No one can accuse Trump of not working much during his first month in his second term as president. After firing all our top military leaders on Friday, I wish that he would take a week or longer off, and go play golf.
By pulling the rug out from under Zelensky, he has managed to change long term American foreign policy in this first month. Musk seems to be the hyper active de-facto vice president, literally welding a chainsaw in Washington. He has already cut up and minced most of our safety nets.
Most of Trump's MAGA supporters don't know what's even happening. Some hardcore ultra conservative are pleased with the shakeup, but CPAC only meets once a year, and they are also hardcore Republicans. Independent conservatives like myself are upset, so is the stock market.
While consequences are usually felt by the midterms, Republicans are already being called on the carpet by their constituents. Elected officials are pretty quick at reading the tea leaves. I think the pushback from congress will be coming sooner than Trump expects. I'm hoping that Trump devotes more time to his golf game.
Rainy Morning Chronicles, a conservative's journal, is published as warranted.
Everyone just needs to relax. Our nation’s government is going through an extensive financial audit. Something that hasn’t happened in 50-60 years. Billions and billions of waste, fraud, and abuse has already been identified. Adjustments are being made in the size of our government. Changes in purpose of our spending. Tax dollars brought back into line with their original intended goals.
ReplyDeleteNo deserving American citizen will be losing their safety net. The existence of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid are all being strengthened by identifying fraud and careless practices. That funding will go on a longer way.
This is exactly what our citizens voted for, and reportedly, 65% of us are satisfied with what we’re seeing. Regular, daily news snippets are not telling the complete story. Often, not even being truthful.
anon@12:37:You can tell yourself it's 65%, and Trump can tell you it's 71%, but I think in reality, perhaps no president has lost more ground in one month than Trump. If both Trump and Musk stepped back, it would take a year to undue the damage.
ReplyDeleteTrumps ratings are higher than ever.
DeleteTrump won by less than 2% of the popular vote. There was no “mandate” and this will be more obvious in the next Congressional election. Trump has already thrown this Congress under the bus by not letting them participate in this realignment by using Executive Orders rather than Congressional votes. Musk has a new playground, he pumps his fists, people lose their jobs, his band of boy-hackers have grossly overestimated their savings, even including numbers from expired contracts from the Biden administration, Musk gets more government contracts, and eggs are $7.50 at the Weis. Trump says dumb stuff on Fridays, the stock market goes down for the week and he’s off to Florida to play golf for the weekend. Just like last time.
Delete"Trump won by less than 2% of the popular vote."
DeleteDo you mean less than 2% of the unaudited popular vote?
In other words, "What can be, unburdened by what has been."
Any military “leader” involved in the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan should have been fired several years ago.
ReplyDeleteTrump has brokered a ceasefire that, however tenuous, is holding, along with hostage transfers, however imperfect, that are preceding. There will be a negotiated settlement in Ukraine in the coming days.
ReplyDeleteOdd how you constantly feel the need to bash Trump.
You’re developing decidedly liberal tendencies.
There is no cease-fire in Ukraine, the Ukranians are pressing the Russian invaders, as well as their North Korean allies hard every day. Last night a major Russian pumping station for oil was destroyed, serverely curtailing the production of two Russian refineries, further crippling the Russian economy.
DeleteThe problem is Trump parroting Kremlin propaganda about the situation; about the fact that there wasn't an election in Ukraine; about polling in Ukraine, the 4% for Zelenskyy, which is a complete lie. There comes a point that any self-respecting and proud head of state has to push back. There comes a point that you have to correct the level of misinformation coming out of Trump's own social media account.
anon@4:47:I've never been called a liberal before. However, like me there are independents, who happen to be conservative. The one who just got elected in Germany said you can no longer count on the USA, first words out of his mouth.
ReplyDeleteYes, the NATO, Biden proxy war deal in Ukraine is about to end. Europe can no longer trust the U.S. to fund this catastrophe.
DeleteI take that more as an acceptance of the realism that the US will not shoulder the burden of defense spending for Europe, nor will it continue to pay (certainly without compensation) for continued fighting in Ukraine (which of course is not a part of NATO). If Germany and the EU prefer continued fighting instead of peace in the Ukraine, they can certainly pay for it.
DeleteInterestingly enough, the new German leader was elected primarily due to immigration problems similar to what Trump is solving in the US, as well concerns about government censorship of citizens.
Far from being concerned about Merz' statements, I welcome them. A Germany that is willing to strengthen the freedoms of their own citizens and willing to protect its borders is good for both Germany and the US.
MAGA is a new isolationist movement, quitting NATO being a big part of their beliefs.
DeleteEven the Russians are shocked at how well things are going for them. Trump's embrace of the Kremlin is actually throwing Russian elites and Propagandists into disarray. Trump is doing everything the Russians want.
Isn't the United States supposed to be the main advasary and rival of Russia and now that Trump is saying and doing everything they want, it actually has become uncomfortable for the Russians to think that America is their ally and on their side.
Also, why is Trump asking Ukraine to pay back for weapons, but does not ask Israel or Taiwan to do the same ? The United States provides military aid to allies all across the world. Why is it only Ukraine that is expected to pay back funds that was already allocated by Congress and delivered by previous administrations ?
This has never been done before by the United States.
MAGA
anon@5:23: I hope that you're into your principles more than party, because the R's are setting themselves up early to lose the mid-terms, and even 2028.
ReplyDeletePlease. The corporate bankrupt, leaderless have nothing to offer working people except the kind of Orange Man bad, Musk is the devil, swill you are offering here. It’s the same propaganda that is on the MSM television 24/7.
DeleteThe woke democrats may ride this hysterical nonsense to some success in the midterms but Trumpism has 12 more years in the White House.
People are finished with transgender wokeness and chaos on the border.
Mike, all of the main issues that propelled Republican victories in 24 are still there and Republicans continue to capitalize on them. Trump sealed the southern border! Democrats will reopen it. Trump said men cannot let compete in women's sports, Democrats want men in girls toilets, showers, and participating in women's sports. Trumps' cutting the bloated, slothful, and unaccountable federal workforce, Democrats are defending the Bloated, slothful, unaccountable workforce, Trump wants to end a war Ukraine is currently losing and can't win. Trump seeks a negotiated peace. Democrats want to war, dying, and bloodshed to continue even as the Russians continue to gain ground daily. Enlistments in the military have increased as Trump has ended the Biden Administration's woke military policies. Democrats want a woke military that most soldiers want no part of. Trump want to get rid of the bloated Department of Education that forces local school districts to adopted radical policies such as DEI and trans gender curriculum while national test scores drop annually. Trump will turn current federal education funding over to the states to increase local control. I could go on, I am not the only one to write this, but Democrats have picked all the wrong hill to die on. Republicans however are applauding their tin ear on what Americans want, They have no clue and aren't going to get one soon. Scott Armstrong
DeleteThankfully, we no longer need to depend solely on longstanding, traditional news media for information. Technology has made it possible to ‘dig deeper’ and find a more reliable and truthful understanding of the world around us.
ReplyDeleteOur nation was being driven off a cliff by careless spending, sometimes illegal money laundering through NGOs, from financial aid to other nations (like Ukraine) back into the campaigns of our federal politicians. Our government grew too big and too mismanaged. This was obvious, and had to be stopped.
Change is uncomfortable for many to deal with. To make matters worse, major media, and even our lowly Morning Call, through Associated Press, CNN, New York Times, etc. are doing their best to heighten everyone’s stress and anxiety by promoting half-truths and making ridiculous assumptions after just 30 days into a new administration. An administration they were working against all along, but failed to destroy in the end.
Patience is needed here. We will come out of this confusion with greater government accountability and efficiency for all hardworking taxpayers. What’s not to like about that?
Like our blog host, I am an Independent. I am also a Social Security recipient. Unlike him, I DID vote for President Trump, and believe he is working in best interest of not just my future, but the futures of those much younger than I.
When it comes to fraud and waste you can't take a couple of 19-30 years olds (without forensic accounting experience) into multiple government agencies employing many thousands each and in one week determine a damn thing. Speaking of "FRAUD" have they turned over to the justice department even one case , NOPE!
ReplyDeleteEven more alarming eliminating congressional approved agencies. Does anyone really believe these billionaires now appointed to head up departments and agencies give one fig leaf about the little people.
Please remember, the DOGE group has no decision-making authority. They are identifying, categorizing, doing math, following payments (as best they can) and only THEN, reporting their findings back to President Trump and his Department Heads. This is all very typical of any large corporation. American Government is one of the world’s biggest corporations.
DeleteTo my knowledge, no laws are being broken. If you know of any, please inform, or at least, wait until the Supreme Court decides.
LVCI - Please tell me how using our tax dollars to fund things like trans operas in South America was helping the “little guy”.
DeleteThings like that were found by the “19-30 year olds without forensic accounting experience”. Even if I accept your incorrect premise that they don’t have the expertise to do it, that’s how rampant the fraud and waste must be if even those you deem unqualified can find it so quickly.
These “billionaires” heading up agencies are doing more to help the little guy than anybody in the previous two democrat administrations. The waste and fraud they are finding will help keep programs (like social security) solvent.
As to the Justice Department pursuing cases of fraud, I’m sure that will come as soon as they deal with the frivolous democrat lawsuits trying to keep it hidden.
Let’s pretend that the donor class that sets the woke, LGBTQ…, agenda for the establishment D Party gives a shite about the average American citizen. The Democrats have nothing to offer but fear and the kind of class war that you are promoting. The devils spawn, Musk, is one of the world’s most brilliant and successful man. Odd how Musk, Rogan, Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr. were all totally cool until last year.
DeleteYou bring nothing of value to the dialogue.
$2 trillion a year deficit, $37 trillion debt, but please don't offend, or attempt to change the direction of the country, we just love the easy road. If Americans want to go back to the same old same old in 2 years, then do it, they have that choice. It will end in disaster for sure.
ReplyDeleteMike, if you think Trump's so called MAGA supporters don't know what's going on you are mistaken. They are following closely and applauding. There is a network of conservative AM radio shows, pod casts, and publications that now reach more people than the mainstream media. These conservative outlets are doing so well the liberal media is in a panic and talking about a "new conservative media juggernaut". Trust me, Trump is the best show on earth and everyone's watching, in America and worldwide. I watch the French news with my wife, their hair on fire, NTY's influenced reporting is very amusing. Meanwhile, the NYT's itself and other mainstream media news outlets are now firing so called talent like Joy Reid, making staff cuts, and bleeding audience. Meanwhile Republicans are walking on sunshine! The Democrat's iron fortress of media and federal control is collapsing like a house of cards before our eyes. Sit back and enjoy the show. As for the Ukraine, funny how Trump sounds Bob Dylan singing "Blowin in the Wind" while the Democrats sound like shills for the defense industry and crying for more war, bloodshed, and destruction. Too few understand the roots of that war and the many opportunities to prevent it and end it after it started. The Biden Administration refused even to negotiate with Russia to end the war. Hell! Can anyone remember the US unwilling to act as a negotiator to end of any foreign conflict? No, what is happening now Mike is the beginning of a return to normal. Smaller government, less foreign intervention, stronger military, lower taxes, cheaper energy, healthier food, better public schools...That's an agenda the majority will rally around! The gray haired Boomer lefty protestors look increasingly ridiculous and young people have noticed this. We are fast approaching something few of us thought we'd never see. It's no longer cool for young people to be on the left, and young men especially are increasingly done with woke and open about it. The sun is shiny, the birds are singing, outside of federal employees, who have been on a tax payer paid for gravy train and the hysterically shrill voices of the Boomer Ladies with their upscale clothes, signs, and silly chants the rest of us are relaxed and thinking again of a positive future for ourselves, children and grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteIt appears that Trump is bringing the word "Imperalism" into United States foreign policy.
DeleteThe Reagan policy of the United States being the "shining city on the hill" and supporting liberty and freedom around the world has apparantley been thrown in the trash by Trump.
The Russians are actually shocked by this, and the direction the United States under Trump is going in, and how Trump is leading the way. They believe that the conflict between Trump and Zelinsky is absolutely natural, and not about their personal disagreements or personal animus. And actually I agree with this because it is not about their phone conversations, or Hunter Biden. Trump has moved on from that.
This conflict has a more serious reason. You have to look at what Ukraine is from the standpoint of the new MAGA United States. It is actually just a vassal, perhaps just a pawn in the big game between the US and Russia. This is probably Trump's true strategy and sees smaller nations as just chess pieces in a much larger game, and himself, Trump, as the main player.
And suddenly, this pawn, Zelinsky, has opinions and grievences, and actually dares to demand equality and the right to correct the main player - Trump. And how does Trump react to it ? Well the pawn - Zelinsky, has to be put in his place immediately. Zelinsky should be flogged and reminded who is in charge and who is in the last place in this hierarchy.
Donald Trump does not view anyone in the NATO alliance as an equal partner and an ally of the United States that has value. All of NATO, it seems are just pawns, as just vassals, and Trump looks at our friends and allies in the alliance and just says "what can you offer me?" "I don't really care about you unless you can give me something, and serving me and making me wealthier."
That is what this rare-earth minerals deal is all about.
And this is what is so repulsive about Trump and MAGA to me.
Actually Brent, Trump is not interested, as you believe in continuing the Neo Con strategy of the
Deletelast several decades. He is instead trying to get our allies to be able to defend themselves rather than rely on us. Strategically his move towards Russia is similia to Nixon's recognition of Communist China, one of America's then arch enemies. Experts and much of the media at the time were appalled and shocked, but the strategy worked in that it separated China for our other global cold war rival Russia. This helped weaken Russia. The opposite is true today as China poses a far greater threat to America than Russia, but because of the ineptitude of the Biden Administration Russia has formed a new alliance with China. This alliance has greatly strengthened China globally. Encouraging Russia back into the European sphere would weaken China. That kind of thinking is smart. Intelligent, non Neo Con thinking is exactly what we need presently.
The freedom of the Ukranian people, and the soveigenty of the Ukranian nation then, is a pawn in the big power game between the US, Russia and Red China. What are the Russian concessions, as Trump is giving Putin everything he wants.
DeleteDoes the United States demand payment from Israel, or Natonalist China for the weapons we provide them? Again, thee are no security guarantees for Ukraine, just give me half of your resources and we will provide you the weapons to keep your freedom and independence.
I am far more a Reagan person than a MAGA person. I support peace and freedom and being the leader of the free world. Being a nation others look up to.
Not where dollars are tied to diplomacy. This is the same with Greenland, and its resources from Denmark, and Trump talking about Canada becoming our 51st state, which has upset the Candadians considerably
Brent@2:09: On the topic of embarrassing proposals, let's not forget the new Gulf Of America :)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Delete"Thirty years ago, on 5 December 1994, at a ceremony in Budapest, Ukraine joined Belarus and Kazakhstan in giving up their nuclear arsenals in return for security guarantees from the United States, the UK, France, China and Russia."
DeleteUkraine should have checked our country's history with agreements with our native Americans. To some of our leaders others are always just going to be "saps and suckers".
I’m waiting for one of the Dem Party partisan cheerleaders like LVCI @ 6:22 to make a case for the Department of Education or that money laundering nest of subversive spooks at USAID.
ReplyDeleteLet’s consider the role of the U.S. Congress. As of this January their approval rating was somewhere between 17 and 18%. Delusion fantasies, wishful thinking, and fear mongering isn’t going to get this country out of the doldrums created by the Biden/Harris administration, by any rational metric the most abysmal administration in living memory.
Anonymous February 24, 2025 at 7:41 AM
DeleteI’m waiting for one of the Dem Party partisan cheerleaders like LVCI @ 6:22..
I'd rather think of myself logical then partisan. I don't think anyone on either side of the aisle is against cutting cost and other foolish wastes of money however the way to go about it is not to throw the baby out with the bath water. Destroying departments entirely and firing employees is a horrible idea. You go through items line by line and eliminate the stupid stuff. What Trump and Elon are doing is dismantling the government piece by piece like they both are some sort of Russian assets. Anyone failing to see this are far more partisan then what I've been accused of being.
“Russian partisans”.
DeleteGood one. Old hoaxes die hard, I guess.
I’m quite sure that Russia would love for the US government to continue wasting our tax dollars and increasing our debt on any of the items that DOGE has identified. And yes, those on the Left side of the aisle (the democrats) are the ones complaining about cutting the waste.
Again, please cite a single spending cut proposed to USAID that you oppose. That should be revealing.
LVIC, Actually the Democrats are against cutting government. They are making that clear through their statements, protests, and court actions. No one is throwing away the baby with the bath water here. A recognized expert in downsizing bloated workforces is leading the effort and has an army of very young wizards with him who are going through budgets line by line. They are making suggestions on where there is clear waste and fraud and there is plenty of it. Suggestions are all they can do. we should all remember that. Are you saying there aren't entire departments that can't be eliminated? If so, you haven't been reading government watchdog reports that for years now have been highlighting specific agencies that have long worn out their original mission yet just live on, and on, serving no useful purpose. The worst part of your attempted defense of Democratic obstruction is the specious slander that "Trump is acting as a Russian asset". Please! Does this make any sense? A streamed line, responsive government, living within it's means and getting its fiscal house in order is the last thing any of our adversaries want. What Trump is doing is long overdue, and the right thing to do. Obama actually talked about trimming the bureaucracy, but when faced with the task shrugged and walked away. Trump, isn't shrugging it off, he's taking it on, and every tax payer, everyone who want to pass on an America that isn't bankrupted and saddled with debts and deficits to their children and grandchildren should be applauding rather than obstructing.
DeleteLVCI, turn off the corporate MSM television and turn down the hysteria.
Delete“…firing all our top military leaders…pulling the rug out from under Zelensky…Musk seems to be the hyper active de-facto vice president…He has already cut up and minced most of our safety nets… Most of Trump's MAGA supporters don't know what's even happening.”
ReplyDeleteYou’re obviously still watching and listening to the same mainstream media sources that gave you the Russia hoax and told you Joe Biden was mentally competent.
Other than the democrats and their media allies, I know of nobody else who is supportive of ANY of the wasteful spending that Musk has uncovered, or who is upset at Trump for focusing our military on lethality and WINNING wars, not prolonging them.
It’s your prerogative to describe yourself as a CONSERVATIVE independent, but I think a more honest assessment might find that really isn’t accurate. Maybe I’m forgetting your conservative positions on national issues, or maybe they simply no longer exist.
Since you acknowledge that hard-core conservative are happy with Trump, and seem to self-describe yourself as being on the more moderate end of the “conservative” scale, is there anything that Trump has done that you agree with?
anon@8:04: someone yesterday referred to me as a far right radical on facebook. Whatever my viewpoints are, they're pretty easy to find. I have been posting and commenting under my name for decades. I think conservative independent is quite accurate.
DeleteI agree with Trump about DEI. However, the chainsaw being used on this and other woke policies, although amusing to the MAGA, does not serve our government's workforce well.
I'm glad that Trump closed the gaps in the southern border.
Mr. Molovinsky, thank you for allowing this dialogue to play out. It’s is helpful to hear differing opinions. There has been far too much censorship in the media. But, many of us have fought our way through that. Things are being revealed through this audit that should upset EVERYONE who actually pays taxes.
ReplyDeleteNo one is served by a rogue government and news providers, including bloggers, who attempt to keep things quiet because they believe it makes their preferred political party look bad. That’s stupid. There’s a blogger in Nazareth who doesn’t understand the harm censorship can actually do. Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
To the poster who tried to minimize those in the 19-30 year old range, I remind, this is the SAME 19-30 year old group that puts their life on the line every day through their courageous service in the military and as police, firemen, etc. I am 74 years old, and this same group gives me great hope for what few years I have left. You see, we BOTH share the very same future. The younger generation has even more at stake than I.
1. Too much money in government; result 37 trillion in debt.
ReplyDelete2. Ho ho, hey hey, Donald Trump has got to stay.
3. Hey hey, ho ho profligate government has got to go.
Sheesh! I’m with you brother, but you have the slogan writing skills of a democrat. We have to do better than that.
DeleteLast week Trump gave a too long 80 minute to some group of sycophants. He rambled on about how many 120 year olds were on Social Security. Then how many in the 120 to 140 year range. His audience politely didn't say anything, but they knew when Social Security stops issuing the checks, that they still keep the names and numbers on file. This sort of misinformation isn't amusing. It's one thing to say such nonsense to a rally crowd that was willing to stand in line for hours, it's another when you're in the oval office representing United States.
ReplyDeleteLet’s all pretend that Biden didn’t try to subvert SS low those many years ago, as documented by none other than The Hill.
DeleteWho is prepared to argue that SS doesn’t require some serious attention?
Picking away at Trumps many foibles doesn’t advance position public policy.
Considering that the Social Security Administration wasn’t created until 1935 and the beneficiary would have been about 50 years old already, and there were no computers back then, why would such listings even be on the books?
ReplyDeleteThis demonstrates shoddy record keeping and accountability meaning a full audit now and updates are more than appropriate. I do believe there is continuing fraud in Social Security payments that need to cleared out, to the benefit of all eligible people now receiving benefits. No doubt Trump was equally shocked by such reports and wanted to get everyone’s attention.
scott@12:57: I do not consider Trump clever as a fox, and I doubt that you really do either.
ReplyDeleteanon@2:04: future comments assuming what news sources someone reads or watches, or doesn't read or watch, will not be printed.
I do and stand by it. Idiots don't attract the kind of talent that surrounds Trump. They are drawn to him because he is in many ways extremely clever, big picture, far thinking, and hard working.
DeleteMike you of all people should be glad as to what is going on nationally. This administration could have been following your blog all along as to local antics. There just pulling a Lou Hersman audit but not cursing them and having them thank him as he proved faked ausit numbers!
ReplyDeleteanon@4:01: The concept isn't the problem, it is the implementation. Lou Hershman first studied the budgets, and used a scalpel with his proposals, not the chainsaw as shown above.
ReplyDelete