The Trump administration and his unelected stooge, Elon Musk, had charged in and imposed a blanket reduction of all indirect costs to 15% — indirect costs are the mechanism used to support the infrastructure of science all across the country. This was a devastating, crippling strike against research.
A federal judge in Boston ordered a nationwide temporary pause on plans by the National Institutes of Health to substantially slash research overhead payments to universities, medical centers, and other grant recipients.
Judge Angel Kelley of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued the temporary restraining order late Monday night in response to a lawsuit filed that afternoon by associations representing the nation’s medical, pharmacy, and public health schools, as well as Boston and New York-area hospitals. The suit names the NIH, Department of Health and Human Services, and the acting heads of both agencies as defendants.
In the order, Kelley wrote that the defendants cannot take “any steps to implement, apply, or enforce the [policy] … in any form with respect to institutions nationwide until further order is issued by this Court.”
That’s good. Unfortunately, I don’t like the idea of judges deciding the fate of universities, because if one thing is clear, there is no objective standard in how laws are applied, especially since different judges are expressing different opinions, and the judiciary is already packed with ideologues. Thanks, Federalist Society!
Perhaps more encouraging is that some Republicans are waking up to the fact that they’re getting boned by Trump policies.
Red-state universities are hitting back at the Trump administration’s expansive cuts to science and research funding, warning they would be forced to shutter laboratories and lay off staff should they face the sudden elimination of millions of dollars in funding.
The blowback, echoed by at least two Republican senators, marks the most widespread political resistance the Trump administration has faced in its rapid sprint to reshape the federal government and its spending policies.
There are very good universities imbedded in all those red states — they provide resources and training that are essential to the economic well-being of those regions. Even Republicans know this, and they have begun stirring to defend against the Trump/Musk idiocy.
Universities in conservative strongholds have spent the last few days warning of the drastic economic and scientific toll of the new funding limit, putting fresh pressure on Republican officials to stand up for their states. The episode could also amplify scrutiny of Trump’s pick to run the Education Department, Linda McMahon, ahead of her confirmation hearing on Thursday.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) slammed the policy as “devastating” and illegal.
Oh fuck no…Susan Collins is saying she opposes it? You know what that means: as soon as an opportunity to act rises up, she’s going to vote for anything Trump says. That’s the problem: you can convince Republicans that something is against their self-interest, but when push comes to shove, they’ll align themselves with the biggest bully in the room.
That last paragraph is the most maddening, inFURINATING part of all of this.
My elected officials have been hearing from me almost daily for the past two weeks. The Citizens Climate Lobby is active in reminding them how important scientific institutions are. I slipped in there today that they took an oath to the Constitution, not the president, and that was by design; the Founders did not want a king. If you want to hear aides sounding uncomfortable over the phone, that’s a good approach!
Republican opposition to Trump has always been performative.
The reactions of red state Republicans fall solidly into the “‘I never thought the leopards would eat my face’ cried the person who voted for the Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party” category. If only the leopards would just eat their faces, I’d be fine to indulge in the schadenfreude, but also they have unleashed the leopards to eat everyone’s faces and I’m rather fond of mine.
Just saw a clip of some Democrat on the news saying something about we just need a few Republicans to be willing to loose, to make the choice Liz Cheney made to stand up for the Constitution and oppose MuckRumpster. Unfortunately I’m afraid they’re on their knees praying to themselves while pocketing the cash, and just too damn busy to bother.
The Trump/GOP plan to wreck the Federal government is going to cost all the states huge amounts of money.
It will cost the Red states more though.
They depend more on Federal spending because they are usually poor and low tax states.
The Blue states via the Federal government subsidize the Red states at $1.24 in direct aid for every $1.00 they pay in taxes.
The Red states get most of the FEMA money.
The Red states also depend more heavily on Department of Education money to run their school systems.
The GOP also wants to eliminate Medicaid and food stamps.
41 million people rely on food stamps in the USA, many in Red states.
So which Federal programs are on the chopping block today?
.1. Research and medical funding.
.2. FEMA
.3. Department of Education
.4. Medicaid
.5. Food stamps.
.6. Head Start.
.7. etc..
Yeah, the 50 states are going to have a huge power and need vacuum to fill.
Or just ignore in the case of many Red states.
36.4% of the state’s budgets are from Federal sources.
This is an aggregate number.
The Red states are the most dependent and the Blue states the least, on average.
Montana is highest, California one of the lowest on a per capita basis
Yeah well, they just voted to confirm a lunatic to run HHS. I wouldn’t count on the Republican senators not to vote that the sun rises in the west if that’s what president Musk wants them to do.
cervantes @ #8 — Definitely not counting on Republicans anywhere. However, there are some congressional elections coming up that could tip the balance a tad if the pain begins to squeeze. I read something in the last day or two…perhaps even here…that Virginia could be in play because Northern Virginia is home to a lot of Federal bureaucrats.
Well it’s a good thing that Trump learned his lesson.
robro@5
Or maybe if the mythical roc would descend from the sky and carry off Elon Musk. That would help a bundle too.
I mean if we’re gonna wish for impossible things, it ought to include a good visual.
PaulBC @ #11 — The only thing I’ll pray for is that MushRumpster disappears. If the Roc takes a weasel or ten all the better. As with all my prayers, I have extremely low confidence of there being any result other than perhaps I’ll fall asleep. I have a similar low confidence in Democrats doing anything even if they won some seats, but it’s about all we got.
#3 microraptor:
Republican opposition to a lot of things has been performative, especially to Russia.
Remember, the USA has just over 4% of the world population.
16% of world manufacturing, 13% of world universities.
(Just saying)
Grifters gotta grift. Today’s stock market headline from CNBC says it all: “Dow closes more than 300 points higher as Trump holds off on imposing new tariffs.” Trump, Musk, and other wealthy “advisors” know these decisions in advance and change their position accordingly. Millions…perhaps even billions…were made on this knowledge.
Aren’t they supposed to be impulsive and stupid and clueless and so forth, robro?
(they’re just very lucky, I’m told)
[while I am at it, robro, to what entity do you refer by the term ‘MushRumpster’?
If it is (as context indicates) supposed to refer to Elon Musk, it’s a fucking laboured and feeble effort, though not the worst and feeblest ever. But, you know, right thereabouts]
John Morales @16 — Depends on which “they” and which “thing”, It seems they can be very deliberate about grifting, but very rash about grabbing certain things.
Thanks, John. I give it my best. I see them as merged
“Depends on which “they” and which “thing””
Sure, it refers to your immediately preceding comment which I was directly addressing:
“Trump, Musk, and other wealthy “advisors”” are the ‘they’;
“know these decisions in advance and change their position accordingly. Millions…perhaps even billions…were made on this knowledge” is the “thing”.
No worries, it’s a caricature in your head of an amalgam of Trump and Musk, but excluding other “advisors”.
—
I do note you avoided the thrust of my comment; let me be more direct: are they stupid and losers, or are they cunning and winners? Both? Neither?
[We in Oz survived Abbott and Costello, FWTW]
John — Stupid people can be cunning. I didn’t “avoid” your point.
So, stupid but cunning, that’s your answer. The lucky aspect, well, that’s left for speculation.
—
Anyway, sorry, I didn’t mean to pick on you.
A common sentiment here, that “they” are stupid and incompetent and whatnot.
Insulting epithets (well, feeble epithets that are intended to be insulting, to be fair), but no substance.
Yet “they” are the powers-that-be, ATM.
(Something there doesn’t chime, does it?)
This is perfect, this is how I want it to happen. Hurt as many people as possible, especially those who voted for the Trumpster. We need to sit back, and let his egregious results infest those with red blood. Wait, I mean those who voted red. I know it will hurt many innocent and wholesome folks, but the best way through this is to destroy the platitude(s) his supporters have of him. The fire must be put out as completely as possible.
I guess I’m not surprised that the anti-woke or free speech absolutist crowd that claim to be true pro-science advocates have been relatively quiet lately. As much as “wokeness” can be detrimental (real or imagined) in their view, isn’t it now clear that the “anti-woke” forces they sometimes mingled with are clearly a greater threat to science than wokeness? I understand that the audience they captured would eat them alive if they actually pointed out the destruction of science by the very ideologies they cater towards but some honesty would at least give them some credit to their claims of defending science from ideological interference. I know I’m singing to the choir here but in the slight chance someone like that or a fan of such a person stumbles here, I hope they realize that battling against political interference requires criticizing any ideology or politician that aims to undermine science, especially to fit their own agenda. If wokeness is a level 10 threat in the arbitrary scale, then what’s currently happening is breaking the scale altogether.
Trump has a habit of making wild threats and then backing off on them.
.1. Those tariffs on steel and aluminum aren’t that big a deal.
Steel and aluminum are only around 5% of US imports.
They aren’t good, but not enough to totally wreck the US economy.
The 10% tariffs on China aren’t high enough to really matter much either.
A nuisance that won’t have a big effect either way.
.2. The new tariffs are probably more of the same.
The last time he did the tariff game, they ended up with so many exemptions based on US companies interests that in the end, they didn’t really matter very much.
What they aren’t going to do is raise so much money that we can abolish the income taxes. Which was one of his main campaign points.
Let’s not forget this anti-education display plays perfectly into the religious zealot’s plans.
So after the Gabbard and RFK votes, the entirety of the Republican resistance is… (checks notes)… Mitch McConnell? Mitch. Fucking. McConnell. Even by the low standards Republicans have set for themselves, the cowardice is amazing.
In more fun news, one of the Liberal leaders in Canada wrote an Op-Ed proposing a 100% retaliatory tariff, worldwide, on Teslas. One of the best ideas I’ve heard in a long time.
@21. John Morales : “We in Oz survived Abbott and Costello, FWTW”
Actually Costello never became Pm and wasn’t even deputy PM when Abbott was in charge.
See esp for non-Aussies :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Costello#Federal_Treasurer_(1996%E2%80%932007)
PS. Albeit I’m pretty sure that was an allusion to the American comedy duo.
( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbott_and_Costello )
@ stuffin :
Then what? The damage that willbe done eso toplanetary Climate and international politics and those whoget genocided in Ukraine, Palestine and likely and with everything beiung rigged by the Repugs..
Some things are forever and some damage will be permanent. Biodioverity loss and climate system impacts for starters.
Clarity fix : The damage that will be done to planetary Climate and international politics and those who get genocided in Ukraine, Palestine and likely elsewhere and with everything now being rigged by the Repugs..
@30: :)
(Also, Abbott had several ministries while Costello was Treasurer)
BTW, did my #14 stimulate any brain cells, StevoR?
Trump is cunning about fraud and manipulation, like many grifter sociopaths . This does not mean he has good judgement in other areas; we know he is astonishingly ignorant, boorish and stupid. He has a staff of flunkies to help him function in his job.
Another example: The televangelist grifters were not clever people, but they were good at separating the marks from their money. Can we please get rid of the notion that villains must be one-dimensional? They have the skills they need to be effective villains.
.
My strongest prejudice concerns the Democratic leader coterie: Millionaries who always talk the talk but rarely walk the walk. Whenever they get a chance to affect change I expect them to fold, and cut a bad deal with the Republicans. It would be nice if they just once proved me wrong (if Trumpism is defeated, being labelled unfair to Democrats would be a small price).
@31 StevoR – It is going to happen anyway. Once Trump stops the money and weapons to Ukraine, the Russians will commit the genocide you mention. Not sure what Europe will do in response, but I have little confidence it will matter.
Same goes for Palestine; after making deals with several Arab countries by using taxpayer monies, Trump will move them all out of Palestine, and it will become the waterfront property as Jared Kushner talked about a year ago. Jared Kushner says Gaza’s ‘waterfront property could be very valuable’ Donald Trump’s son-in-law also says Israel should bulldoze an area of the Negev desert and move Palestinians there. Jared Kushner has praised the “very valuable” potential of Gaza’s “waterfront property” and suggested Israel should remove civilians while it “cleans up” the strip. My guess is the world’s wealthiest wouldn’t mind a new private luxury vacation spot.
Sometimes the fire can’t be put out, it will need to burn itself out. Yes, many will suffer. Hope it doesn’t happen this way but I’m not seeing anything that will stand in the way of these right-wing demagogues. And the religious zealots who should be against this will support it as long as they can Make America Christian Again. MAGA + MACA will make life a hell on earth for the many and comfy for the riches few. And when I say Demagogues, I mean the ones ruling Israel also.
I really don’t think so.
You’re buying into the dismal narrative.
(Exactly the same one that predicted a quick, victorious war for Russia right at the beginning of the invasion)
Don’t under-estimate Europe.
It wasn’t always such a peaceful place, you know.
(Rather, the opposite)
—
This is not such a fire.
Now could be a great chance for Europe to scoop up some excellent American scientists. Hey, y’all, ist very nice living here, universal healthcare, no guns, freedom of religion as well as religious freedom, (mostly) friendly people, high quality of living. Want to escape the drama and insecure conditions in the US? Come to lovely Germany, or France, or Spain, or the Netherlands, or Sweden, or lots of other nice European countries, where your work will really be appreciated.
[“Oh, waily, waily, it’s the foldin’ o’ the arms, the foooldin’ o’ the aaaarmss!” cried Daft Wullie, dropping to the ground and trying to cover himself with leaves. Around him Feegles started to wail and cower and Big Yan began to bang his head on the rear wall of the dairy.”
― Terry Pratchett, Wintersmith ]
Sort of OT: just had a visit from the ‘Progressive’ Conservatives prior to the Ontario election. Silly me, I just told the bloke there’s no fucking way I’d vote for them. I should have mentioned the $200 Doug Ford (PC Ontario premier) sent to every potential voter in the province, and that I donated $100 to the Liberals, and $100 to the NDP. Hope they drop by again…
[topical, though not all that authoritative a channel, about rearmament. Close enough]
These Countries are Stacking Their Militaries in 2025.
@ John Morales
‘I really don’t think so. You’re buying into the dismal narrative.”
And what barrier(s) are there in place or being constructed to stop Trump from carrying out his ruse? Show me some concrete strategies and take me out of this gloom.” My uneasiness comes from the weak attempts to change the direction this stuff is headed. Trump has the world distracted with his fantastical/fanatical verbal diarrhea. The common man is being entertained by this and even cheering it on. Until the pain reaches a threshold that can break their cycle, we will continue down this slope.
“Don’t under-estimate Europe.”
I had high hopes pre-election, look where they got us. Maybe Europe will prove to be more resistant to this catastrophe engulfing the western civilization.
PS, when Trump defies the courts, who will be able to stop what will happen next?
“Trump has the world distracted with his fantastical/fanatical verbal diarrhea.”
You are not the world.
PS
“Maybe Europe will prove to be more resistant to this catastrophe engulfing the western civilization.”
Maybe there is no actual catastrophe engulfing the western civilization.
(“the western civilization!” An informative turn of phrase)
Here’s an actual European:
FWIW, it ain’t complicated:
1:
2:
[US$B units]
[another European]
@34. John Morales :“BTW, did my #14 stimulate any brain cells, StevoR?”
Huh?
Because?
^ Cont.
Yes, so?
Theyalso have the world’s second largets nuclear arsenal and wield huge political and cultural influence esp over the so-called Western world inclusing nations like mine.
Not sure what your point is here.
@44. John Morales : “Maybe there is no actual catastrophe engulfing the western civilization. (“the western civilization!” An informative turn of phrase)”
Kinda yes to the last one. The notions of both the “West” – usually including Oz & Aotearoa (NZ) which is very much Southern geographically – and actually eastern geographically too for that matter hemispheres~wise as former Aussie PM Paul Keating once noted – plus what is meant by “civilisation” are vague, contentious and subjective.
OTOH, it seems to me that there are multiple catastrophes facing us currently notably :
(1) Global Overheating – our species making the entire planet less habitable than previously and much less able to sustain the world as we have known it by excessive consumption of Fossil Fuels leading to changes in atmospheric composition with a rise in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases rapidly shifting the climate. This is a major cause of and linked to..
(2) ..the fact that we are currently living through a Mass Extinction Event – the colossal loss of Biodiversity and environmental carnage caused by habitat loss, urbanisation, deforestation, desertification, the Global Overheating as mentioned above but also more. Referred to here also as the 6th Mass Extinction and Anthropocene / Holocene Mass Extinction – see :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocene_extinction
(3) The rise of Fascism and reichwing extremism. Plus other totalitarian or totalitarian adjacent political ideologies e.g. PRC’s 1-party state & Russia’s neo-Tsarism if we can call it that. Like Nazis, actual fucking nazis like Musk. Somehow back again showing yet again we do not learn from history even the harshest lessons of the 1930’s – 40’s . Anyhow, representative Democracy (rule of the People for the People, by the People with genuinely free and fair elections) as a model of governance seems to be In trouble and failing right now with more authoritarian, brutal and unethical systems of governance rising
(4) Capitalism being obvs unsustainable ecologically and environmentally and increasingly socially which interacts with and causes both the above as well. There is an escalating tendency for the ever-increasing inequality of wealth, opportunity, and the monopolisation of power and other things in a few obscenely wealthy metaphorical hands at the expense of everyone else in the world. Seems to me, the European “mixed market” economic system with a fusion of the best aspects of socialism and capitalism is the least bad path to take here maybe?
(5) The collapse of International law and order & retreat to “might makes right” in world geopolitics. The uselessness of the UN which has no means to enforce its rulings and is hamstrung by the veto power. The disregard by the most powerful nations on the planet – the USA, Russia and China mainly – for international law and norms. That these nations can reject and make a mockery of the laws and ideals sets an example that other states will then feel free to point to as justifying their law-breaking or ignoring & seem to be leading to a world where basically military and political power dictates outcomes regardless of fairness, human rights, legality, ethics, etc..
Not that these catastrophes are unique to the “West” (see my first paragraph) altho’ nations generally listed as such – broadly speaking the earliest and most advanced Industrial & developed nations – but the “West “both played the biggest role in causing them and faces the biggest falls from previous quality of life, political and social freedoms etc, because of them.
Of course, there are other arguable catastrophes that we as a species and “Western Civilisation” (if there even is such a thing**) face as well so this ain’t a comprehensive list.
** I do like Mahatma Gandhi’s possibly apocryphal (?) response when asked what he thought of “Western civilisation” noting it would be a good idea.
“Not sure what your point is here.”
The USA ain’t the world. By a long shot.
Well, catastrophes ain’t cataclysms, eh?
(Meh. I grew up during the Cold War. This is nothing much)
@ ^ & 51 John Morales : Have I ever said the US o A is the world? That theworld doesn’t consist of far mor ethan just the USoA? I don’t think so.
I also grew up in the Cold War and I don’t think those 5 catastrophes I’ve noted in #50 are “nothing much.” I think they are destroying the world as we know it. Perhaps not at the almost instanteous rate a Nuclear Armageddon – which is another potential catstrophe the danger of which has NOT gone away would do – but still.
“Have I ever said the US o A is the world?”
Not in so many words, no. Not quite.
But you reckon them electing Trump is basically the end of the world.
And that Ukraine is gonna be “genocided”, because of Trump. (not a verb!)
—
“I don’t think those 5 catastrophes I’ve noted in #50 are “nothing much.””
They all preceded Trump’s re-election in that country.