Thursday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Thursday, June 5, 2025
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78 comments
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a retired Professor of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
Follow Steven on
Twitter and/or
BlueSky.
The headline of the day- A hungry wild elephant raids a grocery store in Thailand for snacks
U.S. Is Trimming Back Its Collection of Consumer Price Data
Translation: They are going to fake the data for political purposes.
But according to Trump, the economy is BOOMING!
Pampers maker Procter & Gamble to cut up to 7,000 jobs under tariff, consumer uncertainty pressure
Ka-boom!
‘The intern in charge’: Meet the 22-year-old picked to lead terrorism prevention
Sure. Why not?
@Scott: Every time the Biden or Obama administrations revealed positive economic #s the R’s and its Fox News cheerleaders howled that the numbers were cooked. And now? Once again, “every accusation is a confession.”
@Scott:
Thank goddess his selection blocked an obviously unqualified DEI pick.
@Scott:
I really don’t understand the conservative belief that if something isn’t measured it doesn’t exist.
From Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) to Russ Vought (OMB):
I love tough old birds like Rosa DeLauro
@Beth:
Same as when nothing needed to be done about the trump virus, because it leaked from a lab in China.
Today I stopped at a supermarket on the way to work. This one has a moving ramp, like an escalator without steps, with grooves to hold on to shopping cart wheels, for going up and down from/to the parking garage. I had not cart going down, and it seemed faster to walk down even as the ramp moved.
I’ve done this many times. Today, though, it had been mopped a short time before I got on it, and I slipped and fell.
My main concern was to get up before it reached bottom. getting tangled in these things is very dangerous. I managed, though a store employee saw it and pressed the stop button at the top of the ramp. I was even offered assistance, but it was only a bruise. I could walk more or less normally, and had some pain.
I didn’t even spill the coffee I had in my left hand.
quite a way to start a work day…
@Scott: So do I, but the outburst changes nothing. Vought will still be in charge at OMB tomorrow, the Big Beautiful Bill will still be a dog’s dinner, and Connor will still be bloviating about how you guys are the economic illiterates living in an echo chamber.
@Kathy: I’ll say! Falling without spilling your coffee is amazing. The stars are smiling on you!
Unconstitutional?
Meanwhile —-
Beyond tragic, this bizarro upside down world, where the openly manifested cognitive dysfunction is now in the White House and ordering investigation into his predecessor whose policies helped this country’s economy (and world standing) recover from the mismanagement of same current President’s first term.
@Rob1:
I’m willing to bet all the money in the world, past present and future for all time, that El Taco makes extensive use of autopen.
We already know the staff tries to hide his cognitive issues, like by removing transcripts of his public speeches and such.
When a Nobel Laureate agrees with you: Elon Musk (sic) is a Disgusting Abomination.
No paywall.
There’s this: “Anyway, Musk (sic) happens to be right: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act — its actual name! — is indeed a disgusting abomination. But this is one of those cases where it takes one to know one.”
@Kathy:
Krugman must have gotten it from you.
@CSK:
We have no evidence whatsoever to suggest Krugman is not an assiduous reader of this blog and chooses never to comment. Therefore this proves he stole it from me. I’ll file a two trillion dollar lawsuit after lunch 🙂
On other things, I realized I owed the government several years of unfiled annual returns. This is not as bad as it seems. When you’re in a payroll, unless you make tons of money or claim too many deductions, and as long as your employer retains income taxes, they don’t really care whether you file or not.
My accountant suggested it would be a good idea to file them anyway. I went year by year back from 2023 to 2018. I hit a snag in 2021. That year shows several medical bills as deductions, but some were paid by insurance. Also, i got a reimbursement from the insurance company, and I’m not sure whether I have to report that as income. I’ll have to check with the accountant on that. Problem is I don’t recall how much I got reimbursed, and that account was closed in 2022…
For 2020, surprisingly enough, I owed about $21
then 2019 gets really weird. The retention of around $5,000 seems right, but it shows the income is not subject to tax, so I could get a refund for around $5,000. This doesn’t seem right, and it’s high enough to set up alarm bells if I claim it.
I’m trying to get HR to forward the payment receipts, and then I need to ask the accountant what to do about it.
Trump and Xi break the ice in long-awaited call, agree to restart trade talks
It appears that Xi has summoned Trump to visit China.
Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-MA, wants to subpoena Musk over his alleged drug use.
@Kathy: I used to drive my tax accountant bonkers because my income would either bring up questions no one knew how to answer (how taxable is an awarded post-doctorate fellowship from the Japanese government?) or I’d be sending her documentation all in Japanese with my translations helpfully scribbled in the margins and copies of double-taxation treaties.
By the way, that’s one reason Singapore is such a financial powerhouse. It’s one of the few countries that has a double-taxation treaty with Taiwan.
Per NBC, Trump says he’s “very disappointed” in Musk’s trashing of the big, beautiful bill.
Nope, they’re not coming.
NH state parks reports bookings by Canadians are down 71% from last year.
@CSK: Elon is responding. Basically called Trump a liar. Now he’s trolling Trump with old tweets. Said he won the election for trump. Said Trump was “ungrateful”. The BBC reporters can barely disguise their mirth.
@becca:
Yowza. Do you have a link? I’d love to see that.
@Scott:
It’s as if they want incompetence and dysfunction to create the conditions for declaration of martial law. With all of Trump’s “edicts” spewing forth, he’s certainly been limbering up for presiding over a full-blown authoritarian regime.
All of the MAGA and MAGA-friendly who decried Biden’s moderate and sensible policies as “dictatorial” now remain silent in the face of real authoritarianism, the likes of which this society hasn’t seen in such breadth and displacement.
We are shackled to fellow citizens who have no interest in common ground or power sharing, let alone just basic humanitarian sensibilities.
@CSK:
If only.
Finally got an appointment at the Portuguese consulate in San Francisco, and it might work out pretty well vis a vis getting the &%#! dogs over here. Still a couple months off, but we’ll take it.
The plan was a survey course of Portugal, with stops in Cascais, Coimbra, Porto and Figueira da Foz. But Cascais sold us right out of the gate. There’s a surprising amount of climate variation in Portugal. Algarve is too hot and too much condos full of retired Brits. (No shade, @JohnSF)
We had four serious, sit-down meals in Cascais and the fact is three sucked hard. But then there was that perfect fish the other day, and I’ll drink a nice cold Alvarinho any day.
Coimbra is probably great, but too small, too far from an airport. Fig da Foz, ditto. Porto is awfully vertical if we want walkability and we insist on being old. And Cascais made me happy. Estoril, too. And of course Lisbon, but I’m trying not to over-tourist Lisboa.
Fingers crossed for digital nomad visa. Scarfing up those pastel de natas.
@CSK: I listened while making an almond cake. I actually listen to a thing called a radio. The BBC carried the presser live.
I was amazed to read that several states have laws about abortion that can apply to spontaneous miscarriages which happen 10-20% of the time. Apparently West Virginia has some strict laws about disposal of the outcomes of these events. I think that the women of West Virginia should send all of their menstrual pads to the governor to ensure that no crime is being committed.
@CSK:
Musk was publicly putting all his eggs in the DOGE-debt cutting basket, but Trump’s taxation freebie give-away just blew up that aspirations. Now, Musk heads back to his smoldering Tesla with egg on his face, pants, shoes. First comes the raging, then comes the lying. It’s all the same with these toxic narcissists.
@Sleeping Dog:
Oh, boy. What seemed like the entire population of Montreal used spend the summer relaxing in NH.
@Rob1: @becca:
I wonder if Trump will now call Musk a sleazebag and a loser.
@becca: when I say presser, it was during the Trump – Merz meeting at the WH.
Once again, there was only one adult taking questions.
@Rob1:
The nazi in chief should have taken some advice before wasting his money on El Taco. Anyone would have told him there’s no gratitude in politics.
@becca:
@CSK:
@Rob1:
I thought the clash of the titanic egos would have happened earlier, but this does not surprise me in the least.
Let them fight.
An autistic sociopath and ketamine freak didn’t get along with the senile, racist psychopath? Yes, that is surprising.
ETTD. Everything Trump Touches Dies. R.I.P. Tesla.
@Michael Reynolds:
It amuses me how much Musk played himself. Prior to the election, Musk had enough money to have some power. At that point, Trump basically had none. He could whip people up and make noise, but very little actual power. I think Trump knew that; at least in the way he “knows” things. But by getting him elected, Musk gave Trump actual power. Worse, Musk gave Trump more power than him.
I’m pretty sure that by the end of his first term, Trump (and importantly Miller) figured out how to work the government. I get the impression that he legitimately thought he’d stroll in behind Trump, break shit and then get the contracts he wanted.
The best part of this, if Miller is responsible for that lame-ass shiner Musk had (and I am going to believe that till I have solid proof otherwise), then Musk has at least two enemies that have actual power.
@Beth:
I thought it was Scott Bessent who gave Musk the shiner. Though Miller would indeed have reason to do so, if Musk stole his wife.
@CSK:
Either way, that was no 5 year old who did it. And whatever grown man who threw that punch is a joke. It looks like it came from someone who has no idea how to throw a punch. I’m not particularly strong, but I’m tall, heavy, and can throw a punch. I figure in a fight, I got one chance to just rock someone before I inevitably get my ass beat*. I could give a better shiner than that. It came from a light, short, weakling, who’s never been in a fight in his life.
Lol, ok, so since I’m a Miller-Musk Thruple Truther, I looked at how tall they are. Musk is apparently 6’2″, Scott Bessent** is 6’1″ and Miller is 5’10”. That punch looked like it came from below.
*I’m also suicidal, crazier than a shithouse rat, have an interesting relationship with pain, and willing to fight dirty. I’m not the kinda person you want to end up in a fist fight with.
**Google can’t decide if Bessent is 6’1″ or 6’4″.
@Beth:
Well, I feel confident in saying that you and I will never have cause to engage in fisticuffs, even verbal ones.
Oh, this is fun. Happy Thursday…
I think most people would have guessed as much, but Musk deciding to play *that* card is not going to go over well.
Originally, I thought maybe this was all a distraction but who knows.
Hmm. Trump is now threatening on Truth Social to cut off Musk’s government subsidies and contracts.
@Jen:
Oh. My. God. Whom will the MAGAs believe?
@Jen: link didn’t work for me.
If it’s the Epstein Files, my daughter just sent it to me.
Da-yaaam.
@becca: Yep, the Epstein comment.
@CSK: I was wondering if he would threaten the contracts or deportation first. So, contracts it is then…
Ugh, men are so emotional. 😀
@becca:
This is Musk’s response to Trump’s threat to cut off his 38 billion dollars’ worth of govt. contracts and subsidies.
The recent Ukraine drone attack makes me wonder if Russian military defenses have improved much since 1987.
Mathias Rust
Rust’s flight through a supposedly impenetrable air defense system had a great effect on the Soviet military and resulted in the dismissal of many senior officers, including Minister of Defense Marshal of the USSR Sergei Sokolov and the Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Air Defense Forces, former World War II fighter pilot ace Chief Marshal Alexander Koldunov.
I’m sitting here, working on a budget, overlooking the beach, and refreshing twitter every few minutes while enjoying my popcorn.
This Elon/Trump fight is the best thing to happen to Twitter in years. I’m guessing that Elon hoovered up the Epstein files while doing his rampage through the government and has the actual Epstein files, and is waiting for Trump to actually deny it before dropping the files into the public.
I’m gonna need much more popcorn.
@EddieInDR:
I have a bag of popcorn in the cupboard. I’m reaching for it as we speak.
@Rob1:
Exactly!!! You’re finally getting it. The next quarrel is about whose sensibilities are the “basic” and “humanitarian” ones.
[Cracker’s head exploding emoji] Clinton was right. It really does hinge on what the meaning of “is” is. [Mutters expletive to himself]
I hope @jkb and @conner are ok. It’s really stressful when daddy and daddy fight.
Also Musk has tweeted that he supports impeaching Trump and replacing him with Vance. That is a really fast and historic turnaround for a close advisor to the President.
@CSK:
It was Musk’s right eye, which suggests a left-handed punch/swat. Bessent is right-handed, based on photographs with him writing, while Miller is apparently left-handed.
@Matt Bernius: Was there a specific high crime or misdemeanor that Musk suggested impeaching Trump for, or just bad vibes?
And, Steve Bannon chimes in…calling for the President to cancel Musk’s contracts and launch an investigation into him, calling him (Musk) an “illegal alien”:
https://bsky.app/profile/dkmunro.bsky.social/post/3lqv5n7ezbk2i
I am now back to wondering if this is some kind of ploy to bolster Trump’s flagging numbers.
We’re watching 911: Lonestar and its got less crazed dramatics than this Musk-Trump meltdown.
@Matt Bernius:..I hope @jkb and @conner are ok. It’s really stressful when daddy and daddy fight.
Trolls have two daddies!?!?
@Michael Reynolds:
For some reason, a lot of Brits with a bit of savings quite liked the idea of retiring to somewhere warm, sunny, and with appreciably lower property costs.
And other younger ones rather liked the idea of being able to work wherever they wanted in Europe.
Brexit mucking about with such plans has peeved a lot of people.
Hence various persons I know deciding to take citizenship in EU countries.
Including lots of talented young people now unlikely to return to Britain.
UK shoots self in foot; Tories keep demanding we shoot the other foot as well.
Yeah, no. The US government literally cannot afford to cancel most of XpaceS contracts. The Xtarlink stuff, if any, might go. The space launch contracts, though, there’s no reliable, cheap alternative yet. This is more so of military launches.
Two or three years from now, maybe Lex Bezos’ company might be able to take up the slack. And maybe not, But until then, it’s really XpaceS and ULA.
@Matt Bernius:
You really do debase yourself with comments like that.
@Kathy: And yet, here we are:
https://bsky.app/profile/bestofdyingtwit.bsky.social/post/3lqv4zajvlk22
@Jen:
I think it’s a bluff.
Come, the chief nazi would be slicing off his testes to spite his phallus.
On the other hand, El Taco’s so-called administration needs XpaceS more than the launch company needs it.
BTW, I find this more risible:
El Taco said:” … I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted…”
Consider. a subsidy offered as an incentive is a “mandate” that “forces” people to buy shoddy Texlas they don’t even want?
And didn’t El Taco buy one very publicly in the White House Car Lot after declaiming “It’s all computers!1!!”?
@Connor:
Yup, and I can live with that.
@Jen:
The three-dimensional chess theories almost never pan out. I think we are witnessing a rapid unscheduled disassembly of the bromance.
The No Good, The Bad And The Ugly…
I’m intrigued by big failures on the part of large, established businesses. Stuff like the Ford Edsel, New Coke, Windows 8*, and less well known ones like the RCA optical disc (not laser disc), the Kodak disc** camera, Polaroid’s instant movies, etc.
Some are disasters, some are good ideas that didn’t quite work out (see RCA), some get overtaken by other technology (Pplaroid), some are grade-A, certified blunders that lead one to wonder “What were these people using for brains?”
Add one to the latter category:
Why does a man whose wealth depends largely on selling EVs throw his lot in with people who despise his product, and at the same time goes several extra miles to alienate, offend, and outright harm the people who love his product? And in the process loses the EV tax credit (any word on the solar panel credit??), on which an important, if not a majority, of his sales depend.
My vote: unhinged transphobia (but I repeat myself).
*Microsoft has a bunch, and yet none hurt the company too badly: Windows ME, the first Surface tablet ($900 million write-off), Clippy, Microsoft Bob (really!)
**Add the actual laser disc, and one might conclude people went disc-happy in the 80s and failed to gain any purchase, until the Compact Disc launched.
@Kathy:
Eminent domain, for fun and loss of profit?
(ianal)
Thursday is turning out to be quite amusing.
@Connor:
You’re dog paddling in a septic tank. You have no standing to criticize anyone. Like hearing a pedophile opine on primary education. STFU.
@Mister Bluster:
And mummy issues?
My partner saw this somewhere so it’s not mine:
“I didn’t have Katie Miller as Helen of Troy for chuds on my bingo card.”
@JohnSF:
I’d die happy if that were to happen.
@Rob1:
Gratitude? Trump? And Musk claims to be a genius.
Musk thinks without Musk’s money Trump would have lost. He may be right. And he’s surprised people are burning his Ciphertrucks.
@JohnSF:
For a long time, a certain group of Brits would move to the South of Spain with their wealth. They aren’t welcome there anymore.
@Beth: you’ve reminded me of the milli-Helen: amount of female pulchritude sufficient to launch one ship.
Seen on Twitter:
Breaking: Vladimir Putin has offered to negotiate a peace deal between President Trump and Elon Musk.
😀
@Jen:
BTW, The XpaceS Dragon comes in two versions. One for passengers, one for cargo. There are at least two other options for sending cargo to the ISS. For sending crew, it’s only Dragon and Soyuz. Contracts drawn with Roscosmosm the Russian space agency, have been kept to despite the Mad Vlad Colonial Adventure in Ukraine and the sanctions that followed. US astronauts can still be launched using it.
But there’s no functioning US craft for that other than Dragon. There’s the Bowing Starliner, which ignominiously returned empty, leaving its crew stranded. That was about a year ago, and no further launches have taken place. Not to mention it depends on ULA launchers, which are more expensive and less reliable than the Xalcon 9.
This is what I mean that the US need the chief nazi’s launch company more than it needs the US.
But nothing is ever that simple. Cancelling all the chief nazi’s contracts might mean booting XpaceS off the Kennedy Space Center installations it uses to launch NASA’s, its own, and the military’s payloads, including the Dragons. Ditto for the facilities at Vandenberg Air Force base in California.
Xtarlink would suffer if it can’t launch as often, or at all. Yet XpaceS owns a launch complex in Texas. No Xalcons have flown from there, but I assume they can, or launch facilities might be built (at great cost and in a year or two).
But then El Taco could sick the FAA on the chief nazi and make their life miserable.
Did I mention nothing is ever that simple?
Musk vs. Trump: is it real, or is it kayfabe?
I mean, Trump has an actual former CEO of the World Wrestling Federation…er, Entertainment in his Cabinet.
On the other hand, these two are the irresistible force and immovable object of egos, so maybe this was destined to happen all along.
I do have to say, it’s entertaining, at least.
@Mikey:
Well, when a narcissistic felonious churl decides to ally with a drug-addled lunatic, these things happen.
@JohnSF:
I think Apple’s developer conference is happening soon. They usually focus on software announcements at this conference, but maybe there will be a surprise announcement for iAnal.
@CSK: A drug-addicted Nazi and an Epstein-bestie pedophile walk into a bar…
The nazi in chief should run for president in 2028.
Yes, I’ve read the constitution. I’ve also read the Crow & Leo Court’s policy on tipping. How do you think Uncle Thomas et al would vote for a tip of $1 billion each?
He can then campaign on paying the US national debt from his own pocket. Yes. I know even if the nazi’s wealth were all in liquid assets, it would be a tiny percentage of the total debt. I also know it cannot be paid all at once, as if it were a loan.
But he’s trying to win over people who think El Taco is a genius. They’ll believe he can pay it with loose change from his couch.