The Trump Presidency 2.0

[cuervo72]

Yeah, Chuck has to go. His tweets were exceedingly lame.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Well at least the 14 people watching CSPAN will get to see this. Good thing they gave a 75-year old with throat cancer a leadership position over the young woman with access to millions and millions of young voters online.

I'm sorry but Chuck Schumer spent the weekend tweeting about how guacamole might be more expensive during the Super Bowl. Hakeem Jeffries did a fundraiser for a group wanting more money for Israel. That's your party leadership!

It is the Democrats fault that news organizations suck? They are speaking out. Finding someone who is listening is the bigger issue.

[GrantDawg]

I don't what timeline you have, but mine is full of repost of Dems speaking out in outrage.

[Ksyrup]

Timeline? You mean on Twitter? Sorry, I don't do that anymore.

[cuervo72]

I mean, they're on BlueSky too. They have to keep at it so it becomes impossible for media to ignore. Like, nightly news top story level.

[RainMaker]

It was also good to pass on the really smart guy who transformed Wisconsin's electoral politics to run the DNC because he dared say he would look through the books to see where the party was wasting money and getting no return.

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

It is the Democrats fault that news organizations suck? They are speaking out. Finding someone who is listening is the bigger issue.

Everyone else's fault. Just a giant conspiracy to keep the Democrats down. Can't possibly be they have ineffective leaders who don't know what to do and mostly don't give a shit either way.

Like at some point maybe it's time to realize Chuck Schumer isn't the guy to run the show. Having someone who isn't in their 70's spreading a message might be a good idea.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I mean, they're on BlueSky too. They have to keep at it so it becomes impossible for media to ignore. Like, nightly news top story level.

I've given up on Twitter-like social media. But I haven't seen a peep from anyone on the news. Will be interesting to see what's on the national news tonight.

I'd expect emergency weekend meeting-level stuff, not "mean Tweets."

[Noop]

The Democratic party needs to work on their messaging and probably pull away from the fringe elements of the party. Whoever is the next superstar of the party needs to be put in position now and protected.

[RainMaker]

If the strategy is to speak up on Twitter and other social media, why did you give a leadership position to a 75-year old with throat cancer and 80k followers over the young woman with over 12 million followers who routinely has viral moments?

[JPhillips]

This guy now has a senior level post at the State Department.

Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work.

Unfortunately, our entire national ideology is predicated on coddling the feelings of women and minorities, and demoralizing competent white men.

— Darren J. Beattie 🌐 (@DarrenJBeattie) October 4, 2024

[GrantDawg]

And now the Canadian tariffs are postponed...
reuters.com

[JPhillips]

lol Elon says he's deleted the ability for taxpayers to e-file for free.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

lol Elon says he's deleted the ability for taxpayers to e-file for free.

This was an incredibly popular tool too. It had like a 90% satisfaction rate or something.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

This was an incredibly popular tool too. It had like a 90% satisfaction rate or something.

My guess is that he'll try to get people to file through X.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Democratic Members of Congress Speak on USAID Shutdown | NTD

THEY UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE GUY WHO IS DOING THIS JUST A WEEK AGO!

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

And now the Canadian tariffs are postponed...
reuters.com

I think we now know Trump's playbook on Denmark on Greenland. And he'll use tariffs to encourage the other EU countries to sway Denmark.

I do think the odds are way against it, but if somehow Greenland becomes a 51st state/territory/commonwealth etc. in the next 4 years, is there something that will allow Greenland to break free under the next Dem administration (or will they even dare "give it back")?

[GrantDawg]

Well if it plays out like this, Trump will threaten tariffs till the last hour and then say the base we already havev in Greenland is some kind of concession and delay it for 30 data till he makes up some other nonsense. Everything he "won" from Canada was already happening.

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

My guess is that he'll try to get people to file through X.

Yes. He's already talked about becoming some sort of payment processor/bank. I didn't think it would happen this directly.

[Passacaglia]

We'll probably end up voting through it too.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

And now the Canadian tariffs are postponed...
reuters.com

The only thing this is accomplishing is it's pushing countries to build up supply chains and the infrastructure needed to avoid trade with the US in the future.

[Edward64]

I’m thinking Dept of Education is coming up soon.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

This guy now has a senior level post at the State Department.

Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work.

Unfortunately, our entire national ideology is predicated on coddling the feelings of women and minorities, and demoralizing competent white men.

— Darren J. Beattie 🌐 (@DarrenJBeattie) October 4, 2024

Now that Darren Beattie has been tapped to serve at the State Department, the ADL has dutifully removed the press release on their website where they call him a Nazi white supremacist. https://t.co/4UsLSXfgJg pic.twitter.com/OAyO6QkSpi

— Isi Breen (@isaiah_bb) February 3, 2025

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Edward64

I’m thinking Dept of Education is coming up soon.

It’s going to be bad. The department is already promoting homeschooling as an official stance. Not that it’s a bad thing but the push to cripple the school system is going to wreck havoc on the poor communities who are going to be sent to underfunded schools. Segregation but with income inequality.

[Edward64]

With all the talk about Canada and Mexico, we forgot about China. Her response ...

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/04/chin...ng-feb-10.html

China’s finance ministry said Tuesday it will impose additional tariffs of 15% on coal and liquified natural gas imports from the U.S. and 10% higher duties on American crude oil, agricultural machinery and certain cars, starting Feb. 10.

"Certain cars" is interesting, wonder if Tesla is included or not

In a separate statement Tuesday, Chinese commerce ministry and customs officials announced to impose export controls on a range of items and technologies related to certain critical minerals, including tungsten, tellurium, ruthenium, molybdenum and ruthenium.

Fighting back with rare earth (and other) metals exports.

China’s State Administration of Market Regulation also said it has decided to initiate an investigation into Alphabet’s Google as the American technology giant was suspected of violating the country’s anti-monopoly law.

Google pulled its internet and search engine services in China in 2010, but still has some operations focused on Chinese businesses looking to advertise on Google platforms abroad.

Been to China a couple times. Google isn't that big there. Googling says Google made $3B in revenue (2018) out of $340B (2024). Would have hurt more if it was Apple.

As Trump started his second term, he ordered his administration to investigate Beijing’s compliance with a trade deal struck during his first presidency in 2020. The final result of the assessment will be delivered to Trump by April 1, potentially setting the stage for further tariff actions, economists said.

I've read China has not been in compliance with Trump 1.0 trade deal (but then, wonder if the US is in compliance also). So, I'm sure this will be another escalation point.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Edward64

With all the talk about ___________, we forgot about _____.

#Evergreen

[Edward64]

Very true. Trump is moving so fast that it's hard to keep up.

Source: see the Dems lack of coherent response.

I do hope the Dem strategist are really talking about how to win back at House and/or Senate in 2026. But right now, not impressed.

[Ksyrup]

Glad to see Hakeem Jeffries introduced legislation that won't even see a committee to stop Musk from doing things that are already a crime under existing laws. That'll teach 'em!

I've already seen lazy reporting/writing from local news people about Trump's tariff threats forcing Mexico/Canada to give something up in exchange for the 30 day pause. As I understand it, however, Mexico is pledging a minimum border security force of 10K when they already have 15K on the border (not 10K extra, just that they won't have less than 10K), and Canada re-announced a 2-month old $3.1B border security program. The art of the deal!

[Ghost Econ]

It's cute that people think that there will be real elections in 2 years.

I'm just waiting to see if the liberals who say they never want kids and love all the things they claim to love will actually put their money where their mouth is before it's too late.

[JPhillips]

Ralph Nader makes a good point(not something I'll say often). The way the tariffs were announced and rescinded was a perfect opportunity for connected folks to insider trade.

[NobodyHere]

Ralph Nader is still alive?

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Ralph Nader makes a good point(not something I'll say often). The way the tariffs were announced and rescinded was a perfect opportunity for connected folks to insider trade.

Oh, I saw that point made elsewhere a number of times, yes. (Even before they were rescinded.)

[JPhillips]

Far-right commentators already pushing for Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act due to Dems going to USAID. Obviously ridiculous, but with Hegseth at DoD, who knows?

[JPhillips]

dola

In case things weren't shitty enough, Trump is now all in on vaccines cause autism.

They do not.

[Mota]

I feel like Trump is trying to get in all 4 of his presidency years in the first 2 weeks.

[Ghost Econ]

Do it before people have a chance to figure out how to stop it. Why do you think even the shittiest teams have success on their first possession of the game.

[Ksyrup]

They did the "scripted first 15 plays" thing, except they put the plays on the internet for everyone to find and yet everyone is surprised this is happening because Trump lied a couple of months before the election about not knowing what Project 2025 was.

[Ghost Econ]

I don't think he lied, I think he has a vague outline of an idea and doesn't give a fuck what gets done so long as it doesn't hurt him. He's basically Tony Dungy at Arizona State. He hired guys recommended, had a vague sense of what was going to be called, but was hands off and just the voice.

When we say Trump is doing X or Y, it's more just for shorthand. The problem is his followers think he's responsible for everything, since, ya know, cult and all.

[Atocep]

The Bannon playbook is flood the system and neither congress or the media can catch up.

[Flasch186]

With a child on an iep and 504 I’m scared to death about what the closure of the dept of education means for her schooling.

I have no alternatives planned and they public schools are way better at handling kids with adhd then private schools unless you put them in a private school that has kids with very very severe limitations (think non verbal type handicaps).

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Ghost Econ

I don't think he lied, I think he has a vague outline of an idea and doesn't give a fuck what gets done so long as it doesn't hurt him. He's basically Tony Dungy at Arizona State. He hired guys recommended, had a vague sense of what was going to be called, but was hands off and just the voice.

When we say Trump is doing X or Y, it's more just for shorthand. The problem is his followers think he's responsible for everything, since, ya know, cult and all.

I think you mean Herm Edwards.

[Ghost Econ]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I think you mean Herm Edwards.

Well, I went full racist, didn't I

[Ghost Econ]

Originally Posted by Flasch186

With a child on an iep and 504 I’m scared to death about what the closure of the dept of education means for her schooling.

I have no alternatives planned and they public schools are way better at handling kids with adhd then private schools unless you put them in a private school that has kids with very very severe limitations (think non verbal type handicaps).

The good news is, you live in a state pushing vouchers, right? Like we're taking our kid out of private school right when they're about to get vouchers pushed through in SC, so we are obviously brilliant.

[Atocep]

At this point I think Costco has done more to push back against the Trump administration than anyone else.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Edward64

"Certain cars" is interesting, wonder if Tesla is included or not

He just killed USAID for them. They aren't going to punish him.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

It’s going to be bad. The department is already promoting homeschooling as an official stance. Not that it’s a bad thing but the push to cripple the school system is going to wreck havoc on the poor communities who are going to be sent to underfunded schools. Segregation but with income inequality.

It's pretty wild because their other official stance is we need like 5 million Indian H1-B workers because we don't have enough educated Americans.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

It's pretty wild because their other official stance is we need like 5 million Indian H1-B workers because we don't have enough educated Americans.

That's not particularly contradictory.

More of an indictment of the current state of public ed, which is not due to a money problem.

[Atocep]

I don't think there's anywhere near the interest in the resignations that Musk was hoping for. They're leaking to the media that there will be lay offs if enough don't accept with just a day left on the offer.

Layoffs in the federal government aren't easy and take time. I'd be surprised if they could get any going before September plus you'd then be eligible for unemployment. I don't see any reason at all to take the resignation offer and I don't know of a single person here that's taking it. I'm sure some will, but it doesn't sound like very many at all.

This isn't even getting into the muddy waters of the legality of the offer, the fact that the government is only funded until March 14th and Congress would have to carve our an exception to pay anyone that resigns, and other issues.

In the latest email from Elon's team they said that any signed agreement will come from your agency, who could then decide your job is too critical and refuse to let you stay at home. This thing is a mess.


EDIT: Bloomberg reporting only 20,000 accepted the offer so far.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

That's not particularly contradictory.

More of an indictment of the current state of public ed, which is not due to a money problem.

American programmers in general are much more skilled and educated in coding. Sure there are exceptions at the top, but most I've seen brought in were actually engineers who took a bullshit 3 month crash course.

We're seeing the long term effects of this strategy as China and other countries have surpassed us in so many ways. American tech companies are good at making money, not at making products. That's why we have to ban actual competition.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Atocep

I don't think there's anywhere near the interest in the resignations that Musk was hoping for. They're leaking to the media that there will be lay offs if enough don't accept with just a day left on the offer.

Layoffs in the federal government aren't easy and take time. I'd be surprised if they could get any going before September plus you'd then be eligible for unemployment. I don't see any reason at all to take the resignation offer and I don't know of a single person here that's taking it. I'm sure some will, but it doesn't sound like very many at all.

This isn't even getting into the muddy waters of the legality of the offer, the fact that the government is only funded until March 14th and Congress would have to carve our an exception to pay anyone that resigns, and other issues.

In the latest email from Elon's team they said that any signed agreement will come from your agency, who could then decide your job is too critical and refuse to let you stay at home. This thing is a mess.

EDIT: Bloomberg reporting only 20,000 accepted the offer so far.

Isn't part of the issue that the government is funded to March and doesn't have the authority to offer severance through September or whenever? You also have to trust Elon Musk that the deal will be honored and he has a long history of not being trustworthy.


Unless you have something else lined up or not interested in the job, just seems like only suckers would take that offer.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Isn't part of the issue that the government is funded to March and doesn't have the authority to offer severance through September or whenever? You also have to trust Elon Musk that the deal will be honored and he has a long history of not being trustworthy.


Unless you have something else lined up or not interested in the job, just seems like only suckers would take that offer.

Yeah Congress would have to specifically budget for them after March 14th. The 2 groups this would be appealing to would be anyone still in their probationary period that don't have RIF protections and anyone that wanted to retire after September 30th and but before the end of the year. In that case you're still rolling the dice that Congress protects your severance that isn't really a severance.

The only people this isn't a massive risk for would be those that had one foot out the door or those that can land somewhere quickly.