If only this headline from The Onion were true: “Terrified Conservatives Lose Ability To Speak English After Exposure To Bad Bunny Performance — ‘Dios Mio!’ Cry Millions of Panicking Republicans.” Conservatives are struggling in their ranks over Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance as they observe President Trump’s criticism of him and his stage act in light of the rapidly dwindling loss of Hispanic voters. Trump termed the all-Spanish language performance an “affront” to the country and “one of the worst of the worst,” also echoed by many in his MAGA entourage. “It makes no sense, is an affront to the greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence. Nobody understands a word this guy is saying,” read the president’s Truth Social post. Caroline Sunshine, a deputy communications director in Trump’s presidential campaign, also a staffer who later worked in his first term in office, lauded Bad Bunny for featuring an actual wedding ceremony onstage, saying, “Unpopular but interesting take: there was only one Super Bowl halftime show this year that highlighted the institution of marriage. And it wasn’t the Turning Point halftime show.”

The late Charlie Kirk’s conservative group, Turning Point USA, staged an alternative halftime show featuring Kid Rock, that was solidly panned by most, and it was whispered about that Trump was a viewer of the entire Bad Bunny presentation, which gave rise to his irate foaming at the mouth commentary. Harrison Fields, a former Trump staffer provided no mention of Bad Bunny, but felt it noteworthy to mention his Puerto Rico-born grandmother as a full American citizen, who happened to vote for Trump. Republicans are grimacing at Trump’s disgorging of anti-Latino gibberish with his disapproval rating among Latinos hovering at 70 percent, according to the Pew Research Center. Republican strategist and Trump critic, Mike Madrid, questions the calculus of fighting over Bad Bunny in front of tens of millions of Americans. “If the Republicans don’t stop hemorrhaging with young, male Latinos thirty years old and younger, they’re cooked,” says Madrid. “This shows that they’re not even aware of the size of the problem they have.”

On the face of it, the Super Bowl show was less political than BB’s acceptance speech at the Grammy Awards, when he denounced Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say: ICE out, we’re not savages. We’re not animals. We’re not aliens.” As might be expected, the veins on the necks of the MAGA faithful stood out as they voiced their condemnation en masse, but conservatives were divided on the Super Bowl presentation. Conservative commentator and sports journalist, Emily Austin was impressed that Bad Bunny, carrying a US flag, led a parade of flag bearers with flags from the Western Hemisphere — which garnered Austin’s disapproval with followers, unsubscribing from her posts. In her defense, she responded, “Not everyone who loves America and loves our President thinks the same way on everything. Different perspectives and shared love of our country is our strength.” Conservative media star Meghan McCain also defended the performance in a post on X, saying, “Everything in life doesn’t have to be ruined by politics. I’m sorry, but I just genuinely question your taste level if you didn’t enjoy the Bad Bunny halftime show.”

Most people consider the conclusion of football season coinciding with the Super Bowl victor being decided — except for Donald Trump, who continued the celebration by pardoning five former NFL players for various criminal convictions, including drug trafficking and perjury. White House pardon czar, Alice Marie Johnson, posted on social media, “As football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again. So is our nation. Grateful to @POTUS for his continued commitment to second chances. Mercy changes lives.” Now the four survivors can look forward to winning again, something the president hopes is in his future. Recently, the White House published an ‘article’ attempting to assure some unnamed people that Donald Trump is winning. It should be obvious — if you’re winning you don’t have to explain why, and there should be no need to dissuade voters from panicking, a lie which is done only when you’re losing. And Trump is losing.

Except that our golden boy did manage to pick up more bling last week, another trophy invented just for the occasion of naming him ‘Undisputed Champion of Beautiful Clean Coal.’ Lobbyists from the pro-coal organization, the Washington Coal Club, were on hand to present the winning trophy as the president signed an order requiring the Department of Defense to buy billions of dollars worth of coal-fired energy. As Lisa Needham of Daily Kos writes, “Nothing like using the full force of government to prop up a dying industry, right? And hey, if it comes with a cool trophy, all the better.” Needham says this seems to be the only thing the Coal group has done lately, having a dead website, and $23,192 in assets according to ProPublica. She discloses that the organization gave out another “doofus-y” award in 2017, a lifetime achievement award to Robert Murray, a coal company CEO and climate change denier whose company declared bankruptcy in 2019.

Needham feels that Trump is a worthy successor to Murray’s Lifetime award, but Washington Coal Club felt the need to create a new one for a very special boy. Trump’s ego hardly needs a boost, nor does he need encouragement to promote coal usage, though it’s apparent that the country doesn’t want it. Throwing open public lands for private companies to bid on for mining was a total bust, and as utility companies decommission their coal burning plants, Trump has tried to force one to stay open, which will result in higher consumer costs. Needham concludes by saying, “It’s fitting that Trump is falling all over himself to accept an award as champion of something that doesn’t really exist, but Trump will always be a champion, and no one can take that fake award away from him.”

After all is said and done, the coal trophy might be of some consequence as we find that the administration has now unravelled most of the climate change regulations — not a voter-driven subject by any stretch of the imagination. However, Democrats are attempting to make a case about Trump’s links to powerful interests, and in particular Big Oil, in light of his campaign ask for a billion dollars from the industry in the lead-up to the 2024 election. About the president’s move to repeal the ‘endangerment finding,’ the notable legal finding that climate change is a threat to the public, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse made the terse comment, “Corrupted.” The finding is/was the underpinning of the country’s climate rules, and in particular those rules governing cars and trucks – wiped out like the oil on a crankcase dipstick. Senator Chuck Schumer describes the dissolution of the rules as a “corrupt giveaway to Big Oil, an industry which has worked tirelessly to undermine rules that protect against emissions, and now that they have their guy in the White House, they are taking their biggest swing yet.”

Gas powered vehicles can now be expected to bolster the consumption of oil-based fuels, with the auto industry relaxing their shift toward EVs to meet required standards. Senator Ed Markey told The Hill that the change is “just another payback by the Trump administration to the oil, gas and coal industry.” Get ready to preview the all-new Trump coal-fired autos coming to a dealer near you! In his announcement, Trump said, “We are officially terminating the so-called ‘endangerment finding,’ a disastrous Obama-era policy that severely damaged the American auto industry and massively drove up prices for American consumers,” as he scoffed at environmental and health concerns, calling them “a giant scam.” Representative Sean Casten told The Hill that in spite of Trump and his MAGA backers, the US will still make climate progress in the coming years. “We are decarbonizing in spite of this setback, because markets want cheap stuff, and cheap stuff is clean stuff.” Casten believes the pace is slowed because of subsidization of Trump’s buddies, who will not be able to compete in the market, but the absence of leadership remains depressing.

Feef, a contributor on Quora brings to our attention an advertisement for Brits who might wish to ship baggage ahead in order to travel light to the USA. The ad asks, “Moving to the USA?,” as it provides a link to get a shipping quote. Clicking on the comments section of the company’s website, we find quite a collection of interesting opinions: “Maybe after the lobotomy but for now I’ll pass…thanks!,” “Yes please, can’t wait. I have friends in El Salvador,” “North Korea sounds more appetising at the moment to be honest, thanks though,” “Did you know Canada is lovely and sane?,” “This is brilliant, thank you I need a laugh,” “Yep. Can’t wait to move to Gilead,” “Just packing my black shirt and some books to burn, I’ll be right over,” “Yeah great idea…why did I not think of that before?,” and “The US has plenty of its own baggage; it doesn’t need mine too.” Risky decision? Sure! But as Neil Simon said, “If no one ever took risks, Michelangelo would have painted the Sistine Chapel floor.”

Much of the snark above may have to do with a news story about an Irish citizen with legal permission to work in the US, who has spent nearly five months in a Texas ICE detention facility. Seamus Culleton describes the conditions in the “modern-day concentration camp” in an interview that details widespread illness, and competition for food as the meals are small and everybody’s always hungry and tired. Toilets and showers are described as “completely nasty” since they are very rarely cleaned. Most detainees fear for their safety and their very lives, with security staff being accused of killing people — “you don’t know what’s going to happen here on a day-to-day basis…it’s a nightmare,” Culleton says. Married to an American citizen, he has been in the country for nearly 20 years, and despite holding a valid work permit, and being in the final stages of receiving a green card — with no criminal record — he was detained by ICE as he drove to work. Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs is engaging “at a senior level” with the US about Culleton’s case, and the Irish prime minister has plans to raise it directly with President Trump in a March meeting. As is often heard: “This is Trump’s vision for America, folks. Any questions?”

Canada no longer has any questions about trade with the US. As Thom Hartmann writes on Raw America, “Economist Dean Baker summed it up perfectly: Trump negates trade pacts with Canada and then gets upset when Canada looks elsewhere for partnerships. Kick your allies in the teeth, then complain when they find a better deal.” The president has turned his attention to our northern neighbor again, to make demands that would be laughable if they weren’t coming from our irrational Oval Office occupant. In a Truth Social post , he has threatened to block the opening of the new Gordie Howe Bridge connecting Windsor to Detroit unless Canada hands over partial ownership — the $5.7 project being funded by Canada’s taxpayers, who expect to recoup the costs through tolls. Trump also claimed that Xi Jinping would “terminate ALL ice hockey being played in Canada” if Prime Minister Carney completes the trade deal with China. Catherine McKenna, former environment minister, summed it all up with, “It’s all a grift.”

In a guest article on MeidasTouch, California Representative Ami Bera writes that he is torn, as a member of Congress, on his obligation to attend the upcoming State of the Union address by President Trump. Bera has decided to make this year different after watching the president “run roughshod over the Constitution, display utter disregard for Congress, and openly engage in corruption as he and his family use the office to enrich themselves and tarnish this country that I love. I will not give him the dignity of my presence at the State of the Union.” He calls Trump a troll, who will spend his time at the podium trolling Democrats and Republicans alike, making outrageous and inflammatory statements. “I expect him to make outright lies and exaggerations, boastfully talk about his brilliance, and stare down my Republican colleagues until they stand, applaud feverishly, and demonstrate their fealty to this malignant narcissist.” Bera still believes that America is that “shining city on a hill,” believing that “who we are as a nation is reflected in our Pledge of Allegiance,” wishing that only if the president believed these words. “Donald Trump does not define the United States of America. We do.” Inscribe this message on that empty seat!