Notices by Maria (mariahill@progressivecafe.social)

A little malicious compliance in Salt Lake City. Here's one way to sidestep a law that forbids Pride and Juneteenth flags.

https://www.ksl.com/article/51308163/salt-lake-city-adopts-3-new-flags-to-bypass-new-state-flag-law

@TonyStark If you ever want to explain how antisemitism works, I can think of no better example than targeting an American Jewish governor for the Israeli government's actions.

It's not even the point, but Josh Shapiro has called Netanyahu “one of the worst leaders of all time.”

Interesting that House Homeland Security Chair Rep. Mark Green is so concerned about not spending taxpayer money on a CODEL to investigate abuse of prisoners rendered to El Salvador, but not about the American tax money being spent to imprison them there in the first place.

https://www.axios.com/2025/04/17/house-republicans-democrats-el-salvador-trips

A 6th grader participating in the National Civics Bee argued against banning books with LGBTQ characters or offensive language in secondary school libraries.

State Sen. Dave Argall, a contest judge, thought it appropriate to ask the 12-year-old if kindergartners should have access to porn. The student had to ask him what he was talking about. (She asked without guile, but maybe we should all ask Republicans what they're talking about when they ask stupid questions.)

https://www.republicanherald.com/2025/04/17/civics-bee-question-stirs-controversy/

Trump and Salvadoran President Bukele each claim they are unable to bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia back to the USA and now the Trump admin says it wasn't a mistake to deport him and it would just send him right back.

Senator Van Hollen is sick of Trump defying a federal judge and says he will go to El Salvador himself to check on his constituent and discuss his release.

This is real leadership. If you're a Marylander, here's a worthwhile call to your senator.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/2025/04/14/kilmar-abrego-garcia-chris-van-hollen/?share=ehcmaic2csw4tlwhealh

@TonyStark "Oopsie" is how Trump's buddy, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele described Trump's violation of the judge's injunction. The Trump admin claimed the planes were already on their way to El Salvador. The admin should have had the planes turned around and did not.

Trump claims the Venezuelans are gang members with no proof. That's how fascism works. Declare someone an enemy and you can do whatever you want to them.

I'm sure it will shock everyone that the Trump admin DOJ's lawyers weren't competent to argue its new position in federal court. The judge had to call a recess so that the attorneys could go read the policy they were defending. Shocker #2: Hegseth "egregiously misquoted" the studies they were relying on to argue their position. The studies actually say that trans troops are more ready and more deployable than a comparison population not excluded from service.

https://newrepublic.com/post/192657/judge-military-trans-ban-trial-lawyers-incompetence

The USA does not want tourists or visitors from countries that are our purported allies. Here's a story about a German citizen detained at the border, accused of living in the United States based on zero evidence. His fiancée, an American citizen, was put in shackles also for no reason and told she didn't have the right to a lawyer when she asked for one.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/german-tourist-detained-by-ice-while-visiting-fiancee-experience-nobody-wants/

How 1984. An Idaho teacher’s “Everyone is welcome here” poster violates the right to express differing beliefs in public schools – a school district code that follows “respect the dignity of others.”

Local news is covering how impossible it is for a teacher when “everyone is welcome” becomes verboten, though the reporter isn’t calling it out as fascism. She’s brave to go to the news.

https://youtu.be/Jv18DtVhLmk?si=lB-wBKGqfKTuB29I

I don't think I've ever been so embarrassed and ashamed for my country as I was a few minutes ago while watching the USA's head of state tell Ukraine's to be more grateful.

It's an almost unbelievable projection for Trump to say that Zelenskyy is the one "gambling with World War III."

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c625ex282zzt

@MJ Happy Black History Month!

Everyone, regardless of your ethnic background, should celebrate the achievements of Black people who have to do more to be recognized. There are all kinds of cool events everywhere this month. I'm going to one tomorrow. This is just a short list in a few cities. You'll probably have to search for your own since I ran out of space.

https://www.washingtonian.com/2024/01/25/ways-to-celebrate-black-history-month-in-the-dc-area/

https://billypenn.com/2025/01/30/family-friendly-and-children-oriented-black-history-month-events/

https://secretnyc.co/museum-exhibits-black-history-month/

https://chicagodefender.com/your-guide-to-chicagos-black-history-month-events-exhibits-and-celebrations/

https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/black-history-month-events-pittsburgh/

@yuhasz01 @TonyStark "Entitlement" has been made a dirty word. You are ENTITLED to receive Social Security payments in your old age or if you become disabled for having worked for more than 10 years (or meeting other requirements such as being a surviving spouse or dependent child or someone who did; not an exhaustive list of ways you can qualify). This is a good thing, not a bad thing.

@TonyStark Ways to complete a sentence starting with "No good choices"

...for your health care under the 2025 Concepts of a Plan

...among the judges the Federalist Society will allow Trump to appoint

...among the things working and middle class people will be able to afford once the Trump tariffs go into effect

It's hard to decide who the worst person associated with the Trump campaign is, but you probably can't go wrong if you say it's Musk (who worked illegally under a student visa while not actually enrolled in school and lied to immigration, offenses for which American citizenship can be revoked, which has nothing to do with this story about his weird lottery, but it's always worth mentioning Republican rules-for-thee, not-for-me).

https://www.reuters.com/legal/judge-weighs-challenge-elon-musks-1-million-voter-giveaway-2024-11-04/

New Republican voter suppression tactic: mail voters forms asking them to delete their own voter registrations, scaring them into thinking they are no longer eligible to vote.

The system to check if you're registered in a former state works. I just checked in my last state and I've been deleted from the rolls, not that I'd have considered going back to vote there too. Who would other than a Trump staffer?

Such a slimy operation.

https://www.goerie.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/10/30/erie-pa-republican-activists-mailed-voter-registration-cancel-forms/75828840007/

This is the Handmaid's Tale future waiting for us in every state if Republicans get their way. You can't have a safe, legal abortion. If you self-medicate, the hospital will call the sheriff on you and you'll get hauled off to jail.

It's only 2024 though, and federal judges still let you sue when Texas does it. This one is even a Trump appointee, but we'll still be much safer with VP Harris-nominated judges.

https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-arrest-0a78cbb8f44cc24c3c9c811e1cc2b4d3

@MJ @TonyStark "League of clowns" is a good description of the Republican Party right now.

@TonyStark Joy Ann Reid was enjoying making fun of the “Black jobs” line with Maryland Governor Wes Moore earlier this week. I hope every one of those racist lines bites Trump in the ass with voters of all backgrounds.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is the first governor to create a hotline for voters and election workers to report threats of physical violence. Shapiro says he's responding to the assassination attempt. Hopefully other governors will follow Shapiro's lead on this. Everyone should be able to be safe from political violence.

https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/pennsylvania-launches-hotline-for-voters-and-election-workers-to-report-threats/

I'm not a lawyer, but I know that it's a bad idea to take legal advice from your adversary.

Mike Johnson wants Democratic voters to think that there's some issue with running anyone but Joe Biden. There isn't. The convention hasn't happened yet. The Heritage Foundation has written a memo about lawsuits but who are they going to sue? The delegates pledged to Biden-Harris for voting for Kamala Harris? I think Marc Elias, a lawyer for the Democrats, has this one covered.

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/07/21/joe-biden-drops-out-election/gop-legal-challenges-00170014