The Trumpster fire careened through Congress, the Oval Office, the economy, and the Middle East on Wednesday, leaving mayhem and scorched earth in its wake.
In Congress, Trump nominees and cabinet members lied and stonewalled to avoid contradicting Trump, as members of Congress abdicated their oversight responsibilities by voting against a War Powers Resolution.
In Trump’s war on Iran, Israel damaging the world’s largest natural gas processing facility (in Iran), causing Iran to attack the world’s largest natural gas exporting facility (in Qatar), further plunging the world into a global energy crisis.
Boy Blunder Pete Hegseth had the gall to ask Congress for $200 billion to replenish depleted stocks of precision missiles that Hegseth used like video game tokens.
On a day when the news was delivered through a firehose, less is more. Identifying narratives and throughlines is more important than reciting every detail.
Here’s what happened from 60,000 feet: Trump’s enablers debased themselves to avoid provoking Trump’s ire. They violated their oaths, chose to lie to Congress to avoid Trump’s wrath, and turned their backs on the American people and the Constitution they swore to defend. They continued their cover-up of Trump’s involvement in Epstein’s crimes. They justified an illegal war that is punishing Americans in lives lost, casualties suffered, and prices increased.
In short, Wednesday’s events demonstrate why Americans of every political viewpoint must vote against Trump’s enablers in 2026 and 2028—and why Democrats are moving closer to a blue wave election with each painful day of Trump’s second term.
In Congress
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee to provide the intelligence community’s annual worldwide threat assessment. In doing so, she (a) said that “Iran’s nuclear enrichment program was obliterated [and there] has been no effort since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability,” and (b) refused to say whether, why, or how Iran constituted an “imminent threat” to the US prior to Trump’s war on Iran. In her effort to avoid contradicting Trump, she said it was not the responsibility of the intelligence community to assess whether threats were “imminent.” See ABC News, Gabbard avoids answering whether Iran posed an ‘imminent threat’.
Senator Ossoff pushed back hard against Gabbard, saying,
It is precisely your responsibility to determine what constitutes a threat to the United States. This is the worldwide threats hearing, where, as you noted in your opening testimony, you represent the [intelligence community’s] assessment of threats. You are here to represent the IC’s assessment of threats.
Attorney General Pam Bondi made a surprise “appearance” before the House Oversight Committee. On Tuesday, the House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena to Pam Bondi to testify under oath about the DOJ’s deficient production of documents pursuant to the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Also on Tuesday, the DOJ announced on less than 24 hours’ notice that Bondi would give a “briefing” to the Oversight Committee—but not under oath.
When Bondi showed up on Wednesday morning, she gave no “briefing,” but instead offered to answer questions. One of the first questions was whether she would appear in response to the subpoena to testify under oath. She repeatedly refused to give a direct answer to that question. At that point, all Democrats walked out of the hearing. In short, Bondi attempted to substitute a “PR” appearance for sworn testimony. Democrats saw through the ruse and put a stop to the briefing by walking out. See NBC News, Democrats walk out of Pam Bondi briefing on Epstein files over subpoena compliance
Two moments of note: When Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) asked Oversight Chair James Comer if he intended to force Bondi to appear in response to the subpoena, Comer replied that “she needed to stop bitching.” Comer later denied the statement on Twitter, saying that “Democrats were bitching,” to which Rep. Lee replied, “if Comer “wants to say I’m bitching, he can do it in a sworn deposition where it’s recorded and transcribed.” Comer is a coward, a liar, and a misogynist. He should “man up” and apologize for a statement that multiple members reported him making.
Second, Rep. Dan Goldman showed an unredacted version of a document that the DOJ redacted to conceal statements by Trump’s lawyer (to Epstein’s lawyer) that contradicted Trump’s story about banning Epstein from Mar-a-Lago. Per the unredacted document, Trump never banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago. This raises the question, why is the DOJ covering up non-privileged evidence that contradicts Trump’s public statements about his association with Epstein? See The New Republic, Democrat Reveals Epstein File That Blows Huge Hole in Trump’s Story.
In the economy.
The measure of wholesale inflation—the Producer Price Index—was up 0.7% in February, above the expected 0.3%. See CNBC, Wholesale prices rose 0.7% in February, much more than expected and up 3.4% annually. For comparison, the Federal Reserve has a target inflation rate of 2%, so the 3.4% annual rate in February’s numbers is alarming.
Jerome Powell, the Chair of the Federal Reserve, issued a comment on Wednesday, saying
[N]ear-term measures of inflation expectations have risen in recent weeks, likely reflecting the substantial rise in oil prices caused by the supply disruptions in the Middle East [and] higher energy prices will push up overall inflation [but it is] too soon to know the scope and duration.
Jerome Powell was being his usual cautious self—an admirable trait in the Chair of the Federal Reserve. But developments on the ground in the Middle East belie Powell’s caution in anticipating bad news on the inflation front. And this is important: all of the above numbers reflect inflation before Trump started his ill-advised and illegal war on Iran.
Meanwhile, gas prices rose to a $3.84, the highest price since 2022. See Yahoo Finance, Gasoline prices hit highest level since March 2022 as oil tops $100. That spike does reflect Trump’s war on Iran. It’s likely to get worse. Much. See below.
In the Middle East
Trump’s war on Iran escalated on Wednesday. In general, the US has avoided striking oil and gas-producing facilities in Iran in the hopes that a post-war Iran will continue to produce oil and gas for the world market. Iran, in turn, has refrained (generally) from striking oil and gas infrastructure of other nations in the Middle East (other than shipping).
That all changed on Wednesday when Israel (with US blessing) attacked Iran’s South Pars natural gas field — the world’s largest — prompting Iran to retaliate by striking Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, the world’s largest LNG export complex, causing extensive damage. See Israel strikes Iran natural gas facility in coordination with U.S.
Of course, the attacks immediately increased the market prices for oil and natural gas. See Bloomberg, Oil and Gas Prices Surge After Iran Attacks Major Qatari Plant.
Iran warned residents and workers at energy sites in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to evacuate “after Tehran warned it would hit them with strikes in ‘the coming hours’.” (Daily Mail.)
A line has been crossed. Destroying oil and gas fields and export facilities threatens the economic model of much of the Middle East. The attacks caused French President Macron to call for a cessation of attacks on oil infrastructure and civilian sites by all participants in the war. See The Hill, Macron urges end to attacks on energy, water infrastructure in Iran conflict.
To state the obvious, if prosecution of the war on Iran involves widespread destruction of processing and export facilities for oil and gas, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz may become a moot point. Assuming widespread destruction of infrastructure, there won’t be any oil and gas to ship, at least until the infrastructure can be rebuilt—which will take years.
In short, Trump’s fantasy that he can “stop” the war any time he chooses and the US economy will magically return to normal ignores the damage being inflicted during the war on oil and gas infrastructure, as well as the shipping industry.
New York Times investigation into sexual abuse by Cesar Chavez
The New York Times conducted an investigation into sexual abuse by Cesar Chavez, the co-founder of the United Farm Workers and a civil rights icon. Times Investigation, Cesar Chavez, a Civil Rights Icon, Is Accused of Abusing Girls for Years.
The story is shocking, disillusioning, and upsetting on many levels. I received a note from a reader that I believe describes the way many readers are feeling about the revelations.
The reader writes:
After reading the NY Times article on the abuses by Cesar Chavez, I am pissed off. I am pissed off that this has taken my time and psychic energy away from other progressive work today. I am pissed off for Dolores Huerta [co-founder of the United Farm Worker union], for the survivors of the predatory Epstein class, for every survivor of sexual abuse, for the MeToo women who have faded into the background, for the Civil Rights Movement women who were the unrecognized engines, for Hillary Clinton, for Kamala Harris, for every woman and girl at whom sexism is directed, however couched in friendliness and good intention that disregards its demeaning effect, or erases women altogether with using generic “he/him/mankind” for humankind. I invite readers to speak up to their representatives. Here’s an example of my email for my county board of supervisors [in Los Angeles], who typically honor Cesar Chavez every March 31 in keeping with the U.S. federal commemorative holiday proclaimed by President Obama in 2014:Today I write to urge you and your fellow Supervisors to issue a statement on behalf of the County that denounces the historic sexual abuse by Cesar Chavez. Both things can be true, that he did good work and that he did great wrong. Any events that might have already been scheduled for Cesar Chavez Day can be used to transition our support to UFW cofounder Dolores Huerta. Thank you.
Opportunities for reader engagement
Join Force Multiplier on March 23rd at 7 pm ET to learn about plans for protecting elections in states where it is most important. Building a resilient election protection infrastructure is complex, critical work. Force Multiplier is pleased to present three speakers on how best to advocate and prepare before elections, respond during the election season, and protect votes when ballots are counted.
Kim Allen, from Power the Vote, will talk about the national picture with an emphasis on the role of State Parties. Alex Gulotta, from All Voting is Local Action, will talk about the role of outside advocacy groups and Rita Hart will talk about the voter protection plans for the Iowa Democratic Party.
Funds raised at this event will provide resources to hire full-time election protection staff at the North Carolina and the Iowa Democratic Parties. Bring your questions for our speakers. Register and Donate Here
Concluding Thoughts
As we approach No Kings Day 3.0, it is fair to ask whether protests matter. The answer is a resolute “Yes!” They matter on many levels—personal and emotional antidotes to despair and anxiety, community building, modeling bravery and courage, serving as a harbinger of hope to others, and serving notice on elected officials that their authority is a first derivative of the consent of the governed. Without our consent, they are nothing.
The question of whether protests “work” in producing short-term results is a tricky one. Causality and association are difficult to tease out from tens of thousands of protests and thousands of government actions. Despite the difficulty of the analysis, Micah L Sifry examines the connection between protests and responses by the government and various public and private entities. See Micah L. Sifry, The Connector (Substack), Do Protests Matter?
I think Sifry makes a reasonable case that there is currently a “dose – response” mechanism at work between the size and frequency of protests and government / private responses. Check out his analysis in the article cited above.
While it is helpful to maintain our spirits to know that protests are making a difference in the short term, we should protest even if they did not. In hundreds of examples over the last half century, we can see a pattern: Protests don’t make a difference, until they do.
It is difficult to know when protests will make the quantum leap from “not effective” to “regime change overnight.” But we do know that unless we continue our protests, we will never reach the tipping point. We may have already reached that point, or it may come this month or in six months. Tipping points can only be discerned in retrospect.
So, let’s not worry about whether we have reached the tipping point, let’s focus on moving forward–because the tipping point isn’t the stopping point. It is the beginning of the next phase of the resistance—the era of accountability and justice, rehabilitation and redemption, and renewal and growth.
We should look forward to the No Kings Day 3.0 with a mixture of hope, urgency, and anticipation. The more of us who show up, the faster the support for an unlawful regime will dissipate.
Stay strong, everyone! Talk to you tomorrow!
Daily Dose of Perspective
NGC 2903 is a galaxy located about 30 million light-years from Earth. Given its size, this view of NGC 2903 approximates what our home galaxy, the Milky Way, would look like to an observer 30 million light-years from Earth.
Pro-democracy protest photos
[Send photos to rbhubbell@gmail.com. No texts, please! Include city and state in the body of the email. Thanks!
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Last night I watched the “Dignified Transfer” of the seventh victim of the Traitor in Chief’s war on Iran. On May 19, 2023 the military funeral of my Uncle Bill, who was killed on November 22, 1942 in Papua New Guinea took place in Grand Rapids. His remains were brought home by the military “who never leaves a man or woman behind” even after 79 years
When I am standing on the corner with my sign in zero degree wind chill this is one of the “why’s” in my life that puts me there. Many days I wonder what in the world am I doing. Then I look and see my Patriot brothers and sisters doing the same because of their own “whys”. It has become obvious to me that the people on the street and the rule of law are the only barriers left to autocracy.
I never leave a protest without an increased level of encouragement. I’m asking all of you to bring your “Why’s” and one new person to No Kings 3 on March 28. It will be the biggest protest in American history. We will show that no matter what they do, the march to a more perfect union will not end on our watch.
I wanted to send you a drawing my 7-year-old son made in January.
For MLK Jr Day, his teacher had the class complete an assignment to draw and write about “a dream you have that would make our world a better place.”
Operation_OverpassClearwater/N Pinellas County
Albany Visibility Brigade.
Tonight, the beeps and honks were beautifully obnoxious…over 1400 in 90 minutes…they have tripled since we began protesting in early May of 2025. Our oldest member joined us tonight…seated…she’s 91 years old.
16 dedicated Indivisible San Jose activists spent two hours on a San Jose Pedestrian Overpass Wednesday in 91 degree temperatures.
Weekly protest on American Tobacco Trail Pedestrian Bridge over I-40 Durham, NC. Next week is the one-year anniversary of the bridge. With Engaged Defenders 4 Democracy (ED4D)
About 100 people attended a vigil this evening in front Boston CIty Hall for Emmanuel Damas, a Massachusetts resident who died of sepsis, due a tooth infection that was left untreated while he was held in an ICE detention center.
ReSisters were out on the bridge over I-95 today, as we have been every Wednesday since April of last year. Today’s sign got a LOT of honks…and the dancing bear loved it too!
Bethlehem NY Indivisible’s March 17 weekly protest in Delmar NY.
Mamaroneck, NY protest
3/17/26, Windsor, VT’s “Windy Warriors”
Chandler, AZ Visibility Bridge Brigade going strong showing up every Tuesday morning. (Chandler/Gilbert Indivisible)
Highway 101 overpass in Santa Barbara. We also posted signs to encourage folks for the March 28th NO Kings March.
Weekly protest photo 3/14 in New Rochelle NY
Weekly protest in Larchmont NY
Columbus, Mississippi in front of representative Trent Kelly’s office. You would think after 52 weeks of a sit in in front of his office he would notice ha. The white doves represent the six servicemen at that point who have died and Iran
Sunday’s Cataract Ave Bridge Brigade in Dover, NH. We’ve been meeting 2-3 times per month since the fall and we’ve grown from 5 people to over 20 despite the cold.
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