Trump Presidency

[matthewfarmery]

@Observe

I don't think you realise how much power Musk has. And for your information, the last Shutdown of the American government was under Trump, the longest in US history.

Lawrence: Trump has realized how Joe Biden boxed him in on the debt ceiling

I dont think you understand what is happening, and what strings are getting pulled

https://politicalwire.com/2024/12/19/el ... qus_thread

That should enlighten you. Even if Musk has no government job, he clearly acting like a vice president or president, using his billions to influence America. Again American votes were brought and paid for. And America did vote for this circus / clown show in.

[chew-ie]

RE that guy-with-too-much-money a nice comment on guardian.com: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ned-him-in

US citizens really should be on the lookout - or it just so happens that they are living in the United States of A Muskerica.

Happy holiday season @all

[matthewfarmery]

RE that guy-with-too-much-money a nice comment on guardian.com: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ned-him-in

US citizens really should be on the lookout - or it just so happens that they are living in the United States of A Muskerica.

Happy holiday season @all

I'm seeing comments who are calling Musk, president Musk, and Trump, puppet Trump or vice president Trump. Which goes to show who is really in charge. Again, will Trump fire Musk? the only way forward is that he does, but we all know how powerful Musk is now. So I don't see him quitting without a fight, and its clear he wants chaos, and doing everything to sabotage the government before Trump comes into office. While Trump is blaming the dems for not passing the spending bill, what isn't really reported is, that there were at least 30 plus republicans who objected to it as well. So this is a self own. And Trump can't spin this.

Unless he thinks he can play hero? but until the government shutdown is resolved, he won't be president. And seems from what I'm reading, this shutdown may last a while. But again, Trump and Musk are squarely to blame. until they waded into this, both parties were ready to sighn the original spending bill. Now, its looking less and less likely much will happen.

[Vertigo 7]

Well the fact of the matter is the republicans have control of the house and MAGA has control of the speaker. The morons wanted to add 5 trillion to the debt on day 1 of the orange one's presidency and, god the mental gymnastics they went through to spin that as somehow them still keeping their promises of reducing the debt, it was comedy to behold. But some in the GOP know how to do math and thought that was just not very smart, which is why the stupid Elon budget bill failed. The GOP is so broken they can't exercise their majority to get a damn thing done. If every single republican in the house voted to pass the bill, it would have passed in the house and there's nothing democrats could have done to stop it from doing so.

[Observe]

The solution is obvious: Vote on a CR (continuing resolution) with nothing else attached. Vote separately on other matters, including raising the dept ceiling, raises for Congress, farm aid, disaster relief and whatever else Congress is there for. Wrapping "riders" into a CR is BS. This long-standing habit of attaching unrelated funding to every damn bill that comes around needs to stop. Stick to the matter at hand.

Yes, I realize that because the trough has run dry, Trump wants the dept. ceiling raised. I don't see a problem with this as a stopgap measure, but steps need to be taken so that this isn't the default necessity. The dept. ceiling has been raised 78 times since 1960. That is more than once per year on average! This also should be taken up as a separate issue, including possibly eliminating the ceiling altogether.

[matthewfarmery]

It seems that there going to be three bills, and the raise in the debt ceiling isn't part of the deal. Which means Trump will be fuming. As for Musk, hard to say, he may try and put another spanner in the works. But voting for the new bills may happen tomorrow, but only after there is a government shutdown. Technically. the debt ceiling won't be reached until June of next year. But yes, I don't see how they can keep on rasing it indefinitely. But seems that America has its own rules, that other countries can't do.

I would also say, that Musk has clearly pulled the rug from under Trump's feet, and this new three section bill, means Trump isn't as powerful as he was. But I still say, that Musk is very likely doing the string pulling, and that will certainly will continue. And Trump will not like the limelight that Musk will be getting.

[Chips]

Yes, I realize that because the trough has run dry, Trump wants the dept. ceiling raised. I don't see a problem with this as a stopgap measure, but steps need to be taken so that this isn't the default necessity. The dept. ceiling has been raised 78 times since 1960. That is more than once per year on average! This also should be taken up as a separate issue, including possibly eliminating the ceiling altogether.

The ceiling is okay as long as the GDP keeps raising, as it means it can service the growing debt. It's once the debt keeps rising while GDP slows/drops/shrinks (or the interest is so high that it outpaces growth) that problems start I thought?

Hence why the debt always increases, and nearly every country runs a deficit permanently... while able to make the debt fall as a proportion of gdp.

I'm obviously absolutely NOT an economist

[Observe]

I'm obviously absolutely NOT an economist

Neither am I, but what you say makes sense.

[matthewfarmery]

From another forum.

Update: Good news! Not only did this CR bill have most of the spending and programs that the one Musk and Trump killed had in it, but tonight the Senate by voice vote sent all the children's cancer funding that had been cut out of the CR (and previously passed by the House months ago) to President Biden. So that money will all be restored.

On top of that the Senate tonight in a surprise vote also approved the measure transferring land in DC from federal control to DC control to build a new stadium for the Washington Commanders. They sent that to Biden for his signature. That had been cut out of the CR also. A huge win for DC Mayor Muriel Bowser.

AND, the Senate today (lost in all the budget drama) approved two more of Biden's federal judges, bringing the total to 235 -- one more than Trump appointed during his first term.

Today was a great day for Democrats. Musk weakened. Trump weakened. Johnson weakened. No debt ceiling deal like Trump wanted to enable him to cut taxes for billionaires next year. Democrats refocused and re-energized. Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer delivered big wins for their party and the American people.

That won't go down with Trump, who will certainly be fuming, no debt ceiling increase will weaken him, and he won't be able to pass through all those tax cuts and other spending stuff that he wanted. The problem is, how long before he burns a huge hole in whatever money is left? then complain about having no money to make America better? I say it won't be long, he will spend like crazy. As for president Musk, he is the one with the true power now. I still say it won't be long before DC is just too small for the both of them.

But with many of the GOP siding with Musk, Trump position as emperor maybe threatened. And Trump won't like that one little bit.

[Observe]

That won't go down with Trump, who will certainly be fuming, no debt ceiling increase will weaken him, and he won't be able to pass through all those tax cuts and other spending stuff that he wanted.

Good. Trump is absolutely wrong on this one. Supply-side economics which involves balancing the budget with tax cuts has got to be one of the lamest ideas ever and has failed at every attempt that I am aware of. The only way it works is if there are also substantial spending cuts, or exceptionally high economic growth rates.

[clakclak]

They plan to cut 2 trillion dollar or 30% of the federal budget, why the hell do you still need to raise the debt ceiling? Are the tax cuts for the rich going to be so insanely high?

[Observe]

All that Musk can do is identify areas of cost that could potentially be trimmed or eliminated. Nothing wrong with that. Accomplishing fiscal changes, will largely be left to Congress. Good luck there. Still, I see Musk's efforts as being useful to foster conversations that may eventually result in change for the better.

[clakclak]

All that Musk can do is identify areas of cost that could potentially be trimmed or eliminated. Nothing wrong with that. Accomplishing fiscal changes, will largely be left to Congress. Good luck there. Still, I see Musk's efforts as being useful to foster conversations that may eventually result in change for the better.

Congress has no spine and has just shown that it is willing to do Musks bidding. Trump also doubled over backwards to satisfy his sugar daddy. Musk will do what Musk wants as there is nobody willing to stand up to him.

[matthewfarmery]

Which is why, Musk is more then just an adviser now. He has real power. He brought himself into US politics and will stay. The GOP needed him to get back both the house and senate. And they want a piece of what Musk has. So of course Musk will have his own agenda now. The thing is, how much will Trump take before he fires him? or will be kiss the ring that fed him?

Which is now why, people are starting to say, "President Musk"

Trump just another puppet, and just too dumb to realise that.

[EGO_Aut]

Panama Canal
Somehow the terms always slip around with the King of Comedy. A “return” is usually initiated by the recipient/buyer? So confiscation is more likely to be an option. In any case, his almost anal-obsessed mania with “costs and fees” is very sweet. The slalom between boasting billions and financial near-death experiences in his business life seems to have created deep rifts in his mind. A small invasion of Panama by Donald is probably in order, 2 day special op?

[Chips]

They plan to cut 2 trillion dollar or 30% of the federal budget, why the hell do you still need to raise the debt ceiling? Are the tax cuts for the rich going to be so insanely high?

With how Musk is, the failure to do so will be blamed and vilified on social media to try and influence things for other benefits.

Found it interesting to see that the US spends 9% of Govt expenditure on Medicare, whereas the UK spends 11% on NHS.

Other large mandatory lines of government expenditure include Medicare - a government-funded health insurance program primarily serving Americans aged over 65.

So a health insurance policy of the US Govt for pensioners is within spitting distance of the UK Healthcare budget for the entire age range of a population... and yet people in the US consider the NHS some form of communism...

[Observe]

So a health insurance policy of the US Govt for pensioners is within spitting distance of the UK Healthcare budget for the entire age range of a population... and yet people in the US consider the NHS some form of communism...

I'd wager that the average American couldn't define communism if their live depended on it. Same goes for socialism and capitalism for that matter.

There are many examples of socialism in the US. Public Services, Medicare, Social Security etc. Likewise, in the UK, there are many Capitalist features. The US is not purely capitalist, and the UK is not purely socialist, so the whole argument is kind of ridiculous and mainly feed by political and cultural wars which bear little resemblance to truth.

[Chips]

The UK is not purely socialist

The UK isn't remotely socialist...

[matthewfarmery]

President-elect Donald Trump said the notion that he has “ceded the presidency” to Elon Musk is a fiction and that even if Musk wanted the job, he couldn’t get it because of the Constitution’s requirement that the U.S. president be a natural-born citizen, NBC News reports.

Said Trump: “No, he’s not going to be president, that I can tell you. And I’m safe. You know why he can’t be? He wasn’t born in this country.”

I found it funny, Trump has no regard for the constitution, Plus as Musk is clearly gaining in popularity, Trump is looking over his shoulders now. Doesn't matter, Musk has power, And Trump is clearly getting annoyed by that. Like I said before, those two will very likely lock horns.

Plus Trump is very unhappy with the new spending bill, While Musk clearly got what he wanted, Trump didn't. And Trump is blaming Johnson for the failure. So I suspect there will be another clown show for the speakership.

So Trump has been very much weakened. And a puppet on at a string, but just too dumb and stupid to see that.

But as for Musk and Trump, their divorce will be epic. Then maybe more of the house may revolt by not allowing more of Trump;s BS through? But still, Trump could disregard that, and push things through himself and burn a hole in whatever money is left, then demand for more money.

It could very well turn ugly. And I still doubt Musk will be going anywhere.

[matthewfarmery]

Adding to alarm over U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's immigration plans, his "border czar" told The Washington Post in an interview published Thursday that the administration plans to return to detaining migrant families with children.

Tom Homan, who served as acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump's first term, said that ICE "will look to hold parents with children in 'soft-sided' tent structures similar to those used by U.S. border officials to handle immigration surges," the Post summarized. "The government will not hesitate to deport parents who are in the country illegally, even if they have young U.S.-born children, he added, leaving it to those families to decide whether to exit together or be split up."

Concentration camps by any other name. And it's becoming clearer that Trump is getting set to put this in operation. Even though in other reports, there not enough people to make this happen. I see America becoming Germany very quickly, once this gets going. A very sad and alarming state of affairs.