Just One Thing: Trump's War on Drugs
Here's the beginning of my Substack note today:
Reader Rick offered this as part of a longer comment yesterday:
I firmly believe that the USA is woefully unprepared for non-state sponsored acts. These acts might be direct terrorist threats and how to resolve them along with acts such as the above, where non-combatants are utilized to swamp our country with illicit drugs. We need to stop that.
While I’m not 100% sure I understand his bigger point, I took a stab at an answer:
I think the idea of “swamping our country with illicit drugs” is slightly overstated in the sense that it’s not like a WMD that impacts everyone within a particular vicinity. The drugs only cause (direct) injury to those who choose to take them. Also, while there’s lots of (understandable) news about bad things that happen to people who take drugs, I suspect that FAR more people take drugs and don’t come to a bad end or cause bad things to happen to others than do have those outcomes.
I think it’s a mistake to think of fentanyl as a drug in this context even though it is literally a drug with a medical use when used intentionally with the correct methods and doses. Instead, I think of fentanyl as a poison. The drug dealers are poisoning their customers, poisoning Americans, and in that context I think selling fentanyl is MUCH worse than selling pretty much any other drug.
Please read the rest of my note and subscribe to my Substack here: Trump's war on drugs - by Ross Kaminsky - The Ross Report
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Today's Guest:
Ed Kim is VP of Education & Training at Code Ninjas. We'll discuss why it is becoming critical for students to be knowledgeable and responsible users of technology, and especially AI, in this changing world.
Coding for Kids | Engaging, Interactive, Skill-Building Learning | Code Ninjas
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Other Stuff
OK, not the most important thing but want to make sure to include it because as a Coloradan and someone who works at the broadcast home of the Colorado Rockies, I sure want the team to get (much) better: Rockies hire Dodgers VP Josh Byrnes as GM to turn around franchise - ESPN
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This is a huge story and a great policy move by the Trump administration: Trump's new lower fuel-economy rules could save Americans millions, White House says
Trump administration moves to roll back fuel economy standards set under Biden - CBS News
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As long as we're talking about driving, this seems like decent advice: Biggest Winter Driving Mistakes on Colorado Mountain Roads | Denver Westword
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I wonder what will leak out of this briefing: Lawmakers to hear from Navy admiral about attack that killed boat strike survivors | AP News
Exclusive | Hegseth Asked Top Admiral to Resign After Months of Discord - WSJ
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I agree: the Minnesota fraud scandals are about much more than just the money and even more than how dangerous it is to have Tim Walz (or anyone like him) running a state. The questions it raises about immigration are salient, even critical: Minnesota’s Massive Welfare Fraud Scandal: Implications for Immigration Policy | National Review
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As much as the Biden administration abused the pardon process, I think President Trump is taking it to a new level. A week ago he pardoned the former president of Honduras who was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison after being convicted of taking bribes to facilitate literally tons of cocaine being sent into the United States. Yesterday, Trump announced that he's pardoning Rep Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and his wife for bribery charges that they were facing trial for. Cuellar says he got ethics opinions prior to engaging in the charged behavior.
Both pardons involved people telling Trump that the accused/convicted were victims of unfair prosecution by the Biden administration.
Nothing can be done to rein in Trump's use of the pardon power but it strikes me as outrageous, bordering on corrupt, even as I understand Trump's hatred of what he perceives as the kind of lawfare that was used to persecute him. But the situations are simply not the same.
Henry Cuellar was on Leland Vittert's show on News Nation last night and basically claimed that he was unfairly and unjustly targeted for prosecution by the Biden DOJ because of his criticism of Biden's border policies (and occasional other times that he sided with Republicans...he probably has the most conservative voting record of any Democrat in the House.)
What was Honduras ex-president convicted of and why has Trump pardoned him?
Trump pardons Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar | AP News
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Does anybody who matters care anymore? Are we all so numb to the behavior of senior government officials that nothing matters anymore except to the extent that one side believes they can use it to hurt the other side?
Pentagon watchdog says Hegseth's use of Signal posed risk to US personnel | AP News
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Look what I found! Lone Tree police find stolen mail while responding to a crash | FOX31
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I didn't get to this remarkable story yesterday: Michael and Susan Dell donate $6.25 billion to encourage families to claim 'Trump Accounts' | AP News
Michael Dell pledges $6.25 billion to fund Trump Accounts for 25 million kids
Which Colorado Kids Are Eligible for Dell's "Trump Accounts"
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And I owe you this one too: Zillow Removes Climate Risk Scores From Home Listings - The New York Times
Other real estate stuff: Fewer people are moving — and it may be reshaping America
Sellers are yanking their homes off the market as delistings jump 28%
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I can't even imagine this. If it's even close to true it's quite remarkable: Survey: 1 in 3 Gen Z Workers Admit to Yelling At Their Boss
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Computer-building nerds (which has included me), take note: Crucial is shutting down — because Micron wants to sell its RAM and SSDs to AI companies instead | The Verge
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I never expect government to do a good job with this sort of thing but if they can just prepare it for a project to be handled by a serious developer maybe it will work out: Denver City Council approves $37M purchase of Denver Pavilions downtown (may require subscription)
At this point it seems like it’s best known for having escalators that don’t work: Why Does Denver Want to Buy the Pavilions?
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