Introducing “Elie v. U.S.” | The Nation

Howdy, and welcome to my inaugural publication “Elie v. U.S.” You possibly can subscribe to the publication and obtain it weekly right here. With the Donald Trump/Elon Musk administration shredding the material of American-style democracy sooner than I can kind “As soon as upon a time, Rome was a Republic,” it appears helpful to do a weekly roundup of some tales, occasions, and developments I’d in any other case be unable to write down about. Most may have a authorized bent, however some would possibly shock you. Take into account this my determined try and create a file for my kids once they ask me why breathable air now prices 25 dogecoins per five-hour bottle.

The Unhealthy and The Ugly

• Consultant Al Inexperienced (D-TX) was censured by Congress for disrupting Donald Trump’s deal with to a joint session of sycophants and co-conspirators in Congress. Many Democrats protested the censure (as my colleague Joan Walsh famous), however 10 Democrats joined the Republican vote for censure. I’m going to listing them right here as a result of these are 10 Democrats who ought to by no means have the ability to elevate a greenback from different Democrats, ever once more: Ami Bera (D-CA), Ed Case (D-HI), Jim Costa (D-CA), Laura Gillen (D-NY), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), Jim Himes (D-CT), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), and Tom Suozzi (D-NY).

• Hampton Dellinger, head of the Workplace of Inspector Generals, dropped his lawsuit to cease Trump from illegally firing him after he misplaced his case in entrance of the Courtroom of Appeals for the DC Circuit. The courts are finally going to let Trump and Musk fireplace whomever they need, for any cause they wish to—though the go well with filed by fired Nationwide Labor Relations Board commissioner Gwynne Wilcox survives for now.

• Some individuals clearly don’t care about fired federal staff, however they need to know that US employers cut more jobs in February than in any month for the reason that Nice Recession. Be at liberty to remind individuals of that once they inform you that the oligarchs in cost are solely excited by firing Black individuals.

• In the meantime, Elon Musk seems to be utilizing his newfound federal powers to bully advertisers into rejoining Xitter and thus make him even richer. Senator Elizabeth Warren has referred to as for the Division of Justice to analyze this rank battle of curiosity, however she is aware of in addition to I do this the DOJ now not works for the American individuals; it’s Musk’s authorized goon squad now.

• The Supreme Courtroom overruled the Environmental Safety Company and determined to permit cities to dump extra human poop into the oceans and waterways than consultants suppose is protected. The literal enshittification of America continues apace.

Impressed Takes

• No person needs to be shocked that Elon Musk’s assaults on federal judges are racist. Nevertheless it’s potential that folks haven’t observed simply how harmful they’ve change into. This piece by Jay Willis supplies a unbelievable rationalization of how deranged Musk’s assaults have change into.

• All people is aware of Republicans are saying “DEI” with the “onerous R.” Here’s a helpful list, compiled by Michael Harriot, of the whole lot MAGA considers “DEI.” The piece reminds individuals in regards to the literal historic details that Republicans now not need individuals to be taught.

• Trump is explicitly coming for Social Security now. This piece by The Nation’s John Nichols explains why that’s so unsuitable.

• This can be a couple of weeks outdated, however seeing as that is my first publication, if you happen to haven’t but learn Adam Serwer’s “The Great Resegregation.” please do.

Worst Argument of the Week

• Elissa Slotkin gave the tepid Republican Democratic response to Trump’s multi-hour Netflix sequence deal with to Congress, throughout which she managed to reward notable Democratic hero Ronald Reagan. She adopted it up by sitting for an interview with The Atlantic’s Tim Alberta, the place she outlined her priorities. Her solutions have been the standard skinny gruel that passes for Democratic Social gathering speaking factors, however one line actually stood out to me. She mentioned, “It doesn’t win elections to talk to simply the bottom of the get together.… if it did, Kamala Harris can be president.” To begin with, I’m actually gonna want Becky with the 80 % white congressional district to maintain Kamala Harris’s identify out her mouth. It’s simple to slag off the Democratic “base,” which has been Black individuals for Slotkin’s total life, when no person is inviting you or your potato salad to the cookout anyway. It’s just a little more durable if you find yourself operating to symbolize all of America, not simply the white people who suppose they need to personal the place.

However extra necessary: What sort of universe does Slotkin suppose she’s residing in the place Harris spoke solely to the Democratic base? Why is she giving an interview the place she’s simply straight up mendacity in regards to the focus of Harris’s marketing campaign? If something, Harris went too far out of her solution to court docket Republican voters with nonstop appeals to Liz Cheney and the now-familiar assortment of “By no means Trump” Republicans. She desperately centered white girls voters, solely to have a majority of them reject Harris and vote for an adjudicated sexual assaulter. The one manner she might have appealed extra to girls like Slotkin is that if she’d requested to see Donald Trump’s supervisor.

I’m sick to loss of life of white Democrats appearing like probably the most dependable voters of their coalition are those who needs to be ignored.

What I Wrote

• I asked Democrats to boycott Trump’s speech to Congress. They didn’t. As a substitute, they introduced little placards emblazoned with political messages, as in the event that they have been at a silent public sale for fascism. We reside in hell.

• The Supreme Courtroom dominated that Trump has to renew funding USAID. He received’t. I explained why.

In Information Fully Unrelated to the Ongoing Chaos

• Luigi Mangione, presently in jail awaiting trial for the homicide of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, allegedly (OK, very allegedly) saved a stash of “cinema high quality” sex tapes. The potential existence of those tapes sent the Internet into a frenzy.

Mates, this entire Luigi state of affairs is beginning to remind me of the Publius Clodius Pulcher trial from historical Rome. In 62 BCE, Julius Caesar’s second spouse, Pompeia, threw a celebration to which no males have been invited, however Pulcher snuck in for the aim of seducing Pompeia. The get together was a non secular pageant, and Pulcher was charged for his indiscretion, however Pulcher was one thing of a playboy with a whole lot of followers amongst younger Roman males. On the trial, Caesar (who was additionally seen as “cool” by younger Romans) refused to provide any proof in opposition to Pulcher, and Pulcher was ultimately acquitted. Caesar then divorced Pompeia like a hypocritical, misogynistic prick (resulting in the well-known proverb: “Caesar’s spouse should be above suspicion”—not Caesar, in fact, simply his poor spouse, who most likely didn’t even sleep with the person who confirmed up at her home uninvited). However his refusal to implicate Pulcher helped cement Caesar’s standing as a person of the individuals.

My level is: If any Democratic candidate defended Luigi Mangione, that particular person would most likely win the 2028 major in a stroll. My different level is that the American Republic, just like the Rome of Julius Caesar, is in its loss of life spiral, and it’s going to get way more wicked and violent earlier than the top.