Today's News: California, we won't come; Americans gagging at Trump's cruelty; American universities fighting back; Send Canada the huddled masses; latest Elbows Up; Election update

I think I'll just stay in Canada, thank you:

Today, California governor Gavin Newsom decided he would try to get Canadians to visit ....

 

Nah, one way tickets to El Salvador are cheaper if you fly direct. #cdnpoli

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— Anonymous (@youranoncentral.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 4:42 PM

...ain't gonna happen, buddy: 

Dougald Lamont’s Substack

Clean Slate: New Ideas for Justice & Democracy
California Governor Gavin Newsom's Tourism Pitch to Canadians is Tone-Deaf and Insulting
Do you think we're stupid?
...Are we supposed to believe that because Washington DC is on the other side of the continent from California that you’ve got a different president?
We get the same news. We can see what’s going on.
Canadians are not going to the U.S. for damn good reasons. We can’t trust the US government anymore, and we don’t feel safe.
Instead of dismissing these complaints and asking us for money, quite frankly, we would appreciate some support and solidarity....
If Newsom wants to be helpful to Canadians and to his fellow Americans, he’ll take a stand against the blatant lawlessness of the current President to make America Sane and Safe again.
Whistling past the graveyard of American Democracy is not the way to do it.
What is happening right now in the U.S. is an American tragedy. Trump risks destroying America, because he is engaged in a full on assault on everything good America has ever stood for.
So, as a Canadian who would love to be able to return to the U.S. and visit, my feedback to California Governor Gavin Newsom is that instead of asking me to run the risk of a security gauntlet and questioning at the U.S. border, and supporting a regime that is on the record as wanting to occupy and subjugate my country and my fellow citizens, I suggest that he do his job and enforce the law.
Defend the U.S. constitution. Defend the U.S. First Amendment. Defend the 14th amendment. Defend the constitutional right to vote.
Defend the best of the founding principles of the US - the idea that it is self-evident that people were created equal. Due process. Individual rights and freedoms.
...Right now, the lunatics are running the asylum because they think no one can stop them.
The answer to this lawlessness is to enforce the law, and to ask that others follow it.
The turn against Trump in Canada was palpable. You could see and feel it on social media: the tide turned, because Canadians were clearly awakened to the threat.
The same is now happening with Trump in the U.S. It is also palpable. His cheerleaders look grim.
Enforcing the law fairly and ending these abuses of power are what need to happen to rebuild and restore America. It’s what other countries want for the U.S., for themselves as well as for American citizens.
But for Christ’s sake, don’t ask Canadians to turn a blind eye and worry about our vacation plans being spoiled.

"First they came for the immigrants....": 

Trump and his foul basket of deplorables hit a new low on Monday:

Like I want to remind people, that there was a literal 9-0 SCOTUS ruling about this. Even Alito couldn't twist some madness to support DOJ here.

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— Schnorkles O'Bork (@schnorkles.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 5:51 PM

Trump and Bukele were just so damned delighted with themselves too, smirking in the tawdry gold-encrusted Oval Office about how Garcia could just rot because reasons. 

It was disgusting.

This is very good. Even people in red Iowa are outraged by the government's treatment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

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— Cheryl Rofer (@cherylrofer.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 5:14 PM

Fuck ‘em up Chris

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— Vituperative Erb (@vituperativeerb.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 5:13 PM

I can't emphasize enough that the most important thing journalists can do right now is publish exactly this kind of article

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— Hilary Agro 🍄 (@hilaryagro.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 8:30 PM

More details: ICE goons were turned away at HD Cooke. They tried to seize the school nurse in the parking lot without a warrant, but backed off after staff intervened.

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— Brad Johnson (@climatebrad.hillheat.com) March 26, 2025 at 9:25 AM

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.":

Which makes me doubt the credibility of anyone who is still litigating this for DOJ.

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— Dana Houle (@danahoule.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 2:36 PM

Someone needs to rip the band-aid off and jail a DOJ lawyer. Don’t know if it will work but I do know that waiting won’t make it more likely to

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— Vituperative Erb (@vituperativeerb.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 10:25 PM

Either Roberts backs his judges or he ends the judiciary but he’s going to need to pick one or the other and the sooner we know which one the better

— Vituperative Erb (@vituperativeerb.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 10:26 PM

Next, Trump will find that courage is contagious. US universities are starting to fight back:

In response to the Trump administration's demands, Harvard president Alan Garber wrote that the university “will not negotiate over its independence or its constitutional rights.” Read his full response here. trib.al/h5bY3Sx

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— The Boston Globe (@bostonglobe.com) April 14, 2025 at 12:26 PM

Harvard, of course, has billions in its endowment. Many other universities aren't so lucky. Still, Harvard is leading the way in fighting back.

MIT following Harvard's lead here

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— Eoin Higgins (@eoinhiggins.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 7:07 PM

And Wesleyan. And Georgetown Law. And Cornell. This is how you win.

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— Kristin Wilson 📎 (@kristin-wilson.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 3:53 PM

Cornell University too!

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— Time of Monsters (@thetimeofmonsters.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 7:48 PM

Cornell is fighting back @aaup.bsky.social

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— Eli Friedman (@elifriedman.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 6:34 AM

Smart strategy: "The compact's funds would be distributed to provide immediate and strategic support to any member institution under direct political or legal infringement, including legal counsel, expert testimony, legislative advocacy and countersuit actions..." www.idsnews.com/article/2025...

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— Rachel Maddow (@maddow.msnbc.com) April 15, 2025 at 12:59 PM

 "Give me your tired, your poor. Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free" Canada will be their refuge now:

Scores of transgender Americans seeking route to Canada, including through asylum claims www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...

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— Samantha Brennan (@samanthabrennan.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 6:33 PM

Things are looking up for Canada. Now America's best and brightest want to move to Canada and study at their schools. And Canada has plenty of good, healthy, and cheap eggs. #uspol #cdnpoli #ukpol #auspol www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

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— Samuel Spade (@samspade1941.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 6:22 PM

Today in Elbows Up!

They are in the game. Courting EU trade deals and ending US Hydro contracts. Premier Wab Kinew is on #TeamCanada and is making sure you know how to spell Manitoba. #TrumpTariffs www.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg/art...

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— LakefrontDaisy1 🇨🇦❣️🇺🇦🍁 (@lakefrontdaisy1.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 3:42 PM

Hard to believe it is coming to this. A US travel warning to all university researchers in Canada... the vast majority of whom have ongoing collaborations with people in the US, have field work in the US, and/or attend meetings in the US to share their work. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

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— Simon Donner (@simondonner.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 7:22 PM

This is pretty good:

Elbows Up youtu.be/X8LCXd9r-48?...

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— Mfaria11 (@mfaria11.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 8:44 PM

Election update: 

Yes, I'm sure somebody told Trump to shut up about the 51st state business during the election campaign, so PP could talk about other issues like Brookfield. 

Let me say, I don't think Canadians are stupid:

It seems to me that the reason this rhetoric slowed down was because it was unifying Canadians against our right-wing political party just before an election. As soon as the election is over, I'm sure he will resume making threats against our sovereignty. globalnews.ca/news/1113297...

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— fireb0rn (@fireb0rn.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 7:46 PM

Well, so much for the talking point that Carney was somehow "disloyal" to Canada by working for Brookfield:

www.cbc.ca/news/politic... ‘Six Conservative MPs, including the party's deputy leader, disclosed last year they personally invested in companies related to Brookfield Corp’ Typical hypocritical Conservatives, want to have their cake & eat it too. Sound familiar? ➡️Just. ➡️Like. ➡️Trump. #NeverPoilievre

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— 🇨🇦🇨🇦 Proud Canadian 🇨🇦🇨🇦 (@beppil007.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 7:36 PM

Today in endorsements, Poilievre may have a troop of retired CEOs, but Carney has Neil Young:

Neil Young endorses Mark Carney. #cdnpoli #neilyoung #CdnElxn2025

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— Lawrence Herzog 🇨🇦 (@lawherz.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 9:34 PM

Go for it Canada. Think Carney is reading the Bonds on the US debt wall along with the sinking US$. US debt default is becoming a possibility. There is no coming back from this even if the entire Trump Regime magically disappeared tomorrow. #cdnpoli

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— albertagirl67🇨🇦🇺🇦👊🐧🔥 (@albertagirl67.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 9:43 PM

I think Canadians are also smart enough to see through this Conservative smear:

When you can't win: If Carney takes time to do his job as PM: Why is Carney hiding? If Carney doesn't take time to do his job as PM: Why is Carney ignoring his duties as PM during a crisis? #cdnpoli

— Bill Comeau 🇨🇦 (@bill-comeau.bsky.social) April 15, 2025 at 7:51 AM