Pushback 32
The story today is how sad and disappointed Dem leadership is that certain members spoke out against Trump during his not-the-state-of-the-union speech. Ten Democrats even voted with the Republicans to censure Rep. Al Green, who was among the most vocal critics of Trump. This wouldn't be a story, by the way, if Dem leadership had not been leaking to Axios about their disappointment. The fact that the news cycle has finally shifted from Trump (for the wrong reasons) is their fault.
A friend of mine recently spoke with Rep. Josh Harder (CA-10) who occupies a very vulnerable seat in the Central Valley. Here's what Josh had to say about the walkout idea:
On the State of the Union, Harder doesn't support the idea of a mass walkout. He said that such a move would play well with voters in Brooklyn and the Bay Area but not in districts like his. Some Democratic legislators will boycott the SofU or walk out, others may wear some kind of symbolic clothing. In his case, he is bringing a local farmer to the SotU to talk about how Trump policies are hurting the ag economy. He wants to keep the focus on how Trump is hurting voters: things like a walkout are like red meat to Trump because it allows him to demonize Democratic politicians and play the culture war game rather than confront how average Americans are being harmed.
I appreciate that Josh is in a tough position. But it's also the case that the voters need to see leadership. I think the Democratic leadership is abdicating its responsibility to shape the narrative. Josh is right to focus on the farmers in his district and the ways they will be hurt. I'm just not clear how making that farmer sit through Trump's stem-winding lie shapes that narrative. They should have all boycotted the speech and held their own events with voters that are affected by the changes. Their presence may have been fodder for Trump and their lame shows of dissent may have changed the narrative, but they did not need to be present.
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Action Items
March 7, Stand Up for Science nationwide
March 8, Women's Day, Los Angeles
March 7-14: ‘Economic blackout’ boycott will target Amazon, Twitch and Whole Foods
Business
Tesla stock is down 5.61% today and down 29.6% over the past month.
Target is down 2% today, and down 15% over the past month.
Amazon is down 3.68% today and down 15.9% over the past month.
Billionaires and sychophants are bad for business.
Education
Georgetown Law Dean responds to Interim AG's demand to end DEI
Foreign Affairs
Ontario slapping 25% surcharge on U.S.-bound electricity Monday, Ford says
'A jester high on ketamine!' French senator delivers blistering rebuke of Trump and Musk
Government
Trump appeals order reinstating fired NLRB member, judge tells him ‘president is not a king’
Trump puts new limits on Elon Musk
Small federal agency blocks DOGE from entering its building
Judge stops immediate shutdown of small US agency for African development
US arts funding agency sued over Trump order targeting LGBTQ+ projects
Immigration
Mayor Wu defends Boston in heated congressional hearing on sanctuary cities
Legal Updates
From Just Security Litigation Tracker
- "On Mar. 6, Judge McConnell granted the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction [in New York, et al. v Trump]. Defendants were enjoined from in any way impeding the disbursement of appropriated federal funds to the states."
- "On Mar. 6, Judge Richard J. Leon issued an administrative stay prohibiting Brehm from being removed from office [of US African Development Foundation board] and Marocco from being appointed to the Board."
- "On Mar. 5, 2025: Judge Kelley issued a nationwide preliminary injunction prohibiting implementation of the NIH Guidance 'in any form with respect to institutions nationwide.'"[to reduce NIH reimbursement rates by 15% across the board]
- On March 5, "The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) filed suit challenging the Executive Branch’s withholding of funds appropriated to the Endowment by Congress. The NED was established by the National Endowment for Democracy Act of 1983. In the Act, Congress specified that the NED would be funded by annual congressional appropriations, which would then be disbursed to the Endowment via grants from the Department of State. The statute also prescribes that the Endowment must withdraw funds from an account held by the Department of Treasury on an as-needed basis."
- "On Mar. 5, the Supreme Court rejected the Defendants’ petition [to stop paying USAID contracts] in a 5-4 decision."
