Tuesday, March 18, 2025
If you did not see Rachel Maddow’s show last night (3/17/25) I urge you to find it and watch it. I know some people don’t like her etc. etc. etc. However, what she reported is – well – terrifying? I don’t know how to describe it. It’s not one thing but several. I will summarize below then we can move on to Paul Krugman and his economic outlook, which is steeped in some economic jargon, but not much and is also terrifying.
Let’s begin, Rachel’s reporting:
– Doge now has an army and they are using it to break into government offices,
– Trump is now ignoring court orders and illegally flying people to a prison in El Salvador
Here’s part of it:
Now Krugman’s reporting:
– the swing voters who elected Trump were expecting to see lower prices and better jobs are now regretting their decision as measured by The Index of Consumer Confidence. Paul says that it “has fallen off a cliff”, that it is “truly remarkable” how quickly it has turned. etc. etc. etc.
Krugman has labelled this as the stages of Trump economic grief. He lists four and ends with five as “????”.
They are:
1. Prices will come down right away.
2. It’s hard and will take time.
3. Sorry, we need a painful economic detox.
4. Hey, there’s more to life than consumer goods.
5. ???
Krugman goes on to say that Trump and his minions are providing fake answers to fake problems and that the economy isn’t bad “yet”. The “yet” has me deeply worried. It recalls a time when I went paint balling with my son. We were at a huge battle. Our side had advanced and were very thin in numbers because we were stretched out. I could see the other side massing people. It was huge and then they came for us. We were completely overrun. I’ve never been in a real battle, but I got a taste of what it must be like. I have a similar sense economically. Or maybe you prefer the tidal wave metaphor. You know the one where all the water leaves the bay? Most of the beach goers marvel at the lack of water and go down to the empty bay. A few realize this means a giant wave is coming which has sucked all the water out of the bay. Those few run for the hills. Well kids, it’s time to run for the hills – economically speaking. The wave is coming.
But back to Rachel’s reporting. And as Mr. Natural was asked, “What does it all mean?”
It means that one part of government is being used to break in and take over another part of government.
Not only that, but when the judiciary is telling the executive branch you can’t do that the executive branch is saying, “Oh yeah?”
Both Krugman and Maddow arrive at the same place. Trump and his minions are thumbing their noses and calling out “Nanny nanny boo boo”.
So the rule of law no longer holds. They are coming for someone it could be you and you could find yourself in a jail in El Salvador without being charged for any crime. And the Trump team answer? So what? Try and stop us. We’ll do what we want. The law be damned. Meanwhile, huge storm clouds and waves are building that will economically run over this country and the world.
And those waves? Yeah, maybe they are just economic, but they could be disease. Yeah, we are seeing a return of measles, ebola, tuberculosis, and some really rare and unstoppable diseases. There is bird flu, but also there is that disease that marmots have. I can’t remember the name right now. But hey, they are in Tibet so who cares? You know Tibet? It’s between China (well China has over run it) and Russia. Did you know Don Jr. went there? Yeah, he ate marmot. He commented that he knew it was illegal but so what? Well, Donny you could be a carrier. But where has he been? Oh Serbia? Yeah, a country under the thumb of a Putin crony. The country has people in the streets protesting that guy. Like 320,000 people in the streets. A major part of their population. Don Jr says the protests were imported. Like Krugman asks of other things, “from where?” Hey don’t worry if Donny is infected and he gives it to Serbia and their population gives it to the rest of the world it will take at least until the next President to reach are shores. Am I right? Oh that might be you, Donny, you are thinking about running I’ve read.
So to sum up:
– we are emulating the authoritarian practices of Hungary and Russia and others
– the economy which is still strong is ready to have a huge wave of collapse
– we could all be fighting a deadly disease.
Or as Bruno Mars says, “Don’t believe me, just watch.”
Now for some good vibes. Cynthia Erivo was on The Voice last night. She said to a young woman, “Let me hear your full belt.” The woman did a kind of thing that sounded like she was doing Porgy and Bess. Erivo said, “That’s not your full belt.” The woman opened her mouth and did it again. Much better. Michael Buble asked Cynthia if she could demonstrate her “full belt.”
She opened her mouth – really opened her mouth and let out a note, a sound, I don’t know what you’d call it, but it sent shivers over my whole body. Not only that but I was shaking and quaking. I mean I was in spasms. I have heard great singers hit some notes: Whitney, Adele, … But this? This was another level.
I went back and listened again. I think I went back seven times. Yeah. it was that good.
I had heard another woman do a similar thing. Loren Allred. She walked out onto the stage of Britain’s Got Talent and she and Simon had a brief conversation. Who are you? Where are you from?
Loren Allred, Brooklynn, I’m here because I like many British singers, and you’ve probably heard me sing but don’t know it. I sang, “Never Enough” for the movie “The Greatest Showman.”
Simon – “that was you? You sang one of the greatest songs of all time in that movie? Are you going to sing it here?”
“Yes.”
Simon sat back and she opened her mouth. There are good singers. Many of them are on shows like The Voice, AGT, and BGT. But then there’s Erivo and Allred. When Loren finished it was transformational. There’s a greatness to her voice. As with Cynthia it makes me shake and have goose bumps, chills.
It gives me hope.
And we are going to need hope.
Until the levee breaks.
