He fired Erika McEntarfer, the Senate-confirmed head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for bringing him economic news he did not like, and in the hours immediately following, the second most dangerous thing happened: The senior Trump officials most responsible for running our economy — people who in their private businesses never would have contemplated firing a subordinate who brought them financial data they did not like — all went along for the ride."
[skip]
"The moment I heard what Trump had done, I had a flashback. It was January 2021, and it had just been reported that Trump, after losing the 2020 election, had tried to pressure Georgia’s Republican secretary of state to “find” him enough votes — exactly 11,780, Trump said — to overturn the presidential election and even threatened him with “a criminal offense” if he didn’t.
The pressure came during an hourlong telephone call, according to an audio recording of the conversation.
The difference, though, is that back then there was something called a Republican official with integrity. And so Georgia’s secretary of state did not agree to fabricate votes that did not exist. But that species of Republican official seems to have gone completely extinct in Trump’s second term. So Trump’s rotten character is now a problem for our whole economy."
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AND THIS:
If an American city or state, with the consent of its citizens, chooses to boycott, as a protest, an Israeli company because of its ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, the Trump administration said it will withhold FEMA funds to that city or state should they need it in an emergency.
"The Trump administration will deny federal disaster‑preparedness aid to U.S. states and cities that boycott Israeli companies, linking routine funding to its political position.
In grant notices posted Friday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said applicants must comply with its "terms and conditions," which include certifying they will not cut off "commercial relations specifically with Israeli companies" to remain eligible for assistance.
It states, "Discriminatory prohibited boycott means refusing to deal, cutting commercial relations, or otherwise limiting commercial relations specifically with Israeli companies or with companies doing business in or with Israel or authorized by, licensed by, or organized under the laws of Israel to do business."
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This is another example of Trump's bullying America into authoritarianism, and yet people whine about being WOKE and DEI? Really?
A US President threatens, with dire consequences, any American city or state that uses it freedom of speech and protest, guaranteed in the Constitution! And he threatens to punish anyone who exercises this right.
Where's the same outrage over this that MAGA has over WOKE and DEI? Neither of which threatens our fundamental freedoms.
How much more of Trump's authoritarian behavior are his cultists willing to endure before they see him for the dictator wannabe and criminal that he is?
This is how an authoritarian behaves. We no longer have a functioning democracy, because 1/3 of this country's voters thought it would be a great idea to have a twice impeached functioning illiterate convicted felon and adjudicated sexual assaulter, liar, cheat, and fraudster to lead our fragile democracy.
I voted for the woman who prosecuted criminals; MAGA voted for the criminal.
27 comments:
The seething pile of human excrement that is destroying every good thing about this country WILL ultimately suffer the consequences of his lies, cheating, racism, and inhumanity.
Here's Trump lying like the pathological liar that he is:
Trump on CNBC: "I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know, and we are entitled to five more seats."
Fact check: Trump's 56% in Texas 2024 isn't even in the top 10. He ranks 15th, historically.
He won less than Nixon, Reagan and George W. Bush.
But his cultists will believe his stupid, easily checked lies. One third of this country's voting population gave us the functioning idiot, Trump.
But you supported a president who was senile and incapable to run the nation. You voted for a women who quit the primary because she got no support and then she was anointed not because she was the best candidate but because she didn't have to run in a primary and was going to be the first female president.
There is no such thing as morals in politician's because all they want is to tell people what to do and become a multi millionaire, sweet gig if you can give up your beliefs.
OK skud -relate the wonders of the child in the US toy store of your super hero. Enquiring minds want to know. Me- I voted for a woman who was sane.
I voted for a woman who had a law degree, who was elected district attorney for the city of San Francisco; who was elected attorney general for the state of California; who was elected US senator for the state of California; who was nominated and elected vice president of the USA by the American people.
When Trump ran for the presidency the first time, he was a corrupt real estate developer who bankrupted casionos; who was also a reality teevee star and who ran beauty contests for teenage girls and was close, close friends for years and partied with two of America's most notorious child sex traffickers and rapists.
The second time Trump ran he was a twice impeached president who was a convicted felon and an adjudicated sexual assaulter, serial adulterer, liar, cheat, and fraudster with 34 outstanding felony counts, just to name a few of his accomplishments.
That's who you re-elected.
I'm proud of my choice. I guess you're proud of yours, eh?
I've been pointing out the phony BLS statistics since 2021.
According to the independent voter project they show the number of registered voters in Texas as of 10/1/2024:
Total Registered: 17,323,617
Dem 8,054,976 (46.50%)
GOP 6,574,201 (37.95%)
Third party (0)
Unaffiliated 2694440 (15.55%)
It is wild to me that the Democratic party doesn't have more seats in the state but after looking at their gerrymandered map? Let's just say questions are answered. Also, I brought the facts because if Trump won the state with 56% of the vote in the last election...?? For me the maths aren't mathing.
No matter. Democrats have a plan and it's a very good plan. Fight by the rules as defined by the Republicans. We may not have started this fight but we will end it. Red states are already so gerrymandered that they can't squeeze out any more votes while blue states have mostly played by the rules so there is lots of juice there to be squeezed to ensure no Republican ever holds a seat in the US government for a good long time. At least long enough for them to recover their soul and make amends for trying to subvert democracy. As I said, we didn't start this fight but for love of country and democracy, We Will End It.
I see skud is throwing mud again, anything to distract from Trump falling asleep during Dr Oz's time at the podium, the disaster that once was the Rose Garden, cankles, and (be still my heart) that thing all Americans have been demanding for the past 150 years... a new ball room.
To say those of us on the edge of homelessness and absolute hunger are thrilled is the overstatement of the decade.
It's been said elsewhere but a dictator doesn't build a $200 million ballroom just so they can leave at the end of their term.
Oh yeah - added note - isn't it weird that Trump can't remember the names of his cabinet but he remembered Virginia Giuffre's name when asked by a reporter, an event that was over twenty years ago? Weird.
Where’s your hard evidence that proves the BLS is wrong. Just giving us your opinion isn’t giving us facts. Hard evidence, not the usual paranoia of a “ deep state.” From an objective source.
skud's wilfull ignorance and comforting delusions are bt a testament to his... wilfull ignorance and comforting delusions.
When they talk about dumbing down America the republicans meant every word they said. Because THAT was and remains the totality of their ignorant agenda.
There is, and never has been any hard evidence. But MAGAts have NEVER needed any hard evidence for their fictitious allegations. All MAGAts need is the grunt of their Fuhrer.
Shaw... -FJ conveniently fails to mention that during the 2016 campaign the Trump folks said, without evidence, the Obama numbers were false. Then once they were elected, they weren't false.
Then when Biden was elected, they became false almost overnight. Then when they were elected, those numbers were once again not false. Until, as in every administration, they were revised once ALL the data came in, then they were false again.
The Trumps, MAGA folks and -FJ's of the world will never cite any evidence, because it does not exist. But no matter to them, they choose to argue dishonestly, just like the charlatan they've voted for.
I never expect actual evidence from -FJ, Joe Con, Skud or any of the trolls who visit here. Nor should you.
As for a moral compass... you'd have to have one to abandon it. Because they long ago surrendered any benefit of the doubt on that front when they first elected Trump.
For a party that once claimed "private immorality disqualified a person from public leadership" and has since failed to explain what changed, the capitulation has been spectacular.
Unless of course their morality stance of the 80's and 90's was all a ruse, much like their fiscal responsibility claims have been shown to be.
Ms. Shaw, "I'm proud of my choice. I guess you're proud of yours, eh?"
Yes I am very proud of my choice which was none of the above. Voting for anyone but the two selected by their party is a waste of a vote and voting for either a bloated narcissist or a person who couldn't answer a question and had no accomplishments other than ten minute diatribes that say nothing is something I was not willing to do.
Grey, The dems are showing their leadership abilities in Texas. If you don't like something, run away. I did read where the new ballroom was being paid for by private donations. Of course as with most news, who knows what the truth is. Your confusion how trump won 56% was because independents didn't like being lied to by the dems and many dems crossed over to vote. See how simple that is.
The Big Wonderful Divide - those whose think facts are based on data vs those who accept the ephemera of a lifetime liar. Small wonder they want to close the Department of Education.
I've been pointing out the phony authoritarian -FJ's bullshit for years.
"(Harris) had no accomplishments other than ten minute diatribes".
Skud may as well echo Trump in his favorite racist lie that women of color are "low IQ".
His bigotry is on display again. Trump's rhetoric is almost nothing BUT a stream of lies and diatribes, blaming, accusing, or firing everyone who tells him the truth.
He has yet to admit Trump is a crybaby criminal. Mighty white of him.
skud: "...and voting for either a bloated narcissist or a person who couldn't answer a question and had no accomplishments other than ten minute diatribes..."
This is the tragedy of America: We have citizens who believe a woman who has two degrees: a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from Howard University, and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law; a woman who was elected DA of San Francisco; a woman who was elected AG of California; a woman who was elected a US Senator for California; and a woman who served as vice president of the United States, "has no accomplishments!"
It's difficult for anyone with a functioning intellect to understand how a person could determine those are NOT accomplishments.
The only conclusion one can make in trying to understand skud's claim that Kamala Harris has no accomplishments is to see it as misogynistic and racist. Many Americans refuse to believe women of color can achieve ANYTHING!
But I don't believe skud is misogynistic or a racist, so I have no idea why he believes Kamala Harris, a woman of substance and success in her chosen careers has accomplished nothing.
I know he dislikes Democratic women, but disliking someone doesn't erase their accomplishments.
I do remember skud saying he would have liked to have voted for Nikki Haley for POTUS. She managed to get elected governor of a small state, South Carolina, (which ranks 40th in size among the 50 states) and served for 6 years, then she was appointed US Ambassador to the U.N. by Trump and served for one year. Those are, no doubt, accomplishments, but they pale in comparison to what Kamala Harris achieved:
California is the FOURTH LARGEST ECONOMY in the world (placing it behind the US, China, and Germany), and California is home to the most Fortune 500 companies – beating out Texas, Florida, and all other states. Travel spending reached an all-time high of $150.4 billion. Plus, leading the next generation, California is home to 35 of the world’s 50 leading AI companies, high-impact research and education institutions, and a quarter of the technology’s patents and conference papers. Additionally, California has one of the most equitable tax systems in the entire country, and is #1 in the nation for new business starts, #1 for access to venture capital funding, #1 for manufacturing, #1 for high-tech, and #1 for agriculture.
skud believes Kamala Harris who served as the AG, US Senator from this state is not an accomplishment, nor the fact that she was America's FIRST FEMALE VICE PRESIDENT.
I believe I'm pretty safe in saying that skud's dislike of Harris has muddled his assessment of what "accomplished" means.
So we can safely ignore his unfounded and silly opinion.
I don't think skud thought through his assessment of "no accomplishments" for Harris because it is laughably incorrect.
skud can say he dislikes her politics, but to say she's accomplished nothing denigrates her as a woman of color and politician. She's accomplished more than his idol, Nikki Haley, who BTW, shares a similar cultural background with Harris, but not a political one. Haley has an "R" after her name; Harris has a "D." That's, I believe, why skud trashes her on a regular basis while extolling Haley.
Never forget that Haley said that Donald Trump was too old, too chaotic, too “unhinged” and too prone to temper tantrums to be president again and electing him would be a disaster. Then she said she would vote for this "disaster!"
Weird!
skud does echo the FOTUS, daily.
As a loyal MAGAt skud feels it his patriotic duty the support the Insurectionist felon he helped get reelected.
Ah but Skud...I'm guessing you voted for Trump the first time around in 2016. A man you yourself called once called an evil narcissist. Sure, you may have abstained this time around, but help us out... What changed from 2016 when you did vote for Trump? What was that reason?
Shaw, et al... As it relates to Harris, she may have been a great president. Some ppl however do not win that election because they are not good campaigners.
She's certainly not a good campaigner, average at best. In this age of sound bite Tik Tok campaigning, she did not seem like a good fit.
Trump on the other hand is a great campaigner. A good president? No. Not in our system. And from what I can see, a terrible person.
And so here we are.
I watched Harris campaign, and her rallies were filled with fired-up Americans! She knew how to appeal to a crowd and keep the momentum. One-on-one interviews? Not so much. She had 3 1/2 months! That's it, to run a presidential campaign. Considering that, I think what she accomplished was admirable.
My hard evidence? The millions of jobs "adjusted" DOWNWARD in the past year
Google AI:
Benchmark revisions are larger annual adjustments made to align the survey data with more definitive unemployment insurance records.
August 2024 (Preliminary): The BLS announced a preliminary downward revision of 818,000 jobs for the year ending March 2024.
February 2025 (Final): The final benchmark revision in February revised the preliminary figure down further to 598,000 jobs, according to CNBC. This revision was described as the largest downward revision since 2009.
...since 2009 (because of the Market CRASH 0f 2008)
For me what's important is the substance and agenda of the candidate. I could not care less about how much glitz, glamor, or flashyness the candidate has or doesn't have. And certainly couldn't care any less about misinformation and lies republicans hang their hats on.
Clearly Harris was the more intelligent, qualified, and had the FAR BETTER agenda.
Oh I forgot she won the tight race for DA of San Francisco and AG in Cali. That is a tough thing to do because first you have to get on the ballot then you have to be a democrat. I didn't say she wasn't a good politician I just said she hasn't accomplished a thing, except for being the second women to get beat by the narcissist. "her rallies were filled with fired-up Americans" I think you meant fed up because if they were fired up that is really a bad statement. I "denigrates her as a woman of color and politician" She didn't need any help to accomplish that. Even a lot of YDD's didn't vote for her.
This is a more accurate description of the imperfect reporting of BLS stats than your knee-jerk conspiracy explanation. With you, you're the hammer that finds everything a conspiracy nail.
"Mr. Trump claimed without evidence that Dr. McEntarfer had “rigged” the numbers to hurt him politically. His aides, in TV interviews over the weekend, argued that she had deserved to lose her job because the agency had failed to produce accurate statistics on her watch.
Economists across the political spectrum decried Dr. McEntarfer’s firing, and dismissed the notion that she would, or even could, meddle with the monthly jobs figures. They said that while it was understandable that revisions — especially large ones — could foster skepticism, the data produced by the agency remained reliable.
The challenges facing the agency, they added, long predate Dr. McEntarfer’s leadership and will be difficult for her successor to address without increased funding. Instead, the Trump administration has proposed further cuts to the agency’s budget.
Measurement Challenges
There is a fundamental tension inherent in all economic data: accuracy vs. timeliness.
Policymakers, investors and businesses want information as quickly as possible so it can inform their decisions. But the most complete data is often based on tax returns, Social Security filings or other records that aren’t available until months or years later.
Revisions are the imperfect solution to this problem. Statistical agencies release preliminary estimates of job growth, inflation, gross domestic product and other measures, then revise them as more complete data becomes available.
“If we waited for perfect data, our statistics wouldn’t be timely,” said Jed Kolko, who oversaw economic data at the Commerce Department during the Biden administration. “If we only looked at timely statistics, they wouldn’t be accurate. Revisions are how we get timely statistics and accurate statistics.”
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