Tariffs, USAID, and Trump and Musk's Cruel Incompetence

Donald Trump's tariffs and Elon Musk's attempt to shut down USAID are each the result of a selfish, transactional, ignorant worldview.
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#politics #politicalcommentary #donaldtrump #elonmusk #usaid #tariffs

[@John73John]

He said he's going to make groceries cheaper. By deporting the farm workers. And antagonizing the country we get our potash from to make fertilizer. And dumping the water out of the reservoirs in an idiotic stunt, so the farms in California won't have enough water this summer. I'm starting to understand why his casinos kept going bankrupt.

[@ileneragland369]

He DID NOT dump the water out of the reservoirs! 3 pumps shut down for regular maintenance. They were restarted by the water authority NOT turdumpty. He used it to tell yet another big lie. I know this because I live less than 5 miles from the aguaduct. Also stopping waterfront from flowing out to the ocean is a idiotic idea. All water everywhere on earth flows out to the ocean. If you got real crazy you could tell the people in Minnesota to dam the Mississippi River at their end to keep New Orleans from flooding! That man don't know SH*T from Shinola!

[@AbsolutelyGeek]

He will arrest them instead and rely on slavery, because of course the civil war was for nothing

[@nataschavisser573]

The water thing was particularly stupid. It is a different watershed! But Trump's cruelty is only rivaled by his ignorance.

[@Therian13]

And now that they are trying to shut down the USAID, get ready to makeup the cost difference for the countries we import our food from, since we cant help combat the droughts and bird-flu epidemics it was actively trying to fight against.

[@alexpage4355]

Starting to?

[@afterhourscinema782]

_"Nazis...I hate these guys."_ *- Indiana Jones* Be like Indy 👍🏾

[@chrisd561]

You live in a cartoon in your head.

[@unknown5150variable]

​@chrisd561 I live in a cartoon in my own head and you're one of the main characters : )

[@chrisd561]

@@unknown5150variable Your worldview resembles very badly drawn caricature that your mother wouldn't even hang on the refrigerator out of pure embarrassment. For God's sake read a book or something.

[@HOTD108_]

​@chrisd561 And you don't live in reality. Period.

[@ahouyearno]

@chrisd561 found the nazi guys!

[@edwardphilibin3151]

He's yelling at the "globalist" Wall Street Journal. Yes, the infamously liberal Wall Street Journal. The Communist-leaning Wall Street Journal. It's been a while since I've seen this reference, but I think it deserves a comeback: "Shut the f*** up, Donnie!"

[@evilmiera]

Globalist is just a dog whistle when it comes to right-wingers

[@mjc0961]

Donnie's most definitely out of his element.

[@SheeplessNW6]

"Globalist" sounds like a dog whistle to me.

[@evilmiera]

@@SheeplessNW6 Weird, I wrote pretty much this exact thing but it isn't showing up anymore?

[@rebeccawinter472]

Yes the Rupert Murdoch owned WSJ. 🙄

[@shakesbits5220]

The restaurant analogy was actually better if you tweak it a little: He takes you into that restaurant, HE orders everything on the menu for takeout, while telling you it’s free samples and he’ll share with you at home and then leaves you behind to deal with the bill while gorging himself…

[@nancyjay790]

Then taking Ozempic and having someone change his diapers.

[@shakesbits5220]

@ yeah that part is reserved for us trans people…

[@groovyengineer]

Trump has united Canada. We're fkn pissed.

[@AuntieMamies]

I saw your liberal party closed the gap in the polls by 21 points. That's good news

[@mkvenner2]

Just promise to be surgically with the checklist please.

[@grantjohnston7148]

It's the 51st state comments that are doing so much damage to our respect towards the US. And with tRump as president it would be like South Korea wanting to become a state of North Korea, lol

[@mooniejohnson]

As he should. I'm a US citizen, so I don't _want_ to say this, but don't let up. We need to learn our lesson. Wisconsin, however, still loves Canada and I (legit) had poutine yesterday evening.

[@booey316]

As you rightly should be.

[@Mischievous_Moth]

What pisses me off is that they don't have the authority to do most of what they're doing, but no one is ENFORCING those restrictions.

[@guywithdacap4713]

"Democracy dies when nobody is willing to stand up for it". I wonder why the security personal tucked their tails between the leg, when the DOGE people said they would call the cavalry. In this situation, I would have expected them to say “Call for backup and we'll call congresspeople, senators, lawyers and the press. But do it outside the door.”

[@StormsparkPegasus]

Just like noone enforced anything in Germany.

[@kevinsmith5287]

@@guywithdacap4713 I'm reasonably sure the security people on the front line didn't have the sort of training, education, and contacts they'd need for that. They're usually low level employees who've been trained to do what people in authority tell them to do.

[@reinderknoops1682]

It is getting hard to denie Agent Orange is a foreign agent.

[@antonnurwald5700]

I don't know how to break it to you gently, but this kind of stupidity is 100 % homegrown, like the Unabomber and Timothy McVeigh.

[@oerthling]

Why? Because almost all he did so far tends to help Russia? That's just a coincidence. The weird meetings with Putin, the praising of Putin, the connections between Trump's campaign team and Russia - all just coincidental.

[@antonnurwald5700]

@@oerthling i think you are underestimating the the level of authoritarianism, stupidity, racism and misoginy in american mainstream culture. Trump also fellates Kim. He is drawn to dictators. And there is both a cultural current and a lot of corporate interest in going that way in America. The Russians may have helped him, but that's probably less than 5 % of his success. This is on you (the USA).

[@chadd990]

​@@antonnurwald5700 On Trump's level, it's a more controlled environment. The accusation is that Trump was approached by foreign leaders to intentionally sabotage the US. I think this scenario is much more likely than him doing it at his own incompetence. Perhaps you can attribute the greed required for this to be an American flaw, and I'd agree with that. The co-conspirators might not even have told trump that he's doing a bad thing, they might have convinced him that he's really doing good. That's likely, and it would reflect his stupidity, but it wouldn't change that he's a foreign agent (from my theory's point of view).

[@1MarkKeller]

It's both most likely. ​@@antonnurwald5700

[@jrsydvl7218]

All this because big dummies believed Donny would lower egg prices.

[@3182john]

I truly don’t think it was ever about groceries.

[@rmo9808]

The ones I know 1. Are bigots 2. Are gullible and fair weather bigots 3. Are bigots and love their 2A Money is a convenient excuse to get behind them

[@HOTD108_]

​@@3182john Oh yeah?

[@kennydlite]

"Leaders" like trump allow people to hate. The United States used to be a melting pot of the best and brightest. Understanding and welcoming to those who want to be whatever they want to be. Not anymore. The minority became the majority voice when they demanded people be like them

[@AuntieMamies]

That's not why. They wanted to see people suffer

[@jeffreycoogan09]

In the 1980s, people looked back at the 1950s (Blacklists and McCarthyism). And we all swore that we would never let that happen again, and the lesson had been learned. Boy, were we WRONG!

[@gilberthamilton9312]

Also apparently learned nothing from the first business putsch.

[@clairejeannette8454]

Well, we went back to being liberal there for a while with Johnson so they went back to busting the attitude the New Deal. Those ideas don’t go with the Gilded Age.

[@brianbaker2455]

Watch Good Night and Good Luck. It was directed by George Clooney, and has an excellent cast and script.

[@jeffreycoogan09]

@@brianbaker2455 That movie is on my watch list. I will get to it, one of these days. 👍

[@brianbaker2455]

@@jeffreycoogan09 Black and White movie, made originally as an implicit critique of the GWB administration and his movement to war in Iraq. More pertinent today than back then.

[@nathanielraefraughton5218]

He also got Canada to agree to the plan we already decided to do 6 weeks ago. Master negotiating right there lol

[@EmoBearRights]

'But I didn't think they'd eat MY face'. We did try and tell ya guys.

[@Therian13]

At this point, it isn't even them being surprised at getting their faces eaten. They don't care what happens to them or their loved ones, as long as they get to "own the libs". -_-

[@pantalonesdemuerto7960]

What I don’t get is that it’s not like he didn’t eat their faces the last time around either

[@jebusspqr2121]

​@@pantalonesdemuerto7960Yes, but it's a bit like people in abusive relationships or Cult members, they always come back at least for the first few times everything goes wrong. It's truly sad 😢.

[@allanolley4874]

And now the Canada Tariff is delayed also, but I expect we will be white knuckling it through the next 4 years of Trump demanding to be the centre of attention and shout demands at people that may or may not make any sense and using the full force and power of the office of President to do it.

[@Undrave]

And what he got in return was... stuff we announced back in December...

[@dianecotter1067]

​@@UndraveHahahaha

[@Alienshade]

And now Elon Musk took your country.

[@boyblue3270]

White people stole America and then broke it lmao. Hilarious. And sad. And completely expected since I was a child lmao.

[@SheeplessNW6]

@@allanolley4874 I don't think he'll last four years. Project 2025 will continue under Vance, but perhaps with less cartoonish insanity?

[@Coffin-40oz]

Thanks for reminding everyone that no one governed by tweet until Trump

[@nrdgrrrl]

Us Canadians should actually been thanking trump. This is actually uniting our country like I haven't seen in decades.

[@dogberry20]

I know, I heard somebody say Trudeau did a good job today! I haven't heard that in about 6 years.

[@Corgifan2]

Hell I’m on your guys side and I’m an American. I’m sorry our country created this situation

[@4362mont]

I wish he was doing this, the country of his birth & mine, any good, but at least he's helping Canada.

[@Jenifer_R_]

Enough to make up with Justin?

[@CorwinFound]

No kidding, eh? We might actually be able to avoid our own watered down version of Trump, otherwise known as the Conservatives lead by Pollievre. I'll take whatever silver linings we can get.

[@SharienGaming]

USAID is effectively the soft power arm of US imperial power - its what you use remove recruiting grounds for local opposing guerillias and as a result establish a cultural foothold for yourself but fascists dont understand soft power - only force.

[@davelindstrom6005]

Yeah. They call it "peace by strength." What a load of bullshit!

[@hank_says_things]

Incompetence is as indelible a part of fascism as cruelty. In Australian political parlance, "white-anting" is when a political appointee takes a position in order to undermine, weaken, or destroy a governmental department, committee, etc. Shitler's appointment of stone cold idiots to key cabinet positions, as well as letting aspiring comic villain Muskolini run rampant, is an act of vandalism that will take years to repair, and that's assuming a sensible adult is able to take charge in 2029.

[@lostbutfreesoul]

It really is, anyone who is competent will be backstabbed by an kiss-arse. Still wonder if it is an Operation Fubar myself....

[@gregpendrey6711]

Who will fight the Nazis in America? 😢we’re screwed😢

[@SeanCrosser]

"White-anting" is a perfect description of these people. Absolutely just termites who accelerate the rot for their own benefits.

[@CorwinFound]

It might not be repairable in some aspects. Speaking as a Canadian with deep familial ties in the US, from an international reputation point of view, some things might not be fixable. Or not for maybe decades. The world was willing to forgive the US one, but _just one,_ Trump term. Everyone makes mistakes. But a second? Nope. In 1.02 terms, from an intl point of view, he has: - Exited the Paris climate agreement twice - Pulled out of the WHO - Abandoned the Iran nuclear agreement - Rocked the NATO boat - Eradicated US Aid - Threatened Panama and Denmark/Greenland - Rewritten the North American trade agreement needlessly - Started a trade war with US's two largest trading partners for absolutely no reason - The last of which could lead to a global economic downward spiral. A spiral we can little afford just a few years after a pandemic and facing escalating climate and political issues. And that's just what I know and can think of off the top of my head. The entire rational, democratic world will not forget this. World leaders aren't seeing this as a problem solved once Trump is out of office. Him being elected and able to do this stuff twice indicates a fundamentally broken system of checks and balances and an electorate unfit to be voting. Over the next years and even decades, world politics are going to be rewritten. And the reality is that due to Trump, a dangerously unhinged, rightwing GOP, and a feckless, spineless, neo-Liberal Democratic party, the US, instead of being a leader at those discussions, is going to be relegated to the kiddie table. Not today or tomorrow. But unless something is done and quickly, this is the beginning of the end of the United States as _the_ world power.

[@dayegilharno4988]

@@CorwinFound Throwing Europe to the Russian and Chinese wolves while taking over Canada, Greenland and Mexico in an expanded "manifest destiny" landgrab is the geostrategical price the US oligarchy is quite happy to pay for their unfettered reign...

[@RolfStones]

The richest man in the world, together with other rich men, are cutting help to the poorest people in the world. They're cruel.

[@bluemassgamer17]

Are you surprised?? Because with the state of the world, I'm not.

[@RolfStones]

@bluemassgamer17 no, but it needs to be said. Again and again.

[@1MarkKeller]

Defund the rich

[@MrTomemac]

They’re there to plunder. Pure and simple, that the congress has neglected its oversight is part of the plan. Federal attorneys are now going to impose sanctions on anyone who gets in Musk’s way, according to Reuters. The republic didn’t last even two weeks this time. They’re thinning out the federal workforce too, there is no one who will stop this. 😢

[@SignificantOtherProd]

Wealth addiction is a real thing. And, as United Healthcare has demonstrated, is a fatal condition. But for people whose only sense of value is how many dimes they have to polish - and how often they make the cover of Forbes - it's apparently worth the risk.

[@PlebNC]

"Why should other countries only pay a fraction of the cost for pharmaceuticals?" The rest of the world: casually gestures towards the US healthcare system, then towards other countries healthcare systems, then shrugs.

[@JBG1968]

As an American I couldn’t believe he actually said that one . We’ve been asking the same question for decades now . And he literally did away with an order that capped drug prices .

[@PlebNC]

@JBG1968 Trump is like a guy who shoots himself in the foot, feels the pain, and thinks that shooting the other foot will balance it out, then wonder why it hurts more.

[@vijo2616]

'They cannot do that without Congressional action'... but they ARE doing that and nobody can stop them. There will be legal challenges attempting to close the barn doors after the fact, but that won't put the horses back.

[@briansmith303]

Oh, they CAN stop them. They just aren't. Don't allow them not to be complicit. All they have to do is their job, but they've been ducking that for so long they've forgotten how to do it.

[@kxs7267]

Depends on which "who" you mean. Republican politicians who are currently in power - yes, absolutely. Democratic politicians in the minority - they seem to be trying, but the government rather depends on an honour system. They can try to make laws, but if the majority won't pass them, they're stumped. Or if they get laws through, since the law enforcement authority is in the hands of Trump et al., they can't make laws be enforced. I suspect they're scrambling to figure out how to handle utter disregard for law without having any enforcement ability. As for lower level individuals, they try - and then they get sacked. The mob boss doesn't care if the government runs out of employees with integrity, that's a feature, not a bug.

[@robertgaines-tulsa]

As a mentally disabled person, I've been having a number of panic attacks and want to flee the United States so I don't get euthanized. I don't suppose there'll be class action lawsuits on emotional damages? Ugh...

[@GilTheDragon]

I am sorry. From across the border there is the looming feeling of a humanitarian crisis to come. But Mexico took in your refugees when the Japanese internment camps happened, & heavens willing we will maintain our policy of aid. Heavens unwilling the people will.

[@Dutchguy.94]

got any family living or have lived in the EU. Im saying litterally do you maybe have a grandparent who lived here? if so check if the country theyre from has citizenship by heritage. if that doesnt work, check what kind of work visas are available for each country, maybe youre a match for a specialist visa. these are the easiest ways ive managed to get people out of the US.

[@antonnurwald5700]

There could be that kind of lawsuit. Rightwing media would have a field day of course, but it sounds legit.

[@ileneragland369]

@robertgaines-tulsa if there were a suit and we won everyone was going to get a settlement it would take every penny of Elon's billions to settle it!

[@ileneragland369]

@Dutchguy.94 7 generations ago I had family in the "area" of Scandanavia. My dad's family came here in 1846! Close, but no cigar!

[@NjHourquebie]

Both my MSM health clinic and my daughter's trans health clinic here in South Africa have been shut down. Both were funded by USAID. I am left wondering if this has anything to do with the SA parliament blocking Elmo from launching Starlink here because he refused to comply with local ownership laws. He is that fucking petty.

[@SpoopySquid]

Don't give Musk all the credit. AfriForum has openly lobbied Trump to "punish" the country

[@GwydionFrost]

Committing treason by using RICO tactics, and not one single human being can figure out a way to prosecute... 😑

[@oerthling]

Remember how the supreme court made the presidency to be above the law shortly before he got elected? All a president has to do now is say the magical words "official act" and he can't be prosecuted for it. Or rather he doesn't even have to say that, it's going to be assumed that everything a president does is an official act. BTW the same supreme court where at least 1 judge has been outright bought by a billionaire with expensive trips, an RV and a house for his mom.

[@Dewydidit]

They can figure out how to build a case and take it to court, but overcoming the last 20 years of McConnell packing the courts with party faithful judges is proving difficult. Let's not forget, the SCOTUS gave him carte blanche to wreck America. What court can you take it to that he doesn't just appeal it to SCOTUS?

[@briansmith303]

The ones who are willing can't, and the ones who can aren't willing.

[@TimvanderLeeuw]

If the drug trade is such a bad thing, why give presidential pardon to a major drug dealer? Silk-road owner and operator Ross Ulbricht?

[@PetAllDogs]

This is not incompetence. If it was incompetence they wouldn't be so effective at hurting everyone.

[@AuntieMamies]

It's incompetence. When he saw what it did to the stock market he was looking for a way out. He should have already known what would happen. He doesn't, because he's incompetent

[@Desmaad]

Folly causes harm far more often than malice does; Trump et al have both.

[@umjackd]

You can be horribly incompetent and still hurt people. Fascist Italy was not terribly effective during its wars, but it still hurt a lot of people with its imperialist dreams.

[@SeanCrosser]

​@@umjackd the difference is that trump et al are grifters leveraging emotions to get themselves into positions of power so that they can leech money off of everyone else. They're pretty competent at what they're doing, because they're where they want to be, doing what they always wanted to do.

[@MrTomemac]

It’s the grift. I’m sure the rich made out like bandits during the brief dip. It’s competent plunder.

[@scottmwilhelms2437]

The expression "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" was originally used to refer to a task that's impossible. Both Elon and Donny used the wealth of their Daddies to pull themselves up. Had their families been poor the world probably wouldn't have know either of them, Donny would most likely been in prison or at least on the SO registry. As for Elon he had intelligence and learned programming at 13, but how many poor families could afford a PC in 1983. He had the financial freedom to discover his talents, most don't.

[@maartenvanderzwan8281]

Programming in 1983 was not that hard. Basic was the main language. And you would buy magazines wi5h pages of code to type in order to get a game. And then debug.....

[@scottmwilhelms2437]

@maartenvanderzwan8281 I don't know what 1983 South Africa was like; how prevalent was owning a PC? Pretty sure coding and debugging would require one, one his family had no issues affording. My point is that most described successful self made men aren't self made they had help or advantages others lacked, or flexible moral and ethical values. Remember good guys finish last as a rule with few exceptions.

[@maartenvanderzwan8281]

@@scottmwilhelms2437 In 1983 it was the end of the Commodore / spectrum / bbc 32bit home computer. They were quite common for the middle class.

[@rossstewart9475]

@@scottmwilhelms2437 You're right to question: His father Errol Musk is on record as saying he bought him an IBM XT in late 1981/early 1982. In the 80s the IBM PC in the home was really a USA-only thing (and even then it was rare), as outside that country they were prohibitively expensive (remember that much of Europe was still paying either war reparations or loan payments to the USA until the 1990s/2000s from WW2, stifling them) IBM PCs were almost only used in commercial settings in the early 80s, and didn't really take off until rival "IBM clone" machines began to proliferate in the mid 80s and pulled the price down. In the USA it was $1,600 on release for the IBM XT ($5,500 accounting for inflation), but in South Africa that same machine was R$7,800 (R$205,200 today), which works out to about US$11,000 today. Elon used that extravagant gift to create a rudimentary game called "Blastar" which was written in Pascal, a now largely defunct* language that shares a lot in common with C (and is effectively the progenitor of C#)... So yes: His family's wealth definitely gave him an advantage over his peers by putting him on to the platform that would eventually become ubiquitous.

[@floydfreak-vn2uj]

Musk chose the name of his alleged 'Department' as the acronym matched the name of his cryptocurrency. My preferred pronunciation is 'Dodgy', a colloquialism commonly used in Britain and Australia to mean dishonest or unreliable, potentially dangerous, or of low quality. All three definitions seem appropriate in this case.

[@leslieh7110]

Hey Steve, I just wanted to say, as a Canadian who has been around long enough that I haven't been able to refer to myself as a teenager for decades, I tended to sometimes simply use my ever-increasing wealth of experience (and wisdom that increases in fits and starts) to calm down, say "This too shall pass." However, this thing with Trump has me preoccupied. I don't see sensibility in the decisions that are being made. I don't see the sensible people combating the insensibility. I see your Chuck Schumer talking about people being aroused, and warning that Corona and guacamole is gonna crank up in cost, but not saying anything actually meaningful. I hear weariness and fatigue in the voices of the senators and congresspeople interviewing the people taking positions in your government. (I have seen tweets from that congresswoman from New York being fairly scathing, so I imagine that there must be others.) I don't think that the US owes it to Canada (or Greenland, Denmark, Panama, Mexico, China, the EU, or whomever else your president (and as frustrating as it must be, he IS that) decides to arbitrarily dump tariffs on to force them to pass laws, or do his bidding) to take how things will affect us into consideration. He is supposed to do the best he can for the US as its leader. However, your leader, such as he is, SHOULD take into account how his actions will affect the US, both on the world stage, and to its most meager citizen. Canada tied its sails to the US because both Canada and the US wanted this in 1935 (and 1854, which was a larger and more important treaty). Should things change? Maybe. I'm no economist. The thing is, this is not a Bandaid to rip off. This is anywhere from 90 to 170 years of reciprocal give and take (heck, it's in the name of the Reciprocal Treaty of 1854 and the Canada-US Reciprocal Trade Agreement of 1935!), and now, without any real idea where this will go, this guy has decided to jam the car into park at 60mph because the other occupants won't hand over the deed to their house (I am remarkably adamant that I do not want to be an American. I weighed the pros and cons, and I decided that I ultimately like what I have. My mother and grandfather were Americans, and my older brother recently gave up his dual citizenship (for a different reason than some might think). Half of my family live in the US, and ignoring my father's family, I'm from a branch that emigrated to Canada, not the other way around. I have a good relationship with them, especially since I don't get into politics with them. Steve, I honestly feel like this tariff thing is a ruse. I feel like even if it is not used to justify militarily invading Canada, every time the current US administration wants something from us, it'll be a hammer held over our head until we capitulate. We've had our differences, and I expect that we always will, but despite often being called AIR (America In Reality), we maintain our identity DESPITE our close ties, despite the blending of many of our industries and experiences, despite our usual willingness to join in on whatever 'you' had going on. I talk to many people, and even in Alberta, a place that upon visiting, you might find some concerning similarities to in your country, few of those people are happy with the idea of what is going on. Our own provincial leader is being called a traitor, and even her own supporters are calling for her to knock it off or step down. However, overall, most of what I am hearing is fear and concern. Our up to now closest friend has decided that we should just give up everything, and be just one more state to be controlled by what I can only imagine is a madman. One of the people that your leader listens to is even calling for us to be militarily invaded, and NOT be permitted to have seats (or whatever you call them there) in Congress and the Senate. Man, I'm tired, and day after day, I lose more and more hope that any sense will return to your seat of power. Your opposing parties seem to be barely saying anything, your bully of a governing party seems to have taken the masks hiding their madness off, and there seems to be no one in a position of power to be able to say, "Hey, let's pump the brakes until we figure out what we're going to do to fix this inequity.", which, by the way, if you take away the crude oil that we export, which supplies 60% of the US's oil imports, is actually a trade SURPLUS, and it doesn't even take into account the fact that the US returns much of our oil as fuel, etc, that we pay for, which further increases the trade imbalance in the US's favour. Anyway, to be fair, I guess I'm just trying to lower the pressure in my head and chest about the whole thing, and if nothing else, thanks for being the YT channel hosting my unexpected rant. I truly have no axe to grind against the US, and I want us to remain friends, allies, and trading partners, but though I sometimes envy you, I don't want to be you. I speak for no one else in this far too long diatribe, but if anyone else is feeling stressed by the recent events, I do want you all to know that you're not alone. We're as scared for you as we are for ourselves, although perhaps in different ways and to different extents (like being told that you should just give up autonomy, and be a satellite state.) Be well you guys. Somehow, despite it all, we are still all in this together, even if we call ourselves different things. Sorry for the wall of text. Maybe I needed to write it more than anyone needs to read it.

[@carlwalker7560]

I was going to say you are not really Canadian, as you didn't say "Sorry" enough, then I saw it on your last line. (Joking)

[@Moonscafe7]

I love this comment so much.

[@karanseraph]

A tumblrina directed me to the fednews sub reddit where the employees are posting about their experiences and emails, but then I fell down the weird rabbithole about tech bros wanting to make democracy fail harder so they can be dictators of sovereign corporate city states. I had to take a break. Not sure what is real life or a cyberpunk heist movie plot.

[@circleinforthecube5170]

the anti tumblr anti reddit culture war whatever thing is definetly a new tool of facism aswell, confuse people, make their priorities wittle down to memes while you rip their rights away, a an entire generation seeing the online world as more real and concrete than the actual real world

[@passatboi]

They should have said "Fine - call, the US. Marshals".

[@davidmyers9581]

I would not be surprised if one of them did, just waiting for the lawsuit for the unlawful dismissal from their job.

[@3182john]

MAGA people have asked me “what if Trump make things better? What then?” I’ve said, “hey, if it works, great!” Their reply is, “Wait, you’re supposed to be upset!” It’s like they’re upset that if his plan works, it will help everyone. (No i don’t think it will work)

[@andrewbesso4257]

Has any name ever been more ironic than "Truth Social"?

[@Mintylight]

Should be Antagonizing Lies instead.

[@DawnDavidson]

@@MintylightAnti-social lies?

[@thesenate1844]

Ministry of Truth vibes

[@Dewydidit]

The Soviet/ Russian news agency that toes the party line is Pravda, which means "Truth" in Russian.

[@SpoopySquid]

US Department of "Defence"? At least it's previous title, Department of War, was honest

[@amyr4242]

"USA citizens pay too much for drugs and pharmaceuticals!" The rest of the world: yeah you do, maybe try fixing your healthcare system?

[@Maxxisblitz]

Boy, it's gonna be crazy when he realizes we're the ones ripping off the other countries by taking advantage of cheaper labor and exchange rates.

[@smallstudiodesign]

Canada was a divided country - then came Trump - never seen Canadians more unanimous in my entire lifetime. Canadians will never be the same after this towards the USA - they will never trust the USA again. The trust has been burned.

[@time9293]

Anyone in Canada who had any dealings with drugs knows that while weed goes south, everything else comes north.

[@Therian13]

I grew up in Eastern KY. Pretty sure most of our weed was locally sourced. :p But I do recall a lot of the pill poppers were getting their shit from up north.

[@tessaninetails8065]

Well it seems that the fanta fascist got told by his bf to knock it off with the tariffs. For now at least. On the other hand, ketamine Karen now has all your personal information... I changed my mind, this has to the worst timeline ever!

[@antonnurwald5700]

Fanta Fascist is a nice one though. Ketamine Karen too.

[@nancyjay790]

I agree. Fanta Fascist and Ketamine Karen are both excellent. Thank you. I'm sharing those with others.

[@veearce3384]

Velveta voldermort 😂

[@sanchellewellyn3478]

The reason I hate the Star Trek Mirror Universe so much is we keep insisting on living in it.

[@mkvenner2]

No sight of the 2nd amendment crowd anywhere.

[@AC-yw4du]

Back in 2016 those of us calling Trump an authoritarian fascist were told we were overreacting and it couldn’t happen here.

[@RobKristjansson]

Canadian fan here! A couple of notes. First, the trade deficit is driven by oil, as Canada is the single largest supplier of oil imported by the U.S. Take that out of the mix, and the deficit flips. Second, and more importantly, your government has tied these tariffs to annexation - to Canada becoming the 51st state. (Wow, I get to lose single payer healthcare and affordable medication for school shootings 🙄) So, to me and many other Canadians, this isn't a debate over trade policy that got out of hand, but a declaration of war, economic war, against us from what was seen by most Canadians as a kind of crazy but still well intentioned ally and friend. Now, the tariffs have been called off for now, and I suspect our current government will commit to some perfomative b.s. at the border to give your 🍊 🤡 government a face saving win, but make no mistake, it has permanently damaged American reputation AND economic influence here. Because your government is still at war with us. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@trishchmelik7748]

He got roughly 33% of the vote of all eligible voters.

[@antonnurwald5700]

Because the rest didn't bother. They are enablers.

[@djenning90]

I just discovered this channel… his message is really beautifully and powerfully articulated. Bravo!

[@KatharineOsborne]

Half the content is this, and it always lands. The other half is Star Trek analysis, with a little Superman stuff thrown in (also always good).

[@WoodsideLegacy]

They obviously weren't comic book fans as kids. As Uncle Ben said...

[@angrach6569]

Well, but at least the black lady isn't president, totally worth it...I guess...maybe?

[@dianecotter1067]

Am hoping this is sarcasm/ irony.

[@antonnurwald5700]

Totally. Jokes aside, i think a lot of people made that calculation. They knew what Trump is, but willingly took that over the brown woman.

[@davidmyers9581]

@@antonnurwald5700 I supsect half had a problem of "brown" and the other half had a problem of "woman", then another whole bunch would have "put up" with one of the other, but BOTH broke just broke their brains

[@grantjohnston7148]

​​@@antonnurwald5700 Which is quite disgusting indeed!

[@glitchedoom]

This country is still deranged from Obama being president. It's pathetic.

[@GilTheDragon]

"It may cost you your lives but it is a sacrifice I am willing to make" The man is beyond parody.

[@veearce3384]

Lord farquaad approved message 😂

[@debbiebannister32]

Thanks Steve

[@patriciatoomingtheplantpar2558]

So how does all of this lower grocery prices? Lower fuel prices? Give us better universal insurance ir any insurance? I'm failing to see the end game as he called it while stumping.

[@abrahamroloff8671]

Because none of that was ever the goal.

[@klakkat]

It increases profits for the rich. That was the only goal all along, plus stroking Traitor Trump's ego. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer, welcome to Capitalism.

[@colbyboucher6391]

It doesn't directly, the real concern (as always) is debt.

[@dani007a]

The only thing Trump has lowered the price of right now is stocks.

[@YoungGodOG]

This country has become a joke. A hurtful unfunny passive aggressive joke said at the worst moment

[@AuntieMamies]

I just feel so bad for our allies. They gotta be so freaked out

[@hughcaldwell1034]

Almost like one of those "it's only a joke bro, calm down" jokes that are completely f-cking serious. "Ironic f-scism" indeed.

[@katacutie]

​@@AuntieMamiesMy country (Italy) pledged its allegiance to Trump a few days ago. Meloni also refused to sign the IRIS project, doubling down on relying on Elon for our satellite infrastructure. There's little I hate more than living under a fascist government...

[@ShikiKiryu]

Watching the Orange Skull and Phony Stark doing what they're doing over the last few weeks from here in the UK with abject horror. I know our government isnt perfect but...I just get a weird feeling of deja vu, some big hand waving signals that I've seen this somewhere before...

[@TihetrisWeathersby]

For an advisory body they sure have a lot of power

[@Undrave]

Those security guards were cowards. Have them call the marshalls, have them outline the actual crime commited and justify it in court. Call their fuckin' bluff.

[@foppishdilletaunt9911]

Trumpledforeskin has also suspended his sacred Canadian tariffs.

[@janecreek681]

It's only been two weeks lol. Only 3 years 11 months and 2 weeks to go.

[@diybyed6984]

Midterms in 1.5 years, he will be impeached

[@SeanCrosser]

2 weeks out of 208, less than 1%!

[@Dewydidit]

How cute, you think there are election results the GOP will accept in 2026 & 2028 that leaves them with less power. GOP led states worked hard to pass new voter suppression laws between 2020 & the 2024 elections and are brainstorming new ones, not repealing the old ones.

[@KatharineOsborne]

I get the feeling the US isn’t going to make it intact to it’s 250th anniversary.

[@C-Ra]

Knowing his he'll just try to stay much much longer...

[@carfaxabbycemeterygoth7937]

I love your hospital analogy of Trump busting your leg. It's like I keep telling people in Canada: Trump could promise us each a million bucks or all sorts of perks, for becoming the 51 state but once he gets what he wants, those promises will vanish. sign on the dotted line oh... but ignore the small print..

[@AntonPNym]

Yup. The best way to deal with Trump is to not deal with him at all; he can't be trusted, he's been stiffing contractors and creditors his entire life. Even if Canadians were interested in statehood (and they very militantly ain't save for a few traitors) signing on now would be an extraordinarily bad idea.

[@danielbutler8103]

2:38 My Cat knows more about this then Trump, And my cat has been dead for years.

[@peterrodolakis]

Thanks!

[@EmbraceTheStruggle24]

Steve, my exact thoughts on this entire situation: 🤦‍♂️ 🤦‍♂️ 🤦‍♂️ 🤦‍♂️ 🤦‍♂️ 🤦‍♂️ You're courageous for discussing such difficult topics like this 🙏

[@chadd990]

“The country is now being ran on common sense” which is a large part of the problem. “Common sense” doesn’t mean correctness. “Common sense” doesn’t mean that it logically follows. “Common sense” just means it’s average perception, which is usually wrong.

[@peterjohnson1091]

Manufacture products in America? Like fentanyl?1

[@alexispupo]

For a second there I thought I WAS LISTENING TO DAN CARLIN AND NOT STEVE. Appreciate you buddy.

[@kennethrobbins829]

The World's richest man has access to your Social security numbers.

[@GreatBigBore]

So let me get this straight. The Doggy representatives threatened to call the cops and the USAID employees caved? So the USAID employees didn't think to themselves, "Good, bring the cops, they'll protect us from the Doggies." Why? Why didn't they trust the US Marshals to enforce the law and throw the Doggy clowns out on the street? Something seems wrong there. I don't understand why the USAID people perceived the cops as not being on the side of enforcing the law. Does Doggy-master Elon own the US Marshals already? I haven't heard anything about that. Someone please help me understand

[@channelsixtyeight068_z]

Do not ascribe to incompetence what could easily be described as malice.

[@PlebNC]

Trump: America is getting ripped off. America: Synonymous with ripping off other countries. The rest of the world: confused Jackie Chan face

[@billymanilli]

If he gets these tariffs to stick, it's going to wipe out small business AND the middle/lower class... "Once the prices are up, it's hard to get them back down" THAT is the plan (part of it anyways)

[@circleinforthecube5170]

and then all the little people will realize they have a lot more power than the big people do, the military isin't made of billionaires, when we take to the hamptons and the florida mansions and the LA beachhouses, they will realize political talk and money cant stop a revolution

[@ilsagutrune2372]

He just politicized all of USAID, not just individual dollars…

[@mmh290]

I get it. We are currently in a weak position and the world knows it. Our enemies may not even have to make a move. They’re waiting for us to implode.

[@CSEBrew]

Another question for you: why does the Muskrat want to kill NOR and PBS?

[@ConsciencepartyUSA]

Exactly. And if anything that I can remember when Trump first ran for president when he went against Hillary Clinton didn’t he say something about him helping somebody that needed help and he was able to do it for them? Does that even sound like something he does now?

[@uweburger]

Call it by it's name, dog-e, pronounced doggy

[@phantom8157]

I was just thinking that myself when I saw this. I have another one, Dodgy, as in this department is dodgy

[@lizhills2095]

My abusive mother claimed that, when I did anything she didn't like, that I lacked common sense. I find that phrase very triggering.

[@troyg3025]

USAID is why we contend with China in lesser developed communities like much of Africa. If it goes away it gives China a HUGE advantage with their approach that is much more transactional. Whenever a "Why?" question is asked about any Trump action in the age of Elno, the answer is most likely "Because the Chinese Communist Party wants it".

[@siamac7705]

You did a good job of listening all the good work USAID does. Another point to note… USAID also issues its own bonds the payment of which (within five days of due) is guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States so defaulting on them would be akin to defaulting on treasury bonds. Economically catastrophic for our economy and a good way to the world to move off the dollar as the primary currency of trade.

[@smhs1262]

Thank you for making and sharing this video, I appreciate your opinions.

[@nadirku]

"it's not why should you pay more than everybody else, it's why shouldn't everybody else pay as much as you", I am reminded of what is supposed to be a Russian anecdote: "a Russian man saves a magic fish, who thanks the man by offering to grant one wish, with the caveat that everyone else the man knew would get the effects of that wish twice, so the man promptly asked the fish to poke out one of his eyes" (I heard this anecdote from the book "Red Notice" by Bill Browder, about his experiences working in Russian finance).

[@Rincenso]

Nothing as annoying as Stupid Evil.

[@NovaNocturnus]

My only regret is I won’t be there to laugh when they unironically use the “just following orders” excuse again.

[@Scroteydada]

Shouldn’t it be DGE? The “of” should be dropped per convention right?

[@glitchedoom]

But then the mentally 14 year old wouldn't get to giggle at his stupid Internet meme name as he dismantles our government.

[@MacstersUndead]

I think your fancy restaurant analogy is a good one. I would put it like this though. Donald Trump would take you to a fancy restaurant and tell you you can have anything on the menu, then at the end of the meal, foot you with the bill, saying he expected you to pay.

[@oerthling]

But Steve is right, because you don't even get the meal before having to pay for it.

[@Zhixalom]

Am I the only one getting serious 26 yeah old deja vu vibes here? - Has anyone bothered to check if Donald may have obsessively been rewatching "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut" over and over for the past 4 years? - sure feels like it. ♪ ♫ Should we blame the government? Or blame society? Or should we blame the images on TV? No! - Blame Canada! Blame Canada! ♫ ♪ - Scary * BLEEPING BLEEP *

[@vlmellody51]

I encountered people at a business cocktail party with my rat-bastard of a then-husband. There, we met several people who had been victimized in various ways by Trump. This was back in the 80s.

[@rodneykelly8768]

Trump and Elon have seen "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut" one too many times. (Blame Canada!)

[@rossstewart9475]

"We must blame them and cause a fuss Before somebody thinks of blaming us!" What a strange timeline we're living in that Southpark's creators are on the side of reason.

[@4362mont]

That's "Department" of Gob-smacking Egoism.

[@jasper265]

Shittier Twitter = Shitter?

[@consciouscode8150]

I'm partial to Xitter and Xits, with a "sh" sound for the X

[@DawnDavidson]

@@consciouscode8150me too! 😂 Xitter and Xits.

[@klisterklister2367]

​@@consciouscode8150 sounds like the name of their child. Truth social and the bloated corpse of twitter had a terrible baby together. Xitter

[@gametheorymedia]

The 'reality-franchise' we actually want: 'Star Trek' ✨🖖 The 'reality-franchise' we (currently) get: 'DumbHammer 40,000' 🤮

[@1MarkKeller]

Trump also ran on lowering the prices off food and gas immediately. Trump also ran on ending the Ukraine war in one day. How's all that working out?!?

[@coaldoubt2879]

I love how he talks about drugs killing americans like they're sneaking up on them or some shit. Maybe work on creating a society where people don't feel the need to dumb their pain 🤷

[@dianecotter1067]

* numb?

[@davidmyers9581]

@@dianecotter1067 actually I think 'dumb' their pain may be accurate in this instance.

[@jrochest4642]

USAID is a part of the State Department, and access to their servers provides access to intelligence service information, so. . .

[@AttilaTheHun333333]

I'm getting more dumb every day in this weird new world.

[@joshuataylor7213]

In a move that somehow feels appropriate, ill quote Gwen Stefani...B-A-N-A-N-A-S

[@klisterklister2367]

This shit is bananas!

[@Martha_thl]

Now is the time for all good people to come to the aid of their country.

[@I_Willenbrock_I]

Smells like Ermächtigungsgesetz.

[@Chrissy717]

Without the Gesetz part, lol.

[@dragonvliss2426]

Yes -- I made that exact point on a chat group. No, In don;t think Trump has the smarts to be a Nazi -- he is too dumb to understand political theory. But his rhetoric has a disturbing similarity to Nazi rhetoric in many ways and his Enabling Act has been passed.

[@wta1518]

How has it only been 2 weeks.

[@boyblue3270]

We are doomed.....

[@f.m.7698]

USAID was investigating Starlink’s contracts in Ukraine. There it is. These guys deserve Super Mario Brothers level of justice.

[@justinfowler2857]

It's not that surprising that the guy who's fortune is built on apartheid would be opposed to foreign aid. 🤔

[@dianecotter1067]

Another great clip Steve. The ending was poignantly sorrowful.

[@johnsmith-qj2uh]

This from A man who pardoned the world's biggest drug dealer?

[@DynaCatlovesme]

There's so much here that I want people to hear, but they won't because the first part of the video was a wrong prediction that Trump wouldn't fold on the tarrifs.

[@WolfRamAndHart]

Almost at 300k subscribers! Pre-congratulations!

[@LarsCT]

That error message is pure gaslighting. "Sorry you can't reach the website you are on. Maybe it's because YOU misspelled it."

[@jrsydvl7218]

You'd figure businessmen would understand how investments work.

[@chrisd561]

NO MORE FREE MONEY FOR THE 3RD WORLD

[@John73John]

Not a businessman who managed to bankrupt multiple casinos...

[@chrisd561]

We have Americans that need that money.

[@jrsydvl7218]

@chrisd561 There's plenty of money we won't see under this administration.

[@mr.mysteryghost226]

Trump couldn't sell steaks Elon lost billions on X

[@MarcSGA]

The way Trump was talking I think the Canadian response actually had him spooked: “Canada misunderstood this isn’t a trade war” “I think we’re going to win” He never equivocates, never shows anything less than perfect confidence. I think he genuinely wasn’t expecting Canada to square up.