Trump's Second Term

[dasmiller]

Elon says of Judge Engelmayer

@elonmusk

A corrupt judge protecting corruption.

He needs to be impeached NOW!

This supports my theory about what's happening. Trump & Co aren't doing a bunch of crazy stuff to distract and confuse the opposition. Instead, the crazy stuff is a way to identify those who aren't fully MAGA so that they can be purged and the system tweaked to avoid such problems in the future. Then do some more crazy stuff . . . and eventually the government will be fully compliant.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

I see it more like everyone trying to get their pet project done before the first polls about the popularity of the actions come in.

 

[Chris_Halkides]

Medicinal chemist and longtime blogger at Science Derek Lowe wrote, "(2) I have a report from someone who had a paper already reviewed, accepted, and posted at a Sage journal who received an unexpected communication from a staffer at the publisher. They asked that the paper be revised at this point to replace any of "gender" with "sex" and to delete all mentions of words such as nonbinary, inclusivity, etc. Otherwise, they said that they would pull the paper, citing the provision of EO 14168 (which is the one going after transgender rights). The faculty member who got this notice was taken aback, since the study that the paper describes was not federally funded in any way (!)...(3) The situation around NIH and NSF study sessions and advisory panels remains chaotic. I frankly have been unable to put together a coherent picture amid the freezes, cancellations, postponements, and reschedulings that are being reported."

The Guardian wrote, "The National Institutes of Health (NIH) said that it was reducing the amount of “indirect” medical research funding going to institutions, which will cut spending by $4bn a year. A limit of 15% of grants awarded to institutions will be allowed for associated costs such as buildings, equipment and support staff. This is a major reduction on what was previously allowed under the NIH grant system...Democrats also criticized the decision, which follows a broader freeze on some research grants imposed by the Trump administration."

I don't know what to say.

 

[Chris_Halkides]

In an earlier post Derek Lowe wrote, "And if the NIH granting apparatus is "paused" for as little as two months, things will indeed begin to fall apart as the effects roll down to the universities and research groups involved, disrupting the entire biomedical academic research structure across the country." Dr. Lowe has been employed by industry his whole career if I am not mistaken.

 

[Tero]

I see it more like everyone trying to get their pet project done before the first polls about the popularity of the actions come in.

The senators up for election in 2026 may be slightly concerned. The house is a bit disorganized and there may be more fear. But as Trump is out for revenge, he for sure does not fear anything beyond 2028. He may even be grooming a successor to carry on his program of extreme white poeple world. it is not Vance. That may be problemtic. But if they purge a lot of old guys, there may be an endless supply of tech bros to carry on the mission.

 

[The Don]

In an earlier post Derek Lowe wrote, "And if the NIH granting apparatus is "paused" for as little as two months, things will indeed begin to fall apart as the effects roll down to the universities and research groups involved, disrupting the entire biomedical academic research structure across the country." Dr. Lowe has been employed by industry his whole career if I am not mistaken.

Medical researchers are highly skilled, highly mobile and in high demand. If the US is unwilling to fund research there are plenty of other countries who are willing to do so.

After Brexit, the UK was in a somewhat similar position with EU funded grants being withdrawn and the UK government choosing not to provide funding instead. The short term impact was a "brain drain", primarily to the EU. It's too early to say what the long term effect will be, but it can't help UK-based companies for the research to take place elsewhere.

Of course Trump complains that the US subsidises the rest of the world's medical research and that as a result US prices are high (untrue, but the truth is unpalatable) so he'll be delighted that the rest of the world is having to pay its own way (in his view). He'll be long out of office when the true effects are felt.

 

[The Don]

The senators up for election in 2026 may be slightly concerned. The house is a bit disorganized and there may be more fear. But as Trump is out for revenge, he for sure does not fear anything beyond 2028. He may even be grooming a successor to carry on his program of extreme white poeple world. it is not Vance. That may be problemtic. But if they purge a lot of old guys, there may be an endless supply of tech bros to carry on the mission.

They may be, but for the vast majority the biggest risk is being primaried and even those who are in states where GOP voter suppression hasn't worked enough and it's a competitive race, you have to get past the primary before you can stand. They will have to be full on MAGA to be selected these days.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

The senators up for election in 2026 may be slightly concerned. The house is a bit disorganized and there may be more fear. But as Trump is out for revenge, he for sure does not fear anything beyond 2028. He may even be grooming a successor to carry on his program of extreme white poeple world. it is not Vance. That may be problemtic. But if they purge a lot of old guys, there may be an endless supply of tech bros to carry on the mission.

penguins on the icefloe problem: all of them would like to make sure Trump doesn't torpedo their election chances, but none want to be the first to complain publicly about it, knowing that the first few will get eviscerated on Truth Social etc.

 

[zooterkin]

Project 2025 in comic book form, for those who prefer pictures with their dystopian future.

Stop Project 2025 Comic

Trump's Project 2025 is a detailed plan to shut you up, and shut you out. Don’t let it do either. Read on, then vote.

stopproject2025comic.org

 

[Tero]

aaron.rupar


BASH: I remember a time when Republicans were very careful about the government having access to personal data
NOEM: Well, we can't trust the government anymore
BASH: You are the government

Aaron Rupar (@aaron.rupar) on Threads

BASH: I remember a time when Republicans were very careful about the government having access to personal data NOEM: Well, we can't trust the government anymore BASH: You are the government

www.threads.net

 

[Tero]

stonekettle
https://www.threads.net/@stonekettle/post/DF28DoXRD9a
Trump, Musk, the American wealthy, they look to Russia and they see raw capitalism run by a dictator and owned by unrestrained oligarchs who stole massive wealth and power by looting the Soviet Union when it collapsed. Now they rule over erstwhile proletarians who thought they would be free, but simply traded brutal incompetent communist oppression for ruthless unfettered violent cunning capitalist oppression.And that's exactly what Trump and Musk want for America.

Jim Wright (@stonekettle) on Threads

Trump, Musk, the American wealthy, they look to Russia and they see raw capitalism run by a dictator and owned by unrestrained oligarchs who stole massive wealth and power by looting the Soviet Union when it collapsed. Now they rule over erstwhile proletarians who thought they would be free, but...

www.threads.net

two posts above that cover Musk

 

[Andy_Ross]

Mike Waltz on US aid to Ukraine: "We need to recoup those costs. And that is going to be a partnership with the Ukrainians in terms of their rare earth, their natural resources, and their oil and gas and also buying ours."

Video in link

https://twitter.com/x/status/1888623224553889870

 

[Planigale]

Medicinal chemist and longtime blogger at Science Derek Lowe wrote, "(2) I have a report from someone who had a paper already reviewed, accepted, and posted at a Sage journal who received an unexpected communication from a staffer at the publisher. They asked that the paper be revised at this point to replace any of "gender" with "sex" and to delete all mentions of words such as nonbinary, inclusivity, etc. Otherwise, they said that they would pull the paper, citing the provision of EO 14168 (which is the one going after transgender rights). The faculty member who got this notice was taken aback, since the study that the paper describes was not federally funded in any way (!)...(3) The situation around NIH and NSF study sessions and advisory panels remains chaotic. I frankly have been unable to put together a coherent picture amid the freezes, cancellations, postponements, and reschedulings that are being reported."

The Guardian wrote, "The National Institutes of Health (NIH) said that it was reducing the amount of “indirect” medical research funding going to institutions, which will cut spending by $4bn a year. A limit of 15% of grants awarded to institutions will be allowed for associated costs such as buildings, equipment and support staff. This is a major reduction on what was previously allowed under the NIH grant system...Democrats also criticized the decision, which follows a broader freeze on some research grants imposed by the Trump administration."

I don't know what to say.

If the UK had any sense they'd announce visa for US bioscientists who wished to relocate, and promise a special tranche of funding to support on-going research by leading bio-scientists wishing to relocate to the UK. Perhaps particularly vaccinologists, genetic researchers, evolutionary biologists who may be particularly vulnerable to the MAGA views on science.

 

[dirtywick]

stonekettle
https://www.threads.net/@stonekettle/post/DF28DoXRD9a
Trump, Musk, the American wealthy, they look to Russia and they see raw capitalism run by a dictator and owned by unrestrained oligarchs who stole massive wealth and power by looting the Soviet Union when it collapsed. Now they rule over erstwhile proletarians who thought they would be free, but simply traded brutal incompetent communist oppression for ruthless unfettered violent cunning capitalist oppression.And that's exactly what Trump and Musk want for America.

Jim Wright (@stonekettle) on Threads

Trump, Musk, the American wealthy, they look to Russia and they see raw capitalism run by a dictator and owned by unrestrained oligarchs who stole massive wealth and power by looting the Soviet Union when it collapsed. Now they rule over erstwhile proletarians who thought they would be free, but...

www.threads.net

two posts above that cover Musk

i don’t think these capitalists are proving to be any more competent than the communists. when i look at all the problems the us is facing, what’s caused them, and who’s stopping anyone from taking action to solve them, there’s rich guys paying lobbyists to do all of it.

and i don’t see anything happening now that’s going to end up helping anyone. firing half the government and taking all the money isn’t going to make my life better. if anything…

 

[Planigale]

Medical researchers are highly skilled, highly mobile and in high demand. If the US is unwilling to fund research there are plenty of other countries who are willing to do so.

After Brexit, the UK was in a somewhat similar position with EU funded grants being withdrawn and the UK government choosing not to provide funding instead. The short term impact was a "brain drain", primarily to the EU. It's too early to say what the long term effect will be, but it can't help UK-based companies for the research to take place elsewhere.

Of course Trump complains that the US subsidises the rest of the world's medical research and that as a result US prices are high (untrue, but the truth is unpalatable) so he'll be delighted that the rest of the world is having to pay its own way (in his view). He'll be long out of office when the true effects are felt.

Whilst I did not support Brexit this is untrue (although was a concern at the time).

https://www.science.org/content/article/brexit-deal-secures-uk-access-european-research-funds

 

[zooterkin]

Whilst I did not support Brexit this is untrue (although was a concern at the time).

https://www.science.org/content/article/brexit-deal-secures-uk-access-european-research-funds

It wasn't that simple. The UK was outside Horizon for 3 years until a deal was actually sorted out, which did affect UK research.

UK’s years out of EU Horizon programme did ‘untold damage’, say scientists

Relief at rejoining flagship research scheme tempered by anger over loss of top academics since Brexit

www.theguardian.com

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9925/

 

[The Great Zaganza]

Chinese and Europeans will be happy for scientists to abandon the US for them.

 

[Darat]

The senators up for election in 2026 may be slightly concerned. The house is a bit disorganized and there may be more fear. But as Trump is out for revenge, he for sure does not fear anything beyond 2028. He may even be grooming a successor to carry on his program of extreme white poeple world. it is not Vance. That may be problemtic. But if they purge a lot of old guys, there may be an endless supply of tech bros to carry on the mission.

Dictators always favour the young.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

Next financial meltdown incoming, more hidden fees, higher payday loan rates:

Trump’s acting chief of federal financial watchdog orders staff to pause activity

Russell Vought is now acting head of CFPB, created in wake of 2008 financial crash to supervise financial companies

www.theguardian.com

Russell Vought, Donald Trump’s newly installed acting head of the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, announced on Saturday he had cut off the agency’s budget and reportedly instructed staff to suspend all activities including the supervision of companies overseen by the agency.

The CFPB, which Congress created in the wake of the 2008 financial crash, supervises consumer-facing financial companies like banks, title lenders, mortgage originators and cash transfer services to prevent unfair, deceptive and abusive practices and other predatory conduct.

another major data point that Trump's base is Corporate America, not this voters.

 

[Regnad Kcin]

The Pentagon just announced that it would double the number of news organizations removed from physical offices to make room for MAGA propaganda media outlets.

OUT: The New York Times, Politico, NPR, The Washington Post, CNN, NBC, The Hill, The War Zone

IN: Breitbart, The New York Post, The Washington Examiner, OAN, Newsmax, HuffPost, The Free Press, The Daily Caller

https://twitter.com/x/status/1888262551101726971

All while ABC and CBS roll on their backs to expose their bellies (and wallets) to Trump’s lawsuit threats.