Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

How to Gaslight Your Trump-voting Relatives This Thanksgiving

Nov 28

Photo by Gabriel Garcia Marengo on Unsplash

Stuck with MAGA relatives around the table today? Gaslight them by pretending you’re a convert to their movement! Just slip these surefire talking points into the conversation:

1. Matt Gaetz would have been a great Attorney General. No one cares more about America’s children.

2. I can’t wait for Trump’s tariffs. I’m sick of paying so little for everything.

3. American education is a mess, and that’s because we’ve never had someone in charge of it with professional wrestling experience.

4. The fact that a worm ate half of RFK Jr’s brain means he won’t have as many thoughts distracting him from his job.

5. If you ask me, Kristi Noem’s dog was asking for it.

6. Thank God Trump is kicking out all those undocumented workers! If I want fruit and vegetables I’ll just pick them myself.

   Now More Than Ever: Support the Borowitz Report by Subscribing Today.

Informed Comment daily updates (11/28/2024)

 

Consumer Solar Surge: Pakistan Shows you Don’t Need Government Programs to Green the Grid Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – While no one was looking, the Pakistani public took matters into their own hands, adding 17 gigawatts of solar power this year. These installations are mostly in the form of Chinese panels for rooftop or ground level solar in towns and villages. Pakistan has abruptly become the world’s sixth-largest consumer […]

Israel blocked all humanitarian aid for northern Gaza in November, says UN The UN announced yesterday that Israel has blocked or obstructed all attempts to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid to the northern Gaza Strip throughout November. Details were provided by Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN. Haq told a press briefing that the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) attempted 41 humanitarian missions […]

Iran and Israel Seek to Control online Narrative of their Conflict in advance of Next Hot Exchange By Shirvin Zeinalzadeh, Arizona State University | (The Conversation) – Is Iran poised for a succession in leadership? Well, that depends on what you read. For weeks, rumors have been swirling about the health of the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as a possible replacement. In late […]

Shamash! “On the Run” Panel #15 Previous panels : >

Old posts you may have missed

Lebanon Ceasefire underlines that both Israel and Hezbollah Lost the War Protesting Criticism of Approved Gaza Course Proposal by Cornell University President We Can’t Let Ourselves be overwhelmed: Countering Trump’s Falsehoods Is More Urgent Than Ever Shamash! “Deadly Smoke” Israeli total War Continues, with “No end in sight” for Palestinians in Gaza — Cold, Drenched, Homeless and Hungry A Third Woman Died Under Texas’ Abortion Ban. Doctors Are Avoiding D&Cs and Reaching for Riskier Miscarriage Treatments

 

Consumer Solar Surge: Pakistan Shows you Don’t Need Government Programs to Green the Grid

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – While no one was looking, the Pakistani public took matters into their own hands, adding 17 gigawatts of solar power this year. These installations are mostly in the form of Chinese panels for rooftop or ground level solar in towns and villages.

Pakistan has abruptly become the world’s sixth-largest consumer of solar panels.

Here’s the thing. Pakistan has less than 50 gigawatts of electricity capacity in total! So they are putting in over a third of that in the form of solar just in one year. And this is not being spear-headed by the government, which is in disarray.

What we have to underline is that this remarkable solar gold rush is the work of ordinary consumers and private businesses and not government industrial policy. It shows that governmental inaction, of the sort so starkly on display at COP 29 in Baku and of the sort we may expect from the incoming president, Donald Trump, may not be a fatal obstacle to our saving the earth from a chaotic, torrid climate. The world’s people may demand clean solar, not because they understand climate change or are primarily driven by that consideration but because the cost of solar goes on plunging much faster than most analysts can now imagine. China’s government put $130 billion into its solar industry in 2023, and the technology responds to that kind of R&D money with big strides in efficiency and cost savings. And we are only at the beginning of this transformation.

DW’s Charli Shield tells the story of Shafqat Hussain, whose mother almost died during a summer heat wave — and what else is summer in South Asia? — when their government-supplied power went out. Such outages, called “load shedding” in Pakistan, are common. His mother had to go to hospital with heat stroke.

So the Hussain family put in solar. She quotes Shafqat Hussain as saying, “When you don’t have any electricity, forget about the air conditioning. Your fans are not working. You don’t have refrigerators on. You don’t even have any cold water to drink.”

The family’s energy bill has nose-dived by 80% and they no longer suffer from brown-outs or black-outs of electricity, gaining what she says Hussain called a “sense of safety.”

Pakistan’s politics is messy, dominated by two great political dynasties that are often at daggers drawn, and by a populist insurgent, former cricket star Imran Khan, who was jailed by the corrupt dynasties, throwing the country into turmoil. People have been in the streets this week in large numbers demanding Imran Khan’s release, and the army shot some down, raising the specter of further instability.

Americans don’t hear much about Pakistan, but it is a major player. At 240 million, it is the world’s fifth most populous country. It is the world’s 24th biggest economy by purchasing power GDP, though only the 46th nominally. In nominal terms, its economy is in the same ballpark as Egypt’s and South Africa’s. Its military is ranked 9th in the world, and it is a nuclear power.

In 2020, Chinese solar modules cost $240 per kilowatt, but they plummeted to $110 per kilowatt this year, as the post-COVID polysilicon shortages eased and the industry was hit with overproduction. That translates into about 11 cents per watt. China put out 310 gigawatts of cells in the first half of this year, representing an increase of over a third from the previous year. At the beginning of 2024, China already had 4/5ths of the world’s solar module manufacturing capacity. In general, the cost of solar pv modules has fallen 90% since 2010.

In fact, China is betting the farm on green energy. Wood McKenzie notes, “The government has identified the “new three” export industries – solar, EVs and batteries – as critical for its strategy of strengthening economic growth in the face of headwinds from past over-investment in property and high levels of debt.”

Although tariffs keep Chinese panels out of the US even under Biden, it is a big world out there. If Trump, knee-caps the US solar panel industry and hurts the value of the Chinese yuan, it would have the effect of making China’s panels cheaper and of removing a great deal of competition, cementing Beijing’s continued dominance in this field.

Pakistan imports most of the fuel it uses to generate electricity and after rate hikes this summer it has some of the higher electricity costs in Asia, far more than in neighboring India or in Bangladesh. Costs of electricity to businesses in Pakistan are especially high, giving them an impetus to install solar panels.

There are lots of potential problems with Pakistan’s solar boom. As customers desert the big utilities, they have to raise prices for everyone else, and many installations depend on steady energy generation to work — but some of them are having to shut down and then slowly come on line when needed. The government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif could become sufficiently alarmed to put obstacles in the way of further panel imports. But what the Pakistani public is demonstrating is that people want and need electricity and will find a way to get it cheaply. Coal and fossil gas can no longer provide it. Coal is 9.5 cents a kilowatt hour in a lot of places, and gas is 6.5 cents per KWh. But in Pakistan solar can be 3.5 cents per kilowatt hour. Ironically, these fossil fuels are heating up the earth so fast that people absolutely need air conditioning, as Shafqat Hussain discovered. And it is increasingly solar and wind that can provide cheap air conditioning that doesn’t just make things worse. I wouldn’t advise governments to stand in the way of families rescuing their grandmas from heat stroke.

—-

Bonus video:

Bloomberg TV: “Pakistan’s Solar Boom Helps Millions, But Harms Grid”

Filed Under: Featured, Pakistan, Solar Energy

About the Author

Juan Cole is the founder and chief editor of Informed Comment. He is Richard P. Mitchell Professor of History at the University of Michigan He is author of, among many other books, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires and The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Follow him on Twitter at @jricole or the Informed Comment Facebook Page

INFORMED COMMENT

 

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

🦃 When we come together we are unstoppable

🗽 The movement for who we are and what we represent is happening now

Laurie Woodward Garcia and People Power United Nov 28

---

Happy Thanksgiving

I want to wish you all the very best for Thanksgiving! As we approach the holiday season, I want to take a moment to wish you and your loved ones peace, warmth, and joy—no matter what traditions you celebrate.

This holiday season invites us to reflect on the joys and lessons of the past year while embracing a renewed commitment to building a community where everyone thrives.

As we gather around tables across America today, let’s remember this: when we unite with purpose and resolve, we are unstoppable.

We are greater than our hardest moments. We have the power to steer our nation back toward justice, freedom, and democracy, ensuring that everyone—not just a privileged few—can thrive. Fear will not define us. Hatred will not consume us. We reject division, mockery, and cruelty, choosing instead the path of respect, dialogue, and cooperation. Together, as a community, we can inspire meaningful change.

At People Power United, our north star guides us:

• Everyone deserves dignity, housing, healthcare, and education—regardless of employment, age, race, gender, or religion.

• Every community deserves clean air, safe water, and freedom from gun violence.

• In our movement, we we will always speak out against racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, misogyny, ageism, ableism, sizeism, misogynoir, elitism, and bigotry in all its forms.

I've seen the love and grit you bring to building people power in our communities. Your efforts are proof that when we come together, we are unstoppable.

The extremists want us to believe otherwise. They want us to lose hope, to feel powerless, and to surrender to their relentless grab for control. But we know better. Americans do not cower to bullies. We don't give up, stay silent, or stand still in the face of injustice.

We know that if we want change, we have to be willing to roll up our sleeves and do the work—it's not enough to simply voice our frustrations.

Together, we can build a more just and compassionate world—one where everyone's story is honored, and everyone has the chance to thrive. Let the spirit of this season drive us to take action and build a future filled with hope and possibility.

---

Today’s Call-to-Action

• Enjoy your day with family, friends, and community members.

---

Together we can inspire change!

Join us for a digital town hall featuring Senator Kirsten Gillibrand regarding the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and the critical window we have to publish this protection before the second Trump administration. This event will dive into the history, significance, current status of the ERA, and how we can all take action. President Biden has the authority, responsibility, and opportunity to institute this critical protection for women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ Americans. For this to happen, we need a mass grassroots movement campaign urging him to take action. Whether you're new to the ERA or a lifelong advocate, this is your chance to learn, connect, and take action. This is one of the most impactful actions we, the American people, can take in these remaining weeks ahead of the next presidential administration.

• 📢 Biden Publish the ERA: Digital Town Hall

---

You're invited: Stop Project 2025

Are you concerned about the direction our country is headed and the far-right agenda threatening our future?

Now is the time to stand up and take action! We invite you to our one-hour training, "Stop Project 2025: Mobilize for Change," presented by People Power United. By joining this training, you'll learn about the real and urgent threat of Project 2025 and why it's essential to mobilize now to stop it. ✨ Join us:

Wednesday, November 27th at 7pm Eastern or Sunday, December 1st at 7pm Eastern, click here to signup:

Stop Project 2025 Training

Together, we can protect and empower those we love, champion our rights, freedoms, and democracy, hold our leaders accountable to the people's will, and inspire voters to make a meaningful difference.

---

Together we can inspire change!

We, as moms, dads, wives, husbands, abuelas, abuelos, aunties, uncles, sisters, brothers, friends, and other community member refuse to let apathy open the door to fascism.

We are the guardians of our families, values, and democracy. We will stand up, speak out, and take action because our love for America and our communities is stronger than fear, and our commitment to justice is greater than complacency. We will not let fascism happen—not on our watch.

Join us to learn about the dangers of a "recess appointment" by Trump—or any president determined to rule over Americans rather than represent them, and the actions we can take to ensure critical safeguards are in place to protect our democracy and we close the door to authoritarianism.

• 📢The Door to Fascism: Why We Must Stop Recess Appointments

• Wednesday, December 11th at 7pm. Click here to signup.

---

In a democracy, the principle that "no one is above the law" is non-negotiable.

Allowing leaders to escape the consequences of their actions sends a dangerous message that power, not justice, prevails—ultimately destabilizing society and giving rise to authoritarianism.

History warns us that unchecked power leads to corruption, oppression, and the silencing of our voices, threatening the freedoms we cherish.

Now, more than ever, we need everyone to step up and stand together. Join us and be part of a movement that demands accountability and justice for all. More resources are coming, but today, please join our Not Above the Law Rapid Response Team and sign on to our Freedom Over Fascism pledge.

---

People Power United Updates

Our group is growing by leaps and bounds! Folks understand that with love in our hearts and hard work, we will reclaim our nation from cruelty, chaos, and confusion. We are having fun making impactful changes in our community! In case you missed it, this past week was busy:

• We joined a group effort to encourage the Senate to move forward with confirming Head of Office of Government Ethics (it worked!)

• We sent out several updates and news briefs on our newsletters:

  • Protect Our Planet

  • Defend and Protect Democracy

  • Reproductive Freedom for All

  • Supreme Court Accountability

  • Freedom Over Fascism

  • Resist Project 2025

• Stay connected, get People Power United on the Substack app

  
  

Additional updates can be found here.

---

Join us to build People Power! Together, we can protect and empower those we love, champion our rights, freedoms, and democracy, hold our leaders accountable to the people's will, and inspire voters to make a meaningful difference.

Laurie Woodward Garcia (paid with hugs and kisses, not bought by special interests)

Laurie joining other activists and organizations to drop thousands of petitions off to Congress to advocate for reforms to the Supreme Court

People Power United | In this community, we will always speak out against racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, misogyny, sexism, ageism, ableism, sizeism, elitism, transphobia, misogynoir, and bigotry!

People Power United is a group of community members that champions progressive values and power for the people.

---

People Power United is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This Thanksgiving, Let's Honor and Reflect

 

Today, as we gather our loved ones close and come together to give thanks, it's important to embrace both the warmth of the moment and the deeper significance that this holiday holds.

For many, Thanksgiving is a time for joy, a chance to break bread and share the gratitude that knits us together across miles and memories. Yet, for Indigenous communities, including many of our friends and neighbors, today also carries a weight of mourning—a remembering of histories lost and cultures besieged.

The traditional narrative of Thanksgiving, which emphasizes a supposed harmony between colonizers and Native tribes, overlooks the true and painful impacts of those early encounters. It obscures the profound loss and resilience of Indigenous peoples—losses that echo in the stories of many within our own NDWA family, whose ancestors endured forced labor and displacement.

This November, which also marks Native American Heritage Month, we are called not only to reflect but to act. Let's honor the strength and spirit of Indigenous women, whose leadership and resolve are foundational to both their communities and our collective future.

From the matrilineal societies of the Southeast to the Navajo women who owned and managed extensive lands and livestock, these leaders embodied the virtues we cherish: resilience, community, and stewardship of the generations to come. We invite you to learn more about these powerful histories through our Interactive History of Domestic Work and Worker Organizing.

LEARN MORE →

We also want to lift up the present-day stories like those of the Indigenous caregivers in New Mexico, members of our affiliate the New Mexico Caregivers Coalition, who have worked tirelessly to advocate for higher wages for care workers and policies that uplift all communities.

It’s crucial that today, especially, we hold space for all narratives, finding unity in forgotten histories and in the shared values that drive us forward: community, care, and mutual respect. Together, we can craft a Thanksgiving that truly reflects the diversity and depth of our experiences.

Thank you for standing with us, for your commitment to understanding and advocacy, and for the part you play in our journey towards a more inclusive and caring world.

With so much uncertainty and turmoil on the horizon, let's take this time to embrace true togetherness, learning from our past to enrich our future. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

With gratitude and hope,

Care Team
National Domestic Workers Alliance

Join our SMS list: Text NDWA to 33843  |   Donate to our Cause

         

This email was sent by the National Domestic Workers Alliance, the nation's leading voice for dignity and fairness for the millions of domestic workers in the United States.

National Domestic Workers Alliance | 45 Broadway, Suite 2240 | New York, NY 10006 | DomesticWorkers.org

The National Domestic Workers Alliance, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 35-2420942). Donations to NDWA are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable under the law.