Richard Bellikoff
@bellikoff.bsky.social
Writer, singer & guitarist; Swimmer, skier & mountain hiker; Boxing, tennis, football & hockey fan; Sinatra, Steely Dan & Mahler fan
"Education: Liberty University School of Blond Woman Business Job Title: Senior Girl to the President Qualifications: Made a nice diorama of the Oval Office Special Skills: Fawning, kowtowing, exalting" theonion.com/political-pr...
Political Profile: Natalie Harp
White House aide Natalie Harp is drawing scrutiny from many political observers. The Onion shares everything you need to know about Harp and her background. Education: Liberty University School of Blo...
theonion.com
"Trump hates America. He hates the values on which America was built. He hates democracy. He hates rule of law. He hates all of the things that are what we’re supposed to be about as a nation." paulkrugman.substack.com/p/der-unterg...
Der Untergang
How badly will Trump punish America?
paulkrugman.substack.com
"“President Trump’s bone spurs would become dangerously inflamed if exposed to Canada’s frozen tundra,” Oz wrote. “If he decides to put boots on the ground, his feet should not be in those boots.”" open.substack.com/pub/borowitz...
Trump Gets New Podiatrist’s Note in Preparation for War with Canada
The note referred to a “Vietnam War-era issue involving bone spurs.”
open.substack.com
"While Scott Bessent is a contemptible sycophant, he isn’t stupid. He surely knows that this pathetic attempt to pressure Iran will not only not work but also reeks of desperation." paulkrugman.substack.com/p/losing-the...
Losing the Iran War: The Economic Front
The D in Bessent’s “D-Day” stands for Dud
paulkrugman.substack.com
"California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said his office expects to sue again within days. About 30% of the nation’s voters — and 80% of Californians — cast their ballots by mail in 2024." I'm among that 80%. www.latimes.com/politics/sto...
Supreme Court for now allows Trump to plan new mail ballot rules. California to sue again
California officials stressed that the court's ruling does not allow final implementation of the new rules requested by Trump.
latimes.com
"As usual, some of the greatest heat on Earth will be found at Furnace Creek in Death Valley, where the high was 121 degrees." That's why they call it Furnace Creek and Death Valley. www.latimes.com/california/s...
'Very hot or extremely hot': Southern California faces hottest week of the year
SoCal forecasters warn region faces its hottest week of the year, with triple-digit temperatures expected across L.A. and valley areas.
latimes.com
"The truth is that it’s hard even to figure out what a Trump win would mean in this context. Would it mean Canada agreeing to become the 51st state? That’s not going to happen." paulkrugman.substack.com/p/the-moose-...
The Moose That Roared
Why Trump will lose his war with Canada
paulkrugman.substack.com
""Arguing that he is “not alone” in his anti-nepotism crusade, Trump said, “Jared agrees with me.”" open.substack.com/pub/borowitz...
Eric Trump Calls Lindsey Graham’s Sister Unqualified Idiot Who Only Got Job Through Nepotism
“Are we going to give every blithering moron a position of power just because of who they’re related to?” he asked.
open.substack.com
"Democratic leaders, election officials and civic groups are preparing responses to potential Trump efforts to intimidate voters, seize ballots or deny the outcome of November’s midterms." www.latimes.com/politics/sto...
Will Trump interfere in the midterms? Democrats and their allies are preparing
Across California and the nation, Democratic leaders and voting rights advocates are ramping up coordination and gaming out responses to a raft of potential actions by the Trump administration to subv...
latimes.com
"Newsom . . signed legislation that allows workers and volunteers at organizations that aid immigrants to shield their home addresses from public records, and makes it illegal to post their personal information online with the intent to incite violence against them." www.latimes.com/california/s...
Newsom signs bill shielding immigrant aid workers' home addresses
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 2624, creating a California address confidentiality program for immigrant aid workers, employees and volunteers who face doxxing and threats.
latimes.com
"Federal judge vacates Trump administration policy pausing immigrant visa processing from 75 countries, ruling that Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his authority." www.latimes.com/world-nation...
Federal judge vacates Trump policy that suspended processing of immigration visas from 75 countries
A federal judge has vacated a Trump administration policy that had suspended the processing of visas from 75 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and Somalia.
latimes.com
"So Bessent, . . has squandered all of his credibility with his sycophancy, his apparent demands that top officials engage in unethical and probably illegal conduct, and his abuse of the Treasury’s financial power for clearly political goals." paulkrugman.substack.com/p/scott-bess...
Scott Bessent Fails to Gaslight the Market
What doth it profit a man if he sell his soul and can’t even manipulate the 30-year?
paulkrugman.substack.com
"Proud of his consistent opposition to polysyllabic words, Tuberville said, “Immigration. Education. Vaccination. No, no, no.” The senator said that he would continue supporting one-syllable words such as guns and oil, adding, “Short words good. Long words bad.”" open.substack.com/pub/borowitz...
Tommy Tuberville Opposes Contraception and All Other Polysyllabic Words
“I see the word ‘contraception’ and that’s a quick ‘no’ for me,” he said. “Don’t know what that means. Won’t look it up.”
open.substack.com
"A new poll finds 61% of California voters see potential interference by the Trump administration in November’s elections as a major concern." www.latimes.com/california/s...
Californians are more concerned about Trump interference in midterm than fraud, poll finds
Californians are more concerned about the Trump administration interfering in the state’s midterm elections than they are about voter fraud, noncitizens voting illegally or foreign interference, accor...
latimes.com
"Why are financial markets apparently unconcerned about U.S. solvency? Surely not because they expect Trump to act responsibly." paulkrugman.substack.com/p/what-are-b...
What Are Bond Markets Telling Us?
Interest rates are up — but don’t panic
paulkrugman.substack.com
"“This custom, state-of-the-art service container is covered in beautiful 24-karat gold and outfitted with the latest security and antimissile technology,” Trump said as he showed off the luxury catering truck, which reportedly cost U.S. taxpayers $900 million." theonion.com/trump-unveil...
Trump Unveils New 250-Foot Gilded Catering Container For Presidential Travel
WASHINGTON—Touting the new vessel as an investment that could discreetly transport the nation’s chief executive for years to come, President Donald Trump unveiled Tuesday a new 250-foot gilded caterin...
theonion.com
"Under the terms of Collins’s proposed event, she and her opponent will each be given “five tough questions, a string of pearls, and may the best clutcher win.”" open.substack.com/pub/borowitz...
Susan Collins Challenges Democratic Rival to Pearl-clutching Contest
“Looking worried is a full-time job, and an amateur like Troy Jackson simply isn’t up to it," she alleged.
open.substack.com
"remember the Presidential Pants Steamer, Hope Hicks, who was right by his side throughout his first term?" Hope Hicks is short for "I Hope all those Hicks in the sticks still support my boss." Her wish came true. They voted for him in 2024. www.jefftiedrich.com/p/jon-ossoff...
Jon Ossoff mentioned diaper nurse Natalie, and every Republican completely lost their shit
scenes from a performative meltdown
jefftiedrich.com
"There have not been any reported cases of event contracts motivated by arson, but it’s something Jamie Pietruska, associate professor of history at Rutgers University, said should be a concern. “There’s a reason these are called arson markets,” she said." www.latimes.com/california/s...
'That was fun.' As L.A. burned, online gamblers bet on how much the fires would destroy
While Southern California was burning in January 2025, people online were placing money on potential outcomes. Experts say the possibility of making money on disasters can create dangerous incentives.
latimes.com
"Trump clearly prefers a nightmarish, totalitarian dictatorship — the worst regime on the planet — to a vibrant, successful democracy. A democracy, by the way, that more than 36,000 Americans gave their lives to defend during the Korean War." paulkrugman.substack.com/p/a-new-leve...
A New Level of Trumpian Evil
North Korea is the worst government on Earth; Trump prefers it to the prosperous democracy next door
paulkrugman.substack.com
"“For far too long, the Department of Justice has displayed a prominent pro-law bias, but under my tenure that will be rectified immediately."” theonion.com/todd-blanche...
Todd Blanche Vows To Remain Fully Independent Of The Law
WASHINGTON—Assuring the American people he would not let the legal system sway his judgment in any decision he makes, recently sworn-in Attorney General Todd Blanche vowed at a press conference Monday...
theonion.com
"There’s no way that a moderate, essentially clean Democrat can lose in California to a Republican former Fox News host whose only previous political gig was as strategist for a British prime minister and who is endorsed by the detested, despicable President Trump." www.latimes.com/california/n...
Column: Xavier Becerra won't deliver the home runs — or strikeouts — racked up by Newsom, Schwarzenegger
California’s next governor, Xavier Becerra, is a “small ball” player, to borrow a baseball term.
latimes.com
"In a sign of a deepening accord, the communique added that both parties “never want to talk to that asshat again.”" open.substack.com/pub/borowitz...
In Major Breakthrough, Israel and Hamas Agree that Kushner is a Dick
“We don’t agree on much, but we see eye-to-eye on one thing,” the two groups said.
open.substack.com
Cincinnati is hot and humid, a tough place to play this time of year, especially for a 39 year old. 39 is young for life but old for tennis. www.cincinnati.com/story/sports...
Thiago Agustin Tirante upsets Novak Djokovic in Cincinnati Open
Novak Djokovic, a three-time Cincinnati Open champion, was upset by Thiago Agustin Tirante in the Round of 64 on Saturday, Aug. 15.
cincinnati.com
"The longstanding childhood vaccine schedule is safe, California’s top health official said, and continues to be recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics — the nation’s leading group for pediatricians . ." www.latimes.com/california/s...
California defends childhood vaccination schedule against Trump efforts to weaken it
The defense comes after President Trump issued an executive order recommending that the singular measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine should be separated into three, and that all childhood immu...
latimes.com
"“There’s a Trump Tower in Chicago and Manila, but nobody seems to get upset about those. That sign could be referring to any Trump. Either way, since when did it become illegal to build high-end real estate developments on a sex trafficker’s island?”" theonion.com/trump-downpl...
Trump Downplays Significance Of Trump Tower Found On Epstein Island
WASHINGTON—Dismissing news of the 70-story skyscraper as a “hit job” manufactured by the mainstream media, President Donald Trump downplayed Thursday the significance of a Trump Tower found on Little ...
theonion.com
