WARNING! BOSTON VIRTUE SIGNALING!

 

Boston Symphony Hall Pride Night, June 5, 2026

Boston Pops,  Keith Lockhart, conductor 

Alex Newell 

Boston Gay Men's Chorus 

Radiant Broadway, Glee star, and Lynn-native Alex Newell stuns onstage alongside the bold and uplifting voices of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus for the Pops’ third annual celebration of Pride Month!

WHO WILL GO DOWN WITH THE USS TRUMP?

Bruce Lindner:

At present, there are 217 Republicans in the House of Representatives.

There are 53 Republicans in the United States Senate.

Six of the Supreme Court justices were appointed by Republican administrations, including three by Trump himself. Their Republican DNA is self-evident by their actions from the bench.

There are 23 Cabinet members, including the vice president, all Republicans.

His family; a wife, two daughters, three sons, two sons-in-law, two daughters-in-law, all apparently Republicans.

And yet, after a lengthy string of bizarre behavior, particularly his latest unhinged, threatening diatribes that he recently posted on Truth Social , not a SINGLE one of them has mustered the courage to proffer; “Hey, maybe he shouldn’t have the launch codes after all.”

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But it’s also sad. Sad for him, as his sanity drains away like so much antifreeze from a punctured radiator, and sad for the 340 million Americans + 7.6 billion other citizens of this planet whose lives are increasingly endangered.

Not JUST by the madman at the helm.

But even more so by a political party of absolute COWARDS. Who, for the most selfish of reasons, won’t lift a finger to rectify the situation.

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We live in extraordinary times. A madman is in the White House. And everyone knows it. Yet an entire political party is so cowed by him, so self-serving, so lily-livered, that not ONE of them will do what’s right for the nation they profess to love.

The pressure is increasingly on the Republicans. Who will break rank? And who will go down with the USS Trump?

ANOTHER TRUMP GRIFT BITES THE DUST

 

Blanche says DOJ ‘not moving forward’ with $1.776B anti-weaponization fund: ‘Period’

"It's the economy, Stupid!"

How's the economy working for you and your family? 

I'm doing ok, but that's because I'm retired, living alone in my own condo in a city and state that is doing well economically, but experiencing a severe housing crisis because of extreme unaffordability, critically low vacancy rates, and a massive supply deficit. This problem is part of a broader national crisis affecting many other states.

Food prices are up, especially meat, eggs, fish, and dairy. Meat prices don't affect me as much as they would have years ago, since I'm more likely to eat vegetarian meals rather than meat centered ones. I don't spend much on clothing, since I'm not part of the working world anymore. And I'm lucky to live in a state that has many choices for recreation that don't cost a lot of money. 

My one big trip this year was Ireland for my son's wedding, but that didn't cost a lot, since I made the airline reservations in January, before Trump's Iran War, and I was able to rent a lovely condo with another family member, which helped keep the cost of lodging down. We didn't rent a car, and opted for using public transportation and, one time, taxi. 

How has Trump's economy affect you?

 

497 days into Donald Trump's term GDP grew at 1.6% per year in the first quarter. Inflation is at 3.0% . 

The unemployment rate is 4.3% . The S&P 500 is up 25.3% since he took office.

"America’s economy was weaker than first thought at the start of the year, extending a sharp slowdown after a bumper 2025. GDP grew at an annualised rate of 1.6% in the first quarter, revised down from an initial estimate of 2%, after expanding by 0.5% in the fourth quarter and 4.4% in the third. The downgrade reflected weaker consumer spending and inventory investment. Growth may slow further this quarter, as the war with Iran pushes up fuel prices and squeezes household budgets." 

The Biden Boom and Trump Slump: A Serious Comparison of the Two Economies 

(The Center for Economic Policy and Research (CEPR) employs legitimate, well-credentialed economists [such as co-founders Dean Baker and Mark Weisbrot]. Its research is frequently cited by major media outlets and academic researchers.)

Key Takeaways: 

*Biden oversaw historically low unemployment, strong job growth, and rising real wages, especially for low-paid and Black workers. 

*Trump’s first year shows slower job creation, rising unemployment, and weaker labor market indicators. 

*GDP growth remained solid under Biden, while early Trump-era growth has been erratic, including a quarterly contraction. 

*Inflation was falling under Biden, but tariffs and policy shifts under Trump contributed to renewed price pressures. 

*Factory construction surged under Biden due to infrastructure, CHIPS, and clean energy legislation but slowed sharply under Trump. 

*Biden handed Trump the strongest economy in decades; early Trump policies have shown signs of weakening it.

The U.S. Economy Performs Better Under Democratic Presidents 

"The U.S. economy has performed much better under Democratic presidents than Republican presidents in the modern era. 

In almost every measure of the U.S. economy including total job growth, unemployment, economic growth, manufacturing job growth, manufacturing investment, small business creation, and contribution to the national debt, economic performance is stronger under Democrats. 

While there are many factors contributing to these trends, the throughline is clear that Democratic administrations consistently help the U.S. economy perform better than Republican administrations. 

Republicans have prioritized tax cuts that benefit the wealthy and that fail to boost economic growth or pay for themselves, while Democrats have prioritized investing in the middle class, supporting small businesses, and improving economic resilience after downturns. 

Of the 11 recessions in the modern era, 10 have begun under Republican presidents."

YOUR SUNDAY MOMENT OF ZEN