Turning On The Giant Faucet Of Bullshit - US Politics February 2025

They don't they're politely waiting outside

When their team wins the Superbowl

But excepting citizens who are at home reading a book and having lots of sex

where's that black bloc when you need them? they are probably all still plotting their next move against the WTO.

truly remarkable that Trump's approval rating remains the same despite the fact that every single move he's made is massively unpopular and he's ceded total control to one of the most disliked people on the planet. either his voters have no clue what's going on or they straight up don't care. sure feels like the growing sentiment in America is "this country ain't worth saving"

Depending on whom you believe, it's no big deal, a good thing actually, or 1930s Germany.

The not-terminally-online might hear all this conclude that those messages cancel out, and the thing to do is proceed as normal.

And frankly, even for people who are decently well-informed and therefore terrified? There's still no way to know what will happen or what they can do about it.

And it nets to the same thing: they still have to rotate the laundry, empty the litter box, pack the kids' lunches. Focus on what is right in front of them.

I'm not at all surprised about Trump's approval rating: it's followed the usual patterns. IF we get to 2028 it'll be in the 30s again.

Sarahell, I want the rich and powerful to be executed. that is what the guillotine represents in the public imaginary, despite its historical inaccuracy ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I'm not at all surprised about Trump's approval rating: it's followed the usual patterns. IF we get to 2028 it'll be in the 30s again.

― the talented mr pimply (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, February 11, 2025 8:50 AM (four minutes ago)

yeah people voted for "change" and they're getting it

In the UK people voted for "change" (literally that word was the slogan). All they've gotten is much of the same and that's why the current govt is already tanking in the polls.

yes, despite the obvious differences, they're both the result of an emaciated political culture

Prediction: if Tr/usk were "stopped" (whatever that means) by the courts or by political obstruction, that would only be temporary.

Because the magas' lust is to see the Trumpian program implemented, not merely gestured at. If the full trumPurge does not happen, then the urge to purge remains unsated, and that energy remains.

We say that Trump is unpopular, and maybe so, but the idea of change IS popular. Indeed, a fundamental restructuring of society is much desired on the left as well.

As it stands, though the current Dem/left opposition coalition flies the unappealing beige banner of "Things As They Were Last Year."

Reagan staged a revolution but it is said that the only component of government he was able to shutter was the Civil Aeronautics Board.

I don't think the current energy will abate until a Cabinet-level department is gone. At least.

People, broadly, need to see things actually happen before they can say whether they're bad. Right now so many things we say sound like chicken-little warnings. Warnings coming, broadly, from the same mouths that warned them about CFCs and the ozone layer and recycling. A lot of folks can tune that out.

(All of the above rambles submitted in response to the perennial "why aren't people rioting in the streets" question Not intended as approval or prescription.)

(A thousand xposts)

Unfortunately in this case we elected Change UK.

We're doomed

i believe there is a doomerism containment thread to express these kinds of sentiments, thanks

My hope is that the Dems shut down the government. Shut it all down. If Trump says fuck you and moves ahead anyway, well, we'll get to it.

there seems to be a ton of angst and uncertainty right now over how far Dems are willing to push things, which is fair because there's a lot of vague talk coming from them, getting to be time to put up or shut up

I saw anti-Elon protests in my town yesterday, it does appear the people are really fired up right now

How long until we get to Musk threatening GOP senators who won't vote to get rid of the filibuster

xp - there seems to be a big push on Bluesky to focus protests at Tesla dealerships and factories

I said nothing, because I was not a Tesla

Video of an ICE raid on a Memphis taco truck. The owners of the truck only know what happened because they have security video, otherwise they would have no idea, they would have just found an empty truck.

https://fb.watch/xHbmYxuEdc/?mibextid=v7YzmG

Brave guy hiding his face there. Chilling.

I think the thing with Trump‘s approval rating is you’ve gotta remember just how many people in this country exclusively mainlining Fox News propaganda and might not even be hearing about a lot of of this or if they are, it’s certainly filtered through a different lens

“We say that Trump is unpopular” but that’s us. The people who voted for him that I’m seeing are gleeful about DOGE “rooting out government waste,” gleeful at ICE raids, gleeful at anything that takes away any acceptance of trans rights. Until they personally experience any negative ramifications from his actions, any minor win will be hailed as a massive achievement and validation of their vote, and any setbacks will be handwaved away.

https://www.avclub.com/pbs-dei-closure-trump-executive-order

When do Americans start rioting in the streets?

― Tsar Bombadil (James Morrison),

man no wonder Morbs flamed you offboard, this has been explained repeatedly multiple times over many years, you are an ignorant ass

FP'd Stevo's smug reply as well

blagojevich pardoned (again, sort of - trump commuted his sentence in 2020)

Blagojevich thanked Trump while speaking to reporters in Chicago on Monday night, saying, “We want to express our deepest and most profound and everlasting gratitude to President Trump for what he has done today.”

The 68-year-old maintained that he broke no law. “I didn’t do it. It was all political talk,” he said.

...

FBI wiretaps caught him discussing trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by Obama in 2008. “I’ve got this thing, and it’s … golden. And uh, uh, I’m just not giving it up for … nothing,” said Blagojevich, who as governor had the authority to appoint Obama’s successor. He sought $1.5 million in campaign contributions or other personal benefits in return, the FBI said.

He was also sentenced for pressuring the chief executive of a children’s hospital for $25,000 in campaign contributions in exchange for increasing pediatric reimbursement rates; for delaying the signing of a bill benefiting the Illinois horse racing industry in an attempt to secure $100,000 in campaign contributions; and for lying to the FBI.

The Mayor Quimby of American politics

i missed this funny but true joke by trump at the end of the washpost article:

On Monday, Trump was asked whether he was considering appointing Blagojevich as the ambassador to Serbia. “No, but I would,” Trump said. “He’s now cleaner than anybody in this room.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ndPOs8Q1c

and in the constitutional crisis zone,

Trump maintains funding freeze at NIH, defying court order

The Trump administration is still prohibiting National Institutes of Health (NIH) staff from issuing virtually all grant funding, an NIH official tells Popular Information. The ongoing funding freeze is also reflected in internal correspondence reviewed by Popular Information and was reiterated to staff in a meeting on Monday. The funding freeze at NIH violates two federal court injunctions, two legal experts said.

...Between February 3, 2024, and February 10, 2024, the NIH issued 513 grant awards totaling $218,273,053. Between February 3 and February 10 this year, the NIH issued just 11 grant awards totaling $4,981,089. In other words, since the courts ordered a full resumption in grant funding, the agency approved a handful of grants accounting for 2.2% of its typical volume. An NIH official says a small number of grants are being approved by NIH leadership, but nearly all grants remain frozen.

...The federal judge overseeing the case brought by 22 states found that the Trump administration had not fully complied with the January 31 order. The judge issued a new order directing the Trump administration to "immediately end any federal funding pause." According to an NIH source, no action was taken in response to the new order.

pbs closed its dei office.

“In order to best ensure we are in compliance with the President’s executive order around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion we have closed our DEI office,” the outlet said in a statement. “The staff members who served in that office are leaving PBS. “

maybe that was mentioned here already.

white collar criminal defense attorneys are concerned that they won't have enough hours to bill
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/bondis-day-one-corporate-crime-memos-rattle-white-collar-bar

Love to see even PBS complying in advance.

I know it's a minor thing in comparison to all the very real horrors but: contemporary politics keeps offering us the most brain-twisting stances.

On NIH we are in favor of a pause on implementing the pause. Against the administration ignoring the stay that blocks the freeze of keeping the funding going.

Last year on abortion I kept getting swirled around where we were in favor of the overturn of a ban being upheld.

I'm like figuratively sitting here with posterboard and a magic marker saying uh okay so am I supporting the injunction of the delay of the freeze that would potentially ban the ban fjhfbdjsjka

Just absolutely the dumbest possible timeline:

President Donald Trump would have the power to rename Greenland if a new bill introduced in Congress becomes law. The legislation, which Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) introduced Monday, would allow Trump to enter negotiations to “purchase or otherwise acquire” Greenland and name it “Red, White and Blueland.” “America is back and will soon be bigger than ever with the addition of Red, White, and Blueland,” Carter said in a statement to the New York Post.

Freedom Fryland

Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) steps out for a latte.

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_lDeF_-fnewU/TSU5xWepCtI/AAAAAAAAAfI/RPDC1-Ygrc4/s1600/HOL-OOO-004_dv_uncle_sam_on_stilts_july_4.jpg

Will the American people be able to recognize a total fucking clown show?

I give them a 47% chance

Jfc, I had to check myself to see if it was true. Yes indeed, Musk changed his X name to "Harry Bolz". Pathetic, aging man baby trying to act cool in front of his new friend Big Balls.

He used that name two years ago too

It's still funny!

Isn't that where they harvested his hair plugs from?

i learned today that 1) there is a congressional "DOGE caucus" as well as a DOGE subcommittee as part of the Oversight Committee, 2) there are democrats in the caucus, and 3) some of the democrats are still part of it.

A caucus and a subcommittee

Democrats have at least two places to get involved in DOGE in Congress: the caucus and then the House Oversight Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency. The caucus is co-chaired by Republican Reps. Aaron Bean (Florida), Pete Sessions (Texas) and Blake Moore (Utah), while the subcommittee is led by GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Georgia).

The caucus membership list is not public, but Hoyle was among the Democrats who had publicly announced their membership. Other Democrats who have identified themselves as caucus members include Rep. Steven Horsford (Nevada) and Jared Moskowitz (Florida), who touted being the first Democrat to sign up.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/11/do-dems-want-get-out-doge/

Moskowitz told our colleague Mariana Alfaro yesterday that he has stayed on the caucus because he wants to “be at the table.” He acknowledged there appears to be tension between Musk’s efforts and the constitutional responsibilities of Congress, though he said it’s an issue “that’s being fleshed out now in the courts.”

“There are Americans who want to see government more efficient and spending less money, so that’s why I joined the caucus,” he said.

Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-New Mexico) is the top Democrat on the DOGE subcommittee. She’s joined by fellow Democratic Reps. Stephen Lynch (Massachusetts), Robert Garcia (California), Greg Casar (Texas) and Jasmine Crockett (Texas). D.C.’s nonvoting Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) is also on the subcommittee.

My own Republican congressman is on the DOGE subcommittee, which is very on brand for him.

Meanwhile here's just another little indicator of the bullshit happening everywhere: prestigious all-girl private school has to cancel a popular "Introduce Girls to Engineering" day after the Army Corps of Engineers pulls out to comply with anti-DEI orders. (The school says they'll bring it back next year with or without federal partners, but didn't have time to organize anything this year.)

https://www.counton2.com/news/downtown-charleston-private-school-cancels-event-after-executive-order-issued/

Trump is a shoe-in for the Nobel peace prize... here's his middle east peace plan:
* Palestinians leave Gaza
* We will build luxury properties in Gaza, we will own it
* Palestinians stay away, don't come back, go live elsewhere

King Abdullah II and Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan left the White House shortly after 2 p.m. President Trump stood in the doorway of the West Wing, pumping his right fist.