2:00PM Water Cooler 1/17/2025 | bare capitalism

“Trump Picks a Jet-Setting Pal of Elon Musk to Go Get Greenland” [New York Times]. “Ken Howery is a quiet, unassuming tech investor who prioritizes discretion. And but, he has ended up in the midst of two of the noisiest story strains of the incoming Trump administration. One is the increasing ambition of Elon Musk, Mr. Howery’s shut buddy and fellow party-scene fixture because the two helped run PayPal 25 years in the past. The opposite is the expansionist ambition of Mr. Musk’s boss, President-elect Donald J. Trump, who has set his sights on shopping for Greenland, the world’s largest island. As Mr. Trump’s choose for ambassador to Denmark, Mr. Howery is anticipated to be central to what Mr. Trump hopes might be a real-estate deal of epic proportions. The one hitch is that Denmark, which counts Greenland as its autonomous territory, says the island just isn’t on the market. Whether or not he likes it or not, Mr. Howery, a globe-trotter recognized for his style for journey and elaborate social gathering planning, is more likely to discover himself in the midst of a geopolitical tempest. Mr. Trump has been specific about his expectations for his new ambassador filling a once-sleepy put up. When he introduced Mr. Howery for the function, which requires Senate affirmation, he reiterated his designs on Greenland for the primary time since profitable the presidency.”

“Trump choices for prime jobs advance, regardless of preliminary controversy” [WaPo]. “When President-elect Donald Trump first unveiled his picks to workers his new administration, among the extra unconventional names sparked gasps and hypothesis that they may not amass sufficient help to be confirmed even in a GOP-controlled Senate…. However three days forward of Trump’s return to the White Home, a lot of his most outstanding Cupboard selections have sailed comparatively unscathed by means of their hearings and are poised to win affirmation as Republican senators rallied round them and appeared largely unwilling to defy Trump’s needs…. Senate GOP opposition to lots of the present Trump picks has not materialized, not less than not publicly, after Matt Gaetz, Trump’s authentic choose for legal professional normal, withdrew beneath strain. No Republican lawmakers have stated they are going to oppose Hegseth, although a handful haven’t made their intentions clear. Trump’s nominees can lose three Republicans at most and nonetheless be confirmed if no Democrat backs them. It’s uncommon for the Senate to reject presidential picks. However Hegseth’s obvious glide path bodes effectively for a few of Trump’s different controversial selections, like former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, his choose for director of nationwide intelligence, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was tapped to steer the Division of Well being and Human Providers. Their hearings haven’t been scheduled however are anticipated quickly. Kash Patel’s nomination as FBI director can also be thought-about a tougher promote.”

“Scoop: Trump crew sweats McConnell’s vote on Tulsi Gabbard” [Axios]. “President-elect Trump Trump’s transition thinks Gabbard, the nominee for director of nationwide intelligence, can get confirmed even with a “no” vote from McConnell. However his public opposition — if it materializes — might open the door to different GOP defectors…. If Democrats have any likelihood — and it’s slim — at serving to drag down a Trump nominee, they see Gabbard because the almost definitely prospect. Minority Chief Chuck Schumer views the social gathering’s grilling of Hegseth as a hit. He’ll demand the identical for his or her remedy of Gabbard, HHS nominee RFK Jr. and FBI director nominee Kash Patel.”

“White Home’s Pandemic Workplace, Busy With Fowl Flu, Could Shrink Underneath Trump” [Time]. “By Inauguration Day on Monday, a lot of the pandemic workplace’s workers may have cleared out their desks. The workplace, formally often known as the Workplace of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Coverage, or OPPR, is dropping greater than half of its 18-person workers because the Biden Administration arms off the duties to a Trump Administration that has but to fill a number of key pandemic-response positions, in keeping with two Biden Administration officers. The political appointees accountable for the workplace—director Paul Friedrichs and deputy director Nikki Romanik—are leaving to make method for potential Trump appointments, and a number of other of the workplace’s 14 profession staffers, whose assignments to the White Home workplace had been momentary, are returning to their residence companies…. Supporters of OPPR level to its work in latest months addressing the unfold of a virulent pressure of fowl flu, which was first detected infecting U.S. dairy cattle in March.” • Supporters try this? Oh….

“Trump crew ‘having a very good giggle’ over Michelle Obama’s ‘deliberate’ determination to skip inauguration: ‘Didn’t anticipate her to return anyway’” [Page Six, New York Post]. “Barack and Michelle Obama’s workplace introduced this week that Michelle will skip the sixtieth inaugural ceremonies on Jan. 20, however that the previous president will attend. Michelle additionally skipped former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Jan. 9 as a result of she was on an “prolonged trip” in Hawaii.” And: “‘She’s by no means been faux and he or she’s by no means been phony. She’s at all times been very deliberate about the place and the way she reveals up,’ the supply stated.” However: “She confirmed up reluctantly for the election.” Oh?!?!? So: “They had been united, however she doesn’t should unify round [Trump]. She doesn’t should say something. Her absence speaks volumes.” • Ho hum.

Get Shirley Chisholm’s title out of your mouth:

“Former Bernie Sanders marketing campaign supervisor Faiz Shakir enters DNC Chair race” [Politico]. “‘All of us seemingly agree — rhetorically not less than — that specializing in profitable again America’s various working class is of utmost precedence,’ Shakir wrote in his letter to DNC members. ‘However as I’ve listened to our candidates, I sense a constrained, status-quo type of considering. .’”… In his letter to members, Shakir laid out a few of his platform for his bid, together with a pledge to show the DNC into ‘an organizing military’ with its personal ‘highly effective media outlet’ that may launch its personal ‘compelling authentic content material.’” • OK, but when the brand new DNC is an”organizing military,” what’s the AFL-CIO for? I do know, I do know, “don’t reply that,” however you see the difficulty….

“Faiz Shakir, Ex-Bernie Sanders Marketing campaign Chief, Joins Race for D.N.C. Chair” [New York Times]. The deck: “Mr. Shakir stated his mission, ought to he win the put up, could be to redefine the Democratic Celebration because the social gathering of the working class.” ‘Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished (besides by the Democrat PMC base, in fact). Extra: “[Shakir] described the Democratic model as basically ‘tarnished,’ ‘damaged’ and in want of restore. ‘It’s late within the sport,’ he stated of his entrance. ‘If we are able to’t have a daring [dread word; remember “bold progressives”?] debate about these points — it’s now or by no means.’” And: “The intraparty debate over who will lead it has to date largely revolved round inner issues equivalent to how a lot cash the nationwide committee will allocate to state events and who will or won’t be awarded contracts to do the social gathering’s work.” • That’s, which consultants moist their beaks. It will be good if Shakir might blow that away, however that appears doubtful to me.

“Faiz Shakir’s Late Entry Shakes Up the Race for DNC Chair” [John Nichols, The Nation]. “However even when he could also be coming from behind, Shakir’s candidacy ought to be sure that the chair’s race might be extra sharply centered on ending the DNC’s deference to financial elites—a bedrock concern for Shakir, who has labored as a senior adviser for the anti-monopoly agitators on the American Financial Liberty Mission.” • That’s the “American Financial Libert Mission.” Spell the title proper, ffs. Nonetheless, superb information!

“Faiz Shakir, Bernie Sanders’ former marketing campaign chief, enters DNC race” [Associated Press]. “Shakir acknowledged that it might be too late for him to win, however he stated one thing was wanted to shake up the race. ‘It feels very fluid to me, that individuals are feeling,’ he stated. ‘Democrats are within the wilderness, proper? There’s no actual chief.’” • Ouch!

“Fetterman was elected to problem conference. Now, he’s difficult his fellow Democrats” [Associated Press]. I don’t agree with the headline in any respect. Fetterman’s technique was “each county, each vote.” It was not policy-oriented in any respect. Fetterman gained as a result of he went out and requested for folks’s votes, and the voters concluded, rightly, that Mehmet Oz was a loon and worse, an out-of-stater, a incontrovertible fact that Fetterman’s good social media crew drove residence. Extra: “Fetterman’s method is reminding some Democrats of former Democratic Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, each of whom clashed with their social gathering throughout President Joe Biden’s time period, turned political independents and didn’t run for reelection.” • Effectively, the social gathering wants it’s rotating villains, and now that Sinema and Manchin are gone, look who pops up.

“If Trump Needs to Unrig the Economic system, I’m In” [Elizabeth Warren, Wall Street Journal]. • Excuse my French, however Christ on a crutch, Liz! Has your social gathering been calling Trump a fascist for 4 years or not? And now it’s “By no means thoughts“? Shakir is so, so proper [pounds head on desk].

“How Democrats Drove Silicon Valley Into Trump’s Arms” (interview) [Marc Andreesen, New York Times]. “[ANDREESEN:] Normie Democrat is what I name the Deal, with a capital D. No person ever wrote this down; it was simply one thing everyone understood: You’re me, you present up, you’re an entrepreneur, you’re a capitalist, you begin an organization, you develop an organization, and if it really works, you make some huge cash. After which the corporate itself is sweet as a result of it’s bringing new know-how to the world that makes the world a greater place, however then you definitely make some huge cash, and also you give the cash away. Via that, you absolve your self of your whole sins. Then in your obituary, it talks about what an unimaginable individual you had been, each in your enterprise profession and in your philanthropic profession. And by the way in which, you’re a Democrat, you’re professional–homosexual rights, you’re pro-abortion, you’re professional all of the modern and acceptable social causes of the time. There are not any trade-offs. That is the Deal.” However: “[A]fter Obama’s re-election in 2012 by means of finally to 2016, issues actually began to vary…. the unifying thread right here is, I imagine it’s the youngsters of the elites. Probably the most privileged folks in society, essentially the most profitable, ship their children to essentially the most politically radical establishments, which educate them be America-hating communists. They fan out into the professions, and our firms rent a variety of children out of the highest universities, in fact. After which, by the way in which, a variety of them go into authorities, and so we’re not solely speaking a couple of wave of latest arrivals into the tech firms. We’re additionally speaking a couple of wave of latest arrivals into the congressional workplaces. And naturally, all of them know one another, and so unexpectedly you have got this inflow, this new cohort. And my solely conclusion is what modified was principally the children. In different phrases, the younger kids of the privileged going to the highest universities between 2008 to 2012, they principally radicalized arduous on the universities, I feel, primarily as a consequence of the worldwide monetary disaster and possibly Iraq. Throw that in there additionally. However for no matter cause, they radicalized arduous…. It turned out to be a coalition of financial radicals, and this was the rise of Bernie Sanders, however the children turned on capitalism in a really basic method. They got here out as some model of radical Marxist, and the basic valence went from ‘Capitalism is sweet and an enabler of the great society’ to ‘Capitalism is evil and needs to be torn down.’ After which the opposite half was social revolution and the social revolution, in fact, was the Nice Awokening, after which these conjoined.” • Effectively, thankfully the Democrats nobbled Sanders and prevented the social revolution half. However does Andreesen give them credit score for that? N-o-o-o-o. Why, the ingratitude.

Oddly, this web page has disappeared from the intertubes:

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