This week has already been a ball of malevolent chaos, and I don’t blame people for not knowing how to react or whether they should already be in a full blown panic. This week, Donald Trump froze federal funding of everything from SNAP (food stamps), Pell Grants, Head Start, federal student loans and more. Additionally, agencies began being locked out of the federal Payment Management Services portal. Sh-t hit the fan yesterday when dozens of states reported that they had been locked out of the Medicaid portal, setting off widespread panic in the healthcare industry. What followed were a lot of lies from the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers, and Democratic-controlled states rushed to court to sue the Trump administration. The panic over Medicaid specifically led to a late backtrack by the Trumpers, and it appears that the Medicare portals are in the process of being reopened. Around the same time, a federal judge hit pause on Trump’s federal funding freeze:
A federal district judge on Tuesday granted an administrative stay in a case challenging the Trump administration’s planned freeze of federal aid, pausing the plan for a week and setting a hearing for further arguments next Monday morning.
The order only applies to the pause of disbursements in open grants, Judge Loren AliKhan said. And it doesn’t get into the legality of the freeze, instead just giving the judge time to hear more fleshed-out arguments from a coalition of nonprofits about why she should issue a temporary restraining order that could block the freeze for an addition two weeks. That hearing will take place at 11 a.m. on Monday.
The stay was issued only minutes before the freeze was scheduled to begin Tuesday at 5 p.m.
I’m already done with the conspiracies about “Trump is doing this and this to hide this other terrible thing” and “Trump wants us to panic” and “this is all the Democrats’ fault!” Enough. Not everything is a conspiracy – some things are as they seem, and this is exactly what it seems. Donald Trump and his Nazi cronies were given all three branches of the federal government, and they’re dismantling it and driving us into a national/global Depression. The moment to “do something” about any of this was last year, when every Democrat and every Democratic Party voter was telling everyone that this would happen if they let Trump anywhere near power again.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- United States President Donald J. Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on January 23, 2025. Copyright:,Image: 957119466, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/CNP / MediaPunch/Avalon/Avalon
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- United States President Donald J. Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on January 23, 2025. Copyright:,Image: 957119489, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/CNP / MediaPunch/Avalon/Avalon
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- United States President Donald Trump sits in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC after signing executive orders on January 23, 2025. Copyright:,Image: 957119510, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/CNP / MediaPunch/Avalon/Avalon
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- United States President Donald J. Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on January 23, 2025. Copyright:,Image: 957119606, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/CNP / MediaPunch/Avalon/Avalon
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- United States President President Donald J Trump speaks to the media as he departs the White House in Washington, DC on January 24, 2025 headed for a multi-day trip that includes stops in Asheville, NC, Santa Monica, CA, Las Vegas, NV and Miami, FL. Copyright: xChrisxKleponisx/,Image: 957378642, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Chris Kleponis / Pool via CNP /MediaPunch/Avalon/Avalon
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- president-elect Donald Trump departs the North Portico of the White House on the morning of his inauguration in Washington, DC, USA, 20 January 2025. Trump, who defeated Kamala Harris to become the 47th president of the United States, is being sworn in today, though the planned outdoor ceremonies and events have been cancelled due to extreme cold temperatures. Featuring: Donald Trump Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 20 Jan 2025 Credit: POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
MAGA thinks social programs, funding only effects Democrats since they are so vocal about them. Now they’re realizing it effects them much more than they realized. Be careful for what you wish for.
No MAGA people thought federal spending, DEI, Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity effected black and brown communities not realizing that those programs effect white women particularly and the white community generally. MAGA ran on anti-black and anti-brown rhetoric and the poor and many groups labeled POC fell for it
and folks who are disabled, I believe
Remember those MAGA idiots who wanted Obamacare gone but keep the Affordable Care Act.
They’re still in denial, judging by all the people accusing my governor of lying when he said exactly what Trump was doing.
Yes, this. Governor Landry (R – LA) went into a tizzy because almost 1/2 of the state’s budget comes from Federal Funds. What’s that about a voting for a face eating leopard party and getting faces eaten?
On a more somber note, I work for a civil service organization and it was full on crisis management mode yesterday. It’s not even February.
For everyone who voted for Harris: I’m really sorry this is happening.
For Trump voters, “look at me, I’m too special to vote”, “two sides” and “I’m not voting because it doesn’t matter”.
You got what you wanted.
From me you get:
No sympathy.
No help.
No listening ear.
Go complain to Trump if you don’t like it.
20% of the national economy is the federal gov’t. It feels like he is trying to destroy the US.
I hope this hits the pockets of every single person who voted for him (and the people who didn’t vote). Unfortunately that means the rest of us will also be hit and the magas will still somehow blame Biden.
Remember how we had to hear about Hillary’s emails incessantly in 2016? Well the email sent to all federal employees offering them a buy out came from Elon Musk’s server.
Same, @Ripley. I finally got that ‘you’re encouraged to quit’ letter today. It’s so disgusting & insulting, and they have the gall to say they respect us while in the same breath threatening those of us who don’t choose to quit now may find our jobs eliminated later? And that later may be February 7, I’m thinking. I can hardly sleep or eat any more.
A woman from our community is a veteran and has cancer. The VA hospital canceled her scheduled treatment when the systems went down because of the felon’s need for a performance. While it will hopefully be rescheduled, it is tremendously important to stay on track with treatment and cancer patients often have to schedule their entire lives around their treatment appointment. Can you imagine being a veteran and being treated this way because some felon is playing a game with people and the national economy??
That’s so awful, and scary. I hope she gets her treatment back on track ASAP.
I didn’t want to be the first comment because I have no words left. I still tear up that people voted for this. God forbid a woman of color have any power. The Dems do need to get it together NOW and unfiy and really plan. Hopefully there will still be a chance of fixing things in 4 years. I have my doubts.
The biggest problem is that people expect Democrats to govern and Republicans to destroy things. Then because Democrats aren’t Santa Clause and can’t delivery everything everyone wants by magic, they get blamed when things go wrong. No one expects Republicans to govern. They get to throw their toys and tantrum, and then the Democrats fix things and get blamed for the problems.
Until people hold Republicans accountable for their actions, nothing can change. Democrats have tried being everything for everyone and failed. They tried reaching out to conservatives. Governing from the middle. Republicans are toddlers with power. There’s no reasoning with toddlers. They react on emotions, have zero impulse control, and have contradictory desires that change moment to moment. Corporate media has sold the country on the belief that Republicans are good for business. Bullshit. The media is an overindulgent “boymom” that gives no discipline to her “sweet boy” who terrorizes everyone and claims his antics are cute while she posts pictures on social media. When her sweet boy shoots up a school, she’s shocked, shocked that her sweet boy did it (as media will be when they get fitted for their Russian-style muzzles). All we can do is watch this play out from the sidelines.
I’m so, so sorry for all of the people who will be hurt by this insanity–all of us will be hurt eventually, but I have no idea what to do.
All of this, lanne.
Absolutely agree.
This.
The -Democrats- need to get it together? The sane people with a sane, well-thought out, well-presented platform for the US future?
Not the idiots destroying the country?
Really? What exactly do you want the Democrats to do? It’s kinda hard to “plan” a counterpoint to what is really a return to the values and policies that actually were fundamental in creating the not-so-United States. This country was founded on genocide, Manifest Destiny, and an extreme form of capitalism that included slavery — alongside stated ideals that we’ve never lived up to as a country. There are people in Trump’s age group who still remember what life was like before all of the progressive successes of the Civil Rights movements and the Warren Court decisions — and the white “Christian “ nationalists want it all back. They have been very clear about what they want to accomplish. They even provided a playbook.
and while this is specific to government, 19 republican AGs have now sued Costco for continuing DEI policies claiming DEI policies are discriminatory (against white men, of course) so they will be going after any business that has any policy that doesn’t center on the needs of white people, especially men
the administration’s new anti DEI policies are even forcing meetings/programs for minority groups in the workplace to be canceled
I hope Costco will stand firm. I will back them with my membership and purchases.
This is the typical Repub waste of court resources and should be thrown out immediately. It shouldn’t be their business at all how a private company chooses to hire and treat its employees. Without hyperbole we are seeing the enactment of the fascist playbook.
My previous comment needed editing:
“It shouldn’t be their business at all how a private company chooses to hire and treat its employees.”……I should have added…………if that treatment exceeds the minimum required by law. I would hope that courts would rule being more inclusive, despite this executive order removing DEI policies, would be seen as exceeding the law, not violating it.
Two years, not 4. Midterms are in two years, that is when we cut them off at the knees. I want everyone to start thinking about what they want and stop focusing on what has already happened. When democratic leaders, bishops, factory workers, medical professionals speak up-support them. We will not loose hope, we will fight! America has seen darker days. 2025 will be rocky and we will not succumb.
I’ve been so spun out I’ve been avoiding news. I panic and then they backtrack or get sued, rinse and repeat.
So thank you for the update.
He’s going to break as much as he can as fast as he can, and Lord help us all in the meantime…
I just want to comment that not doom scrolling, not turning on the news, is good for your mental health. There’s this concept of shock and awe they’re doing designed to wear sane people down and become hopeless. Not feeding our brains with it is the antidote. And so is doing what we can in our communities. Ive signed up to register people to vote and I’m very involved in our local school board, but I limit my news because it’s just too dang much.
OMG this! I get the Boston Globe online and at this point about all I can manage is reading the story headline and the first few sentences in the feed. I want a basic awareness but that’s about all of my mental capacity.
I have a likely naive notion that we are American, and we do not ever give up hope! These motherf–kers are not going to defeat us.
@Sue
It’s time to dispel the notion that “we do not ever give up hope”. It’s based on nothing. The reality is that Americans are the most spoiled and pampered nation that ever existed. You got ahead on stealing land and resources and taking advantage of desperate people for free/cheap labor. You benefitted greatly from the rest of the world taking a hit during 2 world wars that spared your infrastructure and civilian population.
The truth is, you took an entire continent and got to start a country from scratch – almost no other nation had this chance. And in just a couple of hundred years, you pissed it all away through sheer greed and selfishness. There is nothing unique and particularly noble about Americans, nothing. Stop patting yourselves on the back for briefly supporting each other through natural disasters and terrorist attacks – everyone does that.
I’m with you, I can’t look at the news, I feel my blood pressure rise and I panic.
I just… can’t.
Anyone got a happy kitty picture? I love happy kitty pictures.
I have a narcissist in my life and use the Gray Rock technique to manage them and my mental health. Since the election, I’ve been gray rocking the country, and it has really helped my anxiety stay at acceptable levels.
Whatever plays out will play out, and the only things I plan on stressing about are the ones I can control. Which is pretty limited to my friends, family and community. I wish things were different.
THIS is it. This is the plan. Create chaos, abuse the citizens of this country and other countries. Get people do his bidding and him golf all day.
This. Is. It.
They literally TOLD us the plan: it’s called Project 2025. This is it. Everyone who voted for Harris knew this—we were all clear-eyed about what he would do. And the people that didn’t know or worse yet, didn’t think he would? FAFO. Welcome to your new reality. You voted against Head Start, suicide prevention programs for veterans and the following (from NYT): Federal Transit Formula Grants, which local officials use to operate city buses and trains.
The National School Lunch Program, which feeds poor schoolchildren.
The Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscapes, which funds projects to prevent wildfires.
The CHIPS Incentives Program, which supports the manufacturing of semiconductors in the U.S.
Special Education Grants to States, which help students with disabilities.
The High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, which helps the police stop drug crimes.
Do these brain dead idiots actually think this is making America great again?? Honestly I will never forgive people who voted for this shitshow. Never.
People who actually follow the news voted for Harris in a landslide.
Dan Rather reported a pretty telling set of statistics in the aftermath of the election. These aren’t the exact numbers, but it was something in this range:
People who considered themselves ‘well informed’ or ‘very well informed’ about politics voted for Harris by 30%. People who considered themselves ‘poorly informed’ or ‘completely uninformed’ about politics went for Trump by 50%.
@kitten, it seems that a lot of people that voted for Trump never believed that he would actually follow through on some of what he was spouting during the election. Some I’ve spoken to recently are still in denial. Well, we will find out soon enough that Trump meant what he said and that Project 2025 is becoming a reality. I am also convinced that a lot of Trump’s supporters didn’t understand that they were part of The Unwashed that Trump so despises.
Also, I absolutely believe that they intended for the Medicaid portal to be shut down. If only temporarily. I think they only backtracked because Republican lawmakers were concerned about the effect that it would have on their own positions. But eventually I think Trump won’t even care about what Republican lawmakers think.
If he demantles America doesnt it affect him too? or does he think his Billions will protect him?
I think that’s exactly what they think, Lili.
He is elderly and doesn’t appear to be in good health. He likely wont be around to experience the aftermath.
Trump will just blame monorities and oligarchs for any magat suffering, and they’ll (magats) believe him. Bezos, Zuckerberg and Musk should check out the show trials Putin set up for oligarchs in Russia.
Have to tank the dollar so all that crypto they invested in is worth something…
Maybe I am too naive, but what is astonishing is how in the US no one can control the president.
If thus lunatic tomorrow decides to invade Mexico, to ban toothpaste or whatever he can do it ????
The Republican party and the Supreme Court have told him that. He’s going to take them up on it.
When they didn’t impeach and convict him for the insurrection the republicans, especially Mitch McConnell, gave him permission to push as far as he can.
The founders never planned for someone more corrupt than King George III.
To elaine- yes its astonishing, but not unique. We had things called checks and balances from our constitution but a democracies’ achilles heel is that if you can co-opt the system (eg get elected then change the rules, appoint flunkies). This is not unique to the US. Also not unique: spinning up popular support by drumming or spinning up an “other” to hate and distract.
Kamala Harris lost weight and sleep criss crossing the country for 107 days predicting everything that is now happening. When she said Felon47 would implement Project 2025 in interviews, the interviewers acted like she was the crazy liar, not Felon47. Anyone now demanding that she say or do something should know that she already told you. The only thing new or different she could now say is, “I told you so.”
💯
“ The moment to “do something” about any of this was last year, when every Democrat and every Democratic Party voter was telling everyone that this would happen if they let Trump anywhere near power again.”
I will never not be mad about this.
It was said in 2016, it was said last year.
Americans just won’t give the smart ladies their vote and this is EXACTLY what they voted for.
And Normades, I was pissed the FIRST time around. But to think that we barely survived 4 years of this the last time and decided to do it AGAIN. Sorry but it’s unforgivable. Just happy I purged all the MAGA people from my life years ago.
Completely agree. The time to do something was last year. People voted out all the help and guardrails and it’ll be up to us to fix the Nazi/Fascist/Hungary-ification of our govt. We can’t stop it but we can refuse to obey in advance.
If dems are focusing on practical things, it sounds like they’re following the anti-Berlisconi playbook. I can’t fault them for that. I can fault those that freaked out about a black woman taking over so they pushed Biden out.
Saw this is in another comment but I’m saving my ire for the Repubs – especially those who are up for reelection. Coming from a purple state, I know we need all the dems we can get. The purity bullshit needs to stop; it’s how we got into the mess in the first place.
I will forever be livid with the news media who downplayed this mess. Who acted like Kamala and the Dems were being paranoid. And then they keep carrying Trump’s water though he’s lying about a ton of stuff. Nothing he’s been doing is remotely legal. He fired IGs, he is trying to oust federal workers (illegally), he’s banned transgender military members, he’s banned transgender care at all for minors and 18 year olds (adults), they are attacking anyone who cares about equity, because affirmative action was always the first rung on the ladder they were climbing towards. I hope all the I can’t vote for her and Trump won’t be so bad people have nothing but bad things happen to them.
Also, I am beyond done with the terrible leadership of the Dems in the House and the Senate. Hey you morons, they are in essence deciding there is no need for a Legislative Branch anymore and you all are like well he’s not dropping the cost of eggs. I am so sick of Schumer and Pelosi (who lied about passing the torch) having conferences about ignoring the noise. Federal workers last night got the most insane illegal email and they are ticked and going to fight back. And I cannot stand that Pelosi made sure that AOC didn’t get the leader votes she needed. Everyone who still kept arguing she should be thanked for pushing out Biden can get bent.
And Trump also last night hinted about doing an EO about the Education department.
@Walking this is everything I wanted to say. This is it.
Meanwhile in Berlin 100,000 people march against the AfD nazi party whereas Americans made funny reels about ‘they’re eating the cats, they’re eating the dogs’ and the Dem leadership, save a few, buried their heads in the sand.
Again, as I asked @K above: What exactly would you have liked “Dem leadership” to do? Republicans control much of the media, the Supreme Court, and, at the moment, Congress. So the checks and balances are —as designed — apparently reflecting the will of the majority of the American people, even as that “will” has been severely impacted by apathy and interference with the voting process.
As a member of a relatively small, literal minority group, I understand all too well what winner-takes-all can look like. I’m part of the 92% who tried to tell y’all.
So no RED STATE relies on Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP benefits, etc.? None of the AGs from those states sued. Thank God for Leticia James in my state. I am so damn tired of Trump and MAGA cackling over sticking it to the Dems. How much does my state NY give in federal taxes that go to red states in need? That money should go to social programs, infrastructure, etc. and not in sending bombs to Israel. I’m praying to all that is good in the universe that orange julius is impeached and dragged out of the WH kicking and screaming in 6 months. The Democrats are too weak and disorganized to do anything to protect Americans (seriously Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries need to go). I’m can only pray and hope for a collective movement from outraged citizens to amass protest scaring enough representatives to drive this freak show out of office.
Well that’s his goal, right? He wants to starve states of Fed funding in an attempt to further consolidate all the power ($$$) in the executive branch.
It will absolutely destroy red states but let the Republicans who lead these states find out the hard way. I just feel so sad for people in red states who didn’t vote for this nightmare.
Mango so emboldened racism, sexism and homophobia among poor rural white people who disproportionately depend on federally funded social programs that they wil blindly follow him until their checks stop and they are homeless and dying from chronic illnesses after bankrupting the local medical monopolies the magat controlled governments forced on us. Rural whites have no appreciation for these benefits and do not understand where the money that funds their rent assistance/medicare/medicaid/disability and sss comes from. One of the subtle things non-nutso indoctrinated people haven’t understood is that magats are convinced income tax is unfair and everyone should pay the exact same amount in taxes. Make 15 k annually and have 3 kids? Your tax should be the exact same amount as Bill Gates, et al because the only fair tax is everyone paying the same. Rural whites have no appreciation for the federally funded programs (and the Democratic lead states paying most of the taxes) that have kept them alive, fed, housed and educated. Leopards eating faces….
Definitely mango nutso and not non-nutso. Couldn’t edit.
Fellow New Yorker here. I am thankful everyday for Letitia James. She’s got our backs.
I suspect—in the chaos and confusion that they’ve created with their EOs written by the Heritage Foundation—that some certain programs will get turned back on while others do not. They love the idea of punishing blue states (see: California) so it’s not a stretch to imagine a new MAGAFEMA that only helps for tornadoes and hurricanes in certain places. Wildfire help? Not available.
Well, with climate change we’re seeing a difference in fire regimes in those states that didn’t formerly burn as frequently as the dryer, western states. Too bad, so sad.
California is the biggest of the top 5 GDP kingmakers, so they know they can’t afford lose it. Their intention is to then bend it into compliance by backing it into a wall and riling up the people in it. That’s part of what’s infuriating about all of this. They don’t want a United States – they want a united *tax* system so oligarchs can drain it dry and reduce us all to slavery.
Of course, the other alternative is that it ultimately leads to the United States fracturing. Secessionists movements have always been alive and well in Texas (despite the fact that they lasted a whole ten years the lone time they tried it), but now it’s starting to pick up speed in CA and the surrounding Western states, fueled by online propaganda machines.
Putin doesn’t care, after all. He has the war machine under his control now via his puppets. Whether he manages to collapse the empire into disparate parts or bring it fully under the heel of a nuclear empowered military fascist regime, it won’t matter. He’ll have what he wants, and American voters were happy to hand it over to him.
I have a deadbeat, suspected narcissist MAGA cousin who was diagnosed with Parkinsons last year, and is currently living with my dad while waiting to be approved for disability. Dealing with him is seriously effecting my (83-year-old) dad’s health. He has painful stomach ulcers, his blood pressure is out of control, and he’s become so emotional and short-tempered in a way I’ve never seen him before (and on top of all this, he’s still recovering from a scary bout of pneumonia he had over the holidays). Despite all of this, he refuses to force my cousin to find alternative arrangements. I am terrified that my dad will be unable to cope with the situation much longer. My cousin is apparently on the verge of being approved, but the thought that something like this could now hinder his chances is causing a full blown panic attack. I feel genuinely physically ill. Goddamn it.
That sounds a horrible situation Miranda. I guess MAGAs are OK with funding when it helps them. I wish I could do more than send you my sympathy and hope that things work out.
We knew Project 2025 was coming. I thought in his second term he would probably cause less deaths (without covid) but damn, all bets are off on that front. People are going to die just from the mess he started this week.
Trump is trying to turn the US federalist system of government into an absolute monarchy where he rules by fiat. I’m an American and I’m angry at the people who voted for this mess, knowing his track record from Orange-zilla’s first term. Seeing the leopard eating their faces gives some satisfaction, but I’m fearing worse is coming. CNN reported last night a person was arrested in DC threatening to kill Trump’s Cabinet, including Mike Johnson and Pete Hegseth. Cabinet members like Hegseth are in the line of succession to the US presidency, and Johnson, as Speaker of the House, is 2nd in line after VP Vance. Things are getting so hot it may come to greater violence.
Its not that it ‘may’ come to greater violence, its already a foregone conclusion.
The increased policing and political/military purges have already begun.
Next is the civil action/disobedience that will escalate.
Then he’ll enact martial law, bringing out the National guard then, escalating to the military branches.
At that point there are 3 possibilities: partial military revolt (civil war), full military revolt (military coup) or military capitulation to act against the citizenry (just following orders).
The Supreme Court decision that a sitting president can’t be prosecuted for anything opened those doors for them to march on through. I don’t live in the US and all of this has kept me up at night since the Nov 7th.
I’m afraid you’re right.
… But… But… But MAG-gots in the bacwoods managed to avoid that a Black female could lead their country… Guess they’re gonna have to take one of those job openings left by deported indocumented Latinx bc grandma’s cash for their beer and cigarettes just expired.
There are 45 Democratic senators. 13 are up for re-election in 2026. There are 215 Democrats in Congress. And 23 states have a Democratic governor.
Who among them is opposing the sweeping changes being implemented? The conversation still centers around the pre-election warnings that were issued (and ignored), who did or did not vote, and what should have but didn’t happen.
Informed citizens are stating the obvious about the dismantling of law and order but until elected democrats unite and pushback, things will only get worse.
OH FOR GOD’S SAKE. How about listing the Republican senators and congressmen and governors who are up for re-election and demanding that THEY be voted out for a change???
Democrats cannot make blood out of stone.
Democrats pushed back LAST YEAR BEFORE THE ELECTIONS until they were blue in the face and people STILL voted for lying craven Republicans or stayed home and didn’t vote = left the decision to the majority = voted for Trump and his cronies.
Democrats consistently turning on each other instead of uniting and putting the blame precisely where it belongs is what causes Republicans to get away with literal murder every damn time.
Sometimes you need to sit back and let people reap the results of their actions, no matter how painful the consequences. And still some won’t learn. They will blame the Democrats no matter what.
Did you even read my comment? I clearly stated that pre-election warnings were ignored and that Democratic politicians need to unite and pushback against every destructive
initiative the new administration proposes. I did NOT demand that Democrats up for re-election should lose their seats in the Senate. My point was to show that while Republicans currently hold the majority, the gap is not insurmountable and local elections are more important than ever.
Reading comprehension has deteriorated at such an alarming rate it’s no wonder the average news report is just a headline.
I agree. While I wish I could see more new young blood among the Dems, I don’t think the senior Dems could have done more to warn the populace of the dangers of a 2nd Trump empire. At this point, I don’t even see protests helping. I am hoping that the saner Repubs and those struggling Americans who voted for him because they hoped the price of eggs would go down and that maybe Trump would finally reveal his “beautiful” new health care system….I’m hoping that THOSE people will start to make threats of primarying them if they continue to ditto Trump’s diabolical plans.
Pret, Democrats believed the warnngs and voted accordingly, we/they still think that other guy is a lying sack of sh-t. Kamala got more than 74 million votes which is greater than the sum of all registered democrats. Harris’ 2024 vote total would’ve beat Trump’s vote total in 2020.
Attacking Democrats will get us *nowhere* – we need to win over the latino voters and the uneducated voters to win. The chasm between educated women and noneducated women is like the size of the Grand Canyon and I bet you can guess which sector voted Maga.
And it wasn’t just Democrats warning us. People who worked in Trump’s last administration, who were closest to him, were warning us. John Kelly said “God help us.”
And I agree it’s not as complicated as it seems. The point is cruelty and destruction. That is what Donald Trump is.
The majority of American people voted for revenge and retribution, against anyone, they just didn’t think it would affect them.
@Harla – Blinded by their own hatred.
For now it seems the Courts will be our last line of defense against this madness. I hope every last executive order and legislative initiative passed gets held up in court by liberal judges, the same way these conservative buffoons blocked student loan forgiveness and reduction.
F*ck them all.
And in other news: one of the pardoned Jan 6 insurrectionists was killed 8n a standoff with police as he refused to obey orders. Couldn’t happen to a better person. Sorry, not sorry!
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2025/01/28/matthew-huttle-jan-6-defendant-shot-by-deputy-had-lengthy-criminal-history/77992827007/
There is nothing human about this man and the puppet masters behind the scenes who are pulling all the strings. History repeating itself in the worst way.
I work with several Felon47 supporters and they are all agog at what’s happening. All I have said to them is “this is exactly what he told you he was going to do, what part of what he said did you not understand?”, oh and my favorite “has the price of eggs gone down yet?”. The majority of American people voted for revenge and retribution, they were fine as long as it was going to affect someone else but now that it’s affecting them, they are stunned. Did the anti-DEI hire people not realize that the largest group of DEI hires is white women? Now, the women who voted for Felon47 are losing their jobs, the irony.
Lmao at “has the price of eggs gone down yet?” Not only have prices NOT declined, in some areas you can’t even buy eggs! Does the president care about bird flu? Oh, let me guess, he’s going to say that with the warmer weather in April, the bird flu will disappear.
He will blame Biden for mismanaging bird flu.
Trump/Musk and Vance/Thiel don’t know jack shit about what average Americans lives are. They just rule from their ivory towers and the fallout will never reach them.
I just want to encourage those who are not following the news to find one measured source who is trustworthy and check in as much ad you feel you can with them. I really like @sharonsaysso (Sharon McMahon) on Instagram for this, and she had a newsletter on Substack if you’re off social media. Because as @CIOTOG said up there, people who followed the news voted for Kamala and we can’t afford to lose any of you.
This!
We cannot afford to bury our heads in the sand completely. Information is power. Limit your news intake to a few reliable sources and don’t doom-scroll, but also don’t pretend that none of this is happening. That’s what they want.
(I make an exception for Black women who have saved this country’s ass over and over again … they can check out all they want — they’ve earned the right. I mean white women and men. We’re the ones who caused this mess. It’s up to us to fight it.)
I would like to add @underthedesknews as a recommended news source on Instagram. She does a recap of what happened today, nightly so it’s not constant bombardment of bad news posts from her.
Yes! Can highly recommend. Also, MuellerSheWrote–website, insta, bluesky, podcast (Daily Beans, Cleanup on Aisle 45), etc.
I’m adding Belle of the Ranch on YT “Well, hello everybody…Today, we’re going to talk about…” She uploads at least 2 each day & each one generally runs under 4minutes. Belle is very good at drilling down to the facts & avoiding hyperbole. Her only creative license is the T-shirt set dressing in the background — once you watch a few clips, you’ll know what I mean.
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Belle has also uploaded clips on how to find community to mentally & financially survive these trying times. She has said she plans to continue w/ these as well.
I can’t seem to do a reply but absolutely, @Michaelacat. May every bad, cruel (or indifferent) thing they wished on others comes back on them 1000-fold. I just hate that innocent people are affected by this.
I don’t know why anyone’s surprised. Vote for Nazis to do Nazi things and give them unlimited power, you’re going to get Nazi shit.
I will never understand people who vote against their own interests. But these are the same people who refuse to believe they are poor. Like the brown people poor in their heads. And that they deserve their Medicaid. But not the brown people.
It’s unfair that the innocent gets hurt in this FAFO battle. But this is what the MAGA voted for.
It always brings to mind that LBJ quote: “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down upon & he’ll empty his pockets for you.”
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To which I’ll add, there’s that stubborn level of MAGA that would rather eat a dead rat sandwich than admit the trump policies & his administration are failing them. Here in TX, it is said that Ted Cruz would just whine for his wife Heidi to cut off the crusts.
The other day, I spoke to a woman born in South America. She has been a citizen for years and is well-educated. She was in utter panic because she is unsure as to which of her relatives in the United States might be deported under Trump’s administration. And whom did she vote for? Trump. When I asked her why, she said, “I didn’t understand that his policies would affect my family.” First of all, she is an idiot. And second, does this mean it’s okay if OTHER families are affected as long as it’s not hers? Has she never heard the expression, you reap what you sow?
“And second, does this mean it’s okay if OTHER families are affected as long as it’s not hers? ”
To answer your question: YES, that is the Republican way – see all those who only understand the horrors of navigating healthcare for disabled people or abuses suffered by gay people only when someone in their family who they know and care about is affected. They knowingly vote Republican believing that “those other people” (usually Black and Brown) will suffer greatly, and they don’t mind if they suffer a tiny bit. But when it becomes clear that they will suffer just as much then they are suddenly “concerned” – until the next time when they once again vote for Republicans.
At this stage, I can’t find any sympathy for them. I’ll save my energies and assistance for the people who voted for VP Harris and Gov Walz and will be suffering greatly. As to those who are proudly claiming that they “didn’t vote” – they can kick rocks and lose all their toes and worse.
Honestly, I’d have shrugged my shoulders and said, “Womp womp” if I’d been the one talking to her. I have no time for these idiots who are ok with policies that hurt others so long as they’re not impacted. I hope she gets everything she voted for.
I used to find this cognitive dissonance baffling, too, until I started to think of conservatives like that as people who effectively never grew out of the childhood mindset of the world being simple and small. They don’t know how to live without structure, without the firmness of a hand telling them what to do, how to vote, how to think. Nothing that they do is actually rationally developed, much less ever considered beyond checking off a box, regardless if the actual policies align with their personal beliefs. Their idea of educated is turning on Fox News. For them, voting is just one simple routine among many that they perform by rote in order to keep things neat and orderly in their heads, where nuance or complexity can’t really penetrate.
You can see why philosophers like Hannah Arendt described fascism as a kind of “corrupted patriarchy.” It’s scared people wanting to be treated like children, mistaking dominance and power as shortcuts to stability and safety. That’s why you have all of these conservatives like Mel Brooks and Tucker Carlson saying things like “Daddy’s home” or “Daddy’s taking off the belt.” Everything that comes out of their mouth is an admission of weakness, and deep down, they know it, which is why they react to violently and spitefully toward others. They’re always looking to feel powerful because other people don’t matter as long as it doesn’t affect them.
I’ve been lowkey freaking out all week. Monday, I spent the day panicking about food shortages. I’m trying to remind myself to worry only about myself and my family and what I can do to protect us, but my god it’s hard. I hope every Trump voter chokes on what they voted for, there is absolutely no excuse for subjecting the rest of us to this terrorist. Again. I hate it here.
This is a disaster, no downplaying it. And it’s not just the people who receive the services that will be affected, it’s also people who work in the agencies that distribute aid, in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, schools, non-profits. If your job receives a significant portion of it’s budget from federal funding, you could get impacted too. Many Americans are one paycheck away from the financial cliff. And the nazis behind this know it, they have been planning for this since the 1970s. Keep the pressure on your state and local governments too, not just Congress to step in and help provide some stopgap funding. I don’t know how the people in poor red states will cope, this will get really ugly.
It’s important to note the Heritage Foundation is doing all the work behind the scenes. T***p is just golfing and signing EOs that they draft.
Yes, it has not escaped my notice that while I & the rest of my fellow/sister government workers are required to return to work at the office, HE gets to spend the work day on the golf course.
I have a request:
Please don’t include Trump’s photo in any future stories about him or his administration.
Thank you.
Question: If the rich blue states pay an inordinate amount of taxes so the poor red states can get services, and now those services are being cut off, what will now become of our money sent to the government ? Does it go into the Republican coffers? We’re talking about trillions of dollars. Who’s keeping track? Is there anyone able to keep track anymore that won’t be crucified by the MAGAT machine?
Well, Americans decided we needed to learn all of our lessons the hard way in November, so we’re here. I won’t be taking up arms, though, not anytime soon. The fascist playbook has always been open book. They want to rile people enough for a backlash, then they have reason to declare martial law. I’ll be laying low and surviving best I can up until it’s no longer possible to stay out of the fray.
Note that they avoided addressing Medicaid and had to clarify later. That is a tell. Note that they said it wouldn’t impact direct payments to people, clearly misunderstanding that most public benefits flow through administrative entities. Note that they likely had no idea there are infrastructure programs that would have been frozen. I feel like we need to create a “How It’s Made” episode about the government lol. They try to cull Fed employees but fail to realize they are 3M people providing services to a country of 335M people. We are on the bullet train to spiking inflation for sure – our “undocumented” workforce supports the economy significantly. They may have to back down on tariffs when produce prices skyrocket. Get your canned ravioli before RFK bans it, folks!