"Do You Know Someone in a Cult? 🔸️Evaluate any group now with Dr. Steven Hassan's BITE Model of Authoritarian Control." 🔸️The BITE test finds out if any group is helpful or harmful, honest or dishonest, healthy or unhealthy.
I wonder if those Republicans who voted to pass the CR and not increase the debt ceiling are drawing a line in the sand. Being loyal to Trump is one thing; being loyal to Elon Musk, who was not elected and is not an American-born citizen, will be too much for them to stomach. I hope so. Thank you for showing us the cracks in the Trump foundation and for your dedication to this work; it gives me hope and a sense of purpose.
WHAT WAS STRIPPED from the original bipartisan budget bill?
o Crackdown on junk fees
o A fix for stolen food stamp funds
o Money for children’s cancer research
o Curtailing Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers (PBM)
o Criminalization of revenge porn and some deepfake images
o Restriction on investments in China
o Cost-of-living pay raise for Congress
The items that were stripped out had negligible, if any, budgetary impact. In fact, PBM reform would have saved patients and taxpayers significant money by curtailing the greed of Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers. Although removed from the bill, funding for pediatric cancer research was approved separately.
Two items on this list were set to have an impact on the business operations of Elon Musk. First, the original bipartisan bill required X and other social media sites to implement policies to deal with revenge porn and certain deepfake images. Second, Musk would have seen the proposed restriction on investments in China as problematic.
Democrat Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) has accused Elon Musk of pushing Speaker Mike Johnson to kill the initial bipartisan spending proposal that was agreed to – precisely because it would have imposed new regulations on his considerable investments in China.
Tesla’s gigafactory in Shanghai accounts for half of its worldwide car production. In addition, Chinese factories produce over 90 percent of the parts for Tesla cars. Moreover, Tesla has roughly 300 stores throughout China.
“Last time I checked, Elon Musk doesn’t have a vote in Congress. Now, he has influence and he’ll put pressure on us to do whatever he thinks the right thing is for him."
. – Rich McCormick (GA-06)
“We reached an agreement…and a tweet changed all of it? Can you imagine what the next two years are going to be like if every time Congress works its will and then there's a tweet…from an individual who has no official portfolio who threatens members on the Republican side with a primary, and they succumb?”
Even if he became Speaker, Musk is unelected and thus still would not have a vote. He’d just be empowered to "direct" how elected representatives vote. However, given that can aim all the fury of his Xitter on those who defy him, Musk already has that power.
It's a Christmas (Holiday) miracle, i tells ya! They don't come much sweeter than this. My Christmas cheer has been COMPLETELY restored in one 48-hour stretch.
As Simon points out in today’s Hopium, Elon Musk has called for Germans to vote for Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), the neo-Nazi party that has downplayed the Holocaust. In the upcoming elections, the AfD hopes to strengthen its hand in the Bundestag – and perhaps play a key role in the next government.
Members of the AfD spent Election Day at Mar-a-Lago and have underscored that they "hope to have a close relationship with the incoming Trump administration".
An AfD supporter was behind the terror attack in a marketplace in Magdeburg, Germany. A strong supporter of Israel's crimes against Palestinians and Lebanese too.
I will note that, in this latest brush with a government shutdown, it appears that Musk got everything HE wanted. Whereas Trump got NOTHING he wanted (i.e., the raise to the debt ceiling).
So who's really running the country? Musk might want to be careful, in case Trump gets jealous and sics SEAL Team Six on him.
I have a slightly different take. Musk wanted the government to shut down and for the country to be in chaos. He event Tweeted as I shared that he wanted no legislation until Jan 20th. He may have had other objectives but the notion that Musk got what he wanted and that this was a successful project for him I think is not accurate. Though I do agree that Trumpworld is going to be pissed that Musk goaded Trump into doing something that caused him political harm.
The following are the pediatric cancer measures that Republicans excluded in the new continuing resolution bill:
A program that rewards researchers for approvals of pediatric cancer drugs with valuable vouchers that require faster Food and Drug Administration reviews of another drug application of any kind. The priority review voucher program was to be extended until 2029.
A program that would allow kids with cancer who are covered by Medicaid and the Children’s health insurance program known as CHIP to receive out-of-state treatment.
New authority for the FDA to fine companies when they don’t complete required pediatric studies. The FDA already has this authority for adult studies.
New FDA authority to require that companies study pediatric drugs in combination with other treatments for the same disease when those treatments are owned by the same company or are available as generics. 😢
First good test of how well Dems can start getting their message out. And I say it's time to tug on people's emotional heartstrings here. If Rs can do it, then so can we. If you can't make ads off of this that top the effectiveness of a Willy Horton ad (especially in this current healthcare debate climate),...well, let's just say it's high time we start getting the word out about what this Musk-MAGA Party is really about.
Thanks for the reply. Very interesting. I actually saw that Musk tweet on this article, but did not look closely enough at the timestamp ha ha ha.
Just two questions, if you don't mind:
1) I thought Elon was more in it for the cuts. I may be wrong on this, but I have heard he got some of what he wanted. That may (or may not) have gone beyond spending cuts. For example, at the time, some Dems accused Musk of tanking the original spending agreement over China restrictions (https://thehill.com/business/5051709-musk-delauro-spending-bill-china/). Were there any minor "successes" for Musk in that way? As in no China restrictions, some of the desired spending cuts?
2) Of course, Musk loves chaos in general. Just seems to be in his nature. But are you thinking it serves a more strategic purpose (distract from bad Tesla news, etc., etc.)? At least for the time leading up to the Inauguration?
The Dems comments about the funding bill to include Hakeem Jeffries’ showed that maybe the Dems are taking the gloves off. I hope so. The more we see the fighting spirit the better because I’m still seeing too many “engaged” democrats giving up.
Sen Schumer has not gotten the memo yet on fighting back. last nite he just mumbled about the compromise and we got a few things. way off mark. the good stuff that dems put in was stripped. that was the message to the american people. explain the good stuff that they got rid of while benefitting musk in china. perfect opportunity missed again. the real story here is about musk & china! that's why he killed the bill. they need to tag him on this. maybe the enablers will whisper into the felon's ear that musk gained and he lost big time!
Jeffries was masterful in controlling his caucus, Johnson, and the outcome..you need to give him credit.
Thune ducked out of sight through most of it.
There clearly is no leadership in the Trump team..anyone competent--and I don't include Sue Wiles in that group-- would have found a way to manage Musk and get him out of the headlines everyday. Trump clearly didn't care about the end of session until Musk exploded...he was playing golf yesterday when it came together...but the political press kept focusing on Biden's absence...clearly the Democrats were getting the direction they needed from the Biden White House as opposed to the Trump s--t show. DNC should be selling "I Didn't Vote for Musk" bumperstickers and lawn signs...that's the kind of thing the media will cover.
The articles you included are too nuanced...NYTimes the most..as late as Thursday, Axios was predicting significant Democratic votes for the Trump version...
I will take any, and all, good-ish news. Thanks, Simon and others for helping us cope. On another note, I had no idea until now about the connection between Musk and the murderous German driver. Evil has been unleashed by the mass spread of lies and money. Musk is meddling in the UK too, in his global designs with Putin. There needs to be a mass uprising of people that say, not here, not now, enough. The plutocracy must be dismantled.
Re the Dem leaders needing to take the gloves off..some have and thank you.. but to see a real take-down of (for example) Kevin McCarthy, take a look or listen to Dateline Whitehouse of Thursday 12/19 in which Sarah Longwell rips into him. It’s priceless. She goes on to say that this is what the Dems MUST do, or we are lost. I completely agree.
"Sentence Donald Trump to a Mandatory Psychiatric Examination - Political/Legal Maneuverings do Not Change Medical Need"
by Dr. BANDY X.LEE
https://open.substack.com/pub/bandyxlee/p/sentence-donald-trump-to-a-mandatory?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=280c3q
How about Musk?
He'd have to come down from the ketamine first.
President Musk should pass a test!
"Do You Know Someone in a Cult? 🔸️Evaluate any group now with Dr. Steven Hassan's BITE Model of Authoritarian Control." 🔸️The BITE test finds out if any group is helpful or harmful, honest or dishonest, healthy or unhealthy.
https://bitemodel.com/
Anyone who doesn’t think Trump is a great leader doesn’t understand anything about cults.
I wonder if those Republicans who voted to pass the CR and not increase the debt ceiling are drawing a line in the sand. Being loyal to Trump is one thing; being loyal to Elon Musk, who was not elected and is not an American-born citizen, will be too much for them to stomach. I hope so. Thank you for showing us the cracks in the Trump foundation and for your dedication to this work; it gives me hope and a sense of purpose.
musk is a foreign-born American citizen who worked illegally in the US. He became a U.S. citizen in 2002 and is registered to vote in Texas. He is eligible to serve as Speaker of the House, but not as President of the USA. https://wapo.st/4iIX07H https://www.newsweek.com/elon-musk-speaker-house-natural-born-citizen-2003663
Thanks for the correction. I edited my comment. Chilling thought if he became Speaker.
WHAT WAS STRIPPED from the original bipartisan budget bill?
o Crackdown on junk fees
o A fix for stolen food stamp funds
o Money for children’s cancer research
o Curtailing Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers (PBM)
o Criminalization of revenge porn and some deepfake images
o Restriction on investments in China
o Cost-of-living pay raise for Congress
The items that were stripped out had negligible, if any, budgetary impact. In fact, PBM reform would have saved patients and taxpayers significant money by curtailing the greed of Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers. Although removed from the bill, funding for pediatric cancer research was approved separately.
Two items on this list were set to have an impact on the business operations of Elon Musk. First, the original bipartisan bill required X and other social media sites to implement policies to deal with revenge porn and certain deepfake images. Second, Musk would have seen the proposed restriction on investments in China as problematic.
https://wapo.st/41JKEX5
I think the chidren's cancer research funds were put back in.
Not into the funding bill, but was passed by separate legislation this morning
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/21/us/politics/spending-pediatric-cancer-stadium.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jE4.KpuR.uDRUFNXp96li&smid=url-share
The obese orange Emperor has no clothes.
Not an image I want in my head!
FOLLOW THE MONEY: Why Musk killed the bill
Democrat Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) has accused Elon Musk of pushing Speaker Mike Johnson to kill the initial bipartisan spending proposal that was agreed to – precisely because it would have imposed new regulations on his considerable investments in China.
Tesla’s gigafactory in Shanghai accounts for half of its worldwide car production. In addition, Chinese factories produce over 90 percent of the parts for Tesla cars. Moreover, Tesla has roughly 300 stores throughout China.
https://thehill.com/business/5051709-musk-delauro-spending-bill-china/
“Last time I checked, Elon Musk doesn’t have a vote in Congress. Now, he has influence and he’ll put pressure on us to do whatever he thinks the right thing is for him."
. – Rich McCormick (GA-06)
“We reached an agreement…and a tweet changed all of it? Can you imagine what the next two years are going to be like if every time Congress works its will and then there's a tweet…from an individual who has no official portfolio who threatens members on the Republican side with a primary, and they succumb?”
. – Richard Neal (MA-02, Democrat)
unless he becomes Speaker of the House
Even if he became Speaker, Musk is unelected and thus still would not have a vote. He’d just be empowered to "direct" how elected representatives vote. However, given that can aim all the fury of his Xitter on those who defy him, Musk already has that power.
Good point. There would be no House District for musk to represent with his vote... although he might try to annex and represent outer space. 🌌
How much do I adore your subtitle? Yes. In fact. I adore it. Because I have been feeling the very buzz of this sentiment all morning long.
It's a Christmas (Holiday) miracle, i tells ya! They don't come much sweeter than this. My Christmas cheer has been COMPLETELY restored in one 48-hour stretch.
I stand with you, Charles. I just bought more gifts and added more cookies to the bake list, in celebration.
My wife and I may have received a gift. https://www.newsweek.com/social-security-fairness-act-amendment-rand-paul-2004598
As Simon points out in today’s Hopium, Elon Musk has called for Germans to vote for Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), the neo-Nazi party that has downplayed the Holocaust. In the upcoming elections, the AfD hopes to strengthen its hand in the Bundestag – and perhaps play a key role in the next government.
Members of the AfD spent Election Day at Mar-a-Lago and have underscored that they "hope to have a close relationship with the incoming Trump administration".
.
"X is just a swastika, sans serif."
Any German lawyers here? Are foreigners permitted to lobby under German law? Interfere in elections? Support racism?
Same for UK?
An AfD supporter was behind the terror attack in a marketplace in Magdeburg, Germany. A strong supporter of Israel's crimes against Palestinians and Lebanese too.
I will note that, in this latest brush with a government shutdown, it appears that Musk got everything HE wanted. Whereas Trump got NOTHING he wanted (i.e., the raise to the debt ceiling).
So who's really running the country? Musk might want to be careful, in case Trump gets jealous and sics SEAL Team Six on him.
I have a slightly different take. Musk wanted the government to shut down and for the country to be in chaos. He event Tweeted as I shared that he wanted no legislation until Jan 20th. He may have had other objectives but the notion that Musk got what he wanted and that this was a successful project for him I think is not accurate. Though I do agree that Trumpworld is going to be pissed that Musk goaded Trump into doing something that caused him political harm.
The following are the pediatric cancer measures that Republicans excluded in the new continuing resolution bill:
A program that rewards researchers for approvals of pediatric cancer drugs with valuable vouchers that require faster Food and Drug Administration reviews of another drug application of any kind. The priority review voucher program was to be extended until 2029.
A program that would allow kids with cancer who are covered by Medicaid and the Children’s health insurance program known as CHIP to receive out-of-state treatment.
New authority for the FDA to fine companies when they don’t complete required pediatric studies. The FDA already has this authority for adult studies.
New FDA authority to require that companies study pediatric drugs in combination with other treatments for the same disease when those treatments are owned by the same company or are available as generics. 😢
That's going to be real popular, I'm sure
:)
First good test of how well Dems can start getting their message out. And I say it's time to tug on people's emotional heartstrings here. If Rs can do it, then so can we. If you can't make ads off of this that top the effectiveness of a Willy Horton ad (especially in this current healthcare debate climate),...well, let's just say it's high time we start getting the word out about what this Musk-MAGA Party is really about.
https://www.mind-war.com/p/information-war-is-not-free-speech?r=cwjl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Hey Simon,
Thanks for the reply. Very interesting. I actually saw that Musk tweet on this article, but did not look closely enough at the timestamp ha ha ha.
Just two questions, if you don't mind:
1) I thought Elon was more in it for the cuts. I may be wrong on this, but I have heard he got some of what he wanted. That may (or may not) have gone beyond spending cuts. For example, at the time, some Dems accused Musk of tanking the original spending agreement over China restrictions (https://thehill.com/business/5051709-musk-delauro-spending-bill-china/). Were there any minor "successes" for Musk in that way? As in no China restrictions, some of the desired spending cuts?
2) Of course, Musk loves chaos in general. Just seems to be in his nature. But are you thinking it serves a more strategic purpose (distract from bad Tesla news, etc., etc.)? At least for the time leading up to the Inauguration?
The Dems comments about the funding bill to include Hakeem Jeffries’ showed that maybe the Dems are taking the gloves off. I hope so. The more we see the fighting spirit the better because I’m still seeing too many “engaged” democrats giving up.
Sen Schumer has not gotten the memo yet on fighting back. last nite he just mumbled about the compromise and we got a few things. way off mark. the good stuff that dems put in was stripped. that was the message to the american people. explain the good stuff that they got rid of while benefitting musk in china. perfect opportunity missed again. the real story here is about musk & china! that's why he killed the bill. they need to tag him on this. maybe the enablers will whisper into the felon's ear that musk gained and he lost big time!
just what is "neo" about these Nazis?
and the francis scott key bridge for baltimore port. a bridge too far for the repubs.
A couple of things you forgot to say:
Jeffries was masterful in controlling his caucus, Johnson, and the outcome..you need to give him credit.
Thune ducked out of sight through most of it.
There clearly is no leadership in the Trump team..anyone competent--and I don't include Sue Wiles in that group-- would have found a way to manage Musk and get him out of the headlines everyday. Trump clearly didn't care about the end of session until Musk exploded...he was playing golf yesterday when it came together...but the political press kept focusing on Biden's absence...clearly the Democrats were getting the direction they needed from the Biden White House as opposed to the Trump s--t show. DNC should be selling "I Didn't Vote for Musk" bumperstickers and lawn signs...that's the kind of thing the media will cover.
The articles you included are too nuanced...NYTimes the most..as late as Thursday, Axios was predicting significant Democratic votes for the Trump version...
I will take any, and all, good-ish news. Thanks, Simon and others for helping us cope. On another note, I had no idea until now about the connection between Musk and the murderous German driver. Evil has been unleashed by the mass spread of lies and money. Musk is meddling in the UK too, in his global designs with Putin. There needs to be a mass uprising of people that say, not here, not now, enough. The plutocracy must be dismantled.
Re the Dem leaders needing to take the gloves off..some have and thank you.. but to see a real take-down of (for example) Kevin McCarthy, take a look or listen to Dateline Whitehouse of Thursday 12/19 in which Sarah Longwell rips into him. It’s priceless. She goes on to say that this is what the Dems MUST do, or we are lost. I completely agree.