Monday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Monday, February 17, 2025
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54 comments
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About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a retired Professor of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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I remember Bill Kristol as some neocon flunky, so this is quite surprising (in a good way):
Yesterday, Mimai said:
I’m pretty sure this is a feature, not a bug–if not the entire reason. My guess is that Project 2025/Heritage Foundation may be using this to get the issue of public sector unions before the Supreme Court.
This is a standard conservative strategy–to try and force things they don’t like before the Court in the hopes that they’ll either chip away at it or overturn things outright.
I wonder if DOGE is going to do a deep dive on SpaceX invoices submitted to NASA. I hear there is massive fraud.
Is that how this goes?
A little history lesson which may be appropriate to the attempt to politicize our civil service:
How a Presidential Assassination Led to the End of the Spoils System
@Scott:
No, you didn’t do it right. It has to come from Musk. He could bat below the Mendoza Line and people will just assume he hit a home run every at-bat and count the RBI. I still see people repeating the condoms sent to Hamas lie.
On the other hand, maybe we will get some clarity, because the Press Sec. assured all of us that Musk would excuse himself from any decision that presents a conflict of interest.
I have a migraine from all the stupid.
Yeah, I’m talking about you. (You know who you are.)
Meanwhile, Musk pulls the nation deeper into his own hallucinations.
Does Grok3 have the ability to identify when its handlers are impaired by ketamine?
Described elsewhere:
Just like it’s benefactor.
@drj:
That Kristol and other neocons are open to “liberal” social policy isn’t a big surprise. The driving force for neocons has always been forceful opposition to Communism and for the US to activist/interventionist in world affairs. Democracy promotion and market economics has also been a significant part of necon beliefs, though they were willing to defer it in their anti-communist pursuits.
In the 70’s when the neocon movement was founding, the early leaders were generally former Democrats and some liberal Republicans. They aligned with the R’s because as a party Dems were beginning to advocate a more circumscribed role for the US in world affairs and seeking accomodation with the USSR.
Necons as part of the R party were simply willing to accept the social conservative bent of the party, because of its anti-communism and later the willingness to project US power.
One thing I noticed about the core writers at The Bulwark when it appeared on the scene, was the willingness of folks like Kristol, Sykes, Mona Charon and Cathy Young to write supportively about domestic issues that put them in agreement with moderate Dems, something they wouldn’t have done if they still viewed themselves as Republicans.
Speaking of late-to-conscience Bill Kristol, a pair of xeets:
https://x.com/BillKristol/status/1890842626699530580
We have a winner! (sent to me)
They’re just getting started. “Flood the zone.”
As of this date, February 17, 2025 there are 74 legal challenges to Trump’s Administration. Not surprising given his lifetime of attracting legal scrutiny like flies on __________.
Aaaaand a bunch of FAA workers have been fired.
I can’t remember, have we had any issues with planes recently?
@Rob1:
trump. “like flies on trump.”
@Rob1:
AI, like Musk, creates nothing. It only recycles what already was.
@Scott:
What if the next Democratic president runs on a platform to nationalize XpaceS?
@Rob1:
Is this another one of your libturd allusions to Trump wearing adult diapers as reported by several people who’ve been downwind of him?
@Sleeping Dog:
Neglected to mention that the other major issue for the neocons is Israel, thought there is nuance with regard to a Palestinian state among some.
Absolutely rhetorical question:
Why TF does Musk need access to the IRS accounts/data of ordinary Americans?
Not rhetorical:
HOW IS THERE NO WAY TO STOP THIS??
@Jen:
He owns a data mining company, Xitter. Imagine how much more and better data the IRS has.
Need to look past the clichè at what is actual happening to our government.
@Jen: There are ways to stop it, but they require a Congress, courts, and leadership that will submit to them.
Or [nope, not gonna go there, wouldn’t be prudent (and I’ve already stirred up enough s*** here today)]
@Jen: “Why TF does Musk need access to the IRS accounts/data of ordinary Americans?”
Simple… because “Waste, fraud and abuse have been deeply entrenched in our broken system for far too long,” and “It takes direct access to the system to identify and fix it,” according to a White House spokesperson. But since that meaningless statement doesn’t address the question of why they would root through taxpayer data, I’ve got a better idea–hire more auditors to review complex and high value tax returns. We already know that would save billions in actual dollars, which is much more than the GED has to show for itself.
And we’re being assured that the GED employee will have the proper security clearance for the IRS systems, but we’ve also come to understand that trump will bestow security clearances at his discretion without the usual FBI background checks.
If it’s waste they’re looking for, then please don’t eff with a system that isn’t broke. From what I’ve seen, a taxpayer can easily make estimated payments, file a tax return electronically, get a refund (if applicable) in about a week and half, and even receive an unsolicited interest payment from the IRS on excess payment made in some cases.
If it’s fraud, then fraud on the part of whom? Pretty much every taxpayer verifies the amount owed and has recourse if there’s an error–the responsiveness of the taxpayer phone line, for example, has improved in recent years with average wait times under 5 (or maybe 3) minutes. Or if it’s taxpayers defrauding the system, then refer back to hiring more auditors, because no matter what digital checks or AI analyses they could run on tax returns, the tax code is a complicated beast that is gamed by humans and so certain returns will require human analysis at some point.
@Jen: “Why TF does Musk need access to the IRS accounts/data of ordinary Americans?”
Simple… because “Waste, fraud and abuse have been deeply entrenched in our broken system for far too long,” and “It takes direct access to the system to identify and fix it,” according to a White House spokesperson. But since that meaningless statement doesn’t address the question of why they would root through taxpayer data, I’ve got a better idea–hire more auditors to review complex and high value tax returns. We already know that would save billions in actual dollars, which is much more than the GED has to show for itself.
And we’re being assured that the GED employee will have the proper security clearance for the IRS systems, but we’ve also come to understand that trump will bestow security clearances at his discretion without the usual FBI background checks.
If it’s waste they’re looking for, then please don’t eff with a system that isn’t broke. From what I’ve seen, a taxpayer can easily make estimated payments, file a tax return electronically, get a refund (if applicable) in about a week and half, and even receive an unsolicited interest payment from the IRS on excess payment made in some cases.
If it’s fraud, then fraud on the part of whom? Pretty much every taxpayer verifies the amount owed and has recourse if there’s an error–the responsiveness of the taxpayer phone line, for example, has improved in recent years with average wait times under 5 (or maybe 3) minutes. Or if it’s taxpayers defrauding the system, then refer back to hiring more auditors, because no matter what digital checks or AI analyses they could run on tax returns, the tax code is a complicated beast that is gamed by humans and so certain returns will require human analysis at some point.
“Trump administration pressures Romania to lift restrictions on Andrew Tate”
The Trump administration has pressured Romanian authorities to lift travel restrictions on the self-described misogynist influencer Andrew Tate, a champion of the US president who is facing criminal charges in Bucharest.
https://www.ft.com/content/3f951e0b-a9cb-489a-be89-fdf9f996ed27
It’s always the BEST people.
It seems like the Trump administration is pressuring Romania to lift restrictions on the Tate brothers.
“The Trump administration has pressured Romanian authorities to lift travel restrictions on the self-described misogynist influencer Andrew Tate, a champion of the US president who is facing criminal charges in Bucharest.”
https://www.ft.com/content/3f951e0b-a9cb-489a-be89-fdf9f996ed27
It’s always the best people.
It may be the end stage of US collapse, which may take the rest of the world with it, but we still need to eat. So, my latest recipe:
1/2 cup white beans
1/2 cup barely
1 chicken breast (I used boneless this time)
Enough broth to cover the grains and part of the chicken
I added paprika and garlic powder to taste)
Stick it in an instant pot and cook at high pressure for 20-25 minutes, followed by 20 minutes of “natural release*”
In a separate pan I caramelized some onions, then added about half a small container of tomato pure (around 100-110 grams) and one can of green salsa (no idea how much that was), more paprika, garlic powder, and pepper (I was very tired from a long working weekend).
Shred the chicken, mix everything together, serve with rice on the side.
*That’s the terminology used, but I think little or no steam gets released with the valve closed. But if the pot on the keep warm mode doesn’t sustain the steam temperature, I suppose the pressure does go down some.
Looks like the Muskolytes are now poking away at Social Security records, and totally misunderstanding what they find.
DOGE shutting down social security payment would be most amusing, but I doubt even Musk is quite THAT stupid.
@JohnSF:
I really don’t expect painstaking accuracy from a 19-year-old incel twerp with a stupid haircut and wearing a suit coat and shorts.
@JohnSF:
It wouldn’t be so much out of stupidity as it would be out of ambition, super-sized megalomaniac version.
@gVOR10: Wow. I guess I missed that. Is that what they’re saying? For realz? And such a snappy dresser!
It appears a Delta flight has crashed in Toronto, flipped over on its roof. We have been having miserable weather all weekend which may be related. So far it seems all survived which would indeed be a miraculous result.
@Pete S:
Thanks.
I went looking for more info, but there’s really nothing to add yet.
@Kathy:
You raise an important point I’ve been kicking around. Having $400B wealth, Musk probably doesn’t care about money. From the way he blew up Twitter that should be obvious. He cares about power and control. He’s running hard on his own internal hallucinations. But he knows the power of data —- the power it confers to the one who owns it. He certainly learned that early with PayPal.
The danger from his access to the data of our government (OUR Social Security, OUR taxes, OUR public servants, OUR national security) is that we have zero assurance of his integrity, we have zero assurance of his loyalty to this society, we have zero knowledge of what he plans to do with the data, and we have damn near zero means of accountability from the world’s wealthiest man who conveys scornful disregard for this nation’s liberal democracy, while sidling up to interests traditionally hostile to our own. We have seen how easily he disregards people who work for him or disagrees with him.
This should be very troubling to every American who values a country where the government is accountable to the people, and have benefitted from the fruits of a stable, civil society.
One more note: Just started seeing advertisements touting a TMobile/Starlink partnership. That would provide one big data funnel to feast off, to somebody with high ambition of domination.
@Jen:
Yes, but those ‘issues’ were all due to DEI and they’re on that.
@JohnSF:
Musk says – “the numbers of people in each age bucket with the death field set to FALSE!”
and shows about 38 million children under age 9. From the Statista website
https://www.statista.com/statistics/457786/number-of-children-in-the-us-by-age/
there were 46 million children under age 11, so not too far off.
Don’t most children in the US need a SSN to be claimed as a dependent on taxes?
And while there are obvious errors here that should be fixed, just having “death field false” doesn’t mean “social security recipient “, does it?
Am I missing something?
@Kathy:
NBC says 18 injured. No fatalities, happily.
@Kathy:
I neglected to mention a fast release of pressure after the “natural release.” I don’t think the pot can be opened if it’s still under pressure, but don’t even try.
Four deputy mayors have resigned from Eric Adams’s office.
@CSK:
The last accident that stated “no fatalities” shortly after it happened, wound up with well over half of those onboard dead.
This one report might be true. The plane looks intact enough that any fatalities are not likely, if most passengers were wearing seatbelts, but I still prefer to wait.
@restless:
I’m not sure how the US social security system works.
But there’s a very obvious reason for the “people over 100 on the rolls”: its a record of social security numbers that were not closed off because no valid death certificate was ever logged.
My guess:because there was no automatic method for doing so, doing so manually would be a p.i.t.a, and no one could be bothered because there not much point.
That does not mean they are receiving payments.
Set the query to show those with age over 110 actually receiving payments; I suspect that number will be extremely low.
I also suspect Musk simply doesn’t understand the nature of the query that was run
@Kathy:
Here’s the typical MAGA reaction to the accident: “I feel confident there’s some DEI hire involved.”
@JohnSF:
I’ve read here and there the percentage of erroneous payments is around 0.5%-0.9%. That’s very low, and very hard to get rid off. The problem is this comes from a base of annual payments of over $1 trillion. so, even 1% of that is a huge sum ($10 billion).
I expect fraudulent claims are a bigger problem. Not just in social security, but in other areas as well. I’ve heard of big companies paying off phony bills because no one can tell whether they are legitimate or not.
But in the first place, how much would it cost to eliminate all errors and close down all fraud? If it costs more than the bad payments, does it make sense to pursue such an action?
Meanwhile, in Florida… colossal stupidity and incompetence abounds.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/17/miami-shooting-israeli-men
Well, that was dumb. But it can’t get worse, can it?
17 bullets. 1.5 hits. This is just poor performance. Not that we would want them to be better, but… still a little disappointed in their skills.
I don’t know whether I’m more bothered by their delusions of competence, or their staggering stupidity in telling the police anything.
Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
@JohnSF:
My guess:because there was no automatic method for doing so, doing so manually would be a p.i.t.a, and no one could be bothered because there not much point.
…That does not mean they are receiving payments.
Set the query to show those with age over 110 actually receiving payments; I suspect that number will be extremely low.
Exactly.
Trump/MAGA managed to insinuate that all manner of fraud activity is associated with the Voter Rolls too. There are, at any given moment, a number of people on the Rolls that no longer live in that county, have changed address, or are deceased*. Of course that does not mean that anyone voted in the names of anyone who shouldn’t be on the Roll, but Republicans, because of Trump SAYING there was rampant voter fraud, believe that the voting system is corrupt EXCEPT when Trump wins.
*Note: When my father passed away two years ago, as Executor of his estate affirs, I provided the County Registrar of Voters with a copy of his death certificate.
@Gustopher:
Doesn’t sound much different from a lot of shootings by cops Even after years of training, empty the magazine and hope for the “best”.
@JohnSF:
It’s also possible that he’s deliberately misrepresenting it. Possibly to justify what otherwise would be a significant intrusion.
ETA: My go to position on the Trump administration is no longer to ascribe to stupidity what can be ascribed to malice. I’m sorry, but that’s just who I am.
Rep Claudia Tenney (R-NY) has introduced a bill to make Trump’s birthday, June 14, an official holiday. Since June 14 is already Flag Day, this new occasion would be known as “Trump’s Birthday and Flag Day.”
She seems to be serious about this.
@gVOR10:
I’ve shot real bullets only once. I had trouble figuring the sights out, so all my ten shots were way off the target, except one that went awry and struck the general vicinity. Had I attempted this with an automatic weapon, all shots would have missed.
But that only shows lack of skill.
@Gustopher:
I find it astonishing he thought he could shoot two people just because what they are.
@al Ameda:
My understanding is that funeral directors/homes are required by Federal law to notify SS of a person in their care.
@Jen:
So, serious question, other than inertia, why are we continuing to pay taxes to the IRS if Musk has breached the system? My understanding is that once in they can make whatever changes they want. Is there a log? is there a backup? how do we know that Musk hasn’t changed something?
Me, personally, I am hoping that Musk manages to fully delete one of the important money databases; Treasury, Social Security, IRS. Just, “whoopsie, gone”. Now, I fully understand that means [raspberries, thumbs down] on just about everything. At some point everyone is going to have to face this, there’s really no going back to how things were. Why not just push the whole thing over.
In other news, I just bought a one way ticket to London for the first week of March. I don’t know if I want to cry or throw up about that. I’ll be in my new home city for my Birthday; seems Alanis Morrissette.
We are starting to get anecdotal drips of trans people getting their passports confiscated/destroyed. I’m not 100% sure about all the info I’m seeing, but there’s enough smoke…
Has DOGE provided receipts yet?
So, what passes for the felon’s administration has filed an appeal directly with the Leo & Crow court, claiming a court’s order to reinstate the head of the Office of the Special Counsel is “an impermissible check on
presidentialmonarchical power.”Oh, did I say the quiet part loud?
Monarchy literally means “rule by one.”
I think even the most ignorant, disengaged citizens will recognize the phrase “a system of checks and balances.” Add “division of powers,” and one can plainly see it si emphatically the duty of the courts and the Congress (if it ever stirs from acquiescence and obsequiousness) to check the power of the executive branch.
I wonder who Scalito and Uncle Thomas will twist logic and mutilate reason to rule otherwise.
When my father died at 85 in November of 2001 I called Social Security and actually spoke to a live person. I called to report his death and make a claim for the death benefit (Not much, might have covered the match they used to light the fire at the crematory.) and the survivor benefit for my mom. She was already drawing some Social Security due to her work history and the survivor benefit increased her draw considerably. I remember getting a copy of a death certificate and sending it somewhere to facilitate the change in benefits for mom.
Disclaimer: I think that this is how all of this went down. It was 23 years ago and I’m working with a fading memory.
Damn. I’m 77 now. I’ll have to clock another 8 years to match dad. Mom lived to 88…
Time to watch Chinatown again…or maybe Blade Runner…
Posted 8:36 pm 2-17-25
@Daryl: Hahahaha, they DID!!! It’s like under 10 million dollars, I think.
https://doge.gov/savings
Man, they’re gonna have to work harder to earn their 8 million dollars a day.
@Bobert:
Interesting. I was unaware of that.
Still after going to the County Registrar of Voters, I went over to the Social Security Administration offices and provided them with a death certificate too.