2:00PM Water Cooler 1/24/2025 | bare capitalism

“Trump’s two asks from California: voter ID legal guidelines and water stream” [Reuters]. “U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday stated he needed to safe two issues from a go to to California later within the day: voter identification legal guidelines and modifications to water coverage within the wake of huge wildfires. ‘I simply need voter ID to begin, and I need the water to be launched, they usually’re going to get quite a lot of assist from the U.S.,’ Trump stated throughout a go to to North Carolina.” • Properly, that’s why we now have a Federal system, no?

“Information Evaluation: Stakes are excessive for Newsom and California when Trump visits L.A. wildfires” [Los Angeles Times]. ” California Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Trump shared a surprisingly symbiotic relationship in the course of the Republican’s first time period within the White Home, with their public sparring and skill to work collectively in occasions of disaster elevating each politicians. Whether or not the 2 males can overcome an unpleasant 2024 election cycle and resume a respectful rapport for the advantage of Californians ought to turn into clearer when Trump surveys wildfire injury in Los Angeles County….” These two calls for don’t appear “symbiotic” to me. Extra: “The Democratic governor might finish the day with a presidential instance of appearing like a level-headed chief able to placing politics — and private emotions — apart to assist his state. Or, Newsom might stroll away extra weak to criticism that his political gamesmanship and thirst for the nationwide highlight compromised his potential to ship for Californians.” • I believe Trump senses weak point. We’ll see.

Power within the government:

“Trump strikes to revoke clearances of ex-intel officers who signed letter on Hunter Biden laptop computer” [PBS]. “President Donald Trump says his administration will transfer to revoke the safety clearances of the greater than 4 dozen former intelligence officers who signed a 2020 letter saying that the Hunter Biden laptop computer saga bore the hallmarks of a ‘Russian data operation.’ The motion is an early indication of the president’s willpower to actual retribution on perceived adversaries and is the newest level of pressure between Trump and an intelligence group of which he has been brazenly disdainful.” Implementation: “The president has quite a lot of authority on the subject of safety clearances. The issue the White Home will run into is, in the event that they depart from their current procedures, they might arrange a judicial enchantment for these 51 individuals — and it’ll in all probability be a class-action swimsuit since they’re all in alike or comparable circumstances,” stated Dan Meyer, a Washington lawyer who specializes within the safety clearance and background examine course of.”

“Now the reality comes out: Reporters admit Politico snuffed out Hunter Biden laptop computer story to guard Joe in 2020” [New York Post]. “‘Politico did that horrible, ill-fated headline: 51 intelligence brokers, or former intelligence brokers, say that the Hunter Biden laptop computer was disinformation,’ recalled [reporter Neil] Caputo. ‘Seems that story was nearer to disinformation, as a result of the Hunter Biden laptop computer gave the impression to be true.’” And: “Caputo informed his editor the outlet wanted to ‘write in regards to the Hunter Biden laptop computer’ however was instructed, per orders from ‘on excessive’ at Politico, to not: ‘Don’t write in regards to the laptop computer. Don’t speak in regards to the laptop computer. Don’t tweet in regards to the laptop computer,’ he was informed. So ‘the one factor Politico wound up writing was that piece that referred to as it disinformation.’” Extra: “The 51 Spies Who Lied — ex-intel officers who signed an open letter that trashed The Submit’s laptop computer scoop as a ‘Russian data operation’ — gave the media cowl.” Extra probably they “briefed’ the editors and publishers. And: “If these intel veterans weren’t certain about Russia’s involvement, and weren’t making an attempt to mislead the general public, they might’ve checked with their sources on the FBI, which had already verified the laptop computer’s authenticity. Or simply saved their mouths shut. Brennan & Co. knew precisely what they have been doing.” • To the extent that the FBI can “confirm” something…

“Trump’s First Shot in His Conflict on the ‘Deep State’” [The Atlantic]. “In response, the 51 former officers signed a letter asserting that “the arrival on the US political scene of emails purportedly belonging to Vice President Biden’s son Hunter … has all of the basic earmarks of a Russian data operation.” Thoughts you, the signatories supplied no proof of a hidden Russian hand in all of this. They provided no digital trails resulting in Russian spies, no confidential sources claiming a connection. And so they have been up-front about this: ‘We need to emphasize that we have no idea if the emails … are real or not and that we wouldn’t have proof of Russian involvement—simply that our expertise makes us deeply suspicious that the Russian authorities performed a big position on this case.’ That’s it. They have been suspicious. Perhaps with good cause. On the time, present officers, with entry to categorised data, believed that Russian intelligence operatives have been making an attempt to feed misinformation in regards to the Bidens to Giuliani, as my colleagues at The Washington Submit and I reported on the time. The signatories argued that, primarily based on their lengthy expertise doing battle with Russia within the enviornment of worldwide espionage, individuals ought to take their suspicions critically. If this all seems like what op-ed writers or self-professed consultants on social media or speaking heads on TV routinely do, that’s as a result of it’s. Certainly, a number of of the signatories have been common “By no means Trump” commentators on cable speak reveals, political podcasts, and Twitter.” • IOW, it’s free speech.

“Unique — CIA Director Ratcliffe: ‘Day-One Factor’ to Get to Backside of Chinese language ‘Origins of COVID,’ Wuhan Lab Leak” (interview) [John Ratcliffe, Breitbart]. I have a tendency to not cite to Breitbart, however right here we’re: “[RATCLIFFE:] You’ve individuals who have been on the totally different intelligence companies for thus lengthy and centered on the Russia risk — and, as you stated, legitimately as a result of [Vladimir] Putin is a nasty man and a regime with an enormous nuclear stockpile that we have to speak about — however yeah, the Intelligence Neighborhood has been gradual to regulate to the truth that China is the first geopolitical risk we face,” Ratcliffe stated. “It’s the second largest economic system, they usually compete with us throughout the board on a peer-to-peer foundation in a method that Russia can’t, and I believe there are causes for that which can be sadly — there’s a monetary side to that. From Washington, DC, to Wall Avenue to Silicon Valley to Hollywood, there was a need to maintain China from being labeled a nasty man as a result of lots of people make some huge cash from China and in China, and China has quite a lot of affect in all of these locations. However our intelligence is obvious —I noticed that as DNI and now it’s inescapable for individuals to not see — on how sinister and nefarious the Individuals’s Republic of China and its numerous arms of the Chinese language Communist Get together have been. So, we’ve been gradual to regulate the main target, and it’s one of many issues that the president wants and desires from us.”

“‘Mitch McConnell Is In’: Fox Information Studies On Ex-Host Pete Hegseth Clearing Key Vote Forward of Seemingly Affirmation” [Mediaite]. “In order that’s the 2 senators [Murkowski, Collins] which can be out. Mitch McConnell is in as is all as are all the opposite senators within the convention. Roger Wicker, the Armed Providers Committee chairman, had informed me proper earlier than this vote I’d requested him, do you suppose you continue to have the 50? That was when Lisa Murkowski got here out as she was a no and he stated sure. In order that they walked into the room right here feeling assured. That they had whipped the votes for fairly a while. And so they knew that they’d these votes and they might not want JD Vance to come back in.”

“RFK Jr. applauds Trump’s order to declassify RFK, JFK assassination recordsdata” [The Hill]. “‘I believe it’s an amazing transfer as a result of they should have extra transparency in our authorities and he’s preserving his promise to have the federal government inform the reality to the American individuals about every thing,’ Kennedy, President Trump’s nominee for secretary of Well being and Human Providers, informed reporters. Kennedy has claimed that the CIA was concerned in his uncle’s loss of life. ‘There’s overwhelming proof that the CIA was concerned in his homicide,’ Kennedy stated in a 2023 interview with John Catsimatidis on New York Metropolis radio station WABC 770. ‘I believe it’s past an inexpensive doubt at this level.’ RFK Jr. stated his uncle was focused because of his refusal to commit U.S. forces to Vietnam.” • Little doubt there can be redactions galore and key paperwork may have gone mysteriously lacking. However, such an unlimited mass of fabric should be sufficient to make such judgments as historians make, if not the courts.

“RFK Jr.’s allies have a plan to upend childhood vaccination” [Politico]. “‘The individuals [RFK] actually trusts are people who clearly are attempting to execute a plan to completely take away vaccines,’ stated one of many individuals with information of the discussions. ‘The danger of overreach, I don’t suppose is zero.’” And: “‘They’re lethal severe,’ stated one other particular person with information of the deliberations. ‘He’s going to maneuver on vaccines and I believe he feels he has a mandate.’” • As I’ve stated, I don’t suppose it’s potential to have dialogue on vax coverage, as a result of RFK’s anti-vaxers are coming for MMR. With measles circumstances already going up.

“Undertaking 2025 parallels in Trump’s government order avalanche” [Axios]. “A overview of Trump’s early government orders reveals clear parallels with Undertaking 2025 on key proposals, similar to dismantling variety, fairness and inclusion initiatives; loosening environmental rules; and ending sure worldwide agreements. Trump additionally took steps Undertaking 2025 didn’t explicitly point out, like declaring an vitality emergency and trying to finish birthright citizenship. There are scores of suggestions within the Heritage Basis plan, like outlawing pornography, that Trump hasn’t touched to date.” • The query for me is whether or not Heritage is driving the Trump Administration, or whether or not its proposals have been already “within the air” in conservative circles, and so one would count on to see them in Trump government orders whether or not Undertaking 2025 existed or not. My sense is the latter (“within the air”). I might be persuaded of the previous by intensive verbal parallels, on the order of plagiarism, and overlap in communication by subject (i.e., it’s not sufficient to say this reactionary dude wrote this screed on Matter A for Heritage, after which obtained a job with Trump; precise affect on Matter A in government orders ought to be proven). Moar reporting, please!

“Kamala Harris gives an enormous sign about her subsequent transfer” [Politico]. “Kamala Harris hasn’t made any public choices about what her political future goes to be — however she has already created the group that may assist gas it. The previous vice chairman established an LLC referred to as Pioneer49 final month in her dwelling state of California, based on her presidential marketing campaign’s ultimate monetary disclosure that was filed final week and confirmed by an individual acquainted with the group’s plans. The disclosure type described the group as an ‘entity to help the previous vice chairman’ and is probably going to assist gas Harris’ subsequent political transfer. There are basically three choices for Harris: run for governor of California in 2026, run for president once more in 2028 or decline to run for workplace and be a frontrunner of the occasion from the sidelines.” I suppose this entity is funding this timeline litter:

DNC race continues fantastic:

Properly, the place have been you?