On #ZipcodeZero this week we're joined by @JohnStrandUSA a man who participated in the January 6 protests on Capitol Hill. John committed no violence nor was he ever *charged* with any violence, he simply walked in and out of the building that day. For that offense he was facing almost a quarter century in prison. Is that justice? Download wherever you get your podcasts

Monday Mix (News of Note for the Week Ahead) #ZipcodeZero

As Republicans are turning over government policy to Silicon Valley oligarchs who lavished money on their campaigns, Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jefferies is in California...sucking up to Silicon Valley oligarchs in order to get money lavished on his own party. As disheartening is this is - it is a good thing to shine light on the corruption and inefficacy of party leadership, as it begs the question of the rank and file: is this the party you want to be? And if not, one must accept the need to turn away from the rot within. That includes most if not all of current party leadership.

Trump is smart enough to give cultural red meat to the public, particularly where the issue is popular (rolling back DEI, ending biological men in women's sports) and getting Democrats to fight him on that. In the meantime, he's eliminating legal restraints that prevent mega-companies from preying on average Americans. His presidency has been a gift to the wealthy and major corporations - it is the swamp on steroids.

Here is an article from today where journalist @SangerNYT quotes anonymous American officials about Iran's nuclear program. Here is also an article from 2002 where @SangerNYT quotes anonymous American officials about Iraq's WMD program. There doesnt seem to be any reluctance over at least a 23 year period of Sanger to stop publishing whatever the Pentagon or affiliated agencies tell him to when they give him "scoops" on background.

RT @fshakir: This is the kind of identity-focused infighting that I was urging us against. We should be focused on fighting against oligar…

Here is a @NRO write up of John Brennan's many lies - including when he illegally spied on the Senate Intelligence Committee as it was conducting an investigation into CIA torture. When caught, Brennan emphatically denied the charge - then later admitted it was true.

The whole process for electing DNC chair acts as a filter to ensure the ultimate victor has pledged fealty to the dogmas of the party's corporate-woke alliance. This alliance dictates an ideology which prioritizes celebration of weapons manufacturers who put rainbow flags on their doors over the real economic grievances of a multi-racial working class that is increasingly migrating to the GOP. But @fshakir is doing a great job of cutting through the bullshit and if he is able to achieve success (against the odds) it would be a great boon for the party.

Senator Young read this tweet then said he agreed with Snowden that Tulsi should say this. I think that makes it clear everyone involved in these hearings, but especially the Senators, recognize its all performative theatrics meant for self-serving video clips

Bennet is making a fool of himself - asking his colleagues "Cant we do better than someone who doesnt believe in 702? Than someone who wont called Snowden a traitor?" Those are Gabbard's biggest attributes. 702 enables illegal spying on American citizens and Snowden exposed much more widespread illegal surveillance by the U.S. government. Bennet is appalled and offended that she doesn't support those programs.

Caroline Kennedy raised a lot of money for Obama's presidential campaign in 2008. As a reward, she was made Ambassador to Japan, a position of which she had zero relevant experience or any qualifications - including speaking the language. She was simply following a recent American tradition of wealthy donors purchasing Ambassadorships from the White House. Her decision to denounce RFK as unqualified is not only ironic but lacking any self-awareness.

Monday Mix - 5 stories of note for the week 1. CIA now says COVID was a lab leak 2. U.S. support for ethnic cleansing in Gaza? 3. The U.S. and Colombia are in a weird trade war 4. What to watch for in German elections next month 5. Trump suspends (almost) all foreign aid

Monday Mix - 5 stories of note for the week 1. CIA now says COVID was a lab leak 2. U.S. support for ethnic cleansing in Gaza? 3. The U.S. and Colombia are in a weird trade war 4. What to watch for in German elections next month 5. Trump suspends (almost) all foreign aid

@PeterBeinart in today's @nytimes "States don’t have a right to exist. People do."

It is worth noting that the Constitution vested Congress, not the Executive, the prerogative of establishing tariffs. In the 20th century Congress began ceding that power to the president through legislation, bucking their responsibilities. You'd think these "Constitutional conservatives" in Congress would be bothered by this.