The Morning Sixpack - June 19, 2025

Lakers family sells control in $10B deal; Fed waits on tariff fallout; Justice Dept cuts ATF gun inspectors; SpaceX Starship explodes; Israel-Iran war escalates.

Supreme Court Greenlights Tennessee's Ban on Trans Youth Care, Sidesteps Equal Protection Concerns

The Supreme Court just gave the green light to state bans on gender-affirming care for trans youth—and punted on protecting equal rights.

In a 6-3 decision, the conservative majority upheld Tennessee’s law restricting puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors, brushing aside arguments that the ban violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. This ruling now puts similar bans in 25 states on much firmer legal ground—and leaves transgender youth even more vulnerable to legislative attacks.

The majority, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, leaned hard on the idea that the Court’s job is not to evaluate the wisdom or fairness of a law—just its constitutional footing. In their view, Tennessee’s ban passed muster under the lowest bar of judicial review: rational basis. So as long as the state had some plausible explanation, even if it’s rooted in moral panic or questionable science, that’s apparently enough.

Justice Sotomayor wasn’t having it. Delivering a fiery dissent from the bench, she declared, “In sadness, I dissent,” and ripped the majority for “obfuscating” the law’s clear sex-based discrimination. She warned the Court’s decision “invites legislatures to engage in discrimination by hiding blatant sex classifications in plain sight,” and called it a devastating rollback of protections for transgender children and the families who support them.

The Tennessee law, known as SB1, prohibits doctors from prescribing puberty blockers or hormones to treat gender dysphoria in minors—even though the same medications can still be used for other conditions. This double standard was justified by the state as a way to keep kids from “disdaining their sex”—a ”rationale soaked in politics and religious undertones. And now, thanks to this ruling, that logic gets constitutional cover.

Let’s be honest: This is a major victory for the anti-trans movement and the broader culture war strategy that weaponizes kids for political gain. It’s also a setback for civil rights advocates who argue the Constitution is supposed to protect minorities—especially when they’re unpopular. And as Justice Barrett casually noted in her concurrence, if trans rights laws require stronger scrutiny, “courts will be forced” to weigh in more often—which, in her view, is a bad thing. So yeah… judicial restraint is the new cloak for abdication.

Source: CBS News

The Supreme Court is increasingly uninterested in protecting those who have no power to protect themselves, exactly the opposite role they’ve taken on in the past.

Israel Strikes Iranian Nuclear Sites as Tehran Bombards Israeli Hospital in Escalating War

Iran and Israel may not officially be at war—but the gloves are off. On Thursday, Iran launched its twelfth missile barrage targeting Israeli cities, including what Israel says was a deliberate strike on its largest hospital. Hey, Israel, how does it feel getting YOUR hospitals bombed? I guess turnabout isn’t fair play, eh?

And don’t you dare take what I said immediately above as me being antisemitic or against Jews or condoning bombing innocent civilians. I’m merely pointing out the hypocrisy of the Israeli government (i.e., Netanyahu, a literal mass murdering war criminal).

In response, Israel hit back hard with over 100 air munitions, including direct attacks on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. This isn’t a proxy war anymore. It’s real, and it’s accelerating.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for the assault, dubbing it part of Operation True Promise III. They warned Israelis that red alert sirens would be their “new normal,” vowing there would be no escape from the barrage. Israel’s emergency services scrambled to treat dozens of wounded, including elderly civilians injured in residential areas like Ramat Gan. Soroka Hospital in Beersheba—the region’s largest—took a direct hit.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force launched massive counterstrikes on Iranian nuclear and missile development facilities, including a site at the Arak heavy water reactor and military factories near Natanz. The IDF claimed their operation was designed to “eliminate the threat of plutonium-based weapons” and “cripple Iran’s missile production capacity.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz didn’t mince words: “We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran.” He accused Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei of hiding in a bunker while launching war crimes against Israeli civilians. Prime Minister Netanyahu echoed that sentiment, vowing that “the intensity of attacks” on Tehran’s government infrastructure would increase until the threat is neutralized.

Let’s be clear—this war didn’t come out of nowhere. The fuse was lit on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200. Since then, Israel has responded with force across Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and now deep inside Iran. And with President Trump now reportedly giving a green light to U.S. active involvement, this could easily spiral into something far bigger than a regional conflict. Tick tock.

Source: UPI

SpaceX Starship Blows Up on the Launchpad—Musk’s Mars Mission Takes Another Hit

Elon Musk’s grand plan to colonize Mars just went up in flames—literally. Late Wednesday night, SpaceX’s Starship 36 exploded in a massive fireball during a test at the company’s Texas launch site. The rocket never left the stand. It just… failed. Catastrophically. Like DOGE.

According to local authorities in Cameron County, the explosion occurred shortly after 11pm at the Starbase facility. No injuries were reported, but the rocket was obliterated—and with it, another notch in the long chain of high-profile mishaps plaguing Musk’s so-called Mars fleet. This was supposed to be the 10th test flight. Instead, it was scrap metal on arrival.

This isn’t just a one-off technical hiccup. Starship has now racked up more fiery failures than successful missions, casting serious doubt on Musk’s ambitious interplanetary timeline. Let’s be real—if we’re betting on the guy who can’t get a test rocket off the ground without it blowing up, maybe we shouldn’t be putting the future of humanity on his launchpad.

And yet, the hype machine rolls on. From building “Starbase” to designing missile shields for Trump, Musk keeps selling SpaceX as the future of everything—even if the present keeps self-destructing. At some point, it’s not visionary anymore. It’s performance art with a debris field.

This latest failure might not stop Musk’s PR juggernaut, but it sure doesn’t inspire confidence. Mars isn’t getting any closer LOL, but Musk’s rockets keep making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Again.

Source: The Guardian

I’m the first to knock Leon whenever he fucks up, which is often, but this failure points to a much more important issue than a billionaire wasting millions of taxpayer dollars.

Why the fuck did we put all our eggs in the SpaceX basket? We should—at the very least—have three or more viable options that we can pick and choose from at will any time NASA needs a space mission done.

Justice Department Slashes ATF Gun Dealer Inspectors by Two-Thirds, Handing Criminals a Major Win

The federal government is gutting its ability to police gun dealers just when vigilance is needed most. The Justice Department plans to cut 541 of roughly 800 inspectors who monitor federally licensed gun dealers, slashing the workforce by two-thirds. This move will sharply hobble the agency’s already limited capacity to stop illegal gun sales to criminals and dangerous buyers.

These deep cuts come as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing campaign to dismantle the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), including proposals to merge it with the Drug Enforcement Administration. It also follows rollbacks of Biden-era gun safety regulations aimed at curbing the spread of homemade firearms and tightening oversight.

According to internal budget documents, the reduction will decrease the ATF’s regulatory power over the firearms industry by around 40 percent starting this fiscal year—a massive hit considering the size of the cuts. Frontline ATF agents warn that these layoffs could effectively end the agency’s role as a serious watchdog over gun sales, risking the safety of communities nationwide.

John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, summed it up bluntly: “These are devastating cuts to law enforcement funding and would undermine A.T.F.’s ability to keep communities safe from gun violence.” This budget rewrite isn’t just a bureaucratic shuffle — it’s a green light for unscrupulous dealers to exploit loopholes and flood the streets with guns.

If Congress or the White House doesn’t intervene, the consequences will be brutal and immediate: weaker enforcement, more guns in the wrong hands, and more victims of gun violence. It’s a political gamble with public safety on the line—and it’s hard to see how this ends well.

Source: The New York Times

It makes 100 percent what the Trump administration is doing: They love guns but they love gun money more than anything. And let’s not forget that MAGA is a gang of gun-humping losers. (And before you call me a commie pussy gun hater, just know this: I own guns, too. I just don’t worship them.)

Powell Plays It Cool While Admitting the Fed Has No Clear Playbook on Tariffs and Inflation

The Fed’s got a handle on the economy—except when it doesn’t. Jerome Powell made it crystal clear that while the Fed is prepared to manage whatever hits the U.S. economy next, they’re flying blind when it comes to the fallout from Trump’s tariff blitz. Inflation is sending mixed signals and jobs look solid, but with many large companies threatening layoffs. The real impact of tariffs is still anyone’s guess.

Powell didn’t commit to a July rate cut, signaling that September might be the earliest the Fed loosens the reins. The central bank’s split between hawks and doves is widening, with some officials betting on multiple cuts this year, and others convinced they’ll stay put unless the economy shows serious weakness.

The big unknown? How much of those tariff hikes will actually stick to prices, and how consumers and businesses will react. As Powell put it, “There are many parties in that chain... and each one will try not to be the one to pay for the tariff.” Someone’s going to eat the cost—whether it’s a manufacturer, retailer, or us, the consumers.

Meanwhile, Powell’s defending the Fed’s independence amid pressure from Trump, who’s openly calling for aggressive rate cuts. But Powell’s message is clear: no knee-jerk moves. “You can make a case for any of the rate paths that you see,” he said, emphasizing a patient, data-driven approach in a fog of uncertainty.

In short, the Fed is holding its cards close, hoping the economy’s next hand doesn’t force its hand too soon. Inflation’s battle isn’t over, and Powell’s telling us bluntly: We don’t have a crystal ball.

Source: The Wall Street Journal (gift article)

Lakers Family Era Ends as Jeanie Buss Sells Controlling Stake in $10 Billion Franchise

After nearly 50 years, the Buss family is stepping away from control of the Los Angeles Lakers, handing the reins to billionaire Mark Walter. The sale, valuing the iconic franchise at a staggering $10 billion, marks the close of a unique chapter where a flamboyant family ran one of the world’s most glamorous sports teams.

For two generations, Jerry Buss and his children—especially Jeanie Buss—kept the Lakers a tight-knit family business, blending Hollywood glitz with basketball royalty. But as sports ownership has grown into a corporate titan game, the Lakers stuck to their eccentric, family-run roots. That’s all about to change.

Mark Walter’s ownership group, already a minority stakeholder since 2021, brings deep pockets and a proven track record with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Walter’s approach is all about aggressive investment and building championship contenders year after year. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says Walter “wants to win” and “makes sure the city feels proud.”

Jeanie Buss, now extraordinarily wealthy from the sale, will remain team governor for now but has effectively passed the torch. Magic Johnson praised the move, calling Walter a trusted partner who will “do right by the Lakers team, organization, and fans.” With Walter’s financial muscle, expect the Lakers to match their star-studded brand with the resources to compete at the highest level consistently.

The Buss family’s Lakers saga—from Jerry’s real estate-fueled purchase in 1979 to the Showtime era and beyond—is a storied legacy. But in today’s high-stakes sports world, legacy alone won’t cut it. This sale signals a new era of serious business behind the purple and gold.

Source: AP News