[AATW]

In that story He was throwing out people who were selling things in the temple - making money and exploiting people who were just there to worship or make sacrifices. He wasn't throwing out the vulnerable and needy, which is what Trump is doing and you are all loudly cheering him on. You care a lot about embryos, not so much about actual humans.

[Action80]

Once you post some evidence the persons being removed from their positions are vulnerable and needy, I will concede.

Of course, embryos are vulnerable and needy.

There is no question if you had a legitimate opportunity, you would try to get a hold of a DOGE dividend, cause that is the way you ilk roll...

[Dr Van Nostrand]

Of course, embryos are vulnerable and needy.

Unless they're conceived in Mexico, in that case those drug dealing rapists can fuck off.

[AATW]

Once you post some evidence the persons being removed from their positions are vulnerable and needy, I will concede.

Well, firstly, no you won't. I don't think I've ever seen you concede a point on here, no matter how clearly you're shown to be wrong.
But secondly, I'm not particularly talking about this specific thing.
With regard to this specific thing, we're talking about people. Many of whom will have families to support. And, again, even if you think there are too many federal workers, just arbitrarily booting out anyone who has been employed in the last year, or last two years in some cases, is ridiculous. As if people only start doing important work after they've been at an organisation a year. It's just an obviously stupid way of doing things - the fact they're having to re-hire people is proof of that.
 
But fuck them, right? It's not you so who cares? I'm pretty sure Jesus would approve of your indifference.

But I'm talking more generally about Trump's policies which you are loudly cheering. USAID is designed to help vulnerable and needy people around the world.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2025/02/13/trump-musk-usaid-shutdown/4631739455578/

He also halted refugee programmes.

But they're not US citizens so fuck them, right? It's not Americans so who cares? I'm pretty sure Jesus would approve of your indifference.

Last time out Trump consistently did things which affected the most vulnerable in society, he's already cut funding to programmes which some say will do the same this time and he's only been in post about a month. He was born rich and has always been rich. He doesn't care about the poor or the vulnerable. Nor do his cult member like followers.

[Action80]

Let the Mexicans handle the Mexicans. Unless they foisted it off on you Kramer.

You ready to pay those guys a living wage, you humanitarian, you?

[Action80]

I don't think

Amended your post for absolute veracity.

But secondly, I'm not particularly talking about this specific thing.
With regard to this specific thing, we're talking about people. Many of whom will have families to support. And, again, even if you think there are too many federal workers, just arbitrarily booting out anyone who has been employed in the last year, or last two years in some cases, is ridiculous. As if people only start doing important work after they've been at an organisation a year. It's just an obviously stupid way of doing things - the fact they're having to re-hire people is proof of that.
 
But fuck them, right? It's not you so who cares? I'm pretty sure Jesus would approve of your indifference.

But I'm talking more generally about Trump's policies which you are loudly cheering. USAID is designed to help vulnerable and needy people around the world.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2025/02/13/trump-musk-usaid-shutdown/4631739455578/

He also halted refugee programmes.

But they're not US citizens so fuck them, right? It's not Americans so who cares? I'm pretty sure Jesus would approve of your indifference.

Last time out Trump consistently did things which affected the most vulnerable in society, he's already cut funding to programmes which some say will do the same this time and he's only been in post about a month. He was born rich and has always been rich. He doesn't care about the poor or the vulnerable. Nor do his cult member like followers.The US needs to do what the rest of the world thinks it should do or else.

Fixed the opinion portion also.

[Lord Dave]

LD, are you going to accept the DOGE dividend?

What DOGE dividend?  The fanciful number being sent around about how DOGE is gonna send 20% of $2 trillion/all tax payers to every taxpayer?  Because that's not happening.

[Action80]

I was just wondering if you would accept it, if it did happen.

How do you know it is not happening?

[Lord Dave]

I was just wondering if you would accept it, if it did happen.

How do you know it is not happening?

Nope.

Let's do some math, shall we?

$2 Trillion is basically 1/3 of the entire federal budget.
https://www.cbo.gov/publication/60843/html#:~:text=Outlays%20in%20fiscal%20year%202024,year%20average%20of%2021.1%20percent.

You would have to cut 1/3 which means DoD, social security, medicare, medicaid.  Which requires acts of Congress.  Trump can not cut mandatory spending with an EO.

He can't not pay the net interest on debt so...

That leaves us with every single agency + other.
989 billion.  Less than half of the $2 trillion.  And that's everything.  That's all he can cut.  And at that point, might as well just shutdown the whole government.

Also, the people and systems who would give out this money?  Yeah, they'd have to stop existing to make it happen. 

So the math doesn't math.  It's legally and practically impossible.

[Lord Dave]

https://doge.gov/savings

I looked and saw something interesting.

They're forcing people back to the office while terminating office space lease agreements in various areas around the country and forcing relocation to DC.
How interesting.... How will that work?

[Tom Bishop]

Many people would rather quit than relocate to DC. This gets around the burdensome hoops required to fire a tenured federal employee. Sounds pretty smart to me. This kind of clever thinking is the reason why Elon Musk is the richest man alive.

[Lord Dave]

Many people would rather quit than relocate to DC. This gets around the burdensome hoops required to fire a tenured federal employee. Sounds pretty smart to me. This kind of clever thinking is the reason why Elon Musk is the richest man alive.

I see.  So by killing local jobs and removing local services, the federal government saves money. Wow... Elon is so smart.  Why, I bet if he wasn't born rich, he'd have gotten rich on his own, right?

[TenGolf]

someone fill me in on what's happening on this thread?

[Lord Dave]

someone fill me in on what's happening on this thread?

This thread is a record and discussions of everything Trump had done since announcing his candidacy for president in 2016/7.  So it's 8 years old.

[Action80]

DoD is going to see some massive cuts.

That is where the most money is wasted.

The DoD has long been unable to keep track of its money.

When an agency cannot keep track of the money the legislature assigns to it, then the executive can and will step in to oversee the spending.

LD is hoping not.

[Rushy]

Current lib status: eternally owned

Trump is going to win again in 2028. Agent Musk is going to finally eliminate the deep state. Everything is going according to plan.

I want to remind everyone that when we say we're going to own the libs, we don't mean it metaphorically. We're literally going to own libs as property.

[Lord Dave]

DoD is going to see some massive cuts.

That is where the most money is wasted.

The DoD has long been unable to keep track of its money.

When an agency cannot keep track of the money the legislature assigns to it, then the executive can and will step in to oversee the spending.

LD is hoping not.

1. Says who?
2. Eh... Kinda?  I mean, Trump appoints the secretary of defense and he makes sure the budget is spent properly.

[honk]

https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-trump-federal-workers-f44257ce4cf8c04c96c8ce0ce262842f

“Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week,” Musk posted on X, which he owns. “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”

Pretty sure that's not how it works. Anyway, like I said, the salaries for federal employees comes to only a very small percentage of the budget. If the concern really is saving money, then I would again suggest we tax the oligarchs. Make Musk and his fellow billionaires pay their fair share. But that won't happen, because the real goal is of course crippling the federal government.

[Action80]

What makes you believe that employees cannot be held to account for not following instructions?

Elon Musk paid billions in taxes last year.

How much did you pay? What do you know about fairness?

[Lord Dave]

What makes you believe that employees cannot be held to account for not following instructions?

Elon Musk paid billions in taxes last year.

How much did you pay? What do you know about fairness?

What makes you think this is what it is?  Sounds to me like an excuse to fire people who, when told to jump by Musk, don't.

Also:
While I don't know how much Musk paid....
https://itep.org/tesla-reported-zero-federal-income-tax-in-2024/