The Trump Administration: The Clusterfuck Continues

[Smapti]

REPORTER: How concerned are you that the large-scale federal government layoffs will weaken the labor market?

TRUMP: The large-scale fentanyl what?

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)

“Never sell your bitcoin. That’s a little phrase that they have. I don’t know if that’s right or not. Who the hell knows?”

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)

[kenobi_65]

(deleted)

[dougrb]

Marjorie Taylor Greene supports infecting kids at measles ‘parties’

https://www.alternet.org/marjorie-taylor-greene-outbreaks/

[Great_Antibob]

The sheer stupidity of that idea is so ‘on brand’ for her that it is almost a thing of beauty

[Monty]

@Monty

Anyway, I just sent the following E-mail to my federal representative, a Georgia Republican, so I can guess what the response will be. At least writing and sending it off were cathartic.

We are now just two weeks into Trump’s second term as president. He proved beyond a doubt, as the House of Representatives concluded, twice during his first term, he is unfit to serve in the highest and most important political office in the world. Every day since he began his second term, he has alienated our allies and ignored federal laws and the constitution of the United States.

Article II, Section 4 of the constitution states:

“The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

Using our military for domestic law enforcement, allowing non-governmental employees unfettered access to supposedly secure and protected electronic data of American citizens, and a host of other actions by him are criminal. He is unfit and, in fact, is not actually running the executive department of the United States government.

Why have you not introducted a bill of impeachment against this convicted felon who should not be in office in the first place?

I received this response from Barry Loudermilk (R), representative for Georgia’s 11th District. You will note that it took this lickspittle more than a month to craft it.

Dear PO1 (USN) Monty,

Thank you for contacting my office about Elon Musk’s role in the Administration. As your representative to the U.S. government, I appreciate hearing your concerns on issues important to you.

Over the past few years, Americans have feared the federal government bureaucracy and its ability to unjustly wield power, and have become tired of funding the fraud, waste, and abuse within our bloated federal agencies. All that Americans want is to have a government they can be proud of, not one they distrust and fear.

On January 20, 2025, President Trump established the White House Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by executive order, to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending and restore government transparency. This executive action effectively renames the U.S. Digital Service, a program that previously used industry experts to provide consultation for federal agencies to improve and simplify digital services, federal operations, and technology.[1] Article II of the U.S. Constitution grants the President the authority to appoint personnel who serve at his pleasure. Using this authority, the President appointed Elon Musk to lead DOGE as a special government employee, a designation outlined in Title 18, Section 202 of U.S. Code.[2] As industry experts and advisors have done in prior administrations, Mr. Musk serves to provide counsel and recommendations to the President. DOGE’s mission extends across all federal agencies to audit federal spending practices, assess inefficiencies, and ensure agency priorities are adequately realigned with the President’s policy objectives.

While some claim Mr. Musk has “unconstitutionally” taken over the federal government and illegally seized sensitive personal data, the allegations are unfounded and inaccurate. In fact, DOGE has been collaborating with the U.S. Department of Treasury to assess how federal agencies are best utilizing taxpayer dollars. In a letter to Congress, the Treasury confirmed DOGE has read-only access to its Fiscal Service payment system, meaning no funds can been altered or redirected, and ensuring the timely distribution of Social Security and Medicare benefits.[3] It is important to note that both Mr. Musk and Mr. Krause, the DOGE employee responsible for reviewing Treasury data, hold top secret security clearances, ensuring Americans’ personal information remains private and secure.

On February 3, 2025, the White House released a comprehensive list detailing several examples of waste and abuse in the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) budget. Among these expenditures were hundreds of millions of dollars to support heroin production in Afghanistan, to the benefit of the Taliban.[4] This is only one of many examples of taxpayer funds being severely mismanaged, further emphasizing the need for greater accountability, rigorous oversight, and urgent reform in the federal spending process. DOGE’s ultimate goal is not to shut down USAID; instead, its purpose is to improve operations and ensure fiscal responsibility.

As your representative and a member of the DOGE Caucus in the U.S. House, I remain committed to ensuring transparency, reducing waste, and holding government entities accountable for their actions. Rigorous oversight remains essential to maintaining the integrity of our federal government and protecting your hard-earned taxpayer dollars. I will continue to work alongside my colleagues to return our government to one that works for the people, not one that works for self-interests or political agendas.

Sincerely,

Barry Loudermilk
Member of Congress

[1] The United States Government. (2025, January 21). Establishing and implementing the president’s “Department of Government Efficiency.” The White House. Establishing And Implementing The President's "Department Of Government Efficiency" – The White House
[2] U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). U.S.C. Title 18 - Crimes and Criminal Procedure. U.S.C. Title 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
[3] U.S. Department of Treasury. (2025, February 4). Treasury Department Letter to Members of Congress Regarding Payment Systems. Statements & Remarks. Treasury Department Letter to Members of Congress Regarding Payment Systems | U.S. Department of the Treasury
[4] The United States Government. (2025, February 7). At USAID, waste and abuse runs deep. The White House. At USAID, Waste and Abuse Runs Deep – The White House

Sincerely,

Rep. Barry Loudermilk
Member of Congress

You will also note he did not, in fact, respond to the substance of my E-mail to him.

What say the Teeming Millions^tm? Do you care to assist me in crafting a response?

[Coriolanus]

@Monty

he did not, in fact, respond to the substance of my E-mail to him

That would be a good start. It did come across as not-quite a form-letter, nor pure AI (else your concerns would have gotten mention) yet I reckon whomever replied checked off some boxes suggested by key-words. So perhaps in some polite way thank him for the reply yet say 'Could you please address these issues I asked about in my prior email?"

Are you an active Petty Officer First Class (hope I got that right)? If so, my wiki reading of the guy shows he was in the Air Force so at least there was that fellow armed forces recognition.

Other than that, I wouldn’t know how to write to a republican, especially one proud to be on the DOGE caucus (first time I heard of any such thing) and a defender of Elon Musk.

[Monty]

In the E-mail I sent that toadie, I included my retiree signature block. I forgot to mention in my post just above, he’s one of the traitors who voted against certifying the 2020 Electoral College vote.

[DesertDog]

@Horatius

That would be the constitution that the US made Japan adopt after WWII. Once again, Trump displays his utter ignorance.

He pays no attention to the US Constitution, why in the world would you expect him to pay any attention to Japan’s?

[Monty]

@Coriolanus

If so, my wiki reading of the guy shows he was in the Air Force so at least there was that fellow armed forces recognition.

Speaking of which. (The link goes to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.) He fits right in with this clusterfuck, so that’s likely his reason for going all in with it.

[Coriolanus]

Argh. GDPR blocks me.

I assume he’s played up as some kind of Air Force Flying Ace who shot down many enemies from his doghouse.

My (not to be taken too seriously) advice is to start campaigning now and run against the fuck. You’ve got Navy creds though you will need a way to defeat a MAGA/DOGEr in what I presume is a very red district. His wiki doesn’t quite paint him as a total shithead, yet there’s much to run against.

[Monty]

First 'twas Project 25 and now, you guessed it, FOX News personalities!

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he was appointing Fox News host Laura Ingraham and Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo to the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

In February, weeks after taking office, Trump fired the center’s president, replaced the board of trustees and named himself chairman of the organization.

The moves represented a takeover by Trump of a cultural institution that is known for its signature Kennedy Center Honors performances and is home to the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera.

The Con still cannot accept he must abide by CBAs.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security said Friday that it is ending the collective bargaining agreement with the tens of thousands of frontline employees at the Transportation Security Administration, marking a major effort to dismantle union protections under the Trump administration.

The TSA union called it on “unprovoked attack” and vowed to fight it.

The department criticized the union whose staffers are responsible for keeping weapons off airplanes and protecting air travel. Officials said that poor performers were being allowed to stay on the job and that the agreement was hindering the ability of the organization “to safeguard our transportation systems and keep Americans safe" — an assessment that faced immediate pushback from a top Democrat in Congress and the union.

“This action will ensure Americans will have a more effective and modernized workforces across the nation’s transportation networks," the agency said in a statement.

The American Federation of Government Employees is the union representing the TSA workers. The federation and TSA’s then-administrator, David Pekoske, signed the CBA in May. It came amid a push by Homeland Security to improve the pay of frontline workers, which has historically lagged behind other government employees. Pekoske credited the pay increases with improving employee retention and morale.

The union said the order would strip collective bargaining rights from roughly 47,000 transportation security officers, or TSOs. Those are the people responsible for staffing airports and checking to make sure passengers do not have weapons or explosives. The decision comes at a time of increasing passenger travel — screeners see an average of 2.5 million passengers a day.

The union said the department and the Trump administration were violating the right of staffers to join a union. It also said that the reasons the Republican administration had given for the decision — specifically the criticisms of union activity — were “completely fabricated.”

Instead, the union said, the decision was retaliation for the union’s wider efforts challenging a range of Trump administration actions affecting federal workers. AFGE represents roughly 800,000 federal government employees, and it has been pushing back on many of the administration’s actions such as firing probationary employees.

Speaking of felon47 and contracts:

The Trump administration has stalled at least $60 million in funding intended largely for affordable housing developments nationwide, throwing hundreds of projects into a precarious limbo, according to information and documents obtained by The Associated Press

The move is part of a flurry of funding freezes, staffing cuts and contract cancellations by the Trump administration at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, changes that have instilled widespread uncertainty in the affordable housing industry.

The some $60 million is intended to go to small community development nonprofits in small grants. The money is often used as seed funding for affordable housing projects, turning a concept into a viable development and consequently drawing in more public and private investment.

Congress chose three nonprofits to distribute the grants, but HUD said in letters that it was cancelling contracts with two of the organizations, which together were to distribute the $60 million. That’s pushed millions in funding already promised to small nonprofits, or yet to be awarded, into the twilight zone.

“Many of those organizations have already committed funds to pay workers, such as HVAC technicians, local contractors, homeownership counselors,” said Shaun Donovan, CEO of Enterprise Community Partners and former HUD secretary under President Barack Obama. Enterprise is one of the two groups whose contracts were cancelled.

“They will have to stop that work immediately. That will cost local jobs, hobble the creation of affordable homes, and stall opportunity in hundreds of communities.”

But, of course, the felon doesn’t care about people needing affordable homes. He doesn’t even care about people.

[DavidNRockies]

I think it’s important that we remember what Maria Bartiromo’s quid was that’s earning her this august quo:

The ‘wackadoodle’ foundation of Fox News’ election-fraud claims

[Just_Asking_Questions]

Now, I think the TSA is 100% (well, some high percentage) fraud waste and abuse. Security theater.

But Fat Donny, what’s your alternative? Make the people (ostensibly) making planes safe work longer hours for less money? Yeah, that never backfired.

[ThelmaLou]

@Monty

The moves represented a takeover by Trump of a cultural institution that is known for its signature Kennedy Center Honors performances

How long before this becomes the <gag> Trump Center and he starts awarding the Trump Center Honors… And who is likely to get those awards, hmmm?

[Sage_Rat]

@OldOlds

So what the fuck is this?

Trump claims Putin will be more 'generous' in peace talks than 'difficult' Ukraine - ABC News

1. Words aren’t actions. Trump could call Putin a mean, evil dictator on CNN and then send Putin a thousand tanks to help his war effort, taking over Ukraine. Only one of those has any functional meaning.
2. Now, either it’s helpful or harmful to block countries from being able to freely trade on the global market. If it’s good to have more blockages then Trump is suggesting that he will aid Russia, just like Trump is suggesting to do to his own country by trying to block trade with Mexico, China, and Canada. If it’s bad to have more impediments, then Trump is saying that he will harm Russia…which implies knowledge that he’s working to harm the USA by putting up impediments here as well.
3. If you know that market impediments are harmful and you’re choosing to do it to the land that you were given power over, then it’s probably good to try and make it seem like you’re not compromised by our enemies, every once in a while. After all, words aren’t actions so that’s effectively free.

[romansperson]

@Just_Asking_Questions

Security theater.

If the union decides to call a strike, that’ll be some theater all right - of the epic clusterfuck variety.

[Gatopescado]

I knew not flying would someday pay off!

[Maus_Magill]

@Monty

What say the Teeming Millionstm? Do you care to assist me in crafting a response?

Ask him why several paragraphs of his response is nearly word for word the same response to me feom Andy Ogles.

[Smapti]

Trump last fall: I will make eggs cheap on day one
Trump today: SHUT UP ABOUT EGG PRICES

[DavidNRockies]

Let them eat cake!!

[Yeah, no. I immediately see the problem with that…]