News Releases
Trump Only Offers Chaotic Irrationality
National & Minnesota Report
New reports about Donald J Trump (R) opened with terms like whiplash and rollercoaster when describing the decisions made at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue over the course of the last two days. In the matter of tariffs, Trump signed an Executive Order pausing the increased costs applied to imports from Canada and Mexico until April 2nd, while maintaining these actions on China. The temporary about-face appears to have been a reaction to the stock market where the Dow fell nearly 650 points, the S&P 500 fell 2% and the NASDAQ Composite plunged down 2.6%. In addition to dire calls from the Automobile industry both in the manufacturing sector of Detroit and the Automobile dealers across the nation. Especially, since most decisions in this industry are made 5-7 years in advance.
The Chaotic Irrationality in international trade, especially with our trading partners, delivered by Trump provides a great deal of uncertainty and no ability to predict the future. This coupled with his partial retraction of the universal power of Elon Musk and DOGE to continue to use a meat cleaver or better yet a chainsaw to dismantle the federal government civil service system, by saying the US Senate confirmed Cabinet Secretaries have the responsibility to make the final decisions in their respective Departments.
Right now, to many the Trump Administration appears rudderless and off course. The feeling of heartlessness and the mean spirited actions seem overly harsh. But, Republican members of Congress still remain as lapdogs and none have publicly come forward to criticize Trump. The best assessment is if the Republican Party is so obsessed with Transgender issues, then they should see themselves in the mirror as merely emasculated persons and ban themselves from any sports what-so-ever.
2025 Revenue Forecast Significantly Impacted by Inflation and Potential Federal Action, But Can Only Take a Wait-and-See-Approach
Minnesota Report
On its face, the Revenue Forecast has taken a $160M drop in its estimate from November, but the impact of decisions from the Donald J Trump (R) Administration can still wreak a great deal of havoc depending on the various decisions it makes. Because our state’s budget receives 1/3rd of its revenue from the federal government, and as a state we pay in more to the feds than we receive in return. If the tap’s flow is restricted or cut-off all together it will require a significant course correction.
The tariffs significantly impact our state in a variety of ways. Their application in Mexico, from which much of our fruits and vegetables emanate especially in the winter, will cause a significant rise in grocery prices. The application in Canada will mean higher electricity costs in the northwestern corner of the state, and adversely impact the electrical grid in addition to oil and mineral price increases felt across the board. The Chinese tariffs will significant hurt our farmers, especially soybean growers because they will price our beans higher than other large producing countries like Brazil, which will be where China shifts its purchases to.
As we view the 2025 February Revenue Forecast, we see a number of interesting facets. Here is a video of the presentation. The main issue being inflation, which the Trump Administration made a bold statement it could address, and as we can see practically, is neutered and unable to do anything about. Sure, Trump can blame Joe Biden (D) in many instances with unfounded and unsubstantiated ways this is now Trump’s Economy. The price of eggs have not fallen, but are continuing to rise, the declaration of “a little disturbance” doesn’t mean the ignorant class that voted him in will have the patience to wait for the ship to right itself. They want change and they want it now.
The job loss caused by the firing of people in the various state departments, might have seemed reasonable to the misguided, but these people are not just employed in Washington DC, but rather throughout the nation, in every state, county and city. They are your friends and neighbors.
The “Uncertainty” caused by Trump is the essential element in what is occurring right now. In his opening remarks Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN) sounded like a candidate on the stump running for President in 2028. His remarks start at 59:51 of the video. He said, “There is a storm at the federal level and that storm is Donald Trump.” and “This is CHAOS this is not how you run any business, and not how you run the federal government.”
In her opening remarks, Commissioner of Management and Budget Erin Campbell expressed a common theme expenditures are higher due to the pressure of inflation.
There is a reduction in the prediction of $456M or a drop in $160M to carry forward to FY 2025-26. The major changes in expectations a more dramatically seen from the Fiscal Snapshot: Forecast Horizon FY 2028-29 reflecting a predicted approximation of a $5,995B deficit. Slide 1 in the Revenue Forecast Presentation shows this clearly.
State Economist Dr Anthony Becker provided his view of the Economic Outlook, starting on slide 6. He highlighted these factors: Trade, Fiscal and Immigration policies provide the uncertainty.
The company Minnesota currently uses for assistance in developing its forecast is SPGMI.
Later State Budget Director Ahna Minge, provided Spending and Long Term Budget Outlook highlighting the question always posed by Checks & Balances what is the state’s Debt Capacity, which we learned to be $700M.
One significant fact we learned in the projected changes in the higher cost items in the Budget, which are Education and Health and Human Services. The two are predicted to switch places in 2029. One of the most interesting aspects of this change is the recognition of state paid use of weight-loss drugs like weight loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy. These are up over 90% in recent years and this fact was not lost on the legislators in the room, especially the Republicans.
In the Education, the cost/per pupil is set to increase annually due to inflationary increase in 2026.
There was no commitment of there being a need for another revenue forecast but both House Speaker Emertus Melissa Hortman (DFL 34B, Brooklyn Park) and House Speaker Lisa Demuth (R-13A, Cold Spring) expressed a need for commonly agreed to budget targets by early April and a bipartisan budget to be passed by May 19th. Speaker DeMuth continues to parrot the false narrative, which is the DFL trifecta spent $18 million last session, which was taxpayer collected monies, $12 million was Federal onetime money and that was allocated, but was not money collected from Minnesota. She should stop providing false information.
When the Republicans spoke, we asked a question at 1:52:04 on the video, one we believe is an obvious question of Ways and Means Chair Paul Torkelson (R-15B, Hanska). “Are you just going to be having conference committees on all the issues?” To which the chairman agreed to and conceded, after clarifying its dependence on the results of the Special Election in election 40B in Roseville.
Trump’s Address to Congress Will Further Solidify,There is a Madman in the White House
National & Minnesota Report
The concept of a madman in the White House as first applied to Richard M Nixon (R) and his foreign policy associated with the how he tried to address leadership present in communist bloc countries. By creating the concept of irrational chaos and the intent would prevent the provocation against the US and solidify fear of an unpredictable response.
In the current Donald J Trump (R) Administration the same tactic appears to be present, but now kicked into full-gear as if it is on steroids. Not only is this Chaotic Irrationality applied to Foreign Policy where we treat our enemies like our friends and our friends like our enemies, the question for other nations is what is wrong with Trump is more the order of the day rather than if he is a rational actor. The combination of tariffs on our closest trading partners, demands of concessions from our allies, like Ukraine prior to any framework of an agreement being struck, direct bilateral negotiations with Russia, isolation from our European Allies and a perception that American is extracting itself out of the international policy and trade agreements, past allegiances, and a willingness to go it alone is nothing short of insane.
The Insanity Play, which occurred with Volodymyr Zelenskyy who was the one who offered the Rare Minerals Agreement as an opportunity to provide a more solid relationship between the US and Ukraine, because then we would be protecting our own interest. The inappropriate interaction of his predecessor Joe Biden (D) Vice President JD Vance (R) was a staged performance and likely intended to provide a rationale for the negotiations to fail. All Zelenskyy wanted was assurances for security protections. Again, a madman approach, and based on what seemed to give Trump what he needed an appearance of better deal than previously proposed, but sorry that was offered before to his predecessor Joe Biden (D).
The only core concept seems to be the essential variable is Trump and placating the madman is the only acceptable response. The fragility of his ego must be placated and he must be fawned over and genuflected to at every turn is just pathetic. His outbursts and constant repetition are evident of the exact same claims made against of which he constantly rails against Biden, and blames for every failure and takes no responsibility for himself. Its like an obsession. Fact, the inflation and economic problems our nation faced during the pandemic started because of Trump.
His first impeachment, occurred because he tried to get to investigate the Bidens and threatened to withhold support for them against the pending Russian invasion. Now, as he tries to rewrite history with his own revision, it’s now the Russian Hoax.
Now, again he has paused support for Ukraine to force them back to the negotiations table otherwise. Ukraine is left to the Russian Bear to consume it entrails.
Additionally, the announcement of tariffs against Canada, Mexico and China are only resulting in tariffs from those nations against us and it will result in increased prices, yes, inflation and greater costs born by American citizens and not the countries from whence the retaliation came.
We heard probably the best thought from the Ontario Premier Doug Ford (C) who said, “I want to apologize to you the American people (for higher prices) its not you, its your President.”
What to Expect in the Revenue Forecast on Thursday? Who Knows!
Minnesota Report
On Thursday, the State Economist Anthony Becker, Office of Management and Budget Director Ahna Minge and the Commissioner for Revenue Paul Marquart will release the February Revenue Forecast as developed by the Office of Management and Budget with assistance from and outside Economics firm.
In this forecast the state has adequate resources to meet the current state budget FY2024-25 but in the out years, the FY2026-27 biennium, $1.1 billion less than prior estimates. There are pending deficits and especially with the amount of revenue to be provided by the Federal Government via the Donald J Trump Administration the reliability is in doubt.
The Federal Government provided $39,840M, which accounts for nearly 1/3rd of our state budget, but this figure also included onetime COVID money, which will not return.
On the expenditure side we have viewed the information we gleaned from the November 2024 Revenue Forecast, but this is just a marker for tracking dollars prior to the forthcoming legislative session and all budget decisions will be based on the February numbers, although with the instability brought by the Trump Administration and the fact the impact of a Federal Tax Bill being unknown, there are a significant amount of information which remains unknown.
These are the categories in which state monies are spent.
- E-12 Education, state support for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 educationAmount=$28,049M
- Higher Education, state funding for public universities, state and community collegesAmount=$4,502M
- Property Tax Aids and Credits, local government aid and grant programs, property tax refundsAmount=$5,687M
- Health and Human Services, funding for mental health and other institutions, public assistance, health care, early childhood, and general public health programsAmount=$57,173M
- Public Safety and Judiciary, includes state courts, correctional institutions, and crime-related programsAmount=$4,744M
- Transportation, transportation systems, highway construction and maintenance, and the Minnesota State Patrol
- Amount=$12,073M
- Environment, programs for environmental protection and recreation, account forAmount=$3,851M as a line item.*
- Economic Development, Energy, Agriculture and Housing, programs for improving opportunities, growth, housing stability, agriculture and economic success to individuals, and businesses and communities*
- State Government and Veterans, including administrative, constitutional offices, and legislative agenciesAmount=$5,243M
- Capital Projects and Grants, payment of principal and interest on state bonds along with other capital project spendingAmount=$1,347M
- General Fund Refinance, prior year general fund expenditures that have been refinanced to federal resources*
- OtherAmount=$10,146M
* There are three categories listed on the same page of the State Expenditures, which are not clear and hence lack a specific spending amount. The line of a specific line item makes this appear a bit fuzzy and not clearly defined.
These are Environment, Economic Development, Energy, Agriculture and Housing and General Fund Refinance. For instance the line item is Environment and Energy but the line item is only for Environment and there are not specific line items for Economic Development, Agriculture and Housing.
This is quite confusing.
Interview with Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Peterson
Minnesota Report
Since agriculture has a significant influence on our state economy, nearly 15% and ranks 7th in the nation for agricultural productivity our state clearly relies on this economic sector. We asked Agriculture Commissioner Thom Peterson a series of questions and learned some unexpected pieces of information.
This interview was between the Commissioner and Publisher Shawn Towle. If you would prefer to listen to the interview click here.
C&B: Mr Commissioner, I understand you just got back from a trip to Washington DC, can you discuss the importance of USAID program to Minnesota’s farm community and the impact of its closing is having?
Commissioner Peterson: Well, I think that we’re still kind of learning, you know, about it, I’ve been familiar with the food aid part of it and the good pieces that it’s done over the years, but, to be honest, I didn’t know a lot about a lot of the details and we’re still kind of learning, some of the impacts of that. So for Minnesota, specifically is what we’re interested in is, some of the products that we may see that, would impact our farmers are, wheat, wheat purchases, edible beans, so things like kidney beans, things like that. Beans are really popular protein too, around the world, and so that’s a kind of a niche crop in Minnesota, but it’s really important that it, has really built that market over the years. So that’s been an interesting one. And then some dairy, products too as well. And so, again, we’re, still trying to sort that out too and everything, but you think about, there may be companies or co-ops in Minnesota that it may also be involved with purchases, that may be based here in Minnesota but may not be, impacting Minnesota so think like Cargillor Land O’ Lakes, things like that.
C&B: Well you mentioned wheat, and that only brings me back to thinking of Norman Borlaug, and things like that, the “Man Who Fed the World.”
Commissioner Peterson: Well, Norman Borlaug or even Orville Freeman, you know, I think that USAID was kind of born out of the Kennedy administration at that time. The Secretary of Agriculture, who was also very involved in a lot of this, was, Orville Freeman, you know, from Minnesota. And so, That was kind of the idea of Food for Peace, type initiatives and everything. So, you know, it’s very interesting and ties to Minnesota, for sure.
C&B: So what is your feeling of the general sentiment, of the Federal Agriculture Department toward Minnesota right now?
Commissioner Peterson: Well I think we’re kind of in a, you know, a hurry up and see, situation. I was able to one, of the first addresses the new USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins gave was to our association of commissioners yesterday, and she kind of really laid out the plan of, continuing to attack avian influenza, which really does impact Minnesota a lot just because we’re number one in turkey production and we’ve seen cases, and actually, some of the things that she rolled out are, are important. Like enhanced biosecurity, and then, looking at vaccines, there’s a lot to that too as well. But there are concerns right now, I’d say with the USDA because we do have some grants that are frozen, that we’re not able to access that impact Minnesota farms and businesses. And then the impact on, removal of probationary employees, a buyout program. Leaving, some of our, offices understaffed. And so that’s a concern because to be honest too, the farm economy is struggling right now some, and so it makes it difficult, to have some of these issues that we’re dealing with right now.
C&B: What about the impact on the farm loan system?
Commissioner Peterson: Well, that’ll be interesting to see. Originally, a lot of those, probationary farm loan officers had been, laid off, but then they were hired back. So I’d say here’s kind of some whiplash at the moment too. But, I, was, whoever got to them, including the department and maybe it was some of our congressional delegation that, We need those, you know, because we are seeing a lot of interest in loans. We do, loans with the department. One other thing, Shawn, I think is interesting is, farmer, lender mediation notices. So those are notices that go out to farmers, who are behind, you know, on whether it’s a tractor payment or uh other payments. In January of 2025, we had well over 300 notices sent to farmers. In January 24 was less than 50, so we’re seeing 67 times the amount of meditations. That tells us that the economy for farmers could be better. And so now is the time we want to be helping farmers, not making it further difficult for them.
C&B: Let’s talk a little politics here with this one. Do you think any of the feelings in Washington have anything to do with the fact Minnesota voted for the Harris/Walz ticket over the Trump/Vance ticket by mere 50.92%?
Commissioner Peterson: You know, not at the moment. I think Minnesota is actually in an interesting position in DC. I think that, there’s a lot of questions, the USDA needs the Farm Bill, farmers need the Farm Bill, and Minnesota is an interesting position be having, Amy Klobuchar is the ranking, Democrat in the Senate, and Angie Craig, having the ranking membership in the House. They’re gonna, they need Democratic votes to pass the farm bill and that’s expired and it’s on an extension right now. And so it was really interesting and actually kind of an honor at our, State Department’s Agriculture to have both of them come and talk and represent Minnesota, but also highlight the need that, again, you don’t just need Republican votes to do this, you’re going to need Democratic votes because there’s too many votes on the far right, they won’t vote for a Farm Bill. And so, it’s an interesting, kind of wait and see. The other thing I’d say right now too is I don’t know that, farmers will, see a direct impact on tariffs and office closings and everything, maybe for a few months yet. And so, I think there’s some of that too as well and so again we’re just had to wait and see a little bit.
C&B: With attention given to Democrats members of our delegation, are you hearing similar thoughts from the Republican members of Congress in our delegation?
Commissioner Peterson: You know, to be honest, our, we’ve had good luck, with Representative Finstead, in his office, as some of these ideas or things that we’ve had, we’ve been able to communicate with his office pretty good. And so I’d give an extra shout out to his office, and of course he’s in farm country, so I know that they, they’re hearing some of these concerns too as well, and we’ll keep working on the other offices, you know, I lean a lot on Tom Emmer’s office, being in leadership, but I think they’re gonna have to, figure out at some point, where they can be helpful in a lot of these different things.
C&B: Well, as you know I am interested in some innovative farming techniques, can you define in your assessment what the future of aquaponic aquaculture here in Minnesota is? And do you think, it has a potential benefit in the urban agriculture environment and in, other indoor growing opportunities?
Commissioner Peterson: Well, you’d be very interested to know that we actually, through the legislature request two years ago, we have a report on aquaculture coming out very soon. And so that, we’re hoping to be released. It’s in its final stages right now, and we hope to release that report very soon. And we do think there’s a lot of options. Aquaculture is not anything new or aquaponics, it’s been around a long time. We’ve seen a lot of different things. Some of the new things we’re seeing in Minnesota is actually shrimp farms, prawn farms, to be honest, the bait business is booming right now and we don’t have as many bait suppliers as we have. So, we have a walleye farm, coming online and so, a lot of interesting and innovative things, people in general, my take is are really interested in protein. And so whether that’s plant-based or beef or pork or fish, there’s a lot of opportunity right now for the protein market.
C&B: In the future, wouldn’t growing of food under glass in green Houses provide better food without herbicides and pesticides?
Commissioner Peterson: You know, we’ll see what happens with that. It’s been, you know, to be honest, kind of quiet at the moment on the USAID front, on the nations that have been impacted. I think that they’re still trying to sort out, some of the ships and deliveries were, slowed down, but those food aid pieces are moving now, and so we hope that those continue. But if you don’t have the staff and everything, I think that’s what we’re gonna have to wait and see. There’s some. Some of the workers have been held there and so they may, the food aid piece and the purchases may continue and maybe some of their programs that they may back off of. And so whether that’s helping farmers learn how to, you know, uh, irrigate or we, we have an issue, things where we send farmers over there, retired farmers to say Africa to help them learn different practices or do exchanges, things like that. We may see less of that, you know, too as well, but we’re kind of still working on it and evaluating it and seeing where it goes and where the court cases go that are surrounding it too as well.
Potentially, we’re already seeing that, Minnesota’s population is changing quite a bit and so we’re, seeing, a lot of whether that’s a growth in our Hmong farming population, or Latino farming population, and a lot of those folks are growing fruit and vegetables on a small, I say a small footprint, but it’s a large value crop. I always think it’s interesting when people will say, I can’t believe somebody farms on 2 acres or 3 acres, but they may have a high tunnel or greenhouse that has tens of thousands of dollars worth of tomato and vegetables on it. They may sell at a high piece, like a Minneapolis or Saint Paul Farmers’ Market have a big CSA, or a direct, marketing business. There’s a lot of really successful, fruit and vegetable pieces going on. There’s also you know, folks that are doing aquaponics or are raising fish and then using, the affluent and things to help with their greenhouse too as well so you’re seeing some of that innovative pieces too as well.
C&B: Well, and the last part of this and staying with this topic, you’re getting more yields throughout the year because we have a limited growing cycle. So, if you willing to extend the limited growth cycle why wouldn’t it be beneficial?
Commissioner Peterson: Right. And that’s what we’re glad to see, like a lot of, our, fruit and vegetable growers, being able to afford those, high tunnels, greenhouses where they can extend their growing season. Both on the front end and the back end, so it’s a really good thing.
Potential State Responses to the Trump Administration
National & Minnesota Report
An erroneous Instagram post about Maine Governor Janet Mills’ (D-ME) withholding of Federal Dollars, sparked an interesting idea, the possibility of not forwarding federal income tax collections in lieu of the monies owed to the states by the Donald J Trump (R) Administration. We have often thought when paper transactions were the common route for exchanging money of paying bills, such as federal income taxes, where you send in a check and they in turn return a check was a waste of time, energy and effort. Now, with electronic filing and return deposits directly into ones bank account this process is eliminated.
Since Minnesota’s budget receives nearly 1/3rd of its revenue from the Federal Government and that is currently in jeopardy, we see a few approaches as possible. First, Federal Tax Conformity is a normal process our states and all others goes through when establishing our state’s compliance with Federal Law. Now, there is a process, first the Feds must pass a new Tax Bill, which is still pending. The lynch-pin being whether there will be a stand alone Tax Bill, or the Republican controlled US House will succeed in convincing the Republican US Senate to fold these tax provisions into a Budget Reconciliation Bill or not.
Then depending on the timing, meaning before or after the MN legislative session adjourns, the legislature can, but doesn’t always do so, reconcile the Federal Tax structure into our state’s budget through Tax Conformity. Often times, a lag means more state revenue is collected because the write-off of federal taxes for corporate and personal income tax is lower. So the reconciliation tax shell game commences.
Additionally, there is the blanket opposition of the failure of the federal government meeting it full obligation, as in the case of Special Education compensation, where the bar is set at 40% of the costs, but actual level of support 12%. The federal funding has not keep pace with the rising costs since first established on December 2, 1975 as the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).
As a state, Minnesota sends more money to Washington DC then it receives back so a withholding of the amount would have a direct beneficial impact.
Of course there is always the fringe argument, which is the passage of Federal Income Tax in 1913 through the 16th Amendment to the US Constitution “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.” Now, this might align with the wrong-headed believe from the misguided Chief Executive, who fails to tell the truth about the costs of tariffs as being born by the countries they are applied to rather than truthfully be American consumers.
A friend of Checks & Balances often jokes, “When Trump attended Wharton, he only went for one day, and they discussed the use of tariffs, but it was on the second day they discussed the true adverse impact of such as system.” We also, say Trump also only attended his US History class for one day when they discussed the use of a tariff system prior to the 16th Amendment, and once that was implemented the tax rate for the wealthy was established at as per our reading from the Annenbergclassroom.org:
1913 First Income Tax Is Levied Under The Sixteenth Amendment
Soon after the Sixteenth Amendment is ratified, Congress levies a 1 percent tax on personal incomes greater than $3,000 and a 6 percent tax on incomes above $500,000. These taxes affect only a very small portion of the population. At the same time, the Treasury Department devises the first Form 1040.
1913 The Supreme Court Defines ‘Income’
In Stratton’s Independence v. Howbert, the Supreme Court defines income under the tax law as the “gain derived from capital, from labor, or from both combined” including both the dividends paid to corporate stockholders and the profit that is gained from selling assets.
1918 Top Tax Rate Hits 77 Percent
To raise additional taxes necessary to finance the First World War, Congress increases the top rate of the income tax to 77 percent, an all-time high. Modern federal tax rates vary between 10 and 38 percent.
Initially, by our reading of history, the Federal Tax system was a progressive idea, and in fact the Income Tax was created as an outgrowth of the Progressive Movement of which President Theodore Roosevelt (R) 1901-1909 was Chief Executive. Its all the gaming played in the establishment of the Tax Bill where the monied interests get their benefits facilitated by the lawyers and lobbyists who game the system for their own benefits and the average taxpayer is left holding the bag.
It sounds to us, that a return to the Republican Party of the early 1900’s warrants consideration because as per Wikipedia:
“The Progressive Movement was a movement that began during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. It focused on social reforms such as suffrage, working conditions, education, and industrialization. The main aims of the movement were the pursuit of trust busting, the breaking up of very large monopolies and support for labour unions, public health programs, decreased corruption in politics and environmental conservation.”
Its clear the MAGA Movement is far afield from it’s history once again. The Republican Party which won the Civil War and brought an end to slavery, a curtailment of State’s Rights, and later the creation of a Public Service System not based on patronage but rather professionalism is far different than the current adrift Me, Me, Me Administration’s behavior. We will remind our dear readers of our recent article Musk/Trump’s Attack on the Civil Service System and the importance of President Chester A Arthur (R).
Update on the Kenner Memorial
Minnesota Report
For those of you whom are interested, Michael “Kenner” Kory Kennedy A Celebration of Kenner’s Life will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 2 pm. at the Carpenters Local 332 Great Hall, 730 Olive St, St Paul, MN 55130 followed by a reception at 3 pm.
Here is the obituary published in the Minnesota Star Tribune today.
Democrats Will Fight Against Trump’s War on Working People
National & Minnesota
Democratic Nsational Committee Chair, Minnesota’s own Ken Martin put forward his vision on how to combat Donald J Trump (R) and his executioner Elon Musk. With the lack of any political weight in either Congreessional body, the Democratic agenda is a veritable feckless effort. Until popular sentiment against the actions of the Dynamite Duo of Trump/Musk iincreases, some political wins, either through court action at the US Suptreme Court, which with a Trump stacked Court is unlikely, but if the Court sees its own power emmanating from Article III diminished incomparision to the other coequal branches of government, it might opt for self-preservation over the creation of an Imperil Presidency.
Vested interest is always the rule we believe everyone operations from politically. We are very skeptic of there truly being self-less acts, especially when it comes to politics. Here is Ken Martin’s treatise for Democrats nationwide.
Democrats Will Fight Against Trump’s War on Working eople
When I talk about the state of the Democratic Party, I often speak about the impact of perceptions – what voters see, feel, and sense. I believe the canary in the coal mine for what happened on November 5 was the recent showing that, for the first time in modern history, Americans now see the Republicans as the party of the working class and Democrats as the party of the elites. I grew up in a working-class family, as the first son of a teen mom who had four kids by age 20, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without Democrats who fought for policies to help families like mine not just get by, but get ahead. So, as the Trump agenda fails our nation’s working communities, we have to take seriously the job of repairing and restoring the perceptions of our party and our brand. It’s time to remind working Americans – and also show them every day – that the Democratic Party always has been and always will be the party of the worker.
My roots are in labor. I was the Chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party for fourteen years – the only party of its kind in the country that unites working people by name – where we went 25-0 in statewide races, secured two trifectas, and passed one of the most pro-family and pro-worker agendas in the nation. But before any of that, I proudly carried a union card and organized for the labor movement.
I fundamentally believe that our party is grounded in the values, principles, and aspirations of the working class. As Chair of the DNC, that belief will guide my decisions and approach in the years ahead. In contrast, in only his first month in office, it’s become abundantly clear Donald Trump doesn’t give a damn about the kitchen-table issues that matter to most Americans. Trump and the billionaire advisors he has surrounded himself with don’t give a damn about what it takes for a working family to put food on the table and keep a roof above their heads – let alone make a better life for themselves and their loved ones.
When it comes to making real progress for working families, our greatest successes come when we unite together on the issue that connects us: economic opportunity. That’s what union power is all about. It’s about building a multi-generational, multi-racial coalition of every worker. As an organizer, I know, alone, no one person can take on the ultra-wealthy and the powerful. But by joining together in a union, working people have secured better wages, workplace protections, health care, and the weekend. Because here’s the thing: Unions expand opportunities for all workers – not just those who are members.
At a time when Donald Trump and his billionaire backers are carving up the federal government to sell for parts and plotting to offset tax breaks for their fat cat friends by taking money out of Americans’ pockets, we need union power more than ever. Trump knows it too. That’s why he’s wasted no time dismantling workers’ collective bargaining protections; elevating billionaires with records of offshoring, union busting, and workers’ rights violations; and bringing his dangerous and unpopular Project 2025 agenda to life.
In response, as the true party of labor and working people, Democrats will stand with unions and up for all working people – in the halls of Congress, in state houses, on the picket lines, and in the streets. With Donald Trump and his Corrupt Billionaire Cabinet in office, the stakes have never been higher for working people – just take a look:
Attacking Labor From Day One
Americans sent Donald Trump to the White House to make life better for working families. Instead, beginning on day one, Trump moved with dizzying speed to dismantle the policies, protections, and institutions keeping workers safe, strong, and united.
In an unprecedented and illegal move, Trump fired appointees on two independent agencies — axing a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member as well as two Democratic Equal Employment Opportunity Commission members, despite having appointed one of them during his first term.
These members brought strong records of standing up to giant corporations on behalf of working people and Trump knew he needed them out of the way to freely implement his anti-worker Project 2025 agenda. Following Trump’s firing spree, the New York Times reported that Trump’s removal of a member of the NLRB effectively “stops it from protecting workers’ rights,” making it far easier for corporate CEOs like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk – who got front row seats at Trump’s inauguration – to trample over workers’ protections as their companies face unionization efforts. In fact, both Amazon and Musk’s SpaceX are currently suing the NLRB in an attempt to dismantle the board tasked with protecting workers from corporate exploitation.
Instead of pushing for progress on workers’ rights, Donald Trump has rolled back the clock by some sixty years: rescinding an executive order signed by President Lyndon Johnson to prohibit government contractors from discriminating in their hiring, firing, promotion, and pay practices. Union member or not, Trump and his allies’ anti-worker, anti-union attacks within the public and private sector alike make workers less safe.
Elon Musk, the richest man in the world and Trump’s unpopular, unelected co-president, has shown the frightening realities of Donald Trump’s anti-worker assaults. With Trump’s blessing, Musk – who got zero votes in the 2024 election – has upended the federal government’s merit-based career civil service and threatened retribution against government employees refusing to hand over U.S. taxpayers’ personal information – from home addresses, to Medicare records, and Social Security numbers.
Americans are disturbed by Elon Musk’s influence over the federal government. We should all be asking: What does Musk want with our private data, will he sell it to the highest bidder, and how much money does he personally stand to make from the American taxpayer?
Since Elon Musk became the true face of the Trump administration, his public approval rating has plummeted. After infiltrating the Treasury Department, gutting USAID, and attempting to eliminate the Department of Education, Elon Musk is also setting his sights on the Department of Labor, placing the integrity of data like the unemployment rate and inflation rate at risk. The accuracy of these metrics is critically important to the stability of the U.S. economy and, by extension, working people. In response, some of the nation’s largest labor groups are standing up to Musk and Trump’s highway robbery of the federal government, suing Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency.
In his second term, Donald Trump and his allies are more emboldened than ever to execute the far-right Project 2025 agenda, and Trump’s attacks on workers fit within a long, troubling history. In his first term, Trump created new incentives for companies to ship American jobs overseas and stacked federal courts with appointees who attacked collective bargaining protections. He openly disparaged union workers as “dues-sucking people,” said striking workers should be fired, and balked at using union labor on his own real estate projects. Despite his insistence on the campaign trail, Trump has never stood with working people. His disastrous first month in office proves that, while billionaires will be well taken care of, working people face great danger under this Trump administration.
Trump’s Offshoring, Union Busting Advisors
To implement his dark Project 2025 vision and deliver handouts for the ultra-wealthy, Donald Trump is assembling the wealthiest U.S. Cabinet in American history, stacked with out-of-touch, special interest billionaires who are looking out for themselves and their balance sheets over working families.
Trump’s administration includes more billionaires than any other in American history, with a combined net worth that exceeds the GDP of 172 different countries. These appointees bring damning anti-union, anti-worker records that mirror Trump’s own. Doug Burgum, now Trump’s Interior Secretary, opposed historic federal investments secured in the Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS and Science Act because of the bills’ labor protections. Trump’s billionaire pick for Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, screwed over American workers by helping companies ship manufacturing jobs to Mexico. Stephen Miran, Trump’s pick to lead the Council of Economic Advisors, criticized worker strikes and unions’ ability to negotiate better wages for their members – a proven pathway to the middle class. Meanwhile, Trump and his billionaire Department of Education Secretary pick Linda McMahon have long supported pulling tax dollars away from public schools, where 70% of teachers are unionized. Such cuts to public school funding would harm both teachers and children.
And of course, Elon Musk, who stole Trump’s spotlight to become the new face of the administration, boasts a damning record of union busting and other workers’ rights violations. At Tesla, Elon Musk fired workers attempting to unionize and tried to hide hundreds of workplace injuries from public reports. He faces a lawsuit for threatening and intimidating his employees. Musk, who is now radically upending federal government operations, even forced his employees at X (formerly Twitter) to bring their own toilet paper to work. Despite the money saved on janitorial staff, Musk has still never managed to make X profitable. The app remains in “dire state,” with “no clear pathway to profitability in sight.”
Project 2025 v. Working Families
After spending his campaign denying his connection to Project 2025 while promising to bring down prices on Day One, Donald Trump dropped the charade and immediately set out to make his “severely unpopular” Project 2025 agenda a reality as president.
Trump elevated architects of Project 2025 to lead his administration and enacted Project 2025 policies in an avalanche of executive orders – attacking essential programs and rescinding Biden-era cost-saving measures – all while laying the groundwork for another tax handout to billionaires. In the short time Trump has been in office, Project 2025 is already causing chaos and pain for working Americans. Last month’s disastrous federal aid freeze order was the “brainchild” of Trump’s OMB director Russell Vought – Project 2025’s chief architect. This freeze – and freezes of government funds since – have had disastrous impacts on Americans’ daily lives. For example, Trump’s freeze of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act programs is “creat[ing] chaos” and causing significant “financial distress” to farmers and some Head Start programs across the country are still having trouble accessing federal funds thanks to Trump’s freezes.
Project 2025 is designed to enrich the ultra-wealthy while dismantling the institutions that keep workers safe and allow them to earn their fair share. Project 2025 would make unionization incredibly burdensome and precarious for workers, further dilute the power of the NLRB, and roll back bedrock worker protections in place for nearly a century.
If Trump continues to implement his Project 2025 agenda, workers who receive overtime would see their paychecks slashed; the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, responsible for investigating workplace injuries and fatalities, would be rendered toothless; construction workers would eat a decline in take home pay due to attacks on prevailing wage requirements; and companies could more easily intentionally misclassify workers as contractors to avoid providing them with benefits like health care and sick leave – and even exploit child labor without consequence.
Project 2025 also sets out to ban public-sector unions, a historically-monumental driver of economic mobility, especially for marginalized workers. Today, thanks to strong collective bargaining agreements within the public sector, as well as early adoption of anti-discrimination provisions, the pay gap between Black workers and white workers is smaller in the public sector than in the private sector.
Unions protect workers regardless of identity, offer a pathway to the middle class, and raise standards for union and nonunion members alike. Trump’s continued Project 2025 threats to unions are a direct attack on the wellbeing of working families everywhere.
Bottom Line
In his first term, Donald Trump relentlessly pursued policies that harmed working families, but his first month back in office proves he was just getting started. Trump and his billionaire backers are hellbent on attacking working families and dismantling the unions that protect workers in order to enrich themselves. As Democrats, it is our responsibility to stand up for working people and unite behind the kitchen table issues that connect us all. As I take over as Chair of the DNC, union workers and labor leaders will be core to my decision-making. As Trump wages his war on working families, Democrats will fiercely answer the call to my favorite old union song, “Which Side Are You On?” I’ll tell you what: Democrats are on the side of the worker. We will show Americans every day that workers in fact do have more power than any billionaire.
What Do Bilateral Negotiations with Russia Over Ukraine Mean to the World?
International, National & Minesota Report
Donald J Trump’s (R) bilateral negotiations with Russia means a structural deficit for our country as a world power and ultimately a loss of American exceptionalism. The invitation for Russia back to the world stage as an essential actor only enables Vladimir Putin and only satiates his desires and like a child who has thrown a temper tantrum, rewards his bad behavior. But this is of no surprise since its just two toddlers having a play date.
In his book, The World is Flat, pg 51, (2005), New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, a Minnesotan, writes a weighty assessment, “The fall of the Berlin Wall on 11/9/89 unleashed forces that ultimately liberated all of the captive peoples of the Soviet Empire. But it actually did so much more. It tipped the balance of power across the world toward those advocating democratic, consensual, free-market-oriented governance, and away from those advocating authoritarian rule with central planned economies. The Cold War had been a struggle between two economic systems—capitalism and communism—and with the fall of the wall, there was only one system left and people had to orient himself or herself to to it one way or another. Henceforth, more and more economies would be governed from the ground up, by interests, demands, and aspirations of the people, rather than from the top down, by interests of the narrow ruling clique.”
The collapse of the wall both literally and figuratively brought about the downfall of the Soviet Union, and an end to the Cold War, but not the loss of authoritarian or Cold War mentality. It unleashed many other adverse aspects in the geopolitical world. The rise of radical Islamist elements like the Taliban, ISIS and other fascist elements were no longer bridled by the bipolar system. America and NATO prevailed both political and economically for a significant period of time, but now with Trump’s desire to emulate authoritarian regimes and authoritarians like Putin, Belarus President Victor Orban, and North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un, its his need for constant ego stroking, fealty, and elevated which creates our greatest peril, and threat to our democractic system.
Why Do Republicans Fail to Understand the Ukrainian War is a Proxy War for Democracy?
International, National & Minnesota Report
Russia is not a Superpower any longer, its not truly relative to the spinning of the globe, but it can truly become a problem child and requiring a lot of supervision because it has nuclear weapons. Yes, the Russian Bear, is an apt and informative symbol for this eastern power, first established the 16th Century. We thus should remember what we know about bears? They hibernate and Donald J Trump (R) is providing Vladmir Putin the exact opportunity he seeks an ability to retract, lick its wounds, get some rest and come back raging later.
NATO is right to coalesce in light of the American retraction from the European theater. America is not a reliable ally under Trump and it now appears he is complicit with Putin which gives rise to the assertion Putin holds something over Trump’s head and is now collecting.
Via Trump with Putin’s performative renormalization provides a large dosage of credibility and hence derived benefit. If it results in his return to the G-8, it could once again open up a wide range of economic opportunities, unless the European nations prevent it from happening. This necessitates a recodification of NATO and since the entrance of Sweden and Finland the European continent is far more consolidated. The seven former Soviet countries, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, along with Poland are literally buffer countries from Russia and hence the targets of Putin’s recapture will in all likelihood be his future targets. It seems like Ukraine was merely to trial run and because it failed to fall quickly, mainly due to support from the US, and Europe means Putin will need to find a different path. Our only hope that doesn’t mean with American as an ally.
Trump Polling Numbers in Key States Falter
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