We Doing This Shit Again? (Trump Admin Meltdown II)

[mister d]

[brian]

Just talked to my friend who works for Job Corps in SLC. They do incredible work training teens for jobs in the Forest Service, fighting fires and other important roles and looks like they’re getting shut down. This is a shitshow.

[DaveInSeattle]

To be polite...fuck Rahm Emanuel..

[brian]

Except for the part where he’s right, I agree.

[Square Rob]

As a thought exercise, think through how a foreign asset, hell bent on destroying the US as a global and economic power, would go about it.

[The Sybian]

Except for the part where he’s right, I agree.

I mean, USAID itself isn’t the hill to die on if they followed the Constitution and had Congress pass a bill and Trump sign it to eliminate an agency, but fuck, not fighting when a private citizen Billionaire and his goon squad physically lock employees out of the building, gain access to the computer system lock out all employees, fire everyone who tries to stop them…

What’s next, Saddam Hussein’s move of locking Congress in a room and one by one executing all Democrats? If he did, nobody would stop him.

[EnochRoot]

Except for the part where he’s right, I agree.

I mean, USAID itself isn’t the hill to die on if they followed the Constitution and had Congress pass a bill and Trump sign it to eliminate an agency, but fuck, not fighting when a private citizen Billionaire and his goon squad physically lock employees out of the building, gain access to the computer system lock out all employees, fire everyone who tries to stop them…

What’s next, Saddam Hussein’s move of locking Congress in a room and one by one executing all Democrats? If he did, nobody would stop him.

Considering how much damage this will do to the United States’ global security standing, I’d say it’s a hill worth dying on.

Fuck Rahm Emmanuel and David Axelrod, and fuck the democrats (toss Obama in that ring of fire too) for continually asking me for money.

DO SOMETHING.

[cerranoredux]

Except for the part where he’s right, I agree.

I mean, USAID itself isn’t the hill to die on if they followed the Constitution and had Congress pass a bill and Trump sign it to eliminate an agency, but fuck, not fighting when a private citizen Billionaire and his goon squad physically lock employees out of the building, gain access to the computer system lock out all employees, fire everyone who tries to stop them…

What’s next, Saddam Hussein’s move of locking Congress in a room and one by one executing all Democrats? If he did, nobody would stop him.

Considering how much damage this will do to the United States’ global security standing, I’d say it’s a hill worth dying on.

DO SOMETHING.

What’s on those rice bags? The American flag. The name “USAID”. That soft power cost us so little, but the vacuum it creates will cost us so much when it is filled by China and Russia and whoever the fuck. It’s so clearly not a coincidence that Musk and his VP Trump are going after things early on that will invite those countries to and others to challenge us more aggressively, and we’re so divided that we won’t be able to handle it. Musk paid $200M+ to gain access to the treasury and sell that info to our enemies and at the same time do their bidding.

But don’t worry. We got Chuck Schumer. We’ll be good.

[govmentchedda]

We are so unbelievably fucked.

[Jerloma]

"Not a hill we're going to die on" so let's do a little fascism.

Jeffries is inspired by Judge's patient approach to the plate. He says he would pick and choose his battles against President Trump.

"One of the reasons that he's a great hitter is because he does not swing at every pitch. He waits for the right one, and then he swings. We're not going to swing at every pitch; we're going to swing at the ones that matter," Jeffries said.

This is the dumbest fucking analogy I've ever heard in my life. The only pitches you're seeing are 85 mph fast balls right down the middle. They're even tipping you off that it's coming!

[The Sybian]

"Not a hill we're going to die on" so let's do a little fascism.

Jeffries is inspired by Judge's patient approach to the plate. He says he would pick and choose his battles against President Trump.

"One of the reasons that he's a great hitter is because he does not swing at every pitch. He waits for the right one, and then he swings. We're not going to swing at every pitch; we're going to swing at the ones that matter," Jeffries said.

This is the dumbest fucking analogy I've ever heard in my life. The only pitches you're seeing are 85 mph fast balls right down the middle. They're even tipping you off that it's coming!

Yeah, I mean they put out an entire playbook with Project 2025. It was all right there.

BTW, I never meant to imply that USAID isn’t important, but I’m more concerned about them blatantly disregarding the Constitution and allowing a private citizen to control spending Congressionally appropriated funds and shut down agencies without congressional authorization, security clearance or even a government position. If this was in a movie a month ago, it’d be so laughably far fetched you’d either turn it off or watch because it’s so stupid it’s entertaining.

I do agree you need to pick fights, like not getting caught up in stupid unimportant shit he says. I do think there might be some method to his madness, like saying he’ll take Greenland and Gaza. Maybe he isn’t calculated, but his people use it as a smoke screen.

[mister d]

Ignoring the humanitarian aspects, why would you concede ("pick your battles") anything with an administration whose goal is to flood the zone and who will later use these concessions as precedent?

[The Sybian]

Ignoring the humanitarian aspects, why would you concede ("pick your battles") anything with an administration whose goal is to flood the zone and who will later use these concessions as precedent?

Because there is finite time and energy to fight. You can’t spread yourself so thin and pass 1000 bills fighting every single thing he does. Hell, they can’t fight the biggest Constitutional threat since the Civil War or stop staggeringly bad nominees. We just approved a know Russian asset to be Director of National Intelligence and an antivaxxer with a brain-eating worm infestation as head of Health and Human Services.

[P.D.X.]

Ignoring the humanitarian aspects, why would you concede ("pick your battles") anything with an administration whose goal is to flood the zone and who will later use these concessions as precedent?

because D, they flood the zone with shit to get the opposition to reacting to everything and thus being spread thin and disorganized. if you react how your opponent wants you to, you're losing. concessions were inevitable when the election was lost. it's absolutely a good approach to pick battles (not to mention a lot easier to create messaging around as the opposition party)

[Steve of phpBB]

Ignoring the humanitarian aspects, why would you concede ("pick your battles") anything with an administration whose goal is to flood the zone and who will later use these concessions as precedent?

because D, they flood the zone with shit to get the opposition to reacting to everything and thus being spread thin and disorganized. if you react how your opponent wants you to, you're losing. concessions were inevitable when the election was lost. it's absolutely a good approach to pick battles (not to mention a lot easier to create messaging around as the opposition party)

And sadly, most voters don’t care all that much about USAID or or the Impoundment Act. Or even trans kids playing sports.

Outrage about everything everywhere all at once runs a real risk of voters tuning it all out and deciding “both parties are crazy.”

[A_B]

“both parties are crazy.”

Both parties are. Defining the Blue craziness by its relation to the red craziness doesn't mean they aren't well on the crazy side of the gauge.

[mister d]

Ok, so to avoid spreading yourselves too thin, you sit back and quietly let people die without US aid and pretend trans kids don't exist for a while, what battles are you making a priority?

[mister d]

And just for the record, regardless of cause, I don't think conceding clearly unconstitutional/illegal acts is the way to go. Especially immediately. They should be obstructing at all stops like every fucking person knows Republicans would over 1% of this.

[govmentchedda]

And just for the record, regardless of cause, I don't think conceding clearly unconstitutional/illegal acts is the way to go. Especially immediately. They should be obstructing at all stops like every fucking person knows Republicans would over 1% of this.

Agree completely. Fucking divvy up who's doing what and object to everything. Bombard their asses.

[EnochRoot]

"Not a hill we're going to die on" so let's do a little fascism.

Jeffries is inspired by Judge's patient approach to the plate. He says he would pick and choose his battles against President Trump.

"One of the reasons that he's a great hitter is because he does not swing at every pitch. He waits for the right one, and then he swings. We're not going to swing at every pitch; we're going to swing at the ones that matter," Jeffries said.

This is the dumbest fucking analogy I've ever heard in my life. The only pitches you're seeing are 85 mph fast balls right down the middle. They're even tipping you off that it's coming!

Yeah, I mean they put out an entire playbook with Project 2025. It was all right there.

BTW, I never meant to imply that USAID isn’t important, but I’m more concerned about them blatantly disregarding the Constitution and allowing a private citizen to control spending Congressionally appropriated funds and shut down agencies without congressional authorization, security clearance or even a government position. If this was in a movie a month ago, it’d be so laughably far fetched you’d either turn it off or watch because it’s so stupid it’s entertaining.

I do agree you need to pick fights, like not getting caught up in stupid unimportant shit he says. I do think there might be some method to his madness, like saying he’ll take Greenland and Gaza. Maybe he isn’t calculated, but his people use it as a smoke screen.

Except that’s exactly what Emmanuel and Axelrod managed to get across.

The Democrats need to respond at both the micro and macro levels.

Boo-fucking-hoo if they view the tasks as too daunting. GTFO of Washington then and go get a real job.

[Steve of phpBB]

“both parties are crazy.”

Both parties are. Defining the Blue craziness by its relation to the red craziness doesn't mean they aren't well on the crazy side of the gauge.

Sure - though I'm not sure whether you're saying the Dems are crazy because they are too far left or crazy because they are not far left enough. But either way, performative outrage that doesn't accomplish anything and also reinforces the impression on the millions of ignorant dumbfucks who make up the electorate is not going to help anyone.

I personally would like to see them obstruct anything in the Senate that they can, and see if that can break through to the public or otherwise force the Republicans to do something.

[A_B]

One side of the gauge reads "not crazy." Middle is neutral. other side is super crazy. They're all on the super crazy side of the curve.

[tennbengal]

"Not a hill we're going to die on" so let's do a little fascism.

Jeffries is inspired by Judge's patient approach to the plate. He says he would pick and choose his battles against President Trump.

"One of the reasons that he's a great hitter is because he does not swing at every pitch. He waits for the right one, and then he swings. We're not going to swing at every pitch; we're going to swing at the ones that matter," Jeffries said.

This is the dumbest fucking analogy I've ever heard in my life. The only pitches you're seeing are 85 mph fast balls right down the middle. They're even tipping you off that it's coming!

I genuinely fucking hate Jeffries. HATE him.

[degenerasian]

Ignoring the humanitarian aspects, why would you concede ("pick your battles") anything with an administration whose goal is to flood the zone and who will later use these concessions as precedent?

because D, they flood the zone with shit to get the opposition to reacting to everything and thus being spread thin and disorganized. if you react how your opponent wants you to, you're losing. concessions were inevitable when the election was lost. it's absolutely a good approach to pick battles (not to mention a lot easier to create messaging around as the opposition party)

And sadly, most voters don’t care all that much about USAID or or the Impoundment Act. Or even trans kids playing sports.

Outrage about everything everywhere all at once runs a real risk of voters tuning it all out and deciding “both parties are crazy.”

Sad thing is most voters are probably happy to give less or no foreign aid.

[tennbengal]

And just for the record, regardless of cause, I don't think conceding clearly unconstitutional/illegal acts is the way to go. Especially immediately. They should be obstructing at all stops like every fucking person knows Republicans would over 1% of this.

I mean, yeah. That the motherfuckers elected to congress who are "Dem" don't fucking know this like they know the sun rises in the east is why I am pretty much beyond despair at this point.

[degenerasian]

Trump is doing a coup exactly the right way.

He didn't declare it, and he didn't look for a judicial approval for anything. He's moving fast on all fronts, too fast for an unorganized opposition to realize what's happening and do something.

He's already acting as if the coup has already happened. Him and his administration are already doing obviously illegal things, and even going directly against the constitution. (The president can not give orders that are in conflict with what congress has decided, so he can't just for example shut down the funding for anything that has congress approval.)

The plan (certainly not his plan, but the plan of his administration) seems to be mostly working. People in government are already acting as if Trump has the power to do what he wants, and that belief is what makes power real. Replace the government administration with loyalists who will do what they are told, and then all he needs from congress is to not get in the way. He doesn't even need a majority of the congress behind him, he just needs enough support to keep congress from actively getting in his way.

[duff]

Just let me know when the military decides to get their heads out of their asses and stand up for the constitution. It isn't that hard to understand the dangers that this administration is causing. Give Trump the big ole tank parade down Pennsylvania avenue, except it won't be in honor of him, but it will be there to arrest him and Musk and all the other traitors.

And why do these fed employees have no fucking backbone. There are more of them in those office buildings than the teenagers running the coup. Ooh, they locked us out...boo fucking hoo. Break down the god damn doors. We don't need marches in front of the buildings or press conferences about how "we" are going to stand up to Elon and his boys. We need action. Fucking fight.

I also think trading on wall street needs to be frozen until this shit is figured out. Way too many people are getting rich of the chaos and that is a huge reason why people do not care.

[P.D.X.]

Ok, so to avoid spreading yourselves too thin, you sit back and quietly let people die without US aid and pretend trans kids don't exist for a while, what battles are you making a priority?

If your country doesn't have a structured government and financial backbone, all other fights are pointless. This is why they're trying to tear down those things. Defend the constitution and the financial systems first. Otherwise your fights are just symbolic as there's no 'supply chain' from the political win to the material delivery of aid or protection.

[mister d]

Wouldn't that mean conceding any civil rights issues?

[P.D.X.]

How you gonna enforce them?

[Jerloma]

Just let me know when the military decides to get their heads out of their asses and stand up for the constitution. It isn't that hard to understand the dangers that this administration is causing. Give Trump the big ole tank parade down Pennsylvania avenue, except it won't be in honor of him, but it will be there to arrest him and Musk and all the other traitors.

Can they do that?

[duff]

Just let me know when the military decides to get their heads out of their asses and stand up for the constitution. It isn't that hard to understand the dangers that this administration is causing. Give Trump the big ole tank parade down Pennsylvania avenue, except it won't be in honor of him, but it will be there to arrest him and Musk and all the other traitors.

Can they do that?

The military is there to protect us from threats and to honor the constitution. Just because TFG and Musk don't believe in the constitution does not mean that the military leaders don't. I am certain more than a few of them could muster up enough support in Congress and their ranks to defend the country against these illegal actions that are going against the constitution.

[The Sybian]

Just let me know when the military decides to get their heads out of their asses and stand up for the constitution. It isn't that hard to understand the dangers that this administration is causing. Give Trump the big ole tank parade down Pennsylvania avenue, except it won't be in honor of him, but it will be there to arrest him and Musk and all the other traitors.

Can they do that?

Since Trump is CiC he controls the military. It’ll take generals to issue a coup, and enough soldiers not to view the coup as an unlawful order. My guess is the majority of enlisted men support Trump.

[mister d]

Speaking of, where's Johnnie?

[sancarlos]

When I was at the gym today, I noticed one of their tv’s had Fox News crowing that the military had record numbers of new enlistments since Trump was elected.

[Steve of phpBB]

When I was at the gym today, I noticed one of their tv’s had Fox News crowing that the military had record numbers of new enlistments since Trump was elected.

And you can be sure that those people rushing to sign up are the best and the brightest.

[DSafetyGuy]

Just let me know when the military decides to get their heads out of their asses and stand up for the constitution. It isn't that hard to understand the dangers that this administration is causing. Give Trump the big ole tank parade down Pennsylvania avenue, except it won't be in honor of him, but it will be there to arrest him and Musk and all the other traitors.

Can they do that?

The enlistment oath:

(a) Enlistment Oath.—Each person enlisting in an armed force shall take the following oath:
“I, ____________________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

They just have to realize who the domestic enemy is.

[EnochRoot]

Just let me know when the military decides to get their heads out of their asses and stand up for the constitution. It isn't that hard to understand the dangers that this administration is causing. Give Trump the big ole tank parade down Pennsylvania avenue, except it won't be in honor of him, but it will be there to arrest him and Musk and all the other traitors.

Can they do that?

The enlistment oath:

(a) Enlistment Oath.—Each person enlisting in an armed force shall take the following oath:
“I, ____________________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

They just have to realize who the domestic enemy is.

Pretty sure soldiers are only required to follow lawful orders. Just because TFG can’t be prosecuted for the bullshit he concocts during his presidency does not mean soldiers have to follow his orders. They’d need to rewrite the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Johnnie can obvs speak to this better than I can.

[brian]

Ignoring the humanitarian aspects, why would you concede ("pick your battles") anything with an administration whose goal is to flood the zone and who will later use these concessions as precedent?

because D, they flood the zone with shit to get the opposition to reacting to everything and thus being spread thin and disorganized. if you react how your opponent wants you to, you're losing. concessions were inevitable when the election was lost. it's absolutely a good approach to pick battles (not to mention a lot easier to create messaging around as the opposition party)

This, exactly. You can’t fight a war on 100 fronts.

[sancarlos]