Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 18 Apr 25 - 01:16 PM

--- Found it: I *knew* I'd seen this sort of centre-of-the-world syndrome before somewhere, and I've just seen this entry in Brewer's Britain and Ireland:

The clever men at Oxford
Know all there is to be knowed
But they none of them know one half as much
As intelligent Mr Toad!

       -- Kenneth Grahame; The Wind in The Willows (1908)

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 18 Apr 25 - 01:32 PM

”The reference is to the late, great Terry Pratchett, BWM.”

Aaahh! Thanks Dave. I know SFA about him, other than that, for reasons I fail to understand, he seems to be held in great reverence by many people. Probably says more about me than them! ;-)

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 18 Apr 25 - 01:47 PM

BWM, Sir Pterry's books are the cleverest, quirkiest, funniest books I have ever read. We have almost every fiction book he has written in our bookcase and as a former librarian I managed to convince a lot of people to read his books. The Discworld series would be a good place to start.

What would he have made of tRump, indeed?!

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 18 Apr 25 - 04:53 PM

If DtG had said "Sir Pterry", Doug, would that have been any clearer?

Not really. I guessed that 'Sir Terry' referred to Terry Pratchet but 'Sir Pterry' makes no sense at all.

I looked up a Terry Pratchet reference to monarchy (which, unfortunately, I don't seem to ge able to make a link to). While I found it amusing, it was difficult to see how it fits into this thread other than a passing mention of Trump acting like a king.

DF

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 18 Apr 25 - 05:33 PM

Doug, Terry Pratchett was also known as "Pterry" so when he became Sir Terry Pratchett he obviously would then also be known as "Sir Pterry".

There would not be one *single* reference to monarchy. There would be references scattered throughout many of his books to monarchy or aristocracy, people in power etc.

It's kind of an in-joke to reference Pratchett in relation to any farcical, nonsensical situations relating to life generally or people in power doing doing eye-wateringly bewildering things which throw the lives of rest of the people into chaos. Hence the connection in the minds of Pratchett's fans to the Trump situation as it unfolds.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Apr 25 - 08:47 PM

I haven't read any Pratchett other than Good Omens. Those four horsemen would fit very well with the Project 2025 plan and their steering of current events. And setting aside her fraught current life, I think Rawlings' Voldemort most accurately fits the Trump staying power and influence on bad people around him.

This is another big weekend for protests. Indivisible - events. Locally it is a couple of organizing groups working together. There is also a commercial boycott underway (April 18-20) during which time people are asked to not buy from big retailers (with the understanding that where no other choices are available or emergencies happen, do what you must and don't beat up on yourself). Will all of this work? I don't know. But the more it happens the more people who weren't otherwise engaged will notice and realize their retirement and health care (at the very least) is on the line also. And these big turnouts catch the attention of elected representatives.

Three friends are coming over here and will ride downtown with me. We'll travel light, using fanny packs under our clothes for ID, phones, bail money (joking). Raingear and signs. After Trump was elected I bought a small digital camera to use during this kind of event so my phone isn't exposed to whatever is going on during the event. Two weeks ago I was able to hold up the camera and grab shots of the crowd in a town where you wouldn't expect a protest to ever happen. Of maybe 30 photos I used four, and of the small videos I used one, but they speak volumes. It's not a great camera but I can crop and correct images before posting.

I'm making my signs tonight. Months ago I bought a case of large pieces of foam core that can have a message on both sides. One of them is going to say "Mad king Donald wants to trump the Constitution" (with a red circle and diagonal line over the top of "king"). The other will be something that conveys that even MAGA folks are going to lose their social security and Medicaid because of Trump.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Apr 25 - 10:28 PM

David Brooks has for years been considered a Conservative voice and has debated liberal commentators on the PBS News Hour. But it is more and more clear that what was once "conservative" no longer exists. Or no longer has that name. Like Liz Cheney, the party moved around her and her position is now way left of before.

What’s Happening Is Not Normal. America Needs an Uprising That Is Not Normal.

Here's a bit of it:

It’s time for a comprehensive national civic uprising. It’s time for Americans in universities, law, business, nonprofits and the scientific community, and civil servants and beyond to form one coordinated mass movement. Trump is about power. The only way he’s going to be stopped is if he’s confronted by some movement that possesses rival power.

Peoples throughout history have done exactly this when confronted by an authoritarian assault. In their book, “Why Civil Resistance Works,” Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan looked at hundreds of nonviolent uprisings. These movements used many different tools at their disposal — lawsuits, mass rallies, strikes, work slowdowns, boycotts and other forms of noncooperation and resistance.

This is a gift article, so if you mouse over and copy the entire URL you can share out beyond here.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 18 Apr 25 - 10:43 PM

What about a sign saying "Make America a Democracy Again"?

".. lawsuits, mass rallies, strikes, work slowdowns, boycotts and other forms of noncooperation and resistance" all sound fairly normal in Oz, mainly because of the strong Union movements operating here for decades, defending the rights of the ordinary working people.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Apr 25 - 02:35 AM

is it true that Vance was a member of the KKK

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 19 Apr 25 - 10:25 AM

Helen: iirc the P-prefix thing was originally a side reference to Pyramids*, where the handmaiden Traci becomes "Ptraci" when she's outside the hero's kingdom (she speaks Ephebian with just a ptrace of an accent). But *agree* about the theraputic effect of laughter --- it oils the synapses summat wonderful. I do wonder what Sir Pterry would have made of He Who Must Not Be Tolerated.

* Corrections invited.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Apr 25 - 12:35 PM

98% humidity and rain expected in the next hour or so, then it will dry out.

I'm going to remove some of the off-topic stuff, and let's try to keep on topic. (Seems a good time for one of you to start a Pterry thread. I can move some of the deleted stuff over to it.)

The Supreme Court overnight (minus Thomas and Alito) stopped the next deportation without due process. No idea for how long or if it means all of these flights - it's a moving target and I've been busy making signs this morning.

I settled on a cartoon caricature of Trump with a crown (found on the internet and photoshopped) and my sign says "Donald Wants to Trump the Constitution." #NoKings #250Years #AmericanRevolution

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 19 Apr 25 - 01:24 PM

Good idea, SRS. I've refreshed this thread:

Terry Pratchett thread - it is one of many

Also I keep thinking it would be poetic justice if Trump caught COVID, given that he is an anti-vaxxer and remembering the huge number of Americans who died because of his anti-vax stance. Last time he was given the vaccination but he might refuse it this time because of his anti-vax buddy, RFK Jr.

He has been dabbling in the dark arts again re COVID:

Trump administration redirects COVID-19 sites to webpage supporting lab leak theory, criticises Joe Biden

"In short: The Trump administration has relaunched COVID-19 health websites, blaming the origins of the coronavirus on a lab leak in China and criticising former president Joe Biden.

"Websites such as Covid.gov and Covidtests.gov were formerly government-run websites where Americans could receive information on long COVID, vaccine options and testing resources.

"What's next? Beijing has said there was no credibility to claims that a laboratory leak likely caused the pandemic."

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Rain Dog
Date: 19 Apr 25 - 01:55 PM

So who do believe Helen?
The USA or China?
How do you choose? Tossing a coin?

China has its own agenda just like the USA. Personally I am not keen on either of them at the moment. Just look at the havoc China is causing with regards to steel production in the west.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 19 Apr 25 - 04:36 PM

There is evidence of human bioengineering with Covid, but it is not incontrovertible evidence.

Trump paid someone to take his SATs for college entrance. Revenge against Universities has been a thing since Nixon, since upper-crust kids are more likely to be Republicans. Whodathunk Trump would make a Mao-style cultural revolution? Obama said Donald made no ideological comments on handover day at the White House.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 25 - 11:56 AM

The march in Fort Worth was huge, larger than what many of us expected (the permit estimated 200 participants). The group walked from the park around a route planned out through downtown, then back to the park where speakers addressed issues important to the group. During the march part the Fort Worth police, on motorcycles and bicycles, were professional and there were a few discreet waves when we waved at them; their job was to stop traffic at intersections as the crowd walked through. Police estimate of the group was 3,000. The weather cooperated (heavy rain forecast ended up to the north just enough) but it was quite muggy.

A Flickr album from someone at the march was shared on the AltNPS page this morning, a nice overview.

Marches draw attention to issues but they also help energize participants to keep up the activist work. As of this morning I think there are at least a dozen GOP house members who have said they won't vote for the budget package that would obliterate Medicaid (and because those dollars don't operate independent of all other health care, many local hospitals and services.) That's enough to stall the budget.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 20 Apr 25 - 02:02 PM

Well done, SRS and all other participants!!

I read an (Oz) ABC article about the number of marches throughout the US and the large numbers of people marching and it does appear to send a strong message to the politicians to take a stand as well.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Apr 25 - 03:19 PM

Psychopaths are surprisingly common; however, very few of them are deadly predators. They all share the inability to take responsibility and therefore, blame others. Empathy is generally unavailable to psychopaths but they often try to mimic empathy to play up to an audience as in game playing. That kind of manipulation is obvious to most people. People who ignore empathy in favor of a desired goal, like money, can turn psychopathy on and off as they need. That group is not composed of hard-core psychopaths, but is a subcategory like narcissists.
It would not be surprising if Trump had a murder buried in his past, but not necessarily by his own hand. He has bragged about getting away with murder on 5th Avenue.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Apr 25 - 05:43 PM

He will have many deaths on his hands, probably does already, with the wrenching of basic services provided by USAID, plus all of the domestic programs that are funded now but Congress from past budgets but from which he and Musk are impounding the dollars.

What are they doing with all of the money they stole from the programs it belongs to?

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 Apr 25 - 06:33 PM

thanks for the link, Maggie, I've shared it with my friends - I'm glad to see our penguins got a mention, & old ladies as well!

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Apr 25 - 08:23 AM

Surprisingly, relatively very little money has actually been stolen by DOGE.
Half of the money they claim that has been reaped by a reduction in force is a bald faced lie. The true aim is the destruction of agencies by hollowing them out and removing the individuals who have complete knowledge of how the benefits of their agency are achieved.

Somehow, DOGE claims the Pentagon has virtually no waste or inefficiency. The rest of the plan is to reappoint ignorant political hacks to crucial agencies to discipline employees to all be loyal to Trump or else.

What Trumpers think are crucial agencies is based on stupidity, Trump's gut, and conspiracy theory.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 21 Apr 25 - 11:32 AM

More info: What's three orders of magnitude between friends?

Downward DOGE: Elon Musk keeps revising cost-trimming goals in a familiar pattern

On top of that, Trump's increased federal spending almost completely negates $150B in cuts

Elon Musk's Trump-blessed DOGE unit has made a lot of noise and a lot of headlines for its heavy-handed hatchet tactics within supposedly bloated governmental organizations.

But its actual results are so far falling far short of the Tesla tycoon's original promises.

[ ... ]

Over-promising, under-delivering, dodgy receipts .... read on, esp for the punchlines (there's a bonus one which looks fascinating, but I can't follow the link to the WSJ).

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Apr 25 - 01:08 PM

For those who sell out for money know they are guilty of racketeering but if the boss owns law enforcement or a new law like Citizens United that allows dark big money to pay their players to cheat they feel fairly secure in racketeering. It is a lucrative sickness that is hard to cure.

The biggest lobby in DC is the pharmaceutical lobby. That means they probably bribe the most Congressmen. None of this makes for efficiency in government but pay to play has deep roots that Trump can advance with Billionaires united.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 21 Apr 25 - 03:24 PM

MaJoC, I also tried to read a similar article on the website of The Atlantic about Elon Musk's harem after it was recommended on the PBS Washington Week with the Atlantic TV show this week. Scary!

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Apr 25 - 03:47 PM

I had other stuff to do today, but spent the morning listening to a couple of the podcasts of the Freakonomics radio show. I've wanted to know about the agency that was in existence that Musk supposedly took over (and I think all of the original staff resigned shortly thereafter because of what he was doing to break things.)

Yesterday I heard enough of the program to make a couple of notes so I could find the whole thing today. Stephen Dubner interviewed several people in a two-episode program about "Sludge," the term used now to describe administrative red tape.

Sludge, part 1 is interesting, and worth a listen.

Sludge, part 2 is where he interviews Jennifer Pahlka.

It’s probably not surprising that many of the personal sludge stories we received had to do with government sludge. And when you think about government sludge at this moment in time, you may well think of Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest man and one of its most unusual. He has been deputized by Donald Trump to drain the D.C. swamp, to take a chainsaw to bureaucracy — pick your metaphor, there are plenty to go around. Musk runs a new entity called DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, which took over and renamed an existing entity called the U.S.D.S., or U.S. Digital Service. So we thought it’d be good to speak with one of the people who founded the U.S.D.S., a little over 10 years ago, under President Obama.

PAHLKA: I’m Jennifer Pahlka. I wrote a book called Recoding America: Why Government is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better.

Pahlka no longer works in government, but she’s usually adjacent.

PAHLKA: I work with governments — state, federal, and local — to increase their capacity, to achieve their policy goals. I founded a nonprofit that helps state and local governments do all that stuff.

That nonprofit is called Code for America. Pahlka does some other things as well.

PAHLKA: I served on the Defense Innovation Board, trying to help the Defense Department be better. I do stuff like that. I write a lot. I write a Substack called Eating Policy.

It was in 2014 that Pahlka co-founded the U.S. Digital Service. It was imagined as a kind of anti-sludge strike force, going from agency to agency to help them update their digital infrastructure. And how did Jennifer Pahlka become this kind of a fixer? I asked her; specifically, I asked what sort of superpower this requires.

I'll leave it to everyone to go listen to the program (or read the transcript - the part you see here is cut and paste from there). This program was recorded many weeks ago, before Musk had done as much damage as now. At about 42:10 into the program he asks her how she would have have approached what Musk has been tasked with now. The difference between how she might do it and Musk is doing it is that she knows what she's doing but wouldn't do it this way.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 21 Apr 25 - 04:06 PM

This is the link to a long news article, worth reading in full, but I'm not going to try to cut and paste from it. A ray of hope, maybe or just more scary Trump-induced chaos?

'Chaos' and 'dysfunction' reign inside Pete Hegseth's Pentagon following Signal scandals

"There are now numerous reports the US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was sharing sensitive military plans in a second Signal chat — a development that has been slammed as the latest in a "month from hell" for the Pentagon.

"The reports have prompted calls for Mr Hegseth to be fired and come as the former top Pentagon spokesperson alleges the past month has seen 'chaos' and 'dysfunction' reign under his leadership."

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Apr 25 - 04:07 PM

Oh - and Noem the idiot doesn't know how to watch out for her handbag in a restaurant. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s bag, including $3,000 in cash, is stolen from DC restaurant

The thief got away with Noem’s driver’s license, medication, apartment keys, passport, DHS access badge, makeup bag, blank checks, and about $3,000 in cash, the law enforcement source said.

The Secret Service has launched an investigation to trace any use of Noem’s financial instruments, the person said.

Well, those $3000 financial instruments can go on their merry way. Who carries around that kind of cash? And blank checks? Who carries a checkbook these days?

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 21 Apr 25 - 04:47 PM

Couldn't happen to a more deserving bimbo! And poetic justice indeed - having her ID, keys, passport and DHS access card stolen.

Literally LOL!

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Apr 25 - 07:03 PM

Since MAGA hats are made in China, a new one costs $32.50.

Perhaps a dog stole Noem's purse.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Apr 25 - 10:17 PM

The ACLU got another batch of deportees from El Paso on a bus headed to the airport and a flight El Salvador turned around and returned to the detention center. Rachel Maddow talked about it on her show tonight, then interviewed the attorney. He has a skill that has never before been required in the US, to keep people from being deported without due process. It looks like my $25 a month is going to a good cause.

Lawrence O'Donnell is starting his show with "Make America 1932 Again." Trump's assault on the marketplace continues, now going after the Federal Reserve head, but that doesn't affect the interest rates, a board sets the rates. Going after Powell will just continue to tank the stock market.

It looks like cars and car parts are going to go way up soon because of the tariffs; I need to schedule a brake job around the time of my next oil change (about 5000 miles), but the local newspaper opinion page says do the repairs or the work before the tariffs hit that will increase the price of the new brake pads and parts by 60%. How many "normal" purchases are now being bumped up or deferred because of this market?

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 Apr 25 - 03:32 AM

I see he is now "looking forward" to attending the Pope's funeral. I hope he is not invited!

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Apr 25 - 04:22 AM

What is Hegseth's actual job?
He is the deputy President of WAR, a very serious position for a character who is jokey at best. He surrounds himself with his wife, who was his producer at FOX News, even at high-level secret meetings.

Tariffs are not a remedy that Trump thinks they are. The market is 'tariff-fied'. The economy is not 'tariff-ic'. The risk is a 'STAGFLATION' similar to what happened to Japan when their recession could not be remedied for over ten years.

Waiting for this shoe to fall is an anvil that could kill.


Nobody expected the Spanish Inquisition, or Project 2025, unless they read it before the election. But Americans rarely read and prefer to wait for the movie version.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Apr 25 - 12:12 PM

Helen, You'd think the New York Times would be right out in front of some of these stories, but they lagged a day behind your abc.net.au story about the disarray in Hegseth's Pentagon. Covered much the same thing, with a few interesting links to side stories. The Times and the Washington Post have become downright timid, following, not leading in reporting this administration. He has them cowed also.

I reported yesterday about the interview with Jennifer Pahlka, and have for now downloaded her book from my public library, though I did order a copy on paper as well. I think this is one where I will want to write in the margins and use post-it notes to find good quotes to share, so having a paper copy helps. This will be the book that helps me not just say "Musk doesn't know what he's doing" but to point out why it isn't working and what needs to be done. I'm still calling or writing several times a week to my representatives offices, and I don't want to just be "me, too!" in the complaining crowd. Elizabeth Warren is another one who is behind making the legislation work, not just pile on more rules to old rules. That said, you'd think they would want to keep the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), except oops, that group was going to limit what Musk could do on X regarding banking stuff.

We are at the #AmericanRevolution2.0 right now in time.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Apr 25 - 12:14 PM

Noem has the law on her side as the director of Homeland Security to remove the security team from the Obama family. I wonder if she will.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Apr 25 - 01:03 PM

Petty-acts-are-us is the motto of the Trump administration. I suspect all former presidents are looking into private security.

Pete Hegseth is in the swirling around in the toilet bowl mode right now; any moment he'll disappear from view entirely. From an interview with Elizabeth Warren today:

. . . “it is so clear that he is not ready for prime time. Look, we all knew this at the time he was originally nominated, that he was nominated principally because he was very, very, very, very loyal to Donald Trump, and he looked good on television and gave a kind of rah-rah talk around defense. But the truth was, he didn’t have the experience. He didn’t have the background. He made it clear that he didn’t think that a lot of us were serving in the military, particularly women, belong there, and had a contribution to make. And so it was, it was never a good idea to put this guy in.”

“And then he comes in and literally puts our entire national defense at risk, not once, but twice that we know of, and no one is sure,” Warren continued, adding, “this is something for which anyone who actually worked in the Department of Defense for Pete Hegseth would have been summarily fired.”

The whole conversation with Katie Couric is here.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 22 Apr 25 - 01:14 PM

The boot is on the other foot for Noem, now that she has been DOGE'd by a sneaky but brazen thief. Her driver's licence and DHS security tag stolen, money stolen and I assume her credit cards too, keys to her home stolen allowing access to her private life.

Trump is still claiming publicly to be supporting Hegseth but his usual tactic is to do that and then throw the person under the bus without warning.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 22 Apr 25 - 10:36 PM

SRS, I especially liked the sign on that Flickr page from the protests which says:

Eggs are so expensive because all the chickens are in Congress. Congress/Courts do your job. Remove Trump.

(It's second from the top, on the right of the page.)

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Apr 25 - 01:35 AM

Musk's Tesla stock is way down, they had a 71% decrease in sales this year. Poor baby. It's what most of his wealth is based upon.

Elon Musk Vows to Spend Less Time in Washington as Tesla’s Profit Drops 71%
The carmaker reported the sharp decline in quarterly earnings after its brand suffered because of its chief executive’s role in the Trump administration.

Mr. Musk told Wall Street analysts in a conference call that he would continue to spend “a day or two per week” on Washington matters, probably for the duration of Mr. Trump’s presidency. The billionaire executive is one of Mr. Trump’s closest confidants and has played a leading role in the president’s efforts to slash government spending and cut tens of thousands of federal government jobs.

He spoke less than two hours after Tesla said it had earned $409 million, down from $1.4 billion in the first quarter of 2024. The company previously reported net profit of $1.1 billion last year, but revised the figure to reflect changes in the way cryptocurrency assets are valued.

Tesla sales have been slumping because of intense competition from Chinese carmakers like BYD, a lack of new models and Mr. Musk’s support of far-right causes, which has turned off some liberals and centrists from buying Tesla vehicles.

Mr. Musk said recent protests at Tesla showrooms around the world had been conducted by people who stood to lose government handouts because of his work with the Trump administration. “The real reason is that those who are receiving the waste and fraud wish it to continue,” he said.

Tesla remains the most valuable automaker in the world as measured by its stock price, and it sells far more electric vehicles in the United States than any other company.

The man is an idiot.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Apr 25 - 05:23 AM

In response to Musk's comment about backing off DOGE, his Tesla shares went up 5%.

We all have witnessed the underground cesspool containing the internet of hate. It is fueled by those who have little or no compassion in their psyche. The step-by-step march toward the dehumanization of an individual, group, or genre is pushed forward by those without compassion. This lack of decency can be found on the playground, but in adults, it is immensely more destructive. Some people can not experience compassion, but 75% of people can. Identifying the megalomaniac, narcissist, or social psychopath early is the best defense against their unbridled hate. Concentrating those without compassion in government, law enforcement or volunteers to carry out illegal orders is how the holocaust became normalized to those who thought of themselves as superhuman.

For decades I have reminded those who listen that a descent into absolute hate happens step by step yet surprisingly quickly and is long lasting. It is spread by shouting but grows in silence.
Resist wherever you can..

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 23 Apr 25 - 05:59 PM

Meanwhile in the Land of Oz - Big Brother (aka mini-Musk) is watching you! Shudder

Why Trump-style attacks on workplaces haven't worked in Australia - 3rd image is brilliant, I hope to see it on posters & signs in our current pre-election climate.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Apr 25 - 07:28 PM

The executive producer of 60 Minutes has resigned over undue pressure from the owner to avoid Trump stories since Trump has sued the show.

Edward R Murrow didn't back down over his McCarthy exposé.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Apr 25 - 11:11 PM

I think they're going to be hearing a lot about Edward R. Murrow. Now is the time to stand firm, because in an echo of the McCarthy era people have already asked Trump and Musk "Have you no sense of decency?" regarding all of the slurs cast against all of the federal employees they've fired, about all of the people who will die because they closed down USAID, etc.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Apr 25 - 12:35 AM

Rick Steves: How Egypt after Arab Spring and the U.S. might be alike

Rick Steves is a well-known American travel writer and has produced travel television programs for years. Well known in his community for his liberal and humanitarian politics.

Assuming their election win gave them a mandate to reinvent the government according to their hard-line conservative vision, they turned Egyptian society upside down with a revolutionary fervor. They had no idea how to smartly wield power, but they were armed with a Project 2025-style blueprint (Egypt’s 2012 “Renaissance Project”) as they fed the finer points of the Egyptian deep state into a DOGE-like wood chipper. Within a year, Egyptians realized that running a country is more complicated than bumper sticker complaints and angry flag-waving, and the people rose up. After a bloody counterrevolution, Morsi ended up in jail, where he stayed until his death.

Traveling in Egypt during Morsi’s brief but chaotic presidency, the frustrations of being governed by an extreme party that was overreaching in the name of reform were as clear to me as the bread lines at the government bakeries. In fact, whenever previously reliable government-provided services (which the Morsi administration had “fixed” … but actually broken) malfunctioned, people would use their president’s name as a curse. So, instead of “Oh, shit,” they’d simply exclaim, “Morsi.”

Yes, in 2013, the universal way Egyptians would complain about something not working was to slam their fists on the table and shout their president’s name. “Morsi!” A light bulb flickers out with the power … “Morsi!” The garbage truck never arrives … “Morsi!” The internet fails … “Morsi!” A sewer overflows … “Morsi!” The Egyptian currency depreciates in value … “Morsi!” You get bombed by a pigeon? Even then … “Morsi!”

A decade later, here in America, our voters were pissed off at the price of eggs and riled up about the possibility of trans people in their bathrooms — and we, too, have elected a radical and destructive new government that ignores past norms and constitutional limits to implement a so-called “mandate.” To justify firing the dedicated public servants and nonpartisan experts whose rarely heralded hard work keeps things running smoothly and safely, the Trump White House has demonized America’s institutions as the “deep state.” And, as the impacts of that become clear, I predict that we will start suffering our own “Morsi” moments.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 24 Apr 25 - 06:28 AM

After Trump promised Mar-a-Lago dinners with the President and White House tours for the biggest Trump coin buyers, the crypto currency went up to 2.5 Billion dollars.


Selling the presidency has never been so lucrative and illegal.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Apr 25 - 12:54 PM

I want answers for myself and for how Trump and the Bad News Gang he brought to the White House justify the damage they're doing. I mentioned before an interview with the woman who (in the Obama years) established the United States Digital Service (USDS). Pahlka and her staff were the adults in the room, helping agencies shift to more workable technology. Huge job. Lots of layers of accountability with a legislative component. It seems the Musk approach is to throw out all of the people who know how things work and he's going to do something to the existing technology to replace all of them. It is clear to all that this ass-backwards approach just breaks things.

Nepotism has always been a feature of government, but not on the huge scale it was when the "spoils" system was in place. (Quick example: Hegeseth has put his inept brother in a job at the Pentagon. Two fools after the appointment of one.)

It has been mentioned before that during the Clinton administration they managed to reduce the size of government. DOGE, meet REGO. 32 years before Elon Musk, Al Gore did it

REGO was not a completely original idea either. Ronald Reagan, for instance, had empaneled the Grace Commission, which sought advice on how to cut waste and government inefficiency from more than 160 corporate executives and issued a 47-volume set of recommendations.

The difference with REGO, according to Elaine Kamarck, is that Gore’s team was able to follow up on their recommendations and get multiple pieces of legislation passed into law.

Today, Kamarck is the founding director of the Center for Effective Public Management at the Brookings Institution. But back in 1993, she was running the REGO effort with Gore at the White House.

“We passed a lot of laws, we cut regulations, and we cut the workforce,” Kamarck told me of the effort, which started as a review process and morphed into a major effort that lasted throughout Clinton’s presidency.

The Grace Commission was a huge embarrassment for Reagan and in his second term he didn't mention it much and the government grew huge.

This is the critical part of the Clinton/Gore effort:

At the same time, by the end of the REGO effort, the federal workforce was reduced by 351,000 positions, federal agencies had been reorganized and reams of red tape had been cut.

The red tape, the Sludge it's now referred to, was caused by regulations that were part of oversight, to be sure everything was done by the book and it involved layers of supervision. By surgically addressing that - legislatively - so the layers could be reduced, they were able to remove all of those redundant positions. (Chances are a lot of those people were able to move into openings in other agencies that weren't redundant. There are always openings begging to be filled for jobs that really do need doing.)

Musk has no interest in a fix that will stay in place, he's all for the drama (and grabbing the data as fast as he can).

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 24 Apr 25 - 03:04 PM

SRS said, "Musk has no interest in a fix that will stay in place, he's all for the drama (and grabbing the data as fast as he can)."

I also think, from various news articles I have seen, that he is all for doing sneaky tweaks on anything which could help or hinder his business interests.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Apr 25 - 06:15 PM

Last week there was a whistleblower from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) who reported the DOGE folks getting into the case data, turning off safety/security settings, deleting evidence of what they were doing while they were in the system, and an attempt to logon to the system within an hour by a Russian IP using an account and PW established during the DOGE visit. The block of Russian IP addresses is what kept that account from being opened. The NLRB folks reported it for an investigation; who knows where that stands now, but Musk and his kiddos aren't there for the reasons Trump or Musk said they are.

NPR exclusive: whistleblower says DOGE may have taken sensitive labor data

More from Chris Krebs who is being "investigated" by Trump's Justice Dept because he made the honest statement that the 2020 election was fair.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 24 Apr 25 - 06:21 PM

Putin is laughing himself to sleep every night, predicting the downfall of the US. And that is even with Trump calling him out on the attacks on Ukraine because of supposed ceasefire talks.

Trump criticises Putin over Russian missile attack on Kyiv

"In short: Donald Trump has hit out at Vladimir Putin after eight people were killed in Kyiv by a Russian missile and drone attack.

"The US president posted 'Vladimir, stop' on Truth Social, saying the strikes were 'not necessary' and 'bad timing'.

"What's next? European leaders have rounded on Moscow and said Ukraine cannot enter negotiations with Russia without a ceasefire in place."


Like Putin would take any notice of the Trump baby chucking a tantrum! It all fits into Putin's dastardly plans, one way or another IMHO.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Apr 25 - 06:57 AM

China has an opportunity via a poorly run Pentagon, a trade war in their favor, and US intelligence weaknesses as the US teeters on recession. Ergo, a Chinese move on Taiwan by the dark of the moon sometime soon may be too attractive to miss.

My Taiwanese friends are visiting Taiwan this week, guessing that sooner is better than later.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Apr 25 - 07:46 AM

Hegseth has been attacking the Houthis to open the commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea, but he has failed to open the lanes.

We have lost six attack drones so far to Houthi fire and have spent untold millions without eliminating any Houthi leadership.
Hegseth has little to brag about regarding his not-so-secret war.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Apr 25 - 11:51 AM

This is going to bite Patel in the ass. Let's hope it works its way up the chain and bites Trump also. Arresting a judge then tweeting about it? That isn't about justice, that is about threats & "making examples of" the legal system.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/04/25/wisconsin-judge-arrest-fbi-ice-immigration-enforcement/

According to reporting by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, ICE agents arrived in the judge’s courtroom last Friday during a pre-trial hearing for Eduardo Flores Ruiz, a 30-year-old Mexican national who is facing misdemeanor battery charges in Wisconsin.

Dugan asked the agents to leave and speak to the circuit court’s chief judge, the Journal Sentinel reported. By the time they returned, Flores Ruiz had left.

“We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject — an illegal alien — to evade arrest,” Patel wrote in his post.