I’m feeling pretty hopeless about the American people’s ability to do anything but fall in line. Anyone have some good news?
What’s so discouraging is that anyone who was paying attention with any amount of “good faith” would have recognized destroying our government was what MAGA has always been about.
Here we go . . .
Democracy Docket reports
First, he fired the internal watchdogs. Only four days after taking office, Donald Trump fired at least 17 inspectors general in a way that defied the law and commonsense. At the time people asked: Why start with them? Why not give Congress 30 days notice as required by law? What was the rush?
We now know the answer. Trump has empowered Elon Musk and his gang to rummage through sensitive databases and access critical information in key federal agencies and departments. They have reportedly gained complete access to the Treasury Departments payment system — a system with detailed information on nearly everyone who has received payments from the federal government. And, presumably, the ability to decide who to pay and who to stiff.
We cannot ignore how shockingly abnormal it is for a private citizen — who himself has contracts with the federal government — to dispatch a private army of executives, data experts and recent high schoolers to dictate policies to federal agencies.
Seems like all we have any control over anymore is our state of mental health and harding ourselves to the escalating collapse of all we hold dear.
Which, seems to me, is dependent on getting right with oneself. Which requires a solid appreciation for who we are and how we are connected to the whole.
The following communications skills were introduced and practiced during the workshop.
• Listen – focusing both on the other’s viewpoint and their underlying values and concerns.
• Acknowledge – a brief paraphrase of the
person’s view goes a long way for them to feel heard.
• Agree – find something to agree with, if
possible, as this can build collegiality.
• Perspective – focus on “I” statements “This is
how I see it”; mention values and concerns that the
person likely shares; and avoid negative labels and
“us vs. them” language.
I noticed that “honesty” was too much of hot button concept to make it to this table.
What else is going on out there?
Guess I was looking for something more than soothing words.
Though I find a little irony in you flagging that as very positive, yet such hostility whenever I trying discussing the human nature that makes us destroy everything good that we ever create.
SCOTUS denies Trump’s request to lift order requiring release of $1.5 billion in foreign aid
The U.S. Supreme Court denied the Trump administration’s request to block the release of over $1.5 billion in USAID funding for nonprofits and government partners. The lower court’s order to release the funds remains in effect.
Election officials say cuts to CISA are already affecting operations
State and local election officials said cuts to the nation’s cybersecurity agency, CISA, are already affecting their operations.
“Right now, we are effectively flying blind,” said Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D) to Democracy Docket. “And it’s just bonkers that the administration wants to stop doing the things that we were doing to protect against foreign interference and these purposeful, targeted, intentional attacks against our democracy.” A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR
The Trump administration is giving DOGE unrestricted access to Americans’personal data, including our finances, health records, and social security data.
A board that protects the rights of federal employees ordered the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reinstate over 5,000 probationary workers who were fired by the Trump administration.
The stay specifically requires USDA to rescind the terminations for 45 days. It’s a significant, though temporary, win for the thousands of probationary federal workers who have been fired as a result of President Donald Trump’s campaign to disembowel the federal government.
Groups continue to hold Trump accountable via lawsuits
