I read the AIC report earlier this morning (no, I am not sleeping well these days, thanks for asking 🤪) and I honestly don’t understand how any of this is even possible given the cost of the plan + the costs to the economy. I’m at the point where, even though the pain of his plans will impact me more than most other readers of this blog, I think he needs to give it to the American people - good and hard. Something has got to wake people up from their stupor. And the path forward is either a) Donald coasts on Biden’s economy - which will actually reap its rewards over the coming years or b) Donald carries through on his campaign promises and kills MAGA as a movement once and for all. Regardless of the spin machine these guys are able to generate, there is no way to hide the level of damage they’re about to do. I say let them.
Excellent compilation, Daniel. I didn’t know the name Clubber Lang because I’ve never seen the movie, but I’m glad I read your post. It amazes me that someone who has declared bankruptcy six times could be praised as a “businessman.” As I said elsewhere, Elon Musk just bought himself a country.
Funniest about Musk getting to lead a new Department on government efficiency is that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) already exists! Nothing says efficiency like creating redundant organizations!
I had to laugh after reading your Vance quote. It struck me he was claiming there's a variant of the Laffer Curve that will come into play with tariffs. I've not heard of this one before. I'm curious if Vance invented it on the fly or it's been percolating out there in Right-Wing World. I'm going to be watching for its sudden appearance on Fox and the WSJ editorial page. I'm also curious if Co-President Musk has promised to exempt Social Security and Medicare from his efforts. Lastly, I wonder if a concrete date can be given for the first appearance of "all can be painlessly done by cutting waste"?
If I recall correctly, under Biden, the economy is already at essentially full employment. So if they get rid of millions of people holding jobs already, and then tariffs supposedly move more jobs to the US, where are all the workers going to come from?
If Musk wants an easy budget cut, I have a Modest Proposal. He could get Trump to golf at nearby Andrews AFB instead of flying to NJ and FLA, and overcharging the Secret Service for rooms and golf carts.
At best a handful of "illegals" will be rounded up early on, accompanied by massive PR and lies about "This is just the beginning, plans are in motion...yadda-yadda", and then over time, bupkis. No mass arrests and expulsions. tRump moves on to show trials or some other spectacle to divert the rabble. We all move on.
But isn’t there a version of this where the, I dunno, border czar takes trump on a tour of the camps, shows him the wall, and lets him give a speech in front of a “Mission Accomplished” banner? He thinks they did it because everyone around him told him they did it. And look! Record low crime!
I guess it depends on how serious about ethnic cleansing his staffers and appointees are.
Sure I'll put money on that...you're seeing the early signs of Big Talk, "the right people", and ultimately where lies substitute for reality...sound familiar? We've been here before, no change, it's how that crowd governs.
As I said, Miller is Mr Big Talk, he'll oversee the propaganda effort, continue with the rabble-rousing, go hard after DACA people VERBALLY, then we're back to "Build the Wall!" shite, and "millions to be deported" - by decree to the right-wing media - will be quietly disappeared.
OK, here's the reality of all this "mass deportation" stuff: every lobbyist of every industry or interest group whose well-being depends upon a migrant work-force, legal or otherwise (mostly "otherwise") are lining up at Mar-a-Lago to pressure tRump and his gang to plead "not my guys", as it will kill meatpacking, home-building, roofing, farm labour, dairy labour, restaurant and entertainment, residential and commercial groundskeeping, home- and child-care, etc., etc., and etc. All groups loyal GOP supporters, and all expecting to having slack cut for their respective worker pools, and after the lobbyists deliver their spiels, and promises made, what or who is left to populate the imagined "millions"?
Maybe there will be an initial effort, but as the squealing-in-pain decibel level soars, you can bet some substantial "revisions" will occur, sotto voce most likely, but those major groups most affected WILL BE HEARD, and adjustments made...come on, this is transactional tRumpy America, what else do you expect already?
Clubber Lang, what a name. Surprised he hasn't been named co-Drug Czar along with Hulk Hogan. Certainly no more fictitious than Hannibal Lector.
Looking ahead to a (maybe my last) joyful Christmas season, it feels like Clubber would be right at home next to Scut Farkus and Grover Dill. Or Donald Trump and JD Vance.
Couldn't we picture our kid selves, wandering through the back alley shortcut from school back in the day: "Oh, no Donald Trump! What a rotten name. There he stood between us and the alley. He Had Yellow Eyes! So Help Me God! Yellow Eyes! Oh no, J.D. Vance! Trump's crummy little toady. Mean. Rotten. His lips curled over his green teeth!"
I read the AIC report earlier this morning (no, I am not sleeping well these days, thanks for asking 🤪) and I honestly don’t understand how any of this is even possible given the cost of the plan + the costs to the economy. I’m at the point where, even though the pain of his plans will impact me more than most other readers of this blog, I think he needs to give it to the American people - good and hard. Something has got to wake people up from their stupor. And the path forward is either a) Donald coasts on Biden’s economy - which will actually reap its rewards over the coming years or b) Donald carries through on his campaign promises and kills MAGA as a movement once and for all. Regardless of the spin machine these guys are able to generate, there is no way to hide the level of damage they’re about to do. I say let them.
Excellent compilation, Daniel. I didn’t know the name Clubber Lang because I’ve never seen the movie, but I’m glad I read your post. It amazes me that someone who has declared bankruptcy six times could be praised as a “businessman.” As I said elsewhere, Elon Musk just bought himself a country.
Funniest about Musk getting to lead a new Department on government efficiency is that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) already exists! Nothing says efficiency like creating redundant organizations!
I had to laugh after reading your Vance quote. It struck me he was claiming there's a variant of the Laffer Curve that will come into play with tariffs. I've not heard of this one before. I'm curious if Vance invented it on the fly or it's been percolating out there in Right-Wing World. I'm going to be watching for its sudden appearance on Fox and the WSJ editorial page. I'm also curious if Co-President Musk has promised to exempt Social Security and Medicare from his efforts. Lastly, I wonder if a concrete date can be given for the first appearance of "all can be painlessly done by cutting waste"?
If I recall correctly, under Biden, the economy is already at essentially full employment. So if they get rid of millions of people holding jobs already, and then tariffs supposedly move more jobs to the US, where are all the workers going to come from?
If Musk wants an easy budget cut, I have a Modest Proposal. He could get Trump to golf at nearby Andrews AFB instead of flying to NJ and FLA, and overcharging the Secret Service for rooms and golf carts.
At best a handful of "illegals" will be rounded up early on, accompanied by massive PR and lies about "This is just the beginning, plans are in motion...yadda-yadda", and then over time, bupkis. No mass arrests and expulsions. tRump moves on to show trials or some other spectacle to divert the rabble. We all move on.
Want to put some money on that? https://bsky.app/profile/joshuajfriedman.com/post/3laniq4uqw222
But isn’t there a version of this where the, I dunno, border czar takes trump on a tour of the camps, shows him the wall, and lets him give a speech in front of a “Mission Accomplished” banner? He thinks they did it because everyone around him told him they did it. And look! Record low crime!
I guess it depends on how serious about ethnic cleansing his staffers and appointees are.
Sure I'll put money on that...you're seeing the early signs of Big Talk, "the right people", and ultimately where lies substitute for reality...sound familiar? We've been here before, no change, it's how that crowd governs.
I hope you're right, but I'm pretty sure you're wrong. https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/11/politics/stephen-miller-trump-administration/index.html
As I said, Miller is Mr Big Talk, he'll oversee the propaganda effort, continue with the rabble-rousing, go hard after DACA people VERBALLY, then we're back to "Build the Wall!" shite, and "millions to be deported" - by decree to the right-wing media - will be quietly disappeared.
He was not Mr. Big Talk during the first term, and it's naive to believe he will be in the second term. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/09/trump-administration-family-separation-policy-immigration/670604/
OK, here's the reality of all this "mass deportation" stuff: every lobbyist of every industry or interest group whose well-being depends upon a migrant work-force, legal or otherwise (mostly "otherwise") are lining up at Mar-a-Lago to pressure tRump and his gang to plead "not my guys", as it will kill meatpacking, home-building, roofing, farm labour, dairy labour, restaurant and entertainment, residential and commercial groundskeeping, home- and child-care, etc., etc., and etc. All groups loyal GOP supporters, and all expecting to having slack cut for their respective worker pools, and after the lobbyists deliver their spiels, and promises made, what or who is left to populate the imagined "millions"?
Maybe there will be an initial effort, but as the squealing-in-pain decibel level soars, you can bet some substantial "revisions" will occur, sotto voce most likely, but those major groups most affected WILL BE HEARD, and adjustments made...come on, this is transactional tRumpy America, what else do you expect already?
There is never, ever a bad time for a Clubber Lang reference. "Do you accept Balboa's challenge Clubber?"
"No, because he is no challenge, but I will beat on him some more.
Feels apt.
All that's missing is Trump (while putting his pinkie to his mouth) saying, "I wanna deport everybody for... one...TRILLION dollars!"
Clubber Lang, what a name. Surprised he hasn't been named co-Drug Czar along with Hulk Hogan. Certainly no more fictitious than Hannibal Lector.
Looking ahead to a (maybe my last) joyful Christmas season, it feels like Clubber would be right at home next to Scut Farkus and Grover Dill. Or Donald Trump and JD Vance.
Couldn't we picture our kid selves, wandering through the back alley shortcut from school back in the day: "Oh, no Donald Trump! What a rotten name. There he stood between us and the alley. He Had Yellow Eyes! So Help Me God! Yellow Eyes! Oh no, J.D. Vance! Trump's crummy little toady. Mean. Rotten. His lips curled over his green teeth!"
Yep, gotta do something for the pain....