Trump Wants a Third Term & 1,900 Scientists Warn Against the Administration's Attacks on Science
April 4, 2025
What I’m Discussing Today:
Kareem’s Daily Quote: The difference between wise and stubborn.
Trump Says He’s Considering Ways to Serve a Third Term as President: That flushing sound you hear is the Constitution circling the bowl.
Trump says he ‘couldn’t care less’ if auto prices rise because of tariffs: That phrase tells us all we need to know about the administration’s toxic attitude.
Mike Johnson Suggests ‘Eliminating’ Entire District Courts to Help Trump: So, when the courts rule against them, they want to eliminate the courts?
More than 1,900 scientists write letter in ‘SOS’ over Trump’s attacks on science: Next time you’re hoping for medicine to save your life, ask Musk to whip something up.
Three-quarters of US scientists are considering leaving the country thanks to DOGE cuts, poll finds: How will we remain economically competitive with other countries when they get our best scientific minds?
After LA fires destroyed places of worship, Methodist, Muslim and Jewish congregations form ‘an island of grace’: Want to feel uplifted? Read this.
What I’m Watching at the Movies: Black Bag is a sophisticated spy thriller and Novocaine is a funny action film.
Kareem’s Video Break: A dog frolicking with dolphins. It doesn’t get any better.
Kareem’s Sports Moments: The weirdest football play I’ve ever seen.
Branford Marsalis Quartet Plays “Belonging”: One of the best jazz groups around has an exciting new album.
Kareem’s Daily Quote
The wise man can change his mind; the stubborn one, never.
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), German philosopher of the Enlightenment
For the past few years, the phrase “doubling down” has been popular in the media to describe the actions of politicians who forge ahead, even after having been proven to be wrong. The phrase originates with the card game 21 when a player has the option of doubling their bet but is then limited to receiving only one additional card. In 21, the odds of winning when you double-down with a 10 or 11 (ace) are still only 50%. In politics, it’s a way of announcing that the politician will stubbornly cling to their course, despite all the evidence showing it’s the wrong course. Since, the politician’s course has already been proven to be bad, doubling down only means risking more on the same losing strategy. What they are risking is other people’s money and welfare.
They do that, despite the inevitable disaster ahead, to be suffered by others because they believe looking strong through stubbornness will make people overlook their misjudgment. Instead, because the consequences aren’t usually immediate, the masses will admire their “strength” rather than lament their ignorance.
Sadly, they’re not wrong. People admire stubbornness because they don’t differentiate between being stubborn and being resolute. To be resolute is to commit to finding the best resolution to a problem regardless of biases and other irrational pressures. To be stubborn is to stick to one idea regardless of evidence or logic.
Although some people may use these words interchangeably, they shouldn’t, because the difference is, to borrow a Mark Twain phrase, like the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.
Every time I hear someone brag about being stubborn, I wince at their lack of self-awareness. They think they’re announcing to the world a positive character trait when they’re really exposing the opposite: a lack of reason, the inability to adapt, and a refusal to accept more beneficial alternatives.
Words matter because that’s how we communicate ideas. That’s why the Trump administration has an extensive list of forbidden words, like inequity and measles (not kidding), to cancel those ideas. Let’s give admittedly stubborn people the reaction they deserve—ignoring them. We’ll save our praise for the resolute.