Trump's Second Term

[EHocking]

I think they will just keep the swastika.

And won’t even bother arguing which direction it is pointing

 

[Aridas]

*sigh*

US FDA suspends milk quality tests amid workforce cuts

I consume a lot of milk, so this is one of those ugh things. Nowhere close to as bad as so much of the rest, but here's hoping not to get diarrhea randomly as a direct result of Trump and Musk being saboteurs.

 

[arthwollipot]

Ever notice when he makes a statement like this he always says it three times?

Rule of three (writing) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The most basic principle of speechmaking: Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you just told them.

 

[sinnikal]

*sigh*

US FDA suspends milk quality tests amid workforce cuts

I consume a lot of milk, so this is one of those ugh things. Nowhere close to as bad as so much of the rest, but here's hoping not to get diarrhea randomly as a direct result of Trump and Musk being saboteurs.

Don't forget the possibility of Brucellosis. Pretty nasty, not common, but if your milk is unpasteurized there is still the risk. I was part of the government agency that was tasked to eliminate it from the UK herd in the 1970's . I've never drunk raw milk since then. We had access to raw milk at the lab where we had our own herd of control cattle. Loved it then, not now.

Sorry, ◊◊◊◊◊◊ quotes

 

[Safe-Keeper]

So, what science will still be outlawed in the US soon?
The Trump administration is already deleting data concerning climate chance see: this article by the BBC
And any social science that indicates any sexuality except heterosexual is getting a similar treatment.
Not to mention the RFK crusade against any form of healthcare except 'natural'.

So what is next? Geology? After all it goes against the bible.
Genetics? After all, it goes against the bible.
Psychology? After all, pray the problems away is better
Economics? After all, they nay-say the lord and saviour of the US
Anything that involves any critical thinking at all?

American Taliban. Or a fusion of the Taliban and the Nazis.

 

[Aridas]

Next up, something more related to the anti-DEI push.

The order, titled Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy, frames itself as a defense of "colorblind" principles, arguing that policies considering race or gender in any way— even unintentionally— undermine meritocracy. But legal experts and activists warn that the directive could gut enforcement of landmark civil rights laws, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by making it nearly impossible to challenge discriminatory practices that disproportionately harm marginalized groups.

At its core, the order takes aim at disparate-impact liability a legal doctrine that allows plaintiffs to challenge policies that are neutral on their face but have a discriminatory effect. For example, if a hiring test disproportionately screens out Black applicants despite being unrelated to job performance, disparate-impact theory allows courts to intervene.


What does Trump’s order actually do?
- Revokes key civil rights regulations from the 1960s and 1970s that authorized disparate-impact enforcement under Title VI (which bars discrimination in federally funded programs) and Title VII (which covers employment discrimination).
- Directs federal agencies to deprioritize enforcing civil rights laws that rely on disparate-impact claims, including in housing, lending, and employment.
- Orders a review of all pending civil rights cases based on disparate impact, signaling an intent to drop or weaken such cases.
- Encourages challenges to state-level civil rights laws that use disparate-impact standards.

Civil rights groups immediately condemned the move, calling it a rollback of foundational protections.

*sigh*

 

[Jack by the hedge]

Did anyone notice today the change from "90 deals in 90 days" to "we have 18 proposals on paper"

I had missed that, but his 90 day "pauses" have expired, so... what now?

 

[Andy_Ross]

Leavitt: And President Trump has brought hundreds of countries now from around the world to the negotiating table. We have 18 proposals on paper…. This is the art of the deal. President Trump is using the leverage of the United States to bring nations to the negotiating table. That includes China

https://twitter.com/x/status/1915109107641757891

 

[The Great Zaganza]

I am reminded of the empty binders

 

[Pixel42]

I had missed that, but his 90 day "pauses" have expired, so... what now?

They were announced less than three weeks ago.

ETA: we might be thinking of different 90 day pauses.

 

[Jack by the hedge]

They were announced less than three weeks ago.

ETA: we might be thinking of different 90 day pauses.

Sorry, yes, the magic sharpie only casts its spell for 90 days at a time. His day 1 "pause" on e.g. USAID has run out.

 

[Blue Mountain]

As of the close of the day on April 23, my positive/negative score on the Trump administration stands at -529.

There was a bumper crop of seven executive orders today. Most I scored as zero simply because I don't want to take the time to analyze them closely. One I scored at +1 because a quick reading doesn't raise any red flags. The order titled Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy I scored as zero, but a subsequent headline from the Daily Kos indicates it could be dismantling a crucial part of the 1964 Civil Rights act, and item that has a -1 score.

23 April 2025
+1: Executive Order: Preparing Americans for High-paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future
0: Executive Order: Transparency Regarding Foreign Influence at American Universities
0: Executive Order: Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education
0: Executive Order: White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
0: Executive Order: Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth
0: Executive Order: Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy (but see Daily Kos headline below)
-1: Executive Order: Reinstating Common Sense School Discipline Policies (-1 for “common sense”)
-1: Headline: ‘Devastated’: GOP governor begs Trump to reconsider disaster aid (Raw Story)
-1: Trump lies yet again about eggs coming down in price [164]
-1: Headline: The Trump Administration’s War on Children (ProPublica) [165]
-1: Headline: China sends Boeing planes back to US over tariffs (BBC)
-1: Headline: Trump’s ‘attack’ on the IRS could cost the government $1 trillion [over the next decade] (Business Insider)
-1: Headline: Trump administration looking at $5,000 ‘baby bonus’ to incentivize public to have more children (ABC News) [166]
-1: Headline: Trump Warned by Walmart, Target, and Home Depot CEOs that Disastrous Tariff Policy will Lead to ‘Empty Shelves’ (Medialife)
-1: Headline: Wife of wrongly deported Maryland man Kilmar Abrego Garcia forced into safe house after government posts address online (The Independent)
-1: Headline: US FDA suspends milk quality tests amid workforce cuts (Reuters)
-1: Headline: Trump signs executive order to dismantle the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Daily Kos)

References

164. Trump: “You know, the cost of eggs have come down like 93, 94% since we took office. They are pretty much normally price now… Groceries have come down. It’s all coming down”

165. ProPublica: “The administration is quietly putting America’s children at risk by cutting funds and manpower for investigating child abuse, enforcing child support payments, providing child care and much more.”

166. See #165 about gutting agencies that help children, and the fact Republicans are against paid maternity leave, publicly funded daycare, school lunches, and better wages

 

[Andy_Ross]

Not a cult

Lutnick to Trump: "All those factories that you're bringing in because of your trade policy -- we're gonna train people in tradecraft. Bring back tradecraft to America so that people can work in these factories with great paying jobs ... we're gonna remake the American dream."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1915217320084976036

 

[shemp]

They want an America where most people work for little pay to make them rich. They'll bring back slavery if they think they can get away with it.

 

[Hercules56]

I'm guessing he's going to authorise the cancelling of all funding to Israel, the world's most anti-christian nation, then?

How is Israel the world's most anti-christian Nation? If anything I would think some of the Muslim nations that ban churches and displays of Christian religion are more anti-christian.

 

[Norman Alexander]

For Lutnick, "tradecraft" = "screwing in just one of the millions of little screws in a specific position in a specific model of iPhone for 12 hours a day, 6 days a week". And sub-pittance wages to do it.

 

[Andy_Ross]

 

[shemp]

You know damn well that even if it happens (and that's doubtful) he won't pay a goddamn penny! He'll solicit corporate sponsorship. With big Tesla and Amazon logos flying right underneath them!

 

[Jack by the hedge]

Patriotism. Last refuge of the scoundrel.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Just two days ago they were down 95%

Donald J. Trump
@realDonald Trump
Gas and grocery prices are WAY DOWN, just like I said they would be. Eggs are plentiful, and down 87%. NICE!