Trump 2.0

[RetiredAt63]

Still Trump but shifting focus:

Golden Dome - no we are not going to spend $61B or join the US.

We do NORAD.  We spend a chunk of money on radar.  We just did the $6B deal with Australia for over-the-horizon radar.  And when you look at the geography, the US needs our cooperation.

Very well explained in
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwHVRcH74gI

[PeteD01]

Elon Musk just declared war on Donald Trump in a series of unhinged tweets.

I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore.

This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination.

Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1929954109689606359

In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1929984535456035202

Call your Senator,
Call your Congressman,

Bankrupting America is NOT ok!

KILL the BILL

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1930336497208832059

Honestly, I was not expecting this one.

...

Bless your soul.

I'm really surprised it took this long. I was expecting a blowup by March. Their egos are just too big to be in the same room.

I wonder if Trump internalized criticism about firing his cabinet members too fast in his first term, and that's why he's failing to fire these nincompoops this time around.

Same. IIRC I predicted they would be on the outs by mid Feb. Joke was on me there.

The blowup is not just about egos clashing but, more importantly, about serious incompatibilities between the moron/Christian nationalist MAGA crowd and the cringy tech bro/oligarch pseudo-intellectual science fiction cult atheist crowd.
The contempt the tech bros have for MAGA Christian morons is what is driving this and is unlikely to be resolved with that uneasy coalition intact.

This piece is a good primer on the entirely foreseeable breakup:

Trump's fight with Musk reveals MAGA's biggest delusion
The president accused Elon of having "Trump derangement syndrome"
By Amanda Marcotte
Senior Writer
Published June 6

Ultimately, the college-educated, secular nerds convinced themselves the rest of MAGA are dumb sheep who are easy to control. They underestimate their new allies, though. On Thursday, Musk complained that Trump was showing "ingratitude," claiming Trump would have lost the election without his support. (Which is probably true!)

This budget fight exposes how delusional that "we can handle the sheeple" attitude always was. It's not about religion, per se, but the culture clash between the Musk fanboys and the Christian nationalist debate is driving much of this. Musk and his acolytes envision a technofascism that sucks all the money out of social services and puts it into the tech industry, even as it pursues goals typically disliked by the Christian right, such as clean energy production. Meanwhile, the Christian right wing of the party, while happy to pass huge cuts to Medicaid and Obamacare, is largely leaving untouched Social Security or Medicare, which their working-class and aging base depends on. The techbro fascists may hate the liberals they live next door to, but at the end of the day, they're still part of the urban, atheistic, educated class that the MAGA movement demonizes. That difference was not going to be papered over forever.

https://www.salon.com/2025/06/06/fight-with-musk-reveals-magas-biggest-delusion/

[bacchi]

The MAGA crowd again displays their cultural war values. Higher utility rates and more pollution: What's there not to like?

The last-minute federal order [from Wright, Energy Sec] to keep the J.H. Campbell [coal powered] plant operating came as a surprise to Michigan officials, including the head of the state’s Public Service Commission, given it was at the tail end of a multi-year retirement process that was approved in 2022.

“The grid operator hadn’t asked for this, the utility hadn’t asked for this, we as the state hadn’t asked for this,” said Dan Scripps, chair of the Michigan Public Service Commission.

The owner has a NG replacement plant ready to go and keeping this one open will cost utility users "multiple tens of millions of dollars at the low end."

Is this just a knee jerk reaction to what the libs want or do the Republicans get more money from the coal mining companies (vs what they get from the oil/NG companies)?

[Fomerly known as something]

I truly think our democracy is lost. Why anyone thought voting for Trump a second time was the right thing to do is beyond me. Every day more things come out and how they are taking away the rights of the American citizens. So many people are blind to it. This budget they are ramming through is going to result in many people dying, and the courts are going to be gutted. I knew once Trump ignored the Supreme Court that our democracy was probably over.

Now that the company Trump hired to link all our data that doge has obtained it will make it easy to control people. They can do what China does and control how you spend your money, where you travel, etc. I just feel sick most of the time. The only bright spot is that I don’t have any grandchildren so only my children will have to suffer through this and half their lives are over at this point.

I think a lot of Americans realise their life sucks and instead of wanting to better themselves and correctly ascribing the blame to their own lack of ability or personal responsibility, they'd rather either (1) blame someone else or (2) take everyone else down with them. Trump offers both options, concurrently.

or third where maybe a lot of us are, this is fucked, unfair, and unconstitutional. But in the chaos try to grab what you can for yourself and your family. I think republicans are counting on, voting the right way and now getting legal bribes from the people and corporations who benefit. It's very much, screw you as long as I get mine. kinda like the Titanic except the GOP are kicking the poors, middle class, well pretty much 95% of their constituents including the elderly, women, and children off in order to take ALL the boats.

That is why my name for the “Big Beautiful Bill” is “I got mine”.  The things that would have affected me personally as a federal retiree got dropped.  Add in the larger SALT deduction makes my taxes less.  I don’t have to again personally worry about ACA or Medicare so I got mine.  I think the bill is bad for the community (country) as a whole though.

[mtnrider]

Some partial good news:  It looks like the administration decided it didn't want to face contempt charges for not bringing Garcia back.  So they brought him back, only to face charges.  (This is the guy about whom Trump argued to a reporter that a poorly photoshopped MS13 was actually a tattoo.)

Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man at the center of a bitter, months-long political and legal fight after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, has been returned to the United States to face criminal charges, according to an indictment announced Friday.

I do wonder if he'll get a fair trial, and if the charges are trumped up (since IIRC, they didn't think to arrest him at the time).  But at least he's in the US.

[OzzieandHarriet]

Some partial good news:  It looks like the administration decided it didn't want to face contempt charges for not bringing Garcia back.  So they brought him back, only to face charges.  (This is the guy about whom Trump argued to a reporter that a poorly photoshopped MS13 was actually a tattoo.)

Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man at the center of a bitter, months-long political and legal fight after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, has been returned to the United States to face criminal charges, according to an indictment announced Friday.

I do wonder if he'll get a fair trial, and if the charges are trumped up (since IIRC, they didn't think to arrest him at the time).  But at least he's in the US.

The charges sound bogus, like they fished around until they could come up with something that would sound really bad in the headlines and news bites and subject him to the possibility of life in prison (they could give him 10 years for EACH alleged “human trafficking” incident - and they are claiming thousands).

[GuitarStv]

Some partial good news:  It looks like the administration decided it didn't want to face contempt charges for not bringing Garcia back.  So they brought him back, only to face charges.  (This is the guy about whom Trump argued to a reporter that a poorly photoshopped MS13 was actually a tattoo.)

Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man at the center of a bitter, months-long political and legal fight after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, has been returned to the United States to face criminal charges, according to an indictment announced Friday.

I do wonder if he'll get a fair trial, and if the charges are trumped up (since IIRC, they didn't think to arrest him at the time).  But at least he's in the US.

The charges sound bogus, like they fished around until they could come up with something that would sound really bad in the headlines and news bites and subject him to the possibility of life in prison (they could give him 10 years for EACH alleged “human trafficking” incident - and they are claiming thousands).

Ironic.  Shouldn't the Trump administration get prison time for human trafficking for illegally deporting hundreds of people to torture prisons around the world?

[Cassie]

Someone higher up in the DOJ resigned over them charging Garcia. It’s obviously false charges.

[Poundwise]

Some partial good news:  It looks like the administration decided it didn't want to face contempt charges for not bringing Garcia back.  So they brought him back, only to face charges.  (This is the guy about whom Trump argued to a reporter that a poorly photoshopped MS13 was actually a tattoo.)

Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man at the center of a bitter, months-long political and legal fight after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, has been returned to the United States to face criminal charges, according to an indictment announced Friday.

I do wonder if he'll get a fair trial, and if the charges are trumped up (since IIRC, they didn't think to arrest him at the time).  But at least he's in the US.

The charges sound bogus, like they fished around until they could come up with something that would sound really bad in the headlines and news bites and subject him to the possibility of life in prison (they could give him 10 years for EACH alleged “human trafficking” incident - and they are claiming thousands).

Ironic.  Shouldn't the Trump administration get prison time for human trafficking for illegally deporting hundreds of people to torture prisons around the world?

Absolutely, and they have clearly violated 18 USC 242: Deprivation of rights under color of law.

[OzzieandHarriet]

From Heather Cox Richardson’s letter today:

Today, after months of maintaining it could not bring back Maryland man Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongfully rendered to the notorious CECOT terrorist prison in El Salvador, the Trump administration returned him to the U.S. A grand jury in Tennessee has charged Abrego Garcia with participating in a ten-year conspiracy to carry undocumented migrants from Texas to other parts of the country. The indictment alleges Abrego Garcia participated in more than 100 trips that moved children as well as members of the MS-13 Salvadoran gang.

The indictment has issues. Abrego Garcia is the only person named in the “conspiracy,” and the investigation into it began only in April, after the courts ordered the administration to bring Abrego Garcia back to the U.S. The indictment is based on a 2022 incident in which Abrego Garcia was stopped in Tennessee for speeding with eight passengers in his vehicle. He told police they were construction workers and was neither ticketed nor charged. While the indictment alleges that Abrego Garcia lied to the officer by not revealing he was coming from Texas, the referral report says he told the officer he was coming from Houston, Texas.

Phil Williams of NewsChannel 5 in Nashville, Tennessee, noted that the chief of the criminal division for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nashville, Ben Schrader, resigned on May 21, saying: “It has been an incredible privilege to serve as a prosecutor with the Department of Justice, where the only job description I’ve ever known is to do the right thing, in the right way, for the right reasons.” Williams notes that May 21 is the same day as Abrego Garcia’s indictment.

ABC News reported that Schrader resigned out of “concerns that the case was being pursued for political reasons.”

[mtnrider]

It looks like more of Project 2025 is advancing.  Trump federalized the California National Guard, without the governor's approval, to quash protests in LA.  The secretary of defense is talking about sending in active duty Marines. 

A series of federal immigration sweeps across Los Angeles that began on Friday has prompted anger and resistance from onlookers and immigrant rights groups that have braced for this type of action for months.
...
Over the weekend, tensions continued to rise between state and local authorities and Trump administration officials, who said they were calling up the National Guard in response to what the White House said were "violent mobs" attacking "ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles."

I haven't seen any reports that the immigrants swept up were gang members.  There hasn't been any reporting about employers being held accountable, so I lean towards this being both distracting red meat for the base as well as priming the US for Trump using the Insurrection Act.

Interesting times.

[rocketpj]

It has been pretty obvious that the masked snatching of random people by 'ICE' agents has been a long provocation in hopes of provoking a reaction.  Which clearly is working, now they get to overreact and crush opposition.

If it wasn't such a nightmare it would be humorous in its by-the-numbers following of the autogolpe playbook.

[Fru-Gal]

They are rounding up problematic immigrants who supposedly don’t work, don’t follow laws, don’t want to assimilate/educate themselves at…

—workplaces
—courthouses
—schools

And using IRS information to find them (because they pay taxes).

[GuitarStv]

They are rounding up problematic immigrants who supposedly don’t work, don’t follow laws, don’t want to assimilate/educate themselves at…

—workplaces
—courthouses
—schools

And using IRS information to find them (because they pay taxes).

To be fair . . . finding criminals is hard though.




That and Trump doesn't really care about immigrants.  Or criminals.

- Make up a crisis that needs special policing
- Police the crisis, but do so illegally to get the public and your private army used to and comfortable with lawless actions
- Ensure that one of the primary duties of the paramilitary is to restrict movement of people across borders - internal and external.
- Ensure that the paramilitary is only answerable to you personally and your (illegal) orders
- Increase numbers of the rank and file under your control
- Enact laws to hide the identity of members of your secret police from the public.

Trump is building his gestapo.

[rocketpj]

Trump is building his gestapo.

Has built.  Now he is field testing it.  If they get away with violent suppression of dissent and protest in LA, assume it will happen elsewhere very quickly.

This is the final stress test of the US Constitution.  It's not looking good.

[RetiredAt63]

Trump is building his gestapo.

Has built.  Now he is field testing it.  If they get away with violent suppression of dissent and protest in LA, assume it will happen elsewhere very quickly.

This is the final stress test of the US Constitution.  It's not looking good.

In more ways than one.  California is a state that could do just fine on its own.  Is he trying to push it to secede?  Or will that be an inevitable but "unforeseen" outcome of his policies?  An American Civil War II is a real possibility.  And since he is targeting Blue states, many of which would be OK on their own (and support Red states that rely on federal money) could it lead to widespread secession?

Seriously, California has more reason to secede from the USA than either Quebec or Alberta have to secede from Canada.

I know there is lots of froth about various states leaving and joining Canada, but I haven't heard any real enthusiasm from Canadians about having them become provinces.  Too many ingrained attitudes, too many people, we would be overwhelmed and not ourselves any more.

But the US splintering into several different countries?  Totally believable.

[LennStar]

But the US splintering into several different countries?  Totally believable.

What will the name be? The former United States?

[RetiredAt63]

But the US splintering into several different countries?  Totally believable.

What will the name be? The former United States?

I'm Canadian,  it's only guesses.

California,  Cascadia, some name for the New England states. Then the red states can keep the name or splinter.

It is actually a recurring theme in dystopian science fiction.

[dividendman]

But the US splintering into several different countries?  Totally believable.

What will the name be? The former United States?

Zero percent chance. Way better chance of just another authoritarian country.

[Captain FIRE]

But the US splintering into several different countries?  Totally believable.

What will the name be? The former United States?

When I watch tv shows, I always think it ridiculous that the homeowners complain about the paint color choice. It’s so easily changed - focus on the bones of the house!

Which is to say, I don’t think picking a name is going to be the sticking point for a succession. I do think we inch a little closer each day though. It’s still a very long ways off, but I can actually see it as a faint possibility if things continue. Or maybe that is wishful thinking. 🙂 My state too is a net contributor - even more than California when you look pp (#5 state) rather than total amount - yet Trump seems determined to “punish” us and drive us away.  Succeeding is better than living under a hybrid Nazi Germany/Gilead, and maybe then we could get real representation rather than the BS that weighs a Wyoming voter 59 times a Californian vote.

[Fru-Gal]

Trump is building his gestapo.

Has built.  Now he is field testing it.  If they get away with violent suppression of dissent and protest in LA, assume it will happen elsewhere very quickly.

This is the final stress test of the US Constitution.  It's not looking good.

In more ways than one.  California is a state that could do just fine on its own.  Is he trying to push it to secede?  Or will that be an inevitable but "unforeseen" outcome of his policies?  An American Civil War II is a real possibility.  And since he is targeting Blue states, many of which would be OK on their own (and support Red states that rely on federal money) could it lead to widespread secession?

Seriously, California has more reason to secede from the USA than either Quebec or Alberta have to secede from Canada.

I know there is lots of froth about various states leaving and joining Canada, but I haven't heard any real enthusiasm from Canadians about having them become provinces.  Too many ingrained attitudes, too many people, we would be overwhelmed and not ourselves any more.

But the US splintering into several different countries?  Totally believable.

This is why it’s clear that while Russia is not capable of winning a ground war or an air war they are winning an information war. This is exactly what they were aiming for. They achieved it with Brexit. They are looking at the United States and Canada and any other large country that they can splinter. Mexico is also susceptible to Russian influence and believe it or not there are Trump supporters there. Not many. Yet.

Of course, we can insert all the usual caveats for the times the United States has played this game in central/South America and the Middle East.

[Just Joe]

But the US splintering into several different countries?  Totally believable.

CA ought to hook up with OR and WA and leave together.

Not sure if the MAGA folks would celebrate or quickly realize what just happened to the GDP.

[RetiredAt63]

But the US splintering into several different countries?  Totally believable.

CA ought to hook up with OR and WA and leave together.

Not sure if the MAGA folks would celebrate or quickly realize what just happened to the GDP.

CA, OR, and WA are Cascadia.   Its been talked about for a while.  So far just talk.

I was living in Quebec during the separation referendum.  No US state is close to that.

[RetiredAt63]

Trump is building his gestapo.

Has built.  Now he is field testing it.  If they get away with violent suppression of dissent and protest in LA, assume it will happen elsewhere very quickly.

This is the final stress test of the US Constitution.  It's not looking good.

In more ways than one.  California is a state that could do just fine on its own.  Is he trying to push it to secede?  Or will that be an inevitable but "unforeseen" outcome of his policies?  An American Civil War II is a real possibility.  And since he is targeting Blue states, many of which would be OK on their own (and support Red states that rely on federal money) could it lead to widespread secession?

Seriously, California has more reason to secede from the USA than either Quebec or Alberta have to secede from Canada.

I know there is lots of froth about various states leaving and joining Canada, but I haven't heard any real enthusiasm from Canadians about having them become provinces.  Too many ingrained attitudes, too many people, we would be overwhelmed and not ourselves any more.

But the US splintering into several different countries?  Totally believable.

This is why it’s clear that while Russia is not capable of winning a ground war or an air war they are winning an information war. This is exactly what they were aiming for. They achieved it with Brexit. They are looking at the United States and Canada and any other large country that they can splinter. Mexico is also susceptible to Russian influence and believe it or not there are Trump supporters there. Not many. Yet.

Of course, we can insert all the usual caveats for the times the United States has played this game in central/South America and the Middle East.

Agreed.  We have Maple Maga, especially in Alberta but all over. 

It adds to the speculation as to why Poilievre refused to get a security clearance when he was Leader of the Opposition and hoping to be  PM.  Plus his rhetoric of Canada is Broken.

I swear, the more I  think back on Helen Mcinnes's cold war books, the more I think she was a prophetess.

[mtnrider]

Trump is literally sending in Marines into LA. 

Hundreds of U.S. Marines stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms are being mobilized to Los Angeles.

This seems crazy to me.  Marines are trained for war, not policing (except USMC-MP).  What can Marines do that the National Guard not do?  And legally - this is not an insurrection, nor was it authorized by congress, or by the constitution.  It seems like a, probably extralegal, exercise of power intended to further inflame maters.

I don't know if this is more like the Palmer Raids of 1919, Operation Wetback of 1954, or the Reichstag Fire.

[Travis]

Trump is literally sending in Marines into LA. 

Hundreds of U.S. Marines stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms are being mobilized to Los Angeles.

This seems crazy to me.  Marines are trained for war, not policing (except USMC-MP).  What can Marines do that the National Guard not do?  And legally - this is not an insurrection, nor was it authorized by congress, or by the constitution.  It seems like a, probably extralegal, exercise of power intended to further inflame maters.

I don't know if this is more like the Palmer Raids of 1919, Operation Wetback of 1954, or the Reichstag Fire.

Pretty sure the Guard is there illegally as well. The governor has to request assistance. The Marines are supposed to be there to protect federal officials, whatever that means.

[reeshau]

Australian news reporter his with rubber bullet covering LA.  Being a news broadcast, there is direct evidence there was no threat to the police present.  Camera captures a guy taking aim at a group of reporters and firing within a couple seconds.

https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c98p008kxn1o

A British photographer was also hit in a separate incident.  He required emergency surgery.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg7vzrj6g3o

[the lorax]

I continue to be amazed that Americans aren't more freaked out by what is going on - obviously some are but it seems like most people who voted Trump still think he's doing a good job and that's crazy to me. MAGAs aren't a small minority. No way in hell will I be travelling to the US now.
Can states like California even leave though? I would assume they would be forced to stay through military means. they are also beholden to Big Tech for their money aren't they? And big tech wants what Trump is delivering....

[mtnrider]

They are rounding up problematic immigrants who supposedly don’t work, don’t follow laws, don’t want to assimilate/educate themselves at…

—workplaces
—courthouses
—schools

And using IRS information to find them (because they pay taxes).

Totally.  And this area has families with undocumented immigrants who have married into or just friends in the community.  If Trump makes a very publicized push to grab people from workplaces, they must have known that they would stir up anger.  Stirring up anger seems like the point. 

Is it a public political spectacle of Trump's ability to use the military to suppress people who MAGA doesn't like?  Or is it an excuse for martial law, complete with a dictator style military parade?

[mtnrider]

I continue to be amazed that Americans aren't more freaked out by what is going on -

I was surprised that this isn't covered by TV nearly as much as the Rodney King riots were.  Or even the anti-WTO riots of 1999.  Reporting isn't as strong as it was during the 1990s.  They don't have advertising dollars.  I've heard that the Project 2025 plan has effectively neutralized news organizations by threatening to stop corporate mergers that are keeping the newsrooms alive.

See also that ABC reporter Terry Moran was suspended from his job for tweeting (!) remarks about Trump and Miller that they don't like.  This are sort of tame compared with things Trump himself, or FOX news or OAN "reporters" have said, sometimes on air.  But ABC has to tread carefully or Trump will bring the force of the US government down on them and Disney.  So we get limited corporate coverage of the damage.

https://apnews.com/article/abc-moran-suspended-trump-miller-haters-db3b0e127ed977e3bca4c207c4349526


I see it covered a lot on small media, but as others have pointed out, this is a dangerous space.  It can be hard to tell which small youtube videos or podcasts are legit, and which are the Russians looking to stir up trouble.  Big media has better standards, but if they have been undermined there may be nowhere else to turn.

obviously some are but it seems like most people who voted Trump still think he's doing a good job and that's crazy to me. MAGAs aren't a small minority. No way in hell will I be travelling to the US now.
Can states like California even leave though? I would assume they would be forced to stay through military means. they are also beholden to Big Tech for their money aren't they? And big tech wants what Trump is delivering....

Obviously I don't have a crystal ball, but I don't picture the northeast and the west coast leaving unless the Yarvinites get more control and break up the US intentionally.  But this is going to be a very rough patch.

[Travis]

The same LAPD that is pumping out the rubber bullets and tear gas is saying "Why Marines?"

https://fxbsky.app/profile/mmasnick.bsky.social/post/3lr7i3ph5hc2a

[RetiredAt63]

The Governor of California and the mayor of Los Angeles are bringing a lawsuit against Trump over this.

I'm reposting from memory, so may not get the wording exactly right, what someone else reposted from someone posting from the protests:

"The taste of tear gas is fascism"

[jrhampt]

I continue to be amazed that Americans aren't more freaked out by what is going on -

I was surprised that this isn't covered by TV nearly as much as the Rodney King riots were.  Or even the anti-WTO riots of 1999.  Reporting isn't as strong as it was during the 1990s.  They don't have advertising dollars.  I've heard that the Project 2025 plan has effectively neutralized news organizations by threatening to stop corporate mergers that are keeping the newsrooms alive.

See also that ABC reporter Terry Moran was suspended from his job for tweeting (!) remarks about Trump and Miller that they don't like.  This are sort of tame compared with things Trump himself, or FOX news or OAN "reporters" have said, sometimes on air.  But ABC has to tread carefully or Trump will bring the force of the US government down on them and Disney.  So we get limited corporate coverage of the damage.

https://apnews.com/article/abc-moran-suspended-trump-miller-haters-db3b0e127ed977e3bca4c207c4349526


I see it covered a lot on small media, but as others have pointed out, this is a dangerous space.  It can be hard to tell which small youtube videos or podcasts are legit, and which are the Russians looking to stir up trouble.  Big media has better standards, but if they have been undermined there may be nowhere else to turn.

obviously some are but it seems like most people who voted Trump still think he's doing a good job and that's crazy to me. MAGAs aren't a small minority. No way in hell will I be travelling to the US now.
Can states like California even leave though? I would assume they would be forced to stay through military means. they are also beholden to Big Tech for their money aren't they? And big tech wants what Trump is delivering....

Obviously I don't have a crystal ball, but I don't picture the northeast and the west coast leaving unless the Yarvinites get more control and break up the US intentionally.  But this is going to be a very rough patch.

Yes, the administration has been threatening and intimidating the media.  We no longer have a free press.

[GuitarStv]

Australian news reporter his with rubber bullet covering LA.  Being a news broadcast, there is direct evidence there was no threat to the police present.  Camera captures a guy taking aim at a group of reporters and firing within a couple seconds.

https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c98p008kxn1o

A British photographer was also hit in a separate incident.  He required emergency surgery.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg7vzrj6g3o

Just like last time Trump was president, law enforcement is openly targeting news coverage of protests.  If it follows like last time, this is because they don't want pictures of the rights violations going on and to come.

[LaineyAZ]

Years ago someone made this observation:

"Police are beginning to view crowds of demonstrators as enemies of the state to be controlled, rather than groups of people exercising their constitutional right of demonstration the police should be working to uphold."

As the U.S. police have become more militarized (sometimes hard to distinguish between their uniforms and gear and those of active military personnel) I think this observation is true.  Demonstrators are literally not seen as humans with rights. 

[Cassie]

The federal government is never going to let California or any other states secede. They have all the military power and will use it against the citizens. They especially aren’t going to let go of all the blue states that provide all the income for the country.

Any of the big news channels that have opposed Trump are all being sued for a huge amount of money. News people are being let go unless they tow the line. There are huge demonstrations every weekend yet they are barely being covered except for once a week when Rachel Maddow is on MSNBC. The maga people see nothing wrong with what Trump is doing. They are in total denial that this country is turning into a dictatorship. I literally feel sick most of the time over this.

[Fru-Gal]

The federal government is never going to let California or any other states secede. They have all the military power and will use it against the citizens. They especially aren’t going to let go of all the blue states that provide all the income for the country.

Any of the big news channels that have opposed Trump are all being sued for a huge amount of money. News people are being let go unless they tow the line. There are huge demonstrations every weekend yet they are barely being covered except for once a week when Rachel Maddow is on MSNBC. The maga people see nothing wrong with what Trump is doing. They are in total denial that this country is turning into a dictatorship. I literally feel sick most of the time over this.

I’m so sorry you’re feeling like that. I know how disturbing it all is.

My family and I will fight this. My kids are not going out without a fight and neither am I. I am definitely not going to pre-comply.

It bears repeating that now is the time to de-google and make sure your socials are innocuous or accounts erased. https://www.reddit.com/r/degoogle/ (Incredibly ironic of me to use a $#$% Reddit link for this 😆 — there are many articles on the web with tips outside of Reddit).

Also do necessary prepping for your household and family.

And remember that the presence of women and the elderly in forms of peaceful protest is proven by academic research to be linked to effective regime change.

Final point… FUNNY HOW AS SOON AS MUSK THREATENED TRUMP, THE SHIT HIT THE FAN

Distraction 101

[Cassie]

The federal government is never going to let California or any other states secede. They have all the military power and will use it against the citizens. They especially aren’t going to let go of all the blue states that provide all the income for the country.

Any of the big news channels that have opposed Trump are all being sued for a huge amount of money. News people are being let go unless they tow the line. There are huge demonstrations every weekend yet they are barely being covered except for once a week when Rachel Maddow is on MSNBC. The maga people see nothing wrong with what Trump is doing. They are in total denial that this country is turning into a dictatorship. I literally feel sick most of the time over this.

I’m so sorry you’re feeling like that. I know how disturbing it all is.

My family and I will fight this. My kids are not going out without a fight and neither am I. I am definitely not going to pre-comply.

It bears repeating that now is the time to de-google and make sure your socials are innocuous or accounts erased. https://www.reddit.com/r/degoogle/ (Incredibly ironic of me to use a $#$% Reddit link for this 😆 — there are many articles on the web with tips outside of Reddit).

Also do necessary prepping for your household and family.

And remember that the presence of women and the elderly in forms of peaceful protest is proven by academic research to be linked to effective regime change.

Final point… FUNNY HOW AS SOON AS MUSK THREATENED TRUMP, THE SHIT HIT THE FAN

Distraction 101

I am attending all the protests. I’m a senior and live alone with my two little dogs. Only one of my sons is local and he is disabled and his wife is a naturalized citizen from a previously communist country so needless to say they are laying low. They are getting him his EU citizenship in case they need to escape. I stocked up on food for myself and the dogs, but basically if they cut the power and water, etc., I wouldn’t make it for very long at this stage of life.

I have already completely deleted my Facebook account. I went on city data, but they do not let you delete your account. I haven’t been on Reddit very long and I rarely comment as it’s too large and fast moving. In fact, I doubt I’ve made any political posts there. I appreciate you supplying the link and I will look there.

[Travis]

Trump at Fort Bragg today whipping the crowd into a frenzy about "liberating" Los Angeles and getting the troops to cheer about anti-DEI, getting rid of trans people, belittling CA elected officials, the press, and bringing back all of the Confederate base names. Saw a text message that went out to soldiers on base explicitly saying they were looking for fit-looking soldiers who would agree with everything the President said to stand behind him on the stage.

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbptueux32j

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbrdem55624

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbrg7mmyq2u

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbr3qejjn24

[PeteD01]

Trump at Fort Bragg today whipping the crowd into a frenzy about "liberating" Los Angeles and getting the troops to cheer about anti-DEI, getting rid of trans people, belittling CA elected officials, the press, and bringing back all of the Confederate base names. Saw a text message that went out to soldiers on base explicitly saying they were looking for fit-looking soldiers who would agree with everything the President said to stand behind him on the stage.

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbptueux32j

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbrdem55624

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbrg7mmyq2u

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbr3qejjn24

Wonder if they would have collectively peed their pants if the traitor had urged them to.

Utterly disgraceful spectacle for sure.

[dragoncar]

The Governor of California and the mayor of Los Angeles are bringing a lawsuit against Trump over this.

I'm reposting from memory, so may not get the wording exactly right, what someone else reposted from someone posting from the protests:

"The taste of tear gas is fascism"

Does the mayor have no say in how her police forces are interacting with protestors?

[Kris]

The Governor of California and the mayor of Los Angeles are bringing a lawsuit against Trump over this.

I'm reposting from memory, so may not get the wording exactly right, what someone else reposted from someone posting from the protests:

"The taste of tear gas is fascism"

Does the mayor have no say in how her police forces are interacting with protestors?

We are talking about federal troops.

[dragoncar]

The Governor of California and the mayor of Los Angeles are bringing a lawsuit against Trump over this.

I'm reposting from memory, so may not get the wording exactly right, what someone else reposted from someone posting from the protests:

"The taste of tear gas is fascism"

Does the mayor have no say in how her police forces are interacting with protestors?

We are talking about federal troops.

So the cop that shot at the reporter was federal?  LAPD is behaving well?

[the lorax]

The federal government is never going to let California or any other states secede. They have all the military power and will use it against the citizens. They especially aren’t going to let go of all the blue states that provide all the income for the country.

Any of the big news channels that have opposed Trump are all being sued for a huge amount of money. News people are being let go unless they tow the line. There are huge demonstrations every weekend yet they are barely being covered except for once a week when Rachel Maddow is on MSNBC. The maga people see nothing wrong with what Trump is doing. They are in total denial that this country is turning into a dictatorship. I literally feel sick most of the time over this.

It is awful, I really feel for you :(
I think the Swing Left org was trying to get more progressive types connected socially and organised re voting (I don't know much about them so not an endorsement, just saw them interviewed on the Meida Touch podcast) but could be a way to feel some strength in numbers

[Just Joe]

Just started this DW-TV series last night: https://youtu.be/fDWYc8vTvEw

It is German WWII history from people's diaries. It is a x4 part series. 

[blue_green_sparks]

Since Trump took office again, now we have the Swasticoin and JPROOF (Jew Proof banking coin) crypto. The "Blues Brothers" hated Illinois Nazis. I also hate Nazi crypto.

[LennStar]

Trump at Fort Bragg today whipping the crowd into a frenzy about "liberating" Los Angeles and getting the troops to cheer about anti-DEI, getting rid of trans people, belittling CA elected officials, the press, and bringing back all of the Confederate base names. Saw a text message that went out to soldiers on base explicitly saying they were looking for fit-looking soldiers who would agree with everything the President said to stand behind him on the stage.

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbptueux32j

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbrdem55624

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbrg7mmyq2u

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbr3qejjn24

Will they be called Safety Squad (SS)?

[GuitarStv]

Trump at Fort Bragg today whipping the crowd into a frenzy about "liberating" Los Angeles and getting the troops to cheer about anti-DEI, getting rid of trans people, belittling CA elected officials, the press, and bringing back all of the Confederate base names. Saw a text message that went out to soldiers on base explicitly saying they were looking for fit-looking soldiers who would agree with everything the President said to stand behind him on the stage.

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbptueux32j

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbrdem55624

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbrg7mmyq2u

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lrbr3qejjn24

Will they be called Safety Squad (SS)?

 . . . and the problem with the protestors is likely that they haven't thought through everything they're doing.  So maybe they just need a nice quiet place to concentrate.  Maybe in a camp setting.

[Travis]

The Governor of California and the mayor of Los Angeles are bringing a lawsuit against Trump over this.

I'm reposting from memory, so may not get the wording exactly right, what someone else reposted from someone posting from the protests:

"The taste of tear gas is fascism"

Does the mayor have no say in how her police forces are interacting with protestors?

We are talking about federal troops.

So the cop that shot at the reporter was federal?  LAPD is behaving well?

It's the LAPD. There's going to be problems, especially at scale. The reporter that got shot was by a local cop. And there have been a few incidents like this:

https://x.com/sh4keer/status/1932481775508640002

[Travis]

Trump stating that he wants FEMA to mostly be a piggy bank that he doles out funds from his office.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-says-fema-wound-hurricane-season-rcna212307