Tag Archives: Google

Politico: Larry Summers Says Trump’s Latest Attack on Harvard Is a ‘Prescription for Failure’

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The former Harvard president says Trump’s effort to ban international students would damage not just Harvard but America.

In just the last 24 hours, the Trump administration announced it would effectively ban international students from attending Harvard University, Harvard sued, and a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration’s ban.

The whirlwind of attacks and counterattacks surrounding one of America’s preeminent educational institutions represented a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s war on Harvard. As the institution wrote in its lawsuit, “with the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body.”

Harvard has been on the leading edge of the fight between the Trump administration and elite universities, and unlike some peer institutions, it has not backed down.

Former Harvard President Larry Summers has been a frequent critic of his old university, but he’s been an enthusiastic defender amid Trump’s latest attacks.

“Courage and capitulation are both contagious,” he said in an interview with POLITICO Magazine. “I am glad Harvard chose courage, because if Harvard, with all its good fortune, can’t resist authoritarian steps, who can?”

Summers argued the Trump administration’s legal case would find little merit in the courts, adding that the effort to rid Harvard of international students would only damage the United States in the long run.

“It’s hard to imagine a greater strategic gift to China than for the United States to sacrifice its role as a beacon to the world,” Summers said.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.…

Larry Summers Says Trump’s Latest Attack on Harvard Is a ‘Prescription for Failure’
The former Harvard president says Trump’s effort to ban international students would damage not just Harvard but America.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/05/23/trump-harvard-international-students-larry-summers-00367667

CBS News: 4 partners leave Paul Weiss after firm cut deal with Trump

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Four partners at Paul Weiss — including the high-profile Democratic attorney Karen Dunn — are departing the law firm, a spokesperson told CBS News, after Paul Weiss drew attention for striking a deal with President Trump to avoid targeting by the federal government.

The rest of the law firm threw $40M of pro bono legal work at the corrupt Trump regime so they could continue doing business as usual.

Kudos and applause for the 4 partner attorneys who had the courage to leave.

Meanwhile another law firm (Jenner & Block) had the integrity to fight back in court and win without lining King Donald’s pockets.

4 partners leave Paul Weiss after firm cut deal with Trump, including Democratic lawyer Karen Dunn
A group of high-profile attorneys have left Paul Weiss.

ABC News: New Social Security chief tells staff he had to Google the job when he was offered it

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ABC News obtained audio of Frank Bisignano’s staff meeting with managers.

The newly sworn-in head of the Social Security Administration told agency staff this week that when he was first offered the job in the Trump administration, he wasn’t familiar with the position and had to look it up online.

Frank Bisignano, a former Wall Street executive, said during a town hall with Social Security managers from around the country on Wednesday that he wasn’t seeking a position in the Trump administration when he received a call about leading the SSA.

“So, I get a phone call and it’s about Social Security. And I’m really, I’m really not, I swear I’m not looking for a job,” Bisignano said, according to an audio recording of the meeting obtained by ABC News. “And I’m like, ‘Well, what am I going to do?’ So, I’m Googling Social Security. You know, one of my great skills, I’m one of the great Googlers on the East Coast.”

“I’m like, ‘What the heck’s the commissioner of Social Security?'” said Bisignano, who now oversees one of the largest federal agencies that’s responsible for distributing retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to more than 70 million Americans.

“A former Wall Street executive”, once the head of a major financial services firm, has to use Google to find out what the Commissioner of Social Security does? He seems relatively harmless compared to F’Elon Musk and his band of DOGE stooges, but I’m still not impressed.

I’ll bet I’m a lot better with Google than he is. Am I qualified for the job? 😀

New head of Social Security, hired from Wall Street, tells staff he had to Google the job when he was offered it
Newly sworn-in Social Security chief Frank Bisignano, who previously was a Wall Street executive, told staffers he had to Google the SSA job when it was offered to him.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/new-head-social-security-hired-wall-street-tells/story?id=122075152

Politico: ‘Glaring red flag’: Treasury DOGE team discloses bank stock holdings

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The Trump administration official overseeing the Treasury Department’s massive financial operations reported owning stock in many of the large banks and companies that do business with the department, according to disclosures obtained by POLITICO.

Tom Krause, who is also the lead official for Treasury’s DOGE team, reported hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of shares in a wide range of financial companies, including those that provide services to the unit Krause oversees.

He and two other Treasury DOGE team members — Todd Newnam and Linda Whitridge— also reported owning shares of Intuit, the parent company of TurboTax, which has lobbied heavily against IRS Direct File, a program targeted for elimination by Elon Musk and DOGE.

&c.

Who cares about a little conflict of interest when you’re working for the Grifter-in-Chief?

‘Glaring red flag’: Treasury DOGE team reveals bank holdings
Several former Treasury officials and government ethics experts said the disclosures raise ethics concerns.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/14/treasury-doge-disclosures-bank-stocks-00347972

The Street: These two industries could face mass layoffs this year

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Trucking:

Trucking has typically been known as a reliable career choice, although some struggle with the isolation and long hours.

But according to Apollo’s report, the disruptions tariffs will cause to trade, especially with China, will have a negative effect on those working in the trucking industry.

The report suggests that a sharp decline in container-ship voyages from China will significantly reduce freight volumes, meaning fewer trucks will be needed to transport goods. 

Apollo estimates that imports accounts for 20% of U.S. trucking volume, which if reduced, would translate to less need for drivers. It also estimates that domestic freight activity will hit a major slowdown by mid-May, with major layoffs to follow in order for trucking companies to cope with the changes.

Add in that President Trump signed an executive order on April 28 that requires all truck drivers to be able to speak English, and even more jobs will be snuffed out.

Retail:

Another blue-collar sector that will suffer because of the tariff environment, according to Apollo, is retail.

Apollo’s data suggests that retail will also face problems due to the decline in container shipments, especially from China. This will lead to stores running out of stock and longer gaps until they are able to refill their shelves. Other items could disappear altogether if they’re too expensive to import.

In addition, Apollo predicts that declining consumer confidence in the economy and fear of spending on anything nonessential will mean a slowdown in retail shopping. After all, less sales means less money to pay staff.

Further, the tariff-driven slowdown could lead to stagflation — stagnant growth combined with high inflation — according to Apollo’s analysis.

thestreet.com

https://www.thestreet.com/retail/these-two-industries-could-face-mass-layoffs-this-year

Business Insider: The same badge-scan strategy used in Tesla layoffs has hit federal workers

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Employees at the Department of Health and Human Services showed up to their offices on Tuesday to learn their fate: If their badges worked, they still had a job. If they didn’t, they had to clean out their desks.

“I was crying the entire drive to work today,” an HHS employee told Business Insider as they waited in line.

The employee said they saw a man walk past, wheeling out his personal belongings on a desk chair after being terminated.

“I’ve seen three people who went in, and then came back out and left with tears in their eyes,” said the employee, who was eventually let into the building. “People behind me are sniffling.”

The same badge-scan strategy used in Tesla layoffs has hit federal workers

The same badge-scan strategy used in Tesla layoffs has hit federal workers

Trump’s assault on DEI must be stopped. Diversity makes us strong, not weak | Editorial

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In the month since President Trump signed an executive order eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the federal level, cancellations and rollbacks of DEI programs continue to mount.

The order has given private sector companies hollow excuses and political cover for pulling back on DEI. Ironically, these were some of the same companies that rushed to create DEI offices after the murder of George Floyd during the first Trump administration.

The intent of DEI programs is to bring fairness and inclusion to the workplace through diverse voices, especially those of women, veterans and people of color. We don’t see that as being a bad thing.

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Trump’s assault on DEI must be stopped. Diversity makes us strong, not weak | Editorial
The Republican administration jeopardizes progress for N.J.’s diversity programs boosting women, minorities and veterans. Don’t let it happen.

Trump’s assault on DEI must be stopped. Diversity makes us strong, not weak | Editorial – nj.com