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Gene Hackman has passed away. Hackman, who made a career without movie star looks, made many memorable movies. I won’t rehash the obvious ones. Just mention a few less appreciated works of his- Under Fire, Downhill Racer, The Conversation, Prime Cut. RIP.
The cancelled flu advisory committee meeting that Mikey noted in yesterday’s forum really set me off. It seems that I now have a daily rant that I toss by email at my Senators and Congressman. Just want to get through the day without some stupid happening from this Congress and Administration.
Oh yes, effing JFK, Jr called the measles outbreak “not unusual”.
@Bill Jempty: His role in The Conversation is much underappreciated. I saw it in French when I was doing research in Paris and it was even more powerful without dubbing, since I had to rely on his actions and expressions.
Charley in Cleveland
Trump wants to turn back the calendar to the halcyon days of the 1890s…tariffs! No income tax! No vaccines!* No votes for women! Ahhhhhhh.
*actually there were some vaccines, but no Deep State telling 19th century libertarians they had to get vaccinated.
Did see a headline yesterday that west TX parents are lining up to get their currently unvaccinated kids a shot. Funny how illness, hospitalization and death among a subset of a community, a community with one thing in common, breaks through the cult.
On another note, the CDC cancelled a meeting yesterday that was intended to ID the target(s) for the fall/2025 flu vaccine. Chance to kill off some oldsters. Also, the felon’s henchmen are discussing pulling funding for Moderna’s bird flu vaccine.
We are living in interesting times or as a headline at the Bulwark declared yesterday, it can happen here.
But RFK Jr (not JFK), is a merchant of death.
Rob1
Stable Genius and his cryptobro backers want to transition the US government into cryptocurrency. Selling off Fort Knox gold as been mentioned. At least the gold in Fort Knox requires an atomic weapon and an escadrille of “hot women” pilots to pull off, and even that attempt was defeated, by one extraordinary individual.
A characteristic of large deposits of traditional currency (and gold) discouraging wholsale heists is its physicality, its bulk. Heft hinders theft. Unless of course, the thieves social engineer themselves into control of the national government abetted by meme hats.
How North Korea pulled off a $1.5 billion crypto heist—the biggest in history
“The Bybit hack has shattered long-held assumptions about crypto security,” Dikla Barda, Roman Ziakin, and Oded Vanunu, researchers at security firm Check Point, wrote Sunday. “No matter how strong your smart contract logic or multisig protections are, the human element remains the weakest link. This attack proves that UI manipulation and social engineering can bypass even the most secure wallets.”
On another note, the CDC cancelled a meeting yesterday that was intended to ID the target(s) for the fall/2025 flu vaccine. Chance to kill off some oldsters.
Part of the plan to cut back Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.
Gavin
Trump has pressured Romania to remove restrictions on Andrew Tate’s travel. Right about now both Tate brothers are landing in Florida.
So far Trump has intervened on behalf of violent insurrectionists, war criminals, crooked politicians and sex criminals. Make misogyny great again!
Remember that for Republicans, every accusation of a Democrat is either a confession or premeditation of a crime.
No matter how low you put the bar, Republicans find a way under it.
Kingdaddy
The French Connection, The Conversation, Unforgiven, Crimson Tide, Night Moves, Superman…Gene Hackman gave so very many wonderful performances. One of my favorites, though, was in The Royal Tenenbaums:
The podcast Behind The Bastards has some very useful episodes about Andrew Tate. just plan to take a very long shower after hearing them.
Neil Hudelson
Victoria Spartz was set to do the right thing, and protect Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers. Then Trump screamed at her.
So though I’m not her constituent (neither is Trump) I’m spending my morning screaming back. I’ve unloaded on the staffers who answered her Indiana offices, making one of them cry. Ever make a grown person cry? In this context, it felt good, real good.
“Sir, I have a family to fee–”
“ITS A ROARING ECONOMY! THIS IS A CHOICE TO WORK FOR THE GOP! CAN YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT? CAN YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR?”
“I…I–look, I can have you leave a voicemail for the Congresswoman?”
“ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY”
“Ok, there’s no need for lang–”
“TRUMPS PRESIDENT, YOUR BOSS IS TRYING TO KILL YOUR NEIGBORS, AND YOU ARE LANGUAGE POLICING?!?”
*long silence and quiet sniffles on the other end*
The DC office hung up as soon as I got scream-y. So now I’m dialing them over and over and over and over and over and over. Sometimes my calls get cut off at 1 ring, sometimes goes to voicemail, which lets me know the calls are getting through and someone has to listen to the ringing.
So their whole goddamn day is going to by a ringing phone. I raised $600,000 yesterday, i could take a break for the rest of the month and my office would be fine with it. I have all the time in the world to annoy the fuck out of these people.
JohnSF
@Gavin: Give me your misogynists, your traffickers,
Your tax-avoiding grifters, yearning to breathe free,
The wretched rapists of your teeming shore.
Send these, the indicted, tempest-tossed to me,
I got the red light on, bein’ an orange whore!
Stormy Dragon
Trump administration slandering intelligence officers by suggesting participation in LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Groups qualifies as “obscene” behavior at work.
The firings stem from out-of-context chat logs leaked by far-right commentator Chris Rufo on Monday. Sources tell Erin in the Morning that the chat functioned as an ERG-adjacent LGBTQ+ safe space, where participants discussed topics like gender-affirming surgery, hormone therapy, workplace LGBTQ+ policies, and broader queer issues. Rufo, however, framed these conversations as evidence of misconduct, claiming that “NSA, CIA, and DIA employees discuss genital castration” and alleging discussions of “fetishes, kink, and sex.” To Rufo and his audience, merely talking about being transgender and the realities of transition is enough to be labeled “fetish” content.
Perhaps transferring that technology to China starting in the 90’s wasn’t such a great idea. Oopsie! But we really owned some libz along the way, and a couple dozen people got rich!
EddieInDR
Bought eggs this morning. Two dozen. $1.44 per dozen. No shortage.
In fact, my entire grocery bill, which will cover next two weeks, was less than $50.
EddieInDR
Gene Hackman is one of my favorite actors.
Hoosiers
Enemy of the State
The Conversation
French Connection
Unforgiven
Royal Tannenbaums
Heist
Mississippi Burning
All movies I can watch repeatedly.
RIP.
Grumpy realist
@EddieInDR: bought eggs yesterday at Trader Joe’s. $3 something/ dozen. However, you were only allowed one carton.
My store has a sign limiting purchases to 10 cartons per person, which is making me wonder who was buying 200 eggs at a time
Rob1
@Neil Hudelson: You did this? As Recounted? You’re my hero of the week. I’m going to give it a whirl.
And here I was planning to launch a letter campaign. But I like your approach better — don’t target the elusive elected official, shame the staff into reconsidering their chosen career path.
Michael Reynolds
Buying eggs right now. Granted they’re pasture-raised, whatever the hell that means: $10.99. Three bucks more if I want organic. The cheapest I found at Albertson’s in Vegas were $8.99.
And yet I distinctly recall Trump promising to lower the cost of eggs on day one. Can Trumponomics get us to two dollars-an-egg?
In other econ news, Tesla stock has given up all of its Trump-bump. It’ll give up more – Tesla is dead in Europe, dead in China, and dying in California, with five consecutive quarterly drops.
If the Trump administration scraps the federal tax credit for EV purchases, California may introduce state tax credits under a new proposal and Tesla’s EV likely would not qualify for the incentives, Governor Gavin Newsom’s office had then said.
Should have learned from the failure of the Goebbels line of stylish jackboots. Did well for a while, then totally tanked in 1945.
Michael Reynolds
@Stormy Dragon:
That’s because of re-selling on the egg black market. Psst, wanna buy an egg? Buy a dozen and we throw in a baggie of fentanyl for free.
charontwo
$6.12 at Walmart, Phoenix area a couple of days ago.
Albertson’s has been limiting to 2 dozen, Trader Joe’s to 1 dozen – cheaper at Trader Joes.
Rob1
RE: Michelle Trachtenberg
No reportage yet identifying reason for the liver transplant, except speculation of alcoholism. But there are numerous other causes. And at this point, no reportage of attempted medical intervention for the failing transplant. For a young woman who seemed very much accustomed and in tune with being in the public eye, she appears to have remained silent on her struggles.
Kathy
$1.95 to $2.20 per dozen, depending on the brand. Regular eggs, no “organic” gimmickry*.
No limits on how many can be bought.
I think I’ll buy a few dozen and film myself throwing them off the roof and put it on Youtube just for giggles.**
*I gather I’ve been eating inorganic eggs all my life. I wonder whether inorganic chickens produce these, or they are assembled in factories.
Someone forgot to recharge his battery last night.
Slugger
I gave an old buddy a ride from a local VA after his surgery yesterday. He is widowed, and the kids are employed so I pitched in. No biggie. The hospital was clean, smelled good, and full of us guys born 1945 to 1965 as patients and caregivers. He was in recovery with a nurse instructing him in his meds, proper diet, and correct activities. A physical therapist instructed him in proper crutch use. The nurse said all the nurses there had received the Musk OPM email but not responded. She’s been a RN in the surgical wing at the VA since 2008. She’s distressed that our government considers her a parasite. She didn’t choose her career based on bottom line considerations.
Most literature shows that VA healthcare is cheaper than the other alternatives. Should not Mr. Musk try to figure out how to make the general medical system as efficient as the VA?
BTW, my pal’s surgery went very well. We got him home without problems. He is motivated to comply with the physical rehabilitation plan. I will check in on him.
The VA staff I encountered was very helpful, compassionate, and courteous. Thank you to all of them!
I have a tendency to exaggerate for good story telling, but in this case the above exchange is pretty much word for word.
I’ve now started calling just every Hoosier representatives office, even the Dems just to keep the fear in them. The DC Office line for Rep Baird is being staffed by an intern. I told her to quit while she still has a soul, and asked if she had trouble sleeping at night knowing her boss is trying to kill her neighbors. It was the first time I got an actual “fuck you” from a Congress person’s office in a dozen years of phone calls. Which, honestly, I appreciated. Those who just sat there and took my abuse, and the abuse of hundreds calling them? What fucking quislings. Grow a pair and yell back ffs.
I suppose GOPers aren’t in the habit of being around and hiring people with spines.
1. Careful, you are treading dangerously close to taking an actual position.
2. I was already swimming in catharsis, but knowing this bothers you makes it *so much* more enjoyable. Thank you, sincerely.
3. Welcome to participatory democracy.
4. The offices I’m calling are trying to end medical coverage for millions of Americans. They deserve far worse than to get yelled at.
5. It’s weird that you are upset at voters calling representatives and yelling, but you’ve expressed no concern that the President of the United States is doing the same and much worse.
6. Even weirder that you are upset over an unknown staffer getting an earful for 30 seconds, but appear to not be upset at all that many Americans are going to die slow and painful deaths if this budget deal goes through. It’s a very telling position to be in.
7. I’m sorry, Slugger’s experience at a hospital is related or analogous how????
CSK
I figured it was something like this. Defy Trump and there’s a very real possibility some MAGA lunatic will come after you and your family members.
On Wednesday morning, President Trump posted a music video to multiple social media platforms that promoted his plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza of Palestinians and redevelop the area into a luxury resort destination.
The video, which Trump shared with millions of followers on Facebook, Instagram, and Truth Social, and begins with the caption, “Gaza 2025: What’s Next.” As the music swells, young children run through a tunnel as rubble transforms into palm tree lined beaches and luxury high rises.
Then things really get weird.
What follows is a montage, apparently generated with AI, that features bearded men dancing in bikinis, a giant gold statute of Trump, Elon Musk being showered with cash, the facade of a “Trump Gaza” hotel, and a shirtless Trump drinking a beer poolside with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“No more tunnels, no more fear. Trump Gaza is finally here,” someone sings to dance music. “Trump Gaza shining bright. A golden future. A shining light.”
The video, which was posted anonymously before being distributed by Trump, is a classic “troll.” Trump is posting something that is purposely outrageous to rile up his critics.
But Trump’s plan to “clean out” Gaza by removing all Palestinians and transform the area into a luxury destination “better than Monaco” is not a joke.
more:
Further, Kushner said that the United States should pursue “diplomacy” with Egypt to convince them to accept more Palestinians. He also indicated Jordan should accept Palestinian refugees, noting that Jordan had accepted Syrian refugees. Arab leaders are not fans of this idea.
Nevertheless, Kushner and the Trump administration are taking concrete steps to turn Trump’s plan for Gaza into a reality. Speaking in Miami last week, Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said that he had been talking with Kushner about convening a meeting of real estate developers to discuss rebuilding Gaza. “We talk about convening people together from all parts of the world, master planners and developers and architects, talking about ideas and so forth,” Witkoff said while on stage with Kushner at the FII Priority Summit, which is organized by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, known as the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Witkoff’s professional background is also in real estate development.
According to the Wall Street Journal, “Witkoff has been working on a potential plan to convene a summit at the White House that would bring together real-estate developers and other business leaders to kick off the rebuilding effort.” The meeting would “include a public display, potentially with large cranes and other showy pieces of equipment.”
Nice going, Biden to Trump switchers angry about Netanyahu’s antics. As if Biden was in control of Netanyahu.
Daryl
Anniversary of the Reichstag Fire.
Seems somehow pertinent.
@CSK: maybe a maga lunatic, maybe a professional hit.
Putin sets the example. Poisoning and defenestration are popular when dispatching your political rivals. Just a couple of weeks ago a Russian musician who openly supported Ukraine got tossed from a window in his high rise apartment during a “search”.
There was a rash of killings a few years back. Vlad went on something of a rampage, offing a whole family hiding out in Spain… mom, dad and daughter.
Also, Navalny.
Very bad people are willing to do anything to keep themselves in power.
Scott
@Neil Hudelson: That sounds like me when I call except more coherent. I’m not very verbally adept so when I get mad I stutter and sputter. That’s why I write instead.
Just Another Ex-Republican
That Trump Gaza video was just bizarre. If told the Onion had created and posted it, I would have believed it. That Trump posted it, apparently thinking it was somehow not mocking him…strongest evidence yet his brain has in fact deteriorated.
In alignment with President Trump’s Executive Orders and Secretary Hegseth’s directives, this memorandum mandates a digital content refresh across all DoD public platforms. By March 5, 2025, all Components must remove and archive DoD news articles, photos, and videos promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), including content related to critical race theory, gender ideology, and identity-based programs. The Defense Media Activity (DMA) will support systematic content removal from DVIDS and AFPIMS platforms, but Components remain responsible for ensuring compliance across all digital properties. A blanket public acknowledgment of content removal should be posted on social media and other platforms.
Eusebio
@Michael Reynolds: “Tesla stock has given up all of its Trump-bump. It’ll give up more”
The Tesla stock price had no business doubling from mid-October to mid-December, so reality has been pulling it back down. Their EV business stopped growing a while ago, their energy storage business has lots of competition and no technological advantage, and their autonomous vehicle business is both aspirational and facing lots of competition.
I was going to post this anyway, but you provide a nice segue.
I’ve been re-reading Brad DeLong’s Slouching Towards Utopia. He expresses surprise that after WWI everybody didn’t look around and say, “For gawd’s sake, let’s figure out how to not do that again!” But they didn’t.
A large majority of countries tend to believe that some other country (or countries) will take care of the system as a whole.
They needed a hegemon to take the lead. And as DeLong’s teacher, economic historian Charlie Kindleberger said,
the British couldn’t and the United States wouldn’t, … When every country turned to protect its national private interest, the world public interest went down the drain, and with it the private interests of all.
So we got WWII.
Struck me because I’ve long said this about people and especially corporations. Everybody pursues their own selfish interests and assumes someone else will look after the country as a whole. And the only entity that can, and sometimes does, is the government. Which those same people and corporations are eager to tear down.
After WWII the U.S. did accept the role of hegemon and with enlightened policy helped Germany, Austria, Italy, Japan, et al back on their feet. (In return for their cooperation against the godless commies.) As hegemon, we have made spectacular mistakes, but in general we’ve been a pretty good hegemon. And now Trump is stepping away. Saying it’s to focus on opposing China, while vacating the hegemon role for China to pick it up. Very corporate, “America First”, with a timeframe no longer than next quarter.
JKB
A little job for the political science professors over at CNN. Or maybe the 9th grade civics teachers
Is the President of the United States the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces? Does the Department of Justice and FBI not answer to the President of the United States, the elected head of the Executive Branch
[SCOTT] JENNINGS: How is Trump shredding the Constition?
[ABBY] JOHNSON: My God, uh, look at what, should we go through the list?
(Johnson turns and looks at Toure to save her)
TOURE [NEBLETT]: I mean, seriously? Do we have to give you a civics lesson? That we’ve, we’ve put all the power in the executive branch. The legislative branch, the FBI, now we’re in control of the military, silencing media. This is what you do in a dictatorship.
(Crosstalk)
JENNINGS: Are you suggesting that the president is not the commander in chief of the military?
TOURE: I’m suggesting that the president is going to put in charge somebody who is going to contravine the Constitution, and in some near point, this conversation will look very silly for you because it will be obvious. Right now, you’re gaslighting, but when we get to actual rubber of the road, it will be clear.
JENNINGS: I’m interested in this conversation. He’s going to put someone in charge who will contravine the Constitution? Like who? What do you mean by that? The president is in charge of the military, is he not? You said he’s going to put someone in charge.
PHILLIP: I mean, the president is in charge of the military. That is how it works.
That Trump Gaza video is a stunner. It’s so far beyond obscene that I can’t bring myself to post the string of modifiers that are called for.
This Trump-Gaza video deserves a thread/post of its own on OTB, to string up high for all to see.
Jen
@JKB: More dishonesty from you, pretending you don’t understand.
The President is indeed the Commander of the armed forces. That does NOT mean he can do anything he wants with them–we can start with unlawful orders. Ordering a member of the military to shoot someone because he doesn’t care for their speech, for example. He also can’t technically send the military to war (Congress does that), but we’ve allowed that to slide quite a bit.
The question is why Trump has removed honorable, dedicated members of the military from their positions. Can you answer that question? Why? My parents always said “because” isn’t a valid answer. There’s always a reason. What’s Trump’s reason?
I’d wager that he wants sycophants surrounding him 24/7, so if he does something dumb or illegal, they’ll look the other way.
ETA: One concern is Trump deciding he wants to suspend habeas corpus for some invalid reason. Who stands up to him? Who says no? A reminder: he is not a king.
Gene Hackman has passed away. Hackman, who made a career without movie star looks, made many memorable movies. I won’t rehash the obvious ones. Just mention a few less appreciated works of his- Under Fire, Downhill Racer, The Conversation, Prime Cut. RIP.
The French Connection and The Conversation were two of my favorites.
Both Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall (nearly the same age) were ‘everyman,’ they were professionals, they added to any and every movie they were in.
I already miss Gene Hackman
All those great films. Somewhere I saw an interview of Morgan Freeman on the filming of The Unforgiven. He said that they were good friends during the filming, but despite that, he found himself honestly frightened in the scene where Hackman was torturing him. That look of fear in his own eyes when Hackman put his chin on Morgan’s shoulder was real. Morgan said of Gene “Best actor I’ve ever met. Period.”
I’m not sure Trump is capable of hiring a pro hitman. Not because he’s too ethical–never that–but because he’d mess it up somehow. I can see some MAGA nutcake thinking it would be “patriotic” to take out anyone who objected to Trump.
That and I imagine most hitmen ask for their bill to be paid up front. Trump could never do it.
CSK
Having fired them, Musk is now in the process of deciding that we don’t have enough of them. According to The New Republic, he’s asking retired ATCs to return to work.
Oh, he’d certainly stiff them. And end up a stiff himself.
Jen
@CSK: Yeah, I’d noted that over in the thread on the Clown Show. Musk doesn’t appear to know that ATC have a mandatory retirement age of 56, and retired at the top of their pay range. And the ones he fired? Those are the new ones, who’d just been trained and theoretically are young enough to be around for a while.
He literally fired the less expensive workers and is asking the more expensive ones to come back.
Anyone saying this slash and burn style makes sense can go pound sand.
You certainly are entitled to your “sycophants” position. But I would say it is much more likely that he desires to have people in position who share his policy objectives and will implement them. It’s a much less wild eyed explanation. In fact, it’s rational.
Jen
@Connor: What “policy objectives” would require military leaders to share his vision? Provide detail, show your work.
Presumably, it doesn’t matter, because he is the commander in chief. It only matters if the orders are potentially problematic or illegal.
Seriously? Seriously? We cannot converse if you devolve into high school debating tactics.
Trump (or Biden, or Obama etc etc – and they did) put people in place because they are “their” people. It is fundamentally a correction of the mistake Trump made in his first administration.
Spirals are a repeating theme in astronomy, with arguably the most famous example of a swirling armed structure being our home galaxy, the Milky Way. Now, using a powerful NASA supercomputer called “Pleiades,” scientists have discovered yet another spiral structure on the edge of our solar system.
The spiral is composed of billions of icy bodies surrounded by a shell of comets called the Oort cloud. Even though the Oort cloud lurks at the edge of our own planetary system and is about 99,000 times as wide as the distance between Earth and the sun, scientists have thus far been in the dark about the structure of the Oort cloud. These new findings, however, give researchers an important clue about the object.
“We found that some comets in the inner Oort cloud found between 1,000 au to 10,000 au, form a long-lasting spiral structure,” Luke Dones, study team member and principal scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, told Space.com. (The measurement “au” stands for “astronomical unit,” and one au is equal to the distance between Earth and the sun.)
“We were quite surprised,” Dones continued. “Spirals are seen in Saturn’s rings, disks around young stars and galaxies. The universe seems to like spirals!”
Though insignificant in comparison to the spiral that forms the structure of the Milky Way, Dones and colleagues found that this Oort cloud icy spiral is roughly 15,000 au in length. The spiral runs perpendicular, or at an angle of 90 degrees, to the plane of the Milky Way.
“Only a small fraction of comets in the Oort cloud are in this spiral,” Dones added, “but that’s still billions of comets.”
The team also reached the conclusion that this is not a temporary structure; it is long-lived and persists in the inner Oort cloud to the present day. That means it is still out there to be viewed, but such observations would be no mean feat.
” … The spiral runs perpendicular, or at an angle of 90 degrees, to the plane of the Milky Way. … ”
An interesting factoid considering the solar system revolves around the galactic center.
Jen
@Connor: Fine, here’s why I think it’s sycophants he wants–Trump fired General Brown and installed Dan Caine, a retired officer. This was discussed the other day. While he’s qualified, the fact that Trump keeps bringing up some MAGA hat incident in relation to Caine certainly seems to indicate what Trump thinks is important.
I figure the political violence will really start when two of them let go close enough together to seem simultaneous. I’ve wondered for a while why the MAGAs weren’t actually out there beating up Democrats. Then I realized that they are all fucking cowards. It’s like cowardice is a fundamental part of conservativism, right behind lying. Eventually one or two will work up some ball and attack someone and then the fun will begin. Maybe that’s a good reason to have the transition be in the cold, makes it harder to riot.
Daryl
@Gavin:
Apparently even DeSantis says they aren’t welcome in FL.
And Trump says he knew nothing about it.
Could be Rick Grenell freelancing.
Which is just as bad, IMHO
charontwo
Yastreblyansky posted something a few days ago that is still well worth a read, including the comments.
Major point is that it is a triumvirate governing and sharing power, each with a scope of responsibilities and each with serious weaknesses that will ultimately show up.
Musk/Trump/Russell Vought, but Vought not getting much public attention.
Newly Confirmed Russell Vought Is the Glue Between Elon Musk and Republicans
With this vote a very important piece of the Trump 2.0 machinery was snapped into place. Other Cabinet-rank appointees are much flashier and get more attention. Their departments do things that everyone understands and that touch millions of lives directly. But far beyond his specific responsibilities (preparing the president’s budget and reviewing fiscal and regulatory decisions), the new OMB director is a particularly valuable player in the planned MAGA transformation of the federal government. To borrow a sports term, Vought is a “glue guy,” or to use another sports metaphor, the “straw that stirs the drink.” He’s the team member who lifts the performance of everyone around him without necessarily being the big star himself. And if you are alarmed by the counter-revolutionary ambitions of this administration, that should make him a very scary man for real.
In the shake-up of the federal government that MAGA folk generally call an assault on the “deep state,” there are three main forces. One is a Congress controlled by a Republican Party that has sworn an unusually intense allegiance to Trump, and that has its own ideological reasons (mostly related to the need to pay for tax cuts and Trump’s mass deportation program, while making at least a stab at reducing deficits and debt) for taking a sledgehammer to the parts of the federal government that don’t involve GOP sacred cows like Social Security and defense. Another is DOGE, Elon Musk’s pseudo-agency that is already wreaking havoc in agency after agency as he applies his radical corporate-takeover methods to the public sector with a giant social-media troll army at his back. Each is engaged in demolition work that could be at least temporarily stopped by federal court orders (in Musk’s case) or by internal wrangling (in Congress’s). Vought’s OMB is the third force that will make sure Trump’s agenda moves forward one way or the other. And he is perfectly equipped to coordinate these disparate forces and supply blows to the bureaucracy if and when others fall short.
The funding freeze showed us what a single memo from OMB can do, spawning nationwide chaos and panic. A more sustained effort, and one that relies less on “pauses” and more on a true freeze of grants and contracts backed up by explicit presidential executive orders, can do a lot more damage to the programs and services that MAGA folk don’t like anyway. Meanwhile OMB can exchange intel with DOGE on potential targets in the bureaucracy, while OMB will definitely guide congressional Republicans as they put together massive budget-reconciliation and appropriations bills.
Vought’s personality, worldview, and experience make him a lot more pivotal than his job description, believe it or not. He’s in sync with deep wellsprings of the conservative infrastructure as a committed Christian nationalist (he is a graduate of the old-school fundamentalist Wheaton College, and is closely associated with the theocratic neo-Calvinist wing of the Southern Baptist Convention), a think-tank veteran (at the Heritage Foundation and his own Center for Renewing America), an heir of the budget-slashing tea-party movement, and as someone who perfectly synthesizes the hardcore right of both the pre-Trump and Trump eras.
Just as importantly, Vought is the one person other than Trump himself who may be able to keep his budget-cutting allies working together and not fighting for power. He spent many years working on Capitol Hill and knows the House GOP culture particularly well; he is a natural ally of the fiscal radicals of the House Freedom Caucus, who currently have enormous influence (and perhaps even control) of 2025 budget decisions thanks to their willingness to blow up things if they don’t get their way. But he’s also as radical as Musk in his antipathy to the deep state, as the chief apostle of the idea the president should have vast powers to usurp congressional spending decisions if he deems it necessary. And unlike Musk and his team of software engineers, he knows every nook and cranny of the enemy territory from his earlier stint at OMB. Vought has also forged personal links with the turbulent tech bro, according to The Wall Street Journal:
As a veteran of high school and college debate, I can tell you that you have yet to write anything here that could not be handled by a first year.
Moreover, your last line is hardly an offensive argument. It could be evidence for Jen’s opinion as much as it could be about policy.
She asked a simple question. What are Trump’s policy objectives. That question is not just simple–it is foundational. It has nothing to do with tactics in competitive debate, it is the basis for any discussion.
Seriously, this has been standard since at least Ancient Greece.
poor Verizon signed up for Trump 2.0 to get tax cuts and and rubber stamped mergers, but instead an unelected oligarch cosplaying as a government efficiency expert is elbowing in on the company’s $2 billion FAA contract while falsely accusing them of killing air travelers
Right there with you. I mean two incidents of political violence that are separated by time and distance, but close enough in time to seem simultaneous and coordinated. Basically something that happens that causes the weirdos to think there’s a plan and it’s kicking off. Something to give them a little spine.
I think if it’s just a slow drip of one off’s people will just sleep walk through it, but if it’s flashy and fast it might get them moving.
Also a possibility. The sheer crudity of the thing is staggering
Gavin
Lost in all the fun of mass layoffs is: The CHIPS act is essentially dead — with no FTE’s left at NIST to validate performance, future cash won’t be able to be dispersed. Conveniently, nothing we purchase needs a chip, right? And the US definitely didn’t need 120k good-paying manufacturing jobs!
I finally got across to some folks that firing all the “probationary” air traffic controllers is going to hit them in the pocketbook. I know a recently retired air traffic controller who isn’t about to un-retire per Musk’s suggestion (plus the law). He paid 2x (as required) into the Thrift Savings Account (TSA) because of a mandatory “Safety” retirement at 56 (ditto federal cops) – his words, pack sand, I’m retired. Anyway, fewer ATC, got to cut down on flights, airfares go up.
Comments
83 responses to “Thursday’s Forum”
Gene Hackman has passed away. Hackman, who made a career without movie star looks, made many memorable movies. I won’t rehash the obvious ones. Just mention a few less appreciated works of his- Under Fire, Downhill Racer, The Conversation, Prime Cut. RIP.
Michelle Trachtenberg has passed.
There is an obit at Vulture.
Age 39, Buffy’s kid sister.
@Bill Jempty:
Also his wife and dog. Carbon monoxide, possibly.
The cancelled flu advisory committee meeting that Mikey noted in yesterday’s forum really set me off. It seems that I now have a daily rant that I toss by email at my Senators and Congressman. Just want to get through the day without some stupid happening from this Congress and Administration.
Oh yes, effing JFK, Jr called the measles outbreak “not unusual”.
@Scott:
His world is filled with things ordinary people would call very unusual.
@Scott:
Well, if he gets his way, measles outbreaks will indeed become quite common.
@Rob1:
Oh COME ON! As if whom among us hasn’t cavorted with a dead bear. Let them cast the first dead whale head!
I totally did see this coming.
TL;DR, Chief Junior associate of the Crow & Leo Court, “paused” a judge’s order to release $2 billion in frozen foreign aid.
The SCOTUS is dead! Long live the tinpot rapist tyrant king!
@Bill Jempty: His role in The Conversation is much underappreciated. I saw it in French when I was doing research in Paris and it was even more powerful without dubbing, since I had to rely on his actions and expressions.
Trump wants to turn back the calendar to the halcyon days of the 1890s…tariffs! No income tax! No vaccines!* No votes for women! Ahhhhhhh.
*actually there were some vaccines, but no Deep State telling 19th century libertarians they had to get vaccinated.
@Scott:
Measles outbreaks are totally not unusual in unvaccinated populations, or with vaccination rates too low to sustain herd immunity.
@charontwo:
More re Michelle Trachtenberg:
“NY Post”
“NY Post“
@Mikey:
Did see a headline yesterday that west TX parents are lining up to get their currently unvaccinated kids a shot. Funny how illness, hospitalization and death among a subset of a community, a community with one thing in common, breaks through the cult.
On another note, the CDC cancelled a meeting yesterday that was intended to ID the target(s) for the fall/2025 flu vaccine. Chance to kill off some oldsters. Also, the felon’s henchmen are discussing pulling funding for Moderna’s bird flu vaccine.
We are living in interesting times or as a headline at the Bulwark declared yesterday, it can happen here.
But RFK Jr (not JFK), is a merchant of death.
Stable Genius and his cryptobro backers want to transition the US government into cryptocurrency. Selling off Fort Knox gold as been mentioned. At least the gold in Fort Knox requires an atomic weapon and an escadrille of “hot women” pilots to pull off, and even that attempt was defeated, by one extraordinary individual.
A characteristic of large deposits of traditional currency (and gold) discouraging wholsale heists is its physicality, its bulk. Heft hinders theft. Unless of course, the thieves social engineer themselves into control of the national government abetted by meme hats.
@Sleeping Dog:
Part of the plan to cut back Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.
Trump has pressured Romania to remove restrictions on Andrew Tate’s travel. Right about now both Tate brothers are landing in Florida.
So far Trump has intervened on behalf of violent insurrectionists, war criminals, crooked politicians and sex criminals. Make misogyny great again!
Remember that for Republicans, every accusation of a Democrat is either a confession or premeditation of a crime.
No matter how low you put the bar, Republicans find a way under it.
The French Connection, The Conversation, Unforgiven, Crimson Tide, Night Moves, Superman…Gene Hackman gave so very many wonderful performances. One of my favorites, though, was in The Royal Tenenbaums:
https://youtu.be/Q5Hbs0s6_sQ?si=LZXAacKtA7T8N7QM
The podcast Behind The Bastards has some very useful episodes about Andrew Tate. just plan to take a very long shower after hearing them.
Victoria Spartz was set to do the right thing, and protect Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers. Then Trump screamed at her.
So though I’m not her constituent (neither is Trump) I’m spending my morning screaming back. I’ve unloaded on the staffers who answered her Indiana offices, making one of them cry. Ever make a grown person cry? In this context, it felt good, real good.
“Sir, I have a family to fee–”
“ITS A ROARING ECONOMY! THIS IS A CHOICE TO WORK FOR THE GOP! CAN YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT? CAN YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR?”
“I…I–look, I can have you leave a voicemail for the Congresswoman?”
“ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY”
“Ok, there’s no need for lang–”
“TRUMPS PRESIDENT, YOUR BOSS IS TRYING TO KILL YOUR NEIGBORS, AND YOU ARE LANGUAGE POLICING?!?”
*long silence and quiet sniffles on the other end*
The DC office hung up as soon as I got scream-y. So now I’m dialing them over and over and over and over and over and over. Sometimes my calls get cut off at 1 ring, sometimes goes to voicemail, which lets me know the calls are getting through and someone has to listen to the ringing.
So their whole goddamn day is going to by a ringing phone. I raised $600,000 yesterday, i could take a break for the rest of the month and my office would be fine with it. I have all the time in the world to annoy the fuck out of these people.
@Gavin:
Give me your misogynists, your traffickers,
Your tax-avoiding grifters, yearning to breathe free,
The wretched rapists of your teeming shore.
Send these, the indicted, tempest-tossed to me,
I got the red light on, bein’ an orange whore!
Trump administration slandering intelligence officers by suggesting participation in LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Groups qualifies as “obscene” behavior at work.
The New McCarthyism: LGBTQ+ Purges In Government Begin
President Trump:
“JPEG“
China makes older chips [the kind for your car, your fridge etc] cheaper than the West and is driving down the price – to undercut Western firms.
China discovers way to power missiles using the concept of Boeing’s helium leak
China declassifies tech used to make high-orbit satellites that are greater than the tech in US satellites.
Perhaps transferring that technology to China starting in the 90’s wasn’t such a great idea. Oopsie! But we really owned some libz along the way, and a couple dozen people got rich!
Bought eggs this morning. Two dozen. $1.44 per dozen. No shortage.
In fact, my entire grocery bill, which will cover next two weeks, was less than $50.
Gene Hackman is one of my favorite actors.
Hoosiers
Enemy of the State
The Conversation
French Connection
Unforgiven
Royal Tannenbaums
Heist
Mississippi Burning
All movies I can watch repeatedly.
RIP.
@EddieInDR: bought eggs yesterday at Trader Joe’s. $3 something/ dozen. However, you were only allowed one carton.
@Grumpy realist:
My store has a sign limiting purchases to 10 cartons per person, which is making me wonder who was buying 200 eggs at a time
@Neil Hudelson: You did this? As Recounted? You’re my hero of the week. I’m going to give it a whirl.
And here I was planning to launch a letter campaign. But I like your approach better — don’t target the elusive elected official, shame the staff into reconsidering their chosen career path.
Buying eggs right now. Granted they’re pasture-raised, whatever the hell that means: $10.99. Three bucks more if I want organic. The cheapest I found at Albertson’s in Vegas were $8.99.
And yet I distinctly recall Trump promising to lower the cost of eggs on day one. Can Trumponomics get us to two dollars-an-egg?
In other econ news, Tesla stock has given up all of its Trump-bump. It’ll give up more – Tesla is dead in Europe, dead in China, and dying in California, with five consecutive quarterly drops.
Should have learned from the failure of the Goebbels line of stylish jackboots. Did well for a while, then totally tanked in 1945.
@Stormy Dragon:
That’s because of re-selling on the egg black market. Psst, wanna buy an egg? Buy a dozen and we throw in a baggie of fentanyl for free.
$6.12 at Walmart, Phoenix area a couple of days ago.
Albertson’s has been limiting to 2 dozen, Trader Joe’s to 1 dozen – cheaper at Trader Joes.
RE: Michelle Trachtenberg
No reportage yet identifying reason for the liver transplant, except speculation of alcoholism. But there are numerous other causes. And at this point, no reportage of attempted medical intervention for the failing transplant. For a young woman who seemed very much accustomed and in tune with being in the public eye, she appears to have remained silent on her struggles.
$1.95 to $2.20 per dozen, depending on the brand. Regular eggs, no “organic” gimmickry*.
No limits on how many can be bought.
I think I’ll buy a few dozen and film myself throwing them off the roof and put it on Youtube just for giggles.**
*I gather I’ve been eating inorganic eggs all my life. I wonder whether inorganic chickens produce these, or they are assembled in factories.
** You know me better than that.
@charontwo:
Someone forgot to recharge his battery last night.
I gave an old buddy a ride from a local VA after his surgery yesterday. He is widowed, and the kids are employed so I pitched in. No biggie. The hospital was clean, smelled good, and full of us guys born 1945 to 1965 as patients and caregivers. He was in recovery with a nurse instructing him in his meds, proper diet, and correct activities. A physical therapist instructed him in proper crutch use. The nurse said all the nurses there had received the Musk OPM email but not responded. She’s been a RN in the surgical wing at the VA since 2008. She’s distressed that our government considers her a parasite. She didn’t choose her career based on bottom line considerations.
Most literature shows that VA healthcare is cheaper than the other alternatives. Should not Mr. Musk try to figure out how to make the general medical system as efficient as the VA?
BTW, my pal’s surgery went very well. We got him home without problems. He is motivated to comply with the physical rehabilitation plan. I will check in on him.
The VA staff I encountered was very helpful, compassionate, and courteous. Thank you to all of them!
@Rob1:
I have a tendency to exaggerate for good story telling, but in this case the above exchange is pretty much word for word.
I’ve now started calling just every Hoosier representatives office, even the Dems just to keep the fear in them. The DC Office line for Rep Baird is being staffed by an intern. I told her to quit while she still has a soul, and asked if she had trouble sleeping at night knowing her boss is trying to kill her neighbors. It was the first time I got an actual “fuck you” from a Congress person’s office in a dozen years of phone calls. Which, honestly, I appreciated. Those who just sat there and took my abuse, and the abuse of hundreds calling them? What fucking quislings. Grow a pair and yell back ffs.
I suppose GOPers aren’t in the habit of being around and hiring people with spines.
@Neil Hudelson: Sore loser.
Good for Slugger, treating people with respect.
@Fortune:
1. Careful, you are treading dangerously close to taking an actual position.
2. I was already swimming in catharsis, but knowing this bothers you makes it *so much* more enjoyable. Thank you, sincerely.
3. Welcome to participatory democracy.
4. The offices I’m calling are trying to end medical coverage for millions of Americans. They deserve far worse than to get yelled at.
5. It’s weird that you are upset at voters calling representatives and yelling, but you’ve expressed no concern that the President of the United States is doing the same and much worse.
6. Even weirder that you are upset over an unknown staffer getting an earful for 30 seconds, but appear to not be upset at all that many Americans are going to die slow and painful deaths if this budget deal goes through. It’s a very telling position to be in.
7. I’m sorry, Slugger’s experience at a hospital is related or analogous how????
I figured it was something like this. Defy Trump and there’s a very real possibility some MAGA lunatic will come after you and your family members.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/27/republicans-trump-threats
Popular Information:
Headline:
“PI”
excerpt:
“PI”
more:
Nice going, Biden to Trump switchers angry about Netanyahu’s antics. As if Biden was in control of Netanyahu.
Anniversary of the Reichstag Fire.
Seems somehow pertinent.
@Fortune:
Huh?
@CSK: maybe a maga lunatic, maybe a professional hit.
Putin sets the example. Poisoning and defenestration are popular when dispatching your political rivals. Just a couple of weeks ago a Russian musician who openly supported Ukraine got tossed from a window in his high rise apartment during a “search”.
There was a rash of killings a few years back. Vlad went on something of a rampage, offing a whole family hiding out in Spain… mom, dad and daughter.
Also, Navalny.
Very bad people are willing to do anything to keep themselves in power.
@Neil Hudelson: That sounds like me when I call except more coherent. I’m not very verbally adept so when I get mad I stutter and sputter. That’s why I write instead.
That Trump Gaza video was just bizarre. If told the Onion had created and posted it, I would have believed it. That Trump posted it, apparently thinking it was somehow not mocking him…strongest evidence yet his brain has in fact deteriorated.
The book burning continues:
Pentagon Releases Digital Content Refresh Memorandum
@Michael Reynolds: “Tesla stock has given up all of its Trump-bump. It’ll give up more”
The Tesla stock price had no business doubling from mid-October to mid-December, so reality has been pulling it back down. Their EV business stopped growing a while ago, their energy storage business has lots of competition and no technological advantage, and their autonomous vehicle business is both aspirational and facing lots of competition.
@Daryl:
I was going to post this anyway, but you provide a nice segue.
I’ve been re-reading Brad DeLong’s Slouching Towards Utopia. He expresses surprise that after WWI everybody didn’t look around and say, “For gawd’s sake, let’s figure out how to not do that again!” But they didn’t.
They needed a hegemon to take the lead. And as DeLong’s teacher, economic historian Charlie Kindleberger said,
So we got WWII.
Struck me because I’ve long said this about people and especially corporations. Everybody pursues their own selfish interests and assumes someone else will look after the country as a whole. And the only entity that can, and sometimes does, is the government. Which those same people and corporations are eager to tear down.
After WWII the U.S. did accept the role of hegemon and with enlightened policy helped Germany, Austria, Italy, Japan, et al back on their feet. (In return for their cooperation against the godless commies.) As hegemon, we have made spectacular mistakes, but in general we’ve been a pretty good hegemon. And now Trump is stepping away. Saying it’s to focus on opposing China, while vacating the hegemon role for China to pick it up. Very corporate, “America First”, with a timeframe no longer than next quarter.
A little job for the political science professors over at CNN. Or maybe the 9th grade civics teachers
Is the President of the United States the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces? Does the Department of Justice and FBI not answer to the President of the United States, the elected head of the Executive Branch
Really, do these people not know there are cameras recording them?
@charontwo:
That Trump Gaza video is a stunner. It’s so far beyond obscene that I can’t bring myself to post the string of modifiers that are called for.
This Trump-Gaza video deserves a thread/post of its own on OTB, to string up high for all to see.
@JKB: More dishonesty from you, pretending you don’t understand.
The President is indeed the Commander of the armed forces. That does NOT mean he can do anything he wants with them–we can start with unlawful orders. Ordering a member of the military to shoot someone because he doesn’t care for their speech, for example. He also can’t technically send the military to war (Congress does that), but we’ve allowed that to slide quite a bit.
The question is why Trump has removed honorable, dedicated members of the military from their positions. Can you answer that question? Why? My parents always said “because” isn’t a valid answer. There’s always a reason. What’s Trump’s reason?
I’d wager that he wants sycophants surrounding him 24/7, so if he does something dumb or illegal, they’ll look the other way.
ETA: One concern is Trump deciding he wants to suspend habeas corpus for some invalid reason. Who stands up to him? Who says no? A reminder: he is not a king.
@Bill Jempty:
The French Connection and The Conversation were two of my favorites.
Both Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall (nearly the same age) were ‘everyman,’ they were professionals, they added to any and every movie they were in.
I already miss Gene Hackman
@al Ameda: I have to add Young Frankenstein.
@al Ameda:
Enemy of the State
The Replacements.
The Firm.
Crimson Tide.
@EddieInDR:
All those great films. Somewhere I saw an interview of Morgan Freeman on the filming of The Unforgiven. He said that they were good friends during the filming, but despite that, he found himself honestly frightened in the scene where Hackman was torturing him. That look of fear in his own eyes when Hackman put his chin on Morgan’s shoulder was real. Morgan said of Gene “Best actor I’ve ever met. Period.”
@becca:
I’m not sure Trump is capable of hiring a pro hitman. Not because he’s too ethical–never that–but because he’d mess it up somehow. I can see some MAGA nutcake thinking it would be “patriotic” to take out anyone who objected to Trump.
Musk? Maybe.
@CSK:
That and I imagine most hitmen ask for their bill to be paid up front. Trump could never do it.
Having fired them, Musk is now in the process of deciding that we don’t have enough of them. According to The New Republic, he’s asking retired ATCs to return to work.
Can you say “clusterfuck”?
@Neil Hudelson:
Oh, he’d certainly stiff them. And end up a stiff himself.
@CSK: Yeah, I’d noted that over in the thread on the Clown Show. Musk doesn’t appear to know that ATC have a mandatory retirement age of 56, and retired at the top of their pay range. And the ones he fired? Those are the new ones, who’d just been trained and theoretically are young enough to be around for a while.
He literally fired the less expensive workers and is asking the more expensive ones to come back.
Anyone saying this slash and burn style makes sense can go pound sand.
@Jen:
You certainly are entitled to your “sycophants” position. But I would say it is much more likely that he desires to have people in position who share his policy objectives and will implement them. It’s a much less wild eyed explanation. In fact, it’s rational.
@Connor: What “policy objectives” would require military leaders to share his vision? Provide detail, show your work.
Presumably, it doesn’t matter, because he is the commander in chief. It only matters if the orders are potentially problematic or illegal.
@dazedandconfused:
I believe it. Thank you for sharing that.
@Rob1:
Poe’s law. It reads as a deliberate parody, if not a lot of people including Trump are really seriously delusional.
@Jen:
Seriously? Seriously? We cannot converse if you devolve into high school debating tactics.
Trump (or Biden, or Obama etc etc – and they did) put people in place because they are “their” people. It is fundamentally a correction of the mistake Trump made in his first administration.
Spiral structure in the Oort Cloud.
“Link”
” … The spiral runs perpendicular, or at an angle of 90 degrees, to the plane of the Milky Way. … ”
An interesting factoid considering the solar system revolves around the galactic center.
@Connor: Fine, here’s why I think it’s sycophants he wants–Trump fired General Brown and installed Dan Caine, a retired officer. This was discussed the other day. While he’s qualified, the fact that Trump keeps bringing up some MAGA hat incident in relation to Caine certainly seems to indicate what Trump thinks is important.
@CSK:
I figure the political violence will really start when two of them let go close enough together to seem simultaneous. I’ve wondered for a while why the MAGAs weren’t actually out there beating up Democrats. Then I realized that they are all fucking cowards. It’s like cowardice is a fundamental part of conservativism, right behind lying. Eventually one or two will work up some ball and attack someone and then the fun will begin. Maybe that’s a good reason to have the transition be in the cold, makes it harder to riot.
@Gavin:
Apparently even DeSantis says they aren’t welcome in FL.
And Trump says he knew nothing about it.
Could be Rick Grenell freelancing.
Which is just as bad, IMHO
Yastreblyansky posted something a few days ago that is still well worth a read, including the comments.
Major point is that it is a triumvirate governing and sharing power, each with a scope of responsibilities and each with serious weaknesses that will ultimately show up.
Musk/Trump/Russell Vought, but Vought not getting much public attention.
“Yastreblyansky”
more at Intelligencer
“Link”
Etc.
@Beth:
Could you explain what “when the two of them get close enough together” means? I’m not at my best today.
Internecine MAGA shitstorm:
http://www.rawstory.com/epstein-files/
@Connor:
As a veteran of high school and college debate, I can tell you that you have yet to write anything here that could not be handled by a first year.
Moreover, your last line is hardly an offensive argument. It could be evidence for Jen’s opinion as much as it could be about policy.
She asked a simple question. What are Trump’s policy objectives. That question is not just simple–it is foundational. It has nothing to do with tactics in competitive debate, it is the basis for any discussion.
Seriously, this has been standard since at least Ancient Greece.
FAFO
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:xtg6uhgsy2j7k2a6qtcood2w/post/3lj474zx6oc2t
@charontwo:
Delusional is one thing, pathologically perverse and sadistic is something else.
@charontwo:
Delusional is one thing, pathologically perverse and sadistic is something else.
@CSK:
Right there with you. I mean two incidents of political violence that are separated by time and distance, but close enough in time to seem simultaneous and coordinated. Basically something that happens that causes the weirdos to think there’s a plan and it’s kicking off. Something to give them a little spine.
I think if it’s just a slow drip of one off’s people will just sleep walk through it, but if it’s flashy and fast it might get them moving.
@Beth:
Ah, thanks. I get you now. Yes, that’s very possible.
@Rob1:
¿Porque no los dos?
@charontwo:
Also a possibility. The sheer crudity of the thing is staggering
Lost in all the fun of mass layoffs is: The CHIPS act is essentially dead — with no FTE’s left at NIST to validate performance, future cash won’t be able to be dispersed. Conveniently, nothing we purchase needs a chip, right? And the US definitely didn’t need 120k good-paying manufacturing jobs!
Majority of Republicans now identify as maga. https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2025/02/24/majority-of-republicans-nationally-identify-as-maga-for-first-time-in-unity-poll/
I finally got across to some folks that firing all the “probationary” air traffic controllers is going to hit them in the pocketbook. I know a recently retired air traffic controller who isn’t about to un-retire per Musk’s suggestion (plus the law). He paid 2x (as required) into the Thrift Savings Account (TSA) because of a mandatory “Safety” retirement at 56 (ditto federal cops) – his words, pack sand, I’m retired. Anyway, fewer ATC, got to cut down on flights, airfares go up.