Those are the last 2 sentences of a news article in the NYT with a headline that states a contrary opinion as if it were fact: "White House Uses Shutdown to Maximize Pain and Punish Political Foes/The Trump administration forged ahead with plans to conduct mass layoffs, as the fiscal standoff appeared to intensify."
We all agree with the opinion, of course, don't we?
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46 comments:
Why would we expect anything else for our friends at the NYT?
The local news NBC in Miami news station STILL appends the "without evidence" phrase to nearly everything Trump is quoted as saying.
Like I've read, you can't hate them enough. I don't hate them; I just have zero regard or respect for them.
The counter-factual, that either side in a shutdown wouldn't play hardball for maximum political gain, is preposterous.
Usually when the Times wants to inject their view into this type of news story, they run a sub-header in italics, "news analysis", or else the reporter finds a sympathetic voice to corroborate the opinion, and then write "experts say..."
Here their side is in such a bad place they are forgoing such formalities. Desperation--they cave by the weekend. I can't imagine how bad it must be on Schumer's staff right now.
Pretty sure, that unlike Democrats;
the Trump Admin is trying (successfully) to MINIMIZE pain to citizens. Our Parks are still open, checks still coming, has anyone even Noticed the shutdown?
They spelled Obama wrong.
After all the Lightbringer took devious delight in causing pain and suffering to tourists especially during the shutdowns in his two terms.
Huh? The shutdown is only in the morning of its second day. Trump has not had the time to “inflict pain” on anyone but the Democrat senators who chose to follow Schumer off the cliff, and that “pain” consists of pointing out the obvious — the shutdown is caused by and owned by the Democrats.
(I voted “No, but he should.” Whether it’s called “tit for tat” or “do unto others,” it’s the appropriate strategy.)
The Althouse poll is standinglachesmoot. The polling for the Democrats must not be going well. You will not get to see those polls…
When performing political theater, you do it. Is this affecting me? Well yes, because it is delaying the license sell in the Gulf of America. I blame Democrats. It will just mean a busier holiday period.
I suspect Democrats will try some fake polling data to suggest it’s going well for their side, combine it with some angry/panicked rhetoric for a week or so, then agree with GOP senators to kick the can down the road until a time TBD…
I also will reject the idea of not spending money equals ‘pain’. The fuck kind of sickness you have where spending money is an effective anesthetic…
If I were running the White House? I'd minimize the impact as much as possible.
I wouldn't be a petty-assed punk setting up roadblocks to prevent people from pulling off the highway at a scenic vista.
I would create a situation where a sizable chunk of the populace wouldn't even KNOW there was a shutdown.
Then? Rip the shit out of the ranks of the non-essential employees/programs to the point of total elimination.
And the populace would be none the wiser. Because they wouldn't know and/or care.
Welcome to the real world, federal employees.
One of the only cohorts in existence that not only projects the worst assumptions onto their opponents, they project the worst onto themselves in the name of their opponents. It's the guilty giveaway of expecting what they know they deserve.
If this is the only way to effectively shrink the federal government, so be it.
It cannot be politicized because it is already and always has been 100 percent political.
I’m not crazy about any of the options. Trump is not punishing enemies, he is taking advantage of an opportunity to implement a policy more easily than he could have without the shutdown. He didn’t spring this on anyone, he told us he’d do it, but also, the policy (reducing the bloated and expensive administrative state) is reasonable, legitimate, and important.
You know who maximized the pain of shutdowns? Barack Obama. And none of these hand-wringing media outlets had a problem with it.
Shorter NYT: Everything Trump does is taking advantage or fascism.
I suspect Democrats will try some fake polling data to suggest it’s going well for their side
Willie Nelson can help them get the message out.
Those of us who make the highest priority of a responsible, sustainable US budget have contempt for those of you showing up to the conversation only now that there’s a political showdown…
Please! It's a political standoff. Duh!
How do you not play politics with politics? The Times is upset because Trump is winning.
It's literally and figuratively a Mexican Standoff
A tale of sombreros and piñatas.
Trump is winning hugely…much to the dismay of people what see their political agendas being flushed for more popular priorities…
I need to change my vote. The Trump administration has frozen $18 billion in funds for NYC infrastructure projects. That’s NYC, home of both Schumer and Jeffries. My vote is for “Yes, and it should.” FAFO!
great comments.
Is it possible that the mandarins at the NYT honestly believe that that leftie refusal to fund the government is not politics?
- Krumhorn
remember when obama fenced off the parks, pepperidge farm remembers
I'm so looking forward to all the malicious compliance.
Actually, in my current situation it's unlikely to affect me at all, but I'm still expecting a lot of malicious compliance.
If there was a way to punish the mainstream media for its perfidy…
I only read the Times like the funny papers, those who take them seriously
Goddamn, I hope Trump is doing that. Because that's what they were doing for 4 years under Biden. The Democrats need to learn they cant keep shutting down the Government for no reason, other than trying to help illegals or to show their "Base" that they're fighting Trump.
Throw a tantrum, get spanked.
I still don't know why the fuck the Democrats are shutting down the government. It has nothing to do with me or the vast majority of Americans. Just more of the US Senate clownshow.
I need an “I don’t know but I hope so”.
I need a "Discussions that start off with NYT's premises are boring" option.
The national Democrats are no different than this Calunicornia Democrat:
Wall Street Apes
@WallStreetApes
California Insurance Commissioner taking lavish trips around the world funded by American taxpayers
“Upgrading his flights to business and first class, expensing the five-star resort stays, chauffeurs, limo service, even a safari”
- More than 48 trips across the globe
- Just one 5 Star New York Hotel Stay cost more than $11,600
- VIP rooftop events
- Private security was hired to escort him to various events on one trip costing taxpayers more than $9,400
- 5 day trip to Bogota, Colombia for an LGBTI political leaders conference cost taxpayers more than $24,000
- Trip to security detail alone cost taxpayers more than $33,000. for an international insurance conference. But the conference was only 2 days. Yet receipts show taxpayers paid for his entire 2 1/2 weeks stay at a luxury hotel
- The security detail alone for his security detail alone cost taxpayers more than $33,000. cost taxpayers more than $33,000
- Additional miscellaneous bills, like expensive hiking equipment were purchased on vacations
- Taxpayers paid for a visit to the Big Five Safari and Spa
“The list goes on. Thousands of records obtained”
He’s even skipping key California insurance meetings to go on his free taxpayer funded vacations.
"Publicly, though, Mr. Trump’s deputies still insisted that they had not politicized the funding lapse."
Where are the quotes? What are they even talking about?
How do you "Politicize" a political process where politicians write a budget and vote on government spending? Politicizing politics? What is going on here?
The NYT's is staffed by stupid people that write stories for even stupider people.
Thieving Corksoakers!!!
I read that D's are enjoying 'thanasia' / 'esthesia' with Napa retreat
When those health insurance premium spikes happen, Trump and the Republicans would almost certainly turn around and try to pin the blame on the Democrats by pointing to Democratic support for their continuing resolution.
Whether that would work politically is an open question. However, in the meantime, Democrats would effectively be giving a blank check to a lawless and criminal administration.
This is one of those situations where the Democrats should use every bit of leverage that they have to give Trump and the Republicans a bloody nose. There may not be another time, if they cave once again. The Democrats should make it clear that they aren't going to sell out the American people -- they are doing that by standing up to Trump right now.
“How do you "Politicize" a political process where politicians write a budget and vote on government spending?“
Republicans and Trump added $4.5 trillion of debt over the next 10–years via Trump's tax cut legislation. So as far as the few deficit watchers are concerned, the Republican argument doesn't wash.
Most voters aren't paying attention either. However, 15 million people will see massive premium spikes in the health insurance market this Fall if the funding isn't restored and blame the incumbent administration. e.g. not unlike the price jumps in 2016 that happened right before the election. There are millions of people impacted by a government shutdown as well that has been initiated by the Republican Party and Trump.
If Trump and the Republicans want Democratic votes, they need to actually engage in a negotiation, which is something Trump has refused to do for months.
Where is the "Never let a good crisis go to waste" option?
Here is a dodged reality.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune isn’t endorsing the slash-and-burn campaign that White House Budget Director Russ Vought has planned for the federal government during the pending shutdown.
But he says Democrats have no one to blame but themselves. “This is the risk of shutting down the government and handing the keys to Russ Vought.”
When Republicans permitted the shutdown, which only they could do with trifecta control over the government, they moved forward with the revenge strategy of Demented Don.
Lest we forget, this is what Ronald Reagan believed about government interaction with its citizens:
"Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction,"
We no longer have any honesty among the gangsters running the country as they please.
Even though Trump lied about his intentions during the 2024 campaign, he is clearly committed to enacting Project 2025 regardless of what the Democrats do or say. The only real question is whether a shutdown gives the Democrats more power and leverage to restrain Trump's illegal power-grab. My view is that it is hard to do what Trump wants to do, if you cut the funding stream.
Of course, Trump will initially try to shift resources to his preferred priorities. However, these initial cuts are going to hit the Republicans as well. Trump is putting a plastic bag over his own head and threatening to keep it on, unless the Democrats remove it. I think they should encourage him to be reasonable by seeing the insanity of his own actions. If they can't get him to see reason, they should limit his capacity to do harm.
Obama punished his enemies by closing the national parks during the shutdown, which indicates that his enemies were the American people.
Write when you find work, Rich.
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