The Fora: A Higher Education Community

https://open.substack.com/pub/robertreich/p/the-universities-are-next?r=f23ni&utm_medium=ios

Sobering reading. 

Yeah, I've been saying lately that there are two possible outcomes. One, all the F&A restrictions and other stupid stuff related to grants & contracts will be walked back. There will be some lingering impacts like eliminating DEI requirements, but fiddling at the edges. Two, restricted F&A will be the least of our concerns because everything has gone to shit. And I mean everything.

Trump and minions want to wreck it all. Some may wish it were a bit more systematic and controlled, but they don't influence Trump enough. If the markets , jobs, etc. can be on the verge of signaling recession, and he doesn't turn back, it just shows what I have said all along: He's Jim Jones at the last days of Jonestown. And by golly, the most important thing is just to do the right thing and make it all fall apart (and die in the process of course).

So, I guess I am probably not optimistic?

Quote from: pgher on March 10, 2025, 05:44:17 AMYeah, I've been saying lately that there are two possible outcomes. One, all the F&A restrictions and other stupid stuff related to grants & contracts will be walked back. There will be some lingering impacts like eliminating DEI requirements, but fiddling at the edges. Two, restricted F&A will be the least of our concerns because everything has gone to shit. And I mean everything.

This is the question with all things Trump. Are we still in the realm of normalcy where the administration pushes but is constrained from its worst intents or are we witnessing the full-on wrecking of America? I'm back and forth about it.

American politics have become ridiculous. The President's second term has only just launched. Nevertheless, it is time to Impeach Trump.

Quote from: Wahoo Redux on March 10, 2025, 02:42:25 PMAmerican politics have become ridiculous. The President's second term has only just launched. Nevertheless, it is time to Impeach Trump.

I beg to differ. With all of his actions taking on, basically, the world, eventually it's going to cause enough pain that Republican legislators will have to develop spines and oppose him. That's when things will get interesting. (And, of course, when he and Musk fall out. From his first term it's clear he will fire about 90% of his sycophants within a few months as soon as they do or say anything that he doesn't like.) It's only when he gets a lot of opposition from many of his "side" that any real change can happen.
(And the impeachment route is likely to just fuel the same sentiments as before. It's when other elected officials get in his way by doing their job that matters. Most of all, when his approval ratings fall, that will hit him where it hurts; i.e. his ego.)

Quote from: marshwiggle on March 11, 2025, 05:20:03 AM

Quote from: Wahoo Redux on March 10, 2025, 02:42:25 PMAmerican politics have become ridiculous. The President's second term has only just launched. Nevertheless, it is time to Impeach Trump.

I beg to differ. With all of his actions taking on, basically, the world, eventually it's going to cause enough pain that Republican legislators will have to develop spines and oppose him. That's when things will get interesting. (And, of course, when he and Musk fall out. From his first term it's clear he will fire about 90% of his sycophants within a few months as soon as they do or say anything that he doesn't like.) It's only when he gets a lot of opposition from many of his "side" that any real change can happen.
(And the impeachment route is likely to just fuel the same sentiments as before. It's when other elected officials get in his way by doing their job that matters. Most of all, when his approval ratings fall, that will hit him where it hurts; i.e. his ego.)

I'd have to agree.  People will turn against him when it becomes all too painfully clear that his policies are making things worse.  Let the public have time to turn against him.  It's going to be a very painful lesson, but sometimes lessons have to be painful.  Jumping the gun on an impeachment action will just look like a sort of coup attempt, which is what most impeachments look like anyway.

Quote from: marshwiggle on March 11, 2025, 05:20:03 AM

Quote from: Wahoo Redux on March 10, 2025, 02:42:25 PMAmerican politics have become ridiculous. The President's second term has only just launched. Nevertheless, it is time to Impeach Trump.

I beg to differ. With all of his actions taking on, basically, the world, eventually it's going to cause enough pain that Republican legislators will have to develop spines and oppose him. That's when things will get interesting. (And, of course, when he and Musk fall out. From his first term it's clear he will fire about 90% of his sycophants within a few months as soon as they do or say anything that he doesn't like.) It's only when he gets a lot of opposition from many of his "side" that any real change can happen.
(And the impeachment route is likely to just fuel the same sentiments as before. It's when other elected officials get in his way by doing their job that matters. Most of all, when his approval ratings fall, that will hit him where it hurts; i.e. his ego.)

We've been waiting for Rs to develop spines for 10 years. If trying to overthrow the government didn't do the trick then I'm not sure some stock market volatility will. But hope you're right.

That said, I agree that impeachment is a bad idea.

Yeah, I agree with Sun. I can't see how  two Republican chambers would indict and convict Trump.
If they would grow a spine at all, they'd just work around him with bipartisan legislation that would be veto-proof.
But even that is pretty unlikely.  Though, weird things can happen when people are frightened, and going broke frightens people.

Quote from: Ruralguy on March 11, 2025, 09:07:49 AMYeah, I agree with Sun. I can't see how  two Republican chambers would indict and convict Trump.
If they would grow a spine at all, they'd just work around him with bipartisan legislation that would be veto-proof.
But even that is pretty unlikely.  Though, weird things can happen when people are frightened, and going broke frightens people.

What will be interesting is 2026 when the R districts that lost jobs and government benefits come up for re-election.

Will R's start standing up to DJT and support their communities instead of taking all the rhetoric for granted that it wasn't going to happen?

Will D's be able convince local voters to switch "brands?"   

We cannot impeach Trump now.  But we can plant the seeds.

Things are going to get much worse.

Trump is destabalizing the country, taking over the press, the military, and attacking the colleges.  He wants to be a dictator.  Already discontent is showing among Republicans.

Plant the seeds now so that in two years when there is a blue wave we actually can impeach him.

As Maine goes, so goes the nation:

Trump Administration suspends USDA funding for University of Maine system.

IMPEACH TRUMP.

Yes, I know they tried before.  Everything is different now.

Obviously he has to go, but is there any chance the GOP reps and senators, most of whom, while not MAGAots themselves, are terrified of Trump and his deluded cult zombies, would go for this?  IOW, what still would have to happen to make that happen?

Quote from: kaysixteen on March 15, 2025, 12:17:10 PMObviously he has to go, but is there any chance the GOP reps and senators, most of whom, while not MAGAots themselves, are terrified of Trump and his deluded cult zombies, would go for this?  IOW, what still would have to happen to make that happen?

The economy.

Check out the polls.

Even the MAGAs are slipping.

His other policies are unpopular too.

And the Repubs are starting to get heckled at their own town meetings.

The Right is afraid of Drumpf only as long as he has a purchase on the prolatariate.