Musk’s Secret DOGE Team

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, LTS said:

 

The SAFE act restricts access to ammunition, etc. It is an infringement on freedom.  It may be put out there to help stop violence but it's all *****. People who want to commit violent acts will find a way to do so. When we allow government to be "our protectors" we absolve ourselves of the responsibility. As such, people stop paying attention to things that matter because they falsely assume the government will take care of it. However, as we see, the government sucks at that and it's all over the place.

 

I thumbs down your post because of this. The United States has the highest rate of gun violence in the entire developed world. It is not particularly close so not only is this a hollow NRA talking point, it is one that is disproven by every single other country that restricts access to firearms. 837 people have been killed by guns at k-12 schools since 1966, that's 14.43ppl killed each year. This number has accelerated since Columbine. There have been 392 school shooting since 1999, or 15.68 per year in the United States. There aren't 15 school shootings in the rest of the developed world combined every year. The US had 120.5 firearms per 100 people, eclipsing every single other country in the developed world with Yemen a close 2nd at... 52.8. 

If we look at just public mass shootings, the US has had 109 since 2000 compared to 35 in the rest of the world. We make up 76% of public mass shootings and 70% of fatalities. So between school shootings and just mass shootings in general, there is 0 proof at all having no restrictions is better. In fact the inverse is readily apparent in most cases as countries with better gun control have better outcomes. So when you sit at your house and claim your freedom to own a gun trumps all else or however you want to use the 2nd amendment, remember your freedom to own a gun has costs the total freedom of at least 837 children and teachers to date. 

The biggest infringement on freedom is death. 

If the government is such a shitshow at "taking care of it" we can fix the debt issue right now. Disband the entire military and allow there to be state militias without a federal force at all. No Navy, No Air Force, No Marines, No Army. Then we can "start paying attention" to the things that matter. (to be clear, this part is jest at the absurdity of the sentence I am highlighting from your response, I could have used no police, or no firefighters, or no VA Hospital, or anything the government does as an example)

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1459728/victims-of-school-shootings-by-situation-us/

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/05/europe/sweden-mass-shooting-orebro-explainer-intl/index.html

https://rockinst.org/blog/public-mass-shootings-around-the-world-prevalence-context-and-prevention/

Edited Tuesday at 06:18 PM by LGR4GM

[LGR4GM]

Here's the cold hard truth that libertarians, republicans, democrats, anarchists, nazis, confederates, mickey mouse, and everyone's boy elon forget. Humans are social creatures that build things together and are better when working together. The reason the US is where it is currently is this entire idea that everyone is responsible for themselves and no one else. You are responsible for your own protection, your own resources, your own education, your own defense, your own *insert thing here*  ... and that is not and has NEVER been the world that humans have built. We've always been pack animals.

If the Government does nothing, and you have to do everything, where's the time in the day to do anything? 

Guess we should go back to small tribes or villages living in walled cities where we protect our own and kill the outsiders, sounds like that will make America great again... you know the way the people from the 13 colonies intended when they banded together and set aside differences to build something bigger than themselves. We aren't the United States of America anymore but the Loosely Assembled People Who Sorta Put Up With Each Other. LAPWSPUWEO, rolls right off the tongue. 

edit: this all isn't directed at you LTS, you share a sentiment that I personally know runs through most people

Edited Tuesday at 06:35 PM by LGR4GM

[Weave]

2 hours ago, LTS said:

I completely recall it.

Social Security is a restriction of the freedom of where I invest my hard earned money. I fail to see it as anything else. I accept taxes have to exist as a means to support and operate a government. If those taxes are spent in meaningful ways I have no issue with that. Although I do believe the governments job is to be as small as possible and allow people to be people.  When you take my money, you are restricting my freedom. My freedom to choose what I do with the money I earn.  The government, if it operated as a business, would be bankrupt and shutdown. They'd have to "raise prices" and if people could opt-out of buying their product many would.

The SAFE act restricts access to ammunition, etc. It is an infringement on freedom.  It may be put out there to help stop violence but it's all *****. People who want to commit violent acts will find a way to do so. When we allow government to be "our protectors" we absolve ourselves of the responsibility. As such, people stop paying attention to things that matter because they falsely assume the government will take care of it. However, as we see, the government sucks at that and it's all over the place.

The Democrats entire motif is to instill in the people that they need the government to as means to live their lives and so we'll take your money to build all of these social programs so people don't have to think for themselves. They can just assume the government will provide. My problem with FEMA fits in that bucket as well.

People need to be far more aware and accountable for their actions. We need to live in a socially responsible world. I get that we don't, but by placing the soc

As far as Republicans, they are morons too. Their playbook from a social perspective is based from the pure ignorance of religion, which is, in my opinion, an even worse creation than government.  

Given all this, it’s weird that the people with the highest standards of living, happiness quotients (whatever that is), health, life expectancy, birth expectancy, etc all seem to come from countries that provide for their health care, retirement, protection, etc. The cultures with the greatest respect and accountability for their actions all seem to come from those countries as well.

My observations, anyway.

[K-9]

2 hours ago, LTS said:

I completely recall it.

Social Security is a restriction of the freedom of where I invest my hard earned money. I fail to see it as anything else. I accept taxes have to exist as a means to support and operate a government. If those taxes are spent in meaningful ways I have no issue with that. Although I do believe the governments job is to be as small as possible and allow people to be people.  When you take my money, you are restricting my freedom. My freedom to choose what I do with the money I earn.  The government, if it operated as a business, would be bankrupt and shutdown. They'd have to "raise prices" and if people could opt-out of buying their product many would.

The SAFE act restricts access to ammunition, etc. It is an infringement on freedom.  It may be put out there to help stop violence but it's all *****. People who want to commit violent acts will find a way to do so. When we allow government to be "our protectors" we absolve ourselves of the responsibility. As such, people stop paying attention to things that matter because they falsely assume the government will take care of it. However, as we see, the government sucks at that and it's all over the place.

The Democrats entire motif is to instill in the people that they need the government to as means to live their lives and so we'll take your money to build all of these social programs so people don't have to think for themselves. They can just assume the government will provide. My problem with FEMA fits in that bucket as well.

People need to be far more aware and accountable for their actions. We need to live in a socially responsible world. I get that we don't, but by placing the soc

As far as Republicans, they are morons too. Their playbook from a social perspective is based from the pure ignorance of religion, which is, in my opinion, an even worse creation than government.  

If you completely recall it, then you know I wasn’t saying SS had anything to do with denying people medical care, preventing marriage choice, or the ability to serve in the military. So I’m glad we’re clear on that.

As for all the rest of it, I appreciate your taking the time to expand on your viewpoints. 

I meant to add that I agree 100% with your take on religion. It has no place in our politics, let alone any direct influence on our laws. But the GOP uses it like a cudgel to divide this nation. 

Edited Tuesday at 08:06 PM by K-9

[LGR4GM]

On 2/10/2025 at 11:18 AM, Hank said:

 

Speaking of lies, let's talk about this lie. Not the Biden administration but Elon Musk. It turns out that in fact, no FEMA funds of the 59million mentioned here were diverted. Looks like Hank's post was pure propaganda after all and now we have proof.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/fema-official-ignores-judge-order-freeze-grant-funding-rcna191674

Quote

The Shelter and Services Program is a joint venture between FEMA and Customs and Border Protection, which does not have its own infrastructure for administering grant programs. The $59 million sum is part of a larger pot of funds awarded to New York last year for the program. The average cost of a night's stay at a hotel was $156 for migrant families sheltered by the program, compared with the roughly $400-a-night cost of a hotel stay in New York.

Of course the important part of this is the fact a Federal Judge has said the law was violated when FEMA cut off all the grants and that they had to disperse the money. Not only has FEMA not done that, they fired the 4 employees who complied with the judges order.

Quote

Four FEMA officials were fired Tuesday. Tricia McLaughlin, spokesperson for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, declined to name the four officials. When asked why they were let go, McLaughlin referred to New York grants.

"Effective immediately, FEMA is terminating the employment of four individuals for circumventing leadership to unilaterally make egregious payments for luxury NYC hotels for migrants," McLaughlin wrote to NBC News. "Under President Trump and Secretary Noem's leadership, DHS will not sit idly and allow deep state activists to undermine the will and safety of the American people."

We are in a Constitutional Crisis. Trump's rhetoric towards judges through himself and his mouthpieces is setting him up to ignore court orders and become Dictator and Chief. An injunction from a Federal Judge is not unlawful, in fact it is very lawful. 

Quote

Addressing the broader question of the Trump administration's stance toward judges who have temporarily blocked his executive orders, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that the president will ultimately prevail.

"These unlawful injunctions are a continuation of the weaponization of justice against President Trump," Leavitt said. "The White House will continue to fight these battles in court, and we expect to be vindicated. The President has every right to exercise his executive authority on behalf of the American people, who gave him a historic mandate to govern on November 5th."

 

[K-9]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Speaking of lies, let's talk about this lie. Not the Biden administration but Elon Musk. It turns out that in fact, no FEMA funds of the 59million mentioned here were diverted. Looks like Hank's post was pure propaganda after all and now we have proof.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/fema-official-ignores-judge-order-freeze-grant-funding-rcna191674

Of course the important part of this is the fact a Federal Judge has said the law was violated when FEMA cut off all the grants and that they had to disperse the money. Not only has FEMA not done that, they fired the 4 employees who complied with the judges order.

We are in a Constitutional Crisis. Trump's rhetoric towards judges through himself and his mouthpieces is setting him up to ignore court orders and become Dictator and Chief. An injunction from a Federal Judge is not unlawful, in fact it is very lawful. 

 

Nowadays people don’t require proof as they are only willing to believe in whatever narrative confirms their biases. And I’d be interested in knowing if Faux News, Newsmax, or any other far right source will even bother to report the facts to their audiences. They are notorious for not doing so but their viewers/listeners are so uncomfortable outside their safety bubbles, it’s no surprise they wouldn’t bother to seek the truth in the first place. 

[LGR4GM]

56 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Nowadays people don’t require proof as they are only willing to believe in whatever narrative confirms their biases. And I’d be interested in knowing if Faux News, Newsmax, or any other far right source will even bother to report the facts to their audiences. They are notorious for not doing so but their viewers/listeners are so uncomfortable outside their safety bubbles, it’s no surprise they wouldn’t bother to seek the truth in the first place. 

I've been using this to get more information about the sources I'm being into from and so I can seek out opposing views. 

 https://ground.news/

 

[K-9]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I've been using this to get more information about the sources I'm being into from and so I can seek out opposing views. 

 https://ground.news/

 

One would think that seeking opposing viewpoints is a sign of curiosity and intelligence as well as a healthy mental outlook. 

But facts, while certainly open to editorial opinion, are simply not subjective. Unfortunately, we live in an age where there are “alternative facts” as KellyAnne Conway articulated and supposedly “responsible” news organizations are all for it.

[Hank]

On 2/10/2025 at 10:53 AM, K-9 said:

Ah, the sweet taste of radical right wing propaganda. When it comes to a thirst for confirmation bias, nothing quenches it better than a steaming pile of radical right wing propaganda. Yummy.

I didn't mean to trigger your TDS. pace yourself, it's going to be a long four years. 

[Hank]

This is interesting, I wonder how it plays out on appeal. 

 

[Hank]

This can't end well...

 

[Hank]

Everything @DOGE does will be published for the world to see.

Let the public judge for themselves.

 

[Hank]

I don't know if all these congressmen in the video are lying. I suppose they could be, hopefully we learn something from tomorrow's hearings. 

 

[Weave]

11 minutes ago, Hank said:

This can't end well...

 

If it’s not including high worth congressmen and senators its not targeting the right places.

[Hank]

Just now, Weave said:

If it’s not including high worth congressmen and senators its not targeting the right places.

Agreed. I'd guess a 50/50 split between the parties on corruption. 

 

[LGR4GM]

26 minutes ago, Hank said:

I didn't mean to trigger your TDS. pace yourself, it's going to be a long four years. 

Lol

22 minutes ago, Hank said:

This is interesting, I wonder how it plays out on appeal. 

 

Every time you claim to be some neutral party seeking truth or variation there of, I'm going to remind you that you post Laura Loomer tweets. A woman so far to the right, I'd have to take a bus ride to get there. She's a known fraud and conspiracy theorist. Also, attacking federal judges is low. 

18 minutes ago, Hank said:

This can't end well...

 

You're right, because it has but one ending. He'll jail political opponents. 

15 minutes ago, Hank said:

Everything @DOGE does will be published for the world to see.

Let the public judge for themselves.

 

He won't publish everything DOGE does, if that were the case, it wouldn't be 3 weeks of shadows and threats. 

8 minutes ago, Hank said:

I don't know if all these congressmen in the video are lying. I suppose they could be, hopefully we learn something from tomorrow's hearings. 

 

Nothing says truth like, Marjorie Taylor Space Lasers.

But hey, in all honestly, I'm willing to at least see what they found. Of course if it's NIH 4 billion and the 59 million that didn't come from FEMA, my interest will fall off quick. 

Edited yesterday at 01:53 AM by LGR4GM

[Hank]

This is funny. 

 

[K-9]

27 minutes ago, Hank said:

I didn't mean to trigger your TDS. pace yourself, it's going to be a long four years. 

You didn’t trigger anything. If it talks like a fascist, walks like a fascist, and follows a fascist manifesto, then it’s a fascist. The fascist in chief and the complete disdain he and his henchmen have for our Constitution is what triggers me. I took my oath to the Constitution seriously as it’s the most precious thing we Americans share. And it’s certainly worth defending as we’ve had to since our inception. 

Damn right I’m triggered, but you don’t need to take credit for that. 

[K-9]

27 minutes ago, Hank said:

Everything @DOGE does will be published for the world to see.

Let the public judge for themselves.

 

Yep, it will be published alright. Just as soon as their fictional narrative is ready for the presses. 

[LGR4GM]

13 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Yep, it will be published alright. Just as soon as their fictional narrative is ready for the presses. 

Published is good though. It fixes points that can be rebutted. I do recognize that those rebuttals will fall on deaf ears if they come to pass. 

I do believe we'll see some real signs of waste, but those will be spun into an all encompassing thing. 

Edited yesterday at 02:18 AM by LGR4GM

[LGR4GM]

 

 

[LGR4GM]

When you start firing inspector generals, red flags go up everywhere. 

 

These are things Laura Loomer won't tell you. https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/11/politics/usaid-inspector-general-fired-trump/index.html

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 03:01 AM by LGR4GM

[LTS]

10 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I thumbs down your post because of this. The United States has the highest rate of gun violence in the entire developed world. It is not particularly close so not only is this a hollow NRA talking point, it is one that is disproven by every single other country that restricts access to firearms. 837 people have been killed by guns at k-12 schools since 1966, that's 14.43ppl killed each year. This number has accelerated since Columbine. There have been 392 school shooting since 1999, or 15.68 per year in the United States. There aren't 15 school shootings in the rest of the developed world combined every year. The US had 120.5 firearms per 100 people, eclipsing every single other country in the developed world with Yemen a close 2nd at... 52.8. 

If we look at just public mass shootings, the US has had 109 since 2000 compared to 35 in the rest of the world. We make up 76% of public mass shootings and 70% of fatalities. So between school shootings and just mass shootings in general, there is 0 proof at all having no restrictions is better. In fact the inverse is readily apparent in most cases as countries with better gun control have better outcomes. So when you sit at your house and claim your freedom to own a gun trumps all else or however you want to use the 2nd amendment, remember your freedom to own a gun has costs the total freedom of at least 837 children and teachers to date. 

The biggest infringement on freedom is death. 

If the government is such a shitshow at "taking care of it" we can fix the debt issue right now. Disband the entire military and allow there to be state militias without a federal force at all. No Navy, No Air Force, No Marines, No Army. Then we can "start paying attention" to the things that matter. (to be clear, this part is jest at the absurdity of the sentence I am highlighting from your response, I could have used no police, or no firefighters, or no VA Hospital, or anything the government does as an example)

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1459728/victims-of-school-shootings-by-situation-us/

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/05/europe/sweden-mass-shooting-orebro-explainer-intl/index.html

https://rockinst.org/blog/public-mass-shootings-around-the-world-prevalence-context-and-prevention/

I completely understand. I understand where you are coming from. But.. the SAFE act does restrict freedoms.  Also, we are a country that lacks respect for life and the desire to resort to violence also exists.  What we sow are the seeds of division... it's what the powers that be want. If we are fighting each other we cannot fight them.

The government is a shitshow at taking care of things because it is not protecting the interests of its citizens but the interests of big business. How can you look at the United States military spending relative to the rest of the world and draw any other conclusion?

It's not the police or firefighters..  although those are generally paid by local taxes, not federal taxes.

9 hours ago, Weave said:

Given all this, it’s weird that the people with the highest standards of living, happiness quotients (whatever that is), health, life expectancy, birth expectancy, etc all seem to come from countries that provide for their health care, retirement, protection, etc. The cultures with the greatest respect and accountability for their actions all seem to come from those countries as well.

My observations, anyway.

Yes.  Taxes, responsibly used are not a bad thing. We're not one of those countries. Not even close and we should not pretend that we are.

 

[Weave]

5 hours ago, LTS said:

 

Yes.  Taxes, responsibly used are not a bad thing. We're not one of those countries. Not even close and we should not pretend that we are.

 

Which, of course, is a very different message than the one you are trying to communicate re: freedom.  It’s not government programs that inhibit our freedom at all.

[K-9]

10 hours ago, LTS said:

I completely understand. I understand where you are coming from. But.. the SAFE act does restrict freedoms.  Also, we are a country that lacks respect for life and the desire to resort to violence also exists.  What we sow are the seeds of division... it's what the powers that be want. If we are fighting each other we cannot fight them.

The government is a shitshow at taking care of things because it is not protecting the interests of its citizens but the interests of big business. How can you look at the United States military spending relative to the rest of the world and draw any other conclusion?

It's not the police or firefighters..  although those are generally paid by local taxes, not federal taxes.

Yes.  Taxes, responsibly used are not a bad thing. We're not one of those countries. Not even close and we should not pretend that we are.

 

Other than your position on a gun law designed to help prevent criminals and mentally unstable people from gaining easy access to guns, I pretty much agree with what you posit here. But I am surprised by your take on taxes as it’s interesting to me how one tax (FICA) is an infringement on your personal freedom while others are not a bad thing when used properly.