A lot of the albums are just diplomatic meetings and previous USAID directors seeing cool stuff being done in developing nations. But go ahead and scroll through to find the photo contests, like this one on USAID's Democracy, (human) Rights, and Governance partnerships:
USAID give us goodwill around the world. And because of they become reliable trade partners. But now that they can’t afford the life saving medicines we send, which is what soft power is all about, guess who will step in to fill the gap? If you didn’t guess china, you’re living in a MAGA alternative reality. The result being they become reliable trade partners for China. And even though china’s policies, eventually they will expect to be paid back, their Belt and Road initiative becomes the only nation in the world that can provide the medicine, the hospital staff, and whatever else USAID supplies them with, China will now become the not only economic, but the soft power in the world.
With USAID consigned to Satan's Wheelie Bin I see The Lord's Mighty Hand setting the World on the Fruitful Path of The Sustaining Bootstrap, May You be Blessed!
I’d ask how these people live with themselves, but I think most of them are positively gleeful. When George Fucking Bush is saying you’re going too far, it’s no longer a question of disagreements over policy. These people are evil motherfuckers who just want to do evil shit. There is no reasoning with them.
At least Little Marco looks like he’s regretting every life decision that led up to this moment.
One of the first acts that Democrats must push for once they have some power again is the "Make America Great Act" which would consist of raising taxes on anyone with an income more than a million dollars the amount necessary to rebuild and put back into place all the Congressionally directed branches of government that have been destroyed extra-Constitutionally by the proven rapist Trump and refunding things like Medicaid and the Department of Education and a fund for reparations for people who had their basic human rights trashed by ICE and other elements of Trump.
Let MAGA always be associated with making the rich paying for the cruelty of fascists.
Democrats can’t win by promising to raise taxes on the rich and reversing all the cuts. Multi-millionaires have outsized political power and half the poor vote against their own self interests. Democrats have to be smarter: politically astute and thinking strategically and originally.
That is what the Return America Greatness, Normalcy, and Rejection of Kings act is for.
RAGNAROCK for short.
This big, beautiful bill must be a priority for Democrats and would include:
1) Strong anti-corruption laws against the president and all members of the executive, legislative and judicial branch.
2) Strong campaign reforms including a proposed amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's disaterous opinions treating money as speech and preventing reasonable campaign limits.
3) Tax Increases for Billionaires.
4) In exchange, wipe out all student loan debts (The Republicans gave gifts to their rich friends, we are going to take that back, make them pay their fair share, and help those in need that the Republicans placed the burden of their policies upon).
5) Some form of making independent agencies actually independent. If that takes a amendment to the Constitution saying that Congress can set up bodies outside of the Presidents control to act as independent watch dogs and enforcers in areas where politics should not weigh in, so be it.
6) Laws holding anyone who uses the Federal Government to enrich themselves in anyway to pay back any funds they personally made off of the government and their service.
7) Laws that make clear (and an amendment if necessary) that your religion is not a "Get out of Jail" free card. As Justice Scalia once wrote, a law applicable to all equally can't be avoided by an individual based upon their beliefs. If the law says you have to drive 55, you can't get out of your ticket because you are a member of the Church of the Red Rocker.
8) Laws that outside of undercover work, all law enforcement must be unmasked, wear clear identification and badges at all times when acting within their police powers. We allow you to carry a gun and harm people as necessary, but that is at the requirement that you are clearly identifiable as an officer of the law.
9) For anyone accused of violations of human rights between 2025 and 2029 they will be subject to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in the Hague, and the United States will agree to any requests for deportations.
10) Strengthening of Civil Service protections so that without Congressional approval, the Executive can't fire people or take staffing away from any Congressionally funded element of the government.
There are more. But the Democrats should from this day forward just concentrate on returning America to a place of strength and freedom and putting in guardrails against another attempted fascistic takeover.
I don't often comment, but someone close to me works for USAID. Well. Worked. This closure is vile, as un-christian (maybe) as you can get, and is soul sucking. We will not be able to recover our standing on the world stage due to this action.
My hope is that China steps in and cares for the people. Our government is determined to make us an isolated country. There are large and long-term changes happening. Mostly changes we don't like and will not benefit us as a country or a people.
OT: As her foul spouse signs a brutal bill that GUTS aid to sick children Melanoma was posing for photos interacting with sick children at a Washington, DC children's hospital.
She refused to answer any question from reporters while she was there.
Pretty soon we are going to have to drop the use of 'Nazi' and 'Gulag' and so on to describe what is happening because those were other people in other times, no matter how similar. WE are now the inhuman monsters. These are now OUR concentration camps, not Russia's. This is now OUR history and our shame which we can never erase.
Don't tell anyone in the administration, but USAID's Flickr account is still up.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/usaid_images/albums/
A lot of the albums are just diplomatic meetings and previous USAID directors seeing cool stuff being done in developing nations. But go ahead and scroll through to find the photo contests, like this one on USAID's Democracy, (human) Rights, and Governance partnerships:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/usaid_images/albums/72177720320378603/with/53999558225
Or this contest for photos from the agency's NGO partners, where I grabbed the top photo:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/usaid_images/albums/72177720319567756/with/53927280785
I tell you, some of those photos made me cry, especially thinking of all that's being lost.
I put some of those up on Bluesky. Thanks.
Thank YOU.
The photo at the top of this piece has *already* made me cry, but thank you for sharing. America, Goddam.
C'mon, France!
C'mon, Doctors Without Borders!
C'mon, whoever else wants to pick up our slack!
Do you think they can make up billions? 🤔
Other groups and organizations will try, but most of them were overwhelmed already with record world-wide migrations.
The EU and China are the only ones large enough to pick up the slack.
Maybe the EU could work with the rest of the West and try and pick up the slack... But I'm not holding out much hope.
India in some places. Look at where in Iran wasn't bombed for example, that's the Indian owned part.
China has entered chat . . .
Belt and Road.
USAID give us goodwill around the world. And because of they become reliable trade partners. But now that they can’t afford the life saving medicines we send, which is what soft power is all about, guess who will step in to fill the gap? If you didn’t guess china, you’re living in a MAGA alternative reality. The result being they become reliable trade partners for China. And even though china’s policies, eventually they will expect to be paid back, their Belt and Road initiative becomes the only nation in the world that can provide the medicine, the hospital staff, and whatever else USAID supplies them with, China will now become the not only economic, but the soft power in the world.
I am an independent. I have voted mostly blue, though, for almost 20 years. I have been speaking out against the current regime.
I hope that you have some grace if I make any errors in politeness. I will change it if needed.
https://open.substack.com/pub/wuzzittoya/p/an-open-letter-to-the-democrat-party?r=zof2&utm_medium=ios
😡
Serial killers. Terrorists. Murderers with a "mandate." I've been around this place a long time and I've never worried about civil war...before now.
With USAID consigned to Satan's Wheelie Bin I see The Lord's Mighty Hand setting the World on the Fruitful Path of The Sustaining Bootstrap, May You be Blessed!
I’d ask how these people live with themselves, but I think most of them are positively gleeful. When George Fucking Bush is saying you’re going too far, it’s no longer a question of disagreements over policy. These people are evil motherfuckers who just want to do evil shit. There is no reasoning with them.
At least Little Marco looks like he’s regretting every life decision that led up to this moment.
Good.
Sadopopulism is very stupid, and very costly, but sadly for a lot of people it's very fun.
Rubio sold his soul to Donald Trump and it shows.
Hopefully, he’ll develop an ulcer that eats him alive.
They can send some ghoulish Christianist Mother Theresa knockoffs who get off on suffering and death instead.
One of the first acts that Democrats must push for once they have some power again is the "Make America Great Act" which would consist of raising taxes on anyone with an income more than a million dollars the amount necessary to rebuild and put back into place all the Congressionally directed branches of government that have been destroyed extra-Constitutionally by the proven rapist Trump and refunding things like Medicaid and the Department of Education and a fund for reparations for people who had their basic human rights trashed by ICE and other elements of Trump.
Let MAGA always be associated with making the rich paying for the cruelty of fascists.
Democrats can’t win by promising to raise taxes on the rich and reversing all the cuts. Multi-millionaires have outsized political power and half the poor vote against their own self interests. Democrats have to be smarter: politically astute and thinking strategically and originally.
That is what the Return America Greatness, Normalcy, and Rejection of Kings act is for.
RAGNAROCK for short.
This big, beautiful bill must be a priority for Democrats and would include:
1) Strong anti-corruption laws against the president and all members of the executive, legislative and judicial branch.
2) Strong campaign reforms including a proposed amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's disaterous opinions treating money as speech and preventing reasonable campaign limits.
3) Tax Increases for Billionaires.
4) In exchange, wipe out all student loan debts (The Republicans gave gifts to their rich friends, we are going to take that back, make them pay their fair share, and help those in need that the Republicans placed the burden of their policies upon).
5) Some form of making independent agencies actually independent. If that takes a amendment to the Constitution saying that Congress can set up bodies outside of the Presidents control to act as independent watch dogs and enforcers in areas where politics should not weigh in, so be it.
6) Laws holding anyone who uses the Federal Government to enrich themselves in anyway to pay back any funds they personally made off of the government and their service.
7) Laws that make clear (and an amendment if necessary) that your religion is not a "Get out of Jail" free card. As Justice Scalia once wrote, a law applicable to all equally can't be avoided by an individual based upon their beliefs. If the law says you have to drive 55, you can't get out of your ticket because you are a member of the Church of the Red Rocker.
8) Laws that outside of undercover work, all law enforcement must be unmasked, wear clear identification and badges at all times when acting within their police powers. We allow you to carry a gun and harm people as necessary, but that is at the requirement that you are clearly identifiable as an officer of the law.
9) For anyone accused of violations of human rights between 2025 and 2029 they will be subject to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in the Hague, and the United States will agree to any requests for deportations.
10) Strengthening of Civil Service protections so that without Congressional approval, the Executive can't fire people or take staffing away from any Congressionally funded element of the government.
There are more. But the Democrats should from this day forward just concentrate on returning America to a place of strength and freedom and putting in guardrails against another attempted fascistic takeover.
"Pale in the flare light.
The pale light cracks and disappears,
And brings the scorched ones here.
And everywhere no one cares.
No o wants to speak about it.
And down in the hold
Jesus tries to crack a smile
Beneath another shovel load.
'Cause I heard it on the wind
And I saw it in the sky
And I thought it was the end.
I thought it was the Fourth of July.
- Soundgarden
This just makes me want to cry. I'm going back outside to pull weeds.
I don't often comment, but someone close to me works for USAID. Well. Worked. This closure is vile, as un-christian (maybe) as you can get, and is soul sucking. We will not be able to recover our standing on the world stage due to this action.
My hope is that China steps in and cares for the people. Our government is determined to make us an isolated country. There are large and long-term changes happening. Mostly changes we don't like and will not benefit us as a country or a people.
I don't know how to adapt to the changes.
OT: As her foul spouse signs a brutal bill that GUTS aid to sick children Melanoma was posing for photos interacting with sick children at a Washington, DC children's hospital.
She refused to answer any question from reporters while she was there.
That fucking [VERY bad word] can go to hell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NveuGkSED1k
Mel: "Hallow keed, you feel seek? I don't care, do You?
Sick child: "Who are you?"
Notice she’s not even half-assing her “Be Best” slogan against cyber bullying any more.
These people just don’t give a fuck.
Wow Racist Birther Trophy Wife halfasses the kayfabe even. Just the audacity is off the charts.
I think I know just the very bad word you mean.
See You Next Tuesday.
Sent there for a photo op/distraction.
Sick.
I wonder if Marie Antionette used a HB1 Visa to get into France . . .
Pretty soon we are going to have to drop the use of 'Nazi' and 'Gulag' and so on to describe what is happening because those were other people in other times, no matter how similar. WE are now the inhuman monsters. These are now OUR concentration camps, not Russia's. This is now OUR history and our shame which we can never erase.
By the time enough americans wake up to this fact it will be too late.
Gator AIDs ? . . .
Plantations?
I think yes plantations, Klan,
And I think "MAGA" or "redcap" fits in for "Nazi." They are our homegrown fascist terrorists.