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Simeon Salus

(1,390 posts)
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 06:36 AM Feb 4

We're witnessing a hostile takeover of government, as if it were a multinational corp

xaxnar at Daily Kos:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/3/2301142/-Call-it-a-coup-call-it-illegal-but-there-is-something-else-it-looks-like

"It struck me that what we are seeing happen to the U.S. Government is something that would not be considered strange or unprecedented in another context. Consider a few things:

A freeze on spending, with draconian budget cuts
Entire divisions shut down, merged, or transferred
A purge of leaders
Installation of loyalist replacements
Cancellation of long-running programs
Mass firings
Assets being set up for looting
Manipulation of accounting numbers
PR bullshit that this is all to increase efficiency and save money
Diversionary attacks on others and previous leaders, to blame them for problems
The sense that no one can stop it from happening — it’s just how things work
Where do we see things like this happening routinely? Where do we see this treated as something that’s considered acceptable — desirable even?

This is what it looks like when vulture capitalists descend on a company and loot it.

This is a hostile takeover — applied to government.

This is what they truly mean when they refer to running government like a business."

24 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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We're witnessing a hostile takeover of government, as if it were a multinational corp (Original Post) Simeon Salus Feb 4 OP
When done to a government, it's called a COUP. Nt CousinIT Feb 4 #1
It is also how fascist governments operate. Irish_Dem Feb 4 #2
And what's our side doing about it? RJ-MacReady Feb 4 #3
We are our side. Even our leaders who muster up the courage to lead will need a massive grassroots movement behind them. Magoo48 Feb 4 #4
What could the Democratic Party do instead that would please you? Any suggestions? Oopsie Daisy Feb 4 #5
If anyone other than an American citizen had done this. OldBaldy1701E Feb 4 #6
And that would have prevented everything and solved it all, eh? Oopsie Daisy Feb 4 #7
Fighting this is preferable to rolling over. Which is how it looks at the moment. OldBaldy1701E Feb 4 #9
Gee. It's all so simple, isn't it? Oopsie Daisy Feb 4 #10
It could be and it should be. OldBaldy1701E Feb 4 #18
I have a more realistic view... less "optimistic". Oopsie Daisy Feb 4 #19
I am glad. OldBaldy1701E Feb 5 #20
Indeed. Oopsie Daisy Feb 5 #21
May it be sooner than that! OldBaldy1701E Feb 5 #22
Perhaps so. Oopsie Daisy Feb 5 #23
defiant action RJ-MacReady Feb 4 #12
And this is what you want our elected representatives to do? Or the Federal employees? Oopsie Daisy Feb 4 #13
at this point RJ-MacReady Feb 4 #14
I see. Okayyyyy. Oopsie Daisy Feb 4 #15
that's it RJ-MacReady Feb 4 #16
Sigh... If only our elected representatives were as smart as everyone here. Oopsie Daisy Feb 4 #17
And most people don't actually care. alarimer Feb 4 #8
In Trump's case, RUINING government like his businesses Martin Eden Feb 4 #11
IMO, this is a coup - not by Trump, but by Musk. Trump is the shiny object to look at while Musk dismantles Vinca Feb 5 #24

Irish_Dem

(63,786 posts)
2. It is also how fascist governments operate.
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 07:15 AM
Feb 4

Russia, China, Hitler also did the same great purges as they took total control of the government.

RJ-MacReady

(108 posts)
3. And what's our side doing about it?
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 07:47 AM
Feb 4

Writing strongly worded letters? Appealing to "bipartisanship"? "Going high"? So far I am very disappointed with the Democratic Party's response to all this.

Magoo48

(5,870 posts)
4. We are our side. Even our leaders who muster up the courage to lead will need a massive grassroots movement behind them.
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 08:50 AM
Feb 4

Oopsie Daisy

(5,237 posts)
5. What could the Democratic Party do instead that would please you? Any suggestions?
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 08:54 AM
Feb 4

Feelings of disappointment are almost always the result of unmet expectations... so I wonder what your expectations were/are?

OldBaldy1701E

(7,155 posts)
6. If anyone other than an American citizen had done this.
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 09:02 AM
Feb 4

There would be people in the streets fighting, taking back their nation. Regardless of what the people supporting these criminals said.

Why do we refuse to act just because the perpetrators are rich white people who live here?

My expectation is that the Democratic Party should have been right in front of those doors. That governmental immunity works both ways. Every single Democrat in Congress should have been there the moment the action was attempted. They should not have let those people into anything and they should have been willing to take whatever the regime wanted to try. There should have been an entire army of Democrats standing with them. The damned Musk patrol should not have been able to even get close to those buildings.

Yet...

Oopsie Daisy

(5,237 posts)
7. And that would have prevented everything and solved it all, eh?
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 09:09 AM
Feb 4

I wonder why our elected representatives didn't think of that.

OldBaldy1701E

(7,155 posts)
9. Fighting this is preferable to rolling over. Which is how it looks at the moment.
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 09:24 AM
Feb 4

'Secret maneuvers' are not getting it done. Talking is not getting it done.

I would be happy to explain why they did not 'think of that', but I am trying not to get banned.

If they want support, they need to show some results. Not 'paper' ones, actual ones.

I wonder why our elected representative didn't think of that?

OldBaldy1701E

(7,155 posts)
20. I am glad.
Wed Feb 5, 2025, 07:28 AM
Feb 5

I would be the first to admit that I am not the 'rose-colored glasses' type.

As to who is more realistic... I guess time will tell.

Oopsie Daisy

(5,237 posts)
21. Indeed.
Wed Feb 5, 2025, 07:31 AM
Feb 5

I'm certain that we will not recover from this in my lifetime. Probably not my children's-children's lifetime either... but maybe by the time my great-grands are adults, things will be better.

Oopsie Daisy

(5,237 posts)
13. And this is what you want our elected representatives to do? Or the Federal employees?
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 11:01 AM
Feb 4

Honestly, I do not believe that it would have stopped or prevented what's happening.

RJ-MacReady

(108 posts)
14. at this point
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 11:23 AM
Feb 4

Yes. Strongly worded letters and bills that have zero chance of becoming law aren't cutting it. It's symbolic nonsense.

Oopsie Daisy

(5,237 posts)
17. Sigh... If only our elected representatives were as smart as everyone here.
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 11:41 AM
Feb 4

I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I see skies of blue
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying
I love you
I hear babies cry
I watch them grow
They'll learn much more
Than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Ooh, yes

alarimer

(16,813 posts)
8. And most people don't actually care.
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 09:21 AM
Feb 4

I've been screaming about this on Facebook and get NO responses ever. They clearly don't give a shit, so I don't know what the minority of us who do care can actually do at this point.

Vinca

(51,590 posts)
24. IMO, this is a coup - not by Trump, but by Musk. Trump is the shiny object to look at while Musk dismantles
Wed Feb 5, 2025, 07:53 AM
Feb 5

the government. I'm glad Democrats have finally come off the bench - it's not too late. What's with Republicans though????? Surely their offices are being inundated with as many calls as Democrats. Will they start to care more about their constituents than fealty to the king at some point? So far, they're obedient servants to Musk and Trump.

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