On Trump

[Trell]

The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans - The Atlantic

So this is what the Republicans means when they call someone a "DEI hire"?

 

[GO-NAD!]

So this is what the Republicans means when they call someone a "DEI hire"?

Of course. They want to demonstrate what can happen when you have DEI hires.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Heather Cox Richardson

March 24, 2025 (Monday) Today the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, dropped the story that senior members of the Trump administration planned the March 15 U.S. attack on the Houthis...

www.facebook.com

Zachary B. Wolf of CNN noted that “Trump intentionally hired amateurs for top jobs. This is their most dramatic blunder.” Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) told Brian Tyler Cohen: “My first reaction... was 'what absolute clowns.' Total amateur hour, reckless, dangerous…. [T]his is what happens when you have basically Fox News personalities cosplaying as government officials.” Foreign policy scholar Timothy Snyder posted: “These guys inherited one of the most functional state apparatus in the history of the world and they are inhabiting it like a crack house.”

 

[Trell]

Of course. They want to demonstrate what can happen when you have DEI hires.

So many DEI hires at the very top national security positions with none of them questioning the use of Signal for this.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, I gather.

 

[Steve81]

Needs to be better, in many ways.

Mental health needs to be addressed in meaningful ways, but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

Mental health is an enormous problem in this country, and even health care professionals are largely incompetent in regards to it.

My life was destroyed because VHC released me completely psychotic. They knew I broke down repeatedly in their care; they knew I was malnourished to the point of losing 20 pounds in 2 weeks, not sleeping, and badly hypokalemic (among other issues with a bowel perforation). Did they run even the most basic mental health screening? Nah. When my wife reported I thought I was communicating with the government via Wordle, did they do anything? Nope.

It took years to come back from the aftermath. And of course the statute of limitations is 2 years for such malpractice.

 

[dlaloum]

and just think, with all that 'baggage' the Dems still couldn't defeat him last November. Sad , truly sad......

There is a reason the USA is considered a "Flawed Democracy" rather than a "Full Democracy"

The Economist Democracy Index - Wikipedia

I think it likely that in the next review of the Democracy Index the USA rating will drop further. Depending on how successful the Project 2025 attempts are, the USA may well drop to a "Hybrid Regime"

Definition of "Hybrid Regime":

Hybrid regimes are countries with regular electoral frauds, preventing them from being fair and free democracies. These countries commonly have governments that apply pressure on political opposition, non-independent judiciaries, widespread corruption, harassment and pressure placed on the media, anaemic rule of law, and more pronounced faults than flawed democracies in the realms of underdeveloped political culture, low levels of participation in politics, and issues in the functioning of governance.

 

[dlaloum]

The first few weeks of the fascist Trump administration has been boring, don't you think?

Always keep the chinese curse in mind: "May you live in interesting times"

 

[highfigh]

Mental health is an enormous problem in this country, and even health care professionals are largely incompetent in regards to it.

My life was destroyed because VHC released me completely psychotic. They knew I broke down repeatedly in their care; they knew I was malnourished to the point of losing 20 pounds in 2 weeks, not sleeping, and badly hypokalemic (among other issues with a bowel perforation). Did they run even the most basic mental health screening? Nah. When my wife reported I thought I was communicating with the government via Wordle, did they do anything? Nope.

It took years to come back from the aftermath. And of course the statute of limitations is 2 years for such malpractice.

I don't know what's happening all over, but Milwaukee is trying to make some changes and that's a good thing because this city has a lot of problems, mental health being one of the largest and most difficult to handle. We have several places for people to go, but when someone calls 911 or a non-emergency number and askes to be taken somewhere, it's not uncommon for the beds to be filled.

 

[Trell]

It's embarrassing for Gabbard and Ratcliffe, and does not inspire any confidence in them or the Trump administration.

>>>Democratic Senators question Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe about EIC of the Atlantic Jeffrey Goldberg being included in a group chat of Trump officials on the Signal app. <<<

 

[Trell]

A different take on the recent Trump Signal chat group f*ck up.

>>>What the White House REALLY Thinks about Europe:

In the days leading up to the recent strike on Yemeni Houthis, the White House accidentally added a report to a text chain. As a result, we have access the Trump administration's raw thoughts on a lot of different topics.

Today, we focus on Europe. Like all things Trump, it is a bit of a rollercoaster.

The White House sees Europe as owing something to the United States for the strike.

Simultaneously, though, it shows that the Trump administration is still willing to bear some costs to maintain the Western order. <<<

 

[GO-NAD!]

A different take on the recent Trump Signal chat group f*ck up.

>>>What the White House REALLY Thinks about Europe:

In the days leading up to the recent strike on Yemeni Houthis, the White House accidentally added a report to a text chain. As a result, we have access the Trump administration's raw thoughts on a lot of different topics.

Today, we focus on Europe. Like all things Trump, it is a bit of a rollercoaster.

The White House sees Europe as owing something to the United States for the strike.

Simultaneously, though, it shows that the Trump administration is still willing to bear some costs to maintain the Western order. <<<

From The Atlantic piece I posted yesterday:

A few minutes later, the “Michael Waltz” account posted a lengthy note about trade figures, and the limited capabilities of European navies. “Whether it’s now or several weeks from now, it will have to be the United States that reopens these shipping lanes. Per the president’s request we are working with DOD and State to determine how to compile the cost associated and levy them on the Europeans.”

The account identified as “JD Vance” addressed a message at 8:45 to @Pete Hegseth: “if you think we should do it let’s go. I just hate bailing Europe out again.” (The administration has argued that America’s European allies benefit economically from the U.S. Navy’s protection of international shipping lanes.)

The user identified as Hegseth responded three minutes later: “VP: I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC. But Mike is correct, we are the only ones on the planet (on our side of the ledger) who can do this. Nobody else even close. Question is timing. I feel like now is as good a time as any, given POTUS directive to reopen shipping lanes. I think we should go; but POTUS still retains 24 hours of decision space.”

At this point, the previously silent “S M” joined the conversation. “As I heard it, the president was clear: green light, but we soon make clear to Egypt and Europe what we expect in return. We also need to figure out how to enforce such a requirement. EG, if Europe doesn’t remunerate, then what? If the US successfully restores freedom of navigation at great cost there needs to be some further economic gain extracted in return.”

This operation looks like a completely American initiative. I don't think Europe submitted a request for the US to go and blow up a bunch of Houthis. How can they expect payment for something nobody asked them to do?

 

[Trell]

This operation looks like a completely American initiative. I don't think Europe submitted a request for the US to go and blow up a bunch of Houthis. How can they expect payment for something nobody asked them to do?

That is what MAGA Republicans believes, apparently: Disconnected from reality.

The author of the YouTube clip do make the point that US will have a benefit from unhindered transport to Europe, or elsewhere, as that reduces cost for consumers in USA.

 

[Mikado463]

Here Are the Attack Plans That Trump’s Advisers Shared on Signal

The administration has downplayed the importance of the text messages inadvertently sent to The Atlantic’s editor in chief.

www.theatlantic.com

while the Trump wingnuts say this isn't' classified, it sure as hell shouldn't be public info !

 

[highfigh]

From The Atlantic piece I posted yesterday:


This operation looks like a completely American initiative. I don't think Europe submitted a request for the US to go and blow up a bunch of Houthis. How can they expect payment for something nobody asked them to do?

Do they benefit from safe passage through that gulf? Askng for a friend. Wouldn't want to be accused of carrying someones' water, AGAIN.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Do they benefit from safe passage through that gulf? Askng for a friend. Wouldn't want to be accused of carrying someones' water, AGAIN.

If you come over and mow my lawn without me asking you to, do you think you have the right to demand payment?

 

[Trell]

Do they benefit from safe passage through that gulf? Askng for a friend. Wouldn't want to be accused of carrying someones' water, AGAIN.

Of course Europe benefits from safe passage and no one claims otherwise, but so does USA.

 

[Trell]

If you come over and mow my lawn without me asking you to, do you think you have the right to demand payment?

Of course not, but it would be very unfortunate if your house spontaneously caught fire and burned down.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)

Wow — Mike Waltz on Fox News suggests Jeffrey Goldberg somehow schemed his way into the Signal group instead of just being invited by accident

bsky.app

Invites Goldberg into chat group, gets exposed, then blames Goldberg. The Peter Principle at work.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Of course not, but it would be very unfortunate if your house spontaneously caught fire and burned down.

Indeed.

 

[highfigh]

If you come over and mow my lawn without me asking you to, do you think you have the right to demand payment?

Depends- do you have rogue neighbors who shoot at you and highjack your mower? If you're not able to do it for yourself, would you refuse to pay, or just expect it? If the latter, I would do it as a favor, although I might need a couple of buck for gas and tollways, to drive there.

The difference isn't small- mowing a lawn is rarely a life-threatening task. It also doesn't involve large fuel leaks and other environmental damage.