The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump

[Isgrimnur]

[Isgrimnur]

FBI turns over details of 5,000 employees who worked on January 6 cases to Trump Justice Department, as agents sue

FBI officials have complied with demands to provide the Justice Department with details of thousands of employees who worked on investigations related to the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riot, according to people familiar with the situation.

The demand has caused consternation among FBI employees who fear it is meant to amass a list of personnel for possible termination by the Trump administration.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, in a Friday memo with the subject line “Terminations,” had given FBI officials a noon deadline Tuesday to submit the details of thousands of agents and analysts. Bove previously ordered the firing of eight senior FBI officials, including those who oversaw cyber, national security and criminal investigations.

More than 5,000 employee details were submitted, including employee ID numbers, job titles and their role in the January 6 investigations, sources said, but not their names. There are more than 13,000 agents and 38,000 total FBI employees.

[Isgrimnur]

Oh I missed this in my doom scrolling about the trade war and annexation.

Trump wants Ukraine to supply rare earth minerals to U.S. in exchange for future aid

Kyiv delayed minerals deal with US to let Trump take credit, NYT reports - December 14, 2024

Ukrainian authorities postponed signing an agreement with the United States on processing and extracting rare earth minerals, in order to let U.S. President-elect Donald Trump claim credit for the deal when he takes office, the New York Times (NYT) reported on Dec. 14.

[waitingtoconnect]

The department of education…. I hate to say we told you so.

From Project 2025:

“Treat the participation in any critical race theory or DEI initiative, without objecting on constitutional or moral grounds, as per se grounds for termination of employment.” —p. 708

“The Secretary of Education should insist that the department serve parents and American ideals, not advocates whose message is that children can choose their own sex, that America is ‘systemically racist,’ that math itself is racist, and that Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ideal of a colorblind society should be rejected in favor of reinstating a color-conscious society. … Federal education policy should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated.” —p. 285 and 319

As we know people are being punished for simply attending DEI courses now.

This is what people voted for. They voted to roll back civil rights. Maga even invoke the name of MLK Jnr to justify it.

[LordMortis]

Oh please oh please oh please let him see jail time. This POS citizen of the world.

https://apnews.com/article/italy-trump- ... 2738fc4be1

MILAN (AP) — Italian politicians on Tuesday asked authorities to take action against a hunting party including Donald Trump Jr. that may have killed a protected species of duck near Venice.

We don't want him back. Put him in Italian Guantanamo whatever that may be.

[gbasden]

This is what people voted for. They voted to roll back civil rights. Maga even invoke the name of MLK Jnr to justify it.

The concept that people of color will vote for a party who's most fervent wish is to go back to a 1950s social order that puts white males on a pedestal boggles my mind.

[waitingtoconnect]

El Salvador has agreed to take deportees of any nationality and also US citizens who have been convicted of “violent” crimes.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/03/americas ... index.html

Their president Bukele “has offered to house in his jails dangerous American criminals in custody in our country, including those of US citizenship and legal residents,” Rubio said.

[Max Peck]

The American for-profit industrial-prison complex has clearly been skimping on lobbyists.

[Grifman]

Here's the plan.

Congress will intentionally not pass a budget (there's no need to if they are going to abandon their responsibilities), and the govt will go shutdown mode. But now rather than the Treasury deciding who to pay, Trump (really Musk) will then decide who/what to pay, effectively collapsing much of the federal govt. Workers won't get paid except for whatever Musk deems essential, the rest will be sent home without pay. Sure, there will be lawsuits for years but by the time they are settled, the damage will be done. Hundreds of thousand of govt workers will have had to move on and find jobs. Basically, this means that in many ways, Trump rules by decree, since the power of the pocketbook is everything. He funds what he wants done, he doesn't fund what he doesn't want done.

It's really evilly brilliant.

[Unagi]

Honestly, it's not exceptionally clever at all - it's pretty rudimentary, isn't it?

Let's leave compliments to those who earn them (evil or not). This isn't clever - it's straight-forward and simple. Cut off funding. It's effective.

[Grifman]

CIA is getting a Trump makeover with buyout offers:



https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-s ... r-16fc0cbf

[Holman]

How is this not a coup, plain and simple?

[Smoove_B]

How is this not a coup, plain and simple?

Taking over the Treasury was absolutely a coup. This also is clearly a coup. But don't forget - Super Bowl Sunday is like 4 days away. Focus.

[YellowKing]

If only the American people hated Trump as much as they hate the Chiefs.

[El Guapo]

Here's the plan.

Congress will intentionally not pass a budget (there's no need to if they are going to abandon their responsibilities), and the govt will go shutdown mode. But now rather than the Treasury deciding who to pay, Trump (really Musk) will then decide who/what to pay, effectively collapsing much of the federal govt. Workers won't get paid except for whatever Musk deems essential, the rest will be sent home without pay. Sure, there will be lawsuits for years but by the time they are settled, the damage will be done. Hundreds of thousand of govt workers will have had to move on and find jobs. Basically, this means that in many ways, Trump rules by decree, since the power of the pocketbook is everything. He funds what he wants done, he doesn't fund what he doesn't want done.

It's really evilly brilliant.

That is unfortunately a scary but plausible scenario. One thing is that that seems like a really good recipe to generate sustained mass protests.

[Smoove_B]

So what you're telling me is I should be contacting payroll to stop paying federal taxes? Maybe I shouldn't file my 2024 income tax returns?

I like where this is going.

[raydude]

Here's the plan.

Congress will intentionally not pass a budget (there's no need to if they are going to abandon their responsibilities), and the govt will go shutdown mode. But now rather than the Treasury deciding who to pay, Trump (really Musk) will then decide who/what to pay, effectively collapsing much of the federal govt. Workers won't get paid except for whatever Musk deems essential, the rest will be sent home without pay. Sure, there will be lawsuits for years but by the time they are settled, the damage will be done. Hundreds of thousand of govt workers will have had to move on and find jobs. Basically, this means that in many ways, Trump rules by decree, since the power of the pocketbook is everything. He funds what he wants done, he doesn't fund what he doesn't want done.

It's really evilly brilliant.

That is unfortunately a scary but plausible scenario. One thing is that that seems like a really good recipe to generate sustained mass protests.

Absolutely it seems like a recipe for mass protests. These layoffs are not happening in a vaccum. Those workers are providing a government service and for some of them the customer is a US citizen or US-owned business. Once those people and companies start missing what was normally a government provided service there will be grumbling. More so if the missing services are a case of "I didn't expect the leopard to eat my face"

[El Guapo]

So what you're telling me is I should be contacting payroll to stop paying federal taxes? Maybe I shouldn't file my 2024 income tax returns?

I like where this is going.

You can do that if you are committed to publicly supporting Donald Trump.

[Grifman]

How is this not a coup, plain and simple?

It is rapidly becoming one. But if the Republicans in Congress don't care and acquiesce, and if the American public doesn't care (which they don't or else Trump would have never been elected) then the constitutional order will die. Inflation, illegal immigration and owning the libs/gays/trans/ was more important than the Constitution.

[Kurth]

How is this not a coup, plain and simple?

Well, the obvious answer is that it's not a coup because Trump and his clown posse of chaos brokers were democratically elected by the great and wise people of the United States of America.

At least, that's why it's not a "plain and simple" coup.

We could argue that once elected, the blatant scrapping of the Constitution is a coup of sorts, but if the people elect someone who already once tried to stage a coup (a violent one that involved storming the Capitol, at that), is nominated for the office he tried to previously steal through violence, runs on a campaign that openly broadcasts many of the ways he plans to stage a second coup (the scrapping the Constitution sort) if elected to a second term, and is subsequently elected to said second term, is it really a coup?

[Zaxxon]

[LawBeefaroni]

How is this not a coup, plain and simple?

Well, the obvious answer is that it's not a coup because Trump and his clown posse of chaos brokers were democratically elected by the great and wise people of the United States of America.

At least, that's why it's not a "plain and simple" coup.

We could argue that once elected, the blatant scrapping of the Constitution is a coup of sorts, but if the people elect someone who already once tried to stage a coup (a violent one that involved storming the Capitol, at that), is nominated for the office he tried to previously steal through violence, runs on a campaign that openly broadcasts many of the ways he plans to stage a second coup (the scrapping the Constitution sort) if elected to a second term, and is subsequently elected to said second term, is it really a coup?

It is a coup, by definition, if he attempts to overthrow the current system of government. We have a constitutional federal republic and he is attempting to change that outside of the lawful means to do to. It is a coup.

[Max Peck]

It's arguably an example of a specific type of coup: Self coup or Autocoup.

A self-coup, also called an autocoup (from Spanish autogolpe) or coup from the top, is a form of coup d'état in which a political leader, having come to power through legal means, stays in power illegally through the actions of themselves and/or their supporters. The leader may dissolve or render powerless the national legislature and unlawfully assume extraordinary powers. Other measures may include annulling the constitution, suspending civil courts, and having the head of government assume dictatorial powers.

From 1946 to the beginning of 2021, an estimated 148 self-coup attempts took place, 110 in autocracies and 38 in democracies.

[Blackhawk]

If it's by the will of the governed, doesn't it become a revolution?

[Hyena]

If it's by the will of the governed, doesn't it become a revolution?

Depending on which side you're on, it could become a rebellion...

[Isgrimnur]

Judge issues nationwide injunction blocking Trump's bid to end birthright citizenship

A federal judge in Maryland has issued a nationwide preliminary injunction against President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship.

U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman heard arguments Wednesday over a request by five pregnant undocumented women to block Trump's Day-1 executive order seeking to redefine the meaning of the 14th Amendment to exclude the children of undocumented immigrants from birthright citizenship.

"The denial of the precious right to citizenship will cause irreparable harm," Judge Boardman said in handing down her order. "It has been said the right to U.S. citizenship is a right no less precious than life or liberty. If the court does not enjoin enforcement of the executive order, children subject to the order will be denied the rights and benefits of U.S. citizenship and their parents will face instability."
...
The ruling comes two weeks after a federal judge in Seattle criticized the Department of Justice for attempting to defend what he called a "blatantly unconstitutional" order and issued a temporary restraining order.

[Kraken]

How is this not a coup, plain and simple?

It is rapidly becoming one. But if the Republicans in Congress don't care and acquiesce, and if the American public doesn't care (which they don't or else Trump would have never been elected) then the constitutional order will die. Inflation, illegal immigration and owning the libs/gays/trans/ was more important than the Constitution.

When last measured (about a week ago) trump's approval was at an all-time high 49%. We are entertained.

[Kurth]

It's arguably an example of a specific type of coup: Self coup or Autocoup.

A self-coup, also called an autocoup (from Spanish autogolpe) or coup from the top, is a form of coup d'état in which a political leader, having come to power through legal means, stays in power illegally through the actions of themselves and/or their supporters. The leader may dissolve or render powerless the national legislature and unlawfully assume extraordinary powers. Other measures may include annulling the constitution, suspending civil courts, and having the head of government assume dictatorial powers.

From 1946 to the beginning of 2021, an estimated 148 self-coup attempts took place, 110 in autocracies and 38 in democracies.

That’s closer, and definitely a plausible end game. But we’re missing the critical “stays in power illegally” part. Again, we elected Trump. He is very much in power legally, at least, for now. Thus, not a coup, even of the “self-coup” variety.

[Kurth]

How is this not a coup, plain and simple?

It is rapidly becoming one. But if the Republicans in Congress don't care and acquiesce, and if the American public doesn't care (which they don't or else Trump would have never been elected) then the constitutional order will die. Inflation, illegal immigration and owning the libs/gays/trans/ was more important than the Constitution.

When last measured (about a week ago) trump's approval was at an all-time high 49%. We are entertained.

And just wait ‘till he releases mock-ups of what the new Mar-a-Gaza resort is going to look like, contrasted with the current state of Gaza. I bet he goes over 50%!

[Unagi]

It's arguably an example of a specific type of coup: Self coup or Autocoup.

A self-coup, also called an autocoup (from Spanish autogolpe) or coup from the top, is a form of coup d'état in which a political leader, having come to power through legal means, stays in power illegally through the actions of themselves and/or their supporters. The leader may dissolve or render powerless the national legislature and unlawfully assume extraordinary powers. Other measures may include annulling the constitution, suspending civil courts, and having the head of government assume dictatorial powers.

From 1946 to the beginning of 2021, an estimated 148 self-coup attempts took place, 110 in autocracies and 38 in democracies.

That’s closer, and definitely a plausible end game. But we’re missing the critical “stays in power illegally” part. Again, we elected Trump. He is very much in power legally, at least, for now. Thus, not a coup, even of the “self-coup” variety.

Seems he may be fitting the 'render powerless the national legislature and unlawfully assume extraordinary powers', part of the "self-coup" variety, no?

[Max Peck]

It's arguably an example of a specific type of coup: Self coup or Autocoup.

A self-coup, also called an autocoup (from Spanish autogolpe) or coup from the top, is a form of coup d'état in which a political leader, having come to power through legal means, stays in power illegally through the actions of themselves and/or their supporters. The leader may dissolve or render powerless the national legislature and unlawfully assume extraordinary powers. Other measures may include annulling the constitution, suspending civil courts, and having the head of government assume dictatorial powers.

From 1946 to the beginning of 2021, an estimated 148 self-coup attempts took place, 110 in autocracies and 38 in democracies.

That’s closer, and definitely a plausible end game. But we’re missing the critical “stays in power illegally” part. Again, we elected Trump. He is very much in power legally, at least, for now. Thus, not a coup, even of the “self-coup” variety.

So your reasoning is that it can't be an autocoup (or even an attempted autocoup?) because Trump and/or the GOP has not yet achieved the goal of eternal power? You're conveniently ignoring the degree to which events unfolding over the last couple of weeks closely match the measures described in that brief definition?

[Alefroth]

Correct. At the moment they aren't staying in power illegally. There is no one else with a claim to the power. That's not to say I think it's not a regular coup.

[Blackhawk]

It's the key element of the definition. It might be what he's planning on achieving, but it isn't what he's done.

Yet.

[Smoove_B]

I will observe (shamelessly stolen) that it's not technically a coup unless it originates in France. Instead, we're looking at a sparkling takeover.


/ dark humor is all I have left

[Rumpy]

Not to mention he tried to do exactly that on his last term via the January 6th proceedings by trying to deny a lawful victory and keep himself in power. Thankfully it didn't work, but... yeah.

[Unagi]

I imagine that the SC would need to have a case before them, rule against Trump Admin - and Congress, and have Trump Admin - and Congress ignore said ruling before it is an autocoup. It's more likely the SC does not get a case or if it does, it rules in favor of whatever over-reach was presented and then it's just a slow walk through each election and how long the people can stand that.

[Holman]

Most autocoups force through changes to the law or constitution that permit their retention of power, so they are technically not staying in power "illegally."

But I think the term "coup" fits when the executive seizes powers that rightfully belong to the legislature. Maybe Trump is not yet illegally staying in office, but he is illegally exercising power.

[Alefroth]

I will observe (shamelessly stolen) that it's not technically a coup unless it originates in France. Instead, we're looking at a sparkling takeover.


/ dark humor is all I have left

Uh oh-

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... says-study

edit: Weird, this article appeared in my feed a few days ago, but I just saw that it's 9 years old.

[Unagi]

I will observe (shamelessly stolen) that it's not technically a coup unless it originates in France. Instead, we're looking at a sparkling takeover.


/ dark humor is all I have left

It's called a Freedom Fuck

[Smoove_B]

Thankfully I've always had dark humor, so I'll certainly be monitoring if it somehow increases.

Speaking of getting worse

New via NYT — The CIA sent the White House an unclassified email listing all employees hired by the spy agency over the last two years to comply with an executive order to shrink the federal work force. One former agency officer called the reporting of names a “counterintelligence disaster.”

Himes statement excerpt: “From what I have learned, the CIA should not have transmitted these names in this fashion, nor should the White House have insisted on such a clearly irresponsible approach, one that could genuinely put people in danger.“

Not sure what it's going to take, but there's no way this can go on like this another week.