Catherine V Mott

The United States Supreme Court, in the eyes of America and the world.

SEN. ANGUS KING (@SenAngusKing): Europe is providing 99% of the aid to Ukraine in 2026. And Russia has also become a major beneficiary of the war in Iran, gaining $40–$80 billion in additional oil revenue and relief from sanctions “This indicates what's happened to our support for Ukraine over a period of years. The orange bars are US support. The blue bars are Europe. As you see, Europe is 99% in the year 2026. Same thing with humanitarian and other aid to Ukraine. And yet this is I believe, an existential struggle for the future of democracy, where we had an aggressive country invade a neighboring country without any justification whatsoever. And by the way, that invading country is the major winner so far of the war in Iran. They’ve gotten, the estimates are $40 to $80 billion of additional revenues from oil and the relief of sanctions as a result of the war in Iran” - Sen. Angus King (I-ME)

BREAKING: Pope Leo appoints a Black vocal Trump critic to be a new bishop for Washington in a clear message to the President, his racist regime and his warmongering! Trump and Pete Hegseth are going to HATE this… The Holy Father announced that Rev. Robert Boxie III would become the youngest bishop in the United States, appointing him to be an auxiliary bishop to the Archdiocese of Washington. Rev. Boxie has previously been very critical of the Trump administration’s crusade against DEI and eliminating Black people from employment in the federal government. In an interview with Catholic Review, Boxie said that “It’s really frustrating — especially this moment that we’re living in. The attacks on ‘DEI’ — I don’t even know what that means anymore. It’s a term that’s been hijacked. It means a lot of things to a lot of different people.” “I think at its core, it’s what America is all about. We are a diverse nation with people from all over the world. Diversity is a good thing. Diversity is of God.” “And the fact that it’s been turned into something negative — or something that should be avoided or not talked about — just flies in the face of who we are as Americans.” “So much of our history has been exclusive, especially when it comes to race. And it’s just un-American; it’s un-Christian; it’s anti-Catholic.” He couldn’t be more right. The reason that DEI programs exist is because racial discrimination and white supremacy are hardcoded into American society and all American institutions. We saw this first-hand just this week when the Supreme Court gutted Section II of the Voting Rights Act and every red state began foaming at the mouth to strip political representation away from Black voters. Our history and our present is exclusive, and the anti-DEI campaigns of the right-wing show that we were correct to have them and need to redouble our efforts once we’re back in power. Rev. Boxie certainly has the resume to be an auxiliary bishop and well-deserves the role; but his placement in Washington feels like it carries a symbolic weight to it that matters greatly in this era of ignorance and contempt. Congratulations, Rev. Boxie!

Fact is Joe Biden was better at the job.

Unfortunately, this is true. 😢 This lying, corrupt Malignant Narcissist, Sociopath, conman and wannabe dictator has destroyed the America we once all loved, honored and respected for 250 years, HOME OF THE BRAVE, LAND OF THE FREE. 😡

Every week, we force a vote on the Senate floor to end the war in Iran. While there are signs Republicans are starting to break, so far we can't get to 50. But we will keep trying. Because the Iran war cost crisis is getting devastating for American families.

Morgan Freeman transformed his 124-acre Mississippi ranch into a haven for bees after becoming concerned about their decline. Starting in 2014, he brought in dozens of hives and filled the land with bee-friendly plants like clover, lavender, and magnolia turning it into a thriving refuge for pollinators. What began as a personal passion has grown into a meaningful conservation effort. Bees are responsible for pollinating around 80% of flowering crops, and a single colony can visit hundreds of millions of flowers in a day. Without them, entire ecosystems, and much of our food supply, would be at risk.

This is a good reminder that John Roberts is exactly who John Lewis told us he was.

Former Google Cloud leader's startup Lovelace AI exits stealth - Pittsburgh Business Times bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/new… via @PghBizTimes

😡

On a freezing December morning in 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower was reviewing budget proposals when his secretary nervously informed him that a 73-year-old woman named Mrs. Eleanor Mitchell from Abilene, Kansas—his childhood Sunday school teacher—was in the White House lobby asking to see him without an appointment, and instead of having staff politely redirect her, Eisenhower literally ran down the hallway, swept this elderly woman into a huge bear hug, and cleared his entire afternoon to have tea with her in the residence. What makes this moment so breathtakingly beautiful is that Mrs. Mitchell had taught a scrappy young Dwight Eisenhower Bible verses every Sunday from 1907 to 1911 in a tiny church basement, making him memorize Proverbs and Psalms when he'd rather be playing baseball, and she'd written him letters throughout his military career—through both world conflicts, through his rise to Supreme Commander, through his election—always addressing him simply as 'Dwight' and reminding him that 'character matters more than rank.' Eisenhower told his staff that Mrs. Mitchell once made him apologize to the entire Sunday school class for being prideful after he'd bragged about winning a spelling bee, teaching him a humility lesson that shaped his entire leadership philosophy, and he'd never forgotten how she'd pulled him aside afterward and said, 'Dwight, you're going to do important things someday, but never let success make you forget where you came from or who helped you along the way.' During their White House tea, Eisenhower introduced Mrs. Mitchell to every cabinet member who passed by, saying with genuine reverence, 'This woman taught me everything that matters—respect this lady,' and she gently scolded him for not attending church regularly enough, which made the most powerful man in the world laugh and promise to do better. When Mrs. Mitchell left that evening, Eisenhower walked her personally to her taxi, kissed her cheek, and pressed an envelope into her hand containing a check for her church and a note: 'For the place that built my foundation—thank you for seeing potential in a troublemaker farm boy. Your student always, Dwight.' What absolutely destroys you is understanding that Eisenhower commanded armies and led nations, but he never forgot the Sunday school teacher who taught him that true strength was moral courage, proving that the greatest leaders never outgrow gratitude and that honoring the people who shaped you when nobody knew your name is the most presidential thing you can do.

Bush destroyed Clinton's economy. Obama fixed Bush's mess. Trump destroyed Obama's economy. Biden fixed Trump’s mess and now Trump has destroyed what Biden fixed. The biggest lie that Republicans have gotten away with is that they are better for the economy.

Keating to Hegseth on the administration's rationale for its deadly boat strikes: "We were given classified information on the second strike. I can't discuss it. But it's the most convoluted bullshit I've ever heard in my life."

I read Pete Hegseth direct quotes from soldiers he failed to protect in Kuwait. Soldiers who were sent to a known target without BASIC overhead protection. Soldiers who saw six of their own die in a predictable attack. His response? Calling them liars. Pathetic.

This is a Justice Jackson, Kagan, and Sotomayor appreciation post. Thank you for your just and righteous voices and your fierce defense of our democracy. ❤️

"Charles’s manners, polish and diplomatic approach have been such a welcome contrast to the thuggish tone of American politics, one might wish he’d stay a while longer." The latest from @kathleenparker: wapo.st/4cY71vV

Not only was the Supreme Court's VRA decision cynical and wrong, it has now resulted in the governor of Louisiana declaring state of emergency to suspend the ongoing congressional election. If you think this ends in Louisiana or with redistricting, you are not paying attention.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, once again proving why he is not only beloved by New Yorkers, but is admired worldwide. 🙌💪👏✊️👇

This was EPIC 🔥 🇺🇸Congress: Did you destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons in the summer of 2025? 🇺🇸Hegseth: Yes, they were all completely destroyed. 🇺🇸Congress: Then why the hell did you start a new war under the pretext of destroying something you had already claimed was destroyed? Hegseth: Uh… Er… Umm… ABSOLUTE BRUTAL 🔥

Pete Hegseth is a LIAR. 😡