Saturday, February 15, 2025

Flotsam and Jetsam - VP Vance Goes Across the Pond

And once again I find myself waist-deep in links. At NYPo, James Carville admits Trump’s fast pace is leaving Democrats reeling: ‘We are overwhelmed.’  I certainly am. Twitchy sees Buck Sexton Shares WaPo Front Page Loaded With 'Trump's Greatest Hits' Headlines. Don Surber shares his Highlights of the week, all 31 of them. To add insult to injury, Sundance at CTH hosts President Trump Signs Energy Executive Order and Holds Impromptu Press Conference from the Oval Office. Keep 'em on the run! At Da Signal, Trump Agenda on Track With Swift Cabinet Confirmations. At Insty, REAGAN’S ‘TERRIBLE SWIFT SWORD’ ASSESSES TRUMP: "Donald Devine was Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) under President Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1985. Trust me, and I worked for him for nearly three years, he earned that moniker. Today in National Review, Devine provides a finely detailed, historically informed and politically wise evaluation of Trump’s first three weeks, which he describes as “the most well prepared and best performing presidential transition in history. It had the earliest and largest number of cabinet nominees and staff, the most thoughtful and earliest announced executive orders and agency guidance, and a president ready to lead.”"

Dave Strom at Hat Hair calls this Trump's Most Epic Troll Ever: Libs of TikTok@libsoftiktok, "President Trump proudly displays his mugshot in the White House." Althouse, Trump has his framed mug-shot on the wall next to the door to the Oval Office. Scott Pinsker at PJM lauds Vanity Fair’s Shocking Profile of Barron Trump, shocking friendly.

At NYPo, Watch live: Vice President Vance speaks in Munich as Trump pushes to end Ukraine war. Bonchie at RedState calls it MUST-SEE: JD Vance Triggers Munich Security Conference, Rips European Hypocrites to Their Faces. Da Mail, JD Vance torches European leaders for 'criminalizing' free speech in extraordinary Munich speech. At Hat Hair, Beege Welborn says While Standing in Their Kitchen, JD Opens a Can of Freedom Whoop-A** on Europeans LAGNIAPPE. Mary Chastain at LI highlights Vance to Europe: America Survived ’10 Years of Greta Thunberg,’ You can Survive Elon Musk. “And unfortunately, when I look at Europe today, it’s sometimes not so clear what happened to some of the Cold War’s winners.” Althouse, finds "Alongside Romania, Germany and Sweden, Vance singled out the UK for some of the most scathing passages of his tirade."  Ace, JD Vance Shocks Munich, Rocks Europe With Speech Decrying Europe's Determined Slouch Into Tyranny and Madness. "JD Vance just called out the Davos-controled governments of Europe and attacked them for resorting to Soviet Union tactics -- jailing dissidents, ignoring the will of the people, even cancelling elections entirely -- in order, they claim, to "save democracy."" Hat Hair's Dave Strom wonders Is Europe a Greater Threat to US Citizens Than Russia? He thinks so. Hat Hair's Capt. Ed encouraged by the EU: Say, Maybe We Should Invest In Our Own Defense After All.

Four more from Sundance, Vice-President Vance Scheduled to Meet President Zelenskyy in Munich Tonight – As JD Vance Stuns the EU with Confrontation of Their Hypocrisy, "UPDATE: Transcript Added", Oh Boy, Body Language Alert: Vice President JD Vance Meets with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, VP JD Vance and Def Sec Pete Hegseth, Execute the Trump Doctrine Term-2, and The Trump Doctrine. From NYPo, Trump focused on ‘productive negotiation’ with Putin and Zelensky to end brutal war in Ukraine, JD Vance says. NY Sun, UN Balks at Trump Move To Deny an ‘Illegitimate’  ICC Prosecutor Entry to America, "Following the president’s February 6 executive order, the Department of Treasury has added Karim Khan, a British citizen, to its ‘Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.’" At Althouse, "South Korea’s likely next leader would support President Donald Trump’s efforts to restart dialogue with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un..." ""... and would even consider nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize if there was a significant breakthrough, signaling a sharp change from Seoul’s current hard-line approach toward Pyongyang...." From "South Korea’s likely next leader wants warmer ties with China, North Korea/Lee Jae-myung says he would support President Donald Trump’s efforts to restart talks with North Korea — and even consider nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize" (WaPo)(free-access link)." ET has 5 Takeaways From Trump’s Sweeping Reciprocal Tariffs Plan. "The United States plans to tariff all trading partners at an amount that matches the tariffs placed on the US, the president says." From RCD Axel de Vernou explains How Trump’s Tariffs Can Reverse De-Dollarization. At Hat Hair, Released American Hamas Hostage Keith Siegal Says, 'Thank You, Mr President'

Don Surber explores Why Democrats hate Hegseth. "Trump hired Hegseth to change the military back into a lean, mean, fighting machine. That is what true warriors want. The president did not have the military behind him in his first term. This time he will succeed because he will have the military on his side instead of the future members of Boeing’s board of directors. Hegseth is the key to success in Trump’s second term as commander-in-chief because someone has to quell the riots." OTP reports Army Bans Transgender-Identifying Individuals. U.S. Army@USArmy, "The #USArmy will no longer allow transgender individuals to join the military and will stop performing or facilitating procedures associated with gender transition for service members. Stay tuned for more details."

Stephen Kruiser at PJM, says Screw Seed Oils, I'm Giving RFK Jr. a Chance. Althouse remembers RFK Jr. advocated banning prescription drug advertising on TV. Would that destroy mainstream TV news?. "I asked Grok: What has RFK Jr. said about prescription drug advertising on TV? Answer: "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been vocal about his opposition to prescription drug advertising on television."" At Fox, RFK Jr.’s top health and wellness priorities as doctors share input, "The new HHS secretary aims to improve food, healthcare, medical freedoms and more." Breitbart, Ric Grenell Cleans House at ‘Broke’ Kennedy Center, Removing Several ‘Highly Paid Executives’ and Saving Taxpayers Millions and pissing off all the "right" people in DC. 

At Althouse, "What immediately stood out... just the fact of [Elon Musk] holding court next to a sitting President Trump for 30 minutes in [the Oval Office]." "There's a suggestion that Musk gave Trump "credibility" and then a long bit about how the people who take USAID money are some of the very best people. I felt as though I was supposed to forget the question asked and just absorb a negative opinion of Musk's project, which is completely nonresponsive! Why can't they talk observe and analyze the change in Trump? He's been through so much!" Ace debunks the New Leftist Attack on Musk and Trump: Trump Is Buying $400,000,000 of Armored Tesla Cybertrucks in a Corrupt Payoff, "There is such a deal. There's just one problem with this claim: The State Department inked the deal to buy these electric trucks on December 13, 2024. When Biden was "president."" NewsBusters advises Oh Blow It Out Your Nose! Paul Krugman Is Already Trying to Make ‘Trumpflation’ a Thing, after 4 years of downplaying it under Biden. Rick Moran at PJM sees Republicans Take First Step in Creating 'One, Big, Beautiful Bill' of Trump Priorities. Newt, discusses the Trump Tax Cuts vs. a Congressional Tax Increase "Members of Congress seeking to delay or stop a Big, Beautiful Bill of tax cuts, energy improvements, deregulation, economic growth, and better affordability are risking their futures."

Rasmussen Reports@Rasmussen_Poll, "DOGE: "Legally untouchable because it was already fully funded and operational. Congress can't defund it because it's not a new program, just a repurposed one. Since the (prior program) was originally an IT oversight program, DOGE now has full access to all Federal data systems. Yes, that's right. All of them."" Dave Strom says It's Your Own Damn Fault, Liberals. Althouse finds "Musk and his goofily-named, wow-that-really-exists Department of Government Efficiency have been intent on the government budget slash-and-burn mission..." ""... since Donald Trump took office. They say that evil never sleeps, but apparently tech kajillionaires who have pretty bananapants power over federal infrastructure do, hence Musk’s alleged lil DOGE naps in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. . . I'm reading "Goodnight, Goon. Elon Musk Is Whispering 'Cuts,' Sleeping on the Floor Near the White House/He really is in the DOGEhouse, huh?" That's Kase Wickman, writing in Vanity Fair." At Am Great the Great Victor Davis Hanson lays out the Mythologies About Musk, "Musk's role in DOGE is misunderstood: he's an appointed auditor with legal authority to find waste, not cut programs, and foreign aid isn't ending, though USAID's inefficiencies may be restructured." Scott Jennings@ScottJenningsKY, "TV Dems say 2 things: “nobody voted for this” & everyone hates Elon. They have learned nothing. And they lie. Read ‘em & weep on @axios: “Every AZ swing voter in our focus groups approve of Trump's actions — & most support Musk's efforts to slash government.”" Dave Strom also cites Axios: Swing Voters LOVE What Trump and Musk Are Doing. Cutie Pavlich at TownHall says Democrats Are Going to Hate New Polling on DOGE. Breitbart sees the Rassmussen Poll: Majority Approve of Elon Musk Running DOGE. At Unreported Truths Alex Berenson explains Why the Trump/Musk partnership is taking off. "Two alphas with very different skills, one government to shrink." RVN, Joe Rogan Drops a Massive Truth Bomb on Mainstream Media’s DOGE Coverage. “It’s just too much of a win for the right, and so they’re just ignoring it and then they’re just highlighting the good things that USAID did, which I’m sure they probably did. Probably had to do some good things to at least justify its existence.” Veronique de Rugy discusses The Upside, Risks and Limits of DOGE . Edward N Luttwak @ELuttwak, "While governing the US Trump is also awakening populations world-wide to the quiet corruption of their own governments, which also divert taxpayer money to their NGO friends, also use defense spending to feed uncompetitive mil industries, and perpetuate overstaffed bureaucracies." ET, Trump’s Budget Chief Moves to Authorize His Political Appointees to Make Spending Decisions, "The decision gives Vought greater leverage to keep subordinates on track who would otherwise slow-walk or block policies at the department and agency levels." Professor Ornery, DOGE, Audits, and Eko, "The substack “Eko Loves You” is an interesting and insightful read. There’s a lot of speculation that this is Elon Musk writing his thoughts on the work and discoveries of DOGE. Whether it’s Musk or not, the posts are well worth reading. The posts lay out in clear language what’s been discovered, connections, Constitutional issues… the whole shebang."

Misty Severi at JTN reports a Federal judge blocks CFPB from terminating employees without cause, "The ruling comes after the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on Thursday directed federal agencies to begin firing its employees who are still in their probationary period." ET, Federal Judge Orders Trump Admin to Restore Funding for Foreign Aid, "The judge said the blanket suspension was likely ‘arbitrary and capricious’ and questioned its necessity as ‘a rational precursor to reviewing programs.’" Fox, Judge orders temporary reversal of Trump admin’s freeze on foreign aid. From WaEx, Judges blocking Trump government efficiency moves have history of liberal activism, of course. ET, on  Judicial Impeachment: How It Works and Why It’s in the Spotlight, "The Constitution indicates that federal judges can be impeached and removed from office for ‘treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.’" There should be a "3 strikes, you're out" rule. Ace's THE MORNING RANT: In Response to Rogue Judiciary, Perhaps Trump Should Expand Executive Branch Purview and Start Firing Federal Judges "Here’s an idea: President Trump should fire these rogue federal judges and instruct all Executive Branch employees to ignore any rulings that come from federal judges that he has fired."

Not The Bee, Report: Trump to begin mass firings of IRS staff as Valentine’s Day gift to America. R A W S A L E R T S @rawsalerts, "BREAKING: Donald Trump has instructed the IRS to begin mass layoffs affecting thousands of employees." Da Hill whines Interior Department fires 2,300 employees after OPM directive. ET, Department of Veterans Affairs Fires Over 1,000 Employees, "Some of the terminated workers were on probationary status." The Biden administration added many thousand Federal jobs; the only job growth under Biden was federal workers and illegal aliens. The "probies" are vulnerable. Fox, Expert reveals massive levels of waste DOGE can slash from entitlements, pet projects: 'A lot of fat.' "Just Facts President James Agresti ripped the IRS for doling out child tax credits for the children of illegal immigrants, calling it 'theft'." Breitbart reports Lee Zeldin Cancels $50 Million Contract for ‘Free Palestine’ Climate Group. Mary Chastain at LI reports Trump Cuts Off Federal Funds to Schools Mandating COVID Vaccine. From Da Wire, Trump’s OMB Director Is Urged To Block Taxpayer Dollars To Planned Parenthood, "'We strongly encourage you to review all federal funding to Planned Parenthood.'" Commentary at RCP, DOGE Is Right To Defang the CFPB. Naw, keep it the way it is, but fine lefty companies big bucks and give the money to right-wing NGOs, and see how they like it. VodkaPundit at PJM wonders Is DOGE Going to Kill the F-35?. "If Hegseth and the DOGE boys do decide to kill the program, my advice would be to kill it slowly. Milblogger (and retired Navy officer) CDR Salamander devised a rule about procurement that goes something like this: don't stop building the Current Thing until the New Thing is ready to go." WUWT, EPA Returns ‘Gold Bars’ to Taxpayers – The Climate Realism Show #145.

From Lifezette, DOGE Subcommittee Uncovers Massive $2.7 Trillion in Improper Payments—Leavitt Responds. Laura Hollis claims International Aid and Internal Fraud Are Part of the Same Plan. Dave Strom explores the charge  Did USAID Funding Freeze Really Kill a Thai Woman? No, but an NGO did, in a fit of pique over the USAID cuts. "It truly was evil. Because the International Rescue Committee has hundreds of millions of dollars in its bank account and assets. It just chose to close down the hospitals--which, by the way, were still eligible for USAID funding under the Executive Order--out of spite."

Matt Vespa at TownHall thinks This Dem Rep Made Everyone Dumber at the DOGE Oversight Hearing This Week. Alex Pfeiffer @Pfeiffer47, "Mazie Hirono is breathing a sigh of relief. Jasmine is officially the dumbest lawmaker on the Hill. This jobs report consists entirely of data from before President Trump took office. I guess I should thank you for pointing out the failure of Bidenomics." Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett @RepJasmine "So it turns out when you DON'T go woke, you go broke. Trump's New DEI? Dying Economy and Inflation. It's only two weeks in and Trump is Making America Broke Again! https://forbes.com/sites/dereksau" From Behinds the Black, Another Democrat demonstrates her stupidity and ignorance, demanding NASA’s acting administrator revoke Musk’s access to headquarters. Stacey Matthews at LI, Ayanna Pressley Leads Push For Reparations Commission Amid DOGE’s Cuts to Wasteful Spending, "“What we’re seeing from the Trump administration and their allies in Congress and the courts is a coordinated, years-long effort to dismantle any policy that uplifts black folks and addresses America’s shameful history of systemic racism. It is anti-blackness on steroids…”"


At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 02.14.25 (Evening Edition),  Magnum: The Coast Guard Was Focused on DEI Not Cybersecurity, EBL: RFK Jr. confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary, My Fault: London, Twitchy: VP Vance May Never Recover From This, Trump & Musk Amused At Dems/Legacy Media’s Lame Attempts To Drive A Wedge Between Them, Louder With Crowder: An NBC News journalismer found a way to use climate change to ruin your Valentine’s Day: they’re coming after CHOCOLATE, Adam Piggott: It’s all so Tiresome, American Conservative: Trump Runs the Milei Playbook, American Greatness, Tulsi Gabbard Confirmed as President Trump’s DNI, EPA Chief Lee Zeldin Locates and Demands Return of $20 Billion Biden Officials Tried to Funnel to Left-Wing Groups, Trump Announces Peace Negotiations With Russia to End ‘Ridiculous’ Ukraine War After ‘Lengthy and Highly Productive’ Call With Putin, and Performers Quit Kennedy Center After Trump Takeover, American Thinker: We’re Living through the Biggest Scandal of All Time, Animal Magnetism, Rule Five Joe Rogan Shreds the Dems Friday, BattleSwarm: Tren de Aragua Sex Trafficking Ringleaders Arrested In Houston, Behind The Black, Another Democrat demonstrates her stupidity and ignorance, demanding NASA’s acting administrator revoke Musk’s access to headquarters, Cafe Hayek: Tariffs Are Charges On Fellow Citizens, Da Tech Guy, Musk Gets the Arrows Johnson Turns The Flank, Dana Loesch: Activist Judges Try To Stop Trump – A Look at Judge John McConnell Jr. Don Surber: Why Democrats hate Hegseth, The Geller Report: New EPA Chief Lee Zeldin Cancels $50 MILLION Biden-Era “Climate Justice Through a Free Palestine” Grant, Billions More Laundered, also, Biden’s HHS Left Taxpayers on the Hook for $22.6 BILLION for Giveaways to Illegals for Cars, Homes, Startup Businesses, Hollywood’s Anti-Trump Resistance 2.0 Finds Its Footing, The Lid: Trump’s Approval Rating Among Black Men Soars, Legal Insurrection: Egg Purchase Restrictions Implemented at Major US Grocery Stores, Ayanna Pressley Leads Push For Reparations Commission Amid DOGE’s Cuts to Wasteful Spending, Scientists Argue Over Whether Trump is Right About the Existence of Only Two Sexes, Trump Cuts Off Federal Funds to Schools Mandating COVID Vaccine .  . .  and much more!

At Althouse, "On her first day in office, [Attorney General Pam Bondi] announced the creation of a 'Weaponization Working Group,' purportedly intended to root out 'abuses of the criminal justice process'..." "One veteran prosecutor told a friend late Thursday that he was not answering phone calls, in hopes of avoiding a demand to take an action that would force his resignation...." From "Trump Official’s Demand in Adams Case Forces Justice Dept. Showdown/A crisis at the department over the Eric Adams case is an early test of the criminal justice system’s resilience against a retribution-minded president and his appointees" (NYT). ET, US Attorney Resigns After Order to Drop Charges Against New York City Mayor, "Danielle Sassoon, a Republican serving in an interim capacity, steps down." Kurt Schlichter @KurtSchlichter "Every single one of these lawyers who is now resigning 1) did not heroically resign after any of the many Biden outrages; 2) knows they will get their toes shrimped by the regime media and their social circles; and 3) will walk into hugely lucrative jobs within days. They have sacrificed nothing. This is the best thing that’s ever happened to them. They’re not heroes. They’re narcissists. And they’re cynical, and the slobbering attention being paid to them shows they are right to be." Kurt Schlichter@KurtSchlichter, "The deep state has a lot less power when you stop giving it the benefit of the doubt that it’s acting in good faith and understand that it’s just a bunch of grubby little political hacks exploiting the system." Quote 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐮𝐲@YankReb69, "Replying to @DanLamothe Posobiec lost his clearance. He's a dirtbag." WikiLeaks @wikileaks, "Washington DC searches for "lawyer' have increased 400% (data from Google trends)."


City Journal explains Why Immigration Cost Democrats the Election. "Their radicalism put them out of step with American voters." Ace, New Propaganda Drops: Akshually Biden Arrested More Border Crossers Than Trump Did, MAGats!!! Amazing. Libs of TikTok@libsoftiktok, "JUST IN: Illegal border crossings hit record lows according to new CBP data. The US is on track to have the LOWEST monthly border crossings in at least 25 YEARS!" The Trump Effect OTP reports Border Crossings Plunge 90% To Historic Lows. Guy Benson at  TownHall, Ouch: ICE Brutally Fact-Checks Journos. Blaze, ACLU misleads on illegal aliens at GITMO, ignoring ‘high-threat’ status. NYPo, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry paying big bucks to Dem operatives via their charity – sparking calls for a congressional investigation, he is an immigrant. 


Joe Weber at JTN, Inflation climbed to annualized rate of 3% in January, Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, thanks Brandon! City Journal says it's Time to Pull the Plug on “Environmental Justice.” Biden’s agenda was really a way to funnel billions of dollars to progressive activist groups. The Daily Economy reminds us the $42 Billion Broadband Boondoggle Brought Internet to Zero Homes. Gabe Kaminsky at WaEx reports In final days, Biden awarded $50 million to self-dealing charity leader, Tribal Energy Consortium.  



Teri Christof at RedState, BREAKING: New Details Emerge About Actions of Black Hawk Pilots in Deadly DC Mid-Air Collision. Black Boxes show helo at 280 ft, plane at 310 ft. Helo crew almost certainly wearing night-vision gear. 

Capt. Ed writes Of Pultizers and Petards. "Could the board that awards Pulitzer Prizes to media outlets end up losing a defamation suit over fake news? Could Donald Trump use the same tools used against him to wreak revenge for Protection Racket Media coverage of the Russis-collusion hoax that all but derailed the first half of his first presidential term?" Ace, Terrorist-Friendly Propaganda Aggregator Reuters Took $9 Million from Biden's DoD For... "Large Scale Social Deception" and "Active Social Engineering". Althouse sees Jen Psaki locates Joe Rogan and Theo Von in the "right-wing ecosystem," but Jon Stewart isn't having it.



Susan Crabtree@susancrabtree, "#BREAKING AND EXCLUSIVE RE: DEI IN THE SECRET SERVICE: Agents in the Secret Service are growing increasingly alarmed that new USSS Director Sean Curran is not immediately halting the Biden Administration's DEI hiring and training priorities despite Pres. Trump's executive order mandating that all executive agencies do so. There's a trans special agent trainee who gendered female at birth but transitioned to a male but wants to continue using female PT standards while being addressed as a man and using the men's bathrooms, according to several Secret Service sources. The recruit was going through training at the Secret Service's Rowley Training Center as of late January, after Trump officially named Curran as the new director. I was told by two sources that the Secret Service was allowing this person to use female PT standards while identifying as male, but that decision had spurred resentment among the male rank-and-file agents."

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