Today on The BradCast: A whole lotta madness. [Audio link to full show follows this summary.]
Among our many, mad stories today…
- The Trump Administration challenged the constitutionality of lower court judges issuing nationwide injunctions at the U.S. Supreme Court today, as part of Donald Trump’s wildly unconstitutional Executive Order declaring an end to Constitutional Birthright Citizenship. He’s lost in every lower court, so far, even if the merits of that Order, largely, were not heard by the High Court today. The Administration did, however, appear to be on track to lose their maximalist argument against nationwide injunctions as well.
- The House GOP‘s effort to ram Trump’s “big, beautiful” agenda through the House before the Memorial Day recess continues apace, after several all-nighter mark-up sessions in major House committees. The bill is meant to encompass the entire Trump/GOP agenda to give enormous tax cuts to rich people and corporations, while taking health care (and much more ) from millions of the neediest Americans, in one single bill. But many Republicans can’t agree on how many Americans should have their health care taken away from them to pay for a bill that will add nearly $4 trillion to the national debt. And some Republicans appear to have no idea about major provisions in the legislation.
- As Congress is gutting health care and nutrition assistance for the nation’s neediest, the Trump Administration continues to work toward — “eliminating” — the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) just weeks before hurricane and wildfire season kick into gear. Trump fired FEMA’s acting Director last week after he dared testify, in contradiction to Trump, that he didn’t think it a good idea to eliminate the agency. His replacement is promising to “run right over” anyone who gets in his way, even as an internal review obtained by CNN warns that FEMA “is not ready” for hurricane season.
- And hurricanes this year could be more deadly than ever. That, thanks to both climate change and, more immediately, drastic Trump cuts to the National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) which houses it. Last week, five former NWS directors penned an open letter, warning of great danger to the public in the wake of recent draconian cuts at the Service. Scientific American details their chilling concerns.
- It has now been two months since Maryland father and Venezuelan migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia was “accidentally” disappeared to a gulag in El Salvador by the Trump Administration in violation of a court order. But Trump’s ridiculous contention about Abrego Garcia having “MS-13” tattooed onto his knuckles continues. That, as the Administration continues to defy a Supreme Court order to facilitate the man’s return. But because Trump was obviously and transparently wrong about “MS-13” on the man’s knuckles (it clearly Photoshopped onto a photo shown to him), everybody else in his Administration must pretend he wasn’t wrong about it. That led to an absurd and surreal colloquy between DHS Sec. Kristi Noem and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) in a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Wednesday.
- Yes, it’s a mad world right now in these United States, though one that we should have seen coming. (Some of us did.) Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter — who died last week in New Hampshire at the age of 85 — tried to warn us about pretty much everything we’re seeing now…back in 2012, before the Trump-era.
- Finally, we close with Desi Doyen and our latest Green News Report, as Republicans in Congress work to end Joe Biden‘s landmark clean, renewable energy initiatives; the Trump EPA rolls back limits on toxic chemicals in drinking water; and some recent good news for the climate out of Australia…
The BradCast
with Brad Friedman
5/15/2025
Mad World: ‘BradCast’ 5/15/2025 | Birthright citizenship and nationwide injunctions at SCOTUS; GOP tax and health care cuts in the House; Eliminating FEMA, dismantling NWS before hurricane season; Noem's surreal tattoo testimony; Souter's warning... · · · · · Mad World: ‘BradCast’ 5/15/2025 | Birthright citizenship and nationwide injunctions at SCOTUS; GOP tax and health care cuts in the House; Eliminating FEMA, dismantling NWS before hurricane season; Noem's surreal tattoo testimony; Souter's warning...
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“Yes, it’s a mad world right now in these United States, though one that we should have seen coming. (Some of us did.)” – Brad
Long ago even:
– James Madison
Most don’t though, instead they cheer on the symptoms:
– James Madison
What is the greatest single US Budget item?
But, that is common:
– Thomas Jefferson
It is a common historical ‘virtue’ i.e. the icing on the social cake:
– A Study of History, by Arnold J. Toynbee
You know, the components of a paper tiger (Paper Tiger Phenomenon).
Everybody did not stop “it” together.
“It has now been two months since Maryland father and Venezuelan migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia was “accidentally” disappeared to a gulag in El Salvador by the Trump Administration ” – Brad
Will ‘the Boss’ be next (Glory Daze – 3)?