The Lincoln Logue | Mamdani Faces Threats, Hegseth’s Wasteful Spending & What the War Means for Your Wallet
Welcome to this week’s edition of The Lincoln Logue.
People seem a bit numb this week. Whether it’s in person, in the media, or online, everyone seems like they’re used to the chaos by now. There isn’t necessarily indifference, it’s just what we’ve come to expect from daily life in America. Gas prices rose about a dollar or more on average in a week and it didn’t cause much uproar. The mall crawlers and lifted trucks were still out in full force while the Middle East remained on fire and under a barrage of missiles.
ICE raids haven’t stopped. There were images online this week of raids where doors were broken down in Vermont. Somehow every operation happens in a blue state, or if it’s in a red state, it’s a large city with Democratic leadership. All across the country we are seeing our way of life infringed upon by the federal government, but all the patriots who swore that would be the last stand are somehow nowhere to be found.
Trump has gained a stranglehold on the executive, judicial, and legislative branches but not the American people. We still push on to pay our bills despite a government that seems to work against our ability to survive through rising costs, lack of healthcare, and diminishing social safety nets. If there’s one thing I’ve noticed lately, it’s the sheer human will of the American people to survive.
We don’t need a reason to; we just do it. It’s pure human instinct keeping us going at this point because there isn’t much to be proud of or hopeful for right now. That’s not to say our future is bleak, it’s just that we are in the thick of it with no clear or immediate way out. Leadership has failed us, the Epstein files have gone cold, and Congress seems content to sit on their hands while Trump and his regime burn things to the ground.
So we wait. We wait for the midterms, but we don’t wait to keep living. We are a nation at war, but we are also a people focused on survival. And part of that survival is staying informed and focused.
So let’s get to what went on this week and what you might have missed.
Monday, 3/9 – Attack Thwarted at Gracie Mansion
The rhetoric surrounding New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, has gone too far — and their safety, and the safety of other New Yorkers, is being put at risk. Most recently, Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) shared a post linking the mayor to 9/11 with the message: “The enemy is inside the gates.”
This week, two men were arrested and charged for allegedly attempting to use explosive devices outside of Mamdani’s residence (Gracie Mansion) during an anti-Muslim protest where right-wing agitator Jake Lang was shouting obscenities at the press conference held by Mamdani.
Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, U.S. citizens from Pennsylvania, are accused of attempting to use improvised explosive devices at the anti-Islam protest and counter protest.
Reports suggest that both suspects cited ISIS in their reasoning for the attempt. They have been charged with providing material support to a terrorist organization, use of a weapon of mass destruction, transportation of explosive materials, unlawful possession of destructive devices, and interstate transportation and receipt of explosives.