I don't think Trump is in control

[iemanja]

He doesn't care enough about governing or the responsibilities of being President to implement all these changes. He is simply going along with the Project 2025 billionaires and Musk. His concerns have always been his ego and how much he can grift; nothing else interests him. We are witnessing direct rule by oligarchs. They don't simply advise Trump; they control his administration and all of its actions.

Trump does care about having loyal governmental appointees, and the reason for that is his ego and desire for retribution. That, however, is not the same as a political agenda. Trump's political concerns are limited. He promotes hatred because he sees that as feeding into his pretense of power, as rallying support among his white supremacist base. But that base doesn't care about policy any more than Trump does. The one exception is the anti-DEI, anti-immigrant (read Nazi) crusade. For the oligarchs, anti-DEI provides an opportunity to decimate government and free up more funds to fill their own pockets through tax breaks. Then, of course, the Project 2025 adherents want to see government destroyed altogether. We are in dangerous times, and Trump is merely the vehicle for the annihilation of the American way of life.

[Irish_Dem]

1. Yes. He is too lazy and not sophisticated enough to come up with all of this.

He has animal cunning and some street smarts,
but he is uneducated and intellectually limited and lazy.

He only cares about money and power.
And revenge, hatred, petty grievances and retribution.
He is a basic con man.

His past crimes were not of the evil genius mastermind level.

Someone else is pulling the strings for this complicated and sophisticated dismantling
and theft of the US government.

[hlthe2b]

2. I agree with you.. He's the puppet.

This means those praying for his demise or "something" that leaves him incapacitated, don't realize that the same people controlling him, clearly control JD Vance. This isn't a tinfoil conspiracy theory anymore and >4 years of planning are about to catch us totally unprepared.

I wish I were being hyperbolic. Reading my words back certainly sounds that way even to me. But, I don't think I am. I don't know what we do. Most of us couldn't leave even if we wanted to. But, I guess all those biographies I read growing up of those surviving and often fighting back through horrendous periods of history worldwide may give a little motivation, at least.

[birdographer]

4. I agree, but

I want his demise basically more than I want anything else right now. But it’s not because I think that will make everything (or even anything) better. Vance is as much a puppet as donald. And I agree that donald is not in charge; in his current state, I doubt he is even aware of much of what is happening. He just wants to play golf.

I want his demise because he is a vile and despicable person, and I morally object to him continuing to consume space and air while good people have died and are dying because of his actions. It’s wrong. I have built up a lot of anger and hatred toward him, and I would like to get rid of it, and that won’t happen while he is walking and talking. Then I can start with Vance with at least a clean slate, not consumed. As for Musk, he is also horrible, but I have not been venomously hating him for 8+ years.

I also think donald’s demise will cause a crack in the cult. I do not believe they will simply shift over to Musk or Vance.

[hlthe2b]

6. I don't disagree with you on that either...

[ShazzieB]

33. I agree with this.

I also don't believe Vance would be as easy to manipulate as Trump. Trump's puppeteers have figured out that he'll do anything they want as long as they keep buttering him up and massaging his ego. Vance is a weirdo, but I don't think he has Trump's narcissism or his addiction to flattery. He's not a malignant narcissist, and I suspect he's lower on the psychopathy scale as well.

Being on board with Project 2025 is not a good thing, but I think Vance probably has his own ideas about how to proceed. A lot of the stuff that has happened since the inauguration has been just plain stupid. They tried to do way too much too fast without thinking things through, and got way out over their skis, as the saying goes. Trump is too stupid and lazy to care, but that doesn't mean Vance would be. I don't know how smart he is, but I have a feeling he's probably not nearly as stupid as Trump.

Vance also wouldn't be able to control the Repubs in Congress the way Trump can. He isn't that popular and doesn't have nearly enough political capital to do that. That could have a significant effect on how things function in the House and Senate.

I'd not saying we'd be much better off with Vance in charge, but we certainly wouldn't be any worse off, and I think there could be some interesting differences. If nothing else, he would surely back off from ridiculous things like trying to invade Greenland or Panama.

All things considered, I would be willing to take my chances with Vance if the tradeoff is being rid of the Orange Hellbeast once and for all, and I'm comfortable rooting for Trump's demise.

[LeftInTX]

47. Vance wouldn't attempt to end the United States. I think he would boot Eloon from the WH.

So, it would be an improvement. But he would more likely lead to more Republicans getting elected down the road because our govt would be more stable. But heck, who knows with Trump? With the rate were going, we may not have elections. Who knows how people vote when the govt is total unstable. We just gotta look at places like Venezuela etc. Or places like Bolivia. Or Brazil? I know Brazil is a "darling of the left" country right now, but look at their history. Lula has been in prison before. But then charges were dropped because apparently the guy who charged him was corrupt. The guy he beat, Bolsonaro was far right. The president before Bolsonaro was impeached and criminally charged. Then charges are dropped. The president before him was Dilma Rousseff. She was impeached by the person who would become the next president (who was also impeached) and removed from office. Six years later, they say she did nothing wrong. Before her, Lula had been president. He was impeached and put in prison. Then a few years later, he was acquitted.

Or look at Pakistan..

OK I'm going off the deep end....

[Blue_Roses]

57. This

Stephen Miller is the voice in Trump's ear, 24/7

Miller is crazy. Why isn't anyone bringing him up more?

[kerry-is-my-prez]

39. But he is unlikely upset about what is going on - Sadist that he is.

[yardwork]

46. You're not being hyperbolic.

This is like a dystopian science fiction story. It sounds ridiculous but it's literally true: the billionaires have taken over our government.

They are taking over the Treasury.

They are replacing career civil servants with lackeys.

They have bought off or blackmailed media outlets to suppress facts and promote lies.

[DENVERPOPS]

56. For the few following this crescendo

There have been many of us screaming our heads off, from the rooftops ever since HWBush committed Treason to defeat Carter and "install" Puppet Reagan in the White House......

It hasn't been the last four years..............It has been the last 45+ years of them chipping away, getting organized and orchestrating for this "Check Mate'................

And we are witnessing a group of narcissistic, Psycopath's dreams come true.......

[bucolic_frolic]

3. AI is beginning to run a lot of things

I got a notice from eBay that AI is being used here or there.

Some stock funds are run by algorithms, and I think especially on Fridays the entire indexes because they trend in one direction and fluctuations are minimal for hours and hours. A live person hitting the bid all day on this or that price, it wouldn't be worth them to pay someone to do that.

[iemanja]

10. I predict disaster

If the massive lay off of federal workers goes through. The government will be entirely without expertise.

[BadgerKid]

16. Algos are everywhere.

Stock options come into play every week but especially in the middle of each month. Big funds have a lot of money riding on options that they would rather not lose.

[Raven123]

21. Oh my. I thought Artificial Intelligence was Trumps's nickname

[peacebuzzard]

54. oh gawd thanks for this laugh

[kerry-is-my-prez]

40. You can't win if you're a "little investor,"

[Wiz Imp]

5. This week has proved definitively that Musk is running the show

There need to be lawsuits galore against this. No way an unelected foreigner should be allowed to take the actions he's been taking or given the access he's been given.

[GoodRaisin]

7. The oligarchs are in control but Trump is too stupid to know that.

He’s a rubber stamp for all those folders on his desk. He’s mostly interested in playing golf or getting his enemies, and occasionally coming out to say something ignorant. But he thinks he’s in control. They’ll use him until something changes that he is no longer useful anymore, when their plan is to install Vance.

[DENVERPOPS]

30. Yes

And if we thought he grifted in the first Term, he is really going after it this time around......

He is utilizing sooo many ways to grift money this time around. And he's going all out..........

[peacebuzzard]

44. it is all about revenge for tfg

He despises middle and low-class folks. In his little mind, he would like the whole bottom of the barrel to disappear,
When, oh when, will some of these repugs in Congress wake up? We only need a few more to have the leverage to slap back hard.

[DENVERPOPS]

48. The RepubliCONs, Trump, Musk, etc are taking us back

to the days of the Gilded Age and Robber Barrons.....AND the resulting GREAT DEPRESSION.

I recently re-read Steinbecks Prize winning book: The Grapes of Wrath......I last read it in the eighth grade in 1962.
The significance of the story he wrote about the common people, in Hooverville Camps during the depression was heart wrenching.
Massive groups of the citizens, losing almost everything, reduced to living day to day, just trying to survive, everything taken away from them by the Banks and Corporations......Interestingly the book was Banned in the U.S. for a period, and may be again due to it's content.....

I truly believe we are being driven towards another Depression by them. But not only a Depression, there was also the Dust Bowl, which, if we continue with global warming we might have another one......

Trump, Musk, 2025, Federalists actions in the last 48 hours are most reminiscent of the start of Hitlers Reign.

[peacebuzzard]

49. Chilling to think and compare to the events of

Great Depression. And to think Elon has his hands on all financial info of the citizens of this country even more chilling. Everyone should take pause of this moment as financially and ecologically dangerously fragile. Lord have mercy.

[DENVERPOPS]

50. They are on the threshold

of being able to have the distinct ability, to literally wipe out everything that the lower 99% have.........Seriously!

JOBS, voting, social security, medicare, medicaid, affordable prices for food, housing, etc etc etc.......AND.... as a grand slam, the ability to crash the banks and stock market permanently, obliterating everyone's savings, and esp retirement accounts..........

Look at it...........and think about it.................

In my mind, the only hope is a revolt by the Republican Politicians coming to their senses, and there is not a chance in hell of them doing that, as they are all totally obsessed with desperately clawing, kicking, scratching, and biting their way into the top 1%..............


Sadly, just like with the environment and global warming, we may have passed the point of no return on the 99% of our population........

Regretfully, we have no FDR on the horizon to pull us out this time around.......

I am old, and look at the future, and I am glad I am old. The next depression may more closely resemble something like the movie "Road Warrior" and "Thunderdome".............This whole push of theirs could turn into Anarchy very quickly............

I truly believe, if they hadn't screwed with the election, and Kamala would have won the election, the next day there would have been a civil war across our entire nation...........January 6th in every state, town, and city............

[peacebuzzard]

53. I know exactly what this nightmare is doing to my sleep lately.

I am thinking of this scenario daily. The dollar is in the process of tanking in overseas markets and with the current politics I do not see that being a problem with these weirdos in charge.
They just want everything. A total takeover of everything. Didn't Dump say during his campaigns that elections will never happen again?

If we take or dare to take it to the streets like before we will be shot on sight with no repercussions for the shooters.

The perhaps only strategy is to lay low off the radar and figure out how the hell to turn this mess around.

How the hell to stop this madness needs to first of all happen by big pushes from voters and Congress.

While we can.

[DENVERPOPS]

55. I fear

we have passed the point of no return.....regretfully.......there is no place to run, no place to hide.
Any and all resistance to this overthrow will most certainly result in Civil War and Anarchy.....

For the past 45+ years, people have been ignorant, gone to the polls and voted every four years. Then gone back
to their lives, ignoring all that has/is happening until the week before the next election.......

As I have said, countless times:
The Perfect Title for a book about these last 45+ years would be:

WHILE THE NATION SLEPT

The "Powers To Be" have masterfully spent all this past 45+ years, organizing, orchestrating, and planning for this moment.

Check mate..................

And Putin is having what could best be described as having a continuous orgasm...........

As the dominoes continue to fall, this is going to rock the entire world....The psychopathic Narcissist's wet dream come true......

[peacebuzzard]

59. I hope you are wrong.

I just have to think there will be a great pushback regarding the mass resignations and firings of the agencies that were gutted. How can that stand?
But I do not think the pushback will come there. It will have to be in Congress and the courts; even though the system is getting a shake it's not dead...But it will take time and in the meanwhile, the US is churning along. (albeit somewhat tilting from an ambush)
The SF and friends will have a go at it but I still believe there is a resistance coming and it will not be a meek one. For the moment it is stunning and depressing and overwhelming and for the moment we are still in the mode of "Ok what did he& et al do now? I truly think voices will be rising to judicially combat this infiltration and dissemination of our agencies and financial systems...

[GoCubsGo]

51. He knows. He just doesn't care.

They're helping him line his pockets, and that's all he cares about, along with keeping his filthy ass out of prison.

[Hugin]

8. Project 2025 isn't a plan or recipe... It's a hit list. n/t

[DinahMoeHum]

9. He wants to stay out of prison. . .

. . .any which way he can.

[DENVERPOPS]

32. And

And he is going after everyone that threatens him, ........Past, Present, Future

[NEOH]

11. I think Eloon is the shadow president, seriously. nt

[iemanja]

13. Agreed.

Now he wants access to Medicare. This is a disaster.

[BigMin28]

19. Yes

The scum found a way around the constitution.
Article 2. Section 1. Clause 5.

[spanone]

12. It's Project 2025 that 'trmp knows nothing about'

[iemanja]

18. I believe him when he says he didn't read it

What does he care? He's just going along.

[Baron2024]

14. You Are Right On

Trump is deranged but he is a tool of the far right. Project 2025 operatives are feeding him this plan.

[Snoopy 7]

15. The grift

I’ll never stopped letting people know. This is all about money. What do all billionaires care for(?) they all care for exact same thing- money. They also know our government is full of it and they want it all.

[Paladin]

20. Very well-stated. Thanks. (nt)

[Nasruddin]

22. If you're thinking of historic analogies

He's probably Edward II, rather than Bad King John
(the latter is more like how we usually see him)

He's not exactly not in control - he probably just doesn't care all that much about most things and some other fool can have it until either the problems explode or one of the runts gets uppity.

[Magoo48]

23. He's the dancing bear, the barker, the diversion while the pocket picks are hard at work.

[3Hotdogs]

24. It's similar to when McChimp was told by Rummy and Vice....

to run for president. You won't have to do anything. We will do it all.

[multigraincracker]

25. When the people get hungry enough that will eat the rich.

Starting with off with tfg and Eloon.

[S/V Loner]

26. He is nothing but a tool...

and his usefulness is rapidly disappearing. He will be gone soon and replaced with their guy Vance. Bet on it.

[yellow dahlia]

35. Agreed.

I have a prediction for their plan, but I have been hesitant to share it.

[iemanja]

38. I wish you would. nt

[yellow dahlia]

41. When I do it will be an OP.

I don't want to be a "bomb thrower" on someone else's thread.

[iemanja]

42. Okay. I look forward to reading it. nt

[Joinfortmill]

27. My guess is the Heritage Foundation and the goal is to implement Project 2025.

Unless Congress can find some courage, may may well be screwed.

[3catwoman3]

29. He will sign any bill or EO his enablers put in front of him...

...and then show it off like a 3 yr old bringing home his finger painting from preschool - "Mommy look what I did!"

As long as he's able to keep his ass out of jail, he doesn't care about anything else, except money.

[Lemons UK]

31. F that. Don't let him assign any blame for any of his ignorance. He's in FULL control.

[yellow dahlia]

34. Agreed. He has no desire to work

or govern.

All of this is feeding his delusions of grandeur and facilitating his desire for revenge. And he loves the chaos.

[iemanja]

37. He does love the chaos

and the more harm he does to the American people, the better he likes it.

[Rebl2]

36. No joke

No he isn’t in control. Nazis are.

[Hitorque]

43. He never was in control

He just thinks he is

[TnDem]

45. Trump and control

Trump is firmly in control...Don't underestimate him. This underestimation of Trump has us where we are now.

The difference this time is that Trump has dozens of people in executive branch places that think just like him.

[pnwest]

52. small correction

He's going with the Project 2025 billionaires, Musk - and Putin