The Common Ills: The Snapshot

Friday, August 22, 2025

The Snapshot

Friday, August 22, 2025. Chump's destruction of the economy continues with attacks on tourism, groceries and US auto yet he still manages to make time to also try to destroy veterans. He himself continues to be destroyed by the Epstein scandal.

Let's start off with Chump's assault on veterans. Andrew Koppelman (SLATE) reports:

Earlier this year, when President Donald Trump issued an executive order that expelled transgender troops from the U.S. military, the administration claimed—against all evidence—that bigotry against trans people was not the reason behind the move. There’s no longer any plausible deniability, though, as Trump’s Defense Department recently escalated its war on trans service members by taking away some of those soldiers’ pensions and benefits.

Transgender troops began serving openly in 2016 under President Barack Obama. In his first term, Trump announced by tweet that he would ban transgender troops. A few months later, the Defense Department decided to bar them from enlisting, but to retain those already in uniform, citing “its solemn promise to these Service members, and the investment it has made in them.” President Joe Biden again allowed transgender recruits to join. But now Trump has decided to throw out all trans soldiers, even though in the interim they have been serving honorably and successfully. (If there were any evidence to the contrary the administration would have produced it.)

Air Force Master Sgt. Logan Ireland has served for 15 years, including overseas tours to Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, and South Korea. After the Supreme Court decided to allow the Trump administration to enforce its ban, Ireland agreed to apply for early retirement; he was told that if he didn’t, he would lose half of his separation pay. His application was approved.

But then the Air Force’s acting personnel chief decided to rescind the approval for Ireland and more than a dozen others who have between 14 and 18 years of Air Force service. Instead of normal retirement benefits, they are now offered lump-sum payments worth hundreds of thousands of dollars less. There was no explanation.

“The first feeling I felt was betrayal,” Ireland said. “I’ve given my life to the service. I was promised this. I had my retirement orders in hand. I’ve been starting to process what life looks like outside of uniform, and now we don’t know what that looks like.”

The Veterans Administration’s declared mission is “to fulfill President Lincoln’s promise to care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors.” But now earnings from years of service are yanked away at the whim of a bureaucrat.

This is outrageous and would only come from a coward who, while his country was at war, refused to serve. Now I am not rah-rah war. I support war resisters. But Chump did not do that. He didn't protest the war. He didn't do a damn thing but claim he couldn't serve because of bone spurs. Those bone spurs have not prevented from golfing every weekend of this year, have they? He lied. He has no respect for those who serve. Transgender troops above, but it's really all the troops that he hates and disrespects. If you doubt that reality, read this press release that the Center for Constitutional Rights issued at the start of this month:

Today, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) announced plans to no longer allow veterans to access abortion care or counseling through the VA health system, specifically including in instances of rape, incest, or to save the health of the pregnant person. While veterans were previously allowed to access abortion care in specific circumstances, this policy eliminates those exceptions apart from a narrow exception to save the life of a pregnant veteran. These kinds of exceptions to save a person’s life often don’t work in reality.

This proposed rule change will apply to veterans receiving care through the VA living in all 50 states, including the 14 states with constitutional protections for abortion rights. This new policy would be one of the strictest abortion bans in the country, and for veterans living in the 12 states that ban abortion, it would further close off what may be their only opportunity to access urgently needed abortion care.

As a proposed rule, the policy will be open for public comment for 30 days, after which the administration will finalize the rule. Throughout this next month, the public — including health experts and veterans — can provide feedback on how this policy will endanger the health and lives of veterans.

“After veterans put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms, the Trump administration is trying to rob them of their own freedoms and putting their health at risk,” said Nancy Northup, President and CEO at the Center for Reproductive Rights. “This administration is sending a clear message to veterans—that their health and dignity aren’t worth defending. To devalue veterans in this way and take away life-changing health care would be unconscionable. This shows you just how extreme this administration’s anti-abortion stance is—they would rather a veteran suffer severely than receive an abortion.”

This rule change was ushered through by the White House Office of Management & Budget Director Russell Vought and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins—both adamantly anti-abortion—with Vought even opposing abortion if it is needed to save the life of a pregnant person. This marks the first major regulatory action by this administration to proactively take away abortion rights from a group of people nationwide, and a foreboding encroachment into states where abortion rights are protected.

Women are currently the fastest growing population of veterans, and removing these exceptions to the VA’s strict abortion ban will be devastating for pregnant veterans who need access to this care. More than two million women veterans live in the U.S. today, and more than 400,000 women veterans are estimated to live in states with total abortion bans or severe restrictions, meaning they may not be able to access abortion care—in case of emergency care or otherwise—at all. There are also thousands of transgender men as well as non-binary veterans who might need abortion care. Additionally, over 700,000 family members of veterans get their care from the VA.

The removal of the health, rape, and incest exceptions are particularly dangerous given the high rates of sexual assault in the military. One in three women veterans experienced military sexual trauma (MST), including sexual assault, during their military service, and research indicates that nearly 40% of homeless women veterans experienced MST while in the service. Many veterans also experience severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including from experiences related to sexual assault, and an unplanned pregnancy may exacerbate their PTSD and require abortion access to preserve their health or life. Last year, enrollment of women veterans in VA health care increased in every state, and four of the six most concentrated states were Texas, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina—all states with severe abortion bans.

In 2022, immediately after the Dobbs decision overturned federal abortion protections under Roe v. Wade, the Biden-Harris Administration carved out exceptions to the VA’s complete abortion ban in certain situations. That rule also allowed VA clinicians to discuss abortion options or referrals with patients for the first time, a conversation that will be prohibited if the rule is finalized.

Pregnancy complications are not uncommon and it’s critical that everyone, regardless of pregnancy intentions or circumstances, be able to access the full range of reproductive health care services including abortion. Each year in the United States, about 700 people die during pregnancy or in the year after, and another 50,000 people each year have unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery with serious short- or long-term health consequences.

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MEDIA CONTACT: center.press@reprorights.org

Bone spurs claimed this week to be a war hero -- see Marcia's "Chump should be charged with stolen valor" -- he's not. He never served. So he lies to promote himself and build himself up but the reality is he has no respect for those who have served in the military.

When you make a promise, you honor that promise. I've said this over and over here every year that we've been online -- almost 21 years now -- you don't screw around with veterans benefits. You have made a promise to them and you damn well better honor it.

Donald doesn't believe that. He not only kicked out trans members, he wants to destroy their pensions. That's what he's doing. He's telling women that they don't have reproductive care -- Translations, "Go fight for freedom but grasp that you don't have reproductive freedom." His horrendous DOGE has destroyed jobs for so many veterans. There is no veterans issue you can point to where he hasn't harmed them. How about the VA? MSNBC from a little over a week ago.

The government made promises and it is failing to deliver because of Donald Chump. This isn't an accident, it is planned. He has planned to betray veterans and he has done so.

He is a failure and a liar. And he has broken one of the core promises our government has with our veterans. There is no excuse for that.

We have repeatedly called out various politicians (Wig hatted Corrine Brown, Jim Webb, go down the list -- and the two named are both Democrats) over the years for their betrayals of veterans but I don't think anyone we've ever called out has done as much damage -- and intentionally done as much damage -- as Donald Chump.

He's destroying everything and that includes the economy. Garrett Owen (SALON) reports:

Canadian tourism to the United States is collapsing in the wake of President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, according to a new report, a find that comes after the U.S. president has imposed tariffs on and threatened to annex America’s northern neighbor.

The report, published by Statistics Canada, a government office, shows that Canadians made 1.7 million return trips by motor vehicle back into their country from the U.S. in July. That amounts to a 37% drop from July 2024.

[. . .]

The decline in travel translates to a loss of billions of dollars in tourism-related revenue. With 20.4 million visits to the United States in 2024, Canadian tourism accounted for $20.5 billion in revenue and helped to support approximately 140,000 U.S. jobs, the U.S. Travel Association said in February.

The association, at the time, noted that a 10% decrease in Canadian travel “could mean 2.0 million fewer visits, $2.1 billion in lost spending and 14,000 job losses.”

We've noted the hit that Chump was causing the economy as a result of his repugnant personality and policies. People don't want to come to a country where they might be arrested and sent off to El Salvador or Guantanamo. People don't want to come to a country run by a hate monger. Danielle Antosz (MONEY WISE) reported this week:

While tourism is booming in many countries, the U.S. is falling behind. A recent report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) found that the U.S. is the only country forecasted to see a decline in international visitor spending in 2025. In March, international travel to the U.S. fell 14% compared with the same period last year, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

Tourism from Canada has had the sharpest decline — Canadian visits in May decreased by 38% by car and 24% by air compared to the same month in 2024, according to the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO). Travel from Western Europe is also declining, falling nearly 5% in 2025.

“While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the ‘closed’ sign,” said Julia Simpson, president and CEO of WTTC.

And the price tag is staggering. In total, this decrease in tourism could cost the United States an estimated $29 billion, and experts warn that number could grow if policies don’t change.

In addition to the travel aspect, Gabriela León reports more damage that Chump has done:

In June, a significant shift occurred in the North American auto market: for the first time since the early 1990s, Canada imported more vehicles from Mexico than from the United States. According to Statistics Canada data reported by Bloomberg, this development marks a dramatic change in a market where Canada has traditionally been the top customer for American automakers. The shift underscores the impact of trade policies on longstanding economic relationships.

The primary catalyst for this historic change is the 25% tariff on foreign vehicles imposed by President Donald Trump. This policy aimed to boost domestic production within the US but inadvertently disrupted the intricate balance of North American auto trade. The tariffs have made American vehicles less competitive in Canada, prompting a reevaluation of trade dynamics in the region.

In response to Trump's tariffs, Ottawa implemented a reciprocal tariff on US-made vehicles. However, the Canadian government introduced a significant caveat: tax relief for manufacturers that continue to invest in local production. This strategic move has softened the impact on companies like Stellantis and General Motors, which have substantial operations in Canada.

Data from Bloomberg highlights the extent of this shift. In June alone, Canada imported vehicles worth 1.080 billion Canadian dollars from Mexico, equivalent to approximately 784 million US dollars. In contrast, imports from the US amounted to 950 million Canadian dollars. This trend reflects a growing preference for Mexican-assembled vehicles, driven by competitive pricing and favorable trade terms.

Mexico has capitalized on its role within the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which partially mitigates the impact of tariffs. This agreement has enhanced the competitiveness of vehicles assembled south of the Rio Grande, offering an attractive alternative to Canadian consumers and businesses.

The shift in trade patterns poses challenges for Detroit's automotive giants. Ford, for instance, traditionally supplies Canada with US-made vehicles. Although its Oakville, Ontario plant is not yet producing high-volume models, Ford has announced plans to begin manufacturing F-Series Super Duty pickups there by 2026. This move reflects a strategic adaptation to the evolving trade landscape.

Brownie, heck of a job?

Among the topics on this morning's NEW YORK TIMES podcast? "How Trump is shaking trust in the economy." At NEWSWEEK yesterday, Suzanne Blake noted:

Food represents a large and visible share of household spending, and high grocery bills influence public perceptions of the economy and the administration's performance.

A mid-2025 poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that a majority of Americans reported stress over grocery costs, and retailers have reported shoppers shifting purchases toward cheaper brands and smaller sizes. Roughly 53 percent of respondents said grocery costs were a "major" stressor.

Trump campaigned on promises of lowering grocery costs, but federal forecasts and private trackers showed only modest easing overall and price gains in several food staples.

The USDA Economic Research Service reported that the all-food Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.3 percent from May to June and was 3 percent higher than June 2024.

It also projected overall food prices would rise 2.9 percent this year and 2.7 percent in 2026.

Last week, Ben Berkowitz and Alex Fitzpatrick (AXIOS) noted:

Zoom in: A 38.9% increase in prices for fresh and dry vegetables from June to July was the major driver of a higher index for "final demand goods" (things that are done and ready to be sold to a consumer, as opposed to things that go into a later production process).

That was the biggest month-on-month increase for fresh vegetables since March 2022.

Stunning stat: Per Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it's also the largest monthly increase ever recorded in a summer month (June-August), in figures that go back to 1947.

Let's note this MSNBC video.

We noted two snapshots ago. When we noted it, we noted that it had nearly half a million streams. It's now at 1.1 million. Here's a report Ari did yesterday.

And here's a discussion on the expected release (later today) of some Epstein files.

Andrew Buncombe (THE I PAPER) notes the country remains focused on the Epstein scandal:

However, the issue is not going away, regardless of efforts. Earlier this summer, Republican speaker Mike Johnson literally sent home members of Congress early to avoid a vote on the release of files containing information about Epstein. Back in their constituencies, politicians learned that getting to the bottom of the matter remains a pressing issue for many of the people who voted for them.

When they do return, they may be unable to escape a vote, or at least addressing the issue. Before they left Washington DC, Democrat Ro Khanna of California, and Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky, filed a motion that allows any member of the chamber to force a vote if a majority signs on. This means many Republicans will be forced to do as their constituents want and vote for the release of all files, or risk angering Trump who wants nothing more than this issue to go away for ever. Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego told reporters: “We’re going to keep the pressure up – 100 per cent.” He added: “As often as we can, until we know exactly what happened, why it happened.”

Aurora DeStefano (2PARAGRAHS) also notes the pressure:

U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), who is a member of the House Oversight Committee, said this week on MSNBC: “These Epstein files are only coming to the Oversight Committee because Democrats forced a vote to subpoena them. If Republicans refuse to subpoena Alex Acosta, the person who put together Epstein’s sweetheart deal, we will force another vote to bring him in.”

Prior to becoming President Trump’s Secretary of Labor during his first term in the White House, Acosta was the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida who approved a plea deal that allowed Epstein to plead guilty to one state charge of solicitation, in exchange for a federal non-prosecution agreement in 2008. After Epstein’s arrest in 2019 on sex trafficking charges, Acosta resigned from his cabinet position.

In March, Acosta joined the board of directors of Newsmax.

Donald Chump can't shake the Epstein scandal. For years, he was friends with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell -- convicted pedophiles and sex traffickers. Epstein died in prison under Chump's watch. Maxwell got moved to a cushy Club "Fed." By Chump. That move did not happen without his okay. That was needed. I know that for a fact. I worked forever on getting someone out of federal prison under an earlier president. I know exactly what it takes and the Justice Dept by itself cannot move Maxwell to a facility that does not accept prisoners convicted of sex offenses. That requires the president of the United States' approval. The story is not going away. Chris Hatler (ESQUIRE) notes:

“You have to be on another planet if you don’t know anything about Epstein,” Julie K. Brown tells me over the phone. Maybe I shouldn’t have played dumb. The award-winning investigative reporter exposed Jeffrey Esptein’s sex-trafficking activities for the Miami Herald, after all. But with the Epstein files littering news feeds, including a House Oversight Committee plan to release documents this Friday, I thought we needed a primer for our conversation.

“There were probably hundreds of underage girls and young women who were sexually abused by this very powerful man over three decades. Then, he essentially walked away with little or no punishment for the crimes, even though the case was in the hands of the Justice Department,” Brown says.

Epstein was arrested and jailed in 2019. That August, he died by suicide in his cell. Since then, there have been calls from across the political spectrum to release the Epstein files, a collection of documents and investigative materials gathered by law enforcement about Epstein and his victims and associates. He had friends in high places, some of whom likely don’t want any additional information uncovered.

“Even if you weren’t involved in any of his crimes, just being linked to him now is a bad thing,” Brown says. “Just being friends with him, you could get blackballed.”

Brown wrote an entire book on what she learned from her reporting, Perversion of Justice, which was published in 2020. But even someone as informed as she is wonders who knew Epstein and whether or not he died by his own hand. Here are five questions to which she wants answers—whether or not documents drop Friday.

Did Attorney General Pam Bondi know Epstein?

During our conversation, Brown seems particularly curious about who knew Epstein and the nature of their relationship. One name comes up before the others: Pam Bondi.

Bondi was elected attorney general of Florida—where Epstein owned a home and committed crimes—in 2010 and assumed the position in 2011. She wasn’t in office during Epstein’s first prosecution, which began in 2007, after which he received a lenient sentence. Until he was arrested in 2019, Epstein continued to traffic young women and girls, which occurred during Bondi’s tenure. Brown wants those dots to connect.

“Did anyone ask Bondi if she knew Epstein? She was involved in Florida. Epstein was in Florida. Epstein was adept at getting dirt on people. That’s what he liked to do. So do we know whether Bondi ever had any kind of contact with Epstein or his lawyers?”

That's her first question, use the link to read her next four.

Let's wind down with this from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse's office:

Nonpartisan CBO releases new letter at request of Whitehouse, Wyden, Merkley, Boyle showing GOP megabill triggers mandatory $45 billion cut to Medicare and $120 billion cut to non-Medicare programs in 2026

Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Law explodes deficit to fund tax cuts for the ultrawealthy and giant corporations

Washington, D.C. – The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released a letter yesterday at the request of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA) confirming that by exploding the deficit, President Trump’s Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Law will automatically trigger the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act, which will impose a $45 billion cut to Medicare in 2026, and $536 billion in automatic cuts to Medicare over nine years.

“We all know that Trump’s Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Law explodes the deficit with tax breaks for the ultra-rich and giant corporations, while slashing Medicaid and eliminating programs to feed hungry families. But Republicans are playing a shell game by hiding the sneak attack on Medicare that they tucked into their law,” said Whitehouse. “CBO has now confirmed it: Trump’s Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Law triggers sequestration next year, resulting in massive, mandatory cuts to Medicare and other treasured programs. No Republican who voted for this bill can credibly say that they want to protect Medicare.”

“If Republicans were serious about protecting Medicare from cuts, they wouldn’t have passed a bill that triggers half a trillion dollars in cuts to Medicare,” Wyden said. “The reality is, Trump said he wouldn’t cut Medicaid, and then he turned around and passed the biggest Medicaid cut in history. He said he wouldn’t hurt Social Security, and then he gutted its staff and set DOGE loose on the program like a pack of wild dogs. Trump and Republicans cannot be trusted with Medicare, and whatever promises they make about protecting the program are worthless.”

“Congressional Republicans’ dangerous Big, Betrayal Law not only guts programs like Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and food assistance, but today we’re reminded that it also forces cuts to Medicare and many other critical programs. Because Republicans were so hell bent on passing a law that gives tax cuts to billionaires – that adds trillions to the national debt – their reckless actions have now triggered automatic spending cuts – meaning that without future Congressional action, seniors and people with disabilities will pay the price and have less access to care,” said Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley. “This is just more of the Republicans’ families lose, billionaires win agenda and the American people won’t stand for it.”

“For months now, I have been sounding the alarm on the devastating Medicare cuts caused by Trump’s Big Ugly Law,” said House Budget Committee Ranking Member Brendan F. Boyle. “Republicans knew their tax breaks for billionaires would force over half a trillion dollars in Medicare cuts — and they did it anyway. American families simply cannot afford Donald Trump’s attacks on Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare.”

In early July, President Trump and Congressional Republicans jammed through their Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Bill, which cuts almost a trillion dollars from Medicaid and raises health insurance costs, all to bankroll tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations.

The CBO letter explains that the Republicans’ Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Law will increase deficits relative to the January 2025 baseline by $2.1 trillion through 2029 and by $3.4 trillion through 2034. The law’s addition to the deficit triggers the sequestration process under the Statutory Pay‑As‑You‑Go (PAYGO) Act of 2010. CBO estimates that the White House Office of Management and Budget will be required to issue a sequestration order to reduce spending by $415 billion in fiscal year 2026. Republicans could pass legislation waiving the PAYGO requirements, but did not include such a provision in the Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Law.

CBO estimates that OMB would be required to issue a 4% sequestration cut to Medicare, which is expected to cut $45 billion in 2026 and total $536 billion over nine years. Sequestration cuts to other non-Medicare programs are expected to total $120 billion in 2026.

A PDF of the CBO letter is available here.