US, India, Japan, Australia unite to cut China’s grip on critical minerals supply Lawrence: What you're feeling is the banality of cruelty from Trump and the Republican Party Opinion: Trump’s failures are turning Americans away from him Most Americans now disapprove of Donald Trump’s erratic, authoritarian and incompetent leadership, which has transformed the Republican Party into a cult of personality that rejects traditional Republican policies. Our country is suffering because of Trump’s failures. ....... The New York Times’ average of dozens of polls shows Trump’s popularity in his second term peaked on Jan. 20, the day he was inaugurated, with an approval rating of 52 percent. But once people saw how awfully Trump governed, his popularity went steadily downhill. Only 44 percent of Americans approve of his performance and 52 percent disapprove, as of July 1. ........ Trump has radically transformed the Republican Party, which long branded itself as the party supporting small government, free enterprise, free trade, individual liberty, low taxes and nations threatened by the Soviet Union (and now Russia) and China. This is no longer the case......... The president has made big government even bigger by stretching the power of the executive branch to control our economy, interfere in our lives and limit our freedom of speech and other rights. ........ Trump has declared eight national emergencies and issued 166 executive orders to act without seeking approval of Congress. He has ordered a massive increase in deportations of unauthorized immigrants and deprived some of due process of law; cut funding and barred foreign students from some colleges and universities with policies he dislikes; and federalized the California National Guard over the objections of the state’s governor. These actions are being challenged in court. ......... Trump’s unpredictable and changing tariffs — imposed without necessary congressional approval — are doing the opposite of what he promised and are harming all Americans. They will raise prices on many items we buy and increase inflation by acting as a massive sales tax. They will hurt businesses and farms that import and export goods, due to retaliatory tariffs levied by other nations. All of this will increase the unemployment rate. ......... In foreign policy, Trump has been more supportive of Russia than any past president, worsened relations with our traditional allies — even threatening to annex Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal Zone — and cut support for Ukraine in its war against Russian invaders. .......... alarmingly, we’ve seen federal law enforcement agents detaining or arresting Democratic elected officials — including Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), New York City Comptroller and unsuccessful mayoral candidate Brad Lander, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) — on trumped-up accusations for challenging the administration’s anti-immigrant policies. This is outrageous conduct we expect to see in dictatorships, not democracies. ........... Trumpism — the contradictory, impulsive, extremist and vengeful policies and leadership style the president embraces — is likely to end after he leaves office. ........... Trump is a unique combination of con man, reality television star, marketing genius, BS artist and social media influencer, with the ability to lure Americans to follow him against their own best interests, like the legendary Pied Piper. ......... Trump was elected in 2024 by making extravagant promises, many of which he hasn’t kept, including ending inflation on his first day in office, ending the war between Russia and Ukraine in 24 hours, ending the Israel-Hamas war and cutting energy prices in half. He said he would keep America out of wars, yet he joined Israel in attacking Iran. ........ As Trump’s failures and false promises become more apparent, Republicans would be wise to review the results of the 1932 election, when voters ended the failed presidency of Herbert Hoover and GOP congressional majorities during the Great Depression........... Franklin D. Roosevelt swept to power with 89 percent of the Electoral College vote and 57 percent of the popular vote. Democrats won a 59-36 majority over Republicans in the Senate and a 310-117 majority over Republicans in the House (with the Farmer-Labor Party picking up five seats).
The Trump administration’s stepped-up ICE raids, targeting of foreign students, and other changes to immigration policy have hit Massachusetts hard. Today’s @BostonGlobe Starting Point explains: https://t.co/rK03VcQdqi
Hearing Trump say he intends to detain and deport even American citizens born here years ago whom he personally regards as “bad” should chill everyone to the bone. https://t.co/Gq3XDIVfPa
Iran confirms significant nuclear decision Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a law suspending his country's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, state media outlet Tasnim has reported. Iran's parliament had voted to suspend cooperation previously....... Ali Mozaffari, deputy head of Iran's judiciary, accused Grossi of "deceptive acts," reported Iran International, an independent publication, and said the IAEA director could be tried in absentia because "he must be held accountable." ...... Trump said the U.S. would intervene militarily again if Iran continues to enrich uranium and tries to rebuild its nuclear facilities. IMF Warns Trump Tariffs Will Damage Global Economy
At a press conference, Donald Trump called Eric Adams a ‘very good person’ and threatened to arrest Zohran Mamdani if he refused to cooperate with ICE as mayor. https://t.co/8G8uGfXjol
What Elon Musk's America Party could look like a revealing glimpse into what a techno-libertarian, disruption-driven party might look like. ........ around 80 percent of Americans lie outside the ideological extremes represented by Democrats and Republicans ........ In a recent poll he ran on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), an overwhelming majority of respondents supported the creation of a new party. ....... Musk's online audience tends to skew tech-friendly and libertarian, and converting viral support into real-world political power is a much steeper climb than polling on social media might suggest. ......... He has sharply criticized both parties for prioritizing legacy industries over emerging technologies and for embracing what he sees as unsustainable spending. His opposition to former ally President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful" budget legislation, which he dubbed a "disgusting abomination," appears to have catalyzed his most serious threat yet to support or launch a third party. .......... any party he launches would be based on two ideological pillars: fiscal conservatism and aggressive investment in future-oriented industries. ............. Expect the America Party to push for deficit reduction, streamlined bureaucracies, and pro-growth policies, while also championing cutting-edge tech investments in electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and aerospace. Musk has at times endorsed the government's role in accelerating technology, especially through early-stage funding and infrastructure, but he remains critical of bureaucratic inefficiency and regulatory capture by special interests. ........ Positioning on the Spectrum: Techno-Populist Center ......... the America Party would be less about ideology and more about reform: a center-right party on economics, a centrist or libertarian stance on social issues, and an unorthodox platform on digital rights and innovation. ........ On health care, a Musk-led party might reject expansions of government-run insurance programs in favor of market-based reforms, telemedicine, or AI-driven diagnostics, framing these as more efficient alternatives to public options. ......... skills-based training, online platforms, or decentralized learning ecosystems, like Khan Academy or Neuralink-enhanced learning, in the long term. .......... Musk champions electric vehicles and solar power, he has criticized regulatory processes that slow industrial development. His party might support aggressive decarbonization ......... a Silicon Valley techno-libertarian lens that doesn't always align with broader public needs, especially among working-class or rural voters who are less directly invested in the high-tech economy ........ Younger voters, especially Gen Z and millennials, who feel alienated from legacy institutions but are energized by tech, innovation, and authenticity. ......... Systemic barriers, such as restrictive ballot access laws, the Electoral College, first-past-the-post voting, and a lack of access to national debate stages, make it nearly impossible for a new party to gain significant ground without dismantling decades of established political infrastructure. Even with Musk's vast resources and media reach, these obstacles remain stubbornly intact. .......... "If anything, the new party would likely split the Republican vote, potentially resulting in a Democrat-dominated House of Representatives, at least in the short term, due to the winner-takes-all electoral system." ......... history is against it. The USA is a strongly two-party political system. Even though relatively small numbers of citizens are party members, around 90 percent actively identify with either the Republicans or Democrats." .......... political organization is a different beast. It requires ground game, alliances, and durable coalitions, none of which can be assembled through memes or livestreams alone. Past movements buoyed by digital charisma (see: Beto O'Rourke) have often struggled to translate their online success into offline impact. ......... At Tesla and SpaceX, he has faced lawsuits alleging retaliation against whistleblowers and employees who have been critical of his leadership. At X, the "free speech absolutism" has coexisted with bans, algorithmic manipulation, and opaque moderation policies.
Did you know NYC is home to over 4,933 acres of wetlands?
From salt marshes by the beach to freshwater streams on Staten Island, these wild, watery ecosystems help fight floods, filter water & support wildlife! 🌊 pic.twitter.com/nv3z6qud6i
