Making America Great again for whom? A class action lawsuit has been initiated against Musk and his team for allegedly breaching the Privacy Act of 1974. This lawsuit, however, aims to prevent Musk from accessing and potentially selling personal data, which could be exploited by hackers for malicious purposes.
The anxiety of wondering if your information has been sold to unsavory individuals is a form of mental anguish. Imagine the wrong people possessing information that could potentially destroy everything you have worked for in a lifetime. What can you do to prevent this from happening? Not much. But remember, if you voted for Trump, you played a role in creating this problem. The equitable maxim "volenti non fit injuria" encapsulates your current situation.
It's good that Democrats are filing lawsuits to block the orange turd’s illegal executive orders. But are Democrats looking at the big picture? The orange turd's goal here is to reverse all progressive legislation since the New Deal, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and all regulation of business for the common good. So, what is the Democrats’ plan to prevent Trump from getting rid of all government functions that are “for the people” and privatizing the ones he can't get rid of? Democrats long ago failed to defeat the nonsensical message that government is the problem, not the solution. Of course it didn't help that Republicans did all they could to prevent government from being the solution. Democrats also failed to prevent the slogan, “tax and spend” from becoming a slur. And yet it is obvious that for the government to do things “for the people,” it must raise taxes, preferably through progressive taxation with rich and businesses paying more. So what's the Democrats’ plan to prevent the US from becoming an oligarchy with a 19th century laissez faire form of government?
My apologies for this non-sequitur post .... just trying to get the word out. Protests are planned in North Carolina on and near next weekend, Feb 15 to 17th depending on location. These protests are in opposition to the attempted theft of one of our State Supreme Court seats by the GOP candidate. Info at the link ... https://mobilize.us/s/Mexdcf
I am proud of the United Methodist Church Council of Bishops for confronting this issue:
The United Methodist Church – 110 Maryland Avenue NE, Suite 301 – Washington, D.C. USA – 202-547-6270
February 3, 2025
A Letter to the Honorable President of the United States, Donald J. Trump
From the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church
Dear President Trump:
We greet you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, whom we United Methodists claim as Lord and Savior.
We pray for you and your Administration. May God grant you wisdom and sustaining grace as you serve as President of the United States, and as a world leader.
Our letter comes to you at this critical time because of your Administration’s Executive Order to suspend all U.S. foreign assistance programs and subsequent Work Stop Order issued by the Department of State. We present our concern to you after much prayer and in response to our Christian faith in the Wesleyan Tradition. As religious leaders of The United Methodist Church, we believe that we bishops are called to be pastors and prophets in every generation. Furthermore, our United Methodist Church understands its role in political matters in the manner that is defined by our Social Principles.
Our involvement in political systems is rooted in the Gospel imperative to love our neighbors, to do justice, and to care for the vulnerable. As United Methodists, we acknowledge that love requires responsible political action and engagement aimed at the betterment of society and the promotion of the common good. We acknowledge that such political engagement demands humility and mindfulness of our own complicity in perpetuating injustice. It also necessitates compassion, prayer, and a willingness to discern God’s guidance.
We further believe that God calls all members of the human family to recognize and
protect the dignity and worth of all people and to work for the well-being of all God’s creation.
(The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church)
Your Administration’s recent Executive Order to suspend all U.S. foreign assistance programs for 90 days raises profound concerns for The United Methodist Church. As a world-wide Church we engage with congregations and communities throughout the world. We bear a long-standing commitment to serving the vulnerable and promoting global justice. In seeking to understand your perspective on this particular matter we have learned that your Administration is concerned that U.S. foreign aid may not align with American interests. We would respectfully ask that you consider the moral imperative to assist those in need and the significant contributions programs supported by U.S. foreign aid make to humanitarian relief and peace.
The United Methodist Church has an agency, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), that provides relief and assistance in response to natural and human-made disasters in addition to supporting programs in the areas of migration, health, food security and environmental sustainability. Through this global response effort that today spans 85 years of service, we have often partnered with U.S. relief offices and efforts and learned how U.S. aid fosters global stability, alleviates suffering, and promotes the well-being of communities in need. We also know that today U.S. Foreign Aid comprises only about 1% of the federal budget. Yet, this 1% plays a crucial role in reflecting the U.S. values of compassion and service, values we United Methodists are deeply committed to as well.
As Christians we believe that we are called to care for our neighbors, regardless of race, religion, status or nationality. These are not uniquely Christian values. We share these values and teachings with persons of Jewish, and Muslim faith as well as persons of other faiths. Coming to the aid of the less fortunate and advocating for justice are shared values among people of faith, but we also believe that they are values upon which the U.S. was founded.
Recently we have come to know that a justification framework being implemented by your Administration to determine the distribution of U.S. foreign assistance is the requirement that every dollar of U.S. foreign assistance be evaluated on its impact on U.S. national security, strength, and prosperity. We lament that this justification framework overlooks aid's spiritual and ethical dimensions. Faith communities understand that humanitarian assistance is a matter of security, but it is also an expression of love and compassion. Inaction can create vacuums for adversarial influences to thrive, undermining both the stability and the safety of vulnerable populations.
As we write this letter to you, Mr. President, we are attending to the needs of United Methodists in areas like the Democratic Republic of the Congo where there is much political unrest. We are praying and working not only for the protection of United Methodists but the protection of all who are vulnerable in this part of the world affected by extreme conflict and poverty. As you know, serious circumstances of this nature are happening in regions all over the world. We are deeply concerned that abruptly ending aid in regions of the world like the DRC could exacerbate suffering and create environments ripe for even greater and long-standing unrest, forced migration, and death.
In conclusion, we again commit to continuously pray for you and your Administration and to live the values of our faith in support of compassion and justice in the U.S. and in the world. We urge you, as the President of the United States, to consider that the call to assist others in crisis is a moral obligation of both national and spiritual dimensions.
We strongly ask you to rescind the Executive Order to suspend all U.S. foreign assistance programs for 90 days.
May the words of the Psalmist be upon all our hearts as we discern our living in these days.
Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
I agree. One unintended consequence will be the Republicans losing the mid-terms and the 2028 Presidency. I lean towards letting shit happen. Fight them with court cases on issues of Constitutionality. But otherwise let them fuck things up. The voters will wake up when they see their lives getting worse from Trump's inept policies. Let them beat themselves. The Dems only need to minimize the damage and be ready to put the country back together after 2028. That and have very strong candidate for President.
Good piece Tom. I think it is also stunning just how much this is being enabled by the Senate Republicans. Tillis actually admitted it runs afoul of the constitution but still won't do anything about it. It is like they too are so desperate to seize power that they don't care who gets cut, even themselves.
USAID as a part of the country’s intelligence apparatus is something that few people seem to appreciate. Break things and move fast is a great slogan for a business, where the scope of harm is limited to a few businesses and their employees and stockholders. But it is a terrible approach to government, where the scope of harm for decisions taken without significant knowledge can be huge.
We all live in a web of connections. When you pull out one thread, it affects the entire network. How can anyone be so short sighted? This is the retribution tour but it’s also larger than that. With all our military might, I have to wonder where the end zone is……. The world should be responding as if this will affect them, because it does, and it will. The final chess piece is yet to be turned. Once he OWNS the military, the takeover of our country is complete. Who says it will stop there…..
This needs to be shared widely. It hits the main points in a way people can understand. Disseminate widely.
Making America Great again for whom? A class action lawsuit has been initiated against Musk and his team for allegedly breaching the Privacy Act of 1974. This lawsuit, however, aims to prevent Musk from accessing and potentially selling personal data, which could be exploited by hackers for malicious purposes.
The anxiety of wondering if your information has been sold to unsavory individuals is a form of mental anguish. Imagine the wrong people possessing information that could potentially destroy everything you have worked for in a lifetime. What can you do to prevent this from happening? Not much. But remember, if you voted for Trump, you played a role in creating this problem. The equitable maxim "volenti non fit injuria" encapsulates your current situation.
It's good that Democrats are filing lawsuits to block the orange turd’s illegal executive orders. But are Democrats looking at the big picture? The orange turd's goal here is to reverse all progressive legislation since the New Deal, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and all regulation of business for the common good. So, what is the Democrats’ plan to prevent Trump from getting rid of all government functions that are “for the people” and privatizing the ones he can't get rid of? Democrats long ago failed to defeat the nonsensical message that government is the problem, not the solution. Of course it didn't help that Republicans did all they could to prevent government from being the solution. Democrats also failed to prevent the slogan, “tax and spend” from becoming a slur. And yet it is obvious that for the government to do things “for the people,” it must raise taxes, preferably through progressive taxation with rich and businesses paying more. So what's the Democrats’ plan to prevent the US from becoming an oligarchy with a 19th century laissez faire form of government?
My apologies for this non-sequitur post .... just trying to get the word out. Protests are planned in North Carolina on and near next weekend, Feb 15 to 17th depending on location. These protests are in opposition to the attempted theft of one of our State Supreme Court seats by the GOP candidate. Info at the link ... https://mobilize.us/s/Mexdcf
I am proud of the United Methodist Church Council of Bishops for confronting this issue:
The United Methodist Church – 110 Maryland Avenue NE, Suite 301 – Washington, D.C. USA – 202-547-6270
February 3, 2025
A Letter to the Honorable President of the United States, Donald J. Trump
From the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church
Dear President Trump:
We greet you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, whom we United Methodists claim as Lord and Savior.
We pray for you and your Administration. May God grant you wisdom and sustaining grace as you serve as President of the United States, and as a world leader.
Our letter comes to you at this critical time because of your Administration’s Executive Order to suspend all U.S. foreign assistance programs and subsequent Work Stop Order issued by the Department of State. We present our concern to you after much prayer and in response to our Christian faith in the Wesleyan Tradition. As religious leaders of The United Methodist Church, we believe that we bishops are called to be pastors and prophets in every generation. Furthermore, our United Methodist Church understands its role in political matters in the manner that is defined by our Social Principles.
Our involvement in political systems is rooted in the Gospel imperative to love our neighbors, to do justice, and to care for the vulnerable. As United Methodists, we acknowledge that love requires responsible political action and engagement aimed at the betterment of society and the promotion of the common good. We acknowledge that such political engagement demands humility and mindfulness of our own complicity in perpetuating injustice. It also necessitates compassion, prayer, and a willingness to discern God’s guidance.
We further believe that God calls all members of the human family to recognize and
protect the dignity and worth of all people and to work for the well-being of all God’s creation.
(The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church)
Your Administration’s recent Executive Order to suspend all U.S. foreign assistance programs for 90 days raises profound concerns for The United Methodist Church. As a world-wide Church we engage with congregations and communities throughout the world. We bear a long-standing commitment to serving the vulnerable and promoting global justice. In seeking to understand your perspective on this particular matter we have learned that your Administration is concerned that U.S. foreign aid may not align with American interests. We would respectfully ask that you consider the moral imperative to assist those in need and the significant contributions programs supported by U.S. foreign aid make to humanitarian relief and peace.
The United Methodist Church has an agency, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), that provides relief and assistance in response to natural and human-made disasters in addition to supporting programs in the areas of migration, health, food security and environmental sustainability. Through this global response effort that today spans 85 years of service, we have often partnered with U.S. relief offices and efforts and learned how U.S. aid fosters global stability, alleviates suffering, and promotes the well-being of communities in need. We also know that today U.S. Foreign Aid comprises only about 1% of the federal budget. Yet, this 1% plays a crucial role in reflecting the U.S. values of compassion and service, values we United Methodists are deeply committed to as well.
As Christians we believe that we are called to care for our neighbors, regardless of race, religion, status or nationality. These are not uniquely Christian values. We share these values and teachings with persons of Jewish, and Muslim faith as well as persons of other faiths. Coming to the aid of the less fortunate and advocating for justice are shared values among people of faith, but we also believe that they are values upon which the U.S. was founded.
Recently we have come to know that a justification framework being implemented by your Administration to determine the distribution of U.S. foreign assistance is the requirement that every dollar of U.S. foreign assistance be evaluated on its impact on U.S. national security, strength, and prosperity. We lament that this justification framework overlooks aid's spiritual and ethical dimensions. Faith communities understand that humanitarian assistance is a matter of security, but it is also an expression of love and compassion. Inaction can create vacuums for adversarial influences to thrive, undermining both the stability and the safety of vulnerable populations.
As we write this letter to you, Mr. President, we are attending to the needs of United Methodists in areas like the Democratic Republic of the Congo where there is much political unrest. We are praying and working not only for the protection of United Methodists but the protection of all who are vulnerable in this part of the world affected by extreme conflict and poverty. As you know, serious circumstances of this nature are happening in regions all over the world. We are deeply concerned that abruptly ending aid in regions of the world like the DRC could exacerbate suffering and create environments ripe for even greater and long-standing unrest, forced migration, and death.
In conclusion, we again commit to continuously pray for you and your Administration and to live the values of our faith in support of compassion and justice in the U.S. and in the world. We urge you, as the President of the United States, to consider that the call to assist others in crisis is a moral obligation of both national and spiritual dimensions.
We strongly ask you to rescind the Executive Order to suspend all U.S. foreign assistance programs for 90 days.
May the words of the Psalmist be upon all our hearts as we discern our living in these days.
Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Psalm 82:3-4
Respectfully,
Bishop Tracy S. Malone, President
Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church
I agree. One unintended consequence will be the Republicans losing the mid-terms and the 2028 Presidency. I lean towards letting shit happen. Fight them with court cases on issues of Constitutionality. But otherwise let them fuck things up. The voters will wake up when they see their lives getting worse from Trump's inept policies. Let them beat themselves. The Dems only need to minimize the damage and be ready to put the country back together after 2028. That and have very strong candidate for President.
My investment advisor and I were discussing this exact topic this morning
Good piece Tom. I think it is also stunning just how much this is being enabled by the Senate Republicans. Tillis actually admitted it runs afoul of the constitution but still won't do anything about it. It is like they too are so desperate to seize power that they don't care who gets cut, even themselves.
https://open.substack.com/pub/publis324843/p/first-in-line-for-the-gelding-stand?r=7av8t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
If only the NC Dems had an actual plan to make use if it.
USAID as a part of the country’s intelligence apparatus is something that few people seem to appreciate. Break things and move fast is a great slogan for a business, where the scope of harm is limited to a few businesses and their employees and stockholders. But it is a terrible approach to government, where the scope of harm for decisions taken without significant knowledge can be huge.
Well the harm is always limited to *other people*. That is why the slogan works so well in Silicon Valley. They never pay the price.
You are spot on again, Tom
Payback is gonna be hell...........................
We all live in a web of connections. When you pull out one thread, it affects the entire network. How can anyone be so short sighted? This is the retribution tour but it’s also larger than that. With all our military might, I have to wonder where the end zone is……. The world should be responding as if this will affect them, because it does, and it will. The final chess piece is yet to be turned. Once he OWNS the military, the takeover of our country is complete. Who says it will stop there…..