By Ben Meiselas
It may be just a little past noon here on the west coast, but a whole lot has happened. Let me do my best to catch you up.
It was just revealed that the Trump plans to host a $1 million-per-person fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago this Friday, October 17, even as millions of Americans suffer through his government shutdown. The image of a gold-plated gala, with Trump and his billionaire donors clinking champagne glasses while federal workers go without pay, is more than grotesque. It’s emblematic of a movement that has abandoned even the pretense of public service.
As the Wall Street Journal reports, grocery prices are soaring again. “Shoppers see the price and say, what the f—?” said one Chicago grocery clerk quoted in the article. Americans are being forced to choose between food and rent, even as Trump’s tariffs drive up costs on everything from produce to electronics. As President Biden’s term came to a close, prices had been steadily declining; Harvard Business School data show both domestic and imported goods fell in price. But the second Trump took office, that trend reversed, with the arsonist setting fire to the very economy he once destroyed and destabilized during COVID.
And while working families ration groceries, Trump’s regime quietly cut a critical $20 million flood-protection grant for the Alaska Native village of Kipnuk. Just months later, that same region was devastated by a typhoon, destroying homes and killing residents. The program was killed in May when the Trump administration called it “wasteful spending.”
I should note also that this is happening as Treasury Scott Bessent announced that the U.S. is DOUBLING its bailout of Argentina to $40 billion. America first??
It’s a pattern we’ve seen time and time again. Trump breaks the system, then punishes those who suffer. We saw it in Texas this summer, when flash floods overwhelmed communities along the Guadalupe River after MAGA officials refused to use federal funds for emergency systems, preferring to call Biden’s disaster preparedness “woke.” When lives were lost, they shut down emergency call centers rather than admit failure.
Meanwhile, Trump loyalists like Kristi Noem are spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on propaganda ads glorifying Trump and demonizing migrants. That’s money that should be protecting families, not trying to brainwash them.
While Americans reel, House Speaker “MAGA Mike” Johnson is fixated on “naked bicyclists” in Portland, calling them the most “threatening” thing he’s seen. MAGA Mike and other Republicans have hit the TV circuit all morning to label peaceful “No Kings” pro-democracy rallies as “Hate America” events. Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessentt sneered that “No Kings equals no paychecks,” as if opposing authoritarianism makes you unworthy of a wage. The GOP, in lockstep, are declaring that these protests are being held by “Antifa” and that the people involved are “terrorists” and “pro-Hamas.” This is the language of wannabe tyrants. These are people terrified of dissent, and willing to do anything to crush it.
Abroad, Trump’s chaos continues. He boasts of authorizing strikes on fishing boats off Venezuela while posting what can only be described as ISIS-style videos. In Gaza, Trump’s so-called “peace plan” has left Hamas in power, and they have already begun ramping up their reign of terror on the Palestinian people. And as Haaretz reports, Israeli citizens are calling for Prime Minister Netanyahu to step down amid corruption charges and failure to protect hostages. Yet Trump hails Netanyahu as a partner in “peace.”
This is not governance. This is an organized looting of the public trust. It’s no surprise the people demeaning “No Kings” protests are the ones trying to crown one.
Americans deserve a government that serves them. Not a regime that treats them as pawns in a game of greed and propaganda.
A couple other quick updates that came in after I did my latest video report:
The NY Times is reporting that the United States has authorized covert C.I.A. action in Venezuela — including lethal force — to force regime change in Venezuela.
A federal court in San Francisco just ruled that Trump’s layoffs of federal workers during the shutdown are illegal.
I hope you are enjoying these afternoon news roundups and find them helpful. Please let me know in the comments. And if you value this coverage, please like this post and share MeidasTouch with a friend. For those who are able, consider joining as a paid subscriber to support our work.
Ok, I’ve got more videos to record. I’ll see you soon.
