Fascism watch thread/news and discussions

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Education Secretary: Universities 'In Sync' With the Trump Admin Can Continue Their Research

https://www.latintimes.com/education-se ... rch-583904

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Defending Medicaid Cuts, Senator Joni Ernst Tells Iowans, 'We All Are Going to Die'




Defending Medicaid Cuts, Ernst Tells Iowans, ‘We All Are Going to Die’

Senator Joni Ernst's flip response in an exchange with constituents about the effects of Trump’s domestic policy bill quickly spread online.


Ms. Ernst was fielding questions about cuts to Medicaid that were included in the domestic policy bill working its way through Congress, when someone in the audience yelled out that the effect would be that “people are going to die.”

“Well, we all are going to die,” Ms. Ernst responded, drawing jeers from the crowd.

Ms. Ernst appeared taken aback by the negative response.

“For heaven’s sakes, folks,” she said.

Democrats moved quickly to call attention to the comment from Ms. Ernst, a second-term lawmaker who is up for re-election next year. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee circulated a video clip of the moment, calling Ms. Ernst’s remark “stunningly callous” and saying that it came as Republicans in Congress were pushing massive cuts to Medicaid that would leave “millions of Americans uninsured in order to pay for a tax giveaway for billionaires.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/us/p ... -hall.html

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'This Is What Autocrats Do': Concern Grows Over Single Paragraph Buried Deep in GOP Bill
by Jon Queally
May 31, 2025

Introduction:

(Common Dreams) A single paragraph buried deep in a spending bill that passed the GOP-controlled House of Representatives earlier this month is causing growing concern among democracy watchdogs who warn the provision will make it so only the well-to-do would be in a good position to launch legal challenges against a Trump administration that has shown over and over again its disdain and disregard for oversight or judicial restraint of any kind.

Coming just about half-way through what President Donald Trump has dubbed the Republican Party's so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"—which progressive critics point out is a giant giveaway to the nation's wealthiest at the expense of the working class and the common good—the language in question is slight, but could have far-reaching impacts.

On Saturday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) noted in a detailed social media thread how the provision "hasn't gotten nearly enough scrutiny" from lawmakers or the public.

A recent piece by USA Today columnist Chris Brennan put it this way:

• One paragraph, on pages 562 and 563 of the 1,116-page bill, raised alarms for reasons that have nothing to do with America's budget or safety-net programs or debt. That paragraph invokes a federal rule for civil court procedures, requiring anyone seeking an injunction or temporary restraining order to block an action by the Trump administration to post a financial bond.
  
  Want to challenge Trump? Pay up, the provision said in a way that could make it financially prohibitive for Americans to contest Trump's actions in court.

Read more here: https://www.commondreams.org/news/trum ... ovision

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Ernst Doubles Down: The Poor Need Jesus, Not Health Insurance
by Klaus Marre
May 31, 2025

Extract:

(Who What Why via MSN) (Republican Senator Joni Ernst) released a fake apology video in which she essentially told poor people that they don’t need to worry about GOP policies killing them prematurely as long as they believe in Jesus.

“I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize for a statement that I made yesterday at my town hall. See, I was in the process of answering a question that had been asked by an audience member, when a woman who was extremely distraught screamed out from the back corner of the auditorium, ‘People are going to die,” she said. “And I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth. So, I apologize, and I’m really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well.”
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If we were to follow her line of reasoning, then there is no need for the government to provide any kind of insurance to anybody, including US senators. In fact, national defense would also be unnecessary because, who cares if the US gets attacked? After all, we’re all going to die.

To be fair, the senator also offered a solution to the Americans who won’t be able to see a doctor anymore once Trump’s signature legislation passes the Senate (with her vote) and is signed into law.

“For those that would like to see eternal and everlasting life, I encourage you to embrace my lord and savior, Jesus Christ,” Ernst concluded.

Read more here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politic ... a0&ei=14

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WSJ- Inside Trump and Musk’s Complicated Relationship

https://archive.ph/RIGGV

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State Department set to launch ‘Office of Remigration’

https://www.thehandbasket.co/p/state-de ... emigration

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Homeland Security cops handcuff one of Rep. Nadler's aides in chaotic day at NY fed building

https://gothamist.com/news/homeland-sec ... d-building

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Hegseth Orders Navy to Strip Name of Gay Rights Icon Harvey Milk from Ship

https://www.military.com/daily-news/202 ... -ship.html

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A sweeping new ICE operation shows how Trump's focus on immigration is reshaping federal law enforcement

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justic ... rcna193494

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Judge says migrants sent to El Salvador prison must get a chance to challenge their removals

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/ju ... r-AA1G6tmO

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Kilmar Abrego Garcia Has Returned to the United States
by Matt Shuham and Jessica Schulberg
June 6, 2025

Introduction:

(Huffington Post) Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland father the Trump administration sent to an infamous megaprison in El Salvador despite a judge’s order barring his deportation to that country, has returned to the United States.

Abrego Garcia, who is from El Salvador, will face a two-count indictment accusing him of transporting unauthorized migrants within the United States. ABC News first reported the indictment, citing unnamed sources familiar with the situation, and CNN subsequently confirmed the report.

Conclusion:

“For months the Trump Administration flouted the Supreme Court and our Constitution,” Van Hollen said in a statement Friday. “Today, they appear to have finally relented to our demands for compliance with court orders and with the due process rights afforded to everyone in the United States. As I have repeatedly said, this is not about the man, it’s about his constitutional rights – and the rights of all. The Administration will now have to make its case in the court of law, as it should have all along.”

“Kilmar Abrego Garcia should not have been deported,” Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) added in a statement of her own. “Even the Supreme Court demanded this President follow the law and return him to the U.S. It is right that due process will be afforded to him.”

Read more here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kilmar- ... 540a808e

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Zia Yusuf resigns as Reform UK chairman

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq54p9epdg6o

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aaand he's back

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Kilmar Abrego Garcia Has Returned to the United States
by Matt Shuham and Jessica Schulberg
June 6, 2025

Introduction:

(Huffington Post) Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland father the Trump administration sent to an infamous megaprison in El Salvador despite a judge’s order barring his deportation to that country, has returned to the United States.

Abrego Garcia, who is from El Salvador, will face a two-count indictment accusing him of transporting unauthorized migrants within the United States. ABC News first reported the indictment, citing unnamed sources familiar with the situation, and CNN subsequently confirmed the report.

Conclusion:

“For months the Trump Administration flouted the Supreme Court and our Constitution,” Van Hollen said in a statement Friday. “Today, they appear to have finally relented to our demands for compliance with court orders and with the due process rights afforded to everyone in the United States. As I have repeatedly said, this is not about the man, it’s about his constitutional rights – and the rights of all. The Administration will now have to make its case in the court of law, as it should have all along.”

“Kilmar Abrego Garcia should not have been deported,” Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) added in a statement of her own. “Even the Supreme Court demanded this President follow the law and return him to the U.S. It is right that due process will be afforded to him.”

Read more here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kilmar- ... 540a808e

Trump says he thinks the government has a 'very easy case' against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald ... rcna211606

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Kilmar Abrego Garcia Has Returned to the United States
by Matt Shuham and Jessica Schulberg
June 6, 2025

...

Read more here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kilmar- ... 540a808e

Trump says he thinks the government has a 'very easy case' against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald ... rcna211606

Well, we will see. The Trump administration does not have a very good record of winning court cases.

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'This Is What Fascism Looks Like': Beloved Labor Leader David Huerta Arrested
by Jon Queally
June 7, 2025

Introduction:

(Common Dreams) Unions and allies in California and across the United States on Saturday are demanding the immediate release of David Huerta, president of SEIU California and SEIU-United Service Workers West, after the highly regarded labor leader was injured and then arrested while witnessing a raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Friday.

"SEIU California members call for the immediate release of our President, David Huerta, who was injured and detained at the site of one of today's ICE raids in Los Angeles," said Tia Orr, executive director of SEIU California, in a statement.

In a later update, the union said Huertas—a veteran labor leader whose union represents over 45,000 janitors, airport workers, security guards, and other property service workers—had been released from the hospital where he received treatment for injuries sustained during his arrest, but that he remained in custody.

The union included remarks from Huertas, who said, "We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice. This is injustice."
"This is about something much bigger" than his own arrest, said Huertas. "This is about how we as a community stand together and resist the injustice."

Read more here: https://www.commondreams.org/news/davi ... rrested

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Rubio, Trump Accused of Criminal Obstruction for Sanctioning ICC Judges
by Brett Wilkins
June 6, 2025

Introduction:

(Common Dreams) Human rights defenders on Friday accused U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio of criminal obstruction after Rubio announced sanctions targeting four International Criminal Court judges who authorized an investigation into torture allegations against American troops in Afghanistan and arrest warrants for fugitive Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Rubio sanctioned International Criminal Court Judges Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia "pursuant to President Trump's Executive Order 14203." The order was issued in February and sanctioned ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan and accused the Hague-based tribunal of "baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel."

"These four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC's illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel," Rubio added. "The ICC is politicized and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge, and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies."

Two of the sanctioned judges authorized a probe of U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan. The other two green-lighted warrants for the arrest of Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, his former defense minister, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, including weaponized starvation and the murder of Palestinians—at least 54,607 of whom have been killed since Israel began its assault and siege of Gaza following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The ICC's Assembly of State Parties—the court's governing body—said in a statement Friday that the U.S. sanctions are a "regrettable" effort to "impede the court and its personnel in the exercise of their independent judicial functions.

Read more here: https://www.commondreams.org/news/rubi ... anctions