It Is A Coup February 3, 2025 Timothy Snyder makes the case: The people who now dominate the executive branch of the government are acting, quite deliberately, to destroy the nation. . . . Knowing what they themselves will do and when, they will have bet against the stock market in advance of Trump’s deliberately destructive tariffs, and will be ready to tell everyone to buy the crypto they already own. . . . The best people in American federal law enforcement, national security, and national intelligence are being fired. . . . The attempt by the oligarchs to destroy our government is illegal, unconstitutional, and more than a little mad. The people in charge, though, are very intelligent politically, and have a plan. I describe it not because it must succeed but because it must be described so that we can make it fail. This will require clarity, and speed, and coalitions. Here are a few ideas. . . . If like me you are horrified by his pardoning those who bludgeoned cops (not just commuting their sentences, in all but 14 cases, but pardoning them) . . . while purging the world’s premier law enforcement agency, installing a morally compromised drunk to head the Defense Department, and handing the national checkbook to Elon Musk . . . I urge you to read those ideas. Also, to read Heather Cox Richardson: Throughout now-president Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign, it was clear that his support was coming from three very different factions whose only shared ideology was a determination to destroy the federal government. Now we are watching them do it. . . . Steve Bannon explained years ago how they were going to “flood the zone” and overwhelm the established order. And now it’s happening. This is no time to disengage. Impeachment can’t come soon enough. Sign on, in case you agree.
It’s The Messaging, Stupid January 31, 2025 Kris M: “This from Thom Hartmann is must reading. We need to understand what it means to be the opposition party and start actually opposing!” If Obama Had Sent a Mob to Kill a Cop, Republicans Would Never Let You Forget It The GOP would be screaming “Cop Killer” every single day — so why aren’t Democrats holding Trump to the same standard? . . . Next week the DNC will have a new chair, who will hopefully provide solid and aggressive leadership. Because the key to Democratic success over the next two (and four) years is pretty simple: Messaging. First, Democrats must frame the fight in simple, moral terms. From the Civil Rights era to the War in Vietnam, there was a time when my party knew how to do this; lately, it seems they’ve all fallen asleep (with a few rare exceptions). Instead of saying, “We need to expand social safety net programs,” they should say, as Lyndon Johnson often did, “No child in America should go to bed hungry.” Their next sentence should add, “But childhood hunger is just fine with Republicans trying to protect tax cuts for their Mar-a-Lago billionaires.” Second, Democrats should stop playing defense and instead seize the populist high ground. FDR knew how to do this and delighted in it. In one speech, referring to the morbidly rich of his day, he said, “They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred.” In today’s social media politics if you’re not fighting as if it’s war, you’re losing. Instead of arguing for “fair” taxation, say, “Trump wants to kill your healthcare and torch your kid’s school to pay for his billionaire tax cuts!” . . . He makes eight points — those are just the first two. Our team should read them all. Meanwhile . . . Trump, Without Citing Evidence, Blames D.E.I. and Democrats for Plane Crash “Despicable.” PS One of you who read yesterday’s ParkerVision post suggested that if it came to light that someone from the Obama administration did pressure the judge to throw out the unanimous $173 million jury verdict, then the case could be reopened. (The current cases are for separate patent claims.) So that could be another pile of money — plus 11 or 12 years’ interest. Not that I’m for a moment expecting this . . . but it’s fun to dream.
So THIS Is Interesting January 30, 2025 Or is, anyway, to those of us who own shares of ParkerVision. The plot, it seems, thickens. You may recall that a jury unanimously awarded PRKR $173 million in damages against Qualcomm in 2013. After all, they were shown internal emails from Qualcomm senior executives like this one, in 1999, that said: “The truth is ParkerVision have stumbled on something revolutionary.” And this one to Qualcomm’s CEO at the time: “This is critical technology we must land.” You can see it all laid out in this video I have linked to before. Rather than license PRKR’s technology — that ultimately came to reside in literally billions of cell phones — Qualcomm, in the jury’s unanimous view, stole it. It had taken a decade to get the case in front of a jury. Giants like Qualcomm can afford legal talent who are really good at delay. But there it was: $173 million for past use of the intellectual property, plus a royalty to be negotiated on all future use. The judge seemed fine with that. And then six months later, out of the blue, he threw out the verdict. What? What happened? Today, PRKR released what it says is the first of a four-episode “Against the Giants” video series. The larger significance — and why it might gain some traction, at least among inventors and patent attorneys — is that Qualcomm is not the only tech giant that squashes small inventors who cannot possibly afford decades of litigation to enforce their patents. Which, apart from being truly unAmerican and unfair, may affect our global competitiveness. According to “Episode 1” of “Against the Giants,” which I’ve just watched, Qualcomm was a frequent visitor to ParkerVision’s website. No great surprise there. But a couple of days after Qualcomm’s CEO hosted an Obama fundraiser, there was a visit from a computer in the White House. And a few days after that, the Obama-appointed judge threw out the verdict. I’d be amazed if the President had any direct involvement. He remains my hero. But was one of the aides with him that night persuaded by Qualcomm’s CEO that PRKR’s lawsuit threatened national security? We may not have heard the end of this. I asked ChatGPT just now: “what is the status of ParkerVision patents lawsuits?” ParkerVision has been involved in several patent enforcement actions. Here’s a brief update on the status of some of their key lawsuits: ParkerVision v. Qualcomm: The Federal Circuit recently reversed a previous non-infringement ruling and remanded the case back to the district court for further proceedings. This means the case will continue in the Florida district court. ParkerVision v. LG Electronics: This case has been stayed pending the final determination in the Qualcomm case. ParkerVision v. MediaTek: The case is currently pending, with a claim construction hearing scheduled for January 26, 2024, and a trial date set for April 14, 2025. ParkerVision v. Realtek: This case is also pending, with a claim construction hearing scheduled for January 26, 2024, and a trial date set for March 17, 2025. ParkerVision continues to actively pursue its patent enforcement actions to protect its patented technology. So then I asked: “what was the outcome of the January 26, 2024, MediaTek and RealTek construction hearings?” The January 26, 2024, claim construction hearings for the ParkerVision cases against MediaTek and Realtek resulted in favorable rulings for ParkerVision. The court adopted ParkerVision’s proposed claim constructions for most of the disputed terms in both cases. The stock could still go to zero. Or, conceivably, to 5 or, well . . . who knows? I own a ridiculous number of shares, some of which I plan to sell if and as the price rises in anticipation of these trials, but many of which I expect to hold on the chance that justice may finally, perhaps even spectacularly, at long last, in my lifetime, be done.
Chaos And Absurdity January 30, 2025 Quitting the World Health Organization just as a bird flu virus spreads across the globe may be neither a forward-thinking way to improve the nation’s health nor a great way to bring down the cost of eggs. Yet (in case you missed it) that’s what Trump has already rushed to do. So much nuts going on! As people see more chaos and absurdity, I think the President’s slumping approval rating may continue to sink. So far, they are stumbling at almost every turn. One thing is clear: This presidency is like none we’ve ever seen. Some think it could grow very dark, indeed. “How bad could it get?” asks Jonathan V. Last in Gangsters Paradise. “Well, people forget that once upon a time it was unthinkable that Vladimir Putin would kill a political rival.” Worth a read. And joining Indivisible. And Field Team 6. And staying engaged. BONUS It’s not clear from the ABOUT section of Fear & Loathing / Closer To The Edge who actually writes these posts. But he or she sure has a future: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. walked into his Senate confirmation hearing like a man stepping onto an ice rink wearing banana peels for shoes. He had one job: convince the world that he was not a bug-eyed conspiracy theorist who once hoarded a whale head and left a bear carcass in Central Park. Instead, he walked out as the leading cause of migraines among Democratic senators. This was supposed to be his moment of redemption, his big I’m-not-actually-insane speech. Instead, it turned into a political demolition derby featuring protesters screaming that he was a liar and a killer, Bernie Sanders interrogating him about baby clothes, Elizabeth Warren asking if he planned to run HHS like a side hustle, and a surreal moment where Kennedy had to confirm that he probably said Lyme disease was a military bioweapon. By the end of the day, Capitol Police had forcibly removed more people from the chamber than a dive bar on St. Patrick’s Day. Kennedy barely got through his opening statement before a woman exploded from the gallery like a jack-in-the-box filled with rage and science degrees. “YOU LIE!” she screamed, holding up a sign that read VACCINES SAVE LIVES before being swiftly tackled and dragged out by Capitol Police. Kennedy blinked rapidly, which is how you know he was hearing the voice of the worm that used to live in his brain whispering, Abort mission, Bobby. Abort mission. A brief moment of peace settled over the room, and then it happened again. “YOU’RE KILLING PEOPLE!” another protester howled, launching into a full-body rage spiral before security carried her out, legs kicking, like a screaming suitcase with opinions. Kennedy took a deep breath and tried to regain his footing, but Senator Ron Wyden had been waiting for this moment like a prosecutor with a personal vendetta. “Are you lying to us, Mr. Kennedy?” Wyden snapped, staring daggers at him. Kennedy forced a nervous smile, but it came out looking like he’d just been told he had to fight a horse for a parking spot. “That claim has been repeatedly debunked,” he said, attempting to sound reasonable despite an entire room full of people who were watching YouTube compilations of him saying the exact opposite. Wyden wasn’t buying it. “You signed a petition to restrict access to the COVID vaccine. Did you or did you not?” Kennedy mumbled something about the petition being “misrepresented” as the air in the room thickened with sweat, bad decisions, and organic supplements. Wyden was gearing up for a finishing blow when another protester detonated like a landmine. “YOU’RE A FRAUD!” she shrieked as security dragged her away in a full-body lock. Even the cops looked exhausted now. Then came Bernie Sanders, a man who has not been in the mood for nonsense since 1972. “Are you supportive of these baby onesies?” he demanded. The room froze. Kennedy’s brain crashed like a Windows 98 PC. “Excuse me?” Sanders lifted a printed-out photo of a baby bodysuit covered in anti-vaccine slogans. “These are being sold by the Children’s Health Defense, the organization you founded.” Kennedy looked like he had just accidentally eaten a ghost pepper and was trying to play it cool. “I—I don’t have oversight over that organization anymore,” he mumbled. Sanders cracked his knuckles like a man ready to fistfight a CEO and leaned in. “Are you supportive of these onesies?” Kennedy started sweating through his suit. Laughter rippled through the room. A Republican senator actually covered his face. Kennedy, now looking desperate for a fire alarm to pull, tried to pivot to his real passion: banning corn syrup. Sanders wasn’t having it. Then Elizabeth Warren took the mic, radiating pure prosecutorial energy. “Will you commit to not taking money from pharmaceutical companies while serving as Secretary of Health?” she asked, in the tone of a woman who already knew the answer but was going to enjoy watching him squirm. Kennedy grinned like a dog that just chewed up your furniture and is hoping you’ll laugh it off. “I don’t think they’d want to give me money,” he chuckled. Warren did not chuckle. “Will you commit to not profiting from lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies while serving as HHS Secretary?” Kennedy froze. The color drained from his face. “You’re asking me not to sue drug companies?” he said, voice rising. “No, I’m not going to agree to that.” Warren’s eyes gleamed like a hawk spotting a wounded rabbit. “So you’ll be suing the same companies you’re supposed to regulate?” Kennedy looked like he wanted to melt into his chair. Then came Michael Bennet, a man who had been waiting patiently to drop a grenade into Kennedy’s lap. “Did you say that Lyme disease was a militarily engineered bioweapon?” Bennet asked, deadpan. Kennedy hesitated. “I probably said that.” The audience gasped. Bennet cocked an eyebrow. “Did you say that pesticides turn children transgender?” Kennedy turned bone white. “I don’t recall saying that.” Bennet’s lip twitched. “But you do recall saying Lyme disease was a bioweapon?” Kennedy looked like he had been hit by a tranquilizer dart. Even the Republican senators were staring at their desks, avoiding eye contact. The hearing finally adjourned, but Kennedy is not in the clear yet. His next grilling is scheduled for tomorrow, and there’s no telling how much worse it can get. His opponents smell blood. His supporters are already crafting conspiracy theories about the deep state. And if the vote ends in a deadlock, Vice President JD Vance will cast the deciding vote. Yes, JD Vance—the political equivalent of a wet cardboard box—will determine if a man once partially controlled by a brain parasite will run America’s health system. The nation waits in suspense. Pass the whiskey.
Abraham Lincoln’s Message To 2025 January 28, 2025 We’re all for law and order, right? But Republicans now make an exception for bludgeoning the police, threatening to hang the Vice President, and defecating in the Capitol — that’s considered patriotic, not criminal. And they enthusiastically support a twice-impeached convicted felon who lied to the FBI and unquestionably obstructed justice. Here is Heather Cox Ricardson on Abraham Lincoln, before he became America’s first Republican president. His 1838 speech, given at the age of 28, In Praise of Law And Order. Lincoln was speaking directly to us in 2025. Thanks to all of you who have chipped in to the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, the context and importance of which are described here. If you’re looking for additional ways to help, consider Indivisible’s to-do list for the week: 1. Tell your senators to vote NO on Trump’s most dangerous nominees. Senate Republicans disgracefully confirmed Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary on Friday by a historically small margin. If we can flip just one additional Republican to vote ‘no’ on Russell Vought, Kash Patel, Tulsi Gabbard, or RFK Jr., we can block their nominations. And there’s reason to believe there’s growing opposition to some of these nominees. Let’s keep the pressure on. 2. Join Indivisible’s co-founders this Thursday at 3pm ET/12pm PT to process the news and dig into strategies for fighting back. With so much coming at us right now, it’s important to carve out time to come together in community and dig into what matters and what we can do about it. Indivisible’s Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin will lead the discussion and spend most of the hour answering audience questions. 3. NY Indivisibles: Tell Senator Schumer to Stop Surrendering to MAGA Extremists. Donald Trump is unleashing an authoritarian assault — pardoning violent January 6th criminals, dismantling rights, and enabling fascism — while Senator Schumer responds with calls for bipartisanship. This is not leadership. Senator Schumer must condemn Trump’s attacks on democracy, mobilize Senate Democrats to block extremism at every opportunity, and reject fantasies of common ground with MAGA extremists. Email Senator Schumer now and demand bold defiance, then help us spread the word using our social toolkit. P.S. — With social media companies bending the knee to Trump, Project 2025 purging the government of dissenters, and corporate media companies caving in the face of speech-chilling lawsuits, it’s never been more important to invest in organizations you believe in that are willing to speak out and fight back against autocracy. Fundraising has been off to a slow start this year, so please consider chipping in to support Indivisible’s work today P.P.S. — Join us on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 6:30pm ET/3:30pm PT as we kick off a new year of critical work for the Truth Brigade, Indivisible Civics’ grassroots-powered network of activists dedicated to disrupting disinformation. Whether you’re new to the work or a disinfo-fighting expert looking to channel your passion, all are welcome.
Be Happy! January 26, 2025January 27, 2025 I’m not entirely a Don’t Worry, Be Happy type, though it’s a pretty great song. (“In every life we haf some trahble! When you worry, ya make it double. Don’t worry! Be happy!”) There is, after all, a lot to be concerned about. Fascism and climate change spring to mind. (And bird flu, a toppy stock market, tariff and deportation policies that could spike inflation that could spike interest rates that could tank the toppy stock market, unintended consequences of artificial intelligence, disinformation, cyber terror, unprecedented levels of inequality that rend the social compact, the San Andreas Fault . . . ) Maybe the difference between worry and concern is that worry implies stress and unhappiness; concern suggests responsibility and purpose. As in: We need to fix this. Or at least the parts we can. Hence yesterday’s post asking your help with the April 1 Wisconsin Supreme Court election. Paul W. pushed back: “Judges should not be elected. They should not make policy. Political parties should not be involved. I don’t care or want to care who sits on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.” → Fair. Except that control of the House in 2026 could turn on Congressional redistricting in Wisconsin — so you might consider caring anyway. I was heartened to see Nate Silver give Democrats an 85% chance of winning back the House in 2026. A win in Wisconsin April 1 would definitely help. And he gives us a 40% chance of winning a trifecta in 2028! The House, the Senate, and the Presidency! Less than even odds but a real shot. So there’s reason to stay engaged. Two reasons, really. The obvious one: it helps us win. Less obviously: It animates the spirit and improves mental health. Purpose is a powerful thing. As is hope. David Hogg, 24-year-old survivor of the Parkland massacre, has hope in spades: Four years from now, it won’t be a Republican entering the White House. I feel completely confident in that. Because while Republicans would LOVE it if we gave up, we’re not going to. Instead, we’re going to make the Democratic Party the strongest it’s been in over half a century. How? By electing young leaders all over the country with a bold vision for the future. Leaders who fight for us, not the uber-rich. If you can, will you rush a donation to Leaders We Deserve to help us elect the next generation of leaders so we can win – resoundingly – in four years? Our work relies on your support. Thank you. And thanks to Glenn Sonnenberg, who recently posted this song on his wonderful blog. Gonna be a bright, bright sunshine-y day. And — oh, what the heck. If Trump can bafflingly try to repurpose one gay anthem (hey! I’m friends with one of the Village People!), then, in the spirit of defiance, I can offer another. If we pull together — and treat our Republican friends with respect as we offer our alternative — we will survive. BONUS Hope For Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness.
Fight Back! January 24, 2025 The race for Wisconsin Supreme Court April 1 has huge national implications. If Judge Susan Crawford wins: The Court will continue to lean 5-4 blue, with fair districts protected. If the (ferociously anti-choice) guy running against her wins: MAGA redistricting could cost us our chance to win back the House in 2026 . . . And — because Wisconsin is the swingiest of swing states — even the White House in 2028. It’s that important. The MAGA team is pulling out all the stops. Musk has already tweeted against her. And yet we have a real chance to win, just as we did two years ago when Judge Janet Protasiewicz’s win gave us that 4-3 majority. We have to do it again, because one of our 4 is retiring. Here’s how to help stop the MAGA takeover of the Wisconsin Supreme Court! If you’re unhappy with Trump so far — as a majority of the country is — it’s a great way to fight back. Spread the word!
I Mean: Just Wow January 23, 2025January 23, 2025 Trump moves to raise drug prices. One of the nearly 200 executive orders that newly inaugurated President Donald Trump signed on Tuesday reversed several critical policies that President Biden had put in place. Among those was lowering drug costs for Americans. With the stroke of his pen, Trump removed a $2 price cap on certain generic drugs, did away with a provision that would improve access to high-cost therapies for Medicaid recipients, and ended an effort to expedite the evidence-gathering process for new drugs. To put it another way, President Trump just opened the door for drug prices to skyrocket . . . That should help with inflation. Here is the new whitehouse.gov . . . all about Trump. He won nearly 50% of the popular vote (49.8%), which he considers a landslide; and his approval rating stands at 47%; but it’s only been two days and he’s already got unemployment at near record lows, inflation within a hair of where the Fed wants it, the stock market near record highs, oil and gas production the greatest of any country in history, gas prices, adjusted for inflation, back to where they were in 1955 (when gas mileage was far worse, so the cost of driving a mile is now half what it was), tens of thousands of infrastructure projects underway — and in many parts of the country he seems to have solved global warming! Indeed, on that one, he may have overshot the mark. Here are the Biden executive orders he’s rescinded so far. You might agree with some of them. But really? Here is the way the world should be: Convicted US Capitol rioter turns down Trump pardon . . . Accepting a pardon would only insult the Capitol police officers, rule of law and, of course, our nation. I pleaded guilty because I was guilty. Accepting a pardon would serve to contribute to their gaslighting and false narrative. We were wrong that day, we broke the law — there should be no pardons. . . . Imagine that. And here is 10 minutes mostly about a brave judge who speaks truth to power. What the judge writes is so obviously true and important. I hope you can find time to watch.
Things Now Okay To Do January 22, 2025January 22, 2025 It’s now okay to threaten, attack, and bludgeon law enforcement officers — so long as it’s done on behalf of Donald Trump. If for any other reason, there will be hell to pay. It’s okay to commit seditious conspiracy, for which Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio was sentenced by a Trump-appointed judge to 22 years in prison, and Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, by an Obama-appointed judge, to 18 . . . so long as your treason was on behalf of Donald Trump. They’re now back out on the street. It’s okay to steal classified documents from the government . . . . . . okay to lie to the FBI about having them . . . . . . okay to move them around to keep the FBI from finding them . . . . . . but only if you’re Trump. This is how it works in Putin’s Russia; and now, tragically, here. Conservative George Will reviews Monday’s inaugural address — “memorable for its staggering inappropriateness.” (Of the national “energy emergency” Trump declared, he notes that, adjusted for inflation, gas cost less Monday than it did 70 years ago, in 1955.) [Correction: The tax cuts for the rich expire at the end of this year, not in 2027 as initially posted yesterday.]
Our To Do List — And His January 21, 2025January 21, 2025 OUR LIST “Authoritarians thrive on fear and hopelessness,” write George Lakoff and Gil Durán. “Here are 17 things you can do to not give into negativity:” 1. Be Brave Avoid helpless/hopeless talk. Authoritarians want you to feel powerless because it makes their work easier. Courage, faith, and optimism are essential. Fascism feeds on cynicism and pessimism. Starve it. No regime lasts forever. Resolve to do your part to ensure the survival of democracy. Choose to believe that we will find a way to come out stronger. 2. . . . To which I’d add an 18th: Watch Rachel Maddow every night for the first 100 days of his presidency. Last night — after I’d written the rest of this post — I learned the details of Trump’s pardons and commutations of all the convicted insurrectionists, including those who attacked and injured police officers. Republicans are the “law and order” party, tough on crime, unless that crime is committed on behalf of the Dear Leader. Now that’s officially okay. Indeed, those 1,500 Proud Boys and Oath Keepers may become the core of his own private paramilitary force, as Rachel and her guests explained. That’s how autocrats do it. And it began yesterday. HIS LIST That said, I think it’s important, for the good of the country and to maximize our chances of winning the mid-terms, to applaud — and surely not resist — any good things he tries to do. His speeches yesterday were horrible. (And by the way? China does not run the Panama Canal, and our ships are not charged more than anyone else’s.) But look: If he finds a way, with the approval of their governments, to destroy the Mexican and Central American gangs and drug cartels . . . and find ways to help spur those countries’ economic development . . . that would be great. > Renaming the Gulf of Mexico, by contrast, is what a bully, not a good neighbor, would do. And there are two reasons not to be a bully: one, it’s a terrible thing to be; two, everyone hates bullies and will, in the long run, find ways to do them in. And look: If he and Musk can find ways to make the government run more efficiently . . . and/or to remove needless red tape that impedes our economic productivity . . . that would be great, too. > Eliminating the Department of Education or firing competent civil servants because they are not loyal to Trump — let alone shrinking the IRS — are examples of really bad ideas that should be resisted like crazy. Likewise: His vow to extend his 2017 tax cuts, expiring at the end of this year, would be fine if it applied only to almost all Americans — namely, those whose taxable income does not exceed $400,000 a year. Maybe even go ahead and raise that ceiling to $500,000. Or $1 million! Let’s support that. > But extending the tax cut on income above $1 million? Above $50 million? Above $1 billion? When we’re running huge deficits and the gap between rich and poor grows ever more corrosive? Over that, we should be crying bloody murder. There will be lots more examples — e.g., I can see ways a very narrow exception to birthright citizenship might be something we should support — but let me end with one of my favorites: Social Security Reform. If he proposes to make the kind of modest adjustments to Social Security that people have been suggesting for decades, we should applaud, or at least not resist. It would be a meaningful step in shoring up our national balance sheet and reassuring the bond market that, no, we don’t plan to go bankrupt. Here’s what I wrote 20 years ago: . . . You would just take a little from column a, column b, and column c: (a) Right now, the age at which you can retire with full benefits inches up to 67 by 2027. What if it kept rising one month per year, to age 68 in 2039? You could still take partial benefits as early as age 62; for full benefits, you’d have to wait one more year. But you would have 30 or 40 years (if you started now) to save a little extra to keep this from being a hardship. (b) Few advocate raising the already hefty payroll tax RATE, currently 6.2% each from you and your employer (plus a further 1.45% each for Medicare). But what if, instead of having that 6.2% drop to zero on income above $90,000, as it does now, it dropped to 1% instead? Annoying, but not a killer; and worth paying so that grandma – much as we love her – doesn’t have to move in. (c) Once you start receiving benefits, they rise with inflation, as they should. And in calculating your initial benefits, your prior years’ contributions are adjusted for inflation as well. If we made those adjustments based on ‘price inflation’ rather than ‘wage inflation,’ the system would save a fortune. Indeed, we probably wouldn’t need to do (a) and (b) – just (c). But some combination of the three is likely to go down easiest. So that’s it. As I wrote in PARADE a year or so ago: ‘A bit of pain around the edges, with plenty of time to prepare for it – and the Social Security problem is solved.’ . . . The numbers could be easily updated for 2025 (this first appeared in 2003). And in the years to come, AI and other tech advances might have made us so productive and prosperous that Congress could responsibly repeal some of these changes before they even kicked in! I.e., before they actually affected retirees. But in the meantime, with a better a balance sheet and a reassured bond market, our borrowing costs would have been lower. Bottom line: Tuning out is not constructive. Staying engaged will be hard; but surely not as raising a family working two or three jobs at $12 an hour, let alone the $7.25 federal minimum wage the Republican oligarchy refuses to raise. Onward to the midterms!