angel

let’s be friends 🌈 snap; angellinn

[Alex Cole @acnewsitics]

Trump Cuts Funding to 16 Blue States That Didn’t Vote for Him

I just want to remind everyone that Biden never sought political retribution for states that didn't vote for him. In fact, they overwhelmingly benefited from his policies.

[Protect Kamala Harris ✊ @DisavowTrump20]

The silence of the generals, by Robert B. Hubbell

The most remarkable aspect of Trump’s speech to the assembled generals and admirals of the US military was the silence.

The generals sat in silence.

They sat in silence as Trump slurred and rambled through a “speech” that insulted the intelligence, professionalism, and loyalty of the generals.

They sat in silence as Trump attacked their former commander-in-chief, Joe Biden.

They sat in silence as Trump claimed that the military would use U.S. cities as “training grounds” for waging war against American civilians.

They sat in silence as Trump said he would ask the military to fight “the enemy from within.”

They sat in silence as Hegseth said the generals were free to ignore the law of war and international treaties that separate the US military from barbarians and war criminals.

They sat in silence as Trump said that the Navy should “consider the concept of battleship.”

They sat in silence as Trump wondered aloud why the generals sat in silence.

They sat in silence even after Trump pandered for their applause.

Their silence spoke volumes.

In their silence, the generals affirmed their oaths to defend the Constitution.

In their silence, the generals demonstrated their professionalism, discipline, and judgment.

It could have been otherwise. Trump and Hegseth expected it to be so. In their adolescent fantasies, Trump and Hegseth believed the generals would fête them with standing ovations, chanting, “USA! USA! USA!”

Instead, Trump and Hegseth were humiliated as their unhinged, delusional words slapped sharply against the bare walls and fell to the ground, their lunacy heightened by the silence of the generals.

Without the crutch and cover of cheering crowds, Trump’s mental deterioration was laid bare for all to see. Trump told the generals that the city of Portland “looks like a war zone. . . . unless they’re playing false tapes, this looked like World War II.”

Every general who heard Trump say that Portland “looks like a war zone” knew it was a lie and understood that their Commander-in-Chief is so feeble that he is unable to distinguish between reality and “false tapes” replayed on Fox News.

Every general who watched Pete Hegseth’s peurile speech immediately recognized him as one of the posers and video-game warriors that the generals identify as misfits to be counseled out of the military at the first opportunity.

The generals were not impressed by Trump or Hegseth. The generals are sophisticated, successful professionals who have risen to the top (in part) because of their ability to judge people—the good, the bad, and the flakes. They left the meeting understanding exactly who Trump and Hegseth are.

All Americans should take confidence and comfort from the silence of the generals. Their silence was an act of protest—because their silence exhibited loyalty to the Constitution and respect for the Office of the President, rather than for Donald Trump.

Prior to Trump’s meeting with the generals, dozens of readers forwarded Substack and social media posts claiming that Trump would use the occasion to declare martial law. Other readers sent posts claiming that Trump would administer a loyalty oath requiring fealty to Trump. Still others predicted on-the-spot mass firings and public humiliation of generals perceived to be disloyal.

In his final insult, Trump told the generals they looked like they came out of “central casting.” In doing so, he trivialized and demeaned their accomplishments and professionalism, telling them they were nothing more than props for infantile speeches by men who hold the military in contempt.

And so, the generals sat in silence, depriving Trump of the thing he values most--obsequious adulation.

The silence of the generals spoke volumes.

[Acyn @Acyn]

Hertling: The other point is his comments about putting hands back on recruits… We moved away from that 30 years ago because it’s ineffective…

You know where it didn’t go away? The Russian army. That’s exactly what they do—instilling fear, using corporal punishment, hazing, trashing rooms, even beating soldiers with rods and pipes. And what happens? Those soldiers carry that fear onto the battlefield, with no trust in their leaders or their government—which is what we see today in Ukraine.

[Jared Ryan Sears @JaredRyanSears]

-Tariffs didn't make America rich.
-DOGE didn't save hundreds of billions of dollars or send you a check.
-Grocery prices are still rising.
-Manufacturing didn't return because of tariffs; jobs are leaving instead.
-Farms didn't benefit from tariffs; they're going bankrupt and need a bailout.
-Republicans didn't tackle the deficit; it is $2 trillion this year.
-Trade wars didn't create US jobs; there are more unemployed people than there are job openings.
-Trump didn't create a golden age; he destroyed America's economy.

And Democrats aren't trying to give free healthcare to undocumented immigrants; they're trying to restore coverage and affordability for American citizens.

At what point do you realize that Trump and Republicans lie to you every single day? They aren't working for you; they're working for their rich donors.

That's why they claim there isn't money for healthcare for US citizens, while giving $20 billion to Argentina to bail out corporate and wealthy investors.

[Amy McGrath @AmyMcGrathKY]

This morning’s grandstanding at Quantico only solidified what we already know: @PeteHegseth continues to disparage and lie about women in the military.

He claimed the military needs to “return to the male standard” in combat jobs (of 1990!), but here’s the truth: there has never been a separate male and female standard. When women entered combat roles, one standard was set, and we’ve been meeting it ever since. You can either do the job or you can’t. Period.

Thanks to @wolfblitzer and @cnn for having me on this morning.

[Senator Mark Kelly @SenMarkKelly]

We have the most lethal military in the world. All of this (parades, picking up garbage in US cities and unnecessary meetings) distracts from the mission and if anything makes us less lethal. This is what you get when you install the Saturday morning news guy as Secretary of Defense.

[Protect Kamala Harris ✊ @DisavowTrump20]

Pete Hegseth implying that General James Mattis made our military weak is laughable and an insult to troops everywhere.

RETWEET if you stand with General Mattis against Hegseth and Trump!

[Occupy Democrats @OccupyDemocrats]

BREAKING: Lieutenant General Mark Hertling of the U.S. Army goes viral with a BRUTAL response to Pete Hegseth’s deranged speech, says that the military “will not execute illegal orders.”

MAGA really kicked the hornet’s nest this time…

“But there were also soldiers and, well, all ranks of services, in that audience that said, wait a minute,” Hertling told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“When they were writing down the same kind of checklist that I was writing down, saying, wait a minute, we can't do that, or we shouldn't do that, or this is a true violation of what we are as professionals or, hey, I've got women in my ranks who are performing admirably,” he continued. “Why should I kind of lump them all together like the secretary did? Or I'm certainly now going to debate with myself, what am I going to say if I'm asked to go on the street and conduct illegal actions?”

During Hegseth's rambling, peacocking speech, he railed against "woke" policies in the military, attacked "fat" soldiers and leaders, and called for imposing "male standards" on all troops. He called for hazing recruits and said that drill sergeants will be allowed to "put their hands on” them.

At the same event, Donald Trump gave a slurred, incoherent speech and talked about using American cities as “training grounds” for armed forces. The event attendees were high-ranking military officials and generals who were forced to fly in from around the globe and the fascist rubbish spewed by Hegseth and Trump was a total waste of their time.

“And I guarantee you that the people in that audience will not execute illegal orders. We have been saying that for a long time,” said Hertling.

“But at the same time, all of them, not only were they personally embarrassed, but they were embarrassed for their services that had, you know, sit in that audience and listen to this kind of stuff,” said Hertling.

“That's the worst part of all this. You know, there's a saying in the military that's a great leadership dictum: ‘You praise in public and you discipline in private,’” he went on. “This was a disciplinary approach in public with cameras, so the whole nation could see. And it was an attempt at separating the military institution from the people that they defend.”

Clearly, voters made a historic mistake putting these MAGA freaks in charge of the most powerful military in the history of the world. Next election, we undo that error for good.

Please retweet and ❤️ if you felt safer with Democrats in power!

[Occupy Democrats @OccupyDemocrats]

BREAKING: Hero fighter pilot Amy McGrath goes viral with a BRUTAL takedown of Donald Trump and MAGA Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after their deranged speech to American generals.

This is what a REAL soldier sounds like...

"Pete Hegseth still has a lot to learn, I think, unfortunately. When I flew my combat missions, there was not a set male standard and a female standard for flying an aircraft onto the back of an aircraft carrier. You can either do it or you can't," McGrath told CNN.

"And so I feel like it's the notion of standing up there and saying to the generals and admirals who all, by the way, know that there were never separate combat standards for males and females, you know, combat jobs have had one standard for a long time," she continued. "And part of when we opened combat jobs to women, those of us who were in those jobs wanted one standard to be set. And it was."

During Hegseth's widely condemned speech, he ranted about ending "woke" efforts in the military, firing "fat" soldiers and leaders, and imposing "male standards" on all troops. The entire event proved to be a total waste of time, yet another case of a MAGA official prioritizing pointless PR over actual policy. These generals were forced to fly in to hear a former Fox News host play-act as a "war fighter" when they should have been at their post overseas, keeping American safe.

"So I think it's kind of ridiculous but honestly, that in comparison to the rest of what we heard in the last hour is really minor," McGrath added. "That speech was bonkers by the president, and everybody sitting in that room knows that we don't have a coherent foreign policy or defense policy. And that, I think, is a bigger issue indeed."

During her CNN appearance, she dug into Trump's remarks—

"There was a lot of rambling. There was a ton of lies. There was a lot of politicization as was just mentioned and some of the craziness that you heard from this speech," McGrath said. "But the scariest part was when the president talked about using the military and using our cities as a training ground for the United States military."

In a separate post on X, McGrath shredded Hegseth some more.

"This morning’s grandstanding at Quantico only solidified what we already know: @PeteHegseth
continues to disparage and lie about women in the military," she wrote. "He claimed the military needs to 'return to the male standard' in combat jobs (of 1990!), but here’s the truth: there has never been a separate male and female standard. When women entered combat roles, one standard was set, and we’ve been meeting it ever since. You can either do the job or you can’t. Period."

Well said!

Please retweet and ❤️ if you think that Amy McGrath would make a far better Secretary of Defense!

[Protect Kamala Harris ✊ @DisavowTrump20]

Senator Mark Kelly, a real war hero, on Pete Hegseth's embarrassing speech today: "This is what you get when you install the Saturday morning news guy as Secretary of Defense."

RETWEET if you stand with @SenMarkKelly against Pete Hegseth!

[Fred Wellman @FPWellman]

Over 155 women have earned the Army Ranger tab.

Pete Hegseth did not.

Sounds like they are meeting the standards just fine.

[Kamala Harris @KamalaHarris]

President Trump and Congressional Republicans just shut down the government because they refused to stop your health care costs from rising.

Let me be clear: Republicans are in charge of the White House, House, and Senate. This is their shutdown.

[Protect Kamala Harris ✊ @DisavowTrump20]

Anyone else notice that black women with Harvard degrees and 20 years of experience are called “DEI” hires but some random guy on Fox News is expertly qualified to run the Department of Defense? (Pete Hegseth)

It’s almost like Republicans are fucking racist.

[James Surowiecki @JamesSurowiecki]

We gave 10 Medals of Honor to US troops who landed in Normandy and fought the Germans on D-Day.

We gave 20 Medals of Honor - twice as many - to US cavalrymen who killed hundreds of Lakota, most of them women and children, at Wounded Knee. That's absurd and embarrassing.

[Barack Obama @BarackObama]

Republicans can’t win on their policies, so they are trying to dodge accountability by rewriting the rules. These lawmakers are going out of their way to silence the will of the people and deliberately undermine our democracy.

[Ben Hodges @general_ben]

July 1935 German generals were called to a surprise assembly in Berlin and informed that their previous oath to the Weimar constitution was void and that they would be required to swear a personal oath to the Führer. Most generals took the new oath to keep their positions.

[u a hoe thats why i @lopezdeburgos]

im serious

[Emilee Green @empearlgrn]

Cancel begging for the bare minimum in 2022

[𝙋𝙖𝙢𝙢𝙮 ✨️ @_Pammy_DS_]

Relationships where you both water each other and also attend to your own growth >>>

[🖤 @smhjohnathan]

my mental heath was tested this year like no other.