Archive: February 2025
Daily outrage
So, POTUS47 just went on TV with a war criminal and declared that he wants the United States to occupy the Gaza strip in perpetuity. What was it Vizzini said in The Princess Bride? "You fell victim to one of the classic blunders—the most famous of which is 'never get involved in a land war in Asia,' but only slightly less well-known is this: 'Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!'" OK, one could argue (incorrectly) that Israel and Gaza aren't in Asia, and yes, neither Netanyahu or Hamas or the PLO or anyone like that is Sicilian. But here's 47 going all in on both of those "classic blunders." (I'm realizing as I type this that Vizzini dies right after he says that line, so maybe this isn't the best reference. Still.)
It's just another day in the USA under POTUS47. Outrageous behavior from the executive branch of government? Check. Illegal acts committed and/or proposed? Check.
But despite all that happened today, the thing I keep going back to is the language in the memos. I refer to the memos from Unelected Elon to the entire Federal workforce, one to Inspectors General, and one gutting the FBI.
The first one, the "Fork in the Road" memo that cribbed much of its language from an email Elon used to fire employees at Twitter, says that POTUS47 has "reformed the federal hiring process to focus on merit," which is a line that should precede the loudest and longest laugh track ever recorded. More importantly, it also says that "employees will be subject to enhanced standards of suitability and conduct as we move forward," while leaving to the reader's imagination what is and is not "suitable" and what conduct fits what standard. It's the line that puts the lie to the prior one about merit-based hiring: Going forward, "merit" is equated with the "enhanced standards of suitability and conduct," which will not relate to competence or productivity in civil service work. That was the old, not-enhanced standard. The new, enhanced standards relate to toadyism and willingness to commit crimes and one's level of resistance to inflicting harm.
Next, the IG memo, which attempts to illegally fire Inspectors General "due to changing priorities." The Office of Inspector General was established to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in the executive branch. That is their only job. Therefore, firing them "due to changing priorities" is an admission that this new regime is in favor of waste, fraud, and abuse.
Then the decapitation if law enforcement. Department of Justice prosecutors were fired because, according to the memo, "the leadership of the Department [cannot] trust you to assist in implementing the President’s agenda faithfully." Well, guess what, that is not the job of anyone in the Department of Justice. The DOJ and the FBI are supposed to be apolitical, independent agencies. They are wholly unconcerned with implementing the agenda of any president. The memo here admits in broad daylight that this regime is opposed to law. Boiled down, this memo says quite plainly that the agenda they wish to implement is against the law, therefore these people that enforce the law must be fired.
It boggles the mind that we haven't heard from any elected officials that the 47 regime has declared out in the open that they intend to crime all day long for every day they're in power.
Yes, some have been quite properly expressed outrage over the specifics of these firings and other illegal actions. Adam Schiff has been awesome, a number of Congresspeople have stepped up. But someone needs to get on a less granual messaging campaign highlighting the fact that the regime has overtly declared itself to be unlawful, criminal, and tyrannical.
And charges need to be brought. Articles of impeachment need to be drawn up. Will they succeed? Likely not, but that doesn't mean you don't act. This isn't frivolous, this isn't petty, this isn't the sort of made-up bullshit grievance whining that Republicans have engaged in since Gingrich. This is real, and Democrats need to stand up to the bullies across the aisle and not be cowed by Republican hypocrisy and gaslighting.
Posted on February 4, 2025 at 6:15PM | Permalink | 
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In which I parrot Craig C again
An neo-Nazi has staged a coup and it must not stand
I was going to write a bit of a screed today about how Elon has completely upended critical parts of the Federal government in defiance of law and without any authority to do so. I hadn't quite landed on how to articulate it, though, by the time I read today's edition of Craig Calcaterra's "Cup of Coffee." And, once more, Craig said what I would have said, only better. So I'll simply share his words with a "yes, 100% that" concurrence.
Since Friday, people working for Elon Musk, who do not appear to be government employees of any kind, have taken over the United States Treasury's and the Office of Personnel Management's payment mechanisms, have downloaded the most sensitive personal information of millions of Americans imaginable to private servers, and have locked actual government employees out.
Musk and his people have also taken over the General Services Administration, which is the agency responsible for government contracting. Which means he has taken possession of all the financial and personal information of everyone who does business with the federal government, including the details of government contracts, bids, company filings, and other information.
Musk and his people also have taken over the U.S. Agency for International Development, specifically taking control of its security systems, personnel files, and intelligence reports much of which is classified information and which pertains to thousands upon thousands of U.S. government workers operating overseas, many in classified roles. When Musk's people arrived at USAID headquarters its security officials, quite properly, attempted to bar access. Musk's people threatened to call in U.S. Marshalls and take the information at gunpoint, after which they forced their way in, took possession of the information they sought, and placed USAID officials on leave.
Which is to say, Elon Musk has, unilaterally and without any legal authority whatsoever:
- Unlawfully taken control of the United States Treasury and intends to unilaterally cut off payments to disfavored populations both here and abroad in defiance of Congress, the courts, and the American people;
- Unlawfully taken possession of personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans and thousands of U.S. government workers and has unlawfully downloaded that data to his private servers; and
- Unlawfully obtained the financial and personal information of everyone who does business with the federal government, including classified information.
It is impossible to overstate the levels of illegality we're witnessing. Off the top of my head this would appear constitute theft of U.S. government property, theft of public funds, the violation of taxpayer confidentiality, the unlawful releasing of names, sources, and methods of U.S. overseas activity, and I'm sure multiple other offenses. Just as it is impossible to overstate the illegality, it is likewise impossible to overstate the seriousness of this situation. If any other person or actor had done even a fraction of what Elon Musk and those at his command have done over the past three days they would find themselves in federal prison for decades if not for life.
That being said, I honestly don't know what can possibly be done here given Trump's dictatorial control over government right now, the certainty that he would prevent the DOJ, FBI, or any other authority from investigating any of this, and the certainty that he would issue preemptive pardons for Musk and his team should anyone even think about snooping around. But a coup has occurred. A coup perpetrated by a drug-addled Nazi sympathizer and a small team of extremely young men who likely have no idea how many laws they have broken, even if that's no defense to their crimes. The nightmare will not end unless and until Elon Musk and those he has ordered to infiltrate the United States government are in shackles.
Every Democratic Member of Congress, starting with ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, Elizabeth Warren, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden, and the ranking members of committees dealing with national security and government contracting should be holding emergency news conferences, raising the alarm, and demanding access to federal facilities, with TV cameras in tow, so it can be documented what they find or, more likely, how they are unlawfully turned away. As for the rest of us: this is the sort of thing for which a general strike is the only possible response, not that I expect such a thing could be effectively pulled off in this country.
Honestly, though, I have no idea what happens next. We are in completely uncharted waters. Nothing like this has ever happened in this history of the United States. But something has to happen in response.
Tagged
Politics,
Craig Calcaterra,
President VonClownstick |
Posted on February 3, 2025 at 5:02PM | Permalink | |
Bright spots in the gloom
Mack the anti-knife
As POTUS47 and his criminal coterie continue to wreak havoc and destruction upon our very way of life, people can still enjoy themselves. I mean, many of us can, and, you know, for now. We'll see if that remains true in a few months.
But this past Saturday, fun was had. My friend Mack McCoy and I—yes, I have tried calling him "Bones," but it just doesn't stick—share a birthday, and Mack had dibs on celebrating on the nearest Saturday to it this time around. And he didn't skimp. Mack rented out the Northwest Room at Ray's Boathouse for the evening and hosted upwards of 60 people with food, drink, and karaoke. I can't fathom what that must have cost, but it weren't cheap and despite my having been shunted to a corner with eight of my softball teammates with no table or chairs when dinner came around (due to some snafu with counting RSVPs and/or crashers of the plus-more-than-1 variety) we all greatly appreciated it. As Mack put it to me, "I had a good year, and this seemed like a good way to share a bit of that." Mack the mensch.
After the program, which consisted of some silliness and some speechifying by a few folks and a rendition of "Rocket Mack" (apologies to Bernie Taupin), and the very good meal nine of us ate while standing in a corner of a tented patio while everyone else was seated comfortably in the main room, Mack kicked off the karaoke portion of the evening, as that's one of his go-to activities. It was largely as one might expect such a thing to be, especially when there's an open bar. And Mack choosing to sing "The Warrior" was somehow incongruous; that's, I don't know, a Mack-from-the-mirror-universe thing. I was convinced to participate—Men at Work's "Overkill," which was sort of within my range, and The Traveling Wilburys' "End of the Line," which was not—and though I am certain I sounded horrible, I'm equally certain I was no more horrible than anyone else that got up there.
More than anything, though, it was a good excuse to hang out with all of my teammates from the Smiling Potatoes of Death softball squad and enjoy the company of some really swell folks. As well as have a good meal on Mack's dime.
A nice respite form the chaos and calamities of the greater world.
Tagged
Friends,
Softball |
Posted on February 3, 2025 at 4:49PM | Permalink | |