What Democrats Need to Do

 

Autocracies, by their nature, flood the zone with so many outrages, abuses, and affronts to democratic norms that they can destabilize and discombobulate the opposition. As we struggle to identify new offenses and scrutinize which matters are relevant and which are not, democracy defenders occasionally must step back to see how they are advancing the larger cause of democracy.

Unfortunately, this has sometimes encouraged unnecessary and premature speculation about the 2028 race. It is tempting to think that if Democrats only clear the field for the “right” candidate, democracy could be secured. That is foolishness on stilts. We have no way of predicting who will emerge and be the best nominee. Moreover, the damage Donald Trump has wrought demands much more than a winning 2028 ticket.

While the 2028 presidential field will sort itself out in time, Democrats have critical work in the interim, namely building consensus for a positive pro-democracy agenda that goes beyond reversing Trump’s legacy.

Democrats (unlike 2020) must, as a party, be foursquare behind a reform agenda that ensures no future president can duplicate Trump’s tyrannical maneuvers. Democrats can vigorously debate everything from Supreme Court expansion to financial reform for the executive branch, all to forge an identity as the reform party that will permanently drain the swamp. But they also need an organizing message, a unifying identity to place them on the side of democracy and prosperity for all and against an autocratic oligarchy.

A “Democracy Revival 2028” (better than “The Contract with America”), first and foremost, could set down markers that candidates can rally around. Policy decisions (e.g., green energy, healthcare, taxes) can be sorted out by the candidates, but surely everyone running under the Democratic banner can coalesce behind certain rock principles on due process, civil rights, and ending executive power grabs.

For example, if it was not clear before, Democrats have been reminded that democracy cannot tolerate a rogue autocrat with unchecked power to drag us into wars. Democrats, appealing to a broad cross-section of Americans, can champion a more robust War Powers Resolution, specifying that military forces cannot be deployed in an ongoing war without congressional authorization. It is long past time to end the imperial presidency’s assumption of unilateral action to start wars.

In addition, Democracy Revival 2028 could include items such as tough Hatch Act penalties, a mechanism to nix foreign emoluments, expansion of the Supreme Court with term limits, a bar on presidents’ private business dealings, limits on all presidential “emergency” provisions, nonpartisan redistricting, severe penalties for attempting illegal executive impoundment, voting rights restoration, enhanced workers’ rights to organize, legislation to overturn court precedent that has virtually eliminated suits for deprivation of civil rights (“Bivens” suits), statutory protection for abortion rights, and an annually renewed “democracy entitlement” fund for election administration and security. Items as specific as barring the use of masks and non-uniformed ICE agents, strengthening Posse Comitatus, and protecting independent agencies from political intimidation should not be neglected.

Democrats can debate the particulars of these ideas, but no Democrat should quibble with the restoration of the Voting Rights Act or preventing the president from engaging in the sort of corruption we have seen from Trump.

It is essential not to aim too low. Restoration of democracy will be a multiple-election endeavor. Democrats must get cracking if they want to build national consensus even on items that require constitutional amendments (e.g., beef up impeachment by lowering the threshold for Senate removal, add a constitutional right to vote, and undue Citizens United).

Building on resistance among law firms, businesses, and universities to authoritarian bullying, Democrats can champion efforts to protect NGO’s, academic freedom, scientific research, and the press from authoritarian predation, including criminal penalties for use of tax, or regulating power to circumscribe First Amendment rights.

Republicans made the capture of courts a multi-decade endeavor that consistently engaged their base; Democrats must recapture our democracy using a similar guiding principle around which the base can organize over a decade or longer.

To be certain, not all Democrats will agree on the particular solutions (e.g., how broad should Posse Comitatus reform go). However, they can enlist the best constitutional minds and historians while soliciting input from retired judges, lawmakers, governors, and Cabinet members. Every Democrat from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) should be able to support guardrails that will undo Trump’s autocracy and prevent the next one that comes along.

Democracy in the abstract is not a political winner. But the particulars (union rights, abortion rights, restricting deployment of military to the streets) are overwhelmingly popular.

Democracy defenders cannot block all of Trump's destructive schemes. The true test will come at the ballot box under the banner of reform and restoration. Now is the time to set the stage for massive MAGA defeats and to craft a pro-democracy agenda for the future. In forcing those extremist Republicans to defend a tyrannical executive, deprivation of core civil rights, and an imperial, geriatric Supreme Court, Democrats will leave no doubt as to which party embodies the spirit of democracy and commitment to the rule of law.

New York City mayoral primary winner Zohran Mamdani will be an intriguing alternative to behold.

-Jennifer Rubin, The Contrarian is possible because of you! Support our work, join the opposition, and be a part of our community of courageous good troublemakers…all you have to do is subscribe.

 

The Tick Situation Is Getting Worse. Here’s How to Protect Yourself

As temperatures rise, ticks of several kinds are flourishing in ways that threaten people’s health.

Lately, Shannon LaDeau and her colleagues have had unwelcome visitors at their office in New York’s Hudson Valley: ticks, crawling up the building and trying to get through doors. “Which is kind of alarming,” said Dr. LaDeau, a disease ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies who studies the arachnids and the pathogens they carry.

As winters get warmer, ticks of several kinds are flourishing. Deer ticks, known for transmitting Lyme disease, are moving farther north. The long-horned tick, which came from overseas, has gained a foothold on the East Coast and begun moving west. Gulf Coast ticks have made it to states like Connecticut and Indiana. The lone star tick, which can make people allergic to red meat, is fanning out from the South and has been found as far as Canada.

And even in places long accustomed to them, ticks are becoming more numerous and active for longer stretches of each year.

Why is this happening, and how can you protect yourself? What changes are researchers seeing? We asked the experts.

Marc Lame, an entomologist and clinical professor emeritus at Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, put it simply: “There are more and different types of ticks around than there used to be, and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon.”

The spread of individual species can be difficult to track. The long-horned tick, for example, was not identified in the United States until 2017, but a recent study confirmed that it was here as early as 2010.

But there is evidence they are traveling across North America quickly: On its northern front in Canada, the deer tick — also known as the blacklegged tick — is believed to be extending its range more than 20 miles per year, said Catherine Bouchard, a research scientist at the Public Health Agency of Canada.

The movement of the lone star and long-horned ticks particularly worries Laura Goodman, an assistant professor in Cornell’s Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, because it takes so few to establish themselves in a new place. Both can breed in huge numbers — a single long-horned tick can lay 2,000 eggs. Female long-horned ticks can even reproduce alone, essentially cloning themselves through a process called parthenogenesis.

Some ticks are also behaving differently. Dr. Bouchard said that when she began studying deer ticks in southern Quebec around 2007, they stopped looking for someone to bite by October. Now, it is not unusual for her to see them in December.

Is this because of climate change? Yes, in large part.

There are other factors at play, such as deer populations recovering along the East Coast after years of decline. But “there’s a clear scientific consensus that climate change is playing a role,” said Michael Dietze, who leads Boston University’s Ecological Forecasting Lab.

Because temperatures are rising, ticks and the animals they travel on — like deer and mice — are likelier to survive winters, and new territory is becoming hospitable. Climate change also explains why ticks are emerging earlier in the spring and staying active later in the fall: They can be active whenever the temperature is above about 39 degrees Fahrenheit.

What are the health implications?

As deer tick populations grow, cases of Lyme disease, the most common tick-borne illness in the U.S., appear to have risen. Data from the Environmental Protection Agency suggests Lyme cases have been increasing for 30 years. The agency warns that changes in how the disease is defined and reported make it hard to confirm that this reflects a real trend. But while scientists may not have exact numbers, Dr. Dietze said rates had “definitely increased.”

Researchers are seeing indications of increases in other tick-borne diseases, too, including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. All are treatable if caught early, but they can sometimes be fatal. Also on the rise is alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to red meat usually caused by the lone star tick.

Experts worry that, as different tick species feed on the same animals in newly overlapping habitats, they could share diseases.

A single tick may also become more likely to carry multiple pathogens — meaning someone could get Lyme disease and receive treatment without their doctor realizing they also need treatment for, say, babesiosis.

Dr. Goodman had been working with Defense Department funding to develop one test for numerous tick-borne illnesses, but the Trump administration halted her grant.

How can you protect yourself?

Unfortunately, while Lyme disease vaccines and anti-tick treatments are available for dogs, they currently aren’t for humans, so your best bet is to try to prevent bites in the first place.

Keep in mind that ticks don’t only live in the woods. 

While deer ticks tend to favor wooded areas, they and other species also frequent parks and lawns — and some even approach buildings.

Health authorities recommend wearing long pants and long sleeves when you might be exposed and tucking your shirt into your pants and your pants into socks or boots. Repellents containing DEET are effective on skin, and permethrin on clothing.

Once you get indoors, check yourself carefully — and check children and pets as well, said Negar Elmieh, a scientist at Canada’s National Collaborating Center for Environmental Health. 

Ticks may bite anywhere, but they are often drawn to warm, damp areas such as the backs of knees and the groin, underarms, ears and scalp.

If you find a tick, remove it. Companies sell many removal devices, but tweezers work fine. Grasp the tick where it meets the skin and pull steadily, without jerking or twisting. Then disinfect the area and wash your hands.

There are a few safe ways to dispose of a tick. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations include drowning it in alcohol or wrapping it tightly in tape. 

Don’t crush it with your fingers, because pathogens can enter your body through tiny breaks in the skin that you might be unaware of.

Most tick-borne diseases, including Lyme, offer a grace period: You can prevent transmission if you remove the tick within a certain number of hours. But this may not be true for all diseases. 

So, if you develop a fever, rash, body aches, joint pain or unusual fatigue — or other symptoms that concern you — see a doctor.

Maggie Astor covers the intersection of health and politics for The Times.

 

The First Amendment

"Congress [or anyone else] shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Who Is Trump?

He is the son of a potentate and a potentate himself, hardly a public servant. He is the political son of Roy Cohn and biological son of the slum lord, Fred Trump, who Woody Guthrie called "old man Trump." He is the emperor of a real estate empire which he gold plates. He is an unabashed racist according to the Brookings Institute's 2019 research and report. He is a "strong man" who former FBI director James Comey has likened to a "mob boss."

Pope Francis made this indirect but nonetheless pointed criticism of Trump in 2019: "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian."  

Trump is trumping American democracy and everything beatific about the most basic tenets of the American Constitution with bellicose rhetoric that's reminiscent of his historical mentor, Adolf Hitler, whose book, Mein Kampf, he used to keep on his bedside table according to Ivanka Trump.

But he is not just a modern caricature of a tyrant. He is archetypal, a recrudescent reincarnation of every tyrant from history and, therefore, a very sad example of America's present-day failure to recognize him as such in his unabashed, systematic efforts to dismantle human rights, health insurance and policy, social security, and higher education… with king-like hutzpah and libertine glee.

But he is not a present-day political phenomenon, but rather an archetypal resurrection of every dictator from history with a new face that's only a mask of all the others. He's yet another tragic example of just how vulnerable a supposedly enlightened demos can still be to the same despot who has terrorized people before in other historical settings with other names.

But now we live in a time that's far more fragile and dangerous than any other time in history, given the multitude of nuclear trip wires around the world; given the surfeit of over-population, environmental crisis, unprecedented global poverty, and "rogue" nations' reliance on terror. Are we entering an "eschatological" ager?

Trump does bear similar features to "the first beast" from Revelations, which is a haunting enduring image. But why has America's democracy fallen victim to this "beast"? Why has democracy failed? This is the question that the Congress needs to take seriously and immediately before it's trammeled any further by American democracy's most dangerous, imposer to date.

-Chard DeNiord

 

ABC News' Senior National Correspondent

 

ABC News’ Senior National Correspondent Terry Moran was reportedly terminated following a suspension for his online comments regarding White House leadership. His now-deleted post labeled White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and President Donald Trump as “world-class haters.” ABC suffered significant backlash from the White House over the incident, fueling a debate over free speech, media bias, and accountability in reporting.

The incident followed a $16 million defamation settlement in December 2024 between ABC News and Trump over comments made by anchor George Stephanopoulos. The timing suggests heightened sensitivity to political backlash. According to court documents, Trump alleged that Stephanopoulos falsely claimed on This Week in March 2024 that Trump was “found liable for rape” in the E. Jean Carroll case. The jury found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation.

Prior to his termination from ABC, Moran said, “Trump is a world-class hater. But his hatred only a means to an end, and that end is his own glorification. That’s his spiritual nourishment.”

An ABC News spokesperson confirmed that Moran’s suspension is pending evaluation. The spokesperson said, “ABC News stands for objectivity and impartiality in its news coverage and does not condone subjective personal attacks on others. The post does not reflect the views of ABC News and violated our standards.”

Moran particularly criticized Miller’s role in shaping Trump’s policies. He claimed Miller is “one of the people who conceptualizes the impulses of the Trumpist movement and translates them into policy.” He added, “It’s not brains. It’s bile.”

Miller later responded to Moran’s remarks, asserting that they expose issues within mainstream media. Miller noted that journalists often adopt radical views while pretending to be neutral. Miller said, “For decades, the privileged anchors and reporters narrating and gatekeeping our society have been radicals adopting a journalist’s pose.” He added, “Terry pulled off his mask.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt supported Miller’s perspective, urging viewers to reconsider ABC’s credibility.

Laura Mitchell covers U.S. politics & news for content partner Modern Newsstand LLC.

 

Congressional leaders react to Trump ordering strike attack on Iran

 

Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power to declare war [and NOT the president]!

Congressional leaders expressed surprise Saturday night about President Donald Trump's announcement he had ordered a U.S. attacked on three Iranian nuclear sites, with some Republicans praising the move and some Democrats questioning the president's authority.

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, an Israel hawk, said in an X post moments after Trump announced the attack that it was "the right call." "The regime deserves it. Well done, President @realDonaldTrump," he said. "To my fellow citizens: We have the best Air Force in the world. It makes me so proud."

But the top Democrat in the House, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, said Trump had "misled the country." "Donald Trump promised to bring peace to the Middle East. He has failed to deliver on that promise. The risk of war has now dramatically increased, and I pray for the safety of our troops in the region who have been put in harm's way," he said in a statement.

"President Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East," he continued.

"First, the Trump administration bears the heavy burden of explaining to the American people why this military action was undertaken. Second, Congress must be fully and immediately briefed in a classified setting. Third, Donald Trump shoulders complete and total responsibility for any adverse consequences that flow from his unilateral military action," he added.

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont was on stage at one of his "Fight Oligarchy" events in Tulsa, Oklahoma, when he read a portion of President Trump's post about the strikes to an audience that immediately began booing. 

"Not only is this news this that I've heard this second alarming -- all of you have just heard. But it is so grossly unconstitutional. All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. the president does not have the right," he added.

Rep. Rick Crawford, an Arizona Republican, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that he was in touch with the president before the attack and still monitoring the situation. "As I have said multiple times recently, I regret that Iran has brought the world to this point. That said, I am thankful President Trump understood that the red line -- articulated by Presidents of both parties for decades -- was real," he said.

At least one Republican in the House, however, questioned the president's action without congressional authorization. "This is not constitutional," GOP Rep. Tom Massie of Kentucky, posted. Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, posted on X, "According to the Constitution we are both sworn to defend, my attention to this matter comes BEFORE bombs fall. Full stop."

"We need to immediately return to DC and vote on @RepThomasMassie and my War Powers Resolution to prevent America from being dragged into another endless Middle East war," Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said in an X post... 

House Speaker Mike Johnson was briefed ahead of the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, according to a source familiar with the matter. Johnson was supposed to be in Israel Sunday to address the Knesset, but the trip was scrapped because of the ongoing conflict. The speaker also put out a statement endorsing the strikes, calling it a "decisive" action that prevents terrorism.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune was also briefed ahead of the U.S. strikes on Iran, according to two sources familiar with the conversation. GOP Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming posted, "President @realDonaldTrump's decision to strike Iran's nuclear program is the right one. The greatest threat to the safety of the United States and the world is Iran with a nuclear weapon. God Bless our troops 🇺🇸"

Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn posted, "President Trump made the courageous and correct decision to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat. God Bless the USA. Thank you to our extraordinary military and our indomitable @POTUS This is what leadership on the world stage looks like."

Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman said on X, "As I've long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS. Iran is the world's leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I'm grateful for and salute the finest military in the world. 🇺🇸"

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York posted that President Trump's strike on Iran constitutes "ground for impeachment," saying he was "in grave violation of the Constitution" without first receiving congressional authorization. 

"The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment," she posted.

-ABC News

US bombs nuclear sites in Iran

 

• US President Donald Trump says the US has bombed Fordo and other nuclear sites in Iran.
• Trump called the strikes "very successful", adding that a "full payload" of bombs was dropped on Fordo, Iran's main enrichment site.
• Iranian state media says part of the Fordo site was "attacked by enemy strikes."
• The strike is indicative of the way Trump carries out his foreign policy, writes our correspondent.
• It was reported earlier that Washington was sending B-2 stealth bombers to the US island of Guam - the only aircraft capable of carrying the bombs needed to destroy Fordo.
• Earlier, Iran's foreign minister said, US involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict would be "very very dangerous" while in Istanbul to meet the Turkish president.

·       Mark Lowen Reporting from Tel Aviv.

·       The question following the US strikes on Iran is now what the reaction from Tehran will be.

·       This is a seismic moment in the war and the relationship between Iran and Israel.

·       It carries potentially huge implications for American security. There are around 40,000 American troops stationed in this region. They will be on extremely high alert.

·       Yesterday, the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen threatened that they would resume attacks on American ships in the Red Sea if the US got militarily involved in Iran.

·       There will be now a huge fear of Iranian retaliation on American and military assets in the region, and of course of how Iran will retaliate towards Israel.

-BBC