Trump is a disaster, but he sure as hell is doing some good things. JMHO, USAID- the staffers said they were running around taking their gay PRIDE flags down, hiding the books, etc....here is a PERFECT example of our WASTED tax dollars at work--"At the top of the list was a $1.5 million program slated to "advance diversity, equity and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces and business communities" and a $70,000 program for a "DEI musical" in Ireland." Damn, Serbia and Ireland can't support their own businesses.....and we need to support DEI in Ireland....WHY?.....NO, NO, NO, I scream.....if the American people KNEW what they were spending the money on they'd all get FIRED.....guess Trump is doing that. What a job? Get a good education is something needed and work hard.....simple. Close USAID.
"You've never lived till you've almost died, life has a flavor the protected will never know" A vet or cop
Waste is awful across any department, but shuttering any department or agency down at the whim of one or two people is also dystopian.
Also, $1.5M and $70K being at the top of the list? 1) Have we verified that those expenditures are real, or is it some sort of "$50M for condoms" thing all over again? 2) Those amounts are headline grabbers, again. To compare that to the total expenditures of the USG, calling it chump change would be an understatement.
There are simplistic measures to put into place where we could save hundreds of billions, some of which I discussed, but, instead we're here talking about "OMG $70K! ShUt DoWn UsAid!!!!"
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
Could you please give some sources to provide evidence of what you're saying? It's easy to repeat what the talking heads are saying without having any evidence to substantiate it. I understand you're screaming "NO, NO, NO" but I don't think you understand the main thing USAID does and what it accomplishes.
Much like yourself I think every government agency spends money on things they shouldn't be. Those budgets should be gone over and wasteful spending should be cut. I don't understand what staffers having gay flags has to do with anything. If you're suggesting that trump and Musk have the gay community in fear I agree with you. I just don't think that's a good thing. The programs you mentioned should be cut if they actually existed at all.
But here's what you seem to be supporting because here's what happened. They cut off an entire foot due to a toe infection. USAID sends aid to starving people across the globe. As such we fill a void to remain friends with many nations. What you're supporting is we close that entire agency over some programs that should be cut. This will leave a void for China to take over being friends with nations who feel we abandoned them. And we did.
Also this is money congress approved spending. As much as it may pain you, a president really doesn't have the power to override congress on such matters. But then the law never got in trump's way before so why should it now?
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Trump is a disaster, but he sure as hell is doing some good things. [....]
"At the top of the list was a $1.5 million program slated to "advance diversity, equity and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces and business communities" and a $70,000 program for a "DEI musical" in Ireland." Damn, Serbia and Ireland can't support their own businesses.....
Close USAID.
I want to believe the first part of your post. If I were convinced he was cutting waste in a methodical and intelligent manner then absolutely, have at it. The problem is that he's mixing in his alleged cost-cutting measures with a healthy dose of political revenge, all seasoned with making DEI this weird boogieman.
This was about the condom thing. The claim about $50m of condoms is/was factually incorrect... but that won't stop MAGA from continuing to spout.
There is no level of sucking we haven't seen; in fact, I'm pretty sure we hold the patents on a few levels of sucking NOBODY had seen until the past few years.
Trump doubled down on the lie by raising it to 100 million dollars in condoms. And let's not forget he claimed they're using those condoms as "a method of making bombs".
Trump Administration Makes Unsupported Claim About $50 Million for Condoms to Gaza
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
Didn't you know? The gays, the trans and everyone who isn't white is out go get them! They keep checking under their beds at night.
there was this dude on CNN the other day named Frank Luntz, a GOP pollster or something. the convo was overall a waste, but one thing he said when describing Americans stuck with me that is so telling about conservatives:
He said "blacks, latinos, and the working class..." when talking about identity politics. As it relates to the DEI rhetoric, conservatives really use terms like "working class" or "first americans" as a synonym for white. because logically, wouldn't black and latinos also be part of the working class? it's strange to hear ethnicity to be lumped in with a non-ethnic class/gender term. it's like when they say "minorities and women" when it comes to polling. isn't there an inherently a % of women who are minorities, or minorities that are women?
and it's intentional.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
Musk shocks lawmakers, setting himself on collision course Alexander Bolton
Musk shocks lawmakers, setting himself on collision course Billionaire businessman Elon Musk is on a collision course with lawmakers on Capitol Hill who are starting to challenge his authority.
Senate Republicans acknowledge they need to cut government spending, but Musk’s bold decision to lock federal workers out of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which Musk called “a ball of worms” and a “criminal organization,” caught them by surprise.
They are now questioning the basis of Musk’s authority to shutter an agency Congress funds annually through the appropriations bills for the State Department and foreign operations.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she has questions about whether President Trump’s authorization is enough to empower Musk to override Congress’s funding directives.
“The president is suggesting that he has authorization. I think there is more than some question,” she said.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) said Musk or other senior administration officials need to notify Congress in advance before shuttering or reorganizing federal agencies.
Collins said whether Musk had the authority to shut down USAID “is a very legitimate question.”
“There is a requirement in the law for 15 days’ notice of any reorganization. We clearly did not get that. We got the letter yesterday,” she said.
Collins said the law “also calls for a detailed explanation of any reorganizations, renaming of bureaus, shifting of centers — and again, we have not received that.”
She said she would talk to fellow Appropriations Committee members “about our next steps.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) warned that simply shutting down a federal agency such as USAID would violate the Constitution in a strict sense, but he argued former President Biden also pushed boundaries with aggressive uses of executive power.
“At some point, it’s going to require congressional action to have staying power,” he said.
Other Republicans warned that the sudden closure of the nation’s chief foreign assistance agency would undermine U.S. diplomatic efforts in countries where China is trying to gain influence by building out local infrastructure.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said foreign aid is necessary to match China’s efforts to expand its global influence.
“I have felt for a long time that USAID is our way to combat the Belt and Road Initiative, which is China’s effort to really gain influence around the world, including Africa, South America and the Western Hemisphere,” he told reporters in the Russell Senate Office Building.
Wicker said “if there’s massive fraud” at the agency, “we need to know about that,” but he cautioned “we need an aid program to match the Chinese effort.”
Wicker said he wasn’t sure what “emergency powers” Musk acted on, echoing the concerns of some colleagues.
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), who represents a major farm state, voiced his alarm that hundreds of millions of dollars in American-grown food aid will spoil because of the freeze on all U.S. foreign assistance.
“I urge [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio to distribute the $340 million in American-grown food currently stalled in U.S. ports to reach those in need. Time is running out before this life-saving aid perishes,” he posted on social media.
Republicans have been wary of crossing Trump on any issue, including those on which Musk has taken the stage. Some have defended the president’s decision to tap Musk to root out waste at federal departments and agencies.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) argued Musk hadn’t “closed” USAID but instead paused its activity to review its programs.
“I don’t think they’re closing an agency, but I do think they have the right to review funding and how those decisions are made and what priorities are being funded. I think that’s probably true of any administration when they come in,” he said.
Democrats have publicly signaled they are growing more and more worried about Musk’s influence as federal workers are offered buyouts, officials working for Musk take over federal payment systems and USAID is dismantled.
Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) called Musk’s attacks on USAID “despicable” and pointed out that his company Starlink accepted funding from the agency to provide internet coverage for Ukraine.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said of Musk: “This dude is probably one of the most unintelligent billionaires I have ever met or seen or witnessed.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in a detailed letter Monday to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asked for answers on the payment system.
Musk gaining access to the Treasury Department’s federal payments system, which includes the sensitive personal information of millions of Americans, has also raised questions from Republicans.
“We Americans have always treasured our privacy, and I’m very concerned about Mr. Musk or any of his assistants going into federal agencies and demanding personal information on employees. I’m not sure where the authority for that would come from,” Collins said.
“It’s my understanding that some of Mr. Musk’s assistants have requested access to classified information for which they are not cleared. So that’s a problem as well,” she added.
The age of Musk’s assistants has also raised eyebrows in the Senate. Some of the aides to the tech mogul who have worked to take over payment systems are reportedly as young as 19.
Democrats accused Musk of breaking the law and provoking a constitutional crisis.
“Elon Musk is already breaking the law right now. Law enforcement officials should be taking action. Where are they?” Warren said.
“He seems to be running the country. He’s running every dollar that moves in or out of the federal system. Every Social Security check, every payment on a bridge construction project, and every dollar that goes to a military base around the world is, right now, evidently under Elon Musk’s control,” she said.
“This is a constitutional crisis,” Warren declared.
Democrats say they will challenge Musk’s recent moves and authority in court.
Bessent, however, has disputed this, telling Republican lawmakers that Musk does not have control over the federal payments system. He said Musk has gained read-only access to the system.
The White House says Musk is now officially serving Trump as a special government employee and has a top-secret security clearance.
Trump on Monday said Musk “won’t do anything without our approval.”
“We’ll give him the approval where appropriate. Where not appropriate, we won’t,” he said.
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
Just like trumps covid response killed thousands of americans. Now his "economic policies" are killing people. Does he or anyone around him consider deaths when determining what they want?
Trump is a disaster, but he sure as hell is doing some good things. JMHO, USAID- the staffers said they were running around taking their gay PRIDE flags down, hiding the books, etc....here is a PERFECT example of our WASTED tax dollars at work--"At the top of the list was a $1.5 million program slated to "advance diversity, equity and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces and business communities" and a $70,000 program for a "DEI musical" in Ireland." Damn, Serbia and Ireland can't support their own businesses.....and we need to support DEI in Ireland....WHY?.....NO, NO, NO, I scream.....if the American people KNEW what they were spending the money on they'd all get FIRED.....guess Trump is doing that. What a job? Get a good education is something needed and work hard.....simple. Close USAID.
More trans bashing which is all the rage these days. Now should a pride flag be at work, nope. Should we make an effort to treat people equally... Yes.
We have seem to forgotten that we are all equal under the law. And there will be no movement unless we make an effort to improve how we treat others rather than dismiss them because they are different in some manner that an individual would dismiss.
Trump is right on one thing, merit for hiring should be the primary basis. But he shoots himself in the foot by nominating his DEI candidates for DoD. HHS and DNI off the top of my head. Drunken Pete, Antivax Bobby, and Snowdens squeeze Tulsi are the true DEI candidates. Here I agree with Jon Stewart, Dick... Ego Inflating.. That is Trumps policy.
He would have gotten a lot more if he went to DoD in lieu of USAID. But the headlines would not have been as sensational and there would have been a big "duh" by the American people.
Instead he plays for the media headlines and gives us Dr Phil in tactical gear and ICE Barbie.
The fact that they aren't looking to the margins being made by industry in DoD speaks volume. That has not been a secret for DECADES. Way more juice to squeeze on that front and it would help both taxpayers and the military.
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
They go after the workers and not multi billionaire, wasteful government contractors because they claim they want to make America great again. That should do it, right?
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Yup. I called out a contractor recently for raking in a 73% margin on something they previously negotiated. So, I guess the solution is that I should take a deferred resignation and they should keep doing what they're doing.
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
In September, the agency’s inspector general told Congress the probe was reviewing “USAID’s oversight of Starlink Satellite Terminals provided to the Ukrainian government, and USAID’s efforts to protect against sexual exploitation and abuse in Ukraine.” Other USAID webpages mentioning SpaceX and Starlink seem to have disappeared from the agency’s website, though some remain available at the Internet Archive.
USAID also was funding, finding and treating to stop the spread of diseases like Ebola, TB, malaria, HIV and a whole lot more with people on the ground in 90 countries. Funding is stopped and the people have been called home.
Bird flu: Panic as newer, deadly strain emerges - humans at risk of more severe illness Six cattle farms in Nevada have tested positive for the bird flu which has a more severe impact on humans. By Falyn Stempler 22:08 ET, Wed, Feb 5, 2025 | UPDATED: 22:16 ET, Wed, Feb 5, 2025 Bookmark BRITAIN-AGRICULTURE-DEMONSTRATION-TAXATION-POLITICS
Six dairy herds have tested positive for a newer stain of the H5N1 bird flu (Image: Getty) A newer strain of H5N1 bird flu has spread to six dairy herds in Nevada, according to the state's Department of Agriculture.
The new strain, D1.1, has been connected to serious infections in humans, though it is different from the strain, B3.13, that has been detected in other dairy herds throughout the country.
The newer strain - D1.1 - was first detected in birds and people who came in contact with infected birds.
According to the CDC, around 957 dairy herds and more than 153 million poultry have been affected by types of bird flu in the United States.
The virus has led to an egg shortage and higher prices for the grocery staple.
The bird flu has caused a national egg shortage and shot up the price of the food item (Image: Getty) Both the senior who died in January in Louisiana and the teenager in Canada who was hospitalized last fall were infected with the strain detected at the Nevada cattle farms.
The strain has also been detected in farm workers in Washington state who have culled infected poultry, though their symptoms were mild.
This is the second known scenario of the avian flu being introduced to cattle herds through birds, which has led experts to sound alarm bells about its potential virality.
Theres probably some accurate statements and facts in there ... Maybe. But a whole bunch of agenda and lies. Not that you'd recognise those as you hear them repeated to you in your chamber all the time.
A statement that "maybe" the organisation might have done some good somewhere.
Comments that some commentators are talking and focusing about the aid that has been taken away. No [censored] Sherlock.
Ridiculous claim that the crops in Afghanistan must have been opium.
A claim that the southern border was open.
And ignoring of course that if there's an organisation with billions of dollars being spent anywhere in the world that there isn't corruption and loss and people skimming in every single case which there would be. You've only got to look at the US defence contractors end spending to know that's true. She finally got to look at the money spent by US lobbyists to know that's true. The only surprise was they didn't mention $50 million for condoms.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
OGE FY2026 Mission Progress Tracking our mission to identify and eliminate $2,000,000,000,000.00 in wasteful spending from the FY2026 Federal Budget
He's already backed down on that statement. He no longer claims he can cut 2 trillion from the budget. It seems he overestimated his ability. Imagine that.....................
Elon Musk says DOGE probably won't find $2 trillion in federal budget cuts
Musk previously said his Department of Government Efficiency would be able to recommend cuts to the federal budget of “at least $2 trillion.”
I feel like we collectively need to go back and talk about authorizations and appropriations and allotments when it comes to USAID. I'll try to draw up a larger post on it at some point, but the basic gist of it is that Congress authorizes all money, and then appropriates funds for each department to expend. You have to spend the funds with the time, purpose and amount that they are appropriated by Congress or else you get into huge trouble.
Regardless of partisanship, the finger really points back at Congress when it comes to a lot of potential nefariousness. I see that a lot in my role. Unfortunately, I think Congress/DOGE/this admin has somehow turned the narrative against the employees of each one of these organizations to be the scapegoat, because, frankly, the public doesn't know any better.
I'll try to draw out a longer justification and rationale this weekend.
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
I have no idea why people think someone other than congress has the ability or power to scrap programs and funds congress has already approved. The only reason this is happening is because congress is allowing it to happen.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Enjoying the show Murica? Smh. Adolph Twittler is on a senile tear. We’ll start with starving a bunch of kids that depend on us, then we’ll let a bunch of babies get aids from infected mothers, then we can defund Ukraine and hand them over to Putin, and let a bunch of other world fixing crap fall into the abyss so we can the elites and corps can get a well deserve tax reduction… and they see nothing wrong with this? Don’t they know this makes us weaker, not stronger? What a demon-weasels-double-headed-hydra we’ve released on the world. I hope you’re proud MAGAs.
05, I just heard Stephen miller being interviewed. They talked about what doge was doing right now. Then they asked him what was next and the second thing he mentioned was profit margins of contractors at dod. I also heard Trump, at presser with Japanese pm say they were gonna be looking at contractor profits at dod. So apparently they have it in their sights. I hope they are serious about it. But remember the bigger the dollars involved the louder the squeals and the stronger the resistance will be.
Acouple of other thoughts, 05. I think I read your concern they were looking at “small potatoes “ right now. So many times I have seen attempts to identify areas of government where money could be saved. The inevitable response is to poo poo it, say it is nothing, small fry, not worth the effort. But you know, in the immortal words of Fritz Hollings, former Carolina senator, you take a hundred billion here and a hundred billion there and pretty soon you are talking about real money. ( I wish I could do justice to his Carolina drawl) . Starting small and having some success helps build some momentum going after the big bucks.
All that said, you know as well as I do that ultimately, somewhere close but down the road a bit, if we are gonna be serious, we have to deal with two difficult issues. Entitlements and government pensions. They are big drivers of future debt.
05, I do think USAID is a good place to start. Lots of corruption and taxpayer dollars going to things taxpayers should not be required to support. I have seen several stories listing the millions of dollars being spent on dei, trans stuff etc in foreign countries, Serbia, Ireland and others. When I saw those dollars my mind rolled right into the hundreds of billions going to Ukraine and other countries and the hhundreds of billions being spent on people in our country illegally. Then it went to the T2T announcement I saw showing dozens of our hero’s with missing limbs, some with all four limbs missing. All repeated the same refrain. My family and I are on a T2T waiting list to receive a house adapted for someone like me. A waiting list!!! Then the T2T guy held up a clipboard with multiple pages of names who are on that list. We make these hero’s wait while we teach dei to foreigners!! Horrible priorities!!!
One final thought 05. Reading your posts it is obvious you are really stressed. Buyouts, job cuts , position consolidations etc. Just a lot to have going on. Now what I’m about to say is not to diminish what you are feeling and going through. It is real. But between you and me, this has been going on in the private sector for decades. I worked in healthcare, a large private not for profit in Dayton. In late 80’s- early 90’s my hospital had their first visit from consultants. The hospital hired them to help us shave ftes, eliminate positions and save money.
It was stressful. Groups sat down with a consultant and talked about about what I and my department did. Others did the same. Then a month later the same group met to discuss what we can do different. Then a month later they issued a report with recommendations and positions began to disappear. It was stressful and actually was repeated 2-3 times my last 20 years. Hang in there. You’ll come out the other side doing fine.
I have seen several stories listing the millions of dollars being spent on dei, trans stuff etc
The most important line from your post. You've heard stories from the right wing echo chamber you are plugged into. The same sources that said Biden was a communist and the country would go to ruin if he was elected. Same sources that told you $50 million was sent to Gaza to buy condoms. A story completely and utterly debinked but then after it was debunked Trump went on to claim it was $100m spent on condoms for Gaze.
Bottom line - your sources lie and you gobble all the stories up. Same with others.
Both Trump and Rubio both have praised USAid in the past. I guess they were duped?
The more things change the more they stay the same.
Waste is awful across any department, but shuttering any department or agency down at the whim of one or two people is also dystopian.
Also, $1.5M and $70K being at the top of the list? 1) Have we verified that those expenditures are real, or is it some sort of "$50M for condoms" thing all over again? 2) Those amounts are headline grabbers, again. To compare that to the total expenditures of the USG, calling it chump change would be an understatement.
There are simplistic measures to put into place where we could save hundreds of billions, some of which I discussed, but, instead we're here talking about "OMG $70K! ShUt DoWn UsAid!!!!"
I don't know. I suppose it depends on the department.
I agree. 70K alone isn't much. If you only have one cut, you probably won't bleed out. If you have thousands, you will. I know you mentioned you called out a contractor for gouging and inflated the price 75% or somewhere in that neighborhood. Good on your point. I am proud of you. If things like that are happening at the DOD, where one would think the spending is necessary, or at least you would hope is deemed necessary towards the interests of the American taxpayer, what we see here isn't necessary at all. Most of the money being sent, or at least a large amount has nothing to do with protecting the interest of the United States.
Many of them are simply pushing a social engineering agenda. Sorry my Lover friend, that just doesn't cut it in my book. I am all for providing food and medicine. I don't want people around the world starving or dying of measles when we can help prevent that.
I don't think anybody in here thinks the government has been running lean and mean since forever. You also have to remember that Presidents Clinton and Obama did some of the things that President Trump is doing. Clinton cut around 400,000 government jobs. Obama cut some but he was pretty strong on deportations. Nobody raised eyebrows about that, but Trump represents the "Evil Empire" so now it's a big problem for some.
Keep cutting. Dig deep. Where collateral damage occurs we can always go back and put it back on the books. Like I said, one cut isn't a big problem just like one crappy expendature isn't, but when they start to accumulate it turns in to a critical problem.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
The fact that you left wing loons deny truth doesn’t change the fact that it is truth. What scares the lefties in Washington is just that, the facts are coming out and Americans are gonna be angry. When the garbage we fund overseas is publicized while America’s hero’s are living on the street there are gonna be some unhappy Americans. The louder the bleats of your Washington lefty buddies, the bigger the dollars that are being exposed. And it has only just begun.
The fact that you left wing loons deny truth doesn’t change the fact that it is truth. What scares the lefties in Washington is just that, the facts are coming out and Americans are gonna be angry. When the garbage we fund overseas is publicized while America’s hero’s are living on the street there are gonna be some unhappy Americans. The louder the bleats of your Washington lefty buddies, the bigger the dollars that are being exposed. And it has only just begun.
please. Not only is that foreign money about to be trafficked through Trump's "sovereign wealth fund" (lmfao), but any of that money saved overseas will not be spend on Americans here at home. because you right wing tyrants dont want to help anybody except oligarchs and big business CEO's
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
The fact that you left wing loons deny truth doesn’t change the fact that it is truth. What scares the lefties in Washington is just that, the facts are coming out and Americans are gonna be angry. When the garbage we fund overseas is publicized while America’s hero’s are living on the street there are gonna be some unhappy Americans. The louder the bleats of your Washington lefty buddies, the bigger the dollars that are being exposed. And it has only just begun.
Deny Truth?
illigal aliens eating dogs and cats in Springfield Ohio?
You mean like that?
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
Congrats!! You managed a post without exposing your ignorance by calling someone a nazi. Progress. Your best bet is go back to cnn or msdnc ( you know, the folks that lied to you for four years about Russia Russia Russia!!!). I’ll bet you sucked every bit of that down didn’t you!!
The fact that you left wing loons deny truth doesn’t change the fact that it is truth. What scares the lefties in Washington is just that, the facts are coming out and Americans are gonna be angry. When the garbage we fund overseas is publicized while America’s hero’s are living on the street there are gonna be some unhappy Americans. The louder the bleats of your Washington lefty buddies, the bigger the dollars that are being exposed. And it has only just begun.
You literally dont have a clue what you're on about. You and Memphis simply spew what you've been fed. You talk about facts and truth and the reality is you've got "stories". Stories like $50 million being spent on condoms in Gaza, a flat lie. That became $100 million spent on condoms, a flat lie. Immigrants eating dogs and cats in Springfield. A flat lie.
I can' tell you that any budget of 46 billion is going to have some wastage and some [censored] in there, just like every level of government and piece of legislation with port barrel spending. The idea that this is some left-wing controlled slush fund for spending on trans issues and condoms or whatever is just one more Trump lie.
Last edited by mgh888; 02/08/2510:36 AM.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
We spew what we’ve been fed and you don’t?? lol. I get it. That old expression “it depends on whose ox is being gored” applies. Your lefty buddies at usaid have been dispensing the tax dollars of hard working Americans to fit their view of the world. Being called on it now and you don’t like it . Get over it.
So we shall have to agree to disagree. As more and more examples come out about this spending it will be interesting to see the reaction of the left. Probably a lot of excuse making and “oh when you spend all hat money some of it goes to crap” responses. Gonna be interesting watching this play out.
Many of them are simply pushing a social engineering agenda. Sorry my Lover friend, that just doesn't cut it in my book. I am all for providing food and medicine. I don't want people around the world starving or dying of measles when we can help prevent that.
And therein lies the problem. Much like yourself I have no problems with spending cuts. I think the #1 goal of USAID is to provide food and medicine to third world countries. I think most of the other expenditures should be cut. But that isn't what has happened. Musk shut down all funding to USAID. They took the sign down off the building yesterday. Food and medicine is sitting in ports with nobody to deliver them. Clinics are shutting down.
Quote
I don't think anybody in here thinks the government has been running lean and mean since forever. You also have to remember that Presidents Clinton and Obama did some of the things that President Trump is doing. Clinton cut around 400,000 government jobs. Obama cut some but he was pretty strong on deportations. Nobody raised eyebrows about that, but Trump represents the "Evil Empire" so now it's a big problem for some.
Are you actually trying to make an equal comparison here? Who is complaining about making the government leaner? Who is actually complaining about being tougher on immigration? It's the methods being used and the extremes being gone to. When has anyone ever given ICE permission to go into schools and churches? When has anyone made it a crime for local police not to assist ICE? Dr. Phil on an ICE raid? Come on man.
What was supposed to happen is departments were to be studied and wasteful spending to be eliminated. That's not what is happening here. Musk has shuttered the doors of USAID. the sign was actually taken down from their office building yesterday. That's a problem even you admitted. If there's an infection in your finger a surgeon can cut out the infection. In this case Musk is the surgeon and he decided to cut off the entire hand.
That's the difference between this administration and former administrations and anyone taking an objective look at this can see it.
Quote
Keep cutting. Dig deep. Where collateral damage occurs we can always go back and put it back on the books.
That seems like a very odd strategy. I wonder how many people will starve and die from disease over the actions Musk just took at USAID before this administration decides to "put it back on the books"?
Isn't doing it wrong in the first place and having to go back and fix it wasteful spending rather than just doing it right the first time?
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
We spew what we’ve been fed and you don’t?? lol. I get it. That old expression “it depends on whose ox is being gored” applies. Your lefty buddies at usaid have been dispensing the tax dollars of hard working Americans to fit their view of the world. Being called on it now and you don’t like it . Get over it.
Then cut that part of their spending and continue aid in the form of medicine and food to the starving people of the world as was intended. Or is that a leftist thing too? Because that seems to be a big part of what you're applauding here since that's what happened.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Whoa.!!! Do you have any company there in fantasyland???
No, just paying to the companies here in the US.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
And before some of you go off the rails here about "those damned liberal judges", this decision was made by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols -- a Trump appointee.
And we all know trump only hires the best people, right? At least that's what he told you.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
We spew what we’ve been fed and you don’t?? lol. I get it. That old expression “it depends on whose ox is being gored” applies. Your lefty buddies at usaid have been dispensing the tax dollars of hard working Americans to fit their view of the world. Being called on it now and you don’t like it . Get over it.
So we shall have to agree to disagree. As more and more examples come out about this spending it will be interesting to see the reaction of the left. Probably a lot of excuse making and “oh when you spend all hat money some of it goes to crap” responses. Gonna be interesting watching this play out.
You are clueless ... Every post drips with your indoctrination to Cult or Trump.
"Your leftist buddies as usaid".... Get a fecking clue dude.
More and more examples?? There is not any "more" because as youve already spelled out ... All you have is STORIES
The more things change the more they stay the same.
This is going to be a long post, and I am going to try and keep politics out of the majority of it, to perhaps turn the temperature down in the room. Honestly, one of the biggest problems we have is the line in the sand that has been drawn where there is instant reaction to something being good or bad, just simply based on who says it. Our brains instantly draw a conclusion and then look to justify the pre-drawn conclusion. That dynamic is RAMPANT.
I know there are many on the Right on this board who outright ignore me or who don’t pay attention to what I have to say, but I hope this post can at least be considered by many who at least have some semblance of an open mind.
On the issues:
1. Defense. I looked up Miller quotes, DoD, etc. to find what the latest and greatest was and I could not find anything. The only thing I found was Trump being lukewarm on investigating the DoD with DOGE.
Flat out, DoD is one of the biggest areas where money can be saved and where waste happens. It often does not get scrutinized because of how much money it routes to lobbyists, which then gets routed to campaign funds. Defense contractors are in EVERY state, and they are very powerful, holding a ton of leverage and have a lot of political cajones held in vices. The one thing I did find when I was searching for DOGE and DoD was this:
“Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) came into existence with the pledge to slash red tape and dismantle the federal bureaucracy. Although it certainly hasn’t been free of controversy, there’s one group of people that have stars in their eyes: defense industry CEOs. “We think this is a really good thing,” TransDigm (TDG) CEO Kevin Stein said on a recent earnings call, calling DOGE a “great opportunity” to streamline procurement at the Department of Defense (DOD) and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).”
That is deeply concerning to me. Why is that concerning? Well, because Kevin Stein is one of the most deplorable people on the face of this planet. I don’t say that lightly, either. He and his Chairman, Nicholas Howley, run a company (HQ’d in Cleveland, sadly) that has ripped the DoD off over the entirety of their business entities far more than anything that has been uncovered by DOGE. Howley was even featured as part of the 60 Minutes episode on Price Gouging in the DoD.
Their actions were discovered via two different Inspector General reports in 2019 and 2021. Sadly, we will see less of these types of findings come out of IG offices due to their firings. Anyhow, they absolutely gouged the DoD, basically holding us hostage to the fact we need to equip our troops quickly, so we have to take their gouged prices in order to procure parts quickly enough.
This is where things do get somewhat partisan. I am concerned with where this is headed because Congress is controlled by majority Republicans at this point. Republicans came to the defense of Transdigm during both hearings in 2019 and 2021. If you don’t believe me, here is the video for everyone to see. You can just watch and see how Comer starts off his address at the hearing. Many of his colleagues follow suit.
I do expect a Republican controlled Congress to remain VERY defensive of contractors and price gouging practices in this realm.
This segues into the next topic:
2. USAID and saving money. It is small potatoes so far, and we’re not talking about a hundred billion here and there, but even smaller amounts, meant to capture headlines. It is also factual that a lot of the headlines that have been captured misrepresented the facts of findings.
When you want to save money, you go after the big areas first. That is just common sense. I do find it concerning that Elon turned his sights almost immediately toward one agency that was investigating his own company. That should raise flags for anyone.
What is even more at issue, though, is that everyone is ignoring the biggest problem of all while we chase down these DOGE headline rabbit holes: Congress.
The Constitution says, and I know from firsthand experience that Congress has the sole power to authorize funds and then appropriate money for those funds. One of the first things that they teach you whether you are in legal, contracts, finance, program management, etc. is that you have to follow the three principles of Time, Purpose and Amount. You have to use the funds that Congress gives you during the time period that they are available, for the sole purpose that Congress authorized/appropriated them for and in an amount no more than Congress authorized/appropriated those funds.
This is very serious.
Why is it very serious? Well, if you abuse that funding, even in the smallest of ways, you get slapped with things like an Anti-Deficiency Act violation. The write-up for that violation goes before the Speaker of the House, The President of the Senate (VP), and the desk of POTUS. Here are some violations that happened, if you’re interested. I believe one of them was for around $11 for a federal employee who opted to work during the last shutdown in 2019. Since the Government was shut down, there were no funds to “pay” him, so his working voluntarily broke the law. It’s really unbelievable, but true. There are other violations where things like office furniture bought for political appointees was too high. You can find that full report here:
Why am I bringing this up? Well, in capturing all the headlines related to USAID and turning the gaze of the public on the employees who worked there was a red herring. Congress authorizes and appropriates money for USAID to spend and gives guidelines on how to spend, and those are later allotted. I can tell you firsthand the acquisition process that follows is very rigorous to make sure you are in compliance with fiscal laws.
So, who is the problem? It’s Congress. They are the ones appropriating the funding and those projects go toward things that were contemplated at the time of appropriations, earmarks, etc. USAID employees are just the scapegoats who got punished for it, because that also fits the false narrative that federal employees are the problem right now. Nobody in Congress is speaking up to that issue because they all have their hands dirty.
It's similar to how we used to laugh in DoD when Congress would haul in our generals and ask why we were wasting so much money here and there and everywhere. The truth of the answer was that we were spending the money in the manner in which Congress told us to. Then some headlines leaked and Congress tried to save face by yelling at us for doing what they told us to do. It’s kind of brilliant, really.
This is already my longest post ever, and there is a lot more I want to touch on, but I’ll only go onto one final point:
3. The stress of being a federal employee. You are right that I am stressed. Morale is damaged across the board. We are viewed as a scapegoat. There are a lot of things said about us that are blatantly false. Let me counter that with some facts, real quick, before I go into the rest of it:
Our total cost only accounts for 4% of the federal budget
The ratio of federal employees to the general public has steadily decreased over the past 50 years
Federal employees are paid 25% less than their private industry counterparts
A third of federal employees is comprised of veterans
On top of that, I really don’t like the comparison of federal employees to layoffs in the private sector. One, I can tell you that my office is at 87% of our employment goal and the freeze went into effect. Two, and perhaps to a greater point, is the rhetoric that surrounds us.
Please tell me the last time you saw a private industry company have to lay off their workers where the CEO and/or leadership of that organization said something along the lines of the following:
“We want to put them in trauma.”
“We ideally want to have no federal employees.”
“We want to get them out of the Government so they can be more productive in the private sector.”
Karoline Leavitt basically saying that federal employees who work at home are ripping off the tax payers
There are many more quotes and stories about it.
I think the way we have been treated, combined with the reactionary supporters, sets us apart from what you see in the private sector. We are pawns in a political game. The rhetoric toward us was sudden and it would be alarming to anyone, by objective standards. I am not necessarily worried about myself, but we are losing a lot of good people simply because they are remote. I am also losing a lot of good workers under me potentially both due to the trauma being caused by what is going on, the arbitrary nature of returning to work (without work stations available), and the fact so many promising young workers are not secured in their roles yet.
On top of all that, like I mentioned with USAID, we are also turning into the scapegoats of a corrupt, self-interested legislature that is more than content to throw us under the bus. The baseless and deplorable rhetoric used against us also seems to be parroted by many in the public who have no clue what it’s like being in our shoes, as well. I feel like I could make this post ten times as long, but I will stop…for now at least.
Have a good weekend, Keith. You mentioned going to the doc recently. Hope all is well with you, my friend.
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
Great post, you'll possibly get a 2 sentence response. Probably picking the least relevant part of the post apart. That's if u r lucky. I admire your persistence at trying to be civil to someone that is happy to throw so many insults baeed on incorrect information.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
Last time I checked the US is roughly 34 trillion dollars in debt. If I were the sitting president I wouldn't spend a single PENNY on programs supporting foreign nations. All funds should go towards areas of mental health, helping veterans, and the homeless. Also, if we spend that much on aid then why don't we just shift it to a national healthcare program instead?
I love how people think there is a supply of unlimited money and are perfectly fine with spending funds we don't have. Every US citizen should be 100% okay with auditing every federal agency EVERY year. I don't want my tax dollars being spent on foreign aid before helping people here at home.
There are definitely cuts that can be made in places, and - once again - I will mention there are simple procedures we can use to get more bang for our buck and stop a lot of the hemorrhaging in our every day spending.
However, a lot of the power that we project internationally (political, military, economic, diplomatic) has a direct correlation to how well our economy functions as a whole.
The two biggest things we need to combat are 1) Stop greasing the palms of the puppet masters and 2) focus on wealth gap and revenue shortfalls.
Swish puts it best. We can’t keep socializing losses and privatizing gains.
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
What they are advocating, whether they know it or not, is that a nation like China should fill the void we leave behind. That our footprint be smaller around the globe and that it will increase nations influence like China and Russia's. They can't see that this is a small investment but rather they see it as a waste.
It amazes me how their "Christian values" seem so quickly and easily abandoned.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
There is most certainly wasteful spending at USAID just as there are at all government agencies. I haven't seen one person deny that, think or state that such wasteful spending should be stopped. That's what "we were told" would happen. That's not what is happening. Some seem to support that we just close agencies and we'll "figure the rest out later". Later may just be too late. Making excuses to simply cut off food and medical supplies to third world countries will come at a cost. Not only in the form of human life but increasing China and other enemies of the United States by simply gifting them power and influence around the globe. All they have to do is fill the void this administration has granted them voluntarily.
We were told that agencies would be studied and afterwords the wasteful spending in those programs would be cut from their budgets. Something I'm sure we would all agree with. But the rules were changed on what they promised and now we have so many acting as if it's perfectly fine.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
There are definitely cuts that can be made in places, and - once again - I will mention there are simple procedures we can use to get more bang for our buck and stop a lot of the hemorrhaging in our every day spending.
However, a lot of the power that we project internationally (political, military, economic, diplomatic) has a direct correlation to how well our economy functions as a whole.
The two biggest things we need to combat are 1) Stop greasing the palms of the puppet masters and 2) focus on wealth gap and revenue shortfalls.
Swish puts it best. We can’t keep socializing losses and privatizing gains.
and on top of that, I think that many people just are too short sighted to look at all the different aspects of cuts like USAID. One person on a plane with a hard to fight TB case could trigger a whole wave of illness. The USAID in 2020 was spending about 2.1 billion buying crops from our farmers to send overseas. That was before Pres Biden put a ton of money for rural infrastructure for rural water, wastewater in the Infrastructure bill. There were additional programs for farmers for upgrades-one farmer on tik tok talks about the NRCS program that monies were pulled in the last couple weeks even after there were agreements and the farmers spent money to get started. No, trump stiffed them on monies already spent and the program was stopped. Between the subsidies stopping, the immigration action and tariffs maybe coming-especially potash from Canada and retribution from other countries not wanting to buy our crops-the farmers are basically going to get wiped out.
But, the farmer on tik tok and most rural folks probably vote about 70-80% red, so I guess they all want these changes. I mean the one on tik tok said that trump said he knew nothing about project 2025 and he believed him-So, he fafo and now may lose his farm....
How USAID cuts could potentially impact Iowa's agriculture industry Share KCCI logoUpdated: 10:29 PM CST Feb 6, 2025 Infinite Scroll Enabled
Ophelie Jacobson Reporter
GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.
Your Email Address Submit Privacy Notice DES MOINES, Iowa — An Iowa farmer says he's concerned about the state's agriculture industry following efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development by the Trump administration.
President Donald Trump is conducting a sweeping review of the agency that has provided humanitarian aid to foreign countries in need since the 1960s.
The biggest changes to the agency took place over the last few days, leading to layoffs and furloughs of thousands of USAID employees and contractors, the shutdown of programs around the world and the USAID website being taken down.
The Progressive Farmer estimates that USAID is responsible for about $2 billion in U.S. Agriculture commodity purchases annually for humanitarian food aid. Reuters reports that the U.S. has already stopped purchases for foreign food aid programs.
FILE - A man walks past boxes of USAID humanitarian aid at a warehouse at the Tienditas International Bridge on the outskirts of Cucuta, Colombia, Feb. 21, 2019, on the border with Venezuela. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)Trump administration takes control, shuts down USAID "USAID is important for farmers," Aaron Lehman, president of the Iowa Farmers Union, said. "It's unfortunate that we would drop those relationships that we built over time."
Lehman said Iowa plays an important role in providing foreign food aid through USAID. He said the agency works with the Department of Agriculture and with farmers to provide Iowa corn, soybeans and other commodities to countries overseas.
"The grain goes all over the world with USAID," he said. "How much of that comes from Iowa specifically? It's difficult to tell."
KCCI wanted to find out exactly how much product from Iowa is being purchased to aid foreign countries through USAID. KCCI reached out to the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to ask exactly that.
White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly responded, but did not provide specific numbers. Instead, she wrote in a statement:
“President Trump is ensuring that taxpayer-funded programs at USAID align with the national interests of the United States, including protecting America’s farmers. He will cut programs that do not align with the agenda that the American people gave him a mandate to implement and keep programs that put America First.”
KCCI reached out to the governor's office as well as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. Both declined to comment.
Well said. And to link your post to mine, the problem isn’t the agencies or departments as much as it’s being made out that DOGE is rescuing us all from these deplorable government agencies with rogue, villain employees.
The problem is those who direct and appropriate the expenditures. This is akin to a CFO directing a company department to expend money in a certain way. Then the CFO calls in The Bobs to figure out how to lean out the company. The Bobs slash and burn that one department, throwing out any and all babies with the bath water. Yet the CFO is still there directing corporate expenditures…
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
05, I am gonna read that post as soon as I finish war and peace.lol. But I wanted to reassure about one thing. Trump was interviewed by Bret Bair on Super Bowl Sunday. He said the below and I enclose it in quotation marks be cause I think I wrote it down accurately. He had spoken about education dept and then “ then I’m going to go into the military. We are going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse. The people elected me in that”.
I think he is serious. Hopefully they will involve people like you in the process. But beware. Your higher ups are going to start discouraging cooperation because it may cost jobs. I think a lot of pressure is going to be brought to hold the line. Good luck to you.
Isn't doing it wrong in the first place and having to go back and fix it wasteful spending rather than just doing it right the first time?
I don't see it as wasteful at all. Any way you cut it this stops the flow of money out the door for useless programs. I don't see how reinstituting various programs is wasteful.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
Also, this is a 90 day pause. The actual programs will be absorbed by various agencies. The AG Dept is fully capable over overseeing grain distributions.
People aren't going to die. They are just going to be saved by somebody else.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
No cuts needed to be made to any programs, period. What needed to be done is to tax the rich like everyone else. If the elite and corps paid their FAIR SHARE, we would have no deficit nor would we have such great wealth inequality. But hey, let’s not let facts get in the way of pure idiocy.
And yes, people will die. This is what fascist leaders do; they intentionally inflict pain to produce fear and compliance.
I did actually see that quote after I did my long post. He didn’t really get specific or say that he was going after egregious profits. I don’t really know what to expect other than the unexpected at this point.
I also don’t expect my leadership to do anything wrong. The leadership I have in my own office is top notch. Congress on the other hand…
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
No cuts needed to be made to any programs, period. What needed to be done is to tax the rich like everyone else. If the elite and corps paid their FAIR SHARE, we would have no deficit nor would we have such great wealth inequality. But hey, let’s not let facts get in the way of pure idiocy.
And yes, people will die. This is what fascist leaders do; they intentionally inflict pain to produce fear and compliance.
51 - 50!!!!!!
"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples' money." Margarat Thatcher
Well DOTD, when you subtract the carrot from the stick and carrot situations THAT WE CREATED around the world… you better be prepared to use that stick because CHINA will provide the carrots. Yes, it will be on their dime as they reap resources in return on the global scale. Sometimes the stupidity on display from Trump’s admin is simply astounding. This case takes the cake.
And I know you are worried about how those trannies will survive without aid… Oh, sorry I used your trigger word when it’s mainly kids and people in dire need that will be punished… there were no condoms ordered for gaza.
Isn't doing it wrong in the first place and having to go back and fix it wasteful spending rather than just doing it right the first time?
I don't see it as wasteful at all. Any way you cut it this stops the flow of money out the door for useless programs. I don't see how reinstituting various programs is wasteful.
So feeding and giving medicine to starving children around the globe is wasteful spending in trumplandia?
How may people do think will lose their life before they "reinstitute various programs"?
So in truplandia the answer is do it wrong the first time than go back and fix it whenever you get around to it? How creative.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
trump has no concern or thought towards life lost. He didn't during covid. Wait untill RFK Jr gets in office and policies start killing Americans again.
Tariffs and whatever the hell Elon is REALLY up to will kill people. That’s the whole thing, they want to induce pain, chaos, pandemonium, fear and confusion. Some of us see that. The oblivious roil in it.
trump has no concern or thought towards life lost. He didn't during covid. Wait untill RFK Jr gets in office and policies start killing Americans again.
Bird flu is trump’s next health crisis. Just another “Donny”brook under his watch. With prices skyrocketing again trump’s inflation is growing. Remember when Biden got it under control? Now this. Pffft Trump lovers. SMH
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson.
We’re just lucky it’s not something like covid killing millions of people. We’d all be shoving lights up our asses and drinking bleach because he thought of it once.
Isn't doing it wrong in the first place and having to go back and fix it wasteful spending rather than just doing it right the first time?
I don't see it as wasteful at all. Any way you cut it this stops the flow of money out the door for useless programs. I don't see how reinstituting various programs is wasteful.
So feeding and giving medicine to starving children around the globe is wasteful spending in trumplandia?
How may people do think will lose their life before they "reinstitute various programs"?
So in truplandia the answer is do it wrong the first time than go back and fix it whenever you get around to it? How creative.
Just stop.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
I know how it must bother you when I point out exactly what it us you've been saying.
According to you just shut down aid that will end up killing innocent children and then they can go back and fix it whenever they get around to it. But let's rush people back to work because those poor landlords will suffer.
Don't blame me for the things you advocate. It sounds disgusting doesn't it?
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Isn't doing it wrong in the first place and having to go back and fix it wasteful spending rather than just doing it right the first time?
I don't see it as wasteful at all. Any way you cut it this stops the flow of money out the door for useless programs. I don't see how reinstituting various programs is wasteful.
So feeding and giving medicine to starving children around the globe is wasteful spending in trumplandia?
How may people do think will lose their life before they "reinstitute various programs"?
So in truplandia the answer is do it wrong the first time than go back and fix it whenever you get around to it? How creative.
The answer in trumpandia is to do it wrong the first time, promise to fix it, then ignore it
Am I perfect? No Am I trying to be a better person? Also no
Fairly typical.... Republicans that are tied to MAGA (note the distinction) jump to conclusions that are not supported by facts.. Then they put on a hissy fit if you call them on it....
Every elected official swore to uphold the constitution. Now they are ripping it up to push a NAZI like agenda,
The real traitors to America are those that are destroying it.
Last edited by Damanshot; 02/11/2507:32 PM.
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
Im trying to think of a word I can't recall....prop.... propa...propap? .hmmm can someone help me out. It's used by Russia and was also used by Hitler....anyone?
Propadictatorup? Propapoopfeed? I’m radical so I can say propaganda until my face is dem blue and they won’t listen. Sometimes I wish Republican Jesus would tap in… I’d like to see them call him a radical lefty.
I simply don't get all the resistance to cutting the pork in the budget. We are blowing through money like drunken sailors on shore leave.
Here is the deal on Musk. He has been appointed by the President to audit the various agencies to expose the unnecessary spending. Musk isn't the person deciding on what gets cut and what doesn't.
Also, every President since Washington has had appointed advisors. Cabinet members have to go through Senate confirmation. Advisors don't. Close aides don't. Unelected officials have been around every President helping to set policy. This isn't an OMG moment. Quit running around like your hair is on fire....it isn't a good look.
I get why some of the Dems are screaming and cussing like petulant children. Nobody likes it when their playpen money is taken away.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
I simply don't get all the resistance to cutting the pork in the budget.
There is none. Its the doctorial illegal and opaque process while exposing our personal information that is the problem. How do you not know that is the problem?
I'll add to that. The way his tweets come across, it is DOGE taking ownership of everything, including back-dooring a 19 year old into a senior advisor position with DoS. On top of that, even if DOGE is working on behalf of the Executive, show me where in the Constitution the Executive has the power to freeze and recapture Congressionally appropriated funds, let alone in a clear-cutting way.
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
I simply don't get all the resistance to cutting the pork in the budget. We are blowing through money like drunken sailors on shore leave.
That's not the issue here. The issue is what they're cutting. Don't play stupid.
Quote
Here is the deal on Musk. He has been appointed by the President to audit the various agencies to expose the unnecessary spending. Musk isn't the person deciding on what gets cut and what doesn't.
Then how is it trump pretty much said he could cut whatever he wanted and Musk is announcing the cuts?
Quote
I get why some of the Dems are screaming and cussing like petulant children. Nobody likes it when their playpen money is taken away.
Everyone who cares about human life as well as curing diseases should be worried as well. It appears you aren't one of those people.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
I simply don't get all the resistance to cutting the pork in the budget.
There is none. Its the doctorial illegal and opaque process while exposing our personal information that is the problem. How do you not know that is the problem?
The term is 'willfull ignorance'.
This is the same person that said (paraphrasing) we just need to do it right and send troops over the middle east to sort all that out.
There is no level of sucking we haven't seen; in fact, I'm pretty sure we hold the patents on a few levels of sucking NOBODY had seen until the past few years.
I simply don't get all the resistance to cutting the pork in the budget. We are blowing through money like drunken sailors on shore leave.
Here is the deal on Musk. He has been appointed by the President to audit the various agencies to expose the unnecessary spending. Musk isn't the person deciding on what gets cut and what doesn't.
Also, every President since Washington has had appointed advisors. Cabinet members have to go through Senate confirmation. Advisors don't. Close aides don't. Unelected officials have been around every President helping to set policy. This isn't an OMG moment. Quit running around like your hair is on fire....it isn't a good look.
I get why some of the Dems are screaming and cussing like petulant children. Nobody likes it when their playpen money is taken away.
Because pork in one persons eyes is a justified expenditure in someone else's.
The funds were passed by congress and approved by the President at that time.
You can't simply shut down the mechanism to spend appropriated money, that would likely require Congressional approval. Even if it was shut down, the obligations would have to be transferred to another entity.
Advisor my ass.. that is rich. Auditor, double my ass. double rich. What qualifications does Elon have as an auditor? Auditors do not have the authority to discontinue funding. Musk isn't deciding may or may not be true, technically but the Twitter universe suggests otherwise.
You don't give the passwords and control of the accounts to advisors.
It is not our playpen money, it is Congressionally approved funding.
There has been no audit. Anyone think that these changes have taken place after an audit? Is wilfully ignorant or just drinking the Kool-Aid a little bit too strongly?.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
Advisor my ass.. that is rich. Auditor, double my ass. double rich. What qualifications does Elon have as an auditor? Auditors do not have the authority to discontinue funding. Musk isn't deciding may or may not be true, technically but the Twitter universe suggests otherwise.
Remember when trump did an interview or podcast or something with elon and he laughed about how many people elon fired and thought it was great. That is trumps qualification for elon.
Cutting Pork is NOT the problem... Cutting NIH Funding IS a problem. Cutting USAID so deep without taking a moment to see where they are, is the Problem. An IG for USAID writes a report that states that we have food rotting on the docks because funding was cut off and people were told not to come to work.. That's the problem Then because the IG has the balls to say so in a memo, TRUMP fires him.... So, what that says to whistle blowers is that they can't be protected if they report government waste..... So why do it?
Like so many, you want to simplify things but by doing so you miss the real issues. Your comments show that you don't know what's really happening.. You just follow Trump and Musk blindly
Why haven't you discussed the amount of money that Musk gets from the Government....
I don't think either of those two cases in particular could EVER be confused for "Playpen Money"!
I'm still waiting for Proof of all this wasteful spending. No proof has been offered, just Trump and Musk telling us.....
Now I await a smart ass comment from you in an effort to belittle me for daring to call you out,.
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
I simply don't get all the resistance to cutting the pork in the budget.
There is none. Its the doctorial illegal and opaque process while exposing our personal information that is the problem. How do you not know that is the problem?
I don't know my friend, I suspect all of our info has already been exposed.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
I simply don't get all the resistance to cutting the pork in the budget.
There is none. Its the doctorial illegal and opaque process while exposing our personal information that is the problem. How do you not know that is the problem?
I don't know my friend, I suspect all of our info has already been exposed.
We could have hoped it wasn’t. But that hope didn’t just fade, it blew to smithereens.
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson.
Ah... the Deep State boogieman. MAGA somehow keeps trotting this nonesense out there even though they have Musk subverting any and all govt procedures, talking about how the judicial shouldn't be interfering in what they're doing (constitutional or not), handing sensitive info to college kids, and cutting out rank-and-file govt employees while contracts with his companies magically are allowed to move forward.
You should probably stick to posting joke memes in the joke thread.
There is no level of sucking we haven't seen; in fact, I'm pretty sure we hold the patents on a few levels of sucking NOBODY had seen until the past few years.
I’d be good with closing down a fair portion of USAID if they promised to use some of that money to end US homelessness. But we all know there’s no profit to be had there so it won’t even be considered.
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson.
They cut it off to enrich billionaires. It’s criminal if you ask me. I don’t like giving all the money away to impoverished countries either, but that is way better than increasing the wealth gap. The American elite have no idea how everyday Americans are living. They don’t feel the stress of making ends meet living paycheck to paycheck or the feeling of having no way out, no light at the end of the tunnel. And who do they expect to foot the bill for the 4 trillion dollar give-away? Those trapped at the bottom. How dystopian is that?
05, I appreciate the time, effort and thought that went into your veeerrrry loooong post. Not quite War and Peace but I think you could give Tolstoy a run for his money. I also appreciate the expertise you bring to the conversation. Clearly you and I come at this from different places. You are in the “belly of the beast” while I’m doing a flyover at 10,000 feet. While I think much of what you said is valid I think my flyover view has validity as well.
Now this 999 fellow thinks I will respond with a two sentence post about some minor point. I couldn’t find any minor points so that would be difficult. I do think that fellow tends to project on to others exactly what he does himself. So there is that.
05, responding in total to all your points would require a small book, so I have chosen to offer comments on two of your points i agree with, two I have a somewhat different take on and two that I think you are in error.
Every time I see a story about DOGE attacking waste and spending I am reminded of your point that the problem is our legislative branch, the congress. And I agree with that point totally. The branch that should be the solution to the problem is, in fact, the problem itself. I just read the projected deficit for this year is almost $2 trillion. I think it may bebiggest ever. Why?? Well after covid emergency ended congress refused to return to pre COVID spending levels, insisted on keeping the money and spending it on their pet projects. Pre COVID our budget was about $3.5 trillion and now I think 🤔 t is 6.5 trillion. If we had returned to Pre covid spending, factored in the inflation, our budget would be less than the expected revenue for the year. In other words, congress is constitutionally incapable of reducing spending. (Not referring to the U S Constitution in that sentence) . There is a word to describe congressional money mindset. Insatiable!! No matter how much they have they will take and spend more if they can.
If I thought there was anychance the Congress would do anything to rein in spending and attack waste and corruption I would be all for it and DOGE could stand down. But they cannot/will not do so and someone needs to go at it from a different angle. One point you cited that actually favors a doge approach is the huge amounts of money that flows into the pols from lobbyists. I don’t think the doge guys have to worry about that. So they will attack it free of the constraints of lobbyist tentacles. btw, I do think there is a minority in congress who want to disrupt and change this system, but between the dems and the establishment repubs they cannot get anywhere. I do not know how we can change this but I think sitting around doing nothing with the hope things will change on the hill is just “pie in the sky” thinking with no hope of it happening.
Another point you made had to do with the language/vocabulary being directed toward government employees. I think it is way over the top and I wish it would cease. Government employees are not the enemy. In fact they can be a great ally in dealing with some of this. Nobody knows the machinations of government/industry interactions like employees who are in the middle of it. In dod I am sure there are lots of people like you who can show the inner workings of this process and I am certain employees in other areas can do the same. So I would like to see fed employees viewed as collaborators in our attempt to rid the government of wasting taxpayer dollars. I am sure I have not heard all the harsh rhetoric but I did hear, with my own two ears, spokeslady Caroline refer really negatively to workers working remotely. Should not have happened. She is young and has a lot to learn. She is no Kaleigh Mcananey (sic) that is for sure. So hopefully as we move on the rhetoric will change.
05, you cited a great concern for the fact that a number of Inspector generals have been removed. You believe that leaves us vulnerable to misbehavior. But 05, we have had all those IGs in place and you are citing often the abuses that are occurring. We need to put something in place that actually works. Part of it is developing a passion within government for getting the max out of taxpayer dollars. If every spender treated those dollars like they were coming out of their own pocket who knows what might happen.
You mention a principle. Time, amount and thing?? Can’t remember for sure the words. Jist was they give you an amount to spend on an item by end of fiscal year. That generated a question. They give you a Billion for 2025 for widgets. Thru hard negotiations you get the widgets you want for $500 million. What happens to the other$500 million?? Just curious.
I do think as abuses of spending get laid out the American people are going to be more and more supportive of the process.
I think it is true that this process with federal employees is more “out there”, more public, than the same goings on in the private sector. We vacated about 150 employees positions but outside the hospital nobody knew about it. However that was still stressful for the employees who lost their jobs and they struggled to recover from it just like federal employees who lose positions will do. So I think going thru streamlining an organization, whether public or private, is difficult and stressful for those involved.
05, you expressed concern for revenue shortfall being a problem for he future. I do not see that at all. According to the CBO, revenues for the next 10 years are gonna be almost $70 trillion. Almost $7 trillion per year coming in. If the pols would show a willingness to live within their means I think we could make do on that.
Finally i think you are mistaken about federal employees compensation being 25% below private sector employees. Unless you are referencing actual pay scales which imho does not paint the complete picture of employee compensation. I wish I was a techno geek so I could transfer this bar graph i am looking at over to this post . Alas I am not. Maybe I could get my 11 yo grandson to come over. He could probably do it in 10 seconds. Failing that I think I’ll just describe what I see. It is CBO data. It shows the total compensation package for federal employees vs private sector employees in comparable positions. It breaks them into five categories based upon education. HS grads, some college, bachelor’s, masters and finally, professional/doctoral degrees. The first two categories the federal employees have a compensation package advantage of 15-20 $/hr. The third, bachelors degree has a federal advantage of $4/ hr. I would guess the vast majority of federal employees fall into one of those three categories. The fourth, master’s degree, has a $3/ hr private sector advantage. The fifth, doctoral trained has a substantial private sector advantage, 15-20 $/hr. I would guess that masters and doctoral degree employees are a small minority of federal employees though I have no data to support that. But I think in general federal compensation is more than competitive.
Finally 05, i think as we talk about bringing spending under control, reducing corruption, overpaying etc.i do not think many realize the urgency of the situation. Right now, according to CBO number we are paying 21% of our revenue to service our debt. 21%!!! By 2035 if nothing changes we will be spending 25% on the debt! 25% !!! A quarter of our money. We are in a fiscal emergency and the old way would just not have dealt with it. So we are treating it like the emergency it is with this new way. If we are to survive it has to work.
05, I appreciate your concern for this old guys health. I wish I had been at the doc for me. Sadly my wife has spent 6 weeks fighting the shingles on her face and now it is in her eye. Horrible headaches and now her right eye itches constantly. This is a 75 year old who is on zero prescriptions in her life who now has 4-5 pill bottles by her bed. I just hope this does not drag out for months and months like shingles sometimes does.
Hang in there . I know we don’t want to lose good employees like you. I have been curious about the early retirement package. Was it a good deal for a guy in your position. Years ago at the hospital, we floated a package to encourage long term, highly paid employees to retire. If your age and years of service equalled 80 you got a deal. I was at 79, dang it, so I missed. I never even found out the details of the package. Since then we have done the same thing twice more but I was already gone so I don’t know details but I know a bunch of folks have done it. It is just not really a big deal, and can be a positive for many employees.
I read the first 1/3 of your response and I appreciate you sticking around and debating. I want to make a point of saying that to folks that I may not agree with, but are still sticking around and contributing to debate.
I'm gonna get back on here later and read the rest of your response when I have a little more time. Work has me running around quite a bit.
What some folks keep coming back to is the argument that those that disagree with DOGE are against cutting govt waste. That isn't true in the least.
If I thought DOGE was going about these govt cuts in a thoughtful manner, I'd be their biggest fan. If DOGE stuck with their current methods and instead pointed it at Congress, I'd be a big fan.
They're not doing either of these things. They are slashing departments and people that will disrupt core functions of our government while still not making a dent in the deficit and without any plans on restoring those core functions. That's a big problem.
There is no level of sucking we haven't seen; in fact, I'm pretty sure we hold the patents on a few levels of sucking NOBODY had seen until the past few years.
I read the first 1/3 of your response and I appreciate you sticking around and debating. I want to make a point of saying that to folks that I may not agree with, but are still sticking around and contributing to debate.
I'm gonna get back on here later and read the rest of your response when I have a little more time. Work has me running around quite a bit.
What some folks keep coming back to is the argument that those that disagree with DOGE are against cutting govt waste. That isn't true in the least.
If I thought DOGE was going about these govt cuts in a thoughtful manner, I'd be their biggest fan. If DOGE stuck with their current methods and instead pointed it at Congress, I'd be a big fan.
They're not doing either of these things. They are slashing departments and people that will disrupt core functions of our government while still not making a dent in the deficit and without any plans on restoring those core functions. That's a big problem.
A sensible and thought out response.. Thanks
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
I will also say that DOGE is announcing what they are cutting like a rooster crowing in the morning.
There characterizations of the authorized expenditures is intentionally inflammatory and has bias.
Fine if you want to cut spending, but do it through the Congressional Budget process, not by some ex-post-facto strategy which has been previously determined to be illegal.
And Musk has inherent conflicts and lacks qualifications to be the hatchet man.
The President can't simply cut spending that the President does not like.
Last edited by WooferDawg; 02/13/2506:59 PM. Reason: Musk comment.
You can obviously do whatever the hell you want when SCOTUS makes you KING and the Republicans in congress have been turned into cucked lemmings. People will have to rise up to stop this, you can bet on that.
You realize both of these guys are lifelong lib dems. Unlike most of you they still believe in freedom of speech and oppose government censorship. That made them the enemies of the dems in congress.
They’ve been radicalized by Christo-Fascists. I was a life long Republican until the racism and hate started tearing through the party during Obama’s 08 run. Don’t tell me these guys hold ANY democrat qualities. They’re both billionaire assholes.
So when you know nothing you just make stuff up. “Christo-fascists??? Billionaires??? Radicalized?? All pure bologna. I realize playing with truth makes it harder but try it for a change. Both of these reporters are and have been dems. Tiabbi voted for gore, he voted for Kerry, he voted for Obama. Haven’t heard this one but id bet he voted for Clinton. It wasn’t them that changed. It was the looney lefty dems who decided that government censorship was fine. That freedom of speech wasn’t really in the first amendment.
If I sat down with these two reporters we would align philosophicaly on virtually nothing ….except that government censorship is evil and freedom of speech is virtually inviolable.
So when you talk about these guys next time try to be a little truthful….just a little bit.
You realize both of these guys are lifelong lib dems. Unlike most of you they still believe in freedom of speech and oppose government censorship. That made them the enemies of the dems in congress.
Here's what I realize. There is a lot of waste in government spending that needs to be addressed. I also realize what it is they have decided to target first and how they targeted it.
USAID provides aid and medicine to starving children around the globe. I'm all for cutting out the waste but what they did was cut off the entire hand because a finger was infected. Next it was inspector generals who oversee that abuse in government is overseen. Next it was the consumer protection agency that helps protect citizens from being abused by big business. Now they're moving on to the department of education which will do away with any set standard across the county for educating our children. Sadly this will hurt poor red states more than anyone.
Whether you're a "life long dem" or a "life long Republican" doing away with the people that feed the poor, oversee abuse in government or protect every day consumers we should all be worried.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
No, government censorship like meeting with social media and telling them to prevent certain people from posting information because it does not comply with government orthodoxy. Throwing a “tantrum “ about something being published is not censorship.
Brief history tutorial here. Government saying they do not like what was printed/said is not censorship. Using government to keep it from being printed/said is censorship.
Right!! Except that the “lies” that were censored turned out to be true, and the “truth” that the Feds wanted published turned out to be lies. I get it, that doesn’t bother you but it does me.
I will also say that DOGE is announcing what they are cutting like a rooster crowing in the morning.
There characterizations of the authorized expenditures is intentionally inflammatory and has bias.
Fine if you want to cut spending, but do it through the Congressional Budget process, not by some ex-post-facto strategy which has been previously determined to be illegal.
And Musk has inherent conflicts and lacks qualifications to be the hatchet man.
The President can't simply cut spending that the President does not like.
To be fair, the correct path of reducing govt spending will take you through Congress... which is 100% of the root cause of the problem. Radical action is necessary in order to rein in spending... especially if you want to accomplish that over just one pres term.
Electing a guy that has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of this process after he is the largest campaign contributor definitely ain't it, though.
There is no level of sucking we haven't seen; in fact, I'm pretty sure we hold the patents on a few levels of sucking NOBODY had seen until the past few years.
Good answer when you have nothing. Let’s play a game here. I’ll give you two statements, both ostensibly true. You tell me which of the statements was true and which statement was censored.
#1- natural immunity is not as effective as vaccine acquired immunity so you need to get the shot even if you had the virus and no matter what your blood antibody level.
#2- natural immunity is at least as effective and probably more effective and longer lasting than vaccine acquired immunity. If you had the virus and you have a good antibody level you do not need the shot.
Can you tell me where that first statement came from? Who it was that made that statement? Can you show where anyone pressured that first statement be made? Because that's the argument you've been making.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
So...some believe that the people (Congress) responsible for where we are presently (with the ridiculous spending, fraud & waste) also believe that those same people (Congress) should be the ones leading the charge to clean up the ridiculous spending.
Ooops...I thought I was in the Pure Football Forum...my bad.
Well it's only in the constitution that congress has the power of the purse. (spending) But we shouldn't let a little thing like the constitution get in the way, right?
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
See, this is part of the problem, who are you to decide whether or not someone is qualified for a position?
Joe Biden wasn't qualified to be President of the United States. Alejandro Mayorkas sure as HELL was NOT qualified to be Director of Homeland Security. He wasn't fit to run a lemonade stand and a ten year old could have done a better than that guy.
Personally I think the Democrats have a deep over trust in government and over reliance in them as a whole. They are fine with the status quo and believe what they are told every step of the way. I'm not really sure why...whether or not they count on certain programs, gifts, money, something they receive from the government, I'm just don't get it. Why aren't they willing to admit when things are wrong? Why were there no audits of programs under Biden? Why? Didn't they care?
Maybe they like to ignore the corruption and past wrong doings because they can't fathom the truth that their side is bad just like the rest of them. The documents are out there of past corruption, programs that actively go against US citizens, special operations that are carried out regardless of which party is in power. They have the audacity to think that long service in government can somehow be used as a barometer of whether or not someone is competent or qualified for the job. This is absolute nonsense! In fact, the longer someone has been in government the more likely they are to be corrupt and fully engulfed in the machine.
Back when this country started all the people appointed to positions came from regular professions such as teachers, blacksmiths cooks, etc. Just because someone has a different life experience doesn't mean that they are any less capable of making sound decisions. In fact their decisions are often better because they're more in touch with the every day man and what regular people are going through. I'd be perfectly fine if 100% of congress were fired tomorrow and replaced by every day folks. Not one person should be scared of that...If you are then I think you should re-evaluate your thoughts about government.
See, this is part of the problem, who are you to decide whether or not someone is qualified for a position?
This is how you tell us you haven't been paying attention while you haven't been paying attention.
Quote
Joe Biden wasn't qualified to be President of the United States.
Biden was elected, not appointed. Musk was appointed.
Quote
Alejandro Mayorkas sure as HELL was NOT qualified to be Director of Homeland Security. He wasn't fit to run a lemonade stand and a ten year old could have done a better than that guy.
Yet he was confirmed by the senate and Musk was not.
Quote
Personally I think the Democrats have a deep over trust in government and over reliance in them as a whole. They are fine with the status quo and believe what they are told every step of the way. I'm not really sure why...whether or not they count on certain programs, gifts, money, something they receive from the government, I'm just don't get it. Why aren't they willing to admit when things are wrong? Why were there no audits of programs under Biden? Why? Didn't they care?
While you haven't admitted many of the things trump has done since he has been elected is wrong? Or the fact that musk Musk "donated" 270 million dollars to the trump campaign to buy his power.
Quote
Maybe they like to ignore the corruption and past wrong doings because they can't fathom the truth that their side is bad just like the rest of them. The documents are out there of past corruption, programs that actively go against US citizens, special operations that are carried out regardless of which party is in power. They have the audacity to think that long service in government can somehow be used as a barometer of whether or not someone is competent or qualified for the job. This is absolute nonsense! In fact, the longer someone has been in government the more likely they are to be corrupt and fully engulfed in the machine
If you are speaking about the first trump presidency from 2016 - 2020 and America didn't learn anything from it then we agree. It's not that we "trust" the government. It's that we fact check things to see who it is that's really lying. You may find that helpful.
Quote
Back when this country started all the people appointed to positions came from regular professions such as teachers, blacksmiths cooks, etc. Just because someone has a different life experience doesn't mean that they are any less capable of making sound decisions. In fact their decisions are often better because they're more in touch with the every day man and what regular people are going through. I'd be perfectly fine if 100% of congress were fired tomorrow and replaced by every day folks. Not one person should be scared of that...If you are then I think you should re-evaluate your thoughts about government.
So they didn't have billions in government contracts or donated 270 million to presidential campaigns in order to buy their power in government? You're comparing apples to oranges while trying to make them sound the same. They're not.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Well it's only in the constitution that congress has the power of the purse. (spending) But we shouldn't let a little thing like the constitution get in the way, right?
Where did I say ANYTHING about Congress' authority over spending? You are seeing things that aren't there...again.
So...some believe that the people (Congress) responsible for where we are presently (with the ridiculous spending, fraud & waste) also believe that those same people (Congress) should be the ones leading the charge to clean up the ridiculous spending.
When you stop spending that congress has already approved you are in fact overriding congress and their function of having the control of spending. Maybe it's just that you didn't understand the ramifications of what you posted.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
In the immortal words of Cris Carter……. Cmon man!!! Of course you won’t answer so I will. First , the second statement is the true statement. Natural immunity is more effective and longer lasting than vaccine acquired immunity. Numerous studies show that to be a true statement.
Second, which statement was censored? Sadly the Feds pressured the social media sites to keep that information from the public. They censored the truth. And you don’t care.
Fauci and the cdc during 20 and 21 expressed numerous times that people should not rely on natural immunity and should get the shot even if they had gotten the virus. And they demonstrated that with their vaccine mandates. They mandated our military get the vaccine and never once said unless you have had the virus. They discharged our service people for refusing the vaccine and many of them had had the virus.
Clearly the people running the show believed natural immunity was not effective. And they were wrong.
You censorship advocates just can’t admit that censoring truth is a bad idea. Btw there are many examples of the same thing happening, not that you care.
So you can't provide any source that confirms that one statement you quoted was forced or coerced to be stated by the government. Instead you just ramble on with no varification to support it. Got it.
You do realize that natural immunity only works in people that have already had Covid don't you? And you do realize how many people died when they got covid don't you?
Dear Lord man.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
You censorship advocates just can’t admit that censoring truth is a bad idea.
.
Coming from a card carrying member of Cult of Trump whose media darling/partner wanted to Flood the Zone with excrement so no one knows whats true or BS .... Your post belongs in the Political Jokes thread.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
Where did I say anywhere that someone was forced or coerced to say vaccine immunity was more effective than natural acquired immunity. Where?? Nowhere!!!
I said social media was coerced to prevent publication of the fact that natural immunity is more effective than vaccine immunity so if you have had the virus and have good antibodies you do not need the vaccine!! Ya got it or is this too complex for you??
And you are surely not implying that I think healthy people should walk thru the covid ward to get the virus so they have natural immunity. Implying that would be the height of ___. To paraphrase my friend Tucker , at first I thought you were pretending to be ____, but now I’m not so sure.
Dude, you actually have been saying the government forced people to say things and then posed a question with two statements in it. If you weren't trying to claim the statement was coerced WTH were to trying to say? You just said it again in your last post and then said that's not what you were saying?
The vast majority of people had not had covid. They had no natural immunity and many of them who contracted Covid died because of it. You didn't have to walk through a covid ward to get covid. Millions of people got covid without doing that. As er usual you have become unhinged.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Which statement said anything about somebody being forced to say it?? Answer neither. Look you made a very specific accusation, that I said something. Now you are weaseling around because you now realize I did not say any such thing. So the question now is…. Did you accuse me while knowing full well I did not say it. That would be lying, or did you just make a mistake. Only you know the truth.
Could you explain to me what anything in that second paragraph has to do with acknowledging that natural immunity is and always has been effective and that people who had the virus and had the antibodies did not need the vaccine. All that is so evident to almost everyone but you.
Your entire premise going into those questions was that the government was forcing people to say things and pressuring social media. You then posted those questions asking me which one was true and which one wasn't. I realize exactly what you were saying based on the context of the conversation. And so does everyone else. Pay attention net time. The only one trying to weasel out of that is you.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Show me where I said government was forcing people to say things. I am wracking my brain to think of a context where I would believe that and say it. I’m coming up with nothing. So I am confident I did not was and unless you can show an example where I did then you are just spreading a lie…..again.
Now the coercion of Facebook et al was real and indisputable. So I did say that .
So again, show me where I said government was forcing people to say things. Otherwise you are just making things up.
Right!! Except that the “lies” that were censored turned out to be true, and the “truth” that the Feds wanted published turned out to be lies. I get it, that doesn’t bother you but it does me.
Right here.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
The Trump Administration Is About to Incinerate 500 Tons of Emergency Food Hana Kiros Mon, July 14, 2025 at 10:21 PM EDT 6 min read
Five months into its unprecedented dismantling of foreign-aid programs, the Trump administration has given the order to incinerate food instead of sending it to people abroad who need it. Nearly 500 metric tons of emergency food—enough to feed about 1.5 million children for a week—are set to expire tomorrow, according to current and former government employees with direct knowledge of the rations. Within weeks, two of those sources told me, the food, meant for children in Afghanistan and Pakistan, will be ash. (The sources I spoke with for this story requested anonymity for fear of professional repercussions.)
Sometime near the end of the Biden administration, USAID spent about $800,000 on the high-energy biscuits, one current and one former employee at the agency told me. The biscuits, which cram in the nutritional needs of a child under 5, are a stopgap measure, often used in scenarios where people have lost their homes in a natural disaster or fled a war faster than aid groups could set up a kitchen to receive them. They were stored in a Dubai warehouse and intended to go to the children this year.
Since January, when the Trump administration issued an executive order that halted virtually all American foreign assistance, federal workers have sent the new political leaders of USAID repeated requests to ship the biscuits while they were useful, according to the two USAID employees. USAID bought the biscuits intending to have the World Food Programme distribute them, and under previous circumstances, career staff could have handed off the biscuits to the United Nations agency on their own. But since Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency disbanded USAID and the State Department subsumed the agency, no money or aid items can move without the approval of the new heads of American foreign assistance, several current and former USAID employees told me. From January to mid-April, the responsibility rested with Pete Marocco, who worked across multiple agencies during the first Trump administration; then it passed to Jeremy Lewin, a law-school graduate in his 20s who was originally installed by DOGE and now has appointments at both USAID and State. Two of the USAID employees told me that staffers who sent the memos requesting approval to move the food never got a response and did not know whether Marocco or Lewin ever received them. (The State Department did not answer my questions about why the food was never distributed.)
In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told representatives on the House Appropriations Committee that he would ensure that food aid would reach its intended recipients before spoiling. But by then, the order to incinerate the biscuits (which I later reviewed) had already been sent. Rubio has insisted that the administration embraces America’s responsibility to continue saving foreign lives, including through food aid. But in April, according to NPR, the U.S. government eliminated all humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and Yemen, where, the State Department said at the time, providing food risks benefiting terrorists. (The State Department has offered no similar justification for pulling aid to Pakistan.) Even if the administration was unwilling to send the biscuits to the originally intended countries, other places—Sudan, say, where war is fueling the world’s worst famine in decades—could have benefited. Instead, the biscuits in the Dubai warehouse continue to approach their expiration date, after which their vitamin and fat content will begin to deteriorate rapidly. At this point, United Arab Emirates policy prevents the biscuits from even being repurposed as animal feed.
Over the coming weeks, the food will be destroyed at a cost of $130,000 to American taxpayers (on top of the $800,000 used to purchase the biscuits), according to current and former federal aid workers I spoke with. One current USAID staffer told me he’d never seen anywhere near this many biscuits trashed over his decades working in American foreign aid. Sometimes food isn’t stored properly in warehouses, or a flood or a terrorist group complicates deliveries; that might result in, at most, a few dozen tons of fortified foods being lost in a given year. But several of the aid workers I spoke with reiterated that they have never before seen the U.S. government simply give up on food that could have been put to good use.
The emergency biscuits slated for destruction represent only a small fraction of America’s typical annual investment in food aid. In fiscal year 2023, USAID purchased more than 1 million metric tons of food from U.S. producers. But the collapse of American foreign aid raises the stakes of every loss. Typically, the biscuits are the first thing that World Food Programme workers hand to Afghan families who are being forced out of Pakistan and back to their home country, which has been plagued by severe child malnutrition for years. Now the WFP can support only one of every 10 Afghans who are in urgent need of food assistance. The WFP projects that, globally, 58 million people are at risk for extreme hunger or starvation because this year, it lacks the money to feed them. Based on calculations from one of the current USAID employees I spoke with, the food marked for destruction could have met the nutritional needs of every child facing acute food insecurity in Gaza for a week.
Despite the administration’s repeated promises to continue food aid, and Rubio’s testimony that he would not allow existing food to go to waste, even more food could soon expire. Hundreds of thousands of boxes of emergency food pastes, also already purchased, are currently collecting dust in American warehouses. According to USAID inventory lists from January, more than 60,000 metric tons of food—much of it grown in America, and all already purchased by the U.S. government—were then sitting in warehouses across the world. That included 36,000 pounds of peas, oil, and cereal, which were stored in Djibouti and intended for distribution in Sudan and other countries in the Horn of Africa. A former senior official at USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance told me that, by the time she’d left her job earlier this month, very little of the food seemed to have moved; one of the current USAID employees I spoke with confirmed her impression, though he noted that, in recent weeks, small shipments have begun leaving the Djibouti warehouse.
Such operations are more difficult for USAID to manage today than they were last year because many of the humanitarian workers and supply-chain experts who once coordinated the movement of American-grown food to hungry people around the world no longer have their jobs. Last month, the CEOs of the two American companies that make another kind of emergency food for malnourished children both told The New York Times that the government seemed unsure of how to ship the food it had already purchased. Nor, they told me, have they received any new orders. (A State Department spokesperson told me that the department had recently approved additional purchases, but both CEOs told me they have yet to receive the orders. The State Department has not responded to further questions about these purchases.) But even if the Trump administration decides tomorrow to buy more food aid—or simply distribute what the government already owns while the food is still useful—it may no longer have the capacity to make sure anyone receives it.
So, aside from the "hate trump" slant, what I read is: Small portion of what the u.s. does, and "while still useful", meaning food expires. I can only imagine the headlines if that spoiled food was sent and people got sick.
Yes, the people that were formerly being paid to distribute the food are no longer employed to do so due to the funding cuts at USAID. So rather than doing the right thing and distributing this food to starving people they chose to let it sit there and rot...............
Food For Millions Rots in Storage After Trump’s USAID Cuts
Roughly 60,000 metric tons of food—enough to feed 3.5 million people for a month—is sitting unused in foreign countries because of the Trump administration’s sudden cut in funding to USAID earlier this year.
According to sources speaking to Reuters, the rations are spread across four warehouses in Houston, Djibouti, Durban, and Dubai and comprise cereals, pulses, and cooking oil. The food, valued at $98 million, was intended for emergency distribution in hunger-stricken regions including Gaza, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Most of it will now end up in incinerators or as animal feed.
Nearly 500 tons of high-energy biscuits in Dubai are set to expire in July, one former USAID official told Reuters. They could have fed 27,000 acutely malnourished children for a month.
The failure stems from USAID’s rapid dismantling by the Trump administration and a pause on the contracts and funds needed to ship supplies to where they are needed.
“USAID is continuously consulting with partners on where to best distribute commodities at USAID prepositioning warehouses for use in emergency programs ahead of their expiration dates,” a State Department spokesperson said. Internal proposals to release the food remain on hold, awaiting sign-off from the Office of Foreign Assistance, now headed by 28-year-old Elon Musk appointee, Jeremy Lewin.
So, aside from the "hate trump" slant, what I read is: Small portion of what the u.s. does, and "while still useful", meaning food expires. I can only imagine the headlines if that spoiled food was sent and people got sick.
The point is that all of this was avoidable in the first place.
Elon set his sights on an agency that was investigating his own company; an agency that was a huge source of soft power for the US. We’ve heard of guns and butter, well this was the butter and it got DOGEd.
And now we have to incinerate the food needlessly. Oh, and what did we do with all that “savings” we got from eliminating USAID?
We passed a bill that increases the deficit even worse.
Hope it was all worth it. Just keep on pulling that lever.
Blue ostriches on crack float on milkshakes between the sidewalk titans of gurglefitz. --YTown
So ""they" don't want to give food designated for starving children in other countries. Fine But why let it sit aaround until it needs to be destroyed? At least see the expiration date coming and find a way to redirect to the starving children in this country
Am I perfect? No Am I trying to be a better person? Also no
So, aside from the "hate trump" slant, what I read is: Small portion of what the u.s. does, and "while still useful", meaning food expires. I can only imagine the headlines if that spoiled food was sent and people got sick.
IMO, there's nothing wrong with looking at govt spending. One could also make the argument that the cuts to USAID and other foreign assistance makes sense.
This money has already been spent. Nothing is gained by not sending it. I could them not sending it to feed hungry Americans, but that's also not what we're doing.
Letting the food expire and burning it (which will incur a cost) is just spiteful... and coincidentally is happening under the direction of one of the most spiteful political personalities we've seen.
There is no level of sucking we haven't seen; in fact, I'm pretty sure we hold the patents on a few levels of sucking NOBODY had seen until the past few years.
You were warned he would use executive orders to act like a dictator and he has done so. He has used them to cancel funding that congress, who has the power of spending had already approved. You were warned he would base his administration on Project 2025 and he has done so. You were warned he would use his presidency to be vindictive to his political enemies and he has done so.
And now you even say you wouldn't vote for him again. So what has he done to change your mind about your vote for him? Surely there are things you didn't expect and or don't accept that caused you to change your mind.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
I simply don't get all the resistance to cutting the pork in the budget. We are blowing through money like drunken sailors on shore leave.
Here is the deal on Musk. He has been appointed by the President to audit the various agencies to expose the unnecessary spending. Musk isn't the person deciding on what gets cut and what doesn't.
Also, every President since Washington has had appointed advisors. Cabinet members have to go through Senate confirmation. Advisors don't. Close aides don't. Unelected officials have been around every President helping to set policy. This isn't an OMG moment. Quit running around like your hair is on fire....it isn't a good look.
I get why some of the Dems are screaming and cussing like petulant children. Nobody likes it when their playpen money is taken away.
What part of Childhood cancer would you consider to be Pork? Musk cut that! Is helping your fellow man PORK?
As for Musk, NOT ONE ACCOUNTANT ON HIS TEAM! No Auditors, no Forensic accounting professionals! He's cutting things HE decided are wasteful. HE DECIDED! Things like Childhood Cancer Reasearch!
Every consultant that every president has appointed had recommendations that they make/made reviewed by a congressional oversight before any of those recommendations were carried out. Especially if it involved major job or human services cuts.
The reasons we Dems are angry over these things is that there is a method to accomplish everything Trump is trying to do. A Constitutional method is provided by the founding fathers. You know, The guys that thought this entire country up...
If he followed those methods, and got these things cut, they would need to have been done with forethought and with consideration for all the things they affect.
The thing is this, I think Trump, Miller and the rest of these morons are VERY aware that they would never be allowed to cut those things if they followed the rules. NEVER... so they go out and try to circumvent the rules and call it "CUTTING THE PORK" like you did, and with an equal amount of willful ignorance.
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
![[Linked Image]](http://www.dawgtalkers.net/uploads/small-gator-chomp.gif)
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/2sR3mZS.jpeg)
