Who run the world? Nancy Pelosi taught Donald what it’s like to face off with a grown-ass adult by refusing to negotiate funding for his border wall until Donald reopened the government—to which demand he caved after costing the American economy more than $6 billion during his tantrum—more than the $5.7 billion he was pouting over not getting for his compensatory wall. (But watch for him to declare a national emergency and commandeer the funds in three weeks.)
The Supreme Court declined to review the DACA program and Donny’s right to end it, thus de-fanging Donald’s “offer” to Democrats for temporary protection for Dreamers in exchange for the compensatory wall.
Meanwhile FBI head—and Donald appointee—Christopher Wray sent an internal memo to his department decrying the shutdown: “It takes a lot to make me angry, but I’m about as angry as I’ve been in a long time.” Even John Kelly exhorted Donny to end the shutdown, along with four other former Homeland Security secretaries. Six Republicans broke ranks to vote with Democrats in the Senate for a bill that would have reopened the government—but the rest of the Mitch McConnell GOP shot it down before Pelosi owned Don John like a boss.
Pelosi also deftly handled Donald’s SoTU fit in a deliciously pithy and pointed letter you should enjoy for yourself, and persevered. It’s like watching a calm adult deal with the irrational outbursts of a truculent toddler, if the adult were the speaker of the House and the baby trying to get its way were the president of the United States.
Mueller Time
Donald’s longtime friend and campaign adviser—and fan of Richard Nixon with a Nixon tattoo on his back—Roger Stone was indicted on seven—count ‘em—charges of charged with lying to investigators, obstruction of justice and witness tampering, and arrested in an early morning raid of his Florida home.
The White House’s response, through Donald’s surrogate for lying and obfuscation Sarah Huckabee Sanders was to aver that Stone, one of Donald’s longest-term and closest friends and campaign advisers, “has nothing to do with the president.” LOL! And Donny himself hastened to reassure America once again that we’re in the middle of “the Greatest Witch Hunt in this History of our Country,” amid the six people in his inner circle charged with felonies so far. LOLOLOL!
And Rudy’s kinda losing it, y’all. Even by Donny’s usual standards.
Republican Corruption
A North Carolina judge declined to certify GOP House candidate Mark Harris in the NC election amid an investigation for Republican election fraud perpetrated by Harris’s campaign.
A federal court redrew racially gerrymandered maps in Virginia, making Democrats competitive again in the state.
House Dems are opening an investigation into how Jared Kushner got a White House security clearance despite multiple concerns about his being targeted for manipulation by foreign governments, despite his multiple omissions in his disclosure forms, and despite his having had access to top secret information long before he had clearance.
Social and Civil Rights Advances
Democrat Pete Buttigieg, 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, IN, and veteran of the war in Afghanistan, has become the first openly gay candidate for president of the United States.
In the good news/bad news category, the percentage of Americans concerned about global warming spiked sharply, up nearly 10 percent just from March to December of last year, from 63 to 72 percent, and 8 percent more state that they are “very worried.” Young people around the globe are protesting government inaction to combat the disastrous effects of unchecked man-made climate change.
Some private colleges are drastically lowering, rather than raising their tuition rates to help put their schools within more students’ reach.
In the face of an epidemic of pharmaceutical overprescriptions, and backed by research that shows the benefits of other therapies, doctors in Britain may soon be writing prescriptions for music, dance, art, and other creative therapies for certain illnesses.
Your Feel-Good Stories of the Week
Just as they did last year, MBA champs the Golden State Warriors elected not to go to the White House to meet 45 after their win—instead this time they chose to meet with 44, President Barack Obama, the earlier, better presidential model.
After a MAGA-loving Donny supporter trolled Patton Oswalt on Twitter, Oswalt looked into the man and discovered he was suffering serious medical setbacks with no money to pay for his ongoing care. So the comedian/actor donated $2,000 to the man’s Go Fund Me account and exhorted his fans to do the same, ultimately raising more than $20K. The man’s grateful, humbled response is worth a read.