The BRAD BLOG

TEAM BLUE TRIUMPH! Dems Win Everything Everywhere All at Once: 'BradCast' 11/5/2025

Brad Friedman — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 01:43:58 +0000

We've covered a lot of Election Nights on The BradCast over the years. But it's difficult, if not impossible, to remember one where Democrats (and anti-GOP, anti-Trump voters) won pretty much everything in every corner of the country. [Audio link to full show follows below this summary.]

True, it was an off-year election. Only about eight states even had statewide contests. But there were also local races in about 30 states. And, wherever voters voted, Team Trump lost on Tuesday. Badly. From "blue" California, to "purple" Virginia, to rural Maine, to battleground Pennsylvania, to deep "red" Mississippi and everywhere in between. And they lost by a lot in almost every case, whether it was for a candidate or an initiative on the ballot.

We run through as many reported results as we can fit in today --- both high profile contests and some that were deep under the radar --- before sharing an excerpt of the electrifying victory speech from Democratic New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who just blew the roof off the Brooklyn Paramount Theater with one of the best victory speeches I have ever seen. Actually, one of the best political speeches, of any kind, I have ever seen.

Then we're joined by longtime progressive journalist and author JOHN NICHOLS of The Nation magazine, where has been covering Mamdani, and many other progressives up and down the ballot --- along with the more centrist candidates in between --- for many months now, during the run-up to Tuesday's elections: the first time since Donald Trump took office for his failing second term that voters have been able to register their opinions about him at the ballot box in a whole bunch of states at once.

"We have had so many conversations where we are trying to find the straw" of good news following an election, Nichols observes, referencing our many post-election conversations. "But now we are in the bizarre, reverse position where, when you look across the entire United States, you are very hard pressed to find any disappointing results. And the reason for that is pretty simple. Donald Trump, a year after his election, nine months into his second presidency, it has been an unmitigated disaster."

"Last night, you got the confirmation that across this country, from New York to Virginia, to New Jersey to California --- but also to Mississippi, where they took away the Republican supermajority in the state Senate; to Georgia, where they were winning Public Service Commissions that they never win; to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Mayoral races in Iowa --- it was just across the board that Democrats won and won and won."

Beyond that, however, there are a lot of details to discuss, regarding why it happened and what message both Republicans and Dems need to take from what happened on Tuesday and, in particular, from the landslide election of the charismatic, 34-year old, Ugandan-born, Muslim, Democratic socialist immigrant whose charm offensive, good humor and promises of a tangible Affordability Agenda for NYC have now made him its next Mayor. And how, incredibly, it is even possible that many establishment Democratic Party leaders --- including U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York --- couldn't bring themselves to endorse the Democratic nominee for Mayor of NYC.

Are they most fearful that Mamdani will be a failure? Or that he will be a success?

We discuss all of that and much more on today's BradCast...

CLICK TO LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD SHOW!...

* * *While we post The BradCast here every day, and you can hear it across all of our great affiliate stations and websites, to automagically get new episodes as soon as they're available sent right to your computer or personal device, subscribe for free at iTunes, Pandora, TuneIn, iHeart, Amazon or our native RSS feed!

* * *

MONTHLY BRAD BLOG SUBSCRIPTION

ONE-TIME DONATION

(Snail mail support to "Brad Friedman, 7095 Hollywood Blvd., #594 Los Angeles, CA 90028" always welcome too!)

Republican Thuggery While Americans Vote: 'BradCast' 11/4/2025

Brad Friedman — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 02:32:27 +0000

Today was Election Day for major contests in New York City, New Jersey, Virginia and California, not to mention about 30 other states which also held either statewide or local off-year contests. We'll have full reported results for you, of course, on tomorrow's BradCast. [Audio link to full show follows this summary.]

In the meantime, there was a whole lot going on today, while America votes...

Several polling places were temporarily closed in more than half a dozen New Jersey counties on Tuesday following threats, reportedly via email, ultimately determined by officials to be "non-credible". One local official suggested the emails may have originated "abroad", bringing to mind the emailed bomb threats that resulted in temporary evacuations of a number of polling places in at least five different battlegrounds states on Election Day during the 2024 Presidential election. Those threats were reported, at the time, to have come from IP addresses in Russia.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney died on Monday at the age of 84. His family announced the news today. We share some thoughts.

The Trump Administration has fired yet another government watchdog whose job it was to root out waste, fraud and abuse at a federal agency. This time, according to a Reuters exclusive, it was the acting Inspector General at the Federal Housing and Finance Authority (FHFA), whose Trump-appointed activist Director, Bill Pulte, has been issuing bogus criminal referrals to the DoJ about "mortgage fraud" purportedly committed by Donald Trump's political foes, such as New York Attorney General Letitia James, Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook, and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA). The IG in this case, a 40-year veteran DoJ prosecutor, was said to have been in the process of notifying Congress that FHFA leadership was violating the law by refusing to cooperate with the Office of the Inspector General. To date, the Administration has fired almost 20 IGs at almost every major (and not-so-major) federal agency or department.

Trump's corrupt Attorney General Pam Bondi filed legal documents on Friday in hopes retroactively fixing some pretty huge problems with the weaponized political indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and NY A.G. Letitia James. The filings attempt to rewrite history regarding the corrupt and almost certainly unlawful appointment of Trump's former insurance lawyer, Lindsey Halligan, as Interim U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia. She was expressly appointed to the position after Trump's previous USA either resigned or was fired for refusing to file the politically motivated charges demanded by Trump, due to lack of evidence.

Trump, almost certainly looking at an embarrassing loss tonight in California's Prop 50 initiative --- which would temporarily rewrite the state's Congressional map in response to a Trump-ordered U.S. House gerrymander in Texas over the summer --- was already falsely claiming this afternoon that the contest was somehow "rigged". CA's Sec. of State called out his evidence-free bullshit in a statement late today.

Speaking of the Gerrymandering Wars kicked off by our desperate and incredibly unpopular President, Gov. Wes Moore, in the Democratically-controlled state of Maryland, announced a new Commission to consider jumping into the redistricting game before 2026. Maybe.

Voting Rights advocates had a big victory on Friday, as one of two federal judges overseeing different lawsuits against Trump's bogus election-related Executive Order, issued a permanent ban on his attempt to mandate proof of citizenship documents by those registering to vote with the national voter registration form. The judge made clear --- as we did when Trump originally issued his dumb EO --- that Presidents have zero legal or Constitutional authority regarding elections.

Finally, Desi Doyen joins us for our latest Green News Report, with a grim humanitarian crisis brewing in Jamaica and elsewhere in the Caribbean following last week's monster Hurricane Melissa; record rainfall in New York City; incredibly alarming glacial retreat in Antarctica; and the Trump Administration's Godfather-like thuggery used to block the world's first-ever emissions rules for international shipping...

CLICK TO LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD SHOW!...

* * *

MONTHLY BRAD BLOG SUBSCRIPTION

ONE-TIME DONATION

(Snail mail support to "Brad Friedman, 7095 Hollywood Blvd., #594 Los Angeles, CA 90028" always welcome too!)

'Green News Report' - November 4, 2025

Desi Doyen — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 18:44:25 +0000

Follow @GreenNewsReport...

(Or use "Click here to listen..." link below.)

IN TODAY'S RADIO REPORT: Humanitarian disaster looms in Jamaica, following monster Hurricane Melissa; Extreme rainstorm shatters records in New York City; Shocking glacial retreat in Antarctica; PLUS: Trump Administration used mob-like tactics to scuttle first-ever emissions rules for international shipping... All that and more in today's Green News Report!

Click here to listen or download MP3 (6 mins)...

Link:
Embed:	'Green News Report' w/ Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen Click to listen (or download) More info on today's report here... " onClick="javascript:this.select();" onChange="javascript:this.value=''" />

GNR's now celebrating 16 YEARS of independent green news, politics, analysis, snarky comment and connecting climate change dots over your public airwaves!
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO HELP US CELEBRATE WITH A DONATION!

Got comments, tips, love letters, hate mail? Drop us a line at GreenNews@BradBlog.com or right here at the comments link below. All GNRs are always archived at GreenNews.BradBlog.com.

IN 'GREEN NEWS EXTRA' (see links below): Jamaica rushes to prepare for peak tourism season as it digs out from Hurricane Melissa; RFK backs down on Tylenol, moves on to wind turbines; Bill Gates: Climate "super-important" but not "super bad"; Major American LNG exporters habitually break air pollution laws: report; Exxon-funded think tanks to spread climate denial in Latin America, documents show; Dept. of Energy directs $100 million to modernize declining coal plants; After decades, green sea turtles have been saved from extinction --- for now... PLUS: How Alabama Power kept bills up and opposition out to become one of the most powerful utilities in the country... and much, MUCH more! ...

STORIES DISCUSSED ON TODAY'S 'GREEN NEWS REPORT'...

Humanitarian disaster looms in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa:

'We need food, we have no food' - desperation takes hold in Jamaica after hurricane (BBC)
Hurricane Melissa death toll rises to 67 as insured losses in Jamaica could top $4 billion (NBC News)
After Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica Faces Destruction as Far as the Eye Could See (NY Times):

The storm 'totally destroyed" the port of Black River, the prime minister said. At least five people died in Jamaica, and the hurricane killed at least 30 in Haiti. Officials expect the toll to rise./div>
Hurricane Melissa leaves trail of destruction across Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica (AP)
VIDEO: Jamaica Digs Out After Most Powerful Hurricane in its History (This Is Not Cool)
AUDIO: How will the dismantling of USAID affect U.S. relief efforts in Jamaica? (NPR):

"USAID would have been working with governments and embassies in the region on preparing for hurricane season"...Heidel says the cuts to programs and staff limits the capability for the U.S. to respond to new disasters that can happen anywhere, "because they're spread so very thin on all of the pre-existing disasters. Obviously, there's so much going on worldwide and in the Middle East and in Africa," he says. And with all the cuts, he says that there's simply "no way that the U.S. government is going to be able to provide a major level of support that they have provided in the past."
How to help those impacted by Hurricane Melissa (AP)
DONATE: Hurricane Melissa is the strongest storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season (UNICEF)

Global warming increased the odds of monster storms like Hurricane Melissa:

Climate Change Made Hurricane Melissa Four Times More Likely, Study Suggests (Inside Climate News):

an analysis from science nonprofit Climate Central.

Intense storm shattered NYC rainfall records:

Deadly storm shatters NYC rainfall records. Central Park sees highest total in more than 100 years (CBS News)
VIDEO: 2 die after rooms flood during heavy rain in New York City (NBC News)
VIDEO: Flooding aftermath: storms inundate NYC, soaking basements and cars (NBC News)
Over 5,000 flights delayed or canceled after dangerous storm slams Northeast (ABC News)
Heavier Rainfall Rates in U.S. Cities (Climate Central)
Climate Change Indicators: Heavy Precipitation (EPA)

Antarctic glacier's retreat shocks scientists:

VIDEO: Hektoria Glacier in Antarctica shrinks at fastest rate recorded in modern history (ABC Australia):

The report noted that ice plains have been detected in other parts of Antarctica, including the Ross Ice Shelf and the so-called "doomsday" Thwaites Glacier. "Therefore, it is imperative to document the bedrock geometry beneath the glaciers around Antarctica to evaluate the potential for this type of instability to occur, and incorporate rapid buoyancy-driven retreat in models predicting the fate of the Antarctic ice sheet."
Antarctic glacier saw the fastest retreat in modern history; it could spell trouble for sea levels, report finds (CNN):

"This is astonishing; the rate of retreat is just crazy," said Ted Scambos, a study author and senior research scientist for the Earth Science and Observation Center at the University of Colorado Boulder. Understanding more about why this happened is vital; if larger glaciers retreat at similar rates, it could have "catastrophic implications for sea level rise," the authors wrote in a statement accompanying the report. Antarctica holds enough ice to raise global sea level by around 190 feet... As one iceberg calves, it exposes the glacier behind it to the same pressures and calving happens again. Scambos likens the process to "dominoes toppling backwards, their feet slipping out from under them, one after the other."

CBS News fired its climate reporting team:

The fall of the CBS News climate team (Heated):

David Ellison, the new pro-Trump chief executive of Paramount Skydance, has dismantled the best climate change reporting team in cable news...In a memo announcing the cuts on Wednesday, Ellison said he was "phasing out roles that are no longer aligned with our evolving priorities."
CBS News just gutted its climate team (Sammy Roth, Climate Colored Goggles):

Paramount and Bari Weiss aren't off to a great start. Here's why David Ellison should change course.
CBS News Guts Climate Team as New Conservative Management Takes Charge (Truthout)

Trump Admin. used mob-like tactics to derail global shipping emissions rules:

US accused of ‘bully-boy’ tactics to sink climate deal (Financial Times, no paywall):

The intimidation included approaching country officials during coffee breaks to warn them they might not be able to transit via the US, or that they and their families could face restrictions on entering the country if they acted against American interests, according to five people at the talks, including two from countries that were directly threatened.
The entire world was ready to reduce shipping emissions. Then Trump stepped in. (Grist)

'GREEN NEWS EXTRA' (Stuff we didn't have time for in today's audio report)...

For a comprehensive roundup of daily environmental news you can trust, see the Society of Environmental Journalists' Daily Headlines page

Jamaica rushes to prepare for peak tourism season as it digs out from Hurricane Melissa (AP)

RFK backs down on Tylenol, moves on to wind turbines (This Is Not Cool)

VIDEO: Bill Gates: Climate 'super-important" but not "super bad" (This Is Not Cool)

After decades, green sea turtles have been saved from extinction --- for now (Inside Climate News)

Major American LNG exporters habitually break air pollution laws: report (DeSmog Blog)

Poultry plants consistently violate Salmonella standards, report finds (Civil Eats)

Emergency language in wildfire bill splits environmentalists (E&E News)

Exxon-funded think tanks to spread climate denial in Latin America, documents show (Guardian)

Carbon offsets are failing. Can a new plan save the rainforests? (Yale Environment 360)

Mussels reveal growing microplastic pollution in Greece's prized seas (Reuters)

Dept. of Energy directs $100 million to modernize declining coal plants (Inside Climate News)

How Alabama Power kept bills up and opposition out to become one of the most powerful utilities in the country (Inside Climate News)

Energy bills are rising nationwide. In Georgia, they're on the ballot (Canary Media)

Washington court restores $185 million verdict for teachers poisoned by PCBs (The New Lede)

EPA: Superfund cleanup 'likely' fouled Pennsylvania town's water (E&E News)

Traces of old farm chemicals contaminate water across the US (Circle of Blue)

EPA retreats from plans to end the Energy Star program (Hawaii Tribune-Herald)

AI is pushing climate groals out of reach, new reports say (Inside Climate News)

Climate change is accelerating, scientists find in 'grim' report (Yale Climate Connections)

How Trump's War on Climate Science impacts all Americans (Bloomberg)

Solar Is Liberation (Rolling Stone)

Governments legally required to address climate change, global court says (Inside Climate News)

David Attenborough's 'Ocean' is a brutal, beautiful wake-up call from the sea (AP)

Wall Street Journal: Clean energy transition is unstoppable (This Is Not Cool blog)

Can we avoid the enshittification of clean-energy tech? (David Roberts, Volts)

Stop emissions, stop warming: A climate reality check (Dr. Andrew Dessler, Climate Brink)

Who Will Care for Americans Left Behind by Climate Migration? (Pro Publica)

Is the Atlantic Overturning Circulation Approaching a Tipping Point? (The Oceanography Society)

How Oil Companies Manipulate Journalists (Drilled)

How To Spot 5 Of The Fossil Fuel Industry's Biggest Disinformation Tactics (Guardian)

The Oceans We Knew Are Already Gone (The Atlantic)

How to electrify your life when you rent (The Verge)

Complete Series: Farmers Under Attack for Supporting Clean Energy (This Is Not Cool blog)

Feeling Overwhelmed About Going All-Electric at Home? Here's How to Get Started (Inside Climate News)

Feeling Hopeless About the Climate? Try Our 30-Day Action Plan (The Revelator)

Climate Change Will Force a New American Migration (Pro Publica)

Exxon's Snake Oil: 100 years of deception (Columbia Journalism Review)

Project Drawdown: 100 Solutions to Reverse Global Warming (Drawdown.org)

Last Call(s) Before Election Day 2025: 'BradCast' 11/3/2025

Brad Friedman — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 02:03:56 +0000

As the Federal Government shutdown enters its second month --- now almost certain to become the longest in U.S. history --- it's Election Day tomorrow in the first major elections since our ridiculous and criminal President's disastrous second term began ten hellishly long months ago. It is the first chance for a whole lotta folks to ring in on what theythink of this President and his corrupted Party. So, this week on The BradCast, we continue to keep our eyes on both tomorrow's major off-year elections in several states and next year's critical midterms in all 50, as that election is also already underway in more ways than one. [Audio link to full show follows this summary.]

Tuesday is the last day to vote in statewide elections for Governor and the state House of Delegates/Representatives in Virginia and New Jersey, respectively; Mayor in New York City; and for (or against) Prop 50 in California, among other contests of note that we've been discussing and/or previewing in recent days on the program.

After a few news headlines today, we zero in on the Prop 50 statewide ballot referendum in CA, asking voters if they would like to temporarily allow the state to set aside the U.S. House map drawn by CA's Independent Redistricting Commission in order to allow the Democratic state legislature to create a new one meant to flip five Republican seats to Democratic next year. That effort is in direct response to the Republican state Legislature in Texas, earlier this year, gerrymandering their already-gerrymandered Congressional map to steal five Democratic U.S. House seats for Republicans next year at the orders of Donald Trump who, justifiably, believes his Party will otherwise lose their slim House majority next year due to their terrible, unpopular policies.

(I also share today my amusing, bemusing and confusing experience in the parking lot of an L.A. County Voting Center on Sunday, where I went to vote and was troubled to notice a County voting system IT support truck with TEXAS license plates on it?! WTF?!)

Following TX's gross mid-decade gerrymander over the summer and CA's response to it, Republicans in Missouri and North Carolina have also drawn new Congressional maps to steal two more seats from Democrats next year. So, Virginia Democrats --- in the midst of their statewide election for the entire House of Delegates --- announced a complicated, surprise plan just over a week ago that, if successful, could flip as many as three U.S. House seats in the Old Dominion from "red" to "blue" next year. It's a complicated scheme in VA, requiring two affirmative votes by two consecutive sessions of the State Legislature and then approval from voters on a statewide ballot referendum next year. All in time to redraw VA's Congressional map before primaries begin next year.

Last week, Virginia Dems in the Legislature successfully completed Phase One of the plan, as the measure was adopted by the Senate on Friday, following approval by the House two days earlier. To proceed to Phase Two, Dems must retain their majority in the 100 seat state House on Tuesday, which they currently control with just 51 votes.

Also last week, Ohio's bipartisan redistricting commission redrew the Buckeye State's U.S. House map to make it harder --- but not impossible --- for two Democratic Congressmembers to hold on to their seats in the 2026 midterms.

We break down all the new details on all of those latest battles in the Gerrymandering Wars today (and some of the battles still to come), before opening the phones to listeners here in our live Southern California listening area for their last chance before Election Day to make the case for or against Prop 50 and more...

CLICK TO LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD SHOW!...

* * *

MONTHLY BRAD BLOG SUBSCRIPTION

ONE-TIME DONATION

(Snail mail support to "Brad Friedman, 7095 Hollywood Blvd., #594 Los Angeles, CA 90028" always welcome too!)

Sunday 'Close Enough' Toons

Brad Friedman — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 13:35:01 +0000

From 2017. But timely all over again...

...HALLOWEEN LEFTOVERS...

...AND THE REST...

NEWSWEEK: "Donald Trump’s Approval Rating is Underwater in 12 States He Won"

Which brings to mind...

...NEXT WEEK...

* * *
As The BRAD BLOG's former longtime toon sherpa PDiddie always reminded us: "With editorial cartooning increasingly an endangered species, please consider supporting them if you possibly can."

* * *
The BRAD BLOG is looking for someone --- other than me --- who may be able and available to post our weekly toons here! Interested? Let me know!

A Pretty Weak 'Strongman': 'BradCast' 10/30/2025

Brad Friedman — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 01:54:43 +0000

On today's BradCast: For a guy who believes he's a strongman, or wants to be one --- in a nation where too many have fallen for that idea as well --- the President, with each passing day, is revealing himself to be incredibly weak. Even his own supporters have noticed, and are finally beginning to turn away from him in all of the swing states and even in some of the so-called "reddest" states! [Audio link to full show follows this summary.]

Yes, he's still causing a lot of pain for a lot of people. He'll continue to cruelly do so as long as he can. But don't fall for his tough guy act. He continues to be a wannabe strongman, even while he's failing on virtually every front. We make the case on today's program, along with the latest news and coverage of several under-the-radar issues and contests on next Tuesday's off-year election ballot.

Among the evidence from which we draw today...

Tough guy Donald Trump calls for the U.S. "Department of War" to resume testing nuclear weapons just minutes before meeting with China's actual strongman President Xi Jinping last night. Just about every point Trump made in his social media announcement on nuclear weapons was false, leaving actual expert in this field completely confused. (And then Xi, like so many other world leaders who have figured out how easy it is to play Trump, went on to eat his lunch. Trump didn't even notice.)

"What If Trump Is Weaker Than We Think—and America’s Finally Figuring It Out?", muses our friend Thom Hartmann, as Trump's previously ironclad grip on Republicans in Congress begins to reveal numerous cracks in both chambers. "It's just a matter of time," Thom correctly concludes.

Michigan's Democratic state Senate Majority Whip and 2026 U.S. Senate Candidate, Mallory McMorrow, calls out the Administration for choosing to violate the law by "using food as a political weapon" in cutting off money allocated by Congress to fund payments to some 42 million Americans on SNAP. The threat to starve Americans, beginning on November 1, is supposedly due to the federal government shutdown that our very weak President appears both uninterested and unable to do anything about. Late today, a federal judge suggested she was likely to order the Administration to follow the law by using emergency contingency funds to keep SNAP going as November begins.

Trump's national approval numbers are beginning to fall again, to all time lows, following a brief and tiny uptick on the heels of the faltering Israel/Hamas agreement. He continues to have the lowest approval numbers for any President in modern history at this point in his term. So, naturally, he is lying about that to media in hopes they will dutifully report his fake news. For example, on Air Force One this week, he lied to the press gaggle: "I have the best numbers for any President in many years, any President!" Nice try, weakman.

But where his plunging approval ratings are really beginning to leave a mark are in 12 states that voted in his favor last year, where new polling now shows him underwater in all of them! The states where he enjoys negative ratings after winning them last year include every single battleground state (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) as well as five states where he easily won less than one year ago. His approval ratings are now underwater in Alaska, Florida, Iowa, Ohio and Texas! In all of those states he's plunged in approval by an average of about 15 percentage points since last November. Does that sound like a strongman to you?

We'll see if voters agree with the argument in next week's off-year elections, as important contests and ballot issues loom in New York City, New Jersey, Virginia and California. But there are also some under-the-radar races elsewhere, several of which we detail today in advance of Tuesday's Election Day, including Republican efforts to make voting more difficult (for certain people) in both Texas and Maine, and a Hail Mary effort by Republicans to try and somehow win a majority on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in time for the 2028 Presidential election.

Finally, Desi Doyen joins us for our latest Green News Report, as the deadly, record-breaking, climate change-fueled Hurricane Melissa continues to wreak havoc in the Caribbean as it begins to peter out in strength during its move into the colder North Atlantic. Oh, and bad news for Iceland, just to add a bite to the end of today's program...

CLICK TO LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD SHOW!...

* * *

MONTHLY BRAD BLOG SUBSCRIPTION

ONE-TIME DONATION

(Snail mail support to "Brad Friedman, 7095 Hollywood Blvd., #594 Los Angeles, CA 90028" always welcome too!)

'Green News Report' - October 30, 2025

Desi Doyen — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 17:43:54 +0000

Follow @GreenNewsReport...

(Or use "Click here to listen..." link below.)

IN TODAY'S RADIO REPORT: Hurricane Melissa leaves a path of climate-fueled destruction, impacts will last long after the storm has passed and news cameras leave; PLUS: States send out SOS amid federal government shutdown to keep millions of Americans from freezing this winter... All that and more in today's Green News Report!

Click here to listen or download MP3 (6 mins)...

Link:
Embed:	'Green News Report' w/ Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen Click to listen (or download) More info on today's report here... " onClick="javascript:this.select();" onChange="javascript:this.value=''" />

Got comments, tips, love letters, hate mail? Drop us a line at GreenNews@BradBlog.com or right here at the comments link below. All GNRs are always archived at GreenNews.BradBlog.com.

IN 'GREEN NEWS EXTRA' (see links below): How to help those impacted by Hurricane Melissa; 'Millions of avoidable deaths': Climate change health harms reach unprecedented levels; Archaeological site in Alaska reveals artifacts from impacts of ex-Typhoon Halong; NOAA Hurricane Hunter crews, researchers flying without pay; Annual climate change report finds 'planet on the brink'; Energy prices seize spotlight in Virginia, New Jersey races... PLUS: Despite Trump troubles, Hyundai charges ahead with green steel project... and much, MUCH more! ...

STORIES DISCUSSED ON TODAY'S 'GREEN NEWS REPORT'...

Hurricane Melissa leaves path of destruction across Caribbean:

Melissa's destructive effects will be long-lasting:

VIDEO: 'Hurricanes don't just take lives, they ruin lives': Meteorologist John Morales reacts to Melissa (CNN)
Study links hurricanes to higher death rates long after storms pass (Standford University, 10/2/2024)

Hurricane Melissa shattered records, turbocharged by climate change:

Climate change's effect on Hurricane Melissa (2025) (Climate Central)
How Hurricane Melissa got so dangerous so fast (Grist)
Melissa is a beast among a string of monster Atlantic storms. Scientists explain (AP)
Climate Change Is 'Increasing Melissa’s Potential Damages By As Much As 50%,' Climate Scientists Say (Weather Channel)
As the Atlantic Ocean warms, climate change is fueling Hurricane Melissa’s ferocity (AP):

The warming of the world’s oceans caused by climate change helped double Hurricane Melissa’s wind speed in less than 24 hours over the weekend, climate scientists said Monday...A 2023 study had found that Atlantic hurricanes are now more than twice as likely as before to intensify rapidly from minor storms to powerful and catastrophic events.
Climate change is making hurricanes more destructive (Andrew Dessler, The Climate Brink, 5/27/2025)

States grapple with halt to energy assistance during government shutdown:

Millions at Risk as Government Shutdown Freezes Funds for a Critical Heating Program (Time)
States issue warning about heating concerns (USA Today)
VIDEO: Government shutdown could impact heating assistance for Minnesotans as cold weather nears (Fox9-Minneapolis)
HHS cuts staff in charge of helping 6M Americans keep utilities on (USA Today, 4/2/2025)

Judge rejects anti-offshore wind lawsuit:

New Jersey Groups Lose Court Bid to Pause Empire Wind Project (Bloomberg Law):

Washington, DC, District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols on Friday denied Save Long Beach Island Inc. and others’ request to grant a preliminary injunction or stay, saying that the plaintiffs didn’t meet the high bar to show irreparable harm, and that had they done so, they also didn’t show said harm is "certain and great."

Iceland records mosquitoes for the first time:

Iceland reports the presence of mosquitoes for the first time, as climate warms (NPR):

Icelanders may be the last group of people on Earth to experience the pesky bite of a mosquito...The institute noted that the mosquitoes were one of a number of new insect species discovered in Iceland in recent years due to a warming climate and the growth of international transportation.
Mosquitoes found in Iceland for first time after record heat (BBC):

Iceland was one of only two mosquito-free havens in the world prior to the discovery, partly due to its cold climate. The only other recorded mosquito-free zone is Antarctica...Iceland's cold climate and lack of stagnant water in which the insects can breed are key contributors to the country's former lack of mosquitoes, the World Population Review said. But this year, the country broke multiple records for its high temperatures.

'GREEN NEWS EXTRA' (Stuff we didn't have time for in today's audio report)...

For a comprehensive roundup of daily environmental news you can trust, see the Society of Environmental Journalists' Daily Headlines page

How to help those impacted by Hurricane Melissa (AP)

'Millions of avoidable deaths': Climate change health harms reach unprecedented levels (Inside Climate News)

Archaeological site in Alaska that casts light on early Yup’ik life ravaged by ex-Typhoon Halong (AP)

NOAA Hurricane Hunter crews, researchers flying without pay (E&E News)

Annual climate change report finds 'planet on the brink' (The New Lede)

Energy prices seize spotlight in Virginia, New Jersey races (E&E News)

EPA accused of misleading public about ongoing production of harmful PFAS (The New Lede)

Trump Administration dismisses risks of atrazine, a farm herbicide (Civil Eats)

Judge orders New York to follow through on its climate law (NY Focus)

Despite Trump troubles, Hyundai charges ahead with green steel project (Canary Media)

Why billions of gallons of raw sewage keep ending up in Philadelphia waters (Inside Climate News)

100 countries stall on climate targets ahead of COP30 (E&E News)

Coffee-driven deforestation is making it harder to grow coffee, group says (NPR)

VIDEO: Authors of 'Science Under Siege' warn of concerted effort to discredit science (PBS Newshour)

Climate change is accelerating, scientists find in 'grim' report (Yale Climate Connections)

How Trump's War on Climate Science impacts all Americans (Bloomberg)

Solar Is Liberation (Rolling Stone)

Governments legally required to address climate change, global court says (Inside Climate News)

David Attenborough's 'Ocean' is a brutal, beautiful wake-up call from the sea (AP)

Wall Street Journal: Clean energy transition is unstoppable (This Is Not Cool blog)

Can we avoid the enshittification of clean-energy tech? (David Roberts, Volts)

Stop emissions, stop warming: A climate reality check (Dr. Andrew Dessler, Climate Brink)

Who Will Care for Americans Left Behind by Climate Migration? (Pro Publica)

Is the Atlantic Overturning Circulation Approaching a Tipping Point? (The Oceanography Society)

How Oil Companies Manipulate Journalists (Drilled)

How To Spot 5 Of The Fossil Fuel Industry's Biggest Disinformation Tactics (Guardian)

The Oceans We Knew Are Already Gone (The Atlantic)

How to electrify your life when you rent (The Verge)

Complete Series: Farmers Under Attack for Supporting Clean Energy (This Is Not Cool blog)

Feeling Overwhelmed About Going All-Electric at Home? Here's How to Get Started (Inside Climate News)

Feeling Hopeless About the Climate? Try Our 30-Day Action Plan (The Revelator)

Climate Change Will Force a New American Migration (Pro Publica)

Exxon's Snake Oil: 100 years of deception (Columbia Journalism Review)

Project Drawdown: 100 Solutions to Reverse Global Warming (Drawdown.org)

Proposal for 'The First Politically Viable Wealth Tax' Takes Shape in CA: 'BradCast' 10/29/2025

Brad Friedman — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 01:50:36 +0000

As the November 4th off-year elections are now just days away, New York City voters appear likely to elect a young, charismatic Democratic socialist vowing to raise taxes on the wealthy as their new Mayor. But, as discussed on today's BradCast, that's not the only place where voters may finally have a chance to begin to even the score against the runaway wealth gap between the rich and...everyone else. [Audio link to full show follows this summary.]

FIRST... A few quick news items today, including...

Hurricane Melissa's record-shattering path of destruction through the Caribbean --- including Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and The Bahamas --- and now on toward the Canadian Atlantic coast (with effects likely to be felt across much of the U.S. Northeastern Seaboard this weekend.)
Breaking news on Donald Trump firing all six members of one of the federal commissions that was otherwise set to review the building plans for his threatened, privately-funded 90,000 square foot ballroom at the White House --- for which he has already demolished the East Wing with neither approval nor permission from anyone --- and a giant "Arc d'Trump" that he wants to build somewhere on the National Mall in D.C.

THEN... Just days from Tuesday's off-year Election Day, New York City's Democratic candidate for Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, appears to be well ahead in pre-election polling. If those polls are correct, it seems that NYC voters are offering enthusiastic support for the "Affordability Agenda" on which Mamdani's remarkable campaign has been built, including promises for a rent freeze, universal child care, free buses and for city-owned grocery stores in food deserts across the city's five Boroughs. Some of those programs, according to the candidate, will be paid for by a small surcharge on the income taxes of those earning more than $1 million per year. Though, even if he wins next week, many of those programs --- including the new surcharge on millionaires --- would need approval from the City Council and/or State Legislature before implementation.

Meanwhile, out here in California, some progressives are already looking toward a straight-on wealth tax for the state's 200 billionaires that voters would need to approve in 2026. But there are some unique elements to this ballot proposal that may distinguish it from other such programs forwarded by progressives in the past.

Last week, one of the state's largest unions, SEIU's United Healthcare Workers West, along with U.C. Berkley economist Emmanuel Saez and former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, unveiled what our guest today, HAROLD MEYERSON of The American Prospect, described last week as "The First Politically Viable Wealth Tax" in the nation.

The proposal, which its proponents are hoping to place onto next year's statewide ballot, would levy a one-time, 5% tax on the state's billionaires to help fund California's Medicaid program (known as Medi-Cal) following the massive, historic, trillion dollar cuts to the program enacted by Trump and Congressional Republicans in their so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" this past summer.

Meyerson is careful to delineate between Mamdani's income tax proposal of the wealthy (which he also supports), and the one in CA which would tax wealth itself, including assets owned such as stocks, etc. So, why does he see this one as the "first politically viable" such tax? For one reason, one of the well-worn critiques of such programs is that it would lead wealthy residents to flee or deter other wealthy people from moving in. In fact, Mamdani's main opponent in the NYC mayoral race, former state Gov. Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary, has repeatedly made that case against Mamdani's plan.

But, whether Cuomo's attack is true or not (Mamdani calls it exaggerated), the CA proposal introduced last week undercuts the critique entirely.

"First, it only applies to the wealth of people from this year, calendar 2025," explains Meyerson. And the "5% tax on wealth can be paid, spread out, over the next five years. It takes effect [if adopted by voters next year] in 2027. If you move into the state and you're ridiculously wealthy anytime after the end of this year, this doesn't apply to you. It only applies to the wealth of this year. If you move out of the state, you're still liable, under the terms of this tax, for paying it. So it is structured in such a way that it eliminates the argument that it will cause billionaires to move out --- because it only applies to billionaires in the state as of this year --- and that it will keep billionaires from moving in because, assuming they move in after Dec. 31st of this year, it doesn't apply to them."

That element alone of this proposal is likely to take the wind out of the sails of many of those who will certainly oppose the measure next year, if it qualifies for the ballot (supporters have until June to gather enough signatures). Meyerson believes that, especially in this blue-leaning state, the idea will be so popular that even conservative billionaire (and former Republican turned Democrat) Rick Caruso, who is likely to run for Governor, would have little choice but to support it. "It would look awfully self-interested, and against the interests of those Californians --- of whom there are gazillions --- reliant upon Medi-Cal, if he were to oppose it, or not take a stance on it," Meyerson tells me. "The optics would look pretty damn bad."

But there are other critiques that wealthy opponents will try to levee as well. Socialism! If it passes, Dems will just want to make it permanent! etc. etc. Meyerson speaks to all of those and offers his insights into the NYC election next week (and establishment Dems such as Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, who have remarkably failed to back the city's Democratic candidate for Mayor), the Prop 50 redistricting referendum in CA, and the gubernatorial contests in both New Jersey and Virginia...

CLICK TO LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD SHOW!...

* * *

MONTHLY BRAD BLOG SUBSCRIPTION

ONE-TIME DONATION

(Snail mail support to "Brad Friedman, 7095 Hollywood Blvd., #594 Los Angeles, CA 90028" always welcome too!)

Monster Storm, Endless Wars, Gamed Elections: 'BradCast' 10/28/2025

Brad Friedman — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 01:49:21 +0000

We've got a lot of news from all over the world, and no small amount of explainers to go with it on today's BradCast. [Audio link to full show follows this summary.]

Among our coverage today...

Deadly, record-shattering Hurricane Melissa finally makes landfall in Jamaica as a catastrophic, slow moving, 185 mph Category 5 storm. As discussed, this is likely to be very very bad. The island nation has set up a support and donations site here.

So much for Donald Trump's recent declaration of "everlasting peace" in the Middle East, as Israel reignites its brutal attack on Gaza following its claim that Hamas has violated the recent peace agreement.

"Peace President" Donald Trump continues his unlawful killing spree in international waters with the announcement that he ordered the U.S. military murder of another 14 alleged "narco-terrorists" on four small boats off of Mexico's Pacific coast. That, as the Administration redeploys its largest aircraft carrier to the Caribbean, not to help storm victims in Jamaica, but almost certainly to wage --- or, at least, threaten --- war on Venezuela (and, perhaps, Colombia).

Weird and related?: U.S. Defense Dept. officials are being required to sign NDAs. WTF?

Twenty-three Democratic state Attorneys General announced they are suing the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture to continue food assistance to some 42 million low-income Americans via the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (or SNAP, previously known as food stamps). The suit follows the agency's flip-flop on using already-appropriated emergency contingency funds to feed hungry American families amid the ongoing federal government shutdown. If funding ends on November 1, as planned by the USDA, it would be the first time in the 60-year history of the program.

Following Friday's announcement by Trump's corrupted Dept. of Justice that it plans to send federal monitors to polling places in five counties in California and one in New Jersey during next Tuesday's November 4th elections, for unexplained reasons, the Golden State has announced it plans to dispatch state monitors to oversee the federal ones.

The Gerrymandering Wars continue and expand. Following Trump's arm-twisting of state GOP lawmakers in Texas, Missouri and North Carolina to rewrite U.S. House district maps to steal seats from Democrats next year --- and Democrats' attempted responses in California and Virginia --- Indiana's Republican Governor has called a special session of the legislature to try and steal another GOP House seat from Democratic voters. But Dems aren't done responding yet, as House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries is said to be in talks with Illinois lawmakers about redrawing that state's map to further favor Dems next year. We do all of the math for ya today, breaking down which party's voters would come out ahead if all of these plans are successful. The answer may surprise you. But the corrupted, rightwing, activist U.S. Supreme Court could still blow up everything (in favor of Republicans) before all is said and done in the critical 2026 midterms.

Finally, Desi Doyen is back with our latest Green News Report with more on the monstrous Hurricane Melissa; the Trump Administration's withholding of disaster funding to states that didn't vote for him; and the deadly, expensive climate change threats that continue to worsen, whether the Administration removes climate science data from its websites or not...

CLICK TO LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD SHOW!...

* * *

MONTHLY BRAD BLOG SUBSCRIPTION

ONE-TIME DONATION

(Snail mail support to "Brad Friedman, 7095 Hollywood Blvd., #594 Los Angeles, CA 90028" always welcome too!)

'Green News Report' - October 28, 2025

Desi Doyen — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 17:50:27 +0000

Follow @GreenNewsReport...

(Or use "Click here to listen..." link below.)

IN TODAY'S RADIO REPORT: Monster Hurricane Melissa batters Jamaica, the strongest storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season; Trump Administration denies disaster funding to blue states that did not vote for him; PLUS: Billion-dollar weather disasters hit new record the United States... All that and more in today's Green News Report!

Click here to listen or download MP3 (6 mins)...

Link:
Embed:	'Green News Report' w/ Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen Click to listen (or download) More info on today's report here... " onClick="javascript:this.select();" onChange="javascript:this.value=''" />

Got comments, tips, love letters, hate mail? Drop us a line at GreenNews@BradBlog.com or right here at the comments link below. All GNRs are always archived at GreenNews.BradBlog.com.

IN 'GREEN NEWS EXTRA' (see links below): Storm drenches Central Florida, creating 'particularly dangerous' situation; Trump Transportation secretary says he will pull $160M from California over non-citizen truck licenses; EPA plan to kill a major climate rule is worrying business leaders; Trump offshore drilling plan faces fierce opposition in Congress; Exxon sues California over new climate disclosure laws... PLUS: Ranchers agreed to leave a national park. Then RFK Jr. got involved... and much, MUCH more! ...

STORIES DISCUSSED ON TODAY'S 'GREEN NEWS REPORT'...

Hurricane Melissa strikes Jamaica, breaking records:

Live updates: Hurricane Melissa expected to hit Jamaica as its strongest storm since records began (AP):

Hours before the storm, the Jamaican government said it had done all it could to prepare as it warned of catastrophic damage. The streets in the capital, Kingston, remained largely empty except for the lone stray dog crossing puddles and a handful of people walking briskly under tree branches waving in a stiff wind. "There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5," Prime Minister Andrew Holness said. "The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge."
Melissa is one of the most powerful hurricanes ever. Here’s how it ranks. (Washington Post)
Jamaica braces for Cat 5 Hurricane Melissa, Earth’s strongest storm of 2025 (Yale Climate Connections)
death toll
Hurricane Hunters Found Something in Melissa’s Eye: Trapped Birds (NY Times)

Yes, climate change plays a role in Hurricane Melissa's ferocity:

Climate Change Is 'Increasing Melissa’s Potential Damages By As Much As 50%,' Climate Scientists Say (Weather Channel)
As the Atlantic Ocean warms, climate change is fueling Hurricane Melissa’s ferocity (AP):

The warming of the world’s oceans caused by climate change helped double Hurricane Melissa’s wind speed in less than 24 hours over the weekend, climate scientists said Monday...A 2023 study had found that Atlantic hurricanes are now more than twice as likely as before to intensify rapidly from minor storms to powerful and catastrophic events.
Hurricanes are getting so intense, scientists propose a Category 6 (Washington Post, 2/5/2024)

NOAA, NWS, and Hurricane Hunters working without pay:

National Hurricane Center Employees Working Through Shutdown Without Pay (NewsRadio WFLA)
'Hurricane Hunters' who flew into eye of Melissa had to turn back due to turbulence (Yahoo News)

Trump denies disaster aid to blue states that did not vote for him:

Trump gives disaster declarations to Alaska and others but denies Illinois, Vermont and Maryland (AP)
Trump Approves Disaster Relief—But Just for States That Voted for Him (The New Republic):

Whether or not a state receives federal disaster aid under the Trump administration appears to boil down to their vote in the 2024 presidential election...North Dakota and Nebraska received aid approval to deal with fallout from multiple storms and tornadoes in August. Trump said Thursday he granted North Dakota $3 million, emphasizing on social media that he "won THREE times in 2016, 2020, and 2024."
Transcript: Trump Nixing Dem Storm Aid Backfires, Screwing MAGA Voters (Greg Sargent, The New Republic)
Trump administration denies FEMA aid for Western Maryland floods (Washington Post)
Trump approves disaster declarations for red states, as blue states go without (MSNBC):

The president’s online statement didn’t just announce the relief funding, it also emphasized the number of times he won Missouri’s electoral votes, as if there were some kind of connection between his political support in the state and his eagerness to provide disaster aid.
Trump denies federal disaster aid for Vermont’s July 2025 flooding (VT Digger)

Trump Interior Dept. approves drilling in ANWR, again:

Trump administration finalizes plan to open pristine Alaska wildlife refuge to oil and gas drilling (AP):

The Trump administration on Thursday finalized plans to open the coastal plain of Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to potential oil and gas drilling, renewing a long-simmering debate over whether to drill in one of the nation’s environmental jewels.