Here’s a story from this morning — the AP is reporting that FAA employees, including air traffic control staff, are being fired by the Regime. As if we weren’t already short of air traffic control staff. I wouldn’t be planning any plane trips in the near future. And over the weekend we learned that big rounds of firings are underway at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Trump promised not to cut Medicare, but good luck with that.
What they’re doing, apparently, is going through all the agencies and laying off “probationary workers,” which means people who have been hired in the past year or so. And all these newhires are being fired for “performance” reasons, because that’s the only way they can be fired. This includes people with high performance ratings, I understand.
So what would be your worst nightmare about large, hastily announced job cuts? Maybe firing the people responsible for keeping our nuclear weapons secure? Sure enough, on Thursday night, according to CNN’s reporting, Trump officials fired more than 300 staffers at the National Nuclear Security Administration, apparently unaware that this agency oversees America’s nukes. (Maybe the name should have been a giveaway?)
The next day, realizing the enormity of the error, the agency tried to reinstate those workers — but was having trouble getting in touch, because the terminated workers had already been locked out of their government email accounts.
Trump officials also summarily fired 3400 workers at the National Forest Service, which plays a critical role in fighting forest fires. The administration said that no firefighters were laid off, but right now — before fire season begins — is when the service should be trying to prevent fires by, among other things, clearing vegetation that can feed those fires. That work has now been hobbled, in some cases brought to a complete halt. (Remember when Trump blamed California for devastating fires, claiming that the state hadn’t raked enough leaves?)
There have been large layoffs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just as America is experiencing a serious spike in ordinary flu cases and alarm bells are ringing about a potential bird flu pandemic. Under political pressure, the CDC has been withholding reports. So we might not even know about the next pandemic until it’s well underway.
Large layoffs have struck at the Department of Health and Human Services, including, according to CBS, half the officers of the Epidemic Intelligence Service, sometimes called the “disease detectives,” who play a crucial role in identifying public health threats. There have been layoffs at the FDA, which monitors the safety of food additives and medical devices.
And according to the union, several hundred workers have been fired at the Federal Aviation Administration.
Regarding the FAA, one would think the airline industry has some clout with Congress and is going to say something about this. And regarding the forestry people — Trump probably doesn’t realize that about 57 percent of the forests in California is under federal jurisdiction and managed by the National Forest Service and National Park Service. So they’re his responsibility, not Gavin Newsom’s. And we’re just about to enter the standard fire season.
I keep reading that all these mass firings are not going to give Musk/Trump the savings they want for their tax cuts. Even killing many entire departments isn’t going to do it. I hate to think what they plan next. Maybe they’ll sell Alaska back to Russia.
You are also "probationary" for a period after a promotion. What is happening is that people with many years experience are being fired all the way up the ladder.
And when Air Force One inevitably has a mid-air near miss, it will obviously be the fault of woke Biden policies and not due to firing all of the people who work every day to prevent something like that. So stupid …
One can only hope it won't be a near miss, but an actual fireball.
Just today in the white house press briefing, Trump's press secretary was asked what is Trump doing about the price of eggs, which have increased significantly since he was elected, reminding her that Trump said the price would go down on "day one." She mentioned Biden's name several times, blaming him for the increase, sounding like a reality challenged costumed wingnut standing outside a Trump rally, and never addressed the question of what Trump is doing about it. Unfortunately the press never followed up.
This is what we can expect going forward. Whenever its asked what is Trump doing about whatever is going on, on his watch, the answer will be its Biden's fault.
How long can they get away with this?
I refuse to think the US will be "destroyed" by Trump. We are taking all kinds of damage all over the ship of state. The hull is intact – that is the huge body of Americans who believe in the Constitution and in Democracy. The illegal and unconstitutional acts of these idiots will not lead the country to prosperity. The stream of calamities will discredit the plan and people that led to the tragedies.
We're in for a world of hurt. Inflation is inevitable, I think. Trump will try to put it out with lower interest rates, which will accelerate inflation. Disasters will hit, fires, hurricanes, tornados. There will be drought and floods over the next four years, not because of Trump but because they do "just happen" and they are stronger and more probable because of climate change.
One thing is changing. We will be less prepared than we ever have been. FEMA may exist on paper, warehouses with supplies may continue to exist. The people trained to respond won't be there. Trump may not have fired firefighters but if the logistical people who move the firefighters and equipment, and plan how to contain the fire are not there, cities may burn.
My fervent expectation is that when the sh^t is deep enough that an explanation is required, Trump will blame Musk. That might trigger the fragmentation of the GOP, If Musk uses Twitter to smear Trump when the you-know-what is hitting the fan, Trump's reality show will fall apart. When Trump no longer controls large chunks of the GOP electorate, Republicans can criticize Trump for the mess they can't blame on Democrats. The circular firing squad will form – the bigger the disaster, the higher-up they have to reach for a sacrificial scapegoat. It may be Trump.
The GOP is all out on a limb sawing of the branch they are sitting on.
Since the Orange Kinglet used "blame the other guy" as his campaign platform, he needs to have every economic failure hung around his neck like a giant millstone and every social crisis and natural disaster made his ball and chain.
The hull is intact – that is the huge body of Americans who believe in the Constitution and in Democracy.
The largest bloc in this last election was the ~90 million voters who did not bother to vote, who either didn't understand what was at stake, with respect to democracy, or didn't care. The choice was whether or not to put a former failed President and convicted felon back in office, the very act of which upends democracy and the Constitution. One who told us he would be a dictator on day one, and do all of the things he's doing now. And yet, 90 million voters couldn't be bothered, and 74 million either didn't understand the stakes or were so consumed with hatred and ignorance they thought having a criminal in office would be a good thing.
If 164 million voters, for whatever reason, didn't understand or care that democracy is at stake; the hull has a huge hole in it.
I think Musk has realised that Trump is dumber than a box of rocks. Trump's "best and brightest" in his cabinet are the rats that will desert the sinking ship when they can no longer get their share of the ill-gotten booty (Meaning the american economy). This will open the door for Musk to continue to bring his prepubscent "experts" who have no inkling of how economy and governments work. As the shit hits the fan for us common folk there may be no way to reverse the destruction.
Musk will then become lord protector turn what is left of america into the south african dictatorship he loved so much as a young lizard person.
Resistance has to begin now, and not wait for what may happen. write your congresspeople, protest, and prepare for a big move, like a national strike.
Yes, it may have the result of oppression we have never seen the likes of before.
but who knows, it may take a powerful and asian nation to come to our rescue.
or I may be nuts already and have to spend the rest of my days drinking heavily.
I hate to think what they plan next.
How about Musk’s DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS. Why? So he can harass and intimidate his enemies.
I’m going to love watching all of you get exactly what you voted for
Re: Alaska for Sale
Remember, you said that we have not seen bottom yet. That bottom is selling the public domain lands so that the oligarchs can loot the last of the untrammeled natural world. Don't joke about "selling Alaska" because Alaska is mostly owned by the Feds and the real disaster is privatizing the National Forests and Bureau of Land Management "excess lands." Musk is craven and would use is $500 Billion to purchase Federally owned lands and make Ted Turner, the Zuck, and Larry Ellison look like sharecroppers. Scary stuff, Maynard, especially when the Russian oligarchs show up for the fire sale.
Yosemite could be the next Galt's Gulch!
Do the flat earth people breathe out of the atmosplane?
These are the kind of questions you ask yourself in a country controlled by psychos.
We are mired in an indelible insanity that cannot be washed out or away.
History speaks of an age of reason. This age may render history mute.
I heard that, and, I wonder if anyone here posts on NCIS fan boards, or did, back in the day. Pilot episode, Secret Service agent becomes a "probie" by joining NCIS. I believe McGee is a transfer, too.
Now, I know it's *stupid* to equate fiction to real life, but, to me (too exhausted to post on such boards), it's a way to make people see the results. "Look – anyone who watched Season 1 of NCIS knew better than to fire all probies! Trump is an *idiot!*"
The only way you prove someone like Trump is an idiot, to MAGAfolk, is by showing them *they* know more than *him*.
You could probably prove tariffs are inflationary with a game involving a few pennies:
See, now, instead of getting your products for 4 pennies, you have to pay 5. You say "But Trump said China would pay the tariffs." Well, if they did, they'd stop charging you *4*, and start charging you *5*. Either way, you can't get your stuff imported for less than 5 cents.
"Of course, in a few years, we won't be able to play this game any more. Ain't gonna be no pennies."
(Getting rid of the penny is a good and fine idea. I don't care. Any time you don't kick Trump in the balls, you should at least bruise his thigh – metaphorically speaking, of course, in part because I don't think Trump *has* any. Balls, I mean. Oh, wait, I'm trolling MAGA again. Yes, I know, it's immature, but SO IS MAGA. Immaturity is like nuclear energy. It can be used for good, or evil… *AND*, you don't want to get any *on* you.)
The only way you prove someone like Trump is an idiot, to MAGAfolk, is by showing them *they* know more than *him*
Too much work, and it isn't the most direct way. When the MAGAs feel pain – which is happening right now as I write – then the light bulb goes on. These people do not listen to reason, it's a waste of time.
Project 2025's looting of the government will and is affecting the most vulnerable. It is the poorly educated, poorly paid MAGAs who are feeling the pain first. It's hard to believe, but they are the ones who will be carrying the pitchforks against F-47.
I think that the magat mind is more resilient than both of you surmise. Firstly, there is the "sunk costs fallacy" where the magats will double and then triple down on their warship of the Orange Kinglet. He gave them so many feeeeeeeelings.
Next, the light bulb will never go off, it was never installed. They will double down on hate and punch down until they have no knuckles left and just meat bags for hands. As LBJ said "If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."
I tell the kids that the solution will be to build something beautiful that the magats can not identify to destroy. Anything good and wholesome, and slightly different or difficult, that comes on the right-wing radar is immediately tainted and deleted by monetization and moral panic.
I'll bite. What is too much work for what, that isn't the most direct way to do WHAT?
"Show a MAGAt that they're smarter than Trump," isn't the most direct way to… eat carrots? Agreed! And it's too much work if your goal is to eat carrots. You win!
You know, "too much work, and it isn't the most direct way," added zip to your response – zip, zilch, nothing, and it got you mocked for making a nonsensical complaint.
The rest of what you wrote was pretty good. No need to take a cut at the home team, to make your point, and if your point is better, and less work, and more direct, voila, as the French might say.
What's the end game?
I agree that all looks like chaos and mayhem. All the blood that's being spilled (figuratively for the moment) is "our" people. It's gonna spill over to "their" people. For example, 25% of Medicaid pays for nursing home care. If grandpa lost his marbles and became violent, he was getting humane care that keeps him and others safe. The kids will have take him in or pay for medical care out of pocket. Or dump him on the street to starve. Dementia does not take political sides. Planes will crash if more changes are made to the FAA – and they will be. Disasters will happen and there won't be FEMA.These are the kinds of stories the press loves – there's lots of real blood and trauma.
We're in for years of this, most of it avoidable. The House hangs by a thread – if two Republicans resign from Congress tomorrow, Jeffries woi;d become Speaker. If inflation kicks in (likely) the House will decisively flip in 2026. If unemployment goes up drastically over the next three years, Trump is toast and so are GOP policies.
If what I read is correct, Trump expects mass demonstrations and he intends to murder unarmed protesters to deter future protests. Trump suggested it before and Matis refused. The question of whether the military will use force against civilians remains an open question. But it will split the military – many will either refuse or desert. Those who remain may be personally loyal to Trump or they may feel obligated to follow the orders of the President. Let me return to that.
If Trump's popularity has tanked by 2027, Trump will try to suspend elections. But elections are managed by the states. If the blue states hold elections, and red states do not, that will kinda skew the results. It's not likely the courts will uphold Trump's order to cancel elections. There might be chaos about J6 proceedings to certify. On Inauguration Day, the Constitution is completely clear. Trump is not President, Vance is not VP. If the succession is not clear, the SPEAKER is President.
Going back to the military… if the Speaker, a Democrat, is president and sworn in by the Chief Justice, while Trump refuses to move out of the White House, who does the military follow? They broke their oath to the Constitution to follow illegal orders. Now they are following Trump when the court has determined the line of succession according to the Constitution. Following Trump is a bet that you will win, because if you lose, you are guilty of insurrection. Will Trump have enough of a force to fight off the nation who is weary of the destruction he has brought down on the nation?
To win the "end game" Trump has to almost formally revoke the Constitution, abolish the entire Judicial branch, and make Congress subservient to the President. AND the military has to buy in to enforce the insurrection. "Ambitious" is an understatement. SO far he's broken into a lot of secure data, fired a lot of people and challenged the premise that the laws passed by Congress are not elastic things that the President can reshape or break at will. The courts have not begun to chew on that. IMO, what the courts decide will shape the limits of what the military will do, even if Trump defies the courts.
Why do I keep flashing on those pictures of the "People's Temple" after the Kool- aid massacre? We all live in Jonestown now, and our Congress can't save us.
Zelinsky's urging for more truth is the perfect advice for the United States. Now let's take it. Russia too.