As we end another work week of the seemingly eternal dumpster fire that is Trump 2.0 with another list of happenings that range from the obviously corrupt to the horrifyingly inept I saw a meme today that a friend of mine posted on their Facebook that felt so timely. It was an image of Skeletor from Masters of the Universe sitting in a field thinking and it read:

“Don’t be the bigger person today. Be the person that helps them understand that sometimes when you f%@k around, you find out.”

I feel that is great advice for the Democratic Party. It is obvious that the current leadership of the Democratic Party is not suited for the situation we are currently in as a nation. To be honest, I was never a fan of the “When they go low, we go high” approach in the political situation we have been in for the last eight years or more. The Republicans have been playing by their own set of rules and running roughshod over the Constitution and government traditions unchecked for the better part of a decade. Meanwhile, the Democrats have played it safe and by the rules that the GOP are shattering left and right in the hopes that the American people will see them as the virtuous party and throw their support behind them en masse. It hasn’t happened; not fully at least. Now is the perfect time for the Democrats to show their teeth; to stop playing by the old rules and start playing smash mouth politics like the Republicans have been. Unfortunately, that is not what is happening.

Sen. Chuck Schumer made it perfectly clear he was unwilling to dig in his heels and force Trump and the Republicans to either work across the aisle to come up with a spending bill that would actually benefit the American people or shut down the government. He was too concerned with the GOP trying to gaslight the American people into blaming the Democrats for a possible shutdown and fearful of the Democrats coming off too obstructionist that he capitulated faster than the French in 1940. On the other end of the Capitol, Hakeem Jeffries talks a good game but is unable to put any actions behind his words. Additionally, his “waiting for the right pitch” metaphor”  is beyond inappropriate. What is the right pitch Rep. Jeffries? Thousand upon thousands of federal workers losing their jobs isn’t the right pitch? The LGBTQ and disabled community being targeted isn’t the right pitch? An unelected foreign billionaire dismantling the government so he and his tech bro buddies can live higher on the hog while every day working people struggle isn’t the right pitch? In his attempt to be Aaron Judge, Hakeem Jeffries is coming off more like John Gochnaur: he’s striking out looking. It’s time for new leadership.

That being said, this week brought us the following from TrumpWorld:

Fired the head of a Department of Justice task force that combats drugs and organized crime. 

Terminated security clearance for two law firms that have represented Hillary Clinton and former special counsel Jack Smith respectively. Trump is also considering other actions against these law firms. 

Revoked some access to satellite imagery for Ukraine. 

Ordered government agencies to avoid or flat out banned a long list of words and phrases including: activists, advocacy, affirming care, anti-racism, belonging, bias, breastfeeding, climate crisis, community diversity, disability, discrimination, equality, feminism, gender, Gulf of Mexico, hate speech, health equity, Hispanic minority, identity, immigrant, inclusivity, indigenous community, institutional, intersectionality, LGBTQ, mental health, minorities, most risk, MSM, multiculturalism, Native American, non-binary, oppression, orientation, people + uterus, person-centered, polarization, political, pollution, pregnant, promoting diversity, pronoun, racial diversity, racial justice, racism, segregation, sex, sexual orientation, sexual preference, sexuality, transgender, traumatic, tribal, unconsciousness bias, underprivileged, and victims. 

Shared post on Truth Social featuring an article by right-wing activist Charlie Kirk entitled “Shut Up About the Egg Prices”. 

Elon Musk called Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona a traitor for visiting Ukraine over the weekend and urged the US to stand with Ukraine against continued Russian aggressions. 

Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated that global warming is a side effect of building the modern world and vowed to end President Biden’s climate policies to promote growth of fossil fuels. 

Announced the doubling of tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. 

Ukraine stated they will agree to an immediate 30 day ceasefire with Russia if the United States lifts freeze on military aid and intelligence sharing. The US resumed military aid the following day and intelligence sharing the day after. Vladimir Putin stated Russia would agree to the ceasefire on the grounds that the deal will “eliminate the initial cause of the crisis” (translation: Ukraine should hand over the territory Russia wants). 

Promoted Tesla at the White House and purchased one to “make a statement”.  Requested that “liberals” stop “illegally boycotting” Tesla. 

The Department of Education announced plans to layoff 1,300 employees. 

Construction crews dismantled the Black Lives Matter Plaza mural just north of the White House after Congressional Republicans threatened DC Mayor Muriel Bowser with cuts to the city’s transportation funding. 

Directed the government to ask for bond in lawsuits challenging policies. 

Announced that violence against Tesla dealerships would be labeled domestic terrorism. 

Posted an add on Truth Social that featured a pink triangle, the Nazi symbol for gay men in concentration camps, crossed out. 

Used “Palestinian” as a slur against Sen. Chuck Schumer, stating, “Schumer is Palestinian now. He’s no longer Jewish.”  

Threatened 200% wine tariff if EU doesn’t lift whiskey tariff. 

Claimed in a speech at the Department of Justice that what MSNBC and CNN are doing is “illegal”.

Pulled his nominee to head the CDC an hour before Senate confirmation hearings because the GOP votes weren’t there.

A federal judge ruled that the Trump Administration must reinstate thousands of workers fired by DODGE immediately. Meanwhile, another federal judge lifted a block on the elimination of the DEI initiative across the federal government allowing Trump and DOGE to continue their DEI purge, at least for now.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon admitted she does not know what the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is. 

Claimed that Canada “doesn’t make sense as a country” and “only works as a state.”