Happy Hour

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Call Me. Please?

Flop sweat time.

June 2 (Reuters) - The Trump administration wants countries to provide their best offer on trade negotiations by Wednesday as officials seek to accelerate talks with multiple partners ahead of a self-imposed deadline in just five weeks, according to a draft letter to negotiating partners seen by Reuters.

I'm sure even the dates changing is convincing countries that this administration is serious, operating in good faith, and intending to stick to any agreements.

They also might be assuming the courts will throw all of them out soon. 

Seems Bad

I know at some level they want to break everything, but also at some level I think some of "they" (I recognize there is not one unified entity) think that they can break everything but also have it remain whole.  They are a bit like children who don't understand that a lot of work is required to keep them fed and alive, that it doesn't just happen.

When Kevin Heatley took over as superintendent of Crater Lake National Park in January, he was excited to oversee one of Oregon’s most iconic sites, whose stunning vistas and volcanic formations attract roughly half a million visitors each year.

But after less than five months on the job, Heatley hung up his ranger’s uniform Friday, citing the Trump administration’s staffing cuts at the National Park Service as a major reason for his decision to take a buyout offer.

Excellent Plan, Sir

I think it's fair to say that the US made some bad choices over the years because it was too wedded to "free trade" and allergic to thinking about "industrial policy," even though you have one even if you don't bother to think it through or call it that.

So, yes, the idea that one way or another you should maintain a domestic steel industry is not crazy, and the kind of thing lefties would argue over the years.

But randomly changing the tariff number every few weeks whenever gramps gets bored is not a well-thought-out comprehensive industrial policy that is likely to achieve any sensible goals.

But while the inflationary impact on U.S. domestic prices is widely expected to be severe, the effect in Europe will be more mixed, according to analysts — with some buyers and manufacturers able to benefit from lower prices.

“This was an absolute surprise. Already steel prices in the U.S. are higher than anywhere else, and it is a net importer which needs to have volumes coming in. All this does is raise prices there,” Josh Spoores, head of steel Americas analysis at CRU, told CNBC on Monday.

Lunch

Eat

Oh Really

If only there were months and months and months of trancripts of this guy answering questions...

Speaking to the Trump 100 podcast, Matthew Miller, who, as a state department spokesman, was the voice and face of the US government's foreign policy under Mr Biden, revealed disagreements, tensions and challenges within the former administration. In the wide-ranging conversation, he said: • It was "without a doubt true that Israel has committed war crimes"; • That Israeli soldiers were not being "held accountable"; • That there were "disagreements all along the way" about how to handle policy; • And that he "would have wanted to have a better candidate" than Mr Biden for the 2024 election.

As for this:

"Look, one of the things about being a spokesperson is you're not a spokesperson for yourself. You are a spokesperson for the president, the administration, and you espouse the positions of the administration. And when you're not in the administration, you can just give your own opinions."

Or you could resign, free yourself.

You see, when I was lying about war crimes, I was just following orders, as good employees do.

Welp

The favorite of political journalists, and not just because they all have his personal number.

Hope Greta and her friends can swim!https://t.co/Noab4QyJtV

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) June 1, 2025

Is Lindsey really suggesting Israel would kill Greta Thunberg? Unhinged antisemitic stuff there.

WE WILL NEVER STOP FIGHTING FOR YOU!!!

You gotta be able to stick up for yourselves, guys, or seem to.

[Dana Bash]: Now, I know you previously warned that the administration charging members of Congress was a -- quote -- "red line." What are you doing now that the red line you talked about has apparently been crossed?

JEFFRIES: Well, let me make clear that the House is a separate and co-equal branch of government, the Congress. We don't work for Donald Trump. We don't work for the administration. We don't work for Elon Musk. We work for the American people.

And we have a responsibility to serve as a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch. That's the constitutional blueprint that was given to us by the framers of the United States democracy that we have inherited over the last few centuries. And so we're going to continue to undertake our congressional responsibility, notwithstanding efforts by the Trump administration to try to intimidate Democrats.

It's unfortunate that our Republican colleagues continue to be nothing more than rubber stamps for Trump's reckless and extreme agenda. And the American people, I think, will ultimately reject that next year, when we will take back control of the House of Representatives.

In the meantime, in terms of how we will respond to what Trump and the administration has endeavored to do, we will make that decision in a time, place, and manner of our choosing. But the response will be continuous and it will meet the moment that is required.

Giving off "can't even manage to write a sternly worded letter" vibes. 

A problem with people enabling the promotion of their protégés is the key skill of a protégé is sucking up.

The best defense you can make of Jeffries is that he's wonderful at all the other more hidden parts of his job. Skeptical, but let's pretend. Still, KEEP HIM THE FUCK OFF TELEVISION.

Morning

Late start

Boom Boom

All this is way above my pay grade, but for your consideration.

Ukraine has carried out large-scale drone strikes against several airbases deep inside Russia, destroying multiple combat planes, according to the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU).

The operation, dubbed “Spiderweb,” comes on the eve of expected peace talks in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine, and involved the most ambitious simultaneous strikes on Russian airbases carried out by Ukraine since the war began.

An SBU source said that Russian bombers were “burning en masse” at four airbases hundreds of miles apart, adding that drones had been launched from trucks inside Russia.

Sunday Afternoon

Be best.

Good Day To Stay Home, Austinites

I know that it is hardly news that I am skeptical about whatever Elon's latest is, but I'm *really* skeptical about the robotaxi launch. I suspect it will be hilariously bad!

May 28 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab is poised to begin its long-awaited robotaxi service in Austin on June 12, Bloomberg News reported, opens new tab on Wednesday, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Buzzwords Of A Past Era

Some of you oldheads remember when people would blather on about "moral clarity" (a thing I possess) and condemn "moral relativism" and "whataboutery" (forms of degenerate sophistry you engage in).
  
Anyway, just throwing that out there.

Morning

Sunday funday