"Think of the oxpecker bird perched on a rhino’s back, plucking off ticks in exchange for a safe perch and a free ride. For GOP politicians, it’s much the same. Hug the president close, polish his reputation and echo his talking points."
Can former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer define "Wokeism"? Consider the oxpecker bird. • Kansas Reflector
Beyond the clichés, Jeff Colyer offered little in the way of substantive policy solutions to Kansas problems, most notably education.
kansasreflector.com
November 9, 2025 at 10:49 PM
"Think of the oxpecker bird perched on a rhino’s back, plucking off ticks in exchange for a safe perch and a free ride. For GOP politicians, it’s much the same. Hug the president close, polish his reputation and echo his talking points."
"If Roberts now allows Trump to get away with the same kind of executive overreach that Roberts previously stopped Biden from getting away with, Roberts' credibility as a principled judicial arbiter will be sullied forever."
Trump’s tariffs and John Roberts’ credibility
The Trump tariff case before the Supreme Court could force Chief Justice John Roberts to confront his own precedent.
reason.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:20 PM
"If Roberts now allows Trump to get away with the same kind of executive overreach that Roberts previously stopped Biden from getting away with, Roberts' credibility as a principled judicial arbiter will be sullied forever."
So very true.
Keeping the House Absent, Johnson Marginalizes Congress and Himself
www.nytimes.com
October 25, 2025 at 5:20 PM
So very true.
"Only about one-fifth of applicants for federal disaster assistance from Kerr County have been deemed eligible to get financial help so far, leaving hundreds without governmental aid more than three months after deadly floods ravaged the county on July 4."
FEMA denied or didn’t advance most Kerr County flood requests
Advocates are questioning why so many applicants from the flood-ravaged county have not received federal disaster help. Nonprofits are trying to fill in the gaps.
www.texastribune.org
October 17, 2025 at 6:09 PM
"Only about one-fifth of applicants for federal disaster assistance from Kerr County have been deemed eligible to get financial help so far, leaving hundreds without governmental aid more than three months after deadly floods ravaged the county on July 4."
Really, it was just locker room talk. <snort>
JD Vance brushes off racist texts by adults in Republican group chat as ‘what kids do’
Vice-president downplays messages such as ‘I love Hitler’ in chat by 24 to 35-year-olds to ‘stupid jokes’
www.theguardian.com
October 16, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Really, it was just locker room talk. <snort>
No surprise there.
A Very, Very Expensive Way to Reduce Crime
The Trump administration’s National Guard deployments are highly inefficient.
www.theatlantic.com
October 10, 2025 at 4:02 PM
No surprise there.
Someone who actually believes in states' rights and follows thru. Who knew? "Gov. Kevin Stitt, the current chairman of the National Governors Association, broke with Texas, saying, “Oklahomans would lose their mind” if Illinois sent troops to their red state."
Oklahoma’s Republican Governor Criticizes National Guard Deployment in Chicago
www.nytimes.com
October 10, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Someone who actually believes in states' rights and follows thru. Who knew? "Gov. Kevin Stitt, the current chairman of the National Governors Association, broke with Texas, saying, “Oklahomans would lose their mind” if Illinois sent troops to their red state."
Interesting look at his approval ratings by on demographics and issues. I found the state-by-state comparison between all voters and 2024 voters especially telling.
Donald Trump’s approval rating
Follow our presidential approval rating poll tracker to see how favourably Americans view Mr Trump
www.economist.com
September 18, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Interesting look at his approval ratings by on demographics and issues. I found the state-by-state comparison between all voters and 2024 voters especially telling.
No surprise there.
Trump Is Accusing Foes With Multiple Mortgages of Fraud. Records Show 3 of His Cabinet Members Have Them.
The White House has targeted opponents, including a Fed governor, for having more than one primary residence on their loan papers. ProPublica found that, in one case, a Trump cabinet secretary got two...
www.propublica.org
September 6, 2025 at 4:17 PM
No surprise there.
"A POLITICO analysis of DOGE data reveals the organization saved less than 5 percent of its claimed savings from nearly 10,100 contract terminations."
Just how much has DOGE exaggerated its numbers? Now we have receipts.
A POLITICO analysis of DOGE data reveals the organization saved less than 5 percent of its claimed savings from nearly 10,100 contract terminations.
www.politico.com
August 13, 2025 at 9:35 PM
"A POLITICO analysis of DOGE data reveals the organization saved less than 5 percent of its claimed savings from nearly 10,100 contract terminations."
No surprise there:
Some Texas private schools hire relatives and enrich insiders. Soon they can do it with taxpayer money.
An investigation by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found more than 60 instances of nepotism, self-dealing and conflicts of interest among 27 private schools that likely would have violated state law...
www.texastribune.org
August 13, 2025 at 4:54 PM
No surprise there:
That's Trump alright.
Trump Delayed a Medicare Change After Health Companies’ Donations
www.nytimes.com
August 7, 2025 at 2:37 PM
That's Trump alright.
Surprise, surprise.
Dropped cases against LA protesters reveal false claims from federal agents
Revealed: records show border patrol gave inaccurate testimony about people it jailed. Prosecutors now face ‘embarrassing’ dismissals
www.theguardian.com
July 28, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Surprise, surprise.
Trying to distract from his personal scandals?
Ken Paxton investigating “potential noncitizens” for voting in 2020 and 2022 election cycles
Most of those voters are in Harris County, home to Houston. Noncitizen voting is illegal and documented instances are rare.
www.texastribune.org
July 16, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Trying to distract from his personal scandals?
"Instead of preparing, communities often resort to reacting to disasters, which is costly. The National Institute of Building Sciences found that for every dollar spent by the federal government on mitigation, it saves taxpayers $6."
How a small East Texas town turned a devastating tornado into funding for sirens
As the public scrutinizes parts of the Hill Country for a lack of sirens during the July 4 floods, Crockett turned its own tragedy into preparedness.
www.texastribune.org
July 15, 2025 at 2:11 PM
"Instead of preparing, communities often resort to reacting to disasters, which is costly. The National Institute of Building Sciences found that for every dollar spent by the federal government on mitigation, it saves taxpayers $6."
It's only going to get worse, alas. www.agweb.com/news/busines...
July 13, 2025 at 3:04 PM
It's only going to get worse, alas. www.agweb.com/news/busines...
This is good - not for us, but for them. It may take a while to disentangle themselves from the US, but the rest of the world needs to realize that we are just not reliable.
Under Attack by Trump’s Tariffs, Asian Countries Seek Out Better Friends
www.nytimes.com
July 13, 2025 at 3:03 PM
This is good - not for us, but for them. It may take a while to disentangle themselves from the US, but the rest of the world needs to realize that we are just not reliable.
Note the share of US imports. Only 3 are 4% or higher. Trump is picking his victims more for show than anything. We will certainly feel the impact of tariffs on Canada, Japan, and S. Korea. But the rest, NSM. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/b...
www.nytimes.com
July 11, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Note the share of US imports. Only 3 are 4% or higher. Trump is picking his victims more for show than anything. We will certainly feel the impact of tariffs on Canada, Japan, and S. Korea. But the rest, NSM. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/b...
Um, Medicaid is for health care. Do ANY farmers provide health insurance for their workers?
Rollins suggests Medicaid recipients can replace deported farmworkers
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins believes that Medicaid work requirements and artificial intelligence will help bolster the nation’s farming workforce, while President Trump has been weig…
thehill.com
July 9, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Um, Medicaid is for health care. Do ANY farmers provide health insurance for their workers?
It occurs to me that the BBB has taught not only the American people, but also our enemies, who among the Republicans have guts and who are basically cowards afraid of Trump. So many cowards.
July 2, 2025 at 11:35 PM
It occurs to me that the BBB has taught not only the American people, but also our enemies, who among the Republicans have guts and who are basically cowards afraid of Trump. So many cowards.
Texas LIKES having a cheap underclass of workers. "But Texas lawmakers have overlooked one telling detail: They have failed to require most private employers to use E-Verify, a federal program that verifies workers’ legal status, an oversight not lost on farmers on the border."
On a Quiet Southern Border, Empty Farms and Frightened Workers
www.nytimes.com
June 27, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Texas LIKES having a cheap underclass of workers. "But Texas lawmakers have overlooked one telling detail: They have failed to require most private employers to use E-Verify, a federal program that verifies workers’ legal status, an oversight not lost on farmers on the border."
"The most notable change is the ... pivot away from a phone that the press release said would be “designed and built in the United States” to one that is “brought to life” in the USA, with “American values in mind” and with “American hands behind every device.” How conveniently vague."
The Trump Phone Is Already a Lot Different From Last Week
WIRED had many questions last week about the Gold T1 Smartphone. Now we have even more—like where that “made in America” pledge went.
www.wired.com
June 26, 2025 at 5:23 PM
"The most notable change is the ... pivot away from a phone that the press release said would be “designed and built in the United States” to one that is “brought to life” in the USA, with “American values in mind” and with “American hands behind every device.” How conveniently vague."
