The Second Term of Donald J. Trump as President of the United States of America
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Shiftless2
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Shiftless2
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Shiftless2
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Odds on how long before Trump decides that this is part of "antifa" and hence a "Domestic Terrorist Organization"?
Shiftless2
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My apology to his holiness Pope Leo XIV for locating this article in the Trump thread. No insult intended.
VATICAN CITY, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Pope Leo initially impressed conservative Catholics after his election in May as he embraced traditions shunned by his predecessor Pope Francis and steered clear of hot button social issues that divided the 1.4 billion-member Church.
But his honeymoon with conservatives appears over after he unexpectedly took aim at U.S. President Donald Trump's hard-line immigration policies, questioning whether they were in line with the Church's pro-life teachings.
"Someone who says I am against abortion but I am in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don't know if that's pro-life," Leo, the first U.S. pope, told reporters on Tuesday.
Some critics, who had praised the pope for his early reserve, expressed shock that Leo criticized the current champion of global conservatives.
Former Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland, a fierce Francis critic who was relieved from duty by the late pope but has praised Leo, criticized the new pope on social media for causing "much confusion … regarding the sanctity of human life and the moral clarity of the Church's teaching."
The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.
It's not easy being Catholic.
But let us not overlook the essence of this story. President Trump has done more than merely shaken up the United States military senior leadership.
Trump's turmoil spans from DC to Rome, & far beyond.
Pope Leo's critique of Trump ends honeymoon with conservative Catholics
By Joshua McElwee / October 2, 2025 6:08 AM GMT-5VATICAN CITY, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Pope Leo initially impressed conservative Catholics after his election in May as he embraced traditions shunned by his predecessor Pope Francis and steered clear of hot button social issues that divided the 1.4 billion-member Church.
But his honeymoon with conservatives appears over after he unexpectedly took aim at U.S. President Donald Trump's hard-line immigration policies, questioning whether they were in line with the Church's pro-life teachings.
"Someone who says I am against abortion but I am in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don't know if that's pro-life," Leo, the first U.S. pope, told reporters on Tuesday.
Some critics, who had praised the pope for his early reserve, expressed shock that Leo criticized the current champion of global conservatives.
Former Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland, a fierce Francis critic who was relieved from duty by the late pope but has praised Leo, criticized the new pope on social media for causing "much confusion … regarding the sanctity of human life and the moral clarity of the Church's teaching."
The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.
It's not easy being Catholic.
But let us not overlook the essence of this story. President Trump has done more than merely shaken up the United States military senior leadership.
Trump's turmoil spans from DC to Rome, & far beyond.
Energy Department Announces Termination of 223 Projects, Saving Over $7.5 Billion
October 2, 2025WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the termination of 321 financial awards supporting 223 projects, resulting in a savings of approximately $7.56 billion dollars for American taxpayers. Following a thorough, individualized financial review, DOE determined that these projects did not adequately advance the nation’s energy needs, were not economically viable, and would not provide a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars.
Energy Department Announces Termination of 223 Projects, Saving Over $7.5 Billion
The U.S. Department of Energy today announced the termination of 321 financial awards supporting 223 projects, resulting in a savings of approximately $7.56 billion dollars for American taxpayers.
Not mentioned by DOE, but disclosed by sources including The New York Times, these terminations are mainly in "blue" States.
Interesting "coincidence".
Notable about the following: it's published by FOX News
A federal judge appointed by Ronald Reagan has made headlines this year for penning some of the most blistering opinions against President Donald Trump’s executive orders — including in one case where he was criticized by two Supreme Court justices for failing to adhere to the high court’s emergency guidance.
U.S. District Judge William Young, a Reagan appointee, has spent nearly four decades on the federal bench. He most recently authored a scathing, 161-page opinion on Tuesday in a case involving Trump’s attempts to deport and crack down on pro-Palestinian protesters and activists on college campuses.
Young said the Trump administration’s actions were illegal and an unconstitutional violation of free speech protections under the First Amendment. He also used the decision to criticize, at some length, Trump’s broader conduct, which he described as "bullying."
www.foxnews.com
FEDERAL JUDGE LAUNCHES SCATHING BROADSIDE OF TRUMP'S EFFORTS TO DEPORT PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS
JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA
While there are or were (Rep. Liz Cheney [R-WY]) a few Republicans that haven't lost their ethical / Constitutional anchor, they are the rare exception, not the prevailing Republican standard.
Cause for concern here, when Democrats cite Trump administration violations of a president's Constitutional obligations, it's rarely reported.
The result, it seems only Republican criticism of our Republican president is treated as newsworthy.
Reagan-appointed judge, once rebuked by Supreme Court, continues to lambaste Trump
Judge Young previously described the Trump administration’s actions as 'palpably clear' evidence of discrimination
By Breanne Deppisch Fox News / Published October 2, 2025 3:57 pm EDTA federal judge appointed by Ronald Reagan has made headlines this year for penning some of the most blistering opinions against President Donald Trump’s executive orders — including in one case where he was criticized by two Supreme Court justices for failing to adhere to the high court’s emergency guidance.
U.S. District Judge William Young, a Reagan appointee, has spent nearly four decades on the federal bench. He most recently authored a scathing, 161-page opinion on Tuesday in a case involving Trump’s attempts to deport and crack down on pro-Palestinian protesters and activists on college campuses.
Young said the Trump administration’s actions were illegal and an unconstitutional violation of free speech protections under the First Amendment. He also used the decision to criticize, at some length, Trump’s broader conduct, which he described as "bullying."
Reagan-appointed judge, once rebuked by Supreme Court, continues to lambaste Trump
Reagan-appointed judge William Young blocked Trump administration policies targeting pro-Palestinian activists and NIH research grants, describing the conduct as bullying.
www.foxnews.com
FEDERAL JUDGE LAUNCHES SCATHING BROADSIDE OF TRUMP'S EFFORTS TO DEPORT PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS
JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA
While there are or were (Rep. Liz Cheney [R-WY]) a few Republicans that haven't lost their ethical / Constitutional anchor, they are the rare exception, not the prevailing Republican standard.
Cause for concern here, when Democrats cite Trump administration violations of a president's Constitutional obligations, it's rarely reported.
The result, it seems only Republican criticism of our Republican president is treated as newsworthy.
Shiftless2
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California vows to ‘instantly’ cut funding to universities that cave to Trump ‘compact’
Governor Gavin Newsom urges schools not to sign ‘radical agreement’ to cuts to departments, students and speech
California vows to ‘instantly’ cut funding to universities that cave to Trump ‘compact’
Governor Gavin Newsom urges schools not to sign ‘radical agreement’ to cuts to departments, students and speech
www.theguardian.com
Weak.
It may seem counterintuitive, reportedly "red States" meaning States dominated by Republicans, tend to be revenue positive regarding federal taxes, meaning they receive more from federal taxation in the form of federal highway funds and other subsidies, than they pay to Washington.
Whereas perhaps seemingly paradoxically "blue States" dominated by Democrats, those ostensibly more tax friendly, tend to receive less from the federal government than they pay to it.
If any individual tries to shape federal spending by failing to fully pay federal tax due, generally the federal government wins, and the individual tax payer loses. BUT !!
Has it recently been tried at full State level?
If President Trump wishes to toy with a blue State like California, what's to prevent Governor Newsom [D-CA] from coordinating within his State full withholding of federal taxes, until the semblance of equitable balance is restored?
Shiftless2
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Shiftless2
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BREAKING: In a major humiliation for Trump, CDC Chief Dr. Demetre Daskalakis resigns with a scathing letter, saying "enough is enough" with Trump and RFK Jr, whom he accuses of "threatening the lives" of the American people.
And it gets worse.
In his resignation letter, Dr. Daskalakis says he stepped down because he refuses to stay silent as Trump’s HHS under RFK Jr. tears down science, distorts data, and endangers our children, pregnant people, and marginalized folks.
Dr. Daskalakis didn’t mince words. “I am unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s health,” he wrote, calling Trump’s CDC "a political weapon, not a scientific institution."
"Having to retrofit analyses and policy actions to match inadequately thought-out announcements in poorly scripted videos or page long X posts should not be how organizations responsible for the health of people should function," he continued.
And he didn't stop there. Dr. Daskalakis accused RFK Jr.’s HHS of “radical non transparency and unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end,” warning this could drag us back to “a pre vaccine era where only the strong will survive.”
"I am not sure who the Secretary is listening to, but it is quite certainly not to us at the CDC. Unvetted and conflicted outside organizations seem to be the sources HHS use over the gold standard science of CDC and other reputable sources," he continued.
Dr Daskalakis then slammed RFK Jr's changes to vaccine recommendations as life threatening, especially for young children and pregnant people. He warned that sidelining career scientists, withholding critical data, and twisting policy for politics isn’t just reckless— "it could cost lives."
"[Trump and RFK Jr's] desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults," he concluded. "Their base should be the people they serve, NOT a political voting bloc."
And there’s more: Dr. Daskalakis's resignation follows the already explosive ousting of CDC Director Susan Monarez. Monarez, who’d only been in the job for weeks, was fired after refusing to back RFK Jr.’s anti-science policies.
Multiple top CDC officials also followed Daskalakis out the door in protest.
This isn’t a mere resignation—it’s a heroic moral stand. Dr. Daskalakis is refusing to be complicit in a politicized dismantling of public health. We applaud Dr. Daskalakis for standing up for the American people in the face of Trump and RFK Jr.'s relentless attacks on science and sound medical advice.
SOURCE
Shiftless2
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Meanwhile ....
Shiftless2
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Just so you know, my dictionary tells me that the correct spelling of "karma" is "Karen"
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261K views · 10K reactions | Looks like Karma struck again | VoteBlue
Looks like Karma struck again.
www.facebook.com
Shiftless2
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"Trump thrives on conflict, but only when he controls the script. Flip it. Make him explain the missing trillions, make him squirm under the weight of the Epstein files, make him face the fact that the shutdown, the health care collapse, and the global laughter are all of his own making."
Donald Trump wants you to believe he’s sitting on a $17 trillion treasure chest of tariff money. He repeats the claim so often you can almost see him rubbing his fingers together like a cartoon miser. But here’s the reality: Treasury has no such funds, the budget committees have no such funds, and no one in Washington can find this mythical mountain of cash. If it were real, America would be swimming in universal health care, platinum-plated infrastructure, and champagne-brunch social security. Instead, we’re in a government shutdown.
And yet, amid the shutdown, Trump’s Office of Management and Budget is busy playing petty tyrant, canceling nearly $8 billion in clean energy programs and withholding $18 billion from New York’s Second Avenue subway and Gateway tunnel. Notice the pattern: every state targeted went blue in 2024. Florida? Texas? Not a dime cut. This is retribution, public money wielded like a mobster’s cudgel.
Bernie Sanders has been sounding the alarm: Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” would double health insurance premiums for 24 million Americans, throw 15 million off Medicaid and ACA coverage, and, according to studies from Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania, kill an estimated 50,000 people a year who can’t afford care. The math is brutal but simple: take health insurance away from the sick and the poor, and people die. Nursing homes will shutter, rural hospitals will collapse, and community health centers serving 32 million people will be gutted. All while Trump brags about phantom trillions and builds himself a golden ballroom on the White House lawn.
At a European summit, the cameras kept rolling after Donald Trump launched into one of his tall tales, this time bragging about having personally brokered peace between Albania and Azerbaijan, a conflict that has never existed outside his imagination. As Trump beamed at his own genius, the mic caught Prime Minister Edi Rama and President Emmanuel Macron exchanging smirks and quips. Rama cracked ....
MORE>
Shiftless2
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It's literally the same people.
Shiftless2
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Good morning, friends. Pour yourself something strong, because the country’s going to need it. If you step outside tonight, you’ll see the first of three consecutive supermoons, harvest, beaver, and cold, lining up to remind us that the universe keeps its promises even if the United States government can’t keep its lights on. The moon will rise bigger, brighter, and more dependable than anything happening on Capitol Hill, where Speaker Mike Johnson has locked the doors, handed House Republicans a paid vacation, and stalled the swearing-in of Adelita Grijalva. Why? Does he not think Arizona is entitled to representation, or is it because her vote would trigger a discharge petition for the Epstein files. Johnson is now Hostage-in-Chief, holding the entire legislative branch captive to protect Donald Trump from daylight.
And that’s where the week’s strangest rumor, “Grindr-gate”, collides with the shutdown. Is Johnson secretly on gay dating apps while pushing conversion therapy with his wife? Snopes says the screenshots are likely fake. But here’s the kicker: when the second-in-line to the presidency actively suppresses the release of incriminating documents, refuses to seat a duly elected Democrat, and turns Congress into a bunker, it suddenly doesn’t matter if the Grindr profile is real. He’s already compromised. He’s already blackmail material. Trump taught his party that shame doesn’t .....
MORE>
And that’s where the week’s strangest rumor, “Grindr-gate”, collides with the shutdown. Is Johnson secretly on gay dating apps while pushing conversion therapy with his wife? Snopes says the screenshots are likely fake. But here’s the kicker: when the second-in-line to the presidency actively suppresses the release of incriminating documents, refuses to seat a duly elected Democrat, and turns Congress into a bunker, it suddenly doesn’t matter if the Grindr profile is real. He’s already compromised. He’s already blackmail material. Trump taught his party that shame doesn’t .....
MORE>
Shiftless2
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As if the FBI had any credibility remaining .....
By ERIC TUCKER
FBI Director Kash Patel says the bureau is cutting ties with two organizations that for decades have tracked domestic extremism and racial and religious bias, a move that follows complaints about the groups from some conservatives and prominent allies of President Donald Trump.
Patel said Friday that the FBI would sever its relationship with the Southern Poverty Law Center, asserting that the organization had been turned into a “partisan smear machine” and criticizing it for its use of a “hate map” that documents alleged anti-government and hate groups inside the United States. A statement earlier in the week from Patel said the FBI would end ties with the Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish advocacy organization that fights antisemitism.
The announcements amount to a dramatic rethinking of ....
abcnews.go.com
FBI cuts ties with Southern Poverty Law Center, Anti-Defamation League after conservative complaints
FBI Director Kash Patel says the bureau is cutting ties with two organizations that for decades have tracked domestic extremism and racial and religious bias, a move that follows complaints about the groups from some conservatives and prominent allies ...By ERIC TUCKER
FBI Director Kash Patel says the bureau is cutting ties with two organizations that for decades have tracked domestic extremism and racial and religious bias, a move that follows complaints about the groups from some conservatives and prominent allies of President Donald Trump.
Patel said Friday that the FBI would sever its relationship with the Southern Poverty Law Center, asserting that the organization had been turned into a “partisan smear machine” and criticizing it for its use of a “hate map” that documents alleged anti-government and hate groups inside the United States. A statement earlier in the week from Patel said the FBI would end ties with the Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish advocacy organization that fights antisemitism.
The announcements amount to a dramatic rethinking of ....
FBI cuts ties with Southern Poverty Law Center, Anti-Defamation League after conservative complaints
FBI Director Kash Patel says the bureau is cutting ties with two organizations that for decades have tracked domestic extremism and racial and religious bias, a move that follows complaints about the groups from some conservatives and prominent allies ...
abcnews.go.com