Evening Roundup, June 16
Featuring Kim Lane Scheppele, Brian Klaas, "Offsides with Pablo Torre," Brian O'Neill, Eliza Orlins, Jeff Nesbit, Austin Sarat, and "Talking Feds." Happy Bloomsday!
Thank you again to the 33,000 Contrarians who joined our No Kings livestream on Saturday. We are emboldened by your support and beyond grateful to our Contrarian community for your courage and encouragement. Now let’s keep up the fight, peacefully yet relentlessly!
In the Danger Zone
By Kim Lane Scheppele
Warning signs are flashing, but we have time to stop the slide into full autocracy, as the weekend protests showed.
Understanding Trump’s incitements to violence
In the early hours of Saturday morning, a lone gunman allegedly impersonating a police officer killed Melissa Hortman, a prominent Democratic state representative in Minnesota, and her husband, Mark. In the minutes before that shooting, the gunman had allegedly already targeted another Democratic state senator, John Hoffman…
Offsides with Pablo Torre: An underdog story
Over the weekend, J.J. Spaun shocked the golf world with a wild finish at the U.S. Open. Today, Pablo and Jen discuss what his underdog story says about the changing face of golf—and what it means when sports reflect the world around us.
The split-screen presidency
By Brian O’Neill
Foreign capitals saw what Trump could not: power staged, not exercised.
Eliza Orlins explains your rights when encountering ICE
New York City public defender Eliza Orlins explains what you should know if you are approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
We all need to take a troubling, new gun violence study to heart
By Jeff Nesbit
The more guns are available, the more children will find them and use them.
Trump could upend the very structure of American government
Writing in 2011, former Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy said, "By denying any one government complete jurisdiction over all the concerns of public life, federalism protects the liberty of the individual from arbitrary power..."
California Screamin'
A wild, turbulent, and ugly week. Trump used protests to his immigration operations in LA to declare a “rebellion” and federalize the national guard. A court decision rejecting the move was itself stayed, leaving the situation tense and tenuous. Sen. Padilla was roughed up and arrested when he tried to ask a question at a press conference.
The Secretary of Homeland Security should be held in contempt of congress for roughing up Senator Padilla.
We have to continue the protests.
A MAGAt committed a political assassination which should be HEADLINES. The LA situation was the effectuatuion of a long term plan to exercise executive branch police power as a predicate to make Trump a "unitary executive."
Make every Congressional Republican respond. The entire Minnesota delegation to the Congress issued a joint statement on politically motivated shootings. Democrats and Republicans together wrote: “Today we speak with one voice to express our outrage, grief, and condemnation of this horrible attack on public servants. There is no place in our democracy for politically-motivated violence. We are praying for John and Yvette’s recovery and we grieve the loss of Melissa and Mark with their family, colleagues, and Minnesotans across the state. We are grateful for law enforcement’s swift response to the situation and continued efforts.”
Trump's reconciliation bill is in trouble. Pressure Congressional Republicans.
AI
Areas of Dissent and Opposition:
Trump's Agenda and Policies:
Budget and Spending: Some hard-line Republicans have expressed dissent regarding Trump's "big beautiful bill," arguing it doesn't go far enough in cutting spending, particularly in areas like Medicaid. For example, Rep. Andy Harris chairs the House Freedom Caucus and supports deeper cuts to Medicaid spending. There's also disagreement over elements like the Salt deduction cap.
Deportation Push: Some GOP lawmakers are warning against the aggressive push for deportations, particularly concerning workers and long-term residents. According to Axios, Republicans are concerned about deportations that go too far.
Tariffs and Trade: Republican dissent has also been voiced against Trump's use of tariffs, with concerns about their potential negative economic impacts. Newsweek lists several Republicans who have expressed concern about Trump's tariffs.
Trump's Actions and Approach:
"Crackdown on Dissent": Some have criticized what they perceive as a crackdown on dissent by the Trump administration. The Atlantic reports on actions like charging Rep. LaMonica McIver, suggesting they test the boundaries of acceptable responses to dissent.
Use of Executive Authority: There are concerns regarding Trump's potential abuse of executive authority, including in areas like surveillance and freedom of the press. The ACLU warns about the potential for Trump to use expanded surveillance powers against political opponents.
Challenges to Democratic Norms: Some Republicans have voiced concerns about Trump's disregard for democratic norms and his attempts to pressure lawmakers.
Examples of Dissenting Voices:
Rep. Thomas Massie: A long-time critic of Trump on issues like spending and surveillance, Massie has survived primary challenges despite his dissent. NBC News details Massie's history of opposing Trump on key votes.
Rep. Mike Lawler: Expressed opposition to the "big beautiful bill" in its current form.
Rep. Chip Roy: A key holdout on the budget, questioning whether promises regarding the Senate plan would materialize.
Rep. Mark Amodei: Opposes the administration's plans to claw back funding for public media.
Sen. Rand Paul: A vocal critic of Trump's spending policies, including the military parade, and has opposed the tax and domestic policy bill due to debt concerns. Newsweek highlights Paul's concerns about Trump's tariffs.
....
Hoping that Reps Don Bacon, Mike Turner and others would come forward re Ukraine. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/08/us/politics/breaking-with-trump-bacon-says-he-wont-follow-his-party-off-the-cliff.html
26 Republican senators and more House members voted to fund Ukraine. The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 (S. 1241/H.R. 2548) is a proposed piece of legislation in the US Senate and House of Representatives aimed at increasing sanctions against Russia in response to its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The Senate version, introduced by Senators Graham and Blumenthal, has gained significant bipartisan support. The bill proposes a comprehensive sanctions and tariff regime targeting Russia and those who support its energy sector. 80 cosponsors.