US Election Watch Thread 2024

[Yagnasri]

Elon + Vivek: Department of Government Efficiency.

.

[Vayutuvan]

Elon + Vivek: Department of Government Efficiency.

DOGE

[Vayutuvan]

The New Sec of Defense: Pete Hegseth

Maybe a good choice. But he is a tad young. But then so are Musk and Ramaswamy and Rubio. More importantly Vance himself.

[sanman]

Elon + Vivek: Department of Government Efficiency.

DOGE

The memes are hilarious






Trump calls it the "Manhattan Project" of our time

[sanman]

The New Sec of Defense: Pete Hegseth

Maybe a good choice. But he is a tad young. But then so are Musk and Ramaswamy and Rubio. More importantly Vance himself.

I've watched his shows on FOX a number of times. I'm not sure he's quite mature enough for such a senior role.

I wish a guy like Col. Douglas MacGregor could have been chosen. He's a Westpoint graduate, and he's clearly a sober military thinker.

[Yagnasri]

They do not need "thinkers" as most of the people who pass as such are NeoCons.

[sanman]

^^ MacGregor is not a NeoCon

Anyway, US SecState will be Marco Rubio

I first noticed him during his first appearance at CPAC, where he spoke very intelligently.

He's been associated with the NeoCons in the past -- you may remember that during 2016 primary, Bush-Cheney NeoCons (including Nikki Haley) backed Rubio over Trump in the end.

But since then, he's shown he has pragmatic flexibility. He comes across as very all-American.
But I'd heard he had a rather low voting attendance as a US Senator.

[Yagnasri]

I was not talking about MacGregor. There is not much of a majority in the Senate. Vance's seat is now vacant, and Rubio's also can not be vacant. Of course, Florida may elect a GoP candidate only, and until then, De Santos will nominate a GoP person only. So that may be a big comfort. But Democrats making a very strong move can not be ruled out.

Rubio will not be acceptable to the base and is not a loyalist to DJT. I think DJT will not take a change with Rubio this time around. He has learned very hard lessons last time around.

[chetak]

x posted from the understanding the US thread


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv3XbWtHyMg



How did the Harris campaign blow through $1 billion?

The Harris campaign made headlines for raising over $1 billion, yet it ended up $20 million in debt, leaving many wondering where the funds went.

Speculation is mounting big payouts to celebrities and financing appearances on popular podcasts may have drained donor money.

DNC Finance Committee staffer Lindy Li claims to have insider knowledge of how the funds were spent.

She joins NewsNation's "CUOMO" to discuss the alleged mismanagement.

[disha]

The New Sec of Defense: Pete Hegseth is an American television host, author, and Army National Guard officer. He co-hosts "Fox & Friends Weekend" on Fox News and hosts several series on Fox Nation. Hegseth is a New York Times bestselling author known for books like "Battle for the American Mind" and "The War on Warriors". He served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay, earning two Bronze Stars. He has been involved in conservative politics, supporting Donald Trump and advocating for veterans' issues through organizations like Concerned Veterans for America.

I am waiting for news on Tulsi, Kash Patel and Robert Kennedy Jr.

The pattern here is very straightforward, Trump is remaking the Republican party and the US Government in his own image. A socially liberal, fiscally conservative, pragmatic common-sense and No-nonsense, Brash, Outgoing, not taking any prisoners, win big or go home.

The current Trump team have done this in the past in their individual fields (just take a look at Elon, Vivek, Bob Kennedy etc) and they are supremely confident. Trump himself led this bunch from the front and scripted one of the greatest comeback in last 100 years. This is history. And history in making.

And they rightly want to drive final nails in the pseudo-liberal and arrogant-stupid-woke coffin. The non-sensical horseshoe of peudo-progress

This is a major turn towards pragmatic common-sense politics. If you notice the pattern, each person is an accomplished person. Governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem. She ran her family farm, successfully at the age of 23. She is an independent formidable woman and can smell bull-shit a mile away. She was the first one who did away with quarantine laws. And face masks. And lock downs. She is political democrat, in that, she wanted the local counties and health officials to decide on business and school closures. However she is far-right conservative when it comes to LGBTQ+ and abortion. Point is, she is one formidable person. And young. Someone to watch out for.

Or take Hegseth himself. he criticized universities for teaching students about "environmentalism and radical environmentalism" rather than a "real threat" such as Islamic extremism.. He is all of 44 yrs of age and it will be interesting when he sits across the table when bakis want the latest eff-16 to go after eyeran.

Tom Homan is a character. He went and put Pramila Jaypal and AOC in dock.

On illegal immigration, people do virtue signaling. Ask them to host the illegals and they turn tail. Indians should be the last people on earth virtue signalling for illegal immigration. If one has real empathy, then they will see the drug-trafficking, sex-trafficking and slave-trafficking as part of illegal immigration. Homan in his own words: "... "So I get there, I’m walking around in the back of a tractor-trailer with 19 dead aliens at my feet, including a five-year-old little boy who suffocated in the back of that tractor-trailer. And I had a five year old at the time. I didn’t sleep for three days..."

This was a historic election and several 20+ year olds are now interested in cabinet picks. Never saw this much of interest earlier.

Coming back to California, the votes are still being counted. And several hundered thousand ballots are marked invalid. This is a show that is going under radar.

[Roop]

I am waiting for news on Tulsi, Kash Patel and Robert Kennedy Jr.

Tulsi has been nominated for DNI (Director of National Intelligence).

Still no news about KP. There have been rumors of AG (Attorney General) as well as an Ambassadorship (India). We'll have to wait and see.

Re. Robert Kennedy, still nothing official but I think it's virtually certain that he will appointed (not nominated, because IMO there is zero percent probability that he could get confirmed in the Senate) to some kind of "Czar" job involving two main areas: (1) public health, including vaccines / pharmaceuticals / food additives / FDA certification etc., and (2) declassifying a lot of the secret info on things like the JFK killing / the Russiagate scandal, etc.

P.S. Just saw on TV that Matt Gaetz (R-FL congressman) has been named as AG pick. I don't know... I think Trump and the GOP are flirting with disaster here, naming all these Republican Congressmen to outside posts. It's not like they have a huge working majority in the House. The latest unofficial count I have seen is 219 in the House. They simply cannot afford to lose anyone, with the current numbers. Many House seats are currently up for grabs, they should wait till they have at least 225 before they think of squandering away their members to the Administration. If deSantis appoints Byron Donald to the Senate (to replace Rubio), things will get even worse. The GOP snatching defeat from the jaws of victory again??

[Mort Walker]

Tulsi is DNI.
Kash Patel got nothing. Matt Gaetz of FL is AG.
Vivek made co-chair of government efficiency that demonstrates inefficiency with two heads. If Trump had any sense, he would have made Vivek director of OMB.

Indians acting like Gunga-Din for Trump is bad. They got NOTHING for their loyalty.

[Roop]

... he would have made Vivek director of OMB.

Is OMB a Department of its own, or part of another Dept. (IOW does the post of Dir. OMB require Senate confirmation? )

[disha]

Indians acting like Gunga-Din for Trump is bad. They got NOTHING for their loyalty.

I think the above is extreme naval gazing and chest beating at the same time. How can one accomplish that? It is interesting that the same Indian community which do *not* support trump expects trump to pander to their personal deep rooted and misplaced insecurities!

Kash Patel is being eyed for FBI and that has got the entire US intelligence chaddis in a twist. You must see his interviews. He will be tapped by Trump for lot of reasons, if not as FBI head then something else. He is the person to watch.

DNI is a huge thing. It has NSA under it. That is a major role for Tulsi.

Cutting down 400+ Federal agencies to <100 is the stated goal of Vivek and Elon. And they are really having fun doing that. Already . More importantly, this prepares Vivek to understand the inner workings of the Federal bureaucracy and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reshape it. Basically, Vivek is reshaping the inner engineering of the Fed bureaucracy.

[Mort Walker]

OMB is a department directly under control of the WH and the director needs Senate confirmation.

[disha]

... he would have made Vivek director of OMB.

Is OMB a Department of its own, or part of another Dept. (IOW does the post of Dir. OMB require Senate confirmation? )

Office of Management and Budget is an accounting org. With a miniscule budget of 140+ million and 400 employees. If bigger is better, then Dept. of Health and Human Services has a budget of $850 Billion (give or take $10 Billion). Or even General Services Administration (GSA) which has a budget of $30B (+ or - 10%)

Only bean counters thrive in OMB.

[disha]

P.S. Just saw on TV that Matt Gaetz (R-FL congressman) has been named as AG pick. I don't know... I think Trump and the GOP are flirting with disaster here, naming all these Republican Congressmen to outside posts. It's not like they have a huge working majority in the House. The latest unofficial count I have seen is 219 in the House. They simply cannot afford to lose anyone, with the current numbers. Many House seats are currently up for grabs, they should wait till they have at least 225 before they think of squandering away their members to the Administration. If deSantis appoints Byron Donald to the Senate (to replace Rubio), things will get even worse. The GOP snatching defeat from the jaws of victory again??

They are keeping neocons and the part of republicans which are not in Bush-Cheney camp happy. DeSantis is now co-opted into the Trump orbit. What you are witnessing is the republicans shedding the bush-cheney overcoat. On the other side the Bombmama-Clinton legacy is being dismantled.

Things will never be perfect. Change is everywhere. Only constant is dhoti shivering BRFite.

[disha]

Two years back, putting that image would have got you cancelled and in some parts of SF, even arrested. How times have changed in last one week!

[Mort Walker]

Disha-ji,

40% of Indian origin people voted for Trump including myself & wife. The hope was there that campaigning for Trump & helping him win would result in key positions, not just for Vivek & Kash, but a real change with Tulsi & RFK jr. Trump’s picks for DoD, DHS & AG are really bad from any sane person’s view.

There are 2.1 million civilian federal employees. Including 800K in DoD & 200K in DHS. Nearly another 100K in LE & NS. Most expenditures are contracts awarded by agencies, not personnel, and most are outside of DC. If DOGE touches these contracts, companies will scream at their representatives in congress. My prediction is that it will meet the same fate as Obama’s Simpson-Bowles commission, whose findings were voted down in bipartisan agreement in early 2012 in the House.

[Mort Walker]

Is OMB a Department of its own, or part of another Dept. (IOW does the post of Dir. OMB require Senate confirmation? )

Office of Management and Budget is an accounting org. With a miniscule budget of 140+ million and 400 employees. If bigger is better, then Dept. of Health and Human Services has a budget of $850 Billion (give or take $10 Billion). Or even General Services Administration (GSA) which has a budget of $30B (+ or - 10%)

Only bean counters thrive in OMB.

No. OMB prepares the budget under the advice of the POTUS. Their first order of business is to address $1T/year debt payment & bring a balanced budget. It’s small but wields huge influence on executive branch policy. Which is exactly where Vivek should have been.

[Mort Walker]

All that’s needed now is for Trump to nominate Hulk Hogan for a cabinet position.

[disha]

No. OMB prepares the budget under the advice of the POTUS. Their first order of business is to address $1T/year debt payment & bring a balanced budget. It’s small but wields huge influence on executive branch policy. Which is exactly where Vivek should have been.

Well that's your opinion and it may be valid. But that is a linear thinking in my opinion.

I think Vivek is preparing for a run for Ohio Governor and then an eventual run for US Prez. Time is on his side. 8-10 years later, if his plans fructify, he would have done two stints as Gov of Ohio and complete insight into the inner workings of the Fed, including the guy who re-made the fed baboo-crazy and will be still ~50 yr young. He has good chance to make it to the top.

The DOGE is an outside office. They are figuring out how to cut down the hydra headed by staying outside and that is some real out of the box thinking. It is so out-of-box that even Pocahontas (BRFites can search her up) got it all wrong. And made a mess of herself on x-twitter. BTW, net worth of pocahontas is $60+ million. How do they make so much money?

With the spectacular loss of Cackling Comma,La MommaLa (who likes to be called as such), severe infighting between morose Obama, beaming Biden and wailing Pelosi, the Dems are rudderless. There is a late stage counter charge by Gavin Newscum and the DA of NY. However Pocahontas thought she could be the shining knight in under armor and thought about making appointments or stuffing judiciary.

But her single tweet on DOGE has put her in Dog House.

[sanman]

Tulsi is DNI.
Kash Patel got nothing. Matt Gaetz of FL is AG.
Vivek made co-chair of government efficiency that demonstrates inefficiency with two heads. If Trump had any sense, he would have made Vivek director of OMB.

Indians acting like Gunga-Din for Trump is bad. They got NOTHING for their loyalty.

Has the head of FBI been named yet? I was imagining Kash Patel could get that, because of his strong loyalty to Trump.
As for Vivek being paired with Elon --- look at the monumental task set for DOGE -- I don't think one person can easily do it.
But Trump is probably putting both of them on that task to keep them from upstaging him.

I hope that Khalistani lady Harmeet Dhillon doesn't get anything.

[bala]

Cutting down 400+ Federal agencies to <100 is the stated goal of Vivek and Elon.

As for Vivek being paired with Elon --- look at the monumental task set for DOGE -- I don't think one person can easily do it.

Yes, have to agree with both of you. This DOGE thing will cut across all depts of USA and the task is to retain the essential and cut the flab/fat out - quite monumental to say the least. Vivek and Elon are two of the smartest guys out there, who can see through the bluff and pare things down to the bone. Trump is going to have fun slashing the crud in US depts. DJT has been complaining about acquisition cost from the DeepState/GehraState controlled MIC for the US armed forces. The gravy train coating is pretty thick in DoD acquisitions. Vivek & Elon will have to navigate the maze built around this system and recommend to DJT pretty hefty cuts. All of this should reduce the budget outlays and correct the huge deficit piling up for the US. Just the hint of reversal to US deficits is sufficient to boost the economy.

Currently inflation is high in the US, every tom dick and harry org is jacking up prices. In Kalifornia the state is looting public to the tune of $2 per gallon in fuel cost as tax - complete highway robbery. All of the money is spent on useless social causes, while the infrastructure is crumbling. Roads in the state are in bad shape, city roads are even worse. State Pensions of firefighters, policeman and other assorted babus/officialdom eat up budgets. Hope DOGE addresses the colossal wastage of funds given to US States.

[Mort Walker]

DOGE goes nowhere. Stephen Miller is deputy WH CoS for policy. He's a racist who will have far more influence than Elon or Vivek. I would say even Steve Bannon will have more influence on Trump than DOGE. Miller is not only a racist, but ineffective and the reason for the government shutdown in Dec. 2018 - Feb. 2019. I was hoping he would disappear into obscurity assuming Trump had better counsel this time around.

[Mort Walker]

Steve Bannon has mentioned Kash Patel as FBI director, but that will have to wait until Trump gets into office to fire Christopher Wray or Wray resigns at the end of the year. FBI directors serve 10 year terms and are confirmed by the Senate. However, vested interests may not let that happen. Lots of backroom negotiations going on.

[fanne]

Listening to many American news/podcasts from both side, here is a very plausible model I can draw (and could be 200% wrong). But for now this model fits the curve.

Obama got a very significant bump in his votes to win the election (the one that is an outlier from historical vote growth for democrats, all absolute numbers). Most likely it was black voters turning in high numbers plus you d college graduates). He then made fun of trump, Trump runs and wins. He along with his team and experience screws Trump big time. He felt somewhere personally responsible plus he had additional goal of making Michele the next potus. Unlike other presidents, he just did not fade away after 2 terms. Then came Biden election. Along with COVID and first time massive mail in votes. There were additional humongous voters (of which 10 million did not came this time to vote democrats, perhaps for first time in modern times when the gross vote number fell). Biden won, it can be said it was out and out Obama machine helping Biden. This or next time was for Michelle and again this presidency from the backstage will be hobbled by Obama. It has only one goal to make Michelle the next candidate. All the republican appointees (like tulsi another women of color, a veteran and without nepotism albatross) or policies that stop Michelle will be apposed.

[sanman]

It looks to me like Pete Hegseth was appointed by Trump as SecDef primarily because of his loyalty to Trump.
This is possibly because of what happened at the end of Trump's first term, when he felt that his SecDef Mark Esper (Mattis' replacement) let him down.
(I'm referring to that time that Trump wanted to use military choppers to buzz anti-Trump protesters, and Esper got in the way of that)

So Trump, having suffered prosecutorial persecution over the past 4 years under Biden, is resolutely ensuring that all security organs are loyal to him.
Apparently he feels that real power comes from the barrel of a gun.

[A Deshmukh]

I believe (could be wrong):
Obama sabotaged Hillary's election in 2016. He would not be able to puppeteer Clinton.
Deep State thought they would be able to manage Trump presidency thru insiders.

In 2024, Obama wanted Michelle as a candidate. Hence the sustained LGBT+ campaigns.
But may have postponed the plans realizing the unpopularity of Biden regime.

There was a tussle between - Obama, Clinton and Pelosi camps and Biden.
Pelosi feared loosing the Congress (and her power) under Biden.
Biden wanted to continue. The 3 together pulled the rug under him.
Once it was inevitable, Biden trumped all three by supporting Kamala.
And then Biden sabotaged Kamala campaign at multiple steps - linking her to every decision. So that anti-incumbency hits her.

A lot of money laundering took place. Biden had collected millions and Kamala billion. All that money is spent!.

Somewhere someone did not bring in the fake votes (10M). (either due to intense scrutiny by Trump team or by sabotage).

With all the in-fighting - they handed over the administration to Trump.

Also, my speculation is Biden has made a deal with Trump, and Trump will forget to prosecute Hunter or Biden on Ukraine.

Khichidi.

[Cyrano]

^^^ Bravo Deshmukh saar, exactly how I saw it.

[putnanja]

Just go back to around the time Biden retired from contest and check out news sites like politico.com. Even at that time , many prominent democrats were unwilling to throw their hats into the ring, and were content to watch Harris pick up the baton. They were apprehensive of her win at that stage, and knew that chances of winning for anyone in democratic party at that late stage was slim. And that's what happened. Harris was pretty burdened as an incumbent candidate and she couldn't criticize her own govt. As reports showed throughout the election, economy and immigration was top priorities which she refused to acknowledge. Majority of media being leftist showed it as neck & neck till the end, though others were declaring the clear tilt towards Red.

I doubt Obama would have wanted Michelle to enter at that stage and face certain loss. Biden hung on for far too long , he should have refused 2nd term and let primaries decide the candidate. Even then, chances of dem win was pretty low. Dems focus on wrong things hurt them long time. Even many center and Trump-hating folks were put-off by school districts allowing puberty harmone-restricting treatment etc to kids below 18 and refusing to inform parents about it. That was sick and dems fully supported it. Even many dem-cheerleaders among Indians were concerned about these.

[Mort Walker]

In the last 188 years, a sitting vice president has been elected once. In 1988, GHW Bush was elected who was Ronald Reagan's VP. Harris was doomed from the start and associated with Biden. In 2028, if Vance is going to run for president, he too will likely lose due to being associated with Trump's administration. I hope the Republican party does not nominate him and Vivek can come in, but that's unlikely. Vance/Don Jr. will lose in 2028 and Vivek can run in 2032 after being Ohio governor for 6 years.

Comma La (as she likes to be called) and China-man horse jizz drinker Walz are now banished to political obscurity. More than likely Comma La's husband, Doug Emhoff, will dump her for someone younger.

[Yagnasri]

As things stand today, all Historical predictions are doomed. We are in a new world with a lot of churn. DJT terms will be one term this time, not two terms. Plus, if DJT can pull off significant economic improvements, Vance will have a chance.
Moreover, the Dems also have to fight hard. It is reported that Nancy will be the Democratic leader in the House. She filed for reelection and will win. With this kind of lack of fresh leadership opportunities for others and the control of the Woke gangs, which will continue due to the deeply entrenched far left in the party, Dems are not even showing any indication of improvement and reasonable frame of mind. It will be tough for them to win the WH if this continues.

[SRajesh]

Looks like all hell’s broken loose in the LeLi TV shows in USA
Every one of the Trump nominees are being put through the wringer
Stage is being set to deny confirmation of a fair proportion of those nominated
Sure will be a great show these senate confirmation hearings
Also any seriousness in the rumours of sleepy joe resigning??
Legally is there still a possibility of Prez Trump being stripped of the office
I.e., Mami assured of the Oval Office!

[Yagnasri]

Mami will be California Gov shortly as per some reports.

[Roop]

... Legally is there still a possibility of Prez Trump being stripped of the office
I.e., Mami assured of the Oval Office!

No, IMO that is out of the question now. Such fears had some basis before the election, when many people felt that Dem voter fraud ops would lead to much closer election results and the results would be touch-and-go. The fear was that we wouldn't know the results of the election for weeks. Teams of lawyers fighting it out in the courts, with Trump declared a narrow winner right on the brink of the official deadline (some time in December). Under those circumstances, the fear was that the thugs/gangsters in the Dem party would simply refuse to certify the election in the House of Representatives on January 6, introduce their own alternate list of electors and declare Commie-La the new President. CommieLa herself, being the VP, would sign and certify these bogus results and declare herself the new President. That was the fear.

However, given the clear and decisive nature of Trump's win, the Dems would never attempt such a scam now. I mean, sure they are a criminal gang -- a RICO outfit, really -- but they know that if they tried to pull such a stunt now, they would trigger an armed and violent response in the streets. Not even Jamie Raskin (the Robespierre of today's Dems) would be so reckless.

[williams]

> billion dollars and nothing to show. I am still surprised how the Dems could not figure out people's mood with that much money. I did not see Kamala pitching for a strong economic message based on ground reality. Media lost so much ground on credibility that no one is going to trust any of the channels for good. DT knows he can milk more support when the confirmation hearings gets trolled by Democrats. CNN is already peddling sexual assault allegations on Pete. It is going to be a fun six months

[Cyrano]

They could have won if they just distributed the billion among voters in swing states.

[Mort Walker]

Mami will be California Gov shortly as per some reports.

She's trying the Richard Nixon path back to the presidency. In 1962, after losing the presidential race to Kennedy in 1960, ran for California governor, but lost to Pat Brown. Then made a comeback in 1968 after tumultuous years including assassinations of JFK, MLK & RFK, race riots & Vietnam war. That said, Nixon was much younger at age 49 when he ran for governor.

Harris would not survive against other prominent California Dems in 2026 including Newscum in a primary race.

[Yagnasri]

She can not be stopped, not in the Dem world of wokeness. Black/mixed race women can not be denied in any primary unless you have some LGBTQ+ candidate. It will be fun.