Putin Yourself In His Shoes April 23, 2025 But first . . . PEARL Michael G. (another of my classmates, this one, I’m happy to say, alive and thriving): I just read your post and Jesse’s wonderful obituary of his mother Pearl. What a talent. He is missed. In return may I commend Mo’s novel Scarpia’s Kiss. If you haven’t read it, you have a treat in store. When Mo asked if I could help him get it published, I was skeptical as you could imagine. But then I read it and was blown away. PUTS The market rebounded yesterday and may rebound lots more when Trump starts declaring victory with trade deals that perhaps even lower reciprocal tariffs. That would help lower inflation rather than raise it (though not incentivize corporations to move manufacturing jobs to the U.S.) — which he could say was his master plan all along. The market would likely rebound further, the recession (or global depression) might be averted, and our puts could well expire worthless. NOTHING WOULD MAKE ME HAPPIER. But I will probably buy more if the rebound continues. PROTESTS Rachel Maddow — almost always worth the watch — reviewed dozens of this past Saturday’s protests (14 minutes), which serves two purposes: > She pumps us up! We are not alone! We are making our voices heard! The media are beginning to notice! It’s encouraging! You may want to join the next one! (Thursday, May 1. Here’s a map of the ones that have been organized so far. Here’s how to organize one of your own.) But also, by highlighting many of the creative signs . . . > She reminds us of the outrageous, unAmerican, things the Trump/Musk Administration are doing that are causing irreparable harm. This is not normal! Join Indivisible! Democracy, once lost, is incredibly hard to restore. Global depression, once set in motion (see: Smoot-Hawley), causes almost unthinkable suffering — and is awfully difficult to dig back out of. The ship of state needs rescuing. Mayday! Mayday! Watch! PUTIN This is everything he could have dreamed of. America tearing itself apart, declaring trade war on its allies and everyone else except Russia, installing a Fox Weekend News host with a drinking problem to head the Defense Department, disbanding the teams tasked with combating Russian cyber aggression, degrading its ability to fight disease, attacking its globally admired colleges and universities, politicizing the Justice Department and the FBI, surrendering its “soft power” . . . . . . taking a wrecking ball to our flawed but indispensable 250-year experiment with democracy, the rule of law, and “due process.” Putin and his fellow kleptocrats are in seventh heaven.