Octopus Overlords

IceBear wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 4:22 pm I have gotten myself sick with the stress. There's just no way I'm going to last until Feb 1st, let alone 4 years

Sadly, I suspect that most MAGA (including several on this forum) would read this statement and take it as an unqualified win for "their side".

Marc Elias' law group has a site that does a good job of tracking all the cases being brought against Trump.

Democracy Docket

Sadly, I suspect that most MAGA (including several on this forum) would read this statement and take it as an unqualified win for "their side".

That is correct. They want you overwhelmed. They want you to feel defeated. They want you "triggered" into silence. That is 100% what last night's circus was all about and likely what the plan is for the coming few weeks - absolutely flood the zone to the point where it seems hopeless to do anything other than turtle up and pretend like nothing is going on.

RESIST

Note: I reserve the right to be despondent when RFK Jr. is officially appointed.

Smoove_B wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 5:14 pm
Note: I reserve the right to be despondent when RFK Jr. is officially appointed.

No fair, I was prepared to rub all of this in your face!!!

IceBear wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 4:22 pm I have gotten myself sick with the stress. There's just no way I'm going to last until Feb 1st, let alone 4 years

Yep, I think that ties into what I've been saying. I have to have hope, as I can't deal with the stress of everything happening otherwise. The trick is not to feel overwhelmed by everything, that would otherwise lead to despair.

I have just accepted that he's going to put on a 25% tariff no matter what. He said he wanted to do it and all his rationale is just bullshit. He wants to do it so he's going to do it. Our economy and country will be ruined but I've accepted it now and my anxiety level has dropped.

IceBear wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:13 pm I have just accepted that he's going to put on a 25% tariff no matter what. He said he wanted to do it and all his rationale is just bullshit. He wants to do it so he's going to do it. Our economy and country will be ruined but I've accepted it now and my anxiety level has dropped.

Also he vigorously continues to not understand how tariffs actually work.

I think the secret with Trump is to just tell him his ideas are great and wait for him to forget about them. If you kick back against them, it just makes him wanna spite you and make it so.

IceBear wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:13 pm I have just accepted that he's going to put on a 25% tariff no matter what. He said he wanted to do it and all his rationale is just bullshit. He wants to do it so he's going to do it. Our economy and country will be ruined but I've accepted it now and my anxiety level has dropped.

Yeah, we're going to have to adapt either way. But at the same time it doesn't mean we can't have retaliatory tariffs either, if that's what it takes. Some people live by experimentation, and in this case, it's going to be learned the hard way that tariffs aren't the answer for his economic plan.

Rumpy wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:19 pm

IceBear wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:13 pm I have just accepted that he's going to put on a 25% tariff no matter what. He said he wanted to do it and all his rationale is just bullshit. He wants to do it so he's going to do it. Our economy and country will be ruined but I've accepted it now and my anxiety level has dropped.

Yeah, we're going to have to adapt either way. But at the same time it doesn't mean we can't have retaliatory tariffs either, if that's what it takes. Some people live by experimentation, and in this case, it's going to be learned the hard way that tariffs aren't the answer for his economic plan.

I also read that Canada's likely retaliatory tariffs are going to be designed to target red states in particular.

The problem with the notion of Red States is that there are still a lot of Blue people living in them. But I get the reasoning.

Yeah, that's what we did last time. Although with Trump this time I fear his retaliation for us standing up for ourselves. I suspect that's what he wants so he can escalate into national defense

God it's such an insane world where I can't dismiss war with Canada as a possibility in this term.

El Guapo wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:23 pm

Rumpy wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:19 pm

IceBear wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:13 pm I have just accepted that he's going to put on a 25% tariff no matter what. He said he wanted to do it and all his rationale is just bullshit. He wants to do it so he's going to do it. Our economy and country will be ruined but I've accepted it now and my anxiety level has dropped.

Yeah, we're going to have to adapt either way. But at the same time it doesn't mean we can't have retaliatory tariffs either, if that's what it takes. Some people live by experimentation, and in this case, it's going to be learned the hard way that tariffs aren't the answer for his economic plan.

I also read that Canada's likely retaliatory tariffs are going to be designed to target red states in particular.

I didn't think that'd be possible. I thought tariffs were an across-the-board thing, and didn't realize they could be targeted. I'd heard there was a possibility on focusing on the northern states, but if that's the case, it'd be a mix of red and blue.

El Guapo wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:30 pm God it's such an insane world where I can't dismiss war with Canada as a possibility in this term.

I know, right. For Canadians, it feels bewildering. We're simply not used to the kind of attention we're getting right now. It makes us all wonder what exactly we did wrong to receive the kind of attention he's giving us.

No, they can, and normally are selective. Usually you use them to protect specific sectors and industries.Trump is proposing a universal 25% on everything because border security which is a trickle compared to Mexico but same 25%. Most economists think that's insane...he might carve out oil as the US uses a lot of our oil so it would increase gas prices down there and Smith kissed the ring

One of the products we're going to target is Florida orange juice just because that's where he lives now

stessier wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:25 pm The problem with the notion of Red States is that there are still a lot of Blue people living in them. But I get the reasoning.

Yup. Being a blue dot in a ruby red state kinda sucks.

We were complacent. We should have tightened our borders and spent more on the military before now. We should have been more active in finding trading partners. If we get to the other side of this our government had better work on distancing ourselves from the US

Rumpy wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:32 pm

El Guapo wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:23 pm

Rumpy wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:19 pm

IceBear wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:13 pm I have just accepted that he's going to put on a 25% tariff no matter what. He said he wanted to do it and all his rationale is just bullshit. He wants to do it so he's going to do it. Our economy and country will be ruined but I've accepted it now and my anxiety level has dropped.

Yeah, we're going to have to adapt either way. But at the same time it doesn't mean we can't have retaliatory tariffs either, if that's what it takes. Some people live by experimentation, and in this case, it's going to be learned the hard way that tariffs aren't the answer for his economic plan.

I also read that Canada's likely retaliatory tariffs are going to be designed to target red states in particular.

I didn't think that'd be possible. I thought tariffs were an across-the-board thing, and didn't realize they could be targeted. I'd heard there was a possibility on focusing on the northern states, but if that's the case, it'd be a mix of red and blue.

El Guapo wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:30 pm God it's such an insane world where I can't dismiss war with Canada as a possibility in this term.

I know, right. For Canadians, it feels bewildering. We're simply not used to the kind of attention we're getting right now. It makes us all wonder what exactly we did wrong to receive the kind of attention he's giving us.

Baby you just make us so mad sometimes.

WYBaugh wrote: Mon Jan 20, 2025 9:07 pm He's pardoned 1600 January 6th tourists.

And the Fraternal Order of Police support him and the 2025 GOP that let him do as he pleases. Let that sink in. Or don't. Really don't. This is why I need to stay away.

I wonder if Virginia or Maryland (or other states) could charge any of the J6 rioters with state violations not subject to the federal pardon.

IceBear wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:40 pm We were complacent. We should have tightened our borders and spent more on the military before now. We should have been more active in finding trading partners. If we get to the other side of this our government had better work on distancing ourselves from the US

Yep, if anything, this might be the kick in the pants that we need to improve things. Learning experience? Sure!

Rumpy wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:49 pm

IceBear wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:40 pm We were complacent. We should have tightened our borders and spent more on the military before now. We should have been more active in finding trading partners. If we get to the other side of this our government had better work on distancing ourselves from the US

Yep, if anything, this might be the kick in the pants that we need to improve things.

Yeah, I hope we get the chance to learn from our mistakes

IceBear wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:40 pm We were complacent. We should have tightened our borders and spent more on the military before now. We should have been more active in finding trading partners. If we get to the other side of this our government had better work on distancing ourselves from the US

For those of us still able to feel ashamed, we're sorry that you feel that way, and that you're right to feel that way.

And here we fucking go.

CDC, FDA and the NIH have all started "radio silence" at the direction of the administration. No updates to their websites, no posts on social media, no press releases and no health alerts. This apparently also includes silencing the cornerstone publication used to document disease in the nation and share related research or case studies (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly) using data that is been shared by local and state agencies.

Not sure if it's a WaPo exclusive, but I'll look for more info.

I wonder if you could just subscribe to the feeds via Canada and get information that way.

naednek wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 1:41 pm He took down the constitution page on the Whitehouse website.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-wh ... stitution/

he also got rid of the page that talked about the previous presidents

I'm hearing reports that META has blocked tags like #democrats #DNC from Instagram and FB. As well as making everyone follow Donald Trump on FB. I'm not seeing that on my end

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g32yxpdz0o

Do Monarchies even have Constitutions?

It’s a 25% Trump Tax, not a tariff.

You let the GOP win by controlling the narrative and language. It’s why there are so many things trolling the Democrats to overwhelm them into shutdown.

Don’t obey in advance. Resist.
Don’t stop fighting. Pick your battles.
Don’t doom scroll the news. Pay attention to the real damage.
Don’t let the algorithms and AI take control. Quit social media.

I’m hoping they somehow keep hammering the messaging that Elon, Zuck, and Bezos are really the ones calling the shots now.

Partly because I think most non-MAGAs can get behind the idea that billionaires are dicks who are only out to make themselves richer and don’t care about the rest of us, and partly because I think it will ultimately drive Trump nuts.

Musk is the face of electric cars, which will result in most deplorables turning against him eventually. Never underestimate how much rage a threat to their gas powered cars generates in them.

hepcat wrote:Never underestimate how much rage a threat to their gas powered cars generates in them.

Even as they whine incessantly about gas prices.

hepcat wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 10:35 pm Musk is the face of electric cars, which will result in most deplorables turning against him eventually. Never underestimate how much rage a threat to their gas powered cars generates in them.

Musk announced last summer that Tesla will start selling its Optimus humanoid robot to businesses in 2026 and target home users in '27.

There might be some small technical challenges in the way, like needing to perfect AGI first, but that market would ultimately dwarf electric cars, and one can imagine deplorables wanting a mechanical slave.

Smoove_B wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 8:57 pm And here we fucking go.

CDC, FDA and the NIH have all started "radio silence" at the direction of the administration. No updates to their websites, no posts on social media, no press releases and no health alerts. This apparently also includes silencing the cornerstone publication used to document disease in the nation and share related research or case studies (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly) using data that is been shared by local and state agencies.

Not sure if it's a WaPo exclusive, but I'll look for more info.

They stopped the Morbidity and Mortality reports? Some political hack doesn't understand what that's used for. It's data. No agenda, just data. Unless you're part of a lobby that doesn't want to track antibiotic resistant syphilis or flu data then yeah I suppose this would make sense. Fucking fools.

They did. Tomorrow is pre-release day (for those in the know) of the next MMWR and everyone is waiting to see if the scheduled release will happen (I doubt it).

There's really no good explanation for this other than it's tied to RFK Jr.'s pending confirmation hearing. There's been significant pushback and this kinda feels like a power move to allow the confirmation hearing to take place and possibly then install him. You want updates? You want the MMWR? You want health advisories and food recall notifications? Then we need to hurry up and confirm a new head so he can start approving what can be sent out.

Oh, and they also cancelled the next round of PHAP appointments at the CDC (would have been in February). This is a pipeline to get college graduates real-world experience by working at the CDC in any number of areas. If you go to the PHAP website and try to apply, you'll eventually end up on a "cancelled" page.

To be clear, none of this is surprising to me. But it's still chilling to observe in real time - and he's just getting started.

$iljanus wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 11:07 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 8:57 pm And here we fucking go.

CDC, FDA and the NIH have all started "radio silence" at the direction of the administration. No updates to their websites, no posts on social media, no press releases and no health alerts. This apparently also includes silencing the cornerstone publication used to document disease in the nation and share related research or case studies (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly) using data that is been shared by local and state agencies.

Not sure if it's a WaPo exclusive, but I'll look for more info.

They stopped the Morbidity and Mortality reports? Some political hack doesn't understand what that's used for. It's data. No agenda, just data. Unless you're part of a lobby that doesn't want to track antibiotic resistant syphilis or flu data then yeah I suppose this would make sense. Fucking fools.

Obviously you don't understand.
What you don't know can't hurt you!

IceBear wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:40 pm If we get to the other side of this our government had better work on distancing ourselves from the US

I strongly suspect this will be a very common - and entirely justified - reaction around the world.

This is consistent with the Republicans' "Reducing life expectancy since 2020" brand. This is the easy way to cut Social Security and Medicare costs.

waitingtoconnect wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 2:53 am The left needs to decide if it’s worth fighting trump on one of the few areas of trumps policy that most Americans could well support giving him airspace to do his meme coins and other highly questionable stuff.

It’s going to be about avoiding being wedged and picking battles. Especially in a traditional and social media environment that will be completely hostile. And where intimidation of our allies could well mean make great governments in countries like Canada, Australia and the UK.

So, "the left" should just shrug as he does things that are blatantly unconstitutional? Besides, people affected are going to fight this in court whether "the left" likes it or not.

hepcat wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 10:35 pm Musk is the face of electric cars, which will result in most deplorables turning against him eventually. Never underestimate how much rage a threat to their gas powered cars generates in them.

Which is also funny considering the administration wants to end the EV incentives. Being that Musk owns one of the biggest electric car manufacturers, you'd think he'd be against this move. Talk about a conflict of interest.

Rumpy wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 1:44 am

hepcat wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 10:35 pm Musk is the face of electric cars, which will result in most deplorables turning against him eventually. Never underestimate how much rage a threat to their gas powered cars generates in them.

Which is also funny considering the administration wants to end the EV incentives. Being that Musk owns one of the biggest electric car manufacturers, you'd think he'd be against this move. Talk about a conflict of interest.

Musk is in favor of ending the EV incentives because it would hurt the competition more than it would hurt Tesla. He's had his turn at the trough already.

$iljanus wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 11:07 pm They stopped the Morbidity and Mortality reports? Some political hack doesn't understand what that's used for. It's data. No agenda, just data. Unless you're part of a lobby that doesn't want to track antibiotic resistant syphilis or flu data then yeah I suppose this would make sense. Fucking fools.

MAGA feelings don't care about your data.