I'm currently unable to verify the posted photo of 47 with his parents and what? That's a Klan symbol on their clothes? We're going to remove the photo for now. Thank you.
I'm currently unable to verify the posted photo of 47 with his parents and what? That's a Klan symbol on their clothes? We're going to remove the photo for now. Thank you.
I'm currently unable to verify the posted photo of 47 with his parents and what? That's a Klan symbol on their clothes? We're going to remove the photo for now. Thank you.
The wiki on Fred Trump also reports "In 1927, Trump was arrested at a Ku Klux Klan demonstration; there is no conclusive evidence that he supported the organization." I can't help think that the company we keep is very important. Why go to a Klan demonstration?
I'm currently unable to verify the posted photo of 47 with his parents and what? That's a Klan symbol on their clothes? We're going to remove the photo for now. Thank you.
The wiki on Fred Trump also reports "In 1927, Trump was arrested at a Ku Klux Klan demonstration; there is no conclusive evidence that he supported the organization." I can't help think that the company we keep is very important. Why go to a Klan demonstration?
The Department of Veterans Affairs is exempting more than 300,000 health care positions from a governmentwide hiring freeze.
VA doctors, nurses, pharmacists and medical officers are among the dozens of occupations excluded from the hiring freeze.
Acting VA Secretary Todd Hunter, in a memo to department leaders, stated Veterans Health Administration positions “critical to delivering care to veterans” are exempt from the freeze, under the category of public safety.
Military Times first reported on the memo before its public release on Thursday. The VA memo exempts roughly three-quarters of VHA’s approximately 400,000-employee workforce.
Multiple individuals, however, have told Federal News Network they have had final job offers rescinded for VA health care positions since Trump ordered the hiring freeze, and are not sure if the department will reverse course after issuing the memo.
Another memo sent by the leadership of one VA medical center, obtained by Federal News Network, said human resources will “immediately take actions to contact hires in these occupations who had job offers rescinded.”
“HR will also work to re-initiate postings and move forward on any other hiring actions for occupations which are now exempt,” the memo states.
One job applicant said her final job offer for a nurse position was rescinded by the VA on Wednesday, but was reinstated on Thursday.
“[They] told me that they would be able to hire me and keep my start date,” the individual said. “It’s been an emotional couple of days, but it looks like everything is working out. But the HR reps are definitely working overtime.”
President Donald Trump, in an executive order signed Monday, included several exemptions, including one for veterans’ benefits.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, VA will always do what is necessary to provide America’s veterans with the benefits and services they have earned,” VA Director of Media Affairs Morgan Ackley said in a statement Thursday. “The targeted hiring-freeze exemptions announced today underscore that fact.”
But former Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), Trump’s nominee to run the VA, didn’t make an explicit assurance to lawmakers at his confirmation hearing that the department would grant those same carveouts this time around.
“President Trump, in this executive order, is to get an assessment on where we are with our employees. It is not to take away from anything that is currently there,” Collins said Tuesday. “We may not, at this point, bring in a new person tomorrow, unless needed, but this is where we’re at.”
Members of the Senate VA Committee raised concerns about the hiring freeze at Tuesday’s hiring and whether the Trump administration would pursue cuts to the VA’s workforce.
The committee advanced Collins’ nomination in an 18-1 vote on Thursday. Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said he would support Collins’ nomination, but added he has “really intense concerns” about the hiring freeze.
“Whatever the effects on other departments or agencies, all of you know how dire the need is for the doctors, the nurses, the attendants — everyone involved in the VA health care system,” Blumenthal said. “There’s openings now, they need to be filled — particularly for mental health care. Delaying these medical appointments and benefits is in some cases denial of those benefits because health is such an urgent need for many of our veterans, particularly our older veterans.”
The VA memo states all jobs not exempt from the hiring freeze must be pulled from USAJobs.gov and other websites no later than Jan. 21. at 5 p.m.
As of Thursday afternoon, the VA advertised 139 vacant positions on USAJobs.gov. The VA, however, reported more than 40,000 vacancies at the end of 2024.
House VA Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-Calif.) joined House Democrats in asking the department’s leadership for more details about the hiring freeze’s impact on its workforce, and whether it would ask the Office of Personnel Management for more exemptions.
“No one at the White House even stopped to consider that freezing hiring for veterans’ health care providers or veterans claims processers might be a bad idea,” Takano said in a statement Thursday.
A spokeswoman for the House VA Committee said Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.) “fully supports the Trump administration’s exemptions for the VA hiring freeze to ensure that health care services are not impacted for veterans.”
As hopefully republicans know, there are many administrative procedures needed in order to deliver timely healthcare
so you claim potentially cutting 100,000 VA jobs will not slow down healthcare to veterans?
Thank you for your comments.
I'm not sure I understand your interpretation of the article I posted. The way I read it, there were approximately 400,000 V.A. employee positions that were going to have a hiring freeze applied to them. Those employees were not being fired. It just means that no new employees, for the time being, could be hired to fill any of those positions that may currently be vacant.
So, upon further discussion, the V.A. and the Trump Administration decided that only 100,000 V.A. employee positions would be under the temporary hiring freeze, not all 400,000 positions. Again, none of those 100,000 employees are be fired at this time.
That's what the Trump Administration must study and, for all we know, they may determine that, instead of lessening the number of V.A. employees needed, they could potentially increase the number of employees needed.
We'll have to wait and see.
Right, and you misunderstood my comment.
100,000 jobs ARE SUBJECT TO A HIRING FREEZE. Per the attached , VA turnover is roughly ten percent per year. Therefore, we could see roughly TEN THOUSAND VACANT JOBS PER YEAR.
If you don’t believe that will impact healthcare provided to vets, you need to think about this better.
Have you read President Trump's actual "Hiring Freeze Memorandum" document, dated Jan. 20, 2025?
I've attached it for you below.
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order a freeze on the hiring of Federal civilian employees, to be applied throughout the executive branch. As part of this freeze, no Federal civilian position that is vacant at noon on January 20, 2025, may be filled, and no new position may be created except as otherwise provided for in this memorandum or other applicable law. Except as provided below, this freeze applies to all executive departments and agencies regardless of their sources of operational and programmatic funding.
This order does not apply to military personnel of the armed forces or to positions related to immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety. Moreover, nothing in this memorandum shall adversely impact the provision of Social Security, Medicare, or Veterans’ benefits. In addition, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may grant exemptions from this freeze where those exemptions are otherwise necessary.
Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Director of OPM and the Administrator of the United States DOGE Service (USDS), shall submit a plan to reduce the size of the Federal Government’s workforce through efficiency improvements and attrition. Upon issuance of the OMB plan, this memorandum shall expire for all executive departments and agencies, with the exception of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This memorandum shall remain in effect for the IRS until the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Director of OMB and the Administrator of USDS, determines that it is in the national interest to lift the freeze.
Contracting outside the Federal Government to circumvent the intent of this memorandum is prohibited.
In carrying out this memorandum, the heads of executive departments and agencies shall seek efficient use of existing personnel and funds to improve public services and the delivery of these services. Accordingly, this memorandum does not prohibit making reallocations to meet the highest priority needs, maintain essential services, and protect national security, homeland security, and public safety.
This memorandum does not limit the nomination and appointment of officials to positions requiring Presidential appointment or Senate confirmation, the appointment of officials to non-career positions in the Senior Executive Service or to Schedule A or C positions in the Excepted Service, the appointment of officials through temporary organization hiring authority pursuant to section 3161 of title 5, United States Code, or the appointment of any other non-career employees or officials if approved by agency leadership appointed by the President. Moreover, it does not limit the hiring of personnel where such a limit would conflict with applicable law.
This memorandum does not abrogate any collective bargaining agreement in effect on the date of this memorandum.
So, in summation, the memorandum explains that the "hiring freeze" lasts only 90 days (not year after year as you erroneously claim). At the end of 90 days, the OMB is to submit their plan for reducing the Federal workforce.
At the end of 90 days, this memorandum - and the hiring freeze - expires for most departments - including the V.A.
One very salient paragraph is as following:
"In carrying out this memorandum, the heads of executive departments and agencies shall seek efficient use of existing personnel and funds to improve public services and the delivery of these services. Accordingly, this memorandum does not prohibit making reallocations to meet the highest priority needs, maintain essential services, and protect national security, homeland security, and public safety."
Who knows - the OMB could determine that the V.A. is not overstaffed, or that it is even understaffed. We'll have to wait and see.
Perhaps I'm not the one who needs to "think about this better".
The Senate voted to confirm President Donald Trump's nominee, Pete Hegseth, as defense secretary on Friday night after a high-tempered battle to sway lawmakers in his favor that was almost derailed by accusations about his behavior.
The final vote came down to the wire: three Republicans opposed, making for a 50 to 50 vote. Vice President JD Vance was needed to break the tie in the upper chamber, putting the final tally at 51-50.
"Congratulations to Pete Hegseth. He will make a great Secretary of Defense!" Trump wrote on Truth Social after Hegseth's confirmation.
The Senate’s two moderate Republican women: Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted no. As did Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the former GOP leader.
North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis' support was not a given, and he did not reveal his stance until the vote was already underway. He ultimately said he would back Trump's pick, giving him enough support to be confirmed with Vance's tie-breaking vote.
In her reasoning, Murkowski cited infidelity, "allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking" and Hegseth's previous comments on women serving in the military.
The behaviors he has admitted to alone, she said, show "a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces."
Concerned Veterans for America (CVA), the nonprofit advocacy group at the center of many of the accusations brought up during Hegseth's confirmation hearing, praised his confirmation in a statement.
"The confirmation of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense presents a real opportunity to prioritize the security and prosperity of our citizens, champion prudence and effectiveness in our defense strategy, and focus our Department of Defense on America’s most vital interests," the statement read.
The New Yorker reported in December that Hegseth was forced out of CVA, the group he once ran, over allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual impropriety and personal misconduct.
All Democrats opposed the confirmation, a far cry from an earlier vote this week, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio was confirmed unanimously, 99-0.
Hegseth will now lead the government’s largest agency, having long promised to root out Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) measures across each branch.
The Pentagon under Trump, however, has not waited for a confirmed secretary.
This week, the commander of the Air Force's 613th Air Operations Center in Hawaii, who had advocated for more women in roles like her own, was removed from her position. Gen. Kevin Schneider, commander of Pacific Air Forces, relieved Col. Julie Sposito-Salceies from the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, "due to loss of confidence in her ability to command the organization."
Shortly after Trump took office, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan, the first uniformed woman to lead any military branch, was removed from her position.
Trump this week also nominated former Space Force Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier and former Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller to top Defense Department posts – both men who were deeply critical of the Biden administration's policies at the Pentagon.
Lohmeier, who had been nominated to serve as undersecretary of the Air Force, wasfired as commander of the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force base, after he wrote a book and appeared on podcasts claiming Marxism had infiltrated the armed forces and criticizing diversity policies.
Scheller made headlines for posting videos in uniform criticizing senior military leaders over the Afghanistan withdrawal. Scheller, the new senior advisor to the Department of Defense Under Secretary for personnel and readiness, was sent to the brig and court-martialed over the clips.
Hegseth’s nomination was dealt a last-minute hurdle earlier this week when reports emerged that his ex-sister-in-law alleged he had abused his second wife.
On Tuesday, Fox News obtained an affidavit from Hegseth's former sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, which alleged he had an alcohol abuse problem and at times made his ex-wife, Samantha, fear for her safety. Danielle Hegseth was previously married to Pete Hegseth's brother and has no relation to Samantha.
But Danielle Hegseth added that she never witnessed any abuse herself, physical or sexual, by Pete against Samantha.
Samantha Hegseth has also denied any physical abuse in a statement to NBC News.
Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker said in a statement Wednesday night that reports "regarding a confidential briefing on the FBI background investigation of Pete Hegseth that I received last week are starkly and factually inaccurate," and that he stands by Hegseth’s nomination.
Earlier Thursday, Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged Republicans to join him in opposing the former Fox News host and Army national guardsman.
"Hegseth is so utterly unqualified, he ranks up there [as] … one of the very worst nominees that could be put forward," Schumer said.
Hegseth, who has been married three times, has admitted he was a "serial cheater" before he became a Christian and married his current wife, Jenny.
The nomination of Gov. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., to be the next Homeland Security secretary defeated a key hurdle in the confirmation process on Friday night, advancing to a final vote later this weekend.
Her confirmation vote is expected to take place early Sunday morning.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is sworn in during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on her nomination to be Secretary of Homeland Security, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Jan. 17, 2025. (Getty Images)
If confirmed, Noem will become the fourth of President Donald Trump's picks to be advanced out of the Senate, behind Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and incoming Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Votes that are expected soon after Noem's are those for Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent, followed by Transportation Secretary pick Sean Duffy.
The South Dakota governor is expected to receive bipartisan support for her confirmation to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Her nomination advanced out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) by a vote of 13-2. Only two Democrats voted against her.
A group of over 100 migrants attempting to enter the US illegally rush a border wall Thursday, March 21, 2024. (James Breeden for New York Post / Mega)
"I was the first Governor to send National Guard troops to Texas when they were being overwhelmed by an unprecedented border crisis," Noem told the committee during her confirmation hearing last week.
"If confirmed as Secretary, I will ensure that our exceptional, extraordinary border patrol agents have all the tools and resources and support they need to carry out their mission effectively."
Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.
North Carolina residents Curtis A. Wright and Amber Wright, who were heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene, met with President Donald Trump during his visit to their state on Friday.
Curtis A. Wright argued in an appearance on "The Will Cain Show," that he thinks that North Carolinians have "been ignored" in the wake of the hurricane and said that Trump's visit was a "big relief."
"It was a lot of relief. You know, people keep saying, how are you guys doing in Asheville? And, you know, we feel like he's [sic] been forgotten. And I don't think we've been forgotten. I think we've been ignored. So for him [Trump] to come and see us today, that was a big relief. We'd previously had JD Vance come out to our house with Samaritan's Purse and some of the Grahams. And, you know, he told us that they were coming, and we were glad to see them."
Trump visited western North Carolina on Friday to meet with residents still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Amber Wright was asked to describe how they have been living in the wake of the hurricane and said that it has been a "true nightmare."
"We just live day by day, one day at a time, trying to clean up, trying to see what our next steps are, if we're going to be able to rebuild, if we're not going to be able to rebuild. Waiting on, you know, insurance or whatever it may be. So it's been a struggle. It really has," she told host Will Cain.
North Carolina was struck by Hurricane Helene in late September and caused over 100 deaths in the state, as well as tens of millions in damage. The catastrophic flooding caused by the hurricane was described by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell as "historic."
FEMA has faced criticism for its relief efforts post-hurricane. During his visit Friday, Trump said, "FEMA has really let us down. Let the country down. And I don't know if that's Biden's fault or whose fault it is, but we're going to take over."
Curtis and Amber Wright said that they had lost "everything they own" in the storm, including all of their farm equipment, and described what they would need in order to rebuild.
"What we're needing right now is a fair evaluation from our insurance company in a timely manner to pay out," Curtis Wright said. "Samaritan's Purse has been a blessing to us,They are willing to fill all the gaps that FEMA and our insurance company has not. We actually have the ability to build on higher ground on another piece of property that connects to our current farm. And that's what our hopes are, to get fair payout and just to tear down the home that we have because it's beyond 50% repairable and then start over."
While in North Carolina, Trump told reporters that he plans to sign an executive order "fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA, or maybe getting rid of FEMA," Trump told reporters, saying, "I think, frankly, FEMA is not good."
He also promised that his administration would step in to assist the clean-up efforts. "We're going to fix it, and we're going to fix it as fast as you can," Trump said.
Only half of the debris recovery from Hurricane Helene is complete, according to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, and thousands of families remain in hotels.
So the chaos has begun again... I can't bring myself to get deep into discussing any of it, like I did sometime in the past. It's too much, and too frustrating, and too distressing. All I can say, as I have probably said before, is WHAT THE FUCK AMERICA?!
This go 'round is already so much worse than the first and will only get crazier, which is saying a whole lot. Trump is aiming to fuck the whole world over as far as I can tell, and he couldn't care less, and America voted for it. Many Americans themselves will obviously suffer the most, which sucks. It boggles the mind. I am so disturbed by it that I don't really quite know what to do with it. There are so many aspects about it that one could talk about forever... i personally don't have the energy to do it.
I will mention (perhaps to the chagrin of the handful of Trumpers here) that I happen to be reading The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich right now (which is an absolutely FABULOUS book btw), and man oh man, has it ever got me thinking about what is happening in America right now. The similarities are undeniable, all specific differences aside. Anyone who balks at that idea (or calls it propaganda or fear mongering, which seems oh-so-popular in the AMT lately, lol) is just choosing to be blind, or doesn't mind.
Post edited by PJ_Soul on
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
😂😂 a poster says he doesn’t know too much about the biggest political crisis this country has endured and he’s not to knowledgeable about it😂😂 please it was only on tv every possible channel except Faux showed the events of that day for weeks. MAGA voters might be uninformed but we are certainly not here take that deflection and spin it somewhere else.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
The similarities are undeniable, all specific differences aside.
she would be referring to the complete utter takeover of governement without the ovens.
similarities with specific differences aside.
if you have not toured the Holocaust museum in DC, I suggest you do so. The speed with which that regime became what it was is mindboggling.
Remember when George Bush was also supposed to be Hitler? Isn’t all this no different than what we rail against in terms of spreading misinformation, false narratives etc? Posting social media feeds in hopes the information is true, Ive seen this multiple times here just the last couple days. Let practice what we preach.
I cant get a big enough laugh out of “undeniably similar… once we remove all the specific differences”. Im literally shaking my head still.
The similarities are undeniable, all specific differences aside.
she would be referring to the complete utter takeover of governement without the ovens.
similarities with specific differences aside.
if you have not toured the Holocaust museum in DC, I suggest you do so. The speed with which that regime became what it was is mindboggling.
Remember when George Bush was also supposed to be Hitler? Isn’t all this no different than what we rail against in terms of spreading misinformation, false narratives etc? Posting social media feeds in hopes the information is true, Ive seen this multiple times here just the last couple days. Let practice what we preach.
I cant get a big enough laugh out of “undeniably similar… once we remove all the specific differences”. Im literally shaking my head still.
so someone who clains they are purposefully staying away from the bews and all things trump is commenting on observations of whats actually occuring?
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
The similarities are undeniable, all specific differences aside.
she would be referring to the complete utter takeover of governement without the ovens.
similarities with specific differences aside.
if you have not toured the Holocaust museum in DC, I suggest you do so. The speed with which that regime became what it was is mindboggling.
Remember when George Bush was also supposed to be Hitler? Isn’t all this no different than what we rail against in terms of spreading misinformation, false narratives etc? Posting social media feeds in hopes the information is true, Ive seen this multiple times here just the last couple days. Let practice what we preach.
I cant get a big enough laugh out of “undeniably similar… once we remove all the specific differences”. Im literally shaking my head still.
so someone who clains they are purposefully staying away from the bews and all things trump is commenting on observations of whats actually occuring?
laughable.
Im not “purposefully staying away” from anything, mick. I never participated in the first place.
So the chaos has begun again... I can't bring myself to get deep into discussing any of it, like I did sometime in the past. It's too much, and too frustrating, and too distressing. All I can say, as I have probably said before, is WHAT THE FUCK AMERICA?!
This go 'round is already so much worse than the first and will only get crazier, which is saying a whole lot. Trump is aiming to fuck the whole world over as far as I can tell, and he couldn't care less, and America voted for it. Many Americans themselves will obviously suffer the most, which sucks. It boggles the mind. I am so disturbed by it that I don't really quite know what to do with it. There are so many aspects about it that one could talk about forever... i personally don't have the energy to do it.
I will mention (perhaps to the chagrin of the handful of Trumpers here) that I happen to be reading The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich right now (which is an absolutely FABULOUS book btw), and man oh man, has it ever got me thinking about what is happening in America right now. The similarities are undeniable, all specific differences aside. Anyone who balks at that idea (or calls it propaganda or fear mongering, which seems oh-so-popular in the AMT lately, lol) is just choosing to be blind, or doesn't mind.
And there you have it From A Letter From An American with some selective edits.
The Allied soldiers fighting in a bitter cold winter were fighting against fascism, a system of government that rejected the equality that defined democracy, instead maintaining that some men were better than others. American fascists under leader COOTWH had taken that ideology to its logical end, insisting that an elite few must lead, taking a nation forward by directing the actions of the rest. They organized the people as if they were at war, ruthlessly suppressing all opposition and directing the economy so that business and politicians worked together to consolidate their power. Logically, that select group of leaders would elevate a single man, who would become an all-powerful dictator. To weld their followers into an efficient machine, fascists demonized opponents into an “other” that their followers could hate, dividing their population so they could control it.
Comments
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/donald-trump-father-kkk-1927/
The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
The wiki on Fred Trump also reports "In 1927, Trump was arrested at a Ku Klux Klan demonstration; there is no conclusive evidence that he supported the organization."
I can't help think that the company we keep is very important. Why go to a Klan demonstration?
And fuck no...of course it isn't real...even trump couldn't dance his fat orange ass away from that one
To me, posting shit like that is equal to the shit the cultist posters put on here and act like it's real.
The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
Just like voting for a known racist xenophobe
If you don’t believe that will impact healthcare provided to vets, you need to think about this better.
I've attached it for you below.
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order a freeze on the hiring of Federal civilian employees, to be applied throughout the executive branch. As part of this freeze, no Federal civilian position that is vacant at noon on January 20, 2025, may be filled, and no new position may be created except as otherwise provided for in this memorandum or other applicable law. Except as provided below, this freeze applies to all executive departments and agencies regardless of their sources of operational and programmatic funding.
This order does not apply to military personnel of the armed forces or to positions related to immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety. Moreover, nothing in this memorandum shall adversely impact the provision of Social Security, Medicare, or Veterans’ benefits. In addition, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may grant exemptions from this freeze where those exemptions are otherwise necessary.
Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Director of OPM and the Administrator of the United States DOGE Service (USDS), shall submit a plan to reduce the size of the Federal Government’s workforce through efficiency improvements and attrition. Upon issuance of the OMB plan, this memorandum shall expire for all executive departments and agencies, with the exception of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This memorandum shall remain in effect for the IRS until the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Director of OMB and the Administrator of USDS, determines that it is in the national interest to lift the freeze.
Contracting outside the Federal Government to circumvent the intent of this memorandum is prohibited.
In carrying out this memorandum, the heads of executive departments and agencies shall seek efficient use of existing personnel and funds to improve public services and the delivery of these services. Accordingly, this memorandum does not prohibit making reallocations to meet the highest priority needs, maintain essential services, and protect national security, homeland security, and public safety.
This memorandum does not limit the nomination and appointment of officials to positions requiring Presidential appointment or Senate confirmation, the appointment of officials to non-career positions in the Senior Executive Service or to Schedule A or C positions in the Excepted Service, the appointment of officials through temporary organization hiring authority pursuant to section 3161 of title 5, United States Code, or the appointment of any other non-career employees or officials if approved by agency leadership appointed by the President. Moreover, it does not limit the hiring of personnel where such a limit would conflict with applicable law.
This memorandum does not abrogate any collective bargaining agreement in effect on the date of this memorandum.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
So, in summation, the memorandum explains that the "hiring freeze" lasts only 90 days (not year after year as you erroneously claim).
At the end of 90 days, the OMB is to submit their plan for reducing the Federal workforce.
At the end of 90 days, this memorandum - and the hiring freeze - expires for most departments - including the V.A.
One very salient paragraph is as following:
"In carrying out this memorandum, the heads of executive departments and agencies shall seek efficient use of existing personnel and funds to improve public services and the delivery of these services. Accordingly, this memorandum does not prohibit making reallocations to meet the highest priority needs, maintain essential services, and protect national security, homeland security, and public safety."
Who knows - the OMB could determine that the V.A. is not overstaffed, or that it is even understaffed.
We'll have to wait and see.
Perhaps I'm not the one who needs to "think about this better".
Pete Hegseth confirmed to lead Pentagon after VP Vance casts tie-breaking vote
All Dems opposed the confirmation — a far cry from an earlier vote for Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was confirmed unanimously
The Senate voted to confirm President Donald Trump's nominee, Pete Hegseth, as defense secretary on Friday night after a high-tempered battle to sway lawmakers in his favor that was almost derailed by accusations about his behavior.
The final vote came down to the wire: three Republicans opposed, making for a 50 to 50 vote. Vice President JD Vance was needed to break the tie in the upper chamber, putting the final tally at 51-50.
"Congratulations to Pete Hegseth. He will make a great Secretary of Defense!" Trump wrote on Truth Social after Hegseth's confirmation.
The Senate’s two moderate Republican women: Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted no. As did Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the former GOP leader.
North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis' support was not a given, and he did not reveal his stance until the vote was already underway. He ultimately said he would back Trump's pick, giving him enough support to be confirmed with Vance's tie-breaking vote.
In her reasoning, Murkowski cited infidelity, "allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking" and Hegseth's previous comments on women serving in the military.
The behaviors he has admitted to alone, she said, show "a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces."
Concerned Veterans for America (CVA), the nonprofit advocacy group at the center of many of the accusations brought up during Hegseth's confirmation hearing, praised his confirmation in a statement.
"The confirmation of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense presents a real opportunity to prioritize the security and prosperity of our citizens, champion prudence and effectiveness in our defense strategy, and focus our Department of Defense on America’s most vital interests," the statement read.
The New Yorker reported in December that Hegseth was forced out of CVA, the group he once ran, over allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual impropriety and personal misconduct.
All Democrats opposed the confirmation, a far cry from an earlier vote this week, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio was confirmed unanimously, 99-0.
Hegseth will now lead the government’s largest agency, having long promised to root out Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) measures across each branch.
The Pentagon under Trump, however, has not waited for a confirmed secretary.
This week, the commander of the Air Force's 613th Air Operations Center in Hawaii, who had advocated for more women in roles like her own, was removed from her position. Gen. Kevin Schneider, commander of Pacific Air Forces, relieved Col. Julie Sposito-Salceies from the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, "due to loss of confidence in her ability to command the organization."
Shortly after Trump took office, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan, the first uniformed woman to lead any military branch, was removed from her position.
Trump this week also nominated former Space Force Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier and former Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller to top Defense Department posts – both men who were deeply critical of the Biden administration's policies at the Pentagon.
Lohmeier, who had been nominated to serve as undersecretary of the Air Force, was fired as commander of the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force base, after he wrote a book and appeared on podcasts claiming Marxism had infiltrated the armed forces and criticizing diversity policies.
Scheller made headlines for posting videos in uniform criticizing senior military leaders over the Afghanistan withdrawal. Scheller, the new senior advisor to the Department of Defense Under Secretary for personnel and readiness, was sent to the brig and court-martialed over the clips.
Hegseth’s nomination was dealt a last-minute hurdle earlier this week when reports emerged that his ex-sister-in-law alleged he had abused his second wife.
On Tuesday, Fox News obtained an affidavit from Hegseth's former sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, which alleged he had an alcohol abuse problem and at times made his ex-wife, Samantha, fear for her safety. Danielle Hegseth was previously married to Pete Hegseth's brother and has no relation to Samantha.
But Danielle Hegseth added that she never witnessed any abuse herself, physical or sexual, by Pete against Samantha.
Samantha Hegseth has also denied any physical abuse in a statement to NBC News.
Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker said in a statement Wednesday night that reports "regarding a confidential briefing on the FBI background investigation of Pete Hegseth that I received last week are starkly and factually inaccurate," and that he stands by Hegseth’s nomination.
Earlier Thursday, Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged Republicans to join him in opposing the former Fox News host and Army national guardsman.
"Hegseth is so utterly unqualified, he ranks up there [as] … one of the very worst nominees that could be put forward," Schumer said.
Hegseth, who has been married three times, has admitted he was a "serial cheater" before he became a Christian and married his current wife, Jenny.
The nomination of Gov. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., to be the next Homeland Security secretary defeated a key hurdle in the confirmation process on Friday night, advancing to a final vote later this weekend.
Her confirmation vote is expected to take place early Sunday morning.
If confirmed, Noem will become the fourth of President Donald Trump's picks to be advanced out of the Senate, behind Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and incoming Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Votes that are expected soon after Noem's are those for Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent, followed by Transportation Secretary pick Sean Duffy.
The South Dakota governor is expected to receive bipartisan support for her confirmation to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Her nomination advanced out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) by a vote of 13-2. Only two Democrats voted against her.
"I was the first Governor to send National Guard troops to Texas when they were being overwhelmed by an unprecedented border crisis," Noem told the committee during her confirmation hearing last week.
"If confirmed as Secretary, I will ensure that our exceptional, extraordinary border patrol agents have all the tools and resources and support they need to carry out their mission effectively."
Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.
-EV 8/14/93
North Carolina residents Curtis A. Wright and Amber Wright, who were heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene, met with President Donald Trump during his visit to their state on Friday.
Curtis A. Wright argued in an appearance on "The Will Cain Show," that he thinks that North Carolinians have "been ignored" in the wake of the hurricane and said that Trump's visit was a "big relief."
"It was a lot of relief. You know, people keep saying, how are you guys doing in Asheville? And, you know, we feel like he's [sic] been forgotten. And I don't think we've been forgotten. I think we've been ignored. So for him [Trump] to come and see us today, that was a big relief. We'd previously had JD Vance come out to our house with Samaritan's Purse and some of the Grahams. And, you know, he told us that they were coming, and we were glad to see them."
Trump visited western North Carolina on Friday to meet with residents still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Amber Wright was asked to describe how they have been living in the wake of the hurricane and said that it has been a "true nightmare."
"We just live day by day, one day at a time, trying to clean up, trying to see what our next steps are, if we're going to be able to rebuild, if we're not going to be able to rebuild. Waiting on, you know, insurance or whatever it may be. So it's been a struggle. It really has," she told host Will Cain.
North Carolina was struck by Hurricane Helene in late September and caused over 100 deaths in the state, as well as tens of millions in damage. The catastrophic flooding caused by the hurricane was described by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell as "historic."
FEMA has faced criticism for its relief efforts post-hurricane. During his visit Friday, Trump said, "FEMA has really let us down. Let the country down. And I don't know if that's Biden's fault or whose fault it is, but we're going to take over."
Curtis and Amber Wright said that they had lost "everything they own" in the storm, including all of their farm equipment, and described what they would need in order to rebuild.
"What we're needing right now is a fair evaluation from our insurance company in a timely manner to pay out," Curtis Wright said. "Samaritan's Purse has been a blessing to us,They are willing to fill all the gaps that FEMA and our insurance company has not. We actually have the ability to build on higher ground on another piece of property that connects to our current farm. And that's what our hopes are, to get fair payout and just to tear down the home that we have because it's beyond 50% repairable and then start over."
While in North Carolina, Trump told reporters that he plans to sign an executive order "fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA, or maybe getting rid of FEMA," Trump told reporters, saying, "I think, frankly, FEMA is not good."
He also promised that his administration would step in to assist the clean-up efforts. "We're going to fix it, and we're going to fix it as fast as you can," Trump said.
Only half of the debris recovery from Hurricane Helene is complete, according to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, and thousands of families remain in hotels.
Fox News' Diana Stacy contributed to this report.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
-EV 8/14/93
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
The Allied soldiers fighting in a bitter cold winter were fighting against fascism, a system of government that rejected the equality that defined democracy, instead maintaining that some men were better than others. American fascists under leader COOTWH had taken that ideology to its logical end, insisting that an elite few must lead, taking a nation forward by directing the actions of the rest. They organized the people as if they were at war, ruthlessly suppressing all opposition and directing the economy so that business and politicians worked together to consolidate their power. Logically, that select group of leaders would elevate a single man, who would become an all-powerful dictator. To weld their followers into an efficient machine, fascists demonized opponents into an “other” that their followers could hate, dividing their population so they could control it.
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©