Trump's Second Term

party affiliation counts less than voting record.


Exactly and thank you.

I'm retired and spend half my time (when I'm not doing the final edit on my last novel) in the MSN and fox entertainment forums defending dems, but that doesn't matter much to some of the willfully stupid and ignorant folks here.

As a matter of fact, I very, very rarely vote for any of my fellow republicans because most of them are either mean, stupid, vindictive, hypocritical, or lying idiots like the fat clown and his maga weirdoes.


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Although the headline is over the top, there is some decent analysis in the piece.

I found another source that rates better on the Media Bias Fact Check site:


Democracy Docket said:
President Donald Trump signed a sweeping order Tuesday that, if it stands, would vastly expand the executive branch’s power over federal elections and could potentially disenfranchise millions. The move is certain to be swiftly challenged in court.

The order attempts to wrest control from the states, which are primarily responsible for regulating and administering elections for federal office, while punishing states that do not comply. It also attempts to make registering to vote more difficult.

The order also directs that states which accept ballots that arrive after election day — a common practice used states like California, Illinois and Nevada — would lose federal funds to support their election operations.

As with most of Trump's executive orders, the devil is in the details. What looks good when scanned superficially turns out quite the opposite when examined in detail.

This is a blatant attempt to wrest the ability of states to run their elections and put it into federal hands. The curious thing about this is here in Canada federal elections are a federal responsibility through Elections Canada, and I don't know anyone in Canada who is concerned about it.

And this from the same administration that wants to give up all control of education and hand it over to the states.

In light of this information, I have changed the score on this item from +1 to -1.
 

Reports of an attempted deportation of a Putin critic back to Russia
 
Because they keep bending to his insanity, trump has issued another EO targetting a law firm, this time WilmerHale, where Robert Mueller used to be a partner.

I know Perkins Coie got a judge to freeze the one targetting them, but I'm hearing that they also bowed down and offered pro bono work (although I'm partially certain it's been confused with Paul, Weiss)
 
Executive order: Executive Grant of Clemency for Devon Archer

And who is Devon Archer? A convicted fraudster who swindled a Native American tribe out of $60 million:

Wikipedia said:
In 2015, Archer and his associates, including Jason Galanis and his father, John, urged the Oglala Nation, a Native American tribe in South Dakota, to issue $60 million of bonds. They used the funds from the bond sale for themselves, instead of investing the money for the benefit of the Oglala community. Archer illegally transferred $20 million of the proceeds through his real estate company, Rosemont Seneca "to satisfy the net capital requirements of two other Archer-controlled companies".

A federal jury in Manhattan convicted Archer of securities fraud in 2018. In 2019, U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams overturned the verdict and ordered a new trial for Archer. In October 2020, federal prosecutors appealed Abrams' decision to a three-judge panel of the which ordered that Archer be sentenced for the 2018 conviction of securities fraud and conspiracy.

On February 28, 2022, Judge Abrams sentenced him to a year and a day in prison for misuse of bond funds issued by an economic-development corporation affiliated the with Oglala Sioux tribe. Archer was also ordered to make restitution to fund investors of over $43 million. His petition to appeal the conviction was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in late January 2024.
The order also appears to state Archer doesn't have to pay any restitution for this crime.
 
Executive order: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs

This is massive attack on labour rights in the US government. Under the pretense of re-classifying jobs of these workers as having "as a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work," a vast swath of the Federal Service is now excluded from protections afforded them by Subchapter X of Chapter 52 of title 22.

According to an AI chatbot, Title 22, Chapter 52, Subchapter X includes the following:
pi.ai chatbot said:
Subchapter X of Chapter 52 of Title 22 of the United States Code is titled "Labor-Management Relations" and it covers sections 4101 to 4118. This subchapter deals with various aspects of labor relations within the Foreign Service, including:
  • The right of workers to organize, bargain collectively, and participate in labour organizations.
  • Unfair labor practices and standards of conduct for labour organizations.
  • Administrative provisions related to labour-management relations.
In essence, this subchapter aims to protect the rights of workers in the Foreign Service and ensure fair labour practices.

A lot of faces are going to be eaten by this. Here is a partial list of agencies involved:

1-401. The Department of State.
1-402. The Department of Defense, except for any subdivisions excluded pursuant to section 4 of the Executive Order of March 27, 2025, entitled ‘Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs.’
1-403. The Department of the Treasury, except the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
1-404. The Department of Veterans Affairs.
1-405. The Department of Justice.

1-406. Agencies or subdivisions of the Department of Health and Human Services:
(a) Office of the Secretary.
(b) Food and Drug Administration.
(c) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(d) Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.
(e) Office of the General Counsel.
(f) Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families.
(g) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.

1-407. Agencies or subdivisions of the Department of Homeland Security:
(a) Office of the Secretary.
(b) Office of the General Counsel.
(c) Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans.
(d) Management Directorate.
(e) Science and Technology Directorate.
(f) Office of Health Security.
(g) Office of Homeland Security Situational Awareness.
(h) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
(i) United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
(j) United States Coast Guard.
(k) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
(l) Federal Emergency Management Agency.

1-408. Agencies or subdivisions of the Department of the Interior:
(a) Office of the Secretary.
(b) Bureau of Land Management.
(c) Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.
(d) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

1-409. The Department of Energy, except for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

1-410. The following agencies or subdivisions of the Department of Agriculture:
(a) Food Safety and Inspection Service.
(b) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

1-411. The International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
1-412. The Environmental Protection Agency.
1-413. The United States Agency for International Development.
1-414. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
1-415. The National Science Foundation.
1-416. The United States International Trade Commission.
1-417. The Federal Communications Commission.
1-418. The General Services Administration.
 
Executive Order: Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History

As can be expected, the order is to basically whitewash American history by expunging references to racism, sexism, and discrimination against non-white, non-Christian, and non-heterosexual people.


I wonder if he'll do anything with the chair (stored and sometimes displayed at the Smithsonian) Archie Bunker used to sit in during the All in the Family 1970s sit-com.

In the show, Carroll O'Connor played Bunker, a homophobic racist, who was constantly made fun of by his son-n-law, "Meathead" (played by Rob Reiner), because of his stupid beliefs and ideas about colored folks and gays.


ETA: One of my favorite episodes was when Archie went on a rant about gays, asking this famous football player friend (I can't remember his name right now) why men couldn't be real men like he was. He floored Archie when he told him he was gay---but TBH, that episode might've been on the sequel (Archie Bunker's Place) and not the original show itself.


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I won't say this is the dumbest thing the Trump administration has done but its competitive:
U.S. to block Canadians from entering border-straddling library

Good news: Border-straddling library raises $140K for renovations after U.S. limits Canadian access

They're working to renovate a little-used side door, currently an emergency exit, into the main entrance for Canadians.

CBC said:
Library officials in Stanstead, Que., are full of gratitude after receiving more than $140,000 in donations — including from celebrated author Louise Penny — to help renovate the entrance to the library that straddles the border with the United States.

"It is crazy. It's overwhelming …I have contractors starting working," said Sylvie Boudreau, president of the library's board of trustees.

Built in 1904, the Haskell Free Library and Opera House needs to renovate an emergency exit to become an accessible main entrance for Canadians after the U.S. government announced it is limiting access to that entrance, which is located steps into Derby Line, Vt.
 
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As of the close of the day on March 27, my positive/negative score on the Trump administration stands at -383.

27 March 2025
-1: Headline: 'Strong Baghdad Bob energy': Trump spokeswoman's latest denial elicits instant mockery (Raw Story)
-1: Trump calls for defunding NPR and PBS [116]
-1: Executive Order: Executive Grant of Clemency for Devon Archer, who swindled a Native Tribe out $60 million
-1: Executive Order: Addressing Risks From WilmerHale (yet another revenge attack on a law firm)
-1: Executive Order: Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History
-1: Executive Order: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs

References:

116. Trump: NPR and PBS, two horrible and completely biased platforms (Networks!), should be don't miss this opportunity to DEFUNDED by Congress, IMMEDIATELY. Republicans, Verified SCAM, both being arms of the Radical Left Democrat Party. JUST SAY NO AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!

26 March 2025
-1: Trump threatens Europe if they assist Canada in doing economic harm to the United States" [109]
-1: Headline: Trump turns homelessness response away from housing, toward forced treatment (CBS)
-1: Headline: Trump going ahead with 25% tariffs on autos (CBC)
-1: Musk is handing out million dollar prizes to people supporting his petition against activist judges in Wisconsin [110]
-1: Trump shows his typical restrained Presidential style (yeah, right!) in a message posted to Truth Social [111]
-1: Headline: Surveillance video shows moment Tufts student is arrested by federal agents (CNN)
-1: DOGE's '5 things' email requirement for federal employees bounce because the mailbox is full [112]
-1: Trump sends out a strange message about what appears to be support for in-vitro fertilization [113]
-1: Trump plans to restart coal mining, despite the fact natural gas is eating coal's lunch [114]
-1: Administration claims Signal leak was "hoax," and the texts were "attack plans" and not "war plans" [115]

References:

109. Musk: Exciting to announce our first million dollar award for supporting our petition against activist judges in Wisconsin! Next million dollar award will be announced in 2 days.

110. Trump: In the Great State of Wisconsin, a Radical Left Democrat, one who is insistent on bringing hardened CRIMINALS, that we removed to far away places, back into our Country, allowing men into women's sports, Open Borders, and more, is running against a strong, Common Sense Republican, JUST CALL HIM BRAD, for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. It's a really big and important race, and could have much to do with the future of our Country. Get out and VOTE, NOW, for the Republican Candidate - BRAD!!!

111. Trump on X: If the European Union works with Canada in order to do economic harm to the USA, large scale Tariffs, far larger than currently planned, will be placed on them both in order to protect the best friend that each of those two countries has ever had!

112. Headline: Tech issues hit DOGE's '5 things' email requirement for federal employees [CBS]

113. Trump: "We're gonna have tremendous goodies in the bag for women too. The women, between the fertilization and all the other things we're talking about, it's gonna be great. Fertilization. I'm still very proud of it, I don't care. I'll be known as the fertilization president and that's okay."

114. Trump: We're opening up our coals mines again ... we don't like the wind because we think it ruins the landscapes, the plains. It ruins them ... it looks horrible in the oceans.

115. Karoline Leavitt, on X: "The Atlantic has conceded: these were NOT 'war plans.' This entire story was another hoax written by a Trump-hater who is well-known for his sensationalist spin."
 
Donald has signed an executive order targeting the Smithsonian Institution

The order directs the vice-president to "eliminate improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology" from the institute's museums, centres and the National Zoo in Washington.

It also directs the interior secretary to restore federal properties, including parks, memorials and statues, which "have been improperly removed or changed in the last five years to perpetuate a false revision of history

 
The order is titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History". It says that Vice-President JD Vance, who became a member of the Smithsonian Board of Regents due to his position in government, will lead the purge.

Trump's order says that Congress should not fund Smithsonian exhibits and programmes that "divide Americans by race".

It alleges that the American Women's History Museum, which is in development, plans to "recognize men as women".

It also singles out the National Museum of African American History and Culture, saying that the museum "has proclaimed that 'hard work,' 'individualism,' and 'the nuclear family' are aspects of 'White culture'."

The museum opened in 2016 in Washington as former President Barack Obama, America's first black president, was leaving office.
 

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