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Lisa Jean Walker's avatar

Two excerpts that stand out to me:

“HHS is what it is because of you. The genome was mapped, Head Start was born, HIV care became accessible, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was launched, Indian Country was served, people had access to life-saving overdose-reversing drugs — not by slogans, but by your labor. “

“Staff who protect millions of people who rely on Medicare and Medicaid were fired. Staff who’ve spent years developing safer alternatives to tobacco products that kill millions were fired. Staff who track emerging potentially deadly pathogens were fired. Staff who work on scientific and medical mysteries that hold the keys to cancer cures and efforts to address chronic diseases were fired.”

It’s an administrative massacre—lost expertise, lost careers, lost services, lost programs, lost discoveries, lost innovation. Adding up to a lost future of good health for Americans.

Why? So the rich can get their tax cuts, which is the true meaning of “efficiency.” We have given too much credence to the “efficiency” idea. Every piece of writing starts with, “Of course, government can be more efficient….” Enough already. The immorality of the cuts should be brought home more forcefully, as well as who will benefit the most from reduced taxes.

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Michele's avatar

And the rich can go wherever and get any treatment they want. So the rest of us can just suffer and die.

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Mary Sewell Homan's avatar

Seems like that’s what they want, a country of white elites and no care if the rest of the citizens of the US suffer. We must resist!

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Linda May Holmes's avatar

Not just white elites. They must also be CINOs, Christians In Name Only.

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I Hate this Timeline's avatar

On another thread the question was raised as to whether this is a move toward eugenics. I believe it is. As Michelle said, they can fly in their private planes to wherever for care.

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SBwrites's avatar

That's undoubtedly what they want, but that's not what they say. Their goal, as expressed by Kevin Roberts, CEO of the Heritage Foundation and mastermind of Project 2025, is to "destroy the global elites," which is how they describe us. And, that's why Trump is going after universities under the guise of fighting antisemitism, when he's an antisemite.

Using that as his reason, there will be a tremendous rise in antisemitism, because once again, like Hitler, he is blaming Jews for his actions, but this time, by pretending he wants to protect Jewish students. It's so diabolical, and he's putting targets on the backs of Javanka and his three Jewish grandchildren. Too bad Ivanka and Jared are either so stupid or so rich they think their money will protect them. Given that all of Trump's adult children are intellectually challenged, Javanka doesn't seem to realize this.

Since Roberts, JD Vance, and Leonard Leo, chairman of the board of the Federalist Society, are all connected with Opus Dei, a very rich and powerful radical Catholic cult, that has enormous power in Washington D.C., that is how Leo managed to place six conservative Catholics on SCOTUS, and overturn Roe v Wade. Their view is that a woman's purpose is to have lots of children and support their husband's agenda.

Through The Heritage Foundation, the White House is swarming with Christian Nationalists!

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/26/kevin-roberts-project-2025-opus-dei

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SBwrites's avatar

I agree, but who is going to do anything? Sorry for the rant, but it's midnight and I am outraged. They are cutting so many people every day, and is there anyone in the Democratic Party, who is keeping track of who was fired, and why? And, doing anything about it? We know that RFK Jr. is totally incompetent, crooked, and doesn't give a damn. And, neither does Trump, if he's even able to function without Musk. But, what are our senators and representatives doing about this? Perhaps Mr. Nesbit knows about how this all works, because they are also probably destroying all of their research.

When I was watching the response of some of the voters who were interviewed in Wisconsin today, about whom they voted for, one older man who was pro-life voted for Crawford anyway. He said, "I'm not just a single-issue voter. I think the government should have some changes, but they should be using a scalpel, not an ax. And, I don't want an outsider telling us what to do."

Are we just going to continue letting Trump destroy every aspect of our government, and do nothing until 2026? Is there no one who has worked in government, who has any sort of a plan? Trump and Project 2025 people want our economy to tank, and want to destroy our healthcare, so that people will be so poor and sick, that they won't be able to fight back.

I'm so tired of hearing we can't do anything because we don't have the votes. For the duration of the Biden administration, Trump, and mostly the representatives who were involved in the Insurrection and others, as well as organizations like The Heritage Foundation, and members of his Stop the Steal Campaign and others, were working from the inside and outside to turn the country against Biden, and recount votes, and foment violence. Where are the Democrats who should be helping us save our democracy?

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Lisa Jean Walker's avatar

Hi Susan, I would like to use some of what you wrote here for my own messages to elected reps. Is that okay? It’s easier for me to write to elected representatives about specific legislation. It’s harder to write about something when we don’t know what’s going on, other than the slashing and burning of our government. And there are so many priorities to write about—social security, Medicaid, education, health, usaid, etc. Telling my reps to support these seems dumb—I know they support them. Your “rant” communicates the outrage we are all feeling. We are terribly uninformed right now. It’s not right, and Democrats in Congress should be stepping forward to communicate with us even if they too are in the dark. They are our leaders and they have or should have expertise, knowledge and perspective.

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SBwrites's avatar

Thanks Lisa! I'm flattered. Of course you can use it. My specialty is outrage because that's how I truly feel. But, it's not what I send to my elected officials. What I've learned over the last ten years, is that--even though I'm usually right, and I have seen the impact of actions before they become catastrophic, it's not as effective as a more measured approach, like yours. They never have responded to my "outrage" emails. I only publish them on political sites.

Honestly, I'm not sure that all Congressional Democrats are as knowledgeable, as we may think they are, or they are unwilling to be transparent and/or critical. I was listening to a few interviews in the last few days from Senators I thought I respected, and their answers to questions from Democratic podcasters, were terribly disappointing. The other possibility is that they are afraid of Trump's or Musk's response, if they discuss how they truly feel.

The only two politicians who truly get it, and can motivate large audiences, seem to be Bernie Sanders and AOC, (although Cory Booker was certainly impressive) even though I don't agree with all of their policies.

I watched a number of their "Fighting Oligarchy" events, and the crowds just love them. A reporter who covered the Tempe, Arizona rally (20,000 people attended) wrote that the audiences were angry and frustrated at what is happening, and they wanted to hear from politicians who felt the same way. They also wanted to hear from "fighters, not folders." What I learned is that "fighting against oligarchy" isn't a threatening topic because many Democratic and Republican voters are against it. You might find his article interesting.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/03/bernie-sanders-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-fight-oligarchy-tour/

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Lisa Jean Walker's avatar

Excellent. Cut and paste what you’ve written here, tweak it just a little so it clearly addresses your elected representatives in Congress, and send it to them.

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SBwrites's avatar

Thank you! Now that I've slept, I will write a different email to my elected representatives, who are all Democrats and agree with me. I'll model it more like what you wrote above!

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Jan's avatar

This horrible move will cause irreparable harm. I hope there is legal pushback. Senator Cassidy allowed RFK to be confirmed and he’s destroying public health, research, safety,etc. This benefits no one.

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Theresa Jeanne Duguay's avatar

My youngest granddaughter developed leukemia just shy of her sixth birthday. The day she was diagnosed she had her first round of chemo. She went on to two and a half years of treatment all mapped out for her. I don't know how long it took the protocols to be developed and what trials there were, but I have no doubt that she would not be the healthy twelve year old she is today if not for the work of people like those fired in this heartless move by Trump and Kennedy. I am so grateful to those researchers.

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SBwrites's avatar

It is stories like yours that you should send to your Senators and representative if they are Democrats. If not, I don't know how our voices can be heard. It's a wonderful story, and so encouraging, and someone needs to know about it. Thanks so much for sharing. In the meantime, if it's okay with you, without using your name, I'm going to send it to my senators and representative, who are all Democrats, and ask them how our voices can be heard?

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Theresa Jeanne Duguay's avatar

Yes, you can share it. I am from Vermont, and my grandchild actually met Senator Welch when her father and she traveled to DC with a group focused on continuing research into childhood cancer.

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SBwrites's avatar

Thanks Theresa! What a wonderful experience for your granddaughter, and how great that your son-in-law participated. I've never read about a group of people doing that. It would be nice if someone from their group wrote about their experience, and sent it to the Senator, or even sent it to a local Vermont news station or newspaper. (Perhaps they already have.) Or they could even post it here. Personal stories make such a huge difference. It truly is wonderful news about your granddaughter. As I wrote earlier, I won't use your name, to protect your privacy and identity. These days, I'm very cautious about that. FYI...I'm from California.

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Pickleball's avatar

That’s DR Cassidy, who will now be partially responsible for many deaths. The cruelty and ignorance of these people is astounding!

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raojenkins's avatar

It's strategic.

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raojenkins's avatar

that's the point. Sickness, death, poverty, deprivation, terror. Easier to control the population that way.

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Wayne Corey's avatar

This appears to be another deliberate action taken to destroy the United States of America. I don't know what other explanation is possible. The actions of RFK Jr., Musk and Trump in firing HHS personnel not only put us all at risk they will, indeed, lead to the deaths of Americans. Will we have a new influenza vaccine this autumn? Will the measles outbreak grow and kill more children? Will we be prepared for another epidemic? Pandemic? Sadly, we know the answers to these questions and we know that Kennedy/Musk/Trump don't care.

It is breaking my heart that the son and namesake of a man whose efforts inspired so many of us is now doing so much to damage his father's good name. It's a great tragedy.

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raojenkins's avatar

I agree with you 100%. Posted elsewhere on this thread a bunch of reporting and analyses on why the regime's doing this.

Here's just one:

"This is not mismanagement. It’s a deliberate strategy to privatize care, erase accountability, and consolidate control for corporate and political gain."

https://criticalresistance.substack.com/p/the-playbook-for-resisting-public

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SBwrites's avatar

I couldn't agree more. Thanks for the link. I'll check it out!

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SBwrites's avatar

It breaks my heart too, but RFK Jr. is just another narcissistic anarchist, like all the rest, except his anti-Vaccine actions already killed a lot of people during COVID, and in Samoa during a measles epidemic, and that's why Trump hired him to destroy healthcare, and put everyone at risk in the United States. One of Trump's requirement for Columbia University is that no students are allowed to wear masks.

All Democrats and Mitch McConnell (because he had polio as a child) voted against RFK's nomination. Only when one of the Republican's children or grandchildren die...will they change their minds.

https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-samoa-measles-kennedy-vaccines-pacific-42a9cb583c71f165699b16710884c474

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raojenkins's avatar

thanks for *your* link. Another data point on maga, in its elevation of RFK Jr, as the pro-death party

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SBwrites's avatar

You're welcome, and I completely agree with you!

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Get rid of Bone spurs's avatar

It's sad but not surprising from the PINO who lied to us by telling us Covid would magically go away and eschewed every opportunity to send a positive message by wearing a mask. The man is an idiot and all the people around him are afraid to tell him anything he doesn't want to hear. That inflatable parade ballon of him in the diaper is spot on because he is truly a child!

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Michelle Jordan's avatar

Rich people may not have to fight for everything like everyone else does but they still get sick and they are also susceptible to certain infectious diseases like everyone else. They are not exempt from the foolish decisions they make. If they start to think like King Midas then they may very well get their wishes.

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Penny H. Thomas's avatar

This devastating to our countries health and safety. The most important phrase in this article and or letter, “This is not done for restructuring.” This is all dismantling (my words).

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KnockKnockGreenpeace's avatar

I have never wished cancer on anybody, but now I wish it upon two people, and you know who they are.

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Michele's avatar

Knockknock, cancer takes too long.

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KnockKnockGreenpeace's avatar

Oh, I'm fine with a devastating physical accident on the way to chemotherapy.

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Michele's avatar

LOL.

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Liane paap's avatar

How the hell is s this legal???

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C K Smith's avatar

It is not legal!!!! Federal employees have rights! The courts need to stop this madness!

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raojenkins's avatar

the rule of law is sooooo last year

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John Manuel Andriote's avatar

It is indeed a very dark day for America and the world. The cost to individual Americans and to the public health will far outweigh the relatively meager amount saved by slashing 10,000 professionals. There is no universe—no sane one, anyway—in which the damage Trump and Musk are doing to the US government “makes America great again.” Quite the contrary, it looks like they are deliberately sabotaging the United States and harming the American people. And not only the American people, but literally people all over the world—particularly the most vulnerable—who have counted on the generosity and compassion of the American people to survive disasters and medical catastrophes. Of course the great irony is that MAGA cultists also get cancer and need Social Security benefits—and will whine even louder than usual when their government isn’t there for them. That’s the Republican way: government benefits for me, screw everyone else. This time we are all paying the consequences of their congenital inability to anticipate consequences for their choices.

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Sharon's avatar

Hard to read this. I am so thankful for the folks who helped so many with their knowledge and research.

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Jon's avatar

We are all going to die, just more quickly now.

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raojenkins's avatar

well, the technofascists and some of the christofascists will get richer -- that's the point

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Marilyn Nosal's avatar

May all adversely affect be trump supporters… experiencing adversity I am afraid is the only way to have a chance they see the wreckage… and change their minds accordingly.

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C K Smith's avatar

I know a man whose wife of more than 50 years died a horrible death from COVID because he would not “allow” her to get the vaccination. He too has long-COVID, yet he is still a die-hard (t)rump supporter. He’s too stupid for his own good, so what can you do?!!!

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SBwrites's avatar

It already happened. During the height of COVID, there were way more COVID deaths in red states than blue states. And, they still voted for Trump.

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/red-blue-america-glaring-divide-covid-19-death/story?id=83649085

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Irena's avatar

After Dr. Fauci, a true health care provider, we have a person who touts Vitamin A for measles!!! Need I say more?? I can't think of anyone in this administration who is qualified for their position, except perhaps Scott Bessent at Treasury. A Cabinet of horrors.

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Ted Mayhugh's avatar

This is about gutting HHS (and other sgencies). This is about cruelty and making it so the entities can't work after the cuts. It is not about efficiency or fraud ... it is about future power, control and oppression by rich folks. It is illegal and GOP congress is complicit by doing nothing. Until then, it is the courts, public protest and hard on the ground work as paid off in Wisconsin tonight with Susan Crawford winning her WI Supreme Court race.

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Ellen Lewis's avatar

Speaking as an MD in practice and a patient with complex disorders, this is just hideously cruel. I'm watching for legal pushback immediately, and will support any efforts for that.

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raojenkins's avatar

it's on purpose

"This is not mismanagement. It’s a deliberate strategy to privatize care, erase accountability, and consolidate control for corporate and political gain."

https://criticalresistance.substack.com/p/the-playbook-for-resisting-public

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SBwrites's avatar

Just wondered what the AMA is doing about this!

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MacroV's avatar

I don’t get the nihilism here. The savings will hardly make a difference toward tax cuts for the wealthy. This just decimates the country’s public health infrastructure - the latest great thing about America that Trump is destroying.

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raojenkins's avatar

it's the point

"This is not mismanagement. It’s a deliberate strategy to privatize care, erase accountability, and consolidate control for corporate and political gain."

https://criticalresistance.substack.com/p/the-playbook-for-resisting-public

Posted a bunch of other resources elsewhere on this thread. Two other super helpful newsletters to follow:

Gil Duran, The Nerd Reich - newsletter - not on Substack, on Ghost. Free. https://www.thenerdreich.com/

America 2.0 - David Troy - https://america2.news

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