Week 35 - The Return
Experts in authoritarianism advise to keep a list of things subtly changing around you, so you'll remember.
This week we are seeing the impacts of Trump’s staffing cuts and selection of unqualified sycophants to run federal agencies. Tragedy struck in Texas, as flooding caused by a storm in Kerr County claimed more than 100 lives, with at least 173 still missing five days later. Questions arose about Trump’s and Elon Musk’s DOGE’s cuts to agencies and departments, as well as their current leadership. Also this week, the country hit another tragic milestone, as the U.S. measles outbreak climbed to a 33-year high, a reversal for a disease that was previously considered to be eliminated.
This week Trump signed his so-called big, beautiful bill into law, which was wildly unpopular according to polls, in a made-for-TV type ceremony on July 4th. Trump and his regime, as well as Republicans in Congress, have repeatedly used lies in their effort to sell and defend the bill. Some of the cruelest impacts, including cuts in Medicaid that will cause millions to lose healthcare coverage, are set to phase in after the 2026 midterm elections.
Finally, this week the MAGAverse finds itself at war with itself, as many in the movement question Trump’s decision to strike Iran, his statements on protecting immigrants in certain industries, granting aid to Ukraine, and an announcement this week by his attorney general that there is no Jeffrey Epstein client list. A social media battle has ensued. Meanwhile, Elon Musk announced the formation of a third party, the America Party, and ramped up his attacks on Trump and the Epstein files.
NYT reported Dr. Vinay Prasad, the FDA’s new chief medical and scientific officer, overruled the agency’s top vaccine staff members on both approving the Novavax vaccine, an alternative to mRNA shots, and by limiting the use of all Covid vaccines to people 65 and older.
The move shocked FDA officials. Prasad filed a “center director override memo,” a document used in rare instances when top officials substitute their decisions over the findings of staff experts, and claimed there could be vaccine-related injuries that have yet to be discovered.
Six leading medical organizations sued Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and HHS, claiming the decisions limiting access to vaccines were unscientific and harmful to the public, and seeking to restore Covid vaccines as recommended immunizations for healthy children and pregnant women.
Data from Johns Hopkins University revealed the U.S. measles outbreak had climbed to 1,277 cases, a 33-year high, and a reversal after the disease was officially eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. The CDC reported 92% of cases are among the unvaccinated or vaccine status unknown.
On Thursday, the Environmental Protection Agency suspended 144 of the employees who had signed on to a letter criticizing Trump and EPA administrator Lee Zeldin for politicizing the agency, and said the agency would conduct an investigation into their decision to sign the letter.
In justifying the suspensions, the agency cited the signatories using their official titles, and claimed the letter had denigrated the agency’s leadership. The move set off alarms with EPA employees, lawyers, and advocates, who called it a violation of First Amendment rights.
NYT reported the Energy Department has hired at least three scientists who are well known for rejecting the consensus on climate change. The move came after the regime fired hundreds of scientists and experts who compiled the government’s flagship report on climate change.
WAPO reported that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who previously was a well-known critic of the so-called deep state, has formed a team called Director’s Initiative Group, which seeks to enforce Trump’s agenda through spying.