They will care when they find their food costs have tripled, that their relatives have been scooped up into detention camps, that women’s still can’t get reproductive care, and the inflation rate goes to 10%, and their water is polluted with lead and mercury. You’ll see, THEY. WILL. CARE.
And I hope they do and when their plight continues to worsen they may want to blame Biden but after a year they can’t blame anybody but Trump, his minions AND THEMSELVES.
They didn't care when, in his last failed attempt at governing close a million people died from COVID. They won't care now. It's not about the common good, it's all about them.
They did care then. That’s why he lost to Joe Biden. But people’s memories are short. The pandemic is a distant memory to them now. They only see what’s on their plate today. They don’t even see the connection that the pandemic has with the fact that prices have increased. They think the pandemic is over. It isn’t over. And Trump will just make things worse with the tariffs. And I say, go for it. My social security will rise with the prices. Their salaries won’t.
You’re assuming that you’ll have Social Security. Project 2025 says it’s got to go. Even if it doesn’t “go” immediately, the trust fund that sends us all money we need each month, will be allowed to bleed out far earlier than it was slated to and maga legislature will watch it die.
A person with critical thinking skills, who absorbed factual information WOULD care. The voters who voted Republican have been in a cult of “righteousness” and grievance for decades. They follow the Fox network and listen to “pastors” who tell them that Jesus would vote Republican and Democrats are EVIL. The messages they receive 24/7 are so far from the truth about Christ; but they are so steeped in tribalism masquerading as religion, they don’t see where the factual track is.
My son served in the Army for 20 years. He went to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times and was WAY out in country, not in some green zone. He just wanted to bring all his team back alive from the forays against the locals. I never imagined, when he was born, that he would become an instrument of foreign policy—flawed, false, fake foreign policy.
The country was fed a diet of lies about the wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Lies that killed so many millions, a lot of them “collateral damage.” A big lie was that those conflicts were going to be short. Soldiers, who paraded off to battle in the Civil War, were told the war would be quick, that the Confederates could beat those Yankees with one hand tied behind their backs. When the dust settled the south was militarily defeated and in ruins.
Now people believe a set of lies that Trump as the president would make things better. How did his administration work out before? Would you actually vote for someone who thought drinking bleach could cure Covid? Drinking bleach, seriously?! I don’t think anyone reckoned with the depth of ignorance, stupidity, racism, misogyny, and grievance that voted Trump into office again. Those folks will get the hurt they voted for. Too bad they are dragging the rest of us along with them.
I daresay, the DoD is so large, its budget so gargantuan, that it's hard to imagine anyone being really up to the task of managing it. Even Gen. Austin, who has administrative experience, must find being SoD challenging. We already knew the "selection criteria" of that unsuitably shallow idiot who is now president-elect, Heaven help us. But to pick a Fox host? And as you said, only having "managed" small committees? What a FUBAR waiting to happen. I hope he doesn't get confirmed. Of course, that would give Agent Orange Chaos another shot at choosing. We are screwed in any case.
Especially if we’re involved in another war. What happens if Israel and Iran are at war and Dumbass decides that the US should jump in to support Israel?
The Secretary of Defense doesn't make that decision. Anyway, in a hot war between Israel and Iran, Iranian proxies in the Middle East are already poised to attack U.S. military and diplomatic stations all over the place.
The rank and file soldiers and vets think he’s going to be the Second Coming. Of course they’ve all been fed a steady diet of FUX NOISE on base for as long as it’s been in existence. I’m afraid Netanyahu will have our soldiers involved in a hot war in the Middle East again almost as soon as “President” Rerun has the reigns of power back in his tiny hands once again.
"Questioned at the beginning of the war by a soldier who wanted to know why he had been riding around in Humvees with canvas sides and roofs that could easily be destroyed with great loss of life by improvised explosive devices (IEDs), Rumsfeld answered, “You go to war with the army you have, not the army you want.” " Hope Rumsfeld spends eternity in Purgatory. BTW, trying to keep my post family-friendly. :(
I want to comment but I’m speechless. It’s super playing into the desires of those who want to eliminate the government, super playing into Putin, and God knows what else.
I come from four generations of cousins who have or currently work at the Pentagon, each working in their own fields, each with their own quiet wisdom. The oldest three, who have long operated in ways most of us needn’t know, have all urged me to secure my Canadian citizenship through my Canadian wife—and to do it now.
We’re working with a Canadian immigration attorney, and her update yesterday took my breath away. Canada has seen an unprecedented surge in citizenship applications from Americans, so much so that they’ve temporarily halted all immigration—except for American citizens married to Canadians. It’s astonishing. And a little chilling.
Sadly every single government employee has to steel themselves for what’s coming. A string of unqualified leaders shocking even by Trump standards. By next December we’ll all be metaphorically stuck with summer uniforms.
Let's not be fooled, Lucian. Trump's appointment of Hegseth, Gabbard, Ratliffe and Waltz are all intended to weaken US defenses so Putin can claw back the former Soviet Republics and, as Elon Mush excitedly gushed, create a "New World Order."
Also for those interested, I suggest reading (a) Professor Timothy Snyder's piece called The Submission Chain which explains the new relationship between the US, Russia and China and (b) Josh Marshall's "The Most Pernicious Anticipatory Obedience Hides in Plain Sight" which provides a glimmer of hope that our 248 year Democracy can withstand the destruction that's about to be wrought upon us. Links are below:
Public servants (aka mindless bureaucrats) deserve better than the nominees announced by stupidest person ever elected President. Americans deserve better and smarter management than this crowd can muster. What I really want to know is what is actually going on during shock and awe week. What has trmp been manipulating while creating the sock puppet show of extreme incompetence to distract our attention. And why has Vance been out of sight?
Looking back many years, my first vote for a congressman was for a Republican, Donald Rumsfeld. We lived in the same town, Winnetka, Illinois; we had gone to the same high school, New Trier. We had many of the same teachers and coaches. Rumsfeld went to Princeton and then into the Navy, becoming a Naval jet pilot and pilot instructor. He was a bright, charming man, who personally responded to my one letter to him when I asked for advice about a problem I saw in the Navy. He gave wise advice, which I followed.
He was a good guy, but when the Searle family (drugs, nutrasweet) made him rich, he just got more and more arrogant and self-certain. I truly think he was ruined by money. He could have been President, but he lost all his humility.
Now, many years later, I wind up being represented in the House by successive total fools, first Paul Gosar and now Eli Crane, two stupid arrogant jerks. And living with a GOP which is so distant from Eisenhower, reprehensible in its acceptance of horrible groups and individuals.
There is one huge difference between all the henchmen you have named and this ignorant goofus. This yahoo has been put there is to dismantle the whole kit and caboodle. He is there to put together the tribunal of repugnant toads who will decide if those who command our armed forces are "loyal enough, lickspittle enough, toady enough," to have their leadership positions. This from Cadet Bonespurs who worries about getting his hair wet, who only likes troops on the battle field, is the antithesis of everything that is honorable and decent. And what will happen when the Fox fawner orders the armed forces to turn on citizens because the citizens gave Cadet Bonespurs the finger? Will the brass obey? Talk about tests.
Snakes, charlatans, incompetents, self-entitled spoiled brat rich kids, incontinent sexual predators, wanna be Gauleiters & complete woo-woos. It’s gonna B a dazzling 4 yrs. Maybe we’ll get a break in 2.
This was exactly what I needed to read right now.
Same 🙌🙌🙌
Exactly!
The people have spoken. Now they will see what scum that have gotten for their vote.
They. Don't. Care. Ignorance is bliss, even if the bliss kills you.
They will care when they find their food costs have tripled, that their relatives have been scooped up into detention camps, that women’s still can’t get reproductive care, and the inflation rate goes to 10%, and their water is polluted with lead and mercury. You’ll see, THEY. WILL. CARE.
And they will whine about how it is the Deep State’s fault…certainly not Mr Trump’s fault… hey gang, it’s a cult and nothing more
No worries, Drumpf will just blame the Biden administration and the mouth breathers will believe it.
And I hope they do and when their plight continues to worsen they may want to blame Biden but after a year they can’t blame anybody but Trump, his minions AND THEMSELVES.
Your faith in their reasoning powers and objectivity is touching.
My thesis is their inane authoritarian cult instincts and inability to take responsibility for bad political choices is too formidable for reform.
Agree 1,000% with Mr. Turnbull.
With Totalitarians its never too late.
They didn't care when, in his last failed attempt at governing close a million people died from COVID. They won't care now. It's not about the common good, it's all about them.
They did care then. That’s why he lost to Joe Biden. But people’s memories are short. The pandemic is a distant memory to them now. They only see what’s on their plate today. They don’t even see the connection that the pandemic has with the fact that prices have increased. They think the pandemic is over. It isn’t over. And Trump will just make things worse with the tariffs. And I say, go for it. My social security will rise with the prices. Their salaries won’t.
You’re assuming that you’ll have Social Security. Project 2025 says it’s got to go. Even if it doesn’t “go” immediately, the trust fund that sends us all money we need each month, will be allowed to bleed out far earlier than it was slated to and maga legislature will watch it die.
You forget that House members are up for reelection every two years and many of them need their jobs to feed their families. Get the drift?
A person with critical thinking skills, who absorbed factual information WOULD care. The voters who voted Republican have been in a cult of “righteousness” and grievance for decades. They follow the Fox network and listen to “pastors” who tell them that Jesus would vote Republican and Democrats are EVIL. The messages they receive 24/7 are so far from the truth about Christ; but they are so steeped in tribalism masquerading as religion, they don’t see where the factual track is.
My son served in the Army for 20 years. He went to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times and was WAY out in country, not in some green zone. He just wanted to bring all his team back alive from the forays against the locals. I never imagined, when he was born, that he would become an instrument of foreign policy—flawed, false, fake foreign policy.
The country was fed a diet of lies about the wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Lies that killed so many millions, a lot of them “collateral damage.” A big lie was that those conflicts were going to be short. Soldiers, who paraded off to battle in the Civil War, were told the war would be quick, that the Confederates could beat those Yankees with one hand tied behind their backs. When the dust settled the south was militarily defeated and in ruins.
Now people believe a set of lies that Trump as the president would make things better. How did his administration work out before? Would you actually vote for someone who thought drinking bleach could cure Covid? Drinking bleach, seriously?! I don’t think anyone reckoned with the depth of ignorance, stupidity, racism, misogyny, and grievance that voted Trump into office again. Those folks will get the hurt they voted for. Too bad they are dragging the rest of us along with them.
They'll blame people like you, simples.
And then continue to suffer even more. So fine.
I think we will start hearing the old buyer's remorse pretty soon.
Having to hear that would be the worst ordeal of all. On top of everything else, self-pity for refusing to listen.
I daresay, the DoD is so large, its budget so gargantuan, that it's hard to imagine anyone being really up to the task of managing it. Even Gen. Austin, who has administrative experience, must find being SoD challenging. We already knew the "selection criteria" of that unsuitably shallow idiot who is now president-elect, Heaven help us. But to pick a Fox host? And as you said, only having "managed" small committees? What a FUBAR waiting to happen. I hope he doesn't get confirmed. Of course, that would give Agent Orange Chaos another shot at choosing. We are screwed in any case.
Especially if we’re involved in another war. What happens if Israel and Iran are at war and Dumbass decides that the US should jump in to support Israel?
The Secretary of Defense doesn't make that decision. Anyway, in a hot war between Israel and Iran, Iranian proxies in the Middle East are already poised to attack U.S. military and diplomatic stations all over the place.
The rank and file soldiers and vets think he’s going to be the Second Coming. Of course they’ve all been fed a steady diet of FUX NOISE on base for as long as it’s been in existence. I’m afraid Netanyahu will have our soldiers involved in a hot war in the Middle East again almost as soon as “President” Rerun has the reigns of power back in his tiny hands once again.
But what happens when the rank and file are told to 'police' their own families and friends?
That could happen. There is precedent aplenty throughout history.
"Questioned at the beginning of the war by a soldier who wanted to know why he had been riding around in Humvees with canvas sides and roofs that could easily be destroyed with great loss of life by improvised explosive devices (IEDs), Rumsfeld answered, “You go to war with the army you have, not the army you want.” " Hope Rumsfeld spends eternity in Purgatory. BTW, trying to keep my post family-friendly. :(
I want to comment but I’m speechless. It’s super playing into the desires of those who want to eliminate the government, super playing into Putin, and God knows what else.
That's already an astute comment!
I come from four generations of cousins who have or currently work at the Pentagon, each working in their own fields, each with their own quiet wisdom. The oldest three, who have long operated in ways most of us needn’t know, have all urged me to secure my Canadian citizenship through my Canadian wife—and to do it now.
We’re working with a Canadian immigration attorney, and her update yesterday took my breath away. Canada has seen an unprecedented surge in citizenship applications from Americans, so much so that they’ve temporarily halted all immigration—except for American citizens married to Canadians. It’s astonishing. And a little chilling.
gigantically chilling
Very
I wish you and your wife well in Canada. I believe there are many Americans who would leave if they had the means to do so. All the best.
Sadly every single government employee has to steel themselves for what’s coming. A string of unqualified leaders shocking even by Trump standards. By next December we’ll all be metaphorically stuck with summer uniforms.
Your unique insight is valuable to this civilian. Thank you. Keep it up!
💙
Let's not be fooled, Lucian. Trump's appointment of Hegseth, Gabbard, Ratliffe and Waltz are all intended to weaken US defenses so Putin can claw back the former Soviet Republics and, as Elon Mush excitedly gushed, create a "New World Order."
Also for those interested, I suggest reading (a) Professor Timothy Snyder's piece called The Submission Chain which explains the new relationship between the US, Russia and China and (b) Josh Marshall's "The Most Pernicious Anticipatory Obedience Hides in Plain Sight" which provides a glimmer of hope that our 248 year Democracy can withstand the destruction that's about to be wrought upon us. Links are below:
(https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-submission-chain)
(https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-most-pernicious-anticipatory-obedience-hides-in-plain-sight)
Whew, Andrew! Thanks for the link.
Public servants (aka mindless bureaucrats) deserve better than the nominees announced by stupidest person ever elected President. Americans deserve better and smarter management than this crowd can muster. What I really want to know is what is actually going on during shock and awe week. What has trmp been manipulating while creating the sock puppet show of extreme incompetence to distract our attention. And why has Vance been out of sight?
An interesting point, Jim Donald has been ominously quiet, not even his usual screeds on twitter. He and Jr must be off somewhere scheming.
Probably working with the heritage assholes on what they will do when the orange traitor is kicked to the side, or dead.
Good questions.
Looking back many years, my first vote for a congressman was for a Republican, Donald Rumsfeld. We lived in the same town, Winnetka, Illinois; we had gone to the same high school, New Trier. We had many of the same teachers and coaches. Rumsfeld went to Princeton and then into the Navy, becoming a Naval jet pilot and pilot instructor. He was a bright, charming man, who personally responded to my one letter to him when I asked for advice about a problem I saw in the Navy. He gave wise advice, which I followed.
He was a good guy, but when the Searle family (drugs, nutrasweet) made him rich, he just got more and more arrogant and self-certain. I truly think he was ruined by money. He could have been President, but he lost all his humility.
Now, many years later, I wind up being represented in the House by successive total fools, first Paul Gosar and now Eli Crane, two stupid arrogant jerks. And living with a GOP which is so distant from Eisenhower, reprehensible in its acceptance of horrible groups and individuals.
There is one huge difference between all the henchmen you have named and this ignorant goofus. This yahoo has been put there is to dismantle the whole kit and caboodle. He is there to put together the tribunal of repugnant toads who will decide if those who command our armed forces are "loyal enough, lickspittle enough, toady enough," to have their leadership positions. This from Cadet Bonespurs who worries about getting his hair wet, who only likes troops on the battle field, is the antithesis of everything that is honorable and decent. And what will happen when the Fox fawner orders the armed forces to turn on citizens because the citizens gave Cadet Bonespurs the finger? Will the brass obey? Talk about tests.
Pissed off and trod upon warriors have been known to turn on those who abuse them. Watch and see. It will take some time.
Most brilliant column ever. But then, I often say that about your columns.
THANK YOU LUCIAN. great piece, great title! It will be interesting to see how this goes, if he even makes it through the confirmation process.
Snakes, charlatans, incompetents, self-entitled spoiled brat rich kids, incontinent sexual predators, wanna be Gauleiters & complete woo-woos. It’s gonna B a dazzling 4 yrs. Maybe we’ll get a break in 2.
I think they will martyr him. He will become a saint in the Christo-Fascist world that it coming.
Every day gets more and more bizarre and frankly- more terrifying.