People have no idea what a massive de-facto destimulus package is being rammed through right now. Slamming the brakes on federal spending with nothing to replace it is only going to spark a recession. This doesn't "free money up" for something else. It's just de-growth.
The events unfolding now are, in several material ways, worse than estimated. There are still major issues to address (budget; debt ceiling) but the capture of the treasury and dismantling of agencies by force is beyond even P2025. This is an attack by hostile foreign powers.
Beyond everything else that Musk has done, nullifying the rule of law is by far the most consequential. This will have massive implications for decades to come, and the biggest question now is what it will take to restore rule of law again.
Musk, Ramaswamy, and Sen. Joni Ernst just gave themselves unilateral power to delete statutorily authorized agencies. They claimed that if the agencies should exist, Congress can just authorize them again. THEY ALREADY DID. YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY HERE. YOU ALL BELONG IN PRISON.
πŸ“„ NEW: "A First Hand Account of a Brazen Crypto Scam" This week, I woke up to news that my name had been used to promote a naked crypto scam. It imploded in two hours, but not before 17,000 people made $45 million in trades.
America 2.0
ODPL: A First Hand Account of a Brazen Crypto Scam
Now, people can use your name to promote a crypto scam while you're asleep β€” and that's over before the next morning.
Good time to bump this back up. Read and bookmark if you haven’t already. We’re hitting the main points.
America 2.0
What to Expect When You're Expecting Fascism
The second Trump administration is likely to begin with a series of shock events designed to overwhelm our capacity for sense-making.
Multiple first hand reports from Europeans at Davos indicate that the US has been captured by a cult. Some are trying to appeal to the cult, while others are distancing and dealing with the fallout. But make no mistake: Trump/Musk is a cult.
πŸ“„ NEW: "Now, we rebuild: Why 'defending democracy' hasn't worked" Defending democracy failed because it also required defending the status quo. Now we are called to create a future worth fighting for. My latest.
America 2.0
Now, we rebuild: Why 'defending democracy' hasn't worked
Defending democracy failed because it also required defending the status quo. Now we are called to create a future worth fighting for.
A good practice right now, and I will have trouble doing it but am sure going to try, is to withhold reactions to provocations as long as possible. Allow time for the frontal cortex to engage rather than just letting the amygdala react without reflection.
As we prepare for tomorrow, here are some things to look for in the first week. β€œWhat to Expect When You’re Expecting Fascism” Mostly, be prepared for sensory overload.
America 2.0
What to Expect When You're Expecting Fascism
The second Trump administration is likely to begin with a series of shock events designed to overwhelm our capacity for sense-making.