Well... it's Trump... again. #47, here we go.

[Axulus]

And now the feckless GOP Senators are asking if they can have more (or well at least the money that was appropriated for their state).

Senators have in recent days made the case to Cabinet secretaries and other Trump officials to let money flow back into their states. They are trying to finagle exceptions to President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive orders or cuts made by billionaire Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service that freeze hundreds of billions of dollars, including money for farmers and infrastructure projects. That push comes as the administration has also sought to fire a wide swath of federal employees — some of whom live in red states.

Even as many Republicans praise the ultimate goal of streamlining the federal government, some GOP senators spanning the ideological spectrum from Katie Boyd Britt (Alabama) to Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) have lobbied the Trump administration to reconsider its cuts or pauses to federal grants that support biomedical research and labs, or for programs supporting Native American tribes.

Maybe those states should figure out how to take care of their own people instead of making us Californians do it for them.

More likely the Dump and repugs will even more than now funnel Federal dollars to red states while cutting funding to blue states and try to suck blue states dry. We are already seeing it with the EO directing department of transportation funding to favor states with higher birth and marriage rates.

At which point, why won't the blue states sucede from the union? The government would be effectively robbing them of their wealth and saying fuck you in the process.

 

[Axulus]

As of today, one month done, 47 to go. Or 2% done, 98% to go.
I am out of cuss words. Time to invent new ones.

That's the best case scenario. I wouldn't count on it.

 

[ZiprHead]

First polls are in and... Trump's approval is low 40s.

Overall, 43 percent of Americans say they support what the president has done during his first month in office, with 48 percent saying they oppose. Those who strongly oppose outnumber those who strongly support by 37 percent to 27 percent.

...

Almost 9 in 10 Republicans support his actions, while 9 in 10 Democrats oppose them. Among independents, about 1 in 3 support what he’s done, and half oppose. The remainder are unsure whether they support or oppose what is taking place.

Sounds like that mandate he thought he had was misread.

Rachel Maddow does a dive into this.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

And now the feckless GOP Senators are asking if they can have more (or well at least the money that was appropriated for their state).

Senators have in recent days made the case to Cabinet secretaries and other Trump officials to let money flow back into their states. They are trying to finagle exceptions to President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive orders or cuts made by billionaire Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service that freeze hundreds of billions of dollars, including money for farmers and infrastructure projects. That push comes as the administration has also sought to fire a wide swath of federal employees — some of whom live in red states.

Even as many Republicans praise the ultimate goal of streamlining the federal government, some GOP senators spanning the ideological spectrum from Katie Boyd Britt (Alabama) to Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) have lobbied the Trump administration to reconsider its cuts or pauses to federal grants that support biomedical research and labs, or for programs supporting Native American tribes.

Maybe those states should figure out how to take care of their own people instead of making us Californians do it for them.

More likely the Dump and repugs will even more than now funnel Federal dollars to red states while cutting funding to blue states and try to suck blue states dry. We are already seeing it with the EO directing department of transportation funding to favor states with higher birth and marriage rates.

At which point, why won't the blue states sucede from the union? The government would be effectively robbing them of their wealth and saying fuck you in the process.

Because really only two states can be considered "blue states", Vermont and Massachusetts. We are a stronger nation together. We need to go back to the days of petty political squabbling and away from this alt-right populist nonsense.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

From above:

I think I have the power to end this war, and I think it's going very well. But today I heard, 'Oh, well, we weren't invited.' Well, you've been there for three years. You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.

When they want a seat at the table, you could say the people have to, wouldn’t the people of Ukraine have to say, like, ‘You know, it’s been a long time since we’ve had an election.’ That’s not a Russia thing. That’s something coming from me and coming from many other countries also.

It's almost like he is a puppet.

Harris told everyone he would end the war by selling out Ukraine. This was obvious he would do this. No one should be surprised. It is what MAGA wanted.

I wouldn't be surprised if Putin cuts a deal with Trump for Ukraine's minerals for some sort of security guarantee to prevent Europe from retaking any part of Russia's ill gotten gains and future plans for further war.

I would be surprised if Putin made any sort of deal. He has Trump on a leash and can get him to do just about anything, for nothing in return to America's benefit. Why would Putin give up anything he doesn't need to. It isn't like Trump is the grand negotiator. All he does is renege.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

$300 billion in the USPS pension funds. Trump wants to privatize it.. but it has a $300 billion pension fund. Who can afford to a buy a company with that amount of capital?

Back in the days, the Federal Government sold off Conrail to CSX and NS after a rare successful US Government venture in saving a lot of defunct railroads.

 

[jonatha]

$300 billion in the USPS pension funds. Trump wants to privatize it.. but it has a $300 billion pension fund. Who can afford to a buy a company with that amount of capital?

Back in the days, the Federal Government sold off Conrail to CSX and NS after a rare successful US Government venture in saving a lot of defunct railroads.

Given that the pension is fully funded (which is the main reason USPS's finances are so precarious) I don't think it would be a problem for a potential acquirer. It's not really money that belongs to USPS and has to be paid for by an acquirer - it belongs to the pension beneficiaries and can be split out and handed to an external fiduciary.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

$300 billion in the USPS pension funds. Trump wants to privatize it.. but it has a $300 billion pension fund. Who can afford to a buy a company with that amount of capital?

Back in the days, the Federal Government sold off Conrail to CSX and NS after a rare successful US Government venture in saving a lot of defunct railroads.

Given that the pension is fully funded (which is the main reason USPS's finances are so precarious) I don't think it would be a problem for a potential acquirer. It's not really money that belongs to USPS and has to be paid for by an acquirer - it belongs to the pension beneficiaries and can be split out and handed to an external fiduciary.

There is $100 billion in unfunded mandate still.

My question is, because it does have the $300 billion funding, what is to stop from it being squandered? Probably not legal, but that isn't the bar these days. Why else privatize the USPS?

 

[Shadowy Man]

Why else privatize the USPS?

Shut down mail-in voting?

 

[ImGod]

$300 billion in the USPS pension funds. Trump wants to privatize it.. but it has a $300 billion pension fund. Who can afford to a buy a company with that amount of capital?

Back in the days, the Federal Government sold off Conrail to CSX and NS after a rare successful US Government venture in saving a lot of defunct railroads.

Given that the pension is fully funded (which is the main reason USPS's finances are so precarious) I don't think it would be a problem for a potential acquirer. It's not really money that belongs to USPS and has to be paid for by an acquirer - it belongs to the pension beneficiaries and can be split out and handed to an external fiduciary.

There is $100 billion in unfunded mandate still.

My question is, because it does have the $300 billion funding, what is to stop from it being squandered? Probably not legal, but that isn't the bar these days. Why else privatize the USPS?

If they split it off and allowed investments in better options than Treasuries would it be unfunded anymore? They could stay in safer funds that pay better than Treasuries.

Of course it could negatively affect the treasury market if they sell off that much.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

$300 billion in the USPS pension funds. Trump wants to privatize it.. but it has a $300 billion pension fund. Who can afford to a buy a company with that amount of capital?

Back in the days, the Federal Government sold off Conrail to CSX and NS after a rare successful US Government venture in saving a lot of defunct railroads.

Given that the pension is fully funded (which is the main reason USPS's finances are so precarious) I don't think it would be a problem for a potential acquirer. It's not really money that belongs to USPS and has to be paid for by an acquirer - it belongs to the pension beneficiaries and can be split out and handed to an external fiduciary.

There is $100 billion in unfunded mandate still.

My question is, because it does have the $300 billion funding, what is to stop from it being squandered? Probably not legal, but that isn't the bar these days. Why else privatize the USPS?

If they split it off and allowed investments in better options than Treasuries would it be unfunded anymore? They could stay in safer funds that pay better than Treasuries.

Of course it could negatively affect the treasury market if they sell off that much.

Well yeah, some percentage into a S&P tracking fund would probably be enough. But that is if they wanted to get the pension where it needed to go for solvency.

I'm saying they'll see the $300 billion with dollar signs in their eyes, whacking their head with a wooden mallet like a cartoon character, looking to pilfer the whole thing.

 

[Swammerdami]

My question is, because it does have the $300 billion funding, what is to stop from it being squandered? Probably not legal, but that isn't the bar these days. Why else privatize the USPS?

If they split it off and allowed investments in better options than Treasuries would it be unfunded anymore? They could stay in safer funds that pay better than Treasuries.

Of course it could negatively affect the treasury market if they sell off that much.

Usually "privatizing a government pension fund" means investing the funds in stocks instead of safe bonds. Trump will appoint the stock-pickers. This gives an opportunity for pump-and-dump schemes on a giant scale.

 

[ZiprHead]

Joe Rogan dethroned by anti-Trump podcast in the charts

Rogan slips into second spot, as the MeidasTouch Podcast becomes the country's most downloaded and listened-to show this month.

www.newsweek.com

The podcast charts have largely been dominated by shows with a conservative or pro-Trump voice, and the likes of Joe Rogan, Shawn Ryan and Ben Shapiro have frequently appeared in the top 10. Trump himself appeared on a number of these podcasts, eschewing traditional media outlets, as part of his successful bid for reelection in 2024.

Less than a month into the new administration, the rise of the left-leaning MeidasTouch to become the country's most popular podcast indicates a potential shift in tone currently resonating with Americans.

 

[Axulus]

The key to Trump's real power is control over the so called power ministries: the DOJ, the military, and the intelligence agencies. Control over these is how Putin maintains his absolute power in Russia. It allows congress and the courts to be completely ignored.

He got all his picks confirmed: Tulsi, Hegseth, Bondi, and Patel.

Them having low qualifications is kind of the point. They know they owe their position entirely to the good graces of Dear Leader and will therefore owe a debt of gratitude to him. They are far more likely to remain loyal and cling to their position.

The purges over the military and FBI are ongoing. We already know there have been no qualms about carrying out illegal orders to fire people who are protected in an effort to purge those not deemed sufficiently loyal. Also, the cutting of spending is clearly illegal anti-constitutuonal as the power to determine spending lies with congress. The next test will be to see whether or not there is a stopping point. Will any illegal orders ever be refused to be carried out? If not, then the dictatorship takeover of our country will be complete.

The other danger lurking in the background is the U.S. foreign policy shift to openly supporting anti-liberalism. Isolationism is not the only alternative to active U.S. foreign policy in support of our allies and liberal democracy, but rather active policy in support of the kind of systems we see in Hungary and Russia, and the kind of system parties like AfD want to impose. JD Vance and Elon Musk openly support AfD and tried their best to help improve their votes. MAGA is anything but isolationist on foreign policy.

Check out this discussion between Bill Krystal and Robert Kagan for more insight on this:

 

[Swammerdami]

Has anyone mentioned Alnur Mussayev's claims? This is mostly being dismissed as fake news, but Trump is such a pushover for flattery and honey-traps that I'd think he would be very easy to recruit.

‘Trump Recruited as Moscow Asset,’ Says Ex-KGB Spy Chief
(Another article uses the word "spy" where "asset" is intended.) Trump was an asset codenamed "Krasnov"

 

[Swammerdami]

Sections of the IRS’s Internal Revenue Manual outlining its policies and procedures have disappeared from its website, alarming some tax professionals.

“Huge swaths of the Internal Revenue Manual are missing,” Mandi Matlock of the Center for Taxpayer Rights said. “As practitioners, we rely on it when we’re dealing with IRS employees because this is their handbook on how and what they have to do.”

This was part of Trump's program to remove DEI and other naughty words from government webpages. For example, a document mentioning the "inclusion of a taxpayer ID number" was found to be in violation: inclusion is a prohibited naughty word.

 

[KCFlyer]

They are dropping a nuke inside the government. It's unorganized and chaotic. I know personally.

The full impact of what Musk has done will not be felt for a couple of months, but when they are it may be too late. But I sincerely hope that when that pain is felt, those people who voted for Trump are hurt the worst. A good friend of mine retired from the Treasury department...she said if anybody had touched that payment system central database, they would be fired, handcuffed, and charged wth a felony. But we just gave 20 year old hackers access to the code. It wouldn't surprise me if one of them may be tempted by Russian agents to grant THEM access in return for a promise of them being able to live like Elon Musk in Russia..

 

[TV and credit cards]

.

Has anyone mentioned Alnur Mussayev's claims? This is mostly being dismissed as fake news, but Trump is such a pushover for flattery and honey-traps that I'd think he would be very easy to recruit.

‘Trump Recruited as Moscow Asset,’ Says Ex-KGB Spy Chief
(Another article uses the word "spy" where "asset" is intended.) Trump was an asset codenamed "Krasnov"

I read that. Fake news or not, someone could sneak asset Krasnov's file with 40 years of documentation within out of Russia and I still don't think the GOP would blink.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Whether Trump is or isn't officially working for Russia, he is clearly doing Putin's bidding, for whatever reason.

The United States on Monday will vote against a United Nations resolution — which was proposed by Ukraine and co-sponsored by dozens of countries including its closest European allies — condemning Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and calling for its Russian-occupied territory to be returned, a senior State Department official said.

The U.N. General Assembly is preparing to vote on that resolution, followed by a competing U.S. version that briefly calls on the parties to stop fighting but does not address Russia’s 2022 invasion.

U.S. interim representative Dorothy Camille Shea said the United States would also vote against amendments to its own resolution, sponsored by France and a group of other European countries inserting a commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The amendments were a clear sign that leading U.S. allies are prepared to buck heavy diplomatic pressure from the Trump administration in recent days.

The resolution doesn't particularly mean all too much more than Trump calling Zelensky a dictator, blaming Ukraine for the invasion, and going into unilateral talks with Russia (without Ukraine or any other European player) on peace talks. But still, it is chilling.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

The other danger lurking in the background is the U.S. foreign policy shift to openly supporting anti-liberalism. Isolationism is not the only alternative to active U.S. foreign policy in support of our allies and liberal democracy, but rather active policy in support of the kind of systems we see in Hungary and Russia, and the kind of system parties like AfD want to impose. JD Vance and Elon Musk openly support AfD and tried their best to help improve their votes. MAGA is anything but isolationist on foreign policy.

I disagree. I think MAGA is doing Russia's bidding. Russia wants to sink the other nations a little so Russia can appear dominant again. Russia wants the US to go back to the 19th Century of only western hemisphere influence.