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

[Jerloma]

Here are the official or likely cabinet picks:

Homeland Security Secretary: Kristi Noem

Secretary Of State: Marco Rubio

National Security Adviser: Mike Waltz

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator: Lee Zeldin

Deputy Chief Of Staff For Policy: Stephen Miller

Border Czar: Tom Homan

Un Ambassador: Elise Stefanik

Chief Of Staff: Susie Wiles

Attorney General:

Trump is expected to overhaul the Department of Justice and staff it with political loyalists who could blur the lines of independence between the agency and the executive branch, potentially by carrying out Trump’s wishes to prosecute his political enemies. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, R-Mo., former administration lawyer Mark Paoletta and former Trump Director of National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe are some of the names commonly floated for AG in media reports. Federal Judge Aileen Cannon, who dismissed the DOJ’s classified documents case against Trump, is also on a proposed personnel roster Trump’s team has circulated, ABC News reported last month, citing unnamed sources. Speculation has swirled that Trump adviser, Kash Patel, could be appointed AG. Trump said previously that Patel would help craft a “blueprint” for his next administration and lauded his book “Government Gangsters” as a “roadmap to end the Deep State’s reign.”

Treasury Secretary:

Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., former ambassador to Japan under Trump, is on the speculative short list for this role.

Defense Secretary:

Trump’s team has contacted House Armed Services Chair Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala. about the role, Fox News reported Friday, citing a source familiar with the discussions.

CIA Director:

Ratcliffe, Waltz and Patel are among the possible picks, according to The Times. Trump attempted to install Patel as deputy C.I.A. director at the end of his first term, but his plans were thwarted when then-Director Gina Haspel threatened to resign in protest, Axios reported.

Education Secretary:

Trump announced in a video his 10 “key ideas” for what he believes will strengthen America’s education system. The agenda includes proposals like bringing prayer back in public schools and teaching students to “love their country, not to hate their country.”

At the end of his video announcement, Trump doubled down on his previous vow to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education.

The 45th and soon-to-be 47th president said that “very early” in his second administration, he would be “closing up” the department headquartered in Washington, D.C., and sending “all education and education work and needs back to the States.”

[Nonlinear FC]

I'm not really going to be hanging out on this thread, because I can't really deal with it. But, I encourage you guys not to let the sky fall prematurely.

https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/ ... on/2024/11

Dismantling and entire cabinet-level department isn't something he can just do. It would take a ton of actual work, might not really be feasible on many levels, and would need Congressional approval.

Once these congress critters understand what getting rid of DOE would do to their actual constituents, they are going to freak out. Highly unlikely to happen, at least in the way he and his fucking moron supporters would expect.

[duff]

You underestimated them at election and you underestimate them now. These fuckers will do anything that dear leader asks them to. They will benefit more doing that than making their constituents happy. Two years as a bot locker llicker can parlay into a lifetime on Fox or better yet OANN or Newsmax.

Don't think for a second that they care about us. Any of us. Not for one second.

[EnochRoot]

We Doing This Shit Again?

Fuck no.

[Nonlinear FC]

You underestimated them at election and you underestimate them now. These fuckers will do anything that dear leader asks them to. They will benefit more doing that than making their constituents happy. Two years as a bot locker llicker can parlay into a lifetime on Fox or better yet OANN or Newsmax.

Don't think for a second that they care about us. Any of us. Not for one second.

This one isn't about estimating or not, it's about the feasibility and logistics of dismantling an entity as large and with as much reach as the DOE. I don't doubt they will try, and they will likely make things really difficult and awful for everyone involved.

But you can't just snap your fingers and poof it's gone.

Andy your response to me, personally, is why I'm not likely to hang out and try to discuss this stuff. I'm not the only one that was shocked by these results.

[The Sybian]

So if they do figure out a way to abolish the DoE, dues that mean federal student loans are forgiven? Or maybe the Trump corporation will assume ownership of the debt and Eric and Junior will oversee collections.

[Jerloma]

So if they do figure out a way to abolish the DoE, dues that mean federal student loans are forgiven? Or maybe the Trump corporation will assume ownership of the debt and Eric and Junior will oversee collections.

Project 2025 calls for eliminating all federal student loan programs, adding $250 billion of debt to borrowers and the immediate revocation of all Biden's debt cancellation programs, so probably not.

[The Sybian]

So if they do figure out a way to abolish the DoE, dues that mean federal student loans are forgiven? Or maybe the Trump corporation will assume ownership of the debt and Eric and Junior will oversee collections.

Project 2025 calls for eliminating all federal student loan programs, adding $250 billion of debt to borrowers and the immediate revocation of all Biden's debt cancellation programs, so probably not.

Are they selling the debt to private lenders? Particularly those that donated to Trump’s campaign or bought $100,000 Trump watches?

[Johnnie]

And here's who the Democrats are going to have to start appealing to with a fucking quickness.

Take a guess which Democrat most appealed to him before he went full Republican. Lol.

[Johnnie]

Lol:

[Johnnie]

Also, watch how fucking fast government decides it can work now -- the first thing gone? The filibuster.

Whatever they want is going to happen. Not sure what Democrats are going to do from here.

Good thing they "played by the rules" all these years.

[The Sybian]

Sooo, he is upset that Dems promise to help Mexican-American men during campaigns but don't follow through when blocked by GOPs in Congress, so instead he votes for the man who openly calls Mexicans rapists and murders and shows complete hatred and disdain for Mexicans. What does he think Trump is going to do for Mexicans other than deport millions who have been here paying taxes and raising families, including changing the status of many who are here legally, to make them "illegal" and attempt to deport them? Not to mention, there will be huge numbers of illegals who don't have a country to get deported to (like Venezuela who we can't deport to, or people like Yugoslavians whose country doesn't exist). But hey, private prisons will make billions, especially since they aren't subject to the 8th Amendment or any of the laws that prohibit inhumane treatment of inmates.

It's been years since I discussed, but I got to tour a private immigration detention center in Queens. I've toured several prisons and jails, and the conditions in the immigration center were unthinkably horrific. Speaking to the guards and people who supervise the place, they proudly bragged about intentionally making things so horrible that people would give up waiting for their legal cases to play out and ask to get deported. For example, most states, and probably federal law limit the amount of time inmates can stay in solitary confinement unless they request protective custody. IIRC, it was 15 days in Massachusetts when I interned at the Mass DoC. Private immigration center had people in solitary for months at a time, and the guards were laughing about a guy whose brain broke after 30 days. Prisons require a minimum of 1 hour outdoor time a day, even for people in solitary. The immigration center had to way of getting outside or fresh air. They had a tiny basketball as the only recreation option, and the ceiling was about a foot higher than the rim, so it was impossible to actually shoot. Again, guy who ran the place found that hilarious and thought we all would, too. It was an absolutely disgusting display, they don't view the detainees as human. Not even as animals, FFS. Oh, and all the people slept on the floor in giant, way overcrowded rooms. And they did laugh about a guy who was there for years because his country of citizenship no longer existed, and there is nowhere to deport him, so he is stuck in that place until he dies. Hilarious. 60 minutes did a feature on detention centers shortly I visited, and I remember it being a great segment. I'll try to find it later.

[Johnnie]

Oh, this'll be fun

Trump Draft Executive Order Would Create Board to Purge Generals

https://archive.is/8EwxC

(Also the archive website seems to think I'm a robot. Had to use a VPN.)

[The Sybian]

(Also the archive website seems to think I'm a robot. Had to use a VPN.)

And The Swamp thought you were black.

[brian]

Good thing they "played by the rules" all these years.

Who are these “they”? Be specific. Because the only two I know of are Republicans who won Senate seats under false pretenses more or less, one of which from a state that won’t have another Democratic Senator for the rest of our lives no matter how long you live.

[duff]

You underestimated them at election and you underestimate them now. These fuckers will do anything that dear leader asks them to. They will benefit more doing that than making their constituents happy. Two years as a bot locker llicker can parlay into a lifetime on Fox or better yet OANN or Newsmax.

Don't think for a second that they care about us. Any of us. Not for one second.

This one isn't about estimating or not, it's about the feasibility and logistics of dismantling an entity as large and with as much reach as the DOE. I don't doubt they will try, and they will likely make things really difficult and awful for everyone involved.

But you can't just snap your fingers and poof it's gone.

Andy your response to me, personally, is why I'm not likely to hang out and try to discuss this stuff. I'm not the only one that was shocked by these results.

It's nothing personal. I was shocked by the results also. But you spent plenty of time telling us to take a step back and there was little chance that Trump would win.

And yes, it will take some time to destroy to DoE, but they will start as soon as they get in power. There are no rules now. They have control of Congress. They have control of the SCOTUS. They have control of POTUS. Tell us who is going to stop them.

[Johnnie]

Good thing they "played by the rules" all these years.

Who are these “they”? Be specific. Because the only two I know of are Republicans who won Senate seats under false pretenses more or less, one of which from a state that won’t have another Democratic Senator for the rest of our lives no matter how long you live.

The Democrats decided to stick to norms when the Republicans said "We have a 41-59 Filibustering Minority. Good luck."

I'm not naming every single fucking Democrat that decided to sit back and play chess when Republicans were the pigeons shitting on the board.

[Johnnie]

Sooo, he is upset that Dems promise to help Mexican-American men during campaigns but don't follow through when blocked by GOPs in Congress, so instead he votes for the man who openly calls Mexicans rapists and murders and shows complete hatred and disdain for Mexicans. What does he think Trump is going to do for Mexicans other than deport millions who have been here paying taxes and raising families, including changing the status of many who are here legally, to make them "illegal" and attempt to deport them? Not to mention, there will be huge numbers of illegals who don't have a country to get deported to (like Venezuela who we can't deport to, or people like Yugoslavians whose country doesn't exist). But hey, private prisons will make billions, especially since they aren't subject to the 8th Amendment or any of the laws that prohibit inhumane treatment of inmates.

It's been years since I discussed, but I got to tour a private immigration detention center in Queens. I've toured several prisons and jails, and the conditions in the immigration center were unthinkably horrific. Speaking to the guards and people who supervise the place, they proudly bragged about intentionally making things so horrible that people would give up waiting for their legal cases to play out and ask to get deported. For example, most states, and probably federal law limit the amount of time inmates can stay in solitary confinement unless they request protective custody. IIRC, it was 15 days in Massachusetts when I interned at the Mass DoC. Private immigration center had people in solitary for months at a time, and the guards were laughing about a guy whose brain broke after 30 days. Prisons require a minimum of 1 hour outdoor time a day, even for people in solitary. The immigration center had to way of getting outside or fresh air. They had a tiny basketball as the only recreation option, and the ceiling was about a foot higher than the rim, so it was impossible to actually shoot. Again, guy who ran the place found that hilarious and thought we all would, too. It was an absolutely disgusting display, they don't view the detainees as human. Not even as animals, FFS. Oh, and all the people slept on the floor in giant, way overcrowded rooms. And they did laugh about a guy who was there for years because his country of citizenship no longer existed, and there is nowhere to deport him, so he is stuck in that place until he dies. Hilarious. 60 minutes did a feature on detention centers shortly I visited, and I remember it being a great segment. I'll try to find it later.

I'll be rooting for the leopards the next 4 years.

[Jerloma]

Well the thing with leopards is I don't think they discriminate.

[Jerloma]

He didn't say it, but yeah...he definitely means white people.

[duff]

Like, WTF does that even mean? "Real" education. They just want to dumb everyone down. Well, specifically nonwhites.

[brian]

Good thing they "played by the rules" all these years.

Who are these “they”? Be specific. Because the only two I know of are Republicans who won Senate seats under false pretenses more or less, one of which from a state that won’t have another Democratic Senator for the rest of our lives no matter how long you live.

The Democrats decided to stick to norms when the Republicans said "We have a 41-59 Filibustering Minority. Good luck."

I'm not naming every single fucking Democrat that decided to sit back and play chess when Republicans were the pigeons shitting on the board.

So other than Manchin and Sinema you have no fuckin’ idea. Got it.

[Johnnie]

Good thing they "played by the rules" all these years.

Who are these “they”? Be specific. Because the only two I know of are Republicans who won Senate seats under false pretenses more or less, one of which from a state that won’t have another Democratic Senator for the rest of our lives no matter how long you live.

The Democrats decided to stick to norms when the Republicans said "We have a 41-59 Filibustering Minority. Good luck."

I'm not naming every single fucking Democrat that decided to sit back and play chess when Republicans were the pigeons shitting on the board.

So other than Manchin and Sinema you have no fuckin’ idea. Got it.

Hey, how did your establishment heroes do?

Talk about not having a fucking clue.

[Johnnie]

Straight comedy.

[brian]

At least when I talk shit I can back it up with facts. You were less tiring when you were a Republican.

[P.D.X.]

Should creating a new Dept of Efficiency just go in the conservative irony thread?

[brian]

Should creating a new Dept of Efficiency just go in the conservative irony thread?

Honestly at this point I’m here for it. If these dumb fucks get their way the Republicans might never win another national election again. If the Dems were smart let them deport every undocumented person, impose idiotic tariffs and slash Social Security and Medicare benefits. Unleash all the fucking leopards.

[The Sybian]

Should creating a new Dept of Efficiency just go in the conservative irony thread?

Honestly at this point I’m here for it. If these dumb fucks get their way the Republicans might never win another national election again. If the Dems were smart let them deport every undocumented person, impose idiotic tariffs and slash Social Security and Medicare benefits. Unleash all the fucking leopards.

Problem is, the GOP and RW media machine will convince the majority of the country that it's the Dems fault. Nothing matters. Our media bubbles prevent facts from mattering.

On the plus side, I've listened to a lot of podcasts and read a bunch of articles that all come to the same conclusion from exit polls and interviewing people who switched from Biden to Trump, and the AOC Tweets say the same thing. A lot of the Trump voters don't like Trump the man or the politician, but they perceive things are bad and they want change. Despite being President for 4 years and campaigning for 8, they see him as an outsider that will change the system. They don't care if it's good or bad, they just want new and different. I heard tow people say Trump is horrible, but he's "real," so they voted for him. Most Dems play by the rules, and Trump shattered the rules. Cerrano made a great point, and I heard a college professor say the same thing. Young voters are cognizant of politics before Trump. His antics are all they know, and to them, that's normal. That's Presidential. Then they see stuffy Dems in comparison, and they seem fake. It's insane, but I get it. Then you factor in the way incumbents got destroyed all over the world. This is the only way to make sense out of the huge numbers of Trump voters that went straight blue the rest of the ticket, and all the red states voting for Liberal ballot measures. People like Liberal ideas better, but they just wanted change. On the downside, it's going to take decades to undo Trump's second presidency. His Judges will be there for the next 30-50 years, and they will bend the system to favor Conservatives/GOP. But with Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, I'm sure Trump will be kept in line.

[EdRomero]

Sooo, he is upset that Dems promise to help Mexican-American men during campaigns but don't follow through when blocked by GOPs in Congress, so instead he votes for the man who openly calls Mexicans rapists and murders and shows complete hatred and disdain for Mexicans. What does he think Trump is going to do for Mexicans other than deport millions who have been here paying taxes and raising families, including changing the status of many who are here legally, to make them "illegal" and attempt to deport them? Not to mention, there will be huge numbers of illegals who don't have a country to get deported to (like Venezuela who we can't deport to, or people like Yugoslavians whose country doesn't exist). But hey, private prisons will make billions, especially since they aren't subject to the 8th Amendment or any of the laws that prohibit inhumane treatment of inmates.

I hope there is a lot of follow up with these people in 2 years. I feel the same about all the Michigan Muslims that voted for Jill Stein because of Israel, and countless other people who voted against their interests. But all of it will just be the "establishment" Democrats fault as always.

[EnochRoot]

Sooo, he is upset that Dems promise to help Mexican-American men during campaigns but don't follow through when blocked by GOPs in Congress, so instead he votes for the man who openly calls Mexicans rapists and murders and shows complete hatred and disdain for Mexicans. What does he think Trump is going to do for Mexicans other than deport millions who have been here paying taxes and raising families, including changing the status of many who are here legally, to make them "illegal" and attempt to deport them? Not to mention, there will be huge numbers of illegals who don't have a country to get deported to (like Venezuela who we can't deport to, or people like Yugoslavians whose country doesn't exist). But hey, private prisons will make billions, especially since they aren't subject to the 8th Amendment or any of the laws that prohibit inhumane treatment of inmates.

I hope there is a lot of follow up with these people in 2 years. I feel the same about all the Michigan Muslims that voted for Jill Stein because of Israel, and countless other people who voted against their interests. But all of it will just be the "establishment" Democrats fault as always.

People are falling over backwards, twisting words into tasty pretzels to explain why voters voted against their own interests. It's not because they wanted something different. It's because they're drawn to demagoguery. It's that simple. Biden's AG shit the bed, sure.

But you want to know something?

If Trump were a Democrat acting the Demagogic threat to the American public as he is now, operatives under the (in)direct purview of the GOP would've had him assassinated.

[Jerloma]

Sooo, he is upset that Dems promise to help Mexican-American men during campaigns but don't follow through when blocked by GOPs in Congress, so instead he votes for the man who openly calls Mexicans rapists and murders and shows complete hatred and disdain for Mexicans. What does he think Trump is going to do for Mexicans other than deport millions who have been here paying taxes and raising families, including changing the status of many who are here legally, to make them "illegal" and attempt to deport them? Not to mention, there will be huge numbers of illegals who don't have a country to get deported to (like Venezuela who we can't deport to, or people like Yugoslavians whose country doesn't exist). But hey, private prisons will make billions, especially since they aren't subject to the 8th Amendment or any of the laws that prohibit inhumane treatment of inmates.

I hope there is a lot of follow up with these people in 2 years. I feel the same about all the Michigan Muslims that voted for Jill Stein because of Israel, and countless other people who voted against their interests. But all of it will just be the "establishment" Democrats fault as always.

Isn't it kinda though? I mean if you run on economic populist policies and no longer funding a genocide, neither of which are remotely radical, don't you get those votes back? Hell even if it's bullshit, maybe just bring Rashida Tlaib on stage for a night instead of Liz motherhumping Cheney?

[sancarlos]

You guys think they lost the election because they publicized Liz Cheney's endorsement to try to get moderate votes? Howzat work? You think somebody decided not to vote for Harris because she was willing to accept her endorsement? Nobody made that choice. I was told by progressives here that they still voted for what they considered the lesser of two evils. Harris never changed a single policy because of Cheney or her ilk. That didn't hurt her chances to win at all. That wasn't why the Dearborn Arabs voted for Jill Stein. That wasn't why black men stayed home. That wasn't why some Latinos liked Trump. That wasn't why white women voted for Trump. Quit making it about Cheney and/or moderates.

[Johnnie]

Most Dems play by the rules, and Trump shattered the rules.

Cite your fucking sources or face the Wrath of Brian.

[brian]

Most Dems play by the rules, and Trump shattered the rules.

Cite your fucking sources or face the Wrath of Brian.

Stay mad, dumbfuck. You’re not 10 percent as smart as you think you are. You were lucky to graduate high school.

[Johnnie]

Most Dems play by the rules, and Trump shattered the rules.

Cite your fucking sources or face the Wrath of Brian.

Stay mad, dumbfuck. You’re not 10 percent as smart as you think you are. You were lucky to graduate high school.

[mister d]

You guys think they lost the election because they publicized Liz Cheney's endorsement to try to get moderate votes? … Quit making it about Cheney and/or moderates.

More indirect than directly, but yes. Because they were a party willing to embrace the Cheney family to appeal to right-centrists rather than not embrace the Cheney family to appeal to everyone else, and for all the governing that comes from being a party like that, they lost the election. Unless the flipside logic is they would have lost by even more if they hadn’t embraced the Cheney family?

[sancarlos]

Hey... let's all step back and take a breath. OK?

Think about it. We're all on the same side. It's not helping to attack each other. (Yes, I'm guilty, too.) Trump and his ilk are the problem - not each other.

Can we all just call a truce, and act like friends again?

Personally, I'm going to fire one up and try to relax.

[brian]

lol

[Jerloma]

Hey... let's all step back and take a breath. OK?

Think about it. We're all on the same side. It's not helping to attack each other. (Yes, I'm guilty, too.) Trump and his ilk are the problem - not each other.

Can we all just call a truce, and act like friends again?

Personally, I'm going to fire one up and try to relax.

Just like a typical rad, Marxist, Neo-lib would do.

[P.D.X.]

You guys think they lost the election because they publicized Liz Cheney's endorsement to try to get moderate votes? … Quit making it about Cheney and/or moderates.

More indirect than directly, but yes. Because they were a party willing to embrace the Cheney family to appeal to right-centrists rather than not embrace the Cheney family to appeal to everyone else, and for all the governing that comes from being a party like that, they lost the election. Unless the flipside logic is they would have lost by even more if they hadn’t embraced the Cheney family?

I think you’re leaning too much into mutual exclusivity/zero sum based around a single and minute variable, especially given that we know exactly why a lot of moderates broke for djt