Donald I, emperor of the world.

[Ian H]

Oklahoma education standards say students must identify 2020 election 'discrepancies'
Complete article here (posted by an American friend) -
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/14/nx-s1-5384282/oklahoma-education-standards-2020-election

 

[briantrumpet]

Oklahoma education standards say students must identify 2020 election 'discrepancies'
Complete article here (posted by an American friend) -
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/14/nx-s1-5384282/oklahoma-education-standards-2020-election

It's part of a general thrust to rewrite US history for schools to echo Project 2025's vision of America. It's nothing less than nationalist propaganda forced on teachers, schools and children. Something tells me that true 'critical thinking' will not be part of that curriculum.

 

[Psamathe]

Re: Trump Wanting His "Palace In The Sky"

Aviation experts have also poured cold water on Trump’s claims of taxpayer savings, telling NBC News that converting the 13-year-old commercial jet into a functional Air Force One would cost well over $1bn, and potentially only be completed post-presidency.

And before then it's likely the new Air Force One will be delivered (was due for 2024 but delayed - so that contract and build already well underway().

Ian

 

[KingstonGraham]

I'm convinced that it's the openness of the corruption that makes it difficult to report on. There's no cover-up to catch him in, so it doesn't feel like the size of rolling, relentless scandal that it is.

The old saying "it's not the crime that gets you, it's the cover up" shouldn't really have to be the case.

 

[briantrumpet]

If you saw the Noem "fück you" to the senate committee three days ago that was asking her if the administration was going to comply with the Supreme Court order, you'll recognise that we're well past a constitutional crisis when they are openly defying a 9-0 Supreme Court instruction. I think they might be (correctly) assessing that the constitution never envisaged that an administration would openly defy the constitution, and therefore it doesn't have a strong enough remedy to force them to comply.

https://bsky.app/profile/blu2b4u.bsky.social/post/3loyi2bqrok2p

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

If you saw the Noem "fück you" to the senate committee three days ago that was asking her if the administration was going to comply with the Supreme Court order, you'll recognise that we're well past a constitutional crisis when they are openly defying a 9-0 Supreme Court instruction. I think they might be (correctly) assessing that the constitution never envisaged that an administration would openly defy the constitution, and therefore it doesn't have a strong enough remedy to force them to comply.

https://bsky.app/profile/blu2b4u.bsky.social/post/3loyi2bqrok2p

In addition to that they are doing so many things so quickly that a proper hearing just cannot be done for a lot of them

They have worked out that if you just ignore things they "the Process" is too slow and too toothless to stop you

Therefore you can rules by executive order if you move fast and ignore the people shouting stop

Even if they impeach Trump - that means Vance takes over and he might just be worse!
and if you impeach him then he will have appointed a VP that he approves of


somehow the USA needs to change the way it all works so the President can be forced to have a new election

no idea how that can be achieved

 

[Psamathe]

somehow the USA needs to change the way it all works so the President can be forced to have a new election

Or, to what extent is the problem the electorate. In the UK we don't get a vote yet we certainly knew what Trump would be like Readiness to believe conspiracy theories, acceptance of fake news, blindly believing everything you're told, is that a problem of the US electoral system of too high a %age of the electorate?

Ian

 

[Pblakeney]

I'm convinced that it's the openness of the corruption that makes it difficult to report on. There's no cover-up to catch him in, so it doesn't feel like the size of rolling, relentless scandal that it is.

The old saying "it's not the crime that gets you, it's the cover up" shouldn't really have to be the case.

If you remember back to Day 1 of DOGE it was pointed out on BR that Musk pretty much said that. I can't remember the exact words but it was along the lines of "We can't be doing anything wrong as we are doing it all in the open.".

The blind faith acceptance in the U.S. baffles me. Not only that it exists but by size of the percentage of the population.

 

[briantrumpet]

Or, to what extent is the problem the electorate. In the UK we don't get a vote yet we certainly knew what Trump would be like Readiness to believe conspiracy theories, acceptance of fake news, blindly believing everything you're told, is that a problem of the US electoral system of too high a %age of the electorate?

Ian

Despite all the examples now and in the past, I don't think any of the modern 'stable democracies' post WW2 have been ready for a full-on assault on truth and norms. I'm not sure if there's a lesson to be learnt in how the SC in the UK dealt with Johnson and the US SC with Trump - I suppose it's possible that the clever P2025 folk have spent a lot of time and resources working out all the flaws in the constitution and the justice system, so have exploited them in a way that's trickier in the non-politicised UK system with no written constitution. Or it might be that Johnson still had a shred of recognition that defying the SC was 'not British' (even if he was utterly lacking in morals otherwise).

The Brexit process did illustrate that the UK electorate was swayed by undeliverable promises ("all the benefits with none of the downsides") despite their impossibility being pointed out repeatedly, and I'm not sure if there's that much difference between the US & UK (or any other electorate) when a significant proportion are prepared to vote simply for something different without considering what could possibly go wrong, just because they want any change from the deeply unsexy compromised status quo.

There are things that could be fixed in the US system (Electoral College, for example), but I can't see that happening, any more than I can see the UK changing from FPTP.

It's quite hard to be optimistic when so many politicians will say anything (and outright lie) to get into power, and so many people are prepared to believe them, without assessing the likely outcomes and not being able to admit the negative outcomes of their choices.

 

[PurplePenguin]

I imagine that eventually people will start being found in contempt of court, if Trump then pardons them, it will end up in the supreme court. They're unlikely to vote themselves out of power.

 

[briantrumpet]

I imagine that eventually people will start being found in contempt of court, if Trump then pardons them, it will end up in the supreme court. They're unlikely to vote themselves out of power.

But what happens when they *again* ignore the SC, as they are doing now? What are the remedies? It feels like Team Trump are testing the waters for outright defiance on this 'minor' case, making the defiance more and more blatant, and under oath.

But I suppose since they are all ignoring their oaths of office, oaths are so yesterday. Maybe as they weren't sworn on Trump Bibles.

 

[First Aspect]

Midterms. If the Reps lose both houses, the brakes will be on. Impeachment requires too many gutless self interested people to grow a set. Not even Nixon would be impeached these days - actually let's face it Trump is far more of a crook.

 

[briantrumpet]

Midterms. If the Reps lose both houses, the brakes will be on. Impeachment requires too many gutless self interested people to grow a set. Not even Nixon would be impeached these days - actually let's face it Trump is far more of a crook.

Indeed. Let's hope the Dems can hide the people who think that the solution to Trump is to write several strongly-worded letters and hoping that Republicans will voluntarily return to following norms.

I think Buttigieg would be the best in communication terms, but whether America is any more ready for his sexuality than they were for Obama not being white (and crime of crimes, education and eloquence) and Harris's not being white and not being a man, I'm not so sure.

 

[First Aspect]

The democrats need a good old fashioned rich white bloke for a while. Preferably not of retirement age. The US isn't quite ready for females or any non Caucasian ethnicity, I don't think.

 

[briantrumpet]

The democrats need a good old fashioned rich white bloke for a while. Preferably not of retirement age. The US isn't quite ready for females or any non Caucasian ethnicity, I don't think.

I must admit I'm not terribly sure that the Dems will necessarily make a logical choice based on electibility.

Pritzker's quite good on the stump, if we're going for straight, white, not-ancient men.

The first time I became aware of him was this speech.