With respect to Gaza, the false claims of “genocide” and “famine” have served their PR purpose. That the ICC and ICJ are stuck with these cases is not Hamas’ problem. Those courts allowed themselves to be hijacked for political purposes and will suffer the consequences of a further loss of credibility and legitimacy.
No, the current PR problem Hamas faces comes from the hostage release. The world didn’t care that the orchestrated spectacle violates international humanitarian law. But Hamas seemed unprepared for the negative blowback in the West at the sight of cadaverous Jews.
So now, the media has jumped into action with fake stories of released Palestinian terrorists having been treated similarly in Israeli jails. Aside from the only photographic “evidence” being a prisoner undergoing treatment for cancer, no one looks to the ICRC for confirmation - because everyone knows condemnation won’t be forthcoming. After all, the Red Cross has had access to all these prisoners and, as it has proven itself not to be in any fashion a pro-Israel entity, has never criticized Israel for such mistreatment.
Sometimes, tantrumming children need a surprise inducing response to stop the tantrum. As you said, the slow and stepwise was attempted by former President Obama. It did not have the necessary result of changing behavior. Now it is time to try somrthing different. We will see how this review works out.
there's always nuance to be discussed in any situation, and it's right to call out overreactions and how poorly things are being managed by our elected officials for many many years. but Musk should absolutely not have access to every govt agency and control of all the code and financial data and movement. no other private citizen has ever had this much power to decide literally every on the ground policy of the US govt. he has no legal right despite any EO, and he is committing thousands of crimes per minute in doing so. oversight and reform? absolutely. but this is the biggest scandal of my lifetime, and possibly the history of the nation.
Hi. Thanks for commenting. But unfortunately it seems that you have gotten your facts completely wrong. First of all, the President has the right to run the executive branch and that includes creating departments and hiring to fill those departments. He created DOGE and hired Musk. The president can set up the parameters of the purpose of the department. Remember that is how every department in the executive branch has been created. What can happen is Congress then can decide to fund these departments or not. And as with everything else Congress has the power of the purse. Now of course POTUS can probably find other ways to fund any department that congress doesn’t, but that is due to the president’s discretionary funding.
Now a judge has limited the number of people who can have access to the information to Musk and 1 other until the case brought by lawyers for the USAID workers goes to a hearing. Musk also does not have access to code however. It is read only. There are no laws that are being broken.
DOGE is not a scandal. The scandal is how USAID became a democratic slush fund to promote their agenda and to give billions of dollar of our taxpayer money to democratic party aligned NGOS and foundations.
the power of the purse is only meaningful if it's respected and upheld, and if we know anything about T&M it's that they respect nothing and uphold nothing. do you really truly feel comfortable having someone with the sociopathic tendencies of Musk having unfettered access and control? do you really believe he'll abide by any judge's orders when there's no reason for him to? where exactly does this lead? one day, they're shutting down a program you personally find offensive, the next it's one that's keeping you or your family alive. like Medicare / Medicaid / Social Security. what's most surprising / maybe not so surprising to me is the complacency in the face of this.
the power of the purse has to be respected or there is no money to pay for anything. I am not sure how much control Musk actually has. He can't just shut down medicare or medicaid or any other entitlement program. That is established constitutional law and constitutional law is the basis of fighting the EO on birthright citizenship. So yes, that is the point of the entire essay. Hold the line. Law is there to protect the people and the republic. It must be used correctly judiciously, and with purpose.
one final comment, just based on what I've read of your work and what it says about your thinking, I'd trust you far more than T or M to have this level of access because I sense you'd be thinking morally and ethically. and I still wouldn't want you doing it without proper oversight and transparency.
thank you for thinking I am trustworthy. In truth I wouldn’t want the obligation. And I agree there needs to be oversight and transparency. There needs to be oversight and transparency in every aspect of government.
Love 💕 this. I too am disgusted with the performances of childishness. It is not leadership. My Democratic friends have all gone insane. I’m sad my dad died in late December but I’m glad he didn’t have to see this.
With respect to Gaza, the false claims of “genocide” and “famine” have served their PR purpose. That the ICC and ICJ are stuck with these cases is not Hamas’ problem. Those courts allowed themselves to be hijacked for political purposes and will suffer the consequences of a further loss of credibility and legitimacy.
No, the current PR problem Hamas faces comes from the hostage release. The world didn’t care that the orchestrated spectacle violates international humanitarian law. But Hamas seemed unprepared for the negative blowback in the West at the sight of cadaverous Jews.
So now, the media has jumped into action with fake stories of released Palestinian terrorists having been treated similarly in Israeli jails. Aside from the only photographic “evidence” being a prisoner undergoing treatment for cancer, no one looks to the ICRC for confirmation - because everyone knows condemnation won’t be forthcoming. After all, the Red Cross has had access to all these prisoners and, as it has proven itself not to be in any fashion a pro-Israel entity, has never criticized Israel for such mistreatment.
Sometimes, tantrumming children need a surprise inducing response to stop the tantrum. As you said, the slow and stepwise was attempted by former President Obama. It did not have the necessary result of changing behavior. Now it is time to try somrthing different. We will see how this review works out.
https://www.change.org/p/we-urge-the-president-and-secretary-of-state-of-the-united-states-to-do-everything-necessary-so-that-jordan-which-has-thwarted-this-process-for-years-finally-complies-with-its-treaty-obligation-and-with-fundamental-notions-of-justice?cs_tk=AxQ1WxAJWgVdUe8Zs2cAAHicq64FAAF1APlmNDJkNjExNTc4NDBkN2JkZmI4NDQxYTUzMjljYjk3NjU2MTUzOWVjYmQ5ODQwNGJhYzhjN2MxNGMwMTc3YmQ0&utm_campaign=3c7bf0ac3b114dd0889379ef526cedd4&utm_content=01142025_new_signer_welcome_email_1_legacy_new_sl&utm_medium=email&utm_source=504667_new_signer_welcome_email_1b_us&utm_term=itbl
Thank you for giving voice to my perceptions. Im 15 months in heartbroken to the point of frozen about the hostages. You are important.
Thanks. I dont think anger even covers how I am feeling about the world, the press, and how the hostage crisis has played out.
there's always nuance to be discussed in any situation, and it's right to call out overreactions and how poorly things are being managed by our elected officials for many many years. but Musk should absolutely not have access to every govt agency and control of all the code and financial data and movement. no other private citizen has ever had this much power to decide literally every on the ground policy of the US govt. he has no legal right despite any EO, and he is committing thousands of crimes per minute in doing so. oversight and reform? absolutely. but this is the biggest scandal of my lifetime, and possibly the history of the nation.
Hi. Thanks for commenting. But unfortunately it seems that you have gotten your facts completely wrong. First of all, the President has the right to run the executive branch and that includes creating departments and hiring to fill those departments. He created DOGE and hired Musk. The president can set up the parameters of the purpose of the department. Remember that is how every department in the executive branch has been created. What can happen is Congress then can decide to fund these departments or not. And as with everything else Congress has the power of the purse. Now of course POTUS can probably find other ways to fund any department that congress doesn’t, but that is due to the president’s discretionary funding.
Now a judge has limited the number of people who can have access to the information to Musk and 1 other until the case brought by lawyers for the USAID workers goes to a hearing. Musk also does not have access to code however. It is read only. There are no laws that are being broken.
DOGE is not a scandal. The scandal is how USAID became a democratic slush fund to promote their agenda and to give billions of dollar of our taxpayer money to democratic party aligned NGOS and foundations.
the power of the purse is only meaningful if it's respected and upheld, and if we know anything about T&M it's that they respect nothing and uphold nothing. do you really truly feel comfortable having someone with the sociopathic tendencies of Musk having unfettered access and control? do you really believe he'll abide by any judge's orders when there's no reason for him to? where exactly does this lead? one day, they're shutting down a program you personally find offensive, the next it's one that's keeping you or your family alive. like Medicare / Medicaid / Social Security. what's most surprising / maybe not so surprising to me is the complacency in the face of this.
the power of the purse has to be respected or there is no money to pay for anything. I am not sure how much control Musk actually has. He can't just shut down medicare or medicaid or any other entitlement program. That is established constitutional law and constitutional law is the basis of fighting the EO on birthright citizenship. So yes, that is the point of the entire essay. Hold the line. Law is there to protect the people and the republic. It must be used correctly judiciously, and with purpose.
As if you would care. You are not going to question Trump.
one final comment, just based on what I've read of your work and what it says about your thinking, I'd trust you far more than T or M to have this level of access because I sense you'd be thinking morally and ethically. and I still wouldn't want you doing it without proper oversight and transparency.
thank you for thinking I am trustworthy. In truth I wouldn’t want the obligation. And I agree there needs to be oversight and transparency. There needs to be oversight and transparency in every aspect of government.
Love 💕 this. I too am disgusted with the performances of childishness. It is not leadership. My Democratic friends have all gone insane. I’m sad my dad died in late December but I’m glad he didn’t have to see this.
Thanks for the compliment. I am sorry you lost your dad last december.
Exactly. It has been shoved under the government’s rug past decade plus.