Poll - Total Votes: 23 See Poll Options
61-69
ThePatientAnarchist · 61-69
So here's the backstory: I read this sentence in First Things, a right-wing religious publication that I read from time to time because I am religious. In spite of knowing their political slant, I was genuinely shocked when the continuation of the sentence was option 2 rather than option 1. But this led me to think about how very differently different Americans (and the rest of the world looking on) see the current state of things. It is interesting to see the results here on SW coming out pretty much 50-50. As I've said before, a big reason I'm here on SW is to communicate with people who see things totally differently.
Question for those who voted for option 2: what has DOGE uncovered? Like, specifically?
Question for those who voted for option 2: what has DOGE uncovered? Like, specifically?
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ThePatientAnarchist · 61-69
@sarabee1995 idk. Our Canadian soldiers also receive clear instructions about their responsibilities, moral, legal, and constitutional, but a couple of active members of our military have just been arrested for participation in a terrorist plot (google "seize land near Quebec City") and reports say this is the tip of the iceberg :(
Here is the article I was thinking of.
https://www-nybooks-com.uml.idm.oclc.org/articles/2025/07/24/a-show-of-force-fintan-otoole/
IDK if you have access, so here is a disturbing excerpt:
Here is the article I was thinking of.
https://www-nybooks-com.uml.idm.oclc.org/articles/2025/07/24/a-show-of-force-fintan-otoole/
IDK if you have access, so here is a disturbing excerpt:
At Fort Bragg, Trump incited the uniformed soldiers arrayed behind him to boo the press and laugh at his political opponents... while a pop-up shop on the base sold MAGA-branded clothing and jewelry and faux credit cards labeled “WHITE PRIVILEGE CARD: TRUMPS EVERYTHING.” This organized insubordination had an obvious point: soldiers must transfer their obedience from the army and the Constitution to Trump himself.
The manual makes clear to soldiers that they should not obey illegal orders...
In this light, it actually suits Trump’s purposes if his federalization of the National Guard is understood to be illegal. His deployment of troops in Los Angeles is intended to dissolve boundaries—between domestic disputes and foreign wars, between reality and performance, and above all between a law-bound democracy and arbitrary rule. Getting soldiers used to following illegal orders and to disregarding their “duty to disobey” is a big step toward autocracy.
The manual makes clear to soldiers that they should not obey illegal orders...
In this light, it actually suits Trump’s purposes if his federalization of the National Guard is understood to be illegal. His deployment of troops in Los Angeles is intended to dissolve boundaries—between domestic disputes and foreign wars, between reality and performance, and above all between a law-bound democracy and arbitrary rule. Getting soldiers used to following illegal orders and to disregarding their “duty to disobey” is a big step toward autocracy.
SunshineGirl · 36-40, F
@ThePatientAnarchist Bribery has a clear legal definition and is the first thing that springs to many peoples' minds when we talk about corruption in public life. Which is why I feel very strongly that whatever DOGE has "uncovered" in departmental spending must be differentiated qualitatively from the personal gain Trump has made and continues to make from his office.
sarabee1995 · 26-30, F
@ThePatientAnarchist Yup, no access to the link so thanks for the exerpt.
I see the author's point (that following small illegal orders desensitizes someone to following illegal orders in general), but the US Military is a very professional organization with more training hours per person than any other military in the world. Do we have bad apples? Yes, of course we do. But overall, I don't see the US Army ever following an order to roll down American streets and occupy them.
I see the author's point (that following small illegal orders desensitizes someone to following illegal orders in general), but the US Military is a very professional organization with more training hours per person than any other military in the world. Do we have bad apples? Yes, of course we do. But overall, I don't see the US Army ever following an order to roll down American streets and occupy them.
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
@ThePatientAnarchist
But despite all, Canadians must love Americans.
Ninety percent of their population live as close to the lower 48 American states as they can get.
"Give me your gelid, cold Canadian swarm,
Your huddled masses yearning to get warm."
But despite all, Canadians must love Americans.
Ninety percent of their population live as close to the lower 48 American states as they can get.
"Give me your gelid, cold Canadian swarm,
Your huddled masses yearning to get warm."
ThePatientAnarchist · 61-69
@Thinkerbell well exactly -- it's not necessarily that we love the USA (though most of us like you fine as a rule) but that we don't like to freeze all year round!
sarabee1995 · 26-30, F
ThePatientAnarchist · 61-69
Running 50-50 in the poll so far. So interesting.
Thinkerbell · 41-45, F
ThePatientAnarchist · 61-69
@Thinkerbell Interesting guess! But no, it was First Things.
bookerdana · M
@ThePatientAnarchist When the gotcha moment abjectly fails....When are you releasing the results
ThePatientAnarchist · 61-69
@bookerdana I already mentioned the poll was running 50-50 last night. But i am not trying to "gotcha" anyone. I'm thinking about how it could have been either, depending on the publication.
This Hunan's decision is no reset
Seriously authoritarian concept fail cannot write victory, totalitarian agenda fail