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

GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member


1 - https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wir...g-3000-active-duty-troops-us-mexico-119328355

2 - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/fe...wave-emails-demanding-job-details-2025-03-01/

3 - https://www.wboy.com/news/politics/...job-says-trumps-bid-to-oust-him-was-unlawful/

4 - https://www.msn.com/en-gb/politics/...atchservertelemetry=1&noservertelemetry=1

5 - https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/25/business/doge-personal-data-access-federal-agencies/index.html

6 - https://www.opb.org/article/2025/03...utions-that-offer-care-for-transgender-youth/

7 - https://fedscoop.com/gsa-shutters-18f-possibly-leaving-agencies-in-the-lurch/

8 - https://www.reuters.com/legal/gover...peachment-over-foreign-aid-ruling-2025-02-27/

9 - https://www.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-us-intel-shows-russia-173147997.html

10 - https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/28/politics/trump-seized-boxes-returned-air-force-one/index.htmlh
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

GasBandit said:
This was not an unexpected outcome. If you claim it is, you are one of the[se?] two:
  1. Extremely gullible, to the point of willful ignorance.
  2. A lying, manipulative opportunist.
Click to expand...
Been saying this for years:
In 2020 PatrThom said:
A vote for Trump is--LITERALLY--a choice made either out of ignorance or malice/greed. Or both. There is no other possibility. And anyone who says they are voting for Trump for some other reason is lying to your face and actually doing so for one of the [two] reasons I just mentioned.
Click to expand...
I will never understand how so many people thought Trump was the better option, and I am including racists/pedophiles. Even verifiable racists and pedophiles should've been like, "Yeah, this would ultimately not be a good idea." Talk about yer single-issue voters, sheesh.

--Patrick
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

They are trying to eliminate everyone who is draining the money Elon & Co believe to be rightfully theirs. The fatter the government coffers, the more available for them to divert into their own pockets. Their avarice has grown to the point that corporations are no longer sufficient to feed their greed, now only the wealth of an entire nation will do.

--Patrick
 
Celt Z

Celt Z

From what I understand, these are all IVF babies, not "oops", so he has to be promising big $$ for these women to keep having his anchor babies.
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member


1 - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/tr...rs-halt-offensive-cyber-operations-rcna194435

2 - https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/mar/02/senior-usaid-official-ousted-after-detailing-probl/

3 - https://www.reuters.com/world/rubio...ery-4-billion-military-aid-israel-2025-03-02/

4 - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/scott-bessent-treasury-secretary-ukraine-economic-deal-face-the-nation/

5 - https://apnews.com/article/trudeau-canada-king-charles-trump-5140e841c40e394bba21c2619534aa7c

6 - https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/02/tru...ve-including-bitcoin-solana-xrp-and-more.html

7 - https://www.straitstimes.com/world/now-its-log-baby-log-as-trump-eyes-us-national-forests

8 - https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0038

9 - https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/02/johnson-stopgap-funding-bill-doge-cuts-00206881
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
1/ Trump confirmed that 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada would take effect Tuesday, ending a one-month delay. “The tariffs, you know, they’re all set,” Trump said. “They go into effect tomorrow.” He added there was “No room left for Mexico or for Canada” for further negotiations and linked the tariffs to efforts to curb fentanyl trafficking. Trump also announced an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports, doubling a levy he imposed last month. “Tariffs are easy, they’re fast, they’re efficient and they bring fairness,” Trump said. “It’s going to be very costly for people to take advantage of this country. They can’t come in and steal our money and steal our jobs and take our factories and take our businesses and expect not to be punished — and they’re being punished by tariffs.” The Dow fell 1.48%, the S&P 500 dropped 1.76%, and the Nasdaq declined 2.64% as investors braced for economic fallout. (Associated Press / Washington Post / Bloomberg / CNBC / New York Times)

2/ Congress has less than two weeks to pass a funding bill and prevent a government shutdown, but negotiations have stalled over Trump’s attempt to expand executive control over spending. Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE have unilaterally cut federal contracts and jobs, arguing that limits on the president’s power to withhold funds are unconstitutional. Democrats demand guarantees that the administration will spend allocated funds, citing the 1974 Impoundment Control Act, while Republicans largely support Trump’s position. Republicans, meanwhile, are considering a stopgap bill to extend current funding through September. (Washington Post / Bloomberg / Politico)

3/ Congressional Republicans are urging Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to repair relations after an Oval Office meeting devolved into a heated argument and cast doubt on the future of the U.S.-Ukraine relationship. The meeting, originally intended to finalize a U.S.-Ukraine rare-earth minerals deal and discuss a possible peace agreement with Russia, quickly fell apart as Trump and JD Vance accused Zelenskyy of failing to show enough gratitude for U.S. support, with Trump telling him, “You don’t have the cards. You’re gambling with World War III.” Vance dismissed Zelenskyy’s call for security guarantees as a precondition for peace, calling his arguments a “propaganda tour.” Trump then canceled a planned press conference and the signing of the minerals deal, later declaring: “Zelenskyy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing.” Some Trump allies escalated their attacks on Zelenskyy, with Senator Lindsey Graham saying, “He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, meanwhile, defended Trump’s position but called for Zelenskyy to return to negotiations, warning, “He needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude, or someone else needs to lead Ukraine.” And then other Republicans, like Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, tried to de-escalate tensions, insisting, “We are 100% getting this train back on the tracks.” Despite the fallout, Trump signaled that the minerals deal might still be possible, saying, “It’s a great deal for us.” Zelenskyy also expressed openness to signing the agreement, stating, “We are ready.” Meanwhile, European leaders reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasizing that any peace deal must guarantee Ukraine’s sovereignty. Russia, however, welcomed the breakdown in U.S.-Ukraine ties, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov asserting, “Someone should make Zelenskyy want peace.” (Politico / Washington Post / ABC News / CNN / Bloomberg / Axios / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Bloomberg / NBC News / Washington Post / Bloomberg / Washington Post / Politico / Axios / NBC News)
  • How Trump upended the world order, over one weekend. A hectic 48 hours in Europe-Ukraine-US-Russia relations, explained. (Vox)
4/ The U.S. suspended offensive cyber operations against Russia as Trump seeks to end Putin’s war in Ukraine on terms that are widely seen as favorable to Moscow. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered U.S. Cyber Command to halt cyberattacks and information warfare efforts, a move critics say weakens U.S. security and benefits Moscow. The White House has also shifted diplomatic efforts to reengage with Russia following Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the decision a “critical strategic mistake” that hands Russia a free pass. (The Record / Washington Post / New York Times / Axios / NBC News / CNN)

5/ Russia and China are actively trying to recruit recently fired or at-risk federal employees, particularly those with security clearances, to gain access to sensitive information. A Naval Criminal Investigative Service document assessed with “high confidence” that adversaries were using LinkedIn and other platforms to target disgruntled workers. (CNN)

6/ The Pentagon is deploying 3,000 more active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, bringing the total to 9,000. The deployment includes 2,400 soldiers from a Stryker brigade combat team and 500 from an aviation brigade, reinforcing an earlier deployment of 1,500 troops in January. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized the administration’s commitment to “100% operational control” of the border. The troops will assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection by providing security and logistical support, with Stryker armored vehicles being deployed to key border regions. (Politico / New York Times / Washington Post)

poll/ 52% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s job performance, while 48% approve. 90% of Republicans support Trump’s performance, but 59% of independents disapprove. More Americans say his policies are leading the country in the wrong direction (45%) than the right one (39%). (CNN)

poll/ 53% of Americans believe the state of the union is not strong, and 54% think the country is headed in the wrong direction. (NPR)

poll/ 80% of Americans want Trump to focus more on inflation and the economy, but only 29% say he’s prioritizing inflation “a lot.” (CBS News)

⏭ Notably next: Trump will deliver an address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday – his first since returning to the White House. Trump’s speech is set to start at 9 p.m. ET.

The midterm elections are in 610 days.

✏ Notables.
  1. Thomas Corry, the top spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, resigned abruptly after clashing with Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over the handling of a measles outbreak in Texas. Corry reportedly disagreed with Kennedy’s approach and his reluctance to explicitly endorse vaccinations, despite the outbreak infecting at least 146 people and causing the first U.S. measles death in a decade. Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, initially downplayed the outbreak as “not unusual” but later acknowledged the MMR vaccine’s role in preventing measles while emphasizing that vaccination is a “personal decision.” (Politico / New York Times / Axios)
  2. Cryptocurrency prices spiked after Trump announced plans for a U.S. “Crypto Strategic Reserve” that would include bitcoin, ether, solana, XRP, and cardano. Bitcoin briefly hit $95,000 before falling back to pre-announcement levels. (Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post)
  3. TSMC will invest an additional $100 billion in U.S. chip manufacturing, bringing its total commitment to $165 billion. The funds will support two more factories and a packaging facility in Arizona, where TSMC already operates three plants, and follows Trump’s tariff threats on imported chips and builds on the Biden-era CHIPS Act, which provided subsidies to semiconductor manufacturers. (Associated Press / New York Times / Wall Street Journal)
  4. The U.S. Chips Program Office, which manages a $52 billion semiconductor subsidy, is losing about two-fifths of its staff due to Trump’s federal workforce cuts. Around 60 employees, including those on probation, are departing, raising concerns about the implementation of the 2022 Chips and Science Act, which aims to boost domestic chip production. (Bloomberg)
  5. James Dennehy, head of the FBI’s New York office, was forced out after resisting the Trump administration’s efforts to identify agents who worked on Jan. 6 cases. Dennehy, who was given the choice to resign or be fired, warned colleagues in an internal email that FBI personnel were being targeted “because they did their jobs.” Trump has pledged to fire agents involved in investigating his supporters, calling them “corrupt.” (NBC News)
  6. The Trump administration fired dozens of tech specialists from the General Services Administration’s 18F unit, which built federal digital services. The move follows pressure from Elon Musk, who helped lead government downsizing. Employees say they were given no transition plan despite recent praise for their work on IRS and weather services. (New York Times)
  7. Trump fired 800 NOAA employees. The cuts scientists and specialists responsible for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and ocean management. (CNN / Associated Press / Washington Post)
  8. A judge blocked Trump from firing Hampton Dellinger, head of the Office of Special Counsel, ruling that his removal would undermine the agency’s independence. The administration plans to appeal, setting up a likely Supreme Court battle over presidential power. Dellinger vowed to keep protecting whistleblowers. (Washington Post)
  9. The Trump administration is investigating Voice of America journalists for comments perceived as critical of Trump. Correspondent Steven Herman was placed on leave, and the White House bureau chief reassigned. (New York Times)
  10. Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency removed over $4 billion in claimed savings from its “wall of receipts” – its second major correction in a week. The website, which tracks canceled government contracts, has seen its reported savings shrink from $16 billion to less than $9 billion due to repeated errors. Mistakes included miscalculations, double-counted cancellations, and claims for contracts that had already ended under previous administrations. Despite removing major errors, some inaccuracies remain, such as a $106 million savings claim for Coast Guard contracts that expired nearly two decades ago. DOGE has blamed federal agencies for the incorrect figures. (New York Times)
  11. Israel halted all aid shipments to Gaza after the ceasefire with Hamas expired, citing Hamas’ refusal to accept a U.S.-backed extension proposal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision was made “in full coordination with President Trump” and warned of further consequences if Hamas didn’t release more hostages. Hamas accused Israel of violating the agreement and using aid as “blackmail.” Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio bypassed Congress to approve a $4 billion arms transfer to Israel, including thousands of 2,000-pound bombs. (Axios / New York Times)
  12. Trump signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States, a first in U.S. history. The order rescinds a Clinton-era mandate requiring federal agencies and organizations receiving federal funds to provide language assistance to non-English speakers, though agencies may still offer multilingual services voluntarily. (Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / CNBC / New York Times)
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member


1 - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-pauses-u-s-military-aid-to-ukraine/

2 - https://www.reuters.com/world/trade...a-mexico-china-with-steep-tariffs-2025-03-04/

3 - https://www.npr.org/2025/03/03/nx-s1-5307078/trump-cabinet-linda-mcmahon-confirmed-education

4 - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/co...transgender-athletes-womens-sports-rcna194623

5 - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...e-southern-africa-office-after-trump-aid-cuts

6 - https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5172937-top-hhs-spokesperson-corry-resigns/

7 - https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-york...ice-out-criticize-trump-agents-jan-6/6171197/

8 - https://www.theverge.com/news/622990/trump-doge-government-layoffs-doge-weather-forecasts-noaa

9 - https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/03/politics/doge-wants-to-charge-opm-millions/index.html
 
LittleSin

LittleSin

I know I'm being pedantic and maybe I sound a bit like conspiracy theorist buuuut:

Luigi maintains his innocence. He claims that the cops planted the evidence on him, the pictures of the shooter kinda looks like him but there's enough features off to make one wonder, and the NYPD are notoriously incompetent.

I guess I just want this guy to get a fair trial or the whole thing to be thrown out.
 
Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

LittleSin said:
I know I'm being pedantic and maybe I sound a bit like conspiracy theorist buuuut:

Luigi maintains his innocence. He claims that the cops planted the evidence on him, the pictures of the shooter kinda looks like him but there's enough features off to make one wonder, and the NYPD are notoriously incompetent.

I guess I just want this guy to get a fair trial or the whole thing to be thrown out.
Click to expand...
Even if he did do it, maintaining a plausible deniability is the best way to achieve his only real hope: jury nullification.
 
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