My wife is in agreement that he will just find a scapegoat, i.e., Musk or Biden. I'm likely overstating their intelligence.

Hex wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 12:21 pm https://gizmodo.com/cdc-ordered-to-scru ... 2000557177

Something I’ve thought about a lot lately is how, when Trump first ran in 2016, he was not anti-trans. He even remarked during one of the debates that, at his properties, people could use whatever bathroom they wished. Of course, anyone with a brain knew never to trust this man on anything.

The thing that supporters of authoritarians never realize is just how swiftly and completely they can become enemies, worthy of extermination. TikTok went overnight from being evil to brilliant, in a very public change of status that everyone witnessed in real time. And yet, these cult members think that they’ll be exempt when the inevitable time comes.

It makes me think that, if someone wants to grow a grenade into this administration, they need to attend a Trump press conference but ask for Elon Musk to answer certain questions. You’ll see the tech bros become enemies of the state immediately.

I know first hand several fed employees are already consulting lawyers about filing workplace harassment suits against the barrage of threatening letters they've been receiving, with demands contradicting existing policy or the law. I hope someone successfully sues the fuck out of them for being intimidated into removing pronouns from a damn Linkedin page.

And then there's this: "Pentagon agency bans observances for Black History Month and other 'special observances'"

^^^^^
Fuck these people are evil.

25% tariffs on all goods from Mexico and Canada, 10% on goods from China. No listed exemptions so far, though they’re likely for oil and gas.

Wood Goblin wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:48 pm ^^^^^
Fuck these people are evil.

25% tariffs on all goods from Mexico and Canada, 10% on goods from China. No listed exemptions so far, though they’re likely for oil and gas.

US cost of living is about to rocket. Americans will be paying the tariffs, not China et al.

Don't hold your breath waiting for Trumper types to have buyer's remorse. It's a delusion and it runs deep.

Remember that during the pandemic, even as some people let out their last breaths of air while intubated in overfilled hospitals, they were unwilling to admit Covid 19 was real.

I suggest maybe budgeting your intake of all this. It's not likely to end well. Just in the span of less than two weeks, we've reached new lows as a country. It's not a great time to be an American, even if one doesn't belong to a persecuted group. Soon enough this will affect us all more blatantly, and short of an impeachment or something, Trump and his cronies will continue down this path. It really is a terrible thing that millions of voters have willed into being over supposed "dinner table issues," which of course will only get worse.

I'll be handling this in my own way, making good art, living somewhat responsibly, telling the haters to fuck off in my mind, supporting art that raises my moods. But just remember, all of these drastic measures are by design. This administration wants to put the squeeze on reasonable people. If these policies don't "make sense," that's deliberate. They want freethinkers, somewhat liberated, "live and let live" people to feel less and less welcome.

Good luck.

Wood Goblin wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:48 pm ^^^^^
Fuck these people are evil.

25% tariffs on all goods from Mexico and Canada, 10% on goods from China. No listed exemptions so far, though they’re likely for oil and gas.

That's 10% in addition to what's already there, I thought.

Wood Goblin wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:48 pm ^^^^^
Fuck these people are evil.

25% tariffs on all goods from Mexico and Canada, 10% on goods from China. No listed exemptions so far, though they’re likely for oil and gas.

I can tell you right now with certainty that there are going to vibe some decently sized companies that just aren’t going to pay it. Who’s going to enforce and collect?

penningtron wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 12:41 pm I hope someone successfully sues the fuck out of them for being intimidated into removing pronouns from a damn Linkedin page.

I can’t fault you, but you know who is paying that bill, right? It’s a bit of the conundrum really. How do you successfully fight a battle against….yourself?