Saturday Morning Covfefe: 5 Things That Matter

What’s happening while everyone’s on holiday.

It’s the holidays. The lights are on, the latkes are hot, and the country is pretending it’s on pause. It’s not. While we’re lighting candles, trimming trees, and chasing a little calm, some very consequential things are happening quietly, by design. So pour the coffee (or mulled wine–no judgment on what time it is when you read this), and let’s talk about five things that actually matter this week.

1. Trump Targets a Crown Jewel of Weather & Climate Science

The Trump administration is dismantling the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, after accusing it of spreading “climate alarmism.” Budget director Russell Vought announced the move, claiming NCAR is a major source of “alarmism” and saying any “vital” work like weather research would be relocated. That framing is misleading.

NCAR isn’t just climate science, it’s public safety. Its models underpin forecasts for hurricanes, wildfires, floods, heat waves, and severe storms, feeding directly into emergency alerts, aviation safety, military planning, and disaster response nationwide. The center also flies research aircraft into storms and operates a federal supercomputing facility critical to real-time forecasting.

Even conservative experts pushed back. Roger Pielke Jr. called NCAR a “crown jewel” of U.S. science. Democratic Colorado Governor Jared Polis warned the move puts lives and property at risk.

This fits a broader pattern of attacking science as ideology, including proposed deep cuts to NOAA.

You may not feel this decision today, but you will when warnings come late or disasters strike harder.

⚠️ Trump Dismantles a Weather Backbone: The Guardian

2. FCC Scrubs “Independent” After Threatening Broadcasters

After facing tough questioning in a Senate hearing, Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr quietly removed language from the agency’s website stating that the FCC is an independent agency.

Carr testified that the FCC is not independent and that President Trump can fire commissioners “for any reason or no reason.” When Sen. Ben Ray Luján pointed out the website still said otherwise, Carr suggested it was wrong. Hours later, the language was gone.

This follows Carr’s repeated threats against broadcasters over content critical of Trump, including suggesting ABC affiliates could face fines or license revocations for airing Jimmy Kimmel. Democrats warned he’s weaponizing the FCC’s vague “public interest” standard to intimidate the media. Even Sen. Ted Cruz said Congress should consider stripping the FCC of powers that allow it to pressure broadcasters.

Federal law still classifies the FCC as an independent agency. Changing a website doesn’t change the statute, but it signals how aggressively the administration is testing control.

📡 When the FCC Stops Pretending It’s Independent: Ars Technica

3. MAGA’s Civil War Continues at Turning Point USA

The MAGA movement’s internal fight erupted this week at Turning Point USA’s annual conference, with conservative influencers openly attacking each other over conspiracy theories, antisemitism, and who takes control after Trump.

Ben Shapiro blasted Tucker Carlson for legitimizing extremists, calling his interview with known antisemite Nick Fuentes “moral imbecility.” Carlson mocked Shapiro onstage hours later, brushing off antisemitism concerns.

Even as speakers denied any “civil war,” the conference made clear that MAGA is no longer unified by ideology–only by power, grievance, and who inherits the base. Conspiracy theories pushed by Candace Owens about the assassination of Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk further inflamed tensions, prompting a public rebuke from Kirk’s widow and successor.

This isn’t noise, it’s a preview. MAGA’s fracture will shape the Republican Party long after Trump leaves the ballot.

⚔️ MAGA Turns on Itself at Turning Point: AP News

4. Big AI Is Spending $100 Million to Shape the 2026 Elections

As Trump’s approval ratings slip and Republicans face a tough 2026 midterm, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry is making a major political move.

A new group called Leading the Future (LTF) has already raised over $100 million to influence the election. The money is coming from some of the biggest names in AI and tech, including Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, and AI company Perplexity.

LTF says it supports “innovation.” But in practice, it’s doing something very specific: backing Republicans and attacking Democrats who want basic rules for AI safety. Its first ads promote a Trump-aligned Republican in Texas and attack a New York Democrat for supporting a law that would require large AI companies to disclose safety risks and major failures.

At the same time, Trump is trying to give these donors exactly what they want. After Congress rejected efforts to block state-level AI laws, Trump announced plans for an executive order that would override state regulations altogether. A leaked draft mirrors policy proposals written by Andreessen Horowitz and would threaten to cut federal funding to states that regulate AI.

Put simply: Trump has the power. The AI industry has the money. And the 2026 election is where they meet.

Why it matters:

This isn’t just about campaign ads. It’s about who gets to set the rules for AI—states trying to protect people, or tech executives spending $100 million to avoid oversight. The outcome will affect jobs, kids’ safety, privacy, and whether anyone can hold AI companies accountable.

💰 The AI Money Flooding the 2026 Midterms: Popular Information

5. Racial Harassment in Schools Is Being Ignored Under Trump

Since Donald Trump returned to office, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has not resolved a single racial harassment case involving students, according to a ProPublica investigation. In prior administrations, including Trump’s first, the office routinely investigated and resolved cases involving racial slurs, threats, and harassment of Black students, often requiring reforms and federal monitoring.

That accountability is gone.

More than 1,000 racial harassment investigations remain open, most involving Black students. Since January, the department has received hundreds of new complaints but opened just 14 investigations, with many cases abandoned after regional offices were shuttered and staff laid off.

I warned this was coming in August, when I wrote about the dismantling of the Department of Education’s civil rights watchdogs and what it would mean for students.

At the same time, the administration has redirected enforcement toward claims of discrimination against white students while dismantling DEI protections. Some districts previously found to have violated civil rights are now asking to void agreements—explicitly citing Trump’s return to office.

When the federal government stops enforcing civil rights, harassment doesn’t disappear, it spreads. Schools learn quickly that silence now carries less risk than accountability.

🚨 Racial Harassment in Schools Goes Unaddressed: ProPublica

🕯️ One thing for your soul

Earlier this week, when emotions were already high, I wrote you a short note just to check in. As a follow-up, I want to make sure you saw this, because it cut through everything else.

Ahmed al Ahmed, a father of two, risked his life to stop a gunman at Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah celebration. He did it, as he said, “from the heart.” He was shot. He’s still recovering.

When more than 43,000 people raised $1.65 million to support him, and he was handed the check, his first words weren’t pride, they were disbelief: “I deserve it?”

What he said next is what stays with me:

"To stand with each other, all human beings. And forget everything bad ... and keep going to save life."

In a week filled with division and cruelty, this was a reminder of ordinary courage and collective humanity.

🌍 More Than 43,000 People Raised $1.6M for the “Bondi Hero”: Reuters

And on a lighter note, we celebrated Ringo’s 10th birthday this week—ten years of unconditional love and very good boy energy. In a heavy week, that mattered more than I can say. 🐾

Birthday boy Ringo (Starr) with his partner in crime, Steve (Nicks).

(Ringo taking his first big jump as a puppy.)

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas!
Wishing you a holiday week filled with love, light, and the joy of realizing you can do the scary thing, and land just fine.

-Olivia

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