[[link removed]]

TIDBITS – APR.17 – READER COMMENTS: FIRST THEY CAME FOR KILMAR;
WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY, VERY AFRAID; NEW RESOURCE: IMMIGRANTS AND THE
ECONOMY; LOTS OF CARTOONS AS WE STRUGGLE TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER; AND
MORE;  
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April 17, 2025
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*
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_ Reader Comments: First they came for Kilmar; We Should All Be Very,
Very Afraid; New Resource: Immigrants And the Economy; Lots of
Cartoons as we struggle to make the world better; and more _

Tidbits - Reader Comments, Take Action, Resources, AND cartoons -
Apr. 17, 2025, xxxxxx

 

* FIRST THEY CAME FOR KILMAR  --  CARTOON BY LALO ALCARAZ
* WHAT WERE ONCE TRAINS...  --  MEME
* RE: WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY, VERY AFRAID  (DANIEL MILLSTONE; CARL
DAVIDSON; TALMADGE WRIGHT; NORA LAPIN; PENELOPE MACE)
* RE: UNIONS AS A 21ST CENTURY ANTI-FASCIST FORCE  (CARL DAVIDSON)
* WILD SWING IN THE DOW  --  CARTOON BY JACK OHMAN
* SWEATSHOP  --  CARTOON AND COMMENTARY BY ROB ROGERS
* MANUFACTURING  --  CARTOON AND COMMENTARY BY NICK ANDERSON
*
RE: AFL-CIO SECRETARY-TREASURER FRED REDMOND TALKS ABOUT ATTACKS ON
ORGANIZED LABOR, AND WHY UNION MEMBERS VOTED FOR TRUMP  (CLIFF
WILLMENG)

* RE: ESCAPE TRUMP'S TRAP: ACT LIKE A UNIVERSITY, NOT LIKE A
BUSINESS  (JAY SCHAFFNER)
* RE: TRUMP’S TRADE WAR IS A POLITICAL TRAP FOR DEMOCRATS  (CAP'N
STEVE)
* LAYING DOWN THE LAW  --  CARTOON BY  PAT BAGLEY
* RE: THE ISRAELI ARMY IS FACING ITS BIGGEST REFUSAL CRISIS IN
DECADES  (TED PIERCE)
* HISTORY REPEATS  --  CARTOON BY MICHAEL DE ADDER
* A SIMPLE PLAN  --  CARTOON AND COMMENTARY BY JEN SORENSEN

RESOURCES:

* IMMIGRANTS AND THE ECONOMY  (DANIEL COSTA, JOSH BIVENS, BEN
ZIPPERER, ISMAEL CID-MARTINEZ, AND DANIEL PEREZ / ECONOMIC POLICY
INSTITUTE)

.
TAKE ACTION:

* PRESS FREEDOM UNITED

.

.
 

FIRST THEY CAME FOR KILMAR  --  CARTOON BY LALO ALCARAZ

 

Lalo Alcaraz
April 16, 2025
[link removed]
[[link removed]]

 

WHAT WERE ONCE TRAINS... 

 

 

RE: WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY, VERY AFRAID
 

Trump plans to deport people with whom he disagrees and put them in
foreign jails paid for by our government. Here Laurence Tribe and
Erwin Chemerinsky explain but we should be angry not fearful. Thanks
to xxxxxx
[link removed]
[[link removed]]
for circulating the essay. 

Daniel Millstone
Post on Facebook

      =====

I agree with all this save for the last sentence. We should not be
afraid; we should be enraged and then engaged to reverse this and take
down any regime backing such measures.

Carl Davidson
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
[[link removed]]

      =====

I think we are already terrorized, so this just encourages a
withdrawal from political action, which is the intent of the MAGA
movement. Articles like this are not helpful. A better response would
be defiance, anger and direct attacks on those seeking to make us
afraid. Organize, educate, resist and fight back. But, perhaps an
article like this is trying to stir the pot and wake people up - I
argue that they have woken up a long time ago. Therefore the issue is
what to do about it.

Talmadge Wright
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
[[link removed]]

      =====

We should be both angry and fearful.

Nora Lapin
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
[[link removed]]

      =====

WELL, this will be interesting, won't it = native born persons as well
as immigrants will be packed off to El Salvador = guess I better brush
up on my Spanish.

Penelope Mace
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
[[link removed]]

 

RE: UNIONS AS A 21ST CENTURY ANTI-FASCIST FORCE
 

To work on this, organize a local chapter of standing4democracy.org
(Fletcher is a chief founder). Just do it, and report upward. I made
up local cards for Qups4Democracy, with a local email. Our local says
only two thing are required to join. 1. You want to fight fascism. 2.
You are in a union or would be if you could. We meet for breakfast at
a local coop cafe one morning a week to discuss ways to fight.

Carl Davidson
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
[[link removed]]

 

WILD SWING IN THE DOW  --  CARTOON BY JACK OHMAN

 

Jack Ohman
April 8, 2025
Jack Ohman's You Betcha!
[[link removed]]

 

SWEATSHOP  --  CARTOON AND COMMENTARY BY ROB ROGERS

 

    _Trump keeps claiming that his tariffs will bring manufacturing
jobs back to the U.S. Really? The cost would be enormous and prices
would go way up. There is a reason many of the goods we buy are made
in other countries._

Rob Rogers
April 10, 2025
TinyView [[link removed]]

 

MANUFACTURING  --  CARTOON AND COMMENTARY BY NICK ANDERSON

 

    There’s really just one thing the Trump administration is
good at...

    

 

    _If only there was a way to get paid for creating falsehoods
and disinformation. Well, now there is. You just need to get hired at
the White House._

Nick Anderson
April 14, 2025
Pen Strokes [[link removed]]

 

RE: AFL-CIO SECRETARY-TREASURER FRED REDMOND TALKS ABOUT ATTACKS ON
ORGANIZED LABOR, AND WHY UNION MEMBERS VOTED FOR TRUMP

(posting on xxxxxx Labor
[[link removed]])
 

    _“We’re going to use every resource that we have. We’re
going to use the courts; we’re going to go to the streets, and
we’re going to really reach out to community partners and allies.
We’re going to challenge our friends on Capitol Hill. And we’re
going to do everything possible as a Labor Movement to fight this.”_

If you are Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the Chamber of Commerce, how do
you read this?

Cliff Willmeng
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
[[link removed]]

 

RE: ESCAPE TRUMP'S TRAP: ACT LIKE A UNIVERSITY, NOT LIKE A BUSINESS
 

Do like Harvard just not did, not like Cowardly Columbia.

    _"Spend your endowments. Accept more, not fewer students. Open
up your campuses and expand your reach by bringing education to
communities. Create a base. Become a movement. Or else grovel before a
mafia boss."_

Jay Schaffner
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
[[link removed]]

 

RE: TRUMP’S TRADE WAR IS A POLITICAL TRAP FOR DEMOCRATS
 

Thanks for running this, it is a terrific article on political
gamesmanship!

Cap'n Steve

 

LAYING DOWN THE LAW  --  CARTOON BY  PAT BAGLEY

 

Pat Bagley
April 16, 2025
The Salt Lake Tribune
[[link removed]]

 

RE: THE ISRAELI ARMY IS FACING ITS BIGGEST REFUSAL CRISIS IN DECADES
 

Many Israelis are refusing to cooperate with the murderous Netanyahu
regime that is committing genocide in Gaza and the West Bank. Maazel
Tov!

Ted Pierce
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
[[link removed]]

 

HISTORY REPEATS  --  CARTOON BY MICHAEL DE ADDER

 

Michael de Adder
January 31, 2023
The Washington Post
[[link removed]]

 

A SIMPLE PLAN  --  CARTOON AND COMMENTARY BY JEN SORENSEN

 

 

For decades, right-wing ideologues complained that any safety net
offered by the government was a form of “social engineering” that
interfered with the “natural order” of the market. Of course this
is utter hogwash, given that marketplaces themselves are highly
engineered systems designed to keep money flowing upward; they cannot
operate without a carefully-constructed legal framework; and they
largely consist of social networks of people hiring those from their
demographic in-group (such as fraternity brothers) rather than being
some pure and godly measure of human greatness. A lot of the “social
engineering” criticism contains a subtext of preserving dominant
hierarchies, to put it mildly. Also, if markets are such a perfect
measure of individual abilities, why did so many of history’s most
talented writers, artists, and composers die poor? After enduring
years of this market fundamentalist whining, it is laughable to see
radical tech libertarians destroying America so they can engage in the
mother of all social engineering projects.

_To support this work and receive my weekly newsletter with background
on each cartoon, please consider joining the Sorensen Subscription
Service! [[link removed]] Also on Patreon
[[link removed]]._

.

Jen Sorensen
April 9, 2025
[link removed]
[[link removed]]

 

IMMIGRANTS AND THE ECONOMY
 

By Daniel Costa, Josh Bivens, Ben Zipperer, Ismael Cid-Martinez, and
Daniel Perez

April 15, 2025
Economic Policy Institute
[[link removed]]

Immigration is among the most important economic and political issues
and a main topic of discourse and debate among policymakers and the
public. But misperceptions persist about many fundamental aspects of
this crucial topic, such as:

* the size and composition of the immigrant population
* the effects of immigration on the economy and workforce
* the difference between permanent immigration pathways that lead to
green cards versus temporary and precarious immigration statuses
* various other facets of the U.S. employment-based migration system
* policy options for reform

This document provides essential background and facts, as well as
answers to some of the most frequently asked questions, including
relevant data, charts, and extensive citations to key sources.

* How many immigrants live in the US?
[[link removed]]

* What is immigration status? What are the different immigration
statuses, and how many people are in each status?
[[link removed]]

* What is the makeup of the U.S. immigrant population in terms of race
and ethnicity?
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* How much do immigrants contribute to the economy?
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* How many immigrants work in the United States?
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* How much workforce growth has been attributable to immigration?
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* What are the education and wage levels of immigrants?
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* What are the top occupations for immigrants?
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* How do immigrants affect the economy?
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* Do immigrant workers affect wages for U.S. workers?
[[link removed]]

* Immigration policy often favors employers over workers and needs to
be reformed
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READ FULL DOCUMENT HERE
[[link removed]]  

Download the FAQ:

* Immigrants and the economy FAQ
[[link removed]]
* Unauthorized immigrants and the economy FAQ
[[link removed]]
* Immigration enforcement and the workplace FAQ
[[link removed]]

Economic Policy Institute [[link removed]]
1225 Eye St. NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC xxxxxx
Phone: 202-775-8810 • [email protected]

 

PRESS FREEDOM UNITED

 

A NATIONAL MOVEMENT OF CITIZENS, JOURNALISTS, MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS AND
DEFENDERS OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE FREE PRESS IN THE UNITED
STATES AND ABROAD.

an open letter to congress and the white house in defense of press
freedom and journalism in the U.S. and abroad

We, the undersigned, write to express our deep concern over the
escalating hostility toward the free press under the current executive
and legislative leadership in Washington, DC. A series of actions have
undermined the foundational principles of press freedom, threatening
the First Amendment and the public’s right to information. These
alarming developments are not just attacks on individual journalists
or news organizations—they are direct assaults on democracy itself
[[link removed]].
 

Recent actions restricting access to critical government institutions
exemplify this dangerous trend. The White House’s exclusion of
Associated Press journalists from press briefings (note: a US
District court subsequently ruled on April 8 that the government
cannot bar the AP
[[link removed]]),
the Pentagon’s increased secrecy, and a congressional hearing
designed solely to attack NPR and PBS
[[link removed]] all
indicate an effort to intimidate and silence independent reporting.
Such measures erode transparency, accountability, and the public’s
ability to stay informed about the workings of its own government.  

One of the most egregious examples is the dismantling of Voice of
America (VOA) and its parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media
(USAGM). The current administration’s sweeping executive order
placing over 1,300 VOA employees on administrative leave
[[link removed]] has
effectively silenced this crucial institution. This move not only
weakens the United States’ standing as a global defender of free
speech but also empowers authoritarian regimes that seek to control
information. 

And on March 26, after a hearing of the House DOGE Subcommittee
[[link removed]],
Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, introduced a bill to eliminate all
government funding to NPR and PBS. Both of these organizations provide
a vital service that fosters community and unity by delivering
fact-based news and educational programming that appeals to people
across the political spectrum. They also ensure rural communities have
access to critical information during emergencies that inform readers
and protect lives. 

We are at a perilous crossroads. The integrity of independent media
and the safety of journalists are under siege, both at home and
abroad. The erosion of press freedoms sets a dangerous precedent,
threatening the very fabric of a functioning democracy.  

Therefore, we call not only on the United States government and the
elected leaders in the executive and legislative branches to take
immediate action, but we also urgently appeal to the public to
recognize the severity of these threats. Now more than ever, Americans
must be vigilant in defending press freedom and standing up for the
First Amendment.

We call for the following:  

1. Restore Press Access Immediately: Reverse restrictions that limit
journalists’ ability to cover the White House, the Pentagon, and
other government institutions. 

2. Protect Public Media: End efforts to undermine NPR, PBS, and other
publicly funded news organizations, ensuring they remain independent
from political pressure. 

3. Reinstate Funding and Operations for Voice of America: Fully
restore VOA and USAGM, allowing them to continue their mission of
delivering unbiased news worldwide. 

4. Respect and Honor Journalistic Integrity: Safeguard the
independence of all journalistic institutions and uphold the First
Amendment’s protections against government interference. 

5. Lead on Global Press Freedom: Reaffirm America’s commitment to
free press initiatives and defend journalists who risk their lives to
report the truth.  

A free and independent press is the cornerstone of democracy. The
world looks to the United States as a beacon of press freedom—now is
the time to prove that we remain committed to that ideal. We urge
immediate action to protect the press and preserve the public’s
right to hold power to account.  

Sincerely,
[[link removed]]

The Undersigned [[link removed]]

Sign open letter [[link removed]]

Press Freedom United, 2025 created and designed by BlueLena
[[link removed]] and The Trust Project
[[link removed]]

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