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Appreciate the input. Could run this thread through the weekend and see how it goes — I’m laid up with a head cold today, so lying in bed with extra time to post links today and try to figure out what works.
Politics Current Events Feb 27
- Thread starter nycfan
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Got to be honest. That's exactly what I wanted done after 9/11. I wanted a bounty on his and his minions' heads on the grounds that he was an international outlaw and an offense to the human race. Been a much better way than starting a war.
Don't think this is strong enough grounds and entirely to open to interpretation as far as scope.
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Trump Grilled by British Reporter Over Claim the EU Was ‘Constructed to Screw’ the US
“… Trump held a press conference at the White House with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer where he questioned whether he said he actually used a “bad word” when talking about the EU.
“The European Union was formed in order to screw the United States. That’s the purpose of it, and they’ve done a good job of it,” Trump told reporters this week.
He also threatened the 27-nation group with a 25% tariff, something he’s also promised to impose on Canada and Mexico.
…When confronted by Sky reporter Beth Rigby with his comments about the EU being formed to “screw” the United States on Thursday, Trump asked, “Did I use the word that you said, that bad word?”
Rigby had asked Trump what Starmer can do to “persuade” him to not impose tariffs on the United Kingdom.
The president defended his position on the EU, saying he has “problems” with and noted tariffs on the United States. Trump claimed he would only impose “reciprocal tariffs.”
“They sue our companies. They sued Apple, got 16 or $17 billion, which was, I think, totally a ridiculous decision. And they’re suing Google for a lot of money. They’re suing a lot of other companies, and we don’t like the way they’re treating our people, and we don’t like the way they’re treating our companies. They sell us cars. We don’t sell them cars. They don’t take our cars, they don’t take our much of our agriculture,” Trump said.
He railed against the EU and NATO, saying the United States “will get our money back,” referencing funding going to Ukraine and Israel. …”
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U.S. Canceled Work to Contain a Serious Ebola Outbreak
The contracts financed Ebola screening at airports and protective gear for health workers, among other measures. Work had been held up for weeks, contrary to Elon Musk’s claim on Wednesday.
Elon Musk Claims Ebola Containment Efforts Were Restored. USAID Officials Say Otherwise.
The contracts financed Ebola screening at airports and protective gear for health workers, among other measures. Work had been held up for weeks, contrary to Elon Musk’s claim on Wednesday.
“Hours after Elon Musk reassured Cabinet members on Wednesday that efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in Uganda had only been “accidentally canceled very briefly,” the Trump administration terminated at least four of the five contracts for Ebola-related work in that country.
The four canceled contracts were a tiny fraction of the 10,000 contracts and grants at the United States Agency for International Development and the State Department that the Trump administration ended on Wednesday.
But they were important: Since January, Uganda has experienced a serious Ebola outbreak, from which the country is only just emerging. The contracts funded Ebola screening at airports and protective equipment for health workers, and helped prevent transmission by survivors of the disease, according to a former U.S.A.I.D. official.
Mr. Musk told cabinet members that the administration had “restored the Ebola prevention immediately, and there was no interruption.” But his statement was inaccurate, according to two former U.S.A.I.D. officials with knowledge of the situation in Uganda. (The officials asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.)
… In theory, waivers allowed for some work to continue on containing pathogens like Ebola, Marburg and mpox, as well as preparedness for bird flu. But very little money had actually been delivered.
Few organizations providing those services had the financial reserves to continue, and even fewer trusted that they would be reimbursed.
Their fears may have been justified. On Wednesday night, the Supreme Court’s chief justice, John G. Roberts Jr., ruled that U.S.A.I.D. and the State Department did not need to immediately pay for more than $1.5 billion for work that had been already completed.
The work underway without those payments was interrupted, contrary to Mr. Musk’s claim. …”
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“…U.S. Canceled Work to Contain a Serious Ebola Outbreak
The contracts financed Ebola screening at airports and protective gear for health workers, among other measures. Work had been held up for weeks, contrary to Elon Musk’s claim on Wednesday.
Elon Musk Claims Ebola Containment Efforts Were Restored. USAID Officials Say Otherwise.
The contracts financed Ebola screening at airports and protective gear for health workers, among other measures. Work had been held up for weeks, contrary to Elon Musk’s claim on Wednesday.www.nytimes.com
“Hours after Elon Musk reassured Cabinet members on Wednesday that efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in Uganda had only been “accidentally canceled very briefly,” the Trump administration terminated at least four of the five contracts for Ebola-related work in that country.
The four canceled contracts were a tiny fraction of the 10,000 contracts and grants at the United States Agency for International Development and the State Department that the Trump administration ended on Wednesday.
But they were important: Since January, Uganda has experienced a serious Ebola outbreak, from which the country is only just emerging. The contracts funded Ebola screening at airports and protective equipment for health workers, and helped prevent transmission by survivors of the disease, according to a former U.S.A.I.D. official.
Mr. Musk told cabinet members that the administration had “restored the Ebola prevention immediately, and there was no interruption.” But his statement was inaccurate, according to two former U.S.A.I.D. officials with knowledge of the situation in Uganda. (The officials asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.)
… In theory, waivers allowed for some work to continue on containing pathogens like Ebola, Marburg and mpox, as well as preparedness for bird flu. But very little money had actually been delivered.
Few organizations providing those services had the financial reserves to continue, and even fewer trusted that they would be reimbursed.
Their fears may have been justified. On Wednesday night, the Supreme Court’s chief justice, John G. Roberts Jr., ruled that U.S.A.I.D. and the State Department did not need to immediately pay for more than $1.5 billion for work that had been already completed.
The work underway without those payments was interrupted, contrary to Mr. Musk’s claim. …”
The staff purge at U.S.A.I.D. has left few people in place. The agency had more than 50 people dedicated to outbreak responses, the result of a congressional push to beef up pandemic preparedness.
That number was initially cut by half, including some from the core Ebola team, and then on Sunday to just six. Those fired included the organization’s leading expert in lab diagnostics, and the manager of the Ebola response.
“I have no idea how six people are going to run four outbreak responses,” said one official who was let go. “It’s complicated at the best of times when you’re fully staffed.” “
Duke Mu
Honored Member
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Trump will just double down afterwards as he did with Macron. It's The MAGA Show.
Duke Mu
Honored Member
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Ongoing Pandemics, Health Insecurity:
Marburg Virus Disease (MVD)
Avian Flu (H5N1)
Ebola
Mpox
Measles
Tuberculosis
Nipah virus
Dengue Fever
COVID
RSV
Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF)
Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV)
H9N2 (Avian Flu 2.0)
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)
SIX people? No problem.
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But they are six DOGE approved people — they can do the work of 50, no sweat.
Duke Mu
Honored Member
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If we don't screen and test for Ebola, then it's not real.
Duke Mu
Honored Member
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Sure, they bring their work home with them. Always sound strategy with infectious diseases.
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Grab that third rail, DOGE.
From the SSA memo:
“… The Social Security Administration (SSA) will soon implement agency-wide organizational restructuring that will include significant workforce reductions. Through these massive reorganizations, offices that perform functions not mandated by statute may be prioritized for reduction-in-force actions that could include abolishment of organizations and positions, directed reassignments, and reductions in staffing. The agency may reassign employees from non-mission critical positions to mission critical direct service positions (e.g., field offices, teleservice centers, processing centers). Reassignments may be involuntary and may require retraining for new workloads.
… Separation Window: Employees must opt in by March 14 and separate from the agency no later than April 19, 2025. Employees may be placed on administrative leave through April 19, 2025. …”
They are offering buyouts of $15,000 to $25,000 for certain non-retirement resignations depending on pay grade but don’t mention if such a program is actually authorized.
Memo on “Organizational Restructuring” at Social Security Administration
A short time ago the Human Resources office of the Social Security...
talkingpointsmemo.com
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Trump funding freeze includes payments to keep the Colorado River flowing
“The first executive order President Trump signed in his second term, "Unleashing American Energy," wouldn't seem to have a direct impact on how much water is in the Colorado River, at least in the short term.
…But the order also says, "All agencies shall immediately pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022."
While some of those funds were earmarked to prop up renewable energy, at least $4 billion was set aside to protect the flow of the Colorado River, which supplies about 40 million people with drinking water, is the foundation for a massive agricultural economy across the Southwest, and generates significant hydroelectric power.
…The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act allowed President Biden to designate $4 billion for Colorado River programs, including big sums for programs that pay farmers, cities and Native American tribes to conserve Colorado River water and, instead, leave it in those reservoirs. The payments are compensation for money they can't make by using their water to grow crops or for other uses.
A lot of the IRA money has already been delivered, but Bart Fisher, who sits on the board of the Palo Verde Irrigation District in California, is worried about what will happen if it goes away.
"If there's no funding," he said, "there will be no conservation." …”
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—> 
Katie Miller is part of the DOGE staff now (per earlier NYT story).
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