DL Open Thread: Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Suh-prize, Suh-prize, It Was Never About Anti-Semitism. Just MAGAts going after an institution they don’t like:
The intensely hostile letter that Education Secretary Linda McMahon sent to the leadership of Harvard yesterday has a lot going on. But the most notable thing about it is what it leaves out.
To hear McMahon tell it, Harvard is a university on the verge of ruin. (I say McMahon because her signature is at the bottom of the letter, but portions of the document are written in such a distinctive idiolect—“Why is there so much HATE?” the letter asks; it signs off with “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”—that one detects the spirit of a certain uncredited co-author.) She accuses it of admitting students who are contemptuous of America, chastises it for hiring the former blue-city mayors Bill de Blasio and Lori Lightfoot to teach leadership (“like hiring the captain of the Titanic to teach navigation”), questions the necessity of its remedial-math program (“Why is it, we ask, that Harvard has to teach simple and basic mathematics?”), and accuses its board chair, Penny Pritzker (“a Democrat operative”), of driving the university to financial ruin, among many other complaints. The upshot is that Harvard should not bother to apply for any new federal funding, because, McMahon declares, “today’s letter marks the end of new grants for the University.”
What you will not find in the McMahon letter is any mention of the original justification for the Trump administration’s ongoing assault on elite universities: anti-Semitism. As a legal pretext for trying to financially hobble the Ivy League, anti-Semitism had some strategic merit. Many students and faculty justifiably feel that these schools failed to take harassment of Jews seriously enough during the protests that erupted after the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas. By centering its critique on that issue, the administration was cannily appropriating for its own ends one of the progressive left’s highest priorities: protecting a minority from hostile acts.
Now, however, the mask is off. Aside from one oblique reference to congressional hearings about anti-Semitism (“the great work of Congresswoman Elise Stefanik”), the letter is silent on the subject. The administration is no longer pretending that it is standing up for Jewish students. The project has been revealed for what it is: an effort to punish liberal institutions for the crime of being liberal.
I linked to the McMahon letter so you can read that word salad for yourself. Please do. And comment. Also, feel free to speculate as to who really wrote it.
Another One Bites The Dust. Hey, $67 mill is merely a drop in the bucket Red Sea:
A Navy fighter jet failed to land on an aircraft carrier and plummeted into the Red Sea on Tuesday, marking the fourth major mishap involving the vessel and the third loss of a fighter jet deployed with it since the warship left home last year.
The F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet, worth about $67 million, went overboard after an unsuccessful attempt to slow it down upon landing on the USS Harry S. Truman, the Navy said in a statement. Both aviators aboard the jet safely ejected and were rescued at sea by helicopter with minor injuries, and no one aboard the warship’s flight deck was harmed, the service said.
Trump Gets Rid Of Everything Good, A Continuing Series. Energy Star. Hmmm, low-flow shower heads have anything to do with that?:
The agency is also planning to close its Energy Star program, a longstanding public-private partnership certifying energy efficient appliances and helping consumers find products and tax credits to bring down the cost of energy efficient appliances like air conditioners, heat pumps, refrigerators and washing machines.
President Donald Trump floated dismantling or privatizing Energy Star in his first term, but the fate of the program has been unclear so far in his second term. Bipartisan groups have been urging the administration to save it.
“Eliminating the Energy Star program would directly contradict this administration’s promise to reduce household energy costs,” said Paula Glover, president of the nonprofit coalition Alliance to Save Energy, in a statement to CNN. “For just $32 million a year, Energy Star helps American families save over $40 billion in annual energy costs. That’s a return of $350 for every federal dollar invested.”
Other than Trump, is there anybody in America who wants to get rid of this?
Didja Know Who Lives Right Next Door To Wilmington’s ‘Gibraltar’? I didn’t. Turns out it’s former ‘Mayor Mike’ Purzycki, whose administration coughed up huge chunks–of money–to rehab the property.
Spotlight Delaware reports that the backlash has prompted Camden police to sever their agreement with ICE.
https://spotlightdelaware.org/2025/05/06/police-in-kent-county-town-partner-with-ice-on-immigration-enforcement/
The Camden Police Department was outed, which led to this.
Are there any other Delaware police agencies that have done this but who haven’t yet been outed?
Of course the Gibraltar mansion should be preserved for public use. $1.5M for purchase and $2.3M for initial rehab is a bargain. What’s the alternative – corporate purchase? or teardown by developers?
Pre-war architecture like that gives cities their appeal and makes them desirable to live in. Cities that tear down their great buildings later come to regret it. Every city that has preserved its architecture could (and has been) accused of some level of “gentrification.” The crime of gentrification is not the preservation or its funding – it’s the failure to provide dignity for those who are displaced.
The public money that went to this money pit would have been better spent on pretty much anything else.
Gibraltar is worthy of preservation. It has become an example of the total misuse of a program that should be benefitting the most economically deprived neighborhoods in the city being hijacked by Purzycki , Freel et al! The Land Bank is hands down the most corrupt institution in the city and has been for some time. The new members of council and Shane’ have ripped the bandage off and there is no going back. Not another nickel of public money should go into the money pit. Based on the massive investment already made the city needs to create an entity with a publicly appointed Board to raise the remaining funds to develop a PUBLIC asset to benefit ALL city residents. Freel and Purzycki and their crony’s should be excluded going forward.
The President and current Board of the Land Bank need to be terminated and a new Boarc and management team needs to be put in place to operate as a municipal land bank should be run. Dreaming I know but I am seeing some momentum to do at least some of this.
“the city needs to create an entity with a publicly appointed Board to raise the remaining funds…”
Of course that would be best. But while we are waiting for the honorables to get that organized and funded, the building is decaying and becoming more expensive to renovate.
A shit ton of $$$ has been spent on mitigation and preservation, maybe an accounting and claw backs if warranted? Maybe an investigation leading to real accountability?
BREAKING: NC Rethug Concedes:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/07/us/politics/north-carolina-supreme-court-gop-concession.html
Agree with Puck about Gibraltar, even if Purzycki does get to live in a nicer neighborhood. Better a restored Gibraltar than a ruined Gibralter.
Why should Wilmington taxpayers’ money pay for it?
It’s not as if Gibraltar is the most pressing housing issue facing the City.
“Why should Wilmington taxpayers’ money pay for it?”
Developers love this argument. Developers want us to keep arguing over the cost of preservation and who pays until it decays so much the only affordable option is demolition and sale of the land.
NIMBY bullshit from entitled white boomers. I mean if Mike Purzycki and Bud Freel, combined age of 375 and IQ of 17, think it’s a good idea – it’s likely a ghastly and terrible and corrupt one.
Sorry the whole thing reeks to hell. I assume you live nearby and thus are advocating for your interests. Which is fine. But most people don’t live there and the city’s choice to rescue this “blighted property” and not so many others (which are much less expensive) tells you everything you need to know.
Bad people. Making bad decisions to enrich themselves and their friends.
Get that bloated tick Freel off the public tit. Jesus Christ.
Also. You’re aware Mike purzycki is a developer right?
It’s been decaying forever. Are you arguing that the money that the City has pumped into this white elephant couldn’t have been better spent on addressing dilapidated housing elsewhere?
Wilmington has an endless supply of dilapidated housing but only one Gibraltar.
Fine. Then let the Copelands pay for the renovation. I’m sure they’ll get yet another generous tax write-off.
The people who need housing in Wilmington should be the beneficiaries of the finite amount of money that Wilmington dedicates to housing rehab.
It should be about people, not about the once-tony house that has fallen into disrepair.
After the renovation turn it into an event rental location for weddings, receptions, corporate events, etc. let a private company run it and pay rent back to the city
And, yes, the system can be improved going forward. But I wouldn’t want a system that did not make significant allowance for restoration projects like Gibraltar. (Not that I’d have a vote on the issue.)
Speaking of the Delaware Way, apparently Bethany is President of Nurses now? If the voters didn’t trust her to manage funds… I don’t know about this. https://www.delawarepublic.org/science-health-tech/2025-05-06/delaware-nurses-will-get-more-support-to-grow-advance-and-develop-statewide
the delaware nurses foundation? a brand new organization made out of thin air specifically for her?
Quite possibly could be. A ‘philanthropic’ organization?
Does that mean that BHL gets to give away Other People’s Money again?
Nope. No New Pope. At least not today.
There is only one vote on the first day. Four votes take place on each subsequent day, with a possible pause for reflection mixed in there:
https://apnews.com/live/conclave-pope-catholic-church-5-7-2025
will there be a huge truth social post about how the cardinals, the worst bunch ever, didnt vote for the trump?
I have a solution, how about the 8th district succeeds from the city and do what they want with gibraltar. That will allow the rest of the city to use the remaining tax revenue as they see fit.
Everything isn’t a conspiracy.
Please do that. How are all of those second and third tier lawyers going to rat fuck themselves though? Would be an interesting economy for sure.
And it’s secede.
Not that it’s going to happen, but I’m pretty sure Wilmington boundary changes require GA approval.