Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I'm baaack! Thanks for the nice notes. I took a break over the holidays, then got depressed/stressed with the news, especially the ICE murders. Probably not surprising that I then got an infection that lingered. Tried to step back. I finally realized this project was keeping me grounded, and now I'm seeing a lot of despair, which is why I started it in the first place. We'll see how it goes. There's been a lot of losses these past few months....here we go.
These are from a few weeks ago, when I thought I'd restart but was busy. (Hate to delete it.) I'll post a current one this weekend.
Supreme Court strikes down Donald Trump’s tariffs In a bombshell ruling.
https://www.newsweek.com/supreme-court-tariffs-ruling-decision-trump-live-updates-11555857
Turns Out There Was Voter Fraud in Georgia—by Elon Musk—The state board of elections found Musk’s PAC sent prefilled ballot applications.
“Members of the Georgia State Elections Board voted Wednesday to issue a formal letter of reprimand to Musk’s America PAC over the billionaire technocrat’s illegal scheme to get Trump elected. Georgia, a key battleground state in 2024, was the target of aggressive campaigning by Trump’s team.”
https://newrepublic.com/post/206857/georgia-voter-fraud-elon-musk
Republicans Issue Warning Over Ballooning US Debt.
“On Wednesday, the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released a statement calling to attention the "unsustainable" and "immoral" levels piling up under successive governments, and said this was "threatening the economic future of our children and grandchildren.””
https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-issue-warning-over-ballooning-us-debt-11547611
LOL: VA pauses new disability rule 2 days after announcing it.
“Collins’ announcement came after ferocious pushback to the rule from a wide spectrum of veterans service organizations, including traditional groups like the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars along with newer organizations like Burn Pits 360 and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Veterans and advocates all noted that the VA put the rule in place with no public input and warned that veterans might feel compelled under the rule to stop taking prescribed medications to avoid a lower rating.”
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/veterans-affairs-rule-halted/
Trump administration releases remaining Gateway funds — and then some.
“The Trump administration on Wednesday paid the remaining portion it owed to the Gateway rail tunnel project, and then some, paving the way for construction to resume next week.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said on X that the administration sent over the remaining installment of money owed to the $16 billion project that spans New York and New Jersey. She called the development a “major win for workers and commuters.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/18/trump-releases-gateway-tunnel-funds-00786335
Republicans are pushing DHS over ICE warehouse purchases.
“Reps. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania and Paul Gosar of Arizona said they will spend their recess week meeting with leaders in their districts taken aback by the Department of Homeland Security’s purchase of three warehouses in the two states totaling $277 million. Republican lawmakers in Georgia and Mississippi, too, have been lobbying the administration to change its plans.”
https://mississippitoday.org/2026/02/17/ice-warehouse-mississippi-wicker/
In South Texas, the GOP immigration hard line is now political kryptonite.
“Texas Republicans bet on continuing to win over Latino voters. Then Trump began his aggressive deportation campaign.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/15/south-texas-latino-republicans-immigration-00782129?utm_medium=email&utm_source=substack
When ICE Agents Lie: DOJ Drops Charges Against 2 Minneapolis Men Falsely Accused of Attempted Murder.
“Two ICE officers have been placed on administrative leave and are accused of lying under oath about an incident in Minneapolis last month involving two Venezuelan immigrants, one of whom was shot in the leg by an agent.”
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/2/17/alfredo_alejandro_aljorna
Owner of North Texas warehouse says it won't sell or lease to feds for ICE facility.
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/hutchins-texas-ice-facility-warehouse/287-11ce4a39-65f4-41c5-bb8c-cf5afca83168
Baltimore County Council passes legislation to prevent potential ICE detention center in Hunt Valley.
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-county-legislation-prevent-ice-office-hunt-valley/70398169
Federal judge continues to block ICE officers from using tear gas, other munitions outside Portland facility.
https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/17/portland-ice-immigration-oregon-tear-gas-munitions/
MAGA Senator John Husted from Ohio accepted thousands of dollars in donations from one of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators, before voting against releasing the Department of Justice’s files on the alleged sex trafficker.
“Husted wasn’t the only one who accepted money from the Wexner: The billionaire doled out more than $250,000 in donations to Republican candidates in the past year, especially ones in his home state of Ohio, according to NOTUS.”
https://newrepublic.com/post/206564/maga-senator-donation-epstein-conspirator-vote-block-files
73,000 NC residents will not be removed from state's voter list following lawsuit settlement.
https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/73000-nc-residents-will-not-be-removed-from-states-voter-list-following-lawsuit-settlement/275-f2dc8960-786b-4f21-a4d8-e963cd451660
General Assembly moves forward with slew of anti-Confederacy bills.
“The Senate has passed a bill to remove three Confederate statures in Capitol Square, including one of Stonewall Jackson.
Meanwhile, the House has passed a bill to remove tax exemptions from certain Confederate organizations, including the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).”
https://www.wavy.com/news/general-assembly-moves-forward-with-slew-of-bills-addressing-confederacy/
LOL: A group of nonprofits filed a lawsuit in federal court on Tuesday against the Trump administration, arguing that its decision to remove the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument in Manhattan this month violated a federal law that allows national parks and monuments to fly Confederate flags.
https://archive.ph/EI0PD#selection-649.0-649.301
Court rules that large Confederate flag be taken down along South Carolina interstate highway.
https://www.walb.com/2026/02/13/court-rules-that-large-confederate-flag-be-taken-down-along-interstate-highway/
In 2025, Trade Deficit in Goods Reached Record High.
“President Trump has repeatedly promised that his steep tariffs would reduce U.S. imports, shrink the trade deficit and lead to a revival in American manufacturing.
So far, the opposite has occurred.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/19/business/economy/imports-tariffs-trade-deficit.html
“U.S. economic growth slowed sharply at the end of 2025, dragging down the year.
New GDP figures reflect subdued growth from new trade policies and a weeks-long government shutdown.
https://apple.news/AsdCKrVp8R2KcX4xNHba3dg
Red flag for economy as Wall Street posts worst start since 1995.
“It is unusual for US stocks to lag the rest of the world, though it also happened during the years following the dot-com crash in the early 2000s and briefly in 2022. The current gap is the widest since 1995, Goldman Sachs data shows. Back then, Europe and Japan were rebounding from deep recessions and the US dollar, like today, was weak.
This trend began last year. Over the past year, international markets have climbed around 30 percent, compared with gains of about 10 percent for US stocks.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/article-15570965/wall-street-economy-crisis.html
US Home Sales See Biggest Decline in a Year.
“Pending home sales in the U.S—where buyers have signed a contract but the sale has not yet been closed—plunged by nearly 6 percent year-over-year in the four weeks ending February 15, according to a new Redfin report. “
https://www.newsweek.com/us-home-sales-see-biggest-decline-in-a-year-11553000
Jeffrey Epstein’s estate agrees to pay up to $35m to settle survivors’ lawsuit.
“Boies Schiller Flexner, a law firm representing Epstein victims, announced the settlement in a brief filed in federal court in Manhattan on Thursday.
The deal, if approved by a judge, would bring an end to a 2024 lawsuit filed against Epstein’s former personal lawyer Darren Indyke and former accountant Richard Kahn, who are co-executors of the late Epstein’s estate.”
https://apple.news/A_VtPRIdAQre1wMuUTZzArg
New Mexico reopens investigation into alleged illegal activity at Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch.
https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-epstein-investigation-reopen-12dffa70784c6f468627962da3cf51b7
Trump Labor Secretary’s Husband Banned From Department HQ: Report.
“The husband of U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez‑DeRemer has been barred from entering department headquarters after at least two female staff members alleged that he sexually assaulted them inside the building, according to people familiar with the decision and a police report reviewed by The New York Times.”
https://www.newsweek.com/labor-secretary-husband-deremer-sexual-assault-allegations-11552377
Iowa Republicans advance bills to limit governor’s powers as Reynolds exits—because they’re scared a Dem will win, which they deny (vehemently!)
https://holaamericanews.com/es/iowa-republicans-advance-bills-to-limit-governors-powers-as-reynolds-exits/
Trump gets hit with brutal warnings in new poll: ‘Dangerous’ and ‘corrupt’
“According to the poll, 50% of U.S. adults say Trump is “dangerous,” compared to 20% who disagree with the label. While 49% of respondents think he is “corrupt” and 23% do not, he is called “cruel” by a 46% to 22% margin and “racist” by a 47% to 24% margin.”
https://apple.news/AsOQLVPzcThOdVtUJ8F3WvA
Welcome Back OP. You are a breath of fresh air. Glad you’re feeling better!!
Anonymous wrote:I'm baaack! Thanks for the nice notes. I took a break over the holidays, then got depressed/stressed with the news, especially the ICE murders. Probably not surprising that I then got an infection that lingered. Tried to step back. I finally realized this project was keeping me grounded, and now I'm seeing a lot of despair, which is why I started it in the first place. We'll see how it goes. There's been a lot of losses these past few months....here we go.
These are from a few weeks ago, when I thought I'd restart but was busy. (Hate to delete it.) I'll post a current one this weekend.
Supreme Court strikes down Donald Trump’s tariffs In a bombshell ruling.
https://www.newsweek.com/supreme-court-tariffs-ruling-decision-trump-live-updates-11555857
Turns Out There Was Voter Fraud in Georgia—by Elon Musk—The state board of elections found Musk’s PAC sent prefilled ballot applications.
“Members of the Georgia State Elections Board voted Wednesday to issue a formal letter of reprimand to Musk’s America PAC over the billionaire technocrat’s illegal scheme to get Trump elected. Georgia, a key battleground state in 2024, was the target of aggressive campaigning by Trump’s team.”
https://newrepublic.com/post/206857/georgia-voter-fraud-elon-musk
Republicans Issue Warning Over Ballooning US Debt.
“On Wednesday, the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released a statement calling to attention the "unsustainable" and "immoral" levels piling up under successive governments, and said this was "threatening the economic future of our children and grandchildren.””
https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-issue-warning-over-ballooning-us-debt-11547611
LOL: VA pauses new disability rule 2 days after announcing it.
“Collins’ announcement came after ferocious pushback to the rule from a wide spectrum of veterans service organizations, including traditional groups like the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars along with newer organizations like Burn Pits 360 and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Veterans and advocates all noted that the VA put the rule in place with no public input and warned that veterans might feel compelled under the rule to stop taking prescribed medications to avoid a lower rating.”
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/veterans-affairs-rule-halted/
Trump administration releases remaining Gateway funds — and then some.
“The Trump administration on Wednesday paid the remaining portion it owed to the Gateway rail tunnel project, and then some, paving the way for construction to resume next week.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said on X that the administration sent over the remaining installment of money owed to the $16 billion project that spans New York and New Jersey. She called the development a “major win for workers and commuters.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/18/trump-releases-gateway-tunnel-funds-00786335
Republicans are pushing DHS over ICE warehouse purchases.
“Reps. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania and Paul Gosar of Arizona said they will spend their recess week meeting with leaders in their districts taken aback by the Department of Homeland Security’s purchase of three warehouses in the two states totaling $277 million. Republican lawmakers in Georgia and Mississippi, too, have been lobbying the administration to change its plans.”
https://mississippitoday.org/2026/02/17/ice-warehouse-mississippi-wicker/
In South Texas, the GOP immigration hard line is now political kryptonite.
“Texas Republicans bet on continuing to win over Latino voters. Then Trump began his aggressive deportation campaign.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/15/south-texas-latino-republicans-immigration-00782129?utm_medium=email&utm_source=substack
When ICE Agents Lie: DOJ Drops Charges Against 2 Minneapolis Men Falsely Accused of Attempted Murder.
“Two ICE officers have been placed on administrative leave and are accused of lying under oath about an incident in Minneapolis last month involving two Venezuelan immigrants, one of whom was shot in the leg by an agent.”
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/2/17/alfredo_alejandro_aljorna
Owner of North Texas warehouse says it won't sell or lease to feds for ICE facility.
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/hutchins-texas-ice-facility-warehouse/287-11ce4a39-65f4-41c5-bb8c-cf5afca83168
Baltimore County Council passes legislation to prevent potential ICE detention center in Hunt Valley.
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-county-legislation-prevent-ice-office-hunt-valley/70398169
Federal judge continues to block ICE officers from using tear gas, other munitions outside Portland facility.
https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/17/portland-ice-immigration-oregon-tear-gas-munitions/
MAGA Senator John Husted from Ohio accepted thousands of dollars in donations from one of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators, before voting against releasing the Department of Justice’s files on the alleged sex trafficker.
“Husted wasn’t the only one who accepted money from the Wexner: The billionaire doled out more than $250,000 in donations to Republican candidates in the past year, especially ones in his home state of Ohio, according to NOTUS.”
https://newrepublic.com/post/206564/maga-senator-donation-epstein-conspirator-vote-block-files
73,000 NC residents will not be removed from state's voter list following lawsuit settlement.
https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/73000-nc-residents-will-not-be-removed-from-states-voter-list-following-lawsuit-settlement/275-f2dc8960-786b-4f21-a4d8-e963cd451660
General Assembly moves forward with slew of anti-Confederacy bills.
“The Senate has passed a bill to remove three Confederate statures in Capitol Square, including one of Stonewall Jackson.
Meanwhile, the House has passed a bill to remove tax exemptions from certain Confederate organizations, including the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).”
https://www.wavy.com/news/general-assembly-moves-forward-with-slew-of-bills-addressing-confederacy/
LOL: A group of nonprofits filed a lawsuit in federal court on Tuesday against the Trump administration, arguing that its decision to remove the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument in Manhattan this month violated a federal law that allows national parks and monuments to fly Confederate flags.
https://archive.ph/EI0PD#selection-649.0-649.301
Court rules that large Confederate flag be taken down along South Carolina interstate highway.
https://www.walb.com/2026/02/13/court-rules-that-large-confederate-flag-be-taken-down-along-interstate-highway/
In 2025, Trade Deficit in Goods Reached Record High.
“President Trump has repeatedly promised that his steep tariffs would reduce U.S. imports, shrink the trade deficit and lead to a revival in American manufacturing.
So far, the opposite has occurred.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/19/business/economy/imports-tariffs-trade-deficit.html
“U.S. economic growth slowed sharply at the end of 2025, dragging down the year.
New GDP figures reflect subdued growth from new trade policies and a weeks-long government shutdown.
https://apple.news/AsdCKrVp8R2KcX4xNHba3dg
Red flag for economy as Wall Street posts worst start since 1995.
“It is unusual for US stocks to lag the rest of the world, though it also happened during the years following the dot-com crash in the early 2000s and briefly in 2022. The current gap is the widest since 1995, Goldman Sachs data shows. Back then, Europe and Japan were rebounding from deep recessions and the US dollar, like today, was weak.
This trend began last year. Over the past year, international markets have climbed around 30 percent, compared with gains of about 10 percent for US stocks.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/article-15570965/wall-street-economy-crisis.html
US Home Sales See Biggest Decline in a Year.
“Pending home sales in the U.S—where buyers have signed a contract but the sale has not yet been closed—plunged by nearly 6 percent year-over-year in the four weeks ending February 15, according to a new Redfin report. “
https://www.newsweek.com/us-home-sales-see-biggest-decline-in-a-year-11553000
Jeffrey Epstein’s estate agrees to pay up to $35m to settle survivors’ lawsuit.
“Boies Schiller Flexner, a law firm representing Epstein victims, announced the settlement in a brief filed in federal court in Manhattan on Thursday.
The deal, if approved by a judge, would bring an end to a 2024 lawsuit filed against Epstein’s former personal lawyer Darren Indyke and former accountant Richard Kahn, who are co-executors of the late Epstein’s estate.”
https://apple.news/A_VtPRIdAQre1wMuUTZzArg
New Mexico reopens investigation into alleged illegal activity at Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch.
https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-epstein-investigation-reopen-12dffa70784c6f468627962da3cf51b7
Trump Labor Secretary’s Husband Banned From Department HQ: Report.
“The husband of U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez‑DeRemer has been barred from entering department headquarters after at least two female staff members alleged that he sexually assaulted them inside the building, according to people familiar with the decision and a police report reviewed by The New York Times.”
https://www.newsweek.com/labor-secretary-husband-deremer-sexual-assault-allegations-11552377
Iowa Republicans advance bills to limit governor’s powers as Reynolds exits—because they’re scared a Dem will win, which they deny (vehemently!)
https://holaamericanews.com/es/iowa-republicans-advance-bills-to-limit-governors-powers-as-reynolds-exits/
Trump gets hit with brutal warnings in new poll: ‘Dangerous’ and ‘corrupt’
“According to the poll, 50% of U.S. adults say Trump is “dangerous,” compared to 20% who disagree with the label. While 49% of respondents think he is “corrupt” and 23% do not, he is called “cruel” by a 46% to 22% margin and “racist” by a 47% to 24% margin.”
https://apple.news/AsOQLVPzcThOdVtUJ8F3WvA
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:When you've lost as much as the dems have, threads like this are all you've got.![]()
I dedicate this one to you.
Veteran Who Burned US Flag 'Looking Forward' to Supreme Court Trump Battle.
“An Army veteran who was arrested after burning an American flag near the White House told Newsweek he would welcome taking the fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Jan Robert Carey, who goes by Jay, said he burned the flag in Lafayette Square on Monday as a "direct challenge" to an executive order that the President had signed hours earlier, directing the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute people for burning the American flag.”
https://www.newsweek.com/veteran-burned-us-flag-supreme-court-battle-2121475
Update: he won’t have to go to the Supreme Court after all.
Didn't get an indictment, huh?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:When you've lost as much as the dems have, threads like this are all you've got.![]()
I dedicate this one to you.
Veteran Who Burned US Flag 'Looking Forward' to Supreme Court Trump Battle.
“An Army veteran who was arrested after burning an American flag near the White House told Newsweek he would welcome taking the fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Jan Robert Carey, who goes by Jay, said he burned the flag in Lafayette Square on Monday as a "direct challenge" to an executive order that the President had signed hours earlier, directing the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute people for burning the American flag.”
https://www.newsweek.com/veteran-burned-us-flag-supreme-court-battle-2121475
Update: he won’t have to go to the Supreme Court after all.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I'm baaack! Thanks for the nice notes. I took a break over the holidays, then got depressed/stressed with the news, especially the ICE murders. Probably not surprising that I then got an infection that lingered. Tried to step back. I finally realized this project was keeping me grounded, and now I'm seeing a lot of despair, which is why I started it in the first place. We'll see how it goes. There's been a lot of losses these past few months....here we go.
These are from a few weeks ago, when I thought I'd restart but was busy. (Hate to delete it.) I'll post a current one this weekend.
Supreme Court strikes down Donald Trump’s tariffs In a bombshell ruling.
https://www.newsweek.com/supreme-court-tariffs-ruling-decision-trump-live-updates-11555857
Turns Out There Was Voter Fraud in Georgia—by Elon Musk—The state board of elections found Musk’s PAC sent prefilled ballot applications.
“Members of the Georgia State Elections Board voted Wednesday to issue a formal letter of reprimand to Musk’s America PAC over the billionaire technocrat’s illegal scheme to get Trump elected. Georgia, a key battleground state in 2024, was the target of aggressive campaigning by Trump’s team.”
https://newrepublic.com/post/206857/georgia-voter-fraud-elon-musk
Republicans Issue Warning Over Ballooning US Debt.
“On Wednesday, the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released a statement calling to attention the "unsustainable" and "immoral" levels piling up under successive governments, and said this was "threatening the economic future of our children and grandchildren.””
https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-issue-warning-over-ballooning-us-debt-11547611
LOL: VA pauses new disability rule 2 days after announcing it.
“Collins’ announcement came after ferocious pushback to the rule from a wide spectrum of veterans service organizations, including traditional groups like the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars along with newer organizations like Burn Pits 360 and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Veterans and advocates all noted that the VA put the rule in place with no public input and warned that veterans might feel compelled under the rule to stop taking prescribed medications to avoid a lower rating.”
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/veterans-affairs-rule-halted/
Trump administration releases remaining Gateway funds — and then some.
“The Trump administration on Wednesday paid the remaining portion it owed to the Gateway rail tunnel project, and then some, paving the way for construction to resume next week.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said on X that the administration sent over the remaining installment of money owed to the $16 billion project that spans New York and New Jersey. She called the development a “major win for workers and commuters.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/18/trump-releases-gateway-tunnel-funds-00786335
Republicans are pushing DHS over ICE warehouse purchases.
“Reps. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania and Paul Gosar of Arizona said they will spend their recess week meeting with leaders in their districts taken aback by the Department of Homeland Security’s purchase of three warehouses in the two states totaling $277 million. Republican lawmakers in Georgia and Mississippi, too, have been lobbying the administration to change its plans.”
https://mississippitoday.org/2026/02/17/ice-warehouse-mississippi-wicker/
In South Texas, the GOP immigration hard line is now political kryptonite.
“Texas Republicans bet on continuing to win over Latino voters. Then Trump began his aggressive deportation campaign.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/15/south-texas-latino-republicans-immigration-00782129?utm_medium=email&utm_source=substack
When ICE Agents Lie: DOJ Drops Charges Against 2 Minneapolis Men Falsely Accused of Attempted Murder.
“Two ICE officers have been placed on administrative leave and are accused of lying under oath about an incident in Minneapolis last month involving two Venezuelan immigrants, one of whom was shot in the leg by an agent.”
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/2/17/alfredo_alejandro_aljorna
Owner of North Texas warehouse says it won't sell or lease to feds for ICE facility.
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/hutchins-texas-ice-facility-warehouse/287-11ce4a39-65f4-41c5-bb8c-cf5afca83168
Baltimore County Council passes legislation to prevent potential ICE detention center in Hunt Valley.
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-county-legislation-prevent-ice-office-hunt-valley/70398169
Federal judge continues to block ICE officers from using tear gas, other munitions outside Portland facility.
https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/17/portland-ice-immigration-oregon-tear-gas-munitions/
MAGA Senator John Husted from Ohio accepted thousands of dollars in donations from one of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators, before voting against releasing the Department of Justice’s files on the alleged sex trafficker.
“Husted wasn’t the only one who accepted money from the Wexner: The billionaire doled out more than $250,000 in donations to Republican candidates in the past year, especially ones in his home state of Ohio, according to NOTUS.”
https://newrepublic.com/post/206564/maga-senator-donation-epstein-conspirator-vote-block-files
73,000 NC residents will not be removed from state's voter list following lawsuit settlement.
https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/73000-nc-residents-will-not-be-removed-from-states-voter-list-following-lawsuit-settlement/275-f2dc8960-786b-4f21-a4d8-e963cd451660
General Assembly moves forward with slew of anti-Confederacy bills.
“The Senate has passed a bill to remove three Confederate statures in Capitol Square, including one of Stonewall Jackson.
Meanwhile, the House has passed a bill to remove tax exemptions from certain Confederate organizations, including the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).”
https://www.wavy.com/news/general-assembly-moves-forward-with-slew-of-bills-addressing-confederacy/
LOL: A group of nonprofits filed a lawsuit in federal court on Tuesday against the Trump administration, arguing that its decision to remove the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument in Manhattan this month violated a federal law that allows national parks and monuments to fly Confederate flags.
https://archive.ph/EI0PD#selection-649.0-649.301
Court rules that large Confederate flag be taken down along South Carolina interstate highway.
https://www.walb.com/2026/02/13/court-rules-that-large-confederate-flag-be-taken-down-along-interstate-highway/
In 2025, Trade Deficit in Goods Reached Record High.
“President Trump has repeatedly promised that his steep tariffs would reduce U.S. imports, shrink the trade deficit and lead to a revival in American manufacturing.
So far, the opposite has occurred.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/19/business/economy/imports-tariffs-trade-deficit.html
“U.S. economic growth slowed sharply at the end of 2025, dragging down the year.
New GDP figures reflect subdued growth from new trade policies and a weeks-long government shutdown.
https://apple.news/AsdCKrVp8R2KcX4xNHba3dg
Red flag for economy as Wall Street posts worst start since 1995.
“It is unusual for US stocks to lag the rest of the world, though it also happened during the years following the dot-com crash in the early 2000s and briefly in 2022. The current gap is the widest since 1995, Goldman Sachs data shows. Back then, Europe and Japan were rebounding from deep recessions and the US dollar, like today, was weak.
This trend began last year. Over the past year, international markets have climbed around 30 percent, compared with gains of about 10 percent for US stocks.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/article-15570965/wall-street-economy-crisis.html
US Home Sales See Biggest Decline in a Year.
“Pending home sales in the U.S—where buyers have signed a contract but the sale has not yet been closed—plunged by nearly 6 percent year-over-year in the four weeks ending February 15, according to a new Redfin report. “
https://www.newsweek.com/us-home-sales-see-biggest-decline-in-a-year-11553000
Jeffrey Epstein’s estate agrees to pay up to $35m to settle survivors’ lawsuit.
“Boies Schiller Flexner, a law firm representing Epstein victims, announced the settlement in a brief filed in federal court in Manhattan on Thursday.
The deal, if approved by a judge, would bring an end to a 2024 lawsuit filed against Epstein’s former personal lawyer Darren Indyke and former accountant Richard Kahn, who are co-executors of the late Epstein’s estate.”
https://apple.news/A_VtPRIdAQre1wMuUTZzArg
New Mexico reopens investigation into alleged illegal activity at Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch.
https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-epstein-investigation-reopen-12dffa70784c6f468627962da3cf51b7
Trump Labor Secretary’s Husband Banned From Department HQ: Report.
“The husband of U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez‑DeRemer has been barred from entering department headquarters after at least two female staff members alleged that he sexually assaulted them inside the building, according to people familiar with the decision and a police report reviewed by The New York Times.”
https://www.newsweek.com/labor-secretary-husband-deremer-sexual-assault-allegations-11552377
Iowa Republicans advance bills to limit governor’s powers as Reynolds exits—because they’re scared a Dem will win, which they deny (vehemently!)
https://holaamericanews.com/es/iowa-republicans-advance-bills-to-limit-governors-powers-as-reynolds-exits/
Trump gets hit with brutal warnings in new poll: ‘Dangerous’ and ‘corrupt’
“According to the poll, 50% of U.S. adults say Trump is “dangerous,” compared to 20% who disagree with the label. While 49% of respondents think he is “corrupt” and 23% do not, he is called “cruel” by a 46% to 22% margin and “racist” by a 47% to 24% margin.”
https://apple.news/AsOQLVPzcThOdVtUJ8F3WvA
Thank you for this post. Do you have a site where your similar posts are compiled? — Or, is the best way to find them to scroll through this thread? This is the first one I’ve seen, and I can definitely see the value in your annotated contemporary posts. Much appreciation for all of your hard work!
Anonymous wrote:I'm baaack! Thanks for the nice notes. I took a break over the holidays, then got depressed/stressed with the news, especially the ICE murders. Probably not surprising that I then got an infection that lingered. Tried to step back. I finally realized this project was keeping me grounded, and now I'm seeing a lot of despair, which is why I started it in the first place. We'll see how it goes. There's been a lot of losses these past few months....here we go.
These are from a few weeks ago, when I thought I'd restart but was busy. (Hate to delete it.) I'll post a current one this weekend.
Supreme Court strikes down Donald Trump’s tariffs In a bombshell ruling.
https://www.newsweek.com/supreme-court-tariffs-ruling-decision-trump-live-updates-11555857
Turns Out There Was Voter Fraud in Georgia—by Elon Musk—The state board of elections found Musk’s PAC sent prefilled ballot applications.
“Members of the Georgia State Elections Board voted Wednesday to issue a formal letter of reprimand to Musk’s America PAC over the billionaire technocrat’s illegal scheme to get Trump elected. Georgia, a key battleground state in 2024, was the target of aggressive campaigning by Trump’s team.”
https://newrepublic.com/post/206857/georgia-voter-fraud-elon-musk
Republicans Issue Warning Over Ballooning US Debt.
“On Wednesday, the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released a statement calling to attention the "unsustainable" and "immoral" levels piling up under successive governments, and said this was "threatening the economic future of our children and grandchildren.””
https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-issue-warning-over-ballooning-us-debt-11547611
LOL: VA pauses new disability rule 2 days after announcing it.
“Collins’ announcement came after ferocious pushback to the rule from a wide spectrum of veterans service organizations, including traditional groups like the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars along with newer organizations like Burn Pits 360 and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Veterans and advocates all noted that the VA put the rule in place with no public input and warned that veterans might feel compelled under the rule to stop taking prescribed medications to avoid a lower rating.”
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/veterans-affairs-rule-halted/
Trump administration releases remaining Gateway funds — and then some.
“The Trump administration on Wednesday paid the remaining portion it owed to the Gateway rail tunnel project, and then some, paving the way for construction to resume next week.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said on X that the administration sent over the remaining installment of money owed to the $16 billion project that spans New York and New Jersey. She called the development a “major win for workers and commuters.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/18/trump-releases-gateway-tunnel-funds-00786335
Republicans are pushing DHS over ICE warehouse purchases.
“Reps. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania and Paul Gosar of Arizona said they will spend their recess week meeting with leaders in their districts taken aback by the Department of Homeland Security’s purchase of three warehouses in the two states totaling $277 million. Republican lawmakers in Georgia and Mississippi, too, have been lobbying the administration to change its plans.”
https://mississippitoday.org/2026/02/17/ice-warehouse-mississippi-wicker/
In South Texas, the GOP immigration hard line is now political kryptonite.
“Texas Republicans bet on continuing to win over Latino voters. Then Trump began his aggressive deportation campaign.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/15/south-texas-latino-republicans-immigration-00782129?utm_medium=email&utm_source=substack
When ICE Agents Lie: DOJ Drops Charges Against 2 Minneapolis Men Falsely Accused of Attempted Murder.
“Two ICE officers have been placed on administrative leave and are accused of lying under oath about an incident in Minneapolis last month involving two Venezuelan immigrants, one of whom was shot in the leg by an agent.”
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/2/17/alfredo_alejandro_aljorna
Owner of North Texas warehouse says it won't sell or lease to feds for ICE facility.
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/hutchins-texas-ice-facility-warehouse/287-11ce4a39-65f4-41c5-bb8c-cf5afca83168
Baltimore County Council passes legislation to prevent potential ICE detention center in Hunt Valley.
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-county-legislation-prevent-ice-office-hunt-valley/70398169
Federal judge continues to block ICE officers from using tear gas, other munitions outside Portland facility.
https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/17/portland-ice-immigration-oregon-tear-gas-munitions/
MAGA Senator John Husted from Ohio accepted thousands of dollars in donations from one of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators, before voting against releasing the Department of Justice’s files on the alleged sex trafficker.
“Husted wasn’t the only one who accepted money from the Wexner: The billionaire doled out more than $250,000 in donations to Republican candidates in the past year, especially ones in his home state of Ohio, according to NOTUS.”
https://newrepublic.com/post/206564/maga-senator-donation-epstein-conspirator-vote-block-files
73,000 NC residents will not be removed from state's voter list following lawsuit settlement.
https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/73000-nc-residents-will-not-be-removed-from-states-voter-list-following-lawsuit-settlement/275-f2dc8960-786b-4f21-a4d8-e963cd451660
General Assembly moves forward with slew of anti-Confederacy bills.
“The Senate has passed a bill to remove three Confederate statures in Capitol Square, including one of Stonewall Jackson.
Meanwhile, the House has passed a bill to remove tax exemptions from certain Confederate organizations, including the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).”
https://www.wavy.com/news/general-assembly-moves-forward-with-slew-of-bills-addressing-confederacy/
LOL: A group of nonprofits filed a lawsuit in federal court on Tuesday against the Trump administration, arguing that its decision to remove the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument in Manhattan this month violated a federal law that allows national parks and monuments to fly Confederate flags.
https://archive.ph/EI0PD#selection-649.0-649.301
Court rules that large Confederate flag be taken down along South Carolina interstate highway.
https://www.walb.com/2026/02/13/court-rules-that-large-confederate-flag-be-taken-down-along-interstate-highway/
In 2025, Trade Deficit in Goods Reached Record High.
“President Trump has repeatedly promised that his steep tariffs would reduce U.S. imports, shrink the trade deficit and lead to a revival in American manufacturing.
So far, the opposite has occurred.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/19/business/economy/imports-tariffs-trade-deficit.html
“U.S. economic growth slowed sharply at the end of 2025, dragging down the year.
New GDP figures reflect subdued growth from new trade policies and a weeks-long government shutdown.
https://apple.news/AsdCKrVp8R2KcX4xNHba3dg
Red flag for economy as Wall Street posts worst start since 1995.
“It is unusual for US stocks to lag the rest of the world, though it also happened during the years following the dot-com crash in the early 2000s and briefly in 2022. The current gap is the widest since 1995, Goldman Sachs data shows. Back then, Europe and Japan were rebounding from deep recessions and the US dollar, like today, was weak.
This trend began last year. Over the past year, international markets have climbed around 30 percent, compared with gains of about 10 percent for US stocks.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/article-15570965/wall-street-economy-crisis.html
US Home Sales See Biggest Decline in a Year.
“Pending home sales in the U.S—where buyers have signed a contract but the sale has not yet been closed—plunged by nearly 6 percent year-over-year in the four weeks ending February 15, according to a new Redfin report. “
https://www.newsweek.com/us-home-sales-see-biggest-decline-in-a-year-11553000
Jeffrey Epstein’s estate agrees to pay up to $35m to settle survivors’ lawsuit.
“Boies Schiller Flexner, a law firm representing Epstein victims, announced the settlement in a brief filed in federal court in Manhattan on Thursday.
The deal, if approved by a judge, would bring an end to a 2024 lawsuit filed against Epstein’s former personal lawyer Darren Indyke and former accountant Richard Kahn, who are co-executors of the late Epstein’s estate.”
https://apple.news/A_VtPRIdAQre1wMuUTZzArg
New Mexico reopens investigation into alleged illegal activity at Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch.
https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-epstein-investigation-reopen-12dffa70784c6f468627962da3cf51b7
Trump Labor Secretary’s Husband Banned From Department HQ: Report.
“The husband of U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez‑DeRemer has been barred from entering department headquarters after at least two female staff members alleged that he sexually assaulted them inside the building, according to people familiar with the decision and a police report reviewed by The New York Times.”
https://www.newsweek.com/labor-secretary-husband-deremer-sexual-assault-allegations-11552377
Iowa Republicans advance bills to limit governor’s powers as Reynolds exits—because they’re scared a Dem will win, which they deny (vehemently!)
https://holaamericanews.com/es/iowa-republicans-advance-bills-to-limit-governors-powers-as-reynolds-exits/
Trump gets hit with brutal warnings in new poll: ‘Dangerous’ and ‘corrupt’
“According to the poll, 50% of U.S. adults say Trump is “dangerous,” compared to 20% who disagree with the label. While 49% of respondents think he is “corrupt” and 23% do not, he is called “cruel” by a 46% to 22% margin and “racist” by a 47% to 24% margin.”
https://apple.news/AsOQLVPzcThOdVtUJ8F3WvA