent praise for Putin, referring to him as "genius" and "savvy" during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, raises serious concerns about his allegiance to democratic principles. By shifting focus to exaggerated domestic threats, Trump attempts to distract from his administration's failure to confront genuine international dangers posed by authoritarian regimes.
---------------------
In conclusion, Trump's recent rhetoric is a dangerous deflection from critical global issues. His pro-Putin stance not only betrays America's historical commitment to democracy but also jeopardizes global stability by empowering despotic leaders. It is imperative that we recognize and challenge these actions to uphold the values upon which our nation was built.
---------------------