Comrade Scott sent in this Politico piece about Trump freezing disbursement of Biden bills:
An executive order by President Donald Trump requiring agencies to stop paying money for two mammoth Biden-era laws could bring a wide range of infrastructure, transportation and energy projects to a halt — including those already delivering jobs to Republican-led states.
The language in question, in one of dozens of orders Trump issued on his first day in office, commands agencies to “immediately pause the disbursement of funds” under former President Joe Biden’s 2021 infrastructure law and his 2022 climate statute. That wording could imperil billions of dollars in funding for projects that states have already begun working on, some lawmakers and policy experts said Tuesday, for everything from roads and bridges to broadband and withstanding the effects of climate change.
Trump also keeps adding conditions to aid for the California wildfires. So far, it’s changing forestry policy, water policy, immigration sanctuary policy and having voter ID.
The point of having an executive branch is to execute the laws passed by Congress, more or less as written, after rulemaking, etc, by the responsible agency. (The “etc” there is doing a lot of work, and the lawyers / government employees in the audience can fill those in better than I can.). Trump’s view of the executive has always been that there’s a big pot of cash and I better get something before anyone gets even a tiny bit of that money. This is clearly what’s happening here. He’ll turn on the disbursement for the Biden legislation quickly for red states, and slowly or not at all for blue states. Then it will get tied up in the courts for a long time.
An opposition party (which I know is pretty much a theoretical entity at this point), would oppose this by pointing out the many bad things that are happening to everyone in those states, including Trump supporters. They would do it by pointing to consequences not norms, and do it with anger, not measured platitudes.
brendancalling
“An opposition party (which I know is pretty much a theoretical entity at this point), would oppose this by pointing out the many bad things that are happening to everyone in those states, including Trump supporters. They would do it by pointing to consequences not norms, and do it with anger, not measured platitudes.”
We don’t have one of those. We have 20th Century Democrats.
Phylllis
Currently having an email exchange regarding the district possibly applying for this project, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure project. When I mentioned the EO, our superintendent was quick to say “I don’t see that (EO) messing with this.” Um, ok lady. I reckon that’s what you’ll say when they come for our Title I and IDEA funds as well, as clearly stated in Project 2025.
John S.
So far the biggest outcry about Trump fucking with California seems to be coming from the late night talk show hosts, particularly Jimmy Kimmel.
Matt
In other “total failure to resist fascism” news, in Germany the CDU is going to pass anti-migrant legislation with the help of the AfD.
One step closer to literal Nazis taking power, aided and abetted by centrists and right-wing media.
ExPatExDem
@Matt: Germany of all places should know how well comity with fascists turns out.
Citizen Dave
Fuckin’ A. I hope the Red and Blue United States nations will have lots of reciprocal agreements, so I can immigrate from RUSA to BUSA with my pension, etc.
NotMax
Lawsuits and injunctive relief coming in 3…2…1….
cain
Thank God Biden filled as many judges as he could. We’re going to need them.
Watching the elders of the Democratic party has been eye opening. It’s like they still don’t get it.
Ruckus
There seems to be a lot of humans that want/need the world to be exactly what they think they want and any difference is verboten. As I understand it there are several sides to human beings, such that we don’t all see the same things, like the same food, like the same TV shows, and on and on. This site has a reasonable following and we don’t all agree on everything. Or like the same foods or same color or on and on. Humanity will have limits to behavior, likes, dislikes, etc, etc, because we are not carbon copies. Thankfully. Difference is what makes life interesting. Trying to stuff everyone into a tiny box of similarity does not. Sure we have guide rails, like laws and rules and customs, so that we can exist within a larger group. And not everyone understands or abides by the laws, rules and customs. And as those laws, rules and customs are created by humans there will always be those humans that fight the concept, design or enforcement of the guardrails. Some will fight them because they can be flawed. Some will fight them because they are assholes. And some because they are still infants in fully grown adult bodies.
Kay
I like “consequences not norms” mm, as a way of thinking about this.
trollhattan
My premature but very smart prediction: Trump keeps Rob Bonta so busy and in the news suing Trump, Bonta will be the leading candidate for governor in 2026.
John S.
@Kay:
Me too. Instead of fixating on how things should be, it’s an acknowledgement of how things are or will be.
gene108
I hope when Democrats are in power and a Republican run state gets ravaged by wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc., Democrats make the aid conditional.
Republicans have been trying to block sending disaster relief to Democratic states, since Hurricane Sandy.
If this is the new normal Republicans want, we should give it to them.
A Ghost to Most
There are no opposition parties in Gilead.
John S.
@gene108:
I think we all know that’s not going to happen. Democrats just aren’t wired for inflicting pain and misery like Republicans are.
cain
@gene108:
That would be an interesting direction for both parties but likely lead to a schism somewhere. We will be the not so united states.
ExPatExDem
@gene108: Won’t happen. The party leadership is allergic to hardball. They’d rather lose gallantly than win by playing dirty.
pat
https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/dana-milbank/
A horrifying collection of the most absurd and hateful and terrible stuff the FOTUS has been spouting.
The creep is obviously going downhill mentally. Fast.
gene108
@cain:
Outside of Trump, most Republicans in D.C. – McConnell, Johnson, Thune, etc. – are not driving a political narrative. The narrative is driven by right-wing media and billionaire funded organizations and operatives, ie Chris Rufo, Moms for Liberty, etc.
Ruckus
Another side of this may be that Joe Biden did a pretty good job of being president and all shitforbrains did was to earn my moniker for him.
gene108
@John S.:
@cain:
@ExPatExDem:
I’m pretty confident GenX and older Democrats won’t do it. I hope GenZ Democrats might consider. They’ve never known a Republican party that wasn’t a bunch of knuckle dragging fascists.
Ksmiami
@gene108: time for a divorce
JerseyBeard
6,081,697 Californians voted for Trump. He couldn’t give a fuuuuuu*k. He also likely has zero idea.
Bottom line: Trump will sacrifice his own supporters on the alter of…dominance pageantry. So alpha. Such male.
An opposition party would be having a field day right now on this.
Ksmiami
@John S.: speak for yourself. At this point, I want to bury red states in pain.
cmorenc
@pat: be aware there is a paywall ahead of any WaPost link.
Heidi Mom
As this is an open thread, and as I didn’t read the preceding thread and comments in time to add my thoughts, I’d like to add them here: Pete Buttigieg is a great communicator, perhaps the greatest in the Democratic party. He’s especially good at explaining things in a way that makes sense without talking down to people, and that’s a much needed skill. But he is also a married gay father of two adopted Black children. As such, serving as one of the public faces of the Democratic party may not be his top priority right now. Whatever choices he makes to keep him and his family safe will be fine with me.
John S.
@Ksmiami:
I’m not speaking for myself. Just pointing out how extremely unlikely it is that the current crop of elected Democrats would ever behave like Republicans.
ExPatExDem
@gene108: Hell, I’d consider it a positive step if they moved to a mostly GenX leadership. Dem leadership is still dominated by people in their 70s and 80s. Jeffries is 54 but has his strings pulled by Pelosi, so that didn’t really change anything.
CCL
…seems naive
ETA: apologies for the above – just back from running errands and seeing lots of those huge ugly signs that say “Take America Back” still up months after the election. Said sightings caused involuntary growls and a growing desire to spray paint “…to Nazi Germany” on all of them. Can’t promise to improve my mood.
Suzanne
@Heidi Mom: I hear that. If he wants to have a less prominent role, or even give up on a political career, that’s completely understandable.
We have a lot of talent. It’s a struggle in any organization to use people to their maximum effectiveness.
eclare
@Ksmiami:
Please remember Democrats also live in red states, especially in the cities.
eclare
@Heidi Mom:
I think he moved to MI with the intention of running for governor.
pajaro
We are not even four full days into the Trump Administration. Democrats are facing a deliberate strategy of flooding the zone, or shock and awe, choose your metaphor. It’s just not true that they are saying nothing, but it’s pretty easy to have expressions of opposition, say to Hedgeth, get lost, when there are 10 other things that are going on at the same time.
I think the idea that Congressional Democrats don’t know who they are dealing with is unmoored from reality. The question facing Democrats, among others, is whether they just want to oppose and lose, or if they would like to try and actually win a fight or two. If Democrats only want to oppose and lose, that will be pretty easy, if they want to win an occasional fight, they are going to need the help of a few Republicans, so yeah, they are not going to say screw bipartisanship.
pat
@cmorenc:
I couldn’t find a SHARE. Well, I just did. See if this works.
https://wapo.st/3WzJb2a
Dana Milbank, and Eugene Robinson, and the only reasons to go to wapo, since Jen Rubin quit. I follow her (and others) on the Contrarian.
I cancelled my subscription, but I am paid up until May.
pajaro
@brendancalling:
I live in Maryland. The next district to mine is represented by Jamie Raskin. My senior senator is Chris Van Hollen. They are smart, decent, and not lacking in spine or courage. If you don’t like your elected democrats, I’d encourage you to get better ones. If you think the party is keeping your from doing that, I’d just say that my experience is to the contrary.
Heidi Mom
@eclare: I’m sure that possibility was factored into his decision (along with needing babysitters), but they moved several years ago, when a second Trump presidency probably seemed unlikely.
Ben Cisco
@Ksmiami: Don’t make me tap the sign.
Red State Dem in a city
comrade scotts agenda of rage
As usual, the EO flaunts separations of power in terms of funding but then, it’s what we knew to expect from an authoritative regime that will push the boundaries until they break.
What’s really telling tho, is how certain people in the transportation sector are reading it.
The Exec Director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials said it’s mainly aimed at a subset of programs that were setup to promote EVs, specifically the $7.5b in funding for expanding the charging network.
Hmmmm, geeee, who stands to benefit from limiting expansion of the EV charging network, ie., limit competition?
Three guesses and the first two don’t count.
rikyrah
SAID IT BEFORE..
Newsom just needs to come out and say that CA will keep the funds that it usually sends to the Feds…so that they can take care of their state
rikyrah
@gene108:
I completely agree with you.
slybrarian
@rikyrah:
What funds does California (or any other state) send to the Feds? The state never touches any federal taxes, it’s all paid directly by people and businesses.
FelonyGovt
I know folks were (rightly) skeptical of The Contrarian, but this Harry Litman article has what I thought were some good suggestions to counter the avalanche of Executive Orders and other evil actions we’ve seen this week.
wenchacha
@Heidi Mom: I don’t know if I see a way for Pete to be POTUS, save for a Designated Survivor scenario. Maybe VP, but there may be no stomach for anything too progressive in ’28. And I think it is a shame, and that we need to work to challenge the homophobia, the denial of science, the endless firehose of conspiracies, some of which is the true “lab experiment leak on purpose.”
Remember Obama asking us, challenging us to “make me do this.” Back then, it wasn’t just up to POTUS to change or ignore the Constitution. People had to vote for things like that, through their representatives in DC.
How to best remind these Reps. what we have voted for. Threats? Derision? Primary challenge? What carrots, and which sticks?
Jeffro
@pajaro: “we are not even four full days into…”
I made sure to remind friends, family, followers that in just four short days we’ve already seen hundreds of cop-beaters pardoned, the NIH effectively shut down, the CDC gagged, and brand-new ‘red/blue’ criteria added for states that need disaster relief.
90 weeks ‘til the mid-terms. 194 weeks ‘til the 2028 election. Trumpov is the lamest of lame ducks and his corrupt, addled, malicious schtick is going to get old, fast. But the GOP will only take the weight for it IF we all pound on them daily
Ksmiami
@Ben Cisco: we might only be able to save our red state Dems by becoming a separate and more powerful country at this point.
Ksmiami
@eclare: I know but it’s getting to a point where we can’t save you before we save ourselves.
Geminid
@wenchacha: If he were to run, Pete Buttigieg might not win the nomination in 2028 but that wouldn’t because he’s too “progressive.” Within the Party’s idealogical spectrum, he’s basically a moderate technocrat.
Personally, I would have no problem with that. I respect Pete Buttigieg. My reservation is that he is unproven electorally. I need to see him win an office higher than Mayor of South Bend before I consider him to be a good candidate for President. But Buttigieg is 43 old, so he has plenty of time. If I was big fan of his, I’d try to be patient.
gene108
@rikyrah:
The federal government gets most of its income via income taxes that are deducted from people’s paychecks.
States can’t stop this outflow of money.
MrPug
@Heidi Mom:
He is also a former McKinsey consultant who will never advocate for policies that have some chance at shaking up the status quo which is, IMO, our last chance at saving democracy in this country. And, look, I think it is a small chance, but pushing for small bore change on the margins is not going to break through the din of conservative bullshit.
Skippy-san
Not to mention impoundment of funds is unconstitutional.
Ruckus
@pat:
Almost at the speed of light.
Unfortunately, even if he is gone his VP will assume office. And so it really won’t be better. But he is aging out and pressuring out. Both of which are his issues and faults. He’s going to screw as many people as possible because that’s what he sees as normal. He wasn’t a good president last time and he’s a far worse human now.
Skippy-san
Not to mention, the impoundment of funds is unconstitutional.
azlib
Ain’t going to happen. Most of the money sent from CA to the Fed is in the form of tax receipts from individuals and corporations.
MomSense
@ExPatExDem:
There are a lot of Gen X Republican leaders because Xers loooovvvvveeeeddd Ronald Reagan, Alex P Keaton, and Gordon Gekko. The politically aspirant are Republicans. Obviously not all GenX.
Miss Bianca
@comrade scotts agenda of rage: flouts. Flouts, not “flaunts”.
And yes, I know it’s petty.
@Geminid: I find the notion that he might run for governor of Michigan…intriguing.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@Miss Bianca:
I appreciate those kinds of corrections. :)
chrisanthemama
@pat: Yeah, if you could gift-link to the story–I have cancelled my WaPo sub–that would be great.
Smiling Happy Guy (aka boatboy_srq)
@John S.: FDR was. Truman was. LBJ was. Not by default, but when necessary. But that was generations ago. Carter didn’t play that way, and Obama sure as shooting didn’t.
Dems have spent too long getting ahead just by being nice. We have to unlearn a bunch of that.
And if that means turning FYF on the Rethugs when their pet agenda items fail or their communities need things, maybe that’s where we need to be.
Smiling Happy Guy (aka boatboy_srq)
@gene108: This GenXer is PO’d enough to FYF every time something goes sideways for a Red stronghold.
Smiling Happy Guy (aka boatboy_srq)
@MomSense: There are also a chunk fewer GenX leaders because of Reagan era policies covering certain three- and four-letter acronyms. There’s a lot of anger still simmering in the LGBTQ community. There’s a lot of anger simmering in the POC community as well for those and other reasons. Stoke it: the policies that killed our friends and families are coming back, and righteous rage is an appropriate response.
Smiling Happy Guy (aka boatboy_srq)
@Skippy-san: And that will give anyone in the modern GQP pause, why, exactly? Not just Felonious Thunk; the entire party is coopted.
Smiling Happy Guy (aka boatboy_srq)
@John S.: Correct. There are few in the ranks prepared to match the GQP on this field.
Ergo, we need a new slate. And we need to push for that. Anyone currently in office should be on notice: get ready for the fight of our lives, or retire and let someone who can carry that fight forward pick up where you leave off.
Geminid
@Smiling Happy Guy (aka boatboy_srq): I can think of a very tough Democrat right across the Potomac River from you. Just watch Abigail Spanberger run for Virginia Governor this year.