• Paine
    2.7k
    Now that T company has had to retreat from the federal funding freeze fiasco, I wonder if they will carry out the promised tariff show on Feb 1. These guys are starting to cut into my budget.
  • ssu
    8.9k
    At least Trump does react to polls and his supporters, so a lot that Trump has promised to do won't happen. Also the courts will defy his most insane ideas. Is a 30 000 person camp possible? Yes, but it goes well below of housing hundreds of thousands or even millions. The sheer scale needed and the huge effort to organize such mass transit simply isn't possible for Trump as he lacks the determination and ability to that. Trump is a demagogue, not a leader capable of organizing huge amounts of people to work in a coordinated way.

    This also means that the most dire fears about Trump aren't realistic.

    He hates Government, and he's in an ideal place to disable it.Wayfarer
    As he is the head of the executive branch, I guess that is called self-loathing then.
  • Wayfarer
    23.5k
    This also means that the most dire fears about Trump aren't realistic.ssu

    Hope you're right. But he could do a lot less than the most dire, and still be dire. Consider what is within his power, a misjudgement in an international economic or military crisis could be *extremely* dire.

    I guess that is called self-loathing then.ssu

    He hates Government for many reasons, but one is definitely because of the prosecutions that were launched against him between his terms. He just sacked a whole bunch of prosecutors from DoJ because of their association with those cases, plus he's just offered redundancies to practically the entire Federal workforce. His loathing of the deep state is well-documented, but it turns out that the deep state turns out to be much of the federal beauracracy. He wants to turn the Government into a subsidiary of Trump Inc, and at the moment, he's not getting a lot of pushback. Congress is completely supine. They're terrified of crossing him.
  • Christoffer
    2.2k
    He hates Government for many reasons, but one is definitely because of the prosecutions that were launched against him between his terms. He just sacked a whole bunch of prosecutors from DoJ because of their association with those cases, plus he's just offered redundancies to practically the entire Federal workforce. His loathing of the deep state is well-documented, but it turns out that the deep state turns out to be much of the federal beauracracy. He wants to turn the Government into a subsidiary of Trump Inc, and at the moment, he's not getting a lot of pushback. Congress is completely supine. They're terrified of crossing him.Wayfarer

    Sounds very fascist to me. Installing fear and sacking people who oppose him. A fascist, slowly restructuring government into an oligarchy. Building holding camps for refugees in order to solve a “problem” before its final solution.

    Hopefully there are still people in government who aren’t afraid of him and who can oppose him with the backing of law until such laws don’t exist anymore. It’s still a functioning bureaucracy with laws that can oppose him.
  • ssu
    8.9k
    Hope you're right. But he could do a lot less than the most dire, and still be dire. Consider what is within his power, a misjudgement in an international economic or military crisis could be *extremely* dire.Wayfarer
    Of course. And the real issue perhaps is how not only does the "Overton Window" of what is acceptable change, a lot of policies can have a surprising effect. When Trump declares that he wants to increase the territory of the US and doesn't rule out military action either in Panama or against an ally, this can have the effect that it undermines the whole internationally based order system and the UN charter. Might makes right is the outcome, if the international order based structures fall.

    This might be the real negative aspect of Trump's populism, not something that directly happens by Trump's actions, but indirectly happens. When it becomes OK to annex territories, you can sure that many countries will follow suit and won't try to apply silk gloves as earlier (like Morocco). Ruanda's actions in DRC seem to be an example of this.
  • Wayfarer
    23.5k
    Don’t forget the Supreme Court ruling giving Presidents absolute immunity for official acts. And that he’s had two major felony charges tossed by getting elected. That he thinks Justice is out to get him. You think that’s the profile of someone afraid of the law? (There's a venerable American colloquialism, 'scofflaw', which describes Trump perfectly.)

    Meanwhile, must-read WaPo article on MAGA censorship of free expression under the banner of 'protecting free speech' (perfect Orwellian doublespeak).

    On Day 1, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship.” This might have sounded like banal lip service, reaffirming commitment to the First Amendment. In reality, it was the start of an Orwellian effort to root out wrongthink from government ranks and the private sector.

    The first kind of speech to be shushed was scientific speech.

    Last week, the administration ordered a blackout on public communications from government health agencies — in the middle of flu season and a global zoonotic outbreak. For the first time since 1952, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention withheld its weekly report on morbidity and mortality data updates.

    The blocked issue was slated to contain two important new studies about bird flu transmission, KFF reports. The move echoed Trump’s data-suppression approach to covid-19. (“If we stopped testing right now,” he said in June 2020, “we’d have very few cases, if any.”)

    Other federal departments, such as the Energy Department, were also ordered to cease public communications unless they had explicit approval of the acting secretary, according to memos shared with the Post. Some agencies have been blocked from sharing data even within the government. Others have canceled previously approved data access or other exchanges with outside researchers.

    In one case, a University of North Carolina legal scholar was told his scheduled talk at a U.S. attorney’s office was canceled. The topic of the event: complicity of German lawyers in the creation of the Nazi state. You can’t make these things up.
    A new era of government censorship has dawned

    No need to make it up. You can watch it happening.
  • Wayfarer
    23.5k
    One of the outlinks in the Post story:

    A Milwaukee TV weather forecaster has been dropped by her station one day after she criticized Elon Musk on social media for his straight-arm gesture that many have likened to a Nazi salute.

    Staffers at WDJT-TV (Channel 58) were alerted by email on Wednesday that meteorologist Sam Kuffel had left the station. Her biography and picture had been removed from Channel 58 website by Wednesday afternoon.

    "Meteorologist Sam Kuffel is no longer employed at CBS58," said the staff memo from news director Jessie Garcia that was obtained by the Journal Sentinel. "A search for a replacement is underway."
    Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
  • frank
    16.4k
    They didn't actually cancel Black History month.
  • Paine
    2.7k
    It was the day before tariffs and all through the house, not a creature was stirring,

    unless you were one of the many nations planning their responses to every conceivable proposal.
  • NOS4A2
    9.5k
    It’s wonderful seeing the evil rot trimmed from the federal government. With the prices of these initiatives, it’s hard to imagine it could be anything else than money-laundering. There’s a politician or his friends getting kick-backs somewhere on the other side of these boondoggles, no doubt. There’s no other explanation.


    Plus the overpaid, useless employees of the government needs purging. The CEO of the New Deal Tennessee Valley Authority is stepping down from his role, and his 10.5 million dollar a year paycheck. Shit like this needs to continue.

    https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-valley-authority-tva-ceo-a243548291623ef36ca293144c5d9c5f

    Finally, it’s time to turn the tables on the persecution and rid these agencies of the political henchmen, as appears to be occurring. It’s great to see them unceremoniously removed and denied security clearance.

    Things are going swimmingly so far!
  • Tobias
    1.1k
    I hope all is well with you, Tobias, and that your corner of the world is not yet an oligarchic shitshow.180 Proof

    Well, it does not seem to be an oligarchy but we elected the most far right populist government in the history of the country. The Netherlands is a coalition government country and now Anti-immigration party, pro-farming party, pro-business party and a middle to conservative party which used to be popular with the people now rule the country. Most parties do not have people with a lot of administrative experience. The institutions hold, but the Cabinet Ministers simply seem not to do very much. It is the opposite of the Trump government in terms of assertiveness. I do not mind that I must say and to be fair they do not take steps to demolish institutions like the courts of law or the administrative apparatus. At least for now they operate within the law. They have floated proposals though to curb the right to demonstration, which is worrying, but they still play by the democratic rulebook at least now. Funnily enough even right wing voters by a large majority would have voted Kamala...

    I do wonder why neither in Europe nor in the US the left has not found an answer. The discourse has turned solely towards meritocracy to the detriment of solidarity. It is strange because there is sympathy for proposals to tax the rich and even to make international agreements to tackle climate change. I do not think the left is out of touch with the views of the constituency, I think the views of the constituency is out of touch with the left because of years of depoliticization and embracing a liberal conservative responsibilization discourse with productivity and selling oneself as a commodity in an international market place as mantras.
  • Tobias
    1.1k
    Finally, it’s time to turn the tables on the persecution and rid these agencies of the political henchmen, as appears to be occurring. It’s great to see them unceremoniously removed and denied security clearance.NOS4A2

    Yep, because someone is getting kickbacks somewhere (probably true, as the world is a corrupt place) lets turn on all civil servants without due process. Haven't you been offered a post at the ministry of justice yet? Funny thing is, I am quite confident that NOS is actually a govt informant so I am refraining from too much interaction...
  • NOS4A2
    9.5k


    Hey, last administration you guys thought I was a Russian bot. Looks like your conspiracy theories have elevated me a bit in your hearts and minds. I appreciate that.

    You want John Brennan and John Bolton to keep their security clearance? I wonder why…
  • NOS4A2
    9.5k
    Oh man. After last year’s expose of NPR and their woke business model, and virulent anti-Trumpism, it makes you wonder why these tax-payer funded institutions exist in the first place, if not to pander to certain audiences.

    F.C.C. Chair Orders Investigation Into NPR and PBS Sponsorships

    https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/business/media/npr-pbs-fcc-investigation.html

    Let’s find out if they’re as crooked as their staff.
  • frank
    16.4k
    Funny thing is, I am quite confident that NOS is actually a govt informant so I am refraining from too much interaction...Tobias

    He's just a Canadian waiting for civilization to break down so he can finally get some peace of mind.
  • NOS4A2
    9.5k


    That’s nice, especially from a nurse.
  • frank
    16.4k


    I support life in all its forms. :love:
  • NOS4A2
    9.5k
    Almost missed this one. Huge news.

    PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP LAUNCHES MASSIVE 10-TO-1 DEREGULATION INITIATIVE

    “The Order requires that whenever an agency promulgates a new rule, regulation, or guidance, it must identify at least 10 existing rules, regulations, or guidance documents to be repealed. “

    https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/01/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-launches-massive-10-to-1-deregulation-initiative/
  • Mikie
    6.8k
    Things are going swimmingly so far!NOS4A2

    :rofl:

    Always like to check in with the Trump cult.
  • NOS4A2
    9.5k
    First day of Trade War and here in Canada politicians are going nuts. In a fit of pantywaisted rage our lovely socialist premier decided to ban the sale of alcohol from “red states”, while the prime minister, who has already resigned, slapped a 25% tariff on all American goods. That’s a hefty tax on an already heavily-taxed populace. And given the uncompetitiveness and managed decline of this once free nation, it doesn’t look like it will last much longer.

    Canada is a protectionist nation, still descending further into socialized, Keynesian mercantilism long past its due date. For example, its had over 200% tariffs on American milk and butter for decades, so as to establish dairy prices and manage supplies like a good interventionist government would. There isn’t even free trade between provinces, so this outrage is hilarious. But thanks to these tariffs the globalist government is speaking of lowering taxes and slashing regulations, which is unheard of. This might be the kick in the pants this nation needs.
  • frank
    16.4k

    You guys will probably be annexed after Greenland.
  • NOS4A2
    9.5k


    Wouldn’t be bad. Anything is better than being tethered to the British crown.
  • frank
    16.4k
    Anything is better than being tethered to the British crown.NOS4A2

    You can say that again!
  • NOS4A2
    9.5k
    USAID on the chopping block.

  • frank
    16.4k

    Specifically, Trump wants to make Canada a state. 90% of the Canadian population lives on the border, and from what numerous Canadians have told me, a lot of Canadians want to cross over and live in the US. So Canada might depopulate when Trump gets his way.
  • ssu
    8.9k
    Hell with all USAID? Well good that a 45 million program out of 42,5 billion was found out, but I guess all of them can go when you can cheer for 0,001% waste in Burma. At least the 100 countries or so that do have USAID projects ought to learn how untrustworthy the US is. Countries like Jordan will find it now the hard way on what it means to be dependent on the US as an "ally". But that's just positive to Trump, perhaps he can now pressure Jordan more for assist in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians out of Gaza. Nevermind that Jordan has been one key ally in the Middle East and has US bases and for example took 1 million refugees from Syria. Or the other border for Israel that has been peaceful.

    But anyway, Trump trade wars are starting, so good luck with the effects of those. Could we later then talk of Trump layoffs in US factories that have been dependent on the integrated commerce between the US and Canada and Mexico? How this wouldn't end up in inflation, I don't know.

    And firing of 15 inspector generals? Inspector general ought to be really independent, but once it's the Trump administration, there's the possibility of them not being so independent. Adam Schiff remarked on this too:

    Schiff pushed back on that notion, warning that “if we don’t have good and independent inspector generals, we are going to see a swamp refill.”

    He added, “It may be the president’s goal here ... to remove anyone that’s going to call the public attention to his malfeasance.”
  • jorndoe
    3.7k
    P01135809 has managed (further) alienate a number of Americans, Canada, Greenland, Panama, Mexico, ... Way to go. I guess we'll see what comes of it.
  • Metaphysician Undercover
    13.4k

    Didn't Trump say that the tariffs were imposed in an effort to cut down the flow of fentanyl?
  • NOS4A2
    9.5k


    I’m sure all those fired Inspector Generals were remarkable and upstanding characters, and whomever Trump appoints will be evil incarnated. The mythology couldn’t have it any other way. Here is a question for you, though: who is the one person in the world who has the authority to appoint and fire Inspector Generals? Is it Adam Schiff?

    USAID is subject to the foreign policy guidance of the President, the Secretary of State, and the National Security Council. Sorry, but the policies you are used to are changing. The organization has spent close to half a century using American taxpayer money to improve Egypt’s economic growth, for example, and look how that has turned out. You get the thirty-year reign of Hosni Mubarak, who amassed a $70,000,000,000 fortune to some estimates, and $700,000,000,000 in others. Do you want FINAID to start throwing vast sums of your money around there, or any other country?

    I know it hurts to be weaned from such sweet milk as American taxpayer dollars, but look at the debt. The spending is out of control and there are some good Europeans who sound like they want to help as much as the US does.
  • NOS4A2
    9.5k


    Didn't Trump say that the tariffs were imposed in an effort to cut down the flow of fentanyl?

    He sure did.
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