Overview

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/elon-musk-hand-gesture-speech.html Helps to link things. Given what he was saying at the same time it appears to be an overzealous “my heart goes out to you” gesture. Poor taste though.

Given the nazi salute Elon performed today, I think we all have some confirmation about how this is all going to go.

This appeared in The Atlantic, but it’s behind a paywall. However news outlets have reported on it and I’ve heard it’s making the rounds on subreddits. I’m linking the MSN article. I think it’s pertinent given who is being sworn in today, Project 2025, and the people he’s chosen for positions in his administration. To anyone who thinks that could never happen here, think again. Democracies die when we go to sleep and take it for granted. I submit that’s where we are currently. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/historian-reveals-how-hitler-dismantled-democracy-in-less-than-two-months/ar-AA1xbNBe#

Certainly. The Republican party is well known for promoting a certain way of life and are very good at eroding the social freedoms we deserve to have. The Democratic party is also known for promoting a certain way of life. They are very good at eroding the financial freedoms we deserve to have. I'll just bring up a few Democratic led initiatives that have imposed restrictions on individual freedoms and rights. NYS SAFE Act NYS FMLA Act Social Security Unemployment DIsability I'm not here to argue the efficacy, justification, or purpose of these programs. I am mentioning these because they either impose an ownership restriction or a financial restriction on people. The gist of the entire argument is that Democrats and Republicans are both very good at eroding freedoms from its citizens. They do so either individually or through continued bi-partisan partnership. In almost all cases they will cite the "greater good" for the purpose of their actions. The question will always remain: Who's greater good? The answer will always be: It depends on if you benefit or are impacted by it, or not. Usually the discussion will fall back to "Well, it's just common sense." The problem with that statement is that if it were so common, it wouldn't be a problem, and yet here we are. As I said, I dislike both parties so do not think I am attacking or defending either of them. The only us vs. them argument in my books is people vs. government, period.

In addition to the anti-American examples I’ve listed previously, I’ll add a few more off the top of my head to further illustrate the point: separating families at the border, banning visitors from Muslim countries, banning books, denying VA health care to trans veterans, eliminating black history curriculums in schools, marginalizing immigrants, LGBTQ, and other minorities. Loyalty oaths as a condition for government employment. These are all self-evident anti American ideals imo. Yes, everyone has different ideas about what it is to be an American, so I can’t do anything but list specific incidents by the GOP that are contrary to the basic ideals of individual rights and freedoms. If you’re waiting for me to outline what that means to you, don’t waste your time. Perhaps it would be better for me to understand your equivalency to democrats if you provided a list of incidents by them. I’ve always thought that individual freedom was something we could all agree on in this country.

This doesn't help. You are talking about specific incidents. What is the American ideology that you are considering? I think everyone has different ideas about it, so how can I respond to your "anti-American" specifically about Democrats unless I know what you consider the points of "American ideology" are. Neither of us are here to defend the Republicans. You questioned my status on the Democrats, so let's discuss.

Conspiring to disenfranchise 82 million voters in 2020, enlisting fake electors in swing states, and fomenting an insurrection are just a few of the more glaring examples. Or how about Mike Lee, GOP Senator from Utah, flat out stating in a Senate hearing that in the United States of America, “Democracy is not the goal, freedom is.” “Anti American” is less definitive than it is obvious when you see it and hear it.

In order to talk about "anti-American" you have to define the American ideology. So, in your words, please define that and then I will be able to respond better.

Sorry, but I will never buy into the false equivalency arguments about the Democrats “being just as bad.” When it comes to corruption and anti-American ideology, Republicans stand alone.

Definitely. I only asked so if people wanted to converse on it they could at least refer to any specific coverage you had read. As far as the FEMA post it was more about how all the Republicans went haywire about it but now it'll be okay. A joke. And also about Democrats being just as bad, in their own ways. I'm equally disgusted with both parties and pretty much always have been. In my opinion they are the definitive two sides of the same coin. A coin that is fast depreciating in value.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/15/trump-newsom-california-fire-aid/ https://www.npr.org/2025/01/15/nx-s1-5259669/california-wildfires-aid-republicans https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/13/house-republicans-trump-wildfire-aid-00197766 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/13/house-speaker-mike-johnson-california-wildfire-aid/77681997007/ Lots of other reports out there. Of course, right wing outlets won’t report it so their lemmings remain as ignorant as ever of the facts. But right wing media has no problem reporting lies, like how LA has run out of water because the dems totally mismanaged that resource when all the reservoirs are full. And yeah, the Biden administration wasted no time sh*t canning that FEMA employee in NC. Even still, that is one lowly employee of one government agency as compared to the president elect, the speaker of the house, and other prominent gop congressmen publicly advocating placing conditions on federal disaster relief aid. Disaster relief has ALWAYS been a bi-partisan accommodation; never a question. Until now. Shame on these GOP pukes.

Can you please provide a link with information for people to consume? But conversely... these things happen. https://www.govexec.com/oversight/2024/11/fema-chief-calls-passing-over-trump-supporters-isolated-incident-requests-wider-probe/401146/ I suppose some of those GOP participants should be quoted and naturally more Republicans said it was BS. So clearly if FEMA withholding aid from Trump supporters is a problem then certainly the Republicans should think that withholding aid from California is a problem. So, they are all on equal ground as far as I am concerned. Let's not pretend one side is any more righteous than the other.

I won’t get into the lies and misinformation their rhetoric is loaded with because that is nothing new in the least, but this would set a terrible precedent as we simply cannot threaten to cut off disaster relief aid in order to force policy changes and/or retaliate against blue/red states because of political differences. Simple as that. What’s next, Dems refusing to send aid to Florida and other red states for hurricane, tornado, or flood damages?

“Taking” Greenland. President Musk and his cheeto lackey might wanna think twice before invading the territory of a fellow NATO member. As for Ukraine, I agree. But I doubt Europe will sit idly by. Especially Poland, who has made that quite clear with their unprecedented military buildup the last several years. Poland and the other NATO countries continue to contribute equipment, money, intelligence, and key military advisers to the Ukrainian cause. We Americans take it for granted, but Europe is quite serious about “never again” as it relates to Russian aggression.

Taking Greenland is not a bluff. Him and his buddy Musk, want it for rare earth minerals. There's a very possibility he declares Martial Law at some point under the guise of removing illegal immigrants. However whatever he does should be viewed through the very simple lens of power and money. If Trump thinks he will get more power or more money, he will act on it. He has no interest in governing or helping the country. It is why Musk and other Billionaires have gotten so cozy with him. They know that if you flatter Trump and help him attain either power or money, that he's in. The real concern at this stage is how he handles Ukraine's ongoing battle against Russia. He's already tried to exploit Ukraine and we know he tends to favor not only the policies of dictators like Putin but also how they speak. He could very easily use his bully pulpit to threaten Ukraine unless the rest of Europe gives him some concession he wants. The man is a dictator that is restrained by the ever weakening limits placed on him by the Constitution. The only hope the country has at this stage is somehow limping along until the midterms when either the house or the Senate can be flipped, effectively muzzling the mad dog half the country decided to unleash because Democrats are incompetent morons and Republicans are spineless lickspittles.

Welp, my appetite for cheese puffs has been ruined forever now.

I don’t know for sure which if these absurd ideas put forth by the human cheeto is the most insane, but I gotta go with his statement that Biden is obstructing the transition. That is beyond rich coming from the fomenter of an insurrection and assault on the Capitol in an attempt to not only obstruct the transition of power to the incoming administration four short years ago but to disenfranchise 82 million voters as well. As for eliminating taxes, Trump should read the Constitution (yeah, right) and learn that taxes are mandated in the document. But here’s the thing we need to remember and that is that all these ridiculous statements are meant to serve as distraction. While he’s tossing piles of pure crap to the media, he and his fascist phuck puppeteers are making plans to raid the treasury to fill their coffers even more. Just a form of sleight of hand, nothing more.

This country normalized insurrection and became comfortable with traitors to our Constitution holding public office despite their sworn oath to defend and protect it from all threats both foreign and domestic. I wish I could be surprised by that but I’m not given that we don’t have a problem with convicted felons holding the highest office in the land. Shame on us, America.

Well, that's one possibility. However, what if there was tampering? Evidence does come to light at different times, sometimes much later. It's not like politicians serving both Democrat and Republican needs don't lie straight to our faces and get involved in illegal activities in order to further their agendas. DISCLAIMER: I am not a fan of Donald Trump.

Witness tampering. Yeah right. Every witness was a republican and now, NOW, they claim tampering? Meanwhile the rest of the country goes to crap as Cheeto man and his fascist loyalists ignore the big picture as they seek retribution against those who actually have respect for our Constitution and the rule of law. Banana republic time again.

Yeah I had to dig a bit at first, but it’s out there now as headline news. Accusations that Cheney did some witness tampering and our new President elect smells blood and is calling for an FBI investigation.

Can you add context to that? A link to whatever you read or saw that sparked your comment on here would assist others in confirming what you are referring to. Thanks.

Bad day for Liz Cheney.

Oh yeah.. definitely agree. I'm just laughing at people who said they are LEOS which should never be confused for a drone.