Gary Childress wrote: ↑Wed May 28, 2025 8:18 pm
I know they've been defending government agencies from cuts that aren't approved by Congress.
Wait. You have a problem with "cuts that aren't approved by Congress?" They don't have to be. These losers are not special, not given tenure, not Popes, not even elected. They're hired people and appointees. Such people can be fired simply for not doing their jobs, and thus stealing from the American people, by returning no value to them for all the tax dollars drained out of the public purse. And what on earth could make you willing to defend that?
Can you imagine somebody who claims to "work," and yet is afraid to name five things they did in a week? If asked, could have given 20 in a day. These are thieves, and nothing else.
Gary Childress wrote: ↑Wed May 28, 2025 8:18 pm
I know they've been defending government agencies from cuts that aren't approved by Congress.
Wait. You have a problem with "cuts that aren't approved by Congress?" They don't have to be. These losers are not special, not given tenure, not Popes, not even elected. They're hired people and appointees. Such people can be fired simply for not doing their jobs, and thus stealing from the American people, by returning no value to them for all the tax dollars drained out of the public purse. And what on earth could make you willing to defend that?
Can you imagine somebody who claims to "work," and yet is afraid to name five things they did in a week? If asked, could have given 20 in a day. These are thieves, and nothing else.
According to some sources I've read there is some discrepancy about funding and Congress. For example, US Aid was shut down and I recall it being a program that was created through Congress. So what you say above may not be 100% correct.
Gary Childress wrote: ↑Wed May 28, 2025 8:18 pm
I know they've been defending government agencies from cuts that aren't approved by Congress.
Wait. You have a problem with "cuts that aren't approved by Congress?" They don't have to be. These losers are not special, not given tenure, not Popes, not even elected. They're hired people and appointees. Such people can be fired simply for not doing their jobs, and thus stealing from the American people, by returning no value to them for all the tax dollars drained out of the public purse. And what on earth could make you willing to defend that?
Can you imagine somebody who claims to "work," and yet is afraid to name five things they did in a week? If asked, could have given 20 in a day. These are thieves, and nothing else.
According to some sources I've read there is some discrepancy about funding and Congress. For example, US Aid was shut down and I recall it being a program that was created through Congress. So what you say above may not be 100% correct.
Well, I have some inside knowledge about USAID, as I know some great people inside legitimate charities that were depending, at least partly, on USAID funds. So USAID was sometimes at least somewhat doing good things, at least part of the time. But they were also funding things like gay theatre in Ireland, trans surgeries in Guatemala, art lessons for Afghanistan, and free condoms for Gaza (all real examples). So there was ideological insanity, plus tremendous theft going on in that organization, tons of abuse of public funds, and no proper oversight being exercised; and the legit charities I know are sad to lose the money, but recognize that there was too much corruption in that organization and it had to go. The US will be much better for having a proper, ethical organization to do that job: USAID was simply too corrupt. Be glad that those thieves no longer have their hands in your pocket.
In Mozambique, HIV and AIDS continue to be a major challenge for the development of the country. According to the National Survey (INSIDA 2009), 15 % of adults aged 15-49 live with HIV and AIDS. The new INSIDA report reveals an increase in the feminization of HIV with the rate of infection among women higher (11.2%), comparing to men (9.2%). In Sofala, the prevalence among young women is almost five times higher than men of similar age, and in Gaza it is almost six times higher. Gaza Province has the highest prevalence rate among adults (25.1%) and Niassa has the lower (3.7%). The INSIDA report also revealed that HIV prevalence was higher in urban areas than in rural areas.
Billionaire Elon Musk, head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), admitted on Tuesday to spreading a hoax about Washington allegedly planning to send a US$50 million shipment of condoms to the Gaza Strip, Palestine.
"First of all, some of the things that I say will be incorrect and should be corrected," Musk told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about fact-checking reports that millions of dollars were earmarked towards the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases in the Gaza Province of Mozambique.
"We will make mistakes, but we’ll act quickly to correct any mistakes,"
Title X of the Act, also known as the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, specifies that the president may request that Congress rescind appropriated funds. If both the Senate and the House of Representatives have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within forty-five days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation. Congress is not required to vote on the request and has ignored most presidential requests.
Power of the purse
In the federal government of the United States, the power of the purse is vested in the Congress as laid down in the Constitution of the United States, Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 (the Appropriations Clause), and Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 (the Taxing and Spending Clause).
Gary Childress wrote: ↑Wed May 28, 2025 8:18 pm
I know they've been defending government agencies from cuts that aren't approved by Congress.
Wait. You have a problem with "cuts that aren't approved by Congress?" They don't have to be.
They do. Under the US constitution with its separation of powers, the power of the purse lies with Congress not the presidency. Refusal to spend the appropriated funds is called impoundment. After this power of impoundment was abused by Nixon the power was taken away in the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974
Title X of the Act, also known as the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, specifies that the president may request that Congress rescind appropriated funds. If both the Senate and the House of Representatives have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within forty-five days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation. Congress is not required to vote on the request and has ignored most presidential requests.
Later in his life, Nixon was held in great esteem by the Republican Party (as well as others) for being a "great statesman". Go figure. The same party that brought us both George Bushes.
Gary Childress wrote: ↑Thu May 29, 2025 1:57 am
Later in his life, Nixon was held in great esteem by the Republican Party (as well as others) for being a "great statesman". Go figure. The same party that brought us both George Bushes.
Indeed. Notably, the dirty lawyer that helped Nixon by leaking the private medical records of a competing candidate was a chap call Roy Cohn. He also worked with Joseph McCarthy in the 50s and for the Trump family in the 70s and 80s, maintaining his reputation for dirty tricks all the way through. Trump has corrupted a lot of lawyers in his time, reputedly all in the search for the new Roy C who would be willing to do absolutely anything for his client. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Cohn
And Roger Stone has a tattoo of Nixon on his back, presumably to offer a target for sailors to pull out and ejaculate on.
Gary Childress wrote: ↑Thu May 29, 2025 1:57 am
Later in his life, Nixon was held in great esteem by the Republican Party (as well as others) for being a "great statesman". Go figure. The same party that brought us both George Bushes.
Indeed. Notably, the dirty lawyer that helped Nixon by leaking the private medical records of a competing candidate was a chap call Roy Cohn. He also worked with Joseph McCarthy in the 50s and for the Trump family in the 70s and 80s, maintaining his reputation for dirty tricks all the way through. Trump has corrupted a lot of lawyers in his time, reputedly all in the search for the new Roy C who would be willing to do absolutely anything for his client. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Cohn
And Roger Stone has a tattoo of Nixon on his back, presumably to offer a target for sailors to pull out and ejaculate on.
Brett Kavanaugh, who was placed on the Supreme Court as Trump's pick was instrumental in justifying the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars after they came under scrutiny during the Bush administration. He wrote a piece for the administration to justify their choice. Thousands of dead bodies, and the collapse of the American hegemony later, he's now a Supreme Court "Justice". "Justice" what an ironic title for Brett Kavanaugh.
And of course, Elliott Abrams, famous in the Bush and Regan years for creating terror states in Latin America was appointed by Trump to some position of some sort in American Latin American affairs during Trump's first term. Now there's a sick joke.
FlashDangerpants wrote: ↑Thu May 29, 2025 1:42 am
The condoms were for the province of Gaza in Mozambique where 25% of adults are HIV+
So there were condoms for Gaza, but for a different one. Did you check out the other cases...gay theatre, trans surgeries, and art lessons?
Frankly I didn't see any reason to look into a suggestion that USAID would be intervening in a developed EU nation with universal healthcare, but if you really have to suffer outrage over such trivial shit here you go...
Leavitt named several initiatives from President Joe Biden’s administration that focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, and LGBTQ+ issues. Leavitt said USAID had given "$2 million for sex changes in Guatemala."
In 2024, USAID gave a $2 million grant to Asociación LAMBDA in Guatemala, an organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. The grant was "to deliver gender-affirming health care, advocate for improved quality and access to services, and provide economic empowerment opportunities." We reached out to Asociación LAMBDA to ask what services the grant funded, but we did not hear back.
Speaking with reporters Feb. 3, Leavitt said USAID gave a grant for "production of a DEI musical in Ireland." That grant came from the State Department, not USAID.
According to USA Spending, the State Department paid $70,000 in 2022 to Ceiliuradh Company Limited by Guarantee "to promote the U.S. and Irish shared values of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility."
The grant funded a 2022 music festival (not a musical) in 2022 at the U.S. embassy in Ireland, according to Irish news site Gript. The event featured performances from Irish musicians.
FlashDangerpants wrote: ↑Thu May 29, 2025 1:42 am
The condoms were for the province of Gaza in Mozambique where 25% of adults are HIV+
So there were condoms for Gaza, but for a different one. Did you check out the other cases...gay theatre, trans surgeries, and art lessons?
Frankly I didn't see any reason to look into a suggestion that USAID would be intervening in a developed EU nation with universal healthcare...
Health care? Transing? Homosexuality? Art lessons? These are "universal healthcare"?
No, these are ideological tampering with a sexual twist, in countries where America has no business interfering. And I doubt you could get American taxpayers to shell out anything for them, if the Dems had given any of them the chance to say anything about it...which they didn't, of course.
Immanuel Can wrote: ↑Thu May 29, 2025 2:14 am
So there were condoms for Gaza, but for a different one. Did you check out the other cases...gay theatre, trans surgeries, and art lessons?
Frankly I didn't see any reason to look into a suggestion that USAID would be intervening in a developed EU nation with universal healthcare...
Health care? Transing? Homosexuality? Art lessons? These are "universal healthcare"?
No, these are ideological tampering with a sexual twist, in countries where America has no business interfering. And I doubt you could get American taxpayers to shell out anything for them, if the Dems had given any of them the chance to say anything about it...which they didn't, of course.
Reply to the entire post or don't fuck me around with this partial quote bullshit of yours. I didn't take the USAID to Ireland thing seriously because Ireland is not a recipient of USAID, it is a first world developed nation in the European Union not a charity case.
Frankly I didn't see any reason to look into a suggestion that USAID would be intervening in a developed EU nation with universal healthcare...
Health care? Transing? Homosexuality? Art lessons? These are "universal healthcare"?
No, these are ideological tampering with a sexual twist, in countries where America has no business interfering. And I doubt you could get American taxpayers to shell out anything for them, if the Dems had given any of them the chance to say anything about it...which they didn't, of course.
Immanuel Can wrote: ↑Thu May 29, 2025 2:32 am
Health care? Transing? Homosexuality? Art lessons? These are "universal healthcare"?
No, these are ideological tampering with a sexual twist, in countries where America has no business interfering. And I doubt you could get American taxpayers to shell out anything for them, if the Dems had given any of them the chance to say anything about it...which they didn't, of course.
Immanuel Can wrote: ↑Mon May 26, 2025 7:52 pm
That's a great question for the physicists to continue to ponder, since they can't answer it. Nor can you, by your own confession.
What physicists know is that if you smash particles together, you can create different particles.
That observation might be true, but still has absolutely no relevance here, or to the present discussion.
The question is only, "What field of phenomena does physics legitimately attempt to address?"
Immanuel Can wrote: ↑Mon May 12, 2025 10:19 pmThe precise, predictable easy traction that physics gives us in physical situations is not replicated in any situations involving mental phenomena. And yet, it's not possible to deny the existence of mind.
So what do we make from that?
That you don't understand physics.
Immanuel Can wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 2:53 pmAnd it's not the things I listed, such as mind, morals, consciousness, etc. That must surely be an obvious common conclusion to our discussion now.
That you think there are phenomena which physics can't "legitimately attempt to address" shows that, while you refer to phenomena, rather than "physical things" is encouraging, you still don't understand that physicists can apply their methods to any phenomena they wish; if only to rule out the possibility that the phenomenon in question doesn't lend itself to those methods.
No. Just to the part that has some relevance.