Fisherman Core, IRA Green Subsidies, & Suppressors
Here's the latest roundup.
One of the hottest summer 2025 trends is Fisherman Core. Here’s how ELLE Decor describes the aesthetic:
Fisherman core is a fashion and lifestyle aesthetic that draws inspiration from the rugged charm of coastal life and traditional maritime workwear, translating it into spaces that feel both grounded and serene. Fisherman core interiors feel timeless and tactile, offering a quiet kind of luxury rooted in resilience and connection to nature. Think weathered wood, raw linen, sturdy canvas, and nautical accents that nod to a life spent by the sea.
The palette leans into foggy blues, driftwood grays, seafoam greens, and sun-bleached neutrals, evoking the elements—salt air, stormy skies, and worn docks. It’s a style that values craftsmanship and simplicity, favoring utilitarian pieces with soul, vintage finds, and textures that tell a story. Interiors that lean into this look are replete with hardy-yet-warm objects, like distressed oak furnishings, wrought-iron fixtures, and knit throws.
Finally, a fashion trend catered to those of us who fish and/or live the coastal lifestyle!? You’ve got my attention…
Continue, please!
The key to nailing this look lies in steering away from kitschy-looking themed decor. Stay away from hanging fish welcome signs and tin quote signs. Instead, look for maritime relics—such as industrial-style sconces , retro fishing art prints, and old boat paintings—that create an bespoke atmosphere that feels authentic to the seafaring lifestyle. If you’ve created a space that harbors the comfort and functionality of an old fishing cottage, you’ve succeeded.
Fisherman core is more than just an aesthetic—it's a lifestyle grounded in simplicity, resilience, and a deep reverence for nature. It embraces slow living and the beauty of the everyday, favoring quality over excess and utility over trends. Whether reflected in the clothes we wear or the spaces we inhabit, it speaks to a desire to disconnect from the noise and reconnect with the rhythms of the natural world—early mornings, salty air, hands-on work, and quiet moments of solitude. It's about embracing the imperfect and the weathered, finding comfort in authenticity, and living with intention, much like the coastal communities that inspired it.
I fish and I grew up in a coastal community in Southern California. This aesthetic - especially the home decor and clothing - absolutely speaks to me. The nail art? It’s a different story…
A+ for creativity. But are these nails practical for fishing/crabbing/maritime activities that supposedly encompass Fisherman Core? That’s up for debate. You won’t catch me with nails like this on the water. I’m too prone to the elements, and get my hands dirty when I fish or do anything outdoors.
There are lady anglers who can absolutely nail this manicure look while fishing. Sadly, I’m not of them.
Some of us hopped on the Fisherman Core trend *before* it was cool. To the rest of you: welcome to the party!
IRA Green Subsidies Cuts Don’t Go Far Enough
I appreciate the efforts of House Republicans to peel back Biden’s Green New Deal (aka “Inflation Reduction Act”). But the Ways & Means Committee’s mark-up only cuts 60% of green subsidies and recoups $515B in revenue from 2025-2034. Therefore, it’s insufficient to fully repealing the IRA. IRA subsidies are estimated to cost taxpayers nearly $2 trillion today. If not terminated, these costs will balloon to $4.7T by 2050.
Our case for repeal isn’t strong when we have 20+ House Republicans and four GOP Senators defending green subsidies, despite not voting for them in 2022. This explains why we can’t have nice things.
I’m concerned with the Ways and Mean’s markup inclusion of phaseouts, by 2029, that now applies to uncapped production and incentive tax credits. That means post-Trump, a future Democrat administration could ramp up PTC and ITC again. Gah.
I agree with energy philosopher Alex Epstein and WSJ’s Kimberly Strassel that the phaseout language doesn’t have much teeth to the repeal narrative.
From :
Republicans ran on a pledge to “terminate” the trillion-dollar Inflation Reduction Act subsidies, aka “the Green New Scam.”
But their proposed budget keeps almost all the subsidies, while falsely claiming to save money through easily-reversed “phaseouts” starting in 4 years!
Disappointments: Republicans bragged they were ending “special interest giveaways”—which is spin. The Ways and Means bill phases out certain production tax credits and investment tax credits for wind, solar and other renewables—but the phaseouts don’t begin until 2029—when there could be a Democratic president. Ditto other energy giveaways. This looks more like the usual budget gimmick: promise a phaseout or termination down the road, then provide a reprieve. The legislation does at least end transferability—a feature of the Inflation Reduction Act—which allowed project sponsors to sell credits, and also includes some new restrictions on the ability of certain “foreign influenced entities” to receive them.
Could more cuts be extracted before the “One Big Beautiful Bill” heads to the Senate? Will President Trump use his bully pulpit to demand more PTC and ITC cuts? We shall see…
Energy dominance requires energy sources that are abundant, reliable, and secure. Subsidizing solar and wind, mature industries that can’t credibly compete in the free market, undermines the tone our nation is taking.
Suppressor Deregulation Included in Ways & Means
I am tickled pink about the Ways & Means Committee including suppressor deregulation in its mark-up. It’s long overdue to remove it from the National Firearms Act (NFA).
Ava Flannel, a Colorado-based firearms instructor, said of this development:
An update to clear any confusion. HR404 did NOT make it out of committee, but a modified version of its language was included in a much larger bill that is now on the House floor. If passed, suppressors won't require a $200 tax stamp. Unfortunately, this only includes suppressors, no other NFA item. I liked the original bill much better, but this is still a small win if passed.
Suppressors aren’t heavily used in crimes involving firearms, and are an important accessory to improve shooting accuracy. Not to mention the hearing protection benefits and noise control. Per the American Suppressor Association (ASA): “Suppressors, also known as silencers, are the hearing protection of the 21st century sportsman. Despite common misconceptions, suppressors are not silent.They are simply mufflers for firearms, which function by trapping the expanding gasses at the muzzle and allowing them to slowly cool.”
Even anti-2A Europe embraces them. This is the one rare time for us to model Europe with respect to firearms.
I dive into IRA green subsidies and Fisherman Core on today’s special edition of District of Conservation. Give it a listen below.
You are absolutely right about the IRA cuts! These Republican legislators are too comfortable drinking at the taxpayer trough. We need to repeal the entire law. Do you have a list of those who voted against the full repeal? Time for a campaign.
nice post today, thank you.