The Reign of Trump

[Ralin]

You need to push back against Trump, you need to fight the current Republican mindset, but you can't forget his biggest aid; voter apathy.

And also that genocide Biden was enabling. Lotta people took offense at that.

[EnterpriseSovereign]

You need to push back against Trump, you need to fight the current Republican mindset, but you can't forget his biggest aid; voter apathy.

And also that genocide Biden was enabling. Lotta people took offense at that.

Now that he's in office, Trump is looking to depopulate the strip further.

[Gandalf]

And considering EVERY AMERICAN ON THIS BOARD FUCKIN VOTED NO, it's a misplaced attack. Take your high horse and shove it up your arse. We did our part, we're just as fuckin' angry as you that we lost. Go find something USEFUL to bitch about, and stop attacking us Americans who did our part to stop the tyrant.

Something useful would be pointing out how godawfully useless the Democrats were in this campaign, and hoping that they recognise the lesson.

They need to recognise that being less bad than their opponent will get some votes, but not always enough to get over the line. If this was indeed the most important election ever until the next one, then they really didn't bring their A game to it.

[Dark Hellion]

And considering EVERY AMERICAN ON THIS BOARD FUCKIN VOTED NO, it's a misplaced attack. Take your high horse and shove it up your arse. We did our part, we're just as fuckin' angry as you that we lost. Go find something USEFUL to bitch about, and stop attacking us Americans who did our part to stop the tyrant.

Something useful would be pointing out how godawfully useless the Democrats were in this campaign, and hoping that they recognise the lesson.

They need to recognise that being less bad than their opponent will get some votes, but not always enough to get over the line. If this was indeed the most important election ever until the next one, then they really didn't bring their A game to it.

No, Gandalf, the problem is that the Dems did bring their A game. They have just become that pathetic of a party.

[Raw Shark]

No, Gandalf, the problem is that the Dems did bring their A game. They have just become that pathetic of a party.

"I don't belong to an organized political party. I'm a Democrat." -- Will Rodgers

[LadyTevar]

WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THE "Oh the Dems fucked their chances" RANTAGE. THIS IS NOT THE THREAD FOR IT. STAY ON TOPIC ABOUT TRUMP'S ACTIONS AND THOSE OF HIS ALLIES, OR GTFU.

[LadyTevar]

Now. ON TOPIC: Several things have happened.

TRUMP TARIFFS ON CANADA AND MEXICO TAKE EFFECT SATURDAY

US President Donald Trump will impose tariffs on Saturday of 25% on Mexico, 25% on Canada and 10% on China, says the White House.

But Trump said on Friday that Canadian oil would be hit with lower tariffs of 10%, which could take effect later, on 18 February.

The president also said he planned to impose tariffs on the European Union in the future, saying the bloc had not treated the US well.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Canada and Mexico duties were in response to "the illegal fentanyl that they have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country, which has killed 10s of millions of Americans".

Read the full article at the link.

MUSK AIDES LOCK FEDERAL EMPLOYEES OUT OF FEDERAL DATABASE

WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Aides to Elon Musk charged with running the U.S. government human resources agency have locked career civil servants out of computer systems that contain the personal data of millions of federal employees, according to two agency officials.
Since taking office 11 days ago, President Donald Trump has embarked on a massive government makeover, firing and sidelining hundreds of civil servants in his first steps toward downsizing the bureaucracy and installing more loyalists.

Musk, the billionaire Tesla CEO and X owner tasked by Trump to slash the size of the 2.2 million-strong civilian government workforce, has moved swiftly to install allies at the agency known as the Office of Personnel Management.
The two officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, said some senior career employees at OPM have had their access revoked to some of the department's data systems.

The systems include a vast database called Enterprise Human Resources Integration, which contains dates of birth, Social Security numbers, appraisals, home addresses, pay grades and length of service of government workers, the officials said.
"We have no visibility into what they are doing with the computer and data systems," one of the officials said. "That is creating great concern. There is no oversight. It creates real cybersecurity and hacking implications."

FIRST. WHO THE FUCK GAVE THEM PERMISSION TO DO ANYTHING WITH THAT DATABASE. MUSK AND HIS FOLLOWERS HAVE NOT BEEN VETTED, MUCH LESS PUT IN ANY KIND OF OFFICIAL POSITION TO ACCESS THAT DATA.

[Ralin]

FIRST. WHO THE FUCK GAVE THEM PERMISSION TO DO ANYTHING WITH THAT DATABASE.

The President of the United States of America

[Gandalf]

WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THE "Oh the Dems fucked their chances" RANTAGE. THIS IS NOT THE THREAD FOR IT. STAY ON TOPIC ABOUT TRUMP'S ACTIONS AND THOSE OF HIS ALLIES, OR GTFU.

So should "Dem fuckups or sheer lack of trying" be in another thread?

[bilateralrope]

On the tariffs:

Karoline Leavitt shocks as she tells press 'Jesus didn't have electricity either'

When asked about the tariff war between Canada and the United States after the prime minister of Canada said he would consider cutting off electricity to America if Donald Trump continues to impose tariffs, she referenced Jesus Christ.

"They want you to panic, but President Trump wants you to remember Jesus didn’t have electricity either and he did just fine," Leavitt said.

“Everything is on the table,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday when asked if Canada would cut off possibly energy to America if Trump continued with his sweeping tariffs.

Treasury official retires after clash with DOGE over access to payment system

Longtime official retires after clash "over access to sensitive payment systems."

Jon Brodkin – Feb 1, 2025 7:25 AM

A longtime Treasury Department official is leaving his job after a dispute with Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has reportedly been seeking access to federal payment systems.

"The highest-ranking career official at the Treasury Department is departing after a clash with allies of billionaire Elon Musk over access to sensitive payment systems," The Washington Post reported today, citing three people familiar with the matter.

The departing official is Fiscal Assistant Secretary David Lebryk, who has served in nonpolitical Treasury Department roles during his career of more than 30 years. President Donald Trump named Lebryk the acting secretary of the Treasury, an additional role he held for a week before political appointee Scott Bessent was confirmed by the Senate. But Lebryk "announced his retirement Friday in an email to colleagues obtained by The Washington Post," the newspaper reported.

"Lebryk had a dispute with Musk's surrogates over access to the payment system the US government uses to disburse trillions of dollars every year... Officials affiliated with Musk's 'Department of Government Efficiency' have been asking since after the election for access to the system," and those requests "were reiterated more recently, including after Trump's inauguration," the Post reported.

We asked for comment from the Treasury Department and DOGE today and will update this article if we get any response.

System run by “small number of career officials”

The Post said it was "unclear precisely why Musk's team sought access to those systems." But when Trump announced the creation of DOGE in November, he said it would "pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies."

The Treasury payment systems, run by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, are usually controlled by "only a small number of career officials," the Post wrote. The Fiscal Service collects and disburses trillions of dollars. In the email announcing his retirement, Lebryk told the department's staff, "Our work may be unknown to most of the public, but that doesn't mean it isn't exceptionally important."

Mark Mazur, who was a Treasury official during the Obama and Biden administrations, told the Post that the payment systems shouldn't be used for political purposes.

"This is a mechanical job—they pay Social Security benefits, they pay vendors, whatever. It's not one where there's a role for nonmechanical things, at least from the career standpoint. Your whole job is to pay the bills as they're due," Mazur was quoted as saying. "It's never been used in a way to execute a partisan agenda… You have to really put bad intentions in place for that to be the case."

The Trump administration previously issued an order to freeze funding for a wide range of government programs, but rescinded the order after two days of protest and a judge's ruling that temporarily blocked the funding freeze.

Trump ordered cooperation with DOGE

The Trump executive order establishing DOGE took the existing United States Digital Service and renamed it the United States DOGE Service. It's part of the Executive Office of the President and is tasked with "modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity."

Trump's order said that federal agencies will have to collaborate with DOGE. "Among other things, the USDS Administrator shall work with Agency Heads to promote inter-operability between agency networks and systems, ensure data integrity, and facilitate responsible data collection and synchronization," the order said. "Agency Heads shall take all necessary steps, in coordination with the USDS Administrator and to the maximum extent consistent with law, to ensure USDS has full and prompt access to all unclassified agency records, software systems, and IT systems. USDS shall adhere to rigorous data protection standards."

The Post writes that "Musk has sought to exert sweeping control over the inner workings of the US government, installing longtime surrogates at several agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management, which essentially handles federal human resources, and the General Services Administration."

On Thursday, Musk visited the General Services Administration headquarters in Washington, DC, The New York Times reported. The Department of Government Efficiency's account on X stated earlier this week that the GSA had "terminated three leases of mostly empty office space" for a savings of $1.6 million and that more cuts are planned. In another post, DOGE claimed it "is saving the Federal Government approx. $1 billion/day, mostly from stopping the hiring of people into unnecessary positions, deletion of DEI and stopping improper payments to foreign organizations, all consistent with the President's Executive Orders."

"Mr. Musk's visit to the General Services Administration could presage more cost-cutting efforts focused on federal real estate," the Times wrote. "The agency also plays a role in federal contracting and in providing technology services across the federal government."

I predict lawsuits over Musk refusing to pay bills. Just like what happened when he took over Twitter.

It will get interesting when he threatens to withhold pay from judges and law enforcement unless they do what he tells them.

[Eternal_Freedom]

"Jesus didn't have electricity and he did just fine." Um, no, he was painfully executed by the state. These fuckwits don't even pretend to read their own bullshit book do they?

[Ralin]

"Jesus didn't have electricity and he did just fine." Um, no, he was painfully executed by the state. These fuckwits don't even pretend to read their own bullshit book do they?

Yeah but up until then.

[Solauren]

"Jesus didn't have electricity and he did just fine." Um, no, he was painfully executed by the state. These fuckwits don't even pretend to read their own bullshit book do they?

Jesus didn't also live in a climate belt where -25 degree weather was an issue. You cut off power to the Northern states, you'll have people freezing to death.

[bilateralrope]

"Jesus didn't have electricity and he did just fine." Um, no, he was painfully executed by the state. These fuckwits don't even pretend to read their own bullshit book do they?

When was the last time you heard one of them quote from the New Testament ?

[Eternal_Freedom]

Fair point. In a twisted way, this does actually show I'm still something of an optimist. I keep thinking "MAGA can't get any dumber, they just can't, this is rock-bottom." And then, inevitably, boom.

[Solauren]

Fair point. In a twisted way, this does actually show I'm still something of an optimist. I keep thinking "MAGA can't get any dumber, they just can't, this is rock-bottom." And then, inevitably, boom.

In my (not really so) humble opinion, by the end of his first year in office this term, Trump will have 'Made America Great Again'

A Great, Big, JOKE

[Batman]

He already achievedTHAT with the very beginnings of his first his first term.By the end of the first year this term, he will likely have ended America as a functional country.

[LadyTevar]

WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THE "Oh the Dems fucked their chances" RANTAGE. THIS IS NOT THE THREAD FOR IT. STAY ON TOPIC ABOUT TRUMP'S ACTIONS AND THOSE OF HIS ALLIES, OR GTFU.

So should "Dem fuckups or sheer lack of trying" be in another thread?

You may start a thread. It can and will be locked if it gets heated.

[Elfdart]

Now, here's a thought for the American members of SD.NET

Trump is in charge, and he's playing mini-Tyrannt.

So, what to do now?
Well, if I was an American, I'd be breaking out the old concept of 'civil disobedience', but in a modern way.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is supposed to be preparing for, and executing, mass deportations, and have set up tip lines, etc.

Okay, use that.

BUT.... use it the way the money should be being spent.

Phone or Email tips about 'immigrant hiding spots', but in reality, you've called in the location of things like...
Crack Houses
Gang Club Houses
and other local problems that seem to get ignored.
(quite frankly, the idea of ICE raiding a Crack House is mildly amusing. The idea of them investigating Hells Angels or the like is downright hilarious)

Now, ICE has to investigate, and if they launch a raid, well, I believe as they would have had a warrant, anything they run into can be used in Federal Court for other charges.
(Quicker then standard law enforcement).

After that
Know any businesses that were big MAGA supporters?
Why, I think they have illegals working for them....
They'll now be investigated/harashed.
And hopefully get of the mindset - Trump betrayed me!

Know of a Slumlord?
He's got illegals living there and working for him!
(And they'd hate to be looked at by federal authorities).

You get the idea.

In short, use ICE and Trumps 'tattle lines', to harass the people that need to be harassed, as well as Trump's supporters.

For all his tough-guy shtick, the head of ICE was afflicted with a serious case of the vapors because citizens have already started gumming up the works by passing out cards and fliers telling people what to do if the Gestapo shows up.

Daily Beast

Donald Trump’s “border czar,” Tom Homan, complained that immigrants in sanctuary cities are “very difficult” to arrest because they are “educated” about their rights when it comes to ICE raids.

Now why would this lowlife fascist thug have a problem with people knowing their legal rights -unless he's gooning (new slang I heard from my nephews!) at the thought of violating them?

In other news, and a certain level of irony, one of the pardoned Jan 6th rioters has been fatally shot by police after resisting at a traffic stop.

The latest I heard is that the count of Jan 6 rioters who have got themself into trouble since being pardoned is currently at 5:
- This guy
- 2 who refused the pardon
- On arrested on a gun charge that predates Jan 6
- One wanted for online solicitation of a minor

But Il Douchebag said these were fine, upstanding people.

Americans owe Italians a HUGE apology. For a hundred years, we've rolled our eyes at them for making Benito Mussolini their leader because he promised to make the trains run on time. Americans picked Cheeto Mussolini to get LOWER EGG PRICES.

[Ralin]

Americans owe Italians a HUGE apology. For a hundred years, we've rolled our eyes at them for making Benito Mussolini their leader because he promised to make the trains run on time. Americans picked Cheeto Mussolini to get LOWER EGG PRICES.

Shit, didn't Mussolini at least try to make good on that?

[Zaune]

And threw enough money at infrastructure and public works programs that he left them somewhat better off than they had been before he became dictator... until the war happened, anyway.

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Fascist Italy persisted for 20 years and only fell because of a World War, how long before they overthrow Trump?

He's imposing tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada now. He never did learn from the last time he started a trade war with China.

[Solauren]

Fascist Italy persisted for 20 years and only fell because of a World War, how long before they overthrow Trump?

He's imposing tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada now. He never did learn from the last time he started a trade war with China.

He's putting Tariffs on his major energy provider (Canada), Food provider (Canada, Mexico) and most consumer products (China)
While sending ICE into poor neighbourhoods that are already struggling.

Violence before April.

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Fascist Italy persisted for 20 years and only fell because of a World War, how long before they overthrow Trump?

He's imposing tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada now. He never did learn from the last time he started a trade war with China.

He's putting Tariffs on his major energy provider (Canada), Food provider (Canada, Mexico) and most consumer products (China)
While sending ICE into poor neighbourhoods that are already struggling.

Violence before April.

Canada should either cut off energy to the USA, or jack up the price for it. Though because Canadians are famously polite, I can't imagine them actually doing that.

Trudeau is already telling his people to buy Canadian.
Trump doubles down on tariffs decision, says pain is 'worth the price'

Donald Trump has doubled down on his decision to pursue tariffs against the United States' nearest neighbours, despite widespread concern.

The US president has introduced a 25% levy on goods coming from Mexico and Canada, and a 10% trade tax on Chinese goods, which will come into effect on Tuesday.

The penalties have sparked fears of a new era of trade wars across the globe.

In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump accused Canada, Mexico and China of a "decades-long ripoff of America, both with regard to trade, crime and poisonous drugs that are allowed to so freely flow into America."

"Those days are over," he wrote.

He said products should be made in the US, and that his country shouldn't be losing "trillions of dollars in subsidising other countries".

"Will there be some pain? Yes, maybe, and maybe not! It will all be worth the price that must be paid," he added.

The tariffs, if sustained, could cause inflation to significantly worsen, threatening the trust that many voters placed in Trump to lower the prices of groceries, gasoline, housing, autos and other goods as he promised.

They also risked throwing the global economy and Trump’s political mandate into turmoil just two weeks into his second term.

Trump declared an economic emergency in order to place duties of 10% on all imports from China and 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada.

Energy imported from Canada, including oil, natural gas and electricity, would be taxed at a 10% rate.

Trump’s order includes a mechanism to escalate the rates charged by the US against retaliation by the other countries, raising the spectre of an even more severe economic disruption.

“The actions taken today by the White House split us apart instead of bringing us together,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a sombre tone as he announced that his country would put matching 25% tariffs on up to $155 billion (£125 billion) in US imports, including alcohol and fruit.

He channelled the betrayal that many Canadians are feeling, reminding Americans that Canadian troops fought alongside them in Afghanistan and helped respond to myriad crises from wildfires in California to Hurricane Katrina.

“We were always there standing with you, grieving with you, the American people,” he said.

Mexico’s president also ordered retaliatory tariffs.

“We categorically reject the White House’s slander that the Mexican government has alliances with criminal organisations, as well as any intention of meddling in our territory,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote in a post on X.

She also said that she had instructed her economy secretary to implement a response that includes retaliatory tariffs and other measures in defense of Mexico’s interests.

“If the United States government and its agencies wanted to address the serious fentanyl consumption in their country, they could fight the sale of drugs on the streets of their major cities, which they don’t do and the laundering of money that this illegal activity generates that has done so much harm to its population.”

Meanwhile, China’s Ministry of Commerce said the imposition of tariffs “seriously violates” World Trade Organisation rules.

“China will file a complaint with the WTO, and will take corresponding countermeasures to resolutely defend its rights,” it said.

It is not clear what the measures will be.

Beijing’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said tariffs are “not constructive” and will only “undermine” work by both nations to combat narcotics.

China “provides support to the US on the issue of fentanyl” but ultimately, “fentanyl is America’s problem”, the ministry said.

The tariffs will come into effect on Tuesday, setting up a showdown in North America that could potentially sabotage economic growth.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper on Sunday called for “stronger relationships with the US” and the European Union, in response to Trump's move.

Cooper told the Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News: “We want stronger trading relationships all over the world.

“It’s why we’ve been working on resetting the relationship with our European neighbours so that we can improve the trade, so that we can improve law enforcement co-operation. We’re doing the same, for example, on tackling the dangerous small boat crossings.

“We need that stronger co-operation with France, with Germany, so, of course, we need to strengthen that co-operation and also look for stronger trading relationships with the US and other countries.”

Cooper became the first senior British government figure to respond to the announcement on Sunday, saying the UK wanted to break down trade barriers, not put them up.

Asked about Trump’s announcement, she said: “Tariff increases really right across the world can have a really damaging impact on global growth and trade, so I don’t think it’s what anybody wants to see.”

[Solauren]

Canada should either cut off energy to the USA, or jack up the price for it. Though because Canadians are famously polite, I can't imagine them actually doing that.

Oh, we are. That way no one expects it when we deck them.

I'm personally in favor of adding a 'tax' to anything sold to the united states. Effectively jacking up the price the US is paying.

When Trump complains, we reply with - well, doing your job of policing what enters your country is going to cost alot of money.....