Buck Banks, Author at Pensito

Judge Quotes George Orwell in Ruling Against Trump’s Racism

February 17, 2026 Buck Banks

“As if the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell’s 1984 now existed, with its motto ‘Ignorance is Strength,’ this Court is now asked to determine whether the federal government has the power it claims—to dissemble and disassemble historical truths when it has some domain over historical facts. It does not.”

— U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe, “evoking the dystopian world of George Orwell’s novel 1984, ordered the Trump administration on Monday to return a long-standing exhibit on slavery it removed from a popular historical museum in Philadelphia,” CNN reports.

Norway Won’t Knuckle Under to Trump’s Nobel Bullying

February 17, 2026 Buck Banks

“A candidate who is aggressively campaigning for him or herself will neither be penalized nor privileged.”

— Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Nobel Institute leader Kristian Berg Harpviken explained to The Atlantic why Trump’s threats, cajoling and fury over not winning the Nobel Peace Prize won’t be successful.

Massie: This Is the Epstein Administration

February 16, 2026 Buck Banks

“Donald Trump told us that even though he had dinner with these people in New York City and West Palm Beach, that he would be transparent. But he’s not. He’s still in with the Epstein class. This is the Epstein administration.”

— Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), on ABC News.

Trump Administration Has Lost 4,400 Detention Cases Since October

February 16, 2026 Buck Banks

4,400

The federal courts have ruled more than 4,400 times since October that the Trump administration has detained immigrants unlawfully, “a sweeping legal rebuke of Trump’s immigration crackdown” as the administration continues to hold some immigrants despite court orders, Reuters reports.

Cheating Churls of Curling

February 16, 2026 Buck Banks

At the Winter Olympics, it’s not just the snow that’s whirling,
Surrounding the British and Canadian teams, allegations are swirling,
Seems the skips aren’t doing too much,
Just giving the stone an extra touch,
But that’s enough to add controversy to the boring sport of curling.

I Remember Presidents Day

February 16, 2026August 14, 2026 Buck Banks

This Trump administration is really something,
Ignoringing the rule of law, grifting off everything.
So, on this auspicious Presidents Day,
I just wanted to take a moment to say,
Remember back when we had a president and not a mad king?

Trump Brags at Bragg

February 14, 2026 Buck Banks

At Fort Bragg last week Trump was the usual bloviator,
Expressing pride in being the Venezuela invasion initiator.
When we bombed Caracas,
Grabbing Maduro in the fracas,
Trump credited his top-secret mystery weapon, the “Discombobulator.”

Kelly: Trump Will ‘Double Down on Stupid’

February 14, 2026 Buck Banks

“I wouldn’t put anything past Donald Trump and this administration. We’ve seen these guys over and over again double down on stupid.”

— Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) told Politico he wouldn’t be surprised if the Trump administration tries to take another run at punishing him over a video telling troops not to obey unlawful orders.

Deportations to Third Countries Is Really Expensive

February 13, 2026 Buck Banks

$133,333 each

The cost per deportation, according to the Associated Press. The Trump administration spent at least $40 million to deport roughly 300 migrants to countries other than their own as immigration officials expanded the practice over the last year to carry out President Donald Trump’s goals of quickly removing immigrants from the U.S., according to a report compiled by the Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Voters Want Dems to Stand Tough on DHS Funding

February 13, 2026 Buck Banks

54%

A new Hart Research poll commissioned by the Senate Democrat-aligned Senate Majority PAC found that 54% of likely midterm voters express support for Democrats demanding reforms to ICE and blocking DHS funding unless those reforms are adopted. And six in 10 view Republicans’ refusal to accept changes requested by Democrats negatively.

Author: Buck Banks

Judge Quotes George Orwell in Ruling Against Trump’s Racism

— U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe, “evoking the dystopian world of George Orwell’s novel 1984, ordered the Trump administration on Monday to return a long-standing exhibit on slavery it removed from a popular historical museum in Philadelphia,” CNN reports.

Norway Won’t Knuckle Under to Trump’s Nobel Bullying

“A candidate who is aggressively campaigning for him or herself will neither be penalized nor privileged.”

— Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Nobel Institute leader Kristian Berg Harpviken explained to The Atlantic why Trump’s threats, cajoling and fury over not winning the Nobel Peace Prize won’t be successful.

Massie: This Is the Epstein Administration

“Donald Trump told us that even though he had dinner with these people in New York City and West Palm Beach, that he would be transparent. But he’s not. He’s still in with the Epstein class. This is the Epstein administration.”

— Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), on ABC News.

Trump Administration Has Lost 4,400 Detention Cases Since October

4,400

The federal courts have ruled more than 4,400 times since October that the Trump administration has detained immigrants unlawfully, “a sweeping legal rebuke of Trump’s immigration crackdown” as the administration continues to hold some immigrants despite court orders, Reuters reports.

Cheating Churls of Curling

I Remember Presidents Day

Trump Brags at Bragg

Kelly: Trump Will ‘Double Down on Stupid’

“I wouldn’t put anything past Donald Trump and this administration. We’ve seen these guys over and over again double down on stupid.”

— Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) told Politico he wouldn’t be surprised if the Trump administration tries to take another run at punishing him over a video telling troops not to obey unlawful orders.

Deportations to Third Countries Is Really Expensive

$133,333 each

Voters Want Dems to Stand Tough on DHS Funding

54%

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“One woman at a rally in New Jersey told me last week that she was ‘nauseously optimistic.’ That may capture a lot of people’s last-minute jitters.”

— Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), quoted by Axios, on what Democrats feel ahead of the midterm elections.

“I think Congress made a mistake not protesting turning the Rose Garden into what looks like the entrance to Liberace’s bathroom.”

— Former President Bill Clinton, quoted by The Wrap.

“Boy, they are scraping the bottom of the barrel. It feels like a real desperation play to me, because it has got zero basis in the law.”

— Republican election law expert Ben Ginsberg, quoted by Politico, on the Trump administration’s effort to invalidate Alaska’s election results.

Numerati

3,824

$1.4 billion

-35 points

31%

63% to 38%

KFF Poll: “With the 2026 midterm campaigns in full swing and early voting about to begin, there is a wide enthusiasm gap between partisan voters, with Democratic voters 25 percentage points more likely than Republican voters to say they are ‘more motivated’ than usual to vote (63% vs. 38%).”