MAGA

[Pat Hartman]

Seems to me like a law that should be challenged. TDS has spawned a variant it seems. Now we have MDS as well. Same symptoms. Same idiotic rhetoric. Same unfounded accusations. Sooooooooooo booring.

 

[Steve R.]

NPR has been virulently anti-Trump. The cartoon below may have been inspired by the ridiculous claim by NPR that the Hunter Biden laptop scandal was not worth investigating since it was not "real" news.

 

[Isaac]

So if musk found fraud and abuse where are the prosecutions and efforts to recoup the money?

I think it's more "soft" abuse - like just money being spent in an uncareful and foolish manner, but not criminal - I think these are the biggest categories. I can't remember at the moment but there was some item that an agency was paying thousands for that can be bought for $50 retail - can't quit remember what item it was. Stuff like that.

And as for 'recoup', it's more like "don't do it again"

 

[Isaac]

It just reinforces my position on Musk. Uber Geeks like me were fans long before average conservatives. He should have stuck with being a visionary futurist, instead of a modern day Joseph Goabels wanna-be.

Similarly, I question his efficacy even just in being currently spread too thin. But some kind of spending revolution had to begin, and if all Musk does is popularize the idea of reducing spending, just that might be worth it.

The national deficit/debt is the most understated waiting to happen catastrophe. What we need is to make it as cool to be in favor of reducing spending as it is to buy sustainable fish, etc. etc. etc. Musk is popularizing the concept of being more fiscally responsible and/or smaller/less expensive government. Popularization is not particularly something ole' Mitch M. can do

 

[Isaac]

A judge just ordered 6 agencies to re-hire the 10's of thousands of fired probationary workers because they were illegally fired.
Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of the Interior, Department of Treasury, and Veterans Affairs.

That's a lot of backpay, not to mention the trove of lawsuits that are sure to come. How is that efficient?
This is going to cost a lot more than what doge alleges it saved.

I do worry, I admit, about the way they are going about it. I hope their solutions are not worse than the problems were.

 

[Isaac]

The "law" limits the power of local judges to local issues. No local judge gets to govern the United States of America in place of its duly elected President. That would create chaos, don't you think? Every Tom, Dick, and Harry in Podunk NY, thinks he controls the federal government. The President is the CEO of the Executive branch. He gets to make staffing decisions. And probationary employees can be fired at will. That is what "probationary" means in this context.

I think it's a very interesting legal question about federal judges giving injunctions against executive orders, for example.
I mean it certainly qualifies as a 'federal question' for jurisdiction, but hopefully the most important stuff goes up to the USSC for final decision.

 

[Isaac]

Never would I believe that I'd agree with Karl Rove.

So if musk found fraud and abuse where are the prosecutions and efforts to recoup the money?

example of soft 'abuse' that borders but doesn't get to criminality, but is so ludicrous:

DOGE uncovers VA’s agreement to pay $380K per month for minor website modifications

DOGE discovered the Department of Veterans Affairs had a contract to have a company make minor modifications to the website for about $380K.

www.foxnews.com

 

[moke123]

 

[moke123]

Just in case Fox viewers don't get the above...

 

[AccessBlaster]

Trump needs to stick to reciprocal tariffs only it’s easier to understand. If he gets too deep into the weeds on trade deficit issues, he risks losing Republican support and jeopardizing his mandate, especially if higher prices persist.

The Republicans have a history of folding like a cheap suit when the pressures is on.

 

[moke123]

Remember this?