Trump Addresses A Joint Session of Congress Open Thread
[guest post by Dana]
So, rather than fine-tuning their messaging in an effort to make constituents understand why the President’s cost-cutting decisions are beneficial to the nation at large, House Republicans are being told instead to not waste their time holding any more townhalls. Of course, that informs us of two things: It’s bad business for Republicans when videos of town halls showing angry constituents, who are less than pleased about ongoing cuts, go viral, and, there simply is no positive spin to put on these quickly made decisions that will hurt so many.
Congressional Republicans are again being advised against holding in-person town halls after several instances of lawmakers being berated by attendees went viral.
The chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, which is the Hill committee that works to get Republicans elected to the House, told lawmakers in a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning that there were more efficient ways to reach constituents than in-person town halls, according to two sources in the room.
[Ed. – Pretty sure that “more efficient ways to reach constituents” is code for out of the public eye.]
Anyway, Trump is addressing a joint session of Congress tonight. Consider this an open thread.
—Dana
Hello.
Dana (79eca2) — 3/4/2025 @ 4:16 pmThe “more efficient ways to reach constituents” seems to be text spam.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/4/2025 @ 4:24 pmI really have no problem with an attempt to downsize the government. Needs to be done. It would be nice if it was done productively. For all I know it may be much better than reported, as the reporters are a collection of fools, innumerates and political operatives.
It’s putting the pieces back together and having it work that worries me, as organization and judgement are not that much in evidence.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/4/2025 @ 4:27 pmI really don’t know anyone who doesn’t agree that our government needs to be trimmed down. The difficulty begins when you have someone like Elon and 20- somethings doing a slash and burn through lists. Something this huge requires a methodically careful dissection before making any decisions. I just don’t think that Elon and his little buddies have the patience, discipline and temperaments to approach it that way. So much is happening so quickly, I’m afraid that we are in the dark about much of it and it will come back to bite us big time.
Dana (d72812) — 3/4/2025 @ 4:35 pmOTOH, these tariffs are beyond stupid (out that direction are moronic, cretinous and imbecilic, but you can’t say those things now).
There is a point to tariffs, when used in a judicious manner. When used right (and infrequently) — to protect a national security interest, say — they are simply a sin tax.
But most of the time free trade is the better deal. What Trump is doing is blowing up the entire world trade system, starting with our own, carefully built up, free trade zone. Forty plus years of GOP struggle against the forces of closed markets resulted in the most wealth creation in a century. Now he just tears it all down.
But he says, look at TSMC building fabs here (things to ignore: the damage to Intel and the fact that TSMC is only building last-gen stuff here; the real fancy stuff will still be in Taiwan). Or Nippon Steel is investing in US Steel (net gain zero). Or for every job that is brought home another job at a US exporter is lost.
Trumpian juche. It’s worked so well for his little Nork buddy.
If a secret cabal intent on the destruction of America took charge in DC, it could do no worse.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/4/2025 @ 4:40 pmThe difficulty begins when you have someone like Elon and 20- somethings doing a slash and burn through lists
You could be right, but I’d be more concerned with the vast college of experts method. The kids have no conflicts of interest, no threatened benefits, no stocks in companies that have contracts (OK, other than Elon’s), etc. To the degree that part of the solution is to move to modern technology instead of COBOL and magtape, you really want those young turks.
What I hope to see is a vast reduction in labor-intensive processes, replacing those with rule-based decision systems, modern database techniques and MUCH greater responsiveness. I mean, these people still have PBXes and paper filing. The FBI still takes notes on paper rather than recording interviews. And God help any air passenger who saw how air traffic control actually worked; sausage making would be less disturbing.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/4/2025 @ 4:47 pmI know that, in the past, I have defended the concept of tariffs. But I’ve never defended the idea of tariffs for the sake of tariffs, which is what Trump has wrought.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/4/2025 @ 4:50 pmTwo words: Smoot-Hawley
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/4/2025 @ 5:24 pmMy one comment:
Remember when “You lie!” was such a terrible assault on decorum.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/4/2025 @ 7:20 pmRethugliKKKans were not kicked out when they heckled Biden and Obama.
asset (d00634) — 3/4/2025 @ 7:53 pmRethugliKKKans were not kicked out when they heckled Biden and Obama.
The guy today was given repeated warnings and heeded none of them.
Joe Wilson said “You lie!” when Obama lied about Obamacare (you can keep your doctor!), then shut up. He apologized to Obama later.
A man who heckled Biden over the Afghanistan withdrawal (his Marine son had been killed at “Abbey Gate”, and an other son had killed himself over the loss) was arrested and removed from the gallery.
So, exactly the same.
=======
P.S. If this was my blog (and it certainly isn’t) I’d be warning you right now about your “RethugliKKKans” crap.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/4/2025 @ 8:16 pmOf course asset is 100% wrong. Not only thrown out, but arrested.
lloyd (eddcb8) — 3/4/2025 @ 8:21 pm@Dana
No, it’s politically smart.
Right now, the party out of power is motivated to make the ones in power “look bad”.
So what do they do? Right from Obama’s astroturfing tactics… they bus in neighboring activist democrats from nearby counties to swamp that townhall and with complicit media, orchestrate a fake narrative that local republican voters are upset at current policies looking to take it out of that GOP politician.
whembly (b7cc46) — 3/5/2025 @ 6:20 amThis time, it’s the Supreme Court that ruled 5-4 that Trump cannot violate the Impoundment Control Act by blocking the release of congressionally authorized USAID funds.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 7:01 amIt’s up Congress to do that, not the executive.
Paul loves him some leftist judges voting as a block.
NJRob (4f7935) — 3/5/2025 @ 7:38 amTrump just keeps bullying the Ukrainian victim, thereby siding with the mass-murdering Putin terrorist regime, because Trump is with the terrorists when his CIA Director pauses sharing intelligence with Ukraine.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 7:41 amThanks for affirming you’re a sore loser, Rob, just like you’re a sore winner. The Impoundment Control Act was affirmed in the Nixon administration, as an appropriate check on the power of the executive and the balance of power among the three branches.
BTW, since you took the effort to respond to me, why don’t you take the effort to back up your lie that I “pushed the 51 intelligence officials garbage hook, line and sinker”, and that I “took the bait because you wanted the lie to be true”.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 7:47 amThis time, it’s the Supreme Court that ruled 5-4 that Trump cannot violate the Impoundment Control Act by blocking the release of congressionally authorized USAID funds.
As I read this (pdf), they simply remanded to the lower court the task of identifying those payments that the government must make.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 7:55 amThe issue is still live Paul. Yes, the 2.1 billion will be spent and lost by the time it goes back to the courts, but the underlining issue is still live.
whembly (b7cc46) — 3/5/2025 @ 7:56 amWe can call this the Lindell Effect, which can be described as the plummet in sales after joining Cult Orange Jesus, thereby alienating half of your customer base.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 7:56 am@16: The CIA Director said also that, given Zelensky’s letter to Trump, he expects that sharing will resume shortly. I would expect arms shipments to resume as well.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 7:57 am@18
You’re right, the little I skimmed that document tracks.
I think CJ Roberts is being a sneaky justice here…this would likely force the lower court to flesh out those payments in a way that if the DOJ object, may force the jurisdiction question (in that, this is a contract dispute and district court don’t have jurisdiction).
whembly (b7cc46) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:01 amWhat’s going to happen, Kevin and whembly, is that the courts will block Trump’s freezes until Congress changes the appropriations, which can happen as early as March 14th, the date of the next showing of governmental kabuki theater, i.e., when we’ve hit the limits of our funding the government.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:03 amThe Impoundment Control Act was affirmed in the Nixon administration
At a time when Nixon had his back to the wall and the Court was FAR more statist than it is now. That, and other poor decisions (I may have mentioned Chadha in the past) need to be re-examined in the light of 50 years of the history of the Executive/Legislative balance.
I believe that Congress’ ability to negate executive actions based on delegated legislative powers (“regulations”) needs to be restored in some way. I also believe that Executive judgement on the value and feasibility of discretionary spending needs to get deference (but be subject to a legislative negation).
One of the problems I have (and apparently the Court has) is the lack of differentiation between commanded expenditures ($10m to build the Podunk Courthouse) and category expenditures ($10b to fund cancer research). In the latter case the executive ought to consider the research opportunities and their value in awarding contracts and might withhold some funds if no productive opportunity exists.
There is also the attempt to renege on payment for delivered services on awarded contracts that is separately objectionable.
It would also help to have more understanding of the scope of Executive Orders. Trump’s recent actions may have that result.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:12 amRegarding Trump’s speech, that communist Glenn Kessler (who is still employed by Bezos) fact-checked his gish-galloping performance. Here’s one tidbit…
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:15 amThis is the entire order:
Paragraph breaks and emphasis mine.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:16 am@25: The weasel words “defending Ukraine” may make the statement true-but-misleading.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:18 amExcellent fact check on Trump’s assertions of Social Security payments to 150yos.
Most improper payments are to the accounts of recently deceased claimants where the reporting of their death has been delayed, sometimes through fraud, sometimes through bureaucratic incompetence. I know for a fact that SS may send an extra payment or two following a claimant’s death, but attempts to claw it back later.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:27 amHow much financial support does the EU have to provide Putin for you to consider them to be in cahoots with the “greater evil?”
BuDuh (1f536d) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:39 amI knew BuDuh would rear his ugly head.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:45 amThat really assumes facts not in evidence. Resuming intelligence sharing and arms shipments depends how far Z will kowtow to Trump and how Trump feels about Ukraine at any given time. What actions has Putin taken to reciprocate?
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:46 amTo preserve my sanity, I no longer much care about numerical utterances from Donald Trump, so long as they are within an order of magnitude of actual fact. I accept that he speaks in hyperbole.
What I *do* care about are matters of fundamental fact.
Is there massive silly spending at Social Security? No, there is not despite what he said.
Was USAID spending significant money for dubious, harmful or risible purposes? Yes, it seems they were. Was it a majority of their expenditures? Probably not, but they were enough of them to require reform.
Is there a lot of fraud in Medicare and Medicaid payments? Perhaps. There are a lot of fraud prosecutions but I bet they miss most of it. As for waste, etc, I can see wasteful spending and possibly unwise spending in my own Medicare account. Not a lot of it, but it is there. It is not worth my time to help them find it, either.
I think that Biden’s changes to Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage may weaken the controls that existed before. There is, for example, MUCH less need for me to prefer generic drugs over brand drugs, given the much lower OOP caps in Medicare Part D. Similar things may apply in the Advantage world, but I have no personal experience there.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:47 amRatcliffe saying “he expects” means nothing.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:47 amI knew BuDuh would rear his ugly head.
Good argument.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:48 amRatcliffe saying “he expects” means nothing.
It MAY mean nothing. It also may reflect internal thinking. The CIA Director is privy to national security issues.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:49 amMaking the perfect the enemy of the good.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:50 amEurope has spent 21.5B on Russian energy and 18.5B on lethal aid
steveg (c55fba) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:53 amRatcliff may also be saying what he thinks ought to happen. It would be good to think he’s not a total YES-man.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:53 amEurope has spent 21.5B on Russian energy and 18.5B on lethal aid
But $130B on generalized aid. As I said, true-but-misleading.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:55 amIf he does that too much he may be out of a job.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:56 amKevin M (#26):
Good catch — I had been thinking the order is somewhat less than meets the eye. The 2 billion isn’t getting paid yet. The Supremes have given the district court some homework first, and more things for the Trump folks to appeal. Roberts really does not want the Executive to ignore the court, and also wants to be careful about setting precedents that forever weaken the court. So lower courts get stuck with endless homework assignments.
Appalled (e9b231) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:56 amDoes Europe provide fuel to Ukraine?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:56 amIf he does that too much he may be out of a job.
He’ll make more money elsewhere.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:58 amIt’s just that original comment stands, despite BuDuh’s current jihad.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:59 amThe China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) reported Tesla’s shipments from China fell to 30,688 in February
That word “from” causes me comprehension problems.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:01 amIt’s just that original comment stands, despite BuDuh’s current jihad.
To me an ad hominum response just says “I don’t have an actual rebuttal.”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:03 amEurope has spent €62 billion on military aid.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:04 amThere’s no reason to. BuDuh is trying to cram his words down my throat.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:05 amPaul,
Compare that to your much more tolerant response to #15, which *I* would have had problems with. How do you talk to someone who things Barrett and Roberts are leftists?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:06 amEurope has spent €62 billion on military aid.
Trucks and fuel are not lethal aid. Paying soldier’s wages are not lethal aid. You aren’t wrong, you’re just trying to unspin something rather than calling out the spin.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:08 amKevin, word of advice. Don’t jump into an argument that you know nothing about.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:09 amKevin,
I didn’t say they were leftists. They joined the leftists in this case for foolish reasons. The 3 leftists vote in a way that can easily be predicted. They also cannot tell you what is a woman
NJRob (4f7935) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:09 amGood, then steve should back up his number. Maybe challenge him for once.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:10 amThe whole “how much have they spent” argument is really silly anyway. They bought fuel from Russia because the pipeline is there and fuel from America is blocked in several ways.
I am reminded of this:
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:12 amKevin, word of advice. Don’t jump into an argument that you know nothing about.
Is that a new rule here?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:13 amThere IS a rule against ad hominum however.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:14 amHow does that lethal aid get transported in the battlefield without fuel?
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:15 amPaul loves him some leftist judges voting as a block.
later
I didn’t say they were leftists. They joined the leftists in this case for foolish reasons.
If it was those 3 judges alone, the decision would have been different so trying to walk that back is unconvincing.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:17 amThat’s advice*, Kevin, not a rule, but you seem to be the guy who’s trying force your rules onto others, which I reject. No one appointed you the moderator or thread dictator here.
* Because I literally used the word “advise”.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:19 amHow does that lethal aid get transported in the battlefield without fuel?
I am attempting to ridicule the entire “who spent more on what?” discussion, since it is clearly based on what either side wants to include, and what estimates one accepts.
The only thing that matters is overall spending, since a lot of it is fungible anyway. Which means that Paul is more likely to be right that Donald Trump (and why I have to say that is a mystery).
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:20 amBTW, I thought that Slotkin’s response was excellent, not so much for content but for calm and forthright presentation and seeming reasonableness. The GOP responses in recent years have been poor by comparison. Her presentation should be a model for future responders.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:28 am@30
So you don’t see the issue, whereby EU countries are sending $$$ to Russia, for their oil, which $$$ is being fungible is likely used to support their war efforts.
None whatsoever?
whembly (b7cc46) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:41 am3,4 and 6: In essence, this is the “Mom” argument: “Be nice.” “We agree with trimming down the government, but it should be done in an intelligent way, and not chaoticly.”
Notably, no illustration is given of how that was ever done in the past. (and don’t even mention the feeble “sequester” from 2010-we’re at 36T in debt!)
1. In the past 80 years, neither party trimmed the government at all. 80 years of growth, to the point where we are funding gay operas in Seria, while ignoring US voters in North Carolina; funding health clinics in Uganda, while giving Trump’s Secret Service detail man that needed to call tech support when his drone didn’t work. All while orrowing $2T a year.
2. The GOP is not going to do it: the “intelligent” and “orderly” “Paul Ryan/John Boehner/Nikki Haley” wing of the GOP had a majority of the House and Senate in 2016-2018 – -and failed to do anything except a tax bill. They could have required US history to be taught in colleges receiving FISL, abolished USAID, trimmed our UN dues to $100 million, or even limited the “emotional support animal” scam. Nope. Nada. We just kept on borrowing and spending.
3. The “orderly and intelligent cuts” wing of the US government does not exist. When the patient has ignored all dietary advice, clogged his arteries, and is on the verge of a cardiac incident, he needs to go cold turkey-off steak, onto vegan diet, toss the contents of his fridge, and ignore those who want it to be done in an “orderly” manner. When a lawyer has botched a case its time to an all hands revision of the work, not a 9-5 week writing memos. Its not going to get done otherwise.
Harcourt Fenton Mudd (0c349e) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:42 amAsked and answered. I extend to you the same advice that I gave Kevin.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:44 amIt’s not that, Harc. The real issue is that DOGE is slashing personnel and programs en masse, without regard to the merits of said personnel and programs.
I agree that what Musk is doing is “Governmental”, but has nothing to do with “Efficiency”. There’s nothing efficient about this. It’s slashing for slashing’s sake.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:48 amNo reason to. You’ve noted Paul’s M.O. enough to know his game. I don’t need to pretend he’s a fair arbiter of anything.
NJRob (4f7935) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:52 amNone whatsoever?
None whatsoever. They need to keep the heat on in the winter and the lights on all year. If I have any issue it is with Germany closing their nuclear plants for stupid reasons, and an indication of Germany’s silliness as a nation.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:56 amRob, your MO is to lie about another commenter and run away every time you’re held to account for your lies. That’s your “game”, and it’s all hinges on whether people goosestep with Trump or not.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:57 am3,4 and 6: In essence, this is the “Mom” argument
Well, only post #4 made that argument. What I said in 3 was:
Which part of that do you disagree with, exactly?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:00 amPaul is perfectly of with the EU financing Putin’s war and death machine.
He chokes and insults anytime his hypocrisy is laid bare.
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:04 am…perfectly ok…
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:04 amAnd there it is again, BuDuh trying to cram his words down my throat. It’s a troll thing to do.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:09 amMy original words stand as originally written, especially now that his original claim has been fact-checked.
@64
Noted for the unanswer.
whembly (b7cc46) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:14 am@67
I have sympathy for immediate needs so people don’t freeze to death.
But, it’s been a decade of Russian aggression against Ukraine, that EU nations has rightly balked and back Ukraine’s defense. But, it’s really shallow that these same EU nations has done what appears to be ZERO to wean themselves off of that sweet Russian energy pipelines.
My sympathy is waning…
whembly (b7cc46) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:18 amThere’s nothing efficient about this. It’s slashing for slashing’s sake.
I don’t see that. I see accusations of that, and nebulous reports that, if they show anything, show cherry-picked examples, most of which were promptly corrected.
It is not possible to make meaningful cuts to Leviathan without making mistakes. There are lots of reports to the savaging of USAID as an agency, but damn few reports of the needful bits being relocated into the State Department.
It’s almost as if reports of “why cutting the government is bad” are more likely to pass editorial discretion than stories about where programs ended up, or why USAID’s cultural imperialism (e.g. promoting transsexuals in Guatemala) was a problem.
Right now, they are dealing with low-hanging fruit — there is a LOT of useless, risible and/or duplicative activity in the US government.
Do we really need EIGHT major food assistance programs? We have a school lunch program and separate programs for school breakfast, childcare food and summer food services. All with their own administrative, purchasing and distribution groups. It would seem there is some room for consolidation.
But what do we hear about? Once again it’s the national parks that are alleged to be in danger, a threat that recurs every time any budget conflict occurs. They always hold the little girl hostage to cuts to the gravy train for fat cats.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:21 amIt’s a troll thing to do
It’s also ineffective as an argument.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:23 amExcept it was an answer, whembly, and I note that you didn’t take my friendly advice.
This is getting tedious.
• BuDuh made a comment or question in a thread.
• I answered, which I thought was the end of the story.
• In a different thread (and it was apparent that BuDuh ignored or didn’t see my answer), BuDuh asked why Chris and I why we didn’t answer his comment (in an obvious attempt to insinuate that I’m a hypocrite or to question my intellectual integrity), and I said “asked and answered”, because I had answered.
• BuDuh apparently found my answer, then asked a ridiculous question that asserted the opposite of what I said, to which I answered with a question.
• I posted a fact-check in this current thread, which triggered BuDuh to again try to cram his words down my throat.
I advise moving on this tedium. It’s really good advice.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:30 am…moving on from this tedium.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:31 amKevin, did Musk & Co. actually examine personnel and programs in order to evaluate their relevance and to make them more efficient? Not that I could see.
It’s more probable that his team of college students and recent grads did a mass crtl-f on words like “probationary” and “diversity” and slashed accordingly, without actually seeing the context of said words.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:37 amWhat actually happened:
I actually said that I specifically did not want to put words is Paul’s mouth. I clarified my question and Paul’s nuts receded further into his abdomen.
Paul’s own rules mandate that the EU is in bed with the greater evil. It is no wonder he wants to move on.
#MeToo.
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:48 amKevin, did Musk & Co. actually examine personnel and programs in order to evaluate their relevance and to make them more efficient? Not that I could see.
Based on what? Do you get a behind-the-scenes newsletter or something? What I read in the MSM is about what I’d expect to read in the MSM no matter how well it was going. Leviathan protects its own. I don’t think the courts should attempt to micromanage this.
It’s more probable that his team of college students and recent grads did a mass crtl-f on words like “probationary” and “diversity” and slashed accordingly, without actually seeing the context of said words.
As I said, they are going after low-hanging fruit (and also those things that they are directed to go after, like DEI). It does not surprise me that diversity officers are having a bad time of it. Also, “probationary” seems to be used in the government in an odd way, including far more than just “new hires.” You may be right they made a mistake there.
But if you think you know how to deal with databases and searches better than Musk’s 20-somethings, well, that strikes me as hubris. Musk may be poor at dealing with normal humans, but he knows how to judge the quality of tech geeks.
Are their criteria the same as I would use? Not entirely. Are they just looking for twigs to trim, as these reports imply, or are the looking for branches and even roots to cut? The latter would result in more meaningful cuts, even if Trump would be satisfied with the anti-woke trimming.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:58 amNotice that I have moved on.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 10:59 amWhat Ratcliffe thinks “ought to happen” is irrelevant-which is why his tenure will be limited to (my prediction) no more than a couple of years. Wandering too far off the Trump policy reservation will get you fired.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:06 amThe real problem is not the cutting. There is so much redundancy that most cuts will be covered over by some other part of the blob. It’s the recombining. You may see massive duplication and the impulse is to hack the jungle with a machete, but what is really needed is identifying the core functions and the needs served, and challenging the duplicated parts to suggest a combination.
This may or may not work, depending on how the groups view things: is the needed task what is important, or is the local empire what needs saving? Pournelle’s Iron Law may frustrate you.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:06 amRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:06 am
This is about the third time you have said that.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:07 amOne, I don’t establish rules. That’s yours and Kevin’s thing.
Two, and there it is, BuDuh, still furious and still furiously trying to cram his words down my throat.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:17 amMy initial comment, that “it sucks even worse to align with the Russian terrorists” still stands. Oh, and your initial link was fact-checked.
North American tariffs: After decades of close economic co-operation, synergy and consolidation Trump’s tariffs are utterly upending American manufacturing. Even if unwinding these arrangements was beneficial, it will take years to undo and costs will be enormous.
I expect major US companies to go to court, calling this arbitrary and capricious government and possible even a “taking” in the way that Trump is unilaterally destroying entire business plans by proclamation. His power over foreign affairs does not extend to what are mostly domestic concerns.
This is a major unforced error, and he is too obstinate (a polite word for stupid) to walk it back. I said that Ukraine was burning political capital, but this will turn that furnace up to 17. When you piss off Fortune 500, you are not long for the world. The irony is that it allows foreign companies to come into our market while domestic companies are in disarray.
I’m unsure whether Trump will lose in the courts or just at the ballot box, but he WILL lose, badly, if he persists in this utter destruction.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:22 amI understand it was fact checked. And you understand that the fact check has nothing to with the question. But you parade it around as if it changes anything. It doesn’t.
I find it completely unacceptable that the EU purchases anything from a mass murderer. You don’t.
Tough on you and your pedestal.
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:23 amThat’s yours and Kevin’s thing
The rule against ad hominum is not mine, it’s our host’s.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:23 amIt’s not even about that, Kevin. It’s about Trump trying to illegally jump his agenda before his Congress has even gotten into it. Call me an institutionalist, but the legislative institution needs to be a part of it. I’m agreeable to some facets of the Unitary Executive idea, but not this.
Also, you may say this is not illegal, but your opinion is irrelevant because the courts have consistently ruled otherwise.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:24 amAnd there you go again, with this word cramming, like a little troll puke.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:26 amI said “it sucks” for a reason.
The point is that it sucks more that Trump is choosing the greater, aligning the mass-murdering Russan terrorist.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:27 am…the greater evil…
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:27 am@92
Objection…assumes evidence not in facts.
whembly (b7cc46) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:33 amwhembly, it’s called an opinion, an opinion based on observable facts, even made a comment with 21 factual statements to arrive at said opinion. You can agree with my opinion or not, that’s your business.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:36 am65 for sure: because it will not be done any other way. Don’t want to raise taxes as the Ryan/Boehner group (“tax collectors for the welfare state”) would do. Or scare everyone by adopting Haley’s clueless “let’s just make a change to Social Security.” He’s slashing right and left. If a congress that outlawed impoundment and funded USAID wants to do a better job, they should. But they won’t.
Harcourt Fenton Mudd (0c349e) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:40 amAlso, you may say this is not illegal, but your opinion is irrelevant because the courts have consistently ruled otherwise.
Indeed they have. I don’t dispute that. What I argue is that in the 50 years since the Berger Court drew the lines between Congress and the Executive, the administrative state has (as was predicted) metastasized and grown to rule America in the absence of meaningful Congressional control.
We don’t have budgets or appropriations bills, we have continuing resolutions, zombie programs, and bureaucrats and agencies determining how we live. The utter irony in your argument is that you say that all of this is controlled by Congress, when damn little of it is. It should be, of course, but I’ll bet money on another continuing resolution funding the (I’m making this up) National Kumquat Board for another 2 years.
The administrative state is now so powerful and immune to reform by a defanged Congress (again, Chadha and general faction) that ONLY the Executive has the ability to reform it, and it is at lest arguable that the Executive has control of his branch of government.
So, the Court will have to revisit this if Congress cannot, and decide whether those Berger Court rulings should be upheld or overturned in light of the growing distrust of administrative government.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:41 am* Burger Court. I didn’t realize is was spelled the same as Hamilton.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:43 amPresidents have wide ranging authority to impose tariffs under various authorities granted to him by Congress. Trump has invoked International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose his 25% tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. And the courts generally don’t want interfere with a President’s foreign affairs and tariff powers, which is outside of their expertise to evaluate.
Paragraph breaks added. The Takings Clause wouldn’t apply to tariffs, the cost of which can be recovered by the businesses. It applies when a government takes something of value for any reason other than public use, including contract and patent rights, as well as trade secrets. How would someone calculate the cost of a destroyed business plan?
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:55 amYou must believe in partial pregnancy as well.
Derp.
Reward Putin in any way, small or large, is evil. Period. Your multi year pronouncements have lost consistency in one fell swoop.
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:57 amIt’s not even about that, Kevin. It’s about Trump trying to illegally jump his agenda before his Congress has even gotten into it. Call me an institutionalist, but the legislative institution needs to be a part of it. I’m agreeable to some facets of the Unitary Executive idea, but not this.
I understand that completely. I too believe in institutions and abhor ukase-based government. See what I said about the North American tariffs.
The problem though is that we do not currently have an effective legislature, but we DO have a very powerful administrative state that seems to be independent of the Office that the Constitution says ALL Executive power resides in.
Worse, the Courts are persisting in imposing 50yo decisions that exacerbate Congress’ weaknesses, either by removing a power that Congress used effectively to limit administrative government, or by treating a long series of continuing resolutions as legislative control and direction.
We are at a stage where the brown stuff is all over the fan. Someone has to act. Congress is categorically unable to make any structural changes in the mess it has made, they are unable (indeed uninterested) in cutting any program or service or balancing any budget.
Yet it must be done. Insanity would be to wait for Congress to get its act in order. It might also be insane to let Trump and Musk do it, but they are the first folks who’ve tried this century. I for one would like to see how they do without the “can’t do” chorus taking control.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:06 pmNice dishonest analogy.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:10 pmThere really is no point to your stupid vendetta, BuDuh. I advise you do something else.
Paragraph breaks added. The Takings Clause wouldn’t apply to tariffs, the cost of which can be recovered by the businesses. It applies when a government takes something of value for any reason other than public use, including contract and patent rights, as well as trade secrets. How would someone calculate the cost of a destroyed business plan?
The takings clause is already getting a relook. Kelo was the last in a long series of expansions of governmental control of private property and commerce, going back to the New Deal surrender at the Court. Kelo will be overturned this year and other regulatory seizures of ownership control of property will follow in coming years.
But regardless, it is more of a distortion of the Constitution to say that the President can undo, by the stroke of a pen, 20-30 years of progressively unfettered trade with our neighbors. There are long-held expectations that have not only happened in the absence of controls, they have been actively encouraged by administrations of both parties for decades.
Is revoking long-settled DOMESTIC practices and expectations within the President’s unitary powers over foreign affairs? I think a takings argument stretches things less.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:16 pmThanks for the thought, Paul. But I am perfectly fine doing what I am doing.
No vendetta to be found here; it is far more simple. Just holding your words to account.
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:24 pmPaul, do you have a problem with how the nevertrumps treated the child that survived brain cancer?
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:25 pmDemocrats File Articles Of Impeachment Against Little Black Boy With Cancer.
lloyd (6a81df) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:35 pmTranscript of President Trump’s speech to Congress Tuesday March 4, 2025.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/us/politics/transcript-trump-speech-congress.html?unlocked_article_code=1.1k4.t6W0.QXxFNCgpnb16&smid=url-share
Incidentally, through March 4, 1933, March 4 used to be presidential inauguration day
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:41 pmPaul, do you have a problem with how the nevertrumps treated the child that survived brain cancer?
Democrats are not #NeverTrump. They are #NeverRepublican.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:41 pmSure…
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:44 pmIt’s funny that Trump thinks 30 days is long enough for the car companies to move all their parts suppliers to the USA. I doubt there is a car made that doesn’t have 50% or more foreign content. It would be easier to redesign all the cars than to move all the supply chains. Needless to say, either will take years.
And why? It won’t do ANYTHING but disrupt. If he pushes this he’ll be out on his ass sooner than I thought.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:46 pmMAGAspeak needs to conflate #NeverTrump with Democrats because it makes them easier to demonize. That does not make it true, it only reinforces #NeverTrump’s belief that every word out of MAGA is a lie.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:48 pmKevin, you’re assuming that his primary focus is in factories actually opening up. I think his first term made it pretty clear that his primary focus is headlines. I don’t think he sees any difference to himself between an announcement to open a factory or announcement to consider opening a factory or something along those lines and a factory actually opening up.
The Fox con deal never materialized in Wisconsin
The stuff he did to keep carrier for moving from Indiana to Mexico, resulted in carrier, moving a different pile of work to Mexico and then later on moving the pile of work that Trump objected to New Mexico
But all that stuff is only known by nerds who hate Trump, etc., etc.
Time123 (9c791d) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:50 pmDoes your version of nevertrump fully support the congressional Republicans that fully support Trump?
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:50 pmIt should be obvious this was not natural or organic, but organized by part of the political opposition. (of course the townhalls are really campaign events themselves.)
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:51 pmTrump could scale back Canada, Mexico tariffs Wednesday, Lutnick says
“Mr President: The Fortune 500 is on line 3. They sound unhappy.”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:53 pmDoes your version of nevertrump fully support the congressional Republicans that fully support Trump?
#NeverTrump are, historically, those Republicans who never supported Trump. There are some who now support Trump out of resignation, just like AOC supported Biden. But their hearts are still with Romney.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:56 pmDana (d72812) — 3/4/2025 @ 4:35 pm
He’s doing, or attempting to do, what he did with Twitter: Cut the workforce very quickly drastically, and reverse some decisions when the outcry is to loud.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:57 pmBut what is the answer to my question?
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:58 pmIt should be obvious this was not natural or organic, but organized by part of the political opposition.
“Outside agitators” is the traditional refrain. But it is probably not the case — many of Trump’s policies make traditional Republicans angry. Maybe the new thing is to call all non-MAGA “Democrats” but it does not make it true.
I expect a lot of MAGA vs non-MAGA GOP primaries in 2026, with incumbents of both stripes getting opposition.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:00 pmDoes your version of nevertrump fully support the congressional Republicans that fully support Trump?
Asked and answered. Don’t like my answer, well so sorry.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:00 pmIf it makes it any easier for you, #NeverTrump does not include, and never included the House Freedom Caucus or other posers of the same ilk.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:02 pmKevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 12:53 pm “Mr President: The Fortune 500 is on line 3. They sound unhappy.”
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:04 pmHe’s doing, or attempting to do, what he did with Twitter: Cut the workforce very quickly drastically, and reverse some decisions when the outcry is too loud.
Or when the mistake is obvious.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:04 pmBUt, Samy, you are mistaken that the point of DOGE is to cut the workforce. That may be a result, but the point is to rationalize the administration and agencies into something makes sense, rather than the disorganized sprawl that has resulted from so many independent empire-builders.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:07 pmIt wasn’t answered. You skipped a step. Not “does your version of nevertrump support Trump?” That is clearly not my question.
I’ll break it down to show you. Hopefully you try again.
This is where you can show me distinction between Democrats who are never-republican and nevertrump who appear to be never-congressional-Republican.
Should be easy.
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:08 pmNow the thing is, there’s no way that Trump doesn’t know 9and would hear this explanation very soon if he didn’t) that millions of payments to long deceased individuals are not going out. It’s just that Social Security does not have a recorded date of death but presumes these people dead.
But Trump said:
The Democratic “response” never deals with things like that. And when the Republicans had a response, they didn’t either.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:19 pmOne member of Congress died after listening to Trump’s speech, he was Texas Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner who was two months into his first term serving Texas’ 18th District. The seat was previously held by Sheila Jackson-Lee, who died in July.
https://www.newser.com/story/365253/rep-sylvester-turner-dies-2-months-into-his-term.html
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:22 pmThere is no way that US manufacturers can change their supply lines in 30 days. Especially since Trump will flip on this issue before summer.
If Congress passed a law that required this next week, it would be challenged as “arbitrary and capricious.” If the department of commerce issued these rules, they would be in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act.
Either would also be in violation of the existing treaty.
Trump is attempting to use his plenary power over foreign affairs to restructure American manufacturing, in the guise of fighting the fentanyl trade. But he fact that he has not exited the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (nor does there seem to be a way he can before 2036) makes the claim of plenary power weak in the face of a ratified and binding treaty.
That many US companies relied on that ratified treaty in making production decisions would seem to make the legality of these tariffs ripe for litigation.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:22 pmhttps://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-military-aid-whats-at-stake-as-trump-halts-supplies-13321318
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-03-04/factbox-how-much-aid-have-ukraines-western-allies-provided
They have EU heavy weapons estimated at around 18.9bn and 19bn.
https://energyandcleanair.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CREA_Analysis_Third-year-of-invasion_24.02.2025.pdf
Says the Europeans have imported $27bn in Russian oil, gas energy products
I realize I said “lethal aid” not “heavy weapons”
steveg (632c19) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:25 pmBuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:08 pm
Try it again in English. Obviously logic design is not a field you should enter.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:25 pmI realize I said “lethal aid” not “heavy weapons”
The bulk of lethal aid being bullets and artillery shells.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:26 pmKevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:47 am
There’s probably so much that the whole medical economy depends on significant waste fraud and abuse, especially abuse.
This is what allows for hospitals and doctors to lose money on some medical services.
Pricing is so irrational we get opposition to taking drugs off the shortage list (being on the shortage list allows for legal sale by compounding (custom made) pharmacies)
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:31 pmHence vendetta, since you’re not trolling anyone else here, but I can tell that my saying that Trump is aligning with the greater evil triggered you.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:35 pmAnyways, I answered your question, more than once, defending my position quite well, and now you’re boring me.
But you keep coming back, Paul.
😃
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:37 pmWhy should any President be beholden to the status quo, either in domestic or foreign affairs? Congress created the tariff authorities, and they can repeal them at any time. There’s nothing in the Constitution that requires “progressively unfettered trade with our neighbors” or any other long term policy choice; nor is there a bar to stupid policies that will harm America.
Businesses can adapt or die.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:37 pmTrump blamed Putin for starting the war:
Actually, it’s more that the United States wanted to withdraw from a war that was costing it no or few casualties. (he didn’t factor in the possible importance to the USA)
I heard someone say on the radio today the Russian buildup began in January (2021) but I don’t know. This person had not heard that it began around August but that was my impression.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:37 pmThen impeach him.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:38 pmDepending what day it is.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:39 pmKevinM
Agreed
Its hard to get a breakdown on “lethal aid” ( its being estimated as 20-25% of “military aid” in this conflict-plus its technically a secret) and I’ve noticed some people seem to include artillery shells and all missiles as part of heavy weapons even though technically, those are munitions that are connected to the weapon system. Small arms and small arms ammunition are excluded from “heavy weapons”, but no one seems to have a number
steveg (c55fba) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:40 pmNice set of insults Kevin. But the question is clear.
I did not ask for your version of nevertrump’s opinion of Trump.
I asked about your version of nevertrump’s opinion of Congressional Republicans that fully support Trump.
Why this is intimidating to you is beyond me.
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:41 pmThere was very little said in the speech about Israel or the Gaza war but much of what Trump said was nonsense (not hostile in any way, just nonsense)
It’s not the same thing. Israel has a defense shield against shorter range missiles. Trump is talking about “Star Wars”
He surely does not mean protection against missiles coming from Mexico, where he said a province (or even the entire country, but he forgot this point elsewhere in his speech) had been taken over by the cartels:
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:46 pmIn case you are going to fake confusion again Kevin, by “version of nevertrump’s opinion” I am not asking about your version of their opinion. “Version of nevertrump” is specific to what you believe is “nevertrump.”
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:48 pmRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:37 p
Try again with the USMCA still in effect. The president cannot quit a treaty outside its terms for quitting. And, in fact, he has not attempted to do so.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:48 pmI asked about your version of nevertrump’s opinion of Congressional Republicans that fully support Trump.
Congressional Republicans who fully support Trump are no longer #NeverTrump, if they ever were.
I assume you will go on to assert they all fully support Trump, which is patent nonsense.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:50 pmTrump also said that he’d “received signals” that Russia wanted to end the war:
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:50 pmThen impeach him.
How about just letting the courts emasculate him?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:51 pmBuddha, stop being a troll. We all know that never Trump means a sweet sparkly white, whose grapes came from the never Trump region of southern France.
Time123 (5b563c) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:51 pmWho asked that question?
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:52 pmExamples are Himars ATACMS, Air defense systems and their missiles, M777 and shells, Tanks and ammunition, Bradleys TOW’s and 25mm, Strykers and 30mm. Probably because the ammunition is attached to the system
steveg (c55fba) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:52 pmTime drops by to throw out an insult.
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:53 pmI’ll try to roll with the progress so far:
I will stipulate that and I will assign the group in your quote as Group A.
Does #Nevertrump fully support Group A?
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:56 pmAbout the Gaza war he indicated he couldn’t say anything, because things were in flux:
Translation: The United States is holding direct talks with Hamas. Israel considers the US attitude toward the continuance of Hamas rule to be reason not to worry about this
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:58 pmKevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:48 pm
I think he can. Carter tore up the defense treaty with Taiwan.
So it is still in effect.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:00 pmRussia is “they” according to Trump. That’s not true.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:01 pmKevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 1:07 pm
The empire builders are in Congress.
Apparently even though Congress now rarely follows regular order.
Musk believes that anything that’s gone on for a long time has a bloated payroll, and I think that’s why he wants to change things. Eliminating sprawl may be just means to an end.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:06 pmWho asked that question?
Your question was so wound up in your required answer that nobody could be expected to parse it.
But you are trying to walk this to show that all Republicans support Trump. That is not so. Not even all Congressional Republicans. Some members of Congress were and still are #NeverTrump.
Democrats are not against Trump because they don’t like Trump. They are against Trump because they are Democrats and he is not. They would be against Romney too. Ask that clown who heckled Trump what he thought of Reagan. I bet I know.
The entire set of #NeverTrump is this: persons who are registered Republicans, or lean Republican, who would never consider voting for Trump. Even if they pretend otherwise. Mitch McConnell is #NeverTrump. At one point JD Vance was #NeverTrump. Several sitting GOP Senators voted to convict Trump.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:07 pmNo.
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:08 pmI see the problem with engaging you on this.
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:09 pmTrump started out his speech by claiming that winning seven swing states amounted to a mandate like has not been seen in many decades: The American dream is unstoppable, and our country is
on the verge of a comeback the likes of which the world has never witnessed, and perhaps
will never witness again. Never been anything like it.
The presidential election of Nov. 5 was a mandate like has not been seen in many decades.
We won all seven swing states, giving us an Electoral College victory of 312 votes.
We won the popular vote by big numbers and won counties in our country —
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:12 pmBuDuh,
they don’t want to answer for the same reason that they supported Democrats to beat Republicans like Cruz. It’s not Trump that they hate, but the pro-American policies instead.
NJRob (4f7935) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:12 pmThe empire builders are in Congress.
How so. Not one of them gains a whit by the expansion of, say, the EPA or FBI. Sometime in the misty past those agencies were created and Congress has had very little to do with their growth since.
It’s the Deputy Assistant Secretaries for Whathaveyou that are building the empires. They create a budget, send it up the ladder and fight for every last position. Their agency accumulates these group budgets, massages them and sends a final budget up to Congress.
Congress ignores all this and passes a continuing resolution with a multiple of some 8 year-old baseline, and the agency gets the allocated amounts, mostly unrelated to current tasks, and parses out the dollars to all the little empire builders.
But Congress does not actually know or care much about those little empires.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:16 pmI contend that #Nevertrump hates republicans that support Trump.
I contend that Congressional Republicans are overwhelmingly supporting Trump
I do not see any real distinction between them and the congressional Democrats who hated congressional Republicans last night.
You see the distinction.
We disagree to agree. Only difference is that I didn’t have to be so nasty about it, like you were. You got so worked up fearing that you would stomp on bear traps, like Paul does when he is asked a simple question, that you stumbled. Next time read the question, and hit it head on.
Good luck, Kevin.
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:17 pmI see the problem with engaging you on this.
If you do not know my position by now, I will never ever be able to explain it to you. But I am beginning to understand that this is not your objective.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:18 pmThey keep on saying that the 13 year old boy getting into the Secret Service was a place that the Democrats could have or should applauded.
But wasn’t that a farce, and if serious, a violation of the child labor laws, and, in any case, an unspoken indication that they expected him to die? How is that good news to be celebrated?
One place I heard only one person say was a place that the Democrats could have or should applauded was the arrest and extradition to the United States off a man whom Trump said was the planner of the Abbeygate bombing in Kabul in August 2021
News reports say that U.S. intelligence told Pakistan that he was the planner (his superior is till at large) and the United States sent FBI agents to interrogate him and he confirmed that he was responsible and for others as well.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:22 pmI contend that #Nevertrump hates republicans that support Trump.
I agree with this.
I contend that Congressional Republicans are overwhelmingly supporting Trump
I disagree with this. Or at least I disagree with your meaning of the word “support.”
There are those that wake up every morning thanking God for sending them Trump. I have no doubt.
There are those that accept that Trump is the leader of their party and are willing to go along most of the time. After all, “party” has to mean something.
There are those that acquiesce to the direction the party has taken and love their jobs more than they love their principles.
There are those who are just telling themselves that if they quit a real MAGA will take their place. They spend a lot of time as “Devil’s Advocates.”
And there are some who are just not accepting of this at all. Some HAVE quit. Some have self-destructed over it. And some just quietly oppose the worst of it. It’s easier to do in the Senate.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:24 pmThey get to question them and pressure them in committee.
Many many members of Congress, for instance have some say on food aid or health matters.
If bureaucracies were consolidated, many ewer members of Congress would be involved.
That was said to be the reason the 1946 consolidation was so hard to get enacted.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:26 pmSo, no I do not believe that #NeverTrump and Democrat are in any way interchangeable and are almost entirely separate groups. Calling all Democrats #NeverTrump is an exercise in redundancy whose only point is to pretend that no “real” Republicans oppose Trump.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:30 pmUnder USMCA Article 32.2 (Essential Security):
I’m sure this is where the Administration will hang its hat.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:32 pmMany many members of Congress, for instance have some say on food aid or health matters.
They only have input when it comes to creating a new program, like the 4 separate school food programs we have now. Most of the time it all falls into the black hole called “The continuing resolution.”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:32 pmI’m sure this is where the Administration will hang its hat.
The thing it chooses to do has 99% of its effect on non-security matters. It’s merely a transparent pretext and the court will not be fooled.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:35 pmBTW, from what I saw, Trump’s performance last night was expected, which is why I nodded off 10-15 minutes in, out of boredom because I’ve heard this same bullsh-t too many times before. I figured if there was anything new, then I’d see it in the news recaps.
I didn’t catch Rep. Green’s performance, but read about it, and it was disgraceful. It put the Dems on lower ground than Trump, who’s already on low ground. His act was even more obnoxious than when Boebert-Marge were co-screeching at Biden while he was talking.
I also saw something about Democrats using auction or bingo paddles or something to express their displeasure, which was classless, sophomoric and stupid.
Not clapping for citizens who’ve endured hardships is also classless. It can still be done, while knowing that these guests were being used as political props, a longstanding tradition in SOTU speeches. They should’ve just assumed the traditional rituals and clapped.
It’s clear to me that the Dems don’t know WTF to do or how to respond. Like a client of mine once said, they don’t know whether to sh-t or go blind. There’s no leadership because most of it is gutted and aging out, and there’s no concensus on the new leaders of the next generation. Only Hakeem Jeffries is in a serious leadership position, and he’s been pedestrian.
They don’t know what issues to focus on. They have no say on tariffs because Biden continued most of them when he was prez. They have no say on immigration or the southern border for obvious reasons. They have no say on the Israel-Hamas war because Biden has been too much of a pizda on Hamas, similar to his being a pizda on helping Ukraine. They can have sort of a say on the economy, but inflation and interest rates are too high. Anyways, it’s not my job fix ’em, but if it were, traditional conservatism is the sweet spot, which they’ll never do because there’re too many hardline left-wing progressives still stuck on their hardline left-wing progressive issues.
It’s the Dem Party’s fault for where it is, and mostly because it’s Biden’s fault for making the 2nd worst presidential decision of this century, to run for reelection.
Seemingly, the one Democrat who gets all this is Fetterman.
For me personally, events like the SOTU are a place of tradition and decorum, and participants should be grown-ups and act appropriately, and I think Fetterman agrees with that, too.
IMO, he’s the one Democrat who’s been making the most sense, which may wrongly put him in the Remnant of his party, kinda like where I am with my party, but he’s right. And to his credit, he also has the same attire as me, but I rock those hoodies and shorts way better. I make it look good.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:37 pmIn the “Afterword” (paperback edition) of Rick Reilly’s Commander in Cheat, there is this admission:
p. 246
Is it possible that there could be a connection between that admission and his desire to sharply cut the budget of the IRS?
(After the hardback came out, Reilly was swamped with further examples of the Loser cheating, a few from some who had earlier claimed the Loser didn’t cheat.)
Jim Miller (a71d4c) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:38 pmBecause based on this analysis, the courts will be reluctant to second-guess (or will defer) to the determinations by the Administration.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:39 pmPresident Trump is taking action, or threatening action, against colleges but he said nothing about that yesterday in his speech. Afraid of MAGA “America-Firsters if it became better known>
https://thehill.com/homenews/education/5174865-trump-college-university-funding-student-protests
That protest was to demand that 2 Barnard college seniors who has been expelled be reinstated. They had disrupted a class on the history of modern Israel and brought flyers with them that called for and predicted Israel’s destruction – one showing a boot stomping on a Star of David.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:39 pmAssuming it gets that far.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:40 pmThat was right at the start, which was at about 9:16 to 9:20
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:41 pmTrump made several asides.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:43 pmKevin, I take it that now you understand what I’ve been dealing with, regarding this troll.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:44 pmParty on!
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:52 pmKevin is different. He may toss out an insult or two, but he can genuinely engage when he wants to.
I appreciate your answer Kevin and we just happen to disagree.
Paul never unwinds enough to attempt conversation.
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:52 pm@150 did applying the definition of champagne to never Trump not make it clear I was making a joke? I honestly haven’t been following this specific conversation very closely.
Time123 (5b563c) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:52 pmWell, stupid, and not helpful. They should have all sat on their hands, blank faced; not showed up at all, and if they wanted to push it, all just stand up and leave 7 minutes in, I don’t know if you do it 6 weeks in, vs next year, but if we are witnessing the end of America as it’s been known for the last 100 year.
The combination of America’s soft and hard power created the economic and political stability of the post WW2 world. So, stupid Hitler is keen on dumping that leadership. MAGA just assumes that the first A just is stupid Hitler, not the country.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:53 pmThe “troll” snapping washed away any attempt at humor, Time.
It was needless for anything other than scoring points for poor Paul, IMO.
I could be wrong.
BuDuh (418d3b) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:55 pmWhat’s the evidence that the courts have done so up to now? All that has happened are temporary restraining orders. I doubt after all the appeals, Trump will be “emasculated.”
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:55 pmWhat can I say, Sammy, I didn’t see it.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:56 pm@11 Why do you want a fellow poster censored? I would not want you censored or anyone here even robb or lloyd and would protest if they were. Why democrats didn’t walk out their donor class would have been upset.
asset (3fe2ba) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:59 pmNo, that’s on you, my friend. You’ve already got your predetermined answers, and you spend the rest of the time trying a cram a MAGA square peg into a NeverTrump round hole. Anyone can see that.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 3:01 pmMore carnage after speech. Dem. congressman drops dead after speech! (chance for left to replace him.) Speaker johnson’s chief of staff arrested for DWI.
asset (3fe2ba) — 3/5/2025 @ 3:14 pmHere is a Trump “truth” that I don’t disagree with. Butchers like Hamas terrorists understand strong messages like this. We’ll see how they respond.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 3:19 pmHere’s a good description of the practical result of Trump “pausing” the sharing of military intelligence.
Advantage to the Greater Evil.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 3:31 pmThe first problem is that there is someone to negotiate with, which shows Hamas hasn’t been destroyed.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 3:57 pmTrump raising the white flag after a couple of bad stock market days. Makes him look pretty weak.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 4:04 pmNo reprieves for other sectors, like building products, food, anything made in China (it’s gonna be an expensive Christmas). electronics, or steel.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 4:09 pmPaul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 2:37 pm
I managed to stay awake, although the games on my second screen helped a lot. I would have quite but I was hoping to hear something about Ukraine. Eventually he said some self-aggrandizing thing that mentioned Zelensky but really said nothing.
Trump is an amazingly tiresome speaker, although I was waiting for his posse to say it was the best SOTU ever. By Far!
As I said upthread, I have no expectations that any number he quotes is within a power of 10 of truth, and it may be wrong in direction, too. When he gets into that, I just hear “Blah blah blah Ginger.” Low expectations.
I am glad he did not find some new horror to spring on us like American forces were invading Greenland/Alberta/Cuba or announce he was appointing Barron as ambassador to France or MTG as ambassador to Ukraine.
I do regret not going with plan B (3 or 4 episodes of Gilligan’s Island).
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 4:50 pmcourts have “a very limited role” in reviewing presidential trade actions “of a highly discretionary kind,” such as Section 201, and such actions can only be set aside if they involve “a clear misconstruction of the governing statute, a significant procedural violation, or action outside delegated authority.”
A trifecta. And there is nothing discretionary about it.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 4:53 pmImposing tariffs is a discretionary action by a president.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 4:57 pmSection 201 refers to Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:04 pmThe tariffs on China and elsewhere are different as they have minimal effect (other than as price bumps) domestically. The “national security exception” that Trump is using to upend the USMCA — a pact that he himself negotiated — causes a major disruption almost every manufacturer or retail chain in the United States, not only in price but in every aspect of their business.
Grocers need to change all their produce buying (especially in the Southwest). Manufacturers need to uproot their entire supply chains and avoid all cross-border transactions. That sled that is made from Canadian wood and US steel that is assembled in Mexico and painted in the US is going to triple in price.
And for what? What on earth does the US gain by disrupting a continent wide free market that the government spent 20 years putting together. The USMCA is structured so that disruptions of this sort are impossible.
But I guess nothing is actually fool-proof if you have a big enough fool.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:06 pmIs there anyone who wants to defend tearing up the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement?
Step right up.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:08 pm@197:
Now is this relevant to the USMCA trade zone, which has its own, separate, dispute agreement?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:11 pm*HOW is this relevant…
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:11 pmApparently, Trump has unilaterally also scrapped the de minimus rules, which means the chotchke you bought on eBay from Mexico will have duty and taxes added and require the seller to complete a bunch of forms.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:16 pmThe USMCA is not considered a treaty, but a trade agreement under Section 151 of the Trade Act of 1974. It was approved by the US House of Representatives (385-41) and the US Senate (89-10) and signed into law (Public Law No: 116–113) by President Trump.
Again, if President Trump has violated the USMCA, the only remedy would be impeachment. No one would have standing to challenge Trump’s action in court.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:17 pmAs long as the buyer doesn’t have to.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:19 pmIf that is what will happen, then the voters will have a chance to express their opinion in 2026.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:20 pmI apologize for insulting you. The intent was to make a funny comment about what appeared on a cursory read to be a silly line of conversation.
Time123 (2e928f) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:33 pm@205, At this point I don’t take Trump seriously when he threatens Tariffs. Seems like he wants the attention and noise but isn’t serious.
I’m glad he’s not serious, it’s a stupid idea. I’d much rather he use to fabricate ‘wins’ in the media that will make his base think he’s doing something then actually damage the economy.
Time123 (9c409f) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:36 pmAgain, if President Trump has violated the USMCA, the only remedy would be impeachment. No one would have standing to challenge Trump’s action in court.
Really? Lots and lots of companies are directly harmed. The section you assert he is using, based on the fentanyl problem just won’t work. Especially as Trump has abandoned that figleaf.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:40 pmBut wait, Rip. You assert the USMCA is a public law. If so, it is binding on the President and anyone harmed by his reckless disregard for the law has standing.
Please tell me why they would not.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:44 pmAs long as the buyer doesn’t have to.
Well, they have to PAY for the process. Assuming that the sellers don’t just decide to sell domestically. Of course they wouldn’t need as many workers if their sales volume decreases.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 5:46 pmHaving to charge more for products is a questionable harm to a company; it harms customers more (and they definitely wouldn’t have standing to sue). Under I don’t think any court will investigate the motivations behind Trump tariffs; as long as there is an “intelligible principle” behind the decision. Unless they suddenly switch gears and stop being deferential to the executive; but given the composition of the current Supreme Court, I wouldn’t pin any hopes on that. As noted above, Congress has passed laws (delegating their specific Constitutional authority to the President) that give the President broad authority to impose tariffs and sanctions basically for any reason. That’s a problem Congress can resolve.
The fentanyl problem is just one of Trump’s motivations for tariffs (and it certainly applies to Mexico and China). He wants to drive more manufacturing back to the US; protect the domestic steel and aluminum industries; and to raise revenue.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 6:06 pmRe-editing for clarity of post 211:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/5/2025 @ 6:11 pmUnder I don’t think any court will investigate the motivations behind Trump tariffs; as long as there is an “intelligible principle” behind the decision.
He is now on record saying it is intended to force companies to leave Canada and Mexico. There is no provision in the agreement that allows that. They don’t have to investigate a thing.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 7:47 pm“Move fast and break things” may work for smart capable people who use it to get results, but not for idiots who end up with a lot of broken things.
The real crazy thing about this is that the USMCA created wealth and jobs in all 3 countries. Impoverishing Mexico is not a great plan.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 7:51 pmSome polling data from Tom Church, Hoover Institute…
“Domestic sources” means that Americans are paying the price for tariffs.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 7:51 pmThe weird part is even when Republicans were informed that Americans are paying for tariffs, 53% still support them, which means they put Trump over reason.
Overall, the results are not favorable for tariffs. It’s a loser issue.
As noted above, Congress has passed laws (delegating their specific Constitutional authority to the President) that give the President broad authority to impose tariffs and sanctions basically for any reason. That’s a problem Congress can resolve.
But those laws do not apply to this agreement that was passed later and have no such provision. In fact, the USMCA specifically replaces all national trade dispute methods with 3 of its own. The normal methods are not applicable, by law.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 7:54 pmhttps://www.timesnownews.com/world/us/us-news/trump-tariffs-do-25-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-violate-usmcaexplained-article-118719123
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:04 pmTrump officials eye tariff relief for USMCA-compliant products, Lutnick says
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:06 pmRegarding those silly paddles…
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:08 pmAs Tariffs Concerns Grow, Where Is the USMCA?
The security claim is meaningless blather.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:10 pmAs for the consequences:
Mexico warns US it is ready to seek other trade partners
The USMCA trade pact blocked Mexico from seeking trade pacts with “non-market economies” (meaning China). The US abrogation of the agreement will end that prohibition.
How many bad things can Trump do at once? It’s like students into a VW van.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 8:15 pm@219 Democratic donor class and DNC approved its safe and doesn’t cost the donor class any money.
asset (f924ef) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:23 pm@221 Mexico leases a military base to china in Tijuana?
asset (f924ef) — 3/5/2025 @ 9:25 pmMexico opens 50 Chinese electric vehicle factories, pays the duty and floods the US market.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/5/2025 @ 11:07 pmDNC we want donor class stooge like slotkin to give response. Our consultants say that will please donor class and get us paid. Bernie Sanders won’t praise reagan and bush like slotkin. Both our and your enemy DNC is Sanders. We both only hate trump ;but he doesn’t cost us money. WE fear Sanders and AOC who will cost our donors money! DEI doesn’t cost donors money raising taxes on rich will! Transgenders OK Raising minimum wage not OK!
asset (f924ef) — 3/6/2025 @ 2:55 am@224 Americans are not buying electric cars now. They are sitting on dealers lot unsold.
asset (f924ef) — 3/6/2025 @ 2:58 amIn yet another move designed to hurt Ukrainians…
You pull sh-t like that when you’ve aligned with the greater evil, the Putin terrorist regime.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/6/2025 @ 6:17 amI don’t know if Putin has any close friends that he can just kick back, drink vodka, and shoot the breeze with, but if he does, I can just see him getting more than a little ribbing for his orange, turkey-necked and bald-headed, 78-year old “girlfriend”.
“I’ll tell you, Vova, your grandfather faced down the Czar’s Cossacks with Lenin, your father charged through German minefields for Stalin, but the sacrifice you are making for Mother Russia is far above and beyond the call of duty.”
nk (eaa51b) — 3/6/2025 @ 6:42 amThis is Trumponomics…indiscriminately slashing jobs, implementing stupid tariffs, and creating economic uncertainty. Trump’s chickens are coming home to roost with the latest report on February 2025 job growth.
This means 110,000± of those job cuts are predominantly private sector. The latest inflation rate was 3.0% last January and the New York Fed does not forecast a reduction, so interest rates are unlikely to go down.
Paul Montagu (8f08d3) — 3/6/2025 @ 9:17 amThis is Bidenonomics:
Greater evil…
BuDuh (4214e4) — 3/6/2025 @ 9:30 amIf Trump is failing to enforce the USMCA (Public Law No. 116–113), he is violating his oath (and the Constitution) to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed” and should be impeached. Of course, he did that on day one of his administration with his suspension of the TikTok ban, but nobody cared.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/6/2025 @ 12:57 pm10 democrats join republicans (to please kevin m) in censor of Al Green. They will be primaried. Gerry connolly is acting like a squad member he is so afraid of being primaried!
asset (282412) — 3/6/2025 @ 1:59 pm230. This was not uncovered by Elon Musk or Donald Trump, although Trump calls the “green new deal” the “green new scam” – but that’s as much detail that he gets into.
He’s actually talking about the misnamed Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 which incorporated many of the idea in the Green New Deal resolution of 2019)
https://www.whitehouse.gov/remarks/2025/01/remarks-by-president-trump-at-the-world-economic-forum/
Trump actually did not terminate anything except the general idea.and things motivated by this philosophy here and there.
Sammy FInkelman (e4ef09) — 3/6/2025 @ 2:09 pmWSJ: Trump’s Tariffs Are No ‘Emergency’
So, it’s BS from other directions, too.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/6/2025 @ 4:55 pm(Trying again)
WSJ: Trump’s Tariffs Are No ‘Emergency’
So, it’s BS from other directions, too.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/6/2025 @ 4:57 pmIf Trump is failing to enforce the USMCA
He’s not “failing to enforce” it, he is fining people for observing it.
Just like a bank robber is not “failing to enforce” laws against bank robbery.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/6/2025 @ 5:05 pmPeggy Noonan reviews the Democrats on display Tuesday
Then she gives them advice they are going to largely ignore.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/6/2025 @ 7:20 pmBank robbers don’t take an oath to defend the Constitution. Trump has an obligation to follow the law, and as the USMCA is a a public law, he’s obliged to obey it.
Rip Murdock (271b5f) — 3/6/2025 @ 7:40 pmIt’s really up to Republicans in Congress to take action; whether it’s to claw back their authority from the President or impeach him. So far they’re just standing on the sidelines. Neither is likely to happen, though.
Waiting for “someone” to sue will be like waiting for Godot
Rip Murdock (271b5f) — 3/6/2025 @ 7:47 pmIt’s really up to Republicans in Congress to take action
Rip Murdock (271b5f) — 3/6/2025 @ 7:47 pm
Unfortunately, they are missing the bone structure that extends from the skull to the tailbone.
norcal (a72384) — 3/6/2025 @ 7:52 pmI’m pretty sure Kevin has read the novella Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell. Youse other guys have likely seen the movie version titled The Thing by John Carpenter.
All those people, Republican and Democrat, are there because they got themselves (re)elected. The survival of the body of which they are a part is of no importance next to their own personal survival.
nk (6d82f0) — 3/6/2025 @ 8:35 pmPolitico reports in new poll 40% of voters say democrats have no plan to combat trump. 24% say the have a plan ;but its a bad joke! 10% say democrats are doing something anything Bueller? DNC responds our plan to stop Bernie and the left is barely working we don’t have time to stop trump.
asset (ff7e3e) — 3/6/2025 @ 8:51 pm@237 Democrat donor class drones are not allowed to do anything that might prevent donor class tax cut. Noonan like the rest say become republican light. Gavin newsom is trying that now. Donors say appeal to moderate republicans not the 7 million voters who voted in 2020 ;but not in 2024. Consultants agree keep the donor cash flowing. Third way clinton democrats are worried that young democrats running for office are funding their campaigns with small donations from voters not large donations from corporate pacs. Consultants are worried how they will grift on these small donation campaigns and donors worry how they will control party.
asset (ff7e3e) — 3/6/2025 @ 9:11 pmThe survival of the body of which they are a part is of no importance next to their own personal survival.
Indeed. Nice connection. I say we try hot pokers to see which ones are monsters.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 3/7/2025 @ 1:18 pmTrump yesterday cancelled all new tariffs that are in violation of the USMCA. Meanwhile he wants to retaliate against Canada for dairy and lumber tariffs.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/7/2025 @ 1:40 pmJimmy Kimmel on the March 5, 2025 not exactly State of the Union message by President Trump
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMRGD6OwrDA
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/10/2025 @ 1:36 pmTariffs wee cancelled only till April 2. He cancelled tariffs he says were levied because of fentanyl but he still plans to impose them for economic reasons.
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 3/10/2025 @ 1:41 pm