Paul Graf
@paulginva.bsky.social
Retired lawyer. Moderate. Dog lover, cat tolerator. Grandfather. Vietnam vet. History, international relations, national security, high-profile litigation, economics, and a little politics.
Pinned
Paul Graf
@paulginva.bsky.social
· Jul 31
𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦. 𝘈 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. –𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘋. 𝘙𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘵
Reposted by Paul Graf
Those leftists and green party fools that wanted to “burn it all down?”
This is what that looks like.
This is what that looks like.
January 21, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Those leftists and green party fools that wanted to “burn it all down?”
This is what that looks like.
This is what that looks like.
We’re already seeing this: work Mamdani announced the beginning of pre-k and 3k applications and some people think it’s something he did.
It isn't new. Remember Clinton's plan after the Republicans took the House in 1994? Every single day, they announced one new program*. Dem pols need to do this.
It isn't new. Remember Clinton's plan after the Republicans took the House in 1994? Every single day, they announced one new program*. Dem pols need to do this.
January 21, 2026 at 5:58 PM
We’re already seeing this: work Mamdani announced the beginning of pre-k and 3k applications and some people think it’s something he did.
It isn't new. Remember Clinton's plan after the Republicans took the House in 1994? Every single day, they announced one new program*. Dem pols need to do this.
It isn't new. Remember Clinton's plan after the Republicans took the House in 1994? Every single day, they announced one new program*. Dem pols need to do this.
Reposted by Paul Graf
watching video of gore being interviewed about trump at davos makes me think of The Good Timeline
the one where Gore won, prevented 9/11, and we never went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan and Republicans impeached him for the early 2000s economy being "too strong"
the one where Gore won, prevented 9/11, and we never went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan and Republicans impeached him for the early 2000s economy being "too strong"
January 21, 2026 at 5:33 PM
watching video of gore being interviewed about trump at davos makes me think of The Good Timeline
the one where Gore won, prevented 9/11, and we never went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan and Republicans impeached him for the early 2000s economy being "too strong"
the one where Gore won, prevented 9/11, and we never went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan and Republicans impeached him for the early 2000s economy being "too strong"
Guess who just went 100x leverage long on the stock market.
BREAKING: Trump says stock market will double
January 21, 2026 at 5:41 PM
Guess who just went 100x leverage long on the stock market.
Next time you worry about AI taking your job realize firewood used to be a quarter of GDP & whale oil was Big Oil. Coal-fired steam locomotives ruled the day & the fastest way to get a message to your friend across the continent was the pony express, which didn't die because we ran out of ponies.
January 21, 2026 at 4:20 PM
Next time you worry about AI taking your job realize firewood used to be a quarter of GDP & whale oil was Big Oil. Coal-fired steam locomotives ruled the day & the fastest way to get a message to your friend across the continent was the pony express, which didn't die because we ran out of ponies.
Herewith, a few reactions on this site to President Trump’s speech in Davos.
January 21, 2026 at 3:35 PM
Herewith, a few reactions on this site to President Trump’s speech in Davos.
While the Fed was trying to make sure the unemployment rate stayed reasonably low, look what happened.
A 9.3% drop isn't a cooling; it's a freeze. The housing market is the real economy, and it is screaming "Recession" while the stock market is still screaming "AI Party." One of them is wrong.
A 9.3% drop isn't a cooling; it's a freeze. The housing market is the real economy, and it is screaming "Recession" while the stock market is still screaming "AI Party." One of them is wrong.
January 21, 2026 at 3:18 PM
While the Fed was trying to make sure the unemployment rate stayed reasonably low, look what happened.
A 9.3% drop isn't a cooling; it's a freeze. The housing market is the real economy, and it is screaming "Recession" while the stock market is still screaming "AI Party." One of them is wrong.
A 9.3% drop isn't a cooling; it's a freeze. The housing market is the real economy, and it is screaming "Recession" while the stock market is still screaming "AI Party." One of them is wrong.
It looks like the World Economic Forum's meeting in Davos this year is a lot more exciting than it usually is.
On the Trump administration policy flip, approving the sale of Nvidia’s H200 chips to China...
Amodei: “I think this is crazy, it’s a bit like selling nuclear weapons to North Korea and [bragging that] Boeing made the casings.” techcrunch.com/2026/01/20/a...
Amodei: “I think this is crazy, it’s a bit like selling nuclear weapons to North Korea and [bragging that] Boeing made the casings.” techcrunch.com/2026/01/20/a...
Anthropic's CEO stuns Davos with Nvidia criticism | TechCrunch
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei unloaded on both the administration and U.S. chip companies over plans to sell to China. The criticism was particularly notable because one of those chipmakers, Nvidia, is a...
techcrunch.com
January 21, 2026 at 1:53 PM
It looks like the World Economic Forum's meeting in Davos this year is a lot more exciting than it usually is.
"The gathering on Tuesday night descended into uproar after combative remarks from Lutnick, according to several people present, with widespread jeering amid appeals for calm from BlackRock’s Larry Fink, the host of the event and interim co-chair of the WEF."
Howard makes friends wherever he goes.
Howard makes friends wherever he goes.
Howard Lutnick heckled at Davos dinner as Christine Lagarde walks out
Event hosted by Larry Fink descended into uproar after combative remarks by US commerce secretary
www.ft.com
January 21, 2026 at 1:49 PM
"The gathering on Tuesday night descended into uproar after combative remarks from Lutnick, according to several people present, with widespread jeering amid appeals for calm from BlackRock’s Larry Fink, the host of the event and interim co-chair of the WEF."
Howard makes friends wherever he goes.
Howard makes friends wherever he goes.
This showboating by the Trump Administration seems likely to do little for either affordability or availability of homes.
If they really wanted to do something at the federal level to improve affordability, the Administration would eliminate tariffs on lumber, steel, aluminum, & building materials
If they really wanted to do something at the federal level to improve affordability, the Administration would eliminate tariffs on lumber, steel, aluminum, & building materials
"The Moral Case Against Trump's Homebuyer Ban" www.cato.org/blog/moral-c...
"the federal government simply should not be in the business of telling a homeowner to whom and when they can sell their house." 🔥
"the federal government simply should not be in the business of telling a homeowner to whom and when they can sell their house." 🔥
January 21, 2026 at 1:42 PM
This showboating by the Trump Administration seems likely to do little for either affordability or availability of homes.
If they really wanted to do something at the federal level to improve affordability, the Administration would eliminate tariffs on lumber, steel, aluminum, & building materials
If they really wanted to do something at the federal level to improve affordability, the Administration would eliminate tariffs on lumber, steel, aluminum, & building materials
"Authoritarian states use climate negotiations to launder their reputations without any expectation that they would meaningfully contribute to solving the problem. Think Azerbaijan, host of the 2024 U.N. climate conference."
Opinion | How the United Nations alienates half of America
Trump recently withdrew from more than a dozen international organizations.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 21, 2026 at 1:27 PM
"Authoritarian states use climate negotiations to launder their reputations without any expectation that they would meaningfully contribute to solving the problem. Think Azerbaijan, host of the 2024 U.N. climate conference."
So ends the short and not so illustrious saga of Lindsey Halligan, Distract Attorney.
Lindsey Halligan departs Justice Department hours after Trump-appointed federal judge calls her leadership a ‘charade’ | CNN Politics
Lindsey Halligan, President Donald Trump’s handpicked interim US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, left her position at the Justice Department Tuesday, marking an end to her turbulent ten...
www.cnn.com
January 21, 2026 at 11:37 AM
So ends the short and not so illustrious saga of Lindsey Halligan, Distract Attorney.
Political speechmaking has generally degraded to the point that there's no reason to read them, rather than simply how they're reported, but Mark Carney's Davos speech is a rare exception.
"The old order is not coming back. We should not mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy."
"The old order is not coming back. We should not mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy."
January 21, 2026 at 1:48 AM
Political speechmaking has generally degraded to the point that there's no reason to read them, rather than simply how they're reported, but Mark Carney's Davos speech is a rare exception.
"The old order is not coming back. We should not mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy."
"The old order is not coming back. We should not mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy."
Buckle up. Europe has had it with Trump's bullshit.
Here's the TikTok link: www.tiktok.com/@euronews.tv...
Here's the TikTok link: www.tiktok.com/@euronews.tv...
January 21, 2026 at 1:35 AM
Buckle up. Europe has had it with Trump's bullshit.
Here's the TikTok link: www.tiktok.com/@euronews.tv...
Here's the TikTok link: www.tiktok.com/@euronews.tv...
I don’t know if European leaders understand how much the average American desires Greenland.
January 21, 2026 at 1:24 AM
I don’t know if European leaders understand how much the average American desires Greenland.
You’re having trouble paying rent and affording groceries but Lamborghini sold more cars last year than ever before.
It’s definitely a “you” problem, not a “system” problem if you can’t afford one.
It’s definitely a “you” problem, not a “system” problem if you can’t afford one.
January 21, 2026 at 1:20 AM
You’re having trouble paying rent and affording groceries but Lamborghini sold more cars last year than ever before.
It’s definitely a “you” problem, not a “system” problem if you can’t afford one.
It’s definitely a “you” problem, not a “system” problem if you can’t afford one.
I wonder how many Greenlands we'll have to lose before the Mad King finds something else to play with.
Some perspective: The S&P opened down -1.3% on Trump's Greenland saber-rattling. That's $750 billion of wealth destroyed -- roughly equal to estimates of the value of Greenland.
And so ~in dollar terms~ his shenanigans have already cost the US one Greenland, and we've got nothing to show for it.
And so ~in dollar terms~ his shenanigans have already cost the US one Greenland, and we've got nothing to show for it.
January 21, 2026 at 1:11 AM
I wonder how many Greenlands we'll have to lose before the Mad King finds something else to play with.
This should cause Sam Altman a few sleepless nights. Think of the hurdles AI has to clear in the next few years: growing resistance to construction of new data centers, obtaining enough power to run them, fending off efforts at regulation, and now, potentially billions in legal claims.
January 21, 2026 at 12:26 AM
This should cause Sam Altman a few sleepless nights. Think of the hurdles AI has to clear in the next few years: growing resistance to construction of new data centers, obtaining enough power to run them, fending off efforts at regulation, and now, potentially billions in legal claims.
One lingering strain of conservative thought I see the Nobel stuff nearly killing: The idea Trump can be treated as a "praise when good, criticize when bad" policy gumball machine as opposed to a real person whose character is too dangerous to discuss this way
www.nationalreview.com/carnival-of-...
www.nationalreview.com/carnival-of-...
January 21, 2026 at 12:03 AM
One lingering strain of conservative thought I see the Nobel stuff nearly killing: The idea Trump can be treated as a "praise when good, criticize when bad" policy gumball machine as opposed to a real person whose character is too dangerous to discuss this way
www.nationalreview.com/carnival-of-...
www.nationalreview.com/carnival-of-...
From Morgan Stanely's latest survey. This could be rough in what was hoped to be a good year for PCs and servers (on premises).
"VARs expect 30-60% of customers to reduce their PC, Server and Storage spending plans in response to input cost inflation induced pricing hikes."
"VARs expect 30-60% of customers to reduce their PC, Server and Storage spending plans in response to input cost inflation induced pricing hikes."
January 20, 2026 at 11:35 PM
From Morgan Stanely's latest survey. This could be rough in what was hoped to be a good year for PCs and servers (on premises).
"VARs expect 30-60% of customers to reduce their PC, Server and Storage spending plans in response to input cost inflation induced pricing hikes."
"VARs expect 30-60% of customers to reduce their PC, Server and Storage spending plans in response to input cost inflation induced pricing hikes."
Native American leaders have expressed sudden and intense interest in Donald Trump’s legal theory that a country does not automatically own land simply because “some boats turned up a few hundred years ago”, describing it as “fascinating, bold, and extremely interesting”.
NEWS! Native Americans intrigued by Trump's claim that 'landing boats' doesn’t grant you ownership of the entire country newsthump.com/2026/01/19/n...
Native Americans intrigued by Trump’s claim that ‘landing boats’ doesn’t grant you ownership of the entire country
Native American leaders have expressed sudden and intense interest in Donald Trump’s legal theory that a country does not automatically own land simply because “some boats turned up a few hundred y…
newsthump.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:58 PM
Native American leaders have expressed sudden and intense interest in Donald Trump’s legal theory that a country does not automatically own land simply because “some boats turned up a few hundred years ago”, describing it as “fascinating, bold, and extremely interesting”.
We've reached an inflection point, I think. Global investors are realizing that we're being governed by someone who is barking mad and that things will only get worse from here.
'This is sell America' — U.S. dollar, Treasury prices tumble and gold spikes as globe flees U.S. assets
'This is sell America' — U.S. dollar, Treasury prices tumble and gold spikes as globe flees U.S. assets
The "Sell America" trade is in full swing Tuesday morning.
cnb.cx
January 20, 2026 at 10:53 PM
We've reached an inflection point, I think. Global investors are realizing that we're being governed by someone who is barking mad and that things will only get worse from here.
Every success emboldens a malignant narcissist like Trump to take a bigger risk. Add to that his clear dementia and we have a serious problem on our hands.
As the Trump administration intervenes in Venezuela, readies troops for a possible deployment to Minnesota & threatens to seize Greenland, Archbishop Broglio said it “would be morally acceptable” for troops to disobey what violated their conscience.https://wapo.st/45kMRJz
January 20, 2026 at 8:51 PM
Every success emboldens a malignant narcissist like Trump to take a bigger risk. Add to that his clear dementia and we have a serious problem on our hands.
"When the law is on your side, pound the law. When the facts are on your side, pound the facts. When neither the law nor the facts are on your side, pound the table."
Looks like the DOJ took this suggestion literally.
Looks like the DOJ took this suggestion literally.
JUST IN: A federal judge orders Halligan and the US attorney's office in EDVA to stop referring to her as the US attorney or risk discipline.
Judge Novak says DOJ's argument was so vitriolic it was "more appropriate for a cable news talk show" than DOJ. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Judge Novak says DOJ's argument was so vitriolic it was "more appropriate for a cable news talk show" than DOJ. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
January 20, 2026 at 8:43 PM
"When the law is on your side, pound the law. When the facts are on your side, pound the facts. When neither the law nor the facts are on your side, pound the table."
Looks like the DOJ took this suggestion literally.
Looks like the DOJ took this suggestion literally.
He's standing there flipping through random pages, mumbling about random things. If Joe Biden had given this kind of rambling, nonsensical performance, every pundit on God's green earth would have been screaming about it, but for Trump it's just Tuesday. Nobody will even notice.
Trump: "Whoo. I'm glad my finger wasn't in that sucker. That could've dome some damage but you know what? I wouldn't have shown the pain. I would've gone back. Boy did you hear that? That was nasty. But I would not have shown the pain. I would've acted like nothing happens as my finger fell off."
January 20, 2026 at 8:24 PM
He's standing there flipping through random pages, mumbling about random things. If Joe Biden had given this kind of rambling, nonsensical performance, every pundit on God's green earth would have been screaming about it, but for Trump it's just Tuesday. Nobody will even notice.