The Morning Sixpack—June 26, 2025
Trump to install shadow Fed chairman, Senate GOP hates Trump "BBB" (but will still pass it), US trade deficit soars again (Trump is so good at this! LOL), and Kenyan police shoots to kill
Iran's Parliament Votes to Cut Ties with UN Nuclear Watchdog Amid Rising Tensions
Iran has just taken a bold step by voting to suspend cooperation with the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This move signals a sharp escalation in the standoff following recent strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities that Tehran insists went uncondemned by the IAEA.
The bill, backed unanimously by Iran's parliament, demands that future IAEA inspections require approval from the Supreme National Security Council. It's still pending approval from the Guardian Council, but Tehran is sending a clear message. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the IAEA of "putting its international credibility up for auction" by refusing to condemn attacks on Iran's nuclear sites.
This comes in the aftermath of nearly two weeks of conflict between Iran and Israel, sparked by Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear targets. The tension ramped up when the US bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities, with President Trump claiming these attacks "obliterated" Iran’s nuclear program. However, a US intelligence report contradicted that claim, estimating the setbacks at just a few months.
IAEA Director Rafael Grossi has urged Iran to reopen access for inspectors to verify the status of Iran’s nuclear materials. He emphasized, “We need to return. We need to engage.” But with Tehran suspending cooperation, the watchdog’s job just got a lot harder, raising serious questions about the future of nuclear monitoring and regional stability.
Source: euronews.com - Iran’s parliament backs bill to suspend cooperation with UN’s nuclear watchdog
I don’t think this is how this was supposed to work out. Now they’re even more actively hiding what they’re doing. Trump’s only choice is to continue bombing Iran until they no longer exist. OR—he completely TACO’s and folds like a cheap lawn chair.
Kenya’s Anti-Government Protests Turn Deadly as Police Open Fire on Crowds
At least 16 people have died after police fired live rounds during anti-government protests across Kenya. What started as commemorations of last year’s deadly protests against a controversial tax bill quickly spiraled into violence, highlighting the country’s deep economic and social crisis.
Thousands marched in Nairobi and other cities, fueled by frustration over a deteriorating economy and sky-high youth unemployment at 67%. The killing of a blogger while in police custody added fuel to the fire, with many protesters demanding accountability. “The killer police have still not been held accountable,” one demonstrator told Semafor.
Kenya’s simmering tensions are a powder keg waiting to explode, as the government struggles to control unrest amid growing public distrust and economic hardship. This wave of protests echoes last year’s turmoil, which claimed around 60 lives, showing the ongoing challenge of balancing security and civil rights.
The violent crackdown raises serious questions about police accountability and the future of Kenya’s fragile democracy, especially when so many young people feel left behind. Without addressing these root issues, expect more unrest in the near term.
Source: semafor.com - Kenya protests turn deadly
I guess things could be worse here in the US. So we got that goin’ for us!
Supreme Court Rules Against Planned Parenthood in Medicaid Patient Rights Case
The Supreme Court just dealt a blow to Planned Parenthood by ruling that Medicaid patients do not have the clear right to sue to get non-abortion health care from its clinics. This 6-3 decision overturns a lower court ruling that had allowed Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and a patient to challenge South Carolina’s cut-off of Medicaid funding to the group.
The case centered on whether the federal Medicaid Act empowers patients to enforce their right to obtain care from any qualified provider. South Carolina had stopped funding Planned Parenthood’s non-abortion services after a 2018 directive from Governor Henry McMaster, even though Medicaid prohibits funding abortions in most cases.
Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III, writing for the 4th Circuit earlier, argued that Congress intended Medicaid to ensure the less fortunate have freedom to choose their healthcare provider. “We refuse to nullify Congress’s undeniable desire to extend a choice of medical providers to the less fortunate among us,” he wrote.
The Trump administration supported South Carolina, and it is separately withholding Title X family planning funds from several Planned Parenthood affiliates. This ruling further complicates Planned Parenthood’s funding challenges, hitting patients who rely on these clinics for reproductive and gynecological care.
Source: washingtonpost.com - Supreme Court rules against Planned Parenthood in Medicaid patient rights case (gift article)
Progressive women should run this country. The men have had enough time.
Mississippi Executes Longest-Serving Death Row Inmate After Nearly 50 Years
Richard Jordan, Mississippi’s longest-serving death row inmate, was executed Wednesday night, ending a nearly half-century legal saga. Convicted of the 1976 kidnapping and murder of Edwina Marter, Jordan’s execution was the state’s first in three years and brought closure to a case that spanned decades.
At 79, Jordan died by lethal injection at the Mississippi State Penitentiary, surrounded by corrections officials. In his final moments, he apologized to the victim’s family and thanked his lawyer and wife. “I wish to apologize to the family. I ask that you forgive me for what I did, not forget, but forgive,” he said.
The murder involved a chilling ruse where Jordan posed as an electric company worker to gain entry to the Marter home before abducting and killing Edwina Marter. Despite multiple trials and appeals citing constitutional violations, Jordan’s death sentence was upheld, with the U.S. Supreme Court denying his final appeals just hours before the execution.
Marter’s family expressed relief but also frustration over the long wait for justice. “Why should he get to live in prison and die of natural causes? We feel that he should have to endure the suffering knowing his death was only hours away—just like Edwina had to endure,” said a family representative.
Jordan’s execution marks the 25th in the U.S. this year amid a rising national rate of executions. Mississippi’s lethal injection protocol has faced legal challenges, but officials said the process went smoothly. This case underscores the enduring complexities of capital punishment in America.
Source: upi.com - Mississippi Richard Jordan execution
This seems unusually cruel, even for backwater Mississippi.
Senate GOP Scrambles to Pass Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Amid Growing Roadblocks
Senate Republicans are racing against the July 4 deadline to pass President Trump’s signature domestic agenda, but major hurdles on rural hospital funding and tax rules threaten to derail the plan. The ambitious bill, touted as the most sweeping health reform in history by Medicaid director Mehmet Oz, is running into stiff opposition both within the GOP and from Senate rules.
At the center of the controversy is a proposed cut in state taxes on Medicaid providers—from 6% to 3%—which critics say could devastate rural hospitals reliant on that revenue. To address concerns, the Senate Finance Committee proposed a $15 billion stabilization fund for struggling rural facilities, though many senators argue that figure falls far short of what’s needed.
Senators like Josh Hawley warn that changing the Medicaid tax disrupts the deal President Trump made with the House and risks prolonging bitter negotiations. Meanwhile, fiscal hawks push for deeper spending cuts, and Senate parliamentarians continue reviewing key tax provisions to ensure they qualify for passage under budget reconciliation rules.
Adding to the complexity, House Republicans are threatening to reject the bill if it doesn’t preserve the state and local tax (SALT) break negotiated for high-tax states like New York and California—yet most Senate Republicans are willing to leave that fight behind. Senator Jon Hoeven bluntly said the Senate will deliver what it thinks is the “best deal” and let the House decide.
Majority Leader John Thune remains confident that political pressure and Trump’s role as the “closer” will push enough Republicans to support the package. But with just three GOP defections allowed, every amendment and compromise could tip the balance—and time is running out.
Source: npr.org - Trump’s signature policy bill is facing trouble on multiple fronts in the Senate
The Senate Republicans are pussies. They’re gonna fold. NO DOUBT.
U.S. Trade Deficit Jumps 11% in May but Still a Far Cry from March’s Record High
The U.S. trade deficit surged 11% in May, hitting $96.6 billion as imports bounced back following tariff cuts—but it’s nowhere near the $162 billion peak seen in March. This rebound reflects a cooling off from the import frenzy that preceded the Trump administration’s highest tariffs in decades.
March’s record trade gap contributed to the first GDP contraction in three years, shrinking the economy at a revised 0.5% rate in Q1. Since then, the deficit has normalized to levels closer to last year’s pre-tariff environment, signaling a partial rollback of trade tensions.
The May spike comes as tariffs on China and other nations were lowered, prompting businesses to resume importing goods they had paused on amid tariff uncertainty. Wholesale inventories dipped slightly by 0.3%, while retail inventories edged up by the same margin, hinting at a balancing act between supply and demand.
Next week’s release of overall trade data will provide a fuller picture, but for now, the trade deficit’s recent moves underscore how tariff policy can trigger volatile swings in trade flows—and, by extension, the economy.
Bottom line: tariffs might not be the economic wrecking ball some predicted, but their impact on trade rhythms remains hard to ignore.
Trump REALLY REALLY REALLY sucks at this.
BONUS (because I need a 7th bottle this morning)
Trump Mulls Naming Fed Chair Sooner, Eyeing Shakeup to Undermine Powell
President Trump is seriously considering announcing his pick for Federal Reserve chair months ahead of schedule in a bid to undercut Jerome Powell’s influence. This move would break with tradition and could inject uncertainty into monetary policy as Trump seeks a rate-cut friendly successor.
Trump’s frustration with Powell’s cautious approach to interest-rate cuts has pushed him to look at candidates including former Fed governor Kevin Warsh, National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett (though he’s expressed disinterest), Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, former World Bank President David Malpass, and Fed governor Christopher Waller.
Announcing the choice this summer or fall—well before Powell’s term ends next May—could allow the incoming chair to shape market expectations early. But it also risks political and institutional fallout, with the so-called “shadow chair” caught between Trump’s demands and the Fed’s independence.
Warsh, seen as a hawk on inflation, doesn’t shy from speaking his mind and may clash with Trump’s desire for a pliable leader. Meanwhile, Bessent’s Wall Street credibility and relationship with Trump make him a compelling pick, though he’s publicly committed to his Treasury role.
Powell remains focused on controlling inflation and sustaining economic strength, dismissing political drama. Still, Trump’s plan to accelerate the Fed transition signals a dramatic power play that could unsettle markets and complicate monetary policy just as inflation fears persist.
Source: wsj.com - Trump Considers Naming Next Fed Chair Early in Bid to Undermine Powell (gift article)
Just putting this out there: This is a really bad idea. But you knew that. It’s Trump’s jam (creating chaos out of calm). He’s undermining the Fed and that is very very bad.