Things are changing quickly, which is exactly what one would expect in the face of what even Grok calls DOGE’s “Blitzkrieg” in cutting, cutting, cutting, from portions of the federal government that, not only did people not believe needed to be cut, but now adamantly oppose said cuts – particularly to the military, NASA, NOAA, and the National Parks Service. This site has been all over the developing situation, with articles about the emerging public outcry, and Ursala’s major post this morning on President Donald Trump’s primal Truth Social scream. It is worthwhile noting, however, that Trump and Musk are taking on massive risks, ones that – by all available appearances, are more likely to backfire than assuage any concerns that are blooming up through the countryside as we speak. It appears that Trump is going the wrong way, opposing public opinion in the face of polls that relay a pretty clear message. As such, something has to give and will likely give sooner rather than later. People didn’t sign up for this.
As I wrote overnight, townhalls this week in Alaska, Oregon, and Georgia (among others), have seen red-hatted citizens crying out against an overly aggressive DOGE. And now we have Trump’s response: Go harder, faster… He wants Musk to get more aggressive, not less. As summarized by Grok (Just bear with me, it’s clearer to get summaries off the AI platforms, for now):
Early this morning, around 6:55 AM PST (per posts on X summarizing his activity), Trump posted on Truth Social urging Elon Musk to “get more aggressive” in his role tied to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This could stir debate given Musk’s polarizing public persona and the aggressive federal cuts already underway—some might see it as a provocative push for escalation in an already contentious policy area.
Get more aggressive? And how would that even look? Should Musk take even less time in handing out pink slips in departments that no one envisioned as needing cuts? A question pops to mind. When someone sees a wonderful National Parks Ranger explaining Yellowstone’s ecosystem and the wolves place in it, a ranger that is paid by the public to provide that very service, does that citizen even consider the ranger to be a government employee? Or is the ranger another good citizen, one of “us,” doing a job we expect to be done in our names? (And more often than not, doing it much better than we expect, these are highly highly sought after positions filled by career civil servants, they are there precisely because it is important to them to A) Preserve the ecosystem, and B) Inform the public as to why it is important to provide such protections.) No. The public doesn’t consider politics or the need for “cuts” when watching an elk feed in a meadow, they don’t consider politics when hearing about the latest medical research, and they damn sure don’t consider politics when their flight is delayed because of airport overcrowding due to diminished ATC capacity. All of which is going to happen at the rate that Musk has been moving, never mind if he gets “more aggressive.”
This isn’t sustainable. Soon, as we’ve already seen, a serious public backlash is coming, and we don’t really know how Congress will respond. We only know that several Republicans didn’t have a good time of it last week, which has to be making those left and considering facing the voters more than a little nervous. Additionally, there has to be a point at which the Trump-supporting GOP will restrain themselves, and to whatever degree possible, the current administration. To be sure, I’ve been writing for a long time about such a point, but this is different in that Trump has now been elected twice, many do not see a third term as viable (Even in the GOP), and thus see him as a bit of a lame duck, and I doubt there’s been a point where so many Representatives and several in the Senate see their job as being wholly at stake. It has never been like this.
Moreover, as we’re seeing, Trump seems to be leaning too hard into his victory last November as signifying too much, a victory that – while clearer than any of us thought possible, still didn’t amount to anything more than half the voters. It is unclear whether he has not seen the latest polling, or is seeing it and doesn’t believe it, or just doesn’t consider it to matter much anymore. He may see himself as president for life while worrying about “how” he will be president for life down the road. It is tough to tell. What is easy to tell is that he is going the opposite way of “the” voters, and more importantly, even some of “his” voters.
Trump suggests Musk needs to be 'more aggressive': President Trump suggested in a new post that tech billionaire Elon Musk, one of his closest allies, needs to be “more aggressive" — presumably referring to his efforts to slash spending, downsize the federal workforce and eviscerate fraud via the…
— #TuckFrump (@realtuckfrumper.bsky.social) 2025-02-22T16:05:06Z
It is hard to see how Musk could be more aggressive. It is impossible to see how he could do it without infuriating Americans that much more. This is dangerous ground, not the least because it’s not in Trump or Musk’s DNA to pull back. And yet they still govern by consent – at least for now, at least and until we’re still under the Constitution, and it would be infinitely harder to simply assert total control and force the public to just shut up and go with it. So Trump and Musk are taking big risks. There is a lot at stake even before we get to Civil Rights, there are markets to consider (The economy drives every aspect of Americans’ consent to government actions), there are international alliances to consider – going rogue on the globe is generally not recommended, and then there is the general stability and order we see throughout the countryside.
Democratic politicians need to lead the charge. They will only get one shot at doing this right. But doing it right means leaving space open for GOP moderates to join. Don’t laugh. Being overly cynical helps no one. We already saw plenty on the Right break ranks over Trump’s insistence that Ukraine started the war, Sen. Tillis and even commentator Mark Levine come to mind. Part of the Democrats’ job, at least circa 2025 without control of Congress, is to take positions that invite the GOP to join in at least abating some of the damage. Yes, we’ve been waiting for Godot on that one since 2016, but that doesn’t mean it won’t ever, or can’t ever, happen. Until Democrats control at least one body it is the single most aggressive step they can take, moderate enough such that an alliance forms to stop the bleeding. These cuts are not easily reversed, indeed – impossible in many respects. Any ground not given is essentially ground gained.
As always, when an opponent is busy making a mistake, for God’s sake – get out of their way. Allow Trump and Musk to march on to their own beat. Meanwhile, fight hard to stop the actual actions taken, go to court, go on television and screens, make the case. Do it now. It is an all-hands-on-deck moment and Trump and Musk are doing their best to make it even easier. Good – because it is going to be hard. But there’s little choice now.
God Bless: I can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter-X at @JasonMiciak, and please now follow me on Bluesky.
Thanks to all who have donated to get us through this rough passage. If you haven’t donated and are able to help us, it would be appreciated. I have every confidence the now-depressed Democats will rejoin us. Right now, if you’re here reading this you’re a hard core political junkie and together we have to hold the line. Thanks. Ursula
one thing that may slow things down or start reversing them is the stock market fall that has already started. Because of course it’s all about $$$$ for the billionaires. They’re the only ones Trump will listen to.
“We already saw plenty on the Right break ranks over Trump’s insistence that Ukraine started the war, Sen. Tillis and even commentator Mark Levine come to mind. Part of the Democrats’ job, at least circa 2025 without control of Congress, is to take positions that invite the GOP to join in at least abating some of the damage.”
Sorry, Jason, but this is plain stupidity for you to have even written. NO GOPer is going to publicly make nice with the Democrats (at least, not without the Democrats turning around and giving in even more to the GOPers) and vote with them as long as they think there’s even a 0.000000000000000000000000000000000000001 chance of being primaried by a Donald-approved opponent.
And they had EVERY F*KKIN’ chance to get rid of Drumpf back in 2021 WITH A VOTE TO IMPEACH AND CONVICT after January 6. Of course, he had already vacated the White House (a couple of weeks before the Senate was able to vote on the issue) but they could’ve still voted to impeach him and a conviction would’ve barred him from ever holding an elective Federal office. BUT. THEY. DIDN’T. And even the ones who actually dared to talk bad about Drumpf’s incitement and behavior on Jan 6 still turned around within the next month or so and made nice with him again.
And, even before that, they had a chance to get rid of Drumpf for his ILLEGAL attempt to bribe a foreign head of state by withholding Congressionally-approved funding to that country but they wouldn’t do it. And this was after the House and Senate had both tilted back to the Democrats in 2018 but they weren’t willing to call out Drumpf on his actions, much less get rid of the guy and toss him on his bloated behind.
So, please. Tell us all what “positions” the Dems can entice GOPers into joining with them. Just a couple of examples would be nice. No more talk about sensible gun control? Stop talking about climate change? Quit protecting the trans community? Accept illegal “papers please” actions and let anyone who *might* look like an “illegal” just be jailed and deported without a hearing? Strip funding from the social safety net to build a “Berlin Wall” at the border with Mexico and have armed guards in towers ready to shoot anyone trying to enter illegally? What kind of “incentives” will the GOPers need before they agree to work “with” the Democrats? Because I’ve been watching how the GOP works for the last 30+ years and their idea of “working with the Democrats” has been little more than “Give us what we want and shut up about it.” The GOP sets a goal post for the Dems to reach and just as the Dems come to it, suddenly the goal post gets moved a bit further away.
I’m really getting tired of everyone whining about the Democrats not doing enough but some of us are fully aware what happens. Yes, when the GOP is in the minority, they do nothing but obstruct, obstruct, obstruct and they get away with it because they’ve got the media on their side (or in their pocket–however you want to phrase it). I’ve said it before: When the Dems have the White House and Congress, the media lines up with the GOP and attacks whatever the Dems are doing (no matter how popular it may be with the public), even going along and letting the GOP get away with all their lies about the subject. (Go back and look at the “mainstream media” coverage of the Affordable Care Act legislative process and see just how much the “mainstream media” was repeating and even enhancing the GOP’s lies.) BUT, when the GOP have the White House and Congress, for some odd reason, even the mainstream media start playing as cheerleaders–maybe they’re not as loud and vocal in their cheering but they certainly lose any semblance of independence, much less any notion of challenging the power structure. We saw it during Dubya’s time; we saw it during Drumpf’s first term; we see it today. It’s ONLY when the “power structure” dares to threaten or challenge the media owners’ pockets and bottom lines, that the media starts to get a bit riled.
IF the Dems started playing the “obstruct, obstruct, obstruct” card, it would only blow back on them the next time that the GOP has control of Congress. The Senate filibuster? Oh, the GOP would do away with it in a heartbeat. And the House? Well, there’s not really a lot that can be done (there’s no filibuster in the House) but, um, maybe changing the Committee makeup so that the majority gets 2/3 of the seats instead of half plus 1?
I see it entirely differently.
jason
I will respond only to one point bc while I like being challenged, I don’t like being talked down to.
I meant leave the door open as to how to stop Musk. Not on guns, not on other policy, only to stop Musk – and we are seeing signs that this is what people want.
That’s all.
jason
HERE JASON and Ursula and Susan etc. .. see news on TRUMP and KGB ..
Seth posted with a link to WEB ARCHIVE because original taken down.
This is archive link: https://web.archive.org/web/20250221153932/https://www.thedailybeast.com/former-intelligence-officer-alnur-mussayev-claims-kgb-recruited-donald-trump-under-codename-krasnov/
It is very refreshing and informing that you choose to respond directly Jason. Thank you.
Another time when people will be outraged, is when the next natural disaster hits. With FEMA and SBA gutted, what will disaster assistance look like? Will there be any federal response?
I’m glad you brought up the SBA. I did two stints as a DTE for FEMA during the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. In early 2005 I was one of thirty (out of over 400) temps that got hired on directly by FEMA and got fully trained. Even to go out in the field to work disaster assistance. People and families can and do get direct federal assistance. Not so much if one rents and even for homeowners it’s not nearly enough most of the time but it still matters a great deal to get by while dealing with insurers who usually do all they can to delay if not avoid payments.
However there’s more to recovery than housing people and/or rebuilding homes and apartments. Businesses also get damaged. Anyone who knows even just basic stuff about the economy knows that small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy. Yes, big corporate stuff are the “arteries” but in a human body they make up only feet of the blood system that sustains life. It’s the medium and small sized businesses that make up the smaller blood vessels and capillaries without which whole limbs, and even the entire body can’t survive.
Without the Small Business Administration providing assistance via low-interest loans with some generous re-payment terms nowhere struck by natural disaster can survive and rebuild. The thing is, medium sized, regional and even big business relies on all those SMALL businesses to buy from them! So yes, for all the attention that goes to direct disaster assistance to invividuals and families what the SBA does is even more vital to people rebuilding their lives and communities.
I worked in the SBA disaster office in Fort Worth, from Sep. 2005 after Katrina hit, to April 2009.
It’s always interesting to note how real markets can respond on moral and ethical issues.
Tesla sales have plummeted worldwide, down 63% in France, 59.5% in Germany, 75.5% in Spain, 20% in the UK, 44% in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, 33% in Australia, 80% in New Zealand etc.
Although they haven’t had new models for a while, observers broadly agree that most of the decline is due to Musk having made Tesla a toxic brand. No-one wants to be associated in any way with it.
Without Tesla the muskrat has no fortune.