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  31. <title>Medicaid: Millions Have It, and Don’t Even Know It</title>
  32. <link>https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/us-politics/medicaid-millions-have-it-and-dont-even-know-it/</link>
  34. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Sean Ogden]]></dc:creator>
  35. <pubDate>Sat, 12 Jul 2025 13:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
  36. <category><![CDATA[Health & Medicine]]></category>
  37. <category><![CDATA[US Politics]]></category>
  38. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://whowhatwhy.org/?p=100400</guid>
  39.  
  40. <description><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/State_Medicaid_Programs_Text_3x2.jpg.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="Medicaid, SoonerCare, TennCare, CardinalCare, MassHealth, BadgerCare+, Apple Health," style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" data-smartcrop-focus="[49,26]" /><p>What will they do when they find out? Turns out “socialized medicine” was keeping them alive — until the GOP cut it.</p>
  41. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/us-politics/medicaid-millions-have-it-and-dont-even-know-it/">Medicaid: Millions Have It, and Don’t Even Know It</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  42. ]]></description>
  43. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/State_Medicaid_Programs_Text_3x2.jpg.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="Medicaid, SoonerCare, TennCare, CardinalCare, MassHealth, BadgerCare+, Apple Health," style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[49,26]" /><p class="ai-optimize-4 ai-optimize-introduction">Over <a href="https://www.allhealthpolicy.org/topics/medicaid-chip">85 million Americans</a> rely on Medicaid, Medicare, or CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), mostly through renamed state programs. But decades of GOP-led <a href="https://prospect.org/health/dark-history-of-medicare-privatization/">privatization</a>, and accompanying <a href="https://www.rwjf.org/en/insights/our-research/2019/02/medicaid-s-impact-on-health-care-access-outcomes-and-state-economies.html#:~:text=Even%20before%20Medicaid%20expansion%20under,report%20being%20in%20excellent%20health.">propaganda</a>, have obscured the link between these state programs and their federal safety net foundations — hiding the fact that those federal programs are the backbone of American health coverage.</p>
  44. <p class="ai-optimize-5">A <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/poll-finding/kff-survey-of-medicaid-unwinding/#:~:text=Similar%20to%20overall%20awareness%20of,enrollees%20about%20renewing%20their%20coverage.">2024 Kaiser survey</a> found nearly 1 in 3 Medicaid enrollees didn’t know they were on Medicaid; many thought they had private insurance. </p>
  45. <p class="ai-optimize-6">That confusion had serious consequences: The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1/text">One Big Beautiful Bill Act</a> cut up to $1 trillion from Medicaid with barely any public outcry. Why the shrug? </p>
  46. <p class="ai-optimize-7">Most people didn’t understand that it would deeply affect them, their families, and their communities. This isn’t accidental — it’s been a long-running <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/06/republican-medicaid-cuts-midterms-big-beautiful-bill-00440023">GOP</a> strategy to discredit public health care while quietly gutting and privatizing it. </p>
  47. <p class="ai-optimize-8">This same <a href="https://forgeorganizing.org/article/roots-and-reasons-privatization/">privatizing strategy</a> was used to dismantle the public education system. In fact, it predates President <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ684842.pdf">Ronald Reagan’s</a> 1976 book, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1976/08/15/archives/reagan.html"><i>Call to Action</i></a>, which absurdly labeled secular or fact-driven <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1980/09/12/reagan-opponents-differ-sharply-on-educational-policy/255e54e3-e6ff-4b48-8c45-d9fe7bcdc422/">public schools</a> as a “monopoly” and promoted tax vouchers to divert funds toward largely unregulated agenda-driven private/religious schools.</p>
  48. <p class="ai-optimize-9">For years, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/21/politics/fact-check-gop-bill-medicaid-cuts">Republican leaders</a> and media have blurred distinctions between state insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA, aka “Obamacare”), using labels like “government-run” or “socialized medicine” to generate fear and block expansion:</p>
  49. <ul>
  50. <li class="ai-optimize-10"  aria-level="1">Mitt Romney called Medicare/Medicaid flawed “<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/channels/health-forum/fullarticle/2761048#:~:text=profound%20and%20worrying.-,Romney%20Plan:%20Repeal%20ACA,their%20revenues%20on%20medical%20care.">government-run health care</a>.”</li>
  51. <li class="ai-optimize-11"  aria-level="1">Conservative media also labels Medicare/Medicaid “<a href="https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/republicans-project-2025-maps-out-plan-to-gut-medicare-and-medicaid/#:~:text=Declaring%20in%20its%20Mandate%20for,a%20government%2Drun%20healthcare%20program.">government-run health care</a>.” </li>
  52. <li class="ai-optimize-12"  aria-level="1">Donald Trump accused Medicare/Medicaid of being “<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-stands-lies-medicare-none/#:~:text=Quote,world%20%E2%80%94%20anywhere%20in%20the%20world.&amp;text=RESISTING%20THE%20LIES%20OF%20SOCIALIZED,allow%20socialized%20medicine%20in%20America.">socialized medicine</a>.” </li>
  53. </ul>
  54. <p class="ai-optimize-13">Yet none of these parties acknowledge that over 80 million Americans are enrolled and cared for in these state programs that are funded by Medicaid — but use different names.</p>
  55. <p class="ai-optimize-14"><a href="https://pro.morningconsult.com/analysis/2024-vote-medicaid-recipients-trump-harris">Morning Consult</a> reported that in the 2024 election, 49 percent of Medicaid recipients voted for Trump. It also noted that 18 percent of Trump voters said they personally use Medicaid. The first number suggests that a <i>lot </i>of Trump voters are in for a rude awakening; the second number suggests  a large proportion of Trump voters are unaware of their dependency on now-slashed Medicaid for their own health coverage.</p>
  56. <h2 class="ai-optimize-15">Same Program, Different Name</h2>
  57. <p class="ai-optimize-16">Owing to decades of propaganda, many associate Medicaid with “welfare,” or believe it’s only for the unemployed. In truth, most enrollees are working families, children, seniors, and people with disabilities. </p>
  58. <p class="ai-optimize-17">The reality is that <a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/harm-to-low-wage-workers-from-taking-away-medicaid-for-not-meeting-work-requirements">over 60 percent</a> of non-elderly Medicaid recipients work low-wage jobs without health benefits.</p>
  59. <p class="ai-optimize-18">Most states have <a href="https://www.kff.org/report-section/50-state-medicaid-budget-survey-fy-2023-2024-delivery-systems/">rebranded</a> Medicaid to the point of obscurity. These programs are all still <a href="https://healthcareuncovered.substack.com/p/the-medicaid-you-dont-know-youre">Medicaid</a>, but residents have no idea that such is the case. For example:</p>
  60. <ul>
  61. <li class="ai-optimize-19"  aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.countyofnapa.org/Faq.aspx?QID=88#:~:text=Medi%2DCal%20is%20what%20the,provide%20medical%20services%20to%20clients.">California: Medi-Cal </a></li>
  62. <li class="ai-optimize-20"  aria-level="1"><a href="https://myfamilyestateplanning.com/2025/04/30/the-difference-between-medicare-medicaid-and-masshealth/">Massachusetts: MassHealth </a></li>
  63. <li class="ai-optimize-21"  aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.hca.wa.gov/about-hca/programs-and-initiatives/apple-health-medicaid#:~:text=In%20Washington%20State%2C%20Medicaid%20is%20called%20Apple%20Health.">Washington: Apple Health </a></li>
  64. <li class="ai-optimize-22"  aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/members-applicants/eligibility/tenncare-medicaid.html">Tennessee: TennCare </a></li>
  65. <li class="ai-optimize-23"  aria-level="1"><a href="https://oklahoma.gov/ohca/individuals/mysoonercare/about-soonercare.html#:~:text=What%20about%20Medicare?,and%20some%20people%20with%20disabilities.">Oklahoma: SoonerCare</a> </li>
  66. <li class="ai-optimize-24"  aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.dmas.virginia.gov/for-members/cardinal-care-members/cardinal-care-managed-care/#:~:text=Overview,through%20five%20accredited%20health%20plans.&amp;text=Information%20about%20programs%20and%20services,for%20both%20Medicare%20and%20Medicaid.&amp;text=Archived%20information%20about%20the%20Commonwealth,Programs%20(ended%20in%202023).">Virginia: Cardinal Care </a></li>
  67. <li class="ai-optimize-25"  aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2025/05/22/big-changes-could-be-coming-to-badgercare-plus-medicaid-what-to-know/83651172007/#:~:text=What%20programs%20fall%20under%20Medicaid,care%20for%20children%20with%20disabilities.">Wisconsin: BadgerCare </a></li>
  68. </ul>
  69. <p class="ai-optimize-26">This rebranding conveniently lines up directly with the long strategy to make cuts politically easier by distancing the public from the federal program funding their care.</p>
  70. <h2 class="ai-optimize-27">Private Branding, Public Money</h2>
  71. <p class="ai-optimize-28">The confusion deepens because most Medicaid enrollees carry cards from private insurers like UnitedHealthcare or Centene, masking that their coverage is publicly funded. These companies run Medicaid under state contracts but obscure its government source.</p>
  72. <p class="ai-optimize-29"><a href="https://www.kff.org/status-of-state-medicaid-expansion-decisions/">Kaiser</a> and <a href="http://medicaid.gov">Medicaid.gov</a> report <a href="https://www.healthmanagement.com/blog/50-state-survey-medicaid-policy-landscape-fy-2025/">72 to 90 percent</a> of enrollees are in managed care — about <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/06/24/what-the-data-says-about-medicaid/#:~:text=During%20the%20COVID%2D19%20pandemic,rates%20vary%20around%20the%20country?">71.4 million</a> people, or 23 percent of the US population, per Pew Research Center. Managed care is the default in 41 states and DC; only Alaska, New Hampshire, and Wyoming have completely opted out.</p>
  73. <p class="ai-optimize-30">The remaining states — Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Maine, South Dakota, and Vermont — use managed care selectively, showing a more nuanced approach than either default or opt-out.</p>
  74. <h2 class="ai-optimize-31">Why It Matters</h2>
  75. <p class="ai-optimize-32">Millions are going to lose coverage without knowing Medicaid was behind that coverage and, therefore, without realizing Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill had <i>them </i>in its crosshairs. GOP-backed policies hid government support while attacking it, and the media failed to clarify the <a href="https://blackpressusa.com/trumps-big-ugly-bill-puts-millions-of-lives-at-risk/">threat</a>. This isn’t mere confusion — it’s strategic. </p>
  76. <p class="ai-optimize-33">Democracy can’t function without informed consent.</p>
  77. <h2 class="ai-optimize-34">What To Do</h2>
  78. <p class="ai-optimize-35">The bill has already been passed and signed — the cuts are now law. But the fight to protect and restore Medicaid isn’t over.</p>
  79. <p class="ai-optimize-36">If you’re not sure who funds your health care, find out. Check your insurance card. Ask your provider. Research your state’s plan. Understanding what’s been lost is the first step in defending what remains.</p>
  80. <p class="ai-optimize-37">Contact your elected officials: Reach out to your <a href="https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm">US senators</a> and <a href="https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative">representatives</a>, as well as your <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/about-state-legislatures/find-your-legislators">state legislators</a>. Let them know you oppose cuts to Medicaid and support public health care.</p>
  81. <p class="ai-optimize-38">Participate in public forums: Attend health-related <a href="https://www.meetup.com/topics/healthcare/">community meetings</a> and/or local <a href="https://www.usa.gov/state-health">government hearings</a> on healthcare policy.</p>
  82. <p class="ai-optimize-39">Support advocacy groups protecting Medicaid:</p>
  83. <ul>
  84. <li class="ai-optimize-40"  aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.cbpp.org/topics/health">Center on Budget and Policy Priorities</a> </li>
  85. <li class="ai-optimize-41"  aria-level="1"><a href="https://familiesusa.org/">Families USA</a> </li>
  86. <li class="ai-optimize-42"  aria-level="1"><a href="https://healthlaw.org/">National Health Law Program</a></li>
  87. </ul>
  88. <div class="whowh-story-middle" id="whowh-2963589031"><div style="margin-bottom: 16px;" id="whowh-509365696" data-whowh-trackid="97785" data-whowh-trackbid="1" class="whowh-target" data-cfpa="97785" data-cfpw="97785"><a data-no-instant="1" href="https://whowhatwhy.org/donate/?utm_source=story&#038;utm_medium=donate-banner&#038;utm_campaign=free" rel="noopener" class="a2t-link" aria-label="free the truth promo"><img decoding="async" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/frame_7__1_-1.png" alt="" width="970" height="250" /></a></div><script type="text/javascript">;new advadsCfpAd( 97785 );</script></div><p class="ai-optimize-43">Share what you learn: Educate your family and friends to help build a stronger, informed community.</p>
  89. <h2 class="ai-optimize-44">Vote Them Out</h2>
  90. <p class="ai-optimize-45">On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, you’ll have the power to act. Here’s what’s at stake:</p>
  91. <ul>
  92. <li class="ai-optimize-46"  aria-level="1">All 435 seats in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections">US House of Representatives</a> (all for 2-year terms) </li>
  93. <li class="ai-optimize-47"  aria-level="1">Approximately one-third of the <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_elections%2C_2026">US Senate</a> (33 of 100 seats up for six-year terms)</li>
  94. </ul>
  95. <p class="ai-optimize-48">If your elected officials supported the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, it’s crucial to hold them accountable by voting them out. The future of your health care — and that of millions of Americans — depends on it.</p>
  96. <p class="ai-optimize-49"><i>All </i>Republicans in both chambers voted for the bill, with these five exceptions:</p>
  97. <ul>
  98. <li class="ai-optimize-50"  aria-level="1">House: <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/thomas-massie-again-one-two-185156444.html">Thomas Massie (KY)</a> and <a href="https://whyy.org/articles/rep-brian-fitzpatrick-trump-spending-bill-bucks-county-midterm-election/">Brian Fitzpatrick (PA)</a></li>
  99. <li class="ai-optimize-51"  aria-level="1">Senate: <a href="https://www.wmtw.com/article/maine-senator-susan-collins-vote-big-beautiful-bill/65267776">Susan Collins (ME)</a>, <a href="https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/contributors/2025/07/03/trump-rand-paul-big-beautiful-bill-vote-congress-debt/84461567007/">Rand Paul (KY)</a>, and <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/post/big-beautiful-bill-senate-vote-nc-senator-thom-tillis-seek-reelection-donald-trumps-spending/16881445/">Thom Tillis (NC)</a></li>
  100. </ul>
  101. <hr />
  102. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/us-politics/medicaid-millions-have-it-and-dont-even-know-it/">Medicaid: Millions Have It, and Don’t Even Know It</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  103. ]]></content:encoded>
  107. </item>
  108. <item>
  109. <title>Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Indiscriminate Arrests of Brown People in LA</title>
  110. <link>https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/immigration/judge-blocks-trump-administrations-indiscriminate-arrests-of-brown-people-in-la/</link>
  112. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Klaus Marre]]></dc:creator>
  113. <pubDate>Sat, 12 Jul 2025 11:43:16 +0000</pubDate>
  114. <category><![CDATA[Courts]]></category>
  115. <category><![CDATA[Immigration]]></category>
  116. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://whowhatwhy.org/?p=100424</guid>
  117.  
  118. <description><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Stephen_Miller_State_Dining_Room_White_House_3x2.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="Stephen Miller, State Dining Room, White House" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[49,26]" /><p>A federal judge ruled on Friday night that the Trump administration has to stop its practice of indiscriminately rounding up Hispanic people in Los Angeles. </p>
  119. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/immigration/judge-blocks-trump-administrations-indiscriminate-arrests-of-brown-people-in-la/">Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Indiscriminate Arrests of Brown People in LA</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  120. ]]></description>
  121. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Stephen_Miller_State_Dining_Room_White_House_3x2.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="Stephen Miller, State Dining Room, White House" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[49,26]" /><p class="ai-optimize-6 ai-optimize-introduction">In what must have been one of the saddest moments of Stephen Miller and Tom Homan’s lives, a federal judge on Friday night blocked the Trump administration from indiscriminately arresting Hispanic people in the Los Angeles area solely for the “crime” of looking Hispanic.</p>
  122. <p class="ai-optimize-7">District Court Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, who was appointed to her position by Joe Biden, granted a pair of temporary restraining orders that will prevent government agents from racially profiling random brown people they see on the streets and directs the administration to make sure that the immigrants they do detain have access to legal counsel.</p>
  123. <p class="ai-optimize-8">In her <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cacd.975351/gov.uscourts.cacd.975351.87.0.pdf">opinion</a>, Frimpong noted that both parties were in agreement that the federal government may conduct large-scale immigration enforcement actions, that all individuals in the US share the rights outlined in the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the Constitution, that it is illegal to “conduct roving patrols which identify people based upon race alone, aggressively question them, and then detain them without a warrant, without their consent, and without reasonable suspicion that they are without status,” and that those detained should not be prevented from having access to lawyers.</p>
  124. <p class="ai-optimize-9">The questions she had to resolve, Frimpong added, were whether the individuals and rights organizations which had sued the Trump administration would be able to prove that its agents were indeed conducting such roving patrols and then denying the victims access to counsel.</p>
  125. <p class="ai-optimize-10">“What the federal government would have this Court believe – in the face of a mountain of evidence presented in this case – is that none of this is actually happening,” she wrote.</p>
  126. <p class="ai-optimize-11">Indeed, not a day goes by without new videos and reports surfacing that show how masked and heavily armed government agents, often without identifying themselves in any way, are rounding up brown people in the Los Angeles area.</p>
  127. <p class="ai-optimize-12">Therefore, Frimpong ruled that, based on the evidence she was presented with, it is likely that the plaintiffs in the case will be able to prove that the government is “indeed conducting roving patrols without reasonable suspicion and denying access to lawyers.”</p>
  128. <p class="ai-optimize-13">As a result, she is ordering the Trump administration to put an end to these indiscriminate raids and to allow detainees to meet with their attorneys.</p>
  129. <p class="ai-optimize-14">Now, the question is whether that is going to happen.</p>
  130. <p class="ai-optimize-15">That is anybody’s guess.</p>
  131. <p class="ai-optimize-16">Earlier in the day, Homan, Trump’s “immigration czar” had asserted on Fox News that ICE agents “don’t need probable cause to walk up to somebody, briefly detain them, and question them” based on factors that include their physical appearance.</p>
  132. <p class="ai-optimize-17">Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff responsible for white supremacy policy did not take the ruling well.</p>
  133. <p class="ai-optimize-18">After spending part of his day on Fox News lying about immigrants, Democrats, and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3ltpkmujtok2i">barely avoiding a hate-inspired aneurysm</a>, he took to social media after the ruling to vent.  </p>
  134. <div class="whowh-story-middle" id="whowh-2160704334"><div style="margin-bottom: 16px;" id="whowh-1379851790" data-whowh-trackid="97784" data-whowh-trackbid="1" class="whowh-target" data-cfpa="97784" data-cfpw="97784"><a data-no-instant="1" href="https://whowhatwhy.org/donate/?utm_source=story&#038;utm_medium=donate-banner&#038;utm_campaign=champion" rel="noopener" class="a2t-link" aria-label="Champion-truth"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Champion-truth.png" alt="" width="970" height="250" /></a></div><script type="text/javascript">;new advadsCfpAd( 97784 );</script></div><p class="ai-optimize-19">“A communist judge in LA has ordered ICE to report directly to her and radical left NGOs — not the president,” Miller <a href="https://x.com/StephenM/status/1943855465349198026">stated</a>. “This is another act of insurrection against the United States and its sovereign people.”</p>
  135. <p class="ai-optimize-20">Of course, what the judge has done is to direct the administration to follow the Constitution of the United States of America and the laws of the land.</p>
  136. <p class="ai-optimize-21">Six months into Trump’s second term, that has proven to be a high bar for the president and his administration.</p>
  137. <hr />
  138. <p class="ai-optimize-22"><i>In his Navigating the Insanity columns, Klaus Marre provides the kind of hard-hitting, thought-provoking, and often humorous analysis you won’t find anywhere else.  </i></p>
  139. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/immigration/judge-blocks-trump-administrations-indiscriminate-arrests-of-brown-people-in-la/">Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Indiscriminate Arrests of Brown People in LA</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  140. ]]></content:encoded>
  144. </item>
  145. <item>
  146. <title>One Small Thing: A Time for Action</title>
  147. <link>https://whowhatwhy.org/one-small-thing-2/one-small-thing-a-time-for-action/</link>
  149. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darlena Cunha]]></dc:creator>
  150. <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 17:00:53 +0000</pubDate>
  151. <category><![CDATA[One Small Thing]]></category>
  152. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://whowhatwhy.org/?p=100412</guid>
  153.  
  154. <description><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/No_Kings_Day_Protest_Bath_Maine_3x2.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="No Kings Day Protest, Bath, Maine" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[51,60]" /><p>A good activist will still make mistakes. How you handle those mistakes is what matters. </p>
  155. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/one-small-thing-2/one-small-thing-a-time-for-action/">One Small Thing: A Time for Action</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  156. ]]></description>
  157. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/No_Kings_Day_Protest_Bath_Maine_3x2.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="No Kings Day Protest, Bath, Maine" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[51,60]" /><p class="ai-optimize-4 ai-optimize-introduction">This week has made it clear that the fate of American democracy hangs in the balance. As our own bunker-busting bombs hit Iran, without Congressional approval, we’ve seen an escalation of executive power from the already dangerous overreach we protested just a few weeks ago. This doesn’t mean we give up hope. It means we keep our eyes and arms and homes open, and we fight even harder. Here are some things you can do.</p>
  158. <p class="ai-optimize-4"><strong>       1.</strong>   <b></b><b>Make sure the press sees your events</b></p>
  159. <p class="ai-optimize-6">The week of the No Kings Day protest, I received an itinerary for our local event to my work email. It was just a list of events, booths, and speakers, with no context and no easy media messaging for overloaded newsrooms. I contacted the person who sent it to me and asked if they had a press release. They did not, so I fashioned one for them. I emphasized the size of the rally (thousands), and the fact that all of our local, on-the-ground activist groups had come together to put it on. (That’s important because it makes the event unique. It’s rare to get all these groups, with their disparate aims, to work together.) I used the original sender’s information, sent it back to them, and continued on with my day.</p>
  160. <p class="ai-optimize-7">The lesson here is: Use your skills to help get your group more visibility. If activism is invisible to the public, its impact is severely impacted.</p>
  161. <p class="ai-optimize-40"><b>       2.   Understand the terrain of your local activism groups.</b></p>
  162. <p class="ai-optimize-9">A day after I sent the press release I’d written to the organizer, I got a message from a leader of another group asking if I had received a press release. I informed him that I had actually written it, and he was relieved but also perturbed. Apparently, he had also written several drafts of a release and was waiting on approval. My press release, sent by the other organizer, came as a surprise to them.</p>
  163. <p class="ai-optimize-10">In addition, there is some friction between the groups here, as there will always be when people try to come together around a common cause. Everyone wants to be identified correctly and to have their efforts suitably highlighted; given my sparse knowledge of the organization of the event, I had unwittingly not done this clearly enough.</p>
  164. <p class="ai-optimize-11">After I learned of my mistake, I received many frantic phone calls from organizers trying to fix the error and smooth out details… and soothe tempers.</p>
  165. <p class="ai-optimize-12">I ended up making my own calls to various leaders, explaining that the fault was mine, and trying to mend the precarious bridges they had built to one another. It took a lot of back-and-forthing, but because I am now fairly well-known in these circles and they knew I truly meant to do a good thing, they gave it all the benefit of the doubt, and everyone could move forward.</p>
  166. <p class="ai-optimize-13">The moral of the story is: Even if you are helping, make sure you have all the information on hand before dashing off what you think is “help.”</p>
  167. <p class="ai-optimize-41"><b>       3.   If you fail or make a mistake, keep going.</b></p>
  168. <p class="ai-optimize-15">No one’s activism is going to be perfect. Many mistakes are going to be made along the way. One important thing, especially for white people, is to listen and learn with an open heart and an absent ego. As human beings, it is hard to face a mistake. It is true that my intentions were good, but I also needed to learn from this experience. My voice, even as a ghostwriter, shouldn’t be the loudest in the room.</p>
  169. <p class="ai-optimize-16">If we take these moments and learn from them, we can work together with those we have accidentally wronged and do better. If we get stuck in feelings of embarrassment or inadequacy or we are defensive and disinclined to put ourselves back out there, we end up hindering the movement’s progress. Remember, it’s a joint fight for our democracy, and we need all hands on deck.</p>
  170. <p class="ai-optimize-17">In this case, after my phone calls, I kept my offer to write the press release for them on the table. One of the leaders tried to combine my press release with another, and sent me the results. She’s an excellent leader, but writing is its own skill set. I rewrote the release to include her varied events and keep it short and punchy. She was grateful and used that release before the protest. In the end, what’s important is to work together to advance this vital cause.</p>
  171. <p class="ai-optimize-42"><b>       4.   Take comfort in the wins. </b></p>
  172. <p class="ai-optimize-19">More than 2,000 people showed up at the protest in Gainesville, FL. The rally included booths for various groups, a mutual-aid table, a speaker list, and music. Folks brought folding chairs and picnic blankets and listened to activist leaders talk about what steps are needed to continue to fight for progress. Another faction of the group stood on the nearby road and waved signs and shouted at oncoming traffic, most of which honked emphatically in return.</p>
  173. <p class="ai-optimize-20">Importantly to me, the press did show up. Both television and print media took photos and interviewed participants. Why is coverage so important? Because other people see it. It shows those on the fence that the movement continues to strengthen and grow. It shows those who are feeling helpless a way forward where they will be surrounded by people who share their goals for a better world. It makes the steps into activism less daunting to take. It makes people feel less alone.</p>
  174. <p class="ai-optimize-43"><b>       5.   Follow up to do better next time.</b></p>
  175. <p class="ai-optimize-22">The best way forward is through… and then back. After the successful protest, I coordinated with the woman I had inadvertently erased in my original press release. We sat down for coffee and I asked her to tell me her story. Her experience is important.</p>
  176. <p class="ai-optimize-23">“You want the whole dramatic thing?” she asked.</p>
  177. <p class="ai-optimize-24">I did.</p>
  178. <p class="ai-optimize-25">But I didn’t take notes, I didn’t report. I didn’t want to hear her story to publicize it or make any kind of statement about it. I wanted to hear her story to gain a better understanding of how she, as a woman of color, has been treated in this space since 2016, and how I could help other white people amplify voices like hers, voices of those who are the most affected and disenfranchised. I wanted to hear her story because she has a right to tell it, loudly and clearly, and to be taken seriously when she speaks. </p>
  179. <p class="ai-optimize-26">I listened so in the future I could do better for her and the cause we shared. And I will.</p>
  180. <p class="ai-optimize-44"><b>       6.   Do the detail work to integrate yourself into operating systems.</b></p>
  181. <p class="ai-optimize-28">In addition to newer activism groups that formed since Trump first took office, like 50501 and Indivisible, I’ve been integrating myself into older, more established groups that at first glance might seem to just be plodding along. Yet these older groups can be just as effective as the newer ones, if not more so. Yes, they move more slowly. Yes, they are not as flashy. But what they lack in alacrity, they make up in structural continuity and experience. No one likes to read a rulebook. No one likes detailed, legalese-y policies and procedures. No one likes the red tape of officers and boards and oversight. But in the long-haul battle against this administration, the very detail-oriented approach that may at first appear to tie hands can actually make the needed actions more effective.</p>
  182. <p class="ai-optimize-29">With this mind, I volunteered to help the League of Women Voters with their communications. I was assigned to tone up their website. My first reaction was blech! I don’t usually consider comms to be updating webpages, but if that is what they need, that is what I’ll do.</p>
  183. <p class="ai-optimize-30">So, I familiarized myself with the backend of their operations, got myself access permissions and a username, and now I can edit the site. And the League of Women Voters site is important — it gives people action items and the tools to get them done. If they tell you to call your congresspeople, they give the names and numbers, along with a suggested phone script that is tailored to your area. If they hold an event or are tabling somewhere, they ask well in advance for volunteers and provide contact information, location, and time details. They are a well-oiled machine, and it’s because they’ve been doing this important work for so long.</p>
  184. <p class="ai-optimize-45"><b>       7.   Call Congress about the bombing of Iran.</b></p>
  185. <p class="ai-optimize-32">As we watched Trump sign his tax bill into law — which will cut Medicaid and food assistance for millions and which will require massive protests to try to overturn — it can be easy to forget the threat to our entire way of life posed by his reckless military moves abroad. Now that the fanfare about Iran is dying down, and we are stuck in this ‘did we win, did they win, did every country win, did nobody win, does anyone care anymore’ loop, call your congresspeople to complain about HOW it was done. He willfully chose to coordinate bombing another country without congressional approval. </p>
  186. <p class="ai-optimize-33">What we are seeing is nothing less than an attempt to dismantle our constitutional form of government. And the best way to combat this fascist-style takeover is by standing up for the structural guardrails built into the United States Constitution. We can start by telling our senators and representatives that the president cannot be allowed to bomb any country without Congressional approval.</p>
  187. <div class="whowh-story-middle" id="whowh-4163453558"><div style="margin-bottom: 16px;" id="whowh-1017981209" data-whowh-trackid="97785" data-whowh-trackbid="1" class="whowh-target" data-cfpa="97785" data-cfpw="97785"><a data-no-instant="1" href="https://whowhatwhy.org/donate/?utm_source=story&#038;utm_medium=donate-banner&#038;utm_campaign=free" rel="noopener" class="a2t-link" aria-label="free the truth promo"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/frame_7__1_-1.png" alt="" width="970" height="250" /></a></div><script type="text/javascript">;new advadsCfpAd( 97785 );</script></div><p class="ai-optimize-34">Note that this goes beyond rallying against a military confrontation with a specific adversary, like Iran. While that’s important, the most important — and I believe most winnable — battle is to protect the structural components the Founders put in our Constitution of checks and balances. </p>
  188. <p class="ai-optimize-35">So, yes, calling and saying not to bomb Iran is good, but calling and saying not to bomb any country without going through the proper constitutional procedure is better. It’s better because at least some congresspeople will be open to a call to defend their own legislative rights and privileges, to fight back against a would-be dictator who would strip them of their lawfully ordained powers and reduce them to lickspittle lackeys of an out-of-control White House.</p>
  189. <p class="ai-optimize-37">The time for action is now, and any action you can take, large or small, will do something to push the needle a little more toward liberty for all. Celebrate the victories, however limited, that you achieve. Do not allow the dark clouds of repression to steal our will to stand up and fight. We are strong enough. We can do this. See you next week.</p>
  190. <p class="ai-optimize-38"><i>Past weeks of “One Small Thing” can be found </i><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/author/darlena-cunha/"><i>here</i></a>.</p>
  191. <hr />
  192. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/one-small-thing-2/one-small-thing-a-time-for-action/">One Small Thing: A Time for Action</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  193. ]]></content:encoded>
  197. </item>
  198. <item>
  199. <title>Can the Giant Moa Be Resurrected?</title>
  200. <link>https://whowhatwhy.org/editors-picks/can-the-giant-moa-be-resurrected/</link>
  202. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Whowhatwhy Editors]]></dc:creator>
  203. <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:51:44 +0000</pubDate>
  204. <category><![CDATA[Editors' Picks]]></category>
  205. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://whowhatwhy.org/?p=100407</guid>
  206.  
  207. <description><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="683" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Giant_moa_statue_3x2.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="science, nature, biodiversity, extinct animals, giant moa" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[25,38]" /><p>PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.</p>
  208. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/editors-picks/can-the-giant-moa-be-resurrected/">Can the Giant Moa Be Resurrected?</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  209. ]]></description>
  210. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="683" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Giant_moa_statue_3x2.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="science, nature, biodiversity, extinct animals, giant moa" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[25,38]" /><h3 class="ai-optimize-4"><b>It’s a 12-Foot Tall Bird That Has Been Extinct for 600 Years — Can the Giant Moa Be Resurrected? (Maria) </b></h3>
  211. <p class="ai-optimize-5 ai-optimize-introduction">The author <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/11/de-extinction-extinct-giant-moa-bird-colossal-bioscience-aoe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>, “The giant moa is the tallest bird known to have walked on Earth. For thousands of years, the wingless herbivore patrolled New Zealand, feasting on trees and shrubs, until the arrival of humans. &#8230; But this week, the US startup Colossal Biosciences has announced that the giant moa has joined the woolly mammoth, dodo and  Tasmanian tiger on its list of animals it is trying to bring back from the dead. The announcement has provoked public excitement — and deep skepticism from many experts.”</p>
  212. <h3 class="ai-optimize-6"><b>Florida Lawmakers Who Were Denied Access to ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Sue Gov. DeSantis (Reader Steve) </b></h3>
  213. <p class="ai-optimize-7">From <a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-immigration-detention-lawsuit-alligator-alcatraz-bcfcac30def76f23f445546756706f8c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AP News</a>: “Thursday’s filing with the state Supreme Court is the most significant action yet by state officials seeking to challenge the DeSantis administration’s decision to construct and operate the 3,000-bed makeshift detention center at an isolated airstrip surrounded by swampland. The lawmakers argue that DeSantis and Kevin Guthrie, the director of Florida’s emergency management division, unlawfully restricted the Legislature’s independence as a co-equal branch of government in denying them access to the facility on July 3. Under Florida law, legislators are among officials who can visit all state correctional institutions ‘at their pleasure.’”</p>
  214. <h3 class="ai-optimize-8"><b>What We Know About Elon Musk’s Texas Lobbyists and Their Influence (Dana) </b></h3>
  215. <div class="whowh-story-middle" id="whowh-2286460443"><div style="margin-bottom: 16px;" id="whowh-293338295" data-whowh-trackid="97784" data-whowh-trackbid="1" class="whowh-target" data-cfpa="97784" data-cfpw="97784"><a data-no-instant="1" href="https://whowhatwhy.org/donate/?utm_source=story&#038;utm_medium=donate-banner&#038;utm_campaign=champion" rel="noopener" class="a2t-link" aria-label="Champion-truth"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Champion-truth.png" alt="" width="970" height="250" /></a></div><script type="text/javascript">;new advadsCfpAd( 97784 );</script></div><p class="ai-optimize-9">The author <a href="https://www.kut.org/politics/2025-07-03/texas-elon-musk-tesla-spacex-lobbyist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>, “Musk, the billionaire businessman behind carmaker Tesla and aerospace company SpaceX, influenced several new Texas laws this year. How his lobbyists came about these wins, however, is more of a mystery. His lobbyists, who represented Tesla, SpaceX and the social media giant X Corp., spent tens of thousands of dollars on things like gifts and meals for Texas elected officials and others during the session, according to an analysis of state ethics data. In most cases, Texas transparency laws do not require lobbyists to disclose which politicians they wined and dined or on behalf of which clients.”</p>
  216. <h3 class="ai-optimize-10"><b>DHS Tells Police That Common Protest Activities Are ‘Violent Tactics’ (Reader Jim) </b></h3>
  217. <p class="ai-optimize-11">From <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/dhs-tells-police-that-common-protest-activities-are-violent-tactics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>WIRED</i></a>: “The Department of Homeland Security is urging local police to consider a wide range of protest activity as violent tactics, including mundane acts like riding a bike or livestreaming a police encounter, <i>WIRED </i>has learned. Threat bulletins issued during last month’s ‘No Kings’ protests warn that the US government’s aggressive immigration raids are almost certain to accelerate domestic unrest, with DHS saying there’s a ‘high likeliness’ more Americans will soon turn against the agency, which could trigger confrontations near federal sites. Blaming intense media coverage and backlash to the US military deployment in Los Angeles, DHS expects the demonstrations to ‘continue and grow across the nation’ as protesters focused on other issues shift to immigration, following a broad ‘embracement of anti-ICE messaging.’”</p>
  218. <h3 class="ai-optimize-12"><b>IRS Says Churches Can Endorse Political Candidates Without Losing Tax Exemptions (Sean) </b></h3>
  219. <p class="ai-optimize-13">The author <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/irs-says-churches-can-endorse-political-candidates-losing-tax-exemptio-rcna217483" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>, “The IRS made the statement in a court case challenging the Johnson Amendment, a 1954 U.S. tax code provision that prohibits all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations — including churches — from formally endorsing or opposing political candidates. In a filing Monday aimed at resolving a lawsuit between the National Religious Broadcasters and others against the IRS, the parties jointly agreed that churches can endorse candidates without fear of losing their tax-exempt status. The agreement likens such endorsements to a ‘family discussion concerning candidates.’”</p>
  220. <h3 class="ai-optimize-14"><b>Pope Leo XIV Approves New Mass Centered on Care for the Environment (Laura) </b></h3>
  221. <p class="ai-optimize-15">From <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/07/04/pope-leo-embraces-an-environmental/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>The Salt Lake Tribune</i></a>: “As record‑breaking heat scorches much of Europe — with triple‑digit temperatures, wildfires and deaths reported — the Vatican released a new liturgy Thursday for Mass reflecting concern for the environment, offering prayers, readings and hymns that highlight the church’s responsibility to protect the Earth. This new Mass ‘can be used to ask God for the ability to care for creation,’ Cardinal Michael Czerny, who heads the Vatican’s Dicastery for Integral Human Development, said at a news conference. The new Mass, Pro Custodia Creationis (For the Care of Creation), was initially ordered by Pope Francis, who made the environment a major theme of his papacy.” </p>
  222. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/editors-picks/can-the-giant-moa-be-resurrected/">Can the Giant Moa Be Resurrected?</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  223. ]]></content:encoded>
  227. </item>
  228. <item>
  229. <title>Iran’s Final Gambit</title>
  230. <link>https://whowhatwhy.org/podcast/irans-final-gambit/</link>
  232. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Schechtman]]></dc:creator>
  233. <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 11:00:51 +0000</pubDate>
  234. <category><![CDATA[Podcast]]></category>
  235. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://whowhatwhy.org/?p=100397</guid>
  236.  
  237. <description><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/image1-11.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="Protest march in Tehran, Iran." style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[50,57]" /><p>A regime that once ruled through fear now faces its own collapse. Shay Khatiri explains why this moment changes everything — and what happens next.</p>
  238. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/podcast/irans-final-gambit/">Iran’s Final Gambit</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  239. ]]></description>
  240. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/image1-11.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="Protest march in Tehran, Iran." style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[50,57]" /><p class="ai-optimize-4 ai-optimize-introduction">What happens when a regime built on three pillars of legitimacy loses two of them entirely — and faces the destruction of the third? For the Islamic Republic of Iran, that moment may have arrived.</p>
  241. <p class="ai-optimize-5">This week on the<i> WhoWhatWhy</i> podcast, we’re joined by Shay Khatiri, a senior fellow at the Yorktown Institute and a scholar at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Khatiri writes the substack <i>The Russia-Iran Files</i>. </p>
  242. <p class="ai-optimize-6">Khatiri didn’t study Iranian oppression from academic journals — he lived under it, resisted it, and escaped it. As a teenager, he rejected recruitment by the very Basij militia forces he would later fight against in Tehran’s streets during the 2009 Green Revolution. </p>
  243. <p class="ai-optimize-7">He felt rubber bullets shatter his wrist and hid in strangers’ houses while regime thugs prowled outside, waiting to arrest him.</p>
  244. <p class="ai-optimize-8">Today, Khatiri brings that personal history to bear on one of the most urgent questions in international relations: whether Israel’s recent military actions have created an unprecedented opportunity for Iranian regime change — or set the stage for regional catastrophe.</p>
  245. <p class="ai-optimize-9">In this conversation, Khatiri argues that Israel is finally doing “what we should have done decades ago,” calling recent strikes both overdue and admirable while lamenting America’s abdication of global responsibilities. </p>
  246. <p class="ai-optimize-10">He reveals how the Islamic Republic has systematically lost the religious and economic legitimacy that once sustained it, leaving only its nuclear program as the final pillar keeping the regime standing. He argues that traditional American diplomacy has been doomed from the start, because any meaningful nuclear deal would politically destroy the very leadership we’re negotiating with.</p>
  247. <p class="ai-optimize-11">Khatiri outlines specific steps the United States and Israel could take to support Iranian opposition forces — while warning of the devastating consequences if the regime collapses without proper preparation for what comes next.</p>
  248. <p class="ai-optimize-13" class="indented""><i>*For listeners who may find Khatiri’s accent and some recording issues challenging to follow, a full transcript is available below.</i></p>
  249. <p class="ai-optimize-4"><iframe loading="lazy" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/37370525/height/592/theme/modern/size/extra-large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/87A93A/time-start/00:00:00/video-height/400/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/000000" width="100%" height="592" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
  250. <h3 class="ai-optimize-5"><a href="http://apple.co/1MEe9s7" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-19599" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Apple_Podcast_Icon_30x30.png" alt="iTunes" width="30" height="30" /> Apple Podcasts</a><a href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93aG93aGF0d2h5Lm9yZy9hdXRob3IvamVmZi1zY2hlY2h0bWFuL2ZlZWQv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Google_Podcast_Icon_30x30.png" alt="Google Podcasts" width="30" height="30" />Google Podcasts</a><a href="http://whowhatwhy.libsyn.com/rss" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-19600" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/RSS_Podcast_30x30.png" alt="RSS" width="30" height="30" /> RSS</a></h3>
  251. <hr />
  252. <p class="ai-optimize-6"><strong>Full Text Transcript:</strong></p>
  253. <p class="ai-optimize-7"><em>(As a service to our readers, we provide transcripts with our podcasts. We try to ensure that these transcripts do not include errors. However, due to a constraint of resources, we are not always able to proofread them as closely as we would like and hope that you will excuse any errors that slipped through.)</em></p>
  254. <p><b>Jeff</b>: Welcome to the WhoWhatWhy Podcast. I&#8217;m your host, Jeff Schechtman.</p>
  255. <p>The corridors of power in Washington have long been haunted by a single, intractable question: what to do with a regime that thrives on confrontation, draws strength from isolation, and treats compromise not as diplomacy, but as defeat.</p>
  256. <p>For over four decades, five consecutive American administrations have grappled with the Islamic Republic of Iran, each believing they possess the key to unlocking this geopolitical Gordian knot. Each has been wrong.</p>
  257. <p>Today, we&#8217;re joined by someone who brings a perspective as rare as it is essential—lived experience transformed into strategic insight.</p>
  258. <p>Shay Khatiri didn&#8217;t just study the Iranian regime from the comfortable distance of think tank offices or university seminars. He lived under it, resisted it, fled from it, and now analyzes it with the cold clarity that only comes from having your own skin in the game.</p>
  259. <p>As a child, Khatiri was recruited by the very Basij militia forces he would later fight against in the streets during the 2009 Green Revolution. As a student, he was reported by regime informants simply for flirting with a classmate. As a young man, he felt rubber bullets shatter his wrist and hid in strangers&#8217; homes while Basij thugs waited outside to arrest him.</p>
  260. <p>These aren&#8217;t abstract policy considerations for Khatiri—they’re memories that still quicken his pulse when Israeli strikes hit the headquarters of his former tormentors. But what makes his analysis truly compelling isn’t just his personal history; it&#8217;s how he’s channeled that experience into a framework that challenges nearly every assumption underlying American policy toward Iran.</p>
  261. <p>While Washington debates engagement versus containment, Khatiri argues we&#8217;re asking the wrong questions entirely. The issue isn’t whether Iran will negotiate away its nuclear program; it&#8217;s why a regime that derives its legitimacy from resistance to America would ever genuinely do so.</p>
  262. <p>In his writings, Khatiri has emerged as one of the most provocative voices in foreign policy analysis. He argues that Khamenei’s greatest fear isn&#8217;t military defeat, but looking weak-willed to a shrinking yet critical base of support.</p>
  263. <p>Khatiri has long suggested that Israel—not America—may be the key to Iranian liberation, a historical irony tracing back to Cyrus the Great freeing the Jews from Babylon 25 centuries ago.</p>
  264. <p>Today, with renewed repression simmering beneath the surface of Iranian society, and a fragile ceasefire in place, the questions Khatiri raises have never been more urgent. Are we witnessing the last gasp of a dying regime or the final sprint toward a nuclear-armed theocracy? Will Israel&#8217;s military action succeed where American diplomacy has failed? And what happens to American strategy if the very deal we seek might destroy the regime we&#8217;re negotiating with?</p>
  265. <p>To address all of this, it’s my pleasure to welcome Shay Khatiri back to the program. Shay, thanks so much for joining us here on the WhoWhatWhy Podcast.</p>
  266. <p><b>Shay</b>: Hey Jeff, thanks for having me.</p>
  267. <p><b>Jeff: </b>Thank you for joining us today. I want to start by asking about your reaction to Israel’s initial strike on Iran a couple of weeks ago. I know you&#8217;ve written passionately about it in your Substack.</p>
  268. <p><b>Shay:</b> My reaction was complex and emotional, and at times contradictory. First, as an American policy professional, I thought Israel was doing what the U.S. should have done a decade ago. It reflects an abdication of global responsibility by the United States—something we see in Ukraine, now in the Middle East, and I worry we’ll soon see in Asia. Israel deserves admiration for stepping up.</p>
  269. <p>Yet there’s also a deeply personal aspect. War inevitably brings suffering. The greatest suffering will be the regime’s revenge against the Iranian people for failing to defend it. These conflicting thoughts coexist for anyone who sees Iran’s nuclear ambitions as a genuine threat yet sympathizes deeply with the Iranian people. Ultimately, I blame the United States for allowing this crisis to fester.</p>
  270. <p><b>Jeff</b>: At what point would you have liked to see the U.S. take bolder action? How far back should we go?</p>
  271. <p><b>Shay</b>: Of course, hindsight is 20/20. But evidence was always there that this regime was incapable of genuine reform. The nuclear program wasn’t merely about maximizing foreign policy power; it was fundamental to the regime’s legitimacy. Stephen Hadley once said there are two clocks—one counting down to Iran acquiring the bomb, the other to the regime collapsing. Waiting for the regime to collapse on its own was misguided because this regime was never going to fall voluntarily. It’s totalitarian and willing to kill its own people.</p>
  272. <p>By around 2015, after the JCPOA, it was obvious that Iran wasn’t changing its conduct. Even President Obama admitted that by 2030, once the JCPOA restrictions ended, Iran would be only a week away from a nuclear weapon. By then, military action should have been seriously considered.</p>
  273. <p><b>Jeff:</b> Talk about the significance of the nuclear program, both as an existential threat and as a source of legitimacy for the regime.</p>
  274. <p><b>Shay:</b> After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Khomeini’s regime rested on three pillars: populist economic policies, religious conservatism, and aggressive anti-American and anti-Zionist foreign policy.</p>
  275. <p>By the 2000s, the regime had lost popular support in the first two areas. Economic inequality worsened dramatically, and religious adherence collapsed. The regime compensated by intensifying its foreign confrontations, particularly through its nuclear program. As the U.S. and Israel began dismantling Iran’s proxies—starting with Soleimani’s killing in 2020—the nuclear program became the last remaining source of legitimacy.</p>
  276. <p><b>Jeff</b>: Given those changes—the demographic shifts, cultural pushback, and apparent military weaknesses—where does the regime stand today?</p>
  277. <p><b>Shay:</b> In disarray. I don&#8217;t think anyone can say precisely where it stands—not even the regime itself. They’re likely still trying to analyze their own position. There&#8217;s clearly a legitimacy crisis. Keep in mind, revolutionary regimes usually become more extreme over generations, not less. We saw this historically with the Soviet Union. Each subsequent generation after Lenin and Stalin became more dogmatic because they had no need to compromise to achieve power. They were accustomed to absolute authority and had been indoctrinated into extremism. It took multiple generations before Soviet leaders realized their politics were unsustainable.</p>
  278. <p>Similarly, Iran’s younger revolutionaries today are more radical than the first generation. Current reformists, like Rouhani, who participated directly in the revolution, now seem moderate compared to radicals who grew up entirely under revolutionary indoctrination, like Ahmadinejad. Future revolutionary leaders could well accuse the current regime of betraying revolutionary ideals and push for greater extremism.</p>
  279. <p>Khamenei now faces a critical moment. Regime loyalists have to decide whether to remain patient and wait for his death, hoping for a smoother transition, or challenge him directly for failing the revolution. There&#8217;s a core 10 to 20 percent of the population supporting the regime; their reaction to recent events, especially Israel’s strikes, will be crucial. Will they see it as catastrophic failure or as a rallying point?</p>
  280. <p>The overwhelming majority of Iranians oppose the regime but lack weapons and institutional power. In 2019, when people took to the streets, the regime massacred about 1,500 protesters within days, even firing from helicopters. An unarmed civilian uprising alone can&#8217;t overthrow such a ruthless regime. The critical factor isn’t public opposition, but whether the armed minority defending the regime remains loyal. If those defenders lose faith, the system could collapse quickly.</p>
  281. <p><b>Jeff:</b> Given all of that, what specific actions should the U.S. or Israel be taking right now?</p>
  282. <p><b>Shay: </b>First, overtly degrade Iran’s internal security apparatus. Israel has already targeted institutions like the Ministry of Interior and internal security forces—organizations used primarily against Iranian citizens, not foreign adversaries. These strikes are clearly designed to diminish the regime&#8217;s capacity to suppress domestic unrest. But more overt and direct action could be undertaken, especially by the United States, to further cripple these internal security mechanisms. Providing secure communication technologies to protesters, ensuring the regime cannot shut down internet access during protests, and possibly even establishing temporary no-fly zones to stop regime helicopters from attacking civilians, would be highly effective.</p>
  283. <p>Second, engage directly and seriously with the Iranian opposition abroad to establish credible transitional leadership. The protest movement currently lacks a unified leader or clear direction, leaving it vulnerable and disorganized. If the regime collapses suddenly, the absence of a clear alternative could trigger civil war or prolonged chaos. Preparing credible opposition leadership now can prevent that and stabilize a future transition.</p>
  284. <p>This is something we neglected in Iraq in 2001 and 2002. The Pentagon wanted to prepare transitional governance, but internal bureaucratic opposition prevented it, leading to chaos after Saddam’s fall. Learning from that experience, it’s essential to clearly identify, train, and support Iranian opposition figures capable of stepping into leadership roles immediately after the regime’s collapse. Planning now for the &#8220;day after&#8221; is critical.</p>
  285. <p><b>Jeff: </b>Given all this, what timeline are we looking at? How quickly should these actions be implemented?</p>
  286. <p><b>Shay</b>: Now, sooner rather than later. This regime is currently at its weakest point since the Iran-Iraq War. Missing this moment could have disastrous consequences. If we hesitate, the regime might successfully rebuild its legitimacy. Worse yet, if the regime collapses without any plan in place, Iran could spiral into anarchy or civil war, creating massive refugee flows far exceeding anything seen from Syria. Tens of millions of Iranian refugees flooding into Europe would profoundly destabilize global politics, fueling far-right extremism across Europe and even here in America.</p>
  287. <p>Recall how just a small number of Syrian refugees profoundly impacted European and American politics. Donald Trump’s political rise was partly fueled by reactions to Syrian refugees. Now imagine that scenario magnified by tens of millions from Iran—it’s a terrifying prospect for global stability.</p>
  288. <p><b>Jeff:</b> Given this moment of vulnerability, what&#8217;s your ideal scenario for actions by the U.S. or Israel right now? What specific steps should they prioritize?</p>
  289. <p><b>Shay:</b> Overtly degrading the regime&#8217;s internal security apparatus is essential, and Israel has already started doing this by targeting institutions like the Interior Ministry and internal security command—entities primarily responsible for domestic repression, not external threats. But the U.S. has the capability to expand this effort significantly, including supplying protestors with secure communications technology and possibly implementing no-fly zones during protests to prevent regime helicopters from attacking civilians. Iran frequently shuts down the internet to disrupt protests; ensuring uninterrupted communication channels would dramatically empower protesters.</p>
  290. <p>Additionally, engaging actively and urgently with Iranian opposition abroad to identify and build credible transitional leadership is critical. The protest movement currently lacks cohesive direction and leadership, leaving it fragmented and vulnerable. Without clear leadership prepared in advance, the collapse of the regime could easily trigger civil war or prolonged chaos. That’s precisely what happened in Iraq after Saddam’s fall—due to inadequate preparation of transitional governance. We need to learn from that mistake. Planning now for the &#8220;day after&#8221; isn&#8217;t merely wise—it’s essential.</p>
  291. <p>We should not just think about regime collapse itself, but the immediate aftermath. Ideally, we’d have a recognized transitional authority ready to step in the very day the regime falls, ensuring stability, minimizing humanitarian suffering, and securing the country&#8217;s weapons and institutions before chaos erupts.</p>
  292. <p><b>Jeff:</b> Finally, Shay, we&#8217;re almost out of time. Realistically, within what time frame does this action need to happen?</p>
  293. <p><b>Shay:</b> Immediately. The regime right now is at its most vulnerable point since the Iran-Iraq War. This vulnerability won&#8217;t last forever. These leaders aren&#8217;t fools—they are clever and resilient. If we delay action, the regime could recover legitimacy, reassert control, and become even harder to challenge.</p>
  294. <p>The greatest risk is waiting too long and allowing Iran to collapse chaotically. Without preparation, we risk triggering catastrophic civil conflict. Tens of millions of Iranians becoming refugees would profoundly destabilize not only the region but European and American politics. Just a fraction of Syrian refugees reshaped global politics—imagine tens of millions fleeing Iran. The geopolitical, humanitarian, and political consequences would be enormous and devastating.</p>
  295. <div class="whowh-story-middle" id="whowh-3768052343"><div style="margin-bottom: 16px;" id="whowh-1234372818" data-whowh-trackid="97785" data-whowh-trackbid="1" class="whowh-target" data-cfpa="97785" data-cfpw="97785"><a data-no-instant="1" href="https://whowhatwhy.org/donate/?utm_source=story&#038;utm_medium=donate-banner&#038;utm_campaign=free" rel="noopener" class="a2t-link" aria-label="free the truth promo"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/frame_7__1_-1.png" alt="" width="970" height="250" /></a></div><script type="text/javascript">;new advadsCfpAd( 97785 );</script></div><p>This is our best and possibly our last chance to act decisively and prevent those scenarios.</p>
  296. <p><b>Jeff:</b> Shay Khatiri, thank you so much for joining us today.</p>
  297. <p><b>Shay:</b> Of course. Thank you, Jeff.</p>
  298. <p><b>Jeff:</b> And thank you for joining us here on the WhoWhatWhy podcast. Please join us again next week. I’m Jeff Schechtman. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it and help others find it by rating and reviewing us on iTunes. You can also support this podcast and all the work we do by visiting whowhatwhy.org/donate.</p>
  299. <hr />
  300. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/podcast/irans-final-gambit/">Iran’s Final Gambit</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  301. ]]></content:encoded>
  305. </item>
  306. <item>
  307. <title>Trump Goes Full Mobster on Brazil</title>
  308. <link>https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/us-politics/trump-goes-full-mobster-on-brazil/</link>
  310. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Klaus Marre]]></dc:creator>
  311. <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 21:11:46 +0000</pubDate>
  312. <category><![CDATA[International]]></category>
  313. <category><![CDATA[US Politics]]></category>
  314. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://whowhatwhy.org/?p=100395</guid>
  315.  
  316. <description><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="683" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Jair_Bolsonaro_3x2.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="Jair Bolsonaro" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[50,50]" /><p>It’s never more clear that Donald Trump runs the US government like a crime syndicate than when he tries to shake down other countries.</p>
  317. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/us-politics/trump-goes-full-mobster-on-brazil/">Trump Goes Full Mobster on Brazil</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  318. ]]></description>
  319. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="683" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Jair_Bolsonaro_3x2.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="Jair Bolsonaro" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[50,50]" /><p class="ai-optimize-4 ai-optimize-introduction">Even before entering politics, Donald Trump has consistently displayed the mentality of a mobster. Whether it’s his criminality, which culminated in a felony conviction last year, the scams he is running constantly, the blatant corruption, or the emphasis on loyalty above all else, Trump has always talked and acted like a mafioso.</p>
  320. <p class="ai-optimize-5">To be fair, in today’s America, the line between “rich businessman” and “organized criminal” is quite blurry because neither thinks that the rules ought to apply to them while both believe that taxes are for suckers. </p>
  321. <p class="ai-optimize-6">Therefore, if Trump had never run for president, he would have been just another ethically challenged billionaire who is using his wealth and influence to get away with not paying contractors, running scams, and groping women who are too afraid to come forward and complain about it.</p>
  322. <p class="ai-optimize-7">After all, the prospect of going up against an army of lawyers is not any more pleasant than having to deal with the enforcers of a mob boss. </p>
  323. <p class="ai-optimize-8">However, as president, Trump is now in a league of his own. He runs the world’s wealthiest and most powerful nation like a crime syndicate and uses all legal and not-so-legal means to get what he wants… from individuals, businesses, and entire countries.  </p>
  324. <p class="ai-optimize-9">Like the contractors he used to stiff, the women he assaulted, or a small business that pays a gang for “protection,” most of them do not put up a fight because, ultimately, the trouble isn’t worth it.</p>
  325. <p class="ai-optimize-10">That is why media companies are settling bogus lawsuits with Trump, why law firms are agreeing to do pro bono work for him, and why countries whose economies depend on doing business with the United States are doing what he wants. </p>
  326. <p class="ai-optimize-11">Like local business owners being shaken down by career criminals, they have to grind their teeth and go along with it because, after all, what recourse is there? </p>
  327. <p class="ai-optimize-12">While the president and his supporters then celebrate their submission as a victory, what we are witnessing is really just a bunch of extortion rackets. </p>
  328. <p class="ai-optimize-13">We saw that earlier this year, when Trump tied vital (in the truest sense of that word) military aid to Ukraine signing away some of its mineral rights to the US. </p>
  329. <p class="ai-optimize-14">(We think it helps to imagine the following quote in the voice of Robert DeNiro or Al Pacino).</p>
  330. <p class="ai-optimize-15">“Ey, Ukraine, dat’s some nice minerals youse got. Maybe put some of them in Old Donny’s pockets to make sure nothing happens to your country.”</p>
  331. <p class="ai-optimize-16">Of course, in the case of Ukraine, we don’t actually have to invent the quotes, because <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/09/25/politics/donald-trump-ukraine-transcript-call">they are on tape</a>. </p>
  332. <p class="ai-optimize-17">Back in 2019, Trump tried to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into investigating Joe Biden, then his potential opponent in the 2020 election, by threatening to block the payment of a military aid package that, as we now know, the country sorely needed. </p>
  333. <p class="ai-optimize-18">On that call, which includes the famous phrase “I would like you to do us a favor though…,” the president, who was rightfully impeached for this despicable behavior, sounded more like a two-bit gangster than a US president. </p>
  334. <p class="ai-optimize-19">This week, we are witnessing the latest iteration of Trump’s extortion scheme. </p>
  335. <p class="ai-optimize-20">This time, he is dictating to smaller, poorer countries the terms of their future trade relationships with the United States. </p>
  336. <p class="ai-optimize-21">There are no negotiations here, just a crime boss setting rates for the cost of doing business in his neighborhood. </p>
  337. <p class="ai-optimize-22">And, in the case of Brazil, Trump went a step further.</p>
  338. <p class="ai-optimize-23">First of all, it’s important to remember that the president is justifying his tariffs with the fact that the United States has a trade deficit with most countries (that in itself is not even a problem, because this is in large part a reflection of the wealth of Americans and their ability to buy stuff from all over the world). </p>
  339. <p class="ai-optimize-24">However, Brazil is <a href="https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/highlights/topyr.html">one of the few nations</a> that imports more from the US than it exports.</p>
  340. <p class="ai-optimize-25">In other words, there is absolutely no economic justification for slapping tariffs on the country, especially not the 50-percent levy that Trump threatened to impose on Brazilian goods.</p>
  341. <p class="ai-optimize-26">But, as the president made clear, this isn’t about the economy at all. </p>
  342. <p class="ai-optimize-27">Instead, Trump is trying to bail out a “friend of the family,” i.e., another right-wing leader who attempted a coup after losing an election and is now facing justice back home.</p>
  343. <p class="ai-optimize-28">“The way that Brazil has treated former President [Jair] Bolsonaro, a Highly Respected Leader throughout the World during his Term, including by the United States, is an international disgrace,” Trump wrote in a letter to Brazil’s current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. “This Trial should not be taking place. It is a Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!”</p>
  344. <p class="ai-optimize-29">Trump added that he is imposing a 50-percent tariff beginning on August 1 “due in part to Brazil’s insidious attacks on Free Elections and the fundamental Free Speech Rights of Americans.”</p>
  345. <p class="ai-optimize-30">Once again, he sounds like a mafioso trying to intimidate a juror, a witness, or a local judge to let another mobster off the hook.</p>
  346. <p class="ai-optimize-31">Initially, Lula sounded defiant. </p>
  347. <p class="ai-optimize-32">“Brazil is a sovereign country with independent institutions that will not accept being abused by anyone,” he said in a post on X. “The judicial process against those who planned the coup d&#8217;état is the sole responsibility of the Brazilian Judiciary and, therefore, is not subject to any kind of interference or threat that undermines the independence of national institutions.” </p>
  348. <p class="ai-optimize-33">That sounds nice, but, in the end, the US is in a stronger position, and Trump may bend Brazil to its will. </p>
  349. <p class="ai-optimize-34">But that’s not a victory.</p>
  350. <p class="ai-optimize-35">Because, just because one <i>can</i> bully and extort others doesn’t mean that one <i>should</i>.</p>
  351. <div class="whowh-story-middle" id="whowh-768092915"><div style="margin-bottom: 16px;" id="whowh-756989488" data-whowh-trackid="97784" data-whowh-trackbid="1" class="whowh-target" data-cfpa="97784" data-cfpw="97784"><a data-no-instant="1" href="https://whowhatwhy.org/donate/?utm_source=story&#038;utm_medium=donate-banner&#038;utm_campaign=champion" rel="noopener" class="a2t-link" aria-label="Champion-truth"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Champion-truth.png" alt="" width="970" height="250" /></a></div><script type="text/javascript">;new advadsCfpAd( 97784 );</script></div><p class="ai-optimize-36">In the long run, Trump is doing great harm to the United States. Because all of these countries that he is coercing into action right now are going to remember, and they will try to forge new partnerships to get out from under his boot. </p>
  352. <p class="ai-optimize-37">Ultimately, the US is going to lose a lot of partners over these tariffs (and all the other bullying that Trump does). </p>
  353. <p class="ai-optimize-38">After all, only other criminals like to be associated with the mob. </p>
  354. <hr />
  355. <p class="ai-optimize-39"><i>In his Navigating the Insanity columns, Klaus Marre provides the kind of hard-hitting, thought-provoking, and often humorous analysis you won’t find anywhere else.  </i></p>
  356. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/us-politics/trump-goes-full-mobster-on-brazil/">Trump Goes Full Mobster on Brazil</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  357. ]]></content:encoded>
  361. </item>
  362. <item>
  363. <title>Browser Extensions Turn 1M Browsers Into Website-Scraping Bots: Researcher</title>
  364. <link>https://whowhatwhy.org/editors-picks/browser-extensions-turn-1m-browsers-into-website-scraping-bots-researcher/</link>
  366. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Whowhatwhy Editors]]></dc:creator>
  367. <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 18:08:14 +0000</pubDate>
  368. <category><![CDATA[Editors' Picks]]></category>
  369. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://whowhatwhy.org/?p=100391</guid>
  370.  
  371. <description><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="683" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/image1-10.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="tech, cybersecurity AI scraping, browser extensions, data theft" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[50,64]" /><p>PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.</p>
  372. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/editors-picks/browser-extensions-turn-1m-browsers-into-website-scraping-bots-researcher/">Browser Extensions Turn 1M Browsers Into Website-Scraping Bots: Researcher</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  373. ]]></description>
  374. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="683" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/image1-10.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="tech, cybersecurity AI scraping, browser extensions, data theft" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[50,64]" /><h3 class="ai-optimize-4"><b>Browser Extensions Turn 1M Browsers Into Website-Scraping Bots: Researcher (Maria)</b></h3>
  375. <p class="ai-optimize-5 ai-optimize-introduction">The author <a href="https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/07/browser-extensions-turn-nearly-1-million-browsers-into-website-scraping-bots/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>, “Extensions installed on almost 1 million devices have been overriding key security protections to turn browsers into engines that scrape websites on behalf of a paid service, a researcher said. The 245 extensions, available for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, have racked up nearly 909,000 downloads, John Tuckner of SecurityAnnex reported. &#8230; The common thread among all of them: They incorporate MellowTel-js, an open source JavaScript library that allows developers to monetize their extensions.”</p>
  376. <h3 class="ai-optimize-6"><b>Trump Avoids Talk of Scrapping FEMA After More Than 100 Killed in Texas Flash Flood (Reader Steve)</b></h3>
  377. <p class="ai-optimize-7">From <a href="https://apnews.com/article/noem-trump-texas-flash-flood-fema-cabinet-a35ffd4f4139beec88d45c086bcfb1de" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the AP</a>: “President Donald Trump has avoided talking about his plan to scrap the federal disaster response agency after the catastrophic flash flood in Texas that killed more than 100 people, including children attending a girls-only camp. Asked shortly after the disaster whether he still intended to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Trump said it wasn’t the right time to talk about it. Nor did he mention such plans during a nearly two-hour meeting with his Cabinet on Tuesday. The Republican president instead opened the meeting by having Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem talk about her visit to Kerrville, Texas, on Saturday, a day after floodwaters swept away riverside campers and homeowners in the wee hours of the Fourth of July holiday.”</p>
  378. <h3 class="ai-optimize-8"><b>Trump Says He Told Putin and Xi He’d Bomb Their Capitals (Sean)</b></h3>
  379. <div class="whowh-story-middle" id="whowh-2274141937"><div style="margin-bottom: 16px;" id="whowh-2933320693" data-whowh-trackid="97785" data-whowh-trackbid="1" class="whowh-target" data-cfpa="97785" data-cfpw="97785"><a data-no-instant="1" href="https://whowhatwhy.org/donate/?utm_source=story&#038;utm_medium=donate-banner&#038;utm_campaign=free" rel="noopener" class="a2t-link" aria-label="free the truth promo"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/frame_7__1_-1.png" alt="" width="970" height="250" /></a></div><script type="text/javascript">;new advadsCfpAd( 97785 );</script></div><p class="ai-optimize-9">The authors <a href="https://san.com/cc/trump-says-he-told-putin-and-xi-hed-bomb-their-capitals-new-audio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">write</a>, “President Donald Trump told private donors during last year’s presidential race that he threatened to bomb the capitals of Russia and China in separate conversations with Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. The newly released audio recordings, obtained by CNN, reveal Trump describing the tense exchanges at closed-door fundraisers in 2024.”</p>
  380. <h3 class="ai-optimize-10"><b>‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Detainees Describe Conditions at Everglades Facility (Dana)</b></h3>
  381. <p class="ai-optimize-11">The author <a href="https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/detainee-being-held-at-alligator-alcatraz-describes-conditions-at-everglades-facility/3653144/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>, “Florida still has not released the number of people being detained at what they call ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ — but for the first time, we’re hearing from several men who are being held inside the facility. Leamsy Izquierdo, also known as Leamsy La Figura, a self-described Cuban urban artist, was arrested for a violent incident and has been at the detention center out in the Everglades since Friday. ‘There is no water here to bathe,’ he told Telemundo 51, adding it’s been four days since he showered. He believes there are about 400 people inside the facility. ‘They give you food only once a day, food that even has worms in it.’”</p>
  382. <h3 class="ai-optimize-12"><b>There Might Not Be a Map for That: Budget Cuts Threaten Geological Surveys (Laura)</b></h3>
  383. <p class="ai-optimize-13">From <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/20/climate/minerals-exploration.html?unlocked_article_code=1.VU8.PpA6.wdkja3qKBLoo&amp;smid=url-share" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>The New York Times</i></a>: “One line in the Trump administration’s proposed budget could hamstring the ability of states to create basic geologic maps for years to come. Geologists in every state use federal funds to study wildfires, water resources, hazards, and to map the locations of mineral deposits and energy sources. In addition to mining and fossil fuel industries, the free and publicly available maps are used by geothermal energy and real estate companies.”</p>
  384. <h3 class="ai-optimize-14"><b>Vitamin C Flips Your Skin’s ‘Youth Genes,’ Reversing Age-Related Thinning (Mili)</b></h3>
  385. <p class="ai-optimize-15">The author <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250625075013.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>, “Japanese researchers have found that vitamin C can thicken skin by switching on genes that boost skin cell growth, helping reverse age-related thinning. It works by reactivating DNA through a process that lets cells regenerate more effectively — potentially a game-changer for aging skin.”</p>
  386. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/editors-picks/browser-extensions-turn-1m-browsers-into-website-scraping-bots-researcher/">Browser Extensions Turn 1M Browsers Into Website-Scraping Bots: Researcher</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  387. ]]></content:encoded>
  391. </item>
  392. <item>
  393. <title>Trump’s Deep-Sea Mining Order Will Likely Impact Gulf Coast States, Biodiversity</title>
  394. <link>https://whowhatwhy.org/science/environment/trumps-deep-sea-mining-order-will-likely-impact-gulf-coast-states-biodiversity/</link>
  396. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Elyse Hauser]]></dc:creator>
  397. <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:00:45 +0000</pubDate>
  398. <category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
  399. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://whowhatwhy.org/?p=100382</guid>
  400.  
  401. <description><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ROV_KIEL_6000_During_Expedition_SO268_3x2.jpg.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="Deep Sea Mining, ROV KIEL 6000 during expedition SO268" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[29,55]" /><p>The US military is a major interest in this new extractive industry, which is poised to emerge both off- and on-shore.</p>
  402. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/science/environment/trumps-deep-sea-mining-order-will-likely-impact-gulf-coast-states-biodiversity/">Trump’s Deep-Sea Mining Order Will Likely Impact Gulf Coast States, Biodiversity</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  403. ]]></description>
  404. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ROV_KIEL_6000_During_Expedition_SO268_3x2.jpg.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="Deep Sea Mining, ROV KIEL 6000 during expedition SO268" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[29,55]" /><p class="ai-optimize-4 ai-optimize-introduction">Along the industry-laden Gulf Coast, a new type of extractive industry is taking shape. Two deep-sea mining companies recently applied for US permits to mine minerals from the seabed, both in US waters and beyond them. If they get what they seek, they’ll need places to process, refine, and store those minerals. The Gulf Coast, especially the greater Houston area and Louisiana, are attractive for their deepwater ports, skilled industrial workforce, and existing infrastructure that could be used for deep-sea mining activities. An April executive order from President Donald Trump — informed at least in part by these same mining interests — aims to fast-track these efforts at every stage, from finding and mining the minerals to selling them.</p>
  405. <p class="ai-optimize-5">While the industry’s momentum builds, deep-sea mining’s environmental risks remain unclear: the ecosystems haven’t been well-researched, and it’s hard to make predictions based on small-scale mining tests done so far. It would affect oceans already struggling with pollution, acidification, and a host of <a href="https://justoneocean.org/ocean-issues" target="_blank" rel="noopener">other human-caused issues</a>. The prospect has sparked <a href="https://grist.org/accountability/indigenous-peoples-want-say-future0-deep-sea-mining/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protests and pushback</a> from communities worried about risks like harm to fisheries and underwater cultural sites. Mining company officials are optimistic that those risks can be reduced or avoided, but some harm will be unavoidable.</p>
  406. <blockquote>
  407. <p class="ai-optimize-7">“The place where they actually physically mine, I would not expect to see recovery happening within human lifetimes,” said <a href="https://andrewdavidthaler.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andrew Thaler</a>, an ecologist specializing in deep-sea environments.</p>
  408. </blockquote>
  409. <p><iframe loading="lazy" title="NORI Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Explainer" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wnWZ-LeOMnA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
  410. <p class="ai-optimize-10">Deep-sea mining hasn’t yet been done on a commercial scale, but it’s not a new idea. If you take a boat some 80 miles off the southeast Atlantic coast, you’ll sit above the world’s <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/bio/alison-chase/scientists-discover-worlds-largest-deep-sea-coral-reef-habitat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">largest known deepwater coral reef</a>, a global biodiversity hotspot. There, on a submerged plateau, rolling hills of naturally-white coral cover millions of acres. This plateau was also the site of the world’s first deep-sea mining test <a href="https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1907/logs/nov7/nov7.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in the 1970s</a>, long before <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7418/4/1/2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the reef’s discovery</a>. The test proved that rocky mineral formations could be hauled from the depths.</p>
  411. <p class="ai-optimize-11">The US pursuit of seabed minerals slowed after that, but never fully died out. Trump revitalized this long-simmering interest with his <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/unleashing-americas-offshore-critical-minerals-and-resources/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">executive order</a>. With an industry-friendly administration, the coming years could see deep-sea mining leap from idea to reality in the open ocean, in US waters, and at onshore processing plants.</p>
  412. <figure id="attachment_100383" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-100383" style="width: 900px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-featured-single@2x wp-image-100383" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Deep_Sea_Critical_Mineral_Deposits_Map_1575x1179.jpg-900x674.jpg" alt="Distribution, critical mineral resources, deep sea, map" width="900" height="674" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-100383" class="wp-caption-text">Photo credit: <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/deep-sea-mining-explained" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Resources Institute</a></figcaption></figure>
  413. <p class="ai-optimize-13">Perhaps most notably, the order directs two US agencies to create a faster permitting process for deep-sea mining. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), part of the Department of the Interior (DOI), can permit mining on the US seabed. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), more controversially, can permit US mining on the international seabed. </p>
  414. <p class="ai-optimize-14">The US <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-the-us-hasnt-joined-the-race-for-deep-sea-mining-in-international-waters-60-minutes-transcript/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">never agreed</a> to international seabed governance, and its law <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/deep-seabed-mining/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allows for</a> unilateral deep-sea mining. However, this would go against the International Seabed Authority, a UN-affiliated organization that oversees mining under the high seas, with <a href="https://www.isa.org.jm/about-isa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">169 countries plus the European Union</a> as members. According to this international body, which the US is not a member of, US mining in the open ocean would be illegal.</p>
  415. <p class="ai-optimize-15">With legal challenges and administrative hurdles looming, nothing in the executive order is guaranteed. “The thing with all executive orders is executive orders really just say what the priorities of the administration are,” said Thaler, a researcher who follows deep-sea policy closely. But in late June, the DOI <a href="https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-streamlines-offshore-mineral-policies-strengthen-us-supply-chains-and">announced policy changes</a> to fast-track domestic deep-sea mining as the order calls for, including “minimizing unnecessary paperwork and compliance steps.” The order’s priorities also reach beyond the seabed, with potential onshore impacts.</p>
  416. <blockquote>
  417. <p class="ai-optimize-17">“We’ve been working a little bit to influence the executive order,” Oliver Gunasekara, CEO and co-founder of Impossible Metals, a US deep-sea mining company, told <i>Deceleration</i>. “It was important to us that it would cover domestic as well as international [mining].”</p>
  418. </blockquote>
  419. <figure id="attachment_100384" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-100384" style="width: 900px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-featured-single@2x wp-image-100384" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Midwater_Animal_Biodiversity_Deep_Sea_Mining_1536x1030.jpg-900x604.jpg" alt="Midwater, animal biodiversity, deep sea mining" width="900" height="604" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-100384" class="wp-caption-text">Midwater animal biodiversity that could be affected by deep sea mining.<br />Photo credit: E. Goetze, K. Peijnenburg, D. Perrine, Hawaii Seafood Council (B. Takenaka, J. Kaneko), S. Haddock, J. Drazen, B. Robison, DEEPEND (Danté Fenolio), and MBARI. <a href="https://www.marinespecies.org/deepsea/aphia.php?p=browser&amp;id%5b%5d=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See the World Register of Deep-Sea Species for more.</a></figcaption></figure>
  420. <p class="ai-optimize-20">Another brand, The Metals Company (TMC), has applied for US permits for international deep-sea mining. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c057qrd9eejo#:~:text=%22The%20ocean%20is%20not%20for%20sale.%20We%27re%20talking%20about%20a%20common%20shared%20good%2C%22%20President%20Macron%20said.%20%22I%20think%20it%27s%20madness%20to%20launch%20predatory%20economic%20action%20that%20will%20disrupt%20the%20deep%20seabed%2C%20disrupt%20biodiversity%2C%20destroy%20it.%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Other countries</a> are already <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2v37z333lo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denouncing</a> the prospect. Given this emerging pushback, moving forward could be a challenge. But Impossible Metals seeks permission for domestic mining, a more straightforward goal. It’s applied for a permit “<a href="https://impossiblemetals.com/blog/impossible-metals-applies-for-deep-sea-mining-lease-in-u-s-federal-waters/#:~:text=San%20Jose%2C%20CA%20%E2%80%93%20Impossible%20Metals,the%20coast%20of%20American%20Samoa." target="_blank" rel="noopener">for exploration and potential mining</a>” around American Samoa.</p>
  421. <p class="ai-optimize-21">While other deep-sea mining companies have <a href="https://investors.metals.co/news-releases/news-release-details/metals-company-and-allseas-announce-successful-deep-water-test" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tracked robotic “crawlers”</a> to suck up minerals, Impossible Metals has a unique design, which it states is safer for the environment. Its robots hover above the seafloor to reduce environmental disturbance, and use many arms to pluck mineral-rich rocks, with AI-enabled cameras to help avoid visible life such as corals.</p>
  422. <p class="ai-optimize-22">But there’s more to deep-sea mining than collecting seafloor rocks. Those rocks would need to be processed into components, like cobalt and nickel, which can be used in industrial applications like steelmaking, as well as renewable energy products like electric car batteries and solar panels.</p>
  423. <blockquote>
  424. <p class="ai-optimize-24">“Right now, there clearly isn’t any mineral processing in the States, and that’s a problem,” Gunasekara said. The executive order, however, calls for “<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/unleashing-americas-offshore-critical-minerals-and-resources/#:~:text=rapidly%20developing%20domestic%20capabilities%20for%20the%20exploration%2C%20characterization%2C%20collection%2C%20and%20processing%20of%20seabed%20mineral%20resources%20through%20streamlined%20permitting%20without%20compromising%20environmental%20and%20transparency%20standards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">streamlined permitting</a>” not just for exploring and mining seabed minerals, but also for processing them.</p>
  425. </blockquote>
  426. <p class="ai-optimize-26">It requests <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/unleashing-americas-offshore-critical-minerals-and-resources/#:~:text=relevant%20agencies%20shall-,provide%20a%20joint%20report%20to%20the%20Assistant%20to%20the%20President%20for,and%20international%20seabed%20mineral%20resource%20exploration%2C%20extraction%2C%20processing%2C%20and%20environmental%20monitoring,-." target="_blank" rel="noopener">several reports</a> on domestic processing, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/unleashing-americas-offshore-critical-minerals-and-resources/#:~:text=private%20sector%20interest%20and%20opportunities%20for%20polymetallic%20nodule%20and%20other%20seabed%20mineral%20resource%20processing%20capacity%20in%20the%20United%20States%20or%20on%20United%20States%2Dflagged%20vessels" target="_blank" rel="noopener">including identifying</a> private-sector possibilities, and <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/unleashing-americas-offshore-critical-minerals-and-resources/#:~:text=in%20consultation%20with%20the%20Secretary%20of%20Commerce,procurement%20and%20financing%20authorities%20for%20this%20purpose" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exploring government financing</a> like grants and loans.</p>
  427. <figure id="attachment_100385" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-100385" style="width: 900px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-featured-single@2x wp-image-100385" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Potential_Ocean_Impacts_1010x1280.jpg-900x1141.jpg" alt="Deep Sea Mining, Potential ocean impacts, companies seek limits" width="900" height="1141" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-100385" class="wp-caption-text">Potential ocean impacts companies are seeking to limit.<br />Photo credit: <a href="https://iucn.org/resources/issues-brief/deep-sea-mining" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IUCN</a></figcaption></figure>
  428. <p class="ai-optimize-28">Impossible Metals hopes for a processing location with access to reliable energy, deepwater ports, and proximity to potential buyers, Gunasekara said. The company plans to process minerals in other countries for now. But, Gunasekara added, the plan is ultimately to “build bespoke processing plants in the US.”</p>
  429. <p class="ai-optimize-29">TMC, the other mining company seeking US permits, currently works with a <a href="https://investors.metals.co/news-releases/news-release-details/world-first-tmc-and-pamco-achieve-new-nodule-processing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">processing partner in Japan</a>. However, it’s shown interest in <a href="https://deceleration.news/deep-sea-mining-texas-gulf-coast/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">building a Houston-area processing plant</a>. Unless granted an exemption, its US permits would require domestic processing. A <a href="https://investors.metals.co/static-files/27a024a1-2774-4b5d-b4ee-16ee3123ceb8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent company report</a> on its emerging plans <a href="https://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/de134d05-5dad-4874-bfc7-fffdd339cb22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">includes a map</a> with a services hub in California and processing plants along the Gulf Coast.</p>
  430. <p class="ai-optimize-30">TMC’s offshore technology partner, Swiss brand Allseas, already has a <a href="https://www.allseas.com/en/who-we-are/offices-and-yards#:~:text=Regional%20project%20and%20engineering%20offices%20are%20also%20located%20in%20Perth%2C%20Australia%3B%20Houston%2C%20USA%3B%20Kuala%20Lumpur%2C%20Malaysia%2C%20Rio%20de%20Janeiro%2C%20Brazil%20and%20Doha%2C%20Qatar." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Houston office</a>. <a href="https://www.deepreachtech.com/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deep Reach Technology</a>, which has assisted deep-sea mining research for decades, is headquartered nearby in Stafford, TX. <a href="https://www.omlus.com/ocean-minerals-llc-contact-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ocean Minerals</a>, a <a href="https://onemine.org/documents/green-minerals-from-the-seabed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spin-off company</a> from Deep Reach Technology, has its office in Houston.</p>
  431. <p class="ai-optimize-31">
  432. <blockquote>
  433. <p class="ai-optimize-32">Even without processing facilities, deep-sea miners may have a major US buyer. The executive order also requests a report on adding seabed minerals to the National Defense Stockpile: the government’s <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106959">stash of materials</a> for military and industrial uses.</p>
  434. </blockquote>
  435. <p class="ai-optimize-34">The order doesn’t say much to address environmental concerns. According to Thaler, scientists’ lack of knowledge about the deep is a major issue for deep-sea mining. Both TMC and Impossible Metals aim to mine flat seafloor plains, where metallic rocks form from dissolved minerals. Historically, these flat areas haven’t been popular for research. Scientists have largely studied major features, like hydrothermal vents and deepwater canyons. This makes the ecological impacts of mining the abyssal plains hard to predict.</p>
  436. <p class="ai-optimize-35">Impossible Metals aims to build and test its first full-scale mining robot in 2026, then build a fleet of them in 2027, while prepping transport ships. According to records released for this story to the author, BOEM has provided Impossible Metals with input on draft applications, equipment designs, and even recommended relevant conferences at which to present. Impossible Metals established its BOEM connections during the Biden administration, the records show. But it’s Trump’s executive order that may provide fuel for the next steps. </p>
  437. <p class="ai-optimize-36">Those steps won’t be easy, though. Prepping for commercial mining means finding and measuring mineral deposits, surveying environments, refining equipment, and scaling up capacity — all while working in the remote, pitch-dark, high-pressure depths.</p>
  438. <h2 class="ai-optimize-37">Public Comment Opportunity</h2>
  439. <p class="ai-optimize-38">Even with the Trump administration’s fast-tracking efforts, there are also regulatory steps ahead. Public comments are being accepted until July 16 concerning Impossible Metals’ <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/BOEM-2025-0035-0001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposal to mine an area offshore American Samoa</a> (comments and supporting files can be uploaded <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/BOEM-2025-0035-0001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>). TMC will also have a public comment period, if its application with NOAA <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1798562/000110465925047373/tm2513980d1_8k.htm#:~:text=NOAA%20is%20then,public%20comment%20period." target="_blank" rel="noopener">moves forward</a>.</p>
  440. <div class="whowh-story-middle" id="whowh-3685669986"><div style="margin-bottom: 16px;" id="whowh-844364644" data-whowh-trackid="97785" data-whowh-trackbid="1" class="whowh-target" data-cfpa="97785" data-cfpw="97785"><a data-no-instant="1" href="https://whowhatwhy.org/donate/?utm_source=story&#038;utm_medium=donate-banner&#038;utm_campaign=free" rel="noopener" class="a2t-link" aria-label="free the truth promo"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/frame_7__1_-1.png" alt="" width="970" height="250" /></a></div><script type="text/javascript">;new advadsCfpAd( 97785 );</script></div><p class="ai-optimize-39">To add to the complexity, Impossible Metals and TMC face resistance from within the US and internationally. American Samoa currently has a <a href="https://www.americansamoa.gov/leadershipunited" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deep-sea mining moratorium</a> for its territorial waters. That moratorium doesn’t cover the federal waters where mining would happen, which lie outside the territorial area. However, it indicates local resistance that could be hard to overcome, and might put American Samoa’s ports, infrastructure, and workforce off-limits.</p>
  441. <p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Moana&#039;s Grandmother? Hinano Murphy on Youth, Climate, the Ocean, and Banning Deep Sea Mining" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JLw7BGVvYcc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
  442. <p class="ai-optimize-41">TMC’s challenges are bigger. So far, 37 countries support a moratorium on international deep-sea mining. However, even countries <a href="https://www.isa.org.jm/faq-for-media/#:~:text=In%20that%20sense%2C%20it%20was%20reassuring%20to%20see%20that%20virtually%20all%20States%2C%20especially%20those%20States%20that%20currently%20have%20exploration%20contracts%20with%20ISA%20and%20could%20have%20plans%20to%20proceed%20to%20the%20next%20phases%20towards%20exploitation%2C%20strongly%20rejected%20the%20possibility%20of%20acting%20outside%20the%20system%20and%20without%20ISA." target="_blank" rel="noopener">actively pursuing deep-sea mining</a> oppose the US.doing it independently in shared global oceans. TMC might find its international partnerships hard to maintain, whether they’re dissolved by choice or <a href="https://www.ejiltalk.org/untouchable-metals-how-the-obligations-of-unclos-states-parties-limit-the-commercial-viability-of-unilateral-deep-sea-mining/#:~:text=The%20upshot%20is,within%20NSP%20economies." target="_blank" rel="noopener">by law</a>.</p>
  443. <p class="ai-optimize-42">The Trump administration claims this new industry could add <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2v37z333lo#:~:text=The%20administration%20estimates%20that%20deep%2Dsea%20mining%20could%20boost%20the%20country%27s%20GDP%20by%20%24300bn%20(%C2%A3225bn)%20over%2010%20years%20and%20create%20100%2C000%20jobs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$300 billion</a>, plus 100,000 new jobs, to the US in the next decade. But deep-sea mining is an inherently slow prospect and one executive order can’t change that. “No one is going to be mining the deep ocean in 2025,” Thaler said. “A lot of people are going to be trying to get permission to move forward.”</p>
  444. <p class="ai-optimize-43"><i>This story by </i><a href="https://deceleration.news/author/ehauser/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>Elyse</i><i> Hauser</i></a> <i>was originally published by </i><a href="https://deceleration.news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deceleration</a><i> and is part of </i><a href="https://coveringclimatenow.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>Covering</i><i> Climate Now</i></a><i>, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. </i>WhoWhatWhy<i> has been a partner in Covering Climate Now since its inception in 2019.</i></p>
  445. <p class="ai-optimize-44"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-58065 alignleft" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ccnow_logo_192x192.jpg" alt="Covering Climate Now logo" width="192" height="192" /></p>
  446. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/science/environment/trumps-deep-sea-mining-order-will-likely-impact-gulf-coast-states-biodiversity/">Trump’s Deep-Sea Mining Order Will Likely Impact Gulf Coast States, Biodiversity</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  447. ]]></content:encoded>
  451. </item>
  452. <item>
  453. <title>Global Financial Industry Retreat From Coal Hasn’t Cut Its Funding: Analysis</title>
  454. <link>https://whowhatwhy.org/editors-picks/global-financial-industry-retreat-from-coal-hasnt-cut-its-funding-analysis/</link>
  456. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Whowhatwhy Editors]]></dc:creator>
  457. <pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:25:07 +0000</pubDate>
  458. <category><![CDATA[Editors' Picks]]></category>
  459. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://whowhatwhy.org/?p=100378</guid>
  460.  
  461. <description><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/image1-9.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="climate crisis, global warming, fossil fuels, coal funding" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[50,50]" /><p>PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.</p>
  462. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/editors-picks/global-financial-industry-retreat-from-coal-hasnt-cut-its-funding-analysis/">Global Financial Industry Retreat From Coal Hasn’t Cut Its Funding: Analysis</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  463. ]]></description>
  464. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/image1-9.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="climate crisis, global warming, fossil fuels, coal funding" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[50,50]" /><h3 class="ai-optimize-4"><b>Global Financial Industry Retreat From Coal Hasn’t Cut Its Funding: Analysis (Maria)</b></h3>
  465. <p class="ai-optimize-5 ai-optimize-introduction">The author <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/09/global-coal-funding-continues" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>, “Financial industry pledges to move away from coal haven’t translated into reduced worldwide funding, per a new analysis from environmental groups. Coal is the most CO2-intensive fuel, and its future trajectory will help dictate how much global warming occurs. The report from German NGO Urgewald and other groups traces funding since the 2021 UN climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland. … The data comes as global energy demand is rising, bringing new consumption records across sources.”</p>
  466. <h3 class="ai-optimize-6"><b>Are We About to Have Labor Camps in the United States of America? (Reader Jim)</b></h3>
  467. <p class="ai-optimize-7">From <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/197619/trump-immigration-labor-camps" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>The New Republic</i></a>: “One aspect of the Republicans’ big, ugly bill that didn’t get enough attention until Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez elevated it over the last few days is the massive amounts of money it directs to the apprehension and detention of immigrants. … The next day—the Fourth of July, as fate would have it, when President Trump signed the bill into law—historian Timothy Snyder posted a column on Substack under the blunt headline ‘Concentration Camp Labor.’ If AOC’s post and Snyder’s headline sound hyperbolic to you, consider what’s actually in this new law. It includes $170 billion for immigration enforcement: about $50 billion to build a wall on the southern border, $30 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and $45 billion for detention camps.”</p>
  468. <h3 class="ai-optimize-8"><b>Canada Authorized $37.2 Million In New Military Exports To Israel (Sean)</b></h3>
  469. <p class="ai-optimize-9">The author <a href="https://www.readthemaple.com/canada-authorized-37-2-million-in-new-military-exports-to-israel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>, “Data from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) shows that in February the Liberal government authorized two new military export permits to Israel worth a combined total of $37.2 million. GAC insists it has not authorized any new export permits for goods that it believes could be used in Gaza, but won’t answer questions about whether or not this policy applies to Israel’s military operations in other regions. The newly authorized goods fall under an export category that includes ‘bombs, torpedoes, rockets, missiles, other explosive devices and charges, and related equipment and accessories,’ and another category that concerns military ‘technology.’”</p>
  470. <h3 class="ai-optimize-10"><b>Trump’s DOGE Cuts Are a Texas-Sized Disaster (Dana)</b></h3>
  471. <div class="whowh-story-middle" id="whowh-4292803854"><div style="margin-bottom: 16px;" id="whowh-2528005031" data-whowh-trackid="97785" data-whowh-trackbid="1" class="whowh-target" data-cfpa="97785" data-cfpw="97785"><a data-no-instant="1" href="https://whowhatwhy.org/donate/?utm_source=story&#038;utm_medium=donate-banner&#038;utm_campaign=free" rel="noopener" class="a2t-link" aria-label="free the truth promo"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/frame_7__1_-1.png" alt="" width="970" height="250" /></a></div><script type="text/javascript">;new advadsCfpAd( 97785 );</script></div><p class="ai-optimize-11">From <a href="https://www.texasobserver.org/trump-texas-doge-cuts-disaster-aid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>Texas Observer</i></a>: “President Donald Trump’s commitment to ‘energy dominance’ would seem to be good news for the Texas economy. But in the administration’s reversal of environmental policies — including via the chaos of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) trashing federal agencies — it is easy to overlook changes that are of particular importance for the state. Federal resources for managing climate-augmented weather disasters are being wiped out, and crucial information about future risks is being destroyed or degraded. Meanwhile, state leaders stand by while denying the seriousness of climate change as a driver of these events — and the threat this poses to the state economy.”</p>
  472. <h3 class="ai-optimize-12"><b>How Do You Escape a Heat Wave When You Have Nowhere to Go? (Laura)</b></h3>
  473. <p class="ai-optimize-13">From <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/26062025/chicago-unhoused-people-struggle-to-escape-heat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>Inside Climate News</i></a>: “People experiencing homelessness are particularly vulnerable to the health ramifications of extreme heat, which is worsening due to climate change. Finding a cool place at night is a particular challenge.”</p>
  474. <h3 class="ai-optimize-14"><b>‘The Vehicle Suddenly Accelerated With Our Baby in It’: The Terrifying Truth About Why Tesla’s Cars Keep Crashing (Siobhán)</b></h3>
  475. <p class="ai-optimize-15">From <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jul/05/the-vehicle-suddenly-accelerated-with-our-baby-in-it-the-terrifying-truth-about-why-teslas-cars-keep-crashing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>The Guardian</i></a>: “Elon Musk is obsessive about the design of his supercars, right down to the disappearing door handles. But a series of shocking incidents — from drivers trapped in burning vehicles to dramatic stops on the highway — have led to questions about the safety of the brand. Why won’t Tesla give any answers?”</p>
  476. <h3 class="ai-optimize-16"><b>Scientists Reveal Your Morning Coffee Flips an Ancient Longevity Switch (Mili)</b></h3>
  477. <p class="ai-optimize-17">The author <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250625075024.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>, “Caffeine has long been linked to potential health benefits, including reduced risk of age-related diseases. But how it works inside our cells, and what exactly are its connections with nutrient and stress responsive gene and protein networks has remained a mystery — until now. In new research published by scientists studying fission yeast — a single-celled organism surprisingly similar to human cells — researchers found that caffeine affects aging by tapping into an ancient cellular energy system.”</p>
  478. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/editors-picks/global-financial-industry-retreat-from-coal-hasnt-cut-its-funding-analysis/">Global Financial Industry Retreat From Coal Hasn’t Cut Its Funding: Analysis</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  479. ]]></content:encoded>
  483. </item>
  484. <item>
  485. <title>Trump Assures MAGA That Farm Worker Amnesty Is Not Amnesty</title>
  486. <link>https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/us-politics/trump-assures-maga-that-farm-worker-amnesty-is-not-amnesty/</link>
  488. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Klaus Marre]]></dc:creator>
  489. <pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 11:42:39 +0000</pubDate>
  490. <category><![CDATA[US Politics]]></category>
  491. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://whowhatwhy.org/?p=100372</guid>
  492.  
  493. <description><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Brooke_Rollins_Turning_Point_USA_3x2.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="Brooke Rollins, Turning Point USA" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[50,19]" /><p>Much to the chagrin of rank and file MAGA supporters, the Trump administration wants to create a work program that will allow some undocumented immigrants to legally remain in the US. </p>
  494. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/us-politics/trump-assures-maga-that-farm-worker-amnesty-is-not-amnesty/">Trump Assures MAGA That Farm Worker Amnesty Is Not Amnesty</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  495. ]]></description>
  496. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="682" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Brooke_Rollins_Turning_Point_USA_3x2.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image wpsmartcrop-image" alt="Brooke Rollins, Turning Point USA" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-smartcrop-focus="[50,19]" /><p class="ai-optimize-5 ai-optimize-introduction">It’s been a tough week for Donald Trump’s most fervent supporters. First, the <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/government-integrity/fbis-nothing-to-see-here-epstein-memo-will-surely-placate-maga-faithful/">FBI said</a> there is no Jeffrey Epstein client list, and that nobody else is facing legal trouble in the case of the wealthy pedophile, and now it looks as though the president doesn’t want to deport all those “illegals” that he had promised to kick out of the country.</p>
  497. <p class="ai-optimize-6">While Trump maintained on Tuesday that there would be “no amnesty” for any undocumented immigrants, he and other cabinet members then immediately described a “work program” that sounds a lot like temporary amnesty.</p>
  498. <p class="ai-optimize-7">“There is no amnesty,” Trump said. “We are getting rid of criminals. But we are doing a work program.”</p>
  499. <p class="ai-optimize-8">Now, to hard-core MAGA supporters, <i>any</i> undocumented immigrant is a criminal, and none of them should be given any quarter.</p>
  500. <p class="ai-optimize-9">And that is certainly how Trump made it sound on the campaign trail.</p>
  501. <p class="ai-optimize-10">Now, however, he is changing his tune.</p>
  502. <p class="ai-optimize-11">“We gotta give the farmers the people we need,” Trump said.</p>
  503. <p class="ai-optimize-12">To any rationally thinking person, it was always clear that this would happen. Deporting all undocumented migrants would result in economic chaos.</p>
  504. <p class="ai-optimize-13">Therefore, it’s no surprise that Trump is now flip-flopping on the issue.</p>
  505. <p class="ai-optimize-14">Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer explained what that will look like.</p>
  506. <p class="ai-optimize-15">“We must be strategic in how we are implementing the mass deportations so as to not compromise our food supply,” Rollins said, while adding that there would be “no amnesty under any circumstances.”</p>
  507. <p class="ai-optimize-16">Chavez-DeRemer then clarified that the administration plans to use temporary visas to allow undocumented farm workers to remain in the country or to re-enter it.</p>
  508. <p class="ai-optimize-17">That <i>is</i> a form of amnesty, of course, as former Republican representative from Michigan, Justin Amash, explained.</p>
  509. <p class="ai-optimize-18">“It’s obvious Trump wants to provide amnesty to migrant farm and hospitality workers, and he’s still workshopping how to pull it off without drawing the ire of his base,” he <a href="https://x.com/justinamash/status/1942638027118895439">said</a>.</p>
  510. <p class="ai-optimize-19">Trump supporters on social media were not pleased, with many of them noting that they did not vote for any undocumented immigrant to remain in the country.</p>
  511. <p class="ai-optimize-20">However, there is a silver lining for these xenophobic MAGA malcontents, because, in the end, there may be a job in it for millions of them.</p>
  512. <p class="ai-optimize-21">Rollins later explained that the goal is to only use the <del>indentured servants</del> trustworthy immigrants who are allowed to stay while working for the farmers who sponsored their work permits until they can be replaced with machines and good ol&#8217; American farmhands in the near future.</p>
  513. <div class="whowh-story-middle" id="whowh-1823377751"><div style="margin-bottom: 16px;" id="whowh-2748153198" data-whowh-trackid="97785" data-whowh-trackbid="1" class="whowh-target" data-cfpa="97785" data-cfpw="97785"><a data-no-instant="1" href="https://whowhatwhy.org/donate/?utm_source=story&#038;utm_medium=donate-banner&#038;utm_campaign=free" rel="noopener" class="a2t-link" aria-label="free the truth promo"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://whowhatwhy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/frame_7__1_-1.png" alt="" width="970" height="250" /></a></div><script type="text/javascript">;new advadsCfpAd( 97785 );</script></div><p class="ai-optimize-22">“With 34 million … able-bodied adults on Medicaid, we should be able to do that fairly quickly,” Rollins noted.</p>
  514. <p class="ai-optimize-23">That should be music to the ears of Trump supporters on Medicaid.</p>
  515. <p class="ai-optimize-24">Instead of sitting in their mom’s basements and tweeting about amnesty and Epstein, they could soon find themselves laboring on the farms of the heartland and replacing those pesky “illegals.”</p>
  516. <hr />
  517. <p class="ai-optimize-25"><i>In his Navigating the Insanity columns, Klaus Marre provides the kind of hard-hitting, thought-provoking, and often humorous analysis you won’t find anywhere else.  </i></p>
  518. <p><a href="https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/us-politics/trump-assures-maga-that-farm-worker-amnesty-is-not-amnesty/">Trump Assures MAGA That Farm Worker Amnesty Is Not Amnesty</a> originally appeared on <a href="https://whowhatwhy.org">WhoWhatWhy</a></p>
  519. ]]></content:encoded>
  523. </item>
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