So… you should look at the substack In A Dark Time. Something is afoot. Also, there are rumors that Musk is messing with Germany and their election. In my very rich fantasy life the US finds he’s committed some crime and seizes his assets. And saves the world from his drug addled scheme to rule/ruin everything.
@ Gene. Your fantasy. In September, DOJ asserted that Sergey Kiriyenko had created some 30 internet domains to spread Russian disinformation, including on Elon Musk’s X which was formerly known as Twitter. In October, the Wall Street Journal disclosed that Musk had been in contact with Kiriyenko and Vladimir Putin which Dmitry Peskov affirmed.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergey_Kiriyenko
Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin said he had interfered in U.S. elections and would continue doing so in future, We have interfered (in U.S. elections), we are interfering and we will continue to interfere. Carefully, accurately, surgically and in our own way, as we know how to do." https://www.reuters.com/world/us/russias-prigozhin-admits-interfering-us-elections-2022-11-07/ What does Musk know and if he does know, when did he know it?
Before we do that, there are some people up there in the Space Station who need to be brought back; they were only supposed to be up there a week and so far it has been--what?, 6 months?
1) Ehm, that must be a language thing... I don't know this expression, would you be so kind as to explain it?
2) Pfff... Don't think so. Musk is the epitome of narcissism, if not the living definition of the word. I don't think his conceit can be moderated in any possible way: the guy has completely fallen in love with his own legend.
3) I know. But I was hoping that this time around, it wouldn't take a world war to get rid of the nazis and fascists... Seems there is no other way.
In the movie, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" the line, "I fear we have awakened the sleeping giant," shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor was fictional. It was never uttered by Yamamoto. However, the attack on the United States, having taken a neutral stance at the time, DID awaken. America never sleeps. Just how much poking the tiger here in America will prod us to retaliate is unknown. Unlike WW2, we are facing a far different military, replete with far more modern weaponry and Intelligence. HUMINT, SIGINT and GEOINT gets us there faster and more efficiently. So, why the hell is Russia insistent on poking the tiger?
Maybe an analogy to the "fifth column" in Madrid during the Spanish Civil War is more appropriate.
When the Soviet Union "fell"" Putin and other KGB opposed Gorabchev, et al and accused them of treason. Putin calls the Soviet collapse the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century." He blames us for using psy ops against the Soviets and now him.
Let’s play it out. First does a president need to be certified in order to become president? Probably. Next up, JD Vance not much improvement but at least emotionally balanced to lead the nation.
You don't need to be certified if you simply ignore the rules that say you have to be certified. Musk will simply do it under the motto: "Let's see if someone tries to stop me."
Also a maybe from me … unprecedented comes to mind yet again… I think the outcome could be unclear but it is being considered. Both Biden and Harris cancelled their plans to return home yesterday.
Maybe. At least he’s lacking in the “charisma “ (which can be negative or positive) that tfg exercises over his base and, I would expect, does not have the effect tfg would have on them.
The oligarchs hold all the reins to power, and that means they will do whatever they want, regardless of what the overwhelming majority say, think or do.
What they will do is cut their own taxes, suppress unions, and raise prices. They also want to suppress any news outlets that do not spread their lies.
The thing about the force of criminal law is that if he can visualize himself picking up the soap in the shower, it may be an object lesson to change his conduct.
In psychology, behavior analysis. Attitude adjustment.
Oh, if only! However: it seems to be well documented that he did not comply with the terms of his entry visa, and falsified his naturalization application. Would love to see him stripped of his citizenship, *then* sent off to do his 7 years in a Pennsylvania prison (with NO internet access), *then* deported back to South Africa…if they’ll take him. If not, he could be introduced to winter in Moscow?
Daniel, it sure does look like Musk broke several election laws, but of course, he is Republican, so it seems as usual Republicans can break all kinds of laws and have no accountability. If someone really good could get hold of the actual laws and what Musk did and charge him, it would be a good excuse to end his government contracts and let him move on to try to wreck another country. I am guessing Russia would love to have him in Russia's toddler playground with Putin.
(From Donald's Vanity Tantrums" and written during Trump's first go around)
Falling into the Wrong Arms
The country had a relatively stable eight years under Barack Obama, not perfect but there was economic growth. However the aftermath of the Bush wars opened the doors of hell and the laws of unintended consequences dominated.
And it came to pass that as a new election neared in 2016, a creature walked to the stage to suspend reality and make enough voters believe that he would lead the nation to wealth and weapons for all.
Cajoled by this socially mangled, misanthrope who has perfected the fine art of the lie, bigotry and unfair tax relief for the wealthy, they naively followed this most foul leader off the cliff.
Wait. What am I doing here? Am I trying to present a logical reason why someone would not vote for Trump? That’s totally insane. That’s almost as insane as voting for Trump! Plus, having to go through all that socio-economic, psychological, and historical crapola is about as interesting as a Xarelto commercial. So, I’m going to reveal the cause of the disease that I am dubbing, “Trump Voterism” or simply, “TV”: a vicious parasite, mutated by toxins now allowed into our air, water and food by Trump’s relentless attempt to kill all of us by loosening our environmental regulations.
Not only does that explain the phenomenon, it also sets the stage for an entirely new series of blockbuster movies, all based around these parasitic mutants. Think The Purge meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets Citizen Kane meets Tremors.
There, can we move on to examining why people do other stupid things, like falling off a cliff while taking a selfie?
Your accuracy depicts The Giberwash or is that Jiberwash?
The Do Nothing Congress voted themselves a raise…this is how making America great has been cast: The Chaos, underhandedness , skuttelry is nothing new ,in fact, predicted. It keeps on being kept on by spoiled brats who reach for stardom off the backs of the sick, hungry children, the disadvantaged, and grooming the ultra right woos scums of the earth with promises of friendship.
No thanks, I wasn’t fooled then nor now, as if that made a hill of beans.
How does claiming credit for another’s gifts , promising empty concepts, strutting about like the pardoned turkeys they are isn’t below the belt stomaching for us/everyone …? Not the quick rich schemers , liars, and con artist blow fish, huh? I’d ask who the bejeebers do they think they are ?Oh right …the chosen ones…and their brands of merry theives..the guts and yawns of utter chaos. Yup, dazzle thems who want no responsibility, the innocents whose choices are gone , or the fooled waiting at the end of their colorless rainbow for the pot of gold…hell no it’s promises reneged. A far too long comedy of terrors ( terrorists?).
Peace rests on dwindling heros, they’re not loud or entertaining enough. Rolled up sleeves, cautious compromise or patient politics rarely sells and stands even less for learned lessons.
But…Bravo the heros of my yesterdays. We saw/agreed the changes needed , that these new times and the cracks it exposed have proven, yup disappointing (but correctable?).
Yes, trust and truth playing the honest hand became a lot more complicated . Too many of WE THE PEOPLE , comfortable on the laurels of hard fought freedoms …didn’t participate …didn’t vote, didn’t care principle and reality so intertwined is now coined shallow - shined up with slippery entertainment soothing that complacency. Slaps on the hands and mind boggling ‘fines’ ( which is an odd term cause it certainly wasn’t ’fine’) were labelled drops in the bucket and definitely didn’t solve, correct, or stop the abhorrent action! In fact- Accountability went down like oaths lipped -went out.
Leveling the playing field needs its time.
Its due.
It’s going to require more than that lip service.The ultra rich can afford that good old fashion compromise..like it or not…😏
John Q.Public requires adequate education/selfless leadership /honored oaths .
This is the that every real public servant signs on to…there is no insider trading commensurate , no slights of hand , no ‘eyes’ in or on ego, and well, perhaps term limits is part of solutions, and an ETHICS CODE as no one is above the law couldn’t be more proven trying to have ‘exceptions’. An act of war is upon us …of those things we hold self evident.
No baby should be thrown out in dirtied ‘bath water’/be cannon fodder. We need to see our mother wholesome , cared for,respected.
War is obsolete, too long an excuse, killing the innocent has never stopped ignorance.
Time for big pants pull ups and 1) no second class citizenships …nor 2) dictators World Wide.
I wonder how many poorer trump supporters will be affected by the cuts in social services? How many handicapped vets who voted for him will appreciated the cuts in their services? How many peo0ple seeking disaster aid find out the project 2025 plan is to make the states more responsible? So we have states responsible for education (or indoctrinating catholic values as most vouchers used are for Catholic schools), disaster relief, and women's health This is a cop out for the "protector of Women". Hey, it is the states fault not mine."
Eileen, as we know many of them are there only for power and money, not to serve their constituents nor honor their oath to the Constitution. At least one R recognized who he was there for, but I suspect he is a rarity.
“socially mangled misanthrope”…perfect! And “disease that I am dubbing, “Trump Voterism” or simply, “TV”: a vicious parasite, mutated by toxins now allowed into our air, water and food by Trump’s relentless attempt to kill all of us by loosening our environmental regulations”…Another perfect description. Just wish it weren’t so true.
My new friend and editor at the time co-wrote this story and told me I could not make Trump funny. Then he died so I dedicated the book to him. Maybe it’s just as well he did t live to see a repeat.
Excellent Bill! Even in my terror of “the cliff” I thank you for making what is in actuality “ insanity”, into a touch of comedy. I laughed, but only in the relief I felt from reading a highly intelligent synopsis of this incredible, unbelievable shit being dumped on every part of our nation by a few losers!
Keep saying "President Musk and Vice President Trump!" Say it loud and clear! Social media and any other media! When is loud enough, Mango Mussolini will dump him. He cans stand losing the limelight.
As some of you may discern, I am no longer criticizing any issues on the democratic side. I am independent by nature and non partisan. But now is t the time to shoot at anyone. We must unite. My heart is broken as yours is. I will not point any fingers at anyone henceforth.
"Today, social media exploded with the realization that an unelected billionaire from South Africa who apparently supports fascism was able to intimidate Republican legislators into doing his bidding. In this last week, Trump has threatened former representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) with prosecution for her work as a member of Congress and has sued the Des Moines Register for publishing a poll that was unfavorable to him before the November election."... So the attempted Mump Regime Repression Begins... It has been written that Elon's Grandparent's were Nazi Sympathizers, and that the source of the Musk Family Wealth was an illegal(?) Emerald Mine in Zambia where the African Laborers were treated like Slaves by Elon's Father... Why Are We Surprised By Elon's Evil Sith Machinations?...
I’ve read that after high school he left SA because he didn’t want to be drafted into the military so he went to Canada where he mother was residing at the time. I believe he entered the US from Canada.
Agreed. I had been reminding everyone that Musk is a racist Afrikaner for months and explained how I recognized that to be true. Most Americans know no history. I did a paper on the Boer Wars in college, and knew Brits who had to leave SA after helping starving South Africans. In the interim I watched SA and then Tesla and Starlink, of which Musk deprived the Ukrainians at a time when the Russians were particularly difficult.
The social media just realized that an immigrant from South Africa and who "supports" fascism is capable of controlling the elected representatives of the American people? IT WAS WRITTEN ALL OVER THE WALLS !!!
Ricardo, let's not forget that Musk also revealed to the American public just before the election that the next 2 years will bring economic hardship for all. That naked assertion (and likely true, if he and the felon get their way) should have been enough of a warning to voters about what lies ahead.
I wonder if he'll moderate his approach to the Grifting Oligarch Party when it takes over in January to appear more politic.
Doug, i don't think he is capable of moderate anything and he never had to. For him is about buying as he did with trump or bulling and pushing away as he is trying to do with Congress For him it's not just the US, it's about world domination.
Virginia, thanks for your reply. In my view, the world is going to be dominated by corporations as is going to happen with our country. And if that happens in the US, many other countries will follow always with a talking head at the top. Our guy is going to be orange in color...should I say more?🤐
Another commenter here, Apache, recommended a Bill Browder book to me.
I've now read it, "Red Notice," and highly pass on the recommendation.
It's a near-unbelievable page-turner -- except it's all true, all the corruption, murder, and lies from the billionaires too long now at the top of oligarch Russia.
"Siths" in "Star Wars." The ogre in Auden's "August, 1968." Replicants in "Blade Runner." Pod people in "Invasion of the Body Snatchers."
These U.S. billionaires are not people -- nor their allies in oligarchies around the world. But for what the U.S.'s chief convicted criminal intends, "Red Notice" shows the fantastically poisonous ill that may eviscerate other U.S. institutions as the billionaires' standardized testing schemes gutted the schools.
Thank You Phil... Unfortunately, sometimes Reality is more Evil than the Imagination of one Person... Near Absolute Money, Corrupts Near-Absolutely.... I've have followed the Soviets/Russians/Chinese a long time.... As Putin's Human Wave Attacks in Ukraine have shown, Putin, and Kim Jong Un have no regards for their People, or Our Lives Either...
For background try WWII newsreels about Germany (1937-1945) and read “Moscow 1937” about the show trials (I got to the middle and had to quit.) For a fiction look at a KGB (now FSB) training school, try Alan Furst.
Thank Virginia... The Malignant Potential of Electronic A.I. Surveillance. Social Media Indoctrination, and Societal Fragmentation, could make things Worse then these past Repressions... I believe that the Framers of the Constitution, believed that a Free Press, and Engaged Educated Citizens were necessary for a Healthy Democracy...
Seems that the Western Businessmen that swarmed Yeltsin's Russia post 1991 didn't Read about Russian Business History first... The Russian's have a History of Seizing Foreign Investments... Notable was the Seizure of French Assets prior to WWI... Has Putin not seized the Assets of Foreign Corporations that tried to Withdrawal following the Ukraine Invasion?...
Just ordered Red Notice. If you haven’t read The Road to Unfreedom by Snyder I highly recommend it. Completely explains what is happening right now and why.
I just looked up The Road to Unfreedom on the interloan library catalog, and all copies are in use! That's exciting! People are reading and being informed! There's hope!! (And I'll probably purchase it used. :) )
Red Notice is a great read. Explains Russia, Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Putin, their oligarchs, and how the lack of institutional control and the rule of law give way to oligarchy, that became authoritarianism/kleptocracy. First control the judiciary, then the media. Dissolve the state governors power, then neuter the parliaments power. Bill Browder did a great job telling the story of Russia. Fiona Hill was right. Russia is the ghost of Americas future.
It's a very good book and Serge Magnitsky did indeed die in prison and a law was passed in the US sponsored in part by Ben Cardin, a Maryland Senator. It was that law that got so far under Putin's skin that he stopped allowing adoptions from Russia and it has been eating at him ever since.
And I wonder if MAGA mom groups who demanded schools be open during COVID will think of this? ("Mothers for America"? Slips the mind. You know, that ultra Conservative group where one of the founders was in a three with her husband and another woman?)
It’s like a lesson/map to kleptocracy, oligarchy and eventually authoritarianism. I read it in 2017. It was unsettling to see similar patterns here in the US as wells as Europe. Today is even more of a repeating pattern match towards oligarchy, or that we are in an oligarchy.
Of course it did. 53% of Americans read at a 6th grade level. And more than 1/2 get their news from The ZUCK. Their mass attention deficit disorder won’t be able to focus on President Musk for long though, ….”Que the next crisis please”
Apache, given that he is now attempting to interfere in other places, I think he wants to rule the world. Nothing that comes out of apartheid South Africa surprises me. A few elite rule and the rest of us peons suffer. Death star does not like competition for the limelight, so maybe he will throw muskrat under the bus. In the meantime all we are going to see in Congress is chaos.
Don't forget trump's dad was arrested while attending a KKK rally. he also was involved in some really shady real estate deals. If I remember correctly, at that time mineral rights and land could be sold separately. Dad would buy the land, but the mineral rights owner couldn't get to the minerals. That has been changed, though.
besides gale watts' pertinent objection tha SCOTUS gave Trump, not just any old president, immunity, so that chances of their allowing it to Biden are minimal - it was immunity from prosecution for what he did. The court did not give, or has not yet given, new powers to the president to do things not otherwise authorized e.g. to deport someone for reasons not known to the law.
No one elected Musk or Ramaswamy to anything, and it’s fairly obvious they don’t know how government works except when it comes to getting public funds. The new maladministration hasn’t even taken office.
The idea that either of those two self-important billionaires would have a hand in cutting the social security of regular Americans is beyond appalling.
The arrogance, presumptuousness, and insolence of Musk is beyond tolerable. Just because he is filthily rich. I have high hopes that the politicians and citizens in Germany and the UK will verbally shut him up.
Exactly. And there is a possibility that the people who have been elected will not be voted in. Let’s hope… of course a high percentage will be fired and replaced in the next 4 years, as happened the last time T was (gag) elected.
Support of Farage links Musk with far right Nazi sympathisers across the UK. It also has the potential for reigniting The Troubles in Ireland as Farage recently moved his Reform Party support away from the son of white supremacist christo fascist violent sectarian Rev Ian Paisley’s party, the Democratic Unionists, to a far more extremist British unionist party, the Traditional Unionists. This resulted in Paisley Junior losing his long held UK parliamentary seat to the TUV’s leader, Jim Allister. Of course, there are still strong historical and cultural ties between Afrikaaner apartheid South Africans and extreme British Unionists. Having lived in Northern Ireland over the past three decades, with what I have witnessed unfolding here on the ground in the last 15 years, either British Intelligence are complicit in this unfolding global far right political autocratic takeover, or their are rogue agents working within the agencies or they are simply crap at their assigned jobs. Who the Hell knows? Whatever the reason all us ‘nobodies’ in Ireland continue to pay the dire political and social price of their incompetence and/or complicity.
Monnina, yes to all of it. When I first visited Northern Ireland about 15 years ago as part of a summer research project, there was a sense of relief that was palpable: Sinn Fein, the BUP, and the "traditional" political parties were finally talking to each other (although it was the summer when the Romany in Belfast were being attacked, so I suppose everyone needs some kind of community to Other). Farage and his ilk have made it their careers to blow up consensus and cooperation throughout the UK. And there are enough disgruntled people (dare I say white men are the majority of these?) who want to throw spanners into the works to really muck things up. Although apparently (at least according to BBC Radio 4 satire programs) Farage was hoping to get a gig with the Orange Felon in Chief and has been disappointed in being rejected.
It is heinous how Farage and Co (including Musk) have indulged themselves off the backs of others here. So much goodwill and so many decades of hard work across the society and often under reported emotional endurance, put in jeopardy or trashed hy these infantile chaos merchants.
My (so far) only visit to Ireland and Northern Ireland was 8 years ago. I noted that there was cooperation being "worked on" at that time (we spent two days in Ireland and a week in Northern Ireland; my wife's family had visited Ireland several times and wanted to spend more time in Northern Ireland.) A far cry from what I had read about in the 90's.
Yep. It’s what we don’t know that hurts us. In many ways post Brexit the UK state has already been successfully taken over by the global neo liberal corporatist oligarchy Musk is a leading member of. Northern Ireland is a UKvEU contested area that these wealthy autocrats want to use as a political bridgehead into breaking the regulatory hegemony of the EU. See: https://europeanpowell.substack.com/p/all-uk-public-services-are-under
That’s where I will be moving to if things go completely awry here. My youngest daughter has a boyfriend there and his sister is an immigration lawyer.
So what is it with this Musk guy? Being the most obscenely rich person in the world isn't enough? He wants world domination to be his legacy? Maybe the solar system, as well?
He is a naturalized US citizen. That doesn't mean he can't be stripped of that and deported.
Before that, though, the DOGE should put his contracts on their hit list. I'd much rather see pediatric cancers eliminated with my money than fund whatever crazy scheme he is cooking up.
In a more sane era we would declare this totally out of control beast insane and do whatever it took. Yes President Biden could deport him as a naturalized citizen who is misbehaving.
Until yesterday I believed that this mump relationship would soon tank, but now I have another take. trump could not care less about governing--his only concern is staying out of jail, and might be happy to turn the reins over to musk who's getting drunk with power by the second, while trump relishes the glory. We very well have this duo ruling our country. The question is, will Congress stand for it....
Sophia, well the convicted felon has apparently been successful at avoiding prison, so that seems to be behind him. I think he is too much of an alpha to give up power to mump or anybody else. That said, if mump were to offer a ton of money to buy Truth Social, enriching the felon, then who knows what the quid pro quo is? Congressional MAGAs and other Rs may find themselves further threatened by the vile influence of social media if they don't kiss the rings (intentionally pluralized.)
@ Carla, I repeat. WASHINGTON, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Elon Musk and SpaceX face at least three federal reviews over whether they have complied with federal reporting rules aimed at protecting national security, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.
This is not the first time the security practices of the SpaceX founder have been questioned by the Pentagon.
The Times said the new reviews were initiated by the Air Force, the Defense Department's Inspector General and the undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security. It cited eight people with knowledge of the rocket company and internal documents.
And yet, our government didn't hesitate to give contracts to Starlink for critical internet access on US Navy boats and ships. The security risk is enormous. The security risk in the hands of someone like President Musk who already proved he's willing and able to interfere with combat communications (in Ukraine) makes it beyond high risk. Musk has proven he will do what he wants with our national security and interests. The following link, which I've used before, now says the press release by Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) is deleted. I wonder when that happened.
According to the Outer Space Treaty, no nation or individual can claim ownership of the Moon or its resources, meaning that no one "owns" the valuable minerals on the Moon; however, countries could potentially claim ownership of the resources they extract from the Moon if they were to mine them, which is a complex legal issue with no clear international consensus yet established.
NASA's Artemis program aims to return humans to the moon and explore its resources. The US and more than 20 other countries signed the Artemis Accords in 2020, which include principles for preserving historic sites, avoiding conflict, and ensuring transparency. China and Russia are pursuing a competing project, the International Lunar Research Station.
Unfortunately, NASA has become dependent on space contractors like Musk. When the half-trillionaire trying to end your democracy is the only guy who can consistently ferry your astronauts in and out of space, that's an indication NASA has abdicated responsibility. And their agency/Agency.
likely become de facto ownership regardless of any treaties. The other main aim of the space race is actual to potential military superiority. There are big reasons the Chinese and Americans have gone their separate ways.
go to the moon for it? Here's an AI whatever... AI Overview
Learn more
Is There Gold On The Moon?
Yes, the moon contains gold, but it's believed to be in relatively low concentrations compared to Earth. The total amount of gold on the moon is difficult to determine, but it's thought to be in the range of several tons.
I wish so, too. I never was a fan of this misogynistic, narcissistic and misanthropic-but-covering-it-up-with-autism-as-excuse-and-to-be-nerd-cool tech bro.
Carla, I also had a fantasy few years back that the Justice Department would act promptly and firmly to prosecute trump according with the Rule of Law and for many good reasons, put trump where he belongs, in jail. Had that happened this would still be a decent country and we wouldn't need to figure out how to prevent enduring damage to all in the middle of tremendous chaos.
The plan for VP Harris to avoid being unconstitutional by not certifying alleged insurrectionist Trump’s electoral win this January won’t work unfortunately. He was never convicted as an insurrectionist by a court of law.
Yes, Musk, and other global billionaires, are messing with elections worldwide. It’s a game to them - Billionaire’s Chess. They’re so wealthy, they don’t need a nationality. They own politicians everywhere and they’re immune to almost all consequences. I have to assume that they enjoy watching regular people suffer.
He was. The courts in CO found him guilty. It was actually even screwier than that. It went to the SCOTUS who ruled that CO couldn’t keep him off the ballot. But DIDN’T rule that he could hold office, which is the wording in the Amendment.
Even so, I don’t think it will make a difference. His side still won the election. If Trump can’t take office, I think his VP still can.
Trump’s only purpose for the main groups behind the current Republican Party (Ultra-wealthy, Big Corporation, & Big Religion - both extremist & otherwise), was essentially to get voters.
This is a comment I made elsewhere:
“Trump is not a leader. He’s a big nasty mouth who attracts voters for the people paying him so their unpopular causes, policies and legislations have a better chance in getting passed.
Trump is a racist attracting white nationalists.
Trump is an elite who upholds the traditional elite/religious leader partnership which helps keep a social order that benefits elites and religious leaders in power. He particularly attracts the worst of both.
Trump is a misogynist & sexist attracting weak men and the white women who fear their weak white sons can’t survive without a crutch of white privilege.
Trump is an abusive man attracting other abusers.
Trump is one-armed-bandit attracting fools with [money and] votes.”
I think Trump will soon tire of Elon stealing the limelight - and I love that the President is referring to him as Co-President Musk or even President Musk. When will Trump blow? Or is he afraid that Musk will turn his $$ against Trump?
Laurie, as the saying goes, Sleep with dogs (or DOGES), wake up with fleas. Trump clearly made promises to Musk on one or more of their visits at Mar a Lago.
Actually he cannot seem to do without an ever applauding audience and immense piles of money perhaps in gold bars that can never be sold..and I'm sure that could somehow be arranged because his illusionary self will take care of the rest, a job for MAGAnuts. What should we pay them?
Thank the fantasy gods! I feel the same way. Having seen him insert himself around the world I am starting to consider him like a "Bond Villian". I told my friend that I am now descending into a rabbit hole of my own making but I see by your comment that I am not alone. NOW~~~this could be very reassuring or very disturbing. I don't want to become a conspiracy theorist but 'wowza' if this 'ain't' the time I don't know when it is!
My wildest dream is that Muskrat is stripped of his citizenship and deported. Because we can't have criminals and people from insane asylums coming into this country. Just because Muskrat is very, very pale and rich doesn't mean he's a good human being.
The chaos that Trump and Musk have already inflicted on government will pale in comparison to what they will be doing after taking power. While we focus on their madness, they'll be picking our pockets.
Bryan-can you tell us if there’s a way for “we the people” to challenge Citizens United? How can we expose the negative impacts of this law? Would a class action lawsuit lead to more sunlight on this law with the possibility of overturning it?
Yes, there is a legal method to to destroy SCOTUS' pernicious publication of Citizens United vs FEC 558 U.S. 310 (2010).
First a little historical context if not nearly as good as HCR. In the 19th Century long swaths of California land were given to railroads for laying track. One of those CA railroads was Southern Pacific more specifically the Defendant in a old CA case, Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific an 1866 opinion which is the foundation of the perdition.
Add a SCOTUS judge who was a railroader, Justice Stephen Field. Add a 19th Century SCOTUS Court's Reporter of Decisions who was once a President of a railroad, J.C. Bancroft Davis. I'm sure you see where the conspirators came from & my comment is going.
For detail & some clever & an entertaining read Charles P Pierce's "We ended Up With Citizens United Because of a Typo" published in Esquire on 5/16/23.
For law geeks like me see, Fordham Law Archive of Scholarship & History law essay: Historical Roots of Citizens United vs FEC: "How Anarchists & Academics Accidentally Created Corporate 'Speech' Rights".
You start by having the SCOTUS "3" dropping footnotes pointing the direction to attack law. Citations to the 2 articles above would be a good start but, I would recommend looking hard & citie the overturning of the infamous WWII Korematsu case. Young Fred Korematsu was sent off to a prison Camp because of his Japanese heritage ONLY; Fred to did not appear for prisoners ordered.
On November 10, 1983, the Presiding Judge Marilyn Patel overturned Fred's Korematsu's conviction in the exact same Court house where was convicted as a young man.
Judge Patel used a WRIT of 'Coram Nobis' because of government misconduct in falsifying the record below after 12/7/1941. The 1866 case brought by Southern Pacific was also based on false government facts -- a web of mendacity. Strike down Citizen United as poisonous fruit.
Thanks Gina for pushing me.🙏 That theory took a full 6 hours to come out. Caution: theories have to be proven in the real world before they become a theorem.
My prediction: Musk will rule as emperor of America by February, revealing himself als Darth Musk, the apprentice of Darth Vlad, the Sith Lord in the Kremlin. The former apprentice, Darth Orange, will be disposed of, or simply sent golfing for the rest of his life. Musk will crash the US economy by March (all the while claiming that it is in your "best interest" to do so), because an Emperor needs his subjects to be poor and hungry - that way, they can be easily controlled. Europe will be crushed in the pincher between Russia on one side and America as vassal state of Putin on the other side.
...Unless Americans get really angry, that after a couple of centuries of fighting a war to dispose of a king, some überrich tech bro comes along and simply declares himself a new king.
While considering predictions about 2025, creative thinking is probably the best tool. There’s no way to predict how crazy this next administration is going to be…Brian Klaas is onto something. Enjoy.
A month or more ago, Dutch, our illegal immigrant South African leader said that their plan would "be painful," or some such, but would make things better in the long run. Not "painful" for the billionaires, of course. My guess is that most of the MAGA acolytes will not see their lives better via billionaire tax cuts and their other plans to cut spending, gut water, air and food regulations, fire civil servant experts , eliminate the Dept of Education, etc. etc etc.
MAGA will do as trained and conditioned. While looking at everything crumbling around them, schools,roads hospitals bridges, the rule of law, corruption, they won’t blame the billionaires that aren’t paying their share, they will blame who Donnie tells them to, immigrants and liberals.
Exactly this. The MAGA cultists will NEVER blame Rump or Muskolini. Even if they get shot in the head personally by them, they will still blame "the libs" for the bullet.
Absolutely. I know a contact is.a contact. However, we, the taxpaers, are paying for his contracts and making him the richest man in the world. This is indeed not only crazy but madness.
Gets worse because Elon got his start in these businesses from receiving tax payer subsidized grants and tax incentives. Same as Google btw. Sergi has become a huge Trump backer as well.
That's also part of his hubris and over-the-top narcissism: he thinks he has done it all by himself. Completely forgetting that he's not the genius, but his employees are, plus: he built his riches profiting off a system that was already there: the economy, the infrastructure, the factories, etc. He wants to destroy that system because "it costs money", but he didn't pay one cent for it...
Exactly. Fits the R pattern. Ride the grift train up, jump off near the top, let the middle class suffer on the way down. Buy it all back at the bottom. Rinse and repeat.
My absolute most favorite minute today was Nicole Wallace's montage of all the clips of electeds from both sides of the aisle referencing "President Musk", or "President-Elect Musk". I reveled in the ape-sh!t that tRmumpF must have been sitting! Baby donnie is not going to like Musk drawing attention away from him. tsk tsk. Pray it is the beginning of the end of #Elonald (not my idea, saw elsewhere)
I had a great uncle who caught mumps at age two and became deaf. When I was a little kid I was taught sign language so I could talk to him. My family has always gotten all the shots. Modern medicine saves lives.
As much as I like the Mump thing, I do believe that President Musk it more effective. I am sure that Musk eats it up and that it will drive Trump nuts.
It was very clear to all of your readers and roughly 75 million voters that Trump has no interest in governing. His priorities are:
1. Stay out of prison;
2. Enrich himself and his friends through slashing taxes for the wealthy (which is where Musk, Heritage, Vance, and the rest of the GOP is well-aligned with him) and Trump's continuing self-enrichment through eviscerating the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution;
3. Revenge against everyone who was "mean to him".
It will take the United States (and the world) generations to recover from the damage he inflicts -far greater than that of any foreign adversary or terrorist organization. He is the "Criminal-elect".
While it has been said "You get the government you deserve" there are at least 75 million voters in the United States and hundreds of millions around the world who do not deserve this new "American Horror Story" vast wealth and willful ignorance has unleashed upon us all.
If we want to avoid the Musk-Trump (Trump-Musk?) sh*t show for the next four years, there is a Constitutionally viable, completely legal option: Section 3 of the 14th Amendment states that Trump is INELIGIBLE to be sworn in in January 20, unless Congress by a 2/3 majority votes to cure him of the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision that he is an insurrectionist! I urge you all to follow and support Jessica Denson’s work to demand the Senate take up this issue. She has interviewed Prof Lawrence Tribe, Glenn Kirshner (sp?) and other constitutional experts on this. They all agree that it will VIOLATE the Constitution if Trump is sworn in on January 20th! Here’s one of Jessica’s recent videos. Please watch and share!
Just need to add the c for Glenn Kirschner's name, Steve.
Just need to have Chuck Schumer call for the vote in the U.S. Senate, and -- by not getting the 2/3 necessary to overturn his disqualification -- the U.S.'s chief convicted criminal, rapist, and insurrectionist cannot be sworn in.
I'm betting special prosecutor Jack Smith will make such a recommendation in his final brief.
I like Bernie's ideas, but in the end, he is just a leftie version of Musk, a vanity filled man. Without as much money, but with the exact same petty temperament that leads to trouble.
Don't forget Bernie bent his knee a little towards Musk in the very beginning here (wanted to help out DOGE), and has flirted with Putin more than once in the past. I would place him in the 'unstable' category. I know a lot of leftists who tend to veer into authoritarian territory when they sense they can gain some power. I believe Bernie is one of them, his character has shown it more than once.
You conveniently forget the Bernie bros that harassed women online; I watched that dumpster fire from a distance and observed that at the extreme left and right the disrespect for women is pretty much identical. Bernie did nothing about that.
It is a real red flag, and I'm dead tired of people treating this type of misbehavior as unimportant, or 'just boys being boys'. I don't want boys in charge.
I want decent public servants, adults who believe in honest and accountable governance of our nation, who strive to do good things. People who will fight to preserve our Democracy and expanding voting rights relentlessly, and most importantly won't skate past corruption.
Thank you. American citizens of all colors, every economic situation must take action NOW if we want to hold our nation together.
Tender holiday times must be put aside for the salvation of our nation!
Even Jesus and his earthly "mom and dad" had to flee to Egypt! The insane leader, Herod was intent on killing Him!!!
Why are our government officials twiddling their fingers and wringing their hands while our country "burns down"!!!! Put down the brandy and eggnog now!!!!
I cannot sit and watch this any longer. I must find something to do! I did NOT vote for Trump nor for his wealthy supporters to take over our country!!! The US patriots must lead our country and it appears more and more governments of the world BACK to the freedoms for which our ancestors gave their lives and even their wealth!
I do not respect Trump...he looks beaten down by the wicked, self-serving, power hungry Musk. These men do not love our country nor do they care for all the people of this nation! AND it is every person who longs for freedom ...... who makes us great! No one is above another....we are a wonderful, colorful gifted people. We must NEVER allow others to put us in a box!!!....to do their bidding!!!!
We are to care for and protect one another for the ideal our country stands for...though we have never fully attain this goal, we must never stop reaching towards it!
Thank you for all your wrote. I feel as you do. And one thing we can all do is support Jessica Denson‘s efforts to get this strategy more support. Here is her YouTube channel. On it you will find other links for ways you can support her in addition to sharing her videos.
Can you link us to something written about this - I remember it being discussed after Jan. 6, but didn't think it could be revisited just based on a State Supreme Court decision....
Almost all of the SCOTUS cases with which I am familiar (Mapp v. Ohio, Tennessee v. Garner, Furman v. Georgia, all of which deal with law enforcement issues) get to be heard via a route:
"How does a case go from state to Supreme Court?
Parties who are not satisfied with the decision of a lower court must petition the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their case. The primary means to petition the court for review is to ask it to grant a writ of certiorari." (US courts dot gove)
There also (I believe) has to be a compelling federal interest. I think the Colorado court decision would so indicate that "compelling federal interest", since it deals with the federal election of a president.
Written? No. Prof Lawrence Tribe supports this. Other constitutional experts too. What more do you need? It’s all on Jessica Denson’s YouTube channel. https://youtube.com/@jessicadenson07
Oh, but they said the states do not have the power to make that determination under Section 3: "But before disqualifying someone under Section 3, the justices observed, there must be a determination that the provision actually applies to that person. And Section 5 of the 14th Amendment gives the power to make that determination to Congress, by authorizing it to pass “appropriate legislation” to “enforce” the 14th Amendment. Nothing in the 14th Amendment, the court stressed, gives states the power to enforce Section 3 against candidates for federal office, nor was there any history of states doing so in the years after the amendment was ratified." From SCOTUS blog: https://www.scotusblog.com/2024/03/supreme-court-rules-states-cannot-remove-trump-from-ballot-for-insurrection/ (I also read the decision)
We will have to agree to disagree about this, Pax.
P.S. And you’re also disagreeing with Prof. Lawrence Tribe, Glenn Kirschner, and other legal and constitutional experts who are much smarter than me. Have a nice night.
Well, we're both in good company either way..and btw, I didn't say I agreed with SCOTUS' opinion on this, I just don't see a way around it with this court.
I wish they would do a recount. The 60 bomb scares, Starlink and all the bullet ballots votes for Trump only. I don't trust president musk and he should loose all government contracts. A very dangerous man who appears to OWN Trump.
Yeah for chaos! Hopefully they cannibalize themselves. People here on a daily basis call out the 'gall' of Trump-Musk-MAGAs, but these clowns are not our problem, they are the symptom. Not a word of consternation from voters across the country who elected these clowns. THAT is the virulent disease. If we are going to to start deporting naturalized citizens as Trump claims, great send Musk back to South Africa.
Musk’s support for AfD is galling. That he sits at the right hand of Trump makes him increasingly dangerous to our democracy and others around the world.
Musk’s post in support of the far-right, extremist AfD party came at a particularly sensitive moment, as last night a Saudi immigrant to Germany plowed a car through a Christmas market in Eastern Germany at high speed for approximately 400 meters before stopping, killing at least two people and injuring dozens more.
The AfD blames government immigration policy (although the driver arrived legally in 2006 and had worked as a doctor here with no indication of being a danger).
Nigel Farage posted “We have allowed people who hate us and our value into Europe. Christmas is their target. Any guesses why?’’ Musk reposted his comments.
Of course Farage would claim a war on Christmas....conveniently ignoring that this Saudi doctor is anti Muslim and that he has "expressed sympathy for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and accused Germany of promoting the Islamization of the country." https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/21/europe/suspect-germany-christmas-market-attack/index.html
Thank you Dr. Richardson, This is precisely what I have feared, for months. An incoming Mump (thanks Dr. Snyder) government of the oligarchs, by the oligarchs, for the oligarchs, and screw the 99% of the citizens of the United States - this government is NOT for you.
Thank you Heather for such a clear description of what has just happened with our government funding! I also appreciate you share the links so we can read more and educate ourselves!!
This is a perfect opportunity for Democrats and non-Trump Republicans (if that exists) to ask the American people if they voted to allow a billionaire South African to run our country? His multi-million dollar GOVERNMENT contracts need to be exposed and advertised ad nauseam so the people will realize WHY he is interfering with our government and what he has to gain...or lose!
Since Trump is threatening "anchor babies" will that also include Musk's kids (born in Texas)?
When Bezos killed the WP' endorsement of Harris I pulled my membership and considered pulling my Amazon Prime account as well--HOWEVER, I am reconsidering "supporting" Bezos thru the back door so the "two Titans" can fight it out, instead of leaving Musk as "king of the mountain"!! Guessing that Musk's attendance at Bezo's dinner at Mar-A-Lago was not planned?
Also...I'm encouraging every Substack author, et al to join Blue Sky so we can ALL share each other's comments/articles, etc. and increase the traffic away from Twitter. We also need to be a vocal support to those politicians who are standing up to Trump/Musk to mitigate the negative impact of MAGA's threats.
While I had initially hoped that Biden would pardon those in Trump's crosshairs (Cheney, Miley, et al)...this would give Trump the gift of not having to publicly air his own dirty laundry in the news. If patriotic Americans would crowdfund their defense, make sure that the hearings are all public, etc...I think Trump would reconsider since he has no basis to have them charged with ANY crimes and it could actually be worse for him. I also hope that the media outlets will NOT rollover like ABC did and give in to Trump--Make him PROVE his case and testify UNDER OATH!
BTW--IF your Republican representative voted against Trump/Musk--PLEASE reach out and thank them and donate a few dollars if possible...they need to know that they DON'T have to kowtow to Trump/Musk for fear of losing their voters.
Testifying UNDER OATH means nothing to Trump although I am beginning to think this may be the way to go. Don’t make it go away. Keep exposing the TRUTH…
Yes, at least a circus has the potential to be entertaining. Thinking of what they have planned for a government is like imagining the scariest, most horrifying, frightening house on Halloween.
Republicans owe house Democrats a debt of gratitude today for helping them passing the bill that would help all Americans. It was great to see Democrats and Republicans of the senate work together to pass the bill through the senate. Another bill they work on was the social security fairless act which will include social security benefits for firemen and police officers. It was a hell of fight but Democrats and Republicans work together and finally came to agreement to pass the bill. Before the senate voted, senate Schumer gave a short press conference. Democrats on the committee were able to get 235 judges confirmed for the applet courts. Senate Whitehouse warned that they would have to watch out, that Republicans don't pick billionaires judges. It was a productive day with out interference from Musk.
It is important to note that MORE Democrats voted for the bill than did Republicans even though it is the Republicans who hold the majority in the House. So long as the Republicans remain divided ideologically from them selves, nothing can be passed by either group of Republicans without Democratic assistance. In effect there are THREE parties seated in the House and will be for at least two years.
"........ and the extraordinary problem of an unelected billionaire who hails from South Africa calling the shots in the Republican Congress, will loom over the new year."
Ian-the latest rumor is that Musk plans to fund Democratic candidates too. Let’s see how many of them fall into his trap.
Money isn’t always power. When will “we the people” exercise our power beyond voting? The abolitionists and civil rights leaders showed us that change can happen if we the people join together. Our collective and individual efforts can make a difference.
For Congress, this is what Kerouac and William Burroughs called out as a Naked Lunch - that moment of shock when people discover what's really on the end of the fork.
So… you should look at the substack In A Dark Time. Something is afoot. Also, there are rumors that Musk is messing with Germany and their election. In my very rich fantasy life the US finds he’s committed some crime and seizes his assets. And saves the world from his drug addled scheme to rule/ruin everything.
https://open.substack.com/pub/inadarktime/p/vp-kamala-harris-cannot-certify-the?r=9bfb7&utm_medium=ios
It seems some are having trouble finding the stack.
re "In my very rich fantasy life the US finds he’s committed some crime ...":
The wildest fantasy of all is that the U.S. justice system would actually work how it's supposed to.
@ Gene. Your fantasy. In September, DOJ asserted that Sergey Kiriyenko had created some 30 internet domains to spread Russian disinformation, including on Elon Musk’s X which was formerly known as Twitter. In October, the Wall Street Journal disclosed that Musk had been in contact with Kiriyenko and Vladimir Putin which Dmitry Peskov affirmed.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergey_Kiriyenko
Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin said he had interfered in U.S. elections and would continue doing so in future, We have interfered (in U.S. elections), we are interfering and we will continue to interfere. Carefully, accurately, surgically and in our own way, as we know how to do." https://www.reuters.com/world/us/russias-prigozhin-admits-interfering-us-elections-2022-11-07/ What does Musk know and if he does know, when did he know it?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_interference_in_the_2024_United_States_elections
Did Musk violate both state and federal election law? In Pa, the penalty can be 7 years in a workhouse.
Musk, just like Trump, will never go to jail. Money makes them immune to justice.
Agreed. But maybe, in the spirit of budget cuts, US can suspend all space travel expenses indefinitely. Cripple Space X?
Get the astronauts home safe first!
. . . and federalize starlink!
this could perhaps end up being extremely critical...the ripple effects if Musk holds us hostage with this system are frightening
Before we do that, there are some people up there in the Space Station who need to be brought back; they were only supposed to be up there a week and so far it has been--what?, 6 months?
That would be nice. For starters...
May I suggest that we make one exception to your space travel hiatus? Musk should be deported to Mars post haste. I think it's a Win-Win.
1. Never up, never in.
2. If he is put on notice, maybe he'll moderate some of his conceit.
3. It took a world war, but even Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo met their makers.
1) Ehm, that must be a language thing... I don't know this expression, would you be so kind as to explain it?
2) Pfff... Don't think so. Musk is the epitome of narcissism, if not the living definition of the word. I don't think his conceit can be moderated in any possible way: the guy has completely fallen in love with his own legend.
3) I know. But I was hoping that this time around, it wouldn't take a world war to get rid of the nazis and fascists... Seems there is no other way.
Biden still has the power to at least put thim on notice, if not assert his authority in a national emergency.
When conceit gets to delusion of grandeur stage, so that it is dangerous, a civil commitment may be in order.
Dutch Mike,
1. I think it is "Never give up, never give in".
2. Agreed, times 100
3. Same here. I think it is but a dream, however.
Never give up, never give in?
"We all die. It's just a question of when."--Paul Newman in "Hombre"
In the movie, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" the line, "I fear we have awakened the sleeping giant," shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor was fictional. It was never uttered by Yamamoto. However, the attack on the United States, having taken a neutral stance at the time, DID awaken. America never sleeps. Just how much poking the tiger here in America will prod us to retaliate is unknown. Unlike WW2, we are facing a far different military, replete with far more modern weaponry and Intelligence. HUMINT, SIGINT and GEOINT gets us there faster and more efficiently. So, why the hell is Russia insistent on poking the tiger?
Maybe an analogy to the "fifth column" in Madrid during the Spanish Civil War is more appropriate.
When the Soviet Union "fell"" Putin and other KGB opposed Gorabchev, et al and accused them of treason. Putin calls the Soviet collapse the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century." He blames us for using psy ops against the Soviets and now him.
Also, too much reliance on specific military-industrial contracts is a golden ticket out of prosecution.
sad but true
Musk also famously said anything can be hacked.
Let’s play it out. First does a president need to be certified in order to become president? Probably. Next up, JD Vance not much improvement but at least emotionally balanced to lead the nation.
Vance is definitely not emotionally balanced.
True. What’s worse, a skunk or a skunk, lol. Actually skunks are friendly creatures. Sorry to compare.
You don't need to be certified if you simply ignore the rules that say you have to be certified. Musk will simply do it under the motto: "Let's see if someone tries to stop me."
Also a maybe from me … unprecedented comes to mind yet again… I think the outcome could be unclear but it is being considered. Both Biden and Harris cancelled their plans to return home yesterday.
Explain please.
Maybe. At least he’s lacking in the “charisma “ (which can be negative or positive) that tfg exercises over his base and, I would expect, does not have the effect tfg would have on them.
Jumping around like a dipshit is the opposite of charisma!
Since when is Vance "emotionally balanced?"
Ok already I’m wrong. Unbalanced to the max, lol.
@ Bill. Check out the amnesty bill.
questionable...
The oligarchs hold all the reins to power, and that means they will do whatever they want, regardless of what the overwhelming majority say, think or do.
What they will do is cut their own taxes, suppress unions, and raise prices. They also want to suppress any news outlets that do not spread their lies.
There is an amnesty petition at resistbot.
I don't think Prigozhin will be interfering in future elections.
Not unless he’s REALLY supernatural.
We may not have any. Does that mean he should not be investigated?
Prigozhin? He’s dead. Vlad tied up that loose end 18 months ago.
It's an admission. I hope you're not a lawyer.
Daniel, it would be mighty nice to see him in a workhouse!
The thing about the force of criminal law is that if he can visualize himself picking up the soap in the shower, it may be an object lesson to change his conduct.
In psychology, behavior analysis. Attitude adjustment.
Don’t tease us, Daniel. He might actually like that!
It is time! X X now!
Oh, if only! However: it seems to be well documented that he did not comply with the terms of his entry visa, and falsified his naturalization application. Would love to see him stripped of his citizenship, *then* sent off to do his 7 years in a Pennsylvania prison (with NO internet access), *then* deported back to South Africa…if they’ll take him. If not, he could be introduced to winter in Moscow?
Daniel, it sure does look like Musk broke several election laws, but of course, he is Republican, so it seems as usual Republicans can break all kinds of laws and have no accountability. If someone really good could get hold of the actual laws and what Musk did and charge him, it would be a good excuse to end his government contracts and let him move on to try to wreck another country. I am guessing Russia would love to have him in Russia's toddler playground with Putin.
(From Donald's Vanity Tantrums" and written during Trump's first go around)
Falling into the Wrong Arms
The country had a relatively stable eight years under Barack Obama, not perfect but there was economic growth. However the aftermath of the Bush wars opened the doors of hell and the laws of unintended consequences dominated.
And it came to pass that as a new election neared in 2016, a creature walked to the stage to suspend reality and make enough voters believe that he would lead the nation to wealth and weapons for all.
Cajoled by this socially mangled, misanthrope who has perfected the fine art of the lie, bigotry and unfair tax relief for the wealthy, they naively followed this most foul leader off the cliff.
Wait. What am I doing here? Am I trying to present a logical reason why someone would not vote for Trump? That’s totally insane. That’s almost as insane as voting for Trump! Plus, having to go through all that socio-economic, psychological, and historical crapola is about as interesting as a Xarelto commercial. So, I’m going to reveal the cause of the disease that I am dubbing, “Trump Voterism” or simply, “TV”: a vicious parasite, mutated by toxins now allowed into our air, water and food by Trump’s relentless attempt to kill all of us by loosening our environmental regulations.
Not only does that explain the phenomenon, it also sets the stage for an entirely new series of blockbuster movies, all based around these parasitic mutants. Think The Purge meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets Citizen Kane meets Tremors.
There, can we move on to examining why people do other stupid things, like falling off a cliff while taking a selfie?
Your accuracy depicts The Giberwash or is that Jiberwash?
The Do Nothing Congress voted themselves a raise…this is how making America great has been cast: The Chaos, underhandedness , skuttelry is nothing new ,in fact, predicted. It keeps on being kept on by spoiled brats who reach for stardom off the backs of the sick, hungry children, the disadvantaged, and grooming the ultra right woos scums of the earth with promises of friendship.
No thanks, I wasn’t fooled then nor now, as if that made a hill of beans.
How does claiming credit for another’s gifts , promising empty concepts, strutting about like the pardoned turkeys they are isn’t below the belt stomaching for us/everyone …? Not the quick rich schemers , liars, and con artist blow fish, huh? I’d ask who the bejeebers do they think they are ?Oh right …the chosen ones…and their brands of merry theives..the guts and yawns of utter chaos. Yup, dazzle thems who want no responsibility, the innocents whose choices are gone , or the fooled waiting at the end of their colorless rainbow for the pot of gold…hell no it’s promises reneged. A far too long comedy of terrors ( terrorists?).
Peace rests on dwindling heros, they’re not loud or entertaining enough. Rolled up sleeves, cautious compromise or patient politics rarely sells and stands even less for learned lessons.
But…Bravo the heros of my yesterdays. We saw/agreed the changes needed , that these new times and the cracks it exposed have proven, yup disappointing (but correctable?).
Yes, trust and truth playing the honest hand became a lot more complicated . Too many of WE THE PEOPLE , comfortable on the laurels of hard fought freedoms …didn’t participate …didn’t vote, didn’t care principle and reality so intertwined is now coined shallow - shined up with slippery entertainment soothing that complacency. Slaps on the hands and mind boggling ‘fines’ ( which is an odd term cause it certainly wasn’t ’fine’) were labelled drops in the bucket and definitely didn’t solve, correct, or stop the abhorrent action! In fact- Accountability went down like oaths lipped -went out.
Leveling the playing field needs its time.
Its due.
It’s going to require more than that lip service.The ultra rich can afford that good old fashion compromise..like it or not…😏
John Q.Public requires adequate education/selfless leadership /honored oaths .
This is the that every real public servant signs on to…there is no insider trading commensurate , no slights of hand , no ‘eyes’ in or on ego, and well, perhaps term limits is part of solutions, and an ETHICS CODE as no one is above the law couldn’t be more proven trying to have ‘exceptions’. An act of war is upon us …of those things we hold self evident.
No baby should be thrown out in dirtied ‘bath water’/be cannon fodder. We need to see our mother wholesome , cared for,respected.
War is obsolete, too long an excuse, killing the innocent has never stopped ignorance.
Time for big pants pull ups and 1) no second class citizenships …nor 2) dictators World Wide.
Let Freedom Ring
Let the White Dove sing
Peace Be With You …All 🫶
Love it that you started off with the abhorrent fact that they did give themselves a raise before they started the cutting.
Yes, 2% more than they gave the military who often depend on social services to survive.
I wonder how many poorer trump supporters will be affected by the cuts in social services? How many handicapped vets who voted for him will appreciated the cuts in their services? How many peo0ple seeking disaster aid find out the project 2025 plan is to make the states more responsible? So we have states responsible for education (or indoctrinating catholic values as most vouchers used are for Catholic schools), disaster relief, and women's health This is a cop out for the "protector of Women". Hey, it is the states fault not mine."
Eileen, as we know many of them are there only for power and money, not to serve their constituents nor honor their oath to the Constitution. At least one R recognized who he was there for, but I suspect he is a rarity.
Wow, Patricia Davis! Absolutely Shakespearean and right on.
“socially mangled misanthrope”…perfect! And “disease that I am dubbing, “Trump Voterism” or simply, “TV”: a vicious parasite, mutated by toxins now allowed into our air, water and food by Trump’s relentless attempt to kill all of us by loosening our environmental regulations”…Another perfect description. Just wish it weren’t so true.
My new friend and editor at the time co-wrote this story and told me I could not make Trump funny. Then he died so I dedicated the book to him. Maybe it’s just as well he did t live to see a repeat.
Love this. DJT and Musk the teenage mutant diseases.
You’re right on Bill Katz
or posing with a Yellowstone buffalo or walking across a posted do not cross (in English) in an Icelandic geyser area?
whew!
Excellent Bill! Even in my terror of “the cliff” I thank you for making what is in actuality “ insanity”, into a touch of comedy. I laughed, but only in the relief I felt from reading a highly intelligent synopsis of this incredible, unbelievable shit being dumped on every part of our nation by a few losers!
Are we so hollow?
Read the Cult of Trump by Steven Hassan. In some scenario a documentary would be made of that in MUSKOW.
Until then we have President Non-Elect Mumps.
Keep saying "President Musk and Vice President Trump!" Say it loud and clear! Social media and any other media! When is loud enough, Mango Mussolini will dump him. He cans stand losing the limelight.
As some of you may discern, I am no longer criticizing any issues on the democratic side. I am independent by nature and non partisan. But now is t the time to shoot at anyone. We must unite. My heart is broken as yours is. I will not point any fingers at anyone henceforth.
"Today, social media exploded with the realization that an unelected billionaire from South Africa who apparently supports fascism was able to intimidate Republican legislators into doing his bidding. In this last week, Trump has threatened former representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) with prosecution for her work as a member of Congress and has sued the Des Moines Register for publishing a poll that was unfavorable to him before the November election."... So the attempted Mump Regime Repression Begins... It has been written that Elon's Grandparent's were Nazi Sympathizers, and that the source of the Musk Family Wealth was an illegal(?) Emerald Mine in Zambia where the African Laborers were treated like Slaves by Elon's Father... Why Are We Surprised By Elon's Evil Sith Machinations?...
Musk and his brother only tired of South Africa and illegally entered the US after the end of apartheid. Coincidence? I think not.
Indeed not. They knew they'd still find support for that among certain circles in this country.
i'd like to know more abt that. I believe they set up residence in Canada before heading to the USA.
Here's one article... https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-spent-teen-years-143036203.html
Michael, are you suggesting that the end of apartheid was good for South Africa and bad for the US? 😉
<sarcasm font> Perhaps the law of unintended consequences>sarcasm font.
I’ve read that after high school he left SA because he didn’t want to be drafted into the military so he went to Canada where he mother was residing at the time. I believe he entered the US from Canada.
Agreed. I had been reminding everyone that Musk is a racist Afrikaner for months and explained how I recognized that to be true. Most Americans know no history. I did a paper on the Boer Wars in college, and knew Brits who had to leave SA after helping starving South Africans. In the interim I watched SA and then Tesla and Starlink, of which Musk deprived the Ukrainians at a time when the Russians were particularly difficult.
The social media just realized that an immigrant from South Africa and who "supports" fascism is capable of controlling the elected representatives of the American people? IT WAS WRITTEN ALL OVER THE WALLS !!!
Ricardo, let's not forget that Musk also revealed to the American public just before the election that the next 2 years will bring economic hardship for all. That naked assertion (and likely true, if he and the felon get their way) should have been enough of a warning to voters about what lies ahead.
I wonder if he'll moderate his approach to the Grifting Oligarch Party when it takes over in January to appear more politic.
Doug, i don't think he is capable of moderate anything and he never had to. For him is about buying as he did with trump or bulling and pushing away as he is trying to do with Congress For him it's not just the US, it's about world domination.
I have absolutely no doubt that that is the end game.
If not world domination, wrecking our democracy. Thank you for your post.
Virginia, thanks for your reply. In my view, the world is going to be dominated by corporations as is going to happen with our country. And if that happens in the US, many other countries will follow always with a talking head at the top. Our guy is going to be orange in color...should I say more?🤐
Another commenter here, Apache, recommended a Bill Browder book to me.
I've now read it, "Red Notice," and highly pass on the recommendation.
It's a near-unbelievable page-turner -- except it's all true, all the corruption, murder, and lies from the billionaires too long now at the top of oligarch Russia.
"Siths" in "Star Wars." The ogre in Auden's "August, 1968." Replicants in "Blade Runner." Pod people in "Invasion of the Body Snatchers."
These U.S. billionaires are not people -- nor their allies in oligarchies around the world. But for what the U.S.'s chief convicted criminal intends, "Red Notice" shows the fantastically poisonous ill that may eviscerate other U.S. institutions as the billionaires' standardized testing schemes gutted the schools.
Thank You Phil... Unfortunately, sometimes Reality is more Evil than the Imagination of one Person... Near Absolute Money, Corrupts Near-Absolutely.... I've have followed the Soviets/Russians/Chinese a long time.... As Putin's Human Wave Attacks in Ukraine have shown, Putin, and Kim Jong Un have no regards for their People, or Our Lives Either...
For background try WWII newsreels about Germany (1937-1945) and read “Moscow 1937” about the show trials (I got to the middle and had to quit.) For a fiction look at a KGB (now FSB) training school, try Alan Furst.
Thank Virginia... The Malignant Potential of Electronic A.I. Surveillance. Social Media Indoctrination, and Societal Fragmentation, could make things Worse then these past Repressions... I believe that the Framers of the Constitution, believed that a Free Press, and Engaged Educated Citizens were necessary for a Healthy Democracy...
I read it, it’s a great read. Putin had Browder’s attorney Sergei Magnitsky die in prison.
The Magnitsky Act is named after him.
Seems that the Western Businessmen that swarmed Yeltsin's Russia post 1991 didn't Read about Russian Business History first... The Russian's have a History of Seizing Foreign Investments... Notable was the Seizure of French Assets prior to WWI... Has Putin not seized the Assets of Foreign Corporations that tried to Withdrawal following the Ukraine Invasion?...
Just ordered Red Notice. If you haven’t read The Road to Unfreedom by Snyder I highly recommend it. Completely explains what is happening right now and why.
I just looked up The Road to Unfreedom on the interloan library catalog, and all copies are in use! That's exciting! People are reading and being informed! There's hope!! (And I'll probably purchase it used. :) )
"The Toad to Unfreedom" ? I'm imagining a large, grotesque toad, in robes and a crown, with trump's face...
Amidst all the warnings IGNORANCE rules, thus the majority has surrendered to the oligarchs who will devour their young!
Red Notice is a great read. Explains Russia, Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Putin, their oligarchs, and how the lack of institutional control and the rule of law give way to oligarchy, that became authoritarianism/kleptocracy. First control the judiciary, then the media. Dissolve the state governors power, then neuter the parliaments power. Bill Browder did a great job telling the story of Russia. Fiona Hill was right. Russia is the ghost of Americas future.
It's a very good book and Serge Magnitsky did indeed die in prison and a law was passed in the US sponsored in part by Ben Cardin, a Maryland Senator. It was that law that got so far under Putin's skin that he stopped allowing adoptions from Russia and it has been eating at him ever since.
Thank you -- just put a hold on this book at my local library
Hi Phil--we've had many a discussion about schools on this forum. Did you hear about THIS!?!?!
https://www.msn.com/en-us/education-and-learning/online-education/a-new-school-will-teach-children-use-ai-instead-of-human-teachers/ar-AA1wh5W8
Gee....what could possibly go wrong there!?!?
And I wonder if MAGA mom groups who demanded schools be open during COVID will think of this? ("Mothers for America"? Slips the mind. You know, that ultra Conservative group where one of the founders was in a three with her husband and another woman?)
Went to your link, Miselle. Shocking, but then again not.
The commodifiers will always be happy to profit anytime they can eliminate the human, package the impersonal, the unit-driven, the mechanical.
It depends on the programmers. Trash in trash out. If I were a parent of school age children I would definitely be in on that.
Red Notice is an excellent book. It clearly lays bare the Russian psyche and describes the nation's path to Putin.
Phil, yes. And boy did the standardized testing do a job.
Red notice is an awesome read!
It’s like a lesson/map to kleptocracy, oligarchy and eventually authoritarianism. I read it in 2017. It was unsettling to see similar patterns here in the US as wells as Europe. Today is even more of a repeating pattern match towards oligarchy, or that we are in an oligarchy.
Read Anne Applebaum’s “Autocracy, Inc. The Dictators who want to run the world.
It took "social media" that long to catch on? Odds are it wasn't on the Xitter (with "xi" getting an "sh" pronunciation...)
Of course it did. 53% of Americans read at a 6th grade level. And more than 1/2 get their news from The ZUCK. Their mass attention deficit disorder won’t be able to focus on President Musk for long though, ….”Que the next crisis please”
Elum and Donnie both had abusive fathers. There’s a Lott of weird narcissism with both of them.
Apache, given that he is now attempting to interfere in other places, I think he wants to rule the world. Nothing that comes out of apartheid South Africa surprises me. A few elite rule and the rest of us peons suffer. Death star does not like competition for the limelight, so maybe he will throw muskrat under the bus. In the meantime all we are going to see in Congress is chaos.
Don't forget trump's dad was arrested while attending a KKK rally. he also was involved in some really shady real estate deals. If I remember correctly, at that time mineral rights and land could be sold separately. Dad would buy the land, but the mineral rights owner couldn't get to the minerals. That has been changed, though.
- Pulled Quote -
''...Musk posted on X his support for Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) neo-Nazi party....''
That's all you need to know going forward, Vice President Trump seems to be okay with it as well.
Biden should deport him -- an official act protected by the SCOTUS opinion.
Except that the USSC reserved to itself to decide what constitutes an official act.
Chaos agent Trump has been surpassed by chaos agent Musk. And Musk could buy and sell Trump many billions of times over. Sad.
Wouldn’t that be great.
besides gale watts' pertinent objection tha SCOTUS gave Trump, not just any old president, immunity, so that chances of their allowing it to Biden are minimal - it was immunity from prosecution for what he did. The court did not give, or has not yet given, new powers to the president to do things not otherwise authorized e.g. to deport someone for reasons not known to the law.
It was specifically for the felon elect. AGREED
OOh!!! I really like this idea…!
"STAY OUT, Elon!" or better yet, "GO HOME!"
No one elected Musk or Ramaswamy to anything, and it’s fairly obvious they don’t know how government works except when it comes to getting public funds. The new maladministration hasn’t even taken office.
The idea that either of those two self-important billionaires would have a hand in cutting the social security of regular Americans is beyond appalling.
Beyond... hard to find language up to what this would mean.
Oh, Frank, I have the language. It is full of profanity, blasphemy, vulgarity, anger, disbelief, and indignation. None of it is coherent, however.
The arrogance, presumptuousness, and insolence of Musk is beyond tolerable. Just because he is filthily rich. I have high hopes that the politicians and citizens in Germany and the UK will verbally shut him up.
Exactly. And there is a possibility that the people who have been elected will not be voted in. Let’s hope… of course a high percentage will be fired and replaced in the next 4 years, as happened the last time T was (gag) elected.
"You're drunk with power Elon, go home!"
Send his ass one way to Mars.
Back to Africa.
Musk is getting closer to that open window on the 9th floor.
Of course, he is. That's his goal. He wants the Fourth Reich with himself as Führer.
Musk is also suggesting he will “support” Nigel Farage’s party in the UK. All to make the world safe for dictators.
Support of Farage links Musk with far right Nazi sympathisers across the UK. It also has the potential for reigniting The Troubles in Ireland as Farage recently moved his Reform Party support away from the son of white supremacist christo fascist violent sectarian Rev Ian Paisley’s party, the Democratic Unionists, to a far more extremist British unionist party, the Traditional Unionists. This resulted in Paisley Junior losing his long held UK parliamentary seat to the TUV’s leader, Jim Allister. Of course, there are still strong historical and cultural ties between Afrikaaner apartheid South Africans and extreme British Unionists. Having lived in Northern Ireland over the past three decades, with what I have witnessed unfolding here on the ground in the last 15 years, either British Intelligence are complicit in this unfolding global far right political autocratic takeover, or their are rogue agents working within the agencies or they are simply crap at their assigned jobs. Who the Hell knows? Whatever the reason all us ‘nobodies’ in Ireland continue to pay the dire political and social price of their incompetence and/or complicity.
6 months ago I did not have South African Billionaire swoops in to control US GOP on my Bingo card.
He may have a bullhorn, but that doesn’t mean we have to listen to him!
Monnina, yes to all of it. When I first visited Northern Ireland about 15 years ago as part of a summer research project, there was a sense of relief that was palpable: Sinn Fein, the BUP, and the "traditional" political parties were finally talking to each other (although it was the summer when the Romany in Belfast were being attacked, so I suppose everyone needs some kind of community to Other). Farage and his ilk have made it their careers to blow up consensus and cooperation throughout the UK. And there are enough disgruntled people (dare I say white men are the majority of these?) who want to throw spanners into the works to really muck things up. Although apparently (at least according to BBC Radio 4 satire programs) Farage was hoping to get a gig with the Orange Felon in Chief and has been disappointed in being rejected.
It is heinous how Farage and Co (including Musk) have indulged themselves off the backs of others here. So much goodwill and so many decades of hard work across the society and often under reported emotional endurance, put in jeopardy or trashed hy these infantile chaos merchants.
My (so far) only visit to Ireland and Northern Ireland was 8 years ago. I noted that there was cooperation being "worked on" at that time (we spent two days in Ireland and a week in Northern Ireland; my wife's family had visited Ireland several times and wanted to spend more time in Northern Ireland.) A far cry from what I had read about in the 90's.
Sad to see the fascists at work world wide.
As a 2nd generation Irish American maybe I will reconsider obtaining my Irish residency?!?
Shit, I’m gonna immigrate to the Sudan. At least it will afford me more stability than the USA.
Why not? You have been gifted an ancestral blessing 🐈⬛☘️
"...more extremist." ???? Good grief - I think maybe we'd all do well to look at UK politics a lot more closely!
Yep. It’s what we don’t know that hurts us. In many ways post Brexit the UK state has already been successfully taken over by the global neo liberal corporatist oligarchy Musk is a leading member of. Northern Ireland is a UKvEU contested area that these wealthy autocrats want to use as a political bridgehead into breaking the regulatory hegemony of the EU. See: https://europeanpowell.substack.com/p/all-uk-public-services-are-under
Australia just passed a law limiting campaign donations by billionaires.
Smart country.
Smart Australians!
That’s where I will be moving to if things go completely awry here. My youngest daughter has a boyfriend there and his sister is an immigration lawyer.
She’s going to be busy.
It's more than just a suggestion of "support" in the "New European".
Does that violate UK law? Are foreigners permitted to lobby the government? Get involved with electoral politics?
Musk is 1 million times more of a threat than Snowden.
So what is it with this Musk guy? Being the most obscenely rich person in the world isn't enough? He wants world domination to be his legacy? Maybe the solar system, as well?
He is a naturalized US citizen. That doesn't mean he can't be stripped of that and deported.
Before that, though, the DOGE should put his contracts on their hit list. I'd much rather see pediatric cancers eliminated with my money than fund whatever crazy scheme he is cooking up.
In a more sane era we would declare this totally out of control beast insane and do whatever it took. Yes President Biden could deport him as a naturalized citizen who is misbehaving.
Robert, it's ironic that the World's Richest Person is also in a tie as the World's Poorest Excuse of a Person, isn't it?
The two go hand in hand more often than not, sadly.
Until yesterday I believed that this mump relationship would soon tank, but now I have another take. trump could not care less about governing--his only concern is staying out of jail, and might be happy to turn the reins over to musk who's getting drunk with power by the second, while trump relishes the glory. We very well have this duo ruling our country. The question is, will Congress stand for it....
Sophia, well the convicted felon has apparently been successful at avoiding prison, so that seems to be behind him. I think he is too much of an alpha to give up power to mump or anybody else. That said, if mump were to offer a ton of money to buy Truth Social, enriching the felon, then who knows what the quid pro quo is? Congressional MAGAs and other Rs may find themselves further threatened by the vile influence of social media if they don't kiss the rings (intentionally pluralized.)
I’m so curious to see how long this power couple survives. I’m waiting for something biblical to happen….
Sophia, whether biblical or Shakespearian, it might be fun to watch (but the fallout might be nuclear.)
@ Carla, I repeat. WASHINGTON, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Elon Musk and SpaceX face at least three federal reviews over whether they have complied with federal reporting rules aimed at protecting national security, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.
This is not the first time the security practices of the SpaceX founder have been questioned by the Pentagon.
The Times said the new reviews were initiated by the Air Force, the Defense Department's Inspector General and the undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security. It cited eight people with knowledge of the rocket company and internal documents.
Neither the Times or Reuters reported that Federal government contractors are prohibited from making contributions or expenditures, or promising to make any such contribution or expenditure, to any political party, committee, or can didate for federal office, or to any person for any political purpose or use. https://www.fec.gov/help-candidates-and-committees/federal-government-contractors/#:~:text=Federal%20government%20contractors%20are%20prohibited,any%20political%20purpose%20or%20use.
Others are asking about the nature of Musk's relationship with China.
And yet, our government didn't hesitate to give contracts to Starlink for critical internet access on US Navy boats and ships. The security risk is enormous. The security risk in the hands of someone like President Musk who already proved he's willing and able to interfere with combat communications (in Ukraine) makes it beyond high risk. Musk has proven he will do what he wants with our national security and interests. The following link, which I've used before, now says the press release by Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) is deleted. I wonder when that happened.
https://www.wired.com/story/us-navy-starlink-sea2/
Sounds like privatizing so much of the space enterprise hasn't been such a great idea!
People have always said that the space race was to mine the moon and Mars.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_resources
According to the Outer Space Treaty, no nation or individual can claim ownership of the Moon or its resources, meaning that no one "owns" the valuable minerals on the Moon; however, countries could potentially claim ownership of the resources they extract from the Moon if they were to mine them, which is a complex legal issue with no clear international consensus yet established.
NASA's Artemis program aims to return humans to the moon and explore its resources. The US and more than 20 other countries signed the Artemis Accords in 2020, which include principles for preserving historic sites, avoiding conflict, and ensuring transparency. China and Russia are pursuing a competing project, the International Lunar Research Station.
https://www.eenews.net/articles/lunar-gold-rush-nasa-wants-to-mine-the-moon/
Unfortunately, NASA has become dependent on space contractors like Musk. When the half-trillionaire trying to end your democracy is the only guy who can consistently ferry your astronauts in and out of space, that's an indication NASA has abdicated responsibility. And their agency/Agency.
likely become de facto ownership regardless of any treaties. The other main aim of the space race is actual to potential military superiority. There are big reasons the Chinese and Americans have gone their separate ways.
China wants gold to be the world standard re currency.
go to the moon for it? Here's an AI whatever... AI Overview
Learn more
Is There Gold On The Moon?
Yes, the moon contains gold, but it's believed to be in relatively low concentrations compared to Earth. The total amount of gold on the moon is difficult to determine, but it's thought to be in the range of several tons.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bill-nelson-nasa-interview-elon-musk-spacex/
Thank you!!
He's also funding Farage in England to overthrow the government. This is like a mad scientist movie.
Yep. Musk went from tech bro to cartoon villain in no time...
Dutch, I remember cheering with glee when he sent that Tesla into space. Now I only wish he were at the wheel of that car, instead of our government.
I wish so, too. I never was a fan of this misogynistic, narcissistic and misanthropic-but-covering-it-up-with-autism-as-excuse-and-to-be-nerd-cool tech bro.
Bravo, Dutch Mike! Tell it like it is! Thanks for your daily comments.
Thank you :)
My in-laws love him as much as they loved Tulsi when they lived in HI!
exactly like that!
Ah, if only.
Carla, I also had a fantasy few years back that the Justice Department would act promptly and firmly to prosecute trump according with the Rule of Law and for many good reasons, put trump where he belongs, in jail. Had that happened this would still be a decent country and we wouldn't need to figure out how to prevent enduring damage to all in the middle of tremendous chaos.
This is only the begging.
The plan for VP Harris to avoid being unconstitutional by not certifying alleged insurrectionist Trump’s electoral win this January won’t work unfortunately. He was never convicted as an insurrectionist by a court of law.
Yes, Musk, and other global billionaires, are messing with elections worldwide. It’s a game to them - Billionaire’s Chess. They’re so wealthy, they don’t need a nationality. They own politicians everywhere and they’re immune to almost all consequences. I have to assume that they enjoy watching regular people suffer.
He was. The courts in CO found him guilty. It was actually even screwier than that. It went to the SCOTUS who ruled that CO couldn’t keep him off the ballot. But DIDN’T rule that he could hold office, which is the wording in the Amendment.
Even so, I don’t think it will make a difference. His side still won the election. If Trump can’t take office, I think his VP still can.
Trump’s only purpose for the main groups behind the current Republican Party (Ultra-wealthy, Big Corporation, & Big Religion - both extremist & otherwise), was essentially to get voters.
This is a comment I made elsewhere:
“Trump is not a leader. He’s a big nasty mouth who attracts voters for the people paying him so their unpopular causes, policies and legislations have a better chance in getting passed.
Trump is a racist attracting white nationalists.
Trump is an elite who upholds the traditional elite/religious leader partnership which helps keep a social order that benefits elites and religious leaders in power. He particularly attracts the worst of both.
Trump is a misogynist & sexist attracting weak men and the white women who fear their weak white sons can’t survive without a crutch of white privilege.
Trump is an abusive man attracting other abusers.
Trump is one-armed-bandit attracting fools with [money and] votes.”
Trump and his MUSKrat lover. Revenge of the Nerds XLVII: the final retribution. 🤭
This whole macho mess is getting homo-erotic. 🤢
Give Trump a prosthesis you know where plus a life-time supply of little blue pills and he will leave us alone. 🥳
I think Trump will soon tire of Elon stealing the limelight - and I love that the President is referring to him as Co-President Musk or even President Musk. When will Trump blow? Or is he afraid that Musk will turn his $$ against Trump?
Laurie, as the saying goes, Sleep with dogs (or DOGES), wake up with fleas. Trump clearly made promises to Musk on one or more of their visits at Mar a Lago.
I suspect that Putin gave Musk the keys to get control over Trump during their conversations.
https://apnews.com/article/musk-putin-x-trump-tesla-election-russia-9cecb7cb0f23ccce49336771280ae179
Actually he cannot seem to do without an ever applauding audience and immense piles of money perhaps in gold bars that can never be sold..and I'm sure that could somehow be arranged because his illusionary self will take care of the rest, a job for MAGAnuts. What should we pay them?
Thank the fantasy gods! I feel the same way. Having seen him insert himself around the world I am starting to consider him like a "Bond Villian". I told my friend that I am now descending into a rabbit hole of my own making but I see by your comment that I am not alone. NOW~~~this could be very reassuring or very disturbing. I don't want to become a conspiracy theorist but 'wowza' if this 'ain't' the time I don't know when it is!
It’s simple. He’s working with Putin and BRICS.
Crypto Bingo.
“Behind every great fortune there is a crime.”--Honore de Balzac
My wildest dream is that Muskrat is stripped of his citizenship and deported. Because we can't have criminals and people from insane asylums coming into this country. Just because Muskrat is very, very pale and rich doesn't mean he's a good human being.
Musk want to become a Hitler of the whole world. But he needs an army of his own.
Let’s give him Mars. All to himself.
The chaos that Trump and Musk have already inflicted on government will pale in comparison to what they will be doing after taking power. While we focus on their madness, they'll be picking our pockets.
'Beware the Ides of March'.
Bryan-can you tell us if there’s a way for “we the people” to challenge Citizens United? How can we expose the negative impacts of this law? Would a class action lawsuit lead to more sunlight on this law with the possibility of overturning it?
Yes, there is a legal method to to destroy SCOTUS' pernicious publication of Citizens United vs FEC 558 U.S. 310 (2010).
First a little historical context if not nearly as good as HCR. In the 19th Century long swaths of California land were given to railroads for laying track. One of those CA railroads was Southern Pacific more specifically the Defendant in a old CA case, Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific an 1866 opinion which is the foundation of the perdition.
Add a SCOTUS judge who was a railroader, Justice Stephen Field. Add a 19th Century SCOTUS Court's Reporter of Decisions who was once a President of a railroad, J.C. Bancroft Davis. I'm sure you see where the conspirators came from & my comment is going.
For detail & some clever & an entertaining read Charles P Pierce's "We ended Up With Citizens United Because of a Typo" published in Esquire on 5/16/23.
For law geeks like me see, Fordham Law Archive of Scholarship & History law essay: Historical Roots of Citizens United vs FEC: "How Anarchists & Academics Accidentally Created Corporate 'Speech' Rights".
https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/faculty_scholarship/431.
*****
Bottom Line:
You start by having the SCOTUS "3" dropping footnotes pointing the direction to attack law. Citations to the 2 articles above would be a good start but, I would recommend looking hard & citie the overturning of the infamous WWII Korematsu case. Young Fred Korematsu was sent off to a prison Camp because of his Japanese heritage ONLY; Fred to did not appear for prisoners ordered.
On November 10, 1983, the Presiding Judge Marilyn Patel overturned Fred's Korematsu's conviction in the exact same Court house where was convicted as a young man.
Judge Patel used a WRIT of 'Coram Nobis' because of government misconduct in falsifying the record below after 12/7/1941. The 1866 case brought by Southern Pacific was also based on false government facts -- a web of mendacity. Strike down Citizen United as poisonous fruit.
Zimmy: 🎶 Money does not talk it Swears 🎶
Thanks Gina for pushing me.🙏 That theory took a full 6 hours to come out. Caution: theories have to be proven in the real world before they become a theorem.
What comes to mind for me is 'Revenge of the Nerds (XLVII): the Final Retribution'. 😉
That works Ned; I was thinking more: "yon' Elon has a mean & hungry look".
Hopefully it will be chaotic enough to brake the authoritarian psychosis but not enough to break the machinery of republican governance. 🤞
I hear what you did here.
Good one! 😊 I think I am sliding into wishful thing. 😳 On the pun: that usage originated in a typo. 🤭
Well said, Ned.
Thank you, R.W.
My prediction: Musk will rule as emperor of America by February, revealing himself als Darth Musk, the apprentice of Darth Vlad, the Sith Lord in the Kremlin. The former apprentice, Darth Orange, will be disposed of, or simply sent golfing for the rest of his life. Musk will crash the US economy by March (all the while claiming that it is in your "best interest" to do so), because an Emperor needs his subjects to be poor and hungry - that way, they can be easily controlled. Europe will be crushed in the pincher between Russia on one side and America as vassal state of Putin on the other side.
...Unless Americans get really angry, that after a couple of centuries of fighting a war to dispose of a king, some überrich tech bro comes along and simply declares himself a new king.
While considering predictions about 2025, creative thinking is probably the best tool. There’s no way to predict how crazy this next administration is going to be…Brian Klaas is onto something. Enjoy.
https://substack.com/@brianklaas/note/c-82500040?r=44kjm&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
A month or more ago, Dutch, our illegal immigrant South African leader said that their plan would "be painful," or some such, but would make things better in the long run. Not "painful" for the billionaires, of course. My guess is that most of the MAGA acolytes will not see their lives better via billionaire tax cuts and their other plans to cut spending, gut water, air and food regulations, fire civil servant experts , eliminate the Dept of Education, etc. etc etc.
MAGA will do as trained and conditioned. While looking at everything crumbling around them, schools,roads hospitals bridges, the rule of law, corruption, they won’t blame the billionaires that aren’t paying their share, they will blame who Donnie tells them to, immigrants and liberals.
Exactly this. The MAGA cultists will NEVER blame Rump or Muskolini. Even if they get shot in the head personally by them, they will still blame "the libs" for the bullet.
Absolutely. I know a contact is.a contact. However, we, the taxpaers, are paying for his contracts and making him the richest man in the world. This is indeed not only crazy but madness.
Hopefully, Musk and Trump are over-playing their joint hand. 🤞 What almost concerns me more is the eerie silence of Senator Vance and Mr Ramaswami. 😵
Vance is merely a pawn of Peter Thiel.
Gets worse because Elon got his start in these businesses from receiving tax payer subsidized grants and tax incentives. Same as Google btw. Sergi has become a huge Trump backer as well.
That's also part of his hubris and over-the-top narcissism: he thinks he has done it all by himself. Completely forgetting that he's not the genius, but his employees are, plus: he built his riches profiting off a system that was already there: the economy, the infrastructure, the factories, etc. He wants to destroy that system because "it costs money", but he didn't pay one cent for it...
Machine-stitch them closed.
Exactly. Fits the R pattern. Ride the grift train up, jump off near the top, let the middle class suffer on the way down. Buy it all back at the bottom. Rinse and repeat.
The chaos is the point, I think... :(
My absolute most favorite minute today was Nicole Wallace's montage of all the clips of electeds from both sides of the aisle referencing "President Musk", or "President-Elect Musk". I reveled in the ape-sh!t that tRmumpF must have been sitting! Baby donnie is not going to like Musk drawing attention away from him. tsk tsk. Pray it is the beginning of the end of #Elonald (not my idea, saw elsewhere)
And Professor Timothy Snyder coined the incoming Trump Administration “The Mump Regime”!
For which, by the way, if RFK Jr. had his way there would be no vaccine.
Yes, that's part of what makes Mump a great name for the regime, as Tim Snyder pointed out when he coined it. I think it's got legs.
I agree. Which RFK Jr would deny millions of people the use of if he could get rid of the polio vaccine.
You see how the disease metaphor really works for the upcoming administration.
They act more like a terminal cancer.
As sad as it is for me to say, at least the word "terminal" in this case has the faint ring of hope to it.
After spreading metastases.🦠
I had a great uncle who caught mumps at age two and became deaf. When I was a little kid I was taught sign language so I could talk to him. My family has always gotten all the shots. Modern medicine saves lives.
The future Edward VIII and George VI had mumps as teenagers. It is believed to have sterilized Edward VIII, which was probably a hidden blessing.
Hahahaha, I love that line Robert Phillips.
As much as I like the Mump thing, I do believe that President Musk it more effective. I am sure that Musk eats it up and that it will drive Trump nuts.
Painful and disfiguring disease.
Yeh, I've been seeing it everywhere. President Musk, with Vice-President Trump and his assistant J D Vance.
If Trump isn't too cray-cray, how much longer will he put up with Musk? And how will he possibly cut his ties to him?
Musk has Trump in the same place that Putin has Trump. Trump is Musk's slave bought and paid-for.
Ahhh yes, but Donnie has the government’s purse, which feeds Musk. In a way, they have their own checks and balances.
Not so sure.
We’ll see…
The only true talent Trump has that he may be a puppet, but he has so many puppeteers, he has slipped out of most of his handlers.
Maybe this is where he learns to suffer.
I think an outbreak has been report in the halls of Congress, as well.
Until a vaccine is found, we need to build a very tall wall.
I loved that too -- above all things, Trump cannot bear to be mocked and humiliated - Musk has managed to do both and the Nicole was singing the song!
I like elump best, from Rick Wilson.
Chairman Musk. He’s Americas Mikhail Khordakovsky.
Thank you Professor.
It was very clear to all of your readers and roughly 75 million voters that Trump has no interest in governing. His priorities are:
1. Stay out of prison;
2. Enrich himself and his friends through slashing taxes for the wealthy (which is where Musk, Heritage, Vance, and the rest of the GOP is well-aligned with him) and Trump's continuing self-enrichment through eviscerating the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution;
3. Revenge against everyone who was "mean to him".
It will take the United States (and the world) generations to recover from the damage he inflicts -far greater than that of any foreign adversary or terrorist organization. He is the "Criminal-elect".
While it has been said "You get the government you deserve" there are at least 75 million voters in the United States and hundreds of millions around the world who do not deserve this new "American Horror Story" vast wealth and willful ignorance has unleashed upon us all.
If we want to avoid the Musk-Trump (Trump-Musk?) sh*t show for the next four years, there is a Constitutionally viable, completely legal option: Section 3 of the 14th Amendment states that Trump is INELIGIBLE to be sworn in in January 20, unless Congress by a 2/3 majority votes to cure him of the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision that he is an insurrectionist! I urge you all to follow and support Jessica Denson’s work to demand the Senate take up this issue. She has interviewed Prof Lawrence Tribe, Glenn Kirshner (sp?) and other constitutional experts on this. They all agree that it will VIOLATE the Constitution if Trump is sworn in on January 20th! Here’s one of Jessica’s recent videos. Please watch and share!
https://youtu.be/gOXsuiyWu4w
Just need to add the c for Glenn Kirschner's name, Steve.
Just need to have Chuck Schumer call for the vote in the U.S. Senate, and -- by not getting the 2/3 necessary to overturn his disqualification -- the U.S.'s chief convicted criminal, rapist, and insurrectionist cannot be sworn in.
I'm betting special prosecutor Jack Smith will make such a recommendation in his final brief.
Urgent.
Won't happen. Schumer? Act? Wouldn't be civil.
Here is Senator Bernie Sanders =
https://youtu.be/79KDKWEOJ1s?si=UGxCmpK0vNkWN3_J
“Welcome to the world of oligarchy” - YouTube
Bernie should have been President a long time ago.
I like Bernie's ideas, but in the end, he is just a leftie version of Musk, a vanity filled man. Without as much money, but with the exact same petty temperament that leads to trouble.
Don't forget Bernie bent his knee a little towards Musk in the very beginning here (wanted to help out DOGE), and has flirted with Putin more than once in the past. I would place him in the 'unstable' category. I know a lot of leftists who tend to veer into authoritarian territory when they sense they can gain some power. I believe Bernie is one of them, his character has shown it more than once.
You conveniently forget the Bernie bros that harassed women online; I watched that dumpster fire from a distance and observed that at the extreme left and right the disrespect for women is pretty much identical. Bernie did nothing about that.
It is a real red flag, and I'm dead tired of people treating this type of misbehavior as unimportant, or 'just boys being boys'. I don't want boys in charge.
I want decent public servants, adults who believe in honest and accountable governance of our nation, who strive to do good things. People who will fight to preserve our Democracy and expanding voting rights relentlessly, and most importantly won't skate past corruption.
Well said!
Bernie could/should bring up the Amnesty bill in the Senate. But I doubt he would.
I think Trump/Musk bromance captures the essence of the thing.
Dan Rather was so right, a good two months before the election, when he wrote "Who's monitoring Elon Musk?"
I love Dan Rather's newsletter.
Steve Brant,
Thank you. American citizens of all colors, every economic situation must take action NOW if we want to hold our nation together.
Tender holiday times must be put aside for the salvation of our nation!
Even Jesus and his earthly "mom and dad" had to flee to Egypt! The insane leader, Herod was intent on killing Him!!!
Why are our government officials twiddling their fingers and wringing their hands while our country "burns down"!!!! Put down the brandy and eggnog now!!!!
I cannot sit and watch this any longer. I must find something to do! I did NOT vote for Trump nor for his wealthy supporters to take over our country!!! The US patriots must lead our country and it appears more and more governments of the world BACK to the freedoms for which our ancestors gave their lives and even their wealth!
I do not respect Trump...he looks beaten down by the wicked, self-serving, power hungry Musk. These men do not love our country nor do they care for all the people of this nation! AND it is every person who longs for freedom ...... who makes us great! No one is above another....we are a wonderful, colorful gifted people. We must NEVER allow others to put us in a box!!!....to do their bidding!!!!
We are to care for and protect one another for the ideal our country stands for...though we have never fully attain this goal, we must never stop reaching towards it!
Thank you for all your wrote. I feel as you do. And one thing we can all do is support Jessica Denson‘s efforts to get this strategy more support. Here is her YouTube channel. On it you will find other links for ways you can support her in addition to sharing her videos.
https://youtube.com/@jessicadenson07
Can you link us to something written about this - I remember it being discussed after Jan. 6, but didn't think it could be revisited just based on a State Supreme Court decision....
Almost all of the SCOTUS cases with which I am familiar (Mapp v. Ohio, Tennessee v. Garner, Furman v. Georgia, all of which deal with law enforcement issues) get to be heard via a route:
"How does a case go from state to Supreme Court?
Parties who are not satisfied with the decision of a lower court must petition the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their case. The primary means to petition the court for review is to ask it to grant a writ of certiorari." (US courts dot gove)
There also (I believe) has to be a compelling federal interest. I think the Colorado court decision would so indicate that "compelling federal interest", since it deals with the federal election of a president.
Written? No. Prof Lawrence Tribe supports this. Other constitutional experts too. What more do you need? It’s all on Jessica Denson’s YouTube channel. https://youtube.com/@jessicadenson07
Steve Brant,
But then who will hold the office of Presidency if Trump is proven to be ineligible?
Why was this not done earlier?
OK, looked it up -SCOTUS unanimously overturned the Colorado Supreme Court decision months ago...
Inaccurate. They said Colorado had no authority to remove him from the ballot. They did NOT reverse the ruling that Trump is an INSURRECTIONIST.
Oh, but they said the states do not have the power to make that determination under Section 3: "But before disqualifying someone under Section 3, the justices observed, there must be a determination that the provision actually applies to that person. And Section 5 of the 14th Amendment gives the power to make that determination to Congress, by authorizing it to pass “appropriate legislation” to “enforce” the 14th Amendment. Nothing in the 14th Amendment, the court stressed, gives states the power to enforce Section 3 against candidates for federal office, nor was there any history of states doing so in the years after the amendment was ratified." From SCOTUS blog: https://www.scotusblog.com/2024/03/supreme-court-rules-states-cannot-remove-trump-from-ballot-for-insurrection/ (I also read the decision)
We will have to agree to disagree about this, Pax.
P.S. And you’re also disagreeing with Prof. Lawrence Tribe, Glenn Kirschner, and other legal and constitutional experts who are much smarter than me. Have a nice night.
Well, we're both in good company either way..and btw, I didn't say I agreed with SCOTUS' opinion on this, I just don't see a way around it with this court.
I wish they would do a recount. The 60 bomb scares, Starlink and all the bullet ballots votes for Trump only. I don't trust president musk and he should loose all government contracts. A very dangerous man who appears to OWN Trump.
Yeah for chaos! Hopefully they cannibalize themselves. People here on a daily basis call out the 'gall' of Trump-Musk-MAGAs, but these clowns are not our problem, they are the symptom. Not a word of consternation from voters across the country who elected these clowns. THAT is the virulent disease. If we are going to to start deporting naturalized citizens as Trump claims, great send Musk back to South Africa.
100Panthers, you are so, so right. It is the (roughly) one third of USians who bought into the "program".
Musk’s support for AfD is galling. That he sits at the right hand of Trump makes him increasingly dangerous to our democracy and others around the world.
Musk’s post in support of the far-right, extremist AfD party came at a particularly sensitive moment, as last night a Saudi immigrant to Germany plowed a car through a Christmas market in Eastern Germany at high speed for approximately 400 meters before stopping, killing at least two people and injuring dozens more.
The AfD blames government immigration policy (although the driver arrived legally in 2006 and had worked as a doctor here with no indication of being a danger).
Nigel Farage posted “We have allowed people who hate us and our value into Europe. Christmas is their target. Any guesses why?’’ Musk reposted his comments.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/12/20/germany-christmas-market-car-crash-magdeburg/
Hard to hit the line button but thanks for sharing the article.
Of course Farage would claim a war on Christmas....conveniently ignoring that this Saudi doctor is anti Muslim and that he has "expressed sympathy for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and accused Germany of promoting the Islamization of the country." https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/21/europe/suspect-germany-christmas-market-attack/index.html
Sorry, Nigel this guy's on YOUR team!
Oh Jeebus... This crap STILL?
Thank you Dr. Richardson, This is precisely what I have feared, for months. An incoming Mump (thanks Dr. Snyder) government of the oligarchs, by the oligarchs, for the oligarchs, and screw the 99% of the citizens of the United States - this government is NOT for you.
The whole thing is an unbelievable con. Bannon announced it, as he went to prison for his short-stay holiday.
But how do you get that message to the seventy plus million Americans who think Trump cares deeply about them?
Thank you Heather for such a clear description of what has just happened with our government funding! I also appreciate you share the links so we can read more and educate ourselves!!
This is a perfect opportunity for Democrats and non-Trump Republicans (if that exists) to ask the American people if they voted to allow a billionaire South African to run our country? His multi-million dollar GOVERNMENT contracts need to be exposed and advertised ad nauseam so the people will realize WHY he is interfering with our government and what he has to gain...or lose!
Since Trump is threatening "anchor babies" will that also include Musk's kids (born in Texas)?
When Bezos killed the WP' endorsement of Harris I pulled my membership and considered pulling my Amazon Prime account as well--HOWEVER, I am reconsidering "supporting" Bezos thru the back door so the "two Titans" can fight it out, instead of leaving Musk as "king of the mountain"!! Guessing that Musk's attendance at Bezo's dinner at Mar-A-Lago was not planned?
Also...I'm encouraging every Substack author, et al to join Blue Sky so we can ALL share each other's comments/articles, etc. and increase the traffic away from Twitter. We also need to be a vocal support to those politicians who are standing up to Trump/Musk to mitigate the negative impact of MAGA's threats.
While I had initially hoped that Biden would pardon those in Trump's crosshairs (Cheney, Miley, et al)...this would give Trump the gift of not having to publicly air his own dirty laundry in the news. If patriotic Americans would crowdfund their defense, make sure that the hearings are all public, etc...I think Trump would reconsider since he has no basis to have them charged with ANY crimes and it could actually be worse for him. I also hope that the media outlets will NOT rollover like ABC did and give in to Trump--Make him PROVE his case and testify UNDER OATH!
BTW--IF your Republican representative voted against Trump/Musk--PLEASE reach out and thank them and donate a few dollars if possible...they need to know that they DON'T have to kowtow to Trump/Musk for fear of losing their voters.
Testifying UNDER OATH means nothing to Trump although I am beginning to think this may be the way to go. Don’t make it go away. Keep exposing the TRUTH…
Depositions are often videoed.
There is always a record made of depositions, usually by a certified court reporter, often a video record too.
This isn't a government, and to call it a circus gives it too much credit.
Yes, at least a circus has the potential to be entertaining. Thinking of what they have planned for a government is like imagining the scariest, most horrifying, frightening house on Halloween.
Yeah, the clowns are right from Stephen King's book, "IT".
Republicans owe house Democrats a debt of gratitude today for helping them passing the bill that would help all Americans. It was great to see Democrats and Republicans of the senate work together to pass the bill through the senate. Another bill they work on was the social security fairless act which will include social security benefits for firemen and police officers. It was a hell of fight but Democrats and Republicans work together and finally came to agreement to pass the bill. Before the senate voted, senate Schumer gave a short press conference. Democrats on the committee were able to get 235 judges confirmed for the applet courts. Senate Whitehouse warned that they would have to watch out, that Republicans don't pick billionaires judges. It was a productive day with out interference from Musk.
It is important to note that MORE Democrats voted for the bill than did Republicans even though it is the Republicans who hold the majority in the House. So long as the Republicans remain divided ideologically from them selves, nothing can be passed by either group of Republicans without Democratic assistance. In effect there are THREE parties seated in the House and will be for at least two years.
"........ and the extraordinary problem of an unelected billionaire who hails from South Africa calling the shots in the Republican Congress, will loom over the new year."
This needs to stop now.
Ian-the latest rumor is that Musk plans to fund Democratic candidates too. Let’s see how many of them fall into his trap.
Money isn’t always power. When will “we the people” exercise our power beyond voting? The abolitionists and civil rights leaders showed us that change can happen if we the people join together. Our collective and individual efforts can make a difference.
Never raise the debt ceiling for Trump. He thinks the money is his piggy bank
For Congress, this is what Kerouac and William Burroughs called out as a Naked Lunch - that moment of shock when people discover what's really on the end of the fork.