Donny Dumb Dumb

5.16.25

Happy Friday, readers! Wow, another week in the books and this one was a whirlwind. Welcome back to Common Sense, your source for news and analysis on the circus that is American politics and entertainment.

Supreme Court reminds Trump Administration due process is real and notice must be given prior to deportation… Politico reports, “President Donald Trump’s drive to use an 18th-century law to rapidly expel alleged Venezuelan gang members suffered another legal setback Friday as the Supreme Court extended its block on deporting dozens of men in immigration detention in northern Texas. The court emphasized that the men — whom the Trump administration has labeled ‘alien enemies’ — are entitled to more due process than the administration has so far provided. That means advance notice of their deportations and a meaningful opportunity to challenge the deportations in court, the justices wrote in an unsigned opinion.”

MAGA in disarray as Trump’s “big, beautiful” spending bill goes down in committee… NBC News reports, “The GOP-led House Budget Committee voted to reject a sweeping package for President Donald Trump's agenda on Friday, dealing an embarrassing setback to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Republican leaders. The vote in the Budget Committee was 16-21, with a band of conservative hard-liners who are pushing for steeper spending cuts joining all Democrats in voting against the multitrillion-dollar legislation, leaving its fate uncertain.” OUR TAKE: This is BEYOND embarrassing. There was no reason for committee leadership to hold a vote if the vote was not going to pass – unless they thought their members would vote differently than they did. We’ll pop the popcorn and send bad vibes so they continue to mess up their chance to take away health care from people who need it.

Russia, Ukraine delegations agree to 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange… ABC News reports, “Russia and Ukraine agreed to a prisoner exchange during peace talks in Turkey on Friday, which were led by a U.S. delegation headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two sides will conduct a 1,000 for 1,000 person prisoner exchange at a yet-to-be determined time, officials said. Both sides also agreed to present their vision for a ceasefire, officials said… Ukrainian officials on Friday asked for a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin; Russia officials said they would take the proposed meeting under advisement.” OUR TAKE: This could have been accomplished in a phone call as before, but at least they sat down… the only way this gets resolved is if we ramp up crippling sanctions against Russia until they give in.

NPR recaps Trump’s trip to the Middle East that was all about Trump… The outlet reports, “President Trump was greeted like royalty during his four-day trip to the Middle East. There were opulent palaces, fighter jet escorts, a parade of camels and much more. It was exactly the kind of pomp that makes Trump, with his love of a gold-plated lifestyle, envious. His focus, he said, was on securing money and deals for the United States. The Gulf states obliged, trying to curry favor with the president through investments, arms deals and buying Boeing planes while giving a very lavish one away.”

Today’s Furry Friend

Meet Flash. She was abandoned in the woods but it didn’t take her long to make friends with some humans…

Today’s Buzz

‘The Office’ to reboot on Peacock as “The Paper”... From earlier in the week but too important not to share! Backstage reports, “Few shows have had a cultural footprint like The Office. The hit comedy series, which launched the careers of Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Mindy Kaling, and others, ran from 2005 to 2013, earning five Emmys and 42 nominations. Despite the series finale airing more than 10 years ago, the NBC workplace comedy is still one of the most-watched series thanks to its constant rotation on streaming services. (It first landed on Netflix and now lives on Peacock, its exclusive home since 2021.) It’s not surprising executives are looking to scratch that “Office” itch with something new. After multiple failed reboot and spinoff attempts, a revival series, titled The Paper from original showrunner Greg Daniels is set to premiere on Peacock this September.”

Thank you for following along this week! Have a restful weekend and check back in on Monday for the next edition of Common Sense.