Block Buster Bunker Buster Debunker
Plus: Florida proposes the Alligator Alcatraz, the littlest lobbyists take on Medicaid cuts & Responsible Statecraft and their irresponsible editorial on Iran.
The U.S. isn’t at war with Iran, though we take serious issue with a number of their life choices. The physical manifestation of this critique exists for the Massive Ordnance Penetrator. Capable, but not guaranteed of busting open any bunker, the images of the bomb are impressive. The idea is that this 30,000-pound bomb is dropped from a B-2 stealth bomber into a nuclear facility and burrows up to 200 feet underground before it explodes.
The timing of the images’ release is likely not just a coincidence. Not only do they provide us with some great images of military officers moving a highly explosive piece of equipment with helmets (for protection in case it goes off, no doubt), but it's also likely a demonstration of the military's preparedness in case North Korea and Iran were getting any ideas.
The target is Iran’s Fordow uranium enrichment site, which is buried under a mountainside with bunkers shielded by up to 300 feet of rock. Destroying it wouldn’t necessarily end the nuclear program, as there are probably other sites the U.S. and Israel haven’t been monitoring, but the MOP could… (and for this next part, you will want to don protective headgear)… still do a fair amount of damage. Mop up, you might say. 💥
Welcome to the Gist List—a news roundup, interesting things you should know, and my thoughts leading up to today’s podcast episode.
Here’s what’s on my mind:
👩🏻🦼 The Little Lobbyists take on Medicaid cuts.
👮🏻♂️ Not everyone is happy about Philly PD’s makeover.
💩 Is Sen. Mike Lee shitposting his Senate seat away?
🇮🇷 Regime change or stay out of it? Not-so-responsible statecraft.
🐊 Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz.”
The Gist List
‘Little Lobbyists’ Urge Senators to Oppose Trump’s Bill Cutting Medicaid (NYT)
Big Beautiful Bill™️ meets the Little Lobbyists. With threats to Medicaid on the table—a group of children with serious medical needs and their families—are taking to Congress to urge lawmakers to oppose it. Even though Senate Republicans are saying there is no actual cut to Medicaid, just less money, it’s worth mentioning that the measures in the bill are intended to specifically make it that much harder for people who were currently receiving care to qualify for it, with all the requirements and more paperwork. The idea may well be specifically to target “able-bodied adults”, but history shows new cuts to Medicaid, always cut Medicaid, even for people who the lawmakers said weren’t supposed to get less Medicaid. The current cuts could lead to fewer physicians accepting Medicaid, the elimination of optional benefits like home-based care, and the closure of rural hospitals.
Of course, it goes without saying that these kids and their families are probably the best people to go and put the screws into Congress’ thumbs over this. If a bunch of disabled, adorable children doesn’t give you pause over something like this, you might be a little beyond saving.
I should admit I’m a little biased. If you look at the cover image, you’ll see a little girl with curly hair in a wheelchair—that’s Livie, the daughter of Peach Fish Productions CBSO’s Michelle Pesca’s cousin.
Livie was profiled a few years ago in The Atlantic after a tragic accident in which a falling tree branch left her with permanent injuries. She’ll rely on Medicaid for the rest of her life. Her father, James, is a professor of rehabilitation robotics, and her mother, Lindsay, is a bioengineer—so in the years since the accident, they’ve gained firsthand expertise in caring for someone with complex medical needs.
James and Lindsay recall being repeatedly met with the same talking point: “These cuts won’t affect you.” Among the Senate staffers they met with, some were more engaged than others. One standout was a staffer from Sen. Josh Hawley’s office in Missouri, who was especially thoughtful and attentive. More disappointing was the response from the office of Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio, which they found largely dismissive—a particular frustration given that Husted represents their home state.
Bye-Bye, Baby Blue: Philly Police Are Getting New Uniforms. Not Everyone Is Happy (Philadelphia Inquirer)🔒
Philadelphia police officers will soon receive a makeover, replacing their iconic powder blue shirts with “midnight” navy blue ones as part of a $1.3 million uniform update set to roll out this fall. The colors are the subject of ongoing academic studies—funded by Temple University’s department of Obviousness—that show darker colors, like navy blue, were perceived as more imposing than powder blue, which was perceived as more likely to be worn by a youth pastor who believes in the power of acoustic guitar.
It’s not without controversy, of course. The fire department already wears navy and worry that they might be mistaken for police, potentially confusing bystanders (although the big red fire truck, all the fire gear, Dalmatians, mustaches, and shirtless calendar merch might be a tipoff), Other critics are concerned it might make the police force look less friendly. Considering that the Philly PD shoots disproportionally more people than the NYPD, the hue of azure isn’t a top worry.
Is Mike Lee Shitposting His Way Out of Congress? (The Bulwark)
After Utah Sen. Mike Lee’s lamentable tweets in the wake of the deadly shooting of a Minnesota Democratic state legislator and her husband, Democratic lawmakers in Utah are formulating plans to oust Lee from the Senate. Democratic strategists are exploring creating a new anti-Lee Super PAC and even a formal ethics complaint with the Utah State Bar. Even the conservative-leaning Deseret News’ editorial board condemned the tweets.
Despite the outrage, the fight to oust Lee will be an uphill battle, especially where the state Democrats are concerned. He has won three terms and is not up for election again until 2029 in a largely conservative state. The last serious challenger was Evan McMullin (who, if you recall, mounted a small independent conservative challenge to Donald Trump in 2016). In a strange tactical decision, the Utah Democratic Party nominated the conservative McMullin to run against Lee in 2022. Although the man Trump nicknamed "McMuffin" made Lee record one of the worst performances by a Utah Republican in a Senate race since 1974, it was not enough for McMullin to steal, in classic Hamburglar fashion, the Utah Senate seat.
Regime Change in Iran: What's the Best Approach? (Foreign Affairs, Responsible Statecraft)
With a war with Iran on the horizon, niche foreign policy publications are abuzz with opinions about the best way to handle a regime change. In Foreign Policy, a magazine whose implicit argument is “we understand foreign policy”, the authors argue that Israel’s recent assault on Iran created a good opportunity to topple the Islamic Republic. On the other hand, Responsible Statecraft, whose name seems to imply that their statecraft is of the responsible sort, argues that participating in Israel’s offensive against Iran would harm American interests, increase nuclear risk and destabilize the Middle East. However over in Bloodthirsty Warlord with Meth Problems Monthly, they advise a higher variance strategy, ending in the phrase “let the good Lord sort em.” The full article was unavailable at press time.
What is interesting to me is that Responsible Statecraft, a publication from an organization that Tablet once called “Washington’s Weirdest Think Tank,” has some ideological entanglements and influence networks far murkier than its expert branding implies. The Executive VP, Trita Parsi, has some long-standing ties with Iranian officials, and the publication has acquired some questionable funding. Responsible Statecraft—The Persian Version—may be more apt, though less likely to draw readers from Bloodthirsty Warlord, especially now that it's June, time for their bikini issue.
Florida AG Pitches 'Alligator Alcatraz' Immigration Detention Center (Orlando Sentinel)
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has proposed building an ICE detention center in the Florida Everglades, dubbing it “Alligator Alcatraz.” The location is effectively an abandoned air strip in the middle of a swamp, which describes a surprisingly large percentage of Florida, but this airfield in this swamp is less welcoming than the mean. Uthmeier, failing to conceal his dark sense of enthusiasm, said of the facility, “People get out, there’s not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons … Nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide.”
To be clear, this is not an Alcatraz for alligators, but one that’s surrounded by them. I don’t anticipate reports of alligators hiding a straight razor in their shoe or using clippings from the alligator barber to construct dummies while they make their getaway by digging a hole in the wall.
Yesterday on The Show: Stuart Eizenstat Talks Historic Agreements & Leadership
Veteran diplomat Stuart Eizenstat joins The Gist to discuss The Art of Diplomacy: How American Negotiators Reached Historic Agreements That Changed the World, drawing on his work from Camp David to Holocaust reparations. He shares what it means to practice “unsympathetic empathy,” how German officials came to see moral obligation in restitution, and why negotiations fail when mutual interest is absent. Eizenstat contrasts courage in leaders like Sadat and the UAE’s Mohammed bin Zayed with Arafat’s refusal to compromise, even amid opportunity. Plus, the Sackler immunity case is a great example of an important real-world development that resulted from a Supreme Court acting far outside its supposed 6–3 rigidity.
There’s more where that came from. Listen to The Gist, and upgrade to Pesca Plus for the ad-free version.
Have a story you want us to talk about or an opinion you want to share? Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com or share your thoughts in the comments. We might give you a shoutout in our next newsletter or on the air.