What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[garbon]

These are all clearly scandals. Things that shouldn't have happened. Somebody fucked up massively.

In Trump's America its WAD.

How many scandals does the uk need before it's considered WAD?

Yes, exactly this. It is clear that is how it is working so how is that not working as designed?

[Savonarola]

Trump to host Kennedy Center Honors event as he expands his reach in Washington

Recipients will be:

Gloria Gaynor
George Strait
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Crawford
and...you guessed it... KISS!!! 

[Savonarola]

Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past. - George Orwell, 1984

White House launching review of Smithsonian museums to "ensure alignment" with Trump's plans

The White House is launching an internal review of some of the Smithsonian Institution's best-known museums, seeking to "celebrate American exceptionalism" and remove what it views as "divisive or ideologically driven language."

The review was announced in a letter Tuesday to Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution Lonnie Bunch, signed by Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and two other White House aides. It comes after President Trump signed an executive order in March pushing for changes at the Smithsonian, including the removal of "improper ideology."

The review is timed with next year's celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the letter said.

"This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions," the White House's letter read.

The administration's review will initially focus on eight museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture — which was highlighted in Mr. Trump's executive order for allegedly featuring "divisive, race-centered ideology" — as well as the Air and Space Museum, the Museum of American History and the National Portrait Gallery, among others. Additional museums will be reviewed in a future phase.

The letter said the reviewers will look at content for exhibits, plans for future exhibitions, collections and internal processes used by the museum's curators. It requested that museums start sending over some information in the next 30 days.

Within 120 days, the White House said museums should start making "content corrections where necessary, replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions."

The Smithsonian said in a statement to CBS News: "The Smithsonian's work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research, and the accurate, factual presentation of history. We are reviewing the letter with this commitment in mind and will continue to collaborate constructively with the White House, Congress, and our governing Board of Regents."

The letter called the review a "collaborative" effort that "empowers museum staff."

"Our goal is not to interfere with the day-to-day operations of curators or staff, but rather to support a broader vision of excellence that highlights historically accurate, uplifting, and inclusive portrayals of America's heritage," the White House wrote.

Mr. Trump has sought to reshape the Smithsonian and other U.S. cultural institutions during his second term to combat what he sees as ideological bias — assuming a more active role than prior presidents.

His March executive order directed Vice President JD Vance — who serves on the Smithsonian's Board of Regents — to work to review Smithsonian museums, including by "seeking to remove improper ideology." It claimed some of the institution's museums have "promoted narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive."

The order drew condemnation from Democrats. The four Democratic members of the House Administration Committee penned an open letter calling the moves "cowardly and unpatriotic" and saying Mr. Trump's order would undermine the Smithsonian's independence.

"Unfortunately, we now stand at the brink of seeing the Smithsonian at its worst: shaped solely by the views and ideology of one individual as a means of expanding his political power," the letter said.

Late last month, the Washington Post reported that the National Museum of American History had removed references to Mr. Trump's two impeachments. The Smithsonian later said it would update the exhibit to reflect all impeachment proceedings in U.S. history, calling the placard that was removed "temporary" and saying it "did not meet the museum's standards." The Smithsonian said it wasn't asked by the Trump administration to remove anything.

Mr. Trump also said he would fire the director of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in May, calling her a "highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI." The Smithsonian later put out a statement noting its independence and asserting that only Bunch — who has served as secretary of the Smithsonian since 2019 — can make personnel decisions. The director later resigned, the New York Times and Washington Post reported.

Meanwhile, the president pushed out the leadership of the Kennedy Center, prompting some artists to cancel planned performances.

The eight museums are:

National Museum of American History
National Museum of Natural History
National Museum of African American History and Culture
National Museum of the American Indian
National Air and Space Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
National Portrait Gallery
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

I suppose we should be grateful that the Post Office Museum didn't make the cut.

[Neil]

The pre-announcement expectation was even worse.  Between that, the poor jobs numbers, and the intense political pressure on the Fed, the expectation of a rate cut rose.

Is there going to be a rate cut in the near future?  Fighting inflation has been the Fed's top priority since its inception, and that discipline has been integral to American success.

[The Minsky Moment]

Is there going to be a rate cut in the near future?  Fighting inflation has been the Fed's top priority since its inception, and that discipline has been integral to American success.

Trump has already infiltrated two governors onto the Board who parrot what he says, and another spot just opened.  He has turned up the political heat on the others, and it's not realistic to think that the normally anonymous sorts of professionals that fill Fed governor slots are immune to death threats from legions of insane MAGA social media warriors.

The Fed genuinely faces a difficult decision, because while inflationary pressures remain, there is evidence that the real economy is slowing.  So there will likely will a legitimate argument that can made for a rate cut when the time comes.  That plus Trumpian pressure makes the probability more likely.

[Zanza]

The Nvidia and AMD deal to sell in China is super banana republic style governance: they pay a flat 15% tax (basically an export tariff) on their Chinese revenue to the US government, but are allowed to continue exports.

This new company specific tax was not issued by Congress (who cares for the constitution) and it is only available if you are a big enterprise with access to Trump (fuck the 50% of the US economy that is SMEs). Large private actors in the US now get to pay-to-play. The swamp is real.

Will be interesting if long-term the tech oligarchs or the politico-kleptocrats have the upper hand.

[The Minsky Moment]

The statutory authority to impose export controls exists only if the exports would be detrimental to the national security of the United States, or to the extent needed to carry out international obligations (i.e. sanctions regimes).  The latter is not involved with the export of the chips. 

So one of two things must be true:

1) The export of the chips is not detrimental to the national security of the United States and thus the President has no authority to impose any control.

2) The export of the chips is detrimental to the national security of the United States, but the President has decided to compromise that security in return for a payoff. 

[Oexmelin]

No. A third thing is true. The President's decisions should not be justified to the subjects of the United States. The reasons for his decisions are between him and god.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

With god being his backaccount.

[Syt]

No. A third thing is true. The President's decisions should not be justified to the subjects of the United States. The reasons for his decisions are between him and god.

God being the thing he sees when he looks in the mirror?

[Zanza]

One of the declared goals of Trump's tariffs is that America should export more cars. In June, for the first time on decades, the US was not the biggest source of imported cars in Canada anymore. Instead Canada imported more from Mexico.

So much winning.

[Josquius]

OK. Im approving of this newsome guy

You cannot view this attachment.

[garbon]

 

[The Minsky Moment]

Who's the target audience here?

[The Minsky Moment]

FT ran a story how PRC AI efforts were being crippled by loss of access to the H20 chip, which they now can access thanks to DJT.  Maybe this does not matter to US security interests and it's OK for the PRC to complete more strongly in AI.  That's a legitimate position but the administration should be honest that this is the policy and get proper legal authority for the illegal license tax (which may be impossible for exports from the US because of the export tax clause of the Constitution). If the US can live with stronger PRC AI competition but wants to use its leverage to get something in return, there are probably better asks then getting a few shekels back on a 15% license fee.