[honk]

https://www.npr.org/2025/01/24/nx-s1-5272854/trump-cabinet-picks-pete-hegseth-senate-confirmation-vote

Even setting aside the spousal abuse and rape allegations, Hegseth is ludicrously, absurdly unqualified for this role. He was a major in the National Guard, and he ran a small lobbying group before he was forced out for (at best) incompetence. That's it. That's all his relevant experience with the government, military, or general leadership/managerial roles. He's also an alcoholic, but don't worry - he plans to stop drinking now that he has this very difficult and stressful job. Of course, it was never the point for him to be actually qualified. What Trump wants is someone who'll do what they're told, not someone who can actually do their job well. We're well past the point of actual professionals wanting to work for Trump.

[Lord Dave]

Well, considering the issue, it seems the Congress would have preferred Biden to send the troops (who are already sworn to protect and defend the US, and already have the funding) as Trump did.

Why didn't Biden do this?

Why didn't Biden choose to direct funding to the CBJ instead of Ukraine?

Because hiring people who are trained to do the job is better.  These soldiers are trained to fight and kill enemies, not hunt down illegals crossing over and deal with them accordingly.  Unless the message is Shoot anyone who crosses.

And Trump did say to not put the bill up for vote.  So it can only be assumed that Trump didn't want the problem solved until HE got into office.  Then deployed the SAME number of people, who are untrained, that the bill would have. 

As for the funding... what is the CBJ?  Do you mean CBP?
In any case, he can't.  The purse is held by congress and the president can't simply direct funds as he sees fit.  And when asking for money for the Border, republicans had rejected it EVERY SINGLE TIME.  So the question is... why didn't republicans want to give the money?  Answer: Because then Trump wouldn't be able to campaign on it and "solve it" in his first day.  But we'll see how this goes in the comming months.  Probably no different than last time.

[Action80]

Hunting is hunting.

Soldiers are trained to patrol borders. That is what they do.

CBP is correct.

Incorrect on funding. The office of the president is granted power over some discretionary funding, unless you want to claim this headline "Biden administration to send billions more in aid to Ukraine." is false and declare that Biden did not unilaterally send some money to Ukraine by the stroke of his pen.

I am glad you agree that Trump is solving the problem.

[Lord Dave]

Hunting is hunting.

No, it isn't.  You don't hunt a rabbit the same way you hunt a deer.

Soldiers are trained to patrol borders. That is what they do.

They are trained to guard against enemies, not deal with illegals crossing the border of a nation.  Unless you just need bodies.  But again, this could have been solved months ago.

Also, let's wait and see if it is solved.  I did put "solve it" in quotes.
CBP is correct.

Incorrect on funding. The office of the president is granted power over some discretionary funding, unless you want to claim this headline "Biden administration to send billions more in aid to Ukraine." is false and declare that Biden did not unilaterally send some money to Ukraine by the stroke of his pen.

I am glad you agree that Trump is solving the problem.
[/quote]

[Action80]

Anything illegal is an enemy to any country.

That is why we have laws.

To maintain the country within the form citizens want.

[Lord Dave]

Anything illegal is an enemy to any country.

That is why we have laws.

To maintain the country within the form citizens want.

And when encountered, there is a legal process required for detaining and processing them.  I hope Trump made sure his soldiers were briefed.

[Dr Van Nostrand]

Anything illegal is an enemy to any country.

That is why we have laws.

To maintain the country within the form citizens want.

Spoken like a true Soviet.

Lots of things are illegal in Russia like dissent in the press. In China, it's illegal to draw a cartoon of the President. Their countries has lots of enemies.
It's the form they want, it's the form that you, Trump and Putin want for the US.

[Action80]

Kramer still uses the word "Soviet."

Can somebody fix him, please?

[Tom Bishop]

I'm still not sure what you guys are really bawwing about. All of this is great. Dr. Phil and Tom Homan are now on the mean streets of Chicago arresting illegals and making America safer.

https://twitter.com/DrPhil/status/1883669382242644069

[Lord Dave]

I'm still not sure what you guys are really bawwing about. All of this is great. Dr. Phil and Tom Homan are now on the mean streets of Chicago arresting illegals and making America safer.

https://twitter.com/DrPhil/status/1883669382242644069

So they're gonna send him back to Thailand so he can keep doing it?  Or is this someone they've been preparing to arrest for weeks and Trump just happens to get credit?

[Action80]

Well, whatever he was doing here (I cannot see the post), he better not try that shit in Thailand.

So, you got nothing to worry about LD.

[Lord Dave]

Well, whatever he was doing here (I cannot see the post), he better not try that shit in Thailand.

So, you got nothing to worry about LD.

Ok I was watching the video... Did ...did ICE agents let some daytime talk show psychologist waste their time interrogating someone they were arresting?  WTF?  What possible reason would they have to even allow that?

[Action80]

I cannot see the video.

Are you implying there is something nefarious about the interview (i.e., content, person doing the interview, person being interviewed, etc.)?

[Lord Dave]

I cannot see the video.

Are you implying there is something nefarious about the interview (i.e., content, person doing the interview, person being interviewed, etc.)?

It's just two questions really:
1. How did Dr. Phil know?
2. Why did they allow it?

Doesn't have to be anything more than a well paid publicity stunt with a real criminal.  One of those "Dr. Phil donated $5 million so let him ride along on this." Or some shit.
Or even "I'm such a fan. Hey, wanna join us as we arrest this guy?"

[Action80]

Dr. Phil, embedded with ICE, films raids in Chicago

I don't know about labeling it a publicity stunt...but it was publicized, for sure.

[Lord Dave]

Dr. Phil, embedded with ICE, films raids in Chicago]https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2025/01/27/dr-phil-ice-raids-chicago/77966794007/]
Dr. Phil, embedded with ICE, films raids in Chicago

I don't know about labeling it a publicity stunt...but it was publicized, for sure.

That's fair.  And that's a good article.  Sounds like Trump went "ok, everyone whose law enforcement of some kind is now on illegals arrest duty". Which... Ok... I guess that bill for more agents would have really helped had Trump not told the House to kill it.

[Lord Dave]

Trump conitnues to be a dumbass.

https://www.npr.org/2025/01/29/nx-s1-5279365/federal-workers-resign-offer-buyout

"I'm gonna give everyone a vague, poorly worded memo telling them to resign or else but we'll pay them into september... but also expect them to work.  Maybe.  At a different job.  Maybe."

Yeah, fuck Trump.  Honestly, all those federal workers should just go on strike.  Lets see how well Trump runs the governemnt without the people doing the actual work.

[markjo]

Yeah, fuck Trump.  Honestly, all those federal workers should just go on strike.  Lets see how well Trump runs the governemnt without the people doing the actual work.

Check me if I'm wrong, but Trump is trying to get rid of these people so that he can put his own loyalists in those positions to run the government his way.

[Dr Van Nostrand]

Yeah, fuck Trump.  Honestly, all those federal workers should just go on strike.  Lets see how well Trump runs the governemnt without the people doing the actual work.

Check me if I'm wrong, but Trump is trying to get rid of these people so that he can put his own loyalists in those positions to run the government his way.

It's a repeat of his first term.  The difference is that now there are no normal Republicans left. Mitt Romney took the last remaining half quark of integrity. All the military men of honor who led the troops defending this nation wouldn't lie for Trump so they bailed.

All that's left is Trumpian sycophants who gave up their own values in exchange for a place of power in the Putin / Trump world oligarchy.

MAGA needs to go fuck itself.

[honk]

The vast majority of the government employees Trump is targeting have very little power to impede or enact a MAGA agenda, and even if they did, vetting and hiring hundreds of thousands - or even just tens of thousands - of loyalists to fill all these positions isn't a feasible task. Trump himself might not realize that, but the people actually setting the agenda for his time in office certainly do. My bet is that these guys - a mix of greedy oligarchs and wild-eyed Christian fundamentalists - have a more drastic plan of outright crippling the federal government and using that as an excuse to create a whole new government of their own design from the ground up. They'll inevitably end up fighting once their goals become incompatible, but for the moment, they're united, and Trump's marching orders are clear.