Ms. Liberty 2026

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Attribution: Liberty Leading The People Of Minneapolis by R.J. Matson, Portland, ME

[R.J. Matson is the editorial cartoonist with Roll Call, and is syndicated internationally by Cagle Cartoons.]

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71 thoughts on “Ms. Liberty 2026”

  1. Mlle. Liberté 1830

    “Liberty Leading the People” by Eugène Delacroix symbolizing the fight for freedom during the July Revolution of 1830 in France.

    wiki:

    “Liberty Leading the People” commemorates the July Revolution of 1830, which resulted in the overthrow of King Charles X. The painting captures the spirit of the uprising, where citizens from various social classes united against the monarchy. Delacroix was inspired by the events he witnessed during the insurrection, known as “les Trois Glorieuses” (July 27-29), and he completed the painting in just three months.

  3. or maybe just a few months more of colbert, kimmel and our other about to be missed liberties


    A major figure in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal is finally facing consequences, President Trump held the first meeting of his Board of Peace, and the fallout from President Obama’s comment about alien life forms continues.

  4. in case you missed it, here’s another Ms. taking liberties on ice


    It was a stunning moment in Olympic figure skating, when Alysa Liu, free of tension and stress gave a fearless performance for gold at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games.

  6. Good news. Dumbass has won afford-di-bill-it-tee. I’m so relieved. Buy a pound of beef lately? How about spare ribs? Vegetables, perhaps? Paid an electric bill? Glad he’s won. 🤦‍♂️

  7. NYT

    In 2025, Trade Deficit in Goods Reached Record High
    Data released Thursday by the Census Bureau showed the overall trade deficit with the world narrowed, the result of an expanding trade surplus in services. The trade deficit in goods was the highest on record.

    President Trump has repeatedly promised that his steep tariffs would reduce U.S. imports, shrink the trade deficit and lead to a revival in American manufacturing.

    So far, the opposite has occurred.

    U.S. imports grew last year, and the trade deficit in goods hit a record high, data released Thursday showed, as Mr. Trump’s policies scrambled trade but did not halt it. That was consistent with other data suggesting that companies have rerouted orders and revamped supply chains to skirt tariffs but have not, so far, brought production back to the United States en masse. American manufacturers have cut more than 80,000 jobs in the past year.

    High tariffs and unpredictable policy drove huge swings in trade last year. Companies stockpiled products ahead of tariffs going into effect, then halted imports. American investors bought and sold large quantities of foreign gold as a hedge against volatile markets.

    But although hefty tariffs dampened purchases of imported cars, household consumer items and other goods somewhat, America’s trade with the world remained relatively robust. The United States imported chips to fill new artificial intelligence data centers and Americans snapped up foreign weight-loss drugs, all helping to buoy cross-border trade.

    The total trade deficit, including trade in both goods and services, shrank slightly last year, as growth in exports narrowly outpaced growth in imports. But that was entirely the result of an expanding trade surplus in services. The trade deficit in physical goods, which has been Mr. Trump’s focus as he has sought to use tariffs to restore the U.S. manufacturing sector, actually grew in 2025.

    Overall imports of goods and services increased 4.7 percent, to $4.3 trillion, in 2025, while exports rose 6.2 percent, to $3.4 trillion. The trade deficit — the amount by which imports exceed exports — was $901 billion, down from $903 billion in 2024.

    The trade deficit grew sharply at the end of the year, rising 32.6 percent in December as imports rose and exports fell.
    […]

    Afford-di-bill-it-tee. Stupid bastard.

  11. The affordability year has done one thing very well, moved me off of beef, and chicken and pork only on sale.

    Yesterday I had to buy a new cell phone. It was so much easier than ever, “I want the current version of this phone”, “your old phone was version 10, it is now up to 23”. “Okay”.
    As he was set up to do the data transfers he was looking up the price. “Last year this was $X, it was a lot cheaper.” “Tariffs”. “Oh, right”

  14. Anybody else dreading the jingoism coming on this year’s 4th?

    Jingoism is an extreme, belligerent form of nationalism or patriotism, characterized by an aggressive foreign policy, a belief in national superiority, and a readiness to use military force rather than diplomacy to protect national interests. It is often used negatively to describe “war fever” or blind, irrational devotion to one’s country.

    Key aspects of jingoism include:
    Aggressive Foreign Policy: Advocacy for threats, force, or expansionism to handle international disputes.
    Superiority Complex: A strong, unreasonable belief that one’s own country is morally or culturally superior to others.
    Chauvinism: Often used interchangeably with extreme, fanatical patriotism or chauvinism.
    Origin: The term originated in Britain in the 1870s, stemming from a music hall song that supported taking military action against Russia (“By Jingo”).

    Examples in Context:
    Historical: The Spanish-American War, where public sentiment strongly favored intervention.
    Modern: Using aggressive language to threaten other nations during disputes.

  15. After learning about notification snafus yesterday I created a simple url for our existing alerts. Pass it on to non-members (Traiilmixers are already on the list)..
    https://trailmix.cc/alert

    Never miss the start of our daily Digital Diner podcast. Get direct alerts: https://TrailMix.CC/alert

    The floor is open for your takes on cam, mic, or keyboard (or just watch). We’re live every day from 11-Noon ET.

    (Yes, that’s .CC for host Craig Crawford. Truth is, we can’t afford the .com).

  16. https://www.timesnownews.com/world/us/us-news/who-is-susan-hamblin-anna-paulina-luna-reveals-sender-behind-little-naughty-email-to-jeffrey-epstein-article-153640905

    Who Is Susan Hamblin? Anna Paulina Luna Reveals Sender Behind ‘Little Naughty’ Email To Jeffrey Epstein

    Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna shared new information on X about a person connected to Jeffrey Epstein, pointing to emails from the recently released government files. Luna posted that Susan Hamblin sent the email containing the phrase “your littlest girl was a little naughty.” Paulina called for the Department of Justice to re-examine possible charges against Hamblin and suggested human rights violations may have occurred.

    Luna wrote: “Susan Hamblin sent this email. She took a plea deal and was given ‘victim’ status under previous DOJ. DOJ should look into charges. Possible human rights violations were committed by Susan. I say that based on other files with her name on it. These women don’t get to hide behind redactions. There were so many victims, NONE of which did what SUSAN did. This needs to be reopened.”

    According to some posts on X, Susan Hamblin is the founder of Kids2Families, an adoption agency. It is not confirmed whether this is the same Susan Hamblin referenced in Luna’s post and in the Epstein documents.

    In 2020 and 2021, several articles and a video appeared on The Sun newspaper’s websites linking Hamblin to allegations in a U.S. legal claim about Jeffrey Epstein. The stories suggested she had involvement in the events described.

    Hamblin took legal action in the United Kingdom. In a statement read in open court before Mr Justice Nicklin in the High Court, The Sun apologised to her.

    *Ah, but they didn’t have the emails.

    The Widow Kirk is doing her traveling sideshow with a guy who…well, it involved Romanian orphans, as did her Romanian Angels…and then we have the emails exchanged where she appears to be grooming a teenage girl.

    I’d like to see the art dealers who emailed about “the room where they kill the babies” get hauled in for questioning…and everyone else in the docs.

    I’d also like to see all of the docs related to Orange Adolf read aloud, because he has yet to sue Hunter Biden or Michael Wolff for making accusations against him. He can’t. He’s afraid of what legal discovery will expose. He’s cornered…which is why Iran will go boom soon.

    Ro Khanna trying to hold a vote next week to prevent Adolf from attacking Iran is too little, too late.

  17. SCOTUS majority says Dumbass has no authority to oppose tariffs.

    First opinion from this Court (?) with SCROTUS limiting POTUS’ power (at least under IEFA)

    Heheheh.

  19. SCOTUS majority says Dumbass has no authority to oppose tariffs.

    Finally!

    Gee I wonder who are the 3 justices that apparently hate the Constitution…

  22. Kavanaugh & Thomas have SA allegations against them. Oh, and the woman who testified against Kavanaugh…

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/16/jeffrey-epstein-brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court

    Jeffrey Epstein sympathized with Brett Kavanaugh during the then-supreme court nominee’s contentious 2018 confirmation and even suggested Republicans should have been harder on Christine Blasey Ford, who had accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault.

    Emails and text messages released by the Department of Justice show Epstein was closely monitoring the confirmation and seemed to believe that Ford’s allegation of sexual assault could derail the process.

    Epstein called the pending judiciary hearing “a trap!”, adding “Iye [sic] been through many of these. MANY!! She will cry, make sordid allegations. Say she feels bullied, fearful, traumatized. Every thing bad in her life was s result of the rape attempt. Suffered anxiety! Her relationships with men etc. this is a very special skill set needed.”

    Ford, a psychology professor at Palo Alto University who grew up in the Washington DC suburbs, delivered gripping and harrowing Senate testimony on 26 September 2018, in which she alleged under oath how a “visibly drunk” Kavanaugh had pinned her on a bed, groped and ground against her, and tried to take off her clothes during a gathering in the summer of 1982. Both were teenagers.

    *Clarence Thomas, Pete Hegseth, etc., et cetera, and so forth.

  26. Craig,

    Mark Twain’s voice: No authentic audio recording of Mark Twain’s voice is known to exist, despite his fame as a speaker and experiments with recording technology. Contemporaries described his voice as a distinct, slow-paced, and gentle drawl, often characterized as a “long slow surge”. The closest approximation is a 1934 recording of actor William Gillette, a childhood friend of the Clemens family, imitating him.

  27. The Supreme Court actually grew a spine, striking down the tariff plan in a 6-3 ruling. Plus, Prince Andrew’s estate gets raided, Iran back down (?) and the Digital Diner debates Medicare for All.

    But THE REALLY BIG HEADLINE OF THE DAY: Dexter the Night Watchman wandered in to the diner today!

    TODAY’S RUNDOWN
    Supreme Court Strikes Down Tariffs
    Texas Early Voting & Trade Deficits
    Prince Andrew Investigation Updates
    Medicare for All & VA Healthcare
    Iran Nuclear Deal Rumors

  29. As a couple of asides, the 3rd dissenter to the ruling was our favorite frat boy justice – Brett Kavanaugh & any rebates of the tariffs collected would be to the importers who paid the tariffs -they are likely the only parties who would have standing to seek reimbursement AND have facts sufficient to establish their damages. Good luck as a consumer getting your share of the price hikes you paid to reimburse the importers for the tariffs they paid.

    Gorsuch actually pushed back against the accumulation of power in a single person – and defended the use of the major questions doctrine to allow the Courts to enforce the limits of the President’s power to usurp power assigned to Congress by the constitution or to agencies by Congress where there is no provision in the enabling legislation to allow the president to exercise the power assigned. (Note: this is a hastily drafted summary of Gorsuch’s comments and the major questions doctrine, assimilating information from a number of sources – I wouldn’t repeat it as if it is accurate.)

    Dumbass is supposed to address the press corps in 15 or 20 minutes. I cant wait. ~~~

    Oh yes, FDT

  30. RR, it’s hard to overstate how big a deal it was when Toyota built that $1.6B+, 1.3M sq.ft. and 2400 job engine plant on 403 ac. in Huntsville back in 2003. They are also closing the 1,300 job Hino affiliate plant in Arkansas by the end of 2027.

  32. Apropos of nothing.

    Our nada who art in nada, nada be thy name thy kingdom nada thy will be nada in nada as it is in nada. Give us this nada our daily nada and nada us our nada as we nada our nadas and nada us not into nada but deliver us from nada; pues nada. Hail nothing full of nothing, nothing is with thee.

    —Ernest Hemingway, A Clean Well-Lighted Place.

    For a man must have a clean well-lighted place in which to drink.

  36. Is he just going to whine during the SOTU, or will Stephen Mitler write him a perky little piece will spaces where he can fill in rants?

  37. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/18/un-panel-says-epstein-abuses-may-constitute-crimes-against

    On Tuesday, the independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) released a statement in response to the millions of files released by the United States government related to criminal investigations into Epstein.

    “So grave is the scale, nature, systematic character, and transnational reach of these atrocities against women and girls, that a number of them may reasonably meet the legal threshold of crimes against humanity,” the experts wrote.

    The UNHRC panel called for an investigation into allegations around Epstein and his associates, who include prominent figures in global politics, business, science and culture.

    They added that the revelations from the files suggest a “global criminal enterprise”.

  42. Breaking news hit the Digital Diner live this morning! As the Supreme Court struck down Trump tariffs this morning, we process the big WHAT NOW: Will consumers who paid the tariffs get their money back?

    Watch the moment in today’s Trail Mix podcast:

    YouTube thumbnail

  43. https://newrepublic.com/post/206857/georgia-voter-fraud-elon-musk

    Turns Out There Was Voter Fraud in Georgia—by Elon Musk

    The state board of elections found Musk’s PAC sent prefilled ballot applications.

    Members of the Georgia State Elections Board voted Wednesday to issue a formal letter of reprimand to Musk’s America PAC over the billionaire technocrat’s illegal scheme to get Trump elected. Georgia, a key battleground state in 2024, was the target of aggressive campaigning by Trump’s team.

    This letter comes weeks after Trump suggested that his Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was spotted lurking around a federal raid at the election office in Fulton County, Georgia, because she was investigating foreign interference in elections.

  44. https://www.newsweek.com/fulton-county-doj-election-raid-evidence-short-tulsi-gabbard-georgia-election-11542275

    Fulton County has taken the Trump administration to court over the seizure and demanded the return of the ballots. It has accused the administration of pushing the operation through despite having no evidence of wrongdoing.

    The filing says that the search warrant was “unprecedented” and that it subjected Fulton County to an “improper and unjustified seizure of their property in violation of the Fourth Amendment.” It also describes the property as having been “improperly seized.”

  45. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/feb/20/us-iran-nuclear-deal-trump-agreement-strikes-latest-news-live-updates

    Trump to impose 10% global tariff and attacks ‘certain’ supreme court justices after levies ruled illegal – live

    The president quickly announced that that he would impose 10% global tariffs under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act. This statute the president impose tariffs up to 15% for up to 150 days. Trump also said all national security tariffs under Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act and existing tariffs under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act remain in place and in full effect.

  46. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/feb/20/economic-growth-fourth-quarter-2025

    Gross domestic product (GDP) increased at a 1.4% annualized rate last quarter, the commerce department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis said in its advance estimate of fourth-quarter GDP on Friday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast GDP rising at a 3.0% pace. The survey was, however, completed before data on Thursday showing the trade deficit widening to a five-month high in December.

  47. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/feb/20/mps-parliament-consider-removing-former-prince-andrew-mountbatten-windsor-from-line-of-succession

    Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne after Princes William and Harry and their children, despite him having relinquished his royal titles in October after new information came to light about his links to Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and child sex offender.

    This means Andrew is still a counsellor of state, the group of adult royals who could be named to fill in for King Charles if he was ill or abroad, even if in practice this would never happen for him, as only working royals are used.

    Removing him from the line of succession would require an act of parliament, as well as consultation and agreement with other countries and territories that share the monarchy. It is understood there are firm plans for this to happen after an investigation is complete.

    The Liberal Democrats had called on Friday for the issue to be considered. “The most important thing right now is that the police be allowed to get on with their job, acting without fear or favour,” Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, said in a statement.

    “But clearly this is an issue that parliament is going to have to consider when the time is right – naturally the monarchy will want to make sure he can never become king.”

  48. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/20/palm-beach-airport-renamed-donald-trump

    Florida Republicans pass bill renaming Palm Beach airport after Trump

    Democrats cry foul at change to airport closest to Mar-a-Lago days after president’s lawyers trademarked new name

    Democrats in Florida have condemned Republican colleagues in the state legislature who approved renaming the airport in West Palm Beach to the “President Donald J Trump International Airport”, less than a week after lawyers for Trump sought to trademark the name.

    Only the signature of Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, now stands before a renaming ceremony at the airport less than six miles from the president’s waterfront Mar-a-Lago mansion and private resort club in Palm Beach.

    Currently known as Palm Beach International, the airport is frequented by Trump on Air Force One on most weekends during the winter season. The president is then driven to and from his residence along a stretch of road renamed Donald J Trump Boulevard, in January, in another act of homage by the Florida legislature.

  52. Had this on my Jingo Card

    FCC Chair Brendan Carr wants broadcasters to air “patriotic, pro-America content” to support the White House’s plans to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
    “As America’s 250th anniversary approaches, it is important to reflect on the ideals and events that have defined our past while keeping an eye towards our country’s bright future,” Carr said in a statement Friday. “I am calling on broadcasters to pledge to provide programming that promotes civic education, national pride, and our shared history.”

    https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/20/fccs-carr-urges-broadcasters-to-air-patriotic-pro-america-content-00791260?utm_medium=bluesky&utm_source=dlvr.it

  53. The agency said the initiative is part of a broader White House effort to encourage festivities celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary during this Fourth of July holiday. Trump has taken a personal interest in celebrating the anniversary, and his administration has reviewed Smithsonian exhibits to ensure they align with the White House’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism.
    Broadcasters could participate in the pledge, Carr suggested, by running public service announcements or specials devoted to civic education and U.S. history, peppering such historical content into news programming or including daily broadcasts reciting the Pledge of Allegiance or playing the national anthem. The FCC said participation could also entail playing music from U.S. composers such as John Philip Sousa, Duke Ellington and George Gershwin.

  54. https://newrepublic.com/post/206881/donald-trump-treasury-secretary-tariff-revenue

    Speaking at the Economic Club of Dallas on Friday, Bessent claimed that in spite of the Supreme Court’s decision to block Trump’s tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a new series of tariffs imposed under other statutes would ensure the revenue was “virtually unchanged.”

    But Bessent warned that at least $175 billion of tariff revenue that the U.S. government had already collected would likely evaporate. “I got a feeling the American people won’t see it,” Bessent said, his fingertips pressed together like a cartoon supervillain.

    *Yep, tRUMP and his crime family strike, again.

  55. Florida Republicans pass bill renaming Palm Beach airport after Trump

    Don’t have to fly there anymore since Mr. Ivy’s parents are no more.

  56. Funneled straight into Trump pockets

    …tariff revenue that the U.S. government had already collected would likely evaporate. “I got a feeling the American people won’t see it,” Bessent said…

  57. FCC Chair Brendan Carr wants broadcasters to air “patriotic, pro-America content” to support the White House’s plans to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.

    Me TV presents the 250th

    with a Matlock marathon

  60. It’s a true story that Trump broke the law and took money out of my pocket

    according to the Supreme Court of the United States

    his fucking Supreme Court of the United States

    wait

    HIS fucking Supreme Court of the United States

  61. https://www.rawstory.com/family-of-top-trump-official-stands/

    Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s family stands to profit significantly from the Supreme Court’s decision striking down President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

    Lutnick, who led Cantor Fitzgerald for 30 years before handing control to his sons before joining the Trump administration, publicly championed the tariffs.

    However, documents obtained by Wired reveal that Cantor Fitzgerald purchased rights to tariff refunds from affected companies, paying 20-30% of what companies paid out in tariffs. The firm now stands to reap returns of up to five times its initial investment.
    Cantor Fitzgerald denied involvement in positioning against the tariffs. Critics on social media condemned the apparent conflict of interest, with journalist Adam Cochran calling it “the 53rd scheme by a Trump official to profit from government policy.”

    Others described it as “pure criminality and graft,” noting Lutnick was also tasked with implementing the tariffs.

    *FFS

  62. How many countries are threatening to release video of Adolf SA a child?

    Releasing UFO files. That many.

    Are they going to let him speak live on Tuesday night?

  63. lol when the question is what is and what isn’t a distraction, rest assured “UFO files” are a distraction 🤦‍♂️

  64. PROGRAMMING NOTE: Watch the replay of today’s Digital Diner podcast here.

    The Bright Side: February 20, 2026

    1. Medical Innovation: A newly FDA-approved mouthpiece uses electrical stimulation of the tongue combined with audio tones to retrain the brain, helping over 90% of users see a significant reduction in tinnitus symptoms. — Good Good Good
    2. Sustainability: Grammy Award-winning musician Billie Eilish is giving 400,000 unsold concert t-shirts a second life by turning them into recycled cotton yarn and housing insulation to reduce textile waste. — Good Good Good
    3. Medical Breakthrough: Scientists have identified the genetic mechanisms that allow zebrafish to fully regenerate their spinal cords after serious injury, paving the way for future human restorative therapies. — Good Good Good
    4. Consumer Action: Eco-activists in the U.K. are pushing back against the fast fashion industry by directly mailing worn-out, non-biodegradable clothes back to the retailers to demand accountability for end-of-life textile waste. — Good Good Good
    5. Weird News: A pet monkey wearing a bright pink tutu managed to slip out of a Missouri home just before a winter storm, leading local authorities to describe the subsequent capture as “bananas.” — News4JAX

    A roundup by our AI partner Silas (Gemini) about optimism, progress, and things right in the world.

  65. Calm app every night, playing green noise (with river) drowns out the tinnitus. A fan will do when the weather is warmer. I can live with the tinnitus. I can live with only being able to hear out of one ear. I can’t live in a slanty, wobbly world; balance is key.

  67. Tomorrow’s starter topic…
    4 years of war. 4 years of standing. 🇺🇦 We are LIVE at 11 AM ET tracking the “arrival surge” at the Lincoln Memorial for the Ukraine rally.

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