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French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called for suspending investment in the United States until Donald Trump's "brutal and unfounded" new tariffs against Europe and the rest of the world were clarified. Emerald Maxwell has the latest/

Wednesday was “Liberation Day” at the White House — the day Donald Trump’s new tariffs would liberate us from the prosperity of the Biden economy — so Trump held a big announcement ceremony at the White House Rose Garden, which is so much better now that it’s uncontaminated by roses. We made a point of not livestreaming it for you yesterday, so you are very welcome.

Trump insisted that Liberation Day would be remembered forever as the day America became wealthy again, the day that he put a stop to foreign countries and “scavengers” constantly cheating America and “raping” our economy, and yes, that is exactly how he put it because he is a disgusting pig.

. . . Trump, always quick to throw in all the good news he can, began by claiming that winning two unfilled House seats in Florida Tuesday changed the GOP majority from one seat to seven, so you can have full confidence in whatever numbers he throws out about tariffs.

He explained that his long-delayed 25 percent tariff on all imported cars and trucks would go into effect immediately, and also insisted all the autoworkers in Michigan voted for him, especially the Teamsters, who we should add do not build automobiles.

Trump also lied, as he always does, that swapping tariffs for the income tax meant that “citizens, rather than foreign countries, would start paying the money necessary to run our government,” because no one will ever convince him that tariffs are paid by US buyers, not foreign countries.

Even more weirdly, he insisted that the Great Depression was the result of abandoning tariffs, a view held by perhaps seven economists, two of whom are actually stuffed toys. He regretted that the Smoot-Hawley tariff was simply too little, too late, so sad. Again, real economists and historians agree the tariff worsened the Depression, but we bet they all voted for that pinko Roosevelt.

Throughout the frenzied, stream-of-sociopathy address, Trump talked at an extremely rapid clip, and while I am but a humble Doktor of Rhetoric, not an MD, it seemed to me that he must have snorted at least quadruple his usual pre-speech intake of Adderall.

He griped about trade deficits as if they actually were paid out of Americans’ pockets, when they simply measure the difference between what we buy and what we sell. (As a rich nation, we buy many nice things!) We do not actually go broke when we buy more stuff from a given country than we sell to that country, but Trump considers that a very sneaky thing for those countries to have inflicted on us, because he is an idiot.

We should add that, in his speech at least, Trump seemed to forget his earlier online (multiple) suggestions that he is actually imposing tariffs on fentanyl, which being illegal is not generally taxed. He may return to that, however, because he is so confused/sundowning/in a state of not giving any shits about making sense at all.

. . .That chart immediately made big strong economists exclaim, with tears in their eyes, “Sir, that is some bullshit. Vietnam does not charge anything like a 90 percent tariff on US goods, sir, you fucking liar, sir.”

Trump’s claim that there’s any rational basis for the calculation is, of course, pure bullshit, as The New York Times explains (gift link).

. . . In conclusion, it is a brand new day of prosperity, and don’t you forget it, buster.

I frequently see removed in a lot of posts and comments. I'm guessing there's some kind of filter at work? I checked my Voyager settings and I don't see that I've blocked any words, is this happening server side?

From context, it looks like the censored words are pretty common, and not especially potent, curse words. Is this really necessary?

It's also infuriating that cars still take funding priority, when there's obviously a massive demand (and need) for more public transportation options here.

U.S. District Judge James Bredar in Baltimore issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday night that protects those workers while the lawsuit continues.

“Only states have sued here, and only to vindicate their interests as states,” Bredar wrote. “They are not proxies for the workers.”

The order requires the 18 agencies originally named in the lawsuit to follow the law in conducting any future reductions in force. Bredar has now added the Defense Department and the Office of Personnel Management to that number.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/28090979

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/27749106

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called for suspending investment in the United States until Donald Trump's "brutal and unfounded" new tariffs against Europe and the rest of the world were clarified. Emerald Maxwell has the latest/

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, led by RFK Jr., cut over $2 billion from the “Immunization and Vaccines for Children” program, forcing widespread layoffs and clinic cancellations nationwide.

The cuts impact vaccine access for uninsured children and undermine vital public health infrastructure.

Kennedy, a known anti-vaccine activist, has downplayed ongoing measles outbreaks and halted key vaccine initiatives. At least 23 states and D.C. are suing HHS.

Health officials warn the cuts threaten immunization records, outreach, and care for vulnerable children, with potentially catastrophic public health consequences.