The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump

[msduncan]

In other news, Republicans won the special election in Florida tonight. It added one to Republican's current majority (not a change of seats, but they were down one since January because the former Rep is on the staff).

Check that - two seats in two special elections. Deep red districts.

[Kraken]

Democratic senator Cory Booker holding marathon speech to highlight ‘recklessness’ of Trump policies

Senator Cory Booker has been giving a marathon speech on the Senate floor that has lasted into the early hours of Tuesday morning, highlighting what he described as the “recklessness” of the Trump administration.

The New Jersey Democrat began his address on Monday night and said he would continue to speak for as long as he could “physically endure”. By 7.30am ET, Booker was still going.

I'm glad he did this. This kind of thing is the sort of thing that Democrats need to be doing constantly.

That said, if I can nitpick a bit I wish he had a specific ask attached, like the resignation of Hegseth for example.

This is exactly how it's supposed to be done. And yes, he should have attached something to it.... but maybe more filibusters of things will be coming. Right now I'm not sure what Congress is doing at all (either side). I don't know if it's the lack of coverage or whether they've literally just been occupying seats.

That was my take, too -- one filibusters a piece of legislation or a specific policy. But if Congress isn't doing anything, I suppose one can filibuster nothing.

[Alefroth]

We don't have to call it a filibuster.

[LordMortis]

More examples of this GOP administration isn't touching funding for education or medicaid or social security like they keep insisting they aren't doing

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/trump- ... d-projects

(FOX 2) - The federal education department has pulled back more than $40 million in funds that were destined for more than two dozen Michigan school districts, the state said.

According to the Michigan Department of Education, the Trump Administration altered a deadline to request reimbursement for projects that had already been approved.

Big picture view:

A news release from the MDE's state superintendent on Monday announced that just after 5 p.m. on March 28, education departments around the country received a notice from the U.S. Department of Education about a change in reimbursement policy.

School districts that had received permission to submit delayed requests for late reimbursement for pre-approved projects will no longer receive the money.

That's because the deadline for those requests was moved from March 28, 2026, to March 28, 2025, with the notice arriving just after the deadline was retroactively moved up.

The money, totaling nearly $42 million, would have been spent on the heating, ventilation, windows, air conditioning, and other building infrastructure for 27 different districts, the news release sent Monday said.

Dig deeper:

School districts applying for the money had already received approval from the U.S. Education Department.

But in the letter sent by Sec. Linda McMahon, which was included in the MDE's email, the department said it would be changing the deadline by moving it up a year.

[LawBeefaroni]

$42m is a blip on the federal ledger but probably makes a world of difference to those schools. This isn't an effort at efficiency or fiscal responsibility. It's a bunch of egos making noise and wielding usurped power in the most showy manner possible.

[Holman]

$42m is a blip on the federal ledger but probably makes a world of difference to those schools. This isn't an effort at efficiency or fiscal responsibility. It's a bunch of egos making noise and wielding usurped power in the most showy manner possible.

The also want to cripple public schools in order to boost privatized alternatives. The harm is intentional.

[LordMortis]

$42m is a blip on the federal ledger but probably makes a world of difference to those schools. This isn't an effort at efficiency or fiscal responsibility. It's a bunch of egos making noise and wielding usurped power in the most showy manner possible.

The also want to cripple public schools in order to boost privatized alternatives. The harm is intentional.

^^^^
This and that would be a precursor to federal cutting, in general, so every state can figure it out on their own and the GOP administration can ultimately put less of a tax burden on the upper .001% to .0001%, while creating a more malleable work force with less expectations under them.

[Kraken]

People who track such things say Mump's cuts have so far cost the MA economy $1.5 billion and 6,713 research jobs, and this is before the $8B attack on Harvard was announced. They even have a county- /state-level map.

[Isgrimnur]

$42m is a blip on the federal ledger but probably makes a world of difference to those schools. This isn't an effort at efficiency or fiscal responsibility. It's a bunch of egos making noise and wielding usurped power in the most showy manner possible.

The also want to cripple public schools in order to boost privatized alternatives. The harm is intentional.

Economic segregation over race-based

[LordMortis]

Economic segregation over race-based

This is the heart of "School of Choice" and vouchers. At the state level, it also is about funneling money in to for profit charter schools with the right political/religious ties. That's been the case here for 30 years or so, anyway.

[LawBeefaroni]

People who track such things say Mump's cuts have so far cost the MA economy $1.5 billion and 6,713 research jobs, and this is before the $8B attack on Harvard was announced. They even have a county- /state-level map.

Public funding of research has a great ROI, like 5:1. Unfortunately, the return doesn't go direcrly to the right people so it has to go..

[Smoove_B]

I've learned over the last ~5 years there are many more Veruca Salt citizens than I ever imagined -- the "I want it now" clan that has no concept of what it means to live in a society and to share the burden of all the things that make civilized living possible. If there isn't an immediate, concrete benefit that they experience (ideally to a greater degree than anyone else), they don't want it.

[LordMortis]

the "I want it now" clan that has no concept of what it means to live in a society and to share the burden of all the things that make civilized living possible. If there isn't an immediate, concrete benefit that they experience (ideally to a greater degree than anyone else), they don't want it.

That horrific realization has been coming at me with the force of cement truck since about 2010. I still kept thinking it was a force that was going to hit a terminal level and burn out right up until 2016. And even after that reality burst my belief system, I only come to see how much worse it was that I even thought then. I think I've been living firmly in the middle of this nightmare reality for at least five years, maybe longer.

[Rumpy]

what it means to live in a society and to share the burden of all the things that make civilized living possible.

And I think there lies one of the key differences between the U.S and Canada. For the most part, Canadians understand shared burden, ie healthcare being an example making it better and more affordable for everyone, although I should point out that even here, there's been a move towards privatizing via for-profit models and cutting critical hospital funding.

[Holman]

I've learned over the last ~5 years there are many more Veruca Salt citizens than I ever imagined -- the "I want it now" clan that has no concept of what it means to live in a society and to share the burden of all the things that make civilized living possible. If there isn't an immediate, concrete benefit that they experience (ideally to a greater degree than anyone else), they don't want it.

There have already been a couple of Fox News clips floating around that suggest Americans will have to steel themselves and accept some economic suffering in order to realize Trump's vision for a new economy.

Yeah, I'm sure that will go over well.

[$iljanus]

I've learned over the last ~5 years there are many more Veruca Salt citizens than I ever imagined -- the "I want it now" clan that has no concept of what it means to live in a society and to share the burden of all the things that make civilized living possible. If there isn't an immediate, concrete benefit that they experience (ideally to a greater degree than anyone else), they don't want it.

There have already been a couple of Fox News clips floating around that suggest Americans will have to steel themselves and accept some economic suffering in order to realize Trump's vision for a new economy.

Yeah, I'm sure that will go over well.

When you say "Americans will have to steel themselves" we're not talking about the 1%, of course.

[LordMortis]

I've learned over the last ~5 years there are many more Veruca Salt citizens than I ever imagined -- the "I want it now" clan that has no concept of what it means to live in a society and to share the burden of all the things that make civilized living possible. If there isn't an immediate, concrete benefit that they experience (ideally to a greater degree than anyone else), they don't want it.

There have already been a couple of Fox News clips floating around that suggest Americans will have to steel themselves and accept some economic suffering in order to realize Trump's vision for a new economy.

Yeah, I'm sure that will go over well.

When you say "Americans will have to steel themselves" we're not talking about the 1%, of course.

1% will get hurt. Their money is in the market. The .001% or less, whom are in private equity with sheltered assets and will be getting a largess of tax breaks while being more concerned about growing their share of everything without government interference than they are the 0s at the end of their wealth. They'll be loving life.

[LordMortis]

Stolen from FB so not sure if it's real. It's hard to fact check captures when you're unwilling to to go to Twitter or FoxNews or...

[Skinypupy]

I've learned over the last ~5 years there are many more Veruca Salt citizens than I ever imagined -- the "I want it now" clan that has no concept of what it means to live in a society and to share the burden of all the things that make civilized living possible. If there isn't an immediate, concrete benefit that they experience (ideally to a greater degree than anyone else), they don't want it.

This is one of the best descriptions of MAGA that I’ve read.

[Rumpy]

Yeah, and it would definitely explain the reasons my Aunt that I mentioned before doesn't see national healthcare as a plus.

[Holman]

The biggest part of the Veruca Salt problem is that many Americans don't perceive that they actually do benefit from living in a shared society. This is because functional and effective parts of that social contract make themselves invisible.

Infrastructure: who even notices the positive state of the roads or electricity or running water until something interrupts them? When they're functioning well, they feel as natural as the sunrise.

Medicine: who stops to appreciate the incredible advances in medicine that have kept people healthy and eradicated so many former scourges?

Science: how many MAGA people cheering the gutting of government support for scientific research have thought about the degree to which government-supported research and its follow-on implementation has literally created and sustained their quality of life? How many Southerners understand that FDR's government programs exchanged their region's epidemic malaria for electricity and air-conditioning?

Foreign Aid: how many MAGAs understand that the small part of the Federal budget spent on foreign aid is a huge part of why people around the world see American influence as preferable to Russian or Chinese influence?

"Liberal Media:" how many MAGAs understand that the inclusive and positive and sometimes even very interesting output of US media is the rest of why people around the world see American influence as preferable to Russian or Chinese influence?

[Kraken]

what it means to live in a society and to share the burden of all the things that make civilized living possible.

And I think there lies one of the key differences between the U.S and Canada. For the most part, Canadians understand shared burden, ie healthcare being an example making it better and more affordable for everyone, although I should point out that even here, there's been a move towards privatizing via for-profit models and cutting critical hospital funding.

..because the US system is such a worthy paragon. Sheesh.

[Rumpy]

what it means to live in a society and to share the burden of all the things that make civilized living possible.

And I think there lies one of the key differences between the U.S and Canada. For the most part, Canadians understand shared burden, ie healthcare being an example making it better and more affordable for everyone, although I should point out that even here, there's been a move towards privatizing via for-profit models and cutting critical hospital funding.

..because the US system is such a worthy paragon. Sheesh.

Nah, it's just... different.

[Kraken]

what it means to live in a society and to share the burden of all the things that make civilized living possible.

And I think there lies one of the key differences between the U.S and Canada. For the most part, Canadians understand shared burden, ie healthcare being an example making it better and more affordable for everyone, although I should point out that even here, there's been a move towards privatizing via for-profit models and cutting critical hospital funding.

..because the US system is such a worthy paragon. Sheesh.

Nah, it's just... different.

It's probably not news to you that we have the lowest life expectancy, the most preventable deaths, and the highest child mortality of any advanced nation, and we pay twice as much as anyone else to get it. Maybe you could let your countrymen know.

[Rumpy]

what it means to live in a society and to share the burden of all the things that make civilized living possible.

And I think there lies one of the key differences between the U.S and Canada. For the most part, Canadians understand shared burden, ie healthcare being an example making it better and more affordable for everyone, although I should point out that even here, there's been a move towards privatizing via for-profit models and cutting critical hospital funding.

..because the US system is such a worthy paragon. Sheesh.

Nah, it's just... different.

It's probably not news to you that we have the lowest life expectancy, the most preventable deaths, and the highest child mortality of any advanced nation, and we pay twice as much as anyone else to get it. Maybe you could let your countrymen know.

Definitely not news, no. Which is why I said Canada is generally into sharing the burden. Kind of like a team effort

[Kraken]

Well if you're open to having an 11th province, I hereby submit Massachusetts' application. We want your healthcare.

[Max Peck]

Well if you're open to having an 11th province, I hereby submit Massachusetts' application. We want your healthcare.

But what if I told you that your healthcare is coming here? #anecdata

Trump threats open 'floodgate' of inquiries from U.S. physicians about moving north

Concerns over the political climate in the U.S. has opened a "floodgate" of inquiries about moving to Canada, according to recruiter Michelle Flynn.

"The amount of interest has more than doubled over the last several months," she told CBC.

The COO of CanAm Physician Recruiting Inc., Flynn recruits U.S.-trained physicians to work in Canada and places Canadian specialists in roles in the U.S.

Lately though, she has struggled to get any Canadians interested in moving south.

"I started a position for an [obstetrician-gynecologist] in the U.S. before President Trump was elected," she said. "We since have had to scrap that idea totally. Nobody is going to the U.S."

To deal with the influx of inquiries from American physicians wanting to come to Canada, Flynn said she is now conducting interviews five days a week, up from three days a week previously.

"We're getting 60-plus physicians coming to and registering on our website a month," she said.

[El Guapo]

Well if you're open to having an 11th province, I hereby submit Massachusetts' application. We want your healthcare.

I feel like we should apply as New England. New Hampshire and Maine might need some convincing, but pretty sure we could get them on board.