What does President Trump do NOW?

[saxitoxin]

[Pack Rat]

if the shoe fits or if it quacks like a duck and walk like a duck, it's still fascism

As Donald Trump settles back into the White House, there is every reason to believe this American president, with his disturbing strongman impulses, will be far more uninhibited over the next four years than he was in his first term. Now he has thoroughly conquered the Republican Party; anti-Trump Republicans hardly exist at all, and his new administration is stocked with unstinting allies and sycophants who are thirsty to do his bidding. The men who stood up to him during his first term, like John Kelly, his former chief of staff, are long departed, and there are fewer Republican politicians in Congress who dare buck Trump openly.

His new vice president, JD Vance, will not follow in the footsteps of Mike Pence, who was a steadfast ally until 6 January 2021, when he put the fate of the republic over the unhinged ravings of his boss. Vance wants to be president one day, and to be president means winning, with ease, the Republican nomination. He can only do that if he remains in Trump’s good graces.

There is the reality, too, that Trump is more popular today than he was eight years ago. For many, this is difficult to comprehend. How did Trump, who spurred on an insurrection and was indicted four separate times and became a convicted felon, win a greater share of the vote in each of the three general elections he competed in? How did he finally win the actual popular vote, thus negating the Democratic Party’s great talking point – that he was an illegitimate president who could never beat their candidates, genuinely, head to head?

https://www.newstatesman.com/internatio ... ist-fascis

[HitRed]

He is a mighty leader like David was so long ago. My hand rests upon him, for he does my will in the face of danger. I guide him as what to do. He is my servant doing the will of the Lord. - God

* Trump

[saxitoxin]

Congratulations to Donald Trump who was just appointed the Chairman of the Kennedy Center!!!

Trump to name himself new Kennedy Center board chair

President Trump said Friday he would end the terms of multiple members of the Kennedy Center board and make himself chair of a new board, putting himself at the helm of the Washington, D.C., cultural institution.

“I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman. I will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!” the president said on Truth Social.

https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/5 ... ubenstein/

Chairing the Kennedy Center is one of the highest honors in American cultural life. It's a testament to President Trump's expertise and resilience that he has been selected to lead our nation's preeminent artistic institution. Congratulations to the President!

[jusplay4fun]

[saxitoxin]

UPDATE: Today Donald Trump abolished the penny!

President Trump on Sunday announced that he asked the Treasury Department to stop producing pennies, calling the one cent coin wasteful.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administra ... g-pennies/

[HitRed]

Yea!

[jusplay4fun]

Pennies are nearly worthless. I only use them, basically, to pay a sales tax when I buy a few things by cash (Paper and Coin). I do less and less of that each day. At one time, I did buy coffee (AND not at OVER-Priced Starbucks) with cash, but now just add money to a gift card and use that.

I often see pennies in parking lots and sidewalks and almost NEVER pick them up. The fact that the pennies are there show that many others feel as I do, that pennies are nearly worthless. What can you buy with a penny these days? I cannot think of anything. When I was a child, one could buy some cheap candy with a penny. NOT so now.

I knew it cost more than one cent to mint each penny. It was almost GONE a few years ago, but for reasons of sentiment, it was not discontinued. So we kept minting them for UNSOUND economic reasons. This would be a good symbol of cutting out waste out of government spending.

Any cut has those who oppose the cut for SOME reason. No wonder the federal deficit continues to grow.

[nivance]

Ever since I joined Xiaohongshu, I have been proud of my choice to vote for Trump. Only Trump and Musk can make America great again.

[Pack Rat]

Trump announces that toilet paper is wasteful and should not be used.

justplay4nickels says great idea! Takes his stolen fake Motel Bibles and starts tearing pages out.

[jusplay4fun]

[b]Trump announces that toilet paper is wasteful and should not be used.

justplay4nickels says great idea! Takes his stolen fake Motel Bibles and starts tearing pages out.

Let me try to understand what pee-rat is arguing. The Bible stuff is so ridiculous, ...........

Somehow, now pee-rat thinks that Trump now says TOILET paper is wasteful (OF COURSE it is, in ONE sense, [NOT CENTS, pee-rat]).

I said the minting of 3 BILLION pennies per year, at 3.7 cents per ONE cent penny, is wasteful. I agree with President Trump, Saxi, and others on this point.

That type of logic by our resident pee-rat is simply silly. If this were an attempt at scatological humor or sarcasm, pee-rat's pathetic attempt is also silly and barely deserves a response. BUT I will MAKE HIS day and respond and give pee rat something to drool over.

And lousy logic #2 Fun = nickels?? I do LOTS for fun and most do not involve nickels or even pennies. Some of my most FUN is playing with and watching my 4 wonderful grandchildren. Oh, I did enjoy going to my Church to help feed the poor and needy, last night. And for desert, I am continuing to read my book about Thomas Aquinas. The first two things cost basically ZERO pennies, and the book did cost me more than a few NICKELS.

Here are some FUN facts, especially for our Canadian friends:

Other countries have dropped their lesser coins for similar reasons. Canada cut its penny in 2012 and revamped its monetary system, developing a user-friendly digital payment system accessible to most Canadians, including the legally blind. The system reduces cash use in daily transactions.

The Treasury Department estimates cash is used in about 18% of financial transactions in the U.S. But most U.S. digital pay systems, like PayPal and Venmo, are privately owned and charge fees or a percentage of each transaction. (...)

“Canada put a lot into designing their money technology, and it speaks to level of thought and care they went through when they got rid of their penny,” Swartz said. “I would start with creating digital systems that work for everyone and go from there.”

https://news.virginia.edu/content/penny-spurned-does-lesser-coin-still-make-sense#:~:text=Well%2C%20it%20costs%20about%203.7,almost%2014%20cents%20per%20coin.

The worth of Canadian thought that went into their monetary system revisions = 3 BILLION pennies
The worth of pee-rat's thought into this silly post of his <3.7 pennies (or <3.7 cents)
My thoughts only in this post = PRICELESS

and:

It costs $192 million a year to produce pennies, about 4% of the Mint's operating budget

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/10/what-end-of-the-penny-means-for-the-economy-piggy-banks-and-prices.html#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Federal%20Reserve,of%20the%20U.S.%20federal%20budget.

Keep collecting those pennies, pee-penny-rat. We know your SENSE of Humor is silly. One day those pennies you are collecting will be worth something and more than two CENTS. And avoid the SCENTS emanating from your sewer, pee-sewer-rat.

pee-rat, be sure to Make America Great AGAIN.

And one more point, for now, since it costs the US Mint 14 cents to mint the nickel, we can expect that coin to be on the "chopping block" too.

[saxitoxin]

President Trump proposes a 50% cut in the U.S. military budget!

https://x.com/ggreenwald/status/1890172383019036939

The President says he will propose a mutual drawdown of 50% in tandem with China and Russia.

[jonesthecurl]

More would be saved by dropping the $1 bill and going with the coin - coins cost money to produce but are then around for decades . paper currency, especially for a small amount such as the dollar, wears out and has to be replaced.
In the UK, the smallest note is the 5 quid - and there's a coin of that value too. That's $6-7 depending on the exchange rate.

[jusplay4fun]

More would be saved by dropping the $1 bill and going with the coin - coins cost money to produce but are then around for decades . paper currency, especially for a small amount such as the dollar, wears out and has to be replaced.
In the UK, the smallest note is the 5 quid - and there's a coin of that value too. That's $6-7 depending on the exchange rate.

I would not want to carry around all those heavy coins ("change"), today or in 1980.

Of course, now I carry some credit cards or I could simply use my phone.

The only thing constant is change.

....LoL

[Pack Rat]

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2AwnUAh/

Enough said...

[Pack Rat]

This one is for jusplaywithnickels, cause he loves when I post TikTok videos.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2AKjVt3/

[mookiemcgee]

Trump campaign promises NOT in the new proposed tax bill republicans passed through the house:
'No taxes on Tips'
'No tax on social security'
'No taxes on overtime pay'

What is in it:
reduced federal revenue - 4.5 trillion in tax cuts, of which 83% will go to the richest 0.1% of Americans.
cuts to social programs - 1.5 trillion dollars in spending cuts to programs that benefit the low and middle class (Medicare, Medicaid and food benefits known as SNAP ect)
That means a net/net 3 trillion in new 'debt' for the federal gov't.

Republicans, you are getting EXACTLY what you voted for. Inflation through tariffs, more national debt in a year than Biden added in any of his 4 years in office, tax cuts that go to billionaires, more expensive health care, more poor americans won't be able to feed their children.

but you guys go ahead and just keeping talking about the important issues like all the money the gov't will save by stopping the production of pennies.

[jusplay4fun]

This one is for jusplaywithnickels, cause he loves when I post TikTok videos.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2AKjVt3/

Make America Great Again, pee-rat. You do your part by posting GARBAGE.

A worthless DOUBLE post by the pea-brained rat who is BRAINSWASHED by the Communist Chinese on TikTok.

More SILLINESS.

PERIOD.

[ConfederateSS]

--------But This Gulf of Mexico, thing is getting good.....You know how TRUMP is when others disagree with him....EGO CITY...
---------- He has kicked some out of the Whitehouse for not saying The Gulf of America (A painting, looks like HUNTER blew out his nose , is behind him in the Oval Office now)...Well think of Harrison Ford/Air Force One..... TRUMP has told The AP(Associated Press) GET OFF MY PLANE....The AP refusing to bow down and call the Gulf of Mexico, anything but the Gulf of Mexico....He took away their President Press credentials...THIS TRUMP ego trip gets better everyday... ... ConfederateSS.out!(The Blue and Silver Rebellion)...

[mookiemcgee]

Yesterday Trump officials fired nuclear staff from the NNSA not realizing they oversee the country’s weapons stockpile.

“no one has taken anytime to understand what we do and the importance of our work to the nation’s national security.”

does the US gov't spending on employing people to oversee the nuclear arsenal count as: Fraud, Waste, or Abuse?

Sorry, I didn't mean to try and turn the conversation away from the real issues of pennies and the Gulf of California again. Back to your regularly scheduled distractions.

[jusplay4fun]

Yesterday Trump officials fired nuclear staff from the NNSA not realizing they oversee the country’s weapons stockpile.

“no one has taken anytime to understand what we do and the importance of our work to the nation’s national security.”

does the US gov't spending on employing people to oversee the nuclear arsenal count as: Fraud, Waste, or Abuse?

Sorry, I didn't mean to try and turn the conversation away from the real issues of pennies and the Gulf of California again. Back to your regularly scheduled distractions.

Mookie, do you want to discuss specific budget cuts?

There is little doubt that the Federal Government is BLOATED and inefficient and spends money on USELESS things. Does anyone realize how many CONTINUING Resolution Budgets have been passed in the past 30 some years that does not actually scrutinize the Federal Budget? Congress has basically given up its duty to oversee the budget from the "Power of the Purse" scrutiny. Budget and staff continue to grow and become even more bloated. Inefficiency is inherent in the Federal system.

Trump is a disrupter, cutting budgets and staff, using mostly a chain saw when a surgical knife is more APPROPRIATE for some agencies and Departments. There needs to be spending cuts in the Federal Budget. This has been nearly impossible as supporters of the planned cut bring out the "poor children and lame" who will be badly HURT by these "draconian" budget cuts (that often barely impacts those who testify under massive spotlights before Congress and get lots of attention from the Media). The Media says look at these ruthless Budget cutters, that historically have been Republicans. Republicans who advocate for a reduction of the Federal Budget are labelled as "racists" or baby killers (despite their opposition to abortion) and other labels that make them look uncaring and ruthless. We know the political impact of such labels, until recently, as Liberal Democrats overplay that hand with charges of racism or fascism.

And those CONTINUING Resolutions are FULL of PORK, Government WASTE (e.g., a Bridge to NOWHERE). Does anyone KNOW or understand the impact of the size of the Federal Debt? ASK AOC, she says that we can continue running these massive debts with NO IMPACT. RIGHT.

What is the National Debt today?
$36,221,334,823,735

That's $106,124 for every single person in America

Why is the National Debt so high?
America's growing debt is the result of simple math — each year, there is a mismatch between spending and revenues.

When the federal government spends more than it takes in, it has to borrow money to cover that annual deficit. And each year’s deficit adds to our growing national debt.

Historically, the largest deficits were caused by increased spending around national emergencies like major wars or the Great Depression.

Today, deficits are caused mainly by predictable structural factors: our aging baby-boom generation, rising healthcare costs, higher interest rates, and a tax system that does not bring in enough money to pay for what the government has promised its citizens. Moving forward, it will be critical for America’s leaders to address our rising debt, and its structural factors, which are described below.

EVERY DAY, WE SPEND OVER
$2.6 BILLION
ON INTEREST

Interest is the fastest growing part of the federal budget.

In ten years, interest will nearly double from where it is today.

This is about our future. What makes America strong is our willingness to build and leave a better future for the next generation. Unfortunately, our growing debt is doing the opposite.

America faces many challenges including rising inequality, unaffordable healthcare, climate change, education affordability, and unpredictable security threats. To address these challenges we will need significant resources. Every dollar that goes toward interest payments means less resources available to invest in a stronger, more resilient future.

Being irresponsible with our budget is simply not fair to our kids and grandkids, who will inherit this burden.

https://www.pgpf.org/national-debt-clock/

[Pack Rat]

Meanwhile in the real world...

[mookiemcgee]

Yesterday Trump officials fired nuclear staff from the NNSA not realizing they oversee the country’s weapons stockpile.

“no one has taken anytime to understand what we do and the importance of our work to the nation’s national security.”

does the US gov't spending on employing people to oversee the nuclear arsenal count as: Fraud, Waste, or Abuse?

Sorry, I didn't mean to try and turn the conversation away from the real issues of pennies and the Gulf of California again. Back to your regularly scheduled distractions.

Mookie, do you want to discuss specific budget cuts?

There is little doubt that the Federal Government is BLOATED and inefficient and spends money on USELESS things. Does anyone realize how many CONTINUING Resolution Budgets have been passed in the past 30 some years that does not actually scrutinize the Federal Budget? Congress has basically given up its duty to oversee the budget from the "Power of the Purse" scrutiny. Budget and staff continue to grow and become even more bloated. Inefficiency is inherent in the Federal system.

Trump is a disrupter, cutting budgets and staff, using mostly a chain saw when a surgical knife is more APPROPRIATE for some agencies and Departments. There needs to be spending cuts in the Federal Budget. This has been nearly impossible as supporters of the planned cut bring out the "poor children and lame" who will be badly HURT by these "draconian" budget cuts (that often barely impacts those who testify under massive spotlights before Congress and get lots of attention from the Media). The Media says look at these ruthless Budget cutters, that historically have been Republicans. Republicans who advocate for a reduction of the Federal Budget are labelled as "racists" or baby killers (despite their opposition to abortion) and other labels that make them look uncaring and ruthless. We know the political impact of such labels, until recently, as Liberal Democrats overplay that hand with charges of racism or fascism.

And those CONTINUING Resolutions are FULL of PORK, Government WASTE (e.g., a Bridge to NOWHERE). Does anyone KNOW or understand the impact of the size of the Federal Debt? ASK AOC, she says that we can continue running these massive debts with NO IMPACT. RIGHT.

What is the National Debt today?
$36,221,334,823,735

That's $106,124 for every single person in America

Why is the National Debt so high?
America's growing debt is the result of simple math — each year, there is a mismatch between spending and revenues.

When the federal government spends more than it takes in, it has to borrow money to cover that annual deficit. And each year’s deficit adds to our growing national debt.

Historically, the largest deficits were caused by increased spending around national emergencies like major wars or the Great Depression.

Today, deficits are caused mainly by predictable structural factors: our aging baby-boom generation, rising healthcare costs, higher interest rates, and a tax system that does not bring in enough money to pay for what the government has promised its citizens. Moving forward, it will be critical for America’s leaders to address our rising debt, and its structural factors, which are described below.

EVERY DAY, WE SPEND OVER
$2.6 BILLION
ON INTEREST

Interest is the fastest growing part of the federal budget.

In ten years, interest will nearly double from where it is today.

This is about our future. What makes America strong is our willingness to build and leave a better future for the next generation. Unfortunately, our growing debt is doing the opposite.

America faces many challenges including rising inequality, unaffordable healthcare, climate change, education affordability, and unpredictable security threats. To address these challenges we will need significant resources. Every dollar that goes toward interest payments means less resources available to invest in a stronger, more resilient future.

Being irresponsible with our budget is simply not fair to our kids and grandkids, who will inherit this burden.

https://www.pgpf.org/national-debt-clock/

Literally none of this makes any sense in the context of the house passed republican budget and actual budget discussions happening.

Let's say we are a business instead of a country. We owe banks 36 trillion dollars. We currently generate around 27.3 trillion in sales and 5.1 trillion a year in profit from those sales, but last year we have had 7.2 trillion more in expenses than profits. In general over the last 4 years we've had a similar deficit of around 2-2.5 trillion. The CEO from 2016-2020 had significantly larger deficits on average during his tenure but thats an old story we don't need to replay right now.

A new CEO is elected and replaces the board with his own henchman. He proposes cutting the expenses by 1.5 trillion , which is great for the company! Some people will get fired, the company will no longer offer a health plan, it does away with childcare help for employees, and closes the employee cafeteria. These are painful but all important steps to trying to become profitable again. On paper instead of losing 2.5 trillion a year, now the company is only losing .6 trillion. The company won't go bankrupt as quickly and most get to keep their jobs even if less benefits are being offered. That is where your version of the story seems to end, but it's not where the story actually ends.

Now the CEO decided to take 4.5 trillion of our 5.1 trillion in profit and disperse it to only the largest shareholders. There is a list of 500 people who all own at least .1% of the company, and they all get $90 billion back prorata vs their actual % share ownership of the company this year as a thank you for being owners. They have no obligation to reinvest that money in the company, or to spend any of it on anything related to the company in any way. Many may even use it to invest in companies that directly compete with our company. Others will simply leave the money in their personal accounts and borrow against it to avoid paying tax on it. This move also puts a large strain on the company finances because instead of the company losing 2.5 trillion like it did last year, or .6 trillion like it might have with just the spending cuts this year... now it's going to be losing 5.1 trillion dollars a year. MORE THAT IT HAS EVER LOST BEFORE IN A YEAR, INCREASING THE DEBT AND DEFICIT TO LEVELS NEVER BEFORE SEEN.

Does voting in this CEO and then complaining about wasteful expenses and the importance of balancing the budget while ardently supporting him and these moves sound logical to you?

[mookiemcgee]

Hitler’s Justification of the “Night of the Long Knives” (July 13, 1934): In a Reichstag speech following the purge of SA leadership:

“If anyone reproaches me and asks why I did not resort to the regular courts of justice for the conviction of the offenders, then all that I can say to him is this: In this hour, I was responsible for the fate of the German people, and thereby I became the supreme judge of the German people!”



Oh, and it also came out that Elons grandparents on his mothers side were members of the Nazi party in Canada... this was revealed by Elon's father Errol in a Nov interview with a youtuber.

Her [Maye Musk's] parents by the way were very fanatical in favor of apartheid. This is quite interesting. Her parents came to South Africa from Canada because they sympathized with the Afrikaner government.

They used to support Hitler and all that sort of stuff. In Canada, they were part of the Nazi, the German party in Canada, and they sympathized with the Germans.

[saxitoxin]

Oh, and it also came out that Elons grandparents on his mothers side were members of the Nazi party in Canada.

Good Hunter isnt Elon Musk's grandparents aren't running for president.

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