What are you most optimistic about in political developments in 2025?

[PozBearWI]

@Erik62 from my observation deck (as it were) here in Wisconsin - I can see this falling a number of ways; as revolutions have a history of showing us.  

We are watching a cyber revolt happen before our very eyes; and those we elected seem to be frozen to inaction. Were those senators given a life stipend to just shut up and go along with it?  Mustrat could easily budget for that relatively small sum.  It's possible the actual end game will be dictator Musk with Trump disposed of.  

We can anticipate a power struggle between the two.  Who wins?  Hmmm

PozBear's options for today?  Time to once again contact reps Johnson, Baldwin and (ugh) Grothmann.  

[DallasPozzible]

6 hours ago, Erik62 said:

Musk will eventually also be "disposed" of. 

That’s not likely to be easy. 

[hntnhole]

23 hours ago, pupHawaii said:

Musk's actions confuse me

All you (or anyone else) has to do is figure out how he (muskrat) will benefit from x course of action.  His rockets are blowing up in mid-flight, his companies are already running/influencing many emerging markets.  He has insinuated himself into the president's good will to the point that he feels he can do virtually anything already, but the more folks (of all stripes) that resist, the more blowback against the president.  

The guy already has more money than anyone could possibly spend in a lifetime, so he's using the power his dough gives him, to pursue Power, accountable to no one.  Sadly, he's already got access to power, but only via the good-will of the president,  If he makes a mis-step with the president, he'll be out on his pale rrrrrrrasshole in an eyeblink.  

[hntnhole]

On 2/8/2025 at 1:28 PM, 120DaysofSodom said:

Cheeto Hitler seized control over our government in exactly the same way

Lots of folks don't know it, but that's completely correct.  The real dictator's party won the German elections in 1933, and by their constitution, whichever party won the most votes was given the reins of Government by the President of that nation, in this case, Hindenburg.  

[hntnhole]

To the O.P. though, I'm - well, somewhat 'optimistic' that a good number of folks that voted this guy into office will smell the coffee - come to their senses - and vote the Congressional R's out in the off-year elections.  

I see nothing but selfish cowardice in the Congressional Republicans - concerned only about preserving their own position, while exhibiting nothing but disdain for the common citizens.  Look at the confirmation hearings:  absolutely breathtakingly poor candidates to run the Government, some of ill will, some of poor education, and some just plain stupid. 

And why are they there?  Because these Representatives and Senators are nothing more than craven self-centered, hollowed-out shells of human beings.  Drunks, addicts, whores (m and/or f), thieves, con artists, rapaciously self-interested, without an ounce of shame in their self-dealing.  

I am not saying one party is completely shit, and the other completely Jesus-like.  Each political party has some rascals mixed in, but the utterly shameful way some of these so-called Congresspersons have behaved is truly disgusting.  They seem to believe that without their craven asses in the Government, the Government would fall - when the opposite is the case. 

IF we make it to the midterms, there's a chance the Government could reform itself, and begin to act in the interests of those who sent these Congresspersons to DC in the first place.  I wonder if we'll all be around to see it, but then, everything in life is a choice, and I have no real regrets about how I've lived mine.  

[hntnhole]

Erik62, re the above:   

From your fingertips to Whatever's eyes.  🫰

[PozBearWI]

@hntnhole indeed neither party is without fault, both have moved to their wingtips which only lasts awhile.  Then the center majority eventually will do something.  I am though concerned about how that will be done when all the financial control has been moved out of the legislature, and they continue to just let that happen.  

[Erik62]

4 hours ago, DallasPozzible said:

That’s not likely to be easy. 

As we have seen in Russia & China (People's Republic) removing annoying people has become an art. I have no doubt that any country would have that same ability. Musk may own X but, there would be more accomplished & compliant "computer nerds" to take his place. 

[PozBearWI]

1 hour ago, PozBearWI said:

@hntnhole indeed neither party is without fault, both have moved to their wingtips which only lasts awhile.  Then the center majority eventually will do something.  I am though concerned about how that will be done when all the financial control has been moved out of the legislature, and they continue to just let that happen.  

To clarify, T man gave Muskrat the passwords to all the accounts, plus unlocked the building, shoved the others aside and had him take over. Judges can make rulings till the cows come home (or more likely get lost now that no one is watching them); unless he is stopped, the passwords changed and his (very likely) spyware removed he is in control of the federal Treasury.  Unvetted, just handed over...  If anyone doesn't get the significance of this you're in for an unpleasant surprise.  The guy running the show is Musk...

[Erik62]

16 hours ago, PozBearWI said:

@Erik62 from my observation deck (as it were) here in Wisconsin - I can see this falling a number of ways; as revolutions have a history of showing us.  

We are watching a cyber revolt happen before our very eyes; and those we elected seem to be frozen to inaction. Were those senators given a life stipend to just shut up and go along with it?  Mustrat could easily budget for that relatively small sum.  It's possible the actual end game will be dictator Musk with Trump disposed of.  

We can anticipate a power struggle between the two.  Who wins?  Hmmm

PozBear's options for today?  Time to once again contact reps Johnson, Baldwin and (ugh) Grothmann.  

The more I think 🤔💭(YES, I do occasionally think 😱) about US politics, there is a very insidious Triumvirate running:

1) bad hair Trump, has won the election & brought his lunatic fringe into the political spotlight. His continued usefulness is highly questionable. 

2) rat face Musk, has gained control of major parts of social media, space transport & Exploration, along with unelected, unauthorised By Congress access to such significant US government computer systems that the potential damage is unfathomable. He also has a limited shelf life, since his minions have now taken control of the governments computer systems, & is also now disposable. 

3) just diabolical Vance, appears to me as the Heritage Foundations poster boy for Project 2025 & onwards. He has been very quiet & not been involved with Trump’s very swift & illegal destruction of the US as we know it. 

Vance is the "wolf in sheep's clothing", ready to step up into the breach, left by the two, now we'll & truly immasculated jackals. 

BEWARE of VANCE 😲😩😫. 

[PozBearWI]

@Erik62 we certainly have good reason to not trust Mr Vance.  But at end I believe the struggle will be between Trump and his fuck buddy Musk.  

[NicNorth]

On 2/9/2025 at 6:45 PM, PozBearWI said:

Actually we only think it will take time to re-earn that trust.  Please don't take that as disagreement.  Just that there are a lot of 'moving parts' to international relations, and I caution against too specific predictions.  

It is quite possible that we are 90 days from a significant social rebellion to what Musk/Trump are doing.  In a way, Musk is Trump's Achilles heel.  It will be difficult for Donny to kick Elon to the curb.  But once the dissention brews between them it'll become a Trump/Musk war and that's our opening to, with every legal basis, to imprison both of them.   

There were some similarities here in the Uk with Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings (who was fairly crazy) it ended in acrimony 

[hntnhole]

12 hours ago, Erik62 said:

Vance is the "wolf in sheep's clothing"

Well thought out, well said.  

He's been elected, where the muskrat hasn't.  

He's in place, and keeping quiet as the other clowns raise unholy hell.  

The more quiet they are, the more potentially dangerous.  We don't know enough about him, other than his willingness to spout  the 'party line'.  

He's the wild card in the deck.  

[DallasPozzible]

10 hours ago, PozBearWI said:

But at end I believe the struggle will be between Trump and his fuck buddy Musk.  

Just spitballing, but what if both Trump and Musk lose control? I suspect that the four guys Musk has rummaging through the government systems have numerous back doors by now that any one of them could exploit. They may have even more power than Musk. What do they do with this information? How long will it take for Putin to put them to work?

I just don’t think we have a clue of where we’re headed. 

[PozBearWI]

6 minutes ago, DallasPozzible said:

Just spitballing, but what if both Trump and Musk lose control? I suspect that the four guys Musk has rummaging through the government systems have numerous back doors by now that any one of them could exploit. They may have even more power than Musk. What do they do with this information? How long will it take for Putin to put them to work?

I just don’t think we have a clue of where we’re headed. 

Indeed.  We have clues only in that we have alternatives we can envision.  But what will actually happen remains to be seen.  My very UNscientific poll among people I know suggests their early thinking involved guns.  And yeah that could I suppose happen.  Maybe even 5050 odds of a civil war.  But maybe odds are greater than I think....

I think speed of intervention will have a large influence on longer term outcomes.