Trump / Musk (other than DOGE) Omnibus Thread

[farce©]

So we can't afford to keep firefighters and park rangers and other necessary people at their jobs, but we can afford to spend hundreds of millions on a scheme that was already tried in the Reagan Administration forty freaking years ago. Got it.

Why not? They still believe Reagan’s failed trickle-down/Laffer curve economic policies work despite 40 years of proof they do not. Self delusion is a key feature of Trump supporters

 

[Ramrouser]

Remember, Pubs no longer think it’s appropriate for agencies to be distributing funds that our elected representatives instructed them to distribute.

It just shows how bad and WASTEFUL the legislation was in the first place - which we said at the time it was passed. I understand what you're saying about appropriated funds but this "stuff" is real hard to defend.

The President, as chief executive, has some discretion in the way these appropriated funds are distributed.

 

[nycfan]

 

[nycfan]

 

[nycfan]

 

[BlueCheckmark]

It just shows how bad and WASTEFUL the legislation was in the first place - which we said at the time it was passed. I understand what you're saying about appropriated funds but this "stuff" is real hard to defend.

The President, as chief executive, has some discretion in the way these appropriated funds are distributed.

Just wait until you need both sides to negotiate and pass a budget. You can no longer count on anything being done in good faith.

 

[nycfan]

 

[lawtig02]

It just shows how bad and WASTEFUL the legislation was in the first place - which we said at the time it was passed. I understand what you're saying about appropriated funds but this "stuff" is real hard to defend.

The President, as chief executive, has some discretion in the way these appropriated funds are distributed.

You guys control Congress now. Why don’t you fix these “problems” through the legislative process?

 

[nycfan]

“… The Office of Community Planning and Development, part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, pays to rebuild homes and other recovery efforts after the country’s worst disasters, such as Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and Hurricane Milton in Florida.

The administration plans to cut the staff in that office by 84 percent, according to a document obtained by The New York Times. The number of workers would be cut to 150, from 936 when Mr. Trump took office last month.

Those cuts could slow the distribution of recovery money to North Carolina and other recent disasters, depending how quickly they happen.

… some disasters are so big that they exceed FEMA’s funding, or the damage doesn’t fit neatly within FEMA’s programs. When that happens, Congress can choose to provide additional help, through a program at HUD called the Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Recovery.

… As disasters have grown more frequent and severe, HUD’s disaster recovery program has become central to the country’s strategy for coping with climate change. During the 1990s, Congress typically gave the program a few hundred million dollars a year. Over the past decade, by contrast, Congress has often provided billions or even tens of billions annually.

HUD’s disaster recovery money also comes with fewer strings attached. The money is largely used to rebuild homes that were either uninsured or underinsured, which the Federal Emergency Management Agency does not pay for. It also goes toward rebuilding infrastructure that’s not covered by FEMA, like the private roads and bridges that were significantly damaged by Helene in North Carolina.

The money can also be used for job training, to help workers whose employers went out of business after a disaster.

Because state and local officials are often overwhelmed by a disaster, and because the influx of federal funds is large and quick, one of HUD’s main jobs is ensuring the money isn’t lost to waste, fraud or abuse. That includes tasks like helping state and local governments set up systems to avoid paying contractors twice, according to a former official who worked on the program. It can also mean more complicated tasks like coordinating HUD’s grants with other federal disaster programs. …”

 

[nycfan]

Cont’d

“… Deep cuts to staffing levels would make it harder for HUD to prevent fraud, waste and abuse, according to two former officials familiar with the program who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. The cuts are being dictated by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, whose stated goal is to reduce fraud, waste and abuse.

The community planning and development office is responsible for managing other spending programs beyond disaster recovery. Those include paying for infrastructure upgrades like sewers and sidewalks, affordable housing projects and programs like Meals on Wheels. …”

——
My dad ran Meals on Wheels out of his community action agency for decades. Small dollar investment that goes a long way to feeding people (seniors) with limited mobility and limited resources.

 

[altmin]

“A Northern Virginia couple is hashing out their next steps after the husband, a 13-year, disabled military veteran and nearly two-year information technology technician with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was fired Monday, as part of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency’s efforts to shrink the federal workforce.

… Because they are concerned about possible retaliation and a likely appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board, the couple asked WTOP not to use their names for this story.

The man pointed to the fact that his performance at FEMA was upgraded to “career conditional,” a step between one year and three years, and he was not a “probationary” employee. At three years he would have qualified for “career” status. He also cited his military service, disability status and exceptional performance reviews.

“I was all in the range of fours, which means exceeding expectations,” he said.

… The termination is complicated by the fact that last November they supported Donald Trump when he sought the White House for a second term.

“I voted for Donald Trump. But this is not what I was expecting,” he said. “We didn’t think they were going to take a chainsaw to a silk rug.”

… The man’s wife said they also believed his 13 years of military service in the Navy and Air Force Reserves, with an honorable discharge as an E-4, would have offered him more protection against DOGE cuts.

“I recognize there are a lot of cuts that need to be made, but this is not the one that you think will happen to your family,” she said.

“I encouraged him to take the job there, because he loved working for the agency, and I think it has a good mission.” …”

 

[MOUNTAINH33L]

MAGAs have told me many times that he's not a Nazi. He's just a socially awkward genius so I guess I have to ignore this along with all of the other evidence that he's a no good fucking Nazi scumbag.

 

[lawtig02]

Trump doesn't have ME defending shit. MAGAs have had to defend this bat shit lunacy pretty much from the start. It's sad, but it's not surprising. Loyalty to the king above all else. It's pretty sad that folks would need to avoid taking Trump's bait. I mean what's that about? He's the goddamn POTUS (or king if you're MAGA). He's not a reddit poster or just some internet troll. I expect better from the "leader of the free world". Maybe that's on me. Also I don't live in NYC so I'm not real up to speed on what this congestion tax issue is nor do I care to educate myself on the particulars. Again, I'm not defending shit. I'm pointing out the obvious. MAGA must kneel and obey their king no matter what. MAGA fealty.

The MAGA script —

MAGA: Complain about something false.

Dem: No, I don’t agree with that complaint because the thing it's based on is false.

MAGA: Why are you defending the thing that’s false???

 

[altmin]

“… The Office of Community Planning and Development, part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, pays to rebuild homes and other recovery efforts after the country’s worst disasters, such as Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and Hurricane Milton in Florida.

The administration plans to cut the staff in that office by 84 percent, according to a document obtained by The New York Times. The number of workers would be cut to 150, from 936 when Mr. Trump took office last month.

Those cuts could slow the distribution of recovery money to North Carolina and other recent disasters, depending how quickly they happen.

… some disasters are so big that they exceed FEMA’s funding, or the damage doesn’t fit neatly within FEMA’s programs. When that happens, Congress can choose to provide additional help, through a program at HUD called the Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Recovery.

… As disasters have grown more frequent and severe, HUD’s disaster recovery program has become central to the country’s strategy for coping with climate change. During the 1990s, Congress typically gave the program a few hundred million dollars a year. Over the past decade, by contrast, Congress has often provided billions or even tens of billions annually.

HUD’s disaster recovery money also comes with fewer strings attached. The money is largely used to rebuild homes that were either uninsured or underinsured, which the Federal Emergency Management Agency does not pay for. It also goes toward rebuilding infrastructure that’s not covered by FEMA, like the private roads and bridges that were significantly damaged by Helene in North Carolina.

The money can also be used for job training, to help workers whose employers went out of business after a disaster.

Because state and local officials are often overwhelmed by a disaster, and because the influx of federal funds is large and quick, one of HUD’s main jobs is ensuring the money isn’t lost to waste, fraud or abuse. That includes tasks like helping state and local governments set up systems to avoid paying contractors twice, according to a former official who worked on the program. It can also mean more complicated tasks like coordinating HUD’s grants with other federal disaster programs. …”

 

[ZenMode]

Our board Trump voters whined and cried for 4 years that Joe Biden wasn’t actually the president, so now that is equally as obvious that Donald Trump is not actually the president, naturally, they are suddenly completely fine with it. Hey, maybe the hypocrisy is the point!

From my POV, Elon is only digging into spending, fraud, waste, etc. DOGE activities. Everything Elon wants to do is approved by Trump and Trump is hands-on in all other aspects of his job. He's not doing some of them well, i.e. Ukraine/Russia, but that a separate topic.

 

[Healing]

Social services and entitlement fraud is a nominal fraction of domestic spending. Just wait, ram will defend an indefinite pause of entitlements to “root out fraud”, despite nothing more than demagoguery and mis/dis to support.

Again, prez elon has scammed millions of right wingers into believing 1. He’s a genius. 2. He has something aside from his own grift in mind. 3. That his “team” is brilliant. 4. That massive fraud exists within the federal government (throw out “billions!!!!!” and right wingers get frothy, and lose all sight for context and scale) … amongst a myriad of other lies.

 

[finesse]

From my POV, Elon is only digging into spending, fraud, waste, etc. DOGE activities. Everything Elon wants to do is approved by Trump and Trump is hands-on in all other aspects of his job. He's not doing some of them well, i.e. Ukraine/Russia, but that a separate topic.

Subpresident Trump has no control over Musk. Musk is digging into all sorts of things without any limits at all and Trump doesn't know shit about what's happening . Other than that, great post.

 

[Mulberry Heel]

Subpresident Trump has no control over Musk. Musk is digging into all sorts of things without any limits at all and Trump doesn't know shit about what's happening . Other than that, great post.

Trump has basically turned the government over to Musk and his college-age DOGE hackers while he makes verbal and social media pronouncements, does some press conferences, and plays golf. Which is pretty much what he did in his first term, except that instead of having some competent (if still very conservative) people around him like John Kelly in his first term he's now got true believer loons and Musk running the show.

 

[MOUNTAINH33L]

I remember the clip of that sheriff from Spartanburg bawling his eyes out in front of that Fox "News" reporter going, "WE NEED TRUMP BACK! THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN UNDER TRUMP!!!"


<insert jaguar gif here for the lolz>

 

[Mulberry Heel]

You guys control Congress now. Why don’t you fix these “problems” through the legislative process?

I posted this earlier, but the Constitution is very clear that Congress, not the President, controls the power of the purse. The President actually doesn't have much "discretion" in how congressionally mandated funds are spent. Congressional Republicans have simply ceded their constitutional powers to Trump and Musk. So much for Republicans revering the Constitution (not that they ever really did, of course).