This is Fascism

Just the latest example.

Federal agents ram a man's vehicle and demand identification at Park Avenue and 35th Street in Minneapolis on January 12, 2026. The Latino man says he was let go once they realized he was a US citizen. While doing so, a crowd as well as more officers continued to arrive before releasing tear gas and pepper spraying members of the media and their cameras. Federal agents ram a man's vehicle and demand identification at Park Avenue and 35th Street in Minneapolis on January 12, 2026. The Latino man says he was let go once they realized he was a US citizen. While doing so, a crowd as well as more officers continued to arrive before releasing tear gas and pepper spraying members of the media and their cameras.

Mess in Minnesota

Going from bad to worse.

photo of wood, woman, monument, female, statue, portrait, symbol, balance, astrology, sculpture, art, grace, justice, head, marble, horizontal, large, law, carving, right, fate, character, forward, case law, horoscope, payday, ancient history, zodiac sign, signs of the zodiac, justitia photo of wood, woman, monument, female, statue, portrait, symbol, balance, astrology, sculpture, art, grace, justice, head, marble, horizontal, large, law, carving, right, fate, character, forward, case law, horoscope, payday, ancient history, zodiac sign, signs of the zodiac, justitia

(Also) In Front of Our Noses: The Ongoing Corruption of DoJ

More attacks on political enemies.

In Front of Our Noses: Abuses of the Pardon Power

Part of the never-ending story of abuse and corruption.

Blowing Up Boats Using Disguised Aircraft?

The NYT reports about likely war crimes by US forces.

The Propaganda Must Flow

DHS is more than willing to actively lie.

ICE Kills, Noem and Trump Lie

Just another day under this administration.

Just Following Orders

An oft-misunderstood legal principle.

President Donald Trump monitors U.S. military operations in Venezuela, from Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, January 3, 2026. President Donald Trump monitors U.S. military operations in Venezuela, from Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, January 3, 2026.

The Legality of the Maduro Raid

“When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.”

U.S. Invades Venezuela, Captures President

We’ve seen this movie before.

Expanding ICE

Betty Boop, Nancy Drew, and Others Entering Public Domain

Thousands of works from 1930 will lose copyright protection with the New Year.

Legal Extortion

A bad year for OTB.

Bongino to Resign

Spouting opinions is far easier work that governing based on facts.

More Grotesqueries from the Trump Administration

Reveling in cruelty.

Greg Bovino’s Costuming Choices

It is hard to ignore the aesthetic he is invoking.

Cruelty to Meet Quotas

The administration continues to show its ideological stripes.

More on Indefensible Behavior

A reminder the US government sent people to CECOT who were then tortured.

SCOTUS, the Unitary Executive “Theory,” and the Debilitation of the Modern State

Permanent damage appears to be coming (oh, and it enhances the authoritarian power of the presidency as well).

Indefensible Acts

Cruelty in service of nativist purity.

The Futility of Blowing Up Some Boats

Tough guys actions don’t solve massive problems.

The Pro-Murder Narrative

Who needs evidence and due process when “bad guys” are involved.

In Front of Our Noses: Plans to Pardon a Convicted Drug Cartel Leader

(While murdering people without due process because of [checks notes] drugs.)

Hegseth Ordered ‘No Quarter’ for Drug Boats

A clear violation of the laws of war. But do they apply?

photo of person, suit, black and white, people, military, soldier, army, monochrome, weapon, camouflage, war, shooting, gun, bullets, dangerous, troop, afghanistan, combat, cartridge, monochrome photography, machine gun, militia, camouflage battledress, projectiles, battledress, camouflage photo of person, suit, black and white, people, military, soldier, army, monochrome, weapon, camouflage, war, shooting, gun, bullets, dangerous, troop, afghanistan, combat, cartridge, monochrome photography, machine gun, militia, camouflage battledress, projectiles, battledress, camouflage

DC Shooter Was Part of CIA-Directed Unit

A childhood friend claims he had PTSD from his actions.

Two National Guardsmen Shot in DC

A suspect, an Afghan national, is in custody.

Expertise Matters

Some signs of hope and of deep concern due to Trump appointees.

The Preponderance of the Trumpness

Thinking about how what is known about Trump and Epstein.

Trump Bows To Reality, Says Release Epstein Files

After months of demanding Republicans resist, he says “We have nothing to hide.”

Epstein Files Discharge Petition Reaches Target

Newly-Sworn-in-Rep. Grijalva provides the final signature.

SCOTUS Rejects Same-Sex Marriage Case

A bit of good news.

SCOTUS Blocks Order for Full SNAP Payments

It’s not what you think.

Justice for Sandwich Guy

Not even a misdemeanor.

Judges Order Administration to Pay SNAP Benefits

It turns out that mandatory spending is, well, mandatory.

President Donald Trump signs a mineral agreement during a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Cabinet Room, Monday, October 20, 2025. President Donald Trump signs a mineral agreement during a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Cabinet Room, Monday, October 20, 2025.

Trump Won’t Ask Congress for Approval

“What are they going to do? Say, ‘Gee, we don’t want to stop drugs pouring in?’”

The Intellectual Stylings of an Attorney in Over Her Head

Who could have seen this coming?

Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, gestures during the session 'Vision for the G20' at the Annual Meeting 2011 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2011. Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, gestures during the session 'Vision for the G20' at the Annual Meeting 2011 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 27, 2011.

Nicolas Sarkozy Jailed

He becomes the first French ex-head of state to be jailed since Marshal Pétain.

In Front of Our Noses: Patel’s Challenge Coin

A Punisheresque skull.

Criminals or Enemy Combatants?

I guess if we fail to vaporize you, you get treated like a criminial.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks in honor of the U.S. Navy 250th anniversary celebration at the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia President Donald Trump delivers remarks in honor of the U.S. Navy 250th anniversary celebration at the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia

The War on Venezuela is Escalating

The SOUTHCOM commander has resigned and the Senate is debating, but it won’t matter.

End of the Voting Rights Act?

SCOTUS appears ready to supercharge gerrymandering.

The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0 via pXhere The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0 via pXhere

Worst of the Worst Update

Of license plate holders and perfume bottles.

Virginia National Guard Airmen assigned to the 192nd Security Forces Squadron, 192nd Mission Support Group, 192nd Wing help to secure the grounds near the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 13, 2021, in Washington, D.C. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from several states have traveled to Washington to provide support to federal and district authorities leading up to the 59th Presidential Inauguration. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Myhr) Virginia National Guard Airmen assigned to the 192nd Security Forces Squadron, 192nd Mission Support Group, 192nd Wing help to secure the grounds near the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 13, 2021, in Washington, D.C. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from several states have traveled to Washington to provide support to federal and district authorities leading up to the 59th Presidential Inauguration. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Myhr)

Let’s Talk Violent Crime

Trump exploits our mistaken beliefs about crime to consolidate his power.

In Front of Our Noses: Thuggery

By law enforcement.

More Tales from the War Zone

The horror! The horror…

President Donald Trump thanks the crowd after remarks at the Salute to America Celebration, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. President Donald Trump thanks the crowd after remarks at the Salute to America Celebration, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa.

In Front of Our Noses: War Zones!

Hyperbole? Dishonesty? Distraction? Fantasy? Too much cable TV?