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Weather: Partly sunny with a chance of showers. A slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 80s. Chance of rain 30 percent. Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers in the evening, then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows in the upper 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
- Daily weather briefing from the National Weather Service in Jacksonville here.
- Drought conditions here. (What is the Keetch-Byram drought index?).
- Check today’s tides in Daytona Beach (a few minutes off from Flagler Beach) here.
- Tropical cyclone activity here, and even more details here.
Today at a Glance:
Model Yacht Club Races at the Pond in Palm Coast’s Central Park, from noon to 2 p.m. in Central Park in Town Center, 975 Central Ave. Join Bill Wells, Bob Rupp and other members of the Palm Coast Model Yacht Club, watch them race or join the races with your own model yacht. No dues to join the club, which meets at the pond in Central Park every Thursday.
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 105 South 2nd Street in Flagler Beach. Watch the meeting at the city’s YouTube channel here. Access meeting agenda and materials here. See a list of commission members and their email addresses here.
Readings: Editor & Publisher, that old trade magazine that somehow is still in print, interviewed Gordon Borrell, an advertising and marketing guru, on the “tipping point” in local media: “Local media is at a tipping point — just as likely to tip into oblivion as to survive.” “According to Borrell, 85% of local media companies are capturing less than 10% of their obtainable digital advertising market. Worse yet, daily newspapers are the only legacy media segment with zero growth in digital revenue since 2020.” He’s against paywalls: ““We have 25 years of proof that people won’t pay for most of this content,” he said. “You’re limiting your audience, turning people off, and shrinking your reach at a time when scale matters more than ever.” […] Asked to reflect on two decades of trend-watching, Borrell didn’t hesitate. “If you told the 2001 version of me that newspapers would hold less than 4% of the total local market — including digital — I would’ve laughed in your face,” he said. “That’s what shocked and disappointed me the most.” On the flip side, what surprised him most was the long-term viability of the “build audience first, monetize later” model. “We used to laugh at Google and Facebook — how would they make money? But they built massive audiences and then turned on the revenue engine,” Borrell said. “That’s the model local publishers need to adopt: grow reach, then turn on monetization when you have something advertisers want to be part of.”
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“We have reached, I believe, a critical mass in that electronic media have decisively and irreversibly changed the character of our symbolic environment. We are now a culture whose information, ideas and epistemology are given form by television, not by the printed word. To be sure, there are still readers and there are many books published, but the uses of print and reading are not the same as they once were; not even in schools, the last institutions where print was thought to be invincible. They delude themselves who believe that television and print coexist, for coexistence implies parity. There is no parity here. Print is now merely a residual epistemology, and it will remain so, aided to some extent by the computer, and newspapers and magazines that are made to look like television screens. Like the fish who survive a toxic river and the boatmen who sail on it, there still dwell among us those whose sense of things is largely influenced by older and clearer waters.”
–From Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death (1986).
Sherry says
A MUST READ:
The Hidden Provision in the Big Ugly Bill that makes Trump King.
Don’t let this happen
Robert Reich
May 22
Friends,
I’ve been following with a mixture of dismay and disgust Trump’s One Big Ugly Bill, soon to emerge from the House. I’ll report back to you on it.
But I want to alert you to one detail inside it that’s especially alarming. With one stroke, it would allow Trump to crown himself king.
As you know, Trump has been trying to neuter the courts by ignoring them.
The Supreme Court has told Trump to “facilitate” the return of Abrego Garcia, a legal resident of the United States whom even the Trump regime admits was erroneously sent to a brutal prison in El Salvador. Trump has essentially thumbed his nose at the Court by doing nothing.
Lower federal courts have told him to stop deporting migrants without giving them a chance to know the charges against them and have the charges and evidence reviewed by a neutral judge or magistrate (the minimum of due process). Again, nothing.
Judge James Boasberg, Chief Judge of the federal district court for the District of Columbia, issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump regime from flying individuals to the prison in El Salvador without due process.
Judge Boasberg has found that the Trump regime has willfully disregarded his order.
What can the courts do in response to Trump’s open defiance of the judges and justices?
The courts have one power to make their orders stick: holding federal officials in contempt and enforcing such contempt citations against them.
Enforcing a contempt citation means fining or jailing the Trump lawyers who argue before them, and possibly invoking contempt all the way up the line to Trump.
Boasberg said that if Trump’s legal team does not give the dozens of Venezuelan men sent to the Salvadorian prison a chance to legally challenge their removal, he’ll begin contempt proceedings against the administration.
In a separate case, U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis has demanded that the Trump administration explain why it is not complying with the Supreme Court order to “facilitate” the release of Abrego Garcia.
Xinis questions whether the administration intends to comply with the order at all, citing a statement from U.S. Department of Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem that Abrego Garcia “will never be allowed to return to the United States.” According to Xinis, “That sounds to me like an admission. That’s about as clear as it can get.”
So what’s next? Will the Supreme Court and lower courts hold the administration in contempt and enforce contempt citations?
Not if the Big Ugly Bill is enacted with the following provision, now hidden in the bill:
“No court of the United States may use appropriated funds to enforce a contempt citation for failure to comply with an injunction or temporary restraining order if no security was given when the injunction or order was issued….”
Translated: No federal court may enforce a contempt citation.
Obviously, courts need appropriated funds to do anything because Congress appropriates money to enable the courts to function. To require a security or bond to be given in civil proceedings seeking to stop alleged abuses by the federal government would effectively immunize such conduct from judicial review because those seeking such court orders generally don’t have the resources to post a bond.
Hence, with a stroke, the provision removes the judiciary’s capacity to hold officials in contempt.
As U.C. Berkeley School of Law Dean and Distinguished Professor of Law Erwin Chemerinsky notes, this provision would eliminate any restraint on Trump.
‘Without the contempt power, judicial orders are meaningless and can be ignored. There is no way to understand this except as a way to keep the Trump administration from being restrained when it violates the Constitution or otherwise breaks the law. …
‘This would be a stunning restriction on the power of the federal courts. The Supreme Court has long recognized that the contempt power is integral to the authority of the federal courts. Without the ability to enforce judicial orders, they are rendered mere advisory opinions which parties are free to disregard.”
With this single provision, in other words, Trump will have crowned himself king. No congress and no court could stop him. Even if a future Congress were to try to stop him, it could not do so without the power of the courts to enforce their hearings, investigations, subpoenas, and laws.
What can you do? To begin with, call your members of Congress and tell them not to pass Trump’s One Big Ugly Bill.
While you’re at, demand that they preserve the federal court’s power to enforce their rulings by holding an administration in contempt. (The Capitol Hill switchboard number is (202) 224-3121.)
Laurel says
He’s like the devil, and his sycophants have sold their souls to him. Either they do exactly as he says, or he will ruin them.
Feel the pain, folks. That big, beautiful concept of a plan for healthcare is on its way some day, but first, the jet and Trump bitcoin. The crime in Chicago “stops right here, right now!” “Mexico will pay for the wall.”
– Trump 2016
Tony Mack says
It’s just the Enabling Act without the language. What did the Enabling Act do?
• Centralized power: The act gave Hitler control over the public administration, judiciary, security, and armed forces.
• Banned political parties: The act banned all political parties except the Nazi Party.
• Abolished freedom of the press: The act censored the press.
• Imprisoned political opponents: The act allowed the Nazis to imprison political opponents for any reason.
• Created concentration camps: The act allowed the Nazis to create temporary concentration camps.
• Removed civil rights: The act allowed the Nazis to remove civil rights.
How was the Enabling Act passed?
• The act was passed by the Reichstag on March 23, 1933.
• The act passed with more than the required two-thirds majority.
• The act was passed with the support of the SA and SS, the armed branches of the NSDAP.
• The act was passed with the support of President Hindenburg and von Papen.
How was the Enabling Act extended?
• The act was extended in 1937, 1939, and 1943.
Caution — because they now control all levels of the Federal system as well as 26 state houses and legislatures…they cannot and will not risk losing all they have cherished by holding free and fair elections in 2026. It simply will not happen. One bit at a time, they are removing or neutering any and all legislative or judicial powers that might thwart their efforts FBI — gone; Federal judges — controlled; legislature — threatened; minorities — vilified and demonized…
Think Germany in the Thirties…end of story…end of democracy…
Sherry says
A MUST READ. . . Robert Reich Explains trump’s bill that was passed by the “House” yesterday:
Friends,
The old professor in me thinks the best way to convey to you how utterly awful the so-called “one big beautiful bill” passed by the House last night actually is would be to give you this short ten-question exam. (Answers are in parenthesis, but first try to answer without looking at them.)
1. Does the House’s “one big beautiful bill” cut Medicare? (Answer: Yes, by an estimated $500 billion.)
2. Because the bill cuts Medicaid, how many Americans are expected to lose Medicaid coverage? (At least 8.6 million.)
3. Will the tax cut in the bill benefit the rich or the poor or everyone?(Overwhelmingly, the rich.)
4. How much will the top 0.1 percent of earners stand to gain from it? (Nearly $390,000 per year).
5. If you figure in the benefit cuts and the tax cuts, will Americans making between about $17,000 and $51,000 gain or lose? (They’ll lose about $700 a year).
6. How about Americans with incomes less than $17,000? (They’ll lose more than $1,000 per year on average).
7. How much will the bill add to the federal debt? ($3.8 trillion over 10 years.)
8. Who will pay the interest on this extra debt? (All of us, in both our tax payments and higher interest rates for mortgages, car loans, and all other longer-term borrowing.)
9. Who collects this interest? (People who lend to the U.S. government, 70 percent of whom are American and most of whom are wealthy.)
10. Bonus question: Is the $400 million airplane from Qatar a gift to the United States for every future president to use, or a gift to Trump for his own personal use? (It’s a personal gift because he’ll get to use it after he leaves the presidency.)
Most Americans are strongly opposed to all of these things, according to polls. But if you knew the answers to these ten questions, you’re likely to be in a very tiny minority. That’s because of (1) distortions and cover-ups emanating from Trump and magnified by Fox News and other rightwing outlets. (2) A public that’s overwhelmed with the blitzkrieg of everything Trump is doing, and can’t focus on this. (3) Outright silencing of many in the media who fear retaliation from the Trump regime if they reveal things that Trump doesn’t want revealed.
Laurel says
“The three branches of the U.S. government are the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. This structure ensures a separation of powers, allowing each branch to check and balance the others to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.”
– Duck Assist
Even a bot knows that.
Trump has successfully neutered the the legislative and judicial branches, with the help of the maga voters and spineless supporters. He would not be able to do it alone. Just feel the pain, folks, while the epitome of excess enjoys his windfalls and power. If you don’t agree, the most powerful man in the world will ruin you, and the richest man in the world will help him do it.
I seriously doubt that Albrego Garcia will be allowed to live. The maga king does not give a damn.
Sherry says
Thank you Tony Mack. . . very well stated!
Ed P says
Laurel,
$TRUMP is not Bitcoin. It’s a meme coin.
There is a significant difference especially in terms of market capitalizations, adoption, and underlying use cases.
Meme coins usually hold zero utility beyond investing in pop culture. They normally start as a joke. Doesn’t mean investors won’t make and lose money. It’s more of a “ game” for the wealthy to play.
Pierre Tristam says
Bitcoin, meme coin: corruption doesn’t discriminate.
Ed P says
Agree 50%
“Bitcoin, meme coin: corruption doesn’t discriminate.”
Similar to Hunter Biden being a world class artist/painter?
BillC says
Sounds like Ed P is calling the Trump meme coin a bad “joke” investment. Agreed!
764,000 lost money on Trump meme coins, while 58 profited. (That’s correct, only 58.)
If it walks like a scam and it talks like a scam….
Sherry says
I would just like to remind EVERYONE that “Hunter” Biden was NOT the President! Neither was Hillary Clinton. Anything those two did in their entire lives massively “PALES” in comparison to the horrific treasonist actions committed by the “Convicted Felon/Guilty Sexual Abuser” in the white house each and every day!
Sherry says
I would like to remind “EVERYONE” that “Hunter” Biden was never President. . . neither was “Hillary” Clinton. Bundle up each and every controversial thing those two have done in their entire lives, and that list absolutely “Pales in Comparison” to the horrific, treasonous, racist, cruel, actions taken by the “Convicted Felon/Adjudicated Sexual Abuser” in the white house each and every day!
PROTEST on June 14th! NO KING!
Laurel says
After all I wrote, Ed P only found one correction: bitcoin v. meme coin, then stated it was a game for rich people. Trump and his family members are making large sums of money on this *game.* This, while being President of the United States is abuse of power, and he, his family and friends are thumbing their noses at the American public. Hunter Biden doesn’t come close to comparison, but nice try. Keep those buzzwords goin’.