This is like a bad movie.

I watch a lot of movies, usually one and sometimes two a day - mostly American movies, Hollywood, but a lot of independent ones, and sometimes they are SO bad I turn them off and have no interest in knowing how they progress or end up.  America IS experiencing what is like a bad movie, but unfortunately America doesn't have the ability to turn it off.  God help you all. 

If this really were a movie it would be highly entertaining. Wondering where the next plot twist is going to come from, when will the Villain finally be stopped and who the real heroes of the movie will be

I would like to see the reel in the movie where Congress and other politicians are reviewed for efficiency. 

LOL!

They should get a performance report every quarter. I would love to do that to my congressman and my two senators

There is a 'report card ' for senators and house members too ( ← see link). But, it more about voting record and political leaning than job efficiency and responsibilit y. My understanding is the conservatives (I don't know if liberals have it too) have private 'score cards' which they consult to make sure GOP members know how tightly they are 'roped.' 

I want to send them a post card that says "You suck. Do better."

Thanks for the link.

Kash Patel, Pete Hegseth, and Tulsi Gabbard have actually given me a little hope today.

I know, imagine that.

Really? Do Tell why.

They told their employees to ignore Musk's letter and to not tell him what they did last week in an email.

Ohhh yes..   I thought that he was referring to something something outside of that. Sorry. "Space cadet Tom out!"

Mr G got his email (he works for the DOD). He was told to do nothing. The DOD will decide if they have to do anything. The DOD also stressed the chain of command

Sure. So, one of my fundamental concerns with every Trump cabinet member/nominee is that they will be more loyal to him or Musk than they are to the Constitution and the rule of law. This was only one test, so it’s the smallest possible sample size, but they all passed - for the moment - and I am pleasantly surprised.

What’s not surprising is that Musk or Trump demanded they do something illegal or jeopardizing national security. I mean, we’re talking the Department of Defense, the FBI, and National fucking Intelligence. Demanding that all employees of these departments divulge their work activities to uncertain persons over an unsecured email has GOT to be illegal, not to mention fucking stupid.

What is surprising to me is the amount of leeway Trump is allowed to do whatsoever he wishes to our system(s) of governance. It is as if we, literally all of us, have such a love-hate relationship with our own 'community of governance' that we won't support it even when it is under threat and seize. Woe, to those among us who will not defend the systems that protected us and our rights, privileges, and prosperity through all the heralding times in our storied past. 

This country has been through a lot of 'crappy' behaviors and conduct, and through it all our government won out because it stayed in the 'center' of the will of its citizens as a whole. To bend it until it cracks, frays, and ultimately misses a step or two or three or more is a forced error committed not by one man but the lot of 'us.'!

We already have the power to stop this assault, this realignment of our aspirations, but we the people are sitting around: Watching (mode) too long.

What are we waiting for?

I am presently hearing "national security" is in jeopardy. . . national security is in jeopardy. . . and the preeminent country on the planet is still sitting around looking at its thumbs. . .waiting. . . on help from where to come?

We are our only help against those who would make us pawns, and slaves, in our own country by our own 'hand' turned against ourselves!

Shall we continue to 'Sleep'?!  ARE WE 'WOKE' YET?!!!

The presidency does have substantial power.   Most presidents do not spend their time trying, at every turn, to use every bit of their power (or, worse, try to push past the limits).   Thus we have a nebulous sense of the damage a PotUS could do.   With Trump, we can see just how much power a president has.

The problem is that we now have a rogue PotUS.   Something I have never seen in my lifetime.   And worse, Congress is not providing its constitutional check on the Executive branch.

On top of that, the electorate still has not sufficiently caught on to how dangerous it is to have an irresponsible, vindictive, narcissistic buffoon as PotUS.

Thank you, TiG. Really thank you for seeing that we have a diabolical charismatic madman/genius (in his own sphere) over us. We, who struggle to live in peace with our surroundings and those that inhabit it with us, are STUNNED at the gorilla-styled political warfare we are being pounded with by those who like the 'smell of napalm in the mornings.'  We wake to find out what the night has wrought!

This is not how a peaceful nation should spend its time. Sadly, we are now a nation that is under great pressure to save itself from internal and external pressures to forsake, remove, render ineffective, and if we do not watch dynamically: Kill.

Here is something I have dredged up from the internet (available to all): It's been around for a while. . .but so has the conservative worldview. Note the sentiment in blue at its end. And if you have not already see the link for how they are taught to debate liberals and others.)

THE CONSERVATIVE'S DEBATING TOOL

For decades now conservatives have verbally battled liberals in the arena of ideas.  They are a lost cause due to their true goals – the redistribution of wealth and the elimination of any moral accountability.  It is useless for us to engage the leftists and their ever growing legion of useful idiots.  Instead, use this comprehensive list of talking points in a concise outline format as argument ammunition to save moderates and independents from falling into the liberal abyss.  Sometimes it just takes a couple of well timed and documented facts to convince fence-sitters that the conservative mindset is the time-proven philosophy. 

Be armed with Conservative Talking Points (CTP) as your powerful arsenal if you are forced into a debate with emotional and ill-prepared liberals. This collection of sourced facts, historic data, direct quotes and common sense knowledge is organized in a quick-reference format for easy lookup during a spirited discussion or a heated argument. Since liberals quickly sink to personal attacks or jump to another subject, you can hold their feet to the fire of truth with these Conservative Talking Points to win on any subject they wish to debate you on.

This site has  56 political topics  filled with  263 talking points  backed by over  1,328 supporting facts, historical events, quotes and figures . This 2012 version reflects the political headlines and subject matter to keep conservatives armed with the data points and factual weaponry to conduct this war on ignorance and liberal idiocy.

 This is specifically designed for immediate access to short and concise informational ammo organized under debate topics and subtopics. For example, when these lefties start whining about the rich not paying their fair share, you can immediately access the conservative data points on how the producers are already being soaked to support the non-producers for decades now.

Conservatives must win this political cold war before it descends into a full blown civil war of ideologies, between the makers and the takers.  Time to lock and load - mentally for now .

conservativetalkingpoints

I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Kash Patel told his employees to ignore the email.

I can't say that it gives me much hope, though.

He probably wants to fire them personally.  How dare Musk steal his thunder.  This is Kash Patel we’re talking about.  And now Dan Bongino gets a seat at his table.  Insane.

Kash Patel, Pete Hegseth, and Tulsi Gabbard have actually given me a little hope today.

I imagine that most agencies will follow their lead and I imagine that Trump will have something to say to Musk about this. The email was ridiculous to begin with. It isn't as if Musk could actually process the responses in any meaningful way, without devoting an amount of staff I can't imagine him having. Nor would he even be able to evaluate whether whatever five things people listed were even valuable to the organization they worked for. 

I have a lot of respect for Musk, but this was disappointing.  

Worse, it would be a massive security breach.

Worse, it would be a massive security breach.

Yes, if it were anything other than hypothetical. The agencies headed by Patel, Hegseth and Gabbard hardly needed to be told not to respond, and even if they did, they certainly would not have included anything sensitive. In other words, there was no danger that sensitive, let alone anything higher, being sent to Musk, as those who handle such things know better. I imagine most of the agencies told their people to ignore it as well, as Musk has no authority to require it, nor would any agency head appreciate the intrusion. 

That isn't to say that Musk should not be held to account for this foolishness. 

Yes, if it were anything other than hypothetical.

Correct.   And if people had complied, it would have been a massive security breach.

That isn't to say that Musk should not be held to account for this foolishness. 

Indeed.

And if people had complied, it would have been a massive security breach.

That's why Musk's demand is relegated to being in the realm of hypothetical. There's no realistic scenario where it would happen, beyond an agency's chain of command ordering compliance, which they would never do. 

This is not a case of disaster narrowly averted. If we, the public, never heard about this, it would still have turned out the same. Certainly there are more, sensitive organizations that ignored Musk as well. I imagine they all will, as no one likes an outsider making demands on their turf. Whatever else happens, I at least hope Musk understands he made a fool of himself on this issue and treats it as a wakeup call. 

There's no realistic scenario where it would happen, beyond an agency's chain of command ordering compliance, which they would never do.

Are you trying to find some angle to argue?   Look, Drakk, it was indeed stupid for Musk to think people would comply without first going up their chain of command (they will of course ask their boss).   And if they had complied, it would have been a massive security breach.   We agree, right?   There is nothing to argue about here.

This is not a case of disaster narrowly averted.

Yes, you indeed are trying to find something to argue about.

Whatever else happens, I at least hope Musk understands he made a fool of himself on this issue and treats it as a wakeup call. 

Someone with an ego like Musk, especially with whatever goes through one's mind when they are the richest person on the planet and pretty much able to buy whatever they want, is not likely to even remotely entertain the possibility that he made a fool of himself.   Musk is not going to change any more than Trump will change.

Yes, you indeed are trying to find something to argue about.

Funny way to put it, as I haven't argued against anything you said. I haven't said it would not be a security breach, for instance. I'm simply making a point about how likely that breach occurring would be. It's as if you don't want any perspective put on the issue and, instead, just want people to think "massive security breach" or something. Sky is falling, sort of thing. Is that what you want? 

Arguing against something not stated is what we call a strawman.   I do not see anyone here suggested that this was a disaster narrowly averted.   Seems to me most people are shaking their heads wondering WTF Musk was thinking.

Common sense alone tells most people that an employee will go to their boss and ask them what they should do about the email.   Can you imagine anyone working in the FBI mechanically responding to Musk's email and telling him what they did last week?   How many people do you think believe they would just respond to Musk's email?

It's as if you don't want any perspective put on the issue and, instead, just want people to think "massive security breach" or something.

And here you go again creating a false narrative.   This seed is about Musk's stupid decision and how even Trump sycophants bucked him (illustrating how stupid it was).  

I noted that if employees had done this it would be a massive security breach.   That is the primary reason why employees did NOT respond.   I think most anyone who gives this a moment's thought would realize how stupid it was for Musk to effectively ask government employees to engage in an act that would be a massive security breach.

It's as if you don't want any perspective put on the issue and, instead, just want people to think "massive security breach" or something. [Is that what you want?]

And here you go again creating a false narrative.

Not a false narrative. Me wondering why my expressing my opinion is such a problem for you. Don't really care now, though. 

Musk says failure to respond a second time to email will end in termination

by  Sarah Fortinsky  - 02/24/25 8:42 PM ET

Tech billionaire  Elon Musk  said federal employees will get a second chance to respond to an email asking for a recap of their last week’s accomplishments — or else face termination.

“Subject to the discretion of the President, they will be given another chance,” Musk wrote on X on Monday, referring to federal employees who did not respond to an initial email asking them to list 5 things they accomplished in the week prior by 11:59 p.m. Monday or face removal.

“Failure to respond a second time will result in termination,” Musk added, in his latest post.

The message appears to contradict  recent guidance from the Office of Personnel Management  (OPM), which told agency leaders Monday afternoon that employee response to the initial email was not mandatory and that failure to do so would not be considered a resignation.

“This afternoon, OPM during a Chief Human Capital Officers Council meeting, informed agencies that employee responses to the OPM email is voluntarily,” according to an email obtained by The Hill.

“OPM also clarified that a non-response to the email does not equate to a resignation,” the email read.

thehill

This is an act of "No Confidence" for all to see. The 'new leaders' of our government are giving federal employees PTSD mere days into their years long tenures. We will be told to not believe our eyes and the actions taken already by "leadership."  America: Wake up!

Because your 'opinion' accuses me of wanting to get people to think we narrowly missed a massive security breach when this seed is about Musk's stupidity.

Don't invent false narratives, Drakk.   Just stick to what people write.

So it's probably true that money can't buy you (true) happiness? Now again, what happens to those cabinet heads- heads when Trump is told (by Elon) that he did not get to aggressively " X " a proper number of employees of his choosing come sun-upTuesday?  'Things that make you go hmm.  '

Trump officials finally TURN ON Elon Musk

The thick plottens!

Not really turning on Trump.   They can all justify this to Trump (easily).

It is, however, a rebuke of Musk.

It also turns out that the 'official' amount of money DOGE says it's cutting in waste has been (like everything Trump does) highly inflated. Also, some of the programs cut, like one with the IRS IT contracts, were programs to exploring ways for departments to work more efficiently. 

If Trump follows through on sending 20% back to the taxpayers you can look forward to a $1.62 windfall.

They were trying to float $5K checks to everyone until they were reminded it was part of the cause of Biden's inflation problem. Now they are trying to float checks would only go to those most less likely to spend them on goods. No details on how that would work though. I'm sure it would please MAGA in poor rural areas when checks went to more affluent people and not them... Hahahaha!

Poor people would just go wasting it on luxuries like eggs.

$1.62 windfall.

That won't even buy one egg

Well, somebody will have to explain to the Public how the inevitable slow-down to come in getting answers to questions from the federal government will be worth the inevitable 'head-aches.' Or, is that the point of this whole GOP exercise? To frustrate the hell out of the Public?

Genius.  /s

The consequences of President Musk's insanity are going to be bad for individual MAGAs, and they're going to be OBVIOUSLY bad. So MAGAs will not be happy with President Musk.

Other Fascists Republicans may either share MAGA‘s fury against President Musk, or distance themselves from him. Since rats don't appreciate sinking ships......

Calling it what it is, some of these GOPers and libertarian-conservatives have been hiding in the 'folds' of MAGA putting up a grand façade of aspiration and self-sufficiency when in reality the GOP leaders (and themselves) knew that there is not a chance in hell that there is enough 'lighting strikes' in a thousand to allow ordinary workers to become rich and/or independently wealthy in their lifetime. Elon Musk certainly knows it, as partnered with Trump, they are a 'powerhouse' with a plan to LOCK THIS COUNTRY INTO A MODE from which it will be extremely difficult to free itself (remember freedom while you have it because it will be Trump's version of freedom if he is not stopped—not as any of us have known it to be).

We have been shown where the boundaries of the FIRE is, do not break the 'circle' for it will be come 'in' and it will be. . . regrettable what happens NEXT!

There's a program that was on SyFy but can now be found on streaming channels. It was called Continuum. The premise of the show is time traveling, but the interesting part is how everyone became slaves of the government. The government was on the brink of collapse when Big Corp bailed them out then set themselves up as the Corporate Congress. Every one becomes saddled with a debt on the day of their birth. For most people it's a lifetime debt. Some can get out of it by doing shady things for the Congress.

I know it's fiction but damn if it doesn't make me think of this show every time I hear Musk/trmp with a new scheme. It's your comment about "lock this country into a mode" and make it difficult to pull out  of it

Indeed, the citizenry is made to be beholden to its country. Just look at Russia,. . . we, the greatest nation in the world (right now) are negotiating with a President/dictator who holds elections he can't lose ("wink-wink") and his people are docile. Russia wages wars against its neighbors for territory gain and its people are docile. Its dictator installs winners and losers and its people are docile. And our president is striking a sour note with NATO and our bordering nations while seeking comradery and commiseration and alignment with this world's strongmen. . . right in our collective faces and we, as citizens, are docile. . . . 

We are being 'done' to our faces and even the media (with its barrels of inkwells) seems to be 'caught in the headlights' and paralyzed into inaction or how to proceed. . . . .

Are we 'Woke' yet?!!! Wake up, America! You are being slow-walked into dictatorship if you don't react.

There's a program that was on SyFy but can now be found on streaming channels. It was called Continuum.

Loved the first few seasons of that show. It started going off the rails there at the end though.

I know what you mean. They were trying to wrap it up and nobody had any ethics or morals.

Trump Sucks Elon Musk’s Toes in AI Video Played on Federal Agency TVs

The Department of Housing and Urban Development showed the video with the text "Long Live The Real King."

We might never get the alleged Donald Trump pee tape, but thanks to generative AI and someone with access to displays in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), we now have the feet tape. An AI-generated video depicting Donald Trump absolutely smothering Elon Musk’s weird feet with his whole mouth with a text overlay that read “Long Live The Real King” ran on a loop on TVs throughout the agency’s headquarters this morning, according to multiple reports and eye-witnesses.

Marisa Kabas, independent journalist and author of The Handbasket, shared a video of the clip as it appeared on a HUD TV Monday morning. Per Kabas, the clip played about five minutes before someone finally stopped it. “Building staff couldn’t figure out how to turn it off so sent people to every floor to unplug TVs,” she wrote on Bluesky.

More  

I am not at all convinced this is AI.  Probably the most entertaining thing I’ve seen in two months.

Too plausible, eh?

"Consistent with President Donald Trump's instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done this last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation."

"I golfed the last 5 out of 11 days...."

Wonder what they would say?

So much for people claiming Musk is President or that DOGE is some super agency with illegal powers.  Whoops.... This is proof  officials can say no to him. 

So much for people claiming Musk is President

It's called hyperbole. 

Well, they have admitted they are getting death threats and so are Democrats. At the "Principles First" meeting there was a bomb threat with the Proud Boys taking credit. While no bombs were found law enforcement is seeking those who sent the threat.

No one in either party should fear from speaking out. 

Why can't they openly unite against these threats even if they disagree politically?

No one should fear Trump or his appointees if they are fueling this and both should ask openly for Trump and his appointees to thoroughly investigate and make it stop.

We all know Trump and his unqualified appointees won't protect free speech if any speech is negative against them. They are weak and fear those who would speak out.

Town halls and local voices carry more weight than anyone right now, until politicians in both parties stand up.

At the "Principles First" meeting there was a bomb threat with the Proud Boys taking credit

Didnt happen 

Trump officials finally TURN ON Elon Musk.

So they turned on Musk?

Well, now all we need is for someone to figure out how to turn him off!