Project 2025 Status Report: Update Since Trump Took Over January 20, 2025

 

Constitutional Liberty and Justice for Under Siege 

(Good reference site) 

UPDATE: PROJECT 2025 IMPACT

Full document is here - all 920 pages in .pdf format.

It is spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, along with a coalition of over 100 conservative organizations. 

It is a comprehensive plan outlining policy proposals and a roadmap for a potential future conservative presidential administration that we now see with Donald J. Trump and his MAGA sycophants.

The project's most significant publication is a 900-page "Mandate for Leadership" (link above) that details recommendations for restructuring the executive branch and implementing a conservative agenda across various federal agencies. 

Key Aspects of Project 2025 and the goals to (1) consolidate presidential power, (2) dismantle the so-called administrative state, and (3) implement a range of conservative policies that now  also have included those related to (1) abortion, (2) immigration, (3) LGBTQ+ rights, (4) education, and (5) the environment.

Policy Proposals: The project's "Mandate for Leadership" details a vast number of policy recommendations, such as reviving the Comstock Act to (1) restrict abortion access, (2) implementing mass deportations, (3) ending birthright citizenship, (4) reducing federal spending. and (5) regulations.

Implementation Strategy: A central focus of Project 2025 is to enable a future administration to take swift action, potentially without congressional approval, by using executive power, and replacing non-partisan civil servants with political loyalists.

Controversies: Project 2025 has drawn criticism from various organizations and experts, who view its proposals as a threat to democracy, civil rights, and social safety nets. Critics also express concerns about the project's potential (1) to undermine the rule of law, (2) the separation of powers, and (3) the separation of church and state.

Relationship to the Current Administration: While Donald Trump has publicly distanced himself from Project 2025, claiming he knows nothing about it, many of his actions and policies since taking office have aligned with the project's

recommendations. Several individuals involved in Project 2025 have been nominated to key slots. 

Reduced Civil Rights Protections: Project 2025 proposals could lead to the rollback of protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, among other civil rights.

Changes to Reproductive Rights: The project's recommendations aim to restrict abortion access, potentially through the Comstock Act and the reversal of FDA approval of birth control drug mifepristone.

Alterations to the Federal Workforce: Project 2025 advocates for reducing the size of the federal government and replacing career civil servants with politically aligned appointees, which could impact various government functions.

Environmental Policy Changes: The project proposes significant changes to environmental regulations and climate change initiatives, potentially leading to increased pollution and negative environmental consequences.

Impact on Immigration: Project 2025 calls for mass deportations and other measures to curb immigration, which could have a profound impact on immigrant communities. 

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My 2 Cents:­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ See anything in the plan that is related to Emperor Trump? Like maybe most of what's outlined above.

Time will prove that most if not all of the above, or at the least major parts above will be effective or not, only time will tell. 

But, for one thing certain, it really shows the conservative political mindset of the authors and of how Trump and. yes even some the courts have become the lapdogs for change and just how far off the rails of constitutional government we have gone - and I mean like total bananas  off the rails with this Heritage Foundation total piece of crap at least in my view and the results we have seen in only a few few months of this second Trump term. 

The damage is irreparable in my view in some cases.

Finally, we the people I believe most of America will react at the polls, but we shall see. Stay tuned.

Thanks for stopping by.

Trump Court Loses Over Wins: No Big Surprise But Shows Justice Prevails in America

He is losing more cases than he is winning

(And rightly so)

A ongoing record and score board of court cases against Trump here from JUST SECURITY:

A sample of three recent and big court cases lost by Trump (and also DOGE related):

A federal judge in MA just barred Trump from punishing states that count absentee ballots mailed before Election Day but received after then. District Judge Denise J. Casper also blocked Trump from requiring people to submit citizenship proof when they use a federal form to register to vote. FYI: That requirement is already blocked by a different judge in a separate case. 

Voice of America (VOA) told more than 50 employees to come back to work immediately amid escalating military action between Iran and Israel. Most of the staffers restored from months-long administrative leave were from the Persian news division of the government-funded broadcaster.

A federal judge in CA halted a State Department plan to lay off almost 2,000 employees, marking a setback to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s push to rapidly downsize the agency. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco said an earlier ruling that prohibited federal agencies from laying off people applied to State Department downsizing, despite arguments by Trump's DOJ lawyers.

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My 2 Cents: That is a small sample of recent court rulings against Trump and MAGA administration as well as DOGE hampering on a wide scale, too.

The site linked above can be bookmarked and reviewed from time-to-time to see more pending cases and decided ones, too.

It short, and in the final analysis JUSTICE WILL (and must always) PREVAIL EQUALLY FOR ALL...

Thanks for stopping by.

 

AG Pam Bondi faces Hot Water (maybe): FL Bar Rejects Complaints Accusing Her of Misconduct

 

             Bondi before & after cosmetics and then AG

Headline story from FL: The Florida Bar rejects complaint accusing Bondi of ‘misconduct’ as U.S. AG  (edited & formatted to fit the blog).

The complaint said her actions “threaten the rule of law and the administration of justice.” Bondi appeared before the Senate Committee for her confirmation hearing on January 15, 2025. 

A liberal to moderate-leaning coalition of 70 law professors, attorneys, and former FL Supreme Court justices is attacking Bondi’s record as U.S. AG in an ethics complaint filed with the Florida Bar.

During her Senate confirmation hearing she tiptoed around whether she would stand up to Trump’s pressure on the DOJ promising only in a broad sense that “...politics has to be taken out of this system.”

Since her confirmation, Bondi has earned the praise of conservative Republicans for loyally following Trump’s agenda while drawing the wrath of critics on the Democratic spectrum who say she has politicized the DOJ on issues ranging from illegal immigration to public corruption.

Now, a liberal- and moderate-leaning coalition of about 70 law professors, attorneys, and former FL Supreme Court justices is attacking her record in an ethics complaint filed Thursday with the Florida Bar. They accuse Bondi of violating her ethical 

duties as U.S. attorney general, saying: “She has committed serious professional misconduct that threatens the rule of law and the administration of justice.”

For example, the complaint claims Bondi “...sought to compel DOJ lawyers to violate their ethical obligations under the guise of zealous advocacy, and she espoused that in a February 5, 2025 memo to all agency employees on her first day in office.”

The complaint further says Bondi threatened agency lawyers with “... discipline or termination if they failed to zealously pursue the President’s political objectives,” alleging her conduct violates Florida Bar rules and long-standing norms of the DOJ.

The coalition, which includes retired Florida Supreme Court Justices Barbara J. Pariente and Peggy A. Quince, noted that the Florida Bar rejected two other recent ethics complaints against Bondi, saying: “It does not investigate or prosecute sitting officers appointed under the U.S. Constitution while they are in office.”

Now the FL Bar rejected the latest complaint in a letter sent to the coalition, citing the same issue.

Noteworthy: The coalition did not immediately respond to the Florida Bar decision. But when noting the Bar’s dismissal of the previous two Bondi complaints, the coalition argued that none of the Bar’s rules exempt a Florida-licensed lawyer from scrutiny if they are accused of abusing their position as a federal public official.

DOJ officials on Thursday condemned the latest Florida Bar complaint. “Since her first day on the job, Bondi has made clear that she plans to use the Department of Justice for political pursuits, and she has done just that,” said Norm Eisen, executive chairperson of the Democracy Defenders Fund, a nonprofit legal advocacy group in Washington, D.C. Eisen and who was the former ambassador to the Czech Republic under President Obama.

The firings by Trump’s Justice Department conjured up Richard Nixon’s controversial move to have special prosecutor Archibald Cox fired for refusing to withdraw a subpoena for the Nixon White House tapes during Watergate. In what became known as the “Saturday Night Massacre,” Nixon ordered then AG Elliot Richardson to fire

Cox, but Richardson refused and he too resigned. 

Then, Nixon ordered the Deputy AG William Ruckelshaus to fire Cox. He also refused and resigned. Nixon finally prevailed when he ordered the DOJ solicitor general Robert Bork to fire Cox — a move that also backfired on Nixon and ultimately led to his resignation as president in 1974. In the aftermath, it was generally understood there would be “no contact” between the president and the AG regarding investigations and

prosecutions. But, now after more than 50 years, that Justice Department’s wall of independence from the White House was officially torn down in July 2024. In an historic opinion, the now 6-3 U.S.  Conservative Supreme Court ruled that Trump was generally immune for criminal liability and conduct for his official acts while in office — including his attempts to use the DOJ to obstruct the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Biden.

AG Bondi pledged that her Justice Department would not be weaponized. During her Senate confirmation hearing in mid-January, Bondi said that she would keep politics out of the Justice Department — despite refusing to say that Trump lost the 2020 election and previously

saying: “Prosecutors will be prosecuted. The the partisanship, the weaponization, will be gone.” Bondi testified that while repeatedly saying the Justice Department had been misused under Biden's administration, and “America will have one tier of justice for all.”

In her February 5 “Zealous Advocacy” memo to all Justice Department employees, Bondi advised prosecutors that their responsibilities “included not only aggressively enforcing criminal and civil laws enacted by Congress and to vigorously defend

presidential policies and actions against legal challenges on behalf of the United States.” 

But then Bondi also said: “The discretion afforded Department attorneys entrusted with those responsibilities does not include latitude to substitute personal political views or judgments for those that prevailed in the election.” 

She concluded by warning that anyone who

“refuses to advance good-faith arguments on behalf of the Administration ... or impedes the Department’s mission will be subject to discipline and potentially termination.”

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My 2 Cents: I can't stop laughing when I recall her Senate confirmation vs. her actions today.  

So, here we are today with another Trump liar as AG of the United States lying and acting the exact opposite that she swore under oath to get AG job.

Time will tell how things go from here, but I fear and predict it will go more DOWNHILL more than ever. We shall see - so stay tuned as I'm sure you will, as will I. 

Thanks for stopping.

Trump's Jet Deal: FLASHBACK to His Qatar Remarks in 2017 and Now His Flip-Flopping for Gift

 

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NY) on CNN as News Broke

Trump's "gift" from Qatar: Trump was dealt a major on-air setback on CNN as they interrupted regular programming for some bombshell news.

Anchor Erin Burnett (CNN) broke the story along with Sen. Cory Booker (D-NY) that Trump is ready (and in fact has accepted) a top-of-the-line jet from the Qatari Royal family, although he had previously slammed Qatar as a "funder of terrorism." 

During Trump's White House days back in 2017, he urged Middle East nations to cease sponsoring terrorism SAYING: "Stop funding, stop teaching hate, and stop the killing" and all the while directly pointing a finger at Qatar.

Full article [click here].  

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My 2 Cents: Trump is a low-down corrupt man bent on one thing and that is for himself making money anyway he can.

He is a disgrace as President and as a human being. 

He simply cannot be trusted about anything he says or does for "We the People and Our Nation."

Thanks for stopping by.

JD Vance Called Trump "America's Hitler": In 2016 Text to College Roommate and in Interview

 

Vance's college pal friend, Josh McLaurin, provided the story

In 2016, Vance wrote in a private message to his former law school roommate: "I go back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical a**hole like Nixon who wouldn't be that bad (and might even prove useful), or that he's America's Hitler. How's that for discouraging?"

Shortly after Trump announced his running mate in the 2024 presidential election, then Sen. JD Vance of Ohio — a claim spread on social media that he once called Trump "America's Hitler." 

The claim is true. 

In a 2016 text message to his former law school roommate, Vance wrote: "I go back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical a**hole like Nixon who wouldn't be that bad (and might even prove useful) or that he's America's Hitler. How's that for discouraging?"

The recipient of the message, Josh McLaurin, now a Democratic GA state senator — made the text message public in 2022, and several reputable news outlets corroborated its legitimacy at that time. Since then, Vance has acknowledged his past remark comparing Trump to "America's Hitler," stressing his views on the former president have changed.

It's laughable that the media treats JD not liking Trump 6 years ago as some sort of breaking news, when they've already covered it since this race began. 

Clearly, Trump trusts that JD is a genuine convert, as out of all the Republican candidates running, he endorsed JD and concluded that he is the strongest America First conservative in the race. 

In July 2024, after Trump announced Vance as his VP nominee, various reputable news outlets, such as Reuters, the BBC, and The Guardian, cited the 2016 text message again.

In a July 16, 2024, interview, Fox News' Sean Hannity asked Vance about his past comments about Trump, including the "America's Hitler" remark. Vance did not refute the allegation, saying: "I don't hide from that," then adding: "Trump's time in the White House has changed my mind."

The story is here from SNOPES fact checking: 

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My 2 Cents: Proof of the clowns in this Trump administration 100% proof that is an American political history first.

I end saying no more instead allowing the SNOPES proof to stand on its own merits.

Thanks for stopping by.

U.S. and Iran Hold Nuke Talks: First Round in Oman More Expected Hope for Success Low

 

President Eisenhower with Shah Reza Pahlavi (Tehran, 1959)  

(Original good gesture and idea now kaput)

From January 16, 2016, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verified that Iran has completed the necessary steps under the Iran deal that will ensure Iran's nuclear program is and remains exclusively peaceful.

2024 UNDER TRUMP: U. S. and Iran hold "constructive first round" nuclear talks seen in this BBC story.

Background up to this point: The Iran nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was a landmark accord reached between Iran and several world powers, including the United States, in July 2015. 

Under the JCPOA terms, Iran agreed to dismantle much of its nuclear program and open its facilities to more extensive international inspections (by the IAEA) in exchange for billions of dollars worth of sanctions relief.

(NOTE FYI: Was not money from  the U.S., but was Iranian money held in foreign banks).

Proponents of the deal said that it would help prevent a revival of Iran’s nuclear weapons program and thereby reduce the prospects for conflict between Iran and its regional rivals, including Israel and Saudi Arabia. 

However, the deal has been in jeopardy since Trump withdrew the United States from it in 2018. 

Now, in retaliation for U.S. deadly attacks on prominent Iranians in 2020, including one by  the United States, Iran has resumed its nuclear activities. 

UN inspectors reported in early 2023 that Iran had enriched trace amounts of uranium to nearly weapons-grade levels, sparking international alarm. 

The JCPOA, which went into effect in January 2016, imposed restrictions on Iran’s civilian nuclear enrichment program. At the heart of negotiations with Iran were the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and also Germany — collectively known as the P5+1. The European Union (EU) also took part. 

IAEA inspectors proved, tracked, showed, and reported that Iran was complying with the 2015 JCOPA deal.

Then Trump came into office tossed the agreement and now here we & world are.

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My 2 Cents: In a nutshell, Trump has reversed history with this new "Art of the Con" and we are again as noted above on high alert. 

Trump, as usual, was jealous of the 2015 deal that President Obama handled, and it was working as approved by the governments listed above, and IAEA oversight. 

Now Trump has sunk it and again allows Iran to move on further development of their nuclear program causing Middle East alarm with many unknowns.

Trump is in a word a menace to global stability unless things do not go his way.

This NPR report of history, from 1957 under President Ike pictured above, shows how he helped Iran get a their start in the the present day nuclear business with a good idea now a major mess today under Trump.

Thanks for stopping by.

Trump Advisor Laura Loomer: Said 9/11 Inside Job; 2020 Election Rigged is Total Conspiracy Nut

  

Looney Laura Loomer Key Trump Guru of Sorts

Topic of national security concern from the DAILY BEAST. 

Trump has fired the general serving as Director of the National Security Agency after far-right activist Laura Loomer accused him of being disloyal to the president. 

Air Force 4-star General Timothy Haugh was fired and he also heads U.S. Cyber Command as was five other key NSA aides (WAPOST report).

Loomer advocated for the firings during a private meeting with the president on Wednesday. 

After news of the meeting leaked, Loomer, 31, took to social media to say Haugh was fired because he had been “disloyal to Trump.” 

Loomer wrote in a rambling post on X: “As a Biden appointee, General Haugh had no place serving in the Trump admin given the fact that he was HAND PICKED by General Milley, who was accused of committing treason by Trump. Why would we want Milley’s hand-picked choice for NSA DIRECTOR? We do not! And he was referred for firing.” 

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My 2 Cents:  Loomer is an insane conspiracy crackpot nut case who said 9/11 was an inside job, 2020 election was stolen, and all sorts of other crazy sh*t.

Yet Trump follows her advice and acted on it as reported above. 

I have to seriously wonder what she is holding over Trump to get him to give into her? That's a whole other interesting story I believe isn't it?

Also, I wonder what Putin has on Trump that allows him to be favored and thus control Trump. Also an interesting supposition.

Thanks for stopping by.

Kennedy Cuts 20,000 HHS Jobs: Latest from FDA & CDC re: Food Safety & Disease Control

 

FDA Oversees Food safety - CDC Controls Diseases

Critical article from REUTERS news with this impact:

WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced plans to reshape federal public health agencies by cutting over 20,000 employees and centralizing some functions of the FDA, CDC, and other elements under his purview.

The job cuts include 3,500 at the FDA and 2,400 at the CDC, and 1,200 at the NIH.

Kennedy said: "Over time, bureaucracies like HHS become wasteful and inefficient even when most of their staff are dedicated and competent civil servants. This overhaul will be a win-win for taxpayers and for those that HHS serves. That's the entire American public, because our goal is to Make America Healthy Again."

Large government agencies like HHS sprawl over time and there is merit in reorganizing them, which has happened under both Democratic and Republican administrations, but this plan goes beyond that.

Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at non-profit KFF, and former senior adviser to the White House and HHS under President Bill Clinton said: "This is not just a reorganization of HHS. It is also a slashing of the federal workforce, which will ultimately affect government services."

Kennedy also said cutting a total of 20,000 from HHS: "There will be no impact - but it will be painful."

(My Insert: No Sh*t Sherlock...)

1. There are 66 million enrolled in Medicare which serves for people aged 65 and older. 

2. There are 72 million enrolled in Medicaid, which serves low-income and people with disabilities.

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My 2 Cents: R.F. Kennedy Jr., as well as Pete Hegseth (DOD); Tulsi Gabbard (DNI); Kash Patel (CIA), AG Pam Bondi, and several others are unqualified, lacking leadership, and even common sense in be the key positions they are in.

In a word the Trump batch in his cabinet and more so Elon Musk running the DOGE are horrible people and that is not just my view, but the view of hundreds if not thousands of former officials who served faithfully and efficiently in government agencies and key positions for decades.

We will suffer greatly in the coming months and years after this batch of "no-gooders" are gone and the sooner the better - at least in my view - a person who served in the Marine Corps for 20 years and have a full retirement from there as well as 22 years as an Army and Air Force civilian Federal employee (in the intelligence and education fields) for a total of 44 years public service. I hate seeing what is happening in and to our country right now under Trump and is MAGA minions.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Conspiracy theory spreading: Social media say Musk's Starlink interfered with 2024 election

 

2024 U.S. ELECTIONS RAPID RESEARCH BLOG RAPID RESEARCH NOTE

(Source: University of Washington)

This is part of an ongoing series of rapid research blog posts and rapid research analysis about the 2024 U.S. elections from the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public. 

This research memo identifies election rumors using a combination of qualitative, quantitative, digital ethnographic, and visual, methodologies. It was cross-posted on the CIP’s election rumor research Substack newsletter.

Since Trump won the presidential election, rumors and audience attention have focused on interpreting the results. A new rumor has emerged on the left as part of this collective sense making process. 

Social media users speculated that Starlink, a satellite-based Internet provider owned by Elon Musk, was used to alter election results in Trump’s favor. 

Note: Fact-checks by PolitiFact and AFP have debunked these claims. 

The rhetoric and tropes of this rumor have the hallmarks of a conspiracy theory, which academics typically define as an explanation for social or political events that suggests without verifiable evidence that perceived ill-intentioned actors are secretly plotting to alter social, political, and economic institutions to their benefit — such as elections. 

In this research note, we analyze the spread of this conspiracy theory on X and its rumoring dynamics within left-leaning audiences on the platform.

Left-leaning accounts with relatively small followings (ranging from 10k to 200k) have driven the conversation about this conspiracy theory on X, especially in its early stages on November 9 and 10. 

Most engagement on X comes from tweets posted by these accounts over these two days. 

On November 11, tweets rumoring about this conspiracy theory continued, but got fewer retweets. At the same time, several right-leaning accounts joined the conversation, mainly to mock left-leaning speculation and dismiss the rumor as a conspiracy theory.

Analyzing the spread of the conspiracy theory:  The crux of the theory postulates that Starlink was used to alter vote counts in Trump’s favor. They speculate, without evidence, that tabulators that are used to count paper ballots, were tampered with via an internet connection: namely Musk’s Starlink internet provider.

It is important to note that most machines used in U.S. elections are not connected to the Internet. 

My 2 Cents: Maybe a deep dive is now required in light of of the Musk DOGE shenanigans. Just a thought.

Trump & Musk Are Out of Control: For our survival they have to be and must be stopped

Elon Musk is not officially a Federal employee 

(Not by any law, standard, or process)

First, this shocking FORTUNE story about Elon Musk and his illegal access to classified, sensitive, and personal information with this headline:

“Musk’s DOGE gets access to classified USAID info after security chiefs tried to block move – then were put on leave, officials say”

The disgusting, evil, and nasty Elon Musk must be prosecuted – he has no security clearance, no security access to classified, or sensitive personal information or data, and had no reason to gain the information, and he even is not a valid nor legal government official. Trump and Musk have effectively found a backdoor way to seize Congress’s power to appropriate funds for the executive branch — a move that would make it easier to cut the budget but also challenge basic democratic norms. 

Don Moynihan, a public policy professor at the University of Michigan said: “If Musk can single-handedly shut off spending for one government agency, he can do it for any another. He can shut off payment of federal employee salaries. He can shut down federal contracts. It is an extraordinary abuse of public power.”

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Then this second shocking story from AP News relates to the above article and current Trump & Musk craziness:

“Elon Musk’s DOGE commission gains access to sensitive Treasury payment systems”

WASHINGTON — The DOGE run by Trump’s billionaire adviser and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has gained access to sensitive Treasury data including Social Security, and Medicare customer payment systems, according to two people familiar with the situation. 

The move by DOGE, a Trump administration task force assigned to find ways to fire federal workers, cut programs and slash federal regulations, means it could have wide leeway to access important taxpayer data, among other things.

NOTED: The New York Times first reported the news of the group’s access of the massive federal payment system. The two people who spoke to the AP spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Ron Wyden (R-OR) sent a letter to Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressing concern: “That officials associated with Musk may have intended to access these payment systems to illegally withhold payments to any number of programs. To put it bluntly, these payment systems simply cannot fail, and any politically motivated meddling in them risks severe damage to our country and the economy.”

The news also comes after Treasury’s acting Deputy Secretary David Lebryk resigned after more than 30 years of service. Lebryk resigned his position after Musk and his DOGE organization requested access to sensitive Treasury data. 

In his letter to the employees he said: “Our service performs some of the most vital functions in government. Our work may be unknown to most of the public, but doesn’t mean it isn’t exceptionally important. I am grateful for having been able to work alongside the nation’s best and most talented operations staff.”

Musk responded to the departure of Lebryk on his X page saying: “The DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups. They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once.”

NOTED: Musk DID NOT provide proof of that claim. I suppose he is covered by what Trump labeled him based on this story: 

Trump makes Elon Musk a “Special Government Employee” amid accusations of takeover.

I'm Mr. GOP – Like it or get out of the party 

My 2 Cents: These articles and the Trump-Musk moves are illegal and unlawful.

Lots of legal cases are forthcoming to nail them both. We need to stop them and stop them now. 

The nation’s future is at stake and many lives, too. I fear the worst is yet to come.

Thanks for stopping by.

Battle of AI Giants: China’s New “DeepSeek” vs. “U.S. Nvidia” Winner TBA

Race to Top of AI Mountain to Win the Gold Medal  

Rather long post but timely and critical, too. AI battle heats up as reported BARRON'S here with this headline

“Don’t Fight DeepSeek Learn From It”

Some of these concerns appear overblown. The real issue is China’s challenge to U.S. technology leadership posed by rapid advancements in advanced industries including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, robotics, fintech, and electric vehicles. 

Instead of blaming China for its attempt to lead in some key technologies, the West should learn from China’s desire and capability to pivot. These insights would help the U.S. decide whether to compete against China or to cooperate with China in advanced technologies.  

For decades, China was perceived primarily as the world’s factory, a place where low-cost manufacturing thrived. Recent years have shifted this perception dramatically. The U.S. and other Western nations have begun to recognize China’s burgeoning role as a hub of innovation. This transformation is evident in the rise of Chinese tech giants, advancements in various high-tech industries, and the increasing global influence of Chinese innovations. 

The West’s apprehension about China’s rise as an innovation powerhouse is recent. Historically, there was a belief that China couldn’t innovate because its economic model was controlled by the state, and that was thought to impede innovation. The West was slow to understand that China has long desired to shift from “Made in China” (with cheap labor) to “Innovate in China” (with scientific talent). 

China invented paper and fireworks in ancient times, but in recent history — since its economic reforms in 1979 — it has emphasized innovation by improving or applying existing ideas learned from the West (U.S. mostly). China’s approach to innovation includes: (1) strong government backing, and (2) focus on practical applications.

That propelled China to remarkable innovations in several fields:

First, China has redefined internet and mobile phone applications. The rise of platforms such as Alibaba’s Alipay and Tencent’s Alipay’s WeChat, and Tencent’s Alipay that has transformed how people interact, shop, and conduct business online, revolutionizing mobile payments and social media, respectively. These innovations have set new standards globally and demonstrated China’s ability to lead in digital technology. 

Second, China’s innovative prowess in EVs has taken the world by surprise. Two prominent examples are CATL’s battery technology and BYD’s EV manufacturing. Elon Musk laughed at the poor design and quality of China’s BYD cars in 2011, but in 2023 he admitted that BYD is now a competitor of Tesla’s after BYD became dominant in the EV market. With over 110,000 R&D engineers, BYD obtained 538 new patent authorizations in just the first two weeks of January, an increase of 216% over the same period last year.

Third, in telecommunications technology, Huawei’s significant advancements in the development and deployment of fifth-generation networks have prompted concerns and bans in the U.S. driven by national security. Nonetheless, Huawei remains a major competitor in the global telecom sector, competing with other industry giants like Samsung, Apple, and Ericsson.

Fourth, China has poured enormous resources into AI development, resulting in groundbreaking advancements in natural language processing, autonomous systems, and algorithm-driven manufacturing. It isn’t just DeepSeek. China’s rapid development in AI is squeezing the U.S.-led semiconductor ecosystem.

Fifth, China’s advancements in robotics and autonomous driving further illustrate its innovative capabilities.

The country is ahead of the U.S. in some areas of autonomous driving and robotics, driven by significant investments and a favorable regulatory environment. These developments are reshaping industries and positioning China as a global leader in these fields. 

Despite U.S. export controls on 24 types of chip-making equipment and three categories of software essential for semiconductor development, AI has the potential to help China develop its advanced semiconductor capabilities. 

The U.S. has often accused China of technology theft, but China’s innovation advantage lies in its ability to combine rapid technological development with a supportive ecosystem. 

These factors created the major forces driving their innovations:

1. First, its vast human capital, with a large pool of STEM graduates, provides a strong foundation for technological advancement.

2. Second, China’s culture of hard work and perseverance fosters an environment conducive to innovation.

3. Third, substantial government support through policies and funding has been instrumental in driving research research and development. 

4. Finally, China’s economic heft, with the world’s second-largest domestic market, allows for the rapid scaling of new technologies. The West’s reaction to China’s innovation highlights a sense of hypocrisy and insecurity. Initially, China was criticized for not innovating enough. As China emerges as a leading innovator, the West accuses it of stealing technology and imposes various bans out of fear.  

Instead of using export controls to panicky response to block China’s desire to innovate, it would be more constructive to learn more about China’s innovation ecosystem to advance humanity as this old Chinese proverb says: “Understanding yourself first and then your opponent’s is the best way to ensure your success.” 

Related headline article from FORTUNE: Chinese AI “DeepSeek” threatening American AI “Nvidia” for AI dominance.

My 2 Cents: I have spoken awhile about the good, the bad, and the ugly of AI. The above article takes a totally different view of how to compete rather than overtake China’s AI growth on a world scale.

 Article Intelligence (AI), the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, combines algorithms (unambiguous instructions) with data to perform functions similar to human decision-making.

* The first generation of AI, in the 1980’s and 1990’s, could apply rules written by humans to data to create outputs.

* The second generation of AI, in the 2000’s, could learn, meaning that programs could take data and guidance provided by humans, independently identify rules, and then apply those rules to new data to create outputs.

* Now, the third generation of AI, which we are currently in, seeks to incorporate “deep learning.” 

Deep learning permits programs to autonomously learn rules and automatically judge new data to create outputs, without human intervention. AI offers pros and cons like anything new on the world stage for example as explained above and in this fine article here with this introductory question: “Artificial intelligence prevents us from being inundated with irrelevant information – and that raises an important question: “Who determines what is relevant or irrelevant?  And how do they decide?”

A lot of info on this topic is growing faster than the AI field of innovation as out above – again, the good, the bad, and the ugly. 

I am not an expert by any means on this subject – only from what I read and hear and watch about AI and its growth and purpose and benefits.

Quite frankly it scares me the most in the bad and ugly parts not the good for good is supposed to be good as they say for everything and everyone.

But, as the question above asks I also ask: “Who determines the good over the bad and the ugly.” Or as also stated above: “What is relevant and irrelevant and who determines?” 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Trump Vis-á-Vis Kim Jong-un: Praises Kim While Taking Swiping at Obama & Biden

Will resume relations with “Smart Guy” Kim

Trump first meets Kim in Singapore 

(June 2018)

(Ouchie: Squeeze handshake is Trump's trademark)

Trump has gone off the deep end of the reality standard after only a few days back in power – this THE INDEPENDENT article headline cites one key example and pretty much says it all:

“Trump describes North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un in two words as he takes swipe at Obama and Biden”

Trump described Kim as a “smart guy” during an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News on Thursday (23 January), saying: “He’s not a religious zealot. He happens to be a smart guy. Kim Jong-Un is a smart guy.”

Trump repeated his good relations with the North Korean leader even as ties between Washington and Pyongyang deteriorated underJoe Biden’s administration. 

My 2 Cents: If there are two areas of the world that I know well and have studied for years including 47 weeks studying their languages while I was an interrogator in the Marine Corps, they are North Korea and Russia, plus I served in Korea for nearly 12 years. 

I do agree with Trump when he says that Kim, Jong-un is “a smart guy” true but only smart in an ugly and evil way in his methods and goals, just like Putin. 

Kim, Jong-un even had his half-brother, Kim Jong-nam assassinated on February 13, 2017. 

Kim Jong-nam died after being exposed to VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia. 

It is widely believed that he was killed on the orders of his half-brother. Four North Korean suspects left the airport shortly after the attack, traveling back to Pyongyang. 

Plus, Kim, Jong-un had his once-powerful uncle, Chang, Song-taek executed after being purged for “acts of treachery” in 2013. 

Kim and Putin both know Trump well and what precisely what makes him tick, too. 

They both play Trump a fiddle to get his kudos and what they want from him, and it seems to work, too, e.g., North Korean troops now helping Putin in his war against Ukraine, and Trump doesn't seem to mind much, but he said he will look into the matter as reported on here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Two of Six Billionaires: In Deep For & With Trump Are Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg

Two of Top Six Deep in Trump's Political Circle

(With lots of money and influence)

From the WASHINGTON EXAMINER with an interesting story and catchy headline that is direct line to and from pleasing Trump and vice versa as he enters office again:

“Big Tech favored with better seats than Cabinet nominees at Trump’s inauguration”

To set the scene click here for reporter video.

Elon Musk has emerged as a top Trump ally since vigorously campaigning for the president last fall and subsequently being appointed to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and of course dropping some $250M to help Trump win the election.

Mark Zuckerberg recently rolled back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies at Meta, a key priority for Trump during the campaign.

The Zuck also rescinded controversial fact-checking policies, which critics had argued were biased against Trump and other Republicans.

All of the tech gurus have flocked to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, the Trump Florida home since he won, as they say “to kiss the ring” some other body part  to get in his good  graces – and apparently it is working.

My 2 Cents: Elon Musk is more than all that mentioned above and in spades as they expression says.

He is in fact acting as Trump’s “Co-President” and make no mistake about that fact.

Trump listens to Musk and explicitly hears Ka-Ching, Ka-Ching the sound that reverberates back from Musk.

More will follow on this subject as we move a long in Trump 20 – bet on.

Thanks for stopping by.