Just a quick note before today’s post: my husband and I attended the No Kings protest in Indianapolis, and were blown away by the size, composition and positivity of the crowd. (I think my 93-year-old hubby may have been the oldest attendee, but there were lots of older folks–as well as younger and middle-aged ones.) The thousands of attendees were upbeat, entirely peaceful, and the numerous signs they carried weren’t just clever–they were patriotic in the best sense of the word.
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When I try to find cause for optimism, I tell myself that–while the incredible destruction being wreaked by Trump and his merry band of morons, misfits and clowns is horrific–a lot of government systems had become calcified and overly bureaucratic, and that once this despicable crew has left, we can (to use Joe Biden’s term) “build back better.”
Unfortunately, reality then kicks in.
A while back, Thomas Edsall addressed that reality in a New York Times op-ed. The title was “What Can’t Trump Wreck?” and the column distinguished between the kind of damage that can be redressed relatively quickly and the damage that can’t.
Edsall began by reminding readers that Trump’s inhumane cuts to USAID are predicted to result in more than 14.05 million all-age deaths by 2030– a number that includes the death of 4.54 million children younger than age 5 years. Rather obviously, lives lost remain lost.
We can count the dead. We can assess–at least approximately– the damage done by ICE’s thuggish behaviors– the human costs of its indiscriminate kidnapping, the social costs of its undermining of the rule of law, and the economic losses to farmers deprived of workers to pick their crops.
What we can’t quantify are the immense consequences that flow from a lack of institutional memory and expertise. Edsall quoted Sam Issacharoff, a law professor at N.Y.U., who wrote:
Government stretches the time frame for decision making. Long-term investments, collective needs like roads and defense, these are all matters that require long-term investment and expertise. Experience creates what the Swedish political scientist Bo Rothstein calls “knowledge realism,” the know-how created by experience and repeat efforts.
The dismissal of career experts, the dismantling of long-horizon science projects are examples of what cannot be recreated. What happens if tensions resurface between North and South Korea or between India and Pakistan? Who guides policy if the State and Defense Departments lose their experts? This is something where the next administration cannot simply reopen the spigot and recreate. Expertise is long to create and fast to destroy.
Ordinary citizens are likely to bear the brunt of the administration’s assaults on medical science and research, its destructive incursions into agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the withholding of billions of federal dollars that had been awarded to medical researchers.
“Federal funding for biomedical research is central to health care innovation,” David Cutler and Edward Glaeser, economists at Harvard, wrote in “Cutting the N.I.H. — The $8 Trillion Health Care Catastrophe,” published in May in The Journal of the American Medical Association. “More than 99 percent of all new drugs approved from 2010 through 2019 had some antecedent research funded by the N.I.H.”
Another study documented the administration’s withholding of financing and undermining of government oversight in multiple areas, including long-term care, scientific research and vaccination policy. The administration’s budget proposals and “Big Beautiful Bill” include severe reductions in health care access, including the outright termination of services for immigrants and gender minorities. Its mass layoffs of scientific and regulatory specialists will be difficult to reverse.
William Galston, a prominent social scientist, weighed in, writing that there has been “irreparable damage” on both the home front and in foreign relations. He cited the “destruction of America’s reputation as the best place in the world for the most promising scientists and innovators of various kinds to conduct research. The evisceration of funding for basic research will be hard to reverse without restoring some bipartisan agreement about the importance of knowledge and expertise. I’m not holding my breath.”
Galston argued that irreparable harm has been done to America’s relations with the rest of the world. Trump hasn’t simply upended the longstanding system of multilateral trade relations that this country created, but he has destroyed the “trust the United States built up over decades as the guarantor of European security, of support for democracy and human rights and provider of global public goods such as freedom of the seas.”
Edsall’s op-ed enumerates a number of areas where rebuilding will be difficult, if it can be done at all, very much including Trump’s assaults on the civil service–from the firing of thousands of workers (many of whom had irreplaceable expertise) and turning thousands more into “at will” employees, to efforts to politicise the federal workforce in continued defiance of the Hatch Act.
A Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution called the Trump administration “the political-societal equivalent of a neutron bomb, and predicted that, even if Democrats take over, it will take far more than the next four years to rebuild it.
He isn’t wrong.
Our loss is Europe’s gain. It also benefits BRICS countries, and specifically China, which is now tightening its grip on rare earth minerals. Multiple US industries will be negatively impacted, including our military. By the way, the two survivors captured in the Caribbean are said to be from Ecuador and Colombia, while none of the victims of previous attacks have been disclosed. Wonder why? 😉
What I can’t understand is why our oligarchs have been so silent regarding the damage Trump has caused so far. The only thing I can think about is fear of retribution. That is a coward’s response. If the captains of industry can’t respond, who can?
As for the US’s reputation, it is in the toilet. Deep in the toilet! The MAGA Republicans are clearly not worried about our debt problem, even though they use it to justify cutting social programs. But the most crucial part is the increased risk associated with investing in the US dollars, and the flight to safety in precious metals, especially gold. Nobody wants UST Bonds, and we have another 3.2 years of Trump.
p.s. The #NoKings protest participation in Muncie was outstanding! The response by passersby was enthusiastically encouraging the protesters. Most of the toxic MAGA were on social media, sharing their conspiracies about George Soros paying protestors and tagging any photo of the global protests with laughing emojis. The most illiterate comment that I read was a MAGA cult member telling the protesters to, “Get a job!” An immediate response was, “It’s Saturday, try to catch up!” LOL
“Another study documented the administration’s withholding of financing and undermining of government oversight in multiple areas, including long-term care, scientific research and vaccination policy.”
When I look back at OUR government’s actions, being a realist I don’t look for perfection in changes, I look for progressive humanitarianism is areas such as the EPA and ACA. Not always pleased with what I see as it relates to me but aware of the overall sought for results for others, the majority who will benefit in ways I don’t understand. We are currently facing total destruction such as we see in Ukraine and Gaza where Trump and his cronies are behind that curtain in the Land of Oz which is leaving the UNITED States of America in the Trump/Musk/MAGA rubble.
Will we find anything remaining to be repaired?
“A Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution called the Trump administration “the political-societal equivalent of a neutron bomb, and predicted that, even if Democrats take over, it will take far more than the next four years to rebuild it.
He isn’t wrong.”
One disappointment about yesterday’s No Kings demonstration:
I live in a small suburban village, our crowd was about 2,500, which was great, but I don’t know how representative it was compared to large urban gatherings. I only saw one reference among the many clever placards that referred to the Epstein files.
The disappointment was over how short our collective memories are. Clearly, Trump et al is worried about what those files revealed about himself.
Are we going to let him get away with burying them behind a blizzard of other, more trivial headline-grabbing misdeeds?
I hope not!
Pete, at No Kings we saw many Epstein posters and placards, so hope it helps to know that not everyone has gnat-like attention spans! At some point fairly soon, Maga Mikey will have to open congress and the Trumpstein files WILL be released, and as the saying goes, “all hell will break loose.”
To follow up on Todd’s throwaway line: THEY DON’T CARE. THEY DON’T GIVE A DAMN. Destroying our institutions is the point of P-2025. Why? So the fascists like Vought and Thiel, fueled by the Koch money via The Heritage Foundation WANT those institutions to fail, so they can sell the assets to … anyone with money. Think the oil barons running the CDC, for example.
It’s good that the demonstrations were peaceful and non-violent. The poxy bastards in the White House want so badly to be able to claim “insurrection” (The most pathetic psychological projection in centuries.) so they can get the jellyfish SCOTUS to allow him to use troops against American citizens, declare martial law and suspend the 2026 election. This scenario should be obvious to everyone.
But the next question keeps hanging in the air: What do we do next? Or: Where is the real leadership in the DNC? Yes, some leaders in the Senate and House added to a couple of governors are blasting the fetid regime. But why aren’t ALL the Democrats finding a microphone or TV camera? Retribution? Screw retribution? Fear of being primaried? Won’t matter if there’s no election.
Marching and carrying signs is great and we should do it every month like we did in protesting the illegal Viet Nam war. Then what? With nobody picking your vegetables, what will you eat? Have your own victory garden in Minnesota in January?
Todd – you say, “What I can’t understand is why our oligarchs have been so silent regarding the damage Trump has caused so far. The only thing I can think about is fear of retribution. That is a coward’s response. If the captains of industry can’t respond, who can?”
Sadly, I’d venture they just don’t care. At all. The cuts and damage don’t affect them; they’ve only benefited from this administration. A very sad statement on our humanity (or lack thereof).
Pete, I was in downtown Indy yesterday and saw plenty of Epstein signs. We didn’t forget. Those women deserve justice.
I saw several signs referring to the release of the Epstein files at our local rally. The fact is that Mike Johnson’s bad idea to stick his – and Congress’ – heads in the sand by sending everyone home has already backfired in most people’s opinions. They will be released. It will be a quick succession of calling the House back to order, swearing in Adelita Grijalva, and approving a bill to release ALL the files. Do I think that the DOJ will try to redact everything referring to our POTUS? Yes I do. Then all hell breaks loose.
Pete @ 7:04; I think we Democrats would make more headway by concentrating LESS on Epstein, an international sex trafficking business tycoon, and concentrate more effort, energy and time on Taking Care of Business on the issues the Dem Senate is trying to save for THIS nation in the shutdown. It is a dangerous and terrible time for all of US in the U.S.; the UK is fighting it’s own Epstein battle internally in the Royal Family and Prince Andrew is agreeing publicly to relinquish his title as Duke of York over the issue. The UK is winning their Epstein battle and we are still whining, crying, pissing and moaning about not seeing Trump’s name on the lists to add to the picture of Trump and Epstein as BBFs.
What exactly will releasing the expected Donald Trump name on the Epstein list do to improve protecting our civil and human rights for Americans? Trump’s name will still be on the Epstein records after we save our medical care, the EPA, Social Security, Medicaid, voting rights, return our military troops to their homes and jobs where they belong and protect all of us from Trump’s Masked Marauders hiding behind ICE labels. We all know Trump has been charged with sex crimes and other high crimes and misdemeanors for many decades, has married immigrants and produced “anchor children” of his own and is now trying to remove others with those titles who are innocent bystanders and targets of his racism and hatred. He is so childish in his speaking of the “bad guys” I’m surprised he doesn’t accuse them of having cooties to add to the reasons he has sent our government departments after them with threats and legal charges.
Johnson is using the Epstein files as an excuse not to swear in the newest elected Representative in Arizona to prevent their slim majority from becoming slimmer. The Republicans have latched onto the Epstein issue and keeping it in the public eyes for their own salvation and too many Democrats are going along with their scam, Democrats are currently the biggest help for the Republicans who are laughing at us.
Trump represents the oligarchs.
Hell, I would go so far as to say he’s the puppet and our real president is a woman; Miriam Adelson.
I notice the No Kings Rallies have omitted the Israeli genocide as a point of contention.
Building back better requires thoughtful work NOW. I hope to heaven that several groups of constitutionally minded people are gathering now to put together a plan for the rebuild. High on a list of actions to be taken must be a Constitutional Convention to draw up amendments that will strengthen the rule of law. Serious and fundamental rules for the operation of the Supreme Court are high on my list.
My point here today is that we need to making our plans NOW. Setting goals NOW. See this country’s future NOW.
As my wife points out, the ongoing catastrophe could have been derailed if The Rump had been impeached, convicted, and removed from office “‘way back when.” Great responsibility lies with GOP MAGAtes. My new name for compliant Congress people is AMOEBAS. For those whose memories of high school biology are fading, amoebas are single cell, shapeless microorganisms that have NO SPINE, NO BALLS, AND NO BRAIN. Recognizing female Congress people, take the term “balls” as figurative!
Ian, many of those who attended the Indy rally yesterday had signs re Gaza.
Hunter, that all goes back to McConnell’s manipulations. And, now HE is saying that Trump is not fit for office. Maybe it is McConnell who was never fit for office!
those female congresspeople have no guts. Collins certainly has no anything!
No protest arrests in New York?? What? With that huge Antifa crowd? And elsewhere?
A passing Trumper remarked to me, near the local protest, that she had had no idea that there were “…so many morons” in town. As Vernon pointed out, projection is rampant in MAGA land.
That protest was rather huge for the town in which I live, in RED Florididia.
Excellent column today, Sheila! Broken moral/ethical guardrails in cultures do not fix fast or easily or sometimes, ever.
JoAnn,
I can confidently tell you that Trump is all over the Epstein files. I don’t have to wait and see what is released. He met Melania through Epstein and Maxwell. Trump and Melania first had sex on Epstein’s plane. Also, the FBI hired 1,000 agents and trained them to find Trump’s name and redact it. If you need 1,000 agents to search for your name, you’re all over the files.
At the end of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, she asked the same question I’ve been asking from day one: “Where are all the videotapes Epstein recorded and used in his blackmail operation, and why haven’t they been used to convict some of the pedophiles?”
Remember, Epstein was finally arrested and jailed under Trump 1.0. Therefore, Trump was in charge of the FBI’s search and seizure of Epstein’s plane and residences. He knows who has the tapes.
And, the most prominent attendees at the White House during Trump 1.0 were the Adelsons. So, Ian’s assessment of Trump 2.0 and Miriam Adelson is also accurate.
Once released, Bondi, Patel, and Bongino should get burned for lying to Congress. The problem is that both parties have a motivation to keep the pedophiles off the front pages of the newspapers.
Bessett has the finacial file of epstien. follow the money.that record shows how epstien worked to get customers for chase and become rewarded. these names, figure its in all aspects of wealth and infulence,sports whoever feels above the law. but russia provides such a world for a fee. and it is much darker. wonder why trump sidesteps putins rath..
I’m one person who is familiar with the research funding problem. First I’d like to say that you can’t tell the importance of a study from the title. You have to read the whole proposal to understand what the study is really about. Remember that every study undergoes peer review. Peer review means that people who do resarch in the same field decide and discuss the merits of the proposal. What might seem silly to the average observer might actually be the basic science part of the pathway to the end of Parkinson’s. If that study isn’t done now, how much longer will it take to solve this mystery? if the research team is still intact, it might not be too bad, but even scientists need to eat and three years is a long time to wait to see if you’re still viable.
*Our local “No Kings” rally was at least fifty percent bigger than the last one in June. There were lots of old hippies, !like myself, but we were overwhelmed by the number of young people. I would say that every age group was well represented. We got quite a few slurs from passing motorists. The response was “Thank you!”. I did observe one dust up, when a car tried to turn into the shopping center behind us, while there were people in the crosswalk. After a minute of back and forth, during which the driver slowly moved forward, the woman who was in the crosswalk pounded the hood of the car. The driver simply plowed ahead, knocking her down and back about five feet. This was observed by a Sheriff’s deputy,, who pursued.
Todd, 10:34 a.m.’ Just guessing but…the Epstein files with the longest list of Trump’s connections are probably at Mar-A-Lago safely hidden among Trump’s stolen classified and declassified documents from his first term. Right now that is probably the safest place for anything incriminating about him and his administration to be; will probably be the safest place for them to run to if the real Republicans wake up and join us to clean out the White House.
Great post today with some great comments.
Building back better is good and we could do well by paying substantial bonuses to rehire back expertise. We won’t make up for the gap in data collection, but we can minimize the risks. As a recent editorial in Science pointed out, we could reduce the amount of paper work needed from scientists and allow them more than the estimated 55% of their time devoted to the actual research.
Side thought on Trump’s “Gold Standard Science”. He is basing that not so much on science, as on “Gold’s Rule”, he who has the gold makes the rules.
The real problem with mitigating permanent loss is the previous loss of backbone. Trump, and his people need to be prosecuted as much as possible. We have to let the world know that this was an aberration, and not who we are as a nation. We need safeguards to keep this from happening again and strong ones. I would like to see prosecutions/impeachments for lying to Congress (unlikely) and all ICE agents dismissed and perhaps all charged with conspiracy to kidnap, with Noem and Bondi as leaders. At least to be given the punishment Reagan gave to the air traffic controllers he fired, lifetime prohibition from federal employment.
The big sin of the past was going light on the evils of Trump I and the courts in not filing ethics charges on all of the lawyers who brought frivolous lawsuits in Trump’s “stop the steal” lie.
As for using Amendments to bring change – a good way, but very difficult. A Constitutional Convention could turn into a MAGA convention where autocracy is written into law, leaving us with a White racist replacement document (Amendment – Project 2025 is now the law and overrides any other provisions of the Constitution). New laws, after an expanded and “packed” court may be more effective, now that McConnell and Manchin are gone – if Congress grows a spine.
It’s concerning about what’s going on in the farming industry on many levels. trump’s tariffs have interfered/stopped lucrative foreign trade. It’s reported that farmers are facing bankruptcy and their soybean crops are in limbo. Perishable food doesn’t last forever. What a waste.
At the same time many of the immigrant farm workers are being rounded up, detained and many deported causing disruptions in the harvest of our food sources. What a waste.
The prices in the grocery stores are causing people to buy and make do with less to feed their families.
All this is serious attempt/interference in Americans being able to take care of themselves. If this continues Americans are going to get a lot hungrier.
I was disappointed I was unable to go to Indy “No Kings” yesterday due to having the flu/really bad cold, but my husband went with some family members and waved my American Flag for me. Thanks to all who went and inspired real patriotism for the rest of us.