Trump was always telling the truth when it came to hurting people. He is doing this because he can, and because he enjoys weilding power callously and indiscriminately like all the other dictators he admires. The thought of people starving in the streets cause of his Ego probably makes him very happy. Trump has been a vile clown for 50 years. If Americans hadn't gotten brain worms from social media propaganda and forgot his entire life story prior to The Apprentice his rise would have never been possible. The man bankrupted a casino, putting him in charge of the most powerful country on earth is insane. We deserve this for our collective stupidity. Shame so many innocents have to suffer because of conservatives selfishness and hatred of minorities.
I fear that is the only thing that could actually pierce the bubble of their consciousness. MAGA will say sacrifices are fine but the majority of folks would finally pay attention. The whole ripoff is that the GOP is going to end aid to foreign countries/groups to spend that money here. But they wont. They’ll spend it all on tax cuts for “job creators”.
Andy...speaking of propaganda, pay attention to the pro trump advertisements on tv now. Yes. Now. I witnessed one recently at my parents' house. It wasn't a fox station as they don't watch fox. I don't know who showed the advert. It took me and my Mom by surprise. Has anyone else seen them?
Dr. Krugman, it’s not just individuals whose financial information has been hacked. Is it not true that competitors of Musk’s companies (and potential competitors) have also been hacked? Musk can now track all government payments to Apple, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Ford, GM, and others for contracts, contract changes, extensions, overruns, etc. including all of their banking information? Yet, not a peep from them.
The silence of the Congressional lambs is astounding. And I mean both parties. The willingness and cowardice in surrendering their constitutional roles is something I never thought I would live to see. But we voters should have expected as much when business and wealth infiltrated both elections and policy influence.
I worked 43 years at SSA where the respect for and preservation of private records was sacred. And here we are where we let nonvetted hackers set up beds while they violate our rights and personal and collective security. January 6th again.
I worked in permitting which brought in 100s of millions into the federal and state coffers. You are right about protecting privacy and now that is gone so watch your accounts closely.
1. Stop pretending that "bipartisanship" exists - at least on the other side of the aisle.
2. Refuse to compromise. They've bent over backwards for too long already.
3. Loudly point out every mistake His Orange MAGA Majesty makes - and its consequences. Constantly. Without relent. Make him - and the whole Republican party - own it.
There's plenty more, but that would be a decent start.
I tend to agree with your three points- but isn’t it true that the Constitution ( with its checks and balances) requires both sides to compromise to get things done . However, since Newt - the R
Yes, but King Orangutan operates outside the constitution. And who's to stop him? So far, nobody has. He's successfully eliminated those pesky checks and balances.
First with a compliant SCOTUS, then by cowing the rest of the Republican party in both the House and Senate. And this goes back even further than Newt. Maybe even further back than Tricky Dickie.
It doesn't matter if they aren't racist and then vote for what's happening. Many Dems are voting to approve noms and passed a bipartisan bill to allow non-violent charges (not convictions) against migrants as a basis for deportation. That one slipped quietly by as did the legislation to restart the compulsory military registration of those age 18 to something...I can't recall the details in the flood of shit over the last month. What do we need a draft for if we are no longer fighting external wars?
It's probably the registration they want, more than an actual draft. Yet more information for Elon and his brigade of nerdy 19-year-old incels with no security clearances to paw through.
As a collective, the Democratic party has capitulated fully. I see signs of hope from individual members like the ones above (I'd add Chris Murphy and Ro Khanna to that list); but if I were any one of those people I'd mount a run for 2028 as an indepdendent.
The only thing the Democratic Party knows how to do is send texts asking for more money. As if we on the ground could possibly compete with billionaires.
Oh - text for money and send deceitful texts for surveys that can’t be filed without … sending money.
As an American citizen, I am actively rooting for Canada and Mexico. The economy is likely to crash because most Americans simply cannot afford the high prices for food and energy that is coming.
Probably true for a lot of people commenting. I studied the effects of economic systems, not economics itself other than a few classes. So unless you are pHD in economics you should not post?
The last people we need to listen to are the CEOs of the bailed out banks. Why? Because even if the economy turns to shit they will get bailed out...again...while the rest of us will be left to fend for ourselves.
I’m so angry that I can’t type. You are right most likely. But I’ll add something I learned when I studied types of economic systems. In the end, it likely will not turn out well for them but this was before the age of internet.
A malignant narcissist can never satiate his hunger for approval. First, he wanted to conquer Manhattan, then the TV, then the USA, and now he wants Canada, Greenland, and whatever else he can grab, including Mars. But he's just one grown up toddler in need of psychiatric help. All of his power comes from us. Why?!? Dumb, dumb, dumb...
Dead ones? Current King and Prince control billions ££ real estate and charge public services for use of land and buildings, then cut ribbands for 'food banks' and homeless shelters, oh and pay no tax while receiving Government subsidy to do their job. Nice work if you can get it....
Absolutely wrong. England grew to be a global power and kicked off the industrial revolution when then limited the power of the monarchy. Read up on the Glorious Revolution. Economic growth came from limited government and the rule of law.
Respectfully disagree. What specific events limited the monarchy in the 20th century? To my knowledge, the monarchy had been limited well before then. The UKs decline was driven by the expenses of maintaining a far flung empire, and an absolutely disastrous loss of life and wealth in WWI, which they never recovered from.
Nope, don’t want a king, don’t want an oligarch, don’t want a dictator. None will do. I want a government of the people, by the people and I mean ALL people.
All true. And most of us reading this newsletter already knew this.
The question is, what can we do now? My hope is that Marc Elias & his crew of lawyers at the Democracy Docket are already working on lawsuits to stop Musk & the rest of his unelected minions from raiding the US Treasury.
We all need to do whatever we're able to. It's going to be a long, grinding, arduous, agonizing process, but we have no choice. And buckle up, it's going to be a wild ride.
Some left leaning young people I know who did vote for alternate candidates, were aware that trump would destroy the system that supports their lives and livelihoods, and that they would likely suffer under a trump regime. They don’t want a revolution, and are aware that they, and most people, would suffer from one. But they believe that the system as it stands, is so corrupt and destructive, that it has to fail in order to build something fairer and more sustainable. No matter how I argued that slowly moving in a more progressive direction was better for their ideals than destruction at the hands of totalitarians, they felt they had to vote their consciences rather than for imperfect pragmatism. I argued that it was fine to vote their ideals in a primary - but often necessary to hold their noses and vote for the least harmful candidate in the national, but they felt it was wrong to settle for a compromise with the second worst party, out of fear for the worst one. They live in a blue state and their votes did not matter because their states went blue anyway. They did vote blue in down ballot races which they felt more directly affected them. I’m guessing that their attitude reflects the same feelings and actions as many of their contemporaries, although far from all, since I know other young people who were much more pragmatic, and did hold their noses and voted blue. I also remember being more idealistic and less pragmatic when I was young. As I age, I think it’s a wonder we make any progress as a species at all - but looking at history I can see that we do. We just have to keep at it.
Yeah, but we need Elias and dozen more like him now more than ever. And for every Aileen Cannon, there will be a dozen judges who uphold the law. Trump weaponized the court system in his favor; time for us to respond ten-fold.
Marc, don’t you think it unlikely that the oligarchs would let trump in on the plot? A man with dementia who has no control over his mouth? If so, that was a YU-U-GE mistake!
Hi Marge. I think trump is nothing but the useful idiot.
He's not the man behind the curtains of "the wizard of Oz" pulling the levers, although he thinks he is.
And it is remarkable that everytime trump utters something like "don't have to vote anymore" or "only a dictator on day one" there are a bunch of people jumping in to "trumpsplain" what he said (mostly.... ha ha ha .... that was just trump joking!).
The guys behind the curtain know that trump appeals to roughly 50% of the US voters, so they use him.
So no, trump did not write that horrible book called Project 2025. He's nothing but the useful but very dangerous idiot.
Marc and Marge, you both make good points. Ultimately though, it's YTBD.
I believe the creators of Project 2025 consulted with Trump. I don't think they were counting on him making good on his tariff threats - and I doubt they're all that pleased with it, but they really don't have a say.
Hi Paul, I stopped subscribing for the NYT in October 2023 when, it seemed to me, the editorial pages were once again, just as in 2003, providing a rationale for genocide. The only writer I really missed was you. You really help me understand the world! I'm so glad I found you again here on Substack. Your columns are sorely needed in these trying times.
The takeover of the Treasury is the only concern we should have right now. This means that Congress is now irrelevant. I suspect if they tried to impeach and remove TRump they would find he just ignores them. After all, he would be replaced by Vance, and then by Johnson. None of these three are going to reverse any of TRump's moves.
In the unlikely event that His Orange MAGA Majesty is removed, I don't think we can really predict what either V.P. Hillbilly or Speaker Jackass would do. Other than ban abortion and cut taxes for the rich.
I have this idea that if all the people in the opposition, including leading democrats, started calling for him to be impeached and reciting all his crimes, those he was convicted of and those he commits every hour of every day, in time people would begin to believe it, maybe even some repubs. I'm thinking of the way he and all his minions relentlessly repeated for 4 years the lie about 2020 being stolen, never allowing one opportunity to pass without going over it and over it. Now after 4 years, a lot of people believe that is what happened. What if all the democrats and followers never spoke without prefacing it with a recitation of his crimes, relentlessly, over and over, like they do? Could it start a real movement with teeth? Or even get a real movement for impeachment going (actually impeaching is a much bigger lift) the threat of impeachment. Right now there is no opposition to speak of. Thanks to those who are bringing suit, but we need 50 new suits a day. Anyway, this is what I'm thinking. There should be vocal objections to each and every action every day. We could start by writing to our representatives and asking them to do it and then other possible sympathizes, e.g., Elizabth Warren, Bernie Sanders. It may be crazy but I'm not sure we have the luxury of formal analysis right now. As everyone is saying, it's a five alarm fire.
“Congress may have passed a law mandating that money be spent for some public purpose; but Musk and company may simply, in effect, tell the system not to cut the checks.” - Krugman
CONGRESS MUST TAKE CHARGE NOW - PERIOD!
In the federal government of the United States, the power of the purse is vested in the Congress as laid down in the Constitution of the United States, Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 (the Appropriations Clause) and Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 (the Taxing and Spending Clause).
It’s a constitutional crisis but Congress has decided to roll over and play dead, while citizens are more interested in commercially created “cultural” events” like the Grammies, the Super Bowl, and UFC fights. Bread and circuses won again.
Hello from an EU citizen. I don't know how your government works, so I ask who can stop Musk? FBI? Dismantled. Congress? Republican Nazi majority. Supreme Court? They gave Trump unlimited powers.
It's a shtshow with no upside. The national collective denial of this and the clinging to traditional methods of countering this madness with lawsuits, and quoting the Constitution and Rules of Law are irrelevant.
The Supreme Court did not grant Trump unlimited powers, and he does not have power to control spending. The US Congress has complete control of ALL spending. Republicans have small majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives. It will only take a few honest Republicans to stop him.
OK. Saying there are honest Republicans was a bridge too far! It’s going to take a divide-and-conquer strategy using pet projects and/or sensitive state level issues to make it happen. It’s how all compromises at the federal level occur. Pealing off a handful of congressional votes is all that’s needed.
I really, really hope your strategy works. I like it better than civil war. Or war with NATO, with Americans on NATO’s side. Why not? At least NATO isn’t an enemy foreign power like our present maladminstration.
You do realize that the US Treasury has been hacked and the hackers will have control of it perhaps from another jurisdiction? Seasteading....W-2 people who pay more above payroll taxes & their employers need to shut off automatic payments to the federal government above that level. Work for a multi-national? The only solution is to quit and remove your retirement. All other tax payers refuse to pay "taxation without representation" and why have the idiot public agreed to hook up their bank accounts to any entity online?!...JUST SAY NO! I'm one of the idiots who USED to be on one of the oligarch's social media sites in the .05 top "dangerous" with my personally-edited news shares until I was shut down (unless willing to give it my credit card info).
But if the Techbros have control of the Federal purse... that's a pretty good deal. The biggest question is how long before they put that power in play and who do they start with?
The best hope is they over reach and go for something big like Social Security and Medicare. If they go slow and hide behind DEI and Climate Change the MAGAs will support them.
What happens when your Social Security check is "delayed" or your Medicare provider disallows compensation for that MRI that your doctor wants? They can probably cut at least 10% of these payments without any serious public outcry, much less any consequences.
Absolutely right. In addition to 100 law suits, there should be 100 bills filed by Dems halting, correcting, reversing, criminalizing everything the MAGA "team" is doing to trample on the rule of law and dismantle our government.
I’ve got a bad feeling about this (and everything else). It’s going to take decades to repair the damage he and his minion partner M (and his minions) are doing. If even possible.
I'm begging someone to answer this - who the HELL let Musk's minions into the buildings without security badges as gov't employees? Who the HELL gave them network admin privileges to lock out real gov't employees with security badges? I can't get into my local courthouse without showing ID and emptying my pockets, what the everloving giddyup fuck is going on?
What I don't think many people understand is that Trump is sliding into dementia--actually, he is almost there, but still managing to give voice to many of his grievances; however he is on "automatic pilot" for the policy stuff. I had a close family member who slid into dementia, but managed to carry on verbally for a time--always speaking the same ideas. I do not think Trump has ideas, except for his vengeance dreams. The "policy work"comes from his Project 2025 mobsters and Elon Musk. He also, I believe, does not write his own Truth Social posts, but dictates them to the young staffer who follows him around with an iPad, and likely edits them for clarity. He dishes mostly pablum--with a side of cruelty. The corporate media do not report how confused and off topic he is most of the time, and people who have met privately with him put a nice face on their conversations. (Who knows what they report privately?) I remember Peter Sellers in the movie "Being There." If he were alive today, he would be the perfect actor to play Trump, who wanders mindlessly through the swamp he has created, just as Chance (Peter Sellers) was completely clueless. Trump still has enough charisma and TV reality show patter to speak sometimes convincingly to an uncritical audience, who are charmed when he loses his place and begins his Wave dance. This is a 78 year old loony, who is quite a few ants short of a picnic. The Dems need to see this more clearly, come out of their fog, and treat thim like the crazy old man he is. And the lawyers have to get mean!
His dementia is increasingly obvious. It runs in the family and Trump is its latest victim. He has no control over his emotions, is unable to make or carry out a plan, adjust to new information, etc. I suspect the real puppet masters will begin keeping him behind the scenes, letting him out occasionally, with a teleprompter (though he’ll eventually be unable to read so maybe an earphone like GWB occasionally wore), to do his little dance of rage. Likely they will not allow him to answer questions at all in the near future. He is not running anything. And the posts of this illiterate guy are suddenly grammatically correct? What a laugh!
It occured to me that dementia might be the only rational explanation for his inane trade war with Canada. It seems to serve utterly no purpose, even from the perspective of his own nefarious agenda. He's surrounded by yes-men and a compliant media who reinforce his self image as a genius. Meanwhile the oligarchs are running about attempting to profit from the madness of king trump.
Trump was always telling the truth when it came to hurting people. He is doing this because he can, and because he enjoys weilding power callously and indiscriminately like all the other dictators he admires. The thought of people starving in the streets cause of his Ego probably makes him very happy. Trump has been a vile clown for 50 years. If Americans hadn't gotten brain worms from social media propaganda and forgot his entire life story prior to The Apprentice his rise would have never been possible. The man bankrupted a casino, putting him in charge of the most powerful country on earth is insane. We deserve this for our collective stupidity. Shame so many innocents have to suffer because of conservatives selfishness and hatred of minorities.
"At least he's doing something," say idiots in focus groups.
This! And "it doesn't affect me personally" so who cares, they say. Welp, it's gonna start hitting EVERYONE personally pretty quickly at this rate.
Maybe the idiots in focus groups will change their mind when their SS, Medicare, Medicaid, or welfare checks don’t show up.
I fear that is the only thing that could actually pierce the bubble of their consciousness. MAGA will say sacrifices are fine but the majority of folks would finally pay attention. The whole ripoff is that the GOP is going to end aid to foreign countries/groups to spend that money here. But they wont. They’ll spend it all on tax cuts for “job creators”.
"Trump was always telling the truth when it came to hurting people. "
Yep. When he says he'll do something to hurt people, he's telling the truth. When he says he'll do something to help people, he's lying.
This isn't breaking news, yet most of the country seems not to be aware of it.
He bankrupted a number of casinos and other businesses.
Andy...speaking of propaganda, pay attention to the pro trump advertisements on tv now. Yes. Now. I witnessed one recently at my parents' house. It wasn't a fox station as they don't watch fox. I don't know who showed the advert. It took me and my Mom by surprise. Has anyone else seen them?
Please look into this! Why aren’t democrats running ads with actual information I then?
Dr. Krugman, it’s not just individuals whose financial information has been hacked. Is it not true that competitors of Musk’s companies (and potential competitors) have also been hacked? Musk can now track all government payments to Apple, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Ford, GM, and others for contracts, contract changes, extensions, overruns, etc. including all of their banking information? Yet, not a peep from them.
And so it begins...
The silence of the Congressional lambs is astounding. And I mean both parties. The willingness and cowardice in surrendering their constitutional roles is something I never thought I would live to see. But we voters should have expected as much when business and wealth infiltrated both elections and policy influence.
I worked 43 years at SSA where the respect for and preservation of private records was sacred. And here we are where we let nonvetted hackers set up beds while they violate our rights and personal and collective security. January 6th again.
I strongly recommend this old standard:
https://youtu.be/TtdWL1YrNzQ?si=bAP-a0JSU80gGBtv
Some people still believe trump and his minions will only go after OTHER people.....
Who are those other people, your parents, grandparents, cousins, and so on?
They are certainly someone's parents, child, cousin etc and worthy of defending from trumpster
They will soon enough find out otherwise.
I worked in permitting which brought in 100s of millions into the federal and state coffers. You are right about protecting privacy and now that is gone so watch your accounts closely.
What do you suggest congressional democrats do?
They need to:
1. Stop pretending that "bipartisanship" exists - at least on the other side of the aisle.
2. Refuse to compromise. They've bent over backwards for too long already.
3. Loudly point out every mistake His Orange MAGA Majesty makes - and its consequences. Constantly. Without relent. Make him - and the whole Republican party - own it.
There's plenty more, but that would be a decent start.
Take a look at Jay Kip’s latest on the status kuo. Great recap of all that’s being done.
I tend to agree with your three points- but isn’t it true that the Constitution ( with its checks and balances) requires both sides to compromise to get things done . However, since Newt - the R
Party purges anyone who gives anything to D ?
Yes, but King Orangutan operates outside the constitution. And who's to stop him? So far, nobody has. He's successfully eliminated those pesky checks and balances.
First with a compliant SCOTUS, then by cowing the rest of the Republican party in both the House and Senate. And this goes back even further than Newt. Maybe even further back than Tricky Dickie.
They need to get loud, stop voting for his nominees, start showing up on fox and the rest of the propaganda opinion outlets.
It doesn't matter if they aren't racist and then vote for what's happening. Many Dems are voting to approve noms and passed a bipartisan bill to allow non-violent charges (not convictions) against migrants as a basis for deportation. That one slipped quietly by as did the legislation to restart the compulsory military registration of those age 18 to something...I can't recall the details in the flood of shit over the last month. What do we need a draft for if we are no longer fighting external wars?
Since the DUI hire hates women, gays, trans, etc, they won’t be included in the draft correct?
Presumably it's just males but who's to say? The GOP says one thing and does another as a rule.
What next election? The last meaningful election has already been held.
?
It's probably the registration they want, more than an actual draft. Yet more information for Elon and his brigade of nerdy 19-year-old incels with no security clearances to paw through.
As a collective, the Democratic party has capitulated fully. I see signs of hope from individual members like the ones above (I'd add Chris Murphy and Ro Khanna to that list); but if I were any one of those people I'd mount a run for 2028 as an indepdendent.
But they are few.
Or maybe next year. Or maybe in the next life.
The only thing the Democratic Party knows how to do is send texts asking for more money. As if we on the ground could possibly compete with billionaires.
Oh - text for money and send deceitful texts for surveys that can’t be filed without … sending money.
As an American citizen, I am actively rooting for Canada and Mexico. The economy is likely to crash because most Americans simply cannot afford the high prices for food and energy that is coming.
The problem here is that you’re economically illiterate and have no idea what the words you post even mean.
Probably true for a lot of people commenting. I studied the effects of economic systems, not economics itself other than a few classes. So unless you are pHD in economics you should not post?
The OP’s comment was full of economic nonsense. Don’t post economic nonsense and you’re all good.
The last people we need to listen to are the CEOs of the bailed out banks. Why? Because even if the economy turns to shit they will get bailed out...again...while the rest of us will be left to fend for ourselves.
I’m so angry that I can’t type. You are right most likely. But I’ll add something I learned when I studied types of economic systems. In the end, it likely will not turn out well for them but this was before the age of internet.
A malignant narcissist can never satiate his hunger for approval. First, he wanted to conquer Manhattan, then the TV, then the USA, and now he wants Canada, Greenland, and whatever else he can grab, including Mars. But he's just one grown up toddler in need of psychiatric help. All of his power comes from us. Why?!? Dumb, dumb, dumb...
Poor man wanna be rich
Rich man wanna be king
And a king ain't satisfied 'til he rules everything.
Noted political philosopher Bruce Springsteen
You might want to read a little on the history of England before making statements like this.
As an historian I would love a list of the “good” kings.
Dead ones? Current King and Prince control billions ££ real estate and charge public services for use of land and buildings, then cut ribbands for 'food banks' and homeless shelters, oh and pay no tax while receiving Government subsidy to do their job. Nice work if you can get it....
Absolutely wrong. England grew to be a global power and kicked off the industrial revolution when then limited the power of the monarchy. Read up on the Glorious Revolution. Economic growth came from limited government and the rule of law.
Respectfully disagree. What specific events limited the monarchy in the 20th century? To my knowledge, the monarchy had been limited well before then. The UKs decline was driven by the expenses of maintaining a far flung empire, and an absolutely disastrous loss of life and wealth in WWI, which they never recovered from.
Nope, don’t want a king, don’t want an oligarch, don’t want a dictator. None will do. I want a government of the people, by the people and I mean ALL people.
Take a trip to Santiago, Chile and visit the Museum of Memories.
All true. And most of us reading this newsletter already knew this.
The question is, what can we do now? My hope is that Marc Elias & his crew of lawyers at the Democracy Docket are already working on lawsuits to stop Musk & the rest of his unelected minions from raiding the US Treasury.
I hope so too. I’d donate a few bucks but I have not received my SS (equivalent).
We all need to do whatever we're able to. It's going to be a long, grinding, arduous, agonizing process, but we have no choice. And buckle up, it's going to be a wild ride.
The question should be asked of those who did not vote.
Some left leaning young people I know who did vote for alternate candidates, were aware that trump would destroy the system that supports their lives and livelihoods, and that they would likely suffer under a trump regime. They don’t want a revolution, and are aware that they, and most people, would suffer from one. But they believe that the system as it stands, is so corrupt and destructive, that it has to fail in order to build something fairer and more sustainable. No matter how I argued that slowly moving in a more progressive direction was better for their ideals than destruction at the hands of totalitarians, they felt they had to vote their consciences rather than for imperfect pragmatism. I argued that it was fine to vote their ideals in a primary - but often necessary to hold their noses and vote for the least harmful candidate in the national, but they felt it was wrong to settle for a compromise with the second worst party, out of fear for the worst one. They live in a blue state and their votes did not matter because their states went blue anyway. They did vote blue in down ballot races which they felt more directly affected them. I’m guessing that their attitude reflects the same feelings and actions as many of their contemporaries, although far from all, since I know other young people who were much more pragmatic, and did hold their noses and voted blue. I also remember being more idealistic and less pragmatic when I was young. As I age, I think it’s a wonder we make any progress as a species at all - but looking at history I can see that we do. We just have to keep at it.
Because even if Elias gets a case before a non-MAGA judge, Elon can now stop that judge’s paycheck.
Yeah, but we need Elias and dozen more like him now more than ever. And for every Aileen Cannon, there will be a dozen judges who uphold the law. Trump weaponized the court system in his favor; time for us to respond ten-fold.
During the "campaign" for the 2024 election trump told truth one time and one time only.
When he said to an audience of "christian" people: "You won't have to vote again anymore".
Marc, don’t you think it unlikely that the oligarchs would let trump in on the plot? A man with dementia who has no control over his mouth? If so, that was a YU-U-GE mistake!
Hi Marge. I think trump is nothing but the useful idiot.
He's not the man behind the curtains of "the wizard of Oz" pulling the levers, although he thinks he is.
And it is remarkable that everytime trump utters something like "don't have to vote anymore" or "only a dictator on day one" there are a bunch of people jumping in to "trumpsplain" what he said (mostly.... ha ha ha .... that was just trump joking!).
The guys behind the curtain know that trump appeals to roughly 50% of the US voters, so they use him.
So no, trump did not write that horrible book called Project 2025. He's nothing but the useful but very dangerous idiot.
Marc and Marge, you both make good points. Ultimately though, it's YTBD.
I believe the creators of Project 2025 consulted with Trump. I don't think they were counting on him making good on his tariff threats - and I doubt they're all that pleased with it, but they really don't have a say.
He meant "You won't be able to vote anymore."
Well he also said "I don't care about you, I just want your vote." He was also saying the truth then.
At least that was his intention.
Hi Paul, I stopped subscribing for the NYT in October 2023 when, it seemed to me, the editorial pages were once again, just as in 2003, providing a rationale for genocide. The only writer I really missed was you. You really help me understand the world! I'm so glad I found you again here on Substack. Your columns are sorely needed in these trying times.
First rule- believe the autocrat! He will do what he says he will do. Sigh
The takeover of the Treasury is the only concern we should have right now. This means that Congress is now irrelevant. I suspect if they tried to impeach and remove TRump they would find he just ignores them. After all, he would be replaced by Vance, and then by Johnson. None of these three are going to reverse any of TRump's moves.
In the unlikely event that His Orange MAGA Majesty is removed, I don't think we can really predict what either V.P. Hillbilly or Speaker Jackass would do. Other than ban abortion and cut taxes for the rich.
I have this idea that if all the people in the opposition, including leading democrats, started calling for him to be impeached and reciting all his crimes, those he was convicted of and those he commits every hour of every day, in time people would begin to believe it, maybe even some repubs. I'm thinking of the way he and all his minions relentlessly repeated for 4 years the lie about 2020 being stolen, never allowing one opportunity to pass without going over it and over it. Now after 4 years, a lot of people believe that is what happened. What if all the democrats and followers never spoke without prefacing it with a recitation of his crimes, relentlessly, over and over, like they do? Could it start a real movement with teeth? Or even get a real movement for impeachment going (actually impeaching is a much bigger lift) the threat of impeachment. Right now there is no opposition to speak of. Thanks to those who are bringing suit, but we need 50 new suits a day. Anyway, this is what I'm thinking. There should be vocal objections to each and every action every day. We could start by writing to our representatives and asking them to do it and then other possible sympathizes, e.g., Elizabth Warren, Bernie Sanders. It may be crazy but I'm not sure we have the luxury of formal analysis right now. As everyone is saying, it's a five alarm fire.
“Congress may have passed a law mandating that money be spent for some public purpose; but Musk and company may simply, in effect, tell the system not to cut the checks.” - Krugman
CONGRESS MUST TAKE CHARGE NOW - PERIOD!
In the federal government of the United States, the power of the purse is vested in the Congress as laid down in the Constitution of the United States, Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 (the Appropriations Clause) and Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 (the Taxing and Spending Clause).
It’s a constitutional crisis but Congress has decided to roll over and play dead, while citizens are more interested in commercially created “cultural” events” like the Grammies, the Super Bowl, and UFC fights. Bread and circuses won again.
Until their SS check doesn’t show up or they can’t afford goodies.
Hello from an EU citizen. I don't know how your government works, so I ask who can stop Musk? FBI? Dismantled. Congress? Republican Nazi majority. Supreme Court? They gave Trump unlimited powers.
It's a shtshow with no upside. The national collective denial of this and the clinging to traditional methods of countering this madness with lawsuits, and quoting the Constitution and Rules of Law are irrelevant.
Lawsuits as weapons worked wonderfully for Trump and his minions. He literally avoided jail!
We should tie up his worst ideas in court using our own worthless appeals, and ride out the clock for 4 years. Turn about is fair play.
Time is not on our side.
You mean money.
Both.
Do you know what works against weaponized lawsuits? Actual weapons.
The Supreme Court did not grant Trump unlimited powers, and he does not have power to control spending. The US Congress has complete control of ALL spending. Republicans have small majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives. It will only take a few honest Republicans to stop him.
Who are those “honest Republicans“?
OK. Saying there are honest Republicans was a bridge too far! It’s going to take a divide-and-conquer strategy using pet projects and/or sensitive state level issues to make it happen. It’s how all compromises at the federal level occur. Pealing off a handful of congressional votes is all that’s needed.
You have unwavering hope! Bravo!
I hope Matty is correct but I’m not seeing it.
I really, really hope your strategy works. I like it better than civil war. Or war with NATO, with Americans on NATO’s side. Why not? At least NATO isn’t an enemy foreign power like our present maladminstration.
Actually, if they start looking at their investments, a few of them may just wake up. Remember to follow the money.
I wish you that they are fearless and quick
You do realize that the US Treasury has been hacked and the hackers will have control of it perhaps from another jurisdiction? Seasteading....W-2 people who pay more above payroll taxes & their employers need to shut off automatic payments to the federal government above that level. Work for a multi-national? The only solution is to quit and remove your retirement. All other tax payers refuse to pay "taxation without representation" and why have the idiot public agreed to hook up their bank accounts to any entity online?!...JUST SAY NO! I'm one of the idiots who USED to be on one of the oligarch's social media sites in the .05 top "dangerous" with my personally-edited news shares until I was shut down (unless willing to give it my credit card info).
Not sure you can trust the postal service anymore.
But if the Techbros have control of the Federal purse... that's a pretty good deal. The biggest question is how long before they put that power in play and who do they start with?
The best hope is they over reach and go for something big like Social Security and Medicare. If they go slow and hide behind DEI and Climate Change the MAGAs will support them.
What happens when your Social Security check is "delayed" or your Medicare provider disallows compensation for that MRI that your doctor wants? They can probably cut at least 10% of these payments without any serious public outcry, much less any consequences.
Okaaaay?!
Absolutely right. In addition to 100 law suits, there should be 100 bills filed by Dems halting, correcting, reversing, criminalizing everything the MAGA "team" is doing to trample on the rule of law and dismantle our government.
Make it a thousand and we can split the difference.
I’ve got a bad feeling about this (and everything else). It’s going to take decades to repair the damage he and his minion partner M (and his minions) are doing. If even possible.
I'm begging someone to answer this - who the HELL let Musk's minions into the buildings without security badges as gov't employees? Who the HELL gave them network admin privileges to lock out real gov't employees with security badges? I can't get into my local courthouse without showing ID and emptying my pockets, what the everloving giddyup fuck is going on?
The Secretary of the Treasury.
Exactly!
What I don't think many people understand is that Trump is sliding into dementia--actually, he is almost there, but still managing to give voice to many of his grievances; however he is on "automatic pilot" for the policy stuff. I had a close family member who slid into dementia, but managed to carry on verbally for a time--always speaking the same ideas. I do not think Trump has ideas, except for his vengeance dreams. The "policy work"comes from his Project 2025 mobsters and Elon Musk. He also, I believe, does not write his own Truth Social posts, but dictates them to the young staffer who follows him around with an iPad, and likely edits them for clarity. He dishes mostly pablum--with a side of cruelty. The corporate media do not report how confused and off topic he is most of the time, and people who have met privately with him put a nice face on their conversations. (Who knows what they report privately?) I remember Peter Sellers in the movie "Being There." If he were alive today, he would be the perfect actor to play Trump, who wanders mindlessly through the swamp he has created, just as Chance (Peter Sellers) was completely clueless. Trump still has enough charisma and TV reality show patter to speak sometimes convincingly to an uncritical audience, who are charmed when he loses his place and begins his Wave dance. This is a 78 year old loony, who is quite a few ants short of a picnic. The Dems need to see this more clearly, come out of their fog, and treat thim like the crazy old man he is. And the lawyers have to get mean!
His dementia is increasingly obvious. It runs in the family and Trump is its latest victim. He has no control over his emotions, is unable to make or carry out a plan, adjust to new information, etc. I suspect the real puppet masters will begin keeping him behind the scenes, letting him out occasionally, with a teleprompter (though he’ll eventually be unable to read so maybe an earphone like GWB occasionally wore), to do his little dance of rage. Likely they will not allow him to answer questions at all in the near future. He is not running anything. And the posts of this illiterate guy are suddenly grammatically correct? What a laugh!
Actually, he's always been that way.
It occured to me that dementia might be the only rational explanation for his inane trade war with Canada. It seems to serve utterly no purpose, even from the perspective of his own nefarious agenda. He's surrounded by yes-men and a compliant media who reinforce his self image as a genius. Meanwhile the oligarchs are running about attempting to profit from the madness of king trump.
Did not he say, "vote for me and you will never have to vote again"?
And he meant it.