I wonder if the United States can learn anything from the last time a major industrialized country decided to isolate itself from the rest of the world?

Almost a decade after the Brexit vote, GDP in the UK is around 6-8% lower relative to peer countries. (Source: www.nber.org/papers/w34459)

“And so the Greeks send me this horse, we’re talking about one of the most beautiful horses you’ve ever seen. So big. So strong. Normally they keep this kind of horse for themselves but they were such big fans they said sir, please take our big wonderful horse we’ll even bring it to your house”

This is known as a “Holy Ghost”

Just before 1 a.m., #SCOTUS stepped back into the Alien Enemy Act litigation with a (remarkable) ruling that suggests, among other things, that a majority of the justices is tiring of the Trump administration’s Calvinball.

For more, see the latest “One First”:

www.stevevladeck.com/p/144-the-su...

🚨Georgetown University Law Center students are detailing which law firms have caved and which have stood up to the Trump regime. They have created this spreadsheet: docs.google.com/spreadsheets... Please share widely.

Important to realize that Trump’s approach to Canada and Greenland is like his approach to Ukraine. It’s not even simply American imperialism. It is America enabling Russian imperialism. (1/3)

In other countries, we recognize this immediately for what it is.

It's still early, of course, but I do wonder if one consequence of Trump 2.0 will be to cure Europe's recent flirtation with the far-right. They're seeing what the new right looks like in power, and it's very ugly and incompetent.

Important study finding that it's not hyper-masculine men who embrace Christian nationalism; it's men who see themselves as more feminine. Why? Because Christian nationalism (and extremist politics) are likely compensatory mechanisms for men insecure in their own masculinity. doi.org/10.1093/socr...

Someone needs to explain to our Sec of Commerce how capitalism works.

America has a GLOBAL TRADE SURPLUS on services. Services have the highest margins and profits of our exports. That is where capital and expertise focused.

It is why we dominate in tech globally.

JFC. The US Economic Policy Uncertainty Index is at its highest level since 2000, higher than during the Financial Crisis, higher than during COVID

So - I've actually led Ebola outbreak response at USAID.

This is bunk from Elon. They have laid off most of the experts, they're bankrupting most of the partner orgs, have withdrawn from WHO, and muzzled CDC.

What's left is a fig-leaf effort to cover their asses politically.

Three things that make the U.S. the envy of the world:

1) Professionalized military with strong norm of civilian control

2) Higher education and cutting-edge scientific research

3) Ability to welcome immigrants and attract the “best and the brightest”

All three are under threat.

A defining policy battle is about to come to a head in this country. The Republican budget will force everyone - especially Congress and the White House - to make plain whether they are prepared to harm the rest of us in order to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest.

Here is the ad the Washington Post refused to run about Elon Musk this weekend.

And here is the ad the Post was happy to run by a rightwing group funded by Musk that smeared me in October.

I started Democracy Docket to be fiercely independent and prodemocracy. Check it out. www.democracydocket.com

This is extraordinarily dangerous. Tomorrow, the legacy media will ask Republican officials about this. Those officials will lie and obfuscate. And the legacy media will move on.

That is part of the crisis we face.