tequila4kapp said:

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I'm not sure. I think it's more likely driven by isolationism / America First stuff.

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Yeah, seems like it's a total shutdown, including the initiatives that were doing good. Doesn't look like good governance to me.

sycasey said:

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tequila4kapp said:

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I'm not sure. I think it's more likely driven by isolationism / America First stuff.

---

Yeah, seems like it's a total shutdown, including the initiatives that were doing good. Doesn't look like good governance to me.

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The previous administration had four years to do something about it.

bear2034 said:

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sycasey said:

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tequila4kapp said:

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I'm not sure. I think it's more likely driven by isolationism / America First stuff.

---

Yeah, seems like it's a total shutdown, including the initiatives that were doing good. Doesn't look like good governance to me.

---

The previous administration had four years to do something about it.

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This is a nonsensical response. Because no one else fixed the problem we're just going to trash everything? Childish.

sycasey said:

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bear2034 said:

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sycasey said:

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tequila4kapp said:

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I'm not sure. I think it's more likely driven by isolationism / America First stuff.

---

Yeah, seems like it's a total shutdown, including the initiatives that were doing good. Doesn't look like good governance to me.

---

The previous administration had four years to do something about it.

---

This is a nonsensical response. Because no one else fixed the problem we're just going to trash everything? Childish.

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What problem?

bear2034 said:

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sycasey said:

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bear2034 said:

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sycasey said:

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tequila4kapp said:

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I'm not sure. I think it's more likely driven by isolationism / America First stuff.

---

Yeah, seems like it's a total shutdown, including the initiatives that were doing good. Doesn't look like good governance to me.

---

The previous administration had four years to do something about it.

---

This is a nonsensical response. Because no one else fixed the problem we're just going to trash everything? Childish.

---

What problem?

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Not going to continue down this road. Engage with what I already wrote earlier or go back to your meme spamming.

sycasey said:

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bear2034 said:

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sycasey said:

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bear2034 said:

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sycasey said:

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tequila4kapp said:

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I'm not sure. I think it's more likely driven by isolationism / America First stuff.

---

Yeah, seems like it's a total shutdown, including the initiatives that were doing good. Doesn't look like good governance to me.

---

The previous administration had four years to do something about it.

---

This is a nonsensical response. Because no one else fixed the problem we're just going to trash everything? Childish.

---

What problem?

---

Not going to continue down this road. Engage with what I already wrote earlier or go back to your meme spamming.

---

[this week on house hunters]

Him: USAID employee

Her: dance instructor for mute transgender amputee youth in Somalia pic.twitter.com/axNGBbQ7yU

— Mrs. Brassenstein (@MBrassenstein) February 4, 2025

bear2034 said:

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Total Recall. pic.twitter.com/xsNA85MWzy

— Mike Benz (@MikeBenzCyber) February 4, 2025

No more free crab roll sushi.

---

Hey, anyone who's watched The Wire knows you don't evacuate people (unless you're giving them an enema), you evacuate buildings.

bear2034 said:

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One of Liz Cheney's earlier jobs out of law school was at USAID.

---

DEI hire.

I did not know that about Obama's mama, that's actually nuts how little we knew but to be honest I didn't really ever go searching for information about poli's parents. Crazy to know she was a spook.

LMAO at all the people asking "why did Trump do this when USAID does some good things" or claiming this is not good governance.

USAID had become a hybrid liberal/progressive activist organization that also occasionally operated as a CIA/black ops front. It was the deepest of the deep state that would not pursue and implement Trump's policy preferences. Rubio said as much today

"Rubio blasted USAID for being "completely unresponsive" telling Fox "they don't consider that they work for the U.S., they just think they're a global entity and that their master is the globe and not the United States, and that's not what the statute says, and that's not sustainable."

He then continued ""There are things that we do through USAID that we should continue to do, that make sense, and we'll have to decide, is that better through the State Department or is that better through something, you know, a reformed USAID? That's the process we're working through."

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rubio-says-no-choice-bring-usaid-under-control-after-agency-takeover-rank-insubordination

CBS is reporting the agency's functions will be merged into the larger state department. "Mr. Trump said Sunday the agency was "run by a bunch of radical lunatics. And we're getting them out.""

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/usaid-merged-into-state-department/

The overwrought and strident reaction of the dems tells the full story. They know USAID was a progressive tool that would be oppositional to Trump, and that is why they're complaining so vociferously. And it is absolutely good governance for federal agencies to be accountable to the President whose policies they are supposed to implement.

Eastern Oregon Bear said:

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MinotStateBeav said:

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I did not know that about Obama's mama, that's actually nuts how little we knew but to be honest I didn't really ever go searching for information about poli's parents. Crazy to know she was a spook.

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The ability of guys like you to accept any bit of speculation as the truth is frankly rather terrifying.

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Interesting commentary coming from the team that promoted a Pee tape and promoted/accepted the false Russiagate claims, all while denying the authenticity of the Hunter laptop.

sycasey said:

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tequila4kapp said:

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I'm not sure. I think it's more likely driven by isolationism / America First stuff.

---

Yeah, seems like it's a total shutdown, including the initiatives that were doing good. Doesn't look like good governance to me.

---

It is a "shutdown" of the agency, not a shutdown of all initiatives. The initiatives Trump supports will remain under the supervision of the state department - which is what is supposed to happen after an election.

BearGoggles said:

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"Rubio blasted USAID for being "completely unresponsive" telling Fox "they don't consider that they work for the U.S., they just think they're a global entity and that their master is the globe and not the United States, and that's not what the statute says, and that's not sustainable."

---

USAID's unresponsiveness to Trump's executive orders is the reason why Elon and DOGE further investigated USAID this past weekend.

I got laid off at USAID today. I was in charge of making the Taliban trans. Was really starting to make headway too.

— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) February 5, 2025

Democrats at the USAID Office

“Are the DOGE people here?” 😂💀 pic.twitter.com/Pnh8dA4wFU

— Mostly Peaceful Memes (@MostlyPeacefull) February 4, 2025

Why is it so funny, satisfying, and sad at the same time?

https://www.usaid.gov/

The website is down

On Friday, February 7, 2025, at 11:59 pm (EST) all USAID direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs. Essential personnel expected to continue working will be informed by Agency leadership by Thursday, February 6, at 3:00pm (EST).

For USAID personnel currently posted outside the United States, the Agency, in coordination with missions and the Department of State, is currently preparing a plan, in accordance with all applicable requirements and laws, under which the Agency would arrange and pay for return travel to the United States within 30 days and provide for the termination of PSC and ISC contracts that are not determined to be essential. The Agency will consider case-by-case exceptions and return travel extensions based on personal or family hardship, mobility or safety concerns, or other reasons. For example, the Agency will consider exceptions based on the timing of dependents' school term, personal or familial medical needs, pregnancy, and other reasons. Further guidance on how to request an exception will be forthcoming.
Thank you for your service..

concordtom said:

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I see on every thread a bunch of Bear2034 posts. Now that you are back on Ignore status, I can't read them.

As I know these are posts only designed to incite and annoy through gobblygook logic, it gives me great satisfaction to know I am like a bird soaring over a field divided by multiple fences, unhalted.

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What a wonderful feature. Done! If only it would transfer over to whatever screen name comes next for that goofball.

AunBear89 said:

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You all realize that none of this is new? The US government has been wasting giant piles of money on useless and/or harmful purposes for at least the past 7 decades. Under every administration. It's baked in to the cake. Corruption and greed know no party affiliation.


But let's keep pretending that the Libs are the baddies, and MAGA is an altruistic bunch here to save us.

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We agree both parties have historically supported the wasteful spending.

The republicans are now saying that we should stop wasting giant piles of money. But is the dems/liberals who want to continue to do so. That does make them the "baddies" in this case.

AunBear89 said:

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You all realize that none of this is new? The US government has been wasting giant piles of money on useless and/or harmful purposes for at least the past 7 decades. Under every administration. It's baked in to the cake. Corruption and greed know no party affiliation.


But let's keep pretending that the Libs are the baddies, and MAGA is an altruistic bunch here to save us.

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Until now. What Trump and DOGE are doing is absolutely fantastic. I do not agree with all of Trump's moves (like I didn't disagree with all of Biden's) but this focus on cutting government waste is long, long overdue.

sycasey said:

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BearGoggles said:

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sycasey said:

---

tequila4kapp said:

---

I'm not sure. I think it's more likely driven by isolationism / America First stuff.

---

Yeah, seems like it's a total shutdown, including the initiatives that were doing good. Doesn't look like good governance to me.

---

It is a "shutdown" of the agency, not a shutdown of all initiatives. The initiatives Trump supports will remain under the supervision of the state department - which is what is supposed to happen after an election.

---

For now it is a shutdown of all initiatives. Everything has stopped. Maybe it starts again, but there is no clear instruction on if and when that will happen.

Also, the ones that "Trump supports"? No, it's supposed to at minimum continue everything that Congress has mandated. If those things do not continue, will you admit that this is unlawful?

---

The PEPFAR initiative is one that has continued. Per Rubio, other high priority programs will be continued.

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-spells-out-life-saving-hiv-treatment-that-can-continue-during-aid-pause-2025-02-01/

In terms of the legalities, I don't believe Trump has authority to abolish the agency. In any event, the agency is administered by a presidential appointee (currently Mario Rubio) who has broad discretion as to how approriated dollars are spent. Congress did not mandate how every dollar was to be spent or, for that matter, which NGOs would receive the $$. Rubio, as head of the agency, has broad discretion on that front.

Of note, per the WSJ:

"In summary, USAID exists pursuant to law, its functions are defined by law, and it would take an act of Congress to alter it significantly or abolish it.

But there's a complicating factor: The 1998 law that established USAID stated that "The Administrator of the Agency for International Development . . . shall report to and be under the direct authority and foreign policy guidance of the Secretary of State." This means that USAID isn't a fully independent agency and would violate the terms of its authorizing legislation if it refused to accept the secretary's guidance.

Enter newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told reporters accompanying him to Latin America that USAID is "a completely unresponsive agency." Citing his experience in Congress, he stated that "it's supposed to respond to policy directives with the State Department, and it refuses to do so."

If this alleged unresponsiveness continues, Mr. Rubio would have the authority to fire noncompliant officials and seek to replace them with people who would respect his statutory authority. But he has no legal right to abolish USAID any more than the president does."

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trump-usaid-and-the-rule-of-law-us-agency-for-international-development-3177a22c


Below is a list of spending items that reflect the Biden Administrations (Samantha Powers) spending priorities. Trump and his appointee Rubio are absolutely entitled to change those.

USAID has been completely unaccountable for decades, run by bureaucrats with agendas who believed they answered to nobody.

Here are a few more of the ridiculous projects on which they spent YOUR money:

— $7.9 million to teach Sri Lankan journalists how to avoid “binary-gendered… pic.twitter.com/c2LnxUelWn

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 5, 2025

AunBear89 said:

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Anarchistbear said:

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I don't like Musk, but government should be scrutinized. Programs and departments go on forever without reasons for being.

That said he is biased, a liar and drawn to penny ante stuff. When he and his boys camp out at the pentagon for a couple of weeks I'll pay more attention

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It's just bread and circuses for the MAGA masses. Look at all the ball spiking and victory dancing on social media and even here. Everything Trump has done is performative Wizard of Oz nonsense - don't look behind the curtain or you'll see it's all BS. But the low education masses, and the liars and hypocrites who manipulate and use them, are acting like Trump just waved his little wand and fixed government.


But he can't lower egg prices or end wars in 24 hours - why is he so selective in his magic usage?

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We'll see. Personally I'm hoping for real, substantive change. Of course, the bloated bureaucracy will fight change every chance they get. There's a reason 90.3% of the voters in DC voted for Harris - want to maintain the status quo.

I haven't seen Aunbear this unhinged since the posting wars with oski003 in 2023.