Trump 2.0

[headshot]

Now it's MAHA.

Like Trump is really going to take on the sugar and junk food industries. The report combines physical health with neuro divergence, which is worrying. One of the concerns is that there aren't enough healthy people to join the armed forces.


https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential ... 0yDuQBLLfA

Putin’s decades of statecraft have paid off, with healthy dividends.

The hegemony of “the West” has failed and I don’t see much hope for liberal democracies in the coming decades. The world, as we know it, has fundamentally changed and I don’t see much to stop the authoritarians and oligarchs from taking over the place…without an all-out fight for it, of course. But this time the people who hold the nuke codes seem to mostly be on the same side, some I’m not even sure M.A.D. will prevent anything.

It was good while it lasted.

That may be too pessimistic. Democracy has also proved its self to be remarkably resilient and Trump and Musk at least seem to be good at breaking things but not at building an authoritarian state. We'll have to see what happens, but it isn't a one way street.

Have you read about Curtis Yarvin or Leonard Leo?

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... rvin-trump

https://medium.com/thought-thinkers/the ... eae909b270

This is worth a listen about Leo: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/ot ... ut-leonard

[headshot]

This seems fine:

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ ... 83cc995e08

Donald Trump’s latest executive order raised serious red flags for critics on social media, who feared its effect on the rule of law and warned it could signal a constitutional crisis.

White House secretary Will Scharf announced Tuesday at a press conference alongside Trump at the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, that Trump was essentially bringing independent agencies under the control of the White House with increased supervision and therefore reestablishing “the long-standing norm that only the president or the attorney general can speak for the United States when stating an opinion as to what the law is.”

Legal experts and political opponents pushed back and argued it was an unconstitutional move by the Trump White House, especially given how several of Trump’s executive actions from his first weeks back in office are now facing legal challenges.

Critics called the order “a full-blown power grab wrapped in authoritarian cosplay” and a coup.

[Martin Y]

Trump intends to throw Ukraine under the bus and then steal its wallet. He's doing this as revenge for Ukraine not giving him the evidence he demanded of Biden family sleaze. Dumb sh.t that everyone else has forgotten about, but Donald remembers everyone who slighted him.

I'm in a very dark mood this morning, as it very much looks like the negotiations between the US and Russia were about what Trump gets paid to let Putin destroy Ukraine. He wants hundreds of billions in mineral rights and a lot of it is under Russian-held land.

And the unspeakable c.nt is throwing out more lies as shibboleths to test his faithful:
"Ukraine shouldn't have started the war."
"Yes, yes" say the sycophantic worms "Ukraine shouldn't have started the war."
"Zelensky has a 4% approval rating"
"Yes, yes, 4%. Boo, that guy."

Does America have any way back from a dishonourable betrayal like this? Is it the end of anyone thinking the US are the good guys? Are we just to patiently wait for the rise of China and hope they'll be merciful now?

[Martin Y]

This seems fine:

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ ... 83cc995e08

Donald Trump’s latest executive order raised serious red flags for critics on social media, who feared its effect on the rule of law and warned it could signal a constitutional crisis.

White House secretary Will Scharf announced Tuesday at a press conference alongside Trump at the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, that Trump was essentially bringing independent agencies under the control of the White House with increased supervision and therefore reestablishing “the long-standing norm that only the president or the attorney general can speak for the United States when stating an opinion as to what the law is.”

Legal experts and political opponents pushed back and argued it was an unconstitutional move by the Trump White House, especially given how several of Trump’s executive actions from his first weeks back in office are now facing legal challenges.

Critics called the order “a full-blown power grab wrapped in authoritarian cosplay” and a coup.

Oh. He says what the law is. He's literally the king now. Absolute monarch is absolute.

This is fine.

Hey, big news for all those 2nd amendment jackasses who need their guns in case a tyrranical government arises. It just did.

[TopBadger]

Hey, big news for all those 2nd amendment jackasses who need their guns in case a tyrranical government arises. It just did.

I expect most of them voted for the tyrant and are happy they're getting what they voted for... they had their guns to overthrow a tyrannical left wing government that would force employment rights and universal free healthcare upon them.

[IvanV]

We could have just ended the war two years ago. We just need all sides to agree to the things the other sides want. Simples.

Ukrainians already thought they had an agreement with Russia - no Nukes, NATO or EU membership, etc. Putin invaded anyway. Seems there is not much point making agreements with tyrants.

Specifically there were the Minsk agreementsMinsk agreements. The second 2015 Minsk agreement came about because the first 2014 one failed even to stop the fighting. And Russia just took advantage, does what it likes and denies it. In 2018, Ukraine said that not a single provision of the agreement was fully implemented. Essentially Russia was taking the piss and there was no enforcement.

[headshot]

Trump has called Zelenskyy a dictator after Zelenskyy accused Trump of being in a disinformation bubble.

Never slight a narcissist. They won’t forget and they will do anything to exact revenge.

Everything is f.cked.

[headshot]

The Republicans are cheering this on.

THE REPUBLICANS…

IMG_2804.jpeg (28.34 KiB) Viewed 10395 times

[Grumble]

The Republicans are cheering this on.

THE REPUBLICANS…



IMG_2804.jpeg

In name only, literally

[Tessa K]

The Republicans are cheering this on.

THE REPUBLICANS…



IMG_2804.jpeg

Spot the phallic symbol in the background

[Tessa K]

Theme song for Trump?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SfICbSL6Vm0

[Brightonian]

Musk: ALL federal employees, justify your existence or you're sacked: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/2 ... l-00205613

[headshot]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/article ... ob-details

Justice Department supervisors are directing employees to hold off on replying to the federal government-wide mandate to describe recent job achievements—an Elon Musk order that DOJ staff worry will trigger ethics violations.

At least five DOJ office leaders quickly responded to the HR email—the latest mandate from Musk’s government efficiency team—by telling their staff not to detail their work until they receive further clarity, said five people familiar with the situation.

I’ve also read elsewhere that people as being told to be careful how they write their responses. The theory is that these decision are entirely automated by some form of AI and you can reply in a way to “confuse” the AI so it won’t send you an automated “you’re fired” response.

[Grumble]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/article ... ob-details

Justice Department supervisors are directing employees to hold off on replying to the federal government-wide mandate to describe recent job achievements—an Elon Musk order that DOJ staff worry will trigger ethics violations.

At least five DOJ office leaders quickly responded to the HR email—the latest mandate from Musk’s government efficiency team—by telling their staff not to detail their work until they receive further clarity, said five people familiar with the situation.

I’ve also read elsewhere that people as being told to be careful how they write their responses. The theory is that these decision are entirely automated by some form of AI and you can reply in a way to “confuse” the AI so it won’t send you an automated “you’re fired” response.

Surely the easiest thing is to report as spam/phishing. No-one is getting details of my work from me unless they’re my boss or their boss.

[wilsontown]

Yes, my response would be something like "please discuss with my line manager". Although it looks like that would possibly get me the sack.

[Martin_B]

Yes, my response would be something like "please discuss with my line manager". Although it looks like that would possibly get me the sack.

Any contract I've signed has clauses on notice periods and steps for dismissal.

Not answering an email from someone I don't work for leading to instant dismissal (sorry, "resignation") would result in a claim for constructive dismissal. Of course, Musk is hoping that not many people have the savings to rely on for the time this takes to go to court (which could be lengthy!)

In fact, for most of the contracts I've signed, answering an email from someone I don't work for giving information regarding my work activities, especially for sensitive/confidential work, is something which could start disciplinary proceedings!

[IvanV]

Not answering an email from someone I don't work for leading to instant dismissal (sorry, "resignation") would result in a claim for constructive dismissal. Of course, Musk is hoping that not many people have the savings to rely on for the time this takes to go to court (which could be lengthy!)

Musk's general approach seems to be sack everyone now, and afterwards think about who/what you really need from the "stronger" position of not already employing them. Such an approach is perhaps not too risky when is some private company like Xwitter or Tesla, which at some deeper level owes no one nothing and poor decisions hurt only the shareholder. It doesn't work so well when it is something that requires continuity, like essential public services, security, defence, disease, disaster protection, and not pissing off foreign countries with essential minerals who will now fall in to the hands of China and Russia.

The likelihood is that a wrongful or constructive dismissal suit would lead only to additional compensation, not to getting your job back. And apparently quite a few Xwitter ex-employees are still waiting for the pay-offs they are due, so it might be slow/difficult to get your money. So from the Musk perspective, contractual compliance is optional. You get the sacking done quickly, and argue about the cost of it later. Similarly, many of the Federal payments which Musk's teenagers randomly stopped were for services already delivered, and being in remote foreign countries, not very easy to sue for your money. Horribly damaging for the US reputation that the US is thus shown to be a bad payer.

[JQH]

...
Hey, big news for all those 2nd amendment jackasses who need their guns in case a tyrranical government arises. It just did.

They have gone very quiet, haven't they?

[IvanV]

Trump intends to throw Ukraine under the bus and then steal its wallet. He's doing this as revenge for Ukraine not giving him the evidence he demanded of Biden family sleaze. Dumb sh.t that everyone else has forgotten about, but Donald remembers everyone who slighted him.

I'm in a very dark mood this morning, as it very much looks like the negotiations between the US and Russia were about what Trump gets paid to let Putin destroy Ukraine. He wants hundreds of billions in mineral rights and a lot of it is under Russian-held land.

The weird thing about this outrageous demand for Ukrainian mineral rights, as the BBC points out is that Ukraine has been negotiating a minerals deal since last September. Interestingly, it gives the US an incentive to support territorial recovery, as a substantial portion of Ukraine's valuable minerals are under the occupied portion of Ukraine. Ukraine has notably important deposits of graphite and lithium. It also has rare earth metals, but I don't know if that means anything. Rare earth metals aren't rare. The issue is the recoverability of them. Normally they are only extracted as a by-product when you are already mining something else, often zinc. And then the refining is very hard work, as they are hard to separate. The advantage the Chinese have gained comes from being bothered to refine them.

[jimbob]

This seems fine:

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ ... 83cc995e08

Donald Trump’s latest executive order raised serious red flags for critics on social media, who feared its effect on the rule of law and warned it could signal a constitutional crisis.

White House secretary Will Scharf announced Tuesday at a press conference alongside Trump at the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, that Trump was essentially bringing independent agencies under the control of the White House with increased supervision and therefore reestablishing “the long-standing norm that only the president or the attorney general can speak for the United States when stating an opinion as to what the law is.”

Legal experts and political opponents pushed back and argued it was an unconstitutional move by the Trump White House, especially given how several of Trump’s executive actions from his first weeks back in office are now facing legal challenges.

Critics called the order “a full-blown power grab wrapped in authoritarian cosplay” and a coup.

Oh. He says what the law is. He's literally the king now. Absolute monarch is absolute.

This is fine.

Hey, big news for all those 2nd amendment jackasses who need their guns in case a tyrranical government arises. It just did.

There is one in Internationalskeptics (with General Grant as an avatar) who has been going on about this for several years, and now might be right.

[bjn]

...
Hey, big news for all those 2nd amendment jackasses who need their guns in case a tyrranical government arises. It just did.

They have gone very quiet, haven't they?

I have the impression most of the 2nd amendment jackasses are prefectly happy with this kind of tyrranical government, unlike governments that aren't tyrranical but aren't mean to the foreigns, brown and black people.

[IvanV]

I'm in a very dark mood this morning, as it very much looks like the negotiations between the US and Russia were about what Trump gets paid to let Putin destroy Ukraine. He wants hundreds of billions in mineral rights and a lot of it is under Russian-held land.

This really doesn't make a lot of sense to me. You can't deal with the Russians. They just cheat you, and there's nothing you can do about it. What come-back has he got if he gets cheated - not necessarily now but some years down the line? I thought Trump already knew this. He tried to be all friendly with Putin in his first term, but then changed his tune when he realised he couldn't get what he wanted from him. But maybe that's because last time Putin just laughed at him, and maybe that was why Trump walked away. Maybe Putin has better learned how to lead Trump up the garden path and into the meat mincer, now that he has a greater need for exploiting him which he didn't have 8 years ago.

But I don't see how this can work. No Western company will put money into exploiting mineral rights in Russian-controlled territory while Russia is ruled as it is. Not unless they can see that there is now some new very big stick which the US has conjured into existence which can enforce observance of the deals, not just for the next 10 minutes, or 4 years even, but for the multi-decadal time-scale that is necessary for the massive investments often required for mineral exploitation. Because they know most of the rights they purchased, and more importantly, most of the huge investments which they made to exploit those rights, during the early period of post-Soviet Russia, have all been stolen or extorted back off them. And they know that, as things stand, there's nothing to stop Russia cheating them that way again.

You may say that such companies manage to work with kleptocracies without rule of law in many other countries. But in many other countries they are dependent on foreign expertise for exploitation, and/or the politicians can be bought off for an affordable price. Whereas the Russians no longer feel
they need any external help or money to exploit minerals. At least the Chinese earn so much money from us that they understand that they can't be too much of a cheat in foreign business, or their economic system will tumble down around their ears.

[Brightonian]

Now it seems that replying to that Musk email (requiring details of work done) is voluntary: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/opm-mus ... =119127113

[Martin Y]

Now it seems that replying to that Musk email (requiring details of work done) is voluntary: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/opm-mus ... =119127113

That's curious. I read a post on ISF earlier which appeared to be a Musk tweet saying people might get a 2nd chance but failure to respond twice meant dismissal. Must see if I can find that again...

[Brightonian]

Now it seems that replying to that Musk email (requiring details of work done) is voluntary: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/opm-mus ... =119127113

That's curious. I read a post on ISF earlier which appeared to be a Musk tweet saying people might get a 2nd chance but failure to respond twice meant dismissal. Must see if I can find that again...

You did, I saw a screenshot of it and meant to check it was real but I got tied up with something else. Here it is:

Subject to the discretion of the President, they will be given another chance.

Failure to respond a second time will result in termination.

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1894177129887404484