Donald Trump is failing to post bond for fraud case appeal

Illiberalism


Fig. 1. Photograph by Joachim F. Thurn, August 1991, Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-F089030-0003, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE.

Eva Hartog, “Putin may be the biggest dupe of his fake election landslide,” Politico, March 17, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/russian-election-vladimir-putin-fake-legitimacy-moscow-ukraine/

Ishaan Tharoor, “Russia’s farce election sums up a grim moment in global democracy,” Washington Post, March 18, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com//world/2024/03/18/global-democracy-russia-election-backslide-autocracy/

Gilead

Donald Trump


Fig. 2. Donald Trump, depicted in an orange jumpsuit, reportedly by the Drudge, date unknown, via Mediaite,[1] fair use. Apparently, no mugshot was taken when he was actually arrested over hush money paid to Stormy Daniels.[2]

The to-do over [Donald] Trump’s remark [threatening a “bloodbath” (possibly economic) if he is not elected] can be seen as the latest installment in the debate (which we’ve covered often here at [Columbia Journalism Review]) as to how the media ought to handle his rhetoric, given its frequent violence and dishonesty. Nearly a decade after Trump rode down the escalator, it is a debate that media outlets have still yet to resolve. Even before the Ohio rally, it reared its head again last week. Various media critics took CNBC to task for hosting a rambling phone-in interview with Trump without sufficiently pushing back on his talking points. (Watching the interview, CNN’s Oliver Darcy felt transported “to 2015, back when news outlets allowed Trump to phone in to news shows and deliver a drive-by of lies to their audiences.”) The New Yorker’s Susan B. Glasser, meanwhile, took the media as a whole to task for failing to devote sufficient coverage to a prior, equally unhinged Trump rally in Georgia, arguing that his “flood of lies and BS” is now “seen as old news from a candidate whose greatest political success has been to acclimate a large swath of the population to his ever more dangerous alternate reality.” . . .

In 2019, Lenore Taylor, the editor of The Guardian’s Australian edition, turned heads among US media observers when she argued in a widely shared op-ed that watching a full, unfiltered Trump press conference had changed her perception of a man she thought she knew well. Taylor realized “how much the reporting of Trump necessarily edits and parses his words, to force it into sequential paragraphs or impose meaning where it is difficult to detect,” she wrote. “In most circumstances, presenting information in as intelligible a form as possible is what we are trained for. But the shock I felt hearing half an hour of unfiltered meanderings from the president of the United States made me wonder whether the editing does our readers a disservice.” Those who feared normalizing Trump’s lies, in other words, might have been normalizing his incoherence instead.[3]

Jon Allsop, “Context collapse,” Columbia Journalism Review, March 18, 2024, https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/trump_ohio_speech_bloodbath_media_broadcast_live.php

Peter Stone, “Putin bromance has US intelligence officials fearing second Trump term,” Guardian, March 18, 2024, Putin bromance has US intelligence officials fearing second Trump term

Finances


Fig. 1. Trump International Hotel, Las Vegas, undated image credited to https://www.flickr.com/photos/glynlowe/ [bad link], via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

[Donald] Trump and his company need to post a bond for the full amount [of a fraud judgment against him] by next week in order to stop New York Attorney General Letitia James from being able to collect while he appeals. They’ve asked an appeals court to step in in the meantime and said Monday that they have not had any success getting a bond.

“Defendants’ ongoing diligent efforts have proven that a bond in the judgment’s full amount is ‘a practical impossibility,'” the filing said. “These diligent efforts have included approaching about 30 surety companies through 4 separate brokers.”[4]

Adam Reiss and Dareh Gregorian, “Trump has been unable to get bond for $464 million judgment, his lawyers say,” NBC News, March 18, 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-unable-get-bond-464-million-judgment-lawyers-say-rcna143860

Coup attempt

2024

Fig. 3. Cartoon by Ben Jennings, January 24, 2024, via the Guardian,[5] fair use.

Jon Allsop, “Context collapse,” Columbia Journalism Review, March 18, 2024, https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/trump_ohio_speech_bloodbath_media_broadcast_live.php


  1. [1]Alex Griffing, “Drudge Puts Trump in an Orange Jumpsuit as Site Monitors His Potential Indictment,” Mediaite, August 29, 2022, https://www.mediaite.com/news/drudge-puts-trump-in-an-orange-jumpsuit-as-site-monitors-his-potential-indictment/
  2. [2]Sarah D. Wire and Alexandra E. Petri, “Trump charged with 34 felony counts in alleged hush money cover-up case,” Los Angeles Times, April 4, 2023, https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-04-04/donald-trump-alleged-hush-money-investigation-indictment-arraignment
  3. [3]Jon Allsop, “Context collapse,” Columbia Journalism Review, March 18, 2024, https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/trump_ohio_speech_bloodbath_media_broadcast_live.php
  4. [4]Adam Reiss and Dareh Gregorian, “Trump has been unable to get bond for $464 million judgment, his lawyers say,” NBC News, March 18, 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-unable-get-bond-464-million-judgment-lawyers-say-rcna143860
  5. [5]Ben Jennings, “Ben Jennings on Donald Trump’s progress along the Republican nomination trail – cartoon,” Guardian, January 24, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2024/jan/24/ben-jennings-on-donald-trumps-progress-along-the-republican-nomination-trail-cartoon

Worry more about Donald Trump being unhinged than that there will be a ‘bloodbath’ if he loses

Illiberalism

Gilead

Donald Trump


Fig. 1. Donald Trump, depicted in an orange jumpsuit, reportedly by the Drudge, date unknown, via Mediaite,[1] fair use. Apparently, no mugshot was taken when he was actually arrested over hush money paid to Stormy Daniels.[2]

I’m seeing a lot of comment on social media on Donald Trump’s “bloodbath” threat.[3] People are alarmed and I understand that.

What I would say of the coup attempt, however, is that it was considerably less severe than I would have expected. Militia groups mostly stayed out of it. I would have expected them in and, had they shown up, the coup attempt on January 6, 2021, would have been far worse than it was (possibly even with a different outcome). A lot of these folks are military, police white supremacist gangsters, or formerly so. They are often experienced soldiers who have been training for combat in the backwoods for decades (most of the fighting for Trump would be in urban environments).

So if we’re talking a bloodbath, we’re not talking about the Proud Boys or any of the amateurs who actually showed up on January 6. We’re certainly not talking about the “lone wolf” domestic terrorists we’ve seen so much of in recent decades. We’re probably talking about these militia groups joining in. They didn’t do it three years ago. My expectation is that they won’t do it if Trump loses yet again.

I’m also seeing comment that Trump is unhinged. This’d be the part to take seriously and mostly for the contingency that he actually wins.

Marisa Iati, “Trump says some undocumented immigrants are ‘not people,’” Washington Post, March 16, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/16/trump-immigrants-not-people/

Migration


Fig. 2. Photograph credited to “ProtoplasmaKid,”, November 9, 2018, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Marisa Iati, “Trump says some undocumented immigrants are ‘not people,’” Washington Post, March 16, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/16/trump-immigrants-not-people/


  1. [1]Alex Griffing, “Drudge Puts Trump in an Orange Jumpsuit as Site Monitors His Potential Indictment,” Mediaite, August 29, 2022, https://www.mediaite.com/news/drudge-puts-trump-in-an-orange-jumpsuit-as-site-monitors-his-potential-indictment/
  2. [2]Sarah D. Wire and Alexandra E. Petri, “Trump charged with 34 felony counts in alleged hush money cover-up case,” Los Angeles Times, April 4, 2023, https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-04-04/donald-trump-alleged-hush-money-investigation-indictment-arraignment
  3. [3]Marisa Iati, “Trump says some undocumented immigrants are ‘not people,’” Washington Post, March 16, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/16/trump-immigrants-not-people/

Real fun yet to come on commercial real estate

Neoliberalism

Banking

Commercial real estate


Fig. 1. The confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, with the “Golden Triangle” and downtown Pittsburgh. Photograph by author, October 15, 2023.

A strong economy is helping to delay the day of reckoning, as most tenants are still paying the rent. Pressure is building slowly as leases expire: Many companies are reducing their space by 30% to 40% when their contracts end.

Lenders are also eager to kick the can down the road. They don’t want to force borrowers to sell buildings into a weak commercial real-estate market, which would lead to punishing losses.[1]

There is an awful lot of need for an awful lot of distressed financing for an awful lot of office space. The reckoning may be delayed but Carol Ryan argues it is still coming.[2] What’s catching my eye here is a somewhat irregular drumbeat. Whatever is going on here, it doesn’t seem to ever quite go away.

Carol Ryan, “America’s Office Fire Sale Has Barely Begun,” Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2024, https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/commercial/americas-office-fire-sale-has-barely-begun-0c8d376f


Imperialism

Israel


Fig. 2. John Bolton and Binyamin Netanyahu at a press conference. Office of U.S. National Security Advisor, August 20, 2018, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

Andrew Silow-Carroll, “How Israel’s Black Panthers radicalized its Mizrahi Jews, and changed the country,” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 17, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/17/ideas/how-israels-black-panthers-radicalized-its-mizrahi-jews-and-changed-the-country

Palestine

07_09:10:47-2
Fig. 3. The ruins of a terminal at the Gaza airport. Image by Said Khatib (Agence France-Presse) on September 9, 2018, via the Times of Israel,[3] fair use.

Paul Ronzheimer and Carlo Martuscelli, “Netanyahu vows to defy Biden’s ‘red line’ and invade Rafah,” Politico, March 10, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/israels-netanyahu-says-he-will-defy-bidens-red-line-and-invade-rafah/

Roya News, “Exposé reveals list of essential aid items banned by ‘Israel’ from entry into Gaza,” March 10, 2024, https://en.royanews.tv/news/49795/2024-03-03

Eric Lutz, “Joe Biden’s Delicate Dance With Netanyahu Can’t Go on Forever,” Vanity Fair, March 11, 2024, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/joe-biden-benjamin-netanyahu-rift

Claire Parker, “Israeli pressure on Palestinian economy pushes West Bank to the brink,” Washington Post, March 11, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/11/israel-gaza-west-bank-economy/

Nataliya Vasilyeva and Tony Diver, “Israel could see Netanyahu ousted from power, US predicts,” Telegraph, March 11, 2024, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/03/11/israel-could-see-netanyahu-ousted-from-power-us-predicts/

Adam Taylor, “Biden has huge leverage on Israel. He hasn’t really used it yet,” Washington Post, March 12, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com//world/2024/03/12/israel-united-states-military-aid-leverage/

Times of Israel, “Biden mulling conditions on Israel military aid if Rafah assault goes ahead — report,” Times of Israel, March 12, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-mulling-conditions-on-israel-military-aid-if-rafah-assault-goes-ahead-report/

Times of Israel, “‘Very senior’ Israeli official accuses US government of seeking to oust Netanyahu,” March 12, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/very-senior-israeli-official-accuses-us-government-of-seeking-to-oust-netanyahu/

Andrew Lapin, “80+ bands pull out of South by Southwest to protest festival’s ties to Israeli military,” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 13, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/13/israel/80-bands-pull-out-of-south-by-southwest-to-protest-festivals-ties-to-israeli-military

Stephen Collinson, Caitlin Hu, and Shelby Rose to Meanwhile in America list, “A momentous twist in US-Israel relations,” CNN, March 14, 2024, https://www.cnn.com/newsletters

Liz Goodwin, “Schumer calls for ‘new election’ in Israel in scathing speech on Netanyahu,” Washington Post, March 14, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/14/israel-elections-netanyahu-charles-schumer/

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, “Surprise, Surprise: AIPAC Flips Out Over Schumer’s Netanyahu Comment,” New Republic, March 14, 2024, https://newrepublic.com/post/179836/aipac-pissed-chuck-schumer-benjamin-netanyahu-comment

Shia Kapos and Adam Cancryn, “Arab, Muslim and Palestinian leaders refuse to meet with White House aides in Chicago,” Politico, March 14, 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/14/arab-muslim-and-palestinian-leaders-refuse-to-meet-with-white-house-aides-in-chicago-00147109

Barak Ravid, “Schumer’s anti-Netanyahu speech stuns Israel,” Axios, March 14, 2024, https://www.axios.com/2024/03/14/schumer-israel-netanyahu-speech-reaction

Luke Tress, “Chuck Schumer calls for new elections in Israel, says Netanyahu has ‘lost his way,’” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 14, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/14/israel/schumer-calls-for-new-elections-in-israel-says-netanyahu-has-lost-his-way

Gershom Gorenberg, “Why Biden and Bibi Are Tangling, and Why Biden Could Win,” New Republic, March 15, 2024, https://newrepublic.com/article/179736/biden-netanyahu-feud-gaza

Times of Israel, “Biden hails ‘good speech’ by Schumer criticizing Netanyahu, says many Americans agree,” March 15, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-hails-good-speech-by-schumer-criticizing-netanyahu-says-many-americans-agree/

Luke Tress, “Chuck Schumer called for elections in Israel. What did he hope to achieve?” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 15, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/15/israel/chuck-schumer-called-for-elections-in-israel-what-did-he-hope-to-achieve

Lauren Gambino, “Top senator calls on Biden to ‘use all levers’ to pressure Israel over Gaza,” Guardian, March 16, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/16/biden-senator-chris-van-hollen-israel-gaza-aid

Nicholas Vinocur, “Belgian PM warns Israel against using hunger as ‘weapon of war’ in Gaza,” Politico, March 16, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/belgian-prime-minister-alexander-de-croo-warns-israel-against-hunger-weapon-war-gaza/

Steve Hendrix, Susannah George, and Missy Ryan, “As Gaza war rages, U.S. military footprint expands across Middle East,” Washington Post, March 17, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/17/israel-gaza-us-military-middle-east/

Rachel Leingang, “How the uncommitted movement rocked Biden over Gaza,” Guardian, March 17, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/17/us-uncommitted-voters-biden-gaza


  1. [1]Carol Ryan, “America’s Office Fire Sale Has Barely Begun,” Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2024, https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/commercial/americas-office-fire-sale-has-barely-begun-0c8d376f
  2. [2]Carol Ryan, “America’s Office Fire Sale Has Barely Begun,” Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2024, https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/commercial/americas-office-fire-sale-has-barely-begun-0c8d376f
  3. [3]Agence France-Presse and Times of Israel, “20 years after its opening, destroyed Gaza airport embodies grounded peace hopes,” Times of Israel, September 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/20-years-after-its-opening-destroyed-gaza-airport-embodies-grounded-peace-hopes/

It is not only Binyamin Netanyahu who is due for a ‘come to Jesus’ moment.

Imperialism

Israel

Palestine

07_09:10:47-2
Fig. 1. The ruins of a terminal at the Gaza airport. Image by Said Khatib (Agence France-Presse) on September 9, 2018, via the Times of Israel,[1] fair use.

I missed or overlooked an article in New York magazine about Joe Biden’s approach to Israel, Binyamin Netanyahu, and Gaza when it first came out. In it, it becomes clear that Biden’s revised approach is to distinguish between Netanyahu and Israel, recognizing that Netanyahu is acting to save his own political skin and against Israel’s interests. The sanctions that have already been announced could in fact be applied more broadly, including to hardline members of Netanyahu’s coalition.[2] This, of course, has not yet happened, and sanctions are rarely, if ever, effective, so we can’t really count this as action. But:

This week, [Chris] Van Hollen and seven of his colleagues sent a letter to the president arguing that Israel was in violation of the Foreign Assistance Act, a section of which prohibits the sale and transfer of military weapons to any nation that restricts the delivery of US aid.

Their call comes as the administration faces mounting domestic and international pressure over what critics have described as an “absurd” and “inherent contradiction” at the heart of US policy on Israel’s war against Hamas: while the US attempts to ease the deepening humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s military campaign in the Palestinian territory, it continues to arm the country.[3]

Biden and his administration are surely aware of this contradiction and that Israel is in violation of U.S. law. The contents of the letter cannot possibly have been a surprise.

But what we’re seeing is that Biden is seriously out of step with what the entire world is saying, seriously out of step with what many of his own people are saying. And this is a man expecting to be re-elected. This is a picture that doesn’t make sense and it is not only Binyamin Netanyahu who is due for a “come to Jesus” moment.

Steve Hendrix and Sufian Taha, “At Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque, Ramadan brings uncertainty and fear,” Washington Post, March 9, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/09/ramadan-jerusalem-al-aqsa-gaza-war/

Noga Tarnopolsky, “The Biden Plan to Ditch Netanyahu,” New York, March 9, 2024, https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/the-biden-plan-to-ditch-israels-netanyahu.html

Paul Ronzheimer and Carlo Martuscelli, “Netanyahu vows to defy Biden’s ‘red line’ and invade Rafah,” Politico, March 10, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/israels-netanyahu-says-he-will-defy-bidens-red-line-and-invade-rafah/

Roya News, “Exposé reveals list of essential aid items banned by ‘Israel’ from entry into Gaza,” March 10, 2024, https://en.royanews.tv/news/49795/2024-03-03

Eric Lutz, “Joe Biden’s Delicate Dance With Netanyahu Can’t Go on Forever,” Vanity Fair, March 11, 2024, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/joe-biden-benjamin-netanyahu-rift

Claire Parker, “Israeli pressure on Palestinian economy pushes West Bank to the brink,” Washington Post, March 11, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/11/israel-gaza-west-bank-economy/

Nataliya Vasilyeva and Tony Diver, “Israel could see Netanyahu ousted from power, US predicts,” Telegraph, March 11, 2024, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/03/11/israel-could-see-netanyahu-ousted-from-power-us-predicts/

Adam Taylor, “Biden has huge leverage on Israel. He hasn’t really used it yet,” Washington Post, March 12, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com//world/2024/03/12/israel-united-states-military-aid-leverage/

Times of Israel, “Biden mulling conditions on Israel military aid if Rafah assault goes ahead — report,” Times of Israel, March 12, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-mulling-conditions-on-israel-military-aid-if-rafah-assault-goes-ahead-report/

Times of Israel, “‘Very senior’ Israeli official accuses US government of seeking to oust Netanyahu,” March 12, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/very-senior-israeli-official-accuses-us-government-of-seeking-to-oust-netanyahu/

Andrew Lapin, “80+ bands pull out of South by Southwest to protest festival’s ties to Israeli military,” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 13, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/13/israel/80-bands-pull-out-of-south-by-southwest-to-protest-festivals-ties-to-israeli-military

Stephen Collinson, Caitlin Hu, and Shelby Rose to Meanwhile in America list, “A momentous twist in US-Israel relations,” CNN, March 14, 2024, https://www.cnn.com/newsletters

Liz Goodwin, “Schumer calls for ‘new election’ in Israel in scathing speech on Netanyahu,” Washington Post, March 14, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/14/israel-elections-netanyahu-charles-schumer/

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, “Surprise, Surprise: AIPAC Flips Out Over Schumer’s Netanyahu Comment,” New Republic, March 14, 2024, https://newrepublic.com/post/179836/aipac-pissed-chuck-schumer-benjamin-netanyahu-comment

Shia Kapos and Adam Cancryn, “Arab, Muslim and Palestinian leaders refuse to meet with White House aides in Chicago,” Politico, March 14, 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/14/arab-muslim-and-palestinian-leaders-refuse-to-meet-with-white-house-aides-in-chicago-00147109

Barak Ravid, “Schumer’s anti-Netanyahu speech stuns Israel,” Axios, March 14, 2024, https://www.axios.com/2024/03/14/schumer-israel-netanyahu-speech-reaction

Luke Tress, “Chuck Schumer calls for new elections in Israel, says Netanyahu has ‘lost his way,’” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 14, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/14/israel/schumer-calls-for-new-elections-in-israel-says-netanyahu-has-lost-his-way

Gershom Gorenberg, “Why Biden and Bibi Are Tangling, and Why Biden Could Win,” New Republic, March 15, 2024, https://newrepublic.com/article/179736/biden-netanyahu-feud-gaza

Times of Israel, “Biden hails ‘good speech’ by Schumer criticizing Netanyahu, says many Americans agree,” March 15, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-hails-good-speech-by-schumer-criticizing-netanyahu-says-many-americans-agree/

Luke Tress, “Chuck Schumer called for elections in Israel. What did he hope to achieve?” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 15, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/15/israel/chuck-schumer-called-for-elections-in-israel-what-did-he-hope-to-achieve

Lauren Gambino, “Top senator calls on Biden to ‘use all levers’ to pressure Israel over Gaza,” Guardian, March 16, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/16/biden-senator-chris-van-hollen-israel-gaza-aid

Nicholas Vinocur, “Belgian PM warns Israel against using hunger as ‘weapon of war’ in Gaza,” Politico, March 16, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/belgian-prime-minister-alexander-de-croo-warns-israel-against-hunger-weapon-war-gaza/


So-called ‘ridesharing’

Drivers


Fig. 1. Yeah, this is me. The sign says, “If you’re whining about a labor shortage, STOP ignoring my job applications!” And the QR-code leads here. Photograph by author, January 16, 2023.

Jordan Valinsky, “Lyft and Uber to cease operations in Minneapolis after new minimum wage law,” CNN, March 15, 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/15/business/uber-lyft-minneapolis-minimum-wage/index.html


Illiberalism

Gilead

Donald Trump
Coup attempt

2024

Fig. 1. Cartoon by Ben Jennings, January 24, 2024, via the Guardian,[4] fair use.

Kyle Cheney, Josh Gerstein, and Betsy Woodruff Swan, “Judge tosses six charges in Trump Georgia indictment,” Politico, March 13, 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/13/judge-tosses-six-charges-in-trump-georgia-indictment-00146713

Perry Stein and Devlin Barrett, “Judge Cannon rejects Trump’s attack on the Espionage Act,” Washington Post, March 14, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/03/14/trump-cannon-hearing-espionage-act-pra/

Holly Bailey and Amy Gardner, “Fani Willis can stay on Trump Georgia case, but only if Wade steps aside, judge says,” Washington Post, March 15, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/03/15/fani-willis-trump-georgia-case/

Thomas Doherty, “Trump wouldn’t be the first presidential candidate to campaign from a prison cell,” Conversation, March 15, 2024, https://theconversation.com/trump-wouldnt-be-the-first-presidential-candidate-to-campaign-from-a-prison-cell-225492

Ronald S. Sullivan, Jr., “Why Fani Willis was allowed to stay on as prosecutor of criminal case against Trump in Georgia – and what happens next,” Conversation, March 15, 2024, https://theconversation.com/why-fani-willis-was-allowed-to-stay-on-as-prosecutor-of-criminal-case-against-trump-in-georgia-and-what-happens-next-225532

Jan Wolfe, Cameron McWhirter, and Mariah Timms, “Willis Deputy Resigns, Allowing Her to Stay on Trump Case After Judge’s Ruling,” Wall Street Journal, March 15, 2024, https://www.wsj.com/us-news/judge-says-fani-willis-can-stay-on-georgia-trump-caseif-deputy-steps-aside-04790a42


  1. [1]Agence France-Presse and Times of Israel, “20 years after its opening, destroyed Gaza airport embodies grounded peace hopes,” Times of Israel, September 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/20-years-after-its-opening-destroyed-gaza-airport-embodies-grounded-peace-hopes/
  2. [2]Noga Tarnopolsky, “The Biden Plan to Ditch Netanyahu,” New York, March 9, 2024, https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/the-biden-plan-to-ditch-israels-netanyahu.html
  3. [3]Lauren Gambino, “Top senator calls on Biden to ‘use all levers’ to pressure Israel over Gaza,” Guardian, March 16, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/16/biden-senator-chris-van-hollen-israel-gaza-aid
  4. [4]Ben Jennings, “Ben Jennings on Donald Trump’s progress along the Republican nomination trail – cartoon,” Guardian, January 24, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2024/jan/24/ben-jennings-on-donald-trumps-progress-along-the-republican-nomination-trail-cartoon

How, really, does sex in an office closet have anything at all to do with the prosecution of Donald Trump?

Imperialism

United States

Haiti


Fig. 1. “US Marine Corps (USMC) Marines, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion (BN), 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division (Mar DIV), patrol through the Bel Air area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, after distributing donated school supplies to students in a Port-au-Prince, Haiti, school. This effort is known as “Operation Homework,” which is part of Operation SECURE TOMORROW.” Kevin McCall, April 14, 2004, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

Jon Lee Anderson, “Are Gangs About to Take Over Haiti?” New Yorker, March 13, 2024, https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/are-gangs-about-to-take-over-haiti

Israel

Palestine

07_09:10:47-2
Fig. 1. The ruins of a terminal at the Gaza airport. Image by Said Khatib (Agence France-Presse) on September 9, 2018, via the Times of Israel,[1] fair use.

Chuck Schumer’s speech may have backfired.[2]

Zack Beauchamp, “Are Biden and the Democrats finally turning on Israel?” Vox, March 8, 2024, https://www.vox.com/politics/2024/3/8/24093748/biden-israel-democrats-state-of-the-union-gaza-port

Konstantin Toropin, “New Military Sealift Operation to Aid Starving Gaza Residents Will Require More than 1,000 US Troops,” Military.com, March 8, 2024, https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/03/08/new-military-sealift-operation-aid-starving-gaza-residents-will-require-more-1000-us-troops.html

Steve Hendrix and Sufian Taha, “At Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque, Ramadan brings uncertainty and fear,” Washington Post, March 9, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/09/ramadan-jerusalem-al-aqsa-gaza-war/

Paul Ronzheimer and Carlo Martuscelli, “Netanyahu vows to defy Biden’s ‘red line’ and invade Rafah,” Politico, March 10, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/israels-netanyahu-says-he-will-defy-bidens-red-line-and-invade-rafah/

Roya News, “Exposé reveals list of essential aid items banned by ‘Israel’ from entry into Gaza,” March 10, 2024, https://en.royanews.tv/news/49795/2024-03-03

Eric Lutz, “Joe Biden’s Delicate Dance With Netanyahu Can’t Go on Forever,” Vanity Fair, March 11, 2024, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/joe-biden-benjamin-netanyahu-rift

Claire Parker, “Israeli pressure on Palestinian economy pushes West Bank to the brink,” Washington Post, March 11, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/11/israel-gaza-west-bank-economy/

Nataliya Vasilyeva and Tony Diver, “Israel could see Netanyahu ousted from power, US predicts,” Telegraph, March 11, 2024, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/03/11/israel-could-see-netanyahu-ousted-from-power-us-predicts/

Adam Taylor, “Biden has huge leverage on Israel. He hasn’t really used it yet,” Washington Post, March 12, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com//world/2024/03/12/israel-united-states-military-aid-leverage/

Times of Israel, “Biden mulling conditions on Israel military aid if Rafah assault goes ahead — report,” Times of Israel, March 12, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-mulling-conditions-on-israel-military-aid-if-rafah-assault-goes-ahead-report/

Times of Israel, “‘Very senior’ Israeli official accuses US government of seeking to oust Netanyahu,” March 12, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/very-senior-israeli-official-accuses-us-government-of-seeking-to-oust-netanyahu/

Andrew Lapin, “80+ bands pull out of South by Southwest to protest festival’s ties to Israeli military,” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 13, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/13/israel/80-bands-pull-out-of-south-by-southwest-to-protest-festivals-ties-to-israeli-military

Stephen Collinson, Caitlin Hu, and Shelby Rose to Meanwhile in America list, “A momentous twist in US-Israel relations,” CNN, March 14, 2024, https://www.cnn.com/newsletters

Liz Goodwin, “Schumer calls for ‘new election’ in Israel in scathing speech on Netanyahu,” Washington Post, March 14, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/14/israel-elections-netanyahu-charles-schumer/

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, “Surprise, Surprise: AIPAC Flips Out Over Schumer’s Netanyahu Comment,” New Republic, March 14, 2024, https://newrepublic.com/post/179836/aipac-pissed-chuck-schumer-benjamin-netanyahu-comment

Shia Kapos and Adam Cancryn, “Arab, Muslim and Palestinian leaders refuse to meet with White House aides in Chicago,” Politico, March 14, 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/14/arab-muslim-and-palestinian-leaders-refuse-to-meet-with-white-house-aides-in-chicago-00147109

Barak Ravid, “Schumer’s anti-Netanyahu speech stuns Israel,” Axios, March 14, 2024, https://www.axios.com/2024/03/14/schumer-israel-netanyahu-speech-reaction

Luke Tress, “Chuck Schumer calls for new elections in Israel, says Netanyahu has ‘lost his way,’” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 14, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/14/israel/schumer-calls-for-new-elections-in-israel-says-netanyahu-has-lost-his-way

Gershom Gorenberg, “Why Biden and Bibi Are Tangling, and Why Biden Could Win,” New Republic, March 15, 2024, https://newrepublic.com/article/179736/biden-netanyahu-feud-gaza

Luke Tress, “Chuck Schumer called for elections in Israel. What did he hope to achieve?” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 15, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/15/israel/chuck-schumer-called-for-elections-in-israel-what-did-he-hope-to-achieve


Illiberalism

Gilead

Donald Trump
Coup attempt

2024

Fig. 1. Cartoon by Ben Jennings, January 24, 2024, via the Guardian,[3] fair use.

Whatever else you do, take a few minutes to read the story of Eugene Debs.[4] As to the drama in Georgia, someone needs to explain to me how this alleged “conflict of interest” amounts to a hill of beans.

The judge refers to the appearance of impropriety and required Fani Willis’ deputy’s resignation,[5] which was rapidly forthcoming.[6] Everybody acts like this is a big deal, but I’m just completely missing how some fucking in office closets in an apparently now-ended romantic relationship on the prosecution team affects the prosecution of Donald Trump in any way. It’s just a complete non sequitur for me and I’m completely disgusted that any attention whatsoever has been paid to this. But I guess it’s an excuse for delay, which, of course, is Trump’s standard operating procedure.[7]

Kyle Cheney, Josh Gerstein, and Betsy Woodruff Swan, “Judge tosses six charges in Trump Georgia indictment,” Politico, March 13, 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/13/judge-tosses-six-charges-in-trump-georgia-indictment-00146713

Perry Stein and Devlin Barrett, “Judge Cannon rejects Trump’s attack on the Espionage Act,” Washington Post, March 14, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/03/14/trump-cannon-hearing-espionage-act-pra/

Holly Bailey and Amy Gardner, “Fani Willis can stay on Trump Georgia case, but only if Wade steps aside, judge says,” Washington Post, March 15, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/03/15/fani-willis-trump-georgia-case/

Thomas Doherty, “Trump wouldn’t be the first presidential candidate to campaign from a prison cell,” Conversation, March 15, 2024, https://theconversation.com/trump-wouldnt-be-the-first-presidential-candidate-to-campaign-from-a-prison-cell-225492

Jan Wolfe, Cameron McWhirter, and Mariah Timms, “Willis Deputy Resigns, Allowing Her to Stay on Trump Case After Judge’s Ruling,” Wall Street Journal, March 15, 2024, https://www.wsj.com/us-news/judge-says-fani-willis-can-stay-on-georgia-trump-caseif-deputy-steps-aside-04790a42


  1. [1]Agence France-Presse and Times of Israel, “20 years after its opening, destroyed Gaza airport embodies grounded peace hopes,” Times of Israel, September 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/20-years-after-its-opening-destroyed-gaza-airport-embodies-grounded-peace-hopes/
  2. [2]Luke Tress, “Chuck Schumer called for elections in Israel. What did he hope to achieve?” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 15, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/15/israel/chuck-schumer-called-for-elections-in-israel-what-did-he-hope-to-achieve
  3. [3]Ben Jennings, “Ben Jennings on Donald Trump’s progress along the Republican nomination trail – cartoon,” Guardian, January 24, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2024/jan/24/ben-jennings-on-donald-trumps-progress-along-the-republican-nomination-trail-cartoon
  4. [4]Thomas Doherty, “Trump wouldn’t be the first presidential candidate to campaign from a prison cell,” Conversation, March 15, 2024, https://theconversation.com/trump-wouldnt-be-the-first-presidential-candidate-to-campaign-from-a-prison-cell-225492
  5. [5]Holly Bailey and Amy Gardner, “Fani Willis can stay on Trump Georgia case, but only if Wade steps aside, judge says,” Washington Post, March 15, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/03/15/fani-willis-trump-georgia-case/
  6. [6]Jan Wolfe, Cameron McWhirter, and Mariah Timms, “Willis Deputy Resigns, Allowing Her to Stay on Trump Case After Judge’s Ruling,” Wall Street Journal, March 15, 2024, https://www.wsj.com/us-news/judge-says-fani-willis-can-stay-on-georgia-trump-caseif-deputy-steps-aside-04790a42
  7. [7]William K. Rashbaum et al., “Donald Trump’s Time-Tested Legal Strategy: Attack and Delay,” New York Times, April 2, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/01/nyregion/trump-bragg-legal-defense-strategy.html

Many, many, far too many words, nowhere near enough action

Illiberalism

Gilead

Right-wing militias
Police White supremacist gangs


Fig. 1. Photograph by Lorie Shaull, April 1, 2021, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Kelli Smith, “Dallas Police Officers who Laughed at Veteran Denied Restroom Get Written Reprimands,” Military.com, March 13, 2024, https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/03/13/dallas-police-officers-who-laughed-veteran-denied-restroom-get-written-reprimands.html

Donald Trump
Finances


Fig. 2. Trump International Hotel, Las Vegas, undated image credited to https://www.flickr.com/photos/glynlowe/ [bad link], via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

[Donald] Trump, who claims to be a billionaire, has tried to delay posting bond and offered to post just $100 million. His efforts have been roundly rejected by the judge who presided over his trial. He has until March 25 to stay the fraud judgment, meaning he would need to put up the money, assets, or an appeal bond to cover the full amount. If he fails to do so, New York Attorney General Letitia James has warned she will start seizing his assets.[1]

Tori Otten, “It Seems Trump Still Has No Idea How to Post That Massive Fraud Bond,” New Republic, March 13, 2024, https://newrepublic.com/post/179816/trump-struggle-post-fraud-bond


Imperialism

Israel

Palestine

07_09:10:47-2
Fig. 3. The ruins of a terminal at the Gaza airport. Image by Said Khatib (Agence France-Presse) on September 9, 2018, via the Times of Israel,[2] fair use.

For all of the hullabaloo surrounding Chuck Schumer’s speech calling for Israeli elections, and there’s been quite a lot of it,[3] I still see no sign of actual action, which is what is absolutely necessary[4] and still may not be enough.[5]

Zack Beauchamp, “Are Biden and the Democrats finally turning on Israel?” Vox, March 8, 2024, https://www.vox.com/politics/2024/3/8/24093748/biden-israel-democrats-state-of-the-union-gaza-port

Konstantin Toropin, “New Military Sealift Operation to Aid Starving Gaza Residents Will Require More than 1,000 US Troops,” Military.com, March 8, 2024, https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/03/08/new-military-sealift-operation-aid-starving-gaza-residents-will-require-more-1000-us-troops.html

Steve Hendrix and Sufian Taha, “At Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque, Ramadan brings uncertainty and fear,” Washington Post, March 9, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/09/ramadan-jerusalem-al-aqsa-gaza-war/

Paul Ronzheimer and Carlo Martuscelli, “Netanyahu vows to defy Biden’s ‘red line’ and invade Rafah,” Politico, March 10, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/israels-netanyahu-says-he-will-defy-bidens-red-line-and-invade-rafah/

Roya News, “Exposé reveals list of essential aid items banned by ‘Israel’ from entry into Gaza,” March 10, 2024, https://en.royanews.tv/news/49795/2024-03-03

Eric Lutz, “Joe Biden’s Delicate Dance With Netanyahu Can’t Go on Forever,” Vanity Fair, March 11, 2024, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/joe-biden-benjamin-netanyahu-rift

Claire Parker, “Israeli pressure on Palestinian economy pushes West Bank to the brink,” Washington Post, March 11, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/11/israel-gaza-west-bank-economy/

Nataliya Vasilyeva and Tony Diver, “Israel could see Netanyahu ousted from power, US predicts,” Telegraph, March 11, 2024, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/03/11/israel-could-see-netanyahu-ousted-from-power-us-predicts/

Adam Taylor, “Biden has huge leverage on Israel. He hasn’t really used it yet,” Washington Post, March 12, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com//world/2024/03/12/israel-united-states-military-aid-leverage/

Times of Israel, “Biden mulling conditions on Israel military aid if Rafah assault goes ahead — report,” Times of Israel, March 12, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-mulling-conditions-on-israel-military-aid-if-rafah-assault-goes-ahead-report/

Times of Israel, “‘Very senior’ Israeli official accuses US government of seeking to oust Netanyahu,” March 12, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/very-senior-israeli-official-accuses-us-government-of-seeking-to-oust-netanyahu/

Andrew Lapin, “80+ bands pull out of South by Southwest to protest festival’s ties to Israeli military,” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 13, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/13/israel/80-bands-pull-out-of-south-by-southwest-to-protest-festivals-ties-to-israeli-military

Stephen Collinson, Caitlin Hu, and Shelby Rose to Meanwhile in America list, “A momentous twist in US-Israel relations,” CNN, March 14, 2024, https://www.cnn.com/newsletters

Liz Goodwin, “Schumer calls for ‘new election’ in Israel in scathing speech on Netanyahu,” Washington Post, March 14, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/14/israel-elections-netanyahu-charles-schumer/

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, “Surprise, Surprise: AIPAC Flips Out Over Schumer’s Netanyahu Comment,” New Republic, March 14, 2024, https://newrepublic.com/post/179836/aipac-pissed-chuck-schumer-benjamin-netanyahu-comment

Shia Kapos and Adam Cancryn, “Arab, Muslim and Palestinian leaders refuse to meet with White House aides in Chicago,” Politico, March 14, 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/14/arab-muslim-and-palestinian-leaders-refuse-to-meet-with-white-house-aides-in-chicago-00147109

Luke Tress, “Chuck Schumer calls for new elections in Israel, says Netanyahu has ‘lost his way,’” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 14, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/14/israel/schumer-calls-for-new-elections-in-israel-says-netanyahu-has-lost-his-way


  1. [1]Tori Otten, “It Seems Trump Still Has No Idea How to Post That Massive Fraud Bond,” New Republic, March 13, 2024, https://newrepublic.com/post/179816/trump-struggle-post-fraud-bond
  2. [2]Agence France-Presse and Times of Israel, “20 years after its opening, destroyed Gaza airport embodies grounded peace hopes,” Times of Israel, September 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/20-years-after-its-opening-destroyed-gaza-airport-embodies-grounded-peace-hopes/
  3. [3]Stephen Collinson, Caitlin Hu and Shelby Rose to Meanwhile in America list, “A momentous twist in US-Israel relations,” CNN, March 14, 2024, https://www.cnn.com/newsletters; Liz Goodwin, “Schumer calls for ‘new election’ in Israel in scathing speech on Netanyahu,” Washington Post, March 14, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/14/israel-elections-netanyahu-charles-schumer/; Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, “Surprise, Surprise: AIPAC Flips Out Over Schumer’s Netanyahu Comment,” New Republic, March 14, 2024, https://newrepublic.com/post/179836/aipac-pissed-chuck-schumer-benjamin-netanyahu-comment; Barak Ravid, “Schumer’s anti-Netanyahu speech stuns Israel,” Axios, March 14, 2024, https://www.axios.com/2024/03/14/schumer-israel-netanyahu-speech-reaction; Luke Tress, “Chuck Schumer calls for new elections in Israel, says Netanyahu has ‘lost his way,’” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 14, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/14/israel/schumer-calls-for-new-elections-in-israel-says-netanyahu-has-lost-his-way
  4. [4]Shia Kapos and Adam Cancryn, “Arab, Muslim and Palestinian leaders refuse to meet with White House aides in Chicago,” Politico, March 14, 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/14/arab-muslim-and-palestinian-leaders-refuse-to-meet-with-white-house-aides-in-chicago-00147109
  5. [5]Charles M. Blow, “Arab American Fury Toward Biden,” Washington Post, February 28, 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/28/opinion/voters-michigan-biden-gaza.html

Suddenly, there’s $300 million for Ukraine. Not that it’s anything like enough.

Imperialism

Russia

Ukraine


Fig. 1. “Destroyed Russian military vehicles located on the main street Khreshchatyk are seen as part of the celebration of the Independence Day of Ukraine in Kyiv, August 24.” Photograph by Gleb Garanich for Reuters, August 24, 2022,[1] fair use.

Dan Lamothe, “U.S. to send Ukraine $300 million arms package as further aid stalls,” Washington Post, March 12, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/03/12/ukraine-weapons-package/

Oren Liebermann, Haley Britzky, and Natasha Bertrand, “Biden admin announces new weapons package for Ukraine following months of warnings there was no money left,” CNN, March 12, 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/12/politics/us-announces-weapons-package-ukraine/index.html

Israel

Palestine

07_09:10:47-2
Fig. 2. The ruins of a terminal at the Gaza airport. Image by Said Khatib (Agence France-Presse) on September 9, 2018, via the Times of Israel,[2] fair use.

Opening its main nightly news broadcast, Channel 12 said that the statement came from “the most senior Israeli political source you can imagine,” indicating this was [Binyamin] Netanyahu himself, and added that the US report [that Netanyahu’s rule may be in jeopardy] had left the prime minister “fuming.”

Netanyahu has “decided to embark upon strong, public and dramatic confrontations with the president of the United States,” Channel 12 added.

In the same intelligence report, the US observed that Israel will likely be challenged by Hamas for years to come, despite its insistence in the wake of the deadly October 7 terror assault that it will eradicate the terror group in its entirety and Netanyahu repeated vow of “total victory.”[3]

Sorry, but if you’re going to accuse the U.S. of seeking to oust Binyamin Netanyahu,[4] you’re going to have to show me something a lot more substantive than an intelligence assessment that his ouster is a possibility.[5] This is just asinine. But I guess we see what gets under Netanyahu’s skin.

Zack Beauchamp, “Are Biden and the Democrats finally turning on Israel?” Vox, March 8, 2024, https://www.vox.com/politics/2024/3/8/24093748/biden-israel-democrats-state-of-the-union-gaza-port

Konstantin Toropin, “New Military Sealift Operation to Aid Starving Gaza Residents Will Require More than 1,000 US Troops,” Military.com, March 8, 2024, https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/03/08/new-military-sealift-operation-aid-starving-gaza-residents-will-require-more-1000-us-troops.html

Steve Hendrix and Sufian Taha, “At Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque, Ramadan brings uncertainty and fear,” Washington Post, March 9, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/09/ramadan-jerusalem-al-aqsa-gaza-war/

Paul Ronzheimer and Carlo Martuscelli, “Netanyahu vows to defy Biden’s ‘red line’ and invade Rafah,” Politico, March 10, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/israels-netanyahu-says-he-will-defy-bidens-red-line-and-invade-rafah/

Roya News, “Exposé reveals list of essential aid items banned by ‘Israel’ from entry into Gaza,” March 10, 2024, https://en.royanews.tv/news/49795/2024-03-03

Eric Lutz, “Joe Biden’s Delicate Dance With Netanyahu Can’t Go on Forever,” Vanity Fair, March 11, 2024, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/joe-biden-benjamin-netanyahu-rift

Claire Parker, “Israeli pressure on Palestinian economy pushes West Bank to the brink,” Washington Post, March 11, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/11/israel-gaza-west-bank-economy/

Nataliya Vasilyeva and Tony Diver, “Israel could see Netanyahu ousted from power, US predicts,” Telegraph, March 11, 2024, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/03/11/israel-could-see-netanyahu-ousted-from-power-us-predicts/

Adam Taylor, “Biden has huge leverage on Israel. He hasn’t really used it yet,” Washington Post, March 12, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com//world/2024/03/12/israel-united-states-military-aid-leverage/

Times of Israel, “Biden mulling conditions on Israel military aid if Rafah assault goes ahead — report,” Times of Israel, March 12, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-mulling-conditions-on-israel-military-aid-if-rafah-assault-goes-ahead-report/

Times of Israel, “‘Very senior’ Israeli official accuses US government of seeking to oust Netanyahu,” March 12, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/very-senior-israeli-official-accuses-us-government-of-seeking-to-oust-netanyahu/

Andrew Lapin, “80+ bands pull out of South by Southwest to protest festival’s ties to Israeli military,” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 13, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/13/israel/80-bands-pull-out-of-south-by-southwest-to-protest-festivals-ties-to-israeli-military


Illiberalism

Gilead

Migration


Fig. 3. Photograph credited to “ProtoplasmaKid,”, November 9, 2018, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Rich Cholodofsky, “Westmoreland looks to shed label of being a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, March 13, 2024, https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/westmoreland-looks-to-shed-label-of-being-a-sanctuary-for-undocumented-immigrants/

Sara McKinnon, “What is the Darien Gap? And why are more migrants risking this Latin American route to get to the US?” Conversation, March 13, 2024, https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-darien-gap-and-why-are-more-migrants-risking-this-latin-american-route-to-get-to-the-us-225422


Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh

Infrastructure


Fig. 4. Post-collapse scene at the Fern Hollow Bridge, photograph by National Transportation Safety Board, January 29, 2022, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

Ryan Deto, “Is it time to replace the Mon Incline? Officials ponder its future,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, March 12, 2024, https://triblive.com/local/is-it-time-to-replace-the-mon-incline-officials-ponder-its-future/


Illiberalism

Gilead

Donald Trump
Coup attempt

2024

Fig. 5. Cartoon by Ben Jennings, January 24, 2024, via the Guardian,[6] fair use.

The ruling [dismissing six charges] affects three of the 13 felony counts [Donald] Trump faces in the case, though not the central charge of a racketeering conspiracy aimed at overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state. Several of the dismissed counts do not involve Trump but instead apply to some of his most prominent co-defendants, including Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman and Mark Meadows.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee emphasized that prosecutors may refile the charges with greater detail or appeal his ruling. . . .

It’s the latest setback for prosecutors in a case already waylaid for weeks by allegations that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis improperly benefited from the case by appointing a special prosecutor she had a romantic relationship with, Nathan Wade. Defendants have alleged that Wade used income he earned from his contract as a special prosecutor to take lavish vacations with Willis.[7]

Kyle Cheney, Josh Gerstein, and Betsy Woodruff Swan, “Judge tosses six charges in Trump Georgia indictment,” Politico, March 13, 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/13/judge-tosses-six-charges-in-trump-georgia-indictment-00146713


  1. [1]Reuters, “Ukraine puts destroyed Russian tanks on display in Kyiv,” August 25, 2022, https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/ukraine-puts-destroyed-russian-tanks-on-idUSRTSALV9Q
  2. [2]Agence France-Presse and Times of Israel, “20 years after its opening, destroyed Gaza airport embodies grounded peace hopes,” Times of Israel, September 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/20-years-after-its-opening-destroyed-gaza-airport-embodies-grounded-peace-hopes/
  3. [3]Times of Israel, “‘Very senior’ Israeli official accuses US government of seeking to oust Netanyahu,” March 12, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/very-senior-israeli-official-accuses-us-government-of-seeking-to-oust-netanyahu/
  4. [4]Times of Israel, “‘Very senior’ Israeli official accuses US government of seeking to oust Netanyahu,” March 12, 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/very-senior-israeli-official-accuses-us-government-of-seeking-to-oust-netanyahu/
  5. [5]Nataliya Vasilyeva and Tony Diver, “Israel could see Netanyahu ousted from power, US predicts,” Telegraph, March 11, 2024, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/03/11/israel-could-see-netanyahu-ousted-from-power-us-predicts/
  6. [6]Ben Jennings, “Ben Jennings on Donald Trump’s progress along the Republican nomination trail – cartoon,” Guardian, January 24, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2024/jan/24/ben-jennings-on-donald-trumps-progress-along-the-republican-nomination-trail-cartoon
  7. [7]Kyle Cheney, Josh Gerstein, and Betsy Woodruff Swan, “Judge tosses six charges in Trump Georgia indictment,” Politico, March 13, 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/13/judge-tosses-six-charges-in-trump-georgia-indictment-00146713

Forget Elon Musk versus Mark Zuckerberg. I wanna see Joe Biden vs. Binyamin Netanyahu.

Imperialism

Israel

Palestine

07_09:10:47-2
Fig. 1. The ruins of a terminal at the Gaza airport. Image by Said Khatib (Agence France-Presse) on September 9, 2018, via the Times of Israel,[1] fair use.

Remember the cage fight that never happened between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg?[2] It never happened because both men are just so full of shit that the entire planet would wretch rather than watch. We’re seeing that “full of shit” thing again.

In our previous installment, we saw Binyamin Netanyahu defending his genocidal war on Gaza by citing Israeli public opinion.[3]

A joint report by 18 [U.S. intelligence] agencies on the global threat level, published on Monday [March 11], found that the Israeli prime minister was facing significant opposition to his “hard-line policies on Palestinian and security issues”.

Mr Netanyahu is under pressure to maintain control of his coalition government, which relies on support from seven parties, amid public anger over the Oct 7 attacks.[4]

Something we need to remember when we see shit like this is that information is a battleground. I strongly doubt that the intelligence agencies have quantified the opposition to Netanyahu. I suspect that this is Joe Biden, who faces re-election-threatening criticism for being soft on genocide,[5] ramping up the pressure on Netanyahu.

Sure, there is opposition to Netanyahu in Israel. But what we’re really seeing here are yet more words from the Biden administration. Not action. Words. Even an unthinkably stupid cage fight would be better.

Ron Kampeas, “‘Uncommitted’ campaign opposing Biden’s support for Israel makes a mark in 5 more states,” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 6, 2024, https://www.jta.org/2024/03/06/politics/uncommitted-campaign-opposing-bidens-support-for-israel-makes-a-mark-in-5-more-states

Zack Beauchamp, “Are Biden and the Democrats finally turning on Israel?” Vox, March 8, 2024, https://www.vox.com/politics/2024/3/8/24093748/biden-israel-democrats-state-of-the-union-gaza-port

Konstantin Toropin, “New Military Sealift Operation to Aid Starving Gaza Residents Will Require More than 1,000 US Troops,” Military.com, March 8, 2024, https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/03/08/new-military-sealift-operation-aid-starving-gaza-residents-will-require-more-1000-us-troops.html

Steve Hendrix and Sufian Taha, “At Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque, Ramadan brings uncertainty and fear,” Washington Post, March 9, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/09/ramadan-jerusalem-al-aqsa-gaza-war/

Paul Ronzheimer and Carlo Martuscelli, “Netanyahu vows to defy Biden’s ‘red line’ and invade Rafah,” Politico, March 10, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/israels-netanyahu-says-he-will-defy-bidens-red-line-and-invade-rafah/

Roya News, “Exposé reveals list of essential aid items banned by ‘Israel’ from entry into Gaza,” March 10, 2024, https://en.royanews.tv/news/49795/2024-03-03

Eric Lutz, “Joe Biden’s Delicate Dance With Netanyahu Can’t Go on Forever,” Vanity Fair, March 11, 2024, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/joe-biden-benjamin-netanyahu-rift

Nataliya Vasilyeva and Tony Diver, “Israel could see Netanyahu ousted from power, US predicts,” Telegraph, March 11, 2024, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/03/11/israel-could-see-netanyahu-ousted-from-power-us-predicts/

Adam Taylor, “Biden has huge leverage on Israel. He hasn’t really used it yet,” Washington Post, March 12, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com//world/2024/03/12/israel-united-states-military-aid-leverage/


Illiberalism

Hungary

I’m not quite sure what to make of the European Parliament suing the European Commission over aid to Hungary,[6] but I’m noticing the lawsuit comes after the Commission got the vote it wanted from Viktor Orbán on Ukraine funding[7] and after Sweden acceded to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,[8] which Orbán had opposed,[9] in other words, after European politicians had gotten what they’d wanted and as European politicians had signaled a loss of patience for Orbán’s negotiating tactics.[10]

I guess what I’m thinking about here is what this means for future such deals. The pattern we’ve seen here again and again is that while the European Union withholds money, seeking to compel Hungary to roll back its illiberal changes, weakening the “rule of law,” meant to keep its ruling coalition in power, Orbán simply becomes an obstacle to the unanimity European institutions often require, holding out to get at least some of the money released. The parliament is saying rather explicitly that such deals must stop.[11] Conflict is on the horizon here, and certainly not just in the courtroom.

Hungary remains a problem. Hungary remains a illiberal regime. Hungary will undoubtedly seek to continue to use its leverage to free up as much money as it can get from Europe. Like Binyamin Netanyahu, Orbán likely counts on Donald Trump returning to the presidency, at which point, Ukraine may well be forced to capitulate as the U.S. permanently cuts off aid and the global illiberalism movement, which is at least soft on Vladimir Putin, gets a gigantic boost. A lot of shit can go wrong here.

Jakob Hanke and Claudia Chiappa, “Brussels vs. Brussels: EU Parliament to sue Commission over Hungary cash,” Politico, March 12, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/parliament-sues-commission-over-unfreezing-of-hungary-funds/


Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh

Housing


Fig. 1. Once upon a time this was a Whole Foods Market. The store is part of a complex that replaced the Penn Plaza Apartments.[12] Whole Foods has now relocated to a larger location a few blocks away. Photograph by author, August 23, 2023.

Mark Belko, “Rescuing Downtown Pittsburgh: City councilman pitches a plan for broader tax relief to aid in building conversions,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 12, 2024, https://www.post-gazette.com/business/development/2024/03/11/downtown-pittsburgh-councilman-bobby-wilson-tax-abatements-assessments-seiu/stories/202403110072


  1. [1]Agence France-Presse and Times of Israel, “20 years after its opening, destroyed Gaza airport embodies grounded peace hopes,” Times of Israel, September 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/20-years-after-its-opening-destroyed-gaza-airport-embodies-grounded-peace-hopes/
  2. [2]Peter Hoskins, “Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg agree to hold cage fight,” British Broadcasting Corporation, June 22, 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65981876
  3. [3]Paul Ronzheimer and Carlo Martuscelli, “Netanyahu vows to defy Biden’s ‘red line’ and invade Rafah,” Politico, March 10, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/israels-netanyahu-says-he-will-defy-bidens-red-line-and-invade-rafah/
  4. [4]Nataliya Vasilyeva and Tony Diver, “Israel could see Netanyahu ousted from power, US predicts,” Telegraph, March 11, 2024, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/03/11/israel-could-see-netanyahu-ousted-from-power-us-predicts/
  5. [5]Eric Lutz, “Joe Biden’s Delicate Dance With Netanyahu Can’t Go on Forever,” Vanity Fair, March 11, 2024, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/joe-biden-benjamin-netanyahu-rift; Adam Taylor, “Biden has huge leverage on Israel. He hasn’t really used it yet,” Washington Post, March 12, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com//world/2024/03/12/israel-united-states-military-aid-leverage/
  6. [6]Jakob Hanke and Claudia Chiappa, “Brussels vs. Brussels: EU Parliament to sue Commission over Hungary cash,” Politico, March 12, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/parliament-sues-commission-over-unfreezing-of-hungary-funds/
  7. [7]Gregorio Sorgi, Barbara Moens, and Elisa Braun, “EU approves €50B Ukraine aid as Viktor Orbán folds,” Politico, February 1, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-gets-eu-aid-as-orban-folds/
  8. [8]Radina Gigova, Christian Edwards, and Jennifer Hansler, “Sweden officially joins NATO, becoming alliance’s 32nd member,” CNN, March 7, 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/07/europe/sweden-join-nato-official-intl
  9. [9]Stephen Collinson, Caitlin Hu, and Shelby Rose to Meanwhile In America list, “Strongman in the Mirror,” CNN, March 8, 2024, https://www.cnn.com/newsletters/meanwhile-in-america
  10. [10]Barbara Moens et al., “EU threatens to silence Hungary if it blocks Ukrainian funds,” Politico, January 26, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-threatens-silence-hungary-orban-if-blocks-ukrainian-aid-funds-article-7/
  11. [11]Jakob Hanke and Claudia Chiappa, “Brussels vs. Brussels: EU Parliament to sue Commission over Hungary cash,” Politico, March 12, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/parliament-sues-commission-over-unfreezing-of-hungary-funds/
  12. [12]Bob Bauder, “Pittsburgh settles court battle over Penn Plaza Apartments,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, October 27, 2017, https://archive.triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/pittsburgh-settles-court-battle-over-penn-plaza-apartments/

Too many die for Binyamin Netanyahu’s political survival

Imperialism

Israel

Palestine

07_09:10:47-2
Fig. 1. The ruins of a terminal at the Gaza airport. Image by Said Khatib (Agence France-Presse) on September 9, 2018, via the Times of Israel,[1] fair use.

Binyamin Netanyahu doesn’t actually respond coherently to Joe Biden’s criticism. He just cites Israeli public opinion as if that somehow makes it all logical.[2] Given that he’s clearly attempting to delay an election, I recommend skepticism.

But there’s a larger issue here in that necessary presumptions in any authoritarian system of social organization are that leaders are somehow superior to the rest of us and can be trusted with that authority. There are times when public opinion is wrong, flatly wrong, and not necessarily due to lack of information, but sometimes due to moral impairment. Paradoxically, to deserve that trust, leaders must sometimes go against public opinion, which is hard when that very same public is their judge. But that’s the test.

Netanyahu is in no way ‘better’ than the Israeli public. He faces corruption charges, his judicial reform was too obviously an attempt to undermine those charges, and his threat to expand the war to Lebanon is a blatant attempt to delay an election. He plays not for any moral high ground but to buy time, with which he hopes to save himself politically.

Far too many have died in a genocidal campaign for Netanyahu’s political survival, a fact that obliterates any claim to moral superiority.

Zack Beauchamp, “Are Biden and the Democrats finally turning on Israel?” Vox, March 8, 2024, https://www.vox.com/politics/2024/3/8/24093748/biden-israel-democrats-state-of-the-union-gaza-port

Konstantin Toropin, “New Military Sealift Operation to Aid Starving Gaza Residents Will Require More than 1,000 US Troops,” Military.com, March 8, 2024, https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/03/08/new-military-sealift-operation-aid-starving-gaza-residents-will-require-more-1000-us-troops.html

Steve Hendrix and Sufian Taha, “At Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque, Ramadan brings uncertainty and fear,” Washington Post, March 9, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/09/ramadan-jerusalem-al-aqsa-gaza-war/

Paul Ronzheimer and Carlo Martuscelli, “Netanyahu vows to defy Biden’s ‘red line’ and invade Rafah,” Politico, March 10, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/israels-netanyahu-says-he-will-defy-bidens-red-line-and-invade-rafah/

Roya News, “Exposé reveals list of essential aid items banned by ‘Israel’ from entry into Gaza,” March 10, 2024, https://en.royanews.tv/news/49795/2024-03-03


Illiberalism


Fig. 2. Photograph by Joachim F. Thurn, August 1991, Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-F089030-0003, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE.

Chega, a nativist anti-establishment party led by André Ventura, notched up the biggest gains [in Portugal] while the vote of the ruling Socialist party collapsed from a 2022 victory and the centre-right held its ground.

The result marks another important advance for the right in the EU, where conservatives have won elections or joined coalitions in Italy, Greece, Sweden and Finland in the past two years. . . .

Luís Montenegro, leader of the Democratic Alliance (AD), insisted in the early hours of Monday [March 11] that he would stick to his pledge of not forming a pact with Chega, even though doing so could create a conservative majority.[3]

Barney Jolson and Sérgio Aníbal, “Portugal’s centre-right wins tight election as far-right surges,” Financial Times, March 11, 2024, https://www.ft.com/content/5ebcc75d-e5ba-4f78-9729-881b9b8bfd0d


Illiberalism

Gilead

Donald Trump
Coup attempt

2024

Fig. 3. Cartoon by Ben Jennings, January 24, 2024, via the Guardian,[4] fair use.

Now that Nikki Haley is out of the race for the Republican nomination, I am seeing many more campaign flags and yard signs supporting Donald Trump’s candidacy. I do not know if this is coincidence, or if any of these folks were quietly supporting Haley, or if they were simply waiting for a resolution in the primaries.

Many of the messages take the form, “Don’t blame me, I voted for Trump.” It is thus apparent that the white Christian nationalist perception of Biden’s presidency is of an unmitigated disaster, a perception which seems ludicrous to me. As always, the story with the Democrats is more, by far, about what they fail to do or refuse to do than it is about what they do, and while for me, the Democratic sins of omission weigh as heavily as the Republican sins of commission, the omissions don’t amount to a disaster. My problems with Democrats are simply that I lack the privilege of being able to tolerate the status quo and that, taking seriously the “Never Again” oath sworn by people of conscience following the Holocaust, I must oppose, to the extent of my ability, war crimes and genocide.[5]


  1. [1]Agence France-Presse and Times of Israel, “20 years after its opening, destroyed Gaza airport embodies grounded peace hopes,” Times of Israel, September 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/20-years-after-its-opening-destroyed-gaza-airport-embodies-grounded-peace-hopes/
  2. [2]Paul Ronzheimer and Carlo Martuscelli, “Netanyahu vows to defy Biden’s ‘red line’ and invade Rafah,” Politico, March 10, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/israels-netanyahu-says-he-will-defy-bidens-red-line-and-invade-rafah/
  3. [3]Barney Jolson and Sérgio Aníbal, “Portugal’s centre-right wins tight election as far-right surges,” Financial Times, March 11, 2024, https://www.ft.com/content/5ebcc75d-e5ba-4f78-9729-881b9b8bfd0d
  4. [4]Ben Jennings, “Ben Jennings on Donald Trump’s progress along the Republican nomination trail – cartoon,” Guardian, January 24, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2024/jan/24/ben-jennings-on-donald-trumps-progress-along-the-republican-nomination-trail-cartoon
  5. [5]Noah Feldman, “How Oct. 7 is forcing Jews to reckon with Israel,” Washington Post, March 5, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/03/05/noah-feldman-jews-israel-progressive-justice-theology-politics/

Bringing knives to gunfights

Neoliberalism

Banking

Commercial real estate


Fig. 1. The confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, with the “Golden Triangle” and downtown Pittsburgh. Photograph by author, October 15, 2023.

I’m not quite sure what to make of a sudden and recent increase in coverage of problems affecting the commercial real estate market. I don’t know if the situation has suddenly taken a turn for the worse, affecting many more downtowns, or if the vagaries of my news gathering have produced a coincidence.

Natalie Sherman, “What a $1 deal says about America’s office market,” British Broadcasting Corporation, March 9, 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/business-68472143

Work


Fig. 2. The spectre of Death, in the form of a large skeleton, rises with the smoke and flames of the burning Asch Building during the Triangle fire, as people jump and fall to their death. Artist unknown, from International Ladies Garment Workers Union Photographs (1885-1985) at The Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Steven Greenhouse, “Major US corporations threaten to return labor to ‘law of the jungle,’” Guardian, March 10, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/10/starbucks-trader-joes-spacex-challenge-labor-board


Imperialism

Israel

Palestine


Fig. 3. Graphic by Roya News,[1] March 3, 2024, fair use.

I don’t understand how you even begin to justify banning some of the items (figure 3) that Israel bans from entering Gaza.[2] But clearly, this is not what Binyamin Netanyahu is concerned with as he has promised to defy Joe Biden’s “red line” in attacking Rafah.[3]

Which brings me to one of my complaints about the Democrats. Not just Joe Biden.

Where a Republican, being defied the way Biden is, would ruthlessly seek out their adversaries’ weak spots and relentlessly exploit them to compel capitulation, the Democrats are entirely too “polite” to do this. “Polite,” that is, if you call enabling a genocide “polite.”

Israel’s leader [Binyamin Netanyahu] was careful in his criticism of his American counterpart, and even more circumspect when asked whether he would prefer Republican candidate Donald Trump. “The last thing I want to do is enter the American political arena,” he said.[4]

Netanyahu, we should recall, was far less circumspect a few years ago, when he bypassed Barack Obama to address the U.S. Congress. He effectively apologized to Obama in that speech, acknowledging that Obama had on numerous occasions supported Israel,[5] but it takes quite some ahistorical naïvete to imagine that Netanyahu was not well aware that he was biting the hand that feeds him.

He still does. He plays hardball. Biden and the Democrats prefer bringing knives to gunfights.

Paul Ronzheimer and Carlo Martuscelli, “Netanyahu vows to defy Biden’s ‘red line’ and invade Rafah,” Politico, March 10, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/israels-netanyahu-says-he-will-defy-bidens-red-line-and-invade-rafah/

Roya News, “Exposé reveals list of essential aid items banned by ‘Israel’ from entry into Gaza,” March 10, 2024, https://en.royanews.tv/news/49795/2024-03-03


  1. [1]Roya News, “Exposé reveals list of essential aid items banned by ‘Israel’ from entry into Gaza,” March 10, 2024, https://en.royanews.tv/news/49795/2024-03-03
  2. [2]Roya News, “Exposé reveals list of essential aid items banned by ‘Israel’ from entry into Gaza,” March 10, 2024, https://en.royanews.tv/news/49795/2024-03-03
  3. [3]Paul Ronzheimer and Carlo Martuscelli, “Netanyahu vows to defy Biden’s ‘red line’ and invade Rafah,” Politico, March 10, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/israels-netanyahu-says-he-will-defy-bidens-red-line-and-invade-rafah/
  4. [4]Paul Ronzheimer and Carlo Martuscelli, “Netanyahu vows to defy Biden’s ‘red line’ and invade Rafah,” Politico, March 10, 2024, https://www.politico.eu/article/israels-netanyahu-says-he-will-defy-bidens-red-line-and-invade-rafah/
  5. [5]David Benfell, “Asking the wrong question on Bibi’s speech,” Not Housebroken, February 17, 2015, https://disunitedstates.org/2015/02/17/asking-the-wrong-question-on-bibi-speech/; David Bernstein, “Is Netanyahu’s address to Congress unconstitutional?” Washington Post, January 25, 2015, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/01/25/is-netanyahus-address-to-congress-unconstitutional/; Jodi Rudoren, “Netanyahu Talk Stirs Backlash in Israeli Race,” New York Times, January 27, 2015, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/28/world/middleeast/israeli-opposition-takes-aim-at-netanyahu-over-planned-speech-to-congress.html; Washington Post, “The complete transcript of Netanyahu’s address to Congress,” March 3, 2015, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/03/03/full-text-netanyahus-address-to-congress/