7 Statements From This Week That Should Go Down In History

If you ever see a post from me on a Sunday, just know it's gonna be a short one!

Data, detail, context… these are typically the features of my posts (and so it shall continue to be), but there's also something to be said for the weight of a well-timed statement: a simple glimpse into history, a moment in time from someone who was there.

For me, these are the quotes that best encompass the week of February 10 - February 17, 2025:

When JD Vance suggested that President Trump is justified in ignoring a court order:

Liz Cheney on Bluesky: “...Your recourse is to appeal. You don't get to rage-quit the Republic just because you are losing. That's tyranny.”

JVL from the Bulwark serving a dash of hope with an excellent observation:

Jonathan V. Last: "Elon Musk has made himself very popular with men who drive gas powered pickups and have no intention of ever buying an EV. Meanwhile, he has made himself toxic to the kinds of people most likely to buy EVS in the coming years."

The Pope low-key roasting the shit out of JD Vance:

Pope: "What it's built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly."

Having our suspicions validated by a real-life economist:

Paul Krugman, economist: "The best way to explain the sudden closure of The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, as I see it, is part of an effort to make predatory finance create again."

This 72-year old white neoconservative man, who served as Chief of Staff to George HW Bush’s VP, acknowledging the cruelty toward trans folks:

Bill Kristol, The Bulwark: "On the transgender issue, for example, they're very close to just banning you know, like any representation of such a human, I think, in American public life, I mean it's really grotesque what they're doing there.... You talk about cancel culture. I mean they are literally trying to cancel them from American public life, a bunch of Americans, and it's really grotesque. I got to think all this stuff adds up at some point, and people do not want to live in that kind of country."

This reporter, a veteran security correspondent, reporting on Trump's comments concerning Greenland:

Frank Gardner, BBC: "Even if nothing ever comes of this idea... in some respects, the damage has already been done. The message is gone out from the leader of the Free world that it's okay to threaten your neighbors and allies by force if you want their territory."

One of the 7 Justice Department officials who resigned after refusing to carry out an order to dismiss Eric Adams's case:

Hagan Scotten: "Any federal prosecutor would know that our laws and traditions do not allow using prosecutorial power to influence citizens much less elected officials. …If no lawyer within earshot of the president is willing to give him that advice, then I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward to file your motion, but it was never going to be me."

President of a labor union for federal government employees, commenting on the mass layoffs:

Matthew Biggs, president IFPTE: "They're treating these people as if they're not human beings. It's bad all around."

Never one to be outdone, the most heinous statement made this week:

Donald Trump, Truth Social: “He who saves his Country does not violate any law.”

I don't know who's in charge of writing America's history books, but I'd humbly like to submit all of the above.

Perhaps this will be my new post for Sundays…

Have a good week, friends.