The most infuriating thing is that there's literally nothing we can do. USAID for example was created by an act of congress and can only be disbanded by an act of congress, but as of this morning at least the republicans in charge of congress don't give a single fuck. That information Musk's interns illegally have access to? Practically hand delivered by the administration via the Treasury secretary. We hit the constitutional road blocks this weekend and they were a veil of smoke. Which brings me back to my first point which is not only can we not do anything, but neither can the Democratic party. The only power they have to stop any of this is to set their hair on fire on the capital steps, and the only thing that would come of that is the trolls running the government roasting marshmallows. I bring that up because the "Do something!!"s on social media were having field days this weekend blaming the only people in the government that literally can't do shit to stop this, instead of themselves for spending the runup to the election bitching about Biden or Harris or Gaza or or or paving the road that the republicans merrily pranced right down to this very moment in time. So don't fall for that bullshit again, please and thank you. There is only one guilty party and they are the ones doing this shit in broad daylight.
Hey Andy, I don't know exactly how American government works because I am living under a constitutional monarchy, but I strongly disagree that disillusionment with Biden/Harris and the their party is to blame for this. Especially for Muslims and/or Arabs who could not stomach a vote for them given what we are all (hopefully?) now seeing in Gaza. Those folks ultimately weren't the ones who tipped the scales in the results as far as the data shows. I hope what this moment does do is align all people who oppose this atrocious regime because it really is about the rich vs. the poor - we saw that with the billionaire row. The global peasantry are really all in this together now, whether we agree on everything or not.
You know how when there is a coup or junta in another country and we get news stories that the insurgents have taken over the finance ministry or the TV station, or some other governmental agency that seems mundane but basically gives them total control?
Or in bad action movies when the bad guys are hacking into a government system? In Die Hard, Timmy Olyphant was hacking into social security I believe.
That's where we are. An intern whose user name is Big Balls is sleeping in a government building going through information he has no clearance for, under the guidance of a Nazi loving crazed billionaire. This is just the shittiest Bond movie ever.
I was making fun of the plot of Goldeneye Saturday because this nonsense frankly resembles it - just without the embezzle-everything-then-EM-pulse-everything-into-oblivion.
I know 95% of US Pajibans are not responsible for Trump- you voted for Harris, you showed up, you organised. You care. And I know you guys are exhausted. But DO NOT GIVE UP. Rest, catch your breath but please please please do not give up hope. Pay attention to advice from Eastern Europeans and other countries that once lived under authoritarian rule but managed to survive and become democracies. Although you are not responsible for Trump getting into power you are now, unfortunately the only ones who can remove him, the only ones responsible for getting him out. I see many Americans absolutely not backing down. Lots of courage on display. Take heart from that. But you are not alone. Know that, just as once the US lent aid to countries to overthrow a dictatorship, the same will be lent to you now. Be safe. Be smart. But Do Not Surrender.
I posted this link on PLove and I'll post it here. It has some very relevant advice from those countries who've been down this road. Read it and have hope. The rest of the world absolutely needs you to have hope. Don't let him crush your spirit.
I suspect most Pajibans already have the contact info for their representatives. If not, please consider downloading the 5 calls app. You can provide only your zip code and it will show your current representatives and how they have voted. You can select topics, like this Elon Musk takeover, and select the rep and it calls their office and provides a script to use for the call if needed. I have no affiliation with the app. Just thought it was a helpful tool.
Thank you for this. I just downloaded it, and I didn't even know it existed prior to your post. My Rep is Lauren Boebert (R-Dumbass, CO 4), so those calls will not move the needle, but she will get a piece of my mind, for what that's worth.
I was able to get thru on the phone to one of my representatives and sent emails to the other ones because they couldn’t keep up with the number of phone calls. Also donated to Gay Valimont and Josh Weil campaigns in Florida. Flipping those seats would really help. Not a good idea to make an Irish redhead angry.
I’m laid off and have plenty of time to be a nuisance. I’ll be downtown at my local Federal Building today.
If I actually get the chance to speak with someone, my message will be simple: this is the sole case, ever, when it’s appropriate to ask, “What Would Matt Gaetz Do?” A big, flashy press conference followed by a march in and demands to know what’s going on is entirely appropriate from all elected Democrats right now.
"My guess is that after a few days or weeks, once enough damage has been done, Trump will declare victory and claim that Mexico and Canada caved."
This is exactly what I think is going to happen. All Toad Dick cares about is being popular. And you know he's making plans to stay in office for life. Anything that causes his poll numbers to drop is anything he will put a stop to quickly. And, of course, his cult will believe whatever he tells them.
Every single democrat needs to get in front of any microphone they can and tell the public that their Social Security numbers are in the hands of some rando interns who have no security clearances and serves one man who wasn't elected to anything. This needs to be the only story in the news. Musk is literally shutting down entire government agencies. Something no single person has the authority to do.
BTW, apparently Vance is making noise about outright invading Greenland. So we have that mess to look forward to.
I think what he also cares about it saying that he did something without there being a marked improvement or even a return to the status quo.
He doesn't give a shit if America is in a worse position or not after he "takes action" because he can said "I did what I said I was gonna do. Get off my back."
I had a Facebook memory come up this weekend from the first round of immigration horrors, when Trump announced that he had reunited a bunch of families separated at the border. I was like "motherfucker, you separated them in the first place!" but the media was praising him for his humanity.
The NYT is reporting Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to deploy 10,000 troops to the border in exchange for an agreement to postpone tariffs for a month. Maybe they're going to help to put up that big, beautiful wall?
Which brings me back to the question I've had since this all began - deploy troops to the border to do what? Not allow stuff to leave Mexico to enter the US? Since when is US border control Mexico's f**king problem (same with us up in Canada). Since when is it a country's job to keep someone from leaving?
During his first term, he sent nat guard troops to the border, essentially as a PR stunt, kept them in the scrub through Thanksgiving, then sent them back just before they would receive the bump in pay for deploying.
It's all about the show. Well, that and screwing people over.
People like Steven Smith who want to talk about how "he does what he says he's going to" no he fucking doesn't. He pretends to, then doesn't follow through. His low info fans don't know the difference and don't really care.
Not to be fatalistic about it, but if Congress won't act and law enforcement can't stop them, I guess we all just gotta hold on until the wheels fly off.
The only power the average American seems to have left at this point are boycotts.
It is falling to us to hold this ship together. Of course, let's see what "sternly crafted letter" the Democrats in congress will draft up... (read absurdly bitter sarcasm).
We're watching from the other side of the Pacific more than a little relieved that the way government runs here in Australia precludes this from happening in any meaningful way (not that we don't have problems). My heart aches for the US, and I fervently hope that this doesn't decay into civil war or Gilead, both of which seem like real possibilities.
As I said on the main site--this is really looking like a 'soft' coup. I wouldn't be surprised if Elon is eyeing those importer payments from the tariffs (which will go to the Treasury presumably) to prop up his failing businesses.
At this point, with the ongoing ransacking at Treasury, anything short of physically threatening Musk's dweeb brigade with a wedgie and a bath, would be tantamount to writing a concerned letter to the masked guy who's currently getting away with your TV set.
Kinda feels like a little too late at this stage, y'know? The horse has left the station, and this analogy is getting way too convoluted.
Where is the military? That's what I want to know. There have to be enough of them to remember that they take an oath to defend the Constitution, not the president, and to act against a threat to our country.
I don't want a war and I'm not under any kind of illusion that turning the reins over to the military would be a happy ending. But I feel like we're at a point where that's the only thing that will stop them.
An unelected foreign contractor walks in, locks federal workers out of their work terminals, plugs in his own hard drives to copy sensitive data, announces he's freezing payments, and nobody bats an eye or stops them.
Watergate was a guest stuffing a hotel face towel in his luggage compared to this.
USAID did stand up--several employees blocked Musk's crew for hours. And then Musk seems to have cried to Trump, and two USAID head employees were immediately placed on leave, in addition to dozens of other head officials previously, and one way or another, they finally gained access. https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/02/politics/usaid-officials-leave-musk-doge/index.html?cid=ios_app
65% percent of active military members admitted that they voted for Trump so it could be 75-80 percent, realistically. I don’t really want trained lethal death-cult soldiers being activated. They will not do the right thing.
So far, the IT security administrators of the world aren't severing links to the governmental systems - YET - because they've only threatened payments going out and internal employee data. The second these snotty-nosed interns begins to go beyond that scope, other departments & external private enterprise security will slam the government's access shut.
Re where to start, KISS. What does the right care most about? Economy and privacy. What are the two items to hammer? Tariffs are going to make things incredibly expensive, and Elon Musk, an unelected foreigner, is stealing all your private information. Repeat those two things over and over and over and over and over and over.
I'm not seeing it widely reported on, but an ICE official was just named as the head of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which is the agency responsible for unaccompanied minor children; the first time someone from ICE has been in charge of it. This official was head of the ICE "family unit" under Trump when they implemented their policies to forcibly separate families....
Things won't change until we wake up the Fox News voting block. We should be literally leafleting any flippable districts and zip codes with what the current administration is doing and how it will directly impact them
The most infuriating thing is that there's literally nothing we can do. USAID for example was created by an act of congress and can only be disbanded by an act of congress, but as of this morning at least the republicans in charge of congress don't give a single fuck. That information Musk's interns illegally have access to? Practically hand delivered by the administration via the Treasury secretary. We hit the constitutional road blocks this weekend and they were a veil of smoke. Which brings me back to my first point which is not only can we not do anything, but neither can the Democratic party. The only power they have to stop any of this is to set their hair on fire on the capital steps, and the only thing that would come of that is the trolls running the government roasting marshmallows. I bring that up because the "Do something!!"s on social media were having field days this weekend blaming the only people in the government that literally can't do shit to stop this, instead of themselves for spending the runup to the election bitching about Biden or Harris or Gaza or or or paving the road that the republicans merrily pranced right down to this very moment in time. So don't fall for that bullshit again, please and thank you. There is only one guilty party and they are the ones doing this shit in broad daylight.
Hey Andy, I don't know exactly how American government works because I am living under a constitutional monarchy, but I strongly disagree that disillusionment with Biden/Harris and the their party is to blame for this. Especially for Muslims and/or Arabs who could not stomach a vote for them given what we are all (hopefully?) now seeing in Gaza. Those folks ultimately weren't the ones who tipped the scales in the results as far as the data shows. I hope what this moment does do is align all people who oppose this atrocious regime because it really is about the rich vs. the poor - we saw that with the billionaire row. The global peasantry are really all in this together now, whether we agree on everything or not.
You know how when there is a coup or junta in another country and we get news stories that the insurgents have taken over the finance ministry or the TV station, or some other governmental agency that seems mundane but basically gives them total control?
Or in bad action movies when the bad guys are hacking into a government system? In Die Hard, Timmy Olyphant was hacking into social security I believe.
That's where we are. An intern whose user name is Big Balls is sleeping in a government building going through information he has no clearance for, under the guidance of a Nazi loving crazed billionaire. This is just the shittiest Bond movie ever.
I was making fun of the plot of Goldeneye Saturday because this nonsense frankly resembles it - just without the embezzle-everything-then-EM-pulse-everything-into-oblivion.
I know 95% of US Pajibans are not responsible for Trump- you voted for Harris, you showed up, you organised. You care. And I know you guys are exhausted. But DO NOT GIVE UP. Rest, catch your breath but please please please do not give up hope. Pay attention to advice from Eastern Europeans and other countries that once lived under authoritarian rule but managed to survive and become democracies. Although you are not responsible for Trump getting into power you are now, unfortunately the only ones who can remove him, the only ones responsible for getting him out. I see many Americans absolutely not backing down. Lots of courage on display. Take heart from that. But you are not alone. Know that, just as once the US lent aid to countries to overthrow a dictatorship, the same will be lent to you now. Be safe. Be smart. But Do Not Surrender.
I posted this link on PLove and I'll post it here. It has some very relevant advice from those countries who've been down this road. Read it and have hope. The rest of the world absolutely needs you to have hope. Don't let him crush your spirit.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/03/europeans-democracy-advice-trump-americans
I suspect most Pajibans already have the contact info for their representatives. If not, please consider downloading the 5 calls app. You can provide only your zip code and it will show your current representatives and how they have voted. You can select topics, like this Elon Musk takeover, and select the rep and it calls their office and provides a script to use for the call if needed. I have no affiliation with the app. Just thought it was a helpful tool.
Thank you for this. I just downloaded it, and I didn't even know it existed prior to your post. My Rep is Lauren Boebert (R-Dumbass, CO 4), so those calls will not move the needle, but she will get a piece of my mind, for what that's worth.
I'm sorry
I was able to get thru on the phone to one of my representatives and sent emails to the other ones because they couldn’t keep up with the number of phone calls. Also donated to Gay Valimont and Josh Weil campaigns in Florida. Flipping those seats would really help. Not a good idea to make an Irish redhead angry.
I’m laid off and have plenty of time to be a nuisance. I’ll be downtown at my local Federal Building today.
If I actually get the chance to speak with someone, my message will be simple: this is the sole case, ever, when it’s appropriate to ask, “What Would Matt Gaetz Do?” A big, flashy press conference followed by a march in and demands to know what’s going on is entirely appropriate from all elected Democrats right now.
Fuck you, Elon. FUCK you.
"My guess is that after a few days or weeks, once enough damage has been done, Trump will declare victory and claim that Mexico and Canada caved."
This is exactly what I think is going to happen. All Toad Dick cares about is being popular. And you know he's making plans to stay in office for life. Anything that causes his poll numbers to drop is anything he will put a stop to quickly. And, of course, his cult will believe whatever he tells them.
Every single democrat needs to get in front of any microphone they can and tell the public that their Social Security numbers are in the hands of some rando interns who have no security clearances and serves one man who wasn't elected to anything. This needs to be the only story in the news. Musk is literally shutting down entire government agencies. Something no single person has the authority to do.
BTW, apparently Vance is making noise about outright invading Greenland. So we have that mess to look forward to.
I think what he also cares about it saying that he did something without there being a marked improvement or even a return to the status quo.
He doesn't give a shit if America is in a worse position or not after he "takes action" because he can said "I did what I said I was gonna do. Get off my back."
I had a Facebook memory come up this weekend from the first round of immigration horrors, when Trump announced that he had reunited a bunch of families separated at the border. I was like "motherfucker, you separated them in the first place!" but the media was praising him for his humanity.
The NYT is reporting Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to deploy 10,000 troops to the border in exchange for an agreement to postpone tariffs for a month. Maybe they're going to help to put up that big, beautiful wall?
From what I read this is a deal Biden had already brokered they're just moving up the timeline. So if true, ssdd with this fucker.
Which brings me back to the question I've had since this all began - deploy troops to the border to do what? Not allow stuff to leave Mexico to enter the US? Since when is US border control Mexico's f**king problem (same with us up in Canada). Since when is it a country's job to keep someone from leaving?
During his first term, he sent nat guard troops to the border, essentially as a PR stunt, kept them in the scrub through Thanksgiving, then sent them back just before they would receive the bump in pay for deploying.
It's all about the show. Well, that and screwing people over.
People like Steven Smith who want to talk about how "he does what he says he's going to" no he fucking doesn't. He pretends to, then doesn't follow through. His low info fans don't know the difference and don't really care.
I also read on BBC that Trump promised to try to stop the flow of American made guns into Mexico. Sure he will 🙄
I’m pretty sure Americans have the Constitutional right to carry guns across the border. /s
Not to be fatalistic about it, but if Congress won't act and law enforcement can't stop them, I guess we all just gotta hold on until the wheels fly off.
The only power the average American seems to have left at this point are boycotts.
It is falling to us to hold this ship together. Of course, let's see what "sternly crafted letter" the Democrats in congress will draft up... (read absurdly bitter sarcasm).
Yes, and please text me pleading for a donation.
We're watching from the other side of the Pacific more than a little relieved that the way government runs here in Australia precludes this from happening in any meaningful way (not that we don't have problems). My heart aches for the US, and I fervently hope that this doesn't decay into civil war or Gilead, both of which seem like real possibilities.
Be strong, USian friends!
I met with the staffs of both my senators today.
https://bsky.app/profile/jmsudar.bsky.social/post/3lhc7qr4qcc24
https://bsky.app/profile/jmsudar.bsky.social/post/3lhcbt7zxbs2g
I feel like a successful autocoup has happened and nobody did anything and we're not even talking about it.
As I said on the main site--this is really looking like a 'soft' coup. I wouldn't be surprised if Elon is eyeing those importer payments from the tariffs (which will go to the Treasury presumably) to prop up his failing businesses.
Leon paid $44 billion for Twitter. Sure looks like he bought the government for a tiny fraction of that amount. He's outgrifted the grifter-in-chief.
At this point, with the ongoing ransacking at Treasury, anything short of physically threatening Musk's dweeb brigade with a wedgie and a bath, would be tantamount to writing a concerned letter to the masked guy who's currently getting away with your TV set.
Kinda feels like a little too late at this stage, y'know? The horse has left the station, and this analogy is getting way too convoluted.
Where is the military? That's what I want to know. There have to be enough of them to remember that they take an oath to defend the Constitution, not the president, and to act against a threat to our country.
I don't want a war and I'm not under any kind of illusion that turning the reins over to the military would be a happy ending. But I feel like we're at a point where that's the only thing that will stop them.
An unelected foreign contractor walks in, locks federal workers out of their work terminals, plugs in his own hard drives to copy sensitive data, announces he's freezing payments, and nobody bats an eye or stops them.
Watergate was a guest stuffing a hotel face towel in his luggage compared to this.
USAID did stand up--several employees blocked Musk's crew for hours. And then Musk seems to have cried to Trump, and two USAID head employees were immediately placed on leave, in addition to dozens of other head officials previously, and one way or another, they finally gained access. https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/02/politics/usaid-officials-leave-musk-doge/index.html?cid=ios_app
(And not specific to Musk, but FBI officials are also refusing to comply https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/senior-fbi-official-forcefully-resisted-trump-administration-firings-rcna190301
A USDA Inspector General refused to recognize Trump's firing of her as it was unconstitutional, until security came and forced her out https://www.reuters.com/world/us/usda-inspector-general-escorted-out-her-office-after-defying-white-house-2025-01-29/ )
65% percent of active military members admitted that they voted for Trump so it could be 75-80 percent, realistically. I don’t really want trained lethal death-cult soldiers being activated. They will not do the right thing.
You're willing to bet that a significant chunk of the military isn't MAGA itself? Not sure I'd be willing to make that bet if I were you.
So far, the IT security administrators of the world aren't severing links to the governmental systems - YET - because they've only threatened payments going out and internal employee data. The second these snotty-nosed interns begins to go beyond that scope, other departments & external private enterprise security will slam the government's access shut.
Re where to start, KISS. What does the right care most about? Economy and privacy. What are the two items to hammer? Tariffs are going to make things incredibly expensive, and Elon Musk, an unelected foreigner, is stealing all your private information. Repeat those two things over and over and over and over and over and over.
This is without a doubt the DUMBEST timeline!
I'm not seeing it widely reported on, but an ICE official was just named as the head of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which is the agency responsible for unaccompanied minor children; the first time someone from ICE has been in charge of it. This official was head of the ICE "family unit" under Trump when they implemented their policies to forcibly separate families....
https://truthout.org/articles/ice-official-named-head-of-unaccompanied-migrant-children-office-raising-alarms/
Things won't change until we wake up the Fox News voting block. We should be literally leafleting any flippable districts and zip codes with what the current administration is doing and how it will directly impact them