Gas Bandit's Political Thread V: The Vampire Likes Bats

GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
1/ A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration can fire dozens of CIA and intelligence officers who had worked on diversity programs. Judge Anthony Trenga said the decision was “a difficult situation,” but said the law grants CIA Director John Ratcliffe broad authority to dismiss employees “in the interests of the United States.” The officers had sued to be reassigned to other positions instead of being terminated. The ruling clears the way for at least 51 intelligence officers to be dismissed, though the judge suggested they be allowed to apply for other jobs. (NBC News / New York Times / Washington Post)

2/ Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily allowed the Trump administration to keep foreign aid funds frozen while the Supreme Court reviews the issue. The decision came after the administration failed to meet a midnight deadline set by U.S. District Judge Amir Ali to release nearly $2 billion in aid payments. The judge had ruled that the administration was unlawfully blocking aid despite earlier court orders, but the government argued that logistical challenges made compliance impossible. Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris claimed the freeze was necessary for reviewing contracts and ensuring funds were properly allocated. Roberts’ ruling delays enforcement of Ali’s order until at least Friday, when aid groups must respond to the government’s request. (Politico / New York Times / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Washington Post / NBC News)

3/ The Trump administration will cut more than 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts, eliminating $60 billion in global assistance. The cuts will affect 5,800 of 6,200 USAID contracts and 4,100 of 9,100 State Department grants. The administration claims it is reducing “waste” and refocusing aid on U.S. interests. (Associated Press / Axios)

4/ The Trump administration canceled an FDA vaccine advisory meeting to determine the composition of next season’s flu shots. This is the second federal vaccine panel meeting canceled since Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic, became Health and Human Services secretary. The meeting is a key step in ensuring flu vaccines are ready by fall, as manufacturers require months to produce them. The FDA didn’t provide a reason for the cancellation but said it “will make public its recommendations to manufacturers in time for updated vaccines to be available.” (Washington Post / Bloomberg / CNBC / CNN / New York Times / NBC News)
  • Elon Musk claimed USAID’s Ebola prevention efforts were restored after being “accidentally canceled,” but officials say key programs remain frozen. Disease response teams have been gutted, funding halted, and experts warn the cuts weaken global health security. The White House did not confirm full restoration. (Washington Post / NPR)
5/ Trump said 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico will take effect on March 4, along with an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods – bringing the total levy on some Chinese imports to 20%. The move follows a one-month pause on North American tariffs after Canada and Mexico pledged new border security measures. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum have warned of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. Economists, meanwhile, predict the tariffs will raise consumer prices, worsen inflation, and disrupt supply chains, with U.S. auto and manufacturing industries among the hardest hit. (Axios / Associated Press / Politico / NPR / New York Times / CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post)

6/ U.S. jobless claims rose to 242,000 last week – the highest in three months. While the labor market remains strong – with unemployment at 4% and 143,000 jobs added in January – the four-week average of Americans filing for jobless benefits climbed to 224,000, reflecting a steady increase in layoffs. Economists attribute part of the rise to ongoing layoffs in the federal workforce. Analysts expect more layoffs tied to federal downsizing to appear in upcoming reports. (ABC News / Associated Press / CNN / Bloomberg / CNBC)

7/ The FAA is considering canceling a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon to modernize air traffic control communications and awarding it to Elon Musk’s Starlink. Musk, who leads the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, has criticized Verizon’s system as failing, though he provided no evidence. SpaceX employees have reportedly been working inside the FAA, some with FAA email addresses, raising concerns about conflicts of interest. (Gizmodo / The Verge / Washington Post / CNN)

The midterm elections are in 614 days.

✏ Notables.
  1. The Trump administration is preparing its largest round of federal layoffs yet, targeting entire job categories and shrinking agency workforces. The General Services Administration warned employees of imminent terminations, while the Social Security Administration has been ordered to cut staff by 50%, and a Labor Department office enforcing equal employment laws faces a 90% reduction. (Washington Post)
  2. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard fired more than 100 intelligence officers across 15 agencies for participating in government chatrooms that included discussions on polyamory, gender transition surgery, and politics. Gabbard called the activity an “egregious violation of trust” and ordered their security clearances revoked. The chat platform is managed by the National Security Agency. (NBC News / New York Times)
  3. The Pentagon ordered all military branches to begin removing transgender service members, expanding an earlier Trump administration policy that restricted transgender enlistment. A newly released memo states that troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria or those who have undergone gender transition will be discharged within 60 days. (Axios / Associated Press / Washington Post)
  4. Trump said he believes Putin “keep his word” and honor any peace deal reached to end the war in Ukraine. Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump said “I’ve known [Putin] for a long time now,” saying “We had to go through the Russian hoax together. They had to put up with that, too. They put up with a lot.” While Starmer urged Trump to ensure strong security guarantees for Ukraine, Trump made no commitments, instead suggesting that Europe should take primary responsibility for Ukraine’s security. (New York Times / USA Today)
  5. The Senate voted 52-47 to overturn an EPA rule that required oil companies to pay fees for emitting methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The House passed a similar resolution, and Trump is expected to sign it. (Washington Post)
  6. The Global Democracy Index hit a historic low in 2024, with more than one-third of the world now under authoritarian rule. The U.S. remains a “flawed democracy”, downgraded in 2016 due to low trust in institutions, political gridlock, and lobbyist influence. (Axios)
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member


1 - https://federalnewsnetwork.com/work...es-to-terminate-federal-probationary-workers/

2 - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/27/trump-noaa-cuts-climate

3 - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/26/elon-musk-ebola-prevention-usaid-doge/

4 - https://www.yahoo.com/news/ukraine-russia-war-live-explosions-032353345.html

5 - https://www.reuters.com/world/ameri...anada-tariffs-take-effect-march-4-2025-02-27/

6 - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/climate/fema-trump-resignations-firings.html

7 - https://apnews.com/article/social-security-layoffs-doge-musk-trump-93efbed33957af5ec8ac37744d0592de

8 - https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out...ill-removed-military-pentagon-says-rcna194023

9 - https://thehill.com/homenews/admini...-must-testify-in-union-lawsuit-against-admin/

10 - https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/02/27/trump-fbi-epa-grant-investigation/
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

GasBandit said:
3/ The Trump administration will cut more than 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts, eliminating $60 billion in global assistance. The cuts will affect 5,800 of 6,200 USAID contracts and 4,100 of 9,100 State Department grants. The administration claims it is reducing “waste” and refocusing aid on U.S. interests. (Associated Press / Axios)
Click to expand...
"Fiddle-dee-dee, I'll worry about that tomorrow."

--Patrick
 
HCGLNS

HCGLNS

Annual budget 7000 billion dollarydoos, yeah cutting 60 out will save the day.

What if they just stopped paying the intetest on their debt that will help!
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

Yep, joy.
Reminder: every figure the White House or Trump is giving about American aid to Ukraine is false.
Obviously America has been absolutely essential in protecting Ukraine (so far) but Europe has given more aid, pledged more aid and taken in more refugees.
Percentage-wise, what the US (or Europe) have spent on Ukraine isn't anywhere close to what was spent during the Korean or Vietnam war (which makes sense) but even the Gulf War saw much higher percentage wise spending. Compared to previous wars, this one has cost peanuts, and hasn't had a single American soldier endangered, while completely showing up Russia as anything even remotely like an equal opponent. "Aggressive American-first policy" would be "we're putting 100.000 troops in Ukraine, and investing a couple more billion dollars in resources and rebuilding (by American companies), and Russia, fuck back off behind your own borders or else. It would show America as the only truly powerful player in the field, gaining respect from African warlords and other dictators. Cow-towing to Putin, reneging on promises, and hanging your decades-long allies out to dry is the exact opposite. Not that any Republican seems to be interested in that.
(note that I'm not advocating actually doing that - I'm just saying that would be a much more sensible way to approach Restoring America To Its Glory As Leader of the World than folding up and going home)

This, along with the economic measures, is likely to further increase the distance between Europe and America, thus substantially weakening America globally, and completely gutting exports and foreign trade opportunities.

I'd say they're playing themselves, but I genuinely find it hard to believe this isn't being done on purpose - there's too much tactical acumen in the Trump team (not with Trump himself) to be this oblivious and stupid.
 
Sara_2814

Sara_2814

LittleSin said:
Oh boy. Fun times.
Click to expand...
Everyone needs to contact their Senators and Reps about this! PLEASE!!!! Call, email, write a letter, send a candygram, whatever, just let them know that it is not at all acceptable to treat another leader like this--a leader literally holding the line for democracy in the world. This isn't the time to hope someone else will write the letter. They need to be FLOODED with your anger! Tell them you want Trump and Vance called out for this shameful behavior! Let them know what you think of all the shit they're doing to this country for their oligarch and dictator pals.

If you are lucky enough to have a human with empathy representing you, send a Thank You! If you have idiots representing you, you can still send a thank you to other Congress members who are standing up for the US and our allies -- it's a good mental health cleanser after writing to the idiots!
 
LittleSin

LittleSin

Sara_2814 said:
Everyone needs to contact their Senators and Reps about this! PLEASE!!!! Call, email, write a letter, send a candygram, whatever, just let them know that it is not at all acceptable to treat another leader like this--a leader literally holding the line for democracy in the world. This isn't the time to hope someone else will write the letter. They need to be FLOODED with your anger! Tell them you want Trump and Vance called out for this shameful behavior! Let them know what you think of all the shit they're doing to this country for their oligarch and dictator pals.

If you are lucky enough to have a human with empathy representing you, send a Thank You! If you have idiots representing you, you can still send a thank you to other Congress members who are standing up for the US and our allies -- it's a good mental health cleanser after writing to the idiots!
Click to expand...
As a Canadian I wish my voice held any power. I agree with all you said!

I guess all I can do is try to impact my local government as much as possible in hopes of preventing others with similar tactless views from getting any wide reaching power.
 
Celt Z

Celt Z

We stopped using Target, Amazon, and Walmart at the end of January. We eat at local restaurants, and that's after Mr. Z joined a thread that lists which businesses donated to Trump, so none of those places get our money. We dumped AT&T, and have not bought Li'l Z a single piece of Under Armour or New Balance clothing or equipment since 2017. I've gone to protests. I've called my representatives. I educate. I vote. And I am just So. Fucking. Exhausted. I hate what we've become as a country. Adam is right, and I'm not giving up, but EEEERRRGHHHHHHHGNSDHEHEZHBAEEHTEAHBBERGAER. :censored:
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

Yeah, it's not like any of us are in particularly good shape, politically.
I think NZ may be the last holdout for decent politicians.
Between the resurgence of the extreme right everywhere and the global crises (plural) we're facing that need global answers (climate, extinction, hunger, AI, etc, all linked but not identical), I really don't know how humanity is supposed to get through this.
We have to keep on living under the assumption society as we know it will still be around in 10-20 years, but... Sometimes it gets hard to imagine that future.
I genuinely don't believe I'll be retiring in a world where my retirement fund is worth more than the paper it's written on.
That way madness and despair and depression lie, though, so... Puppies and kittens and alcohol?
 
HCGLNS

HCGLNS

Bubble181 said:
Yeah, it's not like any of us are in particularly good shape, politically.
I think NZ may be the last holdout for decent politicians.
Between the resurgence of the extreme right everywhere and the global crises (plural) we're facing that need global answers (climate, extinction, hunger, AI, etc, all linked but not identical), I really don't know how humanity is supposed to get through this.
We have to keep on living under the assumption society as we know it will still be around in 10-20 years, but... Sometimes it gets hard to imagine that future.
I genuinely don't believe I'll be retiring in a world where my retirement fund is worth more than the paper it's written on.
That way madness and despair and depression lie, though, so... Puppies and kittens and alcohol?
Click to expand...
F-dMx-mXMAA2ZSd.jpg
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

Bubble181 said:
I really don't know how humanity is supposed to get through this.
Click to expand...
I only see two solutions, honestly. In order to reach stability, either Humanity learns how to cooperate, or else the ratio of people on each side of the conflict tips far enough that one side can impose its ideology upon the other. And the longer we go without that first one happening, the second one grows more and more likely.

--Patrick
 
Thread Necromancer

Thread Necromancer

Bond movie.
That's what we are all trapped in.
A 007 Bond movie.
It's the one where a Billionaire evil tyrant taps a greedy another billionaire ego-maniac to be his figurehead while they have had a long secret plan to become hydra from the MCU and are now finally in power enough to actually start enacting their plans because this time Bond failed to stop them before it came to fruition.

.... was Luigi our Bond?
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

kyivindependent.com

Editorial: A president just disrespected America in the Oval Office. It wasn’t Zelensky

It’s time to say it plainly. America’s leadership has switched sides in the war. The American people have not, and they should speak up. In the past several weeks, the U.S. leadership has demonstrated explicit hostility towards Ukraine and aligned its rhetoric and policy with Russia. The
kyivindependent.com kyivindependent.com
"America's leadership has switched sides in the war. The American people have not, and they should speak up."
If you [the American people] disagree with America’s current trajectory, with the idea that emboldening tyrants is the path to sustainable peace and prosperity, you have the power to make a difference: Call and email your representatives. Demand support for Ukraine. Organize and go to pro-Ukraine rallies. Write, post, speak, advocate. Donate to Ukrainian causes. Disagree. You are America — make your voice heard.

Americans should stand up and send their political leadership a clear message: We don’t support what you’re doing, so stop doing it in our name. We don’t want an alliance with Russia, and we don’t want a betrayal of Ukraine. And frankly, we are embarrassed.

Speak up now, before it’s too late.
Click to expand...
Thank you for seeing it, Kyiv Independent.

--Patrick
 
Vrii

Vrii

Thread Necromancer said:
Bond movie.
That's what we are all trapped in.
A 007 Bond movie.
It's the one where a Billionaire evil tyrant taps a greedy another billionaire ego-maniac to be his figurehead while they have had a long secret plan to become hydra from the MCU and are now finally in power enough to actually start enacting their plans because this time Bond failed to stop them before it came to fruition.

.... was Luigi our Bond?
Click to expand...
Amazon has the rights to Bond now. Hope you're not expecting him to face off against anyone with politics Bezos might agree with ever again!
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member


1 - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-rare-earth-minerals-trump-zelenskyy/

2 - https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dem...ps-confrontation-zelenskyy/story?id=119305519

3 - https://kvia.com/news/border/2025/0...litary-action-to-mexican-leaders-reports-say/

4 - https://www.npr.org/2025/03/01/g-s1-51490/federal-workers-new-email-accomplishments

5 - https://www.axios.com/2025/02/28/rfk-kills-public-comment-health-policy

6 - https://apnews.com/article/trump-declare-english-official-language-5b24f6ac1172803f615cea69e13f8724

7 - https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/feb/28/irs-rejected-request-for-addresses-of-people-belie/

8 - https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5169380-national-democrats-sue-trump-executive-order/

9 - https://www.desmoinesregister.com/s...rom-iowa-civil-rights-act-sf-418/80576830007/

10 - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/ju...p-appointed-us-attorney-washington-rcna194278

11 - https://www.wvtm13.com/article/trump-hud-fair-housing-grants-cut/63983580

12 - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/us/politics/education-department-buyout-email.html
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top